4:48 AM BST With just one round remaining, only four of the top eight spots have been finalised, while up to eight teams remain in the fight for the final four playoff spots. The final round is headlined a blockbuster trans-Tasman double-header on Friday night with the Highlanders hosting the Waratahs, and the Chiefs facing
Rugby
11:46 AM BST South Africa’s national rugby union has announced a new contracting model as it attempts to develop “greater national and provincial alignment” and “improved succession planning” at Springboks level. SA Rugby will no longer contract Springboks Test players centrally, as it has done since rugby union turned professional in 1996, while the provincial
1:56 AM BST Sam Bruce Close ESPN Associate Editor Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPNscrum after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. Andy Withers Close ESPN
1:03 PM BST The Crusaders will retain their name for the next Super Rugby season at least but their logo will be changed following an outcry in the wake of a mass shooting in Christchurch almost three months ago, the team has said. The March 15 shooting at two mosques in the team’s home city
2:54 PM BST BANKWEST STADIUM, Sydney — The Israel Folau saga took yet another sour turn just as his former Waratahs teammates endured a similar bitter taste in an 11-point loss to the Brumbies on Saturday night. Only hours after The Daily Telegraph revealed Folau had sent a scathing letter to the Rugby Australia board
4:44 AM BST NSW Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore is confident a “decent” crowd will show for the club’s final home game of the season to round out what has been a promising beginning at Bankwest Stadium. And he has hinted the Waratahs may look to play less at the SCG in 2020 and are
1:24 AM BST Samu Kerevi will keep fans guessing ahead of what might be his last game at home for the Queensland Reds on Friday night. The inspirational Reds captain has been strongly linked to a move to Suntory in Japan’s Top League from January, after this year’s World Cup. The Reds will host the
8:18 AM BST Flyhalf Elton Jantjies has been restored to the Lions’ squad for Saturday’s key Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes after being left out of last weekend’s victory over the Stormers for disciplinary reasons. He is expected to be named on Thursday in the starting side for the meeting at Ellis Park where
4:26 AM BST Former Wallabies star Israel Folau has launched legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission against former employer Rugby Australia after he had his contract torn up by the sporting body. Folau will sue the sporting administration for breach of contract with his lawyer stating under Section 772 of the Fair Work Act
11:20 AM BST Warren Gatland will coach the Barbarians against Wales in their first match under his replacement as coach Wayne Pivac. Gatland will leave the Wales job after the World Cup in Japan, but will quickly return there with the Baa-baas for the fixture at the Principality Stadium on Nov. 30. 1 Related The