3:29 AM BST There are just four rounds to go in Super Rugby’s regular season, with a real race unfolding for the Australian and South African conferences, and the wild card playoff spots. The Round 15 action is headlined by two key inter-conference games between the Brumbies and Bulls on Friday, and Waratahs and Jaguares
Rugby
2:03 AM BST The Crusaders are defending star back George Bridge, who they say was their only player caught up in a Cape Town incident which has resulted in accusations of homophobic slurs. Allegations have been made on social media that members of the touring Kiwi team intimidated and ridiculed two or more gay men
5:31 AM BST ESPN staff Israel Folau has opted not to appeal his contract termination by Rugby Australia. The 72-hour window Folau had to lodge an appeal expired early on Monday afternoon [AEST], the governing body confirming it had received no communication from the now-former Wallabies star. Folau had on Friday learned his employment would
3:32 AM BST ESPN staff The Crusaders have strongly denied allegations some of their players exhibited “homophobic behaviour” during an altercation with members of the public at a McDonald’s restaurant in Cape Town. The nine-time Super Rugby champions released a statement on Monday saying they would still investigate the claims once the team returned home
2:54 AM BST There were three away wins in Round 14 of Super Rugby with the Jaguares, Bulls and Waratahs all picking up vital victories on the road. The Crusaders were denied by a late penalty goal in Cape Town, which earned the Stormers a 19-all draw. Read on for some of the talking points
7:01 AM BST Tolu Latu has some explaining to do, his NSW Waratahs coach says, after the hooker’s failure to inform the Super Rugby club of an alleged drink driving offence that could ruin his World Cup aspirations. Latu has been banished from the Wallabies’ Brisbane training camp, instead set to meet with Rugby Australia’s
11:55 AM BST Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle is confident the decision to terminate Israel Folau’s contract won’t alienate some of his former teammates and undermine the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign. Folau’s religious beliefs are understood to be shared by several other professional players in Australia, particularly his fellow Polynesians. Players from that group filled
11:33 AM BST While former Wallabies coach and radio broadcaster Alan Jones blasted Rugby Australia over its decision to sack Israel Folau, some Australian players used social media to show their love and support for their ex-teammate. Jones has been in Folau’s corner since his inflammatory Instagram post, which resulted in his four-year contract being
9:52 AM BST ESPN staff Israel Folau is “exploring his options” after his multi-million dollar contract was terminated by Rugby Australia [RA] on Friday afternoon. Folau released a statement in response to his sacking roughly two hours after RA boss Raelene Castle fronted a packed media conference in Sydney to confirm the end of his
3:51 AM BST With the Israel Folau sanction set to at last be handed down on Friday, this weekend’s Rugby World Cup camp is arguably the most important two days of Michael Cheika’s five-year Wallabies tenure. After the Reds and Waratahs do battle in Brisbane on Saturday night, Cheika will bring together 40 World Cup