4:50 PM GMT England overcame a disastrous first half when their experimental side trailed an effervescent Japan 15-10 to turn on the power after the break and run out 35-15 winners at Twickenham on Saturday. The long-shot outsiders had threatened a repeat of their 2015 World Cup upset over South Africa when well-made tries for
Rugby
4:38 PM GMT Australia beat Italy 26-7 on Saturday, keeping their unblemished record against the Azzurri intact. In what had been billed as a must-win match for the Wallabies’ embattled coach, Michael Cheika, the Wallabies did suffer one setback, with a groggy David Pocock forced off in the second half. The Wallabies showed enough attacking
10:13 PM GMT Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper has backed Jordan Petaia to bounce back from the bitter disappointment of injury scuppering his chance of an international debut. The 18-year-old Queensland Reds flyer’s ecstasy turned to agony in the space of two days when he suffered a strained hamstring in training having been named in the
3:58 PM GMT Steve Brown is to step down as CEO of England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU), the governing body said on Friday. His decision comes just days after the sport’s biggest and richest union defended itself against claims by one his predecessors of poor financial management. Brown succeeded Ian Ritchie in Sept. 2017 having
2:45 PM GMT DUBLIN — Josh van der Flier will start for Ireland against New Zealand in Dublin on Saturday after loose-forward Dan Leavy was ruled out with injury. Van der Flier was initially named as a replacement and his spot on the bench will be taken by Jordi Murphy for the crunch clash between
12:51 PM GMT Scotland vice-captain Stuart McInally says South Africa are “the most physical team in world rugby” ahead of the Springboks’ visit to Murrayfield on Saturday. The Scots are fresh from a resounding 54-17 win against Fiji but face a much tougher challenge at home to a resurgent South Africa side, who snatched a
Nov 15, 2018 Ryan Crotty replaces an injured Sonny Bill Williams in the only change to the All Blacks team to meet Ireland in their clash of the world’s top-ranked teams in Dublin. Veteran inside centre Williams damaged a shoulder during last week’s 16-15 win over England at Twickenham and may yet recover for the
Nov 16, 2018 Brian O’Driscoll says Ireland will have an advantage heading into the Rugby World Cup next year if they beat New Zealand on Saturday. The eagerly anticipated clash between the world’s top two teams is an opportunity for Ireland to record only their second win against the All Blacks — and their first
3:22 AM GMT The Melbourne Rebels believe a season out of Super Rugby has been a good thing for their star recruit Quade Cooper. Unwanted at the Reds for the past 12 months, Cooper will start training in Melbourne on Monday in an attempt to re-ignite his Wallabies career ahead of next year’s Rugby World
12:26 AM GMT Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has backed 18-year-old rookie Jordan Petaia to successfully make the transition to Test rugby. The Queensland Reds flyer has been named on the wing for Saturday’s (0100 Sunday AEDT) clash with Italy in Padua – one of six changes to the side that lost 9-6 in Cardiff to