5:56 AM BST A skirmish over player etiquette has broken out between the Wallabies and All Blacks, adding spice to the second Bledisloe Cup Test. New Zealand coach Steve Hansen was miffed most of the Wallabies players walked from the field soon after last weekend’s Test in Sydney. A handful of Australia’s players remained to
Rugby
3:28 AM BST All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has made it clear Kalyn Ponga’s admiration for the rugby union world champions is reciprocated. Emerging as the brightest new face of the NRL, Ponga rang alarm bells in rugby league this week when he discussed the possibility of trying to play for the All Blacks in
8:01 AM BST The blowtorch has been turned on Australia’s front-rowers after Michael Cheika made multiple changes to match the All Blacks muscle and square the Bledisloe Cup series. Shunted unceremoniously during the 38-13 loss in Sydney, Cheika had to revamp his scrum for Saturday’s rematch at Eden Park. He’s made three personnel changes, one
12:29 AM BST Danny Cipriani will face no further action from the RFU in relation to his arrest outside a nightclub during Gloucester’s preseason tour of Jersey. The RFU charged Cipriani with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game following the incident in which Cipriani was arrested on five charges. After pleading guilty in
3:21 AM BST Hurricanes pair Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape have won surprise inclusions for the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland, creating an All Blacks record in the process. Coach Steve Hansen was forced into both changes following injuries to Rieko Ioane (hamstring) and inside centre Ryan Crotty (concussion) during the 38-13 hammering of
1:44 PM BST Danny Cipriani has been named in the Gloucester team for their next preseason friendly despite being the subject of an RFU disciplinary hearing. The England fly-half is among those listed to start the match against Dragons at Kingsholm on Thursday night but must first face an independent panel in Bristol Wednesday evening.
12:38 AM BST The fitness level of Australia’s players is being questioned for a second straight year as they struggle to keep pace with New Zealand. Former All Blacks great Jeff Wilson believes the Wallabies had either over-trained heading into last week’s 38-13 loss in Sydney or are simply unfit. Wallabies players after losing the
12:02 AM BST The sight of two of his children crying hit Wallabies coach Michael Cheika harder than the subsequent calls for his head following the loss to New Zealand. Cheika’s suitability to carry on to the World Cup has been thrust under the microscope following Australia’s 38-13 Bledisloe Cup defeat in Sydney. Days out
10:17 AM BST England flyhalf Danny Cipriani was fined £2,000 by his club Gloucester on Monday after an internal investigation into an incident during their pre-season tour of Jersey. Cipriani was charged by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Friday for “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game” following his conviction for common assault
4:42 AM BST WELLINGTON — Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has launched a fierce defence of Michael Cheika following calls for the Wallabies coach to be axed after their Bledisloe Cup implosion. Sharp knives were unsheathed for the first time in Cheika’s 49-Test reign following the 38-13 loss to the All Blacks in Sydney. If Rugby Australia