Rugby

5:42 PM GMT Benetton Rugby prop Ivan Nemer has been suspended until June 30 after giving Black teammate Cherif Traore a “rotten banana” as a Christmas present, the Italian Rugby Federation said on Friday. The sanction was imposed based on investigations into what happened during a private lunch organised by the club’s players on Dec.

2:50 PM GMT The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has issued an apology for the “anger and concern” in the rugby community following its announcement last week that the tackle height would be lowered across the community game. The announcement, made on Thursday, caused uproar in the sport and a flurry of criticism. There was widespread

2:15 PM GMT French rugby was thrown into further turmoil just over seven months before the World Cup as Bernard Laporte resigned as president of the French rugby federation (FFR) on Friday. “I can confirm Bernard Laporte’s resignation. I welcome this decision … which is a good thing for French rugby, for its values and

12:27 AM GMT As the fallout continues from the Rugby Football Union’s decision to implement a waist-high limit for tackling in community rugby, World Rugby has confirmed it intends to follow suit with a reduction in the defensive height at the elite level of the game. In an interview with The Telegraph, World Rugby chief

8:34 AM GMT Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chairman Ieuan Evans said he will set up an external task force to examine accusations of sexism, racism and misogyny within the governing body as it looks to address issues raised by a BBC Wales documentary. Several former female WRU employees, including Charlotte Wathan, who resigned as the

11:47 AM GMT England are facing a growing injury crisis ahead of their Six Nations opener against Scotland with Jamie George and Elliot Daly the latest players to withdraw from training. Steve Borthwick begins his England tenure in the Calcutta Cup clash on Feb. 4, but his front-row resources are being tested with George the

9:06 AM GMT Six Nations Chief Executive Ben Morel has said there are no plans to expand the championship or change the participants, amid media reports of interest from South Africa’s rugby union. South Africa have been increasingly aligning themselves with the northern hemisphere, with four clubs joining the United Rugby Championship in 2021 and

5:09 PM GMT The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) on Monday denied allegations made in a BBC documentary that some former employees suffered sexist discrimination, as a Welsh MP and former women’s international player call for an enquiry into all Welsh sporting bodies. In a BBC Wales programme, to be screened on Monday, several former WRU

10:00 AM GMT Vice-captain Courtney Lawes and hooker George McGuigan have been forced to withdraw from England’s Six Nations squad due to injury, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on Monday. Lawes withdrew due to a calf injury after he limped off during Northampton Saints’ clash with La Rochelle on Saturday while McGuigan injured his

3:16 PM GMT Tackling above the waist will be banned in community rugby matches from next season to “reduce head impact exposure and concussion risk”, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Thursday. The RFU added that ball carriers would be encouraged to “follow the principle of evasion” and avoid “late dipping.” “Designed to improve