Rugby

1:48 AM BST The Autumn Nations Series got underway over the weekend, albeit with just two Test matches in Tokyo and Edinburgh. World Rugby’s official Test window opens this weekend, which means there will be a far larger slate of games across Europe in six days’ time. Still, there was no shortage of talking points

1:29 AM BST The Wallabies may have snapped a three-game skid with a drought-breaking win in Edinburgh, but they are kidding themselves if they think a performance of that quality will be good enough to get within striking distance of France next week and Ireland later in the tour. There is no hiding from the

4:31 AM BST Iliseva Batibasaga of Australia prepares to feed a scrum. Hagen Hopkins – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images In the most horrendous of conditions, the Wallaroos found themselves in the mix for a potential World Cup boilover at halftime, but in the end, it was simply a bridge too far for the Australians,

6:51 PM BST Wasps will be relegated from the Premiership to the second-tier Championship, England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) confirmed on Friday with the club suspended from the top-flight and Premiership Rugby Cup for the rest of the 2022-23 season. After the club went into administration earlier this month, the RFU said it was working

10:46 AM BST South Africa have included uncapped flyhalves Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in their squad for next month’s autumn international series, and electric winger Cheslin Kolbe returns after recovering from injury. The Springboks will play four Tests, starting against Ireland in Dublin on Nov. 5, followed by matches on consecutive Saturdays against France,

12:51 AM BST The Wallabies begin their spring tour against Scotland in Edinburgh this weekend, in a Test that falls outside World Rugby’s official window. That has resulted in notable omissions for both sides, although the hosts have been harder hit with only their Scotland-based players available for the Murrayfield clash. Still, Gregor Townsend’s side

5:17 AM BST Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Stephen Perofeta have been named in the All Blacks’ starting 15 for the first time in a much-changed line-up for the Test against Japan in Tokyo on Saturday. Tuivasa-Sheck will start at inside centre alongside Braydon Ennor, with Perofeta starting at fullback in Ian Foster’s team. Halfback Finlay Christie

3:51 AM BST ESPN staff New Zealand Rugby [NZR] has acknowledged a scheduling blunder that will see the Black Ferns’ World Cup quarterfinal clash with the opening match of the All Blacks’ spring tour. NZR has come in for heavy criticism this week for the error, which will see the All Blacks’ Test against Japan

1:12 PM BST Italy lock Sara Tounesi has been suspended for 12 matches for biting a player from Japan at the women’s Rugby World Cup, meaning she miss Saturday’s quarterfinal against France. Tounesi was cited for biting an unnamed opponent during Italy’s 21-8 win on Sunday. The tournament’s judicial committee upheld the citing complaint, World

8:12 PM BST Wallabies veteran Michael Hooper has no immediate desire to reclaim the captaincy on Australia’s spring tour, admitting he was not “completely cured” of some of the mindset issues that saw him withdraw from the Rugby Championship before its opening whistle. Hooper is poised to play his first Test since the Wallabies 2-1