Rugby

Jul 9, 2022 France had to rally again in the second half to beat Japan for a second successive week as they edged the home team 20-15 in Saturday’s second test in Tokyo. Baptiste Couilloud’s try 10 minutes from time turned an error-strewn contest back in France’s favour after Japan fullback Ryohei Yamanaka had dotted

9:43 AM BST Ireland prevailed 23-12 in a test of high intensity to beat the All Blacks on New Zealand soil for the first time in Dunedin on Saturday, taking full advantage after the hosts had lost Angus Ta’avao to a red card in the first half. Prop Andrew Porter scored two tries and skipper

9:45 AM BST Liam Napier If ever one match sharply shifted the narrative, the All Blacks’ seemingly commanding victory against Ireland at Eden Park was it. That 42-19 result moved the dial from flatlining on pressure-cooker overload to a sense of relief among All Blacks supporters. Now, from a New Zealand perspective at least, that

4:23 AM BST Jordan Petaia will get his chance at fullback but Suliasi Vunivalu has been made to wait for a Wallabies debut after being overlooked to play England in Brisbane’s second Test. Andrew Kellaway’s hamstring injury in training this week and Tom Banks’ broken arm in the first Test defeat of England has allowed

11:23 AM BST The Wallabies’ rotten run with injury to start the Test season has continued, with outside back Andrew Kellaway ruled out of the second Test. But that has opened the door for Dave Rennie to at last put one of his big plans into action, the shifting of Jordan Petaia to fullback. The

The two rugby hemispheres come back together this year July, with several massive series taking place across the globe. Can Ireland win a first Test on New Zealand soil? Will Australia at last end this losing run to England? Can a struggling Wales spring an upset in South Africa? It really is a tantalising few

12:25 PM BST Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been passed fit to play in the second test of their three-match series against New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday. Sexton was taken off with a suspected concussion during their 42-19 defeat to the All Blacks in the series opener in Auckland last weekend but Ireland assistant

10:03 AM BST England flanker Tom Curry will play no further part in the tour of Australia after suffering a concussion in the series opener in Perth last weekend, the team said on Monday. Curry started at openside flanker in the 30-28 loss to the Wallabies but was withdrawn at halftime and replaced by Lewis

8:24 AM BST The Wallabies will wear a special shirt with an indigenous design and sing the national anthem in the language of the local First Nation’s people ahead of the second Test against England in Brisbane on Saturday. The anthem will be sung in the Yugambeh language in honour of the late Lloyd McDermott,

7:07 PM BST Fullback Damian Willemse kicked a pressure penalty after the hooter to secure South Africa a 32-29 victory over ill-disciplined Wales in a see-saw test at a raucous Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Wing Louis Reece-Zammit crossed for two tries and Dewi Lakea got a third for the visitors, who took the world champions