Rugby

5:23 AM BST The Wallabies are up and running for 2021, albeit with more than a touch of good fortune after France bottled a lineout clearance and a pouncing Tate McDermott gave Australia one final chance at victory. After a prolonged hammering of the French tryline, referee Brendon Pickerill finally awarded the penalty he had

9:17 PM BST The British & Irish Lions put aside a day of drama and uncertainty to comprehensively win the second game of their COVID-disrupted South African tour, crushing the Sharks 54-7 at Ellis Park on Wednesday. Makeshift fullback Josh Adams kept up his try-scoring blitz in a Lions jersey with a hat-trick, matched by

1:48 PM BST Lindsay du Plessis The British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa has been placed under further threat after one of the touring group’s members tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday. It was the first positive case for the Lions since they arrived in South Africa, and their management confirmed that

6:22 PM BST The third Tour match between the British & Irish Lions and the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria has been postponed as several members of the South African team tested positive for COVID-19, a statement said on Tuesday. Lions Rugby said organisers will to reschedule the game and find an alternative opponent for the

2:18 PM BST Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny requires surgery on a knee ligament injury sustained in the 68-12 win over Canada on Saturday, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said on Tuesday, ruling him out of their summer tests. The 32-year-old was visibly upset as he was taken off the field on a stretcher after his

2:00 AM BST St George Illawarra prop Paul Vaughan has been sacked after he hosted an illegal house party attended by 13 players. The Dragons Board will officially ratify the decision when they meet at an emergency meeting on Tuesday afternoon. The move comes after the NRL handed down a raft of sanctions to the

11:00 PM BST NRL boss Andrew Abdo says he is “gutted” by St George Illawara’s players breaching virus protocols and placing the season at risk. The NRL has come down hard on the 13 players who broke stay-at-home orders to party at Paul Vaughan’s barbeque on Saturday. 1 Related They were handed a combined fine

9:51 AM BST Furious St George Illawarra boss Ryan Webb has slammed the arrogance of the Dragons’ dirty 13, refusing to rule out further sanctions beyond the 20 games in bans and big fines from the NRL. The NRL came down hard on the 13 players who broke stay-at-home orders to party at Paul Vaughan’s

1:56 PM BST South Africa cancelled training on Monday and went into isolation after another positive COVID-19 test, putting in jeopardy their Test on Friday against Georgia. Springbok lock Lood de Jager returned a positive test, following three positives in the South African side last week, raising more questions about the British & Irish Lions

2:45 AM BST ESPN staff Israel Folau will return to rugby in 2022 after signing with Japanese Top League club NTT Communications Shining Arcs. The code-hopper, who was recently cleared to play rugby league for Southport Tigers on the Gold Coast, was unveiled as one of the Arcs’ new signings on Monday. Folau will play

4:22 PM BST England scored seven tries — but conceded a worrying four — as a virtual reserve team beat a spirited United States 43-29 in an entertaining though ragged Twickenham clash on Saturday. England were without 13 players on Lions duty and several others being rested, and starting with eight debutants, they led 26-3

10:00 PM BST Argentina held on for a narrow 24-17 win over Romania despite outscoring their hosts by four tries to one in their summer Test in Bucharest on Saturday. Argentina, who now travel to Cardiff to take on Wales in two tests over the next fortnight, were 19-7 ahead but were pulled back by

7:26 PM BST Rampant Wales ran in 10 tries to thump Canada 68-12 in their mid-year international in Cardiff on Saturday, but a 100th test appearance for fullback Leigh Halfpenny lasted only 30 seconds before he went off with what looked a serious injury. Halfpenny was visibly upset as he was stretchered from the field

7:13 PM BST The British & Irish Lions got their South Africa tour off to a winning start as Josh Adams scored four tries at Ellis Park on Saturday, beating their Johannesburg namesakes 56-14 in a stiff early examination against the surreal backdrop of empty stands. Louis Rees-Zammit dotted down the first try of the

3:47 PM BST England have included eight uncapped players in their starting lineup to play the United States at Twickenham on Sunday, with Harlequins Marcus Smith named at fly-half. Coach Eddie Jones has put together a team for the future with several players away with the British & Irish Lions or being rested for the

2:25 AM BST ESPN staff with Reuters Injured Wales forward Alun Wyn Jones could yet make a “miracle” recovery and join the British & Irish Lions for the Test series against the Springboks in South Africa, coach Warren Gatland has revealed. Jones was injured in last week’s farewell Test against Japan at Murrayfield, the Lions

Jul 1, 2021 Ireland’s James Ryan has overcome injury concerns and will captain the side in their home Test against Japan on Saturday, in a team without several injured players and shorn of regulars who are on tour with the British & Irish Lions in South Africa. Ryan had an abductor injury that cast doubt

5:41 AM BST South Africa captain Siya Kolisi has challenged the Springboks to be “warriors”, promising “more of the same” with the side set to adopt the plan that won them the 2019 Rugby World Cup when they host Georgia in their first Test for 20 months on Friday. The Boks are playing two Tests