Super Rugby kicks off a new era this week with the long-awaited addition of two Pacific islander teams to compete alongside the best from Australia and New Zealand. Some fans may scoff at yet another revamp for the southern hemisphere tournament after constant tinkering in recent years. But organisers believe the injection of Pacific talent … Read more
English cricket is back in the firing line over racism in the game after “stereotypical” and “outdated” views were expressed about the reasons for a lack of interest in the game among Britain’s ethnic-minority communities. Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq delivered harrowing testimony to lawmakers in November, where he said his career had been ended … Read more
PARIS: The coronavirus is once again disrupting global sport, forcing the cancellation of English Premier League matches and the scrapping of a one-day cricket series. AFP Sport looks at the state of play around the world as authorities scramble to cope with the surging pandemic. Football Five of the 10 Premier League matches scheduled for … Read more
Former New Zealand prop Charlie Faumuina expects to face a “willing” Cardiff side in the European Champions Cup on Saturday despite the hosts missing 32 players due to Covid-19 isolation. The Welsh region will field an outfit made up of academy members, semi-pro players and internationals who did not travel to South Africa last month … Read more
Wasps on Thursday announced that World Cup-winning prop Vincent Koch will join the English Premiership club from rivals Saracens next season. The 31-year-old was a key member of South Africa’s World Cup squad in 2019, a campaign that culminated in the Springboks beating England to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy. “We have been looking for … Read more
English Premiership leaders Leicester on Tuesday announced the signing of South Africa World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard, who will join the club ahead of the 2022/23 season. The 27-year-old, who was in the Springbok team that beat England in the 2019 World Cup final, will join the Tigers from French club Montpellier. His arrival will … Read more
Australia lock Kane Douglas has signed a contract extension keeping him at Bordeaux-Begles until 2024, the French club announced on Tuesday. Douglas, 32, joined the Top 14 outfit in 2018, two years after making the last of his 31 Wallabies appearances. “It’s the best thing for my family to stay put. I think me and … Read more
George Ford kicked 11 points as Leicester beat reigning Premiership champions Harlequins 16-14 in a titanic battle on Sunday to maintain their perfect start to the league season. Ford kicked three penalties and converted Harry Potter’s try as Tigers took their winning run to nine Premiership matches, their best league run since 10 was achieved … Read more
Stade Francais ended a worrying run of three successive losses on Sunday when the big-spending French giants edged out La Rochelle 25-20 in the Top 14. They escaped the relegation zone the hard way, however, having conceded three tries to none inside the first 30 minutes against last season’s runners-up. La Rochelle dominated the early … Read more
Fly-half Ihaia West has signed for Toulon on a three year contract from Top 14 rivals La Rochelle, his new club confirmed on Sunday. “Ihaia West will join Toulon from next season and will wear the red and black jersey until 2025,” Toulon said in a statement. West arrived at La Rochelle in 2018 from … Read more
Italy fly-half Paolo Garbisi reached 100 points for the season as Montpellier beat Perpignan 30-6 in the French Top 14 on Saturday and Bordeaux-Begles moved above Toulouse to the summit of the table with a 17-7 win. Garbisi, 21, who started all of the Azzurri’s November internationals kicked 13 of his side’s final tally to … Read more
With laughter, a rap dance celebration but still a competitive edge, tag rugby training sessions for players with special needs serve a greater purpose than personal glory. The De La Salle Palmerston Eagles are a far cry from the days in Ireland when those with autism, Down’s Syndrome and other disabilities were kept out of … Read more
European Champions Cup organisers said on Thursday teams will be allowed to add as many new players as they wish to their squads for this season’s competition to counter the fallout from Covid-19 travel restrictions. Irish province Munster as well as Welsh regions Cardiff and the Scarlets are short of squad members for their opening … Read more
Stalwart half-back Morgan Parra said Tuesday he will leave Clermont at the end of the season after 13 years at the Top 14 giants. The goal-kicking 33-year-old, capped 71 times by France, hinted he might be headed for pastures new. “The club offered me a two-year deal and a reconversion into the sporting management,” he … Read more
The majority of players and staff from the Munster and Cardiff rugby clubs who have been stranded in South Africa because of coronavirus restrictions said they will leave by Thursday. Most of Munster’s squad departed from Cape Town on Tuesday night, according to a statement from the Irish club. Cardiff, the last of four United … Read more
The Munster rugby team, stranded in South Africa, have discovered nine more coronavirus cases in their ranks, the Irish province said on Tuesday. They will join one other team member in a quarantine hotel in Cape Town until the end of their isolation period. The Irish government has already said those players or coaches that … Read more
All Blacks superstar Ardie Savea committed to play rugby in New Zealand for another four years Tuesday, jettisoning talk of a code switch to rugby league. New Zealand rugby said the highly-rated backrow and sometime All Black captain will stay with the side “through to the end of the 2025 season.” The 28-year-old also signed … Read more
Rugby World Cup winner Trevor Nyakane will join Racing 92 on a three-year deal in December, the French club’s head coach Laurent Travers said on Tuesday. Tight-head prop Nyakane, 32, started all three of the Springboks’ November fixtures and will arrive from the Blue Bulls before Georges-Henri Colombe leaves the Parisian side for La Rochelle … Read more
Billy Vunipola marked his return from injury by creating the try of the match in Saracens’ 25-14 win at home to Sale in the English Premiership on Sunday. Saracens were 13-0 up, against the run of play, when powerhouse England No 8 Vunipola, showing no ill effect from the knee injury that kept him out … Read more
Bordeaux-Begles came from behind to record a resounding 37-14 win away to Racing 92 to consolidate second spot in the Top 14 on Sunday. Argentinian international Santiago Cordero scored three tries for Bordeaux and Australian Ulupano Seuteni notched two as the visitors overpowered the side from the capital. It was the perfect Bordeaux riposte to … Read more
Bastien Soury crossed for a decisive try four minutes from time to help seal a dramatic 17-14 victory for Biarritz over big-spenders Stade Francais in the 11th round of Top 14 action on Saturday. It was an impressive fourth win of the season for bottom-placed Biarritz, newly promoted into the elite French league after seven … Read more
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones will need a second shoulder operation after being injured on international duty last month, the veteran lock’s club side said Wednesday. Jones, rugby union’s most-capped international with a total of 161 Tests including 12 for the British and Irish Lions, was hurt in Wales’ 54-16 defeat by New Zealand in … Read more
Tadhg Furlong’s ‘top drawer performances’ since returning from almost a year out through injury has seen the Ireland and British & Irish Lions prop rewarded with a new three-year contract, the Irish Rugby Football Union announced on Thursday. The 29-year-old Leinster star reached the 50-cap landmark in the 60-5 rout of Japan earlier this month … Read more
South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus has withdrawn his appeal against a ban imposed by World Rugby after he released a video criticising refereeing decisions during the British and Irish Lions’ tour. In addition the 49-year-old — who is now director of rugby with the Springboks — and South Africa rugby chiefs have issued … Read more
Former Ireland international Ray McLoughlin has died aged 82, the Irish Rugby Football Union announced Monday. An outstanding tighthead prop, McLoughlin played a then record 40 times for Ireland over a period of 14 seasons, from 1962 to 1975, captaining the side on eight occasions, and was also a two-time British and Irish Lions tourist … Read more
England Women completed an unbeaten end-of-year campaign by running in 15 tries during an 89-0 thrashing of the United States in Worcester on Sunday. This latest victory for the number one team in women’s rugby, followed England’s 43-12 and 56-15 hammerings of New Zealand — second in the global rankings — and an equally emphatic … Read more
Argentina coach Mario Ledesma lamented two years of “bubble” life but insisted that was not an excuse for the Pumas’ poor results this year, which culminated in a 53-7 whipping by Ireland on Sunday. Argentina, who have not been able to play on home soil since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic two years ago, … Read more
Marcus Smith wants to see England “kick on” after steering Eddie Jones’s men to a thrilling 27-26 win over world champions South Africa. Saturday’s success at Twickenham, sealed by Smith’s 79th-minute penalty, rounded off an unbeaten end-of-year series for England. It was arguably England’s best display since their 2019 World Cup final loss to the … Read more
