Rugby Union

France’s team will be led by Mickael Guillard, who partners uncapped Thomas Staniforth, an Australian who qualifies for France via residency, in the second row. Elsewhere, the visitors, who are without players from Top 14 semi-finallists Toulouse, Racing 92, Montpellier and Stade Francais, lean on established club combinations. La Rochelle …

Feyi-Waboso has been able to take part in training, albeit while being exempt from contact. Baxter said that, if selected, Feyi-Waboso had healed sufficiently and will not need to wear any kind of protective mask. “We’ve done very little, even grab tackling this week, so he’s been able to run …

Furbank, who has won 14 England caps, has been at the heart of a developing dynasty at Saints. Driven by a core of young, homegrown talent, Northampton are preparing for a third major final in three seasons and are looking to take back the Prem title they won in 2024. …

Champ Rugby winners Worcester Warriors have appointed former England, Harlequins and Wasps forward Joe Launchbury as their new head of academy. The 35-year-old retired from playing at the end of the regular Prem season after three years with Quins and 51 appearances. Launchbury won 70 caps for England, winning the …

Tackling above the base of the sternum will be outlawed in the grassroots game globally after World Rugby made a lower point of contact a permanent part of its law book. National unions will have the choice of setting either the base of the sternum or the waist as the …

As part of enhanced elite player squad (EPS) contracts introduced in 2024, England have the final say on the treatment, conditioning and match availability of their top stars. In the past, that has led to conflict. England and Exeter’s medical staffs publicly disagreed over treatment Feyi-Waboso received for a previous …

Harlequins have added Great Britain rugby league legend Sean Long and former player Jordan Turner-Hall to full-time roles on their first-team backroom staff. Long, who was previously on the Quins staff in the 2019-20 season and acted as a part-time consultant this term, has been promoted to the full-time role …

Leinster captain Caelan Doris has been passed fit to start Friday’s United Rugby Championship final against the Pretoria Bulls as Tadhg Furlong returns to the line-up. Ireland skipper Doris was a doubt after picking up a knee injury in the semi-final win over the Stormers but he will lead a …

With England’s first-choice loose-head Ellis Genge recovering from a calf problem, the versatile Asher Opoku-Fordjour, more usually a tighthead option, has switched sides of the scrum to cover. George Martin, who has made an impressive return to action for Leicester in recent weeks after 14 months out with injury, starts …

The story of how Messi v Ronaldo became the rivalry that transformed the sport BBC News

Pollock will likely draw plenty of attention during the match and not just due to his international pedigree and talent. Often perceived as a ‘wind-up merchant’, the former England Under-18 captain knows how to ruffle feathers on the pitch to ensure he becomes a target for the opposition. It’s a …

Knox, who is Ireland-qualified through residency joins Ulster after a spell with French Pro D2 side USON Nevers. The 27-year-old South African has also played for CS Bourgoin-Jallieu and Munster. He racked up 33 appearances during his six-year stint with Munster, featuring eight times in the United Rugby Championship winning …

Cornish Pirates have signed prop Jamie Clark for the 2026-27 season following his departure from Newcastle Red Bulls. The 23-year-old joined the Prem side on a short-term deal for the rest of the campaign in April and played in four league games. Clark was born in Australia and represented the …

Vernier has represented France at several Six Nations and played in every one of their games during the 2021 and 2025 World Cups. She was ruled out of the Six Nations this spring midway through the tournament with a shoulder injury. Vernier began her career with Racing Club Nanterre and …

Gloucester-Hartpury were missing Stratford, who is pregnant with her first child, as well as scrum-half Natasha Hunt, number eight Alex Matthews, wing Jade Shekells, back-row Kate Williams and full-back Emma Sing all through injury for Sunday’s match. But they still went into the game as overwhelming favourites against Trailfinders, a …

Ireland will travel to South Africa for two Test matches in October as part of the new WXV Global Series. Scott Bemand’s side will face the Springbok Women at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on 24 and 31 October. The only previous meeting between the sides was a 2006 Women’s …

Reflecting on the reasons why he chose to come to Bath in the first place, Du Toit points to the arrival of fellow South African, Head coach Johann van Graan the prevous season in 2022-2023. “The way he spoke about the club, and what he wanted to achieve made us …

World Cup-winning England lock Rosie Galligan will leave Saracens at the end of the season. The 28-year-old is currently away from rugby as she is due to give birth in October. Her partner, fellow England forward Marlie Packer, has already announced a move from Saracens to Harlequins. Galligan won two …

Available for over a year Have Exeter shown enough to convince us they can beat Northampton in Saturday’s Prem final? Ugo, Chris and Ashy look back at both semi-finals and assess whether the Chiefs have the game to upset the favourites. Or are Northampton simply operating on another level? Plus, …

It’s important to remember that Finn Russell doesn’t like dropping goals either. Bath’s first-choice fly-half famously prefers keeping ball in hand, having landed only one in open play in his entire playing career. That one though came at the exact place that Santi Carreras, standing in for the injured Russell, …