Rugby Union

Queensland Reds v British and Irish Lions Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Date: Saturday, 5 June Kick-off: 11.00 BST Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app Maro Itoje will return as captain in the British and Irish Lions team to face the Queensland Reds at the Suncorp …

The morning after the night before and it is an easy ‘take’ to say Henry Pollock should start for the British and Irish Lions in the first Test against Australia. It was certainly an eye-catching performance from the 20-year-old Northampton Saints star in the 54-7 win over Western Force, one …

Having reached and won the URC final, Leinster wing Lowe had to wait a week before his first taste of Lions action. While he has plenty of credit in the bank with Irish coaches having been picked 40 times for his country, Lions tours are all about taking your opportunity, …

Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams was good off the bench in the defeat by Argentina a week ago and he was building wonderfully on that performance against the Force, scoring twice, before he came off with what is being called a “tight hamstring”. How tight? Head coach Andy Farrell tried to …

Ugo Monye & correspondent Chris Jones reflect on Lions’ eight-try win over Western Force. BBC News

The British and Irish Lions eased away to an eight-try 54-7 victory against Western Force in their first game of their tour on Australian soil. Captain Dan Sheehan, Tomos Williams and Elliot Daly scored in a first half largely dominated by the profligate hosts in terms of territory but not …

In the 1930 tour of New Zealand, the blue jersey design generated significant controversy. Firstly, it caused a kit clash with the All Blacks, who were forced to find an alternative, leading them to wear white for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, Irish lock George Beamish questioned the …

The last Red Roses camp before the Rugby World Cup squad is named will be in Treviso, Italy in July. It is the first foreign camp England’s women have been taken on, but despite the excitement the head coach is promising it will be one the toughest and hottest they …

The Australia-born winger is in from the start on Saturday against the Force, a team containing three of his old mates from the ACT Brumbies, including his old house-mate Bayley Kuenzle, who starts on the bench for the hosts in Perth. Much is made of Hansen’s relaxed attitude but he …

Henry Pollock must replicate the energy and abrasiveness that have fuelled his meteoric rise so far, says head coach Andy Farrell as the 20-year-old starts for the British and Irish Lions for the first time. Pollock will pack down at number eight as the Lions take on Western Force in …

Down here in Australia there’s a world of awe-inspiring wonders to behold, natural and man-made totems so stunning they can make your jaw drop to the floor. Which, in a rugby context, is a power that David Campese still possesses, in a way that’s part-Alan Partridge with a hint of …

Western Force: Donaldson, Grealy, Proctor, Stewart, Pietsch, Harford, White (capt); T Robertson, Paenga-Amosa, Hoskins, Carter, Swain, Harris, Champion de-Crespigny, Ekuasi Replacements: Dolly, Pearce, Tauakipulu, Faifua, Prinsep, H Robertson, Burey, Kuenzie British and Irish Lions: Daly, Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Williams; Schoeman, Sheehan (capt), Furlong, Cummings, McCarthy, Beirne, Van der …

Wales scrum-half Ffion Lewis has signed for the Chicago Lions women’s sevens team. The former Bristol Bear left Wales’ professional programme after being told her contract was not going to be renewed this summer. She was allowed to leave in the middle of the 2025 Women’s Six Nations to protect …

Our Nations pod team discuss the Lions side to face the Western Force. BBC News

Leicester Tigers have signed winger Gabriel Hamer-Webb, hooker John Stewart, versatile back-five forward James Thompson and fly-half Billy Searle. Wales-qualified Hamer-Webb, who has previously played for England at Under-20 level, returns to the Premiership after spending much of the past two seasons in the United Rugby Championship with Cardiff. The …

Dan Sheehan has challenged his British and Irish Lions team-mates to match the passion of the Western Force underdogs in Saturday’s tour opener in Australia. Sheehan will captain a Lions team with only two starters – Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne – who were in the XV for the defeat …

Ireland’s Dan Sheehan will captain the British and Irish Lions in their opening game on Australian soil against the Western Force on Saturday. Sheehan is one of five players in the starting line-up who will make their Lions debut, his Leinster team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh …

Wales meet Eddie Jones’ Japan in a two-match series, with the first Test in Kitakyushu on 5 July and the second in Kobe on 12 July. Thomas is one of the most experienced players in the squad and sees similarities with the 2022 tour of South Africa as Wales bid …

Chris and Danny sit down with England head coach Steve Borthwick. BBC News

The television show Outlander, writer and artist Kahlil Gibran and Perth’s mining heritage do not often all get mentioned in the same media conference. But Scotland prop Pierre Schoeman is not a standard interviewee. The South Africa-born forward appears to be one of the more philosophical members of the British …