Rugby Union

During this tournament, she has been able to lean on Meg Jones a little more to lift her mood. Like the new England skipper, Packer was born and raised in Wales. The pair will occasionally swap a word or two of Welsh, a reminder of home and family. “We have …

Bemand has named an unchanged backline with Stacey Flood, Beibhinn Parsons and Robyn O’Connor the back three. In midfield, Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton start as Emily Lane partners Dannah O’Brien at half-back. In the front row, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang all are set to register their …

Saturday 4 July New Zealand v France; 08:10 BST Japan v Italy; 09:40 BST Australia v Ireland; 11:10 BST Fiji v Wales; 14:10 BST South Africa v England; 16:40 BST Argentina v Scotland; 20:10 BST Saturday 11 July New Zealand v Italy; 06:10 BST Australia v France; 08:40 BST Japan …

Exeter Chiefs scrum-half Will Becconsall has agreed to join the Cornish Pirates on a permanent deal. The 23-year-old recently completed his second loan spell at Mennaye Field and will now sign a full contract with the club. Becconsall made his Chiefs debut in 2022 and went on to make more …

Worcester Warriors chief executive Stephen Vaughan says he would have “bitten your hand off” if he had been offered a place in the Champ play-offs a year ago when the club was about to make its comeback. Back then, Worcester’s most recent owners had spent nearly two years planning the …

Moritz said he was first made aware of the Pirates after reading an article online, and following some initial calls he met those running the club late last year. After further talks, Stonewood committed money to the club and agreed to take a place on the board of directors. “We …

Scotland centre Meryl Smith has signed a new contract to stay with Premiership Women’s Rugby side Bristol Bears. Smith, who can also play at fly-half, joined the Bears in 2023 having previously played at Edinburgh University. The 24-year-old has 26 caps for Scotland since her debut in 2022 and is …

Available for over a year Will England claim an eighth successive Six Nations? Or will France finally beat the Red Roses and claim a first title since 2018? Ugo, Sara and former Ireland international Anna Caplice look ahead to the big showdown in Bordeaux. Could England’s leaky defence cost them …

In a wide-ranging interview with Gavin Andrews and close friend Lindsay Peat, Moloney-MacDonald talks through how she first got into rugby, moving to England to improve after the disappointment of the 2017 World Cup and her relationship with Exeter teammate and England international Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, who she married last year. …

South Africa prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been banned for 18 months for breaking anti-doping rules – a decision which is set to rule him out of the 2027 World Cup. Ntlabakanye, who plays for Johannesburg-based club Lions, tested positive for the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in 2025 and carried on …

Australia centre Len Ikitau says he would like to return to Exeter in the future. The 27-year-old is on a one-season deal at Sandy Park before he returns home to the Brumbies ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Regarded as one of the premier centres in world rugby, …

Northampton have made six changes as they look to bounce back from a bruising defeat by neighbours Leicester when they welcome Bristol (19:45 BST). The league leaders, who have not lost at Franklin’s Gardens in more than a year, welcome back England lock Alex Coles who has not featured since …

Academy player Wilhelm De Klerk and Bryn Ward are two of 10 changes made by Richie Murphy for Friday’s final regular season United Rugby Championship match against leaders Glasgow Warriors in Belfast. Ulster need a positive result to secure a play-off spot and Champions Cup qualification and are bolstered by …

Bristol Bears have been dealt another major injury blow in their race for the Prem play-offs with winger Gabriel Ibitoye ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn hamstring. Ibitoye went off early in the second half of the Bears’ defeat by Saracens last weekend and now …

Exeter back Ben Hammersley has signed a new deal with the Prem club. The 22-year-old has made more than 50 appearances for the Chiefs since his debut in September 2023. Hammersley’s versatility has been a big asset for Exeter, being deployed on the wing, at centre and at full-back during …

When Ulster’s transformation this season has come up in conversation, there is one name that keeps cropping up. Mark Sexton was appointed Ulster’s attack coach under Richie Murphy for this season and the numbers speak for themselves. Last year, when Ulster had a miserable campaign and finished third from bottom …

Bath wing Will Muir has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury picked up during the Champions Cup semi-final defeat by Bordeaux. Muir went off in the 66th minute of the loss in France earlier this month, where he scored two tries, and has …

Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey will miss the European Challege Cup final with Montpellier after it was confirmed a hamstring injury is expected to rule him out “for a number of weeks”. Head coach Richie Murphy said after Friday’s dramatic draw with Stormers that McCloskey was a major doubt for the …

Worcester Warriors head coach Matt Everard said their heavy defeat by Coventry was an “unacceptable down” in their season but there is a huge determination to put that right in their play-off quarter-final against Chinnor on Saturday. Warriors shipped 45 second-half points against Cov in their 64-28 loss as the …

Former England boss Eddie Jones has been fined and suspended as head coach of Japan for abusing match officials during an under-23 tour of Australia last month. The Japanese Rugby Football Union (JRFU) says that because of the “seriousness of the matter” and the contents of their contract with Jones, …