Rugby Union

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, …

Back George Barton said he is proud of the way he has “stuck” at taking on a more versatile role within the Gloucester team. A homegrown player born in the city, Barton has been part of Gloucester’s age-grade academy system since 2014, originally playing as a fly-half. But he assumed …

Ireland winger Beibhinn Parsons said that her side want to end the Women’s Six Nations on a high with a third home win of the campaign when they take on Scotland on Sunday. Scott Bemand’s side have beaten Italy in Galway and Wales in Belfast and are aiming for victory …

Munster have commissioned an independent governance and organisational review after the club decided against bringing in Roger Randle as attack coach last month. The New Zealander’s planned arrival was announced on 15 April but was met by opposition in some quarters after a 1997 rape allegation resurfaced. The alleged incident …

Scotland back-row forward Evie Gallagher has signed a new contract to stay with Premiership Women’s Rugby team Bristol Bears. Gallagher, who can play across the whole back row, joined Bristol from Worcester in 2023 after the Warriors folded and dropped out of the top tier. The 25-year-old has scored seven …

After seven months of league action, the race for the URC top eight has gone the distance with five teams battling for four spots. With Glasgow, Stormers, Leinster and Bulls having booked their play-off places, Lions, Munster, Cardiff and Ulster are currently in the remaining spots with ninth-placed Connacht chasing …

Former Georgia captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from sport for 11 years for his part in a secret scheme which helped national team players cheat anti-doping tests. Hooker Giorgi Chkoidze has been banned for six years, with Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi and Miriani Modebadze receiving three-year suspensions, and Lasha …

Prem leaders Northampton Saints have signed Italian winger Malik Faissal to bolster their squad for next season. The 20-year-old will move to Franklin’s Gardens from Zebre, having scored two tries in seven senior appearances for the Parma-based outfit so far. Faissal has played 10 games for Italy’s Under-20 team in …

Available for over a year It was a huge weekend in the race for the Prem play-offs as the top two both lost. Ashy, Danny and Chris dive into Leicester’s massive derby win over Northampton and discuss the electric atmosphere at Welford Road, the Tigers pack and if Henry Pollock …

Ireland second row Sam Monaghan said that having an Irish club in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) would be “amazing” for the growth of the national team. The PWR, currently restricted to English clubs, opened an expression of interest process in April for organisations who might join the nine-team competition …

Available for over a year England fly-half Zoe Harrison says the introduction of smaller balls for this autumn’s WXV Global Series is “the worst decision someone has ever made”. Size 4.5 balls – about 3% smaller, but the same weight as a regulation size five – will be used for …

England centre Fraser Dingwall says Northampton cannot use the pre-match loss of second row Tom Lockett as an excuse for defeat by Leicester Tigers. Lockett had to pull out of the game at Mattioli Woods Welford Road during the warm-up, with Chunya Munga drafted into the Saints starting XV as …

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter says any potential new investment in the club could take a number of years to show on the field. Club members and shareholders have approved a bid for Cannae Holdings’ Black Knight Sports and Entertainment – who own Premier League side AFC Bournemouth – …

Exeter: Woodburn; Brown-Bampoe, Slade, Ikitau, Ridl; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins (c), Zambonin, Hooper, Tshiunza, Vintcent. Replacements: Dweba, Burger, Tchumbadze, Tuima, Worley Brady, Cairns, Haydon-Wood, Hammersley. Yellow card: Ridl (53) Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Butt, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (c); Van Wyk, Frost, Griffin; Roux, Molony, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary. …

Newcastle: Healy; Wade, Hearle, Arnold, Hodge; Connon, Benitez Cruz; Brocklebank, McGuigan (c), Rewcastle, Hodgson, Baker, Gordon, Christie, Parsons. Replacements: Fletcher, Connor Hancock, McCallum, Clarke, Mafi, Elliott, Beeckmans, Grayson. Sin-bin: Healy (9) Harlequins: Benson; Anderson, Northmore, Bradley, Murley; Smith, Friday; Hobson, Riley, Delgado, J Green, Williams, Cunningham-South, Driscoll, Dombrandt. Replacements: Staples, …

Connacht boosted their hopes of sneaking into the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a bonus-point 26-7 win over injury-hit Munster at Dexcom Stadium. The hosts led 19-0 at half-time courtesy of tries from Ben Murphy, Shayne Bolton and Shamus Hurley-Langton. Sean Jansen added a fourth in the second half to …

Ireland’s Aoife Wafer hails her team’s “clinical” performance in Belfast, after scoring twice and securing a bonus point in their 33-12 win over Wales in the Women’s Six Nations. MATCH REPORT: Women’s Six Nations – Ireland 33-12 Wales Available to UK users only. BBC News

After Cullen introduced experienced front rowers Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani and Dan Sheehan, Leinster were pinned back in the early stages of the second half before a momentum-shifting intercept from Diarmuid Mangan. And having had their patience tested, Leinster finally got their third when Keenan – who replaced Prendergast – …

Having missed out on selection for last year’s Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider against France, Marlie Packer’s remarkable international career may have seemed to some to be winding down. The 36-year-old, who lost the England captaincy to Zoe Stratford at the start of last year, had slipped down the …

Bristol: Heward; Ravouvou, Moroni, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; Jordan, Marmion; Genge, Thacker, Kloska, Dun, Batley, Owen, Harding (capt), Grondona. (29 apps). Replacements: Gwilliam, Woolmore, ⁠⁠Lahiff, ⁠⁠Taylor, Cripps, ⁠⁠Randall, Williams, Bates. Saracens: Malins; Caluori, Tompkins, Hartley, Segun; Burke, Bracken; Mawi, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, Isiekwe, Earl, Willis. Replacements: Dan, Carre, …