Australia drop Fainga’a, Samu for second Bledisloe Cup test

Australia and New Zealand will revive Super Rugby as an international affair when the Trans-Tasman competition kicks off on Friday.

All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke, who lit up international rugby with an eye-catching debut season last year, has put his hand up for selection in New Zealand's Olympic rugby sevens team for the Tokyo Games.

The Otago Highlanders have lost head coach Tony Brown for the entire Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition, with the New Zealander departing to help Japan prepare for the start of their season.

Six Nations champions Wales will begin their title defence against Ireland in the first round of the 2022 tournament while Scotland host England on the same day, organisers announced on Wednesday.

Wales will look to end a 68-year winless run against New Zealand when they host the All Blacks as part of their autumn internationals this year, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said on Monday.

The Ikey Tigers remain unbeaten after four matches, they ran eight tries past Shimlas today.

Queensland Reds flyhalf James O’Connor kicked a late penalty to secure a 24-22 victory over ACT Brumbies in front of 22 000 fans in Brisbane on Saturday to maintain his side's 100% record this season and secure a home final in Super Rugby AU.

The 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa will go ahead as planned after officials said on Tuesday that they had dismissed the idea of staging the series in the United Kingdom and were now looking at only one option.

Elliot Daly will replace the injured Henry Slade at outside centre for England in their final Six Nations game against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday in the only change to the side that beat France last week.

Western Force have signed Wallabies lock Izack Rodda from French Top 14 club Lyon Olympique Universitaire (LOU), the Super Rugby side announced on Tuesday.

Springbok eighth-man, Duane Vermeulen, has been named SA Rugby Player of the Year.

Ireland flanker Peter O'Mahony signed a two-year contract extension with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) on Thursday in a deal that will keep him at Munster until 2023.

Rugby, like all other sport and recreation activities, came to an abrupt halt early in March last year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

New Zealand's World Cup-winning flyhalf Dan Carter announced on Saturday his retirement from professional rugby after an illustrious 19-year career.

Debutant Jaco van der Walt is one of six Scotland changes to face Ireland in the Autumn Nations Cup at the weekend as coach Gregor Townsend rung the changes after their home loss to France last month.

Wales handed a rare start to scrumhalf Lloyd Williams and kept flanker James Botham in their lineup as they named their team to face England in the Autumn Nations Cup in Llanelli on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Ian Foster has made only three changes to the side beaten by Argentina in their previous Tri-Nations game for Saturday's rematch with the Pumas but made it clear he expected significant improvement from that defeat in Sydney.

Warren Abrahams has been appointed the new Wales women's head coach, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced on Wednesday, making him the country's first Black national coach.

Argentina served up one of the biggest upsets in test rugby history when they stunned New Zealand 25-15 in the Tri-Nations on Saturday, beating the three-times world champions for the first time in 30 attempts going back to 1985.

The Stormers have made five changes to their team that will face the Griquas in a Super Rugby Unlocked encounter in Kimberley on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Ian Foster admitted he would need to sit down and have a proper think about it, but he did recognise that his side's performance in their 43-5 demolition of Australia ranked up there as one of his coaching highlights.

The Rugby Football Union on Thursday is reviewing whether England's non-cap match against Barbarians can go ahead as scheduled on Sunday after several Barbarian players breached COVID-19 quarantine protocols.

Ireland coach Andy Farrell has challenged his side to produce a ruthless and dynamic performance when they return to action for the first time in seven months to take on Italy in their rescheduled Six Nations tie on Saturday.

New Zealand responded from a poor first test performance to beat Australia 27-7 in their second Bledisloe Cup match at a near sold-out Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

Australia captain Michael Hooper has stuck to the party line and attempted to downplay the mystique surrounding Auckland's Eden Park ahead of their second Bledisloe Cup test against New Zealand on Sunday.

South Africa will not play in the Ruby Championship this year. SANZAAR, the governing body, has announced a new schedule without the Springboks after SA Rugby decided not to send a team to the bio-bubble in Australia.

The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could see England's rugby clubs start going bankrupt before Christmas without a government bailout, Premiership Chief Executive Darren Childs said.

All Blacks winger Jordie Barrett slotted a 78th-minute penalty to snatch a 16-16 draw against Australia in their first Bledisloe Cup test on Sunday, a rugby match that stretched nine minutes into injury time.

Compared to his previous 99 rugby test matches, Australia captain Michael Hooper said on Saturday the build-up to his team's first Bledisloe Cup encounter with the All Blacks has been "strange."

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) will not ban England fans from singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" but will educate them on the history of the song and its links with American slavery, the domestic governing body said.