Category: Rugby

Rugby News

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Will Borthwick’s autumn England squad embrace Prem chaos or prioritise prudence? | Gerard Meagher

Scoring spree will be forgotten at the Rugby World Cup, and a return for Courtney Lawes may hint at coach’s thinking

It says much about Steve Borthwick’s approach to England’s coming autumn campaign that he is due to name his training squad within minutes of the full-time whistle at Harlequins on Sunday. Simply put, there is no time to waste.

Borthwick will have his squad for only a couple of days after the Prem’s derby weekend before they return to their clubs for a domestic fixture. In years gone by there was an extra week with the players but this time, as 12 months ago, Borthwick’s preparations are truncated.

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Son of Wallabies great named in spring tour squad as Les Kiss turns to new faces

  • Teddy Wilson and Tom Lambert part of 33-man group to tour Europe

  • Australia to face England, Scotland and Wales in Nations Championship

Son of a gun Teddy Wilson and prop Tom Lambert are the new faces in the Wallabies’ spring tour squad, which welcomes back some international reinforcements.

Coach Les Kiss on Friday unveiled his 33-man group to tour Europe for Tests next month against England, Scotland, Wales and another yet-to-be-determined side in the maiden Nations Championship finals weekend.

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McDermott blames Rugby League World Cup format as England face exit

  • Big wins and help from Tonga needed to reach semi-finals

  • ‘You’ve got to hit the ground running, which we didn’t do.

Brian McDermott has conceded England’s hopes of reaching the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals may already be over, the head coach ­blaming the tournament’s format and their opening loss to Tonga.

The World Cup has been reduced to 10 teams, down from 16 four years ago. That is largely due to financial reasons when the hosts, Australia, stepped in after France’s withdrawal. That has led to a unique format, with different levels of jeopardy for ­different countries based on their group.

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Maro Itoje seals England future by agreeing new deal with Saracens

  • Captain will resist lure of big-money move to France

  • ‘Maro is everything we want at the club – a brilliant leader’

Maro Itoje has reaffirmed his long‑term commitment to England, rejecting interest from France by agreeing a new deal with Saracens.

Itoje’s existing deal, signed in 2024, was due to expire after the World Cup next year but he has agreed terms with his club despite interest from Top 14 sides. A move to either Perpignan or Bordeaux had been mooted but the 31-year-old is to commit his future to the club he first represented in 2013 with a new deal, believed to be until 2029.

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England stunned as Tonga tonking leaves Rugby League World Cup hopes in shreds

  • Pool B + C: England 12-30 Tonga

  • England Women thump Wales 70-6

The Rugby League World Cup began with a sense of mission improbable for England, but after one game, it already represents something more like mission impossible.

The talk pre-tournament from Brian McDermott had been about being different. Going against the grain of how the national team has played against the world’s best and falling short; having a creative spark that would be significant in crucial moments. For all the talk of change, the most important thing of all remained the same in Perth on Saturday: the result.

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Australia 21-43 New Zealand: Bledisloe Cup rugby union international – as it happened

  • All Blacks secure 13th straight win against Wallabies

  • Barrett and Moorby score two tries each at Accor Stadium

It’s skipper Codie Taylor that is out onto the field first though, leading his players past Nathan Charles, allowing every All Black to shake the former Wallaby hooker by the hand.

Damien McKenzie is responsible for the final prematch rev-up. Vision of his address appears to show every member of the New Zealand squad wearing bright coral pink boots to sign off their otherwise entirely black outfit. It’s a very strong look.

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England’s World Cup test against Tonga will show where power really lies in rugby league

England begin their tournament on Saturday with a must-win fixture in Perth that can inject some optimism into the European game

Two games into the men’s World Cup and the tournament is already overflowing with colour. As if the biggest Test crowd in Sydney for more than 50 years was not enough cause for celebration, Australia and New Zealand served up one of the great international games of modern times, with the Kangaroos edging a thriller on the opening night.

But the stories do not end there. Samoa’s rise as a league powerhouse continued with a record win against France on Friday, with their passionate and united Pasifika fanbase fuelling the energy for a tilt at a second consecutive final. Tonga and Papua New Guinea will continue the theme of national pride and unforgettable noise this weekend.

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‘We want the best league in the world’: Bath’s Bruce Craig on 16 years at the Rec

Bath’s co-owner and ‘wily old fox’ on the need for Champions Cup change and the future of the Prem

It doesn’t feel like 16 years since Bruce Craig first shared his vision for Bath Rugby with the Guardian. Back then there were plenty wondering if his extravagant ambitions would be realised and even he describes it as “a long haul” at times. “It has been a lot more difficult than I anticipated. Anyone would have wanted it to happen a lot quicker than it actually has. But anything worthwhile is difficult and takes a long time.”

It has also taught him loads about the inner workings of professional rugby. “I’m not the new young buck on the block I was a few years ago, I’m the old wily fox now.” These days he compares it to a “four-dimensional” puzzle, even for the wealthiest owners. “When you come from business into rugby you probably think there would be a lot of crossovers. But it’s different. In business … it’s a lot easier to get the outcomes.”

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