Category: Rugby

Rugby News

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Viva Las Vegas: will ‘biggest game in British rugby league’ widen reach?

Wigan and Warrington meet as part of Sin City extravaganza and are hoping for same impact the NRL experienced

It started with a speculative email sent late at night almost a year ago but on Saturday evening, Kris Radlinski’s vision for Super League will become a reality live and in living colour in the bright lights of Las Vegas.

The Wigan Warriors CEO was at home, like so many others, watching the National Rugby League’s (NRL) inaugural venture into the United States at Allegiant Stadium just outside Las Vegas. His immediate thought: how does British rugby league muscle in on the opportunity? And so went the email that could potentially change the landscape of Super League for years to come: or at least, that is the tentative hope, anyway.

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‘We won and people are still upset’: Genge backs England after Calcutta Cup barbs

Slender victory against Scotland was met with criticism from former players but the prop believes free-flowing winning rugby is unrealistic

Ellis Genge has something to get off his chest. After a few pleasantries – his time off at the start of the week was a “nightmare” because his son has chicken pox – he soon finds his stride. The England prop cannot understand the negative reaction to last weekend’s one-point victory in the Calcutta Cup. England’s first win over Scotland in five years, and their second in a row in this year’s Six Nations, ensured they retain an outside chance of winning the title.

“It is difficult as a player to digest the fact that people were disappointed that we just won the Calcutta Cup back after five years,” Genge says. “We won the game and people are still upset about it. It blew my mind, to be honest. Ex-players, recently retired and long retired, and people from years and years ago, I just can’t believe how out of touch they are, the spiel that I’m reading from people saying how off it we are. We won two games on the bounce and you’re upset about it, I don’t get it. Let’s not be naive, you can feel that people were booing when we were playing. It’s the feeling at the moment, for whatever reason, it is the way it is.”

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Beck looking forward to Glasgow challenge

Jess Rogers

Brython Thunder hit the road to Scotland to face Glasgow Warriors in Round 9 of the Celtic Challenge at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow, on Saturday, March 1st (KO:3:45pm). The Welsh side will be looking to bounce back and build on their Celtic Challenge campaign against a Glasgow Warriors side only two points ahead of them in […]

The post Beck looking forward to Glasgow challenge appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Daunting prospect awaits Gwalia Lightning

Maisie Davies

Gwalia Lightning return home to face the Celtic Challenge league leaders and reigning champions Wolfhounds in Round 9 at Ystrad Mynach on Saturday, March 1st (KO: Midday). The Welsh side sit third in the table behind Irish sides, Wolfhounds and Clovers, with only four points between the top three sides in the league and two […]

The post Daunting prospect awaits Gwalia Lightning appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Nathan Cleary condemns ‘sad’ Matildas criticism amid flying visit with Mary Fowler

  • Panthers star backs partner’s team after Marty Sheargold’s comments
  • Penrith face Cronulla Sharks in NRL gala in Las Vegas on Saturday

Nathan Cleary says it’s “sad” Mary Fowler’s Matildas are still targeted with “unnecessary” trolling after a radio host was widely condemned for on-air comments about Australia’s women’s football team.

Marty Sheargold and Triple M mutually agreed to part ways earlier this week after a tirade during which he likened the Matildas to “year 10 girls” and said he would rather “hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis” than watch their Asian Cup campaign.

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Jones named Wales captain for Women’s Six Nations campaign

Hannah Jones

Centre  Hannah Jones will captain Wales during the Women’s Six Nations 2025 Guinness campaign. Jones will be joined by vice-captains Keira Bevan and Alex Callender in a new on-field leadership team appointed by new Wales Head coach Sean Lynn. Jones has been capped by Wales 60-times and has been Wales captain since being appointed for […]

The post Jones named Wales captain for Women’s Six Nations campaign appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Double boost for Dragons as Owen and Keddie extend contracts

Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia has been given a long-term boost by the re-signing of centre Aneurin Owen and back row man Harri Keddie. The two former Wales U20 stars are both home-grown regional players who have become mainstays as senior players. The 24-year-old Owen had played in 14 of the 15 games to date […]

The post Double boost for Dragons as Owen and Keddie extend contracts appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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From Super Bowl to Super League: Tyler Dupree’s famous family tree

The Wigan player will follow in the footsteps of his uncle and grandpa when he performs in Las Vegas on Saturday

By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required

When Wigan coach Matty Peet brings Tyler Dupree on to the field during their Super League clash with Warrington in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Dupree’s mother Jackie will greet his arrival with whoops. But his uncle Billy Joe Dupree – who played in three Super Bowls – will not even know his nephew is playing.

Billy Joe Dupree joined Dallas in 1973 and immediately established himself in Tom Landry’s fabled team, taking Mike Ditka’s No89 jersey. A Super Bowl win against Denver Broncos in 1978 was sandwiched between two defeats to Pittsburgh Steelers. Dupree smashed records galore in Dallas, going 11 seasons without missing a game. His nephew Tyler has won two Super League titles, a World Club Challenge and a Challenge Cup in less than two seasons with Wigan. Yet Billy Joe is oblivious to his success.

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NRL defends its invite to Donald Trump in Las Vegas after charity backlash

  • White Ribbon ends affiliation after league’s ‘tone deaf’ offer
  • Andrew Abdo insists NRL remains committed to inclusion

The NRL has defended the decision to invite Donald Trump to its Las Vegas fixtures after an anti-domestic violence charity severed ties with the league over what it called a “tone deaf” offer.

White Ribbon penned a letter to the NRL this week that ended a partnership dating back to 2008, citing the league’s decision to associate with “well-known perpetrators of abuse and violence against women”.

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From Mee to Barré: meet the unexpected stars of an enthralling Six Nations | Robert Kitson

Ellis Mee, who would not have registered with many before this tournament, has been one of the shining stars so far

Sure, it’s still early days but Wales’s upbeat performance against Ireland showed how quickly perceptions can change. Even a few weeks ago the name Ellis Mee would not have registered with many Six Nations fans. Now, after an eye-catching debut last weekend, the lanky 21-year-old is being tipped by no less an expert than Jamie Roberts to become a regular fixture for Wales. Less than a year ago the 6ft 4in Mee was playing for Nottingham in the Championship – memo to the Rugby Football Union: there is plenty of untapped talent out there – and was scouted by the former Wales international James “Cubby” Davies while playing for Nottingham Trent University. Then, after just 10 professional games for Scarlets, he was parachuted into the national team as part of a productive back three alongside his similarly positive clubmates Blair Murray and Tom Rogers. Suddenly it’s all Mee, Mee, Mee …

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Mee reflects on rapid rise to the top

When Ellis Mee made his Wales debut last weekend it was his first representative team rugby. The 21-year-old former Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham wing came within inches of steering Wales to a famous victory over reigning Six Nations champions Ireland in Cardiff as he stretched for the corner. “It was close, very close. My first thought was I […]

The post Mee reflects on rapid rise to the top appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

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Wales squad update

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake has been called up to the Wales senior men’s squad, taking the total number of players to 38. In addition, the following players have been released back to Cardiff Rugby, Ospreys and Scarlets this week ahead of round twelve of the United Rugby Championship at the weekend. Cardiff Rugby Ellis Bevan […]

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The Breakdown | Perennial eligibility debate over rugby’s project players rears up again

The qualification maze might seem unsatisfactory to some, but often it comes down to personal preference

There was no disputing the most iconic rugby image of the weekend. Maro Itoje hoisting the Calcutta Cup might normally have secured the crown but did you see that magnificent picture of Bundee Aki in Cardiff, complete with heroically battered nose and blood-stained Ireland shirt? As the BBC commentator Andrew Cotter wryly observed: “Bundee Aki looks like he’s about to wrestle the whole of Cardiff … and I would back him.”

As warrior portraits go it was up there with some of rugby’s all‑time greats: a blood-soaked Jean-Pierre Rives, a mud-plastered Fran Cotton, a truly terrifying Sébastian Chabal. Test rugby is a game of light and shade and, for all its shafts of beauty, the sport also has its fearsome competitors. The internet loved it, not least the ArtButMakeItSports account on X which drew a brilliant parallel between the striking Aki picture and the work of the late American painter Cy Twombly.

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Jillaroos recall Olivia Kernick for Las Vegas Test against ‘extremely aggressive’ England

  • Dally M Medallist named in interim coach Jess Skinner’s starting side
  • Australia face Lionesses in historic women’s rugby league international

Olivia Kernick has won back her Jillaroos jersey, after the Dally M Medallist was called back into Australia’s back row for their Las Vegas Test against England. Controversially axed from the squad for the Pacific Championships last year despite being the NRLW’s best player, Kernick has been listed to start in the US.

The 24-year-old is one of two new faces to the Australian side that beat New Zealand in last year’s Pacific Championships final, replacing the unavailable Millie Elliott. Quincy Dodd has also been called onto the bench, in place of fellow hooker Keeley Davis.

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