‘The dog ate my passport’: All Blacks rookie sorts pet’s mess to rescue debut

  • Leroy Carter sorts shock call-up for Rugby Championship

  • Canine chewed passport he needed for Argentina trip

Leroy Carter was still coming to terms with his inclusion in the All Blacks squad to play in Argentina in the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship when he made the shocking discovery. “The dog ate my passport.”

The utility back with the Hamilton-based Chiefs was one of four uncapped players included in Scott Robertson’s Championship squad. The phone call from Robertson informing him of his selection had come as a massive surprise.

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Rees-Zammit reveals ‘load of interest’ from clubs as he returns to rugby union

  • Former Wales player has ended pursuit of NFL career

  • Rees-Zammit aims to find new team ‘in next week or so’


Louis Rees-Zammit says he has had “unbelievable” interest from clubs following his decision to return to rugby union after 18 months in the NFL.

The former Wales winger spent 18 months in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not feature for either franchise in a regular-season game.

“I can’t name teams, but I’ve had a load of interest, which is unbelievable. I’m very grateful for that,” Rees-Zammit told Sky Sports News. “The season starts pretty soon. So it’s about finding the right team for me in terms of location, in terms of how quick I’ve got to get into camp, and because the season’s right around the corner, so all of these things that are going to happen, are going to happen pretty sharpish.

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What happened to the rugby league Lions – and could they be revived?

While Andy Farrell’s team are winning matches and fans in Australia, the league Lions remain in hibernation

By No Helmets Required

If the British & Irish Lions complete a clean sweep against the Wallabies on Saturday in Sydney, there will be more talk of Australia no longer being a sufficiently challenging destination for a Lions tour. It’s a mirror image of what has happened to the rugby league Lions over the past 15 years, with Australia deciding that neither Great Britain nor England brought the jeopardy, ticket sales or eyeballs required to justify an incoming tour. Instead, the Kangaroos will visit London, Liverpool and Leeds later this year to play England.

It has been 33 years since Great Britain toured Australia. Martin Offiah lit up that series in 1992, scoring seven tries in six Tests against Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. Offiah, who won 33 caps for Great Britain, as well as five for England, cannot believe the Rugby Football League and Australian Rugby League have allowed these showcase events to fade from view. “As a nation we’ve got to have regular fixtures against Australia,” says Offiah. “Not playing them since the World Cup final in 2017 is crazy. When you’re trying to get across that bridge and match them, that’s a massive gap. And we should have been Great Britain for this series – then gone back to England for the World Cup.”

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