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Mo'unga departs Japan after quarter-final exit ends Toshiba's title defence
Richie Mo'unga has played his final game for Toshiba Brave Lupus after a 26-3 quarter-final defeat to Kubota Spears ended the club's bid for a third consecutive League One title. The All Blacks fly-half returns to New Zealand on an 18-month deal with Canterbury and the Crusaders, with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in his sights.
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Kolbe leads three statistical categories as Japan Rugby League One semi-finals arrive
Cheslin Kolbe dominated the Japan Rugby League One 2025/26 regular season, topping three major statistical categories across 17 appearances for Tokyo Sungoliath. Brodie Retallick led all try-scorers with 17 in 18 games, while Isaac Lucas and former All Blacks Tele'a and Stevenson also featured prominently.
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Highlanders prop Lienert-Brown banned four weeks after red card against Hurricanes
Daniel Lienert-Brown has been suspended for four weeks after being red carded in the seventh minute of the Highlanders' 45-28 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington. The Foul Play Review Committee set a six-week entry point for his dangerous tackle on Devan Flanders, reduced after his admission of guilt.
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Xavier Roe leaves Chiefs for Sale Sharks after initiating his own move to England
Chiefs halfback Xavier Roe has signed with Sale Sharks for the 2027 Gallagher Premiership season, revealing he approached his agent at the end of 2025 to explore overseas options after six seasons in Hamilton.
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Will Jordan ruled out for Super Rugby season with calf re-injury, All Blacks opener in doubt
Will Jordan's 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign is over after the Crusaders confirmed the All Blacks fullback re-aggravated his calf injury against the Chiefs on 22 May. The 4-6 week recovery timeline also casts doubt over his availability for New Zealand's opening Nations Championship Test against France.
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Glasgow hope to have Fagerson, Dobie and Cummings fit for Connacht quarter-final
Glasgow Warriors could have Scotland internationals Matt Fagerson, Jamie Dobie and Scott Cummings available for Friday's URC quarter-final against Connacht at Scotstoun, though Gregor Brown and Huw Jones are expected to miss the match.
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Carano's coach expects another fight after 17-second loss to Rousey at MVP debut
Gina Carano lasted just 17 seconds before tapping to a Ronda Rousey armbar at Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural MMA card in Los Angeles. Her coach, John Wood, says he leans toward Carano fighting again, citing her rediscovered love of the sport.
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Paddy McCarthy faces extended absence after injuring opposite foot in Champions Cup final
Leinster loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy will miss the rest of the season after injuring his left foot in the Champions Cup final defeat to Bordeaux-Bèglès in Bilbao — his second foot injury of the campaign, having only just returned from surgery on his right foot.
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Kape and Horiguchi headline 11-bout UFC Fight Night 279 card on June 20
UFC has confirmed 11 bouts for Fight Night 279 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on June 20, headlined by a flyweight rematch between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi. Kape enters on a seven-win run in his last eight outings, while Horiguchi has won three straight since rejoining the promotion.
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Prates expects welterweight title shot regardless of Makhachev-Garry outcome
Carlos Prates says he spoke with Dana White and UFC leadership after his finish of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth and believes he is next in line for a welterweight title shot, whoever wins the expected Makhachev-Garry summer fight.
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Ngannou reunites with first MMA promoter backstage after Lins knockout at MVP event
Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round at Most Valuable Promotions' 'Rousey vs. Carano' card in Los Angeles, then shared a backstage reunion with Stephane Chafourier — the French promoter who gave him his professional start in 2013.
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Parnasse calls out retired Poirier after first-round KO of Cross at MVP
Salahdine Parnasse knocked out Kenneth Cross in the first round at Most Valuable Promotions' 'Rousey vs. Carano' event in Los Angeles, then set his sights on luring Dustin Poirier out of retirement — despite Poirier insisting only a Nate Diaz fight could bring him back.
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Prates targets retirement at 35 after nearly 140 fights leave body damaged
UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates says he plans to retire between the ages of 35 and 36, citing chronic pain in his feet, back and neck accumulated across nearly 140 amateur and professional bouts.
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Kline targets UFC strawweight title picture with finish over Ribas at Oklahoma City
Fatima Kline says a stoppage win over Amanda Ribas at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18 would put her within striking distance of the strawweight title, with the 25-year-old eyeing Top 5 contenders next.
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Prates backs Ruffy to beat Chandler despite Fighting Nerds split
Carlos Prates has expressed full support for former teammate Mauricio Ruffy ahead of his UFC White House bout against Michael Chandler on June 14, saying he expects Ruffy to win and holds no hard feelings over his departure from the Fighting Nerds.
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MVP's Rousey vs. Carano card draws 17 million peak viewers on Netflix debut
Most Valuable Promotions' first MMA event, headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, peaked at 17 million global viewers and averaged 9.3 million in the United States — figures MVP describes as the most watched MMA event ever on American soil.
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Werdum backs Despaigne to knock out Ngannou and questions dos Santos' $80,000 purse
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum says Cuban striker Robelis Despaigne is a "terrible matchup" for Francis Ngannou and predicts a knockout win, following Despaigne's first-round KO of Junior dos Santos at MVP's Netflix debut event.
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MMA fighter Logan Storley arrested for sexual battery in Key West
Logan Storley, a veteran of the PFL and Bellator, was arrested in Key West, Florida, in the early hours of Monday morning and charged with sexual battery. He was released on a $50,000 bond, with his arraignment scheduled for June 5.
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Davidson could referee URC Grand Final as World Cup year looms, says Henning
Hollie Davidson, who became the first woman to referee a men's Six Nations match and a Top 14 game in 2025, is in contention to take charge of a URC semi-final or Grand Final, according to URC Head of Match Officials Tappe Henning.
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Alex Mitchell faces season-ending hamstring injury, dealing Northampton a major blow
Northampton Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell is set to miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring at an England alignment camp last week — his second similar injury in under three months. Director of rugby Phil Dowson confirmed the scan results are bleak and called for a full investigation.
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