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Sophie De Goede reclaims Canada captaincy for WXV after 13-month ACL absence
Sophie De Goede has been reinstated as Canada captain ahead of the WXV Global Series, retaking the armband from Alexandra Tessier following a 13-month ACL injury layoff. Head coach Kévin Rouet has named a 36-player squad for September fixtures against Scotland, England and France.
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Canada set to break North American women's rugby attendance record against England's Red Roses
Ticket sales for Canada's BMO Field clash with England's Red Roses on 16 October have already surpassed the 11,453 record for a standalone women's rugby match in North America, with vice-captain Alexandra Tessier crediting World Cup momentum for the surge in support.
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Rennie hands Parker starting role against Springboks as Lord injury reshapes All Blacks pack
Simon Parker replaces the injured Josh Lord in New Zealand's starting lineup for Saturday's Test against South Africa in Cape Town, with Tupou Vaa'i shifting back to lock and Rennie citing Parker's physicality as a deliberate tactical match-up against the Springboks.
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Rennie names fresh All Blacks XV for Cape Town Test as injured duo force two changes
Dave Rennie has made three changes to his All Blacks starting XV for Saturday's Cape Town Test against South Africa, with injuries to Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord forcing two of them and a defensive concern prompting a wing swap.
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French rugby's €126.5m windfall: Toulouse lead the way as LNR redistributes record funds
The Ligue Nationale de Rugby has distributed €126.5m across the 30 clubs in the Top 14 and Pro D2, with Toulouse collecting the largest single share on the back of their title win and national team contributions.
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Rennie warns All Blacks of Springbok bounce-back ahead of Cape Town decider
Scotland coach Dave Rennie has urged the All Blacks to raise their level significantly in Cape Town on Saturday, citing South Africa's historic 43-10 Wellington demolition as a stark reminder of what a wounded Springbok side can deliver.
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Du Toit warns All Blacks scrum will bounce back despite Ellis Park battering
South Africa tighthead Thomas du Toit expects New Zealand's scrum to respond sharply in the second Test in Cape Town, pointing to the All Blacks' mid-week performance against the Lions as evidence of their improvement.
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Matt Campbell named Loughborough Lightning backs coach after Scarratt's Red Roses move
Loughborough Lightning have appointed Matt Campbell as assistant backs and attack coach following Emily Scarratt's departure to the Red Roses setup. Campbell led Loughborough University to their first Women's BUCS Super Rugby title in 21 years earlier this year.
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Jack Crowley ruled out until 2027 as vascular injury clouds Ireland's World Cup plans
Munster have confirmed fly-half Jack Crowley will not return until the new year after specialists ruled him out of the opening months of the 2026/27 season with a lower-limb vascular injury, raising serious questions about his place in Ireland's World Cup squad.
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Toulouse flanker Francois Cros set to end 18-year association with move to Lyon
France international Francois Cros is reportedly heading to Lyon on a three-year deal after the 2027 Rugby World Cup, ending a career-long stint at Toulouse where he started all eight of the club's finals since 2019.
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Italy Women promote Sciamanna to head coach ahead of demanding autumn schedule
The Italian Rugby Federation have appointed Plinio Sciamanna as permanent head coach of Italy Women. The former assistant, who previously served as interim boss, takes charge ahead of autumn Tests against Japan, South Africa, and the USA.
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All Blacks make three changes for Springboks rematch as head injuries force reshuffle
Dave Rennie has named his All Blacks side for the second Test against South Africa, making three changes from the team that won in Johannesburg — two of them forced by head-collision stand-downs.
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PWR attendances surge 23% as Women's World Cup legacy fuels record-breaking season
Premiership Women's Rugby recorded a 23.4 per cent rise in average attendances during the 2024/25 campaign, with social media views up 174 per cent, as the league looks to build further on a Women's Rugby World Cup-driven boom.
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Harlequins sign Zimbabwe winger Edward Sigauke after back-to-back Africa Cup titles
Harlequins have completed the signing of Zimbabwe international winger Edward Sigauke ahead of the new Premiership season. The 12-cap flyer, a two-time Africa Cup winner, will join the club at the Twickenham Stoop next week.
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USA hooker Treder re-signs with Loughborough Lightning for a fourth season with top-four ambitions
Kathryn Treder, the USA Women's Eagles hooker, has committed to Loughborough Lightning for a fourth consecutive season. The 30-year-old, who has scored 24 tries in 43 appearances for the club, says a Premiership Women's Rugby play-off place is a realistic target for 2026/27.
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Australian player presence in New Zealand's NPC surges 237 per cent since 2021
Twenty-seven Australian-born players have appeared in New Zealand's NPC across the first three rounds of the 2026 season, a rise of more than 237 per cent since 2021, with Rugby Australia's high-performance director welcoming the trend.
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Four New Zealanders among 30 international prospects chasing MLR dreams in 2026 College Draft
Major League Rugby's 2026 College Draft features 73 prospects, including four New Zealanders and players from South Africa, Australia, Zimbabwe and beyond, all bidding for a professional contract in the United States.
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Nic White steps into coaching as Western Force name staff for Super Rugby AUS 2026
Twice-retired Wallabies scrum-half Nic White has joined the Western Force coaching staff for the 2026 Super Rugby AUS campaign, alongside Academy Manager Damian Steele, veteran fly-half Jono Lance, and scrum specialist Chris Heiberg.
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Matfield insists Springboks dominated despite falling 1-0 to All Blacks in series opener
Former Springbok captain Victor Matfield remains unconcerned after South Africa lost the first Test of the Greatest Rivalry series to New Zealand at Ellis Park, arguing the Boks controlled the set piece and attack but squandered three first-half scoring chances.
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Leicester Tigers hit three-year season ticket high as Parling's revival takes hold
Leicester Tigers have sold 10,400 season tickets for the 2026/27 Premiership campaign — their highest figure in three years — as optimism builds following Geoff Parling's encouraging debut season in charge.
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