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France name 33 protected players under new nine-Test cap ahead of 2027 World Cup
The FFR and LNR have unveiled a 33-man list of French internationals who will be shielded from overuse under a new workload-management programme, capping their Test appearances at nine per season as France builds toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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Exeter's Ridl faces season-ending ACL injury after 17-try breakout campaign
Exeter Chiefs winger Campbell Ridl is expected to miss most or all of the 2026-27 season after scans confirmed an ACL injury, director of rugby Rob Baxter revealed. The 21-year-old scored 17 tries in 21 appearances during a standout debut campaign.
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Japan name 30-player squad for WXV European tour with 16 World Cup veterans
New Sakura Fifteen head coach Toshizumi Kitagawa has selected a 30-player squad for Japan's WXV Global Series European leg, featuring 16 players from Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 and scrum-half Moe Tsukui on the verge of 50 caps.
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Billy Searle extends Leicester Tigers stay after 217-point debut season
Fly-half Billy Searle has signed a new multi-year contract with Leicester Tigers, ending interest from Top 14 clubs Bayonne and Perpignan. The England A international scored 217 points and eight tries in 24 appearances during his first season at Welford Road.
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Matfield names Marx player of the series and singles out Kolbe in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry
Former Springbok captain Victor Matfield has praised Malcolm Marx and Cheslin Kolbe as 'head and shoulders above everyone' in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series, naming the World Rugby Player of the Year his standout performer across the four Tests.
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Red Roses to face France in 2027 Women's Six Nations finale at Allianz Stadium
England Rugby have confirmed the Red Roses' 2027 Women's Six Nations decider against France will be held at Allianz Stadium on 15 May, with their Round 3 clash against Italy set for Franklin's Gardens on 24 April.
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Uncapped Arene Landon-Lane called up by Black Ferns to cover injured Ruahei Demant
Black Ferns head coach Whitney Hansen has summoned 22-year-old first-five Arene Landon-Lane ahead of Saturday's WXV Global Series match against Scotland in Edinburgh, with co-captain Ruahei Demant sidelined by a calf injury.
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Late call-up Megan Davey backs Wales to shed record-low ranking with winning mindset
Scrum-half Megan Davey, drafted into Wales's WXV Global Series squad three weeks after the initial selection, insists the side carries no losing mentality despite sitting at a record-low 13th in the World Rugby rankings.
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Petaia ends two-year Wallabies exile as Kiss reshuffles squad to face Springboks
Jordan Petaia has been recalled to the Wallabies squad for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, joining Force fly-half Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and prop Zane Nonggorr as Les Kiss makes three changes ahead of the Springboks clash in Perth on 27 September.
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All Blacks assistant Barnes fumes over Moorby tackle that sparked Springboks' series-sealing try
New Zealand assistant coach Neil Barnes has hit out at a series of refereeing decisions in Baltimore, arguing a missed call on Josh Moorby directly led to Kurt-Lee Arendse's 60-metre try that killed off the All Blacks' comeback from 29-21 down.
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All Blacks assistant accuses SuperSport director of skewing replays against New Zealand in series defeat
Neil Barnes, assistant coach of the All Blacks, has alleged that South Africa's host broadcaster SuperSport showed referees footage that differed from what officials requested, and withheld equivalent replays favourable to New Zealand. The Springboks won the Greatest Rivalry Series 3-1, sealing the finale 43-28 in Baltimore.
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Barnes hails 'world-class' Mo'unga after first All Blacks start since 2023 World Cup Final
All Blacks assistant coach Neil Barnes praised Richie Mo'unga following his first Test start since the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final defeat to South Africa, saying the returning fly-half did nothing wrong and adds crucial depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
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Rennie confirms Scott Barrett closing in on All Blacks return for Bledisloe Cup
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie says former captain Scott Barrett should be fit for October's Bledisloe Cup Tests against Australia, though skipper Ardie Savea and vice-captain Luke Jacobson are set to miss both fixtures.
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Gilmore credits improved preparation as Harlequins open season with perfect 10 points
Harlequins lead Group B of the PREM Rugby Cup with maximum points after bonus-point victories over Leicester (45-21) and Northampton (29-14), with interim-turned-permanent head coach Jason Gilmore pointing to sharper week-to-week standards as the driving force.
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Wallaroos captain defiant after 48-15 loss: 'Against England, we can actually give it'
Australia led England 10-5 at half-time of their WXV Global Series 2026 opener in Salford before the Red Roses pulled clear with seven second-half tries. Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu said the scoreline did not reflect her side's performance.
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Springboks reach record 95-point ranking high after dismantling All Blacks 43-28 in Baltimore
South Africa's emphatic 43-28 win over New Zealand in Baltimore sealed a 3-1 series victory and pushed the Springboks to an all-time high of 95.09 World Rugby ranking points — surpassing even their three Rugby World Cup-winning peaks.
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USA Eagles draw lessons from 63-14 Pacific Nations Cup semi-final rout by Japan
Japan ran in nine tries to dismantle the USA 63-14 in the Pacific Nations Cup semi-final at Hanazono Rugby Stadium, with the Brave Blossoms racing to a 28-0 lead inside 16 minutes. Eagles coach Scott Lawrence acknowledged his side were "well beaten" but praised younger players for their resilience.
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Rennie admits All Blacks breakdown discipline 'not good enough' after 43-28 loss to Springboks
Head coach Dave Rennie conceded the All Blacks handed South Africa easy possession through sloppy breakdown penalties in Baltimore, despite praising an improved set-piece in the 43-28 defeat.
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Mo'unga hails 'complete' Springboks as better than 2023 World Cup winners after series defeat
Richie Mo'unga returned from a 1,050-day Test absence only to watch South Africa seal a 3-1 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series win with a 43-28 victory in Baltimore, prompting the All Blacks playmaker to declare the 2026 Springboks an even stronger side than the team that beat New Zealand in the World Cup final.
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Erasmus credits Arendse's second-half surge as pivotal in Springboks' 43-28 rout of All Blacks
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus singled out winger Kurt-Lee Arendse as the turning point in the Springboks' 43-28 victory over New Zealand at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, the fourth instalment of rugby's greatest rivalry.
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