Rugby news
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Alisha and Jasmine Joyce among 11 players departing Bristol Bears Women after PWR season
Wales internationals Alisha and Jasmine Joyce are leaving Bristol Bears at the end of the Premiership Women's Rugby season to return home to Wales following the birth of their son. They are among 11 departures, with several players heading back to centralised contracts in Scotland and Wales.
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Hong Kong China stun Japan Select XV 33-29 to split series after 80-0 humiliation
Seven days after conceding 80 unanswered points to a Japan Select XV, Hong Kong China produced an 84-point swing to win the rematch 33-29 in Fukuoka, splitting the two-match series ahead of their Rugby World Cup debut in Australia.
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URC referees' chief threatens zero-tolerance crackdown on player backchat in play-offs
United Rugby Championship referees' boss Tappe Henning has warned players that excessive shouting at officials will not be tolerated during the play-offs, saying zero tolerance remains an option if behaviour does not improve.
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Cross-code centurion Sam Lousi signs new deal to remain at Scarlets
Sam Lousi, 34, has committed to the Scarlets beyond the current season after making 112 appearances for the Welsh region. The Tongan international second row joined in 2019 following stints in the NRL, Super Rugby, and reached his century against Pau in January.
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Rory Hutchinson set to join Northampton's 200-club against Gloucester in Premiership play-off clash
Rory Hutchinson will become the 82nd player in Northampton Saints' history to make 200 appearances for the club when they host Gloucester on 30 May, with a win securing Saints home advantage in the Premiership play-offs.
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Sio eyes Premiership title farewell as Feyi-Waboso returns for Exeter against Leicester
Scott Sio says winning the Gallagher Premiership at Twickenham would be a 'fairy tale finish' to his Exeter Chiefs career before he joins Cardiff this summer. The Chiefs travel to Welford Road on Sunday sitting three points clear of fifth-place Saracens.
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Titcombe handed first Premiership start at fly-half as Leicester face Exeter with two rookies
Charlie Titcombe will make his Gallagher Premiership debut at fly-half for Leicester Tigers against Exeter on Sunday, with Billy Searle out for the season and James O'Connor sidelined by injury. George Pearson also starts at full-back in place of the injured Freddie Steward.
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Roache's extra-time try seals Australia's nervy 15-10 win over Kenya in Valladolid
Dietrich Roache scored twice, including a match-winning sprint down the left sideline in the 16th minute of extra time, as Australia edged Kenya 15-10 in their Pool A opener at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Valladolid.
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All Blacks Sevens captain Molia visits Valladolid prison as rugby's social reach extends beyond the field
Sione Molia led New Zealand to a 40-0 win over Uruguay at SVNS Valladolid, but the stand-in captain's week was defined by a visit to Valladolid Penitentiary Center, where a local rugby club has run a rehabilitation programme for eight years.
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Harlequins close in on Hurricanes assistant Brad Cooper as new attack coach
Hurricanes assistant Brad Cooper has emerged as the frontrunner for the Harlequins attack coach vacancy, with head coach Jason Gilmore confirming the club is finalising the appointment this week. Former fly-half Dan Bowden and ex-Quins winger Jordan Turner-Hall are also linked with roles.
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Sale Sharks close in on Jacob Ford as Newcastle move for Doncaster head coach Fearn
Doncaster Knights face a damaging double departure, with head coach Darren Fearn set to rejoin Newcastle as a transition coach and attack coach Jacob Ford expected to cross the Pennines to Sale Sharks, where two of his brothers already work.
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Loughborough Lightning to lose 11 players as Scotland contract changes drive exodus
Loughborough Lightning have confirmed 11 players will depart at the end of the 2025/26 Premiership Women's Rugby season, with head coach Nathan Smith pointing to changes in Scotland's centralised contracts as the primary driver behind the loss of seven Scottish internationals.
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Bulls make four changes as Ackermann targets fifth straight URC semi-final against Munster
The Bulls have named their side for Saturday's URC quarter-final against Munster at Loftus Versfeld, with Kurt-Lee Arendse and Stravino Jacobs among four changes from the team that defeated Benetton.
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Turinui's daughter leads stacked Australia A Women's Sevens squad for Pirika Sevens
Darcy Turinui, daughter of Wallabies great Morgan Turinui, has been named in Australia A's Women's Sevens squad for the Pirika Sevens in Sapporo on June 6-7, alongside six full-time HSBC SVNS Series contracted players.
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Munster make one change for URC quarter-final away to Bulls at Loftus Versfeld
Clayton McMillan has named a near-unchanged Munster side for Saturday's URC quarter-final against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria, with Alex Nankivell the only new face as he partners Seán O'Brien in midfield.
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Scott Gregory returns to All Blacks Sevens eight years after Dubai debut
Northland-born back Scott Gregory, now 27, has rejoined the All Blacks Sevens squad after an eight-year absence that took him through Super Rugby, Italian club rugby, and the NPC. He was part of the 2018 Dubai Cup-winning side that beat the USA 21-5 in the final.
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Black Ferns Sevens target Spain redemption after Madrid 2024 semi-final heartbreak
New Zealand arrive in Valladolid for the second leg of the SVNS World Championship carrying a 26-match winning streak and five consecutive tournament titles — but the memory of a last-minute collapse against Australia in Madrid 2024 still drives them.
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Codie Taylor says new All Blacks coaches are demanding significantly higher fitness standards
Veteran hooker Codie Taylor has revealed that new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has made elite fitness a central pillar of his selection criteria, signalling the brand of high-intensity, counter-attacking rugby he intends to play.
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Taumoefolau embraces Chiefs title push after hat-trick that shook Super Rugby Pacific
Kyren Taumoefolau scored a famous hat-trick for Moana Pasifika against the Blues in May 2025 before joining the Chiefs, where he has crossed five times in nine games as the Hamilton side chase their first Super Rugby Pacific title since 2013.
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Franco Smith backs Dan Lancaster to start URC quarter-final against his father's Connacht
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith has dismissed concerns about inside information, naming Dan Lancaster at fly-half for Friday's United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Connacht, the side coached by the 25-year-old's father Stuart Lancaster.
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