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One-cap England winger Mike Bulpitt created the Lloyds Black Horse that now sponsors the RFU
Lloyds Bank's Black Horse logo is central to the RFU's new back-of-shirt sponsorship deal, but the campaign owes its existence to Mike Bulpitt — a winger who earned a single England cap against Scotland in 1970 before going on to shape the bank's iconic brand identity.
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Netherlands crush Scotland A 33-0 and survive commando training ahead of WXV Global Challenger Series
The Dutch women's side arrived in Hong Kong for the WXV Global Challenger Series having already put themselves through a Dutch Army Special Operations Forces commando camp and a dominant 33-0 victory over Scotland A.
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World Rugby confirms LA28 Olympic Sevens pathway as XVs stars eye switch to sevens
World Rugby has outlined the full qualification route for rugby sevens at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with 12 men's and 12 women's teams to compete. The race for automatic berths begins on the 2027 HSBC SVNS circuit, opening in Dubai in November 2026.
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Dowson confident Mitchell will shake off hamstring trouble for Northampton's title defence
Northampton Saints head coach Phil Dowson says scrum-half Alex Mitchell is back in training and on course to feature against Newcastle Red Bulls on 25 September, despite missing England's summer finale with a hamstring injury.
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Toulouse lead Top 14 salary cap table at €13.8m as LNR reveals 2026/27 figures
The Ligue Nationale de Rugby has published each club's salary cap allowance for the 2026/27 Top 14 season. Stade Toulousain top the table at €13.8 million, driven by 16 players released to France's national squads, while the LNR also confirmed rule changes to narrow the gap between clubs from 2027/28.
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Baxter hails Wyatt's return from two years of knee injuries as Exeter eye Premiership opener
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter says Tommy Wyatt's 40-minute appearance against the Scarlets — his first rugby in over a year — marks the end of a gruelling injury period and the start of a push to get the full-back match-sharp before the Premiership season begins.
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Sue Day leads five-strong World Rugby Hall of Fame class of 2026
Red Roses record try-scorer Sue Day headlines the latest World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees, joining USA legend Jen Crawford, three-time World Cup winner Rochelle Martin, and men's internationals Abdelatif Benazzi and Diego Dominguez in the class of 2026.
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Lloyds Bank signs multi-year deal as England Rugby's first back-of-shirt sponsor
Lloyds has agreed a multi-year partnership with the RFU to become the first-ever back-of-shirt sponsor for both the England men's team and the Red Roses, with the Black Horse logo set to appear on match jerseys and anthem jackets from this season.
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RFU to extend Steve Borthwick's contract beyond 2027 Rugby World Cup despite fan doubts
The RFU is set to hand Steve Borthwick a contract extension through to 2028, keeping him in charge beyond next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia. Performance director Conor O'Shea has publicly backed Borthwick, calling England genuine World Cup contenders.
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Ex-England hooker Nic Dolly named Western Force captain for Super Rugby AUS opener against Reds
Nic Dolly, capped once by England in 2021, will skipper Western Force against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday. Former NRL star Zac Lomax starts in midfield, while new signing Harry McLaughlin-Phillips faces his old club at fly-half.
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ACT Brumbies hand debuts to 10 players as Super Rugby AUS season opens against Waratahs
The ACT Brumbies will field 10 debutants when they face defending champions NSW Waratahs in the Super Rugby AUS opener at Bungendore Sports Hub on Sunday, with assistant team manager Josh Townsend and three Australia Under-20 representatives among those earning first caps.
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20-year-old Eamon Doyle named Waratahs captain for Super Rugby AUS title defence
Former Australia U20 skipper Eamon Doyle will captain the NSW Waratahs in their Super Rugby AUS opener against the ACT Brumbies on Sunday, with the second-rower set to earn a Super Rugby Pacific debut later in the season.
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Lynagh returns to start as Reds open Super Rugby AUS campaign against Western Force
Tom Lynagh has been named in the Queensland Reds starting XV for Saturday's Super Rugby AUS opener against the Western Force at Ballymore Stadium, making his first start after injuries restricted him to just 17 minutes last season.
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Canada coach eyes World Cup boost as Champ Rugby deal opens doors for 15 players
Rugby Canada's new strategic partnership with England's second-tier Champ Rugby competition, announced on 8 August, could see around 15 Canadian internationals move to professional clubs in England ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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Williams reveals MRSA spine infection nearly left him in a wheelchair before Crusaders return
All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams has opened up on a terrifying battle with MRSA that ate through a spinal disc, required four screws and a fusion, and left doctors warning he might never walk again. The 27-Test tighthead is now targeting a 2027 Crusaders comeback.
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Fiji assistant Bai reports strong camp spirit as Flying Fijians begin PNC title defence in Japan
Assistant coach Seremaia Bai says preparations have been positive as defending champions Fiji gear up to face Canada in Osaka on Saturday, with a place in the Pacific Nations Cup Final in Tokyo at stake.
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Rennie forced into All Blacks reshuffle for Baltimore as Savea, Jacobson and Tupaea head home injured
Dave Rennie has confirmed multiple changes to the All Blacks squad for the Baltimore Test, with captain Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson and Quinn Tupaea all ruled out through injury and sent home from the tour.
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Blair pinpoints conversion rate as All Blacks seek series-levelling win in Baltimore
Attack coach Mike Blair has highlighted New Zealand's failure to turn pressure into points as the key area to fix ahead of the final match of the Greatest Rivalry tour against South Africa in Baltimore, despite the All Blacks posting 13 tries across the first three Tests.
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Sanderson insists PREM standards are rising but tells Borthwick to do his part
Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson has defended the Gallagher Premiership as a genuine breeding ground for international rugby, while pointing out that England head coach Steve Borthwick must also take responsibility for getting the best from his players.
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Pearson backs Northampton Saints to end six-year Premiership back-to-back drought
Tom Pearson says Northampton Saints have 'all the ingredients' to retain the Gallagher Premiership title, which no club has managed since Saracens in 2019. The England A back-rower points to squad continuity as the key advantage heading into the new season.
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