Rugby news
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Saracens sign Beth Wilcock from Harlequins as PWR champions strengthen their squad
Premiership Women's Rugby champions Saracens have recruited versatile back Beth Wilcock from London rivals Harlequins, where she spent seven seasons and scored four tries in 14 appearances last season.
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Retired drop-goal hero Freddie Burns set to return to Leicester Tigers as kicking coach
Leicester Tigers' cryptic social media teaser has pointed strongly to Freddie Burns rejoining Welford Road as kicking coach, weeks after the former England fly-half retired from playing and with the club needing to replace outgoing coach Alex Davies.
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Kolisi declared fit to captain Springboks against All Blacks after hamstring scare
Siya Kolisi has been cleared to start and captain South Africa in Saturday's second Test against New Zealand in Cape Town, after passing consecutive days of full-intensity running following a hamstring injury that kept him out of last weekend's 33-16 defeat.
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Loughborough Lightning hand Rachel Taylor interim charge as Smith joins Canada for WXV campaign
Loughborough Lightning head coach Nathan Smith departs on secondment with Canada for the WXV Global Series, leaving former Wales captain and ex-Sale Sharks head coach Rachel Taylor to lead the club through their PWR Next Gen Cup fixtures.
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Provence Rugby lead Pro D2 spending with €20m budget as division totals €176.5m
French second division rugby kicks off this Thursday with Provence Rugby holding the largest budget at €20m, according to figures published by Midi Olympique. The 16-club division's combined spend stands at €176.5m, down roughly €5m from last season following RC Vannes' promotion to the Top 14.
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Sir Billy Boston, dual-code Welsh icon who scored 571 tries, dies aged 92
Sir Billy Boston, widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in Welsh sporting history, has died in hospital in Wigan aged 92. The rugby league legend scored 571 tries in 562 games and was knighted in June 2025, just four days before his death followed the funeral of his wife of 70 years.
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Former Brave Blossoms lock Kitagawa named Sakura Fifteen head coach ahead of WXV Global Series
Toshizumi Kitagawa, a 43-cap Japan men's international and 2011 Rugby World Cup veteran, has been appointed head coach of the Sakura Fifteen, replacing Canadian Lesley McKenzie following Japan's group-stage exit at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025.
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Deon Fourie set to become oldest Springbok ever at 39 years and 338 days
Stormers forward Deon Fourie, already South Africa's oldest debutant, has been named on the bench for the second Test against New Zealand in Cape Town. If he takes the field, the 39-year-old will surpass Victor Matfield's long-standing record as the oldest Springbok in Test history.
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Two caps, two tries: Aicha Sutcliffe eyes more after electric Scotland debut
Hooker Aicha Sutcliffe marked her Scotland debut against France with a try in the 63rd minute, then repeated the feat against Ireland eight days later. The 21-year-old Glasgow Warriors player now targets the WXV Global Series with Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
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Former Leicester Tigers lock Harry Wells joins Bristol Bears on three-month deal
Harry Wells, who made 236 appearances for Leicester Tigers over more than a decade, has signed a short-term deal with Bristol Bears to bolster their pack ahead of the 2026/27 season.
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Uruguay hand Rugby World Cup veteran Barreiro head coach role with 2027 in sight
Guzmán Barreiro has been appointed head coach of Uruguay's Los Teros, replacing Rodolfo Ambrósio one year out from the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The former High Performance director helped guide Uruguay to their best-ever World Cup run in 2019.
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Blair says All Blacks' five-try Springboks win only scratches the surface of their potential
Attack coach Mike Blair insists the All Blacks have more to give after a five-tries-to-one victory over South Africa in Johannesburg, where Dave Rennie's side came from behind at half-time to take the opening Test of the 2026 series.
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NRL great Shaun Johnson reveals he came close to joining All Blacks Sevens in his mid-20s
Retired NRL halfback Shaun Johnson has disclosed that legendary All Blacks Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens once held talks with him about switching codes, making it the nearest he ever came to leaving rugby league during his decorated career.
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Western Force promote Academy scrum-half Luke Aiken to Super Rugby Pacific squad
Western Force have elevated 20-year-old halfback Luke Aiken from their Academy to the full Super Rugby Pacific squad ahead of the 2027 season. The former Blues Under-20s and Queensland Reds junior joins an experienced scrum-half group that includes Nathan Hastie and Agustin Moyano.
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Queensland Reds sign Lachlan Hooper after standout NPC campaign with Northland
Backrower Lachlan Hooper has committed to the Queensland Reds for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season after two impressive NPC campaigns with Northland, including a hat-trick in round three. The 22-year-old is the younger brother of Wallabies flanker Tom Hooper.
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Sevens Dream Team star Tamani earns Flying Fijians call-up for Pacific Nations Cup defence
HSBC SVNS Dream Team of the Year pick Terio Tamani is among seven uncapped prospects in Fiji's 31-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup in Japan, where the reigning champions open against Canada on September 12.
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Seven uncapped players earn Ireland Women's call-up for WXV Global Series campaign
Ireland Women's head coach Scott Bemand has named seven uncapped players in a 36-strong WXV Global Series training squad, with home fixtures against the USA and Japan scheduled before a two-Test tour of South Africa in October.
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Erasmus admits 6/2 bench tactic backfired on Springboks in All Blacks defeat
Rassie Erasmus has openly conceded that his signature 6/2 bench split cost South Africa in their 21-3 second-half collapse against New Zealand at Ellis Park, calling the substitution decisions an avoidable error of his own making.
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Pollock blasts six in charity T20 as Northampton's Sri Lanka tour takes a cricketing turn
Henry Pollock showcased his batting skills in Colombo on Monday, hitting 13 runs off four balls for the International Rugby Stars in a charity T20 against Sri Lanka's 1996 Cricket World Cup winners, though his side fell short of the 140-run target.
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Bath captain Ben Spencer ruled out for start of season after shoulder surgery
Ben Spencer, who skippered Bath to the Premiership title in 2025, will miss the opening rounds of the 2026/27 season after undergoing shoulder surgery this summer. The club says the scrum-half will return 'later in the autumn.'
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