Rugby

5:25 PM GMT The England women’s rugby team completed an autumn clean sweep with an emphatic 89-0 thrashing of the United States on Sunday to extend their winning streak to 18 matches. The world’s top-ranked side, who crushed Canada 51-12 last weekend, fired a warning ahead of next year’s World Cup as Simon Middleton’s team

4:22 PM GMT Ireland made it a clean sweep of Test victories this November as they followed up last weekend’s memorable triumph over New Zealand with a more routine 53-7 thrashing of an ill-disciplined Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday. After Mateo Carreras caught the hosts napping to give Argentina an early lead, Ireland

8:52 PM GMT Kathleen McNamee TWICKENHAM, London — There is an argument to be made that England’s dramatic 27-26 win over South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday was Eddie Jones’ greatest masterclass. Much has been made of this England side since the summer, but no longer will fans be able to jibe this team as

10:21 PM GMT France survived a brief yet brutal meltdown to claim their first victory against New Zealand since their 2009 win in Dunedin as they beat the All Blacks 40-25 in their last autumn Test with some free-flowing rugby on Saturday. Les Bleus, who had not beaten the three-time world champions on home soil

8:03 PM GMT Wales’ Rhys Priestland kicked a penalty after the hooter as the hosts poured more misery on Australia with a 29-28 victory at the Principality Stadium on Saturday following an early red card for visiting No. 8 Rob Valetini. Valetini became the fifth player to see red against Wales in the last 12

6:08 PM GMT England’s Marcus Smith landed a last-minute penalty to snatch a 27-26 win over South Africa on Saturday as the hosts looked full of early promise but were hauled back by the battling Springboks in the teams’ first meeting since the 2019 World Cup final. England fashioned excellent early tries for Manu Tuilagi

3:18 PM GMT Captain Stuart Hogg became Scotland’s record test try scorer as he led his side to a nervous 29-20 victory over brave Japan in their autumn series clash at Murrayfield on Saturday. Fullback Hogg moved past Tony Stanger and Ian Smith at the top of the all-time list as he bagged his 25th

6:02 PM GMT South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been found guilty of misconduct by an independent committee for his hour-long video critique of the match officials during the British & Irish Lions series, World Rugby said on Wednesday. Erasmus has been suspended from all matchday activities for two months with immediate effect

5:52 PM GMT World Rugby launched an education campaign on Wednesday to increase awareness of brain health within the sport and set up a network of free brain health clinics for former elite players. The Brain Health Initiative, supported by national unions and the International Rugby Players association, includes an educational video where independent experts

5:06 PM GMT The 10-month-old son of former South Africa international Jannie du Plessis has drowned in an accident while celebrating the 39th birthday of the ex-Springbok prop on Tuesday. The incident happened at Du Plessis’ home in the mining town of Krugersdorp near Johannesburg and has been confirmed by local police and Du Plessis’

3:13 PM GMT England fly-half George Ford will leave Leicester at the end of the season to join Sale, the Premiership club have confirmed. Ford, who has won 77 England caps, has signed a three-year contract with Sale after declining to extend his stay at Welford Road. The 28-year-old has made 113 appearances for Leicester

12:16 AM GMT Liam Napier A humbling loss to Ireland has the All Blacks hurting, and rightly so. Not since the 2019 World Cup semifinal have they been so comprehensively outplayed. Worryingly, many of the same crippling flaws England brutally exposed that evening in Yokohama remain prevalent. A response this weekend, in the final Test

9:28 PM GMT ESPN staff Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper has been ruled out of his side’s season finale in Cardiff after suffering a foot injury in Saturday’s loss to England. Hooper left the field in the 54th minute of the 32-15 loss at Twickenham, before scans on Monday confirmed the flanker had suffered a grade

4:47 PM GMT Captain Owen Farrell and hooker Jamie George will miss England’s final autumn test against South Africa on Saturday due to injuries sustained in last weekend’s 32-15 win over Australia, the Rugby Football Union said on Monday. Farrell suffered an ankle injury that forced him off in the second half, while George hurt

2:39 PM GMT England’s Maro Itoje will challenge Australia captain Michael Hooper and teammate Samu Kerevi for the men’s player of the year, while scrum-half Antoine Dupont became the first Frenchman to be shortlisted for the award since 2012, World Rugby announced on Monday. Itoje won his 50th cap in the victory against Australia at

1:57 PM GMT Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will miss their final autumn international series test against Argentina after being ruled out for between four to six weeks due to injury, the Irish Rugby Football Union said on Monday. The fly-half, 36, twisted a knee and ankle in the win over New Zealand in Dublin at

11:19 PM GMT The Wallabies have six days to work out “how to get something going” or risk having the green shoots they sowed on home soil shriveling up on what has fast become a disappointing tour of the United Kingdom. Saturday night’s 32-15 defeat by England was perhaps the most deflating Australian loss of

5:43 PM GMT Hooker Ryan Elias scored two tries as Wales laboured to a flattering 38-23 victory over sparkling Fiji, who received a first-half red card but showed plenty of fight in their autumn international clash at the Principality Stadium on Sunday. Scrum-half Kieran Hardy, full-back Liam Williams, and wings Alex Cuthbert and Louis Rees-Zammit