Rugby

3:03 AM BST ESPN staff The three-match Bledisloe Cup has been thrown into uncertainty with the shutdown of the trans-Tasman travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday announced an eight-week pause on the travel bubble as New South Wales struggles to manage a COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney.

1:05 AM BST It took three attempts, but the Wallabies have their first piece of silverware under coach Dave Rennie. The Trophée des Bicentenaires will stay in Australia’s keeping until at least the end of next year following the Wallabies dramatic 33-30 win in Brisbane last week, which secured a 2-1 series win over a

9:58 AM BST Alun Wyn Jones has been named as captain for the British & Irish Lions’ first test against South Africa, it was announced on Wednesday. Jones returned to the squad last week having recovered from a dislocated shoulder he sustained in the Lions first warm up match against Japan on June 26. This

12:00 PM BST South Africa centre Damian de Allende has said he went into “a bit of a shock” after he was burned in a fire pit accident last month and is lucky to play again following his selection for Saturday’s opening test against the British & Irish Lions. De Allende and Springbok lock RG

12:41 AM BST Liam Napier By the end of July, after three Tests against Pacific Island opposition, the All Blacks projected widespread satisfaction with their start to the season. All Blacks coach Ian Foster rotated all but one of his 36-man squad – 21-year-old Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i not used – to build depth and

8:35 PM BST All three tests between world champions South Africa and the British & Irish Lions will be played in Cape Town, officials confirmed on Tuesday, wary that the risks associated of a return to the altitude of the Highveld are too great. The second and third tests in the series were due to

1:43 PM BST South Africa captain Siya Kolisi and winger Makazole Mapimpi have been named in the starting line-up for the first test against the British & Irish Lions after recovering from COVID-19. Kolisi, Mapimpi and prop Ox Nche were the last group of players to report for duty at the Springbok camp in Cape

11:33 AM BST The British and Irish Lions coaching staff held a “robust” selection meeting on Sunday, but defence coach Steve Tandy said there are decisions still to be made ahead of the first test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday. With fly-half Finn Russell set to miss the series opener due to

3:02 AM BST As the Wallabies prepare to fight Marika Koroibete’s high tackle charge at a judiciary hearing, fly-half Noah Lolesio has opened up on the game plan that allowed Australia to run down France and the penalty that secured the 2-1 series win, describing the latter as a “dead duck”. The Wallabies got back

1:40 PM BST South Africa have received a significant boost ahead of the first test against the British & Irish Lions after hookers Bongi Mbonambi and Scarra Ntubeni, as well as loose forward Dan du Preez, returned to training on Sunday. The trio had been in self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, but have now

7:16 PM BST Scrum-half Ali Price impressed for the British & Irish Lions and put his hand up for Test selection in a comfortable seven-try 49-3 victory over the Stormers on Saturday, as Alun Wyn Jones returned to the team with 30 minutes off the bench. It was another slow start for the Lions in

8:21 PM BST British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has confirmed that Alun Wyn Jones has been reinstated as tour captain after a successful return following a dislocated shoulder. Jones played 30 minutes as a replacement in Saturday’s 49-3 victory over the Stormers in Cape Town, a final warm-up game before the Test series

5:31 PM BST Argentina fly-half Nicolas Sanchez kicked over 18 points as they beat Wales 33-11 in the second Test at the Principality Stadium on Saturday to clinch the series after last week’s 20-20 draw. Argentina outscored Wales three tries to one with Sanchez contributing four penalties and three conversions to prove the difference in

4:50 PM BST South Africa A were handed a 17-14 defeat by the Bulls on Saturday as the majority of the Springbok’s fringe players got a much-needed run out but failed to impress before next weekend’s first test against the British & Irish Lions. First half tries from Aphelele Fassi and Wandisile Simelane had the

10:34 AM BST South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has cranked up the tension with the touring British & Irish Lions by going onto social media to question the tackling technique of Owen Farrell. Erasmus posted video clips of two tackles Farrell made in the Lions’ tour match on Wednesday, when they lost to

7:36 AM BST Samoa qualified for their ninth successive Rugby World Cup with a 79-28 aggregate victory over Tonga, winning the second leg of their Oceania playoff 37-15 in Hamilton on Saturday. The Samoans, who claimed the first leg 42-13 in Auckland last week, were challenged by the Tongans after dominating the first half but

4:35 PM BST Jay-Z’s Roc Nation has teamed up with the United Rugby Championship (URC), a new rugby competition featuring 16 teams from Wales, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and South Africa, it was announced on Wednesday. Roc Nation is a world-leading entertainment company founded by the rapper in 2008. With offices around the world, the business

9:23 PM BST With just days until the Australian women’s sevens team begin their gold medal defence, Charlotte Caslick has no doubt her team is ready for the tough road ahead, despite their lackluster results of late and the shock non-selection of star winger Ellia Green. Announcing the squad for the Tokyo Games just weeks