Wales workmanlike in win over proud Portugal
Wales took another step towards the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, but they were given a fierce examination by minnows Portugal before winning 28-8 at Stade de Nice.
International rugby Sport News
Wales workmanlike in win over proud Portugal
Wales took another step towards the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, but they were given a fierce examination by minnows Portugal before winning 28-8 at Stade de Nice.
Samoa record bonus-point win over Chile
Samoa opened their account at the Rugby World Cup after storming to a 43-10 bonus-point victory against Chile at Stade de Bordeaux.
Rory Best: Tom Stewart has a shot at Ireland World Cup slot
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell names his 33-man squad for the Rugby World Cup on Sunday and it's a panel likely to be short on surprises, with most pundits of the view that only two or three slots remain genuinely up for grabs.
Marco Riccioni and Stephen Varney named in Italy squad
Prop Marco Riccioni and scrum-half Stephen Varney are both included in Italy's 33-man squad for next month's Rugby World Cup, despite suffering injuries against Ireland in their recent warm-up game.
England stars Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola face disciplinary hearings
England’s Rugby World Cup ambitions could be badly dented later today, with two key players facing sanctions that may rule them out of the opening weeks of the tournament. Both Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola are staring at suspensions after being sent off in England’s last two warm-up tests. Vunipola goes before an independent disciplinary hearing over a dangerous tackle against Ireland at the weekend. Any potential sanction could be announced straight after the hearing or on Wednesday, leaving England to sweat over the fate of the only true number eight named in their 33-man squad for the tournament, which kicks off on 8 September. Farrell received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Wales loose forward Taine Basham, which was later upgraded to a red during the match on review. A Six Nations Rugby independent judicial committee reduced it back to a yellow but World Rugby has appealed the surprise decision. It means the England captain faces an independent disciplinary panel for the second time in a week, amid widespread criticism of the initial decision on one hand and condemnation of the coverage of the case on the other. World Rugby’s appeal is also being heard today but again with no date or time given for the announcement of the decision.
Melvyn Jaminet's impressive return earns him place on France World Cup squad
Melvyn Jaminet's 19-point haul for France at the weekend helped the injury-plagued full-back to secure a berth in the host nation’s 33-man squad for next month’s Rugby World Cup. Coach Fabien Galthie also included exciting 20-year-old wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey and newly capped loose forward Paul Boudehent when he revealed the squad on Monday. He is also gambling on the fitness of prop Cyril Baille, who suffered calf injury a fortnight ago in the warm-up win over Scotland at St Etienne, and Anthony Jelonch, who has been working his way back to fitness. Baille was originally ruled out for between four to six weeks but has remained with the French squad as the medical staff seek to hasten his recovery. Flanker Jelonch has not played since rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament during the Six Nations showdown against Scotland in February but has been deemed fit enough to play at the World Cup.
World Cup preparations still at shadowboxing stage
The build-up to the men's Rugby World Cup is underway, all teams have played their first warm up game and squads are being whittled down from this week onwards.