Rugby

Sam Bowers of Oval Insights interrogates the criticism of England’s kicking Alex Mitchell kicks for England (Getty Images) England’s kicking game has been publicly lamented season after season. Even fans of the Red Rose – despite wins against their two most challenging pool-stage opponents – were audibly frustrated with their team’s tactics against Japan in

Never mind the challenges still in store for England in this tournament, think about how far they have come. Arriving at this Rugby World Cup on the back of three underwhelming defeats in four warm-up Tests, they were under enormous pressure. It will have been so hard for the players to keep beating the drum

SAINT-ETIENNE — Bravo, magnificent Fiji. One of the great Rugby World Cup performances took place in Saint-Etienne as the inspired islanders generated a Wallabies implosion, blew Pool C wide open, and recorded their first win over Australia in 69 years. To call the Flying Fijians’ 22-15 win over Australia an upset victory would be doing

The winger showed great presence of mind and skill to flip the field position on its head Mack Hansen fields his own quick lineout before nailing a 50:22 (ITV via X) A quickly taken lineout to himself led to a Mack Hansen 50:22 for Ireland against Tonga in an incredible piece of quick-thinking and skill.

Venue: Stade de Nice Date: Sunday 17 September Kick-off: 20:00 BST Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and online; follow text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Lewis Ludlam has been rewarded for his energetic cameo in last weekend’s win over Argentina with a starting spot in

Sep 12, 2023, 12:47 AM The countdown is over, the 2023 Rugby World Cup has finally arrived and we were treated to an absolute spectacle across the opening weekend. The action continues from Thursday with hosts France taking on Uruguay, New Zealand looking to find their first win of the tournament, while Tonga and Samoa

The second round the 2023 Rugby World Cup begins, but who will win the France v Uruguay match being played in Lille Melvyn Jaminet is set to be on kicking duties for France against Uruguay (Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images The second round of the 2023 Rugby World Cup begins with what on paper should

Venue: Stade de Nice Date: Sunday, 17 September Kick-off: 20:00 BST Coverage: Radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; text & radio coverage on BBC Sport website and app. Tom Curry will miss England’s next two Rugby World Cup matches after his red card in Saturday’s win over Argentina. Curry, 25, faced a disciplinary hearing

Sam Bruce, Deputy Editor, espn.com.auSep 11, 2023, 04:09 PM Close Sam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPN after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage. SAINT-ETIENNE, France —

The Springboks prevailed 18-3 but could have been down to 14 men after two minutes There was no Jesse Kriel red card for this collision with Jack Dempsey (ITV on X/Twitter) You could have been forgiven for having deja vu. Two minutes in to a huge pool clash at the Stade Velodrome and there is

Ireland: (33) 82 Tries: Gibson-Park, Keenan, Beirne 2, Aki 2, Sexton 2, Herring, O’Mahony 2, McCarthy Cons: Sexton 7, Crowley 4 Romania: (8) 8 Tries: Rupanu Pen: Rupanu Ireland opened their Rugby World Cup campaign with a bonus-point win as they scored 12 tries to overwhelm Romania in stifling heat in Bordeaux. After Gabriel Rupanu’s

World Cup openers don’t get any more enticing than New Zealand and France. We all know the history between these two nations, whether that be the multiple French upsets, or New Zealand’s triumphs. This weekend we prepare for a new chapter to be written.

For all the latest team news and full 33-man squad for the tournament Alex Mitchell has gone from fourth choice to starting nine against Argentina in the blink of an eye (Getty Images) Steve Borthwick has named his England Rugby World Cup squad for Argentina and the starting XV includes two players who only made

Venue: Stade Velodrome, Marseille Date: Sunday, 10 September Kick-off: 16:45 BST Coverage: Listen on Radio Scotland & BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary on BBC Sport website. Scrum-half Faf de Klerk will make a 50th appearance for South Africa when the World Cup holders begin their defence against Scotland on Sunday. Naming his side two

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has slammed Danny Cipriani after the former England player likened the Australian to a “horny teenager” in his autobiography, Who am I?. Cipriani, who made the last of his 16 Test appearances for England in 2018, against South Africa in Cape Town, under Jones, wrote in his autobiography that the Australian

The second row’s call up to the France squad following Paul Willemse’s injury has sparked an outcry in France France lock Bastien Chalureau’s call-up has sparked controversy on the eve of the World Cup (Getty Images) French rugby is embroiled in a new controversy on the eve of the Rugby World Cup, after head coach

Chris Jones, Matt Dawson and Bryan Habana discuss the top 10 upsets in the Rugby World Cup Top Tens podcast – and it’s a particularly painful one for Habana as he recalls South Africa’s defeat by Japan in 2015. Listen to the Rugby World Cup Top Tens on BBC Sounds now

Liam Napier Sep 1, 2023, 01:15 AM New Zealand’s identity has long been shaped by its sports teams. The ability of Aotearoa, the Shaky Isles, land of the long white cloud, to succeed on the world stage fills a small nation at the bottom of the globe with a glowing sense of nationalistic pride. Whether