Rugby

10:54 AM BST The 2021 British & Irish Lions schedule has been revised to keep matches either in Johannesburg or Cape Town, with organisers admitting the new-look fixture list has been put together on the basis matches “will take place behind closed doors.” The eight-match schedule sees the tour start in Johannesburg and Pretoria, before

Two members of Eddie Jones’s back-room team step down Jason Ryles with England head coach Eddie Jones (Getty Images) Changes to England coaching team Simon Amor and Jason Ryles have stepped down from their coaching roles with England. Amor has been part of the RFU set-up since 2013 when he became head coach of the

5:10 PM BST Scotland will host Japan in the final match of the autumn series at Murrayfield in November, Scottish Rugby said on Thursday. Japan will pay two visits to Scotland this year as they are due to face the British & Irish Lions at Murrayfield on June 26, as part of the latter’s preparations

Saracens and England full-back Alex Goode has returned from his season-long loan in Japan in time to aid their Championship promotion chances. Goode, who can also play at fly-half, will be available for the last three regular season games and a potential two-legged promotion play-off in June. Saracens are third in the table behind leaders

After 32 successive Six Nations defeats, Italy’s place in the tournament has never been more precarious. Hence this question for our Face-off debate from our May 2021 issue Winless Italy had a points difference of minus 184 during this year’s Six Nations Championship (Inpho) Should the Six Nations introduce relegation? BERNARD JACKMANYES, says the former

The British and Irish Lions’ warm-up Test against Japan will be shown on Channel 4 as live coverage of the team returns to terrestrial television for the first time since 1993. As well as the match at Murrayfield on 26 June, Channel 4 will also show highlights of all three Tests against world champions South

How you can watch this year’s matches against Japan and on the tour to South Africa, including free-to-air coverage  Lions supporters on the 2017 tour (Getty Images) British & Irish Lions 2021 TV Coverage The 2021 British & Irish Lions will play a pre-tour match against Japan in Edinburgh followed by eight matches in South

Cardiff Blues have confirmed lock Matthew Screech will return to the region from Dragons for the 2021-22 season. The second-row returns to his home region on an undisclosed deal, having spent eight seasons at Rodney Parade. Screech made 162 Dragons appearances, including 16 games this season, scoring five tries. “It was a decision I thought

Bath hooker Tom Dunn’s club season is over after being banned for four weeks for his red card against Bristol. He accepted the charge at a RFU disciplinary hearing and will be free to play again on 15 June. Bath are currently seventh in the Premiership and are unlikely to make the top four and

Ospreys have signed Irish second row Jack Regan from New Zealand Super Rugby Aotearoa side Highlanders. Regan has agreed a three-year deal at the Liberty Stadium region. Former Ireland Under-20 international Regan, who also captained his country at under-18 level, left his homeland for New Zealand after being released by Ulster in 2020. “This is

Mike Brown’s Harlequins career appears to be over after he was given a six-week ban for stamping. Brown, 35, who will join Newcastle next season, was sent off for treading on the head of Wasps hooker Tommy Taylor in their Premiership win on Sunday. A disciplinary hearing decided the accidental stamp warranted a high-end sanction

The women’s 2021 Rugby World Cup has been rescheduled for 8 October-12 November 2022. World Rugby have extended the tournament to 43 days, bringing the minimum five-day rest period in line with the men’s World Cup. The 43-day window includes travel to and from New Zealand and a minimum of five days rest before the

In his latest BBC Sport column, Liam William reflects on his British and Irish Lions selection for a second tour and how this trip will be different. The importance and magic of the British and Irish Lions has been shown in the last few days. It is the best honour you can get as a

Danny Care says missing out on selection for the British and Irish Lions affected his performance for Harlequins against Wasps on Sunday. Care, 34, had been told he was under consideration for the 37-man squad. But he missed out as Conor Murray, Ali Price and Gareth Davies were selected by boss Warren Gatland. “I found

England prop Joe Marler has called for mental health support for British and Irish Lions players on this summer’s tour of South Africa. Marler has often spoken about his depression diagnosis and wrote about it in his 2020 autobiography. After missing out on Warren Gatland’s squad for the upcoming tour, the 30-year-old recommends that a

Scotland flanker Hamish Watson says comments that he is too small to make an impact for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa are “a tiny bit frustrating”. Watson, 29, is part of the 37-man Lions squad to face the Springboks. Some have suggested the back row – who is 6ft tall and weighs

6:26 PM BST South Africa will play their first test matches since lifting the World Cup in November 2019 when they host Georgia for two tests in July as a warm-up for the British & Irish Lions series, a major boost to new head coach Jacques Nienaber. South Africa has been hardest hit by the

11:09 AM BST England will play tests against the United States and Canada in July in front of at least 10,000 spectators at Twickenham Stadium, the Rugby Football Union said on Monday. Eddie Jones’ side will host the United States on July 4 and Canada on July 10. Before the two tests, England’s A side