Rugby

The team for the first Test on a Lions tour has never been a foregone conclusion. Particularly over the last three tours, we have gone through the process of trying to second guess head coach Warren Gatland. My experience of him is that he has a very definite type of player in mind who needs

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

British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland says he expects a lively discussion about selection for the first Test with South Africa. Gatland says he thinks the toughest decisions will be made in “the back three and the loose forwards”. “We will go through the process over the next 72 hours and there will

The Lions winger sported a lightning bolt against South Africa A Louis Rees-Zammit scores a try against the Stormers (AFP/Getty Images) The story behind Louis Rees-Zammit’s haircut When Louis Rees-Zammit lined up against South Africa A last Wednesday, he was sporting a new haircut. The British & Irish Lions 2021 winger had a lightning bolt

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

The two-time World Cup winner discusses what the future may hold with Campbell Burnes of NZ Rugby News  Kieran Read leads out the All Blacks at the 2019 World Cup (Getty Images) Kieran Read on TMOs, All Blacks and Japan Kieran Read has an impressive CV. The former All Blacks captain played 127 Tests for

Date: Saturday, 17 July Kick-off: 17:00 BST Venue: Cape Town Stadium Coverage: Live text commentary via the BBC Sport website and app Former British and Irish Lion Matt Dawson says “the wheels are off the tour” if the side records a second loss against the Stormers on Saturday. They face provincial side Stormers at the

11:59 AM BST British & Irish Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones will start from the bench against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday after a remarkable return to the tour party following a dislocated shoulder. Jones had been ruled out of the tour after being injured in the 28-10 victory over Japan in

Western Force fly-half Jake McIntyre tells us what to expect from rugby’s latest law change Jake McIntyre during his time with Agen (Getty Images) “The 50:22 kick should suit the more attacking teams” The first person Jake McIntyre saw properly take advantage of the 50:22 kick law in Australia was full-back Rob Kearney. In a

9:33 PM BST Wing Sbu Nkosi and centre Lukhanyo Am scored first-half tries as a strong South Africa ‘A’ side inflicted a first defeat of the tour on the British & Irish Lions with a 17-13 win in what was dubbed an unofficial ‘fourth test’ in Cape Town on Wednesday. Lions coach Warren Gatland had

The British and Irish Lions may have suffered their first defeat of the 2021 tour, but head coach Warren Gatland says his players are in “bullish” mood. The New Zealander claims his team is “confident that we can handle whatever they throw at us going forward”. But is it a false confidence? Or can the

The lock has been training with Wales and is now flying out to South Africa Alun Wyn Jones leads out the Lions against Japan (Getty Images) Confirmed: Alun Wyn Jones rejoins Lions squad Alun Wyn Jones will rejoin the British & Irish Lions 2021 squad after coming through a training session with Wales. The Wales

12:32 PM BST Ireland will host New Zealand in one of four international tests announced by the Irish Rugby Football Union for Andy Farrell’s squad in October and November. The Irish will face the All Blacks at Aviva Stadium on Nov. 13 for the first time since losing to the New Zealanders in the quarterfinals

Venue: Cape Town Stadium Date: Wednesday, 14 July Kick-off: 19:00 BST Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app The British and Irish Lions’ game against a high-quality South Africa A side on Wednesday will be “pivotal” in determining Test selection, says former tourist Ugo Monye. The Springboks team includes seven of

The serious stuff starts here as the Lions take on a fully loaded South Africa A in Cape Town on Wednesday. As the Test series looms, the selection battle is becoming red-hot Pad work: Ken Owens puts in the graft ahead of the Lions’ game against star-laden South Africa A (Inpho) South Africa A v

1:39 PM BST The British & Irish Lions will make a decision on whether Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones will re-join the squad in South Africa in the next 24 hours after coach Warren Gatland described his recovery from a dislocated shoulder as “remarkable.” Jones has been training with Wales in the last few days

Venue: Cape Town Stadium Date: Wednesday, 14 July Kick-off: 19:00 BST Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has rejected calls from the Springboks camp for his side to play South Africa A twice in a row. The Lions face a Test-quality A

From his nickname to his fan gesture while at Wasps Willie le Roux in action against Georgia in July 2021 (MB Media/Getty Images) Who is Willie le Roux: Ten things you should know about the Springboks full-back Willie le Roux has won more than 50 caps for South Africa and was part of the 2019