Rugby

Date: Saturday 3 July Kick-off: 17:00 BST Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg Stuart Hogg says he will “be his own man” when he leads a new-look British and Irish Lions XV against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday. “I think being captain doesn’t change anything you do,” said Scotland’s Hogg. “I’ve never been the

Gavin Mortimer laments the lack of quality rugby on show in France Toulouse celebrate lifting the Bouclier de Brennus after the Top 14 final (Getty Images) The Fallacy of French Flair It was the denouement to the domestic seasons in England and France at the weekend. One was a thriller, 80 minutes of edge-of-your-seat rugby

2:14 PM BST South Africa named a strong team to take on Georgia on Friday in their first test in 20 months since winning the World Cup in Japan in 2019. The test is one of two warm-ups for the Springboks ahead of their three-test series against the British & Irish Lions and new coach

10:35 AM BST South African Rugby President Mark Alexander has accepted there will be no fans at stadiums for the British & Irish Lions series but is confident the COVID-19 protocols in place will allow all the scheduled games to go ahead. The Lions, who will face the Springboks in three tests from July 24,

Captain Conor Murray says the British and Irish Lions want to “put a smile on people’s faces” amid rising Covid-19 infection rates in South Africa. The Lions arrived in Johannesburg shortly after president Cyril Ramaphosa announced stricter measures. Organisers are exploring contingency plans with doubts over the eight-match series taking place as scheduled. “We’re very

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny set for a career milestone Leigh Halfpenny is set to win his 100th Test cap on Saturday (NurPhoto/Getty Images) Wales squad for summer Tests 2021 Leigh Halfpenny will make his 100th Test appearance when Wales take on Canada at the Principality Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The full-back has won 95 Wales caps

I cannot quite understand how gutted Alun Wyn Jones must be not to be going on the Lions tour, but unfortunately there is no time for the players to dwell on it. The day after he dislocated his shoulder in the warm-up game against Japan, the rest of the squad was on the plane to

1:27 PM BST South Africa cancelled a Sunday training session after three unnamed Springbok players tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve on the British & Irish Lions’ departure to the country for a three-test series next month. The players had been put into isolation and a decision on further team activities would be taken

South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said there is “no threat” to July’s British and Irish Lions Tests after three of his players returned positive Covid-19 results. The Springboks squad is isolating in Johannesburg, where the Lions play their first game on 3 July. Warren Gatland’s side travel to South Africa on Sunday evening

Training is cancelled as three players test positive The Springboks logo (Getty Images) Covid hits Springboks camp The Springboks training camp has been unexpectedly hit during preparations for their series against the British & Irish Lions as three of their players have tested positive for Covid-19. The South Africans have moved to cancel Sunday’s planned

5:28 PM BST The British & Irish Lions beat Japan 28-10 in the warm-up for their South Africa tour on Saturday but the match was overshadowed by a shoulder injury for captain Alun Wyn Jones which could jeopardise his participation. The veteran Welsh lock was forced off after eight minutes supporting his left arm, seemingly

Alun Wyn Jones will miss the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa because of a shoulder injury and Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray will captain the side instead. Jones dislocated his shoulder during Saturday’s warm-up game against Japan, where Justin Tipuric also sustained a tour-ending shoulder injury. Wales’ Adam Beard and Josh Navidi have

We take a look at some of our favourite deals on Lions merchandise. Best deals on British & Irish Lions merchandise With the British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa fast approaching, now is the time to make sure you have all the merchandise you need to show support for the men in red.

Scotland have lost nine players for Sunday’s A international against England after one member of the squad tested positive for Covid-19. The other eight were close contacts and have been ruled out of the game at Leicester’s Welford Road as a result of the need to self-isolate. Scottish Rugby, which did not identify the player,

11:10 AM BST ESPN Reuters Scotland’s Zander Fagerson and Hamish Watson have been ruled out of the British & Irish Lions lineup to face Japan on Saturday due to injury. Prop Fagerson has a back spasm and will be replaced by Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong, while flanker Watson suffered a head injury in training on Tuesday

Find out who Alun Wyn Jones & Co will be facing in the 1888 Cup Michael Leitch will captain Japan against the Lions (AFP/Getty Images) Japan team to play British & Irish Lions Jamie Joseph has named a strong Japan team to take on British & Irish Lions at BT Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon. Michael

4:45 AM BST Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is disappointed the red-card replacement trial will not be adopted in international rugby, saying he “can’t understand” the northern hemisphere’s resistance to it. World Rugby is poised to green light both the 50/22 and goal-line dropout variations that have been used in Super Rugby AU over the past

Zander Fagerson has become the second Scotland player to pull out of the British and Irish Lions side to face Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday. A back spasm means Fagerson’s place at tight-head will be taken by Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong. Wales flanker Justin Tipuric came into the back row after Hamish Watson was ruled out