8:08 AM GMT When they sit down to write the Australian rugby almanac for 2020 it’s unlikely those involved will be able to keep it to one edition. We should, in fact, prepare ourselves for volumes II, III and IV, such was the chaos created by the coronavirus pandemic. Those involved with the game, no

2:02 PM GMT World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and Welsh Rugby Union have confirmed they have received a solicitor’s letter which alleges a failure to protect players from the risks caused by concussions. The letter of claim, setting out their intention to sue, has been sent to the sport’s governing bodies with a total

3:20 PM GMT Sunday’s Champions Cup pool match between defending champions Exeter Chiefs and Toulouse has been called off after a number of Exeter players and staff tested positive for COVID-19, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Wednesday. Due to the public health guidelines in place, EPCR said Exeter cannot send a matchday squad

11:38 AM GMT Eddie Jones has been cleared to continue as a consultant for Japanese Top League side Suntory Sungoliath after the Rugby Football Union said there is no conflict of interest despite England and Japan being drawn in the same 2023 World Cup pool. “Eddie has had a consultancy agreement with Suntory for over

12:22 PM GMT Rugby World Cup-holders South Africa have been drawn with Ireland for the 2023 competition while New Zealand are paired with France, England are in the same pool as Japan and Argentina and Wales will have to get past Australia and Fiji. In Pool A New Zealand and France will reignite their World

6:32 PM GMT Associated Press LONDON — Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney has said English rugby officials have yet to receive any legal contact from the group of former players preparing claims for negligence against national unions. Steve Thompson, one of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winners, former England flanker Michael Lipman

2:51 PM GMT Nigel Owens, the most-capped referee in world rugby, announced on Friday that he has ended his 17-year international career. Owens, 49, became the first referee to officiate in a century of tests when he took charge of an Autumn Nations Cup clash between France and Italy last month. The Welshman it was

11:08 AM GMT Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him in charge until the 2023 World Cup, Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday, making him Scotland’s longest-serving coach in the professional era. Townsend, who won 82 caps for Scotland, took over as coach in June 2017 and has been

6:49 PM GMT Former England hooker Steve Thompson has blamed a lack of protection in his playing days for his diagnosis of early onset dementia and said he can no longer remember winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Thompson, who made 73 appearances for England from 2002-2011, revealed his diagnosis in an interview with The

3:53 PM GMT Former England captain Chris Robshaw and scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth are among 13 players who have been hit with suspensions for their COVID-19 breaches which saw the Barbarians’ fixture against England cancelled. The game was set to take place in October but was called off after a number of Barbarians players breached COVID-19