Dec 5, 2020 England prop Mako Vunipola has been ruled out of the Autumn Nations Cup final against France at Twickenham on Sunday due to a calf injury. The Saracens forward suffered the injury against Wales last week and has not recovered in time. 1 Related “Mako picked up an injury in last week’s game,”

1:03 PM GMT France coach Fabien Galthie named an inexperienced and youthful team as expected to face a seasoned England side in the Autumn Nations Cup final, making six changes for Sunday’s clash at Twickenham. An agreement between the federation and the Top 14 meant that no player could be involved in more than three

11:57 AM GMT Anthony Watson will replace injured Bath teammate Jonathan Joseph on the wing for England’s clash against France in the Autumn Nations Cup final on Sunday in the only change from the team who beat Wales last time out. Watson, who overcame his own injury to start on the bench against Wales, came

4:04 AM GMT Wallabies coach Dave Rennie says he feels no obligation for his side to entertain in Saturday’s Tri Nations finale, instead setting his sights on a “quality performance” to round out his first season in charge. Australia face Argentina at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday night, the Tri Nations crown all but out of

1:13 AM GMT ESPN staff Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika hasn’t given up hope of one day returning to the role, despite a lack of success across his closing years in charge and an ugly fallout with Rugby Australia. Speaking to The Australian, Cheika has clearly lost none of the self-belief that helped fire the

4:09 PM GMT Fit-again captain Johnny Sexton will return when Ireland take on Scotland in their Autumn Nations Cup clash at the Aviva Stadium after coach Andy Farrell named the squad on Thursday. Sexton was forced off the field with a hamstring problem that he sustained in their opening win over Wales and replaces the

2:34 PM GMT Debutant Jaco van der Walt is one of six Scotland changes to face Ireland in the Autumn Nations Cup at the weekend as coach Gregor Townsend rung the changes after their home loss to France last month. South African-born Van der Walt has been training with the team over the last month

3:28 AM GMT Disgraced Pumas skipper Pablo Matera has been reinstated as captain but will not face the Wallabies in Saturday night’s final Tri Nations clash in Sydney. Matera was sensationally stripped of the captaincy and stood down from the Bankwest Stadium Test, along with teammates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino, after racist tweets at

11:09 PM GMT ESPN staff Crusaders supercoach Scott Robertson is closing in on a role with the British & Irish Lions, as talks continue with New Zealand Rugby [NZR] on a contract extension that will keep him in the mix to be the next All Blacks coach. Robertson last year missed out on the All

3:15 PM GMT Hooker Sam Parry will make his first start for Wales as they look to end a difficult Autumn Nations Cup on a high with victory over Italy in the battle for fifth place in Llanelli on Saturday. Parry has made three previous appearances off the bench, but will now start for the