9:22 PM BST AUCKLAND, New Zealand — “Both teams are very talented teams and both teams will go to the World Cup with a good chance of winning it, I think.” That was Steve Hansen’s analysis of a topsy-turvy seven days of rugby between Perth and Auckland that has answered some questions and created a

11:30 AM ET Wales beat England 13-6 in Cardiff on Saturday to avenge their loss in the reverse fixture last Sunday and take them to the top of the official world rankings as the World Cup looms. A fired-up Wales, fielding a near full-strength side against a more mixed England lineup for the second game

2:17 PM BST AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The All Blacks are too old. The World Cup campaign is off the rails. What is Steve Hansen doing? Those were the conversations surrounding the All Blacks for seven days. But those same discussion points were blown out of the water just as the Wallabies were off Eden

3:49 PM BST Bath winger Ruaridh McConnochie is a doubt to make his England debut in the his side’s second World Cup warm up fixture against Wales on Saturday due to muscle soreness. McConnochie, 27, will have his fitness assessed on Friday, having been due to make his international debut this weekend following his surprise

3:49 PM BST Bath winger Ruaridh McConnochie will not make his England debut against Wales on Saturday due to muscle soreness. McConnochie, 27, had his fitness assessed on Friday but withdrew from the squad on Saturday, the team confirmed. McConnochie was replaced in the starting line up by Bath teammate Anthony Watson. TEAM UPDATE |

1:42 PM BST France centre Geoffrey Doumayrou has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup in Japan with an achilles injury, head coach Jacques Brunel said in a news conference on Thursday. Brunel said that he expects to name a replacement for Doumayrou in the World Cup squad later on Thursday after confirming that

11:10 AM BST England head coach Eddie Jones had made three changes to his side for Saturday’s Test against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with Ruaridh McConnochie — a surprise inclusion in Jones’ World Cup squad — making his international debut. Maro Itoje also enters the starting XV in the second row, while

7:45 AM BST New Zealand vs. Australia, Eden Park, Auckland, Saturday Aug. 17, 7.35pm [NZT], 5.35pm [AEST], 7.35am [GMT] This has been some Bledisloe week. The stage is set for one of the great trans-Tasman deciders after a dramatic few days of verbal exchanges following the sending off of Scott Barrett in Bledisloe I. The

10:20 PM BST The All Blacks have dumped star wingers Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane, along with centurion prop Owen Franks in a sensational move ahead of the Bledisloe Cup decider in Auckland. In a potential changing of the guard five weeks out from the Rugby World Cup, coach Steve Hansen has introduced young flyers

11:48 AM BST World Rugby’s crackdown on high tackles has moved too quickly for the World Cup and officials could end up hurting the “show business” of the tournament with inconsistent decisions, Australia’s director of rugby Scott Johnson has said. All Black lock Scott Barrett was given a red card for a high tackle on