11:15 AM GMT England International Maro Itoje has signed a contract extension with Saracens that will see him remain at the Premiership club until 2022. The 24-year-old lock played his 100th game for the club in October, and said he was pleased to sign on for another three-and-a-half years. “I’ve been at the club for

Jan 24, 2019 Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny is out of his nation’s Six Nations opener against France in Paris on Feb. 1 due to his ongoing recovery from concussion. Wales coach Warren Gatland admitted that Halfpenny is also a doubt for the team’s second match in the competition, against Italy in Rome, on Feb. 9.

11:39 PM GMT Spending nearly a year on the sideline has convinced world class hooker Dane Coles to extend his contract with New Zealand rugby. Hurricanes captain Coles has signed a deal through to 2021, hoping he’ll get more game time than last year, which he spent mostly recovering from a serious knee injury before

5:05 PM GMT Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said he is not available for the British & Irish Lions if offered the job tomorrow, but has left the door ajar for a role in the future. Schmidt will leave Ireland after the World Cup and previously said he would “finish coaching”. But highly-rated coach Schmidt, speaking

4:04 PM GMT ESPN staff Daan Human has joined the Bulls in a unique first for South African rugby, working as scrum coach for both the Super Rugby franchise and South African Guinness PRO14 side the Cheetahs. The former Stormers, Toulouse and South Africa prop will assist the Bulls two days a week while continuing

3:56 PM GMT England have added centre Jonathan Joseph to their Six Nations training squad, the Rugby Football Union announced on Tuesday. Joseph has not played for England since the final match of the Six Nations last year, which saw Ireland win the Grand Slam at Twickenham. The Bath back, who has been capped 40

11:48 AM GMT Ireland forward Tadhg Beirne will miss the opening two matches of the Six Nations due to a knee injury, the Irish Rugby Football Union confirmed on Monday. Munster’s Beirne sustained the injury during the 9-7 Champions Cup victory over Exeter on Saturday. The forward will be ruled out of Ireland’s opener against

10:41 AM GMT Scotland have included four players into their Six Nations squad but flanker Hamish Wilson has withdrawn due to a hand injury. Head coach Gregor Townsend has added uncapped forwards Luke Crosbie and Matt Smith alongside Glasgow Warriors duo Alex Dunbar and Rob Harley, due to injuries to several squad players. Glasgow trio

10:47 PM GMT ESPN staff Karmichael Hunt’s move to New South Wales Waratahs is official. The code-hopper was finally unveiled on Monday morning after months of speculation, the 32-year-old moving to Sydney on a one-year deal as part of a player swap that saw Waratahs utility Bryce Hegarty join the Reds. Super Rugby is back

10:07 AM GMT Flanker Brad Shields has become the latest injury concern for England ahead of the Six Nations after he was ruled out of Wasps’ European Champions Cup clash with Leinster. Shields, 27, missed the Pool One match at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry with a side strain, adding another selection headache for Eddie