9:28 AM GMT Greg GrowdenESPN Rugby Close After more than 30 years with The Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax Media in Australia, Greg Growden now writes exclusively online for ESPN. Never afraid to step on toes, you can expect plenty of compelling insight from one of Australia’s most renowned writers. It was a delight for
Rugby
8:00 AM GMT Jamie BraidwoodESPN After a first half between Scotland and South Africa that was as open, breathless and free-flowing as you are ever likely to see at the top level of international rugby, the Springboks slammed on the brakes and said enough was enough. The tourists were up by three but it was
10:30 PM GMT Michael Cheika is hopeful David Pocock will be fit for next week”s clash with England after the talismanic back-rower left the field early in the Wallabies’ win over Italy in Padova. It was thought Pocock had sustained a concussion which due to the HIA protocols would have put him in serious doubt
10:12 PM GMT DUBLIN — Try telling those in the Aviva Stadium, those filling the bars in Dublin and those having sweated and bled through their green shirts that these November internationals mean nothing. And while we’re at it, name a better defence coach in world rugby than Andy Farrell, after his sizeable role in
9:09 PM GMT Ireland laid down a massive marker ahead of next year’s World Cup by beating holders New Zealand for just the second time with a compelling 16-9 victory in a clash of the world’s top two teams on Saturday. Just two years after claiming an All Black scalp for the first time in
6:38 PM GMT England coach Eddie Jones said his team needed a change in attitude to turn around Saturday’s test against Japan. England, completely outplayed for most of the first half, came from 15-10 down at the break to take control and triumph 35-15. Despite trailing at halftime, England found their try-scoring form in the
5:33 PM GMT Canada remain on course for a ninth successive Rugby World Cup appearance after a 29-10 bonus-point victory over Germany in their repechage qualifier at the Pierre-Delort Stadium on Saturday. The North American side need just a point from their final qualifier against Hong Kong on Friday to seal a berth at the
7:50 PM GMT Flyhalf Handre Pollard scored 18 points to provide the platform for a narrow 26-20 win for South Africa over hosts Scotland in their test at Murrayfield on Saturday. The two countries traded two tries each in a magnificent, open first half before Pollard’s boot edged the Springboks to victory in a contrastingly
4:50 PM GMT England overcame a disastrous first half when their experimental side trailed an effervescent Japan 15-10 to turn on the power after the break and run out 35-15 winners at Twickenham on Saturday. The long-shot outsiders had threatened a repeat of their 2015 World Cup upset over South Africa when well-made tries for
4:38 PM GMT Australia beat Italy 26-7 on Saturday, keeping their unblemished record against the Azzurri intact. In what had been billed as a must-win match for the Wallabies’ embattled coach, Michael Cheika, the Wallabies did suffer one setback, with a groggy David Pocock forced off in the second half. The Wallabies showed enough attacking