12:32 PM GMT Uncapped full-back Jonah Holmes will make his first Wales appearance on Saturday after Warren Gatland made 14 changes to his starting line-up for the visit of Tonga. Ellis Jenkins captains the side for the second time and is joined in the starting XV by winger Liam Williams and fly-half Dan Biggar. Lock

2:58 AM GMT Tana Umaga has been demoted to an assistant role at the Blues Super Rugby team, with Leon MacDonald taking charge as head coach. MacDonald has agreed to a three-year contract in the top job following a post-season review after Umaga failed to steer the Blues to the play-offs for a third successive

12:25 AM GMT Having quit rugby to work as a bank teller in his late teens, Bundee Aki will offer thanks again to Tana Umaga when he runs out for the Test showdown between the world’s top two ranked rugby nations in Dublin on Saturday. Aki will be in the Ireland midfield for their clash

1:17 PM GMT Glasgow lock Jonny Gray has been recalled to the Scotland team for their game against South Africa this weekend as head coach Gregor Townsend attempts to beef up his pack for the visit of the Springboks. Gray, 24, is one of six changes to the side that thrashed Fiji 54-17 on Saturday,

4:00 PM GMT A rugby player’s value to his or her team is best measured by the impact of their absence. Franco Mostert is one such player. The lock is one of the Springboks’ more understated players, a guy who goes through a Test match relatively unnoticed, but he is someone who shines in absence

2:56 PM GMT South Africa have released first choice scrumhalf Faf de Klerk to play for his club Sale Sharks this weekend, allowing him to miss Saturday’s test against Scotland at Murrayfield, officials confirmed on Tuesday. De Klerk started in the No. 9 jersey against France in Paris last weekend as the Springboks won 29-26,

11:40 AM GMT George Kruis has been ruled out England’s remaining November fixtures as head coach Eddie Jones named his squad to face Japan this weekend. Lock Kruis limped out of Saturday’s defeat to New Zealand with a calf injury and will be out of action for between four and eight weeks according to Jones.

9:08 AM GMT Wallabies utility back Matt Toomua admits Michael Cheika faces some difficult decisions before Saturday’s crucial Test against Italy in Padua. Toomua, who came off the bench late in the 9-6 loss to Wales, is in line to start at five-eighth against the team ranked 14th in the world. The 28-year-old, who is

3:45 PM GMT South Africa will have Eben Etzebeth back in contention for Saturday’s November international against Scotland at Murrayfield, but could be without number eight Warren Whiteley. Etzebeth missed the 29-26 victory over France in Paris at the weekend with a foot injury, but will return to full training as the Springboks seek back-to-back

2:04 PM GMT Conor Murray and Robbie Henshaw have been ruled out of the rest of Ireland’s November internationals, the Irish Rugby Federation announced on Monday. Murray has not played since June because of a neck injury and although the IRFU said he was “accelerating through his recovery”, the scrum-half will not join up with