6:32 AM BST The All Blacks will be without a rested captain Kieran Read for their Rugby Championship Test against Argentina next week in Buenos Aires. Coach Steve Hansen said the 32-year-old needed to be carefully managed this year, having recovered from back surgery last December. Classy No.8 Read, who also missed the three Tests

12:16 AM BST Star winger Rieko Ioane has committed to the All Blacks for four more years in a significant win for New Zealand Rugby. The 21-year-old, who has scored 18 tries from 18 Tests, was the subject of intense offshore club interest but has chosen to remain at his Super Rugby team the Blues.

1:00 PM BST KweseESPN Staff The Springboks will head into their final two Rugby Championship matches without the services of a number of key players. South Africa still have a mathematical chance of winning the Rugby Championship, but will go into the Test matches against Australia in Port Elizabeth and New Zealand in Pretoria without

Sep 20, 2018 France international Mathieu Bastareaud has been banned for five weeks after striking an opponent while he lay on the ground. The Toulon captain was sent off in the 70th minute of his side’s 28-27 Top 14 win over Castres on Sept. 9 and will now be unavailable until the French side visit

12:00 PM BST In recent weeks, Japan has been beset by typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions as one of the world’s most volatile regions braces itself against the onslaught of Mother Nature. Next September, the Land of the Rising Sun must also contend with the arrival of 400,000 visitors as Asia’s first Rugby World Cup

10:35 AM BST England head coach Eddie Jones says the decision to leave Danny Cipriani out of England’s 36-man training squad was based on the fly-half’s form. Cipriani was arrested during a pre-season night out with his Gloucester teammates in August and was subsequently charged by the RFU for conduct “prejudicial to the interests of

2:38 PM BST Leicester Tigers second row Will Spencer has been banned for four weeks after he was sent off for a dangerous tackle against Wasps. The forward was punished for his clash with Tommy Taylor in the 40th minute of the Gallagher Premiership contest at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday. An independent disciplinary panel

8:41 AM BST 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. In exactly a year’s time,

7:56 AM BST South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold says people will soon be able to make up their mind on the sexting scandal that has embroiled Sam Burgess, claiming they had only heard one side of the story. Seibold was also adamant the off-field controversy had only made the Rabbitohs tougher ahead of Saturday night’s

2:30 PM BST KweséESPN Staff The Barbarians will be coached by Springbok coach and South Africa’s Director of Rugby when they take on Argentina for the Killik Cup at Twickenham on 1 December 2018. SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, will take charge of the Barbarians for the first time when the famous club