4:21 AM BST Sam Whitelock will take over the New Zealand captaincy for their tour of the United States and Europe, assistant coach John Plumtree told reporters on Tuesday, days ahead of a Test match against the United States. The Saturday clash in Washington, D.C., designed to grow interest in the sport among Americans, marks

12:38 AM BST Liam Napier Bankruptcy, COVID and a World Cup qualifying loss to Uruguay does not conspire to cultivate a healthy launchpad for one of the toughest challenges in world rugby. The All Blacks’ arrival in Washington D.C. this week, ahead of their money-spinning Test at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Football Team

4:56 PM BST England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has been ruled out of England’s November tests with an ankle injury, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Tuesday, with Jamie George called up as his replacement. Cowan-Dickie, who has won 31 caps for England, sustained the injury during Exeter Chiefs’ Premiership win over Wasps on Saturday.

11:06 AM BST South Africa have named two uncapped players in their 32-man squad for tests against Wales, Scotland and England next month but will be without veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn, who has retired from international rugby. Steyn kicked the penalty that won the Springboks the series against the British & Irish Lions in August,

2:18 AM BST ESPN staff Senior All Blacks Codie Taylor and Sam Whitelock have shared their sadness at the passing of former Crusaders teammate Sean Wainui, revealing the entire New Zealand squad is hurting as they prepare for Sunday’s [NZT] Test against the United States. Wainui died in a car crash on Monday morning, leaving

3:00 PM BST Eddie Jones has named four uncapped players in England’s the 34-player England squad for the November Tests but there is no place in the group for Billy and Mako Vunipola, Jamie George or George Ford. Jones has confirmed Owen Farrell will continue as England skipper as he’s named in the squad for

3:03 AM BST ESPN staff The New Zealand rugby community is in mourning after it was confirmed that Chiefs winger Sean Wainui had died in a car crash on Monday morning. Wainui, 25, hit a tree while driving in Omanawa, near Tauranga, on New Zealand’s north island. Bay of Plenty Police released a statement saying

2:04 PM BST Wales coach Wayne Pivac has recalled England-based Thomas Young for the Autumn International series despite the loose-forward falling short of the 60-cap rule for players based outside of the country. Pivac received a special exemption for Wasps flanker Young after it was announced on Wednesday that he would return to Cardiff next

6:51 PM BST Premiership side Wasps on Tuesday asked the country’s rugby governing body (RFU) and the league to address the issue of fans wearing faux Native American headdresses ahead of the weekend’s game against the Exeter Chiefs. The Chiefs’ logo features a Native American wearing a headdress and Wasps said fans who wore such

12:11 PM BST The 2022 World Rugby Sevens Series will kickoff with a pair of men’s and women’s rounds in Dubai starting November, while Hong Kong returns as a stop, the global body said on Tuesday as the schedule was announced. Sydney, Australia and Hamilton, New Zealand will not host the series next year due