Latest Rugby News

BORDEAUX, France _ Canada faces Japan at the Rugby World Cup on Tuesday with only pride at stake _ and the chance to preserve its record of having won at least once at every World Cup it has contested. ``I read that this morning,'' Japan's coach John Kirwan said of Canada's record. ``Like I said yesterday, they are a proud nation and a good rugby country.'' Canada and Japan have both been eliminated from Pool B, but ...

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) _ Frank Hadden wants his Scotland lineup to take the high ground against Romania. Scotland coach Hadden picked his biggest forward pack, wanting to match muscle with Romania, and recalled goalkicking utility Chris Paterson for Tuesday's World Cup Group C match at Murrayfield. He wants to avoid the stuttering form of Scotland's Six Nations contemporaries, who have been unconvincing so far in the tournament. ``Romania will be tough and dangerous opponents. We've seen great improvements ...

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) _ The All Blacks are determined to start their World Cup season on a strong note against an under-strength French team in the first of two rugby Tests Saturday. New Zealand captain Richie McCaw acknowledged the All Blacks are traditionally rusty in the first Test of a new international season and that rustiness was amplified by the fact that leading players missed several weeks of this year's Super 14 to take part ...

LONDON (AP) _ France has already lost its Grand Slam chance. Imagine if struggling Scotland stopped the French from winning the Six Nations rugby title, too. With France, Ireland and England all tied on points going into Saturday's final round of games, the Six Nations title could go to any of the three. While the French host the Scots, Ireland goes to Italy and England travels to Cardiff to meet ...

Winning the 2003 World Cup was the worst thing to happen to English rugby because it concealed the dispute between club and country over the availability of players. That's the view of Clive Woodward, who said he coached England to the World Cup title in spite of, rather than because of, the Rugby Football Union. England is without a coach after Andy Robinson quit on Nov. 29. He'd lost 13 of 22 matches since replacing Woodward in ...

Andy Robinson quit as England rugby coach Wednesday, less then 10 months before the team begins defence of the World Cup. The Rugby Football Union announced that Robinson was ``standing down'' and that it would be looking for a replacement head coach. Saturday's 25-14 loss to South Africa at Twickenham was England's eighth in nine matches. It was also the 13th in 22 matches under Robinson, who took over after ...

Less than 10 months before England starts defence of the Rugby World Cup, it is on the verge of changing its head coach. After a worst ever record of eight losses in nine games, the only issue appears to be whether Andy Robinson resigns or is fired, with strong speculation a decision could be made Monday. World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite to take the job ...

Captain Richie McCaw said the All Blacks were offended at not being allowed to perform their pre-match haka in front of Wales before notching a record win at Millennium Stadium on Saturday. The Welsh Rugby Union said it warned New Zealand six weeks ago that the haka _ the Maori challenge the All Blacks have been performing for more than a century _ could be done between the two national anthems. The All Blacks tried until the last ...

Captain Darren Lockyer's try in the second period of extra time gave Australia a 16-12 win Saturday over New Zealand in the Tri-Nations rugby league tournament final. The teams were tied 12-12 after regulation time and played through one extra session of extra time and two minutes of the second before the Brisbane Broncos captain broke clear for the winning golden point try. Both sides missed a series of field goal attempts before Johnathan Thurston broke the New ...

Italy's national rugby team proved too much for Canada on Saturday. The 12th-ranked Italians defeated Canada 41-6, dominating the Canadians with a strong second half. Fly half Ander Monro kicked two first-half penalties for the 13th-ranked Canadians, who trailed 13-6 at halftime. ``Canada played really well in the first half, and then we had a guy (Forrest Gainer) sent off the field for a yellow card, and that put a lot of pressure on us,'' said Canadian head ...

Italy is ranked just one spot above Canada by the International Rugby Board, but in reality the two teams are worlds apart. Italy is a fully professional squad, while Canada's domestic-based players are all amateur. The Italians play tough top-10 opposition annually in the Six Nations tournament, even if they rarely win. And Italy seems to have fewer problems freeing up its top players from European clubs for international duty. ...

New Zealand can sweep its European rugby tour for the third straight year with a win over Wales before returning to the Northern Hemisphere for the World Cup. Two victories over France and one against England, with different lineups each time, have only confirmed the belief that the All Blacks will be dominant at next year's World Cup in France. But Wales believes it's ready to end the All Blacks' ...

England coach Andy Robinson wants his team to improve its form with the ball in the second rugby international against South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday (available on pay-per-view). Despite having snapped a seven-Test losing streak that equalled a 34-year-old record by beating the Springboks 23-21 last week, England was still unconvincing and chose too many poor options. ``Our whole performance became narrow last weekend,'' Robinson said. ``At one stage, ...

Scotland coach Frank Hadden believes his team will break its 24-year losing streak against Australia at Murrayfield on Saturday. The Wallabies have not lost to Scotland in 15 matches, but have struggled in beating Italy, drawing Wales and being comprehensively beaten by Ireland on its November tour. ``We have got to the stage where I believe we are going into this game with a genuine opportunity to take a famous ...

Argentina can add to its growing reputation if it beats France on Saturday. Having already downed England at Twickenham this month for the first ever time, the Pumas can beat France for the fifth straight match at the Stade de France. France last defeated Argentina seven years ago at the World Cup and the two teams next meet again to open next year's World Cup on Sept. 7. France captain ...

David Moonlight of Whitby, Ont., was named Rugby Canada's sevens player of the year Thursday. Moonlight became Canada's leading try-scorer in the seven-man game this past season when he boosted his career total to 83. He recorded 29 tries on the sevens circuit in 2005-06. Moonlight also captained the team at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this year. Moonlight was selected by Rugby Canada officials and Canadian coach ...

Kabamba Floors will make his debut in South Africa's second rugby international against England at Twickenham on Saturday. Floors was named Wednesday at blindside flanker in place of Pierre Spies. Juan Smith was selected at openside flanker, while Danie Roussouw moves to No. 8 from No. 7 as Jacques Cronje is injured. The only other change from South Africa's 23-21 loss to England last week was Andre Pretorius winning selection ...

France coach Bernard Laporte made two changes to his team as he seeks to avoid a fifth straight loss to Argentina in Saturday's rugby international at the Stade de France. Scrum half Dimitri Yachvili comes in because Jean-Baptiste Elissalde has a calf injury, while Christophe Dominici is given another chance on the wing and Aurelien Rougerie drops to the bench. France previously lost two Tests to New Zealand _ 23-11 ...

Scott Staniforth was named in Australia's team to play Scotland in Saturday's rugby international, the fourth straight Test the Wallabies have fielded a new centre pairing. Staniforth was named at No. 12, pushing Stirling Mortlock back to his usual position at outside centre, Lote Tuqiri moves back to the wing and Clyde Rathbone drops out. Australia coach John Connolly also made five changes to his forward pack Wednesday from the ...

Back-rower David Callam will make his first start for Scotland as one of two injury-enforced changes for the rugby international against Australia on Saturday. Callam comes in for Johnny Beattie at No. 8 after he damaged ankle ligaments in Scotland's 34-22 win over the Pacific Islanders last week. Chris Cusiter injured his shoulder in the same game and was replaced by Mike Blair at scrum half Wednesday. Scotland beat Romania ...

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan named three rookies in his team Wednesday to play the Pacific Islanders as part of nine overall changes. Back-rowers Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip and 19-year-old winger Luke Fitzgerald will make their debuts Sunday at Lansdowne Road. Ireland is seeking a clean sweep of its November internationals. It beat Australia 21-6 on Saturday and South Africa 32-15 on Nov. 11. Fullback Girvan Dempsey comes in for ...

Captain and fly half Stephen Jones has recovered from a knee injury and will lead Wales in Saturday's rugby international as it bids to beat New Zealand for the first time in 53 years. Jones had been replaced by James Hook for Wales' 38-20 win over the Pacific Islanders on Nov. 11 and its 61-26 victory over Canada the following week. ``We can't underestimate the boost he will give to ...

England fly half Charlie Hodgson and prop Andrew Sheridan have serious injuries and will likely be sidelined until May, their club Sale Sharks said Monday. Both players were carried off in England's 23-21 win over South Africa on Saturday. Hodgson has ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee and Sheridan broke his left ankle and also sustained ligament damage, Sale Sharks said. Both will have operations next week. Hodgson ...

Who can stop New Zealand with the World Cup to kick off in less than 10 months? The All Blacks thrashed France 47-3 in Lyon last weekend for the Six Nations champions' worst score at home, one week after doing the same to England with a 41-20 win at Twickenham. But coach Graham Henry has ominously only now picked his strongest team for Saturday's second Test against France at the ...

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins brought in Gareth Thomas at fullback Tuesday and named him captain for the rugby Test against Canada on Friday. Jenkins had made 14 changes from the team that drew 29-29 with Australia on Nov. 4 when it beat the Pacific Islanders 38-20 Saturday. Wales and Canada are in the same pool at next year's World Cup in France. Thomas takes over from prop Duncan Jones as ...

Australian rugby captain George Gregan has welcomed competition for his scrum half role emerging from the Wallabies current European tour. Gregan, the world's most-capped Test player, chose to miss the tour and said Matt Giteau's adaptation to the halfback role in his absence was to be expected. ``Gits is a great player. He is always going to put someone under pressure because he's such a good player and he's adapted ...

England made seven changes to its team Tuesday to play South Africa in a rugby international this weekend as it bids to avoid a record eighth straight defeat. England's players are only allowed to start in three of the four November Tests. Saturday's match at Twickenham and a second game on Nov. 25 against the Springboks completes its international program. Mark Cueto has recovered from an ankle injury and replaces ...

The behavior of the first ever 82,000 crowd at Twickenham will be another focus of Sunday's rugby union international between England and New Zealand after All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger said he was racially abused by fans there in the same contest a year ago. Although the Rugby Football Association rejected Mauger's allegations, officials will be on alert in case there is any sign of English fans racially abusing the All Blacks, many of whom have Pacific island ...

Britain won its first rugby league match in Australia in 14 years Saturday, beating the home side 23-12 to all but clinch a spot in the Tri-Nations tournament final. The win was sealed by a Gareth Raynor try three minutes from fulltime before halfback Sean Long, who had a strong game for the visitors, kicked a field goal in the final minutes. Australia leads the competition with four points from three matches and has already earned a ...

England will field three rookies when it faces New Zealand at Twickenham on Sunday, aiming to end a six-match losing streak against next year's Rugby World Cup favourite. England's standing after winning the 2003 World Cup has fallen so far _ with several players retired and fly half Jonny Wilkinson injured continually _ that the All Blacks are resting key players before its matches against France on Nov. 11 and ...