‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ will culminate on US soil on Saturday, a staging post on the road to America hosting the World Cup in 2031When New Zealand and South Africa kick off at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, there will be more at stake than victory in “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”, the four-Test series the Springboks lead 2-1. For World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin, the game is a key staging post on the road to the 2031 World Cup, which the US will host – a journey that could include Six Nations games on American soil.“We’ve been in a long process with venues and cities, over the last two years,” Gilpin said, of the build to World Cup kick-off. “We’ve still got 25-plus cities involved in that process, which is fantastic in terms of engagement and enthusiasm. Continue reading...

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Governing body floating staging Ireland v Italy in USWorld Rugby eyes commercial value in American fixturesWorld Rugby wants a Six Nations match to be staged in the US and has offered financial incentives to the unions to do so – but England have effectively ruled themselves out on the grounds that fixtures at Twickenham are too lucrative.The US will stage the 2031 World Cup and World Rugby is seeking to capitalise commercially despite mounting fears over the parlous state of rugby union in the host country. As a result, the governing body is desperate to raise interest in the sport’s profile by staging high-profile matches Stateside, with Baltimore hosting the fourth Test between South Africa and New Zealand on Saturday. Continue reading...

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii won’t specialise in one on-field role yetAustralia coach Les Kiss faces multiple selection conundrumsHe is known as the Wallabies’ foremost code-switcher, and there are growing calls for him to settle on a position that makes the most out of his unquestionable abilities. But Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has other ideas.Speaking at the NFL fan festival on Thursday to promote next year’s Rugby World Cup matches in Melbourne, Suaalii said he had no plans to specialise in just one on-field role. Continue reading...

RFU eager to avoid uncertainty heading into World CupLloyds to pay £5m a year for logo on back of jerseys Steve Borthwick will be handed a contract extension until after the 2028 Six Nations, giving the Rugby Football Union time to identify his successor if England flop at the World Cup next year.The RFU’s move is designed to avoid uncertainty heading into the tournament but stops short of backing Borthwick in the long term. Continue reading...

The trial has caused heated debate in women’s rugby, with England’s Zoe Harrison calling it the ‘worst decision ever’ but others more open to it“We won a World Cup with a size five so it can’t have been that bad,” the England full-back Ellie Kildunne says of World Rugby’s trial with smaller balls in the upcoming WXV Global Series. The top 12 nations in the world rankings will be playing home and away matches from Saturday with the WXV competition revamped from the one contested over the past few years. There will be no trophy at the end of it and the ball trial that has produced no little debate is in place.Players will compete with a size 4.5 ball instead ofthe aforementioned size five, which is used across rugby union; the new ball weighs the same but is 3% smaller. The reasoning is to see if a smaller ball will improve skillsets because of women’s physiology, despite statistics such as a 87.8% lineout success rate at the 2025 Women’s Six Nations and kicking success at goal reaching 61% at the World Cup last year with the old ball. Continue reading...

Flyhalf sustains injury in weekend’s draw with ArgentinaExpected to miss Springboks Test and Bledisloe Cup seriesThe Wallabies are bracing to be without first-choice playmaker Carter Gordon for the Bledisloe Cup and a clash with world champions South Africa in the latest injury blow for the flyhalf.Gordon fell to the ground in agony after attacking the line late in the weekend’s 28-28 draw with Argentina in Mendoza. Continue reading...

New Zealand great made his name at 1995 Rugby World Cup but rapid rise to fame took a toll as his health worsenedMaking a film about Jonah Lomu’s life was never going to thrill everyone. The big man’s widow, Nadene, took legal action in an unsuccessful attempt to block the project and declined to be involved. You can’t imagine Mike Catt being overly delighted either. Even 31 years later, the brutal footage of Lomu running straight over the top of England’s full-back in the 1995 World Cup semi-final in Cape Town almost merits an 18 certificate on its own.Happily, the makers of Lomu went ahead regardless and have managed to shine a fresh light on the biggest rugby phenomenon in history. There was always way more to Jonah’s story than a huge pair of thighs and here it is, laid out in a manner that is thought-provoking, affecting and wincingly nostalgic. As the former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew puts it: “I’m disappointed he didn’t have the life he deserved to have. I wonder, even [with] the magnificent gifts he had, whether he was ever truly happy.” Continue reading...

In a yo-yo performance, Australia’s defensive effort set up what should have been a win if not for poor execution with the ballA charitable Wallabies performance handed Argentina their share of the 28-28 draw in Mendoza, ending Australia’s winning run at four. Optimists will point to a first Australian series victory in Argentina, and an unbeaten run for Les Kiss’s hungry side that is now the Wallabies’ longest since 2021.The truth, however, is less palatable. The Wallabies looked golden for the first half an hour thanks to their hard-working pack, and led 14-0 with five minutes to go in the first half. They were lucky to go into the break at 14-14. Continue reading...

Argentina 28-28 Australia in MendozaWallabies rue missed opportunity but claim historic first series win in ArgentinaAustralia’s bright start under new coach Les Kiss is becoming a golden run after the Wallabies secured a tenacious 28-28 draw with Argentina in Mendoza to clinch their first series win on Argentinean soil. Despite falling behind late in the second half, a 70th minute penalty try was enough to keep Kiss unbeaten after four Tests in charge.However, the Wallabies will rue this result, squandering a two-try advantage early and a two-man advantage late that should’ve secured their first five-Test winning streak since 2021. This draw continues a historic deadlock between these rugby nations, with their last six Tests producing different winners, and squared series since 1987. Continue reading...

Updates as the Wallabies take on Los Pumas in MendozaKick-off time at Estádio Malvinas is 6pm local/7am AESTAny thoughts? Get in touch with an emailArgentina have made a series of changes as they look to square the series against Australia in Mendoza.Santiago Carreras moves back to fullback after starting at fly-half in the opening Test, with Nicolás Roger handed the No 10 jersey. Rodrigo Isgró and Ignacio Mendy switch wings, while Pablo Matera takes over as captain. Continue reading...

South Africa 29-24 New ZealandHosts hit back for win after early Savea double There have been moments throughout this series that have made us question South Africa’s status as the standard bearers in world rugby. After this helter-skelter third Test victory that ensures they cannot lose this series, we have an emphatic answer. The Springboks’ power is unrivalled. The All Blacks’ panache has taken them mightily close but South Africa remain firmly on their perch.A consolation score for New Zealand at the death makes the margin of victory closer than it was. A second-half masterclass from the Boks, the kind that leaves even opponents as worthy as the All Blacks floundering, confirms what has been apparent for some time – South Africa remain the red-hot favourites for next year’s World Cup. Continue reading...

Minute-by-minute updates on the action from JohannesburgSlim margins in ‘Greatest Rivalry’ thriller | Mail DanielIs this the most significant rugby match on South African soil for 31 years?Back in 1995, the Springboks edged the All Blacks in extra time to win the World Cup for the first time. Nelson Mandela handed Francois Pienaar the Webb Ellis Cup. A country united. Clint Eastwood made a film about it. Continue reading...

Ben Donaldson will be given a rare chance to stake a claim as Australia’s flyhalf in his first start in two yearsThe Wallabies are no closer to finding their World Cup No 10 after Carter Gordon was relegated to the bench despite being fit to play against Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday (Sunday AEST). Instead, Ben Donaldson has been given another chance to impress at flyhalf – his first start in two years – outside the now-established run on scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan.It is clear the No 10 jersey is up for grabs, even if coach Les Kiss was careful in his choice of language around the non-selection of Gordon, who suffered a facial injury during last week’s win in Jujuy but is healthy enough to start from the bench. Continue reading...