rugby
SportAustralian Associated PressAll Blacks captain Cane signs new NZR deal
All Blacks captain Sam Cane has agreed a new contract that will keep him in New Zealand until the end of the 2025 season.The openside flanker, who has played 77 Tests since his debut in 2012, will continue with the Chiefs in Super Rugby and has an option to take a sabbatical in 2024.
SportAustralian Associated PressAustralia women win Dubai Sevens again
Australia's outstanding rugby women have powered to a second straight Dubai Sevens trophy in successive weeks, while their male counterparts fell agonisingly short in their final.The Australian women maintained their dominant unbeaten sequence over the past two weeks on Saturday to lift the title with a convincing 15-5 triumph in the final over Fiji, who they also beat in last weekend's showdown.
SportAustralian Associated PressAustralia sevens teams flying in Dubai
Australia's rugby women have maintained their brilliant form to again look like the team to beat in the latest world series Dubai Sevens tournament.Following their dominant victory in last weekend's final, Demi Hayes' team carried on from where they left off, winning all three of their pool matches on Friday while racking up a remarkable 127 points, including 19 tries.
NewsAustralian Associated PressQuade Cooper set to become Aussie citizen
Wallabies star Quade Cooper has revealed he will take his citizenship test on Friday, finally allowing him to "officially call Australia home".The New Zealand-born 33-year-old, who's played 75 Tests for Australia, was unhappy his four previous applications for citizenship had been rejected because of the unique difficulties he faced meeting the requirements as an international sportsman.
SportAustralian Associated PressAustralia women roar to Dubai Sevens crown
Australia's rugby women have dominated the Dubai Sevens tournament, winning all five of their matches, including a consummate victory in the final against Fiji, to lift the prestigious title.The Australians had brought a new-look young side to Dubai after their disappointing Olympics in which they'd finished fifth and they showed all their immense promise on Saturday with a handsome four-try 22-7 win over the Fijians in the final, including a double strike from Demi Hayes.
SportAustralian Associated PressWallabies trio positive to COVID: reports
Three Wallabies players are reportedly among six confirmed coronavirus cases that forced the abandonment of the Barbarians rugby international against Samoa.The Barbarians, coached by Dave Rennie and featuring 11 Wallabies, were due to meet Samoa at Twickenham in London.
SportAustralian Associated PressWallaby Valetini cops three-match ban
World Rugby has slapped Wallabies back-rower Rob Valetini with a three-match suspension for his dangerous tackle on Welsh lock Adam Beard.But it could have been much worse, with one of the independent disciplinary panel members deeming the offence worthy of a ban of 10-plus matches.
SportAustralian Associated PressAussies reach Dubai Sevens quarter-finals
Australia were on the verge of defeating Olympic champions Fiji until a last-minute try from Iowane Raturaciri saw the powerful Pacific islanders emerge as 17-12 victors at the Dubai Sevens.Australia had come from behind to lead 12-10 with time almost up on Friday but replacement Raturaciri came through with his maiden try in his first world series match.
SportAustralian Associated PressWallabies warned as Rennie apologises
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has apologised over his outburst following his team's 29-28 loss to Wales while World Rugby has issued him and Rugby Australia with a written warning.The gentlemanly Rennie was left seething over what he called "horrendous" officiating in Saturday's defeat in Cardiff that completed the Wallabies' winless tour to Europe.
SportAustralian Associated PressSuper Rugby bosses look at back-up plans
Super Rugby Pacific organisers are considering contingency plans in the wake of the New Zealand government's latest announcement on travel restrictions.Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos saying it's "disappointing" a third straight season is set to be impacted by COVID-19 complications but is confident they will find a workable solution.
SportAustralian Associated PressGiteau Law will shape Wallabies' WC path
How Rugby Australia tweaks the Giteau Law will shape the Wallabies' path to the 2023 World Cup after a yo-yoing Test season offered a peek over both sides of the fence.Dave Rennie's side finished a 14-Test campaign with seven victories, with an impressive Rugby Championship the meat in a sandwich of Bledisloe Cup and Spring Tour pain.
SportAustralian Associated PressRebels to pay Super W rugby players
Melbourne players will be the first in the Super W rugby competition to be paid after the Rebels announced a push to make the women's program professional.The Super W competition, which was formed in 2018, is playing catch-up to the other sports codes in paying female players, with only minimal costs covered.
NewsAustralian Associated PressRef Berry gets his apology from Erasmus
Australian Test referee Nic Berry, who was left distressed at a video "character assassination" from Rassie Erasmus, has got an apology from the South African director of rugby.It follows both South Africa and Erasmus deciding to withdraw their plans to appeal against the punishments imposed for his hour-long video criticising Berry after the first Test against the British & Irish Lions.
SportAustralian Associated PressRugby World Cup a tonic for RA's struggles
Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos has promised the sport's chance to reset and prosper won't be missed after the country all but landed the hosting rights for the 2027 World Cup.Australia was listed on Thursday by rugby's governing body as the "preferred candidate" to host the global tournament, in what effectively ended a two-horse race with the United States.
SportAustralian Associated PressLarkham confirmed at Brumbies from 2023
Wallabies legend Stephen Larkham is returning to Australian rugby on a two-year to coach the Brumbies from 2023.Larkham, who first coached the Brumbies from 2014-2017, will take charge for a second time when his contract with Irish club Munster expires in July next year.
SportAustralian Associated PressNew rules could see Folau return for Tonga
New eligibility rules passed by World Rugby could open the way for the controversial Israel Folau to make his return to the international game with Tonga.The world governing body approved a major amendment to their eligibility policy on Wednesday which will allow players to switch countries more easily from next January.
SportAustralian Associated PressAustralia set to host 2027 Rugby World Cup
Australia has effectively been given the green light to stage the 2027 Rugby World Cup after being listed by the governing body as the "preferred candidate" to host the global tournament.In a new approach to the hosting selection process, the World Rugby council has created a 'preferred candidate' phase in which Australia was granted exclusivity to work with the governing body to host the global event for the first time since 2003.
SportAustralian Associated PressLarkham tipped to return to Brumbies fold
Stephen Larkham has turned his back on a coaching extension with Irish club Munster, paving the way for his return to Super Rugby with the Brumbies.Larkham, who joined Munster as senior coach in 2019, has announced he will be returning to Australia at the end of the season next June for family reasons.
SportAustralian Associated PressYool poised for historic Aussie 7s debut
The dramatic regeneration of Australia's rugby sevens program will see a Sudanese refugee among eight debutants and another surprise addition for the World Series opener in Dubai.Yool Yool, who moved to Australia when he was four years old, is poised to become the first Sudanese-born rugby talent to represent Australia in any format.
SportAustralian Associated PressJones searches for more England chemistry
Eddie Jones is to spend the next two months refining the formula that propelled England to a successful autumn campaign.Tonga, Australia and South Africa were swept aside at Twickenham this month to rebuild England's reputation after a dismal fifth-placed finish in the Six Nations.
SportAustralian Associated PressRennie takes blame for Wallaby failings
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie insists that he takes full responsibility for the lack of discipline in his team which lay at the root of Australian rugby's first winless tour to Europe since 1976.As they headed for home after three dispiriting Test defeats in Britain, Rennie's blast at the "horrendous" officiating in the controversial 29-28 loss to Wales in Cardiff couldn't disguise how Australia had largely been reckless authors of their own downfall.
SportAustralian Associated PressEuro tour wake-up call for Rugby World Cup
They travelled over as the best-ranked three nations in world rugby but Australia, South Africa and New Zealand are returning from their European tours with their tails between their legs.The Wallabies completed their first winless European tour since 1976 with a 29-28 loss to Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, after losses to Scotland and England in the previous two weeks.
SportAustralian Associated PressOfficials must be held accountable: Rennie
Fuming Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has called for big match rugby officials to be held more accountable after being left convinced his men were robbed of a tour-ending Test triumph by "horrendous" decisions.Rennie was left raging at the officiating in his side's last-kick 29-28 defeat to Wales at Cardiff on Saturday night (Sunday morning AEDT), saying Australia would make their complaints clear in a report to World Rugby head of refereeing Joel Jutge.
SportAustralian Associated PressWallabies furious at officials after loss
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has delivered an uncharacteristic blast at the match officials after his brave but ill-disciplined Wallabies were beaten 29-28 in a thrilling European tour finale in Cardiff.Australia, who had to play with 14 men for 65 minutes after Rob Valetini's sending off and at one point went down to 13 after Kurtley Beale's sin-binning, eventually lost only to the last kick of the match on Saturday (Sunday morning AEDT).
SportAustralian Associated PressEngland defeat world champions in thriller
Marcus Smith kept his nerve to land a last-gasp penalty as England partially avenged their 2019 World Cup final defeat by toppling South Africa 28-27 in an enthralling climax to the autumn.Smith kicked the decisive points with just over a minute left to prevent the Springboks from completing a comeback victory on a Saturday afternoon of high drama at Twickenham.
