DUBLIN (AP) — Spain's appeal to requalify for the Rugby World Cup next year was thrown out on Monday.
World Rugby said an independent appeal committee upheld the decision in April to disqualify Spain for fielding an ineligible player in two qualifying matches.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Former Wallabies and All Blacks coach Robbie Deans believes the Rugby World Cup in France next year will be the best ever.
There'll be more teams capable of winning the title than at any previous tournament, he said, adding that the standard of rugby being played around the World is higher and more teams are competitive now than ever before.
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — The excitement level Down Under of having two Rugby World Cup tournaments tossed their way — the men in 2027 and the women two years later — was sort of lost on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Michael Leitch led Japan to key victories at the last two rugby World Cups. The next World Cup is in 2023 in France, and Leitch has a message: Don't overlook Japan.
In 2015, Japan defeated South Africa in the English seaside town of Brighton, which lives on as the “Brighton Miracle." In 2019, its group-stage wins over Ireland and Scotland carried it to the quarterfinals and brought rugby into the daylight in Japan.
PARIS (AP) — France rugby coach Fabien Galthié is set to sign a contract extension to keep him in his role through the 2027 World Cup.
Galthié led the French to their first Six Nations title in 12 years after completing the Grand Slam with a 25-13 win over England on Saturday.
The Six Nations panned out as most observers predicted.
France was first, Ireland second, followed by England, Scotland, Wales, then Italy.
Yet, on the final day on Saturday, Ireland led the championship for about three hours, England and Scotland were in danger of dropping in the standings, and Wales could have finished third.
LONDON (AP) — Eddie Jones has urged England to “have some faith” in his ability to lead the team to a successful Rugby World Cup next year despite presiding over another failed Six Nations campaign.
PARIS (AP) — The French rugby renaissance has reached the next stage: Les Tricolores are the kings of Europe once again.
France won the Six Nations for the first time in 12 years after beating England 25-13 to complete the Grand Slam on Saturday.
For all of Ireland's resurgence under coach Andy Farrell, one significant milestone continues to elude them.
That is going to another major team's turf, defying the hostile crowd and beating them.
Even during the year he was considered the world's best rugby player, Jonathan Sexton endured talk about finding his replacement.
Sexton's eternal class for more than a decade allied to increasing aches and pains as he's aged have made unearthing his flyhalf successor the longest-running saga in Irish rugby.
So much is on the line for England and Wales in their Six Nations showdown at Twickenham on Saturday.
Lose and Wales can surely forget about successfully defending its title.
For England, the ramifications of a defeat are worse.
England is the highest ranked and most well-resourced rugby team in Europe.
Ireland is on an eight-test winning run including knocking over the All Blacks.
France also has a recent victory over New Zealand and is improving quicker than any test nation ahead of hosting next year’s Rugby World Cup.
LONDON (AP) — The Rugby World Cup appears set to be heading back to Australia for 2027, leaving the United States as the front-runner to host the event in 2031.
Australia was awarded “preferred candidate” status by World Rugby, the sport’s governing body, on Wednesday.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The backlash was swift and predictable. The final whistle had just blown on the All Blacks’ season-ending loss to France in Paris on Saturday when calls for the dismissal of head coach Ian Foster began to trend on social media.
Coach Mario Ledesma went into the rugby test against a rampant Ireland believing his Pumas could beat them in Dublin for the first time on Sunday.
After less than three minutes, he was even more heartened, after offloads by his side gave space for wing Mateo Carreras to step and surge clear for the opening try, a beauty.
PARIS (AP) — A moment of genius by Romain Ntamack overturned a New Zealand fightback and returned France on course to a stunning 40-25 victory in their gripping rugby test on Saturday.
The All Blacks responded to a wretched first half by punching in three tries in 12 minutes to trail France only 27-25 going into the last quarter.
LONDON (AP) — Marcus Smith kicked a penalty with 20 seconds remaining to give England a 27-26 win over world champion South Africa in a Twickenham classic on Saturday that followed a very different script to the teams' last meeting in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — Captain Stuart Hogg became Scotland's sole record try-scorer as Japan was held out 29-20 before a thrilled crowd at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Hogg's 25th career touchdown took him clear of Ian Smith from the 1930s and Tony Stanger from the 1990s in a first half they finished a flattering 19-6 ahead.
Watching back the 2019 Rugby World Cup final hasn’t been part of Tom Curry’s preparations for England’s test match against the South Africa on Saturday.
PARIS (AP) — France must withstand the fury of a wounded New Zealand when they meet in their last rugby test of the year on Saturday, two years before facing off at the same venue in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus was banned Wednesday for two months and barred from attending test matches in an official role for 10 months after the sport’s governing body found him guilty of misconduct for a bizarre hour-long video in which he sat in front of a TV camera and criticized a referee during this year’s series against the British and Irish Lions.
LONDON (AP) — Captain Owen Farrell and hooker Jamie George have been sidelined by injuries from England's squad to face South Africa this weekend at Twickenham.
Farrell hurt an ankle and George a knee on Saturday while beating Australia 32-15.
DUBLIN (AP) — Dublin is on notice. In town are the All Blacks, rugby's ultimate party-poopers.
They are having another one of those tours.
In Washington, the United States was congratulating itself on an ambitious bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup until their Eagles were smashed by 104 points.
One miserable streak will end this weekend.
Italy hosts Argentina in Treviso on Saturday with both teams desperate for an overdue taste of victory.
The Azzurri are on a 15-match losing streak since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The All Blacks dealt a blow to United States rugby at the moment of its greatest ambition, posting a record 16-try, 104-14 win against an under-strength Eagles team on Saturday.
After two matches in which their attack struggled against the stifling defense of South Africa, the All Blacks were able to thrive again, scoring their first try after 28 seconds in front of more than 40,000 fans at FedExField.
The US Eagles will host three-time world champion New Zealand on Saturday in a one-off rugby test at Washington's FedEx Field, accompanied by familiar feelings of hope and trepidation.
New Zealand’s All Blacks, described as “legendary” by Republican lawmaker Alex Mooney when he welcomed the team to Washington this week, have played the Eagles in the United States only four times.
OITA, Japan (AP) — Australia begins its late-season tour with a match Saturday against Japan at the Shona Denko Dome on the southern island of Kyushu — a stadium with recent bad memories for the Wallabies.
TOKYO (AP) — Samu Kerevi has been ruled out of Australia's rugby test against Japan in Oita on Saturday and will be replaced by Hunter Paisami in one of four changes to the Wallabies' starting XV.
Kerevi was instrumental in Australia’s four-game winning streak in the Rugby Championship that featured back-to-back victories over World Cup-champion South Africa and two against Argentina.