Rugby

3:21 PM GMT Glasgow Warriors lock Jonny Gray has been ruled out of the remainder of the Six Nations due to a hand injury. Gray, 25, has featured in both of Scotland’s championship defeats this campaign including their 13-6 loss to England on Saturday. – ESPN Fantasy Rugby is back! Click here to pick your

10:27 AM GMT England coach Eddie Jones has said it would be a mistake to increase the number of teams in the Six Nations. Reports emerged last week suggesting South Africa could join the competition in 2023 to create a Seven Nations, though New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Chief Executive Mark Robinson has since said an

2:40 AM GMT A media report that South Africa are contemplating a move away from southern hemisphere rugby’s SANZAAR alliance to join an expanded Six Nations in 2024 have been denied by New Zealand Rugby, with television agreements in place until 2025. Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported on Saturday that South Africa would join the

11:47 AM ET France moved top of the Six Nations standings as they claimed a bonus point in an otherwise unimpressive 35-22 defeat of a weak Italy on Sunday. Les Bleus, who stunned World Cup runners-up England in their opening game last Sunday, prevailed with tries by Teddy Thomas, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt, Romain Ntamack

1:00 PM GMT Scotland fly-half Finn Russell has suggested the prospect of him returning to the national side under head coach Gregor Townsend appears bleak due to a strained relationship between the two men. The 27-year-old missed Scotland’s first two Six Nations games against Ireland and England, which they lost, due to disciplinary reasons with

8:34 PM GMT EDINBURGH, Scotland — England head coach Eddie Jones has criticised Scotland’s fans for a lack of respect after Owen Farrell was booed while kicking at goal and a member of England’s backroom staff was hit with a beer bottle on arriving at Murrayfield. Neil Craig, England’s head of high performance, was struck

8:42 PM GMT EDINBURGH, Scotland — Only Ellis Genge knows what was going through his mind as he patrolled England’s technical area waiting to come on. He was like a caged animal, but also at that stage representative of the whole match. 1 Related This Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield was

4:27 AM GMT The future of southern hemisphere rugby’s competitions has been thrown into confusion again with South Africa exploring the possibility of leaving SANZAAR and joining an expanded Six Nations in 2024, according to a British newspaper report. The move has been timed for the Springboks to enter a new Seven Nations tournament, joining

1:52 PM GMT Saracens face the prospect of being ejected from this season’s Champions Cup after the club said they may have fielded an ineligible player against Racing 92. Saracens are already enduring a nightmare season, having confirmed last month they will be relegated from the Premiership at the end of the term for breaching

1:27 PM GMT EDINBURGH — When the Calcutta Cup match kicks off on Saturday, one of Scotland’s two best players, Finn Russell, will be sat watching in Paris. He’s not injured. Gregor Townsend, historically Scotland’s greatest ever fly-half and current coach, will select Adam Hastings for their Test against England. Hastings is no mean replacement,

5:10 PM GMT James Harrington The first week of the 2020 Six Nations went mostly to plan. Wales duly dispatched Italy at the Principality, and got their anticipated bonus point, too; the Azzuris’ interim coach Franco Smith won’t be impressed that his side were shutout in the tournament opener. Ireland’s win over a Finn Russell-less

1:15 PM GMT Scotland have made one change to their starting lineup for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with England at Murrayfield, with Magnus Bradbury coming in at back-row after recovering from a thigh injury. Nick Haining, who made his debut in place of Bradbury in last weekend’s defeat by Ireland, has dropped to the bench.

10:55 AM GMT England head coach Eddie Jones has made five changes to the starting lineup to face Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday, with Ben Youngs dropped to the bench. Gloucester’s Willi Heinz will replace Youngs at scrum-half with Lewis Ludlam, Mako Vunipola, George Kruis and Jonathan Joseph all set to start. –

8:10 AM GMT England flanker Lewis Ludlam expects Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Scotland to be a “war” and says the hostile atmosphere at Murrayfield will bring out the best in him. England are aiming to avenge a 25-13 defeat by the Scots at the same venue two years ago when tempers flared following the

3:26 PM GMT Rugby’s Super League has said it accepts that Australian Israel Folau has been legally registered as Catalan Dragons player but says it has taken steps to be able to intervene in controversial signings. Former rugby union player Folau had his contract with Rugby Australia torn up in May for posting a meme

1:44 PM GMT England and Bath winger Anthony Watson will not be fit for his side’s Calcutta Cup match against Scotland on Saturday, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced on Wednesday. Watson suffered a calf injury before England’s opening game at the weekend and played no part in the side’s 24-17 defeat to France. –

2:32 PM GMT Ireland coach Andy Farrell has made two changes to the starting lineup for their second Six Nations game against champions Wales on Saturday, with Robbie Henshaw and Peter O’Mahony named as injury replacements. Henshaw replaces injured centre Garry Ringrose, who was ruled out of Ireland’s next two matches against Wales and England

12:54 PM GMT England and Leicester Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi has been ruled out of his side’s second Six Nations match against Scotland on Saturday with a groin strain, head coach Eddie Jones has announced. Tuilagi picked up the injury in England’s 24-17 defeat to France in Paris last weekend and will play no part