Rugby

11:21 AM GMT England’s preparations for the Six Nations have been hit by COVID-19 with Eddie Jones self-isolating after one of his coaches tested positive for the coronavirus. Matt Proudfoot, England’s forwards coach, is asymptomatic but has retured a positive test. In line with government guidelines, as Jones and attack coach Simon Amor were in

3:00 PM GMT South Africa are open to “all options” to play the British & Irish Lions and are willing to travel to the United Kingdom to make sure the series goes ahead, director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said on Monday. The Lions are scheduled to tour South Africa for eight matches between July 3

11:21 AM GMT The final two rounds of the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup will be cancelled and the tournaments will move straight to the knockout rounds, Premiership Rugby chief executive Darren Childs said. The French government blocked Top 14 clubs from competing in the European competitions against clubs from United Kingdom and Ireland

11:21 AM GMT Wales fullback Liam Williams will miss their opening Six Nations match after being handed a three-game ban following his red card in Scarlets’ defeat by Cardiff Blues last week in the PRO14. The 29-year-old will miss Ireland’s visit on Feb. 7 after he was sent off for diving into a ruck and

2:06 PM GMT The Women’s Six Nations has been postponed until the spring at the earliest as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the world’s sporting calendar. The Under-20s championship has also been postponed with the Six Nations confirming in a statement on Wednesday that further details on both tournaments will be released by the

11:29 AM GMT Bristol Bears and England prop Kyle Sinckler is to miss the start of the Six Nations after being banned for two weeks from rugby for swearing at a referee. Sinckler has been banned from playing rugby until Feb. 9 which would rule him out of England’s opening game against Scotland on Feb.

8:11 AM GMT The French government said it needs guarantees from England and Ireland that it is safe for the national rugby union team to travel for Six Nations matches during the COVID-19 pandemic. French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu said France’s opener against Italy in Rome on Feb. 6 had been cleared. 1 Related France

6:08 PM GMT The European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have been temporarily suspended after the French government recommended that games against British clubs be postponed amid the COVID-19 crisis, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) announced on Monday. The announcement comes after French authorities agreed that it was too much of a health risk for

7:25 PM GMT French rugby federation president Bernard Laporte remains optimistic that the Six Nations will go ahead as scheduled despite the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s a puzzle, but I think we shouldn’t be alarmed about the Six Nations tournament,” Laporte told French radio RMC on Sunday. “The tournament will be played with a health protocol

3:52 PM GMT The French sports ministry has recommended that European rugby union games against British clubs be postponed amid the COVID-19 crisis in a blow to the Champions and Challenge Cups as the Six Nations competition also appeared threatened on Saturday. The Ministry of Solidarity and Health informed the French National Rugby League (LNR)

11:49 AM GMT England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) has expressed concerns over whether the organisers of the women’s Six Nations can successfully stage the tournament amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Several women’s Six Nations fixtures were cancelled last year due to the coronavirus outbreak, with England the only team to fulfill all their games. 1 Related

11:39 AM GMT Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones is confident he can shake off a knee problem in time for the start of their Six Nations campaign next month, Ospreys coach Toby Booth has said. Ospreys lock Jones, who is test rugby’s most capped player with 143 internationals under his belt, suffered the injury in

11:47 AM GMT Former Ireland captain Paul O’Connell has joined Andy Farrell’s coaching team as forwards coach, Irish Rugby said in a statement on Thursday. O’Connell, who was capped 108 times and captained Ireland to their 2014 Six Nations triumph, will take up the new role immediately, with Simon Easterby switching his focus to defence.

4:58 PM GMT Hollie Davidson will make history as she is set to become the first female to referee a men’s Challenge Cup rugby match later this month. Davidson, a former under-20 international, is due to officiate over Newcastle Falcons vs. Castres in the Challenge Cup. Australia’s Amy Perrett made history last year when she

2:01 PM GMT Police in Gwent, Wales, have said they are investigating after a racist social media post was aimed at Dragons winger Ashton Hewitt after their 20-3 defeat by the Scarlets in the PRO 14 on Friday. The club said it was “disgusted” by the “abhorrent” racist post and had reported the matter to

4:28 PM GMT The British and Irish Lions will discuss this month whether to visit South Africa as planned later in the year because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions are scheduled to play eight matches in South Africa, including a three-Test series against world champions the Springboks, starting on July 3 in

1:02 PM GMT France fly-half Romain Ntamack faces several weeks on the sidelines, and could miss the start of the Six Nations, after suffering a double jaw fracture that requires surgery, the 21-year-old said. Ntamack suffered the injury in Toulouse’s Top 14 victory over Bordeaux Begles on Sunday. He was substituted with around 12 minutes

2:25 PM GMT South Africa’s preparations for the British & Irish Lions tour next year have been given a significant boost after it was confirmed their four major franchises will compete in the Rainbow Cup against PRO14 clubs. The competition will get under way on April 17 next year and see the Bulls, Lions, Sharks