41 h. ago ‘We can’t wait’: Scotland’s Townsend relishing France test after win over Wales

Scotland hang on to beat Wales 35-29 at MurrayfieldTownsend: ‘France is the toughest fixture in world rugby’After dominating yet another match without maximising the return on the scoreboard, Scotland now face the daunting prospect of a trip to Paris to take on high-flying France, the one team scoring even more freely than Scotland. They will probably thrive on it.Gregor Townsend acknowledged that Scotland face the toughest assignment of all on Saturday night. “France scored 70 points against a very good Italian team,” he said. “They got 40 points against Wales, 40 points against Ireland. I think they could have 40 or 50 points against England with the amount of chances they had. Just now, probably this is the toughest fixture in world rugby. They beat the All Blacks in November. So we can’t wait to be involved in it. They’ll be going for the title, but it’s an opportunity for us to go out and play against one of the best teams right now.” Continue reading...

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43 h. ago Scotland produce performance of extremes but survive spirited Wales fightback

Scotland 35-29 WalesHome side led 35-8 but Wales secure late bonus point All of Scotland’s brilliance, and a lot of those familiar failings. Scotland, it cannot be denied, underscored once again their status as second only to France in attack. But even with a 27-point cushion midway through the second half, they contrived to make life uncomfortable for themselves against a clearly inferior side.Wales managed to rouse themselves from a hopeless position to claim two bonus points, when Max Llewellyn crashed over to score their fourth try at the death. Jarrod Evans’s conversion, his third, pulled Wales back to within six for the second point. Small consolation for Wales, still rooted to the foot of the table. They had been completely outplayed for an hour, but will welcome England to Cardiff next weekend with a modicum of encouragement. Continue reading...

Events

43 h. ago Scotland produce performance of extremes but survive Wales fightback

Scotland 35-29 WalesHome side led 35-8 but Wales secure late bonus pointsAll of Scotland’s brilliance, all their familiar failings. It cannot be denied, they have underscored once again their status as second only to France as an attacking force. But even with a 27-point cushion midway through the second half, they contrived to make life uncomfortable for themselves against a clearly inferior side. But for Blair Murray’s unfortunate little leap into a tackle a few minutes from the end, they might even have lost.Wales managed to rouse themselves from a hopeless position to claim two bonus points, when Max Llewellyn crashed over to score their fourth at the death. Jarrod Evans’s conversion, his third, pulled Wales back to within six for the second point. Continue reading...

Events

48 h. ago Scotland v Wales referee was at centre of 'scandalous' decision in Welsh rugby match

Andrea Piardi will make history on Saturday as he becomes the first Italian to referee a Six Nations game when he takes charge of the clash between Ireland and Wales

Politics

48 h. ago Scotland v Wales referee Andrea Piardi was at centre of 'scandalous' decision in Welsh rugby match

Andrea Piardi will make history on Saturday as he becomes the first Italian to referee a Six Nations game when he takes charge of the clash between Ireland and Wales

Politics

52 h. ago Stuart Pearce suffers worrying health scare on plane as his flight is forced to divert

The former Nottingham Forest and Manchester City captain, 62, was on his way back to the UK after watching Warrington Wolves in a rugby league match in Las Vegas

Transport

55 h. ago Scotland v Wales referee: Who is Six Nations official Andrea Piardi?

The Italian made his competition debut last year

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3 d. ago Tonight's rugby news as Scotland boss complains to World Rugby and star returns for Wales match

The latest rugby news from Wales and beyond.

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5 d. ago Scotland v Wales Six Nations 2025: When did Wales last beat Scotland, referee, fixture stats and records

The Scots are looking for a third straight victory over the Welsh.

Politics

7 d. ago Tearful Maher bows out of English rugby with try in Bristol defeat to Gloucester

Second semi-final: Gloucester-Hartpury 36-20 BristolMaher refuses to rule out returning to English gameA tearful Ilona Maher signed off her time in English club rugby with a try for Bristol Bears but it was not enough to prevent a 36-20 defeat against their west country rivals Gloucester-Hartpury in the women’s Premiership semi-final.Maher, who has more than 8m social media followers, has been a groundbreaking addition to the PWR, signing for Bristol in December and bringing record attendances and global attention to the women’s club game. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago France in stinging Six Nations accusation as they contact World Rugby over Wales match incidents

The different punishment for two red cards in Wales matches in this tournament have led to some frustration in France

Politics

1 week ago Comical announcement at rugby match leaves crowd in stitches as tempers flare on pitch

"Your wife is waiting at the bar to take you to the baby shower," read the announcer.

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2 w. ago How Scotland contrived to lose Calcutta Cup match they should have won as England end four years of hurt

Finn Russell’s missed conversion proves costly

Politics

2 w. ago Agony for Finn Russell after missed kick hands England win over Scotland

England 16-15 ScotlandRussell puts conversion wide after Van der Merwe tryAt long last England have shaken off their Calcutta Cup blues. Never in the previous 153 years of this fixture had Scotland managed five successive wins over the auld enemy and another tartan triumph really would have had them dancing in the streets of Galashiels in Bill McLaren’s memory. This was a desperately tight old battle, though, with a second gripping home victory in consecutive games only secured right at the death.In the end it all hinged on whether Finn Russell could land the angled conversion following Duhan van der Merwe’s 79th-minute try. Up went the ball, end over end, and for the first half of its flight it seemed Scotland might be celebrating once more. Agonisingly for the visitors, though, it then curved just wide of the left-hand upright to leave England, to their immense relief, still alive in the title race. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago England v Scotland referee Pierre Brousset was pulled from Six Nations game at last minute

Pierre Brousset will finally make his tournament debut in a huge clash at Twickenham on Saturday

Politics

2 w. ago Wales name team for Ireland match as Sherratt rips up Gatland's side

The Wales interim head coach has made a number of changes from Warren Gatland's last team

Politics

2 w. ago Calcutta Cup classics: our writers pick their most memorable showdowns

As England prepare to host Scotland on Saturday, relive some of the most compelling clashes between the old foesThat bonkers 38-38 draw in 2019 clearly has to be up there. But the world’s oldest international fixture takes on a different complexion in even-numbered years. Edinburgh’s cold, malty air, the walk down past Haymarket (before the trams), the distant hills, the lone piper on the Murrayfield roof the pre-match mood always recalls the glorious tartan-tinted newspaper intro from years back. “Can we do it? Aye, I think we can.” Even as a kid, watching the great Andy Irvine from afar, and then subsequently as a uni student in Edinburgh, the most memorable matches always involved England being sent homeward to think again. So I’m choosing the 2000 game, my Calcutta Cup debut as – pinch me – the Guardian’s rugby correspondent. The weather was utterly atrocious and a strongly fancied England side, hoping for a first grand slam since 1995, were flushed away by a slithering splashdo...

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