3 h. ago Steve Borthwick: Elliot Daly will be key for England at 2027 World Cup

Daly starts the final match of the autumn against Argentina on Sunday, his first appearance since the British and Irish Lions tour in July.

Politics

3 h. ago Steve Borthwick backs Elliot Daly to go beyond 2027 Rugby World Cup

Daly returns to the England starting side to face Argentina as one of six changes

Politics

7 h. ago England team vs Argentina: Elliot Daly returns as Steve Borthwick makes six changes

The wing returns after a broken arm as Maro Itoje captains the side

Politics

7 h. ago Elliot Daly named on wing ahead of England return against Argentina

Daly starts the final match of the autumn at Allianz Stadium in place of Tom Roebuck, who has been ruled out by a foot injury.

Politics

12 h. ago The final 24 Rugby World Cup teams and expected seedings amid big change

All 24 teams for the 2027 World Cup have now been confirmed, ahead of the expanded tournament in two years' time

Sport

27 h. ago Samoa scrape into 2027 Rugby World Cup as last team to qualify

Samoa have squeaked into the 2027 Rugby World Cup after a tense draw with Belgium

Events

62 h. ago England keep sights on rugby’s Everest in relentless climb to game’s summit | Robert Kitson

Beating the All Blacks shows how far Steve Borthwick’s men have come – but there remains yet more room for improvementAfter finally scaling Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953 the first person Edmund Hillary encountered on his descent was his longtime climbing friend, George Lowe. “Well, George,” Hillary said, “we knocked the bastard off.” Which is basically how England’s captain, Maro Itoje, and his team felt on Saturday having lifted the Hillary Shield, named in honour of the indomitable New Zealander who conquered the world’s most famous summit.English rugby’s ultimate Everest is still up ahead of them, of course, in the form of the 2027 World Cup, but this was their South Col moment. And while a first home win against the All Blacks since 2012 and their second‑highest margin of victory in this 120-year-old fixture will both be sources of satisfaction there was also a powerful sense that their upwardly mobile trek is far from complete. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Is it better to be occasionally brilliant or consistently good? Ask the Wallabies | Daniel Gallan

Australia show flashes of greatness, but costly collapses threaten the idea of a revival. They need to find their rhythmIs it better to be a consistently good team or an occasionally brilliant one? We’ll find out by the end of Australia’s European tour. But now, after a 26–19 loss to Italy in Udine – their second defeat in as many matches on this crucial trip – the answer seems obvious. Because despite the Wallabies’ flashes of brilliance throughout the Joe Schmidt era, their inability to deliver steadily could yet prove costly.At present, the Wallabies are ranked seventh on World Rugby’s charts. If that doesn’t change, the hosts of the 2027 World Cup will be drawn alongside one of the top six teams in the group phase. Even if they progress, Australia would likely face another stiff challenge at the first knockout stage. That’s not the kind of jeopardy a rugby nation of this pedigree should be flirting with. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Justin Rose makes final Ryder Cup captaincy decision ahead of 2027 tournament

Justin Rose helped Team Europe make history in September by winning the Ryder Cup on US soil and the Englishman was soon tipped to succeed Luke Donald as their captain

Politics

2 w. ago England to renew rivalry with Spain in 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifying

England have been handed a difficult draw as they bid to qualify

Politics

2 w. ago ‘There’s this buzz of excitement’: Emily Fox on USWNT and Arsenal ambitions

Right-back discusses Emma Hayes’s tactical messages, new blood in the national team and how Champions League win changed herEmily Fox made her 68th appearance for the United States in the first of two recent friendlies against Portugal and the Arsenal right-back has been a steady hand for Emma Hayes.Hayes has her eye on the 2027 World Cup after winning Olympic gold 15 months ago, and has used 2025 to evolve and evaluate the pool of players. Over the course of 10 wins and three defeats in that timeframe, Fox has been a dynamic force difficult to dislodge from the right flank of a new project. Her speed and skill are essential to the team’s defence and intrinsic to their attack. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago England to face world champions Spain in 2027 World Cup qualifying

Iceland and Ukraine make up England’s League A group.

Politics

2 w. ago World Cup 2027 qualifying draw live: England face Spain rematch as group opponents revealed

Sarina Wiegman’s European champions will take on the world champions in their road to Brazil in 2027, while Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are also hoping to qualify

Politics

2 w. ago World Cup 2027 qualifying draw live: England could face nightmare group with opponents to be revealed

Sarina Wiegman’s European champions could face a tricky test on the road to Brazil in 2027, while Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are also hoping to qualify

Politics

2 w. ago Why England could face a horror draw in Women’s World Cup qualifying

England are in pot 2 for this afternoon’s draw, meaning a European heavyweight awaits, while Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will also look to qualify for the 2027 World Cup

Events

2 w. ago Why are European champions England in pot 2 for Women’s World Cup qualifying?

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will look to qualify for the 2027 World Cup

Politics

2 w. ago No mountain too high for Itoje and England with Australia first up in autumn series

England captain stresses team must display their full power in Saturday’s first of four home internationals in NovemberJust occasionally even the world’s best rugby players are genuinely taken aback. In mid-September, Maro Itoje, recuperating from his British & Irish Lions exertions, stood and watched an England training session and could not believe the pace, intensity and all-round zip on view. “I was thinking: ‘Wow, I need to get back in the gym, I need to make sure I come back quickly,’” he admitted this week.Itoje says his former teammate Mako Vunipola was just as impressed – “He didn’t remember it being that fast” – on a visit to England’s base in Bagshot the other day. Another recent retiree, the England scrum-half Danny Care, felt similarly. All of which has been fuelling Itoje’s growing belief, with the 2027 Rugby World Cup on the horizon, that “there’s no mountain we can’t climb”. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago England at risk of 2027 World Cup embarrassment and in need of ODI upswing

Brook bemoans world class batters’ lack of performanceEngland eighth in ODI rankings with tough tests to comeHarry Brook has admitted that he is flummoxed by England’s inability to get consistent results in recent one-day internationals, saying that some of the supposedly stellar talents in his squad – which includes up to seven batters he insists “would get into any team in the world” – “just haven’t performed well enough”.“It is disappointing, isn’t it?” England’s white-ball captain admitted, as he looked ahead to the third and final fixture in an already-lost series against New Zealand. “You go round every single player there and you think: ‘Bloody hell, there isn’t many teams that they don’t get into in the world.’ It’s disappointing we haven’t performed as well as we could. Sometimes you’ve got to hold your hand up and say they’ve been the better team.” Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Agyemang injury to defensive frailty: key takeaways as England start World Cup buildup

Lionesses had mixed fortunes in friendly double-header that highlighted some areas where they need to improveEngland’s first camp of the year was one of new beginnings as Sarina Wiegman’s side returned for the first time since winning a second successive European Championship. Defeat to Brazil and victory over Australia provided plenty of learnings about how the Lionesses are looking at the start of a new international cycle as preparation for the 2027 World Cup gets under way: Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Test nation banned from Rugby World Cup 2027 weeks before draw after making confession

The team reported the breach themselves, leading to removal from the competition

Events