Rugby appears caught in a paradoxical universe of wanting to place paramount importance on player safety - and being seemingly incapable of adopting common sense when ruling on accidental collisions -- Liam Napier writes.
Quade Cooper has emerged as the clear leader to play fly-half against England. Paddy Ryan deserved a yellow card for his clean-out against the Highlanders. Brumbies fans are right to bemoan a 16-5 penalty count. It's Rugby Real or Not.
Highlanders fly-half Sam Gilbert has been suspended for five weeks for a lifting tackle on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper during the Waratahs' 32-20 upset win in Dunedin.
Western Force have kept their Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes alive after snapping their losing streak with a key 48-28 win over Moana Pasifika.
Injured playmaker James O'Connor is expected to be sidelined for a month, ruling him out of Queensland's Super Rugby Pacific finals campaign and racing the clock for the Wallabies Test series against England.
The Blues wrapped up top spot with a thrilling win over the Brumbies but it was the Waratahs' victory in Dunedin which provided the big talking points of Round 14, including a lifting tackle that was as dangerous as it was discgraceful.
The NSW Waratahs have shown they won't just be making up the numbers in the Super Rugby Pacific finals with a rousing 32-20 away win over the Highlanders.
Substitute Lukas Ripley has scored a hat-trick of tries but it wasn't enough to keep the Melbourne Rebels' finals hopes alive in a 45-22 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.
The Western Force's New Zealand horror show has continued as they suffered an embarrassing 54-21 loss to the COVID-hit Chiefs in Hamilton.
Beauden Barrett has slotted a field goal after the fulltime siren for the Blues to steal a famous Super Rugby Pacific victory from the Brumbies in Canberra.
The Reds were cruelly denied a crucial bonus point but were still celebrating the end of a four-game Super Rugby losing run against Moana Pasifika in Brisbane.
The Crusaders have put their Super Rugby Pacific rivals on notice with a ruthless win over the Fijian Drua to strengthen their hold on second place.
Dave Rennie says a potential shift to Japan won't count against Tom Banks in the shorter term against England, while Kurtley Beale has not played in France since February. So whom looms as the best option to face England, with a World Cup on the horizon?
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie won't hold Tom Banks's impending move to Japan against him when it comes to selecting his team to face England in July.
The 2023 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals will be played at Dublin's Aviva Stadium instead of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur's stadium in London, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Thursday.
Australia A will compete in the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup, which could yet include a Tonga side laden with international talent including former Wallabies star Israel Folau.
Taniela Tupou should be prioritised over the signing of any NRL player. Jake Gordon was right to describe the Waratahs' defeat by the Hurricanes as step in the right direction. Pablo Matera is the buy of the Super Rugby season. It's Rugby Real or Not.
Winger George North has returned to the Wales squad for the first time since a serious knee injury in April last year as coach Wayne Pivac named a 33-player selection on Wednesday for the three-Test tour to South Africa in July.
Eddie Jones is brushing aside all talk of his England tourists earning another, record-extending clean sweep over the Wallabies.
England coach Eddie Jones has included 10 uncapped players, including in-form London Irish duo Henry Arundell and Will Joseph, in a 36-man training squad to prepare for the summer tour of Australia.
NSW Waratahs say they are disappointed to hear of an allegation of racist behaviour towards Hurricanes forward Du'Plessis Kirifi following the home side's 22-18 defeat at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
Within hours of Rugby Australia being awarded the 2027 World Cup, speculation was already mounting about another raid on the NRL. For administrators, coaches and NRL players alike, the risk/reward scenario of such a play was on show at Eden Park.
