Quade Cooper's side step was in full view today as the mercurial first five-eighth refused to be pinned down on some tricky issues once the Wallabies rugby side returned from South Africa.Cooper's instinctive approach to playmaking...

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers is facing a battle to keep his job after five losses in six Tri-Nations games and reports linking 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White with a return to leading the Springboks.De Villiers...

Rarefied air to an all-time low - that's the downward trajectory the Wallabies risk following as they moved focus from a historic rugby victory in South Africa to a potentially record losing streak against the All Blacks.The Wallabies...

All Black assistant coach Steve Hansen and his family face an uncertain future in their Tai Tapu home, renovated only two months ago.Hansen delayed his departure to Australia with the All Blacks to assess the quake damage that...

Graham Henry looks set to promote a couple of his young stars to the starting line up against the Wallabies in Sydney this weekend.Prop Owen Franks and halfback Piri Weepu are obvious choices to join first-five Aaron Cruden in...

New Zealand's fourth straight women's World Cup win this morning, after narrowly beating England 13-10 in the final at London, was built around composure, veteran first five-eighth Anna Richards said.Richards, 45, was one of three...

Australia rugby coach Robbie Deans and New Zealand co-coach Steve Hansen were both affected by the weekend's magnitude 7.1 earthquake which hit New Zealand's Canterbury province.The historic Home Bush mansion, Canterbury home...

A disastrous South Africa Tri-Nations campaign and controversial comments by embattled coach Peter de Villiers will be reviewed this month, a statement said Sunday."Rugby followers are extremely disappointed with results in the...

The Wallabies' dressing room was thick with determination as much as joy or relief after their historic victory over the Springboks in Bloemfontein.Determination to keep the ball rolling with a win over the All Blacks, who they...

New Zealand were crowned Women's Rugby World Champions for a fourth successive time as they defeated England in a titanic battle at The Stoop. The victory came after a superb 80 minutes of rugby in front of more than 13,000 at...

Scarlets paid a heavy price for resting internationals Stephen Jones, Sean Lamont and Matthew Rees when they suffered a 34-28 defeat to Benetton Treviso on Saturday as Italian sides made their Celtic League bow. The Llanelli-based...

It began so promisingly for Auckland. Blindside flanker Peter Saili headed for the tryline in the second minute, but then lost the ball in the tackle.It ended in Auckland's favour when referee Bryce Lawrence blew a merciful end...

Normally the sight of Canterbury going top of rugby's national provincial championship brings groans from the rest of the country.Given what the earthquake-struck province has endured this weekend it's hard to begrudge them some...

About a year ago, David Pocock replaced the superb but tiring George Smith as the Wallabies' premier openside flanker.That ascension had only been a matter of when, once Pocock was nabbed five years ago by former All Black coach...

There was nothing pretty about it but that didn't matter to hardy rugby fans at Carisbrook today as Otago lodged their first win of the ITM Cup.Otago prevailed 17-16 over Hawke's Bay, another team who have started the season in...

First five-eighth Matt Berquist played an influential role as Auckland revived their faltering ITM Cup campaign by beating Taranaki 27-13 in Auckland today.Coming off a heavy loss to Canterbury, Auckland registered their fourth...

Has there ever been a more sensational finish in the history of test rugby? But has there ever been so much hanging on the result?In the green corner, there's coach Peter de Villiers who makes a habit of putting his foot in his...

New Zealand captain Melissa Ruscoe is possibly the most relaxed sounding skipper you'll ever chat to just days out from leading a side into a World Cup final.When asked if she had thought about her pre-match speech to the team...

Kurtley Beale kicked a last-minute penalty to give Australia a thrilling 41-39 win in its Tri-Nations test against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday.Beale's last-gasp kick gave the Wallabies their first victory at a highveld...

There is no more formidable team in women's sport than the Black Ferns, who take on England in the World Cup final at the Stoop, home of Harlequins, tomorrow morning.They have lost only once in global tournament rugby, to the...