Rugby World Cup

Coachless Fiji offer top job to Scott Robertson

Vern Cotter dramatically split ways with the Flying Fijians at the start of the month, just eight months out from the Rugby World Cup in France.

Matters got worse for the union a week later with news that assistant coach Richie Gray was also leaving, saying that he considered he had to exit from ‘an integrity point of view’ after the departure of Cotter.

It’s left Fiji looking for a head coach and now the FRU acting chief executive Tevita Tuiloa has said he has offered the job to Robertson.

Eddie Jones won't be joining Wallabies before World Cup

Reuters reports Australian Jones, who led the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup final, has been linked with various roles at Rugby Australia since he was sacked by England in December.

"It's not going to happen," New Zealander Rennie told reporters, later adding: "It's not going to happen before the World Cup.

"We've had no discussions around changes to the coaching group ... what happens beyond 2023 is another matter."

Jones was equally blunt in an interview with the Guardian on Friday when he was asked whether he would be interested in working under Rennie.

NZR backs All Blacks coach Ian Foster to lead team through to Rugby World Cup

Former Ireland coach now All Blacks selector and analyst Joe Schmidt will be given an expanded role with the team.

The All Blacks produced one of the best performances in recent times to upset the Springboks at Ellis Park last Sunday.

However, Foster's job had come under scrutiny following a run of five defeats from their last seven games, with NZR boss Mark Robinson refusing to back Foster after the All Blacks victory in Johannesburg.

'We feel it is a new dawn for this team' - Robinson

Razor wants World Cup titles but not just with the All Blacks

Beaten out for the All Blacks' top job by Ian Foster in 2019 - the six-time Super Rugby winning coach is contracted with the Crusaders to the end of next season.

Robertson told the Rugby Pod - a podcast hosted by ex-Scotland international Jim Hamilton - that international rugby is where his future lies and he wants to be coaching at the 2027 World Cup.

"I want to win a Rugby World Cup. But I want to win it with two different countries. I think that would transcend (the game).

Dubai to host final World Cup qualifier

Hong Kong, Kenya, the United States and Portugal will clash in a round-robin format, and the winners will go into Pool C at the World Cup, alongside Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia.

The World Cup will be played in France for the second time from Sept. 8 next year. The country also hosted the tournament in 2007.

     

Eddie O'Sullivan: Ireland 'now better than All Blacks - but a long way to World Cup'

Saturday's 32-22 win by the Irish in Wellington clinched a historic first series win in New Zealand and moved them top of the world rankings.

"If we played New Zealand again next week, we'd probably beat them again," said ex-Ireland coach O'Sullivan.

"But I think, come the World Cup, things will even up again."

"There is a lot of water to flow under the bridge between now and next year," he added.

Ireland's latest victory over the All Blacks was their fifth win in eight contests against the three-time world champions.

Richie Mo'unga inks World Cup contract extension with New Zealand Rugby

Mo’unga announced on live television on Friday that he has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him with the All Blacks, Crusaders and Canterbury in 2023.

“Some good news, for me and my family, that we’ve re-signed for next year’s season in 2023,” the newly-turned 28-year-old told Sky Sport ahead of the Crusaders’ 28-15 Super Rugby Pacific win over the Reds in Christchurch.

Rugby World Cup hosts confirmed

The United States was confirmed as host of the men's showpiece event in 2031 and will stage the women's tournament two years later.

The hosts were finalised following a World Rugby Council meeting in Dublin.

"This is a historic day for rugby in Australia. We are beyond thrilled to be welcoming not one, but two World Cups to our shores," Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan said.

Dates for women's Rugby World Cup confirmed

The 12-team tournament which was due to be held this year in Auckland and Whangarei was postponed due to Covid-19.

The new dates mean the tournament will be extended from 35 to 43 days, meaning all teams will have a minimum of five rest days between matches in align with the approach recently approved for the men's competition.

The extension of the tournament window also allows for a revamped tournament format that will see all matches take place on Saturdays and Sundays with no overlap.

Rugby World Cup rest periods welcomed, timing questioned

The pool phase will be extended by a week, ensuring teams will have at least five days to prepare for all matches, while squad sizes will be increased from 31 to 33 players.

PRPW said that since 2003 the scheduling of Rugby World Cup matches has "brazenly prejudiced Tier 2 nations" and said the latest reforms are long overdue.

"This is a significant step towards a tournament that fully respects the ideals of fair play, and it will make a great difference to the Pacific Island teams," said former Manu Samoa international and PRPW CEO Dan Leo.