Rugby

Australian channel apologises for 'racist' rugby video

The clip, on the popular Fox Sports Matty Johns Show, showed small children attempting to pronounce the 'funniest' player names in the NRL (National Rugby League), most of which being Pacific Islander surnames, 9News network reports.

But the "Footy Kids in Cars" video has not gone down well with players. Former Samoa international Frank Puletua told 9News he was "disappointed that a segment like that got to air without any sort of thought about how it might be perceived by people in Pacific Island league communities."

Fiji's Olympic 7s success remembered one year on

Fiji thrashed Great Britain 43-7 in the first ever Olympic sevens final a year ago today to win the country's first ever medal at the Summer Games.

Ryan said it was an incredible journey and in many ways it already felt like a lifetime ago.

"These days on social media you get your Facebook where you wake up and suddenly get a memory that Facebook wants to share with you from a year ago and I've been getting those regularly of videos of me getting on the plan to the training camp in Chile and various other ones," he said.

Warriors leave Perth empty handed again

The result was only the beginning of the New Zealand based team's woes, as they endured a nightmare day in Perth.

Veteran Ryan Hoffman and young forward Albert Vete both face extended stints on the sidelines after copping broken bones.

Vete broke his arm in the first half of the loss, while Hoffman didn't even get on the field.

The 33-year-old's final season at the Warriors will now be heavily shortened after he broke a metatarsal bone in his foot while stretching at the team hotel.

Tigers pounce after Salford's Super League slip-up

Tigers coach Daryl Powell chose to rest some of his frontline players against St Helens after the excesses of two games in four days last weekend and his fringe prospects proved equal to the task in a 16-12 victory at The Jungle.

First-half tries from Mark Percival and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook had the Saints 12-4 up at the interval and on the way to completing a double over the Tigers.

But the hosts clocked up 12 unanswered points in the second period to edge a testing encounter, with Mike McMeeken and Tom Holmes touching down.

Exercise programme 'can reduce concussion' in youth rugby

In a study of 14- to 18-year-olds in 40 schools, those completing the exercises three times a week saw 59% fewer concussions than other schools.

The exercises focus on increasing neck muscle strength, balance and movement.

The RFU is rolling out the programme in schools in England from next season.

The Rugby Football Union says it will provide seminars for rugby coaches on the exercises, as well online resources and training pitch handouts.

Head and neck injuries are more common in rugby than other sports because of the impact of tackling and scrummaging.

College football star chooses rugby over NFL

He had captained the Washington Huskies to the national championship playoffs, and had an opportunity that most players can only dream of.

But not Wooching. Ever since he was a kid growing up in Hawaii, this burly, tattooed linebacker had harbored dreams of a different kind.

"My passion was rugby," the 23-year-old tells CNN. "The first time I picked up a ball ... that's when my love for the game started, and ever since then it's just been gaining.

South Africa hard to catch - Fiji 7s coach

Fiji head into the Singapore sevens this weekend fresh off a comprehensive Hong Kong tournament victory.

Fiji is currently second on the series ladder with 122 points, with the Blitz Bokke 23 points ahead.

Teams receive 22 points a tournament win, the runner-up gets 19 and the third place team is awarded 17 points.

Gareth Baber said this means South Africa will have to drop their standards signifcantly for Fiji to have a chance.

"They have been a model of consistency throughout the series," Baber said.

More tests, money needed to boost Pacific league teams

The Mate Ma'a will take on Fiji in May's Pacific Test, which has been boosted by the inclusion of England and the Cook Islands.

Woolf was excited by the growth of the international weekend.

"It's great to see that it's expanding and really good to see the Cook Islands involved - they've certainly deserved that for a while I think," he said.

"They were really competitive at the last World Cup and they were really hard for us to beat not that long ago in a World Cup qualifier as well.

Jones: Hansen the Big Bad Wolf

Hansen offered his congratulations to Jones after England equalled the All Blacks' record of 18 consecutive victories for a tier-one nation by battering Scotland 61-21 in the Six Nations on Saturday.

The record will be England's alone if they can beat Ireland in Dublin this weekend, which would also see them clinch back-to-back Grand Slams.

Rather than be disappointed that New Zealand, whose own run ended against Ireland in November, may no longer have the accolade Hansen welcomed the competition.

Wales end Ireland's Six Nations hopes

North had been warned about his form by defence coach Shaun Edwards in the build-up to the game and responded by demonstrating his quality and power as Wales scored three unanswered tries in a hard-worked win.

RNZ reports Wales led 8-6 at half time.

Jamie Roberts clinched the game with Wales' third try in the 78th minute.

Ireland's New Zealand coach Joe Schmidt said his side paid a high price for a yellow card handed to first five Johnny Sexton which saw Wales score 10 points in six minutes either side of half-time.