World Rugby

Outrage in Fiji as rapist trains with rugby club while serving sentence

Amenoni Nasilasila was sentenced to eight years in September for the 2018 rape of a young woman.

Last week, the 26-year-old Olympic gold medallist was reportedly seen training with the Namosi rugby teams in Suva.

But women's rights groups say the preferential treatment of high-profile prisoners has to stop.

Shamima Ali, of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, said the fact that Nasilasila's non-parole period was six years also highlighted the complete disregard by the department to allow him to participate in training with the Prisons and Namosi rugby teams.

World Rugby considers transgender ban

It would be the first international sports federation to prohibit transgender women from competing.

World Rugby said it had undertaken a review of its "rugby-specific transgender guidelines" in light of the "latest peer reviewed research".

It said it was committed to "ensuring a safe and inclusive playing environment at all levels of the game".

All Blacks end of year tour appears doomed

The All Blacks are scheduled to play England in London on November 7, Wales in Cardiff the following weekend and then Scotland in Edinburgh.

But the coronavirus pandemic has thrown the tours in doubt and the Six Nations unions are now looking at a safer alternative.

The Telegraph reported that Japan and Fiji were expected to be confirmed as the two guest nations to join the Six Nations sides in an inaugural eight-team tournament in November and December.

European clubs not Six Nations the stumbling block to international season

World Rugby, Sanzaar, the Six Nations, the British and Irish Lions and representatives of top European clubs attended.

Robinson said the Six Nations Unions, such as England and France, are keen to sort the calendar out, but French and English clubs rejected the plans.

"Sanzaar and Six Nations were the ones who took the working proposals to the meeting...and we are very very aligned as we are with World Rugby and the various Players Associations around the world.

Global rugby season still pie in the sky

The game's major stakeholders including clubs and countries took part in the forum overnight, to discuss restructuring the current calendar to better align the international game between the northern and southern hemispheres.

World Rugby, Sanzaar, the Six Nations, the British and Irish Lions and representatives of elite European club's were among those in attendance.

However in a statement, World Rugby said the parties couldn't agree on any proposals, meaning the global season, for now, is dead in the water.

Rugby union could follow league into summer

Sweeney is a member of the working group considering a radical overhaul of the game’s global calendar, with alignment of the seasons in both hemispheres central to the conversations as the European nations consider playing through their hottest months of the year.

It was a move made by rugby league in the mid-1990s with the creation of the Super League, and Sweeney said their experience could not be ignored.

Nigel Owens backs introduction of 'orange card'

The orange card was one of a slew of reffing recommendations given by World Rugby this week, designed to provide national member unions with further Covid-19 transmission risk reduction measures if required.

The card would see players removed from the field for 15 minutes for certain high tackle offences, but would lead to an automatic citing as is the norm with the traditional red cards. Crucially, the incident could then be reviewed by ‘Hawk Eye’, who could then upgrade the decision to a red card.

Orange card and extended sin bin as World Rugby confirm 10 trial rules

Optional law amendments limiting contact in scrums, the number of players in a maul, and the duration of rucks have also been given the green light by the sport's governing body in the hope of reducing the risk of possible transmission of Covid-19 during the pandemic.

World Rugby confirmed the changes but have left national unions to decide whether to adopt the amendments at elite or community level depending on the prevalence of the virus in their territory and the advice from government and public health authorities. There has already been resistance from New Zealand.

'A massive opportunity will have been missed': Sir Clive Woodward slams Fiji, Samoa, Six Nations for backing World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont

Writing in his Daily Mail column, the ex-British and Irish Lions boss has also grilled the Six Nations for having “let the wider game down” by supporting Beaumont.

An announcement was made over the weekend that Beaumont, the former England and Lions captain, was re-elected as World Rugby chairman after ousting former Argentina skipper Agustin Pichot 28-23 in a one-round vote.

Woodward was scathing in his review of how the voting played out, aiming his criticism at not just Fiji and Samoa, but also fellow tier two nations Japan and Canada for their backing of Beaumont.

World Rugby chairman: ‘Now is not the time for celebration’

Beaumont prevailed by a 28-23 margin to secure a second consecutive four-year term.

Frenchman Bernard Laporte, who was running unopposed, has been elected vice-chairman.

"Now is not the time for celebration. We have work to do," Beaumont said in a statement.