Brazil head coach Rodolfo Ambrosio has named a lineup with a few surprises for the first of two matches against Germany. Nick Smith is named captain despite the unexpected inclusion of incumbet skipper João Luiz da Ros on the flank. da Ros was not part of the original touring group …

His recovery from a hamstring injury wasn’t quite in time to make the US Eagles tour but AJ MacGinty will finally make his return for Sale Sharks on Sunday against Saracens. The match at AJ Bell Stadium will be of great interest to American fans with Juan Figallo, Chris Wyles, …

One day it may well be that the Americas Rugby Championship is viewed as the birth of something big for Brazil. After just one edition the Brazilians have truly come to life. It has brought much needed attention to a sport that is increasing in popularity and representation alike in the country. …

The return of Jamie Cudmore for Oyonnax highlighted an eventful Friday evening in Week 11 of the French Pro D2. His country-mates will be on the pitch tomorrow in Bucharest, with the big second row set to welcome the team to France next week ahead of their match against Samoa …

Germany have confirmed their side to play Brazil in the first of two tests starting in Heidelberg on Saturday. Two changes have been made from the side that upset Uruguay in Frankfurt, both enforced. Hooker Mikael Tyumenev and flyhalf hero Christopher Hilsenbeck have returned to their clubs in France. Stepping …

Romania have retained nearly their entire team that defeated the US Eagles in convincing fashion, showing only two changes for their game against Canada in Bucharest on Saturday. Injury to Vasile Rus sees Andrei Gorcioaia handed a start at no8 with captain Stelian Burcea shifting to the blindside. Star goal-kicker …

Coming off a shock loss to Germany Uruguay have made wholesale changes for Saturday’s match against Spain. Head Coach Esteban Meneses has wielded the ax with ten changes having been made for Spain. In the front-row Loose Head prop Mateo Sanguinetti has been retained. He will be joined by Carlos …

South Korea has made four changes for the second test against Chile. The match will take place at Old Gregonian Club in Santiago on Saturday evening. In the only change to the forwards hooker Jun-Hee Lim makes way for Jeep Kim. In the backs Ki-Chul Shin and Jae-Bok Lee replace Myung-Jun Lee and Jae-Hyul Ryu …

The Spanish side to take on Uruguay has been named. Los Leones will be the home side against Los Teros in the southern city of Málaga on Saturday. The match is to be the second between the countries this year. In June Uruguay completed a 16-0 win. Uruguay also won …

Javier Richard will captain Chile in place of the injured Benjamín Soto. Los Còndores Head Coach Bernard Charreyre confirmed that the COBS flanker will lead his country in match two against South Korea. Soto left the field prematurely on Sunday. His injury has ruled him out of Saturday’s match at …

John Mitchell has made five changes to his USA starting team to face Tonga in San Sebastián on Saturday, two enforced. Todd Clever missed out with concussion and Titi Lamositele has returned to Saracens. Blaine Scully will wear the captain’s armband in the final match of the year for the …

DTH van der Merwe will lead Canada against Romania on Saturday. The Scarlets winger captains for the first time in a side that shows three changes from the team that played Ireland in Dublin. Admir Cejvanovic replaces the injured Aaron Carpenter at no8, with Matt Heaton to win his first …

2014 World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year Magali Harvey returns to Canada’s lineup for the first time since the 2014 World Cup as she joins a star-studded group named to face Ireland at the UCD Bowl in Dublin on Saturday. Also returning is Elissa Alarie who starts on the …

On Saturday afternoon Nicolás Sánchez will become the 28th Puma to reach 50 caps. The Tucumán fly half will reach the milestone playing against Scotland in Edinburgh. In earning his 50th cap Sánchez will draw level with Mauricio Reggiardo. Of the remaining 26 players with more caps than Sánchez seven are still playing rugby. The highest …

Sergio Parisse will lead Italy against South Africa in Florence on Saturday. Head Coach Conor O’Shea has retained the Argentine No 8 who will lead a team featuring four changes. Winger Angelo Esposito makes way for Giovanbattista Venditti. Esposito has been dropped from the 23 altogether. In the forwards Francesco …

Tennessee winger Tommy Seymour will start for Scotland vs Argentina on Saturday. Seymour is one of four changes to the side from that which lost narrowly to Australia this past weekend. Head Coach Vern Cotter has selected the uncapped Magnus Bradbury to start at flanker. This sees John Barclay moving …

Los Pumas Head Coach Daniel Hourcade has named an unchanged lineup to face Scotland. The South Americans will play their third of four November Internationals, doing so in the Scottish capital. It is the second time this year that Hourcade has repeated a starting lineup. The other occasion was for …

We’re a little late this week, but there was a lot of rugby to watch with five full international teams to choose from. It almost felt like a warm-up for the Americas Rugby Championship, which amazingly is just about three months ahead of us. This coming weekend will be even …

Head coach Toutai Kefu has named a virtually identical Tonga side to face the US Eagles at Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastián, Spain, on Saturday. The only change to the starting team that defeated Spain comfortably in Madrid this past weekend sees Leicester Tigers star Telusa Veainu restored at fullback …

It is full speed ahead for Ireland’s Rugby World Cup 2023 bid. The ‘small island on the end of the world’ is ‘ready for the world’. These are two of the phases used by the IRFU to promote their bid. Together they provide clarity as to Ireland’s determination to host …