Rugby

Scotland ran in four tries including three before the break at Murrayfield, and led for all but a few minutes in the first half after Rikiya Matsuda put Japan up 6-5 with two penalty goals.

COVID-19 restrictions have forced the All Blacks to play their last nine tests over 12 weeks away from home, but New Zealand's media sees the problems as much more than travel fatigue.

Debutant Shogo Nakano was among four try scorers for the tourists, who earned 18 points off the steady boot of flyhalf Rikiya Matsuda at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra.

Wallabies fullback Dane Haylett-Petty has retired from rugby union after a one-year battle with the lingering effects of a concussion, saying doctors advised him to "listen to your head." The 32-year-old had been struggling to return following a blow to the head during a clash ...

The Brave Blossoms were on the back foot from the start of the match played in front of around 40,000 spectators, with Ireland captain Johnny Sexton scoring one of his team's nine tries.

The three players, who have lucrative contracts with Japanese clubs, pulled out of the Australia squad ahead of next weekend's meeting with Scotland.

The 30-year-old fly-half struck at both ends of Saturday's match, bookending a commanding display by the All Blacks against Wales.

Flyhalf Quade Cooper said he was "hurting" about his decision to opt out of Australia's season-ending tour of Japan, while center Samu Kerevi told critics not to question his love for the Wallabies as the pair came under fire from fans on Friday. Cooper, Kerevi ...

Anton Segner's love for the oval ball brought him all the way to New Zealand, where he has represented the under-20 team and will be eligible to play for the senior side in 2022.