Rugby

7/19/2024 |  All Blacks and Fiji play a test in San Diego as rugby tries to crack the American market (Associated Press (AP)) WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The All Blacks will play Fiji in San Diego on Friday night in the latest step in an effort by New Zealand Rugby to penetrate the U.S. sporting market.
The match was initially scheduled to be played at Hamilton, New Zealand, but the sport’s national organizers made the decision to move it to the United States as part of a concerted effort win fans to rugby.

7/18/2024 |  Retired rugby players at risk for dementia, CTE (United Press International (UPI)) Alix Popham played in two rugby World Cups and won a Six Nations Grand Slam before retiring in 2011 as a professional in the rough-and-tumble game.
By 2020, he had already been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disabling brain disease long linked to repeated head trauma. 

7/16/2024 |  French rugby head says ‘chain of events is dramatic’ after national team assault, racism claims (Associated Press (AP)) MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE (AP) — French Rugby Federation President Florian Grill on Tuesday addressed allegations of sexual assault and racism against members of the national team on its tour of Argentina, saying the “chain of events is dramatic” for all involved. 

7/10/2024 |  Rugby League Las Vegas Festival 2025 Set for March 1 (SportsTravel) Australia’s National Rugby League has announced its plans for the Rugby League Las Vegas Festival 2025, which will include more games, teams, nations and opportunities for traveling supporters than ever before.
The four-game schedule will be played at Allegiant Stadium on March 1, 2025, and will be the NRL’s second trip to Sin City in as many years. The event, supported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, will bring together six teams from the Super League and the NRL, as well as two women’s teams for an international test match.

7/7/2024 |  French rugby federation suspends Jaminet after racist remark in viral video (Associated Press (AP)) PARIS (AP) — France fullback Melvyn Jaminet was suspended from the national rugby team on Sunday after a video surfaced of the player making a racist remark. He later apologized.
In a statement posted on X, the French rugby federation (FFR) condemned the comments as “unacceptable and contrary to the fundamental values of our sport.”
It said Jaminet “is sidelined with immediate effect, and will leave the French squad gathered in Argentina.”