Larkham staying with the Brumbies
Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham will be leading the side again in 2017 after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal.
In his time as a coach, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee has helped the Brumbies reach the past four finals series in a row and in 2016 led the franchise to the Australian Super Rugby Conference title.
Paul Dean to become Ireland Team Manager
Former Ireland international Paul Dean will become the Ireland Team Manager following the completion of the 2016 Guinness Series.
Dean is set to replace Michael Kearney who will step down from the role after the fixture against Australia on Saturday 26th November.
Brown fails to recover for season opener
Harlequins full-back Mike Brown will miss their Premiership opener against Bristol on Saturday due to illness.
Brown has been suffering from an unknown infection for several weeks that has now ruled him out of the first game of the season.
"Mike Brown has had an infection and while he is now recovered from that there were a couple of weeks when he had a tough time with it," said Harlequins Director of Rugby John Kingston.
"We don’t yet know quite what the infection related to but Saturday has come too early for him so Mike will not be involved in the game at the weekend."
Hougaard gets medal after Rio gesture
Hougaard was called up to join Team SA’s Rugby Sevens side for the final day’s play at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro last month as a replacement to Seabelo Senatla, who injured his wrist on day two of the three day tournament.
After he received one of the 12 medals given to the team, he insisted that Senatla, who played in all the tournaments leading up to the Games, should take the bronze medal, as he felt the winger deserved it more, being the stand-out player for the team all year. Hougaard then left Rio without a medal.
Jenkins to continue as Blues captain.
Cardiff Blues have confirmed that Gethin Jenkins will continue as the region's captain in the 2016/17 season.
The 131-times capped prop took up the honour last season and helped the region to a resurgence in the second half of the campaign.
Fiji, Australia in talks to add Fiji team to National Rugby Championship
The Fiji Rugby Union is in talks with Australia and World Rugby about entering a Fijian team in the National Rugby Championship next season.
The team, that would be made up of Fiji-based players, would be based on the island and play home and away games under a possible expanded NRC competition in 2017.
Fiji plan to join the NRC as a way to help prevent the talent drain from the island nation by building their own pathway for home grown players, with the hopes of also attracting back players back from Europe.
Strauss to retire from Test rugby
Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss will retire from Test rugby at the end of the 2016 season.
“The plan was for me to serve and lead a team in transition as well as I can and take things week by week, but back then I already told him that I was thinking of retiring at the end of the season," said Strauss.
“I’ve always accepted the pressure and the challenge of playing for and captaining the Springboks, I feel it’s the right time to let my team-mates and our supporters know of the decision I made, with a greater plan in mind.”
Strauss became the 57th Springbok captain against Ireland in June this year.
Rugby Championship over for Ashley-Cooper
Wallabies wing Adam Ashley-Cooper will not play any further in the Rugby Championship as he is set to return to France this week.
The 116-Test Wallaby will fly back to Bordeaux in the coming days to line up in the Top 14 in the next fortnight, with his availability to be ‘reviewed’ after the weekend.
Tagicakibau released from Wasps
Wasps have today confirmed that Samoan international Sailosi Tagicakibau has left the club after requesting a release from his contract for family reasons.
"...While professional sport is important, family always comes first and I'm sure I speak on behalf of everyone at the club, and for our Wasps supporters, in wishing Losi and his family the very best," said Wasps Director of Rugby.
Tagicakibau made 34 appearances for Wasps during his two seasons with the club, scoring seven tries in 21 appearances after joining from London Irish.
Quade Cooper signs with Reds until 2019
Flyhalf Quade Cooper is heading back to Ballymore, after signing with the Reds until 2019.
“It’s pleasing to be able to welcome Quade back to Ballymore. He will add further experience to our squad and is committed to being a significant performer and a leader, as we continue to develop the next generation of Reds,” said Reds head coach Nick Stiles.
Having already represented Queensland 107 times from 2006 to 2015, Cooper has also made appearances for the Wallabies in 59 Tests.
Chadwick leaves Sharks for French club
Prop Dale Chadwick has left the Sharks to join French second division club Narbonne on a two-year contract, the Sharks today announced on their website.
He leaves the Sharks after a total of 95 caps, across Super Rugby and Currie Cup, since making his debut back in 2009.
Harlequins sign Samoan international Alofa Alofa
Harlequins have today confirmed the signing of Samoan international Alofa Alofa.
"I am really pleased to have secured the signing of Alofa. He is a dynamic and powerful player with the ability to break the line," said John Kingston, Harlequins Director of Rugby.
Capped three times by La Rochelle in the Top 14, Alofa was called into the New South Wales Waratahs squad in 2014, scoring on his debut.
Ruan Pienaar set to leave Ulster
Ulster Rugby has today confirmed that Ruan Pienaar will leave the club at the end of the 2016/17 season.
The club had intentions of extending Pienaar's contract, with the extension not possible due to the IRFU's succession policy.
"I am not moving on for a new adventure or for financial reasons - I wanted to stay and I know that Ulster Rugby did everything it could to keep me in Belfast...It is sad that this will be my last season as an Ulster player but I will be doing everything to ensure that we make it a successful campaign," said Pienaar.
Pienaar has scored 777 points in 118 competitive games for Ulster to date and he was a starring member of the squad that reached the 2012 Heineken Cup final.
BJ Botha signs with Lyon as a medical joker
South African prop BJ Botha has signed for Top14 side Lyon to replace injured Zaza Navrozashvili, the French side confirms.
Botha had been playing in Ireland since 2008 first for Ulster (2008-2011) and then for Munster from 2011-2016.
He was capped 25 times for South Africa and scored one try during his international career (2006-2010).
Wrist injury rules out Tovey
Edinburgh fly-half Jason Tovey is expected to be out for around eight weeks with a wrist injury sustained in last week's training.
The fly-half had went through a scan that revealed a small fracture, with surgery not needed at this stage.
He will remain in the care of the club’s medical team for ongoing rehabilitation and assessment.
Argentina shaken by double injury blow
With Tomas Lavanini sidelined for six months after damaging his ACL against the Springboks, Argentina are rocked by yet another injury, with winger Manuel Montero also set for a lengthy absence as he battles back from a torn adductor muscle.
Both will not be available for the Rugby Championship matches against New Zealand and Australia.
Connacht consider new grounds
Connacht are exploring the possibility of a move away from the Sportsground to a larger ground that will accommodate their increasing supporter numbers.
Talks are scheduled to be held between Connacht and the Galway FA who own the ground, with a move to the football stadium meaning its redevelopment and increasing capacity to somewhere between 8,000 and 12,000.
Nic Mayhew joins Brumbies for 2017
Brumbies front row have received a boost for 2017, with prop Nic Mayhew signing a one-year deal with the club.
The loosehead prop started out with Northcote Rugby Club and graduated to North Harbour’s Development Squad in 2010, earning his first ITM Cup cap for the team that same year.
Mayhew left for England to link with Premiership side, Harlequins, in 2011 following recommendation from former All Black Craig Dowd.
Combrinck sidelined for Rugby Championship
South Africa winger Ruan Combrinck is set to miss the rest of the 2016 Rugby Championship after suffering a leg injury during a 26-24 weekend loss in Argentina.
The 26-year-old was injured in the first half and X-rays revealed that he had a fractured fibula, with the possibility of being out of action until mid-October.
Beauden Barrett re-signs with New Zealand
The All Blacks star Beauden Barrett has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby, as well as his Hurricanes Super Rugby club and his province Taranaki, through until the end of the 2019 season.
Barrett starred in the Steinlager Series against Wales, helped guide his Hurricanes team to their first ever Super Rugby title, and continued his impressive form in the two comprehensive Bledisloe Cup victories over Australia in the opening matches of the Rugby Championship.
All Blacks release 12 players for provincial duty
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has unshackled 12 squad members to play Mitre 10 Cup rugby this weekend after his side's Bledisloe Cup win over Australia.
Injury reinforcements Damian McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu, Liam Coltman, James Parsons and Rieko Ioane will all return to the provinces after their last-minute inclusions in the second Bledisloe Test set-up, with first-five Lima Sopoaga, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu and Luke Romano also in the line to play provincial rugby, joined by Ryan Crotty and Codie Taylor.
