There’s been a bitter twist in the tail to the story of Spain’s controversial clash with Belgium in the 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifiers that Behind the Ruck covered a few weeks ago – see here That match had ended in an 18-10 victory for hosts Belgium, a result that sent Romania to the World Cup, and forced Spain through

Rugby has returned to the West in style, with the opening fixture of World Series Rugby seeing the Western Force down the Fiji Warriors 24-14 in an entertaining game in front of a packed NIB Stadium in Perth.

Legendary South African speed machine Bryan Habana has announced his retirement from the game at the end of the current season.

There’s one heck of a storm brewing around the rugby corridors of Europe this week. Spain, needing a win over lower-ranked Belgium to reach their first Rugby World Cup in 20 years, duly lost the match in Brussels 18-10. This meant that Romania qualified automatically in their place, and that Spain must now defeat Portugal, and then Samoa, in order to reach Japan 2019.

135 years of history goes on the line once again this weekend as the 124th edition (no tournament took place for the eleven year duration of both world wars) of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious rugby competition gets underway.

Far from perfect but much, much better. That would probably be the report card attributed to last night’s 12-3 victory for the British & Irish Lions over the Crusaders in Christchurch. In a tryless contest, the boot of Owen Farrell was the difference, with the English flyhalf slotting four penalties – actually five, but more of that later – to secure a vital win for the under-fire tourists.