Rory Best says he hopes to play in the Barbarians’ next two games after captaining the side on his debut at Twickenham on Saturday.

Confirmed concussion rates have dropped by 12% from the 2015 competition, and 35% when compared to 22 elite adult competitions in 2018-19.

Eddie Jones and Rassie Erasmus were both celebrating at full time when England and South Africa last contested a World Cup final, at the Stade de France 12 years ago.

Since when was the scheduling of games at Junior B level the accepted metric for organisational incompetence? Whence comes this desire to compare such noble contests with the cancellation of Rugby World Cup games in the land of the rising sun?

A team if you will.

South Africa claimed their first win of the 2019 World Cup with a 57-3 thrashing of Namibia.

An emotional Eddie Jones choked back the tears as he reflected on what it meant to guide England into the 2019 World Cup.

Grand Slam winner Larmour, 22, will make his World Cup debut at the Yokohama International Stadium on Sunday as Ireland’s starting full-back, with Conway making his tournament bow on the right wing after head coach Joe Schmidt named his matchday squad to the face their Six Nations rivals this morning.

It is a well-balanced Ireland squad, assembled by Joe Schmidt in forensic detail, with the intention of negotiating a successful seven-week World Cup campaign.

So now the real work begins. The debates over squad selection are over, at least inside the Irish camp, and now comes the business end of Joe Schmidt’s preparations for Japan and the 2019 World Cup.

The matches, which will take place in Nottingham, Birmingham and at The Oval in London, will be part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League which acts as the first qualifier for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

The pressure may be on for Ireland’s World Cup hopefuls to press their claims for a seat on the plane to Japan next month but Andy Farrell has insisted the national team management will not ease the agony for their players until the very last minute.

New Zealand's Damian McKenzie is the latest high-profile player to be ruled out of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Joe Schmidt was French Rugby President Bernard Laporte's first choice to be appointed as the new head coach of Les Bleus.

The possibility of Ronan O'Gara being part of France's backroom team for the 2019 World Cup has increased with French Rugby Federation sources in Paris confirmed the Munster and Ireland legend was "under consideration."

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont has called a meeting to discuss the future of the international game amidst controversy over plans for a World League.

It is not often you can regard a championship Test match as a dress rehearsal. After all, this is the big one, the Guinness Six Nations, rugby’s greatest championship say the marketing men, who for once, may just be right, and certainly the oldest and revered.

Ireland bounced back from their painful home defeat to England as they got their Guinness Six Nations title defence back on track with a much-needed victory at Murrayfield.

As we wait expectantly on the cusp of the 2019 Guinness Six Nations, the final round of the self-styled Rugby’s Greatest Championship seems an awfully long way down the track.

The Irish boss rejected an offer to join Steve Hansen's backroom staff.

“A straight-talking Aussie with a big heart” – that’s how the Irish team’s Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Olympics was described yesterday by Peter Sherrard, CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI).

I got off a flight in Christchurch Sunday weary and with the seat of the pants stuck to my backside. By Monday morning though, the first shrill whistle of Crusaders’ pre-season had that whiff of fresh ambition about it, writes Ronan O'Gara.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Tributes have been pouring in for Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt who has announced he'll step away from coaching after the 2019 World Cup.

A second win over the All Blacks in the last three meetings is a significant enough achievement for Ireland but what is even more satisfying is the team which got the job done this time around.

With an average of 13 internationals now scheduled in a single season, it’s clear that some tests rank higher than others, writes Donal Lenihan

With an average of 13 internationals now scheduled in a single season, it’s clear that some tests rank higher than others, writes Donal Lenihan

It’s hard not to think that Joe Schmidt spent a good chunk of Saturday evening sitting in the stands of the Aviva Stadium with an inner glow of satisfaction insulating him against any looming October chill.

Ronan O’Gara has revealed his target of one day coaching Ireland, but insists Joe Schmidt’s current crop can bridge the gap to New Zealand and conquer the world this season.

Munster boss Johann van Graan says he is expecting to see less of Ireland’s frontline stars playing for their provinces this season as the national team steps up preparations for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has included two uncapped players but made no selection surprises in his squad for this season’s Rugby Championship.

What a tour, what a season, what does it all mean?

Joe Schmidt will reach a decision on his future as Ireland head coach over the Christmas period.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt has thrown down the gauntlet to his Six Nations champions to emulate the heroes of 1979 by winning a Test series in Australia when they face the Wallabies for a third and decisive time on Saturday.

Joe Schmidt has turned to Niall Scannell as the hooker to tighten up Ireland’s scrummaging power for the must-win second Test against Australia at AAMI Park tomorrow morning.

Mike Brown will feed off Owen Farrell’s aggression at Ellis Park after insisting that his captain’s deeds rather than words will inspire England against South Africa.

There will be no sentiment when Australia fly-half Bernard Foley locks horns once again with Ireland on Saturday bidding for a first victory over the old country at the third attempt.

Ireland touch down in Brisbane today with head coach Joe Schmidt striving to find a balance between the long-term objective of a history-making World Cup campaign and the more immediate desire to extend a record unbeaten run with a series win over Australia.

There were times during Joey Carbery’s explanation of his decision to leave Leinster when you wondered whether the gifted fly-half had lost his grasp of geography.

Stuart Lancaster has backed his Leinster double winners to lay down a big marker for Ireland’s World Cup hopes next year when they take on Australia over three Tests this summer.

Ulster Rugby got the head coach they wanted in Dan McFarland yesterday and the province is now hopeful the former Connacht man will take the reins much sooner than the mid-January date the Scottish Rugby Union are holding him to.

Australia full-back Israel Folau has avoided sanction by Rugby Australia for his controversial comments on homosexuality.