Connacht Rugby have today completed the signing of winger Fetu’u Vainikolo from Super 15 franchise The Highlanders.

Canterbury fly-half Colin Slade has won the battle to be Aaron Cruden’s back-up for New Zealand’s final Tri Nations match against Australia in Sydney on September 11.

THE New Zealand Maori squad has been named for next month’s Centenary series — which includes a clash with Ireland — with former All Blacks Corey Flynn, Hosea Gear, Tanerau Latimer, Luke McAlister, Liam Messam and Isaac Ross all named.

Matt Stevens is convinced England have learned a crucial lesson from their painful run of defeats and are now ready to embark on the road to recovery with victory over Italy.

England boss Andy Robinson has backed rookie prop Matt Stevens to thrive when he is thrown into the Lansdowne Road bear-pit against Ireland on Sunday.

ENGLAND boss Andy Robinson last night backed rookie prop Matt Stevens to thrive when he is thrown into the Lansdowne Road bear-pit against Ireland on Sunday.

The Rugby Football Union, boosted by England’s World Cup success, today announced profits of £13.5m (€19.3m) for the year ending June 30.

Hugh Vyvyan is relishing the opportunity to test himself against some of the biggest names in world rugby when England meet the Barbarians on Sunday.

MATT STEVENS could hardly have asked for a tougher RBS 6 Nations baptism - filling the boots of an England legend at Twickenham.

Talks have begun over the feasibility of England and Scotland meeting twice a year in separate RBS 6 Nations and Calcutta Cup matches.

Italy have vowed to give England a baptism of fire in their first competitive match as world champions when the RBS 6 Nations tournament kicks off this weekend.

Simon Danielli is backing Bath to wipe out a five-point deficit and remain on course for a domestic and European double when they take on Beziers tomorrow.

Sale Sharks’ Heineken Cup hopes have been dealt a blow by a six-week ban imposed on their promising hooker Andy Titterrell.

LEICESTER Tigers could be boosted by the return of World Cup winners Martin Corry and Dorian West for the Zurich Premiership encounter at home to Gloucester tomorrow.

JOHN HAYES will be wrapped in cotton wool for a week, in advance of Munster’s crucial Heineken Cup clash with Gloucester.

England World Cup winner Richard Hill faces four weeks on the sidelines after being told he needs surgery to repair his broken nose.

JONNY WILKINSON was last night cleared of serious injury, with Newcastle director of rugby Rob Andrew allaying fears he could miss England’s Six Nations campaign.

CLIVE WOODWARD isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but it is difficult to disagree with his view that it was a mistake to axe the Six Nations A International Championship.

Clive Woodward has described the demise of Six Nations A international rugby as a “backward step”.

FORMER All Blacks captain Taine Randell has urged Clive Woodward to select his strongest possible squad for England’s summer tour and set up a “royal rumble” against a rejuvenated New Zealand side.

Former All Blacks captain Taine Randell has urged Clive Woodward to select his strongest possible squad for England’s summer tour and set up a “royal rumble” between a rejuvenated New Zealand side and the world champions.

DAVID PUSEY will make his debut for Cork Constitution when he plays in the Munster Senior League final against Shannon at Musgrave Park, tomorrow (2.30 pm).

Clive Woodward believes England fans will have reason to relish Saturday’s World Cup celebration match against the New Zealand Barbarians at Twickenham.

England rugby coach, Clive Woodward, today criticised the BBC for allowing former Australia Test star David Campese to present England with a top award at the Sports Personality of the Year Show.

England will field five of their World Cup final starting team in Saturday’s celebration match against the New Zealand Barbarians at Twickenham.

Gloucester 49 Bourgoin 13

ENGLAND’S so-called World Cup celebration match at Twickenham next week will feature just five players who started the final against Australia in Sydney three weeks ago.

England will field just five of their World Cup-winning team in tomorrow week’s celebration match against the New Zealand Barbarians at Twickenham.

English rugby, which today announced a profit of £18.4m (€26.2m) for the last financial year, has no immediate plans to reward the World Cup-winning players who have sparked an unprecedented boom in the game with a pay rise.

World champions England began the long journey home from Australia today - with thoughts already switching towards a successful defence of their Six Nations Championship crown.

English rugby fans will have a chance to welcome home their World Cup heroes in a match at Twickenham before Christmas.