Outspoken Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has been hit with a misconduct charge after accusing Welsh referee Nigel Owens of bias.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson last night accepted responsibility for the Rugby World Cup ‘ballgate’ scandal which has seen two of his management team suspended.

MARTIN JOHNSON has demanded England treat tomorrow’s showdown with Scotland as a winner-takes-all battle for Rugby World Cup survival.

Two members of England’s management team have been suspended by the Rugby Football Union from Saturday’s World Cup Pool B decider against Scotland.

Samoa and Gloucester centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu will not face disciplinary action from World Cup chiefs following his Twitter protest at the International Rugby Board.

Rugby World Cup chiefs have stressed that all 48 matches of this year's tournament will take place in New Zealand.

RTÉ chiefs have expressed delight at securing the broadcast rights to next year’s Rugby World Cup.

ITV has been awarded host broadcasting rights for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.

International Rugby Board officials are confident that preparations for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand are on track despite the financial uncertainties arising from the current global economic crisis.

IRELAND head coach Declan Kidney has placed an emphasis on youth for this week’s training camp in Belfast, but insists that many of the older brigade have not been “discarded”.

A record number of countries are set to make official bids for hosting the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup tournaments.

Samoa were yesterday announced as the 12th and final participants in the 2006 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which will be staged in Edmonton, Canada, next September.

Japan, New Zealand and South Africa have been confirmed as the candidates to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

IRELAND will open their 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign against an African qualifier in Bordeaux on September 9.

Ireland will open their World Cup campaign against an African qualifier in Bordeaux on September 9, 2007 where they also play Europe 3, with their key Pool D game against France scheduled for Stade de France and a game against Americas 1 taking place at Parc des Princes.

Japan, New Zealand and South Africa have confirmed their intention to tender for the right to host Rugby World Cup 2011, the International Rugby Board announced today.

John O’Neill, managing director of the Australian Rugby Union, has denied the Wallabies deliberately made things hard for New Zealand so they could grab exclusive rights to the World Cup next year.