rugby – Page 19

Spain beat Australia, Scots upend England to open HK 7s

HONG KONG (AP) Fiji began its bid for a record fourth successive Hong Kong Sevens rugby title when it beat Pacific neighbor Samoa 31-12 on Friday.

Hurricanes edge Sharks 38-37 in Super Rugby

NAPIER, New Zealand (AP) Center Ngani Laumape scored a try in the sixth minute of injury time and flyhalf Ihaia West kicked the conversion as the Hurricanes staged a remarkable escape to the beat the Sharks 38-37 in Super Rugby on Friday.

Lions face big test from Stormers in Super Rugby

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The Johannesburg-based Lions will be aiming to defend a 19-match winning streak when they face the Cape Town-based Stormers in this weekend’s eighth round in Super Rugby.

Dragons, Warriors perfect after 4 rounds in Australia's NRL

SYDNEY (AP) St. George Illawarra beat Newcastle 30-12 Sunday to keep pace with the New Zealand Warriors as the only undefeated teams after four rounds in the National Rugby League.

Sharks crush Blues 63-40 in Super Rugby

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) Center Robert du Preez scored a try among his 38 points on Saturday as the Durban-based Sharks crushed the Auckland-based Blues 63-40 in Super Rugby.

Chiefs beat Highlanders 27-22 in Super Rugby

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) The Chiefs earned consecutive wins against the Highlanders by a nervous 27-22 scoreline in captain Sam Cane’s 100th Super Rugby match on Friday.

All Blacks prop Keith Murdoch dead at 74

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Keith Murdoch, an All Blacks prop who fled New Zealand after being sent home from a tour to Britain, has died in Australia aged 74, New Zealand Rugby said Friday.

England rugby international charged with abusing opponent

LONDON (AP) England rugby international Denny Solomona has been charged with verbally abusing an opponent during a club match.

Lions, Crusaders meet in final replay in Super Rugby

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The Johannesburg-based Lions and Christchurch-based Crusaders meet Sunday in a replay of last year’s Super Rugby final, although neither team is the force it was last year.

National Rugby League fines Manly for salary cap breaches

SYDNEY (AP) The National Rugby League has fined Manly 750,000 Australian dollars ($580,000) after finding the Sea Eagles guilty of salary cap breaches in Australia’s top-flight competition.

Cronk has hand in 7 tries in Roosters' NRL win vs Newcastle

SYDNEY (AP) Cooper Cronk had a hand in all seven of his side’s tries, leading the Sydney Roosters to a 38-8 win over Newcastle in Australia’s National Rugby League on Sunday.

Super Rugby: Hurricanes, Chiefs win early Saturday matches

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Center Vince Aso scored an acrobatic try in the 64th minute to help clinch a 29-12 win for the Hurricanes over the Highlanders on Saturday, ending the Highlanders’ three-match unbeaten start to the Super Rugby season.

World Rugby looking into controversial referee appointment

DUBLIN (AP) World Rugby is looking into the appointment of a Romanian referee for a crucial match between Spain and Belgium that determined whether Romania qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Wallabies back Hunt fined for "low-level" breach of conduct

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) Rugby Australia has issued Karmichael Hunt with a 10,000 Australian dollar ($7,700) fine and a four-match ban following his arrest last December, and has placed the star utility back on an illicit drug target testing program for 12 months.

Romania qualifies for 2019 Rugby World Cup after Spain loses

BRUSSELS (AP) Romania advanced to the Rugby World Cup again when Spain blew its chance and lost to Belgium 18-10 in European qualifiers on Sunday.

Late Wests try spoils Slater's 300th NRL game for Melbourne

SYDNEY (AP) Luke Brooks scored a late try to lead the Wests Tigers to a 10-8 win over defending champions Melbourne, spoiling Storm fullback Billy Slater’s 300th National Rugby League match.

Rebels suffer first loss of Super Rugby season

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) South Africa’s Lions took over as the new overall leaders of Super Rugby after the Melbourne-based Rebels suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday.

6N: Scotland beats Italy 29-27 with late Laidlaw penalty

ROME (AP) A Greig Laidlaw penalty just over a minute from time lifted Scotland over Italy 29-27 in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Highlanders beat Crusaders 25-17 in Super Rugby

DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) The defending champion Crusaders lost for the second match in a row in Super Rugby, beaten 25-17 by the Dunedin-based Highlanders on Saturday.

6N: Best says 'scummy Irish' comments just a sideshow

LONDON (AP) Ireland captain Rory Best insists Eddie Jones’ ”scummy Irish” comments are a mere sideshow to his team’s Six Nations Grand Slam-decider against England on Saturday at Twickenham.

Chiefs beat the Bulls 41-28 in Super Rugby

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) The Hamilton-based Chiefs rallied from 21-7 down in the first half to beat South Africa’s Bulls 41-28 in the only Super Rugby match Friday.

6N: World Rugby removes match official from England-Ireland

LONDON (AP) World Rugby has removed Marius van der Westhuizen as assistant referee for the Six Nations game between England and Ireland on Saturday because the South African attended an England training session this week.

6N: Hartley back among 7 changes for England vs Ireland

BAGSHOT, England (AP) Dylan Hartley has recovered from a calf injury and will captain a much-changed England in its Six Nations match against Grand Slam-chasing Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

6N: England-born Polledri to make Italy debut vs. Scotland

ROME (AP) Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri will make his Italy debut against Scotland in Rome in the Six Nations final round on Saturday.

Jones sorry for derogatory comments about Ireland, Wales

LONDON (AP) England rugby coach Eddie Jones has apologized for making derogatory remarks about Ireland and Wales during a sponsorship event in Japan last year.

6N: Bastareaud to lead France against Wales, Guirado injured

PARIS (AP) Center Mathieu Bastareaud will captain France against Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday after regular skipper Guilhem Guirado was ruled out because of a right knee injury.

Fiji beat Kenya 31-12 to win Canada Sevens

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Sevuloni Mocenacagi scored two tries as Fiji beat Kenya 31-12 in the final of the Canada Sevens rugby tournament Sunday to become the first team to win two titles in this season’s Sevens World Series.

Wales beats Italy 38-14 to go 2nd in Six Nations

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) Wales rose to second in the Six Nations after a mixture of new faces and returning veterans combined to give the hosts a convincing 38-14 victory over Italy on Sunday.

Melbourne begins defense of its NRL title with 1st-round win

SYDNEY (AP) Cameron Munster set up two tries in nine minutes late in the second half to give Melbourne a 36-18 win over the Canterbury Bulldogs, a successful start to the Storm’s defense of their National Rugby League title.

Rebels continue perfect start to Super Rugby season

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The Melbourne Rebels continued their perfect start to the new Super Rugby season by beating the ACT Brumbies to take over as the overall competition leaders for the first time after the Canterbury Crusaders and the Johannesburg-based Lions both suffered their first losses of the campaign.