Warren Gatland will become just the second man to lead three British and Irish Lions Tours after he was announced head coach for the Tour of South Africa in 2021.

Does he ever shut up?

 

Sacked Australia full-back Israel Folau says "the devil" is trying to influence the debate over transgender rights.

 

Folau, 30, is taking legal action after having his Rugby Australia contract terminated over a social media post saying "hell awaits" gay people.

 

In a church sermon on Sunday, he again criticised homosexuality.

 

Folau also said "kids in primary school" were being allowed to "change their gender" because the government was taking away input from parents.

Champions Cup 2019-20 draw

 

Pool One: Leinster, Lyon, Northampton Saints, Benetton

Pool Two: Exeter Chiefs, Glasgow Warriors, La Rochelle, Sale Sharks

Pool Three: ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ulster Rugby, Harlequins, Bath

Pool Four: Saracens, Munster, Racing 92, Ospreys

Pool Five: Toulouse, Gloucester, Connacht, Montpellier

 

 

Challenge Cup 2019-20 draw

 

Pool One: Castres Olympique, Worcester Warriors, Dragons, Enisei-STM

Pool Two: Scarlets, RC Toulon, London Irish, Bayonne

Pool Three: Wasps, Edinburgh Rugby, Bordeaux-Begles, Agen

Pool Four: Stade Francais Paris, Bristol Bears, Zebre Rugby Club, Brive

Pool Five: Cardiff Blues, Leicester Tigers, Pau, Rugby Calvisano

London Broncos climbed off the bottom of Super League at the expense of Hull KR with a third straight win by 26-24.

Leaders St Helens were made to work for their 17th Super League win in 2019 but had enough quality to come out 36-10 winners against Leeds.

Leicester Tigers has put itself up for sale and is seeking a price of about £60m.

 

The move follows private equity firm CVC's investment in the sport in December, which the club says has led to several approaches from new investors.

St Helens came from behind to beat closest rivals Warrington in an intense game to go eight points clear at the top of Super League by 21-10.

Joe Marler has come out of international retirement and been named in England's World Cup training squad.

 

The 29-year-old Harlequins prop retired from England duty in September 2018 having won 59 caps.

 

But he has reversed that decision and is included in a 35-man training squad for this year's tournament in Japan.

Opening Premiership fixtures

 

Bristol v Bath (19:45 BST, Friday, 18 October)

Exeter v Harlequins (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)

Sale v Gloucester (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)

Saracens v Northampton (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)

Worcester v Leicester (15:00 BST, Saturday, 19 October)

Wasps v London Irish (15:00 BST, Sunday, 20 October)

Super League leaders St Helens easily pulled off their third derby win of the season to beat in-form Wigan Warriors and move 10 points clear at the top by winning 32-10.

Great Britain will play in both the men's and women's Olympic Sevens in Tokyo next year after England won their qualifying tournaments.

 

England were nominated as the chosen home nation to represent GB in the qualification events, and the women's team beat France to reach the final.

 

They then saw off hosts Russia 19-0 in Kazan to win the tournament.

 

In the men's event in Colomiers, England also faced the hosts in the final, beating France 31-7.

Billy Vunipola says he is determined not to disrupt England's World Cup preparations and regrets the impact on his Saracens team-mates after defending Israel Folau's anti-gay comments.

 

In April, Vunipola, 26, was warned by the Rugby Football Union for his support of Australian Folau's post which said "hell awaits" gay people.

Liam Farrell scored a hat-trick to help Wigan move to fourth in Super League with an eight-try win against a beleaguered Wakefield Trinity side by 46-16.

New Zealand held off a spirited Argentina to claim victory in their first Rugby Championship match of the season in Buenos Aires by 20-16.

Danny Cipriani has been left out of England's latest training camp in Treviso, Italy.

 

The Gloucester fly-half was named in the official World Cup training squad earlier this month.

 

But the Premiership player of the year is not among a 38-man group travelling to Italy on Monday for a 12-day camp.

 

"We have left some good players doing work at their clubs and they must be ready if called up," said head coach Eddie Jones.

St Helens head coach Justin Holbrook is expected to be named the new coach of the Gold Coast Titans in Australia's NRL within the next 24 hours.

 

Holbrook, 43, who joined Saints in 2017, has guided them to a first Challenge Cup final in 11 years after they overcame part-time Championship side Halifax on Saturday.

 

The Merseyside club are also 10 points clear at the top of the Super League.

 

Holbrook is expected to see out the rest of this season with Saints.

Bradford hooker George Flanagan could be banned for more than eight games after being charged with a Grade F 'attack to the testicles' in Saturday's Championship loss to Toronto Wolfpack.

 

The 32-year-old appeared to make contact with Toronto full-back Hakim Miloudi in a tackle on 31 minutes.

Bradford hooker George Flanagan has been banned for eight games for a Grade F "attack to the testicles" in his side's Championship loss to Toronto on 4 August.

 

At the independent tribunal hearing, the 32-year-old was deemed to have made contact with Toronto full-back Hakim Miloudi while making a tackle.

 

Flanagan has also been fined £250 and will miss the rest of the season.

 

In addition, the ex-Hunslet player will miss the opening five games next term.

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Challenge Cup finalists Warrington suffered a fifth straight Super League defeat as they lost to Wigan for the first time in four meetings in 2019 by 20-6.