St Helens thrashed an injury-ravaged Huddersfield Giants side with a devastating nine-try display by 54-6.

Bristol Bears reached the last four of the European Challenge Cup after a 56-17 victory over Dragons at Ashton Gate.

 

Pat Lam's team recovered from a poor start to book a semi-final meeting with either Bordeaux-Begles or Edinburgh.

Sale win the Premiership Rugby Cup final, beating Harlequins 27-19.

Finn Russell returns to the Scotland squad after missing the Six Nations matches in February and March for a breach of team protocol.

 

 

The star fly-half is joined by uncapped trio Scott Steele, Oli Kebble and Duhan van der Merwe, with the latter two qualifying on residency grounds.

 

Back row Blair Cowan, 34, is selected by head coach Gregor Townsend four-and-a-half years after his last cap.

 

Experienced Glasgow Warriors lock Richie Gray also makes the 40-man pool.

 

Gray, with 55 caps, has been dogged by injuries in recent years and has made one international appearance as a replacement since 2017.

 

Wasps flanker Jack Willis has been voted players' player of the year at the Rugby Players' Association awards.

 

The 23-year-old won the award four days after putting in a man-of-the-match performance in Wasps' Premiership semi-final victory against Bristol.

 

He was also shortlisted for the young player of the year award, but lost out to Gloucester's Louis Rees-Zammit.

 

Sale flanker Tom Curry was named England men's player of the year while Zoe Aldcroft took the women's award.

 

Aldcroft, who plays her club rugby for Gloucester-Hartpury, said she was "over the moon" to be recognised by team-mates in such a way.

England won the Six Nations after France beat Ireland on a thrilling final day of the delayed tournament.

 

Eddie Jones' side had claimed a bonus-point win against Italy earlier on Saturday but faced a tense wait as both teams in the day's final fixture attempted to take the title.

 

England's first title since 2017 was confirmed by France's 35-27 victory.

 

Ireland, who would have taken the crown if they had beaten France by six points or more, led 10-7 at one point.

Fly-half George Ford will start on the bench as he returns from injury in England's second Autumn Nations Cup match against Ireland, with captain Owen Farrell keeping the 10 shirt.

 

Head coach Eddie Jones has previously preferred Ford at 10 with Farrell at 12 when the pair are both fit.

England number eight Billy Vunipola says he is expecting a tough battle against an "in your face" Ireland team in Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup match.

Twickenham will host 2,000 fans for England's final Autumn Nations Cup match on 6 December, with 400 seats gifted to NHS workers, the Rugby Football Union has confirmed.

 

Six hundred tickets will be given to players' families, local rugby clubs and sponsors, while 1,000 will be sold.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has backed plans for South Africa's four Super Rugby sides to join the Pro14, which would become the Pro16.

 

 

With South African teams Cheetahs and Southern Kings bowing out of the competition at the end of last season, there are currently only 12 sides competing in the league.

 

Owen Farrell finally found his kicking boots to land a sudden-death penalty and subdue a stand-in France to win the Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham.

 

Pre-match favourites England needed a last-minute try from Luke-Cowan Dickie to take the contest to sudden death.

Head coach Gregor Townsend is "honoured and privileged" to sign a two-year contract extension that will see him lead Scotland at the 2023 World Cup.

 

Having taken charge in 2017, Townsend's six-year tenure will make him Scotland's longest-serving head coach of the professional era.

 

The 82-cap former player has won 22 and drawn one of his 40 Tests at the helm.

 

Townsend, 47, says Scotland's "progress on and off the field" in the past year gives him "real grounds for optimism".

Rugby league legend Rob Burrow is made an MBE for services to rugby and his awareness campaign since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.