Danny Care has been recalled to Eddie Jones' England squad for the first time since 2018.

Billy Vunipola and Danny Care have been named alongside eight uncapped players in England's squad for their three-Test tour in Australia next month.

 

Harlequins number eight Alex Dombrandt is injured so Vunipola, who last played in the 2021 Six Nations, returns.

 

Scrum-half Care is named but England's most capped male player, Ben Youngs, does not travel with the squad.

 

The first Test is in Perth on 2 July, followed by matches in Brisbane on 9 July and Sydney on 16 July.

Boo, the England v Barbarians match was on Amazon Prime.

France scored six tries as rusty Wales were outclassed in their first game in nearly four years in Albi by 34-10.

 

 

Spain's appeal against their disqualification from the 2023 Rugby World Cup has been dismissed.

 

They clinched a World Cup spot for the first time in 24 years in March, but were later stripped of their place after World Rugby deemed they used an ineligible player - Gavin van den Berg - during qualification.

 

It is the second successive World Cup at which Spain have lost their place, both times for the same offence.

 

They will be replaced by Romania.

Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan says his side are expecting to meet a fired-up New Zealand who are out for revenge when the sides meet at Eden Park on Saturday in the first of three Tests.

 

Nearly eight months have passed since Ireland claimed a rousing 29-20 win over the All Blacks in Dublin.

 

New Zealand have not played since that northern hemisphere tour last November.

 

"I'm sure they want to get a bit of revenge on us for winning over at the Aviva," said Sheehan.

 

"That's the same as any team - after they lose they want to come back and win. We're expecting a reaction from them but our motivation is at the top level as well."

 

Auckland's Eden Park has long been a fortress for the All Blacks, who have won their past 46 Tests at the venue in a remarkable run stretching back to 1994.

England held off Australia to seal a series win, with Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith's tries either side of half-time proving decisive.

 

The tourists started slowly and were 10-3 adrift towards the end of the first half following Tom Wright's try.

 

But Steward stretched over from short range to snatch the lead before Smith grabbed a loose ball and sprinted in.

 

Folau Fainga'a burrowed over but England's defence stood firm against late pressure to keep the hosts at bay.

I think, Ireland are now number 1 in the world.

 

Which is an awesome achievement.

Gloucester lock Ed Slater has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) and has retired from rugby union with immediate effect.

 

Slater, 33, was diagnosed last week following six months of testing.

 

He made three appearances for Gloucester in the Premiership last season, the most recent in January.

 

A statement from the club said they were "entirely committed to supporting Ed, his wife Jo and his three children in whatever way required".

 

Slater joined the Cherry and Whites in 2017 from Leicester Tigers and had made 78 appearances for the club in the Premiership.

Leeds cancelled out Wigan's free-scoring attack while racking up points themselves to record a victory which breathed life into their Super League play-off hopes at a raucous Headingley by 42-12.

New Zealand international Kevin Proctor has been sacked by National Rugby League side Gold Coast Titans after vaping in a toilet cubicle during their defeat by Canterbury on Sunday.

 

The 33-year-old posted a video of himself vaping on social media.

 

Proctor was not playing in the match, which the Titans lost 36-26, but was part of the game-day squad.

 

A Titans statement said Proctor had been "released from his commitments for the remainder of the year".

 

Second-row forward Proctor, who has played for the Titans since 2017, has been capped 22 times by New Zealand.

 

Vaping is banned in Australian stadiums and NRL players are not allowed to have their phones with them during a match.

New Zealand fell to a fifth defeat in their last six Tests as they lost 26-10 against South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener in Nelspruit.

 

Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was later sent off, crossed for the first try.

 

Handre Pollard kicked the Springboks 19-3 ahead but Shannon Frizell reduced the deficit with a late try.

 

As the All Blacks pushed for another, substitute Willie le Roux scored with the penultimate play of the game and Pollard kicked the final conversion.

Toulouse's Super League survival hopes were dealt a significant blow by a rampant Wigan that edged closer to a top-two finish in the table.

 

The French side were four points adrift at the bottom before the game and this loss and Wakefield's victory means they must win their three remaining games.

 

Wigan bounced back resoundingly from the shock loss at Wakefield last week, helped by Bevan French's hat-trick.

 

Matty Russell's try was a rare bright note on a tough night for Toulouse.

 

Sylvain Houles' side could mathematically be relegated by fellow French side Catalans Dragons on Thursday.

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Cardiff Rugby and Munster's United Rugby Championship fixture has been pushed back a day to Saturday.

 

The fixture, due to take place on Friday, coincided with the visit of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, to the Welsh capital.

 

A URC statement said hosting the match at the original time presented "significant logistical challenges".

England's Alex Walmsley has been ruled out of the Rugby League World Cup with a foot injury.

 

The St Helens prop, 32, sustained the injury in the Super League defeat by Wigan Warriors in August and will miss the rest of the season.

 

Initial scans suggested Walmsley would be out for a short period, but further test results showed a longer recovery time.

Worcester Warriors confirm they are close to agreeing a sale of the club.

 

New Zealand snatched a controversial win over Australia as Jordie Barrett's 81st-minute try put them in pole position in the Rugby Championship.

 

Australia had fought back from 18 points down to take the lead via Nic White's long-range 77th-minute penalty.

 

When Lalakai Foketi secured a turnover penalty in front of his own posts, it seemed the hosts had claimed the win.

 

But referee Mathieu Raynal reversed his call for time-wasting to give New Zealand the chance to land a late blow.

Worcester Warriors say a letter suggesting the club had been put into administration was sent out in error by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

 

Warriors issued a statement saying it was not true and the DCMS had apologised for the "distress and anxiety caused".

 

The Premiership club are still waiting to finalise a deal with a new investor.

 

Warriors' owners agreed the terms of the sale on Tuesday.

 

Worcester's future has been in doubt for weeks since they revealed they were in dialogue with HMRC about a winding-up petition over a £6m unpaid tax bill on 17 August. Total debts are reported to total £25m.

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