Former Premiership club Wasps have moved a step closer to a return to professional rugby by securing land to build a new stadium in Kent.

 

The six-time Premiership title winners were relegated after going into administration two years ago with debts of £95m.

 

They were then subsequently barred from competing in the Championship last season but have applied to re-enter the second tier for 2025-26.

 

Club owner Christopher Holland said the club had secured a 10-year option on land as part of a wider development scheme in Swanley, Kent.

 

"It is rewarding that we have managed to achieve this milestone with the support of key stakeholders," he said.

 

"It brings our aspiration of a new home in the region closer and hopefully demonstrates our determination to recover Wasps sustainably."

Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams has been ruled out of the Autumn Nations Series match against Australia in Cardiff on Sunday.

 

The Gloucester half-back suffered a shoulder injury in the 24-19 defeat against Fiji and is replaced by Cardiff's Ellis Bevan.

 

Head coach Warren Gatland has made four changes as Wales bid to avoid a record 11th consecutive international defeat.

 

Scarlets wing Tom Rogers replaces the injured Mason Grady, while flankers Jac Morgan and James Botham come in for Taine Plumtree and Tommy Reffell.

 

Dragons scrum-half Rhodri Williams, 31, is named on the replacements' bench, more than 10 years since winning his last cap.

Scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and full-back Freddie Steward start for England against South Africa as head coach Steve Borthwick makes four changes to his starting XV.

 

The Leicester pair have yet to feature in the Autumn Nations Series but come straight into the line-up in place of Ben Spencer and George Furbank.

 

Ollie Sleightholme makes his first England start on the wing in place of the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, while Sam Underhill comes in for Tom Curry, who is also missing with concussion.

 

Sleightholme is rewarded with a maiden Test start after scoring his first international tries in the defeat by Australia, as Tom Roebuck is named on the bench.

 

England, beaten 16-15 by South Africa in their 2023 World Cup semi-final, host the world champions looking for a first home win since the Six Nations in April.

Wales sank to an all-time results low in their 143-year international rugby history with a record defeat by Australia in Cardiff.

 

The embarrassing loss will leave the position of head coach Warren Gatland under scrutiny as he guided his side to a record 11th consecutive international defeat.

Maro Itoje says playing for England is "the Mecca" for him and his team-mates after reports a rebel breakaway league is attempting to sign up the game's superstars.

 

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has a policy of only selecting players for the national team from English clubs, meaning joining any global start-up competition would put a Test career on hold.

 

"I don't really know any of the details of it as yet, but wearing this rose is extremely important to me and my team-mates," said Itoje, who added that he first heard of a potential breakaway league via media reports.

Saracens full-back Alex Goode will have surgery this week on a quad injury keeping him out for up to three months.

 

The 36-year-old picked up the injury during the warm-up before their narrow defeat by Leicester on 26 October.

 

The club said Goode, who has played in five of their Premiership matches so far this season, is expected to be out for 10 to 12 weeks.