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Michael Hooper copped a yellow card as his return to rugby union in Japan ended in a heavy loss. (HANDOUT/TOYOTA VERBLITZ)

Rugby UnionMichael Hooper's return to rugby no fairy-tale comeback

Ex-Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper made his return to professional rugby with Japanese club Verblitz but the game didn't go well for them.

Staff Writers

England's Maro Itoje lifts aloft the Calcutta Cup after their nerve-shredding win over Scotland. (AP PHOTO)

Rugby UnionPremiumEngland win Calcutta Cup after agonising Russell miss

Scotland's Finn Russell has missed a last-gasp conversion for victory, leaving England to celebrate regaining the Calcutta Cup with a 16-15 win at Twickenham.

Ed Elliot

Ireland's Dan Sheehan lifts the Triple Crown trophy in Cardiff after their win over Wales. (AP PHOTO)

Rugby UnionIreland beat Wales to win Six Nations triple crown

Ireland have completed a triple crown triumph over the other British Isles teams in the Six Nations with their hard-fought 27-18 win over improved Wales.

Staff Writers

Brazil's Thalia Da Silva Costa, one of their heroes in the sensational sevens win over Australia. (AP PHOTO)

Rugby UnionBrazil topple Aussie rugby women in sevens sensation

Australia's rugby sevens women, the World Series champions, have been beaten by Brazil in Vancouver in one of the game's great shocks.

Ian Chadband

Brandon Paenga-Amosa (L) and Western Force teammates celebrate their thrilling win the capital. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionPremiumForce hold on for famous win over Brumbies in Canberra

The Western Force have won their first Super Rugby match in Canberra in 5060 days, overcoming four yellow cards to hold out the ACT Brumbies 45-42.

Melissa Woods

Force players celebrate a try.

Rugby unionCommentsPremiumForce end 5000-day hoodoo with ANOTHER last-gasp win

For the second week in a row, Western Force have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, somehow staving off a Brumbies comeback to prevail 45-42 in a roller-coaster game at GIO Stadium.

Ben Smith

Scrumhalf Cam Roigard was among the Hurricanes' six tryscorers in a win over Fijian Drua. (Elias Rodriguez/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionHurricanes take try-scoring frenzy over Fijian Drua

The Hurricanes have scored a late try to cement a 38-34 Super Rugby Pacific victory over a willing Fijian Drua, with No.9 Cam Roigard a stand-out.

Melissa Woods

The Reds posted a 20-point win to begin their Super Rugby Pacific campaign in impressive fashion. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionImpressive Reds victory sealed with a Kiss from coach

The Queensland Reds scored eight tries in their impressive 56-36 Super Rugby Pacific win over Moana Pasifika, pleasing head coach Les Kiss.

Mohen Govender and Darren Walton

Darcy Swain will face his old side for the first time in a competitive environment on Saturday.

Rugby unionCommentsPremium‘Weird’ feelings, but Swain wired in for Brumbies return

Western Force lock Darcy Swain has admitted it will be weird when he steps out at GIO Stadium as a member of the opposition for the first time on Saturday.

Ben Smith

Michael Hooper is set to play his first game in Japan since coming out of retirement. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionFamiliar face becomes foe in Hooper's comeback game

Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is ready to return for his first 15-a-side rugby game since 2023, and he'll do it against a former green and gold coach.

Staff Writers

Soane Vikena is tackled by NSW's Taniela Tupou (l), who put in a big shift against the Highlanders. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionWaratahs' prized-signing Tupou training the house down

Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou is training so hard that NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has had to place him on a tight rein during the side's bye round.

Darren Walton

Nic White is writing exclusively for The West Australian.

opinion
opinion
RUGBY UNION CommentsPremium
opinion
NIC WHITE: The changes the Force have made to fix road woes

Our sports science team have been hard at work trying to find ways to help us win on the road. We can’t wait to put to test in Canberra, writes Western Force star and The West Australian columnist Nic White.

Nic White

Dan Sheehan will captain a much-changed ireland team against Wales in the Six Nations. (AP PHOTO)

Rugby UnionIreland's seven changes to face 6-Nations battler Wales

Six Nations front-runners Ireland have rung the changes in selecting their team to face winless Wales.

Staff Writers

Wallabies captain Harry Wilson has signed a new four-year deal to stay in Australian rugby. (Masanori Udagawa/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionWallabies skipper Wilson signs through 2029

Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson says he never spoke to another club before signing a new four-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Queensland Reds.

Staff Writers

Western Force coach Simon Cron says they cannot afford to be daunted by the Brumbies’ cavalry of Wallabies as they prepare to face Super Rugby Pacific’s Australian benchmark.

Rugby unionComments‘They’re always there’: Force prepared for Brumbies’ stars

Western Force coach Simon Cron says they cannot afford to be daunted by the Brumbies’ cavalry of Wallabies as they prepare to face Super Rugby Pacific’s Australian benchmark.

Ben Smith

Co-captain Tate McDermott says the Queensland Reds have a wealth of leadership to draw on. (Aaron Gillions/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionQueensland Reds backing their Super depth in title tilt

The Queensland Reds will open their 2025 Super Rugby Pacific title push against Moana Pasifika believing they have the depth to make a serious charge.

Darren Walton

Coach Dan McKellar says he's focusing solely on the Waratahs and not the Wallabies job. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionDan McKellar not publicly lobbying for Wallabies job

NSW Waratahs mentor and former Wallabies assistant Dan McKellar says he doesn't expect to be offered the Australian team coaching job to replace Joe Schmidt.

Darren Walton

Fraser McReight and the Reds have embraced the power of high performance psychology. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionThe brain hacks helping Wallabies star drive Reds' rise

Wallabies star Fraser McReight has tapped into the power of visualisation and other brain hacks as he attempts to lift the Reds to Super Rugby Pacific glory.

Murray Wenzel

Les Kiss's sole focus right now is on the Queensland Reds and not any future job with the Wallabies. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionDon't mention the Wallabies: Kiss focused on Reds only

Queensland Reds head coach Les Kiss has deflected questions on his Wallabies coaching aspirations ahead of the Super Rugby clash with Moana Pasifika.

Joel Gould

Prop Massimo De Lutiis will start for the Reds on Friday night. Stefan Ahfuni

Rugby UnionReds coach silent on Wallabies gig

He is considered among the favourites to coach the Wallabies after Joe Schmidt stands down, but Les Kiss is concentrating on the Queensland Reds.

Marco Monteverde

Reds prop Massimo De Lutiis has faced a long wait to make his Super Rugby Pacific debut. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionReds' muscle man De Lutiis given Super Rugby start

Queensland coach Les Kiss has backed Massimo De Lutiis to deliver after naming the super-strong 21-year-old to start in their Super Rugby Pacific opener.

Melissa Woods and Joel Gould

Fijian Drua captain Bitila Tawake preferred not to comment on the sacking of Laijipa Naulivou. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby Union'Gay problem': Fijian Drua move on after director axed

The Fijian Drua say they won't let the sacking of the country's head of women's rugby over her statements about a "gay problem" affect their 2025 campaign.

Darren Walton

Brandon Paenga-Amosa is set to make his Force debut.

Rugby unionCommentsPremiumWallabies rake primed for Force debut

Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa will make his Western Force debut against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium on Saturday as one of four changes to his side’s 23-man match-day squad.

Ben Smith

Maddison Levi is one of nine Sevens stars set to chase World Cup spots through Super Rugby Women. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)

Rugby UnionWallaroos brace for sevens challenge in Super Rugby

NSW Waratahs captain and Wallaroos flanker Piper Duck believes sevens players bidding to make the 2025 World Cup squad can only boost Australia's chances.

Darren Walton