Tag - rugby

 
 

RUGBY

Bristol's Ilona Maher poses for selfies with fans after a match in Bristol, Britain, on Jan. 5.
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Jan 16, 2025
Ilona Maher urges rugby to do more to grow game ahead of Women's Rugby World Cup
Maher urged rugby to break free from its self-imposed shackles.
Australia's Michael Hooper during the 2019 World Cup in Oita.
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Jan 15, 2025
Wallabies great Michael Hooper set for comeback with Japan move
The 33-year-old played the last of his 125 test matches in 2023 before being unceremoniously axed by then-coach Eddie Jones.
Bristol's Ilona Maher (left) takes a selfie with fans after her first match with the team on Jan. 5.
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Jan 13, 2025
Ilona Maher shines in first start for Bristol
Her arrival at Bristol has boosted replica shirt sales, while the club's Instagram following has soared from 21,000 to 67,000.
Bristol Bears' Ilona Maher takes a selfie with fans after a match against Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday in Bristol, England.
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Jan 7, 2025
Rugby 'superstar' Maher on a mission to promote women's game
The 28-year-old has signed a three-month contract with English women's Premiership side Bristol.
U.S. star Ilona Maher has the largest social media following of anyone in rugby.
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Jan 2, 2025
World Rugby chief says U.S. star Ilona Maher will help fuel World Cup fever
The versatile American back — a breakout star at the 2024 Paris Olympics —  is the world's most popular rugby player on social media
National team great Michael Leitch participates in the Japan Rugby League One season-opening news conference on Dec. 9.
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Dec 20, 2024
Japan Rugby League One plays leading role through tough days in Japanese rugby
At the JRLO’s official 2024-25 season kickoff press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 9, the mood could only be described as festive and upbeat.
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
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Nov 19, 2024
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
Up to 17 teams are slated to join this year’s Asian Japanese Rugby Cup tournament in Malaysia on Dec. 14.
England's women's rugby players celebrate after a match against New Zealand at Twickenham Stadium in London on Sept. 14.
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Oct 22, 2024
England to face United States in women's Rugby World Cup opener
The match will take place at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on Aug. 22.
Scotland's Richie Gray during a Rugby World Cup 2023 clash against South Africa in Marseille, France, in September 2023.
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Oct 15, 2024
Scotland lock Gray signs for Toyota Verblitz
The 35-year-old lock has been capped 79 times for his country and featured on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2013.
South Africa's Kurt-Lee Arendse scores in a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal match against France in Saint-Denis, France, on Oct. 15, 2023.
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Oct 8, 2024
Springbok Arendse signs for Japan's Dynaboars
The 28-year-old former Sevens flyer joins the Dynaboars on sabbatical from the Pretoria-based Bulls.
South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth (back left), flanker Siya Kolisi (left, front) and their teammates celebrate after the Springboks secured the Rugby Championship with a win over Argentina on Saturday in Mbombela, South Africa.
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Sep 29, 2024
Kolisi hails record-breaking Etzebeth as Springboks exact revenge
Etzebeth, 32, played the entire 80 minutes in Mbombela as he overtook Victor Matfield and became the most capped Springbok with 128 caps.
Argentina's Joel Sclavi (left), Ignacio Calles (center) and Thomas Gallo celebrate after Los Pumas defeated the Springboks on Saturday.
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Sep 22, 2024
Argentina stuns South Africa in 29-28 win to keep title hopes alive
Flyhalf Tomas Albornoz kicked a penalty 11 minutes from the end to hand Argentina a thrilling 29-28 victory over South Africa.
South Africa loose forward Kwagga Smith scores a try during the Rugby Championship Test match between South Africa and New Zealand in Johannesburg on Aug. 31.
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Sep 17, 2024
Springboks wary of Argentina menace in Rugby Championship showdown
Victory in Santiago del Estero will ensure a fifth title for South Africa and a first since 2019.
Katsuya Hashimoto scored 19 tries for Japan as the team recorded a 48-41 win over the United States to secure the wheelchair rugby gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics on Monday.
PARALYMPICS
Sep 3, 2024
Japan eases past U.S. for first Paralympic wheelchair rugby gold
Katsuya Hashimoto scored 19 tries for Japan, which had secured bronze in the past two Games.
New Zealand's Ngarohi McGarvey-Black tackles Japan's Kippei Ishida during their rugby sevens match at the Paris Olympics in Saint-Denis, France, on Wednesday.
OLYMPICS / Rugby
Jul 25, 2024
Japan falls to New Zealand on first day of rugby sevens tournament at Paris Olympics
Japan lost in a blowout in its opening game at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
U.S. rugby player Ilona Maher poses for a portrait during the Team USA media summit ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, at an event in New York on April 15.
BUSINESS
Jul 24, 2024
Athlete influencers compete for likes as well as medals in Paris
In years past, athletes might have needed a manager to negotiate deals with brands. Now, a company will reach out directly to strike a deal.
Members of the New Zealand team huddle before the Rugby World Cup 2023 final against South Africa in Saint-Denis, France, on Oct. 28.
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May 28, 2024
New Zealand Rugby set for pivotal vote after breakaway threat
Powerbrokers will vote for one of two proposals about a new leadership structure for the national governing body for rugby.
Japan's Hanako Utsumi is tackled by Fiji's Adi vani Buleki during a women's rugby sevens quarterfinal match at the HSBC Rugby Sevens Singapore tournament in Singapore on May 4.
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May 24, 2024
Women's rugby in Japan braces for a boom
The club game is getting stronger as teams move toward a more professionalized model.
Ian Foster, then-New Zealand head coach, during training in Paris on Oct. 13
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Apr 16, 2024
Former All Blacks coach Foster makes Japan move
Ian Foster has not coached since leading the All Blacks to last year's World Cup final, where they lost 12-11 to South Africa.
Wales' Louis Rees-Zammit competes during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
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Apr 11, 2024
Rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit knows NFL dream with Chiefs can end at any point
Rees-Zammit said in January he was leaving rugby union to explore an NFL career and became part of the NFL International Player Pathway Program.

Longform

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick