CARDIFF - Gareth Thomas says he is working harder than at any time in his career as he gets to grips with rugby league. The 35-year-old former Wales and Lions star is undertaking a crash course in the 13-man code as he prepares to make his debut against Catalans Dragons at the Racecourse on Friday...

LONDON - England flanker James Haskell attempted to set the record straight on Monday night after he was caught in the middle of a club-versus-country row. The 24-year-old expressed his regret that a "misunderstanding" occurred between England and Stade Francais over contractual clauses covering...

PARIS - France have called Dimitri Yachvili into their squad for the RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy after Frederic Michalak was forced out by a knee injury. Fly-half Michalak was forced off after injuring himself when tackling Scotland back Hugo Southwell in the second minute of Toulouse's 29-0...

WELLINGTON - Former Leeds and Castleford stand-off Tony Kemp has been appointed full-time team manager with New Zealand. The ex-Wakefield Wildcats coach takes over from Gordon Gibbons as part of a re-shuffle of the Kiwis management team. World Cup-winning coach Stephen Kearney will again have...

DUBLIN - Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery will miss the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after losing his appeal against a six-week ban for kicking France wing Alexis Palisson. Flannery pleaded guilty to the charge at an independent disciplinary hearing in Dublin last month and was ruled out of...

LONDON - England lock Simon Shaw faces an anxious wait to discover the severity of the shoulder injury he suffered during Saturday's RBS 6 Nations defeat by Ireland. Shaw saw a specialist yesterday and the results of the review and a scan of his left a/c joint will be discussed by the England and...

TWICKENHAM — Tommy Bowe scored a late try to give Ireland a 20-16 win over England on Saturday and keep alive his country's faint hopes of retaining its Six Nations title.Jonny Wilkinson had just kicked England into the lead for the first time at 16-13 when Bowe broke the defensive line from a...

DUBLIN - Ireland coach Declan Kidney refuses to buy into talk of England's decline heading into Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash at Twickenham. Martin Johnson's side have taken a pummelling in the wake of their dismal 17-12 victory over Italy with critics rounding on their one-dimensional...

DUBLIN - Geordan Murphy has been included in a 32-man squad named by Ireland ahead of Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with England. Murphy has not played for Ireland since helping them complete the Grand Slam against Wales last March. The 31-year-old has been restricted to just three Guinness...

ROME - Italy genuinely believe they took a big step forward in the RBS 6 Nations despite falling to England in Rome on Sunday. The Azzurri got four Mirco Bergamasco penalties and only trailed 14-12 in the closing minutes before suffering a 17-12 defeat. "We are convinced of our potential and...