Rugby

PERTH, Australia — The Canadian women's rugby sevens team has made the Cup quarterfinals of the HSBC Perth Sevens, bouncing back from a narrow 14-12 loss to Britain to defeat South Africa 26-7 on the first day of play Friday.

PARIS (AP) — Owen Farrell might have played his last game for England after agreeing to move to French rugby club Racing 92 on a two-year deal.

Maddy Grant and Breanne Nicholas return to the Canadian women's rugby sevens side for the HSBC SVNS in Perth, Australia, later this month. Grant was with the Canadian 15s team at the WXV tournament in New Zealand in the fall.

Phil Mack, a veteran of both the national sevens and 15s sides, has been named attack coach for the Canadian 15s men's rugby team.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — World Cup-winning Springboks rugby player Elton Jantjies has been handed a four-year ban after testing positive for a banned substance, South Africa’s anti-doping body said Thursday.

PARIS (AP) — Backrow specialist Grégory Alldritt will replace star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont as captain for France's upcoming Six Nations campaign, with Dupont left out because he's playing rugby 7s at the Paris Olympics this summer.

LONDON (AP) — Jamie George was named on Wednesday as England's captain for the upcoming Six Nations rugby championship, with the hooker taking the role following Owen Farrell’s decision to sit out the tournament to prioritize his and his family’s men

VANCOUVER — Thomas Isherwood is instantly recognizable, whether on the training pitch or the rugby field. The mullet ensures that. "I’m one of those free flowing guys," the Canadian men's rugby sevens player said before practice last Friday.

GLOUCESTER, England — Wales rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, one of the world's most exciting players, is quitting the sport to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.

LONDON (AP) — The British and Irish Lions has launched a women's team, with its first tour coming in 2027 in New Zealand.