World Rugby

Former British Lions captain Sam Warburton even went as far as to suggest that "if something isn't done soon, a professional player will die during a game in front of TV cameras."

That theme has been picked up by five Lions legends, who sent an open letter to World Rugby demanding that the substitution rules are scrapped before it's too late.

Two of the laws have already been trialed in Super Rugby this year, the goal-line drop out, which has been seen in Super Rugby Aotearoa and trans-Tasman - and the 50m line to 22m line kick, which was used in Super Rugby AU.

World Rugby believes both have the potential to increase space and decrease defensive line speed.

Three trials focus specifically on reducing injury risk at the breakdown.

Looking to make a statement after managing only a 50 per cent win record last year, New Zealand ran in 16 tries against a team boasting fewer combined test caps than All Blacks skipper Sam Whitelock alone.

Tonga, featuring 13 debutants in their matchday 23 after Covid-19 travel restrictions deprived them of their Europe-based players, were simply outgunned and outsmarted in a mismatch of a contest.

The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika were announced in November as New Zealand Rugby's preferred partners to join an expanded 12-team competition in 2022, subject to a range of conditions.

World Rugby's Executive Committee has approved a $2.36m annual funding package for an initial three-year period to support the two franchises, subject to NZR Board approval and key conditions being met.

Both franchises will also be supported by their respective unions and private equity funding.

A three-year research project involving more than a thousand professional men's rugby players found the biomarkers can show if a player is concussed, and also how a player's body is responding to the trauma several hours to several days later.

"Crucially, the differences in the salivary concentration of these biomarkers are measurable within minutes of injury, which means we can make rapid diagnoses," said Antonio Belli, a professor of trauma neurosurgery at Birmingham University who co-led the study.

That's the message from two Pacific Island rugby stars who know a thing or two about being proud to represent their dual heritage.

Tim Nanai-Williams grew up in South Auckland dreaming of one day pulling on the All Blacks jersey. He got closer than most, turning out for the New Zealand Sevens team in 2008 and 2009.

But the former Chiefs utility back was able to switch his international allegiance in 2015 via the "Olympic loophole", after to make himself eligible for the Manu Samoa fifteen-a-side team.

WXV is a three-tier tournament beginning in 2023 that aims to boost depth ahead of an expanded 16-team World Cup in 2025.

Fiji Rugby CEO John O'Connor said they were excited for the Fijiana to play more international matches.

"Where we are in the competition will depend mostly on how we perform in the World Cup. It's a blessing the World Cup has been moved to 2022," he said.

World Rugby is investing 12.4 million dollars in a three-tier tournament from 2023 which will help improve depth ahead of the expanded 16-team World Cup in 2025.

New Zealand would take part in a cross-regional tournament featuring Oceania and North American teams in June with the top three then joining the top three Eurpoean teams in a global event in September-October.

Cate Sexton, New Zealand Rugby's head of women's rugby development, says that sort of commitment would warrant contracting players.

Neville was serving as the television match official in England’s win over France at Twickenham on Saturday. She played a major role in the outcome of the match by overturning referee Andrew Brace’s no try decision in the final minutes of the match and awarding Maro Itoje a try. This is a decision that many people have viewed as the right call.

It also announced a funding package of $3.9 million to assist unions hit by the postponement.

The ninth edition of the tournament was scheduled to be hosted in Auckland and Whangarei from 18 September to 16 October but World Rugby said last week it would be difficult to host the event as planned.

More than 600 players, staff and tournament personnel were expected to travel for the event, leading to risk surrounding safe and reliable travel among other problems.