Rugby

BRISTOL, England (AP) — U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher made her debut for the Bristol Bears women's team in front of a record home crowd of 9,240 fans on Sunday.

BRISTOL, England (AP) — Ticket sales have broken a record ahead of U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher making her debut for the Bristol Bears women's team.

Steve Meehan acknowledges his own rugby playing career "wasn't too flash." An injury in his first year out of school caused his shoulder to repeatedly pop out of place. "It brought a bit of a sudden halt to things," he said.

LONDON (AP) — Bill Beaumont was named interim chairman of the England Rugby Football Union on Friday, hours after Tom Ilube resigned because of an outcry over executive payouts.

Australian Steve Meehan has been named coach of the Canadian men's rugby team, succeeding Kingsley Jones.

VANCOUVER — The Canadian men's team will be part of the Vancouver Sevens, competing in an invitational event in conjunction with the HSBC SVNS stop in February.

ALNWICK, England (AP) — A body was found Thursday in the search for former England rugby international Tom Voyce, who went missing after trying to drive across a flood-swollen river.

SYDNEY (AP) — A team from rugby league hotspot Papua New Guinea will enter the National Rugby League beginning in 2028 after officially being granted a license on Thursday.

SYDNEY (AP) — A team from rugby league hotspot Papua New Guinea will enter the National Rugby League from 2028 after officially being granted a license.

The Canadian women's rugby team is headed to the Southern Hemisphere in May to defend its Pacific Four Series title. The second-ranked Canadians will face No. 3 New Zealand on May 17 in Christchurch and No. 5 Australia on May 24 in Brisbane.