All Blacks coach Graham Henry has come under increasing scrutiny. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
The presence of English referee Wayne Barnes in South Africa this week has offered Graham Henry a much-needed diversion from speculation about his own future. While public opinion in New Zealand was divided about Henry’s reappointment after last year’s World Cup failure, [...]

South Africa players celebrate victory after Ricky Januarie’s try. Photograph: Ross Land/Getty Images
The world champions are back on track, but this win required an individual try out of nothing from Ricky Januarie with five minutes to go while they were down to 14 men. Victor Matfield, stand-in skipper in the absence of John Smit, had [...]

Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown have been fined and reprimanded. Photographs: David Rogers/Getty Images
Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown have been fined and reprimanded after being found guilty of misconduct on England’s recent tour of New Zealand, following a report by Judge Jeff Blackett, the disciplinary officer of the Rugby Football Union. Ojo was fined £500 [...]

Johnson called up former New Zealand Maori Riki Flutey to the England squad. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images
Mike Tindall and Ben Kay have been dropped from the senior England squad announced by new team manager Martin Johnson. However, the former New Zealand Maori Riki Flutey has been included as one of four uncapped players.
Tindall and [...]

England coach Tony Smith is shaping his side for the World Cup this autumn. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Friday morning in Toulouse and after some violent overnight thunderstorms the anticipation is building for what promises to be a full-blooded international tonight. There will be plenty more chances to say that this year, with autumn’s World Cup rushing [...]

Danny Care. Photograph: Ross Land/Getty Images
Martin Johnson did not exactly pick his moment when he turned up in Swansea on Sunday to watch the previously all-conquering England Under-20s in the junior world championship final against New Zealand.The England team manager’s hope for some relief after running up a huge telephone bill finding out what was [...]

The England manager didn’t like the look of the Kiwis’ tactics. Photographer: David Rogers/Getty Images
England have a struggle on their hands if they wish to level their two-Test series with the All Blacks and the task became still harder today. Losing Andrew Sheridan with a lacerated eyelid has deprived the tourists of their biggest forward [...]

An eye injury may rule Andrew Sheridan out of second Test. David Rogers/Getty Images.
Andrew Sheridan is a doubt for England’s second Test against the All Blacks after suffering a cut above an eye during his side’s chastening defeat in Auckland.
The Sale prop will have further tests tomorrow to determine whether the injury, sustained during [...]

Matt Burke in action for the Falcons. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
The Newcastle Falcons full-back Matthew Burke is retiring from the game after failing to recover fully from a knee injury. Burke, a World Cup winner with Australia in 1999, has spent the last seven months trying to overcome a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament.
“I thoroughly [...]