The Kangaroos have secured a Rugby League World Cup semifinal spot after beating Fiji 36-22 at Lang Park in Brisbane. Tom Trbojevic scored a hat-trick of second-half tries after Fiji twice took the lead. Fijian five-eighth Kurt Donoghoe was named player of the match after setting up three tries. Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters said his side could play better. Australia will play the Jillaroos at the Sydney Football Stadium next Sunday.
The Wallaroos beat Scotland 38-31 in Canberra on Friday night, completing a three-game sweep of the Scottish side. The hosts led 14-0 early but trailed 17-14 at half-time before regaining control. Retiring centre Cecilia Smith was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, and she embraced her daughter Ruby after the match. Former captain Emily Chancellor signed off with a win in her 42nd Test. The Wallaroos now await the start of a full-time program next year under new coach Sione Fukofuka.
Medowie Rugby Club has granted life membership to Sam Holbert, its longest-serving player with more than 250 games. Holbert has played only for the Marauders, from juniors through to the senior ranks in Hunter Suburban Rugby competitions. He has also served as club president for the past three seasons and has now stepped down, handing the role to Jake Lightbody. Holbert is set to play again in 2027 under coaches Hayden Thompson and John McManus.
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Emily Chancellor will play her final Test for the Wallaroos against Scotland at Canberra Stadium. The 35-year-old has played 42 Tests and captained the team in 2025. She says she wants young girls to see women's rugby and believe they can take part. Chancellor says the team's future will be limitless once it becomes full-time ahead of the 2029 World Cup, which Australia will host. She plans to keep promoting the team after she retires.
Mark Nawaqanitawase has said he is keeping his international options open for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. His manager has suggested he could represent Fiji or Italy, both of which he is eligible for. Wallabies captain Harry Wilson and coach Les Kiss remain confident he will wear the gold jumper. Nawaqanitawase posted on Instagram that he will decide on his international future next year, after moving to Japan to join Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights on a two-year deal.
Emily Chancellor has announced her retirement from international rugby, with her final game for the Wallaroos set to be against Scotland on Friday at Canberra Stadium. The 35-year-old back-rower said she had not known women's rugby existed while growing up. She made her debut against New Zealand in 2018 and has played 41 Tests. Chancellor said she was proud of the growth she had seen in the team and the number of players she has shared the squad with.
Tonga has secured a 30-12 victory over England in a Rugby League World Cup match in Perth, putting them in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals. England's chances of progressing are now slim, even if they win their remaining matches. Tonga's Isaiya Katoa was named man of the match, while Latu Fainu suffered a pectoral injury. The tournament's tiebreak rules mean England could still be eliminated if Samoa beats Tonga in the next round.
Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona says her side still has room to improve despite a 56-12 win over Scotland in the Global XV Series. The team scored eight tries to two. Palu Sekona pointed to discipline, the ruck and set-piece accuracy as areas to work on. The Wallaroos, ranked seventh in the world, are moving towards full-time status ahead of the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup, which Australia will host. Their season finishes against Scotland in Canberra on Friday night.
The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 43-21 at Stadium Australia in Sydney, completing a series sweep of the Bledisloe Cup. The visitors led 36-7 at half-time after scoring six tries to one. Winger Josh Moorby scored a double, and Beauden Barrett scored two tries, including one after a 70-metre run. Tom Wright and Filipo Daugunu scored tries for the Wallabies, who next play England, Scotland and Wales in the UK. The Wallaroos beat Scotland 56-12 earlier in the day.
Australia opened its bid for a fourth straight Women's Rugby League World Cup with a 40-0 win over Samoa. Debutant Jocelyn Kelleher was named player of the match, and the Jillaroos led 28-0 at half-time. Jaime Chapman, Julia Robinson, Shaylee Bent, Keeley Nizza and Olivia Kernick all scored in the first half, with Keilee Joseph and Jessica Sergis adding tries later. Kelleher said the team still had work to do after an imperfect performance. Samoa, playing in their first World Cup since 2008, created early chances but could not convert them.
A New Zealand High Court judge has dismissed a request for an urgent injunction over the PNG Chiefs name and branding. The ruling came before the planned launch of the team's logo and jersey in Port Moresby. Rugby NZ says the decision is not a judgment on the strength of its case, and the matter will be heard in full. The dispute is set to continue in the New Zealand courts in 2027, and the NRL may have to change the name if it loses. PNG Chiefs chief executive Lorna McPherson welcomed the decision.
Wallaroos lock Kaitlan Leaney says the national women's side showed real promise during its recent WXV Global Series tour of Britain and France, ahead of the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup in Australia. Despite a 48-15 loss to England in Salford, the team led 10-5 at half-time before England pulled ahead. Leaney credited the squad's physical intent and well-planned tactics, which exposed weaknesses in England's defence and line-out. A 29-26 defeat to France followed, where the Wallaroos squandered a 19-0 lead, before a 30-10 win over Scotland. Leaney believes a full-time programme would transform the team's results.
The Wallaroos will face Scotland in a Test at Stadium Australia on Saturday, but fullback Caitlyn Halse has been ruled out with concussion symptoms. Winger Maya Stewart returns to the starting side after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, and Desiree Miller moves to fullback. Siokapesi Palu Sekona and Pia Tapsell swap back-row positions. The Wallaroos are seeking back-to-back wins over Scotland, having won 30-10 in Edinburgh last month. The match is part of a rugby quadruple header, with the Wallabies, the Australian women's and men's sevens, and the Wallabies' Test rivals also playing that day.
The Hay Magpies women's squad reached the grand final of the Albury Thunder Nines Carnival at Lavington Sportsground, despite playing with a short bench. Hay lost 26-0 to the undefeated Australasia Barbarians in the decider. Earlier, Hay had beaten the Wangaratta Knights 26-0 and the Steam Bears 32-0 in pool matches. Coaches Jessie Carter and Neil-John Nisbet have been re-appointed for the 2027 Group 20 season, as the side chases a fourth consecutive premiership.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are due to step out for their first joint public engagement in Nottingham on October 15. The couple plan to watch an acting workshop and join volunteers at a food bank. Commentators say the move follows a dispute over how King Charles described them. Earlier, boos rang out when Harry was shown on screen at a Leicester Tigers rugby match. Sources say Harry was upset by the reaction, while Meghan is reportedly choosing to appear in public less often.
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Junior Paulo, who led Samoa in the 2022 Rugby League World Cup after losing the NRL grand final, will co-captain the team again. The tournament, featuring 10 men's and eight women's teams, begins with Australia vs New Zealand. Four Samoan players lost their NRL grand final last Sunday and will now focus on the World Cup. Paulo aims to help them channel their disappointment into representing Samoa. The team includes star half Jarome Luai, who will be closely watched after a notable season. Some players visited Samoa, reinforcing their sense of purpose beyond personal success.
New Zealand Rugby has filed a High Court case to stop the NRL's Papua New Guinea team from using the 'Chiefs' name. The Waikato-based Super Rugby Chiefs have used the name since 1996. The NRL's Australian Rugby League Commission says the complaint is hypocritical, citing the 1996 launch of the Auckland Blues Super Rugby franchise. The PNG team is set to debut in 2028 with significant Australian government funding.
The Wallabies have kept Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks. Coach Les Kiss has named Isaac Henry at outside centre, partnering Len Ikitau in the midfield. Henry, who made his Test debut against Japan, is the only change to the starting XV after their win over South Africa. The Wallabies have made four changes to the reserves bench, including call-ups for Josh Nasser, Massimo De Lutiis, Nick Champion de Crespigny and Declan Meredith.
Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu will join the Parramatta Eels in 2027 on a four-year deal worth more than $850,000 per season. The 26-year-old contributed to the Roosters' NRL Grand Final win over the Knights, with coach Trent Robinson calling his performance 'momentum changing'. Leniu leaves the Roosters with one year remaining on his contract. Parramatta Eels General Manager of Football Mark O’Neill said Leniu is an elite middle forward who will make a significant impact on and off the field.
Spencer Leniu has left the Sydney Roosters with one year left on his contract. The premiership-winning forward has signed a four-year deal with Parramatta. Leniu won his fourth NRL title with the Roosters, adding to three premierships with Penrith. The Eels have reportedly offered him a higher salary than his previous deal. Leniu will join former teammate Jarome Luai at Parramatta after the Rugby League World Cup.
