ESPN - Key Persons


Beno Obano

Beno Obano has suffered another injury setback just as he was poised to revive his England prospects.

Bill Beaumont

Job Titles:
  • World Rugby Chairman

Bristol Bears

Bristol Bears have confirmed star signing Charles Piutau will be out until late October but will not require surgery on an injured shoulder.

Bruce Craig

Job Titles:
  • Bath Owner
Eddie Jones has ignited a club versus country row by telling Bath owner Bruce Craig that he is unqualified to criticise his methods during England training sessions.

Cipriani RFU

Gloucester are 'surprised and disappointed' at the RFU's decision to charge Danny Cipriani with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game.

Coach Kevin Foote

Job Titles:
  • Coach
Coach Kevin Foote has painted a grim picture of the embattled Melbourne Rebels, who look set to enter this Super Rugby Pacific season as dead men walking.

Conor O'Shea

Job Titles:
  • Italy Coach
Italy coach Conor O'Shea has included former Ireland Under-20 fly-half Ian McKinley in a 34-man training squad ahead of his side's autumn internationals.

Danny Cipriani

Danny Cipriani has been named in the Gloucester team for their next preseason friendly despite being the subject of an RFU disciplinary hearing. Danny Cipriani has confirmed his decision to turn down lucrative offers from overseas to join Gloucester was based on an England lifeline from Eddie Jones. Gloucester have announced the signing of Wasps and England fly-half Danny Cipriani.

Darren Coleman

Job Titles:
  • Waratahs Coach

Dropped Cipriani

Danny Cipriani has been named the Premiership's Player of the Month, despite being dropped by England coach Eddie Jones because of form.

Eddie Jones

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • England Coach
  • Japan Head Coach
  • Wallabies Coach
England coach Eddie Jones has issued a 'sincere apology' to Bath owner Bruce Craig after branding him as the 'Donald Trump of rugby'. Eddie Jones has long been a coach prone to surprise selections. But the Wallabies boss has truly outdone himself this time, unveiling a 33-man squad that will be led to the World Cup by Will Skelton. Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has named his squad for th upcoming Rugby Championship with Michael Hooper and James Slipper sharing the captaincy. Former England and Australia boss Eddie Jones has been confirmed as Japan's new head coach through to 2028. The Japan Rugby Football Union has named Eddie Jones as its new head coach.

George Smith

George Smith knows a thing or two about tackling, which made it all the more surprising that he was red carded as Bristol faced Premiership champions Saracens. After being cleared at a hearing, Smith talks exclusively to ESPN about THAT challenge.

Guy Novès

Job Titles:
  • Coach

Hamish McLennan

Job Titles:
  • Rugby Australia Chairman

How Steve

Japan was an unexpected detour on Simon Cron's journey to being a Super Rugby head coach, but with lessons from former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen under his belt and more ambition he's ready to lead the Western Force to new heights.

Johan Ackermann

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Head
Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann believes Cherry and Whites fullback Jason Woodward is "ready" to make the step up to international rugby with England.

Leon MacDonald

Job Titles:
  • Blacks - Bound Coach

Les Kiss

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Queensland Reds Coach
Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss is confident fullback Jordan Petaia won't be lost to the NRL and has called for greater protection off the ball for Super Rugby Pacific's playmakers.

Mark Robinson

Job Titles:
  • New Zealand Rugby CEO
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has come out in staunch support of referee Ben O'Keeffe, after the whistleblower revealed he had received death threats following the Super Rugby Pacific final on Saturday night.

Pat Lam

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Bristol Bears' Head
Pat Lam, Bristol Bears' head coach, looks at their promotion to the Gallagher Premiership as an opportunity to secure a spot in next season's Champions Cup, rather than to merely feed off the scraps of the top table.

Paul Gustard

Paul Gustard has left his role as England defence coach to become the new head of rugby at Harlequins.

Ronan O'Gara

Job Titles:
  • Barbarians Coaches
Barbarians coaches Ronan O'Gara and Scott Robertson have both expressed their interest in the England job when Eddie Jones leaves his role as boss after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Rory Teague

Job Titles:
  • Coach

Ryan Lamb

Ryan Lamb has urged England to let Marcus Smith develop at his own pace into a "world-class" player.

Simon Cron

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Western Force Coach
Western Force coach Simon Cron hopes his team's stunning 40-31 upset win over the Queensland Reds is just a taste of things to come.

Simon Easterby

Job Titles:
  • Coach

Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore has urged Rugby Australia to learn from a "pretty unfortunate 12 months" and not be afraid of the prospect of appointing a foreigner as the next Wallabies coach.

Steve Jackson

Job Titles:
  • Samoa Coach
Samoa coach Steve Jackson said he was left bewildered by some of the refereeing decisions during his side's defeat to Japan.

Super Rugby W

Super Rugby W's Super Moments RD 2: Tahs deadly duo, Force roll to victory It was another huge round of Super Rugby Women's action with the Western Force pulling off an incredible upset over last year's competition finalist, while the Tahs thumped the Drua in Fiji. Read on for four super moments in Super Rugby Women's Round 2.

Tony Rowe

Job Titles:
  • Exeter Chiefs Chairman
Exeter Chiefs chairman Tony Rowe has warned clubs could go bust if fans are not allowed into stadiums by the end of the year.