ATR Newsroom

Some battles extend far beyond the rugby field. Former Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles has revealed that he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 37. Charles has already defied the odds throughout his life, living with cystic fibrosis since birth while still reaching the highest level of the game and representing Australia. Now, he faces another incredibly difficult battle. Our thoughts are with Nathan, his family and everyone close to him during this incredibly difficult time. The entire rugby community is behind you, Nathan. #WallabiesRugby #RugbyNews

The stars of the Investec Champions Cup have gathered with the trophy they will all be chasing this season. Players representing clubs from across Europe and South Africa came together ahead of another campaign in club rugby’s biggest competition, with the Champions Cup trophy taking centre stage. Different clubs, different countries, one target. Who do you think will lift the Investec Champions Cup this season? #InvestecChampionsCup #Rugby

A major change is coming to the Investec Champions Cup this season. The competition has introduced new bonus point rules, with teams now needing to score at least three more tries than their opponents to secure a try bonus point. The losing bonus point has also changed, with teams now needing to finish fewer than seven points behind their opponents to earn one. The changes could have a major impact on how teams approach tight pool matches and chase points late in games. What do you make of the new bonus point system? #InvestecChampionsCup #Rugby

Back-to-back Top 14 Player of the Season, but still no place in an England squad. Jack Willis has once again been crowned the best player in France after another outstanding campaign with Toulouse, becoming only the second player after Antoine Dupont to win the award in consecutive seasons. Yet despite his form, Willis remains unavailable to Steve Borthwick under the RFU’s policy restricting the selection of players based overseas. The 29 year old has not played for England since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, although he has admitted representing his country again is still something he wants to do. With the 2027 Rugby World Cup getting closer, will Borthwick and England find a way to bring one of Europe’s best back rows back into the squad? #EnglandRugby #Top14

Gallagher PREM Round 2: can Bristol stop Saints, and can Bath settle the score with Exeter? Northampton Saints scored nine tries last weekend, but Bristol Bears have won their last five home meetings with them. Bath face Exeter Chiefs in a semi-final rematch, while Gloucester host Harlequins, Newcastle Red Bulls take on Leicester Tigers and Saracens welcome Sale Sharks. Who backs up their opening win, and who needs a response? Get the key battles and talking points in our full Premiership Rugby Round 2 preview: https://www.allthingsrugby.com/news/prem-round-2-preview-saints-face-bristol-test-as-bath-get-another-shot-at-exeter #GallagherPREM #PremiershipRugby #RugbyUnion #AllThingsRugby

URC Round 2: another South African clean sweep, or an Irish fightback? Leinster head to the Sharks, Munster face the Bulls and the Stormers chase their first win in Scotland against Edinburgh. Add Dragons v Scarlets, and nobody’s easing into this season quietly. Who backs up their opening win, and who needs a response? Read our full United Rugby Championship preview for all eight matches: https://www.allthingsrugby.com/news/urc-round-2-preview-sharks-line-up-leinster-as-munster-face-another-tough-night #URC #UnitedRugbyChampionship #RugbyUnion #AllThingsRugby

Another massive weekend of club rugby is on the way, and these are six fixtures you won’t want to miss. Bath and Exeter Chiefs open the action on Friday, while the Stormers travel to Edinburgh for a big URC clash. Saturday brings plenty more, with Bristol Bears hosting Northampton Saints, Gloucester taking on Harlequins, the Bulls heading to Munster and Glasgow Warriors facing Ulster. PREM and URC action across two packed days. Which game are you most excited to watch? #URC #PREMrugby #Rugby

Michael Hooper has taken aim at referee Andrea Piardi following a chaotic final 10 minutes between the Wallabies and Springboks. Australia were shown four yellow cards in the space of just seven minutes as South Africa mounted a late comeback, but the Wallabies held on for a dramatic 42-38 victory. Hooper did not hold back with his assessment of the officiating, saying Piardi should not be allowed to referee Australia again. Do you agree with Hooper’s comments? #Wallabies #RugbyAU #Rugby

Hunter Paisami is fighting to clear his name after reportedly receiving a four match ban for his tackle on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The Wallabies centre was shown a yellow card for the incident but is now challenging the sanction in front of the SANZAAR Disciplinary Committee, with Jock Campbell on standby should his appeal fail. Do you think a four match ban is fair for the tackle? #WallabiesRugby #RugbyNews

The Wallabies have named their squad to face the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup! Les Kiss has selected a 34 man squad for the challenge against New Zealand, with Harry Wilson continuing as captain. Toby Macpherson is the only uncapped player in the squad, while the Wallabies also have plenty of experience to call upon as they look to carry momentum into another huge Test against their biggest rivals. After beating the Springboks 42-38 in their last Test, can the Wallabies now take down the All Blacks? #NZLvAUS #Rugby

A new trophy has entered the North versus South rivalry! The Hemisphere Shield has officially been unveiled as an additional prize for the Nations Championship, adding another layer of competition to the finals weekend. Beyond the individual match results, the Northern and Southern Hemisphere teams will collectively battle for the Shield, with the first hemisphere to reach four points across the finals fixtures claiming the trophy. Individual glory is one thing, but now an entire hemisphere has bragging rights on the line. Who takes the inaugural Hemisphere Shield, North or South? #NationsChampionship #Rugby

Round 5 of the TOP 14 is shaping up to be another massive weekend of French rugby! Bordeaux and Lyon get proceedings underway on Saturday in a clash between two sides looking to close the gap on league leaders Toulouse. Bayonne host Stade Français, Racing 92 welcome Perpignan, while Pau will be looking to continue their strong start when they travel to Vannes. The headline fixture sees Castres host Toulouse on Saturday night, before Montpellier and Toulon bring the round to a close on Sunday. With just two points separating the top three, every result could have a significant impact on the standings. Which fixture are you most looking forward to this weekend? #Top14 #Rugby