Preview Julia Donaldson's joyful tale of love
Two devoted scarecrows plan the perfect wedding – until a rival threatens everything.
Rugby Union
26th December 2025
25th December 2025
Argentina lock Rubiolo signs long-term Bristol deal
Bristol Bears' Argentina lock Pedro Rubiolo commits his long-term future to the Prem side.
24th December 2025
Gloucester 'ripping into it' to turn season around
Director of rugby George Skivington says his Gloucester squad are 'unbelievably committed' to kick-starting their Prem campaign against Saracens on Saturday.
Interprovincial derbies so special - Izuchukwu
Lock Cormac Izuchukwu says "pride in the province" is what helps make Irish derbies special as Ulster prepare to take on Connacht this weekend.
'Versatile Woodburn could earn new deal' - Baxter
Exeter boss Rob Baxter says Olly Woodburn's recent performances could justify a new deal for the veteran back.
Get ready for Guz Khan's new comedy, landing this Christmas
The Farooqi family have a chaotic Christmas in Lapland after a surprise bonus for Dad.
Bristol scrum-half Randall signs 'long-term' deal
Bristol scrum-half Harry Randall signs a new "long-term" contract with the club.
Newcastle sign All Blacks international Sotutu
Newcastle Red Bulls sign Blues number eight Hoskins Sotutu on a three-year deal for next season.
No WRU decision on how to cull side in 2025
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) say there will be no resolution before the end of 2025 on how to cut a professional men's side.
Bears owe the fans a good Christmas game - Lam
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam says they owe their fans a "good Christmas game" against Newcastle after previous disappointments.
Wade can give Red Bulls attack X-factor - Dickens
Christian Wade is set for his Prem debut with Newcastle Red Bulls after recovering from a head injury.
23rd December 2025
Hume and Izuchukwu set to return to Ulster squad
James Hume and Cormac Izuchukwu are set to feature in Ulster's United Rugby Championship game against Connacht at on Saturday.
Scrum-half Varney signs new deal with Exeter
Exeter's Italy scrum-half Stephen Varney signs a new three-year contract with the Prem club.
Wales U20s lock Green signs first Quins contract
Wales youth international lock Jonny Green sign his first senior contract at Harlequins.
Players must provide medical records in concussion lawsuit
Rugby players who allege they suffered brain injuries during their careers have been refused permission to appeal against a decision ordering them to provide all of their medical records.
Northampton eager for Bath challenge - Dowson
Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson says they are excited about measuring their progress against Prem leaders Bath in their final game of 2025.
The 'ginger Penaud', a rivalry renewed & Genge's coffee - Prem talking points
Ellis Genge's long-range score, George Hendy's hot streak and Saracens and Exeter renewing their rivalry feature in our Gallagher Prem round-up.
22nd December 2025
Baxter amazed at 'incredible' Exeter comeback
Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter says his side's comeback win at Saracens was "incredible".
Belcher relief at return after 'scary' nerve issue
Captain Liam Belcher reveals how numbness in his finger spread up his arm after nerve damage during Wales' autumn campaign.
Force and Brumbies table deals for Lomax as RA considers top-up payment
The Western Force and Brumbies remain the most likely destinations for Zac Lomax, with Rugby Australia yet to determine the size of any potential top-up deal.
Christmas cheers and jeers for Welsh sides
The weekend before Christmas provided contrasting fortunes for Wales' four professional sides as they returned to URC action.
Bath ease past Newcastle to go top for Christmas
Bath overcome a disjointed start to beat winless Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park.
21st December 2025
Buoyant Dragons aim to end more unwanted streaks
Dragons are growing in belief after thrashing Connacht 48-28 in the URC to win back-to-back games for the first time since 2022.
Dragons thrash Connacht to end URC winless streak
Dragons end their 15-month winless streak in the United Rugby Championship with a thumping 48-28 victory against Connacht at Rodney Parade.
Ruthless Bristol batter Harlequins at Twickenham
Bristol produce a scintillating attacking display to batter Harlequins under the lights at Twickenham Stadium.
Munster rise to second in URC win against Ospreys
Munster heap more misery on Ospreys as their United Rugby Championship bonus-point win lifts the Irish province to second in the table.
No fireworks but Glasgow put one hand on 1872 Cup
Pre-match pyrotechnics at Hampden Park bring colour and noise, but fireworks are lacking as Glasgow beat Edinburgh in 1872 Cup first game.
Exeter go top with dramatic late win at Saracens
Exeter score three late tries in a fightback to beat Saracens at StoneX Stadium and go top of the Prem table.
Kildunne scores superb solo try as Quins beat Bristol
England star - and BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 runner-up - Ellie Kildunne scores a sensational solo try as Harlequins beat Bristol Bears at Allianz Stadium.
Seven-try Saints dominate Sale Sharks
Northampton Saints put on an attacking masterclass to defeat a below-par Sale Sharks in the Prem.
Glasgow secure bonus-point 1872 Cup win over Edinburgh
Glasgow Warriors take a big step towards winning the 1872 Cup for the fourth year running with a bonus-point first-leg victory over Edinburgh at Hampden.
'I'll spend Christmas in India thinking of my parents' - World Cup winner Jones
Meg Jones is from Cardiff - but after the death of her parents, thoughts of her home city are bittersweet.
20th December 2025
It was hard to recover in Leinster defeat - Murphy
Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says there is no time for "wallowing" after losing 24-20 to Leinster in the United Rugby Championship.
Peel celebrates family wedding with win in Cardiff
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel celebrates a double triumph after he guides his side to a URC Welsh derby win on the same day as his sister got married.
Kata stars as Leicester swat aside limp Gloucester
Leicester move level on points with Prem leaders Bath as Solomone Kata inspires the Tigers to victory over Gloucester.
More than 30 rising stars have been poached by French academies. This is how Australian rugby is fighting back
They are the ‘lost boys’ of Australian rugby: two teams worth of talented youngsters who have been poached by French clubs, and many are the giant forwards so sorely need by the Wallabies.
How Scarlets got better of Cardiff at Arms Park
Watch the highlights as Scarlets take the derby day spoils.
Davies at the double for Scarlets in Cardiff
A try double from scrum-half Gareth Davies allowed Scarlets to continue their Arms Park dominance against Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship (URC) Welsh derby.
Leinster leave it late to beat Ulster in URC derby
Champions Leinster overturn a 10-point half-time deficit to beat Ulster 24-20 at the Aviva Stadium in the first of the festive interprovincial derbies in the United Rugby Championship.
Lake cites Welsh rugby uncertainty as reason for Gloucester move
Wales hooker Dewi Lake says the uncertainty surrounding Welsh rugby was a major factor in him leaving Ospreys for Gloucester.
Ospreys sign De Witt as cover for injured Morgan
Ospreys sign South African back row Marco de Witt from the Suzuki Griquas on a short-term contract as injury cover for Wales captain Jac Morgan.
Edinburgh aim to change narrative against Glasgow
If Edinburgh turn over high-flying Glasgow Warriors at Hampden on Saturday, it would be a shock on the scale of St Mirren's cup final win against Celtic.
19th December 2025
Gloucester-bound Lake back to lead Ospreys
Wales hooker Dewi Lake will return to captain Ospreys for their United Rugby Championship home match against Munster in Bridgend on Saturday.
Dragons without Wales' Wainwright against Connacht
Dragons opt against risking talisman Aaron Wainwright against Connacht in the United Rugby Championship ahead of festive derbies.
Metcalfe-Jones named head of women's rugby at Quins
Harlequins name Pat Metcalfe-Jones as their new head of women's rugby.
Wales' Cracknell among Tigers trio to sign new deals
Wales number eight Olly Cracknell is among three Leicester Tigers players to sign new contracts with the Prem side.
Roots targets England recall after signing new Exeter deal
Ethan Roots hopes he can resurrect his England career after signing a new deal with Exeter.
Hansen appointed head coach of Black Ferns
New Zealand Rugby appoints Whitney Hansen as the new head coach of the Black Ferns on a contract running until the end of 2027.
'Ulster is a really good place to be'- Stockdale
Ulster wing Jacob Stockdale says "there is a good spirit and atmosphere amongst the squad" ahead of the province's derby against Leinster on Friday (19:45 GMT).
Could this memorable shot in a thrilling Wallabies win be a penalty in the future?
World Rugby will lower the legal tackle height to the sternum in a major underage world tournament next year. And the professional game could follow.
Davidson to be first woman referee in men's Six Nations
Hollie Davidson will become the first woman to referee a men's Six Nations match when Ireland host Italy on 14 February.
18th December 2025
England forward Roots signs new Exeter deal
Exeter Chiefs' England back-rower Ethan Roots signs a two-year contract extension with the Prem club.
'I cannot support losing a region' - WRU councillor resigns amid uncertainty
Former Wales and Llanelli prop Anthony Buchanan resigns from the Welsh Rugby Union council after losing confidence in the governing body.
Victoria Wood serves up a large helping of Christmas comedy
Victoria Wood serves up a large helping of Christmas comedy with a series of pastiches.
Sharks coach Bortolami leaves after six months
Sale Sharks head coach Marco Bortolami leaves the Prem club "by mutual consent due to unforeseen circumstances" after six months.
How the Prem transfer market got hot
The intrigue and interest around player movements has exploded in recent weeks and could be a useful tool for engaging new fans.
Dragons sign South African prop Dlamini
Dragons sign Currie Cup winning captain Cebo Dlamini from Griquas because of an injury crisis at tight-head prop.
17th December 2025
Can derby wins help Cardiff upset the URC odds?
Cardiff braced for three festive derbies against Scarlets, Dragons and Ospreys that could shape their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes.
Fukofuka appointed Scotland women head coach
Australian former United States women head coach Sione Fukofuka is appointed head coach of Scotland women.
How loss of brother shaped Smith's rugby journey
Glasgow Warriors' Ollie Smith explains how losing his brother at age 21 affected his rugby career and inspired his family to set up a blood donation charity.
Heartwarming drama based on the best-selling novel
A boy, born with facial differences, enters a mainstream school for the first time. Drama.
Gloucester boss 'wants strong Wales' despite double raid
George Skivington insists he wants Welsh rugby to get back on its feet - despite signing Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake for Gloucester.
Cardiff in 'good space' to retain top players
Cardiff and Scarlets are hopeful of retaining their top players after Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake opted to swap Ospreys for Gloucester.
Most Worcester fans 'happy' to be in Champ - Mulcahy
Most Worcester Warriors fans are "just happy to have the club back" and are not concerned over an immediate Prem return says supporters trust chairman Marcus Mulcahy.
Former South Africa captain Dumke dies aged 29
Former South Africa women's captain Lusanda Dumke dies after being diagnosed with a rare gastric cancer.
16th December 2025
Gloucester confirm exit of Wales scrum-half Williams
Wales international scrum-half Tomos Williams is to leave Gloucester at the end of the season.
Why are Wales' captains leaving for England?
BBC Sport Wales looks at why Wales' captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are signing for Gloucester and the implications for Welsh rugby.
Rugby Union Weekly
Glasgow's Adam Hastings is on the pod as we talk Champions Cup and rugby transfers.
Leinster's Conan available to face Ulster
Ireland back row Jack Conan will be available for selection when Leinster welcome Ulster to Dublin on Friday night.
15th December 2025
Salvin unhappy as Exeter throw away lead to Saracens in PWR
Exeter head coach Steve Salvin says he is disappointed with his side's second half showing in the 24-14 PWR loss to Saracens.
Wales captains Morgan and Lake to join Gloucester
Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are set to join Gloucester at the end of the season.
Maximum tackle height lowered for under-20 Worlds
The possibility of lowering the tackle height across the elite game moves a step closer as new rules expand to the premier age-grade event in rugby's calendar.
It’s Lionesses v Red Roses v Rory’s Europe as BBC names Spoty team of year shortlist
Public vote will decide winner among back-to-back European champions, Rugby World Cup winners and Team Europe.
Prem Rugby to seek investors if RFU backs relegation-free franchise league
Prem Rugby is planning to launch a tender process to secure external investment in the competition after it has received formal approval from the Rugby Football Union to become a closed franchise league, which it expects will happen next year.
A 364-day wait for a win - now Dragons are hungry for more
Dragons are hunting more scalps after a morale-boosting European Challenge Cup comeback against Lyon earned a first win of 2025.
Ruthless Bristol 'show a little bit of everything' in big win over Pau
Bristol Bears make it two wins from two in the Champions Cup pool stage, scoring nine tries in a comfortable home victory against French club Pau.
Hendy hat-trick helps Northampton to Champions Cup stroll against Bulls
On the face of it Northampton are flying in the Champions Cup courtesy of two consecutive bonus points wins.
Dragons end wait for win with dramatic comeback against Lyon
Dragons win for the first time in 2025 by beating Lyon 23-21 with a stunning comeback in the European Challenge Cup.
Hendy hat-trick as eight-try Saints hammer Bulls
George Hendy scores a hat-trick as Northampton make it maximum points from their opening two Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Bath edged out by Toulon in nine-try battle
English champions Bath battle hard but fall to a 45-34 defeat by Toulon in a nine-try Champions Cup contest at Stade Mayol.
Ten-try Harlequins cruise to Champions Cup rout of understrength Bayonne
Christmas is a time for giving and Bayonne presented this game to Harlequins by selecting an inexperienced side who realistically stood no chance. Manu Tuilagi and Gareth Anscombe were listed as injured, along with plenty of others, but four frontline players were rested.
Five-try Castres cruise past rotated Edinburgh
A much-changed Edinburgh side ship five tries in a Champions Cup drubbing against Castres in the south of France.
Exeter suffer late heartbreak in Racing 92 draw
A much-changed Exeter side concede a stoppage-time try as they draw 31-31 at Racing 92 in the European Challenge Cup.
'General' Smith stars as Harlequins score 10 tries to thrash Bayonne
Harlequins register their first Investec Champions Cup win of the season, scoring 10 tries in a convincing 68-14 victory against Bayonne.
14th December 2025
'Statement' Toulouse win 'means the world' to Glasgow
Glasgow Warriors' stunning comeback victory over Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup will do wonders for their confidence, says fly-half Adam Hastings.
Cardiff stun Ulster with last-gasp Sheedy penalty
Cardiff fly-half Callum Sheedy kicks a last-gasp winning penalty to defeat Ulster 29-26 in a Challenge Cup thriller at the Arms Park.
Glasgow mount incredible comeback to stun Toulouse
A phenomenal second half delivers a landmark victory for Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup.
Saracens go top of PWR as Wafer makes Quins debut
Ireland's Aoife Wafer makes her debut for Harlequins in their PWR win against Sale, while Saracens beat Exeter to go top of the table.
Wade off injured as Newcastle edge past Lions
A 79th-minute try from Murray McCallum secures a second win out of two in the European Challenge Cup.
Late tries help Munster defeat stubborn Gloucester
Munster get their Champions Cup campaign back on track with a dominant bonus point win over a stubborn Gloucester side.
Eight-try holders Bordeaux swat aside Scarlets
Bordeaux-Begles continue their Champions Cup dominance by easing to an eight-try victory over Scarlets.
Sale snap up Wales prop Smith from Leicester
Wales loose-head prop Nicky Smith will join Sale Sharks after turning down a new deal with Leicester Tigers.
Saracens fall just short in South Africa as Sharks survive Champions Cup storm
It is a long way to go for just a point, but Saracens all but took the maximum against Sharks in biblical weather in Durban. Now that South Africa has been incorporated into the Champions Cup, these long trips are part and parcel. It meant Saracens changing 10 of their starting lineup.
Saracens fall to Champions Cup defeat by Sharks
Saracens' ill-discipline proves costly as they fall to a 28-23 Investec Champions Cup defeat by the Sharks in torrential rain in Durban.
Sale claim superb bonus-point win against Clermont
Sale Sharks clinch an impressive bonus-point win against Clermont Auvergne to boost their hopes of qualifying from Pool One of the Champions Cup.
Ospreys cruise to Challenge Cup win at Montauban
Ospreys record a second Challenge Cup bonus-point victory by defeating Top 14 strugglers Montauban in France.
13th December 2025
Guz Khan's modern-day Christmas story for the whole family
The Farooqi family have a chaotic Christmas in Lapland after a surprise bonus for Dad.
World Cup winner Atkin-Davies announces pregnancy
Rugby World Cup winner Lark Atkin-Davies announces she is pregnant with her first child.
Parling frustrated as Leicester blow half-time lead against Leinster to lose again
Leicester’s director of rugby, Geoff Parling, was frustrated that his side failed to capitalise from a strong position to lose to Leinster at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
