After leading the Australian conference for most of the regular season, the ACT Brumbies were left behind when a series of surprise results affected the final scramble for playoff places in rugby's Super 15.

Sonny Bill Williams may have anticipated a fan backlash from his decision to quit the All Blacks rugby team to pursue more lucrative opportunities in Japanese rugby and Australian rugby league.

Super 15 rugby fans will have to wait until the final match of the tournament's longest-ever regular season to find out which six teams, of eight still in contention, will compete in the playoffs.

Kurtley Beale has been recalled to Australia's starting lineup for the first time since last year's Rugby World Cup and will play against Wales on Saturday despite a lengthy absence due to injury and a pending police investigation.

South African teams occupy three of the top six places in rugby's Super 15 after the weekend's 12th round as the playoff campaigns of New Zealand and Australian teams began to falter.

Australia's Nathan Brown wanted his Huddersfield side to win ugly against Hull — and believes they did after triumphing 22-4 in what was the battle of the Super League's top two on Monday.

The Broncos and the Jets have completed a trade to send quarterback Tim Tebow to New York.

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate has been named the Six Nations' player of the tournament to round off a wonderful championship for Warren Gatland's team who last Saturday secured their third Grand Slam in eight years.

Wales fought its way to a third Grand Slam in eight seasons on Saturday, beating France 16-9 in a Six Nations match more notable for atmosphere than entertainment.

Former All Blacks captain and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) Chairman Jock Hobbs has died of leukemia. He was 52.