A 17,000-seat temporary stadium will host rugby union matches, including an All Blacks v Ireland Test, in earthquake-hit Christchurch next year, Prime Minister John Key said.

EDINBURGH coach Richard Cockerill has taken two vital steps in rebuilding his squad for next season by signing stand-off Jono Lance from Worcester and centre Matt Gordon from London Scottish. With Simon Hickey and Matt Scott leaving at the end of the season, cover for both positions was a priority.

British Olympic Association chairman Sir Hugh Robertson has been selected to lead an independent governance review of World Rugby.

The great North-South divide in rugby was never more in evidence than when the votes were counted for the chairmanship of World Rugby last week. Sir Bill Beaumont stayed in the job, beating Agustin Pichot by 28 votes to 23, but wow, what an outcome in terms of who actually supported the former England and British Lions captain.

Rugby stars have recorded inspirational messages for boys at a London school to help motivate them through the coronavirus lockdown.

The Eagles sevens captain has seen the Tokyo Games postponed and USA Rugby go bankrupt. She refuses to let her dream die

Abby Gustaitis, co-captain of the USA sevens team, has not heard the latest news from Tokyo.

Related: Tokyo Olympics in 2021 at risk of cancellation admits Japan's PM

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Recognize these faces? #DontRushChallenge featuring the #USWNT7s has us ready for a party. pic.twitter.com/wvO6kNkKsi

Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage as the coronavirus crisis continues to heavily impact sport across the globe.

After being named one of six winners of Season 3 of the TV show "Next Olympic Hopeful," DeAira Jackson began to train as an Olympic rugby sevens player.

A former Scotland rugby captain, who suffered life changing injuries in a car crash, is walking to raise money for the NHS.

NRL warns the coronavirus pandemic is rugby league's greatest ever challenge but games will continue for the moment, while Super Rugby announces it is suspending its season after this weekend.

The impact of coronavirus is not just being felt in the NRL, as community and junior rugby league clubs struggle to stay afloat because of the current health crisis.

Raelene Castle agrees to have her salary cut in half, as rugby union's governing body in Australia braces itself for the financial impact of coronavirus.

Rugby Union is facing a deepening financial crisis in Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the governing body announcing it is standing down 75 per cent of its staff in an attempt to stay afloat.

Up to 15 former Wallabies captains unite to raise questions about the leadership of the current administration, with some predicting new management within a fortnight.

Rugby Australia is prepared to hold crisis talks with a group of disgruntled retired Wallabies captains, who have penned a letter to the governing body claiming the game has "lost its way", while demanding a change in leadership.

Raelene Castle's position as Rugby Australia chief executive is not under review in the wake of the no-confidence letter issued by a group of former Wallabies captains, but the governing body can't guarantee it won't hold discussions down the track.

Raelene Castle says "the sport is bigger than any one individual", resigning after the Rugby Australia board told her it wanted "clear air" without her as chief executive.

Rugby Australia chairman Paul McLean defends Raelene Castle's tenure as chief executive, as he calls out the bullying she received from "faceless people" during her time in the job.

Rugby's embattled governing body makes a key short-term appointment, as it continues to search for a full-time replacement for Raelene Castle, who stepped down as chief executive last month.

With the recent flurry of changes in Rugby Australia leadership, confusion increases for those involved with a game already in crisis as concerns continue that an expected loan won't be large enough to help.

Princess Anne was decked out in a tweed coat and chic sunglasses to watch the Six Nations rugby clash between Scotland and Rome at the Stadio Olympico stadium in Rome on Saturday.

Premiership Rugby could end up in a standoff with the Six Nations over the release of players for Tests affected by Coronavirus.

The couple were seen in the stands during the Guinness Six Nations match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium this afternoon.

When rugby-mad Jacob Pickering from Blackburn got his bionic arm three months ago he never imagined that he would be using it to shake hands with the England team at Twickenham.

Italy flanker Maxime Mbanda has swapped rugby for driving an ambulance 13 hours a day in a bid to help his nation's fight against coronavirus as they try to halt the spread of the virus.

Flanker John Barclay will also win his first cap since March last year. The Edinburgh forward has not played for his country since rupturing his Achilles on his final outing for former employers Scarlets.

Gregor Townsend has wrapped a number of his key men up in cotton wool after leaving them out of Scotland's World Cup send-off with Georgia at Murrayfield on Friday night.

Safe passage through a group that contains the No 2 ranked side in the world in Ireland and hosts Japan is the minimum expected of Gregor Townsend's men. Anything less would be an abject failure.

ROB ROBERTSON IN KOBE: Japan's sensational 19-12 victory over Ireland yesterday has forced the Scots to go chasing a bonus-point victory over Samoa in Kobe tomorrow.

Scotland face a do-or-die scenario in just their second Pool A match of the Rugby World Cup. You can follow all the action from the Kobe Misaki Stadium as it happens HERE. Kick-off 11.15am.

With 20 pool games played and 20 more to go, the 2019 Rugby World Cup has already delivered its fair share of shocks, upsets, brilliance and farce. Sportsmail answers 10 key questions.

Scotland play Russia in their penultimate Pool A match requiring a bonus-point victory to keep their hopes of making the quarter-finals alive.

COMMENT BY JOHN GREECHAN: This utter farce accurately reflects not merely a shambolic lack of leadership in World Rugby, but Scotland's continued status as an international irrelevance.

SRU chiefs remain on a collision course with World Rugby after the decision on whether Sunday's make-or-break game with Japan goes ahead was delayed until the morning of the match.

The Scots will miss out on the quarter-finals if their match against hosts Japan in Yokohama on Sunday suffers the same fate as England's clash with France and is cancelled.

Sunday's clash, which is effectively a play-off match for a quarter-final place, may still be called off by World Rugby in the aftermath of Super-Typhoon Hagibis, which is set to hit on Saturday.

NIK SIMON IN TOYOTA: The Rugby World Cup's credibility was called into question as feelings grew that rich nations have received favourable treatment as Scotland vent their frustrations.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES AND NIK SIMON: World Rugby are facing possible legal action whatever decision they make regarding Scotland's scheduled Pool A clash with Japan on Sunday.

World Rugby says it aims to make a decision on whether Scotland's storm-threatened clash with Japan on Sunday can go ahead as early as possible.

The captain's run for Japan had an altogether more aquatic feel on Saturday morning as the players waded through a flooded tunnel out onto the pitch. 

NIK SIMON IN YOKOHAMA: World Rugby have given the green light for Japan's game with Scotland to go ahead - with supporters also being allowed to attend the crunch clash.

Japan captain Michael Leitch dedicated the team's 28-21 victory over Scotland at the Rugby World Cup on Sunday to those affected by the typhoon which nearly cancelled the match.

CHRIS FOY IN JAPAN: The World Cup quarter-final line-up has now been finalised after hosts Japan booked their place in the knockout stages with a barnstorming victory over Scotland on Sunday.

The governing body has confirmed it will convene a hearing of its independent disputes committee, in light of comments made by SRU chief executive Mark Dodson's last week.

CHRIS FOY IN TOKYO: England's match against France is in danger of being cancelled, as Typhoon Hagibis has changed course and is now due to tear through Tokyo and Yokohama.

The SRU was reprimanded following comments made by chief executive Mark Dodson during the World Cup in reference to a match against Japan potentially being cancelled.

Scottish rugby fans were left truly stunned after it was revealed that the SRU chief executive more than doubled his salary from £455,000 to £933,000. The news comes prior to the Six Nations kick-off.

Scottish Rugby Union chiefs have set aside £500,000 to help clubs struggling in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak after suspending the domestic season until at least March 29.

Ed Sheeran drowned his sorrows after England's Rugby World Cup final defeat by singing in a Pokémon onsie at a Japanese karaoke bar on Sunday.