A stubborn performance by Russia on the opening day of the Rugby World Cup where they came close to a monumental upset against host nation Japan, suggesting that rugby is a sport very much on the rise in Russia....

Everything you need to know ahead of the game at the King Power Stadium

An attempt to light up a football flare turned out to be a nightmare for a Brazilian fan, who lost his hand in a terrifying incident after the explosive device unexpectedly blew up prematurely....

Everything you need to know ahead of the game at the King Power Stadium

The UFC needs a Mexican superstar to capture the attention of the fight-crazy nation and 145-pound star Yair Rodriguez wants to be that man. But to do that, he'll need to finish Jeremy Stephens in Mexico City on...

'People have this set view of how boxing should be and sometimes that holds us back'

In five matches this season they have scored 15 goals and conceded five in the Premier League, with just one clean sheet – at Burnley last month – in eight matches in all competitions this season

How will the top-flight's big six line up this weekend?

The issue has come to prominence in recent weeks with a raft of high-profile players receiving abuse

Against a backdrop of varying interest and mixed enthusiasm, has World Rugby rolled the dice in taking its crown jewel to the Land of the Rising Sun? We'll soon find out if the gamble pays off or not

Against a backdrop of varying interest and mixed enthusiasm, has World Rugby rolled the dice in taking its crown jewel to the Land of the Rising Sun? We'll soon find out if the gamble pays off or not

The disappointing thing for Chelsea is that, for Liverpool, their meeting on Sunday is not the biggest of games. It is hardly inconsequential but it does not have the frisson of a showdown with Manchester City

Exclusive interview: The only man to win the Rugby World Cup twice as captain, unite a nation in tragedy and leave a lasting impression on the game he gave so much to, McCaw has been voted the greatest player in World Cup history. Here's hi...

Skipper Stuart McInally will lead out a team boasting 630 caps for the Pool A clash at Yokohama's International Stadium

Ahead of Saturday's lunchtime fixture at Leicester, the Argentinian was asked whether the Foxes can break into the top six

The tournament kicks off with what promises to be an entertaining game in Tokyo

Rashford missed several clear-cut chances against Astana

Exclusive interview: The Spaniard, now 32, knows exactly what it takes to make it at as a youngster at a European super-club having done exactly that at Barcelona a decade ago

Greenwood scored the only goal of the game last night as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side made a winning start in Europe

'In the next seven days, we will have an answer'

The Jonathan Liew column: The former Manchester United manager has been stealing the show on Sky Sports and a glittering and garlanded broadcasting career appears to await him – if only he wanted it

United winless on the road since March's win in Paris

The tournament kicks off on Friday with the hosts taking on Russia in Tokyo

Robbie Henshaw is also out injured, while CJ Stander has won the battle for the number eight jersey

Wolves are yet to win in the Premier League and slid to a 1-0 defeat at home to Braga

The tournament kicks off in earnest on Friday with the opening ceremony

Exclusive: The investigator whose report detailed Russia's programme of institutionalised doping believes athletics could be stung by a similar scandal in the future

The six-week tournament kicks off with what promises to be an entertaining opening ceremony in Tokyo

Follow live updates from Tokyo as the 2019 Rugby World Cup gets underway in Japan

Second-youngest England team in World Cup history will kick-off the 2019 campaign on what Jones believes will be a rollercoaster ride

More than three decades since the first World Cup, rugby is a very different sport. Wales, under head of medical services Prav Mathema, have adapted accordingly

Join Jack de Menezes and Samuel Lovett in Japan for the latest episode of The Independent's rugby podcast as the World Cup finally gets underway

England head coach is already understood to be the highest-earning coach in rugby union but has a number of private lucrative deals alongside his contract with the Rugby Football Union

Rui Pinto is accused of illegally publishing confidential files belonging to leading football clubs.

Wallace carded an eagle and five birdies in a flawless opening 65 to enjoy a one-shot lead over former Open champion Henrik Stenson and Spain's Jon Rahm

Manchester United 1-0 FC Astana: On his ninth senior appearance and only his second start, the 17 years and 353 days old Mason Greenwood found a breakthrough

Atletico Madrid produced a spirited comeback from 2 goals down to draw 2-all with Juventus at home in a thrilling Champions League Group D encounter.

Vunipola will start against the country of his heritage with Joe Cokanasiga and Manu Tuilagi also in line to face the Pacific Island nation as Jones challenges side to batter Tonga into submission

Five things we learned from United's narrow win over Astana

Manchester United 1-0 Astana: How did we rate the players at Old Trafford?

Arsenal's youth took their chance on an encouraging night for Unai Emery

Willock and Saka, as well as Emile Smile Rowe, were the youngsters given a chance to impress and the former opened the scoring in the first half

The forward's future was the subject of great speculation last season, and Chelsea were forced to rebuff the advances of Bayern Munich in order to keep the teenager

Old Trafford hosts Manchester United's Europa League opener

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to play a number of youngsters

Exclusive: The Spaniard will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season and he is attracted by the idea of becoming the franchise's marquee signing for Miami's inaugural season

Eintracht Frankfurt welcome Arsenal to the Commerzbank-Arena

Eddie Jones leads England as one of the main contenders to dethrone New Zealand