Australia will play prominent Irish club Munster in a mid-week match during the Wallabies' tour of Europe later this year.

The Brumbies have signed young NSW Waratahs tighthead prop Dan Palmer for next two Super rugby seasons.

Brumbies player Stirling Mortlock is seeking a three year contract with the Melbourne Rebels.

France stayed on course for its first Grand Slam since 2004 overnight as it outclassed Italy 46-20 in their Six Nations clash at the Stade de France.

Red-hot Queensland's long-awaited Super 14 resurgence has hit top gear with a record 50-10 smashing of the Western Force.

Julian Huxley has made a return to rugby union, two years after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Former Wallabies outside back Julian Huxley will make his return to rugby this afternoon in Sydney when he joins the Brumby Runners for their clash against the Junior Waratahs.

Ireland kept its slim hopes of retaining the Six Nations title alive on Sunday morning (AEDT) when indiscipline once more cost Wales in a 27-12 defeat at Croke Park.

England retained the Calcutta Cup after a 15-15 draw with Scotland but its hopes of winning the Six Nations appear to be over after a kicking-dominated scrap at Murrayfield.

The Stormers crushed New Zealand's Wellington Hurricanes 37-13 on Saturday to go second in the Super 14 table.

Unbeaten Super 14 leaders the Bulls blitzed the Otago Highlanders 50-35 at Loftus Versfeld early on Sunday morning (AEDT).

Loosehead prop Ben Alexander scored two close-range tries to help the Brumbies secure a 24-22 victory over the Sharks in a tense Super 14 match at Canberra Stadium.

New Zealand journeyman David Hill believes he can hit the ground running at Lang Park on Sunday to end the Western Force's Super 14 woes.

Winger Drew Mitchell scored four tries as the New South Wales Waratahs celebrated captain Phil Waugh's record-breaking appearance with a 73-12 thrashing of the Lions in a Super 14 match at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Fly half Daniel Carter became the highest New Zealand points scorer in Super rugby as the Canterbury Crusaders beat the Waikato Chiefs 26-19 in a Super 14 match in Hamilton.

Western Force coach John Mitchell says he is looking forward to continuing his team's rivalry with the Queensland Reds when the sides clash at Lang Park on Sunday.

Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie says the changes he has made to his squad to face the Western Force are largely designed to maintain competition for places in the Reds' line-up.

Mark Bartholomeusz's injury-interrupted Super 14 season has continued with the Western Force utility back almost certain to miss Sunday's clash with the Reds in Queensland.

The three major powers of southern hemisphere rugby are to hire a chief executive to oversee the expansion of the annual Super rugby and Tri-Nations competitions.

Dynamic back rower Scott Higginbotham believes delays in re-signing key Reds Peter Hynes and Quade Cooper will not discourage off-contract Queenslanders staying at Ballymore.

New South Wales fly half Daniel Halangahu has inked a new two-year deal that will keep him at the Waratahs until the end of the 2012 season.

Former All Blacks forward Sione Lauaki has been charged with assault following an early morning confrontation in a New Zealand bar.

The Australian Rugby Union says Argentina will have to overcome a number of hurdles to join an expanded Tri-Nations series in 2012.

New South Wales centre Tom Carter has signed a new two-year deal with the Waratahs which will take him through to the end of the 2012 Super 14 season.