A number of fake stories have left rugby fans around the world scratching their heads today
It’s April Fools’ Day and the rugby world is getting into the spirit of things with teams and broadcasters wanting to introduce fans to a series of obscure stories.
Wednesday morning saw fans around the world scratching their heads – at least temporarily – when they were met with headlines claiming the game had been rocked by bombshell changes on and off the pitch. However, the truth was soon revealed, with some lies proving more effective at ensnaring people than others.
Here are a few of our favorites.
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Scary training moves
Unsurprisingly, many of the April Fools’ jokes played in rugby today focus on coaching staff.
With the uncertainty of the future of England manager Steve Borthwick and the recent departure of Scott Robertson as the All Blacks manager, both caught the headlines.
In particular, Borthwick was said to be set to replace South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus, with SA Rugby Mag reporting that the Springboks boss has signed a “multi-year deal” to replace him as England boss.
The report said he received an “offer he couldn’t refuse” from the RFU, before adding: “Personal reasons are also believed to have played a part, with Rassie’s beloved bulldog, Frank, keen to return to his roots in Britain.”
He wasn’t the only coach rumored to be on the move, with Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson jokingly reported to be returning to the All Blacks as an assistant coach.
Robertson’s two-year tenure as New Zealand manager ended in January after disappointing results in the Rugby Championship and reports of tension between senior players and staff.
Canceled scrums
One of the more serious efforts of April Fools reported that World Rugby has announced the complete removal of the scrum from the game ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
The future of the scrum has been debated recently, with Australia and New Zealand reportedly pushing for radical changes to the rules of rugby that could see the scrum replaced by mauls or free-kicks.
However, RugbyLAD reported that those measures to reduce the strength of the powerhouse have been taken even further with a “surprising step”, as the press joked that they have been removed from the game altogether.
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“We have been monitoring the situation closely, and it has become clear that some teams have an unfair advantage when it comes to the scrum,” the publication quoted World Rugby as saying. “At this time, there is no contest and there is a planned penalty.”
“We want to give every nation the best chance to compete at the World Cup. And if that means removing one of the most prominent weapons in international rugby, so be it.”
The fake report added that other options are being explored, including restarting the “vibe-based possession system”.
Mullets are prohibited
Meanwhile, the University of Exeter was reported by The Tab to have banned their rugby players from sporting mullet haircuts, with the style “associated with disruptive behaviour”.
The fake report – carried out by Professor Harriet Bangs, a senior researcher at the UK’s Center for Sport and Behavior – found that “92 per cent of mullet owners cause interference in everyday situations”.
These included “giving ‘professional’ rugby advice to strangers” as well as “singing nonsense slogans” and “rearranging traffic lanes for no apparent reason.”
A fictitious email from the university’s ‘Director of Student Welfare and Chaos Prevention’ reads: “All forms of mullet hair will be banned from the Exeter rugby team, effective 1 April 2026.”
The report also says that, instead of mullets, players will be given a choice of three hairstyles “said to be associated with peace” – buzz cuts, taper fades and perms.
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