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Louis Rees-Zammit of Bristol Bears runs at Rob Du Preez of Sale Sharks in his comeback game(Image: 2025 Getty Images)<\/p>\nthe latest rugby news stories from around the worldLouis Rees-Zammit of Bristol Bears runs at Rob Du Preez of Sale Sharks in his comeback game(Image: 2025 Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Here are the latest rugby headlines on the evening of Sunday, September 14.<\/p>\n
Coach happy with Rees-Zammit<\/p>\n
Bristol Bears coach Pat Lam was happy with what he saw from Louis Rees-Zammit<\/a> on his return to rugby. The Welshman came off the bench for the final 30 minutes of Bears’ defeat to Sale Sharks on Saturday after 18 months away from the sport.<\/p>\n While he struggled to hit top gear in appalling weather<\/a> conditions, Lam was encouraged by the early signs despite his side going down 24-15 in the Premiership Rugby Cup encounter.<\/p>\n He told The Rugby Paper<\/a>: “It was a positive that Louis got out there and got some game-time. You can see he tried to have a go a couple of times and he\u2019s a threat.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the time he came on, unfortunately the rain was coming down but you could see how dangerous he is. That\u2019s the first of some big steps he\u2019s going to make going forward. He\u2019s happy, I\u2019m happy, and we\u2019ll move through to the next stage.\u201d<\/p>\n The coach previously revealed the winger was having to work hard to regain his rugby fitness after training in a very different environment during his NFL stint and putting on weight.<\/p>\n He has already shed over a stone since returning to the UK<\/a> and is the fastest player in the Bristol squad, as evidenced by a wonder try he recently scored in training. Bristol begin their Gallagher PREM campaign against Leicester on Sunday, September 28, but Rees-Zammit could face old club Gloucester at Kingsholm on Friday in the second round of Premiership Cup fixtures.<\/p>\n Farrell left out by England<\/p>\n By Duncan Bech, PA Rugby Union Correspondent<\/p>\n Owen Farrell has been left out of England’s pre-autumn training camp, suggesting he will not make an international return in the near future. The 36-year-old is a big name omission from the 36-man squad picked by Steve Borthwick, with his return to Saracens for the upcoming season makes him eligible for selection.<\/p>\n Maro Itoje, the current England captain, will be present for the three-day camp in Surrey that runs until Tuesday but will not spend any time on the field.<\/p>\n The 30-year-old Lions skipper failed an HIA after 27 minutes of the third Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on August 2 and has been stood down from training as Borthwick begins plotting the downfall of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina this autumn.<\/p>\n England\u2019s Lions stars miss the opening two rounds of the Gallagher Premier as part of the post-tour mandatory rest period and Saracens have given Itoje an additional week off before reporting for pre-season.<\/p>\n While there is currently no concern over Itoje\u2019s availability for the autumn, Farrell\u2019s prospects of being involved have receded with his absence from the camp.<\/p>\n The 33-year-old was last month overlooked for one of England\u2019s 25 elite player squad contracts despite swapping Racing 92 for Saracens and proving his fitness as a late call-up to the Lions tour.<\/p>\n Now Borthwick has given a stronger indication of his thinking for November by picking George Ford, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith as his fly-halves and looking to Ollie Lawrence, Seb Atkinson and Fraser Dingwall as his inside centre options.<\/p>\n Tom Curry, Elliot Daly, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Will Stuart join Itoje in being given the camp to rehab injuries alongside England\u2019s medical team.<\/p>\n Ireland players collapse in tears<\/p>\n By PA Sport Staff<\/p>\n Ireland fell agonisingly short of a place in the last four of the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup<\/a>, throwing away a 13-0 half-time lead to crash out 18-13 to France in their quarter-final at Sandy Park.<\/p>\n