Rugby player could face World Cup ban for stomping on opponent's head (VIDEO)

Yoann Huget could face a possible World Cup ban after footage emerged of the Toulouse winger stomping on the head of an opponent during a Top 14 clash.

A video shows Huget smashing his cleats into the face of Bordeaux Begles lock Andre Marais in the 18th minute of last Saturday’s game.

There have been no sanctions for the France international so far, but that will probably change as footage of the intentional facial goes viral.

Huget has made 38 appearances for France an his coaches will be worried that he could face a suspension for some or all of the upcoming competition this November.

The 27-year-old is no stranger to controversy, in 2011 the winger was expelled from France’s World Cup squad for not observing anti-doping rules.

NRL rugby star has special undies revealed during tackle (PHOTO)

Fans watching the NRL All Stars face the Indigenous All Stars got more than they bargained for when a tackle left one player with his shorts pulled down to his ankles. Indigenous center Greg Inglis was making a break during the first half of the match when he was pantsed by an opposing player revealing a special message on his undies.

The rugby star was wearing "budgy smuggler" underwear in the pattern of the Koori flag — the official Australian Aboriginal flag.

Fans watching NRL All Stars game get more than they bargain for after tackle on Greg Inglis http://t.co/idKxcLoKe9 pic.twitter.com/abTkuUUff7
— #Kisswhite#Mr-Nawti# (@ohis_) February 13, 2015

I have no idea what a budgy is ... or how it is smuggled but, I dare anyone to go up to this guy and say: I see London, I see France ...

Rory McIlroy laughs off PA system playing ‘Sweet Caroline’ during interview (VIDEO)

Rory McIlroy was doing an interview with BBC during halftime of a rugby match when the PA system suddenly began playing Neil Diamond’s 'Sweet Caroline.' Not a big deal until you realize it was a not-so-subtle reference to McIlroy's ex-fiancee, Caroline Wozniacki — whom he unceremoniously dumped in May.

During halftime of the Ulster-Connacht match, the golfer was talking about his Christmas when he realized the crowd was facetiously singing along to the song, prompting him to laugh, lower his head and say, “oh, dear.”

Now he's ready for those Red Sox games at Fenway.

British rugby player smashes through door during team party (VIDEO)

An alcohol-fueled post-game party got a little out of hand when a British rugby star smashed through a door head-first after a loss.

England hooker Josh Hodgson will be disciplined after smashing through the door during the wild celebration in Dunedin at the end of their Four Nations tour.

Footage of the incident below shows the former Hull KR forward taking a running start and hurl himself through the closed door of a student's apartment then celebrating.

The incident came after England's 16-14 defeat by New Zealand which cost them a place in next Saturday's final in Wellington.

England issued a statement apologizing for the incident and pledging to arrange for the repairs to be made to the door.

He's a rugby player. That's what they do.

Rugby star faces lifetime ban for punching out opponent during Grand Final (VIDEO)

It's being called the punch that has shamed the reputation of the Rugby League and, if you follow the sport, that's saying a lot.

Ben Flower apologized for the inexcusable punch deemed too violent for the game as he attempted to save his career and, some say, the reputation of the top-tier league.

In a display of shocking brutality, two minutes into the Grand Final at Old Trafford, the Wigan Warriors prop knelt over St. Helens’ Lance Hohaia — whom he had already knocked unconscious with a roundhouse — and landed a second blow to his face.

"There is no defense for my actions," said Flower. "It was something that happened in the heat of the moment when our emotions and adrenaline were running high. I instantly regretted it and am devastated that I allowed myself to punch someone like this."

There is no extent to the length of suspension Flower could face, with some calling for him to be banned for life.

Hohaia left the game as the Saints went on to win 14-6 .

Flower can probably expect an eight-game suspension but, since there is no precedent for this type of incident, it is also a possibility that he could face criminal charges, despite both Hohaia and St. Helens coach Nathan Brown stating they did not want a prosecution.

Female streaker gets piled on by security at rugby match (VIDEO)

A female streaker received a painful high tackle from a security guard at New Zealand vs. Argentina rugby match before being piled on by a few other members of his crew.

New Zealand security have been accused of using excessive force on pitch invaders and this video shows why:

The woman was given a warning for disorderly behavior and banned from the All Blacks' McLean Park for two years. She later said it was on her bucket list and she had “no regrets”.

The security guards are also facing disciplinary action.

Rugby star suffers gruesome hand injury during match (GRAPHIC PHOTO)

Nobody ever accused rugby players of being soft, but after Chev Walker suffered a nasty gash to his hand during a match Sunday, The Bradford Bulls star might be labeled tender — tender as in a piece of steak.

That's because Walker's hand looked like a $50 slab of raw filet mignon after posting the gruesome image of the prime cut on his official Twitter account.

For the faint of heart — look away. (GRAPHIC PHOTO)

Well after doing this in the game on Sunday, I thought I was gonna be having an op but just been told doesn't need it pic.twitter.com/jri4BBSSJL
— chev walker (@chevwalker) July 22, 2014

Along with the frightening photo, Walker posted the message: "Well after doing this in the game on Sunday, I thought I was gonna be having an op but just been told doesn't need it."

Posted like a true rugby player.

Walker sustained the bloody injury while attempting a tap tackle in the Bulls' 52-26 Super League match against the Huddersfield Giants.

He was stitched up and, like he said, no operation was necessary.

Australian rugby player suspended for hurling homophobic slur during live broadcast (VIDEO)

An Australian rugby player has been suspended for two games after calling an opponent a “f***ing gay c**t” during a live broadcast.

Previously not named, the player has been revealed as Mitchell Moses, who been banned by the National Rugby League (NRL) for two matches.

Mitchell Moses

The homophobic slur occurred during a high-profile rugby league match between Queensland and New South Wales on Saturday. Queensland forward Luke Bateman was the target of the offensive words from Moses.

Live viewers of the match heard it loud and clear.

Luke Bateman

The incident occurred in the 74th minute while some players mixed it up. The remark was picked up by a microphone and transmitted over the air, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The NSW head of football Todd Greenberg confirmed that Moses attended the Rugby League Central on Monday to apologize. He also said sorry to Bateman.

“The NRL has consistently made it clear that there is no place for any form of discrimination in our game and we will take firm action if it occurs,” said Greenberg.

“We will also require him to participate in a program to improve his awareness and understanding of the importance of eliminating discrimination, particularly homophobia, in the game.”

Rugby star recovering after biting off his own tongue (PHOTO)

Rugby players have a reputation for bloodying up the field, but even Lucas Walshaw would the first to admit the gory injury he suffered on Sunday was a little too much.

And he'll say it with a lisp.

That's because the Wakefield forward bit off a chunk of his tongue in the opening minutes of the Rams’ Kingstone Press Championship match at Sheffield Eagles.

Afterwards, Walshaw got one of his teammates to take a photo.

The 21-year-old second rower, who is playing on loan to Dewsbury, attempted to scrum on despite the blood and the tip of his tongue hanging off.

"He got a head shot right at the start of the game, and the end bit of his tongue got bit off and was hanging down," said Glenn Morrison, the Dewsbury coach. "He played on for another five or 10 minutes but it wouldn't stop bleeding so we had to get him off, and as soon as the doctor took a look at it that was it. 

"It wasn’t pretty," said Morrison. "They couldn’t stop the bleeding so they got him off and then saw the end of his tongue hanging off. 

"He toughed it out and spent the night in hospital where they re-attached it with about a dozen stitches," added Morrison. "Tongues usually heal pretty quickly so he should only be out for two or three weeks."

Walshaw seemed more concerned about his food intake.

"I'll be right for the weekend," he said. "They won't let me eat anything for the moment because I got my front teeth knocked back as well, so I'm just on protein shakes. I'm looking forward to a good Mexican but I might put the chillies to one side."

Rugby star Richard Haughton suffers gruesome cut to forehead (PHOTO)

European rugby star Richard Haughton needed thirteen stitches across his forehead after he collided with his own teammate during a Heineken Cup match Saturday.

The 33-year-old Perpignan winger did not fare too well after smashing into Sebastien Vahaamahina in the 19th minute of the 18-17 defeat to Munster.

It's only fitting that he now looks like Herman Munster.

#Rugby Así le quedo la cara a Richard HAUGHTON, wing Perpignan, tras el pisotón de su compañero Sébastien VAHAAMAHINA pic.twitter.com/txll79gjAn
— Francisco Capizzi (@FranCapizzi) December 15, 2013

And you still want to scrum?

British rugby stars take on bizarre new look for zoo promotion

That wasn't a ferocious pack of wild animals on a rugby field in south England on Monday. It was just a few members of the Exeter Chiefs rugby team channeling their inner beast with a little help from a make-up crew.

The sight of a zebra, cheetah, mandrill and gazelle scrumming for the ball was nothing less than bizarre, but it was all in a days work for four players from the Chiefs who were covered in body paint filming an advertisement for a local zoo.

Justin Blanchet was transformed into a zebra, his brother Sam was turned into cheetah, Fetu u Vainikolohad had his head and shoulders painted as a zebra and Matt Jess took on the role of a mandrill.

The wildlife-themed ad was for nearby Paignton Zoo in the south England county of Devon.

Still very weird.

Rugby player gives British Prime Minister 'bunny ears' during photo op

An English rugby star pulled one of the oldest gags in the book by giving someone a set of "bunny ears" during a team photo.  The only problem is that someone happened to be David Cameron — the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Manu Tuilagi's  childish prank outside No 10 Downing Street Monday appears to be attracting a wave of indignation and calls for his suspension— which many claim is ridiculous.

Although Tuilagi's schoolyard gesture is akin to photobombing someone with the stature of let's say oh ... the President of the United States in front of the White House, his mischievous move is still pretty funny.

The Leicester and England center was with his fellow Lions, meeting the Prime Minister in the aftermath of their successful tour of Australia. When posing for pictures, the Samoan prankster— who infamously jumped off a ferry in Auckland harbor as part of a joke after England had fallen out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup — could be seen reaching behind Cameron’s back and putting two fingers above his head.

The whimsical gesture has many Brits harrumphing over their tea and crumpets but most find it to be a harmless, albeit ill-timed, joke. The Daily Mail wrote:

What he did was juvenile, granted. It was also ill-advised in such a high-profile setting, while he was on an official visit, among the elite group of British and Irish rugby talent. Bearing in mind his harbour dive in Auckland at the last World Cup, it was also rash in presenting his detractors with another stick to beat him with.

But let’s be clear about this; Tuilagi would not have meant to cause offence or make a statement of any kind. He wouldn’t have been trying to belittle Mr Cameron and he certainly wouldn’t have had a political agenda! In his mind, this would have been a variation on the school-team photo, when invariably one player or other will pull a face or make a comic – but harmless – gesture.

Eight years ago, an England cricketer visiting No 10 relieved himself in the garden and the morally righteous didn’t have him drummed out of that sport.

Tuilagi has since apologized.

Indeed.

Rugby player left with a claw hammer in head after nightclub brawl (PHOTO)

A rising English rugby star was left with a claw hammer embedded in his head during the early hours of Sunday morning after a horrifying attack by another patron outside a nightclub.

Scunthorpe Rugby Club player Matthew Probert was photographed slumped against a wall with the claw of the tool embedded in his skull after a night out with pals. He was attacked at about 1 a.m.

Up to five bouncers were seen by onlookers trying to reassure him and keep the 21-year-old tough guy awake, as they checked his pulse.

Probert, a loose-head prop, (yes, that a real rugby position) was rushed to a specialist brain unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

Surgeons spent an hour removing the hammer from his forehead and he has since been described as being in a stable condition and "lucky to be alive."

Lincolnshire Police later confirmed a 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Probert's prognosis is good — he's a rugby player after all.

Rugby star, Danny Cipriani, hit by double-decker bus during pub crawl

International rugby star Danny Cipriani was rushed to a British hospital after being hit by a double-decker bus during a Leeds pub crawl with his teammates.

Cipriani was crossing a street in the college student area of Headingly with his Sale Shark teammates when he collided with the moving bus while on one of the famous "Otley Run" pub crawls.  The 25-year-old British fullback was treated for a concussion at the scene before being rushed to a local hospital for X-rays and an overnight stay.

The impact from the collision damaged the player's ribs but the club said Cipriani would be released later today.

The windshield of the bus was broken and a number of paramedics and Yorkshire police attended to Cipriani, whose face was painted as part of his fancy dress costume.

"Danny’s spending the night in hospital. X-rays and scans will be carried out overnight," said Cipriani's manager James Williamson. "He’s obviously in pain. He was running across the road and just misjudged the speed of the bus."

While in Australia, the trouble-plagued Cipriani — well known for his on again-off again relationship with model/actress Kelly Brook — had a few run-ins with management for breaching team discipline on a number of occasions.

Hope the dude is on again with Brook. She looks like the best medicine.