Rugby news from Scrum.com

1. Toulon and Biarritz eye maiden euro title
   Top 14 giants Toulon and Biarritz go head-to-head for the Amlin Challenge Cup final at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday evening
2. Sonny Bill Williams denies rugby league deal
   Sonny Bill Williams is adamant that nothing has been set in stone regarding his future despite continual reports linking him with a move back to rugby league
3. Mallinder re-signs with the Saints
   Northampton Saints have announced that their director of rugby Jim Mallinder has penned a new deal that will keep him at Franklin's Gardens until 2015
4. Warburton declares himself fully fit
   Wales skipper Sam Warburton has claimed that he is fully fit ahead of their three-Test tour to Australia in June
5. Championship play-offs to be simplified
   The Rugby Football Union has decided to alter the Championship promotion and relegation play-offs for next season after coming under fire for the system this year, BBC Sport reports
6. Thorn tips Ireland to trouble All Blacks
   All Blacks World Cup winner Brad Thorn has only been playing in Ireland for a matter of months, but he has already seen enough to believe that Ireland can cause New Zealand problems on their tour down under in June
7. Exiles closing in on forwards coach
   London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith will decide on his new forwards coach by the end of the week but has revealed that John Wells is not on the shortlist
8. Priestland targets Test win in Australia
   Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland has said that Wales must return from their three-Test tour to Australia in June with at least one victory to their name
9. Dirksen pens new Ospreys deal
   The Ospreys have been handed a boost with the news that young winger Hanno Dirksen has penned a new two-year deal with the region
10. New Zealand and Australia hail "fair" financial model
    The New Zealand Rugby Union has welcomed a "fair" re-structuring of the Rugby World Cup financial model that will see countries handed a significant increase in funding
11. IRB comes out fighting over Fuimaono-Sapolu omission
    The International Rugby Board has come out fighting over Samoa coach Stephen Betham's claim that Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu was omitted from the national squad due to a request from the sport's governing body
12. Deans wary of wounded Scots
    Australia coach Robbie Deans is refusing to take the challenge of Scotland lightly despite a disappointing Six Nations campaign that saw them collect the Wooden Spoon
13. Bordeaux bring in Worsley as coach
    Bordeaux-Begles have unveiled former England flanker Joe Worsley as their new defence coach
14. IRB ties Shingler to Wales
    The International Rugby Board has stuck to their original decision and has ruled that Steven Shingler is solely eligible for Wales
15. Scotland call on 'Flying Dutchman'
    Scotland have named Netherlands-born winger Tim Visser in the squad for their three-Test tour of the southern hemisphere this summer
16. Cuthbert re-signs with Cardiff Blues
    The Cardiff Blues have been handed a massive boost with the news that winger Alex Cuthbert has opted to put pen to paper on a new one-year deal with the region
17. Veteran Shaw extends Toulon deal
    Toulon and former England second-row Simon Shaw has signed a new one-year contract with the Top 14 side
18. Reds name Quade Cooper at fly-half
    Australia fly-half Quade Cooper is back in the Reds' starting line up as he looks to prove his fitness to Wallabies coach Robbie Deans ahead of their three-Test series against Wales in June
19. Lancaster: Tindall has got 'a lot to prove'
    England coach Stuart Lancaster is looking forward to seeing his side line up against Mike Tindall when the former England skipper takes to the Twickenham pitch with the Barbarians but has also sounded a note of caution to the centre
20. Falcons bring in Italian lock
    Newcastle Falcons have completed the signing of Italian lock Carlo del Fava