Sporting Digest: Rugby Union

The funeral service for the sports journalist Geoffrey Nicholson will take place at 2pm on Monday at Seion Chapel, Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, to be followed by burial at Brithdir cemetary. Donations in his memory to the Llanraeadr Surgery will be shared with the Macmillan Nurses.

Scotland have secured a five-figure sponsorship deal to cover warm-up matches in the build-up to the World Cup. Scottish Hydro Electric will back three games, along with a new nationwide league at Under-16 level.