It’s that day of the year when those of us not quite as sharp as we might like to think fall hook line and sinker for the odd tall tale.

In honour of April Fools’day, IRN has been keeping watch on the less-than-sincere rugby stories that have been turning a few heads.

Pretty in Pink

An unofficial England fans website got in the act with the news that England are about to unveil a new pink shirt, and some dedicated soul has even gone to the trouble of brightening up a picture of James Haskell in the ‘new’ shirt.

Chiefs get the Chelsea treatment

Exeter Chiefs fans awoke to the ‘news’ this morning that their club is about to be taken over by a Russian billionaire, their fans site claiming that he is ‘a keen rugby fan and following a recent visit to Sandy Park wants to plough money into the ground and squad. He already has an interest in a Russian rugby side but sees this as an opportunity to build a presence in the Premiership. It looks like The Chiefs might have found their own ‘Abrahmovic’!!’

Jonny to join Johnno

Newcastle fans have got it bad enough at the moment, so the last thing they needed today was to hear that their hero Jonny Wilkinson was about to join Martin Johnson when England’s World Cup-winning skipper takes charge of the national team.

New laws for next season

This probably the best of the lot so far. Never mind the ELVs, make way for the ORCs. Apparently, the IRB is forging ahead with its mission to change the face of the game forever and is about to introduce a raft of new laws called the Official Rugby Constitutionals. They will include moving the offside line ten metres back from the scrum and lineout, doing away with drop-kicked restwrts and outlawing any peculiar goal-kicking stances.