CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Cheslin Kolbe produced a man-of-the-match performance as Toulon crushed Glasgow Warriors 43-19 in the Challenge Cup Final on Friday.
CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Sharks moved level on points with the Cheetahs at the top of the Currie Cup standings after they beat Hawies Fourie's side 35-23 at Kings Park on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Final between Glasgow Warriors and Toulon in Dublin.
CURRIE CUP REPORT: Western Province boosted their play-off hopes with a 22-14 win over the Pumas in their Round 11 clash at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round 11 encounter between the Sharks and Cheetahs at Kings Park in Durban.
NEWS: The city of Cape Town could host the grand final of Europe’s two most prized events – the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup – in 2025 or 2026.
NEWS: Wales flank Justin Tipuric said Friday he had retired from international rugby with immediate effect.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round 11 encounter between Western Province and the Pumas at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
FRIDAY WRAP: Beauden Barrett spun a web around the Queensland Reds before limping off as the Blues inflicted a 45-26 win in Brad Thorn's last game as coach at Suncorp Stadium.
NEWS: The Springboks will have a Rugby World Cup training camp in Bastia, Corsica after their last warm-up fixture against New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday 25 August.
Leinster 'host' holders Stade Rochelais in the Champions Cup final on Saturday with the Irish province playing at Lansdowne Road for the eighth time this season.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: The Trans-Jukskei Derby on Saturday between Bulls and Lions will be particularly important as both teams are fighting for a play-off with just four rounds remaining.
NEWS: Three South Africans have been included in the Barbarian squad and two in the World XV ahead of their match at Twickenham Stadium next weekend.
NEWS: Western Force hooker Folau Fainga'a deserves a gold medal for trash talk after launching a series of humorous taunts at his former Brumbies teammates leading into their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Perth.
NEWS: Wasps have finally lost all hope of a quick return to England's top flight, following a ruling by the Rugby Football Union.
NEWS: The fans are well and truly back in stadiums at Champions Cup venues.
NEWS: The SA Rugby Academy squad concluded its tour of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal with the bulk of the players returning to their respective homes before setting their sights on the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
PREVIEW: Glasgow Warriors will be looking to cap off a revitalised season under Franco Smith with some silverware on Friday
FRIDAY PREVIEW: Seven teams are juggling to reach the final four of the Currie Cup and with four rounds left and very little that separates the three sides at top of the log, it is an open race to the end.
NEWS: The South African Rugby Union announced the appointment of experienced sport and government executive Max Fuzani as the new administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union.
NEWS: The United Rugby Championship Final between the Stormers and Munster will produce a record attendance.
PREVIEW: While New Zealand secured their 13th Series title last weekend in France, there's still plenty to be decided in England's capital on the weekend.
NEWS: One of Wales' United Rugby Championship teams has set their sights on a South African playmaker for next season, but the Welsh Rugby Union is standing in their way.
JAPAN LEAGUE PREVIEW: Springbok internationals and Rugby World Cup certainties, Malcolm Marx, Damien de Allende and Lood de Jager will be on show when Kubota Spears aim for their first national championship in the 2022-23 Japan Rugby League One final.
SPOTLIGHT: The Queensland Reds are closing in on a deal to retain James O'Connor, who wants to remain at Ballymore and be the mentor he never had access to as rugby's prodigal son.
SPOTLIGHT: The Queensland Reds will seek answers in a meeting with World Rugby, fed up by a lack of action following numerous incidents that left their players concussed or injured.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Sharks have put their recruitment campaign into overdrive.
AWARDS: Springbok strongman Jasper Wiese has put down another big marker ahead of the World Cup in France.
NEWS: Saracens and Sale will wear their away kits at Twickenham for the Premiership final on May 27 to help colour-blind fans get a better grasp of the action.
NEWS: Rugby's world governing body said on Wednesday it has suspended Sri Lanka and banned it from all tournaments until the island's government ends "interference" in the game's administration.
SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow Warriors have their first chance to create history and win a European Cup title for Scotland on Friday, but only if they can tame the chaos that is normally created by Springbok Cheslin Kolbe.
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks made the big switch to Test mode on Wednesday, as they returned to the training field in Durban at the first of two preparation camps to kick into gear for the international season.
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok wing Dillyn Leyds has opened up on Ronan O'Gara's influence on his career while playing in France.
SPOTLIGHT: To use players from the United Rugby Championship in the Currie Cup or not, that is the question.
AWARDS: Manie Libbok has been recognised in the United Rugby Championship Awards by being voted the Fans’ Player of the Season.
SPOTLIGHT: Their quest for automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games may be out of their hands, but the South African Sevens team will leave no stone unturned at the London leg of the World Series this weekend.
SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has announced the Under-20 World Cup in South Africa will feature new smart ball technology to aid officials in ruling on incidents during a game.
NEWS: The Bulls’ Johan Goosen has kicked sand in the eyes of his competitors with a near perfect kicking performance, winning him the URC Golden Boot award for 2022/2023.
SPOTLIGHT: Ireland and Leinster legend Brian O'Driscoll says South African referee Jaco Peyper has "earned the right' to officiate this season's Champions Cup Final.
WATCH as Western Province defence coach Norman Laker explains to @king365ed what they expect from their move to the Athlone Stadium - the 'Home of Football'
SPOTLIGHT: Hunter Paisami has resisted domestic and international offers to re-sign with the Queensland Reds and hopes to return from a knee injury in what looms as a crunch final-round Super Rugby fixture.
NEWS: Eddie Jones is apparently willing to give Samu Kerevi and the ageing Quade Cooper a chance to prove themselves in the Barbarian side against a World XV later this month at Twickenham.
WATCH as Springbok captain Siyamthanda Kolisi shares an update on his rehabilitation progress.
NEWS: Five referees who have been included on the World Cup 2023 match official panel have been appointed to take charge of the Springboks' Rugby Championship and RWC warm-up Tests.
NEWS: The latest transfer news from the Cheetahs camp is that flank George Cronje is heading to the Sharks and veteran lock Carl Wegner returns after a two year stint at Benetton.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Dillyn Leyds and his Top 14 club Stade Rochelais have become accustomed to the Champions Cup Grand Final.
SPOTLIGHT: Benetton centre Joaquin Riera and Lions fullback Quan Horn have added their names to the United Rugby Championship Awards list.
REACTION: Messages and phone calls from Western Province forwards coach Rito Hlungwani from Cape Town were needed to help the Currie Cup side over the line during their 25-21 win over Griffons in Welkom last weekend.
NEWS: The Rugby Football Union has given London Irish a deadline to finalise the takeover deal or face suspension from the Premiership next season.
WATCH as we take a look at a list of players who are likely to feature in their last World Cup in France during the months of September and October.
NEWS: Friday’s Currie Cup match between Western Province and Pumas will not take place at the Cape Town Stadium as the pitch is being preserved for the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship Final on May 27.
NEWS: Australia's women's rugby union captain Shannon Parry announced her retirement Monday after a long career that saw her play in four World Cups and win Olympic gold.
NEWS: The ex-captain of Italy, Sergio Parisse, has been left out of the 46-man pre-Rugby World Cup training squad as he seeks a record sixth appearance at the global event.
TRANSFER NEWS: All Black centre Anton Lienert-Brown said there was a sense of unfinished business when he put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) until the end of 2026.
INJURY UPDATE: Leinster has been handed a timely boost ahead of Saturday's Champions Cup Final against La Rochelle in Dublin.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Free State Cheetahs confirmed the signing of three new players, on the same day that it was revealed one of their stars is heading to the Sharks.
WATCH as URC Chief Executive Martin Anayi unpacks some of the most significant data for season two and we reveal the records Cape Town is setting.
INJURY UPDATE: Stormers will be at full-strength when they face Munster in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final on May 27 in Cape Town.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: 'It would be wrong for him not to be pushing for that South African 10 jersey.'
REACTION: Munster returns to Cape Town just a month after they ended the Stormers' 21-match
WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson explains what really drives his team ahead of their second-consecutive URC Final appearance and how they have players 'lining up' to play in Cape Town.
TRANSFER NEWS: Tonga star Charles Piutau will head to Japan after the 2023 World Cup.
INJURY UPDATE: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber will be keen to get an update on the injury status of flyhalf Handre Pollard.
DAY THREE WRAP: New Zealand wrapped up a 13th men's Sevens World Series title in Toulouse and followed that up with a come-from-behind 24-19 extra-time win against Argentina in the Cup Final on Sunday.
MATCH REPORT: Sale Sharks reached their first Premiership final for 17 years as they ended Leicester's hopes of back-to-back titles with a 21-13 victory at the Salford City Stadium.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach Joey Mongalo found it very challenging to identify the positives during his team's 24-22 win over Pumas in Nelspruit.
REACTION: The South African Rugby Union has dismissed as 'incorrect' reports that Chris Swift has been appointed as administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union.
SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Brumbies have dug deep to protect their perfect home record this Super Rugby Pacific season and return to second on the ladder with a 48-32 win over the Highlanders in Canberra.
WATCH the wild scenes as Steven Kitshoff and his Stormers teammates celebrated Munster's win over Leinster in the United Rugby Championship semifinal.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, SEMIFINAL WRAP: Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx was the star of the show during Kubota Spears' 24-18 win over Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath in the semifinals of the Japan League One.
REACTION: The Connacht head coach Andy Friend admitted his team's late slump proved costly during the semifinal 25-43 defeat to Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.
WATCH as the Stormers secured a comfortable victory over Connacht before Munster stun Leinster to set up another United Rugby Championship Grand Final at the Cape Town Stadium.
DAY TWO WRAP: Argentina qualified for Paris 2024 and Canada reached its first semifinal of the season, after Day Two of the Paris leg of the Sevens World Series.
MATCH REPORT: Saracens surged into the Premiership Final, but their 38-15 victory over Northampton was tinged with controversy after Sean Maitland plundered two tries having escaped an early card.
URC REPORT: The Stormers will host another URC Final after Munster edged Leinster 16-15 in a bruising semifinal in Dublin on Saturday.
URC REPORT: The Stormers advanced to another United Rugby Championship Final after they beat Connacht 43-25 in their semifinal in Cape Town on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship semifinal encounter between Leinster and Munster in Dublin.
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls put themselves firmly back in the Currie Cup play-off race with a bonus-point 40-20 win over a willing Griquas team in Kimberley on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: The Lions outplayed the Cheetahs to record an important 33-26 Currie Cup Round 10 win in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship semifinal encounter between the Stormers and Connacht in Cape Town.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE chat of the Currie Cup Round 10 encounter between Griquas and the Bulls in Kimberley.
SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The Crusaders have scored a single try in each half to beat the Blues 15-3 in an edgy, pivotal match in Super Rugby Pacific.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE chat of the Currie Cup Round 10 encounter between the Cheetahs and Lions in Bloemfontein.
NEWS: Prosecutors on Friday asked that Mohamed Haouas receive a two-year suspended sentence for his role as "leader" in a brawl in which the future France prop and his friends attacked like "a pack of wolves".
WATCH as URC Chief Executive Martin Anayi talks about the likely change in European Cup qualification format.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: The Bulls are in 'survival' mode and literally putting all their eggs into the Currie Cup basket.
DAY ONE WRAP: The BlitzBoks kept their Cup play-off hopes alive when they outplayed Fiji on their way to a 24-7 win in their second pool game at the France Sevens.
CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Sharks produced a late fightback to beat a 14-man Pumas team 24-22 in Nelspruit on Friday.
CURRIE CUP REPORT: Western Province survived a second-half fightback by Griffons to record a valuable 25-21 bonus-point win in Welkom.
PREVIEW: Stormers head coach John Dobson says his team is "fired up" to make full use of their home-ground advantage in their United Rugby Championship semifinal on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are two injury-enforced changes to the Stormers starting line-up for the United Rugby Championship semifinal at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The Queensland Reds have broken their New Zealand hoodoo and ended the Chiefs' unbeaten season with a stunning Super Rugby Pacific upset in New Plymouth.
INTERVIEW: The Waratahs and Rebels both know there's much at stake in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific derby in Sydney.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are more than ready to put the 'negative and sad' European season behind them and focus on Currie Cup says loose forward Elrigh Louw.
PREVIEW: France centre Jonathan Danty and back row muscle Yoan Tanga and Levani Botia are set to return from injury to bolster La Rochelle's Top 14 hopes on Saturday.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: The injury-ravaged Pumas run the risk of their Currie Cup title defence stalling, as their dwindling depth is being tested to the full.
NEWS: Leicester wing Chris Ashton has been cleared for Sunday's English Premiership semifinal against Sale after he successfully had a red card overturned by a disciplinary hearing.
NEWS: Player welfare just went up a notch after the World Rugby Council unanimously approved a recommendation that unions participate in trials of a lower tackle height in community rugby.
SEVENS PREVIEW: The Blitzboks will face hosts France in the first round of the Sevens Series at Stade Ernest-Wallon in Toulouse on Friday.
NEWS: Dave Kearney will leave Leinster at the end of the 2022/23 season.
WATCH as URC CEO Martin Anayi explains to @king365ed how they are going to solve the travel nightmare that has bedeviled South African teams.
NEWS: John Jeffrey was formally confirmed as World Rugby Vice-Chairman at the international federation’s Annual Meeting of Council held virtually on Thursday.
SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers’ triumph in last year’s inaugural United Rugby Championship was described as a fairytale, but not even what Steven Kitshoff’s men did last June matches what John Muldoon’s Connacht did back in 2016.
NEWS: The winners of the 2023 Premiership Rugby Awards were announced last night with Bath Rugby’s Ollie Lawrence revealed as the Premiership Player of the Season.
SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship's elite XV has been unveiled for the 2022/2023 season.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Glasgow Warriors' flyhalf Tom Jordan will miss his team's European Challenge Cup Final against Toulon.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff admits the pressure is building on his team as they enter their United Rugby Championship semifinal against Connacht as overwhelming favourites.
JAPAN LEAGUE PREVIEW: A host of Springboks will be in action as the race for the inaugural Japan Rugby League One title hots up this weekend in the semifinals with men like Faf de Klerk, Damien de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx all playing vital roles for their respective teams.
SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: There is no doubt that a core of experienced Blitzboks available for the final two legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series has boosted the confidence of the squad, players and management alike.
NEWS: Irish referee Joy Neville will become the first woman to officiate at the men's Rugby World Cup after being named on the 26-person panel by World Rugby on Wednesday.
WATCH as the Bulls' Director of Rugby Jake White unpacks the way forward and how his team can start winning some major silverware again.
NEWS: Jordan Petaia's Rugby World Cup hopes have suffered a blow after he underwent surgery to repair a ligament injury in his wrist, ruling him out of the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
NEWS: Wallabies coach Eddie Jones hired former Castres boss Pierre-Henry Broncan and London Irish's Brad Davis on Thursday to complete his backroom staff ahead of a "smash and grab" bid for the World Cup in France.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Munster’s dogged defence has become a massive ally for them ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semifinal against arch-rivals Leinster.
NEWS: A former Rugby Football Union council member has been banned from Twickenham after admitting to making racist comments at a Six Nations match last year.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson is preparing for every eventuality in terms of team selection ahead of their United Rugby Championship semifinal against Connacht in Cape Town on Saturday.
NEWS: Two South Africans, Jaco Peyper and Marius Jonker, were included in the team of match officials World Rugby announced on Wednesday for the World Cup 2023 in France later this year.
NEWS: All Black Julian Savea is one try away from being the most prolific try scorer in Super Rugby Pacific history.
It has certainly been an incredible season for Connacht, who will take on the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship semifinal this weekend at Cape Town Stadium.
NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship semifinals have been confirmed.
NEWS: Taniela Tupou concedes he's walking a tightrope to be ready for the Rugby World Cup despite targeting a July comeback from serious injury.
NEWS: Stormers utility back Suleiman Hartzenberg has been ruled out of the SA Rugby Academy squad due to injury.
WATCH as Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell unpacks his approach once new coach John Plumtree steps in on July 1.
NEWS: The All Blacks and Japan will meet regularly from 2024 to 2027 as part of a wide-ranging deal announced Wednesday aimed at growing rugby across the region.
NEWS: Australian test great Joe Roff believes Eddie Jones can pull off a coaching miracle and guide Australia to Rugby World Cup glory.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani knows better than to underestimate Irish side Connacht ahead of their United Rugby Championship semifinal in Cape Town on Saturday.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend named an extended 41-man training squad ahead of this year's World Cup in France.
NEWS: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Saturday's United Rugby Championship semifinal against Munster at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
NEWS: Cheetahs prop Schalk Ferreira turned 40 in February and while many might think that is too old to be a professional rugby player, he just extended his contract with the Cheetahs for another year.
NEWS: South Africa’s Jaco Peyper and Wayne Barnes of England will referee this season’s Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals respectively.
SPOTLIGHT: The last time Justin Geduld boarded an international flight, he needed assistance from the flight crew as his leg was in a brace due to a multi-ligament knee injury.
WATCH as Connacht coach Peter Wilkins explains to @king365ed what they are expecting at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
NEWS: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made a big decision on his coaching future.
SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks and Crusaders prop Joe Moody doesn’t agree with Wayne Smith's recent comments on the line-outs and mauls in the modern game.
WATCH as Stormers centre Dan du Plessis speaks about his Springbok aspirations.
SPOTLIGHT: The Waratahs say they would welcome Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii a year earlier than expected if the Sydney Roosters are willing to release the code-hopper from his NRL contract at season's end.
SPOTLIGHT: Teenage sensation Max Jorgensen says he feels like he belongs as Wallabies coach Eddie Jones toys with the notion of thrusting the son of a gun into his Rugby World Cup squad.
NEWS: Wallaby and Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White has signed a new two-year deal with Rugby Australia, but is moving to the Western Force at the end of the Super season.
INTERVIEW: An energised Francois de Klerk has warned that South Africa is ready to "prove the world wrong" by retaining their World Cup crown.
WATCH as the Bulls and Sharks bosses explain how they will approach the Currie Cup, now that they have been knocked out of the URC.
NEWS: Munster have revealed their injury list ahead of the URC semifinal against Leinster at Lansdowne Road this weekend.
NEWS: The Springboks will assemble in Durban next week for two preparation camps.
NEWS: Deon Fourie is in a race against time to recover from an injured hamstring before the big United Rugby Championship semifinal in Cape Town on Saturday.
NEWS: The Blitzboks will celebrate captain Siviwe Soyizwapi’s 50th World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Toulouse on Friday.
WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson warns his team about the Irish threat they will face in Cape Town on Saturday.
NEWS: Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse cautioned the Sharks against the temptation to load their Currie Cup team with players from the United Rugby Championship side for this weekends’ big clash in Nelspruit.
REACTION: The South African Rugby Union believes they have been 'even-handed' in their distribution of income from television rights and sponsorship resources.
SPOTLIGHT: The Reds will likely have to win in New Zealand under Brad Thorn for the first time to confirm a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth.
NEWS: Coach Eddie Jones has brought renowned sports psychologist Corinne Reid, who assisted with England's 2019 World Cup campaign, across to the Wallabies.
WATCH as Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell talks about the 'trap' they fell into in their 5-35 URC quarterfinal loss to Leinster at the weekend.
WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White unpacks what he feels are 'inconsistencies' in rulings by match officials.
NEWS: England coach Steve Borthwick completed his backroom line-up for the World Cup on Sunday.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The 'real' return of Quade Cooper has trumped the brilliance of Israel Folau as Hanazono Kintetsu Liners took an important step towards Division One survival in Japan Rugby League One.
REACTION: Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie was not a happy man after the Cheetahs victory over Western Province in Bloemfontein on Saturday, saying his side needs to make a step-up going into the next three weeks.
MATCH REPORT: Noah Lolesio has sent a message to Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and rival Carter Gordon as he helped the Brumbies to a thrilling 33-26 Super Rugby Pacific victory over the Melbourne Rebels.
WATCH as incoming Sharks coach John Plumtree unpacks the cost of New Zealand's decision to kick South Africa out of Super Rugby.
WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson speaks about the growth and maturity of flyhalf Manie Libbok since his arrival in Cape Town.
NEWS: The line-up for the United Rugby Championship semifinals has been confirmed with Dublin and Cape Town hosting games on Saturday, May 13.
MATCH REPORT: Munster claimed a place in the United Rugby Championship semifinals after beating Glasgow Warriors 14-5 at Scotstoun.
PREMIERSHIP WRAP: It was celebration and heartache all around after the 24th and final round of league action.
MATCH REPORT: Sharks' United Rugby Championship campaign came to an end as they went down 5-35 to Leinster in the quarterfinal clash in Dublin on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks have dealt the Bulls another crushing blow by beating them 41-27 in the Currie Cup at Loftus on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: The defending URC champions the Stormers booked their place in the semifinals with a commanding 33-21 victory over the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship quarterfinal encounter between Leinster and the Sharks in Dublin.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Nine encounter between the Bulls and Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
MATCH REPORT: The Pumas are back to winning ways with a comfortable victory over the Griffons at the Nelspruit rugby club in the Currie Cup on Saturday, taking this encounter by 45-25
MATCH REPORT: Cheetahs Robertson Ebersohn (100th cap) and captain Victor Sekekete (50th cap) were gifted with a hard-earned 26-21 Currie Cup win over Western Province in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship quarterfinal encounter between the Stormers and Bulls ion Cape Town.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Nine encounter between the Cheetahs and Western Province in Bloemfontein.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Nine encounter between the Pumas and Griffons in Nelspruit.
SATURDAY WRAP: Julian Savea equalled the record for most tries in Super Rugby but it was not enough to stop the Hurricanes crashing to a 24-27 upset loss to Fijian Drua in Suva on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: When Deon Fourie was a little boy he used to collect blades of grass. Kikuyu grass to be exact.
MATCH REPORT: Jack Carty booted five penalties to send Connacht into the United Rugby Championship semi-finals after a 15-10 victory over Ulster at Kingspan Stadium.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: The tournament pace-setters, the Cheetahs and Pumas, will look to cement the advantage they have over an ever-improving chasing pack.
NEWS: A capacity crowd will welcome the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld when they face Australia in the Rugby Championship in Pretoria on 8 July with all tickets sold out for this clash.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: Only three spots are up for grabs as six teams battle it out in the 2023 United Rugby Championship quarterfinals on Saturday.
NEWS: Ahead of this weekend's United Rugby Championship quarterfinals it has been confirmed that extra time or a place-kick competition will determine the winner should any game finish as a draw after 80 minutes.
MATCH REPORT: With a gargantuan defence effort, Griquas won an emphatic duel against the Lions in Kimberley on Friday when they held on for 83 minutes to take it by 25-21.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Nine encounter between Griquas and the Lions in Kimberley.
MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Damian McKenzie and fullback Shaun Stevenson led the Chiefs counter-attacking game as the Hamilton-based team beat the Highlanders 52-28 to extend their winning start to the season in Super Rugby Pacific to 10 matches.
SPOTLIGHT: John Plumtree says he is not the same coach that left the Sharks a decade ago as he plots a way forward for the Durban franchise in his impending second stint.
WATCH as England lock Charlie Ewels chats one-on-one with @king365ed about his dream to get back into the World Cup frame and his conversations with coach Steve Borthwick.
NEWS: Stormers' build-up to the crucial United Rugby Championship quarterfinal clash against Bulls has been accompanied by unfortunate news.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers have been bolstered by the return of flank Deon Fourie and wing Leolin Zas for the United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls have made minor adjustments to the matchday 23 that will do duty against the Stormers in Cape Town.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks take on Leinster in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals at Landsdowne Road on Saturday with the tournament heading towards its climax.
TOP 14 PREVIEW: Wales back row forward Ross Moriarty said he chose to be omitted from their preliminary World Cup squad this week to focus on playing for his new club Brive.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: Griquas coach Pieter Bergh put the status of the competition into perspective when he said the 'quality' of the Currie Cup this year is at a higher level than in 2022.
SPOTLIGHT: England forward Courtney Lawes has said young rugby players should have no qualms about playing abroad even if it hampers their Test prospects.
QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW: The first United Rugby Championship quarterfinal clash will see Ulster and Connacht of Ireland go head-to-head on Friday at Ravenhill Stadium.
ROUND 24 PREVIEW: The race for the final few places in next year's European Cup reaches its climax on the final day of the Premiership's regular season.
SPOTLIGHT: John Plumtree says there is an "uneven playing field" for the South African franchises in the United Rugby Championship and European competitions.
NEWS: Springbok loose forward Duane Vermeulen is among 10 players set to leave Ulster at the end of the season.
NEWS: The RFU announced that John Mitchell will be appointed to the role of England Women’s head coach after the World Cup, where he is currently the defence coach for Japan.
BREAKING NEWS: The Bulls suffered a cruel blow in the build-up to their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal trip to Cape Town.
Sharks have a slight chance of short-circuiting Leinster's United Rugby Championship season with the dynamic and history-making duo Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi.
WATCH as Robert Thompson Ebersohn chats to @king365ed about how he turned a major letdown into an opportunity to encourage youngsters.
PREVIEW: The time has come for the big names to step it up as the Replacement Battle for Japan Rugby League One kicks off in Mie on Friday.
NEWS: The Sharks officially unveiled their new head coach on Thursday.
NEWS: It seems like the southern hemisphere will finally get a seat at the top table as Mark Alexander, Agustin Pichot and Hamish McLennan have all been linked to a top job at World Rugby.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Reds and Waratahs have both made minimal team changes for Saturday's pivotal Super Rugby Pacific derby in Townsville.
NEWS: All Black star Will Jordan is set to play for the first time in eight months after being sidelined by a "migraine-related condition".
LISTEN as Bulls coach Jake White unpacks his team's rocky road to the URC quarterfinal face-off with the Stormers.
NEWS: Leinster, who take on arch-rivals Stade Rochelais in the showpiece Champions Cup decider in Dublin in less than three weeks’ time, have the lion’s share of the prestigious shortlist for the 2023 Player of the Year award.
SPOTLIGHT: Springboks Retshegofaditswe Nché and Mbongeni Mbonambi are the latest Sharks players to sign on the dotted line.
WATCH as URC Head of Match Officials Tappe Henning unpacks what the ideal profile of a good TMO should be and why not all referees make good TMOs.
NEWS: Bernard Lapasset, former president of Rugby Union's governing body and the driving force behind Paris' successful 2024 Olympic bid, has died. He was 75.
The Bulls confirmed the 35-women roster of contracted players for the Bulls Daisies over the next two seasons.
Not only will Saturday’s United Rugby Championship quarterfinal be a vital match for the Stormers and Bulls, but it will also be a significant occasion for Steven Kitshoff.
SPOTLIGHT: The Western Force are hopeful of luring Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White for next season, but Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham won't give up the star veteran without a fight.
SPOTLIGHT: Lock Rudolph Snyman is hoping his recent performances for Munster will catch the attention of the Bok coaching team again.
REACTION: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber finally broke his silence on the knee surgery of captain Siyamthanda Kolisi.
TRANSFER NEWS: Bath announced that former Wasps head coach Lee Blackett will join the club as an assistant coach.
WATCH as URC Head of Match Officials Tappe Henning unpacks how they are fixing refereeing howlers with their new 'independent' panel.
There were probably a few doubters when former Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith took over the reigns at Glasgow Warriors.
OPINION: Two high-profile departures from the Lions in the last week had me wondering about the Intellectual Property the franchise has lost in recent years and if that is the reason for their failure to make the URC play-offs for a second successive year.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers received some incredible news ahead of their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal match against the Bulls on Saturday.
NEWS: The match officials appointments for the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals have been confirmed.
NEWS: The South African Rugby Union are counting the cost of their franchises' participation in European competitions as they reported a minor deficit despite a record income.
NEWS: The Sharks have struck gold with the news that No.8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe has committed to a new deal.
NEWS: Rugby union competitions around the world are bracing for a possible exodus of top players to Japan after the World Cup in France later this year.
NEWS: Scrumhalf Morgan Parra will hang up his playing boots and join the coaching staff at French Top 14 side Stade Francais at the end of the season, he told French daily L'Equipe on Monday.
SPOTLIGHT: Waratahs hooker Dave Porecki believes it's more important for the Waratahs to beat the Reds than worry about Wallabies spots.
INTERVIEW: Jock Campbell's season has gone a bit like the Queensland Reds', but the understated back thinks he and the team are now finally finding their feet.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Waren Gatland has named a 54-player preliminary training squad for Rugby World Cup 2023.
NEWS: The Sharks have announced two more re-signings with the news that burly prop Ntuthuko Mchunu and wing Marnus Potgieter will stay in Durban.
SPOTLIGHT: A few legends have given Jake White exactly the perspective he was seeking as he prepares his Bulls team for their URC quarterfinal against the Stormers in Cape Town this weekend.
INJURY UPDATE: Leinster provided injury updates on some of their players ahead of the United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against the Sharks in Dublin on Saturday.
NEWS: A Springbok has walked away with the Players’ Player of the Year award at Saracens.
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls assistant coach Hugo van As admitted that his team’s plan to build momentum ahead of their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal "didn’t work out".
NEWS: Coach Eddie Jones insisted Monday his plan was to return the Wallabies to world number one.
SPOTLIGHT: Leinster boss Leo Cullen wants his squad to take full advantage of this play-off window they are currently in.
NEWS: Rugby Australia have started the search for a new CEO.
NEWS: England and Bath lock Dave Attwoord will retire from professional rugby at the end of the 2022/23 season and to celebrate he will be swimming the English Channel.
NEWS: French side Pau have won the services of one of the most experienced locks in world rugby with the signing of All Black Sam Whitelock.
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Stade Rochelais advanced to the Champions Cup Final again after they beat Exeter Chiefs 47-28 in their semifinal in Bordeaux on Sunday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the European Cup semifinal encounter between Stade Rochelais and Exeter Chiefs at Stade Bordeaux.
CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Toulon will face Glasgow Warriors in the Challenge Cup Final after they beat Benetton 23-0 in their semifinal on Sunday.
NEWS: The Sharks have been boosted by the news that two of their loose forwards will be staying in Durban for a few more seasons.
REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson was full of praise for his young Western Province squad after they thumped the Bulls in the Currie Cup in Cape Town on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: A defence coach for the Springboks seems to be the only position that the South African Rugby Union (SARU) are looking to fill.
NEWS: Brilliant playmaker Damian McKenzie has recommitted to the All Blacks and the Chiefs hours after piloting the latter to an epic Super Rugby Pacific win over the Crusaders.
REACTION: The Bulls' medical staff will be keeping a close eye on flyhalf Johan Goosen ahead of their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against the Stormers.
MATCH REPORT: The Franco Smith-coached Glasgow reached the Challenge Cup Final with a come-from-behind 35-17 win over the Scarlets in the semifinal in Llanelli on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: A try by Western Province wing Luke Burger in the last minute of the game has afforded the homeside with a bonus point in their victory of 31-7 over the Bulls in Cape Town on Saturday.
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Leinster will have the luxury of playing in a Champions Cup Final in Dublin after they thumped Toulouse 41-22 in their semifinal clash at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Eight encounter between Western Province and the Bulls in Cape Town.
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks managed a well-earned 24-6 win over Griquas in the Currie Cup in Durban on Saturday, but despite their efforts, they remain in third position on the log.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the European Cup semifinal encounter between Leinster and Toulouse at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
UPDATE: Springbok captain Siyamthanda Kolisi is officially on the road to recovery after he underwent surgery on his knee in Cape Town on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Eight encounter between the Sharks and Griquas at Kings Park in Durban.
SATURDAY WRAP: The Super Rugby Pacific leaders have beaten the defending champions, the Chiefs running out 34-24 winners over the Crusaders.
REACTION: The rule book managed to ensure the Cheetahs bag a full-house of five points and better their points difference on the log during the rain delayed Currie Cup match between the Cheetahs and the Griffons on Friday evening.
MATCH REPORT: During a rain-delayed game the Cheetahs climbed to the top of the Currie Cup log when they made small fry of the Griffons in Bloemfontein on Friday evening, claiming a 33-10 victory.
MATCH REPORT: The Lions recorded an emphatic win over the defending champions and handed them only their second loss in the Currie Cup with their 26-10 victory at Ellis Park on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Eight encounter between the Cheetahs and Griffons at the Free State stadium in Bloemfontein.
PREVIEW: Scarlets will be looking to avenge their recent defeat at Glasgow Warriors and so halt their six-match winning sequence.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Eight encounter between the Lions and Pumas at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
PREVIEW: The Champions Cup has reached the semifinal stage and there are intriguing clashes in Ireland and France.
NEWS: Springbok captain Siyamthanda Kolisi reportedly underwent surgery on his injured knee on Friday.
MATCH REPORT: The Brumbies have suffered their second loss of the Super Rugby Pacific season, beaten 32-27 by the Hurricanes in Wellington.
NEWS: South African forward Jono Ross will call time on his rugby career at the end of the 2022-23 Premiership season.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Stormers will be losing one of their locks at the end of the season.
SPOTLIGHT: Stuart Lancaster will leave his post as Leinster's senior coach with "his prestige in the sport way beyond" what it was when he stepped down as England coach after the 2015 Rugby World Cup debacle.
UPDATE: South African coach Gerhard 'Pote' Human learned his fate after a fight with a rival coach in the USA last weekend.
NEWS: Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as candidates to buy the Stade de France but the Qatar-owned club's priority remains securing ownership of the Parc des Princes, their historic home in the French capital.
WATCH as the RugbyPass Offload Podcast panel chats to retired Springbok Pierre Spies, the man they labelled the Ultimate Beast.
PREVIEW: The two top teams in the Currie Cup, the Pumas and Cheetahs, will be out to put daylight between them and the rest of the field this weekend.
INTERVIEW: Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said he was savouring the prospect of taking on the table-topping Chiefs in a "critical" clash this weekend.
TRANSFER NEWS: South African loose forward Henco Venter will be making the move to Glasgow Warriors ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, after agreeing to switch to Scotstoun from the Sharks subject to a visa.
TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers lock Eli Snyman will leave the club at the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign to join Benetton Rugby.
NEWS: New Zealand Rugby has reported a financial loss of over $47 million in 2022.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls head to Cape Town on Saturday to face a dangerous Western Province team, having finally ended the frustration and chagrin of a horrid 10-match losing streak.
NEWS: Rugby Australia and the Queensland Reds announced loos forward Harry Wilson has re-committed to Australian Rugby until at least the end of 2025.
NEWS: World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has said draws for future World Cups will be better balanced following complaints about the lopsided format of this year's edition in France.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins will miss Exeter Chiefs's European Champions Cup semifinal against La Rochelle on Sunday after receiving a three-week ban.
NEWS: Five of the Lions’ forwards and one backline player have signed contract extensions with the union for the next two years.
INTERVIEW: @king365ed has a ONE-ON-ONE chat with departing Lions coach Albert van den Berg.
NEWS: Three years ago Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohojé would probably not have thought that he would make his 100th appearance for the Cheetahs after overcoming insurmountable set-backs in his career.
BREAKING: Despite acknowledging that the South African Rugby Union 'bent the knee' to political extremists, World Rugby will not take any action over the Mzanzi Challenge logomachy.
NEWS: SA Rugby announced that three current Springbok assistant coaches had signed contract extensions for another four years, which will see them remain with the team until the conclusion of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
TRANSFER NEWS: Springbok fullback Willem Le Roux has confirmed his departure from Japanese club Toyota Verblitz.
NEWS: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham says Rugby Australia may need to come to the table and help re-sign some veteran Wallabies stars as fears mount Nicolas White and James Slipper could leave Super Rugby Pacific.
NEWS: Rugby Australia has announced a surplus of $8.2 million at its 2022 annual general meeting, returning the business to profit for the first time in four years.
NEWS: Scotland great Greig Laidlaw announced his retirement aged 37, ending a career that saw him captain his country more times than any other player.
NEWS: Incoming All Black coach Scott Robertson will look to replicate his Super Rugby success at Test level by bringing on board three coaches with Crusaders ties.
NEWS: Jurie Roux, the former Chief Executive Officer of the South African Rugby Union, may have reached the end of the road in his protracted battle with the University of Stellenbosch.
SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith has some injury concerns to deal with ahead of his team's Challenge Cup semifinal against the Scarlets in Llanelli.
NEWS: As this season's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup approach the closing stages with four sensational semi-finals scheduled for this weekend, EPCR announced that the 2024 edition Finals Weekend will take place at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
SPOTLIGHT: The two most successful teams in European Cup history go head-to-head at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Saturday - for many, the real Final.
OPINION: It seems like the Springboks' management will soon have to start looking at some new captaincy options for this year’s World Cup.
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White says there are positives and negatives to facing the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals.
REACTION: Major League Rugby is to investigate the deplorable incident between a South African coach and his American rival at the weekend.
INJURY UPDATE: It seems like the Springboks' worst fear is set to be confirmed soon.
SPOTLIGHT: A United Rugby Championship quarterfinal between the Stormers and Bulls has set tongues wagging, but it is going to get heated a week before that in an intriguing Currie Cup clash.
INJURY UPDATE: The Champions Cup favourites Leinster is hoping for some good news ahead of their semifinal clash against Toulouse on Saturday.
NEWS: The highly-anticipated dates and kick-off times of the 2023 United Rugby Championship quarterfinals have been confirmed.
N THE SPOTLIGHT: La Rochelle's South African wing Dillyn Leyds scored as they beat Clermont 26-13 in the French Top 14 on Saturday ahead of next weekend's Champions Cup semifinal against Exeter Chiefs.
URC RECAP: The 2022/2023 season is set to go down as a failure for a Sharks squad boasting several top Springboks in their camp and a strong bank balance courtesy of their owners.
WATCH as South African coach Pote Human stormed onto the field and start a fight during a Major League Rugby clash in the USA.
NEWS: Japan-based Wallabies wing Marika Koroibete was named Australian Rugby Union's best player by his peers Monday, winning his second John Eales Medal despite featuring in only nine Tests in 2022.
SPOTLIGHT: Lions Rugby Company board Chairman Altmann Allers dismissed as 'normal business', but a coaches' meeting with senior management on Monday will determine the future of some staff members.
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: English Premiership leaders Saracens ensured they finished the regular season top of the table and ended London Irish's hopes of qualifying for the title-deciding play-offs with a 45-21 win on Sunday.
NEWS: Springbok superstar Eben Etzebeth believes he will be fit for the start of this year's Rugby Championship in July.
REACTION: Bulls assistant coach Chris Rossouw says now is "probably the best time to hit" the Stormers as there have been some question marks over the Capetonians' form in recent weeks.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND 16 WRAP: Quade Cooper's long-awaited comeback for Kintetsu Liners proved tactical, and lasted for just one minute as the regular season of Japan Rugby League One was completed.
CURRIE CUP REPORT: Griquas climbed into the top four on the Currie standings with a 42-27 bonus-point win over the Griffons in Kimberley on Sunday.
WATCH as Stormers Evan Roos' latest off-the-ball antics earned him a yellow card in his side's United Rugby Championship clash against Benetton in Stellenbosch on Friday.
REACTION: It was difficult to hold back the tears says Lions legend Jaco Kriel after his final match for the franchise.
REACTION: Waratahs coach Darren Coleman believes player resting protocols are tainting the "integrity" of Super Rugby Pacific, following their heavy loss to the Blues.
REACTION: The Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell admitted his team’s quarterfinal trip to Dublin is not mission impossible despite some major injury concerns.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The eight teams who will compete in the United Rugby Championship Play-Offs have confirmed their places in the quarterfinals as the race to become the 2022/23 champions kick into gear.
URC REPORT: Glasgow Warriors made it 17 successive matches unbeaten at their Scotstoun fortress after holding on to claim a 29-27 victory over Connacht.
PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Sale secured a home semifinal in the English Premiership play-offs after a hard-fought 25-22 win at Gloucester on Saturday.
URC REPORT: Thomas Young scored a brace of tries as Cardiff won the Welsh Shield with a 38-21 United Rugby Championship victory over Ospreys on Judgement Day at the Millennium Stadium.
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls have given their Currie Cup campaign an injection with their 30-19 victory over the Lions at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
URC REPORT: The Sharks' quest to qualify for a European Champions Cup spot came to an end with a 22-all draw to Munster at Kings Park on Saturday.
URC REPORT: Dragons ended a run of 10 successive United Rugby Championship defeats as they ended their campaign with a 31-14 win over Scarlets on Judgement Day at the Principality Stadium.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Seven encounter between the Bulls and Lions at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
URC REPORT: The Bulls made a big United Rugby Championship statement, beating Leinster 62-7 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 18 encounter between the Sharks and Munster at Kings Park in Durban.
SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: The understrength Waratahs conceded seven tries in a 21-55 Super Rugby Pacific thumping by the Blues at a wet Eden Park in Auckland.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 18 encounter between the Bulls and Leinster at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
URC REPORT: The Lions concluded their United Rugby Championship season with a 50-35 win over Zebre on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 18 encounter between the Lions and Zebre at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
REACTION: The Sharks could have dropped to seventh spot on the Currie Cup log had they lost their encounter with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday.
SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow head coach Franco Smith said it was a 'compliment' to be linked to the Springboks' head coach role.
SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are counting the cost of their victory over Benetton in Stellenbosch on Friday.
NEWS: The legal tackle height in English amateur rugby will be lowered to the base of the sternum from July 1 following a vote by the Rugby Football Union council on Friday.
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Northampton kept their hopes of a place in the English Premiership play-offs alive with a 66-5 hammering of basement club Newcastle on Friday.
URC REPORT: Ulster secured second place in the United Ruby Championship table following the 28-14 victory over Edinburgh at the Kingspan Stadium.
URC REPORT: The Stormers will be able to take a bit of momentum into the United Rugby Championship play-offs after they beat Benetton 38-22 in their final-round clash in Stellenbosch on Friday.
MATCH REPORT: Defending Currie Cup champions the Pumas have jumped to top of the log after a sterling win over Western Province in Nelspruit on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 18 encounter between the Stormers and Benetton at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
MATCH REPORT: The Sharks have got their bite back after a great victory in the Currie Cup with a 24-17 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday.
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White says his name "doesn’t crop up" amongst the potential candidates to be the next Springbok head coach.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Seven encounter between the Pumas and Western Province at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: Champions Cup qualification will be the name of the game for a few teams on Saturday as the United Rugby Championship concludes its league phase.
NEWS: EPCR announced the launch of the host city bidding processes for its 2025 and 2026 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals weekends.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Seven encounter between the Cheetahs and Sharks in Bloemfontein.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has revealed his team to face Leinster in their United Rugby Championship final-round clash on Saturday in Pretoria.
NEWS: Wales loose forward Josh Navidi has announced his immediate retirement from rugby after failing to successfully recover from a serious neck injury sustained against the Springboks in Cape Town.
WRAP: The Chiefs have kept their unbeaten Super Rugby record intact with a comprehensive 50-17 win over Fijia Drua in Hamilton.
NEWS: World Rugby's effort to assist colour-blind fans will have a major impact on the Springboks and All Blacks.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have a major boost for their United Rugby Championship Round 18 clash against Zebre.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell has revealed his team to face Munster in their United Rugby Championship final-round clash in Durban on Saturday.
NEWS: Wales flyhalf Dan Biggar only arrived at Toulon four months ago but he has quickly made himself a fan favourite on the Cote d'Azur with a little help from Jonny Wilkinson's French teacher.
NEWS: Western Force lock Jeremy Thrush is happily back in retirement with the former All Blacks star cutting short his Super Rugby Pacific return due to a heel injury.
UPDATE: England wing Jack Nowell will be available for Exeter's Champions Cup semifinal against La Rochelle after avoiding a ban for criticising a referee on Twitter.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: The defending champion Stormers will be in a 'desperate' frame of mind against Benetton in Stellenbosch on Friday, as they look to finish the regular season on a high - ahead of the URC play-offs.
SPOTLIGHT: Wandisile Simelane admits that he hasn’t been close to reaching his full potential since joining the Bulls.
PREVIEW: The top four teams are facing off in the Currie Cup this weekend with the top two, the Cheetahs and Pumas, hosting three and four, the Sharks and Western Province.
REFEREE NEWS: Ahead of the semifinals of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, EPCR announced the match officials.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers coach John Dobson has made a number of changes to the team for the final match of the regular season, when they face Italian outfit Benetton at the Danie Craven Stadium on Friday.
PREVIEW: As Japan Rugby League One heads into Round 16, and with the semi-finals just two weeks away, the two top teams are vying for positions and will unleash their Springboks this weekend.
NEWS: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is set to make a shock return to Rugby League, after agreeing to leave the XV-man game and inking a three-year deal with the Warriors from 2024.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Western Force have bolstered their back row stocks by signing Wallabies No.8 Isi Naisarani for the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
REACTION: Western Force coach Simon Cron has expressed his disgust at how Lachie Swinton's brutal late hit on flyhalf Jake Strachan went unnoticed during Saturday's 16-36 loss to the Waratahs.
WATCH as South Africa's most capped player of all time, Victor Matfield, unpacks the reasons for his choices to replace Jacques Nienaber as Springbok coach.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Sharks will be sporting two Siya’s with the news that Cheetahs flyhalf Siya Masuku will make the move to Durban at the end of the season.
SPOTLIGHT: Scotland hooker Stuart McInally has announced he is hanging up his boots to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot.
NEWS: Sevens superstar Rosko Specman, the Griquas flyer, has been around the block, but the coveted Currie Cup has always eluded him.
SPOTLIGHT: Johan Goosen, raised on the saddle of a horse, is back in the saddle of Jake White's Bulls.
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok prop Thomas du Toit says his impending departure from the Sharks is starting to "sink in".
DISCIPLINARY UPDATES: The outcome of the disciplinary hearings of Ellis Genge and Olly Woodburn, following the English Premiership's Round 22 action this past weekend, has been made public.
NEWS: Western Province suffered a big blow ahead of their Currie Cup Round Seven clash against the Pumas at Mbombela Stadium on Friday.
WATCH as Irish legend Gordon D'Arcy and South Africa's most capped player Victor Matfield explain the value Jacques Nienaber will bring to Leinster.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are not letting talk of 'second-string' or 'B-teams' infiltrate their camp ahead of their United Rugby Championship final-round clash against Leinster in Pretoria on Saturday.
NEWS: Exeter and England wing Jack Nowell was charged with misconduct by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Tuesday after criticising a referee on Twitter.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Lions’ only mission this Saturday against Zebre is to put down a big statement for next season’s United Rugby Championship.
WATCH as South Africa's most capped Springbok of all time, Victor Matfield, delivers a brutal assessment of the Lions' decline.
INJURY UPDATE: Springbok lock Rudolf 'RG' Snyman will miss Munster's United Rugby Championship match against the Sharks due to an injury.
WATCH as Leinster veteran Ed Byrne speaks about the Bulls' threats and the excitement amongst the young players stepping onto the hallowed Loftus Versfeld turf for the first time.
NEWS: Lachlan Swinton has copped a seven week suspension for a late tackle against the Force, which effectively will see his World Cup dreams fade in the mist and he won’t play another game in the regular season.
NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 18 fixtures have been confirmed.
WATCH as Stormers scrumhalf Paul de Wet, bringing up his 50th cap, talks about facing off against Benetton veteran Dewaldt Duvenage, with 350 first-class caps.
NEWS: World Rugby is set to trial a Television Match Official (TMO) Bunker at the Under-20 Championship in South Africa and may adopt the law for the World Cup in France.
NEWS: Experienced Kiwi Brad Mooar will join Steve Hansen’s World XV coaching group for the blockbuster clash with the Barbarians this summer.
NEWS: Only a year ago Carter Gordon was playing second fiddle to Matt Toomua, but this week Wallaby coach Eddie Jones was whispering nuggets of wisdom in his ear.
NEWS: Brad Thorn will leave the Reds at the end of the season, after a poor start to the Super Rugby campaign.
MATCH REPORT: The NWU Eagles claimed their second Varsity Cup title with a hard-fought 27-25 victory over UCT Ikey Tigers at the Fanie du Toit Sports Ground in Potchefstroom.
REACTION: Retired South Africa wing Bryan Habana said he is "not surprised" about Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber's imminent departure after this year's World Cup.
REACTION: The Cheslin Kolbe 'soap opera' in Toulon had another chapter added to it at the weekend.
The usual after-effects associated with a long-haul flight from Japan were nowhere to be seen on the smiling face of Nadine Roos as she prepares with her South Africa Women’s Sevens teammates for this week's World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series tournament in Stellenbosch.
SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones' second coming as Wallabies coach has officially begun after a three-day camp on the Gold Coast kicked off on Monday.
INTERVIEW: Wallabies hopeful Josh Flook says he is thrilled to be a part of the 33-man squad on the Gold Coast for the first camp under new coach Eddie Jones.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls team seemed to be finally hitting their strides and the players could finally be rewarded for their hard graft.
WATCH Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen and captain Marius Louw speak about the legend that is Jaco Kriel!
CONTRACT NEWS: The Cheetahs confirmed that six players extended their contracts, while an 'All-American' scrumhalf is also returning to Bloemfontein.
OPINION: The dust had hardly settled on the shock announcement of Jacques Nienaber's impending departure and the focus shifted to his possible successor.
MATCH REPORT: Leicester wing Chris Ashton scored a hat-trick as he became the first player to record 100 Premiership tries in a 62-19 hammering of Exeter on Sunday.
WATCH as Munster coach Graham Rowntree talks about Springbok lock Rudolph Snyman's form.
MATCH REPORT: Burly replacement Cebo Dlamini scored the match-winning try well into the referee's additional time as Griquas snatched a late winner against the Lions at Ellis Park on Sunday.
MATCH REPORT: The defending champion Pumas continued to set the pace in South Africa's premier domestic competition with a 64-6 rout of the hapless Griffons at the NorthWest Stadium, in Welkom, on Sunday.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans experienced defeat for the first time in four-and-a-half years as his Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights were upset 44-25 by Shizuoka Blue Revs in the penultimate qualifying round of Japan Rugby League One.
NEWS: The Waikato Chiefs believe All Blacks captain Sam Cane is rediscovering his best form after the evergreen flanker turned in another impressive performance for the Super Rugby Pacific leaders.
NEWS: New Australia coach Eddie Jones was dealt a blow Sunday when seven players picked in his maiden squad were ruled out after a spate of concussions and injuries during a bruising Super Rugby Pacific weekend.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Six encounter between the Lions and Griquas at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
WATCH as Leinster coach Leo Cullen unpacks the reasons for their decision to sign Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
REACTION: It was a match that could have boosted the Stormers' chances of retaining the United Rugby Championship trophy.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Six encounter between the Griffons and Pumas at the NorthWest Stadium in Welkom.
REACTION: If the Lions weren’t good enough against Leinster in their United Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on Saturday, the loss would not hurt so much, coach Ivan van Rooyen said.
REACTION: The Bulls need to be at their very best if they want to end Leinster’s unbeaten run says assistant coach Pine Pienaar.
NEWS: Rieko Ioane became the second All Black to resign until the end of the next Rugby World Cup cycle in 2027.
MATCH REPORT: Connacht confirmed their place in the Untied Rugby Championship play-offs after a 38-19 win over Cardiff.
MATCH REPORT: Darcy Graham scored two tries as Edinburgh coasted a comfortable 45-21 United Rugby Championship victory over Ospreys.
URC REPORT: The Stormers' incredible home record came to an abrupt end with a 24-26 defeat to Munster on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium.
WRAP: Harlequins scored seven tries as they sealed a bonus-point 48-20 victory over Newcastle Falcons at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday afternoon.
URC REPORT: Debutant Sam Prendergast landed a last-minute penalty to snatch a 39-36 win over the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 17 encounter between the Stormers and Munster in Cape Town.
MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs left it late but they reclaimed the top spot on the Currie Cup standings - at least for the next 24 hours - when a hard-earned 26-17 win over Western Province in a scrappy Round Six encounter in Cape Town.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 17 encounter between the Lions and Leinster at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
URC REPORT: The Bulls kept their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes alive with a comfortable 78-12 bonus-point win over Zebre at Ellis Park on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Six encounter between Western Province and the Cheetahs in Cape Town.
NEWS: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber will finish his run as the national coach at the conclusion of the team’s World Cup campaign in France before taking up a position in Leinster’s coaching ranks in Ireland next year.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 17 encounter between the Bulls and Zebre at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
REACTION: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham has hailed his team's composure after they held off a surging Fijian Drua to stretch their Super Rugby Pacific record to seven wins from eight this season.
SATURDAY WRAP: The unbeaten Chiefs overcame a nine-point deficit at half-time to beat the Hurricanes 33-17 on Saturday and reclaim the top spot in Super Rugby Pacific.
URC REPORT: On a wet and windy night at Scotstoun, Glasgow Warriors did what they had to do in order to book a home draw in the URC play-off quarterfinals with one game of the regular season to spare, beating Scarlets 12-9.
URC REPORT: Hooker Tom Stewart claimed a second consecutive hat-trick in the United Rugby Championship to help Ulster to a six-try 40-19 victory over the Dragons in Belfast.
PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: Sale Sharks sealed their spot in the play-offs with an impressive 36-20 victory over hosts Bristol Bears on Friday.
WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains why they signed England lock Charlie Ewels at Loftus Versfeld on a short-term contract.
URC REPORT: The Sharks took a significant step in their quest to qualify for the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals with a thrilling 43-33 bonus-point win over Benetton at Kings Park on Friday.
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls held out in the face of a determined second-half comeback to record a bonus-point 24-20 Currie Cup Round Six win over the Sharks at Kings Park, in Durban, on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 17 encounter between the Sharks and Benetton at Kings Park in Durban.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: It is all about securing wins as the Bulls and Lions fight to remain in the race for the playoffs in the penultimate round of the United Rugby Championship pool matches.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Curie Cup Round Six encounter between the Sharks and Bulls at Kings Park in Durban.
If Victor Matfield is to be believed, and as a former lock we have to take his word for it, Eben Etzebeth is the best lock the world has ever seen.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are three changes to the Stormers’ starting forward pack and one in the backline for their United Rugby Championship encounter with Munster at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Johan Goosen will get his first Bulls start in the United Rugby Championship since recovering from his shoulder repair seven weeks ago.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have named their team to face Leinster in Round 17 of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.
FRIDAY WRAP: The Queensland Reds won for the first time overseas in four years to burst Moana Pasifika's bubble in Samoa with a comfortable 40-28 victory.
SPOTLIGHT: United States President Joe Biden told an Irish audience he would prefer his children to play rugby rather than American football due to the risk of brain injuries.
PREVIEW: New Zealand wing George Bridge said his Montpellier side are "on the up" before hosting Castres on Saturday in a rerun of last season's French Top 14 Final.
PREVIEW: Jake White does not have the luxury of his full United Rugby Championship squad at his disposal, but he is courageously pushing ahead with his two-pronged assault on domestic and international competitions.
VARSITY SHIELD REPORT: UWC have been crowned the 2023 Varsity Shield champions for a third time when they held off CPUT for a brave and valiant 24-18 victory in Bellville, Cape Town.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship returns with a vengeance this week and South African-born and raised Benetton playmaker Rhyno Smith is excited to go against his former team when the Italians march into Durban to face the Sharks.
WATCH as former Munster and Ireland star Alan Quinlan hands out some handy advice to the Lions and Bulls ahead of their respective URC face-offs with unbeaten Irish province Leinster.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: The Sharks are entering their United Rugby Championship Round 17 clash against Benetton in a do-or-die situation with a play-off spot and Champions Cup qualification on the line.
STATS ATTACK: Sixteen rounds of the United Rugby Championship are gone, two to go, and a huge amount in the melting pot.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Gloucester head coach George Skivington has suggested that Ruan Ackermann could still potentially be a World Cup wildcard for England despite talks of a long injury lay-off.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell has revealed his team for a pivotal United Rugby Championship Round 17 clash against Benetton on Friday.
PREVIEW: As the Japan Rugby League One kicks into overdrive and teams jostle for that pivotal semi-final spot, a win for Springbok Faf de Klerk’s Eagles will put Yokohama in pole position for a place in the final four, requiring just one log point from their final round tie with Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
NEWS: Rugby Australia and the Brumbies announced hooker Billy Pollard has committed his future to Australian Rugby until the end of 2025.
NEWS: Michael Hooper is excited about the fact that he is flirting with his career, not knowing what his next move is going to be.
NEWS: Japan wants to bring back the World Cup to Asia for a second time as they aim to host it again as early as 2035, the country's rugby union chief said.
NEWS: Saracens and England No.8 Billy Vunipola will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury in his club's Champions Cup defeat at La Rochelle.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and Stormers lock Marvin Orie is not underestimating the threat posed by fellow South African RG Snyman.
SPOTLIGHT: England wing Chris Ashton is to retire at the end of the season after an 18-year career in Rugby Union and Rugby League, Premiership club Leicester announced on Wednesday.
SPOTLIGHT: Lions captain Marius Louw admitted that his team will be relying on the thin air in Johannesburg to do its job when they face Leinster in a United Rugby Championship Round 17 clash.
WATCH as Springbok legend Schalk Willem Petrus Burger chats to @king365ed about the reasons behind the cash-flush Sharks' inability to get full value about their star-studded squad.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby is considering adopting orange cards for the World Cup, according to Joel Jutge, the governing body’s head of match officials.
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok lock Jason Jenkins knows that altitude will be a factor as he travels to South Africa with Leinster this week.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Incoming All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson is reportedly looking to raid some Super Rugby franchises to enhance his coaching roster.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Bulls have reportedly bolstered their second-row stocks with an England international.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: An inexperienced Leinster squad will depart Dublin on Tuesday for their final two games in the regular season of the United Rugby Championship.
NEWS: Ireland stars Josh van der Flier and James Ryan have signed IRFU contract extensions.
LISTEN as Leinster coach Leo Cullen opens up about his upcoming URC trip to South Africa and two matches at iconic stadiums - Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld.
SPOTLIGHT: The match officials appointments for the United Rugby Championship Round 17 fixtures have been confirmed.
WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen unpacks the main lessons from his team's debut season in Europe and what awaits his team in the next fortnight.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: A 31-man Munster travelling squad is heading to South Africa ahead of the two final United Rugby Championship rounds of the regular season.
SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalf Embrose Papier says it is time the Bulls' players take more responsibility as they look to finish the season on a high note.
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Angus Blyth has had his suspension reduced from six to three weeks after the Queensland lock was sent off for a late, high hit on Brumbies wing Corey Toole.
The North West University Eagles will host the University of Cape Town Tigers in the Final of the 2023 Varsity Cup.
The final spot for the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023 has been occupied by Portugal and only nine months lay ahead before the big event kicks off.
NEWS: The final verdict is in: Ireland flyhalf Johnny Sexton will not take part in Leinster’s remaining fixtures this season after limping off with a groin injury sustained during the Six Nations.
ANALYSIS: Exeter Chiefs dominated the pride of South Africa when they beat the Stormers (42-17) with a commanding performance in their Champions Cup quarterfinal at Sandy Park at the weekend.
NEWS: Springbok Jasper Wiese says he felt mad and disappointed when both Leicester coaches, Steve Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield, announced their departure to the RFU and the England job at the end of last year.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHT: The scoreline might suggest Saturday's quarterfinal between Toulouse and the Sharks was one-sided, but that was far from the case as the visitors showed some fight in France.
REACTION: Dai Flanagan, coach of Welsh side Dragons, says his side must change their habits and shake off the bad ones to set different standards.
WATCH as Springbok and current Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith unpacks the South African teams' first season in Europe's premier competitions.
SPOTLIGHT: Exeter's Director of Rugby Rob Baxter has weighed in on the travelling debate after his team smashed the Stormers in their Champions Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.
REACTION: Wallabies coach Eddie Jone, says he didn’t look to pick “the commentators choice” when he announced his first national squad ahead of their training camp.
NEWS: After five of their key forwards hobbled off injured in their bruising loss to the Blues, the Rebels got some good news that at least two of them will be ready to face fourth-placed Crusaders, who are the reigning Super Rugby Pacific champions.
REACTION: New Zealand scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow said holders La Rochelle need to improve after he scored twice to overcome Saracens 24-10 on Sunday to reach the Champions Cup last four.
REACTION: The possibility of criminal charges has been placed on the table in the wake of a revelation that a Lions coach has accused a colleague of 'spying' on him.
NEWS; The Springbok Sevens conceded valuable ground to their opponents in the race to automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games with their joint-12th placed-finish at the Singapore Sevens on Sunday, but more disappointing was the fact that they could not sustain the good effort from Hong Kong last weekend.
MATCH REPORT: Saracens couldn't match a masterful Stade Rochelais performance in the Champions Cup quarterfinals as they went down 10-24 to the defending champions at the Stade Marcel Deflandre on Sunday.
MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs put their Currie Cup campaign back on track with a commanding 52-15 win over a 14-man Lions team at Ellis Park on Sunday.
NEWS: Queensland Reds captain Liam Wright is still optimistic about their season, opting to stay positive despite his coach Brad Thorn’s despondence after their loss to the Brumbies on Friday.