With former All Black selector Peter Thorburn claiming that no team can halt New Zealand's march to World Cup glory - while even clearing the All Blacks' reputation as 'chokers' in the process - we asked if you agreed with the current USA Eagles coach's comments...
Things in New Zealand are getting a little heated with the French tourists, after the French camp responded strongly to suggestions of French negative play during the first Test last weekend.
Whilst happy with the two-nil series triumph over England, sport365 columnist Robbie Fleck is very concerned at the lack of impact by the Springbok backline. Fleckie, however, might just have a solution for Bok coach Jake White.
Canada coach Ric Suggitt has chosen his squad for the forthcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand, including an 18-year-old prop and a former Auckland Grammar School boy.
Some of the schools are concentrating on exams and there even are schools which are not active because the teachers are in dispute with government. But there were some big matches which have caused upheavals here and there.
Until this month the biggest senior Rugby tournament in Romania's long rugby history was the quadrangular involving France, Italy, Germany and the host nation in 1938.
French giants Toulouse are threatening to sue Wales captain Gareth Thomas for an alleged breach of contract which saw him tour Australia with Wales rather than represent his club side.
Bernard Laporte has resisted making wholesale changes to his team to play New Zealand on Saturday, making only four changes to the squad that lost 42-11 in the first Test last week.
The Tests this weekend are not quite such clash of heavies, except for the one in Wellington when Craig Joubert referees the second Test between New Zealand and France, a match that would normally evoke excitement.
The England Counties squad arrived in Siberia on Monday with another mixed bag of players and a new coaching team, but with an unchanged ethos of boldness and ambition that has marked manager Jim Robinson?s time in charge.
The Queen?s College 1st XV had an excellent 26-8 win over a highly rated and much vaunted Stirling team in East London on Saturday afternoon.
Paarl Gimnasium South African College High School 24-10 in Paarl on Saturday.
Over 150 old boys were delighted to see the St Andrew?s College winning their 1st XV match 29-11 against Muir College on Saturday 2 June.
Affies of Pretoria beat Maritzburg College 31-19 on Goldstone's in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan believes he has learnt a lot about his side ahead of the Rugby World Cup despite rounding off their two-Test tour against Argentina with a 16-0 defeat in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
We have some statistics in four matches played this weekend - New Zealand vs France. Australia vs Wales, South Africa vs England and Argentina vs Ireland.
As the dust settles on what has not been the most memorable two weeks in English rugby, Dan Scarbrough took time to reflect on his tour.
The scrum mess, an tedious mess, persists, if the figures for four of this weekend's Tests is anything to go by. Tedious would be bad enough but it is also dangerous.
Italy wing Matteo Pratichetti scored a hat-trick as the Azzurri topped plucky Uruguay 29-5 at Gran Parque Central in Montevideo on Saturday.
Boland Landbou won a Paarl derby against Paarl Boys' High and the other big result was the Bishops win over Paul Roos in Stellenbosch. It is their second win over a top side in a fairly erratic season.
Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has declared himself content as the Pumas completed a series sweep of Ireland with a 16-0 victory in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has expressed his disappointment in the preparations for his side's second Test against Argentina at the Jose Amalfitani stadium.
Ireland A held on for a dramatic 22-21 victory over Scotland A to clinch the Churchill Cup Plate victory at Twickenham on Saturday.
Although they may not readily admit it there are sure to be more than a few English players happy to return to English soil come next week.
In a dour game that highlighted the mismatches of all the Tests of the weekend, Australia proved too much for a fighting but weak Welsh side, downing them 31-0 to claim the James Bevan Trophy in Brisbane on Saturday.
New Zealand notched up five tries to beat France 42-11 in what was an average performance from the hosts as Les Bleus showed plenty of courage throughout the match at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
Wales wing Chris Czekaj faces the prospect of an indefinite stay in hospital in Australia after suffering a suspected broken femur in the tourists' 31-0 defeat in Brisbane on Saturday.
France coach Bernard Laporte was gracious in his teams' brave 42-11 defeat to New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday and has hailed the All Blacks as favourites for the World Cup.
Argentina secured a 2-0 Test series win over Ireland with a hard-fought 16-0 win in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
It would be all to easy to write off England's tour to South Africa as a disaster. But despite two hugely one-sided scorelines, Brian Ashton believes it was a hugely beneficial trip.
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw played down any worries over his half-time removal during the All Blacks' 42-11 win over France on Saturday.
Once upon the time the whole rugby world would have been salivating over a meeting between New Zealand and France in Auckland. Today, not even the main protagonists can work them themselves into anything vaguely resembling excitement.
Despite touring nations struggling to make ends meet with their second and third tier sides, Australia certainly won't be underestimating their Northern Hemisphere opponents as they prepare to take on Wales in the eagerly awaited second Test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.
For Uruguay 2007 has been a massive disappointment. Full of hope of again going to the World Cup, they had their hopes frustrated by Portugal.
New Zealand loose forward Chris Masoe is eager to prosper after being granted a rare start against an understrength France in Auckland on Saturday.
Brian Ashton has made seven changes - one positional - to his England team from the one humiliated by South Africa last weekend, handing the captaincy to Jonny Wilkinson
Wing Rob Kearney is looking forward to staking his claim for a place in Ireland's World Cup squad after being handed his debut against Argentina on Saturday.
The theory is that Argentina should win this one more comfortably than they did the first when Felipe Contepomi's dropped goal was what did it for the Pumas by two points.
Uncapped London Irish wing Topsy Ojo has become the latest player drafted into England's ill-fated South Africa tour squad.
Veteran France flanker Olivier Magne has given Les Bleus just "a one per cent chance" of defeating New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday.
France coach Bernard Laporte has dropped Julien Laharrague from the XV that will faced New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday after the wing and his brother, Nicolas, showed up late for a training session.
Chris Horsman has been called out to Australia after prop Adam Jones was forced to withdraw from the Wales team to face the Wallabies in Brisbane on saturday after sustaining a small tear to his right calf muscle.
Despite suffering their heaviest defeat against South Africa last weekend in the First Test England have not hidden behind a cluster of excuses for their performance. Rather they have fronted up and taken a brutal and honest look at themselves and non more so than straight talking hooker Mark Regan.
Wales have been forced into a late change at tight-head prop for the second Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday after Adam Jones was ruled out by a torn calf muscle.
Ceri Jones will summon all his experience on what for him is the foreign side of the scrum when he packs down for Wales against Australia at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Such has been the nature of England's tour to date that the arrival of new players from home has almost been a daily routine. However for Matt Stevens, England's South African-born prop, the journey to link up with the squad was considerably shorter.
Saturday saw the Springboks dominant. If one is to be honest, a flawless performance it was not, and it hinged mostly on simply overpowering a weak English opposition.
France coach Bernard Laporte has named five new caps in his team to face New Zealand on Saturday, for a match that ought to make a mockery of the current world rankings.
We have incidents from three Tests at the end of May to discuss - Australia vs Wales, South Africa vs England and Argentina vs Ireland.
Former Springbok, Stormers, Western Province and Bath centre Robbie Fleck is a very welcome addition to sport365s columnists section, with Fleckie looking back at Saturday's first Test against England and previewing this weekend's return fixture at Loftus.
Wales must beat Australia on Saturday to claim the inaugural James Bevan trophy, but despite the closeness of last week's result, coach Gareth Jenkins warned of the need to step it up on every level.
Having won his first England cap way back in 1997 and then enduring a ten year exodus from the international arena you would be forgiven for thinking Kevin Yates had given up on his international career. Yet you would be greatly mistaken as Planet Rugby found out on Wednesday.
England's 'Tour of Hell' was thrown further into the satanic abyss on Wednesday with news that a further four players will be unavailable for Saturday's second Test against South Africa in Pretoria.
Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan is looking for a similar performance - but a different result - in Saturday's second Test against Argentina.
Dragons wing Aled Brew has been called up to take his place on Wales' wing for the second Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
Welsh hooker Mefin Davies - who will move from Guinness Premiership league winners Gloucester to Guinness Premiership title-winners Leicester in the close season - has one last chance to prove his worth to Wales coach Gareth Jenkins on Saturday before the Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand Maori booked their place in the Churchill Cup Final with a crushing 50-22 victory over Ireland A at Sandy Park in Exeter on Tuesday, and will now defend their title against England Saxons.
There is one more North-South Test this weekend than last weekend for New Zealand play France at Eden Park.
England assistant coach Mike Ford believes turnovers have become a scourge of modern-day Test rugby, saying that much of England's collapse in Bloemfontein against South Africa was down to problems in the contact area.
Joel Jutge of France is due to referee the second Test between South Africa and England at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday. He says: "It will be different."
Flanker Shane Jennings and wing Rob Kearney will win their first caps for Ireland as coach Eddie O'Sullivan has named the two debutants in his side for the second test against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
As England traipsed off the field in Bloemfontein, heads bowed, and bodies exhausted, the scoreboard behind them told the tale of a team that maybe should have stayed at home.
France arrive in New Zealand on Monday with a severely depleted squad, tired from a tense day of action in the final round of the Top 14, and with a coach openly admitting he wishes to be somewhere else.
Again we set our minds to producing as fair a Top 20 of schools in South Africa, a difficult task because of the number of top schools to choose from.
David Strettle has become the latest player to make an early exit from England's ill-fated tour of South Africa, after failing sufficiently to recover from the illness that laid low many of the touring squad.
With England still nursing their battered bodies from the 58-10 thumping given to them at the hands of the Springboks over the weekend, we asked where to now for the defending World Cup champs? The "airport" and "home" were just a couple of places you could recommend...
England Saxons continued their quest for the Churchill Cup with a 18-3 victory over Scotland A on Bank Holiday Monday at Twickenham.
The Green Machine stuttered to victory on Saturday as George Campbell threw everything and the kitchen sink at them. The score of 21-0 may suggest otherwise but, it was a tight affair for most of the encounter that included some huge hits and a couple of injuries.
This past weekend Kirkwood High played PJ Olivier at Kirkwood's fields and won 24-13.
Ulster trio Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe are all rated as doubtful for Ireland's second Test against Argentina next weekend after picking up injuries in Saturday's 22-20 defeat to the Pumas.
We have week one of the match practices masquerading as Tests and deal with some statistics, including a look at troublesome scrums.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins hailed Gavin Henson's reappearance at international level as a "positive" element of his side's last-ditch 29-23 defeat to Australia in Sydney.
In a highly entertaining and exciting match played on the Piley Rees field at Bishops, SACS produced by far their best performance of the season to draw 22-all with Bishops. Although SACS never led in the game they deserved to and should have gone on to win.
The Queen's College 1st XV bounced back after their loss in East London two weeks ago, to record an emphatic 54 - 5 victory over a flat footed Hudson Park side on the Rec on Saturday afternoon.
Wales could switch captain Gareth Thomas to centre for the second Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday because of an injury crisis in midfield.
The drawn result between SACS and Bishops, the two schools who have been playing the game longest in South Africa was probably a fair reflection in a great match - to SACS as good as a win in the light of big defeats in recent years.
In a performance that made a mockery of their subordinate name, the Junior All Blacks opened their Pacific Nations Cup campaign with an emphatic 31-10 victory over Samoa in Apia on Sunday.
Ireland flanker Keith Gleeson believes his side paid the penalty for their indiscipline during Saturday's defeat by Argentina in Santa Fe.
Prop Andrea Lo Cicero has been chosen to lead Italy on their upcoming tour of South America which kicks off in June.
Argentina head coach Marcelo Loffreda has confirmed the 22-man squad to face Ireland next Saturday in Buenos Aires, with stand-in skipper and fly-half Felipe Contepomi not included in the second Test match.
Wales Coach Gareth Jenkins expressed his frustration at the way Wales conceded a 17-0 lead to go down to a last-ditch, 29-23 defeat to Australia in the first Test at Telstra Stadium on Saturday.
Jason Robinson insisted England had contributed to their own downfall after they went down to a record 58-10 defeat against South Africa.
A last-gasp Felipe Contepomi drop goal gave Argentina 22-20 victory against Ireland in Santa Fe on Saturday.
South Africa produced a brutal yet clinical display to thump a plucky England side 58-10 at Bloemfontein on Saturday scoring seven tries in the process.
The IRB will hold a forum on the international calendar at the end of the Rugby World Cup in October, this time inviting representatives of England's and France's clubs to participate, according to a report in The Guardian on Saturday.
Wales captain Gareth Thomas hailed his under-strength side's belief after they slipped to an agonising last-gasp 29-23 defeat to Australia in Sydney.
A last-gasp try from Stephen Hoiles helped Australia bounce back from an early 17-0 deficit to beat Wales as anticipated on Saturday, but John Connolly's new-look team made life mighty hard for themselves in the 29-23 win.
It's another "funny" Test. In this case both teams could probably be labelled more properly A teams, but the match is down as a Test and the players playing will get caps.
New Zealand Maori began the defence of their Churchill Cup in style with a resounding 59-23 win over Canada at Northampton Saints' Franklins Gardens on Friday.
England's plans for the first Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday continue to be hit by injury and illness.
Jason Robinson has urged a collective effort from England in Saturday's first Test against the Springboks - and not rely on Jonny Wilkinson repeating his Bloemfontein heroics of seven years ago.
John Wells insists England's rookie pack "know what is coming" when they stand toe to toe with a juggernaut South Africa eight in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
It's international time again for us rugby fans and I should be licking my lips with anticipation. The thought of seeing the creme de la creme of World rugby battling it out should be enough to raise the hairs on the neck of even the most apathetic fan.
Kevin Yates will enter the England record books when he returns to international rugby on Saturday in Bloemfontein, and admitted that he 'never gave up hope' of making a remarkable comeback.
Wallabies coach John Connolly called for an end to the media bashing of his side and the Welsh touring side, saying that it was damaging the game as well as the atmosphere.
Tomas De Vedia insists he is not nervous ahead of his senior debut for Argentina in Saturday's first Test against Ireland in Santa Fe as others look to press their claims for a place in the World Cup squad.
If your local club had 35 of its top players grounded by injuries or prior commitments, the end-of-season jolly across the border would undoubtedly be cancelled and the stragglers would decamp to the nearest pub, and rightly so. But those who do battle in the name of England do things differently.
Ireland's new-look side are determined to beat Argentina in their own back yard for the first time on Saturday and cement their places in Eddie O'Sullivan's World Cup plans.
Rory Lamont touched down as Scotland 'A' opened their Barclays Churchill Cup campaign with an unconvincing 13-9 victory over the USA Eagles in Henley on Wednesday.
England have suffered a blow ahead of Saturday's first Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein with wing David Strettle missing the game due to illness.
Ireland flanker Keith Gleeson believes controlling his Leinster team-mate Felipe Contepomi will be the key to winning Saturday's Test against Argentina in Santa Fe.
It is one of those things you hate to hear when you finish on the winning side - 'you didn't win it; we lost it' - but that is exactly what the Sharks must be muttering amongst themselves this week.
The respective domestic seasons are over, the best players have come to the fore and proved their worth and now it is time for the finest in Australia and Wales to do battle in a two Test series. At least that is how it is meant to be, but in reality it is a different story.
England are travelling to South Africa with a squad peppered with virtual unknowns, so in a spirit of information, here is the lowdown on England's new kids on the block - and a few kind words on the senior members too! We had the forwards on Wednesday, now the backs...
Wales captain Gareth Thomas admits the younger members of the squad are helping him feel his age as he closes in on becoming the nation's most capped player.
Italy have been forced to replace Ramiro Pez, their Argentinean expatriate fly-half, for their tour to Uruguay and Argentina next month.
Ulster prop Simon Best has described his appointment as Ireland captain as "a dream come true" ahead of the opening Test against Argentina in Santa Fe.
Ireland centre Andrew Trimble believes the desire to cement places in Eddie O'Sullivan's World Cup squad will make up for the team's inexperience when they take on Argentina in Sante Fe on Saturday.
Gareth Thomas will become Wales' most capped player when he leads his country into battle for the 93rd time in the first of two Tests on tour against Australia, to be played at Telstra Stadium, Sydney on Saturday.
England are travelling to South Africa with a squad peppered with virtual unknowns, so in a spirit of information, here is the lowdown on England's new kids on the block - and a few kind words on the senior members too! We kick off with the forwards...
Ireland have named rugby league convert Brian Carney on the right wing for Saturday's opening Test against Argentina in Santa Fe.
Andy Hazell has been challenged to put down a World Cup marker when he makes his England return after a two-year absence on Saturday.
The experiments in possible law changes which started in Stellenbosch, moved north and then went south to Sydney will now move further south the New Zealand.
Wales and Cardiff hooker Gareth Williams is ruled out of the two-Test tour of Australia after tearing a calf muscle in training and is set to fly home this weekend.
Bath lock Danny Grewcock is once again in trouble with the disciplinary, this time for puching in the European Challenge Cup final.
There is shuffling at the top - not right at the top but just under the peak.
England scrum-half Peter Richards believes victory for his team on Saturday against the Springboks in Bloemfontein will be the perfect response to criticism of the South Africa tour.
Colin Charvis has been ruled out of Wales' first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday because of a minor knee injury.
The final of the 2007 Super 14 in Durban was a tense affair, won by the Bulls by one point over the Sharks with a try and a conversion well into injury time.
London Wasps rule Europe! It may have been a surprise result when Wasps beat Leicester Tigers 25-9 but a deserved one. We have some points of law from the match to talk about.
In a game that will long be remembered for the atrocious conditions in which it was played SACS beat HTS Bellville 24-5. After torrential downpours overnight and all morning the game was moved to the Memorial B-field, which although still muddy and slippery, tends to drain better than the main pitch.
All the excitement of the finals are finished and now Tests break out all over the world as rugby rackets on to the World Cup. Forget tired bodies, forget the status of the Test match - rugby goes ahead and money rattles into coffers. Rattles? Thuds, more like it.
The experiments into possible law changes to be implemented after the World Cup - sometimes referred to as the Stellenbosch Laws - have met further approval in Australia.
St Andrew's beat Cambridge of East London 65-0 in Grahamstown on Saturday.
Former Wales fly-half Neil Jenkins has lauded successor James Hook as a player so talented that coaches should leave him alone to develop.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan insists his side's two-match tour of Argentina will not be an anti-climax, despite leaving a clutch of first-choice players at home.
The much-anticipated Glenwood vs College fixture, which has become the match to watch in KwaZulu Natal schoolboy circles these days, produced some magic moments that will live in the memory for years to come, as Glenwood won 19-12.
Daniel Pienaar beat the home side Die Brandwag 31-21 in the big Uitenhage derby on Saturday but they had to battle for it.
The Graeme first rugby team scored five tries in each half to over power Woodridge 69-14 in Grahamstown on Saturday.
St Andrew's beat Cambridge of East London 65-0 in Grahamstown on Saturday.
Former Wales skipper Michael Owen insists the side will not roll over against Australia despite the odds being stacked against them, insisting "we are here to compete".
Wales hooker Matthew Rees will fly straight home from Sydney after his side's opening Test against Australia on Saturday to ensure he is at the birth of his first child - due just four days later (May 30).
Lots of eyes were on the grand occasion in Durban on Saturday afternoon but here and there throughout the land there were all sorts of intense battles on the playing fields of South Africa.
George Gregan will not captain Australia through the June Tests and Tri-Nations as he prepares to sign off from world rugby after the Rugby World Cup.
The Sharks and the Bulls' met at ABSA Stadium in Durban and the Bulls won a cliff-hanger 20-19. Here we give some statistics of the Final.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is backing rugby league convert Brian Carney to rise to the challenge of breaking into the Test team.
England scrum-half Shaun Perry returned to training in South Africa on Saturday after shaking off a calf strain.
Kevin Yates dreamed of resurrecting his England career, and if he realises the dream and features for the world champions on their tour of South Africa, he will set a record.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has told his players they must focus on the upcoming tests with France and Canada rather than looking forward to the World Cup.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has been forced to defend his squad selection for the tour of Australia after Wales arrived in Sydney to a hostile reception.
Ireland A kicked their Churchill Cup campaign off with a well fought 39-20 victory over a plucky Canadian side on Saturday in Exeter.
Clermont Auvergne won the European Challenge Cup on Saturday with a 22-16 win over Bath at the Twickenham Stoop, holding off a fierce fightback from the West Countrymen.
Bath captain Steve Borthwick admitted his side's 22-16 defeat to Clermont Auvergne in the European Challenge Cup final had been a "huge missed opportunity".
England Saxons were much too good for the USA in the opening match of the Churchill Cup, winning 51-3 at Edgeley Park in Stockport on Friday night.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has backed his Australia tour squad to prove their Rugby World Cup potential.
The system of using yellow and red cards by the referee is recent in rugby football, the invention of an Association Football referee Ken Ashton who sat thoughtfully at a traffic light in London.
Clermont Coach Vern Cotter has named a virtually full strength side for the European Challenge Cup Final against Bath on Saturday at the Twickenham Stoop.
Unavailability and injury has forced Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda to make two changes to his 22-man squad ahead of Ireland's two-Test tour.
Full internationals Jeremy Staunton, Johnny O'Connor and Roger Wilson have all been included in the Ireland 'A' side to face Canada in the Churchill Cup at Sandy Park in Exeter on Saturday night.
The USA's Churchill Cup campaign looks to have suffered an immediate setback ahead of their tournament opener against England Saxons on Friday night.
The second FNB Classic Clash between the only two boys' schools in Potchefstroom, the Technical High School (HTS) and Potchefstroom Boys' High, ended in a one point victory for the hosts, Boys High.
There's an aphorism that says: "Ignorance is bliss." However, Jan de Koning tells us why he feels this has become a disease.
London Irish tyro Shane Geraghty will use Friday night's Churchill Cup opener against USA as an opportunity to prove himself worthy of a ticket to the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.
World Cup winner Mike Catt offered to travel with England on their tour of South Africa but was told to concentrate on building up his fitness.
NEC Harlequins scrum-half Andy Gomarsall could make a remarkable return to England colours next week - a year after his rugby career looked destined for the scrapheap.
The semi-finals of the 2007 Super 14 have come and gone but we still have a few incidents to hang discussions of laws on, and we have one which we should have done the week before.
David Bory is determined to leave Bath Rugby with silverware in The Rec trophy cabinet - even if it comes at the expense of his hometown and old club.
Bath Rugby will face a red-hot ASM Clermont Auvergne side when they clash in the European Challenge Cup final at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.
The final of the European Challenge Cup takes place at The Stoop when Clermont Auvergne meet Bath. We give a brief record of European Challenge Cup finals.
England coach Brian Ashton insists he is not looking for "damage limitation" despite leading a young, inexperienced side to take on the Springboks on home soil.
Lote Tuqiri, under-fire for a prank on team-mate Peter Hewat which backfired last weekend, has been taking further flak in the Wallabies' training camp after he was given an individual sprint session on Tuesday.
Jonny Wilkinson is braced for a punishing England tour to South Africa, admitting: "We are going to be hauled out of our comfort zone."
England coach Brian Ashton and stand-in captain Jason Robinson were both defiant on Tuesday in refuting that the patched-up England team, shorn of over 30 players because of injury and club commitments, is on another 'tour to hell' in South Africa.
The Graeme College first rugby team beat St Andrew's for the first time since 2003 in their FNB Classic Clash on Saturday played at Graeme's Somerset Field, and did so easily ? winning by 37-12. The game was televised live on Supersport, and Graeme supporters will want to watch this one over and over again.
I remember taking up rugby. I wasn't a big lad by any stretch of the imagination, but I held my own. I played, and I like to think I played reasonably well.
Wasps fly-half Jeremy Staunton has dropped out of the Ireland squad for the tour of Argentina and has been replaced by Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald.
Again we have little change this weekend. Perhaps we have got it right already, which seems unlikely. Perhaps the season is just warming up and some are still to make their big move.
There has not yet been a tied final in Super rugby, but a draw is always a possible result. What happens then?
For many a year during the good old days of amateur rugby the belief was very much that it was a game for all shapes and sizes. However those days are a distant memory as rugby has slowly developed into a game for the big men.
Calvisano will be hoping to emulate Overmach Parma on Friday when they travel to Newport to play the Dragons in a one-off play-off for the final Heineken Cup spot next season.
Calvisano will be hoping to emulate Overmach Parma on Friday when they travel to Newport to play the Dragons in a one-off play-off for the final Heineken Cup spot next season.
Steve Walsh of New Zealand is to referee the Super 14 Final between the Sharks and the Bulls at ABSA Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon. It is an all-New Zealand team of officials.
The annual FNB Classic Clash between Glenwood and Durban High School was always going to be a tight affair with the match, as expected, going down to the wire.
This was a disappointing match, with very little quality rugby produced by either side.
The Queen?s 1st XV found themselves on the receiving end of a rampant Selborne team, and slumped to a 22-3 defeat on the Selborne fields in East London on Saturday afternoon.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry, the architect of the vilified New Zealand conditioning programme that saw 22 top All Blacks withdrawn from half of the Super 14, has stated that New Zealand failure to see a team in the finals is "probably a good thing".
The big one this weekend - a Tale of Finals - the Heineken Cup, The European Challenge Cup, the Super 14, the Super 10 Final.
There are some big results this week with top sides in action and those neighbourly affairs which always bring out the best.
It was different this year - both semi-finals in South Africa as the prelude to an all-South African final. The victory margins were similar - 16 points in Durban, 15 in Pretoria.
In a ding-dong battle, played in Wellington in searing heat, Hugenote were full value for their upset win over SA College High School (SACS). The final score was 29-23 to the hosts after they had led 17-13 at the interval.
The Board of ERC confirmed details of the 24th place play-off for the 2007/8 Heineken Cup on Wednesday, following the announcement by ERC's Shareholders of a "conditional agreement" with regard to the future of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup.
We again look at an aspect or two of the success of the changed procedure for scrum engagement, noting that this week there was the possibility of an adaptation to that procedure.
The qualifying structure for future Rugby World Cups is to be changed to better reflect the modern game and to increase the profile of one of the world's largest sporting events.
The IRB has taken another small step towards the creation of a globally integrated playing calendar, announcing that a forum will be convened for the game's stakeholders to integrate themselves into the process.
Wales veteran Colin Charvis insists he still has a healthy appetite to play for his country despite winning the last of his 84 caps 14 months ago.
For ten teams this was the end of the 2007 Super 14, but which ten would rest was decided only by that remarkable match in Pretoria when the Bulls broke records.
We have, since the Six Nations, been concentrating on the Super 14 with its demanding seven matches a weekend for our law discussions. But we have two queries from Premiership rugby in England which are certainly worth discussion.
There is the big English Premiership final at Twickenham which will take lots of attention as will the two Super 14 semi-finals in South Africa.
There is little movement in our Top 20 this week as the top schools settle into the new season.
Whew! That's it. The 14 weeks are over and we end with the totals down below - most and fewest tries, most and fewest penalties, most and fewest stoppages, most disciplinary sanctions, apart from the possession stats for this 14th week.
Matt Henjak, the Force scrum-half who was once considered George Gregan's successor-in-waiting, is crushed after being left out of Wallaby coach John Connolly's 59-man training squad.
The Derby encounter between Queen's and Grey failed to meet expectations and the quality of rugby on display would have disappointed spectators, who would have anticipated much more from these two top schoolboy sides.
Australian referees, Stuart Dickinson and Matt Goddard, will referee the semi-finals of the 2007 Super 14. Both matches are between South African and New Zealand teams in South Africa.
Woman referee Kerstin Ljungdahl has been appointed to the men's Division 1 Cup final between SC 1880 Frankfurt, one of Germany's oldest sporting clubs, and RC Heidelberg on Saturday.
Lyndon Bray of Wellington, New Zealand, is one of the world's top referees who has been refereeing particularly well in the 2007 Super 14 - certainly one of the best communicators amongst referees with his concise, matter-of-fact way of talking. we asked him about his career, and he told us.
Maritzburg College went down to Durban and beat DHS 13-9.
On a beautiful winters morning in Cape Town, SA College High School (SACS) beat their local rivals Rondebosch Boy?s High by 14-7. Despite the 11.20am kick-off the temperature was touching 30-degrees.
Eldoraigne again beat Monnas, this time in the final of the Michelin-Reeks, played at LC de Villiers Stadium. That was probably the top match of the weekend.
A memo has gone out from Paddy O'Brien, the International Rugby Board's refereeing manager, on practical matters regarding the application of the Laws of the Game. This includes the new law on the engagement procedure at scrums.
In assessing the referee and the touch judges, the assessor will note significant events. There was one when the Force played the Blues at Subiaco Oval on Friday evening.
Northampton Saints star Ben Cohen has withdrawn from England's tour of South Africa and has made himself unavailable for selection for Rugby World Cup 2007. The wing wants to spend time with his wife, who is expecting twins.
England Saxons coach Jim Mallinder believes the Churchill Cup will present an opportunity to assess a number of players before the Rugby World Cup squad is selected.
The Top 20 will appear again this week and for every week till September. From now on it will appear on a Tuesday, but the funny weekends have rather bogged us down up till now.
Toulouse president Rene Bouscatel has claimed that his club has been left in the dark over a mystery illness that has befallen Wales star Gareth Thomas.
Aghast at England's shambolic preparations for the forthcoming tour of South Africa, James Griffith looks to the future - and beseeches Twickenham to do the same...
I remember a time when one could be penalised at a ruck for something called ?bridging?. This offence involved entering a ruck where your player has been tackled, and leaning on the tackled player on the ground to shield the ball from the defenders. The law was that it had to be a fair squabble for the ball at the ruck, and that you would have to fight for ball retention.
This week 2007 beat 2006 but overall 2006 is still winning the contest of the resets - as a percentage, not as a total, for there have been fewer scrums this year.
Scotland head coach Frank Hadden has dropped Lee Dickson from his Churchill Cup squad after the 22-year-old wavered over committing himself to the country.
Rob Andrew, England's director of elite rugby, has called into question the future of mid-year tours in the years of a Rugby World Cup after England named a squad devoid of over 30 top-name players for the two-Test trip to South Africa.
It's hard to believe that the Super 14 has already reached Week 13. It has flown by but not so quickly that we do not have points of law to discuss to keep our knowledge sharp. Imagine how tedious it must be to follow a game whose laws/rules are simple!
With over thirty top players unavailable for selection, England coach Brian Ashton has been forced to pick a mish-mash of old soldiers, young bucks and late bloomers for the forthcoming two-Test tour of South Africa.
Phillip Bosch has been appointed to referee his first Super 14 rugby match on Saturday when the Lions and the Cheetahs meet at Ellis Park.
In the Eastern Province, where rugby stumbles in dark chaos, the match between Grey and Framesby was cancelled last week because of a squabble beg tween the Eastern Province Rugby Union and the chairman of the Eastern Province Schools Union, Willem October.
Gloucester and Sale Sharks are expected to provide a large chunk of England boss Brian Ashton's South Africa tour squad when it is announced at Twickenham on Tuesday.
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has omitted his entire first-choice XV from the 30-man squad that will tour Argentina.
There are semi-finals in the English Premiership and the last round of Super 14's league format. It's a desperate time.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has named a 28-man squad for next month's two-Test tour of Australia, handing Ospreys star Gavin Henson the chance to prove himself ahead of Rugby World Cup 2007.
Intensity rising - that's what's happening to the Super 14 as we close the penultimate week of the round robin part of the tournament with semi-finals not yet decided. That will happen only after the last match on the last weekend - next weekend. We give some stats which deal mainly with possession.
This is a long, long weekend. It is amazing how a long weekend in South Africa can always be made longer! If Tuesday is a holiday, Monday becomes one, too.
On Freedom Day Grey College of Bloemfontein beat Maritzburg College 86-3, an astonishing result.
Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has unveiled a 45-man squad for the forthcoming Test matches with Ireland and Italy.
The International Rugby Board has announced the appointment of match officials for the first 37 matches of the Rugby World Cup, hosted this year by France.
With England's forthcoming two-Test trip to South Africa looking more like a tour de farce than a tour de force, Andrew Baldock wonders why the English are even bothering with the two-week expedition...
England coach Brian Ashton has confirmed that he will not consider players from Leicester, Wasps and Bath for selection in next month's two-Test tour of South Africa.
Tony Spreadbury of England will blow to kick off the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He is one of 12 referees appointed to referee the matches at rugby's showpiece event and has been awarded the opening match - France vs Argentina at Stade de France.
Tony Spreadbury of England will blow to kick off the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He is one of 12 referees appointed to referee the matches at the World Cup and will referee the opening match - France versus Argentina at Stade de France.
Last week I selected my Bok squad of choice and labelled it my 'Dream Team'. Perhaps that was slightly misleading as I did give myself some selection restrictions, namely John Smit has to be the skipper, and there was no point in even contemplating picking Luke Watson because Jake White will never select him no matter how well he plays.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced the appointments of match officials to various Tests around the world as the Rugby World Cup rushes closer.
New Zealand referee Paul Honiss is set to become only the second New Zealand referee to reach 200 first-class matches when he officiates in the Super 14 match in Perth later this week.
On Goldstone's on Saturdfay, Marigtzburg College beat Pretoria Boys High 20-15.
Namibia has already held trials and chosen four teams for the mid-year national weeks for age-group teams in South Africa.
Again we compare 2007 with its new scrum procedure with 2006 and its shorter scrum procedure. Again it seems that, with resets as our gauge, we are worse off in 2007 than we were in 2006.
The Super 14 is reaching the crunch stage now with just two more rounds of the Round Robin left. A referee's decisions are always important but now can be crucial - giving or not allowing a side to score points which could count to a semi-final or a (lucrative) semi-final.
England's County Championship starts and becomes the latest Law laboratory, as the International Rugby Board's Experimental Law Variations are again tested.
The Twickenham Stoop will host the European Challenge Cup final between Clermont Auvergne and Bath on Saturday, May 19.
Things are heating up in domestic championships in Europe and in the Super 14 as the plunge towards the semi-finals gets steeper.
As the Super 14 gets increasingly tense with just two more Round Robin weeks to go, we again give some statistics of getting and using possession. They include running totals which tell which team has scored most tries, which fewest and which team has been most penalised, which team least often.
England coach Brian Ashton would have been watching from behind his sofa as Wasps overpowered Northampton Saints on Sunday to set up a mouth-watering clash with Leicester Tigers in the final of the Heineken Cup.
Most schools are in action again now and we try to give the results of their matches.
SACS proved to be their own worst enemies as they went down 37-6 at home to Boland Landbou. SACS showed an admirable willingness to run with the ball and had more than their fair share of possession but made to many elementary errors on the day. Without doing too much hard work the Bolanders were able to feed off SACS?s errors and turnovers and accumulate points at regular intervals.
Bath won the right to face Clermont Auvergne in the Final of the European Challenge Cup after recording a tense 31-30 win over Saracens in Sunday's free-flowing semi-final at Vicarage Road, holding off a late surge from the locals to record a famous victory.
In what has become an annual tug-of-war, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Toulouse have once again become embroiled in a dispute over the availability of Wales star Gareth Thomas.
Clermont Auvergne stormed into the final of the European Challenge Cup on Saturday with a convincing 46-29 win over the Dragons in France, in a terrific game of European rugby which should serve as a very real wake-up call to the suits trying their damnedest to rob of such spectacles.
New Zealand won the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship when they beat South Africa 31-7 in the final at Ravenhill, Belfast, on Saturday evening.
A magnificent game of rugby, played in the finest of spirits, was rounded off in the most sporting of ways by Clermont coach Vern Cotter and Dragons coach Paul Turner in France on Saturday.
Italy had a cionvincing win over Canada to win Duivisi9on B of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Cham[pkionship being played in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The final round of Division B of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship being played in Belfast will be played on Friday 20 April.
New Zealand Under-19 coach Kieran Crowley has made one change to the starting line-up for Saturday evening's International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship Final against South Africa at Ravenhill in Belfast.
Newport Gwent Dragons have made three changes for their European Challenge Cup semi-final game against Clermont at Parc des Sports Marcel-Michelin on Saturday.
Bath coach Steve Meehan has named his side for his side's European Challenge Cup semi-final against Saracens at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
When Bath play Saracens on Sunday in the European Challenge Cup, the West countrymen know that making a success of their season hinges on that match alone.
The news that SANZAR's members have weighed in with their support of the European unions currently scrapping with the French and English clubs might be seen as impertinence by some.
James Jones of Wales will referee the Division A Final of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship being played in Belfast while Matt Stanish of New Zealand will referee the Division B final.
This is the third bit of our law discussion for this week and the most interesting - the laws in action.
Newport Gwent Dragons are gearing up for "the biggest game in the history of the region" when they clash with Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday in the first of the European Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Is the new scrum procedure meant only for the innocent of the scrummaging underworld? There has been an Under-19 World Championship in Belfast and their statistics are more encouraging than those of Super 14.
Clermont go into their home European Challenge Cup semi-final against Newport Gwent Dragons determined to go all the way to next month's final and finish a terrific season on a high.
The 1st and 2nd teams of Monument High School in Krugersdorp both recently experienced an awesome tour in New Zealand. It was a huge success as both teams came back unbeaten, having played some of the best schools in New Zealand.
We again give some statistics of getting and using possession. They include running totals which tell which team has scored most tries, which fewest and which team has been most penalised, which team least often.
As Super rugby comes to a close, it's time to evaluate how the South Africans have fared against the best. Here is my choice of Springbok for the year 2007.
Italy play Canada on Friday, 20 April, to see who will win Division B of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship being played in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Baby Blacks will play the Bay Boks in the final of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship being played in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Vodacom Cup quarter-finals have been decided with home-ground advantage to the Blue Bulls, Griquas, Western Province and the Free State.
College played Volkskool on Friday 13 April on the Gevers Field at Potchefstroom Boys' High School. The match was a hard bruising encounter that Volkskool won 8-0.
This coming weekend will see schools rugby in general swing throughout South Africa. This last weekend most of what happened was north of the Vaal River.
The European Cup rugby returns with fascinating contests. That will be the main focus of the weekend though the Super 14 is now on the threshold of its own knock-out rounds.
SANZAR has announced the referees for the last three rounds of the round robin part of Super 14.
The IRB has announced the draw and the match officials for the semi-final rounds of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship as it reaches crunch time in Northern Ireland.
Italy scraped home 8-6 against Tonga in Division B of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship being played in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Wales will contest the semi-finals of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship.
Oakdale Landbou of Riversdale, one of South Africa's top rugby schools, has taken two teams, 1st and 2nd, to Argentina, playing three matches each.
Last Friday, I spoke to Springbok flank Solly Tyibilika, a man who captures in his person the very essence of the struggles of South African rugby.
The most interesting decision to discuss this week was probably one by the television match official when the Stormers played the Lions at Newlands.
Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) chief Serge Blanco has responded to the statement issued by International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Dr Syd Millar, insisting his stance on the Anglo-French boycott of Europe is not motivated by personal glory but by his concerns about the future of the club game.
We again give some statistics of getting and using possession. They include running totals which tell which team has scored most tries, which fewest and which team has been most penalised, which team least often.
The European Rugby Cup has announced the referees for the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
On Good Friday a commentator on the match between the Blues and the Cheetahs, lamenting the regularly disintegrating scrums, bet that things were better in 2006, before the change in scrum procedure that is. This led us to compare the two years.
Most schools are on holiday but have found lots of time to enjoy rugby at various tournaments around the country.
International Rugby Board chairman Dr Syd Millar has urged Guinness Premiership clubs to back out of their European boycott and return to the negotiating table.
Wasps chief executive David Davies has responded witheringly to IRB chairman Dr Syd Millar's attack on the Anglo-French boycott of Europe, calling his statement a "tantrum".
The third round of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship is a tough lone with several make-or-break matches.
Easter has gone as the year marches ahead at a great rate. Super 14 is reaching crunch time and so are other competitions.
With the future of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup still hanging in the balance, it has become quite clear where our readers' loyalties lie. Nobody wants to see Europe's biggest rugby tournaments come to an end. This is what you had to say about the the European shenanigans...
Premier Rugby (PRL) has requested a meeting with the International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Dr Syd Millar to discuss the impasse regarding the future of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions.
The Baby Blacks soar while the Baby Boks come crashing down.
The Easter Festival at King Edward VII School ended on Easter Monday. Waterkloof and Westville appeared the strongest of the schools.
A very successful Easter Rugby Festival was help at Potchefstroom Boys' High School this weekend. 12 sides participated and there were good crowds (Saturday the largest, about 3000 people). The spectators were treated to some good schoolboy rugby in a festival that was characterised by some very one-sided matches and some extremely close contests.
The St John's Easter Festival ends on Easter Monday.
Tonga, Italy, the USA and Canada are the four unbeaten sides after two rounds of Division B of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship.
St Stithians Easter Festival came to an end at the Randburg school on Easter Monday. The climax of the week was the clash between Affies and Gimmies.
In the second round of the International Rugby Board's Under-129 World Championship Phillip Bosch of Port Elizabeth will referee the Pool A match between New Zealand and Japan.
Hosts St Andrew's end with a big win over their guests from Zimbabwe.
There was a good result for Westville in the top clash on the second day of King Edward VII School's Easter Festival.
There wasa tough battle between Affies and Boland Landbou, clearly two top sides.
The match between Grey of Bloemfontein and DHS on the second day of the St John's Easter Festival was desperately close at half-time when Grey led just 7-6.
Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) president Serge Blanco insists the failure to resolve shareholding issues was the decisive factor behind the "irreversible" decision of French clubs to go ahead with their boycott of next season's European competitions.
A commentator on the match between the Blues and the Cheetahs, lamenting the regularly disintegrating scrums, bet that things were better in 2006 - before the change in scrum procedure that is.
The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) has expressed serious concern in regard to decisions announced yesterday by the French National League (LNR) and Premier Rugby in England (PRL) to withdraw from the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup from next season.
The Professional Rugby Players' Association (PRA) have reacted angrily to the ongoing row which forced the Anglo-French boycott of next season's Heineken Cup.
FFR (Federation Francaise de Rugby) boss Bernard Lapasset has revealed his disappointment at the LNR?s decision to go ahead with its boycott of the Heineken Cup next year and outlined the extraordinary lengths he went to in an attempt to keep Serge Blanco and the French clubs in European competition.
Pool A of the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship was played in sunny Belfast on Thursday.
The 12th St John's Easter Rugby Tournament is taking place at the school in Houghton, starting on Maundy Thursday.
France's top-flight clubs have confirmed their boycott of next season's Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions following a meeting in Paris.
High temperatures did not deter the energy and commitment of rugby players during the first five fixtures of the St Andrew's College biennial Easter Rugby Festival in Grahamstown. Commencing on Thursday 5 April on the picturesque Lower Field the festival attracted many spectators and supporters from the community.
The St Stithians Easter Festuicval kicked off again on Easter Thrusday with a thriller bertween Noord-Kaap of Kimberley and the FNB Invitational XV.
Pool B's matches were played on Spy Wednesday. Pool A's are on Maundy Thursday as the week moves towards Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
The International Rugby Board's Under- World Championship started in Belfast on Wednesday when the Pool B teams in action.
England's top clubs have confirmed they are joining their French counterparts in deciding to boycott next season's Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions.
There were some great performances on the last day of Oakdale's Rugby Week in Riversdale.
Michaelhouse, Jeppe, St Alban's and hosts KES sprang surprises on the opening day of the King Edward VII School's Easter Festival.
Brive centre Ludovic Valbon and Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza have both been cited in the wake of their Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup quarter-finals respectively.
The International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship starts on Wednesday when the Pool B teams will be in action.
The International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship kicks off on Wednesday when the Pool B teams are in action.
This is the oldest of the Easter Festivals for schools in South Africa, dating back to 1984. It attracts big crowds to the Randburg school.
It beats winning Interschools - that was the Union High verdict on their victory over St Andrew's on the second day of their festival in beautiful Graaff-Reinet.
Hilton College and Maritzburg College of KwaZulu Natal set off on a tour to New Zealand while Bishops shot up to England and France.
In Day 2 of the 28th Oakdale Rugby Week, probably the most impressive results at the top of the scale were those of hosts Oakdale, Framesby of Port Elizabeth and the Rooi Bulle of HTS Middelburg
Krugersdorp High again holds its Easter Festival. Twelve teams are taking part.
Daniel Pienaar, are the only team to win all three of their matches at Die Brandwag's Rugby tournament in Uitenhage. The hosts drew one and won two.
As always there are some incidents worth discussing in the Super 14 just past.
We again give some statistics of getting and using possession. They include running totals which tell which team has scored most tries, which fewest and which team has been most penalised, which team least often.
Easter is upon us as Holy Week gives way to celebrations and yet another outburst of rugby, including international tournaments for Under-19 and Under-18 players.
Lots of schools are on holiday and lots of schools are at tournaments or will soon be.
Saracens booked a date with Bath in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by notching up a turgid but tense 23-19 victory over Glasgow Warriors at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
Autumn has started and so had out news of schools rugby. From now on the news will be weekly till the end of September.
Oakdale of Riversdale are again holding their rugby tournament with 24 schools taking part. It kicked off on Saturday.
Weston from up the West Coast shoved Hentie Cilliers of Virginia on the second day of Die Brandwag's tournament in hot Uitenhage.
Newport Gwent Dragons produced a stunning six-try display to beat Brive 39-17 in the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals at Rodney Parade on Saturday.
Nick Abendanon scored a hat-trick of tries as Bath booked a spot in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by notching up an impressive 51-12 victory over their Bristol in a lop-sided West Country duel at the Rec on Saturday.
Hilton College of the KwaZulu Natal Midlands is undertaking a tour to New Zealand over Easter.
Ten schools are taking part in the Pukke Rugby Institute in Potchefstroom, part of the University of North West.
Hoerskool Durbanville ends March with its WorldSports Events annual sports tournament which includes rugby.
King Edward VII School of Houghton, Johannesburg, is again holding its Easter Festival which includes rugby.
Maritzburg College fly to New Zealand on 24 March via Singapore on a six-match tour. They arrive home on 15 April.
The wind blew in Uitenhage on the first day of Die Brandwag's annual tournament.
Oakdale of Riversdale are again holding their rugby tournament with 24 schools taking part.
Having had two weeks to prepare for Saturday?s European Challenge Cup showdown against Bristol, Steve Meehan is in no doubt that his Bath Rugby will be fresh and raring to go.
Clermont booked a place in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup courtesy of a tense 24-19 victory over Newcastle Falcons at Stade Marcel Michelin on Friday evening, thereby condemning the English side to another season devoid of silverware.
The Dragons create history on Saturday when they play a European quarter-final game at Rodney Parade for the first time.
Die Brandwag of Uitenhage has its 5th annual rugby tournament this weekend. It is part of the school's 70th birthday celebrations.
Potchefstroom Boys' High will host its annual Easter Rugby Festival from the 5-9 April.
The St Andrew's College biennial Easter Rugby Festival takes place in Grahamstown.
England centre Andy Farrell will make his first appearance for five weeks when Saracens tackle European Challenge Cup opponents Glasgow Warriors at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
Tappe Henning, recently retired from refereeing international rugby, has been appointed by the International Rugby Board to its five-man committee that selects referees.
Newcastle Falcons have made two changes to their side as they prepare for Friday's European Challenge Cup quarter-final trip to French side ASM Clermont-Auvergne.
Instructions have gone out from the IRB, giving a new procedure of scrum engagement and insisting on putting the ball straight into scrums, not stamping and not showing dissent. We have a little look at compliance after five weeks of Six nations and eight weeks of Super 14.
The 12th St John's Easter Rugby Tournament will take part at the school in Houghton with matches on 5 April, 7 April and 9 April.
With the Six Nations out of the way the focus for the Northern Hemisphere sides now is their respective tours, which has, without much surprise, sparked a row between two of the top nations in the world.
Experiments will take place in Johannesburg over Easter in which the referee will act as TMO.
Legendary veterans such as Jonah Lomu, Carlos Spencer and Justin Marshall will form a New Zealand side that will take on Japan in May, as part of the Asian side's World Cup preparations.
There are a few interesting incidents to discuss after this weekend's matches, including two rarities from the Durban match between the Sharks and the Brumbies.
The Portuguese Rugby Federation has issued a statement on the incidents which happened in Montevideo after their successful World Cup Qualifying round with Uruguay.
Richard Hill will send his Bristol team out against his hometown club in the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals at high noon on Saturday wary of a Bath backlash.
Pierre Mignoni was at the heart of France winning the 2007 Six Nations title ? and now the live wire scrum half has set his heart on helping ASM Clermont Auvergne winning the European Challenge Cup for a second time.
We again give some statistics of getting and using possession. They include running totals which tell which team has scored most tries, which fewest and which team has been most penalised, which team least often.
Referees are appointed to many top matches again this weekend, including the Heineken Cup which gets going again and is at the crucial knock-out stage.
The Heineken Cup's future was still in jeopardy on Friday after a proposal from both the French League's governing body (LNR) and Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL) was rejected by the RFU.
Super 14 Week 7 has come and gone, the half-way mark, and we have not yet reached autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. We have some interesting incidents to discuss from the six matches played. After all it's not every weekend that you get two penalty tries and both for the same sort of infringement.
SANZAR has announced the appointments of match officials for Weeks 9-11 of Super 14.
The Six Nations have come to a sudden end with a dramatic three-match Saturday. We look at some incidents from the three matches in terms of the Laws of the Game.
What a dramatic finish. Two TMO decisions right at the end of each match decided who would win the Six Nations Championship. Such drama!.
The New Zealand Under-19 team have gathered in Auckland for the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast, starting on 4 April.
Uruguay have announced their team for the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast next month.
The Six Nations has come to a frantic end and most international focus will be on the Rugby World Cup Qualifier in Montevideo.
We look at some match statistics as the half-way mark in the 2007 Super 14 is passed, while the weather is hot and cricket is being played.
Argentina has announced its Under-19 team to take part in the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April.
Like many referees, schoolmastering set Dean Richards on a refereeing course which will take him this weekend to Madrid for the European Nations Cup match between the Leones of Spain and the Lelos of Georgia.
On Saturday James Laurence Jones of Swansea will be refereeing his very first Test - a match between Romania and Czech Republic in Ricany. Of course, it's exciting for the 28-year-old who has been refereeing for 15 years.
Instructions have gone out from the IRB, giving a new procedure of scrum engagement and insisting on putting the ball straight into scrums, not stamping and not showing dissent. We have a little look at compliance.
The controversial ending to the Rome match has overwhelmed all interest in the laws of the game this last weekend. There seems little else to discuss.
Queensland's former Test referees, Andrew Cole and Scott Young, are to help with the development of promising referees under a new advanced referee development program in Queensland.They join many former Test referees around the world who help with the development of younger referees.
We could produce a booklet of law discussion on Week 6 of the Super 14, but will try not to bore too many people.
Last weekend saw the Six Nations take an unexpected turn for the interesting with the title still anyone's for the taking (Besides Italy, Scotland and Wales!). England surprised, Ireland nearly choked (literally) and Italy stunned Wales (albeit due to a dubious last-minute decision by the ref). Here are your thoughts on the action...
It's yet another big action weekend for players and referees as the Six Nations comes to an end and the Super 14 rackets on.
Two close encounters and a surprise for all but those who had kept faith, and there the score flattered the losers as England came back strongly from defeat in Dublin.
There was the historic thriller in Perth this weekend when the lead changed twice in dramatic fashion in the last four minutes. There were also convincing displays by the Highlanders, the Brumbies, the Bulls, the Blues and the Sharks.
What a nasty ending to a rugby match! The Roman ending to Wales's romantic effort to win a rugby match was truly horrible.
It's a shorter journey than usual for Dave Pearson this weekend as he heads over the Borders to Edinburgh to referee the Six Nations Match between Scotland and Ireland - a shorter distance from home than for most club matches in his native England.
A few weeks ago, Tighthead Thomas and Loosehead Les went head to head in a sensitive debate over whether Italy deserves to be in the Six Nations or not, arguing whether Argentina deserved to take the Azzurri's place instead. It seems to have struck quite a high note with Italian fans! This is what you had to say...
Instructions have gone out from the IRB, giving a new procedure of scrum engagement and insisting on putting the ball straight into scrums, not stamping and not showing disssent.
The European Rugby Cup has appointed the match officials for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
This was the week that turned the Super 14 on its head, emphasising for us that sporting prediction is not an exact science and that the surprising is still the great spice of sport.
We have already given the statistics for Week 5 of Super 14 and now we discuss the laws in action, taking some incidents from the seven matches.
There are just two rounds of the Six Nations to go. This round has three fascinating matches.
Australia has announced its team to defend the title at the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April. Quade Cooper who made his Super 14 debut on Saturday is in the side.
Gavin Henson has been told he can claim a place on Wales' May tour of Australia despite being ruled out of the Six Nations Championship.
South Africa announced its Under-19 team for the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championships to be held in Belfast in April.
Nigel Whitehouse, who is currently on the International Rugby Board's merit panel of 21 referees, has decided to retire from refereeing.
An old Roman said that there was always something unusual coming from Africa. There is always something unusual from every rugby match that is worth talking about.
So far this busy week we have given the stats for Super 14 and Six Nations and the incidents discussion for Six Nations,. Now we shall discuss a few incidents from the Super 14, including the case of advantage that raised eyebrows.
The response has been non-stop with Ireland's 43-13 Six Nations of England at Croke Park on Saturday. It was a fine perfomance by the hosts, and a less than satisfatory one by the visitors. Well, at least that is what you had to say about it amongst other things...
There has been a lot of reaction to New Zealand coach Graham Henry's excitement at the early results that has been brought about by the three-month conditioning window afforded to 22 hand-picked Test stars. It is said that when his side assembles in early June to play France, he will have charge of what will unquestionably be the biggest, fastest, fittest All Black team ever assembled. This is what you had to say about that...
The laboratory for experimenting with law changes is now the Scottish Super Cup. Richard White did some early evaluating and now does so again.
There were three matches which were so exciting on the weekend - Wales ahead early against France who came back, Italy ahead ridiculously early against Scotland who did not come back and all that rain and emotion in Dublin. Here are some stats from the matches.
We have a bit of a breather after last weekend's international intensity, but rugby rumbles on.
There were more tries this week as we give some statistics, mostly about getting possession.
Teams continue to warm up for the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April.
It's not a reverse armada by any means but English refereeing coaches will be working with individual Spanish referees
The International Rugby Board has changed a law and sent out three directives to referees. How are they going.
It seems that the more professional the game gets, the more the man in the middle is responsible for every misfortune that befalls a team at a crucial moment. But even if he is wrong, what can be done about it?
SANZAR has made known the appointments of match officials for Weeks 5-8 of the Super 14.
Italy have chosen a squad of 40 players for the International Rugby Board's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April.
Jan de Koning takes a look at the weekend's refereeing controversies - not from a referee's perspective, but the angle of a journalist - and he feels that maybe we are hearing too much of the one side of the story.
It was not a happy weekend for referees with lots of criticism, controversy and anger.
Referee Marius Jonker has been much criticised for flagging Anton Leonard on Friday night but Andre Watson, South Africa's referee manager, and Paddy O'Brien, the International Rugby Board's referee manager, have both supported Jonker's action.
Six Nations breaks out again this week with lots of focus on Croke Park where England come to play Ireland - a venue associated in the past with Irish nationalism.
After Week 3 with its low points differences, low scores and two matches devoid of tries, we look at the statistics of the weekend and some totals to tell us who has scored the most tries, who is most penalised and so on.
Wales Under-19 play their Irish counterparts at Stradey Park in Llanelli on Friday evening as the teams warm up for the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April.
Whew! This is the end for this week, Week 2 of Super 14, just in time for the start of Week 3.
We look at the laws in action from the three Six Nations matches of the past weekend - England vs Italy, Scotland vs Wales and Ireland vs France.
Two aspects of the scrum are of interest at the moment - the procedure of engagement and the putting in of the ball.
The Sunday after England cast aside Scotland at Twickenham saw the English national papers filled with headlines rejoicing in the return of 'King Jonny'.
There was much talk about advantage this weekend, especially after the Ireland-France match.
Jonny Wilkinson's return to the Test arena has sparked mass debate on whether the Rugby World Cup winning fly-half is back to his form of old. But it's not a case of him 'deserving' to be there, but more the case of him belonging there!
SA Rugby has launched a new website for referees, which went live on Tuesday morning.
There is a chance for the Six Nations to catch its breath this weekend but that does not mean that players and match officials are allowed to flop into deckchairs. There is still a good deal of activity.
There has been overwhelming response to Ireland's last minute loss to France in the thrilling Six Nations encounter at Croke Park over the weekend. Ireland supporters, though gracious in defeat, still feel they were robbed by New Zealand referee Steve Walsh. Here's a few things you had to say...
Week 2 of the Six Nations produced a thriller at Croke Park in Dublin. Here we give some statistics for that match and the matches at Twickenham and Murrayfield.
Week 2 of Super 14 and fewer cards and more tries and some exciting matches despite unseasonable wet. Here we look, as we do each week, at some statistics. We are also starting to accumulate each week's stats.
Steve Walsh is in his 13th year of refereeing first-class rugby. When he runs out onto Croke Park on Sunday, it will be his 25th Test, and he is not yet 35.
We have already discussed matters from the Six Nations and given some Super 14 stats. Here we discuss some incidents from the first week of Super 14.
February is a pleasant month for women with St Valentine's Day and all the attention paid them. February 2007 is a special month in the history of women's rugby as five women referees make a giant leap.
There are always refereeing matters to talk about after a match. We can learn from every match and especially from seeing top men in action. Here we discuss a few indents from the first week of Six Nations.
The standings for the 2016/17 Sevens World Series!
Andy Macpherson of Scotland is excited. He is about to referee his first-ever Test match and he is not yet 25.
Super 14 is upon us with many errors on sweaty fields and a rash of yellow cards. We deal here with some statistics which we hope to update along the 14 weeks.
The 2007 Six Nations burst into full flower at the Millennium Stadium with a great contest between Wales and Ireland. In this section, as in the past, we give some match statistics.
Steve Walsh probably has the big one this week as rugby makes history by packing out Croke Park in Dublin, the great holy place of Gaelic games.
There is going to be a lot of law talk after this hectic weekend with Six Nations and Super 14 starting.
LIONS 2011
WESTERN FORCE 2011
STORMERS 2011
SHARKS 2011
Chris Waldburger takes a look at the modern game of rugby and asks if the sport as we know it is busy dying? Are the players "cashing in" at the expense of the sport? And has Test rugby lost its "sparkle"?
WARATAHS 2011
REDS 2011
HIGHLANDERS 2011
BULLS 2011
BRUMBIES 2011
CRUSADERS 2011
CHIEFS 2011
CHEETAHS 2011
BLUES 2011
HURRICANES 2011
Kelvin Deaker, the experienced New Zealand referee, has an exciting prospect - refereeing the Gaelic derby between Wales and Ireland at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on the opening day of the 2007 Six Nations in this year of World Cup.
Herve Dubes, a Top 14 referee in France, heads west to Lisbon for the Iberian derby between Portugal and Spain on Saturday, the opening round of the European Nations Cup.
Wayne Barnes will blow the whistle to start the Six Nations. Paul Honiss will do the same to start the Super 14. Two big rugby competitions start this weekend.
In its preparations for the World Cup qualifier with Uruguay, Portugal will play against Montpellier.
It is not so long ago that the intricacies of front row play were a mystery to most and the scrum signalled a prop's primary role on the rugby pitch. However all that could change with the advent of a new phase in the engagement process.
Rugby becomes more domestic this weekend except for the vital qualifier in Lisbon and the Trans Tasman warm-ups Down Under. But the onset of Six Nations and Super 14 is in the back of many minds.
Rugby union matches last eighty minutes. What about half- and extra-time? Timing in rugby union.
We give you the lowdown on rugby players' clothing.
How many players are allowed in a rugby team? Find out more...
You need a referee to officiate in rugby union. But what are all their duties during a match?
At the start of a game all players are on-side. As the match progresses players may find themselves in an off-side position.
Foul play is anything a person does within the playing enclosure that is against the letter and spirit of the Laws of the Game.
What are the various definitions in rugby? We have all that and more.
In-goal is part of the ground as defined in Law 1 where the ball may be grounded by players from either team.
To make a mark, a player must be on or behind that player's 22-metre line.
Law One of rugby union deals with basic things... like the ground we play on.
There is not definitive history of where rugby came from or when or how. The game is likely to have started as an amalgamation of soccer and other games.
There are various ways to score points in rugby union.
The purpose of the scrum is to restart play quickly, safely and fairly, after a minor infringement or a stoppage.
The kick-off occurs at the start of the match and the re-start of the match after half-time. Re-start kicks occur after a score or a touch down.
A tackle occurs when a ball-carrier is held by one or more opponents and is brought to the ground.
Penalty kicks and free kicks are awarded to the non-offending team for infringements by their opponents.
The Object of the Game is that two teams of fifteen, ten or seven players each, observing fair play according to the Laws...
The Laws of the Game apply to the Seven-a-side game, but are subject to certain variations.
A rugby match is started with a kick-off. What then?
There are also a few variations at the Under-19 level of rugby union.
The law of advantage takes precedence over most other laws and its purpose is to make play more continuous with fewer stoppages for infringements.
The ball is an important part of rugby. We give you all the important dimensions.
A 'no tackle' occurs when the ball is available on the ground and a player goes to ground to gather the ball, except immediately after a scrum or a ruck.
A knock-on occurs when a player loses possession of the ball and it goes forward. There are other ways for a knock-on to occur.
'Kicked directly into touch' means that the ball was kicked into touch without landing on the playing area, and without touching a player or the referee.
A maul occurs when a player carrying the ball is held by one or more opponents, and one or more of the ball-carrier's team-mates bind on the ball-carrier.
A ruck is a phase of play where one or more players from each team, who are on their feet, in physical contact, close around the ball on the ground.
Two tries from Mike Stephenson and the trusty kicking of Olly Barkley, who also touched down, ensured Bath topped European Challenge Cup Pool Four with an emphatic 42-17 win over Montpellier.