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NEWS: The much-awaited announcement of the England team to play Tonga this Saturday at Twickenham was delayed on Thursday following a positive Covid-19 case.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday named regular flyhalf Romain Ntamack at centre for this weekend's home Test with Argentina.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has revealed his team to face Italy in Rome on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Stormers have made another significant acquisition ahead of the next stage of the United Rugby Championship.

NEWS: After taking a year off in 2020, the annual World Rugby awards will again take place following the conclusion of the current season – but there’s a new twist.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales wing Louis Rees-Zammit says the British and Irish Lions implemented the wrong game plan against the Springboks earlier this year.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at the reasons for the changes to the South African backline against Wales.

NEWS: Kurtley Beale hopes a SOS from Dave Rennie won't be a one-off as he plots a fourth Rugby World Cup appearance in the Gold and Green.

WATCH as seasoned utility back Jessie Kriel speaks about his selection on the wing for South Africa's year-end Test against Wales on Saturday.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: Scotland forward Matt Fagerson has hailed the Australian team being fashioned by his former Glasgow coach Dave Rennie as "brutal" and "brilliant".

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Blues are beginning to raid the Crusaders' resources ahead of the 2022 season.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: France centre Gael Fickou said regular flyhalf Romain Ntamack is "gifted" enough to feature in midfield against Argentina this weekend.

NEWS: Disgraced French player Ludovic Radosavljevic has been sacked by his second-tier ProD2 club Provence, for racially abusing Cameroonian player Christian Ambadiang.

STAT ATTACK: Six Nations champions Wales host World Cup holders South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday - two teams with a storied history.

NEWS: Bulls chief executive Edgar Rathbone revealed his franchise is extremely excited to host spectators at Loftus Versfeld when the Champions Team takes on Kenya on Saturday.

NEWS: Coach Eddie Jones has catapulted young, uncapped flyhalf Marcus Smith to seemingly being the keystone to a much-needed sea-change in England's entire attacking mentality two years out from the next World Cup.

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber explains veteran fullback Willie le Roux's new role in the team.

INJURY UPDATE: Lions received some good news regarding their long injury list.

TRANSFER NEWS: Moana Pasifika’s off-season signing spree has continued with the announcement that former Brumbies and NRL star Solomone Kata has signed with the franchise.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: Captain Johnny Sexton is in reflective mood days away from potentially winning his 100th Ireland cap against Japan credited among others former Australia coach Michael Cheika as setting him on the right path.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy said he hopes to put his time with the Waratahs to good use as his team prepare to host Australia this weekend.

NEWS: Former All Black prop Carl Hayman revealed on Wednesday he has early-onset dementia aged just 41 and has joined a concussion legal action launched by former players against rugby authorities.

INJURY UPDATE: New Zealand suffered a cruel injury blow ahead of the third match of their year-end tour.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Will Skelton thought he may have missed the chance to return to the Wallabies fold when he turned down an offer to represent Australia last year.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales have suffered a triple injury blow ahead of their year-end Test against World Cup holders South Africa.

SPOTLIGHT: South Africa Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will not retain the role of  'water boy' in this Saturday's Test against Wales in Cardiff.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Eddie Jones has revealed his England 28-man squad for Saturday's Test against Tonga.

SPOTLIGHT: Italy are yet to beat New Zealand in a rugby Test but the outstanding All Black forward Ardie Savea says they will not take Saturday's opponents "lightly".

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber has opened up on Aphelele Fassi's absence in the year-end Test match against Wales on Saturday.

NEWS: Lions lock forward Wilhelm van der Sluys has called time on his professional rugby career.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has made a number of changes to his backline for South Africa's opening Test on their year-end campaign.

NEWS: Bulls confirm that experienced flyhalf, Morné Steyn, has signed an extension of his contract.

INJURY UPDATE: Saracens have allayed fears that the injury suffered by Billy Vunipola in the closing stages of their Premiership win at Harlequins was serious.

SPOTLIGHT: One of the best All Blacks performers in the 54-16 win over Wales was No.8 Ardie Savea, who was devastating with ball in hand and proved a handful for the Welsh defence to stop every time he touched the ball.

On this day, two years ago the Springboks were crowned the World Cup champions in Yokohama, Japan.

NEWS: Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will join Super Rugby Pacific's Blues next year as a part-time assistant to Leon MacDonald, the club said Tuesday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids knows that his team will be facing a different beast in Cardiff on Saturday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili said on Monday he was able to select his "most optimal" squad since the 2019 Rugby World Cup for Tests later this month.

SPOTLIGHT: Australia lock Rory Arnold said he is "grateful" for the chance to return to the Test set-up as he joins up with the national squad on Monday ahead of three internationals this month

SPOTLIGHT: A month after being dethroned by South Africa, New Zealand are back on top of the World Rugby’s Rankings.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks are set to be without wing Sibusiso Nkosi for Saturday's Test against Wales in Cardiff.

SPOTLIGHT: Charlie Ewels insists England still retain the aim of being the greatest team to have played rugby as they look to rebuild from a calamitous Six Nations.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales will be looking to right the wrongs when they come up against the Springboks in Cardiff on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: They say you can’t beat experience and the Highlanders will have plenty on their side after naming the latest signings for Super Rugby Pacific 2022.

NEWS: The All Blacks remain uncertain whether one of their stars will be available for selection for this week’s Test against Italy in Rome.

SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones said he was a "reasonable person" after the veteran Australian boss' high turnover of backroom personnel was called into question.

UPDATE: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus may have to wait a while longer for the outcome of his disciplinary hearing.

INJURY UPDATE: England added Louis Lynagh to their squad on Sunday for their opening November international against Tonga at Twickenham next weekend.

WATCH as we bring you some of the best trickery from World Cup tournaments down the years!

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Saracens struck late on to beat Harlequins 29-22 after the title contenders appeared to be headed for a stalemate at Twickenham Stoop.

POST-MATCH REACTION: Injuries to captain Alun Wyn Jones and flank Ross Moriarty aside, Wales will get considerable reinforcements for their year-end Test against South Africa.

REACTION: New Zealand scrumhalf TJ Perenara said he was unaware a prankster had joined the All Blacks for the national anthem ahead of their Test against Wales until his involvement in Saturday's match was over.

WATCH as veteran Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff talks about the challenges facing South Africa on the three-Test year-end tour.

REACTION: Not all was happy with Beauden Barrett's performance during his 100th Test for the All Blacks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Scotland scored 10 tries in beating Tonga 60-14 but coach Gregor Townsend is warning their defence must improve for much a sterner challenge against the in-form Wallabies next Sunday.

REACTION: Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has issued an injury update on Alun Wyn Jones and Ross Moriarty after they were both forced off in Wales' 54-16 defeat to the All Blacks.

REACTION: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has put down Beauden Barrett’s ability to make momentum-swinging intercepts down to his ‘freakish ability’ to defend two spaces at once.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Duhan van der Merwe and Jamie Shillcock scored a brace of tries apiece as Worcester Warriors claimed a 27-14 Premiership victory over Sale Sharks at Sixways Stadium.

OPINION: There is something old school about getting up early on a spring morning, grabbing a coffee and watching a packed stadium of rabid Europeans finding joy backing their team in taking on the All Blacks.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones saw his record-breaking appearance end just 19 minutes into a Test against New Zealand at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday.

OPINION: Depleted Wales faced a Herculean task as they tackled New Zealand in their Nations Series opener at a sold-out Principality Stadium.

MATCH REPORT:  New Zealand kick off their year-end tour with a comfortable 54-16 win over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. 

OPINION: Scotland’s opening match of the 2021  Nations Series saw a rare joint captaincy of the team shared by Ali Price and Jamie Ritchie.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors wing Kyle Steyn scored four tries as Scotland eased to an emphatic 60-14 victory over Tonga at Murrayfield on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the year-end international between Wales and New Zealand in Cardiff.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions are the Provincial Under-20 champions after a hard-fought 36-35 win over the Western Province in Johannesburg on Saturday.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's national brains trust will face a hell of a juggling act if they are to be successful in defending their World Cup crown in 2023.

WATCH as Springbok hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi talks about South Africa's poor track record in Cardiff in the last decade.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Exeter came from behind to defeat local rivals Gloucester 16-13 on Friday.

NEWS: Flyhalf Morne Steyn has put pen to paper.

SPOTLIGHT: There is a new role for Andre Esterhuizen at Harlequins.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones has suggested his side's "hoodoo" against New Zealand also puts the All Blacks under pressure ahead of their clash in Cardiff on Saturday.

WATCH as we bring you some absolute madness and mayhem from the game we all love...

NEWS: Springboks lock Marvin Orie has been elected as the new president of the South African Rugby Players' Association.

TOP 14 PREVIEW: South Africa flyhalf Handre Pollard talks about the influence of Rassie Erasmus on the team.

URC SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are on the verge of returning to play in front of some spectators at home after almost two years of playing in an empty Loftus Versfeld.

PREVIEW: Milestones await for two of current-day Rugby Union's outstanding players in Alun Wyn Jones and Beauden Barrett - when Wales face New Zealand in Cardiff on Saturday.

END OF YEAR TEST: Scotland will kick off their international season against Tonga on Saturday at the BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

WATCH as Springbok hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi talks about facing the B&I Lions laden Wales team in Cardiff next week.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell banged the drum for his side, saying "why cannot we dare to dream" of winning the World Cup in 2023.

NEWS: Troubled Top 14 side Toulon on Thursday appointed Franck Azema as coach, replacing Patrice Collazo.

YEAR-END SPOTLIGHT: Captain Siyamthanda Kolisi said he had no worries about South Africa's chances in next month's Tests even though they are missing a number of first-choice players.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Zealand flyhalf Beauden Barrett is set to win his 100th cap after being named in the All Blacks' starting XV to play Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: SA Rugby has named the starting XV for the first Champions Match on November 6.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Wayne Pivac has named a Wales side that combines experience and some of the country’s most exciting young talent for their clash against New Zealand.

REACTION: Mercurial Wallaby utility back Quade Cooper has opened up on why he opted to play club rugby in Japan, rather than tour with Australia in Europe.

TRANSFER NEWS: New Zealand's Super Rugby side The Blues on Thursday signed up-and-coming German flanker Anton Segner for the 2022 season.

WATCH as Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger chat to World Cup-winning Bok Willie le Roux about his remarkable career.

NEWS: The Australian rugby community is mourning the loss of 11-Test Wallaby James "Jim" Phipps, who has died aged 89.

SQUAD UPDATE: Kurtley Beale and Noah Lolesio will be parachuted into the Wallabies squad for the upcoming end-of-year tour.

WATCH as La Rochelle flyhalf and former Maori All Black Ihaia West executed a conversion perfectly without a kicking tee.

NEWS: Argentina head coach Mario Ledesma has drafted in a quartet of players for the Pumas upcoming three November Tests after four withdrew due to injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has revealed the latest stars that will be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2021.

NEWS: A proposed World 12s rugby tournament has suffered a potentially terminal blow following opposition from unions and domestic competitions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland’s opening match of the 2021 Nations Series will be marked with a number of notable firsts as Gregor Townsend names the team to face Tonga at BT Murrayfield on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones said he backed his squad to perform against New Zealand this weekend despite being shorn of a host of first-choice players.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Sale Sharks Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Leicester Tigers Dan Kelly shaved a week off their respective three-week bans after graduating from the tackle school.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Bryan Habana says he is looking forward to the whole Rassie Erasmus video saga being over this weekend.

NEWS: Six Nations chief executive Ben Morel insists there are no plans to add the Springboks to the championship with an enhancement of the July and November windows seen as a greater priority.

SPOTLIGHT: Sam Cane says he doesn't expect to make the starting line-up until New Zealand's rugby Test against Italy in Rome next weekend.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Blues have re-signed four key players as they look to clinch a title in next year’s inaugural Super Rugby Pacific.

SPOTLIGHT: The All Blacks expect "a real tough challenge" from Wales in Cardiff this weekend, even though the hosts will be missing several star players, assistant coach John Plumtree said.

NEWS: Three-time European champions Toulon parted company with head coach Patrice Collazo on Tuesday after a desperate start to their Top 14 campaign which has yielded just two victories in eight matches.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Bryan Habana says Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber is facing a "fine balancing act" when it comes to selections during their end-of-year tour.

SPOTLIGHT: Irish rugby legend Johnny Sexton says "never in a million years" would he have thought he would reach the 100 cap milestone for Ireland on his Test debut aged 24.

SPOTLIGHT: Antoine Dupont said on Tuesday he will remain the same player after being named France captain for next month's Tests.

SPOTLIGHT: England captain Owen Farrell is looking forward to developing the playmaking talent of rising star Marcus Smith during next month's internationals.

SPOTLIGHT: The Boks are in a good mental space heading into their November fixtures, according to centre Lukhanyo Am.

SPOTLIGHT: The traditional start to the World Rugby Sevens Series has been restored with the 2022 season kicking off in Dubai in a month's time, and Neil Powell and his Springbok Sevens team are ready to travel and play.

NEWS: The Wallabies will complete their end-of-year tour with a Samu Kerevi-sized hole.

SPOTLIGHT: Salmaan Moerat has opened up on his "special" Springbok call-up for the end-of-year tour.

SPOTLIGHT: After moving halfway around the world to New Zealand from Frankfurt, rugby-mad German Anton Segner is on the path to the All Blacks.

NEWS: The death of New Zealand Super Rugby player Sean Wainui last week is being treated as a suspected suicide, a coroner said.

SPOTLIGHT: Prop Tomas Francis has dismissed any talk of Wales facing a psychological barrier when they tackle the All Blacks in Cardiff on Saturday.

REACTION: Injured Springbok scrumhalf Francois de Klerk has broken his silence over the hip injury that ruled him out of South Africa's year-end tour.

NEWS: Michele Lamaro has been named Italy's new captain, the Italian Rugby Federation announced on Monday.

NEWS: Toulouse scrumhalf Antoine Dupont will captain France during next month's Test series.

SPOTLIGHT: As New Zealand heads to Cardiff for their year-end showdown with Wales, the famous pre-match ritual of the New Zealand haka is being foisted into the spotlight again.

NEWS: The Springboks will play one of their November Tests in the United Kingdom in a limited edition 'commemorative' jersey.

SPOTLIGHT: Starting Handre Pollard at No.12 and Elton Jantjies at No.10 could be an exciting option for South Africa.

REPORT: World Rugby has reportedly drawn up four separate plans to revive a proposed Nations Championship following the 2023 World Cup.

TOP 14 WRAP: Flyhalf Ihaia West scored two tries as La Rochelle thumped Toulon 39-6 - to leave their opponents languishing second-bottom on the table.

SPOTLIGHT: An All Black star and a World Cup-winning Springbok jointly top an updated list of rugby’s highest-played players.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber has clarified Rassie Erasmus' role on their end-of-year tour.

MATCH REPORT: Max Malins made it back-to-back hat-tricks in the Premiership with four tries in Saracens’ thumping 56-15 victory over depleted Wasps.

SPOTLIGHT: A warning has been sent to Springbok players ahead of their November tour opener against Wales on November 6.

TRANSFER NEWS: Nathan McBeth agreed to make the switch to Glasgow Warriors from United Rugby Championship counterparts Lions.

WATCH Springboks wing Courtnall Skosan's incredible introduction to the Premiership during the Northampton Saints' 66-10 win over Worcester Warriors.

NEWS: World Rugby has reportedly agreed with most of the points made in Rassie Erasmus' controversial 62-minute video.

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored a superb try in Monpellier's 32-21 win over Racing 92 on Saturday.

REACTION: New Zealand coach Ian Foster likes the improvement he saw in the All Blacks in routing the United States but knows an upcoming four-week European tour is a much greater challenge.

SPOTLIGHT: A five-Test winning run has lifted the Wallabies to third on the World Rugby rankings but just how real that improvement is will be proven on the fields of Europe in November.

OPINION: As we know the US of A is big on fanfare and entertainment and the prematch theatre got us in an expectant mood for a huge game.

MATCH REPORT: Will Jordan scored three tries as the All Blacks overwhelmed the United States 104-14 on Saturday to launch a five-match Northern Hemisphere tour.

URC REPORT: Ospreys ended Munster's unbeaten run in the United Rugby Championship with an 18-10 win in Swansea on Saturday.

URC REPORT: The Dragons failed to make the most of a fast start and a red card for Cardiff centre Rey Lee-Lo as they were beaten 31-29 by their Welsh rivals in the United Rugby Championship.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: A late rally secured Harlequins a ninth-successive home bonus-point triumph as they recorded a 31-17 victory against winless Bath, who remain at the bottom of the table.

TOP 14 WRAP: Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored twice in front of his Test teammates as Montpellier enjoyed a 32-21 win over Racing 92 in the French Top 14 on Saturday.

URC REPORT: Ulster suffered their first defeat in the United Rugby Championship when they went down 11-36 to Connacht at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Five match between Connacht and Ulster in Dublin.

URC REPORT: Edinburgh pulled clear in the second half to earn a hard-fought 27-10 bonus-point victory over Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship.

NEWS: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White is set for some time away from the training field after he broke his collarbone in a bicycle accident on Saturday.

REACTION: Australian-raised loose forward Ben Gunter has made an impassioned plea for the Brave Blossoms' inclusion into the Rugby Championship after Japan almost pulled off a historic win over the Wallabies.

REACTION: The Wallabies could be without a key player for the UK leg of their end-of-year tour

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: South African wing Courtnall Skosan scored a hat-trick of tries on his debut as Northampton got back to winning ways emphatically with a 66-10 thrashing of a hapless Worcester.

TRANSFER NEWS: All Blacks props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Alex Hodgman have re-signed with the Blues ahead of the inaugural 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

OPINION: They showed plenty of promise, but Japan eventually fell short against the Wallabies in a 23-32 defeat in their first end-of-year test in Oita.

OPINION: The Wallabies opened their northern tour account with a 32–23 victory of Japan at the Showa Denko Dome in Oita.

MATCH REPORT: Australia have opened their four-match spring tour with a scratchy and hard-earned 32-23 victory over Japan in Oita.

URC REPORT: The Scarlets bounced back from a pair of heavy defeats with a 34-28 bonus-point victory over Benetton in Llanelli.

URC REPORT: Leinster made it five wins from five matches in the United Rugby Championship after they beat Glasgow Warriors 31-15 at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Five match between Glasgow Warriors and Leinster at Scotstoun.

REACTION: The Cheetahs are positive their latest rugby product will open the door - or window - back to Europe.

INJURY UPDATE: Lions have given an update on their flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse.

URC ROUND FIVE - TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: Most of Saturday's spotlight will be on Ulster and Munster and whether they can keep their unbeaten records intact with some tricky away fixtures.

WATCH as Springbok legend Victor Matfield reflects on his amazing rugby journey.

END OF YEAR TEST: New Zealand coach Ian Foster says Test spots will be up for grabs when an experimental All Blacks line-up kicks off their northern hemisphere tour against the United States in Washington on Saturday.

NEWS: The Cheetahs will face a couple of fellow South African franchises and some European sides in a series of matches in November.

SPOTLIGHT: Renegade lock Jack Cornelsen has warned rugby fans to write the Brave Blossoms off at their peril ahead of Saturday's showdown with the Wallabies in Oita.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Former Argentina captain Pablo Matera was named in the squad on Thursday for November's Tests in Europe after missing their last game due to a ban over breaking Covid-19 rules.

END OF YEAR TEST: Australia coach Dave Rennie is expecting a brutal, high-paced game on Saturday against a dangerous Japanese side mentored by a cohort of fellow New Zealanders as the Wallabies look to bank a fifth straight win.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Gary Gold has named a young and exciting USA team that will take the pitch against the All Blacks on Saturday, October 23 in Washington, D.C.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named the team to play the USA in the 1874 Cup Test match in Washington DC on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: South Africa's Faf de Klerk faces five months out of action due to injury, the scrumhalf's English club Sale Sharks confirmed on Thursday.

NEWS: EPCR, the organiser of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments, announced that Dominic McKay has been appointed as a non-executive director and as its chairman on an interim basis.

URC ROUND FIVE - TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: SA fans and people connected with the SA teams in the United Rugby Championship, plus most neutrals, should become Glasgow Warriors supporters this weekend.

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber previews South Africa's year-end tour. @king365ed reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A double round of home matches is next on the menu for the South African teams participating in the United Rugby Championship and it is going to be interesting to see how they apply the lessons learned from the initial four-match tours that went off with mixed success.

OPINION: Rugbypass columnist Paul Smith puts a spotlight on the role of the water carrier.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has revealed his team to face the Wallabies in Oita on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie has revealed his team for their clash against Japan on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Rugby authorities need to implement enforceable laws to reduce head impact exposure or risk "players dropping out of the game at all levels".

NEWS: US rugby chiefs formally launched a bid to stage the Rugby World Cup on Wednesday, boldly predicting that bringing the sport to American soil for the first time could be a turning point for the game.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Simon Zebo was recalled by Ireland after a four-year exile when head coach Andy Farrell named the wing in a 38-man squad announced Wednesday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has selected 12 uncapped players in his 42-man squad following their initial involvement in the training group this week.

OPINION: It was a bit disappointing to see some of South Africa's top performers at franchise level miss out on Springbok selection for the end-of-year tour.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Wasps' Scott Barrow (backs transition coach) and Pete Atkinson (head of performance) appeared before a disciplinary panel.

SPOTLIGHT: An irresistible force with ball in hand. An immovable object at the defensive breakdowns. Bismarck du Plessis is far from being a spent force.

SPOTLIGHT: Growing up with one of Australian rugby's most famous names and playing with now-Wallabies star Tom Banks, Jack Cornelsen certainly couldn't see this coming.

SPOTLIGHT: Veteran lock Sam Whitelock will captain the All Blacks on their five-Test tour of the United States and Europe, New Zealand team officials confirmed.

INTERVIEW: The game's most renowned 'water boy', Rassie Erasmus, is set to tour with the Springboks.

NEWS: Wing Gabin Villiere has been replaced in France's squad for the November Tests by Vincent Rattez after suffering a hamstring injury.

REACTION: South Africa has a vacancy in a key position in the national team and the Springbok coach is looking for a suitable candidate.

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber explains to @king365ed why he did not blood more 'youngsters' in his year-end tour squad.

NEWS UPDATE: England hooker Jamie George was recalled by coach Eddie Jones just a day after being left out of the original squad for the November internationals.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber named only one new cap in his squad for the year-end tour.

OPINION: Hamish Bidwell takes a look at the dramatic decline of New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.

NEWS: Morne Steyn, who twice landed series-winning penalties against the British and Irish Lions, has announced his retirement from international rugby.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones has said his dropped veterans must prove to him they have what it takes to win a World Cup.

NEWS: Veteran Wallaby prop Sekope Kepu signed with Super Rugby's Moana Pasifika on Tuesday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has named nine uncapped players in his 42-man squad for next month's rugby Tests against Argentina, Georgia and New Zealand.

STAT ATTACK: The Stormers finally registered their first United Rugby Championship win after four rounds.

INJURY UPDATE: South Africa have received a major blow to their year-end Test prospects with the news that Francois de Klerk is facing five months out injured.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Cheetahs announced the signing of four new players to bolster the squad heading into the 2022 Currie Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Marcus Smith is in line to feature at flyhalf for England in a rejigged backline during next month's Tests at Twickenham.

WATCH as @king365ed chats to Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen about the next stage of their URC campaign and the players they will get back from injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship is four rounds in and there are a number of uncapped prospects who can make the Springboks squad.

WATCH one of the funniest comebacks, after a referee suggested to a player that he may be concussed.

SPOTLIGHT: Prop Allan Alaalatoa says he will use the pain of leaving his newborn daughter for the Wallabies' spring tour as motivation to reclaim a starting jersey.

NEWS: New Zealand rugby is in mourning following the death of record-breaking Chiefs back Sean Wainui.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Saracens powered to an incredible 71-17 rout of Bath as Maro Itoje made a try-scoring return to the English Premiership on Sunday.

REACTION: Sharks coach Sean Everitt believes that with a "bit of luck" his team could have ended their United Rugby Championship tour with a win in Cardiff.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about the great opportunity to finally take on Europe's best at their Pretoria home, Loftus Versfeld.

URC DRAMA: What would a weekend be without a bit of drama and some refereeing controversy?

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Leicester powered to their fifth successive English Premiership win with a 48-3 thrashing of Worcester at Sixways at the weekend.

TOP 14 WRAP[: Stade Francais, the under-performing financial heavyweights of the French Top 14, won a second successive match for the first time this season.

SPOTLIGHT: Star wing Marika Koroibete will miss the Wallabies' year-end tour of Japan and the United Kingdom after staying in Australia for the birth of his third child.

URC MATCH REPORT: Munster continued their unbeaten start to the season after a nail-biting finish secured a 20-18 victory over Connacht in a keenly contested interprovincial battle.

URC MATCH REPORT: Two late Rhys Priestland penalties sealed a hard-earned 23-17 win for Cardiff over the Sharks at Arms Park on Saturday.

URC MATCH REPORT: Leinster's forwards hogged six of the seven tries for themselves in a runaway 50-15 victory over the Scarlets at the RDS.

URC MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh scored an important win when held out against a hard-charging Bulls team in their Round Four encounter on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Four match between Cardiff and the Sharks at Arms Park.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Ospreys survived a stunning Benetton fightback to emerge with a 29-26 victory in Treviso.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Four match between Edinburgh and the Bulls.

URC MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors made it three wins on the bounce, with a 17-6 victory over Zebre in Italy.

INTERVIEW: Sale Sharks flank Tom Curry has become the latest British & Irish Lions player to criticise Warren Gatland’s tactics during the tour of South Africa.

REACTION: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen was left frustrated by his team's constant mistakes in their 10-26 United Rugby Championship Round Four loss to Ulster in Belfast on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks head coach Ian Foster believes World Rugby hasn’t hit the mark with some of their new rule variations.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe has opened up on the golden path that led him to a new chapter in his rugby career.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson said his team's 24-10 victory over the Dragons in Newport on Friday has put them in a good position in the United Rugby Championship.

NEWS: World Rugby have confirmed the match official panels for the upcoming end-of-year internationals.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Stormers concluded their four-week United Rugby Championship (URC) tour with a hard-fought 24-10 win over Dragons on Friday.

URC MATCH REPORT: Irish province Ulster maintained their perfect start to the season with a comfortable 26-10 win over an error-prone Lions team at Ravenhill on Friday.

URC ROUND FOUR – TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: South Africa's two top teams, the Bulls and Sharks, are ready for one last big game before they head home.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Four match between the Dragons and Stormers at Rodney Parade in Newport.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Four match between Ulster and the Lions at Ravenhill in Belfast.

MEDICAL UPDATE: The Bulls' mercurial Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen looks set to spend the best part of the next year on the sidelines.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Cup-winning wing Cheslin Kolbe revealed the reason behind his decision to join Toulon from French Top 14 rivals Toulouse.

NEWS: The United Rugby Championship confirmed that all home games scheduled for the Sharks, Stormers, Lions and Bulls in Rounds Six and Seven will take place in South Africa.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have kept consistency in their backline while making a handful of changes in the pack ahead of their clash against Edinburgh on Saturday.

WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen and captain Burger Odendaal speak about the joys and differences of switching from Super Rugby to the United Rugby Championship.

REACTION: Bristol coach and former international forward Pat Lam on Thursday hailed the "common-sense decision" to allow rugby players to wear tights or leggings.

SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand coach Ian Foster has earmarked decision making under pressure as a key shortcoming that needs to be eliminated on their upcoming year-end tour.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at South Africa's backline options for the upcoming end-of-year tour.

NEWS: A Welsh international fullback announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 27.

URC ROUND FOUR - TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: South African teams have a zero-from-four record against Irish teams, a drought they hope the Lions can finally break in Round Four.

WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson talks about how the players dealt with the fallout of the SARU takeover at Newlands.

SPOTLIGHT: Round Four of the United Rugby Championship will see Pierre Schoeman take part in his first clash with his old team, the Bulls.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has revealed his team for their United Rugby Championship Round Four clash against Cardiff on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Skipper Sam Cane has revealed the extraordinary options the All Blacks are considering to try and avoid derailing their end-of-year tour to the USA and Europe due to the ongoing threat of Covid-19.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions will head to Belfast in their final tour fixture of the United Rugby Championship to face Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Saracens boss Mark McCall said Vincent Koch is relieved to be back in the mix with the London club, following his four months with the Springboks.

WATCH ten of the stand-out tries during Round three of the United Rugby Championship.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has revealed his team for their URC Round Four clash against the Dragons on Friday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Tonga have revealed their squad for their northern tour.

SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand have no intention of taking the United States lightly when they meet in a Test match next week in Washington, All Blacks captain Sam Cane says.

NEWS: Wallabies flyhalf Christian Lealiifano has signed with new Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika, with the team on Thursday announcing an initial one-year deal with the playmaker.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wayne Pivac named a 38-man Wales squad for the year-end internationals.

SPOTLIGHT: The arrival of South Africa's ultimate 'Lions slayer', seasoned flyhalf Morné Steyn, could not have come at a better time for the Bulls.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It was a case of patriotism during Round Three of the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as Ulster hooker Rob Herring gets 'outplayed' by his daughter during a media interview.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks loose forward Dylan Richardson is the latest South African to join the Scotland squad.

ROUND FOUR REFEREEING APPOINTMENTS: Aimee Barret-Theron will take the whistle this weekend making her URC debut as she becomes the third female referee to appear in the league.

INJURY UPDATE: Francois de Klerk is waiting to discover if he needs hip surgery that would rule him out of the upcoming South African European tour.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springboks veteran Morne Steyn’s arrival in the Bulls camp just showed the incredible depth at the franchise according to captain Marcell Coetzee.

SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney sits down for a chat with Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen and his role in Harlequins'success.

NEWS: SA Rugby has advised its member unions that fully vaccinated supporters will be allowed to return to club and professional rugby matches.

REACTION: Zelt Marais is ready to step aside and allow the SARU appointed administrator to take over the running of WPRFU.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers have opted to steer clear of the latest boardroom developments at the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU).

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Lions assistant coach Julian Redelinghuys predicted a very challenging scrum battle when his side face Ulster on Friday.

REACTION: The decision by the South African Rugby Union to place the Western Province Rugby Football Union under administration has been widely welcomed.

NEWS: Sydney has missed out on hosting a World Rugby Sevens series leg due to logistical challenges associated with the coronavirus.

WATCH as @king365ed goes one-on-one with 'war room' mastermind Gary Craul in the hours leading up to SARU's eventual takeover at Newlands.

REACTION: SA Rugby's decision to assume administrative control of the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) has been met with pure joy.

STAT ATTACK: Round Three of the United Rugby Championship served up another entertaining weekend of action.

SA Rugby has advised the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) that it was invoking its constitutional power to take administrative control of the Union.

NEWS: Wales are reportedly set to field a vastly understrength team to face the All Blacks at the end of this month due to injuries and the unavailability of numerous key players.

NEWS: All Blacks star Liam Squire has been forced to retire from professional rugby due to a long-standing knee injury.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph has named 10 uncapped players in his 37-man squad for internationals against Australia, Ireland, Portugal and Scotland.

WATCH as the Bulls show us what they get up to when they are away from the rigours of rugby.

NEWS: Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe is expected at his new club Toulon at the end of the week.

SQUAD UPDATE: More Lions players will be heading home.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Spectators are set to return to sports venues in South Africa, following the latest adjusted lockdown regulations.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok lock Rudolph Snyman will be out of action for another lengthy period.

NEWS: The Bulls have sent an SOS to one of their Springboks to join them in Scotland ahead of their Round Four match against Edinburgh on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bulls coach Jake White has called in veteran South African referee Tappe Henning to assist them with the differences in refereeing interpretations in the United Rugby Championship.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White says he is not a fan of Europe's 4G synthetic pitches after flyhalf Johan Goosen suffered a knee injury at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.

NEWS: Wallabies flyhalf Christian Lealiifano will be back in Super Rugby next season according to reports emerging from Australia.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson said he was frustrated that his team couldn’t close out their United Rugby Championship Round Three match against Edinburgh with a win.

REACTION: Edinburgh prop Pierre Schoeman reckons Saturday’s stalemate with Stormers represents a further sign the South African sides are starting to find their feet in the United Rugby Championship.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Wasps ruined Northampton's unbeaten start to the 2021-22 campaign with a tense 26-20 victory on Sunday.

WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen speaks to @king365ed about the plans for South African teams to base themselves in Italy.

URC MATCH REPORT: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber would not have enjoyed Munster's win over Scarlets on Sunday.

RASSIEGATE UPDATE: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus and his legal council want World Rugby to make his misconduct hearing open to the public.

INJURY UPDATE: The Springboks have reportedly suffered a massive blow ahead of their northern hemisphere tour.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White painted a bleak picture regarding flyhalf Johan Goosen.

REPORT: The Dragons pulled off a 35-22 victory in their United Rugby Championship match at Connacht, ending a six-game losing run.

WATCH as referee Gianluca Gnecchi took centre stage during the Lions' narrow defeat to Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Uruguay have qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup after downing the United States 34-15 while Canada will miss the tournament for the first time after a historic loss to Chile.

REPORT: South African franchise the Bulls finally got their first United Rugby Championship victory, beating Cardiff Blues 29-19 on Saturday.

URC MATCH REPORT: Leinster put Zebre away in the second half to claim a 43-7 bonus-point win on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers avoided a third United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat with a hard-fought 20-all draw against Edinburgh in Scotland. 

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Three match between Cardiff and the Bulls at Arms Park.

NEWS: The WPRFU saga took two dramatic twists on Saturday, as four directors walked out and five suspended ECo members spoke out.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Glasgow Warriors held on for a hard-earned 13-9 win over the Lions in their Round Three match at a very wet Scotstoun on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Three match between Edinburgh and the Stormers.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Three match between Glasgow Warriors and the Lions at the Scotstoun Stadium.

SPOTLIGHT: Former England flyhalf and RugbyPass columnist Andy Goode looks at the stand-off between Premiership clubs and player agents.

NEWS: Sam Cane, Sam Whitelock and Dane Coles have all successfully returned to action in the NPC and Heartland Championship following lengthy spells on the sidelines.

WATCH as Sharks flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain makes history with three drop-goals in his team's drought-breaking 27-13 win over Ospreys in Swansea on Friday.

URC ROUND THREE – TEAMS AND PREDICTION: New venues and new opposition, but the same goal - ending a losing streak.

REPORT: Ulster made it 15 points out of a possible 15 in the United Rugby Championship but were made to fight all the way by a spirited Benetton in a 28-8 victory at Kingspan Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks recorded their first win of the season with a victory over Ospreys on Friday in Swansea.

STATS ATTACK: South Africa's United Rugby Championship franchises might be struggling on the field, however, they are winning the hearts of television fans worldwide.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Three match between Ospreys and the Sharks in Swansea.

REACTION: Australian coach Dave Rennie will keep tabs on Louis Lynagh, after the son of former Wallaby great Michael was named in England's extended Test squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have made a handful of changes to their side that will face Welsh side Cardiff in Round Three of the URC on Saturday.

REACTION: The Stormers intend to appeal the eight-week suspension handed to lock Adré Smith.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen named a new-look match 23 ahead of his team's Round Three URC fixture against Glasgow Warriors.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Centre Juan de Jongh will play his 100th game for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship clash with Edinburgh on Saturday.

REACTION: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus wasted no time to responded to World Rugby's long-awaited announcement of a date for his hearing.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Australian coach Dave Rennie on Friday called up towering France-based second row forwards Will Skelton and Rory Arnold.

NEWS: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will finally face a World Rugby disciplinary hearing.

NEWS: Adré Smith of the Stormers has been slapped with an eight-week ban for an alleged bite.

URC ROUND THREE - TEAMS AND PREDICTION: Just one win from eight matches and that against lowly Italian team Zebre in the opening match of the tournament.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS:  Tom Penny (Newcastle Falcons) and Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks) each appeared before an online independent disciplinary panel on Wednesday.

BREAKING NEWS: Western Province Rugby Football Union President Zelt Marais has suspended five more dissenting voices on his executive committee.

OPINION: @rugby365com guest columnist Ethienne Reynecke reminds us all of the ethos of the game: Respect!

NEWS: The Cheetahs' aspiration of returning to Europe has come to an abrupt end.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan is adamant the four South African sides will soon start making their presence felt after struggling for results in their first two weekends in the URC.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls under the guidance of Jake White have been dominating South Africa's rugby landscape in recent years.

TRANSFER NEWS: The NSW Waratahs have secured the services of front row forwards Ruan Smith and Archer Holz for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition.

WATCH as retired referee Nigel Owens reviews all the key decisions in this past weekend’s Rugby Championship fixtures between New Zealand and South Africa.

NEWS: The Sharks have revealed a new partnership that could see them setting up camp in Geneva in Switzerland during the United Rugby Championship (URC).

NEWS: Sevens fans favourites Kenya will show off their growing ambition in the XV-a-side game after being confirmed as the inaugural opponents in next month’s Champions Match.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Sean Everitt has revealed his team for their United Rugby Championship Round Three clash against Ospreys in Swansea on Friday.

WATCH as former Springboks coach Nick Mallett sheds light on South Africa's 31-29 win over New Zealand in the final round of the Rugby Championship.

SPOTLIGHT: Teams in the Northern Hemisphere are much more patient and disciplined in games, says Stormers prop Neethling Fouché.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has selected a very interesting Rugby Championship team of the tournament.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka believes the tables will turn when the European teams in the United Rugby Championship travel to South Africa for games.

TRANSFER NEWS: The NSW Waratahs have bolstered their outside backs with the signing of versatile Manly star Tevita Funa.

NEWS: Stormers lock Adre Smith has a case to answer about an allegation that he bit Munster’s Niall Scannell last Saturday in Limerick.

SPOTLIGHT: Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher has backed Eddie Fouche to come up with the goods at flyhalf for the foreseeable future.

REACTION: Connacht head coach Andy Friend has lashed out at Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White after the latter's comments about the Irish side ahead of their Round Two URC clash.

SPOTLIGHT: Come back Bryce Lawrence, all is forgiven. This, in a nutshell, is the feeling of SA supporters after the opening fortnight of the URC.

SPOTLIGHT: Edinburgh utility back Jaco van der Walt has warned teams in the United Rugby Championship not to write off South African teams just yet.

SPOTLIGHT: Duane Vermeulen's new coach had a big smile after what he saw on Saturday.

SQUAD UPDATE: The Lions have brought in some extra flyhalf cover after Jordan Hendrikse's long-term injury.

SPOTLIGHT: Munster head coach Johann van Graan was singing Rudolph Snyman's praises after the Springbok lock's cameo off the bench in his team's 34-18 win against the Stormers.

SPOTLIGHT: Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper denies he agreed to play for the Dave Rennie-coached Barbarians against Samoa in London in late November despite the invitational side announcing his selection.

URC INTERVIEW: The Sharks believe they are on the verge of breaking their European duck.

REACTION: New Zealand coach Ian Foster said back row forward Ardie Savea will remain the All Blacks' captain, despite Sam Cane returning from injury for their end-of-year tour.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Four players will face disciplinary hearings this week, after a particularly back weekend for the Premiership.

NEWS: The Sharks will most likely be without one of their key players when they continue their United Rugby Championship campaign this week.

INJURY REPORT: The Lions have suffered a massive blow on the injury front.

NEWS: Two more of South Africa’s world-beating pack have been confirmed to play for the Barbarians at Twickenham in November, although there is some uncertainty over who they will face.

NEWS: France will be without one of their midfielders for the November Tests.

NEWS: The Samoan Rugby Union, Lakapi Samoa, said on Monday it had withdrawn from three November matches in Europe due to coronavirus travel problems.

WATCH as we bring you a video that shows how 21 of the points New Zealand scored in their 29-31 loss to South Africa was directly from mistakes the officiating team made.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson believes the law interpretations in the United Rugby Championship is becoming a major challenge for South African teams.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok Hennie le Roux chats to @king365ed about his decision to become involved with WPRFU.

REACTION: Springbok replacement flyhalf Elton Jantjies said he wasn’t nervous in the closing stage of Saturday's clash against the All Blacks.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Captain Sam Cane has been recalled to the All Blacks squad for their Northern Hemisphere tour later this month.

REACTION: The Bulls’ 7-34 defeat to Connacht was a rude awakening for South Africa’s best franchise.

WATCH as we bring you all the highlights from Round Six of the Rugby Championship.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Rohan Janse Van Rensburg's sending off proved decisive and costly for Sale Sharks as they went down 15-25 to Exeter Chiefs at the AJ Bell Stadium.

URC REPORT: Dragons’ miserable record against the Irish provinces continued as they fell to another defeat at the hands of Leinster in an error-ridden 7-6 United Rugby Championship contest at Rodney Parade.

REACTION: All Blacks coach Ian Foster said that the 29-31 loss to South Africa followed the trend of recent games between the two great rivals.

REACTION: Springbok star Duane Vermeulen has opened on the mental and emotional challenges the Bok squad endured over the last few weeks.

REACTION: There was no sugarcoating the Lions’ 13-36 defeat to the Scarlets on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: A Samu Kerevi ankle injury could force Wallabies coach Dave Rennie to redraw his end-of-year tour plans.

SPOTLIGHT: Here are five things we learnt from the Covid-hit six-round tournament.

REACTION: The signs from the get-go were that the Boks were looking to give the ball plenty more width on attack and make the most of their talented outside backs.

OPINION: It was a horror third quarter for the men in black in their defeat to the Springboks.

REACTION: Saturday's win against the All Blacks propelled the Springboks back to the world's top ranking.

REACTION: An exhausted Pumas squad needs rest after playing for almost 12 months straight, their coach Mario Ledesma said after Saturday's 17-32 Rugby Championship loss to the Wallabies.

URC REPORT: The Ospreys beat Cardiff 18-14 in Swansea to make it two wins from two in this season’s United Rugby Championship.

URC REPORT: The Stormers will be kicking themselves again after they blew a 15-point lead in their 18-34 defeat to Munster in Limerick on Saturday.

URC REPORT: Ulster recorded a second successive bonus-point victory in the United Rugby Championship as they saw off Zebre 36-3 at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Two match between Munster and the Stormers in Limerick.

URC REPORT: Sharks failed to secure their first win of the season, despite a valiant second-half effort against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday. 

WATCH as Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am produced a sensational no-look pass behind his back in the build-up to Damian de Allende's try against the All Blacks on Saturday.

REACTION: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber said a better use of his replacements this week made the difference in his team's final-round Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks.

MATCH REPORT: Substitute Leonardo Marin stunned Edinburgh with an 85th-minute drop goal as Benetton won a United Rugby Championship thriller 28-27 in Treviso.

OPINION: The Springboks bounced back with a colossal effort to beat the All Blacks 31-29 in an epic Rugby Championship encounter on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Two match between Glasgow Warriors and Sharks at Scotstoun.

OPINION: The Wallabies machine marches on defeating Los Pumas 32-17 at Cbus Stadium on Queensland’s Gold Coast in their final performance of this year's Rugby Championship.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT: Elton Jantjies nailed a penalty after the final hooter as world champions South Africa snapped a three-game losing streak to stun New Zealand 31-29 Saturday in a Rugby Championship thriller.

NEWS: Saracens announced that a consortium of investors has agreed terms to acquire a majority controlling stake and that the club’s shareholders will invest significant new funds by means of a capital raise.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Rugby Championship Round Six match between South Africa and New Zealand on the Gold Coast.

REPORT: An Andrew Kellaway hat-trick has him within reach of Wallabies history after a 32-17 defeat of Argentina gave them four-straight Rugby Championship Test wins for the first time.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Rugby Championship Round Six match between Argentina and Australia on the Gold Coast.

URC REPORT: Connacht got their first win of the season, beating the Bulls 34-7 at the Sportsground in Galway on Friday.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Scarlets gave the Lions a big dose of reality, when they beat them 36-13 in Llanelli on Friday.

WATCH as @king365ed sits down with WPRFU President Zelt Marais to get some answers surrounding the breakdown of the Staytus deal.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Two match between Connacht and the Bulls at the Sportsground in Galway.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Two match between Scarlets and the Lions at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli.

URC ROUND TWO - TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: South African teams' steep learning curve in Europe will continue on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick believes the All Blacks will be significantly stronger this week with the changes that they have made to their matchday squad.

SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks captain Ardie Savea says he may have to "put pressure" on the referee in Saturday's clash with South Africa to prevent the world champions from slowing the game with stoppages.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jordan Petaia's off-the-ball efforts will be under the microscope when the Wallabies winger attempts to fill the void left by Marika Koroibete in his Test return against Argentina.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has revealed his team to face Munster in Limerick on Saturday.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SIX: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says it's his team's execution that is the problem and not the game plan as they prepare for their final Rugby Championship clash this weekend.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP, ROUND SIX: The Wallabies are bracing for an emotion-charged Argentina outfit as they look to win an unprecedented fourth successive Rugby Championship Test on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springboks captain Siyamthanda Kolisi will join a very elite list this Saturday.

URC ROUND TWO - TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS: South Africa's franchises will get their first taste of Europe's infamous inclement weather this weekend.

WATCH as former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers shares his thoughts on South Africa's strategy during the 17-19 defeat to All Blacks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have named their side to face Connacht in Round Two of the United Rugby Championship on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff is hoping the pressure they will apply on the All Blacks on Saturday will be rewarded with points on the scoreboard.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks shift their focus to the first of two United Rugby Championship teams from Scotland.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Wallabies have been boosted by confirmation Japan-based trio Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon and Quade Cooper will be available for the side's four end-of-year Tests.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has named his team to face the Scarlets in the second roud of the United Rugby Championships.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina coach Mario Ledesma has made five changes to the starting XV for the last Rugby Championship match of the season against Australia on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber said his team will be in the right frame of mind for their final Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

REACTION: All Blacks coach Ian Foster revealed this week's team selection against Springboks helps freshen up the side without eroding any of the lessons from the week prior.

NEWS: Former All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger was appointed head coach of Super Rugby newcomers Moana Pasifika on Thursday as the team prepare for their debut season next year.

NEWS: Castres lock Ryno Pieterse was banned for 12 weeks for a dangerous tackle last month against Bordeaux-Begles in the Top 14, the French National Rugby League (NRL) announced.

NEWS: The six Argentina players stuck in New South Wales after a border breach will remain there and miss Saturday's Rugby Championship clash with the Wallabies on the Gold Coast.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Greg Holmes will become the oldest Wallabies player since World War II after being included on the bench for their clash against Argentina on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks coach Ian Foster has tweaked his backline for Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against South Africa after his wings struggled against the high ball last week.

SPOTLIGHT: Mark McCall believes there's still time for the Saracens trio of Jamie George, Mako Vunipola and Billy Vunipola to regain their Test places in time for the November internationals.

NEWS: La Rochelle lock Will Skelton said he would welcome a return to the Test set-up after reports that Rugby Australia might be set to loosen eligibility rules on overseas-based players.

INTERVIEW: 'It is Munster.' That, in a nutshell, is the driving force for the Stormers ahead of their United Rugby Championship Round Two encounter this week.

URC SPOTLIGHT: Discipline has been the main talking point ahead of the Sharks' Round Two encounter with Glasgow Warriors this week.

SPOTLIGHT: SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus says there will not be any complaints from the Springboks on the criticism they have been receiving in recent weeks.

WATCH as retired referee Nigel Owens reviews all the key decisions in this past weekend's Rugby Championship fixtures.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard believes his team is the best in the business when it comes to the aerial side of the game.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White says the team has been playing "catch-up" to meet coach Dave Rennie's high standards after a below-par 2020 showing.

NEWS: Rugby Championship teams - including the All Blacks and Springboks - have reportedly been ordered back into a training bubble and restricted to their hotels.

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber explains the reasoning behind his team's incessant kicking - especially in the Rugby Championship.

WATCH as Springbok Arno Botha reflects on the Bulls' loss in their opening match of the URC and what they need to do to avoid it becoming a 'train smash'.

OPINION: Columnist Ben Smith explains why he feels the Springboks aren't running with the All Blacks anymore.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made two injury-enforced changes to his matchday squad for their final Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks in Gold Coast.

RANKINGS NEWS: New Zealand increased their lead over South Africa at the top of the rankings to 1.56 points.

NEWS: Warren Gatland will return to the Chiefs as planned, after coaching the British and Irish Lions. However, he is no longer the coach.

WATCH as veteran Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth speaks about the raw emotion of facing the All Blacks performing the haka in full cry.

STAT ATTACK: The inaugural United Rugby Championship delivered a thrilling opening weekend of action.

INJURY UPDATE: England lost the services of star scrumhalf Ben Youngs due to injury.

SPOTLIGHT: While the amateur clubs are playing petty politics, THE WPRFU and its professional arm are teetering on the brink of another financial crisis.

INTERVIEW: South Africa have no 'immediate' plan to call up World Cup-winning lock Rudolph Snyman, but have not ruled out a recall further down the road.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Wallabies wing Drew Mitchell has backed his former teammate and long-time friend Kurtley Beale to make a return to test rugby.

WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen and captain Burger Odendaal unpack their team's win on their four-match European tour.

DAY TWO WRAP: Under a bright blue sky in Edmonton, the Blitzboks win their second successive gold medal and celebrate a fourth Series title overall.

REACTION: Rugby Championship bosses on Monday apologised to Argentina after a captains photo shoot went ahead without Los Pumas skipper Julian Montoya.

URC REACTION: The Sharks will continued to be on the receiving end of big hidings if their discipline doesn't improve dramatically.

WATCH as we bring six minutes of the worst decision-making you will see from a Springbok team.

URC MATCH REPORT: Michael Collins scored two tries to get the Ospreys' United Rugby Championship season off to a winning start as they beat the Dragons 27-23 at Rodney Parade.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: English champions Harlequins beat Worcester Warriors 35-29 on Saturday to make it two wins out of two.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives a brutally honest assessment of his team's 3-31 loss to European giants Leinster in their URC opener at the weekend.

REACTION: Springbok centre Damian de Allende said his team's narrow 17-19 defeat to the All Blacks in Townsville on Saturday was "heartbreaking".

REACTION: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi struggled to come up with a reason for his team's defeat to the All Blacks on Saturday.

DAY ONE WRAP: It was business as usual for Vancouver winners South Africa on the opening day of the Canada Sevens in Edmonton

REACTION: The Wallabies are riding a four-year high but that won't stop coach Dave Rennie getting grumpy as he sinks his teeth further into the rebuilding team.

REACTION: Coach Ian Foster wants his All Blacks to focus on claiming their own grand slam next weekend when they face South Africa again.

REACTION: Argentina coach Mario Ledesma launched a scathing attack on Rugby Championship bosses, claiming his side were "disrespected" after a captains photo shoot went ahead without anyone from the Pumas.

URC MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh got their campaign off to an excellent start as they gave new head coach Mike Blair a 26-22 bonus-point victory over Scarlets in his first competitive match in charge.

URC MATCH REPORT: Munster scored two late tries as they added more misery to an already cheerless day for South African teams.

URC MATCH REPORT: Four-time European champions Leinster gave the Bulls a big reality check in Dublin on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round One match between Munster and the Sharks in Limerick.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round One match between Leinster and the Bulls in Dublin.

INVESTIGATION: The contemptuous Western Province Rugby Football Union boardroom stand-off took another outré twist in what appears tit-for-tat behaviour.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Stormers got their United Rugby Championship campaign underway with an 18-22 defeat to Benetton in Treviso on Saturday.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH REPORT: Australia won their third successive Test when they beat a hapless Argentina 27-8 in Townsville on Saturday.

REACTION: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber has defended his team's attacking approach in their defeat to the All Blacks in Townsville on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round One match between Benetton and the Stormers in Treviso.

OPINION: Who would have called it? A century of storied history culminating in the 100th Test match between South Africa and New Zealand……in Townsville.

OPINION: The Springboks' attacking game out wide is still a major concern even though they came close to beating the All Blacks in Townsville on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Rugby Championship[ Round Five encounter between Australia and Argentina in Townsville.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT: A late Jordie Barrett penalty saw New Zealand clinch the Rugby Championship with a tense 19-17 victory over South Africa.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Rugby Championship[ Round Five encounter between New Zealand and South Africa in Townsville.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Leicester Tigers claimed a bonus-point win with four tries in a 33-26 victory at Gloucester in the second round of the Premiership season on Friday.

URC MATCH REPORT: Cardiff scored five tries as they began their United Rugby Championship season with a 33-21 victory over Connacht.

URC MATCH REPORT: Ulster held on to win their opening United Rugby Championship clash against Glasgow Warriors 35-29 and take maximum points after scoring five tries.

URC ROUND ONE – TEAMS AND PREDICTION: It is the pride against South Africa against the power of Ireland on Day Two of Europe's new toy - the United Rugby Championship.

URC MATCH REPORT: The Lions put their poor Currie Cup campaign behind them with a winning start in Europe.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round One encounter between Zebre and the Lions in Parma.

NEWS: Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen has put pen to paper.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has added some additional Springbok muscle to his team for their United Rugby Championship opener.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE: Wallabies coach Dave Rennie says he expects a spirited and unwavering Los Pumas outfit when the sides meet on Saturday in Townsville.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks and All Blacks face off for the 100th time in Townsville, Australia, on Saturday - extending an intense rivalry dating back a century.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND FIVE: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said his team will be out to right the wrongs in their 100th Test against arch-rivals New Zealand this weekend.

NEWS: Super Rugby newcomers Fiji Drua on Friday named former Australian Rules champion Mick Byrne as the team's head coach for their debut season next year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers coach John Dobson has made some significant changes to his team for their URC opener against Benetton in Treviso on Saturday.

NEWS UPDATE: Western Province Rugby Football Union President Zelt Marais breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday.

URC ROUND ONE - TEAM AND PREDICTION: There is excitement and anticipation in the air ahead of the opening match of this new Trans-Hemisphere competition.

SPOTLIGHT: Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson, who has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, has pledged to donate his brain for use by scientists researching head trauma.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach Sean Everitt is confident flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain will be able to stamp his authority in his team's United Rugby Championship opener.

NEWS: South Africa will spend 11 days in France in October to avoid quarantine before three Tests in Britain, the organisers of the 2023 Rugby World Cup said on Thursday.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at the reasons for Australia's ability to go toe-to-toe with South Africa in the set pieces.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina head coach Mario Ledesma has revealed his team to face the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship Round Five clash on Saturday.