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SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: New Fiji Sevens coach Gareth Baber has made five changes to the side that will represent Fiji at the Wellington Sevens.

NEWS: Springbok veteran Bryan Habana is in talks to extend his contract with French Top 14 club Toulon, but nothing has been decided yet.

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers suffered a blow ahead of Super Rugby with the news that new recruit Stephan de Wit broke his ankle in training.

NEWS: The Waratahs revealed the re-signing of New South Wales country-born lock Ned Hanigan for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph wants to forget the country's astonishing 2015 World Cup run as he looks to create his own blueprint for the future.

NEWS: Veteran South Africa fullback Gio Aplon committed his future to Grenoble with a new three-year deal, despite the Top 14 club flirting with relegation.

NEWS: The Western Force have added to their backline depth with the signing of Country Eagles outside back Alex Newsome to the team's wider training squad.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: USA Captain Madison Hughes has been included in the squad which will travel to Wellington Sevens following his early exit during the Cape Town leg of the Series.

NEWS: Springbok Francois Steyn has been suspended for four weeks after he was found guilty for a dangerous tackle during Montpellier 3-57 defeat to Leinster in the European Champions Cup.

UPDATE: An independent Disciplinary Committee found that Timisoara Saracens had breached the European Rugby Challenge Cup Rules following the cancellation of the Romanian club's Challenge Cup Round Five match against Stade Français Paris.

NEWS: Rob Baxter has confirmed Exeter Chiefs prop Alec Hepburn could be out for at least 10 months after injuring his knee.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: After winning the Cape Town Sevens, England Sevens head coach Simon Amor has selected the same squad for the upcoming Wellington Sevens. 

SEVENS TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Kenya has made five changes to their team for the third round of the Sevens World Series in Wellington.

NEWS: Super Rugby's governing body is conducting a "strategic review" of the competition's current format, amid complaints of punishing travel schedules that have affected team performances.

NEWS: The Welsh Rugby Union have appointed former Fiji Sevens coach Ben Ryan to boost its performance department and coach development provision.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Zain Davids, a Junior Springbok star in 2016, was one of two new players in the BlitzBok squad named by coach Neil Powell on Wednesday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Guy Noves on Wednesday named centre Yann David in a 32-man training squad for the Six Nations, more than seven years after his last call-up for Les Bleus.

INTERVIEW: Loose forward Jacques Vermeulen said stiff competition for places at the Stormers was one of the main reasons for his move to the Sharks.

INJURY UPDATE: It will be several months before the Lions' Springbok prop Julian Redelinghuys makes a call on his future. Jan de Koning reports.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head Coach Vern Cotter has named a 37-man squad for this year's Six Nations Championship.

NEWS: Stormers star Cheslin Kolbe will join Toulouse at the end of this year's Super Rugby tournament.

European Professional Club Rugby has lodged a misconduct complaint against Timisoara Saracens following the cancellation of the Romanian club's Challenge Cup Round Five match against Stade Français Paris.

NEWS: The Canadian Sevens team will be led by two different players when the side heads to Australia for the Wellington (January 28-29) and Sydney (February 4-5) legs of the World Sevens Series.

INJURY UPDATE: England forward George Kruis will be fit for the defending champions' Six Nations opener against France next month, the Saracens lock's club coach said.

NEWS: World Cup-winning New Zealand flyhalf Aaron Cruden said Wednesday he had signed a three-year contract with French club Montpellier, ending months of speculation about his future.

INTERVIEW: Southern Kings assistant coach Vuyo Zangqa is eager to absorb as much knowledge in his first season of coaching in the Super Rugby as much as he is eager to impart what he has learnt over the years in Sevens.

REACTION: Wales interim coach Rob Howley wants Sam Warburton to "get his mojo back" after stripping him of the captaincy for this season's Six Nations.

NEWS: Worcester Warriors announced the signing of Northampton Saints prop Ethan Waller.

NEWS: Zebre and their head coach Gianluca Guidi have decided to terminate their contract by mutual agreement.

NEWS: Montpellier's Francois Steyn has been cited for foul play during his team's 3-57 defeat to Leinster in a European Champions Cup tie last weekend. 

INJURY UPDATE: High-flying Clermont suffered a blow with news that All Black fullback Isaia Toeava will be out for up to four months with an injured left arm. 

NEWS: Sale wing Tom Arscott has been suspended by his club over an alleged leak of information to English Premiership rivals Bristol that is now being investigated by the Rugby Football Union.

INJURY UPDATE: James Haskell has been given the all clear to feature for Wasps this weekend, with club boss Dai Young backing the flank to star again for defending Grand Slam champions England in the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: Flank Calum Clark will leave Northampton Saints at the end of the season after signing a three-year contract with Premiership rivals the Saracens.

NEWS: Scotland international centre Nick De Luca has extended his contract with Wasps until the end of the season, before retiring from professional rugby.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Alun Wyn Jones has replaced Sam Warburton as Wales captain for the upcoming Six Nations Championship, the Welsh Rugby Union announced.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Frankie Horne has been praised for his services to the Springbok Sevens team, after the Blitzbok had decided to retire from rugby at the end of December 2016.

NEWS: England captain Dylan Hartley will undergo a 'trial match' on Wednesday in a bid to find out whether he can lead the reigning Grand Slam champions into next month's Six Nations.

The pool stage of the European competitions comes to an end this weekend with some interesting decisions to be made.

INTERVIEW: Reds star centre Samu Kerevi is itching to play with Quade Cooper at Super Rugby level again.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Fiji Sevens new coach Gareth Baber wants his contractual issues between the players and union cleared before the Wellington Sevens.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck believes his team is a little more experienced in handling the rigours of Super Rugby in 2017.

INTERVIEW: Brumbies prop Scott Sio believes that the Brumbies new dynamic could be fruitful ahead of the 2017 Super rugby season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Melbourne Rebels star Reece Hodge will be looking to build on his fine form in 2016 when this year's Super Rugby tournament gets underway in February.

NEWS: A looming fixture clash involving two sports clubs in the Welsh town of Newport could have a major impact on the last day of their domestic soccer and rugby seasons.

NEWS: France will play New Zealand, South Africa and Japan on consecutive weekends in November.

INJURY UPDATE: Leinster hooker Sean Cronin is set to miss Ireland's upcoming Six Nations campaign with a hamstring injury.

NEWS: Bath revealed that hooker Ross Batty and prop Max Lahiff have signed contract extensions that will see them both remain at the club for at least a further two seasons.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There is a 'new' player in the Port Elizabeth rugby arena, but the venture may have the same predictable outcome.

NEWS: Ulster Rugby confirmed that scrumhalf John Cooney has signed a two-year contract at Kingspan Stadium and will move from inter-provincial rivals Connacht at the end of the season.

OPINION: Ronan Calvert gives us an Irish view on the penultimate of Europe's premier club competition - the Champions Cup.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves franchise have handed Australian Edward Quirk and Japanese international Harumichi Tatekawa the responsibility of leading the 2017 Super rugby side.

NEWS: Loose forward Arno Botha will leave the Bulls at the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season. 

INTERVIEW: The Bulls are not being given much of a chance of winning the 2017 Super Rugby competition - certainly not by bookmakers.

REACTION: Mathieu Bastareaud admits Toulon have to be more disciplined to stand any chance of beating Champions Cup holders Saracens at Allianz Park this weekend.

INTERVIEW: Tom Wood hopes he has given Eddie Jones something to think about ahead of England's defence of their Six Nations crown that begins next month.

NEWS: Toulon have called in the services of Samoan wing Alesana Tuilagi to bolster their squad.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: We have entered the final stretch to what is sure to be an exciting 2017 Super Rugby season and rugby365 brings you all the pre-season fixtures to follow your favourite team's build-up.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Melbourne Rebels rising star Rob Leota will travel to Fiji to join the Island Breeze Rugby Plus program to help conduct clinics at Levuka Town on the east coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Skills coach Paul Feeney has been hard at work in the pre-season helping the Stormers make better decisions on attack.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Exeter Chiefs moved up into second place in Pool Five as they gave their fans something to cheer with their first home win in the Champions Cup this season as they beat Ulster 31-19. 

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Two tries in the final four minutes against Sale Sharks earned RC Toulon a priceless bonus-point and kept them in the hunt for a Champions Cup quarterfinal place.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Three penalties from the boot of Camille Lopez kicked Clemont into a 9-6 victory over Bordeaux-Bègles and into the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Chris Ashton's try at the death broke Scarlets hearts and salvaged a 22-22 draw for defending European champions Saracens.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bristol backline coach Dwayne Peel believes Super Rugby winner Jason Woodward is a contender for England selection.

REACTION: All Blacks superstar Dan Carter said he was proud to see Racing 92 end their four-match losing streak in the European Champions Cup with a 34-3 mauling of Leicester on Saturday.

INTERVIEW: With Super Rugby just around the corner, Lwazi Mvovo is itching to help the Sharks become a force in the Southern Hemisphere.

CHALLENGE CUP WRAP: Richard Hibbard was the two-try hero as Gloucester survived a late change of venue, a delayed kick-off and then a spirited Treviso comeback in freezing conditions before they banked maximum points to go top of Pool One.

NEWS: Former international hooker Paul Labadie, who played in the French team which defeated the All Blacks for the first time in 1954, has died at the age of 88, his family announced.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Racing 92 downed Leicester Tigers 34-3 to secure a bonus-point European Champions Cup success at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Francis Saili scored a crucial late try to give Munster a narrow 14-12 victory over Glasgow Warriors and send them through the quarterfinals of the European Champions Cup.

PRE-SEASON BUILD-UP: The Stormers have had a good look in the mirror and started addressing their shortcomings.

REPORT: Dan Robson's try in the dying minutes hands Wasps a 17-14 victory over Toulouse in a tense dramatic tussle at Ricoh Stadium.

REPORT: Northampton Saints resisted a second-half comeback from Castres - a result that almost certainly ended the French club's slim European Champions Cup play-off hopes.

REPORT: Connacht Rugby ran in 10 tries as their demolished a poor Zebre outfit 66-21 to keep their hopes of reaching the last eight of the European Rugby Champions Cup.

ROUND FIVE WRAP: The European Challenge Cup tie between French club Stade Francais and Romanian side Timisoara has been postponed because of the condition of the pitch.

REACTION: Ireland and Leinster flyhalf Johnny Sexton came out in defence of Springbok amd Montpellier rival Frans Steyn, following a sickening clash in their European Cup encounter in Dublin on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Johan Erasmus is arguably the biggest loss to South African rugby in the last decade - if the Irish media, Munster players and officials are to be believed.

REPORT: Springbok Francois Steyn spent just 26 on the field before being shown a straight red card as his Montpellier teammates were handed a humiliating 3-57 defeat at the hands of Leinster on Friday.

NEWS: Premiership club Sale Sharks are being investigated over a possible breach of concussion management protocol involving Samoa's TJ Ioane.

NEWS: Sarel Marais, a 27-year-old journeyman fullback, headlines the new recruits for the Stormers.

NEWS: Newcastle rugby director Dean Richards quashed speculations that he might be willing to return to his former club Leicester.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: This year's Super Rugby tournament marks the start of a new chapter in Robert du Preez's coaching career.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby's directive to 'clamp down' on dangerous and high tackles are going to result in some ridiculous calls - as we have already seen in the English Premiership.

NEWS: Cardiff Blues are targeting South African international Franco van der Merwe as they look to lure him to Wales to bolster their second row ahead of the season.

UPDATE: Two female parking wardens have accepted an apology from the Chiefs after a verbally abusive incident in Hamilton earlier this week.

NEWS: The ban handed down to Glasgow Warriors player Brian Alainu'uese was reduced by a week.

SIX NATIONS NEWS: Italy coach Conor O'Shea named a 32-man squad for a pre-Six Nations training camp to be held over four days in Rome later this month.

NEWS: Rising star Richie Mo'unga has committed to furthering his career in red and black, having re-signed with the Crusaders through to the end of the 2019 Super Rugby season.

BOILING POINT: The road to the Edinburgh Final and possible European glory in May will become clearer over the coming two weekends.

NEWS: Worcester Warriors flank Carl Kirwan has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract.

NEWS: England international Matt Kvesic has become the first recruit to join Exter Chiefs next season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Southern Kings are determined to 'stay the distance' in their third season of Super Rugby, as they look to learn from last year's excruciating lessons.

NEWS: Rory Teague has joined the England backroom staff as skills coach ahead of this year's Six Nations tournament.

NEWS: Powerful Fijian wing Semi Radradra will quit Australia's National Rugby League at the end of the season after signing a lucrative deal with French Rugby Union side Toulon, his Parramatta Eels club said Thursday.

NEWS: The Chiefs apologised Thursday after players were accused of hurling obscenities at female traffic wardens in the latest sexism episode to hit New Zealand rugby.

NEWS: Australian wing Peter Betham signed a new contract with English Premiership side Leicester Tigers.

NEWS: Brian Alainu'uese of Glasgow Warriors has appealed the three-week suspension that he received from a disciplinary committee on January 4.

INJURY UPDATE: Wasps' veteran England No.8 James Haskell will miss Saturday's crucial top-of-the-table European Champions match with French side Toulouse.

EUROPEAN CUP NEWS: Toulon talisman Matt Giteau is ready to give the three-time Champions Cup winners a huge boost, ahead of their make-or-break matches against Sale Sharks and Saracens in Pool Three.

INJURY UPDATE: Springboks Handré Pollard and Jesse Kriel will both make their comebacks from injury in the Bulls' opening match of 2017.

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have received a boost ahead of their European Rugby Champions Cup match against Munster, with the news that Scotland internationals Tommy Seymour and Tim Swinson have signed new deals with the club.

NEWS: A win against Munster will put Glasgow Warriors closer their dream of reaching the Championship Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history. 

NEWS: Flyhalf Owen Williams is set to join Gloucester from Leicester Tigers at the end of the season.

INJURY UPDATE: England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler will miss the Six Nations title-holders' opening two matches after suffering a fracture to his lower left leg.

INJURY UPDATE: Regular Cheetahs captain Francois Venter is in a race against time to return before that start of the season.

NEWS: Munster coach Rassie Erasmus believes Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray is approaching the peak of his powers in perfect time for the Six Nations.

NEWS: Sam Underhill is set to leave Ospreys at the end of this season after signing a contract with Premiership side Bath.

NEWS: George Kruis will be available for England's Six Nations Championship opener against France.

NEWS: Wallabies loose forward Lopeti Timani has given his chances of playing in the 2019 World Cup a massive boost by committing his future to Australia.

NEWS: Saracens prop Richard Barrington has been cleared of any wrongdoing following the red card he received during his side's Premiership encounter against Exeter Chiefs.

NEWS: Gloucester have have confirmed that Val Rapava Ruskin will move down the M5 from Worcester next season.

NEWS: Fijian sevens specialist Kitione Taliga, a member of his country's Olympic gold medal-winning squad at the Rio Games, has signed with Stade Francais.

NEWS: New Zealand great Dan Carter and two other players from French side Racing 92 have been summoned to appear before the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) over the use of corticosteroids.

INJURY UPDATE: France international wing Vincent Clerc's career could be in the balance after undergoing surgery on a ruptured left achilles tendon, his Top 14 club Toulon confirmed on Tuesday.

NEWS: Ulster back-row forward Chris Henry has signed a new two-year contract that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until June 2019.

The European cup is back in action this week and in Spain there is a royal cup on the go.

NEWS: Steffan Evans has committed his future to Scarlets, the Welsh region confirmed.

NEWS: Gloucester recruitment for the 2017/18 season continues apace with the news that talented prop Fraser Balmain will move to Kingsholm from Leicester Tigers ahead of next season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Reds will have no shortage of leaders when this year's Super Rugby tournament starts in February.

INTERVIEW: Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham will use a number of "interim captains" during his team's pre-season trials before making a final decision on a leader for their first Super Rugby match against the Crusaders.

INTERVIEW: In-form Scotland centre Matt Scott admits he is absolutely desperate to return to action for his country in the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: Richard Barrington and Brad Barritt of Saracens will appear before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel in London on Tuesday.

NEWS: Former international Patrick Salas, who helped France beat the All Blacks for the first time in New Zealand in 1979, died aged 62.

NEWS: World Rugby will not punish Northampton, despite finding that the club's medics wrongly allowed George North to play on after injuring his head.

NEWS: All Blacks scrumhalf Alby Mathewson joins Bristols rugby with immediate effect until end of the season.

INJURY UPDATE: England flank Chris Robshaw miss the upcoming Six Nations tournament after he was ruled out of action for three months with a shoulder injury.

OPINION: Jan de Koning takes a look at the post-isolation Springbok coaches to see where incumbent Allister Coetzee ranks.

INJURY UPDATE: Southern Kings' injured star flank Cyril-John Velleman is expected to return to the playing field in April.

NEWS: Connacht head coach Pat Lam believes his team still has a chance of reaching the last eight of the European Rugby Champions Cup despite an ever-growing injury crisis.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at the immediate effects of the increased sanctions for playing an opponent's head.

NEWS: Scotland back row Hamish Watson has agreed a new two-year deal with Edinburgh Rugby, which will see him feature for the capital club until May 2019.

NEWS: Following months of speculation about Liam Williams' future in West Wales the Scarlets confirmed that he will leave the region at the end of the current season.

NEWS: Wales captain Sam Warburton may be set to stand aside as leader in the Six Nations and also to rule himself out of contention to captain the British and Irish Lions this year.

TOP 14 WRAP: Clermont made it eight wins in eight home games with a bonus-point 30-6 rout of three-time European champions Toulon on Sunday which preserved their Top 14 lead.

REACTION: Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn has clarified a report that suggested he has retired from international rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sean Maitland insists Scotland will be ones to watch during this year's Six Nations following a promising end to 2016.

INJURY UPDATE: Wasps returned to the English Premiership summit by edging Leicester 22-16 on Sunday, but their victory was overshadowed by an injury to England flank James Haskell.

MATCH REPORT: Wasps were forced to withstand a ferocious Leicester Tigers comeback at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.

SIX NATIONS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones believes the key to an entertaining Six Nations will be fast starts across the board - admitting that England have struggled out of the gate in recent seasons.

REACTION: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall paid tribute to his side as they coped with 14 men for 70 minutes to claim an unlikely draw against Exeter Chiefs.

TOP 14 WRAP: La Rochelle snatched pole position in the French Top 14 on Saturday.

NEWS: Ospreys forwards coach Chris Gibbes confirmed he will leave the Welsh franchise and return to New Zealand.

REPORT: Peter Murchie scored two second-half tries as Glasgow Warriors pulled clear of Cardiff Blues in the second period to claim a 29-15 win.

REACTION: Ireland loose forward CJ Stander paid respect to his former Munster coach, the late Anthony Foley, immediately after they claimed a 32-7 victory over Racing 92 in Paris.

REPORT: Munster paid a scintillating tribute to former coach Anthony Foley by routing Racing92 32-7 to edge closer to the European Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: A late Titi Lamositele try earned 14-man Saracens the most unlikely of draws as they secured a 13-13 result at home to Exeter Chiefs.

REPORT: A comfortable 29-7 bonus point victory over Connacht helped Ospreys climb to the summit of the Pro 12 table on Saturday.

NEWS: Springbok lock Flip van der Merwe will remain with French club Clermont for a further two years after putting pen to paper on a new deal.

REACTION: Finding themselves trailing Bath 10-22 at the half-time interval, Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards left it to his leadership group to dig themselves out of the hole.

FRENCH TOP 14: Jake White's Montpellier scored three tries to defeat faltering Bordeaux 31-26 on Friday and pull level on points with Clermont and La Rochelle at the top of the French Top 14 table.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Two late tries from Mark Wilson and Ben Harris gave Newcastle Falcons a dramatic late 24-22 Premiership victory against Bath at Kingston Park on Friday.

FRIDAY PRO12 WRAP: Johnny Sexton marked his long-awaited return to Pro12 action with a perfect record from the tee as Leinster sailed past Zebre on Friday.

NEWS: Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks' planned comeback has been put on hold.

INTERVIEW: Don Armand says it's imperative he and his Exeter Chiefs teammates 'stay in the fight' for the full 80 minutes when they tackle reigning English and European champions Saracens at a sold-out Allianz Park.

NEWS: Rhys Priestland, Max Clark and Tom Homer have all committed their future to Bath Rugby.

NEWS: French club Toulon have parted company with Australian back Matthew Carraro, the Top 14 side announced.

INJURY UPDATE: England flank Chris Robshaw will miss Harlequins' Premiership fixture against Sale Sharks due to shoulder injury.

NEWS: Looking for a second home victory in 2017 Scarlets loosehead prop Rob Evans believes his side have enough confidence to get the job done against Ulster at Parc y Scarlets on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Munster captain Peter O'Mahony wants his men to channel their emotion into a winning performance in their rearranged European Rugby Champions Cup clash with Racing 92.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels have added international utility back Ben Volavola to its squad ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season.

REACTION: This weekend will see the introduction of new law changes implemented by World Rugby that have redefined illegal (high) tackle categories and increased sanctions.

NEWS: Cardiff Blues have bolstered their pack with the short-term loan signing of BJ Edwards from Bristol.

NEWS: Northampton Saints announced the arrival of Western Province's England-qualified lock David Ribbans at Franklin's Gardens.

NEWS: Welsh star Leigh Halfpenny has been made the "best offer" the Welsh Rugby Union can afford in an attempt to get him home from Toulon in France, the WRU says.

The Pro 12 competition amongst five of the Six Nations clubs will take on the stricter law changes to the laws governing dangerous tackles.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Exeter Chiefs may have made history last weekend with victory over Bath, but Phil Dollman insists the quality within the Premiership means they can't afford to ease off for a second.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With the Championship now beyond the halfway point, teams in the Pro12 will begin to set the table ahead of what promises to be an exciting run-in towards the end of the season.

IN THE SPOTLGHT: Scarlets scrumhalf Gareth Davies says that they are facing one of the biggest games of their season ahead of the Pro12 clash against Ulster at Parc y Scarlets on Friday.

NEWS: A mere 1 300 tickets have been sold for the upcoming Wellington Sevens on January 28 and 29.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England will launch the defence of their Six Nations title without a number of big names but head coach Eddie Jones is confident his Grand Slam-winning squad can cope.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Jaguares will again rely mainly on regular players from Argentina's national team, as they enter their second season of Super Rugby.

NEWS: French international Lucas Pointud will leave Brive at the end of the season to join Top 14 side Toulouse.

OPINION: Jan de Koning looks beyond the media hype surrounding the kafkaesque Racing 92 versus Johan Goosen saga and asks some pointed questions about the way some French club owners operate.

INJURY UPDATE: Bordeaux-Begles' France international prop Jefferson Poirot has been ruled out for three months with a leg injury and will miss the Six Nations, his club manager Raphaël Ibanez said. 

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok and Ulster Ruan Pienaar sustained an injury which will see him absent from the upcoming Pro12 match against Scarlets on January 6.

INJURY UPDATE: Injury-prone England centre Manu Tuilagi will miss the rest of the season because of a knee ligament problem, his club Leicester Tigers announced.

NEWS: Bristol's Tusi Pisi will be free to play again on January 10 after being handed a two week suspension by an RFU Disciplinary panel.

Here is a golden oldie from respected rugby365 writer Paul Dobson which was first published on this website 16 years ago.

NEWS: Flyhalf Morne Steyn will no longer be appearing in a Springbok jersey.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales and Bath No.8 Taulupe Faletau could miss the start of the Six Nations after suffering a medial knee ligament injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: During Toulon's 17-11 Top 14 victory over Racing 92 on New Year's Day, Leigh Halfpenny was presented the opportunity to extend his side's lead with a conversion from the touchline.

NEWS: England head coach Eddie Jones has backed Dylan Hartley to continue as England captain for the upcoming Six Nations tournament.

The clubs keep on having their enthusiastic competitions with an important one for ambitious Munster.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Racing 92 are to launch legal proceedings against want-away Springbok utility back Johan Goosen over "blatant fraud".

INJURY UPDATE: All Black and Pau centre Conrad Smith has been ruled out for six weeks with an ankle tendon injury.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland and Connacht lock Ultane Dillane could miss the upcoming Six Nations due to an ankle injury.

INJURY UPDATE: Clermont's Argentinian flyhalf Patricio Fernandez will be out of action for up to 10 weeks after picking up a thigh injury.

NEWS: Former France captain Elie Cester has died at the age of 74, relatives said Tuesday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Jan de Koning takes a look at a proposed change to the South African landscape and what the 2017 Super Rugby season may produce.

NEWS: Glasgow lock Brian Alainuuese has been cited for foul play during his team's Pro12 match with Treviso.

REACTION: Luke Cowan-Dickie hailed Exeter Chiefs' fighting spirit after they emerged with a dramatic New Year's Eve victory at Bath.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It may be five months before the trophies are handed out at the end of the season, but Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young has described his side's Round Five Champions Cup clash with Toulouse as "a Cup Final".

NEWS: All Black Ben Smith is set for a move to France, according to reports.

INJURY UPDATE: France international flank Charles Ollivon could miss the start of the Six Nations after picking up an injury with club side Toulon at the weekend.

INJURY UPDATE: England flank Chris Robshaw is set for a further examination on the shoulder injury he suffered in Harlequins' Premiership defeat against Worcester.

UPDATE: Jaco Taute's loan period with Munster has been extended, the Irish province confirmed on Monday.

INTERVIEW: Star fullback Stuart Hogg could feature more in the No.10 jersey for Scotland in the future.

INTERVIEW: France's Virimi Vakatawa is committed to giving his all for France in both Sevens and XVs over the next few years.

NEWS: Richard Cockerill's seven-year spell as Leicester's Director of Rugby came to an end on Monday when the English rugby giants sacked him.

REACTION: Bristol Rugby acting head coach Mark Tainton paid tribute to his side’s battling resilience as they started 2017 with a 24-23 victory over Sale Sharks.

REACTION: Gloucester scrumhalf Willi Heinz admitted that the home dressing room were gutted after their 12-13 defeat to Northampton Saints.

REACTION: Saracens forwards coach Alex Sanderson praised the adaptability his England players have acquired under Eddie Jones for helping to see his side to a 16-12 victory over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

NEWS: Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has withdrawn from England's two-day training camp next week after injuring his knee, the Rugby Football Union has announced.

REPORT: La Rochelle hammered struggling Grenoble 40-3 on Sunday to join pace-setters Clermont at the summit of the French Top 14.

OPINION: rugby365 reporter Warren Fortune believes It will be a two-horse race between England and Ireland for the 2017 Six Nations title.

REPORT: Ospreys climbed to second in the Pro12 table as Justin Tipuric's first-half try was the difference in an attritional 10-0 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

REPORT: Steffan Evans' exemplary display ensured Scarlets took Pro12 bragging rights over Cardiff Blues in the Welsh derby at Parc y Scarlets.

REPORT: A penalty try with just five minutes remaining gave Northampton Saints a 13-12 victory over Gloucester and ended the home side's unbeaten run at Kingsholm.

REPORT: Owen Farrell scored 16 points for Saracens as they scrapped to a 16-12 win against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road to remain second in the Premiership.

REPORT: Worcester Warriors bounced back from their Premiership defeat to Bristol by turning in an impressive performance to see off in-form Harlequins 24-17 for their second league win of the season.

REPORT: Max Crumpton's try sealed the perfect comeback for Bristol as they overcame a 13-point deficit to run out 24-23 winners over Sale Sharks, to record their first Premiership away victory since March 2008.

TOP 14 WRAP: In-form Pau halted depleted Montpellier's title momentum and dragged themselves away from the soft underbelly of France's Top 14 on Saturday with a 32-27 win.

REPORT: Munster consolidated their position at the top of the Pro12 table with a hard-fought 16-9 victory over Connacht at the Galway Sportsground.

REPORT: James Short’s breathtaking second-half double completed a phenomenal Exeter Chiefs comeback win as they downed Bath 17-11 at The Rec to leapfrog them into third place in the Premiership.

REPORT: Wing Rory O’Loughlin scored two tries as Leinster moved ahead of Ospreys into second in the Pro12 after a comfortable 22-7 victory over Ulster at the RDS.

REPORT: Rory Clegg played the part of super sub as the Glasgow Warriosr secured a 35-28 win against a spirited Benetton Treviso.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Eddie Jones has announced a 45-man elite player squad (EPS) and named the 33 players who will attend a two-day training camp in Brighton as England begin their preparation for the Six Nations.

REPORT: Duncan Weir's boot ensured Edinburgh  ended a three-game losing run in the Pro12 after a battling 24-19 victory on New Year’s Eve over Zebre at Stadio Lanfranchi.

REACTION: Wasps backs coach Lee Blackett hailed flyhalf duo Jimmy Gopperth and Danny Cipriani after the pair guided the league-leaders to a 34-30 victory over Newcastle Falcons in a thrilling back-and-forth Premiership Rugby encounter at Kingston Park.

TOP 14 REPORT: Lyon ended a four-match French Top 14 losing streak with a 19-16 win over Bordeaux on Friday.

REPORT: Jimmy Gopperth rose from the bench to secure a 34-30 bonus-point win for Wasps against Newcastle Falcons and ensure Dai Young's side will start 2017 leading the Premiership.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: History maker Dan Biggar has played his part in some memorable Ospreys moments down the years and he's targeting more after becoming the first man to score 2000 points in the regional rugby era.

NEWS: Rob Hawkins has extended his contract until the end of the 2016/17 campaign, Bristol confirmed on Friday.

NEWS: Wales wing George North is set to make his first appearance for Northampton since his latest head injury when the Premiership side face Gloucester on Sunday.

NEWS: Zebre centre Giulio Bisegni has been suspended for four weeks for foul play.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: We may only be half-way through the Premiership season but Bristol forward Dan Tuohy believes their match with Sale Sharks on New Year's Day is crucial to both sides' seasons.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ollie Devoto will be hoping his inside knowledge of Bath can help lift Exeter Chiefs to a first-ever win at The Rec when the two Premiership heavyweights clash on New Year's Eve.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Gloucester topsy-turvy defeat in Round 11 of the Premiership summed up the Cherry and Whites season so far, but Matt Scott insists there were still plenty of positives to take away from the clash as they bid to kick off 2017 in style.

NEWS: Tonga Sevens skipper Atelea Okati passed away after a car accident.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Munster head coach Rassie Erasmus has denied suggestions that Munster might be receiving preferential treatment in their efforts to hold onto South Africa centre Jaco Taute.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With a new coach at the realm and several senior players leaving at the end of the season, Sergio Parisse is adamant that there is no reason to panic.

NEWS: Canadian international Ciaran Hearn has sign a new extension deal with London Irish.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The race to reach the PRO12 Final at Aviva Stadium is now at the halfway mark and Munster Rugby are leading the charge after their bonus-point win against age-old rivals Leinster Rugby.

NEWS: New Zealand centre Benson Stanley has become the second All Blacks player that decided to quit Top 14 outfit Clermont at the end of the season.  

NEWS: Conor O'Shea insists Italian eyes are firmly on the future with their rugby development, but the head coach is calling for consistency from Azzurri during the upcoming Six Nations.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Newcastle Falcons prop Jon Welsh insists the team will be ready for Wasps’ electric backline when they play the second of a run of three straight fixtures against high-flying opposition.

INTERVIEW: Andy Farrell is hopeful that the new bonus points system of the Six Nation will benefit the British and Irish Lions when they head to New Zealand in June 2017.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok and Leicester Tigers wing JP Pietersen will be out for more than six weeks due to a  pectoral injury.

REACTION: Danny Care is targeting a run of Premiership victories after his Harlequins side beat Gloucester 28-24 in a thrilling game at Twickenham.

NEWS: All Blacks and Blues prop Charlie Faumuina has confirmed he is moving to France at the end of next year's Super Rugby Season to play for Toulouse.

INJURY UPDATE: Connacht stars Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, John Muldoon and Danie Poolman all picked up injuries in their team's defeat to Ulster last weekend.

NEWS: Zebre centre Giulio Bisegni has been cited for foul play during his team's defeat to Treviso last Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: France loosehead prop Jefferson Poirot is close to returning from a shoulder injury ahead of the upcoming 2017 Six Nations tournament.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales wing George North has revealed he wants to emulate international teammate Gethin Jenkins late into his career.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Malcolm Jaer made his mark with lion-hearted performances for the Southern Kings in the 2016 Super Rugby season in which he stood out as one of the side's consistent performers.

NEWS: Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton is showing some positive signs and could return for Leinster in time for the Pro12 New Years Eve clash against Ulster.

Already 2016 is an end and on Sunday 2017 starts.

REPORT: Premiership Rugby’s Christmas showcase once again did not fail to deliver the goods, as Harlequins defeated Gloucester Rugby 28-24 in a sensational Big Game 9 at Twickenham.

REPORT: Ospreys grind past West Wales rivals Scarlets with a 19-9 win in a penalty-laden Pro12 match at the Liberty Stadium.

INJURY UPDATE: Montpellier flank Wiaan Liebenberg is set to be out for four months due to a sprained wrist.

NEWS: New Zealand wing Hosea Gear is leaving Clermont to join their Top 14 rivals Lyon on a short term deal.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at a specific law surrounding the taking of a penalty kick.

NEWS: Irish side Munster are close to signing Springbok Jaco Taute for the rest of the 2016-2017 European season.

INTERVIEW: England head coach Eddie Jones believes the British and Irish Lions' tough build-up before the first Test against New Zealand in the 2017 series will favour the tourists.

REPORT: With a place atop the Pro12 standings up for grabs, it was Munster who claimed the spoils with a 29-17 derby triumph over Leinster.

REPORT: Glasgow Warriors claimed their first win in four Pro12 matches and the local bragging rights after downing Edinburgh in the first leg of the 1872 Cup on Boxing Day.

REPORT: Tom Varndell's fast finishing was to the fore as he ran in a hat-trick to hand Bristol their first Premiership win of the season, beating Worcester Warriors 28-20 with 14 men.

REPORT: Steven Shingler scored one try and made another as Cardiff Blues claimed the bragging rights with a 27-16 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at the Cardiff Arms Park.

NEWS: Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR) Board of Directors confirmed that for personal and family reasons, Greg Peters has decided that he will not continue as General Manager.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Southern Kings wing Yaw Penxe is hoping to use his involvement with the SA Under-20 side as a stepping stone to the dream of donning the green and gold of the Springboks one day.

INJURY UPDATE: England prop Mako Vunipola may join brother Billy on the sidelines for the Six Nations after Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall revealed his left knee injury could be serious.

The rugby365 team would like to wish all our readers and their families a very merry Christmas!

REPORT: Exeter Chiefs leapfrogged opponents Leicester Tigers into the Premiership Rugby top four as Thomas Waldrom’s early try double set them on their way to a 31-10 victory at Sandy Park.

REPORT: Christian Wade break his seven-game try drought in style, scoring a first-half double as Wasps cruise to a 40-26 victory over Bath Rugby.

REPORT: Saracens ended their stellar 2016 with a gritty 21-6 win over Newcastle Falcons as Chris Ashton marked his return to action with the game-clinching try at Allianz Park.

REACTION: Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond admits his side are lacking confidence, ahead of next week’s crucial game with Bristol Rugby.

REACTION: World Rugby has intervened in the latest Geroge North concussion case, questioning as to why Northampton was not sanctioned.

TOP 14 WRAP: Shalva Mamukashvili scored two tries for Montpellier as they led from start to finish to edge a depleted Toulon 33-29 in the big game in France's Top 14 on Friday.

REPORT: First-half tries from Ben Foden and Tom Wood helped Northampton Saints battle past Sale Sharks to their fifth Premiership win of the season at Franklin's Gardens.

REPORT: Ulster closed in on the top four and bounced back from European defeat with a convincing 23-7 Pro12 victory over Connacht.

REPORT: Tommaso Allan enjoyed a night to remember as his 18 points guided Benetton Treviso to a 23-12 victory over Zebre at the Stadio Monigo in the Italian derby.

NEWS: Edinburgh today announced the re-signing of fullback Blair Kinghorn on a two-year deal, keeping him at the team until at least 2019.

INTERVIEW: The prospect of facing Premiership champions Saracens may appear a daunting one, but Newcastle Falcons' Ally Hogg insists his men can upset the league leaders on Christmas Eve.

NEWS: Newport Gwent Dragons' experienced prop Brok Harris has put pen to paper extending his contract with the Welsh Region.  

REACTION: Northampton Saints forwards coach Dorian West has paid tribute to Alex Waller, who becomes just the 56th player in the club's history to hit 200 first team appearances when he runs out Friday's Premiership clash with Sale.

Disciplinary Hearing: Worcester Warriors flank Sam Betty has been suspended for two weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club's European Rugby Challenge Cup match against Newport Gwent Dragons.

INTERVIEW: Springbok and Blue Bulls star Jesse Kriel answered a few questions about his rugby career and his goals for the 2017 season.

NEWS: England coach Eddie Jones revealed that he will step down as head coach after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

TOP 14 REPORT: Grenoble shock Toulouse with a 26-22 win as their climbed provisionally of the foot of the French Top 14 table.

INTERVIEW: Northampton Saints have a point to prove this weekend insists Ethan Waller, and with Sale Sharks in town on Friday the prop is looking to give Franklin's Gardens something to smile about.  

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Flyhalf Adrian Jarvis insists Bristol are fully aware of the importance of their Boxing Day clash with Worcester Warriors but won't let the occasion get to them.

NEWS: John Gwilliam who captained Wales to two Five Nations Grand Slams in 1950 and 1952 has died aged 93 it was announced on Thursday.

NEWS: Edinburgh confirmed the re-signing of loose forward Magnus Bradbury on a three-year deal, keeping him at the team until at least 2020.

NEWS: Harlequins confirmed that British and Irish Lion, and four time Six Nations winner Adam Jones has extended contract with the club.

UPDATE: The business of Western Province Rugby has successfully been sold to a company wholly owned by the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU).

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Toulouse are wary of a backlash from a rested Grenoble as they look to maintain their free-scoring European form when returning to domestic Top 14 duty on Thursday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Derby games will make headlines as the next Pro12 Big Weekend takes place across Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Exeter Chiefs try machine Thomas Waldrom admits a small piece of his heart will always be a Leicester Tiger, but that he has no issues facing his old side at Sandy Park, on Saturday.

NEWS: The Brumbies will start their build-up to the 2017 Super Rugby season when they take on the Australian Barbarians at Viking Park in Erindale on January 28.

NEWS: Veteran prop Owen Franks signed a deal to stay with the All Blacks for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

NEWS: Montpellier Paul Willemse has been suspended for one week while Davit Kubriashvili received a three-week suspension.

NEWS:Timisoara Saracens flank Randall Morrison and Harlequins Mat Luamanu have been suspended for dangerous play during their European Rugby Challenge Cup match in Round four at the Twickenham Stoop.

REACTION: Liquidators are currently hard at work trying to rescue the embattled commercial arm of the Western Province Rugby Football Union.

NEWS: Northampton should not have allowed George North to continue playing after he sustained a head injury, but they will not be punished, a concussion review panel announced on Wednesday.

NEWS: Mourad Boudjellal has decided not to sell French Top 14 side Toulon.

NEWS: Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar bid farewell to Ulster after IRFU refused to grant him a contract extension.

NEWS: England coach Eddie Jones expressed his disappointment in the England captain Dylan Hartley after his sent off during a European Champions Cup clash.

NEWS: Melbourne Rebels assistant coach Craig McGrath has signed a two-year contract at the Super Rugby Franchise.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Chief Executive of Pro Rugby North America  Douglas Schoninger seems to be at the centre of the latest contract scandal.

It's Christmas, a time for all the world to rejoice, when we all want to be happy and all other people to be happy, including all rugby people.

Just back from refereeing in Hong Kong, Aimee Barrett-Theron got the news of her Six Nations' appointment in February.

NEWS: Montpellier lock Paul Willemse was cited for foul play during his team's 23-29 defeat to Castres in their European Rugby Champions Cup, Round Four match last Sunday.

NEWS: France will no longer select non-French players for its national team, French Federation President Bernard Laporte said on Tuesday.

NEWS: Colin Cooper will lead the Chiefs into a new era in 2018, the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby announced today. 

UPDATE: Western Province Rugby (Pty) Limited was placed into final liquidation by the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.

NEWS: Wallaby James Horwill extended his contract with English Premiership club Harlequins until 2020. 

NEWS: The All Blacks' 2011 world champion Piri Weepu was awarded 114 000 euros in damages by a court over his sacking by French rugby side Oyonnax.

NEWS: England Rugby Football Union Chief Executive Ian Ritchie stated that Eddie Jones would have been England coach despite seeing out a year on his contract with the Stormers.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: After Johan Goosen's shock retirement the Springbok is reportedly linked to a move to Gloucester.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bath Director of Rugby Todd Blackadder insists that he will not stand in the way if flyhalf George Ford would potentially leave the club.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels confirmed that the new recruit Marika Koroibete will be included in the 18-player squad for the two-day Brisbane Global Rugby Tens tournament in February.

INJURY UPDATE: Ulster rugby players Kyle McCall and Pete Brown will miss the Connacht encounter after both sustained injuries during the match against Clermont.

NEWS: Bath Rugby wing Aled Brew has signed a new contract extension that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2017/2018 season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Fiji Sevens coach Ben Ryan is adamant that Fiji Sevens should split from the Fiji  Rugby Union.

REACTION: Wasps formally expressed their disappointment on Monday over the refereeing blunder that saw them beaten 18-20 by Connacht in the European Champions Cup at the weekend.

NEWS: New Zealand-born hooker Tom McCartney has taken another step towards representing Ireland at Test level after Connacht announced he has signed a new three-year deal on Monday.

NEWS: English Premiership side Northampton Saints on Monday signed highly-regarded Canadian international prop Jake Ilnicki until the end of the season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: As the focus moves from Europe to the Pro12 after back-to-back bonus point wins over Grenoble, Sam Davies says that consistency will be the key to success for the Ospreys over the coming weeks.

REACTION: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has dismissed reports he could leave his post and return to his native New Zealand following next year's British and Irish Lions tour.

INJURY UPDATE: Hurricanes outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder plans to make his return to competitive rugby at the Brisbane Global Tens next February.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels, Western Force and Reds pre-season campaign include trail matches against each other and the inaugural Brisbane Global Rugby Tens tournament ahead of the 2017 Super rugby season.

REACTION: Schalk Burger has warned Saracens' rivals the Champions Cup holders won't be getting ahead of themselves despite equalling Munster's European record of 13 successive victories with their 24-10 triumph over Sale Sharks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The All Blacks and a revitalised England dominated world rugby in 2016, boding well for what could be an epic British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand next year.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jan de Koning attempts to separate fact from fiction in Eastern Province Kings' American connection.

REPORT: Saracens joined the great Munster side of 2005-2007 by equalling their tournament record of 13 successive wins with a 24-10 triumph at the AJ Bell Stadium that included 19 points from Owen Farrell.

REPORT: Clermont Auvergne resisted a second-half comeback from Ulster to claim a 38-19 European Rugby Champions Cup triumph. 

REPORT: Scarlets claimed a famous 22-21 win over Toulon in their European Rugby Champions Cup clash in Llanelli. 

REPORT: Castres revived their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign with a revenge 29-23 triumph over Montpellier. 

NEWS: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named Samuel Whitelock as his 2017 captain, saying he was a natural choice to succeed Kieran Read in the role.

REACTION: Another enthralling chapter was written into the great rivalry between Leicester Tigers and Munster at Welford Road - with former double European champions Leicester taking the honours this time.

REACTION: Rob Baxter reserved special praise for Henry Slade and his fellow England international Luke Cowan-Dickie after they starred in Exeter's 20-12 Champions Cup victory in Bordeaux.

REACTION: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was refusing to get carried away after seeing his side score 97 points and 14 tries in a week against Northampton Saints.

REPORT: Northampton Saints forced Leinster to come from behind in Dublin on Saturday, but they made such a good recovery they had the bonus point in the bag by half-time in a record (60-13) rout.

REPORT: In a European Cup Pool Two match four-time champions Toulouse ran in eight tries in a 54-15 rout of Zebre.

REPORT: Jack Carty snatched a dramatic 20-18 victory for Connacht over Wasps, with the final kick of the game, in a European Champions Cup classic at the Sportsground.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Racing kicking coach Ronan O'Gara at the weekend claimed he was stunned by the bombshell revelation that Springbok utility back Johan Goosen has retired.

NEWS: Veteran Italian international prop Martin Castrogiovanni retired on Saturday after a career which brought him 119 caps and two European Cups.

REPORT: Owen Williams was the hero for Leicester Tigers, after his long-range penalty snatched a famous 18-16 European Champions Cup triumph over Munster.

REPORT: Exeter Chiefs secured what was only their second ever victory on French soil, as they beat Bordeaux 20-12 in their European Champions Cup encounter.

REACTION: Glasgow Warriors star-man Finn Russell credited his forwards, after he orchestrated a second successive European Champions Cup triumph over Racing 92.

REPORT: Glasgow defeated last year's runners-up, Racing 92, 23-7 to knock them out of the European Cup and complete a miserable Friday for a French side sent reeling by flyhalf Johan Goosen's shock decision to quit at the age of 24.

SIX NATIONS: Alex King will join Wales as a member of the backroom staff for their 2017 Six Nations campaign.

NEWS: Springbok utility back Johan Goosen dropped a bomb in his French club and the national team by announcing his retirement from the game.

NEWS: Mohamed Altrad, owner of French giants Montpellier, has formally asked for permission to make an offer to buy a substantial share in English Premiership outfit Gloucester.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Rugby has had its share of tough players, some who went overboard into the realm of villainy.

NEWS: Wallaby lock Rory Arnold has turned down a big-money offer from French glamour club Toulon, because he wants to play in the 2019 World Cup.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Saracens, the defending European Cup champions, are within one win of matching the tournament record of 13 consecutive victories.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Munster prop John Ryan is wary of the threat posed by a wounded Leicester Tigers in the European Champions Cup.

NEWS: The Barrett brothers, Jordie and Beauden, scooped four awards between them at New Zealand's annual rugby awards.

NEWS: The New Zealand Rugby Union confirmed that the country's female team will be paid more than their male counterparts for the next few years.

NEWS: Australian lock Hugh Pyle has extended his contract with Stade Francais by two seasons until June 2020.

NEWS: An Argentinean player may have ended his own career with a disgraceful act of violence on the field.

NEWS: Australia will next year play a Test against Japan on the Brave Blossoms' home soil for the first time.

LAWS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby, the custodians of the game, decided to get tough on tackles that endanger opponents.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: England captain Dylan Hartley will be available to skipper the Six Nations Grand Slam titleholders for their opening game - despite receiving a six-week ban.

NEWS: Australian utility back Zack Holmes will move from La Rochelle to rival French Top-14 outfit Toulouse at the start of the 2017-2018 season.

NEWS: Former South African Sevens captain, Kyle Brown will play no further part in the Sevens World Series after scans revealed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association have signed a new Collective Employment Agreement for professional players from 2016 to 2018.

EUROPEAN CUP DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Veteran Springbok lock Flip Van der Merwe is one of two players who escaped with 'citing commissioner warnings' after Round Three of the European Cup.

NEWS: Michael Cheika's Australia and Argentina will have another chance to try and topple England at Twickenham when they return to the northern hemisphere in November 2017.

REACTION: Super League side Castleford Tigers launched legal proceedings against English Premiership side Sale, seeking damages over the signing of record try-scorer Denny Solomona.

NEWS: Jake White's Montpellier will be without the services of Davit Kubriashvili after the front row forward requested that his citing hearing take place next week.

NEWS: Experienced Wales prop Gethin Jenkins is likely to miss the Six Nations after Cardiff Blues revealed he requires surgery on a ruptured bicep.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said Wednesday that the British and Irish Lions' vast depth would ensure they coped with next year's gruelling tour schedule in New Zealand.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Some of the craziest fights and punch-ups in Rugby Union and Rugby League.

EXCLUSIVE: Tauriq Ebrahim caught up with Springbok Uzair Cassiem to speak about his meteoric rise through the ranks, in what was a remarkable 2016 for the loose forward.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In-form England are capable of breaking New Zealand's record of 18 successive Test wins.

NEWS: The return of James Hall to the Southern Kings for the 2017 Super Rugby season remains up in the air as the Kings are confused about recent reports suggesting that the scrumhalf wants to remain in France.

UPDATE: The delay in the finalisation of the liquidation of Western Province Rugby (Pty) Ltd may cost benefactor Remgro more than they anticipated. Jan de Koning reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Allister Coetzee is not going anywhere just yet as SA Rugby president Mark Alexander stated that the process of introspection will only be completed before the end of January 2017.

NEWS: Having spent time as the backline and attack coach of the Boland Cavaliers under Brent Janse van Rensburg during the 2016 Currie Cup competition, Randall Modiba has been handed the head coach role.

NEWS: Worcester Warriors have secured the services of United States Eagles front row forward Joe Taufete'e, with immediate effect, until the end of the season.

NEWS: Super League record try-scorer Denny Solomona completed his controversial cross code move to Premiership side Sale Sharks on Tuesday.

NEWS: England captain Dylan Hartley will discover on Wednesday if his latest disciplinary infraction costs him missing the start of their Six Nations title defence.

STRENGTH-VERSUS-STRENGTH: South Africa's premier domestic competition, the Currie Cup, will be a trimmer version of the 2016 monstrosity.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A new try-scoring points model has been introduced for the 2017 edition of the Varsity Cup competition when the 10th anniversary kicks-off on January 30.

NEWS: Wayne Peters, the Maori representative on the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Board, has taken the decision to retire ahead of the completion of his current term.

NEWS: France will tour South Africa for a three-Test Series in June 2017 for the first time since 2010.

REACTION: South Africa Sevens coach Neil Powell admitted that he may have missed an opportunity in the Cape Town Sevens Final with the absence of injured Seabelo Senatla.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Since the introduction of the talking referee, ways of addressing the players have varied.

There will be a brand new Test referee this week - Aimee Barrett-Theron of South Africa.

NEWS: South Africa took another step towards a national blueprint when the second instalment of the coaching indaba was held in Cape Town on Monday.

REACTION: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall praised his side's professional performance in their big European Champions Cup triumph over Sale Sharks.

NEWS: England flank James Haskell was forced to assure the world he is still alive after bizarre rumours surfaced that he had died of a steroid overdose.

REACTION: Toulon coach Mike Ford admits his team are still searching for perfection, despite putting 30 points on the Scarlets in their European Champions Cup Pool Three encounter.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have doubled their South African representation by adding former Cheetahs loose forward Willem Britz to their 2017 Super Rugby squad.

REACTION: City of Cape Town Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille is, if nothing else, ambitious. Jan de Koning reports on her recent Cape Town stadium claims.

NEWS: The Western Force announced that franchise stalwarts Ben McCalman and Heath Tessmann will be the new captains in 2017.

HITTING A NERVE: Former Fiji Sevens coach Ben Ryan has been involved in a bitter social media spat with the Fiji Rugby Union, forcing them to release a statement about the claims.

REACTION: Now that the dust has settled on what was a rather disappointing end to the Cape Town Sevens for the Blitzboks, their achievements over the two opening legs of the Sevens World Series cannot be ignored.

WELLINGTON DRAW: The real cost of South Africa's loss to England in the Final of the Cape Town Sevens go well beyond the three points they 'lost' on the World Series standings.

REPORT: Bordeaux-Begles stayed in the hunt for the quarterfinals with a smash-and-grab raid at a fog bound Sandy Park - beating Exeter Chiefs 13-7.

REPORT: Triple champions Toulon picked up a vital bonus-point to stay in touch with Pool Three leaders Saracens, as they over-powered the Scarlets 31-20 at Stade Mayol.

FINAL WRAP: England edged South Africa 19-17 in a tense match to claim the Cape leg, round two, of the Sevens World Series.

REPORT: Montpellier made it back-to-back home wins in the Champions Cup as they overcame losing Davit Kubriashvili to a red card to beat Top 14 rivals Castres Olympique 32-14.

REPORT: Kurtley Beale enjoyed a try-scoring European Cup debut as Wasps beat Connacht 32-17 to take control of Pool Two.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: Hosts South Africa will meet England in the Final of the Cape Town Sevens - Round Two of the World Series.

REACTION: While proud of his side's performance in the stunning 38-0 Champions Cup victory against Leicester Tigers, Rassie Erasmus has already set his sights on the return clash in Welford Road next Saturday.

REACTION: Irish international back row man Iain Henderson is already looking forward to next weekend's Round Four Champions Cup assignment in France.

QUARTERFINAL WRAP: Hosts South Africa will face arch-rivals New Zealand in the Cup semifinals at the Cape Town Sevens.

REACTION: Gregor Townsend was delighted his Glasgow Warriors took their chance to claim a famous European Rugby Champions Cup triumph at Racing 92.

REACTION: You have to go back to January 2004 for the only other time in their illustrious 141-match European Cup history that Leicester Tigers had failed to score a point.

REACTION: South Africa, often their own worst enemies in the past, have showed the maturity that can make them champions in the Sevens World Series.

REPORT: Saracens blew away fellow English side Sale Sharks to take control of European Champions Cup Pool Three with a convincing 50-3 victory and seal an 11th straight home win.

REPORT: Glasgow Warriors look set to fight-it-out with Munster at the top of Pool One after claiming a famous 23-14 triumph over Racing 92 in Paris.

REPORT: Munster finally broke their Leicester Tigers hoodoo at Thomond Park as they inflicted a record defeat on the two-time European Cup winners.

DAY ONE, ROUND THREE WRAP: The Blitzboks, rivals Fiji and Scotland were the only teams to emerge with a perfect record at the conclusion of the pool stage of the Cape Town Sevens on Saturday.

REPORT: Toulouse ended a run of six Champions Cup games without a win as they overcame the foggy conditions to pile on the tries to down Zebre 36-6 in their Pool Two contest at Stadio Lanfranchi.

REPORT: Ulster edged Clermont 39-32 in a nine-try thriller in Belfast on Saturday to keep their European Champions Cup hopes alive.

DAY ONE, ROUND TWO WRAP: The Blitzboks were one of five teams to secure their passage into the Cape Town Sevens Cup quarterfinals after just two matches on Saturday.

DAY ONE, ROUND ONE WRAP: The usual suspects got their campaigns off to the ideal start with maximum points in the Cape Town Sevens tournament on Saturday.

REACTION: Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder was left ruing his side's disciplinary problems after seeing England captain Dylan Hartley sent off after only six minutes on the field.

NEWS: Legendary All Blacks hard man Colin Meads believes he is winning his battle with cancer with a mystery "cure" helping him defy medical predictions to stay alive.

MATCH REPORT: England captain Dylan Hartley was red-carded after just six minutes on the pitch as his Northampton Saints slumped to a 10-37 defeat to Leinster in the European Champions Cup on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: James Rodwell will become England Sevens' most capped player in Cape Town this weekend.

Grenoble's coach Bernard Jackman has been suspended by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby for remarks on the refereeing of a match.

REACTION: From April 1 next year the tail will stop wagging the dog in South African rugby. Jan de Koning reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at a complex situation for the match officials.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The General Council of SA Rugby accepted a raft of constitutional changes that were designed to better reflect the needs of the Springbok team by re-shaping elements of the constitution.

NEWS: Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst continues to battle concussion symptoms since suffering a double head knock while playing for Taranaki in August 2015.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has announced the referees appointed to the 2017 Six Nations which starts in February.

FUTURE STARS: Australia's best Under-18 Sevens players head to Perth this weekend, where the stars of the future will compete in the Youth Sevens National Championships vying to impress coaches before next year's Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas.

NEWS: David McDuling, who turned out for the Sharks in 2015 and 2016, is returning home to New South Wales after penning a deal with the Waratahs for the 2017 season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Stalwart Jesse Parahi and former Brumby Stephan van der Walt have been added to the Wallabies Sevens squad for the Cape Town Sevens leg.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Bay of Plenty flyhalf Dan Hollinshead has been called up to the All Blacks Sevens squad for the Cape Town Sevens after Beaudein Waaka sustained an ankle injury in the Dubai Tournament last weekend.

KAAPSE JOL: South Africa Sevens team handed the rugby-mad country just the boost they wanted by winning the season-opening Dubai leg of the Sevens World Series after a disastrous year for their XVs counterparts.

A year in rugby is a long time, according to Varsity Match results.

NEWS: Grenoble's Irish coach Bernard Jackman copped a six-week ban for his harsh criticism of the referee after his team's 22-24 Top 14 defeat by Bordeaux-Begles last month.

NEWS: Toulon have snapped up Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks until the end of the season, the Top 14 club announced Thursday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Champions Cup holders Saracens will seek to make it 12 straight wins in Europe when they take on English Premiership rivals Sale this coming weekend.

NEWS: The people of Cape Town deserves a better stadium than an outdated Newlands.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell kept his winning recipe from Dubai last week for Round Two of the Sevens World Series, in Cape Town this weekend.

Rasta Rasivhenge blows the whistle to get the Cape Town Sevens going on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England's Grand Slam skipper Dylan Hartley has enjoyed an amazing year on the international stage and he is set to add another honour to his collection in Round Three of the Champions Cup.

NEWS: Sale Sharks have registered Rugby League wing duo Josh Charnley and Denny Solomana for Champions Cup duty.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: They are not the finished product yet, far from it, but one significant change has already made a big difference.

NEWS: London Welsh's proud 131 year old history came to an end on Wednesday as they announced they were going into voluntary liquidation because of an 'unsustainable' financial situation.

NEWS: Robin McBryde will lead Wales' coaching team for next year's June tour of the Pacific Islands.

REACTION: The first steps towards the implementation of a unified performance enhancement strategy were taken at the SA Rugby conditioning workshop held in Cape Town on Wednesday.

NEWS: Andy Farrell, Steve Borthwick and Rob Howley will be Warren Gatland's specialist coaches for the daunting British and Irish Lions tour of world champions New Zealand.

NEWS: Ulster revealed that Wiehahn Herbst has signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at Kingspan Stadium until at least 2019.

PLAYER WELFARE: World Cup-winning former England midfielder Will Greenwood spoke to Jan de Koning about the advances made in head injury assessment.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Craig Joubert, one of the world's top referees over a number of years, is giving up refereeing. Paul Dobson reports.

NEWS: The state of Texas will host its second international Test match when the Unites States Eagles take on Brazil in the 2017 Americas Championship in February.

NEWS: Versatile Samoa international forward Chris Vui will don Worcester Warriors' immediately in a deal that lasts until the end of the season.

NEWS: Reigning European Champions Cup champions, Saracens, have managed to reach an agreement with the Australian Rugby Union to acquire the services of lock Will Skelton with immediate effect.

NEWS: Perth Stadium will play host to the state's first ever Bledisloe Cup match when the Wallabies and New Zealand clash at the new 60,000 capacity Western Australian venue in 2019.

NEWS: Northampton's George North is "well" but has been stood down from playing after his under-fire club decided to refer him to an independent expert following a tackle which left the Wales wing spread-eagled.

Two of the world's most famous universities meet on Twickenham's field on Thursday.

Christmas is rushing at us and there are few Tests to hang on the tree at this time.

CAPE TOWN 7s: After only playing in four tournaments in the previous season and missing out to Olympic Games selection due to niggling injuries, the 2016/17 Sevens World Series started off in impressive fashion for veteran playmaker, Branco du Preez.

OPINION: Jan de Koning looks at the drama that is about to unfold on the South African rugby landscape in the next week.

NEWS: French Top 14 side Stade Francais have promoted former All Black fullback Greg Cooper from backs coach to head coach from next season.

NEWS: Ireland international lock Dan Tuohy has traded in his Ulster jersey for  the jumper of his city of birth, Bristol, with immediate effect.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Top 14 leaders Clermont, who travel to Belfast to take on Ulster in Pool Five at the Kingspan on Saturday, are the only club with a maximum 10 points after two rounds.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Aimee Barrett-Theron of the Western Province Referees; Society is making history in South African refereeing.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks were the biggest losers of the teams in the top 10 World Rankings after a busy month of internationals.

NEWS: Clermont will be able to call on the services of Tongan Loni Uhila next season after the prop penned a one year deal with the French Top 14 club.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Next week Monday is D-Day for Western Province Rugby (Pty) Ltd. Jan de Koning reports on their polemical and spiny application for liquidation.

OPINION: New Zealand may still be ranked No.1, and justifiably so, but England was without doubt the form team in November.

NEWS: England coach Eddie Jones claims there could be up to 15 England players in the British and Irish Lions squad for the 2017 tour to New Zealand.

EUROPEAN CUP: The English Premiership is 100 percent supporting Newcastle's bid to become host city for both the Champions and Challenge Cup Finals in May 2018.

OPINION: rugby365 columnist Brett McKay wraps up 2016 and the roller-coaster that the Wallabies are on.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ulster scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar believes his men are primed and ready to tackle a formidable Clermont side in a mouthwatering European Champions Cup clash this weekend.

NEWS: Former Samoa flank and current Connacht boss Pat Lam will become Bristol's new head coach as of June 2017 after they sacked Andy Robinson.

Take your hat off to Hans Saestad. He is doing a brilliant job of filling the gaps in South Africa's rugby history and deserves much praise.

CAPE TOWN DRAW: The draw for the Cape Town leg of the Sevens World Series has produced a couple of intriguing pools.

NEWS: Eddie Jones put his England players on notice by warning none of them "owned" a Test shirt after a perfect first year as Red Rose boss ended with victory over his native Australia.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's Sevens team might be riding the crest of the wave at present, but they are determined to improve on their impressive win in Dubai at the weekend.

REACTION: Australia coach Michael Cheika is confident there will be a long-term benefit to the Wallabies from a difficult 2016 that ended with a 21-37 loss to England.

REACTION: Northampton's Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder felt obliged to defend himself and the club over accusations they sent Wales wing George North back on in the game with Leicester after he had been knocked out.

TOP 14 SUNDAY WRAP: Toulon romped to a 37-10 French Top 14 win over a Bordeaux side reduced to 14 men for an hour following a red card for a brutal stamping.

PREMIERSHIP SUNDAY WRAP: Wasps moved to within one point of Saracens at the Premiership summit on Sunday.

NEWS: Experienced flank Dan Lydiate dealt a blow to Wales's Six Nations title aspirations on Sunday.

NEWS: Montpellier coach Jake White was taken ill Friday and rushed to hospital where he is still receiving care, the French Top-14 club revealed on Sunday.

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NEWS: The Lions' on-field success and attractive game are among the key reasons why you players are flocking to Ellis Park.

NEWS: Former French sports minister Bernard Laporte was elected by a landslide Saturday to lead the French rugby federation.

TOP 14 WRAP: Clermont had their lead in the French Top 14 slashed Saturday despite a hat-trick of tries from England wing David Strettle after a shock 40-35 loss to struggling Pau.