Opinion News

VIDEO: It's 2004, the Blues were the defending Super 12 champions and the Stormers travelled to Eden Park to destroy them.

VIDEO: In the first installment of our Match of the Day series we go back to 2007 when the Bulls destroyed the Reds at Loftus Versfeld.

OPINION: Acclaimed @rugby365com writer Paul Dobson takes a look at an ugly, soccer type, attitude that is creeping into Rugby Union.

RUGBY FROM THE BUNKERS: Former two-time Junior World Cup-winning coach Eugene Eloff has dusted off his laptop and produced a lollapalooza for @rugby365com's readers.

WATCH as Ben John, coach at Manor London, show youngsters ways to improve their skills and stay on top of their fitness.

READERS' FORUM: The @rugby365com team came up with a novel idea of a 'fantasy' tournament to entertain the readers - a Tri-Nations series.

VIDEO: With all the doom and gloom we've experienced the last few weeks, watch as we try to bring you something to smile or maybe laugh about.

OPINION: Love him or hate him, Jake White is good at what he does.

OPINION: Momentum is everything in Super Rugby and the Sharks just lost it.

FEATURE: Acclaimed @rugby365com writer Paul Dobson takes us back in time to where 'refereeing' was first introduced to the game.

IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR: While #COVID-19 has put the sport in an unexpected hiatus, we decided the lull is a good time to revisit our pre-season predictions.

WATCH as we bring a team of truly cringe-worthy thugs - all the baddies in the same team.

OPINION: Not long ago Curwin Bosch was the "forgotten flyhalf of South African Rugby". Warren Fortune shines the spotlight on the No.10 race.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe takes a look at which players could make the cut when new All Black coach Ian Foster names his first squad of the year.

OPINION: Covid-19 could be the re-making of rugby in New Zealand. Hamish Bidwell looks at the real issues facing the game!

WATCH as we bring you 15 of the most unusual and bizarre moments in the game.

WATCH as Leon MacDonald joins The Breakdown panel to give an inside look at the Blues camp in 2020.

OPINION: Former England flyhalf Andy Goode and current England coach Eddie Jones are never short of an opinion.

OPINION: New Zealand Rugby’s announcement of the All Black XV on Monday brought with it plenty of intrigue nationwide. Alex McLeod plays selector and reveals what the team could look like!

WATCH as Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton unpack all things Joe Marler, after some questionable behaviour in England's powerful display against Wales.

OPINION: Having a player's eligibility captured will be a big talking point going forward after the unveiling of the new All Blacks XV.

OPINION: Another round of Super Rugby has come and gone and it's time for @rugby365com's famous Team of the Week.

OPINION: Despite the game between Ireland and Italy being called off, the fourth round of the Six Nations still offered up a veritable feast of international rugby in its two surviving fixtures.

OPINION: Scotland may have been assisted by a moment of madness from the French, but they will celebrate a rare win over Les Bleus.

OPINION: France’s Six Nations Grand Slam bid ground to a halt on Sunday, as they fell to a 28-17 loss to a fired-up Scottish side at Murrayfield.

WATCH as we bring you all them highlights from the main matches of the past weekend!

OPINION: The conclusion of the 2020 Six Nations tournament might currently be uncertain but the importance of an England versus Wales fixture is never in doubt

OPINION: England wrapped up their Six Nations spring campaign with a 33-30 win over Wales at Twickenham.

WATCH as a group of 'overzealous' Bulls fans get into a sideline ruck(us) - with some humorous commentary.

WATCH as we compare South African superstar Cheslin Kolbe and Australian counterpart Kalyn Ponga - both incredibly athletic players!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Being a professional athlete is a challenging journey and can be lonely.

WATCH as The Breakdown team delves deep into the recent McKinsey Review and analyse Super Rugby.

OPINION: It was a blues Monday in Cape Town. Not only did they lose one of their key forward to injury, but their unbeaten record lay shattered on the Newlands turf.

OPINION: Five rounds into the Super Rugby season and new Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has a few intriguing puzzles to solve.

WATCH as we bring you all the Super Rugby Round Five highlights!

WATCH how an early celebration leads to the most ridiculous finish to a match ever!

WATCH as the New Zealand panel analyse round four of Super Rugby and the Stormers' prospects.

WATCH as we bring you highlights from all the main fixtures this past weekend.

OPINION: After four rounds there is only one unbeaten team left in the tournament.

OPINION: The Six Nations returned from its bye week on Saturday with Round Three of the 2020 campaign, as teams at opposing ends of the table contested games of varying quality.

OPINION: England head coach Eddie Jones was rewarded with a fairly emphatic display from his side in their 24-12 win over Ireland at Twickenham on Sunday.

OPINION: As pointed out this week by Russ Petty on Twitter, the team that leads at half-time nearly always wins this fixture, and this game was all but over by the 40-minute mark.

OPINION: Les Bleus first away game was always going to be a major litmus test for Fabien Gathie’s young side. Ian Cameron rates the French players!

OPINION: It was the third thrilling game for the neutral and a nailbiter for fans in a row between these two teams and, finally, France came out on top. Rhiannon Garth Jones rates the Welsh players!

OPINION: Gregor Townsend’s men came into the Wooden Spoon decider knowing a win was a must. Ian Cameron rates the Scotland players!

WATCH a very different take on the past weekend's Super Rugby action.

WATCH  a clip from some insane trucks in games from the 1980s.

WATCH AS Former Ireland international Darren Cave joins Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton in the studio.

WATCH as Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton analyse the Six Nations crunch encounter between Ireland and England.

OPINION: The Stormers and the Chiefs are still unbeaten after three rounds of Super Rugby.

WATCH as All Black coach Ian Foster fronts up to answer fans' questions in a new segment on The Breakdown!

OPINION: It was always going to take something rather significant to get Saracens out of the headlines this season, although few likely expected the prospect of South Africa joining the Six Nations to be the story that would finally do it.

OPINION: It was a weekend of surprises - the Chiefs, Sharks and Hurricanes all coming away with important wins.

WATCH as we bring the highlights from the past weekend's main matches - Six Nations and Super Rugby!

OPINION: The second weekend of the 2020 Six Nations offered a mixed bag of performances.

OPINION: France were on a hiding to nothing in this match against a heavily unfancied if developing Italian outfit in Paris.

OPINION: England head coach Eddie Jones rang the changes following his side’s demoralising loss to France in their tournament opener and it paid off as they emerged 13-6 winners at Murrayfield against Scotland.

OPINION: Dreadful conditions killed this game as a spectacle and it was a hard day to be judged, but yet that is what we must do.

OPINION: Wayne Pivac described this game as the toughest of his coaching career and it was certainly much more challenging than last week’s assignment against Italy.

OPINION: Following Ireland's 24-14 win over Wales, we can more properly judge the baby steps of this new Andy Farrell era in charge of Ireland.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe rates the teams after the opening weekend of Super Rugby.

WATCH as Andy Goode eats humble pie after talking up England's chances of a Grand Slam.

OPINION: The Stormers lead the way with three players in our Team of the Week for Round One of Super Rugby 2020.

OPINION: Former England flyhalf and media pundit Andy Goode has decided to give Eddie Jones some selection advice.

OPINION: The Six Nations is back and the opening round of competition saw an abundance of impressive individual performances from the 138 players involved.

OPINION: Paris played host to the latest edition of ‘Le Crunch’ on Sunday afternoon, with a rejuvenated French side running out 24-17 victors in what is one of the most emotionally-charged rivalries in international rugby.

OPINION: Galthie’s team of athletic, young Frenchman might have been light in experience but they made up for it with attacking accuracy, dynamism and aggression.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the Ireland players after their 19-12 win over Scotland in the opening round of the Six Nations.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Scotland players after the error-filled 12-19 loss to Ireland in their Six Nations opener.

OPINION: Rhiannon Garth Jones rates the Welsh players after their 42-0 Six Nations shut-out of Italy.

WATCH AS We gather up a host of familiar faces to discuss the Home Nations' chances in the upcoming Six Nations.

WATCH as Andy Goode and Brendan Venter get into a heated debate over Saracens salary scandal.

WATCH as the Rugby Pod gets stuck into the 2020-21 rumour mill.

OPINION: When Richie Mo’unga helped guide the Crusaders to their third Super Rugby title on the trot in 2019, Mo’unga Mania hit its peak.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Brumbies are poised to again dominate the Australian conference of Super Rugby and have the potential go at least one step further and make the tournament’s final in 2020.

WATCH as Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton discuss what the future holds for Saracens after Nigel Wrays decision to leave the club.

WATCH as we went behind the scenes with one of the most iconic clubs in the world, as they prepared for a clash with Wales in Cardiff.

OPINION: Andy Goode gives his view on the latest developments surrounding the Saracens salary-cap saga.

LISTEN as Ellis Genge speaks to the Rugby Pod in a brilliantly candid call.

I have a nightmare that I wish to swap for a dream, a death wish that I want to swap for a wishlist, so that I can exchange my fears for rugby's future with more of the joy and excitement that has filled my life since reaching the age of reason.

OPINION: The Hurricanes finished their 2019 season with another semi-final defeat to the Crusaders, their second straight season-ender in Christchurch.

OPINION: Beauden Barrett’s signing with the Blues for 2020 and beyond has been hailed as a huge coup for a franchise that has underperformed for the better part of the last two decades.

OPINION: Andy Goode takes a look at the REAL legacy of now-retired Saracens boss Nigel Wray!

OPINION: It is the time of the year when people look back to the past and pick teams.

SPOTLIGHT: Andy Goode takes a look at the changes to the game over the last 10 years!

OPINION: Alex Shaw’s names his top 30 players of the year. Guess who is at No.1?

WATCH as we bring you some of the fanciest feet that the World Cup had to offer, as we were treated to some spectacular action out wide.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Faf de Klerk guided South Africa to World Cup glory in Japan, with the hosts setting the tournament alight with an unexpected run to the quarterfinals.

OPINION: This past weekend brought the final round of Champions Cup action for 2019 and a particularly competitive form XV.

OPINION: It’s the news every Chiefs fan has been hoping for: Damian McKenzie will be fit for the opening match of the Super Rugby season.

OPINION: This weekend played host to Round Three of the Champions Cup, the beginning of the vitally important December back-to-back games

OPINION: There are a number of attributes required to become a professional flyhalf.

OPINION: The 2020 Super Rugby season is not shaping up as an easy one for Hurricanes supporters.

WATCH as former England captain Dylan Hartley reveals the roles and responsibilities that he undertook under the watchful eye of Eddie Jones.

OPINION: It was a weekend of consolidation in the Champions Cup, as a number of teams backed up impressive wins in Round One, with similar results a week later.

OPINION: In South Africa, if you want advice, you light a braai fire! If you want criticism, you select a team, especially a Springbok team.

WATCH as we bring you some of the most momentous plays by South African forwards at the World Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: The Rugby Pod give their reaction to the news that Saracens will not appeal the 35 point deduction that they were given in light of breaching salary cap regulations.

OPINION: At just 20-years-old he turned the rugby world upside down in 2017 as an electric wing has always held the ambition to become a centre, where he played as a schoolboy at Auckland Grammar and in 2014 with New Zealand Schools.

OPINION: The Pro14 has become the latest domestic club competition acquired in part by private equity firm CVC, agreeing in principle to sell a 27 percent stake in a similar deal to the one struck with Premiership Rugby.

OPINION: The European Champions Cup returned this weekend to wake the Northern Hemisphere from its post-World Cup blues, and we have compiled our XV of the week from an entertaining opening round.

OPINION: Don’t count Saracens out but this could be Clermont or Leinster’s year for Champions Cup glory. Rugbypass pundit Andy Goode reports. 

OPINION: South Africa is a groundbreaking team for many reasons. Ben Smith puts their World Cup win under the spotl;ight.

OPINION: The All Blacks are no longer World Cup holders after eight long years of dominance, both at the tournament and in between it with a 10-year run as the world’s number one side.

OPINION: Andy Goode takes a look at the fall-out from the Saracens salary-cap saga and suggests it is the biggest controvery to hit the Premiership.

OPINION: The Springboks are about to embark on a five-day trophy tour - a celebration of their momentous win in Japan.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff pay tribute to @rugbyworldcup-winning @Springboks captain #SiyaKolisi and coach Rassie Erasmus.

WATCH as James Haskell, John Smit and Mike Tindall chat about facing the Haka.

OPINION: The 2019 World Cup is over and now it is time to see who got selected in rugby365's Team of the Tournament.

OPINION: Despite owning the tag of favourites coming into the game, there was nothing England could do to stop the power and precision of South Africa in Yokohama.

OPINION: South Africa overpowered England 32-12 with a brutally effective forward display to win their third World Cup in Yokohama on Saturday.

OPINION:  Wales lacked the fizz to match New Zealand in the match that no-one wanted.

OPINION: It was the match that nobody wanted to play and nobody was too interested in the result.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It was a mixed bag last weekend for the rugby world, as the unbridled intensity of England’s win over the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-final fizzled into the tedium of a kicking battle 24 hours later in South Africa’s win over Wales.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff welcome former @Springboks flyhalf @APetoors10 - the trio unpacking the @rugbyworldcup Final.

OPINION: It was as unrelentingly physical and kick-dominated as we knew it would be.

OPINION: It was the match many were billing as the ‘true final’ and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

OPINION: England booked the fourth World Cup final in their history on Saturday in Yokohama, as they beat reigning champions New Zealand, 19-7, in the semi-final.

Listen as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack all the drama around the @rugbyworldcup semifinals.

OPINION: The Springboks' pack performed like a well-oiled machine against Japan and it laid the foundation for their 26-3 quarterfinal win.

OPINION: Throughout this tournament, Wales have backed their defence against broken field brilliance but this felt like a defensive effort too far.

OPINION: A game defined by Sebastien Vahaamahina’s inexplicable elbow to Wales’ Aaron Wainwright.

OPINION: So, Ireland’s glass ceiling remains unbroken.

OPINION: New Zealand has disposed of Ireland 46-14 to get their World Cup play-off campaign off to a successful start.

OPINION: England extended their winning streak over Australia to seven games on Saturday, as the age-old rivals met in Oita and England booked their place in the Rugby World Cup semifinals.

OPINION: The scoreboard doesn’t do justice to this Australia performance, with two England tries against the run of play doing a disservice to the Wallabies on-field performance.

OPINION:  There is very little to change when it comes to the All Blacks gameplan, however, how they counter the rush defence is an area which certainly needs a little bit more attention. 

LISTEN as @King365ed is joined in studio by @LoffieEloff - with the @rugby365com team unpacking the @rugbyworldcup quarterfinals.

OPINION: It would be churlish to judge Scotland too harshly after another titanic chapter in Japanese rugby history.

OPINION: Wales secured their spot at the top of the pool with a bonus-point victory, although they made hard work of it during an error-riddled 80 minutes.

OPINION: It was 'mission accomplished' by Ireland - a convincing seven-try, 47-5 win over Samoa in Fukuoka.

OPINION: Australia will celebrate the win, but also acknowledge it was a less than satisfactory performance.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff look at which players might improve the @Springboks in the @rugbyworldcup quarterfinals.

OPINION: The pool stages of the 2019 World Cup are beginning to wrap up and there has been further movement in the power rankings from week two, as a number of sides have now concluded their group stage campaigns.

OPINION: Despite being given a real scare by Fiji in the opening 15 minutes of both halves, Wales were able to record a 29-17 victory over the Islanders in Oita and keep control of Pool D.

OPINION: Despite the mass changes, it was an excellent and convincing performance by Scotland.

OPINION: South Africa made a big statement during their 66-7 win over Canada.

OPINION: It was back up to Tokyo for the All Blacks, for their second-ever match against Namibia.

OPINION: In the first real test of England’s Rugby World Cup campaign, they looked professional against Argentina in racking up a bonus-point win and a 39-10 scoreline, even if it could have been an even larger margin.

OPINION: Australia got back to winning ways when they beat Uruguay 45-10 in their World Cup match on Saturday.

OPINION: The Springboks overcame a big hurdle on their way to qualification for the play-offs at this year's World Cup when they beat Italy 49-3 on Friday.

OPINION: Ireland just about bagged a bonus-point win against Russia, but it was the performance the under-pressure side needed.

OPINION: The 2019 World Cup is about to enter its third week and there has been some substantial movement in the latest power rankings by Alex Shaw.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe rates the All Black players after their 63-0 demolition of Canada.

OPINION: Scotland picked up their first win of the World Cup, a 34-0 defeat of Samoa, which also delivered an all-important bonus point.

OPINION: Wales ran out with the spoils, surviving a late Wallabies comeback attempt, who were inarguably the better team for the final thirty minutes of the match.

OPINION: The Wallabies’ valiant second-half effort was not enough to record a win over the Grand Slam Champions Wales on Sunday.

OPINION: Namibia arrived with high hopes, but soon became spectators of their own demise.

OPINION: South African had no trouble to dispose of their Africa neighbours Namibia 57-3 in their World Cup Pool B match on Saturday.

OPINION: This wasn’t meant to happen.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to the World Cup pool match between England and the United States in Kobe City.

OPINION: After a solid but unspectacular start to their World Cup campaign against Tonga, England moved through the gears and established their credentials with a 45-7 win over the USA in Kobe.

LISTEN as @LoffieEloff joins @King365ed in the Cape Town studio to look beyond the emotion of the apocalyptic refereeing performance and find the real reason why the @AllBlacks beat the @Springboks.

OPINION: A ruthless first-half from Wales, who were up and running within minutes and had the bonus point before half-time. They lost intensity for the third quarter but rallied to score twice more before the end to secure a comfortable win.

OPINION: Bigger challenges may await England, although Eddie Jones and his side will be content with their 35-3 win over Tonga on Sunday in their World Cup opener.

OPINION: Ireland’s World Cup campaign is up and running and they looked good value for their 27-3 win against Scotland in Yokohama.

WATCHES all the highlights from the opening weekend of the World Cup!

OPINION: Reigning world champions New Zealand got their 2019 World Cup campaign underway on Saturday and we have the player ratings from their 23-13 win over arch-rivals South Africa.

OPINION: The Springboks' World Cup opener was certainly not the result Rassie Erasmus and Co wanted.

OPINION: Fiji got out the blocks quickly to race into an early lead, but a yellow card on the hour mark saw Australia escape with a 39-21 win in Sapporo on Saturday.

OPINION: The Wallabies fought back to avoid a catastrophic result at the World Cup, needing two tries from hooker Tolu Latu to help see off Fiji 39-21 in Sapporo.

SPOTLIGHT: Friday’s 2019 World Cup opener between hosts Japan and unfancied Russia is now less than 24 hours away, so it is time to unveil the power rankings of the 20 teams contending the tournament.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the @rugbyworldcup sizzler between the @Springboks and @AllBlacks.

OPINION: Rugbypass' writer Ben Smith looks at why Handre Pollard isn't in the conversation as the world's best flyhalf.

When Siya Kolisi leads the Springboks out onto the field against the All Black in their World Cup opener on Saturday, it will be the crowning glory of an incredible journey.

OPINION: Following Joe Schmidt’s decision to select South African Jean Kleyn in Ireland’s World Cup squad, the issues of rugby’s international eligibility, residency, poaching and the concept of project players have all reared their heads once again.

WATCH as we bring you some of the most epic foot races the game has seen.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the 2020 @SuperRugby, after the fixtures for next year was released.

OPINION: It took us a few days, but now that the dust has settled we can finally unveil @rugby365com's famous selection!

OPINION: Few would have given a battered, bruised and broken Ireland much hope of turning around their World Cup warm-up series after they humiliatingly limped away from Twickenham on August 24.

OPINION: Wales wrapped up their Rugby World Cup preparations on Saturday afternoon in Dublin, as they fell to a 10-19 defeat to Ireland.

OPINION: The scoreline suggests it was a close call and three late tries by the Golden Lions did make it close on the scoreboard.

OPINION: The Free State Cheetahs were forced to hang on desperately in the end, but in reality, they were much better than the final 31-28 scoreline suggest.

OPINION: The All Blacks beat Tonga 92-7 in expectedly convincing fashion at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton in both team’s final World Cup warm-up match.

OPINION:  England finished up their World Cup preparations on Friday evening, beating Italy 37-0 at St James’ Park in Newcastle.

OPINION: World Cup hosts Japan were given a timely reminder that raw emotion alone won't guarantee them success.

OPINION: South Africa exacted revenge for the infamous loss to Japan four years ago, when the Springboks demolished the Cherry Blossoms 41-7 in Kumagaya on Friday.

LISTEN @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpacks the @Springboks team to face @JRFURugby in their final @WorldRugby warm-up match.

WATCH as entertainer Leon Schuster unveils his latest Springbok 'anthem'.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Since all-time legend Dan Carter vacated the 10 jersey for the All Blacks following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, basically one man has followed in his footsteps.

WATCH this unique preview of the 2019 World Cup - including what makes a winning model based on trends from previous winners.

OPINION: And then there were two.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Last year Faf de Klerk’s defensive role was compared to that of an NFL free safety, all about disguise, surprise, and pressure, roaming freely around the secondary or blitzing off the edge to cause disruption.

OPINION: Hapless as the records tumbled for all the wrong reasons in London last weekend, Ireland badly needed to bounce back against the Welsh in Cardiff and they ultimately did despite a frantic finish to a match that ended 22-17 in their favour. 

OPINION: Wales were unable to pile further misery on an Ireland squad licking their wounds at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, as they fell to a 17-22 defeat on home soil.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpacks the @Springboks @rugbyworldcup squad and what they believe will be Rassie Erasmus' starting XV.

OPINION: And then there were four.

OPINION: The days of Twickenham annihilation and embarrassment by a massive scoreboard were supposed to be a thing of the past for Ireland.

OPINION: Having named their strongest line-up yet in the 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up games, England were rewarded with a 57-15 victory over a strong Ireland side.

OPINION: Andy Goode, a RugbyPass pundit and former England flyhalf, explains why England might be moving backwards.

As we build towards the naming of the Springbok squad for the World Cup, we felt the need to revive a very popular, previously published alternative XV.

OPINION: When the World Cup pools were first announced way back in 2017, it was hard to get too excited about the flagship competition which was still almost two years away.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the @Springboks @rugbyworldcup squad that will be unveiled this coming Monday.

WATCH as Featherstone Rovers and Hull go to town on each other - forcing the referee to issue five cards in 15 minutes.

OPINION: It was a weekend of big movements, with the Sharks moving past Western Province into the play-off zone.

OPINION: After the highs of their win at Twickenham, England were brought back to earth with a hard-fought 13-6 loss to Wales at the Principality Stadium.

OPINION: Argentina gave South Africa an almighty scare, but ultimately fell short - losing 18-24 in their World Cup warm-up match in Pretoria on Saturday.

OPINION: South Africa retained their unbeaten record for 2019 with a scrappy 24-18 win over a willing Argentina in Pretoria on Saturday.

OPINION: The Wallabies had one hand on the Bledisloe Cup heading Saturday's match, but they quickly learned that the All Blacks weren’t just going to roll over and submit as they did a week prior.

OPINION: The All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup in convincing fashion, thumping the Wallabies 36-0 at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

WATCH as @rugby365com brings you a real blast from the past - when rules were still uncomplicated and just about anything was acceptable.

WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: Which one of these offloads are better - Sonny Bill Williams or Duane Vermeulen?

@King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the @Springboks' success in the @SanzarTRC - the first time in a decade they have won a major international trophy.

OPINION: @rugby365com columnist Eugene Eloff, a celebrated coach who has won two Junior World Cups, gives us his thoughts in the wake of Swys de Bruin's decision to quit the Springboks.

OPINION: Players from Western province lead the way in rugby365's Currie Cup Team of the Week for Round Five.

OPINION: South Africa are the champions and it comes as no surprise that their players dominate rugby365's Team of the Tournament.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Scott Barrett’s red card against Australia during the 2019 Rugby Championship caused a right old kerfuffle. Well, in New Zealand anyway.

OPINION: With the official World No.1 spot up for grabs, this was always going to be more than a warm-up match for both Wales and England.

OPINION: England got their World Cup preparations underway at Twickenham on Sunday, as they beat Wales, 33-19.

WATCH as @rugby365com brings you all the highlights from the weekend's main matches.

OPINION: Handre Pollard scored 31 points as South Africa thrashed Argentina 46-13 in Salta Saturday, to win the Rugby Championship for the first time.

OPINION: Australia showed just how vulnerable New Zealand is, as the World Cup looms large.

OPINION: Few would have expected the absolute drubbing that the Wallabies handed to the All Blacks in last night’s Bledisloe Cup match.

@LoffieEloff joins @King365ed in the @rugby365com studio as they analyse the final round of the @SanzarTRC - where the @Springboks are on the cusp of making history against @lospumas in Salta.

OPINION: Round Four of Currie Cup 2019 was full of upsets.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The countdown to the 2019 Rugby World Cup is well and truly upon us.

WATCH as we bring you all the highlights from the weekend’s Currie Cup fixtures. 

OPINION: An in-depth look at how the All Blacks are developing two shapes for the Rugby World Cup. Rugbypass writer Conor Wilson makes sense of it all. 

OPINION: The readers have spoken and they have told South African coach Rassie Erasmus he should go for broke in Salta next week.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: When World Rugby were playing with the idea of introducing a season-long competition to the international rugby scene, there was reasonably widespread outrage.

READERS' CHOICE: Here is your chance to have a say on who should play for the Springboks against Los Pumas next Saturday!

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the drama surrounding @PeterDeVillier5's attempt to get back into South African coaching and the media lies that were spread about him.

OPINION: There were a 10-try rout and a stupendous come-from-behind win.

OPINION: The 'battle' in our boardroom was every bit as intriguing as the contest between New Zealand and South Africa in Wellington's Cake Tin at the weekend.

WATCH as All Black fullback Beaden Barrett got caught out deliberately cheating in his team's 16-all draw with the Springboks in Wellington at the weekend.

WATCH as we bring you all the highlights from the weekend’s main events!

OPINION: The Wallabies got their first win of 2019 with a scrappy 16-10 win over visitors Argentina.

OPINION: A last-gasp try to replacement halfback Herschel Jantjies has earned the Springboks a deserved draw against the All Blacks.

OPINION: The Springboks will be kicking themselves that they did not make the most of their first-half dominance count against the All Blacks.

WATCH: When the Springboks and All Blacks play it is often brutal and intense, not without controversy. This 1976 match at Newlands was one of those matches!

It is one of the game's biggest rivalries, which is why @King365ed and @LoffieEloff dedicate so much time to analysing the @SanzarTRC Round Two encounter between the @AllBlacks and @Springboks.

OPINION: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named his much-changed team to line up against the All Blacks in Wellington this weekend. Here is what readers thought of it ...

ANALYSIS: Michael Cheika’s Wallabies are continuing in the same direction as they were last year, after an opening 35-17 blowout loss at Ellis Park to what was described as a Springboks ‘B’ side, Rugbypass writer Ben Smith explains.

South Africa's Herschel Jantjies had a blinder in his Test debut, his second try a piece of individual brilliance that will be remembered for a long time!

OPINION: There were a number of standout performers in Round One of Rugby Championship 2019.

OPINION: The Free State Cheetahs started their Currie Cup campaign with a bang in Pretoria.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones has referred to his side’s game as a ‘modern’ version of English rugby, an attempt at refreshing an old way of playing, Rugbypass writer Ben Smith make sense of it all.

WATCH as we bring you all the highlights from the weekend's main events!

OPINION: Argentina has come within four points of securing a famous maiden win over New Zealand in their opening Rugby Championship clash of the year in Buenos Aires.

OPINION: The All Blacks put in a solid defensive display in the second half to beat Argentina 20-16 in Buenos Aires. 

OPINION: The Wallabies open their Rugby Championship campaign with a 17-35 defeat to the Springboks. 

OPINION: Debutant scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies scored two tries as South Africa beat Australia 35-17 Saturday in the opening match of the Rugby Championship season in Johannesburg.

WATCH as Andrew Forde is back on the good stuff, helping himself crack out another brilliant video.

OPINION: Below is the jerseys of some of the main teams at the World Cup in Japan.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff unpack the week's most arresting and riveting news of the past week.

OPINION: It’s been 34 years since the All Blacks first faced off against the Pumas in Buenos Aires on October 26, 1985.

OPINION: South Africa's premier domestic competition got underway with the ultimate jaw-dropper.

OPINION: On Saturday, Fiji played their first match of the year and unequivocally announced that their World Cup opposition will need to be at the top of their game to knock over the island nation later in the season.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff shine the spotlight on the @SanzarTRC - which gets underway when the @Springboks host the @qantaswallabies at Ellis Park this coming Saturday, July 20.

REACTION: After Ruan Pienaar signed for the Cheetahs on Wednesday, he became the second Springbok to make the move back to South Africa after JP Pietersen joined the Sharks earlier this week.

OPINION: News of Beauden Barrett’s move to the Blues has come as a surprise to many, given the obvious factors that were keeping him in Wellington.

LISTEN as @King365ed sits down for an #EXCLUSIVE one-on-one with @WP_RUGBY coach John Dobson to find some answers to the intriguing posers faced by @TheCurrieCup competition.

LAWS SPOTLIGHT: After World Rugby announced the outlawing of axial loading in scrums, much of the rugby world has been left confused.

OPINION: We have arrived at that time of the year, where we entertain you with @rugby365com's famous selection.

WATCH as Leon Schuster pulls the ultimate prank on former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers!

OPINION: Here it is, the results of the readers' nominations for a Springbok starting XV.

OPINION: Eddie Jones announced his 38-man World Cup training squad on Thursday, with some unexpected inclusions and exclusions.

WATCH as Limpopo Blue Bulls flank Renzo du Plessis starts a counter inside his own in-goal area and ends with a try, 103 metres.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com puts the 2019 @SuperRugby #Final between the @crusadersrugby and @JaguaresARG under the spotlight.

OPINION: Here is your chance to have your say. Vote now for your Springbok starting team!

OPINION: And then there were two.

SELECTION TIME: The truncated version of the Rugby Championship brings its own unique challenges. However, it remains critical in the build-up to the World Cup.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: France's second consecutive World Rugby Under-20 Championship should be a valuable commodity for the French Rugby Union.

LISTEN as @King365ed and @LoffieEloff select their @Springboks teams for the @SanzarTRC and give #Bok coach Rassie Erasmus some 'advice' as the @SanzarTRC looms large.

OPINION: It is an often repeated question: 'Who can stop the Crusaders juggernaut?'

Here it is. Your last chance to vote for the South African Team of the Week, after both the Bulls and Sharks were knocked out in the quarterfinal stage of Super Rugby.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team brings you the views of @LionsRugbyCo coach Swys de Bruin, who was asked if his team had regressed.

Listen as @King365ed takes to task @TheSharksZA coach Robert du Preez and his media manager @novashni over their attempts to bully the media.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Here it is, the results of the Readers' selections for the South African Team of the Week for Round 18.

ANALYSIS: Quade Cooper last played for the Wallabies in June 2017.

UNDER-20 SPOTLIGHT: The perception that match official favour New Zealand teams and handle them with kid gloves is not going away.

OPINION: It was a dramatic final round of league action, which saw some contenders - like the Chiefs and Highlanders - sneak in through the back door.

OPINION: North versus South. Set-piece versus multi-phase. Kicking versus running the ball. Defence versus Offence.

Here is your chance to have your say. Nominate the South African players you felt performed the best in Super Rugby's Round 18.

WATCH the highlights from the weekend’s Super Rugby Round 18 matches!

In another @rugby365com exclusive @tauriq365 chats to former player and talent manager @Andries_Strauss about signing young schoolboys for European clubs.

OPINION: Here it is, your choices as the South African Team of the Week for Super Rugby's Round 17 matches.

OPINION: Nobody likes a draw.

OPINION: The Crusaders produced a masterclass in Round 17 against the Melbourne Rebels in Christchurch.

OPINION: Tauriq Ebrahim looks at how selfish individuals are looking after their own interests and denying others the time to shine at Craven Week.

Here is another chance to have your say. Vote for the players from the four South African teams you felt performed best in Super Rugby's Round 17.

WATCH the highlights from the weekend's main matches - Super Rugby Round 17 and World Rugby's Under-20 championship!

SPOTLIGHT: South African rugby will be delighted with the news that winger Aphiwe Dyantyi has committed to the Lions until 2021.

OPINION: Earlier this week RugbyPass columnist Tom Vinicombe penned an engaging article about New Zealand coaches. It got me thinking.

OPINION: Don’t let the title deceive you – the Crusaders remain firm favourites to claim an unprecedented 10th title.

OPINION: The readers have spoken, cast their votes and we bring you the results of their selections for Super Rugby Round 16.

OPINION: The match between the Chiefs and the Crusaders was probably the best so far this season.

OPINION: Here is your chance to have your say. Vote now for your South African Super Rugby Team of the Week!

SPOTLIGHT: After a stunning rise to the top of the game that included a prolific age-grade career with the Baby Boks, Handre Pollard reflects on his maturation as a player before he heads to his second Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year.

The @rugby365com team looks into the brittle state of mind some coaches get into when the pressure is on.

WATCH as Wales player Luke Treharne produces one of those unforgettable moments in the game.

OPINION: Here it is - the results of the readers' votes for the South African Team of the Week.

The Springboks can assemble a ferocious squad for this year's World Cup in Japan.

OPINION: It was an interesting weekend, with plenty of movement on the standings.

Here it is. Your chance to vote for your South African Team of the Week for Super Rugby Round 15.

WATCH all the highlights from this past weekend's main matches.

LISTEN as @king365ed brings you @shrek3oger, who gives his reasons for moving from @TheSharksZA in Durban to @SaleSharksRugby in England.

OPINION: Here is a XV composed entirely of players making the shift from Super Rugby to either the Premiership in England, Top 14 in France, Pro14 in Europe, or Top League in Japan.

WATCH as Ali Williams gets into referee bashing with Scotty Stevenson.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Never before has one position been required to do so much, or at least be capable of doing so much.

LISTEN as @king365ed unpacks the real difference between @Springboks and @AllBlacks #rugby.

WATCH as we bring you another blast from the past. Wast the England and B&I Lions legend Martin Johnson a truly hard man or one of the game's biggest thugs?

OPINION: Here are the results of your votes for the South African Team of the Week for Super Rugby's Round 14.

OPINION: The Jaguares have continued their strong push to finish on top of the South African Conference.

OPINION: Here it is, your chance to vote for your South African Team of the Week, after Super Rugby's Round 14.

PODCAST: This week on The Short Ball, Scotty Stevenson & Ali Williams review Alex Goode’s European Cup post-championship bender.

LISTEN as @king365ed chats to Hans Scriba, SA Rugby Manager, Academies about how they tackle the abstruse task of preparing players for life after rugby.

Here it is, the results of the readers' votes for the South African Super Rugby Team for Round 13.

OPINION: The names are in for the 2018/2019 Champions Cup Team of the Tournament.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Although there may be teams that can buck the tend from time to time, it’s safe to suggest that it’s more difficult to win a game if your kickers aren’t on form.

LISTEN as @LoffieEloff tells @King365ed who he feels would be the perfect inside centre for @Springboks flyhalf Handre Pollard.

Here it is! The results of the readers' votes for the South African Team of the Week.

This week on The Short Ball Scotty Stevenson is joined once more by Ali Williams!

OPINION: The Hurricanes continue to produce performances that suggest they are the Crusaders' biggest threat.

OPINION: You asked for it and here it is: You chance to vote for the South African Team of the Week!

LISTEN as former SARU CEO Johan Prinsloo chats to the @rugby365com team about the influence and role of the late Louis Luyt in South African rugby.

The @rugby365com team welcomes on board former SARU CEO Johan Prinsloo as part of their search for the truth and facts behind what is the root cause of all the problems in the game in South Africa.

Your votes are in and calculated. These are the South African players you, the readers, felt performed best in Round 11 of Super Rugby.

WATCH as former England lock Martin Bayfield takes us back to a time when rugby was played the old-fashioned way.

OPINION: It was truly an interesting weekend, with the bookmakers having lost heavily in half the games.

You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to select your South African Team of the Week - for Super Rugby Round 11.

OPINION: Here it is - the readers' choices for the best South African players in Super Rugby.

OPINION: In 2012, Dave Rennie guided the Chiefs to a Super Rugby championship in his first year as coach.

OPINION: Players from the Lions and the Reds lead the way in our Super Rugby Team of the Week for Round Ten.

READERS’ CHOICE: You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to have a say!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney takes a look at how South African coach Johann Van Graan should modify Munster's old ways.

LISTEN as 2007 @rugbyworldcup-winning @Springboks team psychologist Henning Gericke reveals one of the secrets behind the All Blacks' winning recipe.

This week on The Short Ball, Scotty Stevenson and Ali Williams delve into the nitty-gritty of Israel Folau’s social media use.

In a very special edition, the @rugby365com team welcomes a special member of the 2007 @rugbyworldcup-winning @Springboks team - psychologist Henning Gericke.

OPINION: Here it is, the South African Team of the Week as selected by you … the readers!

VOTE NOW: We saw this week, at the Varsity Cup Final, how the South African anthem was butchered yet again. But who is the worst?

OPINION: There were some big movements at the weekend - the Crusaders opening an 11-point lead at the top and the Bulls moving into second place.

READERS' CHOICE: You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to have a say!

LISTEN as @King365ed chats to @SouthernKingsSA CEO Charl Crouse about their 'collaboration' with @RCTofficiel and what it all means.

WATCH as one player flattens another in a schoolboy match between Monument and Paarl Boys.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com welcomes @pauldelport9 to the show. The SA #womensrugby #7s coach gives his views on the struggling @THESTORMERS and chats about the @OfficialHK7s.

OPINION: Here it is, the South African Team of the Week as selected by you ... the readers!

OPINION: The Sharks surprised many pundits with their performance at Ellis Park in Round Eight.

ANALYSIS: For a player who made the ‘unbelievable’ a regular occurrence over the last three years, the magic and aura around the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year has slowly dissipated in 2019.

OPINION: Here it is, your chance to have your say and name your South African Team of the Week.

LISTEN as freelance journalist Antoinette Muller explains to the @rugby365com team the recipe the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens use to make it a success.

OPINION: Scotty Stevenson, Mils Muliaina and Ali Williams heap praise on the Blues and Crusaders.

WATCH a classic Blast from the Past, when Western Province was riding the crest of the wave and the Du Plessis brothers ruled the roost.

The @rugby365com team welcomes on board a new voice, freelance journalist Antoinette Muller, as they discuss the ever-increasing number of schools tournaments.

OPINION: You have had tour say and named your South African Team of the Week. As was the case last week, it makes for some interesting reading.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In the wake of Schalk Brits' controversial ban, take a look at some of the most ugliest and vicious fights - definitely worthy of lengthy bans.

OPINION: There was an early-season wobble, but the Crusaders are back to their best.

OPINION: European rugby returned with a bang this weekend, as the Champions Cup quarterfinals reminded us all that there is still plenty of life left in the 2018/19 European season.

Here is your chance to have your say. Vote now for your South African Team of the Week.

The Japan Rugby Football Union's stance, rather than South African opposition or 'harsh' conditions, made it 'easy' for SANZAAR to cull the Sunwolves.

LISTEN as former @LionsRugbyCo President Kevin de Klerk reveals one of the worst moments of back-stabbing in his illustrious career.

The @rugby365com team has two venerable guests this week - SANZAAR CEO, Andy Marinos and former @LionsRugbyCo President Kevin de Klerk.

OPINION: You asked for it and here it is - the readers' choices for the South African Team of the Week after Super Rugby Round Six.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Fans from all over the world have taken to Twitter to react to the news that the Sunwolves will be axed from after the 2020 season.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to new @SouthernKingsSA owner Loyiso Dotwana about how his consortium will make the Eastern Cape franchise great again!

OPINION: Six Nations 2019 is over and it is time for rugby365 to reveal their Team of the Tournament.

ANALYSIS:  Scotland’s unthinkable 31-point comeback delivered shades of déjà vu, as flyhalf Finn Russell made plays eerily similar to last year’s clash at Murrayfield.

OPINION: Wales secured their third Grand Slam under Warren Gatland with a dominant 25-7 defeat of Ireland at the Principality Stadium.

OPINION: The RugbyPass Index was spot on tipping Wales to seal the Grand Slam deal, its pre-game percentages suggesting the odds were tilted 67 to 33 in favour of the hosts.

OPINION: With the Championship decided the Twickenham crowd initially seemed more concerned with merriment that what was going on the pitch. England appearing to wrap up the game within 15 minutes didn’t help matters.

OPINION: Their title hopes may have been derailed by Wales emphatically securing the Grand Slam earlier in the day, but that didn’t prevent England from turning in an impressive first half  at Twickenham.

SIX NATIONS ANALYSES:  Wales certainly placed a huge target on their back with an impressive 25-7 win over Ireland.

The Rugby Pod had some interesting thoughts on the proposed World League in light of the meeting that was carried out in Dublin on Thursday.

The @rugby365com team chats to @TheVietGwent about the decisive final round of the @SixNationsRugby - as Wales chase a Grand Slam.

OPINION: The Crusaders again showed why they are fancied to make it a hat-trick of titles.

OPINION: There were quite a few eye-catching performances in Round Four of Six Nations 2019.

OPINION: Ireland remain mathematically in contention to retain their Six Nations title after a 26-14 four-try bonus point victory over France in Dublin on Sunday.

OPINION: England got their Six Nations campaign back on track at Twickenham this afternoon, beating Italy, 57-14, in a thoroughly one-sided contest.

OPINION: It was a tale of two halves for Scotland.

This week Scotty Stevenson and Mils Muliaina speak with Rob Nichol of the NZ Players Association about the challenges faced in the Pacific with regard to the ongoing debacle that is World Rugby's proposed Nations Championship.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to @MyPlayersRugby CEO Eugene Henning to separate the facts from the fiction surrounding the controversial World League.

OPINION: The Sunwolves are no longer the laughing stock of Super Rugby.

ANALYSIS: With Ma’a Nonu back in Super Rugby, along with regular All Blacks Anton Lienert-Brown, Jack Goodhue and Ryan Crotty, there is plenty of competition for mid-field spots for this year’s World Cup.

OPINION: @rugby365com's acclaimed writer Paul Dobson looks at some of the values that may be missing from the game - when players lose self-control.

The @rugby365com team chats to Piet Heymans, Chief Executive Officer of Sport Employees Unite, about the decision to cancel @Springboks contracts.

OPINION: After Wales' win over England, it's no surprise their players lead the way in @rugby365com’s famous weekly selection.

OPINION: There were plenty of Australian players who stood out in Round Two of Super Rugby 2019.

PINION: Ireland pushed themselves back into the Six Nations title race with a 26-16 bonus-point win over Italy.

OPINION: Another Six Nations comeback helped Wales beat England 21-13 at the Principality Stadium to secure a national record 12th successive win.

OPINION: After showing signs of real promise in the opening two rounds of the championship, England left Cardiff with their Grand Slam hopes shattered, as they fell to a 21-13 loss to Wales.

OPINION: Scottish hopes of bagging the first win in Paris in 20 years were eclipsed in the Parisian spring sun.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to @SouthernKingsSA CEO Charl Crous about his new job in the @PRO14Official and what the future holds for South African teams in Europe.

OPINION: The @rugby365com team sat down and after much deliberation produced what we believe to be the 15 best players from the opening round.

OPINION: Round 13 of the Premiership season certainly proved unlucky for league leaders Exeter Chiefs, who started the weekend’s action by slipping up to a 17-24 defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.

In an excerpt from this week's popular @rugby365com podcast, @king365ed looks at the role that Western Province Rugby Group CEO Paul Zacks and WPRFU Director of Rugby Gert Smal played in the Paul Treu saga.

PODCAST: The Short Ball returns as Scotty Stevenson & Mils Muliaina chat to Blues coach Leon MacDonald, Crusaders coach Scott Robertson & coach Tabai Matson for the Chiefs.

The @rugby365com team chats to new @WP_RUGBY President @ZeltMarais to get to the truth behind the @paultreu ‏saga that is blighting the @THESTORMERS build-up to the @SuperRugby season.

OPINION: It is not a surprise that England again dominates @rugby365com's famous weekly selection.

OPINION: England and Eddie Jones’ 2019 redemption took another big step forward on Sunday as they cantered to a 44-8 victory over France at Twickenham in the Guinness Six Nations.

OPINION: It might not have been pretty and the expected bonus-point assault did not materialise in Rome, but ultimately Wales got the job done with a 26-15 victory over Italy. Martyn Thomas rates the Welsh players!

OPINION: Saturday was a deflating day at Murrayfield for Scotland. Liam Heagney rates the Scottish players!

OPINION: Joe Schmidt’s Ireland got their Six Nations title defence back on track with a low-frills 22-13 win over Scotland at Murrayfield. Liam Heagney rates the Irish players!

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to renowned medical practitioner and concussion expert @jonpatricios about one of the biggest quagmires in the game.

Front row forward Michael Aliifaalogo has been making huge impacts across the board in Australia.

OPINION: England made a big statement when they bullied Ireland in Dublin on Saturday to record a famous 32-20 win.

OPINION: Ireland’s lavish dream of winning a second Grand Slam in succession was shattered at the first time of asking in the 2019 Six Nations Championship, England serving up a sobering 32-20 defeat. Liam Heagney rates the Ireland players!

OPINION: The was a huge upset in Dublin on Saturday, as England defeated reigning Grand Slam champions Ireland, 32-20.

OPINION: Wales produced a stunning comeback to kick-off the 2019 Six Nations with a 24-19 defeat of France in Paris. Martyn Thomas rates the Welsh players.

The @rugby365com team is joined by former @Springboks flyhalf @APetoors10, as they look at how players can prepare for 'Life after rugby' and what the pitfalls are.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to @LionsRugbyCo benefactor and deputy-president Altmann Allers about why the financial model in South Africa is in a drastic need of a revamp.

OPINION: The pool stage of the Champions Cup was wrapped up this weekend, as the competition heads into a Six Nations break, before returning with the knockout rounds of club rugby’s grandest prize at the end of March.

THE RUGBY POD: Watch as Andy Goode & Jim Hamilton get stuck into the non-selection of Alex Goode.

In the first edition for 2019, @King365ed & @LoffieEloff debate the merits of resting players during @SuperRugby in a World Cup year.

Of the Six Nations countries, Scotland has the smallest number of players to choose from, but you will never hear that as any excuse from them as the flower of Scotland's rugby does battle in Europe.

OPINION: Jan de Koning looks at one of the key reasons for Munster's demolition of Gloucester in the battle of the South African coaches.

OPINION: The penultimate round of the Champions Cup pool stage didn’t bring too many shocks, but it did bring plenty of absorbing and compelling rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Of course, England's chances are excellent.

OPINION: Andy Goode has gone on record about how much he doesn’t like Dave Ward.

OPINION: There will be much fanfare when the Southern Kings' new owners are confirmed later this month.

OPINION: The headline result of Round 12 in the Premiership saw Sale Sharks force their way into playoff contention with a 24-18 win over Saracens at the AJ Bell, with the reigning champions well-beaten in the north-west.

ANALYSIS: Big signings always bring big expectations, however unrealistic they can be.

OPINION: Round 11 marked the final weekend of Premiership action of 2018 and it’s fair to say that the competition signed off in style for the calendar year.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The year delivered some interesting events which had some supporters in tears and others celebrating well into the early hours.

OPINION: There were some excellent performances in Round 10 of the 2018/2019 Premiership Rugby season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former All Blacks Test lock Ali Williams pays homage to departing head coach Steve Hansen.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: First there were two. Now there are six.

OPINION: With December 25 just around the corner, Paul Dobson took the time to take at significant events on the day!

OPINION: The European Cup headed off into the Christmas break in fine fettle this weekend, as Saracens, Toulouse and Racing 92 all maintained their 100 percent starts to the competition.

OPINION: Now that we know the Springbok coaching position will be vacant after the 2019 World Cup, it is time to take a look at and analyse possible candidates.

On The Rugby Pod this week, the issue of players asking for more money in their new contracts was a hot topic.

OPINION: Alex Shaw brings us the best from the past weekend's Champions Cup games!

The Rugby Pod this week brought up some interesting discussions on the possible futures of two South African stars.

OPINION: Andy Goode, a RugbyPass pundit and former England flyhalf, gives his reasons for retaining the promotion-relegation system in the Premiership.

OPINION: The Premiership signed off for the upcoming European window in fine fashion, with Round Nine of the competition offering up some eye-catching results.

LISTEN @rugby365com team unpacks the year-end tours and reveal some interesting pointers ahead of the 2019 @rugbyworldcup.

OPINION: It has been an interesting month, with some intriguing results - which is reflected in @rugby365's famous selection.

OPINION: The All Blacks have capped their 2018 season with an emphatic 10-try 66-3 victory over the Azzurri in Rome.

OPINION: South Africa will have to readjust their tactics following the final November Test match against Wales.

Following some impressive recent results in the November Tests, is this the smallest we've seen the gap between Southern and Northern Hemisphere sides?

The @rugby365com team brings you the lowdown on the three candidates that are on the shortlist to replace John Mitchell as the Bulls' @SuperRugby coach.

OPINION: On the back of last weekend’s defeat to Ireland, Steve Hansen and his fellow coaches won’t be pushing the panic button just yet but they’ll certainly have a few things to mull over.

RugbyPass columnist Jamie Lyall looks into the consequences of World Rugby's lack of action in the Siyamthanda Kolisi headbutting saga.

OPINION: Ireland's impressive win over New Zealand has earned them plenty of rewards in @rugby365com’s famous weekly selection.

OPINION: Ireland registered their first ever win over New Zealand in Dublin.

The All Blacks have been beaten and held tryless by Ireland 16-9 in Dublin.

OPINION: South Africa had to hang on for their 26-20 win over Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday. (With match highlights)

OPINION: Scotland gave South Africa a fright, but in the end just fell short - losing 20-26 in Edinburgh on Saturday.

OPINION: England survived a major scare early against Japan to record a 35-15 victory over the Cherry Blossoms at Twickenham.

OPINION: Jan de Koning gives some perspective to the nasty and ugly underbelly of the Western Province Rugby Football Union Presidential elections!

The @rugby365com invites two experts to chat about the real magnitude of the cash crunch in rugby in South Africa.

Ireland’s game is often labelled as ‘low-risk’ or ‘conservative’, due to the large number of phases they use and the low number of offloads they attempt.

OPINION: There is a real mixed bag in @rugby365com's famous weekly selection.

OPINION: Ireland made it 10 home Test wins in a row for the first time in their history, with a 28-17 win over Argentina in Dublin.

OPINION: The Springboks were fortunate to get a 26-29 the win in Paris against France.

OPINION: France will be wondering how they did not win that game against the Springboks in Paris on Saturday.

OPINION: England and New Zealand met at a rainy Twickenham on Saturday afternoon in one of, if not the most anticipated rugby fixture of the last few years, and it certainly delivered on all of the promise.

OPINION: The All Blacks have braved the conditions and escaped Twickenham with a one-point victory over hosts England.

The 1014 explore a variety of tactics that teams have used to beat the All Blacks in the recent past.

The @rugby365com team analyses the reasons behind the @Springboks' horror show at Twickenham last week and what they need to do to fix it.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Two big missed tackles by Scotland’s centre Huw Jones lead to two big tries and a total of 12 points for Wales.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: It’s the match we’ve all been waiting for – and it’s come one year too late.

OPINION: England got their November Test Series off to a good, albeit nerve-wracking, start with a 12-11 victory over South Africa at Twickenham.

OPINION: South Africa suffered a narrow 11-12 defeat to England in London on Saturday.

OPINION: An inexperienced All Blacks side have emerged unscathed after a 69-31 victory over Japan at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team delve into the reasons behind the logistics of the @Springboks team announcement and how it depreciated the Currie Cup Final.

OPINION: With the year-end internationals just days away, RugbyPass' Alex Shaw sat down and put together a current 'World XV'.

OPINION: The Sharks are 2018 Currie Cup champions and their players dominate our Team of the Tournament.

VIDEO: The Sharks have produced another song and dance to celebrate a successful weekend in Cape Town.

OPINION: Two very different finals between the divisions with an exciting blowout in the first and a brutal tussle in the second.

OPINION: All Blacks solidified their supremacy over their trans-Tasman rivals the Wallabies with an impressive 37-20 win in Japan.

OPINION: Wallabies' 20-37 defeat to the All Blacks adds to extra pressure on the under-fire head coach Michael Chieka ahead of the November Test series.

On this podcast, Scotty Stevenson & Mils Muliaina chat to Graham Henry about his thoughts of this generations players.

In this #SpecialEdition @rugby365com welcomes back @pauldelport9 and @APetoors10 to look at the @TheCurrieCup #Final and year-end tour selections.

OPINION: A number of players rose to the occasion in last weekend's Currie Cup semifinals in Durban and Cape Town.

VIDEO: The Sharks' changing room is a very strange place.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The diminutive Kolbe was always going to be up against the odds to establish a test career – it is all too easy to write him off based on his small physical stature.

The semi-finals began on Friday night with Tasman repelling Canterbury's advances with some stonewall defence.

EXCLUSIVE: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi grew up watching the late Solomzi "Solly" Tyibilika in Zwide and was motivated by the ex-Springbok to be an inspiration to that area.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team looks at some of the strangest rugby games to take place.

EXCLUSIVE: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi took some of his free time to speak about the Springbok revival and his softer side that not many get to see.

OPINION: Players from Western Province and the Sharks dominate our Currie Cup Team of the Week for Round Eight.

OPINION: The final round of the regular season threw up some trying weather for teams to navigate one of the most stressful weeks of the competition.

OPINION: The 2018/19 Champions Cup opened up on Friday in emphatic fashion, with reigning champions Leinster putting Wasps to the sword in Dublin, in a landslide 52-3 victory.

EXCLUSIVE: Former All Blacks flyhalf, Stephen Donald, opens up about the toughest opponents he faced during his International and Super Rugby career.

EXCLUSIVE: The dust has settled on the Rugby Championships and while initial thoughts were that the All Blacks would walk the competition, those thoughts are now a thing of the past as the Springboks proved to be worthy opponents.

EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Donald who famously kicked New Zealand to the 2011 World Cup title after joining the squad before the semi-finals, believes the Springboks are back.

RUMOUR MILL: This week there were some very interesting rumours coming from the hosts Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team unpacks final round of the @SanzarTRC and look towards the year-end tour selections.

OPINION: The dust has hardly settled on the Rugby Championship and already we are turning our attention to the year-end internationals.

EXCLUSIVE: World Cup-winning All Blacks flyhalf Stephen Donald shares his thoughts on the Rugby Championships and more specifically, the Springboks.