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WATCH as the Boks Office crew share their views on the Springboks' big coaching announcement this week.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew try to wrap their heads around Felix Jones' role within Steve Borthwick's England coaching group.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England named an unchanged team for the first time in over four years on Thursday when coach Steve Borthwick announced his side to play Wales in the Six Nations.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers star Hacjivah Dayimani is confident that his best friend Wandisile Simelane will excel in Cape Town.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Fabien Galthie resisted making sweeping changes to the France side for Saturday's Six Nations match against Scotland.

SPOTLIGHT: New Springbok assistant coach Jerry Flannery could not pass up the chance of working with Rassie Erasmus again.

SPOTLIGHT: South African centre Wilhelm de Klerk has entrenched himself in Ireland where he has worked his way into the Under-20 Six Nations team while he will also be in action in South Africa during the World U20 Championships in June.

WATCH as a few of the Bulls stars reveal who they think is the strongest player in their squad.

NEWS: British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny is expected to miss most of the Super Rugby season with a chest injury, the Crusaders said on Thursday.

NEWS: Barnstorming Brumbies loose forward Rob Valetini has won the John Eales medal, crowned as Australian rugby's men's Player of the Year

NEWS: Wales assistant coach Alex King has demanded a "no fear" approach in their Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

NEWS: Wales flank James Botham has been released from the Six Nations squad due to a knee injury, the Welsh Rugby Union said on Tuesday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Patrick Schickerling has become Glasgow Warriors’ first new signing ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, after the prop agreed to make the move to Scotstoun from Exeter Chiefs.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: George North was recalled by Wales as Warren Gatland made wholesale changes to his side for Saturday's Six Nations match against England at Twickenham.

NEWS: South Africa will play host to World Rugby’s Under-20 Championship for the second consecutive year when it takes place in the Western Cape from June 29 to July 19 this year.

Rassie Erasmus – the mastermind behind the Springboks’ back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles of 2019 and 2023 – has returned to the role of head coach for the next four years, following the departure of Jacques Nienaber to Leinster.

NEWS: All Blacks great Dane Coles credits Joe Schmidt for steering New Zealand to the World Cup final and says his appointment as Wallabies coach is a win for Australia and world rugby.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: France lock Paul Willemse received a suspension for a red card in the defeat to Ireland in the opening round of this season's Six Nations.

SPOTLIGHT: Deon Fourie’s second stint as a Stormer has been a resounding success in every sense.

NEWS: Springbok World Cup winning lock RG Snyman returned to full team training with Munster this week after recovering from a chest/shoulder injury sustained in the World Cup final.

NEWS: Louis Schreuder has signed a new contract that will extend his stay with Bath until 2025.

BREAKING: An ongoing injury has ruled out referee Pierre Brousset for this Sunday’s Six Nations encounter between Ireland and Italy in Dublin.

NEWS: South Africa's lead at the top of World Rugby's Rankings has been reduced after Round One of this season's Six Nations.

NEWS: South African lock Nico Janse van Rensburg celebrated his 150th cap for Montpellier last weekend by extending his contract with the French outfit for another two years.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland suffered a double injury blow with the news that Luke Crosbie and Richie Gray have been ruled out of the Six Nations tournament.

SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus shared graphic images of the injuries he sustained in a "freak accident" last month.

SPOTLIGHT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has enjoyed a long honeymoon but for the first time since he took over after the 2019 World Cup, there are rumblings about his stewardship following the 17-38 thumping by Ireland in the Six Nations.

NEWS: Increasing the number of girls playing rugby and finding more women rugby coaches and referees, were high on the agenda at SA Rugby's recent two-day Community Rugby Workshop.

SPOTLIGHT: Assistant coach William Servat admitted Monday that France would carry the "scars" of their Six Nations defeat by Ireland in Marseille into their next game against Scotland in Edinburgh at the weekend.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France could be without one of their key figures as the South African-born lock Paul Willemse faces a lengthy suspension.

INJURY UPDATE: Italy will take on Ireland on Sunday in the Six Nations without one of their most influential players.

Rory Darge and Grant Gilchrist look set for Test match return when Scotland continue their Six Nations campaign against France at Murrayfield.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland launched their bid for successive Grand Slams with an impressive triumph away to France, sparking an exciting first round of Six Nations action as England edged out Italy and Scotland survived a thrilling fightback by Wales to end along wait for a win in Cardiff.

CROSS BORDER WRAP: The Wild Knights created history, becoming the first corporate club from Japan to defeat a Super Rugby Pacific side, after a comprehensive 38-14 win over the Chiefs in Sunday's second match of Cross-Border Rugby at Kumagaya.

REACTION: Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu said Monday he expects to be sidelined for around 10 weeks with a broken jaw, missing the start of the Super Rugby Pacific season this month.

SPOTLIGHT: England captain Jamie George said he doesn't want anyone in the squad who doubts that the Red Roses can win this year's Six Nations title.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has revealed a 36-man squad for their Six Nations Round Two clash against Wales at Twickenham this coming Saturday.

NEWS: Barry John, known as the "King" of Welsh rugby during a golden era and arguably the sport's first superstar, has died. He was 79.

REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland believes his side can travel to Twickenham with renewed confidence after a stunning rally in an agonising defeat by Scotland that featured the "worst 40 minutes" of his lengthy coaching career.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew – Hanyani Shimange and Jean de Villiers, with guests Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt - talk about the rumours that All Black and Highlanders legend Tony Brown could be added to the Springbok coaching staff.

Wales player ratings: There’s no other way to say it. This was truly a game of two halves. Wales were dreadful in the first. Arguably their worst 40 minute performance under Warren Gatland throughout his multiple tenures. They couldn’t pass, catch or kick with any authority. They were throwing their toys and coughing up penalties. They should have been buried.

OPINION: Scotland player ratings: Having lost their last 11 matches in Cardiff, including nine in the Championship, since 2002, Scotland finally ended that miserable sequence with a 27-26 victory at the Principality Stadium.

REPORT: England were forced to come from behind to secure a hard-fought 27-24 win over Italy in the Six Nations Round One match in Rome on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round One encounter between Italy and England, as well as Wales versus Scotland.

SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont's latest statement is certainly not what France supporters would like to hear following their heavy Six Nations opening defeat to Ireland.

REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend was a relieved man on Saturday after his side's hopes of a first win in Cardiff in 22 years were almost scuppered by another dramatic slump in the Welsh capital.

REACTION: Head coach Steve Borthwick praised the impact England's debutants made in their tight 27-24 Six Nations win over Italy which ended a long-standing opening day hoodoo.

REPORT: Munster managed to hold on for a nailbiting 21-19 win over the Crusaders to win the Clash of Champions in Cork on Saturday.

REACTION: The Italians could not contain their disappointment with the narrow 24-27 defeat to England in the Six Nations opener in Rome.

MATCH REPORT: Scotland pulled a hat out of the bag and hung on for dear life to win their opening Six Nations Round One encounter by 27-26 over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

REACTION: The fight for the Six Nations title is not over, France coach Fabien Galthie has insisted, despite watching his team crash to the heaviest defeat since he took charge in 2019.

OPINION: A nervous, close-run thing on the scoreboard for England wasn’t in the script for this Six Nations round-one encounter. Player Ratings by Liam Heagney live from Stadio Olimpico. 

OPINION: Italy started their Six Nations campaign with a loss, but there are plenty of positives that new head coach Gonzalo Quesada can take from the performance in Rome.

SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's position at the top of the World Rugby rankings will be safe for a while.

TEAM UPDATE: England suffered another injury blow just hours ahead of the start of their 2024 Six Nations campaign.

SUPER RUGBY TRIAL WRAP: The Melbourne Rebels have put aside their off-field woes to post a 38-12 victory over the Waratahs in their first hit-out of the year.

SPOTLIGHT: The latest wrecking ball from the Tuilagi rugby dynasty was unleashed Friday, giant teenage lock Posolo making his debut for France in a 17-38 defeat to Ireland, and quickly maintaining the family's fearsome reputation.

REACTION: Ireland coach Andy Farrell said his team's 38-17 thrashing of France gave them invaluable momentum in their bid to defend their Six Nations title.

OPINION: In a match that laid bare the stark disparities between expectations and reality, France found themselves uncharacteristically lackluster, a shadow of the formidable force they were in 2023. A man down for much of the contest, France eventually buckled completely.

OPINION: Ireland, while not at their absolute best, capitalized on a French shortfall, managing to secure a decisive 38-17 bonus victory over their hosts in Marseille.

INTERVIEW: "Don't write us off" was the message from Adam Beard as a new-look Wales prepared to open their Six Nations Championship campaign against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland started the defence of their Six Nations and Grand Slam titles with a massive statement against France in Marseille on Friday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round One encounter between France and Ireland in Marseille.

WATCH as retired South African referee Jaco Peyper - in the ground-documentary Whistleblowers - speaks about the abuse his children experienced at school, because people disliked how he refereed matches.

ROUND ONE PREVIEW: Warren Gatland urged a new-look Wales to "go out there with no fear" when they launch their Six Nations Championship campaign at home to a Scotland side desperate to end a 22-year losing streak in Cardiff.

TRANSFER TALK: Forgotten Springbok centre Jan Serfontain has opted to extend his contract with Montpellier amid rumours of an exit.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew - Hanyani Shimange and Jean de Villiers, with guests Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt - attempt to find the next Dricus du Plessis in the rugby ranks.

ROUND ONE PREVIEW: Jamie George and Gonzalo Quesada are hoping to lead England and Italy into new eras as the countries face off in Saturday's Six Nations opener in Rome.

TEAM NEWS: Ange Capuozzo will miss Italy's Six Nations opener with England with gastroenteritis, the Italian rugby federation announced on Friday.

NEWS: Scott Lawrence was named head coach of the USA Eagles on Thursday, removing the interim tag under which he served in the role for the past year, USA Rugby announced.

In his 50 games for the Stormers thus far, flyhalf Manie Libbok has kept scoreboard operators everywhere busy with some prolific points-scoring.

ROUND ONE PREVIEW: The focus is firmly on the crucial opening match of the Six Nations - with two teams looking to put the disappointment of World Cup quarterfinal exits behind them.

REACTION: Northampton Saints have issued a statement following speculation that four Premiership clubs are in discussions to receive millions of pounds worth of investment from Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Gregor Townsend has named his Scotland matchday squad to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the opening round of this year’s Six Nations.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has revealed his team to play Italy in their opening game of the 2024 Six Nations at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

PREVIEW: The Cross-Border Rugby competition between leading clubs from Japan Rugby League One and Super Rugby Pacific kicks off on Saturday when the five-time Japanese champions Suntory Sungoliath battle the three-time Super Rugby champions the Blues.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ange Capuozzo will start on the right wing in Italy's Six Nations opener with England in Rome on Saturday, as Gonzalo Quesada makes his debut as Azzurri coach.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has revealed his team to face Scotland in their Six Nations opener.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Bristol Bears lock Josh Caulfield has finally learned his fate after facing a couple of hearings this week.

Wearing the Green and Gold is a dream any South African rugby player is determined to turn into reality - and for Marco van Staden that journey was filled with loads of challenges.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Four capped Junior Springboks are amongst a group of 35 players who will attend this year’s SA Rugby Academy Programme to continue preparations for the international season.

NEWS: Peter Jooste, the new administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union, will walk straight into a firestorm.

WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi reveals who he feels are the most underrated players in the team.

SPOTLIGHT: Scotland centre Huw Jones aims to carry on from where he left off when the 2024 Six Nations Championship gets underway this weekend.

NEWS: England flyhalf Danny Cipriani confirmed his retirement from Rugby Union on Wednesday in a "sobering but also freeing moment".

REACTION: Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind behind the Springboks' back-to-back World Cup victories, has given his take on the debated new tackle law.

WATCH as new All Black coach Scott Robertson speaks about the two-match tour to South Africa and his other first-season hurdles.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls, in preparation for crucial back-to-back United Rugby Championship derbies, had a surprise visitor at training on Tuesday.

NEWS: South African fans will have to wait a few years to host a European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Finals as EPCR announced the venues for the 2025 and 2026 editions of the tournaments.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Peter O’Mahony will lead Ireland when they face France in their Six Nations opener against France in Marseilles on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has named his team to face Ireland in the Six Nations opener in Marseille.

STAT ATTACK: Steven Kitshoff’s arrival at Ulster has grabbed the headlines and the World Cup-winning Springbok is certainly making his mark.

NEWS: England has been hit by another setback ahead of their Six Nations opener against Italy after concerns emerged surrounding the fitness of scrumhalf Alex Mitchell.

NEWS: Saracens announced that Maro Itoje has signed a new long-term contract at the club.

INTERVIEW: Italy head into the Six Nations as rank outsiders following a dismal World Cup.

NEWS: Former England flank Brad Shields was on Wednesday named captain of the Hurricanes for the 2024 Super Rugby season in the absence of Ardie Savea.

SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship is delicately poised for South African teams at the halfway stage - with the overall standings and Shield positions painting two contrasting pictures.

NEWS: One of South Africa's top players could return to action sooner than expected.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok coaches would have been happy with what they saw from a couple of South African players in the Premiership this past weekend.

NEWS: England have suffered a major blow ahead of their Six Nations opener against Italy as Marcus Smith was ruled out of Saturday's clash with a calf injury.

INTERVIEW: Jamie George's 'lighter touch' is better suited to captaining an inexperienced England Six Nations squad than the more 'abrasive' manner of Owen Farrell, said former Test lock Courtney Lawes.

NEWS: Rugby Australia is working with the debt-ridden Melbourne Rebels to ensure they field a team in this year's Super Rugby Pacific competition but has offered no guarantees beyond that.

REACTION: Despite shooting themselves in the foot on several occasions against the Lions, Jake White believes his Bulls team were also "unlucky" not to have won more comfortably.

SPOTLIGHT: Quade Cooper might have played his last game for the Wallabies, the flyhalf admitted.

NEWS: Rugby star Kurtley Beale told a woman he allegedly raped he "misread the whole situation" and profusely apologised to her, in a secretly taped phone call.

NEWS: New Zealand loose forward Luke Jacobson will captain the Chiefs in 2024, the Super Rugby franchise announced Tuesday, with All Blacks skipper Sam Cane currently in Japan.

WATCH as former Wallaby head coach Eddie Jones is caught threatening his players with a cattle prod during last year's World Cup in France.

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Ireland will start their bid for a historic back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slam when they take on France in Marseille in the tournament's mouth-watering opening match on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland has lost some of its South African beef, ahead of their Six Nations opener.

WATCH an exclusive interview with double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi on the Big Jim Show.

WATCH as Lions captain Marius Louw and coach Ivan van Rooyen look forward to the next two crucial rounds of the United Rugby Championship.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is appealing the decision of an independent disciplinary committee to overturn the red card which was issued to the Bristol Bears player Josh Caulfield.

REACTION: The Lions have become the bonus point kings in the United Rugby Championship with the most of all the teams, despite losing five out of their nine outings. 

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland's hopes of successfully defending their Six Nations title hinge on filling the "massive gap" left by Johnny Sexton's decision to retire after their World Cup quarterfinal loss to New Zealand.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White questioned his team's game management in their United Rugby Championship clash against the Lions in Pretoria on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Gloucester coach George Skivington was happy to end a 'painful' run of nine Premiership defeats with their bonus-point 32-20 win over Sale Sharks.

NEWS: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is currently recovering in hospital after suffering chemical burns.

URC REPORT: The Bulls climbed to fourth in the United Rugby Championship standings with a thrilling 30-28 win over the Lions in their Round Nine clash in Pretoria on Saturday.

REACTION: The improvement shown by the South African women's Sevens team in Perth will give the coaching staff and players a confidence boost for the next two HSBC SVNS tournaments.

REACTION: South Africa finished their HSBC SVNS Perth campaign on a high note by outplaying France 24-5 to finish the tournament in fifth place.

SPOTLIGHT: Tom Lynagh is battling a back niggle but the No.10 says he's learnt to be more competitive as he fights for a spot in Les Kiss's Queensland Reds starting side.

NEWS: Over 146,000 fans have helped the United Rugby Championship to break its all-time single-round attendance record for the second time in three weeks.

SATURDAY WRAP: Scotland scrumhalf Ben White handed coach Gregor Townsend an injury scare on Saturday before next weekend's opening round in the Six Nations.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day Three of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day Three of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in the United Rugby Champion and Premiership competitions.

SATURDAY WRAP: Northampton Saints' bonus-point 38-13 victory over winless Newcastle Falcons ensured they will remain top of the Premiership standings heading into the Six Nations break.

NEWS: Bloemfontein has been confirmed as the venue when the Springboks face Portugal in the historic first Test between the nations on Saturday, July 20.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has weighed in on the compulsory rest period debate has he expressed some concerns on development of one of his star players.

OPINION: It's been confirmed that one of the surprise packages of World Cup 2023, Portugal will play a one off Test against the back-to-back world champion Springboks in Bloemfontein.

WRAP: There was plenty of drama in Round Six of the Japan Rugby League One.

EXCLUSIVE: Watch as @king365ed sits down for a ONE-ON-ONE with Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, to talk about two of the most iconic figures in South African sport.

URC ROUND NINE CATCH-UP MATCH: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White admits that the Lions' style of play could make life difficult for his team in their United Rugby Championship clash in Pretoria.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day Two of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day Two of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

BREAKING NEWS: A career-ending medical condition has forced talented loosehead prop Rhynardt Rijnsburger to retire, Lions confirmed on Friday.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day One of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team for their Uniited Rugby Championship Round Nine catch-up match against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day One of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

TEAM UPDATE: Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations preparations have suffered another hiccup as Nick Isiekwe has become the fourth player to drop out of the England squad this week ahead of the February 3 campaign opener away to Italy.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have named Springbok Marco van Staden in their starting XV to face the Lions in their United Rugby Championship Round Nine match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

OPINION: A big local derby is on the cards this weekend, when the Bulls host the Lions in a United Rugby Championship catch-up match at Loftus Versfeld.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels insist they haven't entered voluntary administration but the move is potentially on the table for the financially-stricken Super Rugby Pacific franchise.

WATCH THE official trailer for Whistleblowers, a ground-breaking film documenting the lives and experiences of the World Rugby match officials at the World Cup - including now retired South African referee Jaco Peyper.

NEWS: One of South Africa's top loose forwards will be in a race against time to be fit for the Springboks' internationals against Ireland and Portugal in July.

PREVIEW: Racing 92's South African Tristan Tedder welcomes former club Toulouse in the French Top 14 on Sunday with Siya Kolisi offering words of wisdom for the playmaker in his eighth season in France.

NEWS: Grant Gilchrist is set to miss Scotland's Six Nations opener away to Wales on February 3 after receiving a one-week suspension while on club duty.

NEWS: England will face Japan at Twickenham in November in their fourth and final 2024 Nations Series international, the Rugby Football Union announced Thursday.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: The Cheetahs have been dealt another blow as wing Daniel Kasende was handed a suspension following his team's 28-29 Challenge Cup defeat to Oyonnax in Round Four.

NEWS: A few more Springboks have been added to the injury list.

NEWS: Following a tense conclusion to the pool stage last weekend when eight of the nine matches counted either for qualification or ranking, EPCR announced the dates, venues and kick-off times of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixtures.

WATCH as Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee explains what his team is expecting when the Lions arrive at Loftus Versfeld for a URC catch-up game on Saturday.

NEWS: For the first time in history the Bulls will host a Champions Cup Round of 16 match at Loftus Versfeld.

PREVIEW: All Blacks teammates Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga will go head-to-head when Toyota Verblitz take high-flying Brave Lupus in Round Six of Japan League One.

WATCH as @king365ed goes ONE-ON-ONE with Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, to get to the truth about the Jordan Hendrikse transfer saga.

SPOTLIGHT: Finn Russell believes his appointment as Scotland co-captain for the upcoming Six Nations is proof of how a once strained relationship with head coach Gregor Townsend has been repaired.

WATCH as Lions captain Marius Louw speaks to @king365ed about a demoralizing loss and an inadequate European performance last week, ahead of their Trans-Jukskei URC derby with the Bulls.

ROUND THREE: The 24 SVNS teams - men and women - are ready to turn up the heat in Round Three of the World Series in Perth this weekend.

TRANSFER TALK: It seems like another top rugby star might be heading the USA, as the Australia utility back Jordan Petaia is attracting interest from the National Football League (NFL).

REACTION: Retired referee Nigel Owens has questioned the decision to overturn the red card handed to Bristol lock Josh Caulfield.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Northampton hooker Curtis Langdon has been banned for four weeks following his red card in a European Champions Cup win away to Irish province Munster last weekend.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Cheetahs wing Munier Hartzenberg received a suspension for his red card in his team's 28-29 Challange Cup defeat to Oyonnax last weekend.

NEWS: The South Western Districts Eagles will have a former Springbok fullback in charge of their team.

SPOTLIGHT: James O'Connor was burning himself out trying to prove he'd shed his reputation as rugby's bad boy.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell made it clear that it was his big bruisers in the pack that laid the foundation for his team's success against the Dragons.

NEWS: Japan Rugby League One chairman Genichi Tamatsuka has hailed next week’s kick-off in The Cross-Border rugby competition between Japan and New Zealand as a new era for relations between the countries at club level.

STAT ATTACK: As that hackneyed proverb goes: 'Defence is an indication of a team's attitude.'

The Cheetahs concluded the Challenge Cup pool stage on a very sour note at the weekend.

INJURY NEWS: England head coach Steve Borthwick has been forced to make three changes to his 2024 Six Nations squad.

Rugby supporters have been cautioned about purchasing fake match-day tickets from fraudulent websites.

DISCPLINARY NEWS: The Bristol Bears second row Josh Caulfield had his red card overturned following an independent Disciplinary Hearing.

REACTION: Lions captain Marius Louw says the negatives outweighed the positives in the final quarter of their Challenge Cup pool match against the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

INTERVIEW: England coach Steve Borthwick explained how a former member of Jacques Nienaber's coaching staff silenced their dressing room.

The first time it was just a text message of ‘maybe’, but when Tristan Leyds got the confirmation that he was in the BlitzBoks team to play in this weekend's inaugural HSBC SVNS tournament in Perth, he video-called older brother Dillyn to share the good news.

REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland said he was ready to keep the door open for Louis Rees-Zammit's return to rugby should his American football stint prove short-lived.

REACTION: Jamie George said "pressure is a privilege" as he prepared to take over as England captain despite seeing the strain the position placed on close friend Owen Farrell.

INTERVIEW: Peter O'Mahony is glad he dismissed thoughts about retiring from the international game after Ireland's World Cup quarterfinal defeat.

NEWS: England flyhalf Owen Farrell will join Racing 92 on a two-year deal from next season.

NEWS: France's forward stocks suffered a big blow ahead of this year's Six Nations.

NEWS: The Bulls and Stormers will face familiar French opposition in the last 16 of this season's Champions Cup.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explicates the troubling travel schedule they will face after booking 'home ground' advantage in Europe's Round of 16.

NEWS: The Sharks will be the only South African side with home advantage in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

INTERVIEW: The Queensland Reds are sticking with their leadership set-up, with Tate McDermott and Liam Wright to captain the side again in 2024.

WATCH as Reds coach Les Kiss explains why new Wallaby boss Joe Schmidt is an ideal candidate for the role.

REACTION: Jake White, the Bull’s Director of Rugby, says the Champions Cup is club rugby on steroids but navigating the challenges to compete against the best teams out there takes its toll.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Sharks ended the Dragons' Challenge Cup campaign with a 29-9 win in wet and windy conditions in Newport on Sunday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: In a thrilling final Champions Cup pool match, Aviron Bayonnais secured a maiden win in EPCR’s leading competition against Exeter Chiefs.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Lions ended their Challenge Cup pool phase with a 28-38 defeat to the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: In an enthralling game, Stade Toulousain confirmed top spot in Pool 2 with a 31-19 win over Bath.

NEWS: Flyhalf Finn Russell and flank Rory Darge have been named co-captains for Scotland ahead of the 2024 Six Nations, Scottish Rugby announced in a statement on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Stade Rochelais demonstrated exactly why they are the Champions Cup holders with a strong 37-24 win against Sale Sharks at the Salford Community Stadium.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Flyhalf Louie Johnson kicked 22 points as Newcastle Falcons picked up their first EPCR Challenge Cup victory of the season, beating Perpignan 32-23.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

REACTION: The Stormers will not be able to rely on their World Cup-winning Springboks for the crunch derby with the Sharks next month.

MATCH REPORT: Saracens lock Maro Itoje scored a crucial brace of tries as the three-time winners of EPCR’s leading competition qualified for the knockout stage of this year’s Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers not only confirmed their place in the Champions Cup Round Of 16, but they also ensure they will host the game when Europe's premier competition reaches the play-offs in April.

CHAMPIONS CUP: Northampton Saints demonstrated a never-say-die attitude as they came from behind to defeat Munster 26-23 despite playing most of the game with 14 men.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Racing 92 qualified for the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a bonus-point 48-26 win against Cardiff.

NEWS: South Africa's top referee Jaco Peyper has decided to hang up his whistle.

MATCH REPORT: Caelan Doris was the hero for Leinster, scoring their fourth try to secure a bonus point and home advantage in the knockout stage after a 27-10 win over Leicester Tigers.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Cheetahs suffered a heartbreaking 27-28 defeat to Oyonnax in their final Challenge Cup pool match.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Tomas Albornoz led Benetton to a fine victory in the EPCR Challenge Cup, beating Montpellier Herault Rugby 27-19.

CHALLENGE CUP MATCH REPORT: A missed 78th-minute conversion by Zebre Parma’s Geronimo Prisciantelli was the difference between success and defeat for the United Rugby Championship side as they fell to a 27-28 loss to Section Paloise at Stade du Hameau in the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls booked their place in the Champions Cup Round of 16, but not before enduring an almighty scrap with French powerhouse Bordeaux-Begles.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins boosted their hopes of earning a home tie for the Round of 16 with a 47-19 win over Ulster in Round Four of the Champions Cup on Saturday.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Clermont Auvergne secured home advantage in the Round of 16 of the Challenge Cup with a bonus-point win over Black Lion.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The Robbie Deans-coached Wild Knights continued their dominance in Japan as they romped to a 70-12 win over the Heat on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

FRIDAY WRAP: Pierre Schoeman starred as Edinburgh sealed their place in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup with a bonus point win, beating Pool Three's bottom side Scarlets 31-19 in Wales.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY PREVIEWS: Deon Fourie will return to a city of which he has fond memories, Paris, but it is on a very different missions.

MATCH REPORT: Centre Huw Jones was the key as Glasgow Warriors defeated Toulon 29-5 to qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16.

MATCH REPORT: It was a disappointing return to Dexcom Stadium for Pat Lam as Connacht ended their eight-match losing run with a 27-10 demolition of his Bristol Bears in the Challenge Cup.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains how they are 'grooming' rookie Jan-Hendrik Wessels to be the next Springbok great in the front row.

WATCH as Jim Hamiton chats to Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard during a small snippet of his Big Jim Show on RugbyPass TV.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The Sharks and Cheetahs will be looking to follow in the Lions' footsteps and secure their place the Round of 16.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt vowed to "get Australia up and running" after being named as the new Wallabies boss, replacing Eddie Jones.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks will head into their Challenge Cup Round Four match against the Dragons in Newport with a few changes to their matchday squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team for their final Challenge Cup Pool match against the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

REACTION: The Sharks are standing firm in the face of another raid on their resources.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Manie Libbok will play his 50th Stormers game in the Champions Cup clash with Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: After suffering a defeat against PAU in Amsterdam, the Cheetahs travelled to France this week for Round Four of the Challenge Cup.

EURO SPOTLIGHT: Eight teams have already booked their places in the Champions Cup's Round of 16. However, for the two South African entrants there is plenty to play for in the final round of league action..

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains some of his more interesting selections in the team to face Bordeaux in a Champions Cup Round Four decider!

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: BlitzBoks head coach Sandile Ngcobo has made several changes to the squad that will travel to Australia on Saturday for the inaugural HSBC SVNS tournament in Perth.

NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have announced the appointment of Steve Diamond as consultant director of rugby.

SPOTLIGHT: The Cheetahs' preparations for their final Challenge Cup pool match against Oyonnax in France suffered a bit of a setback this week.

REACTION: France head coach Fabien Galthie had some explaining to do when it came to his captaincy decision for the Six Nations.

Bulls flyer Devon Williams would love to see out his career in Pretoria but his loan agreement from the Pumas are currently under negotiation.

NEWS: Springbok Elton Jantjies' rugby career has taken another hit following his suspension for a banned substance.

NEWS: Former England hooker and forwards coach Richard Cockerill has been appointed head coach of Georgia and their domestic side Black Lion.

NEWS: Former England Under-20 star Harry Mallinder will be joining Louis Rees-Zammit in the United States of America.

NEWS: World Rugby has confirmed a change to the match official appointments for the Six Nations 2024 match between Italy and Scotland on March 9.

REACTION: The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has broken its silence in the aftermath of Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies' ban.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Kyle Steyn leads a classy Glasgow Warriors outfit in their Champions Cup Round Four fixture against Toulon on Friday with 11 internationals in the line-up.

NEWS: Australia will be unveiling their new head coach in the coming days.

SPOTLIGHT: As the Bulls target play-off spots in both the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, the decision by Director of Rugby Jake White at the start of this season to find a new "edge in high performance" seems to be paying off on all fronts.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: South African coach Sean Everitt has given his team a mandate when Edinburgh take on Scarlets in the Challenge Cup Round Four match on Friday.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives his take on the suggestion that South Africa should join the Six Nations.

Two visiting Super Rugby teams will interrupt the Japan Rugby League One resulting in a split round which sees only three matches being played this weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell has named a 34-player Ireland squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has revealed the extent of seasoned Springbok Wilco Louw's shoulder injury.

NEWS: The Los Angeles leg of this season’s HSBC SVNS series has been extended to include a ‘Friday Night Lights’ experience after the great success in Dubai and Cape Town.

REACTION: Jamie George "accepted with huge gratitude and enthusiasm" the offer from head coach Steve Borthwick to captain England in the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: France coach Fabien Galthié has name the replacement as captain in place of Antoine Dupont.

NEWS: Scarlets centre Johnny Williams has been handed a six-week ban for a dangerous tackle during the Challenge Cup match against Clermont.

SPOTLIGHT: Seeing a coach on the sidelines is a very rare occurrence when it comes to high-profile leagues like the United Rugby Championship, Challenge Cup or Champions Cup.

NEWS: The Sharks revealed that they will be able to call on the services of a couple of World Cup-winning Springboks sooner than expected.

NEWS: Saracens confirmed that Jamie George has signed a new two-year contract at the club.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Steve Borthwick has named a 36-player training squad for the forthcoming 2024 Six Nations championship.

NEWS: Louis Rees-Zammit made the shock decision to leave Gloucester with immediate effect, as the Wales Rugby Union star "pursues his dream" of a career in American Football.

WATCH as Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie chats to @king365ed about the road ahead in Europe after a bad day at the office.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland have named England prop Alec Hepburn in their squad for the forthcoming Six Nations tournament.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada named five new faces in his preliminary 34-man squad for the Six Nations, which begins next month.

NEWS: France lock Bastien Chalureau was cleared of carrying out a racially motivated attack on two men, but his six-month suspended prison sentence for the violent incident remains in place.

NEWS: Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg is set to join France outfit Bordeaux.

WATCH as Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell chats to @king365ed about the way forward in Europe for the franchise.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains why they have chosen a venue in England to play a potential Champions Cup semifinal.

WATCH as Labeeb Levy, the Stormers skills coach and performance analyst, speak about the challenging trip to Paris and a crunch encounter with Stade Français.

England flyhalf Owen Farrell received a major endorsement from double World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi.

NEWS: New Zealand will host the first ever British & Irish Lions women’s tour in 2027

REACTION: The Lions will head into their final Challenge Cup league match this coming Sunday with a European play-off spot safely tucked away.

Two No. 8’s have been cited for foul play in the Champions Cup and could face sanctions while one player in the Challenge Cup is also in hot water.

Japan's new head coach Eddie Jones has identified the big area his team need to work on to excel on the world stage.

STAT ATTACK: The fleet-footed Hacjivah Dayimani continues to build a strong case for a Springboks call-up.

All five South African franchises are on the verge of an incredible historic feat in the European Cup competitions. 

NEWS: One of Ireland's top referees has opted to call it a day at the end of the season.

The Stormers head coach John Dobson was very pleased with the five log points following his team's 31-24 Champions Cup win over Sale Sharks on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Damian Penaud cemented his position as one of the best players in Europe.

MATCH REPORT: Two-time defending Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais showcased their title credentials with a 45-12 mauling of Leicester Tigers in Sunday's Pool Four meeting at the Stade Marcel Deflandre.

MATCH REPORT: Will Muir’s 71st minute try capped off a stunning 14-point comeback from Bath, to secure their spot in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 29-25 win over Racing 92 at The Rec on Sunday.

It seems like everything that could go wrong for the Sales Sharks, essentially did go wrong during the week of their Round Three Champions Cup match against the Stormers in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Section Paloise kept their European dream alive by beating an uncharacteristically indisciplined Cheetahs team 33-20 in a Challenge Cup Round Three match in Amsterdam on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between the Cheetahs and Section Paloise the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Springboks and All Blacks featured heavily in Saturday’s action in Japan Rugby League One when Blue Revs faced Suntory Sungoliath in the day’s big fixture.

MATCH REPORT: Antoine Dupont was in extraordinary form as he inspired Stade Toulousain to a 48-24 victory over Ulster in Round Three of the Champions Cup in Belfast.

MATCH REPORT: It was a brilliant bonus point win for Harlequins in Pool Two of the Champions Cup as they travelled to Cardiff and ran out 54-15 winners in their Round Three match.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about the shoulder injury of Springbok prop Wilco Louw.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between Montpellier and the Lions at Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

MATCH REPORT: Montpellier climbed to the summit of the Challenge Cup's Pool Two, following their hard-earned 13-3 over a willing Lions team in a Round Three match at Stade Yves-du-Manoir on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Jack Crowley stated his case for the starting flyhalf spot in Ireland’s Six Nations team with an impressive performance at the heart of Munster’s 29-18 win over Toulon in the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster confirmed their spot in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a composed victory over Stade Francais in Round Three of the Champions Cup, wing Jordan Larmour and No. 8 Caelen Doris both getting braces.

MATCH REPORT: A brace from Thaakir Abrahams and the reliable boot of Paddy Jackson was the difference as Pool 1 high-flyers Lyon came through a tough test courtesy of Connacht, triumphing 34-20 in Round 3 of the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: A brace by Leolin Zas and some magic by Man of the Match Hacjivah Dayimani helped the Stormers to a valuable 31-24 victory over the Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup in Cape Town on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The boot of flyhalf Adam Hastings secured a big win for Gloucester over Edinburgh, confirming their spot in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Three encounter between the Stormers and Sale Sharks in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Castres Olympique secured their position in the Pool Three standings with a 28-6 win over Black Lion in the Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Exeter Chiefs centre Henry Slade kicked the winning points for his side once again in yet another comeback win for the Premiership side in the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: A brace from Simone Gesi helped Zebre Parma defeat the Dragons 20-17 in their EPCR Challenge Cup Round 3 match in Italy.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls recorded their biggest ever victory in the Champions Cup and kept their hopes of the last 16 alive after their convincing 31-17 victory over the Bristol Bears on Saturday evening.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Three encounter between the Bristol Bears and Bulls at Ashton Gate.

MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Anthony Belleau and wing Alivereti Raka both scored braces as Clermont Auvergne defeated 14-man Scarlets 38-17 in a Challenge Cup Round Three match.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between the Sharks and Oyonnax at Kings Park in Durban.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks booked their place in the Challenge Cup's Round of 16 with a 38-7 bonus-point win over French outfit Oyonnax at Kings Park on Saturday.

NEWS: Sean Everitt penned a new two-year extension with Edinburgh as the club’s head coach.

NEWS: The Six Nations confirmed that players will use mouthguard technology designed to help identify the need for head injury assessments in the upcoming tournament.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: As the last two rounds of the Champions Cup pool stage approach, the question of who will qualify for the knockout stage has grown in importance which makes this weekend’s encounters vital.

REPORT: Fullback Iestyn Hopkins scored either side of half-time as Ospreys recorded an important 25-3 win against USAP to secure their progression into the EPCR Challenge Cup knockout stage.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton scored eight as they secured passage to the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 with a 57-18 victory over Newcastle Falcons.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: @king365ed looks at the Round Three action in Europe!

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints became the first team to qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 61-14 mauling of Aviron Bayonnais.

SPOTLIGHT: Utility Bulls back Henry Immelman has pace to burn, a booming kicking boot and to top it off, he stands 1.89 m tall.

NEWS: England prop Mako Vunipola announced his retirement from the international game on Friday.

NEWS: Joel Jutge, World Rugby’s head of match officials, has slammed France captain Antoine Dupont for the remarks he made following his team’s exit from the World Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks host Oyonnax at Kings Park in the Round Three EPCR Challenge Cup clash on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs head coach Hawies Fourie made four changes as his side gear up for their historic match in Amsterdam.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have made their intentions clear ahead of their Champions Cup clash with the Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate on Saturday.

WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree explains why he is returning to New Zealand.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions will meet their match when they come face to face with Montpellier in a clash of two unbeaten Challenge Cup records this season in France on Saturday evening.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers side to host the Sale Sharks in the Third Round of the Championship Cup see the return of Courtnall Skosan and Herschel Jantjies in Cape Town on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no doubting just what a potent weapon the driving lineout maul is in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

PREVIEW: Northampton Saints welcome Bayonne to Franklin Gardens in the Champions Cup on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Two French clubs top the statistics at the halfway point of the pool phase of the Champions Cup.

UPDATE: The kick-off time for the United Rugby Championship Round Nine match between the Bulls and Lions on January 27 has been moved to an earlier time slot.

WATCH as Stormers loose forward Hacjivah Graham Dayimani explains how he will stake his claim on a Springbok jersey.

NEWS: Michael Hooper will not make his Australia rugby sevens debut in Perth as expected, with the former Wallaby's first outing delayed in a hit to his Olympic aspirations.

REACTION: Ireland boss Andy Farrell said being named the coach of the British and Irish Lions for the 2025 tour of Australia "means the world".

WATCH as seasoned utility back Werner Kok chats to @king365ed about how the Sharks can turn their season around.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: It is a battle for survival in Friday's Challenge Cup Pool Two matches.

NEWS: Andy Farrell is expected to be named British and Irish Lions head coach for the 2025 tour to Australia on Thursday.

NEWS: Andy Farrell has been appointed as the new coach of the British & Irish Lions for the 2025 Tour to Australia.

PREVIEW: The Japan Rugby League One Round Five marks the return of Springbok lock Lood de Jager this weekend.

OPINION: @leezil07 takes out her crystal ball and makes some bold predictions for 2024!

NEWS: The South African BlitzBoks have been drawn in Pool A with log leaders Argentina together with Canada and Spain for the Third Round of the HSBC SVNS that kicks off in Perth on January 26.

EURO SPOTLIGHT: South African teams are in their second season at Europe's top table - the Champions Cup. What is the price on either the Bulls or Stormers going all the way.

WATCH as young Bulls loose forward Celimpilo Gumede speaks about the crucial European Cup Round Three face-off against the Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate.

INTERVIEW: The Lions have their sights firmly set on a place in the United Rugby Championship play-offs.

NEWS: Connacht’s Byron Ralston has been suspended for three games following a citing in the United Rugby Championship for the game against Munster on New Year’s Day.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers forward coach Rito Hlungwani has shed light on the key factors behind his side’s scrum dominance.

NEWS: Jaco Visagie is back at the helm as captain of the Lions when they face Montpellier in Round Three of the Challenge Cup in France on Saturday.

NEWS: Fiji lock Api Ratuniyarawa was jailed for nearly three years on Tuesday for sexually assaulting three teenagers in a bar days before he was due to play for the Barbarians in Cardiff last year.

NEWS: Jake White, Director of Rugby at the Bulls, revealed their Springboks are still on leave as part of their obligatory  resting period.

WATCH as Springboks stars show their support for South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis, as he prepares to challenge the USA’s Sean Strickland for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title.

NEWS: Rugby paid tribute to one of the sport's greatest ever players after former Wales and British and Irish Lions fullback JPR Williams died at the age of 74.

INJURY UPDATE: The Springboks and Munster sustained a fresh injury blow after Jean Kleyn has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

SPOTLIGHT: New All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Tuesday he was pressing New Zealand Rugby to change its sacrosanct rule banning overseas-based players from Test selection, saying he wanted to pick from the best available.

REACTION: Johann van Graan has told Bath to prepare for a "massive challenge" in January featuring European Champions Cup games against French giants Racing 92 and Toulouse.

TRANSFER NEWS: Munster confirmed that Joey Carbery has made the decision to depart the province for a new playing opportunity outside of Ireland at the end of the current campaign.

WATCH as Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie chats to @king365ed about the selection of forgotten Springbok Oupa Mohoje in their tour squad for a two-match trip to Europe.

REACTION: The Sharks will head into the second half of their European campaign desperate to turn around an abortive season, but acknowledging there are challenges.

INJURY NEWS: Ireland have suffered a major injury blow with wing Mack Hansen being ruled out of the Six Nations tournament.

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Finn Morton makes some bold predictions for  2024.

SPOTLIGHT: The five South African franchises return to European Cup action this weekend.

NEWS: The match official appointments have been confirmed for the return of EPCR's tournaments - with qualification for the knockout stages on the line.

MATCH REPORT: Bath claimed a 17-10 victory in the Premiership over Gloucester with a try double from Tom de Glanville at the Recreation Ground on Sunday.

REACTION: With licence to an often misquoted Aristotle phrase, first recorded some 2370-odd years ago: "The Lions' whole was greater than the sum of the Sharks' parts."

NEWS: Saracens boss Mark McCall said the Premiership champions would do everything in their power to keep Owen Farrell after the England captain was linked with a move to French club Racing 92.

WRAP: Springboks Cheslin Koble and Kwagga Smith were on the list of scorers in the Japan Rugby League One for their respective teams over the weekend, ensuring victories for the Blue Revs and Suntory Sungolaith.

NEWS: Top 14 leaders Racing 92 ran in five tries to edge Castres 34-30 on Saturday and will hope the victory will deliver a first win in the Champions Cup next weekend.

NEWS: England have yet to finalise the details of their ‘hybrid contracts’ but coach Steve Borthwick has revealed that setting players’ workload when on club duty will not be among his powers.

Sharks face tighthead crisis after another injury

NEWS: Another new record has been set by the United Rugby Championship, with the league setting an all-time high for single-round attendance.

SATURDAY WRAP: Saracens' torrid weekend that began with revelations over Owen Farrell's possible move to Racing 92 continued with a 19-10 Premiership defeat at Leicester.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter between the Sharks and Lions at Kings Park in Durban.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions ended a near seven-year drought in Durban, producing a second-half comeback to snatch a crucial 20-18 United Rugby Championship win over the Sharks.

REPORT: Wallaby World Cup reject Quade Cooper's comeback in Japan has ended with a yellow card and a 27-point battering for his Kintetsu Liners.

FRIDAY WRAP: Harlequins moved to the top of the Premiership with a bonus-point 24-3 victory over bottom-of-the-table Newcastle at Kingston Park.

WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree explains to @king365ed the real reason behind his decision to sign Kiwi power lifter Joel Hintz.

STAT ATTACK: Kurt-Lee Arendse has become one of the most prolific players in the world.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Leicester Tigers decided to stick with their new Springboks-like tactic of a replacement split of six forwards and just two backs when they play host to Saracens on Saturday in the Premiership.

REACTION: Denials and more denials! That is what followed reports that England captain Owen Farrell has or is going to sign for French club Racing 92.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber believes that having South African players plying their trade overseas, helps the country in their quest to be the best in the world.

PREVIEW: @king365ed chats to the Sharks and Lions camps ahead of their URC Round Eight catch-up match in Durban on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok lock Lood de Jager finally makes his long-awaited return after a lengthy lay-off due to injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are slowly becoming the designated franchise to rejuvenate players' careers and passion for the game.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks host the Lions in the two teams’ opening match of the year when they meet in Round Eight of the United Rugby Championship at Kings Park on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have named their team that will face the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship Round Eight clash on Saturday at Kings Park.

ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW: The views and reports of a desolate Ellis Park is well documented, with the accompanying freak-outs.

NEWS: Steve Borthwick is confident that England will head into the Six Nations with the right "foundation" after their run to the World Cup semifinals.

NEWS: England finally revealed how double World Cup winner Felix Jones will fit in their coaching set-up.

WATCH a Springbok utility Grant Williams chats to @king365ed about the URC crunch encounter with the Lions in Durban on Saturday.

PROFILE: It was a fitting farewell to 2023 for Stormers hooker Scarra Ntubeni as he made his 100th appearance for the Cape Town team in the victory over Sharks.

Aside from a couple of games in South Africa, the United Rugby Championship will be taking a break with Round 10 coming up in mid-February.

SPOTLIGHT: France sevens coach Jerome Daret revealed he "no worries" about Antoine Dupont's ability to convert to the abbreviated game in time for this summer's Paris Olympics

NEWS: The England team have ended their 20-year relationship with their union, the Rugby Players Association.

NEWS: Saracen's Mako Vunipola received a red card for dangerous tackling, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.13, during the Premiership game against Newcastle Falcons on December 30.

NEWS: Flyhalf Jacob Umaga has signed a new deal with United Rugby Championship outfit Benetton, keeping him in Italy until 2026.

WATCH as @king365ed talks to assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher and captain Marius Louw about a monstrous month of fixtures awaiting them at the start of 2024.

REACTION: Ulster’s remarkable win against Leinster in the United Rugby Championship New Year’s match has raised eyebrows among teams in the Championship, but it isn’t surprising to hear that much of the galvanising spirit came after a serious talk from their Springbok acquisition Steven Kitshoff.

SPOTLIGHT: Ulster head coach Dan McFarland shared his insights on exploiting Leinster's rush defence led by Jacques Nienaber.

NEWS: Fijian sensation Viliame Mata will join Bristol Bears from Edinburgh ahead of the 2024/25 season, the club confirmed.

REVIEW 2023: @king365ed looks back at the year that was - the historic World Cup win by South Africa and other great events, like the European Cup, URC and Currie Cup.

NEWS: French captain and scrumhalf Antoine Dupont is expected at his first preparatory day for the Paris Olympics rugby Sevens event.

EURO SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com continues to track the performances of South African players in the Premiership and it is not just the World Cup winners that are rocking it in England.

NEWS: England international Alex Coles has penned a new contract to remain at Northampton Saints.

REACTION: Edinburgh's win over Glasgow Warriors was not enough to claim the 1872 Cup on Sunday, leaving star-wing Duhan van der Merwe a little disappointed.

SPOTLIGHT: There is no denying that Malcolm Marx is probably the best hooker in the world and the latest statistics just published by OptaJonny confirms it yet again.

SPOTLIGHT: With all 48 matches counting towards the World Rugby Rankings and carrying double points, World Cup 2023 was always going to have the potential to shake things up, and so it proved.

MATCH REPORT: Scarlets flyhalf Sam Costelow missed two late kicks at goal to allow Dragons to move off the bottom of the United Rugby Championship table with a 13-12 win at a rain-sodden Rodney Parade.

MATCH REPORT: Ulster started 2024 with a bang by beating United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster 22-21 for their only their third win in 22 visits to the RDS Arena.

MATCH REPORT: Keelan Giles scored a pair of tries as Ospreys secured a 27-21 bonus-point victory over Cardiff in Bridgend on Monday.

MATCH REPORT: JJ Hanrahan's right boot ensured Connacht ended a run of five defeats in all competitions as injury-ravaged Munster went down 9-22 at the Sportsground.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Stormers will avert a midfield crisis in an exchange deal with the Bulls.

REACTION: Johann van Graan insisted he had no qualms about fielding a second-string team after a 22-35 loss at Leicester meant Bath missed the chance to end 2023 top of the English Premiership table.

SPECIAL DELIVERY: As the New Year dawns, South Africa’s historic double World Cup victory is still fresh in the memory. We have a special treat for fans worldwide.

MATCH REPORT: Leicester Tigers have claimed a 35-22 bonus-point win over Bath on New Year’s Eve in front of a sell-out crowd at Welford Road.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree admits things will become tricky over the next couple of months when his Bok players go into a compulsory rest period.

MONDAY PREVIEW: Plenty of fireworks can be expected as the new year of rugby gets underway with double derby clashes in Ireland and Wales.

SPOTLIGHT: Just when they thought that some of their midfield woes were over, the Stormers suffered another mammoth blow.

SATURDAY WRAP: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall is anxiously awaiting the verdict from a tribunal against Mako Vunipola, after he was sent off in the final minute of his side's 37-19 Premiership victory over Newcastle.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers closed in on the Bulls in the race to be South Africa's top team in the United Rugby Championship, as they edged the Sharks 16-15 in a bruising Round Nine encounter in Cape Town.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Nine encounter between the Stormers and Sharks in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors missed the chance to end 2023 top of the United Rugby Championship after losing 14-19 to Edinburgh at Murrayfield - but did manage to retain the 1872 Cup.

INTERVIEW: Johann van Graan, the Bath coach, admitted it is pointless to target double World Cup winner Handre Pollard.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton continued their excellent start to the United Rugby Championship season by beating Italian rivals Zebre 36-14 at Stadio Monigo.

As the year ends and South Africa’s historic double World Cup victory is still fresh in the memory, fans worldwide are in for a treat.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has shed some light on the discussions with SA Rugby over the upcoming 'compulsory rest period' for the top Springboks.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has described centre Dan du Plessis as one of the most important players in his team

OPINION: The world of rugby witnessed some historic rugby events in 2023. 

MATCH REPORT: Exeter powered to the top of the English Premiership with a 24-14 victory over west country rivals Bristol at Ashton Gate on Friday.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: Sharks head coach John Plumtree says the Stormers have provided his team with something to aspire to as the two teams go head-to-head in a United Rugby Championship derby in Cape Town.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has tweaked his matchday squad for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round Nine clash against the Sharks.

OPINION:  It comes as no surprise that the World Cup winners South Africa headline the prestigious @rugby365com Team of the Year selections.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his matchday squad for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round Nine clash against the Stormers in Cape Town.

NEWS: England will be without Manu Tuilagi for the start of the Six Nations after the powerful centre suffered a groin injury in Sale's Premiership victory over Saracens last week.

NEWS: Duhan van der Merwe has described his latest decision on his playing future as a "no-brainer".

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree says fatigue has become a big problem in his squad as they brace themselves for another big South African derby against the Stormers.

SPOTLIGHT: World Cup-winning Springbok Jasper Wiese continues to raise the bar in England's Premiership.

SPOTLIGHT: The son of a Springbok great, Andre-Hugo Venter is writing his own story in a breakthrough year for the Stormers.

OPINION: Wales coach Warren Gatland is never short of a view on the game, even though he often comes across as salty when speaking his mind.

SPOTLIGHT: After 13 years in the Western Province and Stormers structures, hooker Scarra Ntubeni admitted that he has questioned his career decisions.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White catches everyone by surprise with his reaction to the calls by the match officials in their 20-26 loss to the Stormers at the weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers hooker Scarra Ntubeni admitted that it will be a bit "weird" when he comes up against Eben Etzebeth in a United Rugby Championship clash in Cape Town on Saturday.

WATCH as Stormers captain Deon Fourie explains how the North-South derby has evolved in recent years, with much of the 'malice' gone from the game.

NEWS: The match official appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round nine derbies have been confirmed.

NEWS: Top 14 clubs Toulon and Toulouse have both been sanctioned over breaching the Top 14’s salary cap with Cheslin Kolbe’s transfer in 2021.

INJURY SPOTLIGHT: One of Wales' key players is set to be on the sidelines for the next few months.

MATCH REPORT: Harry Byrne kicked Leinster to a 9-3 Christmas derby win over Munster at a wet and windy Thomond Park as they returned to the top of the United Rugby Championship.

MATCH REPORT: The Ospreys completed the double over west Wales rivals Scarlets as they won their first league game at Parc Y Scarlets since 2015 with a 25-11 triumph.

MATCH REPORT: Cardiff ran in nine tries as they stormed to an emphatic 55-21 Boxing Day United Rugby Championship victory over local rivals Dragons at Arms Park.

NEWS: A record-breaking crowd of over 30,000 will roar on the decisive 1872 Cup match between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield on Saturday.

REACTION: With 2023 running to its obligatory conclusion, we revisit one of the most captivating contests of the year.

NEWS: The Cheetahs confirmed media reports that stalwart Robert Ebersohn has hung up his boots.

WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson gives a status update ahead of the Round Nine URC face-off with the Springbok-laden Sharks.

SPOTLIGHT: David Nucifora and Peter Horne taking on key RA roles after helping Ireland to world No.1 has raised the prospect of Joe Schmidt coaching the Wallabies.

BOXING DAY PREDICTIONS: RG Snyman's decision to swap his red Munster jersey for the blue one of arch-rivals Leinster has added a lot of spice to Tuesday's big Irish derby.

WRAP: All Black loose forward Shannon Frizell was the toast of Fuchu after scoring four tries, leading Brave Lupus to a successful Christmas Eve heist at the home of Kobe Steelers.

TRANSFER NEWS: Gloucester confirmed the immediate signing of flyhalf Charlie Atkinson, who arrives from Leicester Tigers on a permanent deal.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains to @king365ed what aspects of the game his team most needs to work on as they head into their Christmas break.

SPOTLIGHT: New All Blacks coach Scott Robertson's move to have Wayne Smith on board as a performance director has been hailed a masterstroke.

WATCH as @king365ed brings you the post-match reaction of Stormers and Bulls camps after their intense and bruising URC face-off in Cape Town.

SPOTLOGHT: Just a week after claiming their first European Challenge Cup win, Black Lion continue to set the standard in the Super Cup as they are crowned 2023 champions. 

TOP 14 SATURDAY WRAP: Siya Kolisi's Racing 92 hammered promoted Oyonnax 66-10 on Saturday to move three points clear at the summit of the French Top 14.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Exeter maintained their superb home form as they defeated Leicester 29-10 in front of a record crowd at Sandy Park.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers continued their winning streak over the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship with a 26-20 victory in a Round Eight match in Cape Town on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter between the Stormers and Bulls in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton maintained their stranglehold on the Italian derby by dispatching Zebre Parma 31-24 in the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains to @king365ed the role of a former Stormers stalwart in the success of the Pretoria-based franchise this season.

FRIDAY WRAP: Premiership leaders Sale Sharks showed their title credentials as they edged out fellow high-fliers Saracens 22-20 in a Christmas thriller.

MATCH REPORT: Late tries from Johnny Matthews and Ally Miller saw injury-hit Glasgow Warriors beat Edinburgh 22-10 to seize the initiative in the 1872 Cup and move top of the United Rugby Championship table.

MATCH REPORT: John Cooney's kicking was the difference as Ulster edged out Connacht 20-19 in the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson reveals exactly how many players are currently on the injury list and for how long.

PREVIEW: @king365ed looks at the #BIG North-South derby - when the Stormers host the Bulls at the Cape Town stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Elrigh Louw leads a determined Bulls side who travel to the Cape for the first instalment of the North-South derby in the current 2023-24 season.

NEWS: Retired Wales great Alun Wyn Jones has revealed he was diagnosed with a heart condition towards the end of his career and has called for better screening for players.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jean-Luc du Plessis will play his 50th game for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship North-South clash against the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND THREE PREVIEW: This weekend sees the unbeaten, Sagamihara Dynaboars visit Aichi to tackle a star-laden Toyota Verblitz.

WATCH as Cheetahs forwards coach Izak van der Westhuizen talks about the stop-start nature of their European campaign.

NEWS: Rugby Australia announced that the widely respected Peter Horne will head its revised high-performance department, in the role of Director of High-Performance.

SPOTLIGHT: If the game was not already hyped to the hilt, the battle at No.10 alone will be worth the value of an entry ticket.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: It's all about local pride and bragging rights as derbies dominate the United Rugby Championship Round Eight matches on Friday.

TEAM UPDATE: Evan Roos versus Cameron Hanekom was billed as one of the 'head acts' of the #BIG North-South derby.

STAT ATTACK: The Springboks' work at the breakdown has made sure they dominate the 2023 stats season.  

REVELATION: @king365ed looks into the latest developments in the protracted Stormers equity saga and finds another legal battle looming.

TRANSFER NEWS: Experienced France centre Gael Fickou has extended his Racing 92 contract to 2027, the Parisian club announced.

NEWS: Head coach Scott Robertson completed his 2024 All Blacks management group, adding his former Crusaders assistant Tamati Ellison as contact skills coach.

NEWS: Western Province Professional Rugby and Griquas/Griqualand-West Rugby Union have signed a strategic player development agreement that harnesses the combined capabilities of WP Rugby and GWR to cultivate talent and establish progression pathways for players.

INJURY NEWS: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has issued a positive injury update ahead of Tuesday’s United Rugby Championship match against Munster in Thomond Park.

STAT ATTACK: Double World Cup winner Albertus 'Kwagga' Smith is officially the turnover king of 2023. 

WATCH as Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman previews the #BIG North-South derby face-off against the Bulls.

LISTEN as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains to @king365ed why the #BIG North-South derby is vital for the South African game.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:  The recruitment of two double World Cup-winning Springboks has been labelled as super signings by the United Rugby Championship.

SPOTLIGHT: It seems that RG Snyman's stay in Dublin will not be a very long one.

TRANSFER NEWS: Legendary Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau revealed he will come out of retirement to join San Diego Legion for the 2024 Major League Rugby season.

SPOTLIGHT: All Black legend Sonny Bill Williams has blamed Eddie Jones and former Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan for Mark Nawaqanitawase's defection to Rugby League.

STAT ATTACK: Travelling to and from South Africa remains a major challenge for United Rugby Championship teams.

WATCH as Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman reveals details of why veteran prop Frans Malherbe has not played since the World Cup.

NEWS: Two-time World Cup winner RG Snyman has revealed his new team.

NEWS: The match officials appointments for the United Rugby Championship Round Eight Christmas derby fixtures have been confirmed.

SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship resumes this week - after two weeks of Champions Cup and Challenge Cup action - with the focus on the rising attendance figures.