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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Grey College are shaking the tree this week after their massive Classic Clash win in Pretoria on Saturday.

REPORT: The Lions produced a trademark all-action game to blow the Bulls away and cement top spot in the African Super Rugby conference.

PREMIERSHIP FINAL: Saracens became only the fourth side in history to complete a European and domestic double by beating Exeter Chiefs 28-20 in the English Premiership final on Saturday.

REPORT: The Stormers hung on desperately to secure a hard-earned 31-24 win over the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.

NEWS: Two Crusaders, replacement back David Havili and midfielder Ryan Crotty, got themselves into hot water in their team's  26-21 win over the Blues on Saturday.

NEWS: Hitoshi Ono of the Sunwolves has been cited for foul play during his team's 5-66 Super Rugby loss to the Brumbies oin Canberra on Saturday.

REPORT: Regional heavyweights Japan completed the formality of wrapping up a ninth successive Asia Championship title Saturday with a comfortable 59-17 home win over Hong Kong.

REPORT: The Brumbies produced a clinical demolition of a hapless Sunwolves team, got a 66-5 win, to reclaim top spot in the Australian Super Rugby conference.

INTERVIEW: New Zealand-born England flank Teimana Harrison is "a street fighter" ready and able to give Wales' forwards a tough time on his international debut at Twickenham.

REPORT: The Crusaders were made to work hard by a resilient Blues team, but they are back on top of the Super Rugby standings.

NEWS: Two Jaguares players will have to answer for their thuggish behaviour in the loss to the Southern Kings on Friday.

CURRIE CUP QUALIFYING WRAP: Two late tries secured a vital bonus point for the Boland Cavaliers as they beat the visiting SWD Eagles 32-16 at Boland Stadium in Wellington on Friday.

REPORT: The Southern Kings scored 19 points in the final 10 minutes to stage a dramatic comeback and beat a 12-man Jaguares 29-22 in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

NEWS: North West University-Pukke have been given the all clear to retain their 2016 Varsity Cup title after an independent chairman cleared them of any wrong doing.

NEWS: Financial woes have left emblematic Basque rugby club Biarritz facing a drop into the French third division.

PRE-TOUR WARM-UP: It is just a 'warm-up' match, but don't expected either side to be too generous in their approach.

NEWS: Stormers centre Huw Jones has been included in the 27-man Scotland squad for next month's tour to Japan.

NEWS: Eastern-Province have chosen the young men who are going to represent the province in the various weeks - Craven (Under-18), Academy (Under-18) and Grant Khomo (Under-16).

NEWS: Former England flank Steffon Armitage is to quit Toulon to join Pau next season, the latter club announced Friday.

REPORT: The Waratahs produced their best performance of the season to upstage the table-topping Chiefs 45-25 in Sydney on Saturday.

NEWS: Edinburgh have enhanced their attack for next season with the signing of wing Alex Northam to the squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Dan Lydiate will lead Wales against England at Twickenham on Sunday as Warren Gatland's side begin their five match tour.

EXCLUSIVE: Jan de Koning chatted to rookie Bulls lock Rudolph Snyman ahead of the big trans-Jukskei derby against the Lions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Zealand-born back row Teimana Harrison is set to make his England debut after being named in the starting side to play Wales at Twickenham on Sunday.

It's about two kilometres from Witteberg over to Voortrekker for their Classic Clash on Saturday.

NEWS: Ospreys confirmed on Friday that Jeff Hassler has signed a one-year extension to his current deal, committing himself to the region until 2018.

REPORT: Flank Ardie Savea scored two tries - in the 13th and 79th minutes - to help secure a crucial win for the Hurricanes.

With five senior players in the first XV, flank Eduan Taljaard will lead Hoërskool Marais Viljoen as they seek back-to-back victories in this year's Classic Clash against arch rivals Hoërskool Florida.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have made four changes to the matchday 23 to face the Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Park on Sunday with stalwart Pek Cowan to captain the side in the absence of Matt Hodgson.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have recalled Cruze Ah Nau, Luke Jones and Jordy Reid to the starting line up for Sunday' game against the Western Force at AAMI Park, Melbourne.

PRO12 FINAL: It will be an all Irish affair in the Pro12 Final as, after 22 rounds of tough competition, the two teams that finished top of the table after the regular season - Leinster and Connacht - will face each other at the iconic Murrayfield on Saturday.

PREVIEW: Charlie Hodgson will aim to pull down the curtain on his illustrious rugby career in his typical ultra professional way at Twickenham on Saturday.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Henry the IVth said that, and William Shakespeare, who was in the pressbox, wrote it down with his quill pen.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the Saturday and Sunday matches in Part Two of Super Rugby's Round 14.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham  gas made a number of changes, but still named a Wallaby-laden team for the historic encounter with the Sunwolves.

NEWS: Montpellier owner Mohed Altrad sprung to the defence of South African coach Jake White amid a fan storm provoked by the dropping of flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc.

It is a short journey along South Ridge Road over big Berea Road to go from Glenwood to DHS, but that is the route for this Saturday, an old and intense derby between the two schools which have been Durban's strongest.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves coach Mark Hammett has continued his 'rotation' policy when he named the team to play the Brumbies in a Super Rugby match in Canberra on Saturday.

NEWS: Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck says centre Daniel du Plessis will add a bit of "x-factor" to the Cape side's attack when they face the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday.

BREAKING NEWS: John Smit, Chief Executive of the Sharks, has announced he will resign at the end of the 2016 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has made a couple of changes to his team for their Super Rugby Round 14 outing against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers and Springboks were dealt a blow with the news that veteran loose forward Schalk Burger will be sidelined for the next four to five weeks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Marnitz Boshoff will make his first start of the Super Rugby season when the Lions head across the Jukskei river to face the Bulls on Saturday.

PREVIEW: Racing 92 continue the quest to forget their European Cup disappointment as they travel to La Rochelle on Friday with a top two place up for grabs.

NEWS: Bath can confirm that Leroy Houston will be returning to Australia and joining the Queensland Reds.

INTERVIEW: New Zealand international centre Conrad Smith says French hospitality has taken him by surprise since arriving in the southwest to join Pau.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Crusaders suffered a significant blow ahead of their big north-south derby, when they face the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Northland's Kara Pryor comes off the replacements bench to make his first start in the Super Rugby clash for the Blues against the Crusaders at Eden Park on Saturday.

NEWS: Three of the most promising young players in South Africa have committed their futures to the Sharks.

NEWS: The Waratahs have received a welcome boost with the return of Fijian-born wing, Taqele Naiyaravoro for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has included four overseas-based players in his 39-man training squad ahead of their highly-anticipated Test series against England.

EXCLUSIVE: Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim select their Springbok teams and there are a few big bolters!

EKSKLUSIEF: Jan de Koning en Eugene Eloff kies hul Springbok spanne en daar is 'n hele paar skokke!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the Friday matches in Part One of Super Rugby's Round 14.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares coach Raúl Perez has, once again, rung the changes ahead of his team's Super Rugby encounter with the Southern Kings.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Kings head coach Deon Davids has made just four changes for their match against the Jaguares, with loaned wing Wandile Mjekevu starting for the side in his first week in Port Elizabeth.

Hooker, Nicolaas Greyling will lead Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom as they go hunting for a historic win over old rivals Potchefstroom Gimnasium in their annual Classic Clash.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Chiefs suffered a big blow ahead of their trip across the Tasman Sea on Friday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland have included three South Africans for their three-Test tour to South Africa in June.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New South Wales centurion Rob Horne amongst four changes to Waratahs team for Friday's Super Rugby blockbuster against the Chiefs.

With a 48-all draw in their 2015 Classic Clash, Pietersburg captain Gavin Nel knows his side is in for yet another closely contested match when they host Hoerskool Ben Vorster in the latest edition of the Classic Clash.

Captaincy seems to be second nature to Ben Vorster's Stefan Engelbrecht as the young loose forward has had the duty of leading his provincial side, the Limpopo Blue Bulls, during the 2015 Craven Week.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Nollis Marais has made minimal changes to the squad that defeated the Stormers last week to face an in-form Lions team in yet another massive local derby. 

Captain Martin Linde will lead Potchefstroom Gimnasium as they go on the hunt for their fifth consecutive Classic Clash victory over rivals Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom on Saturday at the Fanie du Toit Stadium.

Familiar with high, intense rugby 18-year-old Stefan Roux will take the reigns as captain when HTS Sasolburg goes head-to-head against Hoërskool Sasolburg in their annual Classic Clash.

NEWS: Mark McCall admits the loss of ‘the best passer of a ball’ he has ever seen in Charlie Hodgson will be hard to take.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Craig Joubert will referee his 100th Super Rugby match this weekend.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 cartoonist Matthew Ackermann looks at the different approaches of the South African Super Rugby teams.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has made two changes to his starting line-up for Friday's all-New Zealand derby against the Hurricanes.

NEWS: The charge against Exeter Chiefs scrumhalf Will Chudley for allegedly kicking an opponent was heard in Bristol.

NEWS: The Cheetahs have secured the services of four tighthead props for the 2017 Super Rugby season.

It is no secret that Glenwood have, thus far, had a highly successful season which saw them being crowned champions of the Youth World Tournament earlier this year, however, captain Austin Brummer knows they will be in for a different challenge in their Classic Clash.

Hoërskool Florida captain Quinton van Loggerenberg would want to avoid back-to-back defeats at the hands of arch rivals Hoërskool Marais Viljoen when they face each other in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Having to go up against the juggernaut that is Glenwood would prove daunting to any high school player, however, Durban High School captain, Ryan Dafel, views his Classic Clash opponents in a completely different light.

Witteberg face a massive uphill battle as they look to end Bethlehem Voortrekker's dominance in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday and captain Rudolph van Biljon knows it won't get any easier.

Captain Siphamandla Mkhabela would want to restore Hoërskool Sasolburg's dominance when they face HTS Sasolburg in their annual Classic Clash.

Bethlehem Voortrekker captain Tiaan van Zyl has plenty of responsibility on his shoulders as he leads his school to protect their eight-match Classic Clash record against Witteberg.

NEWS: Ospreys back Hanno Dirksen has undergone surgery his the knee injury sustained in the Judgement Day win over Cardiff Blues and will miss the start of the 2016/17 Pro12 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Hurricanes received a significant boost ahead of their Super Rugby crunch match with the Highlanders.

REPORT: The Australia Under-20s defeated the Australian Barbarians 45-20 in a try fest at Chatswood Oval in Sydney on Tuesday.

New Zealand's big north-south derby, Blues versus Crusaders, returns to Auckland this Saturday, a rivalry that spans the Super Rugby competition and brings out the best in both sides. 

NEWS: Australia international fullback Israel Folau may not be heading to Japan to join the Red Hurricanes after they were relegated from the Top League.

NEWS: Cape Town will remain the second leg of the World Sevens Series, taking place on December 10-11, following a highly successful debut on the expanded 10 leg Series in the 2015/16 season.

NEWS: KwaZulu-Natal Schools have chosen four teams for this year's three weeks - Craven (U18), Academy (U18) and Grant Khomo (U16).

NEWS: New Springbok coach Allister Coetzee said players and coaches from the six South African Super Rugby teams showed a lot of enthusiasm when he explained his coaching philosophy.

NEWS: Sharks backline player Wandile Mjekevu has joined the Southern Kings on loan for the rest of the Super Rugby season.

NEWS: Italy coach Conor O'Shea has left the door open for Martin Castrogiovanni, but invited the veteran prop to clarify his future following a recent suspension for a sneaky trip to Las Vegas.

NEWS: Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones has resumed training following an injury lay-off and will be available for this weekend's Test against England.

INTERVIEW: Under-performing and unfit Italy players are set for a culture shock of hard graft under new coach Conor O'Shea after he outlined ambitious plans to create the "best Italian team ever" on Tuesday.

It's final time this week - three big finals.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 columnist Ethienne Reynecke looks at what it takes to build a successful enterprise - a team that can win trophies.

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors flyhalf Finn Russell remains under observation in hospital following a knock to the head in Saturday's Pro12 play-off.

NEWS: Wales Under-20 Grand Slam-winning forwards Shaun Evans and Dafydd Hughes have signed their first professional contracts with Scarlets.

NEWS: Leicester Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi has withdrawn from England's squad to tour Australia through injury. 

NEWS: Ulster Rugby Player of the Year Stuart McCloskey has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until 2019.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers' predictable game plan cost them dearly in the 13-17 loss to the Bulls and needs to be addressed urgently by their coaching team in the run in to the play-offs.

NEWS: Leinster loose forward Jamie Heaslip has urged his side to go all out when they head to Murrayfield to chase their third Pro12 title in four years against Connacht on Saturday.

NEWS: Ospreys Medical Performance Manager Chris Towers has confirmed that the team is likely to boosted by the return to fitness of a number of key players ahead of the new season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It was a match to determine who the best school team is in South Africa and from the outset, the result was never in doubt as Paarl Boys' High continued their remarkable unbeaten run.

NEWS: Crusaders' loose forward Jordan Taufua will continue to play his rugby in red and black for at least another two years, having re-signed with the team until the end of 2018.

NEWS: Argentina's President Mauricio Macri said Monday the South American country wanted to bid to host the World Cup in 2027.

NEWS: South Africa international scrumhalf Heinrich Adams will retire at the end of the season.

NEWS: The in-form Bulls received a significant boost ahead of their crucial trans-Jukskei Super Rugby derby with the Lions on Saturday.

NEWS: Former Stormers loose forward Don Armand is now officially English, after it was confirmed that he is eligible to play for his adopted country.

These are the results for matches between schools that include more than just the 1st XVs.

INTERVIEW: It is New Zealand's big north-south derby and not even a rash of injuries will detract the Blues from making it another classic.

NEWS: Veteran Springbok loose forward Schalk Burger is in doubt for the Stormers' derby against the Cheetahs on Saturday.

CLASSIC CLASHES WRAP: Pieter Janse van Vuuren's last minute penalty clinched victory for Dr Malan in their Classic Clash against Driehoek on Saturday.

NEWS: Flyhalf Elton Jantjies will miss the South Africa's June Test series against Ireland after fracturing his finger against the Jaguares on the weekend. 

NEWS: The Southern Kings have lost another three players to injury ahead of their clash against the Jaguares in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

INTERVIEW: Saracens boss Mark McCall feels his team will have a distinct advantage going into the Premiership Final against Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Chiefs and Lions are first and second on the combined Super Rugby standings and they have five players each in our famous Team of the Week for Round 13.

REACTION: Fiji Sevens coach Ben Ryan is well aware of the strong competition his World Sevens Series-winning side will face at the the Rio Olympics.

REPORT: in what was a very tense encounter from start to finish, Hoerskool Zwartkop came out trumps against Eldoraigne 11-7, thanks to a brilliant individual performance by Miche Groenewald - who scored all his side's points.

REACTION: South Africa will have to overcome their inability to close out key games if they are to realise their dream of adding Olympic gold to their Commonwealth Games title.

NEWS: Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies' Springbok dream may be in shreds, as the in-form playmaker fractured a finger during his team's win over the Jaguares last Saturday. 

REPORT: Hoërskool Linden scored six tries against hosts Hoërskool Randburg, securring a 36-0 win in their annual Classic Clach on Saturday.

Maritzburg College hosted Kearsney on a typical Midlands winter’s afternoon with conditions conducive to good school boy rugby.

Graeme College hosted Grey over the weekend, in what was a fantastic derby fixture.

INTERVIEW: Over the years Gareth Steenson has enjoyed his fair share of magic moments in the colours of Exeter Chiefs.

St Andrew’s College played their Reunion weekend fixtures vs Selborne this past weekend and there was some wonderful rugby played on Lower and surrounds by all of the teams.

In 'n wedstrud in die Leeus en Luiperds-liga het Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen die naweek geskiedenis gemaak.

NEWS: Owen Farrell could break the record for the most individual points by a player in Premiership Finals when he takes to the Twickenham turf for the Premiership Final as he sits tied on 44 with Mark van Gisbergen.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels have retained another star with key player Sefanaia Naivalu re-signing with the team until the end of 2019.

NEWS: Australian Men's Sevens teenage wing Henry Hutchison has won the World Rugby Sevens Rookie of the Year which was presented at an end-of-season awards ceremony in London.

REPORT: The South African College High School SACS hosted Tygerberg High School on a warm winter’s morning in Newlands.

REPORT: Top 14 leaders Clermont edged closer towards clinching a semifinal place in the end-of-season playoffs after routing defending champions Stade Francais 36-10 at home on Sunday.

FINALS WRAP: A Dougie Fife brace in the final 30 seconds of the Final handed Scotland their first-ever Cup title in the World Series when they beat South Africa 27-26.

SEMIFINALS WRAP: The BlitzBoks advanced to the Cup Final of the London Sevens when they defeated Series champions Fiji 26-21 and will face Scotland, who secured their first-ever Cup Final.

NEWS: Eddie Jones promised England would "upset the apple cart" after naming the Red Rose squad for next month's tour of his native Australia on Sunday.

QUARTERFINAL WRAP: Sevens Series champions Fiji will play second-placed South Africa in the semifinal stage of the London Sevens on Sunday, after both sides secured quarterfinal victories.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It was the big one on Saturday when Paarl Boys' High hosted Grey Bloem. It was a great match.

REACTION: Rob Baxter is delighted to get a crack at European champions Saracens at Twickenham after Exeter Chiefs pulled off the biggest victory of their history in booking their place in the Final.

REACTION: Director of rugby Mark McCall insists he will have no trouble motivating his Saracens players for next weekend's final against Exeter Chiefs at Twickenham as they seek to complete the double.

Junior Springbok coach Dawie Theron was pleased with the performance against SWD and described it as a solid display but he said there were still areas of their game they needed to improve before they depart for Manchester.

NEWS: Japan international fullback Ayumu Goromaru will play no further part in the Reds' Super Rugby season after suffering an AC joint separation in the win over the Sunwolves.

REACTION: The Blues defended with pride and purpose to grab a 17-13 victory over the Force in another rain-affected Super Rugby clash in Perth.

REACTION: Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold believes his team are well on their way to becoming a finished product following their 53-0 thrashing of the Kings on Saturday.

REACTION: The Stormers surrendered top spot in the Africa Two conference when they lost 13-17 to the Bulls but coach Robbie Fleck insists his side will continue to play attacking rugby.

REACTION: The Lions are riding high following 52-24 demolition of the Jaguares in Johannesburg but captain Warren Whiteley knows there is still plenty to do going into the business end of the tournament.

REPORT: Paarl Boys' High remain unbeaten, for they have just beaten unbeaten Grey College of Bloemfontein 28-18 at their Brug Street ground in Paarl.

TOP 14 WRAP: Wallaby utility back James O'Connor scored four tries to help Toulon to a 52-13 thrashing of already relegated Agen and a place in the Top 14 play-offs on Saturday.

CURRIE CUP QUALIFYING WRAP: Griquas remain unbeaten in the Currie Cup qualifying tournament, after beating an enthusiastic Blue Bulls 39-38 (half-time 17-14) at Griqua Park in Kimberley on Saturday.

PRO 12 REPORT: Connacht securred a place in the Pro12 Final, after they edged Glasgow Warrios 16-11 in the semifinal on Saturday.

REPORT: The Bulls overtook the Stormers at the top of the Africa One pool, after beating them 17-13 in a brutal contest in Pretoria on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Exeter Chiefs secured a first ever Premiership final  in their 34-23 victory over Wasps at Sandy Park.

REPORT: The Sharks kept up the pressure on the pace setters in the Africa conference with an emphatic 53-0 demolition of the Southern Kings on Saturday.

REPORT: The Lions cemented top spot in the Africa Super Rugby conference with an eight-try rout of the Jaguares in Johannesburg on Saturday.

REPORT: England suffered a double injury fright ahead of their tour of Australia, after both Manu Tuilagi and Owen Farrell went off early as Saracens advanced into the Premiership Final on Saturday.

DAY ONE WRAP: Fiji claimed a second successive Sevens World Series title by reaching the Cup quarterfinals at the 10th and final round of the 2015/16 series in London.

REPORT: The Blues returned to the winners' circle when they edged the Western Force 17-13 in a scrappy Super Rugby match in Perth on Saturday.

REPORT: Japan all but secured their second consecutive Asia Rugby Championship in Incheon on Saturday with a 60-3 nine-try mauling of South Korea.

REPORT: The Chiefs easily disposed of the Rebels, winning 36-15 in their Super Rugby Round 13 encounter in Hamilton on Saturday.

REPORT: The Reds won their third successive home match when they edged a willing Sunwolves team 35-25 in Brisbane on Saturday.

FRIDAY WRAP: the Boland Cavaliers scored two tries in the last nine minutes of the match to overturn a 12-point deficit to edge the Falcons 24-22 in their match at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park on Friday.

REPORT: A complete performance from Leinster saw them book their place in the Pro12 final as they beat Irish rivals Ulster 30-18 in an engaging semi-final on Friday.

This is one of the great schools matches in KwaZulu Natal - Kearsney College vs Maritzburg College, a Classic Clash.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Junior Springbok coach Dawie Theron on Friday made seven changes to his team to face South Western Districts at the Bridgton Sports Grounds in Oudtshoorn on Saturday. 

NEWS:The Bulls have added Border as the latest edition to their growing Supe Rugby partnership.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With the 10th and final round of the Sevens World Series looming large, Fiji are within touching distance of another title.

REPORT: The Crusaders made a mockery of the dire conditions when they beat the Waratahs 29-10 to cement top spot on the Super Rugby table.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Experienced Glasgow wing Sean Lamont has replaced the injured Tim Visser in Scotland's 27-man squad for next month's two-Test tour of Japan.

NEWS: Sharks assistant coach Robert du Preez certainly does not give his offspring, twins Daniel and Jean-Luc, preferential treatment.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Too big, too complicated and the games aren't great either - the ever-expanding Super Rugby competition is coming under heavy fire after spreading to two new continents this season.

NEWS: Japanese World Cup start Ayumu Goromaru is expected to make his third start for the Reds in their Super Rugby match against Tokyo-based Sunwolves on Saturday.

NEWS: Racing 92 have no time to lick their wounds after defeat by Saracens in the Champions Cup final with skipper Dimitri Szarzewski insisting the Parisian club will now go all out to clinch the Top 14 title.

NEWS: Reds centre Samu Kerevi has signed a two-year contract with Queensland Rugby Union, which will see him remain at Ballymore until 2018.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the last four matches in Part Two of Super Rugby's Round 13.

SCHOOLS PREVIEW: It may just be the greatest schoolboy game of the year - Paarl Boys' High vs Grey College in Paarl on Saturday.

Saracens play hosts to Leicester Tigers while Wasps travel to Sandy Park to do battle with Exeter Chiefs in the business end of the Premiership.

St Andrew's College of Grahamstown host Selborne College of East London on Saturday.

It is the battle for Pretoria this weekend - Klofies against Affies at Hoërskool Waterkloof.

It is the battle for Pretoria this weekend - Klofies against Affies at Hoërskool Waterkloof.

It is the battle for Pretoria this weekend - Klofies against Affies at Hoërskool Waterkloof.

NEWS: rugby365 columnist and podcast presenter Eugene Eloff is the latest edition to the rush of South African coaches heading to foreign shores.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Super Centurion Josh Bekhuis will make a welcome return when the Blues take on the Western Force in the Super Rugby clash in Perth on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids named France-bound lock Steven Sykes as captain of the team to take on the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming off the bye last week the Western Force have made one change to the starting XV for the clash with the Blues in Perth on Saturday.

An all-Irish affair at a packed RDS Arena on Friday will see four time champions Leinster host the 2005/06 winners Ulster for a spot in the Pro12 Final on Saturday, May 28.  

NEWS: Following a performance where they seemed to have suffered a system failure, the Stormers did some digging and have now rebooted themselves ahead of their mammoth encounter with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Damian de Allende will earn his 50th Super Rugby cap for the Stormers in the clash with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld this weekend.

Paarl Boys' High 1st XV has enjoyed 32 successive victories.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT:  One of the tallest locks in Super Rugby, Lourens Erasmus, will get his first start for the Lions this season.

Maritzburg College captain Craig Glover will have the honour of leading his side onto the hallowed "Goldstone's" field in an Classic Clash against rivals Kearsney on Saturday.

With a first name like Samson, Dr Malan's captain Samson Nyofane will need to muster all his strength to help guide his team to a major upset over Hoerskool Driehoek in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

With two years' experience as Bellville South’s captain, Anaya Klaase would want to continue their unbeaten season when they take on Kasselsvlei Comprehensive High School in their 10th annual Classic Clash.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika celebrated his contract extension by launching a broadside at Kurtley Beale's new club - Wasps.

Greg van Noordwyk will want to relive some of Kearsney's victorious moments over Maritzburg College when the sides renew their rivalry in an Classic Clash on Saturday.

Fanie Maré will be the young man in charge of leading Klerksdorp to a second successive victory over Lichtenburg in the rivals' annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Securing a victory on their 50th Anniversary will be Hoërskool Randburg captain Divan Bruwer’s mission when they go up against Hoërskool Linden in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Lichtenburg have hit a bit of a rocky patch in terms of results but captain Gerhard Meyer will need get his team out if it if they are to avenge their 2015 Classic Clashes defeat to Klerksdorp on Saturday.

Zwartkop's Mauritz Swanepoel will need more than just a good team vibe if they are to rewrite the history books and claim victory over Eldoraigne in their Classic Clash on Saturday.

Kasselsvlei captain Kyle Ford will want to emulate 2014's Classic Clash result when they face the old foe Bellville South Comprehensive High School in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Eldoraigne captain Mornay Smith has a massive task on his hand as he looks to lead his side to a fourth consecutive victory over rivals Zwartkop in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Without his vice-captain by his side, Driehoek captain Heinrich Coetzee has the responsibility of leading his young team against Hoërskool Dr. Malan in their annual Classic Clash.

Hoërskool Linden's hard-working hooker Steven Matthyser will lead his team as they seek back-to-back victories in their annual Classic Clash against Hoërskool Randburg.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: A determined Chiefs team are out to right the wrongs from their last performance when they take on the Melbourne Rebels in Hamilton this Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Mahlatse Ralepelle will make his first start in the Sharks' No.2 jersey while captain Tendai Mtawarira has been rested for their match against the Kings on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have made three changes to the starting line up for Saturday's game against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Takeshi Kizu has retained his starting spot ahead of team captain Shota Horie for their match against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE: Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim discus the latest piece that was added to the Springbok puzzle and also give their Super Rugby predictions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japanese Test players Hendrik Tui and Ayumu Goromaru will play against some of their international team mates for the first time since the 2015 World Cup.

EKSKLUSIEF: Jan de Koning en Eugene Eloff gesels oor die jongste toevoeging tot die Springbok legkaart en maak Super Rugby voorspellings.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the first three matches in Part One of Super Rugby's Round 13.

INJURY UPDATE: The Cheetahs are holding our hope that star wing Sergeal Petersen will be fit to play in their final match before the June break.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Super Rugby will keep its unloved current format until the end of next year but change could happen in 2018, a report said - citing the chief of governing body SANZAAR.

REACTION: Beaten finalists Racing 92 have "no regrets" over the selection of Dan Carter for the European Champions Cup Final.

NEWS: England forward Joe Marler has made himself unavailable for his country's forthcoming three-Test tour of Australia at the end of a controversial campaign.

NEWS: The Southern Kings will lose two of their most valuable players at the end of the season.

NEWS: Only three weeks have passed since Ulster inflicted a comprehensive 30-6 defeat over Leinster, but head coach Les Kiss is wary of the wounded animal set to visit the RDS Arena on Friday for their Pro12 semifinal clash.

NEWS: The Bulls are literally emptying the Tank, having lured another player - recently signed by the Sharks - away from Durban.

NEWS: Centre Richie Vernon has signed a new contract with Glasgow Warriors until May 2017.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares coach Raul Perez has made four changes to his side to face the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Lions wing Ruan Combrinck might just love something else more than he loves scoring tries.

NEWS: Three of Newcastle Falcons’ homegrown backs have pledged their futures to the club with Tom Penny, Brett Connon and Dan Marshall all signing new deals.

NEWS: Three South African players are among the new signings by Japanese outfit Kubota Spears.

NEWS: Harlequins have signed Junior World Cup-winning fullback Aaron Morris from Saracens ahead of the 2016/17 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Nollis Marais has made four changes to his starting team to face the Stormers in Pretoria on Saturday.

NEWS: England coach Eddie Jones says places are still "up for grabs" in his squad to tour Australia in June and has challenged the players to make history Down Under.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Ben Leatigaga replaces Nate Ebner in Mike Friday's 'hungry' Sevens squad for the London event this weekend.

REPORT: The Junior Springboks on Tuesday defeated a determined Maties outfit 41-14 in a physical encounter at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.

NEWS: The Rebels have retained homegrown players Sione Tuipulotu and Rob Leota until the end of the 2019 Super Rugby season.

NEWS: Hooker Matthew Rees has re-signed with Cardiff Blues on a new deal that will keep him at Arms Park next season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has made three changes to his side for their meeting with the Crusaders on Friday, with loose forward Jed Holloway and wing Zac Guildford returning for the encounter.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf Andy Ellis will play his 150th game for the Crusaders on Friday when they host the Waratahs in Christchurch.  

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 cartoonist Matthew Ackermann looks at how Jake White won his latest trophy.

NEWS: Crusaders lock Scott Barrett has re-signed with the franchise for another two years, following a very impressive season so far.

NEWS: Loftus Versfeld will be denied the mouthwatering prospect of an all-Springbok midfield showdown because of Juan de Jongh's injury.

In England, France and Italy club rugby is building towards a climax, and referees will be sharper than ever.

Rondebosch are back healthy and first, and with a solid draw to advertise.

NEWS: Connacht can breath a sigh of relief heading into their Pro12 semifinal clash against Glasgow Warriors, with a number of players returning from the region's injury list for Saturday's encounter.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: France have made a number of changes for the final leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series in London, with captain Terry Bouhraoua left out.

EXCLUSIVE: Eugene Eloff, a two-time former Under-19 World Cup winner, shares with rugby365's readers, the highs and lows in the life of a coach.

NEWS: Argentine wing Belisario Agulla has extended his stay at Newcastle Falcons by signing a permanent deal with the club.

NEWS: 2015 Rugby World Cup sensation Juan Imhoff has joined the Argentina Sevens squad ahead of the London Sevens with a view to securing a place in the squad for Rio Olympic Games.

A try fest by visiting Brandwag saw the Muir side go down 25-60.

NEWS: Japan and Reds fullback Ayumu Goromaru has reportedly agreed to join Toulon for the 2017 Top 14 season.

NEWS: Leicester Tigers have signed loose forward Luke Hamilton from French club Agen.

NEWS: Glasgow prop Sila Puafisi will miss the semi-final against Connacht on Saturday after he was slapped with a three-week suspension.

NEWS: Former Scotland international and London Irish prop Geoff Cross has retired from professional rugby following 13 seasons in the game.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It's calm week this week but the whole country knows that there is a storm brewing.

NEWS: Springbok and Sharks utility back Willie le Roux is reported to have agreed a deal with Wasps for the 2017 Premiership season.

NEWS: Former Springbok coach, Heyneke Meyer has emerged as the front runner for the vacant job at Bath after Mike Ford's sudden departure.

NEWS: Rebels wing Cam Crawford will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his hand against the Brumbies on Friday at AAMI Park.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Exciting Australia Sevens player Pama Fou will make his return to the World Series after being named in Andy Friend's squad for the London Sevens this weekend.

NEWS: Italy coach Conor O'Shea has omitted experienced prop Martin Castrogiovanni and included several new faces in a 30-man squad for their June-Test tour to the Americas.

NEWS: The Olympic dream of high-profile San Francisco 49er Jarryd Hayne remains alive after World Rugby said he will not be barred from playing Rugby Sevens over drug testing rules.

NEWS: New Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has won the first of many battles he is likely to wage against the powers that be.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: It was an easy selection this week as the rugby365 team sat down to decide on our famous selection.

Krugersdorp must have been more miserable than anybody has ever experienced on Saturday when Waterkloof came from Pretoria to play Monnas.

NEWS: The struggling Southern Kings received a timely boost with the news that a number of their most prominent players will return from injury.

SACS hosted close neighbours and rivals Rondebosch Boys’ High School in an exciting encounter on Saturday 14 May 2016.

NEWS: The Jaguares will be without two of their best players when they face the high-flying Lions in a Super Rugby Round 13 match in Johannesburg on Saturday.

NEWS: Premiership Rugby have confirmed the shortlist for the Premiership Rugby Player of the Season, with teams who feature in Saturday’s semifinals dominating the shortlist.

NEWS: Lock Bradley Davies is returning to Welsh rugby after signing a national dual contract (NDC) with the Welsh Rugby Union and Ospreys.

REACTION: The Bulls know they MUST beat the Stormers and Lions in the next fortnight to remain in Super Rugby's play-off race.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens squad members Siviwe Soyizwapi and Chris Dry will join the Blitzboks on Tuesday for the London Sevens at Twickenham this weekend.

NEWS: Fiji Sevens coach Ben Ryan has outlined the difficult road ahead for code-hopping Jarryd Hayne, after the former NFL rookie made intentions of going to the Olympic Games clear.

WRAP: Sentraal launched a massive second half fight back as they overturned a two-point half-time deficit to claim a dramatic 22-all draw against Jim Fouché.

NEWS: Wallaby hooker Saia Fainga’a has agreed to return to the franchise on a one-year deal for the 2017 Super Rugby season.

NEWS: Wallaby legend George Smith heads a trio of Aussies who are set to join Japanese Top League side Suntory Goliath this season.

News: Glasgow Warriors centre Alex Dunbar will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

NEWS: Edinburgh have signed former Wales Under-20 flyhalf Jason Tovey until May 2018.

It was a dank day in Middelburg when the Rooibulle met the Middies before a packed crowd.

REACTION: Blues coach Tana Umaga says his team and management staff are 'distraught' after their 5-43 smashing by the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

NEWS: Former Australian Rugby League star Jarryd Hayne's hopes of chasing an Olympic dream may be scuttled by anti-doping protocols.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens wing Ruhan Nel has broken his collarbone at the Paris Sevens tournament this past weekend and will be out of action for six weeks. 

NEWS: Wasps-bound Wallaby centre Kurtley Beale has undergone successful knee surgery.

NEWS: Rebels coach Tony McGahan said his side aren’t going to throw in the towel following Friday’s eight-point loss to the Brumbies.

NEWS: The Jaguares will be without captain Augustin Creevy when they face the high-flying Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

NEWS: As Crusaders scrumhalf Andy Ellis prepares to notch up his 150th Super Rugby game this weekend, he is also preparing for his days in red and black to draw to a close.

On Saturday Graeme College of Grahamstown hosted both Port Rex and Newton Tech as a combined fixture, which seemed to work brilliantly as most teams managed to get a match on the day.

 St Andrew’s College played their annual fixture against Cambridge High School this past weekend in near perfect conditions in East London.

REACTION: Elton Jantjies produced a flyhalf masterclass that can hardly be ignored by new Springbok coach Allister Coetzee.

INTERVIEW: Stormers coach Robbie Fleck dismissed the notion that his team was 'complacent' going into the game against the Sunwolves at the weekend.

REACTION: It might have been almost 10 years in the making, but club bankrollers in England and France will no doubt be looking to Saracens as the new blueprint for success on the continent.

WRAP OF ALL THE FINALS: Samoa came back 19 points down to claim the Cup competition at the Paris leg of the Sevens World Series on Sunday.

NEWS: England lock Maro Itoje was named European Player of the Year for 2016 after a startling season.

REACTION: New Zealand's domination of Super Rugby was branded "disappointing" by former World Cup winning coach Graham Henry.

SEMIFINALS WRAP: Sevens World Series leader Fiji cruised into the Final of the Paris leg, despite being reduced to six men in the semifinal against hosts France.

Dit was tydens die tradisionele Akkerfees op Riversdal dat Paul Roos met 25 rugbyspanne aan 'n besige sportdag teen die Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale deelgeneem het.

QUARTERFINAL WRAP: Argentina and Samoa caused two of the biggest upsets of the season when they sent New Zealand and South Africa packing.

NEWS: rugby365 brings you all this past weekend's schools results.

POST MATCH REACTION: Dan Carter admitted that his gamble on a lingering calf injury had backfired after Racing 92 saw their European aspiration go up in smoke.

NEWS: Star Wallaby back Kurtley Beale has played his last match for the Waratays and will also miss the June internationals against England.

NEWS: Two Jaguares players have been cited, one for biting, after their heartbreaking 22-25 loss to the Sharks in their Super Rugby encounter in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

REPORT: An 80th minute Patrick Lambie penalty handed the Sharks a deserved 25-22 victory over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires after being under pressure for most of the second half.

REPORT: Three tries in the opening 10 minutes set the platform for the Lions to claim a convincing 43-5 against the Blues at a sopping wet Ellis Park on Saturday.

WRAP: Tiaan Dorfling and AJ Coertzen both grabbed a brace of tries as the Griquas hammered the Welwitschias 55-25 in their Currie Cup match at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.

REPORT: Owen Farrell kicked seven penalties to help Saracens rain on Dan Carter's parade by beating Racing 21-9 to win the European Champions Cup on Saturday.

REPORT: The Southern Kings made the Cheetahs work hard for their 34-20 victory in Bloemfontein on Saturday as the visitors staged a mini comeback late in the second half.

DAY TWO WRAP: South Africa and Kenya will carry the African flag into the Cup quarterfinals and are joined by Series leaders Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa, Argentina, Australia and hosts France.

REPORT: An 80th minute Vincent Koch converted try helped save the Stormers from an embarassing defeat in Singapore as they drew 17-17 against the Sunwolves.

NEWS: Scotland centre Duncan Taylor is desperate to end his breakout season on a high as Saracens go for European glory in the Champions Cup final on Saturday.

NEWS: Waratahs playmaker Kurtley Beale has suffered a possible season-ending knee injury as the Waratahs shot to the top of the Australian conference with a 31-8 victory over the Bulls.

REPORT: The Waratahs moved to the top of the Australian conference and into the top four of the global standings with a bonus-point 31-8 win over the Bulls in Sydney on Saturday.

REPORT: The Hurricanes stayed in touch with Super Rugby's pace-setters when they scored a bonus-point 29-14 win over the Reds in Wellington on Saturday.

REACTION: Jake White believes his Montpellier side must have the confidence to believe they can go on to win the Top 14 title.

REPORT: Hong Kong opened their account in the Asia Championship in Incheon on Saturday, defeating South Korea 34-27 in a thrilling contest.

CHALLENGE CUP FINAL REPORT:  World Cup-winning former Springbok coach Jake White has added another trophy to his impressive CV.

NEWS: Bath released Samoa international Alafoti Fa'osiliva from his contract on Friday after the Samoa back-row walked free from court after admitting he had knocked a university student unconscious.  

CURRIE CUP FRIDAY WRAP: The Pumas secured a 25-13 bonus-point win against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria on Friday.

DAY ONE WRAP: There were no real surprises after in opening round of matches at the Paris Sevens on Friday.

Queen's College go down the N6 from cold Queenstown to King William's Town to play Dale College on Dale's big Reunion Day.

INTERVIEW: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith is ready to banish the use of the word "building" from his team's vocabulary.

NEWS: CJ Stander became the first player to claim the Munster Rugby Player of the Year award for the second year in succession at Friday's annual Munster Rugby Awards.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: He may be a Springbok hooker himself, but Schalk Brits is glad suggestions that English Premiership side Saracens are a kind of South African outpost in Europe are starting to fade.

NEWS: Sharks veteran wing Odwa Ndungane says his team's harsh travel schedule in the last few weeks will not be used as an excuse for substandard performances.

Confirm: Ospreys Rugby have confirmed that Gareth Delve has been released from his contract with immediate effect on Friday, May 13.

NEWS: Wasps have ended weeks of speculation and confirmed that they have signed Wallabies star Kurtley Beale on a two-year contract.

NEWS: The Junior Springboks kicked off their warm-up phase for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship on a solid note on Friday with an encouraging 60-19 win over the Golden Lions Under-20 Invitational side.

NEWS: The Bulls have taken the dramatic step of scooping up the Stormers' former partners, Boland Cavaliers, and the Pumas in a new partnership agreement.

Hoping to defy history, the experienced 18-year-old Janco Swart will lead Hoogenhout as they seek to secure a very first win over arch rivals Hoërskool Ermelo in their annual Classic Clash.

REPORT: The Brumbies cemented their place at the top of the Australian conference with a 30-22 in over the Rebels in a bruising encounter in Melbourne on Friday.

JP Duvenage hopes to inspire his team to victory when he leads Outeniqua against arch rivals Hoërskool Oudtshoorn in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

Hoërskool Monument of Krugersdorp hosts Hoërskool Waterkloof of Pretoria in a Premier Interschools match on Saturday.

Oudshoorn captain Johan Rossouw hopes his team's momentum will secure victory when they take on Hoërskool Outeniqua in their annual Classic Clash on Saturday in Oudtshoorn.

Leading the young first XV of Hoërskool Schoonspruit, Joshua Goodchild has to encourage his troops to put in another gutsy performance against Hoërskool Wolmaransstad in their annual Classic Clash.

NEWS: Sunwolves head coach Mark Hammett believes his side are capable of upsetting the Stormers on Saturday, even without influential skipper Shota Horie, who will start on the bench.

Future farmer Fanus Pieterse will want to avoid another loss when he leads Hoërskool Wolmaransstad against Hoërskool Schoonspruit in their annual Classic Clash.

NEWS: Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) chief executive officer Jim Carmichael will will part ways with the union on Friday after a successful seven-year tenure as leading executive.

An unbeaten record is on the line when 17-year-old Ruan Smit leads Hoërskool Ermelo against Hoërskool Hoogenhout in their annual Classic Clash.

NEWS: Lock Tom Denton will join Gloucester from Pro12 side, Leinster.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares head coach Raul Perez has made only three changes to his starting lineup to host the Sharks at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

REPORT: The defending Super Rugby champion Highlanders made a BIG statement in Dunedin on Friday, securing a 34-26 bonus-point win over the table-topping Crusaders.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs have made a late injury-enforced change to their matchday 23, with Armandt Koster replacing Carl Wegner on the bench.

It's the  Classic Clash in the Mpumalanga town of Middelburg when Hoërskool Middelburg play HTS Mikddelburg.

REACTION: The Waratahs urged Wallaby star Kurtley Beale to stay put, after he reportedly accepted an offer from Wasps that would make him the highest paid player in England.

With only one round of the World Sevens Series remaining after the Paris event, teams will be under pressure to secure a good finish, not only to keep their series hopes alive, but also to secure a good ranking for the Rio Olympics in August.

PREVIEW: Dan Carter will seek to add the European Champions Cup trophy to his silverware when his Racing 92 take on Saracens in a highly-anticipated Final on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the Saturday matches in Part Two of Super Rugby's Round 12.

It's time again for the first Interjol of the season, when Hoërskool Upington plays Hoërskool Duineveld, Uppies vs Velties.

It's an old rivalry, Oudtshoorn Hoërskool vs Outeniqua Hoërskool, Struisies vs Kwaggas, and this time it's in Oudtshoorn.

PREVIEW: Harlequins will bid for a fourth European Challenge Cup title when they play Montpellier on Friday as a perfect send-off for outgoing coach Connor O'Shea.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Great Britain (GB) Sevens men have announced their wider training squad for the Rio Olympics which includes a combination of sevens specialists and 15-a-side players from England, Scotland and Wales.

INTERVIEW: Sonny Bill Williams may have won a myriad of titles in Rugby Union and Rugby League, but the New Zealand superstar says becoming an Olympian would top everything.

NEWS: Montpellier's Jake White has rolled out the heavy South African artillery for the European Challenge Final against Harlequins, the savvy coach likening his team to English Premier League winners Leicester City.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Junior Springbok coach Dawie Theron named his team to face a combined Golden Lions Under-19 and U21 team on Friday at Wits University in their first warm-up match.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The battered Southern Kings were dealt another cruel blow on Thursday.

NEWS: The Stormers will we be out to nullify Tusi Pisi's attacking strengths when they face the Sunwolves in hot and humid conditions at the Singapore National Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: The charges against Sam Jones of Wasps and Elliott Stooke of London Irish have been dismissed by an RFU disciplinary panel.

NEWS: 17 Grey Boys' High rugby players have had their chances of making the region's Craven Week side dented after not being allowed to attend the province's final trials in Cradock.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have opted to rest iconic captain Shota Horie for their Super Rugby Round 12 encounter with the Stormers in Singapore on Saturday.

NEWS: Hurricanes' scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park has signed a new contract with Leinster Rugby, he will join them in time for pre-season training on July 1.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Patrick Lambie will start at flyhalf ahead of Garth April when the Sharks take on the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Waratahs have continued with the same team for their Super Rugby Round 12 match against the Bulls in Sydney on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Front row duo Malcom Marx and Julian Redelinghuys are back in the Lions starting XV for their clash against the Blues at Ellis park in Johannesburg on Saturday.

INTERVIEW: Further expansion of Super Rugby is inevitable, according to New Zealand rugby boss Steve Tew, despite the current model being criticised as unwieldy and difficult to follow.

NEWS: Agustin Pichot, the newly elected World Rugby Vice-Chairman, says rugby's residency rules are 'wrong' and must be changed.

NEWS: The Super Rugby crunch match between the Highlanders and Crusaders at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday is a sell-out - with a crowd of 23,336 expected.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The absence of enduring lock Josh Bekhuis is the notable omission from the Blues team to take on South African front runners, the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Reds have made one change to the starting side for this weekend's match against the Hurricanes.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Among the legion of South Africans plying their trade in the French Top 14, Johan Goosen has come to the fore with perfect timing to give a welcome reminder to Springbok selectors.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni will make his first start for the Stormers since returning from injury when the Cape side takes on the Sunwolves in Singapore on Saturday.

NEWS: The Hurricanes have finally revealed who the 'bad boys' were that breached team protocol on their tour of South Africa.

EXCLUSIVE: Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim talk Super Rugby, while Wynona Louw selects her Springbok team.

EKSKLUSIEF: Jan de Koning en Eugene Eloff gesels Super Rugby, terwyl Wynona Louw haar Springbok span kies.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Jan de Koning looks at the Friday matches in Part One of Super Rugby's Round 12.

Every boy who plays rugby for his school is excited and gives of his best. By giving the results of all teams on a Saturday we try to give them some acknowledgement.

INTERVIEW: The Bulls, for so long known for their bruising forwards, are determined to avoid a brutal arm-wrestle with the Waratahs.

NEWS: Flank Josh van der Flier will miss Leinster's Pro12 semifinal and Ireland's tour to South Africa after undergoing surgery on his injured ankle.

NEWS: Harlequins is deeply saddened to learn the news of the untimely death of Seb Adeniran-Olule in a road traffic collision.

NEWS: Defence coach Brad Davis will leave Wasps at the end of the season.   

With just six senior players in his squad, Upington captain Jaco Koegelenberg believes his side should not be underestimated when they take on Duineveld in their annual Classic Clash.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has made a number of changes to his team that lost to the Waratahs in Sydney last week for their match against the Southern Kings in Bloemfontein.

NEWS: Despite drawing much criticism World Rugby will again make the World Cup draw three years in advance, using their confusing global rankings system.

INTERVIEW: Lions coach Johan Ackermann is happy that his team still has their Super Rugby destiny in their own hands, but admitted there is no margin for error anymore.

Leading an inexperienced team in the biggest match of the year is going to be no easy task for HS Middelburg captain Steven Pieterse as they are set to play HTS Middelburg in an annual Classic Clash on Saturday.

INTERVIEW: One of the Jaguares' most experienced players, Juan Manuel Leguizamón believes his side are refreshed and ready to take on the Sharks in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

NEWS: Former England captain Bill Beaumont was on Wednesday elected as the new Chairman of World Rugby, the global governing body announced.

INTERVIEW: Racing 92 scrumhalf Mike Phillips is determined to end his Paris adventure with a European Rugby Champions Cup winners medal.

Tiaan Trollip believes his first XV experience and willingness to improve as a person will be fundamental to guiding his team to an away victory in their Classic Clash against Sentraal on Saturday.

NEWS: Wasps have signed forwards Tom Woolstencroft from Bath and Marcus Garratt from the Cornish Pirates, both of whom will join up with the squad ahead of the pre-season.

NEWS: Johannesburg-based Pirates will host the first-ever international match in the Gold Cup era after SA Rugby on Tuesday confirmed the fixtures for the country's flagship tournament for non-university clubs.

NEWS: England and Warriors fullback Chris Pennell has signed a new contract with the club.  

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels welcome back experienced campaigners Colby Fainga'a, Mike Harris and Lopeti Timani to the starting line-up against the Brumbies at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 cartoonist Matthew Ackermann asks if there is anybody that can stop the Super Rugby crusade.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls head coach Nollis Marais has named lock Jason Jenkins and wing Jamba Ulengo in his starting XV that will face the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok Sevens playmaker Rosko Specman is ready to once again put down an Olympic Games marker.

NEWS: Scotland Under-20 lock Andrew Davidson has become Newcastle Falcons’ 10th new signing ahead of the 2016-17 season.

NEWS: Scarlets wing Hadleigh Parkes has been awarded the top honours at the Scarlets End of Season Award event held at the Quinnell Lounge, Parc y Scarlets on Tuesday.

NEWS: England prop Joe Marler has admitted he is seeking help from a sports psychologist to "get a grip" after being banned twice recently for unsavoury incidents on the field.

NEWS: SA Rugby has appointed Tsholo Kubheka, a former employee, to the organisation as the new commercial general manager.

NEWS: Several Hurricanes players could be dropped for their team's match against the Reds after breaching team protocols before their thrashing by the Sharks in South Africa last weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham has named an unchanged lineup for Friday's meeting with the Rebels at AAMI Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder has made three changes to his starting fifteen that played the Reds last weekend.

A former Wellington club player has been banned from all rugby for six years for using and trafficking anabolic steroids while he was involved in rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph has been able to select a largely unchanged line-up for the battle against the Crusaders after coming through last week's win against the Chiefs with no new injuries. 

NEWS: Tongan international Steve Mafi was named among seven new recruits signed for next season by Top 14 side Castres.

There are big club matches in Europe this week with two finals.

NEWS: Cheetahs flank Willie Britz is to undergo a scope and will spend at least the next six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.

NEWS: The Eastern Province Rugby Union and its professional arm EP Rugby Pty Ltd escaped liquidation - for the next three weeks.

NEWS: Ulster fullback Louis Ludik will undergo surgery on his groin on Thursday.

Led by 18-year-old flank Ruhann de Jager, Schoonspruit Secondary School would want to avoid a third consecutive lost at the hands of Hoërskool Piketberg in their annual Classic Clash.

NEWS: Sharks flyhalf Patrick Lambie had high praise for fellow teammate Garth April after the latter's performances in his debut season in Super Rugby.

Duineveld captain Johan Geldenhuys has the tough task of leading his team onto Upington High's field in an effort to gain revenge for their 2015 Classic Clashes defeat.

NEWS: English hooker Jack Walker has signed with Bath from Yorkshire Carnegie and will join the side next season.

NEWS: Wasps loose forward Sam Jones and London Irish lock Elliott Stooke will appear before an RFU disciplinary panel on Wednesday after both players were cited on Saturday.

NEWS: Edinburgh Rugby has formed a partnership with George Watson's College in Edinburgh to play fixtures at its Myreside Ground next season.

Sentraal captain Matthys Theron will need to rely on his calm demeanour to carry his side through their tough Classic Clash against Jim Fouche on Saturday.

Both are fast and know how to take shortcuts ....

NEWS: It seems utility back Huw Jones will be the man to don the Stormers' No.15 jersey during Cheslin Kolbe's possible absence in the latter stages of this year's Super Rugby tournament.

Experienced hooker Ferdie Jonker is ready to lead Hoërskool Piketberg in their annual Classic Clash as they seek back-to-back victories against Schoonspruit Secondary School on Saturday.

It is very rare to find a school boy with the experience of HTS Middelburg captain JC Pretorius as the young man has already donned the Springbok emblem on his heart.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Captain Sam Warburton was named in a 35-man Wales squad on Tuesday for their forthcoming match against England and subsequent tour of New Zealand, but Leigh Halfpenny was absent.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England Sevens welcome back Alex Davis for the penultimate round of the World Rugby Sevens Series at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris this weekend.

NEWS: Robert Ebersohn wants to a winning send-off with Montpellier in Friday's Challenge Cup Final as he will leave Montpellier at the end of the season to join Top 14 rivals Castres Olympique.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Eastern Province centre Jeremy Ward will lead the Junior Boks at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in England.

INTERVIEW: Owen Farrell said Dan Carter's "calm and control" are the qualities he most admires in his rival flyhalf as he prepares to face the All Blacks great in Saturday's Champions Cup Final.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: New Zealand Under-20 head coach Scott Robertson is confident that his squad have the perfect mix of experience and fresh fire power ahead of the U20 World Rugby Championship in England.

NEWS: Montpellier flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc is short of match fitness and will miss Friday's European Challenge Cup Final against Harlequins, his coach Jake White said on Monday.

NEWS: World Cup-winning former All Blacks coach Graham Henry is taking his talents to Rugby League, announcing Tuesday he has teamed up with the struggling Warriors in the Australian National Rugby League (NRL).

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall has insisted his side won't make the "big mistake" of targeting Dan Carter when they face Racing 92 in Saturday's European Champions Cup Final.

NEWS: The Maori All Blacks will play Ireland’s Munster in Limerick as part of a northern tour that kicks off with a Chicago fixture against the USA Eagles in November.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels have secured the most exciting prospect in Australian Rugby with flyhalf Jack McGregor to join the team from 2017.

NEWS: Nathan Sharpe has been appointed to the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) Board as the Player Appointed Director.

NEWS: Springbok legend Victor Matfield has walked into the rugby sunset one last time as the Northampton Saints lock has called time on his career.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England Under-20 head coach Martin Haag has named his 28-man squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Manchester on June 7-25.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens coach, Neil Powell, urged his team to make the most of the opportunities presented to them in the next two tournaments of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

NEWS: Lock Eben Etzebeth will not be travelling with the Stormers to Singapore for their clash with the Sunwolves this coming Saturday.

WRAP: The rain could not put a damper on the Uitenhage crowd's spirit, where Brandwag claimed their fourth consecutive Classic Clash victory over HTS Daniël Pienaar on Saturday.

FEATURE: Racing 92 and Saracens will do battle in the European Champions Cup Final at Stade de Lyon on Saturday, but what if it is tied after regulation full-time?

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has opted for a smaller 27-man squad for their two-Test tour of Japan in June.

NEWS: Hat-trick hero Jack Nowell says Exeter Chiefs cannot afford to let their standards slip as the quest for glory in this season's Premiership cranks up another notch.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks are the only South African team to have players featuring in our famous Team of the Week for Round 11.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England hooker Jamie George came thundering back into the reckoning for a place in the Saracens line-up for the Champions Cup Final in Lyon this weekend, with a 64 minute work-out at Worcester Warriors.

NEWS: The Lions have been boosted by the return of hooker Malcolm Marx and prop Julian Redelinghuys.

NEWS: Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids has confirmed that Chris Cloete will play no further part in Super Rugby this year after injuring his knee in his team's 18-34 defeat at the hands of the Blues.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 columnist Ethienne Reynecke looks at what he regards as a ticking time bomb in the game - concussion.

NEWS: With the tight Finals race in the Australian conference and the Brumbies, Waratahs and Rebels all vying for the top spot, Brumbies wing James Dargaville acknowledges that they will have to chase tries if they want to secure their place.

REPORT: A strong second half St Andrew's performance saw them overcome Graeme 23-7 in a Classic Clash that was always going to come down to who could handle the pressure during the big plays on Saturday.

REPORT: Kearsney hosted Northwood on Saturday in a Classic Clash in cool, almost windless conditions and came out 45-23 victors.

King Edward VII school hosted Maritzburg College and had a remarkable 32-all draw.

REPORT: Toulon overcame the injury-enforced loss of veteran Australian flyhalf Matt Giteau to beat Castres 17-7 on Sunday and stay comfortably on course for the French Top 14 play-offs.  

NEWS: Sale Sharks have signed Tongan international tighthead prop Halani Aulika from London Irish.

REPORT: In one of their best performances Grey College beat the strong Affies side 53-29 in a Classic Clash in Pretoria at the weekend.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold was pleased with the way his team shut out the Hurricanes' threats out wide during their 32-15 win at Kings Park on Saturday.

The South African College High School (SACS) hosted long-standing rivals Diocesan College (Bishops) on a perfect winter’s morning in Newlands.

NEWS: Connacht were the standout awardees at the annual Pro12 Awards took place at the Storehouse, Dublin, on Sunday.  

NEWS: Veteran Australian flyhalf Matt Giteau was forced to pull out of the Toulon team to face Castres in the French Top 14 on Sunday with an adductor strain.

REPORT: Toulouse outpowered Agen 52-19 in a eight-try mauling to edge ever closer to a berth in the Top 14 play-offs on Sunday.

NEWS: England head coach Eddie Jones has included flyhalf Danny Cipriani in his squad for a three-day training camp in Brighton.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Blitzboks coach Neil Powell is confident that the four changes made to his side for the upcoming Paris tournament will help the team achieve the goals set for this tournament in the French capital and the remainder of the series. 

NEWS: Wing Jamba Ulengo will depart for Sydney on Sunday to replace the injured Travis Ismaiel on the Bulls tour to Australia. 

REACTION: Munster ended a tricky season on a high note by securing a top-six finish in the Pro12 - and head coach Anthony Foley believes his side will be all the better for this year's trials.

REACTION: Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson was full of praise for man-of-the-match Rey Lee-Lo after Cardiff Blues signed off their Pro12 campaign with a 21-17 victory over Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

Grey College - wow! It was a huge win and that in Pretoria nogal. They are obviously set for (another) brilliant season.

REACTION: Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd applauded the Sharks' defence for the way they dominated the contact area during their 15-32 loss in Durban on Saturday.

REACTION: Bulls head coach Nollis Marais lamented the Bulls' error-prone performance after their 6-23 loss to the Brumbies in Canberra.

REACTION: Saracens boss Mark McCall praised the performance of England fullback Alex Goode as the Premiership leaders warmed up for next week's European Champions Cup Final with a 43-19 win away to Worcester on Saturday.

NEWS: Former Italy skipper Marco Bortolami on Saturday announced his retirement from rugby after a career which brought him 112 caps.

REACTION: Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham has paid tribute to his players for their stellar performance against the Bulls at GIO Stadium, which propelled the side back to the top of the Australian Super Rugby conference.

PREMIERSHIP, SATURDAY WRAP: Chris Ashton crossed for a hat-trick as table toppers Saracens finished off their season in style with a comfortable win over Worcester Warriors.

PRO12 SATURDAY WRAP: Connacht battled past Glasgow Warriors in a tense affair at the Sportsground to earn a home semi-final and a rematch against the reigning champions.

SATURDAY WRAP: Griquas have managed an almost insurmountable lead in the Currie Cup Tournament by beating Border 21-12 at Griqua Park in Kimberley on Saturday.

REPORT: The Blues outscored the Kings by five tries to two to claim a scrappy 34-18 bonus point victory over the Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in a match that failed to spark to life.

REPORT: The Sharks scored 24 second half points to blow the Hurricanes away 32-15 in a brutal encounter in Durban on Saturday.

REPORT: Japan maintained their perfect start to the Asia Rugby Championship on Saturday with a 38-3 win over a resilient Hong Kong.

REPORT: Australia Under-20s have defeated New Zealand Under-20s for the first time with a 25-24 victory in the second match of the Oceania Championship at Bond University on Saturday.

REPORT: The Waratahs moved to the top of the Australian conference with a 21-6 win over a hapless Cheetahs team in their Super Rugby showdown in Sydney on Saturday.

REPORT: All Black wing Waisake Naholo made a spectacular return from a fractured leg to score two tries as the Highlanders raced back into contention or Super Rugby's play-offs.

REPORT: Marcel Brache scored a hat-trick inside the opening quarter to set up the Western Force for an impressive 40-22 win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.

REPORT. Australian wing Adam Ashley-Cooper scored one of his team's two tries as Bordeaux-Begles defeated Grenoble 20-14 to stay on course for the French Top 14 play-offs.

REPORT: The Griffons currently reside in second place in the Currie Cup qualifying competition, after beating the SWD Eagles 30-14 in Welkom.

NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have signed of American forward pair David Tameilau and Nick Civetta for next season.

NEWS: England Sevens player Alex Gray has signed with Yorkshire Carnegie and is one of three players returning to the Fifteens game next season.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell named Francois Hougaard, Rosko Specman, Philip Snyman and Dylan Sage as the changes to his squad that will travel to France on Sunday to contest the Paris Sevens (May 13-15).

INTERVIEW: Hurricanes assistant coach John Plumtree says he has been trying to remain focussed on the task at hand during his return to Durban this week.

NEWS: Bath's veteran Springbok loose forward Francois Louw has been cleared on eye-gouging charges.

NEWS: There is conflicting reports on the true nature of Matt Toomua's knee injury and his availability for the Wallabies.

REACTION: New Zealand-born Wallaby playmaker Quade Cooper said Friday he had been dumped from the Australian Sevens team not on form but simply because he didn't have Australian citizenship.

On Saturday Uitenhage neighbours meet in a Classic Clash - HTS Daniël Pienaar and Die Brandwag.

REPORT: The Brumbies returned to their winning ways with a 23-6 victory over the Bulls in Canberra on Friday, to reclaim first place in the Australian conference.

NEWS: The Junior Springbok training squad on Friday concluded the first phase of their preparations for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship with a tough hit-out against the Western Province Institute.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Australia Sevens head coach Andy Friend has made five changes to his squad for the Paris Sevens next week.

After easing to victory over Australia in the first match of the Oceania Under 20 Championship, New Zealand Under-20 coach Scott Robertson has made seven changes to the side for the second and final match on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

NEWS: The Waratahs will be without Jed Holloway for their clash against the Cheetahs after the No.8 suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during his team's captain's run on Friday.

REPORT: The Crusaders raced to the top of the Super Rugby standings with an emphatic 38-5 win over a hapless Reds team in Christchurch on Friday.

South Africa's oldest school plays the oldest South Africa's oldest football school in what is almost certain South Africa's oldest football match.

After defeating Itembelihle Comprehensive High School's first XV at the annual Mzwandile Mali Memorial Easter Festival in Port Elizabeth in March, Ndzondelelo High School - led by Lukhanyo Mashalaba - will be looking to top their fellow Eastern Province school again in their Classic Clashes meeting on Friday.