All News

BIG NORTH-SOUTH DERBY: The extraordinary amount of rain to have hit Gauteng this week, proved to be an unwanted distraction for the Bulls.

PLAYER POWER: Stade Francais and Racing 92's Top 14 matches this weekend were postponed on Friday.

TEAM UPDATE: Scotland have been forced to hand a starting berth to Grant Gilchrist for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Italy.

REACTION: Striking Stade Francais players were hailed by fans, as they arrived for crisis talks with National Rugby League officials over controversial plans to merge with Paris rivals Racing 92.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: When is the ball grounded for a try and when not? rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson explains!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks prop Khutha Mchunu took the advice from his primary school principal to use his excess energy wisely by playing rugby, and now, several years later, he is a member of the Junior Springbok training squad.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez believes youngster Benhard Janse van Rensburg is better equipped to fill Patrick Lambie's boots than the other flyhalves in his squad. 

England Under-20 head to Ireland this weekend, knowing that they have the Six Nations sewn up but wanting more.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: For four consecutive weeks flyhalf Bernard Foley has been ruled out of the Waratahs Super Rugby clash due to concussion symptoms.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FIVE: Vern Cotter's battered and bruised Scotland side will hope to give the Kiwi coach a winning send-off when they host pointless Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FIVE: England will leap across the Irish Sea on Saturday in search of golden glory. Paul Dobson reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Racing 92 players are not united enough to follow Stade Francais by striking and refusing to play in the Top 14 this weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph has expressed dismay that notes on the team's swashbuckling 2015 World Cup run were not available to him when he took over from Eddie Jones.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Three tries in the last 15 minutes helped the Chiefs beat the Melbourne Rebels 27-14 in Melbourne on Friday.

NEWS: All Black wing and fullback Frank Halai has agreed to join the French Top 14 play-off hopefuls, Pau.

NEWS: Eddie Jones has joked that England can play New Zealand straight after Saturday's Grand Slam match in Dublin

NEWS: Neil Jenkins and Graham Rowntree have joined the coaching staff of the British and Irish Lions for this year's tour to New Zealand, it was announced.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FIVE: Wales will have the 2019 World Cup on their minds when they conclude their Six Nations campaign against France on Saturday.

REPORT: The third week in a row the Crusaders came from behind to win a thrilling Super Rugby match, as they edged the Blues 33-24 in Christchurch on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There has been plenty of drama off the field this week. Saturday will ensure the drama is on the field.

REACTION: The Lions may be looking for a new head coach in the not too distant future.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Reds have made three changes to the matchday 23 for their Round Four Super Rugby encounter with the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Springboks Sevens trio Justin Geduld, Stephen Dippenaar and Rosko Specman will not be part of the upcoming Hong Kong Sevens.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray has been ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations clash against England in Dublin after failing to overcome a shoulder injury.

NEWS: World Rugby has revealed a new global rugby calendar which allows for an uninterrupted Super Rugby tournament.

NEWS: Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has called on the services of Sharks loose forward Jean Deysel on a three-month loan.

SARU has organised a camp at Hoërskool Hugenote in Wellington for 50 Under-18 players.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has made one change to the starting XV to face Italy in this Saturday’s final Six Nations match at BT Murrayfield.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Veteran wing Alshaun Bock is about to set a new Super Rugby record - the oldest player on debut.

NEWS: Australia scrumhalf Nic White has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with Premiership side Exeter Chiefs.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: If England beat Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, not only will they complete back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams, they'll set a new record of 19 successive Test wins by a 'tier one' or leading Rugby Union nation.

NEWS: Australia hooker Nathan Charles has signed with Premiership side Bath Rugby until the end of the season.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: Despite being third on the log and on a four-game winning streak, UJ head coach Werner Janse van Rensburg will only start talking semifinals after Monday's challenge against the inform Wits.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have brought back a number of stars for their Super Rugby Round Four clash against the Reds in Johannesburg on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are two changes in the England starting XV for their clash against Ireland on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf Tian Meyer will captain the Cheetahs against the Jaguares at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France have made one change for their final Six Nations match this season, against Wales on Saturday, with coach Guy Noves bringing Sebastien Vahaamahina back into the second row.

RESULTS: In several parts of the country, schools rugby is already under way. In fact in Northvaal it seems almost fully functional.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Six Nations champions England may be bidding for a Grand Slam when they face Ireland this weekend, but they won't be the only team with something to play for on Saturday's final day of the Championship.

INJURY UPDATE: England are increasingly optimistic that Elliot Daly will be available when they bid to win a Grand Slam against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.  

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The name Smith features three times on the team sheet for the Highlanders this week.

REACTION: France's professional rugby leaders are to hold an emergency meeting Friday amid a strike threat by players over the controversial planned merger between Top 14 clubs Racing 92 and Stade Francais.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Two Barrett brothers, Jordie and Beauden, will start for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders in Wellington on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Head coach Robert du Preez has made a number of changes to his team to face the Southern Kings on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs are keeping their fingers crossed that Bernard Foley will be fit for their Dan Vickerman Cup clash against the Brumbies on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham has made three changes to the starting XV for the clash with the Waratahs this Saturday in Sydney.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim look at South Africa's 2023 World Cup bid and ask if politics are at play. They also talk about the Sevens, Super Rugby and Six Nations.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With speculation rife about the future of Super Rugby and the possible culling of teams, some franchises may be playing for survival.

FIXTURES: On Tuesday, 28 March 2017, there will be seven schools matches played on Newlands's green and ancient ground.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Consistency is a great virtue. Often we hear coaches say things like: "All we ask is consistency." rugby365's acclaimed law guru Paul Dobson reports!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are looking internally for the cause of their dismal start to the Super Rugby season.

FIXTURES: Hoërskool Kempton Park, one of South Africa's best rugby schools, is at the start of another exciting season.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell will find himself on the opposite side to his father for the first time when Six Nations champions England bid for a record-breaking win against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England could play New Zealand a year earlier than scheduled if they can get an agreement.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves coach Filo Tiatia has made just one change to the starting XV for his teams' Super Rugby showdown with the Bulls in Pretoria on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has made extensive changes to the ahead of their trans-Tasman contest with the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Rebels coach Tony McGahan made four changes to his team for the fourth round Super Rugby clash against the Chiefs in Melbourne on Friday.

NEWS: Having returned to the playing field a month ago, Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee has returned to the sidelines after sustaining a serious knee injury during a Pro 12 encounter against Zebre.

NEWS: France's professional rugby leaders are to hold an emergency meeting Friday amid a strike threat by players over the controversial planned merger between Top 14 clubs Racing 92 and Stade Francais.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues have made three changes and one positional change to their team to take on the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales hooker Ken Owens will win his 50th cap as Wales head into their final 2017 Six Nations encounter - against France in Paris on Saturday - unchanged.

NEWS: Fiji and Samoa have been added to the Oceania Under-20s Championship as the competition is expanded to four nations in 2017, joining New Zealand and tournament hosts Australia on the Gold Coast this May.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Crusaders are set to be without the services of their All Black star Israel Dagg for a substantial period.

An important letter from Dr Clint Readhead and Dr Wayne Viljoen of SARU, makes clear the limitations on the scope of the use of the Head Injury Assessment (HIA).

NEWS: All Blacks and Chiefs scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow will bid adieu to New Zealand at the end of 2017. 

NEWS: Wales star Gavin Henson looks set to end his career back in his homeland after signing a two-year contract with Newport Gwent Dragons on Tuesday.  

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy coach Conor O'Shea made four changes to his side from last weekend's Six Nations defeat to France for Saturday's final match of the tournament against Scotland.

NEWS: Irish coach Bernard Jackman was fired by Grenoble on Tuesday deepening the crisis at the Top 14 club as French police investigated claims of rape made by a young woman against players.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: As they head into the closing stages of the round-robin fixtures, Wits head coach Hugo van As is not about to get distracted by the hype. Leezil Hendricks reports.

As expected, Georgia, Spain and Romania won. Romania are best placed to come second while Spain and Germany are in a tussle for the place.

The Six Nations ends on this weekend. England's seniors and Under-20s have already won and the Women are likely to win.

REACTION: A plan to merge top French clubs Racing 92 and Stade Francais was hatched in secret behind the back of the players, French international Jonathan Danty said Tuesday.

INJURY UPDATE: Stormers flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a groin injury.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions have lost the services of loose forward Cyle Brink ahead of their clash against the Reds in Johannesburg on Saturday.

OPINION: The famous rugby365 Team of the Week will continue to focus on the four Home Unions as the British and Irish Lions tour draws ever closer.

NEWS: Jaguares flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez has been suspended for one week for dangerous play during his team's 36-24 win over the Lions last weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brumbies hooker Josh Mann-Rea shifts his focus to the Waratahs, despite the ongoing uncertainty which surrounds the new format of the Super Rugby competitions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Varsity Shield has played second fiddle to the main Cup competition but there is a tight race to the semi-finals with the competition entering its final round-robin fixture. Tauriq Ebrahim looks at the permutations.

INJURY UPDATE: France hooker Christopher Tolofua has been ruled out for Saturday's Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff with an ankle injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks assistant coach Sean Everitt is backing the youngsters in the Durban side's squad to show what they are made of against the Southern Kings on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Nollis Marais has made wholesale changes to his team to face the Sunwolves at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Friday.

NEWS: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux said his training squad’s preparations this week would include a greater focus on match-specific training to prepare the players for their warm-up games.

VARSITY SHIELD WRAP: CPUT bounced back from last week's defeat with a 29-12 win against UFH in Wellington.

NEWS: The Rugby World Cup 2023 host selection process reaches a new milestone this week with the first official World Rugby visit to a host country. 

REACTION: French giants Racing 92 and Stade Francais, winners of the last two Top 14 titles, announced a shock merger to create a 'super club' that leaves many top stars in limbo.

REACTION: Eddie Jones has likened the praise his England side have received from New Zealand coach Steve Hansen to the cautionary fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood being tricked by the wolf.

INJURY UPDATE: All Black utility back Nehe Milner-Skudder was told Tuesday he will be out for at least six weeks with a foot injury, leaving his dream of facing the British and Irish Lions hanging by a thread.

NEWS: French police are investigating a claim of rape made by a young woman against players from Top 14 club Grenoble, prosecutors in Bordeaux told AFP on Monday.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland are confident key halfback duo Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton will both be fit to face England in Saturday's Six Nations climax in Dublin.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England may have already retained the Six Nations Championship title but coach Eddie Jones won't be satisfied unless his side complete a Grand Slam by beating Ireland.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand great Sean Fitzpatrick has told England they could get the same treatment as the All Blacks when they try to set a new record against Ireland on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Adriaan Strauss will be back to lead the Bulls when they take on the Sunwolves in a Super Rugby encounter in Pretoria on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok flyhalf Patrick Lambie is set for another extended spell on the sidelines - the result of his latest injury.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: Wits had to dig deep to secure a 30-20 hard-fought win against NMMU-Madibaz at the Wits Stadium.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: NWU-Pukke were forced to hold off a spirited second half performance but CUT to claim a bonus-point 43-38 victory in Bloemfontein on Monday.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UP-Tuks proved that their 100-point victory in Round Six was no fluke as they dismantled Shimlas 65-19 by running in nine tries in Bloemfontein on Monday.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UJ stretched their winning streak to four with a 40-12 win over the inconsistent UCT at the Green Mile in Cape Town.

OPINION: rugby365 digs a bit deeper than just the sanitised and flaky media releases, to find out what has become of South Africa's premier domestic competition.

In the Women's Six Nations match at the Stoop, England's left wing scored no fewer than seven tries. Seven! It was a Six Nations record.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South Africa have dropped further down in the latest World Rugby rankings

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: A number of players impressed with their on-field performances in Round Three of Super Rugby 2017.

England, World Under-20 Champions, are now the Six Nations Under-20 champions as well.

REACTION: The Cheetahs will always put a higher premium on attack than on defence.

INJURY UPDATE: Southern Kings centre Luzuko Vulindlu is the only injury casualty from their Super Rugby match against the Stormers on Saturday.

NEWS: Fraser Brown the Scotland hooker has been cited by the independent Citing Commissioner at Saturday's Six Nations match between England and Scotland at Twickenham. 

NEWS: Top French rugby clubs Racing 92 and Stade Français, who between them have won the last two Top 14 titles, on Monday announced a shock plan to merge from next season.

REACTION: The Lions will have to work hard on their discipline and defence ahead of their Round Four Super Rugby encounter with the Reds at Ellis Park on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Waratahs flyhalf Bernard Foley is confident he will make his Super Rugby return against the Brumbies on Saturday.

Francois Smit died after refereeing a schoolboys' match at Carletonville High School on Saturday afternoon.

NEWS: Sefa Naivalu has taken a step towards a return to Super Rugby with the wing resuming full training with the Melbourne Rebels squad.

REACTION: Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell was pretty pleased with the efforts from his BlitzBoks squad following their North American trip of the World Rugby Sevens Series. 

REACTION: Billy Vunipola accepts England have "come a long way" following their miserable 2015 World Cup campaign, but are determined not to rest on their laurels when they seek fresh Grand Slam glory against Ireland.

FINAL WRAP: England moved back into second place on the Sevens World Series standings after a thrilling 19-7 win over South Africa in Vancouver on Sunday.

NEWS: Sharks coach Robert du Preez confirmed there was concern over captain and flyhalf Patrick Lambie's back injury.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: A superb piece of individual brilliance by Rosco Speckman saw South Africa reach an unprecedented sixth consecutive Sevens World Series Cup Final.

TOP 14 WRAP: Montpellier returned to haunt Clermont on Sunday when they condemned their French Top 14 rivals to a first home defeat in over a year with a four-try bonus-point 28-19 victory.

REACTION: England may have already retained the Six Nations title but captain Dylan Hartley warned it would represent a significant "failure" for the side if they did not go on to complete a Grand Slam this coming weekend.

REACTION: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen praised the renewed "work ethic" and "vision" shown by England under Eddie Jones after they equalled the All Blacks' record of 18 consecutive Test wins by a major rugby union nation.

QUARTERFINAL WRAP: Sevens World Series leaders South African continued to dazzle as they strolled in to their sixth successive Cup semifinals.

REACTION: Stormers coach Robbie Fleck feels the future of the game in the Western Cape is bright.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: We will have a fair idea of who the semi-final hosts will be at the conclusion of the round, especially seeing that the high-flying Maties are on a bye. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

REACTION: The Reds are determined to put their campaign back on track on their two-match tour, starting with the Lions in Johannesburg this week.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones challenged his side to achieve 'greatness' by completing back-to-back Grand Slams after they retained their Six Nations title with a round to spare following a 61-21 thrashing of Scotland at Twickenham at the weekend.

REACTION: Eddie Jones might have just done Warren Gatland a massive favour as he contemplates selection for the British and Irish Lions' tour to his native New Zealand in June.

REACTION: Fans hoping to see some trademark French flair at next week's Six Nations clash at home to Wales will have to wait.

INJURY UPDATE: A gruelling round three of Super Rugby this weekend has proved costly for New Zealand's backline, with five All Blacks sidelined with leg injuries.

REACTION: Beaten Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd complained that some off-the-ball incidents "have no place" in the game after his side was beaten 26-18 by the Chiefs in a brutal New Zealand derby.

NEWS: Nicolas Sanchez of the Jaguares has been cited for an act foul play during his teams' 36-24 Super Rugby win over the Lions in Vuenps Aires at the weekend.

NEWS: Chiefs loose forwards Michael Leitch has been given a slap on the wrist, a one-week ban' for his act of foul play.

ROUND THREE WRAP: South Africa suffered a minor wobble, but stayed on course for an unprecedented fourth successive tournament win on the Sevens World Series.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones insisted his side were only "just starting" after they thrashed Scotland 61-21 at Twickenham on Saturday to retain their Six Nations title.

ROUND TWO WRAP: England, South Africa, Fiji, the United States, Australia,  New Zealand and Canada all started with two wins from two in Pool A at the Vancouver leg of the Sevens World Series.

TOP 14 WRAP: All Black legend Dan Carter was booed off as French champions Racing 92 slumped to a 15-38 home defeat to shock leaders La Rochelle on Saturday.

REACTION: George North has admitted that a return to his barn-storming best with a two-try showing in Wales' thrilling Six Nations victory over Ireland was due to moving up a gear after a brutally honest week of introspection.

PRO12 REPORT: Ulster moved into the top four with a 10-try success over Zebre in their re-arranged Round Nine fixture.

ROUND ONE WRAP: It was smooth sailing for the top teams in the first round of the Vancouver Sevens as they all managed to bag comfortable victories.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Jaguares punished the Lions for some poor defending as they cruised to a 36-24 victory in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: England were in an unforgiving mood as they claimed the 2017 Six Nations title - with a game to spare - after seeing Scotland off 61-21 at Twickenham on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: France wing Virimi Vakatawa was in a devastating mood as he helped power his side to a 40-18 bonus-point victory over Italy in Rome on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Curwin Bosch contributed 27 points in the Sharks 37-14 victory over the Waratahs in Durban on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Cheetahs did enough to secure a 38-31 win over a spirited Sunwolves team in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers were made to work hard for their 41-10 bonus-point win over the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Crusaders flyhalf Mitchell Hunt kicked a penalty right on full-time to give the Crusaders a 22-20 win over the Reds in their Super Rugby match in Brisbane on Saturday.

REACTION: Wales coach Rob Howley's courageous call to avoid tinkering with his stuttering side was vindicated after they notched up an "emphatic" 22-9 victory over Ireland in a thrilling Six Nations match.

NEWS: Super Rugby is in for a shake-up, but details on whether teams will be axed will be kept under wraps until affected sides have been informed, the competition's governing body said Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders bagged their first win of the season after they beat the Blues 16-12 in a scrappy affair in Auckland on Saturday.

VANCOUVER SEVENS: Charlton Kerr has been named in the England squad for the sixth round of the World Sevens Series in Vancouver.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: George North scored a double as Wales ended Ireland's dream of winning the Six Nations.

The most important match of the weekend may well be Germany vs Spain, as countries vie to see who comes second to Georgia and so goes to the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

INJURY UPDATE: The defending champion Hurricanes were given a rude awakening and dealt a cruel injury blow.

REACTION: The Brumbies are keeping their feet firmly planted, following their 25-17 win, with a late try, over the Western Force in Canberra on Friday.

NEWS: The Chiefs' Japanese star Michael Leitch has been cited for foul play during the Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Italy captain Sergio Parisse has warned the Azzurri will continue to use their controversial tactics as they prepare to face France in Saturday's Six Nations clash in Rome.

INJURY UPDATE: Owen Farrell left England with an anxious wait on his fitness just a day out from their Six Nations international with Scotland at Twickenham as he missed Friday's final pre-match training session.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Director of Rugby Les Kiss has made five personnel changes for Saturday's re-arranged Round Nine fixture against Zebre at Kingspan Stadium.

TOP 14 SPOTLIGHT: All Black legend Dan Carter is expected to return from a turbulent six-week lay-off as reigning French champions Racing 92 host surprise Top 14 leaders La Rochelle this weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers coach Robbie Fleck believes he can bring the best out of Springbok wing Bjorn Basson.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Derek Heiberg has become the newly appointed Director of Rugby and Jeremy McLaren has been named the first XV head coach at Glenwood High School.

England are sitting at the top of the log play Scotland who are at the bottom.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scott Curry returns to All Blacks Sevens team after sitting out the Las Vegas tournament last week as a precaution due to a mild concussion.

NEWS: 21-year-old centre Joe Thomas has signed his first professional contract with his home region Ospreys.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Springboks' scrum consultant Pieter de Villiers is assisting the Juniors Springboks on a temporary basis.

NEWS: Rugby Europe president Octavian Morariu turned up the pressure on the organisers of the Six Nations over changes to the format and make up of the teams following a meeting in Paris on Thursday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Despite their dominance on the Sevens circuit, Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell is fully aware of the threat England poss in Vancouver Sevens.

NEWS: Racing 92 club will fire former All Black Ali Williams, who was arrested in Paris last month in possession of cocaine, the Top 14 champions said Friday.

World Rugby's Sevens has moved up to the lovely port city of Vancouver in British Columbia.

WORLD SERIES SPOTLIGHT:  With titles in four of five tournaments so far and 28 wins in 30 matches this season, South Africa's BlitzBoks rank as heavy favourites for the Vancouver leg of the Sevens World Series.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Brumbies scored a late try against a 14-man Western Force to win a tight match 25-17 and record their first win of the 2017 Super Rugby season on Friday.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FOUR: rugby365's acclaimed writer Paul Dobson looks at the oldest contest in the game.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs climbed to the top of the combined Super Rugby Standings with a 26-18 win over the Hurricanes in Hamilton on Friday.

NEWS: Utility back Kurtley Beale has signed a two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union and Waratahs after rejecting a lucrative contract at England's Wasps to focus on the 2019 World Cup.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FOUR: Italy coach Conor O'Shea's admiration for France counterpart Guy Noves will face the acid test on Saturday when the sides meet in a highly-anticipated Six Nations clash in Rome.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It may be the early rounds, but already there are a few matches that will give us some pointers as to where the season is heading.

It seemed unlikely that Scotland would put a dent in England's march towards the Grand Slam.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Former Sharks player David McDuling has been named in the Waratahs starting XV for Round Three, with Will Skelton to remain sidelined this weekend.

SIX NATIONS ROUND FOUR: Wales are set to host Ireland in front of a capacity crowd keen to return to winning ways after defeats to England and Scotland, but the visitors have a lot more on the line.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A much-criticised Wales team are ready to bounce back against "favourites" Ireland on Friday after their Six Nations capitulation against Scotland, according to coach Robin McBryde.

NEWS: Owen Farrell gave England an injury scare just two days before their Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Twickenham when he limped out of training on Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has made five changes and a positional switch to his team to face the Stormers in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: It was not the most clinical of performances but the fact that they have shown tremendous guts is a pleasing aspect for Wits head coach Hugo van As. Leezil Hendricks reports.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has been forced to make a number of changes to the side that will take on the Sunwolves in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

CALCUTTA CUP TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Vern Cotter has made one change to the starting Scotland side to face England at Twickenham Stadium this Saturday in the Six Nations.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: The University of Johannesburg head coach Werner Janse van Rensburg has praised his side's consistency after their recent 36-28 win against NMMU-Madibaz.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Guy Noves made four changes to his side for this weekend's Six Nations clash in Italy.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bjorn Basson is set to make his debut for the Stormers after being named in the starting XV to face the Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Marvin Orie will make his debut for the Lions when they take on the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in a Super Rugby Round Three encounter on Saturday.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: Despite a record 100-0 win against CUT, UP-Tuks head coach Pote Human has warned his side not to rest on their laurels as they prepare for Shimlas.  Leezil Hendricks reports

CALCUTTA CUP TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Eddie Jones has made three changes to his side for England's Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Scotland will go in search of just their fifth win in more than a hundred years of playing England at Twickenham.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has stuck with the team that did duty against the Brumbies last week for their clash against the Waratahs at Kings Park on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves coach Filo Tiatia has named five rookies in the matchday 23 to face the Cheetahs in a Super Rugby encounter in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

KEARSNEY FESTIVAL: On Tuesday Kearsney College of Botha's Hill launched the 10th edition of their high-profile Easter Festival.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales dominated the last British and Irish Lions squad in their winning tour to Australia, but interim head coach Rob Howley insists his misfiring team are focused solely on victory over Ireland on Friday.

NEWS: Veteran New Zealand forward Jason Eaton penned a new one-year deal with La Rochelle, committing himself to the surprise French Top 14 leaders until June 2018.  

UPDATE: Six men who attacked a group of French rugby stars with knives and machetes outside a nightclub were Wednesday sentenced to between one and four years in prison.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Crusaders cross the ditch this week to take on the Reds in Brisbane, with three players set to make their Crusaders debut on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Reds have made three changes to their starting side for this weekend's match against the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders stars Luke Whitelock and Marty Banks return from injury to take on the Blues in Auckland this weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues have named six All Blacks who will make their first start of the Super Rugby season to play the Highlanders at Eden Park on Saturday.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim discuss the latest developments at Newlands, the Springboks, Varsity Cup, Super Rugby and the Six Nations!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It is one of the most highly anticipated matches of the early rounds, but an adverse weather system may put a dampener on the opening match of the weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks will not be deterred playing a more expansive game.

VARSITY CUP SPOTLIGHT: Social media has been abuzz with the passionate, raw post-match interview of interim Wits captain Constant Beckerling but he had a firm chat with his troops before the game that really fired them up. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named an unchanged starting XV for the Six Nations encounter with Wales in Cardiff on Friday.

NEWS: The Welsh Rugby Union has obtained a High Court injunction against an unofficial ticketing operation which was re-selling tickets and operating unofficial hospitality for the 2017 Six Nations matches at Principality Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales coach Rob Howley refused to bow to public pressure for wholesale changes.

NEWS: Gloucester's John Afoa has been hit with a one-week suspension after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle in his match against Harlequins on March 4.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: Australia Sevens will be without their captain Sam Myers for the Vancouver Sevens leg from March 11-12 and has been replaced by Simon Kennewell.

NEWS: Ulster have lured powerful front row forward Schalk van der Merwe to Belfast.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have made several changes to the 23 as they head to Canberra to take on the Brumbies on Friday.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: Stedman Gans, who travelled to the USA as the reserve player, has been promoted to the 12-man team for the Vancouver Sevens from March 11-12.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham has made two changes to the starting XV for the visit of the Western Force to Canberra on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Billy Vunipola could be in line for a recall to England's starting XV for this weekend's Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Twickenham if a photo is indeed an accurate guide to their line-up.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Loose head prop Loni Uhila and lock Mark Abbott have been ushered into the tight five for the Hurricanes.

B&I LIONS SPOTLIGHT: The Six Nations returns this week to begin its rapid run towards a climax, with the contest for British and Irish Lions tour places sure to provide plenty of compelling sub-plots.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs coach Dave Rennie named a physical and experienced line-up to face the Hurricanes on Friday.

NEWS: Georgian international hooker Shalva Mamukashvili joined Toulon as injury cover for Jean-Charles Orioli, the Top 14 club said.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Black legend Dan Carter says French champions Racing 92 need to build some momentum if they are to stand any chance of defending their title.

INJURY UPDATE: South African prop Jannie Du Plessis is set for a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, his French Top 14 club Montpellier said on Tuesday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Carlo Canna will replace injured Tommaso Allan at flyhalf in one of three changes by Italy coach Conor O'Shea for Saturday's Six Nations clash against France at the Stadio Olimpico.

NEWS: France's top flight clubs reiterated their opposition on Tuesday to federation President Bernard Laporte's plan to introduce dual contracts.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Allister Coetzee praised the attitude of the 41 players who attended the three day training camp in Johannesburg.

NEWS: Scotland's Duncan Taylor has been ruled out of this weekend's Calcutta Cup clash against England, the Scottish Rugby Union announced Tuesday

NEWS: Gloucester Rugby head coach Laurie Fisher has left the Premiership side with immediate effect.

Six Nations is back with a crucial Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham with Mathieu Raynal of Perpignan to referee it.

In Round 3 of Rugby Europe's top competitions, victories went as predicted.

NEWS: Versatile Springbok Zane Kirchner has signed a  contract with Pro12 side Newport Gwent Dragons.

NEWS: The Southern Kings have signed lock, Wilhelm van der Sluys on a loan from English Premiership side Worcester Warriors.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers scrum coach Pieter de Villiers says new training methods has played a big part in the Cape side's scrum success in this year's Super Rugby tournament.

VARSITY SHIELD WRAP: UFH bagged a 28-16 victory against basement dwellers TUT in Alice.

The South African Rugby Sevens Academy Under-18 team won handsomely at the international tournament in Namibia.

REACTION: Patrick Lambie's calming influence on the field was a key factor in the Sharks' 27-22 win over the Brumbies on Saturday.

VARSITY SHIELD SPOTLIGHT: The Walter Sisulu University has become the latest side to have been docked 10 points after they were found to have fielded an ineligible player in their opening two Varsity Shield matches.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ian Madigan signing for English Premiership club Bristol represents a huge gamble for both parties.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Johan Ackermann will be without a number of key players when his team takes on the Jaguares in Argentina on Saturday. 

NEWS: The Highlanders have lost their second player for the season with Jason Emery rupturing his achilles playing for the Highlanders Braveheart's against the Crusader Knights in a curtain raiser last weekend.

NEWS: Veteran Ireland international lock Mike McCarthy will leave Leinster at the end of the season to join Narbonne.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls' Super Rugby season went from bad to worse on Monday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok game plan was in need of some 'freshening up', backline coach Franco Smith said.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: Maties wing Edwill Van Der Merwe scored a hat-trick as his side secured a comfortable 58-12 win over Shimlas to cement their spot on top of the table.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: Wits kept Pukke scoreless in the second half while overturning a six-point half-time deficit to claim a massive 22-13 victory in Potchefstroom.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UJ were forced to dig deep to secure a 36-28 win over a resilient Madibaz side in Johannesburg.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UP-Tuks recorded the biggest margin of victory in the history of the competition when they handed CUT-Ixias a 100-0 hiding in Pretoria.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at the power of the wind on a rugby field.   

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Lions coach Johan Ackermann will take his 'best available' team to Argentina, but his 'x-factor' player will stay behind.

NEWS: The Junior Springbok training squad kicked off their preparations for the Junior World Cup on a solid note on Monday with a jam-packed training day in Stellenbosch after getting together on Sunday.

NEWS: Pumas are delighted and humbled to be one of the seven teams in the new Premier Division of the Currie Cup.

INJURY REPORT: The Southern Kings will be without scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and lock Mzwanele Zito when they take on the Stormers in a Super Rugby encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: Ireland international Ian Madigan has boosted Bristol after siging a three-year deal to move to the Premiership club in 2017.

NEWS: Bristol chairman Chris Booy believes incoming head coach Pat Lam will bring significant progress to the Premiership club.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: After some stirring performances, our Team of the Week for Round Two of Super Rugby features a lot more players from South Africa.

INJURY UPDATE: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith will be forgiven if he is a touch distracted this week.

REACTION: It was not the most clinical of performances, but the fact that they were able to come back every time when the chips were down, was pleasing says Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell.

NEWS: Highly-rated flyhalf Callum Sheedy has committed his future Bristol Rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says no names are 'popping up' at him, as he searches for a new captain.

NEWS: Exciting Chiefs wing James Lowe will depart New Zealand at the end of the year to join Leinster in Ireland.

REACTION: Reds centre Samu Kerevi said he and his teammates will have to keep it "simple" on the field when they face the Crusaders in Brisbane on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: We are well and truly in the business end of the competition and while all teams are gunning for top four places, all eyes will be focused on the top of the table clash in Bloemfontein.

NEWS: Flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc earnt an early recall to the France squad ahead of next weekend's Six Nations trip to Italy following a first appearance for Toulon since November.

NEWS: England forwards Billy and Mako Vunipola both enjoyed plenty of game time as title-holders Saracens won 35-27 away to Newcastle in the Premiership on Sunday.

INTERVIEW: Former Australia coach Bob Dwyer believes New Zealand would beat England if the sides met now even though a Red Rose team under his former player Eddie Jones are on the verge of equalling the All Blacks' record for successive Test wins.

FINAL WRAP: South Africa stretched their lead in the Sevens World Series with an impressive19-12 win over Fiji in Las Vegas on Sunday.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: South African will meet Fiji in the Final of the Las Vegas leg of the Sevens World Series.

TOP 14 WRAP: La Rochelle held off a stirring Toulouse fightback to storm back to the French Top 14 summit with a 27-21 win on Sunday.

PREMIERSHIP SUNDAY WRAP: Francois Hougaard and Bryce Heem were instrumental as Worcester Warriors secured a try bonus point in beating Bristol 41-24 at Sixways Stadium on Sunday.

REACTION: The Hurricanes may have thrashed the Melbourne Rebels at the weekend, but their celebrations focused more on small victories within the match rather than the lop-sided result.

REPORT: David Tameilau scored his second try in the 80th minute Saturday and Ben Cima's conversion kick lifted the United States into a 27-27 draw with Argentina to capture the Americas Rugby Championship.

REACTION: Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck believes the Jaguares gave them a glimpse of what to expect when they face the New Zealand sides later in their campaign.

REACTION: The BlitzBoks will have to show all their skill, courage and pride for the jersey if they want to trump hosts, USA, in the semifinals of the Las Vegas Sevens.

NEWS: Blues loose forward Steven Luatua has been suspended for dangerous play in his team's 26-41 loss to the Chiefs on Friday.

REACTION: Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson said that his team were their own worst enemy in allowing their discipline and defence to fall by the wayside against the Lions in Johannesburg.

REACTION: Despite their impressive performance against the Waratahs, the Lions still have a lot of work to do, according to their head coach Johan Ackermann.

REACTION: The Jaguares are rueing their ill-discipline once again after their narrow 25-32 loss to the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday. 

QUARTER-FINAL WRAP: The Blitzboks were forced to dig deep in their Cup quarter-final encounter with Australia, eventually prevailing 17-14 to advance to the semi-finals.

ROUND THREE WRAP: The Blitzboks will meet Australia in the Cup quarterfinals after remaining unbeaten to finish on top Pool A.

TOP 14 WRAP: New Zealander Chris Masoe compounded Racing 92's blues by getting sent off just six minutes into Saturday's 10-19 Top 14 defeat at Grenoble.

PRO12 SATURDAY WRAP: Leinster returned to the top of the table thanks to a seven-try victory over Scarlets for their 22nd straight home win.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Kurtley Beale crossed for a double as Wasps stretched their lead at the top of the table with an impressive win over Bath.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Cheetahs held off a powerful second-half charge by the Bulls to secure a thrilling 34-28 win in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers maintained their winning start to the season with a hard-earned 32-25 win over the Jaguares at Newlands on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Lions earned a bonus-point 55-36 win over the Waratahs in a 13-try feast at Ellis Park on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Southern Kings scored a 37-23 win over the Sunwolves in a scrappy encounter in Singapore on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks scored a try after the hooter for full-time gad sounded to steal a 27-22 win against the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders came from 21 points behind, scoring four late tries, to bet the Highlanders 30-27 in Dunedin on Saturday.

ROUND TWO WRAP: With just a solitary round of Pool matches to be played before the playoffs, South Africa, Fiji, England, USA, Australia and New Zealand have already secured their passage into the Cup quarterfinals.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The defending champion Hurricanes cemented their place at the top of the standings with an eleven-try (71-6) rout of the Rebels in Wellington on Saturday.

ROUND ONE WRAP: There were a few nervy starts and some blowouts in the opening round as the favourites stuck their hands up in Las Vegas.

NEWS: The play-off system currently used to determine promotion to English Rugby Union's elite Premiership is to be scrapped, it was announced Friday.

PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: Exeter Chiefs kept up the pressure on Premiership leaders Wasps as they produced a 34-15 bonus-point win at Leicester Tigers with a hugely impressive pack performance.

PRO12 FRIDAY WRAP: Sam Davies returned to the Ospreys to inspire them to a hard-fought 13-9 Pro12 win over Edinburgh and move them back to the top of the standings.

NEWS: French rugby's governing body the LNR on Friday opened disciplinary proceedings against All Black Ali Williams and Australian international James O'Connor after both were busted with cocaine in Paris.

INJURY UPDATE: Billy Vunipola is set to return from injury for Saracens earlier than expected, which could also benefit England's bid to win successive Grand Slams.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said there was no pressure from Scotland over centre Huw Jones' availability for this weekend's Super Rugby clash with the Jaguares on Saturday. Warren Fortune reports.

NEWS: The Currie Cup will return to a more intense, strength-versus-strength format this year.

NEWS: Only overseas-based Springboks with more than 30 Test caps will be eligible for selection in future.

North vs South is an old rivalry in South African rugby and the schools are helping to keep it alive.

REACTION: Reds coach Nick Stiles pulled no punches and described his team's performance against the Western Force as 'atrocious'.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: Despite the loss of Albertus Smith and Seabelo Senatla, Blitzboks coach Neil Powell has faith the new guys can fill the void in Las Vegas.

It started in 1995 and this is the 23rd Kwagga Junior Week for Under-15 and Under-14 teams, hosted by Hoërskool Outeniqua of George.

TOP 14, WEEK 19: Champions Racing 92 and Toulon return to Top 14 action this weekend insisting their focus remains on their play-off battle following a turbulent week overshadowed by a cocaine scandal.

NEWS: Brumbies lock Sam Carter has re-signed a two-year extension with Australian Rugby and Brumbies, while Scott Fardy will leave at the end of the season. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares head coach Raul Perez has named Nicolás Sánchez in his starting XV who will face the Stormers at the Newlands Stadium on Saturday.

WORLD SERIES ROUND FIVE: The big question leading into the Las Vegas Sevens is whether or not anybody can stop the momentum and consistency of the Blitzboks, especially now that they are without prolific try scorer Seabelo Senatla.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs continued their impressive early season form with a convincing 41-26 bonus-point win over the Blues in Hamilton on Friday.

PREVIEW: Argentina have called up Jaguares centre Gabriel Ascarate as they aim to clinch back-to-back title triumphs in the Americas Championship on Saturday with a home victory over the United States.

NEWS: All Black Byron Kelleher was fined €200 by a French court after being accused of domestic violence during a drunken spat at his Toulouse home.

INJURY UPDATE: England centre Kyle Eastmond will miss out on Wasps' bid to win the English Premiership crown after being ruled out for the rest of the season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The defending champion Hurricanes are preparing to unleash their big guns this weekend, but the pressure is on Super Rugby's lesser lights.

In Round 3 of Rugby Europe's top competition, pits Spain against Geoprgia in Madrid, a vital one for Spain.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Newcastle Falcons’ Fijian flyer Vereniki Goneva hopes to sow the seed of doubt in Saracens’ minds when the Premiership and European champions come to Kingston Park Stadium on Sunday.

April is coming to the Western Cape, certainly with rugby and - all hope - with rain to exterminate the drought.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It's all change at the top of the Pro12 Championship table after Round 16 with Leinster now in first place after Munster Rugby's surprise defeat at home to Scarlets at Thomond Park. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Japanese Super rugby franchise the Sunwolves will be without the services of South African Riaan Viljoen when they take on  Kings in Singapore.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Jared Payne and Joey Carbery were both included in the 36-man Ireland squad for the last two rounds of the Six Nations.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Etienne Oosthuizen's absence is a big blow for the Sharks, but they do have an able replacement in Springbok Stephan Lewies says head coach Robert du Preez.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Prop Retshegofaditswe Nché will replace Charles Marais in the starting XV against the Bulls in their second Super Rugby home game on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are two changes to the Stormers team to face the Jaguares at Newlands on Saturday, with Dan Kriel and Sikhumbuzo Notshe both getting an opportunity in the starting line-up.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springboks Malcolm Marx and Francois de Klerk will ply off the bench when the Lions host the Waratahs in a Super Rugby Round Two match on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Nollis Marais drafted in Jason Jenkins to replace injured Lodewyk de Jager for their clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Western Fore came from behind to edge the Reds 26-19 in an arm-wrestle in Perth on Thursday.

NEWS: England Under-20 internationals Ben Curry and Tom Curry have both signed five-year contracts with the Sale Sharks.

NEWS: Kai Horstmann, Julian Salvi and Ollie Atkins have all agreed on new terms to stay at Exeter Chiefs.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Waratahs hve named an unchanged side for their Round Two Super Rugby clash against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday. 

NEWS: Harlequins fullback  Aaron Morris was handed three-week ban for a reckless tackle on Leicester Tigers wing Adam Thompstone. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has made two changes to his team to face the Sunwolves in a Super Rugby Round Two encounter in Singapore on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has made two changes to his starting XV for their clash against the Brumbies on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham kept the faith and named an unchanged line-up for Round Two of Super Rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has made eight changes matchday 23 that beat the Brumbies for their clash against the Highlanders.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have welcomed back experience for the second round of the 2017 Super Rugby season against the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Highlanders will have a new captain and welcome back two experienced players for the big Southern derby game against the Crusaders on Saturday. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Dane Coles, Beauden Barrett and Nehe Milner-Skudder have been named to start the Hurricanes' first home match.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim explain why they believe Springbok coach Allister Coetzee must now stop making excuses and start delivering the goods.

NEWS: All Black Ali Williams committed an "inexcusable error" and has been stripped of his ambassadorial role for Racing 92.

NEWS: Ireland's second choice flyhalf Paddy Jackson spurned advances from English Premiership suitors by signing a new two-year contract with his province Ulster.

Say what you like that first weekend in August surpasses all other weekends in a season that begins soon for Paarl Gim.

INJURY UPDATE: The Cheetahs will be without the services of star wing Sergeal Petersen for at least the next month.

LAS VEGAS SEVENS: Blitzbok playmaker Cecil Afrika is raring to go at the Las Vegas Sevens, after returning to full fitness following a spell on the sidelines.

PREMIERSHIP NEWS: Loose forward Matt Cox will remain at Sixways after putting pen to paper in a new deal with Worcester Warriors.

REACTION: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika says drug-tainted James O'Connor is a "good lad", but he needs help after being charged by French police with cocaine possession.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It may only be Round Two, but you will expect teams to start making statement of intent.

NEWS: The last remaining Rebels Foundation player, Wallaby prop Laurie Weeks, has committed himself to the franchise until at least 2019.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues head into the Battle of the Bombays with six All Blacks, a Maori All Black and a New Zealand Under-20s player to call from the bench.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan captain Michael Leitch will make his first appearance of the 2017 Super Rugby season when he runs out at No.8 for the Battle of the Bombays in Waikato on Friday.

NEWS: After years of resisting hostile takeovers, Cheeky Watson has finally decided to walk away from the Eastern Province Kings.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Montpellier's South African coach Jake White said he is ready to retake the helm of his national side, which he led to glory at the 2007 World Cup.

REACTION: Conor O'Shea has accepted a change to the game's rules is inevitable, following Italy's controversial 'no-ruck' ploy against England.

NEWS: Bath revealed that front row duo Shaun Knight and Michael van Vuuren have both agreed contract extensions with the club.

The rainy month of February is past now and the soldiers are getting ready for war, a summer sport in ancient Rome and honoured by the god Mars.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: Blitzboks' conditioning coach Allan Temple-Jones is adamant that the player's welfare remains a top priority ahead of the Las Vegas Sevens tournament. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The arrest of rugby stars Ali Williams and James O'Connor outside a Paris nightclub has cast a spotlight on rugby's cocaine problem.

OPINION: Eugene Eloff, a two-time former Under-19 World Cup winner, returns from his hiatus to share his wisdom with rugby365's readers.

NEWS: Warriors have swooped to sign Wasps Academy starlet Tom Howe ahead of the 2017/18 season.

REACTION: Bill Beaumont, the head of World Rugby, is to "discuss" Italy's controversial 'no-ruck' ploy at Twickenham last weekend after being urged to take action by England coach Eddie Jones.

NEWS: Hooker Chris Brooker has joined Bath Rugby on loan until the end of the season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Curwin Bosch, Zain Davids and Salmaan Moerat have all been included in the Junior Springbok training squad.

WIN WITH RUGBY365: You can win FREE tickets to watch the Stormers take on the Jaguares in the second round of the 2017 Super Rugby competition.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Reds head coach Nick Stiles has made just one change to his 23-man squad which beat the Sharks 28-26 for their clash against the Western Force.

VARSITY SHIELD WARP: UWC swooped into the top spot of the Varsity Shield competition after a 30-10 win against TUT on Monday in Cape Town.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: The Shimlas may have solidified their second place on the Varsity Cup log with a morale-boosting 35-23 bonus point victory over NWU-Pukke but it came at a cost. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: After featuring for several teams over the years, Sarel Marais finally got the opportunity to play for the team he idolised growing up.

NEWS: Scottish international forward Josh Strauss has signed a three year deal with English club Sale Sharks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have shuffled their forward pack for the clash against the Reds at nib Stadium in Round Two of Super Rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: South Africa Sevens Academy Under-18 head coach Marius Schoeman has named three 2016 SA Schools representatives in his sevens team that will travel to Namibia for the Windhoek Gymnasium Rugby Sevens Festival.

REACTION: The Sharks will be looking to work on their discipline and ball retention ahead of their clash against the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Bulls lock Lodewyk de Jager will miss the team's next Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs this weekend.

On a cold and gloomy night with raining pouring down and snow heaped on the touchlines, the sun shone on Scotland.

REACTION: England flank James Haskell admitted his side had been out-thought by Italy as the debate over the Azzurri's unorthodox approach to the breakdown continued on Monday.

NEWS: Toulon will suspend Australian international James O'Connor after Paris police charged him with possession of cocaine, the Top 14 club's President said Monday.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: The Shimlas retained second place on the Varsity Cup table after a scintillating 35-23 win against the reigning champs NWU-Pukke in Bloemfontein.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UP-Tuks avoid a second successive defeat when they managed to get the better of a willing Wits outfit by 25-9 in Pretoria.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: UJ were in a ruthless mood and handed CUT-Ixias a lesson by running in nine tries in an emphatic 73-20 in Bloemfontein.

In the Six Nations Under-20, England and Ireland remain unbeaten, which could mean a decider in Ireland in the last Six Nations round.

VARSITY CUP REPORT: Maties scored six tries to secure a comfortable 47-16 win against UCT-Ikey Tigers at the Green Mile.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Allister Coetzee is looking forward to start in earnest with the preparation plans for the forthcoming international season. 

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: After some brilliant performances, it comes as no surprise that our first Super Rugby Team of the Week for the year is dominated by Kiwi players.

OPINION: The famous rugby365 Team of the Week will continue to focus on the four Home Unions as the British and Irish Lions tour draws closer.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids named a 25-man squad that will travel to Singapore where they will take on the Sunwolves in a Super Rugby match at the Singapore National Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: The administration of the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) is set to be returned to local hands following a series of ground-breaking decisions at a special general meeting in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Seabelo Senatla, the current World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, has been included in an extended Springbok training squad for the first of three camps in Johannesburg. 

NEWS: Yorkshire Carnegie captain Ryan Burrows has become Newcastle Falcons’ latest signing as the club continues its recruitment for next season.

The Executive Council of SA Rugby reaffirmed its support for Springbok coach Allister Coetzee as it announced the coaching and management structure for eight national teams, involving 46 individuals.

NEWS: Fijian international centre Gabiriele Lovobalavu have signed with Wasps and will join the club ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, the club’s 150th Anniversary season.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: The Blitzboks head Neil Powell's plan is to ease his side into training ahead of the Las Vegas Sevens tournament.

INJURY UPDATE: Stormers centre Damian de Allende has been ruled out of action for approximately 12 weeks with an ankle injury.

NEWS: English club Northampton Saints have signed Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach ahead of the 2017/18 season.

REACTION: Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids said they only had themselves to blame after their 26-39 home defeat to the Jaguares in Port Elizabeth last Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks back on the interesting tactic used by Italy against England in the Six Nations.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones tried to get an early blow in against Scotland by questioning whether they could back up "their big talk" in next month's Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.

REACTION: New Zealand media Monday accused Ali Williams of tarnishing the image of the All Blacks after French police charged the World Cup-winning former international with buying cocaine.

REACTION: England flyhalf George Ford urged rugby chiefs to outlaw the spoiling tactics employed by Italy at Twickenham on Sunday, saying they had the potential to "kill the game".

NEWS: Sharks lock Etienne Oosthuizen has been suspended for two weeks for striking an opponent during his team's 26-28 loss to the Reds last weekend.

NEWS: French police on Sunday charged All Black Ali Williams with buying cocaine and Australian international James O'Connor with possession of the drug, police sources said.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones accused Italy of playing "Trevor Chappell" rugby after the Azzurri threatened a huge upset in Sunday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The race to the Varsity Cup playoffs will intensify on Monday as the top five teams are separated by just five points. Tauriq Ebrahim looks at how the teams match up.

PRO12 SUNDAY WRAP: Ospreys climbed to second on the table as two tries in two second-half minutes saw them come from behind to seal a 26-15 bonus-point victory over Glasgow Warriors at Liberty Stadium.

PREMIERSHIP SUNDAY WRAP: Wasps utility back Jimmy Gopperth claimed 25 points, including a hat-trick, as his team restored a six-point advantage at the top of the table with a bonus-point 35-22 win over Gloucester.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland's injury woes continue as back row John Hardie has been ruled out of the remaining Six Nations matches with a knee injury.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: A brace of tries by Jack Nowell hands England a 36-15 win against a resilient Italian side at Twickenham on Sunday.

INJURY UPDATE: Lions centre Howard Mnisi will play no further part in the 2017 Super Rugby competition after suffering multiple tears ligament tears that will require surgery.

AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP WRAP: Argentina and the United States produced two more big wins on Saturday to remain unbeaten going into a title showdown.

NEWS: Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo'unga has been sidelined for between six and eight weeks after undergoing surgery on a fractured left hand.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: France coach Guy Noves is confident that the future remains bright, despite seeing hopes of the Six Nations title fade with a 9-19 loss away to Ireland.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Johnny Sexton's masterful performance in returning from a five-week injury break to steer Ireland to a 19-9 win over France came as no surprise to coach Joe Schmidt.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Scotland are aiming to keep rolling back the years by defeating England at Twickenham for the first time since 1983, after beating Wales for the first time in a decade.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell wins his 50th cap against Italy on Sunday with England coach Eddie Jones forecasting his best years in the international game are still ahead of him.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: If Italy show anything like the same aggression on the field against England at Twickenham as coach Conor O'Shea has in championing their cause, the Six Nations holders could have a tough time on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Stormers hit Newlands running, much to the delight of the home crowd but their 37-24 victory over the Bulls came at a massive price with news that centre Damian de Allende will be sidelined.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Bulls were staring down both barrels at half-time against the Stormers, trailing 0-24, but they stuck to their guns and fought back valiantly in the second half to grab four tries.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Reigning champions the Saracens return to winning ways instyle after a 29-18 win against an in-form Sale Sharks side.

REPORT: The Stormers got their Super Rugby campaign off to a perfect start when they beat their old foes the Bulls 37-24 at Newlands on Saturday.

REPORT: Jonathan Sexton made a sparkling return to international duty as he guided Ireland to a 19-9 victory over France at Dublin's Lansdowne Road on Saturday that kept their Six Nations title hopes alive.

REPORT: A superb try by Jaguares scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou highlighted a 39-26 Super Rugby triumph for the Argentines over Southern Kings in South Africa Saturday.

REPORT: Tommy Seymour and Tim Visser both scored tries as Scotland beat Wales for the first time in a decade with a 29-13 victory in a Six Nations international at Murrayfield on Saturday.

REPORT: The Lions started their 2017 Super Rugby campaign with a narrow 28-25 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

NEWS: All Black Ali Williams and Australian international James O'Connor were arrested in Paris on Saturday after being found in possession of cocaine, police said.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: France are showing signs of a revival after a 'malaise' of several years because they have chosen the right coach in Guy Noves, that's according to former Irish great Gordon D'Arcy.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The boot of Reece Robinson proved to be the difference in the Waratahs' 19-13 victory over the Force as handling errors and a high penalty count led to a stop-start affair.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders got their campaign off to a winning start with a narrow 17-13 victory over the Brumbies in Christchurch as they were made to work hard throughout the encounter.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: An unbelievable display of offloading and attacking saw the Hurricane blow the Sunwolves to pieces in a massive 83-17 bonus-point victory in Tokyo.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Leicester Tigers kept alive their English Premiership play-off hopes after a hard-fought 27-18 win at Harlequins on Friday night.

PRO12 FRIDAY WRAP: Scarlets produced a scintillating second-half performance to register an unexpected 30-21 win over Munster on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Coach Joe Schmidt says Ireland must beat France at Dublin's Lansdowne Road on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of winning the Six Nations.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It is not Ireland's standout flyhalf Johnny Sexton who is France's major headache but their back row, French forwards coach Yannick Bru admitted on the eve of Saturday's Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bay of Plenty’s Clayton McMillan has been given the honours of coaching the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians for the opening match of NZ Lions Series.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England scrumhalf Danny Care believes his former club boss Conor O'Shea is the right man to oversee a revival in Italy's fortunes despite a tough start to his first Six Nations with the Azzurri.

NEWS: Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond has moved to quell talk of Auckland-born star Denny Solomona playing for England

NEWS: Sharks lock Etienne Oosthuizen has been cited for foul play during his team's 26-28 Super Rugby loss to the Reds in Brisbane on Friday.

NEWS: Francois Louw's appeal against a two-week ban for a dangerous tackle was dismissed by an RFU Disciplinary appeal panel.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England Sevens have named an unchanged squad for a fifth-successive tournament ahead of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Las Vegas next weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ben Te'o is poised for his full debut, with Danny Care recalled to the starting side, as England coach Eddie Jones rang the changes for Sunday's Six Nations international against Italy at Twickenham.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers captain Siyamthanda Kolisi believes their back-row configuration won't be a weakness when they face the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: Mike Brown says there is no complacency in the England camp ahead of their match against Italy in third round of the Six Nations on Sunday.

It's Round 3 of the Women's Six Nations with England looking the team to beat.

NEWS: Northampton Saints has announced new deals with 11 members of the current squad.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Reds got their 2017 season off to a winning start, coming from behind for a 28-26 squeaker against the Sharks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The France rugby team still have the ability to strike fear into their opponents, Ireland wing Simon Zebo admitted ahead of their much-anticipated Six Nations clash on Saturday.

REACTION: Former Australian Rugby Chief John O'Neill has called for Argentina and Japan to be dumped from the troubled Super Rugby competition, along with a South African side.

SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: rugby365's acclaimed writer Paul Dobson takes a look at the key encounter between Ireland and France in Dublin on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: George North and his Wales teammates will all have the chance to earn a place in the record books as they look to extend their winning run against Scotland on Saturday and so revive their Six Nations title hopes.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs recorded a 24-15 bonus-point win over the Highlanders to get their 2017 season underway in perfect fashion.  

SUPER SATURDAY: Wall-to-wall rugby, custom fit. Throw in the fact that it is Round One and you know a few household chores are abound to be left undone.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell has insisted he has yet to feel totally relaxed in the England set-up even though he is on the brink of winning his 50th Test cap.

Is this the year of England? The senior team, the women's team and their Under-20 team are all well placed to win Six Nations Grand Slams.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: Despite a defeat at the hands of reigning champs NWU-Pukke, the UCT-Ikey Tigers are eager to produce yet another upset against Maties in this unpredictable tournament. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: After Round 15 produced plenty of drama and entertainment with 39 tries scored, the action in the Pro12 continues this weekend with games taking place across all four participating countries. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguars coach Raúl Perez named just one uncapped player in his starting XV to face the Southern Kings in the opening round of Super Rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Standout flyhalf Johnny Sexton will start his first match for Ireland since limping off against New Zealand last November in the Six Nations clash at home to France on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids named four rookies in his team to face the Jaguares in the opening round of the 2017 Super Rugby season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sale Sharks' Mark Jennings believes is confident his in-form side can continue their progress in the upcoming Premiership Rugby encounter with Saracens.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: EW Viljoen will make his Stormers Super Rugby debut in the clash against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

VARSITY CUP REACTION: Despite his team magnificent performance, Maties head coach Hawies Fourie believes the route to the playoffs is still filled with unpredictability.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: John Barclay will replace the injured Greig Laidlaw as Scotland captain for Saturday's Six Nations international against Wales at Murrayfield.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez says jet lag will not be a factor when his team takes on the Reds on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Torsten van Jaarsveld will be leading the Cheetahs in their first Super Rugby encounter of the season on Saturday against the Lions in Bloemfontein. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Guy Novès has made three changes for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Lions head coach Johan Ackerman has named eight Springboks in the starting XV against the Cheetahs on Saturday, February 25.

NEWS: Exeter Chiefs props Ben Moon and Carl Rimmer together with hooker Shaun Malton have all agreed to extend their stays at Sandy Park.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok lock Lodewyk de Jager will make his Super Rugby debut for the  Bulls on Saturday in Cape Town against the Stormers.

NEWS: Sale Sharks Director of rugby Steve Diamond has been charged with a six-week suspension. 

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Blues started the 2017 season with a try-scoring (56-18) win over an error-prone Rebels in Melbourne in the competition's first Thursday mach.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Otere Black will guide the Hurricanes into their first match of the Super Rugby season after being named to start in the pivotal No.10 jersey against the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: Springbok Sevens backline player Branco du Preez will play in his 50th tournament when the World Rugby Sevens Series commences in Las Vegas in the USA on March 3.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Willem Britz will make his Sunwolves debut when the Japanese outfit takes on the defending Super Rugby Champions the Hurricanes in Tokyo on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bernard Foley was ruled out of the Waratahs' clash with the Western Force as he is still recovering from a head knock sustained against the Highlanders in the pre-season game.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force's matchday 23 for their clash against the Waratahs features a host of new faces with up to eight players set to run out in the Western Force colours for the first time.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Israel Dagg will become the latest Super Rugby centurion when he takes the field at fullback when the Crusaders face the Brumbies in Christchurch on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Seven players are in line to make their Brumbies debut with four named in the starting line-up for their opening Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Jonathan Joseph has been dropped from the England side to face Italy in the Six Nations this weekend as the Bath centre was omitted from a 24-man squad announced by the reigning champions.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) expressed shock Thursday after a provincial player pleaded guilty in court to assault with intent to rape.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim reveal their predictions for the opening round of Super Rugby, while they also look at the Six Nations and Varsity Cup.

NEWS: Ireland will face the United States in a June Test match in suburban New York.

NEWS: Georgia's hopes of playing in the Six Nations any time soon have been dashed after the tournament's Chief Executive insisted there was no vacancy.

NEWS: Wasps tighthead prop Phil Swainston has signed for Harlequins in one of several player developments announced on Wednesday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A new Super Rugby season kicks off on Thursday, with bosses pledging to tackle its unwieldy conference structure, exhausting travel schedules and lopsided contests.

NEWS: Bath confirmed that Dan Bowden has been released from his contract by mutual consent.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy head coach Conor O'Shea has handed Abraham Steyn a starting role for Sunday's Six Nations encounter with England at Twickenham.

NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have added another proven top-level try-scorer to their squad with the news that Canada and Scarlets wing DTH van der Merwe is moving to Kingston Park Stadium later this year.

SEVENS: Ambrose Curtis will make his return to the Sevens World Series after being named in the All Blacks Sevens squad for the Las Vegas and Vancouver legs of the Series in March.

NEWS: Ospreys revealed that Hanno Dirksen has signed a new two-year deal.

NEWS: Springbok Francois Louw and Samoan interational Kahn Fotuali'i have both been slapped with two-week bans.