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UPDATE: Broken promises and an about turn are at the centre of an arbitration hearing between the national players' union, MyPlayers, and the South African Rugby Union.

NEWS: Veteran prop James Slipper will etch his name in the history books when he returns to the Brumbies' starting XV for Saturday night's pivotal Super Rugby Pacific derby against the Reds.

The Springbok Women are determined to finish their European tour on a high and deliver a commanding performance when they face the USA on Saturday.

NEWS: Scotland and Edinburgh tighthead prop WP Nel will retire at the end of the season.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby proposed a "once-in-a-generation" overhaul of its leadership structure Wednesday, setting the stage for a power struggle at the top of the country's most popular sport.

SPOTLIGHT: SANZAAR has announced the match schedule and venue for the inaugural Rugby Championship Under-20 tournament.

NEWS: The Stormers have taken the next steps in their goal of being a "global rugby powerhouse".

REACTION: The Springboks will continue to fly the national flag on the global stage following the approval of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) Amendment Bill by the National Assembly.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White does not doubt that Canan Moodie will rectify his errors following his first performance at outside centre for the franchise.

SPOTLIGHT: Jordan Larmour has hailed Willie le Roux as a player who “ticks all the boxes as a 15” as the two international fullbacks prepare to meet this weekend.

NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 13 fixtures have been confirmed,

SPOTLIGHT: Coach Jonathan Mokuena believes that UJ have what it takes to beat UWC next week and avoid a promotion-relegation battle with the Varsity Shield runners-up.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks prop Vincent Koch says Edinburgh Sean Everitt will be heading to Durban with some "extra motivation".

NEWS: French international referee Mathieu Raynal asked for fewer replacement thus taking aim at the Springboks with their 7-1 split as he announced his retirement from rugby.

SPOTLIGHT: As the third edition of the United Rugby Championship starts to move towards the business end of the tournament, South African coaches are flexing their muscles in the race for the top eight and Champions Cup qualification.

NEWS: Highlanders centre Tanielu Tele’a has been suspended for three weeks after his red card during the defeat to the Chiefs on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers find themselves in a very complex scenario. They are in the middle of a loosehead crisis while their two-time World Cup-winning prop Steven Kitshoff returns to Cape Town this weekend.

NEWS: France’s Mathieu Raynal will retire from refereeing following the July international window.

EXCLUSIVE: In part two of his one-on-one with @king365ed Fynbos Ekwiteit’s Johan le Roux elucidates the split between WPPR and WPRFU, as well as commercial chaos that once lingered in Cape Town.

ROUND SIX WRAP: Defending champions NWU Eagles survived a late onslaught by CUT Ixias away from home to reclaim the top spot after Round Six of the 2024 Varsity Cup.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has hailed Leinster as the benchmark as the two teams prepare for the top-of-the-table United Rugby Championship clash.

NEWS: Scrumhalf Danny Care said on Monday playing for England "meant an awful lot" to him after announcing his retirement from Test rugby.

SPOTLIGHT: After leaving Cape Town Stadium empty-handed, Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt is now turning his attention to his former team in Durban.

INJURY UPDATE: Ulster could be forced to make some changes to their matchday squad for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 13 clash against the Stormers in Cape Town.

REACTION: Bath boss Johann van Graan warned "we've won nothing yet" after his side went second in the English Premiership with a 42-24 victory at home to Sale Sharks.

ROUND 19 WRAP: Toulouse welcomed back star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont on Sunday, but the French champions still slipped to a roller-coaster 28-31 loss to Bordeaux in the Top 14.

ROUND ONE WRAP: The four Currie Cup sides all reigned supreme in the first round of the inaugural SA Cup, which was played over the weekend, while Eastern Province won a thrilling contest against the Falcons in Gqeberha.

PREVIEW: The Lions produced what must surely rank as the performance of Round 12 by thrashing the proud Irish province in Galway.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson admitted that he has some good selection headaches to contend with when it comes to his backline players.

REACTION: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen says his side will be riding a wave of confidence after they recorded 38-14 win over Connacht in Galway on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Bath powered into second place on their return to Premiership action with a bonus-point 42-24 victory over struggling Sale Sharks.

NEWS: Springbok loose forward Willem Alberts is reportedly set to retire at the end of the current United Rugby Championship (URC) season.

The double World Cup winner Willie Le Roux may be 34 now, but there are no signs of his powers waning.

WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson gives an update on the status of injured utility star Deon Fourie ahead of a crucial European outing.

REACTION: It is all smiles and happiness in Durban after the Sharks ended their five-match losing streak in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Sungoliath remained third in the Japan League One standings after a remarkable match against the Eagles mirrored their dramatic victory over Verblitz a week ago, only in reverse.

REACTION: Coach Rob Penney said the Crusaders' season could "spiral uncontrollably" after New Zealand's traditional Super Rugby powerhouses slumped to the bottom of the competition standings.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson confirmed that his team will be in the market for a loosehead prop in the coming days.

WRAP: Mark McCall has admitted even he was surprised by the scale of Saracens' dominance in a crushing 52-7 victory over Harlequins.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls cemented second place on the United Rugby Championship standings with a 31-10 bonus-point win over the hapless Dragons at Rodney Parade in Newport on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster continued their relentless play-off push by beating Zebre 31-7 in Parma.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 12 encounter between the Dragons and Bulls at Rodney Parade in Newport.

MATCH REPORT: Despite playing with a man down for 65 minutes, the Lions produced their best performance of the season to become the first South African team to win at Galway's Sportsground.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 12 encounter between Connacht and the Lions at the Sportsground in Galway.

MATCH REPORT: Replacement hooker Eduan Swart scored a last-minute try to rejuvenate Scarlets’ United Rugby Championship season with only their third win of their league campaign – a 16-13 comeback victory over Benetton.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers bounced back in fine fashion, beating Edinburgh 43-21 in Round 12 of the United Rugby Championship.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 12 encounter between the Stormers and Edinburgh in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: A full-strength Sharks made a big statement, recording their first-ever United Rugby Championship win over Ulster at Kings Park on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 12 encounter between the Sharks and Ulster at Kings Park in Durban.

SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: The hapless Crusaders sunk to a new Super Rugby low on Saturday with the Blues handing them their fifth successive defeat.

ROUND FIVE WRAP: For the second week in a row, UP-Tuks swept past their opponents when they thoroughly beat UKZN in Round Five of the Varsity Shield competition.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Springbok centre Robbie Fleck believes the Springboks will spring a few surprises on attack against Ireland in July.

REACTION: Six Nations flops Wales gave a coy reply on Friday to a cheeky challenge from Georgia to a rugby Test later this year, saying only "we'll be in touch".

WATCH as Boks Office guest Robbie Fleck weighs in on the "best team in the world" debate.

PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: English Premiership leaders Northampton suffered a shock 21-52 thrashing against Bristol on Friday to end their six-match unbeaten run.

URC REPORT: Glasgow Warriors fought back from a 0-13 half-time deficit to claim a hard-fought 17-13 home victory over Cardiff and move joint top of the United Rugby Championship.

URC REPORT: Munster wing Sean O’Brien scored two tries to put a huge dent in Ospreys’ hopes of an end-of-season play-off spot with a 27-17 win.

WATCH as @king365ed sits down with Fynbos Ekwiteit's Johan le Roux to find out who and what the Red Disa consortium is!

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The Bulls are at the start of a crucial fortnight of United Rugby Championship matches, as they look to cement their place in the top two on the standings.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks coach John Plumtree is banking on some of the youngsters in his team to deliver a much-needed URC win against Ulster at Kingspark this weekend.

FRIDAY WRAP: The Rebels have been left to rue another slow start in crashing to the table-topping Hurricanes, who piled on the points in their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Palmerston North.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has made a number of changes to his team to face the Dragons in Newport on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Salmaan Moerat makes his first start since returning from injury and will lead the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship encounter with Edinburgh at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies hopes to regain his best form in his quest to return to the international scene.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions’ potent halfback combination of Jordan Hendrikse and Sanele Nohamba will join forces once more as the men from Johannesburg face Connacht in Round 12 of the United Rugby Championship in Galway, Ireland on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 12 clash against Ulster in Durban.

PREVIEW: After four rounds the Super Rugby Pacific table is starting to take shape with a few surprises towards the top and at the bottom.

SPOTLIGHT: Veteran Edinburgh and Scotland prop WP Nel insists he would have no problem retiring tomorrow as he mulls over whether to extend his career beyond the end of the season.

TRANSFER NEWS: English club Bath confirmed the signing of powerful forward Jacques du Plessis following the completion of a successful rehabilitation period with the club.

NEWS: England captain Marlie Packer will make her 100th Test appearance when she leads the reigning champions in their Women's Six Nations opener in Italy on Sunday.

NEWS: Wales centre George North confirmed on Thursday that he had ruptured an Achilles tendon in his final Test appearance.

OPINION: The Six Nations has given me bit of head space to reflect about rugby and its direction of travel. It’s funny, I remember Frik du Preez, the great Springbok captain was once asked, ‘Would your team of the 1960s beat the current South Africa team? And he quipped, ‘Only by 20 points’. When they asked him why, he said, ‘Well, because we’re all in our Eighties,’ writes Jake White in his RugbyPass column.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales and British & Irish Lions flyer Louis Rees-Zammit is on the brink of an official NFL offer, after code hopping from Rugby Union to America's National Football League.

OPINION: The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and with just FIVE points separating fourth and 11th place in the table – every game counts more than ever.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and with just seven rounds to go the battle for playoffs are reaching its boiling point.

WATCH as new Cheetahs coach Izak van der Westhuizen explains to @king365ed how they will use the SA Cup as preparation for their Challenge Cup Round of 16 trip to France.

TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers announced Australian international back Izaia Perese will join the club on a multi-year agreement ahead of the 2024/25 season.

PREVIEW ROUND 11: Fresh off their 10th loss in a row, and from a match they were expected to win against Mie Heat, the last thing Hanazono Liners probably needed was the Kansai derby, which is traditionally the biggest game of their regular season.

ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: The Madibaz will have the opportunity to extend their winning run and strengthen their position in the Varsity Shield standings when they battle TUT on Friday.

WATCH as Jaco Peyper opens up on the state of South African refereeing after his retirement.

VIDEO: Jake White, the Bulls' Director of Rugby, has called him the coach on the field and fullback Willie le Roux might just pursue that as a career one day.

INTERVIEW: France coach Fabien Galthie appears to still be harbouring some ill will towards the referee and a Springbok - five months after their World Cup loss to South Africa.

INTERVIEW: Owen Farrell has left open the possibility of returning to the international game, be it with England or the 2025 British and Irish Lions, after calling a halt to his Test career.

INTERVIEW: The storyline for the first round of the inaugural SA Cup is intriguing, especially in Bloemfontein - where Hawies Fourie returns to his old stomping ground. 

NEWS: Ahead of what is certain to be another world-class series of knockout fixtures on the road to the 2024 London finals, EPCR can announce the referees for the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Rounds of 16.

NEWS: Despite the best efforts of the supporters of Zelt Marais' War Room to stop the process, the Stormers' equity deal has finally been dragged over the line.

WATCH as refereeing legend Nigel Owens explains to @king365ed how technology and knee-jerk law changes could ruin the game.

PREVIEW: The inaugural SA Cup will kick off on Human Rights Day on Thursday, March 21 with an exciting clash between Griquas and the Leopards in Kimberley, while last year’s Currie Cup Premier and First Division champions collide in Bloemfontein on Friday.

VIDEO: Bulls pivot Johan Goosen calls it like it is and says everyone expects them to beat the Dragons in Round 12 of the United Rugby Championship in Newport this weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Crusaders head coach Rob Penney compared his new team to a misfiring engine as the defending champions look to snap their horror start to the Super Rugby Pacific season.

TRANSFER NEWS: England centre Manu Tuilagi will leave Sale Sharks at the end of the season to join French side Bayonne on a two-year deal, the clubs announced.

NEWS: Celimpilo 'Mpilo' Gumede has signed a new contract with the Bulls, committing his long-term future with the Tshwane-based outfit.

SPOTLIGHT: Wits coach Hugo van As has called for a sharper performance against local rivals UJ following an inconsistent and ultimately disappointing showing against UCT.

ROUND FIVE WRAP: UFS Shimlas safely navigated their way past city neighbours CUT in Round Five of the 2024 Varsity Cup and are now almost assured of a home semifinal.

NEWS: Bundee Aki was the only member of the Ireland side that won back-to-back Six Nations championships to be nominated for the tournament's Player of the Year award on Tuesday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Ulster coaching team have named a 30-man squad that will travel to South Africa to play the Sharks and the Stormers over the next two weekends in the United Rugby Championship.

SPOTLIGH: Get ready to witness unparalleled skills, fierce competition, and unforgettable moments in the 11th edition of the Premier Interschools competition.

NEWS: Another fixture has been confirmed for the Springboks' end-year-of year tour in November.

NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 12 fixtures have been confirmed.

VIDEO: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth took a candid and forthright look at the problems in the embattled Sharks camp and said there were no excuses for the poor performances that have been dished up by John Plumtree's side.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has outlined the next steps in the process of reimagining the game's entertainment factor, part of a wider mission to grow audience share over the next decade.

VIDEO: The Bulls’ destiny is now in their hand as two semifinals in two competitions loom in the distance, says Jake White, Director of Rugby at the Bulls.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers will look to lay the ghost of Loftus Versfeld to rest as the United Rugby Championship returns this weekend.

WATCH as Tony Brown explains the 'scary prospect' awaiting the Springboks in the Rugby Championship later this year.

TRANSFER NEWS: English club Leicester Tigers have announced that one of South Africa's best prospects will be joining them.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed a 28-man squad for his side's upcoming tour.

UPDATE: Filipo Daugunu missed cash-strapped Melbourne's last Super Rugby match due to an outstanding payment and while he's back at training, won't face the Hurricanes.

VIDEO: Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee is not too concerned about his side facing one of the strongest and weakest teams in the United Rugby Champions on their upcoming tour.

NEWS: Veteran All Black prop Owen Franks has been given a proverbial 'slap on the wrist' for his reckless behaviour in a Super Rugby Pacific match.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt named a 30-player squad for the club’s two-week tour to South Africa to face Stormers and Sharks in Rounds 12 and 13 in the United Rugby Championship.

SPOTLIGHT: Georgia have outgrown Europe's second-tier competition and need "stronger opposition".

NEWS: Italy have matched their previous all-time best of eighth in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings following their 24-21 win over Wales in Cardiff.

SPOTLIGHT: James O'Connor has called for a "Reds-heavy" Wallabies squad and new national coach Joe Schmidt to pick and stick ahead of next year's British and Irish Lions visit.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Life after Scott Robertson has been accompanied by loads of troubles for the Crusaders.

NEWS: Joe Schmidt admits a competitive showing against the touring British and Irish Lions next year will be a key factor in whether or not he stays on to coach the Wallabies at the 2027 World Cup.

PREVIEW: With the Six Nations now behind us, the United Rugby Championship takes centre stage again, and there is a crucial fortnight of riveting matches to look forward to.

SPOTLIGHT: After winning another Six Nations championship, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is now turning his attention firmly on winning a Test series in South Africa.

SPOTLIGHT: The South African women's national team arrived in Spain on Sunday empowered by good learnings from their training sessions with Scotland and Wales.

REACTION: French players, coaches and fans suffered heavily after last year's World Cup heartbreak, but their clinical end to the Six Nations will do wonders to their grieving process.

SPOTLIGHT: One of the most competitive Six Nations championships of recent times ended with Ireland retaining their title after a hard-fought victory over Scotland at the weekend.

WATCH as celebrated flyhalf Tony Eion Brown explains why he accepted an offer to coach the Springboks against the All Blacks and the style he sees South Africa playing.

NEWS: Andy Farrell has raised Irish rugby's profile in the same way fellow Englishman Jack Charlton did for Irish soccer.

ROUND 10 WRAP: Mie Heat has given former Italy coach Kieran Crowley his maiden win in Japan Rugby League One after a courageous 20-19 victory over fellow winless side, Hanazono Liners, in Osaka.

England player ratings live from Groupama Stadium in Lyon: This was yet another Six Nations classic, a seven-try, 64-point thriller in which England commendably played their part, but that will be of cruel consolation as they agonisingly lost out 31-33 to a last-minute Thomas Ramos penalty stroked over from the halfway line.

SPOTLIGHT: We take a look at who said what after the final round of the Six Nations and Ireland was crowned the champions. 

WATCH as Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus explains Hacjivah Dayimani's omission from the recent alignment camp in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Thomas Ramos kicked a dramatic late penalty as France ended their Six Nations campaign with a 33-31 victory over England in Lyon on Saturday.

REACTION: Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony has spoken out about reports that he has played his last Test.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Ireland players after their 17-13 Six Nations-clinching win over Scotland.

OPINION: Bryn Palmer rates the Scotland players after their 13-17 loss to Ireland in a Six Nations finale in Dublin.

REACTION: Warren Gatland offered to resign after Wales finished bottom of the Six Nations for the first time since 2003.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland retained their six Nations crown, but not before they were given a massive scare by Scotland in Dublin on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales' disastrous Six Nations season may have an unsavoury aftermath.

OPINION: It is the wooden spoon for Wales, and rightfully so after a match where a losing bonus point in a 21-24 loss to Italy flattered them.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Wales have ended their 2024 Six Nations campaign winless after they suffered a 21-24 defeat to Italy in Cardiff on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday’s Six Nations Round Five and Super Rugby Round Four matches.

WATCH as SARU CEO Rian Oberholzer fronts up to the media to answer some questions surrounding the proposed equity deal with an American company, the ASG group.

NEWS: South Africa’s Player of the Year for 2023, Eben Etzebeth, hopes to be back on the field for the Sharks as soon as next week.

NEWS: Stormers Head Coach John Dobson will step in to assume the duties of Head of Rugby with the departure of Dave Wessels.

REACTION: Stormers coach John Dobson has admitted it is a 'challenge' to manage the expectations of his substantial number of outstanding loose forwards.

ROUND FOUR WRAP: The experience of UP-Tuks proved too much for debutants Varsity College in their Round Four encounter of the Varsity Shield competition.

NEWS: Dave Wessels has been appointed as General Manager for High Performance Rugby at SA Rugby.

SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: The Waratahs are losing touch with the Super Rugby Pacific frontrunners after falling 10-12 to their bogey side the Blues in an ugly encounter in Sydney.

NEWS: Wallaby star star Kurtley Beale played his first match in more than a year on Saturday, resuming his career after being cleared of sexual assault last month.

REACTION: Western Force coach Simon Cron has apologised after the struggling Super Rugby team crashed to a fourth straight defeat, describing their 14-22 loss to Moana Pasifika as "horrendous".

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland head into the "Super Saturday" final round of the Six Nations as firm favourites to retain their title where a surprise slip-up could result in the trophy heading elsewhere.

NEWS: France forward coach Laurent Sempere said flank Charles Ollivon was missing from Friday's training session before this weekend's Six Nations game with England for "personal reasons".

NEWS: Scotland on Friday announced a four-game tour of North and South America, with matches against emerging nations Canada, the United States, Chile and Uruguay in July.

SPOTLIGHT: England centre Manu Tuilagi said on Friday he is unsure if this weekend's Six Nations finale with France will be his final game for his country.

WATCH as SARU CEO Rian Oberholzer talks about the proposal that a 20-minute red card trial be introduced in the Rugby Championship.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has released the ranking permutations ahead of this weekend’s final round of matches in the Six Nations and the Rugby Europe Men’s Championship.

NEWS: Double World Cup-winning Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has scored another double.

SUPER RUGBY FRIDAY WRAP: For the first time ever, the Crusaders have started a Super Rugby season with four defeats from as many starts after a late Justin Sangster try snatched a 14-10 win for the Hurricanes in Christchurch.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday’s Super Rugby Round Four matches.

ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: Ireland seek to make up for their frustration on missing out on historic back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams by being crowned tournament champions in beating Scotland at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus says he will always pick winning a World Cup over a higher win percentage between tournaments.

ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: England head to Lyon to face an equally resurgent France on Saturday, holding an outside chance of pipping Ireland to the Six Nations title.

ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: George North is set for an emotional farewell to the international game against Italy in Cardiff on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Sharks continued their big signing spree with the confirmation that Andre Esterhuizen will be returning to Durban

NEWS: Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt has added the first staff member to his coaching group.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus says he didn't pay too much attention to Sam Warburton’s comments about Ireland being the best team in the world.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions, resting the bulk of the first-team starters, came from behind to record a 22-19 win over the Pumas in a pre-season outing at Ellis Park on Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England have recalled Elliot Daly for their final-round Six Nations clash away to France on Saturday in the lone change to the side that denied Ireland successive Grand Slams.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Andy Farrell has kept faith with the Ireland starting XV from the 22-23 defeat to England last weekend hoping they redeem themselves by beating Scotland on Saturday to secure back-to-back Six Nations titles.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stafford McDowall is set to make just his second Scotland appearance after being selected to start in their Six Nations match against leaders Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

ROUND 10 PREVIEW: Time is running out for the Tokyo Bay-based Spears and Kwagga Smith's Black Rams.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ange Capuozzo will miss Italy's attempt to avoid a ninth straight wooden spoon in the Six Nations after a finger fracture ruled him out of the Azzurri's clash with Wales in Cardiff.

REACTION: Gregor Townsend's observation that Ireland could dominate the game for "the next five, 10 years" is in no small part due to the schools system.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Fabien Galthie said on Thursday it was "ideal" to be able to name an unchanged side to face England in a potential Six Nations decider this weekend.

NEWS: The Springbok Sevens coaching team has been reformatted and a review of the Sevens department’s structure is being undertaken as a response to disappointing results, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday.

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: Tuks coach Dewey Swartbooi has highlighted the all-round threat of the Varsity Shield newcomers ahead of the top-of-the table clash in Pretoria this Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Jerry Flannery says he will be a "poor imitation" if he tries to copy Jacques Nienaber's style of coaching.

NEWS: The Sharks have landed another big signing with confirmation that World Cup winning prop Trevor Nyakane will trade Paris for Durban next season.

SPOTLIGHT: Jake White, the Bulls’ Director of Rugby, did it with Pieter-Steph du Toit and is now waving his magic wand again - this time with young Bulls lock Reinhardt Ludwig.

PREVIEW: Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou has vowed not to let a clash with the Queensland Reds get personal this weekend as the Melbourne Rebels look to equal their longest win streak in Super Rugby.

SPOTLIGHT: New Springbok assistant coach Tony Brown says he tried to model his own game style on a Springbok legend during his playing days.

NEWS: Wales centre George North announced on Wednesday he will retire from international rugby following this weekend's Six Nations match against Italy, when both teams will be battling to avoid the wooden spoon.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Andries Coetzee and Shane Kirkwood will lead a Lions XV and Pumas side respectively in a friendly at Ellis Park on Thursday afternoon.

TRANSFER NEWS: Sharks wing and former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Werner Kok will be heading to Ireland later this year.

WATCH as SARU President Mark Alexander blows off some steam over the franchise officials who leaked confidential information to the media.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: George North has been recalled to the Wales team for Saturday's Six Nations wooden spoon decider against Italy.

SPOTLIGHT: As dream debuts go, Louis Lynagh’s first outing in an Italian shirt was as close to one as you are likely to find.

SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus has shed some light on his selection plan for the Springboks' season opener against Wales at Twickenham.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok Lood de Jager is well and truly back after a heart condition kept him on the sidelines during the World Cup and he is now formulating plans to stay in Japan longer than his original three seasons.

NEWS: Marcus Smith's "best time is to come", former England head coach Eddie Jones said on Wednesday, following the flyhalf's Twickenham heroics.

UWC’s quest to retain their Varsity Cup status may hinge on the outcome of the next two matches against Stellenbosch and UCT.

NEWS: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus says he prefers his Springbok captain to be based locally as question marks were raised over Siya Kolisi's future with the Springboks.

NEWS: All Blacks lock Scott Barrett is expected to miss the next six weeks with a fractured finger, the Crusaders said Wednesday, adding to the woes of the winless Super Rugby champions.

NEWS: The Reds have suffered a blow ahead of Friday's clash with the Rebels with prop Sef Fa'agase suspended for four games.

NEWS: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will miss England's Six Nations clash with France on Saturday after reporting symptoms of a concussion.

NEWS: Jason Jenkins is on his way back to South Africa after it was confirmed that the giant lock has signed on the dotted line.

REACTION: The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport has poured cold water on recent rumours linking banned Springbok Elton Jantjies to a comeback.

UPDATE: It may not be their 'High Noon at the OK Corral' moment, but the South African Rugby Union and the four main franchises are set for a 'showdown' of considerable significance on Thursday.

NEWS: Rassie Erasmus confirmed a re-purposed Springbok coaching and management team on Tuesday, as the newly re-appointed head coach began putting in place the building blocks for a 13-Test season in 2024 at the start of a new Rugby World Cup cycle.

ROUND FOUR WRAP: After a tough first half, defending champions NWU Eagles ran away for a thorough victory over Wits in round four of the 2024 Varsity Cup. UFS Shimlas continued their fine form beating UWC while Maties were victorious over UWC. UCT Ikeys had too much firepower for CUT.

NEWS: The World Rugby rankings will make for an interesting topic of conversation in the Lynagh household this week.

NEWS: Reds coach Les Kiss has called for greater protection off the ball for Super Rugby Pacific's playmakers.

REACTION: Ireland coach Andy Farrell insisted retaining the Six Nations title would be anything but an "anti-climax", after his side's bid for back-to-back Grand Slams ended with a dramatic defeat to England.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger, with guest Robbie Fleck - analyses the Sharks' shambolic URC season.

SPOTLIGHT: England scuppered Ireland's dream of back-to-back Grand Slams with a thrilling win, Italy defeated Scotland and France added to the pressure on Wales as the Six Nations sparked into life.

SPOTLIGHT: The 33-year-old Julian Savea is the undisputed try-scoring king of the Super Rugby, but the list still includes a Springbok wing.

Wales player ratings: A fourth defeat and a one-sided scoreline might point to a team that struggled to match France. And that is mostly true. But a commendable first half will give Warren Gatland something to work on. If only he can find a solution to the lack of power throughout the side and an inability to stand up to bigger men.

France player ratings: With eight changes from the draw with Italy, the French needed a big performance and a record score in Cardiff against Wales will have steadied the nerves at home. There is still more to come from this French side but they will need another massive 80 minutes from their six front-row forwards to have the same kind of impact against England.

REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland insisted that there would be no hiding in the run-up to the Six Nations wooden spoon decider against Italy next week.

REACTION: France coach Fabien Galthie said his team is determined to end a disappointing Six Nations tournament with a flurry.

MATCH REPORT: France almost certainly ensured Wales will finish with the Six Nations wooden spoon.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday’s Six Nations Round Four match between Wales and France in Cardiff.

REACTION: Stormers coach John Dobson has put a positive spin on his team's weekend excursion to Premiership leaders Northampton Saints, but admitted they have at least one injury concern.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Former Wallaby coaches Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie have enjoyed big wins in Round Nine of Japan Rugby League One.

REACTION: Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada beamed with pride on Saturday after his team of "nutters" beat Scotland 31-29 to win their first Six Nations home match in 11 years.

REACTION: Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan praised the Queensland Reds' takedown of his powerhouse Super Rugby Pacific side, saying their never-say-die attitude was reminiscent of his own team.

REACTION: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has sidestepped questions on his future after his side suffered a 29-31 defeat to Italy in Rome on Saturday.

REACTION: England head coach Steve Borthwick was pressed for some answers on his exchange with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell at half-time during Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

MATCH REPORT: Griquas put down an early marker with their 25-22 win over the Currie Cup champion Cheetahs in a pre-season friendly in Jacobsdal on Saturday.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their dramatic 23-22 Six Nations win over Ireland at Twickenham.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Ireland players after their 22-23 loss to England in a Six Nations thriller at Twickenham on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Marcus Smith landed a drop-goal in extra time, as England shattered Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam dream at Twickenham on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific Round Three and Six Nations Round Four matches.

OPINION: Scotland’s hopes of achieving a top-two finish in the Six Nations suffered a major blow as they lost to Italy for the first time since 2015, ending a run of 13 successive victories over the Azzurri – including the last eight in the Championship.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Italy recorded their first home Six Nations win in 11 years after they edged Scotland 31-29 in Saturday's Round Four thriller in Rome.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger - with guest Robbie Fleck respond to Celtic claims that Ireland is the best team in the World.

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: With France and Wales both out to gain back some credibility, the big question on everyone’s lips is if the Les Bleus can rediscover their Six Nations form and silence the boisterous Principality Stadium in Round Four on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers, minus their World Cup superstars, held on for a credible 45-29 win over Premiership leaders Northampton Saints in an exhibition match at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

ROUND THREE WRAP: Only one point separates the top three teams on the 2024 Varsity Shield standings after round three.

NEWS: The 2025 Six Nations fixtures have been confirmed, with next year's Championship starting in Paris under Friday night lights on January 31.

SATURDAY WRAP: The Canterbury Crusaders were stunned 10-20 by Fijian Drua on Saturday for a third straight defeat, equalling their worst start to a Super Rugby season.

NEWS: Wales will play the Reds in a 20-year first that is  to become a calendar staple.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Griquas will face the Cheetahs in their third warm-up match this season in Jacobsdal on Saturday with the experienced George Whitehead running out at fullback.

NEWS: Wales coach Warren Gatland said Friday that the absence of Antoine Dupont was a "massive loss" for a France team that has struggled this Six Nations.

NEWS: Ben Gollings has been sacked as head coach of the Fijian men's sevens team, the Fiji Rugby Union said Friday, four months before the side bids for a third straight Olympic gold in Paris.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie announced eight changes for his team for this weekend's Six Nations trip to Wales in Round Four of the competition.

FRIDAY WRAP: The Waratahs have crashed back to earth with a crushing 21-23 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Highlanders in Sydney.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday’s Super Rugby Pacific Round Three matches.

NEWS: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus will receive an honorary doctorate from the North-West University in Potchefstroom in recognition of his innovative and exceptional management of the Springboks during their victorious 2019 and 2023 World Cup campaigns.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has published all the possible permutations ahead of the fourth round of the Six Nations and the resumption of the Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy.

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: Andy Farrell has insisted his native England remain capable of scuppering Ireland's bid for successive Grand Slams even though the visitors will be overwhelming favourites to win Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has provided some insight into what went on during the Springboks' first alignment camp this week.

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: Scotland have an outside chance of claiming their first Six Nations title in a quarter of a century as they face improved Italy in Rome on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to his side’s starting line-up for their clash against Italy in Rome in the penultimate round of the Six Nations.

MATCH REPORT: The SA Under-20 side had a friendly match against a Lions XV at Ellis Park on Thursday afternoon with the youngsters going down 17-57.

NEWS: Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh has revealed that AUS$2.6 million in unapproved expenses were invested in Eddie Jones' disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign.

NEWS: South African loose forward Hanro Liebenberg has made a big decision on his playing future.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Louis Lynagh, the son of Australia rugby great Michael Lynagh, will make his senior international debut against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday after opting to play for Italy.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman confirmed that loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani will be used on the wing in Saturday's friendly against Northampton Saints on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is set to make his first England start after coach Steve Borthwick made three personnel changes to his side for Saturday's Six Nations clash at home to Ireland.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named his matchday squad for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham.

WATCH as Tendai Mtawarira shares some pearls of wisdom with the latest recruits to the Roc Nation Sports International family.

NEWS: As of next month referees on the global stage will have access to new specialist coaches and performance management as part of World Rugby's new strategic approach to officiating that was just announced.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi will make his first appearance for the Cheetahs in a SA Cup warm=up match against Griquas in Jacobsdal on Saturday.

NEWS: Chiefs prop Jared Proffit has been suspended for three weeks for foul play.

PREVIEW: Round Nine of the Japan Rugby League One is hotting up where things could not have gone much better so far for Brave Lupus side.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger - with guest Robbie Fleck reveal what was the decisive factor in the decision to name Siya Kolisi captain.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Experienced prop Brok Harris will lead the Stormers in a friendly encounter with Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Newcomers Varsity College are gunning for a third-consecutive win in the Varsity Shield ahead of the ‘big one’ against Tuks in Round Four.

PREVIEW: Round Three of Super Rugby Pacific poses some interesting questions for the New Zealand teams in the competition.

REACTION: The decision by WADA to suspend Africa's only accredited drug-testing laboratory will not prevent the Springboks from flying the South African flag at international events later this year.

SPOTLIGHT: Round 11 of the 2023/24 United Rugby Championship season is done and dusted and things are really starting to heat up with a whopping 12 of the 16 teams still in contention for the playoffs.

REACTION: The Hurricanes said they have apologised to the New Zealand government after their women's team used a traditional haka to slam the government as a "redneck" coalition.

NEWS: Scotland centre Huw Jones said he had been "tempted" by a possible move to France before deciding to continue his career with Glasgow.

REACTION: Wales have dropped George North and will field a new centre duo of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin at home to France on Sunday when they go in search of a first win in this season's Six Nations.

NEWS: Ulter announced that three of their senior players extended their contracts with the province, one of them captain James Hume.

NEWS: New Springbok assistant coaches Jerry Flannery and Tony Brown, as well as referee Jaco Peyper, had their first stint in the Springbok camp.

INJURY UPDATE: Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi expects to be back on the playing field 'soon'.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales will field a new centre partnership of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin in Sunday's Six Nations match at home to France.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Crusaders have signed New Zealand-born back Johnny McNicholl from Welsh club Llanelli Scarlets as cover for the injured All Blacks star Will Jordan and British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny.

SPOTLIGHT: Three rounds of the Six Nations have been completed and a number of key players have already led the way in terms of their performance.

REACTION: The Stormers will go 'lick their wounds' after the Loftus Versfeld horror show, when they face Northampton Saints in a scheduled friendly at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Shimlas coach André Tredoux has hailed the resilience of his team in the wake of their statement win against defending champions NWU Eagles.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi has issued a statement after his tense exchange with referee Aimee Barrett-Theron during Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash between the Lions and Sharks went viral.

NEWS: Jordie Barrett of the Hurricanes has been suspended for three weeks following an incident that happened against the Reds in a Super Rugby Pacific match over the weekend.

NEWS: Nigel Ah Wong of Moana Pasifika has been issued a warning after a no-arms tackle in the game against Fijian Drua in a Super Rugby Pacific game over the weekend resulted in a red card.

SPOTLIGHT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen says there is no time to get "emotional" about young players leaving the franchise for rival teams.

INJURY UPDATE: Former Italy captain Luca Bigi was called up to replace injured hooker Marco Manfredi in the squad for this weekend's Six Nations game against Scotland in Rome.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White makes a blunt declaration about his team's progress.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree breaks down another frustrating performance in the United Rugby Championship.

ROUND THREE WRAP: There were a number of 'big movers' in Round Three of the Varsity Cup.

NEWS: Following a nasty head clash in the Super Rugby Pacific match between the Chiefs and the Brumbies for which prop Jared Proffit received a red card, he will appear before a judicial committee on Wednesday.

NEWS: Tickets for the two-Test series opener between the Springboks and Ireland on July 6 at Loftus Versfeld are officially sold out.

WATCH as referee Aimee Barrett-Theron schools two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Bongi Mbonambi on the ethos of the game.v

SQUAD UPDATE: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has called up four players to his squad ahead of their Six Nations Round Four clash against Italy in Rome on Saturday.

REACTION: Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo is searching for answers after another dismal showing by his side on the SVNS circuit.

REACTION: Stormers captain Deon Fourie was clearly disheartened with his teams' lack of performance in the United Rugby Championship game against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday, referring to their mistakes as stupid.

REACTION: The Bulls' forwards laid the foundation for their first-ever United Rugby Championship victory over the Stormers and captain Marcell Coetzee and his pack were the dominant force at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus is by far the best coach says World Cup winner Vincent Koch.

SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalves Sanele Nohamba and Morne van den Berg once again proved how valuable they can be on attack.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his 36-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations fixture against Ireland at Twickenham Stadium.

WATCH as Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi labels England's energy as "plastic" during their World Cup semifinal in France last year.

SUPER RUGBY SUNDAY WRAP: A Damian McKenzie-inspired Chiefs reinforced their Super Rugby title credentials Sunday with a statement win over the Brumbies, a week after upsetting the Crusaders.

ROUND EIGHT WRAP: Springbok lock Lood de Jager continued his try-scoring form in Japan.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

SATURDAY WRAP: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster overcame fierce Cardiff resistance to claim a 33-20 bonus-point victory at the Arms Park.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls scored their first-ever United Rugby Championship win over the Stormers - a bonus-point (40-22) victory at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific and United Rugby Championship matches.

MATCH REPORT: Connacht moved into the United Rugby Championship play-off positions following a 26-10 victory over Scarlets at The Sportsground.

URC REPORT: Glasgow Warriors were made to battle for their 19-9 win over Benetton at Stadio Monigo in the United Rugby Championship.

URC REPORT: The Lions ensured that they stayed in the fight for a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship after they thumped the Sharks 40-10 in their Round 11 encounter in Johannesburg on Saturday.

SATURDAY WRAP: The battle of the Pacific has gone the way of the Fijian Drua in the first two years of the teams’ involvement in Super Rugby Pacific, but Moana Pasifika was on a mission to change that at Super Round in Melbourne.

ROUND TWO WRAP: Varsity College are continuing on their winning ways in the 2024 Varsity Shield after a solid victory at home over UFH in Round Two.

FRIDAY WRAP: Hamish Watson's early try set Edinburgh on their way to a hard-fought 19-15 victory at home to Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as the Boks Office team - with host Hanyani Shimange, Springbok legends Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers - select a 'Springbok' team from Southern African players who are capped for other countries.

SPOTLIGHT: Evan Roos has revealed why he believes coaches such as John Dobson at the Stormers and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus are able to rally their players so successfully behind them.

NEWS: Harlequins confirmed on Friday that Andre Esterhuizen will depart the club at the end of the 2023/24 season and return to South Africa for family reasons.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The biggest game of the season, the North-South derby, will be played in front of the first sell-out crowd of the year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMETN: Jacques van Rooyen and Lionel Mapoe will co-lead the Bulls side that will take on the Leopards in a friendly match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

NEWS: Edinburgh and Scotland wing Darcy Graham is set to miss the rest of the season after being told he requires groin surgery, meaning he will play no further part in the Six Nations.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday’s Super Rugby Pacific matches.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls welcome back powerhouse tighthead Wilco Louw for the big North-South derby when they host the Stormers in Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson reveals the reasons behind the absence on two-time World Cup-winning Springbok prop Frans Malherbe.

FRIDAY WRAP: The Blues have continued their unbeaten start to 2024 and stretched the Highlanders' misery against their Kiwi rivals with a 37-29 victory to open Super Round in Melbourne.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Deon Fourie returns as captain of the Stormers for the United Rugby Championship North-South encounter with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jordan Hendrikse is back at flyhalf for the Lions against the Sharks in Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks travel to Johannesburg to take on the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, as the United Rugby Championship resumes with Round 11.

EXCLUSIVE: Sharks-bound Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse talks to @king365ed about the reasons for exchanging Ellis Park for the Shark Tank.

TRANSFER NEWS: Scarlets are strengthening their squad with some South African muscle.

SPOTLIGHT: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has praised the coaches in the Stormers camp for helping players add a few more strings to their attacking bow.

WATCH as Bulls forwards coach Andries Bekker chats to @king365ed about the #BIG North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

NEWS: World Rugby’s Shape of the Game forum in London has put forward five recommendations to improve the game globally going forward.

NEWS: Emmanuel Meafou is in line to win his first Test cap for France after being named on Thursday in Fabien Galthie's 34-man squad for the Six Nations match against Wales on March 10.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and with just seven points separating second and ninth place in the table – EVERY GAME COUNTS.

NEWS: Wales boss Warren Gatland said that recent comments he made about problems with the structure of rugby in the country were not a criticism of the coaches at the four professional regional teams.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about his team's seven-match losing streak against the Stormers.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former Stormers lock Cobus Wiese is set to return to South Africa from Premiership club Sale Sharks. 

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: For whatever reason, Wild Knights – current Japan Rugby League One log leaders, and six-time champions of Japan – always have trouble with Blue Revs.

SPOTLIGHT: Data collected during last year’s Currie Cup by World Rugby on their new smart mouthguard technology added to the decision for the roll-out of this part of the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols this year.

TRANSFER NEWS: Just a day after Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse's transfer to Sharks has been confirmed, another Ellis Park favourite will follow him to Durban.

ROUND FIVE: It is a new week and a new opportunity for the Springbok Sevens this weekend in the fifth tournament of the 2024 season and for BlitzBok head coach Sandile Ngcobo, the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles cannot come soon enough.

PREVIEW, ROUND TWO: Super Rugby Pacific heads to Super Round as all 12 teams converge in Melbourne this weekend. 

SPOTLIGHT: The recently relegated Tuks outfit is leaving nothing to chance in their quest to regain Varsity Cup status and repair the team's reputation.

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have addressed the speculation surrounding Huw Jones' playing future.

SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell said Wednesday he felt "nervous" at telling Saracens he wanted to leave, having been associated with the English Premiership club since he was a teenager.

NEWS: The battle lines have more or less been drawn in the sand for the big North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with the news that one of the best tighthead props in the world will be back in action for the Stormers.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo provided context to his team's current state, ahead of the United Rugby Championship Round 11 clash against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his 36-man squad as they prepare for the final two rounds of the 2024 Six Nations.

NEWS: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) revealed that they are well on par with reaching their Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Action Plan.

CONTRACT NEWS: The list of former Lions players in the Shark Tank has just received a new member.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks loose forward Vincent Tshituka's insider knowledge of the Lions will come in very handy when the two teams go head-to-head in the United Rugby Championship Round 11 match at Ellis Park on Saturday.

TEAM UPDATE: James Murphy has linked up with the struggling South African team in the United States ahead of the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles.

NEWS: Western Force coach Simon Cron says Izack Rodda's untimely quad injury is hard on the team, and he'll take a careful approach with the star Wallabies lock.

CONTRACT NEWS: The coaching journey of former World Cup-winning Springbok assistant coach Matthew Craig Proudfoot has come tfull circle.

SPOTLIGHT: It is, without doubt, South Africa's biggest domestic derby - the Bulls versus the Stormers.

NEWS: Canada and the United States will rejoin the Pacific Nations Cup this year in a rejigged two-stage six-team competition that will end with finals in Japan.

TRANSFER NEWS: Sharks lock Le Roux Roets has become the latest South African recruit to join Premiership club Sale Sharks.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France suffer a massive blow as centre Jonathan Danty will miss the rest of the Six Nations after being handed a ban on Tuesday.

SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com correspondent Jon Cardinelli, in the first of his new series of columns, puts the focus on the Varsity Cup.

ROUND TWO Wrap: Defending champions NWU Eagles are continuing on their winning ways in the 2024 Varsity Cup following a drubbing of newcomers UWC in round 2.

NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 11 fixtures have been confirmed.

NEWS: The Lions cannot go into their United Rugby Championship clash with the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday being complacent knowing that their rivals are bottom of the log at the moment. 

VIDEO: Growing up in Johannesburg Lions scrumhalf Morné van den Berg wanted to emulate his Springbok hero Enrico Januarie on the rugby field and he is well on his way to fulfilling that dream.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers forward Deon Fourie is bracing himself for an intense North-South Derby against the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: For all the talk of a post-World Cup reset, England face the prospect of yet more Six Nations stagnation after a stark wake-up call against Scotland.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Western Force prop Marley Pearce has been suspended for four weeks following their 14-44 defeat to Hurricanes in the opening round of the Super Rugby Pacific.

NEWS: The Springboks and captain Siya Kolisi have been rewarded for their achievements yet again by being nominated for top Laureus awards.

REACTION: Fabien Galthie's position as France head coach is "absolutely not in danger", French Rugby Federation President Florian Grill said on Monday.

SPOTLIGHT: Duhan van der Merwe is ready to put thoughts of a Scotland try record aside for team success when the Dark Blues take on Italy in the Six Nations next month.

URC PREVIEW: The spotlight will fall on some big South African derbies once again as Round 11 of the 2023/2024 United Rugby Championship gets underway.

NEWS: After sharing the spoils with France in Round Three of the Six Nations, Italy have returned to the top 10 of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since June 2013.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France centre Jonathan Danty will face a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after he received a red card during his team's 13-all draw against Italy on Sunday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls will rely heavily on their home-ground advantage when they take on the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

RECAP: Ireland moved one step closer to back-to-back Grand Slams by beating Wales, Scotland proved too hot for England to handle and Italy held 14-man France to a dramatic draw.

REACTION: The Springbok Sevens’ ninth-place finish in Canada, at the fourth HSBC SVNS tournament of the season, was described as frustrating by the team's head coach Sandile Ngcobo.

NEWS: Record-breaking Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has all but confirmed his rugby sevens debut will come in Los Angeles after watching his French contemporary Antoine Dupont shine in Vancouver.

REACTION: Ever since France's agonising defeat to South Africa in October's World Cup quarterfinal, Les Bleus' head coach Fabien Galthie and his players vowed to come to terms with the loss and move on.

DAY THREE WRAP: We bring you all the Day Three men's action from BC Place, Vancouver – the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

DAY THREE WRAP: We bring you all the Day Three women's action from BC Place, Vancouver – the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the French players after their 13-all Six Nations draw with Italy.

REACTION: Paolo Garbisi said he apologised to his teammates after hitting the post with a dramatic last-gasp penalty, as Italy drew 13-13 against France in the Six Nations on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Italy dealt France's Six Nations prospects a mortal blow in their Round Three encounter in Lille on Sunday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday's Six Nations action.

WATCH as former World Rugby Player of the Year Antoine Dupont talks about his match-winning try at the Vancouver leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series.

WATCH as seasoned hooker Akker van der Merwe talks to @king365ed about his omission from the Springbok alignment camp.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Twelve points from flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, including the second try of his Japan Rugby League One career, led Brave Lupus Tokyo to a 27-7 win over the Eagles.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland adopted an optimistic tone ahead of the Six Nations home match with France in a fortnight saying his side "can take a huge amount" out of Saturday's 7-31 defeat to Ireland.

DAY TWO WRAP: We bring you all the Day Two women's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

DAY TWO WRAP: We bring you all the Day Two men's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

UPDATE: A loss to Super Rugby Pacific rivals Queensland Reds has been softened by the positive outlook for star centre Lalakai Foketi, who could be back at the franchise within a week.

REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend hailed Duhan van der Merwe's "really special" hat-trick after the wing rewrote the record books in a 30-21 Six Nations win over England on Saturday.

REACTION: Ireland can make history and become the first team to win back to back Six Nations Grand Slams.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their 21-30 loss to Scotland in their Calcutta Cup and Six Nations face-off.

OPINION: Bryn Palmer rates the Scotland players after their 30-21 Six Nations and Calcutta Cup win over England.

MATCH REPORT: Duhan van der Merwe scored a hat-trick as Scotland retained the Calcutta Cup and keeps their Six Nations dream alive.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday's Six Nations and Super Rugby Pacific competitions.

OPINION: Ireland came into this one heavy favourites, but Wales didn’t quite roll over in the manner that many were predicting at a cold Lansdowne Stadium on Saturday.

OPINION: Even Welsh fans must admit that a defeat, and a comfortable one at that, was the most likely outcome at the Lansdowne Road.

ROUND ONE WRAP: The opening round of the Varsity Shield saw newcomers Varsity College make a statement with a win over the TUT Vikings, while former Cup champions Tuks overpowered UFH in Alice.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland kept their Grand Slam dream alive with a 31-7 win over Wales in Dublin on Saturday. 

REACTION: Wallaby scrumhalf Nic White insists it is not "doom and gloom" after a rude awakening by the Hurricanes on his Super Rugby debut for Western Force.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Out of form France welcomes Italy in Lille in the Six Nations on Sunday with the hangover of the opening defeat to Ireland and October's World Cup quarterfinal loss to South Africa still lingering.

SATURDAY WRAP: The Highlanders recorded their first win of the season when they defeated Moana Pasifika by 35-21 in the new Super Rugby Pacific in Dunedin on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Dynamic Lions utility back Sanele Nohamba is not about to waste another opportunity to impress the Springbok selectors.

DAY ONE WRAP: We bring you all the Day One men's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

DAY ONE WRAP: We bring you all the Day One women's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

WATCH as veteran Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr speaks about his team aiming to create a perfect blueprint for success.

REACTION: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, true to form, did not hold back in the face of criticism of his latest squad selection.

WATCH as loose forward Nizaam Carr shares a special message with the young Bulls players selected for the 43-man Springbok alignment camp.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has named his team to face France on Sunday, February 25.

FRIDAY WRAP: The Chiefs drew first blood in the new Super Rugby Pacific season by defeating defending champion Crusaders 33-29 in a thrilling rematch of last year's final at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday's Round One Super Rugby Pacific action.

TEAM ANNOUNCMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie made two changes for their Six Nations Round Three match against Italy on Sunday.

SPOTLIGHT: The England 'A' side take on Portugal in the long-awaited fixture at Leicester Tigers Stadium this Sunday, February 25.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Cardiff centre Rey Lee-Lo has been handed a four-week suspension following their 12-16 defeat to Connacht in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship.

TRANSFER NEWS: South African coach Corniel van Zyl will join the Welsh United Rugby Championship region Cardiff ahead of the 2024-25 season.

MEDICAL UPDATE: A scan has cleared Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi of major spinal damage after the 29-year-old suffered a neck injury at the NSW Waratahs' training.

WATCH as double World Cup-winning centre Jesse Kriel chats to the Boks Office crew about South Africa's defensive philosophy.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Ireland are in a "very good place" as they pursue unprecedented back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams and should move a step closer with victory over Wales on Saturday, says former Irish fullback Hugo MacNeill.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: A bid to regain the Calcutta Cup in front of a hostile Murrayfield crowd promises to be an acid test of England's ability following a third-place finish at last year's World Cup in France.

SPOTLIGHT: The six Lions players that were invited to the Springbok alignment camp all have the X-factor that they bring to the Lions every week and hopefully they can take it to the next level.

SPOTLIGHT: @king365ed looks at some key numbers ahead of the URC North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld next week.

WATCH as the Bulls' forwards and breakdown coach Andries Bekker chats to @king365ed about what aspects of their game most need to improve.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales coach Warren Gatland says he is "not 100 percent convinced" Welsh regional rugby will undergo the proper reset required ahead of a daunting Six Nations clash with Ireland.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Steve Borthwick has named his team to play Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: The Sharks have provided more details regarding their new rugby partnerships with the Pumas and Border Rugby Unions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell has named his team for Saturday'Six Nations clash against Wales in Dublin.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to the starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations face-off clash with England at Murrayfield.

ROUND FOUR: After all the build-up and hype, Antoine Dupont will get the chance to do what he does best in Vancouver this weekend – perform his magic on the rugby field.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: Three places and nine points separate Brave Lupus Tokyo and Yokohama Eagles, as the semifinalists from the previous two years meet in a contest that shapes up as having important ramifications for the Eagles in particular.

PREVIEW, ROUND ONE: Super Rugby Pacific is set to get underway this weekend as the 12 teams battle for the title.

NEWS: Ulster face a massive upheaval as they confirmed the departure of head coach Dan McFarland ahead of the challenging tour to South Africa.

The back-to-back world champion Springboks will return to the field for the first time since last year’s World Cup final at the iconic Twickenham Stadium in London when they take on Wales in a blockbuster Test on Saturday, June 22.

NEWS: Gareth Thomas has urged Wales to go at Ireland right from the kick-off when they bid for a shock win away to the Six Nations Championship leaders on Saturday.

It goes without saying, that whenever a Springboks squad or team is announced, media uproar usually follows.

NEWS: Wallaby centre Lalakai Foketi has undergone scans after being taken to hospital in an ambulance with a neck injury sustained during a Waratahs training session.

WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok centre Jesse Kriel explains to the Boks Office crew how Lukhanyo Am helped him reach new heights on the playing field during last year's World Cup in France.

SVNS SPOTLIGHT: Zain Davids has travelled to Canada six times and returned with three gold medals, but that has not stopped the BlitzBok forward’s winning appetite, who arrived in Vancouver for a seventh HSBC SVNS Canada tournament.

SPOTLIGHT: The Lions are now doing their talking on the rugby field resulting in six of their players being invited to the first Springbok alignment camp in Cape Town. 

NEWS: Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White has left the door open for a fairytale appearance at the 2027 World Cup, but first he wants to help the Western Force become a powerhouse.

INTERVIEW: The Crusaders launch their bid for an eighth straight Super Rugby title on Friday, with new head coach Rob Penney out to emulate the stunning success of Scott Robertson.

SPOTLIGHT: England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has backed the returning Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi to bring more power to the visitors' backline when they travel to Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Wales assistant coach Rob Howley says the team will aim to create rugby chaos when they face red-hot Six Nations favourites Ireland on Saturday.

ROUND ONE WRAP: NWU Eagles got the defence of their title off to a winning start in the first round of the 2024 Varsity Cup competition with a hard-fought away victory over Maties.

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith reveals that Springboks have not found a foolproof recipe for World Cup success that the All Blacks need to follow under Scott Robertson.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flyhalf Sam Costelow has been recalled to the Wales starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.

NEWS: England rugby chiefs have ditched a shock proposal to sell Twickenham and buy a 50 percent share in Wembley from the Football Association.

SPOTLIGHT: Rosko Specman wants to make every moment count in his BlitzBok jersey this season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has unveiled a group of 43 players for an alignment camp in March/

SPOTLIGHT: There were some tight contests in the games that mattered in the fight for United Rugby Championship log positions during an absorbing Round 10 of the competition.

NEWS: All Black star Will Jordan will be sidelined for the next six months and could rule him out of the Tests against South Africa in August.

SPOTLIGHT: The All Blacks under new coach Scott Robertson may have to change everything and follow South Africa’s approach in order to win a World Cup again.

SPOTLIGHT: Ange Capuozzo is best known for his attacking forays down the touchline but the Italian fullback showed the other side of his game when he leapt to the defence of Italy's record in the Six Nations.

NEWS: Bulls fullback Devon Williams says he will see out his career in Pretoria after it was confirmed on Monday that he penned a permanent deal with the union.

REACTION: Sharks head coach John Plumtree admitted his team are relatively short of where they need to be to challenge the Stormers.

NEWS: The Sharks have reportedly strengthened their squad with a few Springboks once again.

NEWS; Phil Waugh is challenging Australia's under-performing Super Rugby sides to finally stand up to their New Zealand rivals for the sake of the Wallabies and the ailing code in general.

SQUAD UPDATE: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell could be without one of is star locks for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Wales on Saturday.

SQUAD UPDATE: There are a few changes in Scotland's squad ahead of their Six Nations clash against England.

SQUAD UPDATE: Wales coach Warren Gatland has added uncapped prop Harri O'Connor to his Six Nations squad ahead of Saturday's clash against title favourites Ireland in Dublin.

WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard lifts the lid on a crucial half-time chat during last year's RWC in France.

NEWS: Blitzbok stalwart Ryan Oosthuizen said the good work done in Stellenbosch has given them confidence to improve on their fifth-place finish in Perth last month.

REACTION: The Bulls’ six-two split on the bench against the Lions at Ellis Park in the United Rugby Championship over the weekend may have helped the Bulls after flank Elrigh Louw got a knock on his AC joint early in the game.

REACTION: The Lions aren’t a dangerous team and did not put the Bulls under pressure once during their Round 10 United Rugby Championship fixture at Ellis Park on Saturday, says Jake White, the Bulls’ Director of Rugby.

REACTION: The Stormers' win over the Sharks in Durban was a perfect teaser for what is in store when the Capetonians travel to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Bulls in a fortnight.

TOP 14 WRAP: Montpellier skipper Lenni Nouchi said facing South Africa's two-time World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi in the Top 14 was a day "to remember", made extra special by a 44-20 win over Racing 92.

NEWS: Jo Yapp has been appointed as the first female ever to coach the Wallaroos.

NEWS: The Sharks confirmed that they have formed a new strategic partnership with fellow South African rugby unions Border and the Pumas.

SQUAD ANNOUNCMENT: England's hopes of reclaiming the Calcutta Cup have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Six Nations clash against Scotland.

MATCH REPORT: Dan Edwards scored a brilliant last-minute drop-goal to earn Ospreys a dramatic 19-17 win over Ulster and give a much-needed boost to the Welsh regions.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 action.

REACTION: The Lions struggled in the set-pieces and hardly managed to string more than three phases together in their 10-25 loss to the Bulls in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 matches.

MATCH REPORT: Scrumhalf Ben Afshar scored on his first professional start as Glasgow recorded a 40-7 bonus-point victory over the Dragons.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls’ visit across the Jukskei-river saw them secure a bonus-point 25-10 victory over the Lions at Ellis Park in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi explains the "buy-in" process when the Springbok coaches deliver their plans to the players

WATCH an exclusive interview with double World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard on the Big Jim Show.

MATCH REPORT: Cardiff could not overcome an early red card for centre Rey Lee-Lo as Connacht claimed a 16-12 United Rugby Championship victory at Arms Park.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers extended their winning streak over fellow South African opposition after they beat the Sharks 25-21 in a United Rugby Championship Round 10 encounter in Durban on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster comfortably maintained their place at the top of the table with a 47-18 bonus-point victory over Benetton in Dublin.

NEWS: Tony Brown will join the Blues in a short-term coaching consultant role from next week.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: French superstar Antoine Dupont is on the verge of making his Sevens debut after being named in France’s squad for the HSBC Vancouver SVNS next weekend.

JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The gap between the Wild Knights and the rest is widening at the top of the Japan Rugby League One table.

BREAKING: Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA rugby, has penned an open letter to South Africa in which he clarified the details of the potential private equity deal that has made headlines recently.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 matches.

MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh produced a second half fightback to clinch a 24-19 United Rugby Championship victory at Zebre Parma.

MATCH REPORT: Clinical Munster ensured Scarlets’ poor run against Irish provinces continued as they suffered a ninth consecutive defeat in going down 42-7 in Llanelli.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The South African derbies will grab most of the attention this weekend as the United Rugby Championship gets underway again with Round 10.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Nizaam Carr will captain a Bulls side that will face the Falcons in a friendly match in Modimolle on Friday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo made five changes to his travelling squad for the next two SVNS tournaments, in Vancouver next weekend and Los Angeles a week later.