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REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake said his team's losing streak is "irrelevant" as they pick up the pieces after their Champions Cup exit.

REACTION: Head coach Hawies Fourie hopes that the Cheetahs’ recent run in the European Challenge Cup will open more ‘doors’ to international competition.

REVIEW: There were of course disappointed teams who failed to make the cut, but the line-ups for the quarterfinal round of both the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup provide a good advertisement for the strength of the United Rugby Championship.

Following a highly-competitive Round of 16 weekend, EPCR announced the dates, venues and kick-off times of the Heineken Champions Cup quarterfinal matches.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson praised his team for sticking to the plan in their Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against the Harlequins in Cape Town on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks could be forced to make some big changes for their Champions Cup quarterfinal next weekend.

MATCH REPORT: Toulouse march into the Champions Cup quarterfinals with a commanding 33-9 win over Bulls on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Hooker Jack Yeandle crossed in the final play of extra time to send Exeter Chiefs into the Champions Cup quarterfinals on tries scored as they drew 33-33 with 14-man Montpellier Hérault at Sandy Park on Sunday.

REACTION: When you play the Challenge Cup quarterfinals you field your strongest team.

REACTION: Glasgow head coach Franco Smith believes his team can be a lot more clinical despite their 73-33 win over the Dragons in their Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash.

SPOTLIGHT: Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones has taken a brutal swipe at veteran lock Rory Arnold.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Teenage sensation Max Jorgensen and Melbourne playmaker Carter Gordon are among six uncapped players in Eddie Jones's first Wallabies squad ahead of this year's Rugby World Cup.

DAY THREE WRAP: Leroy Carter beat the dead-ball line and two defenders in a high-speed chase as New Zealand raced to a big early lead in the first half before Fiji - looking for consecutive win number 42 in Hong Kong - hit back from 90 metres out.

Following the conclusion of the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16, the fixtures for the quarterfinals on the weekend of April 7/8 are now confirmed.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Griquas produced a second-half fightback to beat Western Province 32-13 in their Currie Cup Round Four clash at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

CHALLENGE CUP WRAP: Connacht exited the Challenge Cup at the Round of 16 stage following a 41-19 defeat at the hands of Benetton at the Stadio Comunale di Mongio on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Saracens twice came from behind to beat Ospreys 35-20 on Sunday, securing their place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter between Stade Toulousain and the Bulls in Toulouse.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: The Sharks advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup after they thumped Munster 50-35 in their Round of 16 clash at Kings Park on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions recorded their second successive Currie Cup win, beating the Sharks 34-22 at Ellis Park on Saturday.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: The Stormers booked their spot in the Champions Cup quarterfinals with a 32-28 win over Premiership side Harlequins at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT:  A resilient Lions team survived an early red card to book a spot in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals. 

DAY TWO WRAP: The BlitzBoks will face Fiji in their Cup quarterfinal at the Hong Kong Sevens on Sunday.

SATURDAY WRAP: Wing Emoni Narawa has scored two first-half tries as the Chiefs extended their winning start to the Super Rugby Pacific season to six matches with a 20-13 win over the Blues.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Western Force were left to rue a poor first half after falling just short against the Hurricanes, with the Super Rugby Pacific heavyweights taking a 45-42 win in Palmerston North on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Springboks Jasper Wiese and Handre Pollard scored all their team's points as Leicester Tigers booked their place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Gloucester were minutes away from the Champions Cup quarterfinals before Stade Rochelais wing Teddy Thomas’ 78th-minute try broke English hearts in a 26-29 defeat at the Stade Marcel Deflandre on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The defending-champion Pumas routed the Cheetahs 61-21, to replace them at the top of the Currie Cup standings.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Leinster powered into the Champions Cup quarter-inals after seeing off a dogged Ulster side 30-15 at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

WATCH as Stormers star Damian Willemse produced an "outrageous" finish in his team's Champions Cup Round of 16 victory over Harlequins at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

PREVIEW: If South African sides were unsure of the challenge of playing in Europe, they will get a full-on reality check this weekend when three massive games involving South African franchises take place in the Champions Cup.

WELCOME to the readers' forum for the challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter between Toulon and the Cheetahs.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter between the Stormers and Harlequins in Cape Town.

FRIDAY WRAP: Bristol Bears exited the Challenge Cup at the Round of 16 stage as they fell to a 26-33 reverse at the hands of ASM Clermont Auvergne at Ashton Gate.

INTERVIEW: The Cheetahs will feature in their first big European play-off match when they face Toulon in the Round of 16 on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter between the Sharks and Munster at Kings Park in Durban.

DAY ONE WRAP: Results went largely as expected on a rainy day in Hong Kong with victories for New Zealand, Australia (defending Sevens World Series champions), Fiji, Argentina and France among others.

SPOTLIGHT: Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has compared the Sharks to Europe's most successful club ahead of their Champions Cup Round of 16 clash in Durban on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The depleted Crusaders have made it 12 straight wins over the Queensland Reds, who are again counting the costs of unforced errors in a second-straight Super Rugby Pacific loss.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the country’s four regions have agreed to a new financial package aimed at enabling sustainability and growth over the next six years.

SPOTLIGHT: For a player who suffered multiple concussions that forced his premature retirement from rugby at the age of 28, former Springbok playmaker Pat Lambie is an important voice in the debate around making the game safer.

MATCH REPORT: The Griffons recorded their first win since returning to the Currie Cup competition, edging a Bulls 32-28 in Welkom on Friday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Four encounter between the Cheetahs and Pumas in Bloemfontein.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen opted for continuity as he made one change for the historic Challenge Cup Round of 16 match against Racing 92.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The Cheetahs and Lions face the toughest assignments of their debut Challenge Cup campaign.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has revealed his team to face the Harlequins in a Champions Cup last 16 clash on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Four encounter between the Griffons anbd Bulls in Welkom.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have made just one change to their matchday 23 that will take on Stade Toulouse in the Round of 16 of the 2022/23 Champions Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs travelled to France this week, where they will face French giants RC Toulon on Saturday at Stade Felix Mayol.

NEWS: The Springboks will be losing one of their coaches after this year's World Cup in France.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell has made two changes to his forward pack for Saturday's Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against Munster at Kings Park on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White believes pressure will be the key to limiting Antoine Dupont's influence in their Champions Cup Round of 16 clash.

PREVIEW: The Cheetahs' status as the Currie Cup pace-setters will be put to the test when they host the defending champion Pumas in Bloemfontein on Friday.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Leicester Tigers will be hoping for a return to winning ways in front of their home fans when they host Edinburgh in the Champions Cup Round of 16 on Friday.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Two former Challenge Cup winners Bristol Bears and Clermont Auvergne meet for the first time in the competition in the Round of 16 at Ashton Gate on Friday.

ROUND EIGHT: Time is running out for teams hoping to catch the pace-setting New Zealand team, as the Hong Kong leg of the Sevens World Series gets underway on Friday.

WATCH as talismanic Stormers coach John Dobson explains how he will deal with the absence of cup-tied lock Ruben van Heerden in their Round of 16 European Cup encounter with Harlequins.

WATCH as Lions Currie Cup captain Jaco Visagie chats to @king365ed and unpacks the lack of spectators at the iconic Ellis Park Stadium.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls' Champions Cup last 16 trip to Toulouse on Sunday will have additional significance for the French club's Springboks loose-forward Rynhardt Elstadt.

NEWS: Super Rugby Pacific has become more fluid and high-scoring this season, with time spent on stoppages drastically reduced by a slew of rule changes, data from the opening four rounds showed Thursday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: A group of 41 players will attend this year’s SA Rugby Academy programme, which will also kick-start the Junior Springboks’ preparations for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in South Africa later this year.

NEWS: European Professional Club Rugby [EPCR] have announced the key 2023/24 dates for its tournaments.

SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones has added another layer of spice to the Super Rugby Pacific clash in Canberra, with the Test coach declaring Wallabies jerseys are on the line.

INJURY UPDATE: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall said they are increasingly confident flyhalf Owen Farrell will be fit for this weekend's Champions Cup last 16 tie with the Ospreys.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Bismarck du Plessis doesn’t seem too happy about some of the antics going on in the modern game at the moment.

NEWS: France captain Antoine Dupont has been named the Six Nations player of the championship for a third time.

SPOTLIGHT: Lions backline coach Ricardo Loubscher believes the unpredictability that comes with French rugby makes his team's preparations for their Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash a tad hard.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have revealed their team for their Currie Cup Round Four clash against the Griffons in Welkom.

NEWS: New Zealand wing Sevu Reece will miss the Rugby World Cup after it was revealed Wednesday that a serious knee injury will sideline him for the rest of the year.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks are ready to right the wrongs in the Champions Cup after their poor performance against Scarlets in Llanelli in the United Rugby Championship last weekend.

INTERVIEW: The city of Cape Town could host the grand final of Europe's two most prized events - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup - in the not-too-distant future.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Two World Cup-winning Springboks will face off at Durban's Kings Park in a European Cup Round of 16 match.

UPDATE: South African wing Cheslin Kolbe suffered only a 'sprained' ankle during Toulon's win over Lyon in a Top 14 encounter at the weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Saturday’s Champions Cup match between Stormers and Harlequins is going to be an interesting affair.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White warns about rugby going down the slippery slope like soccer when players 'fake injuries' for penalties.

VARSITY CUP WRAP: Wits did the unthinkable and relegated UP-Tuks to the Varsity Shield for the first time in the history, beating the defending champions 33-21 in Johannesburg.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has kept changes to the minimum for his team's top-of-the-table Currie Cup Round Four encounter with the Cheetahs.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There is no need to reach for the panic button at the Bulls. 

TRANSFER NEWS: The Sharks' wing Thaakir Abrahams will join Lyon next season, the French club said on Monday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Cheetahs suffered a huge setback on the even of their departure for France and the historic Round of 16 match against French giants Toulon.

STAT ATTACK: Sharks, the Stormers and the Bulls will have their first taste of Champions Cup knockout rugby this weekend.

N THE SPOTLIGHT: The South Africa Sevens team have arrived in Hong Kong and are looking forward to getting back on the field and fixing what went wrong in North America a month ago.

SPOTLIGHT: Jake White's Bulls team may be on an unprecedented losing streak, but they have received 'encouragement' from a most-unlikely source.

Scottish rugby star Stuart Hogg is to hang up his boots following the Rugby World Cup later this year, he announced on Monday, saying he felt the physical demands of the sport were beyond him.

UPDATE: An attempt by a powerful Blue Bulls Rugby Union club to 'highjack' the floundering Mzansi Challenge competition failed dismally.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton looks likely to miss the rest of the European season after suffering a groin injury in the win against England that sealed the Six Nations title earlier this month.

REACTION: Stormers coach John Dobson said they are looking forward to welcoming Premiership giants Harlequins to Cape Town this coming Saturday.

The Scarlets’ stunning 32-20 victory over the star-studded Sharks and the Lions’ 32-28 comeback triumph away to Benetton mean 14 of the 16 sides in the league can still finish in the top eight.

REACTION: The Bulls' Currie Cup team might be able to find their rhythm in absence of all the franchise's United Rugby Champions stars.

NEWS: SA Rugby President Mark Alexander congratulated the South Africa Sevens team for scooping the Team of Year Award at the 16th annual SA Sports Awards on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Hurricanes have announced the signing of Hurricanes Centurion and England international, Brad Shields.

MATCH REPORT: The Western Province's experiment proved to be a costly affair as the team suffered their first Currie Cup defeat of the season on Sunday.

REACTION: The Springbok-laden Sharks team will return from a disappointing United Rugby Championship trip to Wales in desperate need of a solution to their Irish conundrum.

TOP 14 WRAP: South Africa's Cheslin Kolbe was carted off the pitch on Saturday with a suspected ankle injury as Toulon beat Lyon 27-23 in the French Top 14.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The Wild Knights remain on course for their third straight title in Japan’s League One rugby competition after becoming the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.

NEWS: Member clubs of the Welsh Rugby Union voted overwhelmingly in favour of "momentous" governance reforms on Sunday after the ruling body had been rocked by sexism allegations and a damaging row with its players.

WATCH as Ospreys flyhalf Jack Walsh cops several late, cheap shots from Dragons players.

MATCH REPORT: The Blues have cruised past the Western Force at Eden Park, beating them 30-17 in their round five Super Rugby Pacific showdown.

SATURDAY WRAP: Owen Farrell had the better of his duel with Test flyhalf rival Marcus Smith as Saracens defeated Harlequins 36-24 in the Premiership on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Scarlets may well be out of the play-off running, but the struggling Welsh region impacted the tournament in a big way.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions kept alive their play-off hopes with a come-from-behind bonus-point win over Benetton in a URC Round 16 match at Stadio Monigo, in Treviso, on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Exeter Chiefs’ Premiership play-off hopes suffered a huge blow as Bath shredded the form book to claim a 36-19 victory at the Recreation Ground.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors turned in a ruthless five-try performance to claim a 38-26 bonus-point United Rugby Championship win over Munster at Thomond Park.

REACTION: Richard Wigglesworth heaped praise on a 'world-class' Handre Pollard as Leicester beat Bristol 46-24 to boost their Premiership semifinal hopes.

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

MATCH REPORT: Ulster kept the pressure on the Stormers in the race for second place on the United Rugby Championship standings.

MATCH REPORT: Ospreys kept alive their hopes of winning the Welsh Shield with a 37-18 bonus-point win over ill-disciplined Dragons in their United Rugby Championship Round 16 match in Swansea.

SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: Moana Pasifika's torrid start to this season's Super Rugby Pacific goes on thanks to a 59-0 hammering by the title-chasing Hurricanes in Auckland.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Pumas made it three wins from three matches in this season's Currie Cup after they beat Griquas 28-13 in a tense clash at the Mbombela Stadium on Friday.

REACTION: Mziwakhe Nkosi could not contain his frustration with the Lions' first-half display during their Currie Cup 41-26 win over Griffons on Friday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Australian rugby league star Joseph Suaalii will switch codes and be available to bolster the Wallabies when the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025, it was announced Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 16 encounter between Ulster and the Bulls at Ravenhill in Belfast.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs cemented their place at the top of the Currie Cup standings with an impressive 32-7 demolition of the Bulls in a Round Three encounter in Bloemfontein on Friday.

URC REPORT: Cardiff held off a furious fightback from Zebre Parma to keep their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes alive with a 34-30 victory at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 16 encounter between the Scarlets and Sharks at Park Y Scarlets in Llanelli.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Newcastle Falcons edged Gloucester 17-12 at Kingston Park despite playing for more than an hour with 14 men.

CURRIE CUP, ROUND THREE PREVIEW: There is no love lost as the Sharks host the Western Province in the coastal derby at Kings Park on Sunday.

SATURDAY PREVIEWS: There is no margin for error as the scrap for places in the play-offs heats up, with just three rounds of league action remaining.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 16 encounter between Benetton and the Lions at Stadio Monigo, in Treviso.

URC REPORT: The Stormers blew a 17-point lead on their way to a 22-all draw with Leinster at the RDS Arena in Dublin on Friday.

NEWS: England's policy of refusing to select overseas-based players for international duty is set to remain, according to Premiership Rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor.

MATCH REPORT: Lions recorded their first Currie Cup win of the season, beating the Griffons 41-26  at Ellis Park on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell had the pleasure of a full squad to select from and has chosen a Springbok-heavy side to take on Scarlets this Saturday at the Parc Y Scarlets in Wales.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has revealed the team he hopes can bring him a much-needed win against Ulster in a United Rugby Championship outing in Belfast on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 16 encounter between Leinster and the Stormers at the RDS Arena.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Three encounter between the Pumas and Griquas at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Three encounter between the Cheetahs and Bulls in Bloemfontein.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have brought in some fresh legs, on the bench, for their United Rugby Championship Round 16 encounter with Benetton in Treviso on Saturday.

The Parisian derby on Sunday could be decisive as Stade Francais and Racing 92 battle to reach the French Top 14 playoffs but it will be personally significant for two Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks host coastal rivals Western Province at Kings Park in an enticing Currie Cup derby clash on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Three encounter between the Lions and Griffons at Ellis Park in Johannesburg,

Round Three of the Currie Cup sees three action-packed matches happening on Friday.

FRIDAY WRAP: A short-handed Brumbies line-up has been brushed aside in Christchurch, smashed 35-17 by the Crusaders in their Super Rugby Pacific clash.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Pumas have revealed their side to face the Griquas at Mbombela Stadium on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Western Province have undergone wholesale changes for their Currie Cup Round three clash against the Sharks in Durban.

WATCH as the Ireland squad gatecrashed Garry Ringrose's parents' house four days after winning the Six Nations Grand Slam.

WATCH as Lions and Springbok fullback Andries Coetzee gives his teammates some tips on what to do and what not to do on tour in Treviso.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have named their team to face the Griffons in Round three of the 2023 Currie Cup at Ellis Park on Friday.

WATCH as Griquas coach Pieter Bergh unpacks his team's plans for a four-match road trip in the Currie Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson revealed that he received some inside info from Springbok assistant coach Felix Jones ahead of his team's URC clash against Leinster in Dublin.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The headline game of the weekend is surely Friday's match between the table-topping Leinster and the champions, the Stormers, in Dublin.

SPOTLIGHT: The polemical Mzansi Challenge will officially get underway this weekend, albeit under a growing cloud of controversy and a new legal threat.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: He may be too old for 'Gangnam Style', however, Juan de Jongh's passion for the Currie Cup is still very much alive and well at the age of 34.

REACTION: South Africa prop Vincent Koch said one of his Test teammates helped convince him to return home and join the Durban-based Sharks.

SPOTLIGHT: Benetton veteran Dewaldt Duvenage says the Lions' first visit to Treviso will be made less daunting by Andries 'Boeboes' Coetzee sharing his experience of Stadio Monigo with the tourists.

NEWS: Bath scrum coach Neal Hatley joined the Wallabies backroom staff Thursday, as Eddie Jones builds his team ahead of this year's World Cup in France.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers welcome back a host of Springboks for their United Rugby Championship clash with Leinster in Dublin on Friday.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: England fullback Freddie Steward is free to resume playing after appearing before an independent Disciplinary Committee.

SPOTLIGHT: Two of the United Rugby Championship's finest minds have committed long-term to their respective teams and will face off in what is bound to be the start of a new rivalry when Leinster host the Stormers.

SPOTLIGHT: Utility back Werner Kok said the mood in the Sharks' camp has been "lifted' since their top Springboks returned to training recently.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs have made several changes to their starting XV to face the Bulls in the Round three of the Currie Cup.

SPOTLOGHT: Irish kingpin Jonny Sexton will be one of a number of star players that will be missing from Leinster's line-up for their top-of-the-table clash against the Stormers on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Currie Cup head coach Edgar Marutlulle has named his side to take on Cheetahs in Round three of the 2023 Currie Cup competition in Bloemfontein.

WATCH as @king365ed goes one-on-one with Jimmy Stonehouse, coach of the defending Currie Cup champion Pumas team.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Sharks have added another Springbok to their ranks.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE: Springbok lock Lodewyk de Jager's Wild Knights and Kubota Spears will continue their charge towards semi-final qualification in Division One. 

TRANSFER NEWS: Bath confirmed the signing of Rugby World Cup-winning international tighthead prop Thomas du Toit.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers lock Ruben van Heerden said he can see himself staying in Cape Town for a long time as he is flourishing in the environment and culture that the Stormers have created.

NEWS: Springbok Courtnall Skosan is set to leave Northampton Saints at the end of the season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has announced a strong 28-men touring squad that will travel to the United Kingdom and France.

SPOTLIGHT: Jacob Stockdale has achieved a good deal in his career already, but he will be looking to tick another box this weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 16 fixtures have been confirmed

NEWS: Madrid's Metropolitano stadium will host a revamped World Rugby Sevens Series grand final from next season, the sport's governing body announced on Tuesday.

SPOTLIGHT: The big impact the South African sides have made in the United Rugby Championship has come as no surprise to Michael Ala’alatoa.

NEWS: France head coach Fabien Galthie's son Mathis has signed his first professional rugby contract with the club where his father spent much of his own career as a player.

SPOTLIGHT: Scott Robertson is the New Zealand rugby coach who breakdances after winning titles, surfs to relax and was confirmed Tuesday as the next boss of the All Blacks.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed a 25-man squad for their trip to Italy.

WATCH as new Bulls Currie Cup coach Edgar Marutlulle explains to @king365ed the path they will take to get out of the slump they find themselves in.

NEWS: Unions have reportedly agreed to a new global tournament that is set to shake up the rugby calendar from 2026

NEWS: Ahead of what promises to be a compelling series of knockout matches on the road to the 2023 Dublin finals, EPCR announced the referees for the Rounds of 16 of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: There will be a huge spotlight on the Stormers' top-of-the-table URC clash against Leinster this week, but the Capetonians will be using the fixture to help them focus on the bigger picture.

WATCH as Sharks coach Joey Mongalo unpacks his team's second-half implosion against Griquas in a Currie Cup match at the weekend.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby on Tuesday announced the All Blacks coach from 2024.

VARSITY CUP, ROUND FIVE WRAP: There were wins for the Maties, NWU Eagles, UCT and Shimlas in Round Five of the Varsity Cup on Monday.

SPOTLIGHT: Steve Hansen insists the ‘world No.1’ tag brings with it a pressure that will be Ireland’s cross to bear as they look to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time.

NEWS: The shortlist for the 2023 Six Nations Player of The Championship has been revealed, with the top two teams in world rugby dominating the list of contenders for the coveted award.

REACTION: While the senior management was scrambling to find the 'leak' in their boardroom, the Lions' Currie Cup team produced a pride-restoring performance at the weekend.

OPINION: Jamie Lyall runs the rule over the stars of the just-completed Six Nations and comes up with his Team of the Tournament.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick said he was "excited" about what his players could do at this year's World Cup despite a mediocre Six Nations.

BREAKING: The South African Rugby Union is forging ahead with the Mzansi Challenge, despite another team having to cancel fixtures due to financial constraints.

TRANSFER NEWS: French club Clermont will be bolstering their forward pack with a Wallaby.

MATCH REPORT: Griquas produced one of the most remarkable comebacks to record a bonus-point 48-40 Currie Cup Round Two win over the Sharks in Kimberley on Sunday.

REACTION: Stormers and Western Province head coach John Dobson believes Clayton Blommetjies will be another success story at the union.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs, one of three teams with a full-house of 10 points after two rounds, gave the Griffons another timely reminder of the enormous step up from the First Division to the Currie Cup.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND 12 WRAP: A few Springbok players made headlines in Japan again with their performances in Japan League One.

REACTION: "Roll on the World Cup" was the message from Ireland captain Johnny Sexton after his side completed a Six Nations Grand Slam in a campaign that showed just why they are the world's top-ranked rugby team.

REACTION: England regained a measure of self-respect before failing to deny Ireland a Six Nations Grand Slam but underlying issues still confront Steve Borthwick's men just months out from the September start of the Rugby World Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: France head coach Fabien Galthie said Saturday his side will be "the team to beat" at this year's Rugby World Cup on home soil.

SUNDAY WRAP: The Western Force have missed a chance in New Zealand after the Highlanders escaped with a comeback Super Rugby Pacific win in Invercargill.

SPOTLIGHT: Gregor Townsend indicated he would be prepared to extend his tenure as Scotland coach after his team ended the Six Nations with an encouraging 26-14 win over Italy at Murrayfield.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Two encounter between Griquas and the Sharks in Kimberley.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Two encounter between the Griffons and Cheetahs in Welkom.

NEWS: Wales' four regional teams can begin to offer their players new deals following an agreement to introduce standard contracts.

REACTION: South African referee Jaco Peyper has received plenty of criticism for his red card decision in Saturday's Six Nations clash between Ireland and England in Dublin

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Damien Penaud scored two tries as France beat Wales 41-28 on Saturday.

WATCH as a philosophical Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White - in conversation with @king365ed - takes full responsibility for his team's current run of poor form in all competitions.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Blair Kinghorn scored a hat-trick of tries as Scotland defeated Italy 26-14 at Murrayfield on Saturday to condemn the Azzurri to a Six Nations whitewash.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Hooker Dan Sheehan scored two tries to help steer Ireland to a 29-16 victory over England on Saturday for their fourth Five/Six Nations Grand Slam.

OPINION: It’s said you cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth, but the No1 ranked Ireland were like nervous pussy cats in Dublin for the guts of an hour chasing their Grand Slam triumph.

OPINION: A deathly hush around the Aviva Stadium set the tone for an eerily nervous opening for Andy Farrell’s Ireland – who were very much rabbits in the headlights in face of Grand Slam history in Dublin.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Five encounter between Ireland and England in Dublin.

OPINION: It’s been a strange Six Nations for Wales, but Warren Gatland’s side went to Paris off the back of a positive win over Italy. How would they fare against a world-beating French side, off the back of a 50-point win at Twickenham?

WATCH as Duhan van der Merwe goes airborne to score the first try in Scotland's 26-14 win over Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday.

OPINION: In order to maintain pressure on the undefeated tournament leaders and Grand Slam hopefuls Ireland, France required a bonus-point triumph over Wales.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Five encounter between France and Wales at Stade de France in Paris.

OPINION: A hat-trick of tries from Blair Kinghorn saw Scotland home despite a below-par performance against Italy at Murrayfield.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Five encounter between Scotland and Italy at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

SPOTLIGHT: Johnny Sexton could go out on a high note in his 60th and final Six Nations match if Ireland beat England on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are two changes to the Griffons' starting team for their Currie Cup Round Two clash against the Cheetahs in Welkom on Sunday.

SATURDAY WRAP: Melbourne have failed to inflict a first loss on Super Rugby Pacific leaders the Chiefs, going down 25-44 in Hamilton.

MATCH REPORT: Western Province claimed a 41-33 bonus point win against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. 

PREVIEW - ROUND FIVE: Andy Farrell has the opportunity to become the first Ireland head coach to seal a Five or Six Nations Grand Slam in Dublin should his side beat England on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Pumas maintained their dream start to the Currie Cup season with a  hard-fought 34-27 win over the Lions at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

SUNDAY PREVIEWS: Sharks Currie Cup coach Joey Mongalo has thrown down the gauntlet to his team, ahead of their Round Two trip to Kimberley.

NEWS: The new president of the French Rugby Federation, who will pick up the reins after the departure of the disgraced Bernard Laporte, will be known on June 14, the FFR announced Friday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Two encounter between the Bulls and Western Province at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round Two encounter between the Pumas and Lions at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks head for the Northern Cape this weekend for a Sunday date with Griquas - taking some additional muscle with them to Kimberley.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: There's simply nothing like a good old North-South derby to get the South African rugby fraternity going.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Niel Otto has decided to step down from the Griquas captaincy.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England captain Owen Farrell was recalled to the starting XV for the Six Nations climax against Grand Slam-chasing Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has made a number of changes to his team for their Currie Cup Round Two outing against the Griffons in Welkom on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Waratahs accept they need to take a good, hard look in the mirror after collapsing to a third Super Rugby Pacific defeat from four starts to open the season.

BOARDROOM UPDATE: The Lions' boardroom saga has taken an intriguing twist, with a suggestion that the coaching staff, en masse, approach company Chief Executive Officer Rudolf Straeuli with their grievances.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales No.8 Taulupe Faletau will win his 100th cap after being named in Warren Gatland's team to play France in Paris on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jamison Gibson-Park has been handed the scrumhalf role by Ireland coach Andy Farrell as the Irish bid to seal the Six Nations Grand Slam by beating England at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

PREVIEW - ROUND FIVE: Holders France host Wales in the Six Nations' final round on Saturday with the two teams' paths since the 2019 Rugby World Cup having taken very different directions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Gregor Townsend has made four changes to the Scotland starting line-up to play Italy in the final round of the 2023 Six Nations at Murrayfield this Saturday.

PREVIEW - ROUND FIVE: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has backed his side to flourish without key backs Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Loose forward Willie Engelbrecht will make his Western Province debut in the Currie Cup game against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have made wholesale changes to the matchday 23 that will do battle in round 2 of the 2023 Currie Cup competition. 

NEWS: As Morné Steyn prepares to wind down his playing career, the Springbok and Bulls legend is already thinking of the future with the launch of his new kicking academy.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Pumas have made minor changes for their Currie Cup round two clash against Lions on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: The anthem "Ireland's Call" has divided opinion among supporters, but former international players Hugo MacNeill and Trevor Ringland say it has served a greater purpose by giving a voice to the Northern Irish players in the team.

REACTION: Rugby Australia's Andy Marinos isn't overly concerned about losing stars to rival countries but accepts head office needs to step up its talent identification.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have named their team to face the Pumas in round two of the Currie Cup on Friday in Nelspruit.

JAPAN LEAGUE PREVIEW: Second plays third in what shapes as a big weekend for the second edition of Japan Rugby League One.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy has made four changes for the trip to Murrayfield and a final round Six Nations encounter with Scotland.

INTERVIEW: A fan of Eddie Jones' recruitment strategy, former three-code star Karmichael Hunt says Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray could excel in the Wallabies' back row.

SPOTLIGHT: A week in rugby is a long time and for Bulls’ supporters that phrase needs to ring true this Friday.

NEWS: Former England flyhalf Andy Goode has revealed there is a 'personal' issue between new coach Steve Borthwick and one of the star forwards.

WATCH as Griquas assistant coach Barend Pieterse gives @king365ed an injury update after his team's 19-42 loss to the Cheetahs in Round One of the Currie Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Uini Atonio and Romain Taofifenua were named by France head coach Fabien Galthié in the holders' starting lineup to face Wales in the Six Nations this weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones was hailed as the saviour of the Australian game in January, when it was announced that he has replaced Dave Rennie as the Wallaby coach.

TEAM UPDATE: The BlitzBoks have added four players to their training group in the build-up to the next tournament in the World Rugby Sevens Series in Hong Kong.

WATCH as the Sharks' new Currie Cup coach, Joey Mongalo, chats to @king365ed and spells out his coaching philosophy.

SPOTLIGHT: Only a few players are fortunate enough to play against their childhood heroes.SPOTLIGHT: Only a few are so lucky to play against their childhood hero.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland may be hot favourites to beat England and seal the Six Nations Grand Slam this weekend but veteran prop Cian Healy said on Tuesday their opponents were "bloody dangerous".

The Waratahs, wisely, have no plans to rattle Ardie Savea's cage when the destructive back-row makes his return from suspension in a pivotal Super Rugby Pacific encounter in Wellington.

Johnny Sexton says even though Saturday's Six Nations match at home to England will be his last in the tournament and could end in fairytale fashion with the Grand Slam, it does not feel as momentous as winning his 100th cap.

SQUAD UPDATE: England's Ollie Chessum will miss his side's final Six Nations fixture against title-chasing Ireland on Saturday due to an ankle injury.

NEWS: England women’s player Maggie Alphonsi has been included in the panel that will investigate allegations of sexism, misogyny, homophobia and racism at the Welsh Rugby Union.

NEWS: A group of amateur Rugby Union players have launched legal proceedings after claiming the sport's governing bodies failed to sufficiently protect them from brain injury.

WATCH as Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie tells @king365ed the true value of veteran Springboks Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Western Province are under no illusion of the mammoth challenge they face this Friday at Loftus Versfeld.

OPINION: Hamish Bidwell looks at the reasons for the dramatic decline in interest in Super Rugby Pacific.

REACTION: Lions coach Mzwakhe Nkosi will be hoping his side can show some more maturity when they come up against the Pumas in the Currie Cup in Nelspruit on Friday.

VARSITY CUP WRAP: The nightmare is continuing for UP-Tuks as they suffered their fourth consecutive defeat this season, with log leaders NWU Eagles beating the defending champions 26-22 in Pretoria.

WATCH as Juarno 'Trokkie' Augustus bumps off would-be tacklers during Northampton's Premiership clash with Bath over the weekend.

REACTION: The Bulls' coaching staff will have a hard look at themselves after their team's humiliating 15-63 defeat to the Pumas in a Currie Cup Round One clash in Pretoria on Sunday.

NEWS: France have suffered a blow ahead of their final Six Nations clash against Wales on Saturday.

REACTION: Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh admitted Cheetahs' European Challenge Cup experience is a major advantage in the 2023 Currie Cup season.

NEWS: Injured Scotland pair Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell have been ruled out of Saturday's final Six Nations clash with Italy.

SPOTLIGHT: The Fijian Drua became the story of round three of Super Rugby Pacific with a last-gasp 25-24 win over the defending champion Crusaders at a packed Churchill Park in Luatoka.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has selected a 32-player squad for a training camp in Nice ahead of the final round match against France in the 2023 Six Nations.

REACTION: SA Rugby will discuss the possible implementation of experimental law changes to lower the height of a legal tackle in amateur rugby, following an announcement by World Rugby on Monday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Ireland squad flew back to Dublin on Sunday and the focus is on recovery after a physically tough Test match against Scotland in Murrayfield.

The Bulls and Lions will host consecutive double-header weekends over Rounds 17 and 18 of the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship, at Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld Stadium respectively.

WATCH as Italy head coach Kieran Crowley struggled to contain his frustration following his team's Six Nations 17-29 defeat to Wales in Rome.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton said the chance to clinch a Grand Slam on home soil against England next week is the "stuff of dreams" after his side defeated Scotland 22-7 at Murrayfield on Sunday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Steve Borthwick has selected a 36-man England squad for their Six Nations match this weekend.

REACTION: The Jeffreys Bay club had all its home fixtures suspended, following an incident of violence in which three Port Elizabeth Harlequins players were stabbed and reportedly hospitalised.

NEWS: World Rugby says it will encourage member unions to join a global trial of lowering tackle height to below the sternum in the community game.

NEWS: The top of the 2023 Six Nations table is mirrored by the rankings with Ireland and France still in first and second position.

REACTION: Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse is hoping his team will be included in an international competition and attract bigger investors in the near future.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland remained on course for a Six Nations Grand Slam after overcoming stiff Scottish resistance to win 22-7 at Murrayfield on Sunday.

SUNDAY PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Leicester Tigers further enhanced their semi-final ambitions with a bonus point 26-5 win over Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm.

SPOTLIGHT: Jonny Wilkinson said England's record-breaking 10-53 defeat to France represented a "real humility check" but also a "learning experience" that could yet benefit Steve Borthwick's outclassed side.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Pumas sent a big warning to all future opponents with their performance against the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday.

ROUND 11 WRAP: Malcolm Marx extended his try tally to eight from ten appearances for the Spears in their 40-27 win over the Blue Revs in Round 11 of the Japan Rugby League One over the weekend.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick accepted his side had been given a huge reality check following a record-breaking 10-53 defeat by France at Twickenham on Saturday.

REACTION: Fabien Galthie was left in tears, almost too emotional to speak after France's 53-10 humiliation of England in a stunning Six Nations match on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Test referee Nigel Owens revealed that he is torn between the possibility of working with the Springboks and his commitments in Wales.

EXCLUSIVE: Chaotic ineptitude at the South African Rugby Union headquarters is at the heart of the likelihood that the Mzansi Challenge could fail to lift off at all.

OPINION: Scotland were denied a first Triple Crown since 1990 as Ireland continued their quest for a Grand Slam with victory at Murrayfield.

OPINION: In the most consequential Six Nations game of the round, Ireland’s Grand Slam steam train was pitted against a Scotland side that can rightly lay claim to being the best of its generation – and one eager to spoil Andy Farrell and Co’s party.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Four encounter between Scotland and Ireland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

Wales captain Ken Owens said his team have nothing to lose in their final Six Nations match against France next weekend after seeing off Italy in Rome on Saturday and ending a miserable period for his team.

REACTION: Stormers and Western Province head John Dobson was proud to see the similarities between his United Rugby Championship team and his Currie Cup team in Johannesburg on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round One encounter between the Bulls and Pumas at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

France made a huge statement, handing England their heaviest home defeat of all time with a crushing 53-10 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

REACTION: Sharks coach Joey Mongalo believes hooker Fez Mbatha has the potential to represent the Springboks at a World Cup one day.

MATCH REPORT:  Wales recorded their first win of the 2023 Six Nations season with a 29-17 victory over Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Saturday. 

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Joey Mongalo started his tenure as the Sharks' Currie Cup coach on a winning note against the Griffons in Durban on Saturday.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: Western Province got their 2023 Currie Cup campaign off to a great start with a 44-28 bonus-point win over the Lions in Johannesburg.

OPINION: This was savage, a brutal record beating as England were blown away by France.

OPINION: No matter what the fortunes of either side going into it, England-France in the Six Nations is always a highly anticipated, muscular affair and this contest was no different.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Four encounter between England and France at Twickenham in London.

MATCH REPORT: Jack Nowell's quick thinking gave Exeter Chiefs a 24-5 win over Newcastle Falcons at Sandy Park.

OPINION: Warren Gatland’s Wales have been under fire so far this tournament, not favoured to win a wooden spoon battle with Italy.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:  Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has invited eight new players to a two-day alignment camp in Cape Town this weekend.

NEWS: One of New Zealand's top coaches confirmed on Saturday he won't lead the All Blacks next year, saying his focus will not extend beyond this year's Rugby World Cup.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Four encounter between Italy and Wales at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round One encounter between the Lions and Western Province at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: Fijian Drua recorded the biggest win of their two seasons in Super Rugby Pacific.

SIX NATIONS, ROUND FOUR: Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has warned his side they will be up against the best Scotland team of the Six Nations era when they continue the quest for a coveted Grand Slam at Murrayfield on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round One encounter between the Sharks and Griffons at Kings Park in Durban.

FRIDAY SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The Chiefs made it three from three in 2023 with a 28-7 bonus point win over the Highlanders in Hamilton in the Super Rugby Pacific while Melbourne playmaker Carter Gordon was instrumental in his side’s surprise win over the Waratahs.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about the 'BIG PLAN' they have with new Currie Cup coach Edgar Marutlulle.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Gregor Townsend proclaimed Stuart Hogg "one of the best players in the history of Scottish rugby".

SATURDAY & SUNDAY PREVIEWS: 'When two Bulls clash, only the grass suffers."

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland Captain Johnny Sexton returns to the side to face Scotland this Sunday in Edinburgh in Round 4 of the 2023 Six Nations Championship.

Steve Borthwick has put his reputation and that of Marcus Smith on the line after recalling the flyhalf in place of dropped England captain Owen Farrell for Saturday's Six Nations clash against France.

VARSITY SHIELD WRAP: The Varsity Shield match between Madibaz and CPUT at the Madibaz Stadion will go down as one of the most classic encounters in the history of the competition.

CONTRACT NEWS: The Sharks have managed to secure the services of another Springbok.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Northampton recovered from an embarrassing defeat at Bristol to pick up a bonus-point 45-26 victory over Bath at Franklin's Gardens on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Joey Mongalo made some interesting selections as he named his team to face the Griffons in Round one of the 2023 Currie Cup.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs put down a massive marker, beating last year's losing finalists Griquas ?? in the Currie Cup season-opener in Kimberley on Friday.

SIX NATIONS, ROUND FOUR: Italy are in the uncommon position of being favourites for a Six Nations match as they host troubled Wales in Rome on Saturday battling to avoid yet another Six Nations wooden spoon.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round One encounter between Griquas and the Cheetahs in Kimberley.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick has explained why captain Owen Farrell has been dropped for Saturday's Six Nations match against France.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Fullback Clayton Blommetjies will make his debut for Western Province against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

CURRIE CUP ROUND ONE: South Africa's premier domestic competition gets underway in the Northern Cape capital, Kimberley, on Friday with a game between two teams with vastly differing goals.

NEWS: Gloucester prop Fraser Balmain has extended his contract at Kingsholm Stadium.

INTERVIEW: Warren Gatland said the threat of possible player strike action before Wales' Six Nations clash against England caused "a significant split" within his squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT:  The Lions have opted for youth with Johannesburg-born Travis Gordon leading the side against WP at Ellis Park on Saturday.

NEWS UPDATE: SANZAAR has confirmed the match schedule for the condensed 2023 Rugby Championship.

WATCH as national Sevens coach Sandile Ngcobo reveals the players he is hoping to lure back from the 15-a-side game.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Tommaso Allan will replace star Ange Capuozzo for Italy's Six Nations match with Wales on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf Rhys Webb will make his first start for Wales in more than two years when they face Italy in the Six Nations this Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

SPOTLIGHT: Josh van der Flier said on Wednesday it would be "naive" of Ireland to talk about a Grand Slam ahead of their Six Nations clash against a resurgent Scotland in Edinburgh.

NEWS: Another big-name Wallaby has committed to the Melbourne Rebels and Rugby Australia until the end of the 2025 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Fabien Galthié said Jonathan Danty was eager to face England this weekend after being selected for the game.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Owen Farrell has been dropped from the England starting line-up for the first time since 2015.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs have named some of the biggest names in the game in their team for their opening Currie Cup match.

SPOTLIGHT: SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus said he was pleased with the strides made by the Rugby Department in the last few years.

SPOTLIGHT: Wales assistant coach Neil Jenkins believes his team's current woes could end up helping them by the time they travel to the World Cup in France later this year.

WATCH as South Africa's Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus reveals the motivation behind bringing legendary referee Nigel Owens on board the Springbok coaching panel.

SPOTLIGHT: Richard Hardwick's Super Rugby Pacific form is set to see him rewarded with a Rugby World Cup berth, only not with the Wallabies.

NEWS: SA Rugby's Director of Rugby is making some changes.

SPOTLIGHT: Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland says it has been a ‘tough week’ for Ardie Savea and his family as the reaction to his throat-slitting gesture has been intense.

SPOTLIGHT: The Pumas are defending champions after a fairytale 2022 season, while the Griquas are desperate to end a five-decade-long Currie Cup drought.

JAPAN LEAGUE PREVIEW: Two of the traditional titans of the Japanese domestic game are set to face one another when Round 11 of the Japan rugby League One kicks off in Tokyo this weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales star Taulupe Faletau said on Tuesday it was "hard to give your all" against the backdrop of the contractual dispute that has engulfed Welsh rugby in recent weeks.

NEWS: France could be without one of their playmakers for their Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England star Courtney Lawes has been ruled out of his side's Six Nations match against France.

NEWS: A key member of the All Blacks' forward pack has put pen to paper.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has copped a one-week ban for his controversial gesture during the Super Rugby Pacific match between Hurricanes and Melbourne Rebels.

NEWS: Zane Nonggorr has leant on Brumbies prop James Slipper for scrum tips in the past but they might dry up if the Queensland Reds upstart can exploit them in Canberra.

NEWS: Waratahs hooker Dave Porecki believes their second-half rampage against Fijian Drua has shown their progress as a Super Rugby Pacific force.

NEWS: Ireland coach Andy Farrell has included Nick Timoney and Ciaran Frawley in the Ireland squad or the first time that reassembled for their Round 4 Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

NEWS: Bulls confirmed that Springbok star and Pretoria-loved speedster, Kurt-Lee Arendse has extended his stay by agreeing to a new long-term contract.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones has backed flyhalf Quade Cooper to make the next World Cup at 35 years of age but stopped short of guaranteeing him a place in the squad.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Lions' back-to-back United Rugby Championship victories could be the sign of a resurgence after their internal drama.

NEWS: Stormers coach John Dobson has shed light on how he will navigate his current responsibility and his additional role as Currie Cup coach of the Western Province this season.

Stormers made sure of the South African Shield for the second successive year and still hold onto their top two position but the latest round of the United Rugby Championship was a good one for Ireland.

VARSITY CUP WRAP: CUT Ixias continued their winning ways with a sensational win over defending champions UP-Tuks  on Monday while Maties, Shimlas and UJ were also victorious in the 2023 Varsity Cup.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The new Sharks head coach will be confirmed in the next few weeks, Director of Rugby Neil Powell revealed.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Hurricanes prop Tevita Mafileo has been handed a three-week suspension after his red card against the Melbourne Rebels.

INJURY UPDATE: France backrow Anthony Jelonch is a doubt for this year's World Cup after undergoing an operation on a serious knee injury on Monday, his club Toulouse told AFP.

NEWS: Julien Delbouis and back-rower Alexandre Roumat will be dropped from the extended 42-man France squad for next weekend's Six Nations game against England.

REACTION: Ulster is targeting the Stormers' second place in the United Rugby Championship following his team's 42-20 bonus point victory away to Cardiff Rugby at the Arms Park.

NEWS: Springbok Sevens coach Sandile Ngcobo has blamed injuries amongst other things as the main reason for the American horror show that has left South Africa five points away from fourth-placed Fiji.

NEWS: Marcus Smith has been rewarded with a call-up to the England squad for next weekend’s Six Nations clash with France at Twickenham after his sterling performance over the weekend for Harlequins.

SUNDAY WRAP: The Du Preez brothers, Robert and Jean-Luc, played prominent roles as Sale Sharks produced a remarkable comeback.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It seems to be a case of 'just words' and very little action as the Bulls suffered another defeat at Loftus Versfeld.

DAY THREE WRAP: Argentina was celebrating a second successive Canada Sevens title after beating France in a thrilling, end-to-end final.

ROUND 10 WRAP: Two World Cup-winning Springboks shared the spoils when their teams went head-to-head in Round 10 of Japan's League One at the weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Toulon’s star wing Cheslin Kolbe was denied a double during his side’s Top 14 clash with Stade Francais as the Springboks star got back to some of his best playmaking form.

REACTION: Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White said the Brumbies gave "absolutely everything" to pull off an upset of New Zealand powerhouse Blues on Sunday in a game played at "Test match intensity".

NEWS: Scotland's Grant Gilchrist is out of the Six Nations following his red card against France and will sit out three weeks after admitting to an act of foul play.

REACTION: Stormers’ clean sweep over South African opposition in the round-robin matches of the United Rugby Championship has to be celebrated and with good reason admits head coach John Dobson.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Niel Powell admitted his team is in a very ‘tricky’ predicament after their 23-29 defeat to the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: All Blacks star Ardie Savea has been cited for his throat-slitting gesture during the Hurricanes' Super Rugby Pacific match against Melbourne Rebels on Friday.

REPORT: The Lions produced one of their best performance of the season, beating the Bulls 29-25 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers have claimed the South African Shield with a hard-fought 29-23 win over the Sharks at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

SUNDAY SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The Brumbies have stunned the Blues in the Super Rugby  by beating the Kiwi outfit in a closely contested affair by 25-20 in Melbourne on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Connacht continued their winning run with a hard-fought 22-20 victory over Dragons at Rodney Parade.

TRANSFER NEWS: Argentine back row forward Marcos Kremer fits the bill for "players with character and ambition" who can restore Clermont's fortunes.

MATCH REPORT: Jack Walsh saw his touchline conversion attempt to clinch a dramatic Ospreys comeback win agonisingly hit the post as Benetton held on to claim the narrowest of victories.

DAY TWO WRAP: South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand, all in the top four in the world, all failed to survive the second day of the Vancouver tournament, the 200th World Rugby Sevens Series event.

MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh's hopes of reaching the United Rugby Championship play-offs were dealt a blow as they were overpowered 47-27 by leaders Leinster - their seventh defeat in their last eight games in the tournament.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins thrashed Exeter 40-5 to win Big Game 14 at Twickenham and move up to fifth place in the Premiership.

MATCH REPORT: Julián Montoya scored twice as Leicester Tigers stormed to a 48-27 win against Bath Rugby.

URC REPORT: Munster just got the better of a high-scoring clash with Scarlets to record a 49-42 win in Cork on Friday.

SATURDAY WRAP: The Chiefs have backed up their victory over the champion Crusaders with a crushing 52-29 win over Moana Pasifika, with a try scored after just eight seconds.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The pressure on the Sharks and Bulls in the United Rugby Championship franchises will reach a new level as the race for playoff spots moves up a few notches.

REPORT: Ulster boosted their United Rugby Championship play-off push after running in six tries in a 42-20 win over Cardiff.

REACTION: The Crusaders dedicated their first win of the Super Rugby Pacific season to coach Scott Robertson, who was absent because of a family bereavement, as the reigning champions roared back to their best.

WATCH as veteran Cheetahs prop Schalk Ferreira takes down a drunk bully in peak-hour traffic in Bloemfontein this week.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHT: Pretty much all the stats point to the Stormers coming out on top as they take on the Sharks for the second time in a month in the United Rugby Championship.

URC REPORT: South African lock JP du Preez was one of Glasgow's try-scorers in their 50-8 win over Zebre on Friday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 match between the Bulls and Lions at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

SPOTLIGHT: Suliasi Vunivalu has revealed how Dave Rennie's training demands almost drove him out of rugby as he prepares to live up to new Wallabies coach Eddie Jones' expectations.

DAY ONE WRAP: Five men's teams remain unbeaten after a superb opening day at the Canada leg of the Sevens World Series in Vancouver.

REPORT: All Blacks forward Ardie Savea stole the show during the Hurricanes' 39-33 win over the Melbourne Rebels.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 match between the Stormers and Sharks at Cape Town Stadium.

SQUAD UPDATE: Hooker Peato Mauvaka and scrumhalf Maxime Lucu, who have both missed the first three rounds of the Six Nations through injury, were recalled to the France squad on Friday.

NEWS: SA Rugby on Friday confirmed that former CEO, Rian Oberholzer, had returned to the role in an interim capacity to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Jurie Roux.

MATCH REPORT: The Crusaders have bounced back from last week’s loss to the Chiefs in resounding fashion by thumping the Highlanders 52-15 in the opening game of the Melbourne Super Round.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White announced the team that will face the Lions as the two South African rivals meet in Round 15 of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers coach John Dobson has made six changes to his side for the big derby against the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship at home in Cape Town on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Charles Piutau inspired Bristol Bears to a classy 62-8 win over Northampton Saints at Ashton Gate.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Rudolph Snyman has been included on Munster's bench for their United Rugby Championship clash against Scarlets in Cork on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The historic rivalry between the Sharks and Stormers continues this Saturday when the two teams meet in their return leg United Rugby Championship clash at Cape Town Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have been forced to switch up their pack ahead of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 clash against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls captain Ruan Nortje admitted that his side is in play-off mode as they continue their push for play-off qualification in the United Rugby Championship.

NEWS: The Lions will be without one of their Boks for a while.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber expressed his satisfaction with the strides made at their physical and rugby development camp in Cape Town and said they were ticking the desired boxes, as the second week of the camp concluded on Friday.

IN HIS WORDS: Born in Zimbabwe, Ulster flyhalf Angus Curtis pens down his rugby journey which includes the Sharks.

NEWS: France prop Mohamed Haouas will miss the remainder of the Six Nations after being handed a four-week ban by the organisers for the red card he collected against Scotland at the weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The South African Rugby Union broke their silence amidst talks of a demonstration at the Stormers' United Rugby Championship clash against Sharks on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Star No.8 Francke Horn believes the Lions can be a surprise package in the not-too-distant future.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The prospect of a new synthetic pitch at the Cape Town Stadium has been met with pure excitement by Stormers head coach John Dobson.

NEWS: The Springbok Women will face Canada and Spain later this month in a first outing for the national side since the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last September.

SPOTLIGHT: In theory, South Africa’s United Rugby Championship teams root for each other to qualify for the play-offs, but national interests will be parked when the Sharks pull into Cape Town.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams says "patience" has played a big part in his playing career so far.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers prop Brok Harris revealed his side's only mission is to win the United Rugby Championship title again.

WATCH as Bulls backline coach Chris Rossouw talks about the threats posed by a fired-up Lions team.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: Springbok Lood de Jager return to action when his side the Wild Knights face their number one challenger Kubota Spears on Saturday.

NEWS: Cape Town Stadium has officially become home to Western Province Rugby following the signing of an Anchor Tenant Agreement.

NEWS: Ian Foster had something very important he wanted to tell the New Zealand Rugby bosses.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Siyamthanda Kolisi explained why the introduction of a referee coach will be a boost for the world champions.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick urged Marcus Smith to prove his worth at club level, after omitting the flyhalf from a training squad on Tuesday ahead of next week's Six Nations clash at home to France.

SPOTLIGHT: Those who watched last weekend's LA Sevens would have been excused if they wondered which masked player the Springbok Sevens team had on the field.

TEAM UPDATE: Noegh Hayward and Gurshwin Wehr will join the South African team in Vancouver on Wednesday and will make their Sevens World Series debuts at the Canada leg this coming weekend.

NEWS: The 2024 Six Nations will not feature the famous Stade de France on its roster.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers’ first United Rugby Championship match at their official home is set to be overshadowed by a planned protest.

WATCH as the Boks are put through their paces on the beach in Cape Town during three-week physical and rugby development camp.

NEWS: The match official appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 fixtures have been confirmed.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says lock Rudolph Snyman can have an important role to play for the Boks this year if he is in "good shape".

TEAM UPDATE: England omitted Marcus Smith from their training squad before next week's Six Nations match against France, with George Ford returning to the fold.

SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney turns the clock back three years and looks at the almost 30 players the franchise has lost!

WATCH as Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith unpacks his team's 24-35 loss to the Lions.

NEWS: Bulls and Springboks legend Morne Steyn has been awarded a farewell benefit year, recognising his long-standing commitment and service to the Bulls.

NEWS: The Irish Rugby Football Union and Leinster have revealed an important update regarding Leo Cullen's future.

SPOTLIGHT: France's South African-born lock Paul Willemse believes England star Maro Itoje is more suited to the back row than the second row.

ROUND TWO WRAP: Wits produced the ultimate comeback and CUT the ultimate upset as Round Two of the Varsity Cup delivered the usual batch of drama.

REACTION: Ireland prop Finlay Bealham will miss the rest of the Six Nations with a knee injury, but captain Johnny Sexton is fit to take part in a two-day training camp this week.

The Munster squad resumed preparations on Monday ahead of Friday's United Rugby Championship Round 15 clash against Scarlets at Musgrave Park.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell says hard work is being done behind the scenes to formulate "a really good" plan for their United Rugby Championship match against the Stormers on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba is enjoying his rugby again because the Stormers are allowing him to be himself on the field.

REACTION: South Africa managed to, barely, cling on to an all-important top-four spot in Sevens World Series.

REACTION: Scotland centre Huw Jones said he backs his side's ability against Ireland in two weeks' time despite losing at France in the Six Nations on Sunday.

SPOTLIGHT: For the third time in history, Wales find themselves down in 10th place in the World Rugby Men’s rankings.

NEWS: Eddie Jones has made his first major appointment, unveiling former Australian National Rugby League star Brett Hodgson as Wallabies defence coach on a two-year deal until the end of 2024.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks are reportedly keen on adding former Test referee Nigel Owens to their coaching team ahead of the World Cup.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: France beat Scotland 32-21 in the Six Nations at the Stade de France on Sunday to end the visitors' hopes of a first Grand Slam since 1999.

DAY TWO WRAP: New Zealand became the first team to win two tournaments in the Sevens World Series 2023, beating Argentina 22-12 in the Cup Final in Los Angeles.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND NINE WRAP: There were plenty of South Africans on the scoresheets in Round Nine of Japan League One over the weekend.

MATCH REPORT: Josh Hodge inspired Exeter Chiefs to a vital 24-22 victory over second-placed Sale Sharks in a Sandy Park thriller.

REACTION: Ulster head coach Dan McFarland believes Duane Vermeulen can still be a vital cog in the Springboks' squad when the World Cup comes around in France later this year.

REACTION: Ireland coach Andy Farrell said he breathed a sigh of relief after his side stuck to their guns to down Italy in a Six Nations battle on Saturday as they walked away 34-20 victors and kept their Grand Slam hopes alive.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Saracens returned to winning ways with a bonus point 29-23 win over 14-man Newcastle Falcons at the StoneX Stadium in the Premiership while Saints beat top-four rivals Gloucester in 12-try game fest.

OPINION: Scotland’s hopes of a first Six Nations Grand Slam were brought to an end in Paris as France edged a pulsating contest at the Stade de France.

OPINION: Although France, last year’s Grand Slam winners, suffered a setback in their previous match against Ireland, they were eager to recover their form.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Three encounter between France and Scotland at Stade de France, in Paris.

NEWS: Scotland lock Richie Gray said he developed dramatically during his seven years in the Top 14 before facing France in the Six Nations this weekend.

REACTION: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen admitted that every game has become a "fight" for his team as the United Rugby Championship enters the business end.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Fullback Freddie Steward mastered an aerial bombardment to help England to a 20-10 victory over Wales in the Six Nations in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick praised his side for their tactical nous and ability to take control of the last quarter of a tight Six Nations 20-10 victory over Wales on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Ireland beat Italy 34-20 on Saturday to continue their bid for a Six Nations Grand Slam.

SPOTLIGHT: The Lions Rugby Company and MyPlayers have issued a joint statement on the now notorious survey that was conducted at the Johannesburg franchise.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions put a tumultuous week of boardroom drama behind them to end a five-match United Rugby Championship losing streak.

MATCH REPORT: Irish Province Ulster moved to within striking distance of the defending champion Stormers in second place on the United Rugby Championship standings.

DAY ONE WRAP: The BlitzBoks advanced to the Cup quarterfinals at the Los Angeles Sevens despite losing two of their three pool games.

MATCH REPORT: Bristol Bears earned bragging rights with a hard-fought 15-13 away win over Bath at the Recreation Ground.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell admitted his team were not clinical enough in their rescheduled United Rugby Championship Round Six against Ulster in Durban.

OPINION: Rome witnessed a humdinger of an all-frills Italy-Ireland contest but this Wales-England encounter was no less engrossing in a very different way.

OPINION: It’s not been an easy few weeks for Welsh rugby.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Three encounter between Wales and England in Cardiff.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Six catch-up match between the Lions and Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

OPINION: After a crucial – maybe even tournament-deciding – win against France, a rapidly improving Italy at Stadio Olimpico might have seemed on the face of it more of a ‘banana skin’ game for Andy Farrell’s World No.1s. than a seismic task.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Scotland heads to Six Nations champions France on Sunday with Les Bleus coach Fabien Galthié looking forward to observing two magnificent flyhalves Finn Russell and Romain Ntamack on show.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Three encounter between Italy and Ireland at Stadio Olimpico, in Rome.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Six catch-up match between the Sharks and Ulster at Kings Park in Durban.

SUPER RUGBY SATURDAY WRAP: The Blues signalled their intent in this years’ Super Rugby Pacific season, scoring eight tries to two against the Highlanders, while an experienced Hurricanes outfit disposed of the Reds with a very comfortable win.

WATCH as seasoned Springbok prop Ruan Dreyer chats to @king365ed about how the Lions overcame a week of turmoil at Ellis Park.

NEWS: The Barbarians jersey worn by Wales great Gareth Edwards when he scored what is widely acclaimed as the greatest try set a new world-record price when it sold for £240,000 (US$287,000) at auction.