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London Irish booked a date with Gloucester in the European Challenge Cup final courtesy of a dramatic 27-22 victory over the slow-starting Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Sunday.

Maritzburg College went up from Pietermaritzburg to Balgowan and beat Michaelhouse 24-10.

Graeme College recorded a resounding 25-0 victory over Alexander Road in an interschools rugby match in Grahamstown on Saturday.  The half time score was 8-0.

London Irish booked a date with Gloucester in the European Challenge Cup final courtesy of a dramatic 27-22 victory over the slow-starting Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Sunday.

Gloucester took the first available place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a magnificent win over Worcester on Saturday, fighting back from 15-23 down with half an hour to go to win 31-23.

In wet conditions Boland Landbou’s heavier pack laid the platform for an unconvincing 8-5 win against visitors SACS. The teams were evenly matched in most facets of play but Landbou’s superior pack kept SACS on the back foot.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan has blasted the decision to stage the European Challenge Cup final at the Twickenham Stoop because he feels its is too small for the prestige event.

Gloucester took the first available place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a magnificent win over Worcester on Saturday, fighting back from 15-23 down with half an hour to go to win 31-23.

Gloucester took the first available place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a magnificent win over Worcester on Saturday, fighting back from 15-23 down with half an hour to go to win 31-23.

Gloucester took the first available place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a magnificent win over Worcester on Saturday, fighting back from 15-23 down with half an hour to go to win 31-23.

Australia's U19 team won its first-ever World Championship with a tense 17-13 win over New Zealand in Dubai on Friday.

London Irish are a team in form with six wins from their last eight starts but Director of Rugby Brian Smith insists that home advantage in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingston Park on Sunday must make Newcastle Falcons favourites for the game.

London Irish are a team in form with six wins from their last eight starts but Director of Rugby Brian Smith insists that home advantage in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingston Park on Sunday must make Newcastle Falcons favourites for the game.

London Irish are a team in form with six wins from their last eight starts but Director of Rugby Brian Smith insists that home advantage in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingston Park on Sunday must make Newcastle Falcons favourites for the game.

London Irish are a team in form with six wins from their last eight starts but Director of Rugby Brian Smith insists that home advantage in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingston Park on Sunday must make Newcastle Falcons favourites for the game.

Gloucester captain Adam Balding is anxious to avoid an unwanted first when the Cherry-and-whites clash with Worcester Warriors in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Gloucester captain Adam Balding is anxious to avoid an unwanted first when the Cherry-and-whites clash with Worcester Warriors in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

With England poised to make management changes, regular columnist Andrew Baldock throws his weight behind the campaign to reinstall Bath boss Brian Ashton.

Gloucester captain Adam Balding is anxious to avoid an unwanted first when the Cherry-and-whites clash with Worcester Warriors in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Gloucester captain Adam Balding is anxious to avoid an unwanted first when the Cherry-and-whites clash with Worcester Warriors in their European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

The final matches of Division B of the IRB's Under-19 World Championship were played in Dubai on Thursday. Fiji will play in Division A next year after their 22-14 win over Tonga. They will replace either Japan or Romania in the top division.

The national weeks for schoolboys are development opportunities not only for schoolboy players but also for referees.

HTS Middelburg have climbed gradually into the Top 20 schools in South Africa over the last few seasons. In testament to their growing stature they play Affies on Saturday in the quarterfinal of the Michelin Series. Janus Terblanche is the key player in the HTS Middelburg team, having last week been selected as the best scrumhalf on show at the Oakdale Rugby Week. He is our FNB Player of the Week.

Newcastle gear up for their European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish on Sunday, fresh in the knowledge that their Premiership status is secure for another season after a morale-boosting win over Premiership leaders Sale last weekend.

These are little issues which may well be of interest. Tomorrow we shall also give two contributions by readers which are, perhaps, too extensive to include here.

Last we discussed various aspects of the law and its application. Here Peter Shortell reacts to what was said.

Newcastle gear up for their European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish on Sunday, fresh in the knowledge that their Premiership status is secure for another season after a morale-boosting win over Premiership leaders Sale last weekend.

Newcastle gear up for their European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish on Sunday, fresh in the knowledge that their Premiership status is secure for another season after a morale-boosting win over Premiership leaders Sale last weekend.

Newcastle gear up for their European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish on Sunday, fresh in the knowledge that their Premiership status is secure for another season after a morale-boosting win over Premiership leaders Sale last weekend.

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan has kept faith with the XV that beat Worcester in the Guinness Premiership last weekend for Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against the very same side.

Newcastle Falcons have made four changes to their side as they prepare for Sunday’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish at Kingston Park.

Since our initial FNB Top 20 for 2006, there have been holidays in many parts of South Africa, but during those holidays there were many tournaments to give top schools a chance to show their worth.

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan has kept faith with the XV that beat Worcester in the Guinness Premiership last weekend for Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against the very same side.

Newcastle Falcons have made four changes to their side as they prepare for Sunday’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish at Kingston Park.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

Newcastle Falcons have made four changes to their side as they prepare for Sunday’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish at Kingston Park.

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan has kept faith with the XV that beat Worcester in the Guinness Premiership last weekend for Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against the very same side.

Newcastle Falcons have made four changes to their side as they prepare for Sunday’s European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish at Kingston Park.

Gloucester coach Dean Ryan has kept faith with the XV that beat Worcester in the Guinness Premiership last weekend for Saturday's European Challenge Cup semi-final against the very same side.

Andy McPherson of Scotland has been appointed to the IRB's Under-19 World Championship final between Australia and New Zealand.

Andy McPherson of Scotland has been appointed to the IRB's Under-19 World Championship final between Australia and New Zealand.

New Zealand will face Australia in the Final of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-21 Word Championship after they won their respective semi-finals in Dubai on Monday. The Final will take place at the Exiles RFC on Friday.

It was a cold Easter Monday at St John's for Day 3 of the Easter Festival, backed by FNB.

King Edward VII School's Easter Rugby Festival, sponsored by FNB, ended on Easter Monday with a surprise defeat for Pretoria Boys High.

It was overcast and chilly on Eastern Monday, the last day of the St Stithians Easter festival which has the backing of FNB.

The matches most likely to attract attention this weekend are the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup in Dublin and San Sebastian, Spain.

The hosts and HTS Rustenburg performed strongly on the second day of Potchefstroom Boys' High's Easter Tournament.

The referees have been appointed to the matches in the semi-finals of the two divisions at the IRB’s Under-19 World Championship in Dubai.

Some schools played ordinary fixtures in the short week prior to the Easter Weekend and some will again in the short week which follows it but most of our results are from the five Easter Festivals in Northvaal.

Day Four of the B Division of the IRB Under-19 World Championship was semi-final day. Victories for Fiji and Tonga means that the Pacific Island countries will contest the final with promotion to Division A as a reward.

The referees have been appointed to the matches in the semi-finals of the two divisions at the IRB’s Under-19 World Championship in Dubai.

St Charles of Pietermaritzburg and Monnas of Krugersdorp again did well on the second day of Krugersdorp High School's Easter Rugby Festival.

On the second day of the Saints' Easter Festival for 2006, supported by FNB, the stern encounter was that between Affies of Pretoria and Paarl Gim, which ended in a draw.

In perfect weather yet again, within an even bigger crowd than Thursday's record crowd at St John's, the great School's Easter Festival went into its second day.

Viadana has been slapped with a hefty fine after a disciplinary committee ruled that the Italian club was guilty of both failing to prepare their pitch and fulfilling a fixture during the European Challenge Cup.

There have been changes to the originally announced schedule for the Easter Rugby Festival at Potchefstroom Boys' High.

Queen's College of Queenstown, again a strong side this year, pulled off a double victory on Wednesday when they beat Aliwal North and Burgersdorp.

South Africa have failed to reach the semi-finals of the 2006 International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-19 championships and thus failed to defend the title they won on home soil last year.

In perfect weather the St John's Easter Festival, supported by FNB, went into action on Thursday morning, down on Burger Field looking up the steep koppie  crowned with the stonework of the great school.

The Krugersdorp High School's Easter Festival kicked off on Thursday.

King Edward VII School's Easter Festival began in Houghton on Maundy Thursday with sponsorship from FNB.

The IRB's Under-19 World Championship being played in Dubai heads into its last round of pool matches before the knock-out matches. For countries with one win it is their last chance to be contenders for the crown.

Fiji and Tonga finished first and second in the Division B table of the U19 World Championship in Dubai after wins over Russia and Georgia respectively on day five of the action.

Adrian Kritzinger is the playmaker in a potent Diocesan College (Bishops) outfit this season. Playing at outside centre he models himself on the great Irish assassin Brian O'Driscoll. He will be hoping to create the same sort of magic as his hero did on the 2001 Lions Tour as Bishops face another uncompromising Cape season.

We are going to go to incidents from Week 8 of the Super 14 but we have several readers' queries and comments which should be treated separately lest we become too cumbersome.

The IRB's Under-19 World Championship being played in Dubai heads into its last round of pool matches before the knock-out matches. For countries with one win it is their last chance to be contenders for the crown.

We have some serious incidents to discuss seriously and we have some serious questions about the maul. The maul is especially interesting.

The first FNB Top 20- of 2006 is making its appearance. There should be fanfare. There is also much trepidation.

Viadana will appear before an independent Disciplinary Committee in Dublin on Thursday, 13 April to hear misconduct complaints lodged against the club by the ERC Disciplinary Officer.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

There are World Cup 2007 qualifiers in Europe and Asia this week while the Super 14 nears the end of its round-robin course.

Australia and New Zealand continued with their dominant performances on Matchday Two of Division A at the International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-19 World Championship on Sunday.

Easter is coming, and rugby festivals spring into life in Gauteng - five of them big ones. Three of them are supported by FNB - St John's, KES and St Stithians.

Schools in many parts have been on holiday recently but there have been festivals, especially in the Cape.

The second day of the A Division matches will be decisive for the ambitions of some sides at the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Dubai. We give the match officials appointed to these matches.

Fiji, Tonga, Georgia and Uruguay are the four teams still unbeaten after the second round of fixtures in Division B of the U19 World Championship in Dubai on Saturday.

The second day of the A Division matches will be decisive for the ambitions of some sides at the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Dubai. We give the match officials appointed to these matches.

The referees have been appointed to for the third day of the IRB's Under-19 Championship being played in Dubai.The third day sees the Division B sides in action again.

There are several internal struggles in this set of matches as the end of the round-robin part of the Super 14 approaches, sometimes the hardest of the lot for referees, as civil wars tend to be the bitterest of all! But the match between the Brumbies and the Hurricanes could be special.

The Super 14 has gone beyond the half-way mark already and it is still running. In this section we are going to use a few incidents to remind ourselves of the Laws of the Game.

The Heineken Cup quarter-finals have come and gone. The fanfare may not have lasted the duration of the matches but the winning fans seemed delighted without concern for the quality of the rugby, which in three-quarters of the matches was not generous.

The second day of the IRB's Under-19 World Championship brings the big guns of Division A into action.

The opening Division A match day in this year's International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-19 World Championship in Dubai on Wednesday produced a string of surprise results, the most prominent of which was defending champions South Africa's 42-3 loss to France.

Oakdale Landbouskool of Riversdale closed its 23rd Annual Rugby Week with several close matches on Day 3.

After all the fun of the week, the presence of several legends of the rugby world and lots of enthusiastic support the curtain has come down on the 150th birthday Grey High Schools Rugby Festival which FNB helped to fund. The hosts ended their tournament with a fine win over the Pretoria Boys' High side while their Bloemfontein namesakes had a big win over the impressive Queen's side.

The second day of the IRB's Under-19 World Championship brings the big guns of Division A into action.

Union High of Graaff-Reinet hosted a rugby festival in the school holidays, which was attended by twelve teams. The majority of teams were from the region but Port Alfred, Stirling, Muir and Cambridge came inland from the coast, Stellenbosch High School made the trip up from the Cape and Willowridge High came all the way down from Pretoria to sample some Karroo hospitality. 

Georgia, relegated from last year's U19 World Championship division A, kicked off their 2006 campaign with an impressive 57-3 win over Korea in Sharjah on Tuesday.

It probably doesn't get much tougher than kicking-off a World Cup against New Zealand, but that is what U19 Grand Slam winners Wales must do in the U19 Rugby World Cup in Dubai on Wednesday.

On the final day of Die Brandwag's annual rugby tournament, the hosts just beat the Strand in a great battle, while Daniël Pienaar played to a generous draw with Hoërskool Middelburg.

Paloma Loza will make history this weekend - the first woman to referee in Spain's top league, the División de Honor.

Richard Parks of Leeds Tykes has been suspended for three weeks following a Rugby Football Union (RFU) disciplinary hearing at the Bristol Filton Holiday Inn on Tuesday.

Hoërskool Volksrust  are hosting the 23rd Annual Voermol Amajuba Sports Weeks. The event takes place over two weeks and there will be 38 rugby teams from north and south of the Vaal River in attendance. The tournament is a season highlight for many of the teams.

The 27th Oakdale Rugby Week started on Saturday, 1 April 2006 in Riversdale where the first two days were exceedingly hot.

There were some great matches on the second day of Greys' Rugby Festival, in association with FNB, in Port Elizabeth. Most notable was DHS's victory over the strong home team - a tiny 6-0 win but a big one for the Durban side.

The ‘All-Ireland’ Heineken Cup semi-final between Leinster and Munster will round off a fantastic weekend of European rugby action on 22 and 23 April.

The U19 teams of Canada and Namibia will get the 2006 Under-19 World Cup underway in Dubai on Tuesday.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

Spain's top league, the División de Honor, has a woman referee there for the first time - Paloma Loza of Madrid. Last week she refereed a quarter-final of the División de Honor B. She may just be making history.

There were Festivals all over the place - Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage, Despatch, Durbanville, Riversdale and Bellville, amongst others.

London Irish booked a date with Newcastle Falcons in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by romping to a 48-5 victory over Bayonne at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

HTS Bellville's tournament for technical schools started on 1 April with matches on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

London Irish booked a date with Newcastle Falcons in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by romping to a 48-5 victory over Bayonne at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

London Irish booked a date with Newcastle Falcons in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by romping to a 48-5 victory over Bayonne at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

London Irish booked a date with Newcastle Falcons in the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup by romping to a 48-5 victory over Bayonne at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

Die Brandwag Hoërskool of Uitenhage held the first day of its annual three-day Rugby Festival on 31 March. These are the results for the first two days.

The Grey High Schools Rugby Festival in association with FNB, a part of the great school's 150th birthday celebrations, kicked off in Port Elizabeth today with seven great matches. The hoists added to the occasion by beating Maritzburg College, always formidable opposition.

Our first FNB Player of the Week for 2006 is Jean Rossouw of Paarl Gim, one of South Africa's greatest rugby schools.

Gloucester exorcised their domestic demons by booking a place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals courtesy of an empathic seven-try 46-13 victory over Brive on Saturday - albeit in front of Kingsholm's second lowest crowd of the season.

Worcester wing Aisea Havili scored a hat-trick of tries as his side recorded a manful 34-25 over Northampton at Franklin's Garden on Saturday - a result that take the Warriors through to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

Die Brandwag Hoërskool of Uitenhage held the first day of its annual three-day Rugby Festival on 31 March. These are the results.

Gloucester exorcised their domestic demons by booking a place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals courtesy of an empathic seven-try 46-13 victory over Brive on Saturday - albeit in front of Kingsholm's second lowest crowd of the season.

Gloucester exorcised their domestic demons by booking a place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals courtesy of an empathic seven-try 46-13 victory over Brive on Saturday - albeit in front of Kingsholm's second lowest crowd of the season.

Gloucester exorcised their domestic demons by booking a place in the European Challenge Cup semi-finals courtesy of an empathic seven-try 46-13 victory over Brive on Saturday - albeit in front of Kingsholm's second lowest crowd of the season.

Rugby referees in the Arabian Gulf are taking centre stage in a series of prestigious events in different countries over the next few weeks. And the high profile being enjoyed by officials has led sponsors Power Development International (PDI) to extend its support of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Referees' Society through to the end of the 2006/07 season and also back the Asian RFU's elite referees panel.

Newcastle progressed to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup with a comfortable win over Connacht on Friday, thanks to a commanding performance from 20-year-old fly-half Toby Flood.

Kokstad College are holding their annual rugby festival on 31 March and 1 April. There will be 14 matches over the two days.

Newcastle progressed to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup with a comfortable win over Connacht on Friday, thanks to a commanding performance from 20-year-old fly-half Toby Flood.

Newcastle progressed to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup with a comfortable win over Connacht on Friday, thanks to a commanding performance from 20-year-old fly-half Toby Flood.

Newcastle progressed to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup with a comfortable win over Connacht on Friday, thanks to a commanding performance from 20-year-old fly-half Toby Flood.

The Super 14 certainly is racketing along past half way, and we shall be using incidents from the matches for our law discussion this week. There is one really difficult one, again concerning the maul.

Marais Viljoen of Alberton marched on Jeppe and beat the home side 48-11 on Wednesday.

Hoërskool Durbanville are kicking off April with their second rugby festival with some teams that have come from afar.

Ten senior schools and two primary schools took part in the annual Western Province Rugby Day for Schools held at Newlands on Tuesday 27 March. The games were contested over two twenty-minute halves, with no conversions.

The Challenge Cup has entered the business end of proceeding with eight sides - five English, two French and one Irish - striving to fill the four semi-final berths. We preview all the action...

It has not always been an easy ride for Bayonne this season, but as they travel to meet in-form London Irish on Saturday, coach Gilbert Doucet says his team must be proud of their achievements.

It has not always been an easy ride for Bayonne this season, but as they travel to meet in-form London Irish on Saturday, coach Gilbert Doucet says his team must be proud of their achievements.

SANZAR has announced the appointment of match officials for Weeks 9 & 10 of Super 14. Jonathan Kaplan seems to have the most desirable match – Crusaders vs Waratahs in Christchurch.

Northampton Saints fly-half Carlos Spencer may miss Saturday’s European Challenge Cup game against Worcester Warriors as a result of a knock to his leg against Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership last Sunday.

Hoërskool Merensky of Tzaneen is hosting its 21st Annual Festival in early April.

The Michel Series for 16 top schools is nearing the knock-out stages with strong performances by some

It has not always been an easy ride for Bayonne this season, but as they travel to meet in-form London Irish on Saturday, coach Gilbert Doucet says his team must be proud of their achievements.

Gloucester welcome Brive in the Challenge Cup on Saturday facing a front-row crisis after the sending-off of Terry Sigley during their Guinness Premiership defeat to Bristol last weekend.

Die Brandwag of Uitenhage, a keen rugby school, is again hosting its rugby festival and again there is a strong group of schools attending.

Union High of Graaff-Reinet is holding its annual rugby Festival on Saturday 1 April and Monday 3 April.

It has not always been an easy ride for Bayonne this season, but as they travel to meet in-form London Irish on Saturday, coach Gilbert Doucet says his team must be proud of their achievements.

Voortrekker Hoërskool of Pietermaritzburg held its 15th annual Rugby Day, part of a more general sports festival, again attracting a large crowd to the school near the river.

The Heineken is back in town and rushing into the cut-throat quarter-finals.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

Rugby festivals have mushroomed all over South Africa. Here we give the fixtures for several of them.

Referees have been accused of killing a game or blowing game to death, but an Italian referee has been honoured for rescuing two young children from drowning off a Sicilian beach.

Oakdale’s annual rugby festival in Riversdale will take place on 1 and 3 April 2006 with 22 schools taking part.

The fourth annual Western Province Schools Rugby Festival takes place at Newlands on Tuesday afternoon and evening, 28 March 2006. In the main match Paarl Gim play Paul Roos.

After two pleasing wins on a mini-tour to Pretoria, 29-15 against John Vorster and 20-16 against Menlo Park, College played their first match of the season in Pietermaritzburg, at the Voortrekker Festival, now in its fifteenth year, and beat Pionier of Vryheid 24-0.

KES went over to Jeppe for the first FNB Classic Clash of 2006 and won 31-0.

The games played at the Graeme College Rugby Day in Grahamstown on Saturday produced some surprises, some runaway victories, as well as some tight matches which ensured that this was an entertaining day’s rugby.

The annual Voortrekker Hoërskool Rugby Day takes place in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday with 22 matches.

It is March and almost winter but already schools rugby is in full swing. The first FNB Classic Clash has happened already, won handsomely by KES in the Johannesburg wet.

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool managed to beat the new kids on the block, Eldoraigne, by 23-16 in a Michelin Series match in Pretoria on Saturday, although they were made to work much harder for this victory than they would have expected.

KES go across Johannesburg to face old rivals Jeppe in the first FNB Classic Clash of 2006. In general and especially recently KES have dominated the 1st XV matches.

Schools rugby is well on the god in the northern regions of South Africa, which may be part of the reason why they pack up in mid winter!

Jeppe are at home to KES in the first FNB Classic Clash of 2006. Sifisa Vilikazi will be capatining and hoping to inspire the Jeppe side.

The Six Nations has ended, for some with shouts of joy, for others with a deflation of air. And there was also the spice of controversy.

Gareth Simmonds of Cardiff is a highly experienced referee - one of Wales's international referees and still active, though mainly on the touch-line. He speaks about the maul. It is good to listen to a man of his calibre.

Grey High Schools turns 150 this year and, like Grey Bloem last year, has rugby as a part of its celebrations at the beginning of April. Many of the schools are old friends - as happens at birthday parties. FNB are coming to the party as well.

King Edward VII School of Houghton, Johannesburg, are hosting their annual Easter Rugby and Hockey Festival again this year.

As a born and bred Johannesburg boy who has attended KES from Grade 1 to 11, Josh Carstens is well aware of the magnitude of the task facing his team on Saturday when Jeppe host KES in an FNB Classic Clash.

Hoërskool Strand held its programme of shortened matches recently. Each match lasted just 20 minutes. But each team plays three matches, giving them an hour's rugby but against different opponents.

The combined Gauteng-KwaZulu Natal Rugby Festival take place at Fourways High School over the two days of 29 April and 1 May this year. In it Gauteng Schools play against KwaZulu Natal schools, ten schools from each province. There are 11 on the first day.

Peter Shortell of Cheltenham who takes a keen interest in the laws, their history and workings,, has sent us his reaction to the suggested law changes that emerged from experimentation done at the University of Stellenbosch recently.

After all the hectic activity and criticism on match officials on both sides of the equator, let's hope this weekend is a quiet and gentle one.

Wales beat all five of their Six Nations opponents at Under-19 level, thus ending with a Grand Slam.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

England Under-21 were comfortable winners of the 2006 U21 Six Nations and did so with a Grand Slam.

Linston Manuels, the controversial television match official that came in for severe censure for his blunder in the Bulls versus Hurricanes Super 14 match at the weekend, have been "axed" from the Super 14 TMO panel. But he is to remain on the panel as a touch judge - a considerably more important position.

Suddenly the Six Nations with all its hurly burly, is done. Anticlimax is upon is. Just to mop up, we shall give the stats, some of which add up to totals for the Six Nations on 2006.

The defending Michelin Series champion, Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool of Pretoria, is still in line to qualify for the quarter-final of this competition after beating Ermelo Hoërskool 33 -16 in Pretoria on Friday afternoon.

The psalmist said: The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. The Irish would probably agree, the English vehemently disagree after three incidents in the Six Nations match between England and Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

Sarel Cilliers High School held its annual rugby festival on 10-11 March at the school in Glencoe.

The non-try by Akona Ndungane of the Bulls in the match with the Hurricanes was the big talking point in South Africa on Friday evening and the talk was angry.

Joël Jutge, the French referee appointed to referee the Twickenham clash between England and Ireland, has had to withdraw because of injury. His place is taken by Nigel Whitehouse of Wales.

The fourth round of the Six Nations has flown by, just the last round remaining. We are going to look at three little line-out incidents and a straightforward off-side.

Wales have won four with one to play. The Grand Slam is within their grasp.

England Under-21 are poised to win the Under-21 Six Nations Championship with a Grand Slam They have played four and won four Just the Irish challenge remains.

Recently there was a workshop on the laws of the game from which there emanated a series of proposals which could have a radical effect on the way the game is played.

In the third week of the Six Nations, there was France's massive victory over England in Paris, one of record proportions. Ireland beat the dogged Scots in the Dublin wet and Wales managed a draw against Italy in Cardiff though the Italians had the better of the second half.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

Ezio Galon played fullback for Italy against Wales at Millennium Stadium on Saturday. The big, fast 27-year-old plays for Overmach Parma and was first capped for Italy in 2001. None of that explains how close he was to one of international rugby's most bizarre occurrences.

The Six Nations reaches its denoument. Four teams could win the Championship with France the most likely. There are some interesting "other" matches.

With just Ireland to play England Under-21 are set fair to win the Under-21 Six Nations with a Grand Slam.

Their seniors may not be unbeaten but France and England are undefeated at Under-21 level and they meet this week in a match which will determine who the Under-21 Champions of the Six Nations will be. All the teams will have an eye on the IRB Under-21 World Championship later this year.

The Super 14 has already reached week 14 as it rushes on its way. There are few tiny matters to talk about, including this business of the deliberate wheel, and we shall bring forward some comment/questions from readers. One is a really difficult one from Sydney.

The Six Nations bursts out again this weekend with the big crunch at Stade de France in Paris. In fact, there are several matches between French teams and English teams.

Wales have beaten England, Scotland and Ireland at Under-19 level this season and are in line to add a Grand Slam to their Triple Crown.

Much has been said and argued about stamping on players on the ground this year - as in Ireland's matches with Italy and Wales and as in the match between the Hurricanes and the Cats. Compared to the hacking of old, stamping is a pastime of innocents.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

This is a progressive records of the tries each team has scored in the 2006 Super 14 and the number of times they have kicked the ball.

In this section we give the progessive record of penalties and sanctions in the 2006 Super 14.

Argentina's Under-19 side, the Pumitas, are set to take the South American Under-19 Championship yet again.

SANZAR has announced the appointments of match officials for Weeks 6-8 of the Super 14. Chris Pollock gets his first taste of refereeing Super rugby abroad when he heads for Sydney.

In this section we discuss some incidents from Super 14 matches last weekend and answer a reader's question.

Australia have announced their squad of 26 players for the World Under-19 tournament to be played in Dubai in April. Two of the players have made their Super 14 debuts.

We discuss some incidents involving the television match official from the match between Ireland and Wales in Dublin in last weekend's Six Nations matches.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs.

Almost astonishingly there are no senior Tests this weekend but there are big regional and club matches as the Powergen Cup goes to its semi-finals and the Super 14 and the Celtic League speed on.

Just because they are of immediate interest we shall discuss two refereeing decisions from Round Three of the Six nations - one in Edinburgh and one in Dublin.

In the third week of the Six Nations, France beat Italy in Paris, Ireland beat Wales in Dublin and then, in their second surprise this championship, Scotland beat England at Murrayfield, which will soon be dubbed Fortress Murrayfield. In this section we give some statistics from the matches.

In this part we give a progressive table of penalties conceded and sanctions - yellow cards, red cards and citings with suspension - received.

In this section we give a running table of the number of tries each team scores and the number of times it kicks the ball

Following their victories over England and Scotland Wales have become the Under-19 Triple Crown winners with their big victory over Ireland in Ireland.

In Round 3 of the Six Nations for Under-21s, England and France had big and expected victories while in Ireland Wales got home by just one point.

We have dealt with some statistics and with the red card given to Thys Stoltz. Now we are going to look at more general incidents, including some comment by the commentators which may not have been helpful.

If Wales beat Ireland at Blackrock College on Saturday afternoon, they will win the Under-19 Triple Crown.

The Six Nations Under-21 matches continue this weekend. A glance suggests that England and France will win easily but the Ireland-Wales match could be close.

Readers have asked several questions or statements concerning the laws of the game. We give them below with some comment.

In the match between the Cats and the Chiefs at Ellis Park on Friday, the referee gave Willem Stoltz of the Cats a red card for use of the boot on a player's neck. That was just before half-time.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs. We also give some tables to show accumulation of penalties and sanctions, and tries and kicks.

The Six Nations is back in action with only England unbeaten as they go to Murrayfield for the Calcutta Cup match.

As we did last week we give tables which we will run accumulatively each week throughout the Super 14. The tables in this section have a record of penalties and sanctions, i.e. red and yellow cards and citings with suspension.

In this section of statistics we give tables reflecting the number of tries a team has scored and the number of times a team kicked the ball.

It's a little over 36 hours since WRU Chief Executive Steve Lewis ruined most of Britain's Rugby journalists' Valentine's dinners by announcing the departure of Mike Ruddock.

Mercifully, the first week of Super 14 passed almost without controversy - apart from an advantage in Bloemfontein and an early tackle in Christchurch - but there are still some points of law worth discussing, as we shall do here. It has indeed been a busy week with three RBS Six Nations matches and seven Super 14 matches.

There has been so much to talk about this week after the ten big matches last weekend that we shall keep this one short. After all we did discuss the big issues of the penalty try and the sending off at length.

We give tables here which will be updated each week. The first table has penalties and sanctionary cards, the second table tries and kicks.

There is a breather in the RBS Six Nations this weekend but the marathon Super 14 rumbles on, and the clubs are back in action.

The big talking point of Week 2 of the RBS Six Nations was the sending off of Scott Murray of Scotland. This overshadowed even the penalty try against Scotland earlier in the match. We shall look at both of these issues.

We give tables here which will be updated each week. This table gives a record of tries and kicks.

Here we give stats concerning getting possession, mainly at scrums and line-outs. We shall also give some tables in Stats 2 and shall discuss some incidents in Part 2.

Rugby Tests have been played since 1871. Over a century later the first player was sent off in a match in the International Championship - now called the Six Nations. The most recent was Scott Murray of Scotland.

In the second week of the Six Nations, France beat Ireland in Paris, England beat Italy in Rome and Wales beat Scotland in Cardiff. In this section we give some statistics from the matches. Later we shall discuss incidents, firstly the penalty try and the sending off, and then other incidents.

In cold Biella up near the Alps England beat Italy 48-3 in an Under-21 encounter on Thursday. Topsy Ojo scored four tries for the winners

South African referees are fit and well prepared for the season ahead - the top ones at least after several courses around the country.

SANZAR has issued a statement of key factors in its dealings with disciplinary matters in Super 14. We have added the IRB's recommended tariff of penalties for foul play.

In cold Biella up near the Alps England beat Italy 48-3 in an Under-21 encounter on Thursday. Speedster Topsy Ojo scored four tries for the winners.

Errors cost the Ireland Under-21s as they went down 29-10 to their French counterparts in Strasbourg in the second round of Under-21 Six Nations matches.

In the two Under-19 internationals othis week, Wales beat Scotland 48-10 on Thursday and England beat Italy 34-26 at Stadio delle Tre Fontane in Rome on Friday afternoon, a match which started in sunshine but was overtaken by rain.

Wales outscored Scotland by four tries to two as the hosts won an entertaining under-21s clash 34-24 in Newport.

SANZAR, the body which runs rugby played in the Tri-Nations and the Super 14, has a judicial committee. One of its members, Jannie Lubbe, drew our attention to two decisions by SANZAR's judicial committee on the matter of rucking.

We have already discussed stamping and trampling and we have given the stats of the first-round matches in the 2006 Six Nations Championship. Now we shall look at some incidents from those three matches - Ireland vs Italy, England vs Wales and Scotland vs France.

After the first Under-21 round in the Six Nations, the clash between Ireland and France in Strasbourg in the far east of France looks the critical one.

Judged by the first round of Under-19 matches at the time of the Six Nations, it would seem that the one between Wales and Scotland at Aberavon on Thursday could be a close-run affair. And Italy may just be able to put pressure on England in Rome.

Italy and England meet at Under-21 level on Thursday night in Biella, an industrial centre in Piedmont..

On the first week of the RBS Six Nations Ireland played Italy, England played Wales and Scotland played France - all matches won by the home sides.

The Super 14, with brand new sides in the Cheetahs and the Western Force, gets into action this weekend, with Bryce Lawrence to blow it into life.

The Six Nations got under way with an interesting couple of days, reaching a climax with that thriller in Edinburgh. We are going to do three sections to our law discussion this week, starting with the burning question of stamping in the Ireland-Italy match.

France Under-21 beat Scotland Under-21 37-0 in Falkirk Stadium. It was a disappointing performance for the Scots.

Leicester Tigers centre Matt Cornwell will captain England Under-21 in the side's Six Nations opener against Wales at Worcester's Sixways ground on Friday evening.

In the first round of Six Nations matches Ireland host Italy at Dubarry Park in Athlone on Friday evening.

The Six Nations starts with excitement and tradition. Dave Pearson of England, newly promoted to the A Panel, gets his first RBS Six Nations match.

Wales Under-21 play England Under-21 at Sixways Stadium, Worcester on Friday, 3 February, kick off at 20.05.

England Under-19 and Wales Under-19 meet at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, 3 February. The kick-off is at 19.45.

England's National Academy coach Jim Mallinder has confirmed the Under-21 squad for the opening Six Nations match against Wales at Worcester on February 3.

We are taking some things from five Heineken Cup matches in Round 6 - Leeds Tykes vs Cardiff Blues, Clermont Auvergne vs Leicester Tigers, Sale vs Munster and Bath vs Leinster.

Bryce Lawrence of New Zealand will blow the whistle to start the Super 14. This is an appointment made by SANZAR which has released its appointments of match officials for the first five weeks.

The national selectors have invited a large group of players to set in motion the selection of an Under-21 team to defend their IRB Under-21 World Championship title in Paris later this year.

South Africa has announced the national Under-19-squad to defend its world crown at the IRB Under-19 World Championships to be held in April in Dubai.

The Northern Hemisphere catches it breath with club activities before international competitions burst forth. In the South SANZAR starts flexing its muscles.

It was busy Monday in France. Not only were the senior team and the A team announced but also the Under-21 team which will play Scotland at Falkirk on 3 February, the opening day of the Six Nations.

Pool Five has been the most exciting of the Challenge Cup pools, with Connacht and Worcester's battle for its supremacy going right down to the wire.

Pool Five has been the most exciting of the Challenge Cup pools, with Connacht and Worcester's battle for its supremacy going right down to the wire.

Chris Pollock of Hawke's Bay becomes New Zealand sixth full-time referee.

Pool Five has been the most exciting of the Challenge Cup pools, with Connacht and Worcester's battle for its supremacy going right down to the wire.

Pool Five has been the most exciting of the Challenge Cup pools, with Connacht and Worcester's battle for its supremacy going right down to the wire.

The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake of Round Six - Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.

The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake of Round Six - Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.

The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake of Round Six - Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.

The quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup have been decided in the wake of Round Six - Gloucester will host Brive, London Irish will welcome Bayonne, Worcester will visit Northampton and Connacht will make the trip Newcastle.

Worcester's 44-8 win over Catania has edged them ahead of Connacht on the table, but they will be looking to return from Montpellier with five points this weekend.

Newcastle Falcons know a win in the last round will clinch a top-two ranking for the quarter-finals, but they won't have things all their own way in Brive. The French club are sitting on 17 points, but will need at least a bonus point - if not a victory - against the Falcons to play any further part in this tournament.

Gloucester are in arguably the best position of any of the 20 Cup sides. They have 24 out of a possible 25 points, and their 43 tries will prove valuable if they finish level on points with Newcastle Falcons (42 tries).

London Irish's scratchy eight-point win over Rugby Parma in Italy on Saturday confirmed their place in the quarter-finals, but they need to beat Pau this weekend to clinch a home play-off.

Northampton Saints should confirm their place in the play-offs with a win over bottom-placed Viadana this weekend, but they need a bonus point to guarantee a home match in the next round.

We are going to talk about some incidents from a few of the matches in Round 5 of the Heineken Cup - Castres vs Munster, Cardiff Blues vs Perpignan, Sale Sharks vs Dragon and that match with the astounding finish between Leicester Tigers and Stade Français.

The pool matches in the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup end this weekend. They will decide who the quarter-finalists are, but the quarter-finals are not till the end of March/beginning of April.

Ian Paxton, Scotland's Under-21 coach has chosen a "core" squad of 26 players for this year's campaign which includes the Six Nations and the IRB's World Championship in France in June.

The International Rugby Board (IRB's) Under-21 World Championship is taking place in France in June. Twelve teams will take part, with the reigning champions, South Africa, seeded top.

Gianluca Guidi and Mario Pavin, the coaches of Italy's Under-19 team, have chosen a squad of 25 players to start their preparations on 28 and 19 January in preparation for the 2006 campaign.

With quarter-final spots up for grabs, Bayonne kicked off Round Five of the European Challenge Cup by thumping Toulon.

With quarter-final spots up for grabs, Bayonne kicked off Round Five of the European Challenge Cup by thumping Toulon.

With quarter-final spots up for grabs, Bayonne kicked off Round Five of the European Challenge Cup by thumping Toulon.

With quarter-final spots up for grabs, Bayonne kicked off Round Five of the European Challenge Cup by thumping Toulon.

Paul Marks will be refereeing in the Super 14 competition this year, his first experience of refereeing at this level - a young referee obviously going places.

England have chosen an Under-19 squad which is preparing for the IRB's Under-19 World Championship in Dubai in late March-April.

Six Nations fixtures 2012.

The Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup return this weekend.

SARU has announced the referees for several pre-season friendlies, several of them warm-ups for the Super 14. One of them involves Russia, another the top Italian club..

The top two are playing the bottom two, and they are doing it at home.

Top play bottom when London Irish head off for Parma with its cheese, ham and baptistry, a match the Exiles would be expected to win wherever played.

The top two teams meet in what could be a decisive clash.

The high-flying Falcons may not have it all their own way but you would expect Brive to beat L'Aquila even in the lovely Italian mountain town.

We have had a rest from Law Discussions as we have been digesting other things over the Festive Season. For fear of getting too far behind with readers' comment, we give some of it here.

This season’s Home Unions Under-18 Tournament will be staged at four grounds in Gloucestershire in April.

Rugby continues at club level in the Six Nations, as Italy's Super 10 gets back into action after the festive break. Iberia also get into action again.

The European Rugby Cup, the body controlling the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup, has announced the referees for Round 5 of its competitions.

Wales's international rugby referees are all set to be 'capped' in the new year when the Welsh Rugby Union honours their services to the game.

When England played New Zealand at Twickenham in November, Irish referee Alan Lewis showed three New Zealanders yellow cards, which signified their departure for the sin bin.

While most of the world relaxes in post-indulgence lethargy, rugby goes on at a high level in the Four Home Unions as the Celtic League and England's Premiership try to fit in as many matches for the players as possible.

The New Zealand RFU has announced referees for its Sevens, the IRB Sevens, the Super 14 panels and the warm-up matches in the Super 14.

It's over to our readers this time. They have their say. Just before they do one tiny word.

You would have thought as the world calms down for Christmas that the rugby would have been filled with love and warmth. Instead it has been more like frantic Christmas shopping than joining the shepherds on a starry Bethlehem night.

We hope that it is a time of peace for all referees of goodwill - for all men of goodwill, in fact. And that it is a happy time for individuals and families and groups all over the world. But our good wishes go out especially to 'match officials', the men of goodwill who make rugby orderly.

Wow, what a weekend that was! The last-gasp wins in Swansea and Bourgoin, Wasps' destruction of the team that beat them soundly just seven days before, the video call in Watford, and the apparent punches and niggles in Cardiff.

Northampton got Round Four of the European Challenge Cup underway with a classy 22-7 victory in Narbonne on Friday night; Bayonne bagged a predictable 45-6 win over Bucuresti.

Northampton got Round Four of the European Challenge Cup underway with a classy 22-7 victory in Narbonne on Friday night; Bayonne bagged a predictable 45-6 win over Bucuresti.

Northampton got Round Four of the European Challenge Cup underway with a classy 22-7 victory in Narbonne on Friday night; Bayonne bagged a predictable 45-6 win over Bucuresti.

We deal with a few incidents based on last weekend's Heineken Cup matches and then discuss some questions from readers.

The South African referees' management with the assessors have just announced their panels for 2006. Jonathan Kaplan is, unsurprisingly, in top spot. Some of the younger referees who have performed well during 2005 have earned promotion.

We are going to look at some incidents from the Heineken Cup this past weekend but really make retaliation and the retaliator the focus of our attention. It is an interesting topic. We shall deal with it on its own and then talk about other things.

Brive are currently lying third in their Pool, seven points behind leaders Newcastle and two behind Borders, but they have played both their away matches against the top two teams.

Brive are currently lying third in their Pool, seven points behind leaders Newcastle and two behind Borders, but they have played both their away matches against the top two teams.

Brive are currently lying third in their Pool, seven points behind leaders Newcastle and two behind Borders, but they have played both their away matches against the top two teams.

It's Round 4 of Heineken and Challenge Cups, a repeat of Round 3 but with venues changed.

Bristol kept their European dreams alive with a valuable win over Viadana in Italy as the third round of the European Challenge Cup got underway on Friday.

Bristol kept their European dreams alive with a valuable win over Viadana in Italy as the third round of the European Challenge Cup got underway on Friday.

Bristol kept their European dreams alive with a valuable win over Viadana in Italy as the third round of the European Challenge Cup got underway on Friday.

What happens when the television match official cannot see the grounding of the ball? It happened more than once in the last weekend of November.

Gloucester play the first of two crucial back-to-back European Challenge Cup matches against Toulon on Saturday, looking for the two wins that will almost certainly pave their way into the quarter-finals.

Gloucester play the first of two crucial back-to-back European Challenge Cup matches against Toulon on Saturday, looking for the two wins that will almost certainly pave their way into the quarter-finals.

Gloucester play the first of two crucial back-to-back European Challenge Cup matches against Toulon on Saturday, looking for the two wins that will almost certainly pave their way into the quarter-finals.

Incredible as it seems, we have run out of Test matches. There are still the Sevens in George and the big European competitions get into action again.

Andrew Cole of Australia has decided to retire from refereeing at the age of 45 after an illustrious career.

The European Rugby Cup has announced the referees for Round 4 of the Heineken Cup and of the Challenge Cup, starting on 16 December.

We are going to look at some incidents from the final weekend of Tests for November 2005. The matches watched were England vs Samoa, France vs South Africa, Ireland vs Australia, Italy vs Fiji, Scotland vs New Zealand and Wales vs Australia.

After the flurry of Tests, things look almost quiet this weekend with one in Buenos Aires and the last of the FIRA-AER Tests for this year as rugby in the freezing cold hibernates.

For the last weekend of November Tests, while saluting the All Blacks for their successful campaign, we go to mundane things and look at six Tests, their stats and then later certain incidents, including a funny "drop".

There has been a change of referee for Saturday’s Test between Scotland and New Zealand at Murrayfield.

The cold snap has hit Europe but the heat of Tests continues unabated and so, too, the discussion and banter that are so much part of sport's fun.

It seems likely that it will be the day in Edinburgh when New Zealand clinch their Grand Slam.

As we are doing throughout this month, wherever we can, we give some statistics on each match with some comparisons from match to match.

Playing fullback for South Africa against Wales at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, Percy Montgomery was given two yellow cards. Two yellow cards in the same match meant that he was sent off. Being sent off meant having to go to an inquiry, probably on Wednesday. We look at the sins of Percy.

The world's papers are unanimous in their verdict of New Zealand's 23-19 victory over England at Twickenham - 'an epic'. And they are pretty sure who the star of the show was - the 'sublime' Daniel Carter. But opinions were divided as to the actual worth of England's efforts and the role of the officials...

Syd Millar, the chairman of the International Rugby Board, announced that New Zealand would host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He also said, in an interview, that the process had been transparent.

The spear tackle is not going to die and in fact judgement/sentence still awaits Ma'a Nonu who was cited for a dangerous tackle of the spear variety when Ireland played New Zealand.

We have already given the statistics for the second weekend in November and have discussed the prickly matter of the spear tackle. Now we are going to look at some incidents from six matches, including a penalty try at Murrayfield and a mark at Twickenham.

There are Tests again this weekend and a United Nations of referees all over Europe - and goal judges in Bucharest.

Ma'a Nonu has been cited for his tackle on Gordon D'Arcy in which the New Zealand centre lifted the Irish centre off his feet. D'Arcy fell to ground and received treatment. The referee spoke to Nonu and penalised him. We shall discuss this - and four other cases over the weekend. Four! At least four.

As we shall do throughout this month, wherever we can, we shall give some statistics on each match with some comparisons from match to match.

Tests have broken out again in November, their intensity to be increased in the second week when the invasion of Europe takes place in earnest.

After a period of great Scottish refereeing with the likes of Brian Anderson and Jim Fleming, Scottish refereeing has been a bit thin. But there are great hopes for young Peter Allan who referees his first Test on Saturday.

The IRB Sevens circuit starts in Dubai on 1-2 December and then moves down to George 9-10 December. Of course, referees have been appointed, mainly the same set for both tournaments.

Tomáš Tuma of the Czech Republic was appointed - late - to referee the Intercontinental match between Georgia and Uruguay in Tbilissi. He tells his story.

On Saturday, when Ireland play New Zealand, Jonathan Kaplan of South Africa will referee his 28th Test, thus breaking the record he held jointly with André Watson.

Jonathan Kaplan will be come South Africa's most capped referee when he breaks the record held by André Watson at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. And congratulations to Peter Allen of Scotland who will be refereeing his very first Test!

The IRB's top referees and some top coaches from around the world met at the Lensbury Club at Teddington, London, last week for discussions on the application of the Laws of the Game.

As we shall do throughout this month wherever we can, we shall give some statistics on each match with some comparisons from match to match.

Round 2 of the Heineken Cup has just been played with all that high drama in High Wycombe. We shall discuss some incidents from the weekend, including the last action of that match and an interesting scrum award earlier in the match.

Not that other rugby stops, but the focus of attention this month is on the international matches, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, and this week there is already an outbreak of such matches, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, and the European Nations Cup - the Six Nations B - kicks off this weekend as well. And there are CAR semi-finals.

Gloucester have handed Henry Paul a final written warning and have fined him three weeks' wages after he missed three successive training sessions earlier this month.

Gloucester have handed Henry Paul a final written warning and have fined him three weeks' wages after he missed three successive training sessions earlier this month.

Steve Strydom died in Cape Town on 28 November 2005 after a great life in sport, especially in the rugby, after a brave, nine-year battle against cancer.

Connacht got Round Two of the European Challenge Cup with a fine win over Montpellier in France. Narbonne hit back for France with a victory in Italy - but it wasn't easy...

Connacht got Round Two of the European Challenge Cup with a fine win over Montpellier in France. Narbonne hit back for France with a victory in Italy - but it wasn't easy...

Connacht got Round Two of the European Challenge Cup with a fine win over Montpellier in France. Narbonne hit back for France with a victory in Italy - but it wasn't easy...

Unorthodox official Glynn James reaches an astonishing rugby landmark when he takes charge of his 3,000th game in Cambridge next month.

For the third week we have had problems with unwarranted interference by non-players with a match in progress.

Nineteen of the top referees on the IRB international panels will meet at the Lensbury Conference Centre, London, on 2-3 November to discuss current trends in the game and to look at ways to improve refereeing in crucial areas of the game.

Inspired by the example set by some of rugby's finest players, our editor has decided to publish a warts-and-all account of life in the Planet Rugby offices.

They say there is no use crying over spilt milk. Yet the shadowy marketing figures lurking in the lucrative wake of Gavin Henson and Brian O'Driscoll's glittering careers - among others - appear to be encouraging their 'products' to set off a bomb in a dairy and then check in for a year's post-traumatic stress counselling.

André Watson, the only man to have refereed two Rugby World Cup Finals, has written his autobiography which makes its appearance now, at a time when books by rugby people seem fashionable.

Tappe Henning, one of South Africa's first group of full-time referees, has decided to end his Test career when he referees the match between Italy and Fiji in Milan on 26 November. It will be his 21st Test.

As the Southern Hemisphere closes down for some serious aestivating and heads for beaches, the Northern Hemisphere gets more and more serious about their rugby.

We are looking at some incidents in the NPC final, the Currie Cup final and some Heineken Cup matches as a way of refreshing our knowledge of the laws in action.

There were two big finals in the Southern Hemisphere - the NPC in Auckland and the Currie Cup in Pretoria. We look at some statistical comparisons between the two.

Pat Sanderson's quest for a third European Challenge Cup medal got off to a flying start as Worcester bagged a good win over Montpellier. Elsewhere, the Falcons hammered Brive and Gloucester conquered Bayonne. We review all the Round One action...

Pat Sanderson's quest for a third European Challenge Cup medal got off to a flying start as Worcester bagged a good win over Montpellier. Elsewhere, the Falcons hammered Brive and Gloucester conquered Bayonne. We review all the Round One action...

Pat Sanderson's quest for a third European Challenge Cup medal got off to a flying start as Worcester bagged a good win over Montpellier. Elsewhere, the Falcons hammered Brive and Gloucester conquered Bayonne. We review all the Round One action...

The Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs, a.k.a. Northern Transvaal and Orange Free State, have met in five finals. The Blue Bulls have won them all.

Steve Walsh has been appointed to referee the 2005 NPC final between Auckland and Otago.

In our most recent Law discussion we discussed a reader's comments about a conversion kick by Andy Goode of Leicester Tigers which was part of their scoring in their drawn match with the Newcastle Falcons. We are, with help, going to look at it again.

Steve Walsh of North Harbour has been appointed to referee the final of the 2005 NPC when Auckland play Otago at Eden Park on Saturday. Not surprisingly he is happy about the appointment.

As the 2005 NPC  prepares for the grand final in Auckland, we give the results of finals since 1992 when the first final was held.

New Zealand international referee Steve Walsh has been sidelined by the International Rugby Board (IRB) following a complaint made by the British & Irish Lions about an incident when he was a touch judge in the tourists' match against Taranaki in June.

There are really big ones in New Zealand and South Africa with the playing of the finals of the NPC and the Currie Cup. In Europe the Heineken Cup and the Challenge Cup get going. And Greece will be playing its first rugby international.

We are going to deal with our weekly law discussion earlier than perhaps is usual, only because we have had so much comment on an incident - a critical one - in the Celtic League match between Connacht and the Ospreys this past weekend.

Jonathan Kaplan, one of the world's top referees, has been appointed to referee the 2005 Currie Cup final. It will be his second.

Jonathan Kaplan becomes just the eighth referee in South Africa's rugby history to have refereed more than one Currie Cup Final. In fact only 22 referees have refereed finals. But then there have been only 44 finals.

Again we take some questions from readers, all of them practical, all of them interesting, all of them sharpening up our knowledge and practice of the Laws of the Game.

Canterbury and Otago have never met in an NPC semi-final but Auckland and North Harbour have done so three times.

The Cheetahs and Western Province have met three times in semi-finals, each time at Newlands where they meet this week for the fourth time in semi-finals.

The Currie Cup and the NPC head go into knock-out stages with all those crunch decisions for referees. In Ireland the All Ireland League kicks off.

Northern Transvaal, as the Blue Bulls were before they changed their name, were born out of the Transvaal, as the Golden Lions were before their name-change, in 1938.

There were not always semi-finals in the NPC, New Zealand's premier domestic competition. Originally there was just a league system. Semi-finals, and finals, only began in 1992, after 16 years of a league system.

Many matches are being beamed around the world but there have been no universally high profile matches of late. Still readers have written in to keep our minds ticking over brightly.

At a meeting in Melrose on Thursday night the Border Rugby Referees' Society decided to withdraw from refereeing this weekend in protest against the Scottish Rugby Union's decision to scrap the post of Referees' Development Officer for the Border area.

The strike of the Border referees, agreed amongst referees on Thursday for this weekend, has been suspended pending talks with the Scottish Rugby Union.

It was the biggest semi-final shock in Currie Cup history - September 29, 1984 in hot and humid Durban.

There is a massive clash in New Zealand this weekend when Auckland meet titleholders Canterbury in the last round of the NPC in a match which doubles as a Ranfurly Shield match.

The Currie Cup has been in competition since 1892. For nearly 50 years there were no finals. For nearly 80 years there were no semi-finals. Now they are a part of our lives.

This weekend sees a relaxation in tension as the semi-finalists are decided and so are, barring a miracle of the Lazarus kind, the home venues. Semi-finals have not always been with us - not by a long chalk. In fact they are not even 40 years old.

In a repeat of an FNB Classic Clash earlier this year Zweliyandila met Ntsonkotha in the final of the Dennis Botha Tournament in Mdantsane, East London, on Friday, 30 September.

The European Cup has announced the appointments of referees for the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup till December.

The new Powergen Cup, for England's premiership clubs and Wales's regions, starts this week. And there are World Cup qualifiers, and lots of refereeing activity.

With only one round of the South African Under-19 tournament left, there are just two unbeaten sides - the Golden Lions and Western Province.

It was the first final of the Lions Cup and Free Sate were the first winners, beating Transvaal at the brand new Ellis Park 24-12.

It was just the third year of the Lion Cup and Free State's third final but Naas Botha was lying in wait.

Chris Micklewood of Westville Boys' High, KwaZulu Natal and South Africa is our FNB Player of the Week.

There are no Tests for big people but lots of enthusiastic rugby as the Australians get close to Grand Finals, the NPC and the Currie Cup breathe fire and the clubs get more and more excited in Europe - in fact too excited in Biarritz last weekend. And the South American B Championship sgtarts.

In the absence of universally watched big matches we are going to talk about some questions from readers, one of which is odd.

With much thought and searching, questioning and weighing, we have produced the final FNB Top 20 for 2005. In the end Hoërskool Monument of Krugersdorp are again out on top, as they have been all season.

When Western Province go to Loftus Versfeld, fur is sure to fly. Certainly emotions will not be muted. It is a day to pick sides and do it with all your strength.

There will be two Tests in Africa this weekend in the Confederation of African Rugby's Top 9. Spain and the Arabian Gulf start their competitions.

Rob Debney has been named England's sixth full-time referee, a move welcomed by Ed Morrison.

The IRB has announced the match officials for the November Tests in Europe.

The IRB has announced the appointments of match officials for the 2006 RBS Six Nations. Dave Pearson of England, newly promoted to the A Panel, gets his first RSB Six Nations match.

Dave Pearson of England, Bryce Lawrence of New Zealand, Marius Jonker of South Africa and George Ayoub of Australia have all received promotion in the newly announced IRB Match Official Panels.

After all the excitement of internationals on all continents from February on, we actually have an hiatus and a chance to say Whew! It means that referees will have a better chance to catch up on home life for a while!

The All Blacks did what was expected of them in beating the Wallabies but the Wallabies proved that, injuries notwithstanding, they have the ability and character, to be up there with the best.

Not surprisingly Bishops won the popular Villager Sevens. What was surprising is that Reddam won the plate.

The finals of Die Burger's competition were played at Outeniqua Park in George on Saturday. Outeniqua of George, Worcester Gim and Itembelihle of Port Elizabeth won.

Conraad Britz of Oakdale Landbou, South Western Districts and South Africa is our FNB Player of the Week.

Outeniqua who won the Media24 competition last year added the new trophy, organised by Die Burger this year when they beat Drostdy in the final.

Outeniqua of George, winners in 2004 of the Media24 trophy, became the first winners of the new competition organised by Die Burger when they beat HTS Drostdy of Worcester 24-9 at Outeniqua Park in George on Saturday afternoon.

From our Law Discussion earlier this week, a reader spoke about communication from the stand to the field.

The fixture list for the 2005/06 European Challenge Cup has been announced, with Agen set to play their 50th match in the competition when they travel to Parma on October 22.

The fixture list for the 2005/06 European Challenge Cup has been announced, with Agen set to play their 50th match in the competition when they travel to Parma on October 22.

There was hardly any schools rugby beyond the Southern Cape fringe this past weekend. But there was a bit one in the strong Port Elizabeth winds.

It's the final match of the Tri-Nations with New Zealand looking like winners. Elsewhere the Celtic League, the English, Italian and the Welsh leagues swing into action.

As predicted by www.fnbclassicclashes.co.za Wynberg Boy’s High beat South African College High School (SACS) 8-3 at Wynberg on Saturday afternoon. In a reversal of the first round fixture once again it was the home team that triumphed.

What a clash in Dunedin! It really was gripping stuff. We now give some stats, discuss briefly an incident which provoked many questions and answer some readers' questions.

The fixture list for the 2005/06 European Challenge Cup has been announced, with Agen set to play their 50th match in the competition when they travel to Parma on October 22.

The six semi-finals for the new competition for schools organised by Die Burger were played on Saturday, producing the finalists in the Bog Schools, Medium Schools and Small Schools categories.

Bishops beat Rondebosch 14-12 at Rondebosch on Saturday as the two close neighbours brought the curtain down on the 2005 season.

Byron Godfrey, fullback for Monument and the Golden Lions, is our FNB Player of the Week - a young man of enormous potential.

There are very few results this week and there will be even fewer next week.

South Africa has never won a Test at Carisbrook in Dunedin. They will be at it again this Saturday, the Springboks in hope of making history.

In the last match for each side for 2005, close neighbours and keen rivals Rondebosch and Bishops meet at Rondebosch on Saturday morning.

Schoonspruit and Wesbank, both keen rugby schools in Malmesbury, meet in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday three matches were played to decide who would represent Eastern Province in Die Burger's new competition for Big, Medium and Small schools

The traditional end-of-season clash between arguably the two oldest schools in South Africa, Wynberg Boy’s High and the South African College High School (SACS), promises a hard-fought affair and certainly one brim full of emotion.

Marlow Landbou from just outside Cradock beat Cradock High Schools 18-7 in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday.

There are many observant readers and they, bless them, bring up interesting topics for us to discuss on matters of law - from what they have seen of the laws in action.

Wesbank of Malmesbury play their derby match against Schoonspruit of Malmesbury on Saturday, an FNB Classic Clash. Gerrit Dixon captains Wesbank.

Schoonspruit of Malmesbury play Wesbank of Malmesbury in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday, an exciting derby for the Boland town.

Schoonspruit Senior Secondary is a big school in Malmesbury in the peaceful heart of the Boland wheatlands.

In a peculiar quirk of fate, New Zealand's three top referees are all injured and out of action for this weekend!

Joël Jutge, with a multinational support team, has the big match at Carisbrook in Round 5 of the Tri-Nations this weekend.

Monnas won the Beeld Trophy for the 1st XVs of Big Schools, but there were other winners - Medium Schools, Small Schools, Under-16, Under-15 and Under-14 on the gigantic Saturday last week.

The Queen’s College 1st XV ended their season with a conclusive 23-13 victory over traditional rivals Dale College, in King William’s Town on Saturday afternoon, to secure the “double”, after a 17-6 victory in Queenstown earlier in the season.

The third week and a huge crowd in Perth to see South Africa score a victory that was both gritty and opportunistic.

Rondebosch beat SACS 17-3 in Saturday's wintry sunshine.

There is a little change in the FNB Top 20 this week. For one thing Noord-Kaap of Kimberley make their first appearance.

Adelaide Gymnasium won their FNB Classic Clash when they beat Winterberg Landbou of Fort Beaufort 13-6 in Adelaide on a perfect Saturday afternoon.

Monument won the Beeld Trophy for the very first time when they beat Waterkloof 30-17 in Pretoria on Saturday.

Grey Bloem, with the freshening wind at their backs in the second half, came from behind to beat Paul Roos 16-11 in an FNB Classic Clash at the Markötter Field in Stellenbosch on Saturday afternoon.

The 12 teams for the semi-finals of Die Burger's new schools competition have now been finalised.

Jenny Bentel, South Africa's first and only women's Test referee, has become the first woman appointed to a men's provincial match.

Jimmy Stonerhouse, great and experienced schoolmaster and coach, speaks of Pieter Meyer, our FNB Player of the week, in glowing terms - as a person, as a leader and as a player.

It's a final to crown a new Beeld Trophy winner and, being a final anything can happen an two of South Africa's top schools meet - Monument and Waterkloof, Monnas and Klofies.

Winterberg Landbou travel the 28 km into Adelaide to play the Gymnasium in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday.

Cradock High play Marlow Landbou from just 10 km outside Cradock in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday. It is a great occasion for the town.

Paul Roos play their final game of the season on Saturday against Grey College from Bloemfontein, an FNB Classic Clash. Jacques Southey is the third player to captain Paul Roos Gimnasium 1stXV this season.

Grey College Bloemfontein is arguably South Africa’s premier rugby school. Captaining the Grey College First XV is an honour bestowed on few and one happily accepted by born-and-bred Free Stater Coenraad Pieterse.

Darryn Lentoor is the captain of Adelaide Gimnasium who play on Saturday their big Interschools - against Winterberg Landbou 37 km down the road to the east - an FNB Classic Clash.

There was no repeat of 2004 when Grey played Selborne in Port Elizabeth. This time Grey won 62-3, scoring nine tries.

Charl Marais, not a man of many words, is a leader. He is headboy of Winterberg Agricultural School, head of the koshuis and captain of the 1st XV as it prepares for its FNB Classic Clash with Adelaide Gimnasium on Saturday.

Cradock High play Marlow Landbou from just outside Cradock in an FNB Classic Clash on Saturday, a great occasion.

There were few matches but some startling results which affect our 15th FNB Top 20 of the season.

Queen's College of Queenstown beat Cambridge of East London 77-3 in Queenstown on Saturday.

Alain Rolland has the fourth Tri-Nations match for 2005 at Subiaco Oval in Perth, a match South Africa would enter with hope, Australia with desperation.

Marlow Landbou captain Stean Vorster in better known to all in Marlow as Dexter. As he approaches the biggest game of the season and his life on Saturday, he will be hoping that he is remembered at Marlow for more than just his name.

Down at half-time in the East London wind, Daniël Pienaar came back with the wind at their backs to beat Port Rex 40-13 in Saturday

There will be a new holder of the Beeld Trophy for Big Schools after Saturday's final between Waterkloof of Pretoria and Monument of Krugersdorp.

Muir College of Uitenhage beat Graeme College of Grahamstown 35-28 on Saturday, a rare victory for Muir and enjoyed all the more for being rare.

The third week and a huge crowd in Sydney to see New Zealand score a convincing victory as Australia picked up more injuries.

Bishops beat SACS 26-7 at SACS in a match that may date back to 1862, making it one of the oldest rugby fixtures in the world..