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Italy coach Jacques Brunel has called up Treviso prop Michele Rizzo as a back-up for the injured Alberto De Marchi for his side's opening two matches in the Six Nations next month.

Loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins will be the only Wales player to miss the start of their training camp in Poland, but is expected to be fit for the Six Nations opener against Ireland.

Edinburgh hooker Ross Ford has been appointed as Scotland captain for their first Six Nations match against England in the absence of his injured teammate, loose forward Kelly Brown.

Fearsome England prop Andrew Sheridan is set to leave the Sale Sharks for French side Toulon at the end of the season, effectively signalling the end of his international career.

Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence will reportedly not be refereeing Super Rugby matches in South Africa.

Wales have called Scarlets lock-cum-flank Aaron Shingler out to their Six Nations training camp in Gdansk, Poland.

The road to London and the Heineken Cup Final became clearer for eight sides at the weekend after the quarterfinal fixtures were confirmed and the draw made for the semifinals.

It is no longer much of a secret. Heyneke Meyer is set to be unveiled as the next Springbok coach on Friday.

Scotland coach Andy Robinson has stirred the pot ahead of the Six Nations by claiming that England's arrogance was what cost them at the World Cup.

All Blacks and Blues wing Rene Ranger will finally get his day in court for assault outside a pub three years ago.

All Blacks and Blues wing Rene Ranger will finally get his day in court for assault outside a pub three years ago.

Crusaders centre Robbie Fruean believes 2012 could finally be the year that he earns himself a coveted All Blacks call-up.

USA and Highlanders ace James Paterson has been slapped with a four month ban for using a banned substance at the World Cup.

Northampton Saints coach Jim Mallinder was full of praise for mighty Munster after they notched a record Heineken Cup score against his side on Saturday.

A dramatic 78th minute try from flying wing Lee Jones bagged Edinburgh a 34-11 win over London Irish and their first home Heineken Cup quarterfinal.

South African-born England lock Mouritz Botha has travelled a long road to the Test rugby arena and will get an opportunity to establish himself in the upcoming Six Nations.

Cardiff Blues coach Gareth Baber insisted he and his side were delighted to make the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup despite missing out on a home tie in the last eight.

Saracens were made to work for a hard fought 26-20 victory over Benetton Treviso in northern Italy on Sunday but got the points they required to finish top of Pool Five.

Desire was crucial in securing Clermont's passage to the Heineken Cup quarterfinals according to coach Vern Cotter. The Clermont boss saw his side taken to the limit by fellow last-eight qualifiers Ulster in a titanic battle at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

Welsh hopes for the Six Nations tournament were dealt more serious injury blows at the weekend during European Cup action.

Biarritz Olympique kept their amazing home record in the Heineken Cup going with a comfortable 36-5 bonus point victory in Pool Five over the Ospreys at the Stade Aguilera.

Munster, Leinster and ASM Clermont Auvergne have been confirmed along with Toulouse as qualifiers for the quarterfinals of this season's Heineken Cup after another dramatic day in Europe's leading club rugby tournament.

Saracens hooker and former Springbok captain John Smit is relishing the chance to go head-to-head with his former club Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup quarterfinals.

The one is a one-man team for Canada. The other is a one-man wolfpack.

Connacht broke their Heineken Cup duck, and broke a few Harlequins hearts along the way, as they hung on to notch a famous one point victory at a wind and rain swept Sportsground.

Munster saved their best for last in the pool stage as they hit last season's Heineken Cup finalist with a record score of 51 points to guarantee themselves a home quarterfinal.

Two tries from flying Jonny May rounded off a thrilling encounter at Kingsholm as Gloucester clinched a consolation 34-24 victory over French giants Toulouse.

Connacht's man of the match John Muldoon said that beating Harlequins, ending his side's 14 match losing streak, and breaking their tournament duck was like "winning the Heineken Cup."

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath praised his side for rounding off their Heineken Cup campaign in style after beating the mighty Toulouse 43-24 at Kingsholm on Friday night.

Clermont Auvergne secured top spot in Pool Four with a hard-fought 19-15 win over a determined Ulster at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday night.

Bath clinched their second victory in the Heineken Cup this season beating Glasgow Warriors 23-18 at the Rec on Saturday.

Harlequins skipper Chris Robshaw is resigned to leading his side in defending their Amlin Challenge Cup rather than chasing European rugby's ultimate prize, the Heineken Cup, after their 9-8 defeat to Connacht.

USA and Highlanders ace James Paterson has been slapped with a four month ban for using a banned substance at the World Cup.

Leinster may have already qualified for the Heineken Cup quarterfinals but they kept their unbeaten record in Pool Three with a 25-3 win over Montpellier in Dublin.

The Scarlets claimed an impressive 16-13 Heineken Cup away victory against Castres Olympique to finish Pool One in second place.

Leicester Tigers put their defeat to Ulster behind them to finish off their Heineken Cup campaign with a comfortable morale-boosting victory over Italian outfit Aironi at Welford Road.

Munster have already qualified for the Heineken Cup quarterfinals and will be looking to keep their unbeaten record in this year's tournament and to finish with a clean sweep of wins in Pool One.

Glasgow Warriors lock Tom Ryder has been added to Scotland's squad for the opening two matches of their Six Nations campaign after Fraser McKenzie suffered an arm injury playing for Sale Sharks against Brive on Thursday.

Munster were the first team to qualify for the 2011 European Cup quarterfinals - but they still have unfinished Pool One business to attend to when they clash with Northampton Saints at stadium:mk on Saturday in the sixth and final round of group games.

Glasgow Warriors will be looking to extend their European campaign and will be chasing all five points to ensure they qualify for the last eight of the Amlin Challenge Cup.

With exactly one week to go before the announcement of the new Springbok coach, the lunacy seems to be continuing at SARU as the quest for this appointment approaches farcical proportions.

Leicester Tigers will be looking to restore some pride after their one-sided defeat to Ulster and one eye on hopes of a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals.

Toulouse endured the worst possible start to their European Cup trip to England when the emergency exit door on their low-cost flight came loose, their players claimed.

Leinster are one of only two sides who have already reached the Heineken Cup quarterfinals, but they will be determined to secure a home game in the knock-out phase with a victory over Montpellier this weekend.

French referees said they were suing Toulon President Mourad Boudjellal for defamation after he made lurid accusations in the wake of a Top 14 defeat.

Ulster travel to France to play Clermont Auvergne this weekend knowing a victory on French soil will be good enough to see them qualify for the Heineken Cup quarterfinals for a second successive season.

French giants Toulouse found themselves the subject of a complaint from a Slovakian airline on Friday over damage caused to one of the company's planes.

The Scarlets may be out of the Heineken Cup but a victory in France against Castres Olympique could put them in the hunt for the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals.

The rugby365.com team love to have a laugh or two and we will continue to call on our readers to help us out with captions for five of our favourite pictures from the week.

England Sevens have called up uncapped Oxford student Tom Mitchell and fit-again John Brake for the upcoming IRB Sevens World Series tournaments in Wellington (February 3-4) and Las Vegas (February 10-12).

Harlequins know they have to come away with all the Heineken Cup spoils when they travel to face Irish province Connacht in the final game of Pool Six at the Sportsground in Galway.

The overloaded 2012 rugby season is set to put considerable strain on the top players, which means that the management of their physical condition will be vital to surviving the gruelling workload.

Napier will host the Crusaders' first 'home' game of the season against the Chiefs on March 9.

Tommy Bowe is predicting another points fest when the Ospreys head to the south of France to battle with Biarritz as both clubs strive to stay in European competition.

England's Six Nations preparations suffered a blow on Thursday after flank Tom Wood - regarded as a candidate for the captaincy - was ruled out of the opening two games through injury.

The South African Rugby Union produced some extraordinary cover-defence on Thursday, when a mistake by a caption writer caused a mad scramble at Springbok headquarters.

Luciano Orquera of Aironi created a new goal-kicking record in their pre-Christmas Italian derby game against Treviso.

Former All Black loose forward Chris Masoe has turned down the chance to play for Glasgow Warriors in favour of staying in France.

Toulouse have to beat Gloucester, who are already out of the competition, at Kingsholm on Friday night to guarantee they finish top of Pool Six and qualify for an incredible 14th Heineken Cup quarterfinal appearance.

The South African Rugby Union has alerted local businesses to the activities of a Western Cape-based confidence trickster, who has been attempting to defraud local restaurants.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers believes that SARU have made a blunder by leaving the appointment of a new coach too late.

Ulster captain and Springbok lock Johann Muller has called for passion and commitment from his side when they clash with Clermont Auvergne, who he rates as one of the best sides in Europe, in the Heineken Cup on Saturday.

Edinburgh have confirmed that Scotland international Geoff Cross is one of three front-row specialists to extend their contracts at the club for at least two years.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has relied entirely on last year's World Cup squad for his initial 24-man squad for the Six Nations which was named on Wednesday.

Gavin Henson was welcomed back into the Wales set-up when he was named in a 35-strong training squad for the Six Nations, three years after his last appearance in the championship.

According to reports in the Irish media Gert Smal will be staying on as Ireland's forwards coach in a move that leaves Bulls legend Heyneke Meyer as the sole frontrunner for the Springbok coaching job.

Ulster have received a boost with the news that No.8 Roger Wilson is set to return to the province on a three year deal which starts next season.

New RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie will leave the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and take up his role with the RFU on February 27.

Allister Coetzee has officially ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Springbok coaching job.

New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has made five changes to his trial squad that assembled in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday.

South Africa Under-20 coach Dawie Theron has called up Patrick Howard to the national training group currently in camp in Stellenbosch after two players withdrew from the squad due to injury.

Springboks Ray Mordt and Rob Louw made the tough decision to switch to rugby league in the late 1980s and joined English powerhouse Wigan. Were they simply ahead of their time, or are any 'code-switchers' simply on a hiding to nothing? Timmy Hancox found out more.

Ireland No.8 Jamie Heaslip admits Brian O'Driscoll will be sorely miss during the Six Nations but has backed his Leinster club mates to fill the void.

Peter de Villiers's experience is too valuable for him to be summarily discarded as a member of the Springbok coaching panel.

It's a big weekend in Europe this coming weekend as it is the final round of the pool matches in the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The next step after this is the quarterfinals.

Aurelien Rougerie and his Clermont Auvergne team have given themselves a fighting chance of automatic Heineken Cup quarterfinal qualification.

Cardiff Blues have the honour of being the only Welsh club to win a European title - but they are determined to make it third time lucky when it comes down to the crunch of Heineken Cup quarterfinal qualification against Racing Metro on Sunday.

Which Super Rugby team do you support? And do you choose with your head... or your heart?

England's woes in 2011 were more due to a dysfunctional team environment than a lack of talent and if the new coaching team are to turn things around they would do well to try and imitate the spirit - or 'gees' as it is known in South Africa - at Saracens.

Frenchman Jacques Brunel wasted no time in stamping his mark on his new role as Italy coach when he named a Six Nations squad which showed a number of key changes.

Jean-Pierre Elissalde's brief reign as coach of struggling French Top 14 club Bayonne ended on Sunday after just three matches, the Sud-Ouest newspaper reported on its website.

Scotland have added uncapped prop Ed Kalman to their squad for the Six Nations to add some extra beef into the front row resources.

England scrumhalf Danny Care has been banned from driving for 16 months and fined #3,000 (US$4,590) for drunk driving.

Durable prop Denis Avril is still playing for unhappy Bayonne and now has been entrusted with the forwards in the wake of the sacking of two coaches and the departure of Jean-Pierre Elissalde in the last six months, as well as their forwards coach Jean-Michel Gonzalez.

Toulouse head coach Guy Noves has admitted his side face a tricky final pool game against Gloucester next weekend with the four-times Heineken Cup champions needing to get a result at Kingsholm.

Toulouse's front-row injury nightmare continued, after news that Georgian hooker Akvsenti Giorgadze has been ruled out for up to six months with a ruptured groin tendon.

Saracens technical director Brendan Venter has sent out a warning to SARU that they would be mad not to keep Rassie Erasmus involved with the Springboks in the future.

Defending champions Leinster joined rival Irish province Munster in qualifying for the quarterfinals of the European Cup after notching up a hard-fought 23-16 victory over Glasgow on Sunday.

Saracens stayed in control of Pool 5 but will have to wait another week to book their quarterfinal place after a nailbiting 20-16 win over Biarritz Olympique in Heineken Cup action on Sunday.

All Black hooker Andrew Hore has admitted he has always been a southern man at heart despite playing most of his career for the Hurricanes.

Clermont Auvergne ran in 12 tries as they stormed to an 82-0 victory over Aironi and kept their hopes of a place in the this season's Heineken Cup quarterfinals alive.

Two tries from Ashley Beck to secure a 44-17 win over Treviso kept alive the Ospreys faint hopes of a Heineken Cup quarterfinal place.

Montpellier clinched their first ever Heineken Cup victory, scoring the winning try in the final play of the match to beat Bath 24-22 at Stade Yves du Manoir on Saturday.

Two-time European Cup champions Munster reached the quarterfinals for the 13th time on Saturday with a battling 26-10 win over Castres to clinch a fifth victory in five Pool One matches this season.

The Scarlets lost the chance of a first Heineken Cup quarterfinal place in four years, as they were beaten 29-17 by Northampton Saints in Pool One action at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.

Scotland star Rory Lamont has been warned about his 'completely inappropriate' language after calling US President Barack Obama a 'whore' on Twitter.

Biarritz No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy has been ruled out of his club's European Cup trip to Saracens on Sunday due to a knee injury, the Basque club announced on Saturday.

Plans for All Blacks star and part-time boxer Sonny Bill Williams to fight for the vacant New Zealand heavyweight crown were up in the air Saturday after it was discovered his would-be opponent is in jail.

Ospreys head coach Sean Holley has pledged his side will not give up hope of reaching the quarterfinals of either the Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup.

Phil Godman kicked a last minute drop-goal for Edinburgh to clinch a 27-24 victory over Racing Metro and keep them at the helm of Pool 2 in the Heineken Cup.

Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin hailed a truly 'outstanding' performance from his troops after they crushed European giants Leicester Tigers 41-17 in the Heineken Cup on Friday.

Plans for Sonny Bill Williams to fight for the New Zealand heavyweight title are in doubt after it was discovered his opponent is in jail.

South African star Ruan Pienaar kicked 21 points as Ulster routed former double champions Leicester Tigers by 41-7 on Friday in the Heineken Cup.

Sharks utility back Jacques-Louis Potgieter has reportedly been signed by French Top 14 side Bayonne, although the news is yet to be confirmed with the Durban-based outfit.

Montpellier are still looking for their first victory in this season's Heineken Cup and will be looking for that win when they play host to Bath at the Stade Yves du Manoir.

Biarritz star Dimitri Yachvili has warned that his side is in for a severe test against a 'heavy-duty' Saracens side when they clash with the Premiership champions in a crucial Heineken Cup pool match at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Edinburgh have confirmed that centre Ben Cairns will be unavailable for selection for the remainder of the season due to a recurring knee injury sustained in a pre-season friendly against Sale Sharks.

New England assistant coach Andy Farrell believes that the biggest challenge facing the new squad and management team will be to gel as a unit in the limited time they have together before the Six Nations kicks-off.

Toulouse will be looking to get their Heineken Cup campaign back on track after their disappointing defeat in their last outing in Pool 6 when they host Irish province Connacht.

The Scarlets will be under no illusions that they have to do 'the double' over the Saints when the two sides come face-to-face at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.

The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has named former Fiji number eight Inoke Male as head coach of the Flying Fijians.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) announced on Thursday that Scotland hopeful Steven Shingler is "tied to Wales and ineligible to play for any other union".

Cardiff Blues travel to face London Irish knowing they need a victory to keep their Heineken Cup quarterfinals place when the two sides clash at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

Reigning champions Leinster know a victory in Glasgow over the Warriors will complete the first step of their defence of their Heineken Cup title on Sunday.

Rugby union has made no secret of poaching some ideas from their rugby league cousins over the past few years, but how much have we really learnt from the 13-man code?

Munster will be determined to keep their impressive winning record in this season's tournament and secure their place in the last eight of the Heineken Cup when they host Castres Olympique.

Springbok Sevens player Paul Jordaan was released from the South African Under-20 squad for their forthcoming camp in Stellenbosch, which starts on Monday.

Biarritz need to beat Premiership champions Saracens at Vicarage Road on Sunday to keep their feint hopes of qualification for the knock-out stages of this season's Heineken Cup alive.

Harlequins will be looking to build on their victory over Toulouse in France when they host Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop in their penultimate game of the pool stages.

Clermont Auvergne will be looking to pick up all the spoils when they clash with Aironi in Monza in a bid to keep their Heineken Cup quarterfinals place alive.

The Ospreys will be looking to keep their unbeaten record against Italian sides when they host Benetton Treviso, who they drew with the last times the sides met.

Ulster will be determined to grind out a home win when they host Leicester Tigers in what promises to be a mouthwatering and compelling clash at Ravenhill on Friday.

Edinburgh will be looking to make sure they keep their hopes for a Heineken Cup quarterfinal place on track when they travel to Paris to face Racing Metro at the Stade Yves Du Manoir.

Newport Gwent Dragons hooker Lloyd Burns will be out of action for the next three months with a neck injury.

Ospreys head coach Sean Holley believes his side can't dwell on back-to-back defeats by Saracens, but must look forward and focus on the final two pool games in the Heineken Cup.

England's 20-year-old inside back Owen Farrell will approach the step up to Test rugby with the same blueprint that saw him take so well to the Premiership in his debut season - work hard and learn fast.

Cardiff Blues will play their 100th Heineken Cup match when they clash with London Irish this weekend - but any celebrations will go on the backburner if they do not seal victory and move closer to the quarterfinals.

Little-known Border Bulldogs centre Byron McGuigan has received a surprise call-up to the Scotland Sevens squad.

Jacques Brunel says he wants to stamp his mark on the Italy national team by creating a team that is dangerous everywhere.

Ospreys flank James King is looking at a spell of around a month on the sidelines following surgery to repair the ear he damaged in a freak incident during the New Year's Day win over Cardiff Blues.

South African-born Saracens midfielder Brad Barritt expects the new-look England to play a 'free-flowing' game in the Six Nations under the watchful eye of interim coach Stuart Lancaster.

England acting head coach Stuart Lancaster proclaimed the dawn of a new era for English rugby after naming his first squad on Wednesday.

The New Year has brought a bonus for Ulster supporters with the news that scrumhalves Ruan Pienaar and Paul Marshall have each signed new two-year contracts, keeping them at the club until June 2014.

Montpellier lock Thibault Privat was on Wednesday banned for 30 days for striking Toulouse's Springbok prop Daan Human in a Top 14 clash last month, France's National Rugby League (LNR) said.

While Scotland flyhalf Ruaridh Jackson has responded well to treatment on his injury, his Glasgow Warriors teammate Moray Low has not been so lucky and is set to miss the start of the Six Nations.

Veteran lock Lionel Nallet was called-up by France coach Philippe Saint-Andre to replace the injured Romain Millo-Chluski in the Six Nations training squad for the opening match with Italy.

Scrumhalves can be the bane of referees' lives. Watch them at tackles, hands in the air in indignant appeal when they should be picking up the ball and passing it.

The man responsible for running the 2015 World Cup in England said he aimed to deliver the best edition yet of the showpiece tournament, adding last year's hosts New Zealand had been "fantastic".

Damien Varley insists that even though Munster's front row mainstay John Hayes has hung up his boots, his values and experience will stay with the team.

Champions Toulouse are set to call on the services of teenage hooker Christopher Tolofua for the first time to fill in for injured pair Gary Botha and Akvsenti Giorgadze, manager Guy Noves said.

Leicester Tigers have an excellent Heineken Cup record, but Geordan Murphy's team face this season's moment of truth when they clash with 1999 champions Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday.

It's back to fun and games in Europe this weekend as northern referees zoom all over the place.

The name Sonny Bill Williams elicits different responses. Some love him... some do not. Some rate him... again, others do not. Many rugby league superstars have made the switch to the 15-man code - but how many have done so successfully? Timmy Hancox delves a bit deeper.

New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has named 30 players to assemble in Mount Maunganui for the national squad trials starting next Tuesday, January 17.

Munster have revealed that back row forward Denis Leamy will be out of action for up to four months due to a hip injury.

With two rounds of Heineken Cup action left before the teams for the knock-out stages of the tournament are confirmed we thought we would take a look at the road to the play-offs.

Ulster will go into their crucial Heineken Cup tie against Leicester Tigers this weekend full of confidence, according to head coach Brian McLaughlin.

Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley has admitted his side have work to do ahead of their trip to Racing Metro in the Heineken Cup this weekend.

France international fullback Maxime Medard has extended his contract with Top 14 champions Toulouse who are set to call on the services of teenage hooker Christopher Tolofua.

For the second week in a row Bordeaux-Begles have put in a top performance, this time away in the Top 14 to Bayonne who are having a nightmare time. Biarritz and Montpellier also won away and, despite Perpignan's enthusiastic start, Racing came back to draw.

Ospreys loose forwards George Stowers and Jonathan Thomas have been cited for foul play following the match against the Newport Gwent Dragons on Friday, January 6.

Newport Gwent Dragons hooker and former captain Tom Willis has been forced to retire due to a hand injury sustained in the Dragons' Pro12 match against Treviso earlier this season.

For a front-row forward there are few tougher places to make your international debut than away in Paris, but as a callow 23-year-old Moray Low did just that.

Munster's Pro12 man-of-the-match James Coughlan accepted it was a case of job done against Treviso - but little more.

Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies was far from satisfied with his side's performance in their Pro12 defeat of Glasgow Warriors.

Leinster strengthened their grip at the top of the Pro12 table after a nervy 23-19 win against Cardiff Blues on Saturday.

A delighted Dragons coach Darren Edwards is hoping their 21-20 derby defeat of the Ospreys can reinvigorate their Pro12 campaign.

There are certain initials in Wales which carry with them the same weight as 'JFK' or 'FDR' in America, but Scarlets boss Nigel Davies had no qualms about labelling Liam Williams the new 'JPR'.

The return of Ulster's Irish internationals proved too much for Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday, as the Irish province recorded a vital 42-20 Pro12 victory on the road.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin lauded his defence after their bonus-point 42-20 victory at Edinburgh kept them in the Pro12 play-off mix.

Biarritz beat Agen 15-6, five kicks to two kicks, in an uninspiring Top 14 match up the road in Agen on Friday night.

Toulouse lock Romain Millo-Chluski risks missing the whole of the Six Nations after dislocating his right shoulder in Saturday's Top 14 match with Lyon.

The International Rugby Board said on Friday they would review the eligibility of Steven Shingler after a row between Scotland and Wales over the Swansea-born player's decision to play for Scotland.

Top 14 side Biarritz confirmed they will appeal the one-match suspension imposed on the Aguilera Stadium by France's National Rugby League (LNR) for incidents during last year's Basque derby.

France will go into their opening Six Nations match against Italy with a backbone of a World Cup-hardened team, but new coach Philippe Saint-Andre has also picked a number of players purely on current form.

An investigation in the Technical Zone incident involving Harlequins flank Will Skinner during the Heineken Cup match with Toulouse has concluded that no further disciplinary action would be required.

Veteran Biarritz forward Imanol Harinordoquy admitted he was relieved to be among the France squad unveiled by new coach Philippe Saint-Andre for this year's Six Nations, despite a left knee injury.

France will play Australia, Argentina and Samoa in their November internationals, a source close to the French rugby federation said.

Paul Perez, the big Samoan wing, is off to Castres as a 'medical joker' in France's Top 14.

Scotland and Wales were locked in a Six Nations row after Swansea-born back Steven Shingler was named in the Scottish Six Nations squad, despite having played for Wales at age-group level.

The one is a hard-working lock. The other is a hard-working villain.

French second division Rugby Union club La Rochelle signed former England international wing Lesley Vainikolo from Gloucester.

Rugby fans and teams raised NZ$400,000 ($314,000) during the World Cup to help rebuild sports facilities in the earthquake-stricken New Zealand city of Christchurch, organisers announced Thursday.

After last weekend's Top 14 surprises, anything is possible. Two matches immediately stand out, the one in Paris and Sunday's tough encounter on the massif central.

Head coach Andy Robinson has selected six uncapped players in Scotland's 36-man squad for the opening two matches of the 2012 Six Nations Championship.

The last round of Pro12 matches before the start of the Six Nations opens on Friday at Rodney Parade, where second placed Ospreys will be looking to consolidate their play-off place with a victory over Newport Gwent Dragons.

New France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has kept faith with 22 members of the squad that reached the World Cup Final in naming a 30-strong squad to prepare for the Six Nations tournament.

Legendary Springbok lock Bakkies Botha has dismissed suggestions that he is a thug who is only out to injure opponents.

Scarlets No.8 Ben Morgan has confirmed that he will be available to play for England, the country of his birth, and not Wales despite qualifying to represent both countries.

Powerful lock Paul O'Connell, who was recently named as captain of Ireland for the Six Nations in the absence of the injured Brian O'Driscoll, has signed a two-year contract extension with Ireland and his club Munster.

The players of Europe continue to drag sore and soggy bodies into battle, and referees continue to arrive bright-eyed and perky at matches along with the battery of support that they have in many cases.

Connacht director of coaching Eric Elwood blasted his kickers after his side succumbed to their eighth successive defeat in the Pro12 - this time at the hands of Irish rivals Leinster.

Chiefs stalwart Liam Messam will need to fight hard for his place in the team this season and isn't even sure if he's still the captain.

Graham Henry believes it's only a matter of time before "young fella" Richie McCaw goes down on one knee to receive a knighthood.

Former World Cup-winning All Blaks coach Sir Graham Henry believes it's only a matter of time before 'young fella' Richie McCaw goes down on one knee to receive a knighthood of his own.

Toulouse hooker William Servat could become the latest star to be snagged by Toulon in the Top 14 side's latest shopping spree, according to French media reports.

Ospreys flank James King has had to have plastic surgery after a freak collision with Cardiff Blues loose forward Xavier Rush left his ear hanging by a thread in their clash on New Year's Day.

Rugby union is quite a unique sport... Different to the well-known American sports - like baseball, basketball and American football - and very different to other ball sports like cricket, tennis or golf. With that in mind, we have done some code-swapping... with a difference.

A referee often gets more flak when he is right than when he is wrong. Here are some incidents which passed without comment.

Happy 45th Birthday to Francois Pienaar, the 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok captain.

Former All Black Bruce Reihana and South African scrumhalf Heini Adams have both signed new two-year contracts with Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles, club President Laurent Marti announced.

It is 2012, which means the southern hemisphere will soon start to emerge from a summer slumber and start preparing for a new rugby year. But how do the players go about preparing for yet another blockbusting season?

While 2011 produced drama, controversy and excitement in huge lumps, 2012 will bring a new wave of joy, thrills and its own brand of unpredictability, suspense, fickleness and recreation.

The New Zealand Rugby Union tactfully sidestepped reports that All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams is set for another code switch when they pointed out they had been aware he was keeping his options open for 2013.

The Six Nations is just around the corner and all eyes would have been on the twinkle toes of Gavin Henson during the Cardiff Blues' Pro12 clash with the Ospreys last weekend.

The All Blacks, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino and Graham Henry are all in the running for Halberg awards.

The All Blacks are in the running for more honours, this time with New Zealand's Halberg Awards, with loose forwards Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino and coach Graham Henry all in the hunt for individual gongs.

The NZRU tactfully sidestepped reports that Sonny Bill Williams is set for another code switch as he keeps his options open for 2013.

Munster face a growing - and worrying - injury crisis at Thomond Park after it was confirmed three more faces have been placed on the treatment table.

Graham Henry capped an incredible period of success when he received a knighthood in the nation's New Year's honours list.

New Zealand Islamic leaders are pushing to have All Black and "Muslim superstar" Sonny Bill Williams listed among the world's 500 most influential Muslims, it was reported Sunday.

New Zealand-born fullback Isa Nacewa literally didn't put a foot wrong as Pro12 leaders Leinster held off a spirited second half Connacht fight back to win 15-13 on Sunday.

Marc Delpoux moved a step closer to taking over as coach of ailing Top 14 giants Perpignan when he announced he was stepping down as manager of newboys Bordeaux-Begles.

Tommy Bowe scored a second-half try and Dan Biggar kicked two late penalties as the Ospreys saw off Welsh rivals Cardiff 17-12 in their Pro12 clash at the Liberty Stadium.

Wow! This was certainly a Top 14 round of surprises. It started staidly enough on Friday night but Saturday was topsy turvy.

Glasgow Warriors retained the 1872 Cup with another compelling, hard-nosed final quarter display in front of a record home crowd of 8,852 at Firhill in New Year's Day.

Munster Director of Rugby Tony McGahan admitted Friday's defeat to rivals Ulster wasn't the ideal end to 2011, but it shouldn't detract on what has been a superb year for the Irish province.

The boot of Kris Burton eased Treviso to a comfortable 37-14 bonus-point victory over Italian rivals Aironi and avenged last Friday's defeat at the hands of their compatriots.

World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Graham Henry capped an incredible period of success when he received a knighthood in the nation's New Year's honours list on Saturday.

Glasgow Warriors have secured exciting 19-year-old fullback Stuart Hogg on a long-term full professional contract which will keep him at Firhill until at least the end of May 2015.

Toulouse avenged their Round One defeat at the hands of Bayonne by kicking more goals than the Basques and winning 30-15 in a tryless Top 14 match at Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse on Friday night.

Argentina will play their home matches in next year's inaugural Rugby Championship at Mendoza, La Plata and Rosario, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) have announced.

French international lock Lionel Nallet is set to sign a one-year contract extension at current club Racing Metro with the option of a further year, a source close to the player said on Thursday.

Paul O'Connell will lead Ireland during the 2012 Six Nations Championship in the absence of Brian O'Driscoll after being named as captain by Ireland head coach Declan Kidney.

The rugby365.com team love a laugh or two and want to end off 2011 with a bit of a giggle. So here is your chance to help us out with captions for five of our favourite pictures from the year.

Bakkies Botha, it seems, will be back in action on the rugby field this weekend, this time in the red and black of Toulon when they go across to the Atlantic to play Biarritz in Top 14 action.

Wales coach Warren Gatland will breathe a sigh of relief with the news that Ospreys tighthead prop Adam Jones is likely to return to action soon after suffering a neck injury on Boxing Day.

The second half of France's Top 14 starts this weekend when Bayonne visit redoubtable Toulouse.

Exeter Chiefs wing Gonzalo Camacho has warned his teammates to expect some sort of response after his former club Harlequins suffered their first Premiership defeat of the season on Tuesday.

Another year has passed us by and just before we call in the New Year, the rugby365.com team has compiled a collection of the images that defined the year. Today, we bring you Part Two in this series, as we look at the second half of 2011.

Another year has passed us by and just before we call in the New Year, the rugby365.com team has compiled a collection of the images that defined the year. In Part One we look back at the first half of 2011.

Remember these names. You read it here first. Yup, it's every cliche in the book, folks... but not without good cause! As the 2011 rugby year winds down, we have picked five young players to watch next year.

Australian Scott Johnson is to join Scotland's coaching team after next year's Six Nations.

Toulouse prop Daan Human will be sidelined for the second time this season after being diagnosed with a fractured bone near his left eye socket, the South African said on Tuesday.

London Wasps are to throw into a line-out. They have scrumhalf Joe Simpson as a receiver. Hooker Rob Webber throws in towards the back where the second last player in the line-out, Richard Birkett, jumps for the ball. As he goes up Simpson moves from receiver into the line-out and lifts Birkett who wins the ball.

Welsh tighthead prop Adam Jones has joined centre Jamie Roberts in the Christmas casualty list to give Wales coach Warren Gatland a major headache going into the new year.

Scarlets play Munster in a Heineken Cup match at Thomond Park. Scarlets win the ball from a tackle/ruck and go left to where prop Rhodri Jones and lock Lou Reed are close to each other. The ball goes to Jones but Reed gets ahead of them. Jones drives into Reed's back as Damien Varley, Wian du Preez and Donnacha O?Callaghan close in.

Wales coach Warren Gatland will be hoping that star centre Jamie Roberts recovers from his knee injury in time for the start of the 2012 RBS Six Nations.

2011 is fading fast away and the New Year is upon us with all the hope we always have. Let's hope that it is a splendid year for all referees and those who work with them - no controversies, no complaints.

Eddie Jones has replaced All Blacks legend John Kirwan as head coach of Japan and has set his sights on beating the world champion All Blacks at the next World Cup.

Wales wing legend Shane Williams has backed explosive Scarlets teenager George North to break his Test try-scoring record, but will not be doing him any favours when they square up at Parc y Scarlets on Monday.

Two weeks after calling time on his 91-cap England career, Jonny Wilkinson said on Friday that he would end his club career at French Top 14 side Toulon.

All the matches - in this round of Top 14 action - were played on Friday night, giving the clubs and their spectators time to concentrate on Christmas. There were no real surprises in the round.

French playmaker Frederic Michalak will be leaving Durban on the Indian Ocean and heading for Toulon on the Mediterranean.

Toulouse's South Africa hooker Gary Botha broke his right leg in Friday's French Top 14 win over Montpellier and will be ruled out for up to four months.

Long-serving Chiefs coach Ian Foster has been named as All Blacks assistant coach to back newly-appointed head coach Steve Hansen in a re-organisation at the helm of the world champion side.

Treviso flank Francesco Minto has been suspended for six weeks following the red card he received in the European Cup clash with Biarritz last week for headbutting an opponent.

The European Cup, organisers of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup, have announced the referees appointed to Rounds 5 & 6 of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. They are vital rounds as the knock-out stages come closer.

Although it came like a 'bolt from the blue', World Cup-winning All Blacks flyhalf Grant Fox is excited about his new role as independent selector for New Zealand alongside coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) on Friday announced that assistant coach Jim Williams was leaving after the completion of his contract with the Wallabies.

Harlequins flank Will Skinner, who received a red card in strange circumstances last weekend, has appeared before a European Cup hearing and has been suspended for two weeks.

Following the departure of the US Eagles' coach, Eddie O'Sullivan, it seems that Argentinian Marcelo Loffreda is the favourite for the job.

All Blacks great Tana Umaga has been confirmed as the new Counties Manukau head coach, replacing Milton Haig who has taken up a position with the Georgia Test side.

Former Springbok kicking ace Braam van Straaten has been offered a one-year contract extension with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and will continue as the Wallabies' goal-kicking coach.

Joe van Niekerk, the Springbok loose forward who now captains Toulon, is back in the squad to play Lyon in Top 14 action on Friday.

Ospreys Director of rugby Scott Johnson has criticised Welsh referee Nigel Owens for his use of Twitter, which has re-opened the debate of the role of the social media website in modern rugby.

The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) have shown faith in coach Santiago 'Tati' Phelan, who guided the Pumas to the World Cup quarterfinals, by extending his contract by a further two years.

The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) have confirmed that the cities of Rosario and Mendoza will host Test matches in what will be a bumper home shedule of six games for the Pumas in 2012.

This week marks the end of the first round of Top 14 matches - the half-way mark in the league portion of the tough competition. Things are getting increasingly serious.

The World Cup may have been considered a success in New Zealand's largest city Auckland but it held few benefits for businesses, according to a city council report released this week.

Harlequins flank Will Skinner will face a disciplinary hearing in Dublin on Thursday after he was red carded while sitting on the replacements bench last weekend.

Springbok centre Jaque Fourie has continued his rich form for Japanese side Panasonic Wild Knights, scoring tries and showing his class as the headline foreigner in the Top League this season.

South Africans playing in Ireland could be forced to look elsewhere for employment following the Irish Rugby Football Union's new regulations limiting non-Irish qualified players.

Wales's four major professional clubs have agreed to operate a salary cap from the start of next season despite seeing several leading players leave for lucrative deals with French teams.

French wing Yoann Huget was handed an additional month's suspension for having missed three doping controls last season by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) on Tuesday.

Scotland's most-capped player Chris Paterson has put an end to his 12-year international career, but won't hang up his boots altogether and will continue playing for Edinburgh.

All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg expressed his sympathy for disgraced England centre Mike Tindall and believes he could have been the one taking all the flak had New Zealand not won the World Cup.

The battle for qualification for the knock-out stages of the 2011/12 Heineken Cup will resume at full tilt on Friday, January 13 (2012) when Round Five gets underway with the clash between former winners Ulster (Ireland) and Leicester Tigers (England).

At the end of a year full of rugby action there was bound to be more than enough funny moments to write home about and we at rugby365.com have picked out some of the best.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has been chosen to replace All Blacks legend John Kirwan as head coach of the Japan rugby team, media reports said on Tuesday.

London Scottish have signed Canadian World Cup star Adam Kleeberger from the British Columbia Bears until the end of the season.

Ospreys lock Ian Gough has been cited for a dangerous tackle in his team's European Cup clash with Saracens at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Saracens may not be playing against Biarritz in Cape Town, but the squad will still travel down to the Mother City in January 2012 to conduct a training camp with their 'B' team, the Storm, scheduled to play against the Maties Varsity Cup side.

Benetton Treviso flank Francesco Minto must attend a disciplinary hearing on December 22 after he was sent off against Biarritz in the Heineken Cup on Friday.

Some rugby players achieved more than others in 2011. Some rugby players also hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in 2011. Welcome to rugby365's 2011 happy hour!

British & Irish Lions prop Adam Jones could be the next high-profile Welsh player to take up a lucrative contract in France, with a number of Top 14 sides courting the Ospreys star.

Harlequins captain Chris Robshaw believes his side's 31-24 victory over European giants Toulouse puts their Heineken Cup quarterfinal hopes right back on track this season.

The time has finally come for the esteemed rugby365.com Team of the Year for 2011 to be unveiled. And, after much deliberation and debate, we can finally tip our caps to the best in the world from this year.

There is always something new in rugby. You may have thought you have seen it all when something new crops up - this time a red card for a player that left his side playing with 15 men.

The world mostly takes a break at this time. Even rugby does and for the most part referees are allowed to celebrate the happy feast of Christmas. The day itself is free but there will be some club action around about.

Northampton Saints boss Jim Mallinder believes hard graft laid the platform for his side's stunning second-half display to defeat Castres Olympique 45-0.

After another exhausting year of non-stop rugby action the rugby365.com team are proud to announce our awards for the best of the best in 2011.

A sensational second-half display saw Northampton Saints secure a first Heineken Cup success of the year with a 45-0 triumph over Castres on Saturday.

Glasgow Warriors head coach, Sean Lineen, said he was proud of the way his players fought back to earn a 13-13 draw with Montpellier in Pool 3 at the Stade Yves du Manoir.

Racing Metro centre Josh Matavesi dedicated his side's first win in Pool 2 to the 58 fans who travelled to the Madejski Stadium to see their side turn the tables on London Irish with a 25-19 win.

Munster took firm control of their Heineken Cup pool with their fourth successive victory, 19-13 over their nearest rivals Scarlets, who are in second place five points adrift.

Harlequins claimed a thrilling 31-24 victory over Toulouse at Le Stadium in a stunning game of rugby on Sunday.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has indicated that he plans to call on his 'old mates' Graham Henry and Wayne Smith for advice during his tenure in charge of New Zealand.

Bath coach Brad Davis has admitted his side were taught a finishing lesson by Heineken Cup Champions Leinster in Dublin on Saturday, with the English club going down 52-27.

Italian international captain Sergio Parisse has signed a new contract at Stade Francais which will keep him at the French Top 14 side until 2016.

A battling second-half showing from former champions Leicester Tigers secured a vital 23-19 victory over ASM Clermont Auvergne and ensured Pool Four remains a three-horse race.

Saracens ended the Ospreys' six-year unbeaten record at home in the Heineken Cup to seize the initiative in Pool Five with a 16-13 victory at the Liberty Stadium.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has revealed that he is taking nothing for granted ahead of his side's clash with the Scarlets despite still being unbeaten in this season's Heineken Cup.

Four times Heineken Cup champions Toulouse will reach another tournament milestone this weekend when they become the first team to notch 1 million fans at their home matches in Europe's premier club tournament.

Ulster held off a spirited fight-back from Aironi to complete the Heineken Cup double and cruise to the top of Pool Four with a 46-20 victory.

Greig Laidlaw inspired Edinburgh to turn the tables on Cardiff Blues and make amends for their defeat in the Welsh capital a week earlier and move back to the top of Pool Two.

Jonathan Wisniewski slotted a hat-trick of drop goals to guide Racing Metro 92 to a tense 19-25 victory over London Irish, the French side's first win in Pool Two.

Biarritz Olympique survived another scare against a 14-man Benetton Treviso to avenge their defeat in Italy to keep their Heineken Cup quarterfinal hopes alive with a much-needed victory at the Stade Aguilera.

Jonny Wilkinson has signed a one-year extension to his contract at Toulon, the new deal tying the former England flyhalf to the French Top 14 club until 2013.

There is some talk about changing laws, including those dealing with the scrummage. The nearest we have to a suggestion is a change to the referee's cadence at the setting of the scrum. But surely the messy problem goes well beyond the cadence.

Leinster demonstrated why they are the reigning Heineken Cup champions after dismantling Bath 52-27 with seven tries to put one foot in the knockout stages in Dublin on Saturday.

New All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will not make sweeping changes to what is clearly a good formula, but he will seek to be challenged in order to ensure that the world champions' game does not stagnate.

Rory Lamont marked his return to France with a try as Glasgow clinched a 13-13 draw against Montpellier in their European Cup clash at Stade Yves du Manoir on Saturday.

Johnny May scored a try four minutes from time to hand Gloucester a 23-19 victory and deny Connacht what looked to have been their first victory in the Heineken Cup.

World Cup winning All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw is not interested in receiving a knighthood until his playing days are over, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has said.

After 15 days of intense banter and lobbying the rugby365.com Readers dream team of 2011 has been decided and it is time to take a look at who made the cut after you made your voices heard.

The father of France forward Imanol Harinordoquy was banned by the Biarritz club from its Aguilera Stadium for the rest of the season on Thursday after invading the pitch to defend his son in a punch-up.

For newly appointed All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, following in the footsteps of his World Cup-winning predecessor Graham Henry is an all-too familiar feeling.

Heavy favourite Steve Hansen has been confirmed as the new head coach of the All Blacks after serving eight years as an assistant coach of the world's most successful rugby side.

The Pioneers. The first Springbok rugby tour to Australia & New Zealand 1921 is written by Hans Saestad. It is a book to admire.

Richie McCaw insisted his bitter criticism of France, who he accused of "filthy" play in the World Cup final, was taken out of context.

On 29 November 2011 Lucien Harinordoquy came onto the field during a fight involving his son Imanol, the French international, and attacked a Bayonne player.

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw has insisted that his bitter criticism of France, who he accused of "filthy" play in the World Cup final, had been taken out of context.

Zac Guildford has been slapped with a suspension that will see him miss the first Super Rugby game next year following drinking offenses.

New Zealand will name their new coach on Friday with current assistant coach Steve Hansen the overwhelming favourite for the position.

The final day of voting is upon us and you can help to wrap up the rugby365.com Readers XV of 2011 by selecting your favourite powerful scrummager on the loosehead side. Which of our three front row giants impressed the most this year?

Agen have been having a really good season but came badly unstuck against Toulon in a catch-up Round-10 match at Stade Mayol on Tuesday. RCT scored four tries to nil in winning 34-12.

World Cup-winners New Zealand will name their new coach on Friday with current assistant coach Steve Hansen the overwhelming favourite for the position.

French wing Yoann Huget, of Bayonne, will attend a hearing at the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) on Thursday to decide whether he will face a further ban for missing three doping controls last season.

New Zealand rugby officials voiced confidence on Wednesday that change is on the way despite the re-election of Frenchman Bernard Lapasset as International Rugby Board chairman.

Western Force skipper and Wallaby veteran Nathan Sharpe has emulated the great George Gregan by winning the Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) medal for excellence for the third time.

All Blacks and Crusaders' wing Zac Guildford has been slapped with a suspension that will see him miss the first Super Rugby game next year as punishment for his drunken spree in the Cook Islands last month.

The battle for a spot in the middle of the front row in the

South Africa's John Smit became the first ever World Cup-winning captain to play at the following instalment of the global showpiece this year, so what are the odds of Richie McCaw following suit in 2015?

SA Under-20 coach Dawie Theron has included three Springbok Sevens players in a 33-man squad which will attend a training camp in Stellenbosch in January.

Into the front row we go and there are three burly contenders ready to pack down in the front row for the rugby365.com readers' Team of 2011 and all have a strong pedigree to make it a tight race to win your vote.

At the risk of being labelled nitpickers and spoilsports and killjoys, we shall look at the mark and getting the kick wrong. But it is not clear why the law should be applied...

Last week they were at one home, this week at the other. The same teams at difference venues ad spice to the two European competitions.

The South African Under-20 team will face England, the team that dumped them out of this year's tournament, in the pool stages of the IRB Junior World Championships in Cape Town and Stellenbosch next year.

The contest for the No.4 jersey in the rugby365.com readers' XV of 2011 is between two players from each hemisphere, each at opposite stages of their Test careers. Make your voice heard by leaving your vote now!

All Blacks loose forward Adam Thomson has had his World Cup jerseys stolen from his apartment in Dunedin, leaving him 'heartbroken'.

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw has reflected on his long international career and what the future holds, but doesn't plan to play on when he isn't good enough to make the team on merit.

After reaching their first Cup Final of the season in Port Elizabeth the South African Sevens team have been drawn with England for the next tournament in the World Series in New Zealand in February.

In a pool match in the IRB Sevens in Port Elizabeth, Lucas Hammond of Canada darts ahead and is stopped five metres by Cecil Africa and Branco du Preez of South Africa.

We make the move into the tight five and call on the readers to pick the best No.5 lock to pack down in the scrum and win line-out ball for the rugby365.com Team of the Year from 2011.

Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu blamed missed opportunities in a see-sawing final as South Africa's hopes of claiming victory in the Port Elizabeth tournament were cruelly dashed with a try on the final siren by New Zealand.

To complete the loose trio for the rugby365.com Team of the Year we need our readers to pick one more flank, with four more quality men to choose from for the No.6 jersey.

New Zealand have beaten hosts South Africa in dramatic fashion with the final play of the match to win the Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens, round three of the Sevens World Series.

France's new coach Philippe Saint-Andre on Friday unveiled his backroom staff, naming fellow former players Yannick Bru and Patrice Lagisquet as his assistants.

The loose forwards are always highly contested positions with a bountiful supply of world class players packing onto the side of the scrum around the world. So who should be the rugby365.com No.7?

If somebody said that scrums were a mess, would you contradict him? Paddy O'Brien, the IRB's refereeing manager, agrees.

Hosts South Africa, current Series leaders Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand all reached the Cup quarter-finals of the Nelson Mandela Bay South Africa Sevens with 100 percent records at the end of day one.

Instead of Edinburgh Glasgow will host the second-last round of the IRB's Sevens Series on 5-6 May 2012.

One player at the World Cup failed a drugs test, the International Rugby Board (IRB) said on Wednesday, although the governing body refused to identify the player.

Champions New Zealand and hosts South Africa will be determined to get their campaigns on track in the third leg of the IRB Sevens World Series in Port Elizabeth this weekend.

England have named the exact same squad that lifted the Dubai Sevens title last weekend for the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in Port Elizabeth that kicks off on Friday.

Dawie Theron, coach of the South African Under-20 side, is satisfied with the significant amount of work his training squad put in during their camp in Stellenbosch, which concluded on Wednesday.

With the backline behind us it is time to turn our attention to the big boys up front and we start with No.8. So which player deserves his place at the back of the scrum for the rugby365.com readers XV?

Toulouse's injury-plagued Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp, who has played just 40 minutes for the French side, has suffered a hip injury, the club's manager Guy Noves revealed on Wednesday.

The Australian Sevens team will enter the third leg of the World Series in Port Elizabeth with a new-look squad after injury forced coach Michael O'Connor to make two changes following their Plate Final win in Dubai last weekend over South Africa.

The final backline position is one of the most crucial ones, as every great teams need a world-class scrumhalf to run the show and now is your chance to vote for the best in the business from 2011.

Springbok utility back Frans Steyn could be on his way back to South Africa at the conclusion of his contract with French club Racing Metro, which expires at the end of June next year.

IRB Sevens Player of the Year Cecil Afrika will lead the Springbok Sevens attack on home soil after the playmaker was included in the South Africa squad for the tournament which starts on Friday.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has spoken for the first time about allegedly being eye gouged in the World Cup Final.

Versatile Wallabies inside back Berrick Barnes has backed Reds playmaker Quade Cooper to come back strong from injury and make the Australian No.10 jersey his own next year.

Victor My Journey is an excellent autobiography with several excellent reasons to read it.

Former Wallabies mentor Rod Macqueen has advised current Australia coach Robbie Deans to get rid of players getting a bit long in the tooth well before the British and Irish Lions tour in 2013.

Towering Wales lock Luke Charteris looks set to join struggling French rugby giants Perpignan on a three year contract and be reunited with fellow Welsh international James Hook, a source close to the club revealed on Monday.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has spoken for the first time about allegedly being eye gouged in the World Cup Final, reportedly accusing France of "filthy" play in the tournament decider.

There are four very different options to consider before you cast your vote for the best flyhalf in world rugby in 2011. Which playmaker has the goods to make it into the rugby365.com readers' Team of the year?

All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams will re-enter the boxing ring next year to fight for the New Zealand heavyweight title.

Steve Hansen may be the overwhelming favourite to succeed Graham Henry as coach of New Zealand but iconic All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw is not rushing to congratulate him just yet.

The Springbok Sevens team are determined to turn things around in their home tournament in Port Elizabeth this weekend after a disappointing performance in Dubai which saw them lose to Australia in the Plate Final.

The search continues and now we're after the best left wing from 2011 in the rugby365.com readers' Team of the Year series, so make your vote count to see who fills the No.11 jersey vacancy.

Christmas is close now but this week we have another burst of European rugby and, in Port Elizabeth, the third in the IRB's Sevens series. Then in Dubai there is a brand new competition - the Emirate Airlines Cup of Nations. We have all the referees.

Stade Francais still rule Paris after their Top 14 victory at Saturday's Stade de France carnival. Agen continue strongly, Biarritz are at the bottom and Perpignan seem in free fall, change of coach notwithstanding.

At glamorous Stade de France on Saturday, Stade Francais celebrated a big 29-3 win over their Parisian rivals Racing-Metro. On Saturday, too, Toulouse had too much class for Toulon and Clermont kept Castres in check.

Australia captain James Horwill set his side the challenge of becoming the world's best team next year after they ended 2011 with a 24-18 win over Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The Springbok Sevens will get an early chance to make amends for Saturday's last-minute loss to Australia in the Dubai Plate Final when the two teams clash again on Friday in Port Elizabeth.

England Women drew their third Test in eight days with the world champion New Zealanders with an 8-all draw at Esher on Saturday afternoon. Having won the first two Tests, England thus took the series 2-0.

Wales coach Warren Gatland was already looking forward to next year's three-Test series in Australia after a 24-18 defeat by the Wallabies on Saturday.

Join Kim Senogles in the third - and this year's final - episode of 'Kim's review', as rugby365.com's roving reporter continues her quest to find the perfect place to take in eighty minutes of rugby.

Welsh rugby great Barry John paid tribute to both the retiring Shane Williams and Australia's "outstanding" backline after the Wallabies' 24-18 win at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The search for the rugby365.com readers' Team of the Year continues as we consider the virtues of four inside centres from just two countries, make your pick now!

Electrifying Wallabies wing Digby Ioane has ended speculation about his future by signing a three-year contract with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) after rejecting a massive offer to play in Japan.

England Sevens head coach Ben Ryan claims he "isn't satisfied" with the way his side are playing after they lifted the Dubai Sevens title with a 29-12 win over France in the final.

Welsh wing legend Shane Williams capped a stellar Test career with a last-minute try against Australia, but it was not enough as the Red Dragons went down 24-18 at the Millenium Stadium on Saturday.

A late Vungakoto Lilo try handed Bordeaux a dramatic 16-12 Top 14 win over Brive on Friday evening.

Springbok great Bryan Habana has paid tribute to Shane Williams ahead of his fellow wing's final appearance for Wales and hopes his old rival can finish with a flourish against Australia.

England notched up their second consecutive Dubai Sevens title with a 29-12 victory over France on a day which saw big guns New Zealand and South Africa fall by the wayside early on.

Shane Williams, hailed as a "once in a generation player" by Australia coach Robbie Deans, forecast a bright future for Wales after playing his final Test match on Saturday.

The quest to identify the cream of the crop in 2011 continues as we turn our attention to the No.13 jersey. Cast your vote for the best outside centre around in the rugby365.com readers' Team of the Year now!

The one is USA's rugby captain. The other reckons he is Captain America!

The search for the ultimate rugby side continues as rugby365.com hunts for the best right wing from 2011, and we call on all our readers to join the fun and cast your vote in the Team of the Year selection.

After 86 appearances in an 11-year career at the highest level, having become the third highest try scorer of all time with 59 tries, Shane Williams will bring a glittering Test career to an end on Saturday.

A tight hamstring has forced Wallabies centre Rob Horne to withdraw from Saturday's James Bevan Trophy Test match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The NZRU has offered the licenses of four of its Super Rugby franchises to owner-managers in an unprecedented partial-privatization move.

All Blacks flank Jerome Kaino capped an outstanding year by being named as the New Zealand Player of the Year.

The Blitzbokke stole the show on the first day of the Dubai Sevens when they defeated New Zealand, while Samoa fell short of the quarterfinals after a draw with Argentina.

Australia will look to end a see-saw 2011 with victory over Wales on Saturday as they bid to repeat their recent third place playoff win at the World Cup.

Matt Giteau believes that his partnership with England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson will be crucial to French glamour club Toulon's lofty aspirations in the Top 14 this season.

The big Top 14 match this weekend is at magnificent Stade de France when Stade Francais host neighbours Racing-Metro who are determined to surpass Stade as Paris's dominant club.

Christian Lewis-Pratt will make his first international appearance and Simon Hunt returns to the squad as England prepare to defend their Dubai Sevens title.

Powerful All Blacks flank Jerome Kaino capped an outstanding year by being named as the New Zealand Player of the Year while Bryce Lawrence was named Referee of the Year at an awards ceremony in Auckland on Thursday.

After a successful trial at No.10 last week James O'Connor will start his maiden Test as a flyhalf for the Wallabies combination for Saturday's James Bevan Trophy Test against Wales in Cardiff.

Racing-Metro president Jacky Lorenzetti has said that he hopes his expensively-assembled side emulates the achievements of fellow Parisian Top 14 rivals Stade Francais.

According to the French newspaper La Depeche, Luke McAlister - the All Black inside back now playing for Toulouse - has declared himself finished with the All Blacks.

We're into the final month of 2011, a blockbusting year of rugby, which means there's just one thing left to do... It's time to pick our Team of the Year and this time we want you, our readers, to join in the fun; starting with fullback.

Fiji come into the second round of this season's Sevens World Series on a high after seeing off champions New Zealand to win the opening tournament last weekend.

Leicester Tigers could look to bring in Graham Henry to mentor director of rugby Richard Cockerill to form a dream team.

At the request of the Australian Rugby Union the International Rugby Board, the game's legislative body, has clarified on three aspects of law. These clarifications, which used to be called rulings, were issued on 23 November 2011 and have the force of law.

The International Rugby Board will, apparently, experiment with widening the television match official's powers to enable the man with the video to help in combatting foul play. This is according to a report in the Otago Daily Times, though it is a long way from being official or structured.

England Women repeated Saturday's dose when they beat the world champion New Zealanders 21-7 at Esher on Tuesday evening, thus taking the three-match series after their 10-0 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

England's John Brake has been ruled out of this week's second leg of the Sevens World Series in Dubai.

South Africa Sevens coach Paul Treu has made two changes to his squad for the Dubai Sevens tournament this weekend.

The sacking of Racing-Metro's popular backs coach Simon Mannix last Friday was part of an overall plan to take the Top 14 club forward, Director of Rugby Pierre Berbizier explained.

Bayonne president Michel Cacouault is to file a complaint after the father of Biarritz's Imanol Harinordoquy invaded the pitch to defend his son during a fight, the club announced on Wednesday.

The father of French international Imanol Harinordoquy brought the Top 14 Basque derby between Biarritz and Bayonne to a halt on Tuesday, after running onto the pitch to defend his son.

Lucien Harinordoquy, the father of Biarritz captain Imanol, apologised on Wednesday for running onto the pitch to defend his son in a fight that erupted during Tuesday's game with Bayonne.

Biarritz have been summoned to a hearing by the disciplinary commission of the National Rugby League (LNR) after the father of Biarritz captain Imanol Harinordoquy ran onto the pitch during Tuesday's fiery Top 14 Basque derby with Bayonne.

Scotland coach Andy Robinson has revealed that he plans to involve Edinburgh's prolific Dutch-born wing Tim Visser in the national squad as soon as he is eligible.

Burly Welsh inside centre Jamie Roberts is excited at the prospect of testing out the defensive mettle of Wallabies inside backs James O'Connor and Berrick Barnes this weekend.

Toby Faletau is hoping Wales can carry their World Cup form into Saturday's clash against Australia and build valuable momentum ahead of the Six Nations.

Mathew Turner can feel the excitement building as the England Sevens squad return to the scene of last season's tournament triumph in Dubai.

France flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc was named as the Top 14 Player of the Year by his fellow French professionals.

Lachie Turner of Australia scores a try against the Barbarians at Twickenham and James O'Connor prepares to take the conversion. He does his ritualistic things and suddenly Peter Stringer arrives and makes off with the ball. The referee gives his stamp of approval and blows the whistle for half-time.

Shane Williams was the first name on the team sheet - as promised by Wales head coach Warren Gatland - when the side was announced to take on Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Former Argentinian flyhalf Gonzalo Quesada was on Monday confirmed as the new backs coach of Racing-Metro, switching from his current position as the kicking coach of the French national side.

As the Springbok coach rumour mill hits overdrive, WP and Stormers supremo Allister Coetzee stands out as the obvious favourite, despite talk of SARU still trying the traditional left field options - like Ireland assistant coach Gert Smal.

England have added Christian Lewis-Pratt and Simon Hunt to their squad as they head for the second leg of the IRB Sevens World Series in Dubai.

The British and Irish Lions will play an historic match in Hong Kong, against the famous Barbarians, a perfect stopover on their way to Australia for the 2013 tour.

The British and Irish Lions will play the Wallabies in three Tests on their nine-match tour of Australia in 2013, in what the Australian Rugby Union feel will be another extraordinary event.

Former Springbok centre Brendan Venter and Nazeem Adams, head coach of the Western Province Under-19 side, have been appointed as assistant coaches of the South African Under-20 side.

As December closes in, Test matches close down but we have this week the Oceania Cup in Port Moresby and then the exciting prospect of the match between Wales and Australia at Millennium Stadium. Jonathan Kaplan is the referee for that match, his 68th Test match - far and away the biggest number in refereeing history.

Australian rugby boss John O'Neill believes that the threat from the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to boycott the 2015 World Cup was entirely warranted considering the current commercial agreements in place.

Wallabies playmaker Berrick Barnes is expected to be declared fit for this weekend's clash with Wales at the Millenium Stadium despite hurting his back in Australia's thrashing of the Barbarians.

England flank James Haskell is prepared to launch a legal case against the Kiwi woman who claims he sexually harassed her.

Fiji, who upset reigning Sevens World Series champions New Zealand 26-12 in the Final of the Gold Coast tournament at the weekend, believe they have laid a sound platform for global success.

There were two draws in Round 11 of France's Top 14, a rarity, and there was a surprisingly big win for Stade Francais in Perpignan.

Australian coach Robbie Deans said his side was prepared for a "tough assignment" against Wales after warming up for the Cardiff clash with a 60-11 thrashing of the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Steve Hansen remains the bookmakers' - and for most New Zealanders - favourite to become the next All Black coach.

Former Argentinian flyhalf Gonzalo Quesada is set to move from being the French national side's kicking coach to become backs coach of Racing-Metro, according to L'Equipe on Sunday.

South Africa may not have reached the Final, but Springbok coach Paul Treu felt there were many positives from the side's performance at the Gold Coast Sevens - the first leg of the IRB World Series.

Stade Francais came down from Paris to play Perpignan at their Stade Aime Giral stronghold in a Top 14 match and won 35-16, thanks partly to 15 points while Perpignan had a scrumhalf in the sin bin.

Taranaki's second Ranfurly Shield defence for 2012 has been confirmed for Saturday, August 4, against Whanganui.

Fiji came back from a Day One loss to stun the defending champions New Zealand, winning 26-12 in the Cup Final at the Gold Coast Sevens, Round One on the IRB World Series circuit.

The fallout over the disgraced England team's shameful antics at the World Cup in New Zealand produced another twist when a chambermaid insisted she was sexually harassed.

Defending champions New Zealand and South Africa, second on the 2010/11 standings, were drawn in the same pool for the second leg of the 2011/12 IRB Sevens World Series.

The New Zealand Rugby Union says it has received "several" applications for the All Blacks coaching job vacated by Graham Henry after last month's World Cup victory.

England were left frustrated after being edged out by New Zealand and Samoa in their second day games at the Gold Coast Sevens.

Samoan centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu on Saturday lost his appeal against a six-month suspended sentence imposed after an angry Twitter rant during the World Cup.

The Wallabies brought the curtain down on the career of legendary Springbok Victor Matfield by walloping his Barbarians team 60-11 at Twickenham on Saturday.

Australia warmed-up for their Test away to Wales next weekend by running in eight tries as they overwhelmed the star-studded Barbarians by a record 60-11 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

Defending World Series champions New Zealand put down a marker by beating Fiji, while South Africa brushed Australia aside and Wales shocked England on day one of the Gold Coast Sevens.

Australia will try to gain some valuable pointers for the future when they face a star-studded Barbarians team at Twickenham on Saturday.

Springbok Sevens star Cecil Afrika injured his ribs during South Africa's 31-7 Pool B victory over Japan on Friday and is a doubt for the rest of the Gold Coast Sevens tournament.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has hailed the career of wing Shane Williams, as the 34-year-old prepares for his final Test match against the Wallabies next weekend.

As the Sevens World Series gets underway on the Gold Coast, the International Rugby Board announced an exciting enhancement to the season-long event.

Former Wales flyhalf and kicking ace Neil Jenkins is the latest coach to pledge his future to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), it was confirmed on Friday.

Waratahs loose forward Dave Dennis was handed a place in the Wallabies starting line-up when No.8 Ben McCalman had to withdraw from the game agains the Barbarians because of an eye infection.

Back from Heineken Cup, the French clubs again do battle in their competitive Top 14 where existence is so important and success so glorious.

New Zealand Sevens captain DJ Forbes believes that his side will need to soak a little more pressure than usual as the defending champions when they launch their bid to retain the title this season.

Shane Williams will end his glittering international career against Australia at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday and he is determined to go out on a high.

Young Saracens wing Marcus Watson has a more central role to play as England prepare to kick off the IRB Sevens World Series.

Richie McCaw will definitely miss the start of the Super Rugby season, after he underwent surgery to remove a screw from his injured foot.

Western Force flank David Pocock will captain the Wallabies for the first time after being named to lead Australia in Saturday's match against the Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium in London.

IRB Sevens Player of the Year Cecil Afrika has been included in the final squad of 12 Springbok Sevens players for the first round of the Sevens World Series at the Gold Coast in Australia this weekend.

Graham Henry has ruled out the possibility of replacing Martin Johnson as England manager, saying: "It is time to move on."

England Women play the New Zealand Black Ferns three times in a week, starting at Twickenham on Saturday when it will be played after the Barbarians-Wales match.

SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters has "recommended" that Argentina hold two of their three home games in the new Rugby Championship in Buenos Aires, the nation's capital.

Former Italian and South African coach Nick Mallett won't be taking charge of the England side - at least not until after the Six Nations.

Wallabies legend David Campese has heaped criticism on Australia's Kiwi coach Robbie Deans for what he believes was a seriously disappointing World Cup campaign.

The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), the body responsible for running professional rugby in France, will be holding its eighth Night of Rugby on Monday, 28 November 2011 at the elegant former hunting lodge Pavillon d'Armenonville in central Paris.

John Kirwan came under fire from Japan's Rugby Union for choosing too many players of foreign origin but still the influx of foreign players into Japan's rugby continues.

Wales have called uncapped Scarlets prop Rhodri Jones into the squad preparing to face Australia at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday.

New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens is happy with the state of his squad and is confident that they have what it takes to get their World Series defence off to a good start on the Gold Coast this weekend.

SANZAR chairman Mike Eagle would like to see Argentina play a bigger role in southern hemisphere rugby's controlling body and eventually have their own Super Rugby conference.

Being boring is not something you would associate an Australian team with and they will certainly pull out all the stops to 'entertain' when they tackle the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday.

Montpellier flank Remy Martin is suing Toulon President Mourad Boudjellal for defamation in the wake of a post-match assault by Toulon forward Olivier Missoup.

Former French international centre Brian Liebenberg has announced his retirement, after Stade Francais refused to renew his contract.

The IRB's Sevens get going this weekend and the Wallabies wander into Europe but for the rest club rugby resumes in the north, rest and recreation in the south.

Greg Barden will lead England in this season's Sevens World Series after being named as the side's new captain on Tuesday.

The manager of Samoa's rugby team has been fined 100 pigs for disgracing his village and discrediting his chiefly title at the World Cup.

The Hurricanes are preparing for a new Super Rugby season and have named Conrad Smith as captain for the 2012 campaign.

The great French journal Midi Olympique held its 58th awards evening on Monday at Pavillon Gabriel in Paris, and the top French award, the Golden Oscar, went to Vincent Clerc of Toulouse.

Glasgow Warriors have delivered a significant statement of intent by securing Chris Cusiter, a British & Irish Lion and one of the leading scrumhalves in the world game, on a long-term deal.

Wallabies flank David Pocock believes that a good performance on the tour of the UK is exactly what Australia needs to erase the disappointment of their World Cup semifinal exit.

The Welsh Rugby Union has signed up 12 core sevens players for the forthcoming IRB Sevens World Series, which kicks off on Friday in Australia.

Australian coach Michael O'Connor has named an exciting new team for the opening leg of the 2011/12 IRB Sevens World Series with eight debutants joining the ranks for the inaugural Gold Coast tournament.

One week remains until the kick-off of the Sevens World Series 2011/12 in Australia at the Gold Coast Sevens - Fever Pitch on November 25-26.

England's Greg Barden has swapped the military frontline for a full-time Sevens career.

The Chiefs matches against the Brumbies and Lions will be played at the other provinces in the franchise region.

Sitiveni Sivivatu, the powerful All Blacks wing, has arrived at last at his French club Clermont Auvergne.

Wales assistant coach Rob Howley has agreed a new contract with the Welsh Rugby Union which will ensure he continues at the helm of the senior team for at least a full season after the next Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Sam Tomkins is the latest addition to the Barbarians' squad for the match against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

Sam Waburton has retained the Wales captaincy for the one-off Test against Australia at the Millennium Stadium despite the return of Matthew Rees.

A forward pass seems such a basic part of rugby football's laws. Missing a forward pass can bring great scorn onto the head of a referee. It is seen as simple law, easy to apply.

It's that time of the year and we've gone and done it again! rugby365.com 's intrepid spies managed to intercept a few letters bound for good ol' Santa at the north pole. It's our Xmas presents list... with a difference.

With Christmas upon us, we thought it would be the perfect time to ask - loudly - for some Christmas gifts; most of which have the 2012 rugby season in mind.

Argentina - check. Australia - check. New Zealand - check. South Africa - nothing. Why is it that three of the four teams who make up the all-new Rugby Championship all have a coach ahead of 2012... yet South Africa does not?