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WATCH as the Boks Office crew reveal their candidates for the Springbok head coach role should Rassie Erasmus leave one day.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls players' frame of mind remains positive despite the demise of their Champions Cup dreams.

SPOTLIGHT: There has been loads of criticism lingering over South Africa's involvement in the European Champions Cup and with good reason.

NEWS: A former South African lock has been banned for three years after testing positive for a banned substance while playing for Newport..

NEWS: Two experienced front rowers have signed new deals with Ulster, keeping them playing until 2027 and 2026 respectively.

UPDATE: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi's desire to move back 'home' to Cape Town has not been met with the same enthusiasm from the Sharks.

NEWS: Belinda Moore has been appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union’s new Head of Women’s rugby.

NEWS: The Crusaders have appointed one of their most experienced players as captain for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

NEWS: Leinster on Tuesday issued an injury update that will have the Ireland coaches smiling.

REACTION: England coach Steve Borthwick said having a captain who could last the whole match had been a factor in his decision to appoint Maro Itoje as skipper for the Six Nations in place of Jamie George.

SPOTLIGHT: Toulouse lock Emmanuel Meafou revealed a key tactic his side employed which successfully paid off in their 20-8 Champions Cup victory over the Sharks. 

TRANSFER NEWS: Exeter Chiefs have kicked off their 2025/26 season recruitment on strong footing with the signing of Wallabies loose forward Tom Hooper.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has revealed his squad and a new captain for the 2025 Six Nations.

NEWS: Europe's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions are approaching the end of the League stages, Round Four.

OPINION: The Bulls, Sharks and Stormers have combined for three home defeats and zero wins in Europe in what’s shaping up as South Africa’s worst Champions Cup campaign yet.

NEWS: The worst-kept secret is out. The Stormers have added a Springbok to their roster.

UPDATE: To appropriate a Latin phrase, formerly the motto on the South African coat of arms, from unity comes strength.

NEWS: Angus Wright, Oliver Furness and Sandy Renwick have been awarded the coveted John Macphail Rugby Scholarship for 2025, following in the footsteps of Scotland internationalists, and marking 20 years since the initiative’s inception.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will travel to Paris to face Racing 92 in a must-win Champions Cup clash where a familiar face will await them, but so too will it be the case for the home side.

ANALYSES: There is jeopardy in every game as the pool stages in the Champions Cup reach a climax.

NEWS: The Cheetah Queens announced the appointment of Bernice Strydom and Marlene Adams as co-captains for the upcoming Women's Premier Division competition.

TRANSFER NEWS: All Blacks fullback Shaun Stevenson has become the latest southern hemisphere player to head to Japan.

SPOTLIGHT: France coach Fabien Galthie said that two players who were investigated for rape in Argentina before the case was dismissed can now be selected for the upcoming Six Nations.

ANALYSES: Top seeding, home play-offs and qualification spots are up for grabs as the Challenge Cup pool stages conclude.

NEWS: Former Scotland captain Peter Brown has died aged 83, with current national coach Gregor Townsend saying his exploits on the field had "gone down in legend".

NEWS: Wales coach Warren Gatland said he knows "it is about performances and results" after naming a Six Nations squad he hopes will end the national side's record-breaking losing streak.

ROUND FOUR WRAP: On a great weekend for Springboks playing in Japan, winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scored twice to lead Dynaboars to an upset 34-26 win over the Steelers.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has named a 26-man traveling squad for two matches abroad.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales coach Warren Gatland recalled the experienced trio of Josh Adams, Liam Williams and Taulupe Faletau to his squad on Monday ahead of what promises to be a make-or-break Six Nations for the veteran New Zealander.

SPOTLIGHT: France and Toulouse scrumhalf Antoine Dupont admitted that he found the humid Durban conditions tough following his side's 20-8 Champions Cup victory over the Sharks at Kings Park. 

NEWS: Warren Gatland is pondering several key issues before naming his Six Nations squad on Monday.

LISTEN as the Sharks head coach John Plumtree lamented his side's lack of accuracy and bad luck with injuries in their Champions Cup defeat to French giants Toulouse.

VIDEO: After securing their first win in Amsterdam, the Cheetahs kept their playoff hopes alive but adapting to European officiating is still a work in progress for the men from the Free State.

NEWS: Former Free State Cheetahs and Griquas prop Piet Bester was murdered on his smallholding near Bloemfontein over the weekend.

NEWS: The Reds announced their 2025 women’s squad with quality Wallaroos recruits Eva Karpani, Layne Morgan, and Tiarah Minns plus two exciting 17-year-olds.

NEWS: Social media sensation Ilona Maher celebrated her first start for Bristol by scoring a spectacular try to inspire a 41-31 win against Exeter on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Bath sealed a 40-21 win over 14-man Clermont in their Champions Cup match at The Recreation Ground on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: The Dragons' Challenge Cup hopes remain alive but slim after they were comfortably beaten 24-15 by Pau at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster kept with their winning ways as they edged La Rochelle 16-14 in their Champions Cup fixture at the Stade Marcel Deflandre on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Bristol kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive after they beat Benetton 35-29 at Ashton Gate on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins' hopes of making the Champions Cup knockout stage took a significant blow as Toulon moved to the top of Pool 4 with a commanding victory at Stade Mayol.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs recorded a memorable win in the Challenge Cup in Amsterdam over Zebre Parma by 22-18 on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between the Cheetahs and Zebre in Amsterdam.

VIDEO: Jake White, the Bulls' Director of Rugby, believes it is the end of the road for his side in the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls were overpowered by a spirited Castres side in France in their Champions Cup game on Saturday evening as they went down 10-49.

The Lions will have to deliver a much better performance if they want to book a playoff spot in the European Challenge Cup competition.

MATCH REPORT: Montpellier cemented their place at the top of the Challenge Cup Pool 2 with a 28-5 bonus-point win over the Lions on Saturday.

REACTION: The Stormers may have put down a serious European marker, demolishing the highly-rated Sale Sharks 40-0, but they fell foul of a well-executed trap.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers thrashed Sale Sharks in front of 23,682 spectators by 40-0 to boost their Champions Cup hope at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson cautions against excessive rejoicing after a 40-0 whitewash of the Sale Sharks.

SATURDAY WRAP: Scotland star Duhan van der Merwe scored an all-important fourth try for Edinburgh's bonus-point win over Vannes on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: A hat-trick by Josh Bassett helped Leicester Tigers see off Ulster 38-10 to qualify for the Champions Cup knockout stage.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Three encounter between Castres Olympique and the Bulls in France.

MATCH REPORT: Munster shrugged off a poor first-half display to earn a vital win in their Champions Cup win over Saracens at Thomond Park on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints secured their place in the Champions Cup knockout stage despite Stade Francais roaring back to win an exhilarating match 45-35.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between Montpellier and the Lions in France.

MATCH REPORT: Exeter’s miserable season continued as they were left on the verge of elimination after suffering a record Champions Cup defeat as Bordeaux-Begles destroyed them 69-17 at Sandy Park.

MATCH REPORT: The defending Champions Cup holders Toulouse continued their dominance with a 20-8 victory over an error-ridden Sharks at Kings Park.

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

WATCH as French sensation Antoine Dupont chats to @king365ed about his return to South Africa after eight years.

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

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach John Mitchell has named a 38-player training squad for the Red Roses’ first camp of 2025.

MATCH REPORT: Gloucester - beaten finalists last year - moved to the top of Pool Three of the Challenge Cup, Europe's second tier competition.

REPORT: Glasgow Warriors romped to a five-try 29-19 victory over Racing 92 on Friday to reach the Champions Cup last 16, condemning the French strugglers to a fifth successive match without a victory.

INJURY UPDATE: France prop Jean-Baptiste Gros has returned to training with his club after being sidelined since November, Toulon coach Pierre Mignoni said on Friday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Tommaso Allan will return to Six Nations duty for Italy after missing most of his country's best-ever campaign in the competition last year, following his selection on Friday in the Azzurri squad.

The CEO of England's Rugby Football Union will face calls for his dismissal at a special general meeting after the upcoming Six Nations, it was announced Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: England flanker Sam Underhill is set to miss the whole of the upcoming Six Nations after his club, Bath, announced on Friday he requires an ankle operation.

WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree reveals the concerning reason why Springbok star Eben Etzebeth is still not available to play.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: It's do or die for many teams in the Challenge Cup, one of them being the Cheetahs who will host Zebre in a must-win clash - with the Lions looking to make it two from three when they face a star-studded Montpellier outfit on Saturday.

PREVIEW: Strap yourself in, it is going to be a wild ride!

SPOTLIGHT: Former Junior Springbok Women head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt has joined SA Rugby in a full-time capacity as Springbok Women assistant coach.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will not return to the field of play anytime soon after Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani confirmed he had undergone surgery.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs have selected their best possible side in their must-win EPCR Challenge Cup clash against Zebre on Sunday.

OPINION: Retired England flyhalf Andy Goode shines the spotlight on the Mack Hansen suspension and the state of the officials.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions take on French outfit Montpellier in Round Three of the Challenge Cup at the Stade de la Mosson this Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers reveal their team to face the Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Siya Kolisi will lead the Sharks in one of the most eagerly anticipated matches in recent times.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Seasoned campaigner Nizaam Carr returns to action to lead the Bulls when they take on French outfit Castres Olympique at the Stade Pierre-Fabre in the South of France in the third round of the Champions Cup.

TRANSFER NEWS: The NSW Waratahs have strengthened their roster for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition by signing Shute Shield Premiership-winning player Jamie Adamson.

WATCH as Bulls utility forward Sintu Manjezi previews his team's Champions Cup Round Three encounter with Castres Olympique.

NEWS: The Western Force have taken a punt on injured utility back Kurtley Beale as the 36-year-old attempts yet again to revive his Wallabies career.

INTERVIEW: There have been 945 men who have represented the Springboks over 133 years and Salmaan Moerat is a unicorn among them.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The EPCR Challenge Cup resumes this weekend with a battle between 2024 runners-up Gloucester and the Scarlets.

NEWS: The BlitzBoks are aware of the mammoth task at hand at the HSBC SVNS in Perth following the pool draw on Thursday.

NEWS: Irish referee Chris Busby is set to confirm his shock decision to retire from the professional game.

PREVIEW: Opening another spectacular weekend of European action, Racing 92's visits Glasgow Warriors in Pool Four of the Champions Cup's Round Three.

NEWS: Ireland and Connacht wing Mack Hansen has received a six-week ban (with three of those weeks suspended) after an independent disciplinary panel upheld a charge of misconduct against the player.

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: A tantalizing clash between the still-winless Sungoliath and Kubota Spears is one of the headline acts in the fourth weekend of Japan Rugby League One which kicks off this weekend, with the recent history between the two strongly favouring the latter.

SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow Warriors assistant coach Nigel Carolan says his side are 'genuine contenders' for the Champions Cup title ahead of their Round Three clash against Racing 92.

SPOTLIGHT: Following a memorable 2024 season, @rugby365com takes a look at five key events to look out for in 2025. 

NEWS: Former Scotland captain Stuart Hogg has been given a community payback order after admitting that he abused his estranged wife for five years.

NEWS: The World Cup contenders England have confirmed Zoe Aldcroft as the Red Roses captain for 2025.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: For the first time in history, the Women's Grand Final is set to close out the event at the Perth SVNS from January 24-26.

NEWS: The BlitzBoks head to Perth later this month for the HSBC World Sevens Series where they have been drawn in a tough pool.

WATCH as seasoned Stormers centre Ruhan Nel talks about the visit of a Sale Sharks team loaded with South Africans.

SPOTLIGHT: Over the Christmas period a whopping 2.6 million fans tuned in to the Premiership, eclipsing last season's Festive Fixtures then-record total of 1.8 million.

WATCH as BOKS OFFICE host Hanyani Shimange, Nick Mallett and Gary Gold discuss which players can make it to the 2027 World Cup.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Cardiff hooker Daf Hughes has been rewarded for his fine form with a new contract to remain at the Arms Park.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Connacht duo Sean Jansen and Shane Jennings have extended their stay with the Irish province.

NEWS: Louis Lynagh is set to miss the upcoming Six Nations for Italy after his club Treviso announced that the wing had undergone surgery for a knee ligament injury.

NEWS: Former Crusaders flyhalf and current Saracens playmaker Fergus Burke is in line for a first Scotland call-up as Gregor Townsend looks towards the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: Reds flyhalf Tom Lynagh has never been so excited to sink his teeth into a new season after a long holiday and a tonsillectomy.

NEWS: Ospreys lock James Fender has been handed a one-game ban for his red card in the United Rugby Championship draw against Cardiff.

SPOTLIGHT: The ongoing rumblings over South African teams' participation in Europe has been met with pushback from the Republic.

SPOTLIGHT: Stade Rochelais head coach Ronan O’Gara made it clear there is much work left to do for his side as they prepare for their biggest test yet in this year’s Champions Cup.

NEWS: France hooker Camille Chat has left Racing 92 by mutual consent after reportedly turning up to training drunk, the French Top 14 club announced on Tuesday.

The Bulls camp hopes their extra day in France will serve as a blueprint for securing their first Champions Cup win of the season.

ANALYSES: @king365ed does a deep dive into the world of private equity in the game of Rugby Union.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and Sharks prop Ox Nche is relishing the challenge of taking on Toulouse and test himself against "the best in the world" when the Sharks meet the French giants in the Champions Cup this Saturday. 

VIDEO: Edwill van der Merwe has big plans for 2025 and returning to the Green and Gold is foremost in his plans for the year.

NEWS: France suffered another setback ahead of their Six Nations campaign with the news that star flanker Charles Ollivon has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

WATCH as Stormers defence guru Norman Laker gives an injury update ahead of their return to Europe.

NEWS: England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will miss the entire Six Nations because of the dislocated shoulder sustained on club duty for Exeter last month.

NEWS: Italy prop Mirco Spagnolo will miss the Six Nations opener against Scotland next month after being handed a five-match ban.

NEWS: Dragons and Wales prop Leon Brown announced his retirement from the game with immediate effect.

OPINION: The events of the past 18 months will provide Toulouse as well as the Sharks with added motivation ahead of their Champions Cup meeting in Durban on Saturday.

VIDEO: The Lions take to the skies heading for France on Tuesday evening as they embark on the rest of their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign.

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors’ Jack Dempsey could be a huge contender come the British and Irish Lions tour later this year.

TRANSFER NEWS: Cardiff has announced the signing of former rugby league player Regan Grace.

 INJURY UPDATE: Munster veteran Connor Murray is one of four returning players ahead of their Champions Cup clash against Saracens at Thomond Park. 

NEWS: United States Sevens star and social media sensation Ilona Maher made her eagerly anticipated debut for Bristol in the English women's Premiership on Sunday but could not prevent defeat for her new side.

NEWS: Samoa head coach Mahonri Schwalger has stepped down from his position, the country's federation announced on Monday.

NEWS: Ollie Lawrence has apologised for his role in an incident that led to his England teamate Alex Mitchell being sin-binned in Bath’s defeat at Northampton on Sunday.

NEWS: Ulster prop Tom'O Toole has been handed down a six-week ban following his red card against Munster in December and will miss Ireland's first two Six nations matches.

NEWS: Stade Français has acquired the services of former hooker Mathieu Blin as a scrum consultant.

NEWS: A loosehead prop for the French national team and Racing 92 suffered a cardiac arrest after taking snus (a smokeless tobacco product) over the summer.

NEWS: The Cheetahs have announced their touring squad for Rounds Three and Four of the 2024/25 EPCR Challenge Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers and Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu appeared as a guest at the cricket Test series between South Africa and Pakistan on Sunday where he spoke about his time with the Boks and provided some Champions Cup insight. 

SPOTLIGHT: Johann van Graan believed Bath’s enthralling game with Northampton was a great advert for the Premiership as the league leaders went down 34-35 at Franklin’s Gardens thanks to a last-minute penalty from Fin Smith.

SPOTLIGHT: While most All Blacks are hitting the beaches, on the boat fishing, and enjoying some quiet time before the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off, Jordie Barrett is in the midst of a United Rugby Championship season for Irish heavyweights Leinster.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson talks about the toughest challenges faced by South African franchises.

MATCH REPORT: Fin Smith knocked over a last-minute penalty as Northampton Saints beat league leaders Bath 35-34 in a pulsating Premiership game of nine tries.

ROUND THREE WRAP: Back-to-back World Cup-winning Springboks featured prominently on the scoresheets of Japan's League One this weekend.

UPDATE: With the exclusivity period between SARU and it's cherry-picked equity partner, ASG/Win-by-1, having expired, some big guns will now put their cards on the table.

WRAP: Bordeaux-Begles ran in six tries to crush Stade Francais 46-19 and temporarily move back to the summit of the Top 14 table.

SATURDAY WRAP: Leicester Tigers battled to a much-needed yet unconvincing 28-15 win over struggling Exeter in a dour contest.

SPOTLIGHT: With the United Rugby Championship on a break, @rugby365com looks at the prospects of the South African sides claiming local bragging right.

SPOTLIGHT: Former England skipper Owen Farrell has been branded a Top 14 transfer flop after failing to impress during his first five months in France.

INJURY REPORT: France have been dealt another midfield blow with the news of Jonathan Danty.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins ended their three-game winless run in the Premiership with a 38-14 victory over Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park.

NEWS: Saracens flank Toby Knight has been slapped with a three-match foul play ban.

NEWS: South African referee Aimee Barrett-Theron is set to make history when she officiates in the European Challenge Cup.

WATCH ten of the stand-out tries during Round nine of the United Rugby Championship.

WATCH as the Behind the Ruck duo - Springboks Rudy Paige and Juan de Jongh have an in-depth discussion with fellow Springbok Elton Jantjies.

SPOTLIGHT: Following 12 debutants during the 2024 season, Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus could use the 2025 incoming series Tests against Italy and Georgia to blood more players ahead of World Cup 2027. 

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Ireland and Ulster loose forward Nick Timoney has put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension with the province until 2027.

NEWS: Bristol Rugby Club Limited made a pre-tax loss of £5.5m for the 2023/24 financial year.

NEWS: Northampton Saints has announced on Thursday that assistant Coach, Matt Ferguson, will leave his role at the club at the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign when his contract ends.

NEWS: La Rochelle's France international wing Teddy Thomas has been banned for four weeks for a dangerous tackle in a Top 14 game against Clermont, the French national rugby league said Thursday.

INJURY UPDATE: Fabien Galthie is facing a midfield reshuffle for the Six Nations after it was confirmed that Gael Fickou underwent an operation last Monday.

SPOTLIGHT: Racing 92 head coach Stuart Lancaster has come out strong in his denial that he will be departing the Top 14 club any time soon.

TRANSFER NEWS: Saracens confirmed that Tom Parton has left the club to pursue an opportunity in Japan.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin believes social media sensation Ilona Maher is ideally placed to excite fans in the lead-up to this year's Women's World Cup in England.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: A six-team finals series might afford more time to make up for the ground lost early in the season.

LISTEN as Sharks coach John Plumtree talks about the vexed issue of South African-based players' 12-month season and the potential of 'burnout'.

OPINION: It's been a memorable year for the South African game and a year in general to remember, as @rugby365com look back at the highs and lows of 2024. 

MATCH REPORT: Dragons suffered New Year’s derby day misery as Scarlets surged to a 32-15 victory in the United Rugby Championship at Parc y Scarlets.

MATCH REPORT: The New Year's Day derby between Cardiff and Ospreys at the Arms Park ended in a 13-13 draw.

As we welcome the New Year, Rugby365 take stock of what has been achieved in 2024.

UPDATE: The Sharks are continuing to count the cost of their heartbreaking loss to the Stormers in a United Rugby Championship encounter this past weekend.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson reveals his plans for the remainder of their Europe and URC campaigns.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby Chairman Brett Robinson has penned an open letter to the rugby fraternity outlining why 2025 will be a landmark year for the sport on and off the field.

LISTEN as Sharks coach John Plumtree gives his take on the reports that Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is heading back to the Stormers.

OPINION: The year has come and gone, with many turning points, milestone and impressive climaxes.

WATCH as Stormers captain Deon Fourie speaks about letting the team's playmakers 'run wild'.

TRANSFER NEWS: Ireland international flyhalf Harry Byrne will join Bristol Bears on a three-month loan deal from Leinster.

NEW YEAR'S DAY PREVIEW: Cardiff will look to cement their place in the top three when Round Nine of the United Rugby Championship concludes on Wednesday.

Wales head into the 2025 Six Nations campaign with a massive concern as captain Dewi Lake undergoes surgery.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetah Queens' head coach, Aschin Klein, has unveiled his 2025 Women's Premier Division squad, striking a balance between experience and youth.

NEWS: Harlequins set a new World Record for a crowd at a women’s club rugby match during their Big Game 16 matchup with Leicester Tigers at Twickenham Stadium.

NEWS: Saracens lock Hugh Tizard had his verdict handed down to him following a dangerous charge during a Premiership clash against Newcastle Falcons on November 29. 

TOP 14 WRAP: Toulouse returned to the summit of the Top 14 standings on Sunday with a 38-23 home victory over Stade Francais. 

MATCH REPORT: Exeter surprised friend and foe defeating Gloucester by 22-15 to record their first win of the 2024/5 Premiership season. 

WRAP: Things are not going well for Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel's Eagles following Sunday's 18-36 defeat by the Steelers.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson gives some details on the latest setback suffered by Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

REACTION: Sharks coach John Plumtree gives an update on an injury list growing at an alarming rate.

REACTION: Mark McCall urged Saracens to use the pain from their record 10-68 Premiership loss to Bath at the weekend as fuel to get back on track.

MATCH REPORT: Ulster ended a five-match losing run in all competitions with a dogged 17-7 United Rugby Championship against Connacht in Galway.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Mark McCall urged Saracens to use the pain from their record 10-68 English Premiership defeat on Saturday against Bath as fuel to get back on track.

REPORT: The Stormers end their season on a high, beating the Sharks 24-20 in an intense coastal derby at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: The Lions lock Ruben Schoeman was handed a suspension after being shown a red card during his team's defeat to Stormers in Round Eight of the United Rugby Championship.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton kept their season alive with a hard-fought 24-12 bonus-point victory over Zebre in the United Rugby Championship. 

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Nine encounter between the Stormers and Sharks in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh managed to stun the defending United Rugby Championship champions to claim a hard-fought 10-7 win over Glasgow Warriors in the 1872 Cup decider.

SPOTLIGHT: Director of Rugby John Dobson does not have any reservations when it comes to the return of Siya Kolisi to the Stormers.

INTERVIEW: Springbok Franco Smith will be 'contemplating' his long-term coaching future, but that does not include a return to South Africa.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster claimed the festive derby spoils at a sold-out Thomond Park, winning 28-7 to hand Munster only their second home United Rugby Championship defeat of 2024.

NEWS: For the third time in 12 months the United Rugby Championship has set a new attendance record across a single round with 153,398 packing out stadiums in Round Eight.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Sale Sharks stopped free-scoring Bristol in their tracks with a stunning 38-0 whitewash at Ashton Gate on Friday to go third in the tournament standings.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson talks about the value of Warrick Gelant to the Cape Town franchise and his prospects of getting back into the Springbok frame.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers team for their last match of the year - a Round Nine United Rugby Championship encounter with the Sharks - has been named.

WATCH as we bring you some of the best refereeing chirps towards cgeeky players.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks team to play the Stormers in a United Rugby Championship Round Nine match in Cape Town has been bolstered by the return of a couple of international players.

PREVIEW: The Sharks will look to claim their first double over the Stormers in their last United Rugby Champions match of the year at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: Swansea RFC announced the passing of former Swansea and Wales and Barbarians forward Geoff Wheel.

MATCH REPORT: The Dragons squandered a 15-0 lead during the first-half as Cardiff scored four tries to deny the hosts a first win over their Welsh rivals at Rodney Parade in 10 years in Round 9 of the United Rugby Championship. 

PREVIEW: On Friday, the United Rugby Championship Round Nine kicks off with a massive battle between Irish giants Munster and Leinster.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: South African born Scotland international Pierre Schoeman has extended his stay in the Scottish capital after signing a three-year deal.

VIDEO: Kurt-Lee Arendse is one of the most devastating steppers in the game. He has now added a 'brutal' edge to his game

The Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus just keeps impressing and his latest move made it impossible for South African fans not to love him.

ROUND TWO PREVIEW: Japan's League One will once again cast its spotlight on some of South Africa's World Cup-winning Springboks.

ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW: The Dragons and Cardiff have named their teams for the United Rugby Championship Boxing Day derby.

NEWS: Ulster confirmed that wing, Jacob Stockdale, has signed a new two-year deal, keeping him at the province until at least 2027.

SPOTLIGHT: Following a three-year stint in Japan, lock JD Schickerling has made his way back to the Cape and picked up right where he left off.

OPINION: It is difficult to wish for anything when you already have so much.

OPINION: @king365ed looks at the downside of South Africa's move from Super Rugby to the various European competitions.

NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 9 fixtures have been confirmed.

SPOTLIGHT: With Christmas day falling in the middle of the week, Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani revealed the revised approach towards his team's training schedule as well as their approach on preparing for teams.

NEWS: South African born Scotland international Allan Dell will leave Glasgow Warriors with immediate effect.

INJURY UPDATE: Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani provided an update regarding the injury status of Springbok rookie Sasha-Feinburg Mngomezulu on Monday. 

INJURY UPDATE: Former Junior Springbok Thaakir Abrahams are one of many Munster players who find themselves on the casualty list.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White reflects on the last three weeks of horror losses - in the European Cup and URC.

STAT ATTACK: Getting on the right side of the referee has long been advocated as a quality all champion teams must possess but Opta data suggests the Springboks bucked the trend in 2024.

SPOTLIGHT: The weekend began with Munster centre Tom Farrell going over in the 79th minute to complete a hat-trick of tries and secure a 22-19 victory over Ulster in Belfast.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Leinster and Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw has signed a new two-year contract extension to club and country until the 2027/28 season.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and Stormers loose forward Deon Fourie spoke about his return to the pitch after eight months, and how he experienced the first match back after his side's 29-10 United Rugby Championship win over the Lions.

REACTION: While the rest of South Africa are looking to celebrate Christmas,'legal letters' are flying back-and-forth in the Eastern Province Rugby Union Presidential stand-off.

MATCH REPORT: Saracens climbed to third in on the Premiership table with a decisive 39-24 win at home to champions Northampton on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Johnny Matthews recorded a brace as Glasgow Warriors scored five tries in a 33-14 victory over rivals Edinburgh in the first leg of the 1872 Cup at Hampden Park.

REACTION: The Sharks head to Cape Town this coming week to face the Stormers, as the South African franchises look to finish the year on a high.

REACTION: Ruben Schoeman's red card was just one of several significant moments that caused the Lions' 10-29 defeat to Stormers.

WRAP: Springbok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse showed his immense talent as he scored a try on debut for his new Japan League One club Dynaboars.

REACTION: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson was satisfied and relieved following his side's 29-10 United Rugby Championship victory over the Lions. 

REACTION: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi's possible return to Cape Town may have progressed to 'high-level' talks between Sharks and Stormers administrators, but it is not a done deal yet.

WRAP: Former England coach Stuart Lancaster remains under pressure as Racing 92 director of rugby after the Parisians lost 17-21 at Montpellier in their fourth defeat in five games across all competitions.

WRAP: Bath overwhelmed Newcastle 40-15 to remain top of the English Premiership table on points difference on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster made it 10 wins from 10 in all competitions, but had to work hard for a 20-12 victory over Connacht at Lansdowne Road Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: Iestyn Hopkins scored a match-winning try with the game’s final action as Ospreys beat rivals Scarlets 23-22 in the United Rugby Championship.

MATCH REPORT: South African fullback Rhyno Smith landed an 81st-minute penalty as Benetton snatched a dramatic late (11-10) win over Zebre in an Italian United Rugby Championship derby.

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

INJURY UPDATE: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson provided details of Sasha Feinburg-Mngomezulu's injury - suffered in the 29-10 URC victory over the Lions.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks, despite a rash of injuries and late changes, managed to edge the Bulls 20-17 in a United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter at Kings Park, in Durban, on Saturday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter between the Stormers and Lions in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers ended a four-match losing streak with a comprehensive 29-10 over a toothless Lions team in a United Rugby Championship Round Eight match in Cape Town on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Back-to-back World Cups orchestrated by Rassie Erasmus with a long term prospect of the Boks joining the Six Nations.

MATCH REPORT: Gloucester beat Harlequins 14-0 at the Kingsholm Stadium on Friday night in Round Eight of the English Premiership.

MATCH REPORT: Ulster were denied an epic victory as Munster scored with the last play of the game in a Christmas cracker of an interpro at Ravenhill Stadium in Round 8 of the United Rugby Championship.

NEWS: Sir Bill Beaumont has been appointed Rugby Football Union chairman on an interim basis following the resignation of Tom Ilube

NEWS: Canada has appointed Steve Meehan as the new Head Coach.

PREVIEW: The four South African franchises are looking for some morsels of hagiographical news after a fortnight of horror shows in Europe.

NEWS: Warren Gatland will remain on as Wales head coach for the 2025 Six Nations.

NEWS: Nigel Walker has left his role as the executive director of rugby for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

NEWS: The Rugby Football Union Board Chairman Tom Ilube has vacated his position ahead of an in independent review of it's controversial pay scheme amid concerns for the game. 

NEWS: Using superstar veterans LeBron James and Tom Brady as examples, Christian Lealiifano has no plans to call time on his career by signing for Los Angeles in Major League Rugby.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Ulster utility back Micheal Lowry has signed a three-year-deal that will keep him in the Irish province until 2028.

SPOTLIGHT: Returning Stormer Deon Fourie opens up on his recovery journey after an eight-month absence due to a knee injury ahead of his side's United Rugby Championship clash against the Lions. 

NEWS: Five members of World Rugby's Dream Team are up for another major award.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Leicester and England scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet has inked a new deal with the Premiership outfit.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sergeal Petersen and Sintu Manjezi return to the Bulls' matchday squad with Cameron Hanekom making a positional switch. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers Director of Rugby of Rugby John Dobson has surprised with his captain for the United Rugby Championship Round Eight encounter with the Lions on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have selected two Springboks in Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe alongside rookie flyhalf Sam Francis for their United Rugby Championship clash against the Stormers in Cape Town.

WATCH as BOKS OFFICE host Hanyani Shimange alongside fellow Springboks Robbie Fleck and Nick Mallett select their best XV playing in the Champions Cup abroad. 

PREVIEW: La Rochelle host Clermont in the French Top 14 on Saturday with an Australian feel to both clubs' hefty second row forwards.

SPOTLIGHT: While he is yet to make a call on his coaching future, Joe Schmidt is continuing to plan for next year's touring British and Irish Lions with the Wallabies assembling next month.

CONTRACT SIGNING: Ireland Sevens star Zac Ward has put pen to paper with United Rugby Championship outfit Ulster on a three-year deal.

PREVIEW: Former Harlequins boss Tabai Matson will hunt his maiden win as Black Rams Tokyo coach when he takes his men to Suzuka on Saturday to face Mie Heat in the opening match of the fourth edition of Japan Rugby League One.

INJURY UPDATE: Sharks head coach John Plumtree provided an injury update regarding the missing Springboks from his side's United Rugby Championship Round 8 clash against the Bulls this weekend. 

NEWS: Glasgow's Stafford McDowall was handed a three-match suspension following an incident against Toulon in the Champions Cup last weekend.

WATCH as @king365ed sat down with Warren Wheatley, Chief Investment Officer of Altvest Capital, to dive deeper into their equity deal.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The United Rugby Championship is back and the results so far have already made it very clear - EVERY GAME COUNTS.

SPOTLIGHT: Leinster's World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber says they are privileged to be experiencing a season like no other.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks welcome the return of several Springboks ahead of their Round 8 United Rugby Championship clash against the Bulls at Kings Park. 

NEWS: World 15s Player of the Year Ellie Kildunne has signed a new multi-year contract with Harlequins.

NEWS: Cheetahs flanker Gideon van der Merwe will go under the knife on Friday after he was transported off the pitch in the Challenge Cup fixture against Cardiff last weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls loose forward Marcell Coetzee believes that this weekend's United Rugby Championship clash against his former team - the Sharks will be a tough but exciting battle. 

NEWS: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has called for an independent review of its controversial executive pay scheme amid concerns for the game.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and Bulls loose forward Elrich Louw identified the errors his side made in their 21-30 Champions Cup loss to Northampton Saints this past weekend, ahead of their upcoming United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks. 

NEWS: Sharks and Springbok centre Andre Esterhuizen says the demands of travelling to Europe are “tough” and will continue to be until a solution is found.

WATCH as former Springbok head coach Nick Mallet alongside former Springbok centre Robbie Fleck and BOKS OFFICE host Hanyani Shimange explains why teams should focus on just one competition regarding the Champions Cup that's played in-between competitions and not aim to win 'the double'. 

NEWS: The Western Force will be without several players for the upcoming season, including veteran scrumhalf Kendra Fell.

WATCH as Stormers and Springbok lock Salmaan Moerat talks about this week's #BIG URC derby encounter with the Lions.

NEWS: The United Rugby Championship welcomed the Federazione Italiana Rugby's invitation for greater investment into the franchise held by Zebre.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Wales and Cardiff utility back Ben Thomas has put pen to paper that will see him remain in the blue and black at the Arms Park.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Glasgow and Scotland prop Zander Fagerson has signed a multi-year deal with the Warriors ahead of this weekend's 1872 Cup clash against Edinburgh. 

NEWS: Cardiff captain Liam Belcher has signed a contract extension at the Arms Park.

NEWS: Harlequins captain Alex Dombrandt became the 10th player to sign a contract extension in recent weeks.

As he looks back on his ten years at the helm, United Rugby Championship chief executive Martin Anayi is in no doubt over his proudest achievement.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and former Stormers captain Corne Krige has identified a new set of challenges regarding the Champions Cup.

WATCH as former Springbok head coach Nick Mallett alongside former Springbok Robbie Fleck and BOKS OFFICE host Hanyani Shimange express his frustration with the South African team's poor performance in the Champions Cup and begs the question if it's worthwhile for these sides to play in the prestigious competition.

NEWS: Glasgow's Stafford McDowall has been cited for an incident during Sunday’s Champions Cup defeat by Toulon in France

NEWS: The news that James Ryan signed a new three-year IRFU deal to remain at Leinster has pleased coach Jacques Nienaber.

SPOTLIGHT: The debate around the Springbok No.8 position - or rather a more frequent starter - intensified with the advent of the European season.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has revealed the new board members who will take office in the New Year.

REACTION: Famed Australian broadcaster and former Wallaby coach Alan Jones said he is "certainly not guilty" of alleged historical sex crimes, after his first court appearance.

INJURY REPORT: George Furbank could miss the start of England’s Six Nations campaign after fracturing his arm in Northampton’s victory over the Bulls on Saturday.

NEWS: The Government has been warned to keep a close eye on Premiership clubs “teetering on the edge” after a new report set out the cost to taxpayers of three top-flight clubs going under.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: This weekend is the ideal opportunity for the Stormers to remind South Africa why they are one of the top teams.

WATCH as Lions defence coach Jaque Fourie opens up about slump in form utility back Sanele Nohamba.

INJURY UPDATE: Following their 16-53 hammering against the Harlequins in the Champions Cup, the Stormers are set for a massive injury boost ahead of the United Rugby Championship return.

NEWS: Toby Booth has left the Ospreys with immediate effect with Mark Jones taking over as head coach.

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

NEWS: Ireland star Bundee Aki has signed a new one-year contract extension with the Ireland Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and will remain in Galway with Connacht until the end of the 2025/26 season.

OPINION: In the wake of the Springbok Women's astounding phoenix-like status having risen out of the ashes this year comes a stark realisation that the women's game is still treated as an unnecessary expense at domestic level.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Springbok prop Ox Nche has signed a new deal that will keep him in Durban until at least June 2028. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: More than one year after the Rugby World Cup Final in Paris, former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster stated he couldn’t help but continue to revisit the game in his head. 

NEWS: Black Ferns star Michaela Blyde will play for the Warriors in the club’s return to the NRLW next year.

NEWS: The Federazione Italiana Rugby will decide Zebre Parma’s future in a meeting scheduled on Tuesday, December 17, but it seems the struggling franchise will close its doors next June.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: England and Leicester Tigers lock Ollie Chessum has signed a new deal with the Premiership club.

NEWS: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is set to receive another prestigious award because of his passion, devotion, and brilliance in leading the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2019 and 2023.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok and Leicester Tigers flyhalf Handre Pollard was full of praise of the Champions Cup following his side's dismantling of the Sharks on Saturday. 

NEWS: Andrew Porter has signed a new two-year contract with Ireland and Leinster until 2027.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Leinster and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has signed a two-year contract extension with club and country until the end of the 2026/7 season. 

NEWS: The start of a new Japanese rugby season will provide the Wallabies' hierarchy with more than passing interest as the countdown to the British & Irish Lions tour begins.

SPOTLIGHT: Following another disappointing weekend for South African franchises in the Champions Cup, it may be time to reconsider their involvement in the elite club competition. 

NEWS: Concluding 10 years with the USA Men’s Eagles this fall, captain Greg Peterson announced his official retirement from professional rugby.

NEWS: Australia’s Under 18 Boys were crowned champions of the Global Youth Sevens in Auckland on Sunday, winning their first title since 2016.

NEWS: Accomplished veteran and USA Eagle, Kris Thomas announced their retirement from international rugby.

MATCH REPORT: Ten-try Toulouse proved too strong for Exeter Chiefs as they recorded a memorable 64-21 victory in the Champions Cup on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors' late fightback was not enough to overhaul Toulon in a gripping Champions Cup encounter, going down 29-30.

SUNDAY WRAP: Connacht dug deep to produce a five-tries-to-two win in Perpignan which keeps them firmly on course for a place in the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Liam Williams marked his second Saracens debut with a try as the English side won away at ill-disciplined Stade Francais on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Relentless Benetton edged Bath by the slimmest of margins, clocking a close 22-21 victory in the Champions Cup on Sunday.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White expressed his frustration of his side's inability to finish off try scoring opportunities that ultimately led to the hosts' 21-30 loss against Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup.

REACTION: The Cheetahs became desperate after a barrage of injuries in the first half stunted their fight against Cardiff as they were downed 10-26 on Saturday night.

REACTION: In what was arguably one of the most Bizarre games in the 2024/5 Challenge Cup, with inclement weather at the centre of it, the Lions managed to get their campaign underway with a 43-35 win over Pau at Ellis Park. 

REACTION: Following the 16-53 hammering against Harlequins in the Champions Cup at Twickenham Stoop, Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson and captain Salmaan Moerat expressed their disappointment but shed light on the positives from the match. 

MATCH REPORT: La Rochelle made it two from two in the Champions Cup after dispatching Bristol Bears by 35-7 at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday. 

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers' woes continued on Saturday evening after going down to Harlequins by 16-53 in the Champions Cup at Twickenham Stoop.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Two encounter between Cardiff and the Cheetahs at Arms Park.

MATCH REPORT: Three second-half tries helped Cardiff to a bonus-point win over the Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup on Saturday evening.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Two encounter between Harlequins and the Stormers at Twickenham Stoop in London.

MATCH REPORT: Handre Pollard produced a man-of-the-match performance in Leicester's 56-17 win over the Sharks at Welford Road in Round Two of the Champions Cup.

SATURDAY WRAP: Ospreys suffered a massive defeat at the hands of Montpellier in their Challenge Cup encounter on Saturday, going down 15-59.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster recorded a hard-fought 15-7 win over Clermont in the Champions Cup at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions kept their Challenge Cup hopes alive with a convincing 43-35 victory over Pau in a stop-start affair due to inclement weather at Ellis Park. 

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Two encounter between Leicester Tigers and the Sharks at Welford Road.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Two encounter between the Lions and Section Paloise at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls' Champions Cup campaign hangs in the balance after they suffered a 21-30 defeat to Northampton Saints in their Round Two clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: It was as if Bordeaux had had no time away from the pitch since last week’s impressive Leicester Tigers win as they put new meaning into ‘hit the ground running’.

SPOTLIGHT: Tyrone Green has always dreamed of being a Springbok but he would never view an England call-up as second prize.

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

WRAP: Sale Sharks revived their Champions Cup hopes and struck back for English clubs as they beat Racing 92 29-7 on a rainy Friday in Manchester.

NEWS: A French court jailed three players formerly with French side Grenoble for 12 to 14 years over the 2017 gang rape of a student after a drunken night out.

SEASON PREVIEW: Many members of the top-ranked and champion Springbok team will enter the spotlight in Japan's League One 2024-25 season.

MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh claimed a dominant 52-12 home win over Aviron Bayonnais on Friday, to go top of Pool Three after two rounds of the Challenge Cup season.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The Sharks can take a huge step towards qualification for the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup if they can upset Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla opens up on his remarkable comeback journey from a potential career-ending car crash injury to making his on-field comeback for the Stormers this past weekend against Toulon in the Champions Cup. 

NEWS: Felix Jones is officially no longer a Rugby Football Union (RFU) employee after he was finally allowed to quit on Friday as Steve Borthwick’s England team defence coach.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: After a disappointing start to their Challenge Cup campaigns, the Cheetahs and the Lions will be hoping to bounce back with strong showings in Round Two.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi will lead the Sharks in their Round Two Champions Cup clash with the Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Elrigh Louw is among eight changes made to the Bulls side that will take on Northampton Saints in the second round of the 2024/25 Champions Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has opted to rotate his squad for their final home game of 2024.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs made two changes to their match day squad as they look to pick up their first win of the Challenge Cup season at Cardiff Arms Park.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Salmaan Moerat makes his return from injury and will captain the Stormers in the Champions Cup clash with Harlequins in London on Saturday.

EXPLAINER: @OwainJTJones untangles the method behind the selection of the @RugbyPass Top 100 players for #2024!

FRIDAY PREVIEW: England and British & Lions lock Jonny Hill starts for the first time since January as Alex Sanderson makes eight changes to his starting line-up to face Racing 92 in Round Two of the Champions Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: Handre Pollard’s insider knowledge of fellow Springbok world champions will be a massive asset for Leicester in their Champions Cup Round Two clash against the Sharks at Welford Road on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers assistant coach Norman Laker believes there is something very familiar about Marcus Smith's approach to games.

NEWS: Police searching for missing former England player Tom Voyce said Thursday they had found a body in the river where his car was swept away in a storm.

NEWS: The Lions have a mammoth task to bounce back when they host Pau in Round Two of the Challenge Cup at Ellis Park this weekend and might have to do so without their Springbok.

PREVIEW: Edinburgh welcomes the return of eight Scotland internationals for Friday's Challenge Cup Round Two encounter with Aviron Bayonnais.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Toulon forward Yannick Youyoutte received a five-week ban for his red card in last weekend's Champions Cup Round One clash against the Stormers in Gqeberha.

NEWS: England Rugby has announced that an England XV will take on a France XV at Twickenham on Saturday June 21, 2025.

NEWS: Marcus Smith has put pen to paper on a new long-term deal to stay at Harlequins until at least 2028.

NEWS: The Olympic Gold medal-winning Black Ferns Sevens have swept the New Zealand Rugby Awards in 2024.

SPOTLIGHT: Hosts Harlequins and the Stormers are both coming off disheartening losses in Round One of the Champions Cup. Who will bounce back?

NEWS: The winner of South Africa’s Players’ Player of the Year award for 2024 has been revealed.

NEWS: Some of the biggest stars of the Australian Sevens program have linked with Super Rugby Women's teams in a bid to earn Wallaroos selection for the Women's World Cup 2025.

WATCH as Boks Office crew analyses Springbok captain Siya Kolisi's move from openside flank to No.8.

SPOTLIGHT: The Top 10 of Rugbypass' Top 100 has been revealed

A fundraising page has been set up for Springbok Andre Snyman, who is battling a 'brain tumour'.

NEWS: The Irish Rugby Football Union announced the appointment of Neil Doak as the Under-20 coach for 2025.

NEWS: England loose forward Tom Curry will miss Sale's Champions Cup match against Racing 92 on Friday for a stem-cell procedure on his chronic hip condition according to the BBC.

NEWS: The qualification pathway to the next World Cup begins next year with the launch of the "Journey to Australia 2027” for teams that are yet to qualify.

REACTION: The Lions rejected, out of hand, reports suggesting they supported the South African Rugby Union in last Friday's contentious equity vote.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls and Springbok prop Gerhard Steenekamp has shed light on where the Bulls went wrong against Saracens last weekend ahead of their must-win Champions Cup clash against Northampton Saints this weekend.

NEWS: Scotland international and British and Irish Lion Duhan van der Merwe has committed his long-term future to Edinburgh by signing a multi-year contract. 

NEWS: The Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 has officially revealed its logo and visual identity, marking a milestone in preparations for the tournament set to take place in Australia.

NEWS: France international prop Mohamed Haouas, who will be tried on February 4 for drunk driving, has been suspended indefinitely by his club Montpellier.

NEWS: Police said on Tuesday they had recovered the car of rugby player Tom Voyce from a river in northeast England after Storm Darragh and feared that the former international was dead.

INJURY UPDATE: Ulster has confirmed that wing Ben Moxham will miss the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury.

NEWS: An Argentine court on Tuesday dismissed rape charges against two French international rugby players accused of assaulting a woman after playing a match in the country in July.

NEWS: Irish powerhouse Leinster has paid a dear price for their success this season.

WATCH as the Boks Office crew discusses the biggest injustice of the year.

`OPINION: The Sharks' chances of hosting a Champions Cup quarterfinal may hinge on an away win at Leicester this Saturday.

NEWS: Fiji forwards coach Graham Dewes and New Zealand Under-20 head coach Jono Gibbes will add their expertise to the Chiefs as Assistant Coaches for the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific season.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are set to bolster their second row for Saturday's Champions Cup Round Two clash against Harlequins in London.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls have a knack for developing top-class locks and JF van Heerden is following in some big footsteps.

EXCLUSIVE: @king365ed sat down with Warren Wheatley Chief Investment Officer of Altvest Capital - the latest party in SARU's equity playpen.

SPOTLIGHT: @king365ed looks at what was a weekend of horrors for the South African teams in the opening round of European competitions.

SPOTLIGHT: The next batch of RugbyPass’ Top 100 for 2024 (20-11) has been revealed and only one Springbok made the cut.

NEWS: Hendre Stassen is apparently on his way back to France where he was suspended for doping for four years.

NEWS: Rugby Australia has revealed an ambitious plan to return rugby to its glory days, with lofty goals for the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship.

NEWS: A Black Ferns-All Blacks double-header at the Wellington Regional Stadium will be the centre point of an action-packed 2025 domestic Test season featuring nine matches across New Zealand.

CONTRACT EXTENSION: Munster duo Gavin Coombes and Shane Daly has commited to the Irish province by signing two-year contract extensions.

NEWS: Ireland flank Josh van der Flier has been crowned the Player of the Series for the 2024 November internationals. 

NEWS: The NFL has announced its International Player Pathway programme class of 2025, which includes seven players from both rugby union and rugby league.

SPOTLIGHT: Despite being ill ahead of the tournament, BlitzBok playmaker Dewald Human was determined to contribute to his team's success in the HSBC Cape Town SVNS.

NEWS: The 12 clubs in English rugby's second tier have united in their demand for a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the Rugby Football Union.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree believes he is getting the best out of Siya Kolisi in the No.8 position.

NEWS: Pat Lam says Bristol will give it a “real good go” when they face a second major Champions Cup test in succession against La Rochelle next Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers have suffered three injury blows following their 14-24 Champions Cup defeat to Toulon in Gqeberha. 

REACTION: The Sharks' squad depth will be tested in the coming weeks after a few more names were added to the injury list.

NEWS: A two-time World Cup winner and All Black centurion is in the running for a position on the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Board.

SPOTLIGHT: Five South Africans, including Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, appear in the next batch of RugbyPass’ Top 100 of 2024 (40-21) revealed on Monday morning.

WRAP: The home crowd lifted the roof off the Cape Town Stadium as their heroes South Africa came from behind against France in a thrilling final to lift the trophy.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Reds are set to bolster their Super Rugby squad further after securing the services of All Black and Chiefs prop Aidan Ross from July 2025 on a two-year-deal.

NEWS: The Māori All Blacks will play Scotland in Whangārei in 2025 with the historic fixture marking 25 years since the two sides last met.

SUNDAY WRAP: Defending champions Toulouse produced a stunning opening to their Champions Cup campaign as they hammered Ulster 61-21 in Pool One on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Section Paloise issued a warning to their Challenge Cup rivals with a 32-19 triumph over Newcastle Falcons in a Round One, Pool wo, encounter at Stade du Hameau, in Pau, on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round One encounter between Ospreys and the Lions in Swansea.

MATCH REPORT: Ospreys taught a decaying Lions team a dear lesson in the European game, beating them 30-14 in their Round One Challenge Cup match - a fixture moved to Llanelli.

WRAP: New Zealand followed up second place in Dubai with a third victory in Cape Town to round out 2024 with a title celebration and steal an early march on the HSBC SVNS Series ahead of the break before Perth.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round One encounter between the Cheetahs and Perpignan in Amsterdam.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs and Perpignan played to a dramatic 20-all draw in their Challenge Cup opening round match at the National Rugby Centre in Amsterdam on Sunday.

REACTION: The Bulls were not "street smart" against a clinical Saracens side in blustery conditions in London on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Scrumhalf George Horne scored a hat-trick of tries as Glasgow Warriors thumped Sale Sharks 38-19 in their Champions Cup clash at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Connacht scored seven tries on their way to an impressive 43-12 win over Zebre Parma in their Challenge Cup opener on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: French giants Racing started their Champions Cup campaign with a hard-fought 23-12 win over Harlequins in Paris on Saturday.

REACTION: Two Stormers players ended in hospital as their season of horrors took another turn for the worse at the weekend.

MATCH REPORT: Munster got their European campaign off to an excellent start after securing a bonus-point 33-7 win over Stade Francais at Thomond Park.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round One encounter between Saracens and the Bulls in London.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls were outplayed in blustery conditions on their way to a 5-27 defeat to Saracens in London on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Cardiff had to settle for a solitary bonus point after Lyon kicked off their Challenge Cup campaign with 37-win at Matmut Stadium de Gerland.

MATCH REPORT: Joris Segonds kicked a penalty in the 76th minute as Bayonnais edged Scarlets by one point in a Challenge Cup thriller at Stade Jean Dauger on Saturday.

WRAP: The eyes of fans at Cape Town will be on Sunday's first semi-final as the BlitzBoks - who missed out on a fifth title in a row in the desert - take on Spain. The Spanish proved their run to the final last weekend was no fluke with two impressive wins in Pool B.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round One encounter between the Stormers and Toulon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

MATCH REPORT: Three-times European champions Toulon taught the Stormers a lesson in game-management to come from behind and win their Champions Cup Round One outing 24-14 in Port Elizabeth, on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints launched their Champions Cup title charge with a dominant display over Castres Olympique on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Black Lion captain and flyhalf Luka Matkava scored 15 of his team's points as the Georgian outfit recorded a 22-19 win over French club RC Vannes in their Challenge Cup opener on Saturday.

NEWS: The Bulls’ Director of Rugby, Jake White, has come out in defence of his Springbok back Canan Moodie, saying he never intended to criticise the player.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: The Cheetahs may be eyeing Super Rugby for more international exposure. but for now they are determined to make their mark in Europe.

NEWS: Due to structural damages at the Swansea Stadium, caused by storm Darragh, the Ospreys versus Lions Challenge Cup match on Sunday, has been relocated to Parc y Scarlets.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks kicked off their 2024/2025 Champions Cup campaign with a 39-21 bonus-point win over Exeter Chiefs in Durban on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: French club Clermont got their European campaign off to the perfect start, with a bonus-point 28-0 win over Italian rivals Benetton at Stade Marcel-Michelin on Saturday.

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

MATCH REPORT: The Springbok Sevens team scored six tries as they Ireland by 36-7 in their pool opener at the HSBC SVNS Cape Town on a sunny and warm Saturday morning.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: South Africa's participation in the Champions Cup enters its third season and fans and pundits will be wondering if the Bulls, Sharks or Stormers can go all the way and make some history.

REACTION: Bath boss Johann van Graan was left to reflect on “small margins” after his team lost their opening Champions Cup game 20-24 against La Rochelle on Friday.

MATCH REPORT: The Dragons slipped to defeat in their Challenge Cup opener against Montpellier in merciless conditions in Newport on Friday.

MATCH REPORT: Bath’s Champions Cup hopes suffered an immediate setback as twice-winners La Rochelle triumphed 24-20 at the Recreation Ground.

MATCH REPORT: Gloucester defied tough conditions to get their European Challenge Cup campaign off to a successful start with a hard-fought 15-10 win over Edinburgh at Kingsholm.

REACTION: Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture has blasted the infamous Win-by-1 equity offer to the South African Rugby Union as 'opportunistic'.

SPOTLIGHT: Round Three of RugbyPass’ Top 100 Men’s Rugby Players of 2024 is out (41-60) and only two Springboks have been included in this batch.

PREVIEW: Following a spectacular opening round in Dubai last weekend, Australia and Fiji lead the women’s and men’s HSBC SVNS standings after claiming gold in Dubai with victories over New Zealand and Spain respectively.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hooker Joseph Dweba and loose forward Willie Engelbrecht will both play their 50th match for the Stormers in the Champions Cup clash with RC Toulon in Gqeberha on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Sharks head coach John Plumtree provided an update on Lukhanyo Am after the centre was left out of his matchday squad for Saturday's Champions Cup clash against Exeter Chiefs in Durban.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ruben de Haas will be one of the stalwarts and experienced men in the Cheetahs side when they face Perpignan in their opening Challenge Cup clash against Perpignan on Sunday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has unveiled his matchday squad for Saturday's Champion Cup showdown against the Exeter Chiefs in Durban.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen has made 14 changes, and a positional switch, to his starting XV for their opening match in the Challenge Cup.

TEAM ANNNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has revealed his team to face Saracens in their Champions Cup Pool Three clash in London on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are set to come up against a familiar face in their Champions Cup Round One clash against Saracens in London on Saturday.

NEWS: The South African Rugby Union's leadership were given a collective 'bloody nose' on Friday.

NEWS: Cardiff wing Iwan Stephen will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in training.

NEWS: Brive has landed the signature of South African lock Irne Herbst for next season.

NEWS: World Cup 2025 has already smashed records as the fastest-selling edition of the tournament ever, with more than 220,000 tickets sold to date.

NEWS: The Brumbies have signed Tongan international prop Feao Fotuaika for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Round One of the 2024/2025 Champions Cup season will kick off with a mouth-watering clash.

NEWS: Steve Hansen said Friday it was "wonderful" to be reunited in Japan with former All Blacks coaching colleague Ian Foster, the pair having won the World Cup together.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Challenge Cup finalists Gloucester start their campaign hosting an Edinburgh side who also came second best in the quarterfinals to eventual winners the Sharks last season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Double series winner and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mfundo Ndlovu will make a welcome return to the Blitzboks squad this weekend. 

CONTRACT EXTENSION: “Home is where the heart is”, says Bulls and Junior Springbok forward Corne Beets who has signed a new 2-year contract with the Pretoria based side.

NEWS: A year after suffering serious nerve damage in a car accident, Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla has completed a remarkable comeback by signing a new contract with the Cape side.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former Junior Springbok and Western Province centre Damian Markus has joined the Blue Revs in Japan for the 2024/5 League One season. 

SPOTLIGHT: Round Two of Rugbypass' Top 100 Men's Rugby Players have officially been revealed on Thursday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks may be on a high after a three-match winning streak at Kings Park, but the winless Exeter Chiefs could ambush them this week.

NEWS: Former Scotland rugby union captain Stuart Hogg has been sentenced to a five-year non-harassment order and fined after breaching bail.

SPOTLIGHT: On Thursday morning former Springbok coach John Williams passed away.

SPOTLIGHT: The South African Rugby Union's Special General Meeting in Cape Town on Friday could send the national body 'back to the drawing board'.

NEWS: World Rugby unveiled the dates and destinations of the three tournaments where 12 men’s and women’s teams from all six global regions will battle for HSBC SVNS promotion.

NEWS: Canada and Head Coach Kingsley Jones have mutually agreed to part ways.

SPOTLIGHT: Ahead of his 50th game for the Stormers, Joseph Dweba says that he never thought he would reach the half-century mark for the blue and white hoops.

NEWS: France has declined overtures from New Zealand to play a Test in the USA in the summer of 2025, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) president Florian Grill said.

NEWS: Clermont's Samoan back row forward Fritz Lee will be sentenced for aggravated assault next year, the public prosecutor's office in the French town announced on Wednesday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will have their work cut out for them when they square off with French giants Toulon in Round One of the Champions Cup this weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi is embracing a "versatile" role in the Sharks squad as his team gears up for their first Champions Cup showdown of the season.

SPOTLIGHT: A year ago, Siviwe Soyizwapi was amongst the Cape Town Stadium faithful urging the South African Sevens on at the HSBC SVNS Cape Town stadium.

SPOTLIGHT: Rugbypass' Top 100 Men’s Rugby Players of 2024 has officially been launched on Wednesday. 

SPOTLIGHT: Saracens boss Mark McCall says his team will be up against a Bulls side that has proven that they can be a danger in all areas of the game.

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY: The scourge of former Chief Executive Officer Jurie Roux continues to hang over the South African Rugby Union like dark cloud.

NEWS: Bulls flank Mpilo Gumede was handed a suspension after being shown a red card in his side's victory over Connacht in Galway.

SPOTLIGHT: The return of the Sharks offers hope that the third season of the South African participation in the prestigious Champions Cup will be the one where a significant barrier is crossed for those World Cup winners thirsting to cross a new frontier.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MyPlayers announced their shortlist for Women's Players' Player of the Year on Monday and a couple of incredible athletes made the list.

WATCH as Bulls utility back David Kriel talks about the Pretoria franchise's opening match in the European Cup - against Saracens at the Barnet Copthall complex in London on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Gloucester is holding thumbs that two of their stars will be ready to face Edinburgh at Kingsholm in their Challenge Cup match on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: Leinster received some good news ahead of the Champions Cup Round One match against Bristol Bears on Sunday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote expressed his satisfaction with the first of two SA Rugby Under-19 Academy camps, which ended in Stellenbosch on Sunday, with the second camp kicking off this weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: The Blitzboks assembled in Cape Town on Tuesday without forward Ryan Oosthuizen who suffered a concussion in Dubai this past weekend. 

NEWS: As the curtain closes on an exhilarating 2024 season, MyPlayers is proud to reveal the nominees for the prestigious Players’ Player of the Year Awards.