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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEWS: Gloucester announced that loose forward Ruan Ackermann has extended his contract at the club.

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

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

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

ROUND SIX: For the second time in less than six months, the Sevens World Series returns to Los Angeles this weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wales captain Ken Owens said on Friday his team desperately need to beat England in the Six Nations this weekend to restore pride in the Welsh jersey after turbulent times that saw a player strike averted midweek.

SUPER RUGBY FRIDAY WRAP: There were wins for the Chiefs and the Brumbies on the opening day of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

CATCH-UP GAMES PREVIEW: It has been a challenging and exhausting week for the Lions players, as the Ellis Park-based franchise looks to end a five-match United Rugby Championship losing streak.

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

UPDATE: Despite their stony silence, the South African Rugby Union is receiving increasing pressure from lobby groups over the axing of Tel Aviv Heat from the Mzansi Challenge.

SPOTLIGHT: Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos says Eddie Jones will have carte blanche at the selection table but still expects to butt heads with the new Wallabies coach.

NEWS: Former Saracens and Racing Metro 92 lock Simon Raiwalui will coach Fiji at the Rugby World Cup, it was announced Friday.

SIX NATIONS, ROUND THREE: Threatened player strike assuaged, Wales will now focus on a first win in this season's Six Nations when they take on England in Cardiff on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have made some significant adjustments to their matchday 23 ahead of the United Rugby Championship Round Six catch-up match against Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park on Saturday.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND NINE: Their attention might be drifting towards each other but neither Wild Knights nor Kubota Spears can afford to take their eyes off this weekend's opponents, as Japan Rugby League One’s remaining unbeaten sides play their final match before a potential top-of-the-table showdown.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Tighthead prop Mohamed Haouas replaces suspended Uini Atonio in holders France's team to face Scotland in the Six Nations this weekend, head coach Fabien Galthie said on Friday.

NEWS: The All Blacks XV will play two matches in Japan against the Japan XV in Tokyo and Japan's National Team, the Brave Blossoms in Kumamoto this July.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend said on Friday flank Hamish Watson is fully fit to return to the team to face France in the Six Nations this weekend after suffering from concussion.

NEWS: Eddie Jones expects Taniela Tupou to become the world's best tighthead prop, admitting the 26-year-old has been found out by Test rivals after arriving on the scene "in a blaze of glory".

N THE SPOTLIGHT: Curwin Bosch has fallen back in love with the game of rugby and is ready to deliver another match-winning performance for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship against an Ulster outfit hunting a second win on South African soil.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks team to meet Ulster in their rescheduled Round Six URC match at Kings Park on Saturday shows minimal changes to the side that defeated the Lions last weekend.

NEWS: Stormers Head Coach John Dobson has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the helm until at least 2027.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales coach Warren Gatland has named the team to play England in a Six Nations Round Four encounter in Cardiff on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS, ROUND THREE: Italy head coach Kieran Crowley admits that he does have a slight concern over his playmaker Paolo Garbisi ahead of his team's Six Nations Round Three clash against Ireland in Rome on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell made six changes to the team that will face Italy in the Six Nations Round three match on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy have made three changes to the team that will face Ireland in their Six Nations Round three clash.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company issued a stern warning to all fans against the use of third-party outlets and online websites when obtaining tickets for matches at Loftus Versfeld.

UPDATE: The in-house turmoil at the Lions' Ellis Park home base took a few intriguing twists this week.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Scotland scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw said his former side must be wary of France's ability in broken play during Sunday's Six Nations meeting in Paris.

INJURY UPDATE: Talismanic flyhalf Johnny Sexton has been ruled out of unbeaten Ireland's Six Nations match with Italy on Saturday.

INVESTIGATION: @king365ed goes behind the scenes to find out just how deep the rot is at a decaying Lions Rugby Company!

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber unpacks the reasons for the national training camp in Cape Town.

TEAM NEWS: England back row forward Tom Curry will play no part at all in this season's Six Nations after being ruled out for at least four weeks with a torn hamstring.

A spectacular 50:22 kick - from his own 22 - at Loftus Versfeld was a reminder of the magic that Morné Steyn has produced so many times before, and when called upon continues to produce at the age of 38.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has opted for continuity for their Six Nations Round three match against Wales on Saturday.

Italy are at last finding their feet in Test rugby thanks to a mix of talented young players and the "level-headed" approach of coach Kieran Crowley, former flyhalf Ian McKinley.

Wales captain Ken Owens said he hoped the country would no longer be the "laughing stock" of rugby now Saturday's Six Nations against England had been confirmed after a potential strike by Welsh players was averted.

BREAKING NEWS: Wales' Six Nations international against England will go ahead as scheduled.

TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers have appointed Dan McKellar to the role of Head Coach, on a long-term deal, commencing from July 1.

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber explains how the team has 'evolved' since winning the World Cup in 2019.

NEWS: Wallabies assistant coach Dan McKellar and scrum coach Petrus du Plessis have resigned from their respective positions effective immediately.

Experienced scrumhalf Baptiste Serin has been added to France's Six Nations squad instead of Nolann Le Garrec, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced.

NEWS: All Blacks coach Ian Foster admitted Wednesday it was "highly unlikely" that he would be in charge next year, as speculation grows in New Zealand about his future.

STAT ATTACK: Jasper Wiese has put his hand up once again to be the first-choice pick for South Africa's No.8 jersey when the World Cup starts later this year.

TRANSFER NEWS: French side Toulon has signed English international David Ribbans for three seasons.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers' strong defensive performance in Saturday's North-South derby helped pave the way for their victory.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: England centre Manu Tuilagi received a ban on Tuesday after being sent off playing for club side Sale Sharks last weekend.

NEWS: The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has until Wednesday to clear up their decision regarding the Tel Aviv Heat and the Mzansi challenge the Israel Rugby Union (IRU) confirmed. 

REACTION: Lions Company CEO Rudolf Straeuli is not about to sweep any perceived administrative issues and player unhappiness under the carpet.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks will not deviate from their counter-attacking plan, despite the loss of fullback Aphelele Fassi ahead of their crucial United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster this weekend.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: A long-haul flight on your way to a Test debut can feel like it lasts forever, especially if that first appearance for your country was the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and sacrifices.

England captain Owen Farrell expressed sympathy for his Wales opponents as he urged his side to relish the challenge of playing in Cardiff should Saturday's strike-threatened Six Nations international go ahead.

NEWS: Wales coach Warren Gatland has delayed naming his team for Saturday's strike-threatened Six Nations clash against England in Cardiff, a Welsh Rugby Union spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday.

VARSITY CUP WRAP: Defending champions UP-Tuks were shocked on home turf in Pretoria when UFS Shimlas scored a narrow 26-25 victory, while Maties sneak past Ikeys at the Danie Craven Stadium.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: A bumper Sydney crowd doesn't faze Allan Alaalatoa and his Brumbies as they kick off their Super Rugby Pacific campaign against their biggest rivals.

REACTION: SA Rugby President Mark Alexander has responded to reports suggesting he is fearing for his life due to the Mzansi challenge saga.

SPOTLIGHT: Courtney Lawes could make an England comeback in this weekend's Six Nations clash against Wales, but Tom Curry's hopes of a Test return have been scuppered by an unspecified leg injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers loose forward Deon Fourie is slowly but surely booking his spot in the Springboks' 2023 World Cup squad.

SPOTLIGHT: Warren Gatland is confident Wales' clash with England on Saturday will go ahead and hopes the dispute between his players and the Welsh Rugby Union will be resolved.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok Sibusiso Nkosi's return for the Bulls' United Rugby Championship fixture against Stormers is a testimony of how support can nullify the stigma around mental health in rugby.

INJURY UPDATE: Joey Carbery has been called up to the enlarged Ireland squad for Saturday's Six Nations match with Italy as talismanic flyhalf Johnny Sexton is undergoing rehab for a groin injury he suffered in the 32-19 win over France over a week ago.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers got what they were hoping for when Glasgow Warriors pipped Ulster at Scotstoun, but the threats to South Africa's overall ambitions in the competition are multiplying.

SPOTLIGHT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen admitted that depth remains an issue in his squad after they suffered another United Rugby Championship defeat over the weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Peter O'Mahony said on Monday Ireland's incredible journey under head coach Andy Farrell since the 2019 Rugby World Cup had been the pivotal factor in him signing a year-long extension to his present contract.

SPOTLIGHT: A mentally and physically revitalised Michael Hooper has changed his tune and says he's ready to resume the Wallabies captaincy if he's asked.

NEWS: Castres announced they had sacked head coach Pierre-Henry Broncan and replaced him with former British and Irish Lions lock Jeremy Davidson, despite them finishing runners-up in the French Top 14 last season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: A 36-player England squad has been named by head coach Steve Borthwick for their Round Three Six Nations match against Wales.

REACTION: The Stormers are well on their way to another South African Shield title after their 23-19 win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Leicester Tigers secured a hard-fought 24-18 victory over league leaders Saracens at Welford Road in Round 17 of the Premiership

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND EIGHT WRAP: Director of Rugby Steve Hansen's bold decision to move Wille le Roux to flyhalf for Verblitz's clash against the Green Rockets paid off.

REACTION:  Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White refused to make any excuses following his team's 19-23 defeat to the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

REACTION: Sharks finally have a flyhalf they can rely on reveals Director of Rugby Niel Powell.

REACTION: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen dispelled suggestions that there is a "disconnect" between players and coaches in Johannesburg.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster maintained their 100 per cent record in the United Rugby Championship with a convincing 43-14 home win over Dragons.

MATCH REPORT: Cardiff has caused a huge upset by beating Benetton 30-13 thanks to a very late score by Ben Thomas in the United Rugby Championship at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Scarlets produced a dominant home performance to claim a 42-14 victory over Edinburgh in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: There were wins for Northampton Saints and London Irish on Saturday in Round 17 of the Premiership.

URC REPORT: The Lions are still without a win against fellow South African opposition this season after they suffered a 7-29 defeat to the Sharks in a Round 14 clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Connacht is heading back to Galway with five points in the bag after beating Zebre 57-34 in round 14 of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE: Suspended former Western Province Rugby Football Union President Zelt Marais is facing yet another disciplinary hearing.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok coaches, management and a group of 14 players will kick off the 2023 season with a three-week physical and rugby development camp in Cape Town – from Sunday until Friday, March 10.

England international Manu Tuilagi could get a lengthy ban after he was sent off for foul play during Sale Sharks' 34-38 defeat to Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

WATCH as Bulls veteran Morne Steyn perfectly executes a monstrous 50:22 - from his own 22.

NEWS: Italy’s Jake Polledri will miss the Six Nations fixture against Ireland next week with the news that the Gloucester flanker required surgery on his right shoulder.

URC REPORT: The Stormers produced an outstanding defensive performance in their 23-19 victory over the Bulls in a Round 14 clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks star Rieko Ioane has denied claims that he has taken a contract in Japan’s Rugby League One.

NEWS: Reece Hodge, the experienced Wallaby utility back, is set to join French Top 14 club Bayonne after the World Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Munster showed no mercy as Gavin Coombes’ hat-trick of tries inspired a thumping 58-3 win over an off-colour Ospreys in their United Rugby Championship clash at Thomond Park.

FRIDAY WRAP: Scrumhalf Harry Randall scored two tries to move Bristol off the bottom of the Premiership table with a bonus-point victory over Newcastle at Ashton Gate.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The spotlight will be on the South African derbies this weekend as the 2022/2023 United Rugby Championship season enters Round 14.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 14 encounter between the Bulls and Stormers at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 14 encounter between the Lions and Sharks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White believes Saturday's clash against the Stormers will be the "biggest" North-South derby he will be involved in since he took charge of the Bulls.

STATS ATTACK: The Stormers will have to keep a close eye on Bulls duo Elrich Louw and Ruan Nortje based on the United Rugby Championship's latest stats piece.

PREVIEW: Uzair Cassiem revealed the dream to play for the Springboks will always be a constant as he plies his trade in France with Bayonne.

SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones says he will consider pinching Australia's Super Rugby Pacific coaches to form part of a Wallabies set-up intent on pulling off the heist of winning the Rugby World Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers made two changes to the side that will face the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

NEWS: Former Springbok captain Wynand Claassen suffered a major setback in his bid to have the Newlands stadium declared a heritage site.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 10 matches with a hard-fought 17-11 United Rugby Championship victory over Ulster at Scotstoun.

NEWS UPDATE: The fall-out over the South African Rugby Union’s decision to 'withdraw' an invitation to Tel Aviv Heat to play in the Mzansi Challenge has escalated - resulting in court action against the national body.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former Highlanders utility back Kendrick Lynn has returned to New Zealand after nine years in France.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have announced a strong matchday 23 that will do battle against the Stormers in round 14 of the United Rugby Championship, in Pretoria.

REACTION: Wales head coach Warren Gatland would not support his players if they decided to strike ahead of their Six Nations clash with England.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Travis Ismaiel will complete a national team trifecta at the LA Sevens next weekend after being named in the BlitzBoks Sevens squad that will contest the North American leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series in the USA and Canada later this month.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni is ready to give his all on the field again as we enter the business end of the United Rugby Championship's round-robin stage.

WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen explains to @king365ed why his team struggles against South African rivals, but remain competitive in Europe.

WATCH as Stormers defence coach Norman Laker talks about the impact the departure of veteran Springbok Marcell Coetzee had on the Bulls.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell made it clear that he wants Aphelele Fassi to extend his stay in Durban.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE, ROUND EIGHT: There was some big news on Faf de Klerk coming out of Japan on Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team to face the Sharks in a United Rugby Championship Round 14 clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

WATCH as Nigel Owens returns to review another week of Six Nations action!

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell has revealed his team to face the Lions in a United Rugby Championship Round 14 clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Australian rugby is celebrating a recruitment win after Frankie Goldsbrough resisted Rugby League's overtures to sign with the Queensland Reds.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Ulster will face an uphill task against one of the form teams of the United Rugby Championship in Franco Smith’s Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday.

NEWS: Cheslin Kolbe wanted to get something off his chest.

NEWS UPDATE: Wasps have been cleared to play in next season's Championship, but there will be no such place in the English second-tier for fellow crisis club Worcester.

NEWS: Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne has been ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations due to surgery on his ankle, the Irish Rugby Football Union said Thursday.

WATCH as Stormers defence coach Norman Laker tells @king365ed how they will deal with the expected wet conditions at Loftus Versfeld.

SPOTLIGHT: Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones believes he will have the goods to replicate the Springboks' success.

REACTION: Former Wales captain Sam Warburton has thrown his weight behind a possible players' strike that could threaten next week's Six Nations clash against England in Cardiff.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: France prop Uini Atonio will play no further part in his team's 2023 Six Nations campaign.

WATCH as Bulls scrum coach Werner Kruger unpacks the #BIG North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

NEWS UPDATE: The Welsh Rugby Union and the country's professional players on Wednesday moved closer to a deal that could avert a threatening player strike.

UPDATE: @king365ed unpacks the latest development in the protracted Newlands sale saga!

SPOTLIGHT: Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones is not too concerned about who is going to be the next All Blacks coach.

SPOTLIGHT: Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham says Eddie Jones' all-seeing eye will keep Super Rugby Pacific players "on edge" as they bid to secure a spot in the Wallabies' World Cup squad.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok lock Rudolf Snyman will make his long-awaited in March, Munster confirmed.

SPOTLIGHT: It's a World Cup year and players will be looking to put their hands up for selection in this season's Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The return of Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has been accompanied by a different 'energy'  at Loftus Versfeld.

TRANSFER NEWS: Munster confirmed that Malakai Fekitoa will depart at the end of the current season, after one year at the Irish province.

SQUAD UPDATE: Steve Borthwick is counting the cost of his first win as England coach.

NEWS: The under-fire and cash-strapped Welsh Rugby Union is facing a new crisis that could scupper their next Six Nations Test.

NEWS: The match officials' appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 14 fixtures have been confirmed.

Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch's latest admission has placed a big target on former teammate and Lions stand-in captain Marius Louw.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France prop Uini Atonio has cited following his controversial yellow card during the Six Nations Round two clash against Ireland.

DERBY SPOTLIGHT: Stormers’ recent dominance over their nemesis the Bulls has added some much-needed needle to the BIG North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld this coming Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions will head into Saturday's Round 14 United Rugby Championship encounter with the Sharks without one of their key playmakers.

SPOTLIGHT: Super Rugby chiefs have moved to reduce the role of oft-maligned television match officials in a concerted effort to speed up play in the 2023 tournament.

TEAM UPDATE: Ireland coach Andy Farrell retained 25 players for the two-day mini-camp at the team's high-performance centre later this week.

TRANSFER NEWS: Weekend media reports were littered with news that the Stormers' Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok is on the Racing 92 wish list.

Ireland and Scotland were left as the only teams in the 2023 Six Nations still in with a chance of a Grand Slam after impressive wins over France and Wales respectively, while England recorded a first victory under coach Steve Borthwick.

Warren Gatland has called on beleaguered Wales to show their mettle as they bid to snap out of the rut which has seen them crash to heavy defeats in their opening two Six Nations matches.

WATCH as Lions Company CEO Rudolf Straeuli explains to @king365ed why moving away from Ellis Park is not an option at the moment.

France may have built their success in the 2022 Six Nations by abandoning possession and counter-punching their opponents - but their change in strategy this year has yet to pay off as their 19-32 defeat to Ireland showed.

REACTION: Ireland captain Johnny Sexton says his side must build on their 32-19 win over France and secure either the Six Nations title or Grand Slam with no repeat of their dip in form in 2019.

SPOTLIGHT: The pressure in the race for play-off places is mounting as the United Rugby Championship returns during the first bye week of the Six Nations.

MATCH REPORT: England bounced back from last week's shock loss to Scotland to record a 31-14 win over Italy in a Six Nations Round Two match at Twickenham on Sunday.

PRE-SEASON WRAP: Len Ikitau's second-half double was enough for the Brumbies to skip clear after the Melbourne Rebels had fired their first shots ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

NEWS UPDATE: World Rugby has been formally dragged into the blowout over the South African Rugby Union's decision to "withdraw" an invitation to Tel Aviv Heat to play in the Mzansi Challenge.

OPINION: Wales’ first-round performance didn’t go as planned, but Warren Gatland used his strong record against Scotland to his advantage and rang the changes in key positions.

MATCH REPORT: Scotland finally broke their long-lived second-round stumbles with a 35-7 win over Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland recorded their 13th successive home win, beating the Six Nations title holders France 32-19 at Landsdown Road on Saturday.

REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend praised the "focus and competitiveness" of Finn Russell after the mercurial flyhalf delivered three assists for tries in a record 35-7 win over Wales on Saturday.

REACTION: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said "character" had been the pivotal factor in his side's impressive 32-19 Six Nations victory over defending champions France in a match he labelled as a "titanic game."

TRANSFER NEWS: Fiji international centre Semi Radradra signed a two-year deal with Lyon as the Top 14 side became the 30-year-old's third French club.

OPINION: Daniel Gallan rates the England players after their 31-14 win over Italy at Twickenham on Sunday!

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Two encounter between England and Italy at Twickenham in London.

SIX NATIONS BUILD-UP: Italy flyhalf Tommaso Allan made a very brave statement ahead of the Six Nations Round two clash against England at Twickenham.

SOCIAL REACTION: Top international referee Wayne Barnes stirred up a storm online following some controversial calls during the Six Nations fixture between Ireland and France in Dublin on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok wing Sibusiso Nkosi is "feeling the light" again after taking some time off to deal with mental health issues.

OPINION: Scotland backed up their Calcutta Cup success with a bonus point 35-7 thumping of a hapless Wales at Murrayfield.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Two encounter between Scotland and Wales at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

OPINION: The arrival of France in Dublin two years on from their last visit was the perfect moment to stress test the voluminous progress of Ireland under Andy Farrell, going from relatively nowhere to becoming the world’s No. 1 ranked side.

OPINION: France is the only team to have won at Landsdown Road during Andy Farrell’s tenure and they came to Dublin in excellent form.

ROUND TWO PREVIEW: England coach Steve Borthwick has warned his side to beware of the speed of Italy's backs ahead of their Six Nations clash at Twickenham on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round Two encounter between Ireland and France in Dublin.

REACTION: Steve Borthwick said the memory of being dropped by England while on honeymoon had steeled him for demoting Marcus Smith to the bench for Sunday's Six Nations international against Italy at Twickenham.

WATCH as Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli tells @king365ed about the contract negotiations with their coaching staff and players.

LISTEN as South Africa's Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus calls out former Springbok coach Nick Mallett over a series of inaccurate statements on television.

DEVELOPING NEWS: @king365ed brings you the latest developments around the WPRFU's protracted administration and the feelings of some fringe clubs.

UPDATE: The Bulls confirmed the appointment of the experienced coach Sean Everitt on a short-term deal.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray is "in good form" and ready to face France in their Six Nations blockbuster on Saturday despite his father suffering serious injuries in a road accident.

ROUND TWO PREVIEW: Scotland head into their match against Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday determined to avoid a repeat of the second-round stumbles that have so often proved costly to their Six Nations hopes.

NEWS: The new owners of former Premiership club Worcester said on Thursday that a renamed team would not play in English Rugby Union's second tier next season.

REACTION: Eddie Jones has admitted Steve Borthwick was "probably right" when stating he had inherited an England rugby team that "weren't good at anything".

NEWS: Springbok Sibusiso Nkosi returned to training with the Bulls on Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Marcus Smith has been dropped to the bench, with England captain Owen Farrell named at flyhalf for Sunday's Six Nations match against Italy at Twickenham.

SPOTLIGHT: Huw Jones believes he is better equipped to deal with the complexities of the No.13 channel as he revives his international career with Scotland.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A string of home defeats shattered the All Blacks' aura of invincibility but talisman Ardie Savea revealed that the three-time champions will find a "fix" before this year's World Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Paolo Garbisi will miss Italy's Six Nations clash with England this weekend as the Montpellier flyhalf continues his recovery from a knee injury suffered at the start of the year.

SPOTLIGHT: Regarded as one of the "pillars" of the London Irish team, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, has been named Player of the Month for January 2023.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made one change to his starting XV for Saturday's crunch Six Nations clash against France in Dublin.

TRANSFER NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that David Ribbans will depart the Club at the end of the 2022/23 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has revealed his team to face Ireland in a Six Nations Round Two clash in Dublin on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks captain Sam Cane is hoping that the bosses at New Zealand Rugby's headquarters can help limit the off-field distractions for his team ahead of the World Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales coach Warren Gatland has dropped three British and Irish Lions forwards from a revamped starting XV for Saturday's Six Nations match against Scotland.

Ireland host France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday in one of the most eagerly awaited Six Nations clashes of recent years pitching the top two world ranked teams against each other.

NEWS: Former Sharks coach Sean Everitt is reportedly a new addition to the Bulls' coaching team.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland captain Johnny Sexton said he will be fit for this weekend's Six Nations match against France before joking that he hoped he had not jinxed himself for the fixture.

INJURY UPDATE: Munster issued some positive news regarding injured Springbok Rudolf Snyman.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Zander Fagerson has been recalled to Scotland's starting side for their Six Nations match at home to Wales on Saturday.

NEWS: One of the Stormers' key players has signed a contract extension.

NEWS: All Blacks star Dane Coles decided that he will retire at the end of 2023.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has cut his squad from 36 to 29 ahead of this Sunday’s Six Nations round two match at home to Italy.

SPOTLIGHT: France flyhalf Romain Ntamack says Ireland are "comfortable favourites" for Saturday's predicted Six Nations title decider with Ireland in Dublin.

NEWS: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson caused a stir on Wednesday when he revealed that New Zealand Rugby will make an announcement on the appointment process for the next All Blacks “in the next few days”.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has made his much-anticipated return to Loftus Versfeld.

NEWS: Former Springbok captain Jean De Villiers has been making headlines for his heroics, apprehending an alleged shoplifter in Paarl.

NEWS: Veteran New Zealand lock Brodie Retallick on Wednesday joined the exodus of All Blacks signing to play for Japanese clubs in 2024 following the Rugby World Cup.

WATCH as Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell unpacks his team's tough run-in to the URC play-offs.

NEWS: England will be bolstering their coaching team ahead of the World Cup in France later this year.

SUPER SPOTLIGHT: A pre-season trial game will serve as a critical moment in Harry Wilson's rugby career.

INTERVIEW: Ireland wing James Lowe says it will be "a different French beast" that faces the Irish in what some are already billing as the Six Nations title decider in Dublin on Saturday.

REACTION: Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe has opened up on his sensational try in his team's 29-23 win over England in Round One of this year's Six Nations.

NEWS: Wales great Alun Wyn Jones has been passed fit to play against Scotland in the Six Nations, British media reported Tuesday.

NEWS: South Africa will have to break an eight-decade-long drought when they face New Zealand in the Rugby Championship this year.

NEWS: England is set to lose the services of another top-flight coach.

NEWS: All Black Test centurions Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett have announced they will spend time playing in Japan from 2024.

SPOTLIGHT: Melbourne will look to a trimmed-down Trevor Hosea to have a bigger presence as the Rebels try to get their Super Rugby Pacific season off to a flying start.

REACTION: Tel Aviv Heat, Israel's first professional team, has slammed the South African Rugby Union for peddling 'politics of hatred '.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: England may have a new coaching set-up, but they are still playing the same 'robotic' style as before.

SPOTLIGHT: There are a few changes in World Rugby's Rankings after the first round of this year's Six Nations.

SQUAD UPDATE: Henry Slade has recovered from injury in time to be named in England's 36-man squad for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Italy.

NEWS: A court in Argentina on Monday sentenced five amateur rugby players from the same team to life imprisonment for beating a teenager to death in a crime with alleged racist undertones.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson had plenty of praise for his forwards after they bullied the Sharks in Durban over the weekend.

REACTION: Steve Borthwick said the England team he took over from Eddie Jones "weren't good at anything" following a defeat in his first match in charge.

NEWS: Ireland will be without three big names when they face France in a Six Nations Round Two clash in Dublin on Saturday.

INTERVIEW: France got the defence of their Six Nations title off to a winning start on Sunday but it was, as the Duke of Wellington said about the Battle of Waterloo, "a close run thing".

SPOTLIGHT: The 2023 Six Nations started with a trio of away wins to mark the start of the international season in this World Cup year.

NEWS: All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka, who introduced what he called a "no d***heads policy" into the New Zealand set-up, has joined Premier League club Chelsea on a short-term consultancy basis.

NEWS: Western Province Rugby has signed another talented group of junior players who start their professional rugby journey this year.

NEWS: England head coach Simon Middleton will leave his job at the end of the upcoming Women's Six Nations, it was announced on Monday.

NEWS: The All Blacks and Highlanders' coaching teams received some good news on one of their players.

REACTION: France coach Fabien Galthie said Sunday's tight 29-24 Six Nations win over Italy left a "bitter taste" despite taking Les Bleus' Test match winning streak to 14 matches.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell found it hard to defend his team's performance after they suffered a demoralising 19-46 defeat to the Stormer.

ANALYSIS: Ben Smith unpacks the tactical error that backfired on England in Steve Borthwick's first Test in charge!

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE ROUND SEVEN WRAP: Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has picked up an injury while on duty for the Yokoyama Eagles in Japan.

REACTION: Gregor Townsend compared Duhan van der Merwe's superb solo try to something out of the 'Jonah Lomu Rugby' video game as Scotland condemned Steve Borthwick to defeat in his first match as England boss.

SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones may have had the best win percentage of any England coach, but the Australian has been quietly erased from the RFU's England rugby media collage at Twickenham.

MATCH REPORT: France got their Six Nations title defence off to a winning start after squeezing past Italy 29-24 in Rome on Sunday.

REACTION: Warren Gatland remained positive despite his second spell as Wales coach starting with a comprehensive 10-34 loss at home to Ireland in a Six Nations opener at Cardiff on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: The try of the 2023  Six Nations may have already been scored in the first round care of Duhan van der Merwe.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson admitted that his team will have to learn to be successful without star playmaker Manie Libbok.

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

URC REPORT: The Stormers returned to winning ways in the United Rugby Championship with a convincing 46-19 victory over the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

PRE-SEASON REPORT: Reds No.8 Harry Wilson took the first steps out of the Wallabies wilderness with a two-try haul against the Western Force

SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand forward Ardie Savea says the opportunity to earn a significant payday was the main reason behind his decision to join Japan's Kobelco Kobe Steelers after the Rugby World Cup this year.

MATCH REPORT: Scotland scored their third successive win over England when they came from behind to open their 2023 Six Nations campaign with a 29-23 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland, the world's top-ranked team, ended a 10-year wait for a win in Cardiff to put down a big marker in the opening match of the Six Nations.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Irish players after their 34-10 Six Nations Round One win over Wales.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the Scotland players after their 29-23 win over England in a Six Nations Round One encounter.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their heartbreaking 23-29 loss to Scotland at Twickenham.

OPINION: PA news agency rates the Welsh players after their 10-34 loss to Ireland in Six Nations Round One.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the Six Nations Round One encounter between England and Scotland at Twickenham in London.

NEWS: Matt Giteau has announced he is retiring aged 40 after a career in which he won 103 caps, but he may be remembered more for 'Giteau's Law' which was key to the Wallabies reaching the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final.

WATCH as Aphelele Onke Okuhle Fassi explains what aspects of his game he is working on in order to get a recall to the Springbok team.

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

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our live coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 1 catch-up encounter between the Sharks and Stormers at Kings Park in Durban.

NEWS: Hollie Davidson and Jaco Peyper head a stellar inaugural management committee elected to the representative body for international high performance match officials, chaired by Mark Egan.

WATCH as World Rugby referees Angus Gardner and Matthew Carley sit down to explain all the latest laws for players.

INTERVIEW: South Africa's franchises will be without the services of their World Cup-bound Springboks for much longer than initially expected.

NEWS: Japanese club Red Dolphins suspended operations after a media report alleged players stripped, groped waitresses and smashed glasses at a bar.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lyon wing Ethan Dumortier will celebrate his first cap for France when the defending champions start their Six Nations campaign with a trip to Italy on Sunday.

PREVIEW ROUND ONE: Ange Capuozzo faces a "big challenge" in Italy's Six Nations opener against defending champions France after bursting onto the Test scene last year, coach Kieran Crowley said.

ROUND ONE CATCH-UP MATCH: The Stormers will be looking to not only cement their place at No.2 on the United Rugby Championship standings, but also avoid the ignominy of losing three consecutive matches.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks return to Kings Park on Saturday when they host the Stormers in what will be another intense United Rugby Championship clash between two old rivals.

PREVIEW ROUND ONE: Warren Gatland said he wanted to make Wales fans "proud" of their team when they launch their Six Nations campaign at home to Ireland on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flank Deon Fourie will captain the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship encounter with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

NEWS: SA Rugby announced on Friday that it had withdrawn an invitation to the Tel Aviv Heat to play in the Mzansi Challenge, following representations from multiple stakeholders.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Rugby Union confirmed that they have been made aware of an alleged murder case involving a young rugby player who represented the Blue Bulls Country Districts during the 2022 season.

NEWS: Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chiefs have admitted being in "denial" over the extent of sexism and misogyny in the organisation and said warning signs were missed.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Tommaso Allan will start at No.10 for a buoyant Italy team against France in their Six Nations opener, with the Azzurri keen to push on after their historic victory over the Wallabies.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: This year's Six Nations Championship starts on Saturday - and for officials confronting multiple crises among Europe's elite, kick-off cannot come soon enough.

INTERVIEW: Bulls coach Jake White has spoken out about what was a near-death experience that opened his eyes and reignited his passion for the game.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Six Nations gets underway on Saturday, with players hoping to impress ahead of the World Cup which starts in September.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Steve Borthwick has named his first England side - to take on Scotland in their Six Nations opener at Twickenham on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby chief Bill Beaumont said Friday the sport's "high profile" means it is coming under more scrutiny than ever before, with a series of scandals rocking Europe's elite teams.

SPOTLIGHT: The lure of the 2025 British and Irish Lions series and 2027 home World Cup could be key factors in keeping Wallabies powerhouse Taniela Tupou in Australia long-term.

SPOTLIGHT: Saturday's United Rugby Championship South African derby in Durban has a mini Springbok trial packed into the drama in the Shark Tank.

WATCH as Springbok outside back Canan Moodie talks about his meteoric rise to international honours and winning the Young Player of the Year award.

TEAM UPDATE: Leigh Halfpenny has been ruled out of Wales' Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday due to a back spasm.

PREVIEW ROUND ONE: Steve Borthwick begins his career as England head coach against Scotland in Saturday's Six Nations opener at Twickenham with a side showing several changes from the Eddie Jones era.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: One-time Springbok Stephan Lewies has been slapped with a two-match ban for foul play, after he captained Harlequins to a 24-42 loss to London Irish in a Premiership match at the weekend.

NEWS: Choirs have been told they can no longer sing the Tom Jones hit 'Delilah' while performing during Wales rugby international matchdays at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Andrew Farrell has named his match-day squad to face Wales in the Millenium Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2023 Six Nations Championship.

NEWS: Fiji is looking for a new head coach seven months before the World Cup after New Zealander Vernon Cotter resigned on Thursday because of "personal reasons".

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell seemed to have finally turned the Durban-based franchise into silverware contenders, instead of being the ultimate pretenders.

NEWS UPDATE: The Rugby Football Union has once again 'moved the goalposts' for the return of suspended Premiership clubs Wasps and Worcester Warriors.

Ireland great Mike Gibson believes the current side head into the Six Nations with justified confidence of success following a rise to number one in the world rankings that is "beyond dreams".

NEWS: In a first for women's rugby in South Africa, the Blue Bulls Company has awarded 35 female rugby players professional contracts.

INTERVIEW: Steve Borthwick heads into his first match as England head coach, a Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday, determined to ensure the team avoid making the same mistakes that marred his international career.

PREVIEW: There will be Springbok bragging rights up for grabs when Round Seven of Japan's League One takes place at the weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named his squad to face England in the opening fixture of the 2023 Six Nations this Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok lock Eben Etzbeth, South Africa's best player, underpinned the unpredictable nature of the 2023 World Cup.

NEWS: The Stormers, renowned for their attacking prowess, retained one of their most clinical finishers.

NEWS: The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) committee has unanimously approved a proposal to achieve 40 percent female representation on its committee by the end of 2023.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks' impressive Champions Cup show in the Pool stage has made sure four of the players make the longlist of nominees for the 2023 EPCR Player of the Year award.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland winning the Six Nations title will not have a direct impact on their hopes of finally reaching at least the World Cup semifinals.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers received some positive news on Evan Roos after he limped off the field in his team's United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster over the weekend.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Warren Gatland says Wales will relish being the underdogs in their Six Nations opener at home to Ireland on Saturday - the first match of his second stint in charge.

NEWS: The South African Rugby Union on Wednesday revealed the full fixture list for the Springboks in 2023 - including the World Cup.

REACTION: Overlooked in World Rugby Awards, Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has finally been rewarded for his incredible 2022 season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has trimmed his squad down to 29 players ahead of their Six Nations opener against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday.

WATCH as Springbok World Cup winner Francois de Klerk produces another special play in Japan's League One.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named his team to face Ireland at a sold-out Millennium Stadium in the opening round of the 2023 Six Nations on Saturday.

NEWS: The winner of South Africa's Player of the Year award for 2022 has finally been unveiled.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Smartphone changed the landscape of the world forever and it seems now the introduction of the Smart Ball could have the same effect on rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks claimed arguably the key result of the weekend in terms of the play-off battle with their hard-fought 22-19 victory up in Edinburgh taking them into the top eight.

NEWS: SA Rugby has announced the competition structure for the 2023 rugby season.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson admitted that he never experienced so much bad luck with injuries before and during a game as he did in Belfast over the weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: It might be his second coming as Wallabies coach but Eddie Jones insists he should not be treated as the messiah as he sets his sights on resurrecting a golden era for Rugby Union in Australia.

INJURY UPDATE: England have suffered a fresh injury blow ahead of this weekend's Six Nations opener against Scotland after Dan Kelly was ruled out with a thigh injury.

NEWS: Acting Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Nigel Walker has warned the future of the game in Wales is at stake over the allegations of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia that have roiled the organisation.

REACTION: The Lions assistant coach Jaque Fourie admitted his team is in dire need of regrouping and reset sessions following their challenging tour.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Bordeaux-Begles lock Thomas Jolmes was called up to France's extended 42-man Six Nations squad after Yacouba Camara withdrew with a knee injury, the French management announced on Monday.

SPOTLIGHT: Former France loose forward Olivier Magne said off-the-field problems bedevilling the country's rugby are "sad" to see as Les Bleus prepare to start the defence of their Six Nations crown on Sunday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Toulon wing Gabin Villiere, who played his first club game in two months on Saturday, was recalled Sunday to a revised 42-man France squad ahead of the Six Nations which begins next weekend.

SQUAD UPDATE: Ulster hooker Tom Stewart has joined the Ireland squad in Quinta da Lago to provide additional cover following a hamstring issue picked up by Ronan Kelleher.

PREMIERSHIP MATCH REPORT: Michael Dykes ran in a debut hat-trick as London Irish took the derby day spoils in a 42-24 home win over Harlequins.