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SPOTLIGHT: Varsity Cup rugby aside, chances are the name Ruan Swiegers has not come up in real rugby conversations around braaivleis fires in South Africa much.

NEWS: The Springboks and some of their superstars were the headline winners at this year's SA Sport Awards.

WRAP: The Bulls Daisies and Boland Dames continued to make their presence felt in the Women’s Premier Division on Saturday, stretching their winning streaks to four matches to remain at the top of the table.

SPOTLIGHT: Elton Jantjies has vowed to return to the rugby field in the future.

WRAP: In an exhilarating back-and-forth tussle between SA Cup frontrunners, Griquas and the Pumas, the team from Kimberley managed to snatch a late victory in their game and cemented their spot at the top of the log.

REACTION: Hat-trick hero James Lowe accepts Leinster must raise their game if they are to end an agonising wait for a fifth European Champions Cup title.

REACTION: Toulouse flank Jack Willis braces himself for a challenging Champions Cup Final against Leinster. 

WRAP: Affies claimed two convincing wins against top opposition at the recent festival at Kimberley, while Rondebosch ended Wynberg’s unbeaten run down in Cape Town.

WRAP: A thrilling final day awaits fans at the Singapore National Stadium, as the men's HSBC SVNS league title races go to the wire.

WRAP: A thrilling final day awaits fans at the Singapore National Stadium, as the women's HSBC SVNS league title races go to the wire.

REACTION: Veteran England prop Joe Marler has done his already battered reputation more harm with another 'petulant' brainfade.

WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree gives his verdict on rising star, flyhalf Siyabonga Masuku.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: JF van Heerden will captain a Junior Springbok side showing several changes when they take on Australia in the second round of the Under-20 Rugby Championship.

MATCH REPORT: The two most successful teams in the history of Europe's premier competition, the Champions Cup, will meet in the Final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup semi-final face-off between Stade Toulousain and Harlequins at Stadium de Toulouse.

REACTION: George Skivington says that Gloucester will be braced for "a massive challenge" when they tackle South African heavyweight Sharks in this season's Challenge Cup Final.

WEEKEND UPDATE: Schools results continued to throw up some big surprises.

MATCH REPORT: Argentina, playing for the HSBC SVNS league title, came back hard in the second half of their fifth-place playoff to edge the Springbok Sevens by 14-10 in the teams’ final clash in Singapore this weekend.

NEWS: One try was enough for the Springbok Women’s Sevens team as they finished the HSBC SVNS Singapore on a winning note and secured ninth position with their second victory of the weekend over the USA.

REACTION: Northampton Saints' Director of Rugby Phil Dowson is "incredibly proud" of his side despite their 17-20 loss to Leinster in their Champions Cup semifinal at Croke Park on Saturday.

REACTION: Leo Cullen was relieved to see his Leinster side "get over the line" as the Irish province survived a Northampton fightback in a 20-17 European Champions Cup semifinal win at Croke Park on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster managed to scrape through to the Final of the Champions Cup after beating Northampton 20-17 at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup semi-final face-off between Leinster and Northampton Saints at Croke Park in Dublin.

WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree gives his view of a nailbiting one-point win over Clermont Auvergne in a Challenge Cup semifinal.

MATCH REPORT: Gloucester booked their place in the Final of the Challenge Cup after defeating Benetton 40-23 at Kingsholm on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup semi-final face-off between Gloucester and Benetton at Kingsholm.

SUNDAY PREVIEW: In Sunday's Champions Cup semifinal, record five-time European kings Toulouse host English Premiership side Harlequins at Le Stadium in Toulouse.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks produced a sensational comeback to become the first South African team to appear in a European Professional Club Rugby Final.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup semi-final face-off between the Sharks and Clermont Auvergne at The Stoop in London.

MATCH REPORT: The Springbok Women cut loose in the second half of their Africa Women's Cup opener against Cameroon in Madagascar, winning the clash by 55-0 (half-time 19-0) at Stade Makis in Antananarivo on Saturday afternoon.

WRAP: We bring you Day Two of the men's action at the Singapore leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series on Saturday.

SATURDAY WRAP: Fraser McReight has led a Queensland Reds charge in Christchurch to snap his side's 25-year losing streak against the Crusaders in New Zealand.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: Leinster and Northampton Saints harbour realistic dreams of a domestic and EPCR double when they front up in the semifinal of the Champions Cup at a sold-out Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday, in short: it’s on!

WATCH as Springbok Cobus Reinach shared his experiences with horrific online abuse following South Africa's win over France in the 2023 World Cup.

WRAP: We bring you Day Two of the women's action at the Singapore leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series on Saturday.

REACTION: Melbourne Rebels coach Kevin Foote says his team feel abandoned by Rugby Australia with their future in the Super Rugby Pacific competition still to be decided.

NEWS: England rugby international Billy Vunipola accepted he had a problem "knowing when to stop" as he explained the circumstances behind his alcohol-fuelled arrest in Mallorca.

SPOTLIGHT: In an international career spanning 14 years, Springbok Women captain Nolusindiso Booi has probably seen everything that women’s rugby at the highest level can deliver.

NEWS: Leicester Tigers’ fullback Mike Brown was handed a suspension of two weeks for swearing at match officials following his red card in their 19-21 home defeat by Bristol Bears.

PREVIEW: The Sharks are ready to turn the Stoop into their 'Stoep'.

NEWS: Bulls front row Jan-Hendrik Wessels has extended his stay at Loftus Versfeld to June 2026.

MATCH REPORT: The BlitzBoks got their HSBC SVNS campaign in Singapore off to a winning start with victories over Spain and Samoa on Friday, effectively booking their spot in the quarterfinals.

WRAP: We bring you Day One of the men's action at the Singapore leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series on Friday.

FRIDAY WRAP: The  Waratahs' finals hopes remain in tatters following yet another Super Rugby Pacific flop.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his team to face Clermont Auvergne in Saturday's Challenge Cup semifinal at Twickenham Stoop in London.

NEWS: Lock Ruben van Heerden has committed to the Stormers until at least 2027.

WRAP: We bring you Day One of the women's action at the Singapore leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series on Friday.

NEWS: A vote to save the Melbourne Rebels may prove to be only a stay of execution, with the debt-ridden Super Rugby Pacific franchise facing further hurdles in its bid to stay alive.

In the latest episode of Fresh Start, host and former Scotland international Johnnie Beattie sits down with South Africa and Montpellier scrumhalf Cobus Reinach as he delves into everything Springboks.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White confirmed that "versatility' was the magic word when he made the decision to sign Sharks utility back Boeta Chamberlain.

In an exclusive interview, Rugbypass contributor Jamie Lyall sits down with World Cup-winning prop Ox Nche to dissect the intricacies of a solid Springbok scrum.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Champions Cup semifinal weekend has arrived and with that the start of a period of immense pressure for Leinster.

NEWS: The Bulls have won the tug-of-war with the Sharks and landed the signature of Boeta Chamberlain.

REACTION: Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko said he is happy with his team's effort and learnings from their Under-20 Rugby Championship opener played in very difficult conditions against a strong New Zealand U20 side in Australia.

Tyrone Green’s dancing feet aren’t yet at a crossroads, but they’re getting there fast.

ROUND ONE WRAP: The Junior Springboks and New Zealand played to a 13-all draw in their Rugby Championship Under-20 opener at the Sunshine coast Stadium on Thursday.

PREVIEW: Saturday’s match between fourth-placed Eagles and unbeaten top-of-the-table Saitama Knights is notable for the various approaches the combatants adopt, as it will for the outcome.

ROUND SEVEN: Singapore National Stadium is set to host the hotly anticipated seventh and final regular season round of HSBC SVNS 2024 on May 3-5 as the World SVNS League winner will be crowned.

NEWS: Head of Rugby Johann van Graan has signed a new contract with Bath, committing his long-term future to the club until the end of the 2029/30 campaign.

WATCH as Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am and wing Werner Kok front up to the media ahead of the Challenge Cup semifinal on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sizophila Solontsi and Nomawethu Mabenge will make welcome returns to Test rugby after being named in the Springbok Women’s starting team to face Cameroon in the Africa Women’s Cup opener in Madagascar on Saturday.

PREVIEW: The SA Cup will kick into a higher gear this weekend when the two top teams on the table, Griquas and the Pumas, will battle it out for the top spot in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.

SPOTLIGHT: The "big names" in the Sharks squad will be giving French club Clermont Auvergne extra motivation to push themselves to a higher level this week.

SPOTLIGHT: Eben Etzebeth said he was annoyed by Courtney Lawes' comments about the Bulls' approach for last month’s Champions Cup quarterfinal against Northampton Saints.

NEWS: Dragons lock Ben Carter has been slapped with a three-match ban, after his foul play red card in 27-34 United Rugby Championship loss to Connacht last Saturday.

PREVIEW: Affies and Boishaai will look to make a statement in Kimberley this week, while Wynberg will have their hands full when they host Rondebosch on Saturday.

PREVIEW: The Rugby Championship for Under-20 teams, to be played at the Sunshine Coast Stadium, Bokarina on Australia’s eastern seaboard, kicks off on Thursday.

CHAMPOIONS CUP SPOTLIGHT: Leinster flyhalf Ross Byrne has labelled Saturday’s sell-out Champions Cup semifinal against Premiership leaders Northampton Saints at the 82,300-capacity Croke Park as “huge”.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Prop Zachary Porthen will lead the Junior Springboks against New Zealand on Thursday, in the opening round of the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship in Queensland, Australia.

NEWS: The Griqualand West Rugby Union has suspended a professional player arrested for violence earlier this week.

DISCIPLANRY NEWS: Saracens lock Maro Itoje will be available for his side's Premiership matches after having his citing for a dangerous tackle against Bath dismissed.

PREVIEW: Madibaz coach David Manuel is encouraging his troops to play 'without fear' in their Varsity Cup promotion-relegation match against CUT this week.

TRANSFER NEWS: Cardiff confirmed Owen Lane will leave the club at the end of the season to join Valance Romans in France.

WATCH Leinster's contact and skills coach Seán O'Brien defends the decision to send a two-bit squad to South Africa.

SPOTLIGHT: As the Bok captaincy debate rages on, Springbok superstar Eben Etzebeth would "love" it if his longtime friend gets the role in this new World Cup cycle.

PREVIEW: The race to the finals begins as teams enter the final month of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season.

SPOTLIGHT: Coach Joe Schmidt admits he probably won't know his best Wallabies starting side until December, as he builds towards next year's British and Irish Lions series.

SPOTLIGHT: When the Sharks 'host' French outfit Clermont Auvergne in a Challenge Cup semifinal at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday, it will be a clash of teams with contrasting réclame.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok superstar Eben Etzebeth said he was surprised by Ireland's arrogance after the two sides' World Cup pool match in France last year.

NEWS: Three members of the Springboks’ World Cup squad will accompany the Webb Ellis Cup on the third stop of the RWC Trophy Blitz, which heads to Kimberley on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers young gun Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu admitted his sporting career could have taken a different path at junior level.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok Women are well aware of the potential reward at the end of their next journey to Madagascar, but they will not make the mistake of focusing only on the ultimate prize and to then be tripped up by something unexpected because they look too far ahead.

SPOTLIGHT: The exposure of playing in the HSBC SVNS 2024 season has benefitted the South Africa Women's Sevens team tremendously and although it has not always shown in the results, the improvement of the team has been real and heartwarming.

NEWS: A surprise bidder has emerged for the Nations Championship finals.

SPOTLIGHT: It isn’t only crowd figures that have ballooned since the inception of the United Rugby Championship - South African franchises have also given the tournament some of its biggest scorelines.

SPOTLIGHT: They have 'been there and done that' in their BlitzBoks careers of close to a decade, but for Dylan Sage and Siviwe Soyizwapi, a return to the familiar HSBC SVNS circuit is almost like a new beginning and an experience they are embracing with a broad smile on their faces.

REACTION: The Lions conceded that they were outsmarted by Munster during their United Rugby Championship Round 15 clash in Johannesburg.

SPOTLIGHT: After their defeat to Munster at home last weekend, the Lions will have it all to do to qualify for the United Rugby Championship play-offs.

INTERVIEW: @rugby365com & RugbyPass columnist Jon Cardinelli chats to Albertus Stephanus Smith about the journey that took him to two World Cup titles.

NEWS: The Hurricanes face a front row injury crisis ahead of Friday's home game against the Waratahs.

NEWS: Experienced Springbok Women’s players Nomawethu Mabenge, Lusanda Dumke and Sizophila Solontsi have been included in the national squad for the Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar next month, where qualification for the 2025 World Cup in England is at stake.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Dragons have bolstered their backline stocks with a Stormer.

NEWS: Leinster’s Garry Ringrose and Jimmy O’Brien will both be fit to face Northampton in the Champions Cup semifinal at Croke Park this weekend.

INTERVIEW: When the Junior Springboks open their Under-20 Rugby Championship campaign against New Zealand at the Sunshine Coast Stadium on Thursday, they will have the benefit of calling on the calmness of towering lock JF van Heerden.

REACTION: England star Billy Vunipola has revealed his side of the Majorca story.

WEEKEND WRAP: A yellow card shown to Springbok Franco Mostert sent Heat into sleepmode leading to a dramatic 24-61 loss at the hands of Spears in Japan Rugby League One on the weekend.

NEWS: England star Billy Vunipola was reportedly arrested in Majorca after displaying violent behaviour in a pub over the weekend.

WEEKEND WRAP: Paul Roos have strengthened their claim to the unofficial No.1 ranking in the school game, after securing their sixth-consecutive win.

SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow Warriors are the new leaders of the United Rugby Championship having jumped above Leinster at the top of the table.

NEWS:Rugby Australia has announced a AU$9.2 million deficit for the 2023 financial year.

REACTION: The Stormers will rely heavily on their Springboks for their upcoming two-match United Rugby Championship tour.

WEEKEND RESULTS: It was another weekend of intriguing matches on the school scene.

SPOTLIGHT: Last season one of the reasons the Munster success in the United Rugby Championship was seen as a fairytale was because they had to play all their play-off games at home, but it looks likely they will have a much easier route to this year’s final if they get there.

WRAP: There is no stopping the leaders on the SA Cup log, Griquas and the Pumas, as they continued with their unbeaten run in the sixth round of the competition, while the Griffons and Cheetahs recorded good victories to remain in touch with the frontrunners.

SUNDAY WRAP: Exeter Chiefs kept alive their Premiership play-off hopes by brushing aside West Country rivals Gloucester 38-17 at Kingsholm.

VIDEO: Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said he was looking for four tries after it became evident that the Bulls were running away with the score in their Round 15 encounter of the United Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Bulls' Director of Rugby, Jake White, had a plan up his sleeve which caught Ospreys, and the referee, completely off guard and resulted in a convincing victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SATURDAY WRAP: Harlequins scored six tries in a thrilling 41-32 victory against English Premiership leaders Northampton on Saturday, boosting their play-off hopes with two games left.

URC REPORT: The Bulls got their United Rugby Championship campaign back on track with a 61-24 win over the Ospreys in Round 15 on Saturday.

URC REPORT: Munster made it two wins from two matches on their South African tour after they beat the Lions 33-13 in Johannesburg on Saturday.

URC REPORT: The Stormers returned to winning ways in the United Rugby Championship with a 42-12 win over an understrength Leinster side in Round 15 on Saturday.

URC REPORT: URC REPORT: Edinburgh kept their play-off hopes alive after a hard-fought 24-7 win at Cardiff.

URC REPORT: Connacht kept in contention for a United Rugby Championship play-off spot with a thrilling 34-27 victory against Dragons at Rodney Parade.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 encounter between the Stormers and Leinster in Cape Town.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 encounter between the Lions and Munster at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

OPINION: The Ospreys have been a shining light in an abysmal time for Welsh Rugby as of late.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 encounter between the Bulls and the Ospreys at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors maintained their bid to finish top of the United Rugby Championship with a bonus point 40-9 win over Zebre on Saturday. 

EWS: Cardiff's head coach Matt Sherratt will serve a one-game sideline ban for their game against Edinburgh on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Ireland legend Gordon D'Arcy believes fatigue might be a factor when Ireland head to South Africa later this year.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: The South Africa's top two franchises - the Bulls and Stormers - are under immense pressure to bounce back from their disappointing results last weekend.

SUPER RUGBY WRAP: The Brumbies have breathed new life into their Super Rugby Pacific title charge, knocking off the league-leading Hurricanes 27-19 on Saturday.

REPORT: Reigning champions Saracens put one foot in the Premiership play-offs after Owen Farrell’s late penalty sunk title rivals Bath 15-12 at the Recreation Ground.

MATCH REPORT: Scoring 15 tries to three, UP-Tuks ran rampant and beat Varsity College 95-21 in the Final of the 2024 Varsity Shield in Pretoria.

SPOTLIGHT: @AngyboyJ looks at the provocative subject of where players originated from and who are the biggest 'poachers'.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks hung on for a nervous 32-27 win over the Scarlets in their United Rugby Championship Round 15 encounter at Parc Y Scarlets, in Llanelli, on Friday.

MATCH REPORT: John Cooney's kicking proved the different as Ulster made it consecutive home wins with a 38-34 United Rugby Championship victory over Benetton in a exciting 10-try thriller at Ravenhill Stadium.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 15 encounter between the Scarlets and Sharks at Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli.

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC, FRIDAY WRAP: The Chiefs have delivered a blow to the Waratahs' Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes, coming from behind for a 38-22 win in Sydney.

NEWS: The Lions’ Henco van Wyk has gone under the knife and is expected to be out of action for at least four months, ruling him out of contention for Springbok selection this year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has named his team to face Leinster in the United Rugby Championship Round 15 match at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has made several changes to the team that will face Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship Round 15 match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions host current title-holders Munster in Round 15 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park this Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Recently a group of renowned Springboks clowned around about their lack of academic performances.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The significance of World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber's value on a team and the sport itself cannot be amplified enough.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Springbok captain Corné Krige reckons a young Stormers star has what it takes to lead the Springboks one day.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The Sharks have done their level best to avoid talking about next week's Challenge Cup semifinal, but the subject remains a sideshow ahead of the URC Round 15 encounter with the Scarlets.

NEWS: The administrator for the financially stricken Melbourne Rebels has recommended creditors accept a proposed deal to save the franchise, adding it may have been trading while insolvent for the last five years.

PREVIEW: Paul Roos will be favourites when they tackle Grey High this Saturday, while Wynberg and Jeppe should fancy their chances against local rivals.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lukhanyo Am leads a vastly experienced and Springbok-laden Sharks side for their United Rugby Championship Round 15 clash with Scarlets on Friday evening.

NEWS: The Stormers will have a talented midfielder in their ranks until at least 2026.

WATCH as Sharks loose forward Phendulani Buthelezi explains how they manage to focus on the URC with a #BIG Europe date looming.

PREVIEW: David will hard pressed to live with Goliath when Varsity College tackle a rampant and undefeated Tuks side in the Varsity Shield Final this Friday.

JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE, ROUND 15 PREVIEW: Brave Lupus Tokyo and Tokyo Sungoliath might both have qualified for next month’s Japan Rugby League One semifinals, but don’t be fooled.

VIDEO: The Bulls can expect more of the same physical onslaught Ospreys displayed in their triumph over the Stormers last weekend, reckons lock Janko Swanepoel.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: The Bulls will be without their chief playmaker at a crucial stage of the United Rugby Championship season.

PREVIEW: With just four rounds of league action remaining in the SA Cup – including this weekend’s sixth round – the two frontrunners, Griquas and the Pumas, will no doubt target their next matches to put more distance between them and the chasing pack.

NEWS: Ruan Pienaar will officially take his first steps in his coaching career when he joins the Free State Under-21 coaching staff.

PREVIEW: The door is ajar for Australia's Super Rugby Pacific teams to tip the win-loss ledger against New Zealand sides in their favour in the race to win that trans-Tasman battle for the first time.

NEWS: Leicester Tigers centre Solomone Kata has been suspended for three games for a red card incident in the game against Northampton.

WATCH as Munster coach Graham Rowntree gives an insightful update on World Cup-winning Springbok Jean Kleyn's eye injury.

SPOTLIGHT: The Junior Springboks wrapped up their preparations for the forthcoming Under-20 Rugby Championship with a training session against the Golden Lions Under-21 squad in Sandton on Tuesday.

VIDEO: With four games left, the Bulls are now in a must-win situation going into their United Rugby Championship encounter with Ospreys at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, says scrumhalf Zak Burger.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Dylan Sage will return to the Springbok Sevens team for the first time in four years and Siviwe Soyizwapi for the first time this season when the BlitzBoks contest next weekend’s HSBC SVNS tournament in Singapore.

SPOTLIGHT: Lions scrumhalf Morné van den Berg is relishing the opportunity to play against one of the leading No. 9's in the business when the Lions host Munster in the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.

NEWS: Ahead of the much-anticipated semifinals of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, EPCR announced the officials.

SPOTLIGHT: There will be a very special father and son reunion in the United Rugby Championship this weekend.

NEWS: SA Rugby has praised referees, coaches, and players in the Varsity Cup for their positive approach to the new tackle height laws that were introduced to the community game in South Africa this year.

SPOTLIGHT: Being successful in the Test arena requires a certain amount of luck.

NEWS: Jack Mesley has been appointed as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Super Rugby Pacific (SRP). 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Don't expect a low-risk safety-first approach when Stormers take on Leinster in the United Rugby Championship Round 15 clash on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Ulster have confirmed that Steven Kitshoff will not be appearing for them again this season and he is set to return to South Africa this week.

REACTION: Asssitant coach Julian Redelinghuys believes the Lions have developed their own 'Bomb Squad' with their depth in the front row.

WATCH as Leinster coach Leo Cullen makes some startling revelations after his team's 12-44 loss to the Lions.

REACTION: Shimlas coach André Tredoux has revealed how a shift in mindset and conditioning contributed to Ethan Wentzel's winning penalty in what was a thrilling Varsity Cup Final against UCT.

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

WATCH as Leinster coach Leo Cullen explains what type of response they expect from the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

NEWS: Jordan Petaia may have played his last game of Rugby Union, with the off-contract Queensland Reds and Wallaby back likely needing season-ending shoulder surgery.

REACTION: Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge rejected "childish" calls to sack coach Rob Penney with the defending champions languishing at the bottom of the Super Rugby table.

SPOTLIGHT: All twenty-one fixtures of the 2024 Nations Series have been revealed, setting the stage for the ultimate spectacle of international rugby for fans to look forward to later this year.

MATCH REPORT: Ethan Wentzel kicked a clutch penalty in extra time, as UFS Shimlas won the Varsity Cup for the first time in nearly a decade with a 45-42 victory over UCT Ikeys in Bloemfontein on Monday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks will line up against World Cup opponents, Scotland and England, before taking on Wales in the year-end tour in November, with the last Tests confirmed on Monday.

VIDEO: The Bulls missed the calm heads of experienced captains to navigate the wily tactics of Munster at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SCHOOL WRAP: Milnerton claimed their second big scalp of the season when they beat Bishops, while Grey College made a statement of their own at Paarl Gymnasium.

VIDEO: Respect. That is how title holders Munster remain unbeaten in their last eight matches against South African teams, says head coach Graham Rowntree.

WRAP: Griquas and the Pumas maintained their unbeaten record in the SA Cup when both again scored important away wins during the weekend’s fifth-round action.

WEEKEND REVIEW: The Lions made a strong statement but the Bulls and Stormers stole the show and not in a good way.

WATCH as Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen looks ahead to facing another Irish team - an impressive and inform Munster.

SUNDAY WRAP: Newcastle boss Steve Diamond admitted his team "did not get off the bus" after they suffered a crushing 14-85 Premiership loss to Bristol at Ashton Gate.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White drops some selection hints after the team's loss to Munster at the weekend.

JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Springbok centre Jesse Kriel made an encouraging return to duty on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Ospreys head coach Toby Booth applauded his team for not getting drawn into the Stormers; high-risk style of play in Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 14 clash in Cape Town.

WEEKEND RESULTS: It was another weekend of intrigue on the school scene.

REACTION: Stormers head coach John Dobson admitted that he received a big "wake-up" call in what was arguably the Stormers' "worst performance" in the defeat to Ospreys on Saturday

REACTION: The Crusaders insist they have the firepower to go from last place in the Super Rugby Pacific standings to challenge for another title but concede a vast improvement is needed.

TOP 14 WRAP: Stade Rochelais captain Will Skelton said his side "weren't good enough" after they were beaten 24-25 at Castres in the French Top 14 on Saturday a week after being knocked out of the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

SATURDAY WRAP: Northampton Saints marched to a 40-17 Premiership bonus-point win over 14-man Leicester Tigers as they reinforced their status as table-toppers on derby day. 

MATCH REPORT: Academy graduate Matthew Devine scored a brace of tries as Connacht eased to a 54-16 United Rugby Championship victory over Zebre Parma at The Sportsground.

MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh enhanced their United Rugby Championship play-off prospects as they ran in six tries to claim a 43-18 bonus-point victory over Scarlets.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers' hopes of claiming a home play-off spot suffered a big setback on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium. 

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 14 encounter between the Stormers and Ospreys in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions stunned the world and did other South African teams a huge favour with a huge 44-12 upset win over the table-topping Leinster side in their URC match at Ellis Park.

MATCH REPORT: Defending champions Munster overtook the Bulls on the United Championship standings with a 27-22 win in a bruising encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton kept themselves firmly on course for the United Rugby Championship play-offs by claiming a 36-19 bonus-point victory over the Dragons in Treviso.

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

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

SATURDAY SUPER WRAP: The Western Force added another chapter to peculiar Super Rugby Pacific season, which also saw the Blues make a statement of intent.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Western Force's signing spree has continued with the capture of one-cap England international Nic Dolly for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Victor Matfield is backing Jason Jenkins to take over the Springbok No.4 jersey from Eben Etzebeth one day.

REPORT: A last-gasp penalty from John Cooney saw Ulster keep their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes on track with a 19-17 win over Cardiff after being behind for most of the game on Friday.

MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors kept their winning home run intact with a hard-fought 21-10 win over the Sharks at the Scotstoun Stadium.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 14 encounter between Glasgow Warriors and the Sharks at the Scotstoun Stadium.

OPINION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White, in his latest RugbyPass column addresses the perception that he is 'disrespectful' to Euro's premier event.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: Strap yourself in. It is going to be a wild ride. @king365ed looks at URC Round 14.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: All roads lead to Pretoria on Friday, April 26 as UP-Tuks will host Varsity College in the 2024 Varsity Shield Final.

SPOTLIGHT: All available tickets for the Champions Cup semifinals have been sold.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls have lost one of their key players, most likely for the rest of the season.

ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: The three teams at the top of the SA Cup log – Griquas, the Pumas and Cheetahs – will have their credentials as frontrunners tested when they hit the road for tricky away fixtures this weekend in Round Five of the competition.

SUPER RUGBY FRIDAY WRAP: The Hurricanes made it eight wins from eight at the top of the Super Rugby table on Friday with a hard-fought 38-15 victory over Fijian Drua in Suva.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has made several changes to his team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship clash against Ospreys in Cape Town.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 14 clash against Leinster in Johannesburg.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has named a powerful matchday squad for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Munster in Pretoria.

WATCH as the Behind the Ruck crew - Springboks Rudy Paige & Juan De Jongh - sit down with World Cup winner Ruan Pienaar.

NEWS: The Stormers are busy planning for the future and they have released a statement on one of their most promising players.

VIDEO: Loftus Versfeld is a special place and it’s a huge advantage to play at home, but that alone will not win the game for the Bulls, says prop Gerhard Steenekamp.

NEWS: Bulls flanker Cameron Hanekom is available to play after the citing complaint against him was dismissed by the citing complaint against him was dismissed by an EPCR Disciplinary Committee panel on Thursday.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: As the United Rugby Championship returns this weekend, the pressure to secure the best possible position is mounting with just five rounds remaining before the quarterfinals.

NEWS: Established world-class performers and rising stars of the game are included in a list of eight outstanding nominees for the 2024 EPCR Cup Player of the Year award.

It’s a story for the ages – a team battered and bruised, with very little prospect of victory at an international championship, rises from the ashes to take the coveted crown.

ROUND 14 PREVIEW: It’s been quite a year for Rikiya Matsuda.

NEWS: Men’s SVNS standings leaders Argentina have been drawn in a tough Pool A together with recent Hong Kong winners New Zealand, Australia and Canada ahead of the Singapore HSBC SVNS taking place from May 3-5 at the Singapore National Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his team to face Glasgow Warriors in Round 14 of the 2024 United Rugby Championship season.

VIDEO: Bulls prop Wilco Louw echoed the same sentiments as his coach Jake White that young players need game time in tough encounters to improve.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks assistant coach Dave Williams believes the two-week URC tour is a big advantage for the European Challenge Cup semifinal.

SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks continue to dominate the sports landscape following their impressive achievement in 2023.

VARSITY SHIELD PREVIEW: Tuks are determined to finish their stint in the Varsity Shield with a title as well as a perfect record.

PREVIEW: The battle for top spot will come to a head this weekend when Paarl Gym host Grey College, while the clash between Paul Roos and Paarl Boys may also be one to savour.

WATCH as Munster attack coach Mike Prendergast explains the role Springbok RG Snyman will play for his team in the Loftus Versfeld face-off against the Bulls.

NEWS: Geoff Parling became the final member of Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt's backroom team Thursday, the former England lock joining ahead of two Tests against Wales in July.

REACTION: Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi describes as 'humbling' the honour of being named on TIME Magazine's list for the 100 most influential people of the year.

NEWS: Wales hooker Ken Owens announced his retirement on Wednesday after failing to recover from a persistent back injury.

INJURY UPDATE: A new question mark hangs over two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Steven Kitshoff's stint with Ulster.

NEWS: Ospreys arrived in South Africa for a two-match United Rugby Championship safari, boosted by the news that three Cheetahs players have rejoined them.

WATCH as Lions defence coach Jaque Fourie reveals his team's ambitious plans for the URC.

TRANSFER NEWS: Bath confirmed the signing of loosehead prop Francois van Wyk on a two-year deal.

SPOTLIGHT: Victor Matfield is expecting Handre Pollard's successor to come from Cape Town, and it is not Manie Libbok.

NEWS: Tyler Bleyendaal has agreed to join Leinster ahead of the start of the 2024/25 season as assistant coach in place of the departing Andrew Goodman.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: The South African loose forward sensation Cameron Hanekom has been cited following his yellow card during the European Champions Cup match against Northampton Saints on Saturday.

NEWS: Disgraced France prop Mohamed Haouas will return to Montpellier from Biarritz in July with the Top 14 side saying that his one-year contract was "conditional on exemplary behaviour".

INJURY UPDATE: Finn Russell could struggle to play again this season.

SPOTLIGHT: Springbok legend Victor Matfield said the Bulls are starting to reap the rewards of Jake White's planning, including the development of some future Springboks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: This year's Rugby Championship returns to its 12-match tour format following an abbreviated tournament in 2023 due to the World Cup in France.

WATCH as Leinster assistant coach Andrew Goodman explains what their plans are for the two-match URC tour to South Africa.

NEWS: Bath announced the signing of Ross Molony from Leinster ahead of the 2024/25 season.

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

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White talks about the long-term project he is busy with at Loftus Versfeld.

VARSITY CUP PREVIEW: The Ikeys are relishing the prospect of facing a like-minded Shimlas side in what should be a thrilling Varsity Cup final in Bloemfontein next week.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Stormers have bolstered their forward pack once again.

TRANSFER NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have added experience to their forward pack with the signing of Edinburgh prop Luan de Bruin.

NEWS: Australian Mick Byrne has been unveiled as Fiji's new head coach on Tuesday.

NEWS: An investigation into alleged racial abuse of Fijian Drua’s Frank Lomani by a Rebels fan during a Super Rugby Pacific match has found the claim could not be substantiated.

NEWS: Josh Turnbull has played his last game of professional rugby after agreeing to take up a coaching position within the Cardiff academy set-up.

NEWS: Former All Black head coach Ian Foster will be reunited with Steve Hansen in Japan.

VARSITY CUP SEMIFINALS: The 2024 Varsity Cup will be decided in Bloemfontein on Monday, April 22 when UFS Shimlas host UCT Ikeys in this year’s Final.

TRANSFER NEWS: All Black star Jordie Barrett will be joining Irish province Leinster on a short-term deal.

URC SPOTLIGHT: After achieving their objective of qualifying for the last four of the Champions Cup, Leinster are now heading to South Africa.

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman has provided updates on some of the injured players in his squad as they prepare for their United Rugby Championship Round 14 clash against Ospreys in Cape Town on Saturday.

REACTION: Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt expressed his disappointment with his side's second-half capitulation against his former team the Sharks in their Challenge Cup quarterfinal in Durban.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has revealed a 30-man squad for their South African tour.

NEWS: With Europe's Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarterfinals having drawn to a close, we look ahead to what the semifinal matches will look like this season.

NEWS: Leinster fullback Hugo Keenan not be available for selection for the United Rugby Championship match against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks flyhalf Siya Masuku is one of the toughest flyhalves in South Africa and currently finds himself in an ecosystem at the Sharks where his talent can grow.

NEWS: Dan Sheehan has signed a new two-year contract with Ireland and Leinster.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATES: Reds duo Tate McDermott and Fraser McReight both received three-week suspensions for foul play in their team's Super Rugby Pacific defeat to Moana Pasifika last weekend.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White pushes back over suggestions he has 'disrespected' the Champions Cup.

SCHOOLS WRAP: Wynberg recorded a monumental win in Paarl while Gimmies survived their first big test in another dramatic round of schoolboy rugby.

NEWS: Auckland Blues forward Cameron Suafoa has cancer and will take a break from playing after suffering fatigue from radiotherapy.

WEEKEND WRAP: The Pumas, Griquas, Cheetahs and Leopards again made it a profitable weekend for home teams in the SA Cup.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White uses some cunning explanations to avoid giving insights into his team's injury status.

MATCH REPORT: Stade Toulousain took another step towards an unprecedented sixth European title with an emphatic 64-26 Champions Cup demolition of Exeter Chiefs at Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup quarterfinal encounter between Stade Toulousain and Exeter Chiefs in Toulouse.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton reached the EPCR Challenge Cup semifinal stage for the second year in a row after a 39-14 win over Connacht at the Stadio Monigo.

WEEKEND WRAP: Paarl Gimnasium sneaked past Affies 20-19 after a tightly contested Premier Interschools North versus South derby in Pretoria on Saturday.

ROUND 13 WRAP: A failed conversion attempt in the 86th minute by flyhalf Bryn Gatland has left the semifinal hopes of former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers hanging by a thread after a thrilling 40-40 draw with Brave Lupus Tokyo in Japan Rugby League One.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup quarterfinal encounter between Leinster and Stade Rochelais in Dublin.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup quarterfinal encounter between Northampton Saints and the Bulls At Franklin's Gardens.

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints have reached the Champions Cup semifinals for the first time in 13 years - putting a half-ton past a travel-wary Bulls team at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster hammered two-time Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais 40-13 on Saturday to claim a spot in the semifinals.

REACTION: Sharks head coach John Plumtree said many sacrifices were made behind the scenes as his team secured a Challenge Cup semifinal set to be played in England.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins reached their first Champions Cup semifinal, edging a highly-fancied Bordeaux-Begles 42-41 in a breathtaking game in France on Saturday.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Sharks advanced to the Challenge Cup semifinals after they beat a plucky Edinburgh side 36-30 in their quarterfinal in Durban on Saturday.

NEWS: A little-know political party, the African Restoration Alliance, is at the forefront in the latest coup de main on SARU over its decision to place the WPRFU under administration.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: ASM Clermont Auvergne ran Ulster ragged in the second-half of their EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal, defeating the Irish province 53-14.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell says his team does not deserve the favourites tag for the Challenge Cup title even if they are successful in their quarterfinal this weekend.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup quarterfinal encounter between the Sharks and Edinburgh at Kings Park in Durban.

SATURDAY WRAP: Scrumhalf TJ Perenara moved level as the most prolific try-scorer in Super Rugby history as his competition-leading Hurricanes beat the Chiefs 36-23 on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Fullback Santiago Carreras kicked six penalties as he led Gloucester to a 23-13 win over Ospreys in their EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal.

ROUND SEVEN WRAP: The line-up of the semifinals of the 2024 Varsity Shield has been determined after some scintillating action in the last round-robin matches.

PREVIEW: The bulk of the week's spotlight will be on Dublin's Lansdowne Road, where the two-time defending champions Stade Rochelais face off against four-time champions Leinster.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White pushed back strongly against suggestions he is deliberately fielding a 'B-Team'.

MATCH REPORT: The Reds were beaten by Super Rugby Pacific strugglers Moana Pasifika in Whangarei, with two star talents sent off for serious foul play.

SPOTLIGHT: Peter O’Mahony has finally signed on the dotted line

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his team for Saturday's Challenge Cup quarterfinal against Edinburgh in Durban.

OPINION: Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok RG Snyman was branded the worst signing ever, following Munster's Champions Cup exit at the hands of Northampton Saints last weekend.

INTERVIEWS: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White received a lot of push-back - even from the South African Rugby Union - when he raised the issues of his team's travelling challenges in the Champions Cup.

TRANSFER NEWS: Australia hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa is heading back to Super Rugby Pacific after signing a long-term deal with the Western Force.

SA CUP PREVIEW: With the SA Cup fast approaching the halfway mark of the league phase, pace-setting Griquas will face their most difficult outing when they host third-placed Griffons in Kimberley.

INTERVIEW: The Saints will have some real insights on the Bulls, when the men in Black, Green and Gold tackle the visitors from Pretoria in a Champions Cup quarterfinal at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

NEWS: The Free State Stadium, the iconic home of the Cheetahs, is set to undergo the yearly re-sowing of its playing surface starting Monday, April 15.

CHALLENGE CUP QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW: Ospreys head coach Toby Booth has demanded that his players lift their game for their Challenge Cup quarterfinal at Gloucester on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks are proving that they can build depth with the youngsters they have in the system.

NEWS: The European Professional Club Rugby organisation confirmed that Rugby Union could make a return to Dublin's iconic Croke Park.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Five members of last year’s Junior Springbok squad were included in the 31-player touring group for the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship in Australia, that was announced by SA U20 head coach Bafana Nhleko on Thursday.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White talks about the selection conundrum he faces ahead of the Champions Cup quarterfinal face-off with Northampton Saints.

A strong Affies side will host an unbeaten Paarl Gymnasium outfit this weekend, while Grey College will be back in action against Outeniqua.

PREVIEW: Madibaz coach David Manuel believes that his plucky charges have what it takes to beat Tuks in Pretoria and automatically qualify for next season's Varsity Cup.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: A couple of double World Cup-winning Springboks are topping the charts in some stat categories as Japan Rugby League One enters Round 13 this weekend.

NEWS: The Cheetahs and Ospreys have revealed the next stage in their player development partnership

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Montpellier lock Paul Willemse has been suspended for five weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 match against Ulster last weekend.

PREVIEW: Record-seeking TJ Perenara was named to start at scrumhalf in place of the injured Cam Roigard for the Hurricanes who face a huge challenge to their unbeaten Super Rugby record against the Chiefs at the weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: England women's coach John Mitchell believes smaller balls could be a valuable recruitment tool for women's rugby.

VIDEO: Springbok and Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr says one has to show toughness when playing Northampton Saints. 

SPOTLIGHT: Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit accepts his ambition to forge an American football career with NFL champions Kansas City Chiefs could see him "cut at any point".

SPOTLIGHT: SA Rugby has explained the Bulls' travel arrangements for the Bulls Champions Cup quarterfinal after Jake White expressed his dissatisfaction with the process.

VIDEO: Cheetahs coach Izak van der Westhuizen will use the SA Cup to get a settled side ready for the Currie Cup after their disappointing loss against Clermont in the Challenge Cup last weekend. 

SPOTLIGHT: Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt says his team's Challenge Cup quarterfinal against the Sharks presents an opportunity to right the wrongs of their United Rugby Championship defeat against the same opponents..

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks star Bongi Mbonambi believes Edinburgh will be a much stronger unit this weekend in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals than when his team faced them in the United Rugby Championship not too long ago.

SPOTLIGHT: Jacques Nienaber has provided some insight into the Springboks' play-off formula as he aims to help Leinster progress further in this season's Champions Cup.

WATCH AS new Stormers CEO Johan le Roux explains what his biggest beef with the SARU financial model is.

SPOTLIGHT: Northampton boss Phil Dowson has refused to rule out George Furbank from Saturday's Champions Cup quarterfinal at home to the Bulls.

NEWS: Rugby Football Union CEO Bill Sweeney said there were no plans to alter rules banning overseas-based players from England duty despite several internationals joining French clubs.

NEWS: All Black loose forward Ethan Blackadder will make a cautious return for the Crusaders on Friday after a horror run of injuries, head coach Rob Penney said Wednesday.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Frank Lomani has been slapped with a six-game ban for his shocking elbow against his former side at the weekend.

VIDEO: Eight different airlines and destinations await the Bulls en route to their Champions Cup quarterfinal encounter with Northampton Saints at Franklin Gardens on Saturday evening. 

WATCH as Springbok scrumhalf Embrose Cheldon Papier speaks about the challenge of facing the Premiership's leading light on their home ground.

SPOTLIGHT: The recent defeat in Potchefstroom has only strengthened UCT’s resolve ahead of a rematch with the NWU Eagles in the Varsity Cup semifinals.

WATCH as new Stormers CEO Johan le Roux explains the reasoning behind the name change of the professional arm of the franchise - from Western Province Professional Rugby to Stormers Rugby.

ANALYSES: The Lions are the ultimate enigma of the game - showing plenty of promise, but also lack consistency.

NEWS: Montpellier's Paul Willemse and Benetton's Giacomo Nicotera will be facing the music after they received red cards in the Challenge Cup over the weekend.

NEWS: France will take on a World XV featuring England's Vunipola brothers Mako and Billy and Fijian centre Semi Radradra in Bilbao ahead of their tour to South America.

NEWS: The professional arm of Western Province Rugby is undergoing a name change as part of the new chapter under the recent equity deal.

WATCH as Stade Rochelais' giant lock Will Skelton shows an extraordinary act of kindness in the midst of a brutal battle.

NEWS: Andrew Strawbridge will join Steve Borthwick’s management team as an assistant coach and coaching advisor ahead of England’s tour to Japan and New Zealand.

NEWS: Dragons centre Jack Dixon has retired at the age of 29.

ROUND SEVEN WRAP: Ahead of next week’s semifinals, it was all-out action in the last round-robin encounters of the 2024 Varsity Cup.

NEWS: The outcome of a prosecution case for online hate has been hailed as ‘a landmark’ after a man in Australia was prosecuted for targeting a match official and his family online during last year's World Cup in France.

MATCH OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS: Following a compelling start to the knock-out stages of the tournaments, EPCR announceD the referees for this weekend's quarterfinals of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

REACTION: Super Rugby Pacific has been clouded by an allegation of racism.

NEWS: Andre Boniface, one of French rugby's greatest players in the 1950s and 1960s, died in Bayonne on Monday at the age of 89, his family told AFP.

WRAP: The Griquas, Pumas and Griffons continued their winning streak in the third round of SA Cup, while there were also important wins for the Boland Cavaliers and the SWD Eagles.

WRAP: A try-scoring return by Wallaby Bernard Foley was not enough to keep the semifinal light flickering for Kubota Spear Tokyo Bay, who fell to their seventh loss of the season in a dramatic 20-22 defeat by Brave Lupus Tokyo in Japan's top tier rugby competition.

NEWS: South Africa’s Springbok captain Siya Kolisi was forced off after just 22 minutes in his comeback game for Racing 92 in their Champions Cup round of 16 match in Toulouse on Sunday.

WRAP: Milnerton's never-say-die attitude earned them a memorable win over Rondebosch while the Paarl schools flexed their muscles on a big weekend for the schoolboy game.

NEWS: The quarterfinal line-ups for Europe's premier competition has been confirmed.

NEWS: The quarterfinal line-ups for the EPCR Challenge Cup have been confirmed.

MATCH REPORT: In a thrilling final EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 game, flank Cian Prendergast settled the score in Connacht’s favour, as they ran out 40-30 winners over Section Paloise.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks marched into the quarterfinals of the Challenge Cup with a resounding victory over Zebre Parma 47-3 at Kingspark on Sunday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter between the Sharks and Zebre at Kings Park in Durban.

MATCH REPORT: Stade Toulousain eased past French rivals Racing 92, as they triumphed 31-7 in the Champions Cup Round of 16.

MATCH REPORT: Replacement George Hendy scored two second-half tries as Northampton Saints booked their place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.

MATCH REPORT: Ulster overcame a 14-point deficit to earn a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal stage with a 40-17 victory over Montpellier on Sunday.

WATCH as former Irish and Connacht utility forward Ultan Dillane and compatriot Donnacha Ryan review Stade Rochelais' win over the Stormers and a rematch with Leinster.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the men's drama on Day Three at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the women's drama on Day Three at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

WEEKEND RESULTS: Following the Easter weekend, the schools action produced a number of interesting derby results.

REACTION: The Cheetahs took three-time Challenge Cup winners Clermont close to a dark place in their Challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter in France on Saturday but the sands of time caught up with them. 

NEWS: Michael Hooper's debut sevens tournament continues to prove a success with the Olympics-hunting Wallabies great enjoying cameo roles as both Australian sides marched to the semifinals in Hong Kong.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White admits that he is frustrated with SA Rugby over their lack of communication around travel arrangements for the Champions Cup.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Jamison Gibson-Park led Leinster to a 36-22 victory over Leicester Tigers in the Champions Cup Round of 16.

MATCH REPORT: Ospreys continued to fly the flag for Wales beating Sale Sharks 20-15 to reach the quarterfinals of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: A quick-fire brace from Ben Vellacott helped to power Edinburgh past Aviron Bayonnais 33-15 and into the EPCR Challenge Cup quarterfinal.

WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson gives the kind of injury update no team wants.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Union Bordeaux-Bègles, led by halfback pair Maxime Lucu and Matéo Garcia, were exquisite as they defeated Saracens 45-12 in the Champions Cup Round of 16.

MATCH REPORT: The Lions were booted out of the Challenge Cup by Benetton with 14 players as they were beaten 27-17 in Treviso on Saturday evening.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter between Benetton and the Lions in Treviso.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: A trio of tries took Exeter Chiefs into the quarterfinal of the Champions Cup, as they beat Bath 21-15 in windy conditions at Sandy Park.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: It was another thriller between the Stormers and Stade Rochelais, but this time it was the visitors who edged the match 22-21.

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

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: The Bulls secured their place in the last eight of this season's Champions Cup after they thumped Lyon 59-19 in Pretoria on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs bid a sad farewell to legend Ruan Pienaar as they suffered a 22-27 loss at the hands of Clermont in their Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash and made their exit from the competition on Saturday afternoon.

SATURDAY WRAP: The Chiefs cantered over for 10 tries in a 68-12 drubbing of Moana Pasifika on Saturday - the most lop-sided Super Rugby scoreline in more than a year.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter between Clermont and the Cheetahs.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter between the Bulls and Lyon Olympique Universitair at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the men's drama on Day Two at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the women's drama on Day Two at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

PREVIEW: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson readily accepted the 'underdog' tag as his team faces what he describes as "one of the best team teams in the world."

NEWS: Wallaby utility back Kurtley Beale has joined Super Rugby strugglers Western Force, as he resumes his career after being cleared of sexual assault.

ROUND SIX WRAP: With one round to go in the 2024 Varsity Shield competition, the teams for play-offs have now been decided.

MATCH REPORT: Fullback Santiago Carreras kicked Gloucester to a 30-25 win over Castres Olympique in their Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins survived another second-half wobble as they beat Glasgow 28-24 in a European Champions Cup last-16 tie in the London rain on Friday.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Munster's John Ryan will miss three games after an Appeal Panel upheld the original disciplinary panel decision following an appeal by Munster.

NEWS: Saracens star Owen Farrell has been ruled out for several weeks with a hamstring problem, with the flyhalf now set to miss a key part of the club's season.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: It is do or die for the three South African franchises in the Round of 16 of the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

NEWS: Steven Kitshoff will be coming home to Cape Town next season, having signed a two-year deal to return to the fold.

NEWS: Flip van der Merwe was revealed as the new president of struggling second-division side Biarritz on Friday as part of a takeover that also includes the club's former players Shaun Hegarty and Marc Baget.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the men's drama on Day One at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs hooker Louis van der Westhuizen will run out in his 50th game for the Bloemfontein side when they face Clermont for their round of 16 clash in the Challenge Cup at Stade Marcel Michelin in France on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hooker Jaco Visagie will lead the Lions against Italian outfit Benetton in a Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash at the Stadio Monigo on Saturday.

LIVE UPDATES: We bring you all the women's drama on Day One at Hong Kong, Round Six of the SVNS World Series.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks coach John Plumtree has made two changes to the side that will host Zebre Parma for their Challenge Cup Round of 16 clash at Kingspark in Durban on Sunday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has revealed his team for their Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against Lyon Olympique Universitaire in Pretoria on Saturday.

WATCH as Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete speaks about giving Ruan Pienaar a 'fitting send-off'.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Experienced flank Deon Fourie will make his return from injury in one of four changes to the Stormers' starting XV for the Round of 16 clash with Stade Rochelais at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

NEWS: Fans have named the 21-year-old Italy and Benetton centre, Tommaso Menoncello, as the 2024 Six Nations Player of the Championship.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby tries to 'put into perspective' the current status of his team, after a heavy loss and ahead of a crucial European Cup outing.

SUPER RUGBY FRIDAY WRAP: Scrumhalf Taufa Funaki grabbed two tries Friday as the Blues romped to a 50-3 home thrashing of Super Rugby bottom side the Western Force.

NEWS: A number of kick-off times have been adjusted for Round 18 of the United Rugby Championship on Saturday, June 1.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby has issued a statement responding to the New Zealand Rugby Players Association’s (NZRPA) calls for the NZR board to stand down with immediate effect.

PREVIEW: The Super Rugby Pacific competition prepares for the first wave of byes as teams start to build towards the Finals.

REACTION: The shake-up of the Sharks' management structures has been described as 'game changing' by owner Marco Masotti.

PREVIEW: The Paarl heavyweights will host the two biggest schoolboy clashes of the weekend, as normal service resumes in the wake of several action-packed Easter festivals.

NEWS: Michael Hooper is ready to launch the late-career switch to sevens from the international 15-a-side game that proved beyond at least one rugby great - but Bryan Habana is convinced the Aussie workhorse will succeed where he failed.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The Champions Cup Round of 16 kicks off on Friday with a mouth-watering tie at Twickenham Stoop between Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors.

ROUND 12 PREVIEW: Lose on Sunday against Brave Lupus in Round 12 of the Japan Rugby League Open and the defending champions’ title defence is realistically no more for coach Frans Ludeke's Kubota Spears.

REACTION: South Africa's two-time World Cup-winning skipper Siya Kolisi said he accepts he will lose the Springbok captaincy as he is based abroad.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Gloucester head coach George Skivington has demanded a return to winning ways in his club’s Challenge Cup Round of 16 tie with Castres Olympique at Kingsholm on Friday.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Prop John Ryan will miss Munster's Champions Cup match against Northampton Saints after he was handed a suspension.

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Two of the highlights of the third round SA Cup involve repeats of last year’s Currie Cup Premier and First Division finals, with the Cheetahs hosting the Pumas in Bloemfontein, while the Falcons travel to Wellington to take on the Boland Kavaliers.

PREVIEW: WSU coach Thembani Mkhokheli has called on his attack-minded charges to produce a sharper defensive showing in the Varsity Shield ‘quarterfinal’ against CPUT on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: BlitzBoks coaches can hardly ask for a more daunting start to their HSBC SVNS career than what is facing Philip Snyman, the South Africa Sevens’ new interim head coach, this weekend, but the 37-year-old will take it in his stride.

ONE-ON-ONE AUDIENCE: Aphelele Onke Okuhle Fassi is once again producing the form that saw him appear on the Springbok radar in 2021.

NEWS: France prop Wilfrid Hounkpatin received a 12-month suspended prison sentence for domestic violence after attacking his partner.

NEWS: Two schoolboy rugby powerhouses continue their rivalry that started back in 1921 when Glenwood High and Maritzburg College face off in the Premier Interschools this weekend.

NEWS: Bath confirmed that Sam Underhill has renewed his contract at the club, keeping him at The Rec until 2026.

INJURY UPDATE: Munster provided a positive update on Springbok lock RG Snyman on Wednesday.

REACTION: Saracens loose forward forward Andy Christie said on Wednesday he is "devastated" he will miss the rest of the season with a broken arm.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives an injury update at the start of their build-up to their Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter with Lyon Olympique Universitaire.

SPOTLIGHT: You can take the man out of South Africa, but you can't take the braai out of the South African man.

SPOTLIGHT: The reunions will continue for the Stormers this weekend when they welcome Stade Rochelais to Cape Town Stadium for their Champions Cup Round of 16 match.

ROUND SIX: The famous Hong Kong Stadium atmosphere is set to welcome the world’s best men’s and women’s Sevens teams.

SPOTLIGHT: As the top South African franchises gear up for Champions Cup action, this weekend will also be a perfect opportunity for players to impress the Springboks' management.

WATCH as new Cheetahs coach Izak van der Westhuizen explains the value of having played and lost to a star-studded Toulon in a Challenge Cup Round of 16 encounter last year.

SPOTLIGHT: After facing Stade Rochelais in a Champions Cup pool match in December, the Stormers are well aware of the threats that the French juggernauts pose ahead of Saturday's Round of 16 tie in Cape Town.

INJURY NEWS: Munster have a major concern as Springbok lock RG Snyman might be a doubt for the upcoming Champions Cup round of 16 match against Northampton Saints on Sunday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Saracens announced the signing of Fergus Burke from the Crusaders on a long-term deal.

NEWS: The most-capped All Black in history has made a decision on his future.

INJURY UPDATE: All Black scrumhalf Cam Roigard is set to be sidelined for at least six months after rupturing a knee ligament, his Super Rugby team the Hurricanes said Wednesday.

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will be one of the elite clubs in the world, newly-appointed Director of Rugby John Dobson stated.

SPOTLIGHT: A brutally competitive Varsity Cup campaign will come to a head next Monday when the playoff qualifiers joust for a top-two finish to the league phase.

SPOTLIGHT: Watching from the sidelines wasn’t easy for Dewald Human, but now that the BlitzBok playmaker is back from injury, he is ready to help and make a difference to the Springbok Sevens’ fortunes in Hong Kong.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Champions Cup returns with the Round of 16, as the world’s best clubs do battle in the hopes of making this year’s final on May 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

SPOTLIGHT: BlitzBok captain Selvyn Davids says his team can't be scared of making mistakes as they play their first tournament under new head coach Philip Snyman.

NEWS: Former Samoa captain Mase Mahonri Schwalger has been appointed head coach of the national side through to the end of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

NEWS: Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt has enticed another vastly experienced New Zealander to join his support team.

NEWS: Leicester Tigers have paid an 'over-run tax' from Premiership Rugby relating to a breach of salary cap regulations during the 2019/20 season.

TEAM UPDATE: The Cheetahs suffered a significant setback ahead of their trip to France for a Challenge Cup Round of 16 face-off with Clermont at Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: Some big statements were made in the United Rugby Challenge over the weekend as the bulk of the teams head into the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, with the last 16 and quarterfinal ties on successive weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: Star loose forward Ardie Savea believes New Zealand Rugby (NZR) should consider changing their eligibility rules for the All Blacks.

REACTION: Sharks owner Marco Masotti and former Springbok captain John Smit are playing down the social media fall-out over Smit's Ferrari jibe last week.

INJURY UPDATE: The Sharks look set to be without the services of one of their World Cup Springboks when they resume their European Challenge Cup campaign next week.

REACTION: The Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson admitted he finds himself in a tricky position following his team's hard-fought 13-7 win over Ulster in the United Rugby Championship Round 13 clash.

EURO SPOTLIGHT: It will be an ameliorated Stade Rochelais that will arrive in Cape Town on Saturday, for their Champions Cup Round 16 face-off with the Stormers.

MATCH REPORT: Tom Roebuck scored a hat-trick of tries as Sale Sharks kept their hopes alive of claiming a Premiership play-off spot by blowing away Exeter Chiefs 41-5 in a breathtaking display at the AJ Bell Stadium.

SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: The long Easter Weekend means it is FESTIVAL time for talented young players in South Africa.

REACTION: Just a week after a very controversial decision during Saracens' win over Harlequins, the Rugby Football Union found themselves in another Premiership match saga.

ROUND TWO WRAP: The four Currie Cup sides continued their strong start in the SA Cup when all of them registered convincing victories in this weekend’s second-round matches, while there was also a good win for the SWD Eagles.

VIDEO: Jake White, the Bulls' Director of Rugby, said his side was not in pieces after their disappointing loss at the hands of Leinster in their United Rugby Championship clash at the RDS Arena in Dublin this past Friday.

REACTION: A desponded Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen used the words ‘bitterly disappointed’ and ‘need to be better’ in his post-match interview after his sides’ 21-36 loss to Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Scotland wing Kyle Rowe scored a hat-trick of tries as Glasgow Warriors climbed into second place in the United Rugby Championship by blowing away the ill-disciplined Scarlets 45-3 in Llanelli.

MATCH REPORT: Jack Crowley scored a second half try and kicked the clinching 74th-minute penalty in Munster's 20-15 United Rugby Championship win over Cardiff at Thomond Park.

NEWS: Dual-code international Israel Folau has taken just four minutes to put himself on the scoresheet in Japan Rugby League One on his return after a nine-month absence.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 13 encounter between the Stormers and Ulster in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers came from behind to record a gritty 13-7 win over Ulster in a United Rugby Championship arm-wrestle in Cape Town on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks continued their climb away from the United Rugby Championship basement, with a 23-13 win over Edinburgh at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 13 encounter between Ospreys and the Lions in Swansea.

SATURDAY WRAP: André Esterhuizen scored a brace in Harlequins’ victory over Bath at Twickenham on Saturday after the visitors fought back from 37 points down to set up a momentous finish.

MATCH REPORT: The Ospreys moved into the top eight of the United Rugby Championship with a 36-21 bonus-point victory over thwe Lions in Swansea on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton boosted their United Rugby Championship play-off hopes with a dramatic 18-14 win over Connacht at Stadio Monigo.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 13 encounter between the Sharks and Edinburgh at Kings Park in Durban.

SUPER SATURDAY WRAP: Cam Roigard scored a try, set up two others and limped off injured as the Hurricanes crushed the Highlanders 47-12 to maintain their dominant start to the Super Rugby Pacific season.

MATCH REPORT: Irish powerhouse Leinster made a serious statement of intent with a comprehensive 47-14 United Rugby Championship win over the Bulls at the RDS Arena in Dublin on Friday.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives an injury update after the Bulls' URC loss to Leinster on Friday.

WATCH as two-time World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff joins fellow Springboks Rudy Paige and Juan De Jongh for a very enjoyable and informative chat about all matters rugby - on and off the field.

PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: Northampton Saints showed why they are top of the Premiership table, producing a special performance to beat champions Saracens 41-30.

MATCH REPORT: Dragons moved off the bottom of the United Rugby Championship table with a comfortable 20-13 win over fellow strugglers Zebre at Rodney Parade.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the United Rugby Championship Round 13 encounter between Leinster and the Bulls at the RDS Arena in Dublin.

NEWS: Wales star Louis Rees-Zammit has signed a deal with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

SATURDAY PREVIEW: Steven Kitshoff's return to Cape Town in the colours of Ulster has dominated the build-up to Saturday's United Rugby Championship clash against the Stormers.

SUPER RUGBY WRAP: Wing Johnny McNicholl grabbed two tries Friday as defending Super Rugby Pacific champions Crusaders snapped a five-game losing streak with a 37-26 home win over the Chiefs to claim their first victory this season.

SPOTLIGHT: Star loose forward Ardie Savea has sent a warning to his All Black teammates about a "scarier" Springbok team that awaits them later this year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wing Edwill van der Merwe will earn his 50th Lions cap when his team take on Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship Round 13 match on Saturday.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains how his team will deal with the Jacques Nienaber factor when they face Leinster at the RDS on Friday.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree said he is eager to test Ethan Hooker at outside centre at some stage during Saturday’s United Rugby Championship Round 13 clash against Edinburgh.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson has revealed his team to face Ulster in a United Rugby Championship Round 13 match on Saturday.

TOP 14 PREVIEW: The Racing 92 supporters will be hoping for some good news as their team takes Clermont in the Top 14 clash on Saturday.

UPDATE: Welsh star Louis Rees-Zammit has agreed to terms of a deal with the reigning NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple US and European reports.

NEWS: England forwards Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam will join Toulon on three-year deals next season, the French club's president Bernard Lemaitre said on Thursday.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The Bulls are relishing the opportunity to 'measure themselves' against one of the greatest teams in the game, Leinster, in a top-of-the-table face-off in Dublin on Friday.

NEWS: The Lions will be without gargantuan prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye for at least the next two games.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White made a number of changes to the match day, for a top-of-the-table United Rugby Championship encounter with Leinster at the RDS Arena on Friday.