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SPOTLIGHT: Australia Rugby is facing a new religious row, as more Pacific Islanders come out proclaiming their Christianity.

READERS' CHOICE: You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to have a say!

READERS’ CHOICE: You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to have a say!

OPINION: You asked for it and here it is: You chance to vote for the South African Team of the Week!

World Rugby has announced the names of the 23 match officials appointed to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, starting on 20 September 2019 when Japan play Russia.

Eyes this weekend will be on St James’ Park, Newcastle United's ground since 1892. This weekend it will be a rugby ground with the Challenge Cup final on Friday and the Heineken Cup Final on Saturday.

OPINION: Not in 20 years of doing the Top 20 have we had a seismic shock of the proportions caused by the 2019 Schools tournament in Kimberley this past weekend.

Here it is! The results of the readers' votes for the South African Team of the Week.

DERBY TIME: The Crusaders may be on a road trip to South Africa, but Friday is earmarked for two crucial derby matches.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: You could not have asked for a more dulcet match - South Africa's leading franchise against New Zealand's top team.

NEWS: Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest could offer Israel Folau a career lifeline in Asia.

CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL SPOTLIGHT: Saracens flank Michael Rhodes knows that his team will need a few tricks up their sleeves when they face Leinster in their Champions Cup Final on Saturday.

OPINION: The Hurricanes continue to produce performances that suggest they are the Crusaders' biggest threat.

Tomas Lavanini has been branded by many as one of the most aggressive and thuggish players in the sport.

NEWS: Brumbies flank Tom Cusack has signed a new contract that will keep the flank at the Canberra-based side until the end of 2021.

WATCH as veteran Springbok hooker Schalk Brits talks about the inconsistencies that blight SANZAAR disciplinary hearings.

TRANSFER NEWS: Newly-promoted London Irish have signed an All Black star.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: All Black scrumhalf Aaron Smith seems to be warming up the right time.

REACTION: Israel Folau convinced former Wallaby captain Nick Farr-Jones to change his mind on apologising over religiously-motivated social media posts.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The NSW Waratahs have named their team to take on the Lions in Johannesburg for round 13 of the Super Rugby.

INJURY UPDATE: Saracens have received a big boost ahead of their Champions Cup Final against Leinster.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Zacharia de Bruin was welcomed back by the Lions with open arms on Monday.

REACTION: The true cost the Israel Folau saga will be felt in not just monetary value, but also the emotional scars it is going to leave on rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named his team to take on the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has made a few changes to his team to face the Jaguares in Dunedin on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Melbourne Rebels lock Ross Haylett-Petty and centre Billy Meakes have been included in the side's starting XV to face the Reds at AAMI Park.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds have made two changes to their starting XV for Friday’s match against the Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Blues head coach Leon McDonald has named his team to face the Hurricanes in a Super Rugby Round 13 encounter at Eden Park on Friday.

REACTION: After announcing his retirement from professional rugby at the end of the season, many players have taken to social media to pay tribute to James Haskell's career.

NEWS: Munster have lost half of their coaching team.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The squads and match officials have been confirmed for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.

This week on The Short Ball Scotty Stevenson is joined once more by Ali Williams!

WATCH as James Haskell speaks, at length, about his decision to retire from rugby.

UPDATE: Israel Folau's epic code of conduct hearing is finally over,

NEWS: France are trying to boost a demoralised squad ahead of the World Cup starting in September.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have rushed back a couple of Springboks for their Super Rugby crunch match against the Crusaders on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf TJ Perenara will return to lead the Hurricanes in Friday's Super Rugby match against the Blues at Auckland's Eden Park.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend named a 42-man training squad in preparation for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan this September.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Phendulani Buthelezi will lead the Junior Springbok World Rugby Under-20 Championship squad for the global showpiece in Argentina in June.

NEWS: Bath have confirmed the appointment of Stuart Hooper as Director of Rugby, to replace the departing Todd Blackadder.

INJURY UPDATE: The Highlanders' quest for Super Rugby play-off place season has just gotten harder.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Melbourne playmaker Quade Cooper admits the return to Super Rugby has taken a toll early in the season.

WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: When hosting an international rugby tournament and welcoming thirsty fans from around the world, the last thing you want to do is run out of beer.

TRANSFER NEWS: Paddy Jackson will be playing in the English Premiership next season.

CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL: The eyes of the world will be firmly fixed on St James' Park in Newcastle on Saturday, when European heavyweights Leinster and Saracens clash in the Champions Cup Final.

NEWS: James Haskell has announced his intention to retire from professional rugby at the end of the 2018/19 season.

The big results this week came from the Schools Rugby Tournament at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley, most notably the match between Grey College of Bloemfontein and Paarl Gimnasium.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has confirmed that a record number of unions have formally expressed their interest in hosting Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Crusaders' 21-all draw with the Sharks has certainly dented their superiority status and amplified a problematic area.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brumbies assistant coach Laurie Fisher has taken to social media to slam those criticising their style of play following a gritty Super Rugby win against the Blues.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Aside from Edinburgh dominating the Pro14 awards, two Cheetahs players were also among the winners.

NEWS: All Black Carl Hayman was handed a four-month suspended prison sentence for domestic violence.

REACTION: Waratahs chairman Roger Davis Tuesday called for a "quick" and "common-sense" settlement to the Israel Folau saga.

WATCH as injured Springbok centre Jesse Kriel posts an update about his recovery from surgery.

TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers confirmed the signing of Argentina international forward Tomás Lavanini for next season.

TRANSFER NEWS: Australia prop Sekope Kepu will bring his vast experience to London Irish as they return to the Premiership next season, the club has announced.

NEWS: Wales attack coach Rob Howley’s future could lie in Ireland – according to reports.

DEVELOPING NEWS: Israel Folau's code of conduct hearing isn't expected to produce a result when it goes into a third day.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalf seems to be the one position Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has little to worry about. Leezil Hendricks shines the spotlight on the candidates!

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Queensland Reds Harry Hockings has been suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of stomping on the head of a Sunwolves' player.

TRANSFER NEWS: All Blacks and Chiefs scrumhalf Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby until 2021.

The scene was set for another epic derby encounter as The South African College High School (SACS) hosted Diocesan College (Bishops) for another installment of this historic fixture. There was a Southerly breeze blowing on a chilly early winters morning in Newlands but this did not deter a large crowd who gathered for the first of the Southern Suburb derbies. Bishops proved too good on the day and were deserved 39-21 winners (half time: 15-7)

The season is well on the go now. Wildeklawer is over and so is Sanix which Paul Roos won.

WATCH as we bring you all the highlights from Super Rugby’s Round 12.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Waratahs are bracing themselves for a tense battle over the final six rounds of the Super Rugby regular season after losing ground in the race for the finals.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand referee Glen Jackson is weighing up the prospect of calling time on his career after failing to win selection on the referee panel for this year’s World Cup in Japan.

Beaten twice by Jeppe High School for Boys in 2018, King Edward VII school came to Jeppe's packed Collard Field on Saturday and turned the tables on their hosts, winning 49-31, a score which perhaps flattered Jeppe who found the big KES pack a handful.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Bath secured a vital bonus point at the Rec to keep their Premiership title aspirations alive.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Brumbies' forwards depth has come up trumps when called on this season but could face its toughest test yet with Wallabies lock Rory Arnold the latest to join the injury ward.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Bulls head coach Pote Human had a lot of praise for his front-row forwards after their 28-21 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks grow in strength when they are on tour and this season is no different.

UPDATE: Israel Folau's future remains no clearer after his landmark code of conduct hearing was forced into a third day following a weekend stalemate at Rugby Australia headquarters in Sydney.

TOP 14, SATURDAY WRAP: Leaders Toulouse scored 13 tries as they thumped Pau 83-6 in the French Top 14 on Saturday, with Thomas Ramos scoring 26 points in a virtuoso display.

PRO14 REPORT: Marcell Coetzee’s try three minutes from time finally ended Connacht’s resistance and sent Ulster through to the Pro14 semifinals with a 21-13 win at the Kingspan Stadium.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: 'Super Rugby is all about entertainment and getting the crowd on their feet.'

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Two players have been cited after a spiteful and card-riddled clash between the Reds and Sunwolves in Brisbane on Friday.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Sunwolves wing Semisi Masirewa will miss his side's Super Rugby clash against the Brumbies.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Newcastle Falcons will play their rugby in the Championship next season after a 28-19 bonus-point win for Gloucester at Kingston Park sealed their relegation fate.

RANKINGS: May Day is an international distress signal, which may be appropriate for those attempting to draw up Rugby356's first Top 20 of the season.

NEWS: Stade Francais owner Hans-Peter Wild said Sunday he was planning on investing 100 million euros ($112million) in the under-performing French Top 14 giants over the next half a decade.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Bulls returned to winning ways after edging the Waratahs 28-21 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

PRO14 REPORT: JJ Hanrahan’s monster penalty broke Benetton hearts as Munster snatched a 15-13 victory at Thomond Park to set up a Pro14 semifinal against Leinster.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Hooker Folau Fainga'a scored a hat-trick as the Brumbies edged the Blues 26-21 in a bruising encounter in Canberra on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers' chances of making the play-offs took a big blow when they went down 25-30 to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs came back from the proverbial death to earn a thrilling 31-all draw with the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.

Paul Roos Gymnasium of Stellenbosch struck gold on Sunday when they won the final of Sanix World Rugby Youth tournament with a huge score.

NEWS UPDATE: Israel Folau's code of conduct hearing will continue at Rugby Australia headquarters in Sydney, with Wallaby coach Michael Cheika one of the witnesses on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes were forced to hang on in desperate fashion against the Rebels, but kept their campaign on track.

Toulouse ran 13 tries past Pau in their Top 14 match on Saturday and one try was particularly good.

MATCH REPORT: Faf de Klerk’s last-minute penalty came back off the post as Sale Sharks had to settle for a 20-20 draw away to Bristol Bears in a thrilling Premiership Rugby encounter.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: All Black star Samuel Whitelock will not travel with the Crusaders when they head to South Africa at the weekend.

NEWS: The Lions will have head coach Swys de Bruin back next week.

NEWS: Days after their Champions Cup semifinal exit to Saracens, Munster have finally completed their investigation into the spectator who entered the Ricoh Arena playing field to confront Billy Vunipola.

NEWS: The Bulls were forced into a late change to their team ahead of their Super Rugby crunch match with the Waratahs.

MATCH REPORT: Danny Care and Semi Kunatani scored a try in each half to snap Harlequins’ five-game losing streak and boost their Premiership Rugby semi-final hopes with a tense 23-19 victory against Leicester Tigers.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: This Sunday,  the Pro14 will paid tribute to best performers of the season.

LISTEN as former SARU CEO Johan Prinsloo chats to the @rugby365com team about the influence and role of the late Louis Luyt in South African rugby.

ALL BLACK EXODUS: The post-World Cup exodus could get a few interesting additions in the next few months.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Reds held on against the Sunwolves, to win a spiteful encounter 32-26 in Brisbane on Friday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Munster Rugby confirmed that Duncan Williams, Mike Sherry, Dave O’Callaghan and James Hart will depart the province at the end of the season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It's the most divisive issue in Australian sport, but no one should expect Israel Folau's showdown with Rugby Australia to be won or lost any time soon.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Brumbies announced the signing of highly promising former Australian Schoolboys lock forward Nick Frost from the Crusaders Development Program.

WATCH as Reds captain Samu Kerevi clears up where he stands on religion and why he will continue to express his faith.

TOP 14, WEEK 24: With three Top 14 rounds left, the weekend gives four teams the chance to kick away the fingers of rivals clutching at their shirt tales.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders required an injury-time try and conversion to snatch a 21-all draw with the Sharks in Christchurch on Friday.

As they have been doing for years and years, the four Southern Suburbs boys' schools will be in action this weekend - SACS, Wynberg, Bishops and Rondebosch, all 19th century foundations.

DOWN TO THE WIRE: Incredibly there are nine teams still in the hunt for a place in the Premiership Rugby semi-finals with just two rounds to go.

TRANSFER NEWS: Harlequins and Wasps have both confirmed that a rash of players will departing the clubs at the end of the season.

Grey High School of Port Elizabeth will head some 250 km north to King William's Town this weekend for yet another bout of rugby between these two great schools, rivals and friends.

ROAD TO GLASGOW: After a thrilling climax to the Pro14 regular season last Saturday, the first stage of the Final Series, the quarterfinals get underway this weekend.

Placed in Pool D of four pools, Paul Roos Gymnasium of Japan have won their three matches, played in just four days of the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament being played in Fukuoka, Japan.

Another week, another round of Super Rugby predictions.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are five changes to the Stormers forward pack and one in the backline for their Super Rugby encounter against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Your votes are in and calculated. These are the South African players you, the readers, felt performed best in Round 11 of Super Rugby.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand columnist Ben Smith on why it is nine years since a South African team has won the competition.

NEWS: The Chiefs have announced that impressive outside back Shaun Stevenson has re-signed with them until 2023.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Leinster will be without one of their stars for next weekend's Champions Cup Final.

The Wildeklawer Schools Rugby Tournament started on Wednesday, 1 May 2019, with an evening match at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley. It was a thrilling encounter between hosts Diamantveld and Hoërskool Stellenberg of Durbanville.

UPDATE: Lions revealed that Joey Mongalo will resume his role as defence coach on Monday.

The @rugby365com team welcomes on board former SARU CEO Johan Prinsloo as part of their search for the truth and facts behind what is the root cause of all the problems in the game in South Africa.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Yes, that is what a trip to Christchurch and an encounter with the Crusaders feels like to most, if not all, teams.

NEWS: Another Springbok has announced his retirement from the game.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Conor O’Shea has chosen a squad of 44 to train for Italy’s World Cup campaign, with only 10 having previous experience at a finals.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has been forced to reshuffle his depleted forward pack for this weekend's Super Rugby crunch match with the Bulls in Pretoria.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Beauden Barrett will captain the Hurricanes for a second time this season against the Rebels at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies coach Dan McKellar admits it's frustrating after David Pocock's injury return was delayed for at least another two weeks.

In Europe, club rugby is getting to knock-out stages and all the tension that goes with them.

OPINION: It was truly an interesting weekend, with the bookmakers having lost heavily in half the games.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com's law guru Paul Dobson look at Crusaders' wing Sevu Reece try against the Lions. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues are going back to the future as they begin a challenging second half of the Super Rugby season.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions are set to be without the services of their inspirational captain, Warren Whiteley, for another couple of weeks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has named his team to face the Chiefs in a Super Rugby Round 12 encounter in Dunedin on Saturday.

NEWS: Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has rejected the offer of a new contract with the Welsh Rugby Union.

Paul Roos advanced to the semifinals of the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament. being played in Fukuoka, Japan.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A week is a long time in rugby. Just ask Taulupe Faletau.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls were forced into making a number of changes to their backline for the Super Rugby Round 12 encounter with the Waratahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

REACTION: Some Wallabies are unwilling to play with the controversial fullback and others feeling their religion is under attack.

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: The Wildeklawer Schools Rugby and Netball Tournaments start at Hoërskool Diamantveld on the evening of Thursday, 1 May 2019, Workers Day.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok scrumhalves Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach's brilliance have certainly not gone unnoticed by their English peers.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Melbourne Rebels captain Dane Haylett-Petty and vice-captain Angus Cottrell have been named to make their return to the Rebels’ starting XV to face the Hurricanes in Wellington.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales coach Warren Gatland has opened up about the ongoing rumours linking him to the England job.

NEWS: Northampton Saints revealed that wing Ken Pisi will be leaving the Club at the end of the season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has named his team for their match against the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks were dealt a cruel blow ahead of their crucial Super Rugby Round 12 encounter with the Crusaders.

CONTRACT NEWS: New Zealand Rugby continues to lock in key players beyond the World Cup.

CONFIRMED: Five of the six teams who have qualified for the PRO14 Final Series are previous champions while Benetton’s presence marks the first time that an Italian club has qualified for the knock-out stages.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves coach Tony Brown has made wholesale changes to his team for their Super Rugby Round 12 trip to Brisbane and an encounter with the Reds.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds have made just the one change to their starting XV for Friday’s clash against the Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named his team for the match against the Sharks at Christchurch Stadium on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Each year new trends surface and become wildly adopted as new ideas are proven to be effective.

REPORT: South African Under-20 ended a run of defeats with a scratchy win over their Welsh counterparts.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions suffered a cruel blow with the news that their flyhalf has been ruled out for the rest of season.

There is a good list of results for the week that ended on Freedom Day, 27 April 2019.

PRO14 SPOTLIGHT: Pierre Schoeman is hunched over the table in a Murrayfield hospitality box, eyes dancing, straggly hair quivering, an impossibly thick forearm mimicking the rearing and striking pattern of the deadly Egyptian cobra.

You asked for it and here it is: Your chance to select your South African Team of the Week - for Super Rugby Round 11.

INJURY UPDATE: Injured Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick has been ruled out of Super Rugby for a further three weeks.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls have been a dealt a cruel blow with the news of Springboks centre Jesse Kriel.

INJURY UPDATE: The Melbourne Rebels could be back to full strength to face the Hurricanes.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: A 25-man Stormers squad will travel to Argentina on Tuesday ahead of their Super Rugby encounter with the Jaguares in Buenos Aires this weekend.

TRANSFER NEWS: Joel Matavesi has agreed a new one-year contract with Newcastle Falcons.

INJURY UPDATE: All Blacks and Crusaders prop Owen Franks is set to be sidelined for another month.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales have named a 42-man training squad to prepare for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. 

WATCH as former England lock Martin Bayfield takes us back to a time when rugby was played the old-fashioned way.

PRO14 has announced the referees for the two play-offs for semifinal spots, play-offs that could be referred to as quarterfinals.

TRANSFER NEWS: Saracens have confirmed the signing of Harlequins prop Josh Ibuanokpe.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Tate McDermott isn't one for broken promises, with the halfback adamant the Reds won't repeating themselves on Friday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Saracens announced that Alex Day will join the club from Cornish Pirates.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: It’s one of the most hotly contested seasons we’ve seen in years.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls could be forced to field a new midfield combination in their Super Rugby Round 12 encounter with the Waratahs.

LISTEN as the Lions' interim coach Ivan van Rooyen contradicts his Chief Executive Officer Rudolf Straeuli over claims that they deliberately mislead the Chiefs last week.

NEWS: Following the announcement of John Fogarty’s departure, Leinster Rugby confirmed that Robin McBryde will join Leinster as Assistant Coach after the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

NEWS: Former captain Fabien Galthie will succeed Jacques Brunel as French coach after this year's World Cup.

NEWS: French star Mathieu Bastareaud is set to become the biggest name to play club rugby in the United States after the centre announced on Sunday he will move to New York after this year's World Cup.

TRANSFER NEWS: Racing92's Top 14-winning backs coach Laurent Labit will join the France set-up at the end of the season, the club announced. 

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers look set to be without the services of a Springbok superstar for their trip to Argentina.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: With each passing week, Sevu Reece’s blinding form is making a mockery of the Chiefs decision to overlook him purely on rugby-related grounds.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Waratahs' campaign just got more complicated as they lose the services of lock Jed Holloway.

Kearsney hosted DHS for a great afternoon’s running rugby in which neither team disappointed.

TRANSFER NEWS: Andy Farrell has added another coach to his Ireland set-up for when he takes over after the Rugby World Cup.

All the Super Rugby highlights

VIDEO: Crusaders' wing Sevu Reece has been in tremendous form and his try against the Lions speaks volumes of his skills.

SPOTLIGHT: Sharks coach Robert du Preez has been accused of operating a culture of "fear" and should be dumped along with his entire Super Rugby coaching team.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Jaguares survived a yellow card and several late Brumbies onslaughts to win 20-15 in Buenos Aires and complete a Super Rugby hat-trick.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The New Zealand conference has a clear leader, but the picture in South Africa and Australia is a lot more clouded.

PREMIERSHIP REACTION: Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann called on his side to raise their game, after they secured a place in the title-deciding play-offs.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers secured a narrow 24-23 win over the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

REACTION: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has attempted to douse the fiery argument raging in New Zealand over a perceived flyhalf crisis ahead of the World Cup.

PRO14 REPORT: Munster missed out on top spot in Conference A of the PRO14 but will head into the Finals Series on a high after a hard-fought 27-14 win over Connacht at Thomond Park.

TOP 14 WRAP: Bankrolled by a billionaire and boasting a squad bursting with international talent, Stade Francais still require a minor miracle if they are to avoid a fourth successive season of failing to make the French Top 14 play-offs.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Francois Hougaard sent Rassie Erasmus a timely reminder of his credentials as he helped Worcester Warriors remain in the top echelon for another season.

The South African College High School (SACS) hosted old friends from the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town, DF Malan High School, on Freedom Day! It was great to have their long-time coach Bertus Enslin and his colleagues back at SACS on a beautiful morning.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby is in full support of Fiji's Olympic sevens gold medal-winning coach Ben Ryan's five-a-side indoor concept.

PRO14 REPORT: Sam Davies slotted a late penalty as the Ospreys secured a narrow 26-23 win over Cardiff Blues in the battle for bragging rights and fourth in Conference A of the PRO14.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Maybe there isn't hope for the NSW Waratahs beyond Israel Folau after all.

Sale Sharks have this week announced perhaps the Premiership’s biggest signing ahead of next season with the recruitment of Bulls and Springboks lock Lodewyk de Jager on a three-year contract.

SPOTLIGHT: The jersey that the Springboks will be wearing at the World Cup in Japan has been revealed.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Saracens returned to winning ways in Premiership Rugby as they held off spirited Wasps 31-14.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Harry Williams’ second-half score proved the difference as Exeter Chiefs kept themselves top of the Premiership Rugby table with a narrow 17-15 victory over Harlequins.

PRO14 REPORT: Cheetahs bid farewell to their Pro14 season with a comfortable 61-25 win over the struggling Southern Kings side.

PRO14 REPORT: Marcus Rea scored on his senior debut for Ulster to give them a 14-13 victory and the bragging rights over reigning champions Leinster.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks ended a two-decade-long drought in Sydney when they beat an indisciplined Waratahs team 23-15 on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: In the wake of another sensational outing for the Crusaders, coach Scott Robertson has backed rookie wing Sevu Reece for a call-up to the All Blacks.

PRO14 REPORT: Glasgow Warriors ensured they will have a home Semi-Final in the PRO14 Final Series after blowing away Edinburgh in the first half to triumph 34-10 at Scotstoun Stadium.

STATS: The Cheetahs and Kings might be a long way off challening for the PRO14 title, but there have been some impressive indivudal performances this season.

Selborne College of East London and Queen's College of Queenstown met under blue skies in East London in Saturday in an FNB Classic Clash which was broadcast live on SuperSport and great support from the packed stands

PREMIERSHIP REACTION: Sale Director of Rugby Steve Diamond praised the Curry brothers’ breakdown influence after they defeated Bath 6-3 to retain hopes of finishing in the top-four.

INJURY UPDATE: All Blacks duo Liam Squire and Waisake Naholo are close to making their returns to Super Rugby after prolonged injury lay-offs.

PRO14 REPORT: Monty Ioane’s diving finish secured Benetton Rugby a place in the PRO14 Final Series for the first time, as they saw off rivals Zebre with a 25-11 win.

PRO14 REPORT: Dragons celebrated the end of their season in glorious style as Matthew Screech’s double was enough to record a 34-32 win over Scarlets on Judgement Day clash.

MATCH REPORT: Sale Sharks edged out Bath in a low scoring game at the AJ Bell Stadium as the boot of AJ MacGinty proved enough to see the home side through 6-3.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Harry Thacker returned to haunt his former club once again as Bristol Bears secured a Premiership Rugby double over Leicester Tigers for the first time in their history.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes continue to look like the most likely challenger to the Crusaders' dominance.

Paul Roos Gymnasium of Stellenbosch is in Japan, chosen to represent South Africa for the third time at the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament hosted by the Japan RFU in Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu in Japan.

REACTION: Lions coach Swys de Bruin says he is doing "much better" after returning home from New Zealand.

WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: Any chance of the All Blacks selecting a World Cup bolter appears to be alive and well as head coach Steve Hansen has admitted that “two or three” players have caught his eye during Super Rugby this year.

OPINION: Here it is - the readers' choices for the best South African players in Super Rugby.

MATCH REPORT: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux described his team’s 35-8 defeat against England at the Butts Park Arena in Coventry on Friday as a tough lesson as they continued their preparations for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina in June.

NEWS: New Zealand secured their future in the flyhalf channel with a crucial signing.

CAREER-ENDING: It was a week of significant injury setbacks for the Brumbies, as they look to continue their climb up the standings.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls will need a massive defensive display when they face the Stormers on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints moved into the Premiership Rugby semi-final spots as Tom Collins struck a first-half hat-trick to help them seal a 31-17 win over Newcastle Falcons.

Alexandria is a small town beyond Port Elizabeth in an area of chicory and pineapples, and two schools, which met on Friday afternoon in an FNB Classic Clash.

NEWS: Dave Rennie has quashed speculation in Scotland that fellow New Zealand Aaron Cruden is being lined up for a summer move to Glasgow.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Waratahs are intent on backing up their win over the conference-leading Melbourne Rebels with victory over South Africa's Sharks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With just three rounds to go, the Premiership Rugby table is taking shape, but there is still plenty to play for in what promises to be a thrilling Round 20 of action.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders cemented their position as the tournament's most dominant team with a comprehensive win over the Lions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The stage is set for the final round of the regular season with so much still to play for in the Pro14.

TRANSFER NEWS: Warriors have made Blues and Northland hooker Matt Moulds their seventh new signing for the 2019/20 season.

NEWS: Former hooker and captain Raphael Ibanez will take over as manager of France following the 2019 World Cup, he told AFP on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs will be looking for their this win of the season over the Southern Kings, when the two teams meet in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders handed the Sunwolves a 52-0 drubbing in an eight-try rout in Tokyo on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New recruit Courtney Winnaar will make his debut for the Southern Kings, when they take on the Cheetahs in a Pro14 Round 21 clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY PREDICTIONS: A South African derby and all conferences wide open. Here's what awaits in this weekend's action... and these are the data-driven predictions to help you make your picks.

There are finals in England, Spain and Ireland with all the tension that goes with them.

Glenwood High School is one of the top rugby schools in South Africa. Over the Easter Weekend, Glenwood had three fixtures at the annual Kearsnery Easter Festival. Alec van der Merwe of the Glenwood staff reports on each of the three matches.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Lions' chances of making the Super Rugby play-offs this year may well depend on their key loose forwards staying fit.

OPINION: Players from the Lions and the Reds lead the way in our Super Rugby Team of the Week for Round Ten.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers welcome back some experienced players for their Super Rugby North-South derby against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Southern Kings have made a giant leap in their efforts of building a competitive team.

INJURY UPDATE: For the second week in succession, the Lions have lost a key member of their squad on the eve of a match.

TRANSFER NEWS: Worcester Warriors have managed to lure another star to the Premiership club.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has named his team to face the Waratahs in a Super Rugby Round 11 clash in Sydney on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has reshuffled his matchday 23 ahead of this weekend’s derby match against the Hurricanes at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Record Hurricanes points scorer Beauden Barrett is among a trio of front line players who will return to the starting line-up for Saturday's match against the Chiefs in Wellington.

FINAL RE-RUN: The Lions, having lost to the Crusaders in the last two finals, will look at cause an upset of astronomical proportions.

Bryce Heem has made his final appearance for Worcester as his appeal against a four-week suspension has failed ahead of his summer move to Toulon.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs Head Coach Daryl Gibson has named his team to take on the Sharks on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney takes a look at how South African coach Johann Van Graan should modify Munster's old ways.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls have named their starting XV for the much-anticipated North-South derby against the Stormers on Saturday at Newlands.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf Matt Lucas and prop James Slipper are the only two changes to the starting XV for the Brumbies’ fixture with the Jaguares at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Crusaders, fresh from a bye, will host the Lions this week in Christchurch and head coach Scott Robertson has named his side to take the field on Friday.

TRANSFER NEWS: English club Sale Sharks have signed another Springbok ahead of the 2019/2020 European season.

NEWS: Players from Leinster and Saracens dominate the shortlist for the prestigious EPCR European Player of the Year award.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:  It’s been a tough season for the Stormers and this coming weekend it does not get any easier.

NEWS: Lee Jones has put pen-to-paper on a new two-year deal with Glasgow Warriors, which will see the 30-year-old remain at Scotstoun until at least June 2021.

OPINION: In 2012, Dave Rennie guided the Chiefs to a Super Rugby championship in his first year as coach.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Waratahs are determined to make the most of their newfound momentum, when they host the Sharks in a crunch Round 11 encounter.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have made four changes to their starting XV to face the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jordan Uelese hasn't played rugby for almost a year but the Melbourne Rebels hooker feels in the best shape of his career as he looks to stake a claim for a World Cup berth.

REACTION: Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has declared the Super Rugby title race wide open after Melbourne Rebels squandered a golden opportunity to take command of the Australian conference.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves have made two changes to their starting XV for Friday's match against the Highlanders in Tokyo.

TRANSFER NEWS: Warriors hooker Niall Annett has committed his future to the club for another season by signing a new one-year contract.

NEWS: An England and Saracens star will hang up his boots at the end of the season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SA Rugby was one of only eight of 19 South African sporting federations that achieved their transformation targets in 2017/18.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jonny Wilkinson's last-second drop goal to win the Rugby World Cup for England in 2003 earned him iconic status but left him feeling empty and unable to cope.

REACTION: Alan Jones has given the most rational commentary on the sacking of Israel Folau, Australia’s best player.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls will be keeping a close eye on one of their Springboks ahead of their Super Rugby Round 11 clash against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

NEWS: The Hurricanes continue to position their squad well for the future by adding three more promising players to their roster for at least the next two seasons.

NEWS: On the back of successful tours to both Australia and New Zealand, current Wales coach Warren Gatland is set to lead a third British and Irish Lions campaign in 2021.

NEWS: Sale Sharks announced that Dorian West has taken a permanent role as forwards coach at the club.

NEWS: Mobile All Blacks hooker Nathan Harris has become the latest player to commit to New Zealand, extending his contract until 2021 with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Following on from their Round 10 win against the Blues, Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has stuck largely with the same group of players for the clash against the Sunwolves.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks have named a 27-man squad will depart on a three-week Australasian tour on Monday.

NEWS: Chiefs coach Colin Cooper has ruled out the prospect of Aaron Cruden returning to the franchise to alleviate their flyhalf injury woes.

UPDATE: Israel Folau's future in Australian rugby may be decided within two weeks.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks Super Rugby hooker Fezokuhle Mbatha and lock JJ van der Mescht will make their first appearances for the Junior Springboks in the UK

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Worcester Warriors Bryce Heem is set to appeal his four week suspension.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest has hailed the first foray into Asia of his new rapid-form, high octane version of rugby and is convinced it can take the continent by storm.

UPDATE: The career of Australia's oldest Super Rugby player appears to be over after Brumbies hooker Josh Mann-Rea suffered a serious knee injury.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Waratahs are expecting some bruising encounters in the next few weeks.

TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers announced that South Africa international centre Jaco Taute will join the Premiership side from Munster at the start of the 2019/20 season.

INJURY UPDATE: Clermont fullback Nick Abendanon has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cervical injury, the Top 14 club announced.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Aside from a 17-19 defeat at home, the Stormers could find themselves without the services of two valuable second-row players.

CHAMPION CUP REACTION: A mouth-watering Final awaits fans on May 11.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Sharks head coach Robert Du Preez believes that his side's defeat to the Reds can be put down to a couple of soft tries.

REPORT: Title-holders Leinster beat Toulouse 30-12 in the European Champions Cup semi-final in Dublin on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Crusaders will be without three All Blacks for their Super Rugby Round 11 clash against the Lions in Christchurch on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Billy Vunipola said being confronted by a spectator after Saracens' European Champions Cup semi-final win over Munster was "quite scary".

Pretoria Boys High were looking for their third win at the festival when they came up against HTS Middelburg, hungry for their first win.

The final day of the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival opened with a primary school’s game, as had the first two days.

The third match on the final day was a much-anticipated game between two Eastern Cape powerhouse teams, Selborne College and Hoërskool Framesby. The two evenly matched teams spent most of the first half playing in midfield, with defensive patterns preventing either side from getting near the try-line.

INJURY UPDATE: The long-awaited return of Australia flank David Pocock has once again been delayed.

Most of the results are from the first two days of the six big Easter Festivals being played in South Africa.

CHAMPIONS CUP SPOTLIGHT: In a sport where size is increasingly valued as a prime asset, one South African pocket-rocket plying his trade for Toulouse has bucked that trend to become arguably the most dynamic player in European rugby.

RUGBY WORLD CUP: The Springboks will reveal their new jersey for the competition in April. Here's what we know about the kit.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers suffered their fifth defeat of the season when they went down 17-19 to the Brumbies at Newlands in Cape Town.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Saracens beat Munster 32-16 in the European Champions Cup semifinal at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on Saturday.

SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com's law guru Paul Dobson looks at a new trend that has emerged among referees.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The NSW Waratahs have breathed fresh life into their Super Rugby campaign with a crucial comeback win over the conference-leading Melbourne Rebels.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: ASM Clermont Auvergne held off a late Harlequins fight back to win 32-27 at the Stade Marcel-Michelin and reach the European Rugby Challenge Cup Final.

Easter Monday is the final day for the six big Easter Festivals in South Africa.

It was Day 2 on the St John's Easter Rugby Festival on the Burger Field at the foot of a steep koppie crowned with the school's stone building. It kicked off with a thrilling match, won in the last minute.

NEWS: The club game could get a whole lot bigger.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The European Champions Cup semifinals are finally here.

The weather put an end to rugby on this second day of the Easter Rugby Festivals. Holy Saturday produced lightning in Gauteng and in Durban.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Lions conquered their off-field challenges to secure a 23-17 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton.

SPOTLIGHT ON SIDESHOW: For the second week running the headlines were dominated not by on-field issues, but by the Israel Folau sideshow.

BREAKING NEWS: The Lions will complete their tour of New Zealand without coach Swys de Bruin, whilst defence coach Joey Mongalo is facing an internal disciplinary hearing.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders got their season back on track with a hard-fought 24-12 win over the Blues on Saturday.

The third match of the day saw hosts Kearsney College taking on Hoërskool Framesby, a well-conditioned unit from Port Elizabeth.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: La Rochelle booked their spot in the European Rugby Challenge Cup Final after producing a terrific performance to defeat Sale Sharks 24-20 in an enthralling last-four battle.

A low-scoring first half between HTS Drostdy and Welkom Gim saw the boys from Worcester 9-5 in the lead after three penalties by Carlton Pietersen. It was a try by hooker Martley Bayman that gave Welkom their points.

After a full day of running rugby and a darkening sky, two jerseys, both navy and yellow, made it difficult for the referee and spectators alike. EG Jansen did have a yellow stripe over the shoulders which helped slightly.

In contrast to the earlier game, the second game of Day 2 between Hoërskool Transvalia and Pretoria Boys High saw few points in the first half. At the break it was Transvalia leading 5-3.

SQUAD UPDATE: Lions have paid a dear price for their 23-17 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton.

SUPER RUGBY: Need some help with your predictions? We've got them all right here. This week, we want your votes.

As the European Cup builds to its climax, here's a quick look at the South African rugby players who'll be in action when Saracens and Munster square off in the semi-final on Saturday.

LISTEN as 2007 @rugbyworldcup-winning @Springboks team psychologist Henning Gericke reveals one of the secrets behind the All Blacks' winning recipe.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bernard Foley said that the NSW Waratahs have enough depth to cope without Israel Folau, hitting out at his long-time teammate for disrupting their season.

Rugby Australia’s elite coaching director Rod Kafer recently put his neck on the line after Israel Folau’s sacking, claiming the Wallabies will benefit without him on the field.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks produced another poor performance when they went down 14-21 to the Reds at Kings Park in Durban on Friday.

NEWS: Another Springbok has announced his retirement from the game this week.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes' second-half blitz made sure their record a 29-23 win over the Sunwolves in Japan on Friday.

Expect Thrills and Spills at Kearsney Festival, Day 2

Holy Saturday is Day 2 of the six big Easter Rugby Festivals in South Africa. Here are the fixtures.

NEWS: Another 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok has decided to hang up his boots.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Pinching a rare win against the Sharks in Durban is a must according to Queensland captain Samu Kerevi.

SPOTLIGHT: Sale Sharks captain Jono Ross is the hardest working player in the Premiership and admits he is getting increasingly frustrated by the lack of interest from England coach Eddie Jones.

It's Holy Week - a time to meditate and a time to celebrate and, it seems, a time to play excellent schoolboy rugby.

What a recovery for Rondebosch? After last week's big defeat at the hands of Paul Roos, Rondebosch came back with a win over the strong Boland Landbou side, a match Rondebosch have not won for a decade.

JEKYLL AND HYDE: When Robert Louis Stevenson's penned The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886, he would not have thought there would be a real-life reincarnation more than a century later.

UPDATE: Toulouse's Samoan lock Joe Tekori was Thursday cleared to play in Sunday's European Champions Cup semifinal against holders Leinster.

OPINION: Here it is, the South African Team of the Week as selected by you … the readers!

In a very special edition, the @rugby365com team welcomes a special member of the 2007 @rugbyworldcup-winning @Springboks team - psychologist Henning Gericke.

Maundy Thursday, 18 April 2019, was the first day of six big Easter Tournaments in South Africa.

The final game on the first day of Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival was between locals DHS and Hoërskool Transvalia, making their first visit to the festival. It was a case of ‘if only’ for DHS who made too many mistakes and these were capitalised on by the boys from Vanderbijlpark.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are three changes and a positional switch in the Stormers starting line-up to face the Brumbies at Newlands on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Five of their six member unions are believed to not be in favour of the proposed Nations League, but the Six Nations has collectively decided to tease out the World Rugby proposal some more by opting for a period of due diligence. 

REACTION: Australian sport is divided as the Israel Folau saga escalates.

In a hard-fought physical encounter between Glenwood and Dr EG Jansen, back after missing last year, the game was on a knife edge for the last quarter. Glenwood went into a slender one-point lead for a brief period before EG Jansen snatched it back. Glenwood did not give up and scored in the final seconds to win the nail-biter.

An evenly matched first half saw HTS Drostdy from Worcester scoring just before half-time for a 19-14 lead. The two sides had each scored twice before the try that gave Drostdy the lead.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Yoshiro Mori announced his surprise resignation as honorary chairman of the Japan Rugby Football Union, officials said Thursday, just months before the country hosts the World Cup.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Tommaso Benvenuti of Benetton faced a Disciplinary Hearing via video conference and has been banned for a period of two weeks as a result.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson announced his side that will take on the Rebels on Saturday at the SCG.

Selborne College, who is at the festival for the 12th consecutive time, used their forward power to win the majority of the possession and territory. Noord-Kaap spent most of the first half defending. Selborne scored three tries and were over the line on two other occasions, but Noord-Kaap defence prevented them dotting down.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are only minor changes to the Highlanders' starting team this week for the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy match against the Blues.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Melbourne Rebels stand-in captain Angus Cottrell has been ruled out of Friday’s Australian Conference derby against the Waratahs with concussion.

NEWS: Jason Leonard has been appointed Chairman of the British & Irish Lions Board.

CHAMPIONS CUP NEWS: Toulouse's Samoa lock Joe Tekori will appear in front of a disciplinary hearing a few days before this weekend's Champions Cup semifinal against holders Leinster.

The second game of Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival saw two powerhouses, Framesby from Port Elizabeth against Welkom Gimnasium in their second year at the festival.

This week on The Short Ball, Scotty Stevenson and Ali Williams delve into the nitty-gritty of Israel Folau’s social media use.

Kearsney traditionally opens their Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival and this year, the 12th, it was against Pretoria Boys High. Kearsney had the better of the first half, but it was all Pretoria Boys High in the second half for a 27-11 win.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has made only one change to the starting XV that will take on the Stormers at Newlands this Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Irrepressible hooker James Parsons is set to become just the sixth Blues player to earn 100 caps for his team.

NEWS: Pat Lam will take charge of the Barbarians once more when they return to face an England XV in a match on June 2.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: He's played most of his career with Will Genia and Quade Cooper, so Waratahs lock Rob Simmons knows how good they are.

NEWS: Ulster and Ireland captain Rory Best has confirmed that he will retire from professional rugby when his current contract expires after the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

VARSITY CUP AFTERMATH: FNB Maties lived up to their billing as FNB Varsity Cup favourites by easing to a 34-12 win over FNB UP-Tuks in the final on Monday.

UPDATE: Wallabies fullback Israel Folau has formally challenged Rugby Australia's decision to sack him.

NEWS: Todd Blackadder announced that he will leave Bath at the end of the season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has named his team to face the Lions in a Super Rugby Round Ten clash in Hamilton on Friday.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks) and Bryce Heem (Worcester Warriors) appeared before a disciplinary panel.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby have announced a loss of NZ$1.9-million for the 2018 financial year at its AGM meeting in Wellington.

OPINION: Whispers are quickly growing louder that Montpellier and All Black Aaron Cruden could be about to take a sizeable pay cut to relocate from the south of France to the cooler climates of Glasgow.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds have made three changes to their starting XV for Friday's match against the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Hurricanes have named a largely experienced side to meet the Sunwolves for their round 10 Super Rugby match in Tokyo on Friday.

The Easter weekend is syonymous with school rugby festivals, but this year it is later than normal, coming three weeks into the second term for state schools. Many of those playing in the 12th Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival have already played a number of matches, providing some indication of comparative strengths.

SQUAD UPDATE: The Lions have been forced to make some changes to their matchday 23 for Friday's match against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

NEWS: Shaun Edwards’ on-off saga with Wales has taken another fresh twist following the revelation of a startling contract wrangle.

MATCH REPORT: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux attributed his team’s 34-33 defeat against Argentina in the U20 International Series at Paul Roos Gymnasium on Wednesday to ill-discipline and said they will continue to learn as the season progresses.

VOTE NOW: We saw this week, at the Varsity Cup Final, how the South African anthem was butchered yet again. But who is the worst?

The best that European Rugby has to offer will be on show this weekend. And, if you need some help with your predictions, we’re here to lend a hand.

OPINION: There were some big movements at the weekend - the Crusaders opening an 11-point lead at the top and the Bulls moving into second place.

The Blues came back to Earth with a close 29-33 loss over rivals the Chiefs, extending an eight-year dry spell against their southern neighbours.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: A Disciplinary Committee will meet on Wednesday in Edinburgh to consider the citing complaint made against Italy and Benetton star Tommaso Benvenuti.

TRANSFER NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that Andrew Kellaway and Nafi Tuitavake will be leaving the Club at the end of the 2018/19 season.

TRANSFER NEWS: Worcester Warriors’ long-serving scrumhalf Jonny Arr is to leave the club at the end of the season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves have made a few changes to their starting XV for the match against Hurricanes in Tokyo on Friday.

NEWS: France's next coach has been revealed by French newspaper L'Equipe on Tuesday.

WATCH some of these colossal Premiership hits from seasons past!

CHAMPIONS CUP SPOTLIGHT: Munster's poor record in semifinals in the last few years might be a concern ahead of their trip to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Hearing an Australian speaking rhapsodically about 'braais' rather than 'barbeques' tells you a lot about his roots.

SPOTLIGHT: Since news broke that Damian McKenzie’s ruptured ACL has ruled him out of World Cup contention, one question has continued to burn on the public’s mind: Who will replace him in the All Blacks’ squad in Japan later this year?

SPOTLIGHT: Since the news broke that CVC Capital Partners would be investing over £200m for a 27 percent stake in Premiership Rugby, rumours have been rife about what it might mean for the competition.

There will a lot of focus on Ricoh Arena in Coventry and Aviva Stadium in Dublin for the Heineken Cup semifinals this weekend when the referees in the middle are Jérôme Garcès and Wayne Barnes.

FNB Maties beat FNB UP-Tuks 34-12 in Stellenbosch on Monday to win the FNB Varsity Cup for a second-straight year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has named his team to face the Reds in a Super Rugby Round Ten clash in Durban on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux said his team was ready to measure themselves in what will mark their toughest assignment thus far this year. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks 2011 World Cup-winner Israel Dagg opened up on Tuesday about the mental health battles that nearly drove him out of the game.

REACTION: One of Israel Folau's teammates has praised Australian rugby bosses for acting quickly over the furore.

INTERVIEW: Despite the limited lock resources, Stormers coach Robbie Fleck is not tempted to return season Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit to the second row.

Billy Vunipola and Saracens have issued two separate statements in the wake of the fallout over the Number 8’s support of Israel Folau’s recent homophobic Instagram post.

TRANSFER NEWS: International flyhalf Gareth Anscombe will leave the Cardiff Blues for rivals the Ospreys at the end of the season, the Liberty Stadium region announced.

NEWS: Former All Black Simon Mannix quit as Pau head coach on Tuesday after a poor run of results that sees the club languishing 11th in the Top 14.

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby and the Highlanders are celebrating further good news with All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman re-signing with his Super Rugby club and New Zealand Rugby through to 2022.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Warren Whiteley is back to lead the Lions for their Super Rugby Round Ten clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday.

REACTION: Wallaby and Waratahs utility back Israel Folau is a step closer to the exit door.

WATCH: South African singer and songwriter Kurt Darren has joined the hall of infamy.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney takes a look at how seasoned South African coach Alan Solomons is bucking the trend in Europe.

Wigan aims to draw a line under the Shaun Edwards saga after confirming his about-turn on their head coach position.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: It has become increasingly clear that the Sharks' players haven't got the right attitude or mindset to be real contenders in Super Rugby.

Anyone, at least in South Africa, who sets out to write about sport in schools starts on the defensive. There will be a consciousness of the largely uncontested dictum that we are a sport-mad country. Therefore anyone who is both sophisticated and keen on sport may feel it necessary to apologise for his (usually his) enthusiasm, justify it or water it down. We blame the balmy climate, or limited cultural stimulation, or our national aggressions.

NEWS: Harlequins co-captain and former Wallaby and Reds captain James Horwill will retire at the end of the 2018/19 Premiership season.

LISTEN as @King365ed chats to @SouthernKingsSA CEO Charl Crouse about their 'collaboration' with @RCTofficiel and what it all means.

WATCH: The Sharks had an extraordinary response to their 17-51 loss to the Jaguares at the weekend.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Lions head coach Swys de Bruin was in a philosophical mood when speaking to reporters after his team's latest defeat.

Check out all the action from the final day at the #Singapore7s.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Stormers produced their best performance of the season without some of their big names.

FNB Maties may be unbeaten in this year’s FNB Varsity Cup, but in FNB UP-Tuks they face Final opponents capable of denying them the fifth title they so desperately want.

TOP 14 WRAP: Leaders Toulouse touched down the 10th try of the game with less than three minutes left on Sunday to edge second-place Clermont 47-44 and clinch a place in the Top 14 play-offs.

FNB UP-Tuks had one blip during their FNB Varsity Cup campaign but, if anything, it should confirm that they can do the unexpected in the final.

Dale won the 181st match between Queen's College in Queenstown and drew level with their Border rivals. It was a match that carried a stamp of approval - a Classic Clash.

Stormers loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff has had a steady career since making his senior debut in 2011. Here are some key stats.

SUNDAY WRAP: The BlitzBoks produced a stunning second-half comeback to beat Fiji 20-19 in the Cup Final of the Singapore Sevens.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Reds player Hamish Stewart escaped with a warning after he recklessly entered a ruck during his team's 17-32 defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

WORLD SERIES SEVENS: The 2018-19 World Series Sevens series is shaping up to be quite something. Here's the Sevens log after the 2019 Singapore leg.

INJURY UPDATE: The All Blacks go into their first pre-World Cup camp on Monday hampered by a rising injury toll and expecting more casualties before they begin their title defence in Japan in September.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies star David Pocock is on a plane to Cape Town.

Paarl Gim certainly have a strong side - again - this year. They scored their highest score in 19 matches with Affies in winning 46-19 on an overcast afternoon in Paarl.

The number of matches has grown in this year of late Easter with the long weekend to come with its various tournaments.

SUPER RUGBY ROUND NINE: Watch as we bring you all the highlights from Round Nine!

UPDATE: Unrepentant Wallabies star Israel Folau stood by his controversial anti-gay comments Sunday

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Brad Thorn has challenged his side to maintain their consistency after the Reds floundered in the first game of a season-defining road trip.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brumbies flyer Tom Banks put his hand up to replace Wallabies fullback Israel Folau with a stunning return to form against the Lions.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: South African star Willie Le Roux was among the try-scorers as Wasps secured an impressive bonus-point 26-19 win over Premiership leaders Exeter on Sunday to stay in the hunt for a play-off spot.

Don't you love Rondebosch? Their results are always in on Saturday. In fact, they are the first to arrive, and the results don't seem to matter as much as playing the game.

NEWS: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith looks set to take over the Italian job.

PREMIERSHIP REACTION: The booing of England star Billy Vunipola every time he touched the ball in Saracens Premiership loss to Bristol on Saturday "was unexpected" said Sarries Director of Rugby Mark McCall.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Bulls moved to the top of the South African conference with a bonus-point win over the Reds in Pretoria on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A week after their biggest win in years, the Sharks were brought back to earth in spectacular fashion.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Gloucester continued their impressive run, as they cemented their place in the top three.

PRO14 REPORT: Glasgow Warriors put in a display characterised by resilience and punctuated with glorious tries as they ended Leinster's unbeaten record at the RDS Arena with a 39-24 triumph.

PRO14 REPORT: Tian Schoeman scored 18 points to hand Cheetahs a hard-fought win over Dragons in South Africa.

PRO14 REPORT: Uzair Cassiem's double inspired a crucial victory for Scarlets as the Welsh side kept their play-off qualification hopes alive with a brilliant performance against Zebre.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Lions got their Australasian tour off to a poor start with a 20-31 defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs edged the Blues 33-29 in an entertaining Super Rugby Round Nine match in Hamilton on Saturday.

BREAKING NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company are investigating the possibility of fraud by a former employee.

DAY ONE WRAP: South Africa may be out of the running for the series title, but they showed the class in beating Fiji in pool play on Saturday.

REACTION: Another player has come out in support of Wallaby star Israel Folau.

PRO14 REPORT: Jack Carty inspired Connacht to a fourth consecutive win to secure a top-three spot in Conference A, by beating Cardiff Blues 29-22.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There is still a big chance Ma'a Nonu could be playing in the World Cup in Japan this year.

NEWS: Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Handre Pollard could be heading to France at the end of this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan in what would be a major blow for the South African Rugby Union’s new contract model.

REACTION: Under fire Wallaby Israel Folau has received support from within the players' ranks.

PRO14 REPORT: Dan Evans helped himself to a hat-trick as the Ospreys kept their Pro14 play-off hopes alive with a 43-7 win over the outclassed Southern Kings team in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Guy Thompson scored two tries and made a crucial turnover as Leicester Tigers won a thrilling game against Newcastle Falcons 27-22 at Kingston Park.

PRO14 REPORT: Munster surged back to the top of the Conference A table with a powerful second-half display away at play-off-chasing Benetton.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers ended their Australasian tour with a valuable 41-24 victory over the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday.

COURTING CONTROVERSY: The Waratahs is one of three teams on a bye this week, but it is one of their players that dominated the headlines this week.

PRO14 REPORT: Ulster sealed second place in Conference B, with a professionally won 29-7 triumph on the road at 'Murrayfield.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders put in a superb second-half performance to thrash the Highlanders 43-17 in Christchurch on Friday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Scarlets have confirmed that four members of the current squad will be leaving at the end of the 2018-19 season.

SQUAD UPDATE: The Lions have received a massive boost with the return of captain Warren Whiteley.

NEWS: French clubs have opposed the idea of having a foreign coach for the national team, according to the results of a referendum released on Friday.

TOP 14, WEEK 22: Toulouse and Clermont prepare for the European semifinals in a week's time by facing each other in a sold-out French Top 14 blockbuster showdown on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are looking to 'set the record straight' when they host the Reds in a Round Nine encounter in Pretoria on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has revealed his team for their Pro14 clash with the Dragons in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Most pundits would give the Wallabies no chance of winning the World Cup without Israel Folau.

WORLD SERIES ROUND EIGHT: The United States, Fiji and New Zealand will look to secure qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this weekend in Singapore.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There are just four rounds of Premiership Rugby remaining, and while two semi-final spots have already been bagged there is still plenty to play for up and down the table.

UPDATE: NSW Rugby Union has stood down Israel Folau from all player duties with the NSW Waratahs until further notice.

Grey College of Bloemfontein drop down from the Highveld to the warm East London coast to play Selborne College.

Glenwood High School of Durban will play host to Hoërskool Monument of Krugersdorp this Saturday, in a feast of interschool competition that will include 15 rugby matches.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Last weekend saw the rare occurrence of two draws out of the seven Pro14 matches in Round 19.

The two great Border schools, Queen's College of Queenstown and Dale College of King William's Town first played each other in 1891. Since 1926 when transport became easier, they have played regularly, mostly twice a year, and they are at it again this Saturday in a Classic Clash.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Jaguares have unveiled their team to face the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies received a timely boost ahead of their Super Rugby match against Lions on Saturday.

Two of South Africa's most powerful rugby schools, Paarl Gimnasium and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, meet in a Premier Interschools match in Paarl on Saturday. It will be a match worth watching.

It's a bit of a migration, this fixture. Apart from 21 rugby teams, there are 21 hockey teams and other activities - golf, debating, fishing, chess, mountain biking, cross country, tennis and squash.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Southern Kings have named their team that will take on Welsh side, Ospreys, in their last Pro14 home fixture for the 2018/19 season on Friday.

WATCH as one player flattens another in a schoolboy match between Monument and Paarl Boys.

UPDATE: All Blacks legend Dan Carter underwent surgery on his neck.