UPDATE: It may not be their 'High Noon at the OK Corral' moment, but the South African Rugby Union and the four main franchises are set for a 'showdown' of considerable significance on Thursday.
NEWS: The World Rugby rankings will make for an interesting topic of conversation in the Lynagh household this week.
REACTION: Ireland coach Andy Farrell insisted retaining the Six Nations title would be anything but an "anti-climax", after his side's bid for back-to-back Grand Slams ended with a dramatic defeat to England.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger, with guest Robbie Fleck - analyses the Sharks' shambolic URC season.
SPOTLIGHT: England scuppered Ireland's dream of back-to-back Grand Slams with a thrilling win, Italy defeated Scotland and France added to the pressure on Wales as the Six Nations sparked into life.
SPOTLIGHT: The 33-year-old Julian Savea is the undisputed try-scoring king of the Super Rugby, but the list still includes a Springbok wing.
Wales player ratings: A fourth defeat and a one-sided scoreline might point to a team that struggled to match France. And that is mostly true. But a commendable first half will give Warren Gatland something to work on. If only he can find a solution to the lack of power throughout the side and an inability to stand up to bigger men.
France player ratings: With eight changes from the draw with Italy, the French needed a big performance and a record score in Cardiff against Wales will have steadied the nerves at home. There is still more to come from this French side but they will need another massive 80 minutes from their six front-row forwards to have the same kind of impact against England.
REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland insisted that there would be no hiding in the run-up to the Six Nations wooden spoon decider against Italy next week.
REACTION: France coach Fabien Galthie said his team is determined to end a disappointing Six Nations tournament with a flurry.
MATCH REPORT: France almost certainly ensured Wales will finish with the Six Nations wooden spoon.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday’s Six Nations Round Four match between Wales and France in Cardiff.
REACTION: Stormers coach John Dobson has put a positive spin on his team's weekend excursion to Premiership leaders Northampton Saints, but admitted they have at least one injury concern.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Former Wallaby coaches Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie have enjoyed big wins in Round Nine of Japan Rugby League One.
REACTION: Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada beamed with pride on Saturday after his team of "nutters" beat Scotland 31-29 to win their first Six Nations home match in 11 years.
REACTION: Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan praised the Queensland Reds' takedown of his powerhouse Super Rugby Pacific side, saying their never-say-die attitude was reminiscent of his own team.
REACTION: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has sidestepped questions on his future after his side suffered a 29-31 defeat to Italy in Rome on Saturday.
REACTION: England head coach Steve Borthwick was pressed for some answers on his exchange with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell at half-time during Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.
MATCH REPORT: Griquas put down an early marker with their 25-22 win over the Currie Cup champion Cheetahs in a pre-season friendly in Jacobsdal on Saturday.
OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their dramatic 23-22 Six Nations win over Ireland at Twickenham.
OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Ireland players after their 22-23 loss to England in a Six Nations thriller at Twickenham on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: Marcus Smith landed a drop-goal in extra time, as England shattered Ireland's Six Nations Grand Slam dream at Twickenham on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific Round Three and Six Nations Round Four matches.
OPINION: Scotland’s hopes of achieving a top-two finish in the Six Nations suffered a major blow as they lost to Italy for the first time since 2015, ending a run of 13 successive victories over the Azzurri – including the last eight in the Championship.
SIX NATIONS REPORT: Italy recorded their first home Six Nations win in 11 years after they edged Scotland 31-29 in Saturday's Round Four thriller in Rome.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger - with guest Robbie Fleck respond to Celtic claims that Ireland is the best team in the World.
ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: With France and Wales both out to gain back some credibility, the big question on everyone’s lips is if the Les Bleus can rediscover their Six Nations form and silence the boisterous Principality Stadium in Round Four on Sunday.
MATCH REPORT: The Stormers, minus their World Cup superstars, held on for a credible 45-29 win over Premiership leaders Northampton Saints in an exhibition match at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.
ROUND THREE WRAP: Only one point separates the top three teams on the 2024 Varsity Shield standings after round three.
NEWS: The 2025 Six Nations fixtures have been confirmed, with next year's Championship starting in Paris under Friday night lights on January 31.
SATURDAY WRAP: The Canterbury Crusaders were stunned 10-20 by Fijian Drua on Saturday for a third straight defeat, equalling their worst start to a Super Rugby season.
NEWS: Wales will play the Reds in a 20-year first that is to become a calendar staple.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Griquas will face the Cheetahs in their third warm-up match this season in Jacobsdal on Saturday with the experienced George Whitehead running out at fullback.
NEWS: Wales coach Warren Gatland said Friday that the absence of Antoine Dupont was a "massive loss" for a France team that has struggled this Six Nations.
NEWS: Ben Gollings has been sacked as head coach of the Fijian men's sevens team, the Fiji Rugby Union said Friday, four months before the side bids for a third straight Olympic gold in Paris.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie announced eight changes for his team for this weekend's Six Nations trip to Wales in Round Four of the competition.
FRIDAY WRAP: The Waratahs have crashed back to earth with a crushing 21-23 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Highlanders in Sydney.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday’s Super Rugby Pacific Round Three matches.
NEWS: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus will receive an honorary doctorate from the North-West University in Potchefstroom in recognition of his innovative and exceptional management of the Springboks during their victorious 2019 and 2023 World Cup campaigns.
SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby has published all the possible permutations ahead of the fourth round of the Six Nations and the resumption of the Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy.
ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: Andy Farrell has insisted his native England remain capable of scuppering Ireland's bid for successive Grand Slams even though the visitors will be overwhelming favourites to win Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has provided some insight into what went on during the Springboks' first alignment camp this week.
ROUND FOUR PREVIEW: Scotland have an outside chance of claiming their first Six Nations title in a quarter of a century as they face improved Italy in Rome on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to his side’s starting line-up for their clash against Italy in Rome in the penultimate round of the Six Nations.
MATCH REPORT: The SA Under-20 side had a friendly match against a Lions XV at Ellis Park on Thursday afternoon with the youngsters going down 17-57.
NEWS: Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh has revealed that AUS$2.6 million in unapproved expenses were invested in Eddie Jones' disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign.
NEWS: South African loose forward Hanro Liebenberg has made a big decision on his playing future.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Louis Lynagh, the son of Australia rugby great Michael Lynagh, will make his senior international debut against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday after opting to play for Italy.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman confirmed that loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani will be used on the wing in Saturday's friendly against Northampton Saints on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is set to make his first England start after coach Steve Borthwick made three personnel changes to his side for Saturday's Six Nations clash at home to Ireland.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named his matchday squad for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham.
WATCH as Tendai Mtawarira shares some pearls of wisdom with the latest recruits to the Roc Nation Sports International family.
NEWS: As of next month referees on the global stage will have access to new specialist coaches and performance management as part of World Rugby's new strategic approach to officiating that was just announced.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi will make his first appearance for the Cheetahs in a SA Cup warm=up match against Griquas in Jacobsdal on Saturday.
NEWS: Chiefs prop Jared Proffit has been suspended for three weeks for foul play.
PREVIEW: Round Nine of the Japan Rugby League One is hotting up where things could not have gone much better so far for Brave Lupus side.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew – host Hanyani Shimange, along with Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger - with guest Robbie Fleck reveal what was the decisive factor in the decision to name Siya Kolisi captain.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Experienced prop Brok Harris will lead the Stormers in a friendly encounter with Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: Newcomers Varsity College are gunning for a third-consecutive win in the Varsity Shield ahead of the ‘big one’ against Tuks in Round Four.
PREVIEW: Round Three of Super Rugby Pacific poses some interesting questions for the New Zealand teams in the competition.
REACTION: The decision by WADA to suspend Africa's only accredited drug-testing laboratory will not prevent the Springboks from flying the South African flag at international events later this year.
SPOTLIGHT: Round 11 of the 2023/24 United Rugby Championship season is done and dusted and things are really starting to heat up with a whopping 12 of the 16 teams still in contention for the playoffs.
REACTION: The Hurricanes said they have apologised to the New Zealand government after their women's team used a traditional haka to slam the government as a "redneck" coalition.
NEWS: Scotland centre Huw Jones said he had been "tempted" by a possible move to France before deciding to continue his career with Glasgow.
REACTION: Wales have dropped George North and will field a new centre duo of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin at home to France on Sunday when they go in search of a first win in this season's Six Nations.
NEWS: Ulter announced that three of their senior players extended their contracts with the province, one of them captain James Hume.
NEWS: New Springbok assistant coaches Jerry Flannery and Tony Brown, as well as referee Jaco Peyper, had their first stint in the Springbok camp.
INJURY UPDATE: Two-time World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi expects to be back on the playing field 'soon'.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales will field a new centre partnership of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin in Sunday's Six Nations match at home to France.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Crusaders have signed New Zealand-born back Johnny McNicholl from Welsh club Llanelli Scarlets as cover for the injured All Blacks star Will Jordan and British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny.
SPOTLIGHT: Three rounds of the Six Nations have been completed and a number of key players have already led the way in terms of their performance.
REACTION: The Stormers will go 'lick their wounds' after the Loftus Versfeld horror show, when they face Northampton Saints in a scheduled friendly at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: Shimlas coach André Tredoux has hailed the resilience of his team in the wake of their statement win against defending champions NWU Eagles.
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi has issued a statement after his tense exchange with referee Aimee Barrett-Theron during Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash between the Lions and Sharks went viral.
NEWS: Jordie Barrett of the Hurricanes has been suspended for three weeks following an incident that happened against the Reds in a Super Rugby Pacific match over the weekend.
NEWS: Nigel Ah Wong of Moana Pasifika has been issued a warning after a no-arms tackle in the game against Fijian Drua in a Super Rugby Pacific game over the weekend resulted in a red card.
SPOTLIGHT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen says there is no time to get "emotional" about young players leaving the franchise for rival teams.
INJURY UPDATE: Former Italy captain Luca Bigi was called up to replace injured hooker Marco Manfredi in the squad for this weekend's Six Nations game against Scotland in Rome.
WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White makes a blunt declaration about his team's progress.
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree breaks down another frustrating performance in the United Rugby Championship.
ROUND THREE WRAP: There were a number of 'big movers' in Round Three of the Varsity Cup.
NEWS: Following a nasty head clash in the Super Rugby Pacific match between the Chiefs and the Brumbies for which prop Jared Proffit received a red card, he will appear before a judicial committee on Wednesday.
NEWS: Tickets for the two-Test series opener between the Springboks and Ireland on July 6 at Loftus Versfeld are officially sold out.
WATCH as referee Aimee Barrett-Theron schools two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Bongi Mbonambi on the ethos of the game.v
SQUAD UPDATE: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has called up four players to his squad ahead of their Six Nations Round Four clash against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
REACTION: Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo is searching for answers after another dismal showing by his side on the SVNS circuit.
REACTION: Stormers captain Deon Fourie was clearly disheartened with his teams' lack of performance in the United Rugby Championship game against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday, referring to their mistakes as stupid.
REACTION: The Bulls' forwards laid the foundation for their first-ever United Rugby Championship victory over the Stormers and captain Marcell Coetzee and his pack were the dominant force at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus is by far the best coach says World Cup winner Vincent Koch.
SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalves Sanele Nohamba and Morne van den Berg once again proved how valuable they can be on attack.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his 36-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations fixture against Ireland at Twickenham Stadium.
WATCH as Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi labels England's energy as "plastic" during their World Cup semifinal in France last year.
SUPER RUGBY SUNDAY WRAP: A Damian McKenzie-inspired Chiefs reinforced their Super Rugby title credentials Sunday with a statement win over the Brumbies, a week after upsetting the Crusaders.
ROUND EIGHT WRAP: Springbok lock Lood de Jager continued his try-scoring form in Japan.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
SATURDAY WRAP: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster overcame fierce Cardiff resistance to claim a 33-20 bonus-point victory at the Arms Park.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
WRAP: Los Angeles hosts the fifth round of HSBC SVNS at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California.
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls scored their first-ever United Rugby Championship win over the Stormers - a bonus-point (40-22) victory at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific and United Rugby Championship matches.
MATCH REPORT: Connacht moved into the United Rugby Championship play-off positions following a 26-10 victory over Scarlets at The Sportsground.
URC REPORT: Glasgow Warriors were made to battle for their 19-9 win over Benetton at Stadio Monigo in the United Rugby Championship.
URC REPORT: The Lions ensured that they stayed in the fight for a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship after they thumped the Sharks 40-10 in their Round 11 encounter in Johannesburg on Saturday.
SATURDAY WRAP: The battle of the Pacific has gone the way of the Fijian Drua in the first two years of the teams’ involvement in Super Rugby Pacific, but Moana Pasifika was on a mission to change that at Super Round in Melbourne.
ROUND TWO WRAP: Varsity College are continuing on their winning ways in the 2024 Varsity Shield after a solid victory at home over UFH in Round Two.
FRIDAY WRAP: Hamish Watson's early try set Edinburgh on their way to a hard-fought 19-15 victory at home to Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship.
WATCH as the Boks Office team - with host Hanyani Shimange, Springbok legends Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers - select a 'Springbok' team from Southern African players who are capped for other countries.
SPOTLIGHT: Evan Roos has revealed why he believes coaches such as John Dobson at the Stormers and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus are able to rally their players so successfully behind them.
NEWS: Harlequins confirmed on Friday that Andre Esterhuizen will depart the club at the end of the 2023/24 season and return to South Africa for family reasons.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: The biggest game of the season, the North-South derby, will be played in front of the first sell-out crowd of the year.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMETN: Jacques van Rooyen and Lionel Mapoe will co-lead the Bulls side that will take on the Leopards in a friendly match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
NEWS: Edinburgh and Scotland wing Darcy Graham is set to miss the rest of the season after being told he requires groin surgery, meaning he will play no further part in the Six Nations.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday’s Super Rugby Pacific matches.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls welcome back powerhouse tighthead Wilco Louw for the big North-South derby when they host the Stormers in Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
WATCH as Stormers coach John Dobson reveals the reasons behind the absence on two-time World Cup-winning Springbok prop Frans Malherbe.
FRIDAY WRAP: The Blues have continued their unbeaten start to 2024 and stretched the Highlanders' misery against their Kiwi rivals with a 37-29 victory to open Super Round in Melbourne.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Deon Fourie returns as captain of the Stormers for the United Rugby Championship North-South encounter with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jordan Hendrikse is back at flyhalf for the Lions against the Sharks in Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks travel to Johannesburg to take on the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, as the United Rugby Championship resumes with Round 11.
EXCLUSIVE: Sharks-bound Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse talks to @king365ed about the reasons for exchanging Ellis Park for the Shark Tank.
TRANSFER NEWS: Scarlets are strengthening their squad with some South African muscle.
SPOTLIGHT: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has praised the coaches in the Stormers camp for helping players add a few more strings to their attacking bow.
WATCH as Bulls forwards coach Andries Bekker chats to @king365ed about the #BIG North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
NEWS: World Rugby’s Shape of the Game forum in London has put forward five recommendations to improve the game globally going forward.
NEWS: Emmanuel Meafou is in line to win his first Test cap for France after being named on Thursday in Fabien Galthie's 34-man squad for the Six Nations match against Wales on March 10.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and with just seven points separating second and ninth place in the table – EVERY GAME COUNTS.
NEWS: Wales boss Warren Gatland said that recent comments he made about problems with the structure of rugby in the country were not a criticism of the coaches at the four professional regional teams.
WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about his team's seven-match losing streak against the Stormers.
TRANSFER NEWS: Former Stormers lock Cobus Wiese is set to return to South Africa from Premiership club Sale Sharks.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: For whatever reason, Wild Knights – current Japan Rugby League One log leaders, and six-time champions of Japan – always have trouble with Blue Revs.
SPOTLIGHT: Data collected during last year’s Currie Cup by World Rugby on their new smart mouthguard technology added to the decision for the roll-out of this part of the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols this year.
TRANSFER NEWS: Just a day after Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse's transfer to Sharks has been confirmed, another Ellis Park favourite will follow him to Durban.
ROUND FIVE: It is a new week and a new opportunity for the Springbok Sevens this weekend in the fifth tournament of the 2024 season and for BlitzBok head coach Sandile Ngcobo, the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles cannot come soon enough.
PREVIEW, ROUND TWO: Super Rugby Pacific heads to Super Round as all 12 teams converge in Melbourne this weekend.
SPOTLIGHT: The recently relegated Tuks outfit is leaving nothing to chance in their quest to regain Varsity Cup status and repair the team's reputation.
NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have addressed the speculation surrounding Huw Jones' playing future.
SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell said Wednesday he felt "nervous" at telling Saracens he wanted to leave, having been associated with the English Premiership club since he was a teenager.
NEWS: The battle lines have more or less been drawn in the sand for the big North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with the news that one of the best tighthead props in the world will be back in action for the Stormers.
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo provided context to his team's current state, ahead of the United Rugby Championship Round 11 clash against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has named his 36-man squad as they prepare for the final two rounds of the 2024 Six Nations.
NEWS: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) revealed that they are well on par with reaching their Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Action Plan.
CONTRACT NEWS: The list of former Lions players in the Shark Tank has just received a new member.
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks loose forward Vincent Tshituka's insider knowledge of the Lions will come in very handy when the two teams go head-to-head in the United Rugby Championship Round 11 match at Ellis Park on Saturday.
TEAM UPDATE: James Murphy has linked up with the struggling South African team in the United States ahead of the HSBC SVNS Los Angeles.
NEWS: Western Force coach Simon Cron says Izack Rodda's untimely quad injury is hard on the team, and he'll take a careful approach with the star Wallabies lock.
CONTRACT NEWS: The coaching journey of former World Cup-winning Springbok assistant coach Matthew Craig Proudfoot has come tfull circle.
SPOTLIGHT: It is, without doubt, South Africa's biggest domestic derby - the Bulls versus the Stormers.
NEWS: Canada and the United States will rejoin the Pacific Nations Cup this year in a rejigged two-stage six-team competition that will end with finals in Japan.
TRANSFER NEWS: Sharks lock Le Roux Roets has become the latest South African recruit to join Premiership club Sale Sharks.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France suffer a massive blow as centre Jonathan Danty will miss the rest of the Six Nations after being handed a ban on Tuesday.
SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com correspondent Jon Cardinelli, in the first of his new series of columns, puts the focus on the Varsity Cup.
ROUND TWO Wrap: Defending champions NWU Eagles are continuing on their winning ways in the 2024 Varsity Cup following a drubbing of newcomers UWC in round 2.
NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 11 fixtures have been confirmed.
NEWS: The Lions cannot go into their United Rugby Championship clash with the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday being complacent knowing that their rivals are bottom of the log at the moment.
VIDEO: Growing up in Johannesburg Lions scrumhalf Morné van den Berg wanted to emulate his Springbok hero Enrico Januarie on the rugby field and he is well on his way to fulfilling that dream.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers forward Deon Fourie is bracing himself for an intense North-South Derby against the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: For all the talk of a post-World Cup reset, England face the prospect of yet more Six Nations stagnation after a stark wake-up call against Scotland.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Western Force prop Marley Pearce has been suspended for four weeks following their 14-44 defeat to Hurricanes in the opening round of the Super Rugby Pacific.
NEWS: The Springboks and captain Siya Kolisi have been rewarded for their achievements yet again by being nominated for top Laureus awards.
REACTION: Fabien Galthie's position as France head coach is "absolutely not in danger", French Rugby Federation President Florian Grill said on Monday.
SPOTLIGHT: Duhan van der Merwe is ready to put thoughts of a Scotland try record aside for team success when the Dark Blues take on Italy in the Six Nations next month.
URC PREVIEW: The spotlight will fall on some big South African derbies once again as Round 11 of the 2023/2024 United Rugby Championship gets underway.
NEWS: After sharing the spoils with France in Round Three of the Six Nations, Italy have returned to the top 10 of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since June 2013.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France centre Jonathan Danty will face a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after he received a red card during his team's 13-all draw against Italy on Sunday.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls will rely heavily on their home-ground advantage when they take on the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
RECAP: Ireland moved one step closer to back-to-back Grand Slams by beating Wales, Scotland proved too hot for England to handle and Italy held 14-man France to a dramatic draw.
REACTION: The Springbok Sevens’ ninth-place finish in Canada, at the fourth HSBC SVNS tournament of the season, was described as frustrating by the team's head coach Sandile Ngcobo.
NEWS: Record-breaking Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has all but confirmed his rugby sevens debut will come in Los Angeles after watching his French contemporary Antoine Dupont shine in Vancouver.
REACTION: Ever since France's agonising defeat to South Africa in October's World Cup quarterfinal, Les Bleus' head coach Fabien Galthie and his players vowed to come to terms with the loss and move on.
DAY THREE WRAP: We bring you all the Day Three men's action from BC Place, Vancouver – the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
DAY THREE WRAP: We bring you all the Day Three women's action from BC Place, Vancouver – the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the French players after their 13-all Six Nations draw with Italy.
REACTION: Paolo Garbisi said he apologised to his teammates after hitting the post with a dramatic last-gasp penalty, as Italy drew 13-13 against France in the Six Nations on Sunday.
MATCH REPORT: Italy dealt France's Six Nations prospects a mortal blow in their Round Three encounter in Lille on Sunday.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday's Six Nations action.
WATCH as former World Rugby Player of the Year Antoine Dupont talks about his match-winning try at the Vancouver leg of the HSBC SVNS World Series.
WATCH as seasoned hooker Akker van der Merwe talks to @king365ed about his omission from the Springbok alignment camp.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Twelve points from flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, including the second try of his Japan Rugby League One career, led Brave Lupus Tokyo to a 27-7 win over the Eagles.
SPOTLIGHT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland adopted an optimistic tone ahead of the Six Nations home match with France in a fortnight saying his side "can take a huge amount" out of Saturday's 7-31 defeat to Ireland.
DAY TWO WRAP: We bring you all the Day Two women's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
DAY TWO WRAP: We bring you all the Day Two men's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
UPDATE: A loss to Super Rugby Pacific rivals Queensland Reds has been softened by the positive outlook for star centre Lalakai Foketi, who could be back at the franchise within a week.
REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend hailed Duhan van der Merwe's "really special" hat-trick after the wing rewrote the record books in a 30-21 Six Nations win over England on Saturday.
REACTION: Ireland can make history and become the first team to win back to back Six Nations Grand Slams.
OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their 21-30 loss to Scotland in their Calcutta Cup and Six Nations face-off.
OPINION: Bryn Palmer rates the Scotland players after their 30-21 Six Nations and Calcutta Cup win over England.
MATCH REPORT: Duhan van der Merwe scored a hat-trick as Scotland retained the Calcutta Cup and keeps their Six Nations dream alive.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday's Six Nations and Super Rugby Pacific competitions.
OPINION: Ireland came into this one heavy favourites, but Wales didn’t quite roll over in the manner that many were predicting at a cold Lansdowne Stadium on Saturday.
OPINION: Even Welsh fans must admit that a defeat, and a comfortable one at that, was the most likely outcome at the Lansdowne Road.
ROUND ONE WRAP: The opening round of the Varsity Shield saw newcomers Varsity College make a statement with a win over the TUT Vikings, while former Cup champions Tuks overpowered UFH in Alice.
MATCH REPORT: Ireland kept their Grand Slam dream alive with a 31-7 win over Wales in Dublin on Saturday.
REACTION: Wallaby scrumhalf Nic White insists it is not "doom and gloom" after a rude awakening by the Hurricanes on his Super Rugby debut for Western Force.
ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Out of form France welcomes Italy in Lille in the Six Nations on Sunday with the hangover of the opening defeat to Ireland and October's World Cup quarterfinal loss to South Africa still lingering.
SATURDAY WRAP: The Highlanders recorded their first win of the season when they defeated Moana Pasifika by 35-21 in the new Super Rugby Pacific in Dunedin on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: Dynamic Lions utility back Sanele Nohamba is not about to waste another opportunity to impress the Springbok selectors.
DAY ONE WRAP: We bring you all the Day One men's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
DAY ONE WRAP: We bring you all the Day One women's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.
WATCH as veteran Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr speaks about his team aiming to create a perfect blueprint for success.
REACTION: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, true to form, did not hold back in the face of criticism of his latest squad selection.
WATCH as loose forward Nizaam Carr shares a special message with the young Bulls players selected for the 43-man Springbok alignment camp.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has named his team to face France on Sunday, February 25.
FRIDAY WRAP: The Chiefs drew first blood in the new Super Rugby Pacific season by defeating defending champion Crusaders 33-29 in a thrilling rematch of last year's final at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday's Round One Super Rugby Pacific action.
TEAM ANNOUNCMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie made two changes for their Six Nations Round Three match against Italy on Sunday.
SPOTLIGHT: The England 'A' side take on Portugal in the long-awaited fixture at Leicester Tigers Stadium this Sunday, February 25.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Cardiff centre Rey Lee-Lo has been handed a four-week suspension following their 12-16 defeat to Connacht in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship.
TRANSFER NEWS: South African coach Corniel van Zyl will join the Welsh United Rugby Championship region Cardiff ahead of the 2024-25 season.
MEDICAL UPDATE: A scan has cleared Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi of major spinal damage after the 29-year-old suffered a neck injury at the NSW Waratahs' training.
WATCH as double World Cup-winning centre Jesse Kriel chats to the Boks Office crew about South Africa's defensive philosophy.
ROUND THREE PREVIEW: Ireland are in a "very good place" as they pursue unprecedented back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams and should move a step closer with victory over Wales on Saturday, says former Irish fullback Hugo MacNeill.
ROUND THREE PREVIEW: A bid to regain the Calcutta Cup in front of a hostile Murrayfield crowd promises to be an acid test of England's ability following a third-place finish at last year's World Cup in France.
SPOTLIGHT: The six Lions players that were invited to the Springbok alignment camp all have the X-factor that they bring to the Lions every week and hopefully they can take it to the next level.
SPOTLIGHT: @king365ed looks at some key numbers ahead of the URC North-South derby at Loftus Versfeld next week.
WATCH as the Bulls' forwards and breakdown coach Andries Bekker chats to @king365ed about what aspects of their game most need to improve.
SPOTLIGHT: Wales coach Warren Gatland says he is "not 100 percent convinced" Welsh regional rugby will undergo the proper reset required ahead of a daunting Six Nations clash with Ireland.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Steve Borthwick has named his team to play Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.
NEWS: The Sharks have provided more details regarding their new rugby partnerships with the Pumas and Border Rugby Unions.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell has named his team for Saturday'Six Nations clash against Wales in Dublin.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to the starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations face-off clash with England at Murrayfield.
ROUND FOUR: After all the build-up and hype, Antoine Dupont will get the chance to do what he does best in Vancouver this weekend – perform his magic on the rugby field.
JAPAN LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW: Three places and nine points separate Brave Lupus Tokyo and Yokohama Eagles, as the semifinalists from the previous two years meet in a contest that shapes up as having important ramifications for the Eagles in particular.
PREVIEW, ROUND ONE: Super Rugby Pacific is set to get underway this weekend as the 12 teams battle for the title.
NEWS: Ulster face a massive upheaval as they confirmed the departure of head coach Dan McFarland ahead of the challenging tour to South Africa.
The back-to-back world champion Springboks will return to the field for the first time since last year’s World Cup final at the iconic Twickenham Stadium in London when they take on Wales in a blockbuster Test on Saturday, June 22.
NEWS: Gareth Thomas has urged Wales to go at Ireland right from the kick-off when they bid for a shock win away to the Six Nations Championship leaders on Saturday.
It goes without saying, that whenever a Springboks squad or team is announced, media uproar usually follows.
NEWS: Wallaby centre Lalakai Foketi has undergone scans after being taken to hospital in an ambulance with a neck injury sustained during a Waratahs training session.
WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok centre Jesse Kriel explains to the Boks Office crew how Lukhanyo Am helped him reach new heights on the playing field during last year's World Cup in France.
SVNS SPOTLIGHT: Zain Davids has travelled to Canada six times and returned with three gold medals, but that has not stopped the BlitzBok forward’s winning appetite, who arrived in Vancouver for a seventh HSBC SVNS Canada tournament.
SPOTLIGHT: The Lions are now doing their talking on the rugby field resulting in six of their players being invited to the first Springbok alignment camp in Cape Town.
NEWS: Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White has left the door open for a fairytale appearance at the 2027 World Cup, but first he wants to help the Western Force become a powerhouse.
INTERVIEW: The Crusaders launch their bid for an eighth straight Super Rugby title on Friday, with new head coach Rob Penney out to emulate the stunning success of Scott Robertson.
SPOTLIGHT: England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield has backed the returning Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi to bring more power to the visitors' backline when they travel to Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Wales assistant coach Rob Howley says the team will aim to create rugby chaos when they face red-hot Six Nations favourites Ireland on Saturday.
ROUND ONE WRAP: NWU Eagles got the defence of their title off to a winning start in the first round of the 2024 Varsity Cup competition with a hard-fought away victory over Maties.
OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith reveals that Springboks have not found a foolproof recipe for World Cup success that the All Blacks need to follow under Scott Robertson.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flyhalf Sam Costelow has been recalled to the Wales starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.
NEWS: England rugby chiefs have ditched a shock proposal to sell Twickenham and buy a 50 percent share in Wembley from the Football Association.
SPOTLIGHT: Rosko Specman wants to make every moment count in his BlitzBok jersey this season.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has unveiled a group of 43 players for an alignment camp in March/
SPOTLIGHT: There were some tight contests in the games that mattered in the fight for United Rugby Championship log positions during an absorbing Round 10 of the competition.
NEWS: All Black star Will Jordan will be sidelined for the next six months and could rule him out of the Tests against South Africa in August.
SPOTLIGHT: The All Blacks under new coach Scott Robertson may have to change everything and follow South Africa’s approach in order to win a World Cup again.
SPOTLIGHT: Ange Capuozzo is best known for his attacking forays down the touchline but the Italian fullback showed the other side of his game when he leapt to the defence of Italy's record in the Six Nations.
NEWS: Bulls fullback Devon Williams says he will see out his career in Pretoria after it was confirmed on Monday that he penned a permanent deal with the union.
REACTION: Sharks head coach John Plumtree admitted his team are relatively short of where they need to be to challenge the Stormers.
NEWS: The Sharks have reportedly strengthened their squad with a few Springboks once again.
NEWS; Phil Waugh is challenging Australia's under-performing Super Rugby sides to finally stand up to their New Zealand rivals for the sake of the Wallabies and the ailing code in general.
SQUAD UPDATE: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell could be without one of is star locks for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Wales on Saturday.
SQUAD UPDATE: There are a few changes in Scotland's squad ahead of their Six Nations clash against England.
SQUAD UPDATE: Wales coach Warren Gatland has added uncapped prop Harri O'Connor to his Six Nations squad ahead of Saturday's clash against title favourites Ireland in Dublin.
WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard lifts the lid on a crucial half-time chat during last year's RWC in France.
NEWS: Blitzbok stalwart Ryan Oosthuizen said the good work done in Stellenbosch has given them confidence to improve on their fifth-place finish in Perth last month.
REACTION: The Bulls’ six-two split on the bench against the Lions at Ellis Park in the United Rugby Championship over the weekend may have helped the Bulls after flank Elrigh Louw got a knock on his AC joint early in the game.
REACTION: The Lions aren’t a dangerous team and did not put the Bulls under pressure once during their Round 10 United Rugby Championship fixture at Ellis Park on Saturday, says Jake White, the Bulls’ Director of Rugby.
REACTION: The Stormers' win over the Sharks in Durban was a perfect teaser for what is in store when the Capetonians travel to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Bulls in a fortnight.
TOP 14 WRAP: Montpellier skipper Lenni Nouchi said facing South Africa's two-time World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi in the Top 14 was a day "to remember", made extra special by a 44-20 win over Racing 92.
NEWS: Jo Yapp has been appointed as the first female ever to coach the Wallaroos.
NEWS: The Sharks confirmed that they have formed a new strategic partnership with fellow South African rugby unions Border and the Pumas.
SQUAD ANNOUNCMENT: England's hopes of reclaiming the Calcutta Cup have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Six Nations clash against Scotland.
MATCH REPORT: Dan Edwards scored a brilliant last-minute drop-goal to earn Ospreys a dramatic 19-17 win over Ulster and give a much-needed boost to the Welsh regions.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Sunday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 action.
REACTION: The Lions struggled in the set-pieces and hardly managed to string more than three phases together in their 10-25 loss to the Bulls in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Saturday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 matches.
MATCH REPORT: Scrumhalf Ben Afshar scored on his first professional start as Glasgow recorded a 40-7 bonus-point victory over the Dragons.
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls’ visit across the Jukskei-river saw them secure a bonus-point 25-10 victory over the Lions at Ellis Park in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship.
WATCH as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi explains the "buy-in" process when the Springbok coaches deliver their plans to the players
WATCH an exclusive interview with double World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard on the Big Jim Show.
MATCH REPORT: Cardiff could not overcome an early red card for centre Rey Lee-Lo as Connacht claimed a 16-12 United Rugby Championship victory at Arms Park.
MATCH REPORT: The Stormers extended their winning streak over fellow South African opposition after they beat the Sharks 25-21 in a United Rugby Championship Round 10 encounter in Durban on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster comfortably maintained their place at the top of the table with a 47-18 bonus-point victory over Benetton in Dublin.
NEWS: Tony Brown will join the Blues in a short-term coaching consultant role from next week.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: French superstar Antoine Dupont is on the verge of making his Sevens debut after being named in France’s squad for the HSBC Vancouver SVNS next weekend.
JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The gap between the Wild Knights and the rest is widening at the top of the Japan Rugby League One table.
BREAKING: Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA rugby, has penned an open letter to South Africa in which he clarified the details of the potential private equity deal that has made headlines recently.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Friday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 matches.
MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh produced a second half fightback to clinch a 24-19 United Rugby Championship victory at Zebre Parma.
MATCH REPORT: Clinical Munster ensured Scarlets’ poor run against Irish provinces continued as they suffered a ninth consecutive defeat in going down 42-7 in Llanelli.
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Directory of Rugby Jake White believes SA Rugby's potential private equity deal with Ackerley Sports Group (ASG) won't be enough to lure top Springbok players back to South Africa.
SPOTLIGHT: South African rugby players are known for their brute strength, and when it comes to legendary Springbok Bakkies Botha that is nothing short of a fact.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The South African derbies will grab most of the attention this weekend as the United Rugby Championship gets underway again with Round 10.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls will have two of their World Cup-winning Springboks back for their Round 10 United Rugby Championship clash with the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Nizaam Carr will captain a Bulls side that will face the Falcons in a friendly match in Modimolle on Friday.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo made five changes to his travelling squad for the next two SVNS tournaments, in Vancouver next weekend and Los Angeles a week later.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions will be without Emmanuel Tshituka when they host the Bulls in Round 10 of the United Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday after crying off with an injury during training this week.
NEWS: The next chapter in Hawies Fourie's coaching career has been confirmed.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has made a number of a changes to his team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship clash against the Sharks
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has revealed his team to face the Stormers in a United Rugby Championship Round 10 encounter in Durban on Saturday.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew discuss Scotland's disallowed try against France during the Six Nations Round Two clash.
NEWS: The speculation around Ruan Ackermann's playing future is finally over.
FRIDAY PREVIEW: Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has unveiled a strong side for Friday's United Rugby Championship Round 10 clash away to Scarlets.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are busy putting plans in place to counter the threat posed by Lions star Sanele Nohamba.
Pierre Dantin, a French professor specialising in high performance, decodes the Springboks' formula for glory at the 2023 World Cup in France.
PREVIEW: The Japan League One returns with a bang as top-of-the-table Wild Knights take on Sungoliath on Saturday in Round Seven.
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White says he didn’t have to think long and hard about keeping Devon Williams in Pretoria.
SPOTLIGHT: SA Rugby has answered some key questions relating to the reported multi-million dollar investment deal that is up for consideration.
The United Rugby Championship are reaching its halfway mark with all 16 teams having played the first nine of their 18 regular season matches.
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am is hoping his side can carry their Challenge Cup form over to the United Rugby Championship as they prepare to face the Stormers at Kings Park on Saturday.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson admits that his squad can feel the pressure heading into a crucial period of derby matches in the United Rugby Championship.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls have not been idle during their two-week break but used the time to work on fixing the small mistakes and the bad habits that tend to seep into a season, says Stedman Gans.
NEWS: Harlequins wing Louis Lynagh has been added to Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy squad this week as they prepare to face France in Lille in Round Three of the Six Nations.
SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach John Plumtree has opened up on his frustration with injuries in his camp as they prepare to face the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship clash in Durban.
SQUAD UPDATE: Manu Tuilagi was recalled to England's 36-strong training squad on Wednesday ahead of their Six Nations match against oldest rivals Scotland.
NEWS: Craig Chalmers has warned Scotland against becoming consumed with anger over the manner of their dramatic Six Nations defeat by France.
WATCH as England flank Tom Curry reveals the extent of his injury that will see him miss this season's Six Nations.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson says his squad numbers are looking good as they enter a crucial period of matches over the next few weeks.
SPOTLIGHT: Melbourne's hopes of surviving beyond the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season have been dealt a hammer blow with administrative staff and CEO Baden Stephenson axed by the financially stricken franchise.
OPINION: It's those big hits that really gets him going, says Lions tighthead Asenathi Ntlabakanye - a big man who loves big collisions and especially sneaking up on those diminutive backline players.
SPOTLIGHT: Former Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber knows first-hand the value that Jerry Flannery can add to the Springbok squad.
NEWS: Former Bulls and Sharks wing Sibusiso Nkosi will reportedly get a rugby lifeline with a South African franchise.
TRANSFER NEWS: Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg has signed on the dotted line for his new team.
NEWS: The match officials appointments of the United Rugby Championship Round 10 fixtures have been confirmed.
SQUAD UPDATE: Archie Griffin has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad, officials announced Tuesday.
TRANSFER NEWS: The Western Province have lost one of their most promising loose forwards, as Jarrod Taylor heads to Wales.
NEWS: A change in the Super Rugby Pacific offside rule has been approved to encourage teams to run the ball instead of engaging in a tedious game of "kick tennis".
SPOTLIGHT: The stakes are very high as the second half of the United Rugby Championship season resumes this weekend.
NEWS: New Zealand's third-placed spot on the World Rugby Rankings is under huge threat after Round Two of the Six Nations.
SPOTLIGHT: Ireland stayed on course for successive Six Nations Grand Slams by routing Italy, France beat Scotland in a controversial finish and England came from behind to defeat Wales.
SPOTLIGHT: Caelan Doris, the son of psychotherapists and armed with a psychology degree, would appear to be ideal captain material for Ireland and as his status has grown, he has shown leadership over the sensitive issues of mental health and concussion.
SPOTLIGHT: With a torrid record in Brisbane through the years the Springboks face a daunting task when they take on the Wallabies at The Cauldron in August as part of the Rugby Championship.
NEWS: Louis Lynagh, the son of Australian rugby great Michael Lynagh, is to leave English Premiership club Harlequins for Benetton with the aim to represent Italy, the clubs announced on Monday.
SPOTLIGHT: It is back to the salt mines for two World Cup-winning Springboks at the Bulls as they prepare for their United Rugby Championship clash with the Lions at Ellis Park this weekend.
NEWS: Former Springbok scrumhalf Rudy Paige has officially started his career as a match official at the weekend.
George Ford has raised a huge concern for goalkickers following England's win over Wales in the Six Nations Round Two match.
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks can learn a lot from Tony Brown's "values".
REACTION: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is not getting carried away by his side having a maximum 10 points after impressive Six Nations wins over France and Italy saying "it gets tougher from here on in".
Italy player ratings: Ireland may have made six changes but if you turn up in Dublin without your two best ball carriers and with replacements who lack the same impact then an upset is not on the cards.
Ireland player ratings: Although Andy Farrell made plenty of changes, it didn’t stop Ireland from making light work of a decent Italian side.
MATCH REPORT: Ireland is back at the top of the Six Nations table after their 36-0 victory over Italy in the Second Round of the competition at Landsdowne Road on Sunday.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Two encounter between Ireland and Italy.
REACTION: Steve Borthwick praised England's resilience as they "found a way to win" after coming from behind to beat Wales 16-14 in a tense Six Nations encounter at Twickenham on Saturday.
REACTION: France coach Fabien Galthie hailed his players for battling through adversity in a 20-16 victory over Scotland on Saturday after a week of stinging criticism back home.
REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said he could not understand the decision not to award his side a try that would have beaten France with the final act of a controversial Six Nations clash on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: England overturned a nine-point half-time deficit to beat Wales 16-14 at Twickenham on Saturday to make it two wins out of two in the Six Nations.
OPINION: Steve Borthwick pitched up at Twickenham looking to see his team win their opening two matches in the Six Nations for the first time since 2019 and draw a line under a poor run of form at rugby HQ where England had won just three of their last 10 home games. Player Ratings by Liam Heagney live from Twickenham.
OPINION: A young Welsh side was asked to go to Twickenham and show some fight and that they did.
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round Two encounter between Scotland and France, as well as England versus Wales.
OPINION: Scotland led for 69 minutes at Murrayfield but ultimately ended up rueing their failure to close out another tight contest, having prevailed by a point in Cardiff last week.
SIX NATIONS REPORT: France held off Scotland for a scrappy 20-16 win at Murrayfield after a lengthy TMO call not to award the home side a try with the last action of the game.
OPINION: After Fabien Galthie's side failed to deliver in Marseille, the scene was set for a French bounce back in Murrayfield against the Scots, who in contrast came off a skin-of-their-teeth win against Wales seven days previously.
The Springbok brand could be taken to new heights with the news that the South African Rugby Union (SARU) is on the verge of completing a multi-million dollar investment with American sports company Ackerley Partners.
ROUND TWO PREVIEW: Ireland hopes to edge closer to a historic successive Six Nations Grand Slam when they host Italy at Lansdowne Road on Sunday after laying down a marker in their thumping of France last week.
TEAM UPDATE: There is a late change to Scotland's starting XV for Saturday's Six Nations clash against France in Edinburgh.
SUPER RUGBY PRE-SEASON WRAP: The Waratahs have some headaches as the Super Rugby Pacific season approaches after they were steamrolled by the Queensland Reds in a trial game two weeks out from a Round-One rematch.
OPINION: South Africa will remain at the top of the world rankings and not even a victory by Ireland this weekend can help them overtake the World Cup-winning Springboks.
REVIEW: The Chiefs survived a late scare from the Spears to end The Cross Border Rugby successfully after a 35-30 win over the current Japan Rugby League One champions in Tokyo on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: The Crusaders ended their tour of the Northern hemisphere as part of their pre-season warm-up games for Super Rugby with a 31-14 victory over Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
NEWS: England are still learning how to live without Owen Farrell as they begin a new era under Jamie George, according to playmaker George Ford.
NEWS: Over two weeks, a trial has heard graphic and intimate details of the night Kurtley Beale was accused of raping a woman in the bathroom of a Sydney pub.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has made four changes to his side that will take on Ireland in the Round Two match of the Six Nations at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland team to face Italy in Round Two of the Six Nations at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
NEWS: Joe Schmidt will get his reign as Wallabies coach underway against Wales in Sydney, their 2024 home schedule showed Friday, with Australia also hosting world champions South Africa twice this year.
ROUND TWO PREVIEW: England captain Jamie George is happy to let patriotic pride fuel his side when they face Wales in the Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday.
ROUND TWO PREVIEW: France heads to Edinburgh this weekend with a bruised ego, a head coach under the cosh, and a point to prove in the Second Round of the Six Nations against Scotland.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew share their views on the Springboks' big coaching announcement this week.
TRANSFER NEWS: As part of our rugby partnership, three Cheetahs players will join the Ospreys on a short-term loan to reinforce the squad over the coming weeks.
OPINION: @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman dissects the Springboks' state after reaching the pinnacle of rugby.
SPOTLIGHT: A lot of pressure was on France scrumhalf Maxime Lucu even before the start of this year's Six Nations as Antoine Dupont's heir apparent, but it has ramped up another gear before he starts Saturday's round two trip to Scotland.
INJURY UPDATE: Flank Lorenzo Cannone will miss Italy's second match of the Six Nations against Ireland with a leg injury, the Italian rugby federation announced Thursday.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew try to wrap their heads around Felix Jones' role within Steve Borthwick's England coaching group.
WATCH as former Ireland and Leinster hooker and analysis guru Bernard Jackman dissects England's defensive structure under Felix Jones in RugbyPass TV's Beyond 80
CROSS-BORDER PREVIEW: Last Sunday’s convincing victory by the Wild Knights against the Chiefs has set the Cross-Border Rugby series alight ahead of its second weekend, with the Chiefs looking to respond against the Spears.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend made three changes to the side that will host France in the second round of the Six Nations at Murrayfield on Saturday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England named an unchanged team for the first time in over four years on Thursday when coach Steve Borthwick announced his side to play Wales in the Six Nations.
SPOTLIGHT: Stormers star Hacjivah Dayimani is confident that his best friend Wandisile Simelane will excel in Cape Town.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Fabien Galthie resisted making sweeping changes to the France side for Saturday's Six Nations match against Scotland.
SPOTLIGHT: New Springbok assistant coach Jerry Flannery could not pass up the chance of working with Rassie Erasmus again.
SPOTLIGHT: South African centre Wilhelm de Klerk has entrenched himself in Ireland where he has worked his way into the Under-20 Six Nations team while he will also be in action in South Africa during the World U20 Championships in June.
WATCH as a few of the Bulls stars reveal who they think is the strongest player in their squad.
NEWS: British and Irish Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny is expected to miss most of the Super Rugby season with a chest injury, the Crusaders said on Thursday.
NEWS: Barnstorming Brumbies loose forward Rob Valetini has won the John Eales medal, crowned as Australian rugby's men's Player of the Year
NEWS: Wales assistant coach Alex King has demanded a "no fear" approach in their Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham on Saturday.
NEWS: Wales flank James Botham has been released from the Six Nations squad due to a knee injury, the Welsh Rugby Union said on Tuesday.
TRANSFER NEWS: Patrick Schickerling has become Glasgow Warriors’ first new signing ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, after the prop agreed to make the move to Scotstoun from Exeter Chiefs.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: George North was recalled by Wales as Warren Gatland made wholesale changes to his side for Saturday's Six Nations match against England at Twickenham.
NEWS: South Africa will play host to World Rugby’s Under-20 Championship for the second consecutive year when it takes place in the Western Cape from June 29 to July 19 this year.
Rassie Erasmus – the mastermind behind the Springboks’ back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles of 2019 and 2023 – has returned to the role of head coach for the next four years, following the departure of Jacques Nienaber to Leinster.
NEWS: All Blacks great Dane Coles credits Joe Schmidt for steering New Zealand to the World Cup final and says his appointment as Wallabies coach is a win for Australia and world rugby.
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: France lock Paul Willemse received a suspension for a red card in the defeat to Ireland in the opening round of this season's Six Nations.
SPOTLIGHT: Deon Fourie’s second stint as a Stormer has been a resounding success in every sense.
NEWS: Springbok World Cup winning lock RG Snyman returned to full team training with Munster this week after recovering from a chest/shoulder injury sustained in the World Cup final.
NEWS: Louis Schreuder has signed a new contract that will extend his stay with Bath until 2025.
BREAKING: An ongoing injury has ruled out referee Pierre Brousset for this Sunday’s Six Nations encounter between Ireland and Italy in Dublin.
NEWS: South Africa's lead at the top of World Rugby's Rankings has been reduced after Round One of this season's Six Nations.
NEWS: South African lock Nico Janse van Rensburg celebrated his 150th cap for Montpellier last weekend by extending his contract with the French outfit for another two years.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland suffered a double injury blow with the news that Luke Crosbie and Richie Gray have been ruled out of the Six Nations tournament.
SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus shared graphic images of the injuries he sustained in a "freak accident" last month.
SPOTLIGHT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has enjoyed a long honeymoon but for the first time since he took over after the 2019 World Cup, there are rumblings about his stewardship following the 17-38 thumping by Ireland in the Six Nations.
NEWS: Increasing the number of girls playing rugby and finding more women rugby coaches and referees, were high on the agenda at SA Rugby's recent two-day Community Rugby Workshop.
SPOTLIGHT: Assistant coach William Servat admitted Monday that France would carry the "scars" of their Six Nations defeat by Ireland in Marseille into their next game against Scotland in Edinburgh at the weekend.
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: France could be without one of their key figures as the South African-born lock Paul Willemse faces a lengthy suspension.
INJURY UPDATE: Italy will take on Ireland on Sunday in the Six Nations without one of their most influential players.
Rory Darge and Grant Gilchrist look set for Test match return when Scotland continue their Six Nations campaign against France at Murrayfield.
SPOTLIGHT: Ireland launched their bid for successive Grand Slams with an impressive triumph away to France, sparking an exciting first round of Six Nations action as England edged out Italy and Scotland survived a thrilling fightback by Wales to end along wait for a win in Cardiff.
CROSS BORDER WRAP: The Wild Knights created history, becoming the first corporate club from Japan to defeat a Super Rugby Pacific side, after a comprehensive 38-14 win over the Chiefs in Sunday's second match of Cross-Border Rugby at Kumagaya.
REACTION: Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu said Monday he expects to be sidelined for around 10 weeks with a broken jaw, missing the start of the Super Rugby Pacific season this month.
SPOTLIGHT: England captain Jamie George said he doesn't want anyone in the squad who doubts that the Red Roses can win this year's Six Nations title.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has revealed a 36-man squad for their Six Nations Round Two clash against Wales at Twickenham this coming Saturday.
NEWS: Barry John, known as the "King" of Welsh rugby during a golden era and arguably the sport's first superstar, has died. He was 79.
REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland believes his side can travel to Twickenham with renewed confidence after a stunning rally in an agonising defeat by Scotland that featured the "worst 40 minutes" of his lengthy coaching career.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew – Hanyani Shimange and Jean de Villiers, with guests Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt - talk about the rumours that All Black and Highlanders legend Tony Brown could be added to the Springbok coaching staff.
Wales player ratings: There’s no other way to say it. This was truly a game of two halves. Wales were dreadful in the first. Arguably their worst 40 minute performance under Warren Gatland throughout his multiple tenures. They couldn’t pass, catch or kick with any authority. They were throwing their toys and coughing up penalties. They should have been buried.
OPINION: Scotland player ratings: Having lost their last 11 matches in Cardiff, including nine in the Championship, since 2002, Scotland finally ended that miserable sequence with a 27-26 victory at the Principality Stadium.
REPORT: England were forced to come from behind to secure a hard-fought 27-24 win over Italy in the Six Nations Round One match in Rome on Saturday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round One encounter between Italy and England, as well as Wales versus Scotland.
SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont's latest statement is certainly not what France supporters would like to hear following their heavy Six Nations opening defeat to Ireland.
REACTION: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend was a relieved man on Saturday after his side's hopes of a first win in Cardiff in 22 years were almost scuppered by another dramatic slump in the Welsh capital.
REACTION: Head coach Steve Borthwick praised the impact England's debutants made in their tight 27-24 Six Nations win over Italy which ended a long-standing opening day hoodoo.
REPORT: Munster managed to hold on for a nailbiting 21-19 win over the Crusaders to win the Clash of Champions in Cork on Saturday.
REACTION: The Italians could not contain their disappointment with the narrow 24-27 defeat to England in the Six Nations opener in Rome.
MATCH REPORT: Scotland pulled a hat out of the bag and hung on for dear life to win their opening Six Nations Round One encounter by 27-26 over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
REACTION: The fight for the Six Nations title is not over, France coach Fabien Galthie has insisted, despite watching his team crash to the heaviest defeat since he took charge in 2019.
OPINION: A nervous, close-run thing on the scoreboard for England wasn’t in the script for this Six Nations round-one encounter. Player Ratings by Liam Heagney live from Stadio Olimpico.
OPINION: Italy started their Six Nations campaign with a loss, but there are plenty of positives that new head coach Gonzalo Quesada can take from the performance in Rome.
SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's position at the top of the World Rugby rankings will be safe for a while.
TEAM UPDATE: England suffered another injury blow just hours ahead of the start of their 2024 Six Nations campaign.
SUPER RUGBY TRIAL WRAP: The Melbourne Rebels have put aside their off-field woes to post a 38-12 victory over the Waratahs in their first hit-out of the year.
SPOTLIGHT: The latest wrecking ball from the Tuilagi rugby dynasty was unleashed Friday, giant teenage lock Posolo making his debut for France in a 17-38 defeat to Ireland, and quickly maintaining the family's fearsome reputation.
REACTION: Ireland coach Andy Farrell said his team's 38-17 thrashing of France gave them invaluable momentum in their bid to defend their Six Nations title.
OPINION: In a match that laid bare the stark disparities between expectations and reality, France found themselves uncharacteristically lackluster, a shadow of the formidable force they were in 2023. A man down for much of the contest, France eventually buckled completely.
OPINION: Ireland, while not at their absolute best, capitalized on a French shortfall, managing to secure a decisive 38-17 bonus victory over their hosts in Marseille.
INTERVIEW: "Don't write us off" was the message from Adam Beard as a new-look Wales prepared to open their Six Nations Championship campaign against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.
MATCH REPORT: Ireland started the defence of their Six Nations and Grand Slam titles with a massive statement against France in Marseille on Friday.
READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Six Nations Round One encounter between France and Ireland in Marseille.
WATCH as retired South African referee Jaco Peyper - in the ground-documentary Whistleblowers - speaks about the abuse his children experienced at school, because people disliked how he refereed matches.
ROUND ONE PREVIEW: Warren Gatland urged a new-look Wales to "go out there with no fear" when they launch their Six Nations Championship campaign at home to a Scotland side desperate to end a 22-year losing streak in Cardiff.
TRANSFER TALK: Forgotten Springbok centre Jan Serfontain has opted to extend his contract with Montpellier amid rumours of an exit.
WATCH as the Boks Office crew - Hanyani Shimange and Jean de Villiers, with guests Schalk Brits and Brad Barritt - attempt to find the next Dricus du Plessis in the rugby ranks.
ROUND ONE PREVIEW: Jamie George and Gonzalo Quesada are hoping to lead England and Italy into new eras as the countries face off in Saturday's Six Nations opener in Rome.
TEAM NEWS: Ange Capuozzo will miss Italy's Six Nations opener with England with gastroenteritis, the Italian rugby federation announced on Friday.
NEWS: Scott Lawrence was named head coach of the USA Eagles on Thursday, removing the interim tag under which he served in the role for the past year, USA Rugby announced.
In his 50 games for the Stormers thus far, flyhalf Manie Libbok has kept scoreboard operators everywhere busy with some prolific points-scoring.
ROUND ONE PREVIEW: The focus is firmly on the crucial opening match of the Six Nations - with two teams looking to put the disappointment of World Cup quarterfinal exits behind them.
REACTION: Northampton Saints have issued a statement following speculation that four Premiership clubs are in discussions to receive millions of pounds worth of investment from Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Gregor Townsend has named his Scotland matchday squad to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the opening round of this year’s Six Nations.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Steve Borthwick has revealed his team to play Italy in their opening game of the 2024 Six Nations at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.
PREVIEW: The Cross-Border Rugby competition between leading clubs from Japan Rugby League One and Super Rugby Pacific kicks off on Saturday when the five-time Japanese champions Suntory Sungoliath battle the three-time Super Rugby champions the Blues.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ange Capuozzo will start on the right wing in Italy's Six Nations opener with England in Rome on Saturday, as Gonzalo Quesada makes his debut as Azzurri coach.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has revealed his team to face Scotland in their Six Nations opener.
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Bristol Bears lock Josh Caulfield has finally learned his fate after facing a couple of hearings this week.
Wearing the Green and Gold is a dream any South African rugby player is determined to turn into reality - and for Marco van Staden that journey was filled with loads of challenges.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Four capped Junior Springboks are amongst a group of 35 players who will attend this year’s SA Rugby Academy Programme to continue preparations for the international season.
NEWS: Peter Jooste, the new administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union, will walk straight into a firestorm.
WATCH as double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi reveals who he feels are the most underrated players in the team.
SPOTLIGHT: Scotland centre Huw Jones aims to carry on from where he left off when the 2024 Six Nations Championship gets underway this weekend.
NEWS: England flyhalf Danny Cipriani confirmed his retirement from Rugby Union on Wednesday in a "sobering but also freeing moment".
REACTION: Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind behind the Springboks' back-to-back World Cup victories, has given his take on the debated new tackle law.
WATCH as new All Black coach Scott Robertson speaks about the two-match tour to South Africa and his other first-season hurdles.
SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls, in preparation for crucial back-to-back United Rugby Championship derbies, had a surprise visitor at training on Tuesday.
NEWS: South African fans will have to wait a few years to host a European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Finals as EPCR announced the venues for the 2025 and 2026 editions of the tournaments.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Peter O’Mahony will lead Ireland when they face France in their Six Nations opener against France in Marseilles on Friday.
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Fabien Galthie has named his team to face Ireland in the Six Nations opener in Marseille.
STAT ATTACK: Steven Kitshoff’s arrival at Ulster has grabbed the headlines and the World Cup-winning Springbok is certainly making his mark.
NEWS: England has been hit by another setback ahead of their Six Nations opener against Italy after concerns emerged surrounding the fitness of scrumhalf Alex Mitchell.
NEWS: Saracens announced that Maro Itoje has signed a new long-term contract at the club.
INTERVIEW: Italy head into the Six Nations as rank outsiders following a dismal World Cup.
NEWS: Former England flank Brad Shields was on Wednesday named captain of the Hurricanes for the 2024 Super Rugby season in the absence of Ardie Savea.
SPOTLIGHT: The United Rugby Championship is delicately poised for South African teams at the halfway stage - with the overall standings and Shield positions painting two contrasting pictures.
NEWS: One of South Africa's top players could return to action sooner than expected.
SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok coaches would have been happy with what they saw from a couple of South African players in the Premiership this past weekend.
NEWS: England have suffered a major blow ahead of their Six Nations opener against Italy as Marcus Smith was ruled out of Saturday's clash with a calf injury.
INTERVIEW: Jamie George's 'lighter touch' is better suited to captaining an inexperienced England Six Nations squad than the more 'abrasive' manner of Owen Farrell, said former Test lock Courtney Lawes.
NEWS: Rugby Australia is working with the debt-ridden Melbourne Rebels to ensure they field a team in this year's Super Rugby Pacific competition but has offered no guarantees beyond that.
REACTION: Despite shooting themselves in the foot on several occasions against the Lions, Jake White believes his Bulls team were also "unlucky" not to have won more comfortably.
SPOTLIGHT: Quade Cooper might have played his last game for the Wallabies, the flyhalf admitted.
NEWS: Rugby star Kurtley Beale told a woman he allegedly raped he "misread the whole situation" and profusely apologised to her, in a secretly taped phone call.
NEWS: New Zealand loose forward Luke Jacobson will captain the Chiefs in 2024, the Super Rugby franchise announced Tuesday, with All Blacks skipper Sam Cane currently in Japan.
WATCH as former Wallaby head coach Eddie Jones is caught threatening his players with a cattle prod during last year's World Cup in France.
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: Ireland will start their bid for a historic back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slam when they take on France in Marseille in the tournament's mouth-watering opening match on Friday.
INJURY UPDATE: Scotland has lost some of its South African beef, ahead of their Six Nations opener.
WATCH an exclusive interview with double World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi on the Big Jim Show.
WATCH as Lions captain Marius Louw and coach Ivan van Rooyen look forward to the next two crucial rounds of the United Rugby Championship.
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) is appealing the decision of an independent disciplinary committee to overturn the red card which was issued to the Bristol Bears player Josh Caulfield.
SPOTLIGHT: Ireland's hopes of successfully defending their Six Nations title hinge on filling the "massive gap" left by Johnny Sexton's decision to retire after their World Cup quarterfinal loss to New Zealand.
MATCH REPORT: Gloucester coach George Skivington was happy to end a 'painful' run of nine Premiership defeats with their bonus-point 32-20 win over Sale Sharks.
REACTION: The improvement shown by the South African women's Sevens team in Perth will give the coaching staff and players a confidence boost for the next two HSBC SVNS tournaments.