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DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Highlanders back Sio Tomkinson is facing suspension for a high tackle in his team's Super Rugby opener.

DERBY DAY: It is truly a weekend of derbies - two matches in the New Zealand conference, two matches in the Australian conference and two matches in the South African conference.

Six Nations again this week with the exciting prop sect of seeking Ireland hosting France in Dublin with Ben O'Keeffe of New Zealand to referee it.

World Rugby has moved to clarify the organisation’s position on the merits and structure of an annual global competition in advance of key meetings in Dublin next week.

NEWS: The two-time World Cup winner, who will be chasing a third straight trophy this year, said the time felt right to leave.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named his team to face the Chiefs at home this Saturday, including a number of changes and two Super Rugby debutants.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Lions have dipped into the Premiership to shore up their second row stocks.

WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about his transformation targets for the World Cup and his squad selection.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson has named a powerful backline ahead of their Aussie derby against the Queensland Reds at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

NEWS: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has made a number of changes to the starting XV to face an in-form and unbeaten Crusaders line up on Saturday.

WATCH as Dylan Michael Sage talks about his conversion from a Sevens star to a 15-a-side rookie.

WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus unpack the reasons for the recent contract restructuring of South African players. Jan de Koning reports!

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: He is a bit like an uncut diamond, but a pure gem that needs some polishing.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues welcome two long-term injured players to add spark to the team to take on the Sunwolves at QBE Stadium in North Harbour on Saturday.

OPINION: The Sunwolves are no longer the laughing stock of Super Rugby.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Pote Human has named his team to face the Sharks in a Super Rugby Round Four clash in Pretoria on Saturday.

SQUAD UPDATE: Ireland on Wednesday announced a 37-man squad for their Six Nations match against France.

This week Scotty Stevenson and Mils Muliaina speak with Rob Nichol of the NZ Players Association about the challenges faced in the Pacific with regard to the ongoing debacle that is World Rugby's proposed Nations Championship.

REACTION: The game in Wales is in turmoil over "Project Reset".

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds have made five changes to their starting XV for this weekend’s match against Queensland's oldest rival, Waratahs in Sydney.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: A few minor tweaks could put Scotland back on the path to victory.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Code-hopping Karmichael Hunt is pledging to pour every ounce of his Queensland blood into his Super Rugby derby debut for the Waratahs against his former Reds teammates.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree has named a settled squad to face the Highlanders in Friday's Round Four Super Rugby match at Westpac Stadium.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to @MyPlayersRugby CEO Eugene Henning to separate the facts from the fiction surrounding the controversial World League.

NEWS: The biggest name in Australian rugby is keen to play Sevens at next year's Tokyo Olympics, saying participating in the Games would be "something special".

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has made five changes for the Super Rugby Round Four clash against the Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday.

NEWS: With a clear focus on meeting and exceeding its transformation objectives, Western Province Rugby has revised its coaching and team management structures.

Sunday's Rugby Europe's International Championship match was expected to be a close affair when Spain hosted Romania in Madrid and so it turned out to be. Spain, scoring three tries to two, won, mainly because they used their chances much better.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have made four changes to their starting XV for their Super Rugby Round Four clash against the Brumbies on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Highlanders will be significantly stronger when they face the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday.

UPDATE: The Ospreys labelled Wales's Professional Rugby Board (PRB) chaotic and reckless in denying they are on the verge of merging with the Scarlets in a major restructuring of Welsh rugby.

Towards the end of the match between the Reds and the Crusaders in Brisbane on Saturday, there was an intervention that led to the Crusaders' being reduced to 14 men for the last six minutes of the match.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made one change to his starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: Could Russia one day be a major player in world rugby? The national team has qualified for the World Cup for just the second time in its history and a new coach says the country is full of potential.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland have taken the unusual step of delaying confirmation of their wider squad for the Dublin encounter with Les Bleus until Wednesday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Gert Smal has officially joined Japanese club Toyota Verblitz as their new assistant coach for the 2019/20 season.

INJURY UPDATE: One of England's star players hobbled out of training to give Eddie Jones a scare ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with Italy.

NEWS: There is a lot of unhappiness surrounding the WRU’s "catastrophic mismanagement" of efforts to overhaul the game.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: A Disciplinary Committee will meet in Edinburgh on Wednesday to decide Ox Nche's fate.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Jacques Brunel has named his team to face Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.

Pat Lambie has spoken about dealing with concussion and how he deliberately avoided an assessment after suffering a concussion that would eventually end his career.

NEWS: Two of Wales' most successful team are set to merge as part of a radical overhaul in Welsh Rugby.

INJURY UPDATE: Bulls lock and captain Lood De Jager's Super Rugby season has taken a major dent.

TRANSFER NEWS: Samoa forward Piula Faasalele has signed a three-year deal with relegation-threatened Perpignan, the Top 14 club said on Wednesday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Centre Tom English is welcoming threats from inside and outside the Melbourne Rebels camp.

TRANSFER NEWS: Wasps have signed a giant tighthead prop.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls' 30-12 win over the Lions will hardly register on the scale of earth-shattering blowouts.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Wales have not forgotten Finn Russell's masterclass against them two years ago.

INJURY UPDATE: New Zealand captain Kieran Read is still three weeks away from a return to action, Crusaders confirmed.

INJURY UPDATE: Finn Russell has returned to bolster Scotland's squad ahead of their clash with Six Nations leaders Wales at Murrayfield this weekend, the Scottish Rugby Union announced on Monday.

REACTION: The Georgian Rugby president Gocha Svanidze has sent a stern message in the wake of World Rugby’s controversial proposal last week to set up a World League.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Saracens are adamant that they “readily comply” with the Premiership salary regulations.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Eddie Jones has called up 31 players as they prepare for their fourth Six Nations match against Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

ANALYSIS: With Ma’a Nonu back in Super Rugby, along with regular All Blacks Anton Lienert-Brown, Jack Goodhue and Ryan Crotty, there is plenty of competition for mid-field spots for this year’s World Cup.

NEWS: SANZAAR has confirmed that sideline match officials made an incorrect ruling towards the end of the Reds versus Crusaders match in Brisbane at the weekend.

NEWS: World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont is busy doing some damage control.

REACTION: Look up the newly proposed World League in rugby on Twitter and the motherlode of comments will be severely critical.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Australia's national women's team captain Liz Patu has escaped with a slap on the wrist for a disgusting biting incident.

TRANSFER NEWS: In a rare move, New Zealand franchise the Hurricanes signed South African lock Andries Ferreira.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: It wasn't pretty, but the Stormers enter their bye week after two important wins against South African Conference rivals.

RUGBY EXPLORER: We travel to South Africa for the latest episode of Rugby Explorer.

TRANSFER NEWS: Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has returned to Australia on loan from England's Leicester Tigers.

NEWS: The Stormers are set to reveal their new coach in the next few days.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Once again, consistency will probably be the Sharks' greatest challenge in Super Rugby.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Lions head coach Swys de Bruin sees a big resemblance in the current Bulls team to the golden generation who won three Super Rugby titles.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Schalk Brits has revealed how the Bulls' tactics and hard work on the training field all came together during his team’s 30-12 Super Rugby victory against the Lions on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika may need to revisit his appraisal of Australian Super Rugby progress after a mixed bag of performances in round three.

DAY THREE WRAP: The United States steamrolled Samoa 27-0 in the Cup Final to win the Las Vegas Sevens Sunday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Another Rebels' win aided by another sensational performance by Quade Cooper.

NEWS: The ever-tightening financial noose has forced the South African Rugby Union to shut down the Springbok museum.

SEVENS SPOTLIGHT: South Africa Sevens coach Neil Powell called in Zain Davids and Kurt-Lee Arendse to do duty in Vancouver this weekend.

INJURY UPDATE: Queensland centre Jordan Petaia has had his World Cup dreams rocked by scans which have ruled him out of the remainder of the Super Rugby season.

INJURY UPDATE: Scrumhalf Morgan Parra will miss France's Six Nations match against champions Ireland through injury, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced.

WORLD CUP UPDATE: Former Melbourne Rebels backrow Amanaki Mafi has been called into Japan's extended Rugby World Cup training squad despite facing an assault charge from his time at the Super Rugby club.

PRO14 REPORT: Ulster dug deep to withstand a late Dragons charge as they notched up a bonus-point 28-15 win over the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

REACTION: Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young was left fuming by some of the refereeing decisions that went against his side in their 14-19 loss to Leicester, claiming “we were robbed.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby's proposed 'League of Nations' drew more criticism on Friday when one players' organisation said it is even discussing a boycott of the 2019 World Cup.

INJURY UPDATE: The Reds will cross their fingers for good news as Jordan Petaia awaits scan results following his short-lived return to Brisbane at the weekend.

TOP 14 WRAP: Can anyone stop Toulouse?

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Blues remain winless in this year's Super Rugby tournament after they went down 19-23 to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in Round Three.

DAY TWO WRAP: Dramatic wins for Argentina and Samoa secured their semifinal places while hosts USA beat the Blitzboks on a thrilling day in Las Vegas.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Zach Kibirige scored his third try in two matches to help inspire Newcastle Falcons to their first win in six and a crucial 17-6 victory over Worcester Warriors.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks suffered their first defeat of the season when they went down 11-16 to the Stormers in Durban on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: It is the end of an era, as the Bulls embarrassed their Trans-Jukskei neighbours, the Lions, with a 30-12 demolition at Ellis Park on Saturday.

REACTION: England forwards coach Steve Borthwick has played down clashes that took place between England's and Georgia's players - at a training session, in front of children.

OPINION: @rugby365com's acclaimed writer Paul Dobson looks at some of the values that may be missing from the game - when players lose self-control.

REACTION: World Rugby bosses appear to be backtracking on their earlier decision on the proposed World League, in the face of a fierce backlash.

PRO14 REPORT: Olly Robinson rounded off a slick team move to score the winning try for Cardiff Blues as they battled past a resilient Southern Kings side 26-19 in the Pro14.

PRO14 REPORT: Ioan Nicholas’ first-half try and some resolute defence reignited Scarlets’ Pro14 campaign as they saw off in-form Munster 10-6 at Parc y Scarlets.

NEWS: It's unanimous: "Dan Carter can't play rugby in France."

PRO14 REPORT: A first-half blitz from Glasgow Warriors saw them hit the top of Conference A as they notched up a 42-10 win over Zebre in Parma.

WATCH all the highlights from Round Three of the Southern Hemisphere's premier franchise competition!

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: A virtuoso Joe Ford inspired Leicester Tigers to just their second victory of 2019 as they claimed the scalp of rivals Wasps.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders were made to work hard for a 22-12 win over a determined Reds side in Brisbane on Saturday.

PRO14 REPORT: Antonio Rizzi’s second-half try extended Benetton’s unbeaten run in the Pro14 to seven games as they overcame Conference B rivals Edinburgh 18-10.

PRO14 REPORT: Kieran Marmion’s double inspired a huge win as Connacht maintained their formidable home record with a 46-5 victory over Ospreys in a one-sided Pro14 tie.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sunwolves recorded a first-ever away win in the competition when they upset the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Forget the four tries, an error that could have cost the Rebels their 24-19 win over the Highlanders and the response to it was the highlight for coach Dave Wessels.

NEWS: Blues and North Harbour prop Michael Tamoaieta died suddenly at the tender age of 23.

WRAP: Argentina XV was crowned 2019 Americas champions for the second time in four years on Friday with a 39-23 bonus point victory over Canada in Victoria, British Columbia.

DAY ONE WRAP: Argentina beat the United States and Chile drew with South Africa in a day of shocks in Las Vegas.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: A penalty try 14 minutes from time was enough to earn Bristol Bears a 28-24 win over West Country rivals Gloucester Rugby in Premiership Rugby.

PRO14 MATCH REPORT: Tries from Conor O’Brien, Adam Byrne and Rory O’Loughlin proved enough as Leinster Rugby beatCheetahs 19-7 to extend their lead at the top of Conference B in PRO14.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Rebels were forced into a desperate scramble, but managed to hold out the Highlanders for a vital 24-19 win.

SPRINGBOK TRIALS: As South Africa gear for a round of vicious domestic derbies, the New Zealand and Australian franchises wrestled with the prickly poser of player management.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Lions head coach Zacharia de Bruin revealed that new signing Franco Naudé will play a similar role in the team to that of Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg.

REACTION: The future of the game looks bleak if the proposed World League goes ahead.

INJURY UPDATE: Italy captain Sergio Parisse's chance of featuring in the last two games of this year’s Six Nations are fairly slim.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Round 17 of the Pro14 arrives after a weekend which saw the race for Finals Series spots get even tighter.

It's Round 3 of Europe's main men's championship with the promise of a close encounter in Madrid when the Romanian Oaks take on the Spanish Lions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Gloucester Rugby have been excelling under #FridayNightLights and this weekend again kick-off the weekend of compelling action with a short trip to Ashton Gate where a bumper crowd will see them take on Bristol Rugby on Friday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Herschel Jantjies' inclusion in the starting XV could be the catalyst that ignites a sluggish Stormers team at Kings Park.

REACTION: Listen as Lions coach Swys de Bruin explains why he believes making Malcolm Marx the captain is 'the right' decision for the team.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The battle between a yoga-loving, mullet-wearing Crusader and Ballymore's new "wonderkid" will take centre stage when the Reds host the two-time defending champions on Saturday.

WORLD SERIES ROUND FIVE: This year marks the 10th time the global circuit has arrived in the world-famous city of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Six Nations has another rest but lots of top referees are still in action.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has been forced into making some changes to his team, as they look to end their winless run on the road.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs conclude their Europe tour with a massive Pro14 fixture against reigning champions Leinster on Friday in Dublin.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are three changes to the Stormers starting line-up to face the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: To use a well-worn cliche: A week is a long time in rugby.

SEVENS NEWS: For Neil Powell consistency has always been the key to success but it can be debated if his squad selection for this weekend’s Las Vegas Sevens was a gamble or calculated risk.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions coach Swys de Bruin has surprised with the announcement of his team's new captain.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has named his team for Saturday's Super Rugby Round Three clash against the Stormers in Durban.

NEWS: Josh Navidi has pledged his future to Cardiff Blues by signing a new contract to remain at the Arms Park.

PLAYER PROFILE: Bader Pretorius may only be a 21-year-old with only four Pro14 matches under his belt, but he has had his share of challenges which have often placed doubt on his future as a professional rugby player.

The World Schools Rugby Festival is taking place at Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch at the end of March 2019.

TRANS-TASMAN FACE-OFF: We start this round off with a couple of games between teams from Australasian rivals New Zealand and Australia.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Scott Robertson has made five changes to the starting side that defeated the Hurricanes for their clash against the Reds in Brisbane.

SUPER RUGBY PREDICTIONS: Two South African derbies beckon on Saturday and both, according to the data predictions, are seemingly easy to call.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The recent deaths of four young French rugby players were an "unusual spike", according to World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper

The @rugby365com team chats to Piet Heymans, Chief Executive Officer of Sport Employees Unite, about the decision to cancel @Springboks contracts.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have made five changes to their starting XV for their Super Rugby Round Three clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.

REACTION: Some of the World Top players, including All Blacks, captain Kieran Read and Ireland flyhalf Jonathan Sexton, have voiced their concerns in regards to the proposed World League.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Lions are renowned for picking up unwanted 'goods' and turning them into gems.

Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Brad Barritt, Ben Earl and Alex Sanderson pay tribute to Schalk Burger who will leave Saracens at the end of the 2018/19 season.

@rugby365com's law guru Paul Dobson looks at the controversy that erupted during the final kick of the match in the Stiormers'19-17 win over the Lions.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Liam Heagney looks at how it all went wrong for Ireland this month!

Rob Vickerman and Karl Te Nana preview the Las Vegas leg of the Sevens World Series in the latest episode of the That Sevens Show.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: RugbyPass columnist Ben Smith takes a looks at how winning the Six Nations relates to performances in the World Cup.

OPINION: There were plenty of Australian players who stood out in Round Two of Super Rugby 2019.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: International rugby is set to undergo a seismic shift with plans of a proposed World League.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls were forced into a couple of unwanted changes for their Super Rugby Round Three encounter with the Lions.

NEWS: Saracens have confirmed that veteran Springbok Schalk Burger will leave the club at the end of the season.

OPINION: After Wales' win over England, it's no surprise their players lead the way in @rugby365com’s famous weekly selection.

TRANSFER NEWS: Worcester Warriors have made Samoa international wing Ed Fidow their fifth new signing for next season.

LISTEN as Stormers assistant coach John Dobson talks about his team's trip to Durban and a Round Three Super Rugby encounter with the Sharks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Record Hurricanes points scorer Beauden Barrett will return to the starting XV for Friday's Super Rugby match against the Brumbies in Palmerston North.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks have always been the no.1 priority and in 2019 it has become the only priority.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds have made two changes to their starting XV for Saturday's clash against the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies boss Dan McKellar has made four changes to the side that beat the Chiefs in stunning fashion at GIO Stadium last Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has unveiled his team to face the Sunwolves in Hamilton on Saturday.

LISTEN as Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am talks about the Sharks' victorious start to the season and the news of the impending European exodus from Durban.

INJURY UPDATE: Italy captain Sergio Parisse has recovered from a head injury and is available to face England and France in the two final games of this year's Six Nations.

LISTEN as loose forward Albertus Smith explains how the team will cope without inspirational leader Warren Whiteley.

NEWS: After a 15-year long career, England international Matt Tait has retired from rugby with immediate effect.

WATCH: Crusaders wing Manasa Mataele pulled off an early contender for play of the season with this no-look, round-the-back pass from the ground, all while keeping himself out of touch!

Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, one of the great rugby stadiums in the world, plays host to 32 schoolboy rugby first teams on Tuesday, 5 March 2019.

INJURY UPDATE: Cory Hill's elation at scoring a try in Wales' stunning 21-13 victory over England has turned to disappointment as he has been ruled out of the remainder of the Six Nations.

NEWS: Dozens of home-based players will be taken into Springbok succession planning next year as part of a radical new contracting strategy, announced by SA Rugby on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Highlanders will take on an exciting Rebels outfit without a number of key All Blacks in Melbourne on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls have one new injury concern after their 12-27 defeat to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Star Wallabies duo Reece Hodge and Adam Coleman have been named in the Rebels’ match-day 23-man squad ahead of their first home match of the year against the Highlanders at AAMI Park on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The potential return of super scavenger David Pocock could create even more chances for the resurgent Brumbies as they seek to end their Super Rugby drought in New Zealand.

TRANSFER NEWS: Wasps confirmed that tighthead prop Mike Daniels has signed a deal with the Premiership side.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Waratahs hooker Silatolu Latu was suspended for six weeks after pleading guilty to dangerous play late in his side's tight Super Rugby win over Japan's Sunwolves.

INJURY UPDATE: South Africa's Johan Goosen will be sidelined for up to six weeks with a foot injury, his club Montpellier confirmed.

SIX NATIONS ANALYSES: Wales stormed back in the second half to beat England 21-13 and keep alive their hopes of winning the Six Nations Grand Slam whilst dashing their opponents' aspirations of a second one under Eddie Jones.

NEWS: Wales and France move up the World Rugby Rankings after both teams won in the latest round of the Six Nations.

NEWS: Not only are South African teams competing with lucrative Europe deals, but they also have to keep a close eye on their Southern Hemisphere counterparts.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara has shown a lot of interest in furthering his coaching career in New Zealand.

TRANSFER NEWS: Ulster confirmed South African prop Gareth Milasinovich will join the Pro14 side from Worcester Warriors.

SQUAD UPDATE: Stade Francais lock Paul Gabrillagues on Monday replaced injured Racing 92 flank Fabien Sanconnie in the 31-man France squad preparing to face Ireland in the Six Nations on March 10.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions received some bad news on the injury of inspirational leader Warren Whiteley.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Joe Schmidt has admitted Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray are angry and grumpy with their personal Six Nations form for Ireland.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Rugby Australia on Tuesday ruled out relaxing Wallabies' player eligibility rules after South Africa announced it was scrapping Test selection restrictions aimed at preventing top talent heading abroad.

Brumbies' Chance Peni has his teammates to thank for getting him over for his first double in Super Rugby.

INJURY UPDATE: As the Kings look to wrap up their three-week Europe tour this week in Cardiff, the side’s medical team will be keeping a close eye on some of the players following a tough match against defending PRO14 champions Leinster Rugby.

INJURY UPDATE: The Chiefs are preparing to face the Sunwolves in Hamilton this weekend without the services of All Blacks trio Anton Lienert-Brown, Nathan Harris and Nepo Laulala.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Tension between Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika and the Australian Super Rugby franchises has been rising after a host of top Australian talent have been left injured following a Wallabies training camp.

TRANSFER NEWS: Wallaby Scott Fardy has officially ruled himself out of the Wolrd Cup contention with his new contract extension at Leinster.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Sale Sharks have signed another Springbok, this time it is a hooker.

PINION: Ireland pushed themselves back into the Six Nations title race with a 26-16 bonus-point win over Italy.

WATCH as Sharks coach Robert du Preez chats about his team's impressive win over the Blues and looks forward to next week's encounter with the Stormers.

OPINION: After showing signs of real promise in the opening two rounds of the championship, England left Cardiff with their Grand Slam hopes shattered, as they fell to a 21-13 loss to Wales.

OPINION: Another Six Nations comeback helped Wales beat England 21-13 at the Principality Stadium to secure a national record 12th successive win.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Will Carling said Kyle Sinckler was a "cheap target" after the prop found himself being blamed for a second-half collapse that led to a dramatic defeat by Wales.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Stormers muted the chorus of discontent with a come-from-behind win over the Lions.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Warren Gatland has warned Wales against resting on their laurels after a second-half recovery saw them to a thrilling Six Nations victory over England in Cardiff.

TRANSFER NEWS: One of South Africa's top flyhalves will be leaving the country at the end of the Super Rugby season.

TRANSFER NEWS: A South African club have managed to lure two Saffas back home following stints in France and Japan.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Joe Schmidt confessed to being unhappy with Ireland's scrappy 26-16 win over Italy in Rome on Sunday, which kept alive their hopes of defending the title.

OPINION: Scottish hopes of bagging the first win in Paris in 20 years were eclipsed in the Parisian spring sun.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Brumbies were revelling in their best win in years Sunday after inspirational cancer survivor Christian Lealiifano put himself on the Wallabies radar ahead of the World Cup.

SELECTION SPOTLIGHT: Cobus Reinach’s skin - not form - will likely be the biggest obstacle to his desire for a Springboks recall ahead of the World Cup.

REACTION: Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny scored 11 points in the Scarlets' 43-21 victory over the Cheetahs on Sunday in his first game in three months.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions are hoping for some positive news on the injury of inspirational leader Warren Whiteley.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones insisted the "world hasn't ended" after a stunning second-half collapse saw his side suffer a 13-21 defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

TRANSFER NEWS: Toulon will lose one of their stars at the end of the season

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Hurricanes coach John Plumtree said his side are hurting after their 38-22 thrashing at the hands of the defending champion Crusaders.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland cast doubt on England's ability to win the games that count.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Silatolu Latu of the Waratahs has been cited for alleged foul play during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.

NEWS: England's Six Nations campaign took a major injury blow with the news that Courtney Lawes will miss the rest of the tournament.

In the Women's Six Nations Championship. England and Italy remain unbeaten.

WATCH as @rugby365com brings you all the highlights from the weekend's Six Nations and Super Rugby matches!

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Ireland had to come from behind to beat Italy 26-16 and keep their slim hopes alive.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Jaguares avoided a second home defeat with a hard-fought 27-12 win over the Bulls at Buenos Aires on Saturday.

PRO14 REPORT: Scarlets produced an incisive opening salvo as they beat the Cheetahs 43-21 to continue their play-off push.

PRO14 WRAP: Jason Harries returned to haunt his former side as Cardiff Blues staged a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat Edinburgh 19-17 at BT Murrayfield.

All BlacksWORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: All Black coach Steve Hansen is preparing himself to make some tough calls as the deadline for his squad looms large.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers recorded their first win of the season with a dramatic 19-17 win over the Lions at Newlands on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Tom Howe's dramatic late try and an earlier score by Springbok Francois Hougaard saw Worcester down Leicester Tigers 17-13 and give their Premiership survival hopes a huge boost.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Sharks kept their impressive record over the Blues intact with a 26-7 win on Saturday in Durban.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders were denied a bonus point in the end, but they were full value for their comprehensive 38-22 win over the Hurricanes in Christchurch on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Faf de Klerk inspired Sale Sharks to a 24-18 victory over Wasps to emphatically bounce back from their 50-point defeat at Northampton Saints in round 13 of the Premiership.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Fly-half sensation Romain Ntamack fired France to their first victory of this year's Six Nations with a 27-10 defeat of Scotland on Saturday.

AMERICAS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: Argentina captain Lautaro Bavaro scored two tries Saturday to lead the hosts over Uruguay 35-10 in a showdown of the unbeaten, keeping Argentina atop the table.

SIX NATIONS REPORT: Wales came from 10-3 behind at half-time to beat England 21-13 in the Six Nations at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday to remain on course for a Grand Slam.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Manu Tuilagi has found himself on the receiving end of jokes about baguettes and croissants from England coach Eddie Jones amid reports the Leicester centre is set to pursue a club career in France.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: After a horrendous run of injuries in 2018, which culminated in a split eyelid thanks to Brodie Retallick, All Blacks and Crusaders prop Joe Moody is back in action.

SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: Champions Ireland heads to Rome on Sunday, looking to build momentum in their stuttering Six Nations title defence.

SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: Wales and England will both put their Grand Slam ambitions on the line when they meet for a sold-out Six Nations clash at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS ROUND THREE: Under-fire France might never have a better opportunity to get their Six Nations back up and running as they host a Scotland side considerably shorn of its sparkle on Saturday.

After just two rounds, Ireland is the only one 0of the six teams in the Under-20 Six Nations that is unbeaten - and Scotland is the only team that has not yet won a match.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Brumbies upset the odds to record a bonus-point 54-16 win over the Chiefs in Canberra on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Lions are happy to concede the tale of the tape in their face-off with the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders came from behind to score a late winner in an entertaining encounter with the Reds in Dunedin on Friday.

AMERICAS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: Andrew Coe scored three second-half tries as Canada continued its domination over Chile with a 56-0 rout.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: England have responded to Warren Gatland's "emotional time bomb" jibe.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Last week the Waratahs lost by one point because of a missed kick. This week they won by one point because of a missed kick.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: France captain Guilhem Guirado said on Friday his team are prepared to "revolt" as they face Scotland in the Six Nations this weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has made four changes to his starting XV for Sunday’s Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome.

NEWS: Julian Savea's French journey is turning into a nightmare.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones takes his side to Cardiff for a potential tournament-decider against Wales having promised to "spoil the party" at the Principality Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Conor O’Shea has announced his Italy team to face Ireland in the Six Nations in Rome on Sunday.

ALL BLACK BRAINTEASER: New Zealand franchises must nurse their All Black players through the rigours of the protracted competition to protect them for the World Cup.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Ben Morgan put in a monumental performance with a match-winning double as Gloucester cemented their status as Premiership contenders by downing league leaders Saracens 30-24.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Cheetahs will be facing Scarlets on Sunday in a crucial PRO14 match at the Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli in Wales.

TEAM UPDATE: The Waratahs received a timely boost ahead of their Super Rugby match against the Sunwolves in Japan.

PRO14 REPORT: George Horne took less than a minute to score Glasgow Warriors’ first try as they ran out 43-17 winners over Connacht in the Pro14 on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In this incredible Premiership campaign seven clubs ended last weekend in different league positions to where they started as the see-saw nature of the season continued.

PRO14 REPORT: Doubles for Noel Reid and Ed Byrne helped inspire Leinster to a 59-19 win over the Southern Kings and build their lead at the top of the Conference B table.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Round 16 of the Pro14 comes swiftly on the heels of an entertaining weekend which saw plenty of tries scored all across Europe and three impressive away wins.

PRO14 REPORT: Munster withstood a resilient Ospreys effort as Mike Haley’s try proved enough to keep the province at the top of Conference A with a 19-13 win.

SUPER RUGBY ROUND TWO: The action continues and the predictions are in. These picks went down like a sack of potatoes last weekend, what awaits now?

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Wales have something to prove to the rugby world on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Wales coach Warren Gatland has suggested England prop Kyle Sinckler "emotionally, can be a bit of a time bomb" heading into this weekend's crunch clash in Cardiff.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Stormers coach Robbie Fleck is banking on Sergeal Petersen to unlock the Lions' impressive defence at Newlands on Saturday.

NEWS: A "sad" Piet van Zyl will quit Stade Francais at the end of the season to return home to South Africa to run the family farm.

England have won two out of two; Wales have lost one and drawn one of their two. These two teams meet in Round 3 of the Women's Six Nations at the famous Cardiff Arms Park.

Super Rugby's Game Manager Lyndon Bray talks about the 2019 referee team and the match official philosophy for the season.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks hooker Dane Coles revealed his struggles during his long injury absence, as he prepared to make his first start for the Hurricanes in 18 months.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has selected the 20-year-old debutant Sako Makata in the Springbok Sevens team for the World Rugby Sevens tournaments in the USA and Canada next month.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team chats to @SouthernKingsSA CEO Charl Crous about his new job in the @PRO14Official and what the future holds for South African teams in Europe.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The scrutiny of the mental state of France's reeling rugby team continued as lock Felix Lambey talked of "rage" and "anger" in the squad as they prepare to face Scotland.

THE RETURN OF BIG BAD BRAD: Bradley Carnegie Thorn will return to Dunedin on Friday with a mission on his mind.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: After coming off the bench in the season opener, the Blues welcome three All Blacks into its starting line-up to take on the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England head coach Eddie Jones has named his team to play in their third Six Nations match against Wales on Saturday in Cardiff.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales coach Warren Gatland has unveiled his Wales team to face England in a crucial Six Nations clash in Cardiff on Saturday.

TRANSFER SPOTLIGHT: A Canadian club are willing 'to do whatever it takes' in their bid to seal the signature of All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Swys de Bruin has named his team to face the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers have made four changes to their starting XV for their Super Rugby match against the Lions on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Working in the capacity of England’s defensive mastermind, John Mitchell will be looking to deny his long-standing friend Warren Gatland during Saturday’s Six Nations title clash at the Principality Stadium.

WATCH as Lions' flank Marnus Schoeman proved a handful for the Jaguares during his side's historic win in Buenos Aires.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Ulrich Beyers will earn his first starting berth for the Southern Kings when the side takes on PRO14 defending champions, Leinster Rugby, in a Round 16 clash at the RDS Arena in Dublin on Friday.

OPINION: The @rugby365com team sat down and after much deliberation produced what we believe to be the 15 best players from the opening round.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Pote Human has named his team to face the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks coach Robert du Preez has retained his 'winning formula' for his team's first home match of the Super Rugby season.

CONTRACT NEWS: Argentina continues to sign long-term contracts, keeping their stalwarts locked in well past the World Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Rene Ranger will be returning to New Zealand to undergo a rehabilitation programme.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland have made four changes to the starting side to face France in this Saturday’s third round Six Nations Test in Paris.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wallabies and Waratahs star Kurtley Beale will return to the starting XV when they take on the Sunwolves on Saturday in Tokyo.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Colin Cooper has named a strong starting XV to face the Brumbies which will be led by Chiefs co-captain Brodie Retallick in his 100th Super Rugby match for the Waikato side

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Cheetahs centre Nico Lee's Pro14 campaign has come to an abrupt end due to a 13-week suspension.

TRANSFER FOCUS: Leicester Tigers’ star Manu Tuilagi is set to leave Welford Road at the end of the season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hurricanes captain Dane Coles will return to the starting XV for the first time since 2017 when the squad travel south to meet the Crusaders in Saturday's Super Rugby match.

Former All Black hooker Sean Fitzpatrick has given his verdict on New Zealand's biggest threats for World Cup glory.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are ready to put their disastrous performance in Pretoria firmly behind them as they prepare for another tough South African derby against the Lions at Newlands.

NEWS: Two players have been banned, following New Zealand Rugby judicial committee hearings into anti-doping charges brought by Drug-Free Sport New Zealand.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: There is something about New Zealand teams that just brings out the best in the Sharks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has made just one change to the starting side to face the Hurricanes in Addington.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Star flank David Pocock has failed to recover from a head knock and was Thursday ruled out of the Brumbies Super Rugby clash with the Chiefs.

NEWS: Toulon's boss Mourad Boudjellal’s savaging of star import Julian Savea could cost him the acquisition of future marquee players - including All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok scrumhalf Ross Cronje has complete trust in Lions’ scrumhalf stocks as he eases back into action.

TRANSFER NEWS: Wasps signed Tonga back-row forward Sione Vailanu from English Premiership champions Saracens.

INJURY UPDATE: Former All Blacks flank Jerome Kaino will be out "two to three weeks", Toulouse assistant coach Regis Sonnes revealed.

Jan de Koning takes a look at a dramatic change in tactics by the Lions, which brought them a historic result!

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: France's rugby squad - who have lost 10 of their last 13 games - are not a happy bunch of players and coaches to be around at the moment.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Michael O’Connor, the new Wallaby selector, has made it clear Quade Cooper has to take fewer risks to earn a test recall following his move to the Melbourne Rebels.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Blues sent a clear warning to future opponents in this year's Super Rugby tournament, despite going down to the Crusaders in their opening match.

TRANSFER NEWS: Munster Rugby and the IRFU confirmed that Tyler Bleyendaal, Ciaran Parker and Alby Mathewson have all signed contract extensions at the province.

TRANSFER NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that back-row Tom Wood has signed a new deal with the Club.

OPINION: Round 13 of the Premiership season certainly proved unlucky for league leaders Exeter Chiefs, who started the weekend’s action by slipping up to a 17-24 defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Hailed as one of the country’s favourite schoolboy rugby festivals, the 12th annual Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival was launched on Tuesday 19 February 2019.

There will be massive interest in what happens in Cardiff this weekend when Wales host England. Both teams are unbeaten and this match surely will decide the championship. The man to see fair play is Jaco Peyper of South Africa.

SQUAD UPDATE: England head coach Eddie Jones has retained 25 players to continue their preparation ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former Stormers flyhalf Brandon Thomson has signed a new two-year contract with Glasgow Warriors.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Queensland Reds head coach Brad Thorn has named his first team for the 2019 Super Rugby season ahead of Friday’s match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger has named his team to face the Reds in a Super Rugby Round Two match in Dunedin on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Brumbies will ease superstar David Pocock back into Super Rugby slowly, after the Wallaby took a heavy knock in their loss against the Melbourne Rebels last week.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Wales could have a key player back for their Six Nations clash against England.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland received more bad news ahead of their Six Nations clash against France.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Highlanders midfielder Sio Tomkinson has had the red card he received against the Chiefs last week dismissed by a SANZAAR judicial panel.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bulls are determined to produce yet another stellar performance in their mission to silence the passionate Buenos Aires crowd.

NEWS: The Rugby Football Union has been searching for a new Chief Executive Officer since they parted ways with Steve Brown in November.

NEWS: Wallabies star Dane Haylett-Petty has re-signed with Rugby Australia and Melbourne Rebels until the end of 2021 on a new two-year deal.

REACTION: The much-anticipated battle between All Black flyhalves Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga has been put on hold until later in the season.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Cheetahs centre Nico Lee will appear before a Disciplinary Committee for an incident in his team's match against Connacht in Galway.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Jacques Brunel dropped experienced halfbacks Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez on Tuesday for this weekend's Six Nations match against Scotland in Paris.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wallaby Kurtly Beale seems to be extremely excited about the potential midfield partnership with Karmichael Hunt at the Waratahs.

INJURY UPDATE: Italy suffered a huge injury blow ahead of their Six Nations match against Ireland.

UPDATE: Ireland and Ulster star Iain Henderson faced a Disciplinary Hearing on Tuesday.

NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that Luther Burrell will be leaving the club at the end of the 2018/19 season.

INJURY UPDATE: One of England's injured stars is "definitely" in contention to line up against Wales in this week’s Six Nations clash according to England defence coach John Mitchell.

TRANSFER NEWS: Lions have bolstered their midfield stocks with some help from the Bulls.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Rugby365's very own law guru Paul Dobson shed light on the Penalty try and yellow card incident during Crusaders' win over the Blues.

NEWS: The IRFU confirmed that Robbie Henshaw has extended his IRFU contract.

NEWS: Australia’s search for a third Wallabies selector ahead of the World Cup appears to be over.

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers will look to bounce back from their disastrous start to the Super Rugby season, but will have to do so without two key Springboks.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland flyhalf Finn Russell remains in contention to play in Saturday's match away to France, despite suffering a head injury.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Worcester Warriors have made another statement of intent by making Blues and Auckland wing/fullback Melani Nanai their fourth new signing for next season.

TRANSFER NEWS: Italy back Matteo Minozzi will join Wasps next season, the English Premiership side announced on Monday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: French chiefs need to swallow their pride and appoint a foreign coach if they are to become a rugby superpower again, former New Zealand hooker Sean Fitzpatrick has told AFP.

REACTION: Mourad Boudjellal's outburst raised eyebrows in New Zealand.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales are increasingly confident about the fitness of flyhalf Dan Biggar, heading into a potential Six Nations title-decider against England in Cardiff on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Cobus Reinach’s early double set Northampton Saints on their way to their biggest Premiership in for five years as they turned on the style against Sale Sharks winning 67-17.

NEWS: The All Blacks coaching options are shrinking each day.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls have delayed a decision on the availability of veteran Springbok hooker Schalk Brits.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Eddie Jones is going to be forced into making changes once again to his back three for his team's crucial match against Wales in Cardiff.

NEWS: Former All Blacks flyhalf and double World Cup winner Dan Carter will rejoin Racing 92 in March to "win the European Champions Cup", the only competition he's yet to win, club owner Jacky Lorenzetti said on Sunday.

In an excerpt from this week's popular @rugby365com podcast, @king365ed looks at the role that Western Province Rugby Group CEO Paul Zacks and WPRFU Director of Rugby Gert Smal played in the Paul Treu saga.

INJURY UPDATE: Crusaders will have to readjust their pack following their 24-22 win over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Round One has come and gone. It is time to see how the much-talked-about RugbyPass prediction Index has performed.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Might have been the delay or the absence of the Marvel-inspired Super Hero strip, one thing is certain there are some huge problems in the Stormers camp.

REACTION: Bulls head coach Pote Human praised new signing Rosko Specman for his impressive performance during the Bulls’ 40-3 Super Rugby victory over the Stormers on Saturday.

SQUAD UPDATE: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend added six players to the Scotland squad ahead of this Saturday’s Round Three Six Nations Test against France in Paris on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Northampton coach Chris Boyd is optimistic Wales' Dan Biggar will be fit to face England in the Six Nations next weekend.

We won't forget Bulls' Rosko Shane Specman's first try in Super Rugby, as he made a mess of the Stormers defenders in the opening minutes of his debut.

REACTION: Lions captain Warren Whiteley was full of praise for his team in wake of their historic 25-16 win over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A hat-trick of tries from Marnus Schoeman helped the Lions record their first win in Buenos Aires when they beat the Jaguares 25-16 in Round One of Super Rugby 2019.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Julian Savea has been told he is ‘no longer welcome’ at Toulon according to shock reports emerging from France.

TRANSFER NEWS: Another All Black will leave New Zealand at the end of the 2019 season.

PRO14 REPORT: Connacht captain Jarrad Butler secured a 25-17 victory over Cheetahs with a late try at the Sportsground, set up by the imperious Jack Carty.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales coach Warren Gatland's hopes of seeing Leigh Halfpenny in action has been halted.

WATCH as seasoned prop Trevor Nyakane talks about going head-to-head with Springbok teammate Wilco Louw - when the Bulls host the Stormers in a Super Rugby season-opener.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 - TEAM BY TEAM: In the 15th and final instalment of our build-up to the season we look at the Reds.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England wing Chris Ashton will miss the potentially title-deciding Six Nations clash away to Wales because of a calf injury, the Rugby Football Union announced Sunday.

PRO14 REPORT: Benetton reasserted their Pro14 Final Series credentials with a hard-fought 25-19 victory against Scarlets as they stole a march on their Conference B rivals.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 - TEAM BY TEAM: In the 14th instalment of our 15-part build-up to the season we look at the Waratahs.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Franco Smith has been chatting to Rassie Erasmus about the future of South African teams.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Bulls thrashed the Stormers 40-3 in their Super Rugby Round One encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Gloucester strengthened their hold on a play-off spot with a hard-earned 24-17 win over the table-topping Exeter Chiefs team at Kingsholm on Friday.

PRO14 REPORT: Glasgow Warriors held off a dramatic late fightback from Conference A rivals Cardiff Blues to prevail 38-34 after a rollercoaster encounter at Arms Park saw the sides share ten tries.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: In his fourth year at the helm, Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck is not shy to say in 2019 his side could be crowned Super Rugby champions.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks got their season off to a solid start as they secured a comfortable 45-10 win over the Sunwolves in Singapore.

PRO14 REPORT: The Southern Kings - who collected three yellow cards in an indisciplined display - were whitewashed yet again.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Wasps held off a valiant second-half fightback from Bristol Bears to claim a 29-22 bonus-point victory at Ashton Gate on their return to Premiership action.

MATCH REPORT: Crusaders open their Super Rugby campaign with a hard-fourth 24-22 win over the over the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.

PRO14 REPORT: Quickfire second-half scores from Magnus Bradbury and Duhan van der Merwe were enough to see Edinburgh home as they toppled the Dragons 34-17 at Murrayfield on Friday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes managed to grind out a narrow 20-19 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.

While the Six Nations have half-time, Super Rugby kicks off. Glen Jackson will get it going when he blows the whistle at Waikato Stadium to start the 2019 tournament.

PRO14 REPORT: Stuart McCloskey's score early in the second period and a late John Cooney penalty were enough for Ulster to seal an 8-0 victory at Ospreys.

PRO14 REPORT: Conor O’Brien crossed five minutes from time as Leinster finally killed off a ferocious comeback from Zebre to claim a 40-24 victory in Viadana.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Super Rugby returns on Friday with 21 straight weeks of competition until the July 6 final.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 - TEAM BY TEAM: In the 13th instalment of our 15-part build-up to the season we look at the Brumbies.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Brumbies' season has already taken a nasty blow following their defeat to the Rebels on Friday.

NEWS: The post-World Cup All Black exodus continues to gather momentum.

TOP 14 SPOTLIGHT: Stand-out Fijian centre Semi Radradra is part of a potentially thrilling midfield combination with ex-All Black Seta Tamanivalu on which Bordeaux-Begles are banking to guide them into a Top 14 play-off spot.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Pro14 returns after a short break with a full programme during the first rest week of the Six Nations.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Melbourne Rebels started their 2019 Super Rugby campaign in superb fashion with a 34-27 win over the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Premiership Rugby is back this weekend, kicking off a crucial four-match block that could go a long way to deciding the make-up of the League in one of the tightest races in the history of the competition.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders edged the Chiefs 30-27 in Hamilton despite being down to fourteen men for the final 13 minutes in the opening match of Super Rugby 2019.

WORLD CUP SUB-PLOT: The season gets underway against the backdrop of a much bigger event looming large later in the year.

It's the second round of Rugby Europe's Championship, sometimes referred to the Six Nations B, as like the "other" one there are six countries taking part.

It’s always incredible to witness a career of youngster blossoming, however, to see a legend manage to revitalize a career is something that can surely be appreciated.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 – TEAM BY TEAM: In the 12th instalment of our 15-part build-up to the season we look at the Hurricanes.

Super Rugby returns this weekend. As does the chance to grab the bragging rights for getting the predictions right. Let's help you make those picks.

European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) have made known the referees who have been appointed to the Heineken Champions Cup quarterfinals at the end of March.

NEWS: Springbok Pat Lambie's retirement has open the door for another legend to return to Racing 92.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN: The wait is over. The 2019 season gets underway on Friday - a competition that will have supernumerary attention focussed on it, because it is a World Cup year.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has named his team for their Pro14 clash against Connacht in Ireland.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks coach Robert du Preez will unleash all his big guns on the Sunwolves, when the two teams meet in Singapore on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Sharks believe they have the dept to go all the way this year.

The @rugby365com team chats to new @WP_RUGBY President @ZeltMarais to get to the truth behind the @paultreu ‏saga that is blighting the @THESTORMERS build-up to the @SuperRugby season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Centre Ruhan Nel and prop Corne Fourie are both set to make their Stormers debut in the Super Rugby clash against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers will be without one of their key Bok forwards for a lengthy period.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson named a powerful team for their opening Super Rugby match against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Blues coach Leon MacDonald has shown his hand ahead of his team's opening Super Rugby encounter against the Crusaders at Eden Park.

PODCAST: The Short Ball returns as Scotty Stevenson & Mils Muliaina chat to Blues coach Leon MacDonald, Crusaders coach Scott Robertson & coach Tabai Matson for the Chiefs.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The 2019 Super Rugby season kicks off on Friday when the Chiefs face the Highlanders and the Brumbies host the Melbourne Rebels.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: TJ Perenara will lead the Hurricanes in their Super Rugby opening match against the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: It appears that Scotland's casualty list is more serious than expected.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves will be sans the bulk of their internationals and head coach when they take on the Sharks in Singapore on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Exciting Southern Kings flyhalf, Bader Pretorius, will get his first starting berth when the side takes on Munster Rugby in a PRO14 Round 15 match at the Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday.

REACTION: Lions coach Swys de Bruin was 'disappointed' with the late departure gift he was given.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls head coach Pote Human has unveiled his team to face the Stormers in Round One of Super Rugby at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 - TEAM BY TEAM: In the 11th instalment of our 15-part build-up to the season we look at the Rebels.

OPINION: It is not a surprise that England again dominates @rugby365com's famous weekly selection.

For a team-by-team wrap of the Super Rugby starting XV and their replacement ahead of the opening weekend in 2019, we've got you covered.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France coach Jacques Brunel has stayed loyal to the same squad of players for the Six Nations clash with Scotland on February 23 - despite two defeats in a row in the tournament.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Eddie Jones produced a couple of surprises when he named 25 players for a three-day training camp in central London - beginning Wednesday.

LISTEN as Sevens star Ruhan Nel speaks about facing off against a Springbok regular in his Super Rugby debut.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson has loaded his team with Wallabies for their Super Rugby opener against the Hurricanes in Sydney,

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have named an experienced side to face the Brumbies in their Super Rugby opener in Canberra on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend was taken aback by suggestions that star player Stuart Hogg has been ruled out for the rest of the Six Nation.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper named his team for their Super Rugby derby opener against the Highlanders in Hamilton on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions suffered a double blow on the eve of their departure to Buenos Aires.

NEWS: The Brumbies announced that head coach Dan McKellar has signed a two-year extension to his current contract that will keep him in the hot-seat in the National Capital until at least the end of the 2021 season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Aaron Mauger his team to face the Chiefs in Hamilton in Round One of Super Rugby 2019.

NEWS: Matthew Rees will hang up his boots at the end of the season following an illustrious career spanning 19 years.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flyhalf Christian Lealiifano will lead the Brumbies into action in their first Super Rugby match of 2019 after being named as captain for the clash with the Rebels at GIO Stadium.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland star Stuart Hogg is set to miss the rest of the Six Nations - and what’s more - could be in a race against time to make the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2019 – TEAM BY TEAM: In the 10th instalment of our 15-part build-up to the season we look at the Rebels.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England’s recent upturn in form after a disastrous 2018 has no doubt pleased their fans. Currently, the team picks itself, as every player seems to be in superb form.

NEWS: Sharks coach Robert du Preez's plans to ease his son, Robert junior, back into Super Rugby were dealt a sucker punch.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales received a massive boost ahead of their crucial Six Nations clash against England in Cardiff.

INJURY UPDATE: One of England's key players will play no further part in their bid to win a second Six Nations Grand Slam under Eddie Jones.

INJURY UPDATE: Wales were hoping to have this player available for their final two matches of Six Nations 2019.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: England captain Owen Farrell is a rugby "genius" whose game is thriving with the extra responsibility of leadership.

NEWS: Gloucester scrumhalf Callum Braley was included in Italy's training squad for next week's Six Nations match against reigning champions Ireland in Rome.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company has confirmed the resignation of High-Performance Manager Xander Janse van Rensburg.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Brumbies are done with 'boring' the opposition into submission.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith named a 25-man squad for their upcoming three-week trip to Ireland and Wales in the Pro14.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Ma'a Nonu talks about his World Cup aspirations, the Blues and lunch.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are looking to put a few injuries concerns behind them, as they build-up towards a 'brutal' season opener.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls returned to Loftus Versfeld after their warm-up against the Sharks with one injury concern.

SIX NATIONS REACTION: France flyhalf Camille Lopez says the blame lies with the players following Sunday's humiliating 8-44 loss to England in the Six Nations.

INJURY UPDATE: The Hurricanes have lost their most experienced lock to a lengthy injury on the eve of their Super Rugby season-opener.

SIX NATIONS ANALYSES: The days of England and France being on the same level in rugby are well and truly over.

ANALYSES: Jan de Koning turns to the numbers to find reasons for Ireland's 22-13 win over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Ireland have crossed over to Scotland for their Six Nations weekend and started it with two wins - by the Women and by the Under-20s.

NEWS: Daryl Gibson will soon share a record with former coach Ewen McKenzie.

Nigel Owens is well known for bringing the sass and wit while bossing matches. Here are some of his best chirps.

NEWS: The Highlanders have unveiled their co-captains for the 2019 Super Rugby season

TRANSFER NEWS: Ireland back row forward Sean O'Brien will join London Irish from Leinster after this year's World Cup in Japan.

There was confusion after the Sharks versus Bulls Super Rugby pre-season friendly in Ballito last Saturday - a game that eventually finished 7-all.

TRANSFER NEWS: Scrumhalf Jono Kitto is set for a second stint with Worcester Warriors having signed a contract for next season.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: A 27-man Southern Kings touring squad will depart from Port Elizabeth on Monday on a three-week PRO14 tour of Ireland and Wales.

OPINION: England and Eddie Jones’ 2019 redemption took another big step forward on Sunday as they cantered to a 44-8 victory over France at Twickenham in the Guinness Six Nations.

OPINION: Joe Schmidt’s Ireland got their Six Nations title defence back on track with a low-frills 22-13 win over Scotland at Murrayfield. Liam Heagney rates the Irish players!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Flyhalf Stephen Donald will return to Super Rugby at the grand old age of 35.

TRANSFER RUMOURS: All Blacks blindside Liam Squire is set to leave New Zealand after the World Cup.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: Wales do not fear Eddie Jones'and his England team.

TRANSFER NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have signed Scotland Sevens wing Kyle Steyn on a one-year deal ahead of the 2019/20 season.

NEWS: Gareth Baber, the Fiji Sevens head coach, is facing another major problem.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland have been hit by a triple whammy of injuries following the Ireland match on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that prop Francois van Wyk has signed a new contract with the Club to keep him at Franklin’s Gardens until 2021.

OPINION: Saturday was a deflating day at Murrayfield for Scotland. Liam Heagney rates the Scottish players!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: It's our second season of the current 15-team format, with 14 teams in action on the opening weekend.

After just two matches England have scored 92 points and they are the only team in the Six Nations with two wins out of two. In their two matches, the Red Roses have scored 15 tries.

Six Nations reaction: England's hat-trick hero Jonny May said it was awesome to score a hat-trick, but it's all part of his job.

INJURY UPDATE: The Blues will be without a key man when they open their 2019 campaign against the defending champion Crusaders at Eden Park next weekend.

The winners in Round 1 of Rugby Europe's Championship were probably expected, but all three matches were close.

OPINION: It might not have been pretty and the expected bonus-point assault did not materialise in Rome, but ultimately Wales got the job done with a 26-15 victory over Italy. Martyn Thomas rates the Welsh players!

Wales toughed it out against Italy in a scruffy Six Nations encounter in Rome on Saturday.

England cruised to victory against France, with the visitors having no answers - and not many tries - to Eddie Jones' men's pizzaz.

SUPER RUGBY PRE-SEASON REPORT: The Bulls and Sharks played to a contentious draw in Ballito on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland will be sweating over the fitness of their star player ahead of their next Six Nations encounter.

England had a field day at Twickenham, narrowly missing a half-century of points against a French side who lost their heads.

Ireland bounced back after their defeat to England, with a tenacious effort against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: England are worried about France's tactics ahead of Sunday's clash at Twickenham.

NEWS: Australia's rugby superstar has signed a new four-year deal.

SIX NATIONS PICTURES: Ireland weathered a Scottish defensive storm to seal an epic win at Murrayfield on Saturday.

REPORT: Santiago Carreras scored two tries as host Argentina routed two-time defending champion United States 45-14 on Saturday to seize the lead after two rounds of the Americas Rugby Championship.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland coach Joe Schmidt was 'hopeful' that flyhalf Johnny Sexton will make a speedy recovery from two head knocks he suffered in his team's 22-13 win over Scotland at the weekend.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A move to France could be an option for this England player.

REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland conceded his experimental side "got out of jail" as they struggled to a 26-15 win over Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday to equal their best run of 11 straight Test wins.

INJURY UPDATE: Glasgow Warriors have confirmed that they have lost two players for the rest of the season in a brutal double whammy.

PRE-SEASON REPORT: The Blues made it two wins from two matches in their pre-season when they edged the Hurricanes 38-31 in Mangatainoka on Saturday.

REACTION: Greig Laidlaw took a swipe at referee Romain Poite after Scotland’s Six Nations defeat to Ireland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

PRE-SEASON REPORT: The Stormers ran in 13 tries in a comprehensive 87-5 victory against Boland in a pre-season clash in Wellington on Friday.

Ireland captain Rory Best praised his team's efforts a after beating Scotland in their Six Nations clash at Murrayfield on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS ROUND TWO: England captain Owen Farrell says his side are taking nothing for granted as they prepare to face a wounded France.

SIX NATIONS SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones summed up the dilemma facing his side ahead of Sunday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham by insisting there was still a place for "beautiful" French rugby in the modern game even if that meant a change to their traditional flair play.

Rugby Europe's top competition, sometimes referred to as the Six Nations B, starts this weekend.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former England loose forward Jordan Crane is the latest Bristol Bears player to commit his future to the club after agreeing to a new one-year deal.

REPORT: Joaquin Prada and Diego Magno scored tries to spark Uruguay over Chile 20-5 Friday to take the lead in the Americas Rugby Championship.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland's Six Nations campaign has been dealt with another injury setback.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Italy captain Sergio Parisse warned his side are sick and tired of losing and are determined to end their 18-match Six Nations losing streak against Wales in the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.