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DAY TWO WRAP: We bring you all the Day Two women's action from BC Place, Vancouver - the fourth round of HSBC SVNS.

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.

REACTION: The Lions have become the bonus point kings in the United Rugby Championship with the most of all the teams, despite losing five out of their nine outings. 

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.

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White questioned his team's game management in their United Rugby Championship clash against the Lions in Pretoria on Saturday.

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.

NEWS: South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus is currently recovering in hospital after suffering chemical burns.

URC REPORT: The Bulls climbed to fourth in the United Rugby Championship standings with a thrilling 30-28 win over the Lions in their Round Nine clash in Pretoria on Saturday.

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.

REACTION: South Africa finished their HSBC SVNS Perth campaign on a high note by outplaying France 24-5 to finish the tournament in fifth place.

SPOTLIGHT: Tom Lynagh is battling a back niggle but the No.10 says he's learnt to be more competitive as he fights for a spot in Les Kiss's Queensland Reds starting side.

NEWS: Over 146,000 fans have helped the United Rugby Championship to break its all-time single-round attendance record for the second time in three weeks.

SATURDAY WRAP: Scotland scrumhalf Ben White handed coach Gregor Townsend an injury scare on Saturday before next weekend's opening round in the Six Nations.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day Three of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day Three of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in the United Rugby Champion and Premiership competitions.

SATURDAY WRAP: Northampton Saints' bonus-point 38-13 victory over winless Newcastle Falcons ensured they will remain top of the Premiership standings heading into the Six Nations break.

NEWS: Bloemfontein has been confirmed as the venue when the Springboks face Portugal in the historic first Test between the nations on Saturday, July 20.

SPOTLIGHT: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has weighed in on the compulsory rest period debate has he expressed some concerns on development of one of his star players.

OPINION: It's been confirmed that one of the surprise packages of World Cup 2023, Portugal will play a one off Test against the back-to-back world champion Springboks in Bloemfontein.

WRAP: There was plenty of drama in Round Six of the Japan Rugby League One.

EXCLUSIVE: Watch as @king365ed sits down for a ONE-ON-ONE with Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, to talk about two of the most iconic figures in South African sport.

URC ROUND NINE CATCH-UP MATCH: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White admits that the Lions' style of play could make life difficult for his team in their United Rugby Championship clash in Pretoria.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day Two of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day Two of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

BREAKING NEWS: A career-ending medical condition has forced talented loosehead prop Rhynardt Rijnsburger to retire, Lions confirmed on Friday.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the men's matches on Day One of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team for their Uniited Rugby Championship Round Nine catch-up match against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

WRAP: Welcome to our coverage of the women's matches on Day One of the Perth SVNS, Round Three of the World Series.

TEAM UPDATE: Steve Borthwick’s Six Nations preparations have suffered another hiccup as Nick Isiekwe has become the fourth player to drop out of the England squad this week ahead of the February 3 campaign opener away to Italy.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have named Springbok Marco van Staden in their starting XV to face the Lions in their United Rugby Championship Round Nine match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

OPINION: A big local derby is on the cards this weekend, when the Bulls host the Lions in a United Rugby Championship catch-up match at Loftus Versfeld.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels insist they haven't entered voluntary administration but the move is potentially on the table for the financially-stricken Super Rugby Pacific franchise.

WATCH THE official trailer for Whistleblowers, a ground-breaking film documenting the lives and experiences of the World Rugby match officials at the World Cup - including now retired South African referee Jaco Peyper.

NEWS: One of South Africa's top loose forwards will be in a race against time to be fit for the Springboks' internationals against Ireland and Portugal in July.

PREVIEW: Racing 92's South African Tristan Tedder welcomes former club Toulouse in the French Top 14 on Sunday with Siya Kolisi offering words of wisdom for the playmaker in his eighth season in France.

NEWS: Grant Gilchrist is set to miss Scotland's Six Nations opener away to Wales on February 3 after receiving a one-week suspension while on club duty.

NEWS: England will face Japan at Twickenham in November in their fourth and final 2024 Nations Series international, the Rugby Football Union announced Thursday.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: The Cheetahs have been dealt another blow as wing Daniel Kasende was handed a suspension following his team's 28-29 Challenge Cup defeat to Oyonnax in Round Four.

NEWS: A few more Springboks have been added to the injury list.

NEWS: Following a tense conclusion to the pool stage last weekend when eight of the nine matches counted either for qualification or ranking, EPCR announced the dates, venues and kick-off times of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixtures.

WATCH as Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee explains what his team is expecting when the Lions arrive at Loftus Versfeld for a URC catch-up game on Saturday.

NEWS: For the first time in history the Bulls will host a Champions Cup Round of 16 match at Loftus Versfeld.

PREVIEW: All Blacks teammates Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga will go head-to-head when Toyota Verblitz take high-flying Brave Lupus in Round Six of Japan League One.

WATCH as @king365ed goes ONE-ON-ONE with Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, to get to the truth about the Jordan Hendrikse transfer saga.

SPOTLIGHT: Finn Russell believes his appointment as Scotland co-captain for the upcoming Six Nations is proof of how a once strained relationship with head coach Gregor Townsend has been repaired.

WATCH as Lions captain Marius Louw speaks to @king365ed about a demoralizing loss and an inadequate European performance last week, ahead of their Trans-Jukskei URC derby with the Bulls.

ROUND THREE: The 24 SVNS teams - men and women - are ready to turn up the heat in Round Three of the World Series in Perth this weekend.

TRANSFER TALK: It seems like another top rugby star might be heading the USA, as the Australia utility back Jordan Petaia is attracting interest from the National Football League (NFL).

REACTION: Retired referee Nigel Owens has questioned the decision to overturn the red card handed to Bristol lock Josh Caulfield.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Northampton hooker Curtis Langdon has been banned for four weeks following his red card in a European Champions Cup win away to Irish province Munster last weekend.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Cheetahs wing Munier Hartzenberg received a suspension for his red card in his team's 28-29 Challange Cup defeat to Oyonnax last weekend.

NEWS: The South Western Districts Eagles will have a former Springbok fullback in charge of their team.

SPOTLIGHT: James O'Connor was burning himself out trying to prove he'd shed his reputation as rugby's bad boy.

REACTION: Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell made it clear that it was his big bruisers in the pack that laid the foundation for his team's success against the Dragons.

NEWS: Japan Rugby League One chairman Genichi Tamatsuka has hailed next week’s kick-off in The Cross-Border rugby competition between Japan and New Zealand as a new era for relations between the countries at club level.

STAT ATTACK: As that hackneyed proverb goes: 'Defence is an indication of a team's attitude.'

The Cheetahs concluded the Challenge Cup pool stage on a very sour note at the weekend.

INJURY NEWS: England head coach Steve Borthwick has been forced to make three changes to his 2024 Six Nations squad.

Rugby supporters have been cautioned about purchasing fake match-day tickets from fraudulent websites.

DISCPLINARY NEWS: The Bristol Bears second row Josh Caulfield had his red card overturned following an independent Disciplinary Hearing.

REACTION: Lions captain Marius Louw says the negatives outweighed the positives in the final quarter of their Challenge Cup pool match against the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

INTERVIEW: England coach Steve Borthwick explained how a former member of Jacques Nienaber's coaching staff silenced their dressing room.

The first time it was just a text message of ‘maybe’, but when Tristan Leyds got the confirmation that he was in the BlitzBoks team to play in this weekend's inaugural HSBC SVNS tournament in Perth, he video-called older brother Dillyn to share the good news.

REACTION: Wales coach Warren Gatland said he was ready to keep the door open for Louis Rees-Zammit's return to rugby should his American football stint prove short-lived.

REACTION: Jamie George said "pressure is a privilege" as he prepared to take over as England captain despite seeing the strain the position placed on close friend Owen Farrell.

INTERVIEW: Peter O'Mahony is glad he dismissed thoughts about retiring from the international game after Ireland's World Cup quarterfinal defeat.

NEWS: England flyhalf Owen Farrell will join Racing 92 on a two-year deal from next season.

NEWS: France's forward stocks suffered a big blow ahead of this year's Six Nations.

NEWS: The Bulls and Stormers will face familiar French opposition in the last 16 of this season's Champions Cup.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explicates the troubling travel schedule they will face after booking 'home ground' advantage in Europe's Round of 16.

NEWS: The Sharks will be the only South African side with home advantage in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

INTERVIEW: The Queensland Reds are sticking with their leadership set-up, with Tate McDermott and Liam Wright to captain the side again in 2024.

WATCH as Reds coach Les Kiss explains why new Wallaby boss Joe Schmidt is an ideal candidate for the role.

REACTION: Jake White, the Bull’s Director of Rugby, says the Champions Cup is club rugby on steroids but navigating the challenges to compete against the best teams out there takes its toll.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Sharks ended the Dragons' Challenge Cup campaign with a 29-9 win in wet and windy conditions in Newport on Sunday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: In a thrilling final Champions Cup pool match, Aviron Bayonnais secured a maiden win in EPCR’s leading competition against Exeter Chiefs.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Lions ended their Challenge Cup pool phase with a 28-38 defeat to the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: In an enthralling game, Stade Toulousain confirmed top spot in Pool 2 with a 31-19 win over Bath.

NEWS: Flyhalf Finn Russell and flank Rory Darge have been named co-captains for Scotland ahead of the 2024 Six Nations, Scottish Rugby announced in a statement on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Stade Rochelais demonstrated exactly why they are the Champions Cup holders with a strong 37-24 win against Sale Sharks at the Salford Community Stadium.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Flyhalf Louie Johnson kicked 22 points as Newcastle Falcons picked up their first EPCR Challenge Cup victory of the season, beating Perpignan 32-23.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

REACTION: The Stormers will not be able to rely on their World Cup-winning Springboks for the crunch derby with the Sharks next month.

MATCH REPORT: Saracens lock Maro Itoje scored a crucial brace of tries as the three-time winners of EPCR’s leading competition qualified for the knockout stage of this year’s Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers not only confirmed their place in the Champions Cup Round Of 16, but they also ensure they will host the game when Europe's premier competition reaches the play-offs in April.

CHAMPIONS CUP: Northampton Saints demonstrated a never-say-die attitude as they came from behind to defeat Munster 26-23 despite playing most of the game with 14 men.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Racing 92 qualified for the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a bonus-point 48-26 win against Cardiff.

NEWS: South Africa's top referee Jaco Peyper has decided to hang up his whistle.

MATCH REPORT: Caelan Doris was the hero for Leinster, scoring their fourth try to secure a bonus point and home advantage in the knockout stage after a 27-10 win over Leicester Tigers.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: The Cheetahs suffered a heartbreaking 27-28 defeat to Oyonnax in their final Challenge Cup pool match.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Tomas Albornoz led Benetton to a fine victory in the EPCR Challenge Cup, beating Montpellier Herault Rugby 27-19.

CHALLENGE CUP MATCH REPORT: A missed 78th-minute conversion by Zebre Parma’s Geronimo Prisciantelli was the difference between success and defeat for the United Rugby Championship side as they fell to a 27-28 loss to Section Paloise at Stade du Hameau in the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls booked their place in the Champions Cup Round of 16, but not before enduring an almighty scrap with French powerhouse Bordeaux-Begles.

MATCH REPORT: Harlequins boosted their hopes of earning a home tie for the Round of 16 with a 47-19 win over Ulster in Round Four of the Champions Cup on Saturday.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: Clermont Auvergne secured home advantage in the Round of 16 of the Challenge Cup with a bonus-point win over Black Lion.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: The Robbie Deans-coached Wild Knights continued their dominance in Japan as they romped to a 70-12 win over the Heat on Saturday.

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of all this weekend's action in Europe's two main competitions - the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

FRIDAY WRAP: Pierre Schoeman starred as Edinburgh sealed their place in the knockout stage of the Challenge Cup with a bonus point win, beating Pool Three's bottom side Scarlets 31-19 in Wales.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY PREVIEWS: Deon Fourie will return to a city of which he has fond memories, Paris, but it is on a very different missions.

MATCH REPORT: Centre Huw Jones was the key as Glasgow Warriors defeated Toulon 29-5 to qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16.

MATCH REPORT: It was a disappointing return to Dexcom Stadium for Pat Lam as Connacht ended their eight-match losing run with a 27-10 demolition of his Bristol Bears in the Challenge Cup.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains how they are 'grooming' rookie Jan-Hendrik Wessels to be the next Springbok great in the front row.

WATCH as Jim Hamiton chats to Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard during a small snippet of his Big Jim Show on RugbyPass TV.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEW: The Sharks and Cheetahs will be looking to follow in the Lions' footsteps and secure their place the Round of 16.

SPOTLIGHT: Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt vowed to "get Australia up and running" after being named as the new Wallabies boss, replacing Eddie Jones.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks will head into their Challenge Cup Round Four match against the Dragons in Newport with a few changes to their matchday squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has revealed his team for their final Challenge Cup Pool match against the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Sunday.

REACTION: The Sharks are standing firm in the face of another raid on their resources.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Manie Libbok will play his 50th Stormers game in the Champions Cup clash with Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: After suffering a defeat against PAU in Amsterdam, the Cheetahs travelled to France this week for Round Four of the Challenge Cup.

EURO SPOTLIGHT: Eight teams have already booked their places in the Champions Cup's Round of 16. However, for the two South African entrants there is plenty to play for in the final round of league action..

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains some of his more interesting selections in the team to face Bordeaux in a Champions Cup Round Four decider!

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: BlitzBoks head coach Sandile Ngcobo has made several changes to the squad that will travel to Australia on Saturday for the inaugural HSBC SVNS tournament in Perth.

NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have announced the appointment of Steve Diamond as consultant director of rugby.

SPOTLIGHT: The Cheetahs' preparations for their final Challenge Cup pool match against Oyonnax in France suffered a bit of a setback this week.

REACTION: France head coach Fabien Galthie had some explaining to do when it came to his captaincy decision for the Six Nations.

Bulls flyer Devon Williams would love to see out his career in Pretoria but his loan agreement from the Pumas are currently under negotiation.

NEWS: Springbok Elton Jantjies' rugby career has taken another hit following his suspension for a banned substance.

NEWS: Former England hooker and forwards coach Richard Cockerill has been appointed head coach of Georgia and their domestic side Black Lion.

NEWS: Former England Under-20 star Harry Mallinder will be joining Louis Rees-Zammit in the United States of America.

NEWS: World Rugby has confirmed a change to the match official appointments for the Six Nations 2024 match between Italy and Scotland on March 9.

REACTION: The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has broken its silence in the aftermath of Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies' ban.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: Kyle Steyn leads a classy Glasgow Warriors outfit in their Champions Cup Round Four fixture against Toulon on Friday with 11 internationals in the line-up.

NEWS: Australia will be unveiling their new head coach in the coming days.

SPOTLIGHT: As the Bulls target play-off spots in both the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, the decision by Director of Rugby Jake White at the start of this season to find a new "edge in high performance" seems to be paying off on all fronts.

FRIDAY PREVIEW: South African coach Sean Everitt has given his team a mandate when Edinburgh take on Scarlets in the Challenge Cup Round Four match on Friday.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives his take on the suggestion that South Africa should join the Six Nations.

Two visiting Super Rugby teams will interrupt the Japan Rugby League One resulting in a split round which sees only three matches being played this weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland coach Andy Farrell has named a 34-player Ireland squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: Bulls Director of Rugby, Jake White, has revealed the extent of seasoned Springbok Wilco Louw's shoulder injury.

NEWS: The Los Angeles leg of this season’s HSBC SVNS series has been extended to include a ‘Friday Night Lights’ experience after the great success in Dubai and Cape Town.

REACTION: Jamie George "accepted with huge gratitude and enthusiasm" the offer from head coach Steve Borthwick to captain England in the upcoming Six Nations.

NEWS: France coach Fabien Galthié has name the replacement as captain in place of Antoine Dupont.

NEWS: Scarlets centre Johnny Williams has been handed a six-week ban for a dangerous tackle during the Challenge Cup match against Clermont.

SPOTLIGHT: Seeing a coach on the sidelines is a very rare occurrence when it comes to high-profile leagues like the United Rugby Championship, Challenge Cup or Champions Cup.

NEWS: The Sharks revealed that they will be able to call on the services of a couple of World Cup-winning Springboks sooner than expected.

NEWS: Saracens confirmed that Jamie George has signed a new two-year contract at the club.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Steve Borthwick has named a 36-player training squad for the forthcoming 2024 Six Nations championship.

NEWS: Louis Rees-Zammit made the shock decision to leave Gloucester with immediate effect, as the Wales Rugby Union star "pursues his dream" of a career in American Football.

WATCH as Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie chats to @king365ed about the road ahead in Europe after a bad day at the office.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland have named England prop Alec Hepburn in their squad for the forthcoming Six Nations tournament.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada named five new faces in his preliminary 34-man squad for the Six Nations, which begins next month.

NEWS: France lock Bastien Chalureau was cleared of carrying out a racially motivated attack on two men, but his six-month suspended prison sentence for the violent incident remains in place.

NEWS: Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg is set to join France outfit Bordeaux.

WATCH as Sharks Director of Rugby Neil Powell chats to @king365ed about the way forward in Europe for the franchise.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White explains why they have chosen a venue in England to play a potential Champions Cup semifinal.

WATCH as Labeeb Levy, the Stormers skills coach and performance analyst, speak about the challenging trip to Paris and a crunch encounter with Stade Français.

England flyhalf Owen Farrell received a major endorsement from double World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi.

NEWS: New Zealand will host the first ever British & Irish Lions women’s tour in 2027

REACTION: The Lions will head into their final Challenge Cup league match this coming Sunday with a European play-off spot safely tucked away.

Two No. 8’s have been cited for foul play in the Champions Cup and could face sanctions while one player in the Challenge Cup is also in hot water.

Japan's new head coach Eddie Jones has identified the big area his team need to work on to excel on the world stage.

STAT ATTACK: The fleet-footed Hacjivah Dayimani continues to build a strong case for a Springboks call-up.

All five South African franchises are on the verge of an incredible historic feat in the European Cup competitions. 

NEWS: One of Ireland's top referees has opted to call it a day at the end of the season.

The Stormers head coach John Dobson was very pleased with the five log points following his team's 31-24 Champions Cup win over Sale Sharks on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Damian Penaud cemented his position as one of the best players in Europe.

MATCH REPORT: Two-time defending Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais showcased their title credentials with a 45-12 mauling of Leicester Tigers in Sunday's Pool Four meeting at the Stade Marcel Deflandre.

MATCH REPORT: Will Muir’s 71st minute try capped off a stunning 14-point comeback from Bath, to secure their spot in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 29-25 win over Racing 92 at The Rec on Sunday.

It seems like everything that could go wrong for the Sales Sharks, essentially did go wrong during the week of their Round Three Champions Cup match against the Stormers in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Section Paloise kept their European dream alive by beating an uncharacteristically indisciplined Cheetahs team 33-20 in a Challenge Cup Round Three match in Amsterdam on Sunday.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between the Cheetahs and Section Paloise the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam.

JAPAN LEAGUE ONE WRAP: Springboks and All Blacks featured heavily in Saturday’s action in Japan Rugby League One when Blue Revs faced Suntory Sungoliath in the day’s big fixture.

MATCH REPORT: Antoine Dupont was in extraordinary form as he inspired Stade Toulousain to a 48-24 victory over Ulster in Round Three of the Champions Cup in Belfast.

MATCH REPORT: It was a brilliant bonus point win for Harlequins in Pool Two of the Champions Cup as they travelled to Cardiff and ran out 54-15 winners in their Round Three match.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks about the shoulder injury of Springbok prop Wilco Louw.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between Montpellier and the Lions at Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

MATCH REPORT: Montpellier climbed to the summit of the Challenge Cup's Pool Two, following their hard-earned 13-3 over a willing Lions team in a Round Three match at Stade Yves-du-Manoir on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Jack Crowley stated his case for the starting flyhalf spot in Ireland’s Six Nations team with an impressive performance at the heart of Munster’s 29-18 win over Toulon in the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Leinster confirmed their spot in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a composed victory over Stade Francais in Round Three of the Champions Cup, wing Jordan Larmour and No. 8 Caelen Doris both getting braces.

MATCH REPORT: A brace from Thaakir Abrahams and the reliable boot of Paddy Jackson was the difference as Pool 1 high-flyers Lyon came through a tough test courtesy of Connacht, triumphing 34-20 in Round 3 of the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: A brace by Leolin Zas and some magic by Man of the Match Hacjivah Dayimani helped the Stormers to a valuable 31-24 victory over the Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup in Cape Town on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: The boot of flyhalf Adam Hastings secured a big win for Gloucester over Edinburgh, confirming their spot in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Three encounter between the Stormers and Sale Sharks in Cape Town.

MATCH REPORT: Castres Olympique secured their position in the Pool Three standings with a 28-6 win over Black Lion in the Challenge Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Exeter Chiefs centre Henry Slade kicked the winning points for his side once again in yet another comeback win for the Premiership side in the Champions Cup.

MATCH REPORT: A brace from Simone Gesi helped Zebre Parma defeat the Dragons 20-17 in their EPCR Challenge Cup Round 3 match in Italy.

MATCH REPORT: The Bulls recorded their biggest ever victory in the Champions Cup and kept their hopes of the last 16 alive after their convincing 31-17 victory over the Bristol Bears on Saturday evening.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions Cup Round Three encounter between the Bristol Bears and Bulls at Ashton Gate.

MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Anthony Belleau and wing Alivereti Raka both scored braces as Clermont Auvergne defeated 14-man Scarlets 38-17 in a Challenge Cup Round Three match.

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Challenge Cup Round Three encounter between the Sharks and Oyonnax at Kings Park in Durban.

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks booked their place in the Challenge Cup's Round of 16 with a 38-7 bonus-point win over French outfit Oyonnax at Kings Park on Saturday.

NEWS: Sean Everitt penned a new two-year extension with Edinburgh as the club’s head coach.

NEWS: The Six Nations confirmed that players will use mouthguard technology designed to help identify the need for head injury assessments in the upcoming tournament.

REPORT: Fullback Iestyn Hopkins scored either side of half-time as Ospreys recorded an important 25-3 win against USAP to secure their progression into the EPCR Challenge Cup knockout stage.

MATCH REPORT: Benetton scored eight as they secured passage to the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 with a 57-18 victory over Newcastle Falcons.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY PREVIEWS: @king365ed looks at the Round Three action in Europe!

MATCH REPORT: Northampton Saints became the first team to qualify for the Champions Cup Round of 16 with a 61-14 mauling of Aviron Bayonnais.

SPOTLIGHT: Utility Bulls back Henry Immelman has pace to burn, a booming kicking boot and to top it off, he stands 1.89 m tall.

NEWS: England prop Mako Vunipola announced his retirement from the international game on Friday.

NEWS: Joel Jutge, World Rugby’s head of match officials, has slammed France captain Antoine Dupont for the remarks he made following his team’s exit from the World Cup.