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Finn Russell is gone. Stuart Hogg is going. It will take a monumental offer to stop Huw Jones following and more will be on their way – of that, there is no doubt.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company, after months of speculation, has finally revealed an official shortlist for Super Rugby coach.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Wales coach Warren Gatland is under no illusion as top the enormity of the challenge his team is facing this week.

NEWS: Three bouncers have been found guilty of a brutal attack on Welsh legend Shane Williams and his brother.

The All Blacks end of year tour headlined by two blockbuster tests has been a real eye-opener, with the side scoring just one try against England in poor conditions and zero against Ireland.

WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus comes out in defence of match officials, following another contentious yellow card decision.

NEWS: Southland club player Shanan Kapene has received a two-year suspension from all participation in rugby after a New Zealand Rugby Judicial Committee found him guilty of anti-doping violations.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: England head coach Eddie Jones felt a sense of deja vu when he heard David Pocock was a doubt to face England.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus described Wales as a 'silent assassin' heading into next year's World Cup in Japan.

INJURY UPDATE: South Africa's Francois Steyn is set to return for Montpellier after injury ruled him out for more than six weeks, the Top 14 club said on Monday.

NEWS: While still ranked number two, all of Ireland will feel on top of the world after a superb 16-9 win over the All Blacks.

SQUAD UPDATE: Head coach Eddie Jones has selected a squad of 28 players ahead of England's final November Test against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The one sport which has been associated with Kenya for decades is middle-distance running but their 15-a-side rugby side are taking strides to change that.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Australia will need to get over their 'anxiety' on attack when they face England at Twickenham says veteran back Adam Ashley-Cooper

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen will announce what his future plans are before Christmas, he told a press conference.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Joe Schmidt says whether he stays on as Ireland rugby coach after next year's World Cup or moves on, with the likely destination New Zealand, will be decided by his family.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Future Bordeaux-Begles coach Christophe Urios will not be allowed to coach the French national team even if President Emmanuel Macron requests.

In the aftermath of Ireland’s heavyweight win over the All Blacks, Irish coach Joe Schmidt revealed that he gets inspiration for his play designs from watching other games, saying he ‘steals them’.

TRANSFER NEWS: Ulster prop Rodney Ah You has added his vast experience to Newcastle Falcons' propping ranks, joining the club with immediate effect.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Siya Kolisi escaped with a warning after striking an opponent with his head during the match between the Springboks and Scotland at Murrayfield.

REACTION: Bristol coach Pat Lam was left lamenting a "huge, huge call" that allowed Exeter to snatch a last-minute victory with a penalty try in the English Premiership on Sunday.

NEWS: The IRFU have released a squad update following their historic win over the All Blacks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealanders have been quick to find a way to celebrate Ireland's historic Test win in Dublin, highlighting that the All Blacks loss was at least masterminded by a Kiwi.

REACTION: Head coach Steve Hansen has lambasted New Zealand's 'dumb' first-half mistakes following the defeat to Ireland.

INJURY UPDATE: France fullback Maxime Medard will miss this weekend's Test match against Fiji because of a concussion he picked up at the weekend, the French Rugby Federation said on Monday.

REACTION: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen's claim that Ireland are now number one in the world and favourites for the World Cup has been dismissed as "banter" by the Six Nations champions' boss Joe Schmidt.

REACTION: Head coach Rassie Erasmus could not be more satisfied with his decision to hand Embrose Papier the No.9 jersey during South Africa's 26-20 win over Scotland.

NEWS: Australia's 26-7 win over Italy has been accompanied by a hefty price.

Hear from inside the sheds after the All Blacks loss to Ireland, where Kieran Read pays credit to Ireland.

REACTION: Italy prepare for their final Test of the November series against world champions New Zealand in Rome amid frustration at having two tries disallowed in their weekend loss to Australia.

The 2019 World Cup will be taking place in Japan in less than a year, and a sense of excitement is already evident among the participating nations and fans regarding the tournament.

The All Blacks have been beaten and held tryless by Ireland 16-9 in Dublin.

REACTION: After eight months of licking their wounds, French rugby finally had a victory to savour on Saturday when they beat Argentina 28-13 in Lille.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Coach Eddie Jones has warned England to be wary of his native Australia when they face a Wallaby side coached by "street-fighter" Michael Cheika in their final international of the year.

MATCH REPORT: A last-gasp penalty try gave Exeter Chiefs a stunning comeback win over Bristol Bears that keeps them unbeaten and top of the Premiership Rugby table.

Scotland and Glasgow Warriors centre Huw Jones looks set to be the next Scottish star to move south in search of a lucrative Premiership deal.

NEWS: Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas has released a video on Twitter after he was attacked in his home city of Cardiff.

REACTION: South Africa captain Siya Kolisi could find himself in trouble following the 26-20 win over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

OPINION: South Africa had to hang on for their 26-20 win over Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday. (With match highlights)

OPINION: Ireland registered their first ever win over New Zealand in Dublin.

NEWS: Waratahs’ team of coaches was finalised with the confirmation of Steve Tandy as defence coach.

OPINION: Scotland gave South Africa a fright, but in the end just fell short - losing 20-26 in Edinburgh on Saturday.

OPINION: England survived a major scare early against Japan to record a 35-15 victory over the Cherry Blossoms at Twickenham.

QUALIFIERS: Canada is one point away from a place at next year's World Cup after beating Germany 29-10 in a round-robin repechage tournament on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: France claimed their first victory in nine months by beating Argentina 28-13, less than a year from the teams' meeting at next year's World Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Joe Cokanasiga scored a try on his Test debut as England came from behind to beat 2019 World Cup hosts Japan 35-15 at Twickenham on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland held on in the face of a fierce New Zealand onslaught to win a thrilling match 16-9 in Dublin on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: South Africa held on in the face of a determined Scottish second-half onslaught to win their second match of the year-end tour.

OPINION: Jan de Koning gives some perspective to the nasty and ugly underbelly of the Western Province Rugby Football Union Presidential elections!

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew has revealed the ambitious World League concept could be presented to broadcasters and sponsors early next year.

WATCH as South African record a hard-earned 26-20 win over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: A first-half double by wing Marika Koroibete saw the Wallabies bounce back with a scrappy 26-7 win over Italy in Stadio Euganeo, Padova, on Saturday.

NEWS: All Blacks prop Owen Franks has become the latest New Zealand star to reveal his post-World Cup aspirations.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Six Nations Grand Slam champions Ireland will pay dearly if they switch off for even a second against world champions New Zealand on Saturday, said captain Rory Best.

MATCH REPORT: Dan Biggar guided Wales to their eighth consecutive victory, as a much-changed side scored 10 tries in a comprehensive 74-24 thrashing of Tonga on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he is confident Embrose Papier will be able to handle the pressure in Saturday's Test against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

SATURDAY WRAP: Youngster Joel Kpoku scored a late winner to help Saracens beat Sale Sharks 31-25 at Allianz Park.

NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS: Scotland is no push-over, nor are South Africa.

NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS: Six Nations Grand Slam winners Ireland host world champions New Zealand on Saturday in what could be termed an unofficial global final less than a year from the real thing.

THE BOGEY BATTLE: France welcomes Argentina to Lille on Saturday seeking to avoid an 11th defeat by the Pumas since the turn of the century.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wales have had an impressive November Test Series campaign thus far, and on Saturday Warren Gatland's die will look to secure their third consecutive win over Tonga at the Principality Stadium.

NOVEMBER BUILD-UP: Maro Itoje believes England will be led by one of rugby's brightest minds when flyhalf George Ford captains the side against 2019 World Cup hosts Japan at Twickenham on Saturday.

KNOCK-OUT PUNCH: Italy are looking to turn the screw on Michael Cheika and gun for their first ever win over ailing Australia, who are in the mire after a terrible recent run of results

WATCH as Xander Janse van Rensburg, High-Performance Manager at Blue Bulls Company, explains the role of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus at the Pretoria franchise.

NEWS: England's Rugby Football Union announced on Friday that Chief Executive Steve Brown will stand down at the end of the year - less than 10 months from the World Cup in Japan.

TRANSFER NEWS: Sale Sharks confirmed that Springbok discard Jean Luc Du Preez will join them on a short-term contract.

PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: Ollie Thorley’s mesmeric late score helped Gloucester return to the Premiership action in style with a record 36-13 win against Leicester Tigers at Kingsholm.

There are well over 20 Test matches this weekend as the November window stays open.

SANZAAR have released an updated tournament schedule for the 2019 Super Rugby tournament.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: England are readying themselves to face a Japan side with a point to prove when they face the 2019 World Cup hosts at Twickenham on Saturday.

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS: Germany expects a bruising battle against Canada in Saturday's crunch repechage clash for the final qualifying berth for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Argentina coach Mario Ledesma said the Test match against France on Saturday had added spice because of close links between the two teams.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A radical new "rapid rugby" competition is set to kick off across the Asia-Pacific next year with 70-minute games and new rules to encourage fast-paced entertainment after being approved by the sport's global chiefs.

SQUAD UPDATE: Josh van der Flier will start for Ireland in their Test match with world champions New Zealand on Saturday after fellow flank Dan Leavy dropped out, an IRFU spokesman said on Friday.

NEWS: Chris Wyles has temporarily come out of retirement and goes straight into contention to face Sale Sharks on Saturday.

REJUVENATED: After three weekends off the Premiership Rugby roars back into league action on Friday with matches at The Twickenham Stoop and Kingsholm Stadium kicking off what promises to be an intriguing Round Seven.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jayden Hayward returns for Italy with the New Zealand-born fullback the only change for the Azzurri's second November Test match against Australia in Padua on Saturday.

NEWS: All Blacks great Tana Umaga stepped down as head coach of the Blues on Thursday after disappointing results during his three years in charge of the Super Rugby club.

@rugby365com law guru Paul Dobson looks at different matches with different referees, and similar incidents are treated differently.

NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS: England coach Eddie Jones has no intention of getting sentimental when his side faces 2019 World Cup hosts Japan at Twickenham on Saturday despite guiding the Asian nation to their greatest Rugby Union triumph.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The All Blacks have made one change to their starting XV for the clash against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

NEWS: France international Uini Atonio escaped a prison term for breaking his victim's jaw during a drunken brawl when he was handed a sixth-month suspended sentence on Friday.

The match between Scotland and South Africa this Saturday will be the 27th between the two countries who have, in their meetings, made history in a rugby way.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby chiefs are refusing to get involved in a war of words with Eddie Jones.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Joe Schmidt has not taken any chances as he has named a formidable Ireland team to play New Zealand at Aviva Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Springbok team for Saturday's third Test of the year-end tour against Scotland in Edinburgh shows six changes.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: France head coach Jacques Brunel has opted for consistency in his line-up, making just two changes to the starting line-up for their clash with Argentina on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Seems like the battle for Southern Kings' No.9 jersey has forced former Stormers scrumhalf Godlen Masimla to mature at a rapid pace.

NEWS: The Dragons have sacked defence coach Hendre Marnitz.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has made wholesale changes for Saturday's clash against England at Twickenham.

The @rugby365com invites two experts to chat about the real magnitude of the cash crunch in rugby in South Africa.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou replaces Tomas Cubelli in the only change by Argentina coach Mario Ledesma from the Pumas team that lost to Ireland last week ahead of Saturday's Test against France.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Under-siege Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is safe from the axe, Rugby Australia Chief Raelene Castle said Thursday despite admitting "universal frustration" at the team's dire run of results.

LISTEN as Springbok assistant coach Matt Proudfoot explains why Scotland will be a tougher challenge than France.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ellis Jenkins will captain Wales for the second time as he leads his country against Tonga at Principality Stadium this Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Eddie Jones has made 11 changes to the starting - XV which faced New Zealand last weekend - with two positional switches to the side that will play Japan at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland have made six changes to their team to face the Springboks at Murrayfield on Saturday.

NEWS: World Rugby has welcomed Fiji and Samoa onto an expanded Council, while Burkina Faso and Lebanon were accepted as associate members on an historic day for the international federation.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has made a number of changes to his team for Saturday's Test against Italy in Padova on Saturday.

NEWS: Mark Alexander was elected to the World Rugby’s Executive Council in elections held in Dublin on Wednesday.

Ireland’s game is often labelled as ‘low-risk’ or ‘conservative’, due to the large number of phases they use and the low number of offloads they attempt.

NEWS: Australia plan to rest key players during next year's Super Rugby season in a bid to keep them fresh and injury-free for the World Cup in Japan.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Scotland will do whatever it takes to beat the Springboks at Murrayfield says hooker Fraser Brown.

TRANSFER NEWS: England wing Anthony Watson has opted to extend his stay with Premiership side Bath.

INJURY UPDATE: New Zealand's Seta Tamanivalu has been sidelined for up to two months with a back injury just days after arriving at his new club, Top 14 side Bordeaux.

INJURY UPDATES: South Africa will play a waiting game on two of their key players.

OPINION: There is a real mixed bag in @rugby365com's famous weekly selection.

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has announced Wellington’s Westpac Stadium will host South Africa in July 2019.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels have confirmed their coaching staff for the 2019 Super Rugby season.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Wales great Neil Jenkins has questioned the "unbelievable" lack of action after fullback Leigh Halfpenny was sent crashing to the turf by Australia's Samu Kerevi.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Six Nations Grand Slam champions Ireland present enough of a challenge for world champions New Zealand in Saturday's Test for the Kiwis not to have to be motivated by a painful defeat in 2016, says Ryan Crotty.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Ireland's Jonathan Sexton says he wants to make more history with a home win over world champions New Zealand in a clash of the top two-ranked teams in the world on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks will have to be a lot smarter on the field when they face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

First off the Brazilian’s neutralised the Maori All Blacks’ Haka. Then they went after the scrum.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: England lock George Kruis will miss his team's final two November Tests against Japan and Australia, because of a calf injury.

INJURY UPDATE: The Southern Kings continue to battle with a growing injury list after eight rounds of Pro14 action.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Andy Farrell may have got the better of world champions New Zealand three times, but Ireland's defence coach says he does not have a magic formula on how to beat them.

NEWS: Springbok wing Jamba Ulengo has reported for duty at the Cheetahs in the hope of getting a contract, OFM revealed.

TRASNFER NEWS: Wasps confirmed the signing of Italy international Michele Campagnaro.

TRANSFER NEWS: Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter is a happy man after confirming Scotland and British Lions fullback Stuart Hogg will be heading to Sandy Park next season.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph has insisted his side have no plans to follow Eddie Jones advice to "go to the temple and pray" ahead of their match against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South Africa's 29-26 win over France has helped the side narrow the deficit between them and England.

REACTION: World Rugby has decided, for now, to take a hands-off approach in the Franco Mostert saga.

SQUAD UPDATE: Sonny Bill Williams will miss the Ireland Test, however, the centre will remain on tour, with the All Blacks hopeful he will be fit to play against Italy next week.

For the second week in a row, Twickenham was host to one-point Test and a refereeing controversy late in the match which involved the use or non-use of the TMO.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Bulls have revealed that they are negotiating a contract with Springbok hooker Schalk Brits.

SQUAD UPDATE: The Springboks will be without Faf de Klerk when they face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: When Western Province Rugby Football Union clubs go to the polls later this coming week, you could see the last vestiges of professionalism being voted out.

NEWS: The All Blacks Sevens will have the services of one of their most well known and experienced players through to the Tokyo Olympics, with Kurt Baker locking in his commitment through to 2020.

REACTION: South Africa may have received some favourable rulings from Welsh referee Nigel Owens in their come-from-behind win over France at the weekend.

REACTION: Clive Woodward has blamed decisions to decline kickable penalties for England's agonising 15-16 loss to world champions New Zealand at a rainswept Twickenham on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Joe Schmidt compared Six Nations Grand Slam champions Ireland to a car which required a tune-up ahead of the mouth-watering clash with world champions New Zealand.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones has advised Japan to go to the temple and pray as he promised to show no mercy when the team he coached at the 2015 World Cup come to Twickenham.

NEWS: The venues of the home and away games for the Sunwolves have been confirmed.

TRANSFER NEWS: Former New Zealand Under-20 World Cup winner Lotima Fainga'anuku has joined Perpignan as a medical joker until the end of the campaign, the Top 14 strugglers announced.

TRANSFER NEWS: Ulster Rugby confirmed that second row Ian Nagle has moved on loan from Leinster until the end of the 2018/19 season.

LISTEN as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus appears to take another subtle swipe at controversial Australian referee Angus Gardner.

OPINION: The Springboks were fortunate to get a 26-29 the win in Paris against France.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland will be without two of their biggest stars when they face the All Blacks in Dublin on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen believes Ireland's star scrumhalf Conor Murray will play in next Saturday's clash of the top two-ranked teams in the world despite not having played any rugby this season.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is set to return to full training this week after recovering from a foot injury he sustained against England at Twickenham two weeks ago.

NEWS: French Top 14 club La Rochelle confirmed former All Black Jonathan Gibbes as their new director of rugby.

The New Zealand Maori team was rocked back on its heels, as Brazil responded to the Haka before the sides met in Sao Paolo at the weekend.

NEWS: Sunwolves have added another two New Zealanders to their coaching ranks.

WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: Germany took a step closer to the 2019 Rugby World Cup by starting with a win in Sunday's first-round of matches in the fortnight-long repechage tournament in Marseille.

OPINION: France will be wondering how they did not win that game against the Springboks in Paris on Saturday.

NEWS: English manager Rory Teague has left Top 14 side Bordeaux by mutual consent after only one win in five games, the club said on Monday.

WATCH as England coach Eddie Jones gets philosophical about the contentious call that cost his team a match-winning try at Twickenham at the weekend.

WATCH as All Black coach Steve Hansen reacts to his team once again getting the rub of the green from match officials.

NEWS: The Irish Rugby Football Union have bagged a tidy profit after selling off a track of prime real estate not far from Dublin city centre.

OPINION: Ireland made it 10 home Test wins in a row for the first time in their history, with a 28-17 win over Argentina in Dublin.

SQUAD UPDATE: Newcastle forward Gary Graham has been added to the Scotland squad for the 2018 November Tests, as an injury replacement for Scarlets flank Blade Thomson.

NEWS: Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg will leave Glasgow at the end of the season.

OPINION: England and New Zealand met at a rainy Twickenham on Saturday afternoon in one of, if not the most anticipated rugby fixture of the last few years, and it certainly delivered on all of the promise.

VIDEO REACTION: The Springboks were happy to celebrate another 'ugly' win, rather than an unaesthetic loss.

REPORT: Canada's Daniel Tailliferre Hauman van der Merwe scored a hat-trick of tries on Sunday, as his side powered past Kenya with a thumping 65-19 win to take a step closer to the 2019 World Cup.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Super Rugby will return to Fiji in 2019, with the Crusaders set to face the Chiefs in round 16 of next year’s campaign.

POST-MATCH REACTION: Australia skipper Michael Hooper admits ruing twice spurning kickable penalties to go for attacking line-outs, as under-fire coach Michael Cheika sought out the positives after the team's narrow 6-9 defeat by Wales.

OPINION: The All Blacks have braved the conditions and escaped Twickenham with a one-point victory over hosts England.

REACTION: World champions New Zealand edged England 16-15 in a gripping one-off Test at Twickenham on Saturday.

NEWS: Dynamic back row forward Jack Dempsey has re-signed with Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs on a two-year deal to keep him in Australian Rugby until at least 2020.

MATCH REPORT: South Africa scored a last-gasp try to defeat France 29-26 on Saturday to remain unbeaten against their European hosts since 2009.

POST-MATCH REACTION: The news that star scrumhalf Conor Murray could make a surprise return to the Ireland team, has been tempered by the news of another major injury setback.

MATCH REPORT: Ireland made it 10 successive home wins in a 28-17 victory over Argentina on Saturday at Lansdowne Road that came at a cost for the Six Nations Grand Slam holders.

MATCH REPORT: Tommy Seymour scored a hat-trick as Scotland ran in eight tries to beat Fiji 54-17 at Murrayfield on Saturday and claim their first win of the November internationals.

MATCH REPORT: Tommaso Allan sealed a four-try victory as Italy got their November Test series off to a strong start with a 28-17 win over Georgia in Florence on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Sonny Bill Williams’ body has let him down once more.

MATCH REPORT: World champions New Zealand came from 0-15 down to beat England 16-15 in a thrilling November Test at a rainswept Twickenham on Saturday.

POST-MATCH REACTION: Warren Gatland revelled in the delicious irony of Wales grabbing victory over Australia with a late score after suffering heartbreak on numerous occasions in a terrible run of losses against the Southern Hemisphere team.

MATCH REPORT: Dan Biggar hit a late penalty to help Wales edge Australia 9-6 on Saturday and buck a 10-year, 13-match losing streak against the Wallabies.

NEWS: The ever-worsening financial situation in South African rugby has forced the Lions to start retrenching players.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company announced that Cornal Hendricks will join the Bulls for the upcoming 2019 Super Rugby season.

NOVEMBER TEST SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand captain Kieran Read has insisted England "can do what they like" in response to the Haka at Twickenham on Saturday.

NOVEMBER TEST SPOTLIGHT: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has delivered silverware aplenty but his biggest legacy has been to successfully change the face of Irish rugby, captain Rory Best revealed.

NOVEMBER TEST BUILD-UP: Australia coach Michael Cheika insists he has no problem with his side being labelled underdogs for Saturday's Test match against Wales.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks are in France and play Les Bleus before over 80 000 people at Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb of St Denis, the patron saint of Paris.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has insisted the All Blacks' clash with England this weekend is even bigger than last year's series against the British and Irish Lions.

TOUGH EXAMINATION: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has warned his players lining up for Saturday's one-off Test with Argentina they need to focus on that and not the clash with world champions New Zealand a week later.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Star flyhalf Jonathan Sexton lining up without scrumhalf Conor Murray alongside him in a green shirt is almost a collector's item.

NOVEMBER TEST BUILD-UP: South Africa's defence has to be of high quality if they want to halt the French 'game-breakers' says desperate Springboks captain Siya Kolisi.

WORLD CUP DRESS REHEARSEL: Psychological one-upmanship will be up for grabs when Wales host Australia on Saturday in a dress rehearsal of what has been billed a pool-deciding match at next year's Rugby World Cup.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: "Styles make fights" is usually the talk of boxing promoters, but it could prove true of England's long-awaited clash against world champions New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand star Beauden Barrett has admitted it will be both "exciting" and "weird" to play against his former Hurricanes teammate Brad Shields when the All Blacks face England at Twickenham on Saturday.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Sean O'Brien has been ravaged by injuries in the past four years but the flank would be one of the first names on the Ireland team list for Irish legend Brian O'Driscoll who described his countryman as a "real leader".

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Owen Farrell has insisted he has no intention of pushing the rules to breaking point, as he prepares to lead England against world champions New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

WATCH as we share with you some of the best moments from the world's most experienced referee: Nigel Owens.

It is a match with greater significance than a first glance may suggest. It is a Six Nations team playing Europe's next best, almost a promotion-relegation match.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones believes the introduction of a second referee could be Rugby Union's answer to dealing with the increasing intensity of the game.

TWICKENHAM SPOTLIGHT: England will go in search of just their eighth win over New Zealand in 41 Tests dating back 113 years when they face the world champions at Twickenham on Saturday.

New Zealand’s player depth is the envy of the world, with a seemingly endless supply of players coming off the production line.

After refereeing 37 Test matches, John Lacey of Ireland has decided to retire from refereeing Test matches at the age of 45.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand-born Hadleigh Parkes is confident Wales have enough fire-power to overcome Wallabies despite their dismal record against Micheal Cheika's men.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy captain Sergio Parisse was ruled out of the Azzurri team for Saturday's opening November Test match against Georgia in Florence.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Maori All Blacks head coach Clayton McMillan has named the Maori All Blacks team to play against Brazil, in the second leg of their end of year tour.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: The renowned partnership between David Pocock and Michael Hooper might not be utilised at the next year's World Cup in Japan.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: It’s the match we’ve all been waiting for – and it’s come one year too late.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Two big missed tackles by Scotland’s centre Huw Jones lead to two big tries and a total of 12 points for Wales.

WATCH as All Black coach Steve Hansen explains his selections and tactics for the Test against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has made four changes to his starting side for their opening November tour Test against Wales in Cardiff.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Eddie Jones has named his matchday squad to play New Zealand in their second year-end Test at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus added plenty of experience to his team to tackle France in Paris on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: French coach Jacques Brunel has named the team to take on South Africa in their Test in Paris on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Ireland team to play Argentina at a sold-out Aviva Stadium on Saturday has been named.

NEWS: Saracens flank Joel Conlon has confirmed he will step away from rugby with immediate effect.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Argentina head coach Mario Ledesma has made a surprising change to the back row for their November Test match against Ireland on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Glasgow Warriors and British & Irish Lions fullback Stuart Hogg returns to the starting Scotland line-up for this Saturday’s Test against Fiji at Murrayfield Stadium.

INJURY UPDATE: All Black prop Joe Moody has been ruled out of Saturday’s Test against England after he suffered a gruesome eyelid injury in training.

The @rugby365com team analyses the reasons behind the @Springboks' horror show at Twickenham last week and what they need to do to fix it.

The 1014 explore a variety of tactics that teams have used to beat the All Blacks in the recent past.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales have made three changes to their starting XV to face Australia in Cardiff on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster revealed that centre Jack Goodhue could make his return to the All Blacks' starting team against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Maro Itoje has been told to take the fight to New Zealand with his physical play even if it leads to punishment from the officials.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has revealed a remarkably close relationship that he has with his England counterpart Eddie Jones.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Fiji Head Coach John McKee has named a very exposed side for the clash against Scotland on Saturday at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.

NEWS: The Hurricanes will play their first 2019 pre-season match against the defending Super Rugby champion Crusaders at Levin Domain on February 2.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Steve Hansen has revealed his All Blacks team to face England at Twickenham on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: The 2019 World Cup has always been on Adam Ashley-Cooper's mind over the last few seasons.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springboks are working extremely hard to rectify their blunders that cost them a win against England says centre Damian de Allende.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: When Camille Lopez takes the field against South Africa on Saturday with the No.10 emblazoned across the back of his French jersey, a nation will hold its breath.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Flank Tom Curry will miss the remainder of England's November Test series due to an ankle injury sustained in the victory against South Africa, coach Steve Borthwick confirmed.

PART ONE: England’s tense 12-11 victory over the Springboks was won on the back of four Owen Farrell penalties and keeping the visitors to just one try.

WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN: All Blacks legend Dan Carter Thursday tipped Japan to reach the knockout stages of their home World Cup next year - and warned favourites New Zealand will not have it all their own way.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus believes it is difficult to judge how strong France are at the moment.

NEWS: French rugby club Racing 92 are the first to put their hand up and signal interest in the services of All Blacks captain Kieran Read after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

@rugby365com's law guru Paul Dobson analyses the most contentious incident of the past week.

TRANSFER NEWS: Stormers and Western Province lock Chris van Zyl has signed for Saracens on a short-term deal.

TRANSFER NEWS: Nick Tompkins has become the latest player to commit his future to Premiership side Saracens.

WATCH as England coach Eddie Jones speaks to RugbyPass from their training base, as his side begins preparations to face New Zealand on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand has always had outside backs coming out of its ears, however, with so many talented stars who to pick especially for the 2019 World Cup becomes somewhat of a pickle for coaches.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: After a miserable 2018 and on the back of a 3-0 drubbing in New Zealand in June, France knows exactly what they need to do against South Africa on Saturday.

The Test window is flung open wide and the countries are grabbing the opportunity to go into action.

NEWS: Former Springbok flank Thando Manana was recently elected President of the Madibaz Rugby Club.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has gone from probably being sidelined for the rest of the tour to a possible starter against France.

TRANSFER NEWS: Northampton Saints have confirmed that Ehren Painter has penned his first senior contract with the club.

A video has emerged of a Springbok practice in which coach Rassie Erasmus is apparently following through on a 'promise' to change his team's tackling style.

NEWS: Ireland and Ulster back row Chris Henry has announced that he will retire from rugby with immediate effect.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company confirmed that three of their current contracted players have been temporarily released to play in France.

OPINION: South Africa suffered a narrow 11-12 defeat to England in London on Saturday.

OPINION: England got their November Test Series off to a good, albeit nerve-wracking, start with a 12-11 victory over South Africa at Twickenham.

OPINION: An inexperienced All Blacks side have emerged unscathed after a 69-31 victory over Japan at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo.

TRANSFER NEWS: The Queensland Reds have bolstered their backline depth for 2019 signing former Blues playmaker Matt McGahan, plus Queensland outside backs pairing Jock Campbell and Teti Tela.

WORLD SERIES SPOTLIGHT: The Springbok Sevens team entered the final stretch of their preparations for the first two tournaments of the 2018-19 campaign - in Dubai and Cape Town - in less than a month.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones cannot wait to see how his side fare against the "benchmark for world rugby" when they take on New Zealand at Twickenham.

REACTION: Warren Gatland has told Australia his Wales side will improve even further when they face the Wallabies in Cardiff next Saturday after launching their November campaign with a 21-10 victory at home to Scotland.

WATCH as retired Springboks Keith Andrews and James Dalton reminisce over one of the most infamous games of all time - when South Africa met Tucuman on their tour of Argentina in 1993.

TEAM NEWS: The first of South Africa's European reinforcement arrived in Paris, ahead of the Test against France on Saturday.

NEWS: Springboks' narrow 11-12 defeat to England didn't do any harm to their World Rankings.

REACTION: The Springboks will have a lot of work to do ahead of their Test match against France in Paris next weekend.

If there was one area England particularly struggled in against South Africa during their 12-11 win at the weekend, it was with their midfield defence.

SQUAD UPDATE: Scotland receive a timely boost following their 10-21 defeat to Wales last weekend.

NEWS: Two Springboks are amongst a group of five players nominated for the prestigious 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year Award.

TRANSFER NEWS: Tony Brown has managed to lure another New Zealand rugby player to the Sunwolves for the 2019 Super Rugby.

REACTION: England coach Eddie Jones backed Owen Farrell to avoid being cited for a dangerous tackle that could rule him out of next week's clash with New Zealand.

NEWS: Owen Farrell is available to lead England against world champions New Zealand next weekend.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Pablo Matera will debut as Argentina captain on a challenging tour of Europe that kicks off Saturday with a Test against second-ranked Ireland in Dublin.

INJURY UPDATE: Outside back Nehe Milner-Skudder is to miss the Māori All Blacks matches against Brazil and Chile after hurting his shoulder in Saturday’s All Blacks Test against Japan.

INJURY UPDATE: The Springboks could be without the services of star lock Eben Etzebeth for the rest of their European tour.

MATCH REPORT: Rising star Jordan Larmour scored a hat-trick as Six Nations champions Ireland outclassed Italy 54-7 in their November Series international at Soldier Field on Saturday.

NEWS: All Blacks wing Julian Savea has reportedly flipped his car in France after falling asleep at the wheel.

VIDEO: England's 12-11 win over South Africa might have only one try but it delivered some very controversial moments.

MATCH REPORT: Power and promise from the Maori All Blacks proved too much for the US Eagles who were beaten 22-59 at Chicago's Soldier Field on Saturday.

TOP 14 WRAP: All Black Charlie Ngatai scored to help Lyon to their first win in three games thanks to a dominant 41-6 victory over Stade Francais on Sunday.

REACTION: A Jordie Barrett charge down may have been the biggest blunder in New Zealand’s emphatic win over Japan at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, but head coach Steve Hansen wasn’t about to lay the blame on his fullback’s shoulder.

PRO14 REPORT: Gethin Jenkins rode off into the sunset with another victory under his belt as Cardiff Blues put Zebre to the sword in a comfortable Pro14 win.

MATCH REPORT: England kicked off their November Test Series with a narrow 12-11 win over South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

PRO14 REPORT: Munster roared back in the closing moments to claim an incredible 30-26 win over the Cheetahs.

PRO14 REPORT: Leinster powered to a 38–31 victory against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.

NEWS: South Africa wing Cheslin Kolbe has signed a new contract with Toulouse keeping him at Stade Ernest-Wallon until 2023, the club announced on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Wales became the first winners of the Doddie Weir Cup as they beat Scotland 21-10 in Cardiff on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Flyhalf Richie Mo'unga sparked a second-string All Blacks side to a 69-31 victory over plucky Japan in Tokyo on Saturday.

TOP14 WRAP: Barnstorming All Blacks wing Julian Savea finally scored his first try for Toulon on Saturday as the three-time European champions ended a run of three successive defeats.

SQUAD UPDATE: Test veteran Tatafu Polota-Nau will link with the Wallabies in Wales ahead of their three-Test tour of Wales, Italy and England this month.

MATCH REPORT: A three-try burst midway through the first half guided Connacht to a comfortable 33-12 win against the Dragons in the PRO14.

MATCH REPORT: Ulster managed to record a 15-10 win over Benetton Rugby at the Stadio Monigo on Saturday.

Eben Etzebeth wants to be part of more "magic" with the Barbarians when he joins the world famous invitation side taking on Argentina on December 1.

TRANSFER NEWS: Springbok and Sharks utility back Curwin Bosch has signed a short-term deal a Japanese side Munakata Sanix Blues, the club confirmed.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: With just eight games remaining before the World Cup, the four-match year-end tour is crucial to South Africa's cause at Japan 2019.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ash Dixon has been named as captain of the Maori All Blacks alongside 10 debutants for their match against USA in Chicago on Saturday.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Ireland return to the scene of one of their greatest victories on Saturday, as the Six Nations champions face Italy at Chicago's Soldier Field in a one-off Test.

NOVEMBER TEST SPOTLIGHT: Warren Gatland has warned Wales to be "mentally on our game" when they meet Scotland after the build-up to Saturday's match was dominated by an off-the-field furore.

YEAR-END INTERNATIONALS: @rugby365com's acclaimed writer Paul Dobson takes a look at the opening match of South Africa's tour to Europe.

Ben Smith looks into the precarious financial position Australia finds itself in and what it would be left if South Africa exits from (SA)NZAAR.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Mike Ford admits it's humbling to help Germany's part-timers prepare for their once-in-a-lifetime chance to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

REACTION: Ivan van Zyl will start just his second Test match after being named at scrumhalf for South Africa's opening November international against England at Twickenham.

REACTION: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen praised Dane Coles on Thursday after the inspirational hooker fought back from nearly a year on the sidelines to headline a second-string side against Japan.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Japan captain Michael Leitch said that the Brave Blossoms are capable of pulling off a shock victory over the mighty All Blacks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The International Rugby Players ‘Try of the Year 2018 have been announced ahead of the World Rugby awards on November 25.

PRO14 REPORT: Niko Matawalu sprang off the Glasgow Warriors bench to register a hat-trick of tries to help secure his side five points in a 29-20 away win at Ospreys.

PRO14 REPORT: Edinburgh weathered a resilient Scarlets performance to leapfrog their rivals into second place in Conference B with a bonus-point 31-21 win at Murrayfield.

WELSH-SCOTTISH MATCH-UPS: The return of the Pro14 was marked by a number of eye-catching results and thrilling finishes, none more so than Rory Scannell's match-winning penalty against Glasgow

INJURY UPDATE: England suffered a late injury blow ahead of the Test match against the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.

You can spend a week with the Barbarians in a documentary filmed around last November’s classic match against New Zealand at Twickenham Stadium.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland revealed their team to play Italy at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: New Southern Kings recruit Stefan Ungerer will get a starting berth when the side takes on PRO14 defending champions, Leinster, in their Round 8 clash at the Nelson Mandela University’s Madibaz Stadium on Sunday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: Cheetahs have made one change to their starting XV for the Pro14 match against Munster on Sunday in Bloemfontein.

SUPER RUGBY SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENTS: Thirty-three new faces feature among the 190 professional players contracted by New Zealand's five FRANCHISES for the 2019 season.

OPINION: With the year-end internationals just days away, RugbyPass' Alex Shaw sat down and put together a current 'World XV'.

LISTEN as the @rugby365com team delve into the reasons behind the logistics of the @Springboks team announcement and how it depreciated the Currie Cup Final.

TRANSFER NEWS: Hisa Sasagi has signed for Saracens on a short-term deal.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Adapting to the Northern Hemisphere weather conditions will be a massive challenge for the Springboks says Bulls-bound loose forward Duane Vermeulen.

PROMOTION-RELEGATION REPORT: The Free State Cheetahs on Tuesday retained their spot in the 2019 Currie Cup Premier Division.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England coach Eddie Jones made some significant changes to the team to face South Africa in the first Test of the year-end internationals, at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan have tweaked their starting XV for Saturday's Test against the All Blacks in Tokyo on Saturday.

South Africa's Marius van der Westhuizen was recently dropped from World Rugby's elite panel of referees and the reason given in the media recently has suggested that his fitness has been called into question.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made seven changes to the starting 15 for the team that will face England at Twickenham on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis has joined Montpellier's growing list of casualties.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Every year November is accompanied with some moustaches all in the name of charity.

Great southern competitions have ended and now it is time for the November window to open a crack for Test rugby. It's not yet fully open but there are some matches on the go, including England vs South Africa, a match that first happened at Crystal Palace in 1906.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales have named two uncapped players in their 23-man squad for their opening November Test series clash against Scotland.

NEWS: Centre Jonathan Danty, back row Wenceslas Lauret and lock Sebastien Vahaamahina sat out France's public training session at Marcoussis.

TRANSFER NEWS: Zebre boosted their backline stocks with former England Under-20 centre Jamie Elliott.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: After weeks of dispute and confusion, England centre Alex Lozowski has been handed a four-week ban.

PRO14 SPOTLIGHT: Munster, minus 24 frontline players, will face a vastly improved Cheetahs team in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: World champions New Zealand on Thursday named two uncapped players among a second-string starting line-up for this weekend's Test with Japan in Tokyo.

REACTION: Springbok lock Franco Mostert will formally sign in at Gloucester on Thursday, but he won't feature in any of their teams at the weekend.

TRANSFER NEWS: Following Quade Cooper's contract, Wallaby prospect and former Reds utility back Campbell Magnay has also opted to sign a deal with the Melbourne Rebels for the 2019 Super Rugby season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: England's Mike Brown has been dropped for the first time in the Eddie Jones era.

NEWS: Wayne Pivac will be leaving the Scarlets at the end of the season to take over as Wales head coach following the 2019 World Cup.

SPOTLIGHT: There is a good reason why New Zealand remains the leading light in the game. They always look for ways to improve and evolve.

TWICKENHAM SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus believes he will get some answers to pressing questions this week.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENTS: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux invited two squads of 74 Under-19 and Under-18 players for assessment camps in Stellenbosch in November and January with an eye on preparing for next year’s World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Head Coach Gregor Townsend welcomed several experienced Scotland players back into the starting line-up for this Saturday’s opening November Test match against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff

NEWS: Wales Gethin Jenkins will bid farewell to his illustrious rugby career after this Sunday's PRO14 clash with Zebre at Cardiff Arms Park.

NOVEMBER TEST SPOTLIGHT: Johnny Sexton will again pull the strings when Ireland take on the All Blacks on November 16.

SQUAD UPDATE: France coach Jacques Brunel's priority might be the search for a consistent halfback partnership, however, the coach has been forced to switch his pack.

WATCH what is a very special moment for a group of Japanese children, as they go through some skills and drills with the #AllBlacks, it's even better to see the joy on all their faces

With news of Bernard Foley’s re-commitment to Rugby Australia, Wallabies fans can breathe a short sigh of relief.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks could come up against a familiar face when they take on England at Twickenham on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Sale Sharks confirmed that they have signed flyhalf Robert Du Preez from South African team the Sharks.

OPINION: The Sharks are 2018 Currie Cup champions and their players dominate our Team of the Tournament.

CURRIE CUP REACTION: Poor line-out execution and questionable positional changes were the just some reasons why the Western Province failed to retain the Currie Cup.

NOVEMBER TEST SPOTLIGHT: England coach Eddie Jones has brought in former captain Will Carling as a leadership mentor in a bid to increase players’ pride in their country.

INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus face a few interesting selection posers for the start of his team's year-end tour.

CURRIE CUP PROMOTION-RELEGATION: Coach Franco Smith has named the strongest possible team to defend the Free State Cheetahs' Currie Cup status.

NEWS: Ireland has been hit with injury blows over two of their most experienced backs.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Kenya are hoping to clinch the final place at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in next month's playoff tournament, coach Ian Snook said.

INJURY UPDATE: The Southern Kings have been dealt a double blow on the back of the side's spirited 34-41 defeat to the Scarlets in last Friday's Pro14 Round Seven match at the Madibaz Stadium.

NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Franco Mostert will not be considered for the match at Twickenham, which is the fourth meeting this year between the two countries.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The All Blacks are getting a 'free ride' from referees says Wallabies legend, Phil Kearns

TRANSFER NEWS: Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa has extended his stay at the Brumbies for a further four years.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has called for a four-month offseason to avoid player burnout.

OPINION: Two very different finals between the divisions with an exciting blowout in the first and a brutal tussle in the second.

TRANSFER NEWS: Saracens hooker Christopher Tolofua will return to his native France next season after signing a three-year deal with Toulon, the Top 14 club said on Monday.

NEWS: SA Rugby Under-21 Championship-winning Golden Lions coach, Bafana Nhleko, will join SA Rugby’s coaching ranks on a long-term basis as the Junior Springbok assistant coach after signing a four-year contract.

England has been battling a number of injury issues heading into the year-end internationals and their hopes of starting November well have taken another blow.

NEWS: France coach Jacques Brunel's priority for the November Test matches will be to find a consistent halfback partnership, he said on Monday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was true to his promise, to include few Currie Cup final surprises in his year-end tour squad.

BLEDISLOE CUP REACTION: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had little sympathy for Wallaby hooker Tolu Latu, who was sinned binned during their encounter match in Japan.

NEWS: New Zealand hooker Dane Coles is fighting fit for his return to the All Blacks side this weekend against Japan, but he has ruled out taking the captain's armband.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Adam Ashley-Cooper is back with the Wallabies.

VIDEO: The Sharks have produced another song and dance to celebrate a successful weekend in Cape Town.

OPINION: Wallabies' 20-37 defeat to the All Blacks adds to extra pressure on the under-fire head coach Michael Chieka ahead of the November Test series.

NEWS: The Southern Kings welcomed the arrival of scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer and prop Nicolaas Oosthuizen on Monday.

TOP14 WRAP: Toulon's dreadful start to the season continued with a 9-13 loss at home to La Rochelle on Sunday which left them second-bottom in the Top 14, while Bordeaux brushed aside Lyon.

BLEDISLOE CUP REACTION: The Wallabies did not hide their disappointment after yet another loss to Trans-Tasman rival the All Blacks.

OPINION: All Blacks solidified their supremacy over their trans-Tasman rivals the Wallabies with an impressive 37-20 win in Japan.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has unveiled a 26-man squad that will travel to Chicago to take on Italy on Saturday.

After refereeing the Currie Cup Final at Newlands on Saturday, Jaco Peyper is to have another do-or-die match on Tuesday, the promotion/relegation in Bloemfontein between the Free State and the South Western Districts Eagles.

TRANSFER NEWS: All Blacks star Ben Smith is France-bound after the Rugby World Cup according to French media reports.

SQUAD UPDATE: Harlequins back James Lang has been added to the Scotland squad for the 2018 November Tests.

CURRIE CUP REPORT: The Sharks are the new champions of the domestic scene in South Africa, with one player claiming a unique double.

CURRIE CUP REACTION: The Sharks' Currie Cup win could only be a good omen for their 2019 Super Rugby campaign believes head coach Robert du Preez.

A game of skill, stamina, and strength, rugby might only have a big following in a few countries, but its worldwide appeal is still infectious.

CONFIRMED: The Bulls have finally managed to secure a high-profile player for their 2019 season.

TOP 14 WRAP: Greig Laidlaw kicked 16 points as Clermont thrashed reigning champions Castres 41-6 on Saturday.

MATCH REPORT: Japan fell just short of completing a late comeback against a star-studded world select side on Friday as the 2019 Rugby World Cup hosts went down 28-31.

WATCH as World champions New Zealand crush old foes Australia 37-20 in Japan on Saturday - to complete a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup series whitewash.

INJURY UPDATE: France will have to contest the upcoming November Tests without Morgan Parra, after the Clermont scrumhalf pulled out with a wrist injury.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Saracens and England centre Alex Lozowski's prospects of playing against South Africa at Twickenham next weekend remained uncertain after he won one disciplinary appeal and lost another.

PRO14 REPORT: Cheetahs claimed their first win of the season, after a brace from Sibahle Maxwane helped his side overcome Cardiff Blues 21-10 in Bloemfontein.

REPORT: Rory Scannell's incredible last-gasp penalty completed a remarkable comeback for Munster in the Pro14's 2000th match.

REPORT: Leinster bounced back from their European Cup loss last week to stretch their lead at the top of the Pro14 Conference B.

CURRIE CUP FINAL SPOTLIGHT: Western Province are taking a big risk by playing Damian Willemse at No.12 in Saturday's Currie Cup Final at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talks about his plans with his overseas-based players on the year-end tour and addresses the Franco Mostert conundrum.

MATCH REPORT & HIGHLIGHTS: Auckland have secured the NPC title with a dramatic 40-33 extra time victory over Canterbury at Eden Park.

NEUTRAL GROUND: The All Blacks have the chance to secure a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup clean sweep for 2018 when they take on Australia in Yokohama, Japan on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Springboks hooker Schalk Brits has finally confirmed that he signed a contract with the Stormers.

.MATCH REPORT: It was the same old trans-Tasman tale as the All Blacks marched to a 37-20 win over the Wallabies in Japan.

CURRIE CUP FINAL: The match marks the ninth time the sides battle it out for the title since 1984.

CURRIE CUP FINAL SPOTLIGHT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez is banking on his loose forwards to help his team get a physical edge in Saturday's Currie Cup Final against Western Province.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Springbok wing Aphiwe Dyantyi has been nominated as one of three candidates for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year Award for 2018.

MATCH REPORT & HIGHLIGHTS: Waikato have ensured their stay in the Championship was as short as possible with a thumping 36-13 win over Otago in the final to move back to the top tier NPC in 2019.

MENTAL BATTLE: Eddie Jones is claiming England will try and avoid too many damaging "collisions" with the Springboks at Twickenham on November 3.

NEWS: French rugby clubs are set to enter a bidding war in the new year in an attempt to lure All Black flyhalf Beauden Barrett following the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

PRO14 REPORT: Dan Evans went over with the final play of the game to give Ospreys a dramatic 22-17 win over Connacht at Morganstone Brewery Field.

TOP 14, WEEK EIGHT: Facing the team that toppled European champions Leinster won't impress Perpignan in France's Top 14 this weekend, Toulouse forwards coach William Servat warned.

PRO14 REPORT: Stuart McCloskey’s second-half double was enough to quell a Dragons fightback and secure a first Pro14 win in four for Ulster.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Cheetahs are highly-motivated to get their first victory of the season when they face Cardiff Blues on their home ground in their PRO14 match.

PRO14 REPORT: Carlo Canna shone as Zebre roared back from a 13-point deficit to humble Edinburgh in Parma.

PRO14 REPORT: A much-changed Scarlets side came storming back in the second half against the Southern Kings to claim an impressive Pro14 win in Port Elizabeth.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Its seems like Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika is walking the similar path as Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho believes Steve Hansen.

WATCH as South African Rugby Union President Mark Alexander talks about transformation - from grassroots to the national team.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) could appoint an Englishman without any international experience as England head coach.

NEWS: Top 14 outfit Toulon will be parting ways with France captain Guilhem Guirado at the end of the season, the club's president Mourad Boudjellal said on Friday.

NEWS: Christian Wade, the third highest try-scorer in English Premiership history, announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 27 - amid rumours of a move to the NFL.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Yet another high-profile official has turned down an approach from the Blue Bulls Company.

BACK ON THE DOMESTIC SCENE: Two captivating rounds of European are now done and dusted as the Pro14 flies back into view this weekend with a full schedule of games.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has made two changes to his starting team for Saturday's Currie Cup Final in Cape Town on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Western Province head coach John Dobson has opted to utilise Damian Willemse in the midfield for the Currie Cup final against the Sharks on Saturday.

TRANSFER NEWS: Newcastle Falcons have announced the signing of flank John Hardie.

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL: Watch as Join Rikki chats to TJ Faiane and Mitchell Drummond ahead of this weekend's Premiership Grand Finale at Eden Park.

At Newlands on Saturday, there are three finals - Under-19, Under-21 and Currie Cup.  It is important to know how winners are determined in the event of a draw in any one of these finals.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: While Southern Kings coach Deon Davids will be able to field a largely unchanged team, his Scarlets counterpart, Wayne Pivac, will be without 12 players - all on international duty.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sonny Bill Williams was lined up to play his 50th Test on Saturday as the All Blacks named a strong team for the third Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Japan.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT:  The Wallabies have lost the services of one of their key players ahead of the final Bledisloe Cup Test of 2018.

Currie Cup Final! It is the Currie Cup Final this weekend in the 129-year-old competition, always a highlight in South African rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Where there's smoke, there's fire. It is a verbalism that may well hold true for the latest grapevine dispatches surrounding the Bulls coaching saga.

In this #SpecialEdition @rugby365com welcomes back @pauldelport9 and @APetoors10 to look at the @TheCurrieCup #Final and year-end tour selections.

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: New Zealander Jerome Kaino's appeal against his five-week suspension had been denied.

TRANSFER NEWS: Australian hooker John Ulugia will remain with Clermont for one more season after signing a one-year extension with the Top 14 club.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: England centre Alex Lozowski will miss the opening November Test against Springboks following EPCR's decision to extend the suspension.

POOL DRAW: The South African Sevens team will get the start of the World Series title off to a tough start.

CURRIE CUP SPOTLIGHT: Jaco Peyper, a 38-year-old Bloemfontein lawyer, will be refereeing his fourth final on Saturday - the fourth out of 57 finals.

DOWN MEMORY LANE: Every final of the Currie Cup was special. Every one had stories that could be told about it. Every one had men who became heroes.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The World XV that will play Japan this Friday has been named.

NEWS: The Blue Bulls Company confirmed that assistant coach Gary Botha has decided to pursue a career outside of rugby and will be leaving Loftus at the end of the junior season.

NEWS: Munster has managed to hold onto one of their star players.

England is planning a major overhaul - with the introduction of guaranteed in-season breaks - for players as part of the structure for the next three seasons.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks are literally turning up the heat in their build-up to the year-end tour.

OPINION: A number of players rose to the occasion in last weekend's Currie Cup semifinals in Durban and Cape Town.

On this podcast, Scotty Stevenson & Mils Muliaina chat to Graham Henry about his thoughts of this generations players.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Conor Murray's failure to play any rugby so far this season saw the scrumhalf omitted from the 42-man squad named by Ireland coach Joe Schmidt for the November Tests.

NEWS: The Free State Cheetahs will field their "strongest" and "best available" team in their promotion-relegation game against the South Western District Eagles.

NEWS: Prop Joe Moody has re-signed with the All Blacks and Crusaders until 2022, New Zealand Rugby said Thursday.

NEWS: The ECPR have rejected Saracens Alex Lozowski’s request to switch games in his recent two-week ban.

NEWS: Ulster revealed that Jean Deysel will retire from professional rugby, with immediate effect.

CURRIE CUP SPOTLIGHT: Western Province centre Ruhan Nel knows that his team will face a difficult task trying to contain the Sharks' danger men in the Currie Cup Final.

SUPER RUGBY NEWS: One of the most iconic sporting venues will provide a historic backdrop for three of the Waratahs' eight home matches in 2019.

BLEDISLOE CUP THREE: New Zealand's dominance is beginning to wear thin on Australian veteran Will Genia.

TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: Lionel Mapoe will join the Springbok training squad in Stellenbosch as injury cover for Lukhanyo Am.

DISCIPLINARY NEWS: Mercurial England flyhalf Danny Cipriani was handed a three-week ban.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The diminutive Kolbe was always going to be up against the odds to establish a test career – it is all too easy to write him off based on his small physical stature.

SARU has announced the dates and venues of seven Youth Weeks in 2019 and  the initial fixtures  at four of the weeks.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Queensland Reds are pleased to confirm their squad for the 2019 Super Rugby season.

CURRIE CUP SPOTLIGHT: Sharks assistant coach Nick Easter said quite a few lessons were learned after his team's last meeting with Western Province.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The British and Irish Lions appeared to be the biggest losers following Tuesday's announcement of a revamped English domestic season which confirmed the combined side face a shortened trip to South Africa in 2021.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The mystery surrounding the status of Springbok lock Franco Mostert deepened on Sunday.

NEWS: Wales coach Warren Gatland has returned to New Zealand following the death of his father, the Welsh Rugby Union announced Tuesday.

CURRIE CUP NEWS: Jaco Peyper will referee his fourth Currie Cup Final in seven seasons when Western Province host the Sharks at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Centre Wesley Fofana and forward Bernard Le Roux will miss France's upcoming November internationals through injury, with Yoann Huget and Felix Lambey called up as replacements.

CURRIE CUP SPOTLIGHT: Josh Stander was excellent in the No.10 jersey for Western Province in the league phase of the Currie Cup and he probably should have started in the semifinal against the Blue Bulls.

BLEDISLOE CUP THREE: Consistency is the new buzzword in the Australia camp, as they build up towards their encounter with New Zealand in the International Stadium, Yokohama, on Saturday.

NEWS: Wallabies and Waratahs star fullback Israel Folau has signed a new deal with the teams that will run through 2022, Fairfax media reported Wednesday.

Wales have called up an extra player as cover for Rhys Patchell for the November Internationals.

INJURY UPDATE: With Michael Willemse sidelined due to injury the Southern Kings were forced to announced a new captain for their Pro14 match against Scarlets on Friday, October 26.

NEWS: The Melbourne Rebels have finally confirmed the signing of Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper.

With Joe Schmidt’s Ireland contract set to run out at the end of the 2019 World Cup, there has been much speculation over his future.

The semi-finals began on Friday night with Tasman repelling Canterbury's advances with some stonewall defence.

UPDATE: Bath's controversial plea to have their European Champions Cup tie against Toulouse replayed has been rejected, officials announced Tuesday.

BLEDISLOE CUP SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand will be aiming to inflict a Bledisloe Cup whitewash on struggling Australia and lay down a marker for next year's World Cup when the fierce trans-Tasman rivals face off in Japan at the weekend.

UPDATE: Danny Cipriani is to face a disciplinary hearing in Paris on Wednesday after being sent off in Gloucester's European Champions Cup loss away to Munster last weekend.

INJURY UPDATE: Western Province lost another scrumhalf to injury ahead of their Currie Cup Final against the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday.

Jaco Peyper is not new to the final, as it is his fourth, but it is always a huge honour for anybody appointed to this match.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper has finally broken the silence following his exile from the Queensland Reds courtesy of Brad Thorn.

The November window is open for women as well as men in the North. Altogether 15 women's Tests will be played in that time.

CURRIE CUP REACTION: The Sharks nearly paid a heavy price for their second-half lapse during their 33-24 Currie Cup semifinal win against the Golden Lions at Kings Park on Saturday.

NEWS: A former England No.8 known for his try-scoring antics and an ‘oldschool’ physique has hung up his boots in his native New Zealand.

WATCH as Blue Bulls Currie Cup coach Pote Human attempts to clear up the confusion surrounding the appointment of a new Super Rugby mentor.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Jack Goodhue and Sonny Bill Williams midfield combination has been temporarily put on hold, with illness set to keep Goodhue out until the All Blacks play England next month.

The Scarlets, minus the internationals who link up with Wales, head to South Africa in readiness for Friday's clash, against Southern Kings, as the focus returns to the Pro14.

Former Wales captain and hooker Matthew Rees has opened up about the ill-fated appointment of former Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett at the Cardiff Blues in his new book, Matthew Rees: Reasons2Smile.

SQUAD NEWS: Aside from Springboks captain Adriaan Strauss and World Cup winners Andy Ellis and Ma’a Nonu, head coach Robbie Dean has included three current All Blacks in the World XV squad.

VIDEO: The Sharks' changing room is a very strange place.

CHAMPIONS CUP REACTION: Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann said he believes the game has lost 'empathy' in the wake of the sport's latest controversial red card decision.

CURRIE CUP REACTION: Defending champions Western Province are ready to 'raise the bar' one more time to go back-to-back.

REACTION: A case of too many blue shirts may have caused some red faces among European rugby chiefs following an extraordinary kit clash during Cardiff's Champions Cup match against Glasgow on Sunday.

REACTION: European rugby chiefs have said they will apologise to Cardiff and Glasgow over the extraordinary kit clash that marred Sunday's Champions Cup clash in the Welsh capital.

Former Munster and Irish utility back Simon Zebo has taken to Twitter to issue a public apology to fullback Michael Lowry after taunting him during the act of scoring a try in Racing’s 44-12 win over Ulster.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Four-time European Cup winners Toulouse dealt a setback to Leinster's Leinster's reign as Euro kings when the French side that came out on top with a 28-27 at Stade Ernest Wallon.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Glasgow Warriors bounced back from a defeat to Saracens last week to claim a bonus-point victory away to Cardiff Blues in their Pool Three encounter.

It is unheard of in the modern game. Spectators not being charged to attend a major domestic Final.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Wasps’ fought back from being 7-21 down at half-time to claim a 35-35 draw at the Ricoh Arena against Premiership rivals Bath.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Two-time champions Saracens comfortably beat Lyon 29-10 at Allianz Park to put themselves in the driving seat of Pool Three in the Champions Cup.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Edinburgh put in a blistering performance to defeat Toulon 40-14 at Murrayfield in a Champions Cup Pool Five.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: South Africa received a timely boost, ahead of the Springboks' year-end tour.

NEWS: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika has a new headache ahead of Australia's year-end tour - starting with the third Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Japan.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Castres Olympique pulled off a famous win at the Stade Pierre-Fabre, as they beat Exeter Chiefs 29-25 after playing almost half the match with 14 men.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Newcastle Falcons flank Callum Chick scored an 89th minute try as they defeated Montpellier 23-20 in a bruising Pool Five clash at Kingston Park.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: The 2017/18 Champions Cup finalists Racing 92 put on an attacking masterclass to defeat Ulster 44-12 in a Pool Four clash at the Paris La Defense Arena.