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SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: Three of us sat down with lots of information at our disposal and after a long time and much debate came up with the first Schools Top 20 of 2017.

PRO12 FRIDAY WRAP: Leinster took another step towards finishing on top spot come the end of this Pro12 campaign after getting the better of Glasgow Warriors in one of the most dramatic finales of the season at the RDS Arena.

NEWS: Australian international James O'Connor, who was suspended by Toulon after he was arrested and fined in a cocaine bust in Paris, will return to the team for Saturday's Top 14 match against Bordeaux.

NEWS: France great Thierry Dusautoir will make the final appearances of his glittering career for the Barbarians at the end of the current European season, the invitational club announced Friday.

CLASSIC CLASH: Treverton College captain Siboniso Ndlovu will hope to change the tide by avoiding a third consecutive defeat at the hands of Weston Agricultural College in their Classic Clash on Saturday in Mooi River.

CLASSIC CLASH: The experienced Marco Griebenauw will hope to secure back-to-back wins when he leads Augsburg Landbougimnasium against Hoër Landbouskool Jacobsdal in their third Classic Clash on Saturday.

TOP 14 PREVIEW: La Rochelle coach Patrice Collazo said his team will need to be on top form against Montpellier if they are to sew up first place in the French league regular season.

OCEANIA U20 WRAP: The host Australia proved too good as they recorded a 43-20 win against Samoa in the Oceania Rugby Under-20 tournament.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bristol could yet escape relegation from the English Premiership after the body that organises the second tier competition said neither Doncaster nor Ealing would be promoted if they secured the one place on offer.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A French player who went against the advice of surgeons to return to the sport after the Paris terrorist attacks of November 2015, has been forced to give up the sport because his "destroyed body" can no longer cope.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Nic Mayhew will don the number one jersey for Brumbies against his former side the Blues at the Gio Stadium on Sunday.

NEWS: One-Test All Black James Broadhurst announced his retirement from rugby, saying he had been unable to shake off the impacts of concussion.

NEWS: The Cheetahs have decided to release injury plagued Johannes 'Boom' Prinsloo of his contract to pursue new opportunities.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares head coach Raúl Pérez has made three changes to his starting XV for their clash against the Sharks in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders ran the Stormers ragged to produce an emphatic 57-14 win in Dunedin on Friday.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Can the minnows upset the pace setters? We have two games where this question will be answered.

The third Oceania Under-20 championship starts at Bond University in Robina, Gold Coast, on Friday, April 28.

This is just the third Classic Clash between Augsburg Landbougimnasium of Clanwilliam and Hoër Landbouskool Jacobsdal.

Mooi River in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is a beautiful town in a beautiful area, a restful place except when Treverton and Weston meet on a rugby field.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Melbourne Rebels have regained valuable experience ahead of Saturday's game against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.

GREY FESTIVAL, DAY ONE WRAP: Hosts Grey High were pushed all the way by an energetic Jeppe outfit in the final match of the day.

NEWS: Connacht centre Bundee Aki has been slapped with a three-match ban, following the abusive language he used against a referee.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Premiership Rugby goes into its penultimate round with many of the key issues unsettled and the identity of all four semifinalists and Champions Cup qualifiers still in the balance.

NEWS: At the organisation’s historic 125th Annual general Meeting held in Wellington, Tew said the organisation was in solid financial health despite its huge loss.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All eyes return to the Pro12 Championship with four teams still fighting to join Leinster and Munster in the semifinals. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids made just one change to his starting XV for their first home game after their successful Australian tour.

Tauriq Ebrahim and Jan de Koning look at an alternative option for the Cheetahs, should they be kicked out of Super Rugby. There is also Jan de Koning's predictions for the weekend.

CLASSIC CLASH: In a fairly new rivalry, Landboudal will hope to emulate their 2015 Classic Clash victory against Augsburg when the two Agricultural schools meet in their third Classic Clash on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Zealand Under-20 have named a strong side for their first Test of the U20 Oceania Tournament on the Gold Coast on Friday.

NEWS: Wales lock Ian Evans has had to retire because of a knee injury, his English Premiership side Bristol announced on Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith has included a few big names in his team for their clash against the Crusaders on Saturday.

CLASSIC CLASH: Weston Agricultural College captain Luke Gillitt will be looking to secure a third consecutive Classic Clash victory against Treverton College when they lock horns in Mooi River.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Australia Under-20s side to play Samoa on Friday in the opening round of the Oceania Rugby U20s Championship has been named with Reece Hewat given the captaincy duties for Australia.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have made seven changes to their starting team for their clash against the Chiefs.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has made a number of changes to his starting XV for their clash against the Western Force in Perth.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: As we head into the second half of the season, there is substantially less room for errors (read defeats).

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks side named to take on the Jaguares in their Super Rugby clash in Buenos Aires on Saturday shows a number of changes with planned player rotation very much at the forefront of selection.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named an unchanged forward pack from the starting XV that beat the Stormers in Christchurch last weekend for their clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

RESULTS: rugby365, in partnership with School Sport Live, bring you LIVE coverage of Day One of the Grey High School Festival.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have made a number of injury-forced changes to their side that take on the Lions on Saturday in Perth.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Nick Phipps has returned to the Waratahs' starting line-up for their clash against the Reds in Sydney on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Reds head coach Nick Stiles has made minimal changes to the matchday 23 which defeated the Southern Kings two weeks ago, for their clash against the Waratahs.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Black enforcer Jerome Kaino is in doubt for the British and Irish Lions tour after his Blues team revealed Thursday he is undergoing surgery on an injured knee.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie has named a strong, regenerated line-up to take on Japan’s sole Super Rugby side, the Sunwolves. 

NEWS: Worcester Warriors have recruited Omar Mouneimne as a defence and kicking strategy coach.

NEWS: La Rochelle's Fijian lock Jone Qovu was banned for two weeks for "striking" Gloucester's Richard Hibbard.

NEWS: Wales will tackle world champions New Zealand and play Georgia for the first time as part of their end-of-year Test schedule.

REACTION: The Cheetahs have been linked to at least two European competitions, but they are clinging to a Super Rugby lifeline.

REPORT: Rhodesfield Technical High School in Kempton Park claimed the inaugural JJ Yamwimbi Challenge Shield trophy on Saturday.

NEWS: Rugby will return to Soweto's Orlando Stadium and debut at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in June.

REPORT: The Junior Springboks put together a devastating second-half display to see off the Varsity Cup Dream Team 50-19, after holding a narrow 21-19 lead at the break.

NEWS: La Rochelle's Fijian lock Jone Qovu has been cited for allegedly striking Gloucester hooker Richard Hibbard in last Saturday's European Challenge Cup semifinal.

NEWS: Taranaki and Maori lock Leighton Price has joined the Blues for the rest of the Super Rugby season.

SUPER RUGBY TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Highlanders will be without two key forwards when they take on the Stormers in Dunedin on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTL Springbok Eben Etzebeth will play his 50th Super Rugby game for the Stormers when they face the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.

The PRO 12, England's Premiership, France's Top 14 and Pro D2 are in the last of their league rounds. One more round and then it's knock-out rugby.

NEWS: Worcester Warriors announced that Gary Gold will become the club's permanent Director of Rugby after signing a new contract to remain at Sixways until the end of the European season 2018.

NEWS: England prop Ellis Genge signed a new contract with English Premiership club Leicester on Tuesday.

Over the long weekend of Freedom Day and Workers' Day, there is a rugby tournament for schools in Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world.

NEWS: The versatile back row Sion Bennett will remain at Cardiff Blues after agreeing a long-term deal with the region.

NEWS: Ireland and Leinster legend Mike Ross confirmed that he will retire at the end of the season.

RANKINGS SHAKE-UP: This is just our second Top 20 of 2017 and it has been hit by a quake of high register.

INJURY UPDATE: Clermont's France international scrumhalf Morgan Parra could miss next month's European Cup Final against Saracens with a thigh injury, the French Top 14 club said Tuesday.

SUPER RUGBY REVAMP: Brumbies boss Michael Thomson has shut down any rumours of a Melbourne Rebels-Brumbies merger.

INJURY UPDATE: The Sunwolves have lost another player to injury while on tour in New Zealand.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Highlanders assistant coach Mark Hammett is wary of the Stormers' attacking threat ahead of their clash in Dunedin on Friday.

NEWS: The Chiefs will be resting star scrumhalf Tewera Kerr-Barlow for their upcoming clash against the Sunwolves on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former Wales captain Paul Thorburn has blasted leading Rugby Union officials for presiding over an excessively dangerous "monster" that is the modern game.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard underwent surgery on Monday, following a training ground mishap last week.

FESTIVAL TIME: Wynberg High will again be holding its festival of 65 matches at the school beneath the mountain.

This weekend it's the Wildeklawer Tournament, that which is regarded as the highest profile of all tournaments, a defining tournament.

Grey High School of Port Elizabeth is holding a festival over the long weekend, one of three festivals making use of the Freedom Day break.

Die afgelope Saterdag was die NWU Pukke Vaal reeks se finale gewees by Hoërskool Dr Malan in Meyerton. Secunda dra nou die kroon.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has named a 25-man touring squad, who will depart for Argentina on Tuesday ahead of their return fixture against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: They may be in a hotly-contested race for a possible wild-card slot in the play-offs, but the Sharks are not the Jaguares' top priority.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Our Super Rugby Team of the Week for Round Nine is dominated by some of New Zealand's best players at the moment.

NEWS: Harlequins scrumhalf Karl Dickson has announced that he will retire from rugby at the end of the current season.

INJURY UPDATE: Following their historic 26-24 victory over 2014 Super Rugby champions the Waratahs, the Southern Kings returned home with no new injuries. 

SPOTLIGHT: This is the first week proper of the 2017 schools rugby season, and we have the results of more teams than just the 1st XVs.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Shaun Treeby returns 'home' this week and will play a key role for the Stormers against his former team, the Highlanders.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Newly-capped Springbok Sevens star Zain Davids has been named captain of the Junior Springbok side to take on the Varsity Cup Dream Team on Tuesday.

St Stithians is delighted with the success of the Saints Sports Festival hosted over two weekends.

REPORT: The Graeme College 1st XV returned from the Easter festival after a number of good performances in Johannesburg to meet old friends Gill College.

The Graeme College 1st XV returned from the Easter festival after a number of good performances in Johannesburg to meet old firends Gill College.  

The Graeme College 1st XV returned from the Easter festival after a number of good performances in Johannesburg to meet old firends Gill College.  

NEWS: Worcester Warriors announced that British & Irish Lion Donncha O’Callaghan has signed a new deal with the club.

UPDATE: Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen has been suspended for six weeks for dangerous play during his team's 9-all with the Melbourne Rebels.

SCHOOLS REPORT: A lovely winter’s day awaited both teams as anticipation grew ahead of the 1st XV match.

SUPER RUGBY NEWS: Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper labelled his duel with Waratahs flyhalf Bernard Foley as 'healthy rivalry' ahead of their Super Rugby match in Round 10.

REACTION: The Waratahs will be in search of a morale-boosting win when they take on arch-rivals the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

REACTION: Title-holders Saracens headed to Barcelona the morning after reaching the European Champions Cup Final in a bid to further strengthen their team spirit as they go in search of another 'double'.

NEWS: Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen will appear before a SANZAAR Judicial Hearing on Monday for dangerous play during his team's 9-all draw with the Melbourne Rebels.

UPDATE: Rookie Chiefs scrumhalf Finlay Christie was suspended for three weeks on Monday after pleading guilty to stamping on an opponent's head.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Cheetahs' struggles with the mental demands of the imposing reduction in Super Rugby teams continues to play a massive role in their inability to finish off games.

CHALLENGE CUP REPORT: George Ford missed a last-gasp penalty for Bath as Stade Francais won 28-25 on Sunday to reach the European Challenge Cup Final.

REPORT: The South African College High School (SACS) won an exciting encounter against visitors Boland Landbou on an extremely hot day in the Western Cape.

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: The boots of Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez has put Clermont into the Champions Cup Final after overcoming a plucky Leinster 27-22 in a pulsating semi-final.

SUPER RUGBY INJURY REPORT: The Stormers have been forced to place an emergency phone call to Cape Town to send in reinforcements after two players suffered injuries in their 24-57 defeat to the Crusaders.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Sharks coach Robert du Preez pulled no punches following his side's dour 9-9 draw with the Rebels and went as far as saying his side should "refund the public."

SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: It is the usual mixture of big scores, close encounters, surprises and at least, one thriller.

SUPER RUGBY NEWS: The Chiefs' Finley Christie has been cited for contravening Law 10.4(b) Stamping/Trampling on an opponent during their match against the Force.

SUPER RUGBY NEWS: There will be no further sanction on Rebels scrumhalf Nic Stirzaker after he received two yellow cards - and a subsequent red card - against the Sharks on Saturday.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP: Gloucester flyhalf Billy Burns scored all of his team's points as the English side defeated French Top 14 league leaders La Rochelle 16-14 to reach the European Challenge Cup final on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Bulls coach Nollis Marais has laid down a challenge to his New Zealand opponents when they make the trek to Loftus Versfeld in Round 11 of the competition.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Johan Ackermann believes his side were brought down to earth by the Jaguares after they were forced to fight back to bag a "Test match" victory.

SUPER RUGY REACTION: A first half Crusaders blitzkrieg, which led to a 36-3 half-time lead, was more than enough to put the result to bed despite a much-improved second-half performance by the Stormers.

CHAMPIONS CUP REACTION: Owen Farrell insisted Saracens could be "more clinical" after the title-holders beat Munster 26-10 in a commanding European Champions Cup semi-final win in Dublin on Saturday.

REPORT: The ending to the evenly balanced match between Paul Roos and Paarl Gim, the two top-ranked sides in the country, was agonising.

TOP 14 REPORT: Montpellier ran in eight tries to move second in the French Top 14 with a humiliating 54-3 defeat of reigning champions Racing 92 on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Bulls flyhalf Tian Schoeman has agreed to join the French side, Bordeaux Begles when his contract ends in October.

INJURY UPDATE: All Black flank Elliot Dixon could miss the Highlanders' Super Rugby match against Stormers due to a knee infection.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The highflying Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has named a strong 28-man squad that will tour South Africa.

EUROPEAN CUP SEMIFINAL: Fans could be in for a festival of attacking rugby in Sunday's second European Champions Cup semifinal between Clermont and Leinster, the French team's head coach Franck Azema said on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks and Rebels played to a 9-all draw in what must rank as the most dour match of the season.

SCHOOL REPORT: Kearsney College secured a narrow 13-10 hard-fought win against a resilient Hilton College. 

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: Jessie Kriel scored a try in the 73rd minute to gift the Bulls a fortuitous 20-14 win over the hapless Cheetahs in Pretoria on Saturday.

EUROPEAN CUP REPORT: Saracens will defend their title in the Final of the European Cup, after an emphatic 26-10 win over Munster in Dublin on Saturday.

RESULTS: Dale College suffered a narrow 24-25 defeat at the hands of the old rivals and host Queen's College

RESULTS: Paarl Boys' High school cruised to comfortable 45-16 victory against Hoërskool Outeniqua on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions have lost the service of loose forward Jaco Kriel for the next few weeks.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Chiefs were made to work harder than they wanted to for a 16-7 win over the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders eased past the Stormers, winning 57-24 in a sublime display of skill - to reclaim top spot on the standings.

EUROPEAN CUP SEMIFINAL: Clermont hope to bury the misery of two European Cup final defeats in the last four years by downing three-time champions Leinster on Sunday and reach another title match.

EUROPEAN CUP SEMIFINAL: Munster return to Dublin's Lansdowne Road for the first time since the death of Anthony Foley determined to again honour their late coach in a European Champions Cup semifinal against title-holders Saracens.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: It was far from perfect, but the Highlanders got a full-house five points from their 40-15 win over the Sunwolves on Saturday.

CHAMPIONS CUP SPOTLIGHT: Saracens supremo Mark McCall believes Munster's Duncan Williams is more than capable of making up for the absence of star scrumhalf Conor Murray when they meet in a Champions Cup semi-final in Dublin on Saturday.

SIX NATIONS NEWS: Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie insisted the governing body remained in favour of plans to reduce the duration of the Six Nations from seven to six weeks, despite opposition from leading players.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A determined Lions fought their way back in the final 10 minutes to overturn a 14-21 deficit to edge the Jaguares 24-21 at Ellis Park.

NEWS: NMMU-Madibaz captain Kevin Kaba said he was looking forward to running out alongside players who, until now, have been his opponents when he fills the No.8 jersey for the Varsity Cup Dream Team.

NEWS: A successful transition from wing to inside centre resulted in such a stellar season for University of Johannesburg's Aphiwe Dyantyi that he earned selection for the Varsity Cup Dream Team.

NEWS: The semi-finals of the European Champions Cup will be played in front of sell-out crowds in Dublin and Lyon this weekend, with over 90,000 fans set to attend the two high-profile matches.

CHAMPIONS CUP SPOTLIGHT: Saracens boss Mark McCall believes the Grand Slam heartache several of his side suffered playing for England in Dublin, will benefit the London team come Saturday's European Champions Cup semi-final in the Irish capital.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are determined to make history when they face the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.

INJURY UPDATE: Ireland scumhalf Conor Murray's bid to secure his British and Irish Lions place suffered a setback Friday when he was ruled out of Munster's European Champions Cup semifinal against title-holders Saracens this weekend.

NEWS: Harlequins second year Academy Member Archie White has re-signed, and Gloucester Academy prop, Josh McNulty will join the club from the 2017/18 season.

Three schools dominate schools rugby in Durban and two meet this Saturday.

The Premier Interschools match between Paul Roos and Paarl Gim is indeed a top schools match.

SUPER RUGBY REVAMP: Despite the constant news of a possible Super rugby oblivion in 2018, the defiant Western Force is adamant that they will remain in the competition until 2020.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Southern Kings won their first match on their Australian tour, when they beat the Waratahs 26-24 in Sydney on Friday.

UPDATE: All Black Ali Williams was fined by the French league's disciplinary commission on Thursday over his cocaine arrest with Australian star James O'Connor.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Rebels head coach Tony McGahan has made five changes in the forwards for their Super Rugby match against the Sharks in South Africa on Saturday.

CHAMPIONS CUP SEMIFINAL: Leinster may have been through a rebuilding phase this season but the way they defeated Wasps in the quarterfinals has given the Irish province confidence ahead of their Champions Cup semifinal away to French giants Clermont. 

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes produced a second half of epic proportions to beat the Brumbies 56-21 in Napier on Friday.

CHAMPIONS CUP SEMIFINAL: British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland will be an especially interested observer when title-holders Saracens take on Munster in a European Champions Cup semifinal in Dublin on Saturday.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Closing out games has become a popular catchphrase for coaches.

It's Queen's College's 159th Reunion Day and it is such a good day to enjoy with their old friends/rivals Dale College from down the road in King.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The 2017 Easter Weekend at Krugersdorp High School has definitely been one of the most successful sporting weekends that the school has ever showcased.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at an incident which surprised some people and had spectators howling in derision.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard is set to be out for two months with an ankle injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The National Provincial Challenge opens up with a couple of mouth-watering clashes across South Africa on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Cheetahs feel they have too much to offer South African rugby to be axed from Super Rugby.

REACTION: Eddie Jones said he had no doubts over Denny Solomona's commitment to England after including the former Samoa Rugby League international in his squad for June's tour of Argentina.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert Du Preez has named a 23-man squad for their Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday at Kings Park.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: rugby365 law guru Paul Dobson looks at what happens when there are too many players on the field and when there is interference in in-goal.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions' star centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg is set to miss the rest of the Super Rugby league phase because of a knee injury.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok Uzair Cassiem has been named in the Cheetahs' matchday 23-man squad that will take on the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jacobie Adriaanse will start at tighthead prop for the Bulls for the first time on Saturday when his team face the Cheetahs in a crucial Super Rugby clash in Pretoria.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Jaguares head coach Raul Perez has reshuffled his backline for their clash against the Lions at Ellis Park on Friday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Blues flyhalf Piers Francis has been included in England's 31-man squad for their tour of Argentina in June.

Tauriq Ebrahim takes the lead as he discusses with Jan de Koning a case where sanity finally prevailed. However, they doubt the refereeing and disciplinary inconsistencies will ever be addressed.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves head coach Filo Taitia has named South African Willem Britz to start against the Highlanders on Saturday at Rugby Park Stadium.  

REACTION: British and Irish Lions fans will hope the 'Saracens Six' can match the achievement of London Welsh's 'Magnificent Seven' by helping the combined side win a Test series in New Zealand.  

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have made a host of changes to their matchday 23 to face the Chiefs at nib Stadium on Saturday from the side that beat the Kings in Round Seven.

REACTION: British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland is "clutching at straws" by using Ireland's upset win over the All Blacks as motivation, his opposite number Steve Hansen said Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie has made four changes to his XV for their clash against the Western Force. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Eben Etzebeth will captain the Stormers in their Super Rugby clash with the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson has made seven changes to the starting line-up that played the Sunwolves last weekend for their clash against the Stormers.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: We have reached the halfway stage of the season and with every passing week the race for play-off places are going to get more intriguing.

REACTION: Choir practice and film nights will form part of the British and Irish Lions preparations for their Test series against the All Blacks.

REACTION: Sam Warburton has never savoured victory over New Zealand, but says he is relishing scaling the "pinnacle of my career".

NEWS: New Zealand's most capped lock Samuel Whitelock, who is also the Crusaders captain, has extended his contract through to 2020.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Lions will field an entirely new front row when they take on the Jaguares in a Super Rugby Round Nine match at Ellis Park on Friday.

REACTION: British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland insists every member of his newly-named 2017 squad will be given a chance to challenge for Test selection against the All Blacks.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Sharks lock Etienne Oosthuizen was not surprised by the Melbourne Rebels' 19-17 win against the Brumbies last weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids has made four changes and one positional switch to hise team lost to Reds last weekend for their clash against the Waratahs.

NEWS: Toulouse skipper and former France captain Thierry Dusautoir is retiring at the end of the season, the influential star announced on Wednesday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph is backing his new-look side for this year's Asian rugby championship, a lopsided local scrap unlikely to offer many clues in their build-up to the 2019 World Cup.

BREAKING NEWS: South African-born Christiaan Stander has been named in the British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand.

INJURY UPDATE: The Sunwolves will be without lock Liaki Moli for the rest of their New Zealand tour.  

NEWS: A SANZAAR judicial hearing has found Lions star Jaco Kriel 'not guilty' of foul play during his team's 29-16 win over the Stormers at Newlands last weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Rob Horne will wear the No.13 jersey when the Waratahs take on the Southern Kings in Sydney on Friday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Tony Brown has named a strong side to take on the Sunwolves in Invercargill on Saturday. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Loose forward Brad Shields will lead the Hurricanes for the first time after being named captain for Friday's Super Rugby match against the Brumbies at McLean Park in Napier.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham has made two changes to the starting team that will face Super Rugby Champions the Hurricanes at Mclean Park in Napier on Friday. 

NEWS: Springbok and Sharks prop Lourens Adriaanse has signed a three-year contract with French club Pau.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: England could provide the bulk of the British and Irish Lions squad and its most notable absentee when coach Warren Gatland unveils his tour party for the Test series against his native New Zealand.

NEWS: The owner of French club Montpellier said Tuesday he was withdrawing from plans to invest in Premiership side Gloucester after English officials voted to restrict his stake to 20 percent.

There is excitement in Europe - semis in the EPCR and six finals in Scotland, the British and Irish Cup final in Ireland where Munster A play Jersey and finals in Ireland.

PREVIEW: Castres and Stade Francais have spent the last few days trying to manage an unusual problem in rugby -- playing a midweek match.

NEWS: Fiji wing Timoci Nagusa has signed a two-year contract extension with Montpellier, the French Top 14 outfit said on Tuesday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Junior Springboks resumed their preparations for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship after a well-deserved break, with the training squad gathering in Stellenbosch for their third training camp on Tuesday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Australia head coach Simon Cron has selected a squad of 29 that will face Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand with one eye on the World Rugby U20s Championship in Georgia this June.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Former South African Under-19 coach Eugene Eloff stole the headlines when he left for North America last year.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brumbies captain Scott Fardy is not surprised with SANZAAR's handling in the decision to trim down the Super Rugby competition.

NEWS: Harlequins and New Zealand flyhalf Nick Evans is to retire from Rugby Union at the end of the Northern Hemisphere season, the English Premiership club announced on Tuesday.  

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will be facing the tournament's best forward pack in Christchurch, according to the Cape side's assistant coach Paul Feeney.

OPINION: Jan de Koning looks into an incident that has cast a pall over the Lions' impressive win over the Stormers at the weekend.

INTERVIEW: World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry blasted the British and Irish Lions' "suicidal" New Zealand tour schedule Tuesday, saying their confidence could be shot before they even face the All Blacks.

INJURY UPDATE: All Blacks and Highlanders wing Waisake Naholo is set to make his Super Rugby return against the Sunwolves in Invercargill on Saturday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks apprentice Jordie Barrett will be unavailable for the New Zealand Under-20 side for the upcoming Oceania U20 tournament due to Super Rugby commitments.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Months of speculation will come to an end on Wednesday when coach Warren Gatland names his squad for the British and Irish Lions tour of his native New Zealand.

INJURY UPDATE: Leinster's 37-24 Pro12 win over Connacht in Galway at the weekend came at a price.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls have come through unscathed from their 26-13 win over the Jaguares at the weekend.

REACTION: English Premiership outfit Sale Sharks have dismissed persistent rumours that linked discarded Springbok scrumhalf Francois de Klerk to the club.

WRAP: Easter Monday was the third and final day of the highly successful St John's Easter Festival final.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Lions came, they saw and they conquered. They also made enough of an impression to dominate rugby365's famous weekly selection.

WRAP: A highly successful 10th Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival wrapped up with the announcement of four players who each received bursaries to the Sharks Academy.

VARSITY CUP SPOTLIGHT: UWC scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies has been rewarded for his brilliant performances with a call-up to the 2017 Varsity Cup Dream Team that will play a friendly match against the Junior Springboks in Stellenbosch on April 25.

VARSITY CUP FINAL REPORT: UP-Tuks dominated the set-pieces from the outset to bag a 28-21 victory over Maties and claim their first Varsity Cup title since 2013.

At the end of the 2017 Kearsney Easter Festival, the Sharks awarded bursaries for four of the players to attend their academy.

MATCH REPORT: In the final game of the 2017 Kearsney Easter Festival, Kearsney beat Queen's 24-13.

Monument of Krugersdorp kept their unbeaten record but Selborne of East London lost theirs when Monnas won 19-12.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions' Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg may face a lengthy injury lay-off.

Easter Monday saw again some brilliant schoolboy rugby, it also saw the end of the big Easter rugby Festivals.

RESULTS: The Saints Festival ended on Monday 17 April 2017.

MATCH REPORT: Glenwood beat Noord-Kaap of Kimberley 25-20 in a thrilling match, thanks to a better boot.

MATCH REPORT: On the third day of the Kearsney Easter Festival, Dale came from behind for a thrilling 22-21 victory over HTS Middelburg.

SUPER RUGBY REVAMP: A group of heavyweight rugby identities and millionaire businessmen are plotting to save the Western Force from Super Rugby oblivion.

NEWS: Australia international back Drew Mitchell announced his retirement from the game on Twitter on Monday.

MATCH REPORT: Framesby won their first match at the festival when they beat Dr EG Jansen 29-21, which also meant that the Boksburg side has gone winless.

REACTION: Trevor Nyakane may not be everybody's cup of tea as a tighthead prop, but he is a valuable asset to the Bulls.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: There will be no early plea for Lions flank Jaco Kriel and he will appear in front of a formal SANZAAR judicial hearing.

RESULTS: Drostdy of Worcester ended the Kearsney Easter Festival unbeaten when they beat Pretoria Boys High 29-5.

On Easter Monday Jaco Pretorius will referee the final of the Varsity Cup.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Rebels have been boosted ahead of their two-match tour of South Africa.

RESULTS, DAY THREE: rugby365 has linked up with School Sport Live to bring you live streaming of Day Three of the 10th edition of the Kearsney Easter Festival.

RESULTS, DAY THREE: rugby365 has once again linked up with School Sport Live to bring you live streaming of Day Three of the 22nd edition of the St John's Easter Festival.

REACTION: The victorious Lions will be sweating over the fitness of a couple of key players ahead of their crunch encounter with the Jaguares.

ROUND NINE DRAW: The Pool draw for the Paris Sevens has taken place with Canada top seeds after winning the eighth round of the series in Singapore.

TOP 14 WRAO: French champions Racing 92 held on with just 13 players for a crucial 10-8 victory at Toulouse on Sunday that put them in the driving seat for a play-off spot.

The final day of the 10th Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival is set for further thrilling games with four schools going unbeaten into the final day.

PREMIERSHIP WRAP:  Saracens sent a huge statement of intent out to their Premiership rivals as an almighty comeback saw Mark McCall’s men edge out Northampton Saints 27-25.

TEAM ANNOUNVEMENT: Fiery loose forward Cobus Wiese has recovered from injury and will join the Stormers on their three-match tour of New Zealand.

VARSITY CUP FINAL: The 10th edition of the prestigious Varsity Cup tournament will come to a thrilling conclusion on Monday night when UP-Tuks host Maties in Pretoria.

FINALS WRAP: In a weekend of upsets Canada won their first-ever Cup title, a 26-19 win over the United States on Sunday.

NEWS: Melbourne Rebels lock Lopeti Timani has been suspended for four matches for kicking an opponent.

REACTION: The Stormers are looking to pick up the pieces as they head out on a three-match New Zealand tour on Sunday.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: It has proven to be a day of big upsets, as Canada and the United States advanced to a first all-North American Final.

NEWS: Lopeti Timani of the Rebels has been cited for foul play during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.

NEWS: Lions star Jaco Kriel has been cited for alleged foul play during his team's 29-16 Super Rugby win ober the Stormers at the weekend.

WORLD SERIES: For the first time this season South Africa will not be playing in the Cup semifinals of a World Series tournament.

TOP 14 WRAP: La Rochelle's hopes of wrapping up a French Top 14 semifinal spot suffered a setback Saturday when Lyon clinched a 29-25 victory, ending the league leaders' five-month undefeated run.

PRO12 WRAP: Dave O’Callaghan’s decisive try handed Munster a 22-20 dramatic victory over Irish rivals Ulster and booked their place in the PRO12 play-offs with two games remaining.

SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: Many of the results this weekend are from the various Easter Festivals, which wrap up on Monday, April 17.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Ben Youngs inspired Leicester Tigers to a dominant bonus-point 30-3 victory over Newcastle Falcons at Welford Road.

We have made an attempt to present Holy Saturday's results of matches at the five Easter Festivals.

There were six matches on Day 2 of the St John's Easter Rugby Festival. Three were close encounters, three big winners.

The Saints Festival activities continued on Saturday 15 April 2017.

Monument had what looks like an easy win over HTS Middelburg on Day 2 of the Kearsney Easter Festival. They won 35-8.

With only seconds left in the match, Drostdy scored to beat Dale by a single point, 26-25 at the Kearsney Easter Festival.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Bulls secured their second Super Rugby victory after a hard-fought 26-13 win against the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers' winning streak came to an abrupt end as they went down 16-29 to the  Lions at Newlands on Saturday.

Glenwood enjoyed a satisfactory victory over Dr EG Jansen of Boksburg, winning 24-19.

ROUND THREE WRAP: England continued their good run against the Blitzboks with a 17-12 victory which saw them topple climb above the Series leaders to top Pool B.

Having beat Dr EG Jansen 46-19 Selborne College of East London were even better against Pretoira Boys High, winning 58-5.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A clinical second-half performance by the Chiefs ensured them a 41-27 win against a resilient Cheetahs side in Bloemfontein.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: New Zealand's World Player of the Year Beauden Barrett is expecting the British and Irish Lions Test Series to be a grinding defensive and tactical battle. 

It was crisp but clear after heavy rains on Holy Saturday as Noord-Kaap of Kimberley beat Queen's College 31-14 in the day's first match.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The massive kicking boot of Reece Hodge came good for the Rebels as they claimed a mighty 19-17 victory over the Brumbies on Saturday.

ROUND TWO WRAP: The Blitzboks remained unbeaten in Pool B following a hard-earned 10-7 over France in the second round of action at the Singapore Sevens.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A Mark Abbott brace, including a 74th-minute converted try, handed the Hurricanes a narrow 28-24 victory over the Blues on Saturday.

DAY ONE RESULTS: rugby365 has once again linked up with School Sport Live to bring you live streaming of Day Two of the 22nd edition of the St John's Easter Festival.

LIVE STREAMING: rugby365 has linked up with School Sport Live to bring you live streaming of Day Two of the 10th edition of the Kearsney Easter Festival.

ROUND ONE WRAP: The usual suspects were once again victorious in the opening round of action at the Singapore Sevens, with just one result sending a shock wave through the competition.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: A masterclass by flyhalf Quade Cooper in the second half allowed the Reds to score a total of seven tries to claim a 47-34 victory over the Kings in Queensland.

PRO12 REPORT: A free-scoring Glasgow Warriors put pay to Zebre's attempts for a third successive Pro12 win as Gregor Townsend's men outscored the Italians by seven tries to two for a 45-10 win.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Exeter Chiefs became just the second side in Premiership history to take a perfect 30 points from six matches after coming from behind to beat Harlequins at the Stoop.

Nigel Owens is the most experienced referee in the Pro 12 competition.

The first day of the 2017 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival produced some cracking encounters and dramatic results, reflecting a healthy state of rugby at schoolboy level.

On Thursday 13 April 2017 thousands of players and supporters visited St Stithians for a busy day of Saints Festival fixtures.

TOP 14, WEEK 24: Already assured of a play-off spot, La Rochelle can sew up a bye straight into the French Top 14 semifinals against Lyon this weekend.

European Professional Club Rugby has appointed referees to its four semifinals.

SUPER RUGBY DERBY DAY: The Stormers readily admit they have a 'score to settle' when they host the Lions at Newlands on Saturday. Jan de Koning reports.

SUPER RUGBY REVAMP: The Melbourne Rebels finally voiced their disappointment against the Australian Rugby Union, following the decision to axe one of the Australian Super Rugby teams from the competition.

UPDATE: Grenoble have suspended three players -Ireland's Denis Coulson, Rory Grice of New Zealand and France's Loick Jammes - accused of gang rape, the French Top 14 side announced on Thursday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Black Ali Williams and Australian star James O'Connor, who were both arrested in a cocaine bust in the centre of Paris, will discover their French league disciplinary fate on April 19, officials said Thursday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Nicolás Sánchez will take a spot on the bench as the Jaguares head coach Paul Perez made five modification to the side that will take on the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Crusaders put eight tries past the hapless Sunwolves to beat the men from Japan 50-3 in a wet Christchurch on Good Friday.

WORLD SERIES ROUND EIGHT: South Africa realise the importance of a strong start in the Singapore leg of the Sevens World Series.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: It is not a derby day in the true sense, but Saturday do have two very intriguing domestic encounters.

DAY ONE RESULTS WRAP: We have made an attempt to present Thursday's match results at the five Easter Festivals.

EASTER FESTIVAL: The 22nd St John’s College Easter Rugby Festival kicked off with Helpmekaar beating a game St John’s Harare team by 65-7.

The final match on the first day of Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival was the closest contest of the day as HTS Middelburg beat Hoërskool Noord-Kaap 21-19.

In the wet in the last match of the first day of the Kearsney Festival, Glenwood beat Framesby 21-10.

Monument's big pack of forward dominated the early stages of the fourth game, Dale came back and then Monnas made it look easier than it was at 33-16.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: A mere five points separate the sides from fourth to seventh in the table and we start the weekend with a cracker at the Twickenham Stoop, second-placed Exeter Chiefs travelling to Harlequins.

VARSITY CUP SPOTLIGHT: Some coaches, whose teams failed to reach the Varsity Cup Final, gave their prediction as to who is more likely to walk away with the coveted Varsity Cup trophy. Leezil Hendricks reports.

Queen’s College held on despite giving away penalties that kept newcomers Pretoria Boys High in the game, until the final minute.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The fifth 'Big Weekend' will be packed with action and tribal rivalries as the Pro12 enters the final laps of the season. 

REACTION: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) compared the vitriol surrounding Sonny Bill Williams' religious objections to wearing a banking logo with homophobia on Thursday, urging fans to respect the All Black star's beliefs.

KEARSNEY FESTIVAL: Selborne played enterprising rugby and were fast to capitalise on mistakes and winning 46-19.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck has made four changes to his starting team for their clash against the Lions at Newlands.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Fullback Andries Coetzee has been cleared to face the Stormers in a crucial Super Rugby clash in Cape Town on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has made several changes to his team as they gear up to take on the Chiefs on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane is fully recovered from the concussion he sustained in his side's game against the Bulls two weeks ago and will start at openside flank against the Cheetahs on Saturday.

Drostdy of Worcester start Kearsney Festival with a 45-17 win over the hosts.

NEWS: Zain Davids and Stedman Gans have been included in a 35-man South African Uneer-20 training squad.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Handré Pollard and Jesse Kriel are back in the Bulls' starting XV for their clash against the Jaguares at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: All Blacks Sevens were forced to change four following a spat of injuries at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament last week.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Australian Sevens team has been named for the Singapore Sevens, with only one change to the squad that finished third in Hong Kong last weekend.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Melbourne Rebels have made three change to the starting line-up for their second Australian derby of the season against the Brumbies at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Saturday.  

DAY ONE RESULTS: rugby365 has once again linked up with School Sport Live to bring you LIVE STREAMING of the Easter Festivals.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Now that the cat is out the bag, the South African and Australian conferences are going to get a lot more interesting.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Brumbies have made three changes to the starting XV that defeated the Reds at GIO Stadium last week as they prepare for the challenge of the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Southern Kings suffered a blow with the loss of fullback Malcolm Jaer ahead of their Super Rugby match against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Super Rugby's leading try-scorer Vince Aso and the Savea brothers Ardie and Julian will return to the Hurricanes starting side for Saturday's Super Rugby match against the Blues at Eden Park.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Reds head coach Nick Stiles has made six changes to his starting side for their match against the Southern Kings, headlined by the return of key players Quade Cooper and Karmichael Hunt.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues have named a virtually unchanged side for their clash against the current Super Rugby champions, the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Saturday.

NEWS: England back row forward Jack Clifford has been ruled out of June's two-Test tour of Argentina through injury.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: An upbeat Dan Carter said he has put all this season's distractions behind him.

NEWS: All Black Ali Williams and Australian international James O'Connor were quizzed by a French rugby disciplinary committee on Wednesday following their arrests and fines for cocaine.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The great Super Rugby cull has been choking up the Cheetahs all season.

It is the great feast of Easter, a time of contemplation and celebration for much of the world's people. There is also rugby in many parts of Christendom

NEWS: Head coach Vern Cotter has named the first group of players selected by the Barbarians for the match against England.

INTERVIEW: Springbok Sevens forward Chris Dry may be closing in on the all-time South African appearance record, but he still feels energetic and young with the Singapore Sevens looming.

INTERVIEW: Springbok Sevens forward Chris Dry may be closing in on the all-time South African appearance record, but he still feels energetic and young with the Singapore Sevens looming.

NEWS: Star Japan fullback Ayumu Goromaru will leave Toulon at the end of the season, the French Top 14 side's outspoken President said on Wednesday, adding: "We don't want him either."

INJURY UPDATE: The embattled Bulls suffered yet another setback ahead of their Super Rugby Round Eight encounter with the Jaguares.

UPDATE: Three Grenoble players - Ireland's Denis Coulson, Rory Grice of New Zealand and France's Loick Jammes - have been charged with gang rape, prosecutors in Bordeaux announced on Wednesday.

SUPER RUGBY BUILD-UP: The Lions head to Newlands on Saturday to take on the table-topping Stormers with the 'underdog' tag firmly around their necks.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sunwolves head coach Filo Tiatia has made eight changes to his starting XV that beat the Bulls for their clash against the Crusaders on Friday.

SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: It is for many the most solemn weekend of the year while for some it is also a great rugby opportunity.

DAY ONE RESULTS: rugby365 has once again linked up with School Sport Live to bring you LIVE STREAMING of the 22nd edition of the  St John's Easter Festival.

UPDATE: New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Blues have accommodated Sonny Bill Williams' request to have advertising from two major sponsors removed from his Super Rugby playing jersey.

INTERVIEW: Melbourne Rebels assistant coach Morgan Turinui has reminded his side to stay focused on the task despite the growing distraction.

NEWS: David Perry, who captained England in the 1965 Five Nations tournament, has died aged 79, his former club Bedford Blues announced.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The opening clash of the British and Irish Lions' New Zealand tour will be a family affair for coach Warren Gatland after his son Bryn was named Wednesday to face the tourists.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Crusaders and All Black front row stalwart Wyatt Crockett will set the Super Rugby appearance record when he runs out against the Sunwolves in Christchurch on Friday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers do not want to lose any momentum before they head to New Zealand for a tough three-match tour.

UPDATE: Three Grenoble players are set to go in front of an investigating judge and face being charged with gang rape, prosecutors in the French city of Bordeaux said on Tuesday.

NEWS: Highly-rated South African back-row forward Jono Ross will play English Premiership rugby next season after signing for Sale Sharks from Top 14 outfit Stade Francais on Tuesday.

NEWS: Wales's most capped scrumhalf Mike Phillips is to retire at the end of the season, he announced on Tuesday.

INJURY UPDATE: Sam Warburton faces six weeks out with a knee injury, but his Cardiff Blues coach Danny Wilson said he should be fit in time for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

NEWS: Representatives of the six Super Rugby franchises on Tuesday agreed on a set of criteria to determine the four teams to represent South Africa in the competition from 2018, SA Rugby confirmed on Tuesday.

INJURY UPDATE: Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has called up Sandile Ngcobo to replace the injured Selvyn Davids in the BlitzBoks squad for the Singapore Sevens this weekend.

VARSITY SHIELD REACTION: Just a day after their superb 45-2 victory over Fort Hare, the 2017 Shield Champions UWC shift their focus to next year's Varsity Cup promotions/relegations round. Leezil Hendricks reports

NEWS: Kelly Brown will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season to take up a role as academy coach at Saracens.

NEWS: Russian international lock Andrei Ostrikov signed a new two-year contract with English Premiership side Sale Sharks on Tuesday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Southern Kings are looking to bounce back after their 41-46 defeat to the Western Force last weekend when they face the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim put the BIG Super Rugby debate in the spotlight, explain who they think should be cut and give their solutions to the protracted saga.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Kenya's Sevens team is "pumped up" about their chances at defending its Singapore title this weekend against the likes of Olympic champions Fiji and series leaders South Africa, one of its top players said Tuesday.

NEWS: Leicester's Argentina international prop Marcos Ayerza has retired from rugby with immediate effect due to a back injury, he announced on Tuesday.

NEWS: Five Grenoble players accused of rape were questioned by police for a second time in Bordeaux on Tuesday, sources close to the inquiry revealed.

INJURY UPDATE: Lions fullback Andries Coetzee will undergo a fitness test this week to determine his availability for his team's big clash against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.

UPDATE: The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) have given the Western Force and the Melbourne Rebels more time to state their case for a permanent place in Super Rugby.

NEWS: Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury have been nominated for the England Player of the Year award.

REACTION: New Zealand star Sonny Bill Williams is set to get his own special Blues jersey without the logos of two big rugby sponsors.

INJURY UPDATE: New Zealand international utility back Isaia Toeava will miss the rest of the season with a torn triceps.

REACTION: Bulls coach Nollis Marais admitted that he is 'under pressure' after a horror start to the Super Rugby season.

VARSITY SHIELD FINAL: UWC were in an unforgiving mood as they made light work of Fort Hare, running in six unanswered tries to claim an emphatic 45-2 victory to claim the 2017 Varsity Shield title.

INJURY UPDATE: The Stormers have a few injury concerns after their impressive win over the Chiefs in Round Seven of Super Rugby.

WIN WITH RUGBY365 AND ADIDAS: You can win FREE tickets to watch the Stormers take on the Lions in Round Eight of the 2017 Super Rugby competition.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Players from the Stormers dominate our Super Rugby Team of the Week for Round Seven after their strong performance against the Chiefs.

INJURY UPDATE: The Southern Kings are pleased not to have sustained any major injuries in their closely contested Super Rugby encounter with the Western Force in Perth on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY REVAMP: The Western Force have taken legal action against the Australian Rugby Union for the decision to put them on a short-list to be axed from Super Rugby.

DAY ONE RESULTS: rugby365 has linked up with School Sport Live to bring you LIVE STREAMING of the 10th edition of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival which takes place on April 13, 15 and 17.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Lions will return to action this week, refreshed from their bye week. I the break came at the perfect time.

REACTION: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux praised his team’s character on Saturday as they finished off their second training camp on a high with a rewarding 24-5 victory against the Free State Cheetahs at Shimla Park in Bloemfontein.

NEWS: Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett escaped sanction after picking up two yellow cards in his team's 38-28 win over the Waratahs last weekend.

REACTION: Following the announcement made by the ARU regarding the structure of the Super Rugby competition, the Brumbies breathe easy as they continue their 2017 Super Rugby campaign.

REACTION: New Zealand is not to blame for the problems that are forcing Australia to axe one of its five Super Rugby teams, New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Tew said on Monday.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS: Two South African teams will be cut from Super Rugby for next year. Which two teams should be cut?

NEWS: Waratahs prop Sekope Kepu has been handed a one-week suspension after his side's Super Rugby match against the defending champions Hurricanes on Friday, April 7.

REACTION: New Zealand's Prime Minister on Monday criticised All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams' decision to block out a sponsor's logo on his shirt apparently for religious reasons.

REACTION: Threatened franchises Western Force and Melbourne Rebels will know within days who will be axed from the troubled Super Rugby competition, the Australian Rugby Union said Monday amid a backlash.

Many schools are on holiday and many of those have chosen to turn the holiday into a rugby experience with matches for various age groups in many parts of the country.

FRANCE TOP 14 WRAP: Richard Cockerill emerged with a 33-23 win from his first match in charge of crisis-hit Toulon on Sunday, compounding the misery of Top 14 arch-rivals Toulouse.

PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Jimmy Gopperth held his nerve with the final kick of the game to hand Wasps a dramatic 32-30 victory over Northampton Saints to extend their unbeaten home league record to 17 matches.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Sharks coach Robert du Preez made a bold statement that his inside centre Andre Esterhuizen, is the best in the country, following their 18-13 victory over the Jaguares on Saturday.

SEVENS REACTION: Blitzboks coach Neil Powell was more than pleased with the way his squad performed in Hong Kong, despite a 0-22 loss to Fiji in the Cup Final - a seventh Final in the World Sevens Series.

SEVENS NEWS: Spain will return to the regular Sevens circuit as a core team after defeating Germany 12-7 in the qualifier Final in Hong Kong on Sunday.

SUPER RUGBY NEWS: Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett will appear before SANZAAR's Judicial Committee on Monday, April 5 after being shown a red card during his side's 38-28 victory over the Waratahs in Wellington.

VARSITY SHIELD FINAL: All indications are that UWC is the favourites to claim the title this year but they are up against UFH - the only team to have beaten them this season. Tauriq Ebrahim looks toward the final.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Talks of the Kings being cut from the Super Rugby competition in 2018 is premature as no decision has been made yet.

FINAL WRAP: Fiji claimed their third consecutive Hong Kong Sevens title - and their first since the 2016 Hong Kong Sevens - when they punished an error-strewn Blitzboks 22-0.

NEWS: Following the news that South Africa will be losing two Super Rugby franchises in the 2018 competition, the South African Rugby Union has released a statement to answer any questions that may arise.

NEWS: All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams was reported Sunday to have used a "conscientious objection" clause to block out a bank logo on his Blues jersey for what is believed to be religious reasons.

SEMIFINAL WRAP: South Africa secured an extra-time victory over the United States to enter yet another Final where they will face rivals Fiji for the Gold Medal.

NEWS: South Africa will lose two Super Rugby franchises and Australia one as a 15-team, three conference tournament will replace the current four conference, 18-team format.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: The Stormers has now set a standard and created a level of expectancy for the remainder of the competition following their victory over the Chiefs at Newlands. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Western Force were able to edge out the Kings 46-41 in a 12-try encounter that saw the momentum of the match change hands on numerous occasions.

QUARTER-FINAL WRAP: A strong second half performance helped the Blitzboks advance to yet another Cup semi-final after they overturned a half-time deficit to defeat New Zealand.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: A crucial try on the stroke of half-time handed the Stormers' momentum and allowed them to play risk-free in the second half. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

SUPER RUGBY REACTION: Bulls captain Adriaan Strauss was quick to admit that the Sunwolves were tactically better after the Japanese-based side claimed a shock 21-20 victory.

TOP 14 WRAP: Top 14 leaders La Rochelle edged closer to a semifinal spot but rivals Clermont faced increasing pressure from Montpellier after losing at home to Brive on Saturday.

PRO12 WRAP: Munster cemented their place in second spot on the Pro12 table, which brings with it homeground advantage in the play-offs.

Saturday was the last day of the successful Glenwood Rugby Festival.

PREMIERSHIP SATURDAY WRAP: Reigning English Premiership champions Saracens continued their quest for a 'double Double' with a 40-19 win over London rivals Harlequins at Wembley on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers put down a big marker about the championship potential with an impressive 34-26 win over the Chiefs on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sharks held on for a hard-earned 18-13 win over the Jaguares in a scrappy encounter in Durban on Saturday.

NEWS: The Sevens World Vup will take place from July 20-22 next year in San Francisco, it was announced Saturday - the first time the event will be held in North America.  

ROUND THREE WRAP: South Africa stayed in the hunt for a first Cup Final win in Hong Kong, after advancing to the quarterfinals.

NEWS: England rugby great Brian Moore was recovering in intensive care on Saturday after suffering a heart attack.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Brumbies extended their lead at the top of the Australian Conference with a 43-10 bonus-point win over the Reds in Canberra on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Highlanders continued their resurgence in this year's Super Rugby tournament with a narrow 26-20 win over the Blues in Dunedin on Saturday.

DAY TWO, ROUND TWO: The BlitzBoks advanced to the Cup quarterfinals at the Hong Kong Sevens after they hammered Kenya 35-10 on Saturday.

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Sunwolves recorded their first win of the season when they edged the Bulls 21-20 in a tense match in Tokyo on Saturday.

PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY WRAP: Joel Hodgson nailed a last-gasp penalty to hand Newcastle Falcons a dramatic 16-14 Premiership Rugby victory over Gloucester Rugby at Kingston Park.

PRO12 FRIDAY WRAP: Rey Lee-Lo struck what could prove to be a decisive blow in the race for the PRO12 semifinals, as his double helped Cardiff Blues draw 24-24 at Ulster.

Paarl Boys' High ended their tour of New Zealand with a two-point defeat in Christchurch,

Day 5 of the Glenwood Rugby Festival was the final day for the 2nd XVs, Under-15s and Under-14s.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sharks have made a late change to their starting line-up after Garth April was ruled out of Saturday's Super Rugby clash against the Jaguares in Durban.

NEWS: Saracens Academy Manager Don Barrell will leave the club at the end of the season to take up a role with the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

HONG KONG 7S REACTION: England's Dan Norton hailed the "amazing feeling" of scoring a record-breaking try on the opening day of the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday.

INJURY UPDATE: French international flyhalf Jean Marc Doussain is out of Toulouse's crunch clash with Toulon on Sunday.

NEWS: Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett faces a disciplinary hearing after being sent off in his team's 38-28 win over the Waratahs in Wellington on Friday.

DAY ONE WRAP: World Series leaders South Africa got their campaign in Round Seven off to a nervy start.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stormers flyhalf Damian Willemse will start in the Junior Springboks' No.10 jersey on Saturday against the Free State Cheetahs in their final warm-up match on their training camp. 

NEWS: The Free State Cheetahs will be coached by Rory Duncan in this year's Currie Cup tournament.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Southern Kings hooker Martin Bezuidenhout looks set to finally reach his goal of amassing 50 Super Rugby caps.

NEWS: Italy and Scotland will play a test match in Singapore June 10 as the city-state seeks to establish itself as a stopover for nations bound for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Sharks captain Lubabalo Mtembu says his team must dominate the physical exchanges if they are going to beat a strong Jaguares team in Durban on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Rugby can grow from a niche sport to be as big as football in China and eventually rival the cash-rich Chinese Super League in popularity, the head of the sport in the world's most populous nation said.

TOP 14, WEEK 23: Richard Cockerill faces a stiff test as he oversees his first match in charge of crisis-hit Toulon against Top 14 arch-rivals Toulouse on Sunday just days after Mike Ford quit as head coach.

NEWS: All Blacks Sevens Captain Scott Curry has been ruled out of the Hong Kong tournament, which starts on Friday, after coming down with the flu this week. 

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Western Force have made just one change to their starting XV for the game against the Southern Kings at nib Stadium. 

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Hurricanes held on for a 38-28 win against in the face of a late charge by the Waratahs in Wellington on Friday.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Two unbeaten teams go head-to-head on Saturday in what will be the most telling game of the weekend.

The fifth Glenwood Rugby Festival is taking place at the great rugby school in April 2017.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: A heavy workload took its toll on some of the Stormers' Springboks this week ahead of their crunch clash against the Chiefs on Saturday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Pro12 Championship resumes with just four rounds remaining in the hunt for glory. 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: You can cut the tension with a knife in Premiership Rugby this weekend as we move into the final four rounds before the semifinal and Final, at Twickenham.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Powerful scrummager Ramiro Herrera has been drafted into the Jaguares' starting XV for their Super Rugby encounter with the Sharks on Saturday.

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springboks Sevens coach Neil Powell has included four players who have not experienced the cauldron of the Hong Kong in his side.

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have signed Adam Hastings on a two-year contract from English Premiership side Bath.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: There are just two changes to the Stormers starting line-up for their clash with the Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday.

VARSITY SHIELD SPOTLIGHT: Five coaches, whose teams did not make the Varsity Shield Final, gave their predictions as to who will take the Varsity Shield title this year. Leezil Hendricks reports.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has made three changes to his side that will take on Western Force in Perth on Sunday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Sharks head coach Robert du Preez has made just three changes to his team for their match against the Jaguares in Durban.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Bulls coach Nollis Marais has given starts to Tian Schoeman and Jannes Kirsten for the first time this season.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie has made five changes to his starting XV which defeated the Bulls 28-12 for their clash against the Stormers in Cape Town.

IN THE SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: There are already some teams in the 'desperate' category, even with more than half of their league matches still to be completed.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South African Rugby Union President Mark Alexander admitted that 2016 was the union's worst year since reunification.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves will be without No.8 Willie Britz for their clash against the Bulls at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.

RESULTS: The annual Tony Stoops rugby festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flank Scott Fardy will lead out the Brumbies for the first time against Conference rivals the Reds at GIO Stadium as one of three changes to the starting XV.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Blues have included All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams in their matchday 23 for their clash against the Highlanders on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Highlanders head coach Tony Brown has refreshed his forward pack and welcomes back All Black loose forward Liam Squire and captain Ben Smith for their crucial clash with the Blues.

SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: It is no secret that New Zealand franchises enjoy significant support at Newlands, however, Chiefs captain Aaron Cruden believes his side are still heading into a hostile environment. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

WORLD SERIES SPOTLIGHT: The 2016-17 season has been a whirlwind so far.

Jan de Koning and Tauriq Ebrahim analyse the key events of the past week - Johan Ackermann's departure from the Lions and Allister Coetzee's Springbok training camp.

NEWS: Stade Francais wing Josaia Raisuqe was handed a season-ending 10-week ban for stamping during his team's European Challenge Cup quarterfinal win over Ospreys.

NEWS: A French court has fined New Zealand international ace Ali Williams €1,500 (US$1,600) for buying cocaine outside a Paris nightclub.

REPORT: Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux praised his team's character despite going down 21-31 against Griquas in Kimberley on Wednesday.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South African captain Philip Snyman is eager for his team to finally break their duck at the Hong Kong leg of the Sevens World Series.

SUPER RUGBY RESHUFFLE: The calls for an Australasian only competition will be a "disaster" according to Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie. Tauriq Ebrahim reports.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Allister Coetzee has not ruled out the possibility of naming an overseas-based player as Springbok captain.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Makazole Mapimpi is set to leave the Southern Kings after he signed a new contract with the Cheetahs.

INJURY UPDATE: Scotland international Mark Bennett will out for 12 months after picking up a serious knee injury during Scotland's Six Nations match against England at Twickenham.

REACTION: Nick Frisby has become the latest high-profile victim of his own lack of discipline on and off the field.

RESULTS: The 32nd Oakdale Rugby week saw the host Oakdale Landbou record two impressive wins against Kemptonpark and Diamantveld respectively.

NEWS: The Highlanders ensured there is long-term continuity in Dunedin with conformation that utility back Matt Faddes has signed to stay on for at least two more years.

NEWS: The All Blacks hope to warm-up for the British and Irish Lions tour with a Test match against Samoa.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Waratahs general Bernard Foley will return to the starting line-up when the team travels to New Zealand to take on defending Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes.

INJURY UPDATE: Seasoned Kings centre Waylon Murray has been withdrawn from the touring squad in Australia.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Lachlan Maranta will make his Reds Super Rugby debut against the Brumbies at the Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has made four changes to this starting team for Friday's Super Rugby match against the Waratahs at Westpac Stadium.

Rugby Europe provides most of the international matches of the be kind but the big followings are likely for the six PRO 12 matches as the season heads to a climax. 

INTERVIEW: Sharks prop Thomas du Toit says he and his teammates are aware of the power the Jaguares possess when it comes to scrum time.

NEWS: The French rugby league (LNR) on Tuesday set new dates for two Top 14 matches postponed due to striking players following a plan to merge Parisian sides Racing 92 and Stade Francais.

REACTION: Head coach Robbie Fleck says the Stormers had no other choice but to look outside of the country for midfield cover.

A RUGBY365 EXCLUSIVE: Ethienne Reynecke chats with Sam Barton and Trent Jones to get an Australasian perspective on the oval ball game and why they are ahead of South Africa.

DAY ONE & TWO RESULTS: The 23rd edition of the Kwagga Junior Week for Under-15 and Under-14 teams has witnessed two days of scintillating rugby.

A RUGBY365 EXCLUSIVE: Ethienne Reynecke chats with Sam Barton and Trent Jones to get an Australasian perspective on the oval ball game and why they are ahead of South Africa.

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chean Roux has named a new-look team for the Junior Springboks’ second warm-up match, against the Griquas in Kimberley on Wednesday, as he looks to give all the players in the squad a chance to prove their worth.

REACTION: The Cheetahs believe Joel Stransky is "ill-informed" after the Springbok legend said he hoped the Bloemfontein-based side and Port Elizabeth's Southern Kings would be axed from Super Rugby.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Debutant Selvyn Davids is keen to make his mark when he runs out for the BlitzBoks in the Hong Kong leg of the World Sevens Series.

INJURY UPDATE: The Lions will be sweating over the fitness of fullback Andries Coetzee, who picked up an injury during the latest Springbok camp in Stellenbosch. 

INTERVIEW: Brumbies flank Chris Alcock is determined not to get distracted in his bid to make the number seven jersey his own.

NEWS: Australian international forward Will Skelton will re-join English club Saracens on a permanent deal.

INTERVIEW: The Jaguares are not losing track of their immediate goals ahead of their crunch clash against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

RESULTS: Paarl Boys' High school again hosted its annual Under-15 Rugby festival

NEWS: Mike Ford quit as Toulon head coach on Tuesday after just six months in the post with Richard Cockerill taking over the turmoil-stricken French club until the end of the season.

WIN WITH RUGBY365: You can win FREE tickets to watch the Stormers take on the Chiefs in Round Seven of the 2017 Super Rugby competition.

LIVE NOW: rugby365 has once again linked up with School Sport Live to bring you LIVE STREAMING of the North v South tournament.

RESULTS: The Glenwood High School Under-13 Rugby festival took place over the weekend March 31 to April 2.

INJURY UPDATE: Western Force scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens will miss the rest of the Super Rugby season with a knee injury.

INJURY UPDATE: All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams could make his first appearance for the Blues against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.

INTERVIEW: Springbok great Joel Stransky on Tuesday urged SANZAAR to stop delaying and unveil its revamped Super Rugby format, saying the governing body needed to make tough decisions and stand by them.