Opinion News

OPINION: The Wallabies have fallen to a demoralising 6-40 defeat against Wales in Lyon, all but ending their hopes of World Cup glory.

STAT ATTACK: Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont has played an integral role in France's rise over the last few years and he is now widely regarded as the world's best player.

OPINION: The Springboks will be kicking themselves that they didn't convert more opportunities into points in Saturday's World Pool B encounter against Ireland in Saint-Denis.

OPINION: Ireland have secured a titanic 13-8 win over the Springboks in Paris to give themselves the best possible chance of topping Pool B at the Rugby World Cup – and earning a quarterfinal against the All Blacks.

Manu Samoa has fallen to their first loss of the World Cup, going down 19-10 to Argentina in Saint Etienne.

Los Pumas are still alive at the Rugby World Cup after sneaking past a valiant Samoa outfit 19-10 in Saint-Etienne on Friday evening.

WATCH the pre-match show ahead of the #BIG Ireland versus South Africa crunch Pool B match at Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.

LISTEN as Cape Talk radio presenter Clarence Ford chats to @king365ed about all things Springbok and the World Cup!

OPINION: After a rusty second match that saw France’s reserves struggle to shake a feisty Uruguay side, Les Bleus have put Namibia to the sword to right the ship ahead of a well-earned rest week.

BOKS OFFICE: Host Hanyani Shimange is joined by Springboks legends Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana to review South Africa's World Cup 2023 thrashing of Romania and their match up with Ireland this weekend.

OPINION: First, the good news on a balmy night on the French Riviera England eventually won 34-12 to chalk up back-to-back victories for only the second time in this underwhelming Steve Borthwick era, while they also managed to avoid card trouble and keep 15 players on the pitch for the full 80.

OPINION: Despite a promising start to the game, Japan have fallen to a disheartening 12-34 loss to England in Nice on Sunday.

OPINION: After the tight loss to Wales last week, Fiji responded with an emphatic 22-15 win against the Wallabies in Saint Etienne to shake up Pool C.

OPINION: Australia’s Rugby World Cup campaign hangs in the balance after losing to Fiji for the first time since 1954 on Sunday evening. The Wallabies were beaten 22-15 in Saint-Etienne.

OPINION: The Springboks continued to fine-tune their squad as they recorded a comfortable 76-0 win over Romania in their second World Cup pool match on Sunday

OPINION: Wales made it two wins from two on Saturday against Portugal in Nice, but it was far from a vintage performance.

OPINION: The All Blacks have cantered to a 71-3 win over Namibia in Toulouse to get their World Cup campaign back on track following last weekend’s loss to France.

OPINION: France beat Uruguay 27-12 in a game that surprised many, as Uruguay threatened and France failed to rack up the kind of score fans might have expected.

OPINION: Bulls Director of Rugby and former Springbok coach Jake White picks his replacement for the injured Malcolm Marx in the Bok squad.

WATCH as Springbok legend Schalk Burger joins Jim Hamilton for a walk and talk along the coast of Marseille.

LISTEN as Cape Talk radio presenter Clarence Ford chats to @king365ed about all things Springbok and World Cup!

OPINION: A single knock-on - that will be the reason many cite when trying to figure out how Wales won a match that they probably deserve to lose.

OPINION: The Fijians opened their World Cup against Wales in Bordeaux with a 26-32 loss that went right down to the wire.

OPINION: The Springboks were not at their best in their World Cup opener against Scotland on Sunday, but they still managed to outplay Gregor Townsend's side with their powerful forwards.

OPINION: Scotland were in the fight for 40 minutes, but fell away after the break as the defending champions took charge in Marseille.

OPINION: The Wallabies got back into winning ways with a 35-15 win over Georgia in their opening pool stage clash in Paris.

OPINION: A Mark Telea try gave New Zealand the lead just two minutes into the Rugby World Cup 2023 opening match in Paris, but France came back through the phenomenal boot of Tomas Ramos and some standout performances up front, resulting in the All Blacks‘ first ever pool loss in the tournament’s history.

OPINION: In the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, it was the visitors New Zealand who struck first against hosts France, with Mark Telea touching down following a passage of strong attacking play from the All Blacks.

OPINION: @king365ed puts his selection hat on and names the team he feels will be good enough to give the defending champions a wincing start at the World Cup.

Bulls Director of Rugby and former Springbok coach Jake White shares his thoughts on South Africa's record win over the All Blacks

OPINION: @king365ed unpacks the key aspects of the crucial vote at a WPRFU General Council meeting next Wednesday, September 6.

OPINION: Finn Morton rates the New Zealand players after their record 7-35 loss to South Africa at Twickenham on Friday.

OPINION: @king365ed rates the South African players after their record 35-7 win over New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday.

OPINION: @king365ed rates the South African players after their 52-16 demolition of Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

OPINION: The ambition in Dublin was for Steve Borthwick’s team to live up to their head coach’s promise that they definitely were in the right direction towards Marseille and being pitch-perfect for their World Cup opener versus Argentina.

OPINION: The men in green eventually got out of second gear to see off a disjointed if earnest England side, that refused to go away even after going down to 14 men.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Welsh players after their humbling 16-52 loss to South Africa.

OPINION: France didn’t quite reign supreme in the St-Etienne hot-box, a stadium which will host four World Cup games later this year, but there were many flashes of brilliance to admire nonetheless.

OPINION: Scotland sorted out their slow start issues but were unable to deliver the 80-minute performance needed to overcome Les Bleus on home soil.

OPINION: England have beaten Wales 19-17 in their international match at Twickenham in what was scrappy and at times chaotic affair in west London.

OPINION: What a crazy, crazy game.

EXCLUSIVE: Watch as two-time World Cup-winning Baby Bok coach Loffie Eloff unpacks his Springbok selection for the World Cup.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their 9-20 loss to Wales in Cardiff!

OPINION: We rate the Welsh players after their 20-9 win over England at the weekend!

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Ireland players after their 33-17 win over Italy in Dublin on Saturday.

OPINION: Frankie Deges rates the Argentinean players after their 13-24 loss to South Africa on Saturday.

OPINION: South Africa appears to be in good shape heading into the World Cup, based on the performances of some fringe players in the 24-13 warm-up win over Argentina at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

OPINION: Scotland overcame an 18-point half-time deficit to see off a largely second-string France at Murrayfield.

OPINION: Considering this was a second-string France side, you might have expected a drop in standard from the Les Bleus of late, but there was to be no such relief for Gregor Townsend’s Scotland, in the first half at least.

OPINION: Ian Foster doesn’t believe in dead rubber matches but his selections for 2023’s second Bledisloe Test offered a very dead rubber-esque lineup; the coach handed out three debuts and named a number of further changes across the park.

OPINION: The Wallabies have fallen painfully short of what would’ve been a drought-breaking win in New Zealand, going down to the All Blacks 23-20 in Dunedin.

OPINION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White unpacks the potential Springbok World Cup squad.

OPINION: @king365ed looks at the Springbok players most in need of a good performance against Los Pumas in Buenos Aires - those who must bash the door down to World Cup selection.

OPINION: Frankie Deges rates the Los Pumas players after their heartbreaking 21-22 loss to the Springbok at Ellis Park.

OPINION: @king365ed rates the Springboks after South Africa's nailbiting 22-21 win over Argentina at Ellis Park on Saturday.

OPINION: The first Bledisloe match of the year has graced our eyes with the All Blacks prevailing in Melbourne in front of 84 000 fans.

OPINION: The Wallabies defended stoutly for large periods but a power game from the All Blacks and equally resistant defence kept them ahead, before blowing them away in the final quarter.

OPINION: Former Springbok head coach Jake White shares his view on South Africa's defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHT:  Some more key stats have emerged showing how well the All Blacks utilised the ball against the Springboks in Auckland.

OPINION: @king365ed gives his take on what the Springbok 'A-Team' to tackle the All Blacks at Twickenham may look like.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHT: Springbok fullback Willie le Roux has had his fair share of criticism over the last few years, but he has proven to be an asset on attack for the Springboks.

OPINION: One of the big debates surrounding the Bok squad in recent seasons has been the coaching team's decision to use Damian Willemse in the flyhalf role.

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith shares his view on the All Blacks' Rugby Championship Round Two victory over the Springboks.

OPINION: The Wallabies have fallen to their second defeat in as many Tests under new coach Eddie Jones, with the men in gold losing to Argentina 31-34 in Sydney.

OPINION: The Wallabies’ new era under coach Eddie Jones has begun with a disappointing 12-43 loss to defending world champions South Africa at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

OPINION: The 12-41 loss was a huge shock to an Argentine side of which much more was expected.

OPINION: The All Blacks kicked off the 2023 Rugby Championship campaign with an impressive 41-12 win over Argentina in Mendoza after a first-half blitz saw the visitors up by 31-0 at the half.

OPINION: The Boks sent a warning to future opponents in a World Cup year with a strong performance against the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship opener in Pretoria on Saturday

OPINION: This weekend’s Test between South Africa and Australia at Loftus Versfeld is a tough one to call writes former Springboks head coach Jake White.

OPINION: @king365ed takes a stab at splitting the Springbok squad - much like coach Jacques Nienaber will do this week.

OPINION: It would be a travesty to see one of South Africa's most talented wings fall victim to mental illness writes @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman.

OPINION: France and Ireland have garnered plenty of attention when the favourites tag has been thrown around leading up to this year's World Cup, but those teams should be shaking in their boots with the Springboks on their side of the draw.

OPINION: @king365ed rates the Cheetahs players after their 25-17 win over the Pumas in the Currie Cup Final in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

OPINION: @king365ed rates the Pumas players after their 17-25 loss to the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup Final in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

OPINION: Annemie Bester talks about the 'elephant in the room' - why the Lions no longer produce Springboks!

OP0INION: @king365ed put on his thinking cap and selected a 'Springbok' team of players who did not make the Rugby Championship training squad!

SPOTLIGHT: If everything goes as planned, Ireland lock Jean Kleyn could switch international allegiance after he was selected to join the Springboks Rugby Championship training squad.

OPINION: The Springboks will likely send an ‘A’ team to New Zealand with a split squad strategy in this year’s Rugby Championship for one very specific reason.

OPINION: It seems like the Springboks' management will soon have to start looking at some new captaincy options for this year’s World Cup.

OPINION: The dust had hardly settled on the shock announcement of Jacques Nienaber's impending departure and the focus shifted to his possible successor.

OPINION: Hamish Bidwell looks at the reasons for the dramatic decline in interest in Super Rugby Pacific.

OPINION: Jamie Lyall runs the rule over the stars of the just-completed Six Nations and comes up with his Team of the Tournament.

OPINION: A deathly hush around the Aviva Stadium set the tone for an eerily nervous opening for Andy Farrell’s Ireland – who were very much rabbits in the headlights in face of Grand Slam history in Dublin.

OPINION: In order to maintain pressure on the undefeated tournament leaders and Grand Slam hopefuls Ireland, France required a bonus-point triumph over Wales.

OPINION: It’s been a strange Six Nations for Wales, but Warren Gatland’s side went to Paris off the back of a positive win over Italy. How would they fare against a world-beating French side, off the back of a 50-point win at Twickenham?

OPINION: A hat-trick of tries from Blair Kinghorn saw Scotland home despite a below-par performance against Italy at Murrayfield.

OPINION: This was savage, a brutal record beating as England were blown away by France.

OPINION: In the most consequential Six Nations game of the round, Ireland’s Grand Slam steam train was pitted against a Scotland side that can rightly lay claim to being the best of its generation – and one eager to spoil Andy Farrell and Co’s party.

OPINION: Scotland were denied a first Triple Crown since 1990 as Ireland continued their quest for a Grand Slam with victory at Murrayfield.

OPINION: No matter what the fortunes of either side going into it, England-France in the Six Nations is always a highly anticipated, muscular affair and this contest was no different.

OPINION: Warren Gatland’s Wales have been under fire so far this tournament, not favoured to win a wooden spoon battle with Italy.

OPINION: Rome witnessed a humdinger of an all-frills Italy-Ireland contest but this Wales-England encounter was no less engrossing in a very different way.

OPINION: Although France, last year’s Grand Slam winners, suffered a setback in their previous match against Ireland, they were eager to recover their form.

OPINION: Scotland’s hopes of a first Six Nations Grand Slam were brought to an end in Paris as France edged a pulsating contest at the Stade de France.

OPINION: It’s not been an easy few weeks for Welsh rugby.

OPINION: After a crucial – maybe even tournament-deciding – win against France, a rapidly improving Italy at Stadio Olimpico might have seemed on the face of it more of a ‘banana skin’ game for Andy Farrell’s World No.1s. than a seismic task.

OPINION: Daniel Gallan rates the England players after their 31-14 win over Italy at Twickenham on Sunday!

OPINION: The arrival of France in Dublin two years on from their last visit was the perfect moment to stress test the voluminous progress of Ireland under Andy Farrell, going from relatively nowhere to becoming the world’s No. 1 ranked side.

OPINION: France is the only team to have won at Landsdown Road during Andy Farrell’s tenure and they came to Dublin in excellent form.

OPINION: Scotland backed up their Calcutta Cup success with a bonus point 35-7 thumping of a hapless Wales at Murrayfield.

OPINION: Wales’ first-round performance didn’t go as planned, but Warren Gatland used his strong record against Scotland to his advantage and rang the changes in key positions.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the Scotland players after their 29-23 win over England in a Six Nations Round One encounter.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the England players after their heartbreaking 23-29 loss to Scotland at Twickenham.

OPINION: PA news agency rates the Welsh players after their 10-34 loss to Ireland in Six Nations Round One.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Irish players after their 34-10 Six Nations Round One win over Wales.

ANALYSIS: Ben Smith unpacks the tactical error that backfired on England in Steve Borthwick's first Test in charge!

OPINION: Aside from having quality players, a team also need the right man in charge if they want to be crowned the 2023 World Cup champions.

OPINION: As preparations start for a World Cup year and teams are solely focused on securing the Webb Ellis Cup, @rugby365com looks at those who will continue to shine at the global showpiece.

OPINION: The year 2023 is going to be massive for the game. Leezil Hendricks shines the spotlight on some of the biggest stars!

WATCH as Springbok World Cup winner Francois de Klerk produces another special play in Japan's League One.

OPINION: The big question, as we approach the end of another year, is: 'How do you measure success?' @king365ed unpacks the Springbok class of 2022!

WATCH as Sale Sharks forward Cobus Wiese produced a dangerous clear-out in his team's Champions Cup Round Three clash against Toulouse.

OPINION: The year-end Tests have come and gone, with some interesting and intriguing results. Jan de Koning names his Team of the Month for November!

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives his very unique take on the use of stats!

WATCH as three World Cup-winning Springboks - Francois de Klerk, Malcolm Marx and Jessie Kriel - get together for an impromptu post-match chat.

The Springboks crushed England into submission with a demoralising 27-13 win at Twickenham but the manner in which they constructed their win was largely the same for the most part.

OPINION: The Springboks ended 2022 on a high with an emphatic 27-13 win over England at Twickenham on Saturday.

WATCH as retired refereeing legend Nigel Owens unpacks some of the refereeing howlers of the past weekend - including why South Africa's controversial try should not have stood.

OPINION: A deja vu scenario, but with quite a damaging outcome for England on this occasion.

OPINION: The Wallabies had a point to prove against Wales on Saturday, as they looked to avoid a four-match losing streak to end their season.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok Bob Skinstad gives his informed opinion about how to solve the chaos that erupted around referees in the game.

OPINION: It’s a difficult time to back Wales. Their brilliant win over Argentina feels like a lifetime ago because, as Wayne Pivac says, seven days is a long time in rugby.

OPINION: South Africa produced a second-half masterclass to blow Italy away in Genoa on Saturday. Jan de Koning rates the Springbok players!

WATCH as we bring you an insightful video that shows six simple changes that could save the game.

OPINION: Another November Saturday, another intriguing England versus New Zealand collision.

OPINION: Daniel Gallan rates the Ireland players after their narrow (13-10) escape against Australia!

OPINION: After mixed seasons, both England and the All Blacks entered their final Test of 2022 with points to prove.

OPINION: Finn Morton rates the Australian players after their heartbreaking 10-13 loss to Ireland at the weekend!

OPINION: It was another hard lesson in cohesiveness handed to the South Africa ‘A’ side at the Ashton Gate on Thursday.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe rates the New Zealand players after their 31-23 win over Scotland on Sunday.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the Scotland players after their heartbreaking 23-31 loss to New Zealand.

OPINION: France stretched their winning streak to 12 consecutive matches when they edged South Africa 30-26 in a game where both teams lost players with red cards. Jan de Koning rates the Springbok players!

OPINION: Eddie Jones’ England tuned up for next weekend’s showdown with the All Blacks with an encouraging seven-try demolition of an out-of sorts Japan to draw a line under last Sunday’s loss to Argentina.

OPINION: Wales put their year-end campaign back on track by beating Argentina 20-13 in an arm-wrestle of a Test match in Cardiff on Saturday. Tom Vinicombe rates the Welsh players!

OPINION: Another week, another heartbreaking loss for the Wallabies, who were beaten by Italy for the first time ever in Florence on Saturday.

OPINION: Once again All Blacks No.8 Ardie Savea has been unequivocally snubbed for the second year in a row after World Rugby announced their four nominees for Player of the Year: Lukhanyo Am, Josh van der Flier, Johnny Sexton and Antoine Dupont.

OPINION: A lot of the pre-game chat was around Fiji coach Vern Cotter’s remarks that Ireland would treat the game like a training session and it looked like the opposite was the truth when the Fijians strolled over the try line after just two minutes.

OPINION: Fiji entered their Saturday fixture with Ireland on the back of a 12-28 loss to Scotland.

OPINION: I got a sense of deja vu in the wake of the South African 'A' side's defeat to an under-strength Munster side in Cork on Thursday.

One of the first things you learn on coaching courses is that there are certain prerequisites you need in a successful team.

WATCH as Ben Donaldson makes a horror start to his international career.

OPINION: The All Blacks travelled to Cardiff looking to kick off the European leg of their end-of-year tour on a positive note.

OPINION: England’s November Test series is being billed as a dress rehearsal for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

OPINION: The Springboks will be kicking themselves after they fell to a 16-19 defeat to Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

OPINION: Ireland player ratings live from Aviva Stadium: This was a humdinger to warm the Irish hearts. It was four years ago, just after the Springboks were shellacked on their last visit to Dublin, that Rassie Erasmus hatched his grand plan to return home from Munster and gloriously revive the World Cup-winning South Africa.

OPINION: The Wallabies took on France in front of a boisterous Stade de France crowd.

OPINION: Wales’ autumn campaign began with Wayne Pivac’s side playing a mildly off-colour All Blacks side – but an All Blacks side nonetheless. No matter the form of New Zealand, for Wales to put a score past them is always an uphill climb.

OPINION: Scotland bounced back from defeat to Australia a week ago to record their first win of this Autumn Nations Series campaign against a stubborn Fiji at Murrayfield.

The story of where it all went wrong for Wasps

OPINION: The Wallabies got their five-match tour off to an ideal start, as they fought for a tough 16-15 win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

OPINION: The All Blacks travelled to Tokyo to take on Japan in the first match of their Northern tour and were met by a plucky Brave Blossoms side that never gave up.

OPINION: Daniel Gallan rates the Scotland players after their 15-16 loss to Australia at Murrayfield on Saturday!

OPINION: Springbok Neil de Kock looks into his crystal ball ahead of the year-end Test between Ireland and South Africa at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.

REACTION: Plans for a combined Wallabies-All Blacks 'superteam' to tackle the British & Irish Lions appear to have left Australia coach Dave Rennie somewhat underwhelmed.

WATCH what happened the last time Ireland and South Africa met in a Test.

WATCH as World Cup-winning former Springbok captain gives his view on the Springbok flyhalf dilemma.

OPINION: Respected and acclaimed former Test referee Freek Burger gives 101 hints that can help match officials deal with the current crisis in the game.

WATCH as Lions centre Henco van Wyk shows he is made for international rugby.

WATCH as new Bulls recruit Chris Smit knocks himself out while in the process of scoring a try.

OPINION: The Springboks ended their Rugby Championship with a hard-fought 38-21 win over the Los Pumas at Kings Park on Saturday.

OPINION: Following a controversial finish in Melbourne, the All Blacks and Wallabies both entered their Eden Park rematch with a point to prove.

OPINION: The Wallabies have fallen to a sizeable loss at Eden Park, suffering a 14-40 defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, the All Blacks.

OPINION: South Africa stayed alive in the Rugby Championship with a hard-earned 36-20 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

OPINION: The Wallabies hosted the All Blacks at Docklands Stadium in front of a sell-out Melbourne crowd on Thursday.

OPINION: It was a true 80-minute encounter in Melbourne on Thursday with the All Blacks claiming a last-minute 39-37 win over the Wallabies.

WATCH as we bring you five of the best tries from the inaugural United Rugby Championship season.

OPINION: The Springboks bounced back from their defeat in Adelaide with a morale-boosting 24-8 win over the Wallabies in Sydney.

OPINION: The Wallabies hosted South Africa at the newly renovated Allianz Stadium in front of a sell-out crowd.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor @AngyboyJ looks at what went wrong in Adelaide this week - given that the Springbok management is unable or unwilling to provide any answers.

Jake White shared his views on the current state of Test rugby and its effect on Jacques Nienaber ad Ian Foster.

WATCH as we bring you a collection of the quickest players in the world of rugby scoring some blistering tries!

OPINION: Jan de Koning rates the South African players after the Springboks' 17-25 loss to the Wallabies in Adelaide.

OPINION: Jack O'Rourke rates the Australian players after their impressive 25-17 Rugby Championship Round Three win over South Africa in Adelaide.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe rates the New Zealand players after their shock 18-25 loss to Argentina in a Rugby Championship Round Three match in Christchurch!

OPINION: An untidy test match in pristine Christchurch conditions wrapped up with the visiting Argentinians securing their first-ever victory on New Zealand soil, as well as reaffirming their position atop the Rugby Championship leaderboard.

REACTION: Australian scrumhalf Nic White was very fortunate that celebrated former referee Nigel Owens was not in charge of the Wallabies' win over the Springboks at the weekend.

OPINION: Former Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock breaks down the Springboks' selection policy

OPINION: RugbyPass writer Ben Smith questions South Africa's selections ahead of next year's World Cup in France.

WATCH as we bring you a unique interview after the South Africa Under-18 'A' team's game against France U18 this weekend.

WATCH this collection of the greatest moments between two of the game's greatest nations - Australia and South Africa.

OPINION: The Springboks failed to record back-to-back wins over the All Blacks on Saturday.

Former Springbok coach and current Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White shared his views on the All Blacks in a very insightful opinion piece.

OPINION: Jan de Koning rates the South African players after their 26-10 demolition of New Zealand in Nelspruit on Saturday.

OPINION: Tom Vinicombe rates the New Zealand players after their 10-26 loss to South Africa in Nelspruit on Saturday.

WATCH this collection of photographs, capture by Johan Orton, when South Africa dismantle New Zealand in Nelspruit at the weekend.

Nick Turnbull rates the Australian players after their win over Argentina in Mendoza.

OPINION: The July internationals have come and gone. Ireland, England, Argentina, South Africa and France emerged victorious in their respective series.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor @AngyboyJ sat down and named three teams as a measure of the Springboks' true depth.

OPINION: It wasn’t long ago that Samisoni Taukei’aho couldn’t deliver a ball into the lineout to save himself.

WATCH as Israel Dagg breaks down his 2010 match-winner for New Zealand against South Africa in Soweto.

WATCH as we bring you a very different build-up to the opening Rugby Championship, South Africa versus New Zealand, in Nelspruit on Saturday.

OPINION: World Cup-winning former Springbok coach Jake White gives his honest assessment of the state of South African rugby.

OPINION: In taking a mammoth squad of 36 players to South Africa, the All Blacks are perhaps risking leaving some of their men undercooked for the latter stages of the Rugby Championship.

OPINION: A look at the growing rivalry between South Africa and fellow green outfit Ireland.

WATCH as Springbok flyer Cheslin Kolbe suffers a suspected jaw fracture in South Africa's 30-14 win over Wales in Cape Town at the weekend.

WATCH this giant lock that towers over his opponents and he is not even the biggest in his family!

OPINION: It was not perfect and it was perhaps more of a slog than most pundits would have expected. Jan de Koning rates the South African players.

OPINION: After suffering a first-ever home defeat at the hands of Ireland last weekend, the All Blacks were looking to bounce back at Sky Stadium in the series decider on Saturday.

OPINION: Ireland made history once again as they toppled the All Blacks in Wellington to claim a series victory in New Zealand for the first time ever.

OPINION: Wales failed to build on last weekend’s historic win as they were well beaten by South Africa on Saturday.

OPINION: Both England and Australia came into the third and final test of their series with promising performances under their belt.

OPINION: Not many England sides leave the Sydney Cricket Ground victorious, but Courtney Lawes’ 2022 tourists succeeded where Joe Root’s failed thanks to a battling 21-17 series-clinching success.

OPINION: Wales levelled the Series with a narrow 13-12 win over the Springboks in Bloemfontein.

OPINION: Sam Smith rates the New Zealand Maori players after their 24-30 loss to Ireland in a wet Wellington on Tuesday!

OPINION: Josh Raisey rates the Irish players after their 30-24 win over New Zealand Maori in Wellington on Tuesday!

OPINION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White shared his insight following the Springboks' defeat to Wales in Bloemfontein.

OPINION: History was made in Dunedin as Ireland beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time.

OPINION: England levelled their series in Australia with a much-improved display that delivered a 25-17 win in Brisbane.

OPINION: England descended on Brisbane with intent and physicality that had Australia on the backfoot early.

OPINION: Now that the 'master plan' - in giving all 42 players game time - backfired spectacularly, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is going to revert to his 'A-team' for the decisive third Test against Wales.

OPINION: Jan de Koning rates the South Africa players after their come-from-behind 32-29 win over Wales at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

OPINION: Jack O'Rourke rates the Australian players after their 'against all odds' 30-28 win over England in Perth on Saturday.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the England players after their 28-30 loss to Australia in Perth on Saturday.

Following a blistering First Test match, we’ve got our hands on some tickets to the Series finale as South Africa takes on Wales in Cape Town on 16 July!

WATCH as Nigel Owens, in this week's Whistle Watch, reviews some of the most contentious incidents of the past weekend.

OPINION: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is unlikely to throw the baby out with the bath water.

WATCH as Nigel Owens dives into the biggest referee decisions across the world, including the Stormers' URC win.

OPINION: The Pumas wrote a new chapter in the Currie Cup history, becoming only the eighth team to win South Africa's most prized domestic trophy.

OPINION: The emotion of the occasion, their first Final in 52 years, got the better of Griquas.

OPINION: There were some significant omissions from the first All Blacks squad of the year announced on Monday.

WATCH the entire interview by Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White in the wake of his team's loss to the Stormers in the URC Final.

TRIBUTE: One of the greatest players to wear the No.10 shirt for Wales, as well as the British and Irish Lions, Phil Bennett, has died at the age of 73.

OPINION: RugbyPass writer Ben Smith takes a look at how the All Black team can be overhauled ahead of the July series against Ireland and the Rugby Championship encounters with South Africa.

WATCH as @THESTORMERS break out into song in their dressing room after their impressive 28-17 win over @EdinburghRugby in the  @URCOfficial quarterfinal last weekend.

OPINION: @AngyboyJ looks back, 10 years into the past, to see if there are lessons to be learnt for @THESTORMERS class of 2022?

WATCH as Loftus Versfeld explodes in euphoria after a sensational match-winning drop-goal!

WATCH as we bring you this throwback compilation of the gnarliest hits in New Zealand rugby history.

OPINION: @rugby365 columnist and two-time World Rugby Junior Championship winner Eugene Eloff shines the spotlight on the skewed priorities of some schools.

WATCH as we bring you five of the weirdest goal-kicking stances in the game!

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith delves into the functionality of red cards regarding high tackles and player safety.

WATCH as we bring you 10 of the best tries scored by South Africa this past decade!

There was some added drama in the Currie Cup clash between the Pumas and Western Province in Nelspruit on Friday.

WATCH as the Lansdowne Road crowd in Dublin shows exactly what is missing from South African stadiums - SPIRIT!

OPINION: Hamish Bidwell takes a look at the decline of New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises.

OPINION: Hamish Bidwell asks whether a new global rugby competition will be a solution to fan boredom.

WATCH as the Eden Park stadium security teach a pitch invader a BRUTAL lesson.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok captain Siyamthanda Kolisi talks about what the future might hold for him!

OPINION: New Zealand-based Ben Smith takes a look at the 2022 Test season and what it holds for South Africa.

There were some shocking scenes at a schoolboy rugby match between Northwood High and Kearsney College on Saturday.

WATCH as we bring you a video of the dramatic last moments of the Varsity Cup Final between Tuks and Maties in Stellenbosch on Monday.

OPINION: Ben Smith takes a look at the latest gimmick in Super Rugby Pacific that flopped!

OPINION: As the Springboks management is hard at work setting up alignment camps, the squad selection like always is a hot topic.

WATCH as seasoned referee Wayne Barnes stirs up  a storm by penalising the attacking team for 'causing' a high tackle against them

WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber takes us inside his alignment camps - revealing why they place and what the real value is.

OPINION: The emergency SOS proposal for England to sign Rassie Erasmus as head coach is simply not required. Rugbypass writer Ben Smith reports. 

WATCH the teaser to the much-anticipated documentary about the British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa last year.

WIN a set of FREE tickets to the BIG North-South derby, when the Stormers host the Bulls in a rescheduled United Rugby Championship Round 13 match in Cape Town on Saturday.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok flyer Cheslin Kolbe scores a sizzler for Toulon against Lyon in a Top 14 match at the weekend!

WATCH as Tappe Henning, the URC head of match officials, reveals what 'remedial' action they will take against match officials for their big blunder in the Stormers' 23-20 win over Ulster this past weekend.

REACTION: Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall may have been 'delighted' with Owen Farrell's performance in his comeback from injury, but a classic 'no arm' cheap shot did not escape the attention of pundits.

OPINION: Former England flyhalf Andy Goode blasted RFU following their latest statement.

OPINION: Despite a good second-half display, England slipped to a 25-13 defeat against Grand Slam champions France in a pulsating atmosphere at the Stade de France.

OPINION: A sun-kissed afternoon gave way beery twilight celebrations as Ireland clinched the Triple Crown with a 26-5 bonus point win and then huddled around the TV screens in the ground to watch the title-deciding Six Nations action unfold from Paris.

OPINION: This was a battle of two teams very much on different sides of the Six Nations tracks.

WATCH as Ange Capuozzo sets up Italy's first-ever Six Nations win (22-21) over Wales in Cardiff at the weekend.

OPINION: Finishing a campaign with Italy at home is a strange one. A chance to develop depth, Wayne Pivac rolled in a handful of new selections, hoping to end the Six Nations on a high.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the Ireland players after their 32-15 win over England at Twickenham!

OPINION: Paul Smith rates the England players after their 15-32 loss to Ireland at Twickenham!

OPINION: France moved within 80 minutes of their first Grand Slam since 2010 thanks to a hard-fought 9-13 win over Wales.

WATCH as a few Springboks produce a 'bloopers reel' from the recent launch at the Rugby Academy SA.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rate the Scotland players after their 33-22 Six Nations win over Italy in Rome!

WATCH as we bring a glimpse of what awaits Irish province Munster during their first visit to Fort Loftus!

WATCH as two-time World Cup-winning Springbok Frans Steyn has a light-hearted chat with the referee, before calmly slotting a touchline conversion.

WATCH Whistle Watch returns after a controversial week in the Six Nations.

WATCH as South African players leave their mark on a game in the United States Major League Rugby.

WATCH as we bring you a collection of fake injuries - rugby players behaving like soccer clowns.

South Africa’s involvement with New Zealand and Australia long predates the existence of the Rugby Championship

OPINION: England inflicted a fifth consecutive Six Nations defeat at Twickenham on fierce rivals Wales thanks to a gritty 23-19 success.

OPINION: Eight points behind France with an inferior 36-points difference coming into this Six Nations Round Three fixture in Dublin, Ireland knew what they needed to do on Sunday at Aviva Stadium – win and win well.

OPINION: France’s hopes of claiming a first Six Nations title in 12 years and a fourth Grand Slam since 2000 are very much alive following their 36-17 round three win at Murrayfield.

OPINION: Scotland were unable to derail France’s dreams of a Grand Slam as the visitors recorded a bonus-point win at Murrayfield.

SPOTLIGHT: England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie’s tackle technique has been put under the spotlight.

WATCH as the Pretoria-born loose forward Riekert Hattingh goes on the rampage for his Major League Rugby club the Seattle Seawolves.

PLAYER IN FOCUS: The United Rugby Championship and Roc Nation combined to produce a series shining the spotlight on off-field endeavours, telling unique stories.

WATCH as we bring you the highlights from the weekend's Round Four Currie Cup matches - all the drama!

OPINION: Paul Smith rates the England players after their 33-0 Six Nations shut-out of Italy.

OPINION: Paul Smith rates the French players after their 30-24 win over Ireland on Saturday!

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the Ireland players after their 24-30 loss to France on Saturday!

OPINION: Will Owen rates the Welsh players after their 20-17 Six Nations win over Scotland.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the Scottish players after their 17-20 Six Nations loss to Wales.

WATCH as we bring you 20 of the most controversial moments in the game - from blatant cheating to just plain daft brain explosions.

WATCH as Springboks utility back Jesse Kriel scored a double in the latest round of Japan Rugby League One action.

OPINION: Ireland have beaten Wales 29 – 7 in their opening Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium.

OPINION: Scotland recorded consecutive wins over England for the first time since 1984 as a late Finn Russell penalty ensured they retained the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield.

OPINION: Scotland won consecutive Calcutta Cups for the first time since 1984 by claiming a tense 20-17 win at rainy Murrayfield.

OPINION: Six Nations favourites France launched their 2022 campaign with a comfortable 37-10 home win over perennial strugglers Italy.

OPINION: Fronted by new skipper Dan Biggar, Wayne Pivac’s men were given the tough task of chasing an away scalp in Dublin to open their Six Nations campaign.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok Duane Vermeulen arrives for a post-match interview barefooted and in shorts ... in sub-zero temperatures.

WATCH as World Cup-winning Springbok lock Lodewyk de Jager produces a sublime juggling act for his English club Sale Sharks.

Some of the most controversial sending offs have occurred due to players being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

OPINION: We bring you a list of the top 10 players in the world. Which members of the No.1-ranked South African team made it?

WATCH as @rugby365com brings you - with the assistance of contributor @AngyboyJ - the match-winning try by the Stormers that nobody saw.

WATCH as we bring you 10 of the most brutal tackles of all time.

OPINION: RugbyPass columnist and former England flyhalf Andy Goode has a very interesting take on what to expect in 2022.

WATCH as we bring you a collection of very special and skilful plays in the game.

OPINION: Rugbypass contributor Jamie Horner looks at the key challenges facing the sport in 2022.

Super Rugby Pacific is still a month-and-a-half away from kick-off, but footy fans in the Asia-Pacific corner of the globe can get their rugby fix as early as this weekend.

OPINION: The Springboks finished the season still holding World Rugby’s No.1 ranking, but were they the best team?

OPINION: With the World Cup in two years time, the big question is who are the contenders for the coveted title.

OPINION: The rugby season started with Covid-19 postponement and now it is ending on the same note.

Kick tennis is a part of rugby that many spectators, and even players, do not necessarily like, but begrudgingly accept that it is part of the modern game.

STAT ATTACK: The Springboks have plenty of talent when it comes to versatile forwards and it was on display in the Premiership on Saturday.

The Bulls turned back the clock to revisit "one of the best tries you will ever see".

STAT ATTACK: Harlequins fullback Tyrone Green is one of the best players in the Premiership at the moment.

STATS ATTACK:  A look at how rugby has evolved at a remarkably rapid rate.

Springbok superstar Duane Vermeulen took some time out to learn some Ulster slang.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman looks at the depth of South Africa and New Zealand, with a view to a midweek game between their second-string teams in 2022.

OPINION: RugbyPass writer Ben Smith dissects some worrying comments from the All Blacks' leadership.

OPINION: The major talking point and concern among All Blacks supporters is the man in the driver seat, Ian Foster.

SPOTLIGHT: It's that time of the year again when we start to reflect on the rugby season.

WATCH as Scotland's Stuart Hogg takes on South African Willie le Roux to find out which of them can make the longest spiral kick!

OPINION: Alex McLeod takes a look at the brightest young talent on display this year and only one Springbok makes the cut!

WATCH as Werner Kok took some time out to give his new teammate Ben Tapuai a lesson in South African lingo.

WATCH as we bring you some of the best moments of former Springbok No.8 Pierre Spies - a freakish athlete if there ever was one!

WATCH as we bring you a collection of some of the best hits from past games between South Africa and New Zealand.

OPINION: The RugbyPass duo of Jamie Lyall and Owain Jones picked a team from the players they thought were the most impressive in November.

WATCH as Springbok legend Frik du Preez addresses a crowd and produces some real rugby pearlers.

COMPETITION TIME: Want to get the ultimate stocking stuffer for someone? Here's your chance.

WATCH as the Bulls' new Currie Cup coach dishes out his own version of 'justice'.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at how South African will fair without Director of Rugby Johan 'Rassie' Erasmus.

OPINION: Alex McLeod ranks New Zealand's Tests for 2021 from worst to best. Look where South Africa come in!

WATCH as a couple of referees bring out their best chirps to put seasoned players in their place in the United Rugby Championship at the weekend.

WATCH as we bring you a bizarre bit of play in the Blitzboks' clash with Japan at the Dubai Sevens on Friday.

OPINION: @king365ed attempts to unpack the head-scratching decision to cancel the weekend's URC Round Six matches, leaving the South African teams in the lurch.

WATCH as retired Springboks Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger have a bit of fun at the expense of 2019 World Cup winner Willie le Roux.

WATCH as we bring you a couple of bizarre kicks from years gone by - one in Ireland and one in New Zealand.

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith shares his views on the Springboks' 2021 season.

OPINION: A look at World Rugby’s refreshed eligibility laws impact on tier two nations.

WATCH as we bring you 'evidence' of why World Rugby made a massive blunder in not nominating Eben Etzebeth for the Player of the Year award.

OPINION: Leezil Hendricks rates the South African players after their loss to England on Saturday! 

OPINION: This was a November heavyweight clash that lived up to his box office billing, the outcome going right down to the wire before the 80th minute Marcus Smith penalty edged England to their gripping 27-26 November  Series victory.

OPINION: Liam Heagney rates the Ireland players after their 53-7 rout of Argentina in Dublin on Sundsay.

OPINION: The All Blacks have finished their 2021 international season with another loss, going down to France 40-25 at Stade de France in Paris. It was also their second loss in as many Tests after going down to Ireland last weekend.

OPINION: Will Owen rates the Wales players after their narrow 29-28 win over Australia on Saturday.

OPINION: Gavin Harper rates the Scottish players after their hard-earned win over Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday.

ANALYSIS: RugbyPass writer Ben Smith looks at why Siya Kolisi should have been on the shortlist for World Rugby's Player of the Year.

OPINION: This has quickly become the norm and not the elusive scalp for Ireland as they defeated the All Blacks for the third time in five meetings.

WATCH as South Africa's Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus returns to his 'water boy' duties for the Springboks.

OPINION: Wayne Pivac’s men faced the ignominy of dropping out of the top 10 in World Rugby’s ranking if they lost to Fiji.

WATCH as we bring you a glance at what rugby was like in the amateur days, before the over-regulated professional era.

SPOTLIGHT: Ever wondered who is the most popular Springbok? It certainly is not the captain Siyamthanda Kolisi - although he runs a close second.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman unpacks the latest selection debate swirling around the Springbok team.

WATCH as our infamous TMO Marius Jonker gets another call badly wrong.

OPINION: The Wallabies entered their match with Scotland sitting on five straight victories and there would have been plenty of confidence Australia could arrest their two-match losing streak against the home side.

OPINION: South African finally broke their Cardiff drought, but they left it rather late - sealing the 23-18 win with an Elton Jantjies penalty in the last minutes.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Welsh players after their 18-23 loss to South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday.

OPINION: Scotland maintained their winning run with a hard-fought win over Australia at Murrayfield.

WATCH as Springbok legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger chat to World Cup-winning Bok Willie le Roux about his remarkable career.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at the reasons for the changes to the South African backline against Wales.

OPINION: There is something old school about getting up early on a spring morning, grabbing a coffee and watching a packed stadium of rabid Europeans finding joy backing their team in taking on the All Blacks.

OPINION: Depleted Wales faced a Herculean task as they tackled New Zealand in their Nations Series opener at a sold-out Principality Stadium.

OPINION: Scotland’s opening match of the 2021  Nations Series saw a rare joint captaincy of the team shared by Ali Price and Jamie Ritchie.

WATCH as we bring you some of the best trickery from World Cup tournaments down the years!

OPINION: It was a bit disappointing to see some of South Africa's top performers at franchise level miss out on Springbok selection for the end-of-year tour.

SPOTLIGHT: An All Black star and a World Cup-winning Springbok jointly top an updated list of rugby’s highest-played players.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at South Africa's backline options for the upcoming end-of-year tour.

WATCH as we bring you some absolute madness and mayhem from the game we all love...

OPINION: As we know the US of A is big on fanfare and entertainment and the prematch theatre got us in an expectant mood for a huge game.

OPINION: The Wallabies opened their northern tour account with a 32–23 victory of Japan at the Showa Denko Dome in Oita.

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored a superb try in Monpellier's 32-21 win over Racing 92 on Saturday.

OPINION: They showed plenty of promise, but Japan eventually fell short against the Wallabies in a 23-32 defeat in their first end-of-year test in Oita.

WATCH as Springbok legend Victor Matfield reflects on his amazing rugby journey.

OPINION: Rugbypass columnist Paul Smith puts a spotlight on the role of the water carrier.

WATCH one of the funniest comebacks, after a referee suggested to a player that he may be concussed.

OPINION: @rugby365com guest columnist Ethienne Reynecke reminds us all of the ethos of the game: Respect!

WATCH as Ulster hooker Rob Herring gets 'outplayed' by his daughter during a media interview.

WATCH as the Bulls show us what they get up to when they are away from the rigours of rugby.

OPINION: The Wallabies machine marches on defeating Los Pumas 32-17 at Cbus Stadium on Queensland’s Gold Coast in their final performance of this year's Rugby Championship.

WATCH as we bring you a video that shows how 21 of the points New Zealand scored in their 29-31 loss to South Africa was directly from mistakes the officiating team made.

WATCH as retired referee Nigel Owens reviews all the key decisions in this past weekend's Rugby Championship fixtures.

OPINION: Columnist Ben Smith explains why he feels the Springboks aren't running with the All Blacks anymore.

WATCH as we bring six minutes of the worst decision-making you will see from a Springbok team.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman takes a look at a few concerns South Africa is facing.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock takes a look at the reasons for Australia's ability to go toe-to-toe with South Africa in the set pieces.

SPOTLIGHT: The gentleman from New Zealand's Aotearoa Rugby Pod has some sage advice to the Springboks.

OPINION: Ben Smith questions the Springboks' right to call themselves 'equals' or even 'worthy challengers' to the All Blacks' No.1 ranking.

OPINION: Australia made it back-to-back wins over South Africa with a bonus-point victory in Brisbane. Tom Raine rates the Wallaby players.

OPINION: It was, by some distance, South Africa's worst performance under the current coaching set-up.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock looks ahead to the Round Four Rugby Championship showdown between Australia and South Africa.

OPINION: The All Blacks were missing a slew of senior players and that could have made the round 3 match of the Rugby Championship against Argentina challenging.

OPINION: Yet again the Sharks had to settle for second-best during the Currie Cup final.

OPINION: The Bulls showed why they are South Africa's best team after they won the Currie Cup title for a second time this year.

WATCH as Robbi Kempson and Swys de Bruin unpacks South Africa's kicking problems in their 26-28 Rugby Championship loss to Australia at the weekend.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock looks ahead to the Rugby Championship showdown between Australia and South Africa.

OPINION: The Wallabies have failed to defeat the All Blacks in 2021 after going down 21-38 at Optus Stadium, Perth in the final instalment of the Bledisloe Cup this season.

OPINION: What a sense of occasion an amazing venue and a big crowd can bring!

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock looks at how the Springboks' kicking game neutralises their opponents' attacking game.

WATCH as Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber explains how lockdown works at their hotel in Queensland.

WATCH as former Springbok captain Warren Whitely bids an emotional farewell to Ellis Park.

OPINION: Retired Springbok scrumhalf Neil de Kock said there is one team in world rugby who are well-suited to unlock the Springboks' defence.

WATCH as we unpack the amazing Makazole Mapimpi try in South Africa's 29-10 win over Argentina at the weekend.

WATCH as we bring you five of the most famous moments from new Bulls recruit Ruan Combrinck.

OPINION: It was not memorable, but it was another effective performance from South Africa.

OPINION: Dismissing South Africa as a credible threat appears to have become a favourite pastime in Aotearoa.

WORLD RANKINGS NEWS: Australia is now the lowest-ranked of the four teams in the Rugby Championship.

WATCH as the new sensation Evan Roos charges his way to the tryline for Western Province against the Lions in a Currie Cup match.

OPINION: Argentina arrived full of hope and bravado, but in the end, they were simply outclassed by South Africa. Jan de Koning rates the Los Pumas players.

OPINION: South Africa showed why they remain the world's top-ranked team, beating Argentina 32-12. Jan de Koning rates the Springbok players.

WATCH as we bring you a wonderful blast from the past - some of the best moments from the 2019 World Cup.

OPINION: With a British & Irish Lions series that went down to the wire, the business of picking a composite team was always going to be a tough ask.

SPOTLIGHT: South Africa will remain the top-ranked side in the world, even if they are well beaten by Argentina at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium this weekend.

SPOTLIGHT: RugbyPass columnist Paul Smith takes a look at possible candidates to replace Warren Gatland as B&I Lions coach for the 2025 trip to Australia.

OPINION: Test rugby returned to Eden Park for the first time in 2021 when the All Blacks hosted the Wallabies in the opening Bledisloe Cup game of the season.

WATCH 10 minutes of AWESOME highlights from South Africa's 2-1 series win over the British and Iri8sh Lions.

WATCH as Nigel Owens unpacks the key and some contentious moments in the third and final Test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

OPINION: “The biggest match outside the World Cup final” was how Nigel Owens described third test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

SPOTLIGHT: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith dissects the Springboks' status following the series win over British and Irish Lions.

WATCH as the Springboks erupt into joyous celebrations after the full-time hooter had sounded at the Cape Town Stadium at the weekend.

WATCH as retired referee Nigel Owens takes a look at some of the contentious decisions in the first Test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

OPINION: After a heated and very public discord during the week, it could be argued that this second Test hype exceeded the first for pre-match hype, but again it was an ugly affair.

OPINION: The Springboks rebounded in impressive fashion at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, beating the British & Irish Lions 27-9 to draw level in the Lions Series.

WATCH as British and Irish Lions prop Kyle Sinckler appears to sink his teeth into the arm of South African lock Franco Mostert.

OPINION: Rugbypass writer Ben Smith dissects Springboks' 17-22 defeat to British and Irish Lions in the opening Test match on Saturday.

OPINION: The game is the ultimate humbler.

OPINION: RugbyPass columnist and former England flyhalf Andy Goode has an interesting take on the RassieGate saga.

OPINION: It was a tense Test match that delivered on physicality, but failed in the spectacle department. Ian Cameron rates the British and Irish players.

OPINION: South Africa failed to maintain the first-half intensity and got blown away by the British and Irish Lions in the first Test in Cape Town on Saturday.

WATCH as we look back to the second Test from the 2009 series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions - regarded as one of the most brutal matches ever.

WATCH as we recap all the drama from the opening contest in the three-Test series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions in Cape Town at the weekend.

OPINION: The Stormers put up a good fight in the opening 25 minutes of their game against the British and Irish Lions before the difference in class began to show.

WATCH as we recap the first Test of the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour - a dramatic series opener.

WATCH as we bring you some tasty titbits ahead of the three-Test series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

OPINION: The Wallabies came agonisingly close to securing a series-clinching victory against the French at AAMI Stadium in Melbourne, however were narrowly defeated 26-28 in an enthralling encounter.

OPINION: For the Sharks, it was a chance to right the wrongs in what was the second encounter against the British and Irish Lions.

OPINION: The withdrawal of Finn Russell and Maro Itoje just 90 minutes before kick-off may have rattled the British and Irish Lions.

OPINION: The All Blacks survived a big scare from Fiji as they scored 26 unanswered points in the final quarter of an hour to secure a 57-23 win.

WATCH as the spotlight is shone on Albertus Smith, who played at No.8 for the Springboks against Georgia.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the British and Irish player after their 54-7 rout of the Sharks at Ellis Park on Wednesday.

OPINION: The Sharks would have learned one very valuable lesson - they are way off the pace they need to be if they hope to compete internationally.

OPINION: The Johannesburg-based Lions were outclassed from start to finish in an entertaining game that saw the British and Irish Lions run riot.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the British and Irish Lions after their 56-14 mauling of the Johannesburg-based Lions.

WATCH Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe talks about his epic drop-goal in the Top 14 final for Toulouse against La Rochelle.

OPINION: Ireland got back to action 15 weeks after they finished the Six Nations with a resounding flourish. Liam Heagney rates the Irish players!

OPINION: After a 20-month absence from the international game, the Springboks were a bit rusty in their 40-9 win over Georgia.

WATCH as three legends of the game - Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers exchange some tall tales and good laughs.

OPINION: Rugbypass contributor Paul Smith takes a closer look at the officiating during the British and Irish Lions win over Johannesburg-based Lions on Saturday.

WATCH as the Springbok players extend a special welcome top the British and Irish Lions - in several of the country's 11 languages.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the British and Irish Lions players after their 28-10 win over Japan in Edinburgh.

WATCH as we bring you the ultimate trailer ahead of the three-Test series between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

WATCH as Springbok star and World Rugby Player of the Year 2019 opens up about the horror injury that almost ended his career.

SPOTLIGHT: There was some good news for Bok fans on Wednesday.

OPINION: The first All Blacks squad of the year has been named for next month’s Test series against Tonga and Fiji, and there is no shortage of talking points about the side.

We were lucky enough to speak to Springbok rugby legends Pierre Spies and John Smit as they recalled their memories of the 2009 British and Irish Lions series.

WATCH was Warren Gatland delivers his opening speech to the 2021 British and Irish Lions squad ahead of their tour to South Africa.

OPINION: @king365ed gives you a sneak preview of just how brutal the Tests series between the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions could be.

VIDEO: Want to know what players get up to on tour? Watch as three retired Springbok unpack some of the behind the scenes events.

WATCH the footage that emerged of the now infamous training ground punch-up between two Welsh players.

SPOTLIGHT: As Jacques Nienaber gets ready to name his Springbok squad on Saturday, several positions will be under the spotlight.

WATCH as 2019 World Rugby Player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit names his favourite players from around the globe.

WATCH as Springbok loose forward Uzair Cassiem set the Internet ablaze with his unique farewell message to Welsh region Scarlets.

OPINION: RugbyPass correspondent Ben Smith wonders which version of Richie Mo'unga will arrive at the All Blacks this year.

CROSSING THE BORDER: When it was confirmed that two Pacific Island franchises will enter Super Rugby next year, it seemed the fledgling competition had turned a corner.

WATCH as share some unique stories from the brutal British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2009.

WATCH as we bring you one of the most fortuitous tries ever.

WATCH as we bring you the five finalists for the European Cup Try of the Season.

WATCH as we bring you an analysis of the World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Sean Holley takes a stab at naming the best players from 16 teams in the Rainbow Cup.

WATCH as we bring you Episode Two of the #SpiritofRugby series with unique stories of the iconic British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 1997.

WATCH as the British and Irish Lions start to stir up the emotions ahead of their eight-match trip to South Africa.

OPINION: @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman opens up on the Stormers' performances in the first two rounds of the Rainbow Cup.

WATCH as a rugby fan attempts to explain the laws of the game to a friend - with hilarious consequences.

WATCH as we bring you one of the most amazing stories to come from the game played with an oval-shaped ball.

WATCH as the BT Sports' #RugbyTonight and 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok captain John Smit puts the spotlight on Cheslin Kolbe.

OPINION: New Zealand columnist Ben Smith takes a swipe at the Springboks' claims that they are the world's best team.

LISTEN as the famous prankster Darren Simpson calls up 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok captain Francois Pienaar.

OPINION: With the Rainbow Cup now effectively turned into a domestic series, @rugby365com contributor Angus Opperman has come up with a novel idea.

WATCH as Jim Hamilton and Eben Etzebeth reminisce about the infamous clash they had in Nelspruit back in 2013.

SPOTLIGHT: Being a World Cup winner has more benefits than just being able to lift a golden trophy.

WATCH as we bring you some amazing moments from the game - a WWE collection.

OPINION: Warren Gatland opted for a 41-man British and Irish Lions squad to travel to New Zealand in 2017, but is going for a slimline 36-man squad to take on South Africa later this year.

WATCH a highlights pack of the Bulls' latest recruit - Springbok Marcell Coetzee.

SPOTLIGHT: World Rugby is going on a massive drive to tackle the problem of head injuries.

WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White produces the ultimate 'put-down' of a journalist.

WATCH as we bring you three contentious incident from the past weekend's Six Nations. Two resulted in bans and in one there was no action.

OPINION: Andy Farrell called for a 'statement' performance in the lead-up to this Six Nations finale.

OPINION: Ian Cameron rates the Welsh players after their agonisingly close loss to France!

OPINION: England arrived in Dublin favourites to make it five wins from five against the Irish and exit the Six Nations on a high.

OPINION: Campbell Burnes gives us his considerable view on why Super Rugby Aotearoa is leaving the Six Nations for dead.

WHISTLE WATCH returns, as Nigel Owens takes us through the world of rugby through a referee’s eyes.