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If you want an illustration of the dedication which has made Josh van der Flier a World Rugby Player of the Year, you only have to listen to him talking about his notebooks. It reveals the kind of meticulous preparation which – along with abundant natural talent – has seen the Leinster Rugby and Ireland …
College Rovers and Naka Bulle claimed big victories this past weekend to secure home ground advantage for the African Rainbow Community Gold Cup semi-finals, while the Northam Rhinos and Helderberg recorded impressive wins to gather some momentum ahead of the penultimate round of the tournament. The quarter-final matches staged in Pretoria, Strand, Setaria and Durban …
The Springbok Women may still have a mathematical chance of finishing top of the WXV 2 standings on Saturday in Cape Town, but it will be a straight forward calculation for the national team on how they want to finish their tournament at Athlone Stadium. “We are looking to finish strong and with a win”, …
It was a rewarding weekend for South Africa’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams as all four franchises claimed bonus-point victories – two at home and two away – to bag a full house for the local teams. These results mean three of the sides finish the third round in the top eight – albeit the …
Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin heaped praise on his squad after a dramatic comeback performance in their WXV 2 match against Australia at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday evening brought them to the brink of a draw against the team ranked seventh in the world. De Bruin said they are still …
In the News Today: In the fifth minute of injury time, the Durbanites’ siege on the Dragons’s line went 14 phases before substitute centre Francois Venter surged over to snatch a 33-30 win. It was only the second time the Sharks had led in the match after they had mostly chased the game. As full-time …
In the News Today: Replacement hooker Fez Mbatha scored a try in the 85th minute as the Sharks edged the Dragons 33-30 in a tense United Rugby Championship Round Three clash in Newport on Saturday. It’s the Durban side’s first win in this year’s tournament after they suffered a 30-36 defeat to Connacht in their …
Springbok loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon comes into the DHL Stormers starting line-up for their Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter with Zebre Parma on Saturday. Dixon will start at blindside flank for the clash with the Italian side, which kicks off at 20h35 on Saturday at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi. Prop Sazi Sandi, scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage …
Expect the unexpected, but be sure that the Springbok Women will have their minds firmly on the job at hand and executing their opponent-specific gameplan when they take on Australia’s Wallaroos in their second round WXV 2 clash at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. According to South Africa’s captain Lusanda Dumke, they have …
The membership of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) will be given the opportunity to determine the sport’s commercial future later this month. A Special General Council (SGC) meeting of the 14 full member unions has been scheduled for Thursday, 17 October, at which a formal offer is planned to be presented for consideration. If …
The Disciplinary process related to Scott Scrafton Red Card in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship Round 2 game against Glasgow Warriors on Friday, September 27 has resulted in a four game suspension. After an act of foul play by Benetton player No 4 (Scott Scrafton), referee Marius van der Westhuizen showed the Player a Red …
South Africa’s four Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams will look to gain momentum in the cross-hemisphere spectacle this weekend in their second round of matches, as the Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls attempt to build on their home victories last week, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers will be seeking their first wins of …
Lusanda Dumke will lead the Springbok Women into battle on Saturday when they take on Australia at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town in the second round of WXV 2. Dumke, playing in her 32nd Test, will be wearing the captain’s armband for the third time in her career, having led South Africa twice against Kenya …
Back-row Luke Crosbie will begin his return from injury as part of the Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’ side named to start against Saracens Storm this Friday night at Stone X Stadium (4 October, kick-off 7pm). Crosbie is one of five senior Edinburgh men named in the ‘A’ side, with prop Mikey Jones, lock Rob Carmichael, Conor …
Former Ireland international Darren Cave says the Ospreys will be smelling blood as they prepare to take on a Munster Rugby team who produced their “poorest performance” under Graham Rowntree in losing to Zebre Parma. Rowntree’s side went down to a shock 42-33 defeat out in Italy last weekend, conceding six tries, while the Ospreys …
Scotland Women Head Coach Bryan Easson has made six player changes and one personnel switch to the side which beat Italy, as the team prepares to take on Japan in round two of WXV 2 in Cape Town on Saturday 5 October. There are four changes to a freshened forward pack with Leah Bartlett returning …
She has been on the biggest stages of the rugby world, but on Saturday, Zintle Mpupha does not want to be anywhere else than at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, playing in the green and gold of South Africa with a leaping springbok on the chest, fueled on by a home crowd rooting for the …
Head coach Ioan Cunningham has named the Wales side to face Italy in Round 2 of WXV2 at the Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town on Friday, October 4th, (KO: 3pm UK time). Centre Hannah Jones returns to captain the side after missing the last three games and partners Kerin Lake in midfield. Jasmine Joyce, the …
No player has started more Test matches for Wales over the past 12 months than Gareth Thomas. He may not have the public profile of some of his team-mates, but the Ospreys prop has established himself as a real mainstay of the national side. He’s worn the No 1 jersey for 11 of Wales’ 13 …
College Rovers, Helderberg and Northam Rhinos stormed to big wins in the African Rainbow Community Gold Cup Round of 16, and will host quarter-finals this coming weekend, with matches taking place in Durban, Strand, Setaria and Pretoria. Rovers, last year’s runners up, romped to a 70-32 win over Safcol United in Durban on Sunday. The …
Leinster Rugby coach Jacques Nienaber has dubbed the Vodacom URC a “beautiful competition” as he surveys the scene from the top of the table. The man who guided South Africa to World Cup glory last autumn says the variety offered up by the multi-country tournament is the key to its appeal. Leinster have secured maximum …
A dream came true for Isabella Esterhuyse, a ten-year-old from East London living with cancer, as she met the Springboks on Saturday, 28th September. Thanks to Reach For A Dream, Isabella had the unforgettable experience of holding the hand of team captain, Siya Kolisi while singing the national anthem before the game against Argentina in …
How best to utilise the undoubted talents of Mason Grady is one of the big debates in Welsh rugby. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 9lbs, with bags of pace and power, the 22-year-old Cardiff Rugby star has all the raw ingredients. He also offers real versatility. He can play across the threequarters, while he even …
With the first hurdle cleared in WXV 2, the Springbok Women have their eyes firmly set on their next challenge in the tournament, taking on Australia in Cape Town on Saturday, an engagement they are looking forward to. That was the message from Springbok Women scrum coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt as the South Africans started their …