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England and Harlequins utility back Marcus Smith has given some insight into his kicking routine, which could be useful for up and coming kickers. Fleck: Sacha’s a bit like Marcus Smith Welcome to the Marcus Smith kicking school pic.twitter.com/Y0P237oiQO — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 12, 2025 Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images The post Watch: […]

While the Stormers made a winning start, the rest of the South African teams are seeking their first victories in European competition this weekend. The Stormers opened their Investec Champions Cup campaign with an impressive 26-17 away win against Bayonne and will look to carry their formidable form into round two when they take on

The Lions have rung the changes for Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup match against the Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park. After opening their campaign with a 26-18 defeat to Benetton at Ellis Park, the Joburg-based side has made several personnel adjustments. WJ Steenkamp takes over the captaincy and starts at No 8, with flanker Siba

SA Rugby general manager for high performance Dave Wessels has praised Rassie Erasmus for creating a “golden era” of South African rugby. Erasmus’ tenure – both as director of rugby and Springbok head coach – has delivered unprecedented dominance: back-to-back World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, a British & Irish Lions series victory in

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has named a 40-man group for a short, but significant, Sydney camp from 5-7 January, marking the beginning of Australia’s 2026 Test season reset. The players will gather for three days alongside the Wallabies’ coaching and high-performance staff before returning to their Super Rugby Pacific franchises to prepare for the new

Sir Matt Williams is at it again. The outspoken Australian, long known as the Springboks’ harshest critic, has ripped into the quality of this year’s Investec Champions Cup, describing several matches as “an absolute mess” and accusing South African clubs of dragging down the prestige of Europe’s flagship competition. “The standard of some matches this

La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara will have to watch his team play from the stands at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. The Irishman will be serving the last of his two-match ban against the Stormers after receiving a red card in the Top 14 defeat to Pau. The former Ireland flyhalf repeatedly remonstrated with

The Vodacom Bulls have been dealt an untimely Investec Champions Cup setback with one of their young flyers sidelined. Hot-stepping young wing Cheswill Jooste missed last week’s loss to defending champions Bordeaux Begles and hasn’t made the trip to England for Saturday’s match against the Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens. The 19-year-old Junior Springbok, one

Andre Esterhuizen’s 100th match arrives at the moment the Sharks need a giant performance most, writes MARK KEOHANE. Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane argues that Esterhuizen has become the prototype for the Springboks’ new hybrid era: a midfielder enforcer with the body of a blindside flanker and the presence of a tighthead. Rassie Erasmus didn’t just

Andre Esterhuizen will captain the Sharks in Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup match against Saracens at Kings Park. The midfielder is among several returning Springboks, including hooker Bongi Mbonambi, flank Siya Kolisi, scrumhalf Grant Williams and utility back Ethan Hooker, who starts at outside centre. Aphelele Fassi has also recovered from an ankle injury suffered against