Sports

A bid for wholesale reform of New Zealand rugby’s governing body was rejected by heartland unions, threatening to throw the game into disarray in the rugby-mad nation. Months of bubbling discord reached a head at a special general meeting in the capital Wellington, where the 26 provincial unions voted for their watered-down proposal that retains […]

Jacques Nienaber has hit back at accusations that Leinster flouted World Rugby’s rules banning coaches from waterboy duties. The former Springbok coach showcased his tactical savvy by acting as a waterboy for Leinster in the Champions Cup final against Toulouse last week. Fresh off winning consecutive Rugby World Cups with South Africa, Nienaber joined the

Rugby Australia has rejected a consortium’s bid to take over the debt-laden Rebels and shut down the side after 14 seasons in Super Rugby. The team went into voluntary administration in January owing almost Aus$23 million (US$15 million) – a large portion of it tax debt. Rugby Australia stepped in to reclaim the club’s playing

If the 2023-24 Vodacom United Rugby Championship season is a game of Survivor, then the Hollywoodbets Sharks, South Africa’s lowest-placed team this season, suddenly are at the well and they have the swing vote. It is one of the great ironies of this season that, in the final round of the league phase, the Hollywoodbets Sharks

Having made his return from injury on tour, loosehead prop Sti Sithole is looking forward to doing his thing at DHL Stadium on Saturday. Having made his first start since March in the win over Dragons RFC at Newport, Sithole is excited to make an impact in the last match before the Vodacom URC knockout

The belief in their turnaround of fortunes is real and come the Sevens Series Grand Finale in Madrid this weekend, the Blitzboks will be ready to deliver. That is the view of Blitzbok captain Selvyn Davids as the squad fine-tuned their preparations for the final showpiece of the 2024 season in Spain, with South Africa

Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter on being a part-time loose forward, his 1967 Land Cruiser and balancing his studies with his rugby. You played a bit of loose forward at school. When did you make the switch to hooker and do you ever wish you could play at the back of the scrum again instead of in

The Vodacom Bulls have been criticised for a generous defence, but winger Sebastian de Klerk says that won’t stop them from playing an expansive game against the Sharks on Saturday. In the final round of the Vodacom URC, the Bulls will travel down to Durban looking to wrap up the battle for the South African

Bob Skinstad says the “magnificent” Challenge Cup triumph by the Hollywoodbets Sharks has fully vindicated the involvement of South African sides in northern hemisphere tournaments. Skinstand feels his former team delivered a near flawless display in beating Gloucester 36-22 in last weekend’s final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They became the first South African side

Paarl Boys High has launched an investigation into allegations of racism during the weekend’s derby against Rondebosch Boys High. It is alleged that two separate incidents of racial abuse took place during the derby matches between Paarl Boys and Rondebosch Boys in Paarl. MORE: Racism rocks Cape derby The 1st XI hockey game on Friday