Sports

The Blitzboks were humbled by Spain at the SVNS World Championship tournament in Hong Kong on Friday. Having edged Uruguay 12-7 in a scrappy opener, South Africa slumped to a 31-12 defeat to Los Leones, who led 14-0 at half-time. Spain attacked straight from the kick-off and after multiple phases Tobias Sainz-Trapaga dotted down, with […]

General admission tickets for the Investec Champions Cup semi-final between Bordeaux Bègles and Bath at the 42,100-capacity Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole sold out within hours. The extraordinary demand underlines the scale of anticipation surrounding the Anglo-French showdown on Sunday, 3 May, as two of Europe’s most exciting sides collide with a place in the Bilbao

Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry believes the Springboks have set the global standard and that New Zealand’s mindset is holding them back. Speaking on the DSPN podcast, Henry praised the Bok coaching set-up under Rassie Erasmus, highlighting their depth and smart player management as key reasons for their dominance. “You’ve got a very good

Haashim Pead has set his sights on becoming South Africa’s next attacking spark at No 9. With a wealth of talent already in the position, the rising Lions star is clear on the type of player he wants to become. “I have always felt I was going to be the scrumhalf that brings the attacking

All Blacks great Michael Jones admits New Zealand rugby is losing its grip, and the All Blacks’ once-feared aura is fading. Speaking to AFP, the former World Cup winner believes rugby union is being overtaken in the battle for “hearts and minds”, particularly among Pacific communities, with rugby league now leading the charge. “Rugby has

The Vodacom Bulls boost their playoff hopes, while the Stormers consolidate their place in the top two, according to the SA Rugby magazine team. Edinburgh vs Zebre (Friday, 8:45pm) Juandre Joubert: Edinburgh by 18 Morne Esben: Edinburgh by 12 Simon Borchardt: Edinburgh by 15 Lindiz van Zilla: Edinburgh by 10 Dylan Johnson: Edinburgh by 15 AFRICA

The Blitzboks got their SVNS World Championship title defence off to a winning start, beating Uruguay in their tournament opener in Hong Kong. The South Africans edged the South Americans 12-7 in a tightly-contested, but often scrappy clash. Tristan Leyds opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he breached the Uruguay defence with speed

The bookmakers have overcooked the Stormers’ chances against Connacht, even if the Lions may justify favouritism up north, writes MARK KEOHANE. Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane says the weekend’s Vodacom URC fixtures will shape the race for home playoff spots, but the assumption of a big Stormers win in Cape Town is misplaced given the nature

The bookmakers have overcooked the Stormers’ chances against Connacht, even if the Lions may justify favouritism up north, writes MARK KEOHANE. Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane says the weekend’s Vodacom URC fixtures will shape the race for home playoff spots, but the assumption of a big Stormers win in Cape Town is misplaced given the nature

Johan Ackermann has taken a pragmatic view about the loss of key players at the end of the season. Among the big-name departures are Springboks Ruan Nortjé and Kurt-Lee Arendse, who are set for moves to Japan, while experienced prop Wilco Louw will head to the Stormers. Ackermann says the squad has enjoyed being on