Southern Hemisphere

All Blacks head coach Steven Hansen is not averse to handing first caps to players in the most competitive environments. Following the first test victory over the British and Irish Lions, Hansen is ready to thrust Ngani Laumape into the action of the second test on Saturday. Named on the bench in the All Blacks […]

In fact, the completion of round 15 will provide some leading sides a chance to gain somewhat of an edge, as their New Zealand counterparts stay idle for a further two weeks. So considering that, here is your conference points table standings as Super Rugby returns to action;

The final midweek game for the Lions against the Hurricanes presented an opportunity for players to break into the test twenty-three. It also presented Warren Gatland with the perfect opportunity to respond to the “devaluing jersey” criticism he has received. Courtney Lawes and Ian Henderson were brought in to do just that. Particularly as George […]

With one week remaining until the first test of the DHL Lions Series, the All Blacks have had a perfect appetizer, after convincingly thrashing Samoa in the Pacifika Challenge. 12 tries to nil, and a convincing scoreline that read 78-0. That was the end result in front of a modest crowd at Eden Park in Auckland. […]

The mix of traditional fixtures, new meetings and crucial tier one and tier two games, it all makes for some sensational June Internationals over the next five weeks [and ongoing].

After the momentous British and Irish Lions victory, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti is busy earning high praise with the Blues franchise as one of the new generation of players to push the Auckland team towards the playoffs, and higher honours

A new concept circulating in the rugby world is the possibility of South African Super Rugby teams competing in the European Guinness PRO12 competition. South African Super Rugby Teams in the PRO12 This concept is a new development and is as a direct result of SANZAAR deciding to cut three teams from the Super Rugby […]

Over three months have passed since the RFU officially unveiled the ten teams for the new Women’s Super Rugby Competition – the UK’s elite league for the women’s game which kicks off in September. The announcement generated a prominent social media backlash as to why Lichfield Ladies – the team who finished second in this year’s […]

Damian McKenzie may find himself missing out on a spot in the All Blacks squad, but his boss at the Chiefs had something else to say on the matter. With the All Blacks squad due to be named on Thursday, Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie appeared quietly surprised at the very notion that McKenzie could […]

A debilitating case of rheumatoid arthritis has also been a key contributor to the early move towards the lucrative European rugby market for James Lowe. His condition is worsening, so similar in the choices for any sports person (or any individual) he had to make a life/career decision in March.

Reaction to this afternoons Super Rugby clash at AMI Stadium was literally ‘off the charts’. In a game that went from sublime to incredible, in a climatic rugby match ending where the last gasp kick by Mitchell Hunt seals Win for Crusaders fans. The above image of Mitchell Hunt stepping back and aiming to take […]

Last week, it was a full platter of Super Rugby. And fans and followers were ‘well fed’ on the spoils of nine matches. Some great games too, as the heat was applied nearing the business end of the season. With the Super Rugby Round 15 forecast set to continue to cook, there will be a […]

The men’s HSBC Sevens Series has ended, with South Africa crowned the 2016/17 champions. A side who claimed their second World Series title, in terms of the shortened game of rugby sevens, they are seen as a team filled with fresh rugby sevens (7s) talent. In comparison to the established kings of the sport–Fiji and […]

Overall, the nine match schedule delivers a full platter of matches to enjoy. It is a big weekend before the International window opens, and disrupts sides momentum. The leading teams must benefit from their opportunities, while the battlers will use pride as a motivation. As a result, every side will be out to play their hearts out……and rugby is the winner from that.

Having avoided the dreaded pool of death in the Rugby World Cup 2019 draw, the Springboks now have the opportunity to make the most of it. Granted, they are in the same pool as their fiercest rival, the All Blacks, but with Italy, likely Namibia and then one other still to be confirmed, most would […]