South Africa - News, interviews, reports, analysis and opinion

Marcus Smith dives in to score England’s fourth try

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

England hold their nerve to deny Argentina

England survived a frantic finish with just 13 men on the pitch to beat Argentina 31-24 in Santiago del Estero.

By Adam Hathaway

Action Won by New Zealand’s Blake Armstrong with his striking image of Moana Pasifika’s Tom Savage and the Highlanders’ Oliver Haig colliding under the roof at Forsyth Barr stadium. This picture also scooped the The Grand Prix award for overall best rugby photograph

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

Rugby’s best moments are caught on camera

The winners of the 2026 Rugby Photographer of the Year awards have been revealed, celebrating the finest images from across the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

Alex Coles proves why he belongs in England’s plans

Alex Coles has gone from fringe player to England regular after grabbing his opportunity on last summer’s Argentina tour and proving...

By Adam Hathaway

Henry Slade in action against Fiji for England

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

England centre Henry Slade has his eye on another Rugby World Cup

Henry Slade admits he once feared his England career was finished, but the Exeter Chiefs centre is now targeting another shot...

By Adam Hathaway

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

England’s 25,000 miles travelled this summer has made for a brutal schedule

Steve Borthwick’s England will head home after a gruelling three-match tour across three continents, with 25,000 air miles clocked up in...

By Adam Hathaway

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

Paul Rees: England boss Steve Borthwick fails to make most of his opportunities

Paul Rees believes England’s summer tour produced results but failed to answer the bigger questions, with Steve Borthwick missing a valuable...

By Paul Rees

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

New Zealand 40-21 Ireland: All Blacks finish with a final flourish

New Zealand delivered their most complete display of the Nations Championship, overpowering Ireland at Eden Park to extend their 32-year unbeaten...

By Ben Jaycock

Jesse Kriel scores the third try for South Africa

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

South Africa 43-0 Wales: Steve Tandy still has belief despite mauling

Steve Tandy insisted he still believes in his Wales squad despite a 43-0 defeat to world champions South Africa, who completed...

By Gary Fitzgerald

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

improvement in this outlook for the rest of the age limitation mode. But South Africa were not way over. No points but I am proud of the boys, insists Lake

CAPTAIN Dewi Lake remained upbeat despite another heavy loss in Durban and claimed Wales can take plenty of positives from their...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Columnists

/ 2 days ago

Jeremy Guscott: Yes, South Africa are good … but they’re beatable

Jeremy Guscott believes South Africa’s strength in depth makes them the team to beat, but insists the Springboks are not unbeatable...

By Jeremy Guscott

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

Townsend happy to highlight positives

SCOTLAND head coach Gregor Townsend hailed a “positive” Nations Championship campaign after backing up a superb win in Argentina and an...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Pierre Schoeman scores Scotland’s second try to start the fightback

Autumn Internationals

/ 2 days ago

Fiji 17-33 Scotland: Scots take time to bring down Fijians

Scotland fought back from 10 points down to overcome a spirited Fiji and secure a bonus-point victory at Murrayfield, rounding off...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Nick Cain

/ 2 days ago

Borthwick must sort out his back row now

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK NOTHING tells us more about the selection stasis in which Steve Borthwick appears...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 2 days ago

Be brave, pick Marcus at No.9

HAVING watched Marcus Smith finish the match for England against Fiji at scrum-half last weekend, he looked a natural in the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 2 days ago

Plan to rejuvenate the once-great Champions Cup

I SEE with the recent release of next season’s Champions Cup fixtures that we have to endure the awful groups of...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

Forget world rankings, it’s trophies that count

WE hardly needed reminding that football is the world’s game, but the President of the United States could not resist stretching...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

Look beyond the showman and recognise the work Pollock puts in

Hat-trick man: Henry Pollock touches down against Fiji PICTURES: Getty Images TRADICTION of Steve Borth-England is that his gameplan ly conservative...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Features

/ 2 days ago

Big boys are still not playing nice

WHILE conceding there has been some very decent rugby in some of the Nations Championship rugby thus far, I am still...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Junior International Rugby

/ 2 days ago

France 5-16 South Africa: Baby Boks grab chance to rule the world – again!

South Africa retained the World Rugby U20 Championship title with a hard-fought victory over France, underlining the strength of their production...

By Ben Jaycock

Junior International Rugby

/ 2 days ago

New Zealand 41-26 England: Red Rose youngsters blown away as Baby Blacks take charge

England let a half-time lead slip as New Zealand pulled away after the break to claim the bronze medal with a...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

France and South Africa triumph in semi-final clashes

By SAM JACKSON Hat-trick hero: Khuthadzo Rasivhaga on the attack for South Africa FRANCE and defending champions South Africa booked their...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

SA referee urges checks after her cancer diagnosis

SOUTH African referee Aimee Barrett-Theron has stood down from officiating after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The 39-year-old, below, is the...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 days ago

WHY WILL JORDAN IS YEARS AHEAD OF HIS TIME

David Campese Debut: Australia v New Zealand, Christchurch, Aug 14, 1982 50th Test try: v South Africa, Cape Town, Aug 22,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 2 days ago

Rees-Zammit admits his return to rugby has not gone as expected

NEWSEXTRA LOUIS Rees-Zammit admits his transition back to rugby has been harder than anticipated after taking a break from the sport...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Henry Pollock will not start for England against Argentina

Autumn Internationals

/ 5 days ago

Henry Pollock misses out as England name unchanged side for Argentina clash

Henry Pollock has missed out on a starting place despite his hat-trick heroics against Fiji, with Steve Borthwick naming an unchanged...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Columnists

/ 1 week ago

Nick Cain: Tommy Freeman deserves a decent run at 13 for England

Nick Cain argues England must stick with Tommy Freeman at outside centre, insisting Steve Borthwick’s stop-start handling of the Northampton Saints...

By Nick Cain

Chris Hewett

/ 1 week ago

Chris Hewett: France’s battalion of centres is unmatched

Chris Hewett believes France’s extraordinary depth at centre gives Fabien Galthie a decisive edge ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup...

By Chris Hewett

Junior International Rugby

/ 1 week ago

Lucas Friday insists England U20s are ready to take on South Africa challenge

Lucas Friday insists England’s youngsters are ready for the challenge as they prepare to face reigning champions South Africa in the...

By Ben Jaycock

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 week ago

Jamie George: Owen Farrell’s helping England flyer Noah Caluori get it right

Jamie George has revealed how Owen Farrell has helped guide England’s teenage wing Noah Caluori after the Saracens youngster earned his...

By Adam Hathaway

George Martin scores for England in their Nations Championship defeat to South Africa

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 week ago

England prop Joe Heyes so happy to see his old mate George Martin back

George Martin marked his England return with a try against South Africa after more than a year out, earning emotional praise...

By Adam Hathaway

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 week ago

Fiji 8-73 England: Red Rose throw an 11-try party as the Fijians wilt

Steve Borthwick can get some sleep on England’s flight to Argentina tonight after his side ended their five-match drought and got...

By Adam Hathaway

Marcus Smith celebrates scoring for England

Features

/ 1 week ago

Paul Rees: England put on a show to take the heat off Steve Borthwick – for now

England produced a ruthless 11-try display to ease the pressure on Steve Borthwick, but Paul Rees warns the head coach’s problems...

By Paul Rees

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 week ago

Australia 26-42 France: The French too strong for Wallabies

France overturned a nine-point half-time deficit with a ruthless second-half display to beat Australia in Brisbane and hand the Wallabies a...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 week ago

We had chances, admits Sione

SCOTLAND captain Sione Tuipulotu admitted missed opportunities proved costly as the visitors slipped to defeat against South Africa despite producing a...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Jesse Kriel dives over to score South Africa’s final try

Autumn Internationals

/ 1 week ago

South Africa 42-28 Scotland: The Scots make Springboks fight all the way

South Africa withstood a stirring Scotland comeback to claim a hard-fought 42-28 victory at Loftus Versfeld and maintain their unbeaten start...

By Ben Jaycock

Henry Pollock has passed every test he has faced so far

Columnists

/ 1 week ago

Jeremy Guscott: England chief Steve Borthwick must start with Henry Pollock against Argentina

Jeremy Guscott calls for Steve Borthwick to unleash Henry Pollock from the start against Argentina, warning England must rediscover their energy...

By Jeremy Guscott

Letters

/ 1 week ago

Main issue is Borthwick’s selection

AFTER last week’s very predictable result and performance against South Africa, it’s noticeable that some rugby commentators (mostly former players) and...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 1 week ago

Top two sides may hail from the South

NOW that the new Nations Championship is underway, I wonder whether anyone has given any thought as to how it might...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 1 week ago

Nothing’s changed

WHILE nobody was expecting England to win in South Africa against this current Springboks team, what was clear from the defeat...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 1 week ago

South Africa showing best way forward

SOUTH Africa’s 23-man squad for the Test against England includes players from 11 different representative teams. Plus one player based in...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 1 week ago

European Rugby Champions Cup fixtures revealed for 2026-27 campaign

Defending champions Bordeaux Bègles will begin their Champions Cup title defence at Gloucester, while Premiership winners Northampton Saints face Cardiff in...

By The Rugby Paper Team