Springboks - News, interviews, reports, analysis and opinion

Latest News

/ 4 days ago

Mackenzie Martin keen to take up new Beziers challenge

Beziers-bound back rower Mackenzie Martin feels it is the right time to leave his comfort zone and embrace a new culture...

By Ben Jaycock

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu breaks through for Stormers

Club Rugby

/ 2 weeks ago

South Africa star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu picked as best in the URC

Stormers fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been crowned the URC’s players’ player of the season in a poll of the captains and...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Letters

/ 2 weeks ago

DREAMTEAM

BOBBY DE WEE, THE EALING TRAILFINDERS AND FORMER GOLDEN LIONS AND SOUTHERN KINGS LOCK/FLANKER, SELECTS THE BEST XV HE HAS PLAYED...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Afolabi Fasogbon has obvious Test potential

Chris Hewett

/ 2 weeks ago

Chris Hewett: Yes, Nick, Afolabi Fasogbon deserves his chance with England

Chris Hewett argues England are missing a World Cup opportunity by overlooking Gloucester prop Afolabi Fasogbon, whose rise could provide Steve...

By Chris Hewett

Columnists

/ 2 weeks ago

Peter Jackson: Stewart McKinney recalls his great old pal Fergus Slattery

Peter Jackson shares Stewart McKinney’s poignant memories of Fergus Slattery and the devastating toll dementia took on the Ireland and Lions...

By Peter Jackson

Latest News

/ 4 weeks ago

Ex-Wales centre Lewis dies at 84

FORMER Wales and British and Irish Lions centre Arthur Lewis has died at the age of 84. He made 11 Wales...

By The Rugby Paper Team

New Zealand celebrate winning the second Test against South Africa in Pretoria, 1996

Chris Hewett

/ 4 weeks ago

Chris Hewett: When fresh ambition takes on old rivalries

World Rugby moves at a pace best described as geological – in a footrace with continental drift, the non-governing governing body...

By Chris Hewett

Latest News

/ 4 weeks ago

Sun is yet to set on England empire

THE sun, it seems, has yet to set on one section of England’s empire. Bristol’s Benhard Janse van Rensburg will be...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Maro Itoje leads England against Argentina

Features

/ 4 weeks ago

Peter Winterbottom: England can take on world’s best if they play with ambition and confidence

Former England flanker Peter Winterbottom gives his verdict on Red Rose head coach Steve Borthwick, captain Maro Itoje, and outlines how...

By Ben Jaycock

Jordan Hendrikse on the attack for Durban Sharks

Challenge Cup

/ 1 month ago

South African Rugby Union could withdraw its sides from Europe

South African Rugby will hold a strategic planning session with its member unions and directors of rugby to review the current...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 1 month ago

Chris Hewett: You need to have the right instinct for top-level rugby

So it’s official: the one thing in top-level rugby that sorts the men from the boys, the wheat from the chaff,...

By Chris Hewett

Features

/ 1 month ago

My life in Rugby: Bobby De Wee – “Winning titles never gets old”

Coming through South African rugby as a lock can feel brutal at times because there is always somebody bigger, stronger or...

By Ben Jaycock

International Rugby

/ 2 months ago

Lukhanyo Am: England could learn from South Africa selection policy

Lukhanyo Am has underlined the benefits of South Africa’s overseas selection policy, insisting it has been a “real advantage” in building...

By Ben Jaycock

Chris Hewett

/ 2 months ago

Chris Hewett: Super Rugby’s survival is far from guaranteed

Remember the days when Super Rugby was so hot, you could toast yourself on it?

By Chris Hewett

Chris Hewett

/ 2 months ago

Multi-taskers who are pushing out specialists on the World Rugby stage

Contrary to popular belief, hybrid players – those who can play in the pack, as well as the backs – are...

By Chris Hewett

Finn Russell scoring for Bath against Northampton Saints in last weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final

Chris Hewett

/ 2 months ago

Chris Hewett: An epic drama? No, just drowning in tries

A quarter-final classic”, proclaimed the BBC. Hyperbole? Quite the opposite. As the avalanche of superlatives triggered by Bath’s victory over Northampton...

By Chris Hewett

Latest News

/ 2 months ago

Moana Pasifika to be axed

SUPER Rugby Pacific outfit Moana Pasifika is leaving the competition due to ongoing financial pressures and the inability to sustainably fund...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Mike Tindall still believes Steve Borthwick is the right man for the England job

International Rugby

/ 2 months ago

Mike Tindall: Steve Borthwick is still the man to lead England forward

Mike Tindall is convinced Steve Borthwick will come up with a remedy to heal England’s losing headache and turn them into...

By Gary Fitzgerald

Latest News

/ 2 months ago

DREAMTEAM

BEN FODEN, THE FORMER ENGLAND, SALE, NORTHAMPTON & RUGBY UNITED NEW YORK FULL-BACK, SELECTS THE BEST XV HE PLAYED WITH OR...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 2 months ago

Flankers who can cause problems

A TROUBLESOME breed, openside flankers of the silver-ferned variety – especially the top one per cent. The wonderful New Zealand captain...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 3 months ago

Edinburgh blown away

■By WILL RILEY Stormers ........33 Edinburgh ......14 THE Stormers powered to a bonus-point victory over Edinburgh at Cape Town Stadium. Stormers...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Miscellaneous

/ 3 months ago

Bears find welcome in the hillsides

THERE used to be a time when every clubhouse in England marvelled at the magnetic appeal of the Welsh club scene,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

International Rugby

/ 4 months ago

Lawrence Dallaglio: Time for England to go back to the basics after Six Nations defeats

Lawrence Dallaglio admits it is “tough” being an England fan right now, but he has urged disgruntled followers to keep the...

By Gary Fitzgerald

Campbell Ridl on the attack for Exeter Chiefs

Latest News

/ 4 months ago

Campbell Ridl quick to make a name for himself at Exeter Chiefs

Last season it was Paul Brown-Bampoe, now it is Campbell Ridl who has very quickly made his name at Exeter Chiefs.

By Paul Rees

Columnists

/ 4 months ago

Peter Jackson: Memories of All Black legend going under the hammer

In the bad old days when too many referees turned a blind eye to all manner of mayhem, Kevin Skinner built...

By Peter Jackson

Latest News

/ 4 months ago

Marnus on move

Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe will join Munster at the end of the season on a two-year deal. The 29-year-old...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Chris Hewett

/ 4 months ago

Chris Hewett: ‘Fast, faster, fastest’ is Fabien Galthie’s new look for France

Rugby is a game of assumptions about the future, rooted in the here and now.

By Chris Hewett

Winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey scoring a try against Ireland

Chris Hewett

/ 4 months ago

Chris Hewett: Wingers who light up the greatest show

The key ingredients of a successful World Cup are few in number but broad in sweep: a critical mass of genuinely...

By Chris Hewett

Young Gun

/ 5 months ago

OWEN ERASMUS

YOUNG GUNS OSPREYS & STORMERS FLY-HALF Owen Erasmus is hoping the opportunity to spend a year with the Springbok-laden Stormers will...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Mr Angry: All Black Grant Batty PICTURE: Getty Images

Brendan Gallagher

/ 5 months ago

Brendan Gallagher: Small in stature but big on talent

Back in the day it became almost a cliché that All Blacks forwards were all rugged frontiersmen and farmers – world...

By Brendan Gallagher

Latest News

/ 5 months ago

100 years ago when Scots missed the Slam

THE one that got away is a staple in sport – indeed life – and for Scotland the one that got...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Max Lahiff goes over for Bristol Bears’ second try

Champions Cup

/ 5 months ago

Bulls 49-61 Bristol Bears: Nine-try visitors vanquish Bulls

Bristol Bears hit the heights at altitude against the Bulls. It sounds crazy to say in a game of 16 tries...

By Paul Rees

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

England lead unofficial world title battle

■ By JOSEPH TERRY ENGLAND’S men and women are currently both in first place in an unofficial world title challenge which...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

Superb Sharks demolish Clermont

■ By SAM JACKSON Off to a flyer: Tom O’Flaherty gets the first try for Sale in their impressive win at...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Siya Kolisi goes over for The Sharks’ opening try against Saracens

Champions Cup

/ 6 months ago

Sharks 28-23 Saracens: Sarries looking good but fail to take chances

This was a game Saracens could and should have won despite travelling to Durban with a much-changed team after putting Clermont...

By Brendan Gallagher

Munster’s Donncha O’Callaghan is sent to the sidelines to put on some shorts after deciding to play on in his underpants during the Heineken Cup match against Cardiff Blues in 2006

Chris Hewett

/ 6 months ago

Chris Hewett: Glad we were spared Gianni Infantino’s sycophancy

Just for once, we must congratulate World Rugby on getting it right. Their staging of the pool draw for the next...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

Van Zyl was cast out and never forgiven

HENNIE van Zyl, who had been the second oldest surviving Springbok behind Frik du Preez, died aged 89 earlier this month...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Eben Etzebeth scores the 11th Springboks try before being sent off

Autumn Internationals

/ 6 months ago

South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth gets 12-week ban for eye gouge

South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been banned for 12 weeks for an eye gouge on Wales flanker Alex Mann.

By The Rugby Paper Team

Chris Hewett

/ 6 months ago

Chris Hewett: Eben Etzebeth top billing in Springboks rogues’ gallery

Clint Eastwood knows a thing or two about cinema, but if anyone is to make a sequel to his Springbok-inspired Invictus...

By Chris Hewett

Latest News

/ 6 months ago

Expansion theory has killed pool jeopardy

IT’S official: the “pool of death” is dead. Daisy-pushing, maker-meeting, Python-parroting dead. When the newly expanded World Cup group stage unfolds...

By The Rugby Paper Team