Dragons flyhalf Tinus de Beer. Inpho Photography For Tinus de Beer, this weekend’s URC clash with the Vodacom Bulls will be a fixture with real added resonance. It was with the South African province that the Dragons RFC flyhalf began his rugby journey in his home city of Pretoria more than a decade ago. Now he is set to face them at Rodney Parade on Friday night. There’s also the fact that he was linked with a potential move back to the Bulls earlier this season. But he has

The Vodacom Bulls have chosen a largely familiar looking side for their VURC encounter against the Dragons on Friday, building from the team that took on Glasgow while making a handful of considered adjustments that speak to rotation and balance rather than any shift in identity. The core of the side remains intact, with continuity in the front row and loose trio providing a stable platform up front. Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper again anchor the s

They arrived in Hong Kong as the 11th-ranked team out of 12, had some misfortunes on the injury front and four players who will experience the intensity of the world stage for the first time but if you asked Ayanda Malinga, you write off the Springbok Women’s Sevens at your own peril. The hard-running wing, who has scored 14 tries in eight tournaments at this level, said the absence of regular captain, Nadine Roos, and experienced players like Liske Lategan and Simamkele Namb

Getting it right five times out of six was a good reflection of the standards the Springbok Sevens set for themselves in 2026 but the most valuable lesson was to make sure you start from zero every time. With that in mind, the Blitzboks will tackle the Cathay/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong tournament this weekend with the baseline of setting their own standards and playing accordingly. That is the view of Philip Snyman, who made it all happen for the Blitzboks in recent seasons, as the

The SA Cup is moving closer to its defining moment in the competition, with log positions beginning to clarify and every result carrying increased significance in the race for semi-final places and crucially for some, Carling Currie Cup Premier Division qualification. The sixth round kicks off with a Friday night opener in Nelspruit setting the tone before a full slate of Saturday fixtures spread across Wellington, Welkom, George and Gqeberha. The Airlink Pumas welcome the Le

The pressure on the four South African franchises in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship will reach fever pitch this weekend as they channel all their energy into qualifying for quarter-final spots and the best possible log positions for favourable play-off places in the fourth-last pool round of the competition. The Vodacom Bulls will meet the Dragons in Wales on Friday, while three matches will play out on Saturday, when the DHL Stormers host Connacht in Cape Town, the Fi

The start of their journeys to make their Springbok Women’s Sevens debuts, at the HSBC SVNS World Championship, could not have been more different but for Owami Mohuli and Jane Mulder, their destination was the same – the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. Mohuli (19) and Mulder (20) will hold no fear or favour in Hong Kong on Friday, shared by a firm desire to deliver their best effort, knowing that a sound performance for their country could ease the way for their age-group

The Springbok Sevens squad achieved one of their pre-season objectives by winning the HSBC SVNS Series but according to Blitzbok captain Impi Visser, they now need to up the ante even more, as they have other targets to hunt down as well. Visser, who played in his 50th world series tournament in the USA, said their mindset for Friday's HSBC SVNS World Championship opener at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park will be centred around their search for the perfect game, something he

Half a century since the tournament's inception in 1976, Hong Kong remains the heartbeat of international sevens rugby. This year's edition marks not only a golden anniversary but the start of a three-tournament World Championship race that will crown the sport's ultimate champions in 2026. The historic tournament has transitioned from its original home at Hong Kong Stadium to the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium, ushering in a new chapter for sevens in Hong Kong while honour

Zain Davids has seen it all during his Sevens career as a Blitzbok. He has stood on podiums around the world, lifted a handful of trophies and received bronze, silver and gold medals in various competitions. And while none of those achievements have happened during his five previous trips to Hong Kong, the 28-year-old, who will be playing in his 58th HSBC SVNS tournament, said his focus remains on living in the moment every time he takes the field, which is exactly what he in

After the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup two week break, the URC returns with only four rounds remaining as the Race To The Eight continues. Friday night lights returns in Belfast, Edinburgh and Newport as we see Zebre Parma make the trip to the Edinburgh, Ulster welcome defending champions Leinster and Dragons host the Vodacom Bulls. Saturday kicks off in South Africa as the DHL Stormers face Connacht, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions welcome league leaders Glasgow

Get ready for Kids Round 2026! The United Rugby Championship is thrilled to announce the return of Kids Round, a celebration of the next generation of rugby fans where stadiums will be transformed into spaces for young supporters to experience the game like never before. Taking place in Round 16 (April 24 & 25), Kids Round is all about putting children at the heart of the action - not just in the stands but across the entire matchday experience. From the first whistle to the

Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach JP Pietersen has named a 28-man squad that flies to Wales on Tuesday, ahead of back-to-back away matches against the Ospreys and Edinburgh. With the Race to the Eight heating up over the last four weekends of Vodacom United Rugby Championship pool match action, the Sharks are under no illusion as the enormity of the closing stages of the tournament as they look to meet their ambitions in the competition. Andre Esterhuizen is back to lead the te

Mark Alexander was the only nomination for the role of president of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) when the deadline for nominations for a four-year term closed on Monday. Alexander, who first took the role in an interim capacity in 2016 (following the resignation of incumbent, Oregan Hoskins) was nominated by representatives of 11 SARU’s member unions. He will formally begin his third and final full term at the Annual General Meeting in Cape Town on 14 May. Meanwhile e

The South African ‘A’ team will make a welcome return to the rugby calendar when they line up against the Zimbabwe Sables as a curtain-raiser to the Springboks’ opening match of the season, against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June, in a thrilling double header. The last time the SA ‘A’ team took the field was during the 2022 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour against Munster and the Bristol Bears and with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in sight for both the Springboks and the Sables –

The Hurricanes have sent their biggest message yet about their title intentions in 2026, thumping the Blues 42-19 at Hnry Stadium in Wellington. The win was a top of the table clash for Super Rugby Pacific with Clark Laidlaw’s side proving to be the better finishers in front of their home crowd as they ran in six tries against a usually stingy Blues defence. Callum Harkin opened the scoring with a well taken try around the left edge, which was followed soon after by a barge o

FNB UP-Tuks secured their record sixth FNB Varsity Cup title with a dominant 31-3 victory over FNB NWU Eagles in the 2026 final on Monday night. The season’s showpiece came down to a clash between the top two sides on the log, as FNB UP-Tuks hosted second-placed FNB NWU Eagles in a rain-soaked and packed Tuks Stadium. Rising to the occasion, the home side delivered a commanding performance to outclass their opponents and cap off an outstanding campaign in style. As anticipate

Eighteen of the best young women rugby players in the country assembled in Stellenbosch on Monday for a 10-day Under-20 alignment camp that will not only expose the players to highly skilled coaching in the national set-up but also put steps into place for the Junior Springbok Women’s international matches against the USA U20s in July. The group will be coached in an Academy based set-up, with various SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coaches involved with the squad during this camp. A numb

Ulster Rugby, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Dragons RFC and Exeter Chiefs are through to the EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals after a high-intensity weekend of knockout action and a series of tightly contested clashes. With clubs from URC, PREM Rugby and TOP 14 all progressing, the competition now moves one step closer to the EPCR Challenge Cup Final in Bilbao on 22 May, with tickets still available for fans who want to be part of the biggest weekend in international club rugby.

It was a quarter-final weekend that had everything - drama, intensity, and moments of pure magic - as the Investec Champions Cup delivered knockout rugby at its absolute best. Four giants of the European game now stand on the brink of glory, with semi-final places secured in unforgettable fashion for Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Leinster Rugby and Union Bordeaux Bègles. CLICK BELOW FOR QUARTER-FINAL REVIEW STATS Friday night at The Rec will live long in the memory. Bath Rugby produ