EPCR, organiser of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, is delighted to announce the appointment of John Barton as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer. Barton joins from TEAM Marketing, where he led the commercial development and sales of sponsorship and licensing rights for Uefa’s men’s football club competitions. Bringing with him over 20 years of experience at TEAM Marketing, not only in sponsorship and licensing but also in media rights and event operati

Springbok prop Zachary Porthen, who made his Test debut in the team’s emphatic 61-7 victory against Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, described the occasion as a “dream come true” and said his main goal going forward was to do everything possible to remain in the senior national set-up. The powerful 21-year-old forward – who made history by becoming the youngest Springbok prop to take the field in the professional era – made a strong statement as the Junior Springbok capt

Rassie Erasmus lauded his team for their physicality, intensity and the respect they showed Japan as they registered an emphatic 61-7 victory at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, and although the Springbok coach was pleasantly surprised with the result, he said the next few weeks would pose completely different challenges. The Boks scored eight tries and were awarded a penalty try and limited Japan to only a converted try for their efforts and while it was a fantastic st

The Springboks outclassed Japan 61-7 (half-time 26-0) to start the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a commanding combination of power and precision in slippery conditions at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, scoring eight well-taken tries along with a penalty try highlighting their ascendancy over the Brave Blossoms. There was only one team that really warmed the hearts of the London crowd on a rainy night as the Springboks totally outplayed their Japanese counterparts, h

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Siya Kolisi said it would be a massive mistake to underestimate Japan going into their opening clash in the November Internationals at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and stressed the importance of delivering on their own standards to start their five-match tour on a positive note. The teams will cross paths at the iconic stadium in London for the first time at 6.10pm on Saturday, with the match being broadcast live and exclus

SOUTH AFRICA v JAPAN – WEMBLEY STADIUM, LONDON – KO 6.10pm (SAST) Referee Eoghan Cross (Ireland) Test debut: 18 December, 2021 – Netherlands 7-52 Spain Tests as referee: 7 Eoghan Cross will take charge of a team from the Six Nations or Rugby Championship for the first time. He has refereed Japan once before, a 55-28 defeat of Canada in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024. Cross will also referee Belgium v Brazil in the RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament in Duba

The SA Rugby Under-19 Academy squad wasted no time in settling into their European base after arriving in Paris on Thursday, marking the start of their three-week tour of France and Ireland. The 30-man touring party and team management have set up camp at the France High-Performance Centre (HPC) in Marcoussis, which is located approximately one hour’s drive outside of Paris. This modern, world-class facility, the heart of French rugby, provides the young South Africans with a

Japan holds a special place in the heart of Damian de Allende, who has spent a number of seasons playing club rugby in that part of the world, and the experienced Springbok centre said he was very excited to line up against some of his Wild Knights teammates in London on Saturday. The Boks face the Brave Blossoms in the opening match of their November tour at Wembley Stadium and De Allende – who was a member of the Bok team that won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan – warned

Springbok centre Jesse Kriel is bracing himself for a tough Test against Japan on Saturday, when South Africa open their five-week November tour at Wembley Stadium in London and along with Grant Williams, emphasised the importance of delivering a high standard of rugby to set the tone for what will be a challenging trip. Kriel, who plays for Japanese club Canon Eagles, added the fact that some of the South African and Japanese players have been playing together for a few year

Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 lit up social and digital media across the globe. With cultural relevance and authentic personality at the heart of a deliberate strategy to grow rugby’s global impact, the tournament generated 1.1 billion social impressions, created a host of new stars and delivered a new fanbase for the sport. A joyous fan and player centric event, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 surpassed all initial targets and reshaped the record books, becoming the seco

An Independent Appeal Hearing was held on Wednesday regarding the citing and subsequent suspension of Jan-Hendrik Wessels of the Vodacom Bulls which had resulted in a nine-game ban. An independent appeal committee led by Roddy MacLeod (Scotland) as Chair alongside Achille Reali (Italy) & Robert Milligan KC (Scotland) convened to determine the appeal. The player and the club requested a de novo hearing. However, having regard to the United Rugby Championship’s disciplinary rul

The Sharks ownership and management have confirmed a series of significant changes to their rugby programme which will take place over the coming months. Following a disappointing start to the season, the leadership team conducted a comprehensive review of The Sharks’ rugby structures, engaging multiple stakeholders across all levels of the operation. Management’s assessment is that the problem is multi-faceted; and we are clear that the long-term success of The Sharks will b

Former Junior Springbok captain Zachary Porthen will make his Springbok debut against Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday as Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named a largely settled match-23 for the opening match of the November Internationals. Erasmus named 16 players in his matchday squad that featured in the team’s 29-27 victory against Argentina in their final Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash earlier this month, which saw them clinch the title for the second year

As a Blitzbok, he has won the HSBC SVNS world series, gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Olympic Games but for Christie Grobbelaar, an appearance at his home tournament in Cape Town has remained rather elusive. And, hopes the De Doorns native and former scholar from HTS Drostdy in Worcester, maybe 2025 might just be the year for him to make his mark at DHL Stadium, where the HSBC SVNS Cape Town will be played on 6 and 7 December. Tickets, starting from only R250

Five members of the triumphant Junior Springbok side from earlier this year have been included in the SA Rugby Under-19 Academy squad of 30 players for an exciting three-match European tour to France and Ireland. The touring squad, which includes Junior Bok captain Riley Norton and his 2025 SA U20 teammates Oliver Reid, Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka, Siphosethu Mnebelele, and Vusi Moyo, will depart South Africa on Wednesday. The tour is a crucial part of the pathway for age-gr

Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, thanked the outgoing leadership of the SA Schools Rugby Association and congratulated the new Executive Committee and selectors, who were elected at their Annual General Meeting in Durbanville on Monday. KwaZulu-Natal’s Noël Ingle’s term as chairperson has come to an end after 10 years, with Kervin Grove from Western Province, the former secretary, elected to take over from Ingle at the meeting held at Hoërskool Durbanville. The two vice

Springbok assistant coach Jerry Flannery said the Boks are expecting to face a psyched-up Japanese team when the sides meet in the opening match of their five-week November tour at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday. The Bok assistant coach added that the main focus area for the team after the Castle Lager Rugby Championship will be to control their play better. Springbok loose forward Kwagga Smith, who plays club rugby in Japan for the Shizuoka Blue Revs, also expected a

Naka Bulls have already set their sights on a “new Everest” in 2026 after making history at the Brookside Sports Ground in Cape Town on Saturday when they won a third consecutive Pick n Pay Gold Cup title. The Blue Bulls Carlton Cup champions dominated Western Province Super League A champions Villager, running in six tries in a 40-25 (half-time 26-8) victory in front of one of the largest crowds ever seen at the iconic southern suburbs ground. This year’s tournament, which s

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus had high hopes for the team’s five-week tour to the UK and Europe as he departed for London with a small group of players and management on Sunday ahead of next weekend’s opening Test against Japan. The squad departed for London in different groups in the last few days, with the full group set to assemble in the UK on Monday morning. The Springboks will face Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1 November, which will be followed by Tests against

Gavin Coombes. www.inpho.ie There are now just two unbeaten teams in the United Rugby Championship – the DHL Stormers and Munster Rugby - and they lead the way at the top of the table having both won all five of their matches so far this season. The Stormers from Cape Town completed their three-match tour of Europe by coming from behind to claim a 31-16 victory over Benetton Rugby in Treviso. They trailed 16-8 at the break, with winger Louis Lynagh having scored a sixth leagu