The Southern Kings have signed Toulouse hooker Virgil Lacombe as their fourth international player for Super Rugby next year.
Wales are set to play on a plastic pitch at the Millennium Stadium in a ground-breaking move being proposed by the Welsh Rugby Union.
Roger Lewis, the WRU’s go-ahead chief executive, has revealed behind closed doors talks have taken place about implementing the artificial surface at the home of Welsh sport.
With a R1-million first prize and some of the fastest speedsters in the business, it was time for the inaugural IPL-style NBM Sevens Premier League tournament in George, South Africa
The Matches were hosted here and all 34 matches were broadcast live on SuperSport 6, with the first match at 11am on Friday between the NBM All Stars and Boland.
Saturday’s play began at 11:00, and culminate with the final at 6pm.
British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland says Jonny Wilkinson is in the frame for the Australia tour, but Toulon’s success may hamper his hopes.
Connacht and Leinster have become embroiled in angry exchanges following Ireland lock Mike McCarthy’s decision to move to the Heineken Cup champions.
Two-time defending European Cup champions Leinster host Clermont in the fourth round of the competition this weekend in the knowledge that they will have to dig deep for a “vital” bonus-point victory.
Adidas, the global sports brand, on Friday unveiled the new-look DHL Stormers kit which brings the Western Province and the Stormers brands much closer for the 2013 season.
All-conquering All Black captain Richie McCaw has been named New Zealand’s Player of the Year.
Former Springbok prop Robbie Kempson has been appointed as one of the new provincial academy managers, SA Rugby Union (Saru) announced on Friday.
South Africa’s Player of the Year, record-breaking Springbok wing Bryan Habana, is yet again in the sights of Toulon’s eccentric boss Mourad Boudjellal.
British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland fired the first verbal salvo ahead of his team’s tour to Australia next year, claiming the Wallabies are the easiest to knock over of their Southern Hemisphere rivals.
Representatives and stakeholders from the European Rugby Cup met in London on Wednesday in order to agree on the way forward for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup but again failed to find a solution.
English and French clubs are not happy with the current format as their opposition teams do not have to qualify for the Heineken Cup in the same way and have automatic qualification regardless of their level of skill.
Warren Gatland will have some familiar faces around him when he takes his 2013 British & Irish Lions tour party to Australia next year.
The 2013 head coach, Gatland, on Wednesday revealed that he will have 2009 coaches Graham Rowntree and Rob Howley rejoining him, both former Lions themselves.
With a R1-million first prize and some of the fastest speedsters in the business, this week’s inaugural NBM Sevens tournament in George, beginning on Friday, is ideal festive season television fare.
All 34 matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport 6, with the first match at 11am on Friday between the NBM All Stars and Boland.
Rugby-Talk will also cover this IPL-Style Inaugural competition with a Live Games Article.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans looks likely to keep his job and be in charge for the British and Irish Lions tour next year after Australian chiefs said there was “very little chance” of change.
EP Rugby CEO Anele Pamba has resigned from his position with immediate effect, leaving President Cheeky Watson in “shock”.
The Brumbies have announced that they have signed former Rugby League coach Brian Smith as their defence/collision coach for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
It is dubiously called a “Test window” period anyway, and the Springboks must use the three weeks of international activity in June next year as a genuine window of opportunity to prepare themselves for more glamorous goals later in the season.
Our national side has a greatly less taxing, on paper, June agenda than either of their most traditional southern hemisphere rivals, New Zealand and Australia … and must use it to their advantage in terms of bigger-picture aspirations like the Castle Rugby Championship a bit further up the gruelling 2013 drag.
Young Highveld Lions wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is likely to be called up by the Proteas for limited overs internationals against New Zealand.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button told the story of a man who lived his life backwards, being born an old man before dying many years later as a newborn baby. Johnnie Beattie is doing something similar with his rugby career.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has been awarded the IRB Development Award 2012 for its innovative and practical approach to player development regardless of ethnic origin, the IRB announced on Saturday.
Australian Rugby Union has ushered in historic Constitutional changes at a General Meeting in Sydney today.
The Blues on Monday named veteran lock Ali Williams as captain for the 2013 season, with coach John Kirwan saying it will give the 77-Test veteran a chance to prove his doubters wrong.
This weekend was a busy one for the Heineken Cup as twelve matches were played in the third round of the competion. The weekend started on Friday night with a comprehensive win for Ulster over Northampton and a win by Connacht against Biarritz. Following Munster’s win over Saracens on Saturday it looked as if there may be a clean sweep of wins for the teams from Ireland and Northern Ireland.
However, Leinster stumbled to a narrow loss in their game against Clermont Auvergne on Sunday. This ended Leinster’s amazing 17 game unbeaten run in the Heineken Cup.
The HSBC Sevens World Series was in South Africa this weekend, with the Cell C Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens tournament, the last Sevens tournament on the circuit for 2012.
New Zealand took the spoils after beating the South African Blitzbokke 12 / 5 in the Semi-final and thumping France 47 / 12 in the Final.
It was a better weekend for the men from South Africa though, getting through the pool stages unbeaten, also winning the Quarter final against the USA, but then stumbling against New Zealand, by only 7 points. South Africa demolished Argentina in the 3rd Place play-off, beating them by 35 / 0.
Head coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to the Glasgow Warriors side which was beaten by Munster last week as they prepare to face French Top 14 team Castres Olympique in the Heineken Cup.
There is still a little bit of rugby to look forward to on TV in South Africa this weekend.
So, what’s in stall for us as far as TV rugby viewing is concerned this weekend?
Herewith the viewing schedule:
The Brumbies will establish a talented-player squad to boost depth and give players a pathway to Super Rugby less than a year after the ARU abolished the province academies.
It was revealed that Jake White is moving to bridge the gap between amateur and professional rugby with the top 20 players from the capital’s premier division to be added to a Brumbies talent squad.
Controversial Wallaby playmaker Quade Cooper has settled his differences with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) by signing a new two-year deal on Friday.
The Springboks will face their Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool B opponents, Scotland and Samoa (as well as Italy), in an innovative new tournament featuring double-header Test matches in 2013, the South African Rugby Union announced on Thursday.
Wallabies and Reds playmaker Quade Cooper is believed to have come to terms with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) with a new deal that will keep playing Super Rugby in Australia for the Reds.
Struggling French outfit Racing Métro is chasing the signature of the Bulls’ Springbok lock Juandré Kruger.
Veteran hooker Keven Mealamu has become the latest player to opt for a ‘sabbatical’ during next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Richie McCaw is the All Blacks’ most capped player of all time, having represented New Zealand on 116 occasions to date.
The Kings have been working hard on their fitness ahead of what they know will be a gruelling debut Super Rugby season next year.