Stormers XXIII head coach Tom Dawson-Squibb has highlighted the value of having Scarra Ntubeni available as his side prepare to open their Currie Cup campaign on Friday, describing his team as "underdogs" heading into the tournament.
Stormers XXIII coach leans on Ntubeni experience for Currie Cup opener
Tom Dawson-Squibb says Ntubeni is a key presence as the Stormers XXIII begin their Currie Cup campaign on Friday as self-described underdogs.
Biggar calls out SA's 'half-pregnant' Champions Cup stance — but who actually holds the power?
Biggar argues SA holds real leverage in Champions Cup negotiations given their commercial dominance, but calls out the franchises — particularly the Sharks — for undermining that position with weakened lineups. The full panel debate digs into whether SA's options are as powerful as they look, with Goode making the case that the structural mismatch between hemispheres leaves them in a genuine bind.
Biggar: SA Rugby holds the aces, but 'half-pregnant' Champions Cup approach undermines their hand
Biggar argues SA Rugby hold real leverage in Champions Cup negotiations thanks to the Springbok brand's global dominance, but calls out the 'half-pregnant' commitment from franchises like the Sharks as self-defeating. Goode counters that the structural options — stay, leave, or go it alone — each carry significant commercial downsides, leaving SA Rugby with more constraints than their power suggests.
SA's Champions Cup future, England's residency debate, and the Prem's scoring inflation problem
A wide-ranging column examining whether South Africa's Champions Cup involvement is financially and logistically sustainable, the ethics of residency qualification in England's squad selection, and whether the Prem's recent scoring avalanche signals a jeopardy deficit rather than a quality surge.
Sharks' youth injection is meaningless without a proper pre-season
JP Pietersen's late-season youth selections have given the Sharks something Plumtree never had — a viable pre-season nucleus not yet consumed by Bok duty. The piece argues the club must resist the Currie Cup temptation and protect that pre-season window to make the youth injection actually count.
Jan Serfontein retires at 33 after injury-disrupted return to Bulls
Jan Serfontein has retired at 33 after an MCL injury ended his comeback season at the Bulls, drawing the curtain on a career that included 35 Springbok caps, a 2015 World Cup bronze medal, and eight years at Montpellier.