Zimbabwe coach Piet Benade has been quietly building a World Cup programme around proximity to South African rugby — and the 40-0 loss to SA 'A' in Gqeberha last weekend was entirely part of the plan. Benade, who played for WP and the Pumas, has been methodically seeking out South African opposition at every level: club rugby in Louis Trichardt, training against the Bulls U20s, and now a run against the SA 'A' side. His view is that the Sables extract value precisely by offering value in return — useful warm-up opponents for South African teams, genuine competitive exposure for Zimbabwe. With the Nations Cup coming in July (Tonga, USA, Canada) and a first World Cup appearance since 1991 on the horizon in Australia 2027, Benade is making the case that a strong Zimbabwean programme is in South African rugby's interest too.
Zimbabwe's World Cup preparation runs through South Africa
Zimbabwe's Piet Benade explains how structured exposure to South African opposition — from club level up to SA 'A' — is central to the Sables' World Cup preparation, and why he hopes the relationship deepens.
Louw returns to Springbok fold for Scotland Test in emotional farewell to Loftus
Wilco Louw returns to the Springbok matchday squad for Saturday's Test against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld, his first appearance in green and gold since being left out against England while recovering from illness. The match also marks his emotional first Test since the death of his father in April, and his final game at Loftus before returning to the Stormers.
Louw relishes Loftus return as Boks brace for physical Scotland test
Wilco Louw starts at loosehead for the Springboks against Scotland at Loftus on Saturday, relishing his return to the venue in green and gold while cautioning that Scotland's direct forward play — on show in last week's win over Argentina — makes for a stern test.
Method in the Madness: Why Rassie's Risky Scotland Selection Makes Sense
Cardinelli argues Erasmus's heavily rotated Scotland team is less a selection of necessity than a calculated acceleration of World Cup squad-building — underpinned by club familiarity between combinations and anchored by enough proven operators to keep the result in sight.
Moerat, Nortje and Van Heerden: Three Bok locks playing for more than a final spot
Rich profiles three departing Bok locks — Moerat, Van Heerden and Nortje — whose franchise careers end with a semifinal defeat, drawing out their shared history and assessing their Bok trajectories heading into a busy Rugby Championship build-up.
Kolbe made financial sacrifices to seal Stormers return after four failed attempts — Dobson
John Dobson says Cheslin Kolbe took a significant financial cut to rejoin the Stormers for 2026/27, dismissing suggestions it is a Galactico or retirement signing and insisting Kolbe is driven by the desire to win trophies in Cape Town.