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Paisami handed four-Test ban after Perth incident
Hunter Paisami has been banned for four Tests for a contrary tackle in the Springboks match in Perth, ruling him out of the Bledisloe Cup opener in Auckland and further disrupting Australia's midfield options.
Ahmed's Edinburgh audition: building a case for the Stormers' backup flyhalf chair
Matthee's ankle injury hands Yaqeen Ahmed a start against Edinburgh — Louw argues it's the young flyhalf's best opportunity yet to lock down the Stormers' backup No.10 role that opens up whenever Feinberg-Mngomezulu is on Bok duty.
Paisami appeal fails: four-week ban confirmed after dangerous tackle on Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Hunter Paisami has been handed a four-week ban, confirmed after a failed appeal, for his dangerous tackle on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu during Australia's win over the Springboks in Perth, ruling him out of both Bledisloe Cup Tests against the All Blacks.
Perth wasn't a failed gamble — and some Bok fans still don't get how Rassie thinks
Gavin Rich pushes back hard on the Perth panic, arguing the defeat was the predictable outcome of a deliberate rotation experiment rather than evidence of a cracked Bok code — and draws on the Loftus-Scotland game to show Rassie's methodology hasn't changed, only the result has.
Doris fitness cloud hangs over Ireland's November clash with Springboks
Ireland captain Caelan Doris faces a race against time to be fit for the November Nations Championship, including the clash against South Africa, after surgery recovery took longer than expected.
Perth dissected: Was it a stress test gone wrong — or just apathy?
The Lekker Rugby Pod debates whether Perth was a calculated Rassie experiment or collective apathy — and either way, the defensive numbers and Fassi's display make uncomfortable reading ahead of the World Cup.
O'Mahony rates Farrell above Erasmus — but his Rassie insight is what Bok fans need to hear
O'Mahony picks Farrell as his all-time coach, but his inside account of how Erasmus actually operates — tactician, motivator, pressure-absorber, and shrewd assembler of specialist staff — offers genuine texture on the Bok boss that goes beyond the headlines.
The officiating split is real — and a former Irish ref boss wants World Rugby to stop it spreading
Doyle argues that Super Rugby Pacific officiating is systematically eroding the contest for possession, effectively creating two different games at Test level — and warns that Australian and New Zealand influence at World Rugby could push those standards global after 2027.
Wiese sees World Cup value in Perth defeat despite 42-38 heartbreak
Jasper Wiese, capped for the 50th time in the 42-38 loss to Australia in Perth, says the defeat delivered valuable World Cup lessons around conditions and logistics, while debutant Bok captain Johan Esterhuizen admitted the team should never have needed to mount a 25-point comeback.
Dweba closing in on Exeter return after missing first two fixtures
Rob Baxter says Joseph Dweba is in full training and close to returning for Exeter after missing their first two matches of the season, with Tommy Wyatt also back available ahead of Saturday's trip to Bath.
Bulls tighthead depth to face first real test against Munster in Limerick
The Bulls' makeshift tighthead stocks face their first serious examination against Munster in Limerick on Saturday, with Francois Kloppers expected to start and Mornay Smith's fitness uncertain after a twisted ankle. Johan Ackermann has flagged the scrum as a priority work-on following a mixed second-half performance in the 47-13 win over Zebre.
Hooper's Piardi plea is referee-bashing with a welfare bow on top
Planet Rugby argues Hooper's 'duty of care' plea is referee-bias finger-pointing in disguise — and that the Wallabies' indiscipline, not Piardi, is the real problem.
Springboks' Rugby World Cup three-peat bid now just over a year away
The Springboks' bid for a historic third straight Rugby World Cup title is now just over a year away.
Mallett: Depth has limits — Nche, Marx and Etzebeth remain irreplaceable
Mallett argues the Perth loss exposed real limits in Bok depth, singling out Nche, Marx, and Etzebeth as genuinely irreplaceable — while warning that Australia's ill-discipline would be fatal at World Cup level.
The All Blacks tune-up paid dividends in SA franchises' URC opening sweep
SA franchises banked 19/20 URC points in Round One without their senior Boks — and the piece makes a compelling case that the All Blacks pre-season tour was the key differentiator, with squad continuity between those Tests and Round One squads cited as direct evidence.
All Blacks warm-up games paid dividends in SA's URC clean sweep
De Koning argues that the SA franchises' dominant URC Round One clean sweep was built on serious pre-season preparation — specifically the All Blacks tour matches — while the Springboks' Perth loss to the Wallabies illustrated exactly what a soft warm-up schedule costs you.
Johnson: Never Write Off the Wallabies at Their Own World Cup
Johnson draws on 2003 experience to argue the Wallabies — unbeaten under Kiss and fresh off beating the world champions with 11 men — should not be dismissed as genuine 2027 contenders, warning that Australian home conditions and tactical cleverness make them dangerous regardless of current rankings.
Sharks name six-man leadership group for 2026/27 season
JP Pietersen has retained Andre Esterhuizen as Sharks captain for 2026/27, adding Emile van Heerden, Nick Hatton and Vincent Tshituka as co-captains, while Vincent Koch and Phepsi Buthelezi take on dedicated club captain roles centred on culture and off-field standards.
Bulls name 55-man URC squad with 15 Springboks and wave of new signings
The Bulls have named a 55-man squad for the 2026/27 URC season featuring 15 Springboks, with new signings including Thaakir Abrahams, Curwin Bosch, Hanro Liebenberg, Hakeem Kunene, Dylan Maart and Sango Xamlashe. They open away to Zebre in Parma next weekend.
Dobson plans careful management of Feinberg-Mngomezulu through October
John Dobson says Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will not start all four of the Stormers' October matches as the club manages the return of its Springbok players.