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2,991 items · Springboks
Stormers sweat on Willemse scan ahead of Cardiff quarter-final as Zas also injured in training collision
Damian Willemse is awaiting scan results on a potential knee injury after colliding with Leolin Zas in training, with coach John Dobson warning the double absence ahead of Saturday's URC quarter-final against Cardiff would be 'catastrophic'. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also suffered a scare but is expected to play.
Matfield's theory: Only Boks have the physicality to run Nienaber's system
Matfield argues Nienaber's defensive system demands Springbok-level physicality to function — Leinster can't slow the ball the way the Boks do, leaving them structurally exposed. Kirwan adds that incomplete player buy-in made things worse.
Mitchell hamstring blow leaves England short at scrumhalf ahead of Springbok test
Alex Mitchell is doubtful for England's Nations Championship campaign, including the Springbok test in Johannesburg, after pulling a hamstring in a squad training camp.
Coetzee backs Pollard and Le Roux to be Bulls' difference-makers against Munster
Coetzee identifies Pollard and Le Roux as the Bulls' play-off X-factors against Munster, arguing that World Cup-hardened composure — not past final appearances — is what will matter at Loftus on Saturday.
Matfield: Leinster's mauling is Ireland's problem — and Bordeaux could trouble Test sides
Matfield argues Leinster's Champions Cup final defeat carries serious warning signs for Ireland, with Bordeaux dominating physically in every collision rather than just outmanoeuvring them tactically. He also floats the idea that a top club side with Bordeaux's cohesion could genuinely compete with Test teams — a timely provocation given the Greatest Rivalry series.
Betway puts 23 fans' names on Springbok shorts for Barbarians Test
Betway is replacing its logo on the back of the Springbok shorts with 23 fans' names for the Test against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June, with entries open at www.behindeverybok.co.za until 11 June 2026.
Mitchell hamstring blow leaves England sweating on scrumhalf depth ahead of Ellis Park
Alex Mitchell faces a race against time to be fit for England's Nations Cup opener against the Springboks on 4 July after suffering a hamstring injury in training. The 29-year-old, a fixture in last year's British and Irish Lions squad, is unlikely to feature again for Northampton Saints this season. His absence compounds England's scrumhalf concerns, with Steve Borthwick now weighing options including Jack van Poortvliet as the Tests in South Africa loom just five weeks away.
Betway to print 23 fans' names on Springbok shorts for Barbarians Test
Betway is running a competition to place 23 fans' names on the back of the Springbok shorts for the Barbarians Test in Gqeberha on 20 June, with entries closing 11 June 2026.
O'Keeffe defends performance in controversial France quarter-final
New Zealand referee Ben O'Keeffe has said he remains proud of his handling of the 2023 World Cup quarter-final between France and the Springboks, despite sustained criticism of several key decisions in South Africa's 29-28 victory. The match, widely regarded as one of the greatest in tournament history, saw O'Keeffe face backlash over incidents involving Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith.
O'Keeffe stands by his 2023 RWC quarter-final performance
Ben O'Keeffe says he is still proud of his performance in the controversial 2023 RWC quarter-final between the Springboks and France.
O'Keeffe stands by his calls in France vs Springboks — still proud, still scarred
O'Keeffe revisits the France-Springboks quarter-final controversy, stands by his performance, and opens up on the personal fallout — while drawing a pointed parallel to Wayne Barnes as someone defined by one call but remembered for a career.
Scrumhalf injury crises hit both Boks and England ahead of Nations Cup opener
With the Boks potentially without Reinach, Williams, Hendrikse and Van den Bergh, and England sweating on Mitchell, Rich examines the scrumhalf crises facing both sides ahead of the 4 July Nations Cup opener — and who might fill the void for the Boks if the depth chart keeps thinning.
Barrett ruled out of South Africa tour after back surgery setback
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will miss the four-Test tour of South Africa after being ruled out for up to five months with a back injury requiring surgery. The 32-year-old lock's sabbatical to address ankle and Achilles problems has been derailed by the fresh setback, forcing him to undergo an operation this week.
Barrett ruled out for five months as back injury derails All Blacks captaincy
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will miss the next five months after a back injury requiring surgery, ruling him out of the four-Test tour of South Africa and the Nations Championship fixtures against France, Italy and Ireland. The 32-year-old lock had taken a sabbatical to address ankle and Achilles issues but suffered the setback upon returning to training.
Barrett ruled out of South Africa tour as back injury requires surgery
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will miss the four-Test tour of South Africa after a back injury forced him to undergo surgery this week. The 32-year-old lock, who took a sabbatical to address ankle and Achilles problems, will be sidelined for up to five months and also miss the Nations Championship fixtures against France, Italy and Ireland.
Scrumhalf headaches on both sides as England-Bok Nations Cup opener looms
Both England and the Boks head into their 4 July Nations Cup opener with scrumhalf injury concerns — Mitchell is doubtful for England, while Erasmus faces a deeper crisis with four No. 9s sidelined, potentially opening the door for Faf, Papier, and Van Zyl.
Barrett ruled out of South Africa tour with back injury requiring surgery
Scott Barrett faces back surgery and is ruled out for up to five months, missing the four-Test series against the Springboks in August and September as well as the July Nations Championship Tests — with his All Blacks captaincy already under question ahead of Dave Rennie's first squad announcement.
Coetzee: Bulls' URC struggle was actually the perfect knockout prep
Coetzee makes the case that the Bulls' rocky URC campaign was unintentional preparation for the pressure of knockout rugby — with Munster coming to Loftus on Saturday.
Dobson draws a line: Kolisi and Kolbe are the Stormers' limit on marquee Bok signings
Dobson explains why Kolisi's signing sits outside the Project 2029 timeline but is justified on merit, while Kolbe is a genuine long-term fit — and why both represent the hard limit on marquee Bok acquisitions at the Stormers.
Kolbe takes pay cut to return to Stormers, Dobson eyes 2029 with two icons back
Cheslin Kolbe returns to the Stormers on a below-market deal, taking a substantial pay cut from his Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath salary to join John Dobson's Project 2029 rebuild alongside fellow returning icon Siya Kolisi.