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Sharks enter race for Malcolm Marx as Bulls face rival bid for Japan-based hooker
The Sharks have entered the race to sign Malcolm Marx, joining the Bulls in pursuing the Kubota Spears hooker ahead of his mid-2027 contract expiry, with Mbonambi's disciplinary situation a key factor in their interest. The Bulls, meanwhile, are set to sign Stormers tighthead Henco van Wyk on a short-term deal to cover injuries to Mornay Smith and Mawande Mdanda.
Sacha back to his best, Hanekom a force, and Van den Berg's moment of madness
Feinberg-Mngomezulu's return to form, Hanekom's dominance for the Bulls, and Van den Berg's yellow-card brainfart are the talking points from a South African derby weekend that handed the Bok coaching staff plenty to smile about — and a few scrum selections to reconsider.
Derby weekend dissected: Feinberg-Mngomezulu shines, Hanekom rampages, Van den Berg's brainfart costs Lions
Louw's derby debrief highlights Feinberg-Mngomezulu's return to form for the Stormers and Hanekom's destructive all-round display for the Bulls, while identifying Van den Berg's moment of madness as the turning point that unravelled the Lions' promising start to the season.
Bulls and Stormers dominate SA derby day to shake up URC standings
The Bulls thrashed the Lions 57-15 at Loftus and the Stormers beat the Sharks 39-22 in Cape Town on SA derby weekend, with both previously unbeaten visitors dropping out of the URC's top four.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu's return to form headlines a Bok-rich URC weekend
Feinberg-Mngomezulu's masterclass against the Sharks is the standout in a Bok-rich URC weekend — Louw's analysis covers who made their case for the November window and who fell short.
Derby dominance from Bulls and Stormers sets the tone ahead of Europe
Nel's derby wrap argues that the Bulls and Stormers didn't just win — they exposed the gap between SA's top two and bottom two franchises. Collision dominance, set-piece control, and the seamless return of Springboks are the reasons both go into Champions Cup week with genuine confidence, while the Sharks and Lions face harder questions.
Stormers targeting deep Champions Cup run on back of big-name returns
With Kolisi, Kolbe, and Louw back in the fold, Borchardt's preview assesses whether the Stormers have finally assembled the squad depth to go beyond the Champions Cup last eight.
Mbonambi facing disciplinary hearing at Sharks after pre-season camp incident
Bongi Mbonambi has been sidelined by a disciplinary hearing arising from a pre-season camp incident, with a ruling expected within two weeks. Nyakane was excused while Mbatha and Swart received warnings.
Mbonambi's Sharks future in doubt amid disciplinary process
Bongi Mbonambi remains sidelined at the Sharks amid an ongoing disciplinary process following a pre-season curfew breach, with his fate expected to be determined within the next two weeks.
Sharks scrum struggles hand Stormers platform in 39-22 Cape Town victory
The Hollywoodbets Sharks conceded crucial scrum penalties at DHL Stadium on Saturday, undermining their front row despite fielding Springbok props Thomas du Toit and Ox Nché. The DHL Stormers capitalised on the set-piece advantage to secure a 39-22 United Rugby Championship win, with head coach JP Pietersen acknowledging his side must improve their contesting on their own put-in. The defeat leaves the Sharks with work to do after their scrum had impressed in the previous round's victory over Leinster.
JP Pietersen pins Sharks scrum woes on hooker technique after Stormers loss
JP Pietersen has identified a possible hooker technique fault as the root of the Sharks' scrum struggles against the Stormers, with Swart's brake foot flagged as a key issue — an area the Sharks will need to resolve quickly before their Challenge Cup campaign kicks off.
Mbonambi facing disciplinary hearing over Sharks pre-season camp conduct
Bongi Mbonambi is sidelined from Sharks duty while awaiting a disciplinary ruling over conduct at the franchise's pre-season camp, with a decision expected within two weeks. Nyakane, Mbatha and Swart were also involved, though with lesser consequences.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu masterful as Stormers front row dismantles Sharks
Feinberg-Mngomezulu rated 9/10 as the standout in a Stormers win built on scrum dominance and Dayimani's two-try display — Planet Rugby's full player-by-player breakdown assesses who shone and where the bench fell short.
Bulls demolish Lions 57-15 as returning Springboks make immediate impact at Loftus
The Bulls crushed the Lions 57-15 at Loftus, with five of their nine tries scored by returning Springboks. Man of the match Cameron Hanekom and Johan Grobbelaar each bagged braces as Johan Ackermann praised both his national players and his bench for a commanding all-round performance.
All Blacks rout of Wallabies throws Perth defeat into sharp relief
New Zealand's 50-19 demolition of Australia at Eden Park has provided a useful yardstick for South African supporters still digesting the 42-38 defeat in Perth. The Wallabies arrived on a six-Test unbeaten run but were systematically dismantled by an All Blacks side that had lost three successive Tests to the Springboks. The result underscores the gulf between Rassie Erasmus's first-choice XV and the weakened side that struggled in Western Australia.
The Perth loss looks worse in the All Blacks' shadow
Keohane argues the All Blacks' Eden Park thrashing of Australia throws the Bok loss in Perth into sharper relief — exposing the gap between Erasmus's best XV and the side that played.
Perth loss put in perspective: it's the Boks' depth, not Australia's rise, that matters
KEO argues that the All Blacks' Eden Park demolition of the Wallabies doesn't rewrite the Rugby Championship picture so much as it exposes the depth gap within South African rugby — between Erasmus's preferred Bok XV, which beat New Zealand three times in a row, and the side that struggled in Perth against an Australia subsequently outclassed by 31 points.
Etzebeth and Moyo injury scares compound Sharks' loss to Stormers
Eben Etzebeth and Vusi Moyo both suffered injuries as the Sharks fell 22-39 to the Stormers in Cape Town, with Moyo confirmed to have a dislocated shoulder and Etzebeth carrying a knee or upper leg complaint. Two yellow cards in the first half further compounded the Sharks' afternoon.
Bulls sweat on Moodie HIA after 57-15 demolition of Lions
Canan Moodie faces an HIA protocol review after being forced off during the Bulls' 57-15 win over the Lions at Loftus, with Ackermann hopeful the winger will clear the process ahead of the Champions Cup.
Stormers dismantle Sharks 39-22 in Cape Town derby as Feinberg-Mngomezulu shines
The Stormers beat the Sharks 39-22 in Cape Town, with Hacjivah Dayimani scoring twice and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu earning man of the match in a setpiece-driven performance that secured all five log points.