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151 items · General · Reports
Injury-ravaged Narawa determined to seize All Blacks chance on Springbok tour
Emoni Narawa, restricted to four Tests by a string of serious injuries including a punctured lung, broken ribs, a broken foot and a wrist injury, has been recalled to the All Blacks' 44-man squad for the Greatest Rivalry tour to South Africa and is pushing for the number 14 jersey.
SARU's smart mouthguard programme leads world rugby's concussion fight
SARU's instrumented mouthguard project, running since 2020 under Ross Tucker and Clint Readhead, is now integrated into World Rugby's formal HIA protocol and is operating at elite and school level in South Africa, with 99.8 percent measurement accuracy and a technical edge over NFL helmet-sensor methodology.
All Blacks bring in Tamati Ellison as extra coaching muscle for South Africa tour
Dave Rennie has recalled Tamati Ellison — who left the All Blacks setup in March 2026 — to bolster his coaching group for the seven-week Greatest Rivalry Tour of South Africa, with Ellison's specific role yet to be confirmed.
Rennie confirms Barrett starts against Stormers as travel chaos forces early All Blacks selections
Dave Rennie has confirmed Beauden Barrett starts the All Blacks' opener against the Stormers in Cape Town, with travel disruptions via Dubai forcing the coaching staff to pre-select matchday 23s for all four South African matches — including the first Springbok Test.
Rennie explains Kirifi snub and backs Blackadder, Ta'eiloa to offer 'point of difference' against Boks
Dave Rennie has explained Du'Plessis Kirifi's omission from the All Blacks squad for the Greatest Rivalry series, citing existing openside cover, while identifying uncapped Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa and recalled Ethan Blackadder as offering a 'point of difference' the touring party previously lacked.
Holland returns from five-month injury absence ahead of Springbok series
Fabian Holland returned from a five-month shoulder injury, playing 40 minutes for Otago in a 78-14 NPC win over Mid Canterbury, boosting his prospects of making the All Blacks squad for next month's tour to South Africa.
Kiss recalls Salakaia-Loto after 'robust conversation' with no guarantees given
Les Kiss has recalled Lukhan Salakaia-Loto to the Wallabies training squad following a 'robust conversation' among his new coaching staff, making clear no player is guaranteed selection ahead of Tests against Japan, Argentina, the Springboks and the All Blacks.
O'Connor rules out Sharks move as fatherhood keeps him in Australia
James O'Connor has ruled out joining the Sharks, saying his wife's pregnancy brought an end to any plans to move to Durban, with the 36-year-old intent on staying in Australia.
Schmidt departs with worst Wallabies losing record in 55 years but insists he leaves platform for growth
Joe Schmidt departs as Wallabies coach after Saturday's 57-10 win over Italy, ending his tenure with a 61.29 percent losing record — the worst for an Australian coach in 55 years — but insisting he leaves Les Kiss a more stable platform than the one he inherited after the 2023 World Cup.
Sheehan calls for 'right mindset' after Ireland's Nations Championship tour ends in defeat
Dan Sheehan says Ireland must find a better mindset to compete at the top level after a 40-21 Nations Championship defeat to New Zealand in Auckland, with South Africa among their Dublin opponents in November.
Neutral venues a structural necessity at Nations Championship, says SANZAAR CEO
SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris says neutral-venue hosting is a structural necessity in the Nations Championship, with Fiji playing all their 'home' July matches in Britain and Japan hosting Ireland in Australia.
Rennie rules out Mo'unga for South Africa tour, confirms squad planning well advanced
Dave Rennie has ruled Richie Mo'unga out of the All Blacks' 44-man squad for the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series in South Africa, citing NZR eligibility rules, while confirming the tour squad and match-day planning is already well advanced.
Rees-Zammit admits rugby comeback has fallen short of expectations ahead of Springbok clash
Louis Rees-Zammit starts for Wales against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday, admitting his return from the NFL has not gone as smoothly as he had hoped after a season disrupted by positional changes and a slow readjustment to Test rugby.
Rennie rules out Mo'unga for Springboks series despite eligibility push
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has confirmed Richie Mo'unga will not feature in New Zealand's four-test series against the Springboks in August. The 32-year-old fly-half remains ineligible under national union rules until October, having returned from three seasons in Japan. Mo'unga could only join the tour as an injury replacement.
Rennie rules out Mo'unga for Springboks series, confirms squad planning well advanced
Dave Rennie has ruled out Richie Mo'unga for the All Blacks' four-test series against the Springboks, confirming the fly-half's NZR eligibility won't be met until October. Rennie says provisional selections are already in place for all four tests, with the series opening in Johannesburg on August 22.
Mo'unga ruled out of Springboks series as Rennie confirms NZ Rugby stance holds
Dave Rennie has confirmed Richie Mo'unga will not tour South Africa in August, with NZ Rugby's eligibility policy remaining unchanged. Mo'unga can only join the squad as an injury replacement once his NPC commitments make him eligible.
Rennie plans Bomb Squad trial in South Africa as All Blacks target 6-2 bench split
Dave Rennie confirms the All Blacks will trial a 6-2 bench split during their South African tour, with provincial squads for the first four games already picked. Tupou Vaa'i's shift to blindside flanker for the Ireland Nations Championship fixture has also drawn attention as a potential Springbok-specific tactical move.
Barrett-Theron steps away from refereeing after breast cancer diagnosis
World record-holder Aimee Barrett-Theron, the most capped female referee in history with 52 tests, has stepped away from officiating after being diagnosed with treatable breast cancer, with the 39-year-old targeting a return to the field within months.
Drug watchdog defends SA rugby after latest positive test
SAIDS CEO Khalid Galan pushes back against suggestions that the latest positive doping test in SA rugby points to a wider systemic issue.
Argentina dismantle Wales 35-21 in San Juan to stay in Nations Championship hunt
Argentina beat Wales 35-21 in San Juan, crossing five times and securing a bonus point before half-time to bounce back from their opening-round loss to Scotland. South Africa and New Zealand remain the only unbeaten sides in the Southern Hemisphere table after two rounds.