Rugby

Rugby World Cup 2023’s Volunteers Programme “Team 2023” is now open to the general public. Future members of Team 2023 will live a unique experience and play a crucial role at the heart of the 10th Rugby World Cup, from 8 September to 28 October, 2023.France 2023 opened its Volunteers Programme on Monday, 7 March to find the faces and smiles of the next men’s Rugby World Cup. Team 2023 will be an integral and crucial part of the adventure throughout the 10 host cities of the … [Read more...] about French Speaking Volunteers Needed

Damian Willemse will celebrate a half-century of DHL Stormers caps in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with Zebre Parma in Stellenbosch on Sunday.The DHL Stormers will be playing their first-ever competitive match at the Danie Craven Stadium, as well as their first home game against European opposition when action gets underway at 18h05 (SAST) on Sunday. The 23-year-old Willemse made his DHL Stormers debut in 2017 at the age of just 18 and will start at inside centre against the … [Read more...] about 50 for Willemse in Stellenbosch

The World Rugby Rankings of the Men’s Rugby Teams (updated 7 March 2022) sees an unchanged top team, Spain the biggest mover up by two places to no. 15 and the biggest faller, Romania, moving down two places to no. 17 on the list of 109 teams.Men’s Rankings: South Africa New Zealand France England Ireland Australia Wales Scotland Argentina Japan Fiji Samoa Georgia Italy Spain Tonga Romania USA Uruguay Portugal Canada Hong … [Read more...] about Top (and Bottom) ranked World Rugby Men’s Teams

Wales Women head coach Ioan Cunningham has named an ‘exciting’ squad to take on USA Falcons at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.“It’s a great opportunity to see some players in a Wales jersey for the first time along with some players who are returning to the side that we as a management team haven’t seen before. “It will be great to see the likes of Kayleigh Powell and Kelsey Jones in a Wales jersey for the first time since injury and Sioned Harries is settling in well into the environment too. She … [Read more...] about Wales Women XV v USA Falcons

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship log could see a big shake-up in the next few weeks as the Northern Hemisphere teams start heading south in six of the next seven rounds, which could give the South African sides exactly the boost they need to challenge for places in the top eight.This round marks the first time teams from Europe will play in South Africa this season, and this is sure to spice up the competition further as the tournament reaches a climax. The Cell C Sharks and Scarlets will … [Read more...] about Vodacom URC shake-up on the cards

VarsityCup.co.za selects the standout players from the five matches played on Monday.CHRIS HUMPHRIES (FNB WITS) FNB Wits scored 53 points and five tries to hand title favourites FNB UFS Shimlas their first defeat of the season. While there were many standouts for the plucky side from Johannesburg, flyhalf Chris Humphries delivered a commanding all-round showing, and contributed 26 points via an accurate goal-kicking performance. ANDRÉ FOUCHÉ (FNB NWU EAGLES) The powerful No 8 has been one … [Read more...] about Five FNB Varsity Cup players who impressed (Round 4)

FNB UP-Tuks No 8 Divan Venter tells VarsityCup.co.za about his passion for cattle farming and his rugby journey.Where did you grow up?I was raised in Moot in Pretoria and attended Die Hoërskool Menlopark just up the road. Who inspired you to play rugby?My father, who always told stories of when he played. We are also South African boys, so we grow up with rugby; it’s a natural thing to play. My parents play a big role in my life, especially my mom with my studies. She always tells me … [Read more...] about Tuks No 8: FNB Varsity Cup keeps you positive

To mark International Women’s Day, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is raising the profile of some important female health initiatives.The first 12 full-time contracts were awarded to Wales Women players in the New Year, and 11 players on retainer contracts have since joined the programme. Progress has been made on all fronts since the start of the programme with the focus now moving to a squad-based environment ahead of the Tik Tok Women’s Six Nations. Along with rugby skills and strength and … [Read more...] about Wales Women focus on health for International Women’s Day

FNB DUT claimed their inaugural FNB Varsity Shield victory when they edged FNB Rhodes 8-5 in Makhanda on Sunday.At the end of the current season, the last-placed side on the combined 2021-22 FNB Varsity Shield log will drop out of the tournament. While FNB DUT remain in this precarious position after Sunday’s win, they have reduced the gap between themselves and FNB Rhodes to two log points. This bottom-of-the-table game was an error-strewn affair. Both teams buzzed with attacking intent, … [Read more...] about MATCHDAY WRAP: DUT make FNB Varsity Shield history

FNB UP-Tuks captain Lincoln Daniels says his mother Claudette has played a big supporting role in his rugby career.Daniels, who captained the FNB NWU Eagles in last year’s FNB Varsity Cup, has made a big impact for his new team this year, as a player and as a leader. He grew up in Malmesbury but matriculated at Hoërskool Garsfontein in Pretoria and played Craven Week for the Bulls in 2016. He has also represented the Leopards U20 and senior teams. ‘My mom jokes … [Read more...] about FNB UP-Tuks captain: I’m a proud Mama’s boy!

The team lineups for the second round of the FNB Varsity Shield on Sunday.FNB UKZN IMPI vs FNB UFH BLUES (Sunday, 13:00, Rhodes Great Field, SuperSport channels 209 & 211) FNB UKZN Impi – 15 Trent Coetzee, 14 Thobani Shangase, 13 Singele Mkhize, 12 Gacula Poswa, 11 Devandré Adendorf, 10 Dawro Kock, 9 Johan Maritz (c), 8 Menzi Mabaso, 7 CJ Osode, 6 Sinamava Ntsinde, 5 Wilhelm Fenske, 4 Nhlakanipho Mathonsi, 3 Muzomuhle Ncanana, 2 Tristan Trollip, 1 Benjamin Maseko.Subs: 16 … [Read more...] about 2022 FNB Varsity Shield teams (Round 2)

The FNB UKZN Impi rebounded from a 14-point deficit as well as a red card to beat the FNB WSU All Blacks 23-22 in the opening round of the FNB Varsity Shield on Friday.The match at Rhodes Great Field was an ill-tempered and ill-disciplined affair that witnessed a total of five cards – two for the Impi in the first half and three for the All Blacks in the latter 41 minutes of the game. The FNB WSU forwards and backs combined brilliantly to cut the Impi defence to shreds in the opening quarter. … [Read more...] about Matchday Wrap: UKZN stun WSU, UFH take down TUT

FNB Rhodes and FNB CPUT will look to their flyhalves to ignite the respective attacks in Makhanda on Friday night.FNB Rhodes will have their work cut out for them against the reigning FNB Varsity Shield champions. They will have to live with FNB CPUT in the forwards if they are to have any chance of claiming an upset victory. The Stallions have focused on their conditioning in the pre-season. Coach Andy Royle hopes that they will be more competitive, especially in the second half of … [Read more...] about FNB Varsity Shield Head to Head: Mabodla vs Snyders

Dear Editor“I believe the decision made by the president of Rugby Africa to host the African qualifiers for the Rugby World Cup in provincial France, rather than keeping it on the African continent is completely wrong, and sends a highly disturbing message to all Africans, especially the young populace and the continent’s rising  rugby community. People will rightly be asking themselves why the most prestigious rugby tournament on the continent is being moved away and … [Read more...] about The Rugby Africa Cup has shrunk from a celebration of an entire continent down to an unfancied provincial event

Rob Harley is one of seven alterations to the Glasgow Warriors team for tomorrow evening’s visit to the Scarlets, as Danny Wilson’s men look to extend their winning streak in the United Rugby Championship to six consecutive matches.The club’s record holder for appearances, this weekend’s match will be Harley’s first outing in Glasgow colours since December’s victory over Exeter at Scotstoun. Fresh from putting pen to paper on a new contract with the Warriors, Johnny Matthews starts for the first … [Read more...] about Harley returns for Scarlets clash