Rugby

The United Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend to herald a new era for the competition. Four leading clubs from South Africa – the Vodacom Bulls, DHL Stormers, Cell C Sharks and Emirates Lions – have joined the other 12 Northern sides to form a 16-team league.There will be 18 rounds in the regular season with home and away fixtures in each of the four Shields – Irish, Welsh, Scottish/Italian and South African – with the other 12 encounters being played either home or away before the top … [Read more...] about Are You Ready for the Start of the URC?

Thousands of pupils are preparing to engage with rugby as the inaugural Scottish Rugby School’s Week, supported by Saltire Energy, is set to be delivered across the country.Scottish Rugby’s Rugby Development teams will be facilitating the programme for both primary and secondary schools from today (Monday 20 September) with a blend of digital and in-person support. Of the 234 schools signed up to participate, nearly a quarter will be delivering new or rekindling rugby activity. To meet the … [Read more...] about Scottish Rugby Schools Week

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber opted for continuity in selection for their Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday, making only three changes to his matchday squad – one of which was enforced – as the Boks aim to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to the Wallabies.In the two personnel changes in the starting lineup, Marvin Orie takes over at lock from Lood de Jager, who has started his concussion return to play protocol, and Trevor Nyakane was named … [Read more...] about Nienaber opts for continuity in Bok selection for Aussie Test

Dynamic loose forward Evan Roos has signed a contract extension with Western Province Professional Rugby (WPPR) that will see him playing for the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province until at least 2025.The 21-year-old has been a revelation at the back of the scrum for both the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province, since signing an initial contract earlier this year. The all-action No.8 had an eye-catching Carling Currie Cup campaign, which saw him score eight tries and make consistent … [Read more...] about Four more years for Evan Roos

Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber singled out ill-discipline as the main factor behind South Africa’s defeat against Australia in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter in Gold Coast on Sunday.The Springboks scored three tries to one by the hosts at the CBUS Super Stadium, but despite this they trailed 19-11 at the break and went down 28-26 at the death as Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper kicked his seventh penalty goal shortly after the final hooter had sounded to snatch a victory for … [Read more...] about Jacques Nienaber: “Ill-discipline cost us”

The Vodacom Bulls made it two from two in as many seasons when they successfully defended the Carling Currie Cup title against the Cell C Sharks in a one-sided final in Pretoria on Saturday.The same two teams that contested the 2020 final were in action again at the end of the 2021 season, but unlike the last time, when the winner was only determined after 100 minutes of nail-biting rugby, the Vodacom Bulls simply had too much class for the Cell C Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday … [Read more...] about Two from Two

Scotland Women Head Coach Bryan Easson has named his team to face Italy in this Monday’s opening Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifiers match (13 September, kick-off 2pm BST / 3pm local time) – live on BBC ALBA.In the front-row, hooker Lana Skeldon packs down alongside Leah Bartlett and Christine Belisle, while Emma Wassell links up with Sarah Bonar in the second-row. Captain Rachel Malcolm joins Louise McMillan and Jade Konkel to form a formidable back-row. Jenny Maxwell gets the nod at … [Read more...] about Scotland team named for Italy opener

The Leagues, which kick off from Saturday 13 November for all divisions from Championship to Division Three, and December 11 for the Indigo Group Premiership, will be run on a home OR away basis this season.In Divisions 1 – 3, League winners will be entered into play-offs to determine National Divisional Champions, while in the Championship and Indigo Group Premiership the top four teams will enter Championship or Premiership play-offs to determine the champion of their RESPECTIVE League.In … [Read more...] about WRU National League Fixtures

Scottish Rugby’s determination to recognise the growing diversity of the game and celebrate the huge role that women play in enhancing rugby, is celebrated today.Five women who have made pioneering and ground-breaking contributions to rugby and wider society are being inducted into Scottish Rugby’s Hall of Fame. They are Dee Bradbury OBE, Vicky Galbraith, Keri Holdsworth, Kim Littlejohn and Ally Ratcliffe. The famous five will join Scottish Rugby’s most capped player of all time, Donna Kennedy, … [Read more...] about New Hall of Fame Inductions

Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell has named four uncapped players in his 13-man squad to travel to Canada this weekend for tournaments in Vancouver and Edmonton later this month.Ronald Brown, Darren Adonis and Shaun Williams will all make a first HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series trip with the Blitzboks, while Christie Grobbelaar is in line to make his first appearance for South Africa, although he has travelled with the team before – to Dubai in 2019 as 13th player. Brown represented South Africa … [Read more...] about Four debutants for Canada trip

The Cell C Sharks will travel to Pretoria where they will try to dethrone the Vodacom Bulls as Carling Currie Cup champions after these two powerhouses successfully negated the semi-finals to set up a repeat of the 2020 final at Loftus Versfeld.The Vodacom Bulls underlined their champion credentials with a 48-31 dismantling of DHL Western Province in the first semi-final in Pretoria on Friday night, with Cornal Hendricks crossing for two of their six tries, and Johan Goosen contributing 23 of … [Read more...] about It’s a Sharks Bulls Affair

Trailing 20-0 at half time, KCB recovered to win their eighth Kenya Cup title with a 28-25 win over Kabras Sugar in an entertaining final at the Nandi Bears Club in Nandi Hills on Saturday 4 September 2021.It was Kabras who dominated an incident-filled first half, racing to a 6-0 lead through a brace of penalties from Ntubeni Dukisa. The South African fly half would then convert Jone Kubu’s two tries in a half that saw KCB lose Isaac Njoroge, collectively to a yellow card and injury as well as … [Read more...] about esilient KCB keep the Kenya Cup

The women’s senior cup competitions kick off this weekend – another milestone on the WRU’s Pathway to Participation.Senior teams around Wales are set to play their first Pool match in either the South Wales or North Wales Cup, or the South Wales Plate – almost 18 months since their last competitive match. WRU Community Director Geraint John is thrilled to see the return of female community rugby.“It’s so good to see the excitement of teams and their rugby families at the return of competitive … [Read more...] about Another step on Pathway to Participation

World Rugby has announced the appointment of Richard Heaselgrave as Chief Revenue and Fan Engagement Officer, underscoring the international federation’s mission to advance rugby’s global market footprint and appeal by making it more relevant and accessible in line with its ambitious new strategic plan.Vastly experienced, with an in-depth knowledge of the global sports and major brand commercial, marketing and fan-engagement environment, Heaselgrave will begin his new role in September. In line … [Read more...] about World Rugby Chief Revenue and Fan Engagement Officer

After great anticipation the URC can reveal all 144 regular season match-ups as South Africa’s top clubs take to the field against the Celtic and Italian nations in a global first for rugby.Building upon rivalry created during the British & Irish Lions Series, the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls now take the pitch in iconic locations against the best of Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales across 18 rounds of action. With every game live on TV, this new era will … [Read more...] about First URC Fixtures Confirmed