Vodacom United Rugby Championship club, the Dragons, are reportedly keen to secure the services of one of the Pumas’ second-row titans from next season. According to a report on Wales Online, the Welsh outfit is interested in signing towering lock Deon Slabbert from the reigning Currie Cup champions. He featured prominently for Jimmy Stonehouse’s charges in their epic 2022 campaign, and has been a consistent performer as the men from Nelspruit look to defend their title. ALSO: Forgotten Bok ‘closer’ to recall Dragons boss Dai Flanagan is believed to have identified the 23-year-old as a replace ..read more

Connacht winger Mack Hansen has revealed his fresh ink of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. Hansen, who already has a tattoo of clubmate Oisín Dowling on his leg, has come good on his word in an interview with SportsJOE that he would get a tattoo of Farrell after winning the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam. At the time, he said: “Yeah, it was like a bit of a joke, like a passing comment that if we won a Grand Slam, I’d get [Farrell] Faz’ face put on me somewhere. I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, right’ or whatever. ALSO: Injury shadows Havili’s World Cup hopes “And then, like nine weeks later, Johnny Sexto ..read more

Neethling Fouche will captain a Western Province team boosted by Vodacom URC campaigners in the Currie Cup against Griquas in Kimberley on Friday. With regular captain Jean-Luc du Plessis still undergoing concussion protocols, veteran DHL Stormers tighthead prop Fouche takes the reins for Province at Griqua Park. The skipper will be alongside Ali Vermaak and Scarra Ntubeni in the front row, with an all-new loose trio of Marcel Theunissen, Ben-Jason Dixon and Hacjivah Dayimani starting behind locks Connor Evans and Adre Smith. Ruben van Heerden and Willie Engelbrecht are the new faces among the ..read more

Scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl is holding out hope that his performances for English Premiership club Saracens this season has caught the eye of the Springbok selectors. He has started 22 of his 27 appearances for Sarries in 2022-23, and scored his fifth try of the campaign to help the Londoners claim the Premiership title last week. The 27-year-old, who recently signed a two-year contract extension, was also announced the Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s annual awards ceremony two weeks ago. He played the last of his six Tests against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in 2018, and the former V ..read more

All Blacks and Crusaders utility back David Havili has been sidelined with an injury that puts him in a race against time to prove his fitness and form in time for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 28-year-old limped off in the Crusaders’ 42-18 home win over the Waratahs on Saturday and has been ruled out of the remaining rounds of the Super Rugby Pacific season and 2023 Rugby Championship with a hamstring injury. The Rugby World Cup starts on 8 September when New Zealand face hosts France in the opening match. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, who will take over as All Blacks head coach early next ..read more

Schalk Burger bulldozed the Cape’s best to secure the first spot in SARugbymag’s Stormers Hall of Fame. Burger completes the first-ballot inductees for each franchise, joining fellow legends Fourie du Preez (Bulls), Os du Randt (Cheetahs), Jaque Fourie (Lions) and Gary Teichmann (Sharks). The clear favourite from the first vote, Burger took and held a hefty lead, finishing with an emphatic 65% of the vote. A tussle ensued among the remaining competitors, with former Bok and Stormers teammate, Jean de Villiers (11%) finishing in second, followed by Breyton Paulse (8%), Corne Krige (8%), Percy M ..read more

Vodacom Bulls director of rugby Jake White has given a damning assessment on Sbu Nkosi’s form, as well as the Springbok winger’s future at the Pretoria outfit. In a social media post on his official Instagram account on Monday, Nkosi took a swipe at the Bulls, saying that his week with the World XV was a break from being “judged”. The 2019 World Cup winner scored two tries in a thrilling Killik Cup encounter with the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday. It was his first outing since he played for the Bulls in a Currie Cup match against the Sharks in March. White has previously suggested that an ..read more

Jake White has rejigged the Vodacom Bulls lineup for a rematch against the Griffons in the Currie Cup at Loftus Versfeld on Friday. Hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels comes in for Johan Grobbelaar with Francois Klopper lining up alongside him, swapping places with Mornay Smith, who has been named among the replacements. In the second row, the lock combination sees Ruan Vermaak pair with Janko Swanepoel, who comes into the fold in place of Ruan Nortje. The back row has captain Marcell Coetzee, alongside blindside flanker Cyle Brink and No 8 Nizaam Carr. ALSO: Bulls sign URC champion At the back, Embros ..read more

The VW T-Cross is perfect for adventurers on a budget Not everybody can afford large SUVs or big overlanders and fortunately there are some great crossover vehicles that will make the perfect getaway companion without breaking the bank. The Volkswagen T-Cross is one such option as it offers Volkswagen’s well sorted platform and engine in a package that includes versatility and additional ground clearance. Like all members of the Volkswagen SUV range, the T-Cross features an eye-catching appearance and a carefully balanced combination of style, refined practicality and value for money. The new ..read more

Lukas van Biljon has been left “devastated” after his father died from gunshot wounds following a raid on their farm that also saw the former Springbok hooker stabbed. Van Biljon, 47, was wounded and his children tied up as the group ransacked the family smallholding at Oranjeville in the Free State on Sunday. Andre (70), reportedly succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. ICYMI – Former Bok wounded in farm attack A family acquaintance was quoted by the UK’s Daily Mail: “Lukas is broken and devastated and along with the Van Biljon family had been with Andre at his bedside since he was operated on ..read more