TRANSFER TALK: Since the conclusion of the United Rugby Championship last month, the Stormers have been hard at work trying to boost their roster. The first and most significant story that has been making the headlines is the transfer deal of Cheslin Kolbe. The Springbok is currently on the market for a new club following his exit at Top 14 side Toulon. Kolbe and Toulon reached a mutual agreement for an early release from his contract and the 29-year-old is now set to look for greener pastures due to “financial constraints” in France. Last week, in an interview with Cape Talk, Stormers head co ..read more

REACTION: Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne says guiding the fledgling team to the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals surpasses anything he has achieved in top-level sport. The Drua finished seventh in the regular season with an imperious 41-17 defeat of the Queensland Reds in Suva on Saturday, setting up a daunting knockout match against the Crusaders. Byrne acknowledged it would take something special in Christchurch on Saturday to upset a Crusaders team chasing a seventh-successive title. He preferred to reflect on how far his team had come in just their second season in the competition, hav ..read more

The Lions head coach Mziwakhe Nkosi was left gutted following his team’s 21-29 defeat to the Sharks during the Currie Cup Round 13 clash at Kings Park on Saturday. The Lions needed a win to keep their Currie Cup play-off hopes alive, but could not overcome the Sharks in Durban. The defeat signals the end of the Lions’ campaign with one league match remaining. The Johannesburg side travel to Welkom to take on the bottom-of-the-log Griffons next week. A bonus-point win could see the Lions conclude the season in fifth place  - pending the outcome of Griquas and Western Province's matches aga ..read more

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has a calculated selection strategy for South Africa's build-up to the World Cup in France. However, injuries and results could result in a rethink. Nienaber and South Africa's Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus have split the six matches into two blocks - three Rugby Championship encounters in July and three 'warm-up' matches in August. "We want to win the Rugby Championship," he said of the goal for the first block, which would require selection of the strongest team. Depending on how much momentum they manage to build up in the Rugby Championship, they may opt ..read more

MATCH REPORT: The Sharks have reclaimed the number one spot on the Currie Cup after a ferocious tussle with the Lions in the Currie Cup in Durban on Saturday, claiming a 26-21 win. The Lions desperately needed a win and the loss brings down the curtain on their Currie Cup campaign. It was a humdinger of note with the Lions taking an early lead after two tries by Emmanuel Tshituka and Ruan Dreyer to take the lead in the first quarter of the game by 14-0. The Sharks took their time to find their feet, having made to defend for dear life. They finally got their first points on the board in the 2 ..read more

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs have won the catfight beating the Pumas 29-14 and take away a full bag of points thanks to a bonus point try in the Currie by George Cronje in the dying seconds of the game in Nelspruit on Saturday. It was a massive defensive effort that afforded the men from Bloemfontein the win and also moved them to the number one spot on the table. The home side came out blazing, demanding possession in the first ten minutes which saw hooker Corne Fourie scoring in the sixth minute. But the Cheetahs gradually found their feet and took command, sending Gideon van der Merwe over fo ..read more

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round 13 encounter between the Sharks and Lions at the Kings Park stadium in Durban. Having already booked their place in the play-offs, the Sharks will be looking to secure home advantage for the semifinals. Do not miss a minute of the drama, follow all the action live right here on @rugby365com. * To read our pre-match predictions, CLICK HERE! * Our live blog will appear below, it might take a little while to load, please be patient. We apologise for the inconvenience ..read more

Western Province will be playing for 'pride' when they host the Sharks in the final round of the Currie Cup's leagued action. Western Province coach John Dobson did not mask his obvious disappointment with the loss in Kimberley at the weekend. The unerring boot of George Whitehead and unbounded enthusiasm on defence saw Griquas score their sixth-successive Currie Cup win over WP this past Friday. Coming back from a 7-19 deficit (14-19 at half-time) to dominate the second half, they outscored the visitors by five tries to four and win 38-29. Whitehead contributed 13 points – five conversions an ..read more

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Currie Cup Round 13 encounter between the Pumas and Cheetahs at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. The Cheetahs, needing just one point to secure their play-off spot, are also hoping to have home-ground advantage in the semifinals. Do not miss a minute of the drama, follow all the action live right here on @rugby365com. * To read our pre-match predictions, CLICK HERE! * Our live blog will appear below, it might take a little while to load, please be patient. We apologise for the inconvenience ..read more

NEWS: Former Springboks lock Albert van den Berg has been named Scarlets' new forwards coach for the 2023-24 season. Van den Berg joins the Scarlets and replaces Ben Franks who has returned to New Zealand. Meanwhile, former Ireland and British & Irish Lions international Jared Payne has been appointed backs and attack Coach and in a further addition to the backroom staff, Ulster’s Shane Carney is to become the Scarlets’ new Head of Athletic Performance. Regarded as one of the leading forwards and line-out coaches in South African rugby, van den Berg has been at the Lions since 2021. Capped ..read more