5:15 AM BST The Brumbies are confident they can rejuvenate the career of veteran Wallabies prop James Slipper after signing him on a two-year Super Rugby deal. Slipper leaves Queensland Reds after nine seasons and 104 games, having been on the outer following his admission of cocaine use. The 86-Test prop has also struggled with
Rugby
5:09 PM BST PORT ELIZABETH — Gio Aplon should probably have a played a lot more Test matches for the Springboks than the 17 next to his name. Aplon was, and still is, a special talent that was overlooked countless times because of the size of his calves and biceps. He was always judged on
1:14 PM BST KweséESPN Staff Cheslin Kolbe and Sikhumbuzo Notshe will make their Springbok starts in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday when South Africa take on the Wallabies. Kolbe will start on the right owing and Notshe at number eight as two of Rassie Erasmus’ four changes to the starting
6:45 AM BST Sonny Bill Williams returns from three months on the sideline when the All Blacks seek a winning return to the Rugby Championship against Argentina in Buenos Aires. Coach Steve Hansen has made six starting changes and two positional switches from the team upset 36-34 by South Africa in Wellington, with regulars Aaron
5:51 PM BST PORT ELIZABETH — The battle of the super-sub props could have a massive bearing on the Rugby Championship clash between the Springboks and the Wallabies at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. South Africa and Australia possess two of world rugby’s most dynamic props in Steven Kitshoff and Taniela Tupou. Both
5:25 PM BST The Springboks’ performances during the Rugby Championship have been Jekyll and Hyde-like. They were absolutely brutal in the physical exchanges (delete against the) with Argentina in Durban, before looking lost and helpless the following week against the same opponents in Mendoza. The South Africans lacked the fizz and made a plethora of
8:20 AM BST Referees admit the new “nipple line” is proving difficult to monitor, as World Rugby strives to lower concussion rates. Data collated by the sport’s world governing body from head injury assessments (HIA) in major competitions across both hemispheres between 2013 and 2015, showed 76 per cent of concussions were caused in the
6:04 PM BST PORT ELIZABETH — Vincent Koch probably revolutionised tighthead-prop play in South Africa before he left for England. Quite a bold statement? Well, he was probably the first player to show that a great scrummager can also make close to 10 carries and tackles in a rugby match. When Koch made his debut
7:32 AM BST Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle plans to reach out to the rival rugby code to identify female talent, and aspires to see a women on the Wallabies coaching staff. A number of sevens players, including some members of triumphant 2016 Olympic squad, came from touch football competitions organised by the NRL. The
5:58 PM BST South Africa’s confidence has been boosted after beating world champions New Zealand away but they still need to work on converting chances as they prepare to face Australia this weekend, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk said on Monday. The Springboks revived their Rugby Championship campaign with a rare 36-34 win over the All