8:06 PM BST Bloemfontein is not exactly a bustling metropolis by any stretch of the imagination. It’s the capital of the Free State, but it’s doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg or the beauty and nightlife of Cape Town. It’s also one of the flattest city’s in South Africa. Bloemfontein-born comedian Carl Weber
Rugby
4:56 PM BST BLOEMFONTEIN — South Africa captain Siya Kolisi expects an improved performance from his side in the second Test against England in Bloemfontein on Saturday, and he is urging his teammates to keep their intensity high from the first minute. The Springboks trailed England 24-3 after a bewildering opening 17 minutes in the
3:54 PM BST ESPN staff England have appointed the former Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder to their coaching staff, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confimed. Mallinder, 52, was sacked by the Saints in December after becoming their longest-serving head coach during more than a decade in charge. He will take up the
1:45 PM BST ESPN staff Chris Ashton has requested a contract extension at Toulon amid rumours that he could be on his way back to England. Ashton has been under speculation after reports emerged that he had requested to leave Toulon in a bid to boost his hopes of making the 2019 World Cup for
4:25 PM BST Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made five changes to the side that beat Argentina last weekend ahead of the final test between the teams on Saturday. Ellis Jenkins, Tomas Francis, Ryan Elias, Aled Davies and Owen Watkin have been called into the squad while forward Cory Hill keeps hold of the
6:53 AM BST The experience of hosting the men’s 2011 Rugby World Cup has indicated the wholehearted support New Zealand would give to a potential women’s tournament in 2021, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has said. New Zealand were one of six countries confirmed by World Rugby on Wednesday as having expressed an interest to
6:06 AM BST ESPN staff For the first time in his tenure as Wallabies coach, Michael Cheika has named an unchanged 23 in back-to-back Tests for the first time, after he took over the side in 2014. Cheika has stuck with his winning side and resisted the urge to tinker, despite the return of Ned
12:59 AM BST France have pinned their hopes on club form after announcing five changes to their starting team for the second Test against the All Blacks. Coach Jacques Brunel deemed the three players involved in the Top 14 club final on June 2 would be off limits for last week’s first Test in Auckland,
6:57 AM BST In the shadows of the MCG, Wallaby Israel Folau says his early days training in the AFL heartland gave him the skills to become one the world’s best rugby union fullbacks. Folau and the Wallabies have been given the keys to Collingwood’s training facilities while they prepare for Saturday’s second Test against
5:37 PM BST Blitzboks coach Neil Powell “didn’t think it would be humanly possible to win” the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series when the team arrived for the season-ending Paris Sevens — even more so because they were battered and bruised and seven points behind Fiji on the ladder. However, their ultimate victory, after the