Sale Sharks have announced the signing of Springbok Lood De Jager. De Jager will join up with Steve Diamond’s side ahead of the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season after he finishes the current Super Rugby campaign with the Vodacom Bulls. If he is selected by Rassie Erasmus for South Africa’s World Cup campaign, the 26-year-old will join up with his new …
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While there are still five rounds to go in the Aviva Premiership regular season, directors of rugby will already be looking towards next season and their club’s goals. There have already been many new signings ahead of next season in the Premiership so far, but here we’ve looked at each club and identified where they need to strengthen. _________ Bath Bath have …
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Eddie Jones’ England go in search of their first win over the Springboks, and the country’s first victory against South Africa since almost a decade ago. On the other side of this fascinating contest, the men in green are hoping to put their so-far poor 2016 behind them with a galvanising performance at Twickenham. Coach Allister Coetzee has made ten …
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England have already lost Maro Itoje and George Kruis to injury. Although South Africa maybe at a low ebb at the moment, the one area of the field where they remain a real threat to England is in the second row. Together, both Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager form one of the most formidable partnerships in world rugby. Therefore, supporters were …
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Lood De Jager could be in hot water after flying into a ruck against New Zealand yesterday. The Springboks suffered a record home defeat to their great rivals, as the World Cup champions ran riot in the second half to win 57-15. But things could go from bad to worse for South Africa, after lock Lood De Jager flew into a …
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The Springboks have named their final squad for this year’s Rugby Championship with imminent Wasps full-back Willie Le Roux and Sharks fly-half Pat Lambie both included in Allister Coetzee’s 31-man squad. The Springboks also welcome back Lood de Jager (knee) and Julian Redelinghuys (hamstring) who return to the squad after their respective stints on the sideline. Redelinghuys returns from a hamstring injury sustained in the Springboks’ …
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Lions coach and former Springboks second-row Johan Ackerman believes that his side’s captain, Warren Whiteley, would be an excellent replacement to succeed Bulls hooker Adriaan Strauss as Springboks captain. Strauss, who was only named Springboks captain in May following the appointment of Allister Coetzee as head coach in April, announced his plans to retire from international rugby at the end …
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The lingering puzzle surrounding last weekend’s test result in Cape Town extends as much to the under-performing hosts as it does the triumphant visitors. For sheer bravery, a stubborn refusal to bow to the inevitable and a resolve that belied their desperate circumstances, Ireland deserve huge credit. But serious questions remain; how much of that opening test win can be …
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This Summer’s Internationals see the cream of world rugby’s second-rows on display. But who are the World’s best lock pairings? Here are probably the top three pairs of locks in the world: 1. Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick: To my mind, the best in the World. Since being paired together in 2012, the pair have won three Rugby Championships and a Rugby …
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Allister Coetzee has named his first Springbok squad. Alastair Coetzee has ushered in his reign as South African coach, by selecting six players who were not involved at the World Cup. However of the six, only Faf de Klerk is the only uncapped player named in the Springboks XV. Although South Africa were involved in a dispute over Duane Vermeulen’s release from …
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Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager came to blows during the Stormers win over the Cheetahs. Just one day after Allister Coetzee ushered in a new era for the Springboks, two of South Africa’s more experienced internationals exchanged blows during the game between the Stormers and Cheetahs. As Coetzee’s squad includes nine uncapped players, the new Springbok coach would have been hoping his …
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Ireland head down to South Africa in June for a three-test series with a genuine chance of earning a first ever series win in one of rugby’s toughest tours. Here Hefin Jones looks at five reasons why Ireland can stun the Boks this Summer. _____ 1. South Africa’s Lack Of Preparation Time New coach Allister Coetzee will only have ten weeks …
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This up and coming XV will get supporters very excited about the future. Writing in The Telegraph, Mick Cleary selected a world XV made up of players who have not yet earned more than 20 caps and are under 25 years of age. While some will argue that Cleary has included too many English players in his selection, it must …
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2015 will go down as perhaps the greatest Rugby World Cup to date, with thrills, spills, and plenty of upsets throughout the month in England. As we look back at the tournament, the debate as to whom performed the best is raging, so naturally we compiled our team of the World Cup, taking every game into account with equal weighting. As …
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New Zealand and South Africa will do battle in the World Cup Semi Final on Saturday. Familiarity breeds contempt. And there is no more contemptuous relationship in world rugby than the All Blacks and the ‘Boks. The pair have met each other 90 times down the years, and South Africa are the only team to be able to boast a …
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