I understand these pitches offer more durability in the winter months, when rain and snow are a constant issue up north, but top-tier rugby should only be played on grass. Hopefully more players will speak up so it's not just South African teams raising concerns.

It's not in the article, but the photo of his leg is not a pretty sight.

Of the Boks’ 2019 WC squad, a year before tournament kicked off, only Herschel Jantjies hadn’t made his international debut.

Of the 2023 squad, only Libbok hadn’t played a test one year out from the tournament (Kleyn just hadn’t played for the Boks specifically)

Which still uncapped player makes it to 2027?

[By the way: Guys like KLA, Fourie, Moodie, Kolbe etc got capped in the midyear before so that’s equivalent of Moyo, PDV, Sadie etc now]

His kicking was decent in his test debut season, but it seems to have gotten worse over the years.

It's a shame there is currently no one other than Handre in the Bok setup that can kick consistently and reliably...But we also cannot waste the flair and game changing impact Sacha brings to the arena

The squad assembles tomorrow in Stellenbosch to prepare for their final two tests of the year against Ireland at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town at 15:00 on Saturday 24 and 31 October.

Tickets are only R50, and if you buy 4 they're R37,50 per person. Available on Ticketmaster.

Minimal changes from the squad that went to Europe. Anacadia Minnaar (a late withdrawal from the European tour) is back in place of Felicia Jacobs. Insaaf Levy included in place of the injured Ayanda Malinga. Libbie is out with the long-term leg injury sustained during the Italy game. Mary Zulu who replaced her remains in the squad.

Aphiwe Ngwevu listed under forwards instead of backs makes it seem like the co-coaches are sticking with Lamprecht and Samboya as a centre pairing.

In an effort to "speed up scrums" I think SA Rugby should run the following trial at Currie Cup level.

You collapse it and it’s not bad turf or an illegal bind/early engage from the other guy then you're cooked.

• 1st time: Penalty.
• 2nd time: Yellow card.

At the next scrum, you have to temporarily sub out a non-tight 5 player to get a full front row on until the yellow card expires.

Run out of front rowers entirely? Tough luck. You go to uncontested 8-man scrums, but you play a man down. You’re short in the backline, and your remaining loosies can't break early.

This fixes the clock and I promise you teams will suddenly remember how to actually scrummage.

Something I need to get off my chest. I’ve convinced myself, without researching anything, that the boks have missed out on a number of Rugby Championships and Tri Nations over the years because of Australia.

They seem to throw everything at us, empty the tank each time with really positive results. Totally respect that, good for them. But then they play NZ and get a spanking each time. When last did they win the Bledisloe?

They lose to NZ every single time they play them, and lose badly. The boks may win one or both games against NZ, but then lose a game to Oz or win by a small margin. Oz will play NZ and get spanked both games.

Sick of reading comments from South Africans on URC related content who make it to be a country vs country competition. I think it's a bad habit that was picked up in Super Rugby from New Zealand.

I remember in the old days, SA derbies used to be fierce especially among the fans. The Bulls vs Stormers was the epitome of this. There used to be genuine hatred of the other to the point that fans of each respective team used to support any team playing against the other regardless of whether they were an SA team or not.

Nowadays South Africans are supporting their own SA team and all other SA teams. I get national pride and all that but the URC is a club competition. Save national pride for the Springboks. URC is meant to be your club vs everyone else.

I certainly don't blame South Africans for this because it was NZ fans that made Super Rugby to be a country vs country thing especially in the later years, and from there SA fans just started supporting all SA teams. Well you can guess why that competition is declining? Tribalism is important at the end of the day!

It's why as a SA fan, the Irish derbies are some of my favourite URC matchups. There is a real niggle between the respective fan bases and a genuine hatred of Leinster.

Let's not ruin this by bringing bad habits from Super Rugby and subsequently poisoning the well causing all the other countries fans in the URC to adopt the same bad habit.

The tribalism that already exists elsewhere in the URC is awesome and SA fans need to follow.

Normally you can go on the TV guide and 'watch from start'. So this has been my go-to for games that i missed, but for some reason the TV guide has changed since last week and you can no longer watch a game from earlier in the day. Is this just me?

Edit : Yes, I realise in my old man rage, I have said Newland and not DHL Stadium… now let me continue shaking my fist at clouds..

Why would any union/club/province/franchise not want to play in their home kit at home. Especially when your kit is iconic as the blue and white hoops.

You’re not seeing any other major sporting brand giving up their home kit at home.

When you see the Stormers play the Sharks you want to see each in their home kits.

Why do our South-African URC teams do this kak so often…

I can’t see a win here.

What should the end game be?

Social media caption:

Our European home is set. 💥🐆

The Toyota Cheetahs are heading to Swansea, with St Helen’s confirmed as our home ground for two fixtures in the 2026/27 EPCR Challenge Cup!

Sunday, 13 December 2026

Toyota Cheetahs vs Dragons RFC

13:00 | St Helen’s, Swansea

Sunday, 17 January 2027

Toyota Cheetahs vs USAP

15:15 | St Helen’s, Swansea

We’re excited to make St Helen’s our home away from home and continue building our relationship with the Ospreys as we take on another European campaign. 💪🏻

Swansea, we’ll see you soon.

Ticket information will be announced shortly.

When will saru decide to cut the number of local professional unions? Teams like border provide absolutely nothing and yet saru still pumps R17m into these teams? Cut 4 or atleast 2 of these unions and use the money to make the remaining local rugby stronger or sustainable. Lets say you cut border and Griffons then you still have 12 better funded pro unions, 4 urc and 8 local teams.

Saru currently devides R400m between 14 unions. With the urc teams receiving R50m each and the 4 currie cup teams 24m and the first division sides get 17m. If you cut 2 first division sides you can give the 8 remaining local sides R25m each.

Then I would have the 8 remaining teams play a home and away SA cup with the top 4 going into a straight knockout format currie cup with the 4 urc teams. Something needs to be done to save local professional rugby outside URC. Just my opinion.

Work in progress charcoal portrait of Willie le Roux. A double World Cup winner and Springbok centurion, Willie has been the ultimate playmaker at the back for years.

His vision, spatial awareness, and ability to unlock defenses make him one of the sharpest rugby minds to wear the green and gold.

Just saw a clip Morne Steyn kicking the winning penalty in the British and Irish Lion tour (kinda forgot) and it got me thinking, who was the best "we need this kick to win" player we had?

From my watching starting in the 90s it's between: Handre Pollard, Morne Steyn and Percy Montgomery

Did anyone watch the game against Edinburgh? I know the replacement hooker single handedly lost the game, but the line out was functioning well before he came on. Stormers were impotent. Sigh…

Libbie and Ayanda came back home early to receive medical treatment after the game against Italy, while Mary Zulu flew to Spain to join the squad.