Springboks face new bid for stake by Leeds United private equity investors Ackerley Sports Group January 6, 2025 The world champion Springboks could sell off a stake of their commercial rights company to investors in Leeds United as South African rugby looks for a stronger financial footing. Seattle-based firm Ackerley Sports Group LLC is reportedly set to revive plans to invest in the 2023 Rugby World Cup winners after an initial bid foundered [...]
Springboks enter long-term deal with British rugby brand Rhino January 1, 2025 The South Africa rugby Springboks have a seven-year deal with ball supplier Rhino in a major boost to the British-founded brand. The deal will see the world champions use Rhino balls for their home Test matches while the agreement stretches to the women’s international team, and the Currie Cup. Rian Oberholzer, chief executive of SA [...]
Ollie Phillips: Dupont leads my 2024 rugby union awards December 20, 2024 For my last rugby union column of 2024 in print it’s only right that we hand out a couple of awards covering the last 12 months. Rugby has seen an Olympic Games sit front and centre of the calendar while there have been some surprises in terms of domestic winners. It wasn’t easy but I’ve [...]
Fortress Twickenham breached: England in a dark, dark place November 18, 2024 England’s 29-20 loss to South Africa was their fifth defeat on the bounce. Fortress Twickenham has been breached and Eddie Jones is up next for Steve Borthwick. If deep-pocketed disruptors really were to tempt more than 100 players away from their clubs to form a LIV Golf-style rugby competition as mooted last week, they’d be [...]
Time for England’s wilting roses to blossom against Boks November 15, 2024 When penning this column the niggling thought in my mind is that there’s no possible way that England beat the Springboks. Steve Borthwick’s wilting roses are struggling across the board, and shipped a record points total against a southern hemisphere side at home under his tenure in last week’s loss to Australia. Meanwhile South Africa, [...]
Exclusive: Argentina and South Africa in talks to host Rugby Championship match in London November 12, 2024 World champions South Africa and World Cup semi-finalists Argentina are in talks to play a Rugby Championship fixture at London’s Allianz Stadium in 2025, City AM can reveal. Discussions have taken place about Twickenham hosting a match from the southern hemisphere’s equivalent of the Six Nations next autumn. It would be the first time that [...]
Inside the Boks: Why South Africa send strongest message in sport November 11, 2024 For world champions South Africa rugby means more than just 80 minutes once per week. So why are the Boks pushed by culture and a desire to guide a nation? When Vinicius Jr’s off-the-ball antics in this season’s Clasico caught the attention of fans, some suggested it contributed to his failed attempt to win a [...]
Premier League in Jersey? If the Springboks went, anyone could November 9, 2024 Jersey played hosts to South Africa’s Springboks earlier this month with the world champions following in the footsteps of the Lions and England in picking the Channel Islands as a training location. But why are the facilities so popular? “I am never washing my hands again,” exclaimed a youngster after a high five with Rugby [...]
Autumn Nations Series: How will England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales get on? November 1, 2024 The Autumn Nations Series can be a super tonic for the sport as titans clash from both hemispheres across Europe, writes Ollie Phillips. November internationals are always an odd time of year: you have neither the bitter rivalries the Six Nations and Rugby Championship generate over their own two hemispheres, nor is there the excitement [...]
Argentina can humiliate establishment with Rugby Championship win September 28, 2024 As the Rugby Championship reaches its climax, can Argentina upset the apple cart and topple the Springboks? What constitutes a world class rugby team? Is it World Cup wins alone or is in an era of dominance year in, year out? How about a team with fewer resources than the others going into the final [...]