Australia’s Super Rugby players have received a 10% pay increase with squad sizes expanded to up to 40 players. This is part of a new collective bargaining agreement announced by Rugby Australia on Wednesday. The overall Super Rugby salary cap has been adjusted to a total of A$5.5-million (R53-million), with the average player receiving A$225,000 (R2.2-million) in 2018. The Force’s… Read more →
Former New Zealand U20 player Glen Robertson is one of four Kiwi players to be suspended for doping offences. Robertson, Zoe Berry and Rhys Pedersen have been banned from playing rugby for the possession and, in some cases, use or attempted use of Clenbuterol. Ben Qauqau-Dodds has been banned for the possession and use or attempted use of Metandienone. Clenbuterol and… Read more →
All Blacks and Highlanders flyhalf Lima Sopoaga is reportedly heading to England at the end of the year. According to The Times, the 26-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the English Premiership club, effectively ruling him out of next year’s World Cup in Japan. Sopoaga has played 16 Tests for the All Blacks since making his Test against the… Read more →
Harlequins prop Joe Marler will miss England’s first two Six Nations matches after being suspended for six weeks. Marler was sent off in the 58th minute of his side’s 30-29 loss to the Sale Sharks over the weekend when referee Matthew Carley adjudged him to have struck TJ Ioane in the head with his shoulder. He pleaded guilty to the charge… Read more →
The Bulls have added a Super Rugby warm-up game against the Jaguares to their pre-season schedule. According to SuperSport.com, the Bulls will host the Jaguares on 10 February, which adds to pre-season clashes against the Lions, Sharks and Stormers. The Bulls will kick off their Super Rugby campaign against the Hurricanes on 24 February. Full story Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Munster’s fitness chief Aled Walters is set to take up a role with Rassie Erasmus as part of the Springbok set-up. Walters, in his sixth season with Munster, joined the Irish team in 2012 as a strength and rehab coach, and has previously worked with the Brumbies in Super Rugby and Taranaki in New Zealand. The Springboks have already recruited… Read more →
Jamba Ulengo and Lizo Gqoboka have returned to full pre-season training with the Bulls, although a number of other players remain sidelined with injury. In a pre-season medical update issued by the Bulls, team doctor Herman Rossouw confirmed that Ulengo and Gqoboka have fully recovered from respective injuries and had begun training again along with Jaco Visagie and Dries Swanepoel. However, Ruan… Read more →
England coach Eddie Jones visited Ellis Park on Monday ahead of his side’s three-Test series against the Springboks in June. Jones was shown around the stadium by Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli, according to Netwerk24. The 57-year-old wanted to familiarise himself with the visitors’ change room and coaches box. He also inspected the demarcation area for the substitutes and the medical… Read more →
Coach Marius Schoeman has applauded the winning effort of the SA Rugby Sevens Academy team at the Punta del Este tournament on Sunday. The academy side beat Ireland, France and Chile on the way to the title, despite only having nine players available for the final. ‘It was a great start to the year for us, and the guys really… Read more →
Former All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith has revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer last year. Smith ended a highly-successful 20-year association with the All Blacks in October, but his diagnosis apparently played no part in his decision to step down. However, Smith admitted that he kept the news largely to himself after an annual medical check-up saw the doctors pick… Read more →
