World Rugby has today confirmed the HSBC SVNS 2 schedule, with three events taking place across January and February as the global rugby sevens calendar continues to build towards the LA28 Olympic Games. The announcement follows confirmation of the HSBC SVNS Series and World Championship schedule for 2026/27. HSBC SVNS 2 forms an important part of World Rugby’s global sevens pathway, providing teams with the opportunity to progress through the international competition struct

The 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup gets underway this weekend, with 24 of Europe and South Africa’s leading clubs beginning their quest to lift club rugby’s biggest prize. The Round 1 preview is now available, featuring the full fixture list, pool tables, match officials, and selected club and player performance data. CLICK BELOW FOR ROUND 1 PREVIEW Round 1 notes Round 1 will take place from 16 to 18 October, with the competition featuring the top eight clubs from the 2025/26

With the opening EPCR Challenge Cup fixtures just days away, please find below the Round 1 preview, including fixtures, pools, match officials and selected club and player performance data. CLICK BELOW FOR ROUND 1 PREVIEW Round 1 notes The 2026/27 EPCR Challenge Cup features 18 clubs from eight nations - Ireland, France, South Africa, Wales, England, Scotland, Italy and Georgia - competing across three pools and four pool stage rounds. Round 1 takes place from 16 to 18 Octobe

A disciplined Australian bowling unit finished the job in clinical fashion on Day 5 of the Durban Test, clinching a 214-run triumph to draw first blood in the three-match ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series. The visitors laid the groundwork earlier in the match when Matt Renshaw played his best-ever Test knock, stroking a magnificent 190 to propel Australia to 390 in their first turn with the bat. South Africa responded with 284, anchored by resilient knocks from David

Anacadia Minnaar and Insaaf Levy will join a settled Springbok Women squad in Stellenbosch on Wednesday when they assemble for their final two Tests of the year, against Ireland in Cape Town on Saturday 24 and 31 October. The two Tests at Athlone Stadium will conclude the 2026 WXV Global Series for the hosts, who just returned from Europe where they played Wales, Italy and Spain on consecutive weekends. Minnaar was a late withdrawal from the trip north, but she returns to the

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 ticket applications have seen a surge of demand across the globe since the ballot went live 12 days ago. A total of 15 083 752 ticket applications have been received since with 4 423 417 ballot registrations generated by fans from across 142 countries, highlighting the immense global interest in the 14th edition of the Men’s Cricket World Cup. The latest numbers show a dramatic acceleration in demand since the ballot opened, with ticket ap

Evan Roos will make his first appearance of the season for the DHL Stormers in their Investec Champions Cup opener against Bristol Bears at DHL Stadium on Saturday. The Springbok loose forward returns against the English team in a blockbuster encounter, which kicks off at 4.15pm on Saturday. Tickets are available from stormers.co.za. Roos’ return from a hamstring injury is timely, with Hacjivah Dayimani ruled out due to concussion, while the only other changes from the team t

Fiji Rakavi Football Union (FRFU) is proud to announce the appointment of Rugby World Cup-winning coach Jake White as the new head coach of the FIJI Water Flying Fijians, marking a defining moment in the nation’s rugby journey and the beginning of an ambitious new chapter towards Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. A proven winner on rugby’s biggest stage, White brings international pedigree, championship-winning experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a

Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund I (“Kholo Capital”) (www.KholoCapital.com) today announced the provision of R275-million in mezzanine debt funding to DCC Holdings Proprietary Limited (“DCC”), a leading South African information and communications technology (“ICT”) distributor with an established presence across Southern Africa. The funding will refinance existing debt and support DCC’s long-term growth strategy. DCC is a leading South African distributor of ICT products an

Cheap, highly processed food is often more accessible than fresh, nutritious alternatives, leaving poorer households caught between food insecurity and a growing burden of obesity and poor nutrition. Rhiza Babuyile, a non-profit organisation which works with under-resourced communities through agriculture, skills development and enterprise, says the country cannot tackle the problem simply by telling people to make healthier choices. “South Africa is not underfed, but it is u

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins face a crucial encounter against the North West Dragons at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Tuesday as they look to strengthen their position in the YesPlay Pro20 Cup. The Dolphins have shown encouraging signs over their last three matches with three wins and will be eager to carry that momentum into a fixture that could prove important in their push for qualification. Head coach Quinton Friend believes his side will need to be at its best against

Australia asserted their dominance over South Africa in the Durban Test at the end of Day 4, requiring just six wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series. Resuming the morning at 33/0 after bad light brought a premature end to Day 3, Australia set an aggressive tone from the outset. Travis Head was the first to depart for 11 off 18 balls, mistiming an edge off Marco Jansen straight into the hands of Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma a

Eastern Province produced a stellar display of resilience at Otto du Plessis High School in Gqeberha on Saturday, staging a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat Griquas 36-24 and claim the 2026 SA Rugby U21 Shield title. The visitors controlled the opening stanza, racing into a deserved 24-17 half-time lead thanks to sharp execution and clinical finishing. Luke Davids, Grante Savage, Aiden Holtzhausen each scored a converted try, while kicker Blane Marais also slotted a

African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced the appointment of Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, to its Advisory Board. Carrington became CEO of Invest Africa in January 2024. Invest Africa is a leading business and investment platform with

The UEFA Champions League returns to centre stage with Matchday 2 Tuesday and Wednesday. Here we take a look at the key facts and stats from every fixture as the league phase continues. All matches kick off at 9pm CET unless stated. All statistics are group stage/league phase to final unless stated. Tuesday Lens v Sporting CP (6.45pm) Lens signed Franjo Ivanović on loan from Benfica in the summer. The striker drew one game and won the other against Sporting CP last season. Le

The final four clubs in the Pick n Pay Gold Cup have been confirmed after an action-packed quarter-final weekend in the ‘FA Cup’ of South African club rugby, which included electric performances on the field in the South section and a literal lightning display off it in the North. The country’s pre-eminent knockout championship for non-university clubs – which is sponsored by the national retail chain for the second time as part of a four-year agreement – is also supported by

The Vodacom Bulls have confirmed their 42-man squad for the upcoming Investec Champions Cup campaign, featuring a formidable contingent of 14 Springboks ready to lead the charge in Europe. Coach Johan Ackermann and his staff faced the classic challenge of balancing depth with elite quality across every position, resulting in a well-balanced group (24 forwards and 18 backs). One of the most fiercely contested areas is flyhalf, where World Cup winner Handre Pollard, Curwin Bosc

Austin Bautista. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Australia’s Austin Bautista won his second Sunshine Tour title this season by clinching the Fortress Invitational at Houghton Golf Club by five shots from defending champion Warwick Purchase on Sunday. “I love winning golf tournaments. I love competing. I want to continue to play well and continue to work hard and put myself into a position to win tournaments. I know I am pretty good at closing,” a delighted Bautista said after c

The third day of the Test series opener between South Africa and Australia in Durban as part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 proved to be an entertainer as South Africa fought back after early struggles to keep the game in the balance. Following Matt Renshaw’s impeccable 190-run knock on Day 2 in Durban, South Africa began Day 3 at 27/1, trailing Australia by 363 runs. Aiden Markram and David Bedingham rebuilt the innings with a steady approach before centurion Ren

Max Verstappen put in an assured drive to take victory in the Singapore Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver holding the lead throughout the hot and humid encounter to seal his first-ever Grand Prix win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. After defending against Charles Leclerc into the first corner, Verstappen ensured that he emerged in P1 and, while the Ferrari initially remained on his tail, the four-time World Champion soon built up a significant gap at the front. The mid-race p

Stormers captain Ruhan Nel offloads to Damian Willemse against the Sharks on Saturday. Inpho Photography Edinburgh Rugby are in uncharted waters at the top of the URC having won their opening three league matches for the first time in more than a decade. You have to go back to 2015 and the days of the old PRO12 for the last time the Scottish side kicked off with three successive victories. Moreover, they are the only team in the competition to have won all of their matches so

The Fidelity Titans maintained their perfect record in this season’s Hollywoodbets Pro Series after claiming a commanding 10-wicket victory over the DP World Lions in the Hollywoodbets Pro20 Series in Centurion on Sunday. Laura Wolvaardt smashed a 41-ball 91, which included 11 fours and six sixes, in an unbeaten opening stand with Anneke Bosch (42* off 24 balls; 6x4, 1x6), as the Titans made light work of the set target, surpassing the winning score within 10.4 overs. Earlier

The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers delivered dominant performances to outclass the 10bet Lions and Hollywoodbets Sharks in a gripping round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship local derbies on Saturday, which not only ended the latter sides’ two-match winning starts in the competition but also saw them overtake their fellow SA teams on the standings. The Bulls were in sublime form and powered their way to a classy 57-15 victory against the Lions in Pretoria, while the Storme

300 MotoGP wins for Italy. A history-making Aprilia top-four lockout. And a first victory since the Italian Grand Prix for Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing). That result, after the drama bubbled over in the Mandalika cauldron on Saturday, was desperately needed as Bezzecchi claws back crucial ground in the championship chase. Second place went to the heroic Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), who, despite two broken fingers, climbed onto the podium, while Jorge

The Fidelity Titans completed a dominant 211-run victory over the DP World Lions in the Hollywoodbets Pro50 Series in Centurion on Saturday, following outstanding displays from Suné Luus and Caitlin Wyngaard with the bat and ball, respectively. Luus struck a bullish 167* off 131 balls, including 21 fours and four sixes, alongside knocks from Laura Wolvaardt (57 off 58 balls; 8x4, 2x6) and Luyanda Nzuza (59 off 87 balls; 8x4), to help the home side post a formidable 330/3 in t

Matt Renshaw's brilliant knock of 190 lifted Australia from a spot of bother to 390 on Day 2 in Durban. South Africa lost an early wicket in reply and bad light play to a close with the hosts on 27/1, 363 runs behind Australia. At the start of the day, Australia resumed their innings on 187/6, with Renshaw on 46 and captain Pat Cummins on 33. They had added 63 on the first evening after Australia slid to 124/6 but the stand ended after another 23 runs, when Wiaan Mulder drew

The DHL Stormers claimed a 39-22 bonus point win against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in their first home game of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship season at DHL Stadium on Saturday. It was a pulsating match between two teams packed full of Springboks, with the Stormers outscoring the Durban side by six tries to three in the end. The home side started with intensity and it was not long before they entered the 22. A powerful maul earned advantage before they slung it wide to S

Austin Bautista. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Australia’s Austin Bautista made a strong push for his second Sunshine Tour title this season as he opened up a two-shot lead in the Fortress Invitational at Houghton Golf Club on Saturday. Bautista signed for a bogey-free 64 to head the field on 12-under par, two shots clear of Germany’s Morris Schiefner following his 66. The Australian is looking for his second victory this season after winning the FNB Eswatini Challenge. “Ther

Is Man Utd v Spurs a bigger game for Carrick or De Zerbi? Old Trafford hosts a game of huge significance for two clubs who are struggling to hit the heights expected of them in pre-season. In fact it’s difficult to separate the two. Head coaches Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi can both claim to need the win more than the other. Certainly defeat for either team plunges them into unwanted territory. Tottenham Hotspur finally ended their goal drought in their 3-2 loss at ho

With 100 days to go until Season 5 of Betway SA20 gets underway on 17 January, the League's newest recruits are already counting down to their first taste of the action. Fresh from Wednesday's player Auction, some of the latest signings have shared their excitement about joining Betway SA20, with home-ground crowds and the chance to learn alongside world-class players and coaches high on their list. Joburg Super Kings’ latest recruit and Season 5 auction's biggest signing Jas

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins continued their impressive run of form in the YesPlay T20 Cup with a commanding seven-wicket bonus-point victory over the Eastern Cape Iinyathi at Buffalo Park on Friday. Chasing 129 for victory, the Dolphins reached 129/3 in just 15.2 overs, winning with 28 balls to spare as Grant Roelofsen produced a superb innings of 67 off 37 deliveries to put the visitors firmly in control. The result extends the Dolphins' winning run to three matches following

Benjamin Follett-Smith. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Zimbabwean Benjamin Follett-Smith had to dig deep on Friday to retain the Fortress Invitational lead and he did so with a one-over-par 72 for a one-shot lead going into the weekend at Houghton Golf Club. Follett-Smith led by three shots going into Friday’s second round following a stunning 63 on day one. But he had a far more challenging second round. After teeing off the 10th, the Zimbabwean professional opened with a bir

Australia’s reshuffled batting line-up struggled against a disciplined South African seam attack on Day 1 of the ICC World Test Championship tussle in Durban. Nic Maddinson was bowled by Marco Jansen, his dismissal leaving Australia reeling early after Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first. The other opener, Travis Head, fell on a successful South African review, before Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the innings with a 60-run partnership. Smith took the

The Fidelity Titans will be looking to build on their winning start to the Hollywoodbets Pro Series when they welcome Gauteng rivals DP World Lions to SuperSport Park in Centurion for the second round of the 2026/27 campaign this weekend. The two sides will go head-to-head in the Hollywoodbets Pro50 Series encounter on Saturday before returning to action in the Hollywoodbets Pro20 Series competition on Sunday. The Titans head into the weekend full of confidence after securing

Are you a Springbok super-fan? Do you count the days to the next Test match? Are you the water-cooler king with the latest rugby scoop? Or do you just want to get closer to your favourite national team? Well, the change room door has just cracked a little wider with the relaunch of BokSquad, the official home of the South African rugby supporter. BokSquad is a digital community that rewards fans for their passion and gives them access to exclusive rugby content, tickets, uniq

Darcy Graham and Edinburgh Rugby will host RC Toulon on Friday 16 October. The countdown is on. One week from today, the EPCR Challenge Cup returns, with 18 clubs from eight nations set to launch their campaigns from 16 to 18 October and begin the race towards European glory and a place at the 2027 Final in Lyon. From renewed rivalries and knockout rematches to highly anticipated first-time encounters, Round 1 promises a thrilling start to the 2026/27 campaign as clubs from E

Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Union Bordeaux Bègles will take on Gloucester Rugby on Friday 16 October. Just one week remains until the 2026/27 EPCR season kicks off, with the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup set to bring together the best of European and South African club rugby from 16 to 18 October. With 114 matches ahead across the two competitions and a place at the EPCR Finals Weekend in Lyon on 21 and 22 May 2027 the ultimate prize, the rac

Dafabet Boland put to bed last year’s final’s Super Over demons with a win over World Sports Betting Eastern Storm to remain unbeaten in the YesPlay Pro20 Cup on Thursday night, following a tie at 164 runs apiece after each side played their 20 overs. In one of only two matches scheduled for the day, the hosts were put in to bat first at Boland Park after Easterns won the toss. They lost the early wicket of Neil Brand but recovered well with Blayde Capell and Gavin Kaplan com

The Pick n Pay Gold Cup has delivered its fair share of spectacle over the past fortnight and Saturday promises to be no different as the ‘FA Cup’ of South African club rugby reaches the quarter-final stage. The country’s pre-eminent knockout championship for non-university clubs – which is sponsored by the national retail chain for the second time as part of a four-year agreement that includes becoming Tier 1 sponsors of the world-champion Springboks – is also supported by N

10bet Lions' Siba Mahashe. Inpho Photography It was only eight months ago that Siba Mahashe made his URC debut. But the 22-year-old loose forward is already being seen as one of the brightest young talents in South African rugby. That was illustrated by his inclusion in a Springboks alignment camp in May, while he went on to make his debut for South Africa 'A' against Zimbabwe in Gqeberha the following month. Then, in August, he further enhanced his rising reputation with a P

Benjamin Follett-Smith. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Having just returned from the DP World Tour and on his way back home to Zimbabwe, Benjamin Follett-Smith decided to make a detour to Houghton Golf Club for this week’s Fortress Invitational – and he was rewarded with an opening 63 for the lead on Thursday. “I just thought I would come play here on my way home, as I’m going home for two weeks now to build some confidence before I go back for the DP World Tour Qualifying Sch

The 10bet Lions will make the short trip across the Jukskei to take on the Vodacom Bulls in Round 3 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in the country’s capital on Saturday (1.30pm kick-off). Already two from two in the competition, the Joburgers will be looking to capitalise on their current form, especially at Loftus where they were successful last season; claiming a 43-33 victory over Johan Ackermann’s men. Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen admitted that despite their

The Hollywoodbets Sharks have opened their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign with two bonus-point wins from two, taking the maximum 10 log points from victories over Ospreys (41-24) and Leinster (26-20). The results reward a pre-season spent building a clear game model: Fast, Physical, Relentless and a strong team culture as part of this Next Wave. The opening fortnight showed that model and connection at work. The scrum won all 19 of its feeds, the line-out 24 of 25

Just days after celebrating 70 years of sporting history, the DP World Wanderers Stadium has reached another significant milestone – this time looking firmly towards the future. As part of its ongoing sustainability and infrastructure programme, the iconic Johannesburg venue, home to #ThePrideOfJozi, has commissioned a new borehole in partnership with Borehole Africa, providing an alternative water source to support the stadium’s day-to-day operations and strengthen its resil

The future of KwaZulu-Natal cricket was on show in Eshowe this week as six teams from the Dolphins Hubs space competed in the KZNDSAC Sunfoil Hub U13 Cricket Tournament, held from 29 September to 2 October. The tournament brought together young cricketers from the Dolphins Hubs space, forming six teams, namely: Reservoir Hills/Outer West, KCCD/Mtubatuba, INK/iLembe, Chatsworth/Umlazi, Port Shepstone/Umzinto and KCCD Invitational. More than simply a tournament, the initiative

South Africa will play their first Test on home soil since defeating Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's last year. The two sides currently occupy the top two slots in the WTC standings, with Australia first with an 80% PCT, while the Proteas sit close behind with 75%. South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma is hoping the occasion provides an opportunity to celebrate with the home supporters and have their full backing. “It's our first time playing Test cri

African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced the appointment of Abiola (Abi) Ijasanmi to its Advisory Board. Ijasanmi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of African Sports Investor (ASI), an advisory and investment platform focused on building

Johan Ackermann. BBCO America’s Got Talent seems a strange source of inspiration for Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann. But it’s one of the many avenues he uses for inspiration in his rugby career. “I enjoy inspiring stories from real life and things that people have overcome. It could be a guy who walks onto the stage at America’s Got Talent and the judges have already judged him by his looks and then he has this amazing talent,” he says. It possibly resonates so much wit

As the Springbok Sevens team prepare to carry South Africa’s hopes into a new HSBC SVNS season, they are taking their message of #PoweredbyUnity into the communities that support them. Furthermore, through its brand-new #BlitzNation campaign and the Seven-Minute Blitz challenge, fans are invited to create, complete or transform something in seven minutes to show their support of the Blitzboks, meet players, and participate in the energy of sevens rugby. At Paulus Joubert Seco

Vodacom United Rugby Championship log leaders, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and third-placed 10bet Lions, will have their sights set on continuing their unbeaten start in the competition this weekend and remain in the top four on the standings when they hit the road to face the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls in a thrilling round of South African derbies. They will, however, prepare themselves for challenging outings as the Capetonians will enter the match highly motivated after s