Conditioning guru Aled Walters has been appointed as British & Irish Lions head of athletic performance for their 2025 tour to Australia. Walters, who played a pivotal role in the Springboks’ victorious 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign, joins Andy Farrell’s new-look backroom staff on secondment from Ireland’s coaching setup. The Welshman brings a wealth of
The 2025 Six Nations kicks off this week and in celebration the SA Rugby magazine team has selected a South African XV of players capped in the European championship. 15 Scott Spedding (France)Born in Krugersdorp, Spedding played fullback for Les Bleus, earning 23 Test caps from 2014 to 2017. Known for his strong boot and
Australia will face Fiji at home for the first time since 2017 in preparation for the much-anticipated British & Irish Lions tour Down Under this year. The Wallabies are set to host the Flying Fijians in Newcastle on Sunday, 6 July, in their only warm-up match before the three-Test series against the Lions. The clash
Steve Borthwick is reportedly set to take a leaf out of Rassie Erasmus’ playbook and deploy a 6-2 bench split for England’s Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday. According to the UK’s Telegraph, head coach Borthwick will select six forwards among the England replacements for the Aviva Stadium clash, with Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South
Adam Jones is confident that Warren Gatland can revive Wales’ fortunes after 12 straight defeats as the team prepares to face France in a daunting Six Nations opener on Friday. The Welsh have not won a Test since beating 2023 World Cup pool opponents Georgia almost 16 months ago. Now they face France in Paris
Scrumhalf Alex Mitchell has been recalled by England head coach Steve Borthwick and is set to feature in their Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday. Mitchell, who missed England’s November Tests with a neck issue and recently suffered a knee injury, has fully participated in training this week as part of a 36-man squad
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has called up prop Ben Warren while quietly axing a member of his support staff on the eve of the Six Nations. Warren joins the squad following an impressive season for Ospreys, where he has featured in 11 matches across all competitions. A former Wales U20s standout with 15 caps,
Loose forward Alexander Masibaka is one of five players called up by head coach Gregor Townsend for Scotland’s Six Nations opener against Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday. Masibaka, currently on loan at Pro D2 side Soyaux-Angouleme from Montpellier, replaces Josh Bayliss, who suffered a groin injury while playing for Bath. Born in Western Australia to
Video published on January 27, 2025 France and Wales kick off their Six Nations bid on Friday. Here’s a rewind to 25 classic highlights from the championship, plus every try from Ireland’s title-winning campaign in 2024. Photo: Geoff Caddick/AFP via Getty Images
Veteran tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of Ireland ’s Six Nations opener against England on Saturday due to injury, the IRFU announced. Leinster scrum anchor Furlong, capped 78 times, injured his calf during a training camp in Portugal and has returned home for further assessment. The 32-year-old has been replaced in the
Pieter-Steph du Toit is upbeat about making a swift recovery from shoulder surgery and firing on all cylinders for the Springboks in 2025. The two-time World Cup winner underwent a complex procedure last week, as confirmed by Toyota Verblitz’s chief Steve Hansen. Hansen, speaking to Sport Nation’s Beaver & Guy, expressed disappointment at Du Toit’s
Pieter-Steph du Toit’s recovery from shoulder surgery could leave the Springbok star with roughly a month to prepare for the start of the world champions’ 2025 Test calendar year. The 32-year-old utility forward, who last year became the first South African to win the World Rugby Player of the Year twice, revealed ongoing shoulder concerns
