South Africa

'Just Seems Lunacy': RugbyAnalyst Maps Borthwick's Shadow 23 for the Fiji Side of England's Summer

With England facing a fixture pile-up that pits a South Africa Test against a Fiji clash days later, RugbyAnalyst argues a shadow 23 in the UK is the only sane plan and runs the rule over both XVs.

Rugby Union · 5/9/2026

'Doesn't Get Better Than SA vs NZ': Foote Backs Junior Boks

Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has named a settled side for Saturday's U20 Rugby Championship decider against New Zealand at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, declaring it the rivalry every young South African dreams of playing in.

Rugby Union · 5/7/2026

'Affectionately Known as Ollie Chess Detoy': Republic of Rugby's England Draft Lays Bare a Boks Tour Plan

Republic of Rugby's two-man draft of England's best XV for the South Africa tour reveals genuine first-choice clarity at loosehead and No.8 - and exposes a worrying second-row drop-off that has the hosts already drafting Chandler Cunningham-South into the five jersey.

Rugby Union · 5/6/2026

Ox, Marx, Steph: SG Rugby Picks the Springboks 23 He'd Send to a World Cup Final Today

South African analyst SG Rugby builds a hypothetical Springbok 23 for a World Cup final played today, with Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit fronting a near-unchanged title-winning pack and Damian Willemse holding down 15.

Rugby Union · 5/6/2026

'I Felt We'd Lost the Innovation': Daryl Gibson Backs Rennie to Restore the All Blacks' Identity

Former All Black and Crusaders coach Daryl Gibson tells DSPN that Dave Rennie inherits a New Zealand side that has spent two years copying other nations - and that getting back to All Blacks DNA, not chasing South African size, is the path back to the top of the game.

Rugby Union · 5/6/2026

Itoje Back, Pollock at 7, Chessum at 6: RugbyAnalyst Reworks England's Springbok 23

After absorbing weeks of viewer feedback, the RugbyAnalyst YouTube channel has reworked its England 23 to face South Africa this summer — restoring Maro Itoje to the starting pack, sliding Ollie Chessum to blindside and rolling the dice on Henry Pollock at 7.

Rugby Union · 5/5/2026

Why the New Rugby World Cup 2027 Format Could Spit Out a New Zealand–South Africa Quarterfinal

Forever Sport ran a straight-ranking simulation of the new 2027 Rugby World Cup format. The result: a New Zealand–South Africa quarterfinal, France out before the final and an unseeded knockout that critics say defeats its own purpose.

Rugby Union · 4/24/2026

'Young Guns Stepping Up': Argentina's 21-Year-Olds Steal Hong Kong Semi From Spain

Argentina's Los Pumas Sevens edged Spain in a semi-final thriller at the Hong Kong SVNS, with twenty-one-year-olds Juan Bautista Delgado and Sebastian Dubuk producing the match-winning moment to book a final with South Africa.

Rugby Union · 4/21/2026

'First Time in History': Blitzboks Break Hong Kong Curse With Maiden Sevens Crown

South Africa have claimed their first-ever men's Hong Kong Sevens title, demolishing New Zealand in the semi-final and crowning HSBC Player of the Final Tristan Leyds after what he called a 'perfected' championship run.

Rugby Union · 4/21/2026

50 Tries for Zane, 100 for Selvin: South Africa's Historic Day on the Sevens Circuit

The Blitzboks mark two milestones on the same card — Zane Davids' 50th international try and Selvin Davids' 100th — as commentators praise Shelton Fanvake's special talent and back South Africa to fancy their chances in Cape Town.

Rugby Union · 3/27/2026