The gold medal for Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris cannot be won in Toulouse in 2023, but don't tell the Springbok Sevens team that. In fact, according to Blitzbok coach Sandile Ngcobo, their approach is to use this weekend’s HSBC France Sevens at Stade Ernst-Wallon as an Olympic trial.
Two South Africans, Jaco Peyper and Marius Jonker, were included in the team of match officials World Rugby announced on Wednesday for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France later this year.
There is no doubt that a core of experienced Blitzboks available for the final two legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series has boosted the confidence of the squad, players and management alike.
The SA Rugby Academy squad will go on tour to Johannesburg and Durban in the next week for two friendly matches to increase the players’ match sharpness and fitness in preparation for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship which South Africa is hosting from next month.
Springbok star Faf de Klerk says South Africa are ready to "prove the world wrong" by clinching back to back Rugby World Cup titles.
The Springboks will assemble in Durban in May for two preparation camps with the purpose of getting their on-and-off-field structures in place for the 2023 international season.
Springbok Sevens captain Siviwe Soyizwapi said the fact that he will run out in his 50th HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Toulouse on Friday is a special personal milestone, but his job for the Blitzboks between the four lines will come first.
Leinster outscored the Cell C Sharks for a convincing 35-5 quarter-final victory at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday to book a home semi-final in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship next week.
The DHL Stormers beat the Vodacom Bulls 33-21 at the DHL Stadium on Saturday to set up a home Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final showdown with Irish side Connacht.
The DHL Stormers will take one step closer to possibly defending their Vodacom United Rugby Championship title next weekend after booking their second successive home semi-final in the competition, while the Vodacom Bulls and Cell C Sharks were knocked out in a bitter-sweet weekend for the South African sides.