Bath ready to rumble in Bordeaux ‘backyard’

Johann van Graan and Beno Obano are confident Bath can get the job done in Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final at defending champions Bordeaux Bègles. Bath will arrive in Bordeaux with momentum and belief after a golden spell under Van Graan. The Premiership...

Hansen offers his advice on Kiwi player drain

Legendary coach Steve Hansen says New Zealand rugby must come to terms with the steady flow of players heading overseas. A number of high-profile names are set to leave at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, and the former All Blacks boss describes it as...

Bulls CEO: No hiding behind ‘rebuild’ excuse

Chief executive Edgar Rathbone insists the Vodacom Bulls will not use a “rebuilding phase” as a crutch next season despite the departures of several key players. The Bulls are set to lose Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ruan Nortjé to Japan and Wilco Louw will be returning to...

Van Graan compares Russell to Bok champs

Finn Russell has been likened to two Springbok greats as the flyhalf steels himself to lead Bath’s attack against Investec Champions Cup title-holders Bordeaux Bègles on Sunday. The Scotland playmaker will go head-to-head with French star Matthieu Jalibert in a...

Hansen rejects Rassie copycat approach

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen reckons the rugby world has become obsessed with trying to replicate Rassie Erasmus’ Springbok tactics. Instead, Hansen warns that blindly copying the back-to-back world champions’ formula isn’t a surefire success strategy. South...