Circa

SA Rugby President Mr Mark Alexander congratulated the Springbok Sevens team for scooping the Team of Year Award at the 16th annual SA Sports Awards in Sun City on Saturday.

The Emirates Lions and DHL Stormers pulled off admirable results in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this weekend, and although the Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls lost, all four South African teams are still in the race to earn spots in the playoffs.

The South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises will be wary of the fact that a massive effort will be required to topple the opposition in crucial matches for their playoff hopes when they return to the field in the big north versus south showpiece this weekend.

The pressure on the South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises will strike a new level this weekend as the competition hits the fourth-last pool round and the race for playoff spots moves up a few notches.

The stakes will be sky-high for all four South African teams this weekend as a full round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship action returns and sides turn their attention on the race to the playoffs, with the Grand Final happening in exactly 100 days.

The DHL Stormers remained on course for a possible home playoff spot in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship on Saturday as they registered their ninth victory of the competition by defeating the Cell C Sharks 46-19 in their postponed Round one clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in the only match of the weekend.

SA Rugby has announced the exciting competition structure for the 2023 rugby season, which will see an expansion of the Currie Cup Premier Division, the addition of the Mzanzi Challenge comprising five international teams, as well as the plenty of provincial women’s and age-group rugby.

As the triumphant Blitzboks settled back into Cape Town after their fourth successive victory in the Emirates Dubai Sevens, the supporting cast was also tuning up for another three days of Mother City magic at the weekend.

The Emirates Dubai Sevens Trophy fitted nicely in Ricardo Duarttee's arms as he walked around the Springbok Sevens changeroom at the completion of the second round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The Springboks will line up against the New Zealand at Twickenham in England for only the second time ever when they clash in a Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture on Friday, 25 August 2023 – two weeks before the international extravaganza kicks off in France, where South Africa will attempt to defend their crown as world champions.