[ad_1] Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks have confirmed the signing of World Cup-winning Springbok loose forward Jasper Wiese from next season. The powerful No 8 parted ways with English outfit Leicester Tigers at the end of last season, and will link up with former Lions coach Johan Ackermann in Japan after previously being linked with a big-money move to Top 14 side Stade Francais. 🪨No.8/FL #ヤスパー・ヴィーセ 選手(from:レスタータイガース) 『この度、浦安D-Rocksに加入することになりましたヤスパーです。浦安D-Rocksの一員になれる事をとても楽しみにしています。チームの勝利に貢献できるよう毎試合精一杯プレーするので、ファンの皆さま、応援よろしくお願いします。』 pic.twitter.com/6TVqCAwxx2 — 浦安D-Rocks
[ad_1] In a week when the Wallabies’ longest-serving captain announced his retirement from Australian rugby it appears that the era of a lone talisman as the team’s figurehead might be nearing the end.Michael Hooper holds the record of Australian caps as a captain with 69. To reach that mark he passed two other legendary Alpha males of the national team – World Cup winners John Eales (55) and George Gregan
[ad_1] While Ireland have beaten the Springboks in each of their past three meetings, their record in South Africa is not much to shout about, with one win and nine defeats. That sole victory came during their 2016 tour, when Joe Schmidt's side shrugged off CJ Stander's 22nd-minute red card to beat the Boks 20-16 in Cape Town. Allister Coetzee's side, however, regrouped to win Tests in Johannesburg and Port
[ad_1] It was déjà vu for Wales on Saturday at the World Rugby U20 Championship, losing for the second successive year to New Zealand in their opening round match. The margin a year ago in Paarl was a point and it was seven last Saturday in Athlone.Lucas de la Rua was the starting Wales No7 on both occasions and his year in between these age-grade World Cup clashes featured a
[ad_1] Test centurion Conor Murray says Ireland are in South Africa hunting a clean sweep of the Springboks in a two-Test series that kicks off with a showdown at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Murray is one of a handful of survivors from Ireland’s previous three-Test tour to the Republic in 2016. Though Ireland lost the series 2-1, they stunned the Boks in the Newlands opener with their maiden win in
[ad_1] A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size Kurtley Beale has suffered a confirmed ruptured Achilles tendon, putting his rugby career in doubt.Beale will have surgery on his Achilles on Monday – after rupturing it while playing for Randwick on the weekend.Kurtley Beale was helped off the field during Randwick’s local derby against Easts. (Photo: Christy Doran)The utility back came off
[ad_1] Ioan Cunningham's next game will be his 30th as Wales head coach but he will take charge with renewed confidence and hope.Since his promotion from Under-20s head coach to the women's senior side in 2021, the former number eight has taken Wales to new heights.Successive third places in the Six Nations, qualification for WXV1 and sixth in the world rankings have been major achievements.But as so often the case
[ad_1] It came as no surprise to see Scott Robertson install Scott Barrett as All Blacks captain.Which isn’t to say I don’t have mixed feelings about it.Barrett is a good bloke. He’s thoughtful, sincere and cut from the traditional captaincy cloth.He’ll represent the team well in the ceremonial aspects that come with being skipper.You can rely on Barrett to be affable with sponsors and media, to treat the blazer brigade
[ad_1] Captain Zach Porthen nominated lock Bathobele Hlekani as the unofficial man of the match after helping the Junior Springboks make a physical statement against Fiji in their U20 World Championship opener. DYLAN JACK reports. Hlekani marked his tournament debut with an impressive performance as the Junior Springboks thrashed Fiji in a 50-point victory in Cape Town on Saturday night. Starting in the second row alongside vice-captain JF van Heerden, Hlekani
[ad_1] A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size Michael Hooper has announced his retirement from “Australian rugby” after missing out on the national sevens team for the Paris Olympics.Although the team has not been made public, Hooper announced his omission on Instagram on Sunday.Hooper, 32, made the switch to sevens after missing the World Cup under Eddie Jones last year.He was
