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SUPER RUGBY FANS have been getting used to Lionel Mapoe’s ‘chicken run’ celebration this season. The Lions centre, who makes his first start for South Africa at 13 against Ireland tomorrow, has had plenty of opportunity to unleash his unique celebratory salute. With nine tries in 11 starts, Mapoe is the leading try scorer in […]

Rory Keane reports from Port Elizabeth AFTER HIS HEROICS at Ellis Park, Springboks winger Ruan Combrinck declared: “For my country I will try and run over every wall I see.” The Lions winger certainly made his presence felt following his introduction at half-time for a struggling Lwazi Mvovo. Paddy Jackson and Jared Payne will certainly remember […]

Rory Keane reports from Port Elizabeth  SOUTH AFRICA HEAD coach Allister Coetzee is expecting a “battle of attrition” with Ireland in Saturday’s third-Test decider at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The Springboks avenged their opening-day defeat in Cape Town against a 14-man Irish outfit with a 32-26 comeback victory at Ellis Park last Saturday. Trailing 26-10 […]

AFTER BEING FORCED to sit out last year’s Champions Cup final in Bilbao, it’s hard to fathom how Leinster can go into their St James’ Park showdown against Saracens without James Lowe in their team.  The Kiwi winger has missed out on several big days since joining the province at the start of last season […]

A DOUBLE FROM lock Vaea Fifita kept the Wellington Hurricanes in touch with the Super Rugby top table when they beat the Auckland Blues 37-27 in the Cake Tin this morning.. Fifita scored the only tries in the second half as the Hurricanes produced a 20-point burst to come from behind to snatch a crucial […]

WASPS HAVE SEALED the services of South Africa full-back Willie le Roux, who will complete his Premiership switch after fulfilling his commitments with Canon Eagles. Le Roux, who has 37 caps to his name, was previously playing Super Rugby with the Sharks before joining the Japan-based Eagles. He was also nominated for the 2014 world player […]

PETER O’MAHONY HAD a useful diagram drawn for him about two months after he ruptured the ACL in his right knee during Ireland’s 2015 World Cup campaign. The Cork man was taking his usual ultra-positive approach to the rehabilitation and targeting a return to play as early as possible, but the medical expertise helped him […]

MUNSTER HOOKER NIALL Scannell says he is looking forward to being part of Munster’s ‘smashing’ squad again this weekend under the watch of defence coach Jacques Nienaber. As part of the South African’s defensive plan for Munster, the squad have been given permission to tear into the tackle with a real freedom, and Scannell is […]

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY (NZR) boss Steve Tew is facing calls to resign over off-field scandals that have damaged the sport’s reputation in the home of the All Blacks. Pundits turned on Tew after an embarrassing U-turn over a teenage star who escaped conviction for viciously assaulting four people including two women. After initially backing Losi […]

IRELAND HAVE BEEN handed a tough draw for the World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in London next month, as Anthony Eddy’s side bid to replicate last year’s exploits at Twickenham.  As the invitational team, Ireland — who secured a place as a core team on the World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 last weekend — have […]