Rugby

Anrich Richter of the Valke passes the ball during the Global Rapid Rugby match against the Western Force in Perth on 9 August 2019. The Valke Rugby Company will be liquidated due to financial distress brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.The East Rand outfit was set for a financial injection after entering into a partnership…

Peter de Villiers (Gallo Images) Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers believes "deep agendas" cost him during his tenure as national coach.In a radio interview over the weekend, De Villiers said it was tough to perform because his employers admitted he wasn't picked purely on rugby reasons.De Villiers also shed more light on his difficult…

Former Springbok coach Carel du Plessis believes South African rugby should continue playing competitions in the southern hemisphere.His views go against a prevailing public mood that the local game's future lies in other regions like Europe, especially after New Zealand expressed its preference for a Super Rugby tournament without their arch-rival.But Du Plessis argues the…

Jacques Nienaber (Gallo Images) Six likely Tests in a row on New Zealand soil is as tough as it gets for a starting-out Springbok head coach.Jacques Nienaber admits it will be a "massive challenge" to retain the Rugby Championship crown.The Boks may need to beat the All Blacks in each of the two meetings… and…

Bryan Habana last year graduated from business school. (Twitter) The Covid-19 pandemic has magnified rugby players' need to secure their futures with backup career plans, but the issue is characterised by its contradictions.While the majority of SA's professional players acknowledge that they give much thought to their transition after rugby, 53% of respondents from a…