Scrum-half out of game against Australia on SundayWallabies match followed by New Zealand and JapanThe Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of England’s November opener against Australia on Sunday, with Bristol’s Harry Randall and Bath’s Ben Spencer called into the squad named by the head coach, Steve Borthwick.Mitchell, established as the first-choice No 9 under Borthwick, damaged a hamstring in Northampton’s Prem win against Gloucester on Saturday and will have a scan on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury. Continue reading...
The United Rugby Championship has reportedly threatened legal action against the Welsh Rugby Union. According to WalesOnline, the URC has written to the WRU warning it against entering formal discussions with Premiership Rugby or the Rugby Football Union over the possibility of Welsh clubs joining England’s top-flight competition. The WRU has already held talks with senior figures in English rugby about potentially moving two Welsh teams into the Premiership, which is considering expanding from 10 to 12 clubs. MORE: Welsh make Premiership move However, the WRU is an equal shareholder in the URC and is contractually obliged to provide four teams to the competition. The URC has reportedly made it clear that it expects Wales to retain all four representatives and could take legal action if the WRU pursues formal negotiations with the English authorities. The dispute comes amid the WRU’s controversial plans to reduce the number of professional Welsh teams from four to three, with the Ospreys and Scarlets facing uncertain futures. PLUS: Welsh rivals face fight for survival According to WalesOnline, the financial and legal consequences of withdrawing a team from the URC would become significantly less severe from 2028 under the terms of the competition agreement. Senior figures in Welsh rugby reportedly believe there may be a way for the WRU to escape its contractual obligations should a move to the Premiership become a realistic option. FULL STORY Photo: Cardiff Rugby/Facebook The post URC warns Welsh appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
News today includes the effects of the Constitutional Court ruling in a matter between the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the ANC are already being felt on the first day of special votes. Meanwhile, Imanuwela David, accused of orchastrating the theft of cash from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, has been convicted alongside his co-accused, Froliana Joseph, while her brother, Ndilinasho David Joseph, has been cleared of all charges. Furthermore, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus continued to surprise after naming essentially a full-strength team for their first game of the second phase of the 2026 Nations Championship against Italy in Turin on Saturday. Weather tomorrow: 3 November, 2026 Fine and warm to hot weather is expected across much of South Africa on Tuesday, 3 November, but severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain, hail and excessive lightning could affect several provinces. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Cape Town’s missing ballots: ConCourt ruling sees 33 million ballots re-printed A voting station is seen at the Berario Recreation Centre in Randburg. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen The effects of the Constitutional Court ruling in a matter between the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the ANC are already being felt on the first day of special votes. This comes after some voting stations in Cape Town were unable to open on time because of delays in the delivery of ballot papers. In a media briefing on Monday, IEC’s deputy chief electoral officer, Masego Sheburi, confirmed that the delays in the opening of the stations are a direct result of the court ruling. CONTINUE READING: Cape Town’s missing ballots: ConCourt ruling sees 33 million ballots re-printed Agrizzi ordered to pay R1.66bn in landmark Bosasa corruption confiscation case Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi. Picture: Netwerk 24 / Beeld Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi has been ordered by the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to pay the state R1.66 billion in what is being hailed as one of the most significant financial accountability rulings to emerge from South Africa’s state capture era. The judgment, handed down by Judge Mokhina Mosopa on 29 October 2026, follows a lengthy confiscation inquiry brought by the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca). The court ordered Agrizzi to pay R1,666,582,825.73, together with interest from the date of judgment until final payment. CONTINUE READING: Agrizzi ordered to pay R1.66bn in landmark Bosasa corruption confiscation case Two accused found guilty in Phala Phala farm burglary trial as brother walks free Froliana Joseph (L) and Imanuwela David (R) appear at Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on 7 November 2023. Picture: Gallo Images/Deaan Vivier Imanuwela David, accused of orchastrating the theft of cash from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, has been convicted alongside his co-accused, Froliana Joseph, while her brother, Ndilinasho David Joseph, has been cleared of all charges. The verdict was handed down by Magistrate Peter Manthata at the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo on Monday, 2 November 2026, bringing the trial to a close after a lengthy examination of the evidence and arguments presented by both the state and the defence. The alleged mastermind and the Joseph siblings faced charges of housebreaking, conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal and theft. CONTINUE READING: Two accused found guilty in Phala Phala farm burglary trial as brother walks free TikToker who allegedly insulted Mkhwanazi and incited violence released on bail KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach) The Durban Magistrate’s Court has granted TikToker Nkululeko ‘Max’ Makhanya bail of R7 000. The 38-year-old man was arrested on Sunday afternoon for alleged crimen injuria and incitement of violence. According to police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the man posted a video on his TikTok account allegedly insulting provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and inciting people to commit violence. CONTINUE READING: TikToker who allegedly insulted Mkhwanazi and incited violence released on bail Full-strength Springbok team named to face Italy in Nations Championship A full-strength Springbok team featuring players like Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi has been named to face Italy in their Nations Championship match in Turin on Saturday. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus continued to surprise after naming essentially a full-strength team for their first game of the second phase of the 2026 Nations Championship against Italy in Turin on Saturday. Other than injured regulars such as Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe and a few others, the Boks have backed all their big names for the first of four matches on their end-of-year-tour, with France, Ireland and the Finals Weekend at Twickenham to follow. With most of the Bok players having had heavy workloads during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, and having then featured for their various franchises over the past month, many expected Erasmus to give a few fringe players a run, but he instead has shown how seriously he is taking the challenge of Italy. CONTINUE READING: Full-strength Springbok team named to face Italy in Nations Championship Yesterday’s News recap READ HERE: Gauteng checks unclaimed bodies | Explosives worth R900 000 seized in Limpopo | North West man sentenced to life imprisonment
Paul de Villiers has the skills to cover in the backs for the Springboks, but will only be used there in an emergency in Italy on Saturday, according to Rassie Erasmus. De Villiers is one of six forwards on the bench in a 6-2 split, with Grant Williams and Manie Libbok the only backline replacements. Asked on Monday ahead of the Nations Championship Test about a possible hybrid role for the five-cap flanker, Erasmus said it was an option, but not one he wants to lean on. TEAM: Rassie aims Bok big guns at Azzurri “Probably. If it’s not forced upon us, we probably won’t force it ourselves,” the Bok boss explained. Erasmus pointed to the cover already in the group should injuries bite, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu able to slot in at 12 or 15, and Libbok at 10. “We don’t have to go to that. But I think he’s definitely got the skills and the speed and the feeling for the game,” he added. MORE: Rassie never listens to Salmaan ‘nonsense’ “He’s done it for us at training sessions a lot. I think he can do it as well as Kwagga [Smith] maybe did it for us, even if you get a yellow card or something like that. “Where he covers for you in that extra role or if you get a yellow card and he has to play nine or something like that.” “We’re not planning to put him there on purpose,” Erasmus insisted. “It must be like an emergency thing.” ALSO: Erasmus has ‘full faith’ in Bok youngsters Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images The post Paulie D can play nine like Kwagga appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Salmaan Moerat isn’t flashy, but Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks need a “grinder” against Italy on Saturday, with the much-maligned lock bringing that quality to the team. The 11-cap Moerat starts in the second row in the Nations Championship Test in Turin, alongside Ruan Nortjé, in what will be his first Bok appearance of 2026 after recovering from neck and toe injuries. Moerat, the 66th player to captain the Boks, was recalled for the second leg of the competition having last played for the world champions against Italy in July 2025. The 28-year-old has played 94 minutes for La Rochelle since joining the French outfit from the Stormers last season and has copped his fair share of criticism in South Africa. TEAM: Rassie aims Bok big guns at Azzurri “I’m not going to say, like other countries, that we don’t get caught up in social media,” Erasmus told reporters on Monday. “I listen to social media. “I like South Africans who have opinions about things, and I’ve certainly seen it when Willie [le Roux] got slaughtered, and when Faf [de Klerk] was taken out, and then times when a guy made it against the odds. “But I’ve never really listened to people who talk nonsense about Salmaan, because he’s not the kind of guy you see doing the flashy work on the field, and we don’t expect him to. We expect him to do what he always does for us. “He’s been our captain four or five times, I’m not 100% sure, but I think he’s won every single time. “We need a grinder, like a Jean Kleyn, like an RG Snyman. I think that’s a bit flashy as well, but it’s something we need in the team, and Salmaan brings it to us.” ALSO: Erasmus has ‘full faith’ in Bok youngsters The Bok coach added: “Nobody probably understands how hard he scrums, how hard he mauls, how hard he cleans the ruck, how physical he is doing it, and how he stops mauls. You can never really explain that to people, but we’re not upset that people don’t see it. “As long as Salmaan knows, and his teammates know, that we see it and that we value it. He’s the kind of guy we enjoy having in our team. “When it comes to things people don’t understand or don’t see fully, I can understand why they have their opinions, but obviously we have our own opinion about someone.” Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images The post Rassie never listens to Salmaan ‘nonsense’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Ben Spencer and Harry Randall are named in England's squad for this month's Nations Championship after injury hits Alex Mitchell and Archie McParland.
Renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is expected to ramp up his influence in rugby union after meeting with Prem bosses in Monaco last week.
Joey Carbery scores 20 points as Leinster hammer Connacht 50-5 in the United Rugby Championship in Galway.
Ulster's search for an opening win in this season's United Rugby Championship [URC] goes on as they fall to a 33-7 defeat by the Stormers in Cape Town.
