World Rugby has been ridiculed: From former Italian international lock Carlo del Fava to former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson, to former England international Andy Goode, there has been ridicule at world rugby’s officials for the straight red card given to the Springboks lock Franco Mostert in Turin, Italy, writes Mark Keohane.

Mostert was shown a straight red card, as the second tackler, for what match officials deemed was an intentional shoulder to the head of Italian flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, who never went for an HIA and was up and running a few seconds after taking the tackle of Ethan Hooker and the secondary hit from Mostert.

Below is a collection of X feeds, which also showcased the inconsistency in all this weekend’s internationals when it came to shoulders to the head. In some instances, like James O’Connor taking one to the head in Dublin, it was play on. Others, like in Cardiff in Wales’s match against Japan, it was a yellow with a bunker referral to see if it was a red.

Same incidents, all different interpretations and applications.

World Rugby is a joke at the moment with its head contact policies that lack all consistency and all common sense.

If player welfare is indeed the reason, then why not send the victim of any head contact for an HIA?

Thomas Ramos, against the Boks last weekend, never went for an HIA and played the entire match. Garbisi never went for one in Turin and played the entire game.

It is a joke.

South Africans are justified in feeling aggrieved.

In my Sunday Times match review, I wrote that Justice, in the quality of the Springboks, triumphed over injustice, in the form of incompetent match officials, in Turin as the Springboks won for the 19^th time in 20 Tests against Italy.

These Boks have a spirit that can’t be bought or manufactured. It is inherent because of an environment that has been nurtured over the past nine years.

Jared Wright posted this: Brilliant stat via @StatBoy_Steven

‘Since the introduction of the 20-minute red card, the Springboks have been given a full red card 3 times: July 12 vs Italy: Wiese in the 12th minute November 8 in France: Lood de Jager in the 40th minute November 15 in Italy: Franco Mostert in the 12th minute In 178 minutes combined in those matches after being shown the red card, they have conceded just 17 points and just 1 try, and won all 3.’

Screenshot

FRENCH V FIJI RED GOES UNPUNISHED

O’CONNOR GETTING SMASHED GOES UNPUNISHED

A COLLECTION OF INCONSISTENCIES FROM THE WEEKEND

WALES V JAPAN – ANOTHER INCONSISTENCY TO MOSTERT’S 

WALES’S JOSH ADAMS INTENTIONAL THUGGERY GOES STRAIGHT TO BUNKER REVIEW

MARK KEOHANE ON BOKS 32-14 WIN v ITALY

Some X comments

https://x.com/AndyGoode10/status/1989727007467360333?s=20

https://x.com/PlanetRugby/status/1989701468635451731?s=20

https://x.com/SARugbymag/status/1990034224963854816?s=20

https://x.com/jaredwright17/status/1989700599630204977?s=20

https://x.com/SportyBetZA/status/1989747718961447247?s=20

https://x.com/SSRugby/status/1989681762075570494?s=20

https://x.com/mark_keohane/status/1989756004096168227?s=20

https://x.com/SSRugby/status/1989692773055041607?s=20

Photo: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

Rassie Erasmus gave a coaching tactical and substitution master class as the Springboks beat Italy in Turin, writes Mark Keohane.

What next for World Rugby and the Boks? 12 v 15?

The Boks were too strong for France in Paris, winning 32-17 despite playing for 30 minutes 14 versus 15.

In Turin, the Boks were down to 14 players after Franco Mostert’s straight red in the 11th minute.

It was a shocking call and for 10 minutes the Boks were 13-15 when Marco van Staden was sin-binned, but this was a win down to sheer heart, guts, determination from the players and Erasmus’s tactical appreciation of the match, his knowledge of his players and his understanding that change comes in the moment and not once the damage could be done, and then it being too late.

These Boks have ticker, but they also have a rugby genius at the helm, who is three moves ahead of the opposition.

Italy were brave and resolute. They were in the face of the Boks and physically they did not take a step back. They have improved immeasurably, but the reality is that for all the fire in their belly they are now three wins from 10 matches this season, including three successive defeats against the Boks in 2025.

There was the 42-24 reverse in Pretoria and week later they were done 45-0.

For 31 minutes there was no score in Turin, but what made that so significant is that Italy had so much of the ball, territory and a one-player advantage, but had nothing to show for it.

The Boks, showing their class, scored first through a Handre Pollard penalty after his successful drop goal was ruled out because of an earlier infringement and then Van Staden scored a game changing try on the 39th minute.

Given that the Boks entered the Italian 22 for the first time after 30 minutes, it was a massive moment in the match.

Italy, as they have done all season, did not go away, but they were just not good enough to handle 13 Boks, when gifted a two player advantage.

For the Boks, Damian Willemse was class at fullback and Kwagga Smith made the most impact off the bench.

Van Staden was everywhere and Ruan Nortje, off the bench early to give balance to the remaining players, just gets better at Test level and Grant Williams and Manie Libbok added the last quarter glitz to the first hour grind.

The Boks won under such adversity, which emphatically states their class as the sport’s No 1 team.

FOR ALL SPRINGBOKS REACTION, GO TO SA RUGBY MAGAZINE

HOW KEO AND ZELS CALLED THE BOKS WIN

Razor Robertson’s players may have worn black at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, but they were an insult to the great All Blacks teams that have visited Rugby’s headquarters, writes <strong>Mark Keohane. </strong>England crushed them.

The coach feted as the Knight in Shining Armour never arrived on a stallion. Instead he has come on a donkey, such has been his lack of impact with the All Blacks.

The Springboks, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, showed up the conservative lack of intent with Robertson’s selections and game plan in winning back to back Tests in 2024.

In 2025, the Boks humiliated the All Blacks 43-10 in Wellington, New Zealand, scoring 36 unanswered points.

Argentina also felled Robertson’s All Blacks , in Wellington in 2024 and winning easily in Buenos Aires in 2025.

At Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, every critique of Robertson’s conservatism in selection and indifference in style of play and consistency in performance, was again on display.

The All Blacks scored two early tries to lead 12-0 before 20 minutes, but lost the last hour 33-7. It could – and should – have been more.

This was a dominant England and the only time I can recall England being so in control was in the 19-7 World Cup semi-final in 2019. Back then the only question was how did the All Blacks get seven points and how did England only get 19?

On Saturday, how did England only get 33?

Robertson was gifted the All Blacks job on the basis of seven successive Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, but Test rugby is not Super Rugby, and Robertson has been the biggest disappointment in his lack of vision and lack of delivery in the biggest Tests.

Since his opening Test in 2024, a one point win against England in Dunedin, his teams have underwhelmed and scraped wins.

The highlight was the 24-17 win at Eden Park against the Springboks in 2025, when the All Blacks led 14-0 after 15 minutes and then hung on for the last 65 minutes. A week later they lost in record-breaking fashion.

Robertson’s All Blacks have gone nowhere in two seasons and walloping Wales next Saturday won’t mask the stagnation of the All Blacks under Robertson.

England’s win was just their ninth in history against the All Blacks in 47 starts, but given the state of the All Blacks they should demand playing them a few times every year while Robertson is in charge. They will quickly move that figure into double figures.

England, 10 wins in succession, are easy on the eye and look very good.

They will be tested more in the Six Nations than they were by Australia, Fiji and the All Blacks, but unlike Robertson’s All Blacks, their graph is on the up.

KEO’S ACCUMULATOR: I GAVE ALL BLACKS HISTORY TOO MUCH CREDIT

⌚️ Henry Pollock chipping through the loose ball to set up Tom Roebuck for the try to seal England’s victory over the All Blacks at the Allianz 💪🤩
#Breitling
#DefiningMoment
@Breitling
pic.twitter.com/UiQnbzbGwm

Quilter Nations Series (@QuilterNations)
November 15, 2025

Siya Kolisi is the Springbok dream the late President Nelson Mandela refused to give up on, but it took 30 years to come to fruition, and fittingly it did so in the city of Love, Paris, writes Mark Keohane.

In Paris, last Saturday night, Springbok rugby’s baton was finally passed, 30 years after Nelson Mandela’s memorable and mighty gesture to wear the Springboks No 6 jersey at the 1995 World Cup final at Ellis Park.

Siya Kolisi, wearing the same No 6 jersey, took Madiba’s baton of reconciliation and confirmed the Springboks as a nation’s sporting love child and not outcast.

Kolisi’s story, in the context of South Africa post-apartheid, is rich, raw and far more personal.

Kolisi’s toughness was born on the streets of Zwide, in the Eastern Cape. Rugby was his escape but it did not mean he initially would board that train of hope.

His mentality was that of any teenager but it needed tough love to put him on that train, and the toughest of love from mentors and coaches to keep him on that train.

Hilton and Kendra Houghton were parents to him when he arrived in Cape Town. They took him in as a son, opened their home to him and gave him a room and initially represented his business interests and gave him comfort and love. They did this when he was 18 years-old and not the revered 34 year-old of today.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus, then the Director of Rugby at the Stormers, loved the fight and passion of the young Kolisi and refused to give up on the potential of their rugby partnership, even though other coaches may have ended it before the first whistle.

Kolisi missed his Stormers debut because he had gone out the night before with friends, got into a street fight with gangsters to protect his friends and had been hurt so badly that he could not play the game the next day.

Erasmus was livid that he had gone out, but loved that he had fought to protect his friends.

A father/son relationship revelled in adversity and it was one that would take shape in 2018 when Erasmus, in his first season as Springboks coach, appointed Kolisi as his captain.

If not for Erasmus and his faith and trust in the player, then there is no Siya Kolisi story in 2025

“He’s been on the tough side of being a South African. He knows hunger and he knows poverty. He knows struggle and he knows survival. His story is an inspiration because it speaks to so many young boys and girls in South Africa,” said Erasmus.

Erasmus easily compliments Kolisi but, behind closed doors, he is as comfortable delivering a harder message.

“Siya Kolisi is not bigger than South Africa. South Africa is bigger than Siya Kolisi,” he barked at Kolisi at a team meeting pre the 2023 World Cup quarter-final. His message to Kolisi and the senior players was simple: Shape up or ship out.

“We’ve come a long way as coach and player and as coach and captain. It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve seen his growth as a leader and a human being. He’s done it tough and not without mistakes,” said Erasmus. “He knew his journey could be bigger than him because it could be about the dreams and hopes of so many kids. Now it is.”

Former Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer picked Kolisi for the Springboks, but with Schalk Burger the incumbent, it took Kolisi 14 Tests to get a start.

“He was popular and so eager to learn from the likes of Schalk and Duane Vermeulen, but I knew he would become a Springbok captain and a real statesman.” said Meyer.

Robbie Fleck, when the Stormers coach, selected Kolisi as his captain.

“I love his passion, his rawness and his intent. His teammates responded to his energy and influence and I also rated his game,” said Fleck.

Stormers coach John Dobson was inspired by the subtle nuances of Kolisi’s play and the work that the television cameras don’t follow.

“His second effort in the tackle and at the breakdown is phenomenal. He’s the best there is,” said Dobson.

Stormers centurion and Springbok Scarra Ntubeni is Kolisi’s best friend. They arrived in Cape Town together as 18 year-olds and no one knows Kolisi’s story better than Scarra.

“I’d go to Siya as a friend and tell him I was done with rugby. He’d give me tough love and tell me to quit … and not to come back one day crying that I wasn’t prepared to fight back,” said Ntubeni. “He has had his own struggles off the field and was prepared to own them and fix them. He is a great friend and an inspiration.”

Kolisi, under Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber’s mentorship, has prospered in the national jersey. They have always promoted humility over arrogance and team over individual.

It sits comfortably with Kolisi.

“It is always bigger than one player and the team because the team plays for the country, and that country is every culture and race. We play for South Africa and for South Africans because we are South Africans.”

Kolisi gets symbolism and he lives symbolisms. He has embodied the baton passed from Madiba; one of hope, unity, toughness and authenticity.

Meyer described him as statesman and most South African rugby fans on social media this week spoke of him as a superhero, but Kolisi has known too much hardship and darkness to know that he is as much sinner as he is superhero.

Madiba and the late and incomparable Muhammad Ali always laughed off the ‘Saint references’ and both would say that they were more ‘sinner than saint’ because they lived the reality of a mortal and not the romance of an immortal.

Kolisi, in his autobiography, is transparent about his battles and he speaks of indulgence and mistakes. His marriage breakdown to Rachel (Kolisi) stunned the nation, but both have publicly attempted to safeguard their kids and promoted the virtues of co-parenting.

Kolisi, the most inspirational captain in Springboks history, is the sport’s most influential ambassador.

SA Rugby President Mark Alexander, in honouring Kolisi, spoke of legacy more than milestone and of a nation’s gratitude to Kolisi.

“Thank you for the 100 games of heart, honour and hope,” said Alexander.

KEO & ZELS: SELFLESS SIYA’S BOKS MUST BE SAVOURED

*This article appeared in the Sunday Times

Frans Steyn and the new Toyota Hilux Legend 55 carry a similar status and legacy in being world-class and winners, writes Mark Keohane.

Steyn is an iconic rugby figure in South Africa and the sport internationally and thanks to a collaboration with Toyota Hilux Legend 55 and the Keo & Zels show, we get to showcase and celebrate a player who won the World Cup, in 2007, as a 20 year-old and won the 2019 World Cup as a seasoned veteran.

Photo: Ross Land/Getty Images

Steyn spent half his career playing in France but finished his playing career at the Toyota Cheetahs, then immediately was appointed Director of Rugby at the Cheetahs and has extended his role to head coach of the Cheetahs, who played in the SA Cup, Currie Cup and will from December play in the EPCR has taken charge of the Cheetahs as head coach.

In celebrating the arrival of the @ToyotaSA Hilux Legend 55, we salute one of South Africa’s most legendary players — Frans Steyn, double World Cup winner and Bok great.#Toyota #Legend55 #ToyotaBakkiesSA #NotJustABakkie pic.twitter.com/EwJ2y3gvQs

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 21, 2025

The Cheetahs are in a action on Sunday, 26th October against Georgia’s Black Lion in the second of a two-match Toyota Challenge Series.

Black Lion won last Friday’s match 39-38.

Steyn’s career is one of excellence and quality and it is fitting that the lad who made Grey College’s rugby fields in Bloemfontein his own as a schoolboy is now in charge of making the Cheetahs a professional force in rugby once again.

He played 78 matches for the Springboks, Steyn won the World Cup on two occasions in 2007 and 2019, and is the second South African player to have won the tournament twice, as well as the youngest World Champion in the history. He also won The Rugby Championship (previously named Tri Nations) twice.

RUGBY WORLD: 10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT FRANS STEYN

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images

Years Team Apps (Points) 2009–2012 Racing Métro 92 59 (159) 2014–2015 Toshiba Brave Lupus 11 (47) 2015–2016 Toshiba Brave Lupus 10 (65) 2016–2020 Montpellier 102 (228) 2020–2022 Cheetahs 1 (0) Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2006–2009 Sharks 18 (70) 2013 Sharks 2 (0) 2021–2023 Free State Cheetahs 18 (87) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2007–2009 Sharks 38 (78) 2012–2014 Sharks 30 (167) 2015 Sharks 7 (38) 2020 Cheetahs 5 (0) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2004–2005 South Africa U20 10 (64) 2006–2014 Springbok XV 3 (9) 2006–2022 South Africa 78 (168) 2007–2014 Barbarians 2 (0) Coaching career Years Team 2025- Cheetahs

hide Medal record Men’s Rugby Union Rugby World Cup 2007 France Squad 2019 Japan Squad

The new Toyota Hilux Legend 55 and World Cup-winning Springbok Schalk Burger could have been manufactured in the same factory’s such are their similarities in status and excellence writes Mark Keohane.

Few players have embodied the raw power, resilience, and reliability of a Toyota Hilux quite like Schalk Burger — the tireless warrior who turned collisions into poetry and setbacks into stories of legend.

In his debut international season, the young blond loose forward — all energy and aggression — became the heartbeat of Jake White’s rejuvenated Springboks. His fearless tackling, breakdown dominance and relentless work rate defined the Bok identity that year, earning him the 2004 World Rugby Player of the Year award.

At just 21, Burger was the world’s best.

Three years later, in Paris, he was a world champion. Part of South Africa’s 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning side, Burger’s uncompromising presence in the loose trio set the tone for the Boks’ triumph. He was never just a player — he was a symbol of South African grit, loyalty and endurance.

Yet his greatest fight came not on a rugby field but in a hospital bed.

In 2013, Burger contracted bacterial meningitis following a neck operation — a brush with death that left him in isolation for weeks and nearly claimed his life. He lost 25 kilograms and faced the terrifying possibility that his rugby career was over. But like the Hilux, built to endure the harshest terrain, Burger’s spirit was unbreakable.

He fought his way back to full health, regained the weight, the fitness, and, most importantly, the fire. Within a year he was back in a Stormers jersey, and soon again in the green and gold. His comeback was more than sport — it was a triumph of human will and a testament to toughness and faith.

Burger closed his storied career in the north of London with Saracens, adding English Premiership and European Champions Cup titles to his already bulging résumé. He brought leadership, humility and that familiar ferocity to every contest — proof that legends never fade; they evolve.

From Stellenbosch to Twickenham, from near tragedy to ultimate triumph, Schalk Burger remains a man forged in adversity — a legend built tough, like the Toyota Hilux Legend 55.

Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images

Burger won an under 20 World Championship title, a senior World Cup gold in 2007 and a World Cup bronze in 2015.

Career appearances

2003-2014 – Western Province (37)

2004-2016 – Stormers (123)

2014-201- Suntory Sungoliath/Japan (17)

2003-2015- Springboks (86)

2014-2015- Springboks XV (2)

Toyota Hilux Legend 55 speaks to the rugby legacy of Bakkies Botha

In celebrating the new Toyota Hilux Legend 55, we pay tribute to the incredible Schalk!@ToyotaSA #Legend55 #ToyotaBakkiesSA #NotJustABakkie pic.twitter.com/L0Sw0tSOiw

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 17, 2025

Toyota Hilux Legend 55 & Danie Rossouw’s decorated career

Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

While Munster and Ulster made headlines abroad, it was the DHL Stormers who once again flew the flag proudly for South African rugby in Europe.

John Dobson’s men extended their unbeaten run in the Vodacom URC with a composed 31-13 bonus-point win over Zebre Parma in Italy — a victory that keeps the Cape Town side top of the log after four rounds. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was the standout star, contributing 16 points including two tries, as the Stormers collected a full haul and made another powerful statement away from home.

With this win, the Stormers remain one of just three unbeaten teams in the competition alongside Munster and Ulster, who also impressed on their respective travels.

In front of a massive Croke Park crowd of 51,859, Munster laid down their own marker, dispatching arch-rivals Leinster 31-14 in a bruising Irish derby. Four tries and a suffocating defensive performance saw them claim their fourth straight win. Head coach Clayton McMillan praised his side’s intensity and physicality, saying it was a privilege to win at one of Ireland’s most iconic venues.

Over in KZN, a near full-strength Hollywoodbets Sharks outfit — featuring Etzebeth, Kolisi, Mbonambi, Mapimpi, Nche and others — were outplayed by a fired-up Ulster side, who left Durban with a stunning 34-26 bonus-point win. Despite a try from Makazole Mapimpi, the Sharks were hampered by a red card to the Bok winger and a yellow to Vincent Koch, reducing them to 13 men. Ulster took full advantage to keep their unbeaten streak alive.

The Vodacom Bulls continued their strong start with a dramatic 28-27 win over Connacht in Galway. A missed conversion at the death spared the Bulls’ blushes as they secured their third win in four games — further evidence of the Pretoria side’s growing resilience on the road. Coach Johann Ackermann hailed the character shown in a match where momentum swung throughout.

The Lions also got off the mark with a 29-18 win over Scarlets at Ellis Park, thanks to two late tries from hooker Morne Brandon. It was a timely result for the Johannesburg outfit after early season frustration.

Edinburgh bounced back emphatically with a 43-0 demolition of Benetton, while Cardiff — led by South African-born Corniel van Zyl — continued their hot streak with a derby win over the Dragons. Van Zyl has now guided Cardiff to three wins from four since stepping into the interim head coach role.

Looking ahead, the Stormers continue their European tour with a clash against Benetton in Treviso this weekend, aiming to extend their unbeaten run and maintain top spot going into the international break. The Bulls travel to Glasgow, the Lions face Ulster at home, and the Sharks will be desperate to register their first win when they host the Scarlets.

Keo’s URC Accumulator – How it played

The teams for this weekend’s Round 4 fixtures of the Vodacom URC have been named with all details of match officials and broadcast information below.

TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#EDIvBEN

Three changes in the Edinburgh Rugby side as double-centurion Grant Gilchrist returns

Manuel Zuliani and Leonardo Marin return for Benetton

#CONvBUL

British & Irish Lions Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen all start for Connacht

Vodacom Bulls team sees 11 changes in the starting lineup, including Reinhardt Ludwig being named as captain

#DRAvCAR

Wales Under-20 captain Harry Beddall makes his Dragons RFC debut

Taulupe Faletau returns to the starting XV for Cardiff Rugby

#LIOvSCA

Reinhard Nothnagel returns from injury as he is named the Lions matchday squad

On-loan second rows Harvey Cuckson and Alex Groves handed debuts for Scarlets

#SHAvULS

Hollywoodbets Sharks Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi join fellow Springboks Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch after the pair played off the bench last week

Michael Lowry returns from injury for Ulster

#LEIvMUN

Tommy O’Brien set to make 50th Leinster appearance

Munster captain Tadhg Beirne returns and will become the 36th player to line out for the province so far this season

#ZEBvSTO

Captain Giovanni Licata returns to starting XV for Zebre Parma

Hencus van Wyk set to make his DHL Stormers debut

#OSPvGLA

Gwilym Evans is in line to make his Ospreys debut off the bench

Seb Stephen and Nathan McBeth set for first appearances of the season for Glasgow Warriors if called upon from bench

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

Edinburgh Rugby v Benetton

Hive Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU, 12th league game)

AR 1: Jonny MacKenzie (SRU) AR 2:  Finlay Brown (SRU)

TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport,  Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Edinburgh Rugby: Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Piers O’Conor, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe, Cammy Scott, Charlie Shiel, Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae, Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist, Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Magnus Bradbury (CAPT)

Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Jame Whitcombe, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Vellacott, Ross Thompson, Ross McCann

Benetton: Matt Gallagher, Rhyno Smith, Filippo Drago, Malakai Fekitoa, Ignacio Mendy, Jacob Umaga, Louis Werchon; Mirco Spagnolo, Siua Maile, Giosuè Zilocchi, Giulio Marini, Eli Snyman (CAPT), Alessandro Izekor, John Bryant, So’otala Fa’aso’o

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Thomas Gallo, Tiziano Pasquali, Riccardo Favretto, Federico Ruzza, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Garbisi, Leonardo Marin

Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach Sean Everitt: “We’re excited to be back at home after a false start with the postponed Ulster game.

“It had already felt like a long time since we’d been back with our fans, and now even more so – so we can’t wait be playing in front of them again.

“Benetton can’t be underestimated with the squad they have. They’ve got plenty of Italian internationals playing for them, and they’ve got overseas internationals as well, so they’re a really good team.”

Benetton Head Coach Calum MacRae said: “We know that Edinburgh will be hungry and determined to deliver a strong performance in front of their home crowd. In these opening matches, they’ve shown to be an extremely physical side, so we’ll need to be ready for the battle from the very first minute. Finally, discipline will be a key factor: Edinburgh are very consistent when they get into the opposition’s 22, so we’ll need to minimize errors and stay focused throughout the game.”

Connacht Rugby v Vodacom Bulls

Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 93rd league game)

AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2:  Jack MacNeice (IRFU)

TMO: Hollie Davidson (SRU)

Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Connacht Rugby: Mack Hansen, Chay Mullins, Byron Ralston, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade, Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray, David O’Connor, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Sean Jansen

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Sean O’Brien, Matthew Devine, Sean Naughton, Cathal Forde

Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Sebastian de Klerk, Keagan Johannes, Paul de Wet, Alu Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Reinhardt Ludwig (CAPT), Nama Xaba, JJ Theron, Jeandre Rudolph

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Francois Klopper, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Mpilo Gumede, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs

Connacht Rugby Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “The Vodacom Bulls are a formidable side, with a strong blend of power up front and pace in the back field. They were Vodacom URC finalists for a reason last year, and we’re expecting a response after their defeat in Ulster last week. With the fans behind us, the three returning Lions and a much-improved performance, it should make for a great game.”

Vodacom Bulls Head Coach Johan Ackermann said: “I’m surprised Connacht lost to Cardiff after a strong first game. They’re a quality team, like Ulster, with big ball carriers and Stuart Lancaster coaching. With several British & Irish Lions returning, they’ll be strong and motivated after a home loss. It’s a tough challenge in difficult conditions, so we must prepare fully for a hard-fought match.”

Dragons RFC v Cardiff Rugby

Rodney Parade, Newport  – KO 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR, 17th league game)

AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2:  Keith David (WRU)

TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)

Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien (C.CAPT), Rio Dyer, Aneurin Owen, Harri Ackerman, Fine Inisi, Tinus de Beer, Rhodri Williams; Wyn Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Robert Hunt, Seb Davies, Ben Carter (C.CAPT), Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harry Beddall, Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: Oli Burrows, Rodrigo Martinez, Dillon Lewis, Matthew Screech, Ryan Woodman, Niall Armstrong, Cai Evans, Huw Anderson

Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett, Josh Adams, Jacob Beetham, Ben Thomas, Tom Bowen, Callum Sheedy, Aled Davies; Corey Domchowski, Liam Belcher (CAPT), Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, George Nott, Alex Mann, Dan Thomas, Taulupe Faletau

Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Danny Southworth, Javan Sebastian, Rory Thornton, Alun Lawrence, Taine Basham, Johan Mulder, Ioan Lloyd

Cardiff Rugby Coach Corniel van Zyl said: “We were really pleased with the fight and resilience last week against Connacht, in what was an attritional, hard-fought win.

“There’s no doubt we will need a lot of the same characteristics on Friday against the Dragons. It’s a Welsh derby, which are always tight affairs and Rodney Parade is a tough place to go.

“The Dragons rotated their team a bit last week so they will be fresh and hugely motivated to take us on Rodney Parade.

“They will throw everything at us, but we are excited by the challenge. It has been a short turnaround, but we have prepared well. Again, it is a case of concentrating on ourselves and putting our game on the pitch.”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18

Lions v Scarlets

Ellis Park, Johannesburg – KO 12.45  IRE & UK / 13.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 31st league game)

AR 1: Griffin Colby (SARU) AR 2:  AJ Jacobs (SARU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)

Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Lions: Quan Horn, Eduan Keyter, Henco van Wyk, Richard Kriel, Angelo Davids, Chris Smith, Nico Steyn, SJ Kotze, Franco Marais, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Etienne Oosthuizen, Darrien Landsberg, JC Pretorius, Ruan Venter, Francke Horn (CAPT)

Replacements: Morne Brandon, RF Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Reinhard Nothnagel, Jarod Cairns, Layton Horn, Lubabalo Dobela, Kelly Mpeku

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas, Ellis Mee, Macs Page, Johnny Williams (CAPT), Blair Murray, Sam Costelow, Archie Hughes, Alec Hepburn, Marnus van der Merwe, Archer Holz, Harvey Cuckson, Alex Groves, Jarrod Taylor, Dan Davis, Taine Plumtree

Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Sam O’Connor, Henry Thomas, Dan Gemine, Ben Williams, Dane Blacker, Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts

Lions Assistant Coach Ricardo Loubscher said: “The energy within the camp is good, he commented. We can’t wait for Saturday, it’s great to be back home.”

“We know that it’s going to be a tough challenge on the weekend. Scarlets present a different approach defensively, so from an attack point of view we need to be ready for that, he cautioned.”

“Our training this week was focused mainly on simulating the pressure we can expect from the opposition in terms of defense and attack pictures, in order for the players to get a feel of what it will be like come Saturday.”

Scarlets Head Coach Dwayne Peel said: “The Lions are always a difficult proposition at home, you are playing at altitude and it is a place where they look to run teams off their feet, they are also a physical, athletic team so we will have to manage that. Winning here last season was big for us and a lot of the boys here were part of that squad. We have to bring the same physicality and intensity again. Ellis Park is one of the great rugby stadiums, always a great place to play. We have been disappointed with the results so far, but we are only two games in, it is a long season and things can change quickly in rugby.”

Hollywoodbets Sharks v Ulster Rugby

Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 111th league game)

AR 1: Morne Ferreira (SARU) AR 2:  Sean Muller (SARU)

TMO: Ben Connor (WRU)

Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Hollywoodbets Sharks: Edwill van der Merwe, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Masuku, Grant Williams, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie, Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka (CAPT), Phepsi Buthelezi

Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Simphiwe Matanzima, Ruan Dreyer, Bathobele Hlekani, Emmanuel Tshituka, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am

Ulster Rugby: Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Murphy,  Nathan Doak, Sam Crean, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Nick Timoney, Juarno Augustus

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Tom O’Toole,  Joe Hopes, Sean Reffell, Conor McKee,  Jake Flannery, Jude Postlethwaite

Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby

Croke Park, Dublin – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA & SA

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 44th league game)

AR 1: Peter Martin (IRFU) AR 2:  Jonny Erskine (IRFU)

TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster Rugby: Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Paddy McCarthy, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, RG Snyman, James Ryan, Alex Soroka, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (CAPT)

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ciarán Frawley

Munster Rugby: Shane Daly, Andrew Smith, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Thaakir Abrahams, Jack Crowley, Ethan Coughlan, Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson

Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Jean Kleyn, Gavin Coombes, Paddy Patterson, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Nankivell

Zebre Parma v DHL Stormers

Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 109th league game)

AR 1: Filippo Russo (FIR) AR 2:  Lorenzo Pedezzi (FIR)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Zebre Parma: Giovanni Montemauri, Mirko Belloni, Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi, Giacomo Da Re, Thomas Dominguez; Muhamed Hasa, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Ion Neculai, Guido Volpi, Leonard Krumov, Davide Ruggeri, Samuele Locatelli, Giovanni Licata (CAPT)

Replacements: Giovanni Quattrini, Juan Pitinari, Matteo Nocera, Franco Carrera, David Odiase, Migael Prinsloo, Marco Zanon, Lorenzo Pani

DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (CAPT), Damian Willemse, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer, Ali Vermaak, JJ Kotze, Zachary Porthen, Adré Smith, Ruben van Heerden, Paul de Villiers,  Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos

Replacements: André-Hugo Venter, Vernon Matongo, Hencus van Wyk, JD Schickerling, Ruan Ackermann, Marcel Theunissen, Imad Khan, Wandisile Simelane

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said: “It was fantastic to get a win in our first game on tour last week, but there is no doubt that there are several areas that we can improve on as we take on a very competitive Zebre side this weekend.

“Having a player like Warrick back in the mix is a boost for us and the other players coming in are also keen to make an impression so hopefully that will work in our favour,”

Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors

Dunraven Brewery Field, Bridgend – KO 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 56th league game)

AR 1: Ben Breakspear (WRU)  AR 2: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ospreys: Jack Walsh, Dan Kasende, Phil Cokanasiga, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles, Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (CAPT), Ben Warren, Rhys Davies, James Fender, James Ratti, Morgan Morse, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Garyn Phillips, Kian Hire, Huw Sutton, Gwilym Evans, Luke Davies, Tom Florence, Iestyn Hopkins

Glasgow Warriors: Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn (CAPT), Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Rowe, Adam Hastings, Jamie Dobie; Patrick Schickerling, Johnny Matthews, Murphy Walker, Max Williamson, Alex Samuel, Euan Ferrie, Angus Fraser, Matt Fagerson

Replacements: Seb Stephen, Nathan McBeth, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Alex Craig, Macenzzie Duncan, Ben Afshar, Dan Lancaster

Ospreys Head Coach Mark Jones said: “Glasgow were the champs two years ago and have made the semi-finals on a few occasions. They’re an all-court team that can threaten on all fronts.

“It’s a top-class outfit that is well coached by Franco and his team, so we’re going to have to be at our absolute best to get the result.”

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said: “We were pleased with the result last weekend, but know that there is still plenty for us to build and improve upon as we move forward.

“The Ospreys have shown so far that they can pose problems for any team, with a squad packed with talent across every position on the field.

“They showed how proudly they defend their home record by shutting out Zebre last weekend, and we know we will need to raise our level to meet their challenge.”

Catch all the action live on URC.tv

The Sharks winger Ethan Hooker is STECO’s Man of the Moment, according to Keo & Zels.

Each week Keo & Zels, on their Rugby Podcast, collaborate with STECO to bring you a moment that screams power, talks to the future and is about sustainability.

Hooker is all those things. He has been since making his professional debut two years ago as a 19 year-old and the Sharks and Boks winger, voted as the Players and Fans Player of the Year at the Sharks last season, has only got better in 2025.

Hooker was outstanding starting on the wing in the last three Tests of the Springboks victorious Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign, and he went straight from being a title winner with the Boks to being the standout player in the Sharks 31-5 defeat against Leinster in Dublin.

Hooker is a beast, in size and potency, but he also has subtlety to his game and like all the best he has time when on the ball.

The intercept, the step and the acceleration too turn his calculated risk of using his eight to an advantage when going for the intercept, was special. To combine the necessary elements and execute it immediately was a summary of his all-round talent.

Hooker starts against Ulster in the Sharks first home match of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, and expect him to have a ripper.

John Plumtree has named a star-studded Sharks starting XV with 13 Springboks, 2024 SA Junior Springbok of the Year Jurenzo Julius, and flyhalf Siya Masuku, who shone in the 2023-24 Challenge Cup, but that pedigree means nothing without performance: The Sharks, given the quality of a match 23 that has 17 internationals in the mix, should whip most teams playing at home in Durban.

TOASTING THE BOKS, BAFANA & THE PROTEAS

KEO & ZELS LATEST PODCAST

KEO CALLS THIS WEEKEND’S URC WINNERS ON AFRICA PICKS

Ethan Hooker brings his Springbok form to the #VURC 😤🦈

He gets the Sharks on the board 🔢

📺 Stream on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/e8swBIMCcd

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 11, 2025

SHARKS AND BULLS MUST DELIVER STATEMENT WINS

Ethan Hooker’s brilliant try against Leinster is this week’s @STECO_Global PowerPlay of the week! pic.twitter.com/euOsGjReML

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 13, 2025

There is no greater rivalry in rugby than the All Blacks and Springboks, and it does not get bigger than the men in black touring South Africa, writes Mark Keohane. Finally it is official. Rugby’s worst kept secret is rugby’s best news for 2026.

The All Blacks will tour South Africa in 2026, play all four Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams and three Tests against the Boks, with a fourth to be played on a neutral venues, still to be announced but most likely in London.

The All Blacks have toured South Africa just six times and their only success, in a Test series, was 30 years ago, in 1996. It was the last time they toured.

Sean Fitzpatrick’s history makers won the first two Tests in Durban and Pretoria before losing the third Test at Ellis Park.

The 33-26 win in Pretoria is iconic, for the result, the quality of the match and the pedigree of the two teams.

SA Rugby’s Communications revealed all details on Thursday, 16th October.

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry announced: Springboks and All Blacks reignite traditional tours

· Quadrennial tour between Springboks and All Blacks announced

· Eight match schedule of All Blacks’ 2026 tour of South Africa confirmed

· Historic fourth Test to be played internationally

· Springboks’ first professional era tour of New Zealand to occur in 2030

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, an alternating quadrennial tour between South Africa and New Zealand, was confirmed on Thursday, marking a defining new chapter for the intense rivalry between the sport’s most successful and storied nations.

In the tour’s maiden year, South Africa will host New Zealand in August and September 2026. The All Blacks kick off the tour against the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Friday, 7 August and take on the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Vodacom Bulls and Lions, to complement a four Test series against the Springboks.

Ellis Park (Johannesburg), DHL Stadium (Cape Town), and FNB Stadium (Johannesburg) are confirmed as South African Test venues, preceding a landmark fourth Test hosted at a neutral international venue. Details of the fourth Test will be confirmed in the coming months.

By reigniting rugby’s traditional roots, the tour will renew the legacy of a rivalry known for its fierce competition and societal significance across the last century.

Next year marks 30 years since New Zealand’s last major tour of South Africa, where the visitors embarked on an eight-match schedule, culminating in a historic 2-1 Test series win. In the reciprocal 2030 iteration, South Africa will conduct their first professional era tour to New Zealand.

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said: “This fierce competition between two very proud nations has delivered more than a century of drama on rugby fields across the world, including two Rugby World Cup finals.

“We saw last year how much it means for Springbok supporters to welcome the All Blacks to South Africa, and we can’t wait to see them tour our country next year, as we rekindle our friendship with our greatest adversaries.

“Today’s announcement promises more drama, physicality, strategy, and unpredictability in a rivalry regarded as one of the most intense in world sport.

“This tour will also mean so much for our four franchises and their players – facing one of the best teams in the history of the game – as well as their fans, who will have the opportunity to see their team in action against international opposition for the first time since 2009. We know next year’s tour will be nothing short of epic.”

Mark Robinson, CEO of New Zealand Rugby added: “The rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks is fierce, but it’s also steeped in history and respect. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is everything that is great about traditional rugby tours whilst finding new ways to offer more for fans to see and engage with. All eight matches during this tour will be a showcase of our sport for fans, whether they are in New Zealand, on the ground in South Africa, or across the globe.”

RASSIE RAVES ABOUT RIVALRY TOUR

Back-to-back Rugby World Cup winning Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said: “This is going to be something huge and something this generation will never forget. These are the tours we’ve only heard of. To experience this for the first time, where it’s like a Lions tour, is unbelievable for us as a group.

“I have no doubt the Springbok fans will be there waiting to welcome the All Blacks fans to South Africa. Let’s get excited; let’s get behind it and, people of South Africa, it’s an opportunity for us to show the world once again who we are and what we are about – we certainly can’t wait for it.”

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said: “This is a huge rivalry, and one that is founded off mutual respect, but for 80 minutes these are two teams that every time they play there’s everything on the line. The intensity is right up there, and it is shaping up to be a heck of a tour. The format will be great, and there will be a whole lot of excited fans watching from home, and travelling with us as well. We are looking forward to it.”

Tickets for the tour, including match bundles, will go on general sale early next year. Fans can sign up to be the first to hear and gain priority access to pre-sales by visiting greatest-rivalry.com

The launch of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry sees the creation of a new and bold visual identity for the tour. Its logo brings together the iconic Springbok and All Black marks inside a ‘V’ shape, putting them at the heart of the ‘versus’ terminology used when debating heavyweight international clashes. Its earthy colour palette takes inspiration from the tones from each nation’s landscapes.

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour fixtures 2026

Friday 7 August: DHL Stormers v All Blacks at DHL Stadium, Cape Town

Tuesday 11 August: Hollywoodbets Sharks v All Blacks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

Saturday 15 August: Vodacom Bulls v All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Saturday 22 August: First Test – Springboks v All Blacks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Tuesday 25 August: Lions v New Zealand at Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Saturday 29 August: Second Test – Springboks v New Zealand at DHL Stadium, Cape Town

Saturday 5 September: Third Test – Springboks v New Zealand at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg Saturday 12 September:

Fourth Test – South Africa v New Zealand (International venue to be announced)

*The tour replaces the 2026 Castle Rugby Championship, as does the 2030 Springboks tour to New Zealand, where the Boks will play three Tests and five matches against the Super Rugby franchises.

BOK BEFOK: Springboks 43 All Blacks 10 

Some stories deserve to be told in sepia, not pixels.

In a world addicted to filters and fleeting feeds, Castle Lager’s new “Heritage of Craft” campaign pauses time. It rewinds the clock to 1895 — the year South Africa’s oldest beer was first brewed — and finds a way to link that legacy to our modern sporting heartbeat, writes Mark Keohane. 

At the centre of this visual time-machine stands Mike Sharman, founder of Retroviral Agency, and one of Africa’s most gifted creative disruptors. Together with Castle Lager’s team, Sharman took a brand known for unity and tradition and reframed it through a literal lens of history — an original 1895 camera, found in a tiny Paris antique shop.

“About a year and a half ago, we were looking at a brief surrounding Castle’s new packaging,” Sharman recalls. “And we went down quite a rabbit hole. Castle was founded in 1895, and it’s been part of the South African psyche for 130 years. It’s been the one consistent sponsor, through thick and thin — Springboks, Bafana Bafana, Proteas — always there, always dependable, like the taste itself.”

That word — consistency — became the heartbeat of the concept. In sport, consistency wins titles. In beer, it defines trust. And in storytelling, it forges emotion.

In Paris for another project, Sharman stumbled into an old camera store. The kind that smells of dust, oil, and ghosts of artistry. Hanging behind glass was a wood-and-brass camera dated 1895 — the same year Charles Glass brewed his first batch of Castle.

He bought it. And with it, he bought the soul of this campaign.

What began as a packaging brief transformed into a cinematic pilgrimage: capturing South Africa’s modern sporting heroes — the Springboks, Proteas, and Bafana Bafana — through the same kind of camera that existed when Castle was born. The result? A mini-documentary that blurs eras and celebrates one thing that hasn’t changed: the craft of creation.

Sharman’s narrative drew on three remarkable South Africans:

Kyle Moskovitz, plant head at Newlands Brewery, guardian of the same walls that have brewed Castle for generations.

Dennis da Silva, South Africa’s master hand-printer, who still develops photographs by hand in black and white, his fingers stained by history.

Vino Snap, once a township footballer, now one of Mzansi’s most viral photographers — self-taught, self-made, and a modern mirror of hustle and heart.

Sanzaar makes call on Rugby Championship

“We live in a world dominated by AI,” Sharman says. “Everyone wants instant gratification. But mastery takes time — ten thousand hours, maybe more. That’s what Dennis represents. That’s what Kyle lives every day in that brewery. And that’s what Vino embodies — modern craft built on timeless principles.”

For 130 years, Castle Lager has been a thread through our nation’s fabric — the familiar gold label in moments of celebration and heartbreak alike. From Joel Stransky’s drop goal in 1995, to Makazole Mapimpi’s try in 2019, the charge down of Cheslin Kolbe against France in the quarter-finals, the goalkicking of Handre Pollard in the quarterfinals, the semi-finals and final, Pieter-Steph du Toit’s 28 tackles in the final and the glorious moment of captain Siya Kolisi lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in 2023, there has always been a Castle in the background — in fridges, on tables, in the hands of fans from Khayelitsha to Krugersdorp.

Think Bafana Bafana, winners of Africa’s biggest title in 1996, hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup and in 2025 qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

From the field to the dressing room — pure joy, pride and unity! 🇿🇦

Bafana Bafana celebrate in style after sealing our ticket to the FIFA World Cup! 🎉

A moment for the history books. 💚💛

⚽ #BafanaPride #FIFAWorldCup #SABCSport pic.twitter.com/4guPwjAkFi

— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) October 15, 2025

Think the Proteas cricketers, the legends, the greats and in 2025 the winners of the World Test Championship when Temba Bavuma did like Graeme Smith and hoisted the Mace for South Africa being Test cricket’s best.

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The “Heritage of Craft” campaign recognises that relationship. It’s not nostalgia; it’s an acknowledgement of shared identity.
Thomas Lawrence, Castle Lager’s brand director, calls it “a metaphor for our investment in culture — through the lens of South African fandom and our heroes who don our national colours on the global stage.”

Over the years, Castle’s partnerships have defined our sporting nationhood. The Springboks have become the world’s gold standard in resilience. The Proteas personify grit, patience, and perfectionism — much like brewing itself. Bafana Bafana, the eternal heartbeat of our townships, remind us of rhythm, spirit, and hope.

Castle hasn’t just sponsored sport; it has sponsored belief.

From Paris to Polokwane is a full-circle moment when one considers that Vino Snap, who’d never shot on film, was handed that 1895 camera and sent to Polokwane, where he captured Bafana Bafana during a World Cup qualifier.

The photos are grainy, imperfect, and utterly magnificent. They look like history — because they are.

For Sharman, that was the full circle: “The process may change, the tools may change, but taste is timeless.”

Crafting heritage on a century-old camera

In an era of AI-generated everything, this campaign insists that some things can’t be automated: heritage, craftsmanship, emotion.

It’s also a love letter to Paris — the city where Castle’s old camera was found, and the city that has gifted South African sport so many memories. Paris 2007, when John Smit lifted the Webb Ellis Cup. Paris 2023, when Siya Kolisi did it again. Paris 1998, when Bafana Bafana took their first steps on football’s greatest stage.

From Paris with Love, indeed.

The campaign’s symbolism is as rich as its taste: South Africa’s most iconic beer, brewed in the Cape, born in 1895, still toasting victories 130 years later — captured through a lens from the same year, by a new generation of creators.

Sharman’s “Heritage of Craft” isn’t an ad — it’s a reminder that fire, friends and sport will always unite us and that craftsmanship isn’t dead.

It is a reminder that what we celebrate in South African sport today is what was carefully made yesterday.

So, here’s to the camera bought in Paris.

Here’s to 130 years of Castle Lager.

Here’s to a taste — and a spirit — that has stood the test of time.

• Shaun James filmed the documentary.

The Bulls will get better on tour and the Stormers have the best chance in five seasons to go five from five in the opening month of the URC.

The Stormers are one of just two teams undefeated after three rounds of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and they will spend the next fortnight in Italy for league matches against Zebre and Benetton.

The Stormers lead the league on points difference from unbeaten Irish province Munster. The latter edged Edinburgh 20-19 in Cork over the weekend.

The Stormers, courtesy of scoring 95 points in three matches and conceding just 10, have enjoyed their best start in the league’s five season history.

They are locked on 14 points apiece, having both won three out of three amid a flying start to the campaign.

The DHL Stormers claimed an emphatic 34-0 victory away to the Scarlets on Friday night, helping them lead the way on points difference.

Weekend Summery and all the match highlights, courtesy of the URC

There was a try, two conversions, a penalty, and a yellow card for Springboks star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu on an eventful return to league duty after his exploits in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

Munster faced a much tighter contest in Cork, where they had to come from behind to secure a 20-19 bonus point win against Edinburgh Rugby, who had no fewer than four players sin-binned.

Second row Fineen Wycherley was the man to deliver the match-winning try eight minutes from time as the hosts completed their comeback after trailing 19-10 at one stage.

Head coach Clayton McMillan said:

“It’s an 80-minute game, so I never think the game is over at half-time.

“We sort of just hung in there, got enough opportunities in the second half, cashed in, and got the job done.

“Sometimes we are not going to be at our best, but we can fight for everything to the bitter end, and I thought we did that well.

“It’s no small achievement to get off and win three games, and we are happy we have been able to do that.”

The other undefeated team are Ulster Rugby, who recorded an eye-catching 28-7 bonus point victory over the Vodacom Bulls, who had been top of the table after Round 2.

Playing in front of a passionate Belfast crowd, they scored four tries, with Player of the Match Nathan Doak converting all four from scrum-half.

Coach Richie Murphy, who described his pack’s performance as “incredible”, was understandably delighted with the result.

“The Bulls threw everything at us, but the fight we showed, how hard we worked for each other, was really satisfying,” he said.

“In my time here, this is probably my biggest win in relation to what we are trying to do as a team.

“It’s really positive, two wins from two. It’s really important now that we keep going forward.”

Despite having picked up maximum points, Ulster lie fifth in the table, having only played two games due to the weather-related postponement of last weekend’s trip to Edinburgh.

Glasgow Warriors and Cardiff Rugby sit just above them, having both racked up 11 points from their three matches.

Glasgow ran in seven tries, including two from prolific scrum-half George Horne, as they overwhelmed Dragons RFC 49-0 at Scotstoun.

It was a very different kind of contest at the Arms Park, where it was nip and tuck all the way until Cardiff clinched a 14-8 victory over Connacht Rugby thanks to a late interception from teenage winger Tom Bowen, who crossed twice to add to his hat-trick against Munster the week before.

Like the Vodacom Bulls, Zebre Parma also went down to their first defeat of the season as they were beaten 24-0 by the Ospreys in Bridgend.

Fellow Italians Benetton Rugby had a much happier weekend as they defeated the winless Lions 41-15, with winger Louis Lynagh running in no fewer than four tries.

SAFFAS IN TOP FORM IN THE URC

Finally, champions Leinster Rugby are back in business.

After losing their opening two games out in South Africa, they reinforced their line-up with the return of five British & Irish Lions and two of them – Josh van der Flier and Jamie Osborne – touched down in a 31-5 bonus point win over the Hollywoodbets Sharks at the Aviva Stadium.

Try machine Bowen keeping his feet on the ground

Teenage sensation Tom Bowen insists he is not getting carried away despite being the Vodacom URC’s joint top try scorer.

The 19-year-old winger crossed twice in Cardiff’s 14-8 victory over Connacht at the Arms Park, adding to his hat-trick against Munster the week before.

That means he is now level on five touchdowns with Benetton’s Louis Lynagh at the top of the league’s try chart.

Despite his tender years, his scintillating form means he is sure to be touted as a contender for a place in Wales’ autumn international squad.

But the young man is keeping his dazzling feet firmly on the ground.

“I am just loving my rugby at the moment. It’s class. I am really enjoying it,” he said.

“I am not going to get carried away with anything. I am staying grounded.

“Cardiff is my home region. I love playing for them, I love putting the jersey on and I am just really grateful to be getting the opportunities I am having.

“The least I can do is just grab them with both hands and try my best really.”

Aberdare product Bowen – who now has seven tries from his four career Vodacom URC starts – produced a neat finish for his first against Connacht, stepping inside a defender after pouching a pinpoint cross kick from fly-half Callum Sheedy,

“Fair play to Sheeds, he is on the money every time,” he said.

“Credit to him, he reads the game extremely well. He reads the picture, he creates the space, and he makes my job a lot easier, putting those kicks on the money.

“He is the assist king! He suits how we play. He’s really good, he’s class.

“We had quite a young back line out there and the way he conducts us round the field, he deserves a lot of credit for what he does.”

Bowen clinched Cardiff’s hard-fought win by scorching away for a long-range interception try four minutes from time, celebrating with a gleeful swallow dive.

“It was just relief really to finish that off,” he said.

“It was a nerve-racking game out there. It could have gone either way. But credit to the boys, they stuck in there. I thought our fight was incredible.”

The one big downside to the victory over Connacht was the serious ankle injury sustained by Wales lock Teddy Williams who was stretchered off shortly before half-time.

“I am absolutely gutted for him,” said Bowen.

“He’s a great lad and very influential on the whole team.

“His presence around has a massive effect. He is a class player.

“I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.”

Cardiff now lie fourth in the Vodacom URC table with 11 points from their opening three matches.

“If you had said that in pre-season, I think we would have bit your hand off, to be honest with you,” said Bowen.

“We have got to be really pleased with how we have started the season. The important thing is we keep performing well and keep picking up points in each game.”

There was another Welsh winner on Saturday with the Ospreys continuing their love affair with Bridgend’s Brewery Field.

It has been a real happy hunting ground for them over the past two years, serving as the setting for victories against the DHL Stormers, Sale, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

Now it’s their home for the season – while the St Helen’s ground in Swansea is redeveloped – and they marked the start of their stay by beating Zebre 24-0 to record a first URC win of the campaign.

Coach Mark Jones said:

“We love playing here. When you get your first game in your new home for the season, you want to get off to a good start. You only get one chance to make a first impression and we showed high quality in lots of areas. So we are very happy.”

Second row James Ratti added: “We showed that teams who come to the Brewery this year are in for a contest.

“The atmosphere was great. It’s becoming a little mini cauldron for us, with the fans right on top of us. It’s always a good experience playing here.”

Giving his thoughts, the Ospreys’ Bridgend-born skipper Dewi Lake said:

“I grew up here, and I love playing here.

“We have had some very memorable wins here over the last couple of years, and this one certainly goes up there, to nil a team like Zebre, who had started the season as quickly as they had. It’s excellent for us.”

The Player of the Match award went to classy full-back Jack Walsh, who paid tribute to the home fans.

“The support was awesome. It’s massive for us,” he said.

“We worked really hard in South Africa and were pretty gutted only to come away with one point from the two games, so it’s really good to get a win.”

What’s coming next?

A bumper crowd is expected for next Saturday’s mouth-watering Irish derby between champions Leinster and high-flying Munster at Croke Park.

Twelve months ago, the meeting between the two arch-rivals at the famous Dublin stadium drew a Vodacom URC record attendance of 80,468.

AFRICA PICKS – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA’S URC CHALLENGE, FRANCE’s TOP 14 AND THE ENGLISH PREM. SPORTS BETTING

Fans are set to turn out in their droves once again as Leinster look to see if they can inflict the first defeat of the season on Munster.

It’s also derby time in Wales with the two teams in the east – the Dragons and Cardiff – locking horns at Rodney Parade.

Meanwhile, the table-topping DHL Stormers continue their European tour by travelling to Parma to take on Zebre.

Elsewhere, it’s Edinburgh v Benetton, Connacht v Vodacom Bulls, Lions v Scarlets, Hollywoodbets Sharks v Ulster, and Ospreys v Glasgow.

SAFFAS ABROAD: HOW OUR LADS SHAPED IN THE FRENCH TOP 14 AND ENGLISH PREM

AfricaPicks will partner with Keo.co.za to bring data to life in the rugby landscape. The two platforms will combine in their coverage of all the major rugby matches.

Statistics aside, the biggest plus of Keo.co.za’s collaboration with AfricaPicks is the accessibility to data in the storytelling and an ability to give the rugby consumer an informed opinion, be it to retell the story or have a flutter on a match.

Sports betting is packaged with storytelling and the logical partnership was to give the African rugby fan the necessary information and breakdown of that information to make insightful choices, especially when betting on rugby matches.

‘The partnership will redefine the opinion, analysis and historical edge of the platform,” said Keo.co.za founder Mark Keohane.

Keo.co.za was launched in 2004 and is a legacy URL with a strong alignment to digital rugby giant SA Rugby Magazine.

Keohane has professionally reported on rugby in South Africa, Africa and across the world since South Africa’s international readmission in 1992.

“It is a new and exciting digital voice for rugby in the continent and the interest extends beyond South Africa, with the sport having a big following in Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zimbabwe,” said Keohane. “Zimbabwe’s qualification for the 2027 RWC in Australia has only added to the interest.”

Keo.co.za has long been South Africa’s home of unfiltered opinion and analysis and its founder and primary content creator (Keohane) said AfricaPicks content direction was an obvious fit for his platform.

“It is opinion-first, data-backed rugby journalism that speaks to the punters and thinkers, and not followers of perception. The content vision at AfricaPicks is about education and inspiration, giving the punter something beyond the obvious and being responsible,” said Keohane.

“I believe betting, like sport, is about perspective — and AfricaPicks delivers that in every story. It is a digital presence that will add to the ecosystem and bring together fans bettors and experts on one platform.”

AfricaPicks will focus on rugby in Africa and France’ Top 14, England’s Premiership, the Vodacom United Rugby Championship that features 16 teams, including South Africa’s quartet of the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, as well as the Springboks and the national teams of Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

STORMERS RUNNING HOT IN THE URC

AFRICAPICKS – ALL RUGBY’S LATEST

The new Toyota Hilux Legend 55 and World Cup-winning Springbok Danie Rossouw are a match made in heaven, writes Mark Keohane.

The Keo & Zels Show partnered with Toyota to showcase the Legend 55 and dedicate a four-part series to four Bok legends Zels and I believe to speak the language of the Legend 55.

Our selection policy was that we could not include a current Springbok but had to dig into the archives to define legacy and legend as qualities.

Our gifted quartet is Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger and Frans Steyn.

Our first segment was dedicated to Botha and the second is to Rossouw, a player who is among the most decorated to ever play the game.

For the record, Rossouw won 3 Currie Cup titles, 3 Super Rugby titles, a Japanese league title and cup title, a Heineken Cup (now the Investec Champions Cup), a Top 14 French Title, a Tri-Nations title, a World Cup and a series victory over the British and Irish Lions. He played 313 professional matches as a No 4 lock, No 5 lock, No 6 flank, No 7 flank and a No 8.

In celebrating the new Toyota Hilux Legend 55, we pay tribute to the outstanding career of Danie Rossouw — the ultimate Springbok utility forward!@ToyotaSA #Legend55 #ToyotaBakkiesSA #NotJustABakkie pic.twitter.com/e0dLfnVFDo

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 8, 2025

Former Bulls and Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer described Rossouw as among the most talented players he has coached, detailing his qualities as a combination of World Cup-winning Boks lock duo Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield and with all the skills of No 8 Pierre Spies.

Meyer singled out Rossouw’s ability to be as comfortable wearing the No 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 jersey, starting or finishing.

‘He would have been even more sensational in the Boks modern 6-2 and 7-1 bench splits. He was a very special player and is a special human being,’ said Meyer.

Botha and Rossouw have been friends and teammates since eight years old and the former said that Rossouw had never quite been given his recognition for his on-field brilliance and desire to put the needs of the team before any personal ambition.

Meyer said it was critical to the strength of South African rugby that the stories of those who proudly wore the Boks jersey and won the biggest trophies consistently be told and retold.

Rossouw’s is such a story.

AFRICA PICKS – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA’S URC CHALLENGE, FRANCE’s TOP 14 AND THE ENGLISH PREM. SPORTS BETTING

Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images

In a new series, we celebrate the new Toyota Hilux Legend 55, and a select quartet of Bok rugby legends of similar ilk!@ToyotaSA #Legend55 #ToyotaBakkiesSA #NotJustABakkie pic.twitter.com/y17evMCfQe

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 3, 2025

It’s official: The champion Springboks dominate the Keo & Zels best XV for the 2025 Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign.

The selection criteria was simple. Players had to be bloody good, consistent and put in WOW performances.

Try as the boys did, they could not find a place for any Los Pumas player, simply because of the quality of individual they did select.

The honourable mentions were plenty. Pumas captain and hooker Julian Montoya misses out because of one Malcolm Marx. The Pumas flankers Kremer and Matero miss out because of giants like Pieter-Steph du Toit and Adri Savea.

Cam Roigard was brilliant against Australia at Eden Park, but only played in two of the six matches. Cobus Reinach was the star No 9, big in the biggest moments and when the Boks needed him to take charge.

We looked for impact, for brilliance and for the strongest of endings to the most compelling Rugby Championship title in the history of the competition.

The Boks won the title, on points differential, which was the first time the competition had ever been decided by points differential.

That points differential was a combination of the 43-10 win against the All Blacks in Wellington and the Boks’ 67-30 win against the Pumas in Durban, which is why Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s shares are so high. He was the differentiator in Durban, with a Springboks individual record 37 points, and he ensured that the Boks only needed four league points for a win in the final match to win the title, and not a try-scoring bonus point win.

The Boks and All Blacks both won four from six matches and finished with 19 league points. Australia were third and Argentina fourth. They both won two Tests, but were in a winning position on four occasions from six.

The Boks dominated the team, especially up front, with the All Blacks the next best and the Wallabies making a world-class contribution.

Keo and Zels’ favourite rugby podcast is the ‘Aftermatch’ with former All Blacks flyhalf Stephen Donald aka Beaver and New Zealand Sky Sports presenter Kirstie Stanway-Thorne. 

We’ve included Beaver’s Castle Rugby Championship XV and note that he wants to do a live Podcast from Caprice in Camps Bay during next year’s All Blacks Great Rivalry Tour of South Africa.

We’ll make sure it happens, along with Keo & Zels.

WIN A BREWERIES TOUR WITH CASLTE LAGER, THE SPRINGBOKS & TREAT YOUR BESTIE

*New Zealand’s blindside flanker wears six and the open side seven. In South Africa, the blindside flanker wears 7, which is why Keo & Zels have Pieter-Steph du Toit at No 7 and Beaver has the world’s best player in the No 6 jersey.

Keo & Zels Podcast

The Castle Lager Rugby Championship – all you need to know from the 2025 tournament

It is the URC latest – the best after two rounds of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. And, heading into Round 3, it is the Saffas, also known as the South Africans, who dominate the stats and lead the league table.

The Vodacom Bulls start Round 3 at the top of the table, with the Stormers second.

Both South African teams unbeaten.

Check out who is who is the URC Zoo after Round Two.

Wandisile Simelane Sizzles for the Stormers

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE URC