Myners: Springbok Women determined to improve
Springbok Women’s assistant coach Eddie Myners said on Wednesday the team learned valuable lessons in their first Test against Scotland and were determined to deliver a much better performance when the sides meet again at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

Pack trio wins starting call-up for Boks’ must-win clash
Front rowers Tendai Mtawarira and Bongi Mbonambi, as well as Lood de Jager (lock) have been promoted to the Springboks’ ‘senior’ starting pack for Friday’s must-win Rugby World Cup clash with Italy in Shizuoka.

Erasmus: Boks can expect “major forward battle”
Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s director of rugby, has warned the Springboks to expect a massive challenge from the Italian pack when they clash in a Rugby World Cup Pool B match in Shizuoka on Friday.

Facts and Stats: Springboks v Italy
Friday’s Test match between South Africa and Italy will be the 15th, but the first in a Rugby World Cup. The first Test match between Italy, also known as the Azzurri, and South Africa took place on the two-match year-end tour in 1995.

Willemse replaces injured Kriel in Springbok RWC squad
Damian Willemse, the DHL Stormers utility back, will fly out to Japan to join the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad following the injury withdrawal of Jesse Kriel.

Proudfoot: Brains will decide the battle of the brawn
Muscle + intelligence = victory (or will put the Boks a long way down the road to it), believes Springbok forwards coach Matt Proudfoot.

Defence and missed chances cost Springbok Women
Springbok Women’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer singled out poor defence and his team’s struggle to capitalise on their scoring opportunities as the main contributing factors to their 47-5 defeat against Scotland at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town on Monday.

Four players on Bok Women debut against Scotland
Chumisa Qawe, Anacadia Minnaar, Nomawethu Mabenge and Edwaline Dickson could make their Springbok Women’s debuts against Scotland at the City Park Stadium in Athlone on Monday after being named in coach Stanley Raubenheimer’s squad for the clash.

Smiles for Cheetahs while Southern Kings show improvement
Toyota Cheetahs interim coach Franco Smith praised his charges for their workrate and attitude as they racked up a seven-try 48-14 victory over last season’s finalists, Glasgow Warriors, in their Guinness PRO14 season opener in Bloemfontein on Friday night.

Ref spotlight falls on Wayne Barnes for Italian Job
Springbok forwards coach Matt Proudfoot dismissed the team’s impressive winning record under the whistle of England’s Wayne Barnes as having little bearing when he takes charge of their third RWC pool match against Italy on Friday.