South Africa

The Ohio Aviators are making a surprise return to the rugby field. Four years after their last game in the now-defunct PRO Rugby, the team has been revived with a new logo to compete in the newly-created World Tens Series that will take place in Bermuda starting late next month. …

Australia will play host to the 2020 Rugby Championship. The country was allocated hosting rights ahead of New Zealand. The decision was made official earlier today. The 2020 Rugby Championship will be a 12-match tournament. It is to be played over six weeks within the World Rugby sanctioned window from …

JP Eloff has signed a one-year extension with the NOLA Gold. Already under contract for 2021, the new deal sees him committed to the club through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. Injury delayed the start of the 2020 campaign for Eloff. He recovered in time to start the last …

Austin Gilgronis flanker Michael de Waal is fully recovered from the injury that kept him from making his Major League Rugby debut in 2020. The club has confirmed he will take up the second of his three-year contract signed in September 2019 for the upcoming season. de Waal, 24, arrived …

Versatile front rower Brendan Rams has re-signed with the Gilgronis for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 31-year-old will play a third season for Austin, first joining the club ahead of the 2019 season after recovering from a long-term knee injury. Despite making 14 appearances in his two seasons …

The Houston SaberCats have confirmed the return of South African pair De Wet Roos and Kyle Breytenbach for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Both players continue contracts signed in the fall of 2019, with Roos arriving from Australia and Breytenbach from Austin. Roos, 29, captained the Cats in his …

Erich de Jager is switching from the Free State to the Free Jacks. The South African prop has signed on with New England through the 2022 Major League Rugby season after five years in the Cheetahs organization. At just 24 years old de Jager is already an experienced professional. He …

Neither of Rugby World Cups 2027 or 2031 will be in South Africa. The reigning World Champions were strong contenders to bid to host RWC 2027 or 2031, but will not do so for financial reasons notes South African publication Rapport. The Afrikaans language publication reported that the South African government …

Major League Rugby has tapped two of the world’s most experienced referees in recent times to manage their match officials for the 2021 season. South Africa’s Jonathan Kaplan will take over the top spot with New Zealand’s Chris Pollock assisting as technical advisor. Kaplan, 53, retired from top level refereeing …

Colorado Raptors star Robbie Petzer will not be returning to Major League Rugby in 2021. While many of his teammates have opted to stay in the league following Colorado’s withdrawal, Petzer will move to Japan to take up a contract with Tokyo Gas. Petzer, 24, arrived from South Africa ahead …