Springboks to appeal Botha ban

The Springboks are to appeal the two-week ban lock Bakkies Botha received for a dangerous charge on Adam Jones in the second Test on the weekend.

Burger to miss Tri-Nations opener

Springbok flanker Schalk Burger will miss the first three of South Africa's six Tri-Nations matches after his eight-week suspension.

Bakkies Botha sidelined for three matches

Bulls lock Bakkies Botha has been suspended for three Super 14 matches over an incident in the weekend game against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.

Bakkies back in Bok mix

Bakkies Botha has been included in the Springbok starting line-up for the world champions' Test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Double trouble for rugby's 'lock factory'

The Blue Bulls, known as the "lock factory" for producing quality lock forwards over the years, are in a spot of bother.

De Villiers shows his hand

JP Pietersen's lack of form in the Super 14 season has cost him a place in the Springbok squad that was named in Somerset West on Wednesday. The Sharks' World Cup-winning wing failed to score a try in the 2008 series after he finished the 2007 Super 14 season as the leading try scorer.

Few surprises in Bok training squad

Isma-eel Dollie as one of a few lesser surprises in the Springbok training squad of 42 members that was named on Saturday night. The new Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, has included a number of players who are not regulars for their Super 14 franchises or who had limited opportunities because of injury this season.

Habana strikes twice for Bulls

World superstar Bryan Habana dotted down twice as Super 14 title holders the Northern Bulls crushed the Central Cheetahs 60-20 in a final-round mini-league match on Saturday. However, the sole South African winners of the championship will not feature in the knockout stages after poor early-season form.

De Villiers set to recall World Cup heroes

New Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is spoilt for choice ahead of the Springboks' first Test of the year, against Six Nations champions Wales on June 7 in Bloemfontein. De Villiers, who took over from World Cup-winning coach Jake White at the beginning of the year, names his first South Africa squad on Saturday.

Bulls, Botha head for court showdown

Springbok World Cup lock Bakkies Botha has called the Blue Bulls "tyrannical and autocratic" in court papers presented to the Labour Court this week. Botha filed the court papers in a bid to have his contracts with SA Rugby and the Bulls be declared null and void.

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