Squad announcement

Former Junior Springbok prop and captain Zachary Porthen earned his first Springbok call-up on Monday as national coach Rassie Erasmus named a quality 36-man squad for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour in November, which features four players who will return to the Bok set-up for the first time this season.

Tournament news

The Hollywoodbets Sharks claimed the SA Rugby Under-21 title on Saturday when they defeated the Fidelity ADT Lions 63-31 in a high-scoring final in Durban on Saturday, while the Vodacom Bulls edged DHL Western Province by 20-14 in the SA Rugby U19 Cup final staged in Pretoria on Friday.

Pick n Pay Gold Cup

South Africa’s age-old north-versus-south provincial and franchise rivalry will play out at club level in Cape Town on Saturday when Western Province champions Villager host Bulls champions Naka Bulls in the Pick n Pay Gold Cup Final.

Vodacom United Rugby Championship

The DHL Stormers are still unbeaten in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, while the Vodacom Bulls bounced back in Ireland and the Lions recorded their first victory of the season in Johannesburg, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks are still searching for that elusive maiden win.

Pick n Pay Gold Cup

Four will become two on Saturday when the semi-finals of Pick n Pay Gold Cup – the ‘FA Cup of South African rugby’ – will be contested at two iconic club grounds situated more than 1,500 km apart in the Western Cape and Limpopo.