Former Police Commander claims Abs were poisoned before 1995 RWC final

The journalist John Carlin, author of Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Making of a Nation, tells the story of how, by complete chance, he stumbled across the actor Morgan Freeman in the town of Clarksdale, Mississippi. There, over a meal in a restaurant, he attempted to hawk his book to the laconic star of The Shawshank Redemption, only to…

Mike Bowen had already started to "freak out" by the time Ian Jones knocked on the door of the All Blacks' doctor's room at the team's Johannesburg hotel. It was about 1am on the eve of the much-anticipated 1995 Rugby World Cup final, and the All Blacks' starting lock was the 18th crook player to report to him. They all had diarrhoea or were…

A sensational six weeks of rugby draws to a close in Paris on Saturday as the Rugby World Cup final is staged. New Zealand and South Africa will collide in the showpiece event for the second time in history, with the Springboks landing victory in the previous final showdown between the nations in 1995. Pick: New Zealand (-130) But can the All…

It is the moment the two superpowers of world rugby, the Springboks and the All Blacks, have waited 28 long years for - the chance to meet in a World Cup Final again. The 2023 RWC Final at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night brings together rugby's greatest rivalry, stretching back 102 years and 105 matches. Only once before, have the…

It's been 28 years since the All Blacks and Springboks last met in a Rugby World Cup final. The match, won 15-12 by the Boks at Ellis Park, may well be the most famous ever played and was set against a backdrop of drama, intrigue and politics. The following is a part one of a three-part extract from Jamie Wall's 2021 book The Hundred Years' War:…

How fitting that after the volatile permutations and predictions rugby's greatest rivalry, and the All Blacks' greatest foe, will contest the World Cup final. England and South Africa's toe-to-toe semifinal in the Paris rain won'tbe remembered as one of the great World Cup spectacles. Truth is, for all the tension, this was a proper ugly slugfest.…

New Zealand face Ireland on saturday as they strive to inflict yet another quarter-final heartbreak onto Andy Farrell's men. The All-Blacks are three-time winners of the Rugby World Cup and are right in the hunt to lift the Webb Ellis cup once again. It's rare that New Zealand go into any game as underdogs nevermind a World Cup quarter-final but…

The Rugby World Cup gets underway in France on Friday and will feature 20 countries from five continents scrapping it out for a golden trophy named after an Englishman who supposedly invented the sport when he picked up the ball during a soccer game and ran with it. This World Cup is a special milestone for rugby and marks the 200th anniversary of…

The Rugby World Cup gets underway in France on Friday and will feature 20 countries from five continents scrapping it out for a golden trophy named after an Englishman who supposedly invented the sport when he picked up the ball during a soccer game and ran with it. This World Cup is a special milestone for rugby and marks the 200th anniversary of…

Here we are at last, it's kick-off week for Rugby World Cup 2023. The stage is set for seven weeks of scintillating rugby action, with the world's best players having made their way to France in search of the Webb Ellis Cup. Of course, not every nation stands a chance of winning the biggest prize. And if you ask the bookies, there are only a…

Former South African president Nelson Mandela famously stated that sport has the power to inspire and unite. Mandela made this iconic speech at the inaugural Laureus Sports Awards in 2000 - a decade after South Africa emerged from the shadow of apartheid, and five years after the Springboks won their first World Cup, on home soil. The country and…

There have been nine editions of the Rugby World Cup but only four different countries have emerged as champions. New Zealand and South Africa have won the most World Cups with three to their name and only one northern hemisphere team have won the trophy. That team, of course, was England in 2003. But who else has won the World Cup? Here we run…

Nelson Mandela's former bodyguard says betting syndicates were behind the trouble. A former top South African police commander involved with All Blacks security at the 1995 Rugby World Cup says the team was deliberately poisoned before the final against the Springboks. Rory Steyn - chief bodyguard to President Nelson Mandela - believes betting…

The 2022 Rugby Championship was undoubtedly the finest edition the tournament has seen since its inauguration in 2012. There was unprecedented competition, with all four sides having a chance to push for the title for much of the championship. Ultimately it was the All Blacks who triumphed with yet another title. Planet Rugby breaks down five…

South Africa host Argentina in their final Rugby Championship match with everything still to play for. Heading into the final round, New Zealand sat on top of the table on points difference as South Africa closely followed them with Argentina and Australia on the chase. The All Blacks' big 40-14 victory over Wallabies earlier on Saturday means that…

South Africa have made two changes to the side that beat Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, as they return home to face the same opposition in a match which could decide the destination of The Rugby Championship title. The Springboks currently only trail the leading All-Blacks on points difference, with 13 separating the two teams in total…

We are down to the 5th Round of The Rugby Championship 2022 as the Argentina Pumas play host to South Africa Springboks on Saturday. Here we have Argentina vs South Africa Rugby, start time, lineup, prediction, and where to watch live. 🇦🇷🇦🇺🇳🇿🇿🇦 Competition: The Rugby Championship 2022 🏉 Round: 5 of 6 🗓 Date: Saturday, 17 Sept.…

South Africa have made the trip to Buenos Aires to face Argentina as an open, entertaining Rugby Championship continues. The Springboks secured a pleasing win against Australia in Sydney last time out and will be hoping to build on an encouraging performance, with Jacques Nienaber trusting an unchanged side to go again. Argentina were brought back…

The Springbok's 2021 rugby calendar is almost coming to an end and it has been a great return to rugby for the current World Cup Champions. The Bokke played their first international match since becoming World Champions in 2019 against the British and Irish Lions, who toured South Africa earlier this year. The British and Irish tour consisted of…

By winning the Rugby World Cup final against England on Saturday, South Africa became only the second country to secure three cup titles. In upsetting a heavily favored English team, it also achieved the unlikely accomplishment of winning every World Cup final in which it has appeared. All of that not only places South Africa among rugby's elite…

Saturday's Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa promises to be a classic but it is almost too close to call. England reached the Yokohama showpiece after beating the All Blacks 19-7 in the semi-finals while South Africa were 19-16 winners over Wales. According to Oddschecker Eddie Jones's England are slight favourites to lift the…

On Monday we looked at some of the Rugby World Cup's most memorable moments. Below, we look at five of the most controversial events in the tournament's history... Back in 2011, Warren Gatland's Wales were contesting their second Rugby World Cup semi-final and first since 1987 when they met France in New Zealand. Wales had already knocked out…

The New Zealand All Blacks were poisoned 24 hours before they unexpectedly lost the 1995 rugby world cup final to South Africa, it has been claimed. Rory Steyn, a bodyguard to former president Nelson Mandela, believes that the team could have had their drinking water poisoned. The All Blacks were widely expected to win the tournament but many of…

A definitive ranking of the best Rugby World Cups Join us on a trip down memory lane. THE UPCOMING TOURNAMENT hosted by England, looks set to be the biggest and most competitive in Rugby World Cup history. The All Blacks have been dominant in the years between World Cups, and are 5-4 favourite to retain the title, however the rest of the world…