World Rugby today announced the match official appointments for the 2017 Rugby Championship with 18 officials and five TMOs taking charge of the 12 matches and the standalone Bledisloe Cup match in October.
South Africa secured a 3-0 series whitewash of France with a 35-12 victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.Tries from Jesse Kriel, Eben Etzebeth, Malcolm Marx and Rudy Paige proved too much for France.
New Zealand and South Africa have been placed in Pool B together, while Australia is in Pool D with Wales. Argentina find themselves in Pool C with England and France.
The pool draw for Rugby World Cup 2019 will take place on Wednesday 10 May in the historic Japanese city of Kyoto at the iconic Kyoto State Guest House. Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa await which Pool they will be drawn into for the tournament.
The new look Springbok team started out frenetically and showed glimpses of promise late in the game but they weren’t consistent enough to prevent the Welsh from inflicting a 27-13 defeat in Cardiff.
Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Jamba Ulengo and Uzair Cassiem will make their Springbok debuts against Wales in Cardiff while a fourth uncapped player, Jean-Luc du Preez, has been included on the bench for the final match of the November Tour.
Record try-scorer Bryan Habana is back at left wing for the Springboks when they face Italy in Florence on Saturday, while Nizaam Carr will get his first start for South Africa against the same opponents he made his Test debut against two years ago.
New Zealand's Beauden Barrett has been named Men's Player of the Year, head coach Steve Hansen Coach of the Year and the All Blacks Team of the Year at the 2016 World Rugby Awards in London.
The Springboks have made several changes for the Test against England at Twickenham. Only five players who started in the 31-31 draw against the Barbarians last week are included in a much changed line-up for the Test.
South Africa were denied a morale-boosting victory at the start of their Autumn tour as a 10-try thriller at Wembley Stadium against the Barbarians ended 31-31.
Patrick Lambie will lead a new-look Springbok team, which includes six uncapped players in the starting line-up and a number of Currie Cup stars, against the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium in London.
World Rugby has unveiled the shortlists for seven top awards, including the men's and women's sevens players of the year, to be presented at the World Rugby Awards 2016 dinner in London on 13 November.
England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have announced their sqauds for the various November Tests in Europe against the All Blacks, Pumas, Springboks and Wallabies.
Several promising young players who have shot to prominence on the domestic scene this year, have been included in the 30-man Springbok squad for the international clash against the Barbarians on 5 November at the Wembley Stadium in London.
Blackout and the statistcis prove it ! The 2016 Rugby Championship saw the conquering All Blacks win an historic perfect clean sweep – winning all six matches with six bonus points.
New Zealand equalled the record of 17 consecutive Test wins with a 57-15 victory over the Springboks at Kings Park. They also completed a perfect Rugby Championship clean sweep – six wins six bonus points.
