Contributors
Daniel Gallan
Daniel Gallan is a journalist and university lecturer specialising in the politics and history of sport at St Mary's University and the University of East London. From Johannesburg and now based in London, he has contributed to The Guardian, CNN, ESPN, The Telegraph and various sports titles around the world.
Latest
South Africa teams are habitual URC finalists, but they need champions
2026 WXV Global Series preview: South Africa
The fight to save South Africa's Eastern Cape rugby hotbed
Malcolm Marx is rugby's greatest bully
Danelle Lochner: 'We’re a much better team than the one that lost last year'
For 15 minutes between the two halves of their Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 quarter-final against New Zealand, South Africa were i…
It's time rugby took a leaf out of football's book
Do you want to buy a monorail? On Monday, at a four-star hotel in northern Johannesburg, Rassie Erasmus called out the names of…
What Rassie’s risky business says about the Springboks
An Airlink Embraer E195 jet has no business skimming the roof of a sports stadium. Nor does a rugby coach have much business chang…
Sorry Bok fans... this call may come back to bite Rassie
Picture the scene: you’re helping your dad with a project in the garage. The smell of oil assaults your nostrils as Lynyrd Skyny…
'South Africa have the All Blacks right where they want them'
The Springboks lost the first Test convincingly, but adversity seems to compel Rassie Erasmus' world champions to greater heights.
The Springboks got drunk on their own hype
Wellington, 2025. New Zealand beaten by a record score. 43-10. Thirty-six unanswered points in the second half. A brace for Chesli…
‘Score one try against the All Blacks and your life is made’: Three great Springbok tries v NZ
Thinus Delport, Richard Bands and Ricky Januarie all achieved rugby immortality with career-defining tries against New Zealand.
Rugby union's sniffiness around making money is exhausting
There has been a curious sniffiness around Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, as if South Africa and New Zealand have committed some brea…
South African rugby 'family secret' adds extra spice to Boks vs All Blacks series
Great rivalries need more than close matches. They need inherited grievance, disputed memories and old wounds that can be pressed …
Springboks fans have never been humble
Springboks fans have never been humble... A few years ago, Henry Pollock told me that he wanted to be “spoken about as a great o…
The Springboks may have just found their skeleton key
After a succession of penalties, Wales are camped inside South Africa’s 22. It is the 50th minute of a game the Springboks have …
Vusi Moyo: Why has a 20-year-old with barely any senior rugby been trusted to start at No.10 for South Africa?
The Springboks' new fly-half has played one game of senior rugby but his coaches are confident he will swiftly 'make you believe'.
Toxic Springboks fans miss the point in struggle session against Scotland
Damian Willemse doesn’t have the stopping power of most elite centres. The Springboks’ lock depth is not quite as bottomless a…
'Rugby's old, muscular truth has survived its new, cerebral jargon'
The thrilling opening round of Nations Championship fare proved big men making hard yards remains a vital part of an ever-evolving…
The real Bok man of the match against England was glaringly obvious
There was a moment at the end of South Africa’s 45-21 demolition of England that brought to mind the most infamous Oscars mix-up…
Steven Kitshoff: ‘Every scrum is an opportunity to have a full go at the opposition’
Double World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff takes us inside the mindset of the South African scrum... and why losing to England "just …
Losing to Henry Pollock would be unbearable
There is no brandy and Coke mix strong enough for what would happen if Henry Pollock wins at Ellis Park.
'Your brain picks up there's less oxygen... it hits you from the start' - but does altitude still really matter?
The sign at the Loftus Versfeld tunnel mouth has stood there for years, but as rugby evolves, does altitude still offer a great ad…
‘South Africa A should not be viewed as a novelty. It should be the missing piece in the country's rugby ecosystem’
A regular SA A programme could provide meaningful fixtures for emerging nations as well as a bridge from franchise rugby to the Te…
Johan Ackermann: ‘Coaching is a calling. You get the opportunity to influence young men’
The Bulls have lost three URC finals in four years, but their head coach is focused on a fresh chance to turn contenders into cham…