The schedule for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 has been officially released.
The 16th edition of the tournament will be jointly hosted by Namibia and Zimbabwe and is set to showcase the wo...
The Springboks were praised by the French media for building depth in their squad over the past few years – and the ability to field “a whole different team from one week to the other” – with assistan...
Openside flank Thando Biyela will lead the Junior Springboks in their third and final Pool A match at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship against Scotland, which kicks off at 3.30pm on Wednesday at the Stadio San Michele in Calvisano.
Even though the SA Under-20 team shows several rotational changes from the team that beat England in their previous group match in Rovigo, the match-23 to face Scotland is a strong combination filled with experience.
Fullback Gilermo Mentoe, right wing Cheswill Jooste, outside centre Gino Cupido, and flyhalf Vusi Moyo are retained from the starting fifteen that defeated England on Friday evening.
Up front, Matt Romao (loose forward), Jaco Grobbelaar (lock), Jean Erasmus and Oliver Read (both props), and Jaundre Schoeman (hooker) all provided impact off the bench against Australia and England, and are now in the starting pack.
According to Kevin Foote, the Junior Springbok coach, they’ve named a team that will play this important pool game with real purpose and pride against a very good Scotland side. A win will solidify the Junior Boks’ top spot in Pool A.
“We are fortunate that the players in our match-23 have experience playing for the Junior Boks against Georgia, in the Under-20 Rugby Championship, and also in our warm-up matches against Kenya,” said Foote.
“It is a tremendous honour for any player to represent the Junior Boks and the starting fifteen for Wednesday have earned that right because everyone has worked extremely hard to be considered.
“Thando has captained us earlier this year, Stephanus Linde played for us against Georgia, while Matt Romao was our Player of the Match against Argentina in the Rugby Championship.
“Jaco Williams, Jaco Grobbelaar, and Oliver Reid have all seen a lot of action in the two previous group matches, while we have more experience playing off the bench in Herman Lubbe, JJ Theron, Batho Hlekani, and Haashim Pead.”
Age or nationality is neither here nor there for Marumo Gallants chairman Abram Sello when it comes to appointing a new head coach.
Gallants have named Lafitte Alexandre as their new head coach, replacing Abdeslam Ouaddou, who recently joined Orlando Pirates. At just 28-years old, Alexandre becomes the youngest coach in the DStv Premiership ahead of the new campaign.
But this is not unfamiliar territory for Gallants, who previously appointed 31-year-old Romain Folz. Although Folz’s stay at the club was brief, he went on to make a name for himself at Horoya AC, Fifa, AmaZulu, and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Speaking at Alexandre’s unveiling at Hotel Sky in Sandton on Monday — alongside the club’s new signings — Sello explained their approach to recruitment.
“I think as our payline, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa, when we look for someone, we really mean business,” Sello said.
India captain Shubman Gill's commanding 269 was the cornerstone of India's first-innings 587 on the second day of the second Test. England were 77-3 at stumps -- a huge deficit of 510 runs.
India captain Shubman Gill scored a superb maiden, record-breaking Test double-century before stand-in fast bowler Akash Deep took England in consecutive balls at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Gill's commanding 269 was the cornerstone of India's first-innings 587 on the second day of the second Test. England were 77-3 at stumps -- a huge deficit of 510 runs.
Deep only played because India rested Jasprit Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler who is only due to play in three games in this five-match series to minimise the effects of a back injury.
The 28-year-old Deep conceded 12 runs in his first over, but his second was a double-wicket maiden that left England faltering at 13-2.
He had Ben Duckett, fresh from a superb 149 in England's five-wicket win in the first Test at Headingley, edging to third slip. Gill capped his already brilliant day by holding a fine catch.
Next ball Ollie Pope fell for a golden duck when he nicked Deep to second slip, with KL Rahul clinging on at the second attempt.
Joe Root survived the hat-trick delivery.
India, made to pay for dropping several catches in the cordon at Headingley, then held another when Mohammed Siraj had Crawley edging to Karun Nair at first slip. England were 25-3.
Root (18 not out) and Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook (30 not out) prevented further collapse with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 52.
But the day belonged to India and above all Gill, who in just his second Test as skipper broke records previously held by India batting greats Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.
Gill's innings surpassed the recently retired Kohli's 254 against South Africa at Pune in 2019 as the highest score by an India Test captain, and replaced Tendulkar's 241 against Australia at Sydney as the highest score by an India batsman in a Test outside Asia.
It also topped Gavaskar's celebrated 221 at the Oval in 1979 as the largest score by an India batsman in a Test in England.
"I worked on a few things before the series as well, that I thought might be important for me going into Test cricket," Gill, who made 147 at Headingley, told Sky Sports.
"Looking at the results, they are working for me," added Gill, who was equally delighted by India's much improved out-cricket.
"Fielding was definitely one of those things we spoke about as a team, and it's great to see that come off so far," said Gill.
'MASTERCLASS'
England assistant coach Jeetan Patel accepted the hosts had endured a gruelling time.
"One hundred and fifty overs in the dirt in any scenario is pretty tough," Patel told reporters.
"Credit must be given to Shubman with the way he's batted over two days. It was a masterclass in how to bat on a good wicket," the former New Zealand off-spinner added.
Earlier, the 25-year-old Gill received excellent support from spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (89) and Washington Sundar (42) in partnerships of 203 and 144 for the sixth and seventh wickets.
Until he got out, Gill batted in near flawless fashion.
He was especially severe on Shoaib Bashir, cover-driving the off-spinner for four and lofting him for six, with the bowler largely unthreatening against frontline batsmen in a return of 3-167 in 45 overs.
A hooked single off fast bowler Josh Tongue, whose two wickets cost 119 runs, took Gill to 200, with the elated skipper bowing to a capacity crowd in celebration.
Gill's marathon innings of 387 balls, including 30 fours and three sixes, spanned some eight-and-a-half hours. It finally ended with a rare false shot when a tired pull off Tongue found Pope at square leg.
England players shook Gill's hand as he walked off with India now 574-8.
India, again sent into bat by England captain Ben Stokes, had resumed on 310-5, with Gill 114 not out and Jadeja 41 not out.
But India, batting in ideal sunny conditions on Thursday, wanted even more runs from Gill and Jadeja after collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 at Headingley proved costly -- and the increasingly ruthless duo got them.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
The remarkable rise of flanker Vincent Tshituka from a child refugee to the Springboks Test team will be completed on Saturday when he faces Italy in Pretoria.
The remarkable rise of flanker Vincent Tshituka from a child refugee to the Springboks Test team will be completed on Saturday when he faces Italy in Pretoria.
He fled to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo with his family in 2002 to avoid politically-induced violence.
Later, while studying at the University of Johannesburg, he fell in love with rugby. It was an unusual choice given he came from a country where football is the dominant sport.
Tshituka caught the eye of scouts from the Johannesburg-based Lions, one of the four major rugby franchises in South Africa, and quickly established himself in the matchday 23.
In 2022 he moved to another of the 'big four', the Sharks in Durban, and became part of a Springbok-stacked pack.
But to be eligible for the Springboks he had to become a South African citizen, which the 26-year-old achieved recently.
He debuted for South Africa against the Barbarians last weekend and scored two tries in a 54-7 triumph. However, it was an exhibition match, so no caps were awarded.
But the clash with Italy is an official Test and no Springbok will be prouder than Tshituka when he runs on to the Loftus Versfeld pitch.
"Playing for the Springboks in a Test is the greatest sporting honour available to me. I have dreamt for many years of wearing the green and gold," he told reporters.
"Fleeing Congo was a traumatic experience, particularly for my wonderful parents. After arriving in South Africa, my father would go to rubbish dumps, find items of value, and sell them to feed us.
"There was little money, but we survived because our parents displayed incredible love for their children. We owe them so much.
'DISADVANTAGE'
"I did not go to a rugby-playing school, which was a disadvantage. But at university I made up for lost time and it is hard to describe exactly how I feel before facing the Italians.
"The more difficult your background, the more you appreciate the opportunities life presents. Saturday is going to be an extraordinary special day for me and my family," he added.
Tshituka is one of only three Springboks in the matchday 23 who were not part of the 2019 or 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning teams.
The others are scrum-half Morne van den Berg and tighthead prop Wilco Louw as South Africa start a 13-Test schedule that ends in Wales in late November.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has shown respect toward Italy by fielding a team lackking only two regular first choices - injured flankers Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Captain Kolisi also missed the Barbarians match and outside centre Jesse Kriel debuts as a Test captain.
"Everyone expects us to beat Italy, but they were really competitive in the first two rounds of the 2025 Six Nations Championship," said Erasmus.
"Thereafter, they struggled with their player depth as they do not have such a large pool of players. They will be ready for us, though, and we dare not underestimate them."
Italy coach and former Argentina fly-half Gonzalo Quesada has made 10 changes to the team that started a narrow loss to Ireland last March in their final 2025 Six Nations outing.
Despite the defeat, the Azzurri dodged the wooden spoon for the second straight season having earlier beaten Wales in Rome.
Top-ranked South Africa are nine places above Italy and have scored an average of 55 points in winning seven previous home matches between the countries.
No where is the gap between the teams more evident than experience. Twelve of the Springboks matchday 23 boast more than 50 caps while Italy have just four half-centurions.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
There was a collective sigh of relief within the gathered crowd in the Hollywoodbets Greyville parade ring when the name of Eight On Eighteen was read out by Graeme Hawkins as being among the 18 runners for the R5-million Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Trainer Justin Snaith was always cagey about whether his star colt would take his place in the line-up, given that he would carry top weight for a three-year-old of 57kg – the highest since Abashiri lumped 59kg into 13th place behind The Conglomerate in 2016.
But Snaith and owners Nick Jonsson and Johann Rupert have taken the plunge and Eight On Eighteen will make history should he win and become the first three-year-old in history to win the Gr1 WSB Cape Town Met and the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July in the same year.
Eight On Eighteen is also likely to start one of the shortest priced favourites in the 129-year history of the race and his chances were further enhanced when he was drawn 11 in the 18-horse field.
James Crawford has two runners in the race, last year’s winner Oriental Charm who drew pole position, and Pomodoro’s Jet who drew eight. It would be an emotional win for James Crawford, who recently took over his father’s string with Brett now plying his trade in Hong Kong.
See It Again races in the same Nick Jonsson silks as Eight On Eighteen and has his third attempt after finishing second to Winchester Mansion two years back and an unlucky fifth last year behind Oriental Charm. He pulled a wide draw of 15.
Stuart Ferrie sends out his first July runner in the hard-knocking Gladatorian. A fast-finishing third behind Dave The King and Oriental Charm in the Gold Challenge, he also drew a wide gate of 16.
Dean Kannemeyer knows what it takes to train a July winner, successful with Dynasty, Eyeofthetiger and Power King, and The Real Prince drew gate five.
Royal Victory will have his supporters but Nathan Kotzen’s charge drew deep at 17. However, he is a winner of the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup and the Gr1 Champion Challenge at Turffontein and finished third in the July last year behind Oriental Charm.
Fabian Habib has his first July runner in Confederate. Relatively lightly raced, the gelding has won four of his nine starts but has never finished further back than second. He won the Gr1 SA Classic, beating subsequent Gr1 Champions Challenge winner Fire Attack, and will be ridden by two-time South African and current New Zealand champion jockey Warren Kennedy who has made the trip to ride in the race. He drew gate 14.
Mike de Kock has a stellar record in this race and has joined forces with his son Mathew. They have their first July runner together in the three-year-old and recent Gr3 Jubilee Stakes winner Immediate Edge. He carries bottom weight for a three-year-old male of 53kg and has won four of his six starts to date. He drew alongside Eight On Eighteen in gate 10.
Snaith has two other runners in the race, namely Okavango and the one-time winner Native Ruler. Okavango will be ridden by Andrew Fortune and drew 13 while Tristan Godden will have to navigate Native Ruler from gate 18.
Alec Laird and jockey Calvin Habib pin their hopes on Gr1 Betway Summer Cup winner Atticus Finch who drew favourably in four.
Andre Nel was first up to do the draw for Selukwe and came out with gate six. Serino Moodley will be doing the honours on Selukwe.
Alan Greef will fly the colours for the Eastern Cape with his star performer My Best Shot who has a midfield draw of nine.
Local owner Sid Moodley has his first July runner in Madison Valley and he drew gate two for his trainer Frank Robinson.
Rainbow Lorikeet is the only filly in the race and Candice Bass Robinson’s runner drew well in seven and will have Deigo de Gouveia aboard.
The Northern Cape Indoor Soccer League will compete in China in October this year.
It is the only indoor soccer league in the province. The league was established six years ago and has witnessed significant growth, with an increasing demand for team participation.
Chairperson of the league, Kgatliso Manake says the league is committed to youth development.
“We want to see this league growing, currently we have six teams. We want to have more teams. There is a much more demand for indoor soccer in the Northern Cape province. So far, I am extremely happy of how things have been unfolding. The league has grown in leaps and bounds, players from diverse backgrounds playing in the league and there is room for improvement.”
