SPAR Proteas head coach Jenny van Dyk and captain, KC Chawane during a media briefing held at the SPAR National Netball Championships at Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni on Monday. The SPAR Proteas travel to Malawi on Friday to defend their African Netball Cup title. The SPAR Proteas will wrap up the year with one final challenge as they head to Lilongwe, Malawi on Friday to defend their continental title at the Africa Netball Cup. The tournament gets underway o

World Rugby and Gilbert announced on Monday the unveiling of the official match ball design for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, alongside confirmation of a landmark extension to their long-standing partnership through to 2033. Under the agreement, Gilbert will remain the Official Ball Supplier for all World Rugby 15s competitions and Rugby World Cups, ensuring that the men’s and women’s tournaments in Australia (2027 & 2029) and the USA (2031 & 2033) will all be

A weekend of goals galore and comeback wins concluded with a fiercely-fought London derby that could not split leaders Arsenal and one of their main pursuers Chelsea. That result saw Manchester City leapfrog Enzo Maresca’s side into second place after they secured a last-gasp victory over Leeds United, while Aston Villa saw off Wolves to stay fourth. Liverpool, without the benched Mohamed Salah, earned a much-needed win at West Ham, Sunderland came from two goals down to beat

Thanks to Max Verstappen’s somewhat unexpected win in Qatar, Formula 1 is set for a spectacular showdown in the Abu Dhabi finale, with three drivers still in contention to become the 2025 world champion. It could have been nice and straightforward for Lando Norris, who would be victorious if he had won the Qatar Grand Prix but McLaren’s strategy error means that it is the first time since 2010 that more than two rivals have been up for the title going into the last round. The

The EPCR Challenge Cup returns this coming weekend for what promises to be a landmark 30th season, with action kicking off from 5 to 7 December. Clubs from France, England, Wales, Georgia, South Africa, Italy and Ireland will begin their pursuit of glory as the road to the 2026 Finals in Bilbao officially begins. The season opener will set the tone in emphatic fashion. On Friday Ulster Rugby host Racing 92 at the Affidea Stadium, as two European powerhouses prepare to bring a

The overnight flight from Dubai to Cape Town was more than enough time for the Blitzboks to reflect on their fifth place finish at the Emirates Dubai 7s tournament and upon arrival in the Mother City this morning, Springbok Sevens sweeper Ricardo Duarttee was ready for another bite at the cherry. That cherry will be the HSBC SVNS Cape Town, the second tournament of the 2026 HSBC SVNS, to be played at DHL Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. “We regrouped on Sunday already after th

Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, paid tribute to former Springbok wing Hendrik Jacobus “Hennie” van Zyl, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 89. At the time of his passing, Van Zyl – who was born on 31 January 1936 near Ventersdorp – was the second oldest living Springbok, after Frik du Preez, who celebrated his 90th birthday on 28 November. Van Zyl, who made his debut against New Zealand in Johannesburg on 5 June 1960 at the age of 24, was a wing with speed

The Springbok Sevens will face Dubai champions New Zealand, as well as Fiji and Great Britain on the opening day of the HSBC SVNS Cape Town on Saturday as the pool draw was confirmed following last weekend’s action in the desert. The first pool match kicks off at 10am on Saturday when the women’s teams of Japan and Canada go head-to-head, and the action will conclude shortly before 8pm. The Blitzboks’ three pool games are scheduled for 12.44pm (Fiji), 4pm (New Zealand) and 7.

The Springboks were congratulated by Mark Alexander, the President of SA Rugby, on Monday for an outstanding 2025 season, which included the successful defence of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title, as well as a second successive unbeaten Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to Europe. The Boks won 12 out of 14 Tests during the year, equalling the record for the most tries in a season with 81 (set in 2007 in a 17-Test programme) for a record average of 5.78 tries per Test. “On b

The Dafabet Warriors clinched the T20 Challenge title in a thrilling finish, emerging victorious in a super over against Goldrush Boland after the game ended in a tie. Batting first, Boland managed to post 142 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allocated 20 overs. Lehan Botha anchored the innings with a well-crafted 51 runs off 45 balls, including five fours and a six. However, consistent breakthroughs from the Warriors' bowlers, particularly Senuran Muthusamy, who cla

Pictured at the pre-tournament press briefing of the 2025 SPAR National Netball Championships on Sunday are from left defending senior champions Johannesburg (Tinita van Dyk, captain and Dr Elsje Jordaan, coach), Mami Diale, President of Netball South Africa, Motlalepule Mmati, President of Ekurhuleni Netball Association, defending Under-21 champions Johannesburg, (Bongi Msomi, head coach and Phila Ntuli, captain). The tournament will take place at Dr EG Jansen Hoerskool in B

The Springbok Women's Sevens ‘A’ side will return from Dubai on Monday more mature, more experienced and with their coach Cecil Afrika, a happy man. The South Africans lost out on any silverware when they were defeated by Brazil in the semi-finals of the International Invitational tournament – which was eventually won by Australia ‘A’ – but they improved game by game, something Afrika was very pleased about afterwards. “We started a bit slow on day one to be honest but as the

Max Verstappen claimed a crucial victory in the Qatar Grand Prix from Oscar Piastri, with the title battle set to go down to the final round as championship leader Lando Norris could only finish fourth. Verstappen's unlikely win was courtesy of McLaren's alternative strategy which came as a consequence of an early Safety Car intervention and an enforced 25-lap maximum stint length on all Pirelli tyre sets. The Red Bull driver jumped Norris on the run to the first turn from P3

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman after the Blitzboks’ fifth-place finish at the Emirates Dubai 7s on Sunday but he admitted that they did not perform to their own expectations. After dropping out of the title race on Saturday, the Blitzboks outplayed Great Britain 34-0 and Spain 21-12 for a strong finish on Sunday at The Sevens and Snyman said that there were some positives from the HSBC SVNS opener, despite their disappointing openin

It is part of the illustrious history of the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship that this tournament changes lives. It shapes careers. It builds legends. It’s one of those enduring icons of South African professional golf. And on this Sunday at St Francis Links, Deon Germishuys became a part of this great story. With a final round of 69, Germishuys won South Africa’s second oldest professional golf tournament on 14-under par – one stroke clear of Samuel Simpson and Hennie du Ple

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach was thrilled about earning his 50th Test cap in the Boks’ big victory over Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, which wrapped up their second consecutive unbeaten Castle Lager Outgoing Tour, describing the milestone as a “privilege” and “something I’ll always be grateful for”. It took Reinach more than 11 years to achieve this special career milestone after making his debut in 2014 and the Bok scrumhalf made no secret of

DHL Stormers celebrate first win at Thomond Park. Inpho Photography There is now just one unbeaten team left in the United Rugby Championship with the DHL Stormers having taken the spoils in an epic top-of-of-the-table clash with Munster Rugby. Both teams had won their opening five league matches, so something had to give at Limerick’s Thomond Park. It looked as though Munster were going to capitalise on home advantage when they led 21-6 at half-time after running in three tr

The DHL Stormers consolidated their spot at the top of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log after they pulled off a stunning comeback win over Munster in Limerick, the Lions beat the Vodacom Bulls in a Jukskei Derby in Pretoria and the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ struggled continue as they fell to Connacht in Galway. Playing with renewed energy after the international break, the Lions outplayed their Gauteng neighbours by 43-33 at Loftus Versfeld, with only a late flurry of tr

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus lauded his team for a “clinical performance”, paving the way for an emphatic victory against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, which saw the Boks complete the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a clean sweep of victories for the second year in a row. The 73-0 victory marked the Springboks’ 13th out of 15 matches this season for a win record of 86.7% and it also marked the most points scored under Erasmus’ guidance against Wa

The Springbok Sevens team’s love affair with the Emirates Dubai 7s seems to be on the rocks after the 11-time champions crashed out of the play-offs for a second consecutive year with Pool A defeats to Fiji and Argentina of the HSBC SVNS opener on Saturday. The Blitzboks started well by defeating France 15-12 in their opener, but successive defeats to Fiji (28-10) and Argentina (19-14) reduced them to also rans in the new format which clearly does not reward average. They wil

The Springboks finished the 2025 season in style with a 73-0 demolition of Wales in Cardiff, where they pulled away in the second half of the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour Test after leading by 28-0 at the break. With their pack again laying a superb foundation, the Boks simply had too much firepower for the Welsh, and scored 11 tries in the Test. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored two tries and added nine conversions for a personal haul of 28 points but unfortunately Eben Etzebet

Luke Jerling. Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour Luke Jerling had to endure it all on a challenging Saturday of the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links and ended it with a two-shot lead on 13-under par. After Friday’s weather interruption left the second round incomplete, Jerling finished his second round on Saturday morning with a 66 and a share of the lead with Deon Germishuys (65) on nine-under par. Jerling then endured a tricky third round in which he fought hard f

The Springbok Women's Sevens ‘A’ built on their good start at the Emirates Dubai 7s on Saturday, maintaining their unbeaten record and qualifying for the International Invitational semi-finals. The South Africans outplayed Poland 19-12 and then drew with Ireland Invitational 17-17 to stay undefeated after two wins on day one. They will meet Brazil at 1pm (SAST) on Sunday in one of the semi-finals, while Australia 'A' and Ireland Invitational will clash in the other. In their

Can Arsenal take a big step to the title or will Chelsea prove they are still in the race? Results last weekend have made this derby at Stamford Bridge the biggest match of the 2025/26 Premier League season so far and should Arsenal win it could prove to be crucial in the title race come the end of the season. There is still a very long way to go but Arsenal’s potential rivals are dropping like flies. Liverpool’s six defeats in seven Premier League matches leaves them with an

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Siya Kolisi said the Boks are determined to finish their season on a high note when they line up against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, although both stressed that they would not make the mistake of underestimating their hosts. Should the Boks win the match, it will mark the second season in a row that they complete their year-end Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a clean sweep of wins and even tho

Samuel Simpson. Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour Samuel Simpson retained his lead in the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links but with lightning having forced a suspension of Friday’s second round. Simpson climbed to 10-under par overall through 12 holes of his second round when play was suspended shortly after 3pm because of lightning. The round will resume at 7am on Saturday. He is currently one stroke clear of Deon Germishuys, who had also completed 12 holes when p

The Springbok Women's Sevens ‘A’ made a good start at the International Invitational tournament, which is part of the Emirates Dubai 7s, winning both their pool matches on Friday. In their first match of the day, the South Africans beat the LV Hammerheads by 12-10 before dismantling Sweden 20-0 in their second clash. They will face Poland and Ireland Invitational on Saturday. It was a slow start against the Hammerheads, with an early yellow card to Leigh Fortuin not helping m

With only one week to go until the opening rounds of the 2025/26 EPCR season, anticipation is reaching fever pitch across Europe and South Africa as players from all 24 Investec Champions Cup clubs looked ahead to the season in London this week. The Investec Champions Cup returns with Round 1 from 5-7 December, with renewed intensity, revived rivalries and world-class talent - and the opening weekend promises to deliver plenty of action from the first whistle. Across both th

Cardiff Rugby's Mason Grady. Inpho Photography Having played just one game in the last year, Mason Grady is straining at the leash to return to action this weekend. He was sidelined for some 10 months after suffering serious ankle damage while on duty for Wales against Fiji in last season’s autumn internationals. Then, on his comeback for Cardiff Rugby in September’s friendly versus Richmond, he sustained a shoulder injury which required further surgery and another lay-off. I

The professionalisation of women’s cricket in South Africa has produced many stars that continue to shine through the Hollywoodbets Pro Series and other aspects of life; developing holistic, well-rounded individuals. Gandhi Jafta, captain of the Fidelity Titans embodies this notion and continues to inspire those around her with her commitment to excellence on and off the field. At the recent University of Pretoria Sports Awards, Jafta was honoured with the prestigious Princip

Vodacom United Rugby Championship action returns this week after a month-long international break with the Hollywoodbets Sharks taking on Connacht in Galway, Ireland, on Saturday evening. With the Springboks taking on Wales earlier, the Sharks have had to make do without most of their internationals, although the bench is boosted by the inclusion of Grant Williams who has been released from national duty. There is also a new face, with Suzuki Griquas stalwart George Whitehead

Wing Dylan Maart will make his DHL Stormers debut in the table-topping Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Munster in Limerick on Saturday. The only two unbeaten teams in the competition will square-off at Thomond Park. Maart has joined the squad on loan and will have the experienced duo of Warrick Gelant and Leolin Zas at the back with him, while Wandisile Simelane and Ruhan Nel will link up in midfield. Jurie Matthee and Stefan Ungerer are the halfback combinati

There has been a constant thread coming from the Springbok Sevens in Dubai this week, a positive message from players and the team’s head coach Philip Snyman that the Blitzboks are ready and able to deliver another memorable Emirates Dubai 7s performance to start the new HSBC SVNS season on a high note. Snyman, who played at the tournament eight times, confirmed the sentiments of Blitzbok captain Impi Visser and the most experienced squad member, Ryan Oosthuizen, that they ar

All roads lead to Loftus Versfeld this Saturday as the Lions make the journey to the country’s capital for Round 6 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship to take on the Vodacom Bulls. The side from Jozi will take confidence going into this historic clash after successive victories in their last two appearances at Ellis Park, notably the toppling of Irish giants Ulster, who were unbeaten in the competition until that point. Ivan van Rooyen’s men return refreshed and hungry a

Dylan Naidoo. After making history with a win in his own national Open, South Africa’s Dylan Naidoo is hoping to end a breakthrough year with a victory in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at La Réserve Golf Links this December. Naidoo has confirmed his place in this Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour event from 18-21 December, which played a key role in him securing a DP World Tour card this past season. The South African finished tied second in last year’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius

Samuel Simpson. Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour Samuel Simpson took an early tee-off time and used it to his advantage as he signed for an eight-under par 64 to lead the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links on Thursday. “I’m really happy with today’s round. I think any time you step on St Francis Links, no matter what the weather is, you’ll take that score. Teeing off early this morning was a big advantage and according to early weather forecasts it was definitely a

The excitement is building for Sharksfest 2025, and this year’s edition promises to be bigger, bolder and more unforgettable than ever. Beyond being a rugby match, Sharksfest has become a lifestyle experience and a key highlight on Durban’s social calendar, attracting fans from across the country. This year, the Hollywoodbets Sharks face off against the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday, 20 December, at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium. The match has already set records as our fastes

It was an umpteenth trip to the Emirates Dubai Sevens for Impi Visser on Monday but the first time as Springbok Sevens captain – little wonder he represented the Blitzboks with dignified pride and confidence at the official captains photo this week. Visser is eager for the tournament to start as he firmly believes his team will carry that pride and confidence onto the pitch at The Sevens on Saturday and Sunday. “It will be a ‘no excuses’ weekend for us,” said Visser after the

The Toyota Cheetahs are heading north for their fourth EPCR Challenge Cup campaign and the touring squad for the December games has been announced. The squad leaves Bloemfontein on Monday evening as they travel to England for their first match on Sunday, 7 December, against the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park Stadium in Exeter. Kick-off is at 5.30pm (7.30pm SAST), before the team travels to their European home base in the Netherlands for the clash against Stade Français Paris on

A week on from a titanic Test at the Aviva Stadium, it will be Ireland v South Africa once again as the top two in the United Rugby Championship lock horns. Limerick’s Thomond Park will be the setting this time as the league’s two unbeaten sides - Munster Rugby and DHL Stormers - meet on Saturday evening. Both sides have won their opening five matches and are level on points, so it’s set to be a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash. Munster forwards coach Alex Codling feels

Almost 10 months to the day since he last played, Elrigh Louw will pull on the famous Vodacom Bulls jersey against the Lions in this weekend’s Vodacom URC showdown at Loftus Versfeld. Ironically, his last match also came against the Lions, during which he sustained a catastrophic knee injury. Now, after months of rehabilitation, the Springbok loose forward is primed to make his comeback off the bench in a vital match. Louw is one of five Springboks called up by coach Johan Ac

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will earn his 50th Test cap when he takes the field against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday in a settled team named by national coach Rassie Erasmus. The starting XV for the final match of the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour – which kicks off at 5.10pm (SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport – feature nine changes from the team that defeated Ireland 24-13 in Dublin last week. Several players have returned to their

SA Rugby announced on Thursday that electronics giant Samsung had joined the family of national teams sponsors as the official mobile and consumer electronics partner of the Springboks, Springbok Women, Junior Springboks, Springbok Sevens and Springbok Women’s Sevens – as well as an associate sponsor of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC). The partnership brings together cutting-edge Galaxy technology and the passion of South African rugby. The agreement runs for two

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship returns with a bang this weekend, with the first South African derby on the cards in Gauteng, as well as two mouth-watering clashes in Ireland, a top-of-the-table encounter and a scrap for playoff survival. The weekend kicks off with a Jukskei Derby in Pretoria at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, when the Vodacom Bulls host the Lions with both teams set on remaining in the top eight. The focus then moves to Limerick in Ireland where the only tw

The Boland Rugby Union, in partnership with the Sanlam Foundation and the Drakenstein Municipality, led a powerful community-centred initiative aligned with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign. The initiative was officially showcased ahead of the 2025 Sanlam Boland Top 12 Final on 22 November, demonstrating a united regional stance against one of South Africa’s most urgent social challenges. Representatives from the Department of Social

The first Fairtree Sportfees powered by STADIO, will be hosted from 24-27 April 2026 at Die Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria – a sports tournament aimed at raising the standard of South African school sports and creating a highly respected national tournament for rugby, netball and hockey. The vision for the festival is clear: “to push boundaries in order to offer a highly respected tournament to a broad school market”. With teams in the Under-15 and Under-18 age groups (rugby

The Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund recently received a welcome shot in the arm when the 15 provincial societies that make up the SA Rugby Referees Association (SARRA) agreed to donate R5 000 each to the Fund, totalling a R75 000 donation, which will assist the Fund in its important work. The Players’ Fund is a South African non-profit organization that serves as the official safety net for rugby players who sustain catastrophic, life-changing head, neck, or spinal i

Fletcher Anderson. Riley Sports Photography Fletcher Anderson is the latest in a long line of Kiwis to come over to Wales to ply their trade and there are high hopes for the young man. He follows in the illustrious footsteps of the likes of Jerry Collins, Xavier Rush, Justin Marshall, Regan King, Marty Holah, Paul Tito, Filo Tiatia and the legendary Jonah Lomu. There have also been a host of imports from New Zealand who have gone on to play for Wales via family ties or reside

Designed to bring fans closer to the action than ever before, the refreshed three-tier structure promises more high-stakes clashes, more rising stars, and more world-class sevens rugby across the globe with the opportunity for teams to progress from regional competition to the top-level HSBC SVNS 1 within a year. Unveiled earlier this year, the new three-tier global structure sets a clear, competitive pathway for teams worldwide. With all dates, destinations and participatin

SA20 fever is taking over schools around the country with the tournament bringing music, dance challenges, star players and Season 4 excitement to the young fans. With 30 days to go until the opening match between MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants at Newlands on Boxing Day, the anticipation for an entertaining summer of cricket continues to grow. The festivities kicked off in Cape Town, the home of the defending champions, with MI Cape Town spinner Dane Piedt and SA20 Le