The Springbok Women completed their first alignment camp for the 2026 season in Stellenbosch on Friday, much to the satisfaction of Swys de Bruin (head coach), who feels that important objectives have been reached during the two weeks spent together. “This was a good start for us and I am happy with the outcomes,” De Bruin said. “We had a number of objectives, including conditioning, defence and working on the breakdowns and I am happy with the results, especially the conditi

For the first time since the 1970 final, Chelsea and Leeds will meet in the FA Cup at Wembley, a game which was drawn 2-2 despite Leeds twice taking the lead. The final replay at Old Trafford, played 18 days later, is best remembered for the, shall we say, agricultural and robust nature of the tackling on display from both teams. Leeds again took a 1-0 lead but this time lost 2-1 as the Blues lifted the trophy in front a watching audience of 28.5 million – the sixth biggest f

For a ninth time in 10 seasons under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have reached the FA Cup semi-finals. With the only exception coming when they lost to Wigan Athletic in the 2017/18 fifth round, this is their eighth consecutive semi-final – an FA Cup record. Before this, the longest run of semi-finals was five, by Manchester United between 1962 and 1966 and Arsenal from 2001 to 2005. With their 10-1 win over Exeter in the third round, City became the first top-flight team s

Golden Fireball Shooter Tinita van Dyk during a clash against the Kindgom Stars at DUT Steve Biko Campus. Netball South Africa The opening day of the Telkom Netball League Power Week 1 delivered a thrilling mix of dominant performances and nail-biting finishes, with the Division 1 clash between the Fireballs and Kingdom Stars emerging as the standout match of the day. In a highly anticipated Division 1 encounter, defending champions the Fireballs were pushed all the way by a

Jade Stighling of the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in the Round Seven SA Cup match against the Leopards in Potchefstroom on Friday night. Daniel van Wyk The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers picked up five valuable log points when they beat the Leopards 33-12 in Potchefstroom on Friday evening in Round Seven of the 2026 SA Cup competition. A match marred by wet and muddy conditions saw the visitors build on a comfortable 19-7 half-time lead, outscoring the Leopards by five tries to two to c

Pia Babnik. Mark Sampson Slovenia’s Pia Babnik took advantage of another magnificent day in the Mother City as she claimed a three-stroke lead heading into the weekend of the Investec South African Women’s Open at Royal Cape Golf Club. Under blue skies and with not a breath of wind, Babnik put together a 67 where she birdied three of the final four holes on both of her nines to climb to 14-under par overall. “I played really well again today. I made even more birdies than in

Can Spurs build on their Brighton performance? It’s become a cliche to say it every Matchweek but it’s always true: this is the biggest game of Tottenham Hotspur's season so far. The 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend saw a much-improved performance by Spurs, who pressed effectively and played with an energy befitting of a Roberto De Zerbi team. Add to that Xavi Simons excelling on the left wing and Rodrigo Bentancur solidifying central midfield on his return,

The Proteas Women are still in search of the perfect game ahead of the final two T20 Internationals (T20Is) against India, beginning with the penultimate match of the five-match series at the DP World Wanderers Stadium on Saturday. The encounter will be broadcast on SuperSport Variety 1 (Ch. 206) and SABC 3, with the live action commencing at 6pm (SAST). South Africa has been the superior side in the series, claiming three dominant victories, including a record-breaking chase

The Toyota Cheetahs head to the East Rand this weekend for a crucial SA Cup clash against the Valke in Kempton Park, with kick-off set for 3pm and live coverage on SuperSport Variety 2. With the race for the semi-final spots heating up, the Toyota Cheetahs (23 points) and Eagles (22 points) currently occupy the final two qualifying positions, while the Kavaliers (20 points) remain within striking distance and firmly in contention. Every point now carries added weight as the c

MI Cape Town batting coach Hashim Amla believes Connor Esterhuizen has all the attributes of a successful modern-day player. Esterhuizen’s stock has risen astronomically over the past month. The Betway SA20 Rising Star was recently named Player of the Series in New Zealand after excelling on his maiden Proteas tour. The Pretoria Capitals batter’s sparkling performances in Aotearoa then saw him join the growing list of young South Africans in the IPL, with the Gujarat Titans s

Riley Norton will lead the Junior Springboks in their 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship opener against Argentina’s Los Pumitas on Monday, as they aim to make an immediate impact in front of their home crowd in Gqeberha. The match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium starts at 4.10pm and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Norton, who led the SA U20s to the Junior World Championship title in Italy last year, will captain an exciting-looking side, with fellow 2025 JWC winners Ram

The Vodacom Bulls have significantly bolstered their starting pack and reshuffled the backline for this weekend’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture, signalling a heavy artillery approach to the Round 16 clash against the Scarlets. The most critical changes lie in the front five and the back three, with coach Johan Ackermann opting for a blend of returning stalwarts and tactical shifts. While Gerhard Steenekamp and Johan Grobbelaar retain their spots, the inclusion of

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will play his 50th match for the DHL Stormers in the Vodacom URC Kids Round clash with Glasgow Warriors at DHL Stadium on Saturday. Having made his debut in a URC quarter-final at the same venue in 2022, the mercurial playmaker reaches the half-century milestone in a table-topping clash with the Scottish team, which kicks off at 1.45pm on Saturday. There are two changes to the backline, with Damian Willemse at fullback and Wandisile Simelane starting

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a 25-player squad for the first SA20 U19 Women’s Camp of 2026, scheduled to take place at the CSA Centre of Excellence in Tshwane from 24-27 April. This camp follows previous SA20 U19 Women Camps held in 2024 and 2025, a joint effort between CSA and SA20 to prepare players for upcoming World Cups and expand the talent pool by creating a high-performance environment that reflects the standards required in international cricket. This fou

The Fidelity SecureDrive Lions head into Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Irish side Connacht with a few minor adjustments to their side as they look to continue to solidify their place in the Race to the Eight at Ellis Park. The visitors will fancy their chances on the Highveld against a high-flying Lions outfit who without a doubt have played an exciting brand of rugby in recent weeks. Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has made four changes ahead of

The Sanlam Boland Kavaliers are in fifth place on the SA Cup log, a position outside qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division and the Wellington side travels to Potchefstroom to face the Leopards on Friday in Potchefstroom in a vital clash for their Currie Cup dreams. A positive result on Friday evening will boost the Kavaliers' chances of qualifying for the prestigious domestic rugby competition. With Juan Mostert the only real long-term injury concern, coac

The two teams that have lifted the SA Cup and are currently leading the charge to the play-offs, Suzuki Griquas and the Airlink Pumas, clash in the headline act of the seventh round in Kimberley where the top spot on the standings will be up for grabs with the semi-finals moving into view. This crunch one-versus-two meeting on Sunday will end the weekend’s action which will signal the third-last round before the staging of the play-offs. The weekend kicks off on Friday in Gqe

Glasgow Warriors' Kyle Steyn. Inpho Photography From meeting Nelson Mandela to playing for the land of his mother, Kyle Steyn certainly has a tale to tell. Born in Johannesburg, he lived in South Africa for the first 24 years of his life. But then came a huge change as he moved over to the UK and joined Glasgow Warriors. Eligible through family qualification, he has gone on to win 33 caps for Scotland, with his outstanding form on the wing during the recent Six Nations having

Siya Kolisi will make a welcome return to action following a calf injury in what will be his 50th appearance for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, when they take on Edinburgh in Friday night’s final away match of the regular season in this year’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship. As defence coach Joey Mongalo reported earlier this week, where there is opportunity there is hope and this team, with their backs to the wall, will look to demonstrate their pedigree, but more than that, d

There will be no room for error for the four South African teams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in the third-last round of pool matches this weekend, with every result set to have notable implications in their playoff hopes. The Hollywoodbets Sharks, who must win all their remaining matches with bonus points and hope that several other teams stumble for them to qualify for the quarter-finals, will set the weekend’s action in motion for the SA teams when they line up

Patricia Schmidt. Mark Sampson As the oldest golf club in South Africa, Royal Cape has seen it all. But on Thursday it experienced a first as Germany’s Patricia Schmidt carded her lowest round on the Ladies European Tour of 10-under par 63 to lead the Investec South African Women’s Open. Schmidt’s round of eight birdies and an eagle on a magnificent autumn day in the Cape earned her a two-stroke lead over Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik in this Su

The Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) has officially unveiled the senior contracted squads for the World Sports Betting Western Province Men’s ahead of the 2026/27 season, signalling a renewed sense of ambition, stability and long-term intent across both structures. Heading into the new campaign, the side has placed a clear emphasis on continuity, retaining the core group of players who formed the backbone of the previous season. This consistency has been strategica

Season 4 of Betway SA20 has set a new benchmark, with figures released on Thursday confirming it as the best-performing edition since the League’s inception. As it continues its ambition to become the leading T20 league outside India and South Africa’s premier sport and entertainment brand, Betway SA20 has further strengthened its position in the global franchise landscape. This momentum is reflected both on and off the field, with players widely regarding the League as one o

On a familiar street in Kagiso, the sound of leather on willow is beginning to echo a little louder and for Zizi Mkhize, it’s the sound of a dream coming full circle as Cricket South Africa (CSA) continues to stay true to its mission of making cricket accessible to all those who want to play it. CSA, alongside one of its brightest young talents, handed over newly installed cricket net facility to Thembile Primary School, just a stone’s throw from Zizi’s home on Thursday. The

The Junior Springboks will have a final opportunity to prepare for their Junior World Championship title defence when the U20 teams of Georgia, Fiji and Chile visit Cape Town for a new International Series, featuring three double-header match days. The action will play out at City Park in Cape Town towards the end of May and for Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote and his assistants, this will be a final opportunity to fine-tune his squad for the global showpiece, which kicks o

Junior Springbok Women selection for a two-match series against the USA U20 side in July as well as bragging rights for being the best provincial team in the country will be at stake at Alberton Rugby Club next week when the 2026 U20 Women’s Week kicks off for 14 teams. Seven matches will be played on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (all streamed live on SA Rugby YouTube channel) in what promises to be another optimistic view of the growing popularity and competitiveness of wome

Round 16 in the United Rugby Championship is headlined by a huge clash at DHL Stadium, where second-placed DHL Stormers host leaders Glasgow Warriors in a meeting between the top two sides in the table. Glasgow begin the weekend on 55 points, four clear of Stormers and Leinster, while the Capetonians have the chance to cut the gap at the top and strengthen their push for a home quarter-final. There is also major pressure building across the play-off race. Munster host Ulster

Laura Wolvaardt delivered a masterclass with the bat, striking a century in a commanding partnership with Suné Luus to guide the Proteas Women to a record-laden nine-wicket win in the third T20 International (T20I) against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday, securing an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Wolvaardt produced a career-best 115 off 53 balls, including 14 fours and five sixes, alongside Luus’ unbeaten 64 off 42 deliveries (6x4, 2x6), as the hosts comp

From Left to Right: Schalk Brits, Casandra Alexander, Schalk Burger and Steven Kitshoff at the Investec South African Women’s Open pro-am at Royal Cape Golf Club on Wednesday. Tristan Jones/LET With three Rugby World Cup winners in her pro-am fourball on Wednesday, Casandra Alexander is chasing her own “World Cup” this week as she seeks to add her name alongside the greats of South African golf with a victory in the Investec South African Women’s Open at Royal Cape Golf Club.

The Momentum Multiply Titans are champions once more. In a weekend that had everything, rain drama, breathtaking batting and a final to remember as the Sky Blues successfully defended the Dafabet Metro Cup trophy to claim back-to-back titles. As hosts and defending champions, the Titans carried the weight of expectation from the first ball to the last and they delivered in emphatic fashion. The 2026 edition of the Dafabet Metro Cup brought together South Africa's four premier

George Nott of Cardiff Rugby. Inpho Photography From north to south Wales via the best part of a decade across the border in England, it’s been quite the rugby journey for George Nott. It’s one which now finds him plying his second row trade with Cardiff Rugby, where he has become a key figure within the squad since switching from Dragons RFC last summer. He has made 16 appearances this season and is set to have an important role to play once more on Friday night when Cardiff

German national team players Luca Bultmann, Mona Stevens, Pia Schwartz and Mario Wokocha. Tickets are now available for the most anticipated global flag football event to-date as the sport prepares to make its first appearance at the Olympic Games in LA28. From August 13-16 2026, the flag football world will be watching Düsseldorf as the city plays host to one of the first direct LA28 qualification events in any sport. At IFAF World Flag 26, 16 women’s and 16 men’s teams from

Ivan van Rooyen, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions head coach. Inpho Photography Ivan van Rooyen says his players are keeping their feet firmly on the ground as they prepare to complete the regular United Rugby Championship season with an Irish triple header. The Fidelity SecureDrive Lions are in uncharted waters right now, lying in fourth place in the table after winning their last five league matches. They have never been in such an elevated position before at this stage of the ca

The Toyota Cheetahs, Suzuki Griquas and Airlink Pumas will have an opportunity to test themselves against three international touring sides this year as part of a new and improved Toyota Challenge set to kick-off in June. This year, Black Lion from Georgia – who also play in the EPCR Challenge Cup with the Toyota Cheetahs – will return to Bloemfontein, and they will be joined by Portugal and Romania ‘A’. All three nations have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Austral

The final five nominees for the 2026 Investec Player of the Year have been confirmed, celebrating the standout performers from what has so far been a thrilling season of the Investec Champions Cup. Selected by a panel of rugby legends, broadcasters, and fan votes, the shortlist recognises players who have delivered exceptional performances on club rugby’s biggest stage - from decisive pool-stage moments to match-defining displays in the knockout rounds. Now, the decision is i

International Team Captain Geoff Ogilvy has announced that Camilo Villegas will return as a captain’s assistant for the 2026 Presidents Cup, which will be played at Medinah Country Club’s Course No 3, September 22-27. “I’m thrilled to welcome Camilo back as a captain’s assistant for the 2026 Presidents Cup,” said Ogilvy. “Camilo’s history with this event, his passion for the International Team and the respect he commands within the locker room make him a tremendous asset. Thi

The Proteas Women will look to wrap up the T20 International (T20I) series against India when the sides meet in the third T20I at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Wednesday, with the hosts leading the five-match series 2-0. The encounter will get underway at 6pm (SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (Ch. 201) and SABC 3. South Africa produced back-to-back commanding performances in the opening two matches in Durban last weekend, securing

Following the recently held KZN Sports Awards over the weekend, Netball South Africa would like to acknowledge and congratulate all the winners from the prestigious event held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. Netball once again featured prominently in the nominations list and brought home four awards on the night. These achievements reflect the continued growth, excellence, and impact of netball within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. KZN Netball wa

Super Rugby Pacific has delivered another stunning round full of end-to-end action. It kicked off with an 87-point thriller at Eden Park, ended with an upset at HBF Park and had a dash of royalty and a Fijian milestone in between. Oh, and a change at the top of the table as Super Round looms in Christchurch next weekend. Things were looking pretty comfortable for the Blues at the hour mark of this one, however the underdog Highlanders had other ideas. The visitors scored two

Jac Morgan (centre) with his URC Player of the Match medal. Inpho Photography When you speak to people in the game about Jac Morgan, the superlatives come thick and fast. World class, tremendous, brave, committed, powerful, tenacious, physical - you can take your pick really. We’ve had to wait a while this season to see those qualities out on the pitch, with the Ospreys and Wales flanker sidelined for more than four months by a dislocated shoulder. But he has really hit the g

Marcell Coetzee (right) with David Kriel. Inpho Photography Springbok veteran Marcell Coetzee has been hailed as “a tremendous human being” and a great leader both on and off the field. The 31-time capped back row forward will be 35 next month but he is still producing the goods as he showed with a try scoring Player of the Match display in the Vodacom Bulls’ 47-7 victory away to Dragons RFC on the weekend. He is a key man in the Bulls’ push for a URC Play-Off spot which cont

The back story of their first victory in Hong Kong was written daily at the Springbok Sevens team’s training base in Stellenbosch, the place they will return to as they start their next mission, the HSBC SVNS World Championship Valladolid in Spain next month. And according to Blitzbok sweeper Ronald Brown, once they had a rest from their trip to the Far East, they will get back for the next chapter of their 2026 season. Speaking after their 35-7 win over Argentina in the fina

Rugby fever is rising in Gqeberha with just 60 days until the Springboks kick off their 2026 season against former All Blacks’ coach Scott Robertson’s star-studded Barbarians team. The Boks again face the famous BaaBaas in their first match of the season – for the YesPlay Cup it was announced on Tuesday – in a repetition of a fixture that saw 45 000 fans packing into DHL Stadium in Cape Town last year. The match will be preceded by the chance for fans to see South Africa’s ne

The Junior Boks made an injury-forced change to their squad for the 2026 Under-20 Rugby Championship, with Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker) replaced by Mahle Sithole for the tournament, which kicks off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Monday, 27 April. Mnebelele, a member of the 2025 Junior World Championship-winning squad, sustained an ankle injury late last week in Stellenbosch. Sithole, a regular member of recent SA U20 training squads, represented the SA U18s

Here we preview the 2025/26 Uefa Women's Champions League semi-finals, as Bayern München take on Barcelona and Arsenal face OL Lyonnes. Three former winners and one team looking to reach their first Uefa Women's Champions League final will contest the upcoming semi-finals, held across two weekends at the end of April and start of May. Defending champions Arsenal have been drawn against eight-time winners OL Lyonnes in the last four for a second season running, while Barcelona

The Lions XV and Vodacom Bulls XV have moved clear of their coastal rivals in the SA Rugby U23 Cup after the two Gauteng sides celebrated strong victories in the third round this past weekend. The two Gauteng rivals are on a collision course this weekend with an exciting Jukskei Derby scheduled for Johannesburg on Saturday. They will take some momentum into the game after good victories this weekend, with the Lions smashing the Hollywoodbets Sharks U23s by 57-26 in Johannesbu

Netball South Africa has taken a significant step towards the professionalisation of the sport, announcing an expanded group of 17 contracted national players, supported by an additional seven training partners, as part of its ongoing commitment to building a competitive and sustainable high-performance system. The 12-month contracts, effective from 1 April 2026, mark a key milestone in strengthening the national squad pipeline, enhancing player support and positioning South

In case any of his pursuers had their sights on the LIV Golf Mexico City 2026 individual title, Jon Rahm delivered a quick and decisive message Sunday with a four-hole stretch that included three birdies and a tap-in eagle. The Legion XIII captain then stayed aggressive the rest of the way at Club de Golf Chapultepec, producing the final round’s lowest score, a bogey-free 7-under 64 that resulted in a comfortable six-shot victory over young Fireballs GC star David Puig. It’s

The battle for URC Play-Off positions has been shaken up in a big way with the top three sides going into the weekend failing to pick up a point between them as they all went down to defeat. League leaders Glasgow Warriors, the second-placed DHL Stormers and Ulster Rugby finished up empty handed to leave home quarter-final spots still very much up for grabs, while the Race to the Eight is now down to 11 teams. Glasgow conceded eight tries as they were beaten 54-12 by the Fide

The Airlink Pumas and Suzuki Griquas pulled away from the chasing pack in the SA Cup with resounding wins in their sixth-round fixtures over the weekend, while the Toyota Cheetahs moved up the log after a good away win in George. The Pumas beat the Leopards 85-0 in Nelspruit on Friday evening and on Saturday, Griquas recorded their sixth straight win when they defeated EP 52-9 in Gqeberha, the Valke beat the Griffons by 68-36 in Welkom, the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers outplayed B