Will De Zerbi tweak his methods to save Spurs from relegation? Tottenham Hotspur have have turned to Roberto De Zerbi, whose brand of adventurous attacking football marks a significant shift in style away from previous head coaches Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank and back towards – or maybe even beyond – Ange Postecoglou. Any appointment at this stage of the campaign inevitably comes with risks and this one is no different. De Zerbi has recent experience of taking charge of a Pre

A vitally important clash awaits the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in Round Five of the 2026 SA Cup. The Wellington side welcomes the log leaders, the Suzuki Griquas, to Boland Rugby Stadium on Saturday (3pm). The Boland side suffered their first loss of the season in George against a revitalised SWD Eagles side their last time out before the Easter break. Head coach Hawies Fourie, however, will be buoyed by the timely return of two stalwarts to the match-day 23 squad. Versatile ba

Makabi Lilepo and Flávio Silva. Openfield After a difficult start to the year, Kaizer Chiefs have taken to heart the message given to them by the man who has spent a lifetime helping teams and players through challenging stretches and which is now showing as they’ve climbed into third place in the Betway Premiership. It’s a message that started on Chiefs’ Vodacom Tsamaya Pre-Season Tour to the Netherlands last year and it was given to the players by Dr Henning Gericke, a mast

A senior International Federation of American Football (IFAF) delegation comprising President Pierre Trochet, Managing Director Andy Fuller and Athletes Committee Chair Diana Flores traveled to Queensland, Australia this week to participate in a series of engagements supporting the rapid development of flag football in Australia. The visit took place in partnership with the NFL, represented by Commissioner Roger Goodell together with senior executives including Peter O’Reilly

The SA Cup resumes this weekend following the Easter break, with Round 5 marking a pivotal stage in the competition as the race for the four semi-final spots and qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division intensifies. The Toyota Cheetahs travel to Welkom to face the Griffons in a crucial encounter on Saturday. Kick-off at Down Touch Investments Stadium is scheduled for 3pm, with the match broadcast live on SuperSport 199. With the competition moving beyond the

Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin has invited 10 uncapped players to the team’s first alignment camp of 2026, with 34 players set to congregate in Stellenbosch from 12-24 April. The Springbok Women will play in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup at the end of May before hosting the USA in two Tests in July and New Zealand’s Black Ferns in September. Fourteen Tests are planned for the year but for De Bruin, the focus is to get the new players aligned with the established ones

It might be his first official appearance on the world stage in the 2026 season but for Springbok Sevens speedster Quewin Nortje, their Stellenbosch training fields are battle grounds of their own and he will be ready come the Cathay Pacific/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong next weekend. The Blitzboks face Uruguay, Spain and Argentina in Pool A of the first of three HSBC SVNS World Championship events, to be held at Kai Tak Sports Park. “The competitive excellence we are striving for is n

The Junior Springboks took another significant step toward the Under-20 Rugby Championship on Thursday, engaging in a high-intensity training match against the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in hot and humid conditions in Wellington. The insights gained from facing seasoned provincial opposition are proving invaluable for a squad currently blending experience with fresh talent. Following the session at Boland Stadium, Junior Bok assistant coach Lumumba Currie reflected on the progre

The Vodacom Bulls can confirm that lock forward Ruan Nortje has accepted an offer to join an overseas club in Japan at the conclusion of the current season, bringing to a close an extraordinary chapter in his career at Loftus Versfeld. A Bulls man through and through, the 27-year-old Nortje has only ever worn the blue jersey at senior level. Having grown up playing his school rugby locally, Loftus Versfeld became his professional rugby home when he made his senior debut for t

AB de Villiers and Fourie du Preez lead star-studded cast as the second Annual Legends Match celebrates 40 years of SuperSport Park this Sunday. Centurion’s beloved SuperSport Park will come alive this Sunday when the Legends Match returns, bringing together some of South African cricket and sport’s most celebrated names for an afternoon of nostalgia, entertainment and competitive spirit. The Titans Legends and Blue Bulls Legends once again step back to the crease at one of t

Moothee Ram Tuskers star Jessica Candler (left) is presented with a Coffee Box voucher by coach Adele van Wyk (right) after another strong performance at the recent CSA Division 2 Week. The Moothee Ram Tuskers Women’s team returned from Bloemfontein with renewed confidence following a competitive showing at the CSA Women’s Division 2 cross-pool week, held from 29 March-4 April. The tournament, a key component of South Africa’s women’s cricket structure, continues to play an i

South African rugby is showing encouraging early outcomes following the introduction of the lowered tackle-height laws, with initial data indicating a positive shift in reducing the severity and long-term impact of tackle-related catastrophic head, neck and spine injuries, SA Rugby announced on Thursday. These laws, applied in South African rugby, are supported by 17 years of tackle-event data on serious and catastrophic injuries. Clint Readhead, SA Rugby’s General Manager: M

The SA Cup resumes this weekend following the Easter break, with the fifth round marking a significant point in the competition as the race for the four semi-final places and qualification to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division gathers further momentum. The match in Wellington between fourth-placed Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and log leaders Suzuki Griquas top the billing for this weekend. The hosts will be eager to make amends for their away loss to the Dotsure SWD Eagles, w

Northampton Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson. Sale Sharks’ Alex Sanderson and Northampton Saints’ Phil Dowson discuss juggling player selection plans and the highs and lows of knockout rugby. The tournament’s playmakers and try-scorers may grab the headlines on the field but behind the curtain is often a season-long tactical mastermind. The Investec Champions Cup’s head coaches must balance squad rotations amidst international selections, domestic demands and unpredictabl

DHL Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat will leave Cape Town at the end of the current season to take up an opportunity in France. A proud product of the Western Cape, Moerat came through the system as captain of Paarl Boys High and the DHL Western Province U18 side at the 2016 Craven Week. He would go on to lead the Junior Springboks and in 2018 made his Stormers debut against the Highlanders in Dunedin. He has earned 70 Stormers caps since then and captained the team in their hist

Quewin Nortje will make a first appearance for the Springbok Sevens team in the 2026 season next weekend after being named in the squad to travel east to Hong Kong for the first of the three HSBC SVNS World Championship tournaments. The 23-year-old flyer had a frustrating time with injuries this season and missed all six regular stops of the HSBC SVNS Series but is now fit and ready and will be an important cog in the Blitzboks attack at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong

As the 2025/26 URC season races toward its thrilling conclusion, the spotlight now turns to the individuals and teams who have defined this campaign. The URC Awards are back, ready to celebrate the stars, the stories and the moments that have made this season unforgettable. The awards don’t just honour on-field brilliance - they shine a light on the passion, creativity and determination that fuel rugby across all five territories. From players and coaches to clubs pushing bou

Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium is one of four potential semi-final venues. EPCR, the organiser of the Investec Champions Cup, has confirmed four potential venues to host this season’s semi-finals. The Investec Champions Cup semi-finals will take place on the weekend of 2/3 May, with the Investec Champions Cup Final scheduled on Saturday, 23 May at Bilbao San Mamés Stadium. Following the quarter-finals this weekend, the semi-final fixtures will be decided and the clubs with

Round eight of Super Rugby Pacific was a shorter one but it still managed to give us some epic action and some intriguing movement on the table. The Crusaders couldn’t have scripted their send off for Apollo Projects Stadium any better, with a resounding 69-24 win over the Fijian Drua moving them to fifth spot on the table. Codie Taylor’s four tries were a fitting way for the Crusaders and All Black legend to celebrate his 150th Super Rugby game but this one also featured the

Four compelling fixtures await from 10 to 12 April as the EPCR Challenge Cup reaches the quarter-final stage. With places in the semi-finals - and ultimately a shot at the Bilbao 2026 Final - on the line, the intensity is set to rise across a blockbuster weekend of European rugby. CLICK BELOW FOR QUARTER FINAL PREVIEW STATS KEY MATCH INFORMATION Ulster Rugby v Stade Rochelais Friday Quarter-final 3: Ulster Rugby (3) v Stade Rochelais (11) @ Affidea Stadium, (8pm) Hollie David

The Investec Champions Cup continues this weekend with a thrilling line-up of quarter-final clashes, as Europe’s top clubs compete for a place in the semi-finals - and move one step closer to the Bilbao 2026 Final. From Friday to Sunday, eight clubs go head-to-head in high-stakes encounters with match ups of the highest level, where historic rivalries are renewed and nothing is left to chance. CLICK BELOW FOR QUARTER FINAL PREVIEW STATS KEY MATCH INFORMATION Bath Rugby v Nort

Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin complimented the players and management of the eight provincial sides that contested the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1, saying that it provided the national coaching set-up with valuable insights and unearthed new talents. De Bruin had special praise for the Isuzu Bulls Daisies, who won the competition for the fourth time in succession. “The Daisies have set a benchmark for others to follow, there can be no doubt about that an

After six highly successful seasons with the Vodacom Bulls, utility back David Kriel has opted to accept a contract from La Rochelle in France, beginning in July. Kriel, a two-time Currie Cup champion with the team, has been one of the most consistent players over the years, earning acclaim for his pace and athleticism. In Europe for next weekend’s Vodacom URC fixture against the Dragons, Kriel is thrilled to be making the move. “I couldn’t be more excited to be heading there

World Rugby has published the second edition of its landmark 'A Blueprint for Growth' report, advancing the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken into the fan and commercial trends driving rugby’s global rise, relevance and reach. Building on the inaugural report, the latest edition provides a strategic roadmap to unlock the full commercial potential of women’s rugby worldwide. The report draws on commissioned research conducted in early 2025 across seven global markets

FNB UP-Tuks delivered a dominant performance in the Gauteng derby, overpowering neighbours FNB UJ to book a home spot in the 2026 FNB Varsity Cup final. Meanwhile, FNB NWU Eagles turned on the style in the second half, cruising to a commanding victory over FNB Maties at Fanie du Toit Sports Ground to secure their place in the final. FNB NWU Eagles 50-10 FNB Maties A dominant second-half display powered FNB NWU Eagles to a dominant victory over FNB Maties in their FNB Varsity

The EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 delivered high drama, with knockout rugby at its best and multiple contests going down to the wire. Eight of Europe’s leading rugby clubs are one step closer to the EPCR Challenge Cup Final in Bilbao this May, with tickets still available for fans who want to be part of the biggest weekend in international club rugby. Connacht Rugby were the first to power into the final eight, overturning a half-time deficit to beat the Hollywoodbets Shar

Eight clubs have secured their places in the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals following a thrilling weekend of sold-out action across Europe. The road to the Bilbao 2026 Final now intensifies, with general admission tickets for the final already sold-out in record time. Northampton Saints were first to book their spot in the final eight, overturning a 12-0 deficit against an impressive Castres Olympique with a powerful second-half comeback. They will face Bath Rugby at T

Get the lowdown on every Uefa Champions League quarter-final first legs, check out the key statistics from every match as they kick-off at 9pm this week (CET time). Tuesday Real Madrid v Bayern No two teams have met as often in Uefa competition as Real Madrid and Bayern, with the sides facing each other 28 times – all in the European Cup/Champions League. The Spanish side lead the head-to-head with 13 wins to Bayern's 11, along with four draws. Real Madrid are competing in th

It was a disappointing weekend for the DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks, as all three teams were squeezed out of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup competitions, in the key Round of 16. In the Investec Champions Cup, the Stormers were left heartbroken after their 28-27 defeat against Toulon in France on Saturday in a nail-biting clash and it was a case of déjà vu for the Bulls, who went down 25-21 to the Glasgow Warriors in a tense encounter

The Isuzu Bulls Daisies outplayed the Sanlam Boland Dames 36-15 on a hot and sunny Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to claim the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League, making it a fourth consecutive win for the trailblazers in the provincial women’s game. They had a 19-3 lead at the break and never looked like conceding their title to their Western Cape foes but will admit that they had to fight for every point. The first half, played on a hot Pretoria morning, had good moments and

Maddy Green recorded an unbeaten century, while Rosemary Mair claimed career-best figures to help New Zealand secure a 66-run win in the third and final ICC Women’s Championship (IWC) One-Day International (ODI) against the Proteas Women in Wellington on Saturday. Green’s 141* off 128 deliveries, including 15 fours, in partnership with Brooke Halliday’s 98 off 124 balls (13x4), helped the hosts post 306/7 in their 50 overs. Mair then returned figures of 5/50 as the Proteas we

FNB WSU 42-32 FNB UWC. FNB WSU booked their place in the FNB Varsity Shield final after producing a powerful second-half comeback to defeat FNB UWC 42-32 at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London on Friday. Meanwhile, newly promoted (to the Varsity Cup) FNB Wits delivered a dominant performance in Johannesburg, dismantling FNB Madibaz 68-10 in the second semi-final to set up a highly anticipated title clash. FNB WSU produced a sensational second-half comeback to defeat FNB UWCat

Managing to reach a top-tier final of South African provincial women’s rugby for the first time has probably been Aseza Hele’s ‘easiest’ campaign as Sanlam Boland Dames captain. The Dames make the trip to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria to face the Isuzu Bulls Daisies in the Pick ’n Pay Women’s Super League 1 final. A competition that was previously known as the Women’s Premier Division. Since 2019, after winning the 2018 Women’s First Division (now known as the Pick ‘n Pay Women

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach makes his return from injury for the DHL Stormers in one of several changes for their Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 clash with RC Toulon in France on Saturday. The Stormers will be playing for a place in the quarter-finals next week when they face the French outfit at the Stade Felix Mayol, with kick-off at 4pm on Saturday. Reinach partners Jurie Matthee in an all-new halfback pairing, with Imad Khan and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu on a re

The two top teams in the Pick n Pay Women's Super League will fight it out for the ultimate glory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday when the Izusu Bulls Daisies will host the Sanlam Boland Dames in the 2026 final. The Daisies are looking for a fourth consecutive title, while the Dames are eyeing the Premier Division silverware for the first time in a match that promises to dazzle and entertain. Not only are both finalists well-rounded teams who can transition from attack to defe

The Proteas Women are aiming to keep things simple in pursuit of a series victory ahead of the third ICC Women’s Championship (IWC) One-Day International (ODI) against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday. The series finale gets underway at 11am local time (midnight SAST) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport Grandstand (Ch. 201). Speaking in the pre-match press conference, top-order batter Anneke Bosch believes her team will adopt a simplified approach in the final ODI t

Sanlam Boland Dames head coach, Thomas Chowles, believes his team can spring a surprise when they face the Isuzu Bulls Daisies in Saturday’s Pick ‘n Pay Women’s Super League 1 final. It will be the Dames’ first appearance in a top-tier final of women’s provincial rugby. A goal that Chowles has set out for the team since winning the first division title in 2018. During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, when this competition was still named the Premier Division, losses to DHL Western

The Vodacom Bulls have shuffled their team for this Saturday’s critical Investec Champions Cup encounter against Glasgow, making several tactical adjustments to the side that faced Munster last week. The most significant changes occur in the backline, where the versatile David Kriel moves from the bench into the starting XV to take over the No 15 jersey. This shift sees the veteran Willie le Roux move to the replacements, from where he is expected to provide his trademark tac

Premier Sports saw a 27% uplift in viewership reach across Pool stages. The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup return this weekend, with knockout international club rugby action kicking off on Friday. Following a hugely successful pool stage, the 32 clubs qualified for the Round of 16 across both competitions will be looking to progress down the Road to Bilbao. Spectators in stadia and viewership figures continued to rise across the Pool stages, with over 931 000

The Western Cape Government has committed R15-million to support upgrades at both World Sports Betting (WSB) Newlands Cricket Ground and Boland Park in Paarl, where some of the tournament’s matches will be hosted. On Thursday the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) and Cricket Boland to formalise financial support for the necessary infrastructure work in preparation for the ICC Men’

The Hollywoodbets Sharks’ campaign in the EPCR Challenge Cup knock-outs takes them to Western Ireland and a date with Connacht in the Round of 16 on Friday evening (9pm). Connacht, currently in ninth position on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log, one place above the Sharks, come off a five-match winning streak heading into this match taking place in Galway at 9pm on Friday. Champions in 2023/24, the Sharks became the first South African club to win a major European ru

Sale Sharks' George Ford. The pair may know each other all too well from their domestic run-ins but the stakes are different in the Investec Champions Cup Round of 16. With 24 sides coming together from across PREM Rugby, TOP 14 and United Rugby Championship, the Investec Champions Cup often sees sides come up against more unfamiliar opposition. But familiar faces will be in the crossfire this weekend as four English heavyweights meet in the Round of 16. 2025 EPCR Challenge C

South Africa Under-19 Women head coach Dinesha Devnarain reflected on a lesson-filled campaign following her team’s third-place finish at the recently concluded Patricia Kambarami Cup in Nigeria, as the side continues to build towards next year’s ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Led by captain Mieke van Voorst, who scored 208 runs in six innings at an average of 41.6 and a strike rate of 131, the SA U19s showed encouraging progress throughout the tournament. Their campaign incl

The DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks will return to Europe this weekend for their do-or-die Round of 16 matches in the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup competitions, where spots in the quarterfinals will be at stake. The Stormers will line up against Toulon in France in the first Investec Champions Cup play-off match for the domestic franchises on Saturday at 4pm, while the Bulls will battle it out with the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland at 6.30

Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has named a sizeable training squad of 45 players, including four who attended the recent Springbok alignment camp, for a two-week camp in Stellenbosch from 6-19 April in preparation for the 2026 edition of the Under‑20 Rugby Championship (TRCU20). Riley Norton, who skippered the Junior Boks to the world title last year in Italy, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Kai Pratt, and Markus Muller all had a taste of the senior Springbok environment at th

Proteas Men’s batter Rassie van der Dussen has today announced his immediate retirement from international cricket. The 37-year-old calls time on a distinguished seven-year international career, during which he established himself as one of South Africa’s most dependable top-order batters. Van der Dussen said: “It is with a proud heart and a profound sense of gratitude that I announce my retirement from International Cricket. “To wear the Proteas jersey is a feat that demands

Lions Cricket is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Sportsnection, marking a bold step into the rapidly expanding global sports collectibles market. Through this collaboration, Lions Cricket and Sportsnection will develop an official trading card collection designed to engage a new generation of fans while contributing to the growth of cricket’s collector culture. The set will feature both the DP World Lions men’s and women’s teams, including players and head

When Anathi Qolo leads the Isuzu Bulls Daisies onto the pitch this Saturday for the Pick ‘n Pay Women’s Super League final against the Sanlam Boland Dames (11am), she will be doing more than chasing a trophy; she’ll be carrying the torch for a revolution in South African women’s rugby. With seven wins from seven matches and a points differential that looks more like a typographical error than a scoreboard (well over 400 points in their favour), the Bulls Daisies have become t

Ruan Lotz, Group Chief Product Officer at BooYaa Golf. If you have seen a cheap BooYaa cap at a market, you already know it is not the real thing. As the brand has grown across South Africa and internationally, counterfeit BooYaa products have started appearing in low-cost outlets and informal markets. It is not unusual. It is what happens when a brand starts getting noticed. But it does come with consequences. “We started noticing counterfeit products entering the market aro

The Investec Champions Cup is back, bringing an action-packed weekend of knockout rugby from April 3–5 with the Round of 16. Comprehensive player and team statistics are available for each match, providing an in-depth view of the performances shaping this year’s tournament. CLICK BELOW FOR ROUND OF 16 PREVIEW STATS Key match information Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique Friday – cinch Stadium @ Franklin’s Gardens CLICK below for preview statistics The curtain rises on a