The Springbok Women enjoyed a low key but productive training session at the Cardiff Metropolitan University on Monday as they started to fine tune their preparations for Friday’s WXV Global Series opener with Wales at Cardiff Arms Park. The team travelled from Cape Town on Saturday afternoon and arrived in the Welsh capital Sunday evening but the long haul was soon forgotten once they stepped onto the training pitch on Monday, much to the delight of co-coach Laurian Johannes

In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with The Punch (https://apo-opa.co/4xV7KqX), Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, Former FIFA Secretary General and ACG Advisory Board member Fatma Samoura makes the case that Nigeria has everything it takes to become Africa’s sport and entertainment hub, calls for a fundamental shift away from the standalone stadium model, and argues that the continent’s sporting talent and the economic value it generates must stay on African soil. Samo

African Collaborations Group (ACG) (www.ACGafrica.com), the leading strategic project origination and collaboration platform focused on the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the origination of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, today announced the appointment of Aïcha Diop to its Advisory Board. Diop is a seasoned international executive with more than 18 years of experience across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, combining stra

African digital infrastructure convener, Hyperscalers Convergence Africa (HCA) (https://ConvergenceAfrica.Hyperscalers) 2026 concluded with a clear action agenda for accelerating Africa’s digital infrastructure development. The conference also honoured twelve pioneers whose work helped shape the continent’s digital economy and recognised 100 women leading innovation across telecommunications, cloud, data centres, policy, finance and technology. Held under the theme “Africa’s

Mahlatsi Molokomme, Principal Investment Officer, Development Bank of Southern Africa. Airnergize Capital, the clean technology investment platform of New GX Capital, has confirmed the final close of Fund I at R3.89-billion, with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) committing R240-million as lead development finance institution. Airnergize Capital invests institutional and development capital into energy, water and gas infrastructure businesses across Southern and

The Domestic Cricket South Africa 2026/27 season is well underway with the red ball competitions getting off to a blistering start in different parts of the country. Division 1 matches saw four match-ups with defending champions DP World Lions taking on Defabet Boland at DP World Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, Momentum Multiply Titans hosting Hollywoodbets Dolphins at SuperSport Park in Centurion, YesPlay Newlands Cape Town saw YesPlay WP Cobras clash with Defabet Warrior

Wallaby No 930 Jordan Petaia has been selected in his first Wallabies squad since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, named as part of a 34-man group for the upcoming Flight Centre Series Test against South Africa at Perth’s Optus Stadium. Petaia (26) made his Wallabies debut as a 19-year-old at the 2019 Rugby World Cup scoring a memorable try against Uruguay and has since pulled on the gold jersey a total of 31 times. The versatile back, who has been plying his trade in France and Jap

UP-Tuks made full use of home ground advantage when they caused an upset victory over log leaders UJ in Round 6 of Varsity Netball 2026 at the Rembrandt Hall in Pretoria. Maties held off a determined CUT for a close victory. Five-time champions UFS Kovsies and defending champions beat Madibaz and Wits respectively. MADIBAZ 36-67 UFS KOVSIES UFS Kovsies scored a commanding victory over Madibaz as they continue their fight for a semi-final spot. As anticipated, Kovsies started

Europe Captain Anna Nordqvist celebrates with the trophy & her players following their win during the Sunday Singles of the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands. David Cannon/LET Team Europe won the 20th Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands after a decisive final day of singles against the United States. Although the players teed off in heavy rain, the sun shone as the drama unfolded in the final few matches. Lottie Woad assured that Europe

Player of the Match Anneke Bosch during the second T20I against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Zimbabwe Cricket Another impressive display with the bat from Anneke Bosch helped the Proteas Women take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 International (T20I) series following an emphatic 64-run victory in Bulawayo on Sunday. Bosch top-scored with a 31-ball 65 (12x4), alongside notable knocks from Faye Tunnicliffe (52* off 34 balls; 3x4, 4x6) and Annerie Dercksen (36*), as the touring side p

Kimi Antonelli has boosted his title ambitions with victory in the Spanish Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris in a race swayed by strategy. The opening laps saw plenty of clashes up and down the field, with Norris narrowly holding onto the lead from pole position as Antonelli cut two corners during his concerted efforts to pass the Briton. Antonelli ultimately didn’t need to overtake him on track thanks to a Virtual

102 points behind seven rounds ago. Now? The title race leader. After Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) crashed out of the lead on Lap 1 at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) capitalised to rise to the top of the MotoGP World Championship for the first time this season after collecting his 78th MotoGP victory. Down and out of contention after the Italian Grand Prix, the #93 said. Not anymore.

"On behalf of SA Rugby, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Rassie Erasmus, Siya Kolisi and the entire Springbok team on winning the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry," said SARU President, Mark Alexander. "This triumph is not only a sporting milestone but a powerful showcase of what it means to be South African, resilience, unity and pride. "We also express our sincere gratitude to the people of Baltimore, who welcomed this historic occasion with warmth and enthusiasm. Th

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus reiterated the team’s motivation in the wake of a 43-28 victory over New Zealand to claim the inaugural Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry title in Baltimore. The Boks scored six tries to four to clinch the series 3-1 in front of a USA rugby record crowd of more than 68 000 – the majority of whom appeared to be expatriate South Africans. “It was awesome to see so many South Africans here; I don’t how they afford it or how they got here

The Springboks reserved their greatest performance of the tour to claim Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, presented by Castle Double Malt, with a convincing 43-28 victory (half-time 17-14) in the fourth and deciding Test at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA, on Saturday. The Boks dominated for much of the game and finally put daylight between themselves and a brave but ultimately outgunned All Blacks team with an emphatic 26-14 second half performance in front of a heavily green

Jennifer Kupcho of The United States team holes a match winning birdie putt on the 18th green during the afternoon singles matches during the second day of the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images It’s all to play for heading into the final day of the 2026 Solheim Cup with Europe and the United States tied with eight points each at Bernardus Golf in The Netherlands. At the start of the day, the teams were tied with four point

Suzuki Griquas staged a stirring second-half comeback to successfully defend their Carling Currie Cup Premier Division title with a hard-fought 23-16 victory over the Airlink Pumas in a tense final at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley on Saturday. The defending champions trailed 13-10 at half-time but showed composure and championship character after the break, adding 13 second-half points via the boot of George Whitehead and a decisive late try by replacement hooker Janco Uys. Whi

Will the Manchester derby be season-defining for Carrick and Maresca? The Manchester derby always seems to arrive at a crucial moment in the season, always with something dramatic on the line for at least one of these two great rivals. Despite it being only the fourth matchweek of the season, this one is no different. Manchester United’s wobbly start could look a lot worse if they were to lose this game, especially given that form at Old Trafford has been the foundation of Mi

Varsity Football log leaders UJ have made their intentions clear as they continued their unbeaten run with a 2-0 victory over UWC at UJ Soweto Stadium. Wits also showed strong character, securing a 2-0 win over TUT at Wits Stadium, while defending champions UFS continued their title defence chase with a convincing 3-0 victory over DUT. UP-Tuks also claimed an important three points, edging UL 3-0 at Tuks Stadium, as the battle for the semi-final places heats up. UJ retained t

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said while they expected a desperate performance from the All Blacks in the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series decider in Baltimore on Saturday, their inspiration to finish with a win and clinch the trophy was fuelled by making their supporters proud. Adding to the motivation for the team, it will mark Rassie Erasmus’ 100th Test match in his two roles with the Springboks since his appointment in

Carlota Ciganda and Julia Lopez Ramirez of Europe react after tying their match on the 18th hole during the Friday Fourballs of the Solheim Cup 2026 at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands. David Cannon/LET On an exciting opening day of the 2026 Solheim Cup, the European and United States teams are tied with four points each at Bernardus Golf in The Netherlands. Thousands of fans descended on the first tee for the opening session of the competition with US pair Allisen Co

Player of the Match Nthabiseng Nini posing with her trophy on debut in the first T20I against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Cricket Anneke Bosch and Nthabiseng Nini were the stars of the day as the Proteas Women recorded a convincing six-wicket triumph against Zimbabwe in the first T20 International (T20I) in Bulawayo on Friday, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Nini delivered a Player of the Match performance on her international debut, returning figures of 3/17 in 3.3 overs

Samuel Simpson. Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour Samuel Simpson claimed his third victory on the Sunshine Tour this season when he won the Sunbet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya at The Woods at Mount Edgecombe on Friday. The current Courier Guy Order of Merit leader closed with a final round of 65 to win on 13-under par, one shot clear of Graham van der Merwe, Rowan Lester and Pieter Moolman. Simpson started Friday’s final round two shots off the lead and quickly made up ground with ba

Football icons (Left to right): Mutiu Adepoju, Garba Lawal, Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba, Finidi George, Ben Iroha and Alloy Agu, pictured during the announcement of the Legends Football Match to be held as part of CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria. African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, and TopTier Sports Management, What Media Group, today announced plans for a landmark Legends Football Match as

The Springbok Women will embark on their three-match European tour, to kick-start the new WXV Global Series, with a settled squad, with former Junior Springbok Women centre Naima Hlatshwayo included in the place of the injured Zintle Mpupha. The experienced Mpupha picked up an ankle injury against the Black Ferns last Saturday, which has ruled her out of the tour, with Bok Women co-coaches Franzel September and Laurian Johannes-Haupt deciding on her Isuzu Bulls Daisies teamma

For as long as she can remember, cricket has been a major part of Caitlin Wyngaard’s life. From taking up the game at the age of seven and playing alongside boys to becoming one of South Africa’s promising young fast bowlers, her approach has remained fearless. The 21-year-old Fidelity Titans seamer now finds herself on the verge of a possible international debut after receiving her maiden Proteas Women call-up for the first-ever T20 International (T20I) series against Zimbab

SOUTH AFRICA v NEW ZEALAND M&T BANK STADIUM, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, USA ON SATURDAY – KO 5PM (LOCAL TIME; 11PM SAST; 9AM SUNDAY NZT) REFEREE Karl Dickson (England) Test debut: 17 November, 2018 – Georgia 27-19 Samoa Tests as referee: 30 (including one as replacement referee) Karl Dickson will referee this fixture for the second time, having been in the middle for New Zealand’s 24-17 victory at Eden Park in the 2025 Rugby Championship. That match is South Africa’s only loss i

Ōtautahi Christchurch is set to welcome Super Rugby Pacific Super Round back in 2027, following the resounding success of the city’s 2026 event. From Friday 2 April to Sunday 4 April 2027, all ten Super Rugby Pacific teams will come together in round eight of the competition for a blockbuster weekend of rugby, entertainment and fan experiences. The weekend will kick off with the Crusaders taking on the ACT Brumbies. Saturday will feature a double header between the Chiefs and

All Black head coach Dave Rennie has named his team to play South Africa at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday in the fourth and final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry presented by Castle Double Malt. The team for the final Test includes several changes to the side that played in Soweto, Johannesburg last weekend, with Ardie Savea, Luke Jacobson and Quinn Tupaea all ruled out with injury and Fabian Holland also unavailable due to illness. Prop Fletcher Newell, lock Pat

Graham van der Merwe. Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour Graham van der Merwe will take a one-stroke lead into Friday’s final round of the Sunbet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya at Mount Edgecombe but is well aware of the chasing pack as he looks to claim a maiden Sunshine Tour title. Van der Merwe signed for a 67 at The Woods on Thursday to lead the field on 10-under par. Just one shot behind him are both Nikhil Rama and Pieter Moolman, and two shots back are local favourite Jonathan Br

Springbok centre Damian de Allende, who recently earned the significant career milestone of playing in his 100th Test match, said playing against the All Blacks has been tough but a massive honour for the Boks and they can’t wait to run out in front of a new crowd this weekend. The two teams square off in the final match of the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in Baltimore in the USA on Saturday, and De Allende hoped that the clash would expose the local cro

South Africa’s oldest domestic rugby competition will crown its 2026 champion in Kimberley on Saturday, when defending champions Suzuki Griquas host the Airlink Pumas in a Carling Currie Cup Premier Division final layered with recent history, contrasting styles and unfinished business. Four years after the Pumas stunned Griquas in the 2022 final on the same ground to secure their first Currie Cup title, the two sides meet again to contest the famous trophy. The big match star

The development of women’s rugby in South Africa will take another step forward when the second instalment of the Betway Women’s Club Championship kicks off in Alberton, Gauteng on 20 September. The week-long event – which will take place just weeks after the Springbok Women played New Zealand’s Black Ferns on home soil for the first time, at the nearby FNB Stadium – will once again be held at Alberton Rugby Club south of Johannesburg, after the Golden Lions Rugby Union’s exc

SA Rugby President, Mark Alexander, has extended his thanks and gratitude to Swys de Bruin, who stepped down from his position at the end of August 2026 after two years as head coach of the Springbok Women. De Bruin joined SA Rugby’s High‑Performance Department in August 2024 and soon transitioned into leading the Springbok Women’s coaching group during their preparation for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. Under his guidance, the Springbok Women achieved their be

DP World Lions Ladies T20 captain Raisibe Ntozakhe's attitude to the new season is a gale-force wind of fresh air, never mind a breath. Having topped the round-robin log in both the HollywoodBets ProSeries competitions last season and making both Finals, the DP World Lions were hugely disappointed not to have added both the 50-over and T20 trophies to the Pride’s ever-swelling trophy cabinet. Whilst the newly-introduced finals of both the competitions were to be played at the

The Hollywoodbets Sharks travel to 10Bet Ellis Park Stadium on Friday to take on the 10Bet Lions in the second of two Vodacom United Rugby Championship warm-up matches before the tournament kicks off a fortnight later. Around this time, as in every previous VURC campaign, the Sharks, like the rest of the South African franchises, are limited in their selection options given the international schedule and this season is no different with the historic Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry t

Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited (www.Sunbeth.net), a leading agro-commodities sourcing and trading company, has announced the successful and timely redemption of its ₦25.1-billion Series 1 Commercial Paper (CP) issued under its ₦200-billion Commercial Paper Programme. The redemption, completed on the notes’ maturity date of 4 September 2026, underscores the Company’s financial discipline, liquidity position and commitment to meeting its obligations to investors. Sunbeth, one

Eben Etzebeth, who will extend his record as the most capped Springbok of all time when he earns his 146th Test cap in Baltimore on Saturday, said this match is crucial for the team and that they would give everything for the full 80 minutes to win the series. The Boks are currently two-one up in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, presented by Castle Double Malt, meaning victory this weekend over the All Blacks would seal the trophy for the team, while a defeat would see the series en

The Board of the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC) has suspended its President, Barry Hendricks, with immediate effect. This decision has been made in accordance with SASCOC’s governance protocols and ongoing internal review processes. The decision to suspend arises from complaints furnished anonymously to the SASCOC board relating to alleged breaches of the SASCOC safeguarding policy and Codes Handbook. The Board appointed retired

Graham van der Merwe. Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour Graham van der Merwe continued his quest for a maiden Sunshine Tour title as he posted a magnificent seven-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead in the Sunbet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya at The Woods at Mount Edgecombe on Wednesday. Van Der Merwe produced a round of seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys to lead by two shots over a strong group of players including Courier Guy Order of Merit leader, Samuel Simpson and multi

World Rugby has confirmed the qualification pathway for rugby sevens at the LA28 Olympic Games, with 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams set to compete for Olympic glory. A total of 24 teams will compete at LA28, with each qualified National Olympic Committee (NOC) able to select a delegation of 12 players per team. As hosts, USA will receive an automatic quota place in both the men’s and women’s competitions. The race for Olympic qualification will begin during the HSBC SVNS 2027

On Wednesday SA20 launched the rain SA20 Derby Series, a new series of standalone fixtures between some of South Africa's leading cricket schools and confirmed rain as title sponsor of both the new Derby Series and rain Schools SA20, the League's national schools T20 competition now entering its third season. rain's partnership with SA20 has focused on connecting young people with the game. The announcement extends that relationship into schools cricket for the first time, wi

Teams have landed in Hong Kong ahead of the opening round of the three-week WXV Global Series Challenger presented by Mitsubishi Electric at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground. Excitement is mounting as Fiji, Hong Kong China, the Netherlands, Samoa, Spain and Brazil prepare to go head-to-head in the three-week WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 tournament at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground in Hong Kong. The Challenger tournament – part of the evolving WXV Global Series presented by M

Sitting in a salon on an ordinary Tuesday morning, Nthabiseng Nini received a phone call that would mark the biggest and proudest moment of her cricketing career to date. The Warriors seamer, who celebrates her 21st birthday today (9 September), did not recognise the number at first but on the other end of the line was Proteas Women Convenor of Selectors Clinton du Preez, calling to inform the former SA U19 Women star that she had earned her maiden international call-up for t

Ruben Groenewald. Vodacom Bulls The intensity of the Vodacom Bulls’ training session in Stellenbosch this week ahead of their pre-season friendly against the DHL Stormers on Friday is exactly what young flyhalf Ruben Groenewald was looking for. Having been pulled up to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship squad by coach Johan Ackermann for Friday’s encounter in Paarl at the Faure Street Stadium, Groenewald was given a taste this week of what to expect in this new phase of hi

Pieter Moolman. Sunshine Tour The Sunshine Tour will return to the Euphoria Golf & Lifestyle Estate this October for the eighth edition of the Limpopo Championship, one of the province’s premier sporting events. The R2.5-million tournament is expected to feature another mix of established Sunshine Tour champions and rising stars competing for glory from 1-4 October, 2026. South Africa’s Pieter Moolman is the defending champion of a tournament where he hopes to make history a

World Rugby has announced the remaining five modern greats that will join Joel Stransky and Zinzan Brooke in being inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame over the coming months as the class of 2026. Abdelatif Benazzi (France), Jen Crawford (USA), Sue Day (England), Diego Dominguez (Italy) and Rochelle Martin (New Zealand) will take the number of inductees to 182 since the Hall of Fame began in 2006. Joel Stransky (South Africa) and Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand) were the fir

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) 2026/27 domestic season is fast approaching, with the newly rebranded 1st Class Series getting underway on Thursday. The red-ball competition, which dates back more than a century, returns in an exciting new form from 10 September, as the DP World Lions look to defend the title they won last season against seven other Division 1 teams all vying for a place at the top. The competition, which has served as a pathway for aspiring cricketers into th

LIV Golf Incorporated and its affiliates (collectively, “LIV Golf” or the “Company”) has announced that it has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (“RSA”) with BC Partners Advisors L.P., the credit business of BC Partners (“BC Partners Credit”), which contemplates a proposed recapitalization transaction (the “Transaction”). To effectuate the Transaction, which is intended to preserve the Company’s business as a going concern through an innovative player-first owner

Five Premier League players have been shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with the league in contention for a total of 13 awards. Arsenal, last season’s Premier League champions, have received six nominations across the ceremony, including three players on the main 30-man shortlist – more than any other club. The Ballon D’Or are one of the game’s most prestigious awards, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, rewarding players, coaches, teams and others for th