Keegan McLachlan. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Australian Austin Bautista continued where he left off last season and claimed a share of the second-round lead with Keegan McLachlan in the Mediclinic Invitational at Heron Banks Golf & River Estate on Thursday. Bautista carded a bogey-free round of five-under par 66 to share the lead with McLachlan, who signed for a three-under par 68, on 11-under par. They are one shot clear of the South African duo of Keagan Thomas (67) and

Casandra Alexander. Sunshine Ladies Tour/Perfect Exposure South Africa’s top-ranked Casandra Alexander is three strokes off the lead after the first round of the Joburg Ladies Open at Randpark Golf Club on Thursday as she chases her second title in this Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour event. Alexander opened with a four-under par 69 and is chasing the shared lead of French duo Agathe Laisne and Ariane Klotz and American Brianna Navarrosa on seven-under par. The

Sanlam Boland Kavaliers head coach Hawies Fourie has made 11 changes and a positional switch to the starting lineup that went down 24-14 against the Suzuki Griquas in Wellington last weekend when the Kavaliers host the Border Bulldogs in Wellington on Saturday in Round Six of the SA Cup. Currently fifth on the SA Cup log after consecutive defeats to the Dotsure SWD Eagles and Griquas, the Kavaliers will be determined to return to winning ways and force their way back into the

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson (left) with former team manager Chippie Solomon. Inpho Photography The DHL Stormers are looking to complete a historic double as they head into the final lap of the URC campaign. To start with, they are aiming to finish top of the table for the first time since they joined the multi-nation competition back in 2021. They are also hoping to set a new league record for regular season home attendances, surpassing the tally set by Leinste

Vodacom United Rugby Championship rugby returns after a fortnight break, with everything to play for in the final four rounds of the pool stages as the Hollywoodbets Sharks travel to Wales to take on the Ospreys on Saturday evening. “The mood in the camp is really good,” said captain Andre Esterhuizen ahead of the team’s departure to Wales. “We know we’re building something here and we know we basically need to win four out of four games to stand a chance to get into the top

Scarlets centre Joe Roberts. Inpho Photography Joe Roberts readily admits it was hard to be left out of Wales’ Six Nations plans but he has responded in the best possible way. The Scarlets centre is currently his country’s top try scorer in the URC, having touched down seven times, including four in his last three league outings. He will now be hoping to get the chance to add to that tally in Saturday’s derby clash at home to Cardiff Rugby, although he recognises that competi

Ospreys playmaker Jack Walsh. Inpho Photography Jack Walsh arrived at the Ospreys with no great fanfare as a relative unknown. But the USA-born, Aussie-raised utility back has gone on to add his name to the long list of overseas imports who have shone brightly for the region since its inception in 2003. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Jerry Collins, Filo Tiatia, Marty Holah, Tommy Bowe, Justin Marshall and Stefan Terblanche, he has become an integral member of the

Leinster winger Joshua Kenny. Inpho Photography Joshua Kenny is in seventh heaven having emerged as one of the real breakthrough players of this season. The 22-year-old winger only made his Leinster Rugby debut in October but has proved a prolific addition to their ranks, scoring 11 tries in his 12 appearances. Nine of those have come in the URC, making him the league’s joint top try scorer alongside two back row men - the DHL Stormers’ Evan Roos and Connacht Rugby’s Sean Jan

Dragons flyhalf Tinus de Beer. Inpho Photography For Tinus de Beer, this weekend’s URC clash with the Vodacom Bulls will be a fixture with real added resonance. It was with the South African province that the Dragons RFC flyhalf began his rugby journey in his home city of Pretoria more than a decade ago. Now he is set to face them at Rodney Parade on Friday night. There’s also the fact that he was linked with a potential move back to the Bulls earlier this season. But he has

The Vodacom Bulls have chosen a largely familiar looking side for their VURC encounter against the Dragons on Friday, building from the team that took on Glasgow while making a handful of considered adjustments that speak to rotation and balance rather than any shift in identity. The core of the side remains intact, with continuity in the front row and loose trio providing a stable platform up front. Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Francois Klopper again anchor the s

He was meant to leave in ten minutes. Instead, he stayed. While practising at the Arrows Rest Driving Range following the recent LIV Golf event at Steyn City, 11-year-old Mienke Liebenberg found herself sharing the range with one of the biggest names in the game, Bryson DeChambeau. What followed was not a quick greeting or a photo opportunity but more than half an hour of conversation, guidance and encouragement. “He wasn’t in a rush,” says Mienke. “Even though they had to le

They arrived in Hong Kong as the 11th-ranked team out of 12, had some misfortunes on the injury front and four players who will experience the intensity of the world stage for the first time but if you asked Ayanda Malinga, you write off the Springbok Women’s Sevens at your own peril. The hard-running wing, who has scored 14 tries in eight tournaments at this level, said the absence of regular captain, Nadine Roos, and experienced players like Liske Lategan and Simamkele Namb

Getting it right five times out of six was a good reflection of the standards the Springbok Sevens set for themselves in 2026 but the most valuable lesson was to make sure you start from zero every time. With that in mind, the Blitzboks will tackle the Cathay/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong tournament this weekend with the baseline of setting their own standards and playing accordingly. That is the view of Philip Snyman, who made it all happen for the Blitzboks in recent seasons, as the

The SA Cup is moving closer to its defining moment in the competition, with log positions beginning to clarify and every result carrying increased significance in the race for semi-final places and crucially for some, Carling Currie Cup Premier Division qualification. The sixth round kicks off with a Friday night opener in Nelspruit setting the tone before a full slate of Saturday fixtures spread across Wellington, Welkom, George and Gqeberha. The Airlink Pumas welcome the Le

The pressure on the four South African franchises in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship will reach fever pitch this weekend as they channel all their energy into qualifying for quarter-final spots and the best possible log positions for favourable play-off places in the fourth-last pool round of the competition. The Vodacom Bulls will meet the Dragons in Wales on Friday, while three matches will play out on Saturday, when the DHL Stormers host Connacht in Cape Town, the Fi

Keegan McLachlan. Tyrone Winfield/Sunshine Tour Keegan McLachlan started the Sunshine Tour’s new 2026/27 season on a strong note when he opened with a bogey-free first round of eight-under-par 63 on Wednesday to lead the Mediclinic Invitational at the Heron Banks Golf & River Estate. After losing his Sunshine Tour card at the end of last season, McLachlan has started the new season with a vengeance and earned himself a one-shot lead over MJ Viljoen and Samuel Simpson. McLachl

Casandra Alexander. Perfect Exposure Casandra Alexander is back on home fairways this week as she leads the South African challenge in a Joburg Ladies Open at Randpark Golf Club that has drawn the top-ranked players from both the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour for this co-sanctioned event. Alexander returns in some of the best form of her career, having risen to No 1 on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and now the highest ranked South African at 41st in

The start of their journeys to make their Springbok Women’s Sevens debuts, at the HSBC SVNS World Championship, could not have been more different but for Owami Mohuli and Jane Mulder, their destination was the same – the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. Mohuli (19) and Mulder (20) will hold no fear or favour in Hong Kong on Friday, shared by a firm desire to deliver their best effort, knowing that a sound performance for their country could ease the way for their age-group

The Springbok Sevens squad achieved one of their pre-season objectives by winning the HSBC SVNS Series but according to Blitzbok captain Impi Visser, they now need to up the ante even more, as they have other targets to hunt down as well. Visser, who played in his 50th world series tournament in the USA, said their mindset for Friday's HSBC SVNS World Championship opener at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park will be centred around their search for the perfect game, something he

Half a century since the tournament's inception in 1976, Hong Kong remains the heartbeat of international sevens rugby. This year's edition marks not only a golden anniversary but the start of a three-tournament World Championship race that will crown the sport's ultimate champions in 2026. The historic tournament has transitioned from its original home at Hong Kong Stadium to the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium, ushering in a new chapter for sevens in Hong Kong while honour

LIV Golf returns to Mexico City for another high-altitude showdown at Club de Golf Chapultepec. The tree-lined layout features Kikuyu fairways and rough and plays as a par 71 measuring 7 443 yards. Sitting at approximately 7 350 feet above sea level, the thin air will deliver some of the longest drives LIV Golf fans will see all season. Last year, Joaquin Niemann came from behind, winning at 16-under in front of the passionate Latin American fans. Here are the Team Power Rank

Zain Davids has seen it all during his Sevens career as a Blitzbok. He has stood on podiums around the world, lifted a handful of trophies and received bronze, silver and gold medals in various competitions. And while none of those achievements have happened during his five previous trips to Hong Kong, the 28-year-old, who will be playing in his 58th HSBC SVNS tournament, said his focus remains on living in the moment every time he takes the field, which is exactly what he in

Lions Cricket are proud to warmly welcome Johannesburg-based residential property developer Craft Homes to the Pride, joining an already impressive and ever-swelling sponsorship stable. Aligned in values, the innovative brand of Craft Homes has wholeheartedly committed to walk with Lions both on the field and off it, effectively immediately. The relationship was born organically, growing out of Craft Homes’ participation in the iconic Pink Day ODI at the much-loved DP World W

After the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup two week break, the URC returns with only four rounds remaining as the Race To The Eight continues. Friday night lights returns in Belfast, Edinburgh and Newport as we see Zebre Parma make the trip to the Edinburgh, Ulster welcome defending champions Leinster and Dragons host the Vodacom Bulls. Saturday kicks off in South Africa as the DHL Stormers face Connacht, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions welcome league leaders Glasgow

The Metro Cup T10 is back, and this time it is heading to the iconic SuperSport Park in Centurion. The second edition of the competition will take place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 April, bringing fast-paced T10 cricket action to one of South Africa's most celebrated cricket venues. The inaugural Metro Cup was held in Durban, where the Momentum Multiply Titans claimed the first-ever Metro Cup trophy, now the tournament makes its way to Centurion - the proud home of the Titans

The Telkom Netball League (TNL), South Africa’s premier netball competition, returns for the 2026 season this April. The country’s top provincial teams and rising stars, alongside international invitational sides, will take to the court in a competition that continues to shape the future of South African netball. With matches set to take place in Durban and Johannesburg, the new season marks another important chapter in the journey of South Africa’s netball talent - from firs

Get ready for Kids Round 2026! The United Rugby Championship is thrilled to announce the return of Kids Round, a celebration of the next generation of rugby fans where stadiums will be transformed into spaces for young supporters to experience the game like never before. Taking place in Round 16 (April 24 & 25), Kids Round is all about putting children at the heart of the action - not just in the stands but across the entire matchday experience. From the first whistle to the

Hollywoodbets Sharks head coach JP Pietersen has named a 28-man squad that flies to Wales on Tuesday, ahead of back-to-back away matches against the Ospreys and Edinburgh. With the Race to the Eight heating up over the last four weekends of Vodacom United Rugby Championship pool match action, the Sharks are under no illusion as the enormity of the closing stages of the tournament as they look to meet their ambitions in the competition. Andre Esterhuizen is back to lead the te

Mark Alexander was the only nomination for the role of president of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) when the deadline for nominations for a four-year term closed on Monday. Alexander, who first took the role in an interim capacity in 2016 (following the resignation of incumbent, Oregan Hoskins) was nominated by representatives of 11 SARU’s member unions. He will formally begin his third and final full term at the Annual General Meeting in Cape Town on 14 May. Meanwhile e

The South African ‘A’ team will make a welcome return to the rugby calendar when they line up against the Zimbabwe Sables as a curtain-raiser to the Springboks’ opening match of the season, against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June, in a thrilling double header. The last time the SA ‘A’ team took the field was during the 2022 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour against Munster and the Bristol Bears and with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in sight for both the Springboks and the Sables –

There is a moment, early in most skating stories, where everything feels possible. For Annika, that moment came in Sweden, where she grew up competing seriously before walking away from the sport after a performance that did not go as planned. For years, skating was something she had done, not something she still was. Then her daughter stepped onto the ice. What started as watching from the side turned into something else entirely. “Sharing the ice with my daughter is incredi

The Hurricanes have sent their biggest message yet about their title intentions in 2026, thumping the Blues 42-19 at Hnry Stadium in Wellington. The win was a top of the table clash for Super Rugby Pacific with Clark Laidlaw’s side proving to be the better finishers in front of their home crowd as they ran in six tries against a usually stingy Blues defence. Callum Harkin opened the scoring with a well taken try around the left edge, which was followed soon after by a barge o

FNB UP-Tuks secured their record sixth FNB Varsity Cup title with a dominant 31-3 victory over FNB NWU Eagles in the 2026 final on Monday night. The season’s showpiece came down to a clash between the top two sides on the log, as FNB UP-Tuks hosted second-placed FNB NWU Eagles in a rain-soaked and packed Tuks Stadium. Rising to the occasion, the home side delivered a commanding performance to outclass their opponents and cap off an outstanding campaign in style. As anticipate

Eighteen of the best young women rugby players in the country assembled in Stellenbosch on Monday for a 10-day Under-20 alignment camp that will not only expose the players to highly skilled coaching in the national set-up but also put steps into place for the Junior Springbok Women’s international matches against the USA U20s in July. The group will be coached in an Academy based set-up, with various SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coaches involved with the squad during this camp. A numb

Check out the key statistics from every match, with places in the semi-finals up for grabs on Tuesday and Wednesday. All kick-off times are 9pm CET. Tuesday Atleti v Barcelona (2-0) All previous Uefa competition meetings between Barcelona and Atleti have come in the Champions League quarter-finals, with Atleti winning both ties – 2-1 on aggregate in 2013/14 (1-1 away, 1-0 home) and 3-2 on aggregate in 2015/16 (2-1 away, 2-0 home). Atleti are unbeaten in their 10 previous Uefa

Ulster Rugby, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Dragons RFC and Exeter Chiefs are through to the EPCR Challenge Cup semi-finals after a high-intensity weekend of knockout action and a series of tightly contested clashes. With clubs from URC, PREM Rugby and TOP 14 all progressing, the competition now moves one step closer to the EPCR Challenge Cup Final in Bilbao on 22 May, with tickets still available for fans who want to be part of the biggest weekend in international club rugby.

It was a quarter-final weekend that had everything - drama, intensity, and moments of pure magic - as the Investec Champions Cup delivered knockout rugby at its absolute best. Four giants of the European game now stand on the brink of glory, with semi-final places secured in unforgettable fashion for Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Leinster Rugby and Union Bordeaux Bègles. CLICK BELOW FOR QUARTER-FINAL REVIEW STATS Friday night at The Rec will live long in the memory. Bath Rugby produ

The South African Women’s National Selection Panel has today announced the Proteas Women squad that will take on India in a five-match T20 International (T20I) series on home soil from 17-27 April. The Proteas’ final home international series of the 2025/26 season will get underway at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium in Durban with back-to-back matches on Friday and Sunday, before the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg hosts the third and fourth T20Is on 22 and 25

The Vodacom Bulls have solidified the core of their future roster, confirming long-term contract extensions for Springbok flanker Marco van Staden and explosive loose forward Mpilo Gumede. The dual signings represent a significant move in the franchise’s multi-year recruitment and retention strategy. Van Staden has committed to the club until June 2028, while Gumede has signed a five-year deal that keeps him at Loftus Versfeld until June 2029. Both players are central to the

David Brits is keen to see if the hype around the Cathay Pacific/HSBC SVNS Hong Kong as being the best in the world, is true as in his opinion, nothing beats the South African leg of the world series, but he is going into the week with an open mind, the Blitzbok forward said with a huge smile on Monday. The decorated 28-year-old is on his first visit to Hong Kong and he plans to make the best of this opportunity, with the long-anticipated tournament victory also on “to do lis

The Toyota Cheetahs have announced the signing of double Rugby World Cup winner and veteran Springbok scrumhalf, Faf de Klerk (34) from Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan. De Klerk has committed to a two-year deal that will see him make Bloemfontein his home from June 2026. His arrival marks one of the most significant signings in the franchise's history, bringing a wealth of international experience and a winning pedigree to the Free State. "We are beyond excited to welcome Faf

It was another profitable weekend for the Suzuki Griquas, Airlink Pumas, Dotsure SWD Eagles and Toyota Cheetahs in the SA Cup, while there was also a first win for Eastern Province in the fifth round. Griquas bagged their fifth victory courtesy of a 24-14 away win over Sanlam Boland Kavaliers in Wellington, the Eagles followed up their recent win over the Kavaliers with a narrow 43-40 win on the road against Valke and the Pumas outgunned Border 94-5 in East London. In the Fre

Two familiar Springbok Women’s Sevens players have been recalled to the squad for the first HSBC SVNS World Championship tournament, to be played in Hong Kong next weekend. Zintle Mpupha and Eloise Webb, who played for the Isuzu Bulls Daisies and Sanlam Boland Dames in last weekend’s Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 final in Pretoria, return to the shorter version of the game as SA coach Cecil Afrika named his squad for the trip to the Far East. Mpupha played for the nationa

The SA Cup log leaders, Suzuki Griquas, were made to work hard by the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers for their 24-14 victory at the Boland Rugby Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. Three tries from Gurswin Wehr, Tiaan Lange and Dylan Maart meant the visitors headed into the half-time break with a comfortable 19-7 lead. Unforced errors and two yellow cards meant the Kavaliers allowed Griquas to maintain their lead on the scoreboard. The visitors came out firing on all cylinders, scori

Stormers Rugby and the wider rugby community of the Western Cape has been shocked and saddened by the news of the passing of DHL Stormers Team Manager Christopher ‘Chippie’ Solomon. A respected educator and administrator, a loving father and husband and a revered rugby man, Solomon will be missed by countless players, coaches, learners and staff whose lives he impacted over a full and significant career. Husband to Pearl and father to Nina and Chad, Solomon also acted as a fa

The Wits Rugby Stadium was packed to the rafters, the rugby on show was entertaining and the spectators in attendance were given value for their money when FNB Wits hosted FNB WSU in this year’s final in Johannesburg on Friday. The Wits Blues went into the match as favourites and they lived up to those expectations, beating their counterparts 44-18. Wits had already secured automatic promotion to the Varsity Cup before the final, while WSU finished in second place on the log.

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