France 1938 Italy edged Brazil 2-1 to reach the decider, with Giuseppe Meazza scoring the winner from the spot. His nerve was not the only thing ‘Il Balilla’ (The Little Boy) had to hold. As Meazza prepared to take the penalty, the elastic in his shorts, which had been ripped earlier in the game, snapped. The Inter Milan man duly held them up with one hand as he stroked the ball past penalty-saving specialist Walter. Chile 1962 Garrincha should have been public enemy No 1 in

With the opening two legs of their season done, Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin has named a group of 49 players that will form part of the next cycle of matches for the squad. After the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and the two-Test series against the USA Women's Eagles, the focus shifts to an away series against Fiji, the one-off Test match against the Black Ferns in Soweto, the Global WXV Tests in Europe against Wales, Italy and Spain and the final two matches of the ye

Was it ever in doubt? MotoGP win number 10 at the Sachsenring. Career win 102. And from 102 points back after the Italian GP, Marc Marquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team are right back in the title race game. It’s a victory that lifts the reigning World Champion up to P3 in the overall standings, one place behind second place finisher Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), as the Japanese sophomore notches up a third Sunday podium on the spin to get within 20 points of cham

The Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women and Leopards Women continued with their impressive starts to the Pick n Pay Women's Super League 2, securing second consecutive victories on the road on Saturday, while the Valke Women scraped home against the Limpopo Blue Bulls Women in Polokwane. The defending champion Pumas outplayed the Griffons by 65-13 at the Down Touch Investments Stadium in Welkom for a second win away from home, while the Leopards won 26-17 against the SWD Eagirls

The Junior Springboks will go into Monday evening’s Junior World Championship semi-final against England in Georgia with confidence in their preparation but also with a clear understanding of the improvements required after a demanding pool-stage campaign. SA Under-20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele said the squad had embraced the build-up to the last-four clash, with the focus firmly on getting themselves ready for a strong English side that has already shown its quality in the

Following the Springboks’ victory over Scotland in Pretoria on Saturday, Ben-Jason Dixon immediately cast his eye to the challenge awaiting the Boks when they host Wales in Durban next week and said they were in for another big game. The versatile Bok forward started on the replacements bench in both Nations Championship victories over England and Scotland. The Springboks overcame a determined Scottish outfit by 42-28 in a grind of a battle in which the teams entered the brea

A new Carling Currie Cup First Division champion will be crowned in just under a fortnight’s time after the Griffons failed to make the semi-finals, where the DotSure SWD Eagles will face the Leopards and Eastern Province will host the Valke in next weekend’s play-offs after the league phase were completed over the weekend. SWD emerged as the top side after five rounds of league action on 22 points despite losing their last home fixture by 52-45 to EP, who finished second on

A much-changed Springbok team came through a see-sawing slugfest with Scotland to produce a 42-28 victory (halftime 14-14) in an inaugural Nations Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The Boks prevailed by six tries to four after making 10 changes to the starting XV that had beaten England 45-21 seven days ago. It kept South Africa on top of the Southern Hemisphere conference on points difference from New Zealand. Both teams have a maximum of 10 log points. “It’

The President of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), Dr Patrice Motsepe, is deeply saddened by the passing of South Africa international and Mamelodi Sundowns player, Jayden Adams. Jayden Adams (25) played for Bafana Bafana during the FIFA World Cup 2026 and was part of the Mamelodi Sundowns that won the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2026 in Rabat. On behalf of CAF and its 54 Member Associations, Dr Motsepe conveys his heartfelt condolences to the South Africa

The Springboks outlasted and eventually outplayed Scotland to win a pulsating Nations Championship match by 42-28 (half-time 14-14) at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, scoring a 10th consecutive Test win on the trot. It was a hard-fought affair though, with the Scots coming to play and taking the top-ranked side in the world to some dark places at times but the Springboks are not double world champions for nothing, twice repelling great comebacks by the visitors to win the game.

Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin expressed satisfaction with the progress his team has made in the two-Test against the USA Eagles Women, where a win each squared up the series and said it bodes well for the remaining matches in 2026. Reflecting on their 26-19 defeat at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, the Bok Women coach admitted that although the result hurt, his players deserved praise for their efforts over the last couple of weeks, preparing for and playing the USA E

The USA Eagles Women outplayed the Springbok Women by 26-19 (half-time 14-12) to level the two-Test series at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon. South Africa won the first Test at Ellis Park last week, but came up against a determined USA side, while they own effort fell short of expectations and a famous series win. The match kicked off in perfect playing conditions with hardly any wind and sunny skies but sadly, the same could not be said of the first 20 min

Western Province scored six tries to beat Western Province XV in the final match of the FNB U18 Craven Week at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Saturday. WP recorded their third-straight victory at the tournament on Saturday, while the Valke, South Western Districts, Griquas, Blue Bulls, Leopards, Boland and the Sharks claimed wins on day five to end their campaigns on a high. Both WP teams progressed to the unofficial final of the FNB U18 Craven Week for the first time, after

Ten players who were part of the two squads last year have been included in the SA Schools teams of the Class of 2026 following another highly successful FNB U18 Craven Week at Grey High School in Gqeberha. The SA Schools and SA Schools ‘A’ squads were finalised on Saturday after five days of superb schoolboy rugby in the Eastern Cape. The selected players will remain in Gqeberha to prepare for the annual clash between the two squads, which is scheduled for 3pm on Thursday at

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made four personnel changes to his starting team for their Junior World Championship semi-final against England in Tbilisi on Monday evening, as the SA U20s aim to secure a place in the tournament final. There are two changes in the backline and two in the forwards from the side that defeated Wales in their final Pool A encounter earlier this week in the Georgian capital. Foote has also opted for six forwards and two backs on the replace

SOUTH AFRICA v SCOTLAND LOFTUS VERSFELD, PRETORIA – KO 5.40pm (SAST) ON SATURDAY REFEREE Pierre Brousset (France) Test debut: 22 April, 2017 – Malta 39-17 Israel Tests as referee: 19 (including one as replacement referee) Pierre Brousset will referee South Africa for the first time with this fixture. It will be the second time the Frenchman referees Scotland, having overseen their 16-15 loss to England on his Guinness Men’s Six Nations debut in February 2025. This is Brousse

SOUTH AFRICA v USA – LOFTUS VERSFELD, PRETORIA – KO 1.30pm (SAST) ON SATURDAY REFEREE Zoe Naude (South Africa) Test debut: 19 September, 2024 – South Africa 36-19 Spain Tests as referee: 4 Zoe Naude referees this fixture for the second time, after being in the middle for South Africa’s 34-21 victory in Johannesburg last weekend. This will be the third time she referees her own country, having made her Test debut with the Springbok Women’s 36-19 victory over Spain in a WXV 2

Few are better placed than Fabio Celestini to explain the forces that drive Switzerland from within. A former international midfielder and Uefa EURO 2004 squad member, he belonged to a generation that helped turn the Nati into a consistent, respected presence on the global stage. His view is rooted in first-hand experience of a side shaped by discipline, multiculturalism and collective belief. His understanding has since been sharpened in the dugout. Celestini has carved out

Morgan Rogers raised the question on everyone’s lips – and one which captures the conundrum England will have to solve if they are to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026. “Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland?” He answered his own question by saying: “I’m not sure they have but we are going to have to try.” The Aston Villa attacker came on as a substitute against Mexico to provide fresh legs and help England over the line in their Round of 16 encounter. While,

Surprise starter Fabian Ruiz and late replacement Mikel Merino slotted home rebounds to secure Spain victory over Belgium in their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium. Luis de la Fuente’s side will now face France at Dallas Stadium in one of the biggest semi-finals in World Cup history. Ruiz, who unexpectedly started at the expense of Pedri, broke the deadlock after Thibaut Courtois had repelled Dani Olmo’s shot. The electrifying Lamine Ya

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Pieter-Steph du Toit made it clear on Friday that Scotland would provide a stern test when the teams meet in their second Nations Championship encounter on Saturday in Pretoria. They also both hoped to make it a special occasion for Rassie Erasmus, who will break the record as the most capped Springbok head coach of all time in what will mark his 55th Test match at the helm. The match kicks off at 5.40pm and will be broadc

As the likes of Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro aim to inspire Spain to glory in Los Angeles, they need look no further than fellow Spanish athlete Pau Gasol for inspiration ahead of the crunch FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final with Belgium. Gasol has become a legend in LA after winning back-to-back NBA titles alongside Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. The basketball icon also knows a thing or two about leading Spain to global success, with victory at the 2006 FIBA

Western Province scored six tries to beat Eastern Province in the final match of the FNB U18 Girls Week tournament at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Friday. WP – who has the most representation in the historic SA Schools Girls squads announced on Friday – blitzed EP 36-14 on Friday afternoon to claim their third win of the FNB U18 Girls Week. The Blue Bulls, Boland, Border, Eastern Province XV, Golden Lions, Limpopo Blue Bulls and Valke were also victorious across an action-

Three highly competitive matches await spectators in George, Welkom and Polokwane on Saturday when the second round of the Pick n Pay Women's Super League 2 commences. In George, either the SWD Eagirls or the visiting Leopards will lose their undefeated status, while in Polokwane, the return of several students from the USSA tournament will boost the Limpopo Blue Bulls in their match against the Valke, with both sides looking for a first win. The Griffons will play their firs

Six members from last year’s SA U18 Girls squad have been included in the first SA Schools Girls groups named by SA Rugby at the conclusion of yet another very successful FNB U18 Girls Week in Gqeberha. It’s the first time the two SA Schools Girls squads have been named. They will face each other at Grey High School on Thursday, with the 52 selected players remaining in the Eastern Cape to prepare for this historic clash. Isipho Dungelo (WP), Silakhe Masizana (EP), Nokulinda

She will extend her Springbok Women record as most capped prop to 44 Tests but for Yonela Ngxingolo, it makes no difference if she is doing it off the bench or in the starting team when they take on the USA Eagles at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The 28-year-old made her Test match debut way back in 2018 and apart from the odd injury, Ngxingolo has been part of every squad selected for international duty ever since. She has been a regular starter in the early part of her caree

The Road to Lyon officially begins today as EPCR confirms the full pool stage fixture schedule for the 2026/27 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, setting the stage for another thrilling season of elite international club rugby. The 2026/27 campaigns kick off across the weekend of 16/1718 October, with clubs embarking on the journey towards the EPCR Finals Weekend, taking place at Lyon's OL Stadium on 21 and 22 May 2027. Featuring European heavyweights, returning c

The race for the four places in the Carling Currie Cup First Division semi-finals is set for a thrilling conclusion on Saturday, with five of the six teams still in contention for the four available play-off places and crucial log points at stake across the Eastern Cape, Southern Cape and Gauteng. The competition has been remarkably tight throughout the season. With the Dotsure SWD Eagles already through and Border eliminated, the remaining four contenders – Eastern Province,

Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice headed to the FIFA World Cup 2026 riding the crest of a wave. Both were integral figures in Arsenal’s Premier League title win, with the London club crowned champions of England for the first time in 22 years. They came agonisingly close to adding a Uefa Champions League triumph, too, reaching the final where they were beaten on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain. Odegaard and Rice now have their sights on an even bigger prize but, having stood..

Kylian Mbappe stole the headlines once more as France defeated Morocco at Boston Stadium to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals. Mbappe recovered from a first-half penalty miss to score his eighth goal of the finals, before setting up Ousmane Dembele for his fifth as the two-time champions booked a last-four meeting with either Belgium or Spain. France signalled their intent early, with Dayot Upamecano heading a fifth-minute corner straight at Yassine Bounou. After domi

Brahim Diaz sees passes that others simply cannot. With four assists to his name already at the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Morocco playmaker has shone brightly so far, though his country’s quarter-final meeting with France on Thursday pits him against two players who can say the same and more. Lining up for Les Bleus will be Michael Olise on one flank – the player one ahead of Diaz atop the tournament's assist chart – and Kylian Mbappe, his Real Madrid teammate, on the other. I

Western Province XV overturned a nine-point half-time deficit to beat the Golden Lions on day four of the FNB U18 Craven Week, while the Griffons, Pumas and Blue Bulls were also victorious at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Thursday. WP XV maintained their perfect record at the FNB U18 Craven Week tournament after downing the Lions on Thursday, while the Griffons, Pumas and Bulls bounced back from Tuesday’s defeats. The Lions dominated the early exchanges of their match again

The Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) is proud to announce the contracted Western Province Women's squad for the 2026/27 domestic season, as the Girls in Blue prepare to defend their status as one of South Africa's leading women's teams. Following an outstanding 2025/26 campaign that saw Western Province Women crowned Hollywoodbets Pro50 champions while successfully defending their Hollywoodbets Pro20 title, head coach Claire Terblanche and her squad are determined

The strong rugby bond between South Africa and Georgia was further strengthened on Thursday when the Junior Springbok assistant coaches hosted a highly successful coaching seminar at the team’s hotel in Tbilisi. The seminar, aligned with World Rugby’s legacy initiatives, focused on the fundamentals of forward and set-piece play. The proceedings were opened by SA Rugby Union (SARU) Deputy President, Francois Davids, who set the tone by highlighting the warm relationship and gr

World Rugby has reinforced its commitment to tackling online hate after publishing findings from its Social Media Protection Service, which safeguarded players, match officials and their families throughout Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. While sports and athletes benefit from brand-building opportunities via social platforms, World Rugby revealed that female players and match officials are almost 70% more likely to experience online abuse, discrimination and hate speech compar

Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin selected Eloise Webb at fullback for Saturday’s second Test against the USA Eagles Women at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, in the only change to the starting team that defeated the same opponents at Ellis Park last weekend. Webb, who played off the bench in the 34-21 victory in Johannesburg, comes in for Byrhandré Dolf, who is unavailable for selection because of player welfare rest protocols. Her place on the bench will be filled by Mac

Signing the landmark lighting deal are, from left, Hugo Kemp (Loftus Versfeld stadium and operations manager), Van Rooy van den Berg (Afrison founder and CEO), Edgar Rathbone (Blue Bulls Company CEO) and Johan Klein (Afrison director). Loftus Versfeld, one of the most historic and revered cathedrals in world rugby, is stepping into the future. Fans attending the highly anticipated Springbok vs Scotland Test match on Saturday will be the very first to experience a state-of-the

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will enter uncharted territory on Saturday when he sends out a Springbok team for a record-breaking 55th time as head coach – the most of any coach since South Africa’s first Test match in 1891. Erasmus has reached the total in two spells (2018 and 2019 and 2024 to the present day) to surpass the previous record of 54 Tests established by 2007 Rugby World Cup winning coach Jake White from 2004 to 2007. Mark Alexander, President of SARU, said: “R

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins have strengthened their batting stocks ahead of the 2026/27 domestic season with the signing of accomplished top-order batter Josh Richards, who says a move to Durban is one he is excited to make. Richards joins the Dolphins after establishing himself as one of the most consistent run-scorers in South African domestic cricket during his time with the DP World Lions and Gauteng. A product of St Stithians College, he also represented South Africa Unde

Western Province, Border and Eastern Province claimed important wins in the second round of the FNB U18 Girls Week tournament at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Wednesday. WP, EP, the Valke, Griffons and South Western Districts banked their second wins of the tournament on Wednesday, while Border, the Pumas and Griquas rebounded from losses in the opening round on Monday. WP and the Golden Lions enjoyed a particularly close battle in the final match of the day. The game was i

Western Province edged the Sharks on the third day of the FNB U18 Craven Week in Gqeberha, while the Leopards, Eastern Province and Free State were also among the winners at Grey High School on Wednesday. Day three of the FNB U18 Craven Week witnessed several tight contests, with three of the four matches decided by 12 points or fewer. WP and Free State claimed victories to extend their winning runs in the tournament, while the hosts and Leopards registered their first victor

Junior Springbok assistant coach Lumumba Currie was pleased with their progress through the pool stages of the Junior World Championship but insisted there is still significant room for improvement as the defending champions prepare for a heavyweight semi-final against England in Tbilisi on Monday. The Junior Boks completed an unbeaten Pool A campaign on evening Tuesday with a 52-33 victory over Wales, securing maximum points from their three group matches and finishing top o

SA Rugby Mobi-unit coach Duane Vermeulen expressed his excitement about the energy in the Springbok matchday squad named to face Scotland in Pretoria on Saturday, and admitted that while it was not the most experienced squad, they are a group of extremely talented players, and that the Boks were looking forward to the Test. The second-round Nations Championship clash, which marks the first encounter ever between the teams at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, kicks off at 5.40pm an

Branded apparel should do more than carry a logo. It should feel good, look considered and be something people are happy to wear after a golf day, team event, or year-end function. BooYaa is bringing its premium apparel approach to corporates, clubs, sports teams and event organisers through its custom branding and corporate apparel offer, giving clients a simple way to kit out their people in clothing that feels designed, wearable and worth keeping. The offer covers corporat

Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote praised his side’s resilience and attacking intent after they defeated Wales in their final pool match at the Junior World Championship in Georgia, securing a place in the semi-finals against England. On Tuesday afternoon in Tbilisi, the South Africa U20s were made to work hard by a spirited Welsh side, who made a fast start and led 14-0 after 11 minutes. The Junior Boks were forced to fight their way back into the contest, but once they set

The Junior Springboks' defence of their Junior World Championship title is still on track after they qualified for the semi-finals with a 52-33 victory (half-time 26-14) over Wales in Tbilisi on Tuesday, but they will be the first to admit there is work to be done. Although the SA U20s outscored the Welsh by eight tries to five in the Georgian capital to top Pool A, they will have to work at eradicating a number of basic errors before their semi-final on Monday. After a very

The Golden Lions edged the Blue Bulls on day two of the FNB U18 Craven Week, while Border, Griquas and Western Province XV were also among the winners at Grey High School in Gqeberha on Tuesday. The second day of the tournament served up a series of fascinating contests, with 42 tries scored over the course of the four matches – and 10 of those coming in the Jukskei Derby. The Bulls raced to 12-0 lead after their lineout set the platform for two tries. The Lions clawed their

South Africa's premier university football competition returns with an exciting new look as Varsity Football 2026 gets underway in August. The women's tournament kicks-off on 1 August and will be contested over two bumper weekends before attention shifts to the men's competition, which runs from 7 August to 2 October. This season introduces one of the biggest changes in the tournament's history with Varsity Football moving to Friday nights for the men's competition. For the f

Players at the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 in Georgia will come together on Tuesday to show their support for fair sport on Keep Rugby Clean Day. All of the players preparing for the final round of pool matches in Tbilisi and Kutaisi will wear distinctive t-shirts during their warm-ups in a collective stance against doping. Keep Rugby Clean is World Rugby’s anti-doping education and awareness programme. It aims to deter doping by educating participants on their

World Rugby is debuting a remote Television Match Official (TMO) hub at the World Rugby Nations Cup and Junior World Championship events, as new minimum standards in technology provision begin to roll out across the game. Currently, TMOs and Foul Play Review Officers are on location at matches, using a variety of technologies and set-ups, whereas the TMOs selected for the two competitions will operate from one central World Rugby TMO hub, based in the UK. The innovation build