As the Junior Springboks continue with their preparations for their forthcoming tour to Georgia, their squad depth and forward dominance were on display during Tuesday’s training match against the University of Cape Town in Stellenbosch. The SA U20s outplayed the defending FNB Varsity Cup champions with a brand of powerful forward play – with their tight-five providing the strong heartbeat of the engine room and the loose forwards securing fast ball at the breakdown – and spe

Emphatic away win casts aside suggestions Arsenal’s title challenge is fragile A perfect weekend for Arsenal has flipped the narrative once again. Those hand-wringing suggestions that Mikel Arteta's side will hesitate under pressure look almost laughably unfair now as they accelerate away from the chasing pack. There is plenty of time for the title race to change again but the emphatic nature of Arsenal’s victory in what was supposed to be a nervy game, followed by dropped po

The stage is set for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, as she opened the 145th IOC Session at Milan’s iconic Teatro alla Scala in the presence of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. “Everyone you meet cannot wait for the Games to begin. There is definitely an Olympic vibe building in the streets of Milan, in Cortina and in all host regions and more specifically in the heart

Some partnerships are built carefully on paper, while others reveal themselves the moment two skaters step onto the ice together. For Milanѐ Gamberini (11) and Philip Malan (14), it began with a try-out lesson in 2022. Three years later, they will make history as South Africa’s first Basic Novice Pairs team to debut at an ISU-listed international competition, stepping onto the ice at Skate Berlin in February. Their coach, Konrad Giering, head coach at Evolution on Ice in Pret

The format of HSBC SVNS is tough enough, with five tight games between the top eight sides in the world on any given weekend, so the Springbok Sevens are determined to not also “play against themselves” at the HSBC SVNS Perth this weekend. They will face Spain, Argentina and Fiji in Pool A of the tournament at HBF Park in the Western Australian capital. The Blitzboks arrived in Perth on Monday evening following a disappointing fourth place finish in Singapore last weekend and

As the dust settles on the Barcelona Shakedown, here we have the lowdown on what happened at the event. Mileage, mileage, mileage was the mantra of the Barcelona Shakedown as teams worked to clock up as many laps as they could to generate data that will prove invaluable in understanding the new-for-2026 Formula 1 cars. So how did it go? You beat us to it – that was going to be our question! Ha! Great minds! The overall vibe coming out of the shakedown at the Circuit de Barcel

The match schedule and ticket prices for Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 have been revealed, confirming dates, venues and kick-off times for all 52 tournament matches. Fans and teams can now start planning their Rugby World Cup journey to Australia, with first tickets available from 18 February for registered fans in the exclusive Presale. To mark the moment, Rugby World Cup winner and former Wallaby captain John Eales together with Australia's Joseph Suaalii took the We

Casandra Alexander. Sunshine Ladies Tour South Africa’s Casandra Alexander believes the Sunshine Ladies Tour is fast becoming the main pathway onto the Ladies European Tour for the world’s women professionals as she continues to support the Tour in this week’s R1.3-million SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International at Humewood Golf Club. She headlines the field for the opening tournament on the 2026 Sunshine Ladies Tour, which tees off on Wednesday as the firs

BooYaa Golf, South Africa’s premier golf apparel brand, has never been just a clothing brand. It has always been a way to show up, back your mates and celebrate the moments that matter. As 2026 begins, BooYaa is giving that spirit a new home with the launch of the BooYaa Social Club, a dedicated community channel designed to bring fans closer to the brand, the people behind it and the stories on and off the course. Hosted on Instagram, the BooYaa Social Club will share new dr

The Isuzu Bulls Daisies are proud to announce the signing of seven dynamic players who will bolster the squad ahead of the upcoming season. Four of these athletes have graduated from the Emerging Daisies programme, while three join from other unions, bringing fresh energy and depth to the team. This recruitment drive comes at a pivotal time for the defending champions as they navigate player transitions to national setups while maintaining their standard of excellence in dome

Thirty years of leading innovation across the rugby world will continue in Super Rugby Pacific in 2026 with new law modifications designed to further reduce stoppages, inspire positive play and simplify the officiating of the game. With the emphatic support of clubs, match officials and stakeholders, the competition has approved five key law innovations for the 2026 season: It will no longer be mandatory for the referee to issue a yellow or red card to a player on the defendi

A blazing first half, steady nerves and a roaring home crowd powered the SPAR Proteas to a commanding 65-50 victory over England on Sunday, sealing a hard-fought 2-1 series triumph in the SPAR Challenge netball series at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg. SPAR Proteas coach Jenny van Dyk reverted to the starting seven from Thursday’s first Test win over England, with the only change seeing Elmeré van der Berg coming in at goal shooter for Rolene Streutker. The Sout

MJ Viljoen (right) and the winning caddie Jeff Faku. Sunshine Tour South Africa’s MJ Viljoen claimed a dramatic play-off victory in the SDC Open at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa on Sunday, securing his first title on the HotelPlanner Tour. Viljoen came from one shot behind at the start of the round and looked headed for a comfortable victory when he was at one point, three shots clear on the back nine. But a charging Deon Germishuys and a weather delay quickly changed that. Ge

The route to Los Angeles 2028 is now set for nations hoping to qualify teams to compete in the inaugural Olympic Games Flag Football events. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board today approved the Olympic Qualification System for Flag Football in LA28, developed in collaboration with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The system, which can be downloaded from the IOC website, guarantees automatic qualification for the host nation, th

The Springbok Sevens finished in fourth place at the HSBC SVNS Singapore on Sunday, following two agonizingly close defeats – to France and New Zealand – in the National Stadium in the semi-final and third-place play-offs. Against France, the South Africans just could not score the try they needed to draw level and they went down by 12-5, while against New Zealand, one unsuccessful conversion determined the 14-12 result. On Saturday, the Blitzboks were edged by a ‘golden try’

Ulster Rugby's Angus Bell celebrates after scoring with Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok and James Hume. Inpho Photography A much-changed Glasgow Warriors team extended their lead at the top of the United Rugby Championship table thanks to a 31-22 bonus point victory over Munster Rugby at a sold out Scotstoun. All four of their tries came in the first half as they built a 28-5 buffer which served as the platform for a ninth successive victory in all competitions. With the bulk of th

The Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks showed true grit in a thrilling round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies on Saturday to walk away with crucial victories against the Lions and DHL Stormers, which not only proved that they could be finding their form at the right time, but it also gave them a handy nudge on the standings. The Bulls delivered a dominant display of rugby against the Lions in the eagerly anticipated Jukskei Derby in Johannesburg, scoring an im

The SPAR Proteas were brought back down to earth after their thrilling opening victory of the SPAR Challenge netball series, losing the second Test to England 61-49 at the Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg on Saturday night. Ahead of the series, SPAR Proteas coach Jenny van Dyk spoke about building depth in the squad ahead of July’s Commonwealth Games and the 2027 Netball World Cup and it was with that in mind that she rang in the changes for the second Test, with

Baard Skogen. Sunshine Tour Norway’s Baard Skogen and France’s Maxence Giboudot will head into the final round of the SDC Open tied for the lead on 15-under par after a thrilling third round of low scoring at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa on Saturday. Skogen signed for a 64 to top the leaderboard and Giboudot birdied the last for a 68 to join him. “I’m over the moon. I made some long putts and couldn’t be more pleased,” said Skogen, who finished fifth in this tournament last y

The Springbok Sevens will meet France in the HSBC SVNS Singapore semi-finals after winning their first two pool games on Saturday, before going down in extra-time against Fiji in the last clash of the day. The semi-final will kick-off at 9.14am on Sunday morning (SA time), with Fiji and New Zealand contesting the other top-four play-off (8.52am). South Africa had a patchy start in their first pool clash against Spain, losing possession after a couple of phases near the Spanis

Can Spurs build on UCL success to get a season-saving victory over City? It will not be lost on Tottenham Hotspur supporters revelling in their top-eight finish in the League Phase of the Uefa Champions League that Manchester City historically struggle on this ground. Pep Guardiola has lost more league games against Spurs than any other opponent in his managerial career (8). Spurs are winless in five Premier League matches but the 2-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt could and

Judd Sundelson won the 2026 South African Amateur Championship beating Germany’s Morris Schiefner 3&2 at Pretoria Country Club – exactly the same winning margin with which his grandfather Neville won the title at East London Golf Club in 1972. GolfRSA Judd Sundelson etched his name into South African amateur golf history with a memorable victory in the final of the South African Amateur Championship at Pretoria Country Club, completing a remarkable three-generation family leg

Maxence Giboudot. Sunshine Tour France’s Maxence Giboudot produced a sublime 64 to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend of the SDC Open but with Welshman Rhys Enoch as one of his nearest challengers as he seeks to make history in this event. Giboudot heads the field on 11-under par following a round which he said was “hot and tough and wild” at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa on Friday. “That’s very welcome. It was hot and tough but everything I could control went well. I fel

Cricket South Africa is set to deliver an unforgettable Pink Day when the Proteas Men host the West Indies in the final KFC T20 International (T20I) at a sold-out DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. The match will mark the first time the national side takes the field in a T20I wearing pink as they stand united in the fight to beat breast cancer. Aiden Markram’s side head into the encounter with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, following

Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Quinton de Kock was the star performer of Betway SA20 Season 4, with his exhilarating performances captivating the crowds around the country. De Kock claimed the Betway SA20 Season 4 Player of the Year along with the Batter of the Year award. Paarl Royals new recruit Ottneil Baartman claimed the Bowler of the Year award, while Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Jordan Hermann won the Rising Star Award. De Kock has long been regarded as an enigma - a genera

The Junior Springboks continued their preparations for the forthcoming tour of Georgia with another rigorous training match, on Thursday afternoon against Maties at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, using their full squad to clock game time against the experienced FNB Varsity Cup campaigners. With the mid-February tour to Georgia looming, this was their second hit-out this week, following Monday’s session at the home of FNB Varsity Cup holders UCT. The SA U20s managed

The return-leg Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby match between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers takes place at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday with the Durban side looking to pull off a stunning double over the previously unbeaten Cape side. There’s a new front row for this match amongst a handful of changes to the side, Ox Nche, Fez Mbatha and Hanro Jacobs all start, as does Corne Rahl, ahead of Jason Jenkins who has been listed amongst the replacements.

The Lions welcome the Vodacom Bulls for Round 11 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship for the historic Jukskei Derby taking place at Ellis Park this Saturday. Both Gauteng-based sides will be looking to climb the tournament log this weekend, with ambitions for the home side to claim the SA Shield with a string of home derbies scheduled for next month. Ivan van Rooyen’s charges will draw inspiration from their recent 43-33 victory over their neighbours in November last yea

The Vodacom Bulls have rung the changes for the Jukskei derby, with Johan Ackermann clearly pivoting from last week’s Edinburgh combination to a side built for the unique intensity of a Lions showdown. The most notable shift comes at scrumhalf, where Embrose Papier is promoted to start ahead of Zak Burger, signaling a desire for more tempo against a Lions side that thrives on chaos. In the midfield, Harold Vorster moves from the bench into the No 12 jersey, while Stedman Gans

There are several changes to the DHL Stormers matchday squad for the Vodacom URC encounter with the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban on Saturday. The Stormers will be looking to head into a four-week break with some winning momentum as they take on the Kwa-Zulu Natal outfit at Hollywoodbets Kings Park at 5pm on Saturday. Damian Willemse lines up at fullback this week, with Jonathan Roche at inside centre and Dylan Maart on the right wing in the three changes to the starting bac

The Hollywoodbets Dolphins Men's team will resume their season following the Betway SA20 and the squad and coaching staff are eager to get back onto the field starting with a 4-Day Series clash in Potchefstroom against the North-West Dragons. The Dolphins had a number of players involved in the SA20 across the franchises and there were some stand-out performances. Ottniel Baartman finished the tournament as the leading wicket taker and has entrenched himself as the competitio

Weather delays did little to deter Daniel Cronje as he marched to a dominant six-shot victory in the Betway Big Easy Tour Play-Off event held at Modderfontein Golf Club. Wednesday’s second round had to be suspended twice before play was eventually called for the day, no thanks to dangerous weather in the area. At 13-under par and with two holes to play in round two, Cronje was already ahead of the field at this point and had a healthy three-shot cushion. When the third round

South Africa U19 Men concluded their ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup journey against Sri Lanka at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on Thursday after a challenging campaign. SA had opted to bat first, with a classy century from opener Jorich van Schalwyk, who struck a composed 116, laying a solid foundation alongside Adnaan Lagadien (46). The pair added 96 runs for the opening wicket before Lagadien was dismissed by V. Akash in the 19th over. Van Schalwyk continued to anchor the

Tale Mathe, SPAR Proteas Centre, controls the ball against England on the opening day of the SPAR Challenge at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg. South Africa defeated England 52-48 in the first of three Test matches on Thursday evening. The second Test will be played on Saturday (5pm), followed by the third and final Test on Sunday (4pm). Reg Caldecott The SPAR Proteas struck the first blow in the SPAR Challenge netball series at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Jo

Houghton’s Judd Sundelson will go head-to-head in the 2026 South African Amateur Championship 36-hole final at Pretoria Country Club with Germany’s Morris Schiefner, who plays out of Fancourt, on Friday. GolfRSA Judd Sundelson and Morris Schiefner emerged from a gripping day of quarter-final and semi-final match play at Pretoria Country Club to secure their places in the final of the 2026 South African Amateur Championship. Sundelson continued the momentum he built on Wednesd

Martin Vorster. Sunshine Tour Martin Vorster went back to playing golf like a kid again and it resulted in a round of seven-under-par 65 to earn him the lead in Thursday’s first round of the SDC Open at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa. Vorster focused himself on the pure enjoyment of the game as he finished the day with a one-stroke lead over fellow South Africans Jaco Prinsloo and MJ Viljoen. “I think it just comes back to playing golf again. I got stuck in the technicalities o

Johan Ackermann and Ivan van Rooyen. Openfield For two men – Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen and his Vodacom Bulls counterpart Johan Ackermann – Saturday’s Jukskei Derby represents a deep bond shared between the two in the game of rugby and then a far deeper connection in the realms of friendship and faith. In the world of professional sport where it’s all about log standings and performance metrics, there is this one fixture that has stood the test of time because it has always

It is rugby and not chess but Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman stressed the importance of making the right moves at the right time in the National Stadium this weekend, when the Blitzboks face Spain, Great Britain and Fiji in Pool A of the HSBC SVNS Singapore. Snyman will have his strategies tested against three very different opponents with a squad that is low on experience or recent happy memories at this event, the third in the 2026 world series. The Blitzboks wil

The FNB Varsity Cup welcomes SportPesa as a new National partner, marking a significant step forward in expanding opportunities for South African rugby talent. SportPesa’s involvement aligns strongly with the tournaments’ mission to provide a platform for player development, academic balance and long-term growth within the sport – a fact already demonstrated through their multi-year partnership with Varsity Football men’s and women’s competitions which launched in January 202

Across Round 12 (27 & 28 February) the United Rugby Championship is inviting teams, players and fans to celebrate the communities and people who helped launch the careers of hundreds of rugby players and coaches. Over 700 players appear in the URC each season with parents, coaches and over 550 clubs from across 17 countries and all corners of the globe helping to put them on a pathway to play at the highest level. The URC will shine a spotlight on the identities of the clubs,

The South African Women’s Selection Panel has named the T20 International (T20I) and One-Day International (ODI) squads that will face Pakistan in a limited-overs inbound tour from 10 February-1 March. For the three-match T20I series, which is geared towards preparing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England, 20-year-old former South Africa Under-19 Women's captain, Kayla Reyneke, has earned her maiden national call-up. She will join a group that includes captain Lau

Springbok hooker André-Hugo Venter has recommitted his future to Stormers Rugby by signing a contract extension which runs until 2029. The combative front row forward has played his whole professional career in Cape Town and has joined a growing group of players who are in it together for Project 2029. Having lifted the Vodacom URC trophy in 2022 at the young age of 20 and with 77 DHL Stormers caps to his name already, Venter is poised to hit his prime over the next three sea

South Africa’s die-hard rugby fans will be glued to their seats on Saturday as the four domestic franchises go head-to-head in gripping local derbies in round 11 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, which could have a big impact on the teams’ log standings. The Lions will host the Vodacom Bulls in Johannesburg at 2.30pm in what is set to be a thrilling Jukskei Derby, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks will welcome the DHL Stormers to Durban at 5pm in their second successive

To use Leo Cullen’s own words, Leinster Rugby were “getting a bit of flak” in the early weeks of this season. Well, that’s certainly not the case now in the wake of an outstanding run which has seen them win 10 matches in a row in all competitions. They are now looking to make it 11 out of 11 by beating Edinburgh Rugby at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday before heading into the Guinness Six Nations break. It’s fair to say they didn’t make the best of starts to the defence of the

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has broken new ground with a record 6-billion digital views across social media platforms during the Competition and is now the most viewed football continental competition, generating an extraordinary 5.2-billion video views. These numbers underline the tournament’s growing global influence and the unmatched passion of African football fans. One of the biggest areas of growth for CAF and the TotalEnergies CAF A

The new-look HSBC SVNS Series arrives in Singapore this weekend for the third round of the season, with all 16 teams across the men’s and women’s competitions vying for crucial league points ahead of the three-tournament Championship later this year. Team captains arrived at the National Stadium today to launch the tournament ahead of what promises to be an action-packed weekend of sevens rugby. Fans can look forward to a vibrant festival atmosphere, complete with family-frie

Siya Kolisi. Inpho Photography When Siya Kolisi rejoins the DHL Stormers at the end of this season, it will be a sad day for Hollywoodbets Sharks. But, for now, the Springboks skipper still has a huge amount to contribute to the team as a born leader, according to Sharks coach JP Pietersen. Flanker Kolisi made a big impact off the bench in Cape Town last weekend to help secure a 30-19 United Rugby Championship victory over his future team and he’s likely to have an important

Dan Thomas. Inpho Photography Dan Thomas is one busy man both on and off the field. When it comes to his rugby, the figures speak for themselves. The Cardiff flanker has won the fourth most turnovers (10) and made the seventh most tackles (109) in the United Rugby Championship this season. As such, he will be a key man in Saturday night’s showdown with play-off rivals Ulster Rugby in Belfast. Then there’s his life away from the pitch. It’s safe to say the Carmarthen-born open

JJ Senekal. Sunshine Tour It’s the start of something big in the bushveld this week. Bigger than the elephants that usually form part of the SDC Open prize giving at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa. Big in the sense of the opportunities that accompany this first week of six vital weeks on the Sunshine Tour. The SDC Open starts a run of four tournaments co-sanctioned with the HotelPlanner Tour and this is followed by two tournaments co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour. The four

Betway SA20 Season 4 served up high-quality cricket with several individuals delivering magnificent performances to earn recognition in the Betway SA20 Season 4 Team of the Tournament. Champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape provide four players, including the Betway SA20 MVP and Batter of the Season Quinton de Kock and Rising Star Jordan Hermann. Runners-up Pretoria Capitals have three players, with most notably Betway SA20 Player of the Final Dewald Brevis. The team will be captai