The Blitzboks were determined on defence and clinical on attack against a plucky Spain to win their second title of the 2025 season after raising the trophy in Cape Town in December 2024 They managed to keep Spain away from their tryline with solid defence and when in possession and even managed to score when down to six men following a late yellow card to Zander Reynders The performance in the final wrapped up a magnificent effort at the tournament where the Blitzboks had no peers and hard as Spain tried they had no answers to unlock the determination of their opponents to not let them get past them stepped past the Spanish defence for a brilliant solo try A long spell of possession by Spain was left in ruins as - from a rare moment with ball in hand at that stage - Davids attacked from a scrum 80m out and ran almost the length of the field Relentless defence forced Spain into mistakes and they battled to get into the South African half bar their early attack in the opening spell Spain had most of the ball and attacked from all corners but stout defence forced them backwards and into mistakes They were finally rewarded when Quewin Nortje was beaten by a delayed pass and Pol Pla scored from 50m out The turning point came soon after when Mfundo Ndhlovu outfoxed a rushing defence and then raced away from inside the SA 22 to score Brown converted and at 14-5 and two minutes to play Shilton van Wyk scored a brace against New Zealand Reynders caused some heartache was he was yellow carded from the restart leaving the team one man short for the remainder of the match Siviwe Soyizwapi showed his experience with a crucial turnover with his team under pressure and a man down Ricardo Duarttee sealed the deal after close combat with the Spanish and a probing Tristan Leyds run found some gaps and momentum from where Duarttee pounced Blitzbok coach Philip Snyman praised the players afterwards saying that their willingness to keep working made the win possible the Blitzboks kept their hot streak going following pool wins against France outscoring New Zealand by four tries to one and never giving the Kiwi side a look-in at all with a 26-5 win in their semi-final Shilton van Wyk opened the scoring in the first minute pouncing on a loose pass from New Zealand after a lineout kicking ahead and winning the race to the line The second try by South Africa was more structured but still a thing of beauty Selvyn Davids delayed his pass from a tap penalty and Nortje could race in to score under the sticks Brown converted and the lead was 14-0 after four minutes of play The rampant Blitzboks scored a third try before the half-time buzzer when some crisp passing and hard running gave Van Wyk a second try in the opening seven minutes converted from the sideline for a 21-0 lead The second half start was equally impressive Brown's spot-on cross-kick found Nortje in the corner for his second try New Zealand finally managed a play of note three minutes into the second half with a good move from within their half to score South Africa 26 (21) New Zealand 5 (0)SA - Tries: Shilton van Wyk (2) Conversions: Ronald Brown (3).NZ - Try: Frank Vaenuku South Africa 19 (7) Spain 5 (0)SA - Tries: Selvyn Davids Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman heaped praise on his squad after a commanding weekend of sevens rugby displaye.. The Springbok Sevens team saved their best for last to win the final tournament of the season The Springbok Sevens team qualified for the playoffs of the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles with victories o.. It will be a tournament with no second chances of clinical execution and most importantly The Springbok Sevens’ 2025 season had it all: a rare home win in Cape Town Springbok captain Siya Kolisi shared some inspiring words with the future stars of South African rugby when he visited the Junior Springboks at their Saturday morning training session on the B-field of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha The Springbok Sevens team qualified for the playoffs of the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles with victories over France Great Britain and Argentina in their pool and will face New Zealand in the semi-finals on Sunday The Springbok Women's Sevens team had an up and down start in their first two pool games of the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles on Saturday beating Ireland by 12-7 before going down to China 26-12 in their second game Rugby history will be rewritten when the Springboks launch their 2025 season against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 28 June – the first time the famous international invitational outfit will be in action on South African soil an opportunity where the Springbok Sevens team can deliver a performance that will do their season justice Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players who played for the SA U20s last year for their second Rugby Championship Under-20 match against Australia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Tuesday Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman heaped praise on his squad after a commanding weekend of sevens rugby displayed at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles with the Blitzboks finishing as the only undefeated side and crowned winners on Sunday © 2025 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY | PICTURES © GALLO IMAGES AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale LOS ANGELES - South Africa's men and New Zealand's women captured the Rugby Sevens World Championship 2025 titles on Sunday in Los Angeles The Springbok Sevens defeated Spain 19-5 in the men's final Selvyn Davids scored a try in the fifth minute and Ronald Brown converted to lift South Africa ahead 7-0 at half-time Spain's Pol Pla answered with a try in the 10th minute but Juan Ramos missed the conversion kick to keep the Springboks ahead Mfundo Ndhlovu answered with a try for South Africa and Tristan Leyds converted for a 14-5 lead South Africa's Zander Reynders received a yellow card but Ricardo Duartee added a try in the final minute to complete the triumph Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The Springboks Sevens side sealed a memorable World Championship win in Los Angeles this weekend after going through the previous two days undefeated before beating Spain 19-5 in the final It was a cagey final with a big defensive performance required from the Blitzboks to overcome the Spanish outfit. Tries from Selvyn Davids, Mfundo Ndhlovu and Ricardo Duarttee were enough to down the uncompromising Spaniards.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Despite the title of World Championship winners Argentina are the SVNS World Series winners after finishing the regular season having won three of the six legs of the SVNS series and finishing on 104 overall points The Springbok Sevens finished the World Series in fourth place — having only won the Cape Town leg The top eight teams (out of 12) competed in the World Championship in Los Angeles with the remaining four battling it out against Challenger series teams It is the second year that this convoluted SVNS system has been in place with more changes to the system announced for next season South Africa headed to Los Angeles on the back of two ninth-place finishes but hit back in the most important tournament South Africa’s victories in LA included beating Olympic champions France, Great Britain and high-flying Argentina in the group phase before whalloping old-foes New Zealand 31-5 in the semi-finals.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads New Zealand beat Argentina 38-17 in the third-place playoff If New Zealand had gone all the way and won the trophy in LA they would have done so with a highest-place finish of fourth — in Dubai last year — across the World Series season While the new format — which will be revamped again next season — gives everyone a fair shot at the World Championship title it doesn’t reward consistency throughout the season South Africa were on the defence for much of the initial period of the final before captain Davids danced past two defenders before jinking past another to run through and score the first points of the final and the only try in the first half but South Africa’s defence stood strong with Shilton van Wyk particularly impressive with several big tackles in succession The Spanish eventually found their way over the tryline when speedster Pol Pla jetted down the right wing to increase his scoring record for Spain but the conversion from out wide was unsuccessful The Blitzboks held a slender lead heading into the final three-and-a-half minutes A trio of fresh legs took to the field right after for the Springbok Sevens who held on to a tricky hanging ball from Spain’s restart Siviwe Soyizwapi in action against Argentina at Dignity Health Sports Park on 3 May 2025 in Los Angeles (Photo: David Van Der Sandt / Gallo Images) Soyizwapi touches down for the Blitzboks in Los Angeles Selvyn Davids of South Africa evades a tackle in Los Angeles taking out a Spanish player in the air from a well-weighted drop-kick to give the European outfit a sniff of a chance of victory in the final two minutes South Africa worked the short side for consecutive phases and eventually broke through with Leyds offloading to Duarttee This weekend was one of the few occasions this season where head coach Philip Snyman had access to his full compliment of star players “This team delivered an amazing performance over the weekend,” the coach said “The players deserve so much credit for the way they played here in Los Angeles We had some good parts and some bad parts to our season but this weekend we got it all together and that is a very satisfying feeling “Any coach will tell you that your plan can only be as good as the buy-in from the players Snyman believes the performances in Los Angeles were a true reflection of the potential of his squad “This performance finally completes the puzzle for us, and what a beautiful picture we got,” he said. “This was the true colours of Springbok Sevens, and I cannot be prouder of what it represented and displayed this weekend.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The Springbok Women’s Sevens team, meanwhile, fell at the final hurdle in Los Angeles this week, losing 14-17 to Kenya in the play-off final for the second division of the World Series.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads South Africa scraped their way through every match this past weekend on their way to the final This included a spirited fightback against Argentina in which they claimed a 17-14 win after a last-minute try by Leigh Fortuin But Kenya were too strong for the Seven’s Women’s team in the final with South Africa finishing the match with a player down ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " A double-try whammy in the second half gave the Springbok Sevens a morale-boosting opening win at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles on Saturday night beating Olympic Champions France 19-10 in their opening pool game The Blitzboks were rocked early on as France dominated the first half but they fought back to ensure that no more points were scored against them as they overwhelmed the French with some exceptional attacking play Varian Pasquet and Simon Desert both scored early and it looked as if France had control but some hard work allowed Selvyn Davids to scoot through just before halftime for a crucial converted try to get them just three points behind at the break The second half was a perfect example of poise control and attack as the Blitzboks probed and probed After catching France behind their own line the ball was moved wide to Shilton van Wyk who went over in the corner and two minutes later this time as Ricardo Duarte popped a perfect pass to a flying Zain Davids to go through untouched The crucial conversion by Duarte made it a two-try game and France tried The Blitzboks now face Great Britain and Argentina in their last two pool games The top two sides in the pool qualify for the semifinals Kenya suffered a 19-12 loss to Samoa in their opening Playoff Championship game upping the ante if they want to qualify for the newly formed Second Division next season Kenya must finish in the top four to do so New Zealand got one over Fiji with a narrow 17-12 wi,n while South Africa’s biggest opposition in their pool top seeds Argentina survived a second-half comeback from Great Britain to win 33-26 beating Ireland 12-7 in their opening game Kenya lost to Spain in their opening game 33-14 edged out the British team 12-7 and scored five tries against Argentina in a 29-21 victory on the first day of action at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles Ronald Brown struck first for a 7-0 scoreline but two quick tries by the Pumas pushed them into the lead Ryan Oosthuizen scored to level matters at the break with Ricardo Duarttee converting both tries Three unanswered tries by the Blitzboks gave them an impressive 29-14 lead before a late try by Argentina saved them some blushes The South Americans will face Spain in the other semi-final After an impressive performance against France South Africa were on the money again against Great Britain with two tries within the first five minutes putting them into the fast lane towards victory Brown kicked ahead in the opening minute of play regathered and scored for a 7-0 lead before Shilton van Wyk chased down his own kick as well to score his 50th HSBC SVNS try allowing their opponents to claw their way back into the match Freddie Roddick scored on the buzzer for a converted try giving the UK side something of a sniff in the second half but went from one side to the other as both sides had their moments Some good scrambling defence by the Blitzboks proved vital as they held out their opponents to secure their second win of the day Shilton van Wyk scored tries in each of the Blitzboks' three games the French started very well and pressured the Blitzboks into mistakes which led to two unanswered tries - by Varian Pasquet and Simon Désert - to give them a 10-point lead The Blitzboks knuckled down and showed great character to fight back after going down 10-0 late in the first half meant the teams swapped sides with France leading by 10-7 who held onto possession much better as they worked to find space with Shilton van Wyk and Zain Davids adding their names to the score sheet Van Wyk circled the French defence on the right wing before Zain Davids ran the perfect angle onto a short pass into space by Ricardo Duarttee to give the Blitzboks a nine-point lead France lost a player to the sin bin and the game finished as the South Africans showed some real grit on defence to deny their opponents a losing bonus-point The Blitzboks' semi-final against New Zealand is at 22h46 (SA time) on Sunday evening shortly after Spain and Argentina face off at at 22h24 for a place in the final South Africa 19 (7) France 10 (10)SA - Tries: Selwyn Davids Ricardo Duarttee.France - Tries: Varian Pasquet Great Britain 7 (7)SA - Tries: Ronald Brown The California dream might be over before it began for the Springbok Women's Sevens team but they are still determined to play the hand that was dealt to them this weekend at the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles Seven teams are still in with a shout of reaching the semi-finals of the SA Cup with only two rounds of league action remaining although a few of these sides will hope for help from others if they are going to qualify for the playoffs The Junior Springboks had to work hard and fight back after the break but they recorded the perfect start to their U20 Rugby Championship campaign at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium outplaying Argentina by 36-25 in Gqeberha on Thursday afternoon the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles with a 19-5 victory over Spain in the final wrapping up a flawless weekend in California early on Monday morning (SA time) The Springbok Women's Sevens team's hearts were broken with a late defeat against Kenya in their HSBC SVNS Play-off final in Los Angeles on Sunday meaning they will have to qualify for Division 2 next season The race for those coveted four semi-final spots of the SA Cup – and with that qualification to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division – is going down to the wire for the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers NovaVit Griffons and Valke after the penultimate round was completed over the weekend A group of 38 players assembled in Cape Town on Sunday for the next phase of the Springbok Women’s Rugby World Cup preparations with the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar in early June the first assignment for the group followed by Test matches against Canada a month later Tickets for the match – priced from R250 – will go on sale from Tuesday 6 May at 09h00 exclusively available from Ticketmaster The match is being organised and promoted by Pitch International Historically such matches have been hosted overseas – usually in London – but Pitch agreed to bring the game to South Africa in preparation for the Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy in Pretoria a week later The Barbarians – consisting of players who ply their trade in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and the Japanese League – will be coached by the experienced Robbie Deans a former All Black who was also in charge of the Wallabies and the Crusaders in a coaching career spanning almost three decades The BaaBaas match in Cape Town in June will be the ninth between the Boks and the famous black-and-white clad club when the teams played to a 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in London “This is an historic moment and it will be very special to welcome the Barbarians to South Africa for the first time,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer “The Springboks wanted a match before the series against Italy to prepare and we’re really grateful to our friends at the Barbarians and Pitch for assisting in bringing this encounter to life.” Since the first clash between the sides in 1952 the Barbarians have won four games and the Springboks three The Boks’ last victory over the Barbarians was on 10 December 2000 in Cardiff Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the match would be the perfect trigger to get his players into match-mode before the Castle Lager Incoming Series which features two Tests against Italy (5 and 12 July) and one against Georgia (19 July) Pat Lambie tackles Rob du Preez the last time the Boks and the BaaBaas clashed and this match will be particularly special as it marks the first time that we will face them in South Africa,” said Erasmus “For us this will be the perfect opportunity to get the players match-ready for the official international season “With a big squad one can simulate a match situation but there is nothing like a proper international with the full build-up and the pressure to get the players battle ready “With the Barbarians team featuring players from across the world so the key for us will be to focus on our structures and what we want to achieve on the field.” who will be assisted by Patrice Collazo (Racing 92 Japan) and former All Black lock Sam Whitelock said: “It is exciting news to have the iconic Barbarians announced to play against the World Champion Springboks in Cape Town in late June – these are two of the biggest brands in the game “The last occasion these two teams met at Wembley resulted in a draw The Springboks have achieved a lot since that day this will be an altogether different challenge on-site in South Africa “We are hopeful of putting together a combination that will provide the sort of spectacle that the occasion deserves.” Erasmus added: “We may have had a satisfying 2024 season but this is a new year and a fresh challenge and we’d like to start strong and build momentum as the season progresses who are usually laden with seasoned internationals will provide the perfect test before the Castle Lager Incoming Series.” The Castle Lager Incoming Series will be followed by the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against Australia (16 and 23 August in Johannesburg and Cape Town) the All Blacks (6 and 13 September in New Zealand) and Argentina (27 September and 4 October in Durban and London respectively) before the Boks will depart on their traditional end of the year tour Castle Lager Incoming Series:5 July: SA v Italy – Loftus Versfeld Pretoria12 July: SA v Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Gqeberha19 July: SA v Georgia – Mbombela Stadium Castle Lager Rugby Championship:16 August: SA v Australia – Emirates Airline Park Johannesburg23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium Cape Town27 September: SA v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park Springbok captain Siya Kolisi shared some inspiring words with the future stars of South African rugby when he visited t.. Rugby history will be rewritten when the Springboks launch their 2025 season against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium i.. Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will return to South Africa for the Springboks’ first Test of the 2025 season when they.. Tickets for the Springboks’ eagerly awaited return to home Test match action for the first time in almost ten months wil.. Chasing the Sun 2 – A Story for South Africa – the captivating and award-winning sequel to Chasing the Sun was the most-.. Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote praised the team for their fighting spirit and not letting their heads drop in their Rugby Championship U20 opening round victory over Argentina after the South Americans led by 10 points shortly after half-time in Gqeberha on Thursday Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will return to South Africa for the Springboks’ first Test of the 2025 season when they take on Italy in Pretoria on Saturday a fourth-place finish in Perth and some less flattering results in Dubai Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton said on Wednesday the SA U20s are looking forward to meeting the physical challenge of Argentina when the two teams clash in the opening round of the U20 Rugby Championship at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursday afternoon followed by test matches against Canada a month later Springbok Women Performance coach Swys de Bruin invited 47 players to the two-week camp with nine players who are currently in Los Angeles with the Springbok Women’s Sevens The first week of camp will be in Newlands in Cape Town and the second at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) from 9-16 May “Following our successful tour to France and Spain the next phase of our World Cup campaign now kicks off in all earnest,” said De Bruin “We had a good tour with most of our objectives met and we can start this phase more aligned as a group on what we want to achieve while also getting a good look at our next group of players who will travel to Madagascar A group of 28 will travel to the Rugby Africa event while a group of senior players will remain at SAS for that time Among the new call-ups for this camp are DHL Western Province players Anuchka Ekron and the Sharks duo of Sinothile Bhengu and Amanda Ndlovu while Anja le Roux and Logan Welman joined the camp from the Springbok Women’s Sevens training squad Alicia Willemse and Patience Mokone will join next weekend in Stellenbosch after returning from Los Angeles and the HSBC Play-Off tournament FORWARDS (26): Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions); Sinothile Bhengu Nobuhle Mjwara (all Sharks Women); Anuchka Ekron Bronishia Hess (all DHL Western Province); Logan Welman (Springbok Women’s Sevens); Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies); Sanelisiwe Charlie Lerato Makua (all Bulls Daisies); Babalwa Latsha Danelle Lochner (both Harlequins Women); Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders) Mary Zulu (both Sharks Women); Anja le Roux (Springbok Women’s Sevens); Aphiwe Ngwevu Eloise Webb (both Border Ladies); Unam Tose The Springboks will face the Barbarians for the first time in South Africa when the teams collide at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday will coach the invitational team that will consist of players who ply their trade in the United Rugby Championship It will be the ninth meeting between the two sides and the first since 5 November 2016 “It’s always exciting to face the BaaBaas, and this match will be particularly special as it marks the first time that we will face them in South Africa,” said Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus “With the Barbarians team featuring players from across the world Springboks put on high alert as NRL team target ‘no-brainer’ offers to ‘fill the pipeline’ June-July internationals: Fixtures and referee appointments including the match officials for the British and Irish Lions Tour READ MORE: Springboks home fixtures confirmed as Rassie Erasmus’ men return to Gqeberha Pieter-Steph du Toit has returned to training but won't be taking the pitch for Toyota Verblitz Jasper Wiese had previously said he would be out for the rest of the season following a neck injury Our five takeaways from the Lions' victory over Connacht A huge boost for the brothers and Rassie Erasmus The SA U20s managed to beat Argentina in the opening round on Thursday while Australia forced a late draw against New Zealand scoring the equalising try after the hooter had sounded all of whom played for the Junior Boks last year The SA U20 coach said it is important to keep their momentum going manage the load of the players whilst also building squad depth by giving the players exposure to top-class international rugby With this – and Tuesday’s game against Australia – in mind Foote said: “We play three internationals against quality teams in just 11 days and with the short turnaround time between matches we must be smart with our player load management “We have good squad depth and it’s important for the players to get a taste of international rugby while we also want to build on our performance against Argentina knowing that Australia will pose a huge challenge for us.” Simphiwe Ngobese and Lubbe will pack down as props on either side of hooker Juandre Schoeman Riley Norton is retained at lock and will captain the team again The loose forward combination sees Xola Nyali who had a successful campaign with FNB Varsity Cup champions coming onto the side of the scrum at flanker who made a strong impact off the bench in the second half against the Pumitas Amongst the backs there is a new halfback pairing consisting of Ceano Everson (scrumhalf) and Vusi Moyo (flyhalf) while the midfield comprises of Dominic Malgas and Scott Nel Cheswill Jooste will start again at right wing and he will be joined in the back three by Siya Ndlozi (left wing) and Mars (fullback) Wandile Mlaba and Herman Lubbe will start against Australia on Tuesday Regarding the team and their prospects of playing Australia who will be highly motivated to register their first win Foote said he is happy with the balance of the squad “It’s a nice match-23 with lots of exciting players and speed amongst the backs complemented by a big and physical forward pack and we are looking forward to the game,” said Foote “We see Australia as a massive threat with their ball movement and how they play with width and we expect they will have some special structured set pieces with lineouts and scrums “I know Chris Whitaker from our time together in Vodacom Super Rugby We know we will have to be on top of our game regarding their threats.” The match kicks off at 16h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. Argentina and New Zealand play in the earlier match on Tuesday starting at 14h00. Tickets for all matches cost R20 and can be bought online at Webtickets or at the ticket office of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium The Junior Springbok team to face Australia in Gqeberha: Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players.. but they recorded the perfect start to their U20 .. Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote praised the team for their fighting spirit and not letting their heads drop in their .. Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton said on Wednesday the SA U20s are looking forward to meeting the physical challeng.. The two-time RWC winner shared some inspiring words with the future stars of rugby at the TRC U20 championship Official Archive Footage: info@sanzarrugby.com so that's an achievement that won't be missed by us but we know we've got three more games to keep building on that." Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says he was shocked by the size of some the Junior Springboks after a visit to a training session on Saturday morning at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha The Junior Boks had returned to training following their opening-round victory over Argentina in the Under-20 Rugby Championship when they gave them an unexpected pep-talk from the Bok skipper who spent time observing the squad and addressing the players Kolisi was visiting his hometown in the Eastern Cape when he decided to join the group on the B-field and interact with both players and coaches The 6’2, 105kg was dwarfed by some of the specimens in the most recent Under-20s squad, a fact not lost on the double Rugby World Cup winning flanker it’s ridiculous compared to me,” noted Kolisi “It’s amazing to see the boys and good to be in Gqeberha where people are so hungry for rugby and to see our boys play,” said Kolisi “I can see they and the coaches are working hard they have a great culture and I can see the future of our rugby is in good hands.” When asked what message he shared with the team Kolisi said he encouraged the players to make the most of their opportunity and to think beyond the immediate tournament “They represent all of us in South Africa right now; this is their opportunity They are representing not just some people They must enjoy the moment because the opportunity can be taken away just like that.” Over 8,900 people attended the Junior Boks’ win over Argentina. Kolisi also thanked supporters in the region, where the senior Springboks are scheduled to play Italy in July “This province is hungry for rugby and big events That’s why every time we come here it’s always full and the people come to welcome us at the airport I want to say thanks in advance to the people in Gqeberha for coming out to support the boys and filling out the stadium.” Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton described Kolisi’s visit as a highlight for the squad “Seeing Siya watch the training session and then his engagement with the squad and staff afterwards was a very special moment,” said Norton “He is our hero and we are grateful for the inspiring words he shared with us.” The second round of the tournament takes place on Tuesday, 6 May. New Zealand face Argentina at 14:00, followed by South Africa against Australia at 16:10 Tickets cost R20 and are available via Webtickets or at the stadium ticket office Dragons RFC have confirmed the signing of fly-half Tinus de Beer from Cardiff Rugby ahead of the 2025/26 campaign There is a very good reason they are so big injectables are BIG business in schoolboy rugby and have been for years Liver and kidney function are severely compromised Join free and tell us what you really think Henry Pollock and his band of brothers pulled off a remarkable heist in Dublin on Leinster to make them believe anything's possible Is the Queensland boss the right man to lead Australia forward And will Joe Schmidt be tempted to stick around for Rugby World Cup 2027 Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants @NB There was a lot that went wrong for Leinster But how much do you think the lack of competitive matches meant vulnerabilities and weaknesses were not exposed and addressed in previous matches A good coaching team like Northampton’s then had a lot to work with giving Leinster a lot of problems to fix all at once on the day French teams and indeed English teams who are CC contenders are getting weekly matches where weaknesses are being probed and end game tactics are been often tested in the fire I know Leinster can mitigate some of this in training but hard matches create more hardened and rounded teams Yes England seem on the rise Speaking of Barrett his brothers team the Blues seem to have hit some form as expected late in the season Scott-Young and Kemeny are all benefiting from their time at saints Would like to see them return as better players as most do… Under Joe S he has a 100% record against England;) Versus Connacht in the Aviva they were 12 up (3 tries) with 10 to go against a Cannacht team playing very well They had an easy three to secure the win but kicked for corner Connacht repelled the attack and Leinster got carded after a Connacht turnover Connacht went up the pitch and scored and made it a 5 point match Leinster then won another (harder but kickable) penalty Another confab started before Barrett went up and told Byrne to kick for goal The onfield decision making seems to have fallen between two stools This surely should have been addressed before now if they are covering all angles I’d say the difference between Bath and Saints v Leinster is the experience of last year for Saints and the complacency of Bath; apropos Bennetton away Bath are earning their stripes and I’d expect them to learn the lessons of last years Prem and this years CC perhaps even all the way to a Prem & Challenge Cup double when you’ve got people who are still close to the team then it’s definitely indicative of a prevailing mindset Add in the results evidence to the mix and it’s nigh on impossible to dispute they were most definitely looking in the wrong direction for their mindset prep He also compliments Prendergast more and allows Ringrose more space To be fair it is extremely difficult for Leinster to get the competitive matches in the URC to prepare for these really big matches hard matches in the lead up expose weaknesses which can be shored up before the next match NH identified all of these weaknesses and sent a man through every one of them They should have started Barrett Prendergast has more space with Barrett playing Northampton scored 3 quickfire tries without reply before half time Their first was very much against the run of play I don’t think Leinster not expecting that barrage of tries was them underestimating NH I feel that Leinster are not getting competitive matches to prepare them for these tight endgame scenarios That said match management should have seen them take the first 3 points and/or execute the tap Conan seemed to be confabbing with Barrett and Prendergast A levelled match would have been a significant blow to NH and with Leinster winning the second half 22-10 would have been heavy favourites to win another 20 minutes Arrogance chokers or maybe just a little of all three Bit disappointed on this she gave English Womens Rugby such a boost would have liked to have seen a few seasons at the coalface vs a 6 month temp contract It’s like tackle school 101 Start on your knees as the other 10 year old walks towards you It isnt just how he hits it’s his positioning and pace He got skinned by Ramm (I think) for the first try He chased the kick but could deal with a small swerve then turned slower than Freddie Stewart on an ice rink He really is a great prospect and if it wasnt a Lions year everybody would give him another year to improve Sasha keeps my heart in my mouth with his head on tackling He has made some very dominant tackles for the Stormers in the past few games and also he is a great cover defender Manie has made some classic corner flag tackles to save tries If the 10 is retiring to backfield he should be sweeping - that didn’t work out too well for SP He just doesn’t seem to have the appetite for tackling - he plays more like Naas Botha of old He’s a highly skilled rugby player I remember similar discussions about Sexton He’s been pushed forward by Leinster because of what he’s been doing in training Frawley has been put back as a utility player The Byrnes are both probably leaving Leinster and I agree with most of what has been said on this post He should have been sent out to Connacht or Ulster to gain more experience before being made no 1 Fly in Ireland My comment about stats was a lead-in to how having good tackle completion stats don’t necessarily mean you're a good defensive team The Brumbies game a few weeks ago was when I became concerned about Les as a Wallabies coach and I haveh’t seen enough to be anything more than hopeful he’ll succeed Looks like a beefier Oli Mathis Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I am as neutral as can be but I agree with your reservations He was D coach for the Boks in 21/22 and their record in those years on D was shocking in 21 50% wins and a draw and in 22 when his should have come into his own a few wins early season against Wales Argentine and Somoa followed by six losses in the last seven games Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> Well Nick you have to wonder what the long term plan is for RA I cannot think that they would appoint Kiss only to have Schmidt back in 2027 but then it is a world cup year on home soil so perhaps that is the plan I reckon RA need to target the 2027 world cup as it seems like their best opportunity 2031 is so far away and who knows what the state of the game in Aus will be like at that point Also the squad isnt exactly bursting with talent which you could confidently say will be there come 2031 especially when you consider how young players are being hunted by foreign clubs 2027 must be the target and I just wonder if Kiss is the right man to win it all in 2027 He has not shown enough at Ulster or London Irish to be considered the main man and his Reds side while really good are hardly pragmatic and are prone to some whacky reversals like the one suffered in Fiji For me Kiss is not the man for 2027 yet he has the top job but he will bring continuity and wont tear up the gameplan so at least they wont be starting from scratch with a new coach In a way he was just about the only appointment they could make at this stage Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> He’s a loose cannon on D TL The unpredictability can be a great addition on attack but on D you need someone to be reliable and disciplined It would be asking a huge amount from Les to lead Aussie into a WC with a 15-month runway which is why I feel Joe has not quite let go yet I think McCarthy is a very over-rated player 14-man French team in 2024 is all he has done Prendergast I feel sorry for - a few good games at u20s and because he plays for Leinster he gets the international gig Aki and Ringrose are first choice and have been for years Henshaw cannot affect an 80 minute match anymore multi-phase power game doesn’t work he doesn’t have the pace Keenan looked the fittest player in rugby two years ago but in last years game v England and this weekend he looks well off the pace not being picked for the Lions really helped Ireland in 2022 as Sexton Lowe and Ryan had storming seasons if I remember rightly If those players were picked for the Lions would they have won that series England players suffered a lot in 2018 after the 2017 Lions so while its nice to have your teams players get Lions recognition it might not be the worse thing if they aren’t there either Can Les give the Wallabies the Kiss of Life?',1);"> I think they need Joe’s overview there JS You don’t want a novice head coach at a home WC As you say both of Les’ teams at Irish and Queensland have tended to attack well but the output is uneven Mistakes in specific areas can come in bunches without correction - look at my previous pieces on the Reds’ lineout and exit strategy They often do not change even when something is not working At risk of flattering the Reds/Wallabies too much I fear they are at risk of potentially turning into a Scotland-esque team under LK - i.e. great set plays - but lacking the killer physicality/X factor to beat the top teams The Springbok Sevens men's side can salvage a lot of pride from their up-and-down HSBC World SVNS Series season if they can put in a performance worthy of the jersey and win the final tournament in Los Angeles - the World Championship - that takes place this weekend There has been a lot said about the Blitzboks' season thus far - the highs of winning in Cape Town and the lows of Hong Kong where the curse struck again to leave them missing out on the quarterfinals While there has been progress since last season under Philip Snyman he will be the first to admit they have not achieved all their goals this year the final tournament - an eight-team shootout in the City of Angels - presents a perfect opportunity for the Blitzboks to stake a claim and close their season in style with a tournament win They have done well in US tournaments before having rolled the dice and come out tops in Las Vegas when the event was there 2014 and 2017 and then when the tournament went to Los Angeles they won a memorable first event there by beating Fiji 29-24 in extra time to claim the title and it was their form here two years ago that led to a coaching change and the return of Snyman as a caretaker coach as they slid in through the back door to qualify for the Olympics there is no room for error in the two-day tournament as they have been pooled with newly crowned SVNS League champions Argentina Olympic champions France and Great Britain The battles between the Blitzboks and the first two are well known and the margins are always slim when they face each other while Great Britain caused the nightmare in Hong Kong with a big early victory thanks to a red card that the Blitzboks never recovered from the shootout format means the Blitzboks have to be at the top of their game from the start Snyman’s side has a few familiar faces back - including the team’s leading try-scorer Quewin Nortje and two-time World Series winners Ronald Brown and Mfundo Ndhlovu who will all add to the campaign with their experience and talent A poor performance in LA will see the Blitzboks end with just one tournament victory and a bunch of thoughts on what could have been If ever there was a time to define the season World Rugby’s sweeping changes to the tournament formats for next season have dealt a blow to the Women's Sevens side’s hopes of scoring a place on the World Series circuit next season The new format means the top eight that are in the World Championship race while the Women Boks still have something to play for The new format means the playoff that combines the bottom four sides from the World SVNS Series in a shootout with the top four sides from the Challenger series - where the Women Sevens team came from - will only be for qualification for the second-tier competition The teams that make the semifinals of this tournament automatically qualify for Division two while the other four sides will have to fight it out for two places in their regional qualifying tournaments The news of the changes is also a massive blow to Kenya’s hopes of being in the top tier as they finished ninth and therefore don’t qualify for next season’s Division one despite being losing finalists in Singapore Kenya’s men’s and women’s teams face the same challenge as the Women’s Boks in trying to qualify for a Second Division spot Pool A: Argentina, South Africa, France, GB Pool B: Fiji, Spain, Australia, New Zealand Pool Play-Off A: Kenya, USA, Portugal, Samoa Pool Play-Off B: Uruguay, Ireland, Germany, Canada Pool Play-Off B: China, Ireland, South Africa, Argentina The coaches have named their first match teams for Round #1 that kicks-off on Thursday May 1 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium spoke about the team's preparation for their Rugby Championship debut: “ The truth is that we're doing well We had a long three-day trip due to a problem with the plane in São Paulo that really helped us a lot as a group and for the guys to be together share a lot and take that moment in a very good way with great camaraderie and helping a lot.” He also commented on how training went once they arrived in South Africa and how the team's schedule is progressing: " We've had three very good days of preparation so far all 23 and all 31 pushing for this to go very well Tomorrow we have the Captain's Run in the morning and our plans are all focused on South Africa we're happy and also eager to start the tournament so we're going to take advantage of every moment to continue improving and to arrive in the best possible shape." History will be made in Cape Town when the Barbarians men’s team take to the field for the first time on South African soil for a fixture against world champions South Africa at the DHL Stadium on Saturday The world famous international invitational side will once again be coached by the experienced Robbie Deans, with the former Australia and Crusaders coach being assisted by Patrice Collazo (Racing 92 consisting of players who ply their trade in the French Top 14 The June encounter will be the ninth between the Boks and the famous black-and-white hoops “The history between South Africa and the Barbarian F.C stretches back some 70-plus years yet we will make further history this June with a Barbarians men’s team play on South African soil for the first time,” said Barbarian F.C President John Spencer “We our proud of our previous fixtures against the Springboks but to have the opportunity to face them “The fixture highlights once again the standing the Barbarian F.C has in the game and we are excited to be able to play in front of what will be a passionate and knowledgeable crowd in Cape Town that will get to see the Barbarians men play for the first time in their homeland.” South African utility forward Deon Fourie will extend his professional career into its third decade after signing a one-year contract extension with the Stormers Deans added: “It is exciting news to have the iconic Barbarians announced to play against the world champion Springboks in Cape Town in late June – these are two of the biggest brands in the game Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the match would be the perfect trigger to get his players into match mode before the Castle Lager Incoming Series which features two Tests against Italy (July 5 and 12) and one against Georgia (July 19) this will be the perfect opportunity to get the players match-ready for the official international season Former Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer has given fascinating insight into the career of Johann van Graan whom he has seen develop from child prodigy to 'one of the best coaches in the world.' News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now Definitely going to be there with my family and I think Uber will be in business that evening The Springboks take on Italy in a two-Test series in Pretoria and Gqeberha before meeting Georgia in Mbombela in the Castle Lager Incoming Series as the Boks return to home soil in Test match action for the first time since a thrilling 48-7 victory over Argentina in September last year Tickets will be available exclusively from Ticketmaster Details of an additional match against the world-famous Barbarians will also be announced shortly Tickets for the Boks’ home matches in their defence of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title will go on sale one month later The start to the Bok season not only represents an opportunity to see the back-to-back World Champions in local action but also launches a year in which the Boks will be fighting to defend their No 1 world ranking to secure the most favourable draw for Rugby World Cup 2027 said: “This is more than just the start of the season—it’s a chance for South Africans to once again unite behind a team that brings pride to the nation in a critical year for World Cup preparation “We had an amazing 2024 and we’re looking forward to seeing South Africans fill stadiums with passionate supporters enjoying the experience as a memorable kick-off to a year filled with big challenges and even bigger opportunities.” Castle Lager Incoming Series5 July: South Africa vs Italy Loftus Versfeld (Pretoria)12 July: South Africa vs Italy Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Gqeberha)19 July: South Africa vs Georgia Castle Lager Rugby Championship16 August: South Africa vs Australia Emirates Airline Park (Johannesburg)23 August: South Africa vs Australia DHL Stadium (Cape Town)27 September: South Africa vs Argentina Fans are urged to act quickly when tickets become available on 16 May as demand is expected to be exceptionally high following last season’s 100% sellout of Springbok matches The July series will serve as the perfect warm-up for a thrilling international campaign for the Boks which includes matches against the other three nations in the world’s top four – New Zealand Former SA U18 lock and national age-group cricketer Riley Norton will captain the Junior Springboks against Argentina in the opening round of the Rugby Championship U20 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Thursday The 2025 season has been a bit of a blur for Alicia Willemse thus far but on Saturday in Los Angeles at the HSBC SVNS Play-off the 27-year-old playmaker will strive to be at her brightest and clearest of minds SA Rugby and Spur have renewed their partnership for the next four years with the famous South African restaurant group extending their sponsorship to not only include the Springboks The South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises produced a weekend of rugby to smile about as all four teams emerged victorious in their round 16 clashes which saw the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks cement their playoff spots and remain in the top four while the DHL Stormers leapt into sixth place on the standings The Airlink Pumas broke Suzuki Griquas’ remarkable unbeaten run in the SA Cup with a close-fought 39-35 win in Nelspruit on Friday evening to move to the top of the standings after the seventh round while there were valuable victories for the Toyota Cheetahs Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and NovaVit Griffons who all strengthened their positions in the race for Carling Currie Cup Premier Division qualification The close 17-14 defeat in the play-off means the Bok Women Sevens will have to revert to the regional route to qualify for the new second-tier competition next season Argentina and Spain progressing from the LA tournament South Africa still held a 14-10 lead with a minute left on the clock but with a one-player advantage after Alicia Willemse was red carded for a dangerous tackle Kenya scored to seal a third win over their African foes this season A spilled ball by Kenya two minutes in resulted in Nadine Roos scoring a runaway try and her conversion handed them a 7-0 lead Kenya responded well though and scored from a turnover for their first points of the match The conversion was wide and that kept the SA side in the lead but that changed when the East Africans went ahead on the scoreboard just before the break though when Sharon Auma scored for a 10-7 lead A yellow card to Kenya after a high tackle to Simamkele Namba handed SA a chance to take the lead back but a poor pass to Maria Tshiremba cancelled the advantage of having an extra player on attack The second half effort to use the extra player worked better with Shiniqwa Lamprecht being put in space with some crisp passing and running hard for their second try and the lead Willemse was red carded with five minutes left that left the South African player motionless on the pitch as Oduor stepped inside her defender to score in the final minute of play Leigh Fortuin scored the match-winner against Argentina The Bok Women had one more attacking opportunity from the restart but a forward pass ruined the trip to LA for them the South Africans showed massive resilience to fight back for a well-deserved 17-14 victory (half-time 7-7) over Argentina in their final pool match pushing Argentina back with some strong defence saw Ayanda Malinga cross for the first try of the match conceding a string of penalties - and a yellow card to Zandile Masuku - to allow the South Americans back into the match Sofia Gonzalez and Maria Taladrid scored on either side of the break to take a 14-7 lead and the Bok Women looked a bit rattled as they were stuck in their own half of the field Nadine Roos forced a turnover in the SA 22 and sent Maria Tshiremba away for a try 85m downfield to make it a two-point game the South Africans applied massive pressure and after a few penalties against Argentina Leigh Fortuin finally crashed over for the winning try more than a minute after the full-time buzzer had sounded South Africa 17 (7) Argentina 14 (7)SA - Tries: Ayanda Malinga Conversion: Nadine Roos.Argentina - Tries: Sofia Gonzalez South Africa 14 (7) Kenya 17 (10)SA - Tries: Nadine Roos Conversions: Roos (2).Kenya - Tries: Freshia Oduor (2) The Springbok Women's Sevens team's hearts were broken with a late defeat against Kenya in their HSBC SVNS Play-off fina.. A group of 38 players assembled in Cape Town on Sunday for the next phase of the Springbok Women’s Rugby World Cup prepa.. The Springbok Women's Sevens team had an up and down start in their first two pool games of the HSBC SVNS Play-off tourn.. shared change rooms at Western Province and the Bulls Daisies The hosts had to rally strongly in the second half though as they were 20-15 down at the break and following a South American try shortly after the restart 10 points behind before their fightback earned them a well-deserved victory to leave the crowd of close to 9,000 go home happy Three second half tries by the Junior Boks moved them past their opponents and onto the top of the tournament log after Australia scored a converted try after the buzzer in the first game to draw with New Zealand in the opening game with a good try in the first 15 minutes of play Flyhalves Kyle Smith and Rafael Benedit first exchanged penalty goals for a 3-3 scoreline before livewire Junior Bok scrumhalf Haashim Pead scored after darting through a gap Pumitas fullback Pascal Senillosa cancelled it out when he ran onto his own grubber and with the conversion good it was clear that the Junior Boks had their work cut out SA centre Demitre Erasmus Argentina winger Bautista Lescano then scored tries which were good reward for some industrious play by both backlines but some ill-discipline by the Junior Boks allowed Benedit to edge his side ahead with a second penalty goal Felipe Ledesma edged Argentina further ahead shortly after the break but slowly and surely the Junior Boks started to put the squeeze onto their opponents despite some mis-firing lineouts and scrums The Junior Boks celebrate Haashim Pead's second try First Pead scored his second try before Junior Bok captain Riley Norton went over to edge the home side closer and eventually past their opponents for the first time in the half handing his side a 29-25 lead after 53 minutes The Junior Boks put in one big hit after the other but it was their broken field running game that was starting to tell and from another good burst Gino Cupido finished off in the left-hand corner with the wing’s try extending the lead even further SA replacement prop JD Erasmus had the crowd on their feet shortly after following a strong burst but the try was disallowed as he was deemed to have used his knees to propel himself forward this time by replacement loose forward Batho Hlekani but it was clear the Junior Boks had the upper hand with time running out on the clock Some good defence held out a desperate Argentina in the final stages with determined hits keeping the team in blue and white scoreless in the last minutes despite a strong attacking spell in the red zone of the hosts Australia and New Zealand played to an exciting 29-29 draw scored a last gasp converted try in the 83rd minute of play to draw level on the scoreboard Junior Boks 36 (15) – Tries: Haashim Pead (2) Argentina 25 (20) – Tries: Pascal Senillosa SA Rugby is proud to announce a landmark four-year partnership agreement with Hyundai Automotive South Africa as the new official vehicle of South Africa’s junior national teams and the FNB Youth Week rugby tournaments as well as with the Springbok Women at the Rugby World Cup and the Springbok Women’s Sevens one can almost expect Zintle Mpupha and Simamkele Namba to complete each other's sentences Tickets for the Springboks’ eagerly awaited return to home Test match action for the first time in almost ten months will go on sale for the July series on Friday The match in Gqeberha will kick of 16h10 and will be televised live on SuperSport The 2025 U20 Rugby Championship is the second edition of the tournament which was staged for the first time last year in Australia with the best young players the Southern Hemisphere competing against each other over three rounds New Zealand and Australia open the tournament in the first match of Thursday’s double-header at 14h00 Speaking on the eve of the opening round clash with Argentina Norton said they are expecting a physical challenge from the Argentina outfit and that the meeting with the Pumitas will be a big challenge upfront and we really back our scrums and our maul which is something all South Africans take pride in,” said Norton adding that the SA U20s have exciting options at the back and it would be the task of the forwards to lay a solid foundation for the backline “The pace we have in the backline is very exciting we have some exceptional players like Gino Cupido our strengths boil down to two things: our set piece and our pace out wide thanks to the talent of our outside backs.” Cupido is equally at home on the wing and in midfield and recently made his debut for the Springbok Sevens team Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote provided further insights on what to expect from the formidable Argentina selection and playing for their country is a significant opportunity for them since they don't get to play many games Heading into the World Rugby U20 Championship there will be a real hunger and desire from Argentina “They are very good when the ball gets loose with exciting outside backs that are a real threat We understand from our game management plan how we want to play; we aim to be direct and match their physicality and passion.” Tickets for each match day costs R20 per person and are available from the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ticket office or online from Webtickets Springboks loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon and the Stormers could part ways if a contractual dispute between the two parties is not resolved The 27-year-old made his international debut for South Africa in their victory over Wales at Twickenham last year and eventually represented the Springboks in five Tests The blindside flanker is currently out of action with a wrist injury and Stormers director of rugby John Dobson revealed last week that Dixon is set to be sidelined for several months That means he is set to miss the Springboks‘ clash with the Barbarians at the end of June as well as their July Tests against Italy and Georgia However, according to a News24 report who still has two years left on his Stormers contract at the end of this season could leave the Cape Town-based outfit due to a disagreement over the interpretation of the wording of a release clause in his current deal The exact wording regarding the exit clause in Dixon’s contract is still unknown as Dobson declined to comment on the matter while Dixon’s agent Dane Galley did not respond to a query by text from News24 Springboks hero Deon Fourie is not done yet extending his career despite latest setback Rassie Erasmus faces Pieter-Steph du Toit call as Springboks star misses entire Japan season the matter will head to arbitration if the opposing parties do not come to an amicable solution And it appears that Dixon’s camp have no intention of backing down which means he could be leaving the Stormers if the arbitrator rules in his favour That means the Stormers could lose another back-row stalwart after the likes of Hacjivah Dayimani Nama Xaba and Junior Pokomela left the men from the Cape at the end of last season while Willie Engelbrecht is set to rejoin his former team The Stormers currently have an exciting loose trio with Springboks back-row Evan Roos packing down at number eight while the hard grafting Marcel Theunissen and former SA U20 tearaway Paul de Villiers are the starting flankers they have little back-row depth and although Louw Nel has great potential he is inexperienced having made just six appearances for the Stormers to date While Theunissen and De Villiers have done well as the Stormers’ starting flankers in recent weeks Dixon’s presence has been missed as he very different in his approach to the aforementioned duo as he has a hard edge to his game with his strong ball carries excellent defensive and lineout work among his strengths READ MORE: Springboks fly-half edging closer to South Africa exit – report The Stormers are set to be boosted by FOUR returning Springboks The South Africans scored five first-half tries as they built a deserving 31-5 lead over their hosts The Bok Women added a further two tries to put them out of reach in the second half but the Spanish side finished the stronger as they piled on the pressure and were rewarded with three well-deserved tries near the end the powerful South African pack laid the foundation for a solid lead They dominated the set-piece collisions and ensured the Bok Women enjoyed majority of possession and territory The South Africans also looked dangerous whenever they spread the ball wide with Nadine Roos her normal elusive self with ball in hand A scrum penalty gave the Boks the opportunity to set up an attacking lineout in a good position and it was Sinazo Mcatshulwa (flanker) who went over for the first try of the game With the SA forwards dominating proceedings No 8 Aseza Hele was sent over for her first of two first-half tries from driving mauls with Cilliers adding the extras as the Bok Women took control at 19-0 A long range try after a lineout turnover followed with Roos prominent to send Cilliers over under the posts as they made it 26-0 with just under 10 minutes to go in the opening stanza Spain tried gallantly and were rewarded with their first score when Tecia Masoko (right wing) was sent over in the corner to reduce the deficit to 26-5 another maul resulted in a second try for Hela as South Africa went into the halftime break with a comfortable 31-5 lead The second half started very much like the first with the green and gold jerseys dominating possession and from another powerful scrum Hela picked up from the base powered her way forward before passing to Libbie Janse van Rensburg to score in the right-hand corner This try was followed by Tayla Kinsey’s effort under the posts after the South Africans had hacked the ball up field from a Spanish mistake Cilliers easily converted kick to make it 43-5 with more than 30 minutes remaining Spain refused to give up though and the impressive Masoko was sent over as the home team used their scoring opportunity clinically strong running Spanish midfielder Sahia Perez intercepted a loose pass to run as Spain gained 14 points within a few minutes to further reduce the SA lead to 43-19 Although Yonela Ngxingolo (replacement prop) was sent over for their eighth try of the afternoon it was Spain who finished stronger when Laura Dalgado scored their third try of the second half to make the final score 48-26 South Africa 48 (31) – Tries: Sinazo Mcatshulwa SA Rugby mourns the passing of former Springbok hooker Gys Pitzer who left an indelible mark on South African rugby with his dedication Nolusindiso Booi might be achieving a milestone 50th Test cap for South Africa there is no “I” in team when they face Spain in their season opener on Saturday afternoon Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has named a competitive Junior Springbok squad consisting of 31 players for the 2025 edition of the Rugby Championship U20 which will be staged from 1 to 11 May at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha The four South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises will all enter the home straight of the cross-hemisphere showpiece with the same mindset – victory at any cost – as the Race to the Eight takes centre stage Match official appointments for the next few days have been made with the Springbok Women kicking off their season with a Test against Spain in Elche while the Vodacom URC resumes after a break for the EPCR playoffs It was a dramatic yet rewarding weekend for three of South Africa’s four Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams as the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers registered crucial victories to stay on course as the playoff stages reach boiling point SA Rugby mourns the passing of Norman Mbiko the last captain of the African Springboks and a former head coach of the Blitzboks who passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the age of 79 after a long illness The Junior Springboks assembled in Gqeberha on Wednesday to begin their preparations for the Rugby Championship U20 and according to SA U20 coach Kevin Foote they are happy to be in the Eastern Cape for the tournament which kicks off next week at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium No love will be lost in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this weekend as the four South African sides continue to pin their hopes on victories to stay in the race for quarter-final spots or the best possible log positions with only three rounds of pool matches remaining Can the Airlink Pumas break Suzuki Griquas' incredible unbeaten run in the SA Cup when the two top teams on the log – and last year’s finalists – clash in Nelspruit on Friday evening and who between the Toyota Cheetahs and Valke will prevail on Saturday in Bloemfontein 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm Rugby fans are in for a historic treat as the Springboks gear up to face the world-renowned Barbarians on South African soil for the very first time will mark the launch of the Boks’ 2025 international season Tickets for the landmark showdown start at R250 and will be available exclusively through Ticketmaster from 09h00 on Tuesday this high-profile encounter has been brought to local shores thanks to an agreement with London-based sports marketing agency Pitch International in partnership with the Barbarians and SA Rugby The match will serve as a curtain-raiser to the Castle Lager Incoming Series which kicks off a week later against Italy in Pretoria The Barbarians will be led by seasoned coach Robbie Deans a former All Blacks fullback with a coaching résumé that includes stints with the Wallabies and Crusaders He’ll be supported by a global coaching lineup including Patrice Collazo (France) and recently retired All Black legend Sam Whitelock it will be their ninth meeting with the iconic black-and-white jerseyed team The last clash ended in a thrilling 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in 2016 The Boks’ last victory over the Barbarians dates back to 2000 in Cardiff with the invitational side narrowly leading the all-time series 4-3 Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus welcomed the fixture as a vital warm-up opportunity “There’s no substitute for the intensity of a proper international match,” said Erasmus The Barbarians will draw from a global talent pool featuring players from leagues including the Vodacom United Rugby Championship “It’s a mouth-watering fixture,” said Deans “Two of the game’s great brands going head-to-head in South Africa—what more could rugby fans ask for The Barbarians clash sets the tone for a bumper 2025 Springbok season which includes home Tests against Italy and Georgia in July the Rugby Championship battles against Australia 28 June: Springboks vs Barbarians – DHL Stadium 12 July: SA vs Italy – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium 16 August: SA vs Australia – Emirates Airline Park 27 September: SA vs Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us the Springbok rugby team was sitting on a little hill overlooking a marked-out ‘field’ while a team in smart green shirts was running rings around a bunch of misfits in a game of touch rugby and Nick Mallett had challenged the travelling media to a game of touch against his management team given that Mallett’s team comprised either former rugby stars or fit physios and conditioning staff Most of the media had not touched a rugby ball since brief flirtations with the game at school we looked like the “before” pics that are taken before a body transformation challenge My great claim to fame was that shortly after kick-off I intercepted a pass and scampered off to score a try to ironic applause from the Springboks I nabbed another intercept and shot off for more glory and he lined me up as if I was a Northern Transvaal wing and he was in his Western Province No.8 jersey and I was eating grass while the skin of my knees was fertilising the grass and pulled me up by the scruff of the neck The Cape-based reporter Mark Keohane got similar treatment when Mallett “forgot” it was touch rugby Mallett smilingly reminded him of an article he had written that had less than thrilled the coach It had been compulsory for the Boks to attend the slaughter and they dutifully clapped as the tries mounted and the embarrassment of the press deepened It was in the spirit of fun and entertainment We repaired to the bar at the Esplanade Hotel for liberal refreshments and light-hearted banter was brought up by Rassie Erasmus in the entertaining chat he had with Mallett in the latest episode of his “Rassie+” podcast and he told Mallett that he had understood what he was trying to do – include the media in the broader picture of the Springboks’ set-up the legendary Sharks (and Springbok) coach put it colourfully: “You can bring the media into your circle and have them peeing out of it or you keep them out of the circle and they pee into it.” Rassie puts it this way: “You have the players and the coaches But if you give them enough material to write informative stories during the week then the fans know more about what is going on “That means they can watch the 80 minutes on Saturday and make better judgements.” This fits neatly into the Springboks’ Stronger Together campaign and Rassie’s new podcast series is another way of educating the public about how the Springboks operate by providing information that doesn’t come up at media conferences Rassie has interviewed some of his assistant coaches legendary centre Danie Gerber and former coach Mallett and fascinating insights have come to light we have an example of Rassie thinking out of the box as he finds new ways to grow the Springbok brand and take the team into the hearts of South Africans In the second half of the 2025 Rugby Championship U20 opener the Junior Springboks demonstrated remarkable resilience and tactical acumen overcoming a 25-15 deficit at halftime to secure a 36-25 victory over Argentina's Pumitas.  The Baby Boks initiated a dominant offensive display including notable contributions from Haashim Pead and Gino Cupido.  reflecting a significant shift in momentum.  South Africa's possession and territory statistics improved markedly underscoring its strategic adjustments and relentless pursuit on home soil at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Recap the live updates and scores from South Africa Junior Springboks vs as Argentina was in great form in the first half but was unable to handle a Junior Springboks offensive assault in the second half of the game.  The Baby Boks did enough in the first half to give themselves room to improve later in the game.  Los Pumitas were only able to muster one try in the second half.  SA U20 scored three tries in the second half including a second from Haashim Pead and a try from Gino Cupido.  South Africa's #JuniorBoks take the spoils against Argentina in a nail-biting second #TRCU20 match in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ✅ pic.twitter.com/xiKZ1GNuRk Argentina scrum at its 5m line after an SA penalty but the Baby Boks have been relentless in the second half with a few potential tries being called back.  South Africa fans are dancing and feel like they have this game in hand.  Gino Cupido catches a pass out wide and takes it over the line as the Junior Springboks have dominated for the bulk of the second half.  Vusi Moyo makes his first conversion of the game After maintaining possession for only 45% of the first half the Junior Springboks have possessed for 66% of the second half.  with 51% in the first half and 60% in the second half so far.  Junior Springboks captain Riley Norton gets the score after multiple efforts.  Feels as if SA finally has leaned into tactics The Junior Springboks have regained momentum in this game and are about to score to take the lead.  Cheswill Jooste's last-ditch effort creates another Haashim Pead score and the Baby Boks stay in this game.  Argentina scores nearly immediately after halftime with Felipe Ledesma taking it across the line.  Argentina continues its strong start.  Some ridiculous pace in this Baby Bok backline! #TRCU20 Argentina are showing good tactical kicking #TRCU20 Argentina u20s on another level. Best team in the competition #TRCU20 Argentina is up as the teams head into the locker room for halftime.  Argentina creates great movement after a lineout to get the ball outside to Lescano Bautista Lescano knock-on voids a breakaway try by the Argentina player.  Pumitas have stayed in this game with strong form.  Rafael Benedet makes a penalty kick from long distance to bring his team within two points of the Baby Boks Defensive lapse on the part of Argentina allows South Africa to score another try.  Demitre Erasmus takes it across the line.  The wind interferes with Kyle Smith's conversion Argentina maintaining with South Africa in the match.  Rafael Benedet makes the conversion.  And the Baby Boks get their first try of the day.  Argentina get its first points of the game to draw the game even.  The Junior Springboks are able to gather and recover.  First points of the day on the board from the Junior Springboks The Junior Springboks kick off to Argentina and we're underway at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha In the first game of the 2025 Rugby Championship U20 Australia drew even with New Zealand after regulation Australia was able to steal a line-out and make its way up the field for a try and conversion South Africa Junior Springboks and Argentina Los Pumitas.  ET on May 1 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha For viewers in the United States, the 2025 Rugby Championship U20 will be streamed on FloRugby and the FloSports app. For US viewers, the 2025 Rugby Championship U20 will be streamed on FloRugby and the FloSports app. FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.  Get the most important Rugby stories delivered straight to your inbox This is the view of Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman on the eve of the last tournament of the year the HSBC SVNS World Championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles this weekend South Africa will face Olympic champions France Great Britain and HSBC SVNS league winners Argentina on Saturday in Pool A of the tournament Australia and New Zealand are in Pool B and the top two teams in each pool will contest the semi-finals on Sunday “We can look back at the regular series where we had a mixed bag of results but this effort here in Los Angeles will define the season,” said Snyman We had our review of the series and know what we were good at Our fourth place in the series was an improvement from the previous year but we want to be remembered by more than that we approach this as a complete team effort where every individual will have to be on point when it comes to roles and responsibilities and to make sure that his job gets done I believe our system is such that we will be successful if we manage that.” Snyman said their preparations went well and he was pleased with the trio of Ronald Brown where we did not deliver,” said the Blitzbok coach effort and energy and each of those players are able to provide that The three pool opponents will be a tough nut to crack given that only the best eight teams are competing: “We have won and lost against all three during the season so it will come down to the effort of that match There are no easy games and a clinical execution will be the difference.” Sunday 4 May00h13: Great Britain03h46: Argentina The Springbok Sevens squad for Los Angeles (with HSBC SVNS stats):#2 Ryan Oosthuizen - 55 tournaments 230 points (46 tries)#3 Impi Visser - 45 tournaments 225 points (45 tries)#4 Zain Davids - 52 tournaments 235 points (47 tries)#5 Ricardo Duarttee - 18 tournaments 1 penalty goal)#7 Ronald Brown - 19 tournaments 99 conversions)#8 Selvyn Davids (captain) - 41 tournaments 1 penalty goal)#11 Siviwe Soyizwapi - 59 tournaments 790 points (158 tries)#12 Shilton van Wyk - 26 tournaments 240 points (48 tries)#13 Mfundo Ndhlovu - 18 tournaments 120 points (24 tries)#14 Quewin Nortje - 11 tournaments 145 points (29 tries)#19 David Brits - 8 tournaments 40 points (8 tries)#21 Zander Reynders - 5 tournaments 10 points (2 tries)#24 Tristan Leyds - 10 tournaments Erasmus along with his assistant coaches and management team will host two virtual sessions on the day – one with the Japanese-based players and the other with the players playing in the northern hemisphere and domestically – to accommodate their respective time zones In addition to this group, 56 players have been invited to the Cape Town camp which will bode well for the team’s preparations for the 2025 season A total of 18 Rugby World Cup winners have been included in the virtual alignment camp group with another four capped Springboks also in the squad The only new player in this group is Jonathan Roche who earns his first invitation to a Bok alignment camp with the other five locally based players having either worn the Springbok jersey or been invited to an alignment camp before “It is vital for us that all the players on our radar are exposed to our plans and goals for the season so we intend to replicate our presentations to the group in Cape Town with these players so everyone is on the same page as we embark on this challenging season,” said Erasmus “With a wide group of players invited to the respective alignment camps we are excited to grow our player base and expose all these individuals to the national structures as well as to explain what our expectations are of them for the forthcoming season “Many of these players have won a World Cup before but we made it clear before the 2023 showpiece in France that we have to continue adapting and improving to remain at the top of our game – not only this season but also as we build toward the 2027 World Cup in Australia.” Erasmus said options are being investigated for a match prior to the Castle Lager Incoming Series when the Boks take on Italy in back-to-back Tests on 5 and 12 July followed by a clash against Georgia on 19 July The Boks will then defend their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title against Australia New Zealand and Argentina between August and October before the traditional Castle Lager Outgoing Tour in November Players invited to the virtual Springbok alignment camps (in alphabetical order): Kurt-Lee Arendse (Dynaboars) Former Proteas hockey player Kayla Swarts and DHL Western Province scrumhalf Alicia Willemse are in line to make their international rugby sevens debuts after being named in the Springbok Women's Sevens squad for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 It is almost a case of second chances for Springbok Sevens wing Sebastiaan Jobb and he is determined to make the second stint in his HSBC SVNS career more memorable than the first a leading provider of cement and concrete solutions which includes sponsorship of the Springboks and an expanded collaboration with South Africa’s other national rugby teams Springbok Women utility forwards Catha Jacobs and Lerato Makua will join their national teammates in Stellenbosch on Sunday for a week-long training camp at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport the fourth such assembly in 2025 as the team build towards the Rugby World Cup in England later this year Saturday’s thrilling South African derby round in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship delivered victories for the lower ranked teams on the log with the Emirates Lions holding out the DHL Stormers in Johannesburg before the Hollywoodbets Sharks shocked the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria The Junior Springboks got their short tour of Georgia off to a good but cold start with a live training session against the Lelo Saracens club in Tbilisi on Wednesday afternoon The 36-hour trip from Cape Town to Vancouver aside pretty much everything else were spot on for the Springbok Sevens in Canada thus far and they are heading into the HSBC SVNS tournament at BC Place on Friday with confidence and energy Both the Vodacom Bulls and Emirates Lions will have everything to play for on Saturday when they meet in what is billed to be a thrilling Vodacom United Rugby Championship Jukskei derby in Pretoria – the only match of the weekend With one productive opposed training session already under their belts the Junior Springboks are now ready to switch to game mode when they face their Georgian Under-20 counterparts in Tbilisi on Sunday afternoon (16h00 SA time) The Springbok Women concluded another productive training camp at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on Friday with the important aspect of law interpretation a key aspect to the week’s preparation and focus That was the view of Bok Women scrum coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt after another good training session at the team’s base at the Bonalba Golf Resort in Alicante on Tuesday where a lot of focus went into scrumming and mauling options for the team The Springbok Women (12th with 66.18 ranking points) open their international season against Spain (13th with 65.59 points) on Saturday and for Johannes-Haupt “They have been together for five weeks now and had four wins so far so their improvement is real,” said Johannes-Haupt we have had several camps back home where we worked on a few aspects and variety in our game The Bok Women’s scrum power is no secret and for Johannes-Haupt not something they are moving away from soon: “We don’t want to move away from what we are good at; we just want to perfect what we are good at.” with the Springbok Women enjoying 94% success rate in scrums on their own feed and Spain 74% The South Africans also won 25 of 28 lineouts (89%) who scored eight tries in those two matches – three of which were from mauls and two from scrums – while Spain scored five with only one from a lineout and one from a scrum and we want to remain prominent and dominant in that area but we also want to spice it up and add more to our play than just scrums and mauls “This match will be about a solid foundation but more so because we want to give the backs ball to run with If we provide the platforms for them to launch from they will have ample opportunity to finish “I feel our defence has been reliable as well and we are working to add some attacking flair to our effort.” The Springbok Women team to face Spain on Saturday will be named on Wednesday the Springbok Women had a very productive first training session on Monday and according to Performance Coach “Operation Spain” is now officially underway Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote expressed his delight following his team's impressive 78-7 victory in a training match against Hamilton Rugby Club in Cape Town on Friday evening Sanlam Boland Kavaliers and Valke were the biggest beneficiaries over the weekend following impressive victories in the sixth round of the SA Cup to ensure they remain in the race to qualify for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division The Springbok Women outmuscled an England age-group side 50-17 (half-time 24-10) in Marcoussis on Saturday with a powerful scrum performance providing the foundation for a satisfactory win and end to their first week of touring France and Spain The Springbok Women's Sevens team finally got it right when they outplayed Argentina 21-12 in the final of the third and final World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Krakow Poland to win their first title of the year Long-serving captain Nolusindiso Booi will become the first player to reach 50 Test caps for the Springbok Women when South Africa face Spain at Campo de Rugby Amorós Palao in Elche on Saturday International rugby will return to the Eastern Cape next month when the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha plays host to this year's edition of the Rugby Championship Under-20 Kolbe’s incredible achievements throughout the 2024 season set him apart from an impressive field of nominees which included previous winners Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit His contributions played a pivotal role in the Springboks’ triumphant season which saw the team secure 11 victories in 13 Tests and recapture the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and Freedom Cup titles Kolbe’s electrifying pace and skill on the field were key to these successes underscoring his reputation as one of the most dynamic players in world rugby the Springboks and Rassie Erasmus were named Team and Coach of the Year respectively on an evening where excellence across all spheres of South African rugby was celebrated The versatile Roos was honoured as SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year for the second time in three years after also taking the award in 2022 for her outstanding contributions to both the fifteens and sevens formats of the Springbok Women’s game Emerging star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu received the Young Player of the Year award recognising his breakthrough season; Jurenzo Julius was named Junior Springbok Player of the Year for his impressive form for the SA U20s before making a rapid rise in senior rugby; and Selvyn Davids who was included in World Rugby’s Dream Team was named the Springbok Sevens Player of the Year playing a key role as they won bronze at the Olympic Games in Paris Renzo du Plessis (Fidelity ADT Lions) and Ashlon Davids (Sanlam Boland Cavaliers) were named the Carling Currie Cup Players of the Year for the Premier and First Divisions respectively adding their names to that of Sanele Nohamba (Emirates Lions) who won the SA Vodacom URC Player of the Season Award for 2024 who topped the scoring charts and helped the Bulls Daisies to a second successive Women’s Premier Division title was recognized as Provincial Women’s Player of the Year while AJ Jacobs was named OUTsurance Referee of the Year for his excellent performances on both local and international stages For their significant contributions to rugby development the South African Schools Rugby Association (SASRA) was named Associate Member of the Year and the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union received the inaugural President’s Award for their exceptional achievements in access to the game the awards ceremony also celebrated a remarkable milestone for the Springbok brand which was ranked 50th among the top 100 brands in South Africa making it the only sports brand to achieve this distinction to date hailed Kolbe’s achievement as a milestone for backline players while he also praised the contributions of all the other award winners “Cheslin’s recognition is a testament to his skill and impact on the field,” said Mr Alexander “It’s amazing to think that the last backline player to win the top award was former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers in 2013 and to have Cheslin take the top prize this year is just reward for the amazing things he’s done for the Springboks in the last six years “He truly embodies the spirit of excellence that defines South African rugby We are blessed with incredible talent in South African rugby as evidenced by the accomplishments of national players such as Nadine but everyone involved with the Springboks deserves recognition for one of our best seasons ever and Rassie’s role in this resurgence from where we were under a decade ago has to be applauded Mr Alexander also lauded the other winners for their stellar performances during the 2024 season: “Congratulations also to Sanele Nohamba the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union – with the Hollywoodbets Sharks winning both the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Carling Currie Cup – and SASRA too all of you deserve the recognition for your contribution to the game of rugby in South Africa last year “As the curtain falls on a successful year the Springboks and all role players in South African rugby can look ahead with confidence building on the solid foundation laid in 2024 Best of luck to everyone for the rest of the year – may we build on our achievements in 2025.” SA Rugby Awards 2024 winners and finalists (where applicable): SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year: Cheslin KolbeFinalists: Damian De Allende SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year: Nadine RoosFinalists: Aseza Hele SA Rugby Young Player of the Year: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Springboks / DHL Stormers)Finalists: Cameron Hanekom (Springboks / Vodacom Bulls) Jordan Hendrikse (Springboks / Hollywoodbets Sharks) Springbok Sevens Men’s Player of the Year: Selvyn DavidsFinalists: Zain Davids Junior Springbok Player of the Year: Jurenzo JuliusFinalists: Bathobele Hlekani Team of the Year: SpringboksFinalists: Hollywoodbets Sharks Coach of the Year: Rassie Erasmus (Springboks)Finalists: Philip Snyman (Springbok Sevens) Carling Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year: Renzo du Plessis (Fidelity ADT Lions)Finalists: Clinton Swart (Airlink Pumas) Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks XV) Carling Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year: Ashlon Davids (Sanlam Boland Kavaliers)Finalists: Jayden Bantom (Eastern Province) Provincial Women’s Player of the Year: Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) President’s Award: KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union SA Vodacom URC Player of the Season (announced last year): Sanele Nohamba (Emirates Lions) SA Rugby Associate Member of the Year: SA Schools Rugby Association (SASRA) The race for those coveted four semi-final spots of the SA Cup – and with that qualification to the Carling Currie Cup P.. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus wrapped up their first alignment camp of the year saying two of the key takeouts from the sessions hosted in the last few days were the encouraging dynamics between the younger and older players and his plan to use the skillset of all the coaches and management team members to contribute to a well-oiled machine on the field Match official appointments for the next few days have been made – it’s the final round of the Men’s Six Nations and the second round of the SA Cup with the Vodacom URC and Women’s Premier Division teams enjoying a bye Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday with the strong start to the first Bok alignment camp of the year following a productive coaches workshop over the weekend and the arrival of the invited players in the Mother City on Monday night where the focus was placed on laying a solid foundation for the 2025 season International rugby will return to Bloemfontein when Georgia’s national team take on the Toyota Cheetahs on 12 July a week before their Test against the Springboks in Nelspruit World Rugby and SA Rugby have launched a new Brain Health Service to support former elite South African players in keeping their brain as healthy as their body once they have retired from the game The Junior Springboks were handed a tough group assignment for this year’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship which will take place from 29 June to 19 July in Italy The Springbok Women's final alignment camp for the year at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport got the nod of approval from performance coach Swys de Bruin who said they made good progress during the monthly camps which started in January The NovaVit Griffons delivered arguably the performance of the week by edging the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers 38-35 in a nail-biting second round SA Cup match in Welkom to entrench themselves in the top three along with Suzuki Griquas and the Airlink Pumas the Race to the Eight in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship is poised to deliver the most unpredictable battle for the play-offs in league history Gino Cupido will make his debut for the Springbok Sevens team in Hong Kong next weekend after being named in the squad for the trip east with his inclusion one of three changes from the Vancouver squad made by Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman Namba was a regular starter for the team during last season’s HSBC SVNS but a serious knee injury sustained in Singapore ruled her out of rugby for almost a year Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Renfred Dazel said the return of Namba who also played for the Springbok Women at the previous Rugby World Cup in New Zealand “We do have some momentum after our win in Krakow earlier in the month but this tournament is obviously a different kettle of fish where the pressure to succeed will be massive,” said Dazel “Namba thrives in these situations and is such a great player to have around She provides that spark that every team need and I am just happy to have her back.” Felicia Jacobs and Alicia Willemse are also back in the squad after missing out in Krakow Willemse made her Test debut for the Springbok Women in Spain at the time and Fortuin and Jacobs recovered from injury has not recovered in time for the trip to the USA Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga are back after joining the Bok Women on their recent tour of Spain Dazel said the experience of the play-off tournament gained in Madrid last year will help although the format is a bit different this time around South Africa had core status but lost out to China for this season’s HSBC SVNS the cross over matches are a bit different as the second and third placed teams also get another opportunity although we are determined to top our pool to get into the semi-finals,” said Dazel Despite missing out on the intensity of regular tournament play Dazel feels the momentum gained from the three World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournaments will stand them in good stead when they face Ireland and China for the first time this season the team they outplayed to win the Challenger title in Krakow “We started off with a third place in Cape Town where we just did not execute in our semi-final against Kenya followed that up by committing nine handling errors in our final of the second tournament against Kenya and then finally getting it right in Krakow beating Argentina and Kenya along the way,” Dazel said “The players have learned and improved in every outing and we can go to Los Angeles knowing that we have a realistic opportunity to do well There is good energy and the return of Namba Jacobs and Fortuin comes at just the right time.” Springbok Women’s Sevens Pool B schedule (SA times Springbok Women's Sevens (with 2025 Challenger Series stats):#1 Leigh Fortuin – 2 tournaments 5 points (1 try)#4 Zintle Mpupha – 3 tournaments 30 points (6 tries)#6 Felicia Jacobs – 2 tournaments 10 points (2 tries)#7 Maria Tshiremba – 3 tournaments 55 points (11 tries)#9 Nadine Roos – 3 tournaments 32 conversions)#10 Mathrin Simmers (captain) – 3 tournaments 5 points (1 try)#11 Zandile Masuku – 1 tournament 0 points#14 Simamkele Namba – 0 tournaments#16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht – 3 tournaments 15 points (3 tries)#23 Ayanda Malinga – 3 tournaments 50 points (10 tries)#27 Alicia Willemse – 2 tournaments 2 points (1 conversion)#29 Rights Mkhari – 3 tournaments Match official appointments for the next few days have been made with a couple of big games in both the Vodacom URC and SA Cup as both competitions enter the home straight before the playoffs EPCR confirmed on Thursday that Lyon in France has been chosen as the host city for the prestigious 2027 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Finals weekend when OL Stadium will welcome tens of thousands of fans for an unforgettable weekend of rugby's premier international club competitions Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has inspired the Junior Springboks during a training session in Gqeberha He delivered an uplifting message to South Africa’s rising rugby stars during a surprise visit to the Junior Springboks’ training session at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha The visit followed the Junior Boks’ impressive win over Argentina in the opening round of the U20 Rugby Championship “Seeing the hard work and unity within this team gives me hope for the future of South African rugby.” Kolisi expressed joy at returning home: “It’s amazing to be in Gqeberha Seeing the hard work and unity within this team gives me hope for the future of South African rugby motivated the young squad: “I reminded them how special it is to wear the jersey and represent the entire nation reflected on the moment: “Having Siya at our session was an unforgettable experience and we’re grateful he took time to support us.” Kolisi also praised local fans after nearly 9,000 supporters turned up for the opening game: and I want to thank everyone in advance for coming out to support the boys This city is more than capable of hosting world-class events.” Don’t miss the next round of the U20 Rugby Championship on Tuesday Tickets are only R20 and available via Webtickets or at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ticket office The Springbok Sevens team gave themselves a true Hollywood ending as they won the HSBC World Championship in Los Angeles in the early hours of Monday morning While officially the Blitzboks are crowned “World Champions” - the irony of this in a country whose domestic sports carry the same tag - the glory from finishing the season on a high note will be enough for them Blitzboks are back 🇿🇦South Africa win the #HSBCSVNS World Championship in LA 🏆#HSBCSVNSLAX pic.twitter.com/WGC0VOITs9 Argentina won the HSBC World SVNS Series league with World Rugby deciding on a season ending format World Championship with the winners being given the tag but the league is still seen as the tougher format to win that shouldn’t take away from an incredible performance by the Blitzboks who had to overcome Olympic champions France Argentina and Great Britain in their pools and then put on a dominant day two display to down New Zealand 26-5 and then beat the most improved side on the tour It was a weekend where everything went right injuries stayed to a minimum and the Blitzboks played to some unbelievable potential to show just how good they were For the first time this season Philip Snyman had a fully fit squad to choose from and their preparations for the two day tournament were perfect the Blitzboks have restored pride in winning a bronze medal at the Olympics being crowned champions in Cape Town in front of their home fans and now winning in Los Angeles Celebrations in LA 🥳#Blitzboks #PoweredByUnity #HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/rHxa8HZ5pQ This was their fifth tournament win in the USA with three Las Vegas titles and the first LA Sevens title before this showing they clearly enjoy the tournament While some of the tournaments have disappointed - especially the loss in Hong Kong - their fourth spot in the overall standings and two tournament victories will be more than sufficient for SA Rugby to know they have done the right job in appointing Snyman fulltime and look forward to developing the side more in the coming year Snyman was gushing after his team’s victory understandably stating his pride for all to see They played five phenomenal games and were unstoppable I am very proud of them,” he said at the end of the final A word from #Blitzboks coach Philip Snyman: "All credit to the players" 🙌#PoweredByUnity #HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/oPmMBzUXSI Their opponents Spain have been sensational this year being ranked 10th last season and finished ahead of the Blitzboks in third during the regular season their impressive progress makes them the rising stars of World Sevens In the showdown with their oldest rugby rivals New Zealand the Blitzboks put on a dominating display from the opening whistle to ensure their spot in the final Their ability to pounce on every mistake was highlighted from the start as New Zealand’s first lineout produced a wayward pass booting the ball forward and collecting for the first try Selvyn Davids manipulated the defence exceptionally well two minutes later drawing two defenders before sending Quewin Nortje thundering down the far touchline to beat the last tackle and run around to score under the posts The Blitzboks further rocked New Zealand when Ronald Brown also drew the defence putting Van Wyk down a short run on the opposite wing to go in at the corner leaving the Blitzboks 21-0 up at the break Nortje got his second at the start of the second half but Kiwi defender Frank Vaenuku got a hold of a bit of his shirt held on as he twirled around and it ripped at the same time but the slingshot result meant he could twist around to go over and score Vaenuku finally got the All Blacks on the board deep in the second half but this was never to be their day as the Blitzboks moved to the final it was their talisman Selvyn Davids who set the field on fire scoring the opening try with dancing feet that has made him such an elusive attacker on the field Davids took the ball from a scrum in his own 22 but two defenders before pinning his ears back and motoring downfield to score untouched in an exceptional individual try Spain have not been the surprise element on this year’s SVNS Series for nothing and their superstar Pol Pla - who has been nominated as one of the Sevens Players of the year - got just too much room on the near touchline and used his speed to beat the cover defence to run in a scintillating try It would all come down to the final three minutes with just two points separating the two sides and it was the Blitzboks’ nerves which held firm Mfundo Ndhlovu had the benefit of a bounced ball pass that held up the defence for a split second and allowed him to shift gears as he moved past the defence on the outside to run in untouched and put the Blitzboks more than a score clear And it was Ricky Duarte who sealed the match with seconds to go by breaking through a tackle off some short passing to score a well-worked try and give the South Africans victory It ended the perfect weekend for the Blitzboks and the perfect ending to a tough first season in charge for Snyman But none of that mattered as the champagne flowed The South African retail giant’s logo will make its debut on green and gold at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens when the Blitzboks take on Uruguay at 11h56 (SA time) on Friday The Pick n Pay logo will also appear on the front of all national teams’ training apparel in a new departure for SA Rugby’s sponsorship model the rights to the front of the playing jersey and training jersey have been the preserve of a single partner The sponsorship will also have an impact at community level as Pick n Pay have also acquired the naming rights to the national club championship and an exciting new women’s rugby competition the details of which will be announced later this year The agreement with Pick n Pay marks the coming together of two loved and iconic brands and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans “This sponsorship is about more than just a logo on a jersey – it’s about celebrating the values that unite us as South Africans,” said Sean Summers Pick n Pay has been a trusted partner in homes and communities always backing South Africans through great value or supporting communities when they need us most “We are incredibly proud to back the Springbok teams as they push forward on their journey of excellence and we are excited to help grow rugby from grassroots to the professional stage ensuring that our customers and supporters can be part of this journey every step of the way “The Springboks are a true symbol of determination and we could not be prouder to announce this sponsorship as we ourselves take bold steps to drive our growth,” added Summers Just as the Springboks and our other national teams play for the pride of the nation Pick n Pay’s people have made a difference every day for over 50 years serving South Africans and always being there for communities in need Both teams prove that through teamwork and commitment “We are particularly excited that Pick n Pay will be assisting us in promoting the community game through their partnership with the Gold Cup they are backing our commitment to the women’s game by partnering us in a new elite competition that is in the planning stage.” Pick n Pay is one of South Africa’s most iconic and inclusive brands renowned for its long-standing commitment to delivering value Pick n Pay has evolved alongside its customers' changing needs and aspirations the company is driven by a genuine desire to improve the lives of its customers and positively impact the communities it serves Pick n Pay opened its first four stores in Cape Town in 1967 the company operates through a range of store formats alongside its online platforms (pnp.co.za and Pick n Pay asap The Group trades under two main brands: Pick n Pay and Boxer in which Pick n Pay holds a majority shareholding SA Rugby and FNB announced on Wednesday the broadening and deepening of their relationship with the bank becoming the principal partner of all national teams – with the FNB logo now taking centre stage on the front of all team jerseys Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman had to do with a candle and cupcake on his 38th birthday but Blitzbok captain Selvyn Davids could celebrate his 31st in a more dramatic way posing next to the other captains on the HSBC SVNS circuit at the new Kai Tak Stadium where this weekend's Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens takes place Match official appointments for the next few days have been made with the 14th round of the Vodacom URC taking place while the final of the Women’s Premier Division is taking place in Pretoria breathtaking tries and plenty of joy for fans from all walks of life the sponsorship agreement between MTN and the Springboks ends after eight highly successful years There is a real belief amongst the players in the Springbok Sevens squad that they are improving as a team and doing the right things well has become a blueprint for them according to experienced forward Ryan Oosthuizen who arrived in Hong Kong this week for a seventh time as a Blitzbok The Bulls Daisies will be looking for a repeat of the last two years’ Women’s Premier Division finals when the two teams meet again at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria – the same venue of the last two finals – at 17h15 on Saturday to conclude the 2025 season The Blitzboks blew hot and then cold on the opening day of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens on Friday beating Uruguay by 40-7 before a disappointing 26-7 defeat to Australia in their second Pool B match at the new Kai Tak Stadium The Bulls Daisies once again proved they have no peers on the provincial scene by beating DHL Western Province 46-31 in a pulsating Women's Premier Division final at Loftus Versfeld that delivered 12 tries with the champions from Pretoria defending the title they’ve held since 2023 The Springbok Sevens team crashed out of title contention in Hong Kong yet again after a 17-7 pool defeat to New Zealand on Saturday meant they failed to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time in this season's HSBC SVNS The Vodacom Bulls shone bright over their South African counterparts in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this past weekend with the Pretoria outfit being the only of the four franchises to come away with a victory as the competition struck round 14 The agreement sees the FNB logo move from the shoulders of the Springboks to the front of the playing jersey but also onto the front of the men’s and women’s sevens teams It also marks the extension of their partnership with the Springbok Women’s team having become the team’s principal sponsor three years ago “FNB has been an outstanding partner to the Springboks and rugby for many years and we are delighted that we have aligned to take the relationship to the next level” “To have them partner all our national teams is a step change for our game and we look forward to continuing a long and successful partnership.” The FNB logo will be rolled out onto all national teams over the coming weeks and will make its first appearance on the front of a Springbok Test match jersey when the Boks run out against Italy in Pretoria on 5 July The FNB logo will move from the shoulders to the chest of all national teams' playing jerseys CEO of FNB said: “FNB has a long history of help and support of rugby and we are extremely proud and honoured to now further extend our help as the principal sponsor leading and headlining in our partnership with the Springboks rugby has helped unify our country and has provided a unique platform for South Africa to showcase its sporting talent on both local and global stages “FNB supported South African rugby as a sponsor since 2017 and as principal sponsor offers an opportunity for us to continue living our legacy of 'help’ and remain devoted to making a positive societal contribution through rugby that will take the country forward.” our decision to deepen this relationship is in line with our core brand tenet of ‘help’ “Our investment into youth platforms like Classic Clashes and Varsity Cup has enabled FNB to support the development of young talent across all spheres of rugby and across various South African communities “Our efforts in youth development have supported transformation in the sport and is a demonstration of our grassroots to greatness sponsorship strategy which allows us to not only help develop local talent but also showcase our country's ability to compete in the global arena “We recognise the power of sport in nation-building and our SARU partnership is also pivotal in our journey to empower women in sport.” It was a largely satisfying weekend for South Africa’s teams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship as three of the four side – the Vodacom Bulls Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers – came away with victories to boost their playoff hopes while the Emirates Lions managed to secure a losing bonus point away from home to remain within striking range of the top eight DHL Western Province will travel to Pretoria to take on the Bulls Daisies in the final of the Women’s Premier Division next weekend after edging the Sanlam Boland Dames 32-29 in a frantic match in Bellville on Saturday while the defending champions closed out the final round of the competition with an emphatic 96-0 dismantling of the Free State Women in Pretoria Fifty seven tournaments into his HSBC SVNS career (and 154 tries later) Siviwe Soyizwapi returns to Hong Kong for a sixth time when he made his Blitzbok debut at the Hong Kong Stadium The Springbok Sevens team are ready to let the ‘Gino’ out of the bottle when they face Uruguay Australia and New Zealand in their pool at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens The four South African teams will enter the weekend desperate to register victories as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship reaches boiling point with 15 of the 16 teams still in contention for playoff places with only five games left to book their quarter-final spots The NovaVit Griffons and Suzuki Griquas’ unbeaten status will be on the line when they clash in a highly anticipated SA Cup match in Welkom on Saturday afternoon when all five round four encounters kick off at 15h00 Pick n Pay has signed a four-year contract as a Tier 1 sponsor of SA Rugby with the company’s logo set to feature in gold on the back of the Springbok jersey as well as those of all other national teams in a ground-breaking new partnership Erasmus unveiled his management team on Thursday with the three new additions to the coaching and management groups being Jones – who was a member of the team’s triumphant 2019 and 2023 RWC campaigns – as well as Lance Lemmetjies who will join the medical team as one of two physiotherapists from June Their appointments will be for the next cycle concluding with the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia Jones made the decision to move to England after the 2023 World Cup to be closer to his family in the UK and will add vast experience to the Bok coaching team while Lemmetjies – who is currently the Vodacom Bulls’ physiotherapist – will rejoin the team after spending time with the squad during the British & Irish Lions Series in 2021 and serving in the role during the South Africa ‘A’ tour in 2022 has also worked directly with the Springboks for the last few seasons “We are delighted to welcome Felix back into the Springbok team and we are excited to see him pick up where he left off in 2023,” said Erasmus “He was a vital cog in the coaching team from 2019 to 2023 and excellent work ethic will make him a great addition to the fantastic coaching team we built from the beginning of 2024 “Felix worked very closely with most of our coaches in the past and I have no doubt he’ll work equally closely with Jerry (Flannery) and Tony (Brown) his experience of working in the UK and studying the opposition teams in the Six Nations and other international tournaments will add immense value in assisting us to adapt and improve as we cast an eye on a tough international season ahead “As a team we are well aware that we need to keep improving and growing if we want to remain one of the best teams in the world and to give ourselves the best possible chance to defend our World Cup title in Australia in 2027 like all the other coaching and support staff will play a key role in guiding us to do so.” Erasmus said: “Lance worked with us during the British & Irish Lions series and also with the SA ‘A’ team and we are excited to welcome him to the team.” who will serve as the team dietician: “Robyn is a highly qualified professional holding a Masters Degree from the University of Pretoria with graduate qualifications (BSc Dietetics) from the University of Stellenbosch “All three individuals are extremely hard workers and they’ve worked with many of the players before so we are confident they will slot in with ease.” SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer shared in the excitement in welcoming Jones and Moore to the Springbok set-up and said their expertise would stand the team in good stead as they attempt to build on their success in the last few seasons “We all know the value that Felix added to the team during his time with the Springboks and we are confident his presence will strengthen the coaching group even further,” said Oberholzer “The management team behind the scenes plays an equally important role in ensuring that the team functions optimally from a player welfare and operational perspective so that the players have everything they need to perform to the best of their ability on the team so it’s fantastic that Lance and Robyn are also on board to impart their knowledge and expertise “We believe these additions to the team will benefit Rassie and his support staff immensely.” The Springbok coaches will host their first in-person planning block for the year from Friday 7 March followed by an alignment camp with 56 players in the Mother City from Monday 10 March which will be followed by two virtual alignment camps with the Japanese and European-based players and a handful of talented and injured domestic players on Wednesday 27 March Springbok management team: Head Coach: Rassie ErasmusGeneral Manager: Charles WesselsAssistant Coaches: Tony Brown Mzwandile StickMobi-Unit Coach: Duane Vermeulen Head of Athletic Performance: Andy Edwards Laws and Discipline Advisor: Jaco PeyperPerformance Analyst: Paddy Sullivan Technical Analyst: Lindsay WeyerSport Scientist: Sebastian Prim Team Doctor: Dr Jerome Lehlogonolo MampanePhysiotherapists: Dr Anuerin Robyn Lance LemmetjiesLogistics Manager: JJ Fredericks Operations Manager: Zintsika TasheMedia Manager: Zeena Isaacs van TonderDietician: Robyn Moore Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made a raft of rotational changes for their second clash with the Georgia U20s on Friday in Tbilisi with Riley Norton leading the SA U20s in their final tour fixture which is scheduled to kick off at 15h00 (13h00 SA time) Match official appointments for the next few days have been made with a full round of Vodacom URC on the schedule as well as the return of the Women’s Premier Division after the teams had a bye last weekend SA Rugby President Mr Mark Alexander and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus paid tribute to double Rugby World Cup-winning prop Steven Kitshoff following the announcement on Tuesday that he had decided to retire from the game after suffering a serious neck injury last year The Springbok Women’s Sevens team realise the enormity and importance of the task at hand when they take the field in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town this weekend has faced a significant adjustment from the sweltering summer heat of Stellenbosch to the sub-zero temperatures of Tbilisi The Junior Springboks defeated Georgia 27-12 in their second international at the Lelo Arena in Tbilisi on Friday afternoon to not only clinch the series 2-0 but also put a smile on the face of SA U20 coach They have been down this road before and are well aware of the potholes and speed bumps of top flight international sevens rugby but according to Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers they are still keeping their eyes firmly on the first step of their new journey towards HSBC SVNS qualification There might not be a semi-final round in this year's shortened version of the Women’s Premier Division but this weekend’s matches in the fifth round can rightly be regarded as knock-outs as all the teams still in the running for the two places in the final are up against each other The Springbok Women's Sevens topped Pool A of the World Rugby HSBC Challenger at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday after beating Hong Kong China 36-0 and Czechia 26-0 and will face African foes Kenya in the semi-finals on Sunday The Springbok Women's Sevens claimed third place in the first leg of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday and although SA coach Renfred Dazel was satisfied with bronze he lamented a three-minute lapse in concentration that cost them dearly against Kenya who missed the entire 2024 international season due to injuries went under the knife after sustaining a neck injury during a Carling Currie Cup match The 33-year-old prop decided to call time on his storied career after he was advised by a specialist neurosurgeon that there would be a high risk of another injury should he continue playing who earned the last of his 83 caps in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in France (which the Boks won 12-11) enjoyed an illustrious career since making his Test debut against Ireland in Gqeberha in 2016 He won two Rugby World Cup titles with the Boks (2019 and 2023) as well as a British & Irish Lions series (2021) and Vodacom United Rugby Championship with the DHL Stormers (2022) Kitshoff is the second most capped Springbok prop behind Tendai Mtawarira and boasts the second highest number of starts in a Springbok front row with Frans Malherbe and Malcolm Marx (17 Tests) – trailing record holders of Mtawarira and brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis He also boasts a World Rugby U20 Championship gold medal with the Junior Boks in 2012 both his Test tries were scored in away Tests against Italy “It is with mixed emotions that we acknowledge Steven Kitshoff's announcement of retirement due to medical reasons,” said Mr Alexander “Steven's illustrious career and unparalleled dedication to the Springboks have made an indelible mark on South African rugby He has been a true servant and stalwart of our back-to-back World Cup-winning Springboks representing our country with distinction on all levels of the game “His name will forever be etched in the annals of Springbok rugby as one of our finest loosehead props Not only was Steven an exceptional player on the field but he also exemplified what it means to be an ambassador for South African rugby off the field and commitment to the game have inspired countless individuals and has set a standard for future generations we extend our heartfelt best wishes to him May this new chapter bring him fulfillment knowing that he will always be remembered as one of the great Springboks of his time.” Erasmus also praised Kitshoff for his massive contribution both as a leader and key member of the Springbok team in the last few years: “We are extremely sad that Steven’s career had to end this way but we would like to extend our gratitude to him for his hard work and the sacrifices he has made over the years to become such a vital cog in the team and he earned enormous respect from his team-mates and the coaches with his high work ethic He will always remain a warrior and fine ambassador of what the Springboks stand for and we wish him luck as he begins this new chapter in his life.” thanked the Springboks for what he described as some of the best years of his life “The Springboks have been an incredible part of my life and it was the biggest honour to represent my country at the highest level and be part of an incredible team that went all the way to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups,” said Kitshoff “It was probably one of the biggest achievements in my life and I want to thank all the management and coaching staff that played a massive role in my journey “I also want to thank my wife Aimee Kitshoff and my parents for following me on that journey and for supporting me as went through tough times and good times which allowed me to contribute to the team becoming one of the strongest in in world rugby “It was a massive honour for me to represent the Springboks and I'll support them till the day I die.” First Test try against Italy in Padova in 2017 Making metres against England in the Rugby World Cup final against England in 2019 Jacques Nienaber and Handre Pollard in 2021 He earned his 50th Bok cap in the second Test against the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town in 2021 Celebrating the series victory over the British & Irish Lions with Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth High five from Siya Kolisi after his second Test try On the attack in the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in 2023 with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Deon Fourie in support Celebrating with the Webb Ellis Cup in 2023 On the Springboks' Trophy Tour in 2023 The Springbok Sevens finished in a commendable second place at the HSBC SVNS Vancouver at BC Place on Monday morning (SA time) after being edged 19-12 by Argentina in the final of a tournament that delivered some nail-biting Their overall objectives for the 2025 HSBC SVNS are still in place and despite their second placed finish in Vancouver Springbok Sevens coach Philip Snyman left BC Place in a good mood The Springbok Sevens defeated Australia 17-14 in the quarter-finals of the HSBC SVNS Vancouver to book a place in the semi-finals where they will face Fiji at 22h52 (SA time) on Sunday The Vodacom Bulls returned to winning ways in a competitive Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against their Gauteng neighbours the Emirates Lions in Pretoria on Saturday with the current SA Shield holder building on a 17-14 halftime lead to walk away with a rewarding 31-19 bonus-point win The Junior Springboks made a winning start to their two-match series against the Georgian Under-20s with a hard-fought 38-29 victory on Sunday afternoon in the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi The Springboks will return to the Eastern Cape for the first time since 2021 when they take on Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the second Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series in July with SA Rugby confirming the venues of the six local Tests on Thursday The opportunity to get back on the horse is too good not to get excited about and according to Springbok Women’s Sevens assistant coach Cecil Afrika when the first of two rounds of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 will be played at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers will not only have log points in mind but they will have their sights set firmly on securing pole position in the race for the SA Shield as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship reaches round 12 this weekend Rassie Erasmus has received another shot in the arm ahead of the international season with Pieter-Steph du Toit returning to fitness The 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year has yet to play a minute of rugby this year since sustaining a shoulder injury while on duty for the Springboks in November last year Having gone under the knife in South Africa Du Toit has now returned to Japan and will continue his rehabilitation at the club he is unlikely to play for the relegation-threatened Toyota Verblitz this season The Sir Steve Hansen-led club heads into their final two games of the regular season with a two-point buffer over second-last placed Mie Honda Heat But because Du Toit was de-registered from the league to accommodate the injury-cover signing of Wallabies legend Michael Hooper he will be unable to feature for the club in the final two matches and the potential relegation playoff fixture This is because the flanker has not been re-registered to play the final two games while Verblitz have announced he will be part of the pre-match off-site fan experience before the club’s final fixture of the season against Kubota Spears Funabashi If Verblitz do not register the Bok star before the clash against the Spears he will be ineligible to play in the relegation battle match as players have to have played at least one regular season game to be considered for selection in the playoff and relegation matches Du Toit is bound to be named in the Springboks squad for the Incoming Series despite entering the international season cold with Erasmus doing the same for hooker Malcolm Marx in 2024 Pieter-Steph du Toit weighs in on World Rugby’s Bomb Squad decision as ‘genius’ Rassie Erasmus continues to ‘innovate’ All Blacks legend reveals the surprising ‘havoc’ Pieter-Steph du Toit causes when not on the field The injury Marx suffered during the 2023 World Cup pool stages ruled him out of the Japanese season but he was still recalled for the Bok squad and featured 12 times in Green and Gold last year Du Toit’s return to training is still a boost for the Springboks particularly after Ben-Jason Dixon’s injury The Stormers man has sustained a wrist injury that will see him miss the July internationals against Italy and Georgia Dixon made his debut for South Africa last year and filled Du Toit’s void on the side of the scrum against Portugal The news that Du Toit is back in training comes off the back of Jasper Wiese confirming that he will be fit in time for the start of the international season after fears that a neck injury would rule him out READ MORE: Springboks powerhouse handed major injury boost ahead of July Tests Sam Whitelock will assist the Robbie Deans coached Baa Baas against the Springboks by Frank Nickson  Saturday 3 May 2025 Rugby history will be made this June as the Barbarians men's team takes the field in South Africa for the first time ever to face the reigning world champions The high-profile encounter is set for Saturday and marks the ninth meeting between the two rugby giants one of the sport’s most iconic invitational teams will be coached by the experienced Robbie Deans who will be supported by Patrice Collazo (France) The team will be assembled from elite players competing across the French Top 14 The full squad will be announced in due course “The history between South Africa and the Barbarian F.C stretches back some 70-plus years yet we will make further history this June with a Barbarians men’s team play on South African soil for the first time,” said Barbarian F.C President John Spencer “We are proud of our previous fixtures against the Springboks but to have the opportunity to face them as World Champions on their home soil will be very special.” who previously coached Australia and the Crusaders highlighted the significance of the clash: “It is exciting news to have the iconic Barbarians announced to play against the World Champion Springboks in Cape Town in late June – these are two of the biggest brands in the game “The last occasion these two teams met at Wembley resulted in a draw this will be an altogether different challenge on-site in South Africa.” SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer described the fixture as a milestone: “This is an historic moment – not only will we welcome the Barbarians to South Africa for the first time but after our victories over New Zealand and Wales in London it’s also the first time the Springboks will play a match for the Qatar Airways Cup on home soil.” The game will serve as the Springboks’ warm-up ahead of the Castle Lager Incoming Series which includes two Test matches against Italy (5 and 12 July) and one against Georgia (19 July) Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus emphasized the importance of the fixture for team readiness: “It’s always exciting to face the BaaBaas and this match will be particularly special as it marks the first time that we will face them in South Africa “For us this will be the perfect opportunity to get the players match-ready for the official international season “With the Barbarians team featuring players from across the world so the key for us will be to focus on our structures and what we want to achieve on the field.” “We may have had a satisfying 2024 season and we’d like to start strong and build momentum as the season progresses will provide the perfect test before the Castle Lager Incoming Series.” The last encounter between these two sides ended in a thrilling 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in 2016 In their eight previous clashes since 1952 history will be made on South African soil.