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Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour starts at Ellis Park
Ellis Park, the first of a four-Test series, is where the on-field talking will happen between the Springboks and All Blacks. Forget much of what has preceded the pending occasion over the past two months. cricket-ipl.in
Remember two matches: The Springboks Nations Championship opener against England at Ellis Park, won 45-21 by the Boks and the All Blacks final home Nations Championship hit-out against Ireland at Auckland’s Eden Park, won 40-21 by New Zealand.
Those are the two relevant matches when assessing the qualities and prospects of the sport’s best two teams, current and historically.
Very little can be taken from South Africa’s wins against Scotland, Wales and Argentina. Equally, the All Blacks’ tour matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls have offered intrigue, entertainment and opportunity, but no reliable guide to what happens when the whistle blows at Ellis Park.
The All Blacks beat the Stormers 38-21, the Sharks 54-0 and the Bulls 50-19. They used 41 players.
Those matches were rehearsals because the players both coaches considered essential to the toughest assignment were wrapped in cotton wool, massaged through carefully allocated minutes and prepared for Johannesburg.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus never hid the plan.
“We decided that splitting the squad into two groups will be best for the Springbok team and the players,” he said before Argentina.
After the Boks ground out a 17-10 win in Buenos Aires, Erasmus was even more direct: “I always expected us to look disjointed, having left 15 players back in South Africa.”
That was the point. Argentina was about winning, but also about giving Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and others the contact and match conditioning that training cannot provide.
Only Thomas du Toit and Cameron Hanekom from the starting XV that beat England 45-21 started against Argentina. The rest of the England core was at home, resting and preparing for the All Blacks.
Expect the starting XV to largely mirror those fifteen who did not travel to Argentina.
Erasmus has never had to second-guess his preferred starting XV and match 23 for the series opener.
The England selection showed how Erasmus wants to finish. And if there are changes for the All Blacks, they will result from injury to the original selections made before the international season started.
All Blacks coach Dave Rennie was just as deliberate.
“We’ve picked the first four squads for the first four games in Africa,” he said before departure. The first of those four included the opening Test.
Rennie added that the tour matches created “competition for places for that first Test side”. The starting XV was substantially settled; the fiercest competition was for the eight replacements, until injuries and form reopened several calls.
Even this week Rennie acknowledged that “performances (on Saturday) against the Bulls could tilt our thinking”.
The strongest clue about the visitors is in the All Blacks 23 that beat Ireland 40-21 at Eden Park: Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax in the front row; Ardie Savea leading from No 8; Cam Roigard and Ruben Love at halfback; Jordie Barrett in midfield; Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie providing the strike.
That combination, in that same unit, has not played in three tour matches in South Africa.
Savea, Roigard and Jordan have not played a match in South Africa. Taylor’s first match was against the Bulls.
They are the spine of the All Blacks leadership.
Erasmus is nine years into leading the Springboks. Rennie is two months and five matches into the job, so the two teams are at different junctures of their 2027 World Cup journey.
Erasmus, brilliantly, has built depth never before experienced in a Springboks squad and Rennie, in a very short time, has created competition within an extended squad.
Both coaches have managed the playing minutes of those cabs first off the rank.
And any informed insight of the series will come, not from what has happened this year pre 22nd August, but what happens on the 22nd August at Ellis Park.
Football : « C’est probablement ma dernière année », Cristiano Ronaldo devrait arrêter sa carrière en fin de saison
Dans un entretien accordé au magazine Vogue en compagnie de sa femme Georgina Rodiguez, Cristiano Ronaldo a annoncé ce dimanche 16 août qu’il devrait disputer la dernière année de sa carrière professionnelle. Le Portugais, sous contrat avec le club saoudien d’Al-Nassr jusqu’en juin 2027, ne devrait donc pas prolonger. « C’est probablement ma dernière année de football, et je veux laisser derrière moi un héritage exceptionnel » a indiqué le quintuple vainqueur du Ballon d’Or. Tout juste revenu à l’entraînement et absent lors de la reprise du championnat de son club (victoire 3-0 d’Al-Nassr contre Al-Fateh), Ronaldo devrait revenir dans le groupe lors de la prochaine journée contre Al-Riyadh et tenter de conserver avec son équipe le titre de champion d’Arabie saoudite remportée la saison dernière.
South Africa Face World Cup Reality Check in 4-0 Loss to England
South Africa’s FIH Hockey World Cup campaign began with a 4-0 defeat against England in Pool D at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on Sunday, 16 August 2026.
Against a highly rated England side, South Africa were made to pay for a difficult opening quarter as two goals in quick succession gave their opponents early control of the contest.
Darcy Bourne opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Tessa Howard doubled England’s advantage just three minutes later. The quick double left South Africa with an immediate challenge, but they continued to compete and worked hard to find opportunities to play through the English pressure.
England, however, showed their experience and efficiency.
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With South Africa seemingly set to reach half-time just two goals behind, Elizabeth Neal struck in the 30th minute to make it 3-0 and give England a significant cushion heading into the interval.
For South Africa, the challenge after the break was to stay connected and continue asking questions of an England team packed with players accustomed to performing at the highest level of the international game.
The South Africans continued to battle, but England added their fourth in the 41st minute through Sophie Hamilton to effectively put the result beyond reach.
Importantly, there was no further damage on the scoreboard. South Africa kept working through the final quarter and continued to compete until the final hooter, even with the result already decided.
The 4-0 scoreline was a disappointing start for Inky Zondi’s side, but the opening encounter also provided an immediate reminder of the margins at World Cup level. England punished their opportunities, particularly during decisive periods in the first half, while South Africa will know there are areas they can sharpen as the tournament progresses.
There will be little time to dwell on the opening result. South Africa’s attention now turns to their second Pool D encounter against India on 18 August, before concluding the pool phase against China on 20 August.
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With two matches still to come, the World Cup journey is far from decided. The task now is to regroup, take the lessons from the opening game and produce a response when South Africa return to the turf.
South Africa Women’s Pool D FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen, Netherlands
Sun 16 August: England 4-0 South Africa
Tue 18 August: South Africa vs India
Thu 20 August: South Africa vs China
South Africa
1. Morgan de Jager (Goalkeeper)
4. Stephanie Botha
5. Edith Molikoe (Captain)
7. Taheera Augousti
8. Ané Janse van Vuuren
9. Shanna Mendonca
10. Onthatile Zulu
12. Ntsopa Mokoena
13. Paris-Gail Isaacs
14. Lerato Mahole
16. Baylee Engelke
17. Caylin Maree
18. Hannah Pearce
21. Ongeziwe Mali
23. Jean-Leigh du Toit
26. Cailynn den Bakker
27. Kayla de Waal
31. Marlise van Tonder (Goalkeeper)
Coach: Inky Zondi
Manager: Tarryn McCreedy
England
2. Darcy Bourne
4. Lily Walker
6. Anna Toman
7. Hannah French
11. Holly Hunt
13. Elena Rayer
14. Tessa Howard
18. Katie Curtis
21. Fiona Crackles
22. Elizabeth Neal
23. Sophie Hamilton
25. Sabbie Heesh (Goalkeeper)
26. Lily Owsley
28. Flora Peel (Captain)
31. Grace Balsdon
39. Alice Atkinson
40. Miriam Pritchard (Goalkeeper)
44. Lottie Bingham
Coach: Kwan Browne
Manager: Samantha Beveridge
Main Photo Caption: South Africa’s players perform the national anthem ahead of their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool D opening match against England, the first of three group stage encounters as world number 20 South Africa face England, India and China at the Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen, Netherlands, 16 August 2026. All Photos: Jan van Zyl
Photo 2 Caption: Taheera Augousti races for possession against England at the Wagener Hockey Stadium on Sunday.
The post South Africa Face World Cup Reality Check in 4-0 Loss to England appeared first on gsport4girls.
Lungu’s first Pirates goal sparks Chippa rout
Orlando Pirates produced a second half goal blitz to take down Chippa United 3-0 in the Betway Premiership at Kings Park on Sunday.
Pirates treble blitz
Gamphani Lungu and Daniel Msendani netted their first goals for the Buccaneers, while Lebone Seema also headed in as Pirates gave a good response to their midweek draw at AmaZulu.
In the first half, Pirates battled to break down a resilient Chippa. Oswin Appollis had a couple of long-range efforts that were comfortably kept out by Stanley Nwabali in the Chilli Boyz goal.
A Deon Hotto free kick was also tipped over by Nwabali, but generally Pirates were too slow in their build up play in Durban.
Chippa had a good chance to take the lead four minutes before the break. Imraan Jones whipped in a free kick that flew across the area and the ball fell for Goodman Mosele, who hammered his effort just wide.
On the stroke of half time a fine cross from Appollis caused chaos in the Chippa box but no one could apply the finishing touch.
Pirates came out fired up after the break, and Patrick Maswanganyi did brilliantly to work some space in the box, but put his effort wide of target.
Pirates finally broke through in the 60th minute. Lungu’s fierce shot beat Nwabali at his near post, with the Nigerian ‘keeper only able to push the ball into the net.
That opened the floodgates and Pirates doubled their lead four minutes later. Deon Hotto’s corner was powerfully headed past Nwabali by Seema.
Msendani seals it
Msendani came off the bench and put the icing on the Pirates cake in the 87th minute. Chippa defender Boy Madingwane was caught in possession by Msendani, who surged into the penalty area and comfortably beat Nwabali.
The result moved Pirates to the top of the early Betway Premiership standings with seven points from three games. They lead Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu on goal difference.
The Buccaneers are not set to play Sekhukhune United for three games on the spin. They will face them in the Premiership on August 25 and will also play them over two legs in the MTN8 semifinals.