Proteas take World Test Championship mace on tour of Langa
Hundreds of residents lined the roads, waving flags and cheering as the national cricket team walked alongside local supporters in a festive and emotional show of pride.
Children held handmade signs while others reached out to greet the players, who paused regularly to sign memorabilia and pose for photos.
The event marked the start of the Cape Town leg of the championship victory tour, which aims to connect the national team with communities often overlooked in major sporting celebrations.
'I think for these kids it will feel different. They watch us on TV. Now they see us live. They see that we are just like them. It helps them believe in their own goals,' said Bavuma, addressing the crowd before the team continued on their tour bus.
The symbolic journey through Langa holds personal significance for Bavuma, who grew up in the area.
Organisers said the event was not only about honouring the team's achievement but also about inspiring young people to pursue sporting ambitions and making cricket more accessible to all South Africans.
The tour will continue through other parts of Cape Town in the coming days, with more stops planned to allow fans across the city to celebrate with the team.
The Proteas' World Test Championship victory over Australia at Lord's last month has been hailed as a major moment for South African sport, with this tour reinforcing efforts to unite the country behind the success of its national teams.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
BT Academy coaches resign after Spain fiasco
BT Academy coaches Jesse Julius, Clayton Levendal, Keeno Damons and Jayvin Chrisholm have resigned after their harrowing experience being stranded in Spain without return flight tickets. Image: Facebook The soccer coaches of BT Academy, who were praised for their performance at a tournament in Spain and for supporting the players after they were left stranded without return flights, have officially resigned from the academy. A group of 38, including an under-14 team, an under-19 team, and a girls team, travelled to Spain to participate in the Donosti Cup 2025. The teams performed well and the trip went smoothly, until the final day. When it was time to return home, they discovered that their return flights had not been booked by the organisers, despite each person having paid R50 000 for what was meant to be an all-expenses-paid trip. In a statement reflecting on the ordeal, the four coaches wrote: 'To Brandon Timmy: we are nothing like you. You tried to break us. You failed to pay us. You abandoned us. But in the end, all you did was bring us closer together. We are coaches with integrity, honour, principles, and honesty. The very things you lack. "The brotherhood you tried to destroy is now stronger than ever: an unshakable force of unity forged through adversity. We won the hearts of the nation not through deception or silence, but through our courage to do what you didn't have the backbone to do - stand up, speak out, and protect the children and families you left behind. 'We are emotionally scarred, yes, but we are not broken. And we will not fail the children, the parents, or the people who believed in us, the way you failed them all.' The coaches also thanked everyone who helped bring them home. 'We write to you as the coaches of the former BT Academy, not just to thank you, but to honour the nation that stood up when Brandon Timmy turned away. When we were left stranded in a foreign country, abandoned, unpaid, and emotionally broken, it wasn't Brandon Timmy that came to our rescue. It was you. The people of South Africa, and even strangers from across the globe, who opened their hearts, their hands, and their homes to bring us back. "From those who gave despite having little, to those who sent messages of hope and solidarity every day. You carried us when we were at our lowest. Because of the generous, fearless spirit of South Africans and our global allies, we rise, not with anger, but with resolve, dignity, and truth. This is not the end.' Soccer coach Keeno Damons, who had been with BT Academy for three years, confirmed they had all resigned and submitted formal resignation letters. 'You can't work for someone you can't trust. The fact that he did what he did to all of us, the coaches, the players and the parents. Reality is kicking in for me. Brandon, Jayvin and I had a good relationship. To just throw that away is not easy for me. I have so many questions. What was going through his mind when he did this? It's heartbreaking. I feel betrayed,' he said. The sister of one of the coaches who was allegedly dismissed by BT Academy while in Portugal for speaking out about what was happening, said he is still owed over R70 000. 'It all started when they landed in Spain, there was no transport. They were stuck at the airport for a while. Jesse found transport to take them to the (accommodation); he paid R70 000 and BT paid R40 000,' she said. She added that, along with the other coaches, her brother had also contributed towards food for the group, but he was yet to be reimbursed. 'I tried my best to keep them in good spirits. I'm ecstatic that he is back, these past few days felt like months. It still feels so unreal.' BT Academy did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. Cape Times
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
England to 'copy' Springboks' 7-1 bomb squad
The concept of the 'bomb squad' first came into the rugby conversation when the Springboks utilised a 6-2 forwards-to-backs split on the bench during the 2019 World Cup, while this was elevated even further in recent times when Rassie Erasmus occasionally opted for a 7-1 substitutes set up. Although there have been some critics of this tactic – mainly from overseas pundits – there have been a number of other clubs and countries who have begun to experiment with a bench that is also packed with forwards, coupled with versatile backs. Now, according to The Telegraph , England are planning to also try out a 7-1 split as coach Steve Borthwick apparently wants to be able to include as many back-rowers as possible in his match-day squad considering this is an area where they have plenty of depth. In aiming for maximum flexibility, it's also reported that Borthwick is training props to deputise at hooker, while also prioritising some players who have the ability to cover more than one position. It all sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? As part of recent World Rugby workshops looking at law changes, it was stated that the governing body was looking at the role of the replacements. In what will come as a huge relief to the Springboks and their fans, World Rugby's chief executive, Alan Gilpin, told The Guardian that there are no medical grounds to outlaw this bench configuration. 'We looked at it from a science, medicine perspective. Was there a distinctive view that a bunch of fresh players coming on with 20‑30 minutes to go is going to create a more injurious position, and the science said that's not the case. 'So there was no reason from that perspective to look at how we might do replacements differently. Ultimately, there are a lot of different ways to win a rugby match.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
OPINION: Controversial refereeing decision leaves rugby fans scratching their heads
The late try allowed the visiting British and Irish Lions to win the second Test against Australia and thus the series, with a game to go. Referee Andrea Piardi, left, speaks with the players during the Test between the British and Irish Lions and Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. Picture: Izhar Khan/You see, this is why rugby is so confusing. And infuriating. And simply too difficult to understand for the casual observer. It's nothing new of course. The problem is there are just too many laws, too many things that depend on one human's beliefs, thoughts and observations. I'm of course referring to the decisions that get made in rugby matches. As hard as World Rugby tries to get it right, with strict rules in place about what constitutes foul play, it's not black and white and thus is open to interpretation and subjective thought. And depending on who you support, you'll either believe the referee and officials got the decision right or you'll say they got it completely wrong. So, if you're a British and Irish Lions supporter you'll agree that referee Andrea Piardi made the right call in allowing Hugo Keenan's late winning try to stand against the Wallabies in Melbourne on Saturday in the second Test despite an alleged dangerous clean-out at a ruck moments before. In the lead up to the try, the Lions' Jac Morgan flew into a ruck that was being contested by Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano who was attempting to win a turnover, with the contact sending the latter flying out of the ruck. While the incident was reviewed, Piardi and his officiating team deemed it to be a fair clean-out. Another look at the cleanout. Again, perfectly good. # — Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) July 26, 2025 'Different decision on another day' Well, was it, and did they get it spot on? Or did the referee and his team not have the guts to make a hard result-changing, career-changing, potential series-changing decision? If you watched the match and saw the incident you'll know that in many Test matches and throughout the United Rugby Championship, clean-outs like the one mentioned here result in penalties and yellow cards to offending players. While Lions boss Andy Farrell described the win as 'fairytale stuff' and 'what we have dreamed of', Australia coach Joe Schmidt said, 'We can all see clear contact with the back of the neck which might be a different decision on another day and another time. I'm just gutted.' What decision would have been made if the scoreline was different and if the incident took place in the 20th minute and not the 80th? That's rugby for you, so hard to understand sometimes.
