Moodie excited to link up with ‘world-class' De Allende
Rising Springbok star Canan Moodie said he is eager to feed off the experience of Damian de Allende when the two play in the midfield against Georgia on Saturday.
South Africa take on Georgia for just the third time in rugby, with the kick-off at Mbombela Stadium at 5.10pm.
Moodie, 22, has 13 caps under his belt and is still relatively new to international rugby, though he's already featuring in his fourth season in green and gold and has a World Cup title to his name.
By comparison, 33-year-old De Allende has 89 caps from an illustrious 11-year career that has seen him play in three World Cups, winning two. He could earn his 100th Test cap by the end of this season or at least in the early stages of the next one.
Moodie to feed off De Allende
The pair were chosen to start against Georgia, with De Allende at his customary inside centre role and Moodie on the outside.
It's the second Bok appearance for Moodie this season after missing the friendly against the Barbarians and first Test match against Italy. He played 56 minutes in the second Test, attacking hard and scoring a great try in the first half.
He played at outside centre again, though he is often positioned on the right wing, particularly at club level.
'I'm very grateful to get the backing of the coaches to play me at 13,' Moodie said on Tuesday. 'It's going to be very exciting for me to play with a world-class centre like Damian, to know he will make the right decisions, and I [will] just play off him. So I am very grateful for the opportunity to play again.'
He said there is much competition for places in the squad, but this is healthy.
'When guys are gunning for a spot, it is very competitive in our training weeks. We got psyched up the whole week for the Italian game and we wanted to prove a point. We just had to transfer that into Saturday. I think we were all [ready] for whatever talent Italy had to throw at us.'
Moodie happy for Grant Williams, who earns another start
The centre added he was happy for Grant Williams — who also scored a try in the second Test against Italy — to earn a start again.
'When I was still at school and Grant was still going through his journey, the tough journey he had to club rugby… Now we get to score tries on the international stage. So it's very special momento [tries against Italy] to see how far we've come and the things we've done so far.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Springbok lock Marvin Orie to start for Bulls against Western Province in Currie Cup opener
Springbok lock Marvin Orie brings composure and clout to the Bulls pack as they prepare to take on Western Province in a fierce North-South showdown. Photo: Backpagepix Former Stormer Marvin Orie has been named in the Bulls team for their Currie Cup opener against Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday, while tough loose forward Jeandré Rudolph, formerly of the Cheetahs and Pumas, is set to make his debut. Another Cape product, Nama Xaba, will captain the Bulls. He joins Rudolph and fellow Capetonian Junior Pokomela in a powerful loose trio. An away visit to their arch-rivals is as tough as it gets for the Bulls, but assistant coach Phiwe Nomlomo says his charges are up for the challenge.
IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Seoposenwe bows out with pride as Banyana chase Wafcon bronze
Jermaine Seoposenwe will play her final match for Banyana Banyana on Friday night after a career that spanned over 100 caps, two World Cups and a Wafcon title. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Jermaine Seoposenwe owes football everything. So, as she prepares for her last Banyana Banyana appearance, she bows out with gratitude and pride. Banyana will face Ghana in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations third-place play-off at Stade El Arbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Friday night (kick-off 6pm). The clash is set to mark Seoposenwe's final outing with Banyana after she announced, prior to the tournament, that she would retire from international football after its conclusion. The 31-year-old will leave behind a decorated international career, having earned more than 100 caps, won the Wafcon title and played in two World Cups. Retiring From International Football — Jermaine Seoposenwe (@jermaine109) June 16, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Her journey with the national team endeared her to fans across the continent and the world, thanks to her silky playing style and eye for goal. Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against the Black Queens, the Cape Town-born player reflected on the impact football has had on her life. 'Football has been everything for me. Football has given me everything that I have. The way I play is how I repay what football has given me,' she said. 'The passion and love for the game is why we do it. Over the years, Banyana has given me a platform to showcase my abilities and has taken me to places I never thought I'd go. 'I owe football everything. It's been a great learning curve, not just on the football field but outside of it as well.' What an assist from Rama🥵😤 — Jermaine Seoposenwe (@jermaine109) July 7, 2025 Seoposenwe's decision to call time on her international career ahead of a major tournament sparked mixed reactions in the football fraternity. Some felt it was understandable given the many off-field challenges Banyana have faced, while others believed it could destabilise the team's performance. However, she is confident she made the right decision for her own well-being – and does not anticipate a World Cup comeback. 'It's been a sense of relief – I don't know if that's the right word – and a sense of calmness,' said Seoposenwe of her decision. 'The fact that it's coming to an end is kind of weird, but it was for my well-being and I stand by that decision. It's been an interesting tournament, watching the younger players step up and take responsibility. I am really proud of them. 'I hope that going forward they'll take the torch and run with it. Playing for Banyana Banyana is not the easiest thing – there's a lot of pressure. 'Hopefully, I've shown them that you can do it – stay true to yourself and stay disciplined in whatever you do.' Seoposenwe will bow out as a true Banyana legend who wore her heart on her sleeve every time she donned the national jersey. However, she prefers to be remembered not for who she was off the pitch, but for the player she was on it. She was particularly proud to be a role model to the next generation, including Ronnel Donnely, who idolises her. 'First and foremost, I think it allowed me to just be calm about everything because I made that decision before the tournament,' said Seoposenwe. 'Coming into the tournament, I have been settled and calm. Ronnel, especially, has come up to me and tried to extract a lot of information. 'I am not a No 9, but in this tournament I've been playing as a No 9, which is her position, so she's come up to chat and learn. I appreciate that she sees me as a role model. A lot of players have joked with me about my legacy, but it's very interesting to be in that position.' And so, with Banyana having relinquished their title following the 2-1 semi-final loss to Nigeria, a bronze medal against Ghana would offer fitting consolation for Seoposenwe – and a special farewell to the team that shaped her footballing life.
Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Proteas look to World Cup ambitions in their white-ball squads to face Australia
Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad's first full-strength white-ball squads indicate the thinking for the upcoming white-ball World Cups, with Reeza Hendricks dropped from the T20I side and Rassie van der Dussen culled from the ODI squad. Proteas all-format head coach Shukri Conrad has selected his first full-strength white-ball squads since taking over the role across formats. Conrad has kept regular captains Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma in their roles as T20I and One-Day International leaders respectively for South Africa's six-match white-ball series against Australia in August. Notably, it's the last squad that Conrad will select solely, across formats, with Cricket South Africa (CSA) appointing Patrick Moroney as convenor of selectors earlier this month, with his role starting officially on 1 August 2025. The 15-player T20 squad is close to what Conrad is looking to take to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka at the start of next year, with four spinners selected, including Prenelan Subrayen, who will make his debut in the format if selected alongside Nqaba Peter, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy. Conrad indicated that all four spinners are the front-runners for a spot in next year's T20 World Cup, with Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin and Tabraiz Shamsi further down the pecking order. Longer-term view 'The 50-over side is a slightly longer-term view,' Conrad explained. 'Because we've got a couple of years before the 2027 World Cup (at home), but we've got a T20 World Cup happening in a couple of months time.' There are two glaring omissions in the ODI side, however, with Rassie van der Dussen's name only down for the shortest format, while David Miller was not selected in either squad. Despite Conrad saying — in his first press-conference as white-ball head coach — that players unavailable for bilateral series would not be considered for World Cups, Miller is being allowed to play in England's franchise tournament, The Hundred, which coincides with the tour. This is because the agreement with CSA for Miller to play in the tournament was made prior to Conrad's appointment. Van der Dussen, despite being one of the ODI team's most consistent players, seems to have numbered days in the format. The 36-year-old will be 38 when the tournament rolls around. 'I'm certainly not going to rule Rassie or any of the older guys out,' Conrad said. 'But it gives me — because we've got time before the 2027 World Cup — it gives me a chance to blood some of the younger players and then see how they develop. 'Then post the T20 World Cup, we'll probably be in a better position to decide on guys like Rassie and David.' Youngsters Conrad is currently in Zimbabwe with a much younger T20 squad looking to seal a tri-series victory in their final against New Zealand on Saturday. So far, they've lost twice against the Black Caps and won twice against Zimbabwe. 'I'm not making light of any of the other games, but I think the final on Saturday will give us a really good idea of where everybody's at,' Conrad said about the group of players he's been working with in the neighbouring country. 'But I'm really excited about the young talent we've got at our disposal, especially in the T20 format. They're players that can make huge impacts.' Of the youngsters in Zimbabwe, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis have both cracked the nod for both squads to take on Australia, and Kwena Maphaka is in the T20 side. Thirty-five-year-old Reeza Hendricks, who has the third most runs for South Africa in the shortest format, also looks to have run his last race for the national side, with Saturday's match against New Zealand probably his last. 'Unfortunately, I think there are players that have flown past Reeza,' Conrad said. 'Reeza has been a great performer for South Africa, especially in this format. 'But it's no secret that Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton are my preferred opening batters. 'Then it makes it difficult for Razzle (Hendricks) to fit in. Guys that potentially could open the batting and bat in the middle, i.e. Rassie and Lhuan-dre, give you that cover as well if you need an opening bat. 'It's unfortunate that it's fallen this way on Reeza. But I just feel that there are other guys that give us better options.' DM Proteas T20I squad against Australia Aiden Markram (captain, Titans), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), George Linde (Western Province), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Nqaba Peter (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada ( Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins) and Rassie van der Dussen (Lions). Proteas ODI squad against Australia Temba Bavuma (captain, Lions), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Tony de Zorzi ( Western Province), Aiden Markram (Titans), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Keshav Maharaj ( Dolphins), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), and Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins)
