Latest news with #GrantWilliams
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Memorable Moodie try highlights big win by Springboks
Centre Canan Moodie scored a memorable try as world champions South African beat Georgia 55-10 in Mbombela on Saturday to complete their Rugby Championship build-up. When Moodie struck after 19 minutes before a 36,842 crowd in the northeast city it demonstrated the changing DNA of Springbok rugby. Gone is the obsession with a kick-and-chase approach, and in its place has come more ball-in-hand rugby, which helped deliver nine tries against the brave but ultimately outclassed Georgians. The result was never in doubt, given the one-off Test pitted the top-ranked South Africans against opponents 10 places lower, and it was far from a perfect performance from the winners. But some of the moves from the record four-time Rugby World Cup winners thrilled the vibrant crowd, and nothing pleased them more than Moodie scoring his seventh try for the Springboks. Dynamic scrum-half Grant Williams broke to start a passing movement than involved backs and forwards before Moodie held off two Georgians to dot down in the corner to wild cheering from the crowd. It was also a Test to remember for two of the three uncapped front-rowers with hooker Marnus van der Merwe twice and loosehead prop Boan Venter once using their strength to power over for tries. The other South African try scorers were winger Edwill van der Merwe (two), replacement full-back Damian Willemse, winger Kurt-Lee Arendse and another substitute, fly-half Handre Pollard. When Arendse scored the penultimate try on 79 minutes it brought his Test tally to 20 in 26 appearances for South Africa. While fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was a lively runner, he was let down by his goal-kicking, succeeding with only one of five conversion attempts. When double World Cup winner Pollard came on he placed all four conversion kicks between the posts and finished with a 13-point personal tally. As the match wore on, the South African dominance increased, but it was perennial European second-tier champions Georgia who struck first. Springboks captain Siya Kolisi had left the field for a successful head injury assessment test when the Lelos took a surprise third-minute lead through a try from hooker Vano Karkadze. Fly-half Luka Matkava converted and later slotted a penalty while the Springboks scored four tries in the opening half to build a 22-10 half-time lead. South Africa begin their defence of the Rugby Championship against Australia in Johannesburg on August 16. dl/ea
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Springboks pick dynamic half-backs for final Championship warm-up
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Grant Williams can form a dynamic half-back partnership for South Africa when they complete their Rugby Championship build-up by tackling Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday. Head coach Rassie Erasmus has chosen 46 players for four warm-up matches, with the first three against Italy (twice) and the Barbarians delivering a hat-trick of victories, 87 points and 21 tries. The record four-time Rugby World Cup winners have notched 86 points in two previous wins over the Georgians and another convincing victory is anticipated in the one-off Test. South Africa begin their defence of the Rugby Championship with two home matches in August against Australia. They then face arch rivals New Zealand twice on the road and Argentina at home and away. Erasmus has rung the changes as he seeks greater Springbok depth, making five changes to the team after the BaaBaas match, 11 after the first Italy Test and 10 after the second. "We never drop somebody in our team, we rotate," he told reporters ahead of the match at a 43,500-seat stadium in northeast South Africa built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The pairing of fly-half Feinberg-Mngomezulu and scrum-half Williams for the first time this season has triggered excitement as both are dynamic with ball in hand. If the duo click, second-tier Georgia could face a challenging evening as the evolution of the Springboks continues with less reliance on the once favoured kick-and-chase approach. Competition for the number 10 shirt is intense with Erasmus also starting famed goal-kicker Handre Pollard and creative Manie Libbok this season. There are even more scrum-half candidates, including Williams, Faf de Klerk, Cobus Reinach, recent addition Morne van den Berg and currently out-of-favour Jaden Hendricks. Erasmus craves versatility and what boosts Williams is his ability to also perform as a winger, which he did occasionally during the triumphant 2023 World Cup campaign in France. - Adaptable - Williams is far from alone in being adaptable in a team where inside centre Andre Esterhuizen was labelled a "hybrid player" by Erasmus after being deployed as a flanker against the Barbarians. "Jesse (Kriel) can move from centre to the wing, Handre can move to centre, Sacha can move to centre or full-back," said the head coach. "Take outside centre -- we have Jesse, Canan (Moodie), Ethan (Hooker), and Lukhanyo (Am) is set to return from injury. We want fierce competition for places ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia." Georgia arrived in South Africa after suffering a 34-5 loss in Tbilisi to Ireland, who were lacking many stars on British and Irish Lions duty in Australia, but Erasmus is not underestimating the Lelos. "We know how passionate this Georgian side is and we have chosen a blend of youth and experience to face them. "Georgia are tough and proud of their physicality and brute force in the collisions. The set pieces, mauls and breakdowns will be key areas. "They also have quality backline players so we must be sharp in all departments of our game to get the desired result and build momentum for the Rugby Championship," added Erasmus. Georgia coach and former England hooker Richard Cockerill said he did not want the Test to become "a training session" for the Springboks. "We cannot be timid. The only way for us to compete is to roll our sleeves up, stick our gumshields in and get stuck in," he added. Cockerill has made one change to the team that started against Ireland with number 8 Ilia Spanderashvili replacing Tbilisi Test try scorer Tornike Jalagonia, who moves to the bench. dl/mw
IOL News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams ready to make an impact after neck injury
Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams is back on the field after a neck injury that kept him on the sidelines for a couple of months. Image: BackpagePix Earlier this year, Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams cracked a vertebra in his neck and played about four or five games with it until he had to stop playing with the injury for his own safety. Then, a couple of frustrating months followed on the sidelines as the nippy scrumhalf had to bide his time and stay away from rugby for a bit to ensure that he recovered sufficiently. Surgery was not necessary because the injury was not deemed to be serious, his coach at the Sharks, John Plumtree, confirmed a couple of months ago. Now that Williams has fully recovered, he is ready to spark the attack of the teams he is playing for as he looks to put the injury-plagued start of the year behind him. Williams, a World Cup winner, paired with flyhalf Manie Libbok on Saturday as the Springboks faced Italy in the second Test in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. It was the first bit of rugby in about two and a half months for the scrumhalf. 'It was very frustrating, sitting with the injury and not being able to play,' Williams said. 'However, to be selected again for the Springboks is a massive honour and things will hopefully go better from here on in. That competition, not just at a national level, but all over South Africa, is what motivates me to work hard and to come back stronger. 'We have so many good nines in the country, at every franchise, whether it's at the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks or Lions. It's healthy competition and that brings the best out of every player.' Williams just wants to get going on the field again. Depending on Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus' selection for the final mid-year Test against Georgia this coming Saturday, Williams could get some more game time as he gets back on the rugby horse. The Sharks player will look to grab any opportunity that comes his way to systematically get back to the level he knows he can play at. With so many top scrumhalves at the Boks, the Paarl-born speedster knows that he must put his best foot forward. On Saturday he got another opportunity to play next to the instinctive Libbok as the duo look to build their connection, having last played together on the Year-end tour against England at Twickenham. 'After a couple of months of not playing, I must give myself the chance to put my best foot forward to ensure I can prove myself.'
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rampant South Africa crush Italy 45-0 despite early red card
South Africa (24) 45Tries: Williams, Van der Merwe 2, Moodie, Marx, Mapimpi, Wessels Cons: Libbok 5 Italy (0) 0 Reigning world champions South Africa made light work of an early red card for forward Jasper Wiese to thump Italy 45-0 in Springboks produced some stunning rugby, with their trademark power added to by some brilliant open running as they won the series pushed them in last weekend's meeting in Pretoria but they offered little, even with an extra man for nearly an Grant Williams opened the scoring with a wonderful team try as the Boks scored four times in the first eight Jasper Wiese saw red in the 22nd minute for a headbutt on Danil Fischetti to dampen his family's day - as brother Cobus made his Springboks debut in the second are the 37th set of brothers to play for South Marx, Makazole Mapimpi and Jan-Hendrick Wessels scored after the restart as South Africa extended their record of never losing a Test in Gqeberha, the city in the Eastern Cape formerly known as Port opening try was breathtaking as South Africa ran the ball from deep in their own half. Edwill van der Merwe broke the line with a driving run before finding his opposite wing Mapimpi on the left. He took the ball on before looking up and feeding Williams to der Merwe scored a brilliant finish while being tackled, and he then ran in after a clever kick through from Willie le Roux - on his 100th cap - foxed the recovering Italy Moodie bounced off two tackles to score a fourth as Italy floundered. South Africa were briefly down to 13 men early in the second half as prop Wilco Louw was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Sebastian Fischetti soon joined him to reduce Italy's advantage and the home side added another try when Marx powered over from a ran in untouched on the overlap late on and replacement Wessels touched down with the final action of the game. Line-ups South Africa: Le Roux, E. van der Merwe, Moodie, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Libbok, Williams; T. du Toit, Marx, W. Louw, Moerat, Nortje, van Staden, P. du Toit, J. Wessels, Nche, Ntlabakanye, C. Wiese, Roos, Reinach, Feinberg, Mngomezulu, Belloni, Lynagh, Menoncello, Zanon, Trulla, Da Re, A. Garbisi; Fischetti, Di Bartolomeo, Ferrari, N. Cannone, Zambonin, Negri, Zuliani, Dimcheff, Spagnolo, Hasa, Canali, Izekor, Odiase, Varney, Andrew Brace (IRFU)
The Herald
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Boks locked in and buzzing, says Libbok
There is a buzz among the Springboks who are locked in and fully focused on repelling anything Italy throw at them in Saturday's Test in Gqeberha, flyhalf Manie Libbok says. The showdown is a special one for Bok fullback Willie le Roux, who will join an elite group of only eight players to play 100 Test matches when he runs out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (kickoff 5.10pm). Le Roux follows in the footsteps of Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtwawarira, John Smit, Jean de Villiers and Percy Montgomery, who are all Bok centurions. Humansdorp-born Libbok says the Boks are determined to celebrate Le Roux's century of caps with a win over the Azzurri. Libbok will line up alongside exciting scrumhalf Grant Williams in a new-look Bok squad assembled to bring fresh energy and take the fight to the Italians. 'Willie is an incredible person, and he's been helpful since the first time we played and trained together,' Libbok said. 'I'm very excited to be with him on the field on this special occasion. 'Having played a handful of Tests, I know what a massive achievement this is, and we are all very proud of him.' Libbok aimed a warning at the Italians when saying he has been enjoying a good week in training when it comes to his kicking to poles. 'The mindset is really good in the group, everyone is really looking forward to the challenge,' he said. 'We started with our preparations on Monday in Gqeberha, and the guys are locked in and focused on executing our plans. 'There is a nice buzz around the guys, we are looking forward to Saturday's clash. 'I had a really good week in training when it comes to my kicking to poles so I aim to continue with my performance against the Barbarians in the opening game of the season.' Libbok says the Boks are aware it will be a physical Test and that Italy will come hard at them, but with the preparation this week, the squad are ready to take on the challenge. 'For me, it is important to get the ball into the hands of our backs and see what they can do with the ball in hand. 'The Boks have good electric outside backs who can run at the opposition. 'Our training is intense and we train above game intensity, so if you get a game for your country, you are ready and prepared to go. 'Gqeberha can be a very windy city and I will focus on my processes and make sure I get them right when it comes to kicking on Saturday. 'If I do that, I believe I will get a result and one should not think about the wind and conditions. 'There is always pressure in Test matches, but I take it as just another kick, as I would do in training. 'I am excited about playing with Grant Williams. 'It will be our third Test match together, but the first one was that game against Argentina where he was concussed and went off early. 'The other was against England. 'I look forward to playing with him and I also look forward to playing with the guys I was with in that win over the All Blacks in 2023. 'We gelled nicely that night. Having a guy like André Esterhuizen alongside me means I can tap into his experience, and Canan Moodie too.' Libbok says there is healthy competition in the squad between Handré Pollard, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and himself for a starting berth in the Bok side. 'We do not see it as a battle for the flyhalf berth, but rather as healthy competition,' he said. 'That it is good because it helps us to push one another in training and that gets the best out of us and we grow as players. 'It is nice to work with them and learn from Handré and Sacha about how they do things and then try to add things to my game.' Teams: SA: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (capt), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Thomas du Toit. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker. Italy squad: Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli, Simone Ferrari, Danilo Fischetti, Muhamed Hasa, Mirco Spagnolo, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Pablo Dimcheff, Giacomo Nicotera, Matteo Canali, Niccolò Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Andrea Zambonin, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Izekor, Sebastian Negri, David Odiase, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani. Backs: Alessandro Fusco, Alessandro Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Giacomo Da Re, Giovanni Montemauri, Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Tommaso Menoncello, Marco Zanon, Mirko Belloni , Simone Gesi, Louis Lynach, Paolo Odogwu, Jacopo Trulla. Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland). The Herald
