Latest news with #Japanese-based
Daily Maverick
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Rassie selects four new faces and some seasoned veterans for Boks against Barbarians
Although there are no official caps on offer, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus views Saturday's clash against the Barbarians as a Test and is treating it that way while blooding some new faces. Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Sharks flank Vincent Tshituka are two new faces in the Springbok starting lineup to face the Barbarians at DHL Stadium on Saturday. Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe and prop Neethling Fouché will have their first taste of Springbok rugby from the bench against a Baabaas team that includes 18 Test players in the 23-man touring squad. Coach Rassie Erasmus continued the theme laid out by assistant coach Tony Brown earlier in the week, when declaring that the Boks would approach the contest like a Test. He has certainly picked a bruising pack to lay down a strong foundation while also dotting the team with flair. Tshituka is a big No 7 flank but he also possesses some silky skills, as does the massive 141kg Ntlabakanye, who, despite his size, is a baller. 'Playing within the Bok structures is definitely a thing that I've got to do, but at the same time I also want to bring Vincent to the table,' Tshituka said. 'It's definitely (about) structures, and that's what we've worked hard on and what Rassie has spoken about at the alignment camps in the past two weeks. 'I need to be aligned with what the team wants to do, and then I want to see where I can bring myself into the team.' Experience? Veteran lock Lood de Jager will make his first appearance for the Boks after an injury-plagued two years as the main lineout target, while Sale's Jean-Luc du Preez, who fell out of favour last year, starts at No 8. 'We have largely selected the guys who have been training with us for the last two, three weeks,' Erasmus said. 'They understand more or less what we're trying to get better this year. So that was one thing. The Bulls players wouldn't have trained a lot with us. Guys like Thomas du Toit, Handré Pollard and RG Snyman haven't. 'So the only real player who's in the mix here who played last weekend is Jan Hendrik Wessels because we needed a loosehead prop. 'Apart from that, yes, then also a few of the Japanese players need game time. 'The average caps here is probably about 30 to 32. We normally go above 40 to 55 in a Test. In vital positions we have inexperienced players. Aphelele Fassi's got 11 caps, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has eight caps, scrumhalf Morné van den Berg got two. Our starting tighthead is uncapped and the reserve front row has got one cap between them. 'So I'm trying to get some steady hands in between the inexperience while bringing through more inexperienced players at this level.' Experimentation 'We've said over the past few weeks that this match will provide the ideal opportunity to get the Japanese-based players and a few other players back into full match mode for the Incoming Series (against Italy and Georgia),' Erasmus added. 'We also have the opportunity to see first hand how a few of the newer players in the squad perform at this level, so we are excited to see what this group can do. 'With a handful of players having participated in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final and Handré (Pollard) and Thomas (Du Toit) in the Premiership Final, they lost out on over a week of training. 'It was our plan from the outset to select players who we have been working with for the last few weeks and who are already functioning well within our structures. 'That said, we are planning to rotate our squad throughout the season to manage the players, and we are pleased with the depth we have within this group.' Eighteen players with Test experience from across the world touched down in Cape Town at the start of the week, reporting for duty for the Barbarians. The 23-man squad, which includes former Junior Springbok lock Ruben van Heerden of the Stormers and coached by Robbie Deans, are preparing to take on the Springboks for the first time on South African soil. The first five players confirmed for the fixture were the Irish centurion trio of Cian Healy (prop), Peter O'Mahony (flank) and Conor Murray (scrumhalf), while former All Black captain Sam Cane and his Kiwi teammate Shannon Frizell (both loose forwards) were also locked in. They will be joined by five more capped All Blacks in Hoskins Sotutu (loose forward), Tawera Kerr-Barlow (scrumhalf), Peter Umaga-Jensen (utility back), Leicester Fainga'anuku (wing) and Mark Tele'a (wing). Joe Marchant (England), Melvyn Jaminet (France), Santiago Arata Perrone (Uruguay), David Ribbans (England), Camille Chat (France), Will Collier (England), Hassane Kolingar (France), and Paul Alo-Emile (Samoa) are all capped at Test level. DM South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen. Barbarians squad: Forwards: Cian Healy (Leinster) Will Collier (Castres) Hassane Kolingar (Racing 92) Paul Alo-Emile (Stade Francais) Camille Chat (Lyon) John 'Ricky' Riccitelli (Blues) David Ribbans (Toulon) Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers) Josh Beehre (Blues) Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) Peter O'Mahony (Munster) Sam Cane (Tokyo Sungoliath) Shannon Frizell (Toshiba) Lachlan Boshier (Wild Knights) Backs: Tawera Kerr Barlow (La Rochelle) Santiago Arata Perrone (Castres) Melvyn Jaminet (Toulon) Josh Jacomb (Chiefs) Peter Umaga-Jensen (Hurricanes) Leicester Fainga'anuku (Toulon) Mark Tele'a (Blues) Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders) Joe Marchant (Stade Francais)
The South African
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Rassie: Barbarians clash a vital step in Springbok season Build-Up
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus believes Saturday's clash against the Barbarians offers a crucial opportunity to assess new talent, reintegrate overseas-based players, and fine-tune the squad's systems ahead of a packed Test season. With four uncapped players named and several Springbok stars returning from injury, Erasmus is using the high-profile fixture to test depth and refine combinations before the start of the incoming mid-year series. Speaking ahead of the encounter at Cape Town Stadium, Erasmus outlined the strategic value of the non-Test fixture in South Africa's broader 2024 plans. 'We've said over the last few weeks that this match will provide the ideal opportunity to get the Japanese-based players and a few other players back into full match-mode for the incoming mid-year series,' said the Springboks boss. 'We also have the opportunity to see first-hand how a few of the newer players in the squad perform at this level, so we are excited to see what this group can do.' Erasmus explained that Springbok squad selection for the Barbarians match took player workload into account, especially following the recent URC and English Premiership finals. 'With a handful of players having participated in the URC Grand Final and Handré in the Premiership Final, they lost out on over a week of training,' he said. 'So it was our plan from the outset to select players who we have been working with for the last few weeks and who are already functioning well within our structures. That said, we are planning to rotate our squad throughout the season to manage the players, and we are pleased with the depth we have within this group.' The match also sees the return of key players from injury, including Lood de Jager, Faf de Klerk and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. 'Lood is in great form and hopped straight back into the thick of things with the intensity and work rate that we are used to seeing him deliver,' Erasmus said. 'We are thrilled to see him and players like Faf and Sacha back from injury.' Looking ahead to the Barbarians themselves, Erasmus expects a challenge despite the invitational side's limited preparation time. 'A whole lot of players in this squad have played for the Baabaas, and I've also coached them before, so we have an idea of what to expect,' he said. 'They don't have much time to train together, but if one looks at the calibre of players they've announced and the history between the teams, we know it's going to take a top-class effort to get the desired result.' 'That said, we are pleased with how our preparations are going. The Springboks' focus in this match will be to get our structures and systems in place for the Test matches coming up. So, this is a vital game for us.' WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE MATCH BETWEEN THE BARBARIANS AND SPRINGBOKS? 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.
Fashion Network
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Madhappy opens first New York flagship in Nolita
Contemporary clothing brand Madhappy is set to open on Saturday its first flagship in New York City. Located at 207 Mulberry Street in Nolita, the 1,800-square-foot space was designed in partnership with LA-based creative studio PlayLab, Inc. The dual-level boutique brings Madhappy's signature visual language to New York, featuring blue-dyed concrete, brushed aluminum, ceramic tile, and Douglas fir. The store will be home to Pantry, Madhappy's café concept that first launched in Los Angeles. The café will serve a rotating menu curated with both local and global culinary partners, including coffee and tea from Japanese-based café, Hotel Drugs; Persian baked goods and pastries from Sofreh; and cold-pressed juice from Toms Juice. The store opens with Madhappy's latest collections and recent collaborations, including its Guest In Residence project with Gigi Hadid. Madhappy will equally release limited-edition capsules available exclusively in-store. The collections pay tribute to iconic New York institutions, with pieces featuring collaborations with the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Brooklyn pizzeria Lucali. The boutique marks the brand's second permanent location, following its flagship debut in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. It also follows a series of seasonal pop-ups in markets like East Hampton, Miami, Chicago, and Tokyo.
Fashion Network
04-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Madhappy opens first New York flagship in Nolita
Contemporary clothing brand Madhappy is set to open on Saturday its first flagship in New York City. Located at 207 Mulberry Street in Nolita, the 1,800-square-foot space was designed in partnership with LA-based creative studio PlayLab, Inc. The dual-level boutique brings Madhappy's signature visual language to New York, featuring blue-dyed concrete, brushed aluminum, ceramic tile, and Douglas fir. The store will be home to Pantry, Madhappy's café concept that first launched in Los Angeles. The café will serve a rotating menu curated with both local and global culinary partners, including coffee and tea from Japanese-based café, Hotel Drugs; Persian baked goods and pastries from Sofreh; and cold-pressed juice from Toms Juice. The store opens with Madhappy's latest collections and recent collaborations, including its Guest In Residence project with Gigi Hadid. Madhappy will equally release limited-edition capsules available exclusively in-store. The collections pay tribute to iconic New York institutions, with pieces featuring collaborations with the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Brooklyn pizzeria Lucali. The boutique marks the brand's second permanent location, following its flagship debut in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. It also follows a series of seasonal pop-ups in markets like East Hampton, Miami, Chicago, and Tokyo.
Business Mayor
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Sony shares rise about 2% in volatile trading following share buyback announcement
Global Economy May 14, 2025 A file photo of Hiroki Totoki, Sony Group Corporation executive, delivering a keynote address at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, on January 6, 2025. Artur Widak | Nurphoto | Getty Images Sony Group shares rose about 2% Wednesday in volatile trading after the Japanese conglomerate announced a 250 billion yen ($1.7 billion) share buyback and operating income beat estimates. Operating income for the last three months of the financial year came in at 203.6 billion yen, beating mean analyst estimates of 192.2 billion yen, though it was down 11% from the same period last year. In the earnings report, the Japanese-based electronics, entertainment and finance company announced a stock buyback of shares worth 250 billion yen. Sony also provided details on a partial spinoff of its financial unit. The company plans to distribute slightly more than 80% of the shares of common stock of the spinoff to shareholders of Sony Group through dividends. The financial unit will list its financial operation this year and will be classified as a discontinued operation in Sony's accounting from the current quarter, the company added. However, Sony's outlook for the current financial year ending in March was lackluster. The company forecasted its operating profit to rise a slight 0.3% to 1.28 trillion yen, after flagging a 100 billion yen hit from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. Yet, Sony clarified that the estimated tariff impact did not reflect the trade deal made between the U.S. and China on May 12 and that the actual impact could vary significantly. Read More China Industrial Profits Return to Growth READ SOURCE
