Latest news with #JohanOrton
News24
19-07-2025
- General
- News24
About the newbies? Bok brains trust have it tough choosing Rugby Champs squad
Johan Orton/Gallo Images Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Show Comments ()
The Citizen
18-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Boks' short kick-off deemed ‘intentional infringement' by World Rugby
World Rugby have moved to clarify the short kick-off law, employed by the Springboks against Italy in Gqeberha. Rassie Erasmus has come under fire for certain tactics employed by his team. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images World Rugby have said the Springboks' intentional short kick-off, done in the second Test against Italy in Gqeberha last Saturday, to force a scrum on the halfway line, 'shows an intentional violation of the kick-off and restart laws'. World Rugby have considered the matter, brought to their attention by the Italian Rugby Federation, and taking a decision. World Rugby have stated that should a referee deem the action to be deliberate they must award the opposition team a penalty. Last weekend, Manie Libbok deliberately kicked off with the ball failing to go the required 10m. The Italians were awarded a scrum on the halfway line, exactly what the Boks were after, but an early engagement by the world champions resulted in Italy getting a free kick. 'Not intentionally infringe any law of the game' Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus this week said he simply wanted his team to scrum, because it is something they do well. He also questioned why his team shouldn't be allowed to do it, asking who decides what is for and against the spirit of the game – something that had come into question. Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada said after the match the move was not in the spirit of the game. World Rugby said a request by Italy stated: 'A question has come up regarding the legality of the play under Law 9.7(a), which states: 'A player must not intentionally infringe any law of the game.' 'Watching the dynamics of the restart, we were wondering whether it was carried out in full compliance with both the letter and the spirit of the law. We would really appreciate your view, to ensure a consistent and shared interpretation at international level.' In summary, World Rugby stated: 'If a team deliberately runs ahead of the ball carrier at a kick off, and/ or deliberately kicked so it doesn't reach the 10m line, what should the sanction be?' According to World Rugby Law 9: Foul Play: Unfair play, 9.7 states: 'A player must not: a. Intentionally infringe any law of the game. Sanction: Penalty.' In the match in Gqeberha, the Boks also employed the midfield 'fake lineout' where they lifted a player in open play to set up a driving maul. They scored two tries from the move. World Rugby have not said anything about this. The Boks face Georgia in a one-off Test in Mbombela on Saturday (5.10pm). Full World Rugby law clarification.
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Sharks inability to finish cost them dearly in URC semifinal v Bulls
The Sharks had their opportunities, but were unable to finish most of them, allowing the Bulls to secure the win in their URC semifinal, Sharks wing Makazole Mapimpi goes over for the first of their two tries during their URC semifinal loss against the Bulls at Loftus over the past weekend. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images The Sharks inability to finish their opportunities cost them dearly in their United Rugby Championship (URC) semifinal loss against the Bulls at Loftus over the past weekend. The Bulls emerged victorious 25-13 to set up a blockbuster final against Irish giants Leinster at Croke Park in Dublin this coming weekend, while the Sharks end a much improved season on a disappointing note. After their previous URC campaign, where they finished a disastrous 14th on the log, they turned that around this season, finishing third overall to host a quarterfinal for the first time, beating Munster on a historic penalty shootout, to then qualify for their first ever URC semifinal. But they were unfortunately unable to fire on the night, something that has troubled them over the season as a whole, but they importantly still found a way to come out on top, including in a five game winning run heading into the semi, but they weren't able to repeat the trick again. It will have been a frustrating watch for Sharks coach John Plumtree, as despite dominating possession and territory in the first half, they couldn't get over the tryline, while he then had to watch them fall away after briefly fighting back at the start of the second. It was during a period from the 27th to 49th minute, when the Sharks had a man advantage the whole time, that they should have been able to battle ahead. Sebastian de Klerk first got a yellow for a professional foul, followed by Cameron Hanekom for a tip tackle and Marcell Coetzee for pulling down the maul after a warning from the ref, which meant they played from the 36th to 46th minutes two men down against the visitors. One score But the Sharks could only score once in that period, Makazole Mapimpi going over in the 44th minute, before the hosts were back to their full complement, followed by an Ethan Hooker try in the 52nd minute making it 15-13, but the Bulls then pulled away again. 'We had plenty of opportunities (to score) before half time. We put the Bulls under pressure and they got three yellow cards, but we weren't quite good enough to finish them off. We should have been closer to 15-15 at half time, but didn't cash in close to the line,' explained Plumtree. 'We got held up over the goal line just before half time which was an absolute disaster. But I was still pretty confident at half time. We were starting to get our game going and had the territory we needed. 'We scored a couple of good tries (in the second half) to get back into the game, but weren't quite accurate enough and they managed to get that try (from David Kriel) that broke our backs. 'We were a bit off our game on attack. Sometimes we played too deep when we had momentum and sometimes too flat when we didn't.' Goal kicking was also a problem for the Sharks over the game, flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse missing three shots at goal, two penalties and a conversion, while only slotting one penalty, while his brother, scrumhalf Jaden missed a conversion, as they left 10 points out there.
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pumas and Griquas to battle it out for SA Cup title
The great rivalry between the Pumas and Griquas hits another level as they again battle it out in the SA Cup final this weekend. The Pumas and Griquas in action during their SA Cup pool match earlier this season. The two teams will contest the final on Saturday. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images A cracking 2025 SA Cup final is on the cards as fierce rivals the Pumas and competition defending champs Griquas are set to battle it out for the title at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela on Saturday evening (kick-off 6:30pm). Although it is a lower division title, with none of the country's big four, the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions taking part, it is still an important trophy for the teams bubbling under, while the competition is also used as qualification for the Currie Cup, with the top four ranked teams making it in. That saw the two finalists, plus the third and fourth placed Cheetahs and Boland Kavaliers respectively, joining the big four in the country's premier franchise competition, set to kick off towards the end of July. This weekend's finale could have been very different after two thrilling semifinals were battled out last weekend that just went the way of the hosts by very small margins. The Pumas edged the Kavaliers 31-29, after they were reduced to 12 men in the second half holding a 25-10 lead, which allowed the visitors to fight back and go ahead 29-25, before two late penalties snuck the hosts back in front for the win. The Griquas and Cheetahs battled out a breathtaking encounter, both teams taking the lead and drawing level on numerous occasions, leading to the scores being locked at 38-all with just over 10 minutes left. Home captain George Whitehead then nailed a long range penalty to get them back ahead, which proved to be enough thanks to a terrific defensive effort at the death, including holding a Cheetahs player up over the line to secure the win. Fantastic rivalry The Pumas and Griquas will now continue their fantastic recent rivalry that has seen both sides triumph over the other in major finals. In 2022 it was the Pumas that stunned the Griquas on their home ground in the Currie Cup final, clinching a 26-19 win to lift the country's oldest trophy for the first time. In the 2023 Currie Cup the Pumas beat the Griquas 28-13 and 27-17 in the pool phase, as they made it to the playoffs and finished as runners-up to the Cheetahs. The SA Cup was then launched in 2024, and the Griquas got their revenge, beating the Pumas 31-26 in the pool stage and 46-24 in the final to lift the inaugural title. But the Pumas bounced back in the 2024 Currie Cup, thumping the Griquas 44-24 and 66-26, while they are unbeaten in this year's SA Cup, beating their rivals 39-34 in the pool stage, to take a three game winning run into the final. A top encounter is thus in the offering and it could become a scintillating battle that goes right down to the wire to see who will emerge victorious.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springboks' reign sparks rugby rivalries and frustrations
Rugby powers debate the dominance of the Springboks and the struggle of Irish and other teams to reclaim glory. The Springboks will soon be back in action. Picture: Johan Orton/Gallo Images As the last of the grey-haired, going-to-seed men walked into the wood-panelled meeting room, security men closed the heavy teak doors and locked them, muting the sound of Dublin's traffic outside. As a butler moved to pull down the blinds on the windows, an Australian voice rang out: 'Hang on, mate! It's bloody bad enough that you can only tell the difference between summer and winter here because the rain's warmer in summer… but now you want to cut out all the light. I'm from Brisbane and we go bonkers without sunlight!' A beefy, dusky complexioned man joined in: 'I'm from Christchurch and this makes me feel right at home! You Aussies just whinge the whole time because the Bledisloe Cup keeps going back to Noo Zilland…' The chairman rapped his gavel on the broad, polished table: 'Gentlemen please! We have more important things to discuss than the weather, to be sure…' On cue, Mr O'Mahoney adjusted his shamrock tie and stood up: 'We would not be here if we did not all accept that the current situation in world rugby cannot be allowed to continue. ALSO READ: Proteas management join Springboks at alignment camp 'Sure, 'tis us who have suffered most grievously because, so long as the Pope is a Catholic the natural order of things should be that Ireland wins at least one World Cup.' Rutherford-Jones fiddled with his finely-tooled leather file folder, emblazoned with the red rose and thought better about saying something… in this changed world even the bloody Irish had human rights, he realised. Still, he nodded too, because even England had been hurting – perhaps not as much as the micks in green, but then even English pride was superior to its Irish equivalent. Across the table, Jean-Pierre nodded morosely, as did Diego. Taffy Jones interjected: ' If I may speak on behalf of Wales and Scotland – if you don't mind Jimmy – as well as Italy if that's okay, Tomasso, may I say that even though people think of us sometimes as spectators or also-rans, we have a long and fine tradition of the game in our countries. And if the Webb Ellis Cup continues to stay in South Africa, then our youngsters are going to drift away to football, heaven help us!' ALSO READ: Former New Zealand captain Sam Cane named for Barbarians A morose silence descended. 'It didn't work, did it?' said the former All Black. 'I knew you could never trust a golfer to follow through on a promise and to think we gave him a gold-plated Caribbean cruising yacht!' The Irish rugby supremo stood up. 'Why the bloody hell didn't Trump make the offer more attractive to the refugees? – scholarships and Lear Jets don't cost that much …' He added: 'There should have been tens of thousands of refugees by now… there would have been no-one left to put together a Boozer's League Second Team, never mind a Springbok one. That would have given us all a fighting chance.' From France, Jean-Pierre nodded: 'We've tried to keep them more than a few seasons but, even with our women, they always want to go home…' ALSO READ: Willemse misses Stormers playoff, and maybe a Bok game too… Not a great fan of the French, Bruce from Brisbane chipped in: 'Let's face it mate, you lot don't speak very good English – the Afrikaners are much better. 'And well, let's just say both your women and your wine are overrated…' Taffy jumped in to stop the fist flying: 'Get Elon on the Starlink! 'He can offer them each a Tesla to defect to us. That'll work.' There was a sigh and Tomasso said: 'No, it won't. They're used to living without electricity and they say a steak is always better on a braai…'
