Latest news with #RassieErasmus'
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Springboks borrow playbook from Under-14 B schools team
Rugby Union - South African head coach Rassie Erasmus' Press Conference - SARU House, Tygerberg Park, Cape Town, South Africa - March 5, 2025 South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus during the press conference REUTERS/Esa Alexander (Reuters) -South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has always been an innovator in the game, seeking an extra edge for his side with the unexpected, and found a new ploy he successfully unleashed on Italy from an Under-14 B schools team. The Springboks thumped the Italians 45-0 in Gqeberha on Saturday despite an early permanent red card for number eight Jasper Wiese, and from the kick-off they were full of innovation. They had demolished Italy in the scrums in the previous week's 42-24 win in Pretoria, and wanted to keep that psychological edge. The Springboks therefore intentionally conceded a scrum from the kick-off of the game. It did not work out as they were penalised with a free-kick for an early shove, but the writing was on the wall for a game that would be far from ordinary. Twice they created a maul in general play from which they gained penalty advantage and scored tries on both occasions. Lock Ruan Nortje was lifted to receive a pass, and as he came down to the ground, it created a driving maul from which the Springboks could use their powerful forwards. They received penalty advantage on both occasions as the Italians immediately infringed, but did not need it as centre Canan Moodie and hooker Malcolm Marx crossed for tries. When the powers that be drew up the laws of the game at the line-out, they certainly did not envisage them being used in general play, but Erasmus, who said he was "fairly happy" with his team's performance, has found a way to legally exploit them. "Many teams do different tactical moves and we did a maul in general play with a guy that we lift (to receive the pass)," he told reporters. "We actually saw an Under-14 B schools team doing it, Paul Roos Gymnasium (in Paarl, South Africa). "You get all the benefits from a line-out if you lift a guy in general play and it worked for us. But obviously now people will be alert for that. "We tried a few things and sometimes those things work and sometimes they don't, and you have to take it on the chin if they don't work." The Springboks next host Georgia in Nelspruit on Saturday. (Reporting by Nick Said, Editing by Louise Heavens)
The South African
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Could first Springbok team of the year look like this?
The wait for the Springboks to return to action is almost over as Rassie Erasmus' charges prepare to take on the Barbarians in their season-opener on 28 June. Rassie Erasmus has made it clear that they are not taking this clash lightly as their intention is to get their own structures in place as they prepare for a challenging international season. Interestingly, he has identified this clash as an opportunity to get Japan-based players back up to speed considering their League One season finished quite some time ago, while there will certainly be some newcomers who are afforded a run as well. It's also unlikely all that many Bulls players will be pushed into action considering they have just featured all the way through to the URC final. With all this in mind, this is the first team of the year that we think the Springboks could select. 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter. Rassie Erasmus has made it clear that there is a very clear plan in place for the opening fixture of the season. 'It's difficult to plan around the Barbarians because they are a team consisting of players from many different countries, so our focus in that match will be our game and what we want to achieve,' he said. 'It will serve as a good opportunity for the players who have returned from Japan to get back into the swing of things, and perhaps to give a few players who have not played Test rugby a feel of what it is to play at this level.' 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
05-06-2025
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Kids hurt in jumping castle accident
Here's your daily news update for Thursday, 5 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes two young children sustained serious injuries last weekend when a jumping castle was swept into the air during a school festival in Krugersdorp. Meanwhile, South Africa's largest beef producer, Karan Beef, has reassured consumers that its meat remains safe despite an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at its Heidelberg feedlot in Gauteng. Furthermore, Varsity Cup player Ntokozo Makhaza is one of nine uncapped players selected for Rassie Erasmus' Springbok training squad for the opening stages of the international season, which kicks off on 28 June against the Barbarians, followed by the Castle Lager Incoming Series. Weather tomorrow: 6 June 2025 Saws has warned of very cold, wet and windy conditions in the three Capes, as well as possible snowfall in parts of the Western Cape. Damaging winds are also expected to affect some small Western Cape harbours and ports. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. WATCH: Children fall from airborne jumping castle Two young children sustained serious injuries last weekend when a jumping castle was swept into the air during a school festival in Krugersdorp. The inflatable structure, allegedly unsecured, was lifted by a gust of wind while two junior jumpers were still inside. Both children fell from the airborne castle as it tumbled above the school grounds. Airborne jumping castles can be lethal. Picture: Supplied. The incident occurred at Protearif Laerskool's Protea Fees (festival), an event hosted on the school premises. CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Children fall from airborne jumping castle These are Gauteng's hotspots for murder, rape, kidnapping, carjacking and house robbery Between January 2025 and March 2025, Gauteng recorded an increase in kidnappings, said Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni on Thursday. Through the National Anti–Kidnapping Unit, the province arrested 88 suspects linked to 62 cases of kidnapping and rescued 77 victims of kidnapping during the period under review. Picture: iStock 'We are working together with our stakeholders to combat the kidnapping syndicates operating in this province. We are thankful to Business Against Crime South Africa for our partnership through the Eyes and Ears Initiative and are able to deploy their technological resources and utilise security officers as force multipliers when conducting take-down operations,' said Mthombeni. CONTINUE READING: These are Gauteng's hotspots for murder, rape, kidnapping, carjacking and house robbery Will SA run out of beef and chicken? Animal disease hits SA's top producer — what it means for consumers South Africa's largest beef producer, Karan Beef, has reassured consumers that its meat remains safe despite an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at its Heidelberg feedlot in Gauteng. The beef producer confirmed the news of the outbreak earlier this week. Gauteng is one of the provinces in the country with the FMD cases. The others include Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. For illustrative purposes. Picture: iStock The outbreak comes at a time when the poultry industry is divided over the ban on chicken imports from Brazil. Most chicken consumed in the country is imported from Brazil. Some say the ban will cause a shortage in the country, while others argue that South Africa can produce enough chicken. CONTINUE READING: Will SA run out of beef and chicken? Animal disease hits SA's top producer — what it means for consumers Cape Town is on the up, here's why Cape Town's global appeal as a film destination is driving a significant economic upswing in the city's hospitality industry. However, in May, US President Donald Trump proposed imposing a 100% tariff on all foreign-produced content. Cape Town's global appeal as a film destination is driving a major economic upswing in the city's hospitality industry. Picture:If enacted, this tariff could affect locally made films, including productions filmed in Cape Town, and series sold to the US market. CONTINUE READING: Cape Town is on the up, here's why Surprises in Rassie's first Bok squad of 2025, nine uncapped players included Varsity Cup player Ntokozo Makhaza is one of nine uncapped players selected for Rassie Erasmus' Springbok training squad for the opening stages of the international season, which kicks off on 28 June against the Barbarians, followed by the Castle Lager Incoming Series. The Springbok boss named the same 54 players who attended the squad's second national alignment camp in Cape Town, including 31 Rugby World Cup players. Thirty forwards and 24 backs are in the mix. Bok boss Rassie Erasmus. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images The nine uncapped players are Marnus van der Merwe, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Cobus Wiese, Renzo du Plessis, Vincent Tshituka, Juarno Augustus, Ethan Hooker, and Makhaza. CONTINUE READING: Surprises in Rassie's first Bok squad of 2025, nine uncapped players included Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Counterfeit alcohol in SA | Icasa seizes Starlink equipment | Malema on Shivambu
Belfast Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
New Ulster signing receives first Springboks call-up ahead of summer Test series
The rampaging number eight, who will move to Ravenhill over the summer from Northampton Saints, is one of nine uncapped players called up to Rassie Erasmus' 54-man extended panel. South Africa begin their summer schedule with a game against the Barbarians in Cape Town on June 28, followed by Tests against Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha on July 5 and 12 respectively and finishing off against Georgia in Nelspruit on July 19. It seems unlikely that 27-year-old Augustus will see any game time as six of the eight back rowers from the Springboks' last squad have been retained, including reigning and two-time World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi. However, it says much about the Alexander Bay native that he has been included in the squad after being part of last month's national alignment camp, with Erasmus clearly a fan of the Ulster-bound back row. Augustus has been in red-hot form for Northampton this season and only missed out on their Champions Cup Final against Bordeaux due to injury, helping them reach their first decider since 2011 with a bulldozing performance against Leinster in the Semi-Finals. His call-up, however, could prove to be an issue for Ulster, who were anticipating the former Stormers man being available for the start of the United Rugby Championship campaign on September 26 but may now be without him should he see any action for his country. Even more concerning would be if he impresses sufficiently to be called up to the Springboks squad for firstly the Rugby Championship, which extends into the first weekend of October, and then the Autumn Internationals, when Erasmus' men face France, Italy, Ireland and Wales in November. While Ulster would never prevent a player from representing their country, the intention was for Augustus to be a fulcrum at the centre of their forward pack in their bid to return to the URC Play-Offs next season, and being without one of their marquee players for a significant period – Ulster have six League games before the end of November – would be less than ideal for head coach Richie Murphy. The province are well-stocked in the back row, with James McNabney emerging last season alongside Ireland flanker Nick Timoney and David McCann, and Ireland lock Cormac Izuchukwu also able to step in at blindside flanker, but Augustus was set to provide a new dimension to the loose forward trio.
The South African
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Springbok Bolters: Top four uncapped players turning heads this season
These emerging talents in are making significant strides in their respective positions and are poised to make an impact at Test level for the Springbok in the near future. The Springboks are blessed a wealth of quality among its core group of players. But when Rassie Erasmus decides to cast his net wider, there won't be a lack of riches in the talent-pool at his disposal because South Africa is blessed when it comes to the next generation of professional players. With that in mind, we bring you the top four best rookies on Rassie Erasmus' radar for potential Springbok selection in the near future. Position: Centre/Wing Age: 21 Hartzenberg has been a standout performer for the Stormers, showcasing his versatility by excelling both on the wing and at outside centre. His impressive speed and agility have made him a key figure in the team's backline. A standout player who reach 50 caps for the Stormers this season, Hartzenberg now has experience on his side, and could serve as very good utility back for Rassie Erasmus' Springboks. Position: Loosehead prop Age: 23 Ntlabakanye has been a dominant force in the scrums for the Lions, earning recognition as one of the top loosehead props in the country. His powerful performances have made him a standout in the URC and he is widely regarded as one of the best in his position. A 145kg giant, his physical dimensions set him apart from the pack, and it would be interesting to see whether the Springbok conditioning coaches could see an opportunity to mould the youngster into an even more formidable weapon in the front row. Position: Wing/Fullback Age: 23 Makhaza has been a revelation in the 2025 Varsity Cup, earning both Player of the Year and Backline Player of the Year honors. His remarkable performance in the final, scoring 32 points, was instrumental in the Ikey Tigers' victory. His move to the Cheetahs for the Currie Cup season marks a significant step in his professional career. The Varsity Cup superstar was a bit of a bolter in the squad selection, but he fully deserves his Springbok call-up, and will add another exciting option on the wing. Position: Loose forward Age: 22 Another rising star in South African rugby, the dynamic loose forward is in the mould of Kwagga Smith, and it stands to reason that the Springboks will be keen to have a closer look at him. Du Plessis had a breakout season in the 2024 Currie Cup, earning the Premier Division Player of the Year award. His dynamic performances caught the attention of national selectors, leading to his inclusion in a Springbok alignment camp. Despite limited minutes for the Lions the URC this season, his domestic form has positioned him as a strong candidate for future national duties. 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. Meanwhile, here is an important reminder on ticket sales for the Springbok men's game against Argentina in the Rugby Championship at Twickenham in October. Ticket sales Tickets are on sale via and England Rugby, starting from just £55* for adults and £28* for Under-16s. (*booking fees apply)
