Nodada made 22 appearances across all competitions last season before he sustained a foot injury that kept him sidelined for six months.

The 29-year-old last game for the Citizens was during their goalless draw against Kaizer Chiefs in March this year.

The midfielder is yet to feature for Erik Tinkler’s side this season and has missed all their fixtures as he continues to return to full fitness.

“I’m feeling good, but I’m still working on my fitness and being cautious,” said Nodada in conversation with the club’s media department.

“My focus is on making a long-term contribution to the squad. This is not just for a single game.”

On the road to full fitness 👊

“I’m feeling good, but I’m still working on my fitness and being cautious. My focus is on making a long-term contribution to the squad, not just for a single game,” says Thabo Nodada 🗣️#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/5MJTyRzQdU

— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) November 25, 2024

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The 31-year-old joined the Citizens on a free transfer in July following his departure from Orlando Pirates.

The attacking midfielder has been a key figure for the Citizens since his arrival and has made eight appearances across all competitions so far this season.

Makaringe has only missed two matches this campaign but his season has come to a halt after the club confirmed he suffered an ankle injury, which will keep him sidelined for a lengthy period of time.

“Makaringe has suffered an ankle injury, which will see him out for an extended period of time. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Fortune,” read the club’s official statement.

ℹ️ Makaringe has suffered an ankle injury, which will see him out for an extended period of time.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Fortune 👊#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/DQkE8QJSOj

— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) November 25, 2024

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Renowned in Europe for their distinctive orange and white striped jerseys, the Toyota Cheetahs will continue this classic look as their primary kit, paired with black shorts and vibrant red socks. The team will debut a predominantly white and orange striped jersey as an alternative kit, offering a fresh take on their traditional colours.

This year’s jersey design reflects the Cheetahs’s legacy, inspired by the team’s glorious past, including iconic moments like the 1997 Currie Cup Final against Western Province at Newlands. With Macron, Director of Rugby of the Toyota Cheetahs, Frans Steyn played a pivotal role in the creative process, working closely with the Cheetah’s marketing team. Together, they revisited the heritage of legends such as Helgard Müller, Rassie Erasmus, Dougie Heymans, Brendan Venter, Werner Swanepoel, Willie Meyer, Jannie de Beer, Andre Venter and Os du Randt to create a look that resonates with both nostalgia and innovation.

“From the moment we started conceptualising this design, we wanted to capture what makes the Toyota Cheetahs unique,” said Tiaan Joubert, Business Unit Manager, Macron. “This jersey represents not only the past glory but the bright future of this young, dynamic group of players. It symbolises pride for every fan, from Bloemfontein to the far reaches of Europe.”

The Toyota Cheetahs’ EPCR Challenge Cup campaign kicks off on Sunday, 8 December, with a home match against USAP at the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam. A week later, the team travels to Wales to face Cardiff on Saturday, 14 December, at Cardiff Arms Park. After the festive season, the Toyota Cheetahs return to Amsterdam to host Zebre Parma on Sunday, 12 January, before concluding the pool stage against Lyon in France on Sunday, 19 January.

Macron, the official kit sponsor, extended their best wishes to the Toyota Cheetahs for their campaign. “We are excited to see the team wear this iconic jersey as they strive to make the Free State proud and inspire their loyal fans.”

The Toyota Cheetahs are ready to roar this season, combining tradition and fresh energy to take on Europe’s finest. Get the new EPCR Challenge Cup jersey and join the Toyota Cheetahs in this thrilling campaign! Keep an eye on the Cheetah Rugby pages on social media for announcements on when and where the jersey will be available.

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Unfortunately for the Blitzboks, they have been dealt a late blow with the withdrawal of Ronald Brown, who picked up a hamstring strain last Friday, with Shaun Williams stepping into the role as sweeper.

Williams, who was part of the 2024 Olympic Games squad earlier this year, last played in Dubai in 2022, the same year he was part of the gold medal winning side at the Commonwealth Games in England.

Despite the injury setback, Impi Visser – one of the drivers towards excellence and a healthy and dynamic team culture and one of the two co-captains for the trip to the Emirates Dubai 7s along with Zain Davids – said they have clear goals for the season.

“We had a good chat amongst ourselves on how to reach those goals,” said Visser, who will be running out in his 40th HSBC SVNS tournament this weekend.

“Apart from winning on the field, we also want to be good people off it as well. It remains a massive honour to be part of this team, but that bring responsibilities, and we don’t want to disrespect those.”

The 29-year-old has been part of world series winning squads before, while he also suffered the ignominy of having to qualify for the Olympic Games via repechage earlier this year, and Visser said lessons were learnt and taken to heart.

“We lost a bit of what we stand for as a team last season and once the results reflected that, we realised we were on the wrong path,” he said. “I am happy to say, as the results in the repechage tournament and at the Paris Olympics showed, we found our way again. It is a happy squad travelling today.”

With Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman tweaking the game plan slightly, Visser will find new energy in a greater focus on the breakdown and turn-over ball. One of the best defenders around, his work rate around winning ruck ball will be boosted by the variety in play.

“I still enjoy my roles, albeit it the less glamorous ones,” Visser said with a smile. “We have some serious attacking players, and they need to score the points, so the forwards don’t mind doing the hard yards for them. If we do our job well, they will reward us.”

Dubai is like a home away from home for the Blitzboks, who will be looking for a sixth straight tournament win in the UAE. Visser said they are not only counting on the good support they enjoy from the Dubai crowd to be successful again.

“We will not get ahead of ourselves – we have worked really hard and are traveling well prepared,” he said.

“We still need to focus though, we have a tough pool. Australia is always a hard one, especially first up, and we seem to bring the best out of Kenya.

“We will be facing France on better terms this time around, not the semi-finals of the Olympics in front of a packed stadium in Paris, but we will need no motivation for that one. First things first though and that will be Australia on Saturday morning.”

Pool A fixtures, Saturday 30 November (SA times):
08h50: SA v Australia
12h58: SA v Kenya
18h44: SA v France

Updated Springbok Sevens squad for Dubai (with HSBC SVNS stats)
#1 Christie Grobbelaar – 21 tournaments, 160 points (32 tries)
#2 Ryan Oosthuizen – 50 tournaments, 225 points (45 tries)
#3 Impi Visser (co-captain) – 39 tournaments, 205 points (41 tries)
#4 Zain Davids (co-captain) – 47 tournaments, 210 points (42 tries)
#5 Ricardo Duarttee – 12 tournaments, 216 points (15 tries, 69 conversions, 1 penalty goal)
#9 Shaun Williams – 17 tournaments, 157 points (25 tries, 16 conversions)
#10 Dewald Human – 26 tournaments, 289 points (25 tries, 82 conversions)
#11 Siviwe Soyizwapi – 53 tournaments, 780 points (152 tries)
#12 Shilton van Wyk – 20 tournaments, 185 points (37 tries)
#14 Quewin Nortje – 6 tournaments, 90 points (18 tries)
#15 Donovan Don – 3 tournaments, 15 points (3 tries)
#19 David Brits – 3 tournaments, 20 points (4 tries)
#24 Tristan Leyds – 5 tournaments, 69 points (9 tries, 12 conversions)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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The Soweto giants will look to bounce back after suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-finals on November 2.

The Natal Rich Boys are looking to return to winning ways after their 1-0 defeat to champions Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout Cup on November 9.

Amakhosi currently occupy eighth place in the Betway Premiership with seven points, having won two games, one draw and conceded two defeats in five matches.

Richards Bay, meanwhile, sits in 12th place on the log with one win, two draws and four defeats from seven matches.

Here are images of Kaizer Chiefs’ training session:

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The Brazilians will kickstart their Group K fixture when they welcome the Congolese side to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

Sundowns will come into this fixture looking to bounce back following their shock 2-1 defeat to Magesi FC in the final of the Carling Knockout Cup over the weekend.

Maniema Union, meanwhile, enters this clash off the back of a 1-0 win over Celeste in the Linafoot Ligue 1 at the Stade des Martyrs on November 20.

Mamelodi Sundowns against Maniema Union kicks off at 6pm on Tuesday.

Here are a few images of Mamelodi Sundowns’ training session:

The post In Picture: Sundowns’ training session ahead of CAFCL opener appeared first on SportsClub.

The Buccaneers will take on the Algerian outfit at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in their opening Group C encounter on Tuesday evening.

WATCH: Orlando Pirates’ training session in Algeria

After a 20-hour journey ✈️

💪🏾 Strength & Conditioning Coach, Helmi Gueldich led a light ⚙️regeneration session in Algeria 🇩🇿

🗓️ 24 November 2024

⚫⚪🔴⭐#CAFCL#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/5WMZp4YoaE

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) November 25, 2024

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The Buccaneers are scheduled to face the Algerian outfit in their opening group stage encounter at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers.

Pirates have since revealed that Tapelo Xoki, Sandile Mthethwa, Deano Van Rooyen, Makhehlene Makhaula, Thabiso Lebitso, Thuso Moleleki and Ethan Visagie have returned to full training.

The Sea Robbers also confirmed that three players, including Goodman Mosele, Zakhele Lepasa and Olisa Ndah remain on the sidelines as they undergo rehabilitation.

The Soweto giants against CR Belouizdad is set to kick-off at 9pm.

Orlando Pirates have released the following statement on the matter:

As Orlando Pirates prepare to kick off their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaign against CR Belouizdad on Tuesday evening, the Buccaneers are also focusing on ensuring their squad is fully fit for the demanding schedule ahead.

Jose Riveiro and his technical team will need every player available during this intense period, as the clash against the Algerian giants marks the first of a demanding 21 days. It’s a challenging schedule by any standard, but there is some encouraging news from the Bucs’ medical department.

Updates on the squad’s fitness could provide a crucial boost as the team navigates this testing phase of the season.

The medical team has provided the following updates:

Players who have returned to full training:
• Tapelo Xoki
• Sandile Mthethwa
• Deano Van Rooyen
• Makhehlene Makhaula
• Thabiso Lebitso
• Thuso Moleleki
• Ethan Visagie

Players currently undergoing rehabilitation:
• Goodman Mosele
• Zakhele Lepasa
• Olisa Ndah

The post Pirates confirm Van Rooyen and six other return for CAFCL tie appeared first on SportsClub.

Clinton Larsen’s side secured their maiden top-flight title after securing a 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.

Goals from Tshepo Kakora and Delano Abrahams cancelled out Iqraam Rayners’ opener as Magesi held on to secure the win and trophy at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Chipezeze, who was named Man of the Man, reserved special praise for the club’s fans who came out in numbers to support Magesi in Blomfontein.

“First of all, I just want to thank the supporters. Like I said in the beginning of the tournament, they play an important role to what we’re doing,” Chipezeze told SuperSport TV after the game.

“We’re just here to entertain them and as you can see, they are all smiling, the stadium was buzzing.

“We have people from Limpopo driving from 5 am to come and witness us and history. I’m just grateful to them for the support they are giving me.

“We had a game plan and we executed it very well. We conceded a soft goal in the first half but we just kept it calm. We knew we were gonna create chances and we took them.”

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The Limpopo-based outfit secured their maiden top-flight title after securing a 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.

Goals from Tshepo Kakora and Delano Abrahams cancelled out Iqraam Rayners’ opener as Magesi held on to secure the win and trophy at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Larsen says that Sundowns were the better team but felt his side put on a great performance, which ‘resurrected quite a few careers.”

“It’s called a fairytale isn’t it? I’m just happy for the players,” Larsen told SuperSport TV after the game.

“I’m so hard on this group of players, sometimes I’m just not fair. But I’ve got to be that way because we’re not the most talented group and it’s efforts like this that can reward us with results.

“I’m very happy for them. So many of this group of players have been written off by previous clubs. We’ve resurrected quite a few careers.

“But happy for the Chairman, management, supporters and I also want to congratulate Mamelodi Sundowns and their coach for the great team they are.

“We suffered, they were a better team by far, I think the stats are going to show. We [won] against a quality team. A little bit of luck got us the result.”

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