The Springbok Sevens finished their HSBC SVNS Perth campaign on a high note by outplaying France 24-5 to finish the tournament in fifth place.
The Vodacom Bulls kicked a late penalty goal – while the Emirates Lions missed a penalty attempt in injury time – to snatch a 30-28 victory in a humdinger of a Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against their Gauteng neighbours at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in a game in which the teams were only two points apart at different stages of the match.
Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been hospitalised after sustaining burns in a freak accident, SA Rugby announced.
Bloemfontein has been confirmed as the venue when the Springboks face Portugal in the historic first Test between the nations on Saturday, 20 July, in the final match of the Castle Lager Incoming Series as part of a thrilling 2024 home Test schedule.
The Springbok Women’s Sevens team prepared well and accordingly, but the realities of being the least experienced team at the HSBC SVNS Perth tournament and having to play the host union on their national holiday, will make for a tough opening day for the South Africans.
Travelling the world and exploring new destinations with smiles on faces are elements one can attribute to the Springbok Sevens team over many seasons of HSBC SVNS, but as they settled into Perth for yet another new stop in the world series, the real purpose for their trip to West Australia was quickly confirmed by Blitzbok captain Selvyn Davids.
Having retired from a game she loved so much after a bad injury and then making a very solid return to the team she loves even more almost a decade later will drive the effort from Shona-Leah Weston this weekend when the Springbok Women's Sevens take on Australia, Canada, and Great Brittain in the HSBC SVNS Perth.
The Blitzboks are well known for playing with smiles on their faces, so don't be surprised to see even more of that in Perth this weekend, when two uncapped players and three returnees to the squad will all bring energy to the squad determined to bounce back from a disappointing outing in Cape Town last month.
Abrasive but elusive, in your face but slippery, a hard man with a soft touch – David Brits is not an easy opponent, boasting a skill set that saw him help the Toyota Cheetahs win the coveted Currie Cup.
In 2019, Maria Tshiremba watched her first rugby match live, the Varsity Cup Sevens fittingly won by the University of Johannesburg, as this was where the speedster from Magau village in Limpopo was starting to make a name for herself in athletics.