Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber quickly put behind him his team’s record victory over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday (52-16) and focused on improving as the Rugby World Cup kick off moved a day closer.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick emphasised the importance of showing Wales the respect they deserve to achieve the desired result when the teams meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday in South Africa’s penultimate Rugby World Cup warm-up game.
The regulars are there again, but on Saturday a new kid on the block will join the top table when the Women’s Premier Division’s semi-finals take place in Pretoria and Cape Town, with a massive final looming next weekend.
SA Under-18 coach Katleho Lynch has made wholesale changes to his team for their second and final match in the U18 International Series when they face England in Paarl on Saturday, including handing the captaincy to JJ Theron, while JC Mars has been named vice-captain.
Liam Williams and Dan Biggar have been ruled out of Wales' final Rugby World Cup warm-up against the Springboks on Saturday.
Vodacom Bulls assistant coach Chris Rossouw has compared Kurt-Lee Arendse to All Black great Christian Cullen and believes the Bulls and Springbok star will only get better.
One of global rugby’s greatest rivalries, between South Africa and New Zealand, will be reignited at Twickenham in London later this month with the two nations playing for a brand-new trophy, the Qatar Airways Cup, on Friday 25 August.
Springbok Rugby World Cup captain Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche and Jaden Hendrikse will make their first Test appearances of the year on Saturday when the team lines up against Wales in their second World Cup warm-up match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
In a boost to the management of the Springbok Women, the experienced Franzel September has been added to the team’s coaching staff, joining Laurian Johannes-Haupt as assistant to interim head coach Louis Koen.
Xola Nyali has been handed the captaincy as the South African Under-18 team prepare for their U18 International Series opener against France at Stellenberg High School in Durbanville on Tuesday afternoon.