Receiving the HSBC SVNS Men's Player of the Year award was a defining moment in Tristan Leeds' career. However, being on the stadium surrounded by people who had watched him long before he received trophies and global recognition, this moment held even greater significance for him.
Hailing from Strand, the Blitzbok player shared his feelings about how receiving this award will forever remain in his memory on the podcast 'Behind The Ruck' with Juan de Jong and Rudy Page.
Leeds explained that he knew exactly where his family was sitting during the award announcement. Among the spectators, when Tristan's name was called, was his older brother Dillon Leeds, a former Springbok and Stormers player.
Tristan recalled his brother turning around and asking, 'Did you win the award?' After Tristan nodded to him, Dillon was so moved by the moment that he started crying. He then told his mother the news, after which Tristan called his father.
He recounted telling his father, 'Listen, I managed to win the award,' and his father hugged him, adding that it was one of the few times he had seen his father cry.
This episode highlighted that sport goes far beyond the events on the field. Behind every player celebrating a victory is usually a family that witnessed early morning training sessions, sacrifices, disappointments, and moments when it would have been easier to give up.
Tristan often spoke about the support from his parents, who played a huge role in shaping his personality and as a player. His journey from a child in Strand to a recognized top seven rugby player is a story the community is proud of, because somewhere there is a family that remembers the little boy with a ball before the world knew his name, and now they watch him make history.
American golfer Bryson DeChambeau stated that the two-stroke penalty at the British Open Championship 'energizes' him. This incident occurred on the third day of the 154th golf championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, where Ryan Fox became the third player in two days to achieve a record score of 62 in a major tournament, allowing him to contend for the lead on Saturday.
DeChambeau believed he was only one stroke away from the lead after completing the second round with birdie-birdie scores. However, on Friday evening, as dark clouds gathered over the Southport coast, the American was issued a two-stroke penalty for 'inadvertently improving' his ball's position while preparing for the second shot on the fifth hole. It was observed that DeChambeau was tamping down the long grass while preparing for a practice swing.
The two-time US Open champion returned to the scene along with an official rules representative after the round concluded. According to Sky Sports, he even threatened to withdraw from the tournament. Nevertheless, DeChambeau returned for the weekend, qualifying for a major tournament for the first time this year. He posted on social media: 'Obviously disappointed with this decision. I disagree with it, but what can you do. It energizes me. Onwards to the weekend. Let's do this.'
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive Officer of the R&A tournament organizers, noted that the decision was 'very clear from a rules perspective.' Darbon declined to confirm whether DeChambeau had been asked to leave the last two rounds. He told the BBC: 'One could say there was some emotional tension around this, and we will keep some aspects of this discussion private.' He added: 'I sympathize with this. Bryson played a great round of golf, he is in the fight in a major championship, he wants to win the original major golf tournament. We focused on the rules and conducting a fair assessment.'
Instead of playing in the final group alongside leader Lucas Herbert, DeChambeau will start his round in the third-to-last group, three strokes behind the leader, and will be playing with fellow American Sam Burns. Both Herbert and Burns achieved the historic low round score of 62 in a major championship on Friday. New Zealander Fox followed their example, joining Herbert at the top of the leaderboard with eight under par. Prior to yesterday, there were five rounds of 62 in major tournament history, and now there are eight, achieved by seven different players.
Fox attributed the surge in 62 scores to good weather and excellent course conditions, noting that the greens might be slightly softer in the morning. After six birdies in the first ten holes, Fox's attempt at a historic 61 was marred by a bogey on the 13th hole. He recovered with three birdies in the final five holes to enter the contention before Sunday's final round. The tournament promises to be spectacular on the northwest coast of England, where the biggest golf stars have gathered. Cameron Young, fourth in the world rankings, starts his third round six under par. World number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler is two strokes behind but also in the race, four under par, alongside home favorite Tommy Fleetwood and two-time major winner Jon Rahm. Rory McIlroy's hopes of moving up the leaderboard seem diminished, as he trailed by one stroke after eight holes to reach even par for the tournament. However, a monumental drive and chip that brought the eagle on the par-four ninth hole brought the Masters champion back within six strokes of the leader at timeout.
Spain's captain Rodri is preparing for the anticipated 'physical' confrontation with reigning champions Argentina during Sunday's World Cup final. Rodri made a statement during a press conference in Manhattan, noting that Spain intends to ignore any possible provocations from their South American rivals and focus on executing their own tactics.
Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d'Or and plays in the midfield for the Spanish team throughout the World Cup, stated that the final promises to be unlike previous games of European champions. He emphasized that the match will be more intense, and the team needs to be ready for it.
“I think the match on Sunday will be quite different,” the Manchester City star told reporters. “It will be more physical, and we must be ready. But I believe that if there is one thing they know about this national team, it is our ability to play different games depending on the moment.”
Rodri added that the team is very complete, which is why they are in the final. When asked if he expects Argentina to resort to 'provocative' tactics, he replied that it is part of football. He noted that they will see how the game unfolds and prefers to think that Argentina is a team that gives its all and does not take such a path.
Nevertheless, he warned that if such a situation arises, they will have to ignore it and continue playing according to their plan so as not to fall for provocations.
The Spanish captain also expressed respect for his Argentine counterpart Lionel Messi, who is likely to play in the last match of his career, calling him the 'greatest of all time.' However, Rodri cautioned that Argentina is more than one person. He stressed: “What Messi means as a player and for Argentina goes beyond words. Obviously, for me, he is the greatest of all time. But Argentina is much bigger than Messi. They have proven that they are a very complete team with top players.”
He concluded that while Leo must certainly be taken into account, so must many other players.
Argentina reached the final after a difficult playoff run, which included a loss to Cape Verde in extra time, as well as dramatic victories over Egypt and England. Rodri believes these results demonstrate Argentina's mental resilience. “It speaks to their very competitive nature as a national team,” he said. “They are capable of bouncing back from adversity, and we take that into account.”
He added that they know what kind of team they are and will try to damage them as much as possible. Spain, meanwhile, reached the final by defeating tournament favorites France in the semi-finals, neutralizing the coordinated attack of 'Les Bleus' and outperforming the French in the midfield. Rodri admitted that this performance was 'one of the best' ever shown by the current Spanish team, but noted that to beat Argentina, they will need to raise their level higher.
The final match of the Southern Hemisphere stage of the Nations Cup will take place this Saturday, where the Springboks will host Wales at Kings Park Stadium in Durban. The match is scheduled for July 17th at 5:40 PM local time.
The teams are in diametrically opposed forms. The Springboks hold the top spot in the world rankings and aim to secure their eleventh consecutive victory. Meanwhile, Wales, ranked 12th, recently suffered a defeat against the Pumas in Argentina.
For the Springboks, particular attention is being paid to 20-year-old flanker Wusile Moyo. Although he has only played one match in the United Rugby Championship for the Sharks, coach Rassie Erasmus noticed something special in Moyo during the Barbarians match in June and wants to assess his capabilities in a full international match.
21-year-old Jaco Williams also gets a chance. This fast winger will play in a squad supported by his teammate from the Sharks, Aphelele Fassi, as well as experienced Kurt-Lee Arendse.
The Springboks squad includes veterans such as Kobus Reinach at scrum-half and Damian de Allende in the inside centre. Mani Leibbok is on the bench. Two other newcomers, Ruben van Heerden and Carlu Seydi, have achieved their debuts through different paths: they previously played for the Junior Springboks in 2017 and demonstrated patience and perseverance to make it into the main squad.
Furthermore, most of the Springboks squad possesses significant experience, with the exception of open flanker Paul de Villiers, who will play in his third Test. Wales has endured a period of terrible 18 matches without a win, but the Six Nations team has significantly improved this season. Nevertheless, another confident victory for the Springboks with a margin of at least 20 points is predicted.
The match will take place on Saturday, July 18th, at Kings Park Stadium in Durban. The game is set to start at 5:40 PM. Sunny weather is expected with daytime temperatures up to 26°C and nighttime temperatures down to 14°C. Andrew Bryce from Ireland is appointed as the referee, with Pierre Brusset from France and James Doleman from New Zealand serving as assistants. The Technical Match Official (TMO) is Ollie Hodges from Ireland.
