The football club Persepolis has strengthened its squad by signing contracts with Pourya Lotififar and Mohammadmedi Mohabi as part of the preparation for the upcoming season of the Persian Professional League of Iran (PGPL).
The football club Persepolis has strengthened its squad by signing contracts with Pourya Lotififar and Mohammadmedi Mohabi as part of the preparation for the upcoming season of the Persian Professional League of Iran (PGPL).
The highly-rated young midfielder Lotififar has joined the Tehran giants on a four-year contract. His signing occurred after approval from the coaching staff and club management, and he is expected to add depth and energy to the midfield ahead of the intense league campaign.
Lotififar will soon travel to Turkey to join Persepolis' pre-season training camp and begin working under the club's coaching staff.
In addition, the 'Reds' have finalized the contract with Mohabi, who signed a three-year deal. Mohabi, who is a player for the Iranian national team, will bring valuable experience gained while playing for Sepahan, Mes Rafsanjan, Paykan, and the Emirati club Ittihad Kalba.
This creative forward, standing at 1.86 meters, is expected to provide additional quality and versatility to Persepolis' attacking line. Mohabi also plans to join the team's training camp in Turkey in the coming days to begin preparations for the new season.
JP Pietersen expresses support for the new attack coach, Scott Matty, believing he can unlock the huge potential in the Sharks' defensive line before the United Rugby Championship (URC) season begins.
Pietersen believes that Scott Matty is the right specialist to implement a 'bold and exciting' style in the Sharks' defensive line, which is rich in young talent. Matty joined the Sharks from Edinburgh Rugby, but he previously achieved success in coaching in the USA. While working with Griquas from 2019 to 2020, he earned the nickname 'The Giant Killer' due to victories over Super Rugby teams.
Pietersen also positively evaluates Matty's international experience as a dynamic midfielder. Before joining the Sharks and Bulls, Matty played for Sale Sharks and Leeds Carnegie. Pietersen noted that Matty has adapted well, saying that 'it feels like he has been here for two or three years.' He added that Matty seems to have 'come home,' recalling how they played together in the Currie Cup in 2006 under Dick Muir's leadership.
Pietersen reported that Matty took over as attack coach after Dave Williams moved to the role of general manager, and that he integrated easily into the team. According to Pietersen, the players like him because he possesses the energy and aura that all attack coaches have.
Pietersen emphasized that Matty's international experience, both as a player and a coach, made him an attractive candidate. He stated the team's desire to think unconventionally in attack, noting that they struggled to win matches in Europe last season. Matty understands how to improve play in such conditions, knowing how European teams operate and how they cope with bad weather.
In Pietersen's opinion, Edinburgh has a good set of skills, being bold and innovative in attack. Matty brought this philosophy to the Sharks, insisting that the team must hold onto the ball longer and challenge the defense. The goal is to be bold and exciting by utilizing the attacking talent of players such as Jurenzo Julius, Zekhethelo Siyaya, Vusi Moyo, and Jaco Williams, encouraging them to move the ball.
Meanwhile, the Sharks XV team announced its squad for the match against Stormers XXIII in the Currie Cup, which will take place on Saturday at 19:00. The starting lineup for Sharks XV includes Luan Gilliomee, Christie Grobbelaar, Marnus Potgieter, Janco Purchase, Lyle Matthews, Tim Swiel, Ross Braude (with captain Thomas Dyer), Danio Botha, Luaan Olivier, Deon Slabbert, Johan Momsen, Simphiwe Ngobese, Bryce Calvert, and Cameron Dawson. Reserves include Liam van Wyk, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Hanu Pieterse, Jean-Henri Smit, Juan Loots, Albie Bester, and Khuthi Rasivhaga.
In Uzbekistan, particularly in the Namangan region, there is growing attention and care for increasing the mass appeal of physical culture and sports, which is yielding results even in remote areas.
A martial arts hall was opened in the Bog'ormos mahalla, located in the mountainous area of the Chust district, built according to modern requirements at the branch of the Karkidon district sports school.
The new sports hall is equipped with a universal sports field measuring 15x30 meters, as well as changing rooms for athletes and auxiliary facilities, creating all the necessary conditions for high-level training.
This project was implemented within the framework of the 'Initiative Budget' program with costs amounting to 1 billion 500 million soms. Furthermore, the hall was fully supplied with modern sports equipment and inventory at the initiative of the republic's Ministry of Sport.
Currently, more than a hundred young people regularly train in this sports hall, having the opportunity to improve their skills in martial arts.
The solemn opening ceremony of the sports complex was attended by the governor of the Namangan region, Senator Shavkat Abdurazzokov, Commander of the National Guard of Uzbekistan, Colonel-General Bahodir Toshmatov, Deputy Minister of Sport Avaz Karimov, and President of the International Federation of Martial Arts Sergey Astakhov. The guests congratulated the residents of Chust on the new facility and inspected the new sports object.
The creation of such facilities is of undeniable importance for expanding sports infrastructure, guiding youth towards a healthy lifestyle, and raising a strong, patriotic generation.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus recognizes that his team will be under pressure if they lose the final friendly match against Argentina before the tour of the greatest rivalry against the All Blacks.
Before starting the 'Greatest Rivalry' tour against the All Blacks, the Springboks will play a final friendly match against Argentina. This encounter will allow the team to determine who is truly ready to face the All Blacks. Although New Zealand has already announced its squad for the tour, and excitement around the four-match series is growing, the Boks' focus remains on the trip to South America. The team's goal is to remain undefeated in 2026 and build momentum ahead of major confrontations with old rivals.
The World Champions and Los Pumas will meet in Buenos Aires. The hosts have presented a squad that combines an experienced core with several young players. Although Argentina has decided to bring fresh energy to their group, they still have enough seasoned players capable of posing a serious threat to the visitors.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus commented on the updated Argentine squad, warning that they will be dangerous, as always, during the upcoming match next Saturday. Erasmus is expected to field a strong starting 'twenty-three', with several veterans returning from injury to gain valuable competitive form before the series against the All Blacks. Erasmus stated this week: 'Everyone will find out what the biggest news will be if we don't win in Argentina; questions will arise about our readiness for the Greatest Rivalry.' He added: 'We must go and win; otherwise, people will say we are in terrible shape before the meeting with New Zealand. We want to win every test match we play, so it's hard not to look at the match against Argentina. Our biggest oversight since I started was precisely against them.'
Erasmus noted that Argentina has selected a strong team, including about fifteen very experienced players and many young athletes with energy from the Sevens division. He emphasized: 'They are always dangerous, and we must pay attention to them. You will quickly see who is ready to play against New Zealand in two weeks.' This match should give Erasmus several important squad decisions before announcing the team for the first match against New Zealand. Competition for places remains fierce as players return from injuries, and others strive to secure their positions ahead of the biggest series of 2026 in anticipation of next year's Rugby World Cup.
Erasmus intends to provide more game time to scrum-halves Kobus Reinach and Morne van den Berg, and talented flyhalf Zach Fienberg-Mngomezulu and experienced Hendre Pollard are also expected to participate actively. Captain Siya Kolisi, locks Eben Etzebeth and Luke de Jager, along with other players, should be on the shortlist while the Springboks fine-tune combinations. He believes that the physical and high-intensity confrontation against Los Pumas provides an ideal opportunity to assess which players are fully ready for the clash with the All Blacks, as the announcement of the first team for this series will only be a couple of weeks away. The first match is scheduled for August 22nd at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, making next week's encounter a critically important step.
Despite Argentina having had a mixed campaign in the Rugby Championship, losing two of three matches, Erasmus is not giving much attention to these results. The Springboks know from experience that Los Pumas are capable of world-class performances, especially on home soil, and they are determined not to underestimate their opponents. The Springboks team will finish its last training session on Thursday, after which it will take a few days off at home. Then, Erasmus will reduce the squad to 26 players before traveling to South America on Saturday, with every player understanding that strong performance in Buenos Aires can secure them a spot in the long-awaited confrontation with the All Blacks.
