The national defender of Uzbekistan, Jakhongir Urozov, has joined the Russian football club Rubin Kazan on loan, as announced by the club.
The national defender of Uzbekistan, Jakhongir Urozov, has joined the Russian football club Rubin Kazan on loan, as announced by the club.
The loan agreement between Rubin and Dinamo Samarkand is valid until the end of 2026. The 22-year-old player will wear the number 13 in his new team.
Before moving to the Russian club, Urozov played for Dinamo Samarkand, as well as the Uzbek club Bunyodkor and the Turkish club Eyupspor.
The defender has already featured six times for the Uzbekistan national team and scored one goal, including participating in two matches of the recent World Cup.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus emphasized that his team is not focused on the All Blacks ahead of the match against Argentina. He once again rejected the notion that the upcoming clash with Argentina is merely a preliminary rehearsal for the great rugby rivalry against the All Blacks, insisting that such remarks are disrespectful to the Pumas team.
Speaking in Buenos Aires after the team squad announcement, the Springboks coach showed some irritation when asked if the game was just a 'warm-up' before the four-match series against New Zealand. Erasmus reiterated his point, saying: 'I know I've been saying this for the last two weeks, but I will say it again.'
He explained that if the Pumas coach or one of their players heard Springboks discussing the All Blacks at a press conference instead of Argentina, it would be an insult. 'We are playing the Pumas on Saturday, not the All Blacks. Our only goal this week is to try and beat Argentina in Argentina, which has always been a difficult task, regardless of what people believe.'
Rassie Erasmus noted that they have lost in Argentina several times, including a 32-19 defeat in 2018, which was one of their biggest deficits since he started as head coach. He also stated that his insistence on highlighting the danger of Argentina is not stubbornness.
Erasmus added that Argentine players will participate in the matches against New Zealand. There are players in the squad trying to secure a spot in the national team for this series. They might start the first match or play about 50 minutes, depending on the form of Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth. He also mentioned that the New Zealand tour will last seven weeks and consist of four matches, comparable to a World Cup group stage and representing a very long period on the road. According to him, such a period resembles the World Cup, where after a month one can argue about who is still participating in the tournament.
Thus, Erasmus concluded that this match is critically important for them.
Polish athlete Bartłomiej Kubkowski became the first person to independently cross the Baltic Sea, covering a distance of 160 kilometers from Sweden to Poland. He began his journey on Sunday, swimming continuously for 55 hours and reaching the Polish coast.
For official recognition of the result, the athlete had to reach the shore independently, without any assistance, and not use a boat throughout the route. These requirements were fully met.
Kubkowski's main opponent was not the distance, but fatigue. He spent over two days in the water, moving without sleep, and occasionally faced difficulties with concentration and situational awareness. The team monitoring him ensured safety, controlled the direction, and delivered food and fluids at scheduled times. Upon reaching the shore, the athlete noted that he could not yet fully comprehend the achievement he had made.
This victory is the result of many years of work. Kubkowski first attempted such a challenge in 2022 but had to stop after 115 kilometers. In 2025, he covered almost 159 kilometers, stopping 15 kilometers from the Polish coast due to severe exhaustion. This time, years of experience, meticulous preparation, and endurance allowed him to achieve a historic result.
The athlete dedicated his success to the charity event 'Cancer Fighters'. A charitable event also took place during the swim. Previously, Kubkowski set a world record for continuous swimming for 24 hours and won numerous medals at national and international competitions. Currently, another Pole, Karolina Shepańak, was also attempting to cross the Baltic Sea but stopped her journey, leaving 40 kilometers from the shore after 58 hours.
Experts assess the solo crossing of this sea as one of the most difficult tests in long-distance swimming.
Captain Siya Kolisi will once again lead the Springboks team in the match against Argentina, which is scheduled for Saturday. Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus welcomed the return of key players to the squad after injuries, naming Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lud de Jager, Sacha Phenbspengozulu, and Morne van der Merwe to the starting lineup for the test match against Argentina.
The squad includes 13 changes compared to the starting lineup used in the last test match between the Springboks and Wales. The only players who remained in the starting seven after the victory in Durban are fullback Afelele Fassi and midfielder Kobus Reinach; five other players—Jan-Hendrik Vessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Kobus Wiese, and Gerhard Steenkamp—moved to the bench.
The team has received a completely refreshed forward pack, featuring Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit playing alongside hooker Johan Grobbelaar. Etzebeth will partner with de Jager in the experienced second row, while Kolisi returns to the captaincy in the backline alongside Elriegh Low and Cameron Hanekom.
In the attacking line, Phenbspengozulu will operate alongside Reinach in midfield. Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker have returned after minor ailments to strengthen the updated midfield and defensive line alongside Canan Moody, Edwill van der Merwe, and Fassi.
Rassie Erasmus noted that this match is an ideal opportunity for players such as Siya, Eben, Lud, Sacha, Morne, and others returning from injury to gain a challenging test match experience and return to full international duty. He emphasized that Argentina is a very strong team that will force the Springboks to give their maximum effort.
Erasmus added that Argentina has already beaten them twice on their home soil and will aim to prove their worth on Saturday. The coach particularly stressed the need for high concentration against Felipe Contepomi's team, noting that the opponent has a strong forward line and dangerous backfields, as well as a very passionate crowd.
He concluded that they will have to put in maximum effort, as they have achieved results against this team multiple times in the past, meaning a full effort will be required over all 80 minutes this weekend.
The match is scheduled for Saturday at the José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires, starting at 21:00 South African time.
The starting lineup will include: 15 Afelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moody, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Phenbspengozulu, 9 Kobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elriegh Low, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lud de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter. Reserves include: 16 Jan-Hendrik Vessels, 17 Gerhard Steenkamp, 18 Zachary Porten, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Kobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morne van der Merwe, 23 Handre Pollard.
