September 10, 16:00IOL

Rivalry for the Winger Position Between Stormers and Bulls in North-South Friendly Match

Young winger Yakin Ahmed made a strong impression during the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' match against the All Blacks mid-week. Now he will try to secure his place in the Stormers squad ahead of the match against the Bulls in Paarl on Friday.

The central event of the upcoming friendly match in Paarl, scheduled for Friday at 15:30, will be the battle between young and promising Yakin Ahmed and Yuri Matty for a spot in the Stormers starting lineup. This match is an important test for Ahmed and Matty, as the Cape Town team needs a reliable player at the winger position at the start of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Since Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is likely to play for the Springboks early in the URC, the Cape Town team needs to find a replacement at the winger position. Therefore, the north-south friendly match at Faure Street stadium in Paarl presents an important opportunity for Ahmed and Matty to demonstrate their abilities.

Ahmed, who plays for the Junior Bok at winger, has established himself as one of the bright young talents in the Cape Town region. Matty, recovering from injury, aims to show that he can take responsibility again after a brilliant performance in the first rounds of last season's URC. He led the team in the absence of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse when the Stormers went 10 matches unbeaten across all tournaments.

During this week, the team is strengthening its positions in the camp. Furthermore, young players from the Currie Cup may gain their first experience playing for the senior Stormers team in the friendly match, as both teams prepare for the start of the tournament.

After some senior stars played against the All Blacks in the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' match, rugby director John Dobson decided to give chances to talented players, especially in the backline, while keeping more experienced players in reserve.

Captain Rohan Nel, wingers Seabelo Senatla and Leolin Zas, and fullback Warrick Gelant were not selected for the squad, but several senior forwards, including lock Jade Schicklerling and Andre Smith, as well as loosehead prop Hajiva Daimani, will be included.

Although attention will naturally focus on Ahmed and Matty in the battle for the number 10 position, other young players are also looking to impress the Bulls. Young Junior Bok captain Riley Norton will return from injury, and sensations from the Boland club, winger Leighton Davis, and Currie Cup fullback Dylan Miller will also strive to establish themselves in the Stormers squad for the URC.

However, the match in Paarl is more significant for Ahmed and Matty. Since the Stormers face the possibility of starting the URC without Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the winger position is open, and both know that a strong performance now can secure them a place in Dobson's plans.

Before Friday's match, John Dobson stated: 'We have developed good plans and trained hard, but nothing compares to game situations against a quality opponent to understand where you truly stand.' He added: 'We are also using this match to bring back a large number of players from injuries and give them game time before our match against Connacht on September 25th in Bloemfontein. It promises to be a special event; we know how much the people of Paarl love their rugby, and this venue has hosted some major matches before, but never these two teams. It promises to be a great day out.'

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iol.co.zaSeptember 5, 10:21

Five Key Confrontations Will Determine the Third Match of the Series Between Springboks and All Blacks in Soweto

The third match in the greatest rugby rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks will take place on Saturday afternoon in Johannesburg. The atmosphere is heated following the intense match in Cape Town, which ended with a victory for the Springboks. As a result, the series is tied at 1-1, as the New Zealand team won the first game at Ellis Park.

In Highveld, both teams aim to gain an advantage before the final match in Baltimore, USA, next Saturday. We will examine five key player duels that could influence the course of this competition, which will be held at the FNB stadium in Soweto.

The Greatest Rugby Rivalry

Springboks flyhalf, Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, intends to assert his influence over the All Blacks in the third match, which will be held on Saturday in Johannesburg.

Key Confrontations

Jasper Wiese versus Ardie Savea

The clash between these two players at number 8 is expected to set the physical tone of the game, as both are known for their powerful playing style and willingness to take risks in both attack and defense. The Boks team relies on Wiese for powerful runs and forward momentum, but his work in ball retrieval will also be crucial. Savea is the heart of the All Blacks squad, and his inspiring runs are critical for this team's fast pace. It can be expected that they will fiercely compete against each other for an advantage.

Wilko Lou versus George Bower

Bower noted his love for the scrum this week, while Lou's favorite activity on the field is creating problems for opponents in scrums. There has been fierce scrummaging since the first match, and this element of the game played a significant role off the field. It is hoped that on Saturday both teams can play in the scrum with minimal penalties from referee Nicky Amashukeli, as was the case in Cape Town. Both props will strive to provide forward movement for their team, and the battle between the destructive Lou and the stable Bower could be exciting.

Eben Ezebeta versus Tupu Vaai

This confrontation of 'heavyweights' is a battle for tempo when possessing the ball, but also a fight where physical strength in defense will be decisive in preventing the opponent's advance. This is a task for the two loose forwards (No. 4) on Saturday afternoon. Ezebeta has improved his game and was important during lineout plays, but on Saturday he will need to participate in defensive actions. Vaai will reach his milestone 50th match, and the necessity to show physical power, especially in lineout plays, will weigh on him and his team.

Cobus Reinhart versus Kame Roigard

The outcome will depend on the quality of the ball delivery from the rucks and scrums, as well as who better executes attacks and defenses between these two halfbacks. Both are expected to maintain a high tempo for their teams and make correct decisions under pressure. Reinhart will try to improve his kicking skills after a less brilliant performance in the second match in Cape Town. He will also be vital for the Boks in attack. Roigard's distribution was high quality for his backline, allowing them to attack aggressively in the early matches.

Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu versus Ruben Lav

Backline management will be crucial for the flyhalves. Currently, Lav has achieved the most success in having players run behind him. Feinberg-Mngomezulu has not yet fully established himself in the series, giving him a good opportunity to do so in such an important match. The Boks need their talisman at number 10 to launch attacks, especially if they want to start scoring more points. They have lacked this aspect. On the other hand, Lav played a key role in leading the All Blacks' attack and intends to continue showing excellent form.

iol.co.zaSeptember 4, 14:00

Currie Cup Semi-finals: Griquas are considered favorites against the Lions, while the Chiefs vs. Pumas match is assessed as more difficult

Four teams will advance to the Currie Cup final on Sunday. The defending champions Griquas will host the Lions in Kimberley, and the Chiefs will host the Pumas in Bloemfontein for two tense semi-finals.

The first match will start in Kimberley at 13:00, and the meeting in Bloemfontein is scheduled for 15:30. Both matches will be broadcast on SuperSport.

The lineup of semi-finalists includes the most consistent teams in the tournament. Griquas and Chiefs gained the advantage of home ground by finishing first and second in the table, while the Lions and Pumas secured their playoff spots in the final week of the league stage.

About local rugby

Griquas enter the playoffs as clear favorites due to a dominant campaign, winning six out of seven matches. The team scored 271 points and demonstrated the best point differential in the championship—+128. Peter Berg's team finished the league stage brilliantly, defeating the Pumas 38:14 and the Boland Cavaliers 48:17, underscoring their status as a team to beat.

Their opponents are the Lions, who have themselves gained momentum under coach Mzivakha Nkosi. A convincing victory over the Stormers XXIII in Johannesburg with a score of 36:12 secured the Lions fourth place and continued their impressive recent run of wins in the playoffs. Having reached the final in 2024 and 2025, they have established themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in the Currie Cup playoffs.

The teams previously met in Kimberley during the league stage, where Griquas won 31:19. Although this result gives confidence to the hosts, knockout rugby has a completely different intensity.

Griquas also possess the best defensive statistics in the championship, conceding only 143 points. However, the Lions have significant attacking potential, scoring 32 touchdowns—the third-highest figure in the championship, behind Chiefs with 37 and Griquas with 40.

The second semi-final in Bloemfontein proved to be more unpredictable. Chiefs, coached by former Springbok Frans Steyn, finished second after winning five out of seven league matches, earning the right to host the Pumas at Toyota Stadium. Nevertheless, they enter the playoffs after a painful defeat to the Pumas 52:26 in Nelspruit last week.

The Pumas, in turn, scored eight touchdowns in that convincing victory, warning the Chiefs before the rematch just seven days later. The Free Staters will strive to avoid repeating history.

Despite last week's setback, Chiefs are among the most experienced playoff teams in the championship. They have regularly participated in the semi-finals for the last five seasons and won the title in 2023, beating the Pumas 25:17 in Bloemfontein.

Pumas, on the other hand, have acquired a reputation as knockout specialists. They won semi-finals in 2022 and 2023 and reached two consecutive finals during that period, including their historic triumph in 2022 when they defeated Griquas in Kimberley to win the Currie Cup.

However, recent head-to-head history gives Chiefs reason for optimism. Before the Pumas' victory last week, the Free Staters had won four of the previous five matches between these two teams.