allworld.mediaNews from all over the world
Richards Bay terminates contract with Ronnie Gabriel after poor start to the season
Read more
IOL
iol.co.za

Richards Bay terminates contract with Ronnie Gabriel after poor start to the season

The Richards Bay team has terminated its cooperation with head coach Ronnie Gabriel immediately following an extremely difficult start to the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season.

Natal Rich Boyz club confirmed Gabriel's departure on Thursday, thanking the coach for his contribution during his time at the club and wishing him success in future endeavors. The club did not disclose the specific reasons for Gabriel's exit, stating that information regarding the appointment of a new coach would be provided later.

Gabriel's departure came amid Richards Bay's failure to secure a single victory in the first six league matches, accumulating only three points out of a possible eighteen.

The season began with a home loss against Polokwane City, followed by a draw in an away match against Chippa United, and then a repeat of that result against Durban City. Subsequently, the team drew with Kaizer Chiefs but suffered a defeat to AmaZulu.

The last game proved particularly critical: Natal Rich Boyz lost to newcomers Milford FC on Sunday. These results led Richards Bay to finish the first six fixtures with three draws and three losses, scoring seven goals and conceding thirteen.

After the heavy defeat to Milford, Gabriel admitted that the hopeless start of the club threatens to create a psychological barrier among the players. The change in coaching staff places Richards Bay before the task of finding a new leader while the season is still in its early stages.

In the next Betway Premiership game, the team will face Sekhukhune United on September 19th, leaving very little time for the new coaching staff to prepare. Richards Bay now hopes that the change in management can provoke an immediate turnaround in performance to climb out of the bottom of the league table.

Similar stories

Stormers decline transfer deal for Hashim Pead from Lions due to salary disagreements
Read more
iol.co.za

Stormers decline transfer deal for Hashim Pead from Lions due to salary disagreements

Stormers have apparently declined the agreement to sign young and promising scrumhalf Hashim Pead from the Lions team. Although Stormers were willing to pay a transfer fee, the requested amount was too high.

The Stormers team, based in Cape Town, could not reach an agreement with the Lions regarding the cost of transferring the young player. According to IOL Sport, the Springboks junior national team star from Bo-Kaap will not return home before the start of the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season, as the Lions reportedly demanded too much for releasing the talented 20-year-old athlete from his contract.

Hashim Pead, who was reportedly ready to contribute to the payment, is under contract with the Johannesburg franchise until 2028. Significant activity was observed during the last week, especially in the final days, as Stormers tried to finalize the deal.

Stormers were prepared to buy out Pead from his current contract, and the player himself evidently wanted to move back to Cape Town. However, the Lions, possessing several talented scrumhalves, and Stormers could not agree on the transfer fee. As a result, the Cape Town team apparently backed away from the deal, despite Pead's willingness to return to his hometown.

According to IOL Sport, Pead wished to leave Johannesburg and return to Cape Town, where he grew up and established himself as one of the most promising young players at number 9 in the country. Currently, Pead plays for the Lions behind Springboks scrumhalf Morne van den Berg. Young Nico Steyn is also impressive, having demonstrated outstanding play against the All Blacks during the 'Great Rivalry' in rugby.

Former Cape Town schoolboy Asad Moosa recently joined the Lions from Stormers and has already played an important role in the Currie Cup campaign, alongside scrumhalf Layton Horne. Given the large number of options at number 9 in Johannesburg, returning home seemed like a logical step for Pead, who was recently included in the Springboks squad and played for the South African A team.

Meanwhile, Stormers are experiencing a shortage of scrumhalves ahead of the URC, and they viewed Pead as a player capable of strengthening their squad, as well as bringing strong local ties to the team. Stormers' interest was understandable, but the deal stalled because the Lions, reportedly set a high valuation for Pead, which the Cape Town franchise was unwilling to accept. For now, Pead will remain in Johannesburg, and Stormers have withdrawn from negotiations despite their desire to bring the player from Bo-Kaap home. Rugby Director John Dobson plans to announce the Stormers squad for the upcoming season on Thursday.

Popular