Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2024 i SA RUGBY

Hennie le Roux and Japie Mulder started 14 Tests together in the midfield and are synonymous with South Africa's glorious 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph, De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert teamed up 18 times and torched the All Blacks en route to the 2004 Tri-Nations title, and then there's Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie a 29-Test midfield combo that could never be surpassed. Except, it now has been. Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel are the most prolific centre combination in Springbok history, with 30 Test starts together at the time of writing. De Allende made his Bok debut in 2014, and the following season he was paired with 21-year-old rookie outside centre Kriel in a midfield combo with an average age of 22 chosen for the World…

DE ALLENDE & KRIEL Twickenham Stadium, London, 2015. A 23-year-old Damian de Allende is paired with 21-year-old Jesse Kriel in the World Cup semi-final against the defending champion All Blacks, facing the formidable Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith. Fast forward nearly a decade, and De Allende and Kriel team up once more against South Africa's arch-rivals, this time in the World Cup final in Paris as the Springboks successfully defend their title, becoming world champions for a record fourth time. De Allende and Kriel's road to becoming a World Cup-winning, record-breaking centre combination - one that eclipses the famous Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie - has not always been paved with gold. Instead, it's been filled with ditches and potholes, injuries, criticism and doubt - obstacles that fortified the…

SIMON BORCHARDT COLUMN Rugby is a team game but an individual can make all the difference. Just ask the France Sevens team, serial underachievers on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit for 25 years until winning it last season, and now Olympic champions. There is little doubt that Les Bleus would not have won gold without Antoine Dupont, who decided to skip this year’s Six Nations and target Olympic glory. The star scrumhalf, regarded by many as the world's best fifteens player, featured in two Sevens Series tournaments in February and March, which allowed him to be integrated into the squad and selected for the Olympics. His impact was immediate, with France finishing third in Vancouver and then winning in Los Angeies - their first Sevens Series tournament titie in…

The Currie Cup still matters in South African professional rugby. The first month of the 2024 tournament was refreshing because it reaffirmed there is a place for it in the professional season. The debate has intensified over the past few years as to the relevance of the Currie Cup. There is an argument that the competition is an outdated relic, overshadowed by international competitions like the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup. The counter to this view is that the competition is a crucial component of South African rugby in how it serves as a feeder system for the URC and a bridge for those youth players good enough to make rugby their careers. The Currie Cups role as a development platform cannot be overstated. It offers young, promising talent…

CHRISTIE GROBBELAAR 'All glory to God!' - The Blitzboks prop celebrated winning South Africa’s first medal at the Paris Olympics. SIVIWE SOYIZWAPI '35 years old and still playing sevens! Proud to call you my friend, Speckmagic.’ - The Springbok Sevens stalwart with fellow veteran Rosko Specman at the Stade de France. RYAN OOSTHUIZEN 'This medal is a symbol of resilience. Thank you to everyone who supported us through the thick and thin. This medal belongs to you, South Africa.’ - The Blitzboks forward celebrated with Zain Davids and captain Selvyn Davids. ANDRÉ-HUGO VENTER 'What an incredible privilege. The Springbok hooker with fellow Grey College old boys Cobus Reinach and Jan-Hendrik Wessels after making his Test debut against Portugal in Bloemfontein. JAN-HENDRIK WESSELS 'A dream come true. Thank you South Africa.…

HEYNEKE MEYER When Heyneke Meyer arrived in Houston, Texas, in 2022, he knew he had found his next big project. His last high-profile stint was with Parisian club Stade Français, where his coaching and squad overhaul produced mixed results and he was met with a tepid reception. However, after fielding a call from former Bulls coach Pote Human, Meyer was immediately sold on a move to Texas. 'Pote phoned me and said Houston had great facilities and great sports potential, but for the last five years, they had always been bottom of the log,' Meyer tells SA Rugby magazine. Meyer's journey with the SaberCats as director of rugby mirrors his earlier success with the Bulls, where he transformed them into South Africa's dominant side in the Currie Cup and Super…

www.youtube.com/@RugbyCoachWeekly TACTICS Four biggest mistakes in attack Not making progress in attack? Here are the four biggest mistakes Sean Holley sees in the way teams train and play. It prevents them from creating try-scoring opportunities, he explains … 1. FORWARDS AND BACKS DON'T TRAIN TOGETHER Because we often split to train as forwards and backs, we play as forwards and backs. That can lead to a disconnect between the two units. They need to complement each other. Therefore, even with limited time, you should run some unit sessions together. So, the lineout group might throw three lineouts and, on the third, they pass out to the backs. In the meantime, the backs run two backs moves before the third lineout. From that third lineout, the forwards run the right lines…

CLUB FOCUS Parisian giants Racing 92 are building another Galacticos squad in search of their first Top 14 title since 2015-16. Having recruited former England captain Owen Farrell as their latest big-name signing, Racing 92 are gearing up for a strong push for the 2024-25 Top 14 title. Farrell, who stepped down from international duty after the 2023 World Cup, follows in the footsteps of Johnny Sexton, Kurtley Beale, Dan Carter and Frans Steyn by becoming the latest superstar playmaker for the Sky Blue and Whites. Racing already contract Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, English speedster Henry Arundell and Fijian powerhouse Josua Tuisova, while they have added another big name to their pack by signing Hacjivah Dayimani from the Stormers. This comes after the club suffered the disappointment of a quarter-final…

WHO SHOULD RASSIE ERASMUS INVEST IN AS DUANE VERMEULEN’S LONG-TERM SUCCESSOR AT NO 8? VS DYLAN JACK SAYS FRANCKE HORN Arguably the player who Rassie Erasmus has most harshly snubbed, Francke Horn is the most balanced option when it comes to replacing Duane Vermeulen's skill set. Horn has set the URC alight over the past two seasons for the Lions, dragging South Africa's underdogs into a challenge for the top eight. His story also makes him easy to get invested in. Horn was diagnosed with with myocarditis myocarditis in in his final year of school in 2017, which seriously threatened his prospects of turning pro as it sidelined him from any physical training for six months. However, he has shown his bounce-back ability time and again, also recovering from a…

Molefe Sekwele From the last team to qualify, to bronze medallists. Colossal! Garrett Hendricks Well done, Blitzbokke. To go from losing your first two games to winning a bronze medal is a really great achievement. Mark Nicholson Well done, Blitzbokke! Just wish each game could be plaved with that much tempo and determination! Craig Kegel They’re not a great team yet. But they showed grit and resolve, and even as they build they’ve snagged an Olympic medal. Charles Goliath They should have won against France. The French caught them napping twice and their defence… Half-hearted defence is gonna get us nowhere. When you tackle a man make sure he stays down. But nevertheless, they at least got a medal for their efforts. Congrats! Chris Mouton Ai, Sbu. Man, I was a…

What's been the highlight of your career so far? My Currie Cup debut against the Pumas in Neispruit. Which player has had the biggest influence on your style of play? It’s between Handré Pollard and Owen Farrell. I love the way they play the game. Who would win a boxing match between RG Snyman and Eben Etzebeth? Eben, but it would be a tight contest. If you could change one rule in rugby to improve the game, what would it be? You can call a scrum from a mark. Which of your teammates do you think could make a career of modelling? [Lions centre] Bronson Mills. What was your most memorable schools rugby experience at St Andrew’s College? Beating Grey High School away from home in Grade 12. What’s your…

TEST DEBUT NERVES 'The heart rate was actually fine. The interesting thing is these guys really make you feel at home, they help you adapt to this environment very quickly, and they put a lot of work in to make sure you're comfortable and your detail is spot on. The main goal for them is that by the time you get into the park, you know your job and you know you can go out and do what Rassie [Erasmus] says has earned you your spot in the squad. I think that's what keeps the heart rate fine.' HIS FIRST GOAL KICK AGAINST WALES 'I did ask for it, and it was a good kick by me, but a kick made by a lot of people. My kicking coach at…

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