THE LARGEST RUGBY 🏉 CROWD IN HISTORY | SPRINGBOKS VS. ALL BLACKS

 

SPRINGBOKS ARE THE CHAMPIONS 🏆

 

ONE LAST BATTLE 🇿🇦 V 🇳🇿 | SPRINGBOKS VS ALL BLACKS

 

ONE LAST BATTLE 🇿🇦 V 🇳🇿

The tour comes down to this 🏉

23:00 SAST.

M&T Bank Stadium.

Who finishes the tour on top?

#springboks #allblacks #Rugby 

SPRINGBOKS VS. ALL BLACKS | RUGBY’S GREATES RIVALRY

 

SPRINGBOKS MEME 🤣 | SPRINGBOKS VS. ALL BLACKS

 

ALL BLACKS VS. SPRINGBOKS | ALL-TIME RIVALRY RETURNS TO SOUTH AFRICA | ELLIS PARK | FULL GAME

 

AIRLINK DOUBLE EMBRAER E190 FLYOVER | DHL STADIUM | SPRINGBOKS VS. ALL BLACKS

 

EXTREEM FLYOVER: THESE TWO AIRLINK EMBRAER E190 FLEW INSANELY CLOSE OVER DHL STADIUM

 

SPRINGBOKS TIE SERIES 1-1 | RUGBY’S GREATEST RIVALRY

 FULL-TIME | 🇿🇦 Springboks 33 - 26 All Blacks 🇳🇿

The Boks hold on in a nail-biter to draw the series level at 1-1!

FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION ZOLANI TETE DIES IN SHOOTING

 

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: Zolani Tete celebrates with the IBF International and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight belt after knocking out Jason Cunningham in the IBF International and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight Title fight between Jason Cunningham and Zolani Tete at OVO Arena Wembley on July 02, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images) | Getty Images

South African authorities announced that former titlist Zolani Tete, 38, was fatally shot outside of his home in Mdantsane today.

Per the country's Ministry of Sport, Arts, and Culture, "[t]wo armed men in balaclavas" shot Tete and a female companion as Tete waited at his gate. The companion remains hospitalized, while Tete himself passed away.

Tete lost his first title bid to countryman Moruti Mthalane in 2010, kicking off a 3-3 skid, but came out the other side on an absolute tear. He felled Teiru Kinoshita in hostile territory to claim the IBF super flyweight title four years later, then knocked out Paul Butler in his first and only defense before moving up to 118. There, he won the later-upgraded interim WBO belt against Arthur Villanueva and made three successful defense, one of which earned him the fastest knockout in championship history when he sparked Siboniso Gonya with his very first punch. An upset loss to John Riel Casimero lost him the belt, but after two years on the sidelines and a 55-second get-well knockout in South Africa, he put himself right into super bantamweight contention by blowing the doors off of Jason Cunningham.

That would unfortunately mark his final time in the ring. A failed drug test for stanozolol wiped that win off his record and resulted in a four-year suspension, which only expired last month.

Tete will be remembered as a terrific, hugely accomplished fighter, highly entertaining and a true standout in the lower weight classes. Our thoughts are with his friends and family after this horrific tragedy.

- Patrick Stumberg

SPRINGBOKS V ALL BLACKS: LAST FIVE TESTS

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Damian Willemse of South Africa celebrates after scoring a try during The Rugby Championship match between New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks at Sky Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series shifts into top gear this weekend, with the Springboks hosting the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, in the first of four Tests.

New Zealand have concluded their run-outs against three of the four South African franchises, beating the Stormers, Sharks, and the Bulls over the last two weeks, while the Lions will get their chance against the men in black at the same iconic venue on August 25.

While this marks New Zealand’s first tour of South Africa in 30 years, this fiercest of sporting rivalries is anything but new.

South African toured New Zealand for the first time in 1921, and in the 110 Tests played between them, the All Blacks have won 63, while the Springboks have beaten them 43 times. Four Tests have ended in a draw.

The two iconic sides have won seven of the 10 world cups since the tournament began in 1987, with South Africa lifting the Web Ellis a record four times, while New Zealand have claimed the global top-podium spot on three occasions. Two of those finals have been played between the two teams, with South Africa winning both.

While the All Blacks hold an overall 57 percent success rate over the Springboks, there has been a major shift in the Rassie Erasmus era, with the Boks winning seven of their 11 Tests since the 2019 world cup in Japan.

With so much history between these age-old rivals and more history possibly to be made during this tour, we look at the five most recent results between South Africa and New Zealand.

September 13, 2025: All Blacks 10 Springboks 43, Wellington

South Africa ran in six tries – five of them in the second half – to dismantle the hosts in a shocking one-sided affair at Sky Stadium.

While the Boks dominated territory in the opening 40, they only had a Cheslin Kolbe intercept try to show for it and went into the break trailing 10-7, but they were ruthless after switching sides and kept the All Blacks scoreless in the second half, while they ran in five more tries.

The All Blacks assault in Wellington marked their biggest-ever victory against their rivals and the biggest defeat for the All Blacks on home soil. The result also saw the Boks retain the Freedom Cup while moving back to the top of the World Rugby rankings.

What made the performance even more impressive was how the Boks regrouped after their Eden Park defeat the previous week and the wholesale changes that were made to the squad. Youngsters were given the license to thrill. Add in there the injuries the visitors sustained in the first half in Wellington and how they emptied the bench even before the end of the third quarter, and the result becomes even more remarkable.

It was also the game that should have convinced the rugby world about the Boks’ attacking venom.

September 6, 2025: All Blacks 24- 17 Springboks, Auckland

Going into the clash, the Boks had been winless at Eden Park since 1937, and it remained that way, while New Zealand extended their long-standing record at the venue.

The All Blacks had been unbeaten in 50 Tests (including two draws) at their Eden Park bastion prior to this contest and added one more win to that streak, while the result snapped the Boks’ four-match winning run against them.

Ardie Savea produced a moment worthy of the occasion in his 100th Test for the All Blacks when he won a turnover with one minute to time to negate the spirited Springbok second-half fightback which saw the traveling team come back from 17-3 down at half time.

The result piled the pressure on the Springboks’ Rugby Championship title defence after three rounds.

September 7, 2024: Springboks 18 – 12 All Blacks, Cape Town

The result was a massive one for South Africa for a number of reasons – it marked the first time since 1949 that they beat New Zealand four times on the bounce and their first time winning the Freedom Cup since 2009, while it also all but secured them the Rugby Championship title for the first time since 2019, when the Boks became the first country to win the Sanzaar-governed competition and the world cup in the same year.

The Springboks trailed 3-9 at half-time at Cape Town Stadium and scored the only two tries of the match to claim an 18-12 victory in an absolute thriller of a clash to remain unbeaten in the Rugby Championship after four rounds.

South Africa led by a single point in the 70th minute, but Damian McKenzie flopped a straightforward penalty kick, allowing the Boks to exit after the All Black hooked his kick.

August 31, 2024: Springboks 31 – 27 All Blacks, Johannesburg

Drama lacked not in this blockbuster.

From the airplane flyover during the haka to the fantastic smash-and-grab by the Boks, this match had it all.

South Africa simply had no business winning this game.

The All Blacks had the upper hand in the most of the stats charts and dominated territory and possession, but they conceded more breakdown penalties against a Springbok team that just refused to go down.

And that was the difference, the home side’s relentless determination to keep up the fight.

New Zealand led by 27 points to 17 with just 11 minutes remaining before South Africa orchestrated a fantastic late surge in Round Three of the Rugby Championship.

It was a battle for the books, and while the All Blacks fell victim to some of their errors, the Boks rose above theirs in the Ellis Park epic and showed exactly why, with them, it’s never over till it’s over.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu contributed 16 points in the form of penalties and conversions, while the Bomb Squad injected some potency with Kwagga Smith scoring after a lineout maul was stopped metres from the line before Grant Williams burst over after another maul was stopped in its tracks.

With the win, the Boks tightened their grip on the Rugby Championship.

October 28, 2023: Springboks 12 – 11 All Blacks, Saint-Denis (France World Cup)

Not much needs to be said about why this match was a historic one.

While the Springboks gilded the pages of their stacked history books with a record fourth world cup title, All Blacks skipper Sam Cane became the first player to be red-carded in a world cup final.

But that was perhaps not as decisive as one would expect as the Boks also lost two players to yellow cards.

The All Blacks scored the only try of the match in the 58th minute courtesy of Beauden Barrett, which was the first time in their four finals that the Boks had conceded a try. That alone might have suggested that the night wouldn’t end favourably for the South Africans, but this is a team that knows nothing of a white flag and in no other contest did they make it clearer than on that icy night in Saint-Denis.

Handré Pollard scored all his team’s points with four first-half penalties while Pieter-Steph du Toit single-handedly put together the study guide on colossal defence in a performance that epitomised “big match temperament”.

No words can do the kind of determination and character that the Boks embodied on that night justice.

- Wynona Louw

WOMEN'S HOCKEY WORLD CUP: DOMINANT INDIA CRUSH SOUTH AFRICA 6-1 TO GO TOP OF GROUP D

Hockey India

NEW DELHI: The Indian women's hockey team produced a dominant attacking display to crush South Africa 6-1 in their second Pool D match of the FIH Hockey World Cup on Tuesday, moving to the top of the group and taking a major step towards the second round.

Sunelita Toppo, Navneet Kaur, Sushila Chanu, Deepika, Lalremsiami and Sakshi Rani were all on target as India registered their biggest-ever win in a World Cup. Kayla de Waal scored South Africa's lone goal in the final quarter.

As it happened: India vs South Africa, Hockey World Cup

India now have four points from two matches and sit above China on goal difference. India have a +5 goal difference, while China are on +2, with both teams level on four points. England are third with three points and a +2 goal difference, while South Africa are out of contention after suffering their second defeat.

The result was a commanding response from India after their 2-2 draw against Olympic silver medallists China in their opening match.

India turn pressure into goals

India began with intent and quickly established control of the contest. Their sustained pressure finally paid off in the 11th minute when Sunelita Toppo tapped home from close range after a scramble inside the South African circle.

Sakshi Rani's attempted shot had dribbled towards the far post, where Sunelita was perfectly positioned to make it 1-0.

India continued to dictate play and went into the first quarter break with the advantage, despite briefly being reduced to 10 players after Ishika Chaudhary received a green card.

The second quarter saw India turn their dominance into a commanding advantage. Navneet Kaur doubled the lead in the 17th minute by converting India's second penalty corner with a superb strike. She shifted the angle with a touch before sending a low, powerful effort into the board.

India then earned three successive penalty corners before making the third count. Deepika's drag-flick deflected off the first rusher and fell for Sushila Chanu, whose effort found the net after deflecting off goalkeeper van Tonder.

India went into half-time 3-0 ahead and firmly in control.

Six-goal India put South Africa away

India showed no signs of taking their foot off the pedal after the break. Deepika added a fourth in the 38th minute following a flowing move involving Navneet and Baljeet.

Navneet exchanged quick passes with Baljeet before the latter cut the ball back to Deepika. The forward controlled it on her backhand and unleashed a fierce tomahawk into the bottom far corner.

Lalremsiami then made it 5-0 in the 44th minute with a stunning reverse hit. After receiving an aerial from Neha inside the circle, she cut onto her reverse side and smashed the ball towards the far post, with the effort slipping under the goalkeeper's foot.

India completed their demolition job soon after. Salima found Ishika, whose shot across the goalkeeper struck the post. Sakshi Rani reacted quickest to the rebound and sent a reverse hit into the top corner to make it 6-0.

South Africa finally found a response in the 55th minute when Kayla de Waal tapped in from close range after Pearce's drag-flick took a deflection off the first rusher.

.India, however, comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to complete a 6-1 victory.

India need one point against England

The win puts India in an excellent position in Pool D, but their qualification is not yet mathematically secured. They will face England in their final pool match, knowing that at least a point will guarantee their place in the next round.

England currently sit third with three points, while China are level with India on four points. South Africa's campaign is over after two defeats.

After holding China to a draw in their opener, India have now produced an emphatic statement against South Africa. Their six-goal haul not only gives them a crucial three points but also a significant advantage on goal difference heading into the decisive final pool match.

With confidence high and their attacking unit firing, India will now look to carry this momentum into their England clash and seal their place in the next stage.

- TOI Sports Desk

TOTAL DOMINATION | ONE NATION | FOUR #1 RANKINGS | SOUTH AFRICA

 

WEST INDIES SUFFER FRESH BLOW AS DIRECT QUALIFICATION TO ODI WORLD CUP 2027 SLIPS AWAY

• West Indies have missed automatic qualification to ODI World Cup 2027.

• The Caribbean side will now have to battle through the Qualifiers to reach the mega event.

West Indies have been dealt another major setback in their bid to reach the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the two-time champions now certain to enter the qualification tournament rather than secure a direct place through the ICC rankings. Afghanistan’s victory over Ireland in Belfast confirmed their position among the teams set to qualify automatically, leaving the Caribbean side outside the required top-eight bracket.

Under the qualification system, the eight highest-ranked teams in the ICC ODI rankings on September 30, 2026, excluding co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, will earn automatic entry into the 14-team World Cup. Afghanistan’s rise into that group has effectively ended West Indies’ hopes of breaking into the direct qualification places.

The West Indies are currently ranked 10th and have two ODIs against India remaining before the cut-off. However, even winning both matches will not be enough to lift them into the automatic qualification positions. That means the Caribbean side will once again have to take the longer route to the World Cup.

A painful reminder of what happened in 2023

For West Indies, another qualification campaign represents an uncomfortable return to a situation they would have desperately wanted to avoid. The Caribbean giants were forced to enter the qualification process for the 2023 ODI World Cup as well. Their campaign in Zimbabwe ended in disappointment after they finished fifth in the Super Six stage and failed to qualify for the tournament.

It was a historic low for one of cricket’s most successful teams. West Indies had appeared at every men’s ODI World Cup from the inaugural edition in 1975 until 2019, but their failure to qualify for the 2023 tournament brought that remarkable streak to an end. The consequences continued beyond the World Cup. Their ranking position also meant they missed the 2025 Champions Trophy, having last featured in the competition in 2013. With another World Cup qualification battle now confirmed, there will inevitably be concern about history repeating itself.

New qualification system offers another route

The 2027 qualification tournament will feature 10 teams and provide West Indies with another opportunity to reach the global showpiece. The field is set to include West Indies and Ireland as the two lowest-ranked non-host Full Members, along with the top four teams from Cricket World Cup League 2 and the four sides emerging from the Qualifier Playoff.

The playoff itself brings together teams from different levels of the qualification pyramid, including the bottom four League 2 sides and four teams from the Challenge League. The revised system also gives teams more than one opportunity to progress. The winner of the 10-team Qualifier will earn a direct place in the second round of the 2027 World Cup. Teams finishing second, third and fourth will enter a three-team Super Series, with the winner also advancing.

The ICC approved the revamped World Cup structure in July, with the 14-team tournament designed to provide more competitive matches while keeping the overall event shorter. While the new pathway keeps West Indies’ World Cup dream alive, it also highlights the seriousness of their current position. A team once synonymous with dominance on the global stage now faces another high-pressure qualification campaign.

For Shai Hope and his teammates, the immediate task is clear: finish the remaining fixtures strongly, regroup and make sure the next qualification journey does not end in another historic disappointment.

- Akshat Gaur

MEDAL TABLE | DAY 4 | COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2026 | GLASGOW

 

SPRINGBOKS SQUAD | RUGBY 🏉

 

SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP MIDFIELDER JAYDEN ADAMS DIES AT 25

Jayden Adams of South Africa looks to pass during ...

Cape Town (Reuters) —  South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who featured in all three of his side’s group stage games at the 2026 World Cup, has died, the country’s sports ministry said on Saturday.

No cause of death was given.

Adams, 25, started the Group A fixtures against Mexico and the Czech Republic, and came off the bench in the 1-0 win over South Korea that earned the side a first ever place in the knockout rounds, where they were beaten by Canada.

The player’s grandmother died a day before South Africa played the Czechs, and he was replaced at halftime during the fixture.

He played for the Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, helping them to the African Champions League title in the 2025/26 season.

“South African football has lost a gifted player, a proud servant of the game and a young life that still had so much to offer,” the South African Football Players’ Union, an official body for players in the country, said in a statement.

South Africa’s minister of sport Gayton McKenzie also expressed his condolences.

“Our nation mourns alongside his family, his teammates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international,” McKenzie said in a statement.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered his condolences via Instagram, saying his “thoughts and condolences, as well as those of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates.”

Sundowns and SAFA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Adams came through the youth development structures at Stellenbosch FC and joined Sundowns in January 2025.

He made his international debut against Mozambique in 2022 and won 13 caps, scoring two goals, both in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

RUGBY 🏉 WORLD RANKINGS

 

SOUTH AFRICA: GOVERNMENT COMMENDS BAFANA BAFANA FOR A HISTORIC FIFA WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN

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Government has commended Bafana Bafana for an outstanding and historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign following their encounter against Canada.

The match resulted in a 0 - 1 win for Canada.

In a statement after the game on Sunday night, government expressed "immense pride" in what Bafana Bafana has achieved in the duration of the World Cup.

"For the first time in South Africa's history, Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, inspiring millions of South Africans and making the Southern African region proud.

"Throughout the tournament, the players, coaches and technical team displayed courage, resilience, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to representing the country with honour and distinction. Their performances demonstrated that South African football can compete confidently on the biggest stage in world football."

Government also thanked all South Africans who united behind the national team throughout the tournament.

"The overwhelming support shown by citizens across the country reflected the spirit of unity, patriotism, and hope inspired by Bafana Bafana.

"Although this marks the end of South Africa's FIFA World Cup 2026 journey, Bafana Bafana has left an enduring legacy and laid a strong foundation for the future of South African football. The nation celebrates this historic achievement and looks forward with confidence to even greater success in the years ahead.

"Thank you, Bafana Bafana. You made South Africa proud!"

- All Africa

SOUTH AFRICA XENOPHOBIA MEME | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026