JOHANNESBURG – Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirms that the Proteas Men’s team will not be playing the ODI series in January 2023 against Australia.

The three ODIs which form part of the ICC Super League matches that determine direct qualification for the 2023 Men’s World Cup, were billed to take place in 2020. However, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated its postponement.

In a statement released on Wednesday, 13 July 2022, Cricket Australia said, “Cricket South Africa (CSA) had asked Cricket Australia (CA) to reconsider the dates of the three matches originally set aside for January 12-17 due to a clash with their new franchise T20 league, but CA announced today they have been unable to find alternative dates to reschedule the series.

CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki said:

“CSA is always keen on honouring its bilateral commitments. While CSA is committed to honouring its fixtures in respect of the Future Tours Programme there will sometimes be unforeseen circumstances that would negate this resolve. In the case of the Australia tour, CSA reached out to its counterpart months ago to reschedule the tour to mutually aggregable dates. CSA offered four options to that effect. Unfortunately, and to our disappointment, none of these were acceptable to Cricket Australia.

“CSA has agreed that ICC award Australia the competition points. While we are saddened at losing the crucial points, we are confident that our in-form Proteas team will garner the requisite points through the remaining games to secure automatic qualification to the showpiece event in India next year.

“As difficult as this decision has been for CSA, the long-term sustainability of our new T20 League is reliant on having all our domestic players available for this exciting new addition to the CSA calendar.

“CSA is looking forward to be hosted by Cricket Australia for an enticing blend of cricket in the three-Test series which includes the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests in Melbourne and Sydney,” concluded Moseki

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made 11 changes to his starting lineup for the team’s Castle Lager Incoming Series decider against Wales in Cape Town on Saturday as Eben Etzebeth earns his 100th Test cap and Bongi Mbonambi his 50th.

Etzebeth, who made his Springbok debut in June 2012 against England, will become the seventh player to reach the significant career milestone, following in the footsteps of Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit, Jean de Villiers and Percy Montgomery.

Nienaber named a new-look backline featuring the versatile Damian Willemse at fullback, with Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi back on the wings, while the regular centre pairing of Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am will again partner up in the midfield.

The Bok coach retained the halfback pairing of Handre Pollard and Jaden Hendrikse in the backline, while regular Bok captain Siya Kolisi reclaims the captaincy in loose trio with Pieter-Steph du Toit (flanker) and Jasper Wiese (No 8).

The other changes up front see Lood de Jager pair up with Etzebeth in the second row, while Nienaber named a new front row of props Trevor Nyakane and Frans Malherbe on either side of Mbonambi, who made his debut off the bench against Ireland in June 2016 and will become the 45th Bok to reach half a century of Test caps.

There were an array of changes among the replacements, which again features a split of six forwards and two backs, with Steven Kitshoff (prop), Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith (utility forwards), and Elrigh Louw (flanker) featuring alongside scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and fullback Willie le Roux.

While Nienaber was proud of the remarkable career milestones for Etzebeth and Mbonambi, he said the match was significant for the entire team with a Castle Lager Incoming Series victory at stake.

“We are very proud of Eben and Bongi for their achievements, although it would be remiss of us as a team for that to out-shadow the fact that we need to win on Saturday to seal the series against Wales,” said Nienaber.

“Wales have shown over the years and in the last two matches that they are real fighters, and it will require a top-class performance from us on Saturday to register a victory and ultimately clinch the series.

“That said, Eben and Bongi have been true stalwarts to Springbok rugby, and we hope that we can make this a special occasion for them. No-one wants to remember losing their 100th or 50th Test, so we need to do everything we can to win the match.”

Of his team selection Nienaber said: “We selected a team and player combinations that we think will be the best for this specific game.

“We had an honest discussion with the players telling them what we require from them this weekend and what we would like to see in terms of their performance and hopefully they can produce the goods and we can get the desired result.

“We have high standards as a team, and we would like to maintain that and build momentum with a challenging season lying ahead.”

Nienaber expected another brave effort from Wales and said: “We pointed out from the outset of the series that Wales will be desperate and they showed that in the last two weeks.

“We are expecting another hard grind against them and the fact that they will be playing for their first series victory ever in South Africa will make them even more desperate to push us to the limit this weekend, so we know it will be an epic battle.

“That said, we are also playing in what is essentially a final for us and we know that we need to pitch up on the day and deliver a quality 80-minute performance to emerge victorious.”

Springbok team to face Wales in Cape Town:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) – 19 caps 18pts, 50pts (10t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 27 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 59 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 26 caps, 100 pts (20t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 61 caps, 613 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 59 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 64 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 57 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 99 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 47 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 49 caps, 50 pts (10t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 48 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 33 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0pts
22 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 37caps, 25pts (5t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 73 caps, 60 pts (12t)

Springbok record against Wales:
Played 39, Won 31, Lost 7, Drawn 1, Points for 990, Points against 627, Tries scored 115, Tries conceded 52, Highest score 96, Biggest win 83 Points, Win % 79.

Milestones:
• Saturday’s Test against Wales will mark only the second between the two sides in Cape Town.
• The Springboks need to score 11 points to reach 1000 points against Wales.
• Eben Etzebeth will play in his 100th Test match for South Africa and Bongi Mbonambi his 50th.
• Handre Pollard is the current record holder for most penalty goals against Wales (19), in just seven appearances. Percy Montgomery scored a second best of 10 penalty goals in his nine appearances against Wales.
• Pollard is one of only three Springboks to pull off a drop goal in a Test match against Wales. He kicked a drop goal at Twickenham in London in 2015 (in the RWC quarter-final), while the other players were Hansie Brewis in 1951 in Cardiff, and Lionel Wilson in 1964 in Durban.

Miscellaneous:
• The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 654.
• There are 212 caps in the backline with 442 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 99 Caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline are 30, the forwards 55, while the players on the bench average 40.



[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Glenrose Xaba and Kesa Molotsane are the latest top names in the women’s field to confirm their entry into the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday 10 July. These athletes join an already impressive list of runners that include Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba and Mahlet Alemu Mulugeta, Kenya’s Jesca Chelangat and South Africa’s Gerda Steyn.

Seen here: Glenrose Xaba and Kesa Molotsane in action at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in May this year.



Photo Credit: Action Photo


[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

The Springboks will play four Tests on their year-end tour in November against Ireland, France, Italy, and England, while an SA Select XV game has also been confirmed against the Bristol Bears as part of a planned series of midweek games.

The Springboks will kick off their tour against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, 5 November, and this will be followed by Tests against France at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome a week later on 12 November. Italy await on 19 November, with the venue yet to be confirmed by the hosts, while the tour will conclude against England at Twickenham in London on 26 November.

Negotiations are also currently underway to arrange two more midweek games for an SA Select XV team during the tour, following confirmation that a fixture against the Bristol Bears at the 27 000-seater Ashton Gate stadium will be hosted on Thursday, 17 November.

These matches will complete what will be a challenging international season for the Springboks which already features the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Wales and the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

“Our traditional year-end tour is taking shape, and the fact that we have confirmed one of the SA Select XV games already is great news,” said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.

“The SA Select XV games will provide us with a chance to cast our net wider looks to build squad depth and give players as much game time as possible as the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France draws nearer.

“We only have a limited number of matches left before we kick off our Rugby World Cup campaign in September next year, and we need to use every opportunity we can to give the players game time to develop our player combinations and build squad depth.

“We have an enlarged squad of 42 players with us at the moment for the Castle Lager Incoming Series and hopefully we will have an opportunity to see what most of these players can do at international level as they look to throw their names in the hat for next year’s international extravaganza.”

Nienaber added: “We have constantly alluded to ensuring that we can take a squad to the World Cup with a reasonable amount of Test caps, and although the planned mid-week games are not Tests, it will be vital in keeping the players in tune with our structures and systems and giving them the chance to tour with us and play overseas. That is the only way once can build that type of experience.

“While we know the Test matches will be very tough, I have no doubt the Bristol Bears will provide challenging competition for our SA Select XV team, especially given their track record of having finished top of the Gallagher Premiership table during the 2020/21 season and winning the European Challenge Cup in October 2020. So, we are under no illusions about the challenge they will present.”

The match against the Bristol Bears is set to kick off at 19h45 on 17 November, while the kick-off times of the other matches will be announced once they have been confirmed.

Springbok year-end tour fixtures:
Saturday, 5 November – South Africa vs Ireland (Dublin – Aviva Stadium)
Saturday, 12 November – South Africa v France (Marseille – Stade Vélodrome)
Thursday, 17 November – SA Select XV v Bristol Bears (Bristol – Ashton Gate)
Saturday, 19 November – South Africa v Italy (venue TBC)
Saturday, 26 November – South Africa v England (London – Twickenham)





[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber named two uncapped players in his starting lineup and a further four among the replacements as he reshuffled his squad to build depth for their second Test against Wales in the Castle Lager Incoming Series at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Two players who have been in hot form recently, Kurt-Lee Arendse (outside back) and Evan Roos (No 8), have been handed starts, while Ntuthuko Mchunu (prop), Ruan Nortje (lock), Deon Fourie (utility forward) and Grant Williams (scrumhalf) could make their debuts off the bench.

Four players in the match-23 retained their places in the squad from last week’s 32-29 victory in the opening Test against Wales, namely experienced lock Eben Etzebeth, who will earns his 99th cap for South Africa on Saturday, while hooker Malcolm Marx, prop Vincent Koch and utility back Damian Willemse have been included on the bench.

Furthermore, experienced flyhalf Handre Pollard, who returns to the squad after not featuring in the first Test, will take over the captaincy from Siya Kolisi this week.

Nienaber stressed that while building winning momentum was vital as the international season picks up steam, one of the key facets for the team was building depth, especially with an eye on next year’s Rugby World Cup.

“We said from the outset that we needed to strike a balance between giving our talented young players an opportunity to show what they can do at international level, and winning,” said Nienaber.

“If one looks at the balance between players who have played at this level and those who have performed consistently well for their franchises and clubs, I think we have a nice balance in this squad.

“A number of these players have been with us for a few seasons, while others travelled with us last season to Australia for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and the year-end tour, and then there are a few new faces who showed during the season that they have the potential to rise to this level of the game, so we are excited to see what they can do on Saturday.

“Wales showed last week that they are fighters and can go for the full 80 minutes and we are expecting nothing different from them this week. This will certainly be a good test for the younger players in the group to measure themselves against some of the best players in Wales, some of whom played for the British & Irish Lions, so everyone knows they will be in for a proper Test on Saturday.”

Nienaber again opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench, with Willemse’s versatility seeing him able to cover flyhalf, centre and fullback, while Williams, who has been waiting in the wings at scrumhalf, provides cover at for his provincial team-mate Jaden Hendrikse.

“We are delighted to see these players get an opportunity at this level and I believe if they play to their potential, they will bolster our depth going forward,” said Nienaber.

“They are all very excited at the prospect of wearing the green and gold, but they also know what Wales will bring on the day and that every opportunity will be important.”

On Pollard handing the captaincy, the Bok coach said: “Handre is one of our most experienced players and has been part of our core leadership group for a number of years now, I’m sure he will slot into the role with ease.”

Looking ahead at the match, Nienaber said: “Wales will certainly gain confidence from their performance last week, and I have no doubt they will feel aggrieved by the fact that they lost out so narrowly, so we know we have to produce a top-class performance to win this weekend.

“The set pieces are going to be a key area once again, and we have identified the areas that we need to improve on and have already started working on those facets of the game.

“They are a team that keep going until the final whistle, so we expect them to push us to the limit, but we know what our standards are a team, and every player knows what is expected of him.

“It is definitely going to take a full 80-minute effort to win the match, and if we do well, hopefully the results will take of itself.”

Springbok team to face Wales in Bloemfontein:
15 – Warrick Gelant (Racing 92) 9 caps, 15 pts (3t)
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – uncapped
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 51 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins) 8 caps, 0 pts
11 – Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks) 2 caps, 10 pts (2t)
10 – Handre Pollard (captain – Leicester) 60 caps, 601 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) 2 caps, 5 pts (1t)
8 – Evan Roos (DHL Stormers) – uncapped
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) 58 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Marcell Coetzee (Vodacom Bulls) 30 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 7 caps, 0 pts
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) 98 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) 54 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers) 1 cap, 0 pts
1 – Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) 13 caps, 0 pts
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) 47 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Ntuthuko Mchunu (Cell C Sharks) – uncapped
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 32 caps, 0 pts
19 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – uncapped
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse) – 3 caps, 0 pts
21 – Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers – uncapped)
22 – Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) – uncapped
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) 17 caps, 12 pts (1T, 2C, 1P)

Springbok record against Wales:
Played 38, Won 31, Lost 6, Drawn 1, Points for 977, Points against 615, Tries scored 115, Tries conceded 51, Highest score 96, Biggest win 83 Points, Win % 81.

Miscellaneous:
• The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 393.
• There are 132 caps in the backline with 261 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 99 caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline are 14, the forwards 32, while the players on the bench average 12.



[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Loftus Versfeld will be hosting the opening Castle Lager Incoming Series test match between the Springboks and Wales on Saturday, July 2.

This will be the first Springbok Test match in front of a crowd on home soil since being crowned World Cup champions in 2019.

For two years, sporting events were limited in hosting spectators at venues – from no spectators, to 2000, then 50% of the venue capacity, and now we are back to full capacity, with the Springboks versus Wales match being the first to host a capacity crowd.

For this reason, it is important that we remind ourselves of some important facets which will make the experience of attending a Test match a pleasant and worthwhile one, with as little glitches as possible.

ARRIVE AT LOFTUS EARLY
There is increased interest in the SA versus Wales match, and as such, there will be an increased number of spectators – possibly the biggest crowd we have seen in SA sports since 2019. This will result in increased traffic around the stadium and longer queues at the stadium gates.

For ease of entry, spectators are encouraged to arrive at the stadium early to avoid congestion closer to kick-off time.

Come and enjoy a beer in the Beer Garden and soak up the atmosphere.

Gates open at 13h00.

TICKET SALES
It is important to note that there will be no sale of tickets for the match at Loftus Versfeld on match-day. Spectators are encouraged to buy their tickets before match-day from the Loftus Versfeld ticket office or online at bulls.ticketpro.co.za.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
No vaccination certificates or negative Covid tests will be required from fans entering the stadium on match day.

BARS AT LOFTUS VERSFELD
Alcohol will be available for purchase at all bars at Loftus Versfeld. These include Blu Bar, Castle Corner, Up and Under Bar, The Trophy Room, Beer Garden on D-field, Trademarx.

ENTERTAINMENT
There will be plenty of entertainment on the day which includes a Beer Garden on the Loftus D-field, with live DJ’s and artists.

And a host of DJ’s and artist to entertain you at Trademarx before and after the match.

GAUTRAIN
Special Gautrain busses will operate between Hatfield Station and Loftus Versfeld, with commuters being dropped off and picked up in Orient Street, north of the stadium

Gautrain buses and trains will operate until normal operating times, which is 21h00

OTHER TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS
Uber & Bolt
There will be a dedicated drop-off and pick-up zone in Lynnwood Road, south of the stadium. Spectators are encouraged to utilize these services, as there is limited parking available around Loftus. Kirkness Road will be closed off.

Park and Ride
There will be a Park & Ride service available for supporters who prefer to park their vehicles off-site and get a lift directly to Loftus Versfeld and back to the designated parking pick-up points. Book your ride at www.parkandridesa.com

These pick-up points are:
• Montecasino
• Clearwater Mall
• East Rand Mall
• Menlyn Park
• Mall of Africa

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Following an appeal lodged by the Federación Española de Rugby (FER) (Spanish Union), an Independent Appeal Committee has upheld the original decision of the Independent Judicial Committee relating to breaches of player eligibility during the European regional Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification process.

On 5 May, 2022, an Independent Judicial Committee determined that the Spanish Union breached the World Rugby Eligibility regulation by fielding Gavin van den Berg in two Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification matches. The sanction imposed by the committee included a fine and points deduction resulting in the Spanish national team no longer qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

An Independent Appeal Committee comprising Wang Shao Ing (Chair), Adam Casselden SC and John Langford (former player, Australia), was convened to examine the Spanish Union’s appeal of the committee’s decision and sanction.

In accordance with the scope of the appeals process, the Spanish Union needed to prove either that: a) the decision of the Independent Judicial Committee was in error; b) in the interests of justice that the decision should be overturned and/or c) that the sanction imposed was manifestly excessive or wrong in principle.

As part of its appeal, the Spanish Union sought to introduce new evidence that was not put before the Independent Judicial Committee. The Independent Appeal Committee carefully considered the Spanish Union’s arguments regarding why the new evidence should be admitted, examined all of the new documentary evidence, and decided not to admit it because:

it determined that the Spanish Union had not adequately explained why this evidence was unavailable on reasonable enquiry ahead of the original hearing; and
in any event it would not be in the interests of justice to do so after having regard for all of the circumstances, including consideration that part of the new evidence presented was not only incomplete, but contained allegations against the player and others relating to the alteration of a photocopy of a national identity document that was subject to ongoing investigations by the appropriate competent bodies in the Spanish jurisdiction.
The Independent Appeal Committee reviewed the original decision of the Independent Judicial Committee based on the evidence that was before it. Having considered detailed submissions from the Spanish Union and World Rugby, the Independent Appeal Committee dismissed the appeal.


In accordance with World Rugby regulations, the decision of the Independent Appeal Committee is final and binding with no further right to appeal.

With respect to Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification, the 10-point deduction applied to the Rugby World Cup 2023 European qualification table by the Independent Judicial Committee stands, meaning that Romania qualifies as Europe 2 into Pool B replacing Spain, and Portugal replaces Romania in the Final Qualification Tournament in November 2022.
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

The Airlink Pumas emerged as the Cinderella men of the Carling Currie Cup’s modern era when they pipped Windhoek Draught Griquas 26-19 in a momentous final in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon to clinch their first title.

In a historic battle of ultimate underdogs, the visitors maximised their maiden finals appearance by outscoring the hosts by three tries to one in front of a capacity crowd of 8,500 to capture the crown jewel of South African rugby.

The Airlink Pumas class of 2022, captained by flanker Willie Engelbrecht, seized the day with a heroic performance to cap a fairy-tale season under long-time coach Jimmy Stonehouse.

The two spirited unions, who defied the odds to reach the decider, largely stuck to what brought them to the doorstep of destiny, playing high-octane rugby after a nervy first 20 minutes in a final unlike any other in the history of the oldest provincial rugby competition in the world.

The Lowvelders’ temperament formed the foundation of their triumph, which was powered by superior execution, finishing and defence. Their sharpness on attack and powerful driving maul saw them score two unanswered tries, which helped them take an 18-9 lead into the break, with the hosts managing just three penalty goals via the boot of George Whitehead.

The lead grew to 17 before the Peacock Blues produced a fightback, which was sparked by a scintillating try by Munier Hartzenberg in the 57th minute. A late monster penalty goal from Whitehead, who’d also converted his wing’s try, gave Windhoek Draught Griquas a chance to force the final into extra time with a last-gasp converted try.

However, it never came as the Airlink Pumas held on. With their historic victory, the unheralded men in pink and grey rose from undesirable to undeniable on what will live on in Carling Currie Cup lore as the Nelspruit union’s greatest day.

Scorers:

Windhoek Draught Griquas 19 (9) – Try: Munier Hartzenberg. Conversion: George Whitehead. Penalty goals: Whitehead (4).

Airlink Pumas 26 (18) – Tries: Devon Williams, Eduan Swart, Willie Engelbrecht. Conversion: Eddie Fouche. Penalty goals: Eddie Fouche (3).


[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Rugby tickets “freed” to set off fan bonanza following COVID announcement

• Carling Currie Cup final expected to be 100% sold out
• Additional tickets released for Springbok Tests

More tickets to the Springboks’ six home Tests – starting with the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Wales next month – will be released following the news that more COVID restrictions have been lifted in South Africa.

South Africans woke up to the news on Thursday morning that the Government had gazetted new regulations that included the dropping of limits on both indoor and outdoor gatherings, which means rugby stadiums can now sell all available tickets instead of the only 50% capacity that had been permitted.

The response from fans was instant, with the first match expected to feature a full stadium in more than two years set to be Saturday’s Carling Currie Cup final in Kimberley, where Windhoek Draught Griquas host the Airlink Pumas from 15h00.

“It feels like we’ve been set free,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby. “Certainly an additional 80 000-plus tickets for major rugby events have gone into the market today.

“The news comes just in time for the Carling Currie Cup final and the three Springbok Tests against Wales next month.

“We saw the massive appetite for returning to live sporting events with the playoffs in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in Cape Town and Pretoria in the last few weeks and, as a sport, we are delighted with the news that we are moving back to normal.

“Our loyal fans have not been able to see the Springboks play in South Africa for almost three years, and we are expecting them to arrive in droves for the Tests against Wales in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town next month.”

As part of the lifting of the regulations, South Africans are also no longer expected to wear masks indoors, while mask wearing and presentation of vaccine certificates or negative COVID tests are no longer mandatory to enter any venues.

“Even though the restrictions have been lifted, we would still like to urge everyone who attend matches and events to keep their own personal safety, and those around them, in mind when entering venues and take the necessary precautionary steps, and we would also like to strongly encourage vulnerable people and those with underlying medical conditions to take appropriate health precautions,” added Roux.


[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]