Marcell Coetzee has extended his commitment to the Vodacom Bulls until 2027.
The Springbok flanker initially joined the Vodacom Bulls (from Ulster) in June 2021 on a three-year deal, quickly becoming a vital member of the squad, making 33 appearances in all competitions. Coetzee’s impact since arriving at Loftus has been nothing short of impactful, helping lead the side to the finals of the then, debut season of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.
A South African international, Marcell has 31 national caps to his name, having made his debut for the Boks in June 2012, against England.
Speaking on his decision to extend his loyalty to the Vodacom Bulls, Marcell said: “it was a no brainer, I really love playing for the Vodacom Bulls, I believe we are on a path towards something special and one wants to be part of a team that is destined to hit their heights pretty soon. The side has a lovely bunch of guys,”
Coetzee has said that he has no other intentions but to return to Pretoria post his six-month-long sabbatical in Japan.
“The weekend may have been my last match for the Vodacom Bulls, but I will return at the back end of April come 2023. I missed my country a lot during my five years at Ulster so I know I am coming back after this short journey,”
On what makes the Vodacom Bulls so special, Marcell commented: “It is an honour to play for this team, I am extremely happy with where I am with the Bulls, the staff and the team spirit we have built, that is where my heart is. Me and my wife have definitely found a home in Pretoria and we cannot wait to see how further the team develops and how I can help in driving and contributing to its success in the future.”

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Dewald Brevis delivered a record-breaking performance in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge on Monday.

The Momentum Multiply Titans were put to the bat first by the ITEC Knights in an encounter that broke the world record for the highest match aggregate in a T20 game.

Brevis blasted 162 off 57 balls to record the highest individual score in the CSA T20 Challenge. His knock was made up of 13 boundaries and 13 maximums as the Momentum Multiply ended their innings on 271/3.

He had the support of Jiveshen Pillay (52 off 45) and Donavon Ferreira (33 off 15). His opening partnership with Pillay provided 179 runs for the first wicket and 53 runs with Ferreira.

Dayyaan Galiem (7*) and Theunis de Bruyn (5*) only faced a few deliveries as the Titans recorded the highest team total in the competition.

The Knights took the challenge head-on in their response with Gihahn Cloete and Jacques Snyman, sharing a quick 72 runs. Snyman was caught by Brevis off Simon Harmer just after powerplay for 28. Cloete departed shortly after with 51 runs, caught by Neil Brand off Aaron Phangiso.

Titans continued to take wickets at regular intervals and Knights ended their innings on 230/9. Other major contributions tallying up the runs for Knights were Gerald Coetzee (37 off 11 with five maximums and one boundary), Migael Pretorius (29 off 14), Isaac Dikgale (28 off 13), and Patrick Kruger (22 off 13).

The teams scored 501 over the two innings, which is a world record aggregate for a T20 match.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

NEW YORK (October 31, 2022) – For the first time since 2008, legendary rock band Counting Crows announced their return to South Africa with two performances on their critically acclaimed "Butter Miracle Tour.” The two special performances are set for Friday, April 14, at the SunBet Arena, Time Square in Pretoria and Sunday, April 16, at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town. Counting Crows Butter Miracle Tour follows the release of the band's latest record in 2021, BUTTER MIRACLE, SUITE ONE, and the successful U.S, U.K., and European tour of the same name in 2022.

First performing in South Africa in 1999 to sold-out crowds across the country, Counting Crows returned to over 37,000 fans in 2004 before their last appearance in June 2008 following the release of their fifth studio album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings. The band's 2023 return marks the fourth time frontman Adam Duritz, and the Counting Crows have performed in Cape Town.

Artist presale and Discovery Bank pre-sale for the South Africa dates begin Wednesday, November 2, at 9:00 AM local time through Friday 8:59 AM, November 4 from www.ticketmaster.co.za. Sign up for your Discovery Bank Card today and get tickets to the biggest concerts before everyone else with Discovery Bank.

Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, November 4 at 9:00 AM local time from www.ticketmaster.co.za.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

SYDNEY: Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi believes the Proteas must play to their strengths when they take on Bangladesh in a crucial ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash at the SCG in Sydney on Thursday.

South Africa were cruelly denied victory by the weather in their opening match of the competition against Zimbabwe on Monday and they now have some catching up to do when they face-off against the Tigers, who beat the Netherlands in their championship opener.

It means that Mark Boucher’s side have little room for error, but paceman Ngidi insists they are not feeling any additional pressure.

“I think everyone’s under pressure in this tournament if you looking to win,” he told the media ahead of the game. “With that claim that we’ll be hungry to win that’s definitely true. We’d obviously have loved to win in the first game and we know now what pressure we have in terms of going forward in the tournament. To say we’re under more pressure, I would say it’s pretty equal if you looking to win the World Cup. May the best team win.”

The tournament has been a good one for the fast bowlers so far as Australia’s pitches have lived up to their reputation of pace and bounce.

Ngidi said: “I think at the moment we are just playing towards our strengths. From the games we’ve watched so far, we’ve seen that pace has probably been the most successful throughout the tournament, so we’re going to play towards our strengths.

“Against Bangladesh we obviously want to attack them using our strengths and that is the pace. Depending on how they handle that we’ll find out tomorrow but all in all we pretty much run with what we’re good at.”

The nature of the pitches have also led to more happier bowlers and Ngidi continued: “Definitely (I think T20 cricket is better when bowlers have a say in it). It makes things more competitive. We saw the India-Pakistan game, it got really tight and I think that’s what people want to see…not absolute blowouts of teams scoring 240 and then you pretty much struggle to try and get there. I think when the competition gets a lot closer it makes for better cricket.”

South Africa have a formidable record against Bangladesh in T20Is, winning all seven of their previous meetings. However, the Asian side stunned the Proteas by beating then in a One-Day International (ODI) series on home soil earlier this year.

“The last time we played Bangladesh their batsmen came out very aggressively against us,” Ngidi recalled. “So we’re cognisant of that fact. We’ll definitely be targeting their top order. We know they have (captain) Shakib (al-Hasan) to control the middle and if he’s there at the back end. I’m sure their batsmen. But as the bowling unit we’re definitely looking to cut the head of the snake which is probably take out their top order and try to restrict them to as low a total as possible.”

Rain is also predicted for the game in Sydney, but Ngidi says their focus is not on the forecast.

“To be honest you control what we can and the weather’s one thing we don’t have a say in,” he concluded. “We were eager to get out on the park in Hobart and I think everyone that was there did their bit in trying to get a game going, so appreciative in that sense, but at the end of the day we couldn’t control what happened with the rain.

“It does put us a bit under pressure with another forecast of rain tomorrow. I think we just got a bit of bad luck following to be honest but we’ve got no say in how the weather plays out. The only thing we can do is get here and we’ll be prepared to play.”

South Africa squad - ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022
Temba Bavuma (captain, DP World Lions), Quinton de Kock (Momentum Multiply Titans), Reeza Hendricks (DP World Lions), Marco Jansen (Gbets Warriors), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Gbets Warriors), Wayne Parnell (Six Gun Grill Western Province), Kagiso Rabada (DP World Lions), Rilee Rossouw (ITEC Knights), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Tristan Stubbs (Gbets Warriors).

South Africa Group Stage Itinerary

Monday, 24 October – 19:00 (10:00 SAST)
South Africa vs Zimbabwe ended in a no result – Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Thursday, 27 October – 14:00 (05:00 SAST)
South Africa vs Bangladesh – SCG, Sydney

Sunday, 30 October – 19:00 (13:00 SAST)
India vs South Africa – Perth Stadium, Perth

Thursday, 03 November – 19:00 (10:00 SAST)
Pakistan vs South Africa – SCG, Sydney

Sunday, 06 November – 10:30 (02:00 SAST)
South Africa vs Netherlands – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

The Vodacom Bulls have agreed to a deal to sign Wilco Louw from English side, Harlequins on a three-year deal beginning 1 July 2023.
The 28-year-old prop - who is no stranger to Pretoria - joins the Vodacom Bulls having established himself as one of the leading players in his position. Wilco’s career began in the Cape Winelands, then developed through the Bulls’ youth structures and mastered at the Stormers, where he made more than a century of appearances before moving to apply his trade in Europe. The Ceres native spent a short-term spell with French side, Toulon, before going on to earn 49* caps for his current club, Harlequins, for whom he scored a try in the final (against Exeter) to help the English club win the 2020/21 Premiership Rugby crown.
Louw’s rise to stardom began back in 2012, when he represented Boland at the Craven Week competition, putting in performances that would earn him a call-up into the South African Schoolboys squad, where he victoriously featured in clashes against England, Wales and France. Soon after, he went on to join the under-19 Bulls ensemble that would go on to win the 2014 under-19 Currie Cup. Earning him a call-up to the South African under-20 side, which would eventually lose the under-20 World Championship finals to England. Having graduated from the under-19’s, Wilco went on to win the under-20 Provincial championship before returning to the Cape, to join the Stormers and Western Province, going on to win the 2017 edition of the Currie Cup.
The (now) Springbok-capped front-row forward has earned himself 14 national caps to date, having made his debut against the All-Blacks back in October 2017.
Speaking of his move to Loftus, Wilco Louw said: “The Vodacom Bulls play an exciting brand of rugby and they have great coaches, I am excited for the new challenge ahead. I am looking forward to running out in the jersey once more and to having the opportunity in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship,”
“It is exciting to be going back to South Africa and to be reunited with the Vodacom Bulls, I had an unbelievable time at Harlequins with great memories and hopefully we can make some great memories in Pretoria too,”
“My rugby career started at the Bulls and I think it's every rugby player’s dream to win a few trophies in their career, so I am very keen to join the team and work with great players and coaches to make that dream our reality” concluded Louw.
Blue Bulls Rugby Union President, Willem Strauss added: “It is wonderful to have a top international tighthead joining us in the prime of his career! Wilco was part of our junior structures and his return will surely bolster our pack of forwards. We look forward to welcoming him home and know that he will help in contributing towards the continued growth of our franchise.”
Everyone at the Vodacom Bulls is eagerly awaiting Louw’s arrival to the Loftus family.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Titans Cricket have extended their partnership with Hirsch’s Homestore, continuing an alliance that goes back over a decade.

The biggest home appliance and electronic dealer in South Africa has a longstanding reputation for quality and consistency, and the Titans are thrilled to be associated with such a proudly South African brand.

“Hirsch’s are known throughout this country for their consistency, and we are thrilled to continue this excellent relationship with them,” Dr Jacques Faul, the Titans CEO explained.

“It is an honour for us to still be associated with them, and we hope to keep this partnership going for a long time,” Faul added.

From Hirsch’s perspective, being aligned to South Africa’s most successful cricket team has also been hugely beneficial.

“It has been a pleasure to have a partnership with the Titans. They are an organisation which is forward-thinking. That is in their planning and in considering not only their players and spectators, but also their sponsors at all times,” founder Allan Hirsch enthused.

“The Titans always consider other people and I believe when you are in business, trading on the sales floor or in the sporting environment, if you give customer service, knowledge and enjoyment, it is a pleasure to work with a brand like this.”

Hirsch’s has been a loyal supporter of Titans cricket over the years, and the founder added that they had always felt part of every evolution of the franchise.

“They ensure we always feel like we are part of the team and when teams feel included, they are inclined to perform better. I feel longevity has come from everything they have given, and not necessarily what we give,” he added.

Faul echoed Hirsch’s sentiments, explaining that sponsors like these make success on the field possible.

“We say it often, but we really consider ourselves very fortunate to work with such wonderful brands and, more importantly, people. I consider Allan and his team as members of the Titans family,” Faul concluded.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

They came they rocked and they conquered. The legendary Foreigner showed on Sunday night at the Sun Bet Arena in the Jacaranda City just why they are regarded as one of the best live rock bands on the planet. Drawing on their platinum studded albums from the 70`s and `80s they delivered hit after hit with flawless precision and devastating power. Led by singer Kelly Hansen, who must rank as one of rock`s premier frontmen, the band blasted off with a blistering and breathless “ Double Vision” and the energy never let up leaving the sold out audience on their feet . The fans sang along with every classic song including “ Waiting for a girl like you” , “Feels like the first time”, “Head Games” , “Cold as ice” and a pair of timeless gems in “Urgent” and “Juke box Hero that had them dancing in the aisle. The cherry on the top was a moving and evocative “ I want to know what love is” which featured a cameo performance by the St John`s College Choir accompanied by an entire audience in full throated voice !

Cape Town is set to experience the Foreigner magic at Grand West on Tuesday 11th October. Another Big Concerts Experience.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

CAPTAIN NOLUSINDISO BOOI

On RWC return after eight years

"I am very proud of them, even though it was not the result we were expecting because we are coming up with a young team and they gave it all and they pushed so hard for that scoreboard. That doesn’t mean so much when you know that you gave your heart and we gave our best."

On captaining South Africa on their Rugby World Cup return

"I’m thankful for the opportunity. For me, it was a great pleasure to lead these youngsters and see them play to the last whistle and see their faces that never gave up and kept on playing."

On South Africa's performance in defeat

"Everything that we were doing great, it was giving me goosebumps. It takes me back to the previous World Cup - how bad things were - and shows that we are coming up with a better team. That scoreboard doesn’t mean anything for now, but we are looking forward to the next game."

On young players in the South Africa squad

"Each and every one who is supporting us, even back at home, they give us that support and we are really appreciative to be here and make sure that we are making our statement. For sure things won’t be the same in the next game."

A message to young girls in South Africa

"For the girls at home and the young girls who are behind us we know that we are here to make you guys proud and that we’re know that we’re here to inspire you. We’ll work so hard to make you guys proud of us."

On the 50th-minute try scored by Nomawethu Mabenge

"It was a very beautiful and nice moment for everyone - and for our supporters at home, knowing we’d been working so hard."

On the challenges of playing France

"They read our game in the second half because we had managed to stop them in front of our try-line. They analysed that and changed their plan. And also looked for the mistakes and when we made a mistake they took it as a positive. If we can be more organised and try to eliminate the mistakes, the errors, we’ll be in a better position than now."

Looking ahead to the next match against Fiji

"It will be a different challenge, but we just want to take each game as it comes. So for next week we will prepare for Fiji and make sure we give everything that we have."

COACH STANLEY RAUBENHEIMER

On his side’s performance

"Very happy with my team. From an effort point of view, we were measuring our effort. We knew what team we were playing. That first 20 minutes, if we’d done a little bit better there, who knows? Maybe a different result."

On the game plan against France

"The key thing was to keep ball. I think our first phase did very well - our backs didn’t compliment that too well today. But overall I’m pleased with the effort of our team. This was our plan, really, to give it to France and show them that they had to play against us and I think our team did it well today."

Looking ahead to the match against Fiji

"Our plan has always been to look for something against Fiji. We understand a lot of their players play in NZ club rugby. If we can replicate this performance from today from an effort point of view and just notch up on one or two things, maybe we can get a result - but I can’t ask for more than what I got today."
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

A World Cup winner, a seasoned club cricketer and a man that has shared the same changeroom on tour with some of the most recognised Proteas of the 21st century – in Non-Independent Director Simphiwe Ndzundzu, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has a real gem sitting on its Board.

Apart from his achievements in the game, this individual is a former policeman with special expertise in forensics and labour law, someone that understands all the dynamics of fraud, corruption, and maladministration, to name a few of his distinguished attributes.

Yet, Border Cricket President Ndzundzu, who celebrates his 52nd birthday this Saturday, October 1, has a whole different side to him that not many know about.

He was born and raised in the township of Kwa Masingatha, close to King William's Town, in the Eastern Cape – an area recognised as a hotbed of South African sportsmen and women.

“I came from a village where only two sporting codes were played, rugby and cricket,” he recounts.

“So I grew up playing the game with a tennis ball in the streets. From there I moved to playing with a hard ball in rural cricket and that was the way things started for me.

“If you look at the history of black cricket, you will find that it was introduced early and it was a well-established code in the Eastern Cape when I grew up. I also come from a family that played the game.

“Peter Bacela, a Protea himself and one of the best coaches ever, mentored us for a long time and my brother Brian was the first black African to play for Border. He was extremely talented.”

As Ndzundzu grew older, he became a key figure at Good Hope Cricket Club, first as a player and later as an administrator.

A top-order batsman, he represented the club in the Eastern Cape Premier League for many years, and whilst at the University of Fort Hare during the early 1990s, was part of a South Africa Students team that toured Zimbabwe and Kenya. Amongst the touring party were the likes of Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener, players who would go on to become iconic figures for the Proteas.

For Ndzundzu, though, life had other callings and he went on to serve his country in a completely different form, via the South African Police Services (SAPS). He nonetheless continued playing and even went on to win the Police Cricket World Cup in Australia during his four-year stint in the force either side of the year 2000.

Ndzundzu then moved on to work for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in various divisions, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Eastern Cape Department of Health, the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury, Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and SOLA Forensic and Labour Consulting where he is today. He is also an independent contractor at the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration.

After leaving SAPS, time became a factor and he opted to move away from the cricket field and into the cricket boardroom at his club.

“Our president at Good Hope Cricket Club said to us that one of us needs to join the administration so that there was succession planning, and I was the one that was invited, that was the start of a different journey for me,” Ndzundzu says.

Nearly 20 years later, the 51-year-old is still going strong. He has been a selector for Border, a board member for both Border and Eastern Cape and been part of the CSA Members’ Council.

And now occupying another key position within the game’s mother body, he is trying to make a difference in terms of governing cricket better. Ndzundzu has a few matters he is trying to address.

“For me the major issue that needs to be looked at within CSA is to ensure that all affiliates are sustainable,” he explained. “There has to be a well-directed effort in order to achieve this target.

“What will guide is equity and inclusivity and when I say this, I mean we must show that in terms of action of decision-making, in terms of contents, in terms of the programs, there is inclusivity and diversity as well. This needs to be done to show that cricket is not an elite sport; it is played all over the country. These are key things that need to be achieved.

“Over the years we’ve had the elite side and then what I can call the ‘B’ affiliates. This is not sustainable. To be sustainable, we need to make all the affiliates strong. To me that will be the game-changer for CSA and that is key to development of the game, something that will show that it is accessible to all.”

So how does Ndzundzu plan to achieve these goals?

“To get there I would say we need to drive certain policies,” he adds. “There has to be a policy that speaks to content, there has to be a policy that speaks to recognition of development. You’ll find that the so-called top teams, take talent from these so-called ‘B’ affiliates.

“They are stripping their talent and not producing their own. This is a problem for me and are amongst important policy decisions that have to be taken. Others also need to recognise the unique circumstances that makes up each affiliate, like their rural nature. These are realities and priorities that should be addressed in order to take the game forward.

“I really am not happy with the pace of transformation. We need to see more being done within the rural areas, not just promising players being taken out from these townships and villages and sent to fancy schools. No…that is not transformation. I want to see more being done in that respect. Yes, the leadership may be transformed, but is the mind transformed to make sure that we’re driving this whole program correctly? That is where we are lacking.”

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]

Cricket South Africa (CSA) are pleased to announce their extended commitment to bowl and bat against gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa with an all-encompassing #SummerOfCricket campaign titled #ENDGBV to be amplified throughout the 2022 / 23 cricket season.

The #ENDGBV campaign was born out of the annual effort from the national women’s cricket team, the Momentum Proteas, and their Black Day movement where the team don their unique all-black kit in an international match to shed light on a critical societal issue facing South Africans today.

GBV, an inexcusable act that leaves an ever-lasting psychological scar on the victim, does not discriminate, and can affect or be committed by any person regardless of their race, age, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

The most prevalent form of GBV in South Africa is abuse against women and children. According to UNICEF South Africa, 243 children and 855 women were murdered between April and June this year, while a further 1 670 children were victims of grievous bodily harm, a 58% increase from the same period in 2022.

CSA’s #ENDGBV campaign has initially been commissioned internally for staff members at the head office and at the Centre of Excellence in the form of a unique email signature with the official logo as well as a QR code that takes those intrigued to the official pledge to #ENDGBV.

On the field, all 31 senior domestic sides across men and women’s cricket will proudly showcase the hashtag on the back of their 2022 / 23 kits. The senior teams will be joined by the entire CSA cricketing pipeline teams before end of the season. These will be worn during all of CSA’s domestic competitions, beginning with the start of the CSA Women’s Provincial One-Day and T20 Cup this past weekend.

CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki commented:

“Gender-based violence is a scourge that has affected many South Africans from all walks of life for far too long in our society and as the custodians of the multicultural and diverse cricketing community, the #ENDGBV campaign is of huge importance in ensuring cricket is a safe and accessible environment.

“It’s going to take a joint drive from the entire cricketing family to not only raise awareness of this plague but to also commit to playing a crucial role in helping to eradicate GBV from our communities and the pledge speaks precisely to that.

CSA’s Chief Marketing Officer, Wanele Mngomezulu said:

“At Cricket South Africa, we are determined to use all avenues available to the organisation to raise awareness and the talkability around gender-based violence ahead of a momentous #SummerOfCricket season where we will be hosting the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup and the Women’s T20 World Cup.

“With the world watching, it was important for CSA to ensure a salient cause such as the education and battle around ending the plight of gender-based violence is placed on the forefront of our messaging throughout the cricketing ecosystem for the duration of the season and beyond. The entire 2022 / 23 CSA cricket season is dedicated towards ‘bowling and batting’ against gender-based violence” he concluded.

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]