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Springboks hold off All Blacks in Soweto thriller

Adnaan MohamedAll Blacks, Features, News, Rugby, SpringboksLeave a Comment on Springboks hold off All Blacks in Soweto thriller
Adnaan Mohamed at FNB Stadium, Soweto

The Springboks survived a fierce challenge from the All Blacks to win 29-24 at FNB Stadium on Saturday night, securing an unassailable lead in the four-Test series in front of a crowd of nearly 90 000.

It was a high-quality Test played at considerable pace, with both sides scoring four tries and momentum shifting repeatedly during a compelling contest.

For Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, the victory was another significant milestone. His 55th Test win as captain moved him clear as the most successful skipper in Springbok history.

New Zealand made the stronger start.

With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the sin bin after being shown yellow for a deliberate knock-down, All Black captain Ardie Savea finished a sustained period of pressure by crashing over in the 10th minute.

Ruben Love missed the conversion, leaving New Zealand with a 5-0 lead.

The Boks responded through their traditional strengths: physical carries, quick ball and pressure at set piece.

Cheslin Kolbe finished a well-worked attack 10 minutes later, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting to give South Africa a 7-5 lead. Kolbe was subsequently forced off for a head-injury assessment.

South Africa’s scrum then became an increasingly important factor.

The Boks applied sustained pressure against the New Zealand pack and were rewarded with a penalty try four minutes before half-time, extending their lead to 14-5.

New Zealand responded strongly after the break.

Savea scored his second try before Will Jordan added another, with Love converting to put the visitors 17-14 ahead.

The Boks needed a response and found it through Jesse Kriel.

The centre broke through the All Blacks’ defensive line to score, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding the conversion as South Africa regained the lead at 21-17.

Malcolm Marx then increased the pressure by powering over for the Boks’ fourth try.

A further penalty from Feinberg-Mngomezulu put South Africa 29-17 ahead and appeared to give the hosts sufficient breathing room.

New Zealand had other ideas.

The All Blacks continued to attack deep into the closing stages and replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho scored after the final hooter. Damian McKenzie converted to reduce the deficit to five points, although there was no time for a further attack.

The 29-24 result completed the Boks’ series victory and extended their dominance in one of Test rugby’s defining rivalries.

Ethan Hooker was named Player of the Match after an influential performance for South Africa.

There is little time for either side to reflect.

The Springboks and All Blacks will board a chartered flight to Baltimore in the United States, where they will meet again in the fourth and final Test next week.

Earlier at FNB Stadium, New Zealand’s Black Ferns produced a commanding display to beat the Springbok Women 52-20.

The visitors scored eight tries and led 24-10 at half-time in the first meeting between the teams on African soil.

The result highlighted the Black Ferns’ experience and attacking efficiency, while the Springbok Women were unable to convert their dominance in certain areas, including the scrum, into sufficient attacking points.

For South Africa’s men, however, the night belonged to the Boks, who absorbed New Zealand’s pressure, capitalised on their set-piece advantage and held their nerve when the All Blacks launched their late assault.

SPRINGBOKS – Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse, penalty try, Jesse Kriel, Malcolm Marx. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2). Penalty: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
ALL BLACKS – Tries: Ardie Savea (2), Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho. Conversions: Ruben Love, Damian McKenzie.

Image Credit: x.com/Springboks

‘Never believe Rassie’: Kirwan’s blunt Boks warning

Adnaan MohamedAll Blacks, Features, News, Preview, SpringboksLeave a Comment on ‘Never believe Rassie’: Kirwan’s blunt Boks warning

By Adnaan Mohamed

Sir John Kirwan has called Rassie Erasmus’s underdog card before the Springboks’ second Rugby Greatest Rivalry Test against the All Blacks.

And the All Blacks legend’s verdict is brutally simple.

“Never. Don’t believe Rassie. Don’t believe Rassie.”

Kirwan, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated rugby figures, refuses to buy into any suggestion that the four-time world champions are suddenly the underdogs after their 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park last weekend.

“They are four-time world champions. They’ve been an outstanding rugby team for four years,” Kirwan said.

“So they are world champions. We are the underdogs.”

There is a healthy dose of mischief in Kirwan’s assessment, although his respect for the Springboks is unmistakable.

He expects a vastly improved South African performance at DHL Stadium on Saturday, predicting Erasmus will turn to a more conservative tactical approach and use the kicking game to squeeze New Zealand deep into their own territory.

“I think the Springboks will be way better,” Kirwan said.

“I think they’ll be a bit more conservative tomorrow. I think their infield kicking game will be different. So I expect them to try and pin us into our own half.”

The All Blacks, however, will arrive in Cape Town with their own armoury sharpened.

“These guys are on a journey to get better every week, so I think it’s going to be a massive game,” Kirwan said.

“The pressure is on the world champions and I’m sure they’ll step up to that. There’d be a lot of fireworks.”

Sir John Kirwan shares a light hearted moment swopping his trademark, trendy, thick rimmed glasses with the author, Adnaan Mohamed.
Photo: Juliet Calder

For Kirwan, Saturday’s Test could become a tactical heavyweight bout, with neither side willing to blink during the decisive exchanges.

“It’s a boxing match. They’re gonna win some rounds, you’re gonna win some rounds. But at this level, winning those critical moments is really, really important.”

Those moments, he warned, can arrive at any stage.

“Sometimes they come after five minutes. Sometimes they come in the 79th minute.”

Kirwan expects the contest to go down to the wire.

“I think it’ll be incredibly close tomorrow. I think it’ll come down to a few points.”

His description of rugby as “chess with contact” could prove particularly apt in Cape Town.

“You need to win the first 10 minutes, the last 10 minutes before halftime, first 10 minutes after halftime, and the last 10 minutes,” he said.

“It’s really important to start fast. It’s really important to try and imprint the way that you want to play on the opposition. The South African team will be trying to do the same.”

Kirwan is equally bullish about the identity of Dave Rennie’s All Blacks.

“What I’ve seen is that this All Black side is playing a style of rugby that I think suits our skill set and suits the type of athlete that we have.”

The Springboks’ selection changes, including the absence of Handré Pollard and the continued emergence of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, have also caught his eye.

Kirwan described Feinberg-Mngomezulu as “world class” and believes the young flyhalf will have benefited from the lessons of Ellis Park.

“I think Sacha is still a young man and last week he would have learned a lot and he’ll be better tomorrow.”

He also saluted South Africa’s diminutive dynamo brigade, particularly the skill and footwork of the country’s wings.

“When you see Damian, his footwork. I mean, some of these guys into contact have fantastic feet.”

Then came another Kirwan gem:

“Long live the small, fast winger.”

For Kirwan, the rivalry runs far deeper than tactics, rankings and Test statistics.

As an eight-year-old, he was allowed to stay up late to watch the All Blacks. New Zealand won plenty of matches in those days, although South Africa provided a particularly formidable obstacle.

“That whole rivalry, we don’t know who’s going to win,” he said.

“I think we have the same passion for the game. And I think that’s brought us together.”

Kirwan believes rugby has often carried a cultural weight beyond the field, particularly in South Africa and New Zealand.

“A lot of times in our country, the game’s been bigger than a game. I think Nelson Mandela did that.”

The former All Black has also embraced the South African welcome.

“The hospitality, South African hospitality is unbelievable. Food’s great, people are lovely. And so for us, it’s like being at home. Really appreciate it.”

The pleasantries can wait once the whistle blows.

For now, Kirwan has thrown the psychological ball firmly into Erasmus’s court.

Rassie can call them underdogs. Kirwan isn’t buying it.

Teams: 

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Manie Libbok.

New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Patrick Tuipoluto, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby

Date: Saturday, August 29
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.10
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a low of 11°C and a high of 18°C. Rain is also expected around kick-off time.
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)

Boks’ Cape Town Test rocked by Pollard fitness scare

Adnaan MohamedAll Blacks, News, Preview, SpringboksLeave a Comment on Boks’ Cape Town Test rocked by Pollard fitness scare
By Adnaan Mohamed

The Springboks’ bid to claw their way back into Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series has been dealt another potential blow, with Handré Pollard reportedly set to miss Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium.

According to Netwerk24, the experienced flyhalf is battling a calf injury and could be ruled out of the four-match series showdown.

Pollard was named to start on Monday, with Rassie Erasmus opting for the two-time World Cup winner’s experience of Cape Town conditions. His late fitness concern has thrown another spanner into the Springbok machinery at a time when every moving part needs to click.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who started at flyhalf in last weekend’s 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park before moving to the bench, and Manie Libbok are the leading candidates to step into the No 10 jersey.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Pollard’s 2026 campaign has already been punctuated by injury. He opened his season with a Man of the Match performance against Scotland on 11 July before a hamstring problem ruled him out of the Wales Test the following week. His latest appearance came in South Africa’s victory over Argentina in Mendoza almost a month ago.

Now, with the Boks’ series hopes dangling over the precipice, another injury cloud has gathered.

South Africa must win in Cape Town to prevent New Zealand from taking an unassailable 2-0 lead and effectively closing the door on a series victory. Another defeat would leave the Boks needing to win the remaining two Tests to force a draw.

Thomas du Toit insists the Ellis Park setback has already been packed away and dissected.

“I think the important thing for us was to park that game and take the learning as quickly as we can,” said the versatile prop.

The Springboks conducted their review on Monday, identifying what worked and what went wrong before turning their attention to the next assignment.

“We took on board the learnings, took the good stuff, worked on the bad and worst things of the game – it was as easy as that.”

Du Toit believes the Boks need every component firing, particularly with wet conditions potentially turning the contest into a territorial tug-of-war.

“Unfortunately, in this game you can’t only have one aspect of the game firing right for you.”

Scrums, kicking, attack, defence, entries into the 22 and finishing will all need to mesh into one formidable machine.

South Africa do have significant firepower returning. Siya Kolisi is back as captain, Pieter-Steph du Toit reaches his 100th Test, Ox Nche earns his 50th and Eben Etzebeth extends his record as the most-capped Springbok to 144 appearances.

The starting XV, with Kolisi included, boasts a remarkable 1 012 Test caps, the most experienced Springbok starting line-up ever selected. The forwards account for 584 caps and the backline 428, with another 204 caps among the replacements.

Deon Fourie could add another piece of history from the bench. Should he play, the 39-year-old will become the oldest Springbok Test player, overtaking Victor Matfield and Schalk Brits. It would also mark his first international appearance since the 2023 World Cup final, where South Africa edged the All Blacks 12-11.

New Zealand have reshaped their pack, with George Bower replacing Ethan de Groot, who remains under HIA protocols. Josh Lord makes way for Tupou Vaa’i in the second row, while Simon Parker starts at No 6. Leroy Carter and Josh Moorby have swapped positions in the backline.

The All Blacks hold the historical advantage, winning 64 of 111 Tests against South Africa, with 43 Springbok victories and four draws. New Zealand have scored 2 302 points and 253 tries to South Africa’s 1 866 points and 182 tries.

Recent form offers the Boks a glimmer of light. They have won five of the last seven meetings since August 2023 and beat New Zealand 18-12 in their most recent Cape Town encounter in 2024.

The stakes, however, are brutally simple.

The Boks need a response. They need composure. They need their big-game players to stand tall.

And if Pollard’s calf keeps him sidelined, another Springbok No 10 must step into the furnace.

Cape Town is waiting. The series is slipping. Saturday could be the night South Africa either reignites the rivalry or watches it burn away.

Probable Springbok selection if Pollard is ruled out

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu/Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nché. Replacements: Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, André Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Morné van den Berg, Pollard’s replacement.

ALL BLACKS – 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower. Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby.

Match officials

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Kick-off: Saturday, 17:10
Venue: Cape Town Stadium

Springboks boosted by returning stars ahead of Los Pumas showdown

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By Adnaan Mohamed

The Springboks have arrived in Buenos Aires with several frontline players returning from injury as preparations intensify for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Estadio José Amalfitani.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus‘ squad reached the Argentine capital shortly after midnight on Sunday after travelling from Cape Town via São Paulo in two groups. The players will rest on Sunday before resuming training on Monday as they acclimatise to the time difference ahead of the Test.

The Argentina fixture is another important step in South Africa’s season before the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand begins on 22 August.

“It’s great to be back in Buenos Aires, and we are looking forward to the challenge of facing the Pumas here once again,” Erasmus said.

“It was a long journey, and there is a fair time difference between the countries, so the players will have time to rest and acclimatise today, and then we’ll return to the training field tomorrow.

“Fortunately, we did most of the groundwork for the match at our training camp in Johannesburg earlier this week, so we have a good base to build on in the next few days.”

The biggest boost for South Africa is the return of flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after ankle surgery.

The 24-year-old has not played since suffering the injury during a United Rugby Championship match in May. His inclusion follows a standout performance against Argentina last season when he scored a Springbok record 37 points in Durban.

Erasmus now has four experienced flyhalves available, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu joining Handre Pollard, Manie Libbok and recent debutant Vusi Moyo.

Captain Siya Kolisi, locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, together with scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, are also in line to make their first appearances of the season after recovering from injury or concussion.

“We tried to get the balance right in selecting some guys who are returning from injury and who have not had too much game time,” Erasmus said.

“The guys who have recovered from their injuries have been training hard this week and are ready to go, so it will be great for them to get a tough Test match under the belt.”

Several senior players, including Jesse Kriel and Pieter-Steph du Toit, remain in South Africa after featuring in three Tests across 15 days during July. They have resumed preparations for the upcoming New Zealand series.

“We are on track in terms of our preparation for both this match and the New Zealand Tour,” Erasmus said.

South Africa heads into the match in strong form after opening the season with an 80-31 victory over the Barbarians before recording Nations Championship wins over England (45-21), Scotland (42-28) and Wales (43-0).

Argentina’s campaign has been less consistent. Los Pumas defeated Wales 35-21, although they suffered defeats to Scotland and England.

History also favours the Springboks. South Africa has won 14 of its 18 Tests in Argentina since the nations first met there in 1993, losing three and drawing one.

Erasmus is expected to consult with his coaching staff before confirming the matchday squad later this week.

Springbok squad

Forwards: Lood de Jager, Ben-Jason Dixon, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Zachary Porthen, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese.

Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Quan Horn, Herchel Jantjies, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe.

Coach: Rassie Erasmus.

Bulls and Stormers secure home URC playoffs as Lions limp into quarters

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By Adnaan Mohamed

The Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) playoffs will feature three South African teams after a dramatic final round delivered a cocktail of celebration and frustration for the country’s franchises.

The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers earned prized home URC quarter-finals with emphatic statements in Pretoria and despite defeat in Cardiff respectively, while the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions scraped into the playoffs after stumbling in Limerick. The Hollywoodbets Sharks ended their campaign with a fireworks display in Durban.

The Bulls charged like a runaway scrum at Loftus Versfeld, flattening Benetton Rugby 45-19 to secure fourth place and a home quarter-final against Munster Rugby. Johan Ackermann’s men crossed for seven tries and stretched their winning streak to six matches.

Sergeal Petersen bagged a brace, while Willie le Roux, Johan Grobbelaar, Cobus Wiese, Celimpilo Gumede and Ruan Nortje also powered over. Handre Pollard added five conversions with the precision of a metronome steering a backline orchestra.

Benetton’s resistance came through Louis Lynagh’s double and a try by Rhyno Smith, though the visitors spent most of the evening chasing shadows across the Highveld turf.

In Wales, Cardiff slammed the brakes on the Stormers’ hopes of a top-two finish with a gritty 22-16 victory at Cardiff Arms Park. The Cape side burst from the blocks like sprinters off the starter’s gun, but Cardiff’s defence became a brick wall around the tryline.

Adre Smith scored early for the Stormers, while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added a conversion and three penalties. Cardiff struck through Jacob Beetham’s brace, Tom Bowen and Ioan Lloyd to seal a quarter-final rematch in Cape Town.

The Lions, meanwhile, slipped to a 24-17 defeat against Munster in Limerick, leaving them with the daunting challenge of facing defending champions Leinster Rugby in Dublin.

Down in Durban, the Sharks signed off in style by crushing Zebre Parma 54-19. Siya Kolisi produced a captain’s farewell worthy of a stadium ovation with two tries, while Jaco Williams, Zekethelo Siyaya, Vusi Moyo, Emmanuel Tshituka, Le Roux Malan and Ross Braude also crossed the whitewash.

The result secured 10th place for the Sharks and offered a glimpse of a side beginning to sharpen its claws for future campaigns.

Vodacom URC quarter-finals

Friday, 29 May
Glasgow Warriors v Connacht – Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow (20:45 SA time)

Saturday, 30 May
Vodacom Bulls v Munster – Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (13:00)
DHL Stormers v Cardiff – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (15:30)
Leinster v Fidelity SecureDrive Lions – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (21:00)

Stormers stuck in reverse as discipline hands Sharks another derby scalp

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John Dobson didn’t duck the tackle or hide behind the referee’s whistle after the Stormers’ second straight derby defeat to the Sharks. Instead, the Stormers coach fronted up and admitted that while the game plan was drawn up neatly, the behaviours at the collision points never shifted.

The Stormers were whistled for 16 penalties and shown two yellow cards in their 38–24 United Rugby Championship (URC) loss in Durban on Saturday, and for Dobson, the most worrying part wasn’t the scoreboard, it was the lack of growth between the two derby encounters.

“We talked about it this week to start the halves well. We probably got both right, but the rest wasn’t a behaviour change from last week. I think the two games were very similar,” said Dobson.

While the Stormers repeatedly knocked on at key moments, the Sharks played with the composure of a side winning the arm-wrestle inch by inch, completing a rare back-to-back Cape Town double.

“Credit to the Sharks, they beat us properly over the past two weeks. Our discipline was poor and our set-piece definitely let us down. I thought their aerial game was really good and they played with a really clear plan that worked for them.”

Instead of tightening their grip at the breakdown, the Stormers loosened it. Seventeen penalties conceded, two more than the previous week, told the story of a side stuck in the same defensive patterns, conceding ground without resistance.

“The most destroying part of last week is that the same things that went wrong last week, went wrong this week. Five-metre lineouts not converted, giving penalties away at mauls which led to some of the discipline stuff. So for the stuff to fix, there needs to be a change in behaviour. It was really poor from us and I feel bad for our supporters.”

What gnawed at Dobson was the sense of déjà vu, the same soft underbelly exposed, the same pressure points targeted.

“The most frustrating thing about tonight [Saturday] is that everything that went wrong last week went wrong this week. There has to be a behaviour change; it is really poor from us and bad for our supporters.”

Once again, the Stormers’ defensive work inside their own five-metre zone cracked under pressure, turning promising stands into penalty concessions and scoreboard damage.

“Five-metre lineouts not converted, giving penalties away at mauls, which led to some of the discipline stuff. So, to fix the stuff, there needs to be a change in behaviour. It was really poor from us, and I feel bad for our supporters.”

Dobson was quick to salute Sharks coach JP Pietersen, whose side dominated the key exchanges and imposed themselves when it mattered most.

“I give them enormous credit. They’ve come, and they beat us twice. He is obviously doing something right within the organisation. They played with real purpose, a clear plan, so yes, he has done well.”

The aerial contest and the penalty count proved decisive battlegrounds. While the Sharks ruled the skies, the Stormers spent long stretches retreating under pressure and playing a man short.

“We didn’t win the contestable game as much as we would have liked to. They were really good in the air. If you are going to be on 11 penalties in 20 minutes, that’s going to include a card.

“If you are going to play 40 minutes in a South African derby with seven forwards, with Damian Willemse scrumming on the flank a lot of the time, it’s not good enough.”

Stormers captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu echoed his coach’s assessment, admitting discipline knocked the stuffing out of a side that briefly had the upper hand.

“The lack of discipline cost us. When we played our game, we were on top of them. Going into halftime, we were up 24-14, and we just let it slip.

“Within ten minutes, we went from an upbeat team scoring tries. That’s just the reality. We were being reckless, careless and irresponsible. Our discipline is costing us.”

For the Stormers, the message is blunt: unless the habits at the breakdown, maul and aerial contest change, they’ll keep losing the same battles, and bleeding the same points.

Stormers survive Leicester storm to stutter into Last 16

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By Adnaan Mohamed

The DHL Stormers may have booked their place in the Investec Champions Cup play-offs with a 39–26 win overLeicester Tigers at DHL Stadium on Saturday, but this was less a polished symphony and more a garage band that occasionally forgot the chords.

Yes, the scoreboard says five tries to four. Yes, the Stormers marched into the last-16 in front of an enthusiastic Cape Town crowd of 25 000.

But context matters, and this particular Tiger arrived with more stripes missing than a clearance-sale jersey. A significantly weakened Leicester side, shorn of several frontline names, still managed to bare its teeth often enough to expose some worrying cracks in the Stormers’ armour.

The home side started like a team keen to make an early statement. Evan Roos thundered over for the opener after Jonny Roche’s midfield burst split the defence, before André-Hugo Venter peeled off a maul to make it 12–0. At that point, it looked like traffic control rather than a contest.

Then the Stormers remembered their habit of inviting chaos. Two quick Leicester tries, through George Pearson and Will Wand, flipped the scoreboard to 14–12 and highlighted how quickly defensive alignment can evaporate when concentration wobbles.

For long spells, the Stormers looked like a side playing fast-forward without checking the mirrors. Passes went to ground, exits were optional, and defensive spacing sometimes resembled a group photo taken mid-blink. Leicester didn’t need their full complement to punch holes; the Stormers generously supplied the gaps themselves.

The hosts regained the lead at the break thanks only to Leicester’s kindness and new skipper Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s boot, after Dylan Maart fumbled what should have been a walk-in try. It was 15–14 at halftime, advantage Stormers, but with the handbrake still half on.

Leicester struck first again after the restart with a maul try to reclaim the lead, underlining just how vulnerable the Stormers were when the basics slipped. The response, though, captured the essence of this side: chaotic, brilliant, risky and entertaining in equal measure. Leolin Zas finished off a slick passage of offloads for the Stormers’ third, dragging momentum back their way.

The game teetered again when Feinberg-Mngomezulu saw yellow, reducing the Stormers to 14 men, usually the cue for consolidation. Instead, JD Schickerling produced an outrageous dummy more suited to a centre than a lock, carving open the defence to score the bonus-point try and turn disbelief into delight.

Replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan added the final flourish at the death, his try stretching the scoreline into something that suggested control rather than the rollercoaster reality.

Replacement scrumhalf Imad Khan provided a spark. Photo: Rashied Isaacs

The Stormers’ attack still flickered with moments of brilliance, because that’s their DNA, but too often it came wrapped in loose decision-making. It’s champagne rugby, once more, served in a paper cup. When it worked, it sparkled. When it didn’t, it fizzed out spectacularly.

Defensively, the warning lights flashed brightest. For a side with ambitions of lifting Europe’s biggest prize, conceding soft metres and broken-field opportunities against a patched-up opponent is the rugby equivalent of leaving your front door open and hoping no one notices.

This was a match the Stormers should have controlled with one hand on the wheel and the other on the gearstick. Instead, they veered between dominance and disorder, brilliance and brain fade, sometimes within the same phase.

The truth is simple: knockout rugby does not grade on flair alone. The further you go, the less forgiving the margins become. European heavyweights won’t offer second chances, and they certainly won’t arrive missing half their starters.

If the Stormers genuinely want to go all the way in this competition, the basics must stop being optional extras. Tackle completion, exit accuracy, set-piece pressure and defensive spacing are not glamorous, but they are non-negotiable.

Winning ugly still counts. Winning sloppy comes with a warning label. The Stormers advanced to the last 16 of the Champions Cup and will now tackle French Giants Toulon at the Stade Mayol in the South of France in April.

Unless John Dobson’s charges tighten the bolts, sharpen the fundamentals and start respecting the small moments, Europe’s elite will make them pay with interest.

For the Stormers switch their attention to the Vodacom URC where they host the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday.

STORMERS – Tries: Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter, Leolin Zas, JD Schickerling, Imad Khan. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Khan (1). Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan.
LEICESTER TIGERS – Tries: George Pearson, Will Wand, Jamie Blamire, Tom Manz. Conversions: Billy Searle (3).

Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 fixtures in full

Union Bordeaux Bègles vs Leicester Tigers

Glasgow Warriors vs Vodacom Bulls

RC Toulon vs DHL Stormers

Stade Toulousain vs Bristol Bears

Bath Rugby vs Saracens

Leinster Rugby vs Edinburgh Rugby

Northampton Saints vs Castres Olympique

Harlequins vs Sale Sharks

Stormers v Bulls: When Bok Futures and Proven Steel Collide

Adnaan MohamedNews, Rugby, SpringboksLeave a Comment on Stormers v Bulls: When Bok Futures and Proven Steel Collide
By Adnaan Mohamed

There are derbies, and then there are rugby events that feel bigger than the competition table. The Stormers versus Bulls north–south clash at a sold-out DHL Stadium on Saturday belongs firmly in the latter category. It’s a fixture where reputations are tested as brutally as defensive lines.

The first URC blockbuster of 2026 arrives wrapped in symbolism. Damian Willemse will make his 100th start for the Stormers. Ruan Nortje returns to captain the Bulls. And at flyhalf, the generational baton hangs tantalisingly between two Springboks: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Handré Pollard.

One represents the present tense of South African rugby’s future: instinctive, elastic, daring. The other is its hardened past and still-relevant present: precise, economical, forged in World Cup fire. Saturday is less about rivalry than rugby arithmetic: what happens when flair meets control under maximum pressure?

Stormers: Tempo, Power and Cape Town Edge

The Stormers receive a significant boost with the return of Willemse and Feinberg-Mngomezulu, restoring balance to a side that thrives on momentum. Willemse’s presence in midfield alongside Wandisile Simelane gives the hosts ballast and punch, while Cobus Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu form a halfback pairing designed to accelerate the game.

Director of Rugby John Dobson framed the occasion without hyperbole:

“This is one of the biggest club rugby matches in the world and will be played in front of a sold-out DHL Stadium. It should be an incredible experience for everyone there.

We know that we will need to be at our absolute best throughout the game to come away with the result.”

Out wide, Suleiman Hartzenberg and Leolin Zas provide finishing pace, with Warrick Gelant lurking at the back like a counter-attacking wildcard. Up front, captain Salmaan Moerat marshals a pack that blends aggression with continuity, supported by Evan Roos and Ben-Jason Dixon in the loose — players built for derby combat.

Bulls: Structure, Steel and World Cup Calm

The Bulls arrive in Cape Town with a side subtly reshaped for control rather than chaos. Ruan Nortje’s return to the starting XV restores authority to the pack, while Marco van Staden adds breakdown venom. The front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw remains intact, signalling a clear intent to contest the set-piece battle.

Behind them sits a familiar Bulls spine: Pollard at 10, Willie le Roux at 15, David Kriel in midfield — experience stacked upon experience. Canan Moodie’s move to centre injects line-breaking speed, while Paul de Wet starts at scrumhalf against his former side.

Head coach Johan Ackermann underlined the method behind the selection:

“We’ve assessed the Sharks game and made adjustments where needed. Ruan’s leadership is vital, and bringing in players like Canan Moodie and Marco van Staden gives us the right balance for this contest. It’s about alignment and intensity as we start the year.”

The Key Battlegrounds

The obvious headline is flyhalf, but the game may hinge elsewhere. The midfield collisions between Willemse and Moodie will dictate gain-line success. The breakdown duel with Roos and Dixon versus Van Staden and Louw, could determine territory. And off the bench, both sides possess finishers capable of swinging momentum late.

This is not a derby built on nostalgia. It is one shaped by present ambition and future consequence. The Stormers want tempo and emotion. The Bulls want structure and silence.

Cape Town will decide which philosophy holds firm when the noise peaks.

Team Sheets

DHL Stormers:
15 Warrick Gelant; 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann; 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c); 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: Lukhanyo Vokozela, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Sazi Sandi, Adré Smith, Ruben van Heerden, Paul de Villiers, Stefan Ungerer, Jurie Matthee.

Vodacom Bulls:
15 Willie le Roux; 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs; 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet; 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden; 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese; 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Khuta Mchunu, Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Devon Williams.

Match Information

Date: Saturday, January 3
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18:00 (16:00 GMT)
Referee: Griffin Colby (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)

Dylan Maart’s Stormers surge has Springbok written all over it

Adnaan MohamedFeatures, News, RugbyLeave a Comment on Dylan Maart’s Stormers surge has Springbok written all over it
Adnaan Mohamed

Dylan Maart’s rugby journey is unfolding like a perfectly weighted grubber, unexpected, precise and suddenly impossible to ignore.

On loan from Currie Cup champions Griquas, Maart is now streaking down the touchline for the Stormers. The Wellington-born speedster is finishing tries under the bright lights of the Investec Champions Cup, leaving defenders clutching at air and selectors sitting up straighter.

Maart wasted no time announcing himself in blue and white. A debut try against Munster in Limerick was followed by a brace against La Rochelle in the Investec Champions Cup, both five-pointers delivered on a silver platter by Springbok fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

“Look, to get a try in the first place for the Stormers is always special,” Maart said.

“Two or three, I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

“If you have someone like Sacha, who has all the talent in the world, on your inside and who can find every space, you just have to be in the right place.

“So, yes, it was exciting to get those two tries and to have a say in the team’s victory at the end of the day.”

Those early scores have propelled Maart from squad player to headline act, and now the Wellington-born speedster is preparing for another milestone: his first run-out at DHL Stadium.

“Making my debut, playing overseas for the first time and obviously the results have been going our way,” he said ahead of the Lions derby.

“I’m very excited to play my first game at the DHL Stadium in front of the home crowd … exciting times.”

The rise has been as steep as a midfield chip-and-chase.

“If I think of where I was a year ago to where I am now, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to play here at the Stormers, so I’m very grateful and very excited.”

While Maart is carving his own attacking lines, his compass points firmly towards an old friend and local hero, Springbok winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, who also cracked international rugby later than most.

“I actually didn’t play rugby until after high school, but I watched a lot of rugby,” Maart revealed.

“There’s a lot of guys that I can mention. But for me, growing up, it was Bryan Habana.

“Cheslin [Kolbe] now, as well as one of my friends, Kurt-Lee Arendse. He lives in Paarl, I’m from Wellington so he’s a guy I look up to and can always ask if I need some advice.

“He’s also a role model for me. And very inspiring also. To see that he can also make it. So, that’s something for me to look forward to.”

At 29, when many players are settled into predictable careers, Maart rolled the dice. He left his job as a warehouse worker at a bottling plant and bet everything on rugby. The risk was rooted in hardship.

“I played rugby in primary school, but nothing in high school, for various reasons.

“Things weren’t good at home. There were many nights when there was no food and we went to sleep hungry.”

At 13, he worked as a taxi guard, opening doors, collecting fares and carrying bags, just to put food on the table and secure a ride to school in Paarl. Rugby, though distant, never left his heart.

When opportunity finally knocked, Maart smashed the door down. He rose with Boland Cavaliers, became a pillar of a Griquas side that ended a 55-year Currie Cup drought, and is now lighting up the URC and Champions Cup in Stormers colours.

The Stormers’ season mirrors Maart’s surge. They are unbeaten in the Investec Champions Cup, eight wins from eight in all competitions, and positioned to host a last-16 European play-off.

Saturday’s URC clash against the Lions at DHL Stadium, only their third home game of the campaign, offers Maart another stage to sprint his late-blooming dream closer to green and gold.

Like Arendse before him, Maart is proof that in rugby, timing matters less than belief, and that some wings only truly catch the wind when the stakes are highest.

Stormers top pool but Dobson sees derby danger after La Rochelle win

Adnaan MohamedNews, RugbyLeave a Comment on Stormers top pool but Dobson sees derby danger after La Rochelle win

By Adnaan Mohamed

The DHL Stormers may have crossed the whitewash six times, but Director of Rugby John Dobson insists the performance that dismantled a youthful Stade Rochelais outfit would be stopped cold by South African rivals if repeated in the coming weeks.

The 42–21 Investec Champions Cup win at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Capetonians’ eighth straight victory in all competitions, lifted them to the top of Pool Three, ahead of four-time champions Leinster. Yet beneath the glossy scoreline, Dobson saw cracks that could be ruthlessly exposed in the Vodacom URC derbies that loom next.

The Stormers flew out of the blocks. Wings Dylan Maart and Leolin Zas struck inside the opening seven minutes, the hosts surging ahead as if the contest might be over before it began. Instead, composure ebbed, forced passes crept in, and an understrength La Rochelle, stacked with academy talent, were invited back into the arm-wrestle.

“I thought we were so energised at the start and so good, and it just felt like we got seduced into it being too easy,” said Dobson.

“To produce the intensity that we started that game with was really good for us. However, it was a learning experience, and we had to manage that game better at the 15-to-20-minute mark.”

That window proved pivotal. Infringements and errors disrupted Stormers rhythm, allowing La Rochelle to find a foothold and trail just 16–7 at the break – a reminder that scoreboard pressure means little without territorial and tactical control.

“It was about the outcome in the end, but it wasn’t a great process from us,” Dobson admitted.

“There’s definitely stuff we didn’t get right that we spoke about during the week, and there’s work to do before the local derbies [in the Vodacom URC]. That said, a home win in this competition is non-negotiable.”

Captain Salmaan Moerat echoed the coach’s concerns, praising the intent but demanding more from the engine room.

“But as a pack we know we could have been much better. There’s still a lot for us to improve on,” Moerat said.

He also highlighted the side’s response after prop Neethling Fouché was yellow-carded for a high tackle.

“It’s never ideal to get a yellow card,” he said. “But what was really rewarding was seeing how the group galvanised and worked harder for each other when someone was off the field.”

If the Stormers’ structure wavered, individual brilliance helped steady the ship. Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach pulled the strings, while Man of the Match Paul de Villiers hunted turnovers like a seasoned openside despite his tender years.

“It took some moments from Paul or Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] to bail us out. That was a little bit frustrating that we got ourselves in that position,” Dobson explained.

“Two years ago, we were just getting cleaned out [at the breakdowns], and now we have Paul, who is like a limpet and his decision-making is so good.

“He is very special.”

Dobson believes the result keeps the Stormers firmly in the European hunt, even as he demands sharper execution.

“We want to be part of this tournament,” he said. “South African teams don’t have a great record in it, and we feel we’ve got an opportunity.

“Performances like this give us belief, but we also know we have to be better. I think we can start to dream about getting deeper into this tournament than we have got before.”

The immediate focus, however, shifts to domestic danger. The Lions arrive in Cape Town next weekend, followed by a clash with the Bulls on January 3 – fixtures where sloppiness will be punished.

“We have to get the stuff right and it is no use just talking about it in the week,” Dobson warned.

“We know that performance [in Gqeberha] doesn’t beat a fired-up Lions team in Cape Town or a Bulls team [on January 3].”

Dobson revealed the Stormers’ coaches have been studying the Lions closely, noting their threats across the park.

“We had a good look at them as coaches,” he said.

“We know that Henco [van Wyk] gets the best contact metres, we know about Quan’s [Horn] line breaks, and we know about their efficacy at the breakdown.

“They made their intentions clear that they want to rest and prepare for this game. I promise we won’t be lacking intensity.”

For the Stormers, the winning streak in Europe and Gqeberha has offered momentum, but the real examination now comes at home, where fast starts mean nothing without the patience to finish the job.

Featured Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images