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Ackers hails injection of ‘brilliant’ new recruits
Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann believes his new signings will make an impact against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, writes MORNÉ ESBEN. raccoongame.org
Flyhalf Curwin Bosch, loose forward Hanro Liebenberg, wing Thaakir Abrahams and utility back Hakeem Kunene have all been included in Ackermann’s match 23.
Ackermann says he’s been encouraged by the integration of the new signings, praising the experience they have brought into the squad.
“Brilliant! All four of them have been amazing. They’ve settled in with the team, they’ve contributed and you can see they’ve been around the block,” he said.
“They’re easy to coach and bring a lot of experience into our camp, culture and character so I’m looking forward to see how they’re going to play, but also gel with the team during the season.”
BOSCH: My best is good enough for Boks
Like all the other South African URC clubs, Ackermann has had to make do without a host of Springboks but is still able to call on seasoned veterans in captain Marcell Coetzee, Willie le Roux and Embrose Papier.
However, Ackermann lamented the unavailability of some of his X-factor players like Junior Springbok Cheswill Jooste, who he feels would’ve been perfect for this clash.
“Cheswill came back from the Junior World Championship and we gave him two weeks off to recover. Then he only had two weeks in which to prepare – of which one he was very sick. So when he returned on Monday, I spoke to the medical team and the feeling was not to risk him because he hadn’t done any speed and contact work in three weeks.”
COETZEE: Bulls have to be clinical
The Bulls coach has enormous respect for the challenge posed by the All Blacks under Dave Rennie.
Ackermann expects New Zealand to bring a relentless tempo to Loftus, something he admits his team would normally require a full pre-season to handle.
“We know how the All Blacks play. I know Dave Rennie well. All his teams play at a very high tempo and they want to speed everything up,” he said.
“Lineouts, scrums, they keep the ball alive so to play at that tempo is something I enjoy and it’s something we strive towards. But to be able to do that, you would need to have a really good pre-season.
“You need to be fit and prepared to sharpen your skills on that level and we needed a few more weeks to get to that level.”
MORE: Ackers relishing Rennie reunion
Photo: Vodacom Bulls
The post Ackers hails injection of ‘brilliant’ new recruits appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Mallett: Bulls will play for coach, fans
Nick Mallett expects the Vodacom Bulls to draw on the emotion of the occasion when they tackle the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The All Blacks arrive in Pretoria for the third match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour having beaten a competitive Stormers side 38-21 in Cape Town before thrashing a severely weakened Sharks team 54-0 in Durban.
Like the Stormers and Sharks, the Bulls are in pre-season and will be without their current Springboks, but coach Johan Ackermann has still been able to call on considerable experience.
Four capped Boks – flank Marcell Coetzee, scrumhalf Embrose Papier, flyhalf Curwin Bosch and fullback Willie le Roux – have been selected, while flank Hanro Liebenberg is back in Pretoria following a successful stint with the Leicester Tigers.
Former Sharks and Munster wing Thaakir Abrahams and No 8 Jeandré Rudolph, one of the Bulls’ standout performers in last season’s URC, will also face the tourists.
TEAM: Bulls get Bok boost for All Blacks clash
The hope is that the Bulls can follow the Stormers’ example by putting the All Blacks under sustained pressure rather than suffering the same fate as the Sharks, and Mallett believes a blend of experience and youthful enthusiasm will be crucial.
“I think a lot of it is having five or six guys over 30, if you can – guys who can guide your team and hold them together when things get a bit panicked,” the former Bok coach said on the Talking Boks podcast. “But also you must have the enthusiasm of youth, and I think the Bulls have got that.
“The Bulls got to the final of the URC and they’ve got strength in depth. And they will also play for their coach. They will play for their supporters.
“They’ve got that sort of Stormers-like, ‘We don’t want to let our public down.’ I get that feeling when I see the Bulls play, that they respect Johan Ackermann. They don’t want to let him down. They don’t want to let the supporters down either.”
ALSO: Ackers hails injection of ‘brilliant’ new recruits
Mallett pointed to the Stormers’ effort in Cape Town as the blueprint for the Bulls and urged Ackermann’s men to embrace the opportunity rather than focus on the disruption to their pre-season preparations.
“I think that’s a key part of this whole match. If I was coaching, I’d say nothing negative at all about the game.
“It is what it is. You’ve been given this game. You’ve got to make the best of it.
COETZEE: Bulls have to be clinical
“I think what [Stormers coach] John Dobson did was outstanding. And I still think the last 10 minutes of that game [when the All Blacks scored three tries] was mainly through the disorganisation in the backline [due to replacement scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage’s injury] rather than a lack of excellence or enthusiasm in his team.
“That’s what we hope to see from the Bulls. You want to see them give it a full 70, 80 minutes and don’t give a yard.
“Tackle as though your life depends on it.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The post Mallett: Bulls will play for coach, fans appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Afrique du Sud: l’histoire méconnue des camps d'entraînement de l’ANC en Angola
L'Afrique du Sud lance une vaste opération de rapatriement des corps de militants anti-apartheid décédés en exil. Les équipes de recherche sud-africaines ont identifié 89 sépultures et près de 400 sites destinés à des fouilles. Selon Pretoria, c’est en Angola, alors en pleine guerre civile, qu’est mort le plus grand nombre de combattants de l’ANC pendant le régime de l'apartheid. Pourquoi se rendaient-ils en Angola ? Quels étaient leurs liens avec le MPLA, alors en guerre contre l'Unita ? A quoi servaient ces camps d'entraînement ? Retour sur cette page de l’histoire.
WAFCON 2026: Chawinga sisters fire Malawi into historic final
Malawi’s remarkable debut campaign at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON 2026) continued on Wednesday as the Scorchers defeated Algeria 3-1 to secure a historic place in the final.
The Chawinga sisters once again proved decisive as Tabitha and Temwa combined for all three goals to send Malawi into their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON final.
Algeria’s task became significantly more difficult early in the first half when Morgane Belkhiter was shown a red card, reducing the North Africans to ten players.
Despite Algeria’s resilience, Malawi eventually found the breakthrough in the 33rd minute through Tabitha Chawinga. The captain produced a moment of brilliance, improvising superbly to direct an acrobatic effort onto the crossbar and into the net for the opening goal.
The Scorchers doubled their advantage moments before the break. Temwa Chawinga showed composure inside the area, rounding the goalkeeper after being played through before calmly slotting into an empty net to give Malawi a commanding 2-0 lead at half-time.
Malawi resumed the second half on the front foot and nearly added a third in the 51st minute. Temwa Chawinga burst past three defenders with her trademark pace but was unable to keep her effort on target.
Algeria responded in the 60th minute to reduce the deficit. A dangerous free-kick from Marine Dafeur caused problems in the Malawi penalty area before Ikram Adjabi reacted quickest to a loose ball and volleyed home to make it 2-1.
With Algeria pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Malawi struck a decisive blow through Tabitha Chawinga. The forward beat her marker before driving a left-footed effort into the net to complete her brace and restore her side’s two-goal cushion.
Algeria continued to battle and almost found a way back into the contest in the 87th minute when substitute Laura Muller rounded the goalkeeper. However, a delayed finish allowed recovering defenders to get back and prevent what looked a certain goal.
Both sides continued to exchange attacks in the closing stages, but disciplined defending ensured no further goals were added.
The final whistle confirmed a 3-1 victory for Malawi, who continue their fairytale run on debut and will now compete for the continental crown in their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
SOURCE: CAF ONLINE
The post WAFCON 2026: Chawinga sisters fire Malawi into historic final appeared first on SportsAfrica - Sports news | Live scores | Match highlights | Betting tips.
Ackers hails contribution of ‘brilliant’ new recruits
Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann believes his new signings will make an impact against the All Blacks at Loftus Versveld on Saturday, writes MORNÉ ESBEN.
Flyhalf Curwin Bosch, loose forward Hanro Liebenberg, wing Thaakir Abrahams and utility back Hakeem Kunene have all been included in Ackermann’s match-23 to take on the All Blacks at Loftus on Saturday.
TEAM: Bulls get Bok boost for All Blacks clash
Ackermann says he’s been encouraged by the integration of the new signings, praising the experience they have brought into the squad.
“Brilliant! All four of them have been amazing. They’ve settled in with the team, they’ve contributed and you can see they’ve been around the block,” he said.
“They’re easy to coach and bring a lot of experience into our camp, culture and character so I’m looking forward to see how they’re going to play, but also gel with the team during the season.”
Like all the other South African URC clubs, Ackermann has had to make do without a host of Springboks but is still able to call on seasoned veterans in captain Marcel Coetzee, Willie le Roux and Embrose Papier. Ackermann has however lamented the unavailability of some of his X-factor players like Junior Springbok Cheswill Jooste, who he feels would’ve been perfect for this clash.
COETZEE: Bulls have to be clinical
“Cheswill came back from the Junior World Championship and we gave him two weeks off to recover. Then he only had two weeks in which to prepare – of which one he was very sick. So when he returned on Monday, I spoke to the medical team and the feeling was not to risk him because he hadn’t done any speed and contact work in three weeks.”
The Bulls coach has enormous respect for the challenge posed by the All Blacks under Dave Rennie.
Ackermann expects New Zealand to bring a relentless tempo to Loftus, something he admits his team would normally require a full pre-season to handle.
“We know how the All Blacks play. I know Dave Rennie well. All his teams play at a very high tempo and they want to speed everything up,” he said.
“Lineouts, scrums, they keep the ball alive so to play at that tempo is something I enjoy and it’s something we strive towards. But to be able to do that, you would need to have a really good pre-season.
“You need to be fit and prepared to sharpen your skills on that level and we needed a few more weeks to get to that level.”
BOSCH: My best is good enough for Boks
Photo: Vodacom Bulls
The post Ackers hails contribution of ‘brilliant’ new recruits appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.