Kolisi: History will inspire Boks at FNB Stadium

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said facing the All Blacks at the FNB Stadium on Saturday would serve as additional inspiration when the Boks take the field, a few hours after the Springbok Women and Black Ferns clash on a momentous day at the same venue. umafrika.club

South Africa and New Zealand are currently level on one win apiece in the four-Test Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, with the final clash scheduled for Baltimore in the USA next week Saturday.

Both Kolisi and Stick emphasised the importance of doing their utmost to win this match and step onto the airplane hours after the match with a two-one lead to stay in the running to win the series. Fuelling their motivation, the match will mark the Boks’ last game on home soil this year.

“So many things that happened in Soweto helped shape the South Africa we have today,” said Kolisi.

“So many heroes have come from there, and a lot of the football history of this country is from Soweto, so we know how special that is.

“We’re not going to act like it’s not a special ground in a significant area. All of that gives us more to play for. We are also thankful for the people who came from there and fought for people like me and Stick to be sitting here today.

“They fought for the freedom we have now and never got to experience it, and giving our best tomorrow is part of us saying thank you. Hopefully we can do that with a win and change the history between the two teams there.”

Kolisi elaborated on those remarks, saying: “Obviously what we’d like to achieve is to win. We’d like to say thank you to the people of South Africa.

“It hasn’t always been easy. We didn’t win the first Test, but the numbers that showed up at the stadium and the vibe was fantastic, and we felt it and saw it. Even the people who can’t come to the stadium, see us while we are driving on the bus to ground and get up and scream, which has been very special.

“This is the memory the people of South Africa will remember, and hopefully we can give them a good one because we want to say thank you, not just in words but through our efforts tomorrow.”

Stick agreed whole-heartedly with Kolisi and said: “Personally, I see this game as an opportunity for the players to create their own history. Every stadium in South Africa has its own unique history and we try to protect that. Ellis Park and the DHL Stadium are two of them, and now we are playing at the FNB Stadium.

“It’s a football stadium, but can you imagine getting South Africans from all around the country together in Soweto. Driving past the tents and seeing how they are preparing for the game is something else.

“For the guys playing now, almost none of them have played there before, so it’s an opportunity to create their own history, and that excites me.”

Commenting on the importance of registering a victory this weekend, Kolisi said: “We lost the first match and had to dig our way back and fight to win the second one, so tomorrow we want to give ourselves the best possible chance to try to win the series. We do not want to play for a draw in the series.

“We have a lot to defend, not just the trophy for the tournament, but also the Freedom Cup, which we’d like to keep, so we are not taking it lightly. Our ultimate goal is to win the series, while we are well aware of what their motivation is. We also want to protect what we stand for as South Africans.”

Zooming in on the match, Stick expected a fierce encounter against the All Blacks with both teams being desperate to win this match, and he stressed the importance of accurate execution as one of the keys to earning the desired result.

“The message from their side is clear – they say how they want to play and then they play that way,” said Stick.

“We can all see that New Zealand want to maximise ball-in-play time. They want to keep the ball in hand, and if you look at their personnel, it’s clear they want more ball carriers who can keep the ball alive.

“That said, the one thing I enjoy about where we are is that we have our own DNA. They’re not going to change their DNA for the weather or anything else. They’ll still try to enforce it on us, and we’ll do the same.

“The team that creates opportunities and turns them into points has a better chance to win. So, we know they’re going to come hard at the breakdowns and target that area.

“And if we create opportunities, we have to be clinical. The team that puts everything together and executes it well, will stand the best chance of winning tomorrow.”

Kolisi, who has a deep passion for the Bok Women’s team and women’s sport in general, was thrilled that the Springbok Women would play a curtain raiser for the match against the New Zealand Black Ferns.

“It’s special and exciting – it’s been awesome to see how excited the girls are to play tomorrow,” said Kolisi.

“I’ve really enjoyed seeing how many All Blacks fans have enjoyed South Africa on this tour. Their people are getting to experience our country, our mood, and what rugby means here, and now the women get to experience that as well.

“The Black Ferns have won the Rugby World Cup, and they’ve been one of the most successful teams for a very long time, so, it’s going to be a great game alongside ours.

“Babalwa (Latsha, Springbok Women’s captain) is really looking forward to it, and the more people we can get to that game, the better. The more we support the women’s game, the bigger our sport grows. So, it’s not just the women’s game, it’s our game as a whole.”

The women’s Test kicks off at 13h30, and the clash between the Boks and the All Blacks is scheduled for 17h10. Both matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

The post Kolisi: History will inspire Boks at FNB Stadium appeared first on SportsClub.

Mamelodi Sundowns are believed to be preparing a massive bid for the services of a high-rated Polokwane City defender Thabang Matuludi.

Orlando Pirates are also said to be interested in signing the Bafana Bafana right back. However, according to a source, Sundowns are leading the race for the 27-year-old due to their heavy financial backing.

“Sundowns are determined to sign Matuludi. That’s why they have tabled a huge offer for him. They see him as a long-term replacement for (Khuliso) Mudau and (Thapelo) Morena who are in their thirties now,” said the source.

“Pirates are also ready to table an offer for him and are ready to outbid Sundowns, but as you know, Sundowns’ budget is unlimited. I think they’ll outbid Pirates in the end due to their financial muscle. However, Pirates have a good relationship with Polokwane City. Remember what happened with the Oswin Appollis transfer. Apparently, Chiefs’ offer was better than Pirates’ but where is he now? But at this stage, Sundowns lead the race for Matuludi’s signature,” added the source.

Kaizer Chiefs are also reportedly keen to sign Matuludi, but Amakhosi are yet to submit an offer for him.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso praised Milford FC and insists their impressive rise through South African football should come as no surprise.

The Brazilians continued their winning run in the Betway Premiership following their 2-0 victory over the newly-promoted side.

Goals from Iqraam Rayners and Antonio van Wyk saw the Tshwane giants secure maximum points at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

Cardoso admits that Sundowns needed time to find their rhythm after making several changes to the starting line-up.

“As we expected, only for people who maybe not paying attention on South African football, is surprised about the quality of this team that we played against Milford today. Last year, they not only made promotion to the PSL but also who they beat on their way to the final (semi-finals) of the Nedbank Cup,” Cardoso told SuperSport after the game.

“They beat Sekhukhune, Orlando Pirates, this a team that plays very good football and we should be happy because South Africa understood that it’s possible to play beautiful football and I’m very happy that we won the game.

He continued, “We knew what team and kind of football we have to play against, when you make so many changes obviously the team has to find some connections that we look for during all the first half and just with the substitutions we settled down.

“Obviously, the goals give credit and justify our victory. I think well done to the boys the way they were committed, but brave very good match from both sides finally, finally, finally bravo,” he concluded.

The post Cardoso Hails Milford Quality After Sundowns Victory appeared first on SportsClub.

All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi can’t wait to make a big impact if he gets the chance to clash with the Springboks at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

World Rugby’s 2024 Breakthrough Player of the Year Sititi is set to make his first Test appearance of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series as a replacement.

The 23-year-old’s last meeting with the Boks was the All Blacks’ record 43-10 defeat in Wellington last year.

MORE: ‘Rennie knew how to get under Rassie’s skin’

“Whenever I’m out there, there’s always a point to prove,” Sititi was quoted by Rugby365 during an Adidas and Atlas Foundation community event this week.

“The way we play rugby, we have a chip on our shoulders, and we go out there, and we have some fun and try to have an impact on the game.

“That’s always the mindset, and hopefully it will be a better night out than what we saw in Wellington.”

ALSO: All Blacks ‘don’t play hide and seek’

Sititi will share a historic occasion with his sister Amarante, who will represent the Black Ferns against the Springbok Women in a curtain-raiser at the Calabash.

The siblings will both wear No 20 and become the first brother and sister to represent New Zealand against South African opposition on the same day since 1998.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Black Ferns (@blackferns)

Photo: Johan Orton/Gallo Images

The post Sititi has a point to prove to Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Serie A’s third matchday arrives with the season already beginning to take shape, and two heavyweight clashes headline a weekend packed with intriguing fixtures.

Friday’s action begins with Genoa hosting Como, before Saturday delivers a major test for several contenders. Fiorentina face Torino, while defending champions Inter welcome Napoli in the standout fixture of the round. Inter opened their title defence impressively with a 4-1 victory over Monza, while Napoli also began with a win, overcoming Genoa 2-0 under new coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu knows the meeting could have wider implications, saying: “The only thing we know for sure is that we have worked hard and that we are ready for a big game, knowing it could shape the season.” He expects a contest decided by “key moments”, adding that both sides will need “focus and precision”.

Roma against Atalanta rounds off Saturday’s headline action, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma looking to make their mark in a season of renewed ambition.

Sunday brings another blockbuster as Juventus host AC Milan. Juventus began with a narrow 1-0 win at Frosinone, but Luciano Spalletti knows his side must become more ruthless. “We must have the courage to come up with decisive pieces of play,” he says, calling on his players to show their “ruthless face” as they pursue their objectives.

Milan, meanwhile, have already made an eye-catching start under Ruben Amorim. The Rossoneri defeated Torino 2-1 in their opening match, with the Portuguese coach promising an attacking identity.

His enthusiasm is clear: “The passion of the goal is for a coach who celebrated so many Milan goals, and now I am the coach of Milan, so I want to feel that passion in my staff too.”

The remainder of Sunday features Parma against Monza, Frosinone versus Venezia and Bologna against Sassuolo, before Monday closes the round with Cagliari facing Lecce and Udinese hosting Lazio.

But all eyes will be on Milan and Turin, where four of Italy’s biggest clubs will discover just how far their early-season ambitions can take them.

Broadcast details

Times CAT

Serie A: Matchday 3

Friday 4 September

20:45: Genoa v Como – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

Saturday 5 September

15:00: Fiorentina v Torino – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Football Africa

18:00: Inter v Napoli – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Football Africa

20:45: Roma v Atalanta – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Football Africa

Sunday 6 September

15:00: Parma v Monza – LIVE on SuperSport Action Africa

15:00: Frosinone v Venezia – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

18:00: Bologna v Sassuolo – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

20:45: Juventus v AC Milan – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

Monday 7 September

18:00: Cagliari v Lecce – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

20:45: Udinese v Lazio – LIVE on SuperSport Football, SuperSport Football Africa and SuperSport Maximo 360

The post Serie A Matchday 3 fixtures: Early season, major statements – all matches are live on SuperSport appeared first on SportsAfrica - Sports news | Live scores | Match highlights | Betting tips.