CAPE TOWN – In a Prescient Freedom Paddle field packed with stars of the international paddling world, current women's Ocean Racing World Champion Kira Bester stands out as one of the superstars of the race around Robben Island on April 27.
South Africa (RSA)
There are seven debutants in Norma Plummer’s squad of 15 for the 2023 tournament.
The squad is:
Bongiwe Msomi (C), Karla Pretorius (VC), Khanyisa Chawane, Izette Griesel, Owethu Ngubane (R), Refiloe Nketsa (R), Phumza Maweni, Lenize Potgieter, Lefebre Rademan (R), Nicola Smith, Jeante Strydom, Nichole Taljaard, Elmere van der Berg, Shadine van der Merwe, Ine-Mari Venter.
Wales (WAL)
Ranked in the world’s top 10 (9th), Wales are a side capable of giving the very best a difficult game.
The only times they missed out on appearing at the World Cup was at the 1967 tournament in Perth, Australia and at Liverpool four years ago.
However, they have bounced back in style to qualify for Cape Town. They have twice finished sixth – in 1975 and 1979.
Phumza Maweni (38) stands as one of the most experienced defenders in world netball. Her incredible journey began in June 2014 when she made her debut against Scotland, and her dedication led her to achieve an impressive milestone, her 100th test during the 2022 Africa Netball World Cup Regional Qualifiers.
Throughout her career, Phumza has left an indelible mark on the netball world, excelling as a key player for the SPAR Proteas. Her talent has taken her to incredible heights, competing in not one but two Commonwealth Games and being a member of the SA FAST5 Team. She even...
During the 192nd UCI Congress which took place in Glasgow on 3 August 2023, Cycling South Africa was awarded the rights to host the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships 2028, to be hosted in Cape Town, Western Cape, with Table Mountain as the venue and route.
“We are very excited to have succeeded in our bid to host the UCI Marathon World Championships in 2028. Mountain biking has become a very strong discipline in South Africa, not only as a sport, but also as a recreational activity. The Western Cape is big mountain biking region...
It is now one of the world’s leading cycle events, but when Bill Mylrea, John Stegmann and Louis de Waal first proposed the Argus Tour, it was meant to be a protest ride to ‘encourage’ the city council to think about bicycles as part of its urban planning, and look after cyclists on the (by 1978 standards) busy roads.
As such, the event failed spectacularly for decades, but what a wonderful deviation from those goals it has become as the biggest timed bike race in the world.
The irony is that cycling has become so big in South Africa, thanks to the Cape Town Cycle...
Ahead of the start of World Rugby’s new annual global women’s 15s competition, players representing the 12 nations competing in WXV 2 and WXV 3 gathered in Cape Town and Dubai.
Women’s rugby is ready to take its “biggest step forward” this weekend as the inaugural WXV 2 and WXV 3 tournaments get underway in Stellenbosch and Dubai.
It is hoped that WXV, World Rugby’s new three-level annual global women’s 15s competition, can help supercharge the test game by giving national teams access to more top-level matches.
That was certainly a sentiment echoed by the players who gathered in Cape...
Italy ran in five tries to beat USA 30-8 in Cape Town, but lost out on the inaugural title to Scotland on points difference.
Italy missed out on the WXV 2 title by the narrowest of margins despite recording a bonus-point 30-8 victory over USA in Cape Town on Saturday.
The result left the Azzurre tied with Scotland on 15 points at the top of the WXV 2 standings, but it was the Scots who were crowned champions thanks to their marginally superior points difference (+55 to Italy's +53).
Hours earlier, it was the Women's Eagles who took the lead through a Gabriella Cantorna penalty on the...
With a bold ambition to supercharge rugby ’s global reach and appeal by being more relevant and accessible to younger, leisure-hungry audiences, HSBC SVNS CPT aims to deliver the ultimate in immersive experiences, a unique festival of sport, entertainment and culture set against the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain.
World Rugby brings HSBC SVNS to DHL Stadium, Cape Town on 9-10 December 2023
The two-day festival, featuring the world’s best men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens players, will be the second of eight events on the reimagined HSBC SVNS
Launch accompanied by a vibrant...
7 December 2023 – With Rugby Sevens fever ramping up in the Mother City ahead of this weekend’s HSBC SVNS Cape Town, one of South Africa’s most revered World Cup-winning heroes, Bryan Habana, took time out of his schedule to add to the building excitement with an HSBC TAG Rugby event at Green Point Salesian Football Club on Thursday.
A total of 160 kids from 16 different schools across the Western Cape were given the opportunity to discover the sport at the event which could potentially have inspired the next Habana, Cheslin Kolbe, Kwagga Smith or Kurt-Lee Arendse – all former Sevens...
Springbok Sevens head coach Sandile Ngcobo named Tiaan Pretorius as the only new player in his squad for this weekend's HSBC SVNS Cape Town tournament, with the former SA Schools centre replacing the injured Christie Grobbelaar from the squad that won the Dubai tournament last weekend.
Grobbelaar injured his ankle in Dubai and was ruled out, with Pretorius, who has played in five HSBC SVNS tournaments, making a first appearance in Cape Town.
Ngcobo said he has faith in Pretorius, who adds speed and versatility to the Blitzbok pack.
Pretorius, who was schooled at Paul Roos...
Three sides finish day one in South Africa with perfect winning records
Australia’s Maddison Levi scored her 100th sevens try as the Dubai champions won three from three on the opening day at the Cape Town Sevens.
Levi added another five touchdowns to the 12 she scored last weekend, to reach 100 tries in just 15 tournaments as the Australians set out their stall for a first-ever sevens series win in South Africa.
New Zealand and France, too, qualified for the quarter-finals with three wins from three.
Australia will face Ireland in the second quarter-final on Sunday, while New...
The Springbok Women's Sevens learnt some valuable lessons on the opening day of the HSBC SVNS Cape Town at DHL Stadium on Saturday as they lost all three their pool games, against France, Canada and the USA.
Unfortunately, the South Africans failed to replicate their strong start from last weekend in Dubai, with the experience of their opponents paving the way to big defeats for the host team, while their coaching team would not have been happy with the high number of missed tackles.
The Bok Women also missed several experienced players who were out due to injury, with their...
All Blacks Sevens need help to reach quarter-finals, while defending champions Samoa fail to qualify.
Defending Cape Town champions Samoa failed to qualify for the quarter-finals on a day of shocks on a hot and windy opening day of the second leg of HSBC SVNS 2024.
Samoa finished bottom of a tight Pool C, as New Zealand scraped into the quarter-finals as one of the best third-place finishers, and Canada sprang not one but two early surprises.
Ireland, too, rounded off the day with an unexpected win to confirm their place in the last eight, along with Argentina, Australia, hosts...
Australia hold-off a huge French fight-back to claim back-to-back titles with 29-26 win in epic women’s final, while Argentina produce a dominant display to beat Australia 45-12 in the men’s final
Australia women and Argentina men win HSBC SVNS Cape Town titles
Australia hold-off huge French fight-back to claim back-to-back titles with 29-26 win in epic women’s final
Argentina produce dominant display to beat Australia 45-12 in men’s final
Bronze medals for Fiji men and New Zealand women
Australia and Argentina lead the men’s and women’s HSBC SVNS 2024 standings respectively after two...
Boks to get wheels rolling with CT alignment camp
The Springboks will get the wheels in motion for the 2024 season in Cape Town in the first week of March with the first in-person coaches’ strategic session and a two-day alignment camp with a group of 43 players, which will mark the team’s first gathering following their Rugby World Cup triumph in France in 2023.
The coaching team, led by double Rugby World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus, will assemble in the Mother City on Monday 4 March, for two days where they will plot their plans for the 2024 season – which...
Boks to get wheels rolling with CT alignment camp
The Springboks will get the wheels in motion for the 2024 season in Cape Town in the first week of March with the first in-person coaches’ strategic session and a two-day alignment camp with a group of 43 players, which will mark the team’s first gathering following their Rugby World Cup triumph in France in 2023.
The coaching team, led by double Rugby World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus, will assemble in the Mother City on Monday 4 March, for two days where they will plot their plans for the 2024 season – which...
Polkadraai Farm Launches The Biggest Family-Friendly Bike Park In The Western Cape
The popular Polkadraai Farm, traditionally associated with strawberry picking and other fun activities, has expanded its entertainment offering with the launch of the biggest and most comprehensive family-friendly bike park in the Western Cape.
Spanning an area of 3.5 hectares, the Polkadraai Bike Park caters for riders of all ages and abilities – offering skills and flow trails as well as jump lines and a comprehensive technical zone that caters for all riders from beginners to professionals.
According to...
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and his coaching team were happy with the tone set for the 2024 international season and the relationships built between the players and coaching staff as they wrapped up their first alignment camp of the season in Cape Town on Thursday.
The camp – which marked the first of three Springbok alignment camps before the international season kicks off in June – started with a two-day strategic session with the coaches on Monday and Tuesday, while the coaches and strength and conditioning staff presented their plans and expectations to the invited players...
