Innehållsförteckning för April 2025 från SA RUGBY

Thank you for celebrating SA Rugby magazine's 30th anniversary with us! Whether you're a first-time reader or an SA Rugby mag lifer, you're holding the latest issue of a publication that was launched in 1995, with none other than Stormers director of rugby John Dobson the inaugural editor. Managing editor Simon Borchardt has walked every step of the journey with SA Rugby magazine; first, as an avid reader in high school, and later as a writer and editor. Our paths first crossed in the early 2000s after Simon had been appointed editor and he graciously threw regular work my way as a freelance contributor. His passion for and commitment to this title is unrivalled, and he shares his experience of the evolution of the magazine over the years, a story…

THE FACE OF A WORLD CUP ‘Chester - Everything turns to green and gold' was the headline of the first SA Rugby magazine cover story. Paul Dobson wrote that Springbok coach Kitch Christie told Williams early on that he was not fast enough to be a Test wing. 'I believe in myself,' said Williams. ‘It’s not that much about speed. You must read the game. The better you can read the game, the quicker you can get there. James Small is faster than I am, but if I can look, see and think faster than he can, I can be three or four metres ahead of him. At one of the recent Springbok training camps, James and Pieter [Hendriks] beat me by only half a metre. I wonder what Kitch…

'We launched our new jersey in March, with the Cell C SA Rugby Legends wearing it for the first time in their 46-17 win against Boland Landbou Old Boys. WP Nel [left with Morgan Newman] played for Scotland for years, and wore a green and gold jersey for the first time - post-retirement - in this match, which was quite special. 'The new jersey has a fresh, more modern look. The old jersey had hoops, so for this one we went for a little bit of the gold fading into green. On the bottom right of the jersey, we have our slogan, printed very small, “Passing on the Passion”. That is what the SA Rugby Legends are all about. It’s not about the player who played the most Tests or…

MARK ANDREWS Formidably built, with great ball skills and impressive mobility, Andrews was a key figure in many of South Africa's finest triumphs between 1994 and the end of 2001, with his achievements including a World Cup winner's medal in 1995 and a Tri-Nations winner's medal in 1998. He would have been a challenger for any World XV selected during his era and was feared and respected by opponents. Andrews was equally adept as a lineout jumper as well as being physical and aggressive, often filling the role of Bok enforcer on the field of play. BAKKIES BOTHA The other half of the 'blood brothers', Botha was the grunt to Victor Matfield's guile. By the time Botha called time on his career, bloodied and grizzled, the two had amassed 57…

I will never forget the day I saw the first issue of SA Rugby magazine. After school, I walked down to the local café to get something to eat before rugby practice and there was Chester Williams - beaming at me from the magazine display stand. It was March 1995, the World Cup in South Africa was two months away, and Chester was the face of SAA's marketing campaign for the tournament. Now he was also on the cover of SA's new rugby magazine appropriately wearing a jersey in the colours of the new SA flag. I bought it - for R8.50! - and read it from cover to cover when I got home that evening. From then on, I collected every issue, riding to the shops on my bike…

FREE STATE STADIUM 'I made my Western Province debut against Northern Transvaal [Bulls] at the 1996 Test Unions Day in Bloemfontein. We were trailing when I came on with 10 minutes to go. I made my first tackle on No 8 Adriaan Richter, a huge man. He dropped the ball, Vlokkie Cilliers kicked it through and scored, and we went on to win the match. I also played for the WP team that beat Free State in Bloemfontein to lift the U21 trophy.’ KINGS PARK 'I had a great time playing for Western Province in Durban and we won the 2000 Currie Cup final there. When I played for the Sharks, we narrowly - debatably! - lost to the Bulls in the 2007 Super 14 final. We had a great…

BONGI MBONAMBI ‘Wishing you a speedy recovery my brother. I know you will be back soon.’ - The Sharks hooker visited teammate Trevor Nyakane after the veteran prop underwent ankle surgery. EVAN ROOS ‘Diep lekker.' - The Stormers No 8 celebrated with André-Hugo Venter after a derby victory over the Bulls at a drenched Loftus Versfeld. NEETHLING FOUCHÉ ‘Special win at Loftus.' - The Stormers prop with fellow Grey College old boys Dawie Snyman, André-Hugo Venter and Marcel Theunissen. BROK HARRIS 'Baie geluk met jou 150ste.' - The Stormers veteran congratulated front-row partner Frans Malherbe after his milestone appearance for the Cape franchise. JORDAN HENDRIKSE ‘Asbonge [thank you].’ - The Sharks fullback with Bradley Davids, Grant Williams, Yaw Penxe and Tiaan Fourie after their URC victory over the Bulls at…

Here's a rugby quiz question: Which South African team won the most Super Rugby titles? Easy, right? The Bulls won three and no other SA side got their hands on the trophy. Here’s another: Which South African team won the most Super Rugby conference titles? Much tougher, right? If you knew the answer - that the Stormers and Lions won three each - I’m impressed because I had to go look it up. From what I can recall, winning the SA conference in Super Rugby didn’t matter much, it was all about winning the tournament itself. So why does lifting the SA Shield in the United Rugby Championship seem to mean more to players and coaches, if not yet the fans? One reason, I think, is that Super Rugby’s format…

The photo shoot was a result of SA Rugby magazine’s desire to celebrate the Springboks’ centenary with something out of the ordinary and unique. I had spoken with Annelee Murray, the longtime Springbok head of public relations, about the possibility of a cover shoot featuring Madiba alongside Bok coach Jake White and Bok captain John Smit. Annelee and Zelda la Grange, who was Mandela’s long-serving private secretary, were good friends, and the two of them made the occasion possible. Even more significant, they arranged for a onceoff Springbok blazer to be tailored to the late president’s specs, which he would wear at the shoot. It was an incredible coup for SA Rugby magazine, but it would never have been possible without Zelda and Annelee. I am forever grateful to them.…

• The club plays primarily in white, and the team crest features a red hand within two rugby balls (the red hand being taken from the provincial flag of Ulster). • Ulster were the first Irish team to win the European Cup, beating French side Colomiers 21-6 in the final of the 1998-99 season. • Former Springbok assistant coach Alan Solomons is the second-most successful Ulster coach, with a win rate of 65% during his tenure between 2001 and 2004. • Scrumhalf/flyhalf Ruan Pienaar (right) and loose forward Marcell Coetzee both won the Pro14 Player of the Year award at Ulster. • Hooker Rob Herring became Ulster’s alltime appearance holder at the end of the 2022-23 season, when he reached 230 caps.…

• Slogan is 'Passing on the Passion’. • Biggest rugby development platform in the southern hemisphere. • With the support of key sponsors, Sarla runs the Vuka rugby programme countrywide and stages the national Hollywood Foundation iQhawe Week for U15 development teams. • The Cell C SA Rugby Legends team gives former players a chance to play classic matches in SA and around the world. • Organises charity events, golf days, auctions and national food drops. - Visit sarugbylegends.com…

Joan B Bowers One of the best moments ever! Cheslin Kolbe, you truly deserve this award! Congrats! Tanya Hansen Congratulations, Cheslin! You're an amazing player and a great inspiration to many young rugby players out there! Errol Williams The best we have! Brenda Porter When my husband was dying, my grandson came to see him. He plays rugby for his local club, got his first try and told his grandpa. My husband's words to him were, 'I hope you become a Cheslin Kolbe'. He passed away the next day. Congratulations, Cheslin. Maggs Blvd You would think that PSDT should win it as he was the world's best player in 2024. Thebza Nhanha Thought Ox might get it since props always get overlooked. Annette Singleton Congratulations, Kolbe. You are a hero…

What’s your earliest rugby memory? Playing U9 rugby [for Western Province Preparatory School] when we were still barefoot. Driving out early in the morning to Paarl, playing on a cold dewy field and getting pumped by Paarl Boys’. What’s your most memorable schools rugby experience? In Grade 9 [at Bishops], we had an early game on Paarl Gim’s main field. We knew it was going to be tough. We were winning 7-0 and had a period where we were defending for almost 20 phases. They managed to score in the last move and the match was drawn. In matric, we played Paul Roos and it was raining, which suited them more. We ended up pumping them. When did you realise you wanted to pursue a rugby career? There wasn’t a…

I cannot believe it has been 30 years since SA Rugby magazine was launched. I was involved from the beginning, thanks to an incredible creative bon vivant called Richard Whittingdale, a well-known sports publisher on the Cape Town scene. Until the 2000s, magazine editing and publishing was a big industry. It was trendy, it was happening and there were hundreds of print titles before the online revolution. Whitters was a debonair figure who had launched South Africa's Sports Illustrated. He claimed to be a sanctions-buster because he didn't have the licence from the US version. In 1994, he started SA Cricket Action. Brian Lara was the first cover, after scoring that 400 not out, and Whitters got my dad, Paul, to write a piece on him. I had just graduated from…

RUGBY COACH WEEKLY Supplied by www.youtube.com/@RugbyCoachWeekly GAME Don't get tagged! Use this quick-to-set-up game, including an easy-to-adapt playground element, with rewards and forfeits thrown in. By Tom Bowen-Hall, director of rugby, Mad Dog Sports. This is a game I will use at the start of sessions as a pulse raiser, sprint activation and to develop realistic evasion skills. It takes less than a minute to set up and can be played with three or more players. THE GAME You need three or more players, at least one ball and at least one ‘safe house’. Start with the players moving around the agreed pitch, catching and passing a rugby ball. This is a great opportunity to fine-tune some catch and pass skills without it being the main focus. On the whistle,…

Markus Muller came to national attention during his Grade 10 year at Paarl Gimnasium. His performances during the 2023 U16 Grant Khomo Week marked him out as one of the players to watch and he did not disappoint. Muller made the step up to 1st XV rugby with ease, scoring five tries in his first three games in the famous colours of Gim, including a hat-trick against near neighbours Boland Landbou in their first game of the season on the hallowed JA Kriel field. ‘MARKUS HAS ALL THE ATTRIBUTES TO BE ONE OF THE BEST U18 PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY THIS SEASON, IF NOT THE BEST -JAMES WINSTANLEY It was at the prestigious Wildeklawer Rugby Festival at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley where the outside centre really made scouts and schoolboy…