English
Indian
العربية
Español
Deutsch
Türkçe
Русский
Français (Afrique)
Yaqeen will take his shot to leapfrog Sacha
Following a whirlwind few months for club and country, flyhalf sensation Yaqeen Ahmed feels like he belongs in the Stormers No 10 jersey, reports DEVIN HERMANUS. sport-newz.biz
The 20-year-old made his Stormers debut in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry opener on 7 August at Cape Town Stadium after helping the Junior Springboks retain the Junior World Championship and representing SA A earlier this year.
With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu away on Springbok duty and deputy Jurie Matthee nursing his way back from injury, Ahmed has the inside track at 10 when the Stormers kick off the new Vodacom URC season against Connacht on 25 September.
ICYMI: Stormers reveal new jerseys
“When I got my chance [against the All Blacks], the first thing was to take it,” Ahmed told reporters on Tuesday, while showing off the 2026-27 Stormers home jersey. “Chances like this don’t come often, and if you miss this one, it might not come again.
“Being able to play against New Zealand wearing the No 10 jersey is really special.
“Having guys like Sacha, Jurie, Kyle Smith and Dominic [Malgas] around, it’s nice to be able to learn from them. It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting or on the bench.
“My goal going forward is to keep learning from Sacha and Jurie, and whatever chance I get, I’m going to want to take it.”
ROOS: All Blacks were a bit wide-eyed
On his Stormers bow and the way forward, he added: “It’s taken hard work to get to where I am. Now, I think it’s just about continuing to put in the work at training, and listening and learning.
“My dream club was always the Stormers … when I put this jersey on, it’s quite emotional. I feel like I belong here and I want to do the best I can while I’m here.”
The Wynberg Boys’ High prodigy also chatted about his time in the Bok camp, and the moment he shared from attack guru Tony Brown during the 20 June SA A-Zimbabwe clash.
“Coaches like Rassie [Erasmus], Tony Brown, you learn a lot from them but also the seniors there, like Siya [Kolisi]. You can take that knowledge back to the Stormers and help the guys.
“It definitely helped me, getting that experience and exposure to a pro environment.
“[Brown] was giving me a speech about being confident, [saying] ‘You’re there for a reason, they wouldn’t pick you if you weren’t good enough’.
“He said I must take in that moment, know what I need to do, and just enjoy myself and play my game.”
ICYMI: Stormers retain key players
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
The post Yaqeen will take his shot to leapfrog Sacha appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
OPINION: SA sport fans could be watching more live streams as SuperSport cuts costs
While local sport fans will continue to have full access to major sporting events on TV, it seems they are going to have to get used to watching less popular events on live streams.
After the French media giant Canal+ completed its acquisition of Multichoice earlier this year, it was reported that the new owners were eager to cut costs in order to improve profits.
Though it hasn’t been much of an issue yet, SuperSport subscribers have already started feeling the pinch, with the broadcaster opting not to purchase rights for the Winter Olympic Games earlier this year.
And rugby fans might not have access to Super Rugby Pacific games on television next season, with rumours suggesting SuperSport will not renew its broadcast deal.
While local sport fans might not be too concerned about these decisions – the small national team at the Winter Olympics were never going to be challenging for medals, and SA sides no longer compete in the Super Rugby competition – the decision by Canal+ to reduce production costs may already be hitting SA viewers closer to home.
No TV coverage of cricket series
The first match of the ongoing T20 International tri-series in Windhoek – featuring South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe – was scheduled to be shown on SuperSport, but the feed was cut during the opening game last week due to “major technical issues” and none of the remaining matches will be available on TV.
A SuperSport spokesperson said they were unable to provide further details, but it seems the broadcaster opted to take the feed from another company, rather than bidding for the primary broadcast rights and covering the extensive costs of sending its own crew to Windhoek.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean local cricket fans can’t watch. The International Cricket Council website has been streaming the games, while Cricket South Africa is streaming the remaining matches this week on one of its YouTube channels.
Again, this series is hardly critical for local cricket fans, with a second-string national side facing lower-ranked opposition.
But the fact that it’s not being broadcast on SuperSport is another indication that South Africans might need to become accustomed to watching some events via live streams, rather than higher quality broadcasts on TV.
Final World Cup push for Wallabies veteran
A Wallabies veteran is aiming to force his way into the national team for next year’s World Cup on home soil.
James O’Connor, 36, has signed a one-year deal with the Western Force, where he made his Super Rugby debut as a 17-year-old in 2008.
O’Connor joins the Force after leaving Leicester Tigers, having also played club rugby in France and New Zealand during a career that has taken him around the world.
MORE: Big shake-up for Super Rugby playoffs
The 68-cap Wallaby says he can’t wait for the season to kick off and to get the chance to prove his worth to Wallabies coach Les Kiss.
“I’m so excited to join the Force. It feels like a full-circle moment in my life,” O’Connor said.
“There’s a lot of good footy still left in me. I want to make the most of possibly my last year. I feel like my body is primed and my mind is ready.”
The 2027 World Cup will be played in Australia in October and November next year, giving O’Connor a potential final opportunity to add to his 68 Test appearances.
ALSO: Stormers reveal new jerseys
“It’s an incredible time in Australian rugby right now with the World Cup just around the corner,” he said.
“And this is an opportunity for me to go toe-to-toe with the best in Australia each week. I’m excited to bring my experience to this group. I’ve played all over the world for two decades. I’ve seen a lot of different programmes and a lot of different structures.”
– AFP
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
The post Final World Cup push for Wallabies veteran appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Sénégal : accord avec le FMI en vue d'un programme d'aide de plus de 2 milliards de dollars
Le FMI est parvenu à un accord avec le gouvernement du Sénégal en vue de la mise en place d'un programme d'aide "d'environ 2,2 milliards de dollars" pour la période 2026-2029, a annoncé le Fonds monétaire international. Cette annonce intervient près de trois ans après la suspension par l’institution de son dernier prêt, suite à la révélation par Dakar d’une dette cachée contractée par l’administration précédente. A Dakar, les précisions de Sarah Sakho.