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Kolisi excited to end historic year with Barbarians dream

Siya Kolisi and Aphiwe Dyantyi have both come a long way in 2018. Now, they are aiming to close out a historic year with a victory for the Barbarians.

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Erasmus: Barbarians game 'gold' for World Cup prep

Rassie Erasmus says he is using the Barbarians match against Argentina Saturday as an extra opportunity to prepare for next year's Rugby World Cup.

Farrell Boks tackle was penalty, ref admits

Referee Angus Gardner has admitted that he was wrong not to penalise England co-captain Owen Farrell for his tackle on South African Andre Esterhuizen earlier this month.

Cricket

News and insights

Markram, Ngidi among SA Cricket Annual's Cricketers of the Year

The other three players named in the 2018 edition are Titans and South Africa fast bowler Junior Dala, Warriors captain and allrounder Jon-Jon Smuts and Lions batsman Rassie van der Dussen

Temba Bavuma joins Northamptonshire for 2019 Championship campaign

South Africa batsman heads for Wantage Road on a three-month contract for the 2019 season.

Injured Anrich Nortje leaves his imprint at MSL

The wickets of Amla and Bavuma aside, he impressed by often clocking close to 150kph

Mzansi Super League 2018

Wednesday double-header

Henry Davids lifts Paarl Rocks off the bottom

Opener smashes 25-ball 46 in a rain-shortened game to set the tone for the bowlers in a nine-over shootout

Elgar 79* off 52 as Spartans beat Stars

The South Africa opener made his career-best score in T20s to give his their second win in five matches

Hockey World Cup

Simranjeet brace as India thrash South Africa 5-0

Simranjeet Singh scored a brace as India thrashed South Africa 5-0 in their first pool match of the Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

Fireworks and fiery words light up Bhubaneswar

Bollywood stars made up a glamourous opening ceremony while coach Harendra Singh delivered a bold press conference ahead of the Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

Banyana at AWCON

Banyana made sure to 'get the job done' - Ellis


South Africa head coach Des Ellis says her team prepared with all their might to face Mali, rather than risk missing out on the Women's World Cup.

Banyana make history with World Cup qualification

South Africa ended years of heartbreak with a 2-0 Africa Women Cup of Nations semi-final victory over Mali to qualify for the World Cup.

Backpage Pix

CAF Competitions

Chiefs can use Confederation Cup to change mood at Naturena



The 2018 CAF Confederation Cup is not yet over but already the new campaign starts in the continent's secondary knockout competition on Tuesday.

New CAF Champions League season set for lift-off this week

The switch in calendar for the CAF Champions League means an earlier start for the 2018-19 competition.

Telkom Knockout

Semi-finals

Baroka stun Wits to seal first cup final appearance

Baroka FC caused a major upset with a 1-0 Telkom Knockout semi-final victory over defending champions Bidvest Wits on Sunday.

Chiefs' Soweto derby loss no surprise

Chiefs have now gone 11 games without a win against Pirates, a new Soweto Derby record for either side.

Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs 1-2 Orlando Pirates: Player Ratings

How did the Chiefs and Pirates players fare in Saturday's Soweto Derby?

Mzansi Super League

MSL gets 3.4m viewers on opening weekend

While gate receipts have been lukewarm, the TV numbers spell out hope for Cricket South Africa

Mendis four-for in vain as Nelson Mandela Bay Giants win rain-hit match

The arrival of a highveld thunderstorm, and the threat of lightning that came with it, brought the first game of the Sunday double-header to a premature end

Bjorn Fortuin and Faf du Plessis take Paarl Rocks to their first win

The left-arm spinner's 4 for 15 helped the Rocks bowl Blitz for 140 before du Plessis steered the chase with his 39-ball 54

Strength, depth, wins: Why Wales had rugby's best November

A clean sweep in November showed just how much Wales will challenge for honours in Warren Gatland's final 12 months in charge.

Wales complete first-ever November sweep

Wales notched up a ninth consecutive Test victory by defeating South Africa in Cardiff thanks to two first-half tries.

Pro14

Mixed results for SA Teams

Connacht secure bonus-point success over Kings

Connacht Rugby scored four tries to secure a 31-14 bonus-point victory over South Africa's Southern Kings in their PRO14 clash at the NMU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

Cheetahs edge Benetton for second win

The Cheetahs came from behind to record a 31-25 bonus-point win over an under-strength Benetton their PRO14 clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Mzansi Super League

Day 5

Malan, bowlers maintain Blitz's unbeaten run

Malan's rapid fire 57 set the tone for a competitive 175, before the bowlers, led by Dale Steyn, rallied to defend a revised target of 145 after floodlight failure reduced the chase to 16 overs

Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Abbott, Morkel star in Durban Heat's first win

Albie Morkel's 12-ball 26 on a sluggish surface helped Heat nudge ahead of the DLS par score; Abbott set it up with a four-for

Nelson Mandela Challenge

Bafana rescue draw against Paraguay

Baxter praises SA fighting spirit vs. Paraguay

South Africa coach Stuart Baxter has praised the fighting spirit of his players after they secured a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Paraguay.

Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Bafana grab late draw against Paraguay

South Africa scored in the dying seconds to claim a 1-1 draw with South American visitors Paraguay in the Nelson Mandela Challenge on Tuesday.

Banyana at AWCON

Nigeria victory a stepping stone to WC - Jane

South Africa's opening AWCON victory over Nigeria should set the tone for Banyana to qualify for the World Cup, according to Refiloe Jane.

Nigeria's defeat to Banyana is no surprise

Banyana Banyana defeating the Super Falcons in the Africa Women Cup of Nations on Sunday came as little surprise to fans of either side.

Cycling

Africa's Team gear up for 2019

Africa's Team has grand ambitions for 2019

Following a season to forget, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka have their eyes determinedly set on the road to success in 2019.

Recapping Team DiData's season to forget

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka can finally move on from a forgettable year of bad luck, injury, and illness.

Africa's Team backs continent's newest teams

South Africa have three new UCI-registered teams, and members of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka couldn't be happier with the increase in continental competition.

Mzansi Super League

Day 3

Tshwane Spartans win high-scoring thriller by one run

Gihahn Cloete's 80 had carried the visiting side to 203 for 5, but Cameron Delport's 73 ensured Paarl Rocks were in the game till the very end

Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Asif Ali's 33-ball 80 stuns Durban Heat

The Pakistan batsman launched a savage assault to revive a sinking Cape Town chase, after Durban had recovered to 157 despite a four-wicket burst from Anrich Nortje

Erasmus hails Boks' maturity in Murrayfield win

Rassie Erasmus has credited the Springboks' improved poise in tight matches for their 26-20 victory over Scotland.

Springboks get smart to shut down flying Scots

Just as Scotland were showing why they are one of the most entertaining sides in world rugby, South Africa shut them down to show why they are one of the world's best.

South Africa see off Scotland challenge

South Africa won a thrilling encounter against Scotland at Murrayfield, with Handre Pollard scoring 18 of their 26 points.

Five takeaways from Nigeria's draw in South Africa

We bring you five observations from Nigeria's point of view after the Super Eagles played to a 1-1 AFCON qualifying draw in South Africa.

Rohr won't dwell on offside goals after qualification

Coach Gernot Rohr would not dwell on two disallowed goals against South Africa as he celebrated Nigeria's qualification for the 2019 AFCON finals.

Samuel Kalu 8/10 as Super Eagles qualify for AFCON

Who were Nigeria's key men as they held South Africa 1-1 on Saturday to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations?

Proteas on tour

Men win only T20I, women suffer World T20 KO

South Africa win rain-affected one-off T20I

2:45

Morris and Shamsi impress as South Africa extend Australia's misery

A torrential downpour on the Gold Coast dampened the mood before South Africa inflicted Australia's third loss in four matches

Shrubsole, Sciver heroics knock South Africa out

Anya Shrubsole took a hat-trick while Natalie Sciver finished with incredible figures of 3 for 4 as England sealed their semi-final berth in the 2018 World T20

Absa Premiership

Moses Mabhida vandals await sentencing

Nine individuals found guilty of public violence at Moses Mabhida Stadium back in April face an anxious wait for their sentencing on December 12.

'Mourinho deserves medal of honour at Utd'



Benni McCarthy says he looks no further than the methods of his former boss Jose Mourinho when gauging the great managers of the world.

Three coaches exit SA clubs in 24 hours



It has been a rough 24 hours for coaches of professional clubs in South Africa with three losing their jobs ahead of the international window.

AB de Villiers interview

Cricket

Who made this schedule? I'm loving it

AFP

'Excited' de Villiers to captain Tshwane Spartans in MSL

"I believe I'm a decent man-manager when it comes to understanding players' strengths and weaknesses," he said

Athletics

Semenya: Fight with IAAF 'no longer about me'

Caster Semenya said her fight with the IAAF over governing acceptable levels of testosterone among female athletes is "no longer about me."

Wayde van Niekerk steps up comeback plans

Wayde van Niekerk has stepped up his training programme as looks to return from a knee injury which has ruled him out of action for a year.

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