PICK OF THE SPORT: Dylan Bettencourt writes that no sports fan should miss the intense battle of wits, skill and sheer physical power on Saturday morning as battle commences in the Rugby Championship.
Since the World Cup 10 months ago, four national rugby teams have been preparing for the Rugby Championship, which starts on Saturday morning.
This year, the Springboks are the favourites in this round-robin tournament, featuring the best southern hemisphere teams. All teams play each other twice in a short series over eight weeks.
The Springboks play Australia on the hard and dry pitch of the Suncorp Stadium, which makes for fast, open rugby. According to tradition, this suits the Wallabies best, but the Springboks know all about fast rugby – and the conditions may just suit young flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Can South Africa break the Brisbane curse, where the Wallabies have won 12 of the last 13 test matches?
The Argentinian Pumas will have to play out of their skins if they are to be successful against Scott “Razor” Robertson’s All Blacks.
The match is in Wellington – a tough place for visitors anyway, but who can stop a rampaging backline with Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a and Damian McKenzie?
Australia v South Africa Saturday 6.30am Brisbane.
New Zealand v Argentina Saturday 9.05am Wellington.
Both matches are live on DStv channel 211.
➤ The Paris Olympics ends this weekend after two weeks of ups and downs for Team South Africa.
The team won one more medal than in Tokyo in 2020, and the athletes will come home feeling somewhat proud, but they will feel they missed out on the action on the track.
Hamish Lovemore and Andy Birkett will compete in the men’s double kayak 500m semi-finals on Friday at 11.10am.
The chance for another medal remains as Jo-Ane van Dyk competes in the women’s javelin throw final on Saturday at 7.30pm.
Brian Raats will also have a shot at a medal when he competes in the men’s high jump final at 7pm.
The closing ceremony, which may be less controversial than the opening ceremony, will take place at 9pm on Sunday.
All the final Olympic action will be live on different DStv and SABC channels.
➤ Domestic football is back with the usual curtain raiser in the Community Shield – a tournament only taken seriously by the winners.
Nevertheless, it gives football fans the feeling that their favourite team will soon be back in action.
It’s a Manchester derby at Wembley in England as Manchester United faces Manchester City at 4pm.
Most teams treat this as their final preparations for the real deal when the Premier League returns next weekend.
The Community Shield will be live on DStv channel 203.
Pictured above: The Springboks.
Source: Springboks/X
