De Jong Hails Appollis’ Impact on Pirates’ Success

Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder Andre De Jong has heaped praise on teammate Oswin Appollis for playing an instrumental role in the team’s success. ipl-today.in

Appollis has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with the Buccaneers, having scored 12 goals and registered nine assists in 43 appearances in all competitions.

He also played a crucial role in helping the Sea Robbers secure the treble as well as their first league title in 14 years.

De Jong believes Appollis’ technical quality and knack for producing match-winning contributions have been instrumental to the team’s success, with the Bafana Bafana international often taking responsibility and turning games in Pirates’ favour when it matters most.

“I think some of the goals he scored were from outside the box this season, I think the big thing about him is his backlift is minimal,” said De Jong on Extra Time on SuperSport as per IDiski Times.

“I think he can obviously strike a ball from basically a standing start as well.

“But yeah, his contribution to the team has been incredible. I think also in some big moments where he’s almost taken the team upon himself, taken it a bit between his teeth and turned the games for us.”

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À quelques jours du coup d’envoi de la Coupe du Monde 2026, la Tunisie poursuit sa préparation avec un rendez-vous de prestige face à la Belgique.

Les Aigles de Carthage affronteront les Diables Rouges ce samedi à 13h GMT en match amical, avec l’ambition de réaliser un exploit qu’ils n’ont plus accompli depuis plus de trente ans.

L’historique des confrontations entre les deux sélections reste relativement limité. En quatre rencontres officielles et amicales, la Tunisie compte une victoire, un match nul et deux défaites face à la Belgique. Leur dernier succès remonte au 26 février 1992, lorsque les Tunisiens s’étaient imposés 2-1 lors d’un match amical.

Un historique favorable aux Belges depuis 1992

Depuis cette victoire tunisienne, les Belges ont pris l’ascendant dans les confrontations directes. Les deux nations se sont quittées sur un score de parité (1-1) lors de la Coupe du Monde 2002. Douze ans plus tard, la Belgique s’était imposée 1-0 en match amical avant de confirmer sa supériorité lors du Mondial 2018 avec une victoire 5-2 en phase de groupes.

Cette rencontre de préparation représente donc une occasion pour les hommes de Sabri Lamouchi de mettre fin à une longue série sans victoire contre les Diables Rouges et d’envoyer un message fort avant le début du tournoi mondial.

Un test important avant le Mondial 2026

Qualifiée pour la Coupe du Monde 2026, la Tunisie évoluera dans un groupe F particulièrement relevé en compagnie des Pays-Bas, du Japon et de la Suède. Chaque match de préparation est donc crucial pour peaufiner les automatismes et évaluer le niveau de compétitivité de l’équipe.

De son côté, la Belgique figure dans le groupe G avec l’Égypte, la Nouvelle-Zélande et l’Iran. Habitués aux grandes compétitions, les Diables Rouges chercheront également à prendre confiance avant leur entrée en lice.

Ce duel entre Tunisiens et Belges promet ainsi un véritable test grandeur nature pour deux sélections déterminées à réussir leur Coupe du Monde 2026.

The post Tunisie – Belgique : 34 ans plus tard, les Aigles rêvent d’un nouvel exploit appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

South Africa’s top two schoolboy rugby teams will lock horns this weekend when Paarl Gimnasium host Paul Roos in what promises to be one of the biggest school rugby clashes of the 2026 season.

With both sides boasting identical records of 12 wins from 13 matches, Saturday’s encounter at the JA Kriel Field in Paarl could prove decisive in the race to establish the country’s leading first XV side.

READ | Updated SA schools rugby First XV rankings: Top 20

Dominated opponents

The two Western Cape giants have dominated opponents throughout the campaign, suffering just one defeat each.

Interestingly, both losses came at the hands of Stellenberg, who edged Paarl Gimnasium 20-19 earlier in the season before beating Paul Roos 20-10 in April.

Since then, neither side has tasted defeat.

Paul Roos head into the clash with impressive momentum after a commanding 68-3 victory over Bishops.

Their season has also featured notable wins over Affies, Garsfontein, Oakdale and Paarl Boys’ High.

The Stellenbosch outfit have combined attacking flair with defensive resilience, conceding 20 points or more in only three matches this year.

Stern examination

However, they will face a stern examination against a Paarl Gimnasium side that has been devastating on attack throughout the season.

The Gimmies have amassed an astonishing 645 points in 13 matches, averaging close to 50 points per game.

They have scored 40 points or more on 10 occasions and produced dominant victories against several traditional rugby powerhouses.

Among their standout performances were a 51-24 demolition of Affies in Pretoria, a 29-14 triumph over Grey College and last weekend’s emphatic 49-13 victory over Oakdale in Riversdale.

Excelled defensively

Like their rivals, Paarl Gimnasium have also excelled defensively, conceding 20 points or more only twice all season.

Recent history suggests little separates the two sides.

Paul Roos claimed a narrow 23-17 victory when the teams last met in Paarl in 2024, while Paarl Gimnasium responded with a 17-10 win in Stellenbosch last year.

With both teams in outstanding form and plenty at stake, Saturday’s clash has all the ingredients of a classic encounter between South Africa’s two premier rugby schools.

Kick-off is at 14:00 and the match will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Worth noting, Paul Roos have produced the most Springboks (56) by any school in South Africa, with Paarl Gimnasium in joint fourth place with 32.

Don’t be surprised in a number of players from both sides go on to don the green and gold jersey.

WEEKEND SCHOOLBOY RUGBY FIXTURES

WESTERN CAPE
Boland Landbou vs Paarl Boys’ High
Paarl Gimnasium vs Paul Roos
Rondebosch vs Milnerton
Stellenberg vs Bishops
Wynberg vs Bellville

EASTERN CAPE
Port Rex vs Queens
Kingswood vs Westering
Hudson Park vs Dale
Selborne vs St Andrews
Graeme vs Stirling
Daniel Pienaar vs Pearson

KWAZULU-NATAL
Kearnsey vs Maritzburg College
Westville vs Michaelhouse
Hilton vs Northwood

NOORDVAAL
EG Jansen vs Middelburg
Noordheuwel vs Rustenburg
Monument vs Garsfontein
Pretoria Boys vs Jeppe
Northcliff vs St Albans
St John’s vs St Benedict’s

Bordeaux Bègles president Laurent Marti says Springbok loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez should seriously consider retirement.

Du Preez joined the French club from the Sale Sharks ahead of the 2025-26 season, but has managed just three appearances for the back-to-back Investec Champions Cup winners.

The 30-year-old has not played since January after suffering a head knock and continues to battle concussion-related issues.

AFRICA PICKS: URC betting preview – Saturday semi-finals

Marti admits he is deeply concerned about Du Preez’s future in the game.

“I have serious doubts, but there are medical experts for that,” he told Sud Ouest. “If it were my son, I would ask him to stop because I’m very scared.

“It would be a huge loss for us because he’s exactly the kind of player who would have done us a lot of good.”

ALSO: Concussion lawsuit could collapse

Du Preez has endured a frustrating run of injuries and setbacks over the past two years.

He missed out on the 2023 World Cup squad and has not played a Test since facing Argentina in August that year.

Just when it appeared he was set to re-establish himself in the Springbok setup last year, illness ruled him out of the Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies in Cape Town before a knee injury sidelined him ahead of the clash against the All Blacks at Eden Park.

MORE: Boks get massive lock boost

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

The post Bordeaux president ‘very scared’ for Bok appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

The Blitzboks are still on course to defend their SVNS World Championship title despite suffering another loss in Bordeaux on Saturday.

South Africa went down 15-12 to Fiji in their third pool match – their second loss of the weekend after suffering a 19-14 extra-time defeat to Great Britain on day one.

Argentina’s loss to New Zealand meant they were out of the tournament and South Africa progressed to the quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams in their pool.

The Blitzboks will face Fiji again at 3:52pm SA time.

It was initially a bright start from the Blitzboks, with Tristan Leyds and Ricardo Duarttee carrying prominently. But back-to-back penalties allowed Fiji to get into the game and never looked like relinquishing control.

Apete Narongo and George Bose scored on either sides of a Shilton van Wyk try for the Blitzboks, to give the Pacific Islanders a 10-7 lead going into the break.

Within the first minute of the second half, Vuiviawa Naduvalo stretched the Fijians’ lead.

The penalty count kept mounting for the Blitzboks, as Fiji continued to press. But with their backs against the wall, Sebastian Jobb got a vital try for the South Africans to secure a losing bonus point.

Photo: David Van Der Sandt/Gallo Images

The post Blitzboks to face Fiji again appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.