Makazole Mapimpi (C) of South Africa celebrates scoring his side’s fourth try with his team mates during the international match between Japan and South Africa at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium on September 6, 2019 in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)
Latest sports news and fixtures, Saturday 21 September
The Rugby World Cup dominates sport today but SA football lovers can also look forward to a full round of PSL matches.
Makazole Mapimpi (C) of South Africa celebrates scoring his side’s fourth try with his team mates during the international match between Japan and South Africa at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium on September 6, 2019 in Kumagaya, Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)
The Rugby World Cup bursts into the lives of South African rugby fans and headlines our look at the latest sports news and fixtures.
Latest sports news and fixtures today, 21 September
Rugby World Cup 2019
Australia 39-21 Fiji at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo – 06:45
Australia weathered an early Fijian storm to pick up a bonus point win to start their RWC campaign.
France 23-21 Argentina at Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo – 09:15
France held off a second-half fightback from Argentina but needed a late drop goal to retake the lead and were lucky not to give away a goalable penalty for offside after the hooter.
All Blacks vs Springboks at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama City at 11:45
The game everyone has been looking forward to for months is upon us and we are mere hours away from seeing the Springboks lock horns with the old enemy the All Blacks on the grandest stage of them all.
The Springboks name an unchanged match 23 from the warm-up match against Japan, their lineup is settled with 22 of the players having started four of the five tests played this season.
Premier Soccer League
Chippa United v Bloemfontein Celtic, 15:00 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Chippa United welcome Bloemfontein Celtic to the Friendly City with every intention of being inhospitable.
Both clubs are languishing in the bottom half of the log after a slow start to the season but Chippa can draw level with Celtic if they can win the match.
Polokwane City v SuperSport United, 15:00 at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane
Polokwane City will be eager to bounce back from elimination from the MTN 8 against the club now favoured to win that trophy, Supersport United.
Supersport beat defending PSL Champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their MTN 8 semi-final second leg earlier this week.
Stellenbosch v Black Leopards, 15:00 at Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Stellies set their sights on the now coachless Black Leopards in a bid to plot their way up the PSL ladder and avoid going straight back down to the NFD in their first top-flight campaign.
Lionel Soccoia was fired arlier this week.by Leopards after a poor start to the season.
Mamelodi Sundowns v Maritzburg United, 18:00 at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Attridgeville
Pitso Mosimane said Sundowns need to focus on their next challenge after being humbled by SuperSport United in the MTN 8 earlier this week.
His siade face a dangerous Maritzburg United who have played better than their two-point haul suggests.
Bidvest Wits v Orlando Pirates, 20:15 at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Orlando Pirates will look to continue their league resurgence when they travel to face Wits at the unfamiliar venue of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in Saturday’s late PSL fixture.
Wits have been forced to move after it was ruled that the University-based venue is not up to standards for larger crowds.
Latest sports news
The Kenya Rugby Union announced the appointment of Kiwi Paul Feeney as technical director.
In his role the former Stormers assistant coach will head Kenya’s Shujaa programme and also support the country’s national teams – Simbas, Chipu and Lionesses – in areas of skills and defence.
South African Moto2 rider Brad Binder will be backing the Springboks from Spain where he is competing on the international racing circuit.
“I tell you what: I am going to show my support for the Boks this weekend and during the World Cup,” Binder told redbull.com.
“I’m going to find a little green and gold to put on my helmet and or my leathers. It’s a small thing, but, as I said, I am a proud South African. It will be good to let the world know that.
“Last weekend in Misano was insanely hard. I started off great, and then crashed on the first lap of FP1 and that pretty much set the tone for my weekend, which wasn’t good. We tried a lot of things throughout the weekend, we worked hard, but we never had the pace, so sixth place was as good as we could get on the day.
“Aragon is the third GP in Spain. There are four on the calendar in total. Spain is a seriously motorbike-racing-mad country. Motorbike racing in Spain is like rugby for South Africans. That pretty much sums it up. So many Spanish GP fans turn out on race weekend. There are thousands. Racing is a culture here, it’s not just a sport.
“Aragon is a track I have done really well on in the past and I have great memories. I won the Moto3 World Championship here in 2016, which is a great highlight in my career. I won here last year. I was quick here in 2017 on the Moto2 bike, finishing fifth after starting from 20th on the grid.”
The South African men’s 2019/2020 hockey squad was announced on Friday with a firm eye on the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.
The Springbok team will carry the image of 1995 Rugby World Cup winner, Chester Williams, on their jersey in Saturday’s Pool B opener against New Zealand in Yokohama.
