Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says he is “lucky coach’ because of the quality of players he has at his disposal at the Buccaneers. The Spaniard said this after Pirates made it five wins in five games in all competitions with a 2-0 win over Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership match on Wednesday. READ MORE: Mabasa double helps Pirates see off Cape Town City Tshegofatso Mabasa scored a brace as the Buccaneers mesmerized the Citizens in front of a packed Cape Town Stadium. Pirates Jose Riveiro made six changes to the squad that beat Royal AM 4-0 in the previous game. But the Buccaneers stil ..read more

It’s become a familiar and most welcome pose for Orlando Pirates supporters – Tshegofatso Mabasa, arms outstretched in front of the Ghost, celebrating another goal. The 27 year-old was at it again in Cape Town on Wednesday, netting a brace as the Buccaneers finally won at Cape Town City and kept up the pace in their pursuit of a place in next season’s Caf Champions League. Mabasa has been superb since rejoining the Buccaneers this year, recalled by Pirates from a loan spell at Moroka Swallows. Evidence Makgopa was the main man in attack for Pirates before the Christmas break. The 23 year-old w ..read more

A second half brace by Tshegofatso Mabasa was enough to earn Orlando Pirates a 2-0 win over Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership match at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday. ALSO READ: Johnson praises ‘inquisitive’ Rulani ahead of Chiefs-Sundowns Mabasa might have scored the goals for Pirates, but the star of the show was Relebohile Mofokeng who was not only a nuisance in the City defence, but also supplied both assists for Mabasa’s goals. Mabasa, however, got the nod for the Man of the Match award in the end. Pirates dominated the ball possession from start to finish, but they failed to create a ..read more

Junior Springboks captain, prop Zachary Porthen, says the team intends to make a statement in their opening Under-20 Rugby Championship clash with New Zealand on Thursday at the Sunshine Coast Stadium (9am kick-off), in Australia.  As this is the inaugural junior Rugby Championship, Porthen and Co will be the first group to participate, and they want to leave their mark.  The Under-20 Rugby Championship was established by Sanzaar following the struggles of Southern Hemisphere juniors in last year’s Under-20 Rugby World Cup in Cape Town.  The competition is ai ..read more

South Africa’s Sharks will become their country’s first team to play in a European Cup semi-final when they take on French side Clermont Auvergne at London’s Twickenham Stoop Stadium in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with kick-off at 1.30pm. John Plumtree’s Sharks team have hit good form of late after initially struggling in the United Rugby Championship and are now just two wins away from lifting a major European club rugby title. The winner of the match will take on the victor between Gloucester and Benetton. Here are some of the major facts and figures you need to know about the game in Lon ..read more

While pace bowler Anrich Nortje and all-rounder Marco Jansen have not been able to show form in recent weeks, Proteas coach Rob Walter has defended their selections for next month’s T20 World Cup. One of the quickest bowlers in the world, Nortje has struggled to hit his straps after returning from a long-term back injury. He has taken just six wickets in seven games for Delhi Capitals during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament, at an average of 42.00 and an economy rate of 13.36. Jansen, meanwhile, hasn’t had a chance to prove himself after playing only one game in the last seve ..read more

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Cavin Johnson has been impressed by the development of his former prodigy Rulani Mokwena, as he prepares to face the Sundowns mentor in a DStv Premiership clash at FNB Stadium on Thursday evening. Back in 2009, Mokwena was a coach of the Under-19 side at Platinum Stars, where Johnson was Head of Youth. The 37 year-old Mokwena has come a long way since then, and is now in his first full season as solo head coach at Masandawana. Sundowns are set to lift the DStv Premiership title for the seventh time in a row, and are even on course for an ‘invincible’ season, having not ..read more

Thalente Mbatha has revealed his delight after netting his first goal for Orlando Pirates last weekend. ALSO READ: Pirates provide shock injury update on Thabiso Lebitso Mbatha, who is on loan at Pirates from SuperSport United, scored the second goal in Bucs’ 4-0 win over Royal AM 4-0 in their DStv Premiership game at Harry Gwala Stadium last Sunday. Patrick Maswanganyi, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Kabelo Dlamini netted the other goals for Pirates. “It was a great feeling,” Mbatha told the Pirates media. “It is actually a dream come true scoring my first goal for Orlando Pirates. I must thank ..read more

Kaizer Chiefs captain Given Msimango says Amakhosi will give Mamelodi Sundowns a guard of honour if Masandawana have won the DStv Premiership title by the time the two sides meet at FNB Stadium on Thursday. Sundowns will win the title for a seventh consecutive season if they can beat Amakhosi, but will have won it already by kick off if Stellenbosch lose at home to Golden Arrows on Wednesday. That could lead to the possibility of Chiefs paying tribute to their rivals before kick off. “We are professionals. I think while the team (Kaizer Chiefs) was at its highest point and winning things a lot ..read more

Conditions will be difficult to predict and could be somewhat of a leveller, says national limited overs coach Rob Walter, as the Proteas prepare for an “exciting” tournament at the T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies in June. South Africa have been drawn against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal in the opening round, in Group C. They will play their first three matches at Nassau Country International Cricket Stadium in New York, a temporary venue which is being constructed for the tournament. “It’s incredibly exciting going to a new venue th ..read more