In the spotlight: Six Springboks out to impress against Scotland

The Springboks coaching team have given a large number of their fringe brigade a chance to impress against a quality tier one opponent in Scotland, when the two sides meet in their Nations Championship match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (kick-off 5:40pm). biznow.biz

A number of these players have been a part of the Bok system for the past few years, but have found chances hard to come by, and most have only had a brief chance to show what they are capable of against weaker opposition.

Against Scotland they now have a golden opportunity to prove their worth, and get themselves into the frame for possible selection to the Boks’ World Cup squad next year.

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Here are six players who will be eager to impress:

Embrose Papier

Embrose Papier isn’t exactly a fringe player, but rather an outsider, as he has not even been given a sniff over the past few years, despite his top franchise form for the Bulls. Papier made his Bok debut when Rassie Erasmus first took over back in 2018 and made seven appearances that year.

Since then he hasn’t been given another shot, and it has taken eight years for him to finally receive his eighth cap. The scrumhalf will now look to take this chance with both hands, and prove that he deserves to be in the squad going forward.

Evan Roos

Much has been said about Evan Roos and Erasmus not placing much trust in the Stormers’ star eighthman, but he can now silence his detractors with a big performance against Scotland and their strong back row.

Roos made his Bok debut against Wales back in 2022, but has played sporadically since then and only has eight caps to his name. He has played against big teams, including England, Australia and Argentina, but has not become a regular. If he can impress now, he could get himself into the picture.

Cobus Wiese

Utility forward Cobus Wiese made his Springbok debut last year, and with his utility value looked to be in Erasmus’ plans, but he ended up playing just two games and was then left out of the mix. He made his debut off the bench against Italy and a week later started against Georgia at eighthman.

Wiese didn’t get another chance, and he now finally gets that opportunity to prove he belongs, with him starting at lock on Saturday. What makes the opportunity even bigger is the fact there are big injury concerns among the locks, so if he can impress, he could secure a long-term spot.

Ntuthuko Mchunu

Stormers loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu has enjoyed a stellar season for the Stormers and has been rewarded with another chance to force himself into the regular Bok picture. Mchunu made his Bok debut in the same match as Roos, against Wales in 2022, but has only played two Tests since then.

Mchunu hasn’t performed poorly, he’s just in an incredibly competitive department, but if he can transfer his franchise form to the international stage, he will definitely become a regular feature. He has a huge opportunity to show his class against Scotland, especially with Ox Nche injured.

Vincent Tshituka and Quan Horn

Both Sharks utility forward Vincent Tshituka and Lions utility back Quan Horn have similar Springbok experiences. Both have been around the system over the past couple of years, but neither has received a proper opportunity.

Tshituka picked up his sole Bok cap playing the full 80 minutes against Italy at Loftus last year, while Horn’s only Bok cap came from a 16-minute cameo off the bench against Portugal in 2024.

Both will only have a limited chance to impress, off the bench against Scotland, but will hope it is enough to earn another look in over the course of the coming season.

Après sa victoire 2-0 contre le Maroc jeudi soir à Boston, la France est la première nation qualifiée pour les demi-finales de la Coupe du monde. L’Espagne, la Belgique, la Norvège, l’Angleterre, l’Argentine et la Suisse espèrent rejoindre les Bleus dans le dernier carré. Sur les réseaux sociaux la tension est montée d'un cran, la désinformation aussi. Les infox ciblent notamment les deux légendes du football, Cristiano Ronaldo et Lionel Messi.

Les internationaux guinéens ont marqué les tours préliminaires des compétitions interclubs de l’UEFA ce jeudi. Alors que la saison 2026-2027 n’a pas encore démarré dans la plupart des grands championnats européens, plusieurs Guinéens se sont illustrés en Europe. Algassime Bah a marqué dès ses débuts avec le Dinamo Tbilissi, Momo Yansané s’est offert un but et une passe décisive avec le Pyunik Erevan, tandis que Naby Keïta s’est distingué par une passe décisive sous les couleurs du Ferencváros TC.

Engagé en tour préliminaire, le Ferencváros TC est allé s’imposer sur la pelouse du FK Vojvodina (2-1). Titulaire, Naby Keïta a signé une prestation solide en offrant la passe décisive sur le but du break inscrit à la 86e minute.

De son côté, le FC Alashkert a partagé les points avec Yelimay Semey (1-1). Aligné d’entrée, Momo Fanyé Touré a disputé 77 minutes avant de céder sa place.

Le Dila Gori a pris le dessus sur le SS Virtus (3-1), notamment grâce à un but de Mohamed Kanté inscrit à la 68e minute.

Le Bohemians FC a parfaitement entamé sa campagne européenne en dominant St Joseph’s (2-0). Entré en jeu en seconde période, Sadou Diallo s’est illustré en délivrant la passe décisive sur le deuxième but de son équipe.

La performance la plus aboutie est venue d’Arménie, où le Pyunik Erevan s’est largement imposé sur la pelouse de Marsaxlokk (3-0). Titulaire, Momo Yansané a ouvert le score sur penalty juste avant la mi-temps avant de délivrer une passe décisive à la 51e minute, contribuant largement au succès des siens.

Enfin, Algassime Bah a réussi des débuts idéaux sous les couleurs du Dinamo Tbilissi. Pour son premier match officiel avec son nouveau club, l’attaquant guinéen a inscrit le premier but de son équipe lors de la victoire face à l’US Mondorf-les-Bains (2-1).

A. Diouma Bah

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The strong rugby bond between South Africa and Georgia was further strengthened when the Junior Springbok assistant coaches hosted a highly successful coaching seminar at the team’s hotel in Tbilisi.

The seminar, aligned with World Rugby’s legacy initiatives, focused on the fundamentals of forward and set-piece play.

The proceedings were opened by SA Rugby Union (SARU) Deputy President, Mr Francois Davids, who set the tone by highlighting the warm relationship and growing cooperation between SA Rugby and the Georgian Rugby Union.

The two nations regularly clash at age-group level, frequently arranging fixtures to maximize playing opportunities for their Under-18 and Under-20 players. Notably, the Junior Springboks travelled to Georgia for a two-match series last year and again earlier this year as part of their preparations for the Junior World Championship.

Georgia also sent teams to South Africa to compete in the SA Rugby U20 International Series in May this year, and last August in the U18 International Series, while their senior men’s team played Tests against the Springboks in South Africa in 2021 and 2025.

“Our countries share a special relationship, and the coaches and staff of both teams have come to know each other very well through our regular engagements over the past two years,” commented Junior Bok forwards coaching consultant Barend Pieterse.

“The local coaches present today were a remarkably enthusiastic group, and their passion for the game was evident in every interaction.”

The seminar was presented by Pieterse, a former Springbok lock with extensive international coaching experience. Presenting alongside him was Lumumba Currie, the Junior Boks’ assistant coach who was part of the coaching staff that guided the SA U20s to a world title in Italy last year.

The masterclass focused heavily on the technical aspects of lineouts, scrums, and mauls. Pieterse said: “It was no surprise to us that the local coaches were so eager to dive into the set-piece aspects of the game. Both Georgian and South African rugby identity is built on a love for the physical battle. The scrum, lineout, and maul are vital to how both nations play.”

Currie added that initiatives such as the seminar were an important way of giving back to the wider rugby community.

“Rugby continues to grow when coaches and players are prepared to share ideas and learn from one another,” said Currie.

“We have always enjoyed our visits to Georgia and the relationships that have developed over the years. Hopefully, sessions like these can play a small role in helping to grow the game even further.”

The local Georgian coaches expressed their immense gratitude to the South African coaching staff for their openness and the valuable technical knowledge shared during the session.

Georgia Rugby Union coaching development manager George Nozadze said the seminar provided a valuable learning opportunity for the local coaching community.

“We have tremendous admiration for South African rugby, and to be part of a session like this was a real privilege,” said Nozadze, who is also the Georgia Sevens coach.

“It was an outstanding masterclass, and we gained a great deal from the technical discussions, particularly around the lineout and maul, which are areas of the game that Georgians are especially passionate about.

“Our coaches will leave inspired by what they have learnt and motivated to apply those lessons within their own environments. We would like to thank the Junior Springbok coaching staff for their generosity, openness, and willingness to share their knowledge.”

While making a meaningful contribution off the field, the Junior Boks’ attention now turns firmly to their Junior World Championship semi-final against England on Monday evening in Tbilisi. The match starts at 18h30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Meanwhile, World Rugby has announced the match officials for Monday’s two semi-final matches in Tbilisi. The SA U20 encounter with England will be refereed by Kevin Bralley of France, while the other semi-final between France and New Zealand is set to be handled by George Selwood of England.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

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France forward Ousmane Dembélé credited captain Kylian Mbappé for helping create the chance that led to his goal in their 2-0 FIFA World Cup quarter-final victory over Morocco.

Les Bleus booked their place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-finals.

Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé at Gillette Stadium fired Didier Deschamps’ side into the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

Dembélé hailed Les Bleus’ focus and determination after booking their place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

“We’re very happy. We were really focused on this match.

“This is my third World Cup semi-final with the French team. It’s pure joy, pure pleasure.

“We’re going to stay focused on what’s coming next. Two or three minutes before my goal, Kylian [Mbappe] told me to stay central. He made a great run that opened up the path for me.

“I really wanted to get the shot on target and see it go in. I’m happy.”

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