The streets of Rio are suddenly visibly more patrolled as the 2016 Olympics burst into life, writes GARY LEMKE. Heavily armed military are on foot and in vehicles. Helicopter blades cut through the air as they hover in the sky, noticeably above Olympic Park where the athletes’ village is, and which houses a number of Games venues. […]

His trip to a debut Olympics delayed by a typhoon this week, South Africa’s sole badminton player will be looking for his own hurricane-sized upset next week. Based in Shenzhen, China, Maliekal finally arrived here on Wednesday afternoon after being set to leave Hong Kong on Monday afternoon. ‘There was a typhoon warning so I […]

STELLENBOSCH – Springbok coach, Allister Coetzee, said he is happy with the outcome of the rehabilitation and conditioning camp which finished on Thursday in Stellenbosch. A group of 19 selected players attended the four-day camp, which started on Monday at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport. The purpose of the camp was to ascertain first-hand the […]

As the Rio Olympics 2016 gets set for the Opening Ceremony tonight, the South African team has been boosted with a a brilliant show of support by a #GoTeamSA video launched by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) this morning. The video – with the SA national anthem as its soundtrack – reveals South Africans from […]

On a field in Durban, South Africa, in 2012, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira held a catapulting mate up in the air… and quite likely saved him from serious injury. His feat has become the stuff of legend and the video below has been watched over 1.3 million times! UPDATE: Beast retires from rugby. Beast’s heroic save […]

Congratulatory messages have poured in from around the country for South African National Cricket Team fast bowler Kagiso Rabada after he scooped a record-breaking six awards at the glittering Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards in Sandton last night. Rabada won the SA Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year, SA Players’ Player […]

A white guy’s dance moves at the University of Pretoria (Tuks), South African, have caught the attention of his fellow black compatriots and social media around the country. The video was first uploaded by Varsity Sports to Twitter last week, with a message: “Could this be @TuksSport #TeamCelebration when they score on Monday? #Iyachesa #VarsityFootball.” “This […]

When new Springbok coach Allister Coetzee met the South African national team at Cape Town International airport for their first team assembly under his guidance he had a surprise in store for them. As reported in SAPeople at the time, he instructed the Boks to hitchhike their way to the training camp in Stellenbosch rather than […]

For all those who missed Akani Simbine’s brilliant win in the 100m race at the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest yesterday, the South African athlete has uploaded a video of the race. (Watch below.) Writing on Facebook, Simbine said: “Unfortunately, my races were not televised. Here is a video of the 100m race from yesterday. Thank you for […]

South African golfer Ernie Els set aside protocol during the British Open on Thursday to show true sportsmanship and allow his longtime rival, Phil Mickelson from the USA, the best possible chance to make history. They were on the 18th green at Royal Troon in Scotland, and Mickelson – who already had eight birdies – had […]

Surfing in the same spot where he had a close encounter with a shark last year, Australian surfer Mick Fanning (35) won the J-Bay Open today in an emotional victory at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa… and this time he was joined by dolphins. The three time World Surf League (WSL) champion returned to the site of […]

As brilliant South African swimmer Chad le Clos prepares for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil – and the moment he will go head to head with Michael Phelps again – he has revealed what his focus on the #RoadToRio is in a very moving documentary – “Unbelievable”. (See Trailer below.) While his race against […]

Legendary South African golfer Gary Player has expressed disappointment in the high-profile golfers who have withdrawn from the Olympics next month in Brazil, which will mark golf’s historic return to the Games after 112 years. Speaking to the Golf Channel (see video below) the three-time Open champion – who is South Africa’s team captain – said he is […]

South African expat Jan Malan has taken on the world’s longest annual canoe and kayak race, held in Canada. He’s currently sitting in 9th position in a class of 21 solo racers! The Yukon River Quest began yesterday and ends on 3 July. Entrants from 94 teams will paddle 715km in what’s called the “race to the midnight […]

PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Oaxaca/Mexico (Saturday, June 25, 2016) – Grant “Twiggy” Baker (ZAF) claimed victory today at the Puerto Escondido Challenge, besting a field of 24 of the world’s best big wave surfers in towering 20-to-35 foot surf off the coast of Mainland Mexico’s Puerto Escondido. The first event of the 2016/17 World Surf League (WSL) […]

Ireland were determined to secure their first ever series win on SA soil… but the Springboks hung on and defeated Ireland 19-13 in Port Elizabeth today, bringing a Castle Lager 2-1 series victory to South Africa, an important first win for coach Allister Coetzee who has been under pressure and scrutiny in his new role. […]

Warren Whiteley (No 8) and Ruan Combrinck (wing) will make their first starts for the Springboks in the deciding third Test against Ireland in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. The inclusion of these two players are the only changes to the starting team announced by Springbok coach Allister Coetzee for the third Castle Lager Incoming Series […]

South Africans living and holidaying in Mauritius have been treated to a weekend of world class rugby as the World Club 10s event was held on the paradise island Saturday and Sunday… with KwaZulu-Natal’s Cell C Sharks winning bronze in the international competition. The Sharks finished third in their World Club 10s debut by beating the Italian […]

The Springboks bounced back with exhilarating play to beat Ireland in the second Test in the Castle Lager Incoming Series in Johannesburg, South Africa, today. After last week’s 20-26 loss to Ireland in the first of three Tests, the Springboks outwitted and outscored the Irish today with four tries to two, and a final score of 32-26. […]

Springbok pivot Pat Lambie has been ruled out of the second test match of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Ireland next weekend after being concussed in the series opener at DHL Newlands which Ireland won 26-20. Lambie was injured in a tackle that saw Irish flanker – and fellow South African – CJ Stander being […]

Actually it was more than just luck that helped Ireland secure a 26-20 win against South Africa at DHL Newlands in Cape Town today. With one man down, the 14-strong Irish team managed to outwit and outplay the Springboks with a gutsy game and determination to make history with their first win ever on South […]

The hashtag #LoveRugby will appear emblazoned on the back of the Springbok jersey in the first Test against Ireland in Cape Town, South Africa, today as SA Rugby (SARU) reclaims the “good story” they have to tell but which is not always heard. The Springboks kick off at 17h00 against Ireland at DHL Newlands in […]

Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of Muhammad Ali’s hometown Louisville, Kentucky, for his memorial today as a procession takes his body past sites that were significant in his life. Outside of America, there was perhaps no other continent as significant in his life as Africa. The American boxing legend had a deep connection with […]

In a joint statement Wednesday from SA Rugby and the ANC Youth League it was confirmed that plans to disrupt Springbok Test matches have been cancelled, as a result of “positive engagements between the two bodies”. ANC Youth League Secretary General Njabulo Nzuza said that although rugby still had much work to do, his organisation had […]

KAGISO RABADA led a strong performance with the ball for the Standard Bank Proteas as they opened their Tri-Nation One-Day International (ODI) series account with an emphatic 47-run bonus-point win over Australia at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on Tuesday. The right-arm paceman bowled with swing and precision to pick up an outstanding 3/13 […]