Cheslin Kolbe ruled out of Baltimore Test after breaking jaw

Springbok star Cheslin Kolbe will miss South Africa’s final Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore after suffering a broken jaw during the Boks’ 29-24 victory at FNB Stadium.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed the extent of Kolbe’s injury following the match, ruling the speedster out of the upcoming Test in the USA. newssport.cv

Kolbe will remain in South Africa for further medical evaluation and recovery while the rest of the squad travels for the North American leg.

Kolbe forced off early against All Blacks

Kolbe sustained the injury in the ninth minute of the match while making a defensive tackle inside the Springboks’ 22-metre line.

He subsequently left the field for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) and did not return to the match.

It was later confirmed that he had suffered a broken jaw.

Kolbe has since shared an update from hospital, thanking supporters for their messages and support.

Springboks adjust squad for Baltimore

The Springboks will now have to prepare for their final meeting with New Zealand without one of their key backline players.

There is some positive news for Erasmus, however, with Damian Willemse and Canan Moodie returning to fitness and available for selection.

Their return provides additional options in the backline as the Boks prepare for the final Test.

Herschel Jantjies joins travelling squad

Scrum-half Herschel Jantjies has also been added to the travelling squad for the North American leg.

His inclusion gives the Springbok management additional flexibility, allowing Grant Williams to provide extra cover on the wing following Kolbe’s injury.

The Springboks head to Baltimore having already secured the four-Test series against the All Blacks following their 29-24 victory at FNB Stadium.

They will now have to complete the series without Kolbe as he begins his recovery in South Africa.

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Steve Hansen and Ewen McKenzie say the Springboks’ set-piece dominance in Joburg on Saturday meant New Zealand’s attacking skills simply weren’t enough.

They were speaking on the Rugby Unity podcast after the Boks’ 29-24 win at FNB Stadium, a result that put South Africa 2-1 up in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series ahead of this Saturday’s finale in Baltimore.

Hansen felt the All Blacks’ second-half scoreboard chase cost Dave Rennie’s men dearly.

ALSO: All Blacks coach tired of the same story

“They had to [chase the game], because they got too far behind on the scoreboard, and you’re not going to beat the Boks until you can get parity at scrum time and you can get decent ball in the lineout,” the former All Blacks coach said.

“A lot of the times we were having to go to the front and it was messy or ugly, and you’re letting them get a free shot at you from the back with their defensive system the way it is.

“We’ve got until next year, the World Cup, to get those things right, and I think we will. Once we do that, then we’re right in the hunt.”

EX-ALL BLACKS: Boks thrive on pressure

McKenzie pointed to the same scrum imbalance but was equally taken by the Kiwis’ running rugby, even as Ardie Savea’s injury disrupted their shape late on.

“The points difference and the scrum was very good for them [the Boks], and their scramble defence. They got up in their [All Blacks’] faces,” the ex-Wallabies boss said.

“But New Zealand, some of the attacking footy they played at times was as good as you’ll see. The skill execution was brilliant but not good enough to win the game, unfortunately.

“Losing Savea was probably important from a leadership point of view … They probably lost a bit of composure right at the death.”

ALSO: ‘Humble’ Kiwis look for scrum quick fix

Hansen viewed the same passage of play as a lesson New Zealand can carry forward.

“That 10-minute mark, and this will be a great learning for this team, you can’t go scoreboard-focused because it creates an outcome pressure that you don’t need.

“You just have to say, ‘What do I need to do right now, right here?’

“We probably wasted five of those 10 minutes worrying about the scoreboard … Wanting to win is not a bad thing, but you’ve just got to be in control.”

Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

The post Hansen: All Blacks not in the hunt up front appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena admits his side failed to make the most of their chances, despite securing the win over Golden Arrows.

The Brazilians secured their fourth consecutive victory in the Betway Premiership following their 2-1 win over Golden Arrows.

Mokoena scored the winning goal as his side walked away with all three points at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.

The Sundowns midfielder believes the Brazilians’ attacking play needs to improve in the final third after they created several opportunities.

“I think we played really well, it was a difficult game,” Mokoena told Sundowns TV.

“I think we had a good first-half, second-half we played well in patches and I think if we can fix our final third actions then we could score a lot of goals.

“Overall, it was a nice game for the fans and not a nice game for us.

“It’s very tough because they know what we do and we tried to come up with a different strategy in the second half.

“I think on the counter-attack we did really well because we had a lot of chances but we couldn’t take our chances.”

The post ‘We Could Score a Lot of Goals’ – Mokoena appeared first on SportsClub.

County Championship Division One

Kyle Abbott (Hampshire)

Abbott leads all bowlers in Division One with 53 wickets from 11 matches, comfortably the most in the division and five clear of second-placed ER Bamber. His figures include a best of 6-21, an average of 14.71 and an economy of just 2.32.

Simon Harmer (Essex)

Harmer has taken 34 wickets from 11 matches at an average of 33.91 and an economy of 3.04, with best figures of 5-165.

Migael Pretorius (Somerset)

Pretorius has taken 31 wickets from 10 matches, with best figures of 4-65 and an economy of 3.02.

ALSO: Pretorius sets new world record with maiden T20I century

Dean Elgar (Essex)

Elgar has scored 628 runs from 20 innings at an average of 33.05 and a strike rate of 47.14, including two centuries and two half-centuries, with a top score of 113.

Colin Ingram (Glamorgan)

Ingram has made 604 runs at an average of 33.55 and a strike rate of 56.34, including two centuries and three half-centuries, with a top score of 103.

Jordan Hermann (Somerset)

In just three matches so far, Hermann has scored 222 runs at an average of 44.40 and a strike rate of 54.95, including a century, with a top score of 106.

County Championship Division Two

David Bedingham (Durham)

Bedingham leads Division Two’s run-scorers with 1,029 runs from 16 innings at an average of 73.50 and a strike rate of 75.94, including five centuries and three half-centuries, with a top score of 147.

Ricardo Vasconcelos (Northamptonshire)

Vasconcelos has scored 839 runs from 18 innings at an average of 46.61 and a strike rate of 60.18, including five centuries, with a top score of 187.

Leus du Plooy (Middlesex)

Du Plooy has made 831 runs at an average of 48.88 and a strike rate of 65.12, including two centuries and five half-centuries, with a top score of 182.

Daniel Lategan (Worcestershire)

Lategan has scored 706 runs at an average of 35.30, with a top score of 144.

Matthew Montgomery (Derbyshire)

Montgomery has contributed 557 runs at an average of 30.94, including four half-centuries, with a top score of 86.

AFRICA PICKS: Cricket tips and predictions

Wayne Madsen (Derbyshire)

Madsen has scored 487 runs at an average of 34.78 and a strike rate of 62.11, including a century and two half-centuries, with a top score of 119.

Keith Dudgeon (Kent)

Dudgeon has taken 37 wickets, with best figures of 6-21 and an economy of 4.05.

Beyers Swanepoel (Worcestershire)

Swanepoel has taken 31 wickets from 11 matches, with best figures of 5-65 and an economy of 3.22.

Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images

The post The South Africans making their mark in this year’s County Championship appeared first on SA Cricket Mag.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been recalled to the national one-day international (ODI) squad after a three-year absence, as the Proteas gear up to face Australia in a three-match home series later this month.

Coetzee, who last represented the SA 50-over team at the 2023 World Cup in India, was included in a 16-man squad announced on Monday.

He was set to form part of a strong pace contingent alongside Ottneil Baartman, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi and all-rounders Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen.

Experienced speedster Kagiso Rabada had previously been confirmed as unavailable while recovering from a hamstring injury.

Spinners Bjorn Fortuin, who is currently leading the Proteas on their white-ball tour of Namibia, and Keshav Maharaj complete the bowling options.

On the batting front, Aiden Markram will miss the opening match of the series, but he will be available for the second and third games, while captain Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi provide further options at the top of the order.

Matthew Breetzke, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs add firepower to the middle order.

Building towards the 2027 World Cup

“It’s exciting to start our home summer against Australia in what will no doubt be a competitive series,” said Proteas coach Shukri Conrad.

“With the World Cup just over a year away, this series marks an important step in shaping the squad as we build towards the tournament, while also giving those players who are in the frame opportunities when we face Bangladesh and England later in the season.

“We have a clear idea of the combinations we want and the roles we need players to fulfill.”

Proteas ODI squad

Temba Bavuma (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Fixtures, SA v Australia

1st ODI – Kingsmead Stadium, Durban (Thursday 24 September, 10am)

2nd ODI – Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (Sunday 27 September, 10am)

3rd ODI – NWC Oval, Potchefstroom (Wednesday 30 September, 1.30pm)