Nelson Mandela Bay goes Bok berserk
By Andisa Bonani - 11 July 2025
Nelson Mandela Bay is bracing for a bumper weekend as more than 24,000 rugby fans from out of town are expected to visit the city for the Springbok clash against Italy on Saturday, a match that promises high-stakes action and a major cash injection for the metro.
With 95% of the city's 12,708 available beds already booked over two nights, the Test match is set to bring an economic boost of nearly R44.6m, driven by visitors spending an average of R1,850 daily on accommodation, food, transport, tickets and entertainment, according to the municipality...
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The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Boks' ‘fake lineout' in open play: ‘It's about evolving and being creative'
Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids says the team will continue to learn and evolve, and are happy to pick ideas from any rugby team. Springboks assistant coach Deon Davids says they will continue to learn and evolve and are happy to accept good ideas from any team. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images After a stunning 45-0 whitewash over Italy in Gqeberha over the past weekend, where the Springboks pulled out a full bag of tricks, they want to continue to learn and evolve, according to assistant coach Deon Davids. The Boks used a number of trick plays in the match that had the Italians at sixes and sevens, with one of those moves being the 'fake lineout' in open play, where the scrumhalf throws the ball to a lofted player, allowing the team to set up a maul in open play. The Boks scored twice from that with Canan Moodie busting over, and Malcolm Marx being driven over, and Davids was asked to elaborate on the decision to use a move that coach Rassie Erasmus admitted came from a clip they had seen of a school rugby team earlier this year. 'As a team we always try to evolve our game and try to be creative. We watch rugby from different teams in our country and all over the world, and we took notice of that innovative move,' explained Davids in Mbombela on Monday, ahead of their match against Georgia on the weekend. 'We saw an opportunity to do something different and it's good that it worked for us and is maybe something we can take forward. 'It also serves as encouragement for the coaches. There are lot of bright ideas out there, and it's good to learn. Even from primary schools and high schools, or any team (with a good idea), in terms of where we can get better and how we can evolve.' Strong start It has been a strong start to the season for the Boks, with them thumping invitational side the Barbarians 54-7, and picking up two big wins over Italy, the first 42-24 at Loftus, with them now turning their attention to the one-off Test against the Georgians on Saturday. Although the home side will be heavy favourites, and a largely inexperienced team of fringe players is expected to be named for the game, Davids said that they were not underestimating their opposition and they are well aware of the challenge that awaits them. 'We see every Test as an important game because we want to win every one, and we never underestimate any team. We understand the DNA of Georgia, we (last) played against them in 2021. They are a team that brings a lot of physicality and they leave everything out there,' said Davids. 'So we are expecting a very tough game. They have been very competitive in their last couple of matches. They are also pressing really hard to be a part of the Six Nations, and they have their own goals. 'Coming over here and playing against us will be another step up for them in that direction. So we are expecting a very competitive game against Georgia. 'For us it's also important to keep setting our own standards, and to improve in every game. Especially with the Rugby Championship and the rest of the year lying ahead. So going into this game there is a massive focus on where we can improve, evolve and get better.'


The South African
4 hours ago
- The South African
Rassie defends Springbok 'cheating' innovations
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is known as the king of innovation in world rugby, but some of the experiments and innovations have not always been met with universal approval. Just this past weekend, Erasmus experimented with a new box of tricks that included an open-play lineout formation in a move borrowed from Paul Roos, while the Springboks also purposefully botched the kick off to secure a scrum straight away. However, it was the deliberate infringement from the kick off that drew quite a widespread backlash as critics suggested such an intentional act was not in the spirit of the game, and effectively a form of cheating. Taking so social media, though, Rassie Erasmus made the following point: 'I guess one can always argue what is against the spirit of the game! Some teams avoid scrums and others make sure they get scrums! Who's wrong?' He asked that question with a clip showing Italy trying to avoid a long scrum as the scrumhalf 'illegally' fed the ball straight out the back of the scrum in a split second. When one follower suggested that deliberately breaking the laws of the game is wrong, and normally called 'cheating', Erasmus pointed out: 'Totally agree, like that scrum feed straight to the 8!' YOU CAN SEE THE POSTS MADE BY SPRINGBOK COACH RASSIE ERASMUS BELOW: Meanwhile, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson actually came to the defence of the Springboks' innovative tactics in their game against Italy. 'That's the great thing about rugby, you can be innovative, you can use your strengths, and surprise people,' said Robertson. 'It's pretty unique, isn't it? We're talking about it, it's great for our game.' When referring specifically to how Manie Libbok kicked the ball forward into the hands of André Esterhuizen, who was standing in an offside position, Robertson suggested it was nothing 'new'. 'It shows why you're there – you're there to scrum, and that's a big part of our game,' Robertson explained. 'It's not new, but it shows the intentions, doesn't it?' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

The Herald
5 hours ago
- The Herald
Banyana find Wafcon stride reaching quarters with thrashing of Mali
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