Latest news with #ChampionsCup
New Paper
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Dave The King is peaking: de Kock
DURBAN Mathew de Kock is not underestimating the formidable task facing stable star Dave The King, in his quest to achieve back-to-back victories in the ZAR1.5 million (S$109,000) Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup (1,800m) at Greyville on July 27. After returning from a successful training stint in Australia, de Kock now trains in partnership with his father, Mike, who has accumulated the most Group 1 wins of any South African trainer. Following unplaced runs as favourite in two races at the end of his last campaign, Dave The King has won both of his races in 2025, including his most recent assignment in the Grade 1 Gold Challenge (1,600m) at Greyville on June 7. De Kock said the stable could not be happier with the five-year-old gelding, noting he has improved since his last-start victory when he again started favourite. "He has come on from his last start, which is great because it was really only his second run after a rest," said de Kock. "He seems to be peaking for this race, which is fantastic. "He won very well last year, so it looks like everything is coming together for him to kind of put in a similar performance." In his 2024 victory, Dave The King - the reigning South African Horse of the Year - cruised to the lead at the 1,000m mark and opened up a handy margin while holding off fast-finishers from back in the field. De Kock said the son of Global View was a free-striding horse with a big action and a high cruising speed, and whose strength is placing his rivals under pressure during the middle stages of races. Callan Murray, who returned from Adelaide, Australia in May, was aboard Dave The King at his last two wins. The former South African boom apprentice jockey, who had a brief stint at Kranji in 2019, has met with instant success at his return home, linking up mostly with the de Kocks. While there are only nine runners in July 27's race, de Kock said it was a tricky field. He rates Dean Kannemeyer's last-start Grade 1 Durban July (2,200m) winner, The Real Prince, as the biggest danger. "He is obviously in good form and has beaten most of the rest before, and I would probably be most worried about him from (barrier) No. 1," said de Kock. "The Durban July is our biggest race, which he won two weeks ago. It's a handicap, though. "See It Again is also a good horse on his day." Now based in Hong Kong, Keagan de Melo returns home for the ride on See It Again, who was injured ahead of the Durban July and goes into the July 27 race fresh. Kannemeyer said he did not hesitate to target the Champions Cup after The Real Prince's last start - and most significant - victory on July 5. "This Champions Cup will be his third run after a break, and it may well be that the 1,800m suits him down to the ground," he said. "We will let the others worry about us." Gladatorian finished seventh to The Real Prince, beaten five lengths in the Durban July, but the five-year-old's earlier form gives him a chance of figuring in the placings. The only three-year-old in the field is Fire Attack, who will carry 129lb (58.5kg), 3lb less than his older rivals, but has a tricky draw in barrier eight. Montien, trained by Piet Botha, is sure to have some admirers for a place at decent odds. HKJC
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Former Junior Bok ineligible for England despite residency
Jacques Vermeulen has been ruled ineligible to play for England despite meeting World Rugby's five-year residency requirement. The 30-year-old flank, who recently signed for Sale Sharks after several standout seasons at Exeter Chiefs, was reportedly on the radar of England coach Steve Borthwick. But Vermeulen's involvement in the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship has shut the door on his Test ambitions. Back then, the Junior Springboks were South Africa's designated second team. That means Vermeulen's single appearance at the tournament officially capped him for South Africa, even though he never played Test rugby. World Rugby's eligibility rules allow players to switch nations only if they were born in the new country, or have a parent or grandparent who was. Vermeulen doesn't qualify under those terms. 'It's very frustrating,' Vermeulen told BBC Radio Devon. 'I don't know why they're stopping it. How can they say that because you played for the U20s when you were 19 or 20, you're capped for a country?' Also read: Japanese club snaps up Saffa trio Vermeulen, who played a key role in Exeter's 2019-20 Premiership and Champions Cup double, said he felt bitterly disappointed, especially after completing his five-year residency and beginning the process of acquiring British citizenship. Adding to his frustration is the perceived inconsistency in how the rules are applied. 'Look how many guys are playing for Scotland who played for the Junior Boks – guys like Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman [both in 2014 when the SA U20s were not SA Rugby's designated second team],' he said. 'I get really angry about it because I'm like, how can you stop a guy after they played 10 years ago for a country?' The post England can't pick ex-Junior Bok appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Desperate Wallabies muscle up'
The Daily Telegraph in Australia focuses on the Wallabies' "big boppers" returning for the second Test against the British and Irish Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Lock Will Skelton and flanker Rob Valetini are back in Joe Schmidt's starting XV after missing the first Test, bringing some much-needed power. Number eight Pete Samu, a 'big bopper' in his own right, has also spoken out after being prevented from appearing for the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday. The 33-year-old, who won the Champions Cup with French club Bordeaux in May and has 33 caps for Australia, was initially named in the squad of players with First Nations or Pacific Island heritage. However, he was removed after it was determined that he did not meet the eligibility criteria, which require players to have played for a Super Rugby Pacific team in 2025. "I was quite confused and just disappointed because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it was being played in my home state," Samu said. "Obviously, not being able to represent my Samoan side was quite sad."
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘Babies get big': Andrew Porter reflects on Lions sacrifices before second Test
Perhaps nothing symbolises the unity of the Lions squad more than Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham quickly developing a 'bromance' and, similarly, the bond between the English loosehead and his Irish counterpart Andrew Porter runs deep. The greater good comes first, and on foot of Farrell deciding that Porter assuming the starting role and Genge being entrusted to bring his energy off the bench, it thus comes as no surprise than the latter was the first to congratulate the former on his promotion, despite it being at his expense. As Porter put it: 'It's been said so many times but you come into this squad with perceptions of different players. You're so used to playing against them in the Champions Cup or Six Nations or wherever, but your perceptions are dashed pretty much the minute you step in the door. 'Me and Ellis were rooming together as well, so I got to know him better. He's an incredible guy, an incredible player, and it's been great to build a friendship as well as learn from him. He's one of the best in the business so it's great being able to become closer as mates and learn from each other along the way. READ MORE 'But yeah, he was the first one to congratulate me yesterday and sure he handed out my cap to me last week instead of my dad. He's the dad of the squad. He's a great fellah and he's a great player as well.' All the more so as he was picked but forced to withdraw from the Lions tour four years ago, it was good to hear that Porter's dad Ernie, a former crash ball inside centre of some repute with Old Wesley, arrived in Australia last week to support his son. By no means uniquely in this squad, this tour has led to quite a reunion for the extended Porter clan, and his dad's sisters, Porter's aunts, have long since been living and rearing their families in various parts of Australia. 'He's having a nice old holiday. We have a load of family down here as well, all around the place; Perth, Brisbane, most of them in Sydney. Lions Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter celebrate after the game. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho 'It's a good opportunity for him to go and meet up with all the family and everything. It's great for me as well. There's a lot of them I wouldn't have even met before. A few cousins and stuff, and a lot I haven't seen in years and years. 'So, it's a great opportunity, obviously, to reconnect with family as well as being down here. Yeah, a lot of family down here. A lot of Porters all over the world now.' But, alas, not his wife Elaine and their first child, who are back in Ireland, So, when asked what he learned most on this tour, his answer had a certain poignancy. 'You're putting me on the spot now. I can't think. It's a curveball. What have I learned about myself? I learned that babies get very big when you're away from home. Yeah, my wife is at home looking after the baby. He's nine weeks now.' While this thought was something that evidently saddened him, he had to concede: 'I could say it's not easy for me but I don't think my wife would like that too much. 'I wouldn't get much sympathy,' he added with a wry smile. 'Yeah, it's that side of it as well. My wife is at home looking after our baby at the moment. She's the one in the trenches at home at the moment. I'm in the trenches over here. Well, I can't really say that. We're looked after here quite well. 'But it's a sacrifice on both ends. She's there with sleepless nights at home looking after him and I'm here representing my family, my country, and representing the Lions. It's two different kinds of sacrifices. But I'll definitely owe her for this for a long time anyway.' And he does have the not inconsiderable prospect of playing in one of the biggest games of his life. 'How often can you say you've done this down in the MCG with 90,000 plus people there? With, obviously, the series, on the line like this and being able to back up 2013, to win back-to-back tours in Australia.' Playing with the number one on his back is also a role he's more used to with Leinster and Ireland. 'It kind of allows you that chance to get into the game a bit more from the get-go. Sometimes I feel like I'm getting going when it's about 50 minutes in, because I'll be used to playing a bit longer at home. 'Starting or finishing, it's a huge honour to do both in a Lions Test team. Probably everyone would prefer starting but being a part of this squad is just an incredible privilege and incredibly grateful to be part of it, whether it's on the bench last week or starting this week.'
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'Another dream ticked off' for Porter as Lions Test start awaits
It just keeps getting better for Andrew Porter. From being a Lions Test debutant off the bench in Brisbane last Saturday to reaching the pinnacle of any Irish player's career and becoming a starter, it cannot get much better for the 29-year-old loosehead prop. Except that the Leinster and Ireland star gets to do it in an all-Irish front row alongside Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong and in a pivotal Test match against Australia that could end in a first Lions series victory for a dozen years. At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and in front of an expected crowd in excess of 90,000. If Carlsberg did perfect scenarios and all that. Definitely. 'It's a dream come true,' Porter said. 'Firstly just being a part of this squad and then hearing your name in the Test team last week was incredible. Hearing my name in the starting line-up for this week is another dream ticked off again. 'I'm just incredibly excited for the opportunity to go out there and play for this team and play with these lads who we've created such a great connection with over the last few weeks. It's incredibly exciting and looking forward to ripping into it. 'I'd say it's up there with one of the biggest games of my life. How often can you say you've done this down in the MCG with 90,000 plus people there? 'With, obviously, the series on the line like this and being able to kind of back up 2013, to win back-to-back tours. It's definitely up there with one of the highlights. 'Like, even just being on this tour up there with one of the highlights of my life and career as a professional rugby player.' That the first squad member to congratulate Porter was the man he will replace on Saturday, Ellis Genge, made it all the sweeter as a moment to savour. "Yeah, he was the first one. It's been said so many times but you come into this squad with perceptions of different players. You're so used to playing against them in the Champions Cup or Six Nations or wherever but your perceptions are dashed pretty much the minute you step in the door. 'Me and Ellis were rooming together as well, so I got to know him better. He's an incredible guy, an incredible player, and it's been great to build a friendship as well as learn from him. He's one of the best in the business, so it's great being able to become closer as mates and learn from each other along the way. "But yeah, he was the first one to congratulate me yesterday and sure he handed out my cap to me last week instead of my dad. So he's the dad of the squad. He's a great fella and a great player. 'Starting or finishing, it's a huge honour to do both in a Lions Test team. 'Probably everyone would probably say starting. But, being a part of this squad is just an incredible privilege and incredibly grateful to be part of it, whether it's on the bench last week or starting this week.' Either way, Porter has and will have given blood to the cause. His ears were weeping as he spoke and he said: 'They're cut all year round now. They're just all year round. I can't have white pillowcases at home anymore because it looks like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre after I wake up in the morning. 'So, yeah. I've been banned from the white linens anyway at home.' Porter now favours black pillowcases, explaining: 'You can't see anything on them. Probably disgusting though.' The patience of Mrs Porter, Elaine, has been further stretched by her husband's lengthy absence so soon after the birth of their first child. 'What have I learned about myself? I learned that babies get very big when you're away from home. Yeah, my wife is at home looking after the baby. He's nine weeks now. 'I could say it's not easy for me, but I don't think my wife would like that too much. I wouldn't get much sympathy. 'Yeah, it's that side of it as well. My wife is at home looking after our baby at the moment. She's the one in the trenches at home at the moment. I'm in the trenches over here. Well, I can't really say that. We're looked after here quite well. 'But it's a sacrifice on both ends. She's there with sleepless nights at home looking after him and I'm here representing my family, my country, and representing the Lions. It's two different kinds of sacrifices. But I'll definitely owe her for this for a long time anyway.' Porter is not totally without family support in Australia. His father Ernie arrived in time for the first Test and has been catching up with his sisters, Andrew's aunts Becky and Vera, both of whom left Dublin when they were young. 'My old man came down. He was down there for last weekend in Brisbane and he's down here now. So, he's having a nice old holiday. We have a load of family down here as well… all around the place. Perth, Brisbane, and most of them in Sydney. 'It's a good opportunity for him to go and meet up with all the family and everything. Yeah, I mean, it's great for me as well. There's a lot of them I wouldn't have even met before. A few cousins and stuff, a lot of them I haven't seen in years and years. 'So, it's a great opportunity, obviously, to reconnect with family as well as being down here. A lot of Porters all over the world now. 'They got most of their own tickets, in fairness. So, yeah, I'm trying to get rid of tickets now.'
