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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Thaakir Abrahams aiming for winning return to his 'second home' as Munster head to Durban
Thaakir Abrahams' return to Durban with Munster this week has turned into a joyous family reunion for the South African full-back, in stark contrast to his first arrival as a homesick teenager. On Saturday, the 26-year-old, who joined last summer from Lyon, bids to extend his debut season in red at least an extra week by getting one over his former club the Sharks at Kings Park. He spent six years with the club, met his wife Tasneem in the city and now calls it his second home but it is a much happier Abrahams who arrived in Durban with the Munster squad on Tuesday afternoon than the 19-year-old who first pitched up in the Sharks academy, 1500 kilometres from his family in Paarl, near Cape Town. 'I was straight out of school, Paarl Boys High, 19 years old,' Abrahams told the Irish Examiner this week. 'It was my first time moving away from home and it was a hard decision for me and also for the family. Everything had been around me and I had to move outside of that bubble and actually grow. It was excellent for me. 'It was harder for my mum to be totally honest! It was her little boy growing up and moving away, it was tough and I remember I wanted to go home every month because I got a bit homesick. 'But then you get to know the place and you get along with the people and build your own community, I guess. You get used to it and now I call it my second home, because my wife is from here.' Read More Munster starting team unchanged but bench tweaked for URC quarter-final Abrahams has only good things to say about the Sharks and credits the franchise for giving an ideal platform to launch his professional career, not least joining a successful Under-19 side that also featured current Sharks back-rower Phepsi Buthelezi and hooker Fez Mbatha, both of whom will start Saturday's quarter-final from the bench at Kings Park. 'It was a good group to come into and the start of my career. I played in the 2018 Under-19 Currie Cup tournament and the Sharks won that year, which I think was the first time since 2008. 'I grew so much at the Sharks so it was a good start for me. And it's good to be back here, familiar places, familiar faces. "I met my wife here in Durban so she's here as well, with the little one (baby daughter Diyaana) and we're meeting up with the family here, which is always good. 'I hadn't seen them for two years so it's great seeing them. It's good to be back here again, and with the sun as well.' Munster will also benefit from the mass exodus of the extended Abrahams family from the Western Cape this weekend, as he explained. 'Oh man, we've quite a big family and quite a tight family. When I come over for holidays I have to try and see everyone, my mum is one of eight children, so lots of aunts, cousins and oh man, it just goes on and on. 'I have two older sisters and a younger brother, he's 10 years younger than me, we call him 'laat lammetjie', that's what we say in South Africa. It basically means he's a late lamb, because of the age difference. I don't know what the English term for that is, I'm Afrikaans, I barely speak English! 'But they'll all be there on Saturday and my eldest sister has two daughters, and the other one has one daughter so my nieces will all be in their Munster kit. I haven't seen them in a while so it will be great seeing them and in the stands as well. Looking forward to it.' After back-to-back victories to round out the regular season of the URC campaign, Abrahams can look forward to a positive on-pitch performance as Munster bid to repeat their run to the title of two seasons ago. 'The confidence is high. We know they will be physical and we'll bring that part as well but also their kicking game, the aerial battle will be vital for us. Those are things they bring to the table so we'll have to counter that and I think we'll be ready for that.'
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Champions Trophy-winning Black Caps coach dies
David Trist. Former Black Caps coach David Trist has died aged 77. New Zealand Cricket posted on social media confirming Trist died in Christchurch on Thursday. NZC said it was "deeply saddened to confirm the passing of former Black Caps coach David Trist, who died in Christchurch yesterday, aged 77", with the organisation extending its "heartfelt condolences to David's family and friends". A former Canterbury pace bowler, Trist coached the New Zealand men's team from 1999 to 2001, during which time they won the ICC Champions Trophy in Nairobi. Trist was born in September 1947 in Christchurch and he played 24 first-class games for Canterbury between 1968-69 and 1977-78. After he stopped playing Trist moved into coaching and helped guide Eastern Province to victory in South Africa's Currie Cup in 1989. He also coached Hong Kong at the 1997 ICC Trophy and the Netherlands as well as Auckland. Trist replaced Steve Rixon as the Black Caps coach in 1999.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Former Black Caps cricket coach dies
David Trist. Former Black Caps coach David Trist has died aged 77. New Zealand Cricket posted on social media confirming Trist died in Christchurch on Thursday. NZC said it was "deeply saddened to confirm the passing of former Black Caps coach David Trist, who died in Christchurch yesterday, aged 77", with the organisation extending its "heartfelt condolences to David's family and friends". A former Canterbury pace bowler, Trist coached the New Zealand men's team from 1999 to 2001, during which time they won the ICC Champions Trophy in Nairobi. Trist was born in September 1947 in Christchurch and he played 24 first-class games for Canterbury between 1968-69 and 1977-78. After he stopped playing Trist moved into coaching and helped guide Eastern Province to victory in South Africa's Currie Cup in 1989. He also coached Hong Kong at the 1997 ICC Trophy and the Netherlands as well as Auckland. Trist replaced Steve Rixon as the Black Caps coach in 1999.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: Sharks need to show growth by doing another first in the URC
The Sharks have never progressed past the quarter-finals of the URC and will need to do so to appease their unhappy fan base. The Sharks have an opportunity to silence their critics in the coming weeks. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images The Sharks won two tournaments but performed dismally in a third last season. They are headed the same way in terms of mixed results now, and while players say they are still in a building phase as a team, they need to prove there is growth. Head coach John Plumtree's first year at the reins in 2023/24 came with a strong showing in the Challenge Cup, where they won seven games, beating Gloucester fairly comfortably 36–22 in the final in London. They also won the Currie Cup through a last-minute, 59m penalty-kick from Jordan Hendrikse against the Lions in Johannesburg (final score 16–14). However, their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign was abysmal. The Sharks won four games and lost 14, finishing 14th on the table, not coming anywhere close to qualifying for the play-offs. The Durban outfit lost all its local derbies and finished last in the tournament's South African conference. Sharks getting better? Much of the Sharks' success last season was due to the millions spent on bringing high-profile players in, with Plumtree giving direction to a union in need of strong leadership after Sean Everitt's departure and Neil Powell's interim tenure. The Sharks have continued to attract players and were expected to perform better this season. They have certainly done so in the URC. While securing more than half of their victories through seven points or less, they did enough to guarantee themselves a home quarter-final with a game to spare. In the end, they finished the league phase with 13 wins, tallying 62 points, though only 10 were bonus points – tied the fewest in the top eight with Scarlets and fewer than two sides that did not progress to the play-offs. Yet in the process, the Sharks won the SA shield for the first time. It's a season highlight, one the Sharks needed after crashing out of the Champions Cup with one win from four pool games. They dropped into the Challenge Cup but instead of throwing everything at defending this title, Plumtree fielded a second-string side that lost poorly to Lyon in the last 16. Chance for vindication at Kings Park The team have been hampered by injuries this season, but many Springboks should have been picked for the Lyon game. Fans had been scathing in their critiques of the Sharks all season but increasingly flooded the union's social media pages at that point. The squad is just about at full strength now, and they will want to do another first for the club: progress past the URC quarter-finals. They are on a four-game winning streak as they prepare for the knockout Munster at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday. They will surely silence their critics and prove progress if they even just reach the semis.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cornish Pirates sign Gloucester winger Ward
Cornish Pirates have signed Gloucester winger Matty Ward for the 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old comes in as Matt McNab leaves the club after two years to join Champ Rugby rivals Doncaster Knights. Ward scored a try on his only Gloucester appearance this season in the Premiership Rugby Cup. He has also spent time at Championship side Hartpury and Premiership outfit Newcastle Falcons. "Matty has had exposure with Gloucester in the Premiership Cup and has also had a good season with Hartpury University in the British Universities and Colleges Sport competition," said Pirates joint-head coach Gavin Cattle. "He is a player still with a lot of growth in his game, and although injuries have been disruptive at times he has a good season behind him." Meanwhile, 26-year-old Zimbabwe international McNab leaves the club having scored 30 tries in 51 appearances since moving to Penzance two years ago. He had previously spent time at Hartpury and Worcester Warriors and also played in South Africa's Currie Cup for the Zimbabwe Goshawks. "Since arriving at the Pirates, Matt immediately showed his strength and ability and a real commitment both on and off the pitch," Cattle said. "He is a big personality who will be missed massively, and we would like to thank him for his quite considerable overall contribution." McNab added: "It has been the best two years of my rugby career so far, and I have loved every single minute. "I can't thank everyone at the Pirates enough for what they have done for me along the journey. It's been amazing for my development on the field and in my day-to-day life off it." Cornish Pirates
