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Lions' tricky balancing act — they want to win Currie Cup, but need to build for URC
Lions' tricky balancing act — they want to win Currie Cup, but need to build for URC

The Citizen

time4 days ago

  • Sport
  • The Citizen

Lions' tricky balancing act — they want to win Currie Cup, but need to build for URC

The Lions are eager for another run at the Currie Cup title, but their main goal is preparing their squad for the coming URC season. Lions coach Mziwakhe Nkosi and outside back Rabz Maxwane during a training session on Thursday ahead of their opening Currie Cup match against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images The Lions have to try and pull off a tricky juggling act of going for glory in the Currie Cup, while also preparing their squad for the coming United Rugby Championship (URC) season over the coming two months. Last year's runners-up will be kicking off their campaign with a replay of last year's final, as they host the defending champion Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm). In a heartbreaking 2024 finale the Lions thought they had done enough to win the game as the clock went into the red, only for the Sharks to turn over the ball, earn a penalty and slot it to triumph in a thriller, and the Highveld side will have hopes of going one better this year. But head coach Mziwakhe Nkosi admitted that they have a number of goals that they want to achieve, and preparing their larger squad for the URC is the biggest of the lot. High expectations 'We have high expectations (for the Currie Cup) like every franchise. But we also have to tick the boxes that we are setting out to tick and reach the KPIs that we have set for ourselves,' explained Nkosi at a Lions training session on Thursday. 'So we have to try and go as deep as possible (in the competition), and we have to expose a whole lot of youngsters to first class rugby. 'We also have to try and sharpen up the guys that haven't had much game time so that by the time the URC starts we have built some depth, and we are not afraid to say that URC for us is the premier competition and we have to serve that.' Nkosi explained that they have a number of different groups of players all coming together for the competition, and that it had been a challenge to get them all aligned. 'We have quite a mixed group. We have guys who didn't get much game time in the URC. So we have to expose them again and give them some game time. We have a big group of young guys, I think around 10 U21s,' said Nkosi. 'We have a few Junior Springboks who have come in from the Junior World Championship, and then we have one or two additions who haven't played rugby (for the Lions), like Angelo Davids, who we will see a couple of times in this Currie Cup. 'So it has been a challenge to try and get all of them together, but we are ready and going to give it our best shot.' New format This year's Currie Cup will also be played under a new format, which each team playing one round of pool fixtures before going straight into the knockouts. This doesn't leave any room for mistakes and a fast start is needed, unlike in previous editions where the double round allowed for a slow start. 'The new format is challenging, it's not like in previous years. It's similar to a World Cup in the number of games that you play. So getting on the green as quickly as you possibly can is important,' said Nkosi. 'We want to have a good start. We have two home games (first up) so we must cash in and put money in the bank so to speak, around points and wins, before we travel for three away games. It is a short term competition, and we have to make sure that we are at the races early days.' Nkosi is also well aware of the challenge that the Sharks will bring, and believes that his side will be well prepared for it. 'The Sharks are a good team. They are bringing some experienced guys into the match, so it is going to be tough. They have (coach) JP Petersen and his staff, who we meet on the circuit quite often, so we know what they are going to bring and hopefully we are ready for it.'

Shooting: New Delhi to host two major international events
Shooting: New Delhi to host two major international events

Time of India

time10-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Time of India

Shooting: New Delhi to host two major international events

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has awarded New Delhi the rights to host two major global events — the combined World Cup in 2027 and the Junior World Championship in 2028. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The announcement was made during the ISSF executive committee meeting on Thursday. New Delhi, which is already scheduled to host the Junior World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun) in September-October this year, will stage the prestigious World Cup leg in all three disciplines next year. The specific dates for the 2027 event will be announced later. Additionally, India will host the 2026 Asian Cup (Rifle/Pistol) in February 2026, adding to a packed international calendar. National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo welcomed the development, calling it a major step in India's Olympic preparations. "With the LA Olympics as our target, hosting at least one international event every year leading up to it is a tremendous opportunity. It boosts senior athletes' preparation and gives juniors invaluable exposure to the atmosphere of elite competition at home," he said, as quoted by PTI. He also mentioned the new domestic initiative: 'The launch of the Shooting League of India adds an exciting new dimension to our efforts. We are grateful to the ISSF for their trust, and we remain committed to making India a global hub for our beloved sport.' NRAI secretary general K. Sultan Singh added, 'This announcement is a testament to the confidence the ISSF places in the NRAI and India's ability to deliver world-class events. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now India is now a key stop on the global shooting calendar.' Poll Do you believe hosting international shooting events will benefit junior athletes? Yes, absolutely Not really The Karni Singh Ranges had previously hosted the elite World Cup Final in October 2023 and the Rifle/Pistol and Shotgun World Cups in 2021. Meanwhile, ISSF confirmed Daegu in South Korea and Cairo in Egypt as hosts of the 2027 World Championships. Daegu will host Rifle and Pistol events as well as the World Cup Final, while Cairo will stage the Shotgun World Championship.

Confirmed: Serfontein joins Bulls on three year deal
Confirmed: Serfontein joins Bulls on three year deal

The Citizen

time08-07-2025

  • Sport
  • The Citizen

Confirmed: Serfontein joins Bulls on three year deal

The midfielder will be immediately available for the Bulls, whose next assignment is the Currie Cup. Springbok centre Jan Serfontein is back in South Africa after playing his rugby abroad for several years and will next feature for the Bulls. The 32-year-old previously played for the Bulls between 2012 and 2017 before moving to Montpellier in France, for whom he featured over 140 times. The former Grey College pupil played 35 Tests for the Springboks between 2013 and 2017. He also played for the Junior Boks team that won the 2012 Junior World Championship, the same tournament in which the midfielder was named World Junior Player of the Year. Serfontein will play for the Bulls for the next three years. He'll compete mostly with Harold Vorster and David Kriel for a starting position. The midfielder is already training with the Bulls and could feature in the Currie Cup, before he turns his attention to the next season of the United Rugby Championship. The Bulls finished runners up for a third time in the URC just a few weeks ago.

India to bid for both 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships
India to bid for both 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships

Hindustan Times

time06-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Hindustan Times

India to bid for both 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships

Bengaluru, India will mount a "strategic" bid for both the 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships when the process begins later this year, hoping to get the hosting right of one of the two editions of the showpiece, national federation spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla said on Sunday. India to bid for both 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships World Athletics, the sport's governing body, will announce the hosts of both the 2029 and 2031 editions in September 2026. The deadline for expression of interest by the member countries is October 1, 2025. "We are going to do strategic bidding for 2029 and 2031 . Both editions will be awarded together and whichever edition we get is fine," Sumariwalla, a vice-president of the World Athletics and former president of Athletics Federation of India , told PTI. "There is still some time . We are going to submit the bids," added Sumariwalla, who was here for the inaugural edition of the NC Classic international javelin event won by host and competitor Neeraj Chopra, the double Olympic medal-winning javelin superstar, on Saturday. The deadline for initial submission of application for the world championships is April 1, 2026. The interested countries will have to then submit the final bid application by August 5, 2026, before the World Athletics Council announces the host cities of the 2029 and 2031 editions of world championships. The AFI had decided to bid for a slew of high-profile events in view of India's hopes to host the 2036 Olympics. The Federation had earlier talked about bidding for the 2029 world championships but the idea of the "strategic" bidding for 2031 edition also could be due to the reason that Asia is hosting both the 2025 and 2027 editions of the showpiece, and it could be difficult for India to get the next one. The 2025 world championships will be held in Tokyo in September-October while the 2027 edition will be held in Beijing. In this scenario, India has a better chance to get the 2031 edition. Giving India the 2029 edition would mean that Asia would be hosting the showpiece three times in a row. The nearest event India has a chance of hosting is the junior world championships in 2028 for which the AFI has submitted expression of interest when WA chief Sebastian Coe visited the country towards the end of 2024. "We have already submitted expression of interest for the 2028 Junior World Championship," said Sumariwalla. World Athletics will announce the hosts of both the 2028 and 2030 editions of junior world championships in December 2025. The deadline for initial submission of bid application is September 22, 2025. The interested countries will have to then submit the final bid application by November 7, 2025. 'We are also bidding for World Athletics Relays after the next two editions. The hosts for the next two editions have already been announced,' he added. Botswana will host the 2026 edition of the World Relays while the 2028 edition will be held in the Bahamas. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Van Niekerk loves the challenge of being faster each time she races
Van Niekerk loves the challenge of being faster each time she races

The Citizen

time22-04-2025

  • Sport
  • The Citizen

Van Niekerk loves the challenge of being faster each time she races

Van Niekerk loves the challenge of being faster each time she races The one thing Hannah van Niekerk really enjoys is challenging herself against the stopwatch on the athletics track and she is one of the young stars to watch at this week's ASA senior championships in Potchefstroom. A quick glance at the Tuks education student's results on the World Athletics website will prove her class. This season, she has set personal best times over 200 metres (24.36s) and 400 metres (52.72s). There is a real chance that she will do so also in the 400m hurdles before the end of the local season. Being fast equates to winning medals. Van Niekerk has been the u.23 SA 400 m hurdles champion for the last two years and the South African student champion in 2024. Last year, her highlight was winning a bronze medal in the hurdles at the Junior World Championship in Peru. Her time of 56.98 seconds is a personal best. This performance led to her being named South Africa's junior athlete for 2024. 'The 400m hurdles are not just about pure speed. Technique plays a big role. For me, nothing is more enjoyable than pushing myself to the limit in the hurdles,' Van Niekerk explained during her preparation for the national championship. What are the do's and don'ts of running a good 400m hurdles race? 'My focus is always to be fast out of the starting blocks. My coach always says you shouldn't 'walk' from the starting blocks. It is also important to attack every hurdle. The biggest mistake you can make is to trot between the hurdles. Over the last 100 metres, you should not listen to your brain when it tells you that you cannot go any further. That is when you must force yourself to endure the pain. All that matters to me over those last few metres is to be the best I can be,' she summed up her race approach. When asked about the bronze medal she won at the World Junior Championships, Van Niekerk admitted she was a little nervous beforehand. 'It was my first time representing South Africa at such a big event. But when I walked out to compete in the heats, I calmed down. It just felt so cool. After the heat, I couldn't wait to run again. The finals were my chance to show the world what I could do,' she remarked. Van Niekerk's goal is to win a medal in the 400m hurdles in Potchefstroom and she believes it is possible. 'At the moment, only three or four of us have run faster than 57 seconds in the 400m hurdles for a while. Last year's senior championships didn't turn out how I had hoped. I was fifth. The positive thing I can take from that is that I must work much harder to be truly competitive in the 400m hurdles,' she concluded. The Tuks student is also set on winning a medal at the World Student Games in Germany later this year. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

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