Latest news with #LooddeJager
CNA
3 hours ago
- Sport
- CNA
Springboks locked in to improved set-piece against Australia
CAPE TOWN :South Africa's video analysis of their stunning 38-22 Rugby Championship defeat to Australia would have been a hard watch, not least the set-piece where they lost five lineouts, normally such a reliable area of their game from which to launch attacks. Australia managed to disrupt the Springboks' set-piece as they won at Ellis Park on Saturday for the first time in 62 years having rallied from 22-0 down in a second-half display for the ages. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has rotated both locks from that game for the second test against Australia in Cape Town on Saturday, with Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth dropping to the bench. In come RG Snyman and Ruan Nortje, with Franco Mostert selected at flanker, but also a formidable lineout jumper. "All credit to Australia for how they handled the lineouts last week," Nortje told reporters on Wednesday. "It's not just the players who were on the field, all the locks sat together and made plans from the Sunday before the match. "So we need to ensure that we are more effective in that department this weekend. "We know we are much better than what we showed in Johannesburg, so it will be vital for us to stick to our plans this week and to go out there and be as physical as possible." Nortje, 27, is very much the junior in the Springbok lock collection, but has been impressive in his seven caps to date. "It's special for me to be part of this group of locks," he said. "Many of them have been my heroes since I started playing junior rugby, so I try to learn with each opportunity I get to play and train with them."
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Australia fight back to stun South Africa at Ellis Park
Rugby Union - Rugby Championship - South Africa v Australia - Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa - August 16, 2025 Australia's Nick Frost in action during a line out with South Africa's Lood de Jager REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Australia rallied from 22-0 down as captain Harry Wilson scored two tries in a stunning 38-22 bonus-point victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener on Saturday, the Wallabies' first victory at Ellis Park since 1963. South Africa raced into a commanding lead inside the first quarter through tries by wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, centre Andre Esterhuizen and number eight Siya Kolisi, but their Achilles heel this season has been the breakdown and it was there that Australia began to take control. The Springboks led 22-5 at halftime but Australia came alive in the second period and were excellent in soaking up pressure and hitting the world champions with fast breaks as they won on South African soil for the first time in 14 years. Winger Dylan Pietsch, centre Joseph Suaalii, winger Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright also crossed for the visitors in one of Australia's greatest test wins. (Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
The South African
08-08-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Springboks ready for start of Rugby Championship
After another intense week of training, the Springboks returned home on Thursday afternoon to spend time with their families, and will reassemble in Johannesburg on Sunday, where their focus will squarely be on trying to begin their Rugby Championship campaign on a strong note. Rassie Erasmus' team will be aiming to defend the title they won last season for the first time since 2019. The opening Tests against Australia take place in Johannesburg on 16 August. and in Cape Town on 23 August, with kick off at 17:10. It's expected that the first Springbok team of the Rugby Championship will be named on Tuesday, 12 August, with the exact time still to be confirmed. Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls). Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers). The matches against Australia will be followed by successive Tests against the All Blacks in Auckland and Wellington (on 6 and 13 September) and Los Pumas in Durban and London (on 27 September and 4 October). 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 South African
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Rankings: Where Springboks stand before Rugby Championship
After the July internationals, the All Blacks have made up plenty of ground on the Springboks in the world rugby rankings, with just 0.72 points separating the arch-rivals. As the Springboks now head towards their Rugby Championship title, there will be a number of goals they will want to achieve, but the importance of maintaining prime position in the rankings should not be underestimated. Scheduled for December, the 2027 World Cup draw will be based on the World Rugby Men's Rankings at the end of the November international window, and so the Springboks will be desperately hoping to still be at the top by that stage. You can see exactly how the rankings are calculated by clicking here. As at 24 July 2025 Rank Country Points 1 South Africa 92.78 2 New Zealand 92.06 3 Ireland 89.83 4 France 87.82 5 England 87.64 6 Australia 82.08 7 Argentina 82.05 8 Scotland 81.57 9 Fiji 80.50 10 Italy 77.77 11 Georgia 74.69 12 Wales 74.05 13 Samoa 72.48 14 Japan 72.29 15 Spain 69.12 16 USA 68.45 17 Uruguay 67.52 18 Portugal 66.44 19 Tonga 65.46 20 Chile 63.83 Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls). Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers). 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.
IOL News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Lood de Jager is back and it's scary . . . but not for Rassie Erasmus' Springboks
FILE - Springboks lock Lood de Jager rises high to take a lineout ball in their match against the Barbarians in Cape Town. It was clear from the very first kickoff in the Springboks' match against the Barbarians that Lood de Jager was keen to make up for lost time in the green and gold jersey. Saturday saw De Jager run out for the Springboks for the first time in almost two years after missing out on the Rugby World Cup squad due to a heart condition. He got back on the rugby field with Japan side Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan in 2024, playing some good rugby, but suffered a serious rotator-cuff shoulder injury towards the end of the season which required surgery. Ahead of the match against the Barbarians, coach Rassie Erasmus said he didn't want to put any extra pressure on De Jager following such a long absence from international rugby. 'It is kind of like a car that's been parked in the garage. You don't pick up mileage, but you will be a bit rusty. I am very excited for Lood. He thought it was all over (for his Bok career), and he won't play again. But here he is and hopefully, he gets a good run.'
