Latest news with #Outfox
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will spread his selection net beyond players invited to alignment camps
Evan Roos Stormers No 8 Evan Roos may still play for the Springboks this year, despite missing out on the latest alignment camp. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has not closed the door on players who were not invited to the alignment camp held in Cape Town this week. Notable omissions from the 54-man camp included Stormers No 8 Evan Roos, Bulls hookers Johan Grobbelaar and Akker van der Merwe, Stormers hookers André-Hugo Venter and Joseph Dweba, and Sharks loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi. 'There are some guys we did not pick because we know them already. They know the way we want to play and what we are trying to do,' Erasmus said after the camp. 'There will be guys outside this group that will play for the Boks this year.' Those words will be a reprieve for the uninvited after Erasmus invited 84 players to the March camp before culling 30 for the latest camp. Erasmus added that some of the players who participated in the two-day event this week will not be selected. 'Not all newcomers will play for the Boks this year, and that was made very clear to them,' the coach said. 'There were some younger guys that we just wanted to have a look at. We wanted to get to know them. 'Overall, it went really well,' Erasmus continued. 'We had a solid group of 36 players in person, with the balance (of the 54 invited) overseas or guys that could not be here because they are being treated for injuries. 'All the coaches and departments shared our plan on how we are going to operate this year. 'In this camp, we looked specifically at how we are going to do things on the field. 'We are getting close to the actual rugby stuff.' Erasmus said that he cannot put the players on the training field until the United Rugby Championship is over. 'Obviously, there is still franchise rugby to be played, and we wish the players well for the URC playoffs. But overall, there is no player who can say they don't have all the information. 'We are looking forward to our next get-together, because that is when we will get on the field. 'We haven't done anything on the field since the last game of last year.' Erasmus said this camp had made the approaching season real. The Boks open their account for the year with a friendly against the Barbarians in Cape Town on June 28. 'The nice thing is that we have had two alignment camps, with a lot of it done virtually,' he said. 'There has been so much planning, and a lot of it has been around doing some stuff differently. 'In this regard, I think we are going to see the influence of (attack coach) Tony Brown and (defence coach) Jerry Flannery, as they are now into their second year. 'There is a lot of excitement, and now the challenge is to put it together on the field. 'We have done so much 'training' with our computer programme (Erasmus has pioneered a computer rugby game called Outfox). 'We have had walk-throughs, because we don't want to injure guys while the URC is still on. 'There is enthusiasm about the things we want to change, so we can't wait to get into camp after the URC and physically put the planning into practice.' Erasmus said he would always expect players to be excited about participating in camps. 'It goes without saying that the new guys were thrilled to be there, but you also want the older guys to get excited. 'If a guy is not excited to be here, then we made the wrong decision to invite him. 'There is a lot of motivation for us this year.
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
‘Electric vibe' among Springboks as Rassie Erasmus delighted with alignment camp
Rassie Erasmus Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is in the starting blocks for the looming international season after a second alignment camp concluded in Cape Town on Friday afternoon. The two-day camp featured a series of boardroom sessions and a gym session on Friday, while a bunch of overseas-based players joined the boardroom sessions virtually. The players also participated in a series of Outfox virtual training sessions to familiarise themselves with the new structures. Outfox is a video game devised by Erasmus. The former loose forward shared the excitement among the players after he and the Bok assistant coaches made a series of presentations over the two days. He said that with the season starting in little over a month against the Barbarians in Cape Town in the first match between the sides in South Africa, the vibe among the players and coaches was electric. 'We are fast approaching the international season, and although most of the players have big matches lined up in their respective competitions before we assemble at our training camp in June, we were pleased with what transpired at the first and second alignment camps,' said Erasmus. 'We believe we are on the right track in terms of our preparations and planning for the season. 'The coaches have been working tirelessly to improve our structures to ensure that we can improve on our performances last season. 'It was great to see how the players responded to the adaptations and changes we have made to our structures. 'We have said time and time again that we have to continue to evolve to remain a force at the top level of the game. 'We are under no illusions about the challenging season ahead. 'But we are pleased with the progress we have been making off the field, and we are really looking forward to the season.' Erasmus was also pleased to see the enthusiasm among the new players in the group – Vincent Tshituka, Ntokozo Makhaza and Juarno Augustus, who tuned in virtually from England – and he believed that this experience would benefit them immensely to grow even further in their careers. Star wing Kurt-Lee Arendse has already completed his Japanese club season, and was spotted in attendance at the camp too. 'They are all very talented players, and it was evident how proud they were to have this opportunity to rub shoulders with this group of players, some of whom have been with us since 2018, and to learn from them and the coaches,' said the Bok coach.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Formerly bankrupt restaurant chain menu reveals latest addition
Business Formerly bankrupt restaurant chain menu reveals latest addition With so many chain restaurants closing locations nationwide, it can seem almost impossible to kick-start a struggling business, especially in an uncertain economy and at the beginning of a trade war. However, businesses that obtain their products from local vendors might benefit from this tumultuous time, since they don't depend on foreign goods as much as their competitors. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Many business owners would find it nearly impossible to make a comeback after significant setbacks. However, this formerly bankrupt business defied all odds, this time under different leadership. Related: Formerly bankrupt restaurant chain returns perk customers love Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market joined forces in November 2023 to form Outfox Hospitality. This merger aimed to develop multiple stores featuring both the classic convenience store and a neighborhood café, spanning major cities in the U.S., including urban areas of Chicago, Texas, and Washington, D.C. However, this business venture wouldn't get to enjoy the fruits of its labor for very long because it was forced to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy only five months later to pay off its mounting debt. Foxtrot Café & Market reopens multiple locations after bankruptcy. Image source:Former Outfox employees retaliate after the sudden layoffs The shocking bankruptcy filing left around 100 corporate and 1,000 service employees jobless without prior warning, as Outfox failed to inform them of the closures beforehand. As the proverb says, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." But in this case, no one was angrier than Outfox's former employees. The workers filed a class-action lawsuit against the company in April last year for violating the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), which requires companies to give employees 60 days' notice before planned closures or mass layoffs. Related: Popular bankrupt restaurant chain reopens first store However, this would become an ongoing legal battle, causing a series of other lawsuits in hopes of receiving restitution from the sudden job losses. The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) filed three separate federal bankruptcy claims against Outfox Hospitality last October over the WARN law violations, and another two months later. Foxtrot makes a major comeback with the reopening of multiple locations Despite its hiccups along the way, Foxtrot began reopening stores in the Chicago area under the name Foxtrot Café & Market in September of last year, no longer affiliated with Outfox Hospitality and without its previous partner, Dom's Kitchen & Market. The chain now has six fully reopened Chicago locations, which have been incredibly successful in the community. Because of this victorious return, Foxtrot decided to expand to another state. After much pleading from loyal fans, it reopened its first Dallas location this January and, less than a month later, reopened a second location in University Park, the home of Southern Methodist University (SMU). Foxtrot partnered with local businesses to resell their products and created new menus for each state, featuring beverages and food with regional flavors to differentiate its locations and tailor offerings to local consumers. It also launched a merchandise collection for fans, including hats, sweatshirts, and bottle designs, which can be ordered through its app. It even created SMU merchandise for its University Park location. More Retail News: The chain's business moves have proven successful. It has now reopened eight locations in record time. To keep the momentum going, it finally revealed a new addition it had been teasing for weeks. Foxtrot unveiled Shroomies, its new name-brand treat with a handmade logo. These sweet-and-sour gummy mixes come in multiple fun shapes and vibrant colors and can be purchased at all locations. Customers can win free gummies for a whole year if they find a special ticket inside their bag. The bags also contain 20 bonus tickets with $50 in gummy credit for the lucky winners. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 8:33 PM.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Martin Lewis urges Octopus, OVO and EON customers to use little-known 50-day rule
Martin Lewis has issued Octopus, OVO, Outfox, customers with a 50-day warning. The BBC Sounds podcast host has issued an urgent warning to anyone on a fixed tariff about a little-known rule ahead of the energy price cap. Ahead of the new price hike on April 1, the 52-year-old Money Saving Expert founder said: "A quick energy need to know if you're on a fixed tariff or thinking of getting one. They cannot charge you early exit fees if you leave a fix within the last 50 days. So from day 49 onwards, no early exit penalties. "You're absolutely. Free to leave if you choose to. So it's a very good idea to work out when your fix ends and put 50 days beforehand in your diary to do a comparison to see if you can then find anything cheaper. If you can, you're free to switch and they can't lock you in with penalties. If you can't, stay where you are and milk it out till the last moment." READ MORE: State pensioners wake up to HMRC letters which go against 'what we've always thought' READ MORE: I get £2,400 a month in Universal Credit and benefits but I'm skint READ MORE All the parts of England set to be spared snow this week as 14 counties escape ITV star Mr Lewis said: "We talked last week about [how] the energy price cap is going up 6.4% on the 1st of April. Many people think that fixed rates go up as well. They don't. Just [to] be slightly complicated... The energy price cap is set on past wholesale rates. "The April energy price cap is set on wholesale rates between the middle of November and the middle of February. They went up so it's gone up. What the rate you can fix at is based on the rate that energy providers can currently buy in energy for the next year. "Now that doesn't move in sync with the price cap. I can't tell you what the situation may be in May. Look, yo know, if there is peace in Ukraine and Russian gas supplies are turned back on, energy prices will be a lot lower then. "You will be able to fix at a much lower price than it is now. If the opposite and it looks like we are going to continue to be entrenched in that Ukraine situation, then energy prices - or Russian supply isn't back on - energy prices will be higher. "So I cant tell you what the situation will be in May because it's simply an unknowable. But I can say the likelihood is, right now, I would suspect your fix is very cheap so you probably want to keep it running as long as you possibly can."
