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The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pot of gold awaits Proteas if they win Test final: How much money is at stake
The final is to take place at Lord's next month between South Africa and Australia. The Proteas players are in line to bank a few million Rands, win or lose the Test Championship final. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images It might not be quite what some of the players earn individually in tournaments like the Indian Premier League, but the winners of the upcoming World Test Championship final, to be played at Lord's next month, are in for a big pay day. The final will be contested between South Africa and Australia, who finished in the top two positions following the latest ICC Test cycle, which ran from 2023 to this year. The teams that finished third to ninth will also pocket very decent prize money from the International Cricket Council. This year's final will be played at Lord's in London from June 11 to 15. 'Mega fixture' The winners of the match will take home a purse of $3.6 million. In rand terms that is R65 million. It is more than double ($1.6 million) what New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023) earned after winning the previous two Test finals. The losing finalists will bank $2.1 million, which is R38 million. This is also significantly more than what the previous runners up took home, namely $800,000. Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma said he and his team were pleased to have qualified for the final. 'Everyone understands the importance of Test cricket and the World Test Championship lends context to this vital format of the game. Lord's is a fitting venue for this mega fixture and all of us will be out there trying to give our best against Australia,' Bavuma said. 'The anticipation is increasing with less than one month to go, and I am sure fans around the world would be following the fortunes of both teams come 11 June.' The South African and Australian squads were recently announced for the final. Both teams will look to get some quality preparation in before the match at Lord's as both have played only white ball cricket this year. The Proteas are scheduled to face Zimbabwe in a four-day match in the coming weeks to prepare for the final. Prize money: First/winners: $3.6 million Second/runners up: $2.16 million Third: India $1.44 million Fourth: New Zealand $1.2 million Fifth: England $960,000 Sixth: Sri Lanka $840,000 Seventh: Bangladesh $720,000 Eighth: West Indies $600,000 Ninth: Pakistan 480,000
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: Plenty to work on for Junior Boks ahead of World Champs
The SA U20 team won just one match in the recent U20 Rugby Championship that also featured Australia, Argentina and New Zealand. Junior Springbok flyhalf Kyle Smith tries to evade the New Zealand defence during their high scoring U20 Rugby Championship clash at the at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Sunday. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images The Junior Springboks will need to buckle down over the next month and a half and get stuck into their various training regimes if they want to improve and ensure that they are a contender when the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship kicks off in Italy at the end of June. This after a disappointing showing in hosting the 2025 U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha over the past few weeks, where the Junior Boks won just one game out of three to finish third on the four-team log. The margins were tight, with the Junior Boks beating Argentina 36-25, before going down 29-25 to Australia and 48-45 to New Zealand, but the manner of the defeats should be slightly concerning to the coaching staff. Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote claimed he was happy with his team's showing, that they can be proud of their performance, and that there are plenty of positives to take out of the competition. But whether he genuinely believes that, or is just backing his players despite them flopping on home soil, we don't really know. Top start Against Argentina the hosts trailed 25-15 early in the second half, before rallying with 21 unanswered points to start the tournament on a high. But they were brought heavily down to earth by the Aussies after leading 17-0 early in the second half. They allowed the visitors to score four tries in 23 minutes and 29 points in total, before a late try made the game seem closer than it was. Against New Zealand the Junior Boks led 19-0 early on and 26-24 at half-time, but the visitors were able to turn things around and see out the high-scoring game despite losing a player to a red card with 11 minutes remaining and another to a yellow with five minutes left. Arguably the big work-ons for the Junior Boks should be their set piece and defence, while their scrums and lineouts also need attention. Some players will be released to their unions to play in the SA Rugby U21 competition, while others will have their workloads managed, but an improved effort will be needed if they want to challenge the Northern Hemisphere junior sides who have dominated in recent years.
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
New Zealand edge Junior Boks in thrilling U20 Rugby Championship game
Defence went out the window as both teams focused on playing the most attacking rugby they could. South Africa and New Zealand's U20 teams put on a show of attacking rugby in their match in Gqeberha on Sunday. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images The Junior All Blacks beat the young Springboks 48-45 in a thrilling final match of the 2025 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha on Sunday to retain the title they won in the inaugural competition last year. In total, 15 tries were scored in a match that will live long in the memory of those who witnessed it. New Zealand went unbeaten in the competition. They drew with Australia and also beat Argentina, while South Africa opened with a win against Argentina, but then lost to Australia and New Zealand. Riley Norton's Junior Boks raced into an almost unbelievable 19-0 lead after just 13 minutes thanks to tries by centre Albie Bester, prop Simphiwe Ngobese and hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele. The Boks were well on top and in charge, but the 'Baby All Blacks' showed tremendous composure to fight back in style with two tries of their own in the space of eight minutes midway through the half. Both were scored by Harlyn Saunoa. But the ding-dong battle was just getting going. South Africa's left wing Gino Cupido crossed for his team's fourth try in the 28th minute before the men from New Zealand again scored two tries in quick succession, through captain and hooker Manumaua Letiu and Saunoa, his third in the first half. After a thrilling first half, just two points separated the teams at the break. More second half thrills And the action continued unabated after the resumption, with the Junior All Blacks scoring a further two tries to rock the hosts. Wandile Mlaba, the Junior Boks' No 8, though pulled one back for the South Africans, but before the home team could do any celebrating, the New Zealanders scored again, their seventh try, to go 43-31 up. Mlaba was at it again though a few minutes later, getting his second and his team's sixth try of the game in the 57th minute. Just five points separated the teams going into the final quarter. Right wing Maloni Kunawave then scored his second try of the game, diving in spectacularly in the corner; the Junior All Blacks going 48-38 up. But with five minutes to go, the Junior Boks were awarded a penalty try for New Zealand collapsing a driving maul, with a player also sent to the sin-bin. Just a few minutes earlier the Junior All Blacks had also lost a man to a red card for a dangerous tackle, so they were down to 13 for the final few minutes. Earlier Sunday, Australia beat Argentina 40-36.
The Citizen
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Foote reflects on Junior Boks' loss to Australia, calls match against New Zealand ‘huge'
The young SA team conceded four second half tries to lose to Australia in their second game of the U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha on Tuesday. Junior Boks players shake hands with players from Australia following their U20 Rugby Championship match on Tuesday. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images Having fallen to Australia in their second match of the U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha on Tuesday afternoon, the Junior Springboks will have to regroup quickly ahead of their final match of the competition, against New Zealand this coming Sunday. Kevin Foote's team lost 29-24 to the junior Wallabies after leading 17-0 early in the second half. The Junior Boks won their first game of the competition, against Argentina, last Thursday and next face the junior All Blacks, on Sunday. Foote gave all the credit to the Australian team for turning the game on Tuesday in their favour. They scored four second half tries to edge the South Africans by five points. 'Australia deserve credit for staying in fight' 'We got pegged down in our own half after half-time, and a few turnovers gave them opportunities and momentum,' said Foote. 'I think Australia deserve a lot of credit for staying in the fight, they're gutsy and did well at that. We turned over too much ball and the defensive pressure became big for us. 'The number one thing to improve on is probably to look after our ball and making sure we don't give it up too easily, as well as our discipline to not concede soft penalties.' Junior Bok captain Riley Norton also emphasised the number of penalties conceded and the Aussies' territorial advantage. 'I thought we had a great first half and I thought our game drivers were doing very well,' said Norton. 'In the second half we conceded some soft penalties at times and then we lost the territorial battle. These are valuable lessons for us before the World Rugby U20 Championship. 'The boys are still positive, and we have one more game to play in the Championship, and we are excited for that.' 'Huge fixture' against New Zealand Foote said the match against New Zealand would be 'huge'. The junior All Blacks scored 11 tries to three in their 75-21 victory over Argentina earlier on Tuesday, and Foote said they realise a big step up will be required when they take on their arch-rivals on Sunday. 'This will be a huge fixture for us. They play with a great tempo and have their tails up so they will be great opposition,' said Foote. 'The team will be very highly motivated for the New Zealand match; we are playing at home, and facing New Zealand is just an amazing Test match in itself.'
