Latest news with #SydneySeshibedi
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Lions still sponsorless
'We are negotiating with a few large overseas companies. What makes things a bit more difficult now is the European holiday period.' JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 17: Lubabalo Dobela of the Lions scores the winning try and celebrate with teammates during the United Rugby Championship match between Emirates Lions and Ospreys at Emirates Airline Park on May 17, 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images) The Lions remain without a team title sponsor and stadium naming-rights sponsor ahead of the 2025-26 season. Emirates ended its 10-year sponsorship of the Johannesburg-based franchise at the end of June, having informed the Lions late last year that the agreement would not be renewed. 'We are negotiating with a few large overseas companies,' Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli told Rapport. 'What makes things a bit more difficult now is the European holiday period. 'Like last year, Fidelity ADT is the main sponsor of our Currie Cup team. We've also added one or two smaller sponsors to the mix. But we are still in talks with potential major sponsors – international companies – which unfortunately takes more time.' Pieter Burger, managing director of Ellis Park, had previously told Rapport that the Lions were in contact with about six prospective sponsors regarding the naming rights for both the stadium and the team. The Lions advertised the sponsorship opportunity on business social network LinkedIn a month ago. This story was first published on It is republished here with permission.
The Citizen
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Franchises confirm 30 players for fourth season of SA20 league
The remaining 84 slots in the respective squads will be confirmed at the player auction in Johannesburg on 9 September. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been announced as a wildcard pick by defending champions MI Cape Town for next season's SA20 league. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images A total of 24 players have either been retained or pre-signed contracts with SA20 teams, while all six wildcard players have also been announced, ahead of next season's fourth edition of the popular T20 league. Each of the six franchises were permitted a maximum of six retained or pre-signed players, comprising a maximum of three South African and three overseas players, during the player retention window which closed last week. In addition, each franchise was allowed a wildcard pick, which could be any player who was part of the team's squad in season three. The list of 30 players, which were released on Wednesday, included 17 foreigners and 13 South Africans. Upcoming auction The remaining 84 slots in the respective squads were set to be confirmed at the player auction in Johannesburg on 9 September, where the franchises had a collective maximum purse of R131 million they could still spend on compiling their squads. Notable South African players available to be picked up at the auction include Proteas World Test Championship final heroes Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj, along with top young talent Dewald Brevis and Kwena Maphaka. T20 specialists Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi are also available. 'When the league first drafted its regulations in season one, we always saw this forthcoming season as an opportunity for a strategic reset, and this is exactly where we envisioned being,' said SA20 league commissioner Graeme Smith. 'There's now a strong balance between pre-signed and retained international and Proteas players, alongside a significant purse available for the auction. 'After three seasons, the franchises have developed a good understanding of the South Africa cricket ecosystem and adopted a distinct strategy which sets the stage for the most exciting auction yet.' The 2025/26 SA20 league will be held between 26 December and 26 January, shortly ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February. Signed players and remaining salary caps Durban's Super Giants (R29.5 million): Sunil Narine, Noor Ahmad, Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen (wildcard) Joburg Super Kings (R21.5 million): Faf Du Plessis, James Vince, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, Donovan Ferreira (wildcard) MI Cape Town (R11.5 million): Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada (wildcard) Paarl Royals (R14.5 million): Lhuan-dre Pretorius, David Miller, Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sikandar Raza, Rubin Hermann (wildcard) Pretoria Capitals (R32.5 million): Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell (Wildcard) Sunrisers Eastern Cape (R21,5 million): Tristan Stubbs, Allah Ghazanfar, Adam Milne, Jonny Bairstow, Marco Jansen (wildcard)
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
U20 champions of the rugby world, Junior Boks are back in SA
The under-20 team beat New Zealand in the final in Italy at the weekend, to win their first title in 13 years. Junior Boks captain Riley Norton shows off the U20 Championship trophy to fans at OR Tambo International airport on Monday. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images The all-conquering Junior Springboks have returned home from Italy where they won the World Rugby U20 Championship on Saturday, by beating their New Zealand counterparts 23-15 in the final. Kevin Foote's team went unbeaten in the tournament. They recorded good wins against Australia, England and Scotland in pool play and then triumphed against Argentina in the semi-finals. It was South Africa's first win at under-20 level in 13 years. A small group of cheering fans welcomed the players and coaches back to South Africa on Monday morning. 'This is a very proud day for rugby in South Africa, and I would like to congratulate Kevin and the team on an outstanding performance in the tournament,' said Mark Alexander, the president of the SA Rugby Union. 'The group have been welded into a formidable unit over the course of this year and many of them have the potential to go on to higher honours, I am sure. 'Their victory is a tribute to all the hard work done at high school level by educators and coaches, and at our provincial unions from whom these players are drawn. 'Appointing a head coach in Kevin, who has franchise experience, was also an important part of the progress this group have shown, and I would like to commend him, his backroom team, and the High Performance Department at SA Rugby for what they have achieved in such a short space of time.' Fans interact with Junior Boks players at their arrival in the country on Monday morning. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Play at a higher level Junior Boks flyhalf Vusi Moyo finished the tournament as the top points' scorer with 63, while Haashim Pead scored six tries, placing him second for the most five-pointers behind Georgia's Mikheili Shioshvili (7). Foote said after the final in Rovigo on Saturday, a number of the under-20 players should now be considered for senior duty in the Currie Cup and possibly even the United Rugby Championship next season. 'I actually think quite a lot of them could make the step up. Once you put these guys in the right environment they will flourish,' said Foote. 'This is such a talented group and in the right environment they will kick on. I think you are going to see a lot of these names going forward for South African rugby and in the URC.'
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Take your greedy hands off Joburg parks and sports facilities
Instead of fixing billing failures and recovering billions in unpaid utilities, Joburg officials are targeting public recreation spaces for financial gain. Wanderers Stadium is one of the properties earmarked for review, as the municipality begins the process of redefining cherished community spaces. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images Joburg Property Company (JPC) spokesperson Lucky Sindane reckons the city needs to 'move with the times' and that it wants to redefine what is meant by parks and recreation facilities, including some of the city's most well-known sports clubs and leisure locations. JPC's general manager for commercial and city-focused interventions, Sizeka Tshabalala, says the process will review how the city is compensated for the land use as current agreements are 'not talking to our current business model as the city'. The current agreements covering sports club facilities and even golf courses 'don't make business sense'. And so, there you have it. In a desperate attempt to gouge money out of ratepayers, our municipal mandarins plan to turn land into cash. All the while, they continue to turn a blind eye to the billions of rands in spiralling debt owed by consumers in places like Soweto. ALSO READ: Joburg's residents fuming as city aims to cash in on public parks and sports clubs We would suggest that taking time and applying your collective municipal management brainpower to recovering that which is being stolen from the city – which is what nonpayment for electricity is – you would come up with something which would talk to your current business model. That, of course, isn't going to happen. JPC says the reassessment process will entail reclassifying portions of land, but only after an 'extensive public participation process'. Something like what was done with the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, then? It is deeply offensive that the city continues to hike property rates on the basis that homeowners must pay for the facilities allegedly provided to them. Given that we don't get much in the way of good roads, our refuse removal service is patchy and our street and traffic lights are often out of order, we deserve at least some value for our money. That we get in our recreation facilities, such as they are. Take your greedy hands off them. NOW READ: No budget, no bridge, no answers from JRA
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
U18 Craven Week day four results: WP too good for Sharks
The Valke, Griquas and EP also recorded wins on Thursday. Jordan Jooste of WP hangs on to the ball in his team's match against the Sharks. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Western Province and Eastern Province claimed derby wins on the fourth day of the U18 Craven Week at Hoërskool Middelburg on Thursday. WP maintained their perfect record at this week's tournament after downing the Sharks 45-13, while EP proved too strong for Border in the Eastern Cape derby, running out 30-12 winners. Earlier on Thursday, the Valke and Griquas secured their first wins of the competition when they beat Boland and the Leopards respectively. The first quarter of the match between WP and the Sharks was fiercely contested, with the Sharks stretching the WP defence and wing Jadrian Afrikaner touching down for a hard-earned try. WP hit back with tries by centre Markus Muller and prop Matthew van der Merwe, while flyhalf Ethan van Biljon slotted a penalty goal on the stroke of half-time to boost his team's lead to 11 points. Province continued to dominate after the break, and went on to finish with six tries in an emphatic 45-13 win, with the impressive Muller bagging a brace. The last round of matches will be played on Saturday, with WP taking on South Western Districts in the final match of the tournament. Free State will play the curtain-raiser to the 'final' when they go up against the Sharks. In all, eight matches will be played, on the A and B fields. Craven Week day four results Boland 19 (14) Valke 35 (20) Griquas 46 (19) Leopards 34 (24) Border 12 (5) Eastern Province 30 (27) Western Province 45 (24) Sharks 13 (13) Craven Week day five fixtures (Saturday) A-field: 9am: EP vs Bulls 10.15am: Lions vs WP XV 11.30am: Sharks vs Free State 12.45pm: WP vs SWD B-field: 9am: Boland vs Griffons 10.15am: Limpopo vs Leopards 11.30am: Griquas vs Valke 12.45pm: Border vs Pumas
