Latest news with #WorldRugbyU20Championship
The Citizen
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
'Johan will do well at Bulls' – Foote hails Ackermann's impact at U20s
Johan Ackermann's advisory role with the Junior Boks has come to a triumphant end, as he moves on to coaching the Bulls. Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote believes incoming Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann will produce the goods and lead the team to new heights, after his successful stint with the national U20 team which ended in World Championship glory. The former Lions coach, who also coached in England and Japan over the past seven years, was brought into the Junior Bok setup late last year as a coaching consultant, lending his considerable experience to the junior side since. The South African Rugby Union was reportedly so impressed by Ackermann's work that they had already asked him to consider staying on, but the lure of coaching one of the country's top franchise teams was too much and he accepted the Bulls' offer. 'He's a brilliant coach' After the World Rugby U20 Championship final on Saturday, Foote was asked about the impact Ackermann had on the junior side's success, and he claimed that it was huge. 'I can't speak more highly about Johan Ackermann. He's a brilliant coach. He coaches so well technically, but he is also a cultural coach. He's so good for our environment, he knows when to smile, sometimes he's dancing, sometimes he's serious,' said Foote. 'He gets the balance right and I think the fitness and love he showed to our forward pack in particular and brought these guys up with Mushie (Junior Bok forwards coach Lumumba Currie) was fantastic. 'Johan is going to do very well at the Bulls. He's just a good person and good things happen to good people. So in my opinion Johan had a massive impact on our (successful) campaign.' Stepping up to senior level With the Junior Bok players having now arrived back in SA from the World Champs in Italy, it will be interesting to see how many of them will be able to make the step up into senior rugby going forward. With the Currie Cup kicking off it will be a great chance for some of them to get some good experience, and the Bulls have already announced that five Junior Boks – Siphosethu Mnebelele, Jaco Grobbelaar, JJ Theron, Cheswill Jooste and Demitre Erasmus – are in their squad for the competition. '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. 'Riley (Norton, Junior Bok captain) as a case in point, he finished school last year, he plays in the tight five and he now captains us. He is still going to be with us next year. 'So I believe 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
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Minister Nkabane fired
Here's your daily news update for Monday, 21 July 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane from her post. Meanwhile, City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has announced the suspension of the fixed R126 electricity tariff charge until further notice following violent protests in Thembisa on Monday. Furthermore, 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.. Weather tomorrow: 22 July 2025 Severe weather warnings include thunderstorms in the Eastern Cape and bitter cold in south-western KwaZulu-Natal. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Ramaphosa fires Nobuhle Nkabane, appoints new higher education minister President Cyril Ramaphosa has fired Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane from her post. Nkabane's axing comes a day before she was set to appear before Parliament's higher education committee to explain the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) board appointment process. Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane. Picture: Screenshot/ SABC YouTube She came under fire after being embroiled in allegations of corruption and the illegal appointment of the Seta board, including accusations that she misled Parliament by providing false information about the procedure for appointing Seta chairs — a list dominated by ANC cadres — and about the composition of the panel that made the appointments. CONTINUE READING: Ramaphosa fires Nobuhle Nkabane, appoints new higher education minister Jayden-Lee Meek murder: Cracks in mother's version of events surface The state has highlighted inconsistencies in the version of Jayden-Lee Meek's mother about what happened before her son's body was found. Bail proceedings resumed at the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on Monday, where Tiffany Nicole Meek is applying for release from custody. Tiffany Nicole Meek appears at Roodepoort Magistrate's Court for bail hearing in the murder case of her son Jayden-Lee Meek on 21July 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi The 31-year-old was arrested on 11 July in connection with her son's death and faces multiple charges, including murder, crimen injuria, defeating the ends of justice, and attempting to obstruct justice. CONTINUE READING: Jayden-Lee Meek murder: Cracks in mother's version of events surface Ekurhuleni mayor to suspend electricity tariff hike after protests in Thembisa City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has announced the suspension of the fixed R126 electricity tariff charge until further notice following violent protests in Thembisa on Monday. Tensions flared in the township on Monday morning as residents protesting steep electricity costs clashed with police, who responded by firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. Picture: Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle Addressing residents outside Rabasotho Community Hall, Xhakaza expressed relief that the protests had not resulted in any reported injuries. CONTINUE READING: Ekurhuleni mayor to suspend electricity tariff hike after protests in Thembisa Gigaba set for PhD after airing of ex-wife's explosive tell-all episode on 'Untied' Just a week after his ex-wife Norma Mngoma's explosive episode was screened on Showmax's Untied, Member of Parliament Malusi Gigaba was announced as among the 2 163 graduates at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) winter graduation ceremony. The institution's graduation ceremony is being held between 16-31 July, and Gigaba will be conferred with a PhD. Malusi Gigaba at his graduation ceremony. He was conferred with a PhD from the University of Johannesburg Picture: @go2uj/X Gigaba holds a Bachelor of Pedagogics in Education from the University of Durban-Westville, where he studied from 1989 to 1990. He obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Social Policy from the same university from 1992 to 1994. CONTINUE READING: Gigaba set for PhD after airing of ex-wife's explosive tell-all episode on 'Untied' U20 champions of the rugby world, Junior Boks are back in SA 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. 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 It was South Africa's first win at under-20 level in 13 years. CONTINUE READING: U20 champions of the rugby world, Junior Boks are back in SA Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Residents living on gravesite | 'Zuma is no messiah' | Police looting washing powder
Eyewitness News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Junior Boks win World Rugby U20 Championship: 'We're champions of the world.'
South Africa's Junior Springboks are world champions! South Africa ended a 13-year wait for a second World Rugby U20 Championship title after beating New Zealand 23-15 in the final of the 2025 edition in the Italian city of Rovigo on Saturday. It was the first meeting of the two nations in a final since the Junior Springboks' class of 2012. De Koning says the win is one for the history books...
IOL News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote still in 'pinch me, wake me up' land after historic U20 triumph
The Junior Springboks and their coaching staff celebrate winning the World Rugby U20 Championship on Saturday in Italy. Image: Maurilio Boldrini / World Rugby Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote says he must still pinch himself at what the team achieved as they arrived back in South Africa with the World Rugby Under-20 Championship title. The Baby Boks defeated the Junior All Blacks 25-13 in the final on Saturday in Italy to claim a second title after years of coming close. Foote and his fellow coaches led the team to a first victory in 13 years. The coach said on Monday, as the team arrived back home, that the feeling of what they've achieved, still comes and goes, although it has not fully sunk in yet. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'Sometimes the feeling is you can't believe it, and then you settle down and come here and see the people. It is special,' Foote said. 'For now, it doesn't feel real. It feels like a dream. We didn't focus too much on not having won the tournament in a while, because that adds pressure. We had a tough pool and that was enough pressure. 'There was England, the defending champions, we had to beat. Australia beat us in the U20 Rugby Championship, and Scotland were three points behind England in the Six Nations U20. We wanted to ensure that our pool games went well. Cheering fans flocked to the airport to welcome home the triumphant #JuniorBoks on Monday, with Mr Mark Alexander saying: 'Many of them have the potential to go on to higher honours, I am sure' - more here: 🏆#JourneyToGreatness #WorldRugbyU20s — SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 21, 2025 'Our last message before that final to them was if you can be anything in the world, be yourself, and they played incredible rugby.' Foote said the Southern Hemisphere tournament prepped them well for what awaited in Italy. While they lost to teams like the Junior All Blacks and the Aussies in Gqeberha, it allowed them to experiment with team selections to fine-tune their best squad for the U20 Championship. Even when the Junior Boks kept changing their players for certain matches, the previous experience of playing together ensured they didn't lose continuity during the tournament. The Junior Bok coach is hopeful that his players can kick on from this major victory to make a name for themselves on the senior stage. Plenty of them will receive an opportunity during the upcoming Currie Cup for their respective franchises. The Junior Boks get their try ⚡ Haashim Pead spots the space and Jaco Williams finishes it off 💪💪#SSRugby | #WorldRugbyU20s — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025 Speedsters Cheswill Jooste and Demitre Erasmus are signed up for the Bulls, while Junior Bok captain Riley Norton and centre Gino Cupido could feature for Western Province somewhere in the next couple of weeks. 'My hope for these players now is that they stay in the fight. They all have dreams to play for the Springboks. But the reality is that there will be a lot of players who never get the opportunity. They also have dreams to play in the United Rugby Championship. 'They must just keep believing in what they have done. If they do that, there will be plenty of names you'll see in the future.'
The Citizen
a day ago
- 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.'
