Read more
From Banyana to the Boks to the U20 rugby stars, there was plenty to cheer this last weekend.
Bathobele Hlekani of South Africa celebrates with his team-mates and the trophy after the Junior Boks won the U20 Championship in Italy. Picture: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
When it’s good, it’s really good.
There is nothing quite like the South African sports fan … when our teams win and are successful we’re the best supporters out there, but when we lose, we can moan for days.
But today we can all be proudly South African and celebrate a great sporting weekend.
And we’re not quite done yet either because there’s some way to go for the Proteas, who’re playing in a tri-series tournament in Zimbabwe, while Banyana Banyana are still in the running to defend their Wafcon title, so there could be more celebrations to come.
But for now, let’s celebrate Banyana, who have qualified for the Wafcon semifinals after beating Senegal 4-1 on penalties on Saturday night in Morocco. They next face Nigeria on Tuesday.
Before Andile Dlamini’s shot-stopping heroics, our rugby teams got the SA flag flying high with the reigning world champions, the Springboks, and the Junior Boks winning important matches.
Future stars
Siya Kolisi, back after a lengthy injury break, led the Boks to a big 55-10 win against Georgia in Mbombela; the side wrapping up their mid-year Tests unbeaten. They will next turn their attention to the Rugby Championship and bigger challenges, but things are looking good for Rassie Erasmus and his charges.
And then it was the turn of Riley Norton and his powerful Junior Boks team to beat their New Zealand counterparts in the final of the U20 Championship, to lift the title for the first time in 13 years. What a performance that was by our young players and future Bok stars.
Just like the senior Boks, who didn’t lose a game in the last four weeks, Norton’s team went unbeaten through the tournament in Italy, to be crowned junior champions of the world.
We cannot wait to see how these young stars of the future develop and progress in their careers.
All of these achievements and wins come not long after Temba Bavuma’s Test Proteas won the championship final in London, beating Australia inside four days.
It’s good being a South African sports fan right now, so let’s all enjoy it.
