Griquas back-to-back Currie Cup kings

Flyhalf George Whitehead spearheaded Griquas to back-to-back Currie Cup titles as the champions outmuscled the Pumas in Kimberley. rouesnews.click

Whitehead, who earned his 150th cap, slotted two conversions and three penalties for an individual tally of 13 points in Griquas’ 23-16 win.

It was the Kimberley-based team’s fifth Currie Cup title.

Whitehead opened the scoring with a penalty goal after nine minutes, but the Pumas hit back when winger Darren Adonis crossed for the opening try of the final, with flyhalf Clinton Swart adding the conversion.

Griquas responded through centre Mnombo Zwelendaba in the 22nd minute after sustained pressure inside the Pumas 22, finishing off a series of relentless phases close to the posts. Whitehead added the conversion to bring the hosts level and ignite the Kimberley crowd.

The Pumas regained the lead through two Swart penalties, the first in the 26th minute and the second soon after, as both sides continued to trade territory and pressure.

Defence was a defining feature of the final, with neither side willing to give the opposition an easy route to the tryline.

There was late drama at both ends as both teams were denied tries after crossing the line.

First, Griquas winger Sako Makata knocked on over the tryline. Then, Pumas lock JJ Scheepers suffered a similar fate when the ball was ripped from his grasp as he crossed the tryline.

The visitors took a nervy 13-10 lead into half-time.

MORE: Bergh savours home triumph

There was very little to choose between the sides in the third quarter. The Pumas’ passionate defence was again a feature as a desperate ankle tap stopped a barnstorming Makata run.

The defending champions struggled for fluidity, with handling errors and penalties costing them much-needed momentum. But despite that, Whitehead was able to draw the sides level once again through a penalty goal.

With the final 10 minutes approaching, the tension at Griqua Park was palpable. But that tension turned to jubilation when Whitehead calmly slotted a 55m penalty to take Griquas into the lead. However, less than two minutes later, Swart slotted a penalty of his own to once again draw the sides level.

Griquas then took a page from the Springbok playbook, walking the Pumas in a dominant rolling maul which saw replacement hooker Janco Uys dot down for the decisive try. Whitehead continued a perfect afternoon from the kicking tee, adding the extras.

Janco Uys gets it down

Too much power in the Suzuki Griquas pack #SSRugby | #CurrieCup pic.twitter.com/KGSVTQUBIt

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 12, 2026

The Pumas weren’t able to convert any of their late chances, which ensured that the Currie Cup stays in the Diamond City for at least one more year.

GRIQUAS – Tries: Mnombo Zwelendaba, Janco Uys. Conversions: George Whitehead (2). Penalties: Whitehead (3).
PUMAS – Try: Darren Adonis. Conversion: Clinton Swart. Penalties: Swart (3).

Photo: Danie van der Lith/Gallo Images

The post Griquas back-to-back Currie Cup kings appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

L’AS Monaco a laissé ses premiers points de la saison sur la pelouse de Strasbourg ce samedi. Après trois victoires consécutives, les Monégasques ont dû se contenter d’un nul (1-1) à la Meinau, malgré un superbe but de Paris Brunner. Strasbourg confirme de son côté son bon début de championnat.

Le Racing met Monaco en difficulté

Strasbourg a rapidement imposé son rythme grâce à un pressing intense. Les Alsaciens ont gêné les Monégasques dans la construction et se sont procuré les meilleures occasions de la première période, notamment par Sebastian Nanasi et Gessime Yassine.

L’ASM a peiné à trouver des espaces et a également perdu Anis Soubeir sur blessure dès la 21e minute, remplacé par Matthis Abline. Malgré une pression strasbourgeoise plus forte avant la pause, les deux équipes sont rentrées aux vestiaires sur un score nul et vierge.

Brunner remet Monaco dans le match

Le Racing a finalement été récompensé au retour des vestiaires. Sur un coup franc d’Oso, Sadibou Sané a malencontreusement dévié le ballon de la tête dans son propre but, offrant l’avantage aux locaux (1-0, 52e).

Monaco a alors réagi et progressivement repris le contrôle des débats. À la 71e minute, Paris Brunner a remis les siens à hauteur d’une superbe frappe des vingt mètres, venue se loger dans la lucarne de Filip Jorgensen.

L’ASM a ensuite poussé pour arracher la victoire. Denis Zakaria a bien trouvé le chemin des filets à la 88e minute, mais son but a été refusé pour une position de hors-jeu. Une situation litigieuse dans la surface à la 90e minute aurait également pu permettre aux Monégasques d’obtenir un penalty.

Strasbourg et Monaco se quittent finalement sur un match nul (1-1). L’ASM abandonne ses premiers points de la saison mais reste invaincue, tandis que le Racing confirme sa bonne dynamique.

The post Strasbourg freine l’AS Monaco appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

A quelques jours seulement du stage des Verts, un joueur, Mohamed Bachir Belloumi, a déjà confirmé son grand retour en s’éclatant en Premier League depuis le début de la nouvelle saison, à l’image de ce doublé signé cet après-midi face à Chelsea à Stanford Bridge (2 – 2).

Stanford Bridge se souviendra longtemps de cet après-midi du samedi 12 septembre 2026 et ce match de la 4^e journée de la Premier League anglaise où Mohamed Bachir Belloumi a étalé tout son talent en signant un doublé en faveur de son équipe Hull City face à Chelsea (2 – 2).

Les commentateurs de cette rencontre n’ont pas tari d’éloges sur le joueur, tout en rappelant la légende qu’était son père, Lakhdar Belloumi, à chacun de ses deux buts marqués face à Chelsea dans son fief londonien.

Pourtant, la partie a mal débuté pour les Tigers en encaissant un but dès la (7^e) par l’international anglais Morgan Rogers.

Mais progressivement, les hommes de Sergej Jakirovic vont reprendre le fil du match et profiteront de leur temps fort pour inscrire deux buts en l’espace de six minutes par l’international algérien Belloumi qui affiche une grosse forme en ce début de saison.

Reprenant au second poteau un centre du latéral Ryan Giles, Belloumi reprend instantanément du gauche pour rétablir l’équilibre (28^e). Le génial numéro 10 d’Hull City fait de nouveau parler sa patte gauche lorsque, sur un corner, le ballon est remis par un de ses coéquipiers après avoir percuté la transversale, il transperce la défense une nouvelle fois (34^e).

Les Tigers auraient pu prétendre à mieux que ce nul après l’égalisation de Joao Pedro en deuxième mi-temps (66^e), même s’ils réalisent leur meilleur début de saison en Premier League en occupant provisoirement la troisième place du classement.

Pour sa part, Belloumi annonce déjà la couleur pour son retour en sélection où le nouveau staff technique emmené par Brahim Hemdani compte le responsabiliser surle flanc de l’attaque algérienne.

L’article ANG : Du grand Belloumi avant le stage des Verts est apparu en premier sur Foot Afrique.

There are several theories that Nkosingiphile Ngcobo has been mollycoddled at Kaizer Chiefs. When will the club cut ties with him, if ever?

Is Ngcobo getting preferential treatment at Chiefs?

There’s no doubting Nkosingiphile Ngcobo’s ability as a footballer. However, his lack of durability and injury resistance has become a real problem. He’s now behind Lebo Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu and even the much-maligned Adolf Bitegeko in the midfield pecking order. His numbers also merit closer analysis.

Stats paint a dismal picture

His best campaign, in terms of appearances in the league, was 2020-21 when he made 25 outings and scored four goals. Injuries have ravaged subsequent seasons, limiting Ngcobo to 16 appearances in 2021-22, then 13 in 2022-23, 12 in 2023-24 and 11 in 2024-25. Last term, encouragingly, he made 16 league appearances. However, since the aforementioned campaign in 2021, Ngcobo hasn’t managed more than two goals in a single season. He’s only scored two goals in his last three Betway Premiership seasons combined. Injuries aren’t his fault, of course, but at some stage the club needs to be ruthless and/or philosophical about his squad status. The 26-year-old joined the first team in 2017 from the youth setup and has made 129 appearances in the jersey, scoring eight goals and supplying three assists.

Also read: Chiefs best and worst signings this winter

Fans are fed up

Emperer Crespo said: ‘Ngcobo has been at Chiefs since he was 10…It’s nepotism at its best. He’s being treated like Motaung’s last born. Should have been released four years ago.’

Nhlanhla_S wrote: ‘Pull up your socks, baba’ on a Facebook post showing Ngcobo in training.

Ngcobo nowhere to be seen in recent squads

After featuring in the club’s first two matches of the season (a win over Kruger United and a defeat to Golden Arrows in the MTN8), he hasn’t got a single minute in four subsequent matches. Ngcobo was an unused sub against Sundowns and was left out of matchday squads against Richards Bay, Sekhukhune, Siwelele and recently Polokwane City altogether. Perhaps this is a sign that his future lies elsewhere, after nine years in the first team. The big question, however, is how he is still around.

Unbeaten Kaizer Chiefs are looking good without Mshini

Chiefs beat Siwelele 3-2 with Mfundo Vilakazi and Wandile Duba among those on the score sheet. Lebo Maboe and Mdu Shabalala assisted Vilakazi and Duba respectively. The Glamour Boys are now unbeaten in their first six outings, winning three and drawing the other three after Saturday’s 1-1 stalemate with Polokwane City. Lebo Maboe scored the Chiefs goal from a Pule Mmodi Assist.

Chiefs fans, would you sell Nkosingiphile Ngcobo at the end of this season? Let us know by clicking the red comments banner just below this article 🙂