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The South African
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
RWC 1995 anniversary: Remembering Springboks' fallen heroes
On the eve of the 30-year anniversary of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, we celebrate and fondly remember the impact of five Springboks from that iconic occasion who have sadly passed away. James Small, Joost van der Westhuizen, Chester Williams, Ruben Kruger and Hannes Strydom were hugely popular public figures and each of their deaths at relatively young ages understandably rocked South African rugby. Of course, the first member of the tightly-knit squad to pass away was in fact coach Kitch Christie, who succumbed to leukemia in Pretoria in 1998. He was 58. In the first part of this remembrance series, we look back at the career and impact of James Small. James Small Small made his debut for the Springboks against New Zealand in Johannesburg in 1992 and played in 47 Tests until 1997. He scored 20 Test tries, with the last of those in his final match in the Green and Gold, against Scotland – a try which, at that stage, broke Danie Gerber's Test record. However, it was his heroics on defence that are just as much a part of his legacy, with Small's marking of All Blacks great Jonah Lomu in the 1995 World Cup final going a long way to helping the Springboks to victory. In total, Small donned the Green and Gold 60 times, scoring 27 tries. He played Tests against New Zealand, Australia, Western Samoa, Fiji, France, Italy, Romania, England, Scotland, Argentina and the British & Irish Lions. In his provincial, Small played for the Golden Lions (then Transvaal), Sharks (then Natal) and Western Province, appearing in Currie Cup finals for all three sides and lifting the coveted golden cup in the colours of the Sharks and WP, but never with the Golden Lions. Small played 71 matches, scoring 43 tries, for the Golden Lions and the Cats from 1988 to 1992 and again in 1998 and 1999. He was with the Sharks from 1993 to 1996 and played in 67 matches, scoring 48 tries (provincial and Vodacom Super Rugby), and he spent 1997 and the first part of 1998 with Western Province and the DHL Stormers, whom he represented 25 times, scoring 18 tries. Before his sudden death from a heart attack in 2019, the 50-year-old had turned to coaching, and assisted Robert du Preez at NWU-Pukke and the Leopards before joining Pirates Rugby Club in Johannesburg as assistant coach. Small had enjoyed some success in the hospitality industry, with ownership in a popular eatery and night spot Cafe Caprice in Camps Bay in Cape Town. He also had business interests in ADreach, a company specialising in street pole advertising in South Africa. A special player and a unique character, Small is undoubtedly one of the true legends of Springbok rugby. *Keep an eye on TheSouthAfrican as the five remaining articles in this remembrance content series will be published over the next few days Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
08-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Ruiter learners shine in Golden Lions U13 team
Two talented young rugby players from Laerskool Die Ruiter, Khumo Gaanabo and Kgotso Koetle, have earned spots on the prestigious U13 Golden Lions team. The journey to this achievement was not an easy one, as they had to navigate regional trials, make it to the red squad, and ultimately secure their places in the team. They are now working towards being selected for the Craven Week or U13 Academy Week, a significant milestone in their rugby careers. Also read: Laerskool Die Ruiter's colour run a runaway hit According to Reggie Gama, the team manager, both Khumo and Kgotso possess outstanding qualities that set them apart. 'They are both confident, have great leadership skills, and have personal life goals within the sport,' he said. In an interview with the Roodepoort Record, Khumo and Kgotso shared their passion for rugby. Both players started playing the sport in grade four and aspire to play professionally. For Kgotso, making the team two years in a row is a personal achievement that highlights his commitment and perseverance. Longtime coach of the boys, Lou Janse van Rensburg, said they saw quite early that the boys had outstanding rugby abilities, and they took it upon themselves to train, nurture, and encourage them to an even better standard. 'They are both good players, and you can see it when they are on the field. We are very proud of them,' he said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
8 Winners Crowned at 2025 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship Presented by Chase and Kohler Co.
27 teams and 45 individuals took on Straits and Irish Courses at Whistling Straits in 38th PWCC Click here to final results. Click here for media hub/photos KOHLER, WI / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / It was a debut to remember for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men's golf team at Whistling Straits. Competing in its first PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship presented by Chase and Kohler Co., UAPB captured the title in dominating fashion. The Golden Lions (23-over) recorded a wire-to-wire victory as the Men's Division I champions, combining to shoot a final-round 28-over-par 316 on the Straits course and win by 32 over Prairie View A&M University (55-over) and North Carolina A&T State University (55-over), which tied for second. 'Having the opportunity to play this iconic golf course and winning the championship means a lot,' said UAPB sophomore Jose Berenguel. 'We work hard a lot, had a few good weeks of practicing and the hard work paid off.' Berenguel clinched the Men's Division I medalist title with a three-day score of 7-under-par 209. With a 2-over-par 74 in the final round, he scored a 10-stroke victory. 'It was pretty tough,' said Berenguel. 'I was just trying to put the ball in play, make up and downs and make some putts.' University of Maryland Eastern Shore freshman Max Osten (3-over) shot a final-round 3-over-par 75 to finish medalist runner-up, while North Carolina A&T State University freshman Javier Morgado Rebollar (4-over) finished third after a 5-over-par 77. Golden Lions sophomore Jules De Reu (7-over) tallied a 10-over-par 82 to finish fourth. In the Men's Division IIChampionship, Texas A&M International University Coach Parker Holekamp's message to his team was simple: keep your head on straight. If the DustDevils could stay focused amidst the windy conditions at Whistling Straits, Holekamp liked their chances in Wednesday's final round. TAMIU (60-over) followed their coach's instructions to put up a final-round team score of 32-over-par 320, giving them a seven-stroke win over second-place Fayetteville State University (67-over). 'I feel really honored to be able to come play a championship like this at this quality of a golf course,' said Holekamp. 'The guys grinded it out and I told them before the round started that whoever was going to come out on top was going to be the team that kept their head on the straightest. So I think they did a good job of that today and I'm proud of them. Today was not easy with the wind.' With a final-round team score of 41-over-par 329, Fayetteville State University was runner-up at 67-over-par 931. First- and second-round leader Kentucky State University (71-over) took third following a 45-over-par 333. Kentucky State University senior Micah Stangebye (2-over) went wire-to-wire to win the Men's Division II Medalist honors. Stangebye navigated a roller-coaster back-nine on the Irish, which included bogeys on three of his first four holes. He eagled the par-5 14th before posting back-to-back double bogeys on holes 15-16. Birdies at the par-5 17th and par-5 18th secured the two-stroke victory over TAMIU's Steen. 'I just had to keep my head down, keep fighting,' said Stangebye. 'Today pars were good, so any pars you could make I was happy with it and didn't make a lot of them, but to finish birdie-birdie, it's a dream come true.' TAMIU senior Noah Campbell recorded his team's low round of the day with a 4-over-par 76 on the Irish course. TAMIU Junior Elvis Steen (4-over) finished runner-up in the Men's Division II medalist race after shooting 7-over-par 79 Wednesday. 'Both the tracks this week were definitely a challenge, and today with 30-mile-an-hour winds and it being a little chilly caused the greens to get pretty fast and tough,' said Steen. 'I was hanging in there, unfortunately I couldn't grab the top spot individually, but I'm very happy I was able to help our team to victory.' University of Delaware senior Egor Zubov (6-under) captured the Men's Individual Championship title with a final-round 4-over-par 76 at the Straits course. Zubov, playing in his final collegiate event, opened with a birdie at the par-4 1st. After a bogey at the par-4 4th hole, he responded with another birdie at the par-5 5th. Despite a double bogey on the par-4 8th and three-back nine bogeys, he maintained his three-stroke lead with six pars on the closing holes to win. 'Today, coming in knowing that there was going to be a lot of wind, starting off well, but in the midst of it the wind got harder,' said Zubov. 'I made a few key mistakes in some sense, but was able to quickly adapt.' University of Delaware sophomore Arsit Areephun (3-under) shot even-par 72 to finish runner-up. Utah Tech University sophomore KJ Ofahengaue (1-under) finished third after posting an even-par 72. No lead is safe when the wind blows off Lake Michigan at Whistling Straits. Just ask the North Carolina A&T State University women's golf team, which held on in the final round for the narrowest of victories in the Women's Team Division. Facing wind gusts up to 30 miles-per-hour, their 15-stroke lead over Howard University dwindled throughout the day on the Irish Course. With only two holes remaining, that lead was gone and NC A&T (70-over) trailed Howard by one. But a clutch birdie from junior Polina Marina on the final hole, the par-5 18th on the Irish Course, proved crucial and despite a finishing double bogey from junior Ekaterina Prokhorov, the 36-hole Women's Team Division Medalist leader, the Aggies won by one stroke. 'Still trying to process it all,' NC A&T Head Coach Scooter Clark, PGA, said of his 11th PWCC victory as a coach. 'It was neat to see them go through that today and hold on to pull it off.' Clark has seen every side of the PWCC: as a competitor in the inaugural (1986) championship, as Bethune-Cookman Head Coach, as championship director for the PGA of America and now back as a head coach. 'This is what my heart wanted to feel,' Clark said of returning with a team to lead. 'Seeing the pride and sense of accomplishment on a student-athlete's face, it's a great moment.' Howard University (71-over) finished runner-up in the Women's Team Division, while Alabama State University (112-over) took third. Despite a final-round 10-over 82, Prokhorova claimed Women's Team Medalist Honors, finishing 10-over for the Championship and three strokes ahead of teammate Marina (13-over, 77-68-84). 'It was a long day,' Prokhorov said, 'but I feel like we've done a really good job as a team. 'I believed in myself and I believed in my teammates. I just tried to keep my head in the right spot. I'm in love with these two courses. You know, when you're a kid watching all the pros play on this course, it means everything to me.' Extra holes were necessary in the Women's Individual Division after University of Delaware freshman Hyunji Kim sunk a 20-foot birdie on the par-4 18th on the Straits course for a final-round 5-over 77 and University of Nebraska-Lincoln senior Miu Takhashi finished with double bogey for a final-round 11-over 83, causing a three-shot swing and a tie at 7-over for the Championship. Starting again at the par-4 10th, Kim did her best to stay calm. 'I was just singing, trying to distract myself,' Kim said. 'There were too many cameras, too many people. I was really nervous and shaking in the cold.' With two putts to win on the first playoff hole, Kim left her lag putt five feet short, then told herself, 'I've holed so many five-footers in my life, I can hole it.' So she did. 'Now that it's over, it's just been an incredible opportunity and I'm just grateful to be here and play such a fantastic track.' With Kim and Zubov representing the University of Delaware with Individual wins, this marks the first time both men's and women's PWCC individual winners have been from the same school since Bethune-Cookman in 2000. For additional information on the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, visit here. About PGA of America REACH Foundation The PGA of America REACH Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of the Foundation is to positively impact the lives of youth, military and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA of America Golf Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. For more information on the PGA of America REACH Foundation, visit follow @PGAREACH on Instagram, X and find us on Facebook. Media Contacts: Greg Dillard, PGA of America, [email protected] Jesse Dodson, PGA of America, [email protected] SOURCE: PGA of America press release
Fox Sports
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Lual's 15 help Alcorn State beat UAPB 65-63
Associated Press PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt converted a pair of free throws with three seconds left to lift Alcorn State to a 65-63 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a regular season finale on Saturday. The Braves (11-20, 11-7) finish the season in sixth place and will have a first-round bye to the Southwestern Conference tournament quarterfinals Wednesday in Atlanta. The Golden Lions finished 11th and finished one game shy of reaching the conference tournament. Julian Lual scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Braves. Gaines-Wyatt scored 11 points while shooting 4 for 11, including 1 for 6 from beyond the arc. Omari Hamilton shot 3 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. Doctor Bradley led the way for the Golden Lions (6-25, 3-15) with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. UAPB also got 16 points from Raphael Dumont. Caleb Jones had 13 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. recommended
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Lual's 15 help Alcorn State beat UAPB 65-63
PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt converted a pair of free throws with three seconds left to lift Alcorn State to a 65-63 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a regular season finale on Saturday. The Braves (11-20, 11-7) finish the season in sixth place and will have a first-round bye to the Southwestern Conference tournament quarterfinals Wednesday in Atlanta. The Golden Lions finished 11th and finished one game shy of reaching the conference tournament. Julian Lual scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Braves. Gaines-Wyatt scored 11 points while shooting 4 for 11, including 1 for 6 from beyond the arc. Omari Hamilton shot 3 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. Doctor Bradley led the way for the Golden Lions (6-25, 3-15) with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. UAPB also got 16 points from Raphael Dumont. Caleb Jones had 13 points.
