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The South African
5 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.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
‘I am a bit fresher, and my body is feeling good': Eben Etzebeth puts injury woes behind him to get set for Springbok Tests
Eben Etzebeth (centre), seen here during Springbok training in Johannesburg this week, is ready for Test rugby after a season full of injuries at the Sharks. Photo: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media Image: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media After a frustrating United Rugby Championship campaign, where injuries derailed his participation in crucial matches for the Sharks – including the semi-final against the Bulls – Eben Etzebeth is ready to put all his energy into the Springboks' season. The centurion played a small part in the URC after a concussion and recurring symptoms kept him on the sidelines for a couple of months, before a calf strain and a knock kept him out of other games. Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth on how injuries disrupted his season. WATCH full press conference ➡️➡️➡️ — Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) June 18, 2025 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 ✕ Ad loading The Sharks bowed out at the semi-final stage at Loftus Versfeld, and although he could not be part of the match, Etzebeth is fired up to get the international season going. He says he is cleared of the concussions, and will approach the international season fresh and injury-free. 'I've recovered from everything... it's all in the past," the 33-year-old said this week. 'I didn't have a good run with the Sharks, with an injury and a concussion that kept me out for about four-and-a-half months, which wasn't ideal. 'However, I recovered and got a few games with the Sharks at the back-end of the season. 'Then, I suffered a small setback at training just before the semi-final, which was a minor one. 'I am fully back in training, and excited for the Springbok season ahead.' Etzebeth said he looked at his injuries of the last few months positively, without needing to focus on anything negative. He added that it wasn't ideal that he did not play as much rugby for the Sharks as he had wanted, but at the end of the day, he could rest his body a bit more and recover properly. The towering lock also has a young family, and was able to spend time with them before the busy Test season. 'When you play week in and week out, you get battered and bruised, and you only recover from it on a Tuesday. 'I am a bit fresher, and my body is feeling good. I spent time with my family, but didn't do nothing. 'You still do rehab and work on maybe a shoulder that has been niggling you in the past... you get that back to full strength. Francois Venter 🤝 Rohan Janse van Rensburg Almost time for the Springboks to take on the Barbarians. Tickets are available here 🔗 #Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold — Springboks (@Springboks) June 17, 2025 'Like that, you get your entire body up to speed and strong enough to play again. 'Yes, I might not be match-sharp, but there have been plenty of other positives. Hopefully, those (niggles) don't affect me in the upcoming months.' He is eager to be involved in the Boks' first match against the Barbarians next Saturday in Cape Town. They take on the invitational side ahead of double Tests against Italy and a one-off against Georgia in the mid-year matches. While they can't do too much analysis on the Baabaas because they don't know what to expect, Etzebeth believes that they will face a strong side – which will be coached by Robbie Deans and will include the likes of Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Sam Cane – eager to beat the world champions. 'Everyone wants to play (against the Barbarians). After finishing on a high last year, you want to be involved in the first (Springbok) match of the new season,' the Bok No 4 said. 'It will be an exciting game. The Barbarians have a good time during the week, but on Saturday, they pitch up. 'A few of them will play their final international game, and they will want to prove something against the Springboks.'
New York Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about the Canucks' positioning ahead of NHL Draft, free agency
We're approaching that most dreaded moment of the NHL calendar. That moment when the industry's entire world turns upside down. Call it the 'silly season,' call it the 'frenzy,' call it the most dangerous time of year. As the offseason gets underway, mistakes will be made, ambitions will be dashed and Stanley Cups will be won — even if we won't know the outcome of all of the moves that are made until it plays out on the ice. Advertisement This offseason promises to be especially topsy-turvy. The salary cap is set to rise by a historic amount, both proportionally and in terms of raw dollar value, and there's a reasonable expectation — and a fixed agreement — for similarly sized lifts that will work their way through the cap system over the next three league years. Having weathered the long winter of flat cap austerity, NHL general managers have the flexibility to spend. And trade. And fix their mistakes, improve their teams and revamp their lineups. Beyond the flexibility, the desire to spend cap space and the willingness to get aggressive are about to shape this offseason. This is currently a league where absolutely no hockey operations executive is comfortable with the idea that they could get left behind and fall into an eternal rebuild in a fashion like the Chicago Blackhawks or the San Jose Sharks. There are very few sellers as the market clicks into gear, with the possible reported exception of the Pittsburgh Penguins, though perhaps another team or two will surprise us and enter that market. There are at least 25, maybe as many as 30, motivated buyers. That level of competitiveness is shaping up to be a complicating factor that Vancouver Canucks hockey operations leadership is sifting through this week. As preparations continue for a formative offseason in which the Canucks have an existential short-term goal in mind — bounce back from a nightmare season, get back to winning and competing atop the Pacific Division and appeal to Quinn Hughes to commit long-term in 12 months when he becomes extension eligible — and a precarious overall position from which to achieve that goal. Vancouver's needs up front are significant. And the path to adding the sort of pieces the club is hopeful for is fraught and getting narrower by the day. Advertisement At this point, the Canucks expect pending unrestricted free agent forwards Brock Boeser and Pius Suter to make it to July 1, further weakening their forward group. Meanwhile, an already shallow unrestricted free agent market is getting thinner seemingly hour by hour. On Thurday, Matt Duchene became the latest example of a potential Canucks target signing with their current team well in advance of July 1. Duchene's sudden absence from the free-agent frenzy means that only Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, who isn't expected to consider signing with teams based in Canada, is likely to be both available when the market opens and be coming off a season in which he recorded 80 points or more. The Canucks, who entered the offseason hoping to add a 'top two-line centre' and two or three impact forwards to their group this offseason, are increasingly pessimistic about their ability to accomplish as much as that as they begin to get a better sense of what the offseason free agent and trade markets look like. It won't be for a lack of trying. General manager Patrik Allvin is working the phones as the offseason begins to kick into high gear, and the Canucks are open-minded about the possibilities of adding to their group on the trade market. It's becoming apparent as the meat of the NHL offseason approaches, however, just how difficult the challenges that Vancouver faces this summer are. The Canucks have some cap flexibility, after all, but not nearly as much cap flexibility as about 20 of their NHL rivals. They have some good prospects, but not nearly as many or as high-quality prospects as about 20 of their NHL rivals. And they're willing to part with their first-round pick, but so is nearly everybody else in the middle of the first round. It's in this environment that the Canucks will attempt to chart a path forward, and get back to being at least a playoff team and ideally a playoff team that can realistically aspire to making a run. Advertisement It won't be straightforward, however, and contingency plans may be needed. That's something that's becoming increasingly evident to Canucks leadership with each passing day in the early stages of the offseason. Here's some of what I'm hearing about their overall goals and positioning heading into the offseason. Duchene's decision to re-sign with the Dallas Stars on a four-year, $18 million extension is something of a blow to Vancouver's hopes of completing the intended renovation of the forward group this offseason. Duchene will turn 35 during next season, which makes a deal with significant term something of a risk. His age, however, was also an angle that could've reasonably caused him to shake loose if the Stars hadn't found the will to sign him to a deal with term attached to it. Once a player turns 35, their standard player contracts are governed by different rules designed to prevent cap circumvention shenanigans. A '35-plus' contract is trickier to hold over a multiyear horizon because of those associated risks. After signing consecutive one-year contracts with the Stars following his surprising Nashville Predators buyout, this summer was Duchene's final opportunity to sign a deal with term at fair market value. It was an opportunity the player couldn't afford to miss. If he'd made it to July 1, Vancouver would've been eager to get to the front of the line to pitch Duchene on signing in British Columbia. According to a team source, the Canucks would've been willing to offer both term and at a higher per year dollar amount than what Duchene ultimately signed for in Texas, which, of course, is a no-state tax jurisdiction. While Duchene struggled to produce in the playoffs, he was really one of the only credible top-of-the-lineup centre-capable forward options that were poised to be available on July 1. That he signed beforehand is a genuine blow for Vancouver. It takes a possible solution to the forward needs off the table. Advertisement The Canucks are already beginning to consider pivot options and work out contingency plans with the way the market is shaping up. Though trades could still provide the sorts of upgrades required, they're also prepared to make peace with the notion of utilizing Filip Chytil as their second-line centre next season. New Canucks bench boss Adam Foote sees a path to making that work next season. That path, however, is understood to require the more robust centre depth further down the lineup. The Canucks are open to trading the No. 15 pick, and will aggressively explore their options to do so in order to acquire win-now talent. If the right piece is available for a package built around that pick, however, the Canucks are almost certain to have to add more pieces to it in order to close the deal. If you look through the long history of Jim Rutherford team's trades — the Elias Lindholm, Phil Kessel and Doug Weight trades are all good examples of this — you'll notice that this is a pattern. Rutherford's teams will often add additional pieces in volume — sometimes significant pieces — to their trade packages in order to land their target. After years of rebuilding Vancouver's blue line, it's that surplus that we'll be keeping a close eye on this summer. Impressive first-year defender Elias Pettersson, referred internally as 'Petey Junior' by Canucks brass and coaches, is an untouchable on this score. The club values his character and skill set too highly for him to be an option. I believe that Vancouver is similarly attached to 2023 first-round pick Tom Willander, although he belongs in a different category, somewhat, especially in the wake of the tense negotiations that preceded him agreeing to his entry-level contract. In terms of marketable assets on the back end, that leaves Victor Mancini and Sawyer Mynio as key add-ons that we should be conscious of as trade chips. The organization is outright excited about both players and would prefer to find less painful answers to its forward needs, but there's a recognition that some level of pain must be tolerated if the Canucks are going to land the required difference-makers up front. Advertisement We should also note in this space that Kirill Kudryavtsev has really impressed Canucks brass during Abbotsford's run to the Calder Cup Final. He's unlikely to factor into NHL plans this summer, but there's a growing sense of confidence internally that he's got the hockey IQ, work ethic and jam to carve out an everyday NHL job down the line. Some other scattered notes that I'm hearing around the Canucks as the offseason begins: • Another under-the-radar Abbotsford player that's impressed during this run is Ty Mueller. Mueller, who made his NHL debut at the end of the regular season, is somewhat undersized but is viewed as a gritty, creative forward with legitimate NHL potential. • Arshdeep Bains, Linus Karlsson and Max Sasson — all of whom have performed exceptionally well in the Calder Cup playoffs — have certainly increased their chances of landing full-time NHL jobs next fall. In all of their cases, and for Aatu Räty, who's dealt with injury, the Canucks aren't going to view them as players that they need to leave a spot open for in the NHL lineup this fall, though. As a matter of developmental philosophy, they will have to earn it at training camp. • I still expect the Canucks to find a way to get an extension done with goaltender Thatcher Demko this summer. Despite the commitment they made to Kevin Lankinen in-season, Vancouver's strong preference is to have a strong goaltending tandem. Locking up both goaltenders at an expensive clip over a six-month stretch is certainly an eyebrow-raising investment of cap resources, but I don't get the sense that the Canucks are risk-averse on this score, especially in light of anticipated salary cap growth over the next several seasons. • In seeking to upgrade their forward quality, there's a variety of young players that are rumour mill headliners going into this offseason, including Minnesota Wild centre Marco Rossi, Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka and Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, for the Canucks to consider. For various reasons like size (Rossi), defensive commitment (Peterka) and hardness and speed (Zegras), this is a class of player that, while exceptionally talented and productive, will come attached to some level of question marks. It's going to be a player-by-player determination for Canucks brass in considering their options on the trade market, but the sense I get is that they're willing to swing on some riskier player profiles this summer. There are no perfect players, after all, and the Canucks need to add creativity, upside and offensive talent to their roster. • Over the past few years the Canucks have carved out a path that they've followed closely in negotiating second contracts with young players at the fringes of their NHL lineup. Including Jack Rathbone, Nils Höglander, Akito Hirose, Artūrs Šilovs and Vasili Podkolzin, Vancouver has repeatedly signed its promising but not-quite-full-time-NHL-level young players to two-year, one-way deals. The cap growth era, however, could necessitate something of an augmented approach, and Vancouver is considering becoming somewhat more flexible in working through the optimal strategy in agreeing to second contracts with its young players. The Canucks already found a compromise this summer with Willander, jettisoning their below-market preferences on entry-level contracts and Schedule A bonuses. It's a new world in the NHL, it seems, and in adjusting to it, Vancouver could be open-minded in revisiting its preferred approach to second contracts as well. (Photo of Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford: Jeff Vinnick / NHLI via Getty Images)
The South African
a day ago
- Sport
- The South African
Springboks points machine: Where is Percy Montgomery now?
Percy Montgomery enjoyed a colourful and not always linear career with the Springboks. Where is the Capetonian these days? Montgomery collected 102 caps for South Africa. Along the way, he's seen some pretty cool sights. Frans Steyn 2007 or Handre Pollard 2023? At the start of his career, Percy Montgomery was known for his flashy, flamboyant skills. However, as he matured and settled into his roles for the Springboks, Sharks, Stormers and clubs abroad, Monty became one of the most dependable players in the world. He was often the first name on the team sheet. A career tally of 102 caps and 893 points for South Africa bears testament. Only six players in history pulled on the green & gold jersey more often than Percival Colin Montgomery. No player amassed more points. At his best, Percy was rock-solid as the last defensive line and used his in-game intelligence and tactical smarts to join attacking movements at opportunistic moments. Off the kicking tee, Percy was a metronomic maestro with that abbreviated run-up. 105 of Percy's points for his country came at the 2007 Rugby World Cup when the Boks beat England in the final. Monty led the individual scoring charts that year. THROWBACK: Nelson Mandela and his Springboks drip Former Springbok Percy Montgomery. Photo: AFP Percy had stints with Newport and the Dragons in Wales before a short spell with French outfit Perpignan in 2007. Between 2001 and 2008, he was also a valued member of the Barbarians. Percy is up there with the most capped Springboks in history Percy was the first Springbok to reach a century of caps. Overall, his tally of 102 appearances places him seventh in the all-time reckoning. Only Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit and Jean de Villiers have more. Meet the four RWC winners born in the 80s Percy has started a tequila brand, El Centurion 102, paying homage to his Springbok test cap tally and the fact that he was the first to bring up a century. He lives on the Atlantic seaboard of Cape Town. The author of this article was lucky enough to summit Lion's Head with the legendary fullback, alongside a bunch of other patriotic South African rugby lovers. This was an informal gathering to drum up support just before the Springboks travelled to Japan to contest the 2019 Rugby World Cup. That ended pretty well. Percy also coached the SA Rugby Legends vs the Portuguese Barbarians in 2022 in Portugal. For a laugh, you know? Join Percy on Instagram as he continues tackling life's side quests on his travels, which include saving a dolphin. Former Springbok Percy Montgomery has helped save a dolphin calf that had been stranded on the beach in Arniston in the Western Cape. Image: Video screengrab Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Ottawa Senators sign winger Fabian Zetterlund to three-year extension
The Ottawa Senators have taken care of an important piece of off-season business. Article content The Senators have signed restricted free agent winger Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year contract extension that will pay him $4.275 million per season through the 2027-28 campaign, Postmedia has confirmed. Article content This is a significant piece of business for Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations and general manager, to complete because Zetterlund had the right to file for arbitration and would have likely won a substantial award. Article content Article content The deal doesn't have a no-trade clause. Zetterlund will be the club's fifth highest-paid player behind captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson and centre Dylan Cozens, who was brought in from the Buffalo Sabres at the deadline. Article content Article content Acquired from the San Jose Sharks only seconds before the National Hockey League's 3 p.m. trade deadline in March, Zetterlund, 25, will have the chance to be a top-six forward next season. Article content The Senators brought in Zetterlund along with forward Tristen Robins from the Sharks in exchange for forwards Noah Gregor, Zach Ostapchuk, and a second-round pick. Article content He finished with 19 goals and 41 points in 83 games with the Sharks and Senators. Zetterlund had only two goals and five points, but was mostly used in a fourth-line role. He possesses strong skills and speed, which means his role is likely to expand under head coach Travis Green next season. Article content At Zettetlund's age, he should be heading into the best years of his career and ready to make the jump to get more ice time. He played a key role with the Sharks before being dealt to Ottawa and was someone that Staios heavily pursued before completing the trade. Article content
