Siya Kolisi to miss Twickenham Test as weakened Springboks face Wales:

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi is one 12 players from the matchday 23 who won the Rugby World Cup last year who will not be considered for a one-off Test against Wales at Twickenham on June 22, SA Rugby announced on Sunday. 

Just 11 of the side that edged New Zealand 12-11 at the Stade de France in October will be available after injuries. Club commitments and retirement ruled out the other 12.

“Players based in Europe, the UK and Ireland will not be considered for the Boks’ first Test of the season against Wales at Twickenham,” SA Rugby said in a statement.

Kolisi moved to Paris after the World Cup triumph to join Racing92 who on Saturday qualified for next week’s Top 14 play-offs, with the semi-finals on the same weekend as the Wales Test. 

The match is taking place outside the international window so teams beyond South Africa do not have to release players.

With the Japanese season completed, however, eight South Africans based there were selected by head coach Rassie Erasmus on Sunday.

Veteran lock Eben Etzebeth is considered a strong candidate to skipper the world champion Springboks in a match that serves as a warm-up for two home Tests against Ireland during July.  

Erasmus, who played different but key coaching roles in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs, named 18 forwards and 17 backs for a training camp in Pretoria, which begins on Monday. He included fly-half Handre Pollard and No. 8 Jasper Wiese, but neither will be considered for Twickenham.

Wiese, the likely successor to retired Duane Vermeulen in the back row, was hit with a six-Test ban after being sent off in an English Premiership match, and it starts against Wales.

Pollard was a key figure in the 2023 World Cup triumph. Initially ruled out of the tournament by injury, he was called up when hooker Malcolm Marx was sidelined. 

The playmaker did not miss a single kick at goal in tense, one-point knockout victories over hosts France, England and New Zealand.

With Pollard out of the reckoning for Twickenham, Manie Libbok and uncapped pair Siya Masuku and Jordan Hendrikse will be the fly-half contenders.

11 uncapped players

Hendrikse and Masuku are among 11 uncapped players in the squad. Another is hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, a son of Springbok legend Andre Venter. 

“We gained immense value by granting a few players a chance to prove what they can do at international level in the years leading up to the 2023 World Cup,” said Erasmus.

“Some of the players who made their Test debuts were members of the squad that lifted the trophy in Paris, and we feel it is important that we continue blooding new players.

“Having them in camp and working closely with them on the field will set them and the team in good stead as we start laying the foundations for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.” 

After Wales, South Africa host Ireland – the only team to beat them at the 2023 World Cup – and Portugal in July, following that with six Rugby Championship matches against Australia, arch rivals New Zealand and Argentina in August and September.

The four-time world champions then take on Scotland, England and Wales during a November tour of Europe.

Training squad

Forwards — Joseph Dweba, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all Stormers), Phepsi Buthelezi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche (all Sharks), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears/JPN), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat/JPN), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs/JPN), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz/JPN), Jasper Wiese (Leicester/ENG)

Backs — Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Masuku, Grant Williams (all Sharks), Morne van den Berg, Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe (all Lions), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Manie Libbok (both Stormers), Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel (both Canon Eagles/JPN), Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights/JPN), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins/ENG), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath/JPN), Handre Pollard (Leicester/ENG)

Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA)

© Agence France-Presse

– The Mail & Guardian

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela scoops Templeton Prize: The Templeton Prize is in recognition of her work in healing in the aftermath of apartheid

– The Mail & Guardian

This VW ticks all the boxes, from daily commuter to long trips on the open road:

Mid-size SUVs are a dime a dozen, and one need only look at our roads to see just how many of these are out there. 

While Japanese offerings have long been the mainstay in the segment, the recent Chinese offerings are something to behold. 

The second-generation VW Tiguan presents a desirable option for buyers who rank attributes such as styling and build quality high, not to mention reputable residual value. 

Scouring through many pre-owned web portals confirms that the current generation Tiguan has great residual value and thus is a good proposition, especially with the third-generation waiting in the wings. 

We recently decided to stretch our long-term loan Tiguan’s legs to see how it fares as a long-haul, family commuter and also how it copes with undulating roads and overtaking manoeuvres. 

So it was that we packed the Tiguan and nosed it towards North West to visit family. 

As soon as we had Gauteng behind us, and had meandered through Hartbeespoort and onto the pristine N4, the fuel consumption dipped considerably from the high 8 litres per 100km to a commendable 7.8l/100km. This, if little else, proves even petrol-powered vehicles can be efficient in the right setting.

The ride quality remains impressive, while road and wind noise are more than acceptable for a vehicle of this disposition. 

Overtaking slower-moving vehicles proved a cinch, requiring only the slightest push on the throttle, with the smooth DSG transmission shifting down a cog or two before leaping forward and past traffic. 

For fans of adaptive cruise control, the Tiguan’s system is reasonably good, if not the most intuitive, but I prefer using manual throttle inputs. Yes, that might sound old-fashioned but I have always got better fuel consumption with this method.

 Having four USB ports on board meant there were enough for my family to charge their phones and gadgets en route, ensuring some semblance of sanity on the long journey. 

The haptic climate control settings remain a bane to operate on the move but Apple CarPlay has made access to my tunes an easy affair. 

The panoramic roof gives the cabin a very airy feel. 

As temperatures begin to dip, early mornings call for the use of the heated seat function, which proved to be an invaluable and welcome item. 

To say the family has grown fond of the Tiguan would be an understatement. From school runs and extramural activities to grocery shopping and, now, long-distance trips, the Tiguan is a consummate medium-family SUV and we will be sad to see it leave our garage.

The pros and cons

GOOD STUFF: Comfort. Convenience. Fuel consumption.

BAD STUFF: Haptic buttons

MILEAGE AT START:  1?594km

MILEAGE NOW: 7?865km

PRICE: R843?000 (R958?749 as tested)

– The Mail & Guardian

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