Argentina, playing for the HSBC SVNS league title, came back hard in the second half of their fifth-place playoff to edge the Springbok Sevens by 14-10 in the teams’ final clash in Singapore this weekend.

Despite an unbeaten run in their three pool matches, the Blitzboks unfortunately came unstuck in both their playoffs, going down by 29-24 to Australia in the quarter-final on Saturday – with their opponents clinching the victory with a golden try in extra time – before Sunday morning’s second successive close result against Argentina.

The Blitzboks led by 10-0 at the break after first-half tries by Tiaan Pretorius and Siviwe Soyizwapi, but both conversions were unsuccessful.

The Argentineans then came back with a spirited second-half display, scoring the match winning-try in the final minute to condemn the South Africans to a second consecutive sixth place finish at the end of the league phase of the season.

Blitzbok head coach Philip Snyman said they started their game against Argentina very well and stuck to the game plan. 

“The first five minutes we were very clinical, showing that if we keep the ball, we can score tries,” said Snyman.

“But you can’t only play for five minutes and then try to defend your score, especially against a team like Argentina, who are the best team in the world at the moment. Once you have them on the ropes, you must put your foot on the pedal and stay in the system.”

Blitzbok captain Selvyn Davids agreed with his coach: “Sevens rugby is supposed to be played for 14 minutes, but we didn’t do that in our last three games and you can’t afford to do that against the quality teams on the circuit, and that is where we shot ourselves in the foot. 

“We also left some points on the field and we will have to work on that, as we tend to get into good positions, but when we fail to convert.”

Snyman said they will need to look at their decision making and converting opportunities into points, while they also seemed to veer from the game plan when the pressure was on.

“It’s a concern as I believe we were good enough to play in the semi-final this weekend, but we can’t keep on thinking about things, it’s time to deliver now and we didn’t do that,” he said.

“Starting with me as coach and the management, we’ll take a hard look at ourselves, do some planning and try to get the players into good mental state for the rest of the season.

“We need to create pressure situations and ensure they come through it, because at the moment, when the pressure is on, we do things out of character and then results go against us.

“We topped our pool and we fought back well against France (on Saturday). Going into the playoffs our goal was to reach the semi-finals and we came so close to that, but we had three opportunities in extra time which we could not convert, and Australia got one chance and used it.

“We also had Argentina against the ropes, so while there are positives from the weekend, we now have to translate that into getting results.”

The Blitzboks finished in seventh position after a mid-season slump, but still have a lot to play for in the Grand Finale in Madrid later this month, before they will set their sights on qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games in Monaco next month.

As a result of their victory, the South Americans will finish at the top of the overall standings and were crowned league champions, with Ireland unable to catch Argentina on the log, despite reaching the Singapore final where they were edged by New Zealand.

Scorers:

South Africa 10 (10) – Tries: Siviwe Soyizwapi, Tiaan Pretorius.

Argentina 14 (0) – Tries: Agustin Fraga, Tobias Wade. Conversions: Wade (2).

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Note to editors: Audio notes from Philip Snyman and Selvyn Davids (both in English and Afrikaans) are available to download here: https://apo-opa.co/4biDB9q

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby.

Africa Hospitality Magazine, established in 2023 by Oudjah Simpa Fetter, the Head of Africa Hospitality Consultants (www.AfricaHospitalityConsultants.com), is proud to announce the launch of its English version. This new publication is specifically tailored to cater to audiences in non-French speaking countries, offering valuable insights and information on the vibrant hospitality industry in Africa.

The Hague- Africa Hospitality Magazine is thrilled to announce the launch of its English edition, building on the considerable success of the French version. In response to the high demand from our readers and industry enthusiasts, we are proud to present the English version of the magazine, which will be of interest to a wider audience across the globe.

Introducing the English edition comes as part of our ongoing commitment to providing valuable insights, trends, and exclusive stories from the vibrant hospitality industry in Africa. The objective of this new edition is to further engage with our international readers, offering them a deeper insight into the diverse experiences, innovations, and developments within the African hospitality sector.

“We are excited to bring the quality and expertise of Africa Hospitality Magazine to a broader audience with the launch of our English edition,” said Oudjah Simpa Fetter, Head of Africa Hospitality Consultants. “Our editorial team has invested significant time and effort in the creation of a compelling collection of content that captures the essence of hospitality in Africa. We are eager to share these stories with our English-speaking readers worldwide.”

The English edition of Africa Hospitality Magazine will feature a diverse range of articles, interviews, industry news, and in-depth analyses, providing a comprehensive view of the dynamic landscape of hospitality in Africa. Readers can expect to explore exclusive insights, trends, and future outlooks that shape the industry across the continent.

To read the English edition of Africa Hospitality Magazine and to remain informed of the latest trends and developments in the African hospitality sector, please visit our website at https://apo-opa.co/4aoLfy9 

 www.AfricaHospitalityConsultants.com

Read it today https://apo-opa.co/4aoLfy9

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Hospitality Consultants.

For media inquiries, please contact:
info@africahospitalityconsultants.com

The Bulls Daisies and Sanlam Boland Dames continued to make their presence felt in the Women’s Premier Division on Saturday, stretching their winning streaks to four matches to remain at the top of the table with a full house of points, while the Free State Women earned their first victory of the season while DHL Western Province remained in third place.

The victories for these teams were even more notable since some of them were missing key players, who are currently representing the Springbok Women at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar, where South Africa defeated Cameroon 55-0 in their opening match on Saturday. The competition serves as a qualifier for the 2025 Rugby World Cup and WXV 2 later this year.

The table-topping Bulls Daisies broke away on the scoreboard in the second half against a determined Sharks Women’s outfit at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban for a comprehensive 43-5 victory, outscoring the hosts seven tries to one.

The KwaZulu-Natalians scored their only points of the match in the first half compliments of a try by Owami Zikhali, but defensively they were outmuscled in the match as the Daisies continued to show why they are the top contenders for the title this season with their enterprising attack.

In total, six players crossed the tryline for the Pretoria side, with Patience Mokone earning a well-deserved brace.

In Hermanus, the Sanlam Boland Dames faced a competitive Border Ladies outfit, and while they entered the break 10-0 up, they had to show true fighting spirit as the Eastern Cape side hit back with intent in the second half.

In the end, however, the Dames won 20-12 and secured the bonus point as they scored four tries to two by the visitors.

DHL WP were in fine form against the Golden Lions Women at the City Park in Cape Town, as they completely outplayed the opposition for a memorable 42-0 victory.

The Capetonians were up 28-0 by halftime and they continued to apply pressure on attack and capitalise on their try-scoring chances to finish the match with a try tally of six – two of which were scored by Bronishia Hess – while they supported this with a classy defensive display to deny the Johannesburgers a single a point.

The Free State Women finally ended their winning drought on Saturday as they outplayed the EP Queens by 55-17 at the CUT Rugby Stadium in Bloemfontein in a bottom-of-the table clash, and they ensured that it was a notable victory as they ran in nine tries, while limiting the visitors to three.

Robyn Strydom and Nomfundo Pampiri both crossed the chalk twice as the Free Staters created attacking opportunities at will and made the most of them, and this result will certainly give them confidence going forward in the competition as they leapt to fifth on the log.

Scorers:

Sharks Women 5 Bulls Daisies 43
Sharks – Try: Owami Zikhali.
Bulls – Tries: Doreen Mkhabela, Surprise Baloi, Patience Mokone (2), Zintle Nonkasana, Xolelwa Diliza, Klarissa van der Linden. Conversions: Nonkosana (4).

DHL WP 42 Golden Lions Women 0
WP – Tries: Anuchka Ekron, Bronishia Hess (2), Shaunique Hess, Raeeqah Hendricks, Doney Filies. Conversions: Alicia Willemse (6).

Sanlam Boland Dames 20 Border Ladies 12
Boland – Tries: Meg Mambe, Lulu Tyibilika, Ondela Lungisa, Nobuhle Tshabalala.
Border – Tries: Sese Mbodli, Mado Mdliki. Conversion: Pinkie Touto.

Free State Women 55 EP Queens 17
Free State – Tries: Natasha Motlomelo, Anacadia Minnaar, Robyn Strydom (2), Bernice Strydom, Rivonia Leslie, Nomfundo Pampiri (2), Amber Olivier. Conversions: Minnaar (4), Bernice Strydom.
EP – Tries: Zintle Nini, Shaunique Alexander, Hlomla Puzi. Conversion: Nini.

Please note, all match details are subject to change and will be kept updated on www.Springboks.Rugby.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby.

Media Resources:
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Standings (https://apo-opa.co/4a2OHy4)

Women’s First Division:
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Fixtures&Results (https://apo-opa.co/3JPGJO1)
Standings (https://apo-opa.co/3wqFqC9)

For further information, please contact:
Andy Colquhoun
GM: Communications and Commercial
+27 (0) 21 928 7010
+27 (0) 82 926 0789
andyc@sarugby.co.za

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Communications Manager
+27 (0) 21 928 7021
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dejonghb@sarugby.co.za

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Junior Rugby Media Manager
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Media Operations Coordinator
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Zeena Isaacs
Springbok Media Manager
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+27 (0) 82 357 3112
ZeenaI@sarugby.co.za

JJ Harmse
Sevens and Women’s Rugby Media Manager
+27 (0) 21 928 7014
+27 (0) 71 480 4570
jjharmse@sarugby.co.za

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Today, Watu Credit (Tanzania) Limited (https://WatuAfrica.com/) announced an initiative to expand its asset financing support for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered three-wheelers across Tanzania. This initiative is part of Watu’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, with the goal of financing at least 1,000 CNG-powered three-wheelers by the end of 2024, intensifying efforts to transition the transport sector to cleaner energy sources.

The initiative was officially launched in the presence of the Ilala District Commissioner, Hon. Edward Mpogolo, who highlighted the collaborative efforts of the government and private sector through public-private partnerships. ‘These efforts align with Sustainable Development Goal No. 7, ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, including that every Tanzanian can access affordable and clean energy by 2030,” stated Hon. Edward Mpogolo.

“Transitioning to cleaner energy is essential, and we are dedicated to financing this project to help the commuters, drivers, and the community adopt clean, safe, and sustainable transport. This commitment helps safeguard our environment because the future of our entire planet depends on the actions we take today,” said Rumisho Shikonyi, Country Manager at Watu in Tanzania.

Watu has been working towards this goal, financing over 200 CNG-powered three-wheelers worth Tshs. 2.2 billion in the past two months alone. This campaign will further amplify their impact, helping them achieve the target of financing at least 1,000 more vehicles and advancing the clean mobility agenda across the continent.

The event also featured prominent stakeholders from the energy and environmental sectors, including Engineer James Mologosho (Principal Engineer Natural Gas – Distribution&Supply at EWURA), Tajiel Urioh, expert in climate policy, carbon markets and energy transition, and Dr Esebi A. Nyari (Mechanical Engineering Lecturer&CNG Project Coordinator at DIT).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Watu Credit Tanzania Ltd.

About Watu:
Watu is an asset financing company revolutionizing financial inclusion across Africa. The company is building an ecosystem for unbanked and underserved individuals by providing access to mobility and connectivity tools that enhance digital literacy, economic growth, quality of life and opportunity. So far, Watu has provided over 1 million loans across 7 countries and has positively impacted the lives of more than 4 million people. In addition, Watu actively promotes financial literacy and independence, as well as increased regulatory and safety compliance. For more information, visit Watu’s website https://WatuAfrica.com/