JP: Siyaya answered my questions

JP Pietersen believes Zekhethelo Siyaya has shown he is more than capable of filling the No 10 jersey, after the teenager starred in the Sharks’ emphatic Vodacom URC win over Benetton at Kings Park. newsbetting.cv

The 18-year-old was handed a surprise start at flyhalf and produced a mature performance as the Sharks ran in eight tries to crush the Italian visitors 46-7 with one more round in the regular season to go.

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Pietersen said Siyaya looked completely at home in the pivotal playmaking role.

“He’s only 18 years old but it looks like he’s been there for ages,” said the Sharks coach.

“You could see he had a couple of little moments, but man, I’m just so happy for that kid.

“To express himself, to back himself. He’s a young man who really loves the Sharks and he gives everything – that’s the beauty of it.

“He answered my questions at 10 and showed that he can do the job there.”

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While Siyaya and Man of the Match hat-trick hero Jurenzo Julius caught the eye, Pietersen was quick to praise the Sharks forwards for laying the foundation.

“Obviously we’ve got exciting backs with Jurenzo, Siyaya, Jaco [Williams], Edwill [van der Merwe] and obviously the guys coming on and André [Esterhuizen] there as the older guy,” he said.

“But it all starts with the set-piece and we must give credit to the pack.

“I think Emile [van Heerden] led well, Oxie [Ox Nché] and [Vincent] Koch scrummed well, so we must give credit to the forwards who set the platform for the backs.”

DOBBO: Brannas injury a ‘big blow’

The Sharks round off their season against the other Italian team, Zebre, in Durban next Saturday.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

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The Lions produced a poor finish to their vital United Rugby Championship (URC) match against defending champs Leinster, falling to a disappointing 31-7 loss at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday night.

It ended a superb six-match winning run for the Lions that brought them into URC top four contention, but this defeat now means they still have more work to do in their final pool game against Munster in Limerick next weekend.

The biggest disappointment for the Lions will be that despite Leinster not being at their best for most of the match, they couldn’t capitalise despite keeping themselves in range, before completely falling apart at the death.

It was a disastrous start to the match for the Lions, with Leinster scoring a fortuitous early try when a poor offload came off the knee of Jamie Osborne, who managed to kick ahead chase and score to put them 7-0 up in the third minute.

Two minutes later they were dealt a further blow when in-form flank Ruan Venter was forced off with a painful looking knee injury.

A few dodgy decisions then went against the Lions which allowed Leinster to go further ahead, with the first seeing a stunning try from flank Siba Mahashe chalked off after the TMO and ref ruled that wing Erich Cronje had played the nine from an offside position at a ruck.

From that penalty Leinster got into the Lions 22m and attacked, with prop Tom Clarkson getting close, but with him trying to play the ball back after it looked like he was short, ref Hollie Davidson awarded a try as the bemused looking Clarkson claimed it.

Back into game

Prendergast’s conversion made it 14-0 after 25 minutes, but a strong finish to the half brought the Lions back into the game.

The Lions best attacking phase of the half was rewarded, after some great carries ended with captain Francke Horn being powered through a couple of tackle attempts by lock Reinhard Nothnagel and pushed over the line, converted by flyhalf Chris Smith which made it 14-7 at the break.

The first 30 minutes of the second was a monstrous arm wrestle, as both sides had chances in each other’s 22m, but neither could make the break through as they both made mistakes at crucial times.

But Leinster then turned it on in the final 10 minutes to power away to a massively important bonus point win.

First in the 70^th minute Leinster put some daylight between the teams, after a good attack in the Lions half saw outside centre Rieko Ioane break and offload to replacement back Hugo Keenan to dive in at the corner, with fullback Ciaran Frawley adding the extras.

Four minutes later from a scrum in their own half Leinster attacked, replacement back Hugh Cooney broke away and then put in Ioane for the fourth try, to put them 26-7 up.

Leinster then closed out the win in style with a third try in the final 10 minutes, as wing Jimmy O’Brien ghosted through for the score and stamp

Scorers

Leinster: Tries – Jamie Osborne, Tom Clarkson, Hugo Keenan, Rieko Ioane, Jimmy O’Brien; Conversions – Sam Prendergast (2), Ciaran Frawley

Lions: Try – Francke Horn; Conversion – Chris Smith

Manchester City et Brentford s’affrontent dans une rencontre importante de Premier League, avec des enjeux différents mais un objectif commun : prendre des points en cette fin de saison. Toujours en lutte pour le titre , Manchester City n’a plus vraiment le droit à l’erreur. Chaque match devient décisif dans la course au sacre, et une contre-performance à domicile pourrait coûter cher dans le sprint final. Manchester City : Donnarumma – Matheus Nunes, Marc Guehi, Nathan Aké, Nico O’Reilly – Bernardo Silva, Tijjani Reijnders – Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Jérémy Doku – Erling Haaland Brentford : Kelleher – Aaron Hickey, Nathan Collins, Kristoffer Ajer, Michael Kayode – Mathias Jensen, Yehor Yarmoliuk – Mikkel Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter – Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade

L’article Premier League J36 : Manchester City – Brentford, les compos officielles est apparu en premier sur AfricaFootUnited.

Uganda national team star Allan Okello continued his excellent run of form with two goals on Saturday as Young Africans (Yanga) cruised to yet another victory in Tanzania’s NBC Premier League.

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Pacôme Zouzoua’s cross set up the Ugandan for an emphatic strike from distance after the hour mark for Wananchi to secure a 3-0 victory over Coastal Union. The result keeps rivals Simba at a safe distance from the defending champions, who appear unlikely to let their advantage slip despite some chaos in the backroom staff over the last week.

Okello’s sensational form carries Yanga to another victory

There was little doubt about the result at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam. It was the Ugandan who got Yanga off to a strong start when he received a pass from Prince Dube and curled his finish into the top corner in the 18th minute.

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Maxi Nzengeli confirmed the dominant victory later on in the second half after Okello doubled his tally. Led by assistant coaches Abdi Hamid Moallin and Patrick Matasi following the departure of head coach Pedro Gonçalves, the team performed as usual without any hitches.

Next up for Young Africans is a trip to the Tanzanian capital of Dodoma to face Dodoma Jiji on Wednesday before an extended nine-day break before clashing with top-5 club Singida Black Stars. Singida dominated Mtibwa Sugar in a 4-0 victory in the opening match on Saturday.

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Mossi Nduwumwe made it four goals in his last two matches with another brace in the first half before Lamine Jarjou produced a double of his own in the second half.

Singida are attempting to make a late run at a top-3 position and qualification for CAF interclub competition next season. Following third place Azam FC’s defeat on Friday, there is some hope for the underachievers who are now within eight points with eight rounds remaining.

Action from the league continues on Sunday where Simba SC will attempt to match rivals Young Africans with a victory at home over Tanzania Prisons.

The Junior Springboks clinched their first Sanzaar U20 Rugby Championship title after drawing with New Zealand at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

Having hammered Argentina and Australia, the reigning U20 world champions needed a single bonus point to finish top of the log, while the Baby Blacks – who lost to Los Pumitas – required a five-point log haul while denying their opponents a bonus point to retain their title.

South Africa achieved their objective early in the second half when scoring a fourth try.

Disappointingly, though, they relinquished a 29-15 lead to draw the match 29-29. They were fortunate not to lose, though, with the Baby Blacks missing a late penalty goal.

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Junior Boks flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed opened the scoring with his first penalty goal of the tournament, before Baby Blacks prop Dane Johnston went over from a lineout maul.

The Junior Boks scored a superb try through fullback Akahluwa Boqwana after centre Samuel Badenhorst had breached the defence.

Akahlulwa Boqwana finds his way through the All Blacks defence

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But New Zealand hit back when winger Oliver Guerin chased down a kick and when flank Caleb Woodley went over from another lineout maul for a third unconverted try, they led 15-8 after 20 minutes.

The Junior Boks levelled the scores through prop Rambo Kubheka, who scored from a lineout maul.

No 8 Kebotile Maake’s try was disallowed due to flank Wasi Vyambwera taking out a player beyond the ruck, before star centre Ethan Adams left the field on a stretcher – a huge concern for coach Kevin Foote ahead of the Junior World Championship.

DOBBO: Brannas injury a ‘big blow’

Boqwana’s second try gave the Junior Boks’ a 22-15 half-time lead and when Badenhorst dotted down early in the second half for the bonus-point try, the title was theirs.

Flank Finn McLeod’s try got the Baby Blacks back within seven and they came within inches of scoring again through Guerin.

Centre Siale Pahulu was then red-carded for a head-to-head tackle but New Zealand continue to dominate and a deliberate knock-down from Junior Boks wing with four minutes remaining resulted in a penalty try that levelled the scores.

The Baby Blacks then won a 79th-minute penalty, but Muliaina’s attempt went well wide.

JUNIOR BOKS – Tries: Akahluwa Boqwana (2), Rambo Kubheka, Samuel Badenhorst. Conversions: Yaqeen Ahmed (3). Penalty: Ahmed.
NEW ZEALAND U20 – Tries: Dane Johnston, Oliver Guerin, Caleb Woodley, Finn McLeod, penalty try. Conversion: Mika Muliaina.

Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images

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