Pumas outclass error-ridden Stormers

The Pumas ran in four tries as they dispatched the Stormers XXIII in almost perfect playing conditions in Mbombela on Saturday.

Jimmy Stonehouse’s side were comfortable 29-7 winners on the night to continue their late push for the Currie Cup playoffs. amunra-online.pl

The Stormers immediately showed they intended to test the Pumas in the aerial battle, with scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer and captain Jean-Luc du Plessis regularly sending bombs towards the hosts’ back three.

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The Pumas stood up well to the challenge, though, and despite the Stormers doing most of the attacking in the opening quarter, it was the hosts who took the lead through a Nevaldo Fleurs penalty in the 10th minute.

The visitors were dealt a blow when Ungerer was forced from the field with his left arm in a sling. The injury will concern Stormers director of rugby John Dobson, who has already lost Imad Khan and Dewaldt Duvenhage to injuries ahead of the new Vodacom URC season.

The Pumas came alive in the final 10 minutes of the half, with scrumhalf Thomas Bursey and winger Banie Britz crossing for tries to give the hosts a 15-0 lead at the break.

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The Pumas weren’t initially able to build on that momentum they’d built up before halftime, and in fact, it was the visitors who scored first in the 51st minute. Winger Mfundo Ndhlovu dancing through the gap after some sustained pressure and ball possession from the Stormers XXIII.

Conceding that try seemed to spur the Pumas into action as they then built pressure on the Stormers’ line. The pressure soon told as replacement hooker Jan-Henning Campher crashed over the line from a rolling maul. That was followed shortly by another maul try – this time by lock JJ Scheepers. Man of the Match Fleurs – who had been exceptional from the kicking tee – converted both scores.

The Pumas next host defending champions Griquas on Friday afternoon while the Stormers XXIII make the short trip to Pretoria to face the struggling Vodacom Bulls XV.

PUMAS – Tries: Thomas Bursey, Banie Britz, Jan-Henning Campher, JJ Scheepers. Conversion: Nevaldo Fleurs. Penalty: Fleurs.
STORMERS XXIII – Try: Mfundo Ndhlovu. Conversion: Kyle Smith.

Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images

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Le championnat de Turquie. Pour la première journée, Trabzonspor se déplaçait au Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium pour affronter Kasımpaşa. Une sortie très attendue car il est toujours important de démarrer avec une victoire au compteur. En effet, André Onana était titulaire. L’international camerounais s’est très très vite remis de sa semaine compliquée. L’entraineur Fatih Tekke […]

L’article Turquie : André Onana et son premier match de la saison face à Kasımpaşa est apparu en premier sur Camfoot.com.

Mehidy removed Steve Smith to leave Australia struggling at 161-4, trailing by 67 runs in their second innings, as Bangladesh moved within sight of a first-ever Test win on Australian soil after day three in Darwin.

Hasan Mahmud, fresh off a career-best 6-55 in the first innings, struck twice with the new ball, bowling both Jake Weatherald and Travis Head cheaply as they chopped on in almost identical fashion.

Marnus Labuschagne then fell for 31, bowled by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, before Smith was caught and bowled by Mehidy for 44 with the score on 122, ending a watchful rebuilding effort from the pair. Cameron Green (43) and Alex Carey (19) were unbeaten at the close.

Mehidy had earlier been the difference with the bat too, top-scoring with 65 in Bangladesh’s first innings of 426, an innings built after the tourists had been bowled out for just 198 on the opening day.

His resistance frustrated a tiring Australian attack through the morning session before he was eventually dismissed by Josh Hazlewood, who finished with 6-89 and reached his 300th Test wicket in the process, later adding a 301st when he removed Ebadot Hossain.

Australia’s chances were not helped by uncharacteristically sloppy fielding, Smith among those to put down a straightforward chance in the deep off Taskin Ahmed.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto praised his side’s character across the first three days, saying the team was focused on process rather than outcome. Hazlewood, for the home side, acknowledged the pitch had offered Bangladesh’s batters a fair chance to dig in.

Bangladesh, playing in Australia for the third time without a Test win, now have their best opportunity yet to end that record.

– AFP

Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

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RUIRU, Kenya, Aug 15 – A Sh 2 million prize purse will be up for grabs when the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing returns to Ruiru Sports Club on Sunday for the Absa Ruiru Invitational, the fifth leg of the 2026 season.

The three-day tournament, running from August 16 – 18, brings together a strong field of professionals, amateurs and emerging golfers from across the region, with players also competing for valuable Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.

The tournament was preceded by a Pro-Am today, allowing players to familiarise themselves with the Ruiru course ahead of the main competition.

Among the players attracting attention is Royal Nairobi Golf Club professional John Lejirma, who returns to Ruiru seeking redemption after narrowly missing out on last year’s title.

Dismas Indiza beat Lejirma in a sudden-death playoff after the two finished regulation play tied on 4-under par 212. This time, the experienced professional believes lessons from last year’s disappointment have left him better prepared.

“We are really happy to be part of the Pro-Am today, just ahead of tomorrow’s tournament. This course has a really special place in my heart. I always come here and give some good scores, but all in all, this is golf. Last year, I missed by a whisker after going into a playoff, so I took a lot of lessons from that day. I have worked with my coach, and this year we are really prepared. For sure, I am going to give them a run for their money.”

Lejirma said his preparations have focused on all aspects of his game, with particular attention on his driving given the demands of the Ruiru course.
“I have been working with my coach on all aspects of my game, from driving to pitching. I would say my strength is off the tee because this course really demands that, so I have really worked on that area. I feel ready.”

Lejirma will face a strong field that includes Dismas Indiza, who returns as the defending champion and arrives with the confidence of having won the Kabete Challenge earlier in the season.

Other leading Kenyan professionals expected to challenge for the title include Samuel Njoroge Chege, Greg Snow, Daniel Nduva, Michael Karanga, David Wakhu, Edwin Mudanyi, Mohit Mediratta and Taimur Malik.
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera will lead the international challenge, with golfers from Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi and Burundi also featuring in the field.

Taimur Malik is another player targeting a strong showing in Ruiru after a difficult finish at his previous tournament. The professional said today’s Pro-Am provided a good opportunity to settle into the course and prepare for the week ahead.

“The course is in good shape, so I am looking forward to the week. I had a bit of a tough finish at my last tournament, so I am looking to bounce back this week.”

Malik has been working on his wedge play while maintaining confidence in his driving, an area he feels has been one of the strengths of his game.
“I am driving the ball pretty well, but I have struggled with my wedge game over the last couple of months. I have been working quite hard on distance control and trajectory. It is still a work in progress, but hopefully that comes through this week.”

With a strong field assembled for the fifth leg of the East Africa Swing, Malik expects the competition to be particularly tight.
“The competition is pretty high. Whoever is having a good week is going to win, so everyone has to be at their best to be able to win. That is obviously nice to see.”

The Ruiru Invitational is supported by Absa Bank Kenya as part of its partnership with the Sunshine Development Tour, which is supporting three legs of the Tour this season.

The tournament forms part of the Sunshine Development Tour’s pathway for golfers seeking to progress to higher levels of professional golf, with consistent competition providing opportunities to earn ranking points and advance towards the Sunshine Tour.

Hazlewood claimed his 300th wicket in Test cricket during the first innings against Bangladesh in Darwin on Saturday, reaching the milestone when he had Mehidy Hasan Miraz caught behind by Alex Carey.

The 35-year-old, who made his Test debut against India in Brisbane in 2014, becomes the ninth Australian bowler to reach 300 wickets, joining teammates Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, along with Nathan Lyon, in the club among currently active players.

Shane Warne remains Australia’s leading wicket-taker with 708, ahead of Lyon’s 568, Glenn McGrath’s 563 and Starc’s 435. Dennis Lillee (355), Cummins (316), Mitchell Johnson (313) and Brett Lee (310) complete the list of Australians above Hazlewood’s tally, with Lyon, Starc and Cummins still adding to their totals as active players.

ALSO: Bangladesh close in on maiden Australian Test win

Globally, the milestone places Hazlewood among a select group of bowlers to have taken 300 or more Test wickets, though he remains well short of the all-time record.

Retired Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan tops the overall list with 800 wickets, followed by Warne among those with the most in the format’s history.

Hazlewood’s return in Darwin has been a key factor in Australia’s bowling effort against Bangladesh, with the milestone wicket coming as part of a substantial haul in the innings.

Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

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