Ken Borland

The Proteas Test side has a massive summer ahead of them and the conversation about carrying themselves as champions has already been had, according to captain Temba Bavuma.

South Africa are the holders of the World Test Championship after their stirring victory over favourites Australia in the final at Lord’s in June 2025, and the defence of that momentous title – their first in a major ICC event – is looming. The final for the fourth edition of the red-ball showpiece will also be in London, but at The Oval from June 9-13 next year.

Which is why the Proteas are unashamedly, and wonderfully, focused on Test cricket this summer with eight Tests scheduled between October 9 and January 7.

But the 2027 WTC final is not the only huge event on the Proteas’ calendar. South Africa is hosting the ODI World Cup from October 4 next year. That trophy, that has so cruelly eluded us through any manner of ridiculous ways, is arguably the one that is most-desired, given the history and prestige of the tournament.

Sitting down with Bavuma in the Skechers store at Fourways Mall in Johannesburg, I asked how he and the team were feeling on the brink of such a momentous time.

“I feel good, mentally fresh and physically in a good space having only played four games in the EUT20 Belgium since the end of our domestic season. After the CSA Awards [July 16], we saw all the guys and spoke about the season ahead and what an exciting run we have,” Bavuma told me with the sort of relaxed steel in his eyes that has become his trademark.

“Every season is a big one for us, but there’s way more to it this time. We’re playing the World Test Championship for the first time as champions and we host Australia first up in three Tests, so there are going to be fireworks.

“There’s a lot to look forward to, coming up against some of the best teams with England here for three Tests around Christmas, and Bangladesh, who have been playing good cricket and have a strong attack, coming too.

“For the Test side, one of the biggest things we’ve spoken about is playing like champions after winning the WTC. We must speak to each other like champions and not allow there to be any inferiority, because I think we carried a lot of that in the past. We understand there’s going to be a target on our backs, but we did good work in India last year [winning 2-0].

“Australia are going to provide a proper test, and we need to make sure we keep putting our best foot forward. We don’t want to look after two years to see the impact of our win at Lord’s, but after four years, and we keep reminding each other of our mission, which is to win the title again,” Bavuma said.

The focus on Test cricket, the longest, most gruelling format, means the Proteas will blood new players in white-ball cricket this summer, which makes sense with the ODI World Cup just over a year away. Coach Shukri Conrad has said he only needs to start playing his “shadow side” for that tournament in January when England are the opponents for three ODIs in Paarl and Bloemfontein. The next T20 World Cup is more than two years away, in October 2028 in Australia and New Zealand.

Which is why the likes of Bavuma, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram are not with the Proteas right now in Namibia. Instead, Bjorn Fortuin is leading a squad armed with fringe players like the Hermann brothers, Prenelan Subrayen, Nqobani Mokoena and Connor Esterhuizen.

“I’ve spent a whole lot of time at home and on the couch, but I’m always working on my ailments as well, to keep my body as strong and fresh as possible. But from a mental point of view, I’m missing actual cricket now,” the 36-year-old Bavuma said.

“The ODI World Cup is still over a year away, which is why the squad now looks very different. In terms of style of play, we want to start getting our heads around that and who are the key individuals? We want to keep the confidence and belief of the Test team.”

Of course, South Africa have a yukky record of making a mess of World Cups, but the tenacious skipper is adamant the team will face their history head-on and try to turn the pressure of expectation playing at home into fuel to drive performance.

“We will carry belief from having played in the final and then the semifinals of the last two T20 World Cups and winning the World Test Championship. And in the last ODI World Cup we performed well too to reach the semifinals.

“Whatever demons there are, we will have those conversations, that will definitely happen, even though we are focused more on Tests this year. Pressure is always there and the more you do well, the more expectation there is. All eyes will be on us and I’m sure our fans expect us to do good things at home.

“We are creating an environment that makes us able to perform at ICC events and if we keep giving ourselves a chance, keep getting into position to win one, then at some point things will change in our favour,” Bavuma said.

In the meantime, what a pleasure it is going to be to be able to sit back and watch the Proteas take on two of their greatest rivals in a full summer programme that will hopefully reignite the gees [contagious energy] that used to surround our national cricket team.

PS: Bavuma captained the Ghent Gladiators team to victory in the EUT20 Belgium, scoring 28 off 17 balls in the final. He played alongside Jon-Jon Smuts and Dwaine Pretorius in a tournament which also featured Martin Guptill, Jason Roy, Tristan Luus and David Wiese.

The last time the All Blacks played in Durban was on October 8, 2016, and the final round fixture of what had been a disappointing Rugby Championship for the Springboks began positively enough as Morne Steyn kicked two penalties to claim an early 6-0 lead.

What followed was an absolute bloodbath as New Zealand slaughtered the Springboks 57-15, inflicting the then biggest ever defeat in terms of points conceded on their greatest rivals. The visitors scored nine tries and the hosts zero, with Steyn’s five penalties being their only, sorry points.

The sense of depression over Kings Park was huge and even the famous outer fields after-match parties were relatively muted. A side note on a personal level is that it was the first Springbok Test my wife watched live, at the stadium. Although she remains a fan and will watch their games at home or at the pub, she has not returned to a stadium.

It was an ugly stain on the Springboks and coach Allister Coetzee struggled on for another year, ‘improving’ on the biggest defeat record by losing 57-0 to the All Blacks in Albany. The Rassie Erasmus era from 2018 has seen those bloody memories gradually fade and South Africa can now claim to have the upper hand in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, having won five of their last six meetings.

But that 57-15 scoreline is close to what I expect to happen when New Zealand play the Sharks at Kings Park.

Sharks rugby is in the doldrums, much like Springbok rugby a decade ago, having failed to make the playoffs of the United Rugby Championship last season. And coach JP Pietersen, whose 70^th and final Test was at the end of 2016 against England at Twickenham, has named a largely inexperienced side. Injuries have forced his hand in many cases, but the absence of players like Bongi Mbonambi, Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse and Makazole Mapimpi is still shrouded in some mystery.

Of the 23 who will run out to face the All Blacks at Kings Park on Tuesday night, only seven can probably feel confident that they will be involved in the first-choice URC squad for the coming campaign – Vincent Koch, Phepsi Buthelezi, Emmanuel Tshituka, Vusi Moyo, Jurenzo Julius, Ivan van Zyl and Luan Gilliomee.

The 44-year-old former All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu has been a controversial selection on the bench, having been appointed as a high-performance mentor for the Sharks last month.

But the injury curse continues to plague Pietersen as two key players were late withdrawals from the Sharks team the day before the game – young lock Emile van Heerden, who was their player of the season in the 2025/26 URC, and Springbok utility forward Vincent Tshituka.

“We’ve had a bit of a run of injuries, which is understandable considering we are midway through our pre-season. We have a few props out and there are lock issues as well. But the young boys have got youth and energy on their side and they will definitely show that and fight too. They’ll give it a good go and be competitive for the full 80,” Pietersen said yesterday.

“It’s the strongest team we could put out and it’s going to be a great test for them, youth versus experience, and it should be a great contest against a high-quality team. The occasion will be massive, facing the haka, that’s what players dream of. They can make memories.

“Ma’a Nonu’s name and what he has achieved says it all. He has helped the younger players with how they prepare for the game and their skill sets. He’s also given them a feel for what the All Blacks may give us, he’s given them a good picture.

“He’s slotted in like he has been here a long time. It will be emotional for him because it’s the first time he’ll play against the All Blacks. He’s got the experience, with our younger centres Murray Koster and Jurenzo Julius starting, and our other centres are not available,” Pietersen said.

One area where the Sharks could trouble New Zealand is in the aerial game, especially if the All Blacks back three misses as many contestables as they did in the opening tour match against the valiant Stormers.

The Sharks are used to the humidity of Durban making the ball slippery, but this time it’s a big cold front and rain which will provide even trickier conditions.

“Durban is always humid and the ball is slippery, so we are prepared for it,” Pietersen said. “I think both teams will adjust and there will be more kicking. The All Blacks pride themselves on ball-possession though, so it’s going to be interesting to see how they hold on to the ball in those conditions … “

Flanker Luke Jacobson will captain the All Blacks against the Sharks and he said they expect another aerial bombardment.

“We know how South African teams play – maul, scrum and an up-front battering. We took some awesome lessons out of the Stormers game, it gave us a great taste of what we’re going to get on this tour. We haven’t had a whole lot of time to preview the Sharks, but we know they’ll be up for the battle, they’ll be looking to play their best rugby.

“We expect to be kicked on again, the Sharks have a really good kick-and-chase game, and we’ve put a big emphasis on the outside backs and how the other players work off the ball. You also have less time in the rain and the defences will be up higher. But that’s what we train for,” Jacobson said.

The Stormers produced a top-class display against the tourists and still fell 17 points short. A powerful set-piece, a focus on lineout drives and a strong kicking game were all part of a highly-competitive showing. But the Cape Town powerhouses fielded a URC-strength side, with five Springboks in the pack.

The Sharks have a couple of internationals starting and another pair on the bench in Nonu and scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl. But they are up against what could be a shadow Test side, with the first clash against the Springboks looming on August 22.

It is the first meeting between the All Blacks and the Black-and-Whites since 1992, when New Zealand were in South Africa to celebrate the return from isolation. South African rugby were in for a rude awakening during that tour and a Natal team that went on to dominate the decade locally, were beaten 43-25, with a rampant Va’aiga Tuigamala [PICTURED ABOVE] battering them relentlessly on the wing.

I was in the stands that day for my first view of the All Blacks in the flesh, having been dazzled by watching Bruce Robertson and Sid Going on TV in 1976. A great respect for the All Blacks was born that day, and I expect a callow Sharks team to be taught a lesson this evening.

Despite having won three times previously in South Africa on the Sunshine Tour, including one co-sanctioned event with the European tour, Shaun Norris was not on the lips of most fans as a potential winner of last weekend’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, adding to the sense of surprise when the 42-year-old snatched the prestigious title at Leopard Creek.

Norris fired an inspired five-under-par 67 in the fourth round to post 13-under for the tournament and overturn a six-shot deficit in the final round to win one of the major South African championships. He saw off more fancied opponents like Sweden’s Marcus Kinholt, reigning Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Ryan van Velzen, record-breaking Frenchman Romain Langasque, well-travelled former SA Open champion Dean Burmester, veteran campaigner Joost Luiten and the ‘King’ of Leopard Creek, Charl Schwartzel, who has won this tournament four times and finished second on five occasions.

It was Norris’s 13^th professional win, but perhaps the reason he is so under-rated at home is because seven of those triumphs have come in Japan. That is despite winning the Africa Open and the Nashua Masters, prime events on the Sunshine Tour, as well as the Steyn City Championship co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, and now the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

The Johannesburg-born golfer has been ranked as high as 54^th in the world, but does not always get mentioned as one of South Africa’s best golfers.

“This is my fourth win in South Africa so I’m not sure why golf fans don’t know me so well,” Norris told SportsBoom.com after his dramatic Leopard Creek win by one stroke. “I love playing on the Japan Tour though, it brings out my better golf.

“But the Japan Tour don’t advertise that much, they’re not on TV everywhere, but there are great golfers there who a lot of people don’t often get to see. Winning the Japan Open in 2021 is still my biggest win because it’s a national open, that was massive. This Alfred Dunhill Championship ranks next, and my next step is to try and win the South African Open,” Norris said.

Even after winning the Steyn City Championship in Johannesburg in 2022 and earning a DP World Tour card, Norris has continued to focus his energies on playing in Japan and also on the Asian Tour, where he has won twice.

But this time his schedule could change a bit, with Norris telling SportsBoom that he will add more DP World Tour events to his roster.

“I’ve got so much to look forward to over the next few years and I will definitely be making some changes. Right now it’s time for a holiday and spending time with the family.

“But this win shows that my golf is good enough to compete with the guys in Europe and to put my name on the same trophy as Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen is very special. I’ll definitely be starting a few more tournaments in Europe, in places like Dubai, Qatar etc,” Norris said.

Schwartzel, Grace and Oosthuizen are members of the Stinger GC in LIV Golf and three of that team were at Leopard Creek last weekend – Schwartzel, Burmester and defending champion Oosthuizen (who missed the cut).

Grace was absent because he was trying to save his spot on the LIV Tour in the Promotions event in Riyadh. He had to win the tournament to retain his card, but narrowly failed as he finished runner-up, two strokes behind Lee-Chieh Po from Taiwan.

Stinger, who have one of the strongest team identities on the LIV Tour because they are all South Africans, will now have to make a “business case” to the organisation for Grace to retain his place. This was confirmed to SportsBoom by Norris’s agent, who was wearing Stinger GC branded kit.

And Norris has previously played on the LIV Tour, winning $1 million in 2022. So perhaps that is another option, if Grace falls out, for someone who surely wants to gain the appreciation and respect his exploits and more than €7 million in career—earnings deserve?

The DP World Lions Ladies team produced an excellent display at the weekend to inflict a first defeat of the season on the HollywoodBets Dolphins in Durban, as they beat the log-leaders by 31 runs in their Pro20 Series match.

Having won the toss and elected to bat first, opener Nonkululeko Thabethe stuck around brilliantly until the penultimate over as her run-a-ball 55 provided the backbone of our innings on a slow pitch that provided a little turn.

Thabethe was well-supported by fellow opener Palesa Mapoo (22) in a fine opening stand of 49, and then she and Kirstie Thomson (24) added another 40 for the second wicket, providing the foundation for a competitive total of 126 for three in their 20 overs.

The DP World Lions were then outstanding with the ball and in the field as they bundled the high-flying Dolphins out for just 95 in 18.5 overs.

Former Border spinner Liyema Jubati had not played for #ThePrideOfJozi before, but she was not overawed even though she was given the new ball. She responded by dismissing the in-form Alexandra Candler (11) and then three overs later Jubati fielded superbly at wide mid-on and scored a direct hit at the bowler’s end to run out Nicole de Klerk (18).

Jubati’s slick fielding would see her effect another run out towards the end of the Dolphins innings, and although she did not take another wicket while bowling, the Dolphins batters were not able to score quickly off her either as she conceded just 17 runs in her four overs.

The Dolphins batters were not able to handle the spin of Raisibe Ntozakhe either, as she ripped through the middle-order with three for 24 in her four overs, and another slow bowler, Madison Landsman, took two for six.

In the HollywoodBets Pro50 Series match on the preceding day, #ThePrideOfJozi skipper Kgomotso Rapoo also won the toss, but this time selected to bowl first. A very good batting display by the Dolphins saw them post 286 for three, with Candler scoring 104 and De Klerk 96.

Sarah Nettleton was the best of the DP World Lions bowlers, her 10 overs of accurate spin going for just 33 runs.

In reply, the DP World Lions batters could probably have shown better shot-selection, as the crack Dolphins attack bowled them out for 171, inflicting a 115-run defeat.

Thomson was the best of the batters with a mature 53 off 70 balls, while Jenna Evans showed her talent as she cracked 43 not out off 56 deliveries.