South African props are the best in the world

How was a South African tighthead prop not chosen as the No 3 in the United Rugby Championship 2025/26 season Elite XV? When you think of South African rugby’s biggest strength, it is with those wearing Nos 1 and Nos 3.

An Irishman, in Leinster’s Thomas Clarkson got the nod at No 3. catcrossgame.com

Madness.

Clarkson started eight of 11 matches in the URC and averaged 49 minutes a match. Leinster lost four of those 11 matches.

South African props

The quality of No 3s in South Africa is unmatched in the URC, when you assess the merits of the tightheads of the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers.

Wilco Louw is the obvious standout for the Bulls.

Louw started 10 of 11 URC matches this season.

Then there is Neethling Fouche for the Stormers and Vincent Koch (12 matches) of the Sharks.

Fouche started 12 of 14 matches in the URC this season.

The Lions’ Asenathi Ntlabakanye was superb this season, but missed the last few matches after being suspended for taking weight loss medication approved by a doctor, but on the prohibited list for rugby players.

Ntlabakanye started 13 of 14 URC matches.

The Bulls, Stormers and Sharks scrum were comfortably the best three scrums in the competition this season.

Bulls

• Wilco Louw
• Francois Klopper
• Mornay Smith

Lions

• Asenathi Ntlabakanye

Sharks

• Vincent Koch

Stormers

• Neethling Fouché
• Zachary Porthen
• Sazi Sandi

*Frans Malherbe (Stormers) and Trevor Nyakane (Sharks) missed the URC with injury. Both are Springboks World Cup winners.

URC ELITE XV – 15 Quan Horn (Lions), 14 Werner Kok (Ulster), 13 Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), 11 Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), 9 Embrose Papier (Bulls), 8 Evan Roos (Stormers), 7 Ruan Venter (Lions), 6 Cian Prendergast (Connacht), 5 Cobus Wiese (Bulls), 4 Darragh Murray (Connacht), 3 Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), 2 Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers).

Of the South African tightheads playing for overseas clubs, Thomas du Toit (Bath) and Carlü Sadie (Bordeaux) have been immense.

Sadie started in all eight of Bordeaux’s Investec Champions Cup matches. He is part of Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus’s national alignment camp.

Du Toit, who leaves Bath for South Africa’s Sharks, took three category wins at the club’s end of season awards.

Du Toit’s value to Bath and the Boks is his quality as a tighthead prop and loosehead prop.

South Africa’s loosehead prop stocks are as impressive with Sharks’ Ox Nche, Bulls’ Gerhardt Steenekamp and Stormers Ntuthuko Mchunu the leading trio in the country.

Twenty-eight years ago, the South African national football team stepped onto the ultimate international stage for the very first time. Now, with just days remaining until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bafana Bafana is preparing to write a new chapter. As the senior squad gets ready to face host nation Mexico in the tournament’s opening match, there is no better time to reflect on the legacy of the 1998 campaign that paved the way for South African football on the global stage.

A Baptism of Fire: France '98

Arriving in France for their maiden World Cup appearance, South Africa carried the immense pride and expectations of a nation. Drawn into Group C, Bafana Bafana faced a formidable lineup featuring Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and the host nation—and eventual champions—France.

The campaign began in Marseille with a grueling baptism of fire against the French. Despite a resilient defensive effort that kept the match at a tense 1–0 deep into the second half, late goals from the hosts handed South Africa a 3–0 defeat. It was a harsh introduction to the unforgiving nature of elite international football, but the team’s resolve remained unbroken.

Historic Milestones and Iconic Goals

Redemption, and a slice of history, came in the second group match against Denmark in Toulouse. Trailing early in the first half, South Africa responded with undeniable grit. In the 51st minute, Benni McCarthy etched his name into the history books, threading the needle to score the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal. The 1–1 draw secured South Africa’s first point on the global stage, proving they had the tactical discipline to compete with Europe’s best.

The final group stage encounter against Saudi Arabia in Bordeaux delivered pure, unadulterated drama. In a match defined by three penalty kicks, Shaun Bartlett led from the front with a spectacular brace. His stoppage-time penalty conversion salvaged a 2–2 draw, bringing the curtain down on their debut tournament. While they exited in the group stage with two points, the ’98 squad proved they belonged at the highest level of senior international competition.

The Road Ahead: The 2026 Campaign

Fast forward to the present, and the anticipation is reaching a fever pitch. South Africa is set to feature in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking on an exciting and diverse mix of international heavyweights. The campaign officially kicks off in just over a week with a massive opening fixture against Mexico.

Bafana Bafana will need to channel the trailblazing spirit of their ’98 predecessors as they navigate a challenging group stage that includes European tactical stalwarts the Czech Republic and Asian powerhouse South Korea.

Bafana Bafana 2026 Group A Fixtures:

Date	Fixture	Venue	Kickoff (SAST)
June 11, 2026	Mexico vs. South Africa	Mexico City Stadium	21:00
June 18, 2026	South Africa vs. Czech Republic	Atlanta Stadium	18:00
June 24, 2026	South Africa vs. South Korea	Monterrey Stadium	01:00

The opening clash at the iconic Mexico City Stadium will be an immediate, high-stakes test of Bafana Bafana’s mettle. As we count down the final days to kickoff, the legacy of 1998 serves as a powerful reminder of the passion and potential inherent in South African football.

Stay tuned as we provide comprehensive, on-the-ground coverage following the national team’s quest for glory on the biggest stage of all.

For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page

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The post Echoes of ’98: Bafana Bafana’s Historic Debut and the Dawn of a New Era in 2026 appeared first on South Africa Sports News and Blog Site | South Africa Sport.

Bomono Ombioyo n’est plus l’entraineur de Fauve Azur. Le technicien a été viré par la direction du club après seulement match. Recruté après le licenciement de Théodore Ngatchou, il avait pour mission d'assurer le maintien des Faya Boys en Mtn Elite One après des résultats peu reluisants de son prédécesseur. Le président a scellé son

L’article Fauve Azur :Bomono Ombioyo viré après deux matchs est apparu en premier sur Camfoot.com.