SuperSport United forward Bradley Grobler was named Absa Premiership's August Best Player, having scored four goals in the opening month of the South African top-flight. The award also served as recognition for Grobler's impact this season after he struggled with various injuries in recent times.

Former Springboks captain and lock forward Victor Matfield has described the late Chester Williams as a great rugby ambassador to the South Africans and believes he will be sorely missed by those who he has left behind. Williams, who passed away last Friday after suffering from a heart attack, joins a number of other world cup winning Springboks such Jooste van der Westhuizen and James Small, who are also sadly no longer with us. Matfield extends his condolences to the Williams family.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Ernst Middendorp has won the Absa Premiership coach of the month award for only the second time since his arrival in South Africa in 2005. Ironically it was also with Chiefs the last time he won this award during his first stint with Amakhosi back in 2005. A good run of 10 points from a possible 12 in the first four matches of the season and being one-point clear at the top of the log saw Middendorp walking home with this August accolade. Middendorp has thanked the club’s management, specifically Bobby Motaung and his younger brother Kaizer Junior for keeping him in the job despite underachieving last season.

New Maritzburg United striker Jeremy Brockie believes that Mamelodi Sundowns’ playing style not suiting him was one of the key reasons for him not succeeding at the Absa Premiership champions. The 31-year-old ended a forgettable 18-month stay at Chloorkop last week when he moved to the Team of Choice on deadline day. The New Zealander joined on a year-long loan deal and will be looking to kick-start his career again after a tough time with the Brazilians. Brockie shares the playing style of Pitso Mosimane.

Former Springbok rugby star Breyton Paulse, who was capped 64 times by South Africa, says that there should be a movie made about Chester Williams' life. Following the sad passing of the 1995 World Cup winning Springbok wing last week, Paulse says that Williams’ life should be celebrated for a long time to come, and he feels that he really was a gift from above. Williams’ life was celebrated at a memorial service at the University of the Western Cape on Wednesday, while his official funeral will be held on Saturday.

Saturday’s action will start with the doubles partnership of veteran Raven Klaasen and Ruan Roelofse taking on Gabriel Donev and Alexander Donski and the 36-year-old Klaasen says he is enjoying the mentorship role in the team.

Cavin Johnson admits that AmaZulu face a massive pressure game when they come up against Lamontville Golden Arrows in an Absa Premiership Durban derby in KwaMashu on Saturday. Usuthu have not won a single match this season and are bottom of the league table with one point from four games thus far. They face a big week ahead when they will also come up against Kaizer Chiefs and Johnson admits they have to work hard.

The main draw for South Africa’s Europe Africa Group H tie against Bulgaria was held, ahead of this weekend’s Davis Cup action at the Kelvin Grove Club in Cape Town. Friday’s action will start with South Africa’s number one Lloyd Harris taking on Bulgaria’s Alexandar Lazarov, before Ruan Roelofse faces Dimitar Kuzmanov. For Harris it is very exciting to playing this tie in his hometown, and he has been enjoying the time at home.

With qualification to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) U23 tournament now in the bag, the focus now shifts to the preparations for the eight team tournament for South Africa U23 side head coach David Notoane. The South Africa U23 saw off neighbours Zimbabwe 5-0 on aggregate to advance to the AFCON tournament in Egypt from the eighth until the 22nd of November this year. The top three teams in this tournament will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.

Proteas T20 vice-captain Rassie van der Dussen says they are expecting conditions to be batting friendly in Dharamshala’s Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium when they go up against India in their first of three T20 Internationals. The Proteas arrived to a warm reception in India. Van Der Dussen says they will take a lot of confidence from the Proteas’ previous result in their only match at the stadium while they know exactly what kind of conditions to expect.