The Sharks go into their clash against the Jaguares tomorrow with confidence despite losing their last game at home to the Hurricanes.

The Stormers take on the Sunwolves at Newlands Rugby Stadium on Saturday, and three players are set to make their debuts for the Western Cape franchise.

Players and technical staff will be in for a huge windfall when the Telkom Premier League draws to a close this weekend at the Rembrandt Hall at the University of Pretoria.

The semi-finalists for the ABC Motsepe National Playoffs were confirmed on Thursday (yesterday), as the final group games were played at Erica Park in Cape Town.

Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Andile Dlamini says their embarrassing 7-2 loss to Norway in their last outing was a wake-up call for the team ahead of the opening match of their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup against Spain in France on Saturday (kickoff 6pm). The 26-year-old insists they are not about to drop their heads nor lose confidence ahead of their date with destiny in just two days time.

The South African Elderly Football Association (SAEFA) President Khensani Ntsanwisi has encouraged more grannies across the country to affiliate with the body so it is easier to access all of them. Ntsanwisi was speaking on the back of Limpopo elderly women’s football team Vakhegula Vakhegula’s send off to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Both local and international athletes are preparing to take part in the ultimate human race, the 2019 Comrades Marathon and many will be aware that there can only be one winner. Ultra-marathon and an elite member of Nedbank Running Club Cobie Smith shares her goals. Another consistent female runner is 39 year old Fikile Mbuthuma. She says this year is her13th Comrades run and is well on the way to achieving her goal of running 15 comrades races in her lifetime. Last year’s 4th place finisher in the Men’s race, Edwards Mothiba, came so close at a time of 5:36 in the down-run and believes he has what it takes to challenge the elite crop. He says he does not know what to expect this time around with the up-run. Peter Gaebetse, the coach of Joseph Manyedi believes his athlete has what it takes to challenge the elite runners, the 36 year won the Om Die Dam 50km already this year and Geabetse says preparations have been going well.

Zambia finally ended their winless streak against Zimbabwe in the COSAFA Cup last night when they beat their much improved neighbours 4-2 on penalties in a semi-final match played at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban last night. The game had finished goalless at full-time with the second string Chipolopolo side having done well to hold their own against an African Cup of Nations (AFCON) bound Zim Warriors squad. Zambia will meet Botswana in the final on Saturday after the Zebras had beaten Lesotho 2-1 in the first semi-final. Zambia caretaker coach Aggrey Chiyangi Expands on the tactics he employed in this game to to contain the Warriors.

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter says he does not have a score to settle when he takes the national team to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. Baxter qualified Bafana to the AFCON 2006 in Egypt but was sacked before the tournament. The late Ted Dumitru was in charge of the team that failed to score a single goal in the tournament. Baxter says his focus is to prepare the team adequately.

The battle for the Springboks No.13 jersey certainly brewing with Vodacom Bulls’ center Jesse Kriel, and Cell C Sharks midfield maestro Lukhanyo Am both putting their hands up for the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup. The debate for whether there is enough space for both of them in the same team or not is also rife amongst South Africa rugby followers following a splendid Vodacom Super Rugby campaign and Test matches for the green and gold. Kriel says that they have grown closer with Am as the season has gone and they are both feeding off each other as well.