BOD takes another dig at Nienaber’s defence

Ireland great Brian O’Driscoll believes Jacques Nienaber’s defensive system at Leinster continues to create problems for players when they return to the national side.

Ireland survived a major scare to edge the Wallabies 33-31 in last weekend’s Nations Championship clash in Sydney, conceding 24 first-half points before fighting back to claim victory.

O’Driscoll felt the visitors were fortunate not to fall even further behind, pointing to Hugo Keenan’s try-saving tackle on Joseph Suaalii as a pivotal moment. forestarrow.help

“It’s a huge try-saving tackle from Hugo, another bad defensive error,” O’Driscoll said on Off The Ball.

AFRICA PICKS: Nations Championship Round 2 accumulator

The former Ireland captain has previously questioned whether Leinster players are finding it difficult to switch between Nienaber’s aggressive blitz system and Ireland’s defensive approach, and he believes the Wallabies exposed that disconnect.

“There’s definitely an issue with transferring one defensive system to another. It’s ingrained in these Leinster players, and actually it’s not just them,” he said.

“I saw [centre] Stuart McCloskey at one stage shooting out of the line and the big thing about the shooters coming out of the line is you have to stop the ball or force the players back inside, but Australia were getting the ball out the back, they were doing those little loop plays.

“They have big variety hitting the short runner after that and sometimes going out the back, so Ireland looked incredibly exposed.”

ALSO: Beirne relishing Ireland captaincy

O’Driscoll acknowledged the challenge facing players asked to switch systems between club and country.

“I have sympathy for these players because it is something which has been drilled and drilled over the course of the last few years, particularly at Leinster with Jacques Nienaber’s defence,” he said.

“When they have line speed off the line, they think whoever is outside them is going to shut it off as well and that actually hasn’t been happening because it’s a different system.”

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Despite his concerns, O’Driscoll expects Ireland to tighten up defensively when they face Japan in Newcastle this Saturday.

“I will imagine it will be significantly better,” he said.

Photo: Matt King/Getty Images

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Yaya Dukuly franchit un nouveau cap dans sa carrière. Formé à Adelaide United, où il a gravi toutes les étapes jusqu’à intégrer l’équipe première, l’ailier australo-guinéen va découvrir le football européen. Le joueur de 24 ans s’est officiellement engagé avec le NK Celje, pensionnaire de la première division slovène, pour les trois prochaines saisons.

Après plusieurs exercices convaincants sous les couleurs d’Adelaide United en A-League, Yaya Dukuly tourne ainsi la page de son club formateur pour relever le premier grand défi européen de sa carrière.

Le NK Celje a officialisé son arrivée dans un communiqué publié ce jour. Le club slovène a confirmé que l’ailier s’est engagé jusqu’au 30 juin 2029.

« Bienvenue à Celje, Yaya Dukuly ! L’un des meilleurs joueurs de la A-League australienne rejoint la ville princière en provenance d’Adelaide United. Il a signé un contrat avec les Comtes jusqu’au 30 juin 2029 ! », a annoncé le club.

Au fil des saisons avec Adelaide United, Yaya Dukuly s’est progressivement affirmé comme l’un des éléments offensifs les plus en vue du championnat australien. Ses performances lui ont permis de franchir une nouvelle étape en rejoignant désormais le championnat slovène.

A. Diouma Bah

The post Officiel : Yaya Dukuly s’engage avec le NK Celje jusqu’en 2029 appeared first on AFRICASPORT.ORG.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) have moved to refute Hugo Broos’ own claims that will not be Bafana Bafana head coach going forward.

SAFA – Broos going nowhere

SAFA’s statement is a little bizarre in that they have “dismissed claims” that appear to have come from the 74-year-old Belgian himself.

“The South African Football Association (SAFA) has dismissed claims that mentor Hugo Broos has left his role as the head coach of the South African senior men’s national team,” read a SAFA statement.

“Broos remains as the head coach of Bafana Bafana and reports claiming the contrary are completely false. It is not the first time that the Belgian mentor is being linked to an exit shortly after the South African senior men’s national team has performed well at an international tournament.

“In March 2024 Broos was said to be joining the Tunisian national team a few weeks after Bafana Bafana had won bronze at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

“Broos returned with the team from the 2026 FIFA World Cup a few days ago after making history in the global showpiece currently underway in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada. Bafana Bafana qualified for the second round of the tournament for the first time ever after beating South Korea 1-0 in the last group match in Monterrey, Mexico.

“The coach is currently at home in Belgium and will return to South Africa later this month.”

Broos told Belgian magazine Humo that he would not be continuing as head coach, but confirmed he was going to South Africa at the end of this month to discuss some sort of role with SAFA president Danny Jordaan.

‘I’m curious to see what he will propose’

“I’ve already had a conversation with the chairman of the South African federation (Danny Jordaan). He would like to keep me, but in a different role, as an advisor or something like that. I’m returning at the end of July to say my final goodbyes,” said Broos.

“I’m curious to see what he will propose. My wife is happy that I’m quitting, but she has also already warned me: ‘Just make sure you don’t get in my way! Suppose I have to be in South Africa for a few weeks every two months: why not? Better that than walking around at home being a nuisance because I have nothing to do.”

Hugo Broos has confirmed that he will step down as Bafana Bafana head coach, bringing an end to one of the most successful coaching spells in the national team’s history.

The announcement came during an interview with Belgian publication voetbalnieuws.be.

The 74-year-old Belgian leaves as the longest-serving head coach of Bafana Bafana, having taken charge in June 2021.

Broos says decision is final

“Will I continue as a coach after all? No, it is irreversible! If they need me for something else, perhaps in scouting, that is something else. But football is no longer going to be a part of my life 24 hours a day,” Broos told voetbalnieuws.be.

“I have already had a conversation with the chairman of the South African ‌Football ⁠Association. He would like to keep me, but in a different role, as an advisor or something like that. I will return at the end of July to say a final farewell. I am curious to see what he will ⁠propose to me.”

A successful Bafana Bafana tenure

During his five-year tenure, Broos transformed Bafana Bafana into a competitive force on the continental and global stage.

Under his guidance, South Africa qualified for two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and secured a bronze medal at the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast.

Broos also guided Bafana Bafana to a historic milestone by leading the team to the FIFA World Cup knockout stages for the first time.

SAFA must find a new coach

His departure leaves the South African Football Association with the task of appointing a new head coach ahead of the upcoming AFCON qualifying campaign.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has previously voiced his support for former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane as his preferred candidate to succeed Broos.

End of an era

Broos leaves behind a Bafana Bafana side that rediscovered belief, structure and competitiveness during his time in charge.

While his coaching chapter with the national team is ending, the possibility remains that SAFA could keep him involved in a different role.

Read Inbound SA online

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Despite sending out a much less experienced team than usual, Springbok utility back Canan Moodie says the players are fully confident that they can go out and do the business in their Nations Championship second round match against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (kick-off 5:40pm).

Last week the Boks named a massively experienced match 23 to face England, featuring 1099 caps, and even after the late withdrawal of two Springbok centurions, in captain Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, their match day squad still boasted 856 caps.

This weekend the match 23 to face Scotland is far less, with 514 caps across the playing squad, with the bench particularly inexperienced with just 69 caps shared between the eight players on it.

The team still boast a few players with plenty of experience, in captain Pieter-Steph du Toit (96 caps) Jesse Kriel (88), Handre Pollard (85) and Damian Willemse (50).

Internationally inexperienced

But there are far more internationally inexperienced players in the side, especially coming off the bench, which means if they find themselves in trouble in the second half the Boks won’t have many tried and tested reinforcements to call on.

Despite that Moodie explained that the team were fully backed by the coaching staff to go and get a positive result, and that now it was up to the players to go and deliver on that.

“I think having experience and caps does count. But we have a big group of guys who have seen a lot of pictures and played a lot of Tests just helping (the less experienced) guys and making sure they know what to expect,” said Moodie.

“What helps is that the coaches trust and fully believe in us. They believe we are good enough to go out there and do the job. So I think our focus is not on how much experience we have, but on just going out there and doing what we need to do on the day.

“We have a lot of experienced players (in the entire Bok squad) who are making sure we are as well prepared as we possibly can be, and then it is just down to us to go out there and do it on Saturday.”

Dangerous Scotland

Speaking about the dangers Scotland possess, particularly with players like star flyhalf Finn Russell, captain and inside centre Sione Tuipulotu and wing Kyle Steyn, Moodie said they would be ready for that challenge.

“They are dangerous with the ball in hand. Scotland are an attack-minded team, and they have the ball players to do that. We saw in the Argentina match that they are continuing to go wide. We will be well prepared for that,” said Moodie.

On a personal note Moodie will be turning out for the Boks on the wing this weekend, having often played at outside centre, and said he was just happy to get a chance to represent the national side again, and doesn’t mind where he plays.

“Any time you put on the green and gold jersey it is a special occasion, and you do everything possible to make sure you play the best game you can for your country,” admitted Moodie.

“Versatility is a big thing with the Springboks, but my job this weekend is on the wing. I’ll try to execute that as best I can, with high balls, defensive structure and on attack. That’s where I’m needed this weekend, and I am happy to oblige.”