Para-Taekwondo-Open Challenge : L'argent pour Aboubacar Samaké en Cor…

Personne ne s’y attendait, mais Hossam Hassan l’a fait. Profitant de la conférence de presse d’avant le match face à l’Argentine, pour le compte des 8es de finale de la Coupe du monde 2026, le sélectionneur national d’Égypte s’est fondu dans un discours poignant qui rappela la triste réalité du peuple palestinien, qui se meurt et qui résiste chaque jour, au moment où la planète est éprise par la frénésie du football et de son Mondial.
Le coach égyptien, dont il faudra longtemps saluer le courage et la pertinence de son intervention, a rappelé les humains à leur réalité que, souvent, eux-mêmes veulent cacher, et à leurs devoirs face à l’indifférence des politiques.

Car au moment où des footballeurs font rouler la baballe sur du gazon-billard et que des milliers de supporters font la fête dans les tribunes, l’état de famine a été reconnu pour plus de 500 000 habitants par les experts d’agences internationales, après la destruction ou l’endommagement de 80 % du bâti à Gaza et le triste bilan de 67 173 Palestiniens tués, dont 20 179 enfants, selon le Bureau des Nations unies pour la coordination des affaires humanitaires au 7 octobre 2025, soit après deux ans d’un génocide sans précédent.

Quand Hossam Hassan rappela la tragédie du peuple palestinien, et plus particulièrement celle de la population de Gaza, c’est pour amener tout un chacun à faire son examen de conscience et à relativiser les drames, entre perdre un match de football ou subir une élimination, la plus décevante ou la plus cruelle soit-elle, et perdre ses parents, comme l’ont été les 58 554 enfants recensés au 1er décembre 2025. De quoi remplir tout un stade de la Coupe du monde, comme celui de Boston ou de Vancouver, là où a joué l’équipe nationale algérienne son dernier match face à la Suisse.

Au moment où, comme l’a rappelé également Hossam Hassan, l’on profite de la fraîcheur d’une climatisation ou du bonheur d’une boisson fraîche ou d’un fruit succulent, une population déjà fragilisée crève sous une chaleur suffocante, sous des tentes souvent précaires et surtout sans eau. Ce liquide, dont plusieurs ONG et associations humanitaires font leur bataille quotidienne pour l’acheminer selon plusieurs procédés dans un territoire ayant perdu la moitié de ses hôpitaux et plus de 500 bâtiments scolaires.

Malgré le cessez-le-feu, adopté le 9 octobre 2025, la situation demeure fragile, car des assassinats ainsi que des exactions sont commis régulièrement par l’État sioniste dans un territoire minuscule où 90 % de
la population a été déplacée. Derrière l’épouvantail du « cessez-le-feu », on continue à détruire et à tuer, même à petit feu. Hossam Hassan a rappelé à l’humanité, et à la famille du football en particulier, que les vertus du sport et les valeurs que la FIFA véhicule tout le temps n’ont pas de sens si elles ne vont pas au-delà d’un Mondial pour venir en aide à une population écrasée par une armée sans foi ni loi.
– LAFORDASSE

L’article CM : Merci Hossam Hassan, merci ! est apparu en premier sur Foot Afrique.

The Springboks and Scotland will clash for the 31st time when they meet in round two of the new Nations Championship competition at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday (kick-off 5.40pm).

The current world champions, the Boks, go into the game on the back of a 45-21 win against England at Ellis Park last weekend, while Scotland picked up a 47-38 away win against Argentina in South America.

Here then are some interesting bits of information you might want to know ahead of Saturday’s round two match.

Springbok record against Scotland

The teams have met 30 times, with the Boks winning 25 and Scotland five.

In total, the Boks have scored 792 points in their previous meetings, Scotland have scored 339. The Boks have scored 96 tries to Scotland’s 32.

Recent run of form

The Springboks have won nine successive Test matches against Scotland since losing 21-17 at Murrayfield in 2010, which marked only their second defeat against the Scots since the game turned professional.

South Africa’s last win against the Scots was at Murrayfield in November 2024, the visitors picking up a 32-15 win.

Playing at Loftus Versfeld

Saturday’s match will mark the first time the Springboks face Scotland in Pretoria. The teams have only met six times in South Africa, with the Boks winning all of those matches.

This will be Scotland’s fifth Test at Loftus Versfeld though – they played Italy there in a quadrangular series in 2013, as well as three matches at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, including a 48-30 quarter-final defeat against New Zealand.

Record in SA

This match will mark the first time the Springboks face Scotland in South Africa since 2014, with that match being played in Gqeberha, where the Boks won 55-6 and Handré Pollard made his Test debut.

The only match the teams have ever played on the Highveld was in Johannesburg in 2003, which the home side won 28-19.

Players in action

Pieter-Steph du Toit, who will lead the Boks for the second time in as many weeks, requires only three more Test appearances after this match to earn his 100th Test.

Twelve players in the Boks’ matchday squad have played less than 10 Tests – Edwill van der Merwe (5), Embrose Papier (7), Evan Roos (8), Paul de Villiers (1), Cobus Wiese (2), Johan Grobbelaar (8), Boan Venter (8), Ntuthuko Mchunu (3), Zach Porthen (4), Ben-Jason Dixon (8), Vincent Tshituka (1), Quan Horn (1).

Bok caps

The total number of Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 445. There are 274 caps in the backline, with 171 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 69 caps.

The average caps per player in the backline is 39, the forwards 21, while the players on the bench average 9, making it one of the more inexperienced Bok matchday squads for some time.

Wilco Louw has praised Zach Porthen’s eye-catching Test performance against England, saying he is excited to link up with the young tighthead at the Stormers after the international season.

Playing in just his fourth Test, Porthen made a big impression off the bench in the Springboks’ 45-21 Nations Championship victory over England at Ellis Park last weekend, producing a powerful all-round display.

Louw, who will return to the Stormers following the Test season, believes the 22-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.

“Zach had an incredible game last weekend,” Louw said. “He scrummed really well, he was throwing some bodies around and it’s lovely to see.

“He’s 22 years old and he’s playing incredible rugby and I’m looking forward to joining him at the Stormers and learning from him.

“We all learn from each other, and it’s great to see young boys coming through and really stepping up.”

MORE: Big Wilco braces for battle with mate

Louw also dismissed the idea that there is fierce competition for places among the Springbok tightheads, insisting the squad’s focus is on serving the team rather than individual ambitions.

“It’s much bigger than fighting for a spot to play,” he said. “We play for a much greater cause, we play for our incredible country and the team that’s selected has got a big responsibility to do that.

“It’s an incredible honour to put on that jersey and a privilege to play.”

TEAM: Gregor to drop his Bomb Squad on Boks

Photo: Paul Harding/Getty Images

The post Wilco hails Bok newbie Porthen appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Gregor Townsend says his Scotland side can expect a reception like no other when they face the Springboks on Saturday, but is confident they will rise to the occasion.

The Scots are set to lock horns with the Boks at Loftus in round two of the Nations Championship this week, after both teams kicked off their campaign with wins against Argentina and England, respectively.

Townsend believes facing the world champions on their own turf offers a rare and valuable challenge for his group, one they won’t get many other chances to experience together.

TEAM: Schoeman starts for Scots as Russell returns

“Having been here before and watched a lot of games now in South Africa, it is a unique occasion,” the coach said. “There’s the smells when you come to the ground of the braais, the winters here with the sun all day … the players experienced it this week. It feels different.

“And then there’s a lot of music, a lot of noise getting played throughout the game, so it’s now become a truly South African occasion, different from any others.

“We’re used to different environments now, whether it’s the cauldron of Cardiff, whether it’s the music and the noise you get in Paris and Rome.

“It’ll be hostile in a way but more noisy. I think the hostility is on the field but it is one of those superb, unique occasions that the players will certainly be motivated for.”

MORE: Gregor to drop his Bomb Squad on Boks

Townsend also reflected on Scotland’s 32-15 defeat to the Boks at Murrayfield in 2024, where his side showed plenty of fight but ultimately fell short.

“We showed real physicality and work rate, we rode an early storm of going points down, we picked up a red card … We showed real resilience that day, but it wasn’t enough and we have to give more,” he said.

“We’ve got to play a game that is 80 minutes of physicality, of thinking, of being together and being in control when you have those moments and those opportunities to score.”

KEO & ZELS: Why Bok Iceman will freeze Scotland

Townsend expects Scotland to be tested physically for long periods, particularly around the Boks’ aggressive line speed and set-piece dominance.

“We’re definitely going to be up against it physically, and we’re going to relish those challenges,” he added.

“We know what’s happening when you play the Boks: they’re going to be really physical in their defence. They’re going to come at you. It is a unique defence: line speed and forcing you back inside.

“There’s going to be times in the game where they get the upper hand. I would hope that there’ll be times in the game when we cause them problems.

“It’s about building on those and making sure that when the momentum is in the favour of South Africa, we can wrestle it back quickly.”

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

The post Scots brace for ‘hostile’ Loftus appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.