Heartbreak fuels Toulouse revenge mission

Toulouse hooker Peato Mauvaka says last season’s painful Investec Champions Cup exit still burns.

The French giants, however, are ready to settle the score against in Sunday’s quarter-final against Bordeaux-Bègles.

Mauvaka missed that dramatic encounter through injury – along with superstar scrumhalf Antoine Dupont – as Bordeaux stunned the six-time champions on their way to a maiden European crown.

MORE: SA coaches engineering European success

“We weren’t lucky enough to play that match,” Mauvaka told AFP. “Seeing your mates losing that semi-final, it was heart-breaking for us. We can’t wait for this weekend.”

Both sides booked their places in the quarter-finals in emphatic fashion. Toulouse hammered the Bristol Bears in the last 16, while Bordeaux followed up by thrashing the Leicester Tigers a day later.

The rivalry between the two clubs has intensified in recent seasons, with Toulouse lifting the Champions Cup in 2024 before Bordeaux claimed the title a year later.

Bordeaux also had the upper hand in their most recent meeting, running out 44-20 winners in the Top 14 last month.

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While the spotlight will inevitably fall on attacking stars such as Dupont and Bordeaux flyer Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Mauvaka believes the real battle will be decided up front.

“The game at their place three weeks ago, the score was heavy but if you watch the game in details, there was a battle up front,” he said. “Especially in the first half. We blew up a bit in the second half.

“It’s part of the work we have to do, to stay in the game, it promises to be war.”

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Elsewhere, the Northampton Saints travel to face Johann van Graan’s Bath in the first all-English Champions Cup quarter-final since 2020.

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson welcomed the clash between two Premiership heavyweights.

“I think it’s good for the game,” said Dowson. “It’s good for the Saints to be in that position, to be mixing it on these stages.

“We know the power of Bath as a club and that’s something that we enjoy competing with.”

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Meanwhile, Toulon will travel to face the Glasgow Warriors without veteran centre Ma’a Nonu, who has been banned for three weeks following a high tackle in last weekend’s win over the Stormers.

Four-time champions Leinster host Sale Sharks as they chase a sixth straight Champions Cup semi-final appearance.

MORE: Champions Cup quarter-finals – Match-by-match guide

Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals (SA times)
Friday, 10 April
Bath vs Northampton Saints (9pm)
Saturday, 11 April
Glasgow Warriors vs Toulon (4pm)
Leinster vs Sale Sharks (6:30pm)
Sunday, 12 April
Bordeaux Bègles vs Toulouse (4pm)

– AFP

The post Heartbreak fuels Toulouse revenge mission appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Kaizer Chiefs are reportedly looking at several options abroad to bolster their dwindling defensive options.

Kaizer Chiefs target Mabuza

Local reports suggest that 25-year-old defender Mhleli Mabuza is top of Chiefs’ shopping list.

Via Soccer Laduma:

“The club is once again looking at bringing in Mhleli. They want him back. He trained with the team in the pre-season; unfortunately, the coaches were not impressed at that time.

“He went back to Portugal, where he signed a 1-year contract with Amora SAD because there was still hope of him coming back to Chiefs, and that’s why they have reignited the interest in him. But apparently, everything will be decided at the end of the season,” the insider informed Soccer Laduma.

In January, Mabuza signed with Portuguese side O Elvas on a short-term deal which expires in June.

Chiefs aim to continue their winning run

Kaizer Chiefs came from a goal down to beat Orbit College 3-1 on Easter Monday. Wandile Duba equalised in the dying minutes of the first half after Mbulelo Wagaba had given the hosts the lead, before second-half goals from Mduduzi Shabalala and Siphesihle Ndlovu secured three points for Amakhosi. They now sit third in the league with 39 points from 21 matches.

• Sun, 12 Apr: Chiefs vs TS Galaxy
• Wed, 15 Apr: Magesi vs Chiefs
• Sat, 18 Apr: Polokwane vs Chiefs
• Sun, 26 Apr: Pirates vs Chiefs
• Tue, 28 Apr: Siwelele vs Chiefs
• Wed, 6 May: Sundowns vs Chiefs
• Sun, 10 May: Sekhukhune vs Chiefs
• Sat, 16 May: AmaZulu vs Chiefs
• Sat, 23 May: Chiefs vs Chippa

À Madagascar, le stade Barea accueille, vendredi 10 avril, ce qui devrait être son plus grand concert de l'année 2026. À l'affiche : Gazo et La Fouine, deux stars du rap français. Pour l'occasion, 20 000 billets ont été mis en vente. Mais organiser un événement d'une telle ampleur sur l'île reste un défi de taille, aussi bien sur le plan technique qu'humain. Depuis trois ans, la société de production à l'origine de ce rendez-vous a donc fait un pari : recruter et former elle-même ses équipes aux métiers de l'événementiel.