AFRICA’S first continental rugby competition has been given the go-ahead with the first match kicking off on June 17. The inaugural African Rugby Championship will be based on a home-and-away format and will feature six teams with South Africa being represented by an under-23 side. Teams will be divided into south and north sections, with South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe contesting one pool, while Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tunisia will battle it out for honours in the northern section. South Africa and Namibia will get the tournament off to a start on June 17 in the main curtain-raiser to the Springboks’ first test against England. A week later South Africa will host Namibia at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, in a curtain-raiser to the second test against England.
CASTLE PREMIERSHIP RESULTS
Wednesday
At Independence Stadium; Bush Bucks 2 (Wilfred Mugeyi 49, Denis Masina 90) Free State Stars 2 (Sydwell Maboe 10, 40).
At Loftus Stadium; Sundowns 0 Manning Rangers 1 (Fees Moloi 53)
At Newlands Stadium; Ajax Cape Town 2 (Brendan Augustine 10, Steve Pienaar 61) Orlando Pirates 2 (Phumlani Mkhize 52-pen, Andries Sebola 76)
At Investec Stadium; Wits University 1 (Sam Magalefa 70) Classic 1 (Martin Matsitela 76)
STANDINGS P W D L F A P
1 Sundowns 30 21 5 4 59 30 68
2 Orlando Pirates 32 18 9 5 70 31 63
3 Kaizer Chiefs 31 16 10 5 37 18 58
4 Wits Univ 33 12 15 6 36 25 51
5 Ajax CT 33 14 8 11 41 38 50
6 Jomo Cosmos 33 12 13 8 47 30 49
7 Manning Rangers 32 13 9 10 49 46 48
8 Hellenic 33 13 7 13 60 43 46
9 Santos 33 9 15 9 48 50 42
10 Classic 33 12 5 16 42 64 41
11 Bloem. Celtic 32 10 10 12 44 49 40
12 F State Stars 33 9 13 11 29 36 40
13 Moroka Swallows 33 10 9 14 38 52 39
14 African Wanderers 33 11 5 17 36 48 38
15 SuperSport Utd 32 9 10 13 45 47 37
16 Bush Bucks 32 9 10 13 44 48 37
17 AmaZulu 33 9 9 15 31 42 36
18 Mother City 33 2 4 27 22 81 10