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Français (Afrique)Sacha drops to Stormers bench, here’s why!
The Stormers will be playing for a place in the quarter-finals when they take on Toulon on Saturday, and all pre-match expectations were that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu would be wearing the No 10 jersey once again.
However, coach John Dobson has rather opted to execute a role change for Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who has endured some inconsistent form at times this season.
Yet Dobson explained that the decision to shift Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the bench was designed for maximum impact late in the game, which he said was the same thought process when it came naming JD Schickerling among the substitutes as well.
“We thought guys like JD and Sacha could make a helluva difference coming on. We just have to be careful with their load.
“There’s no element of merit of JD being dropped or Sacha or anything like that. It’s just that we felt this is the right game looking at some of the loads and the games we’ve got coming up over the next few weeks.”
Jurie Matthee starts at 10 as Sacha joins Stormers’ ‘bomb squad’
Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach makes his return from injury and will partner Matthee in an all-new halfback pairing, with Imad Khan and Feinberg-Mngomezulu on a replacements bench that also features Wandisile Simelane.
Up front props Neethling Fouché and Oli Kebble come into the starting line-up after impressive showings in the second half against Edinburgh last weekend, while the versatile Deon Fourie reprises the role he played in the last Rugby World Cup final by providing cover for starting hooker André-Hugo Venter.
Connor Evans starts alongside Adré Smith in the second row, while in the loose trio Hacjivah Dayimani makes his first start since returning to the Stormers, with Ben-Jason Dixon ruled out due to concussion picked up against Edinburgh.
Fourie is joined by Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, JD Schickerling and Marcel Theunissen on a strong replacements bench which is sure to make a significant impact in the second half.
Dobson said that his team is ready to give it a full go in the south of France.
“We have come up against Toulon in this competition before, so we know that we can expect intensity for 80 minutes on the pitch. What will be a new experience for us is to play at the Stade Felix Mayol, which is renowned for its unique atmosphere.
“We have picked a team that we feel can sustain a significant challenge from start to finish, and we are all looking forward to what should be a great occasion for rugby,” he said.
How the team looks
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Damian Willemse, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
Police FC inflict Tusker FC second straight defeat as Sofapaka face relegation
Kenyan Premier League champions Kenya Police FC inflicted Tusker with their second straight defeat of the season following a 1-0 FKF Premier League win at Police Sacco Stadium on Friday.
The Brewers have been on a good run of results under their new coach Julien Mette winning four straight matches before the run ended following their 1- defeat against AFC Leopards.
Tusker had defeated Shabana 1-0, Murang’a Seal 1-0, Kariobangi Sharks 2-1, and Kakamega Homeboyz. However, they are now winless since the Homeboyz game as they lost 1-0 against AFC Leopards, and now 1-0 against Police FC.
Hernest Malonga hit the woodwork
Against the law enforcers, Tusker looked flat in the opening exchanges with Police creating the first chance when Hernest Malonga hit the woodwork. Bless Bakai, who arrived from Ghana, created Tusker’s first chance but it went begging.
The Brewers upped their game and almost scored in the 20th minute when captain, and defender Charles Momanyi powered his header off the post, despite being unmarked at the far post.
The game ended into the half-time break tied at 0-0 and Police coach Nicholas Muyoti, summoned to the bench to add firepower, and help him get the better of Tusker.
Alvin Mang’eni was brought in to replace David Okoth, and Police should have scored when Harambee Stars defender Aboud Omar missed from a free-kick.
However, in the 62nd minute, Tusker found the back of the net. A foul on a Tusker player from the right side of the area provided Police with another opportunity from the free-kick angle.
Aboud Omar stepped as usual to deliver a sumptuous cross into the area, which Yves Junior Koutiama thundered home with a powerful header. Despite Tusker’s late surge for an equalizer, Police held on to bag their 11th win of the season.
The win enabled Police to jump to third on the log with 43 points, while Tusker dropped to ninth with 37 points from 26 matches.
Sofapaka fighting against relegation
In another fixture, Sofapaka’s relegation worries continued after they drew 0-0 against struggling Bandari FC to remain bottom of the table.
Batoto ba Mungu have collected 16 points from 27 matches and they look the best candidates to suffer first relegation this season.
For Bandari, the draw saw them keep their seventh spot with 38 points from 27 matches.
FKF Premier League fixtures;
Sofapaka 0-0 Bandari FC
Kenya Police FC 1-0 Tusker FC
Saturday;
Ulinzi Stars vs APS Bomet
Kakamega Homeboyz vs Mathare United
Gor Mahia vs Kariobangi Sharks
Sunday;
Murang’a Seal vs AFC Leopards
Bidco United vs KCB
Nairobi United vs Shabana
Monday;
Mara Sugar vs Posta Rangers
Uganda Cup: Nakivubo showdown as URA, KCCA battle for final four spot
URA FC and KCCA FC renew their rivalry on Saturday at Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo at 3pm with a coveted semifinal slot in the Stanbic Uganda Cup on the line.
Defending cup winners Vipers SC are through to the semi-finals!
Three more slots remain.#StanbicUgandaCup | #52ndEdition pic.twitter.com/bc0dpDKp4S
— Stanbic Uganda Cup (@FUFAUgandaCup) April 3, 2026
Both sides arrive in the quarterfinal clash boasting perfect defensive records in the competition, yet their journeys to this stage have taken slightly different paths.
KCCA FC have looked ruthless, sweeping aside all opponents since the round of 64, including a commanding 5-0 demolition of Onduparaka FC.
URA FC, meanwhile, eased past Tapoh 3-0 in the previous round but were earlier pushed to the limit, needing penalties to eliminate Blacks Power after a tense stalemate.
Recent meetings between the two sides hint at a tightly contested affair. KCCA claimed a 2-1 win in their only league encounter this season, but URA will draw confidence from their latest meeting at Nakivubo, where Innocent Kisolo’s late strike sealed a narrow 1-0 victory.
KCCA co-coach Jackson Magera is fully aware of the test awaiting his side but remains confident in their approach.
“URA is very disciplined and can be tough to play against, especially in a knockout competition like the Uganda Cup. We respect them, but our mentality is to fight for the badge every single minute. The players have shown great spirit in the previous rounds, and we are going to Nakivubo with one objective to reach the semifinals,” he noted.
The visitors will once again rely on red-hot forward Ivan Ahimbisibwe, who has been in sensational form this season, leading the Uganda Premier League scoring charts with 11 goals.
Emmanuel Anyama has also played a key role in the cup run, contributing three goals and an assist so far.
On the team news front, URA FC will be without goalkeeper Abdu Magada, though the rest of the squad is fit and available.
Inside the Tax Collectors last training at @HamzStadium ahead of KCCA FC battle tomorrow at Hamz Stadium! #URAFC | #OneTeamOneDream | #StanbicUgandaCup | #52ndEdition | #URAKCCA pic.twitter.com/rzasNz6WjZ
— URA Football Club (@URAFC_Official) April 3, 2026
KCCA FC are set to miss Bright Anukani, James Mubezi, and Derrick Nsibambi, but they are boosted by the return of goalkeeper Charles Lukwago, while Alpha Ssali is back in contention after recovering from a hamstring injury.
With Vipers SC already through following their penalty shootout victory over NEC FC, the stakes could not be higher.
The winner in Nakivubo will join the defending champions in the semifinals and move one step closer to lifting the trophy and securing Uganda’s ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup.
Une tournée présidentielle qui prend des airs de campagne électorale
Après des passages remarqués à Toliara, Mahajanga et Toamasina, le président de la Refondation a poursuivi sa série de déplacements en se rendant à Fianarantsoa le 3 avril. Officiellement inscrites dans le cadre du suivi des actions gouvernementales, ces visites successives à travers les différentes régions du pays suscitent de plus en plus d'interrogations quant à leur véritable portée politique.
Depuis plusieurs mois, le chef de l'État multiplie les descentes sur le terrain, dans un rythme soutenu et une mise en scène qui rappelle fortement les périodes électorales. À Toliara comme à Toamasina, les déplacements ont été marqués par des rassemblements populaires, des annonces ambitieuses et un discours axé sur le développement rapide du pays. À Mahajanga, la même dynamique s'est répétée, avec une forte mobilisation des autorités locales et une communication directe à destination de la population.
La visite à Fianarantsoa s'inscrit dans cette continuité. Entouré de membres du gouvernement et d'une délégation civilo-militaire, le président a de nouveau insisté sur les priorités de l'exécutif tout en renforçant sa proximité avec les habitants. Mais au-delà du cadre institutionnel affiché, ce sont surtout les annonces faites à chaque étape qui attirent l'attention et alimentent le débat.
À travers ses interventions, le chef de l'État multiplie les promesses à forte portée sociale. Parmi celles-ci figurent notamment l'envoi de jeunes Malagasy à Dubaï dans le cadre de programmes d'emploi, ainsi que l'augmentation des indemnités de pension pour certaines catégories, dont les anciens survivants des événements de 1947. Ces engagements, largement relayés lors de ses déplacements, participent à construire un discours orienté vers l'amélioration immédiate des conditions de vie.
Dans un contexte politique encore marqué par les tensions récentes et les recompositions du pouvoir, cette stratégie de présence continue sur le terrain apparaît pour certains observateurs comme une phase de pré-campagne. La répétition des déplacements, l'importance accordée à la communication directe et la nature des promesses formulées renforcent l'idée d'une campagne qui ne dit pas encore son nom.
Si le pouvoir maintient qu'il s'agit avant tout d'une démarche de gouvernance de proximité, la frontière entre action publique et stratégie électorale semble de plus en plus difficile à distinguer. Cette tournée nationale pourrait ainsi traduire une volonté de reconquérir l'opinion publique, à mesure que se profilent les prochaines échéances politiques. Reste désormais à savoir si les engagements pris sur le terrain se concrétiseront, ou s'ils s'inscriront dans la tradition des promesses de campagne souvent contestées.
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Young Africans ready to start competing against Tanzania Prisons – Silva
Young Africans assistant coach Matthew Silva says despite not having won in the last four Mainland Premier League matches, the truth is that Tanzania Prisons is a competitive team and their match will be difficult on Saturday.
The Citizens will be looking to consolidate their lead at the top of the league table against a side who are winless from their last four matches including the first-round meeting between two sides which Young Africans won 1-0.
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The reverse fixture will be played at KMC Stadium on Saturday and Young Africans will head into the battle as the favourites to seal a double over their opponents. Since beating Namungo FC 3-2 on February 14, Prisons have struggled to win matches.
They lost 2-0 against Young Africans rivals Simba SC, drew 0-0 against Azam FC, lost 1-0 against Young Africans, and lost 2-1 against Singida Black Stars.
Young Africans have overcome small challenges
“We believe in all our players. Our team’s excellent results are due to our unity as a team. We have overcome the small challenges that have faced us. Our mission is to return to our best days of victory. We have a great team that can do that despite the pressures here and there,” Silva, who was speaking on behalf of head coach Pedro Goncalves, told Pan-African Football.
“Our team does not have any systematic challenges; I can accept that injuries have caused our team to lack a good competitive balance. We are the best team currently in the league where we have scored a lot of goals and allowed few goals. Systematic challenges have arisen from either the difficulty of the schedule, injuries and stadium infrastructure. We are not at the top of the league unfortunately.”
Silva added: “Our players have returned from international matches; we are grateful that they have all returned safely and it has been a good opportunity to sit with the entire group of players to plan the best strategies to face Tanzania Prisons.
“We are ready to fight, we know we are going to meet a very strong team. Prisons in their four matches have met tough opponents, they have certainly had enough competition.”
In his message to Young Africans fans ahead of the fixture, Silva said: “I expect to see citizens coming to the stadium in large numbers. Not just coming in large numbers, they should cheer to give the team motivation.
“Fans are an important pillar for any team looking for results, I should not be greedy for favors because Yanga fans have been with us shoulder to shoulder whenever we needed them. We know our home fans are very eager to see us.”
For his part, goalkeeper Abutwalib Mshery, said the league has improved and the teams have improved so Young Africans should not underrate Tanzania Prisons despite their run of four matches without a win.
“Our coaches have done a good job on the training ground, our fans should come out in large numbers, there will be fantastic football from us. We assure the citizens that we will go and fight for their happiness,” said Mshery.
“We know that the last few games did not go as we expected. It is time now to provide entertainment for the citizens and forget the past.”
He added: “All Yanga players are here because they are fighting for the team, any goalkeeper who gets a chance should do well in the game, currently our league has become very good. Many teams have improved. The coaches have made a correct assessment of the previous games and worked on it.”
Prisons ready to defeat Young Africans
Tanzania Prisons coach Shadrack Nsajigwa maintained the match against Yanga is important for them and they need a win and if they miss three points, then even one point will do.
“We are ready for tomorrow’s game with Yanga, and all we need is a win, if we don’t get a win then a draw will be good for us,” explained Nsajigwa.
While Young Africans are sitting top of the table with 38 points from 16 matches, Tanzania Prisons are sitting second from relegation spot with 13 points from 17 matches.