Confirmed: Special SA national anthem singer for Baltimore Test

As the Springboks and All Blacks head into the fourth and final Test of a gripping series, there will be plenty of anticipation around what the atmosphere will be like for this ‘marquee’ match in Baltimore, while many fans will be interested in who will sing the national anthems before kick off (23:00 SA time).

It has now been exclusively revealed to TheSouthAfrican that the South African national anthem will be performed by none other than Jesse Clegg. michezonews.co.za

The 38-year-old is a platinum-selling South African singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has carved out a distinct identity in alternative rock and contemporary pop. Born in Johannesburg in 1988, he spent much of his early childhood on the road with his father, legendary musician and anti-apartheid icon Johnny Clegg.

Exposed to global touring and a wide array of musical influences from an early age, he developed an authentic passion for songwriting, initially learning guitar before incorporating piano into his work.

Intentionally steering away from his father’s signature world-music sound to forge his own artistic path, Clegg made his formal debut in 2008 with the rock album When I Wake Up.

The release was a commercial and critical success, achieving platinum status in South Africa and earning multiple South African Music Award (SAMA) nominations. He followed up with Life on Mars (2011), recorded in Toronto with Grammy-winning producer David Bottrill, and Things Unseen (2016), which highlighted a broader, more pop-infused songwriting focus.

Throughout his career, Clegg has established himself as a prominent live performer across international stages. He has toured extensively in North America and Europe, supported major global acts such as Imagine Dragons and Joan Armatrading, and collaborated with a diverse mix of international and local talent, including Walk the Moon, Msaki, and Shekhinah.

Alongside his solo work, he remains involved in high-profile legacy and philanthropic projects, serving as an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela 46664 campaign and executive producing his late father’s final album, King of Time.

It’s believed that this will be his first time singing the South African national anthem before a Springbok game, and his performance should certainly set the scene for a special occasion in Baltimore.

New Zealand anthem to be sung by Matiu Walters before Springboks-All Blacks battle

Walters is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known as the frontman for the multi-platinum pop-rock band SIX60, which he co-founded in 2008 while attending the University of Otago.

Under his leadership, the group has become one of New Zealand’s most successful musical acts, famous for hit anthems like “Don’t Forget Your Roots” and making history as the first local band to sell out major venues like Eden Park.

He has already sung the New Zealand anthem twice during the series, ahead of the All Blacks-Springboks Tests at both Ellis Park and DHL Stadium.

Rendition of the ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ also expected

Meanwhile, it’s also understood that there will be a rendition of the USA national anthem, which is to be sung by Coda Whit. She is an emerging contemporary music artist who releases tracks within the pop and R&B spaces, including titles such as “Don’t Touch”.

Whit is a DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia) native.

The Springboks have reached the final Test of a fascinating four-match series against the All Blacks that will conclude in Baltimore, USA, on Saturday.

A victory for Rassie Erasmus’ team will guarantee a historic 3-1 series victory, while the All Blacks will be hoping to clinch a victory that would conversely ensure it ends in a 2-2 draw.

Erasmus has opted for consistency in selection for the third week in a row, while New Zealand coach Dave Rennie has shuffled his team, partly due to injuries, but also with a desire to freshen up his side after back-to-back defeats.

Saturday’s match kicks off at 23:00 (SA time).

KEEP TRACK OF THE LIVE SCORING AS THE SPRINGBOKS AND ALL BLACKS DO BATTLE IN BALTIMORE

Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.

New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor (captain), 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Beauden Barrett.

Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)

Springbok record against New Zealand:
Played: 113, Won: 45, Lost: 64, Drawn: 4. Points for: 1 928; Points against: 2 352; Tries scored: 188; Tries conceded: 261. Win %: 39,8%.

Miscellaneous:

• Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok player of all time to 146 caps when he takes the field.
• The loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese will extend the record they set last week to overtake Francois Louw, Willem Alberts, and Duane Vermeuelen (17) as the loose trio with the most Test starts to 19 matches.
• The Springboks have only played three Test matches in the USA in history where they defeated the USA 38-7 in 1981 and 43-10 in 2001, while they suffered a narrow 22-20 defeat against Wales in Washington DC in 2018, which was Erasmus’ first Test in charge as head coach.
• This match will mark the first Springbok Test in history to be played in Baltimore.
• Jasper Wiese requires only one more Test match appearance after this encounter to join the group of players who have earned 50 Test caps.
• The Springboks have won seven of the last nine matches against the All Blacks dating back to August 2023.
• The 2031 Rugby World Cup will be hosted in the USA.
• The total Test caps in the Springbok starting line-up is 927. There are 327 caps in the backline, with 600 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 277 caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline is 47, the forwards 75, while the players on the bench average 35.

Brice Samba a été l’un des grands artisans du succès rennais face à l’Olympique de Marseille (1-0), vendredi soir au Roazhon Park. Pour sa 180e apparition en Ligue 1, le gardien du Stade Rennais a réalisé une prestation solide et n’a pas caché sa satisfaction après la rencontre. Au micro de Ligue 1+, il a également affiché les ambitions du club breton pour cette saison.

Samba veut confirmer les ambitions rennaises

Après avoir gardé sa cage inviolée face aux Marseillais, le portier rennais a souligné l’importance de ce clean-sheet, alors que son équipe avait jusque-là concédé plusieurs buts sur des erreurs.

« C’est bien, on voulait un clean-sheet. On encaissait des buts sur des erreurs. Ce qui est important, c’est d’être premiers ce soir », a expliqué Samba.

Le gardien de 32 ans sait toutefois que Rennes devra maintenir un haut niveau d’exigence pour concrétiser ses ambitions. « On a des ambitions, mais pour pouvoir se permettre de les réaliser, il faut se mettre le cul par terre », a-t-il ajouté.

Un respect affiché pour l’OM

Malgré la victoire, Samba a également tenu à saluer la qualité de l’adversaire. « L’OM est une très belle équipe malgré ce que j’ai pu entendre avant le match », a confié le gardien rennais.

Après ce succès précieux, le Stade Rennais va désormais devoir récupérer avant sa prochaine échéance, prévue mercredi. Une nouvelle occasion pour les Bretons de confirmer leur excellent début de saison.

The post Rennes : Brice Samba savoure la victoire contre l’OM appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

Having made a memorable senior international debut, seam bowler Nthabiseng Nini credited some valuable advice she received from Proteas coach Mandla Mashimbyi and captain Laura Wolvaardt ahead of the opening game of the five-match women’s T20 International series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Friday.

Nini took 3/17, while spinner Kayle Reyneke grabbed 3/29, helping restrict the hosts to 116 all out.

In response, opening batter Anneke Bosch bashed 83 runs off 43 deliveries, with South Africa racing to 117/4, chasing down their target with more than six overs to spare to secure a six-wicket victory.

“It’s a great feeling to represent your country. I’ve done it at Under-19 level, but it’s a bigger one now, so it’s really special for me today,” said Nini, who was named Player of the Match.

Taking a big step up

Nini, who celebrated her 21st birthday earlier this week, represented South Africa at two editions of the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup (in 2023 and 2025).

One of four uncapped players called up to the national senior squad for the SA team’s first tour of Zimbabwe, she said Mashimbyi and Wolvaardt had helped keep her calm and stick to the basics on her senior debut.

“The message from the captain and the coach was to keep it simple, use the new ball wisely and let the batter make the mistakes,” said Nini, who was born and raised in Ikageng, just outside Potchefstroom.

“The other message from the coach was: think of the cones you use when you practice in the nets and don’t look at the batter because you’re going to make too many mistakes.

“I think that really helped me a lot today, and hence I was able to execute my bowling.”

South Africa will face Zimbabwe in the second match of the T20 series in Bulawayo on Sunday (1.30pm start).