The Bulls secured a hard-fought 34-26 URC victory over Ulster, but the result came at a heavy injury cost,

Patients at Bishop Lavis Community Health Centre reportedly queue outside from 5am, while the Western Cape health department says average waiting times exceed three hours.

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou praised Evidence Makgopa after the striker made his first start of the season and grabbed a goal and an assist in the 4-0 Caf Champions League thumping of Namibia’s African Stars on Friday. Makgopa magic lifts Pirates Makgopa slotted in Pirates’ second goal on the stroke of half time and then laid on the third goal for Mpho Padime just after the break as Pirates cruised into the Champions League group stages with a 5-0 aggregate win. The 26-year old had previously made only two appearances for Pirates off the bench this season after returning from injury. “We gave Evidence his last full game last season, and we wanted to give him the opportunity today,” said Ouaddou. “And he took it, with his movement and with the way he took up space. I am happy, something I told him he has to improve is his movement between the lines. He allowed us to play (today) with his lay-offs. “He also scored which is very positive for me. It is an area I want efficiency. Now we have Radiopane, Mbuthuma, Pedersen, Luthuli (and Makgopa). “Everyone is scoring so it is good news for us. To get into the group stages allows me to rotate players. And we have one more player with Evidence.” For Ouaddou, reaching the group stages of the Champions League is already a step forward from last season, when the Buccaneer were knocked out in the final qualifier by FC St-Eloi Lupopo. Ouaddou – ‘Why not’? And the Moroccan believes Pirates can now go all the way and lift the trophy. “Now we have to be ambitious and try to go as far as we can. Maybe we can be able to (win it). Why not? You have to dream big. If you want to achieve something you cannot dream small. We will give everything and believe and dream, and why can we not bring the second star (Pirates won their only Champions League so far in 1995)? “If we work hard and are professional anything can happen.” Before that, Pirates will begin the defence of their Carling Black Label Knockout title on Tuesday, when they host Milford FC in the last 16 at the Orlando Amstel Arena. Top flight new boys Milford have made an impressive start to the season and currently sit fourth in the Betway Premiership table. Ouaddou’s Pirates, however, did beat them 2-0 at home in their opening Premiership game of the season, with Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi getting the goals. And they will be confident of doing so again, setting themselves up perfectly for Saturday’s Premiership Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.

Flyhalf Handré Pollard became yet another Springbok to suffer an injury over the weekend, after the Bulls survived a scare against Ulster at Loftus. The Pretoria union led 21-0 after half an hour, before errors let the Irish side back into the game. Ulster, for their part, showed tremendous fight to take it to the wire, trailing by five points near the end. But some late penalties went against them, and the Bulls slotted one on the hooter to secure a 34-26 bonus-point win. Bulls lose Pollard Bulls coach Johan Ackermann questioned referee Ru Campbell’s decisions after the Bulls were rewarded for scrum dominance only late in the game, and seemed to be penalised unfairly at the breakdown once. “It’s the first game that we’ve had a fair bit of casualties. Probably the positive is that it’s not muscular or not long-term stuff,” he said, referring to Sango Xamlashe and Cheswill Jooste’s HIAs. “Handré is the bigger one. It’s a hamstring. Time will tell how long that will be.” The Bulls coach said he felt mixed emotions because, if he had been offered five points against Ulster before the game, he would have taken them without a doubt. “You have to be grateful that you got the win. But… so many times with soft penalties, we either released the pressure on them, like letting them exit, or we put pressure on ourselves by letting them get an entry into our 22. “We made it quite easy for them because at half-time I felt that we had them on the ropes.” ALSO READ: Springbok loose forward Kwagga Smith joins the Bulls ‘I don’t know how many URC games this guy had’ Ackermann said he would ask the referees for some clarity around Campell’s decisions because “there were some big moments where I felt either we missed a scoring opportunity or that influence on possession or territory”. “I don’t know how many URC games this guy had; maybe it was just the occasion. But there were moments that were a bit grey for me. “Two or three times at breakdown, scrums, and early in the game where Elrigh [Louw] got penalised for cleaning a guy that tackled Cheswill, and Cheswill bounced up and went again. So, technically perfect, Cheswill released the ball, got up and went. But Elrigh got penalised.” Still, Ackermann said the Bulls were not clinical for the full game and Ulster showed plenty of fight.

Kaizer Chiefs will turn their attention to the Carling Knockout Cup as they look to bounce back from their disappointing exit from the CAF Confederation Cup. Amakhosi host TS Galaxy in the round of 16 on Tuesday (27 October) evening at FNB Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:30. The encounter presents head coach Fernando Da Cruz with another opportunity to guide the Soweto giants towards silverware after their campaigns in the MTN8 and CAF Confederation Cup ended in disappointment. Chiefs will need to put their continental setback behind them quickly as they look to keep their season on track. Another early cup exit would increase the pressure on Da Cruz, who is under pressure to deliver results. The Glamour Boys have a long wait to end in the Carling Knockout, having last lifted the trophy 16 years ago. Tuesday’s clash therefore offers them a chance to take a step closer to ending that drought. TS Galaxy looking to spoil Kaizer Chiefs party With Amakhosi eager to progress to the next round, TS Galaxy will be determined to spoil the party and book their place in the quarter-finals. With the Soweto Derby also looming, Kaizer Chiefs cannot afford to lose momentum at a crucial stage of the season. Da Cruz and his players will need to rediscover their rhythm and build confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures. Progressing to the next round would provide a timely boost for Amakhosi, while another setback would leave the coach facing even greater scrutiny. Here’s how Chiefs can lineup: Bvuma, Frosler, Migeul, Moloisane, Cross, Mthethwa, Maboe, Shabalala, Vilakazi, Silva and Duba. Will Chiefs reach the next round?

It was confirmed this weekend that Kwagga Smith has signed with the Bulls on a three-year contract. The versatile loose forward has spent eight years there with Yamaha Júbilo, now rebranded as the Shizuoka Blue Revs, and he has remained an integral part of the Springbok team throughout this time, earning more than 60 Tests.  Smith suffered a major knee injury in May 2026, tearing his ACL and meniscus while playing for the Blue Revs. It ruled him out for the rest of the 2026 season. Medical experts have since cleared him to return to play at the end of December. “I’m very excited to be joining,” said Smith, who mentioned that he was tracking well with his recovery. “I’m already jogging. I miss the rugby but I’m feeling good. “My wife is pregnant, due in January, so the timing of joining the Vodacom Bulls is perfect. Playing under Johan Ackermann (previously) was one of my best experiences. I’m looking forward to getting back by early next year.” Kwagga Smith set to boost strong Bulls team Smith is bound to become a popular figure at Loftus Versfeld where the Bulls have an array of talent in the back row. Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone said: “Kwagga is a proven winner who has achieved just about everything the game has to offer, and he has never lost his hunger. His work rate, physicality and fearlessness are exactly what we want in Vodacom Bulls colours. He will drive standards inside our group, and our supporters will love the way he plays.” Other injury news Meanwhile, the Bulls will have to do without Springbok scrumhalf Embrose Papier for several weeks, after the 29-year-old underwent surgery on an ankle injury. Papier, the reigning SA URC Player of the Year, was hurt after coming off the bench in the Bulls’ 56-20 Champions Cup win over Stade Français in Pretoria last Saturday. His absence leaves Paul de Wet and Zak Burger as the scrumhalf options in the match 23.

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A hacker claims it has 366GB of data from the insurer that handles injury claims for mineworkers and metalworkers.