Rugby Championship decision looms for Springboks

MANCHESTER United have completed the Deadline Day signing of Edinson Cavani on a one-year deal.

It was confirmed on Saturday that the 33-year-old had held discussions with the club and he secured his move to Old Trafford ahead of Monday’s 11pm transfer deadline.

Cavani left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season after scoring 187 goals during his seven years in the French capital.

He becomes United’s second Deadline Day signing after left-back Alex Telles joined from Porto in a £15,4m deal.

“Manchester United is one of the greatest clubs in the world, so it is a real honour to be here,” said the Uruguay international.

“I’ve worked really hard during the time off and I feel eager to compete and represent this incredible club.

“I have played in front of some of the most passionate supporters in football during my career and I know that it will be the same in Manchester. I cannot wait to experience the Old Trafford atmosphere when it is safe for the fans to return.

“I look forward to continuing to write my little story inside the book of football and I know that’s why my focus has to remain the same as always — work, work, work.

“I have had a conversation with the manager and this has increased my desire to wear this beautiful shirt.”

Cavani will offer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer an experienced option in attack to supplement the talents of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

“Edinson is an experienced ultimate professional who always gives everything for his team,” said Solskjaer.

“His goalscoring record for club and country is fantastic and we are delighted to sign a player of his calibre. He’ll bring energy, power, leadership and a great mentality to the squad, but most importantly he’ll bring goals.

“He has had a brilliant career so far, winning trophies at almost every club he has played for, and he still has so much more to give at the highest level.

“The opportunity for our young players to learn from one of Europe’s top goalscorers over the last 10 years is fantastic and it will really benefit them going forward.

“Edinson knows exactly what it takes to succeed and we are all looking forward to seeing him make an impact at Manchester United.”

Analysis: United confident Cavani can have Ibra effect

Sky Sports News’ James Cooper: Manchester United are confident Cavani’s signing could have a similar effect to that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who arrived in the summer of 2016 at the age of 34.

They believe Cavani’s experience and credentials would encourage the development of Mason Greenwood while also providing support for Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, as well as adding a different attacking component for Solskjaer.

Potentially, it would also mean Manchester United would not have a need to replace Odion Ighalo when he returns to China at the end of January.

Cavani may be a free agent after leaving PSG, but his record of 341 goals from 556 club games is impressive and fits in with the attacking DNA of Manchester United.

What we do not know yet is what sort of shape Cavani is in, but United would have time to assess his fitness and work intensively with him ahead of the October 17 trip to Newcastle.

It is clear the club has seen an opportunity in Cavani to follow the path taken by strikers such as Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson with a belief that the Uruguayan is relishing the opportunity of following in their footsteps.

Analysis: ‘Cavani a world-class player’

South American football expert Tim Vickery on Sky Sports News:

“There is no doubt about it, Edinson Cavani is an absolute class act. I know you can mention his age — he’s closer to 34 than he is to 33 — and some say he is not the most-precise finisher in world football, but he’s got a track record which is beyond reproach. He was a consistent goalscorer in Italy and France and he’s scored 50 goals for Uruguay.

“There is a real spirit of sacrifice around Cavani, he puts in such a shift that he is almost like a box-to-box striker. You have to think that in the current predicament, United don’t only need quality players, they need good characters, the character of someone who is more a giver than a taker.

“Cavani fits that bill. However the deal has been done, United are getting a proven world-class player.”

— Sky Sports

SOUTH African rugby officials could announce this week whether the world champions Springboks will compete in the 2020 Rugby Championship in Australia.

Director of rugby and 2019 World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus has told reporters he expects a decision by October 10 (Saturday).

Opinions are divided as to whether an inevitably underprepared squad should play, partly to boost the coffers of a national body sorely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are a long way off in terms of fitness and match readiness from where we were at the World Cup,” Springboks captain Siya Kolisi admitted this week.

Rugby restarted in South Africa only two weekends ago after a six-month suspension due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

But SA Rugby desperately need cash and reportedly could pocket R300 million by playing New Zealand, Australia and Argentina in a six-round championship.

“We have to take rugby considerations into account and also weigh up the potential commercial losses if we do not play,” said national body chief executive Jurie Roux.

Here, AFP Sport outlines some of the reasons for and against South Africa boarding a jet to Sydney for the November 7-December 12 tournament. Reasons to play

 SA Rugby had to slash R1,2 billion off the 2020 budget due to coronavirus and all six home tests scheduled for this year have been cancelled, including the annual money-spinner against major drawcards New Zealand.

Australian officials have said that the Rugby Championship costs and profits will be shared.

 Squads of up to 46 players can be chosen, allowing Erasmus and new coach Jacques Nienaber a chance to test the depth of South African rugby.

A national trial last Saturday revealed Sharks’ scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba as a possible future challenger to firstchoice Faf de Klerk and understudies Herschel Jantjies and Cobus Reinach.

 Dare the Springboks go into a threetest series against the star-stacked British and Irish Lions in mid-2021 without having played since beating England in the World Cup final in Japan last November? That is the stark reality if they opt out of two tests each against the All Blacks, Wallabies and Pumas.

Reasons to stay

 Erasmus and Nienaber believe players need at least 500 minutes gametime before they can play test rugby. Home-based Springboks cannot meet this target given their recent return to action and can play a maximum of two more matches before boarding an Australia-bound jet. A scrappy national trial last Saturday exposed an understandable lack of sharpness.

 There are fears that the Springboks could be humiliated by New Zealand and Australia with memories of conceding 57 points in successive matches against the All Blacks in 2016 and 2017 still fresh.

New Zealanders resumed playing in June and Australians in July, giving them a massive advantage over the world champions.

 Former Springboks skipper Wynand Claassen believes strong domestic competitions will be adequate preparation for the local Springboks before the hugely anticipated eight-match Lions tour, with three times as many ticket applications from South Africans for the tests in Soweto, Cape Town and Johannesburg as could be accommodated.

— SuperSport