South Africa's Best Bets This Week

The week ahead on Bets.co.za is packed with elite sport across rugby, football, cricket and horse racing, with major international tournaments and domestic competitions all rolling into a seriously busy schedule.

Rugby takes centre stage as the Six Nations Championship moves into round two on Saturday and Sunday. The standout fixture comes in the late game on Saturday when Scotland host England in what is always one of the fiercest rivalries in northern hemisphere rugby. Ireland will be desperate to respond after a below-par showing last week as they take on Italy, while France travel to the Principality Stadium looking for a bonus-point win against Wales to keep their title momentum building. 

Away from the Six Nations, the Top 14 returns with a full round of fixtures across Saturday and Sunday, although squads will be stretched with French internationals away on national duty. Southern hemisphere fans are also in for a treat as the Super Rugby season kicks off on Friday morning with two opening matches, followed by three more games on Saturday to launch the 2026 campaign.

Football offers wall-to-wall action both locally and abroad. Continental focus remains on the CAF Champions League, with Mamelodi Sundowns once again carrying South African hopes, while the CAF Confederation Cup also continues with crucial group-stage encounters. 

Back home, the Premier Soccer League returns in full force after the Nedbank Cup pause, delivering a complete round of fixtures from Friday through Sunday. In England, there is no let-up as all clubs are in action during a full midweek round in the English Premier League on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before attention shifts back to knockout football with FA Cup ties over the weekend. 

Elsewhere in Europe, league campaigns continue across the Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga, offering plenty of high-quality matchups for bettors to explore.

Cricket now fully shifts into World Cup mode as the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup dominates the global calendar. South Africa got off to the perfect start with a convincing opening win against Canada and will look to build momentum when they face Afghanistan on Wednesday. 

The tournament schedule remains relentless, with at least three matches per day throughout the coming week, ensuring constant betting opportunities across a variety of conditions and matchups.

Rounding off the week, horse racing fans are also well catered for, with top-class racing taking place on South African tracks and comprehensive coverage available across all the major meetings.

From international rugby showdowns and African club football to World Cup cricket and local racing, it is another huge week of sport on Bets.co.za, with something happening almost every day for punters to sink their teeth into.