Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained how Orlando Pirates improved the game of talented winger Oswin Appollis following his recent impressive form.
The pacey attacker joined Pirates ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season in a big transfer from Polokwane City FC. Before completing a move to the Buccaneers, Appollis was the most-talked-about player in the transfer window, attracting interest from other big clubs such as Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pirates won the race to sign Appollis, and he has been one of the best performers in the current campaign. The former Pretoria Callies star signed with the Soweto giants alongside other big-name players such as Sipho Mbule, Tshepang Moremi, and Sihle Nduli.
After hitting the ground running at Pirates, Appollis has featured in 22 matches across all competitions, scored four goals, and provided six assists. The 24-year-old also played a major role in Pirates’ clinching the MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup titles this season.
Meanwhile, Appollis has been included in the Bafana squad for the upcoming AFCON in Morocco, scheduled for December and January.
WHAT BROOS SAID ABOUT APPOLLIS’ PROGRESS AT PIRATES
Broos has credited the Pirates and their head coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, for improving Appollis, and says the star doesn’t only contribute in attack but also does a lot of work in defence.
“I think Oswin made a very big progression, so when I saw him playing for his former team, okay, the quality was there, but it was only in offence,” Broos told the media.
“So I think Oswin became more mature now playing at Pirates, and I think his coach there helped him a lot. I see him working now, he works a lot, he’s dangerous on the ball, he has good passing, and he becomes important for Orlando Pirates. He’s also been important for Bafana Bafana in the past games.
“He’s scoring goals, and he’s always dangerous when he’s on the ball. He helps us a lot when we don’t have the ball. So he progressed a lot, and I’m happy with him; even if he’s small, he has the energy of someone who’s two times higher than him. I’m very happy about him.”
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