Category Archives: Sports News

Sport24.co.za | US power into early Ryder Cup lead despite Woods defeat

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Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – The United States made a strong start to the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on Friday as Jim Furyk’s men claimed a 3-1 lead after the opening session despite a defeat for Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed.

LIVE – Ryder Cup Day 1

The away team are bidding to win the trophy for the first time on European soil since 1993, and made an excellent start.

Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau stunned Jon Rahm and Justin Rose 1-up in the opening match, taking the lead for the first time at the final hole.

Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler then raised hopes of a repeat of the 2016 first-morning whitewash for the holders by swatting aside Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen 4 and 2.

But after Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas edged out Tyrrell Hatton and Paul Casey in a thrilling match 1-up, British Open champion Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood produced a late surge to down a misfiring Woods and Reed 3 and 1.

The former world number one, playing in his first Ryder Cup since 2012, and the Masters champion were then left out by Furyk for the afternoon foursomes.

It is the Americans’ largest first-session lead in Europe since 1989.

Johnson and Fowler won the first point, easing past an out-of-sorts McIlroy and European rookie Olesen.

Dane Olesen struck his first Ryder Cup tee shot into the water, but spent much of the match carrying four-time major winner McIlroy, who was out of form, failing to make a single birdie or win a hole.

McIlroy and Olesen both missed lengthy birdie tries on the 16th hole to end a one-sided match with a whimper.

Europe led for the majority of the opening match, but collapsed late on as the US edged in front for the first time at the final hole.

Rose and Rahm took a 2-up lead after some sparkling play around the turn, but lost the momentum as Koepka and Finau drew level with two holes to play.

Rookie Finau, a captain’s pick by Furyk, saw his tee shot at the par-three 16th hit the wooden boards separating the green from the water, before spinning into the air and coming to rest three feet from the hole for a simple birdie.

“I like pulling those out when it really matters,” he smiled. “Sometimes you get a good kick. Sometimes you don’t.”

Spaniard Rahm bogeyed the 18th and FedEx Cup winner Rose found water to gift the Americans victory.

The visitors secured a third point as Spieth and Thomas held off a thrilling comeback from Casey and Hatton in a high-quality clash.

Spieth and Thomas, good friends off the course, raced into a 3-up advantage as the former poured in five birdies in the opening seven holes.

The 25-year-old Thomas maintained that lead with birdies at the ninth and 10th holes, but Casey made four straight birdies before a pin-point Hatton approach made it all-square with five to play.

The Americans edged back ahead, though, and Hatton missed a 15-foot attempt to salvage half a point on the last green.

“It was great. We had a great start, too. Playing Ryder Cups over here are extremely fun,” said three-time major winner Spieth. “We were able to feed off each other.”

The home side started a possible fightback, though, with the heroics of Fleetwood sending the crowd into delirium with magnificent birdie putts on the 15th and 16th to grab a 2-up lead on Woods and Reed, having been 2-down after 10.

The big-name American pairing were off the pace throughout despite a strong start by Woods.

But the 14-time major champion lost his way on the back nine, with him and Reed both finding water and missing several fairways, leaving Molinari with a simple two-putt to get Europe on the board.

The Italian did even better than that, draining his birdie try to secure his first-ever full Ryder Cup point on his third appearance in style.

“There is nothing like it,” said Fleetwood after his first Ryder Cup match.

“And that’s just my first morning experience. Guys have done this ten times. There is nothing like it, and I can’t wait to get out and do it again.”

Results on Friday from the 42nd Ryder Cup between Europe and the United States at Le Golf National:

United States 3 Europe 1

Morning fourballs:

Brooks Koepka/Tony Finau (USA) bt Justin Rose/Jon Rahm (Europe) 1-up

Dustin Johnson/Rickie Fowler (USA) bt Rory McIlroy/Thorbjorn Olesen (Europe) 4 and 2

Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas (USA) bt Paul Casey/Tyrrell Hatton (Europe) 1-up

Francesco Molinari/Tommy Fleetwood (Europe) bt Patrick Reed/Tiger Woods (USA) 3 and 1

Afternoon foursomes:

13:50: Henrik Stenson/Justin Rose (Europe) v Dustin Johnson/Rickie Fowler (USA)

14:05: Rory McIlroy/Ian Poulter (Europe) v Bubba Watson/Webb Simpson (USA)

14:20: Sergio Garcia/Alex Noren (Europe) v Phil Mickelson/Bryson DeChambeau (USA)

14:35: Francesco Molinari/Tommy Fleetwood (Europe) v Justin Thomas/Jordan Spieth (USA)

Sport24.co.za | Ottis: Steyn, Rabada SA’s 2 best bowlers

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Cape Town – His love for fast bowling is well known, so it should come as no surprise that Proteas coach Ottis Gibson believes that Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada are the country’s two best bowlers.

The pair will have a rare chance to fire together in the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe as Steyn looks to make a play for next year’s World Cup squad.

While Rabada has been setting the world alight in Proteas colours, Steyn has had a tough couple of years with injury. 

He is back to full fitness now and is coming off a decent stint of county cricket in England where he was largely impressive for Hampshire. 

Gibson, at a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday, said that the Zimbabwe series as well as November’s tour to Australia would be used to asses Steyn.

“Once Dale is fit, to me he’s still one of the best two bowlers in the country with KG (Rabada),” Gibson said.

“He’s gone away and proven his fitness, so he comes back in now and we’ll see how he goes in the next couple of games. He is still very passionate about playing for country and we’ll see.

“We’ll make an assessment on Dale after this series and the Australia series, the next six games, and we’ll see where we go from there.”

Gibson added that Steyn’s leadership is also a massive boost to the squad.

“He does that naturally anyway. He’s talking to the guys around the group,” he said.

“There is nothing to say that he’s going to play every game, but to have him passing on his knowledge in and around the group and at the nets, it can only be a good thing for those guys.”

The first ODI takes place in Kimberley on Sunday. 

Sport24.co.za | Koch’s Springbok desire still burning high

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Cape Town – Springbok tighthead prop Vincent Koch, who joined the national squad in Port Elizabeth on Monday evening, said he still had a burning desire to add to his number of Test caps. 

The front ranker joined the Boks from Saracens in England, where he plays club rugby, and had his first training run with the squad on Tuesday afternoon.

READ: Koch’s inclusion intensifies Springbok tighthead battle

Koch represented the Springboks in 10 Tests, the last of which was against Italy in 2016. 

On Tuesday, the friendly prop fronted the media at the team’s hotel in Port Elizabeth, where they are based for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. 

Koch spoke passionately about his big desire to play once more in the Green and Gold.

He said he was overjoyed when Rassie Erasmus, the SA Rugby Director of Rugby, contacted him about joining the squad.

“It’s a great honour to be back and didn’t really expect it,” said Koch.

“You keep watching the Boks, even if you are overseas. It is a new squad and new coaching staff and I have a lot to learn, but I am super excited to be here.”

Koch said it was great to catch up with his friends in the national squad, and he has noticed a good spirit in the camp: “In terms of positives, it looks like they’ve developed an amazing environment and it’s been good to see the energy levels and how just how motivated they are as well. It’s been easier for me to slot in.”

Sport24.co.za | PE a special place for Boks – Stick

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Port Elizabeth – Port Elizabeth is a special place for the Springboks and the players are excited about facing the Wallabies here at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, according to assistant coach Mzwandile Stick.

ALSO READ: Pollard at No 12 for PE Test?

Stick, who hails from Port Elizabeth, addressed reporters at the team’s hotel on Monday.

Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test is the penultimate match of this year’s competition and the Springboks will complete their fixtures next week when they face the All Blacks at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The Boks are unbeaten in Test matches at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and Stick said the Boks were looking forward to once more playing in front of the passionate Eastern Cape crowd.

The Springboks have won four of their five Tests at the stadium, while the remaining game (against England in 2012) ended in a draw which equates to an 80% win-record at the 46 000-seater venue.

“The people of the Eastern Cape really love their rugby and they’ve given us unbelievable support whenever the team has played here. There’s a real buzz in the place already,” said Stick, who is a former coaching staff member of the PE-based Southern Kings.

Meanwhile, the Springbok squad was bolstered on Sunday by the arrival of a number of players who played in the weekend’s Currie Cup and other provincial matches.

Uncapped Ruhan Nel, the former Blitzboks star who is nowadays playing in the colours of Western Province, was amongst the second group of players to arrive in the eastern coastal city.

When asked about the addition of Nel to the squad, Stick, himself a former Springbok Sevens captain, couldn’t hide his excitement.

“We’ve seen what Ruhan offered in the Western Province team, and we have identified real potential. So, we want to afford him an opportunity, especially as we continue to build towards the Rugby World Cup next year. There is fresh energy in our squad, and I think Ruhan will add to that,” said Stick.
 
The hard running Nel was included in the Springbok squad following injuries to centres Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am, and he has been in impressive form in the local Currie Cup.
 
“We have to give credit to the Sevens system, where they have won two (World Rugby Sevens) series titles in the past three years. There is something that they are doing well, and their players are being recognised. It’s also great that Rassie is willing to look at the sevens player for fifteens,” added Stick.

The Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship home leg against the Wallabies and All Blacks (in alphabetical order – name and surname, position, franchise/club, Test caps and points):

Forwards (16):

Schalk Brits (Hooker, Unattached), 11, 5 – 1t

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Lock/ loose forward, Western Province), 40, 20 – 4t

Eben Etzebeth (Lock, Western Province), 71, 15 – 3t

Steven Kitshoff (Prop, Western Province), 31, 5 – 1t

Vincent Koch (Prop, Saracens, England), 9, 0

Siya Kolisi (Captain, Flank, Western Province), 35, 25 – 5t

Wilco Louw (Prop, Western Province), 10, 0

Frans Malherbe (Prop, Western Province), 23, 0

Malcolm Marx (Hooker, Lions), 18, 20 – 4t

Bongi Mbonambi (Hooker, Western Province), 20, 10 – 2t

Franco Mostert (Lock, Golden Lions), 24, 5 – 1t

Tendai Mtawarira (Prop, Sharks), 105, 10 – 2t

Sikhumbuzo Notshe (No 8, Western Province), 4, 0

RG Snyman (Lock, Blue Bulls), 6, 0

Marco van Staden (Flank, Blue Bulls), 1, 0

Warren Whiteley (No 8, Golden Lions), 21, 15 – 3t

Backs (14):

Faf de Klerk (Scrumhalf, Sale Sharks, England), 18, 10 – 2t

Aphiwe Dyantyi (Wing, Golden Lions), 7, 25 – 5t

André Esterhuizen (Centre, Sharks), 4, 0

Elton Jantjies (Flyhalf, Golden Lions), 28, 223 – 2t, 42c, 43p

Willie le Roux (Fullback, Wasps, England), 48, 60 – 12t

Cheslin Kolbe (Utility back, Toulouse, France), 2, 5 – 1t

Jesse Kriel (Centre, Blue Bulls), 34, 45 – 9t

Lionel Mapoe (Centre, Golden Lions), 14, 10 – 2t

Ruhan Nel (Centre, Western Province), uncapped

Sibusiso Nkosi (Wing, Sharks), 3, 10 – 2t

Embrose Papier (Scrumhalf, Blue Bulls), 3, 0

Handré Pollard (Flyhalf, Blue Bulls), 33, 265 – 3t, 50c, 47p, 3d

Ivan van Zyl (Scrumhalf, Blue Bulls), 3, 0

Damian Willemse (Flyhalf, Western Province), 2, 0

Sport24.co.za | Rassie picks Blitzbok star, UK-based prop for Bok squad

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Cape Town – Uncapped Blitzbok star Ruhan Nel, Vincent Koch (prop), Sbu Nkosi (wing), Lionel Mapoe (centre) and Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf) have been added to the Springbok squad for their final two Rugby Championship home matches against the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

They will join the 17 players already in camp in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

The Springboks face the Wallabies next Saturday, September 29 in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They conclude the Rugby Championship with a return fixture against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a week later.

Nel, who plays outside centre for the Western Province in the Currie Cup, is included among the backs alongside Mapoe. Nkosi has recovered from the ankle injury that prevented him from playing in any Rugby Championship matches so far this year.

Front-ranker Koch is currently starring for Saracens in England.

Meanwhile, Trevor Nyakane (prop, Blue Bulls) will continue with his conditioning programme under the supervision of the Springbok conditioning and medical staff over the next two weeks.

Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, said he was excited to welcome back players such as Van Zyl, Mapoe and Nkosi, and to work with Nel and Koch.

“Ruhan comes with a lot of international experience with the Blitzboks and he has performed consistently well for WP, so it will be good to see how he operates in the Bok environment,” said Erasmus.

“Trevor and Sbu have been part of the squad earlier in the year and it’s good to welcome them back, while the players who featured for their provinces in recent weeks all got some valuable game time.”

The Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship home leg against the Wallabies and All Blacks (in alphabetical order – name and surname, position, franchise/club, Test caps and points):

Forwards (16):

Schalk Brits (Hooker, Unattached), 11, 5 – 1t

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Lock/ loose forward, Western Province), 40, 20 – 4t

Eben Etzebeth (Lock, Western Province), 71, 15 – 3t

Steven Kitshoff (Prop, Western Province), 31, 5 – 1t

Vincent Koch (Prop, Saracens, England), 9, 0

Siya Kolisi (Captain, Flank, Western Province), 35, 25 – 5t

Wilco Louw (Prop, Western Province), 10, 0

Frans Malherbe (Prop, Western Province), 23, 0

Malcolm Marx (Hooker, Lions), 18, 20 – 4t

Bongi Mbonambi (Hooker, Western Province), 20, 10 – 2t

Franco Mostert (Lock, Golden Lions), 24, 5 – 1t

Tendai Mtawarira (Prop, Sharks), 105, 10 – 2t

Sikhumbuzo Notshe (No 8, Western Province), 4, 0

RG Snyman (Lock, Blue Bulls), 6, 0

Marco van Staden (Flank, Blue Bulls), 1, 0

Warren Whiteley (No 8, Golden Lions), 21, 15 – 3t

Backs (14):

Faf de Klerk (Scrumhalf, Sale Sharks, England), 18, 10 – 2t

Aphiwe Dyantyi (Wing, Golden Lions), 7, 25 – 5t

André Esterhuizen (Centre, Sharks), 4, 0

Elton Jantjies (Flyhalf, Golden Lions), 28, 223 – 2t, 42c, 43p

Willie le Roux (Fullback, Wasps, England), 48, 60 – 12t

Cheslin Kolbe (Utility back, Toulouse, France), 2, 5 – 1t

Jesse Kriel (Centre, Blue Bulls), 34, 45 – 9t

Lionel Mapoe (Centre, Golden Lions), 14, 10 – 2t

Ruhan Nel (Centre, Western Province), uncapped

Sibusiso Nkosi (Wing, Sharks), 3, 10 – 2t

Embrose Papier (Scrumhalf, Blue Bulls), 3, 0

Handré Pollard (Flyhalf, Blue Bulls), 33, 265 – 3t, 50c, 47p, 3d

Ivan van Zyl (Scrumhalf, Blue Bulls), 3, 0

Damian Willemse (Flyhalf, Western Province), 2, 0

Sport24.co.za | Team World socks it to Federer-Djokovic at Laver Cup

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Chicago – Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock spoiled the doubles debut of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic but Team Europe still led Team World 3-1 after the first day of the 2018 Laver Cup.

Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin and Kyle Edmund all won their opening singles matches Friday to give Team Europe a commanding 3-0 lead going into the evening’s final doubles match.

Team World’s Jack Sock and Kevin Anderson needed a tiebreaker to defeat the doubles dream team of Federer and Djokovic 6-7, 6-3, 10-6.

Sock and Anderson won the tiebreaker after Federer double faulted to give Team World a key 5-4 lead.

Earlier in the day, Europe’s Dimitrov cruised past Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-4, Goffin saved two match points to outlast Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 and Edmund toppled World’s Sock 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.

This is the second instalment of the Laver Cup which has been dubbed the Ryder Cup of tennis – although it lacks the tradition of golf’s premier team event.

The exhibition is taking place on US soil for the first time and features 12 of the world’s top players squaring off against each other in a three-day showcase which wraps up Sunday in Chicago.

The format calls for shorter matches. If the players split sets, they go straight to a 10-point tiebreaker. On Saturday, wins will be worth two points each instead of one.

Dimitrov used his precision backhand to keep Tiafoe off balance as he closed out the match with his 10th and final ace. The Bulgarian hammered 27 winners to just seven for Tiafoe.

“It’s pretty nice to play indoors – no sun, no wind,” Dimitrov said. “When you get in a good rhythm you just want to follow it. I think today that’s what I did.”

Bjorn Borg’s favoured Team Europe are trying to defend their crown against Team World which is captained by the legendary John McEnroe.

Federer, Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Dimitrov, Goffin and Edmund make up Team Europe. Federer played in the first Laver Cup but Djokovic is taking part for the first time.

Sock, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner, Tiafoe, Anderson and Schwartzman are representing Team World.

The event is named in honour of tennis legend Rod Laver, who won a record 200 singles titles, 11 Grand Slams and five Davis Cups for Australia.

Sport24.co.za | Willemse steps closer to Bok No 15 jersey

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Cape Town – Damian Willemse will warm up for what looks like a probable first start in the Springbok No 15 jersey in next week’s Rugby Championship Test when Western Province host Griquas in a Currie Cup match at Newlands on Saturday.

With Willie le Roux returning to England to play for Wasps and thus unavailable for the clash with Australia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, Willemse has been tipped as the likely replacement.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has been grooming him for the role and his non-appearance in the match day squads in Australia and New Zealand – Cheslin Kolbe played off the bench instead – can be seen as an attempt by Erasmus to protect Willemse, who is only 20, from a potential confidence knock on foreign fields.

Willemse has played most of his rugby at the Stormers as a flyhalf but he is not new to playing fullback for WP coach John Dobson. He played fullback in last year’s Currie Cup final against the Sharks, with Robert du Preez starting that game as the preferred flyhalf.  

But with Dillyn Leyds, who has been dropped to the bench for this game, in outstanding form at fullback, it is reasonable to speculate that Dobson would have opted for Willemse to play flyhalf were it not for a suggestion from the Bok management that he be tried in the last line of defence.

Western Province take on Griquas on Saturday at 19:30 while the Springboks face the Wallabies on September 29 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at 17:05.

Read the full story on SuperSport.com

Sport24.co.za | Top ICC umpire picks Proteas legend in best ever XI

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Cape Town – ICC umpire and former Sri Lanka all-rounder Kumar Dharmasena has named his all-time XI with former Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis the only South African represented.

Dharmasena revealed his all-time XI on the Lord’s Cricket YouTube channel, with the criteria being that he had to have played with or against them, or have been strongly influenced by the players mentioned.

The Sri Lankan umpire named the “usual suspects”, which included Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne and Brian Lara, who regularly make such lists.

Dharmasena, who played 31 Tests, scoring 868 runs and taking 69 wickets, revealed a line-up with former greats that he had the privilege of playing with and officiating for.

Former Proteas all-rounder Kallis slotted in at No 7 on his list.

Kallis, who retired from international cricket in 2014, played 166 Tests for South Africa, scoring 13 289 runs and taking 292 wickets in the process.

Dharmasena has umpired in 55 Tests, 87 ODIs and 22 T20Is to date and won the ICC Umpire of the Year award in 2012.

Kumar Dharmasena‘s all-time XI:

Matthew Hayden (Australia), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Ricky Ponting (Australia – captain), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Brian Lara (West Indies), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka – wicketkeeper), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Shane Warne (Australia), Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Sport24.co.za | CONFIRMED: Bulls part ways with John Mitchell

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2018-09-18 15:18

Cape Town – The Bulls have confirmed that they have parted ways with director of rugby John Mitchell after just one full season in charge.

“The Blue Bulls Company would like to confirm that it has come to a mutual agreement with Executive Rugby John Mitchell and the RFU, regarding his immediate release from his current contract with the company,” a statement released on Tuesday read. 

Barend van Graan, CEO of the BBCo stated: “We would like to humbly thank Mitch for his efforts over the last year. There is no doubt that he has made an impact on our brand, and we would like to wish him all of the best with his future endeavours.” 

An official statement regarding his successor and the route forward will be made in due course.

Mitchell is expected to work as a defence coach under England boss Eddie Jones between now and next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

According to a Netwerk24 report earlier on Tuesday, the Bulls would receive between R3 million and R5 million in compensation for Mitchell.

Sport24.co.za | Rassie: We did it for our country

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Cape Town – Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says that Saturday’s win over New Zealand was a result for the whole of South Africa.

The Boks stunned the rugby world with a 36-34 win over the All Blacks in Wellington and it was a result that South African rugby fans needed after a disappointing few weeks. 

READ: 5 talking points – All Blacks v Boks

Few had given the Boks any chance of a win and speaking after the match on Saturday Erasmus praised his charges.

“The boys knew they were playing for their whole country,” he said.

“When you lose two games like we did in the previous ones, it’s always nice to win but when you come here and beat New Zealand, it’s even nicer.

“We could have lost the game in the last minute, but the guys stuck in there and played for our country … that’s satisfying.”

The Boks scored five tries in the match, but it was their defensive effort of 235 tackles that really stood out. 

“I don’t know how we scored all those tries … they’ve got one of the best defensive systems in the world and we had no ball and scored all those tries,” Erasmus said.

“That’s a positive for the attack, but the defence was just awesome. I think the guys are starting to trust the system and get used to Jacque’s (Nienaber) defensive system.

“There are a lot of things that we did wrong, but at the end we pulled it through.

“We’re not getting carried away, but we’re really happy for us and for our country as well.”

The Boks are back in South Africa now and have the week off before preparing for their next clash against Australia in Port Elizabeth on September 29.