Friday, 15 November 2019
The drubbing India has inflicted on South Africa, and the Proteas’ woeful display, have made this a cricket tour to forget. But it could prepare the newer members of the team for the future.
The Springboks’ scrumhalf has had an underwhelming performance at the World Cup, but having shown the ability to learn from previous mistakes, he could bounce back stronger against Japan.
South Africa won the Blind Cricket World Cup in 1998, but the sport has fallen on tough times despite being a lifeline for players such as KwaZulu-Natal Blind Cricket president Ndu Nyawose.
Subplots will dominate the Black Stars’ clash with Bafana in November, from Accra’s response to xenophobia in South Africa to changes in Ghana’s football leadership.
The AmaZulu coach speaks about South Africa with affection despite only brief spells with FC Cape Town and Polokwane City. He’s confident his time at the relegation-threatened Usuthu will be longer.
Senuran Muthusamy had a remarkable Test cricket debut with ball and bat, including taking the wicket of India’s Virat Kohli. It was enough to make his captain sit up and take notice.
The SuperSport United coach was subdued after winning his first trophy as a head coach because of a family loss sustained by one of his players – which was not known until after the MTN8 final.
Springbok power was in full force against Italy, confirming that the South Africans’ strength, clever play and solid bench make them one of the toughest teams to stop at the World Cup.
What was a dream coup for the people of North West, finally having a team in the elite league, turned into a nightmare when the club was reduced to a ‘tribal team’.
The burly forward has gone from a figure of ridicule booed by his own fans at Orlando Pirates to a darling at SuperSport United, whose MTN8 ambitions rests on his broad shoulders.
The pint-sized Springbok stood head and shoulders above giants in the titanic clash against the All Blacks. His tenacity is what the Boks need if they are to be world champions again.
The Pacific Islands nations bring plenty of excitement and talent to the rugby scene, but financial woes and a tendency to be sidelined mean that other countries benefit from their talent.
The series in India is part of the South African national team’s preparations for the T20 World Cup. It comes at an exciting time for women’s cricket with its inclusion in the Mzansi Super League.
Beating Ireland at the Rugby World Cup is Japan’s ‘sequel’ to the ‘Miracle of Brighton’. And this latest win is even more special as it took place in their own backyard.
There’s a growing list of footballers who have died on the pitch, either during a game or at training, because of cardiac arrest. Why is this the case and what can be done to prevent it?
The sweet science that is pugilism has many admirers, including some of the most talented people to have lived. But it also has deaths, too many of them.
Injuries are part of the game, but when they affect the brain it can become a matter of life and death. Contact sports, including rugby, are making huge strides to ensure the safety of players.
Adulation, fame and fortune are often the flipside to the mental demons sports stars face as they strive for ever-higher levels of success, a phenomenon sometimes made worse by retirement.
The Springbok scrumhalf has had a long and gruelling trek from his Kylemore birthplace but through it all he has been supported by his parents and fellow residents of the small Cape town.
The Proteas’ legendary batsman brought more to the team than his record-breaking runs. But before he earned legend status, he had to endure being reduced to an ‘outsider’.
The Springbok wing didn’t think he would ever don the green and gold, coming from a remote part of the Eastern Cape. But his talent and ability to handle criticism got him to the World Cup in Japan.