MONDAY, 1.00PM:
AUCKLAND trampled over the Natal Sharks in their Super 12 semifinal clash in Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, winning 55-36. It was a thorough victory, with Auckland dominating the field all the way through, leading with 45-5 at one point.
Sharks coach Ian McIntosh said Natal was responsible for the loss, making too many errors. “We’d worked hard all week to try to eliminate turnovers from our game, but out there today we kept giving them the ball — it was cruel,” McIntosh said.
Auckland, who currently top the Super 12 log, will go on to play in the finals against Australian Capital Territories on Saturday.
Auckland: 55 — Tries by J Vidiri (2), Z Brooke, M Carter, C Spencer, E Clarke (2), A Cashmore. Conversions by A Cashmore (6). Penalty by A Cashmore (1).
Natal 36 — Tries by S Payne (2), J Joubert (2), H Honiball, E Stewart. Conversions by H Honiball, (3).
SPORT BRIEFS
PLAYER IN PLAY-OFF SOUTH AFRICAN golfer Gary Player won the Daiichi Seimei Cup in Japan on Sunday, after beating Teruo Sugiyama and Terry Gale in a dramatic three-man sudden death playoff. All three finished with a final total of 208, and Player’s birdie on the second hole left him the winner.
BRITS TO FACE JOHNSON POLE-VAULTER Okkert Brits of South Africa, the second highest vaulter in history, will not have the chance to jump against Sergei Bubka, the current world record holder in pole-vaulting. Their scheduled One-on-One Challenge of Champions has been thwarted — Bubka withdrew because of injury. Brits will face US record-holder Lawrence Johnson instead.
ELS AND WESTNER PARTNERSHIP ERNIE ELS and Wayne Westner confirmed on Sunday they will defend the World Cup Team title at Kiawah Island, USA, in November. The duo won the title last year by a record 18 strokes, and hope to repeat their win this year.
Kiawah Island Golf
FROST OVER WOODS DAVID FROST, of South Africa, won the Mastercard Colonial golf championship at Fort Worth in Texas, leaving US prodigy Tiger Woods in third position. Frost carded a 67 in the final round for a total of 265, 15-under-par.
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE KWAZULU-NATAL’s hockey teams, the Raiders, won all divisions of the Nedbank Spar national hockey league in Port Elizabeth this weekend. The women’s team beat Eastern Province 5-1, and the men’s team followed with another victory over EP, 5-0.
WINNING STREAK GRAHAM WINN, on his horse Zealous Maestro, won the SA eventing championship for the 11th time — and the 6th time in a row — at the Sappi Horse Trials at Kyalami on Sunday. Winn scored 70 penalty points, and narrowly beat Gail Foxcroft on Pitts Special, who scored 73.