FRIDAY, 11.00AM:
AFRICAN WANDERERS and Santos have made it through into next season’s Castle Premier League. The two first division teams lead the log in the national play-offs and are ensured protion status.
Santos have five points, and Wanderers have seven, while Black Leopards and Tembisa Classic have no hopes at all — Leopards have two points and Classic have none.
The two final matches of the play-offs will take place this weekend. Wanderers face Santos in Cape Town on Saturday, and Classics play Tembisa on Sunday at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa.
SPORT BRIEFS
NSC SLATES ‘WHITE’ BOKS THE National Sports Council criticised the Springbok rugby squad on Thursday, saying, “we find it totally unacceptable that there are no black players even among the reserves and the remainder of the squad.” NSC CE Mvuso Mbebe said SA Rugby Football Union management should tackle the issue as a matter of urgency.
NO FISH STARTER? BAFANA Bafana defender Mark Fish may not play in the soccer World Cup qualifier against Zambia on Sunday — he withdrew from training on Thursday with a renewed hamstring injury, which has been troubling him since an Italian Serie A clash two weeks ago. Midfielder Dumisa Ngobe has a thigh injury, and also looks a doubtful starter.
HOCKEY PSYCHOLOGY THE SA men’s hockey side have hired a psychologist to counsel the team after their run of losses in the Malaysian World Cup qualifiers. The team is due to leave for Europe on Friday for an international series.
ENGLAND FOR MANDELA CUP THE SA Football Association announced England as the next team to play against Bafana Bafana in the Nelson Mandela Inauguration Challenge, following the disillusioning 2-0 loss to Holland on Wednesday. Safa CE Danny Jordaan said England’s participation will depend on the team’s World Cup committments.
SA RUNNERS TRAIN IN US SEVEN top South African marathon runners left for Alberquerque, USA on Friday, to attend a training and acclimatisation camp in preparation for the IAAF world athletics championships later this year. The runners are: Lawrence Peu, Xolile Yawa, Martin Ndhivehi, Abner Chipu, Nixon Nkodima, Adam Motlagale and Abel Mokibe.
WEIR NEEDS SURGERY BRITISH LIONS rugby manager Fran Cotton is still calling for disciplinary action to be brought against Mpumalanga players Marius Bosman and Elandre van der Berg, who raked Doddie Weir’s knee during the match on Wednesday. Weir needs corrective surgery on his knee and may be rested for months. Mpumalanga officials have as yet taken no action against Bosman.
WOMEN’S SOCCER THE South African women’s national team thrashed Zimbabwe 6-1 in an international friendly at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night. Two senior officials of the South African Women’s Football Association will attend a meeting of the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations in Namibia this weekend to discuss plans for a Cosafa women’s tournament.