FRIDAY, 10.15AM:
THE South African rugby team suffered a double blow on Thursday — two injured Springboks were ruled out of the third Test Match against the British Lions at Ellis Park stadium on Saturday.
Fullback Andre Joubert suffered a groin Injury during a training session in Johannesburg, and reserve flyhalf Boeta Wessels strained a muscle during a kicking practice. No official replacement has been named for Joubert but it is expected that Russell Bennett will replace him, while axed flyhalf Henry Honiball, will come back into the reserve side to fill the gap left by Wessels.
Meanwhile, the British Lions selectors have made four changes to the squad that beat South Africa on Saturday at Kings Park stadium. Tony Underwood, Mike Catt, and Mark Regan come in for injured Alan Tait, Gregor Townsend and Keith Wood, while Neil Back comes in to replace the dropped Richard Hill.
SPORT BRIEFS
NETBALL SCOOP THE Western Province Netball side became the first team to win a double in the Transnet USSASA championships in Kimberley on Thursday. Westerns caused an upset by beating both the Northern and Southern Gauteng A and B teams.
BOWLS UPDATE FREE STATE’S Dave Poultney leads his section in the Anchor Life Classic bowls tournament in Durban. He is leading after a 10-0 win over Chris Fenton on Thursday. Donato Fontella dropped from leader to sixth place in his section. Four full houses were scored, by Poultney, Piet Robbertse over George Anderson, John Milligan over Fontella and Neville Scott over Wilf Brown.
POLISH WATERS THE South African men’s water polo team left for Lotz, Poland on Thursday to take part in a six-nation tournament which begins next week. Other competiting countries in the tournament are Poland, Sweden, Turkey, France and Bulgaria.
MATTER CLOSED ATHLETICS South Africa (ASA) will not discuss the anonymous Rescue Athletics South Africa structure any further, until the persons involved identify themselves. ASA general secretary Banele Sindani said that the protocol had been audited and “the elections were free and fair”.
GOOSEN’S WINNINGS SOUTH AFRICAN golfer, Retief Goosen won $165 000 after winning the French Open at the weekend. He is third on the European money list. Goosen has earned $412 960 this year. Ernie Els is fourth with $394 417.
BOSVELD GOLF DESVONDE BOTES and Darren Fichardt are joint leaders after the opening round of the R80 000 Bosveld Classic golf tournament on Thursday. They lead one-stroke ahead of the defending champion James Kingston. Botes and Fichardt both fired 6-under 66’s at the Mogol Golf Club Course in Ellisras.