WEDNESDAY, 10.25AM:
THE Northern Transvaal prop forward Marius Hurter has been included in the Springbok squad to face New Zealand in their Tri-Nations match on Saturday. Hurter is among four changes to the team that played the British Lions on July 5.
Hurter comes in for Griqua prop Dawie Theron. Ruling out hooker James Dalton on Tuesday because of muscle injury has forced the Springbok coach Carel du Plessis to bring in Naka Drotske. Lock Mark Andrews and Ruben Kruger, who missed the third test because of injuries, were recalled to replace Hannes Strydom and Johan Erasmus.
Du Plessis said although he has retained the entire backline, James Small and Henry Honiball, who are both on the bench, were strong contenders for a place in the starting line-up. “It was a temptation to pick them, but at this stage I am happy that we have picked the best combination. The backline has done very well and performed well enough against the Lions to deserve another chance,” he said.
SPORT BRIEFS
BASKETBALLERS PLAY MOZ THE South African basketball team wil play two warm-up matches against Mozambique at the weekend at Wembley Indoor Stadium. This will be in preparation for the Africa championships to be held in Senegal, from July 25 to August 3.
SA VS ENGLAND NETBALL THE South African netball team play their first test match on home soil in 24 years on Wednesday, when they meet England in Bloemfontein. The team fancy their chances of outplaying their English counterparts at the Callie Human Hall at the Free State University.
WORLD CUP DEFENCE IN SCOTLAND The defending champions, South Africa, will defend their title in the 1999 World Cup in Scotland. South Africa, who qualify automatically as the champions, will head Pool A to be based in Edinburgh. The 1995 runners-up, New Zealand, who head Pool B, will be based at Twickenham. There will be four teams in all four pools, but they will not be known until all qualifying games are completed in May 1999.
SEPENG: ‘I SMOKED DAGGA’ OLYMPIC silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng has admitted to smoking dagga (cannabis) before he became a household name in South African athletics. Sepeng was speaking on a SABC television programme as part of the Sports Against Crime campaign launched on Tuesday. “I used to smoke ganja, but afterwards I didn’t feel good so I decided not to do this. I decided that sport was better than crime,” he said.
SA TEE-OFF TIMES The sole South African pre-qualifier for the 126th British Open, Wayne Westner, will tee off at 7.25am on Thursday. He will play with Tom Purtzer and Richard Boxall. French Open champion Retief Goosen will start at 12.15pm on Friday. Goosen is paired with Scot Sam Torrance and Paul Stankowski. US Open champion Ernie Els will play with Curtis Strange and Jonathan Lomas at 12.05pm on Thursday and 7.45am on Friday.
WAYNE THROUGH FIRSTSOUTH AFRCAN Wayne Ferreira beat Martin Sinner 3-6, 6-0, 6-4. in the first round of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart on Tuesday.
RECORD POOH-POOHED FRANK Pooe’s 62min 24sec at the PG Bison half-marathon at the weekend will not count as the Central Gauteng record, as the course was found to be 700m short.