THURSDAY, 12.30PM:
FREE State rugby selectors have made two changes to the team to play against Natal in a Bankfin Currie Cup match at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Sunday. Os du Randt, who did duty for the Springbok,takes over as lossehead prop and MJ Smith has recovered from an injury and will play at fullback in place of Christo Potgieter.
Natal have named a 21-man squad to play against Free State on Sunday. The final 11 will be announced on Thursday.
FREE STATE:MJ Smith; Chris Badenhorst, Helgard Muller (capt), Brendan Venter, Jan-Harm van Wyk; Jannie de Beer, Werner Swanepoel; Jaco Coetzee, Johan Erasmus, AJ Venter, Braam Els, Ryno Opperman, Willie Meyer, Naka Drotske, Os du Randt. Reserves: Christo Potgieter, Andre Fourie, Kat Myburgh, Charl van Rensburg, Dougie Heymans, Charl Marais.
NATAL:Andre Joubert, Shaun Payne, Jeremy Thomson, Pieter Muller, Joos Joubert, Henry Honiball, David Knox, Kevin Putt, Hentie Martens, Gary Teichmann (capt), Wayne Fyvie, Wim van Heerden, Mark Andrews, Steve Atherton, John Slade, Adrian Garvey, Danie van der Walt, Chris Pearson, Andre-Henri le Roux, Robbie Kempson, Dieter Kriese.
SPORT BRIEFS
TINKLER SCORES BAFANA BAFANA midfielder Eric Tinkler scored his first goal for the newly promoted English Premier League side Barnsley. Tinkler scored the opening goal in the team’s 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers.
BOLTON CLOSE TO CATCHING FISH NEWLY promoted English Premier Division side Bolton Wanderers are close to signing Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish after his Italian Serie A club Lazio agreed to release Fish on Wednesday. Lazio is asking 2-million and Wanderers are keen to tie up the deal as soon as possible. Wanderers boss Colin Todd said they are now waiting for the British Home Office to issue a work permit.
SIX-FIGURE GOALIE REAL Rovers have put a price tag of R200 000 on transfer-listed goalkeeper Merikani Mpangi. He is one of five players who were put on transfer by the club. “Merikani is still training with the team, but we would consider offers from R150 000 to R200 000 for him,” said the club’s spokesperson Montane.
SA CYCLING FIRST JEAN-PIERRE VAN ZYL won South Africa’s first ever medal at the World Track Cycling Championships in Perth, Australia on Wednesday. Van Zyl, who finished fourth, was awarded silver after Roberto Chiappa of Italy and Jens Fiedler of Germany were penalised for irregular movement to prevent an opponent from passing. Martin Nothstein of the US won a bronze medal.
SHOWJUMPER FINED VOLVO World Cup South Africa showjumping league leader Barry Taylor has been fined R10 000 by the South African Equestrian Federation for misconduct at an event in Maputo last year. Taylor and another rider, David McPherson, were accused of practising on the course ahead of the Grand Prix meeting. Taylor is also required to apologise publicly to the organising committee, the federation and the Transvaal Horse Society.