THURSDAY, 11.45AM:
ANDRE SNYMAN will return to the Northern Bulls squad for Saturday’s Super-12 encounter with the Coastal Sharks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Snyman missed the Bulls’ last match, against Queensland Reds, due to the death of his father. He returns to the team at centre in place of Conrad Breytenbach.
The other change to the squad that lost to Queensland sees Nicky van der Walt replacing Jannie Brooks at flank. Both Brooks and Breytenbach are injured.
Northern Bulls team:
Marius Goosen, Jan Ackermann, Andre Snyman, Danie van Schalkwyk, Casper Steyn, Braam van Straaten, Joost van der Westhuizen, Adriaan Richter, Schutte Bekker, Nicky van der Walt, Elandre van den Bergh, Krynauw Otto, Johan le Roux, Henry Kemp, Pierre Ribbens.
SPORT BRIEFS
JONTY UPGRADED
MUCH-loved national cricketer Jonty Rhodes has received a boost by being elevated to A category, which will allow him to earn a basic monthly salary as a contrated player of R16112. New black stars Makhaya Ntini and Roger Telemachus have also joined the contract pool in C category.
SA GOLFERS LEAD IN SWAZILAND
SOUTH African golfers won seven of their singles matches in the zone VI championships at the Swazi Sun on Wednesday, to take a narrow 7-6 lead over Swaziland and Zimbabwe after the first day.
SA REFS FOR WORLD CUP
FOUR local referees have been selected to referee and judge touch in important qualifying matches of the 1999 Rugby World Cup. The refs concerned are: Tappe Henning of Blue Bulls, Jonathan Kaplan and Ian Rogers of Natal, and Carl Spannenberg of Western Province.
HUNTER STILL YELLOW
GAUTENG cyclist Robert Hunter is still leading the points competition after the hilly fourth stage of the Under-23 Tour of Italy on Wednesday.
JOHNS TO CAPTAIN IRELAND IN SA
IRELAND will be captained by Saracens lock Paddy Johns for their seven-match tour of South Africa in May and June. The tour includes two Tests against the Springboks.
Tour itinerary:
Saturday, May 30: v Boland, Wellington.
Wednesday, June 3: v South West District, George.
Saturday, June 6: v Western Province, Cape Town.
Tuesday, June 9: v Griqualand West, Kimberley.
Saturday, June 13: v South Africa, Bloemfontein.
Tuesday, June 16: v North West, Potchefstroom.
Saturday, June 20: v South Africa, Pretoria.
PSL AND BOBSAVE FIXTURES
PREMIER Soccer League and Bobsave Superbowl fixtures this week:
Premier League:
Wednesday: 7pm, Bloemfontein Celtic v Kaizer Chiefs (Free State Stadium); 3pm, Bush Bucks v Sundowns (Independence Stadium). Saturday: 8pm, Kaizer Chiefs v Hellenic (Johannesburg Stadium).
Bobsave Superbowl semifinals:
Saturday: 2.30pm, Orlando Pirates v Jomo Cosmos (FNB Stadium). Sunday: 3pm, Seven Stars v Sundowns (Athlone Stadium).