MONDAY, 1.00PM:
FOLLOWING an injury scare, South African soccer midfielder Brendan Augustine has been passed fit to take his place in South Africa’s line-up for their opening Group C encounter with World Cup hosts France on Friday.
Augustine has been suffering with a groin injury and was examined by a specialist in Paris with national team coach Philippe Troussier on Sunday evening while the rest of the squad settled into their training camp hotel in Vichy.
But the 26-year-old LASK Linz striker’s injury proved not to be as serious as was first feared and both Augustine and Troussier travelled to Vichy late on Sunday.
“There is no problem with Augustine,” a team spokesman said on Monday.”He’ll be fit to play against France if selected.”
SPORT BRIEFS
AUGUSTINE MAY BE OUT
BAFANA BAFANA midfielder Brendan Augustine may be out of the squad for the World Cup finals after sustaining a groin injury. Augustine was scheduled to be examined by a specialist in Vichy on Sunday. If Augustine is not 100% fit he will be axed, leaving the door open for players such as Dumisa Ngobe, Brendon Silent and Lovers Mohlala to play.
MALINGA CHAMP AGAIN
SOUTH AFRICAN boxer Sugarboy Malinga became the second oldest fighter in history to win any version of a world title when he beat Fred Alvarez with an 11th round TKO in Copenhagen, Denmark on Friday night aged 42 years. Malinga’s comeback is however soured by the stance that SA Boxing officials have taken towards him. Malinga has vowed never to fight in his native country again after being banned from boxing because SA Officials claimed he had brain problems. The claims were rejected by British and Danish specialists who examined malinga prior to the fight.
EMERGING BOKS NAMED
THE EMERGING Springbok team that will play Wales on June 12 in Secunda has been announced. The team is: Marius Goosen, John Daniels, Robbie Fleck, Lourens Venter, Deon Kayser, Louis Koen, Hakkies Husselman, AJ Venter, Andre Vos(c), Piet Krause, Bruce Thorne, Selborne Boone, Etienne Fynne, Owen Nkumane, Sias Wagenaar.
Reserves
Ricardo Loubscher, Conrad Stoltz, Chad Alcock, Denzil Frans, Johnny Trytsman, De La Rey du Preez, Jannie Brooks.
GRISHINE IN, SINQE OUT
DMITRY Grishine arrived in South Africa on Sunday ready to defend his 1996 Comrades ultra-marathon up-run win on June 16. Looking suitably lean and mean, Grishine said that he was not fooled by talk of injury to his main rivals. The 30-year old says that he believes talk of injuries to last year’s runner-up Nick Bester may be an attempt to keep the pressure off. Meanwhile, Zithulele Sinqe, one of the top conteneders for the Comrades has added himself to the list of doubtful starters for the event. Sinqe has a serious shin injury and has moved his training camp to Durban so that his chiropractor is able to treat him.
WALES BEAT ZIM
WALES beat Zimbabwe 49-11 in a rugby match played in Harare on Saturday. Substitute Welsh fullback Byron haywood ran in a hat-trick of tries in the second half, with flyhalf Arwel Thomas and winger Richard Rees both scored two tries. Wayne Proctor also ran in a try for the visitors.
SA SUPER 8 SQUAD
THE SOUTH African squad for the Super-8 cricket tournament in Kuala lampur, Malaysia has been announced: Dave Callaghan(c), Grant Elliott (Plascon Academy player), John Kent (PA), Victor Mpitsang (PA), Morne van Wyk (PA), David Townsend (PA), Chris Craven, Mike Rindel, Mulligan George and Manager: Doug Russell.
SOUTH AFRICAN WINS SHEARING CHAMPS
A SOUTH AFRICAN shearer from the Free State, Zweliwile Hans, has won the world hand shearing title at the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing Championships in Ireland at the weekend. The championships are held biennially. South Africa entered two hand and two machine shearers. South Africa won the hand shearing title for a second time, with Elliot Ntsombo winning it previously in New Zealand. The South African team will return home on Tuesday.