THURSDAY, 12.15PM:
THE English hockey squad arrived in South Africa on Wednesday, going to East London for the first two internationals on Saturday and Sunday.
The team is worried that it knows little about the South African side.
“I came here with the Australian group back in 1995, and I have seen some of the players, but other than that, our personal experience of the South Africans has been very limited,” said Australian-born coach Barry Dancer, who joined the English squad at the beginning of the year.
The English will begin their visit with a warm-up match against the South African U21 team in East London on Thursday afternoon.
SPORT BRIEFS
HENDRICKS OUT OF TOUR
SOUTH African reserve winger McNeil Hendricks has been forced to withdraw from the Springboks’ Tri-Nations rugby tour after sustaining a shoulder injury at a captain’s practice at the Subiaco Oval on Thursday afternoon. The injury to Hendricks comes two days before the Boks’ Test against Australia in Perth on Saturday. His place on the bench is expected to be taken by Chester Williams, with Griquas wing Lourens Venter receiving a call-up to join the tour.
C-WEALTH BOXING
THE boxing team for the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in September has been named.
The team: Phumzile Mathyila (flyweight, 51kg), Silence Mabuza (bantamweight, 54kg), Siphiwe Nongquayi (feather, 57kg), Elvis Makama (lightweight, 60kg), Isaac Tshuma (light-welter, 63,5kg), Danie Venter (middle, 75kg).
C-WEALTH WEIGHTLIFTING
THE weightlifting team for the September Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games was named on Wednesday.
The team: Greg Gerts (WP, 56kg), Willem Philips (WP, 56kg), Ryan Erasmus (EP, 62kg), Zarques Francis (Border, 62kg), Pieter Smith (Gauteng, 85kg).
TU20 SOCCER TO TUNISIA
THE National U20 soccer squad leaves for Tunisia on Friday to participate in a six-nation tournament, part of their preparations for the 1999 Africa Youth Cup qualifiers. The other teams in the tournament are Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt and Algeria. South Africa plays Algeria on Tuesday, and Tunisia on Thursday, in Group A. The final is on July 25.
CRIME MAY SCOTCH WORLD CUP BID
AS the battle to host the 2006 Soccer World Cup hots up, campaigners for England’s bid to host the tournament on Wednesday said the rate of violent crime in South Africa and poor sporting facilities could prevent SA from being taken seriously as a contender. Campaign director Alex McGiven added, however, that if SA can convince the world that it has all the requirements to host the World Cup, it will be a strong candidate.
SA HOSTS DISABLED BOWLERS
SOUTH Africa has been selected to host the World Bowls Champiosnhips for the Physically Disabled, the National Paralympic Committee of SA said on Wednesday. The championships will be held at the Delville Bowling Club in Germiston from August 5 to 15. Nine countries will compete.
KRUGER TO SECOND
SOUTH Africa’s Joanette Kruger on Wednesday worked her way into the second round of the Warsaw Cup women’s tennis tournament, when she beat Russian Nadejda Petrova 6-3 7-5.
BAFANA No5 IN AFRICA
THE latest Fifa world football rankings place Bafana Bafana at number 27 in the world and the fifth-best team in Africa. Brazil, France and Germany occupy the top three spots, while Morocco is ranked 16th, Egypt 20th, Zambia 24th, and Tunisia 25th.
WESTWOOD THE ONE TO WATCH
THE British Open golf tournament tees off at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, and England’s Lee Wsetwood is being tipped as the first European player to win the competition. South Africa’s Ernie Els agrees: “Lee must be the favourite this week. He’s one tournaments all around world. He’s the in-form man in the world.”