Hail a new star in scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar. Hail a new Sharks outfit. Hail courage, commitment, character, spirit, passion and confidence. And salute the brave men of Natal for a complete swing around in fortunes following a mid-week change in coaching personnel.
Bafana Bafana made heavy weather of beating Uganda 2-1 in a hard fought 2006 World Cup and African Cup of Nations group two clash. But the win has revitalised South Africa’s hopes of qualifying for a third successive World Cup final. South Africa bagged three valuable points and still top their group with 12 points.
Substitute Ahmad Elrich scored in the 73rd minute to give Australia a 2-1 win over Iraq in a friendly before 30 000 fans at the former Olympic Stadium on Saturday. The goal came against the run of play, with Australia looking in trouble midway through the second half.
An electric 34-point performance from fullback Peter Hewat ensured the Waratahs equalled their best-ever Super 12 season start with a crushing 42-12 win over the Bulls at Aussie Stadium on Saturday. Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer said the Waratahs were the pick of the sides his team had come up against this year.
England, with 15 points and a net run rate of 3,42 top the table after the third round of matches in the Women’s Cricket World Cup on Saturday. India, with a run rate of 1,8, are in second position and Australia, with 13 points, are in third position.
Top seeds Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo cleared their first hurdles at the 6,5-million-dollar WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament here Saturday with second round victories. World number one Federer, currently the undisputed titan of the ATP Tour, took his first step toward a first Key Biscayne title with a victory over Belgian Olivier Rochus.
Zanzibar’s police chief banned all political rallies and meetings on Friday until further notice because he said his force was too busy with other duties, just six months before general elections and despite the recent deployment of thousands of reinforcements.
SA’s cricketers expressed disappointment that they will not face a full-strength West Indies side for the first match of the test series between the sides. Former captain Brian Lara and at least three other top players have been ruled ineligible for the match because of a contract dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.
The West Side Club is a Manhattan bathhouse where both HIV-positive and HIV-negative men come to enjoy the steam and engage in anonymous sex. According to an HIV/Aids practitioner whose clients are frequent visitors, it may also be where the so-called Aids superbug, whose existence was revealed last month, was first transmitted.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel ought to succeed President Thabo Mbeki but would not because he was ”not black enough”, says the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon. Leon says Manuel’s recent ”ill temper” was evidence of him having realised this.