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/ 3 December 2004
There are certain things that are non-negotiable in rugby. One of these is that when you run down the tunnel and on to the field you have to look as mean as possible. Scowling is good, as is the 1 000-mile stare and in France it is de rigueur for a forward to already have a little blood dripping from the forehead.
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/ 3 December 2004
When Makhaya Ntini finally edged Anil Kumble to slip on Thursday morning, the South African tail had stretched the lead over India to 116. Sitting over their breakfasts that morning, a group of men would have cast their minds back nearly 11 years to Sydney when a different South African team defended 116 for what remains the most famous victory of the modern era.
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/ 3 December 2004
In a world that boasts many temples of consumerism, this may be the biggest of them all. With more than 1 000 shops, 230 escalators and a giant restaurant area, the Golden Resources mega-mall in west Beijing claims to have more space than any other. There will soon be an artificial ski slope, a cinema complex and a spa in the mall, which spreads over 56ha.
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/ 3 December 2004
South African President Thabo Mbeki on Friday started a four-day African Union-sponsored visit to Côte d’Ivoire where he will present a ”road map to peace” for the west African country, riven by more than two years of conflict and political crisis. Mbeki arrived in the southern city of Abidjan late on Thursday and immediately went into talks with his Ivorian counterpart, President Laurent Gbagbo.
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/ 3 December 2004
Just days after African leaders pledged to end the running sore of warfare in the heart of their continent, the Great Lakes region threatened to explode again. Former United States secretary of state Madeleine Albright has previously characterised the conflict in this region as the closest thing Africa had experienced to a world war.
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/ 3 December 2004
England’s cricket tourists are counting down their three days left in Zimbabwe, two of which they want to spend beating the home side as comprehensively as possible.
England won the first two of the four internationals — the first just comfortably, the second on Wednesday in a wicket spree by Alex Wharf (four wickets) and James Anderson (three) to skittle the young Zimbabweans for 102.
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/ 3 December 2004
Once again South African rugby is in trouble. Last time it was Straeuligate, which led to Staaldraadhekkie where otherwise respectable Springbok rugby stars were forced to scrum in the nude, cook eggs with nothing but the warmth of their personalities and spend long nights in the bush plucking (sic) dead chickens. Rescue for SA rugby has come in the shape of much needed advice from the African National Congress Youth League.
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/ 3 December 2004
Kaizer Chiefs are tipped to beat Moroka Swallows in a do-or-die semifinal match at Loftus Versveld Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday night. Kick-off is at 8pm. It will be the two South African football giants’ second clash during the semifinals of a major competition in less than two months.
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/ 3 December 2004
It has long been a source of debate why there are so few Asian players in English football and none at the top level — until now. Zesh Rehman, whose parents are from Pakistan, is the first British Asian to command a regular place in the top flight.
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/ 3 December 2004
It is often said of an unexpected football result that the underdogs had not read the script. After the Uefa Cup tie between Panionios and Dinamo Tbilisi in Greece on Tuesday night, however, many bookmakers suspect that the underdogs had not merely read the script, but had helped to write it too.