South Africans scream, sing and dance as Springboks return

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Springboks scrumhalf Faf de Klerk greets supporters upon the South African Rugby team’s arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. (AFP)
Updated 05 November 2019
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South Africans scream, sing and dance as Springboks return

  • Forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, voted World Rugby Player of the Year two days ago, and scrum-half Faf de Klerk were among the first players to arrive
  • Black and white, male and female, young, middle aged and old, low-income earners and the wealthy all descended on the airport east of Johannesburg to salute their heroes

JOHANNESBURG: Thousands of South Africans screamed with joy, danced and sang at OR Tambo airport near Johannesburg Tuesday as a first group of Springboks who won the Rugby World Cup returned home.
Forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, voted World Rugby Player of the Year two days ago, and scrum-half Faf de Klerk were among the first players to arrive.
The victorious squad, coaches and officials are scheduled to return between Tuesday and Wednesday as no airline could accommodate the entire group on one flight.
Captain Siya Kolisi and coach Rassie Erasmus are among a group expected to arrive in Johannesburg later Tuesday.
A carnival atmosphere enveloped the normally sedate international arrivals section of the airport as Du Toit, De Klerk and some teammates and coaches received deafening applause.
Black and white, male and female, young, middle aged and old, low-income earners and the wealthy all descended on the airport east of Johannesburg to salute their heroes.
Many wore replica green and gold shirts and waved national flags as they celebrated the rugby triumph which was all the sweeter after poor recent results by the national football and cricket teams.
The Springboks dominated and then crushed pre-match favorites England 32-12 in Japanese city Yokohama on Saturday to lift the World Cup a record-equalling third time.
Winning the four-yearly showcase of rugby so decisively has lifted the spirits of a nation mired in economic and social quagmires.
Although boasting the most developed economy in Africa, South Africa is struggling with stagnant growth, near 30-percent unemployment and widespread poverty and inequality.
Headlines about corruption in state institutions and violence against women and children also appear with alarming frequency in the media.
Rosharon Morgan, a 34-year-old from western Johannesburg, said she closed the family engineering business for the day in order to welcome the Springboks.
“I’m here because the Springboks are the pride of the nation,” she said.
“I was listening to the speeches of (captain) Siya Kolisi and (coach) Rassie Erasmus and they were along the lines of uniting us and giving us hope.
“Right now there is a lot of euphoria in the county, but what we need to do is turn that into tangible changes. The problem is that we are not working toward (racial) unity.
“There are still many issues that need to be addressed such as racial and economic inequalities. We cannot overlook them.”
Moemedi Mashiolane, 45, works in the security industry and took advantage of free train transport to join the celebrations.
“I came here because this is Nelson Mandela’s legacy — this is what he would have wanted,” he said.
“Rugby has united us. Where I come from rugby is a sport played by white people but today it has united us.
“We want white people to know that we want to be part of rugby and they must allow us to play the game.”
Mashiolane said he loved the speech Kolisi made about unity as it uplifted his spirits.
“He knows about our lives as black people and I hope politicians learn from that. They must not think we are stupid — we can see they are trying to divide us.”
What made the Springboks’ success special was it being achieved with a team reflecting both racial groups with nine whites and six blacks in the starting line-up.
The team was captained by forward Kolisi, who last year became the first black Test captain in South African history.
Formed in 1891, the Springboks fielded only whites for 90 years before fly-half Errol Tobias became the first black player to represent his country.
Just one black, winger Chester Williams, featured in the 1995 World Cup-winning and there two wingers, JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana, in the side that conquered the world 12 years later.
Despite government pressure for the Springboks to select teams that better reflected a population that is 90 percent black, many coaches chose predominantly white teams.
Erasmus turned the tide after replacing embattled Allister Coetzee as coach last year, giving a string of black stars opportunities.
In Yokohama, there were six black starters: Kolisi, fellow forward Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira and Bongi Mbonambi, and backs Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi.
Kolbe was a candidate for the World Rugby Player of the Year award won by Du Toit and Mapimpi the second highest try scorer at the World Cup with six.


Pakistan won’t send hockey teams to India — official sources

Updated 5 sec ago
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Pakistan won’t send hockey teams to India — official sources

  • The two nuclear-armed states had a four-day military standoff in May that left 70 people dead
  • Pakistan’s refusal to participate in the Asia Cup can cost the team a place in next year’s World Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan will not travel to India for upcoming hockey tournaments over “security” concerns, government sources told AFP on Saturday, potentially jeopardizing their place in next year’s World Cup.

The nuclear-armed neighbors traded the worst violence in decades during a four-day conflict in May that killed 70 people.

Pakistan was due to participate in the Men’s Asia Cup for field hockey to be hosted by India in August and September, for which the federation had sought the government’s clearance.

“After the recent war the security and safety of our hockey players will be at risk,” said a sports ministry source, who asked not to be identified.

Pakistan will also not participate in the Junior World Cup in India in November, the source said.

Once a force in international hockey, with three Olympic gold medals and four world titles, Pakistan has slumped to 15th in the rankings.

Not featuring in the Asia Cup will likely cost Pakistan a place in next year’s senior World Cup to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium.

A second government source also confirmed the decision to AFP.

Pakistan’s foreign office has not responded to AFP’s request for comment.

India stalled all bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which it blamed on militants based across the border.

Cricket has been the most affected sport, with the two countries only meeting each other in multinational events abroad.

India refused to visit Pakistan this year when it hosted the Champions Trophy, forcing the final to be staged on neutral ground in Dubai.

In a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan will also not send its women’s cricket team to India for the 50-over World Cup later this year and the T20 World Cup in 2026.

They agreed instead to play their matches in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan’s hockey team last toured India for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, finishing fifth among six teams.


Swiatek and Anisimova battle to be new queen of Wimbledon

Updated 12 July 2025
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Swiatek and Anisimova battle to be new queen of Wimbledon

  • Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek had previously never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club
  • No player has retained the crown since the now-retired Serena Williams won her seventh and final Wimbledon title in 2016

LONDON: Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova clash in the Wimbledon final on Saturday with a new women’s champion guaranteed for the eighth consecutive year.

Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek had previously never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club while US 13th seed Anisimova is preparing for her first major final.

No player has retained the crown since the now-retired Serena Williams won her seventh and final Wimbledon title in 2016.

Aryna Sabalenka started as the hot favorite after reaching the past three Grand Slam finals but faltered in a gripping semifinal against Anisimova.

Poland’s Swiatek is seeded eighth at Wimbledon following a disappointing first half of the season, though she is back up to fourth in the rankings after reaching the final of the grass-court Bad Homburg tournament.

That run, together with her surge through the draw at All England Club, suggests the 24-year-old is cured of her grass-court allergy.

Initially she went under the radar at Wimbledon, with the focus on Sabalenka and French Open champion Coco Gauff, but she kept winning while the top seeds tumbled, dropping just one set on route to the final.

Swiatek brushed aside former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in Thursday’s semifinal.

Four of her five Grand Slam titles have come on the clay of Roland Garros and she won the 2022 US Open on hard courts.

But she is finally showing an affinity with the lawns of Wimbledon, a development that has shocked even her.

“Honestly, I never even dreamed that it’s going to be possible for me to play in the final,” Swiatek said.

“So I’m just super-excited and proud of myself and, I don’t know, tennis keeps surprising me.

“I’ve been enjoying just this new feeling of being a bit more comfortable on grass.”

Swiatek has won all five of her Grand Slam finals, but standing in the way of a sixth major title and a cheque for $4 million (£3 million) is Anisimova.

The 23-year-old American shattered Sabalenka’s title bid with a shock 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win on Thursday.

Anisimova has overcome many obstacles to make her maiden Grand Slam final.

She reached the French Open semifinals in 2019 at the age of just 17.

But in 2023 she took an eight-month break from the court for mental health reasons, tumbling out the top 400.

This time last year, she was on the comeback trail but was ranked too low to get into the Wimbledon main draw and fell in qualifying.

“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It’s indescribable to be honest,” she said.

Anisimova, whose parents emigrated from Russia in the 1990s, added: “I think it goes to show that it is possible.

“I think that’s a really special message that I think I’ve been able to show because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game.”

Anisimova won the Qatar Open in February and showed she was comfortable on grass by reaching the Queen’s Club final in June.

She is guaranteed to reach the top 10 for the first time when the rankings are updated on Monday.

The two players have never met professionally, though they did face each other as juniors, with Swiatek coming out on top.

“I did lose that match against her, unfortunately,” said Anisimova. “I remember a lot of coaches were saying that she’s going to be a big deal one day. Obviously they were right.

“I’m sure it will be an amazing match. Getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special.”


Five players, three teams tied for lead at LIV Golf Andalucía

Updated 12 July 2025
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Five players, three teams tied for lead at LIV Golf Andalucía

  • Severe winds led to suspension of play at Real Club Valderrama

SAN ROQUE: With his Australian heritage and Open Championship pedigree, Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith knows a thing or two about playing golf in blustery conditions.

Rarely has he experienced an afternoon like Friday’s first round of LIV Golf Andalucía at Real Club Valderrama.

Severe winds reduced scoring opportunities and eventually forced a suspension of play due to unplayable conditions — the first time in league history that a round could not be completed in a single day.

“You can play this golf course with no wind and it’s brutal,” Smith said. “When you get 30 mile-an-hour gusts, it’s definitely not an easy place to get around.”

Play was set to resume on Saturday, with players having between three and five holes remaining in their opening rounds.

Smith was one of just five players under par when the horn blew to suspend play. He shares the overnight lead at 1 under with Smash GC’s Talor Gooch, the individual winner at Valderrama in 2023; Majesticks GC Co-Captain Lee Westwood; Stinger GC’s Branden Grace and Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, the current Individual points leader seeking his fifth win of the season.

Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau and Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm are one stroke back — the only other players who did not leave the course Friday over par.

The Crushers, seeking their fourth consecutive team title, are tied for first with Legion XIII and Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC on the team leaderboard at 5 over.

Friday’s round started under breezy but manageable conditions, but the wind speed increased throughout the afternoon as the direction changed.

At 5:07 p.m. local time, just over four hours after the shotgun start, the horn blew. Tournament officials were hopeful for a resumption, but the forecast was not favorable and included the potential of dangerous conditions.

“Terribly unfortunate situation to be in for anybody out here,” said Brad Ullman, vice president, rules, at LIV Golf. “These Poniente winds of southern Spain are no joke.”

From a competition standpoint, the biggest issues came on the greens. A combination of dry putting surfaces and high-impact wind gusts prevented putts from stopping and golf balls from remaining still at address. At the most exposed parts of the course, particularly the greens on the 11th and 14th holes, putting was near-impossible.

“Ultimately the balls were moving a little bit too much for our liking,” Ullman said. “It was the right thing to bring them off the golf course.”

No surprise that Niemann, who has won every event this season on even-numbered weeks, is among the leaders on the 10th event of the 2025 schedule. He birdied his third hole of the day, the par-5 fourth, and made par on his other 14 holes — the only player without a bogey on Friday.

Westwood, who last week won a final qualifying tournament to earn exemption into next week’s Open, was the early leader after birdies in four of his first seven holes. A double bogey derailed his momentum, but he finished the day with four consecutive pars.

Gooch has good vibes at Valderrama, having won LIV Golf Andalucía in 2023 en route to the Individual Championship. He endured a rollercoaster seven-hole stretch that included three birdies and three bogeys, then ended his round by knocking his approach shot to 2 feet at the par-4 10th to end with a birdie.

Grace, battling the potential of relegation for the second consecutive season, is on pace for his best first-round position this season. He was a bogey-free 1 under through his first 10 holes and then responded to his two bogeys with two birdies.

Smith was bogey-free through his first 13 holes and leading by three shots at 4 under. It was one of his best stretches of golf this year, but it ended with a double bogey and bogey before play ended.

“It’s easy to feel frustrated, particularly when I doubled 15 and then bogeyed 16 as well,” Smith said. “I was trotting along pretty good before that.

“But it’s golf. Golf isn’t fair, at the end of the day. Were the conditions fair? Probably not for a little bit, but it is what it is. We’ll get on with it. I’m sure we’ll make a good tournament out of it.”

 
TEAM SCORES
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. (Click here for more on the new format). Here are the partial scores with play suspended late in Friday’s Rd. 1 of LIV Golf Andalucía:

T1. SMASH GC +5 (Gooch -1, Kokrak +1, McDowell +2, Koepka +3)

T1. CRUSHERS GC +5 (DeChambeau E, Casey +1, Howell III +2, Lahiri +2)

T1. LEGION XIII +5 (Rahm E, Hatton +1, Surratt +1, McKibbin +3)

4. 4ACES GC +8 (Reed +1, Johnson +2, Pieters +2, Varner III +3)

T5. HYFLYERS GC +9 (Mickelson +1, Tringale +2, Ogletree +3, Steele +3)

T5. MAJESTICKS GC +9 (Westwood -1, Poulter +1, Horsfield +4, Stenson +5)

 7. CLEEKS GC +10 (Bland +1, Meronk +1, Kaymer +4, Kjettrup +4)

T8. RIPPER GC +11 (Smith -1, Jones +2, Leishman +4, Herbert +6)

T8. RANGEGOATS GC +11 (Watson +1, Campbell +2, Uihlein +3, Masaveu +5)

T8. FIREBALLS GC +11 (Ancer +2, Garcia +2, Ballester +3, Puig +4)

11. TORQUE GC +14 (Niemann +1, Muñoz +3, Pereira +4, Ortiz +8)

12. STINGER GC +15 (Grace -1, Oosthuizen +5, Schwartzel +5, Burmester +6)

13. IRON HEADS GC +16 (Kozuma +2, Na +2, Jang +5, Lee +7)

Wild Cards: C. Lee +2, Kim +6


Chelsea’s Fernandez warns about ‘dangerous’ heat at Club World Cup

Updated 12 July 2025
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Chelsea’s Fernandez warns about ‘dangerous’ heat at Club World Cup

  • Chelsea faces Paris Saint-Germain in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday
  • Soaring temperatures in several cities hosting the Club World Cup have been a focal point in the tournament

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said the scorching heat at the Club World Cup in the United States left him feeling dizzy and described the high temperatures as “dangerous” to play in.
The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup, which concludes on Sunday with Chelsea facing Paris Saint-Germain in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, has delivered a spectacle on the pitch but concerns over player welfare and lukewarm attendances in the US have sparked a debate.
Tuesday’s semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense which took place at 3 p.m. local time in New Jersey saw temperatures soar past 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) with over 54 percent humidity, prompting a National Weather Service warning.
Soaring temperatures in several cities hosting the Club World Cup have been a focal point in the tournament, which is seen as a dry run for next year’s men’s World Cup.
“Honestly, the heat is incredible. The other day I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy,” Fernandez told reporters on Friday.
“Playing in this temperature is very dangerous, it’s very dangerous. Moreover, for the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home.
“The game, the speed of the game is not the same, everything becomes very slow.
“Well, let’s hope that next year they change the schedule, at least so that it remains a beautiful and attractive football spectacle, right?” the 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina added.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has also previously complained about the heat, saying it was “impossible” to organize regular training sessions in the afternoons in Philadelphia.
“Some places have been really hot, the last round was hot and I was stuck watching it and I was thinking: ‘wow, this is so tough.’ I felt bad for them but they managed it really well,” Chelsea center back Levi Colwill said.


Sinner unfazed by French Open collapse as he prepares for Alcaraz rematch

Updated 12 July 2025
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Sinner unfazed by French Open collapse as he prepares for Alcaraz rematch

  • Carlos Alcaraz had earlier dispatched US fifth seed Taylor Swift in four sets on Center Court
  • At Roland Garros, Alcaraz came back from two sets down against Jannik Sinner to win a fifth Grand Slam

LONDON: Jannik Sinner played down the impact of his painful defeat against Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final as he prepares for a rematch at Wimbledon on Sunday.

The world number one crushed seven-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in under two hours on Friday to set up a title showdown against the Spanish two-time defending champion.

Alcaraz had earlier dispatched US fifth seed Taylor Swift in four sets on Center Court.

Just weeks ago at Roland Garros, Alcaraz came back from two sets down against Sinner, saving three match points to win a fifth Grand Slam.

But Italy’s Sinner, 23, played down the lingering impact of that loss in the aftermath of Friday’s semifinal win against Djokovic.

“I think if it would be a lot in my head, I would not be in the situation to play a final again, I guess,” he said.

“I’m very happy to share once again the court with Carlos. It’s going to be difficult, I know that.

“But I’m looking forward to it. I try always to put myself in these kinds of situations that I really love. Sundays at every tournament are very special.”

The top seed said he would not be able to fully assess the lasting impact of his loss at Roland Garros until he stepped onto the court for his first Wimbledon final.

“I think it’s something what you feel before the match and also during the match,” he said. “I can give you answers after.

“But no, it’s different. Different match. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sinner, who has won three majors, said Alcaraz was the favorite to win a third straight title at the All England Club.

The Spaniard has the edge, winning eight of their 12 matches, including the past five.

“He won here two times in a row,” said Sinner. “He’s again in the final. It’s very tough to beat him on grass, but I like these challenges.

“I like to go head-to-head and trying to see what I can do and what I can reach.”

Sinner, who has shared the past six Grand Slam titles with Alcaraz, said it was too soon to compare their dominance with the era of the “Big Three” — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“You cannot compare what the big three did for 15-plus years. Six Grand Slams are one-and-a-half years. It’s not that big yet.

“Of course, we find ourselves, again, in this position. This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other, which is great from my side.

“I believe it’s good for the sport. The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young players going against each other.

“I’m happy to be in that position, but let’s see in the future. If we can make that happen for the next three, four years, then people can think about. Let’s see.”