Kolisi Back, but Brits Skippers Springboks in World Cup Warm-Up
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Established 1961 25 Sports Thursday, August 15, 2019 Kolisi back, but Brits skippers Springboks in World Cup warm-up Get Carter: All Blacks legend settles Bledisloe nerves JOHANNESBURG: Coach Rassie Erasmus said Siya Zealand on September 21 in their opening World Cup Kolisi, who is recovering from a knee injury, may be Pool B match, then play Canada, Italy and Namibia. substituted during the first half in Pretoria and chose South Africa (15-1) veteran hooker Schalk Brits as skipper. Warrick Gelant; Sibusiso Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Andre Number eight Duane Vermeulen (twice) and lock Esterhuizen, Dillyn Leyds; Elton Jantjies, Cobus Eben Etzebeth (once) captained the Springboks dur- Reinach; Marcell Coetzee, Rynhardt Elstadt, Siya ing the Rugby Championship campaign in which they Kolisi; Lood de Jager, RG Snyman; Vincent Koch, beat Australia and Argentina and drew with New Schalk Brits (capt), Thomas du Toit Zealand. Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni, Lizo Gqoboka, At 38 years and three months, Brits will become Wilco Louw, Marvin Orie, Marco van Staden, the second oldest captain of the Springboks after Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Francois Steyn retired lock Victor Matfield, who had the honour Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA). when 38 years and 172 days. Meanwhile, the All Blacks have drafted in leg- “I have asked Siya to empty his tank and go hard endary fly-half Dan Carter to calm any nerves among for as long as he can,” Erasmus said after making 15 the faltering world champions ahead of this week- changes to the side that triumphed 46-13 in end’s Bledisloe Cup decider against Australia. Argentina last Saturday to win the Rugby A shock 47-26 loss to the Wallabies has rattled Championship. the All Blacks, calling into question their experimen- “I told him he might even come off in the first half tal strategy of fielding two playmakers in Beauden as he has played less than 50 minutes of Currie Cup Barrett and Richie Mo’unga. rugby in the last 12 weeks. Assistant coach Ian Foster said Carter joined the “But I need him to have a taste of Test rugby New Zealanders at training in Auckland on Tuesday again before we leave for Japan,” referring to the to offer advice to Barrett and Mo’unga. absence of Kolisi from the team since a loss in Wales The 37-year-old, who retired from internationals last November. in 2015, has a wealth of experience after a stellar While Kolisi is guaranteed a place in the 31-man 112-Test career that included winning two World World Cup squad to be named on Monday August Cups and three World Rugby player of the year 26, many of those who will face the Pumas at Loftus awards. Versfeld are fighting for seats on the flight to Tokyo. “I’m actually keen to get him in to chat to our “Some of these players will know they are on the playmakers,” Foster told allbacks.com. plane but for others it is make or break — and even “He’s got a lot of World Cup experience and I just Siya Kolisi (left) and Duane Vermeulen if they do not make the plane there will be six stand- wanted to really have him around, again to talk to the by roles to be identified,” said Erasmus. likes of Beaudy and Richie about what it’s like driving “I am really excited to see what they can do on a team through a World Cup campaign where expec- Despite that setback, former All Black Ian Jones regard.” The 79-Test veteran said New Zealand Saturday, to prove their own cases, and also show tations are high. called for fire and brimstone from the men in black in could not expect Eden Park’s intimidation factor to just how strong South African rugby is.” “Who better to tell that story than him.” Auckland, saying they had to prove a point by affect the fired-up Australians. In the backline, full-back Warrick Gelant, centre Foster has talked up the need for discipline if New muscling up to the Wallabies. “They can’t just rely on this wonderful Eden Park Andre Esterhuizen and winger Dillyn Leyds, are mar- Zealand are to retain the Bledisloe Cup for a 17th “They’ve got to physically go straight and knock factor, they’ll have to front up to themselves,” he ginal cases for inclusion in the squad. year and defeat Australia again at an Eden Park ven- these guys around and get into that zone,” Jones told said. Props Thomas du Toit and Vincent Koch and loose ue where the Wallabies have not won since 1986. Radio Sport. “Do I expect the Wallabies to be able to perform forwards Rynhardt Elstadt and Marcell Coetzee are Scott Barrett’s red card for a shoulder charge cost “(Show them) this is the fortress, this is All Black at the level again? Yes... we have to dampen that, we in similar positions. the All Blacks any chance of victory in Perth and saw rugby, this is how we’re going to beat these have to physically get into them, knock them around South Africa face defending champions New the lock suspended for three weeks. Wallabies up, and just smack them around in that and show them who’s boss.” —AFP the fact that she is undisputedly the best Caster unfazed in the world. “I’m targeted because I’m undefeat- ed...I’m the best at what I do.” “When after middle you are the best in the world people get obsessed with what you are doing.” Kipchoge likens distance ban “Probably I’m a ‘problem’ because I’m an over-achiever so we must get rid of two-hour marathon JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s two- you,” said the self-confident athlete. time Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya was raised as a woman, Semenya yesterday shrugged off critics races as a woman and is legally classified attempt to moon in the face of a ruling that has banned as a woman. The IAAF argues that while her from defending her world middle it accepts Semenya is legally a woman, landing distance title in Doha in September. she has masculine attributes stemming The 28 year-old has been embroiled from differences of sexual development LONDON: Kenyan world record holder Eliud in a bitter legal battle with the (DSD) that create an unfair advantage Kipchoge says running a marathon in under two International Association of Athletics over other women. hours would be comparable in the annals of human Federations (IAAF) over rules that force The IAAF this year introduced rules achievement to standing on the moon or scaling female athletes to regulate their testos- requiring women with higher than nor- Everest for the first time. terone levels. mal male hormone levels — so-called The 2016 Olympic marathon gold medallist, Last month a Swiss court revoked a “hyperandrogenic” athletes — to artifi- JOHANNESBURG: South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya (C) speaking to reporters from his home training camp temporary suspension on the IAAF’s cially lower their testosterone to run in speaks with Navitha Budhoo (R), EVB Manager, Business Enablement at the in Kaptagat on Wednesday, was sure he too could controversial testosterone-curbing rules, at some distances. It is a position hotly Standard Bank Top Women Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday. —AFP enter uncharted territory in Vienna on Oct. 12. meaning the double Olympic champion contested by South African officials. “It’s like stepping on the moon, going up the Semenya can no longer compete in Semenya did not comment on issues I am on top of my game,” she said battle — came into effect on May 8, tallest mountain and even going to the middle of events between the 400m and mile, as around further litigation in the matter, adding that she had no plans of quitting applying to distances from 400m to a the ocean,” said Kipchoge who ran 2:00.25 in his she did in June and July. saying that as an athlete she only wanted running anytime soon. mile, and including the heptathlon. previous non-world record attempt at Italy’s Speaking at a women’s empowerment to stay focused on her training, which The athlete has said she will not take The World Medical Association has Monza motor racing circuit in 2017. conference in Johannesburg, the defiant she described as her “weapon”. any body altering medication. The urged doctors not to enforce the contro- “I have no doubts at all,” added the 34-year-old, and confident Semenya said the obses- “There’s not much that I can say IAAF’s DSD rules — first adopted last versial new rules, warning that attempts who said he also wanted to make history before sion with getting rid of her was driven by about the case, what I can tell you is that year but suspended pending the legal to do so would be unethical. —AFP next year’s Tokyo Olympics. INEOS have yet to provide details about race day plans and identities of the official pacesetters beam dismount. Lee was more than con- in the 1:59 challenge http://www.ineos159chal- Breathtaking tent with her silver, while Morgan Hurd, lenge.com. who finished fourth, called Biles “super- The conference call, on a line that was at times human”. “I do consider it a win, just barely audible, was restricted to questions about Biles unbeatable because she’s unbeatable,” Lee said. Kipchoge’s preparations. Biles’ performance in Kansas City was Norwegian brothers Henrik, Filip and Jakob LOS ANGELES: Simone Biles continues a glimpse of what she has in store for the Ingebrigtsen told national broadcaster NRK this to push the boundaries of her sport to World Championships, which are being week, however, that they had been approached to the point even the American gymnast’s held in Stuttgart over October 4-13.