SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 SPORTS International rugby makes a comeback in soccer-mad Soweto SOWETO: A hardy mix of French fans, 1994 and it was credited with helping to season. While the Orlando stadium- “This is not my first time in Soweto when the crowd began taking photos of Springboks diehards and locals braved ease tensions between the black majori- home of the Orlando Pirates football but it is my first time watching rugby the surreal scene and cheering the the cold in Soweto to see the return of ty and white minority. club-was just over one-third full for here,” he told AFP. group. “The welcome here is really international rugby to the sprawling “It’s like the rugby World Cup (in Friday’s encounter, players and specta- “I work for a very mixed company so lekker,” said the green-painted Theunis Johannesburg township, where football 1995) which came after a long time and tors were nonetheless treated to an I’m used to diversity but here it’s a great Kleinhans, 52, using the Afrikaans word usually rules. then the soccer World Cup-it’s a really eclectic range of vibrant singing and mix of people and a great atmosphere.” for “good”. As the game entered the sec- The friendly fixture Friday night good thing. You don’t see much rugby traditional dance. Despite being among just a handful ond half, a try and a conversion saw the between South Africa A and the French in Soweto so this is a good thing,” he And as well as attracting Sowetans of French fans rooting for the home side’s lead become unassailable- Barbarians-ahead of this weekend’s said. “I tend to watch more soccer but I more accustomed to watching football, Barbarians, his son and daughter fear- leading to a 48-28 victory for South France-South Africa Test match-drew in follow rugby whenever I can.” the fixture saw French followers of the lessly flew large Tricolor flags inviting Africa A. And though the handful of a noticeably mixed crowd of both black Soweto, home to 1.3 million mostly three-match international Test series cries of “Viva Les Bleus” from a nearby French fans became noticeably sub- and white South Africans including sev- black residents, is better known for foot- make the journey to Soweto. group of South African women. dued, South Africa’s support reached eral school groups lured by 20 rand ball and last hosted international rugby France face South Africa today at Ellis “There’ll be thousands of French at Ellis fever-pitch as the match wrapped up. (1.40 euro) youth tickets. in 2010 when the South African Bulls Park in Johannesburg in the final match Park. I’ll be there with a trumpet-not a Neo Ponosha, 22, who was at the sta- William Thusi, a 58-year-old police played their Super Rugby semi-final and of that series. vuvuzela” horn, he joked. dium selling biltong-the typically South officer from west Soweto, said he hoped final fixtures in the township. Xavier Moreau, 47, originally from There was a brief moment of trepida- African cured meat snack-said he was to see more international rugby in the Traditionally a sport played and Pau in southwest France but now living tion when a shirtless South Africa fan surprised to see so many white rugby townships, pointing to the unifying watched largely by whites in South in Johannesburg’s upmarket Sandton covered in green bodypaint and sport- fans travel to Soweto for the game. legacy of the rugby World Cup. Africa, rugby has been growing in popu- suburb-some 20 kilometres (12 miles) ing a stuffed springbok atop a hard-hat “It’s a shock but it’s a good shock!” he South Africa hosted the tournament larity among blacks, who comprised a north of the Orlando stadium-said began to accost the small French con- said. “I don’t really follow rugby but I shortly after the end of apartheid in third of the Springbok Test team last township rugby was a first for him. tingent. But the mood was quickly lifted might do now.” — AFP Ireland thrash Japan to complete tour whitewash TOKYO: Ireland overpowered Japan 35-13 “We knew after last week Japan would yesterday to finish with a perfect record in bring a new level of intensity and test us,” their three-game summer tour. said Ruddock. “They certainly did that. It Joe Schmidt’s second-string side looked was a really tough game and credit Japan on course to rack up 50 points for the third for the pace and tempo they played at.” successive match as they ran in four first- Japan, who warmed up for the two tests half tries in Tokyo. The signs were ominous against Ireland by beating Romania 33-21 for Japan’s “Brave Blossoms” when Garry earlier this month, were once again given a Ringrose raced clear to score under the lesson in possession rugby by a team they posts and flanker Josh van der Flier wrig- will face in the pool stage of the 2019 gled over in the corner in the first 10 min- World Cup. utes. Bulldozing tries from Kieran Marmion “In terms of attitude we 100 percent left and stand-in skipper Rhys Ruddock further everything out there,” said Japan captain stretched the lead for Ireland, the bulk of Michael Leitch. whose regular players are on British and “Ireland are one of the top four teams in Irish Lions duty in New Zealand. the world and the way they keep the ball Japan’s sole glimmer of hope had been and the intelligence they play with are Kotaro Matsushima’s fine try on 24 minutes things we need to learn from. Tactically we but after trailing 28-8 at half-time, the 2019 also need to sharpen up as we build to World Cup hosts offered significantly more 2019.” Japan had never beaten Ireland and resistance after the interval. the last time they met before last weekend Akihito Yamada tiptoed down the wing was in 2005. The Asian champions have to register Japan’s second try, while Ireland made real progress since then, shedding narrowly avoided going scoreless in the their tag as World Cup pushovers by win- second half thanks to Sean Reidy’s late ning three games at the 2015 tournament effort. Fly-half Paddy Jackson unerringly under Eddie Jones, including a stunning converted all five tries for Ireland, who upset of South Africa. crushed Japan 50-22 last weekend and also But they never seriously threatened broke the 50-point mark against the United Ireland and Japan coach Jamie Joseph cut a States in their opening tour game in New frustrated figure as his players committed a Jersey. string of elementary handling errors. —AFP AUCKLAND: British and Irish Lions fullback Liam Williams is tackled by All Black defenders during the first test between the British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday. —AP RUGBY Ioane try double as TOKYO: Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima, left, avoids a tackle on the way to scoring a try All Blacks maul Lions against Ireland during their rugby test in Tokyo yesterday. Ireland beat Japan 35-13 to sweep the two-match series between the 2019 Rugby World Cup group rivals. — AP AUCKLAND: Rieko Ioane scored two second- row on home soil since 2009 and no defeats at at goal, the All Blacks took a quick tap which half tries as the world champion All Blacks Eden Park since 1994. resulted in a try to Taylor in the corner. stamped their authority with a 30-15 victory in But it was a brutal, bloody encounter. The All After an exchange of penalties by Owen Australia scores 2 late tries the first Test against the British and Irish Lions Blacks lost both fullback Ben Smith (concussion) Farrell and Barrett the Lions launched their run- yesterday. Both tries were off the back of demoli- and outside centre Ryan Crotty (hamstring) in ning game with a counter-attack by Liam to clinch rugby win over Italy tion work by a powerful New Zealand pack. The the first 30 minutes. After being on the back Williams inside his own 22 which caught the All All Blacks outscored the Lions three tries to two foot for the first 10 minutes. the All Blacks gave Blacks off guard. He offloaded to Jonathan BRISBANE: Australia rallied for two late late tries to clinch the win. to maintain their 24-year unbeaten record at the Lions a taste of their own medicine with a Davies who took play deep into All Blacks terri- tries in an unconvincing and error-filled 40- Man-of-the-match Israel Folau had his Eden Park. After a fevered build-up to the game, series of charges through the middle which had tory, where the ever-present Sean O’Brien fin- 27 rugby test win yesterday over Italy. third consecutive two-try performance for the All Blacks made their mark early on with a the tourists scrambling before they eventually ished off a brilliant move. In a torrid second half It extended Australia’s perfect record Australia. “To Italy’s credit they fought their penalty and Codie Taylor’s converted try to lead conceded a penalty, which Beauden Barrett con- in the rain, the game broke open with Ioane’s against Italy to 17 consecutive victories. way back into the game,” Australia captain 10-0, and they were ahead 13-8 at half-time.