This week Gary Lemke has a look at an epic Paris Olympics coming to its conclusion, while the Springboks face a dangerous Wallabies side Down Under.
FLAME TO GO OUT ON PARIS OLYMPICS
Just like that, 16 days after the Olympic torch was lit, it will be extinguished and Paris 2024 will start disappearing into the rearview mirror. It’s been a magnificent Games. When the biggest complaint is the standard of food in the Olympic athletes’ village then you know it’s been a success and the crowds have been truly spectacular.
Plus, the postcard-perfect Paris settings have made for a visual delight. South Africa went into the weekend on four medals. There was hope of adding to this in athletics, where the men’s 4x100m relay and the javelin thrower Jo-Ane van Dyk looked to have live shouts. As does the men’s 4x400m. Ashleigh Buhai was still in contention at the golf AT halfway. South Africa had three medals in Tokyo, now four in Paris – but six at Rio 2016. The Olympic medals return has become like a cork bobbing up and down in the ocean.
MORE DOMINANT BOKS ON TOP DOWN UNDER?
If the sports adage of “you’re only as good as your last game”, then the Springboks are good to beat Australia by 31 points in their opening Rugby Championship match. That’s if the game was at Loftus in Pretoria and not Lang Park in Brisbane.
The last time they met at that venue the Wallabies won 30-17, in 2021. Since then the Boks have developed a cloak of invincibility and a Bomb Squad that the sport’s ruling bodies seem determined to defuse. No one suggests the Boks will steamroll over Australia in Brisbane, but they should win quite handily. The other opening game is between the All Blacks and Argentina. It’s only the first skirmish for both, but will give us an idea of what they look like as the championship unfolds.
NEW PROTEAS STARS COMING THROUGH
South Africa haven’t lost a cricket Test series in the Caribbean since 2001, but the word “series” is to be used loosely. The modern trend is to consider two matches a series – which also extends to rugby – and this is the price for professionalism and the need for an instant “just add water” result. Two Tests aren’t enough to truly get a reference point for someone’s level in the five-day format, so it’s too soon to judge Tony De Zorzi at the top of the Proteas order.
However, there’s a bit of a Caribbean approach to his batting, while middle-order batter David Bedingham is also a newbie, but looking like he might belong at this level. The obvious downside: Test cricket is a dying form of the game.
Dangerous De Zorzi! ⚡️
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 8, 2024
Tony gets his 2nd test 50 in style.
🇿🇦South Africa are 81/1 after 25 overs.#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvWI pic.twitter.com/3TittPmIjx
HIGH SCORING A MARK OF CURRIE CUP SEASON
We’re into week 6 of 10 in the Currie Cup and although the Bulls don’t have a 100% winning record, they’re still the only unbeaten side in the competition. They should keep it that way when taking on bottom-feeders the Griffons, who have a negative points difference of 177.
Second-placed Cheetahs won’t have it easy in a cold and wet Cape Town, while the Lions and Pumas could be competitive. In the other game, the Sharks and Griquas are both looking for only their second win of the season. The trend of the season has been high scoring – last week we saw two draws, 34-34 and 44-48, while in eight matches over the last two rounds, the lowest match total has been 52 points.
DHL Western Province returned to winning ways with a great attacking display against the NovaVit Griffons 😤
— The Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) August 6, 2024
Can they continue this momentum? #CarlingCurrieCup #WhereChampionsRise pic.twitter.com/JLGAvbUVhf
