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GARY LEMKE’S WRAP: Villa show title credentials, Blitzboks disappoint in Cape Town and more!

Aston Villa moved up to third in the Premier League standings after a stunning win over Arsenal, the Blitzboks disappointed out in Cape Town and more as Gary Lemke looks back at the sporting weekend that was.

John McGuinn of Aston Villa
Image: EPA/TIM KEETON

Aston Villa moved up to third in the Premier League standings after a stunning win over Arsenal, the Blitzboks disappointed out in Cape Town and more as Gary Lemke looks back at the sporting weekend that was.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

UNFANCIED VILLA SHOW TITLE CREDENTIALS

It was another tough (to predict) round of Premier League action. There were defeats for log leaders Arsenal, while Man United (at home) and Chelseas again lost, but Aston Villa continue to fly.

They are now up to third on the table after downing the Gunners. Can they “do a Leicester” and go all the way, and on the back of 15 straight home wins – and beating Man City and Arsenal in the space of a few days, why not?

But, those online bookies still have fourth-placed Man City odds-on to retain the title, with Villa only at 16-1. They’re 11-10 to finish in the top four. Another eye-catching result for me was Brighton being held 1-1 by Burnley.

With Sheffield United beating Brentford 1-0, it means that only two of the 20 Premier League clubs have yet to keep a clean sheet after 16 games. One of them is 18th-placed Luton. The other? Brighton, eighth on the table. Imagine if they could defend?

JEKYLL ’N HYDE BLITZBOKS AT IT AGAIN

So, the Blitzboks have shown that history repeats. They started the 2022 men’s Sevens series by lifting the Dubai title. A week later, as favourites for their home Cape Town leg, they were blown away in the Cup quarter-finals.

This year they began their 2023 campaign by winning in Dubai for a fifth successive year. A week later they were blown away in the Cup quarter-finals, only this time it was by Australia and not the USA.

They were also beaten by New Zealand in the 5th and 6th playoff match, and the head-scratching starts all over. Argentina went on to win the trophy. In the women’s section, South Africa finished 12th after losing all five of their matches.

JAKE WHITE A HUMAN BEING FIRST, COACH SECOND

In the 15-man game there were two South African sides involved in the most important European (yes, it’s a long story) competition, the Champions Cup.

The Bulls beat London’s Saracens 27-16 at Loftus, but coach Jake White was criticised in some quarters for taking the home crowd to task for their uncomplimentary treatment of Saracens and England stalwart Owen Farrell.

The latter has already said he’s taking a break from the International arena because of the abuse he has received from crowds, media and social media. Jake has shown that he’s a human being first, a rugby coach second.

In the other match involving a South African team, a largely second-string Stormers were predictably taken down by English powerhouses Leicester but gave it a full go in their 35-26 defeat.

GOOD WEEKEND FOR LIV GOLFERS

Lightning halted play on the final day after the leaders had completed seven holes at the magnificent Leopard Creek. When the golfers finally get to complete their rounds as a Monday finish, it is the LIV pair Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, who are at 16-under and Christiaan Bezuidenhout at 13-under with 11 holes to play at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

For the third successive week, a LIV golfer is destined to win in South Africa as part of the DP World Tour. Dean Burmester had triumphed at the Joburg and SA Opens.

It came on a weekend where PGA Tour star Jon Rahm announced he was the latest to defect to the Saudi-backed LIV Series. They say everyone has a price in life. For the 29-year-old Rahm, it was some $400 million.

SPAR PROTEAS RUN ENGLAND CLOSE

The 2023 Netball World Cup, held in Cape Town a few months back, was supposed to introduce a whole new generation of girls to the sport. Obviously hosting a World Cup creates the interest, but as the Springboks have shown, nothing unites and develops youngsters more than winning.

South Africa were largely disappointing as a team at the World Cup but they showed good progress and spirit in their three matches against NWC runners-up England this past weekend.

England won the series 2-1, but the matches were all close – 54-51, 59-61 and 53-50 – as the Proteas said farewell to coach Norma Plummer, but showed glimpses of the future with a gutsy display.

CALM BEFORE GUINEAS STORM

Racing’s annual cavalry charge over 1450m at the Vaal on Saturday saw Unzen win the 22-horse race, and, as we had predicted the quartet (first four home) paid a bomb. That dividend was R33 109.

At Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday, Cosmic Highway snared our selection, the 25-2 shot Countdown, right on the line to win the Grade 2 Cape Merchants.

But it’s the calm before the storm, because this coming weekend sees the R2-million Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas over 1600m. Some say it’s not the strongest renewal of the event, but a Grade 1 is a Grade 1 and the final field of 11 will be declared on Monday.

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