This week Gary Lemke has a look at the Springboks being set to welcome Ireland to the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in a highly-anticipated Test, while England face Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
BOKS MUST STICK TO THEIR STRENGTHS
It might have been an error-strewn performance, but it’s the “W” that counts and the Springboks will be looking to win their series against Ireland when the teams meet in Durban on Saturday. From the comfort of the couch, it looked as though the Boks were trying too hard at Loftus last week, trying to force the game and create a style that is easy on the eye.
My amateur view: stick to the traditional strengths and earn the right to play more expansively. No need to stray from a DNA that won back-to-back World Cups. Despite the performance, the Boks still won by seven points. Again, like last week, pick a number between 1 and 15. This time I’m going 12.
SPAIN FANCIED, BUT IN A ONE-OFF FINAL …
A month after Germany kicked off the Euro 2024 with a 5-1 win over Scotland, the final between England and Spain brings together two of the pre-tournament favourites. In getting there, England beat Serbia 1-0, drew with Denmark 1-1, drew with Slovenia 0-0, beat Slovakia 2-1 (aet), beat Switzerland on penalties) and beat Holland 2-1. Spain, by contrast, have a 100 percent win rate.
They beat Croatia 3-0, Italy 1-0, Albania 1-0, Georgia 4-1, Germany 2-1 and France 2-1. They are the deserved 6/10 favourites (England 11/10), but this final looks to be an interesting contrast of styles. Patience will play a part. Neither team has conceded more than one goal in any game and England have scored four times from the 80th minute so far …
WHEN SLAMS MEAN MORE THAN CASH
At Wimbledon, the women’s title will go to either Jasmine Paoline (No7) or Barbora Krejcikova (No31). In the men it’s the winners of Friday’s semi-finals featuring Carlos Alvcaraz (No3) and Daniil Medvedev (No5) and that of Novak Djokovic (No2) and Lorenzo Muzetti (No25).
Each of the men’s and women’s singles champions will receive £ 2.7 million (call it R62m) for their fortnight’s work. Life-changing amounts? For us mere mortals, maybe. Djokovic has already earned over $180m in his career, which is R3.3 billion. If he spent the equivalent of R300,000 a day from now, it would take him 27 years to get through the cash. More important to him is extending his Grand Slam record to 25 titles. When? Where? And some still question his GOAT status?
POGACAR LOOKS THE PART IN YELLOW
Many might have felt that Tadej Pogacar would be over the hill and far away by now as we approach the final week of the Tour de France. The two-time winner, however, will be a hard (impossible?) man to catch in the final week, although things can still go wrong.
Pogacar held a 1min 6sec lead over the young Belgian Remco Evenpoel heading into Friday’s 13th stage and was 1min 14sec ahead of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard. The fat lady might not be singing, but she’s starting to clear her voice.
BABY BOKS IN HUNT FOR FIFTH SPOT
The horses have bolted when it comes to South Africa’s Baby Boks, who are involved in the scrap for fifth place at the Under-20 Rugby World Championships. They meet Argentina in the semi-final ahead of the fifth-place final after two defeats in three pool games, in weather that has made it one of the coldest and wettest weeks in Cape history.
Surely? With them out of contention for the main prize, Sunday sees the two main semi-finals pit Ireland against England and France against New Zealand, in a rematch of their pool game won 27-26 by the Kiwis.
Some of today’s action 📸#JuniorBoks#JourneyToGreatness pic.twitter.com/BSQobNqRKA
— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 9, 2024
ALSO WORTH WATCHING …
Like the Boks and Ireland, the All Black and England, Australia and Wales, and Argentina and France are back for round two of their International “friendlies”. Last week there were wins for the All Blacks (albeit 16-15), Australia and France.
The same outcomes, with a Boks win, comes out to 2/1 in an all to come … The Currie Cup is into week two. While the Blue Bulls are, yes, 1/1000 to beat the Griffons, the other three matches see the Cheetahs hosting WP, the Pumas at home to the Golden Lions and Griquas meeting the Sharks in what should be the closest of all the games … The Evian Championship is the fourth of the five women’s golf Majors and will conclude on Sunday …Either Argentina or Colombia will be crowned 2024 Copa America champions when the final is played overnight Sunday (SA time).
