Twelve SA rugby players who turned up for other countries

Many professional rugby players will tell you, the Springboks are a hard side to break into. A few players who are undoubtedly good enough for international rugby have finished their careers without ever earning a cap for the national side.

Some like Irish international, CJ Stander have opted to face up to their compatriots instead by pledging their allegiances elsewhere. Many have even gone as far as earning cult status for their adopted countries.

We compiled a list of some of the most notable players to have opted for other pastures. Some you may love to hate.

DTH van der Merwe – Canada
Not a name that will quickly ring a bell – not just because his full name is Daniel Tailliferre Hauman van der Merwe – but because he plays for one of the smaller nations, Canada. His family moved to the country when he was a teenager, where he established himself as one of their best players in history.

Mike Catt – England
Was

Rassie Erasmus to be ‘coach‚ but not called Bok coach’

In true South African rugby fashion‚ by gaining clarity on one issue‚ another became muddied in the wake of Allister Coetzee’s sacking as Springbok coach on Friday.

Coetzee and SA Rugby negotiated a settlement‚ the details of which remain private‚ to end Coetzee’s 22-month association with the team.

But after months of dragging out Coetzee’s inevitable sacking after his Springboks won only 11 of 25 Tests (44%) in 2016 and 2017‚ SA Rugby were deliberately vague on the identity of his successor.

Unofficially TimesLIVE has been informed that director of rugby Rassie Erasmus would take up the position as head of a coaching group‚ which includes SA Rugby employees such as defence coach specialist Jacques Nienaber.

But in a statement SA Rugby didn’t go as far as naming Erasmus as Coetzee’s successor‚ rather opaquely indicating that he would be the coach even if he isn’t ‘called Springbok coach’.

“The Rugby Department will manage the

Ind vs SA: After AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis ruled out of ODI, T20I series

South African skipper Faf du Plessis and batsman AB de Villers have been ruled out of ODI and T20Is series against India due to a finger injury.

Faf’s absence would be a massive blow for the hosts as their start batter AB de Villiers was already ruled out from first three ODI matches due to injury.

Faf du Plessis had injured his finger during the opening ODI match between India and South Africa in which he scored his ninth hundred to take the Proteas to 269/8. Following the mediocre target, visitors chased the total with ease and won the match by six wickets.

“I just got a blow (to my finger), so hopefully it will be fine for the next game,” Faf du Plessis had said in the post-match conference.

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Police alert to tourists and hospitality industry in SA

Police are urging the hospitality industry in South Africa to advise their guests to be vigilant after booking into guest houses, lodges and hotels after an incident in Nelson Mandela Bay.

The South African Police say doors and windows should be locked when retiring for the night. “The safety and security of our citizens is a priority and we encourage the community to assist us in our fight against crime by taking proactive measures.”

The statement was released after a death in Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, this week. A robbery suspect was found dead in a lodge after entering and holding up two elderly men in the early hours of this morning (26/01).

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Sewende (en laaste) boek in gewilde geskiedenisreeks binnekort beskikbaar

Wes-Transvalers was (en is waarskynlik steeds) bekend vir hulle hardkoppigheid en gehardheid. Dit is juis hierdie eienskap wat burgers van dié area tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog hulle uitsonderlike uithouvermoë gegee het. In ’n nuwe boek wat binnekort by Kraal Uitgewers verskyn, kom die omvangryke krygsgeskiedenis van dié oorlog in die westelike streek van die toenmalige ZAR in die kollig.

Skrywer, boer, historikus en gebore Wes-Transvaler, Pieter de Jager, se monumentale werk Wes-Transvaal: Militêre brandpunt van die oorlog, 1899-1902 is die sewende en laaste boek in Kraal se gewilde reeks versamelaarswerke, Erwe van ons vaad’re. Dié reeks staan onder redaksie van prof. Andries Raath van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat.

De Jager is nie ’n nuweling in geskiedeniskringe nie. Sy passie vir sy geboortedorp Ottosdal, die omgewing en sy mense het reeds neerslag gevind in die publikasie van ’n vroeëre werk getiteld Die Korannafonteiners: Stories oor Otto

Do you follow the Blitzboks here is the fixtures and the squad

Dylan Sage and Stedman Gans have also returned to the squad.

Sage, who missed the last two tournaments in Dubai and Cape Town due to a back injury, comes in for the injured Chris Dry while Gans replaces Branco du Preez, who picked up a hamstring injury in training last week.

‘We made the call to take Sikhumbuzo along as a reserve player in order for him to get first-hand experience of what a Sevens Series tournament is all about and he will be called upon if anyone picks up an injury,’ explained Blitzboks coach Neil Powell.

‘Dylan has been training solidly over the past couple of weeks, while Stedman was in very good form for the Academy side in South America, so I am expecting solid contributions from them next weekend. We are losing four players to their Super Rugby teams after the Hamilton tournament, so we need a strong tour in order to stay in contention for the overall title.’

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Which five American states have the most similar weather to South Africa?

If you’re planning on moving to the US, you might want to consider the weather before deciding where to go.

If you want to move to the States and are not bound to any particular city or state, read what the experts at The Law Offices of Grant Kaplan have to say about which states’ weather most closely matches South Africa’s.

California
South and Central California boast some of the most pleasant temperatures year-round in the world. With a recorded 73% sunshine in places like Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, you might want to try and job-hunt here if you’re looking to replicate South Africa’s sunshiney days.

Hawaii
For sun, sand and sea, Hawaii is hard to beat. And if you’re into surfing and other water sports, Hawaii might be the ideal place to put down roots. Because it’s a series of islands, you may feel slightly more isolated than if you were on the mainland, but that might also be right up your alley.

Also read: 5 reasons why America is a

Who is Cyril Ramaphosa? A profile of the new leader of the ANC

South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), has a new president – Cyril Ramaphosa. But who is he?

Ramaphosa cuts a fitting figure to take over government, stabilise the economy, and secure the constitutional architecture that he helped create at the end of apartheid.

But to expect more would be expecting too much. He is unlikely to veer far from the traditional economic path chosen by the ANC.

There are some important features we can draw on to make some conjectures about the man.

The early days
Ramaphosa was born in Johannesburg, the industrial heartland of South Africa, on November 17, 1952. The second of three children, his father was a policeman. He grew up in Soweto where he attended primary and high school. He later went to Mphaphuli High School in Sibasa, Limpopo, were he was elected head of the Student Christian Movementsoon after his arrival, attesting to his Christian beliefs.

Looking f

Home Affairs to phase out green ID books – but rubbishes March deadline claim

The Department of Home Affairs has reiterated that it has no immediate plans to discontinue green bar-coded identity books.

Speaking at the Centurion Home Affairs office on Wednesday, director-general of Home Affairs, Mkuseli Apleni, said that the department was deeply concerned about false reports on the lifespan of the old ID books.

“These reports, which first appeared towards the end of 2017, masquerade as a notice from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and claim that 31 March 2018 is the termination date for using the old green-barcoded ID books. This had an effect of driving citizens, in great numbers, to Home Affairs offices to apply for smart ID cards in panic,” he said.

“At the time, we had responded swiftly to say such reports are false, and do not come from us. We are again confronted with the same incorrect reports, from the beginning of January 2018, circulating largely on social media.”

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ANC NEC sharpen their knives, ramp up efforts to dismiss Zuma

He may have had a reprieve earlier in the week, but Jacob Zuma can consider himself on the ANC NEC hit-list.

The party’s National Executive Committee are determined to force Mr Zuma out of his Head of State role, according to City Press sources. He may have stood down as ANC President, but he still remains the leader of South Africa.

Jacob Zuma living on borrowed time as President
However, the NEC are determined to completely oust him from leadership. It was widely believed that a committee meeting on Wednesday would table plans to force Zuma out, but they eventually decided against upsetting the apple-cart on the eve of the ANC’s 106th birthday celebrations. This was confirmed by an ANC insider:

“There was a view that there was no point in upsetting the January 8 events. It would also be seen as opportunistic on Cyril’s part, and there is no guarantee as to how Zuma supporters would respond.”

With the event in East Lond