The ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in four months' time - described
by its executive director Dr Ali Bacher as "the biggest empowerment project
that South African sport as ever embarked upon" - will be backed by the
largest galaxy of all-sports heroes yet assembled for any event on the
African continent.
At a glittering 1500-seater banquet at the Sandton Convention Centre in
Johannesburg on Saturday night, the identities of the 41 African Sport
Ambassadors to the 44-day tournament were revealed.
They include legendary Kenyan Olympic middle-distance runner Kip Keino, a
trio of Major golf champions in Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen,
the captain of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks, Francois
Pienaar, cricketers Graeme Pollock and Basil D'Oliveira, SA soccer heroes
Lucas Radebe and Doctor Khumalo, former Formula One world drivers champion
Jody Scheckter, Olympic marathon gold medallist Josiah Thugwane,
multi-titled swim queen Penny Heyns, and South Africa's 'Mr Paralympics'
Fanie Lombaard.
The Ambassadors, who will perform a variety of functions around the ICC
Cricket World Cup in South Africa between 8 February-23 March 2003, were
awarded special black and white braided colours blazers by the International
Cricket Council's chief executive officer Malcolm Speed.
Dr Bacher thanked the Ambassadors for bringing "their own special brand of
dignity and integrity" to the world's most important cricket tournament.
"I don't believe I am exaggerating when I say that ... this represents the
biggest gathering of sporting superstars that this country has ever
witnessed at any one time."
During the tournament "a veritable army of proud South Africans, including
3000 volunteers, black and white, young and old, would be playing a variety
of different to ensure that the dream becomes a reality."
In acclaiming the Ambassadors, Dr Bacher added, "on behalf of South African
cricket, to each of you I say, thank you for playing your role in helping us
to achieve what I firmly believe is the biggest empowerment project that
South African sport has ever embarked upon."
The Minister of Sport, Mr Ngconde Balfour, was unable to attend Saturday
night's banquet, but an impressive array of provincial and local government
representatives, top United Cricket Board of SA officials Percy Sonn and
Gerald Majola, Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka, leading
administrators from the all the sports federations, and the cream of South
Africa's business community were present.
Among the Ambassadors honoured were Namibian sprint king Frank Fredericks,
Zimbabwean soccer ace Peter Ndlovu, the much-acclaimed deaf swimmer Terence
Parkin, javelin gold medallist Marius Corbett, and the Kenyan rated the
greatest cross-country of all time, Paul Tergat.
It was a veritable roll-call of honour as the Ambassadors were cheered up to
the podium ... high jump queen Hestrie Cloete, SA women's soccer captain
Desiree Ellis, football greats Joe Kadenge of Kenya and Marks Maponyane of
South Africa, the Paralympics stars Jane Mandean and Zanele Situ, former
world 1500m record holder Sydney Maree, fellow middle-distance star Hezekiel
Sepeng, and marathon and ultra-distance greats Tegla Loroupe of Kenya and
South Africa's Bruce Fordyce and Frith van der Merwe.
Stars of the boxing ring were well represented by world champions in the
hugely popular Baby Jake Matlala, Brian Mitchell, Dingaan Thobela, Welcome
Ncita and Vuyani Bungu, and rugby union standouts were Chester Williams,
Naas Botha and Morne du Plessis.
Ambassadors from the world of tennis are the celebrated South African duo of
Amanda Coetzer and Wayne Ferreira, and former Doubles world champion Byron
Black of Zimbabwe.
All 41 African Sport Ambassadors will be paraded at the two-hour opening
ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town on February 8
at which South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki will officially open the
54-match tournament.
THE 41 AFRICAN SPORT AMBASSADORS TO THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP ARE:
Byron Black
From a prominent sporting family, Byron Black has ensured that Zimbabwe is
not a forgotten country in the tennis world. Although he has two singles
titles to his credit, it is as a doubles specialist that he is best known,
reaching the top spot in the doubles rankings in 1994, the same year that he
and Jonathan Stark captured the French Open title. He was also a runner up
at Wimbledon in 1996 and in the Australian Open in 1994 and 2001. Together
with his brother Wayne, he has been a stalwart of the Zimbabwean Davis Cup
team.
Naas Botha
The all-time Golden Boy of South African and Northern Transvaal rugby, Naas
Botha was the type of player around whom coaches and players built their
strategies. The British Lions dubbed him "Nasty Booter" in grudging
admiration for his effectiveness as a points machine, but there was more to
his game than simply kicking. Blessed with wonderful handling skills, his
vision made him probably the most influential player of his time. He still
holds the Springbok record of 242 points in Test matches.
Vuyani Bungu
Along with Welcome Ncita, Vuyani "The Beast" Bungu is a product of Mzi
Mnguni's Mdantsane stable, having started to box at the age of 12. Like
Ncita, Bungu went on to win the IBF junior featherweight championship. Bungu
first claimed the title in 1994 when he beat former Seoul Olympic gold
medallist Kennedy McKinney, the man who took Ncita's title, and went on to
become the first South African boxer to successfully defend it on 13
occasions. A tough, courageous fighter who crowded into his opponents,
wearing them down into submission, he lost only three bouts in an
illustrious 40-fight career.
Hestrie Cloete
If long legs are a prerequisite for high jumping, then Hestrie Cloete starts
with a considerable advantage. Since 1999 Cloete has been among the
forefront of women's high jumpers, setting a South African, African and
Commonwealth record of 2,04m in Monaco, claiming the silver medal at the
Sydney Olympics, taking gold at the World Championships in Edmonton 2001 and
adding another gold to her collection at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Easy
going and affable, the farm girl from the North West Province has been the
South African Track and Field Athlete of the Year from 1998 to 2001.
Amanda Coetzer
During a time when women's tennis has gradually been dominated by the power
game, Amanda Coetzer has typified the virtues of speed, stamina and an
unflagging determination to chase down every ball hit to her side of the
court. She was ranked in the top 10 for 10 years, reaching No 3 in the world
in 1997 and has reached the semifinals of both the French and Australian
Opens. Although relatively short in a field in which the leading competitors
appear to be growing taller by the year, Coetzer has consistently held her
own as a doughty opponent and one of the most popular members of the women's
circuit.
Marius Corbett
As a lock forward for the North West Leopards, Marius Corbett may have to
stand in a long line before realising an ambition to win a Springbok place,
but for a few brief years as a javelin thrower Corbett had the world at his
feet. Although he had been a junior record holder, Corbett was relatively
unknown when he beat Britain's Steve Buckley into second place to take gold
at the 1997 World Championships in Athens with a throw of 88,40m. He
bettered that distance in taking gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in
Kuala Lumpur and then captured another gold at the All Africa Games the
following year.
Basil D'Oliveira
Basil D'Oliveira occupies a special place in the histories of South African
and English cricket. After growing up in Cape Town, he travelled to England
to pursue a career denied him by apartheid in the country of his birth. For
Worcestershire and for England he batted with flair and courage and also
became a first-class bowler. He was selected for the 1968/69 England tour of
South Africa, a tour subsequently cancelled when the South African
government objected to his inclusion. It was a time of great bitterness, but
the flame, which was eventually to free all South African sportsmen and
women, had been lit.
Mornè du Plessis
A big man in every sense of the word, Morne du Plessis embodies the best
qualities of South African sport. A tough and uncompromising number eight
(just ask Naas Botha!) and a legend at Newlands, he proved to be an
inspirational Springbok captain, leading South Africa to a famous series
victory over the 1980 British Lions. His contribution did not end when he
retired as a player. As manager of the 1995 Rugby World Cup squad he played
an enormous role in cultivating the pride, passion and team-spirit that took
South Africa to the William Webb Ellis trophy.
Desiree Ellis
Captain of Banyana Banyana, the South African women's soccer team, since
1994, Desiree Ellis once had to choose between her job and her sport.
Fortunately the diminutive midfielder from Cape Town now has more
sympathetic employers and the sacrifice turned out to be worthwhile. She led
Banyana Banyana to the African Cup of Nations final in 2000 and to their
first trophy in 2002 when they beat Zambia 2-1 in the final of the Cosafa
Cup. She received a Silver Presidential Sports Award in 2000 for her
services to football.
Ernie Els
He's known as "The Big Easy", but Ernie Els made it seem anything but as he
kept South Africans glued to their seats on a dramatic Sunday evening in
2002 before lifting the biggest prize in golf. Ernie's triumph in that
British Open added to his 1994 and 1997 US Open triumphs and re-established
him as one of the modern game's great players. He had a quiet 2001, despite
helping Retief Goosen capture the World Cup for South Africa, but with the
famous Claret Jug now safely in his trophy cabinet, Ernie has warned Tiger
Woods that he would be unwise to rest on his laurels.
Wayne Ferreira
Prodigiously talented, Wayne Ferreira is on of that rare breed of tennis
professionals capable of beating any opponent on any surface. Although Grand
Slam titles have remained frustratingly elusive, he has won 14 career
singles titles, 10 doubles titles and an Olympic silver medal in the
doubles. As a junior he was the top-ranked doubles player in the world in
1989 and he spent eight consecutive seasons ranked in the ATP tour top 50.
Despite his tour commitments, Ferreira has invariably found time to
represent South Africa in the Davis Cup where, playing for his country, he
produced some of his most memorable performances.
Bruce Fordyce
After his third victory in the Comrades Marathon, the headline writers were
on a roll: "Four-dyce", "Five-dyce", "Six-dyce", "Seven-dyce", "Eight-dyce"
and finally "Nine-dyce". Slight of build and flaxen-haired, Bruce Fordyce
carried both the Comrades and ultra-distance running in South Africa into
the modern era. It is to understate the case to claim that Fordyce's nine
victories transformed the grueling race into the highly professional event
it is today, but he has also ensured that the best traditions of the
Comrades were not lost. And just to prove that he was more than a one-track
pony, he won the London-to-Brighton Marathon three time in the 1980s.
Frank Fredericks
While Africa has long been seen as a rich source of middle and long-distance
runners, it took Frankie Fredericks to demonstrate that the continent could
also sprint. He claimed silver medals in both the 100m and 200m at the
Barcelona Olympics and then took the gold over 200m at the 1993 World
Championships in Stuttgart. Since then he has been Africa's outstanding
sprinter, not to mention Namibia's most famous sporting son. He repeated his
silver achievements in Atlanta in 1996, has held the world records over both
distances and has been, almost incidentally, the African record holder since
1991.
Retief Goosen
As a youngster Retief Goosen was struck by lightning. This narrow escape,
however, has not prevented him from joining golf's elite. His dramatic
victory in the 2001 US Open in Tulsa, when he three-putted the final hole
and had to return the following day to beat Mark Brooks in a playoff,
enabled him to join Gary Player and Ernie Els as the only three South
Africans to win a US Open. He also won the Scottish and Madrid Opens in 2001
and, with Els, claimed the World Cup for South Africa. South Africa's Golfer
of the Year for 2002.
Penny Heyns
Penny Heyns became South Africa's golden girl in Atlanta in 1996 when she
became the first woman in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200m
breaststroke. She claimed her first world record over 100m in Durban during
the same year and during an amazing career broke the world record 14 times.
During an extraordinary streak in 1999, she set 11 world times in three
months, with four of the records coming over two days during a meet in Los
Angeles. A true patriot, she had a Springbok tattooed on her shoulder prior
to the 1996 Olympics.
Joe Kadenge
In his time he has been a taxi driver, but he has also had his likeness
depicted on a postage stamp and had a street in Mombasa named after him. By
the estimation of most Kenyans, Joe Kadenge is the greatest footballer ever
produced by his country. A stalwart for Abaluhya Football Club, which was
later to become the famous AFC Leopards, Kadenge's dazzling skills and close
control ensured that he was an automatic choice for the Harambee Stars (the
Kenyan national team) for 14 years before his retirement in 1968. He is
currently the team manager of the Harambee Stars.
Kip Keino
Kenya's most celebrated athlete, Kip Keino put Africans in the forefront of
middle to long distance running. A multiple world record holder, he was
equally formidable over distances anywhere between 1 500 and 5 000m. He took
gold and set a new Olympic
1 500m record in Mexico in 1968 after having to jog a mile to the stadium
because his taxi was stuck in traffic. Then he won silver in the 5 000m
despite a gall bladder infection. At Munich four years later he was the 3
000m steeplechase champion and took another silver in the 1 500m. A giant
among African athletes, he has devoted his life to the Kip Keino Children's
Home for abandoned children in Eldoret, Kenya. Kip Keino is a member of the
International Olympic Committee.
Doctor Khumalo
Slick, smooth and stylish, Doctor Khumalo was there at the beginning when
South Africa re-entered international football against Cameroon in 1992,
scoring Bafana Bafana's only goal Remarkably, he earned his 50th cap for
Bafana Bafana in 2001. A legend at Kaizer Chiefs, the club for whom he
paraded his silky skills despite brief sojourns in Argentine and the US,
where he played for Columbus Crew in the Major Soccer League, "The Doctor's"
languid grace on the ball concealed the heart of a fierce competitor.
Perhaps no other South African has quite captured the imagination of the
public in the manner of Khumalo who remains a hero to millions of AmaKhosi
fans.
Fanie Lombaard
Fanie Lombaard is Mr Paralympics of South Africa. A former provincial rugby
player, he suffered an injury while playing rugby league that turned
gangrenous and had to have his leg amputated. Through the Paralympics he
re-invented himself as an icon of disabled sport. In Atlanta he won two
golds and set two world records in the shot put and the javelin, and won
bronze in the discus. In the 2000 Paralympics he won three gold medals
(discus, shot put and pentathlon) and a silver (javelin). He broke the world
records for the shot put and the discus at the World Championships in Lille
in 2002.
Tegla Loroupe
Standing just 1,49m tall and weighing in at less than 39kg, Tegla Loroupe
became the first African women to win a major marathon in New York in 1994.
Since then she has become the fastest female marathon runner of all time
with a 2:20 run in Berlin in 1999. She developed her talent by running six
miles to and from school every day and has gone on to set a world record
time over 20 000m as well as an African record for the 10 000m. But it has
been for her dominance of women's marathon running that the tiny and
courageous Kenyan is justly famous.
Jane Mandean
Jane Mandean has been one of the stalwarts of the Amakrokokroko team for
some years now. Mandean, who competes in the cerebral palsy category in
athletics for the disabled, has been a world record holder in the shot put
(with a throw of 7,50m) and the javelin (17,23m). At the Sydney Paralympics,
where the South African team won 38 medals, the multi-talented athlete won
bronze despite competing against the strongest discus field seen at the
Games for some years. Mandean has continued to impress and at the World
Championships in Lille in 2002, won bronze in the shot put.
Marks Maponyane
Astute and articulate, Marks Maponyane is today one of the continents most
respected commentators on football. Before this, though, he was an equally
admired, and well travelled, striker for Kaizer Chiefs, Dynamos, Orlando
Pirates, Wits and, of course, South Africa in a career that spanned the best
part of two decades. The only player to be named South Africa's Player of
the Year on three occasions, Maponyane won 13 caps for Bafana Bafana after
making his debut against Zimbabwe in 1992, scoring twice. In many ways,
Maponyane will always be acclaimed as a footballer's footballer.
Sydney Maree
Originally from Atteridgeville in Pretoria, Sydney Maree left South Africa
in 1977 to put his obvious talents to the test on a bigger stage. So
successful was he that a 3:29:77 time set in 1985 remains the American
record for the 1 500m. In 1983 he broke the world
1 500m record and at various times he held the American records for the
mile, the
3 000m and the 5 000m. Initially restricted to college athletics because of
his South African passport, Maree eventually represented the US at two
Olympics and at a World Cup. He is now a successful businessman in South
Africa.
Baby Jake Matlala
The shortest world champion in boxing history, Baby Jake Matlala was also
blessed with a heart that would have done credit to a heavyweight as he
captured four world titles in a career that spanned 30 years. He ended his
career in 2002, stepping out of the ring unbeaten after stopping Juan
Herrara in the seventh round of a bout watched by, among others, Nelson
Mandela. Just 1.48m tall, Matlala was busy and courageous in the ring and
polite and dignified out of it. He is a true giant of South African boxing.
Brian Mitchell
As an apprentice professional, Brian Mitchell was known as "the Black boxer
in a White skin" because he learned much of his craft fighting in the
townships around Johannesburg. Later he became "The Road Warrior" as he
defended his WBA world junior lightweight title no fewer than 12 times away
from South Africa, often before hostile and unwelcoming crowds. A busy,
efficient fighter with a tight defence and the skill to pick off opponents,
he achieved the rare distinction of being able to retire undefeated in 1991
with a career record that included 41 victories, three draws and only one
defeat. He is now a successful manager and trainer.
Welcome Ncita
Like his schoolboy friend Vuyani Bungu, Welcome Ncita came out of East
London's Mdantsane township, learning to fight in the Nyameko High School
where he and Bungu used to take it in turn to throw punches at the
gymnasium's only heavy bag. A classical stylist who fought from the outside,
he became the IBF junior featherweight champion in 1990 before eventually
retiring with 37 wins from 40 bouts. Unlike so many of his contemporaries,
Ncita used his success shrewdly to become a capable businessman, but more
importantly for boxing he has already trained his first world champion.
Peter Ndlovu
Peter Ndlovu made his mark on Zimbabwean football with the first goal in a
4-1 defeat of South Africa's Bafana Bafana in 1994. In all he has scored 30
goals in 61 appearances for his country, but it has been as a well-travelled
professional in England that he has earned the widest acclaim. A tricky
winger with pace and control, Ndlovu's surname has baffled a generation of
English commentators, but there was no mistaking the "Und-love" who once
netted a hat-trick against mighty Liverpool at Anfield. He is still a legend
at Zimbabwe's Highlanders Football Club.
Terence Parkin
Terence Parkin, the deaf swimmer, was so proud of the silver medal he won at
the Sydney Olympics for the 200m breaststroke that he wore it to bed on the
night he won it. It was more than just a success for him, the KwaZulu-Natal
swimmer said, but for all deaf people around the world. The International
Deaf Sports Federation agreed with him and at the Deaflympics in Rome in
2001 he was named as the Federation's Sportsman of 2000. Parkin has never
let his disability hinder him and also won silver at the 2002 Commonwealth
Games and gold at the 2001 Goodwill Games.
Francois Pienaar
Who could ever forget the sight of Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela on
the winner's podium at Ellis Park on June 24, 1995, both clad in Springbok
No 6 jerseys after South Africa had beaten New Zealand in the Rugby World
Cup Final? "We didn't win this for 60 000 people, we won it for 43-million,"
said the Springbok captain in tribute to the Rainbow Nation. Pienaar had a
distinguished player career for Transvaal, South Africa and, later, Saracens
in England, but it will be for that brief shining moment when he and the
world's most famous statesman held the William Webb Ellis trophy aloft that
he will be best remembered.
Gary Player
Gary Player is generally held to be the most successful global golfer of all
time. He won 160 titles worldwide and is one of only five golfers to have
won all four Major titles. Player, habitually dressed in black, won his
first of nine Majors in 1959 when he claimed the British Open, a title he
was to win again in 1968 and 1974, the only man to triumph in this
championship over three separate decades. He represented South Africa in 16
World Cups before turning his attention to the Seniors Tour, where, if
anything, he was to prove even more successful. A renowned course architect
who has designed more than 200 courses world wide, Player was named as South
Africa's Sportsman of the Century in 2000.
Graeme Pollock
The prince of left-handers, Graeme Pollock was named South Africa's
Cricketer of the Century at the turn of the Millennium. The fact that the
accolade provoked no debate whatsoever indicates his stature in the game. He
was South Africa's youngest single and double centurion before embarking on
a Test career that took in 23 Test matches and brought him 2 256 runs at an
average of 60,97 - an average bettered only by the legendary Sir Donald
Bradman. For many years Pollock held the South African record for the
highest Test score - 274 - and he is still revered wherever the game is
played.
Nick Price
There was a time when Nick Price was thought of as golf's Nearly Man. The
Zimbabwean had led the 1982 British Open at Royal Troon going into the final
round, but faltered on the last day. Then came 1994, and this time there was
no denying him at Turnberry. For good measure, he added the US PGA title
later in the year. Long one of the most popular members of the professional
tour, Price is a particular favourite at Sun City where he has won the
Million Dollar Challenge three times. His showings in 2002 suggest there
might still be another Major title in him.
Lucas Radebe
South Africa's most famous and best-loved footballing export, Lucas Radebe
has become a father figure to Bafana Bafana after a classic rags to riches
career. He was once a township roustabout before establishing himself first
with Kaizer Chiefs, then with South Africa and latterly with English Premier
League club Leeds United. As recognisable now in the north of England as he
is in Soweto, "Roo" captained South Africa to the FIFA World Cup for the
second time this year. He has battled with injuries in recent times, but he
has already made a massive contribution to South African football.
Jody Scheckter
It is sometimes hard to believe that a curly-haired boy from East London
could have reached the top in the glamorous world of Formula One racing, but
that is the Jody Scheckter story. He first earned a place in the McLaren
team as a 22 year old before moving to Tyrell where he twice finished third
in the World Drivers Championship in three years. Second in the Championship
behind Nike Lauda in 1977, Scheckter moved to Ferrari in1979 to immediately
claim the coveted World Champion title. One of the most popular drivers of
his time, Scheckter retired in 1980 as the winner of 10 Grand Prixs.
Hezekiel Sepeng
Perhaps the most talented middle distance runner to come out of South
Africa, Hezekiel Sepeng established himself as one of the world's best with
a storming run to grab the 800m silver medal at the 1996 Olympics. Another
silver followed for the Potchefstrooom runner at the Kuala Lumpur
Commonwealth Games and he won bronze at the All Africa Games in Johannesburg
in 1999. He posted a best-ever time of 1:42,69 in Brussels in 1999,
finishing second behind the legendary Wilson Kipketer. Over 800m, only nine
men have run faster than Sepeng.
Zanele Situ
Zanele Situ became the first black female South African to win a gold medal
at a Paralympics, but had to overcome a severe case of nerves to do so. When
she woke up on the day she was due to take part in the javelin competition
in Sydney, the trainee seamstress from a small, rural village outside of
Umtata got a case of the jitters about competing in front of so many people.
Once there, though, she broke the world record in the spinal injury category
an incredible four times to take gold. She backed it up with silver in the
discus.
Paul Tergat
Recognised as the greatest cross-country runner of all time, Paul Tergat
took no part in organised sport until he was 20. But when he did start
running, only the very best could stay with him. He was the world
cross-country champion five times between 1995 and 1999, a half-marathon
world record holder and twice world champion over the distance. Now that he
has turned his attention to the marathon, he is tipped to be the first man
to dip under two hours and four minutes for the distance. A silver medallist
at the Sydney Olympics over 10 000m, he is also a former world record holder
over the same distance.
Dingaan Thobela
"The Rose of Soweto", so-called because he used to toss roses into the crowd
at ringside, Dingaan Thobela is one of the most richly gifted boxers ever
produced by South Africa. He won two world lightweight titles (WBO and WBA)
in 1990 and 1991 respectively, and 10 years after his first world title he
lifted the WBC super middleweight crown when he beat Glenn Catley with a
last round knockout. A scientific boxer with a sound defence, he could fire
the left uppercut off the left jab, a talent given to only a very few
fighters.
Josiah Thugwane
Midway through the marathon at the 1996 Olympics, commentators began to ask
"Josiah who?" An hour or so later they had the answer. Josiah Thugwane had
qualified for Atlanta by winning the South African championships earlier in
the year, and he went on to demonstrate his quality as a distance runner
with the Olympic gold. His victory was all the more remarkable for the fact
that he had been shot in the face during an attempted hijacking in the
months leading up to Atlanta. He set a new South African record in Japan the
following year and now coaches budding marathoners.
Frith van der Merwe
Experts began to sit up and take notice of Frith van der Merwe in 1988 when
she set a new women's Comrade's Marathon 'up run' record of 6:32:56. The
following year, however, Van der Merwe smashed all preconceptions about
women runners with an amazing 5:54:43 to place 15th overall and leave dozens
of excellent male runners in her wake. It is a record that still stands and
one of the most remarkable achievements in the rich history of the
ultra-marathon. She was also to win in 1991, but her 1989 race will never be
forgotten.
Chester Williams
In some respects Chester Williams' role as a pioneer of black rugby has
tended to overshadow his attributes as a powerful, pacy winger, capable of
finishing half-chances with a minimum of time and space in which to work. He
will, however, always be remembered for South Africa's triumphant 1995 World
Cup campaign when he came back, after injury, to grab four tries in the
Springboks' quarter-final demolition of Western Samoa. One of many heroes in
the side which overcame the All Blacks in the RWC Final on that famous
Saturday afternoon at Ellis Park, he is now an astute coach of the Springbok
Sevens team.