7 Days OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD
Saturday RUGBy UNION | SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND | KING’S PARK,
JUNEHIGHLIGHTS 8–JUNE 14 » Formula 1: Canadian Grand Prix » p62 » Tennis: AEGON Championships » p62 » Boxing: Manny Pacquiao v Tim Bradley » p64 » Cricket: Friends Life T20 » p66 » Canoeing: ICF Slalom World Cup » p66
DURBAN | SKy SPORTS 1 4PM
David Rogers/Getty Images
Due south Last time most people will have seen England’s boys in white take to the rugby field was back on St Patrick’s Day, when they tore Ireland to pieces to finish off a successful Six Nations campaign and secure Stuart Lancaster the full-time head coach job. Well, fast forward three months and Lancaster is preparing to take his troops to the southern hemisphere for the first time – and England’s new head coach could be forgiven for a very un-English optimistic outlook. Last weekend’s run-out against the Barbarians might not have answered too many tough questions for Lancaster’s charges, but a hat-trick from Chris Ashton (above) puts the rubber stamp on his return to form, while the spark that Christian Wade added whenever he touched the ball got England on the front foot
60 | June 8 2012 |
in a 57-26 triumph. In the forwards, meanwhile, Mouritz Botha is showing no signs of slowing down, Dylan Hartley is returning to some of his best form and Chris Robshaw... well, the England captain was busy putting in a man-of-the-match, title-winning performance for his club side Harlequins last weekend. Plenty of grounds for optimism for Lancaster, then, and the even better news for England supporters is that their side will be playing midweek fixtures. Thus, while Lancaster is prone to safe decisions, the likes of Wade, Jonathan Joseph and Joe Launchbury — not to mention the returning James Haskell — will surely get their chance to impress the new man in the hotseat. With form players fighting for every single position and options to try out at every
set-piece (Launchbury’s use in the second row will be fascinating in itself), England are travelling in very rude health. For the home side, meanwhile, coach Heyneke Meyer is taking charge for the first time – and, much like England at the start of this season’s Six Nations, there’s a feeling of a clean slate for his players. Indeed, Fourie Du Preez’s selection at scrum half is virtually the only guarantee. The last time South Africa took to the field was in that controversial 11-9 quarter-final defeat to Australia way back in the World Cup last October. They’re champing at the bit to reclaim their form and redeem their reputations after those travails in New Zealand – and England are the first side to venture into Springbok territory since.
EnglanD’s summEr fixturEs SATuRDAy JuNE 6 v SOuTH AFRICA, KINg’S PARK, DuRBAN (4PM) WEDNESDAy JuNE 13 v SA BARBARIANS SOuTH, gWK PARK, KIMBERLEy (1.30PM) SATuRDAy JuNE 16 v SOuTH AFRICA, COCA-COLA PARK, JOHANNESBuRg (4PM) TuESDAy JuNE 19 v SA BARBARIANS NORTH, PROFERT OLEN PARK, POTCHESTROOM (6.10PM) SAT JuNE 23 v SOuTH AFRICA, NELSON MANDELA BAy STADIuM, PORT ELIZABETH (4PM)