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The world mourns the greatest cricket writer of his generation. He went where others dared not to - long may he be remembered.

Breaking from normal transmission…….but then it’s Rugby World Cup time ……… here’s a book which is compulsory reading if you like the Game they play in Heaven.

The Springboks and the Holy Grail

Behind the scenes at the Rugby World Cup, 1995-2007

By Dan Retief

Sifting through the millions of words written about the demise of the News of the World and Rupert Murdoch’s grim grasp on his faltering News Corp empire – a story we follow relentlessly here at 2OceansVibe - I flipped to the Sports Section of the final “Thank you and Good-bye” edition of NOTW. In the Sports Editor’s own obituary to the NOTW Sports journalists, he stated that they were all ‘fans’. That’s why they had the stories, they knew the games, and they had the respect of the players. They were not journalists churning out the copy because it was a job – it was a passion.

Dan Retief is a FAN. That’s why ‘The Springboks and the Holy Grail’ makes such compelling reading. He has the respect of the players and, as mentioned in the book, the legendary 1995 World Cup winning Springboks coach, Kitch Christie said, “you know the game”. In fact, Dan modestly relates how it was he that suggested that a kicking Joel Stransky play at fly half and the accepted playmaker, Hennie le Roux play at inside centre in the 1995 team – and we know what happened there! Retief has been in the journo game for over 40 years but is still in touch. He is well known through the pages of many newspapers, magazines and, of course, SuperSport. The book cleverly links events between the World Cups through detailing the up and down of the soap opera that is South Africa. There’s plenty of spice! The relationship between Gary Teichmann, Bob Skinstad and coach Nick Mallett gets a thorough airing – prior to the 1999 World Cup.

This is a book which is a cracking read and one for anyone remotely interested in rugby, the Springboks and even the politics of South Africa, it’s a must. Apparently the first edition is now virtually sold out but the publishers are rushing out a second printing. However, it can be downloaded through Amazon (as the book listing is ‘sold out’). Some Exclusive Books still have copies, though.

Follow Dan on Twitter at: @retiefdan or catch up with his musings at www.danretief.com

Footnote - this review first appeared in www.2oceansvibe.com and www.crikey.com.au

Ex-pats in Europe know the feeling. Sky Sports put Southern Hemisphere rugby on to ‘Sky player’ or ‘Sky online’ so that you must pay extra to watch or else you are condemned to watching Bth playing Leicester or something similarly trivial like WWF.

Here’s a nifty solution. Get a mate in SA or Oz/NZ to train their webcam on to the TV screen and log on via Skype or an internet TV station. Commentary? So, you really do listen to Hugh Bladen? Log on to www.2oc/fm and you’ll get some really alternative - and hilarious - commentary.

It’s probably all illegal - but then it’s News Corp who are shafting you anyway, and let’s face it, they owe the public a favour. Voila!

Long ago when men were men, ladies were ladies and journalists were real wordsmiths, Normal Canale was at his peak.

In a career spanning five decades, Canale was a pioneer tabloid journo. Expert in rugby and boxing (he called it the ‘sweet science’), in particular, Norman Canale sold newspapers. Canale lived with the characters, he ate and breathed them. He drank with them.

‘Snakes in the Garden of Eden’, Canale’s autobiography just published by Don Nelson in Cape Town is a glorious read. The first half of the book chronicles his colourful life, his many wives, friends and – predictably, enemies.

We read about the legendary Cape Times Sports Editor, Dick Stent mocking up the back page on the Cafe Royal bar counter along with a gin and tonic. The iconic Sunday Times editor Joel Mervis comes back to life in the pages.

The second half of the book presents a few of Canale’s great articles. The one on Springbok prop Boy Louw is a gem.

Co-founder of the South African Sports Illustrated magazine, reporter on the Cape Times, Sunday Times, Sunday Express, Rand Daily Mail and more, Canale live life to the full.

As a young cadet, I asked then Cape Times Managing Editor Chris Greyvenstein why he only drank lime juice and soda at the Cafe Royal. “I used to drink with Norman Canale” was his answer! Enough said.

Get this book and read it. It’s available at leading South African bookshops and through the publishers, Don Nelson.

Footnote: One sour note. In the article on Rod Laver, the Rocket is listed as an American. Norman – you should know: Melbourne Sports Park’s main arena is called Rod Laver Arena for a reason – he’s an Aussie!

This review originally appeared on www.2oceansvibe.com and Norman has pointed out that he was referring to Don Budge and that he would not make such a mistake. I doff my non-existant cap, Norm : ACP taught me journo English!

The map above shows the route for the Tour de France 2011 which has just been announced in Paris. Conspicuous by its absence is our pat of the world. Oh well, we can’t begrudge our dear friends in Montpellier some fun. Interesting is the lack of Mont Ventoux as King of the Mountains - now they’ll be battling it out in High Savoy.

The table below sets out each stage with the relevant dates:

THE STAGES
Stage    Type    Date    Start and Finish    Distance    Details
1 En ligne    Saturday 2 July    Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts > Mont des Alouettes Les Herbiers    191 km

2 Team TT    Sunday 3 July    Les Essarts > Les Essarts    23 km

3    En ligne    Monday 4 July    Olonne-sur-Mer > Redon    198 km

4    En ligne    Tuesday 5 July    Lorient > Mûr-de-Bretagne    172 km

5    En ligne    Wednesday 6 July    Carhaix > Cap Fréhel    158 km

6    En ligne    Thursday 7 July    Dinan > Lisieux    226 km

7    En ligne    Friday 8 July    Le Mans > Châteauroux    215 km

8    Medium mountains    Saturday 9 July    Aigurande > Super-Besse Sancy    190 km

9    Medium mountains    Sunday 10 July    Issoire > Saint-Flour 208 km

R    Rest Day    Monday 11 July    Le Lioran Cantal

10    En ligne    Tuesday 12 July    Aurillac > Carmaux    161 km

11    En ligne    Wednesday 13 July    Blaye-les-Mines > Lavaur 168 km

12    High Mountains    Thursday 14 July    Cugnaux > Luz-Ardiden 209 km

13    High Mountains    Friday 15 July    Pau > Lourdes    156 km

14    High Mountains    Saturday 16 July    Saint-Gaudens > Plateau de Beille    168 km

15    En ligne    Sunday 17 July    Limoux > Montpellier    187 km

R    Rest Day    Monday 18 July    Département de la Drôme

16    Medium mountains    Tuesday 19 July    Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux > Gap    163 km

17    High Mountains    Wednesday 20 July    Gap > Pinerolo    179 km

18    High Mountains    Thursday 21 July    Pinerolo > Galibier Serre-Chevalier    189 km

19    High Mountains    Friday 22 July    Modane – Valfréjus > Alpe-d’Huez    109 km

20    Individual time-trial    Saturday 23 July    Grenoble > Grenoble    41 km

21    En ligne    Sunday 24 July    Créteil > Paris Champs-Élysées    160 km

Long ago when men were men, ladies were ladies and journalists were real wordsmiths, Normal Canale was at his peak.

In a career spanning five decades, Canale was a pioneer tabloid journo. Expert in rugby and boxing (he called it the ’sweet science’), in particular, Norman Canale sold newspapers. Canale lived with the characters, he ate and breathed them. He drank with them.

‘Snakes in the Garden of Eden’, Canale’s autobiography just published by Don Nelson in Cape Town is a glorious read. The first half of the book chronicles his colourful life, his many wives, friends and - predictably, enemies.

We read about the legendary Cape Times Sports Editor, Dick Stent mocking up the back page on the Cafe Royal bar counter along with a gin and tonic. The iconic Sunday Times editor Joel Mervis comes back to life in the pages.

The second half of the book presents a few of Canale’s great articles. The one on Springbok prop Boy Louw is a gem.

Co-founder of the South African Sports Illustrated magazine, reporter on the Cape Times, Sunday Times, Sunday Express, Rand Daily Mail and more, Canale live life to the full.

As a young cadet, I asked then Cape Times Managing Editor Chris Greyvenstein why he only drank lime juice and soda at the Cafe Royal. “I used to drink with Norman Canale” was his answer! Enough said.

Get this book and read it. It’s available at leading South African bookshops and through the publishers, Don Nelson.

Footnote: One sour note. In the article on Rod Laver, the Rocket is listed as an American. Norman - you should know: Melbourne Sports Park’s main arena is called Rod Laver Arena for a reason - he’s an Aussie!

[The pic that says it all]

[news source: 7Sport]

As the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday morning, we sat glued to ESPN and heard the tones of Dennis Cometti and our ‘Bruce’ talking us through one of the most exciting Grand Finals ever.

George’s txt in the third quarter said it all: “I’m calling an ambulance”.

It’s a reply on Saturday. Pies, pick yourself up and hit them hard, twice. You can do it! For those of ‘youse‘ who would like to join the Magpie army at this late stage - here’s the application form to put more money into Eddie’s back sky:

 

[thanks, Nick]

YOH! I love your makarapa and vuvuzela - eish, it’s sharp sharp!”

Though many South Africans will understand this sentence, for those who do not, help is at hand.

The new Oxford South African Concise Dictionary defines these words in its latest edition, compiled by the dictionary’s unit for South African English at Rhodes University.

•yoh (also yho or yo): informal; expressing surprise, disbelief, shock or admiration.
•makarapa (noun) (also makaraba): 1. an elaborately decorated hard hat or miner’s helmet, worn as a headdress by supporters of a soccer or other sports team. 2 historical; a mineworker or migrant labourer. ORIGIN from Sesotho sa leboa, “men who work in the cities”.
•vuvuzela (noun) a long straight plastic horn, chiefly used by spectators at soccer matches.
•eish (also aish or heish), used to express a range of emotions, including surprise, annoyance and pain. ORIGIN: 1990s, from tsotsitaal.
•sharp sharp (also sharp): informal. 1 expressing approval, acceptance or agreement. 2 used as a greeting at meeting or parting.
Phillip Louw, of Oxford University Press Southern Africa, is the managing editor of the dictionary, which hit the shelves last month and took more than three years to compile.

[A Makarapa]

[News Source - www.timeslive.co.za]

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