Van Zyl, who is the current coach of Gestetner Diamond Eagles, is a former National cricketer who represented his country in two One Day Internationals in 1992.
After the recent shock resignation of national cricket coach Mickey Arthur, CorrieVan Zyl was appointed acting coach for the Proteas National Cricket side for their tour to India.
The team recently drew the 2-test-match series against the number-one ranked Indians.
Corrie Van Zyl in Hong Kong (Pic: Mike Jansen)
Everyone who were in attendance at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Sunday November 1, 2009 will remember the nail-biting Final between South Africa and hosts Hong Kong. Set a modest target of 98 runs to win the US$55,000 first prize, the South Africans left it late with Farhaan Behardien smashing a massive six off the final delivery from Hong Kong’s Mark Wright to clinch the title.
The advertising boards are flattened by the SA players after Behardien’s six. (Pic: Mike Jansen)
The win was a cruel blow for the hosts Hong Kong who impressed with the their performance throughout the tournament and was set for their first-ever win.
Scroll to around 7:28 of the following clip to refresh your memory. Colleen Thane and her loyal gang of Saffas are featured at the beginning, while yours truly also feature in there happily snapping away with my camera. Papparazzi!
After the final ball, CEO of Cricket South Africa Gerald Majola suddenly appeared from a VIP Box to congratulate the team:
“You’re the man! Fancy going to India, Corrie?” Did they know something we didn’t? (Pic: Mike Jansen)
However, there was no fairytale finish for the Proteas in their first One Day International on the sub-continent. India beat South Africa in the first one-day-er under the tutelage of Corrie Van Zyl in another tense finish.
This time there was no Farhaan Behardien when Wayne Parnell was run out off the final delivery, attempting a second run that would have tied the match, to leave the Proteas on 297 all out in reply to India’s 298-9.
The second match in the series of One Day Internationals will be played in Gwalior on Wednesday and the third in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
After a rather dismal start to their IRB Sevens World Series title defence this season, The South African Sevens side started off their USA Sevens campaign with a much better performance overall. The American gambling capital of Las Vegas is currently hosting first-ever Sevens Rugby tournament. (Pictured in Vegas: Frankie Horne)
Day 1 of the USA Sevens started in the wee hours Sunday February 14 (03:00) where the BlitzBokke were pitted against (second on the IRB log) Fiji, hosts the USA and their northern neighbors Cananda.
The South Africans finished in second place of Pool B by beating Canada (33-0) and the USA (33-12). They went on to lose a closely-fought match against against Fiji (5-12).
With an hour and a half to go to the start of the knock-out rounds of the USA Sevens, South Africa is set to play New Zealand in the Cup Quarter-finals.
The USA Sevens knock-out rounds starts with the Quarter-finals at around 03:00 on Monday morning (Hong Kong time).
Follow all the action on our sister-website, BlitzBokke.com
Today, 20 years ago, Nelson Mandela walked through the gates of the Victor Verster prison near Paarl in the Western Cape. A free man after 27 years behind bars.
While typing this, I am listening to South African radio stations streaming live over the internet, in particular CapeTalk/702 who is broadcasting live from what used to be called the Victor Verster prison (now called the Drakenstein prison) and Mandela’s ‘home’ for about 18 months of his 27 years behind bars.
All through today, ex-political prisoners, cabinet ministers and other dignitaries have been arriving at the prison where special celebrations are being held.
A common question asked by the media on this 20th celebration is “Where were you when Nelson Mandela became a free man?”
Twenty years ago to the day, I was a student at university where I was assisting new students during the university’s orientation week. I remember that on that particular Sunday, we were meeting at the university residences when word came that Nelson Mandela was about to be released and would speak at the Grand Parade in Cape Town.
Needless to say, the meeting ended abruptly as we hurriedly made plans to join the throngs in the Cape Town city centre. What a day it was. Both chaotic and celebratory. This was the headline of a Cape Town “struggle newspaper” called Grassroots on the historic day:
Thousands of rugby fans witnessed some of the finest silverware on offer in the game when the South African Rugby Union’s Champions Tour made its first five stops in and around Cape Town during the past four days.
Pride of place on the impressive customised truck is reserved for current Springbok Sevens captain Mzwandile Stick, shown in full flight.
The Tour started on Friday morning at the University of the Western Cape(UWC), where schoolchildren from primary schools in the area were the first to set foot on SARU’s 15-metre trailer filled with every trophy won by South African teams during an incredible 2009, as well as the Rugby World Cup. UWC students and staffed also flocked to the truck, taking time out from their studies to see trophies such as the Webb Ellis Cup, the Vodacom Tri-Nations trophy and the very popular Absa Currie Cup, amongst others.
The weekend’s activities concluded with Stormers players, including Springbok wing Bryan Habana, joining the Champion Tour at Canal Walk. “You, the fans, stand central to all the successes we’ve achieved on the rugby fields of the world during the last few years. Without you, this Tour would not have been possible and it’s great to be able to give back in this way,”said Habana.
The Champion Tour also called in at one of the oldest Test venues in the world – Newlands. Kids and their parents camping on the hallowed turf as part of a sleepover organized by Club Newlands walked over to see the trophies.
Saturday was spent at the very impressive new Cape Town Stadium, one of the host stadiums for the FIFA Soccer World Cup. Thousands of supporters who attended the friendly match between Boland and the Vodacom Stormers crossed the truck – which proved a very popular attraction during an history day with the first rugby match in the new stadium in Green Point.
On Sunday the Champion Tour went to two very popular Cape Town shopping spots – first up was Kenilworth Centre after which it wound its way to Canal Walk, where Habana was among the Vodacom Stormers signing autographs.
The Champions Tour now enters the Boland and Griquas regions, with stops planned in Paarl, Stellenbosch, Robertson, Worcester and Wellington before it heads up the West Coast.
I can probably write a book on the many times over the ten years my family and I have encountered African stereotyping in Asia. Most of these times these encounters have been quite funny while often I needed to explain to my kids why people over here said or did something to them that they didn’t understand.
Because I can probably “write a book” about the topic, I have have chosen to make this introductory post Part 1 as I would like to find and show you more recent instances of negative African stereotyping that occur here in Hong Kong to the day.
However, I want to use this first post to show you that this kind of negative portrayal is not limited to China. Here is one example by…. wait for it:
Following my post on the disappointing SA result at the NZI Sevens in Wellington today, this is how the South China Morning Post saw yesterday’s action:
(If you’re into sailing like me, breaking news about next year’s Louis Vuitton Trophy right here in Victoria Harbour, outside my lounge window in fact, will follow on Howzit-HongKong.com tomorrow!)
With the 2010 Hong Kong Sevens fast approaching, it is rather disheartening that the South African Sevens team is showing such poor form. When asked in a recent interview with irb.com about their objective for this season, Springbok coach Paul Treu answered that they’re would like to WIN the Hong Kong Sevens (for the first time).
After a great start in Pool A of the NZI Sevens in Wellington, where the BlitzBokke beat both World Cup Champions Wales and minnows Nuie, they went on to lose the final pool-game to hosts New Zealand and had to contend with Fiji in the Cup quarter-finals (this morning).
Fiji proved too strong for the South Africans, who lost their fifth consecutive game against the Islanders (5-21). South Africa then went on to beat Canada in the semi-final of the Plate competition (29-5) to advance to the Plate Final against Australia.
The band of young Aussies were too spirited for South Africa who failed to capitalise on their opportunities, with the Australian ending as the victors by a narrow margin (22-26).
South Africa took 8 points from Wellington and are currently placed 7th on the 10-team IRB log.
The IRB Sevens World Series now moves on to the US gambling den of Las Vegas next weekend.
Catch all the action on Howzit-HongKong.com’s sister site: BlitzBokke.com
With the Hong Kong Sevens 2010 and Hugh Bladen’s appearance at the SAAHK’s Sevens Dinner fast approaching, I was planning to introduce all our readers to a blog called “Over to Hugh.” Run by two very enterprising young blokes called “Blades” and “Chowgaps,” Over to Hugh parodies the famous South African commentator using everything from the real Blades’ love for a good Scotch to his trademark words and phrases.
Catch Hugh Bladen at the SAAHK’s Sevens Dinner in March 2010.
However, in the light of the sad passing of “the voice of rugby” Mr Bill MCLaren last month, a video on their website made me decide to use this opportunity to give you a sneak preview of “Over to Hugh” while paying tribute to the great Scotsman.
William Pollock “Bill” McLaren CBE (16 October 1923 – 19 January 2010) was a Scottish rugby union commentator. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as ‘the voice of rugby’. Renowned throughout the sport, his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many rugby lovers the world over.
Before I went home to Cape Town in July 2009, having to endure fellow patrons smoking in my favourite watering hole was quite a chore. However, when I returned to Hong Kong in September, most (granted in some places at the time, not all) had changed and smokers were banished to the sidewalk. There were even dedicated smoking areas in “sitting out areas,” public parks and outside company offices.
However, these days we non-smokers have to contend with street corners filled with smokers gathered around garbish bins equipped with ashtrays. Some puffers don’t even need ashtray bins, they just gather on street corners and flicking their stompies* in the nearest drain!
Having said all that, recently I came across a copy of a radio advertisement for a famous South African cigarette brand from waaay back and I have to confess, it brought a nostalgic smile to my face!
Hearing it took me back to the (segregated) cinemas of my youth where cigarettes adverts were still the order of the day. The same adverts that made the likes of the Rupert family filthy rich! In fact so rich that they even own Shanghai Tang.
The days when, in addition to Bruce Lee karate classics, all we could watch were cowboy (Western) movies with a big, bearded guy called Bud Spencer moering* thinner, considerably smaller okes. There were also the Afrikaans classics featuring a bloke called Lieb Bester, running through Boland vineyards, singing and chasing after Afrikaans doedies*! I still remember Bester’s penchant for khaki outfits!
Let’s see what you make of this:
Colloquialisms:
* Stompies – Afrikaans word meaning cigarette butts
* moering – Afrikaans word for hitting
* doedies – Afrikaans word for girls
Below: The ubiquitous Hong Kong smokers’ hangout (Pic: Mike Jansen)
February is an important month in the history of our “New South Africa” or commonly called our “new democracy.”
February 2, 20 years ago to the day, then State President FW De Klerk made the bold announcement that his government, led by the National Party was to unban the African National Congress and release it’s iconic leader Nelson Rholihlahla Mandelafrom Victor Verster prison.
Addressing the opening of parliament in Cape Town on February 2 1990, De Klerk, who had been president only a few months, caused shock by announcing the reversal of a ban on the African National Congress and dozens of other political parties, trade unions and human rights groups.
De Klerk also announced Mandela’s unconditional release after 27 years behind bars for resisting racist rule, as part of a series of steps aimed at enfranchising the black majority and drafting a new democratic constitution.
America has their “Black History Month.” February being such a watershed in our country’s history, Howzit-HongKong.com wants to ask you:
Where were you when De Klerk made that announcement?
Below: Former SA Presidents Mandela & De Klerk accepting their Nobel Peace Prize.
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