DUPONT HAILS FRANCE GRIT AFTER 21-19 RUGBY STUNNER OVER SOUTH AFRICA

 

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PARIS — Captain Antoine Dupont praised the mentality and resilience of his France teammates after their stunning 21-19 takedown of world champion South Africa in Nations Championship rugby on Friday.

The French played at a breathless tempo in the first half and built a 21-7 lead. They spent most of the second half with 14 men and getting ground down in scrums and mauls but withstood the Springboks’ inevitable comeback to achieve a statement win.

The Six Nations champion beat South Africa at the Stade de France for the first time since 2005 and bolstered its lead in the northern hemisphere standings. France hosts Argentina next weekend and should clinch a berth in the final in two weeks at Twickenham.

“It’s important to win these games, and it shows the mindset of this team,” Dupont said. “We were able to contain them when they came into our half, we were able to fight and hold the score until the end.

“The South Africans always push us to our limits. Tonight, there wasn’t one guy who slacked off, not one who took a rest. We saw a great attitude.”

Dupont wore the No. 10 jersey in a test for the first time because of a spate of flyhalf injuries but he played mainly at scrumhalf to be closer to the ball and was the best player on the pitch. He set up a try for Louis Bielle-Biarrey, held up Pieter-Steph du Toit over the tryline and his vision on both sides of the ball was typically remarkable.

He acknowledged only one of France’s three converted tries came off the training ground, the 16-phase effort finished by winger Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, including a kick-pass by Dupont.

“We weren’t able to show the full range of what we had worked on in training,” he said. “Tonight, it was mainly a question of energy and attitude.”

Also outstanding were No. 8 and former captain Grégory Alldritt, recalled for the first time in a year after Paul Boudehent was injured against Fiji last weekend, and rookie lock Florian Verhaege, who has been grabbing his chance in the absence of the injured Thibaud Flament.

- Associated Press

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SOUTH AFRICA SECURE EMPHATIC WIN OVER NEIGHBOURS NAMIBIA AT CUP OF NATIONS

Reuters 

 South Africa veteran Themba Zwane scored twice as they comfortably overcame neighbours Namibia 4-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Group E clash on Sunday to boost their chances of progressing to the last-16.

Zwane’s double at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium came after Percy Tau converted a 14th-minute penalty, having fired one wide in their first match against Mali last week, while substitute Thapelo Maseko netted the fourth.

The 34-year-old Zwane scored twice in the space of 15 minutes to take a first-half lead from which Namibia never recovered.

South Africa, whose victory margin was the biggest of the tournament in the Ivory Coast, moved ahead of Namibia on goal difference in the standings, behind leaders Mali who have four points but two points ahead of top-seeded Tunisia, who have one.

OOSTHUIZEN CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK WINS WITH MAURITIUS OPEN SUCCESS

USA TODAY Sports 

Louis Oosthuizen completed back-to-back wins on the DP World Tour with a two-shot victory at the Mauritius Open on Sunday, overcoming early jitters to card a final round 69 at the new La0y Reserve Golf Club, a course he helped to design.

The South African last week claimed the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek for his first tournament success in five years, and he repeated the feat six days later with a 17 under-par score, two ahead of England’s Laurie Canter (68, 15 under-par).

WILLIAMS TAKES FIRST-ROUND LEAD AT LEOPARD CREEK

Anglo-South African Robin Williams, ranked 924th in the world, shot a seven-under-par 65 for a one-shot lead after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Thursday at the Leopard Creek Country Club on the border of the Kruger Park.

The 22-year-old Williams, born in South Africa and now playing under the country’s flag despite growing up in Britain and playing amateur golf for England, made four birdies in his opening seven holes and then another four on the back nine for an early clubhouse lead.

He is one shot ahead of Jayden Schaper, another 22-year-old local who was tied fifth in last week’s South African Open, and Manuel Elvira of Spain.

A further six players sit on five-under-par, including Scott Jamieson from Scotland and New Zealander Samuel Jones.

Dean Burmester, who has won back-to-back events on the DP World Tour over the last fortnight and more than 400,000 euros ($431,560) in prize money, shot a first round 69.

Defending champion Ockie Strydom was one under par after dropping three shots on the final three holes.

($1 = 0.9269 euros)

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SOUTH AFRICA'S 'BLANE RUNNER' PISTORIUS GETS PAROLE A DECADE AFTER KILLING GIRLFRIEND

Reuters 

Jailed South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was granted parole on Friday more than 10 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, and will be released on Jan. 5, authorities said.

Pistorius - known as the "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot the 29-year-old model and law graduate through a bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013, and later repeatedly told courts he had mistaken her for an intruder.

The Steenkamps' family lawyer said on Friday they were not surprised by the parole decision, issued after Pistorius had completed a set portion of his sentence.

But in the run-up to Friday's hearing, Reeva Steenkamp's mother June released a statement saying she was not convinced Pistorius had been rehabilitated.

"Rehabilitation requires someone to engage honestly with the full truth of his crime and the consequences thereof," her statement read.

She said she had forgiven him "long ago as I knew most certainly that I would not be able to survive if I had to cling to my anger".

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