Author Archives: Thabiso Malesele

South Africa faces an anxious wait over the fitness of powerful number eight Duane Vermeulen following his ankle surgery this week, but could have a ready-made replacement in uncapped Leicester Tigers back rower Jasper Wiese.

Vermeulen is in a race to be fit for the first test against the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town on July 24, with Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber suggesting he faced anything from five to 16 weeks on the sidelines with rehabilitation.

The World Cup winner is a massive presence at the back of the scrum, with both his ball-carrying ability and work on defence, and his absence would be a big blow to the team.

It could see captain Siya Kolisi move from flank to No. 8, or the introduction of Dan de Preez or Kwagga Smith in that position. But Nienaber admits Wiese has been one of the stand-out South African players in Europe this season.

“He had an opportunity to go and play in the Premiership and he really knocked the door down on that side,” Nienaber told reporters.

“He is really performing well … We got a good look at him, he is playing in a top competition against some of the best players in the world, and I think he is handling himself quite well. ”

He adds: “Jasper is in an environment where he is well looked after from a conditioning and coaching point of view. And there is good communication between us and Leicester. It’s always nice if that happens, if you’ve got that good relationship with a club.”

Wiese, 25, made little impression at the Free State Cheetahs before leaving for Leicester in July last year.

Australia’s top swimmers are gearing up for an Olympics like no other in Tokyo next month, but first they have to secure their spots on the team at this week’s highly competitive trials. Six days of intense competition begin at the South Australia Aquatic Centre on Saturday with two tickets to Tokyo on the line in each of the 28 events.

Extra tension will be added by holding the trials just six weeks before the Games begin, as opposed to the traditional three month lead-in, forcing the swimmers to peak twice in a short period of time.

Mitch Larkin, who won silver in the 200 metres backstroke in Rio and is bidding to race in his third Olympics, said the swimmers were taking things one challenge at a time after more than a year of COVID-19 disruption.

“We’ve just got to make the trials first, and then the team, and then we’ll go from there,” the 27-year-old, who will swim in the 200m individual medley this week, told reporters on Friday.

The 10 lanes of the competition pool were cluttered with about 60 swimmers getting in some last-minute practice for the trials, which have been overshadowed by the withdrawal of double Olympic silver medallist Madeline Groves. Reigning Olympic 100m freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers, swimming in his home pool, will take much of the spotlight this week, as will the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte.

Emma McKeon promises to be one of Australia’s best performers in Tokyo, while her fellow freestyler Ariarne Titmus and 19-year-old backstroker Kaylee McKeown have attracted plenty of attention with some fast times over the last couple of years.

After a disappointing past two Olympics in terms of medals won, it is imperative that Tokyo is far more rewarding for Australia’s swimmers in a sport that has contributed more than a third of the country’s Olympic medals across all sports.

In normal circumstances, that might place a huge burden of pressure on the team but Larkin said just going to Tokyo this year was going to be intimidating enough.

“It’s going to be daunting,” he said. “I don’t think anything is above COVID, we are just following the officials. “They say it’s safe so I think the Games can go ahead. I’m optimistic it will be a successful Games. I know the public probably don’t want us there but plenty of people do.”