05-December-2013 - SA Jewish Report

20 SA JEWISH REPORT Sport30 November – 7 December 20Perfecting the art of how not to lose6 December 2013 – 17 January 2014SportSA JEWISH REPORT 20Double Maccabi honours for Dean FurmanROCKING THE BOATJack MilnerTo I do win not the profess Maccabi to Sportsman be authority of the Year onaward rugby. is During a massive my honour. time To at be school awarded I actually intwo developed countries a has hatred to be for unique. the That game is because what hashappened it was continually to soccer player jammed Dean down Furman. ourthroats. Earlier this year he was one of three JewishsportsmenHowever,honouredas I gotby Maccabiolder andSouthbecameAfrica.Lastmoreweekinvolvedhe was namedin theSeniorworldSportspersonof sport andof the Year at the 2013 Maccabi Great Britainbegan to understand the nuts and boltsof the game, I actually began to enjoyit very much. Whatever I might think Iknow, I will always bow in admiration tothe likes of commentator Dan Retief whohas a marvellous understanding of thesport.However, what I have learned duringmy tears as a sports journalist is how toanalyse a game. As I said last week, I havealways tried to maintain my objectivityand not become a “fan with a pen”.Last Saturday I only managed to see thesecond half of the Springboks versus EnglandTest but on Sunday morning I satthrough the replay. Knowing the result,I could put the excitement of a closeencounter behind and dispassionatelyinterpret what I had watched.After a little thought I came to thefollowing conclusion: In simple terms, allthat won us the game was an inspirationalmoment from Willem Alberts in whichSports Awards.It has been quite a good month for the25-year-old footballer. He was a member of theBafana Bafana team that beat Spain 1 - 0 atthe FNB Stadium and a couple of days later hescored his first goal for Doncaster in their 2 - 1win over Yeovil. The unfortunate part of thatstory is that he was sent off later in the match.It is sort of ironic that the top sportsman hasnot been to a Maccabiah, but that is probablytrue for most professional sporting people.However, Dean says that is something he wouldeventually like to change. After receiving hisaward, he said: “One day, when my career’s over,I’d like to attend a Maccabiah – hopefully as aCricketer Faf du Plessis is supported by his team player. as he A pulls lot of off my a best stunning friends, save and of of the course secondTest match against Australia in Adelaide. my brother, played at a Maccabiah.“I’ve heard great things about it as well ashe took advantage of a lucky bounce ofreadingin thearticlesfinalandminutewatchingwasvideosone ofandtheI hopemostthe ball to score the only try - and furthermoresuperb defence by the Boks. For capitulation, the record Dean as if beat to say off Lillian they were Geey happyto inane be part I of have it sometime ever seen. in the That future.” was totalI have said for the past few years that (Tennis), to lose Ivan by one Green point. (Triathlon), Jon Kurrantthe Boks are unable to play 80 minutes of (Futsal) On and that Carol subject, Taylor (Powerlifting) I was the one to win personattacking rugby. In the final 20 minutes the absolutely award. delighted by that decisionof the game they were probably lucky to Maccabi as I had SA backed also honoured England him on prior a minus to this 2,5have spent two of those minutes in the year’s spread Maccabi and Games. that whacky He joined decision mountain sealedEngland half. The remaining 18 minutes climber me my Lance win. Metz and cyclist Kevin Evans aswas played somewhere on the Boks’ 22m the three There Jewish no sportsmen doubt we honoured. have someline.At wonderful the same event players Maccabi in our SA team, also gave but specialis awards never to certain three other down South which African garden sport-pathoneThere is little doubt that England,when it comes to attacking, are equally ing coach heroes Heyneke - swimmer Meyer Penny is Heyns, leading cricketer them.inept and they certainly had enough Makhaya But Ntini coming and rugby back player to defence: Joost van All der sportschances. We kept conceding penalties in Westhuizen. are made up of offence and defence. It isthe dying moments but one has to say vital to have a balanced share of both. Itthat England’s decision to go for posts is also an art to know at which point of aWhat’s Ongame one needs to defend a lead. Howeer, defence is seemingly quickly becomiwhat South African sport is all about.While the Boks held England at bayin the north, managing to cling to a onpoint win, the Proteas looked to be heaing for certain Test defeat Down Underas they ended the fourth day under thecosh at 77 for four wickets, chasing 430to win.The match looked all over, with a wifor Australia certainty, but AB de Villiers,Jacques Kallis and especially Faf dPlessis, had other ideas. De Villiers kepDu Plessis company for 68 overs and anobbled Kallis for another 40 overs inthe searing Adelaide heat, as Du PlessisDean Furman receives his award as Britain’s Maccabi Sportsman of the Year from Maccabi GB’sAshley Lerner.tenaciously defied the Australian bowliattack for nearly eight hours.Dean also believes that Gordon IgesundMany people would have found theis building a solid Bafana Bafana team andpushing and prodding mind-numbing tthat the result was no accident. “We hada gamewatch,plan.butWeitknewtakesthea specialSpanishkindteamof prowere ficiency going to and keep mental the ball aptitude for large to periods stay ouof the there game, for but seven we hours know we’ve and 46 got minutes, some igreat mainly players 34 who degrees can catch heat them and high on the humidcounter ity, with attack five and different the plan partners, worked to one ofperfection. whom could barely run, to defy a voraciousand tenacious we’re delighted Australian to get the attack win a“Obviously,in front save of a crucial our home match fans. for We his cannot country. hideour disappointment This was a monumental in not going effort, to theWorld performed Cup, but on we debut have to and look already forward. writte Ithink into we’ve the got folklore a terrific of South group African of players crickand history. the squad is gelling all the time.“Now So, we’re while getting we might stronger lack and the stronger attackinand prowess have shown of a what Genghis we can Khan, do against South the Africanteam sport in the has world.” elevated the art of defencbestto another level. I suppose there is anadvantage in playing not to lose...And, Summer Cup bowled over by a Yorker!Sunday (December 2)• RCHCC is rescreening the award-winningfilm, “The Debt”, directed by JohnMadden and starring Helen Mirren,Sam Worthington, Jessica Castain andTom Wilkinson. Venue: Clive M BeckAuditorium. Time: 19:30. Donation:R60. Booking: Hazel or René (011) 728-8088/8378, after hours (011) 728-8378,e-mail: rchcc@telkomsa.net or rene.s@telkomsa.net or www.greatpark.co.za• JJMC, with musical director EvelynGreen presents a musical tribute to theDoornfontein Hebrew Congregation(Lions Shul), “Memories of Yesteryear”,as a fundraiser for the shul. The repertoirewill encompass traditional Jewishsongs. Secure parking. Time: 15:00.Tickets available from Darla at R200.083-794-6358 darlabrook@hotmail.comMonday (December 3)• UJW is hosting Marcia Leveson, formerprofessor of English at Wits, on “PleaseSir, I Want Some More”, Charles Dickensand children in this his bicentenaryyear. Time: 09:30. Contact: (011) 648-1053, fax 086 273-3044. Donation:R20. Join UJW for an informal tea afterthe lecture.Thursday (December 6)• UJW CT adult education division hostsIsaac Habib who will talk on “Jewish Lifein the Island of Rhodes – From Beginningto End”. Venue: Stonehaven. Time:10:00 for 10:30. Entrance: R20 (inclrefreshments). Enquiries: (021) 434-9555.Friday (December 7)• The United Sisterhood has its yearendbook sale at the Benmore GardensShopping Centre. Unwanted books andmagazine donations are gladly accepted.Contact: Tel (011) 646-2409; fax (011)646-4654.JACK MILNERIt is wonderful when sportsmen give off a positivevibe but that was not true of jockey Anton Marcuslast week. He said he was just “hopeful” aboard theBernard Kantor-owned Yorker in the Sansui SummerCup.Anton, however, demonstrated why he has beenchampion jockey on so many occasions with abrilliant ride aboard the son of Jet Master. Just ashis stable companion, Master Sabina, looked all overa winner in the centre of the course, Anton broughtYorker on the scene to win by 0,50 lengths.“I didn’t think he would stay. In the Charity Milehe moved up strongly with a double handful anddidn’t finish. He was very fit that day so I had myreservations about the extra 400m.”“But for the first time he dropped the bit thewhole way and settled.”Yorker, who went off at 8 - 1, runs in the coloursof Bernard Kantor and is owned in partnershipwith Markus and Ingrid Jooste and Jim Lewis.Geoff Woodruff, who pulled off an amazing featby training the first three horses past the post,said Yorker would go to Cape Town for the summerand the aim would be to run him in the R1million Queen’s Plate and then the R2,5-millionJ&B Met.World News in BriefPOPE CALLS FOR END TO PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, NEW ME PEACE EFFORTSNOW AVAILABLE IN-STORE“The church encourages all efforts for peace in the world and in the Middle East, a peace that willWide range of Fairview Estate cheesesROME - At a gathering in Rome with Lebanon’s new cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI launched a new appealfor peace in Syria and the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.only be effective if it is based on authentic respect for other people,” Pope Benedict told the gathering,which included several Lebanese pilgrims.He also spoke out concerning the plight of Christians from their traditional homelands throughout theMiddle East, calling for them to be able to “live their faith freely”.Christian communities have come under assault by Muslims amid the upheaval related to theKosherWorld 10x8 261113.indd 1Find us inside KosherWorld“Arab Spring”. Tens of thousands of Syrian Christians have fl ed from the civil war there, while Egypt’sCoptic Christian community fears the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultra-extremist Salafigroups to power.Recently, several Coptic Christian teenage women were been assaulted by other women on Cairosubways because their hair was uncovered. Many Coptic women are now afraid to ride the transit systemin fear of being assaulted or sexually harassed, according to Morning Star News. (JNS.org)2013/11/27 2:34 PM