Kzn LifeStyle Magazine #12

KZN LIFE STYLE 

Magazine 

EDITION #012 ▪ September 2016 

Cleaning 

YourHouse 

With Pets 

Why Artificial 

Grass Is 

Superior to 

Natural Grass 

HOW TO 

WAKE UP 

SUCCESSFULLY 

Craft Beers and 

Microbrewery A Trend 

That Is Here to Stay 

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arts - entertainment - health - beauty - movies - gossip - fitness - food

2 

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Kzn Lifestyle Magazine • Issue 12

Cleaning 

3 

Your 

House 

With Pets 

Today let’s talk 

a little about 

keeping your 

house clean 

with pets. Okay, 

okay this is not the fun thing 

to always talk about, but I’m 

sure it’s a daily struggle for 

all of us pet owners. Constant 

shedding from almost 

every kind of dog and cat 

is bound to happen. From 

the day you welcome a new 

puppy or kitten into your 

home you know the task 

of keeping up after them is 

there. 

Living in town and a yard 

that wasn’t fenced in I already 

knew that I wasn’t going 

to have an outdoor dog. 

She was indoor and had 

free reign with most of the 

house, aside from the spare 

bedrooms. I watched her like 

a hawk when I brought her 

home and for the first two 

days I was pretty good at 

reading her signs as to when 

she needed to go out. But I 

wasn’t always fast enough. 

There were the few accidents 

that of course I was 

pretty diligent at cleaning up 

right away and making sure 

to spray the carpet or hard 

wood to deter her from going 

there again. 

As the days, weeks and 

months go by your puppy will 

be getting better at letting 

you know when they need 

to go out and just about the 

time you think you have a 

handle on it, BAM... the poor 

thing gets sick. Either with a 

new food change or something 

that is causing your 

poor pet digestive issues, 

you now have another clean 

up situation. Whether that 

means a carpet spray or 

hardwood cleaning or it entails 

the full body suit clothes 

pin on the nose and rubber 

gloves to your elbows, it’s 

gotta get cleaned up. Then 

there is the smell to contend 

with. 

Finding the solution to work 

in your home to control the 

smell and cleaning can be 

hard. Here are a few things I 

do that seem to help a lot. 

Spot Scrub. 

Wherever the scene of the 

crime is I start with spot 

scrubbing. Odor killing and 

stain removal for pets are 

the two biggest things I look 

for in a spot cleaner. 

Baking Soda. 

Baking soda helps to deodorize 

a room. If it’s my 

carpet I start by sprinkling 

around the area and if the 

smell is still pretty bad I let 

the container in the room to 

absorb the smell. This also 

works wonders in kitty litter 

boxes. When I change them 

I sprinkle it in the bottom of 

their litter box and on the 

floor under the box. Baking 

soda and vinegar water is a 

perfect stain remover when 

steam cleaning and scrubbing 

your carpet. 

Grooming and bathing your 

dog. 

Oh yes the difference this 

makes in the smell of my 

house is amazing! Especially 

as I was dealing with 

an allergy that made her skin 

have a terrible odor. Grooming 

was essential for my dog 

with allergies. 

Vacuum every day. 

I try to keep up with my 

vacuuming. I don’t always 

do it every day but I try to. I 

also use baking soda before 

I vacuum and let it sit in the 

carpet about a half hour before 

running the sweeper. 

Odor control room spray. 

This one is a big one. I 

always have a spray bottle 

of odor control spray to 

help freshen up the house 

especially before any visitors 

come. 

Cleaning can be a daunting 

task as a pet owner but we 

could never trade that for all 

the love and affection we get 

from our loving furry friends. 

If you are looking for great 

Odor control and stain 

removers that I use come 

shop here today. At http:// 

www.petsupplypro.com/ has 

your needs for cleaning supplies 

and also for grooming. 

Come shop today! Also we 

love to here from our customers 

and their pets. 


4 

How To Wake Up 

Successfully 


5 

The mere 

title of this article 

makes me 

chuckle. 

But yes, we all 

are really good at hitting 

the snooze button when the 

clock strikes and telling ourselves 

“just 5 more minutes”. 

Before you know it, you 

either are 30 minutes late 

for work or have completely 

overslept for 3 hours and 

missed your Sunday morning’s 

fellowship session. 

Not quite productive huh? 

Here are 3 quick tips for you 

to defeat the evil Snooze 

Monster that’s residing 

within us so that you can 

finally start your day in the 

right way. 

Tip #1 Use a fitness band or 

sleep timer app 

Yes, technologies can help 

you track how well you 

sleep, how rigorous you 

move, and how you want to 

be awakened in the morning. 

Fitbit and Jawbone are 

some of the most popular 

sleep tracking devices in the 

market. 

Alternatively, if you have 

an iPhone, apps like Sleep 

Time, Sleep Cycle or Sleepbot 

can come in handy. 

These iOS app use the accelerometer 

to monitor your 

movements and will give you 

data on how your rest has 

been. 

With these gadgets, you can 

play around your sleeping 

schedule and see what fits 

your physiology well. They 

can also wake you up when 

you’re in your lightest sleep 

so you struggle less getting 

out of bed. 

If a hundred buck can kill 

the snooze monster forever, 

that’s a no-brainer investment 

for yourself. 

Tip #2 Turn On The Lights! 

We sleep well in darkness, 

but natural or artificial lights 

stimulate the light receptors 

in our brain which will 

produce serotonin to wake 

us up. 

So once the alarm clock 

roars, get up and open your 

curtains or blinds and let 

some lights in. 

For bonus hack, go do your 

bed and fold your blankets 

nicely. 

This not only requires you to 

start moving your body but 

also helps you accomplish a 

small win in your first minute 

of the day. 

Navy SEAL Admiral William 

H. McRaven suggested 

that making our bed give 

us a small sense of pride, 

which will encourage us to 

complete another task after 

another. 

It’s a simple productive trick 

to make sure you really live 

fully every day. 

Tip #3 Get Out Of Your 

Room And Have A Cold 

Water Splash! 

If you don’t leave your room 

after a minute, it’s very likely 

you’re going to crawl back to 

your bed. 

So once you’ve done your 

bed, get your butt out of the 

bedroom and have a cold 

shower. Not only it’s for your 

hygiene purposes, but it’s 

also a guaranteed way to 

fully wake your body up! 

(Of course, consult your doctor 

if you are uncertain about 

your health condition.) 

To make it more enjoyable, 

turn up your favorite music 

and sing along. Make your 

first 15 minutes of the day 

awesome, happy and fun so 

you look forward to it every 

night you sleep. 

With only these 3 tips, you’re 

ready to rock your morning 

and have an awesome day. 


6 

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Greek-Style Chicken Salad 

INGREDIENTS 

Pita chips: 

1 1/2 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, cut into 11 wedges 

Cooking spray 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon paprika 

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

Chicken salad: 

2 tablespoons chopped red onion 

1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt 

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

2 ounces chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken (about 1 cup) 

Parsley salad: 

3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 

1/2 cup chopped English cucumber 

2 tablespoons chopped red onion 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 

2 teaspoons olive oil 

Preparation 

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1. Preheat oven to 400°. 

2. To prepare pita chips, arrange 

pita wedges on a baking 

sheet; coat with cooking 

spray. Combine cumin, paprika, 

and oregano in a small bowl; 

sprinkle over pita wedges. Bake 

at 400° for 10 minutes or until 

toasted. Reserve 5 pita chips for 

3. To prepare chicken salad, 

combine 2 tablespoons chopped 

red onion and next 5 ingredients 

(through chicken) in a bowl. 

4. To prepare parsley salad, 

combine parsley and remaining 

ingredients in a bowl; top 

with 1/2 cup chicken salad and 

remaining 6 pita chips. 


7 

Why Artificial Grass Is 

Superior to Natural Grass 

A 

beautiful house 

with a beautiful 

garden is 

something 

which most of 

us desire for. The fact that 

growing natural grass in a 

garden is not an easy task. It 

requires things which are beyond 

our control like soil texture 

in that region, climatic 

conditions and similar other 

natural factors. But due to 

the advent of technology, we 

have this stunning alternate 

option, artificial grass. 

Let’s compare both of them 

and figure out which one of 

them is superior... 

First, the ultimate reason 

why we want to have a lush 

green grass surrounding our 

place is because they uplift 

the outdoor space with their 

natural beauty. Both the 

grasses qualify here as both 

look stunningly great and 

awesome. Some even call 

artificial grass as an exact 

replica of natural grass. 

Once the appearance and 

beauty is done, then comes 

the real test. The durability 

and long lasting feature. This 

is the point where artificial 

one is superior than the natural 

one. The reason behind 

this is the premium quality 

of synthetic fibres used in 

the manufacturing process. 

They are soft, durable and 

hard wearing. Some of the 

grasses come with an impressive 

10 years of the warranty 

period. This means, 

once you installed these 

grasses, they are going to 

remain fresh and green for 

years to come. So, you don’t 

need to worry about them at 

all. These grasses can withstand 

harsh weather conditions 

and remain at bay from 

wear and tear. And as far as 

natural grass is concerned, 

they are not going to remain 

fresh and green for long, if 

you stop maintaining them. 

Here we come on the maintenance 

factor. As mentioned 

in the previous para, 

natural grass needs maintenance 

on a regular basis, 

whereas artificial grass has 

a low maintenance cost or 

even very negligible. So, 

once you are done with the 

installation process, you 

just need to relax and chill 

in your garden. This grass 

does not require any watering 

or mowing which saves 

you a lot of time and money. 

Artificial grasses come 

with a UV resistant feature, 

which ensure that the 

grass remains fresh and 

green throughout the years, 

especially when installed in 

outdoor locations. Although, 

natural grasses had no such 

issues and they remained 

fresh and green throughout 

their lifetime. 

Artificial grass is a practical 

solution for huge areas like 

commercial parks as little or 

no maintenance is required. 

This saves a lot of money 

and time as compared to 

having natural grass at such 

locations. 


8 

Reasons 

to Love 

Red 

WIne 


9 

Red wine is the purest and 

most loved liquor of the 

world. Red wine is preferred 

over other wines because 

of its various qualities that 

make it a cherished drink. It 

is rated very highly for being 

a health drink by some 

leading health bulletins. The 

alcohol content generally 

ranges between 12 to 15 %. 

The most common varieties 

of red wine are shiraz, pinot 

noir, merlot, zinfandel and 

cabernet sauvignon. 

It is made of dark grapes, 

it takes intense violet color 

initially but later it takes red 

brick color as it matures with 

time. Its production is a long 

tedious process but it could 

be understood in short. This 

red color comes from the 

skin of the grapes which 

consists of anthocyanin 

pigments which give rich 

texture, taste, besides colour 

that attracts all. Red wine is 

given treatment at the winery 

during fermentation. The 

process starts with selected 

grapes going through stainless 

steel crushers and later 

preservatives are added 

which help on timely fermenting 

as well as maintain 

good quality and texture to 

the drink. Yeast is added 

and later is goes through the 

cooling process and then the 

pressing, the second transformation 

through microbiological 

takes place. This is 

a very important process in 

wine making. Later it is kept 

to mature and the process 

is called racking and ageing. 

The older the wine is 

the better quality it would be. 

Then fining is done to rectify 

any faults in post production 

of the wine. Wine is filtered 

and finally bottling takes 

place. Bottling is generally 

done in glass 

bottles with 

cork stoppers 

which give it 

a classic look. 

Consumption 

of wine depends 

on the 

menu being 

served with 

it. Red wine 

is always 

preferred 

with heavy 

red meat 

and roasted, 

roasted, cuisine 

whereas 

white wine 

is taken with 

light snacks 

like fish and 

poultry items. 

Red wine 

is the most 

loved liquor 

or drinks in this universe 

for various reasons. The 

foremost reason is that it is 

good for health if taken in a 

moderate quantity. It lowers 

the cholesterol and its 

consumption prevents heart 

ailments and some form of 

cancer as well. As grapes 

contain antioxidants which 

prevent oxidative damage 

to our body and act as a 

preventive measure in many 

types of cancer. In a recently 

published journal is stated 

that intake of red wine lowers 

the blood sugar level. 

In women, if taken in small 

quantity, it can prevent type 

2 diabetes and it lowers sex 

hormonal levels and protect 

against breast cancer. Thus 

we can make out why it is 

so highly rated by everyone, 

as it takes care of our heart 

which is the most important 

part of our body. Today’s life 

is full of stress and pressures 

and we take various 

measures to release stress 

including medicines which 

may have some side effects 

but your friend red wine can 

relieve stress and relax your 

nerves. Well if you catch a 

cold you do not have to take 

any specified medicine for 

it, just a regular glass of red 

wine will solve your problem. 

We do not have to think 

twice as it takes care of our 

health as a trusted doctor 

and friend. 

Now on a lighter note, it 

is the most loved drink at 

dinner time, as it goes well 

with our cherished hot, spicy 

red meat. Intake of it with 

food helps in digestion of 

heavy food. Ladies are very 

particular of their looks and 

slim fit body and take some 

drastic measures to bring it 

back to shape. Many go for 

surgery, medication, yoga, 

aerobics, but for all this, we 

need time and guidance or it 

may backfire too. In such a 

case lovely ladies prefer to 

have an enjoyable glass of 

red wine and get rid of extra 

fat and toxins is their body. 

We always want a true genuine 

friend in our life and red 

wine is our true companion 

and friend which gives us 

good health as well as gives 

us makes our dinner and life 

interesting and enjoyable. 

So “cheers” and enjoy our 

life. 

Read my article on Red 

Wine and know the various 

reasons why it is loved so 

much my all. 


10 

Craft 

Beers and 

Microbrewery: 

A Trend 

That Is 

Here to 

Stay 


11 

No matter the 

place of the 

world we 

choose to go 

for a drink, it 

is becoming more and more 

common to find, next to the 

industrial beer supplier, a 

wide range of craft beers. 

Some of these bars even 

experiment with microbrewing, 

using recipes of their 

own creation, and providing 

a unique experience to their 

customers. 

The microbreweries boom is 

clearly growing and gaining 

popularity. Many people take 

it as a recreational activity 

which leads them to acquire 

kits with everything needed 

to produce beer at home, 

and others, with entrepreneurial 

spirits, venture to 

start their own microbrewery 

business. 

Interested? Would you like to 

know more? 

Here we show you the basics 

about microbrewing... 

Broadly, to produce beer, 

you need to begin with the 

malt, which can be obtained 

from any grain (usually 

barley or wheat). This “grain” 

must be germinated for a 

short period and then dried 

to remove the germ. 

The malt must be macerated 

at different temperatures to 

obtain the wort, which must 

then be filtered, cooked 

and fermented with yeast. 

After leaving it to rest for 

several days, the resulting 

substance (your homemade 

beer) may be bottled and 

drunk. 

Main beer types... 

*Ale: fermented at higher 

temperatures, between 15 

°C and 20 °C (59 °F to 68 

°F) and sometimes at 24 °C 

(75 °F). They are usually 

very pale and their flavor is 

fruity/sweet. 

*Lager: fermented at lower 

temperatures, between 

10 and 18 °C (10-64 °F). 

Nowadays, Lagers represent 

the majority of produced 

beers, where Pilsen (Check 

Republic) stands out as the 

most popular. They can be 

light or dark, and the main 

difference between Lagers 

and Ales is the type of yeast 

used (which also dictates 

the brewing techniques). 

*Lambic: these beers were 

first made in Brussels (Belgium). 

They get fermented 

by using wild yeasts and 

their flavor is acid and bitter 

due to the hop (used to avoid 

excessive bitterness). 

*Mixed: these beers are 

the result of the spontaneous 

fermentation of Ale and 

Lager types, in different 

proportions defined by the 

brewmaster. 

So... What makes craft beers 

so special? 

Both industrial and craft 

beers have the same base: 

malt, hop, yeast and water. 

The main differences 

between them are: the 

quality and origin of these 

ingredients, the formulas 

created by producers, and 

the production processes. 

It is in these details where 

the mastery and soul of who 

produces is stamped, giving 

the beer an identity. 

In addition, microbrewers 

sometimes include native 

or exotic ingredients that 

give different nuances to the 

beer. The possibilities are 

endless: citrus aromas, hints 

of chocolate, fruits, rose petals, 

caramel, pepper, herbs, 

and so on... 

Craft beers are usually not 

pasteurized, so they are 

considered a “living product”. 

On the other hand, they 

contain less gas than industrial 

beers, since they only 

contain the gas produced 

naturally during fermentation. 

Are they here to stay? 

The tendency to prefer craft 

beers is getting stronger 

and stronger, as the public 

begins to seek higher 

quality products. Hence, 

the number of microbreweries 

has doubled in the UK 

since 2008, with an amazing 

number of 1,490 in total, 

representing a quarter of 

all microbreweries across 

Europe. 

In wine regions, such as 

France, and Italy, and also 

in countries as Poland and 

Norway, the number of 

microbreweries has doubled 

between 2008 and 2013. In 

Spain, in the last 8 years, 

the number of microbreweries 

has jumped from 21 to 

361, which is an amazing 

increase of 1600%. 

In the USA, 8 out of 100 

beers are crafted. They are 

considered as pioneers in 

this area, and could almost 

be considered responsible 

for the generalization of 

this trend, even though the 

process was slow, with more 

than 35 years of hard work 

and perseverance, that has 

left more than 2,400 breweries. 

Thus, to enjoy these 

amazing beers is no longer 

a sybarite or extravagant 

people thing. Craft beers 

have definitely come to revolutionize 

a market dominated 

by industrial products... 

So, yes, they are here to 

stay and we hope they do for 

a long time. 


12 

FIFA 17 

Review 


13 

FIFA 17’s headline 

feature is 

The Journey, 

a story about 

a prodigious 

young talent attempting to 

make a name for himself 

in the Premier League. It’s 

a microcosm of everything 

that’s good and bad about 

FIFA – peerless presentation 

surrounding a match engine 

that’s an improvement on 

last year, but still needs work 

– and yet it’s the most fun 

I’ve had with the series for 

a good few seasons. Perhaps 

more importantly, it’s 

a welcome reminder of the 

personal stories at the heart 

of a sport (and a series) that, 

in recent times, has felt more 

concerned with its corporate 

identity. It’s not easy to find 

ways to surprise people in 

an annualised game, but this 

is a very pleasant one. 

The story of likeable 17-yearold 

Alex Hunter and his rise 

from unvarnished academy 

product to bright young 

starlet follows a conventional 

path – not quite rags 

to riches, but close – though 

it’s affectingly told, even 

if FIFA 17’s PEGI rating 

ensures that it’s a rather airbrushed 

take on the modern 

game. Still, the setbacks and 

insults sting – on his debut 

as a substitute the opposition 

fans taunt him with a 

chant of “who are ya?” while 

you’ll attract social media 

criticism from supporters 

and fellow professionals (at 

one stage, an embittered exteammate 

hashtags you as 

a #benchwarmer). Naturally, 

this only made me all the 

more determined to succeed. 

As someone who has been 

horrified by the steady 

marginalisation of this great 

football institution, Hunter’s 

passion for the FA Cup 

(driven by a family legacy, as 

per sports movie tradition) 

struck a powerful chord with 

me, and I shared his frustration 

at being considered too 

young to feature in a bloodand-thunder 

cup tie. When 

Swansea, my chosen team, 

finally gave him his chance, I 

was determined that Hunter 

(and I) would take it – and 

we did. As he slotted in his 

third goal the crowd began 

chanting his name before 

launching into a full-throated 

version of Hymns and Arias, 

and I’m not too proud to say 

I got a little choked up. 

It’s sentimental, but appropriately 

so – football 

fans seem especially prone 

to outbursts of emotion, 

from full-blown weeping at 

relegations to misty-eyed 

reminiscences of “the good 

old days”. The Journey also 

represents the fripperies 

of the modern game well, 

as you’d expect – from 

post-match interviews with 

dialogue responses that can 

affect your standing with 

your manager, teammates, 

and supporters, to a choice 

of branded boots for your 

first sponsorship deal. If the 

excessive branding is a bit 

of a turn-off, it’s also quite 

authentic. Otherwise, The 

Journey is surprisingly down 


14 

to earth. Hunter’s more impressed 

by his achievements 

on the pitch than what they 

earn him off it, and there’s a 

particularly lovely moment 

where he gets his first full 

start and experiences a sudden 

rush of nervous pride 

at the realisation that he’s 

going to kick off the game. 

Aided by a terrific Atticus 

Ross score, which is emotive 

without feeling manipulative, 

The Journey follows its 

familiar storyline with real 

conviction. 

“It’s not easy to find ways 

to surprise people in an 

annualised game, but [The 

Journey] is a very pleasant 

one. 

It functions quite beautifully 

as a tutorial, too. Though it 

might seem unlikely to have 

a striker so regularly tasked 

with defensive drills, by covering 

all facets of the game 

you become a better player 

along with Hunter. You can 

simulate the sessions if 

you want to skip them, but 

if you do you’re less likely 

to improve and you’ll usually 

be awarded a lower 

grade – which might not help 

if you need to impress the 

manager after a 6/10 display 

in the previous game. 

It’s a valuable message for 

any youngsters playing the 

game, espousing the need 

for hard work to succeed. 

Hunter might eventually 

boast a lavish city-centre 

apartment when he finally 

hits the big time, but I felt 

like he’d really earned it. 

It’s worth pointing out that 

while you can contribute to 

Hunter’s journey, your progress 

is bound to the needs 

of the story. In the early 

stages, I regularly fulfilled 

the manager’s expectations 

even during limited substitute 

appearances, but I still 

found myself watching the 

game from the bench and 

eventually being shipped 

out on loan. Sometimes, the 

demands for bonus achievements 

are entirely unreasonable 

– trailing 3-0 to Man 

City with less than half an 

hour left, I was somehow expected 

to achieve five shots 

on target and come away 

with at least a draw. 

That’s particularly difficult 

given the ability of your AI 

opponents to retain possession 

for several minutes at a 

time thanks to changes to FI- 

FA’s physics making it easier 

to shield the ball. When I 

earned a place as a regular 

starter, in the vast majority 

of games I’d have less 

than 40% possession; that 

makes it realistically tough 

to make a name for yourself 

in one sense, but even if you 

make the most of your few 

chances it’s still frustrating 

to see so little of the ball. It 

perhaps says something that 

you’re given the option to 

play as a team rather than 

just controlling Hunter – and 

after a few games playing 

that way I felt much more 

involved and less irritated by 

teammates’ errors. There’s 

nothing worse than being 

penalised for a ‘bad call for 

a pass’ when the pass itself 

was inaccurate. 

The grading is questionable 

elsewhere, too. While 

jostling with a defender, I 

found myself losing points 

for apparently conceding 

possession three times, but 

wasn’t rewarded for regaining 

it as I finally sprinted 

clear. Perfectly good shots 

that are well blocked by 

smart defending are classed 

as ‘poor’. During one narrow 

victory, I quite deliberately 

played the ball off a defender 

to earn a corner and 

relieve some of the pressure 

my team had been under; 

the manager’s comments 

after the game chided me for 

conceding possession. 

“[The opposition] might be 

difficult to win possession 

from, but they’re often easy 


15 

to exploit with more direct 

play 

EA Sports attempts to take 

the sting out of that by having 

AI players occasionally 

make glaring mistakes, but 

the result is that the quality 

of the opposition veers 

from Barcelona to Barnet 

and back again in the space 

of a minute. They might be 

difficult to win possession 

from, but they’re often easy 

to exploit with more direct 

play. In one game, I won 3-0 

with 32% possession, having 

watched my opponent play 

keep-ball in midfield for the 

final 20 minutes. Tellingly, I 

found commentator Martin 

Tyler repeat his assertion 

that you don’t need to dominate 

the ball to win a game 

after every other game I 

played. 

But while FIFA still doesn’t 

do enough to distinguish the 

playstyle of individual teams, 

there are some signs of 

improvement over last year’s 

game. For example, I noticed 

a particular difference 

in style when playing Leicester 

City: they took more 

risks, moved the ball quicker, 

and played more direct football, 

making for much more 

exciting, dynamic matches. 

In one thrilling moment, as 

Jamie Vardy hared past my 

back line, I brought a defender 

across, putting him 

under just enough pressure 

to force him to rush his 

shot, which whistled over 

the crossbar. It’s the most 

authentic FIFA has felt to me 

in quite a while. 

Pace, having been nerfed 

last year, is back to being 

slightly overpowered, though 

with PES arguably taking it a 

shade too far the other way 

it’s refreshing to have the 

ability to outsprint fullbacks. 

For all that extra 

burst of speed, though, 

I found responsiveness to 

still be an issue – it’s anyone’s 

guess whether you’ll 

manage to get a shot away 

before a defender closes in. 

Tweaks have been made 

to off-the-ball runs but the 

execution is uneven – teammates 

will try to move into 

more intelligent positions to 

receive the ball, but at times 

this means running directly 

across you. The player-selection 

algorithm also needs 

work, and flat passing can 

be bizarrely wayward – more 

than once, I’ve watched in 

dismay as a short five-yard 

pass has been interpreted 

as a command to hoof the 

ball out of play. Crosses, 

meanwhile, sometimes feel 

more like underarm throws 

into the box, with the inevitable 

interception greeted 

almost every time with the 

same line from Tyler: “Well, 

the ball deserved perhaps 

a better response from his 

teammates in the middle.” 

For all the adjustments and 

additions that don’t quite 

work, you can hardly accuse 

EA Sports of not trying. 

Some might argue that the 

new systems for set-pieces 

and penalties are changes 

for change’s sake. But while 

I did wonder if having to 

adjust your position in the 

run-up to penalties might 

be a needless complication 

of what should be a simple 

process, I’m sure plenty 

will appreciate the greater 

nuance – and, admittedly, it 

does add to the pressure. All 

told, there’s still plenty of 

room for improvement, but 

the on-pitch action is an 

advance 

on last year. 

And if the new Frostbite 

engine hasn’t 

had a tangible 

effect on the way 

FIFA plays, it 

certainly has on 

the way it looks. The broad, 

round-shouldered players of 

last year are gone, replaced 

by models that look much 

more like actual human beings. 

With better likenesses, 

including all 20 Premier 

League managers, in visual 

terms FIFA 17 is a clear step 

ahead of its biggest rival. 

Elsewhere, there’s such a 

sprawl of modes and features 

that it’s impossible 

to cover them all in detail 

- suffice to say that FIFA 

gets more comprehensive 

and overwhelming every 

year. Themed challenges 

are your main incentive to 

keep coming back to the 

ever compulsive Ultimate 

Team mode, with new ones 

set to be introduced over 

the course of the football 

season. There’s a new FUT 

Champions mode, too, 

which tasks you with scoring 

enough points to qualify for 

a weekend league, success 

in which can earn you 

in-game prizes. Career 

mode, meanwhile, offers 

more comprehensive club 

management options while 

letting you create an avatar 

for your manager so you can 

prowl the touchline and 

respond to 

events on the field 

. 

THE VERDICT 

For all that FIFA promises 

something for every football 

fan, from the casual observer 

to the full-kit fanatic, I still 

find myself wishing that EA 

Sports would spend a little 

more time focusing on the 

basics. 

You could probably create 

the perfect football game 

by letting Konami handle 

everything on the pitch, with 

EA Sports responsible for 

everything off it. 

But FIFA plays well enough 

that the gains elsewhere – in 

terms of licensing, authenticity, 

and big-match atmosphere 

– more than compensate 

for those shortcomings. 

For my money, PES is still 

ahead where it counts most, 

but The Journey gives FIFA 

something unique and rewarding. 

If you can afford it, this year 

it might just be worth getting 

both. 


16 

Team SA ready and waiting for World 

Marathon Champs assault 

Brandenburg 

–Following another 

successful 

outing at 

the ICF Canoe 

Marathon Masters World 

Cup this week the focus 

shifts to the elite seniors and 

juniors athletes as the clock 

ticks down to the start of the 

2016 ICF Canoe Marathon 

World Championships from 

16-18 September in the German 

town of Brandenburg. 

With no less than 11 medals 

in the bag during the Masters 

World Cup the tone has 

been set for the elite paddlers 

who will be contesting 

every kayak race at the 

competition, where the team 

has a significant chance of 

at winning medals. 

With six-time World Champion 

and Euro Steel/Kayak 

Centre star Hank McGregor 

leading the charge and twotime 

Under 23 K1 bronze 

medallist Euro Steel’s Jenna 

Ward also amongst the 

team the chances of winning 

medals across the board 

are strong.Heading into 

the showpiece Euro Steel’s 

Andy Birkett has hit a good 

patch of form in his K1 after 

he took the honours at the 

recent ICF Canoe Marathon 

World Cup leg in Portugal 

that featured a number of 

the top marathon paddlers 

however Birkett isn’t looking 

into that result too much. 

“We were missing the Spaniards 

at the World Cup as 

well as Hank (McGregor) so 

it wasn’t quite as competitive 

as the World Champs is 

going to be but I was happy 

with the result,” Birkett said. 

“I don’t feel that I have got 

a lot of pressure on me as I 

am still learning how to race 

marathons and I am not 

expecting to go from sixth 

last year to a gold medal and 

I would be really happy with 

a top five!” 

When the K2 race comes 

around on Sunday Birkett 

will team up with fellow Pietermaritzburg 

ace and 2014 

Under 18 K2 gold medallist 

Louis Hattingh and the 

former believes that the pair 

has what it takes to put in a 

solid performance. 

The pair took the top honours 

at the South African 

Marathon Championships 

earlier in the year where the 

pair of McGregor and Jasper 

Mocké did not compete however 

the experience would 

have given them confidence. 

“The K2 race is always difficult 

and the competition is 

incredibly tough so we are 

not going to set too higher 

expectations of ourselves 

and we just want to enjoy the 

challenge of taking on the 

best in the world,” a relaxed 

Birkett added. 

The South African team 

will head into the champs 

with a quiet confidence as a 

number of the team returned 

from the World Champs in 

Hungary in 2015 just outside 

the medals and they will 

have hoped that a year’s 

Following some good pre-ICF Canoe Marathon World 

Championship form, Euro Steel's Andy Birkett is not putting 

too much pressure on himself heading into the showpiece event 

in Brandenburg, Germany this weekend.Balint Vekassy/ 

worth of experience will give 

them the push towards the 

podium. 

Under 18 stars Kyeta Purchase 

and Jean van der 

Westhuyzen will look to 

lead the K1 charge with the 

latter having tasted success 

in 2014 in a K2 and earlier 

in the year winning a junior 

1000 metre sprint World 

Championships bronze medal. 

Mark Keeling and Christie 

Mackenzie will also be involved 

in the their respective 

K1 junior showdowns with 

Keeling teaming up with Van 

der Westhuyzen and Sabine 

Lawrie joining Mackenzie for 

the junior K2 bouts. 

Louis Hattingh and Nicholas 

Notten will contest the Under 

23 K1 race with Jenna Ward 

Gameplan Media 

and Melanie van Niekerk 

taking on the world’s best in 

the Under 23 Women’s K1 

event. The senior ladies taking 

part in the world championships 

are South African 

Marathon champion Nikki 

Russell along with 2016 

Berg River Canoe Marathon 

champion Bianca Beavitt 

whilst Hank McGregor and 

Andy Birkett do battle in the 

senior men’s category. 

With no Under 23 K2 events 

at World Championships the 

young duo of Jenna Ward 

and Kyeta Purchase will fly 

the flag in the senior women’s 

K2 event with Birkett 

and Hattingh and McGregor 

and Mocké representing the 

nation in the senior men’s 

K2 contest. 


17 

EADP stars eye 

Paralympic success 

Durban – As 

the 31st 

scheduled 

Olympic 

Games 

starts to build momentum 

in the carnival city of Rio de 

Janeiro Paralympic athletes 

start their final preparations 

for the 14th edition of the 

para-sport spectacle with 

Elite Athlete Development 

Programme stars Kevin 

Paul and Tyrone Pillay hoping 

to make their mark at 

the showpiece event in Rio 

from 7-18 September. 

The pair have tasted varying 

degrees of success and 

failure over the past eight 

years with Paul unable to 

defend his gold medal at 

the London Paralympics in 

2012 and Pillay falling 

short of being selected 

for the national team 

however these disappointments 

have 

motivated the Kwa- 

Zulu Natal Department 

of Sport and Recreation 

backed athletes. 

“Not being able to defend 

my gold medal in London 

was really disappointing 

for me and influenced 

a few of the changes I 

have made in my career,” 

current 100m 

S9 breast stroke 

world record 

holder Paul said. 

“I moved to Durban about 

two years ago, joined the 

EADP and Graham Hill 

became my coach. I have 

seen a lot of improvements 

in my swimming and it 

gives me a lot of encouragement 

going into the Rio 

Games.” 

Rio will be a third trip to the 

global showpiece for Paul 

and despite the experience 

of two previous Games 

dealing with the pressures 

that come with an event 

like the Paralympics is 

something that he still has 

to come to grips with when 

competing on 

the ultimate sporting stage. 

“I cannot even describe the 

pressure that you feel when 

you are about to take part 

in a Paralympic final, it’s 

different to any other event 

– maybe because it only 

comes around every four 

years. 

“Having been to two Games 

in the past I think I have 

learnt to harness that pressure 

better and I am going 

out there to win another 

gold medal, especially after 

missing out in London. 

“I went back to the drawing 

board 

after 

London 

and 

with the help 

of everyone at Prime 

I feel like I am in the best 

possible shape I could be in 

and I am just really excited 

to get to Rio and represent 

South Africa,” a motivated 

Paul added. 

The João 

Havelange Olympic Stadium 

will be the hunting 

ground for EADP shot 

put star Tyrone Pillay 

as he breaks new 

ground at his first 

Paralympic Games 

after he missed out 

on selection to the 

Games four years 

ago. 

“Just getting selected 

for the team to go to 

the Games was an achievement 

in itself for me,” Pillay, 

who has a prosthetic left 

foot, said with a smile during 

his final preparations. 

“I had to improve my 

distances in order to get 

selected and I have been 

improving constantly with a 

personal best at the practice 

event in Rio earlier this 

year being a highlight. 

“It has been an incredible 

journey for me to get to this 

point and along with my 

support team I am really 

excited to be representing 

South Africa. 

The 36 year old might be 

heading into the twilight of 

his career but his current 

number suggest that he will 

be a threat when the event 

gets underway in September. 

“I am in the top four in the 

world at the moment which 

gives me a little bit more 

motivation to break into 

that top three but with that 

said being selected was my 

main goal and so if there is 

a medal out there, it’s just a 

cherry on the top! 

“This could well be my last 

shot at a Paralympic medal 

so I am really going to give 

it everything I have got – I 

don’t want to come home 

with any regrets!” an excited 

Pillay commented 


18 

Kingsmead ready for eagerly 

awaited Australia ODI action 

Durban – Sahara 

Stadium 

Kingsmead, 

the home of 

the Hollywoodbets 

Dolphins is all set 

to host the much anticipated 

Momentum ODI between 

South African and Australia 

on Wednesday 5 October. 

Cricket South Africa’s 

grounds consultant, Hilbert 

Smit, and Shelton Drainage 

Solution SA’s Roland Kugelmann 

worked together with 

KZNCU Head Groundsman 

Wilson Ngobese to ensure 

that the outfield for the 

Australian One-Day International 

will be of a standard 

as required for International 

cricket. 

The current drainage system 

was tested again and was 

found to be operating effectively 

within specifications. 

KZN Cricket acting CEO 

Rajesh Behari confirmed 

that the first phase of a new 

perimeter drainage system, 

to supplement the current 

system in place, has been 

completed, and that the 

new grass coverage on the 

outfield was now well established. 

With the home of the Hollywoodbets 

Dolphins set to 

host the pivotal third leg of 

the five match Momentum 

ODI Series between South 

Africa and Australia next 

week, Behari, has urged 

fans to purchase their ticket 

for the clash early. 

“An ODI between South 

Africa and Australia is a 

thrilling prospect for any 

cricket fan and we are really 

looking ward to hosting this 

important clash at Sahara 

Stadium Kingsmead on 

Wednesday 5 October,” says 

Behari. 

“It promises to be another 

memorable international 

cricketing occasion in Durban 

and we look forward to 

our fans from throughout the 

city and beyond filling the 

stadium and contributing to 

the night’s wonderful atmosphere.” 

ICC Match Referee – Chris 

Broad will further inspect the 

outfield on his arrival before 

the match and will submit 

an independent report to the 

ICC. 

Tickets can be purchased 

online via www.ticketpro. 

co.za or from the Sahara 

Stadium Kingsmead ticket 

office. 


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20

Kzn LifeStyle Magazine #12

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