Sports f ed 61

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ISSUE # 62 JUNE, 2015 a Lenaka Media Publication 0 1 0 1 0>

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THE BATTLE GOES ON ...As Ke Yona Cup enters round 2 WANT TO SEE MORE OF LESEGO? Page 5

SPAR TEAM PREPARES FOR CHAMPIONSHIP Page 6

CASTLE ACADEMY PRODUCE RESULTS Page 12

Page 2 & 3 AMAJIMBOS QUALIFY FOR WORLD CUP Page 22

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- nakampe@sports-focus.co.za 071 562 1847

EDITOR: Mothibi Mthethwa

good shape, and we are behind him every step of the way.

On the other hand we congratulate Equatoria Guinea for successfully hosting and qualifying for the semifinals of this tournament in their country despite becoming late as a replacement for Morocco who withdrew their hosting rights, citing Ebola threats as their main reason for their withdrawal.

We also take this moment to congratulate Portia “Bashin” Modise for making a strong come-back to football, securing herself her 100th goal after more than 100 games. As if that was not enough, the Soweto lads went on to win the SA Star Sports Award of the Year that saw her

too home a brand new BMW plus an incentive of a cool R1m which saw her took R500 000 for herself while the other half went to the charity organization of her choice.

We also look forward to the return of the domestic league action on February 10 wherein three matches will be played. Two of the matches will be played in Tshwane which involves the University of Pretoria v Chippa United at the AmaTuks Stadium with Mamelodi Sundowns welcoming Moroka Swallows at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville while Maritzburg United take on BidVest Wits at the Harry Gwala Stadium. All the three matches starts at 7.30pm.

EDITOR’S CORNER

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Nakampe Lekwadu

FINALLY our first edition on the 2015 calendar is here, and hopefully you will enjoy this ride with us as we look forward to the new year ahead.

The year kicked off with our senior football team, Bafana Bafana trying their best of luck to revive their glory days on the African continent. That dream however failed to materialised as the team was shown as early exit out of this tournament known as CAF Orange Africa Cup of Nations which is underway in Equatoria Guinea.

Despite these setbacks, head coach Shakes Mashaba is still positive that his campaign to rebuild for the team for 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups is all in a

June 2015

GOALS GALORE AT THE NEDBANK CUP OPENING MATCHES

- eric@lenakacom.co.za 082 703 6822

GRAPHIC & LAYOUT DESIGNER: Esmond Msimango ASSISTANT LAYOUT DESIGNER: Bongiwe Manyisa REPORTERS: Amogelang Ramela amogelang@sports-focus.co.za Precious Rajane precious.rajane@sports-focus.co.za Busisiwe Mokwena PHOTOGRAPHERS: Lucky Zitha lucky@sports-focus.co.za

Sports Focus

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Sports Focus is a Lenaka Media Publication Distributed by Media Distribution Africa (MDA)

By NAKAMPE LEKWADU THE 2015 edition of the Nedbank Cup's last 32 got off to a good start across the country with top flight clubs WINNING with an avalanche of goals against their inferior opponents.

The defending champions, Orlando Pirates started their defense campaign on a high note, beating the lesser known Tornado FC 4-0 in a one sided match at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night.

Not to be done by Pirates, another Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs also went on a rampage, beating another SA Football Association' structure side Edu Sports FC with a 4-0 drubbing.

The match that registered the

biggest number of goals however was that involving Ajax Cape Town and Mainstay United which saw the Urban Warriors WINNING 9-1 followed by the one in at the Thohoyandou Stadium in which Black Leopards lambasted Cape Town FC 6-2.

Other PSL clubs which won their last 32 matches convincingly include Platinum Stars who beat Magic FC 3-0 with Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns WINNING 3-0 and 2-0 against Roses United and Maritzburg United respectively.

There was also a major upset when unknown Natal United from the SAFA structure booted out the PSL side, Chippa United

with a narrow 1-0 victory.

The rest of the Nedbank Cup's last 32 results are: Golden Arrows 2 v AmaZulu 1, Vasco da Gama 3 v Bellevue Winners Park 2 (penalties), Maluti FC 2 V African Warriors 1, Jomo Cosmos 2 v Phiva Young Stars 1 and BidVest Wits 4 v Free State Stars 2 (penalties) Meanwhile two more matches of the competition's last two 32 will be played on Wednesday (February 25) with Pretoria University welcoming Moroka Swallows at the Tuks Stadium while SuperSport United welcome the high-ridding Polokwane City at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. Both games starts at 7.30pm

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June 2015

NEDBANK CUP LAST 32 IN PICTURES

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Babe

-My love for model started at an early age in primary school.

-In 2003 i was crowned Miss World Vision.

-In 2010 I entered the Miss Soweto beauty peagant.

-When i am not at work i love hanging out with my girls.

Name: Lesego Surname: Kolobe Birth date: 23 April 1991 Birth place: Matric: Lofentse Girls High, 2008 Marital Status: Single Favourite Music: Hip-Hop, House and Rock music Favourite Dish: Pasta Favourite Local football team: Orlando Pirates Favourite International Team: Manchester United Hobbies: Listening to music, reading and shopping

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June 2015

PREPARATIONS FOR WORLD NETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS WELL UNDER WAY Preparations for the World Netball Championships in Sydney, Australia, in August have stepped up a gear, with most of South Africa's top netball players taking part in an intensive two-week training camp in Pretoria.

One of the world's most experienced and successful coaches, Norma Plummer of Australia, joined the coach of the SPAR national team, Benny Saayman, as they put the players through their paces.

Plummer, who coached the Australian team to victory in the 2007 and 2011 world netball championships, was asked by Netball South Africa to help Saayman to take the elite players to the next level.

“When I arrived, I found that the players were definitely well below the standard achieved by players in Australia,” said Plummer.

“We have been giving them intensive drills and training them to take responsibility for their actions on court.

“I have taught them the importance of maintaining their standards throughout the match, because as soon as they let those standards drop, the match is over.”

Plummer said she had seen a marked improvement in all the players since the start of the training camp.

“The players are also watching each other, and making sure that everyone is playing at the same level. If someone drops the ball or makes a silly pass, the others remind her of the need to take responsibility,” she said.

“They having been doing some very intensive netball-related drills aimed at improving their agility and footwork. They are also learning to make decisions quickly and to create different options when the original plan doesn't work. I think they have made good progress and there is the basis of a very good team.”

Saayman, who took over the reins after the resignation for personal reasons of coach Elize Kotze, said she was very excited by the improvement shown by the players.

“We asked Norma (Plummer)

to help us develop our attacking game.

Our defensive play is very good, but we need to be more attacking,” she said.

“We have also focused on basic netball skills, so that these come naturally, without the players having to think about them.”

Saayman said there was plenty of time before the squad for the World Championships was selected.

“We have the Brutal Fruit tournament coming up, and that will help all the top players, who will be involved in highintensity netball over several weeks.

Then we will be playing in the European Championships in Northern Ireland, where we will come up against England, who are ranked third in the world. And finally, there is the Diamond Challenge Tournament, where we will play the top African sides, including our perennial rivals, Malawi.

“All that will help the players to put into practice what they have learned from Norma. I think we have a very exciting time ahead,” said Saayman.

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June 2015

Castle Academy players graduate to NFD and ABC Motsepe league teams The thirds season of the Castle Lager sponsored Football Academy campaign is yielding more success stories, with two addition players being signed

by NFD and ABC Motsepe league teams.

Academy graduates Sabelo Mtshali and Dawny Makgatho have been snatched by NFD side, Baroka FC and Mamelodi Sundowns' ABC Motsepe league teams respectively.

Mtshali who hails from KwaZulu Natal is the second player to be signed by the Limpopo team. Thabang Mothogwane was the first player from the crop of players who were part of the2015 Castle Lager Football Academy campaign to be roped in by Baroka FC coach, Sello Chokoe. Speedy Limpopo born Dawny 'Chilli' Makgatho, signed for Mamelodi Sundowns' ABC Motsepe league team, having previously played for SAB League team Buffalo United.

“This is what we were in camp for, to show the PSL and NFD teams coaches our skills. I knew the opportunity that the camp was giving to me, I gave my best and I'm delighted that Baroka FC coach saw my talent and want to include me in his team,” said Mtshali.

Makgatho who hails from Elim, the same town as Banyana Banyana player, Noko Matlou, has ambitious dreams for the future. “My dream is to one day play in the PSL, and the Castle Academy has given me that opportunity. I see this as the start of great things to come in my life”, he said.

With the camp having come to

an end at the beginning of February, there appears to be increased appetite for Castle Academy graduates, with a number of other teams in the process of making enquiries, having identified potential players from the Academy squad that played friendly matches against PSL and NFD as part of the Academy training

programme.

“We look forward to hearing more news of teams in ABC Motsepe, NFD and hopefully PSL league signing these youngsters. We wish Dawny and Sabelo the best of luck at their new teams,” concluded Errol Madlala, SAB Sponsorship Manager.

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June 2015

2015 CASTLE ACADEMY CAMP ENDS ON A HIGH The 2015 Castle lager Football Academy camp ended on a high with the SuperStars edging out yet another PSL team, AmaZulu 2 – 1 in a friendly match on Saturday, 31 January.

The win brought to an end a highly successful 2015 campaign. The Academy players will be making their way back to their respective clubs today.

The Castle Academy SuperStars went into the match having won three games, 5 – 2 against Highlands Park, 1 – 0 against AmaTuks, 4 – 3 against Bidvest Wits, and only suffering a 2 – 1 loss against Mamelodi Sundowns.

They were eager to end the camp on a high with a positive result against Usuthu, something they managed to achieve thanks in large to some quality defending and poor finishing from the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.

First-half goals from Lloyd Mbumbe and Eethe 'Candy'

Khaukanani secured the win for Neil Tovey and Phil Masinga's boys.

The Castle SuperStars grabbed the lead as early as the ninth minute. The ball fell favorably for Mbumbe from a

corner-kick, and with no AmaZulu players around him the pint-sized midfielder who plays for Newlands United in KwaZulu Natal fired an unstoppable effort into the back of the net.

Khaukanani extended the lead for the Castle SuperStars after he successfully beat the offside trap, slotting the ball into the back of the net, making it 2-0.

AmaZulu turned up the heat in the second half, with Ayanda Dlamini getting a goal for the PSL team.

“The quality of players we had this season was amazing and that was immediately visible on the field of play. In a short period, the players got to know each other and played like a team that has been together for months. They were dedicated, listened to instructions and enjoyed themselves,” said Neil Tovey.

Errol Madlala, SAB Sponsorship Manager expressed his satisfaction at how the campaign is growing from strength to strength every

year. “Our objective is to give the players exposure in a professional football set-up and an opportunity to be scouted by higher league coaches and scouts, with the hope to one day see them play in the national team. It the first time since the inception of this campaign two years ago, that the Castle Lager Academy team managed to beat PSL clubs in friendly matches, and we are looking forward to hearing success stories of players being offered opportunities by PSL or NFD clubs.”

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June 2015

BETTER EATING MEANS IMPROVED HEALTH Take these useful tips to heart and notice the difference quickly FASCINATING FACTS

Building lean muscle is the key You'll notice the improvement in your immune system, how you feel and how your energy and sports performance gets better quickly when you start paying attention to the quantity and the quality of the protein that you eat on a frequent basis.

Fast foods, and especially foods fried with crispy crumbs around it, and that old favourite, fried chips, can play havoc with your system, If you indulge in these energy depleting foods, it will take a toll on your health and your endurance.

The key to a healthy eating plan is to have complete proteins, such as South African Pork, in your eating plan. The healthy fats found in the fat layer on the outside of pork is also good for you, as it is a rich source of vitamins A, D, E and K, all very important to keep the machinery of the human body functioning at it's optimal best.

What is a complete protein?

A complete protein is a food that contains all the essential amino acids needed for optimum health.

Plant proteins such as soya beans and grains all have only

a few amino acids, and it is very difficult for people and especially sports people, to obtain the right kind of nutritional input for protein with these plant- or grain based proteins.

Excellent sources of complete protein is pork, lamb, beef, chicken and fish. These good sources differ in their vitamin and mineral content, so it's best to include quite a few of these foods frequently in a health enhancing eating plan.

curbing and controlli Vitamins and minerals Besides all the vitamins A, D, E and K, pork is a rich source of the B-vitamins group, called the stress busting or stress-

Pork is the world's no 1 choice.

In most countries with a well developed pork production industry, pork is the most frequently enjoyed meat on the menu.

Pork is a white meat with very little fat inside the lean muscle fibers.

If you find any pork cuts in the meat cabinet with too much fat on, simply ask the butchery staff to cut the excess fat off for you. Otherwise, use a sharp knife and trim the fat off at home.

In this regard it is similar to chicken, where most of the fat is contained in the skin of the chicken.

Fresh pork in South Africa is a modern, nutritious and 100%

White Meat Many people do not realize that pork is a white meat, providing an abundance of healthy, poly-unsaturated fatty acids which are really beneficial for good health.

For people who do not like to eat much fat, it is so easy to cut off the outer fat layer from any cut of pork, as most of the fat sits on the outside of any pork cut. Because it is a white meat, pork should never be overcooked.

reducing vitamins.

Vitamin B helps to build and maintain a strong nervous system and works towards maintaining a strong immune system.

Pork is a very rich source of iron, zinc, phosphorous and other vital minerals, which is difficult to get if you don't include sufficient protein Appetite control sources of these vitamins in One of the best things about your regular eating habits. pork is that a regular, moderate portion is a wonderful way of

safe meal choice. Quality assurance systems from the farm to your fork provide a guarantee of excellence and food safety.

More Meat for your Money Pork is the best kept secret for saving money. Compared with other meats and poultry, the price per kilogram of lean meat is a real bargain. Once all the bone, skin and fat is removed and the lean protein meat content is compared, pork is the winner – every time.

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vacuum packed, can be frozen (depending on how thick the packaging is) for 3 weeks to 2 months.

Bulk buys are the best buys Don't be scared to buy in bulk!

That's how you really save money.

You will always get the best deal if you buy a half carcass or a big bulk pack, because their price per kilogram is always lower than buying individual cuts, such as loin chops.

Buying in bulk means that included in your quantity of pork, there will be a good amount of braai chops, and you get other cuts for stewing or potjies/soups/stir-fries too.

This booklet will help you to understand what to do with all damages the meat surface and the cuts, so that you can results in a pulp-like surface. maximize the value from your pork purchases.

Get to know your butcher – a great investment!

Freezing pork If you frequently buy from the Pork can be frozen very same butchery or supermarket successfully, provided it is – talk to the butchery staff or properly wrapped and there block man and get them to get are no pieces of broken used to your preferences. packaging with bone sticking You can get them to do a lot of o u t , o r a n y h o l e s o r the preparation for you, unnecessary air in the plastic saving you effort, time and packaging. wastage later on.

Air inside the packaging (which If you are serious on saving often gets in through holes in money and time, ask for these the packaging) will allow things to be done by your freezer burn to develop if meat butchery: is frozen for more than 2 Debone all roasts, such as the weeks. leg, neck and shoulder if you Avoid freezer burn and want to use those cuts for dryness by doing vacuum roasts. Ask the butcher to put packaging. Alternatively, wrap the boneless roasts into a the pork very well with cling “stretch net” to give the roast wrap to exclude all possible air an attractive round shape and from it. to hold it together.

Also make sure the pork cuts Ask for all the skin on your are dry (use kitchen paper if roasts to be “scored”, in other necessary) before you wrap it. words, cuts made into the skin Water or moisture on the meat with a very sharp knife on 2 cm will form ice crystals during the intervals. During the roasting in freezing process, which the oven, skin that has been “scored” will make beautiful crisp crackling.

Mince dishes are often a family favourite. Ask the butcher to mince some of the cuts in your bulk purchase for you, and package it in 500 g packets.

June 2015

The golden rule The thicker the packaging and the less air inside, the longer you can freeze it.

If you buy pre-packed small packets of pork in a butchery that are not vacuum packed, it's best to freeze it for only 2 – 3 weeks.

Ask the butchery staff if you are not sure if a pork packet has been vacuum packed or not.

If some of the cuts in your bulk pack has a fat layer on that you consider too fat, ask the butchery staff to trim this for you.

Ask the butchery staff to cut any stewing pork into 2,5 cm cubes (not too small) and to package it in 500 g packets.

Ask the butchery staff to vacuum pack the different cuts for you according to your preferences. (Examples: 6 loin chops in a vacuum packet, or a mixture of different types of individual braai cuts such as rashers and chops together in a vacuum pack.)

Each roast should be vacuum packed on it's own.

Packet sizes of 500 g pork mince or stewing pork or stir-fry pork strips make it easy to use. When vacuum packed they will last much longer in the freezer.

Use labels (and lose less) Every packet of pork going into your freezer should have a label on it.

Write this on the label: date, which cut (example: pork mince) and weight (example: 500 g).

Use a permanent marker or thick ballpoint pen.

Keep a box of labels in your kitchen drawer for this

purpose.

In emergencies, you can also use masking tape to write on, or even a first-aid plaster.

Unlabelled meat packets become a real guessing game and leads to much frustration How long to freeze pork later if you can't figure out what's inside, meaning you Bigger roasts (eg. leg and can't plan your recipe for a shoulder) that are vacuum- special meal. packed can be frozen for 6 – 12 months.

Smaller roasts and other packets of pork (ideally packed in 500 g packets), if vacuum packed, can be frozen for up to 3 – 4 months.

Packets of pork that are not

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June 2015

OPEL ADAM SET TO SHAKE UP LUXURY SUPERMINI SEGMENT

The arrival of Opel Adam in dealerships has created excitement, the new Opel ADAM will represent the first of a number of new-generation of Opel vehicles destined for South Africa. Developed as part of the brand's resurgent product and technological onslaught, the ADAM shows off Opel's new design direction bolstered by a multitude of personalisation options.

Positioned as an urban trendsetter and personalisation champion, Opel's entry into the luxury mini segment is set to shake up the market with a comprehensive offering of standard safety equipment, infotainment and convenience features usually reserved for more premium-priced vehicles.

“The Opel ADAM is the first of our 'new Germans'; a vehicle which truly embodies Opel's heritage of precision Germanengineered, desirable cars with attractive design and the latest technology. ADAM takes

things a step further by appealing to the modern buyer who wants to stand out in a crowd with a highly customisable and affordable package,” says Opel Brand Manager at General Motors South Africa, Christopher Cradock.

Built at Opel's plant in Eisenach, Germany, the ADAM is an A-segment, 3door, 4-seat hatchback with a high level of customer-related equipment. Opel has placed firm emphasis on providing class-leading ergonomics and interior materials, fun-to-drive dynamics, great technology and an overall premium build quality.

The new ADAM also pays homage to Opel's long and illustrious heritage, and is named after Adam Opel who founded the company in 1862.

South African consumers will have a choice of three models: ADAM, ADAM JAM and the range-topping ADAM GLAM. Each of these model lines

offers a comprehensive choice of factory-fitted customisation options, dealer-fitted accessories and a wide selection of exciting exterior paint colours.

“ADAM is designed for trendsetting image makers, people who want self-expression through their clothes, lifestyle and cars,” continues Cradock.

“For this reason, the choice of colours, wheels and interior design elements have been

developed to enable a high l e v e l o f v e h i c l e personalisation, allowing the customer to be fully involved in the finishing details of their car.”

Two petrol engines power the Opel ADAM – the entry-level ADAM features a naturallyaspirated 1.4-litre ECOTEC four-cylinder unit with 74 kW and 130 Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

This engine, which has a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.3-litres per 100 km and carbon emissions of 125 g/km, allows for a top speed of 185 km/h and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 11.5 seconds.

The ADAM JAM and ADAM GLAM are both fitted with Opel's latest-generation 1.0litre turbocharged ecoFLEX three-cylinder engine which boasts the latest in state-ofthe-art technology to offer unrivalled performance and fuel efficiency. Boasting a readily-available 85 kW and 170 Nm of torque, the 1.0-litre ecoFLEX turbo engine is mated to Opel's latest 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine features a combined fuel consumption figure of just 5.1-

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Travel

June 2015

SOUTHERN SUN IKOYI WINS TRAVELLERS CHOICE AWARD Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel has emerged winner of the highly coveted Trip Advisor 'Traveller Choice Award' for 2015. The award bestowed on the Hotel by the renowned international travel and online review website Trip Advisor, selected Southern Sun Ikoyi as a winner in its 2015 Best Hotels Category – Nigeria.

Elated with the award, Southern Sun Ikoyi General Manager Mr. Mark Loxley, attributed the hotel's success to “fantastic team effort, quality customer service and the d e d i c a t i o n o f s t a ff a n d management in providing a continuous high level of superior guest service”. Mr Loxley continued that, the award will “further motivate staff and management to continue in efforts in maintaining the status of high quality service delivery at all times”.

The award which was developed to identify, highlight and reward excellence throughout the global h o s p i t a l i t y i n d u s t r y, determines the finest hotels and hospitality companies in the world. Offering the most visible international platform for providing reviews of travel related content, the Trip

Advisor award is judged by the vast number of guests who visit any named hotel, their comments and reviews about the hotel are posted onto the international travel website which is visible to millions of travellers from around the

world.

The Southern Sun Ikoyi hotel standard was appraised by guests on a whole range of hospitality disciplines namely; service delivery, cleanliness, efficiency, security, comfort, value for money, superb

culinary reputation, and sophisticated ambience amongst other points. The hotel's particular warm response to all comments and queries posted onto the website earned them excellent ratings with guests.

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Travel

June 2015

MORNING STAR EXPRESS HOTEL: FOLLOW THE STAR TO RELAXATION Morning Star Express Hotel in Pretoria shot to stardom when it won AA “Best Budget Hotel� in Gauteng for 2012, beating the likes of Southern Sun Stay Easy Hotels, City Group Road Lodges, and many other Hotels.

Morning Star Hotel has not stop growing ever since, being kept alive and busy by constant visits by South African National Defence Force and many other government departments.

Recently they added 50 parking bays to the already impressive facilities showing that they are constantly upgrading and ready to accommodate any number of guests booking in the Hotel.

The Hotel offers excellent value accommodation to its valued clients, in the form of fine looking , well-equipped rooms, all with a beautiful view of the city.

All rooms come standard with a comfortable double bed and the standard triple and family rooms have an additional full-size bunk bed. The rooms are all furnished with an en-suite bathroom, air conditioner, flat screen television, tea/coffee making facilities, electronic safe, inhous telephone and selected Dstv channels.

Indeed when you follow the star you will feel at home and comfortable.

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Travel

June 2015

RELAXATION HOUSE FOR

By NAKAMPE LEKWADU SOME of the things just never fade; class is indeed permanent. Take the Coach House Hotel & Spa for instance. The facility was opened in 1983 on the site of the original hotel used by travellers in the feverish gold rush days of the late 19th century.

The Coach House, situated in the woodlands of Agatha Forest Reserve in the Tzaneen area, serves the same function of years gone by, though the visitor today is a pleasure seeking traveller who also wants peace of mind and relaxation.

Sports Focus's recent two days stay was a mind refreshing at this establishment situated on the 560 hectares land facing the atop a ridge Africa offering dramatic panoramic views of the Litsitele Valley, and the Moholoholo mountain range view (also known as Drakensberg) in Tzaneen.

Owned by the group of hotels, the Orion, Coach House is internationally known as one of Africa's leading country hotels and this gracious estate offers world-class hospitality and luxurious comfort in one of South Africa's most anquil settings.

This historic country retreat

offers guests old-world service and charm, rejuvenating spa treatments, award-winning cuisine, and its famed on-site nougat factory.

Apart from richness in history, the hotel is also a perfect venue for weddings and conferences.

Countless satisfied guests return time and again to this well-established country hotel, for its magnificent setting, abundant attractions, and consistently superb hospitality.

Warm and friendly staff are on hand to attend to your every need. A superb wine cellar offers an excellent choice of fine wines and our acclaimed and charming Zeederberg

Restaurant offers fine dining with outstanding cuisine. Since it first opened in 1983, the Coach House has gained a reputation both locally and abroad as "one of the finest and friendliest hotels in South Africa.�

The Coach House offers 39 spacious, well-appointed rooms offering every comfort and convenience and each with its own generous en-suite bathroom and separate shower. There are nine suites, 25 premier rooms with extra long king-size, double or three quarter twin beds and five standard single rooms.

All rooms have private verandahs with sweeping

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Travel

June 2015

BODY AND SOUL

All rooms have private verandahs with sweeping panoramic mountain views and are fitted with luxurious percale cotton sheets and mohair blankets, heated towel rails, air-conditioning, ceiling fans and personal bathrobes.

Other room facilities include electronic safes, hairdryers, and heaters, mini bars and satellite TV with 18 channels.

The Coach House is renowned for the finest breakfast in the country, which can be enjoyed on the verandah overlooking the pool, which offers spectacular views of the northern Drakensberg Mountains. Feast on a stunning full buffet of fruit, yoghurt, cereals, cold meats, smoked salmon, cheeses, homemade breads and

pastries and many more mouth-watering delights. A variety of delicious cooked breakfasts is available daily.

The sumptuous Sunday buffet lunch is a festive affair with an array of delicious, carefully prepared dishes to please everyone.

The hotel has a spa service, Agatha Spa. Named after the reserve of the hotel's location, the spa adds a different dimension to the whole quest of seeking relieve from stress.

From the ancient Roman hydrotherapy to modern health and wellness techniques, rejuvenation of body and soul is guaranteed!

The Coach house is accessble from two points along the R36, either from Tzaneen town, at Arbour Park, via Letaba main road or from Nkowakowa

direction.

What's nearby?

Hans Merensky Dam Djuma Game Reserve Malamala Game Reserve Kruger National Park Tzaneen Country Club Tzaneen Museum Modjadji Cycad Forest Wegraakbosch Organic Cheese Dairy Hans Merensky Nature Reserve Tzaneen Dam Debengeni Water Falls Wolkberg Mountains

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June 2015

MASHABA LAUDS THE SA U17 FOR QUALIFYING BAFANA Bafana head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has lauded the South African Men's U 1 7 N a t i o n a l Te a m (Amajimbos) for qualifying for the 2015 FIFA Men's U17 World Cup tournament in Chile later this year.

Amajimbos are currently in Niger taking part in the 2015 C A F A f r i c a n Yo u t h Championship tournament – they booked their place in the semi-final of the event following a 3-1 victory over

Cameroon on Sunday, 22 February in the last group stages match, automatically qualifying for the world soccer showpiece.

The South Africans are still in with a chance to win the title in Niger, but will have to ward off the challenge of Nigeria in the last four – the two meet on Wednesday, 25 February.

Mashaba was in Port Elizabeth to watch the South African Men's U20 National Team (Amajita) play Chippa United as part of preparations for the 19th Edition of the CAF African Youth Championship which will

our junior national teams qualifying for any tournament, let alone the World Cup. So this means that our structures are starting to shape up very well and this augers well for the U20 squad which departs for Senegal soon, they will also have to reach the semis as well to get to the World Cup. With all these happenings you can see Matlhomola Morake: Coach that the Gods of football are w h a t ' s y o u r t a k e o n smiling on us and we are on a Amajimbos qualifying for good course.

But this must not be a once off the FIFA World Cup? thing because we have now set a standard for ourselves.

We can't look back now.

Bafana Bafana qualified for AFCON for the first time in many years; Banyana Banyana were in the CAF AWC even though they could not qualify for the World Cup; the U17 has just done it in Niger, and soon the U20s will be heading out to go and compete in Senegal.

What is left is for the U23 squad to get on board, but we are still putting together their programme and it will soon kick off. They also have to work hard, do well in the All Africa Games to prepare thoroughly for the Olympics in Rio 2016. be played in Senegal next month (8 – 22 March). The Bafana Bafana mentor was in charge of Amajita when they booked their place to the CAF AYC. SAFA Media gathered his thoughts on the latest developments of South African football.

Ephraim Mashaba: First of all congratulations to the technical team under the leadership of head coach Molefi Ntseki. We are also happy for the achievement of the players, the very people who did the business. We have not just qualified for the World Cup, we are about to snatch a double because the AYC is still on and there is a trophy at stake. Win the next match and we are in the final and anything can happen there.

But we are saying it's good for our football in general as it has been a long time since we had

MM: All these achievements by our national teams, what do they mean for the future of our football?

EM: I would say the future is looking bright for our football. If you look at the U17s, some of those boys will graduate to U20, and those ones will move to U23 and Bafana Bafana – a case in point is that four of the players in the current U20 squad were selected in the first group of the Bafana Bafana squad for the AFCON 2015 qualifiers (Fagrie Lakay, Siyanda Ngubo, Ayabulela Konqobe (formerly Magqwaka) and Dumisani Msibi) and this supports my

view that the future looks good.

By the time the U17 players get to the higher levels they will have been exposed to all the competitions and rigours of international football and what more can you ask for.

MM: The U20s are going to AYC where they stand a chance of qualifying for the World Cup too, how much inspiration should they draw from the performance of the U17 team?

EM: Did you say inspiration? I think it is more like pressure because now everyone says the U17s have qualified so you can also do it as the U20 team.

But it should be a yardstick for them to say if Amajimbos have qualified why not us? Like I indicated earlier on, we have set ourselves a standard, if the U17 team qualified then it is a must that the U20s should qualify and the same goes for U23 with the Olympics. We recently went to AFCON as Bafana Bafana and Banyana went to the AWC, so we should keep it that way and next time end up in the finals of all these competitions.

MM: You are in PE to watch U20 prepare for CAF AYC and you saw them play against Chippa United, what do you think are our chances in Senegal?

EM: Unfortunately friendlies differ from the real thing. But Amajita played very well in PE. The goalkeeper did very well, I was impressed by the defence and the midfield was solid, but we just need to work on improving the striking force, which is a problem in our country at all levels of football.

But I am confident they can do well because I saw a lot of positives from that match which can help us at the tournament.

www.sports-focus.co.za

FOCUS

SPORTS

23

June 2015

SCHOOLS URGED TO REGISTER FOR MOTSEPE CUP The registration process for the 2015 under-19 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition is well under way, with well over 2 000 schools already signed up, and the organisers believe they are going to have a record entry this year.

The tournament gives opportunities to schools across the country to become involved in organised competition and, each year, a number of schools who have never participated before register to play. One of those is Rustenburg Educational College, a private secondary school from Rustenburg in the Bojanala district of North West Province.

Phila Ncube, sports director at the school, and team manager and coach, explains that the school did enter the competition before, but for reasons beyond their control, they never did get to play any games."We are well organised now, and with athletics season now finished, we will be starting with soccer this week," he said. The school's under-17 team won the local league last year and those

players will now move up to the under-19 age group.

Ncube says he will take the best of that team and, together

this will be the best team I have coached," he said. "I'm confident that they will do well this year."

with the leftovers of last year's group and a few new recruits; they should have an excellent squad this year. "Collectively

Ncube has a Level 1 coaching qualification as well as a diploma in sports management. While this is

helpful, he believes that it boils down to passion and experience in the end.

"I have been head coach for the past three years and I believe I have a talent for identifying promising players.

Last year I found 2 players, Thabang Rancho and Ayabulela Maxwele, and the school offered them a full scholarship including boarding.

"However they were only here for a year as I also have a relationship with Sundowns and I invited their scouts to the school to come and see the boys.

They are now at Clapham as they are with the Sundowns Academy. "Sundowns also sponsors our under-11 and under-12 teams with soccer kit and balls."

Ncube explains that the school bought a piece of ground next to the school and have levelled it but they ran out of funds and have not finished developing it.

"As a result, we practise on a neighbouring school's fields.

If we were to win this tournament we would use the funds to finish building that soccer field, he said.

SOWETO TO HOST THE DISKI CHALLENGE FINALS ON Saturday, February 28 Soweto's Nike Football Centre will be host to the final of the inaugural MultiChoice Diski Challenge (PSL Reserve League) where University of Pretoria will take on Mamelodi Sundowns.

Launched on August last year, the tournament's first games kicked off on the second week of September.

To date the tournament has seen 62 games being played

between all 16 of the PSL Reserve League teams with a total of 181 goals being scored.

The final match will close off what has truly been an exciting tournament aimed at supporting the development of football in South Africa.

The day will kick off at 10am with the 3rd and 4th place playoff between Mpumalanga Black Aces and SuperSport United. Thereafter, at 12pm University of Pretoria and

Mamelodi Sundowns will battle it out for the magnificent trophy, GOLD medals, coveted eightday trip to Holland and the opportunity of being crowned the first ever MultiChoice Diski Challenge champions.

The two games will broadcast live on SuperSport (SS4 HD) on DStv channel 204. Entry into the stadium is free and tickets are available at all Shoprite/Checkers stores and Computicket outlets across the

province. A limit of two tickets per person per day will apply.

No tickets will be issued at the ground on match day.

Fixtures Saturday, February 28 Black Aces vs. SuperSport United (3rd/4th playoff) – 10am University of Pretoria vs.

Mamelodi Sundowns (Final) – 12 mid-day