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April 12, 2021

2oceansvibe Weekend Sports Wrap

The golfing world doffs its cap to Hideki Matsuyama, whilst football fans continue to rage at VAR and the lack of consistency.

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Each week, I’ll be putting together a wrap of the weekend’s sporting action, standout moments, and major talking points, with a focus on football, cricket, and rugby.

The Weekend Sports Wrap is sponsored by Hollywoodbets – register now and score a R25 sign-up bonus.

It’s a beautiful Monday over in Japan, and that’s all down to Hideki Matsuyama and a historic result at the Masters in Augusta.

Matsuyama became the first Japanese man to win a golfing major championship with his one-shot win over Will Zalatoris, and scored a cool $2,07 million (around R30,5 million) as a bonus.

Having held his nerve superbly during the final nine holes, he had enough breathing room to watch a putt on the 18th slip past, knowing he could tap in to claim the famous green jacket:

His caddie, Shota Hayafuji, was also a popular figure after his bow to the course shortly after Matsuyama’s win:

Here’s something you don’t see often – during Thursday’s opening round, Rory McIlroy managed to hit his own father on the back of the leg with a wayward shot:

His father, Gerry, later joked that he might ask for an autographed glove as a peace offering, to which Rory replied, “I think he just needs to go and put some ice on – maybe I’ll autograph a bag of frozen peas for him.”

I think sharing a drink with this duo would make for a good time.

Hey, at least Rory didn’t have to putt with his driver:

That should make the weekend warrior golfers feel a little better.

Switching to rugby, and a cracking longe-ranger from Damian McKenzie to seal a Chiefs win in a Super Rugby Aotearoa thriller against the Highlanders.

With the match going to extra time, and the golden point decider, McKenzie’s penalty from distance was an exercise in keeping your cool:

Not to be outdone, Bordeaux flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert scored all of his side’s points as they beat Racing 24-21 in the Champions Cup quarter-final, sealed with another boot from distance:

That is a solid 55-metre punt that even Frans Steyn would be proud of.

One of the few things I love more than a longe-ranger is a ‘bus is full’ moment, and two from this past weekend stand out.

From Bath against London Irish, a barnstorming run:

And from the Reds against the Brumbies, Taniela Tupou taking no prisoners:

Steamrolled.

Well, I’ve managed to hold off this long without mentioning the undoubted highlight of the sporting weekend.

No, not El Clasico (we’ll get to that), but rather Newcastle United’s come from behind win against the might of Burnley.

Look, when you’ve won two from your last 21 matches, every opposing team can be classified as mighty.

Having gone in at half-time one down, the introduction of Allan Saint-Maximin turned the match on its head. The mercurial Frenchman set up Jacob Murphy to equalise with his first touch of the game, and then went on a mazy run to score the winner minutes later.

You absolutely beautiful man:

Whoever was running The Telegraph’s live text commentary at the time was left with some egg on the face:

That writer wasn’t the only person made to look foolish, and after the match, Allan was in fine form:

That would all have been of little interest to the sides at the top of the table, but allow me to bask in the warm glow of a win for once, please.

I’m so stoked I will gloss over one of the worst VAR calls of the season, with the Toon’s Sean Longstaff being kicked in the head six yards out, yet somehow not being awarded a penalty.

Talking of top sides, and contentious VAR decisions, let’s focus on the clash between Manchester United and Spurs, which saw the latter blow a lead en route to a 1-3 loss.

The major talking point of the first half was the disallowed goal by Edinson Cavani, with the officials ruling that Scott McTominay had fouled Son Heung-min in the build-up.

I can see why a foul was given, but it’s the lack of consistency that is so difficult to stomach.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær didn’t hold back after the match, saying that Son overreacted, and making a chirp about not giving his child dinner if he behaved in the way that the South Korean did.

Enter Jose Mourinho, chomping at the bit to deflect from another match, and season, where his team is underperforming, who was all too keen to seize on the comment:

Jose, he’s not saying he’s going to starve his children. Get a grip, man.

Special mention to Marcelo Bielsa and his Leeds outfit, who, despite playing most of the game with 10 men, managed to beat Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City outfit:

They really are a joy to watch.

Let’s finish with some football highlights from across the globe, and this wonder goal from Gabriel Rojas:

The El Clasico lived up to its billing as one of the world’s premier sporting contests, although the weather didn’t play ball.

Still, it was end to end stuff, and Barcelona can feel aggrieved that they didn’t get a point:

In Italy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off for AC Milan in their 3-1 victory over Parma on Saturday, after allegedly insulting the referee.

I make no bones about my dislike for Zlatan and his theatrics, but it’s not yet public knowledge what he said to Fabio Maresca.

As far as strange red cards go, Zlatan’s is right up there, but I think this takes the cake.

Fejsal Mulic put Seongnam 2-0 up against Gwangju in South Korea’s K League 1, and celebrated by taking off his shirt.

Unfortunately, he remembered that he was already on a yellow too late, and was sent off after his celebration:

His side still won 2-0, so perhaps it was worth it.

Finally, let’s talk cricket, and the Proteas’ opening T20 against Pakistan.

Having ended up 10 to 15 runs short of what they should have achieved, due to some skilled bowling at the death by Pakistan, the Proteas needed to defend 188.

They looked on course to do that, with Pakistan needing 52 off the final four overs, but some horrid bowling saw Pakistan win with a ball to spare.

When you consider that five of our top players aren’t available, due to playing in the IPL, it’s not a terrible result, but our bowlers’ inability to hit those yorkers when under pressure remains an issue.

Before we see the highlights, let’s watch Tabraiz Shamsi being taken for a ride by teammate Pite van Biljon:

Look, if you’re an adult man celebrating a wicket by making a mock phone call on your shoe, you deserve everything that comes your way.

Shamsi is a decent cricketer, but he’s no Rashid Khan:

Then again, I would say Rashid Khan is the best T20 bowler in the world, and will end up being remembered as the greatest of all time (he’s only 22 and just look at these stats), so that’s an unfair comparison:

Here are the full highlights from the first showdown:

The second T20 has just started (Monday, 2:30PM), and for reasons unknown to sane South African cricket fans, Kyle Verreynne has once again been omitted.

It was a decent weekend for at least three Saffas over in the English County Championship

However, it was a much less memorable weekend for Hampshire’s wicketkeeper Lewis McManus, who has been accused of cheating after this stumping of Leicestershire’s Hassan Azad off the bowling of Liam Dawson:

Hampshire captain James Vince has defended his ‘keeper, saying “if he’d known exactly what he’d done he would have said something”, and recalled Azad.

Not sure I’m buying that, or the excuse that he thought there was an edge and was going up for the catch.

Wrapping things up, and off the field, there was finally some progress made in the long-running saga of Cricket South Africa’s administration.

A step in the right direction, as Cricket SA Members’ Council finally caved and accepted a majority independent board, but still a long way to go.

Little by little, we may be inching towards good governance.

Now let’s all hang in there through the horrors of a five-day week, with some Champions League midweek action to help us along.

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