All Blacks’ Ian Foster in limbo
Some praise Ole
MANCHESTER - A number of Manchester United fans have rushed to praise Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the dreadful start to the season from Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman is the new man in the hotseat at Old Trafford having taken over from the interim Ralf Rangnick. The German, who was axed at the end of last season, was temporarily brought into replace Solskjaer - who lost his job last season.
‘Terminate contract’
LONDON - Hector Bellerin has requested that Arsenal terminate his £110 00-a-week contract at the club as he enters the final 12 months of his deal. Bellerin has requested that his current deal is cancelled to allow him to make the move away from the Gunners on a free transfer. The 27-year-old full back has found himself frozen out at the Emirates Stadium under Mikel Arteta, and spent last season on loan with LaLiga outfit Real Betis.
Offer expires
MANCHESTER - The long running saga of Manchester United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong this summer may have hit its final snag, with a report in Holland claiming the club’s offer to Barcelona has expired. United seemed to be pushing to acquire the 25-year-old midfielder in a deal worth around £70 million, in hopes of teaming de Jong up with new manager Erik ten Hag after their successful time together at Ajax.
Mbonambi ruled out
JOHANNEBURG - Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi was ruled out and uncapped Canan Moodie included in a 34-man squad that will leave on Thursday for the Australian leg of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. The squad, announced yesterday, comes after the Springboks lost their second match against the All Blacks at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday and now will look to win in Australia for the first time since 2013, if they are to have a chance of securing the Rugby Championship this year. Mbonambi’s knee injury is more serious than thought and means he will be ruled out for four weeks, with Joseph Dweba and Malcolm Marx the only two hookers in the squad.
JOHANNESBURG - Ian Foster’s future as head coach of New Zealand remained up in the air yesterday despite the All Blacks’ impressive turnaround against South Africa in the Rugby Championship over the weekend.
The All Blacks broke a run of three defeats with a sparkling 35-23 win at Ellis Park on Saturday but New Zealand Rugby (NZR) boss Mark Robinson declined to back Foster to continue in the role.
The team is scheduled to reassemble in Christchurch on Sunday to prepare for the next Rugby Championship test against Argentina.
Hop
“I’m about to hop on a plane and go home and mow the lawns around the pool,” Foster told New Zealand media on Sunday.
“I’ll be given feedback, no doubt, but my expectations are I’m the All Blacks head coach and later in the week I’ll be going to Christchurch and assembling with the team until I’m told anything different.” New Zealand media had speculated Foster would be sacked and replaced by Crusaders coach Scott Robertson if the All Blacks had slumped to another defeat at Ellis Park.