SIMELANE IN

TEAM OF THE WEEK SA TITLE

WANDISILE Simelane, who made his Lions run-on debut over the weekend, has been named in the latest Super Rugby Team of the Week.

On Saturday the highly regarded centre bagged the Man of the Match award in the Lions’ 47-39 home win over the Jaguares.

The other SA players to make the team were Handre Pollard and Trevor Nyakane (both Bulls) and Armand van der Merwe and Daniel du Preez (both Sharks).

The Super Rugby team has representatives from nine of the teams from a round that produced slim pickings for the away sides and seven home wins.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

15 Will Jordan (Crusaders), 14 Sevu Reece (Crusaders), 13 Wandisile Simelane (Lions), 12 Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes), 11 Rieko Ioane (Blues), 10 Handre Pollard (Bulls), 9 Will Genia (Rebels), 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes (Waratahs), 2 Armand van der Merwe (Sharks), 3 Trevor Nyakane (Bulls), Joshua Goodhue (Blues), 5 Scott Barrett (Crusaders), 6 Rob Valetini (Brumbies), 7 Michael Hooper (Waratahs), 8 Daniel du Preez (Sharks)

NXOSHE LOSES

THEMBELANI Nxoshe has been stripped of the SA flyweight title by Boxing SA after he failed an anti-doping test by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, after his loss to Mexican Ulises Lara in a clash for the WBC International title in East London on October 12 last year.

Nxoshe won the title for the second time in September 2016 when he stopped Mfundo Gwayana in the sixth round in a clash for the vacant title and then made a successful defence against Xolisi Voyi on a majority decision.

After failing the test, Nxoshe was suspended for six months, which will be effective from February 14 to August 13. | ANA