It was yet another spectacular sporting weekend with historic wins and incredible upsets. From Arsenal maintaining their lead atop the Premie League table, Liverpool being stunned in the South of England, to the Pumas cutting the Bulls to pieces at Loftus.
Here are the stand-out moments.
1 – Keshav Maharaj ruptures tendon
The start of the term for the new Protea Test coach, Shukri Conrad, was spectacular. In his first series in charge, he led the team to a resounding victory. The SA Batters played with a confidence that had not been seen in some time, while the SA Bowlers dismantled the West Indies batting lineup with precision and class.
However, the game was not without its unfortunate incidents. On the stroke of lunch on Day 4 Keshav Maharaj bowled a peach of a delivery to Kyle Mayers. It floated through the air, pitched on leg stump, straightened, beat Meyers’ bat, and hit his pad.
While the standing umpire judged it to be not out after the Proteas asked the question, “Howzat”, the review saw the decision overturned.
As one would expect, the wicket brought about pure ecstasy for Maharaj, who looked to set off to celebrate. However, as he took his first step, he collapsed and looked to be in pure agony.
Keshav Maharaj has been injured during a wicket celebration, he was moved to nearby Hospital in Johannesburg. #SAvWI pic.twitter.com/0lVeBALQkf
— Resanth. (@CricResanth) March 11, 2023
Maharaj was taken to the hospital to have an MRI scan, which revealed that he completely ruptured his left Achilles tendon – and is set to meet with a surgeon today.
Wishing you everything of the best in your recovery Kesh 🙏
We know you'll be back stronger than ever 💪 pic.twitter.com/DRYxc7OxJP
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 11, 2023
2 – Pumas clean up Blue Bulls in opening round of the Currie Cup
Last season, the Currie Cup witnessed history as the Pumas clinched their first-ever title. As the 2023 edition kicked off this past weekend, the question on everyone’s mind was whether they could retain the coveted trophy.
The Pumas faced a daunting challenge in the first round, as they had to travel to Loftus Versfeld to take on the Blue Bulls, the reigning champions before the Pumas’ triumph. Many expected the Pumas to face a stern test of their mettle.
However, the Pumas proved their title-winning performance was no fluke. They put on a masterclass in running rugby, with the ball seemingly on life support as it never stopped moving from hand to hand.
Watch the Pumas blow the Bulls away:
They have set the bar high for the rest of the competition. It will be fascinating to see if they can maintain this level of play and defend their title.
3 – France earn a historic win in England
The Six Nations competition is set to reach its thrilling conclusion this weekend, with Ireland currently leading the pack by four points. However, recent events have shown that France are ready to seize the trophy should Ireland falter in their final fixture against England.
France, who are widely considered the favourites to win the William Webb Ellis trophy at this year’s Rugby World Cup, delivered a stunning performance against England, completely dismantling them in a resounding victory.
This was France’s first win at Twickenham since 2005, and they made history, as England suffered their worst defeat at home.
This past weekend also marked England’s 777th Test match, where they lost by more than seven tries for the seventh time.
Watch France’s flair at Twickenham:
4 – Italy Coach feels Rassies frustration
Elsewhere in the Six Nations, Rassie Erasmus fever has started to spread. Erasmus’ dismay for bad officiating and the handling of complaints by World Rugby is well documented.
Now, Italy’s head coach, Kieran Crowley has joined Erasmus in the call for World Rugby to do better by slamming the Australian Referee, Damon Murphy for his indifferent decision-making during his sides’ 29-17 loss against Wales.
"There's a lot of bloody frustration!"
"I'm getting sick of going through the right channels and getting a response that says 'sorry, we got it wrong'. That just wasn't good enough today."
Kieran Crowley on the officiating in Rome today.#ITAvWAL #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/S3lLtTUjYl
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 11, 2023
There’s a lot to digest in that two-minute clip, but Crowley just echoed Erasmus’ dismays.
“It’s funny… you’ve got to go through the right channels, but I’m getting sick of going through the right channels and getting a response that says: ‘Oh, we’re sorry we got it wrong’, because that just wasn’t good enough today,” stated the New Zealand born Italian Head Coach in the post-match interview.
Watch Italy and Wales battle to avoid the wooden spoon:
5 – Arsenal and Man City race heats up
In the English Premier League, the race for the top spot has been heating up, with the gap between the first and second-place teams remaining at 5 points for several weeks.
While Manchester City narrowly defeated Crystal Palace over the weekend, Arsenal made history with an impressive performance at Fulham. The Gunners took a 3-0 lead into the break at halftime but were unable to add to their scoreline in the second half. Nevertheless, they had done enough to secure the win.
In fact, Arsenal’s victory was particularly noteworthy because it marked the first time in English Football League history that a team had won five consecutive London derbies away from home without conceding a single goal.
The three first-half goals were all created by Leandro Trossard, who became the first player in Premier League history to earn a hat-trick of assists in the first half of an away game.
One of the goal scorers for Arsenal was Martin Odegaard, who scored his 10th goal of the season. This achievement saw Arsenal become one of only two clubs in the European top 10 to have three players with more than 10 goals for the season. Gabriel Martinelli has 12 goals, while Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard both have 10.
The other club with three players in the top 10 is PSG, where Kylian Mbappe has an impressive 19 goals, while Neymar and Lionel Messi both have 13.
Watch the Gunners maintain their spot at the peak of the table:
6 – Liverpool knocked off their high-horse
Liverpool’s season has been full of ups and downs. However, their recent victory over Manchester United with an unprecedented score of 7-0 was a moment of pride for Liverpool fans worldwide.
But, as the old adage goes, a team is only as good as their last game.
Unfortunately, Liverpool’s last game ended in disappointment for their supporters. They travelled to the South of England with high hopes of securing three points, but instead, they left empty-handed after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth, a team currently in the bottom three of the Premier League table.
This loss was a harsh reality check for Liverpool, reminding them that they cannot afford to be complacent.
Watch Bournemouth upset the Reds:
More from the Smile FM Sports desk: Not just Rassie! Italy coach slams World Rugby ref protocols
