Reuters Soccer Blog
World Soccer views and news
from Left field:
Things warming up nicely on the South African sporting front
The South African sporting public were a little underwhelmed by the early stages of the Confederations Cup and the British and Irish Lions tour but the last few days has seen a major turnaround and there is now something in the air.
Relatively high ticket prices combined with the Sprinboks' decision to keep their players out of their Super 14 teams combined to ensure the early provincial games were played against a backdrop of empty seats.
Now, however, with the first test looming on Saturday, a ticket for King's Park is like gold dust. The few thousand Lions fans who followed the team round the country over the first three weeks have been joined by a massive influx for the tests.
Estimates are that more than 30,000 will arrive for some part of the tour and they were out in force in Durban this week. Balmy seaside temperatures, good cheap food and, vitally, even cheaper beer, makes the coastal resort a dream destination for rugby tourists.
from Left field:
The shoot-out where blazing over the bar is a good thing
Major rugby's first shoot-out was followed, almost inevitably, by a tidal wave of complaints about how unfair it all was.
Leicester secured a slot in the final of the Heineken Cup, Europe's premier club competition, after beating Cardiff Blues 7-6 "on penalties" on Sunday.
