Auckland golf boss Peter Seagar is a worried man - he could lose his champion women's interprovincial team to school exams next year. The average age of the six-strong squad which won the tournament at the Grange last week was just 15 years and two months. And New Zealand Golf has shifted the tournament to a late November start - so it sits next to the men's tournament - which puts it slap bang in the school exam season. "One mother has already told me her girl will not be able to play," said Seagar.
Lose unit
Of the many Willie-Lose-isms to cross the SuperShorts desk our favourite of recent times came when the great man was outraged by the lack of effort well-paid players were putting into domestic rugby. As a matter of fact, you could say some of those players are on the gravy train. Or, if you're Willie Lose, you could say: "They're on the gravy stroke!"
email your favourite Lose-isms to supersport@nzherald.co.nz.
Dangerous talk
A gloom set upon the faces of John Adshead, Kevin Fallon and Ivan Vicelich during their stint as guests on Deaker On Sport this week. The three were intently discussing tactics, formation and selections from the All Whites first-leg qualifier against Bahrain when host Murray Deaker cheerily mentioned that he only flicked on the telly for the second half and from what he saw at that point the All Whites were outgunned. As the words "halftime? And you're telling us what was going wrong?" flickered behind Vicelich's eyes, Fallon tensed the sinews of his right forearm ...
Modern woman
Chelsea want to sign Las Palmas' goalkeeper Fabian Assman - yes, Assman. If he moved to London his girlfriend, Argentine model Melina Pitra, would presumably follow. She's not the kind of lass to let modern ways cloud her mind. Explaining to Hombre magazine why their love is "emotionally real", Pitra said: "In bed I am mostly tied down, immobilised, and like to have it given to me. It is the natural order."
True love waits
Ah, romance. True love knows no bounds ... unless of course you're getting married to Kangaroos frontrower Brett White, whose bride-to-be, Cassie, might want to pay more attention to the international league calendar when booking future Special Days.
White is in the green-and-gold squad for the Four Nations, meaning the long-planned wedding is on hold until the next set of six.
"Cassie and I spoke at length about the issue and, at the end of the day, she has told me she wants me to tour," said Brett as he packed his bags. "I always knew women in league played an important role, but I've obviously lucked out with the best woman in the business."
'On-field lady rumpus'
A women's soccer match in Brazil between bitter rivals Cesmac and S sporte ended in trouble, with one player hospitalised and brawls at the ground. The local news agency reports: "What began as an on-field lady rumpus involving at least 13 players soon became kicking, hairpulling, screams, grunts and blood, far and wide."
Good week for...
The Blues
Given the misunderstandings between Eden Park and Albany, the Blues are fortunate to still be able to count Harbour All Blacks Tony Woodcock and Anthony Boric in their ranks. How great would it have been to see them in Chiefs colours for 2010?
Bad week for...
Fans of madness
Sven-Goran Eriksson has turned his back on a promising Korea move (geddit?). He's robbed tabloid-reading soccer fans of what would have been the most bizarre chapter in his colourful story: guiding the world's last Stalinist state to the World Cup.
The number
60
The number of minutes it took the World Champion Kiwis to pull away from Tonga in Wednesday's test. Benji Marshall's try broke the 24-24 deadlock and bought the hosts some breathing room.
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