Latest news with #ChesterWilliams
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Canadians cause a riot against Springboks in Battle of Boet Erasmus II
The big winner of the Battle of Boet Erasmus at the Rugby World Cup 1995 between the Springboks and Canada, was Chester Williams, who did not even play in the clash. Photo: AFP Image: AFP Those who were there swear there was something sinister simmering in the air above Algoa Bay the night the Springboks hosted Canada in a Pool A match at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Older fans would later say they had experienced the same combative atmosphere on July 13, 1974, when the original Battle of Boet Erasmus took place. That was the infamous third Test between the British Lions and a desperate Springbok. At week earlier, at Loftus Versfeld, the Boks had suffered a record 28–9 humiliation and arrived at Boet Erasmus Stadium in a savage mood. But the wily Lions knew what was coming and had devised a call to arms they named '99'. Rugby World Cup 1995 | In retrospective Image: Independent Media Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading When captain Willie John McBride sensed extreme hostility, he would scream '99' and each Lion would punch the nearest Springbok. McBride reasoned that if all 15 Lions were simultaneously brawling, it would be impossible for the referee to send anyone off. The Lions won the fight and the rugby, and the Boks fared only marginally better than in Pretoria, losing 26–9. In 1995, a contributing factor to the incendiary atmosphere was the late kick-off at 7.45pm. It had been a long time since Gqeberha had hosted a Test match, and the excited locals had all day to imbibe in the throbbing beachfront pubs, before they partied up the road to nearby Boet Erasmus Stadium – a ramshackle cauldron where rusty old railway carriages presided atop the openside stand. The volatile expectancy was ramped up when the lights failed as the teams lined up for the national anthems. The 31 000 spectators thronged to the stadium pubs once more. Also pre-match, there had been the curious sight of SA Rugby Football Union CEO Edward Griffiths personally threading his way across that boisterous openside stand to implore holders of the old South African flag to lower their colours. Some did; others mocked him. The teams retreated to their changing rooms when the lights failed. The Canadians continued to whip themselves into a frenzy. That week, captain Gareth Rees had said: 'We're not a particularly good side, but through physical confrontation, we're hoping to set up a battle that we can win. "Nothing illegal … Just good old confrontational rugby that can win or lose you the game.' In fact, Canada were a relatively good side — Rees was an accomplished flyhalf; their Western Province centre Christian Stewart would later play for the Boks; while Rod Snow and Al Charron were among the best tight forwards in Welsh club rugby. But the Canadians knew they could not beat the Boks in a fair exchange. Former Canada captain Gareth Rees. Photo: AFP Image: AFP When the game eventually kicked off, just before 9pm, the Canadians set out to niggle, annoy, and unsettle — an elbow here, a jersey tug there, hidden punches in the rucks, and plenty of inflammatory chatter. This match was the Boks' third game of the World Cup. They had gloriously beaten defending champions Australia in the opening match and taken care of Romania with a B-side. Discipline had been a non-negotiable cornerstone of the Boks' campaign under ultra-strict coach Kitch Christie, and in the first half, the Boks literally rolled with the punches and maintained their focus on getting the result that would secure them a quarter-final. After all, if they had lost to Canada, there was a mathematical chance they would not make the play-offs. The Boks comfortably led 17–0 at half-time, but the only further score in the match would be a Joel Stransky penalty early in the second half. The game lost shape as the niggling intensified, and the powder keg was ignited when Canada wing Winston Stanley, hurtling down the touchline, was clattered into the advertising boards by an over-exuberant Pieter Hendriks. All hell broke loose when Stanley got up and tried to throttle Hendriks. Players flew in like missiles, and among them — perhaps inevitably — was James 'Bullet' Dalton. At that time, the law emphasised that the third party arriving with hostile intent at a tussle, had to be heavily penalised. Referee David McHugh incorrectly identified Dalton as the third arrival, when replays clearly showed it was Canadian fullback Scott Stewart who had escalated the situation. Virtually every player on the field traded blows, but it was the unfortunate Dalton who was sent off by McHugh, along with Rees and Snow. Dalton, for once in his life, was innocent. He never threw a punch and was injudiciously banned from the rest of the tournament. The great fear was that if the Boks' semi-final against France had been rained off — and it very nearly was — they would have been out of the World Cup because Les Bleus had the better disciplinary record.
Gulf Today
18-04-2025
- Gulf Today
US citizen shot dead by passenger after attempting to hijack plane
A US man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, officials in Belize and the United States said. The plane then landed safely. The Tropic Air plane was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, and was flying from Corozal, a small town near Belize's border with Mexico, heading to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro when it was hijacked. The plane circled in random directions for nearly two hours as the drama unfolded in the skies. The plane was tailed by a police helicopter before touching down at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. The would-be hijacker threatened the pilot shortly after the Cessna Grand Caravan from Belize's Tropic Air took off in the morning with 14 on board from the town of Corozal. It was headed for the Belizean island of San Pedro, but the man ordered the pilot to head "out of the country," police commissioner Chester Williams told Channel 5 news. A Tropic Air counter is seen at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City. AFP The plane hovered for some time over the international airport of Belize City before landing just as it was about to run out of fuel, at which point the hijacker stabbed two fellow passengers. One had a firearm he was licensed to carry, and shot the attacker dead, according to officials and local media. Police identified the assailant as 49-year-old US national Akinyela Sawa Taylor, who was apparently a military veteran. The injured passengers were taken to the hospital. The US Embassy in Belize expressed its regret over the incident on the eve of the Easter long weekend. "It really highlights the importance of safety and security," the embassy's public affairs officer Luke Martin told reporters. "We have a strong relationship with Belizean law enforcement, and in times like this, that partnership proves crucial," with a quick exchange of information, he added. Agencies
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
US man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before he's shot dead
Authorities at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (P.G.I.A.) say they were alerted to a U.S. man who was hijacking a small plane in Belize on Thursday. The man stabbed two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, according to officials in Belize and the United States. The passenger was licensed to carry a firearm and later turned his weapon over to the police. "We are praying for him," Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, told reporters. "He's our hero." Young American Tourists' Cause Of Death Revealed After They Were Found 'Motionless' At Beach Resort Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. military veteran, a report by The Associated Press said. U.S. officials could not confirm the Belize police commissioner's statement that Taylor was a military veteran. The air flight Cessna Caravan V3HIG from Corozal to San Pedro had 14 passengers and 2 crew members onboard, the statement from P.G.I.A. said. Read On The Fox News App A full emergency was declared immediately after the incident started and the aircraft circled in random directions for approximately two hours until finally landing safely at the P.G.I.A., according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company. Atlanta Bus Hijacking Suspect Had 19 Prior Arrests, Mental Illnesses, Family Says U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a news briefing in Washington that officials were still gathering information about what occurred. "Horrifying," she said. "We are grateful, I think all of us are, that it did not turn into a mass casualty event with, I believe, over a dozen people on the plane. Clearly we know a few details. We don't know much more." U.S. officials said they did not know the motive for Taylor's hijacking but were working with Belizean authorities to determine what article source: US man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before he's shot dead
Fox News
18-04-2025
- Fox News
US man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before he's shot dead
Authorities at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (P.G.I.A.) say they were alerted to a U.S. man who was hijacking a small plane in Belize on Thursday. The man stabbed two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, according to officials in Belize and the United States. The passenger was licensed to carry a firearm and later turned his weapon over to the police. "We are praying for him," Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, told reporters. "He's our hero." Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. military veteran, a report by The Associated Press said. U.S. officials could not confirm the Belize police commissioner's statement that Taylor was a military veteran. The air flight Cessna Caravan V3HIG from Corozal to San Pedro had 14 passengers and 2 crew members onboard, the statement from P.G.I.A. said. A full emergency was declared immediately after the incident started and the aircraft circled in random directions for approximately two hours until finally landing safely at the P.G.I.A., according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a news briefing in Washington that officials were still gathering information about what occurred. "Horrifying," she said. "We are grateful, I think all of us are, that it did not turn into a mass casualty event with, I believe, over a dozen people on the plane. Clearly we know a few details. We don't know much more." U.S. officials said they did not know the motive for Taylor's hijacking but were working with Belizean authorities to determine what happened.
South China Morning Post
18-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Knife-wielding US hijacker shot dead by passenger on Belize flight
A passenger on a small plane from Belize on Thursday shot dead an American armed with a knife who was attempting a hijacking, police in the Caribbean nation said. Advertisement The would-be hijacker threatened the pilot soon after the Cessna Grand Caravan from Belize's Tropic Air took off in the morning with 14 on board from the town of Corozal. It was headed for the Belizean island of San Pedro, but the man ordered the pilot to head 'out of the country', police commissioner Chester Williams told Channel 5 news. Williams said the plane was followed by a helicopter in case a quick rescue operation needed to be mounted in the event of a crash. The plane hovered for some time over the international airport of Belize City before landing just as it was about to run out of fuel, at which point the hijacker stabbed two fellow passengers. Advertisement One had a firearm he was licensed to carry, and shot the attacker dead, according to officials and local media. Police identified the assailant as 49-year-old US national Akinyela Sawa Taylor, who was apparently a military veteran.
