SPORT AND LIFESTYLE

I doubt anyone really cares but some may remember that I mentioned that the run up to the cracking Tri-Nations finale last weekend was given added spice by the presence in the Australian lineup of Clyde Rathbone, who previously captained the South African under 21 side to victory in the under-21 World Cup. He had made a "lifestyle" choice to move to Australia, like millions of other South Africans but was still pilloried in the local South African media as a "traitor".

I think this however rather justifies his decision...

Australia winger Clyde Rathbone's mother was in hospital after being attacked by intruders in her home near Durban on Wednesday, her husband said.

Alan Rathbone said his wife, Glynis, broke five ribs, fractured her hand and suffered lacerations to her foot.

Rathbone said the couple's 13-year-old son awoke at around 3am (1000 AEST) on Wednesday to find intruders in his bedroom in the family's first-floor flat in Warner Beach, south of Durban.

"Luke woke up and thought he saw a head pop up at the foot of his bed," Alan Rathbone told Reuters.

"He screamed, and my wife woke up, grabbed my firearm from under the mattress, and ran towards Luke's room.

"When I got there, there were three guys in our flat and Glynis was being dragged over the balcony.

"They were scrambling to get away, and she must have been trying to hold on to them."

Rathbone said the burglars released his wife before escaping over the balcony.

"She was just lying there," he said. "I thought she was dead."

Glynis Rathbone was recovering in hospital after surgery, her husband said.

A mobile phone and clothing were missing from the flat, although the clothing was later recovered.

Wallabies winger Rathbone was born and raised in Durban, and captained South Africa at the 2002 under-21 World Cup before deciding to further his career in Australia.

Rathbone played in the Australian team that was beaten 23-19 by South Africa in the deciding match of the Tri-nations tournament in Durban on Saturday.

He was the target of a sustained and hostile media focus in the days before the match.

A Durban newspaper, the Independent on Saturday, led its front page on Saturday with a report headlined "SA sucks - Clyde" in which Rathbone was quoted as saying in a Fox television interview, "When I'm away and my fiancée is in Canberra I don't have to worry about her ... whereas in South Africa, wherever she's going or wherever my brothers or my mother or any part of my family are you are constantly worried." (From the Sydney Morning Herald)

Now I love visiting South Africa. Mrs C's parents and her sister live outside Jo'burg, which has to have just about the best climate in the world, and we are regular visitors. The Cape, and Cape Town, is stunning, the food and wine in the nearby winelands of Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl are world class, the safaris are great. The people are friendly (unless you start talking rugby with them) and all-in-all it's a great tourist destination.

But I'm afraid young Mr Rathbone made the right call, and if I were his parents I'd be on the next flight out.