Heat on coach over nude Springboks

Photographs of Springbok players huddled naked up to their waists in a lake have rocked South African rugby, piling pressure on coach Rudolph Straeuli to quit after his team's World Cup exit.

Johannesburg's Star daily newspaper on Friday devoted half its front page to a photograph of at least 10 naked Springbok players packed tightly together, apparently exhausted and freezing, holding rugby balls or billy cans to preserve their modesty.

The paper said the picture was taken during the Springboks' pre-World Cup team-building camp in the bush two hours' drive north of Pretoria, where players endured gruelling ordeals intended to build mental strength.

After returning from their quarter-final defeat by New Zealand at the World Cup, the team faces a possible government inquiry into allegations of racism between players almost a decade after South Africa abandoned apartheid white rule.

Straeuli's methods have been heavily criticised and revelations of a program closer to a boot camp for elite military recruits than a sports training camp have increased the pressure on him. "We have no comment at this stage," a spokesman for South African Rugby said.

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"Hasleby settles over nude photo"

Hasleby settles over nude photo

16may03

AFL player Paul Hasleby has reached a financial settlement with the West Australian newspaper after it inadvertently published a photograph showing his penis.

The Fremantle midfielder threatened legal action against the newspaper after a picture of his penis protruding from his shorts appeared in an early edition of last Saturday's West Australian.

The photo, part of a graphic for last weekend's Dockers match against the Western Bulldogs, was airbrushed in later editions.

Hasleby's manager Wayne Loxley said today a financial agreement had been made with the newspaper.

The 21-year-old footballer later donated part of the money to a charity for children's health research.

"Paul was embarrassed and hurt by it, but we now feel this is a positive end to the issue with the West Australian," Loxley said.

The West Australian published a page-three apology in Wednesday's newspaper, saying production staff did not notice the detail of the photo and it was published inadvertently.