The week’s best sport reads

lllNavel-gazing is almost a national pastime for SA rugby lovers, so it’s encouraging to see the habit has caught on elsewhere.

Cue Australia. Former Wallaby fullback Matt Burke asks in this piece what ails the Australian rugby beast. He bemoans the influence of rugby league and has clearly been stung by the 3-0 reverse to England that shook Aussie rugby to the core. It’s not an overly revealing read, but it gives insight into the mood around the game down there.

From one institution to another. Wynne Gray is a grizzled rugby writer from New Zealand who has been on the beat forever. Last week, he took his final bow, retiring after an age at the New Zealand Herald where he was the most dependable authority on rugby.

I crossed his path many times and he was never less than professional. As this warm-hearted piece in the Herald indicates, he was a loner who never hunted with the pack. It’s a fine tribute with some touching anecdotes. He’ll be missed.

Usain Bolt is pure gold when it comes to interviews. This week, there were no less than two, one in The Telegraph and another in Sports Illustrated. They are nicely done and give fresh perspective into the life of athletics’ most radiant superstar.

The Rio Olympics probably represents his final bow and he will be aiming for a seventh sprint gold medal. As these pieces indicate, he truly is one of a kind.