Rugby Union: Pienaar's admission

SARACENS' CAPTAIN, Francois Pienaar, who has revealed in his autobiography that he took performance-enhancing drugs before South Africa were allowed to return to the world stage, admitted yesterday that he is now taking creatine - a substance which occurs naturally in the body, writes David Llewellyn.

"I've just started using creatine and it has helped my recovery from injury," Pienaar said. "It is something of a grey area but since it is not a banned substance I am quite happy to try it.

"There has been a lot of talk about creatine and I have heard a lot of the South African guys have been using it and guys at this club have said it helps recovery. I will know more about its effects in a couple of months."