Cameroon prepare to unleash their talent on Japan

June 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

South Africa (Reuters) – Cameroon are ready to “showcase their talents,” coach Paul Le Guen said on Sunday, with opponents Japan earmarked to be their first victims in Monday’s World Cup Group E match.

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Frenchman Le Guen did not allow an icy Bloemfontein evening to cool his confidence of a successful campaign despite a largely fruitless pre-tournament build-up and told a news conference Japan’s miserable form mattered even less.

“I see the friendly games as not very important,” Le Guen told reporters at the Free State Stadium in reference to Japan’s dire run of four defeats and a draw in their last five games.

“I watched all of their games and they did well sometimes, for example against England. I know it will be a tough game,” he added.

Stalwart defenders Rigobert Song and Geremi have begun to take a backseat in the Indomitable Lions side with the emergence of talented youngsters like Nicolas Nkoulou and Alexandre Song, but striker Samuel Eto’o remains their most gifted player.

The three-times African Player of the Year has more than 40 goals for his country and could expect to add to his tally if Japan fail to tame Cameroon’s physical presence on Monday.

“Eto’o is our captain, he is an important player, he is the iconic figure in Cameroon. He knows what works for him as well as the Cameroon team,” Le Guen said.

“He is a champion and knows how to concentrate on the things that matter.”

The former Rangers and Olympique Lyon coach conceded the Netherlands are likely to top Group E with Cameroon and Denmark likely to fight it out for second, providing Japan do not spring an unlikely surprise.

Whatever their route, Le Guen is aware what his adopted country expects.

“I feel happiness to lead the team of Cameroon. I feel the huge expectation of the country and we have certainly done everything to make sure the preparation is well underway. I think we are ready to showcase our talents,” he said.

“The aim is to go as far as possible and perhaps equal the glorious 90s,” he added in reference to Roger Milla and his team mates who fired Cameroon to the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals.

(Editing by Michael Holden)

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‘Beasted’ Broad backs ‘fearless’ England for Ashes, World Cup glory

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, June 11(ANI): England fast bowler Stuart Broad has said that he spent his time out of the national team on working on his fitness, and announced that he is now prepared for the Ashes and the World Cup.

Broad, who was dropped for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, was named in the 13-man ODI squad to play England in a five-match series.

“I’ve spent the last few weeks at Loughborough getting a serious beasting in the gym — it’s been knackering, but I feel stronger and have put on about a kilogram of muscle. This isn’t a short-term thing, this is so I am still going strong by the end of the Ashes in January and through to the World Cup,” The Sun quoted Broad, as saying.

“By being dropped for that reason, I at least have the confidence that I”m in the long-term plans,” he added.

The 23-year-old said that he was unhappy with the selectors’ decision to drop him for the Bangladesh Test series.

“It was a hard phone call to take when the selectors told me. They gave their reasons and were adamant it wasn”t form. So if I”m taking wickets during an Ashes win in Australia and the World Cup, it will have been worth it,” Broad said.

He further insisted that the current England one-day side is different from the one that lost 6-1 to Australia last summer.

“These five games against Australia this summer are important — it”s crucial we continue the momentum we”ve built up in one-day cricket. Now we back ourselves and each other to play fearless cricket. We look a different team and that”s why we won the World Twenty20,” Broad said.

“We want to keep beating Australia. We have the Ashes and won that Twenty20 final — it”s hugely important we keep getting these little things over them,” he added. (ANI)

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Rivers keeps Celtics healthy in bid for record 18th title

May 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – With coach Doc Rivers pulling the strings like a puppet master, the Boston Celtics defied their critics and shrugged off a late season slump to reach the NBA Finals for a 21st time.

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Rivers maintained his trust in a team that limped 27-27 over their final 54 regular-season games, preferring to rest some of his top but aging players to keep them fresh for the playoffs.

As with so many moves made by the astute Rivers, what may have initially appeared risky and even foolhardy turned out to be yet another master stroke in the bigger picture.

The invigorated Celtics eliminated LeBron James and the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs before beating the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference championship series 4-2.

Thursday in Los Angeles, Boston will face off against their arch-rivals the Lakers in Game One of the NBA Finals where they will bid for a record 18th title.

“This is where we thought we would be,” Rivers told reporters after the Celtics had beaten the Magic 96-84 in Game Six at an electric TD Garden in Boston. “This is what we talked about before the season started.

“We did go through tough times. We started out so well and I thought after 28 games you could say we felt like we were the best team in the NBA. After that we had injuries, we fell apart and we struggled finding ourselves.”

Two members of Boston’s pivotal ‘Big Three’ — Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce — were sidelined during the regular season.

Garnett was out for almost a month while recovering from a hyper-extended right knee while Pierce missed five games in December because of a knee infection and three in February with a strained thumb.

GAME PLAN

“We formed a game plan and I thought it was the right plan,” Rivers said. “Obviously it didn’t look right because we were losing games but guys were resting and conditioning and I thought that was the only chance we had.

“The one thing I did learn through the injuries was we were not good enough injured. There were no guarantees but we had a chance healthy. So my gamble was let’s take health. So we lost some games, but we got healthy.”

Rivers shrugs off suggestions that Boston’s big three of Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen are not the force they were when the Celtics steamrolled the Lakers 131-92 in Game Six to clinch the 2008 NBA championship.

“This starting five has never lost a series, ever,” he said. “As a coach, I just believed that I saw what they did and what they had. We kept saying as a staff, it’s in us. We’ve got to try to get it back out of us.”

Garnett (aged 34), Pierce (32) and Allen (34), plus Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, have won seven playoff series as a unit and their collective physical presence could be a telling factor in the best-of-seven NBA Final against the Lakers.

“We have a team where the core players here have won a championship,” said Pierce, the 2008 MVP of the championship series. “Once you get that under your belt, that’s experience you can’t take away.

“When the playoffs start, we know we have that kind of experience and we know how to win games because of the team that’s been together over the last few years. We have the same starting five that won a championship.”

The Celtics, a storied franchise made great by coach Red Auerbach and players such as Bill Russell and Larry Bird, have so far enjoyed a significant winning edge against the Lakers when it matters most.

Eleven times the teams have met in the showpiece NBA Finals with Boston triumphing on nine occasions.

(Editing by Ian Ransom)

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Nadal eyes last-16 berth but Hewitt stands in his way

May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Four-times champion Rafael Nadal will lock horns with Aussie battler Lleyton Hewitt at the French Open on Saturday when the third round matches are completed.

Perfect weather allowed organisers to get the tournament back on schedule on Friday after the previous day’s rain, and the claycourt slam is coming nicely to the boil.

Hewitt, the 28th seed, will be hoping to offer more resistance against Nadal than at the same stage last year when he gleaned a meagre five games.

“I got nothing to lose out there,” the 29-year-old told reporters after his five-set win against Denis Istomin. “It’s a matter of going out there and playing my game, and hopefully I can hit the ball well.”

Women’s top seed Serena Williams opens proceedings on Phillipe Chatrier Court against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova while fellow American Andy Roddick is first up on Suzanne Lenglen Court against Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili.

A Roddick victory would mean he matches his career-best run to the fourth round here last year.

Four-times champion Justine Henin, bidding to reclaim her crown after returning from retirement in January, faces fellow former world number one Maria Sharapova in the most eye-catching of the day’s women’s matches.

Both have plenty to prove.

“It’s gonna be an interesting match,” Henin told reporters. “It comes very early, third round, but I expect a big fight as we always had in the past. It’s gonna be very exciting.”

There is plenty of Australian interest with Jarmila Groth facing compatriot Anastasia Rodionova and seventh seed Samantha Stosur up against Russian Anastasia Pivovarova.

(Editing by Miles Evans. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Kimmorley to begin contract talks soon

April 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Canterbury half-back Brett Kimmorley says the time is nearing for him to sit down with the club’s bosses and discuss his playing future.

Kimmorley is off contract at the end of this season and has said in the past a decision on whether he would play on for another year would depend on his body and form.

The 33-year-old has not given much thought to 2011 but admits he is struggling to produce good form.

“I’m still enjoying playing footy but I’m not playing the best footy,” Kimmorley said.

“I suppose it’ll be time soon to have a meeting with the club and see if we’re both happy or not.”

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg has said the club will start negotiations with Kimmorley before they begin recruiting other players.

Nearly six rounds into the season, the Bulldogs are equal last on the ladder with one win from five games.

Kimmorley said despite the horror picture their win-loss record paints, the Bulldogs are not panicking just yet but concedes their attitude has been lacking.

“At the moment by having no enthusiasm we’re not turning up in the right frame of mind where we’ve got no chance of winning,” he said.

The Bulldogs had a fairytale run in the 2009 season winning 18 of their 24 games and just missing out on the minor premiership.

The NSW representative said despite starting this season well below the expectations of fans and themselves, they remained upbeat.

“We have stayed a very tight unit, we’re all very close and we all look after each other very well,” Kimmorley said.

“We understand there’s going to be some hard times.”

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Troops on way back for Broncos

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Brisbane could rush back as many as five players, including strike weapon Israel Folau, for Sunday’s clash with fellow NRL desperates Cronulla.

They will also be boosted by the return of popular skills coach Allan “Alfie” Langer, whose suspension was lifted after he was fined and disqualified from driving on Monday for drink driving.

“It’ll be good to have him (Langer) back. There’ll be a smile on their (the players’) faces when they see him and I’m sure he’ll be ready for their wise cracks,” Henjak said.

A bold punter backed the last-placed Broncos – who have won just one of their first five games – to win $264,000 in a single bet at $67 with Sportingbet Australia only hours before Henjak signalled the return of a number of top line players led by Folau.

He could be joined by exciting young winger Jharal Yow Yeh, suspended duo Ben Te’o and Antonio Winterstein and senior prop Nick Kenny, a late scratching from last week’s loss to the Dragons.

The injection of Folau and Yow Yeh will give the back line strike-power and take some heat off Darren Lockyer and Peter Wallace.

Brisbane took on St George Illawarra with the youngest and most inexperienced side in the club’s history outside of Origin dates.

They were gutsy in the first half and had a real dig despite some tough penalty decisions at crucial stages.

“The two suspended players will be back and Izzy (Folau) and Jharal could be back as well,” Henjak said.

“Nick Kenny is another possibility, so there’s a few troops there.”

Yow Yeh has not played this season after hurting his knee in the All Stars game in February.

“Jharal finished last year really well and he was good in the All Stars game and we were looking forward to him playing after a really good preseason,” he said.

“I’ll check them all in the morning (Tuesday) and see what the latest medical update on them is first.”

Brisbane’s biggest danger after tough games against big packs is looking at struggling Cronullag and thinking the task will be a lot easier at Lang Park on Sunday.

“I think we’re pretty desperate, I hope they’re not thinking like that,” Henjak said.

“We’ll be reminding them of the standard we need.

“We took some steps last week and we don’t want to go backwards, we want to keep improving.”

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Inter leaves door open for Roma

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Serie A top spot is AS Roma’s for the taking this weekend after leaders Inter Milan were held to an exciting 2-2 draw at Fiorentina.

Per Kroldrup poked home to earn Fiorentina a point in the 82nd minute just 60 seconds after Samuel Eto’o looked to have snatched a comeback win for the champions.

Inter’s Argentina forward Diego Milito had scored in the 75th minute to cancel out Brazilian Keirrison’s opener for the hosts in the 11th.

Second-placed Roma will move a point ahead of Inter, which has 67, with five games to go if it beats relegation-threatened visitors Atalanta when the rest of the league program is played on Sunday.

AC Milan, which is four points behind Inter in third, face Catania at the San Siro.

Inter looked to be cruising to a fifth straight scudetto in mid-February when it led by nine points but the exertions of reaching the Champions League semi-finals may have contributed to its domestic form stuttering.

“We’re not worried and we don’t think about what Roma will do,” Inter technical director Marco Branca told Sky television.

“They still have to play tomorrow. We played our match today against an excellent team. We could have won. We did what we had to do.”

Inter coach Jose Mourinho has stopped speaking to media before and after Serie A matches following a series of touchline bans for controversial comments and gestures.

His men made a bright start against a Fiore side who had several regulars initially on the bench, with the teams due to meet again on Tuesday in the Italian Cup semi-final second leg.

Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o forced good saves out of Fiorentina goal keeper Sebastien Frey and Diego Milito headed a great chance on to the post in the opening exchanges.

Keirrison, starting for Italy striker Alberto Gilardino, soon showed how dangerous the hosts could be though, steering the ball into an empty net to finish a silky move.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho tried to shake things up at half-time by bringing on Mario Balotelli and it looked to have paid off when the teenage forward set up Cameroon striker Eto’o's goal soon after Milito’s equaliser.

But Inter made a mess of defending a corner and Denmark’s World Cup-bound Kroldrup took advantage.

Earlier, Napoli’s hopes of taking Italy’s final Champions League qualifying place took a knock when it lost 3-2 at home to Parma and missed the chance to go fourth.

Sixth-placed Napoli stay on 49 points, two behind joint-fourth Palermo and Sampdoria, who are at home to Chievo Verona and city rivals Genoa respectively on Sunday.

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Dour Denver defense drains Kobe-less Lakers

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – A stifling defensive effort and 31 points from Carmelo Anthony lifted the Denver Nuggets to a 98-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

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The Nuggets overcame a seven-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter by forcing three critical turnovers in the final minutes and blocking Derek Fisher’s three-point attempt as time expired.

“That felt just as good as hitting the game-winner,” Anthony said of his game-ending block.

“Tonight it was meant for me to be out there and play defense on that last play. I made the block and saved us tonight.”

Denver (52-27) won its fourth straight game to move into second place in the crowded Western conference playoff race, half a game in front of Dallas and Phoenix.

NBA champions Los Angeles (55-23) played without the resting Kobe Bryant, leaving Pau Gasol to take the lead with 26 points and 13 rebounds.

Tuning up to defend their title in the playoffs, the Lakers have appeared out of sync in losing four of their last five games.

They trailed by 10 to the Nuggets at halftime and by 14 in the third before a big 20-4 run turned the game around.

The Lakers’ own 87-80 lead slipped away in the fourth, though, when three-pointers and three straight free throws gave Denver a 97-94 advantage with 44 seconds to go.

J.R. Smith bolstered the Nuggets with 26 points off the bench, bouncing back from a 4-for-13 shooting performance the previous night.

Ron Artest chipped in 22 for the Lakers, who were already without center Andrew Bynum, who is out with a foot injury.

Coach Phil Jackson said that Bryant was given the option to rest and made a late decision to sit the game out after he had struggled in his previous two outings.

“I don’t anticipate (him playing on Friday at Minnesota) but I’ll let him make that decision,” Jackson said. “He knows exactly what he needs to do to get himself ready.”

(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Ian Ransom/Nick Mulvenney)

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Rooney out of Blackburn clash

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United’s Premier League game away to Blackburn Rovers this weekend after re-injuring his ankle in the Champions League quarter-final exit against Bayern Munich.

The striker, whose 34 goals have underpinned United’s title challenge, lasted 55 minutes against Bayern after making a surprise return to action just a week after damaging ankle ligaments in the first leg.

“I don’t think it’s as serious as we said the first time, but I think he’ll be ready for the (Manchester) City game,” manager Alex Ferguson said.

“We’ve got more time to work on it, anyway. Other than that everyone else is fit.”

United, which went out of the Champions League on away goals after the tie ended 4-4, is two points behind Chelsea with five matches remaining.

Rooney was missing when United was beaten 2-1 at home by Chelsea last weekend.

Ferguson is sure his players will bounce back after their mid-week frustration.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to face losing a big game and having to do something about it. We’ve got five games left and they’re five important games,” he said.

“Even if we win all of them it doesn’t mean we can win the league, with the position Chelsea are in, but they’ve got those games to play themselves and at this time of the season, things can happen.

“We’ve faced this situation many times over the years after the disappointment of Wednesday. It’s part of the history of the club and we’ve been good at that.”

Ferguson also revealed that his move for Mexico striker Javier Hernandez was inspired by a fear that the striker could drive his price tag through the roof with good performances at the World Cup.

United has completed a reported six-million-pound ($9.89 million) deal for the Chivas de Guaralajara forward.

“We like doing these kind of deals where we can identify young talent. We’ve been good at that over the years,” Ferguson said.

“We got some background knowledge of the boy in October. We got one of our people to go there and watch a couple of games and the reports were very good and that was by December.

“We wanted to just wait because he was young but then he got into the national team and that created a problem because if he got to the World Cup and did well, we were in danger of losing him.

“I sent my chief scout Jim Lawlor over there for three weeks to get some background on the boy and watch him play in Los Angeles against New Zealand.

“He played twice for the national team while he was there and playing for Chivas and he scored in every game.

“He filed a fantastic report and said that we needed to do something and we’re delighted to do the deal.”

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Rooney hurts ankle again in Bayern loss

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wayne Rooney re-injured his ankle on Thursday after making a surprise return as Manchester United were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

The England striker, who damaged ligaments in his right ankle in the first leg against Bayern last week and was expected to be missing for three weeks, lasted 55 minutes before going off with more damage to the joint.

“He has a burst blood vessel just below the ankle joint,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told reporters.

“He won’t be out for too long. It was never a serious injury.

“The fact is he was unlucky because he went over on it again. He had a couple of challenges on it and I don’t think he got much protection.”

Earlier this week Ferguson said that Rooney, who has scored 34 goals this season, had virtually no chance of playing against Bayern but with a 2-1 deficit to overturn and the player making a quick recovery he decided to start with him.

For 41 minutes it looked like an inspired decision as Bayern appeared completely distracted by Rooney’s presence, falling 3-0 behind on the night with Darron Gibson and Nani scoring.

However, the gamble began to misfire as Rooney was substituted and United were pole-axed by Arjen Robben’s stunning volley which hauled Bayern back to 2-3 on the night and sent them through on the away goals rule.

Ferguson denied that he had rushed Rooney back into action too early – a decision that could have implications for United’s final five games of the season as they try and win a fourth consecutive English Premier League title.

“He had a training session on Tuesday and was very impressive,” Ferguson said.

“He did everything that I could ask of him and had an intensive examination. There was no risk, he was just unlucky.”

Rooney, who missed United’s costly 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, is now unlikely to play against Blackburn Rovers this weekend.

His injury caused widespread concern in England, with even British Prime Minister Gordon Brown referring to it, because Rooney’s fitness is seen as vital to England having a successful World Cup in South Africa.

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NBL returns to free-to-air TV

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Basketball Australia (BA) has confirmed a new NBL broadcast deal with the Network Ten and its digital sports channel One.

BA has signed a five-year deal to show games live on both One and Ten nationally through to the end of the 2014/15 NBL season.

Basketball Australia boss Larry Sengstock said the new deal was a great opportunity for future growth of the NBL.

“As a league the NBL has undertaken to reshape itself over the past two years in order to allow us to reform the sport commercially,” he said.

“This commitment from One and Ten is a massive vote of confidence in the advances we have made recently.”

A minimum of two live games a week on either One or TEN will be shown in 20010/11 and will increase to five games per round in the final year of the contract.

The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The deal comes after it was confirmed the Sydney Kings would re-enter the competition in 2010/11.

- AAP

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Mitchell to stand down as Force coach

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Western Force coach John Mitchell claims his team’s calamitous start to the Super 14 season has nothing to do with his decision to step down when his current contract expires.

Mitchell, coach of the Force since its foundation year of 2006, today confirmed he would not seek reappointment when his current deal expires at the end of next season.

The Force have endured a disastrous start to their 2010 campaign, losing their opening five games as injuries to key players including marquee signing Andre Pretorius, David Pocock, Cameron Shepherd and Richard Brown took their toll.

But The Fordham Company, which manages Mitchell, claimed their client made his decision to step away before the season even started.

“Because of the circumstances of the Force’s injury-plagued start to the year, John’s focus recently has been squarely on the team and not on himself,” the agency’s chief executive John Fordham said in a statement.

“But because Vern (Force chief executive Vern Reid) has been keen for some time to have a chat about John’s future plans, I decided this morning to be totally transparent with him.

“The Force now has ample time to recruit a replacement and John always wanted to give them the courtesy of a long window.”

Mitchell, who through a statement expressed his desire to see out his current contract, has endured a rocky ride in his four-and-a-half years at the Force.

Alleged complaints from players and staff about their dealings with Mitchell in late 2008 threatened his hold on the top job as the club’s hierarchy ordered an independent inquiry in an attempt to defuse the situation.

Mitchell was temporarily stood down and a raft of recommendations from the inquiry were implemented, the most notable being a more even spread of power among the coaching staff.

The changes seemed to ease most of the tensions as the Force finished eighth in 2009, which included the Triple Crown with wins over Australian rivals the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies.

But the Firepower sponsorship debacle, which led to the departures of Matt Giteau to the Brumbies and Drew Mitchell to New South Wales at the end of last season, left gaping holes in the Force’s playing roster.

While the recruitment of former Springbok Pretorius was hailed as a coup, his season-ending hamstring injury on the eve of round one was a devastating blow and one the Force never recovered from as the injury-curse spread throughout the team.

In 57 games at the helm of the Force, Mitchell has guided the Perth-based franchise to 20 wins, four draws and 33 losses.

That record is in stark contrast to his stint at the All Blacks, where he enjoyed an 86 per cent winning record before being axed after failing to lead the side to glory at the 2003 World Cup.

Reid could not be contacted for comment on Wednesday.

-AAP

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Chiefs’ Lauaki to play despite legal woes

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Chiefs have named Sione Lauaki at number eight to play the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday, a day after the former All Black pleaded guilty to an assault charge at a Hamilton court.

The 28-year-old, who played 17 Tests for New Zealand from 2005-2008, replaces Colin Bourke at the back of the pack as the Chiefs seek to move into play-off contention.

Lauaki’s guilty plea related to an incident at a bar in Hamilton, local media reported. He will next appear in court on May 6.

The Chiefs, who have won three out of their five games and are sixth in the standings, could leap-frog the Brumbies and the New South Wales Waratahs into the top four with a win at Canberra.

“We are aware the Brumbies have been playing well and they enjoyed a good start to their season,” Chiefs coach Ian Foster told the team’s website on Wednesday.

“They also have a good record at Canberra Stadium. However, that makes this game that much more exciting and challenging for us.”

The Chiefs have also brought in Ben Afeaki to start at tighthead prop at the expense of Nathan White, and lock Culum Retallick returns to the second row.

-Reuters

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Waratahs sneak past Force in thriller

March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The New South Wales Waratahs have surged into the Super 14 top four with a hard-fought 14-10 triumph over the Western Force in Perth.

The Waratahs trailed 10-8 at half-time but regained the lead courtesy of two penalties from fly half Daniel Halangahu, who took over the kicking duties from the wayward Berrick Barnes after the break.

The Force attacked relentlessly in the final 20 minutes and were unlucky not to find the winning try, with a dogged defensive effort from the ‘Tahs and some dubious calls from referee Jaco Peyper denying the home side on numerous occasions.

The Waratahs’ fourth win of the season and third on the trot allowed them to leapfrog the Brumbies into fourth, while the winless Force remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just one bonus point to show from five games.

The sides traded early penalties before ‘Tahs winger Drew Mitchell, appearing against his former side for the first time, scored the opening try of the night in the 16th minute when he beat Scott Staniforth to Halangahu’s perfectly-weighted grubber kick.

Barnes missed the conversion and sprayed his second penalty of the night seven minutes later but worse was to come from the ‘Tahs’ inside centre.

With the visitors on the attack, Barnes watched in horror as his pass was expertly picked off by Force winger Staniforth, who sprinted 60 metres to touch down unopposed under the posts.

James O’Connor’s conversion gave the Force a 10-8 half-time lead and Barnes almost gave up his second try of the night shortly after the break when Ryan Cross stripped him of the ball and sprinted towards the line.

This time, however, the ‘Tahs’ defence was able to scramble back in time to diffuse the situation much to the relief of Barnes.

The visitors hit the lead in the 56th minute when a penalty against the Force’s scrum allowed Halangahu to pop over the three points, with another penalty in the 64th minute extending the margin to four points.

Force fly half David Hill was held up over the line in the 69th minute and the home side could not find the winner despite a number of promising attacking forays.

The Force can find solace from the improved effort, with their line-out, which was badly exposed in last week’s 50-10 loss to Queensland, particularly impressive.

Waratahs: 14 (D Mitchell try; D Halangahu 2 penalties, B Barnes penalty)

Force: 10 (S Staniforth try; J O’Connor conversion, penalty)

- AAP

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Sharks open Super 14 account

March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Centre Adrian Jacobs has scored a late intercept try to help South Africa’s Sharks to a 30-16 victory over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin and their first Super 14 victory this season.

Jacobs’ intercept, when the Highlanders were attacking from inside their territory, came 90 seconds after the home side had a potential levelling try by replacement winger Fetu’u Vainikolo ruled out by video referee Colin Hawke.

“I don’t think any other victory I’ve had here (in Dunedin) means as much as this one does. It has been a long road for us,” said Sharks captain John Smit, who was a late addition to the starting line-up after Tendai Mtawarira was ruled out with flu.

“Our boys needed this win, but they have stuck together for a long time, now we need to capitalise on this.”

The Sharks, who had been tipped as potential semi-finalists before the competition began, had lost their previous five games.

The Highlanders dominated territory and possession but were only able to convert their first-half pressure with two Israel Dagg penalties. Dagg also missed two other shots at goal.

Ruan Pienaar slotted an early penalty for the Sharks while hooker Bismarck du Plessis grounded the ball against the goalpost and was awarded the try by referee Jonathan White after consultation with Hawke.

Pienaar converted to give his side a 10-6 half-time lead.

After the break, Dagg added his third penalty before Pienaar replied twice to give the visitors a 16-9 lead that was stretched to 23-9 when Stefan Terblanche scored a 64th minute try and Pienaar converted.

Otago winger Ben Smith immediately brought his side back into the match with a try that was converted by Dagg.

Smith then put Vainikolo into space from a well-worked backline move from an attacking scrum and while the replacement winger appeared to have scored a try, Hawke ruled he had been tackled into touch in goal by number eight Ryan Kankowski.

If the try had been awarded and Dagg made the difficult sideline conversion the score would have been locked at 23-23 with less than five minutes remaining, but Jacobs then put the game beyond doubt with his intercept.

“We played with a lot of territory but didn’t get a lot of reward for it and we only have ourselves to blame,” Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan said.

“We made a lot of silly errors in our own half and if you look at the Sharks tries they came from our mistakes.”

Sharks: 30 (B du Plessis, S Terblanche, A Jacobs tries; R Pienaar 3 conversions, 3 penalties)

Highlanders: 16 (B Smith try; I Dagg conversion, 3 penalties)

-Reuters

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Bogut’s Bucks eye playoffs berth

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

For the first time in four years the Milwaukee Bucks are set to advance to the NBA playoffs, and Australian centre Andrew Bogut is leading the charge.

Bogut, selected first overall in the 2005-06 draft, is in the midst of a career year and has helped the Bucks to a 36-29 record, the fifth-best in the Eastern Conference with 16 games to play.

The team has already surpassed its win totals from the past three seasons (34, 26, 28) and is surprisingly just five games back from the Boston Celtics, who won the Championship in 2007-08.

While a berth in the postseason is still a long way from guaranteed, Milwaukee’s momentum is undeniable after having won 12 of its last 13 games including victories over powerhouses Cleveland, Boston and Utah.

In that run, Bogut has led his team in rebounding 11 times and scoring four, including a 24-point, 20-rebound effort against New York in February.

The last time Milwaukee reached the playoffs was the year Bogut was drafted.

But they fell in the first round to the Pistons, who had knocked the Bucks out in their previous postseason appearance in 2003-04.

The Bucks’ season-high winning streak is currently at six games after a 98-94 triumph over Indiana at home on Monday morning (Australian time).

The two-time Olympian posted 17 points and 12 rebounds, and added four assists and three blocks in the win.

Milwaukee added several pieces to its line-up this season, including fiesty young rookie Brandon Jennings, Argentinian Carlos Delfino and swingman John Salmons during the trade period in February.

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Alexander brace helps Brumbies home

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Loosehead prop Ben Alexander scored two close-range tries to help the Brumbies secure a 24-22 victory over the Sharks in a tense Super 14 match at Canberra Stadium.

The Sharks, one of the teams expected to make the semi-finals before the competition began, have now lost all five of their matches this season.

“That’s hard to lose like this. We’ve had five games now and lost four like this,” Sharks captain John Smit said.

“We did enough to win the game but gave away too many easy penalties in their 22 when we had them on the rack and let them get out of the danger zone.”

Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles said: “I don’t think it was a very good game, we will take the win but we need to start improving and playing some good footy.

“We have got a fair bit of improvement in us.”

Neither side was able to stamp any authority on the first half with England international Andy Goode’s 40th-minute penalty giving the visitors a 16-13 lead at the break.

Goode had given the Sharks a 6-0 lead with two penalties before Matt Giteau drew the Brumbies level with two of his own.

Alexander then scored a 32nd-minute try, which Giteau converted, after a sustained build-up.

Ruan Pienaar struck back immediately when the Sharks had a series of drives through the forwards, the half-back exploiting the Brumbies defence fanning away from the ruck to run 25 metres untouched.

Goode converted to tie the score then slotted a penalty to give the South African side a slim lead at the half.

After the break, Alexander repeated his try-scoring effort of the first half by driving over from close to the line following sustained Brumbies pressure to give his side the lead, though Giteau missed the conversion.

Goode and Giteau then traded two penalties each to set up a tense final 10 minutes with the Brumbies leading 24-22 and the Sharks dominating possession and territory but unable to snatch a late victory.

Brumbies: 24 (B Alexander 2 tries; M Giteau conversion, 4 penalties)

Sharks: 22 (R Pienaar try; A Goode conversion, 5 penalties)

-Reuters

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Eagles release RB Westbrook after 8 seasons

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

PHILADELPHIA — Brian Westbrook could break open a game from almost anywhere on the field.

Lined up in the slot, he could run a slant, beat a linebacker and take off with no one able to catch No. 36. His defining moment with the Philadelphia Eagles came on an 84-yard punt return that stunned the New York Giants in 2003.

Out of the backfield, he was a 1,000-yard rusher who always kept defenses guessing _ and flailing.

But in his later years, it was injuries that defined Westbrook more than his dynamic offensive skills. His age, salary and lengthy list of beaten body parts led the Eagles to release him Tuesday and save the team $7.5 million due next year.

“I think we all know that Brian is one of the all-time great Philadelphia Eagles,” coach Andy Reid said. “For what we’ve done here over the years, Brian has been just a huge part of building this program to the level that we’re at now. My heart will always be a Brian Westbrook fan as we go forward here.”

A former All-Pro, the 5-foot-10 Westbrook led the league in yards from scrimmage in 2007 with 2,104. He rushed for 1,333 yards and accounted 12 touchdowns that season.

But he spent much of last season on the sidelines, missing eight games with a pair of concussions and an ankle injury. Westbrook had only two touchdowns in 2009.

Reid said he called Westbrook with the news Tuesday morning. Reid said Westbrook should still have an opportunity to play for another team. Reid said he thinks Westbrook still wants to play.

“I don’t know that for a fact, but I think he might want to do that,” Reid said.

LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 637 yards with four touchdowns in 16 games as a rookie, will become Philadelphia’s No. 1 running back.

“That’s who’s going to take the ball from here,” Reid said.

Westbrook’s season went south on Oct. 26 when his helmet collided with Washington linebacker London Fletcher’s right knee and he suffered a concussion. Westbrook missed the last five games after suffering his second concussion in three weeks against San Diego on Nov. 15. He was cleared to return for the postseason.

He has rushed for 5,995 yards in eight seasons in Philadelphia and caught 426 passes for 3,790 yards. The 30-year-old Westbrook has scored 68 touchdowns rushing, receiving and on punt returns.

“He had no weaknesses,” Reid said. “There wasn’t any one thing that you could pick out that he was not good at; he was brilliant. There are just certain guys that are just football smart and he was one of those guys.”

Westbrook, a third-round pick out of Villanova in the 2002 draft, is Philadelphia’s career leader in yards from scrimmage (9,785). He also ranks second in yards rushing (5,995) behind Wilbert Montgomery and third in receptions (426) behind Harold Carmichael and Pete Retzlaff.

He is third in team history behind Carmichael and Steve Van Buren in touchdowns and holds the franchise single-season record for most scrimmage yards in a season (2,104 in 2007) and most receptions in a season (90 in 2007).

He eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark 20 times (including playoffs) during his career, tying for second-most in club history.

“Brian Westbrook is one of the most electrifying players in the history of this franchise and is certainly also one of the most popular,” Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie said. “He was personally one of the my favorite players to watch each and every Sunday, and his playmaking abilities, leadership and values will be missed.”

Westbrook is the second high-profile running back to be released in two days following LaDainian Tomlinson being shown the door by the San Diego Chargers. Both Westbrook and Tomlinson turned 30 last summer and have been sidelined by injuries that kept them from performing at the level they displayed in their primes.

Westbrook’s signature moment came in 2003. The Eagles appeared headed to a 2-4 start on Oct. 19, when they trailed 10-7 late in the fourth quarter against the Giants. But Westbrook returned a punt 84 yards for the winning score with 1:16 left in one of the more memorable plays of the Reid era.

He never played 16 games because of a variety of injuries to his knees, ankles, ribs and triceps. He practiced sparingly, if at all, in his final seasons.

If Westbrook fails to sign with another team, Reid would welcome him back to the organization in an unspecified role

“He, to me, is a Philadelphia Eagle and he’s the kind of people that you want in your organization,” he said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Hazell scores 25 as Seton Hall beats Rutgers 76-70

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

NEWARK, N.J. — Jeremy Hazell scored 25 points to lead Seton Hall to a crucial 76-70 victory over intrastate rival Rutgers on Tuesday night.

It was the fourth win in the last five games for Seton Hall (16-10, 7-8 Big East), which is making a late-season push toward a possible NCAA Tournament berth.

The Pirates took control of the game early in the first half when they went on a 16-1 run over a 4:11 span to take a 28-10 lead with 11:40 left.

The Scarlet Knights (14-14, 4-11) made a late charge, cutting the lead to 68-64 with 2:36 left, but couldn’t get any closer.

After missing the last two games with a bruised right wrist, Eugene Harvey returned to action for the Pirates and added 10 points, while Jordan Theodore had 12 and Jeff Robinson chipped in 10.

Mike Rosario scored 17 points, including six in a 9-second span of the second half, and Johnathan Mitchell added 14 for Rutgers.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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No. 6 Kansas State handles Texas Tech 83-64

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LUBBOCK, Texas — Jacob Pullen scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half to lead No. 5 Kansas State to an 83-64 victory over Texas Tech on Tuesday night, the Wildcats’ sixth straight win.

Kansas State (23-4, 10-3) remained alive for a possible tie for the Big 12 championship with No. 1 Kansas.

John Roberson scored 15 points for Texas Tech (16-11, 4-9), which lost its fourth straight, three of them to Top 25 teams in the past week.

Kansas trailed only at the game’s outset and held off brief spurts by Texas Tech late in the first half.

Three other Wildcats scored in double figures, including Jamar Samuels who also had 11 rebounds.

Denis Clemente scored 14 points for the Wildcats, ending a run that had seen score at least 21 points in four of the last five games.

Kansas State, which won in Lubbock for the first time since 1986, could still share the Big 12 title with the Jayhawks. Kansas would have to lose its three remaining games and the Wildcats would have to win their final three. They play March 3 at Kansas.

Texas Tech shot poorly throughout, hitting on just 37.5 percent of their 56 field goal attempts. The Wildcats hit on 47.5 percent of their 59 attempts.

Pullen finished 9 of 14 from the field and had three 3-pointers. He had five assists and three steals.

Roberson and Nick Okorie both got their fourth foul with more than 11 minutes remaining and the Wildcats took advantage. Kansas State went up 57-42 with just over 10 minutes remaining after scoring on five straight possessions, which included making 6 of 7 free throws.

The Wildcats missed only six of 26 free throws attempts and finished 7 of 19 from beyond the arc.

Darko Cohadarevic’s putback pulled Texas Tech within 67-58 with 6 minutes remaining but Clemente answered with two 3s in the next minute to put the Wildcats up 75-59 with 4:06 remaining.

Before 5 minutes had elapsed Clementa had 10 of Kansas State’s 14 points. He finished the half with 21 points.

The Wildcats went up 21-12 before the Red Raiders went on a 9-2 run, including a field goal and two free throws by Okorie, to pull within 27-25. But Kansas State kicked up the pace and closed the half on a 12-4 run to lead 39-29.

Roberson and Mike Singletary, the Red Raiders’ top two scorers, went a combined 1 of 8 from the field in the first half.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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