The News Review:
- Second-string French slip in for NZ tour
- Defeat here may have hidden cost
- Chance for Cipriani to sway England selectors
- Sports Round-up
- You want more respect? Mike everyone up
- Jutge: It will be different
- Eddie Jones set for Sarries return
Second-string French slip in for NZ tour
The Age – May 29, 2007
“We have a lot of new players for us it will be interesting forthe next World Cup. Loose forwards Damien Chouly and Fulgence Ouedraogo plus centreArnaud Mignardi are members of the reigning under-21 worldchampions though the likes of Olivier Magne and Sebastien Chabalare expected to contest the breakdown at Eden Park on Saturdaynight. Laporte is also able to call on current captain and hookerRaphael Ibanez fresh from a Heineken Cup victory with Wasps andformer Blues prop Christian Califano. Ibanez Magne and Califano boast 245 caps between them while inthe backs utility Thomas Castignede who announced his retirementafter completing his final season with Saracens hopes to add tohis 52 followed by a Cup swansong on home turf in October. Laporte said the door was not closed on a couple of veteransalthough he conceded “95 per cent” of his Cup squad were backhome. Ibanez who led France to the Six Nations crown admitted his89th test loomed as one of the toughest of his illustriouscareer. “It’s going to be complicated to gel together with such a newgroup of players” he said.
Defeat here may have hidden cost
Telegraph.co.uk – May 29, 2007
It’s almost as if their coach Jake White is keeping the first team back for next week and the even thinner air of Blue Bull Pretoria. He has picked a good side but not his best side and this is where England have a chance. Defence will be the key and as Wasps showed last week in the Heineken Cup final favourites can be turned over by a well-drilled hungry and committed team of underdogs. South Africa for all their size are not the trickiest of sides. They have big men who run straight but don’t have the most subtle of skills. So while England will not be able to match Wasps for organisation because they haven’t had the time needed they will have to come pretty close in terms of intensity. England have to make sure that the South African juggernaut does not get out of second gear.
Chance for Cipriani to sway England selectors
Telegraph.co.uk – May 29, 2007
A persistent hamstring injury to Shane Geraghty a contender for the squad to play in France has given added importance to the appearance of the Wasp at outside-half in today’s Barclays Churchill Cup game between the England Saxons and Scotland A. Cipriani 19 has already appeared twice this season at Twickenham and has twice left a winner after Wasps’ success in the Middlesex Sevens and then the. After Cipriani had played a lead role in that sevens triumph his opportunities looked limited in the XV-a-side world because of his club’s strength in depth.
Sports Round-up
Telegraph.co.uk – May 29, 2007
The Irish trio of Martin McHugh Ian McClure and Jeremy Henry suffered a similar defeat in the final to Australia whose women beat New Zealand 2-1 in the women’s final. England’s ‘unofficial’ women’s team of Carol Ashby Katherine Hawes and Catherine Popple finished third behind Australia and New Zealand. Rugby union Jim Mallinder the England Saxons head coach has named four of Wasps’ Heineken Cup winners in the side to play Scotland at Twickenham tomorrow. Dan Cipriani who started as full-back in Wasps’ 25-9 victory over Leicester comes in for Ryan Lamb at fly-half while Tom Voyce and Paul Sackey fill the wing positions and James Haskell slots in as blindside flanker. Mallinder has also included Olly Barkley and Nick Abendanon who missed last weekend’s 51-3 win over the USA to play for Bath in the European Challenge Cup final against Clermont Auvergne. “I’m very excited at the thought of seeing Abendanon Sackey and Voyce playing together” Mallinder said.
You want more respect? Mike everyone up
Telegraph.co.uk – May 29, 2007
This is real ‘reality television’. You can’t imagine watching a big title fight these days without hearing the sometimes myopic and often misguided comments from corner-men and trainers. Equally to listen to referee Alan Lewis during the Heineken Cup final on Sunday gave a marvellous insight into not just the relationship between official and player but also the ebb and flow of the game. Asides from the outstanding Lewis such as “I understand your frustration” meant that those of us in our front rooms knew that those closest to the front rows could feel the gradual disintegration of the Leicester game plan. Which inevitably brings us to football. Will someone please offer one good reason why the referees’ conversations with players when fouls take place can’t be made available to the watching millions. There were several moments during Saturday’s FA Cup final when we were crying out to know what was being said to the likes of Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney and yet the game still seems wedded to the out-moded and rather arrogant concept that “what’s said on the pitch stays on the pitch”.
Jutge: It will be different
Planet Rugby – May 29, 2007
In 2000 he refereed his first Test – Italy vs Romania in Genoa. In 2002 he refereed his first Six Nations match Wales vs Scotland at Millennium Stadium and in the same year the final of the Heineken Cup Leicester Tigers vs Munster also at Millennium Stadium. In 2003 he refereed at the World Cup in Australia and is one of a dozen referees chosen to referee at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He refereed matches involving South Africa in the Tri-Nations twice – against Australia in Sydney and against New Zealand at Carisbrook. He also refereed the first Test between the All Blacks and the Lions. In fact he has been all over the world and refereed on its great grounds.
Eddie Jones set for Sarries return
Watford Observer – May 29, 2007
The pair remain close friends and Jones’ involvement will not affect Gaffney’s directorship or coaches Adrian Kennedy and Richard Graham. Jones was initially drafted in by close friend Sarries chief executive Mark Sinderberry in March last year with the club hurtling towards life in National One after a horrendous run ofresults. Assisting then head coach Mike Ford as caretaker director of rugby in place of the sacked Steve Diamond miracle man Jones helped steer Sarries from second bottom in the table to the verge ofHeineken Cup qualification with four wins in their final six Premiership matches. Sinderberry was eager to keep Jones on but the astute tactician wanted to stamp his mark back in his homeland with the Reds – something which backfired spectacularly as a woeful Super 14 campaignand several fall outs with the Australian Rugby Union saw the mutual ending of his contract two years early on Monday. The capture of Jones even as a consultant represents something of a coup for the Men in Black. The 47-year-old has rejected the chance to help Samoa Fiji and Tonga in this year’s World Cup and has also reportedly turned down the chance to coach a Six Nations side following the finals. He was also linked to the vacant rugby director post at Northampton Saints before the relegated side turned their attentions to former head coach Wayne Smith.