The News Review:
- Time for friendly fire if England are to send a message
- England hopefuls get World Cup chance
- Cloud of doubt over star winger
Time for friendly fire if England are to send a message
Times Online – Jul 29, 2007
Next weekend’s opponents are in red but the match will be played with thegreen of the Springboks foremost in mind. England will want to stand up tothe physical assault of the South Africa eight and may well selectaccordingly. Simon Shaw’s fantastic 50 minutes in the Heineken Cup final andhis muscular know-how could see him claiming Martin Corry’s front jumperspot. Another Leicester man to lose out could be Lewis Moody. Joe Worsley’svoracious tackling game makes him the obvious contender to be charged withthe kamikaze mission of halting Pierre Spies Schalk Burger and Juan Smith –and with them the Springbok juggernaut – in its tracks. Scrum-half is at least as crucial. The loss of Harry Ellis and his searingsnipes has wounded an already limited attacking game.
England hopefuls get World Cup chance
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 30, 2007
David Strettle spent most of his fortnight in South Africa in hospital so badly was he affected by the bug and also needs to play again. In the absence of the injured Harry Ellis it is time for Ashton to decide on his first choice scrum-half – probably Shaun Perry – and settle him in with a couple of games on the trot before wrapping him in cotton wool. Up front there seems little point of retaining the services of lock Simon Shaw outstanding in the Heineken Cup final for Wasps against Leicester unless for almost the first time in his international career he is given back-to-back games to mount a proper challenge. With a particularly physical pool looming against the likes of South Africa and Samoa a fully fit Shaw could be a boon for Ashton. Wales fly-half Stephen Jones will today have a scan on the pelvic injury he picked up in a training game in Brittany last week. Jones seems certain to miss the game at Twickenham which is Wales only game before coach Gareth Jenkins has to name his final squad of 30 on or before Aug 14. Thereafter they will play Argentina and France.
Cloud of doubt over star winger
Fiji Times – Jul 29, 2007
A wonderful talent the man nicknamed Baby Lomu’ scored against France in Fiji’s opening match at the 2003 RWC but was involved in a fight with players and was banned for the games with the USA and Japan. In 2005 he was banned from representing Fiji for a year after failing to show up at the RWC qualifiers and he failed to return to Agen at the start of last season blaming an illness and the birth of his daughter for the extended leave. Unfortunately for Edinburgh he did return in time for the Heineken Cup and earned the man-of-the-match award in Agen’s narrow home win over the Scots despite being well short of match fitness. But there remains a glimmer of hope for Fiji’s most prolific try scoring winger despite being under suspension by the International Rugby Board. Under IRB Regulations 21 if any player has been suspended from all levels of rugby he can still be selected in any national team preparing for a tournament. The rule further says that he can travel with the team but will not be allowed to train with the players until his suspension is lifted. So how valuable is Rupeni Caucaunibuca to Fiji’s campaign at the Rugby World Cup?Former Fiji rugby coach Brad Johnstone said because Caucaunibuca has had so many problems in the past it would be hard for coach Ilivasi Tabua to justify the speedster’s selection.