The News Review:
- Mission impossible
- Tigers sting Wasps – Rugby News Results Fixtures and Features from…
- Sackey provides rare touch of brilliance
- France warm to romance of their own cup
Mission impossible
Times Online – Sep 30, 2007
This has been done so that correct url isgenerated if we are coming from a section or topic –>Stuart Barnesdiv#related-article-links p a div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;}Agustin Pichot sips his coffee and sighs. “Ah it’s going to be another matchwhere we are the team all of France wants to beat. ” If Ireland can score thebonus point for four tries and beat Argentina by more than seven points asMunster did to Gloucester in the Heineken Cup “miracle match” of January2003 the hosts will top the pool stay in Paris and avoid the All Blacks inCardiff. Yes all of France is behind Ireland this afternoon. “If we were not in the French pool all of France would be for us” Pichotadds. So many of the Argentina team are local heroes who played their partin the domestic triumph of Stade Francais a team captained by Argentina’scaptain in the Top 14 final against Clermont Auvergne. On that day he undermined Clermont’s hopes with his deconstruction of PierreMignoni’s game at the base of the scrum… and that is our strength. ”The freethinking Pichot described this team before the tournament as one with“a hunger to write history”. Having already devastated France the questionis whether he means a single chapter in the history of the Argentine game ora whole novel with a slice of magic realism thrown in as the Pumas beat NewZealand to lift the trophy on October 20. “The plot goes back to the 2003 World Cup. We failed to achieve our best anddetermined that from then on we would be more self-critical know ourstrengths and weaknesses” says Pichot. “We started trying to guide thisteam towards glory. We are not here for the money.
Tigers sting Wasps – Rugby News Results Fixtures and Features from…
Planet Rugby – Sep 30, 2007
The result leaves European champions Wasps still searching for their first win of the season after being edged out at the depth in an error-strewn encounter. Only five survivors from last season’s Heineken Cup final lined up at Adams Park in a game low on quality which was full of unforced mistakes and missed kicks at goal. Wasps wing Tom Voyce and Leicester centre Ollie Smith traded first-half tries and after that it was a battle of the kickers with Andy Goode’s four penalties and one from Johne Murphy giving the Tigers some measure of revenge. Dave Walder replied with a drop-goal and penalty with Mark Van Gisbergen and Danny Cipriani also on target for the hosts. But Wasps will feel hard done by after Chris Bishay was denied ten minutes from time when Matt Smith flew in to knock the ball away illegally. The last time these sides met Wasps outwitted their rivals to claim the Heineken Cup with a 25-9 win at Twickenham.
Sackey provides rare touch of brilliance
Times Online – Sep 30, 2007
html”–>Since he joined Wasps he is a more focused disciplined wing than he was atLondon Irish where he was given plenty of licence to roam and was morehappy-go-lucky. Wasps are analytical and pay great attention to detail andyou need to get on board in that sort of set-up or you will be chewed up andspat out. Sackey’s role in the Wasps blitz defence against Leicester in the Heineken Cupfinal where he put the clamps on Tuilagi shows how well he has adapted. At27 Sackey is no spring chicken and he has negotiated the learning curvethat all international backs need to realise their potential where it goesfrom being all about them to doing what is best for their team. Sackey ishungry for tries but it is the hunger of a hardened pro rather than atalented kid. You get the sense that he sees try-scoring as what he is paidto do: there are no flamboyant or crazy antics when he scores because hesees it as taking care of business. With a bit more support Sackey could be even more effective.
France warm to romance of their own cup
Guardian Unlimited – Sep 30, 2007
A draw another standing ovation. On the way to St Etienne I stopped in Brive to meet Jean Crepin former journalist with L’Equipe and actual combatant at the battle of the Bar Toulzac. Ten years ago Brive won the Heineken Cup. Along the way they met Pontypridd and not just once but three times. Twice in the pool and then in a quarter-final play-off. Each encounter was a genuine classic but the first in particular had everything including a degree of violence that wasn’t left on the field of play. Later that night the teams met again at the Toulzac and it all kicked off.