The News Review:
- Bath confirm swoop for Harrison
- O’Sullivan worried about influx of overseas players
- Tearney gains first ATP ranking points
Bath confirm swoop for Harrison
BBC News – Feb 26, 2008
“It is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a team that represents the qualities required to challenge in the Premiership and in Europe. ”
Harrison made his Test debut against the Lions in 2001 and played in the 2003 World Cup final defeat by England. Bath coach Steve Meehan said: “Justin has considerable experience of rugby at the very highest level, both internationally with the Wallabies and in the Super 12 with the ACT Brumbies and in the Heineken Cup with Ulster. “A natural leader on the park, Justin’s qualities fit in perfectly with the ambitions of the club and will assist in raising existing performance standards. ”
Harrison served a three-game ban in 2005 for making a racial slur against black South African player Chumani Booi in a Super 12 match.
O’Sullivan worried about influx of overseas players
Ireland Online – Feb 26, 2008
?That?s not a criticism of the provinces. They have a job to do as well, and that?s the tricky part for us. ?We?re trying to compete in the Heineken Cup and Magners League but we are basing our playing pool around four provincial teams. ?England base theirs around the 12 Guinness Premiership clubs, so they can afford to have more foreign players in the mix without diluting their playing pool as much. ?This is the way the professional game is developing right now, and this issue shows there are still growing pains.
Tearney gains first ATP ranking points
TVNZ – Feb 26, 2008
“It’s a great achievement to know I’ll be ranked. I’ve still gotto get a lot more points from here,” said Tearney who faces KiwiNo1 Dan King-Turner in the second round on Thursday. Third seeded King-Turner beat fellow Davis Cup team mate, GDJones 6-4 6-3 in a contest which proved that being around topranked opponents definitely raises the standard of play. Both Jones and King-Turner competed admirably at last monthsHeineken Open and practiced with top-ranked professional whichappeared to give their play in Wellington an extra edge with someof the rallies full of power and precision as they had to up thelevel of their play to compete. In the end King-Turner’s ability tohit more winners gave him the victory. In other matches featuring New Zealanders Oliver Statham was oncourt for over two and a half hours in the men’s US$15,000 eventbut went down to his Japanese opponent, Arata Onozawa in three setswhile in the US$10,000 women’s tournament Abigail Guthrie wasoutdone by top seed Michaela Johansson of Sweden in straight setsand Shona Lee found the going too tough against former top-100ranked Romana Tedjakusuma of Indonesia. Australian-based Kiwiteenager Chelsea Te Tai put up a fight for a while but lost toHaruka Fujishiro of Japan 6-4 6-1… I’ve still gotto get a lot more points from here,” said Tearney who faces KiwiNo1 Dan King-Turner in the second round on Thursday. Third seeded King-Turner beat fellow Davis Cup team mate, GDJones 6-4 6-3 in a contest which proved that being around topranked opponents definitely raises the standard of play. Both Jones and King-Turner competed admirably at last monthsHeineken Open and practiced with top-ranked professional whichappeared to give their play in Wellington an extra edge with someof the rallies full of power and precision as they had to up thelevel of their play to compete. In the end King-Turner’s ability tohit more winners gave him the victory. In other matches featuring New Zealanders Oliver Statham was oncourt for over two and a half hours in the men’s US$15,000 eventbut went down to his Japanese opponent, Arata Onozawa in three setswhile in the US$10,000 women’s tournament Abigail Guthrie wasoutdone by top seed Michaela Johansson of Sweden in straight setsand Shona Lee found the going too tough against former top-100ranked Romana Tedjakusuma of Indonesia. Australian-based Kiwiteenager Chelsea Te Tai put up a fight for a while but lost toHaruka Fujishiro of Japan 6-4 6-1. The key contest on Wednesday will see Wairarapa’s, MarcusDaniell who has one ATP ranking point take on New Zealand No2 RubinStatham in the first matches of the day while second seed EllenBarry from Canterbury facing the powerful Kairangi Vano, thefinalist from 2007 is an intriguing lineup.