The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- IRB: Samoa centre Sapolu Fuimaono suspended from all rugby
- Lesser nations cry foul over the World Cup’s unbalanced schedule
- On-form Ireland to treat Wales encounter as a Cup final
| IRB: Samoa centre Sapolu Fuimaono suspended from all rugby Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:34 PM PDT AUCKLAND (Reuters): Samoa centre Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono has been suspended from all rugby after he failed to appear at a judicial hearing in Auckland on Tuesday after he criticised Welsh referee Nigel Owens on social networking website Twitter. Sapolu Fuimaono had labelled Owens "biased' and a "racist" after his side's 13-5 World Cup Pool D loss to South Africa on Friday and was ordered to appear at a hearing on Tuesday. The IRB said the hearing was adjourned by judicial officer Jeff Blackett when Sapolu Fuimaono failed to appear. "The judicial officer determined that due to the players failure to attend the hearing he would adjourn the case to an appropriate time when he would face the charges against him," the tournament organisers said in a statement. "Pending the holding of such hearing he ordered that Sapolu Fuimaono be provisionally suspended from all participation in the game of rugby union." The Samoan had previously apologised and escaped punishment for an earlier outburst on the social media site in which he compared the scheduling of Samoa's World Cup matches to the holocaust. Organisers said he had been issued with a formal warning for that initial outburst. The Samoan Rugby Union on Tuesday accepted a charge of failing to properly control the player and Blackett said he would address any sanction against the union when the hearing for Sapolu Fuimaono reconvenes. The 30-year-old, who plays for English club Gloucester, had said in his expletive-laden tirade last week that he had retired from international rugby after Samoa failed to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament. Owens had an indifferent refereeing display in the South Africa-Samoa match and showed a controversial red card to Sapolu Fuimaono's team mate Paul Williams late on after a clash with Heinrich Brussow. The IRB have since backed Owens and appointed him to take charge of the tournament's fourth quarter-final between New Zealand and Argentina in Auckland on Sunday. |
| Lesser nations cry foul over the World Cup’s unbalanced schedule Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:31 PM PDT RUGBY'S lesser nations were the heroes and the schedule was the villain in the World Cup's group stages, where valiant efforts to close the gap on big teams were compromised by a punishing timetable. A series of battling defeats in the early matches gave way to increasingly one–sided scorelines as rugby's up–and–comers were repeatedly given only a few days' rest between games, while established nations played just once a week. Tournament officials said the schedule was based on maximising TV revenues by allowing the best teams to play mainly at weekends, pointing out that millions of dollars were invested in minor nations' development. But the controversy refused to die after outspoken Samoan centre Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono compared the system to the "holocaust" and "apartheid", and several teams voiced their disapproval in less extreme terms. "It does takes its toll, there's no question. It's a hard slog," said USA coach Eddie O'Sullivan, who experienced an easier draw when he guided Ireland in 2003 and 2007. "When you get down to the back end of the group games, a number of games in a short space of time, you pick up injuries, fatigue. "All those games against established teams are real killers in terms of what they take out of the team physically and mentally, so I think we're beginning to see daylight appearing now in some other results." The quarter–final draw is now made up exclusively of rugby's northern and southern hemisphere giants, despite a late charge by Pacific sides Tonga, who stunned France, and Samoa, who tested South Africa. The International Rugby Board (IRB) released analysis after the first two rounds showing 'tier two' teams were catching up, with the points difference in their games against the big sides down to 29, from 42 in 2007. But New Zealand, England, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and Wales then totted up a series of huge scores against struggling opposition. James Robson, long-time doctor to Scotland and the British and Irish Lions, said teams needed a minimum of five days between games, but ideally between six and eight. "I think to turnaround in international Test rugby now within four days is asking a great deal of the players that we are trying to care for," Robson said. Samoa were particularly incensed when they had just three days off between their games against Namibia and Wales, against whom they then suffered their first–ever World Cup defeat. And Namibia's search for their first ever World Cup win was not aided by a punishing schedule of four games in 16 days. "It's hard to play South Africa on Thursday and then have to play Wales on Monday. The turnaround was not suitable, not the most positive thing," said coach Johan Diergaardt, who returned to his day job after flying home. However, Tonga rounded off the group stages with a fabulous 19-14 win over France, while Samoa's fighting 13-5 defeat to South Africa was also a highlight although Fiji's campaign ended 66-0 at the hands of Wales. France also had some nervy moments against both Japan and Canada, who impressed with some rugged displays as they beat Tonga and drew with the Japanese. Japan's bid to be the "most improved side" was called into question as they yet again failed to win a game, extending a World Cup drought that stretches back to 1991. And the former eastern bloc showed signs of things to come as Georgia beat Romania, and Russia scored tries against Italy, Ireland and Australia on their World Cup debut. – AFP |
| On-form Ireland to treat Wales encounter as a Cup final Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:29 PM PDT Thousands of green–clad fans were thronging the bars outside Otago Stadium and captain Brian O'Driscoll (pic) was still in his kit when Ireland coach Declan Kidney was jolted from his enjoyment of the 36-6 World Cup victory over Italy on Sunday. Glancing at his watch, he said, in some exasperation at the post–match news conference: "Phew, you don't give us much time do you?" The comment was in response to the first of the no doubt several dozen times he will be asked this week about Saturday's quarter–final against Wales in Wellington when Ireland have their best chance of getting to the semi–finals for the first time. "It will be like a Cup final," he said. "That's what this competition is all about. Today was a Cup final and thankfully we've qualified for another one. "It will be like a Six Nations game because the players know each other so well, space will be cut down. We know each other's style of play so it's a fantastic challenge." Ireland's previous four quarter–finals have ended with two defeats by Australia and two by France but it was their group victory over the Wallabies this time that has given them a dream path to the final, with a potential semi against France or England on the horizon. "They've got a team who can knock over anyone in that side of the draw in the quarters and the semis," said Italy coach Nick Mallett. "I don't think any team can be confident against them. Where is their weakness?" They certainly showed all sides of their game on Sunday as their pack stood toe to toe in a tense, bruising, often violent, first half before the backs took charge in the second. "There was a pressure on us to perform and we responded well to it," said O'Driscoll. "We kept the scoreboard ticking over well, then we carved out some good chances and were clinical in how we took them." O'Driscoll will be facing Wales for the 14th time on Saturday and, despite the optimism sweeping through Irish fans, he said the match would always be a tough one to call. "The games have been incredibly close in my career," he said. "It hasn't really mattered where they've been played, we've won in Cardiff and they've won in Dublin. "There's not much between the sides and I envisage it will be another close one." Ireland look to be going into the game in relatively good shape physically, though Rory Best could be a concern after the hooker suffered what seemed a serious–looking shoulder injury on Sunday. – Reuters |
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