World Cup - France unchanged for Wales semi-final.

France coach Marc Lievremont has stuck with the squad of 22 players that turned around their rugby World Cup campaign with their quarter-final defeat of England for their last four encounter against Wales at Eden Park on Saturday.


France beat the Six Nations champions 19-12 last Saturday after only qualifying for the knockout stage following unconvincing pool phase victories over Japan and Canada and reports of division within the team camp.
"Once again, the same team that played Tonga and England," Lievremont said. "I would not have hesitated to name a different team if I felt that would have been better.
"The danger is for the players to start thinking they are too good ... we are Latin, so there is always a risk. The Anglo-Saxons are far more pragmatic.
"I hope the prospect of playing in the final is enough."
Lievremont continued with the tactic of playing two scrum-halves with Morgan Parra again slotting in at fly-half and Dimitri Yachvili taking the number nine jersey, though the veteran will first rest a bruised thigh he sustained against England.
"Yachvili is going to be rested in training until at least Thursday ... but he will play," Lievremont said, before adding that his side must adhere to what they do best to have any chance of advancing to the final.

Heremaia celebrates 50th match in style.

Warriors hooker Aaron Heremaia celebrated his 50th match for the club in style last night, picking up a brace of tries in their runaway win over the Bulldogs in Auckland last night.
The 28-year-old, who will leave the club at the end of the season to take up a two year contract with english Super League club Hull, scored two long range tries in the 36-12 win as the Warriors came back after a shocking start to stun the hapless Bulldogs.
Trailing 12-0 in terrible conditions at Mount Smart Stadium, the Warriors looked in all sorts of trouble against a Bulldogs side whose coach walked out on the team on Thursday.
However they turned the game around taking over possession and applying relentless pressure to the Bulldogs defence to draw level with the match in the balance at halftime.
The match was sealed however iin the second half when an outstanding solo effort from the Warriors rake put them 12 points clear heading into the final 20 minutes of the match.
Heremaia sold a massive dummy from 50-metres out to create a gaping hole in the Canterbury-Bankstown defence, before running straight through fullback Ben Barba to score.
However the hooker was modest about his efforts, instead praising the performance of their dominant forwards.

Tri-Nations - WRU fast-track stadium repayments.

The Welsh Rugby Union have fast-tracked the repayment of their Millennium Stadium debts after agreeing a restructured financing arrangement.

The original loan taken out by the WRU to fund the development of the iconic stadium was over £60 million. But the new arrangement with bankers Barclays Corporate has reduced the debt from £32m to £25m and the WRU now aim to pay it off completely by 2021.
WRU Group chief executive Roger Lewis, said: "We work extremely hard to maximise our income and it is now right and proper for us to extend that ability into a renewed and rigorous formula to manage and control our debt."
The WRU have paid £5m to restructure an interest rate hedge and arranged to increase the revolving facility - similar to an overdraft - from £10m to £15m.
That facility reflects the seasonal nature of the WRU's business, allowing them to re-pay significant sums when generating high income and then have the freedom to call upon increased support if required.

Tri-Nations - O'Connor relishing wing role.

James O'Connor's move from full-back to the wing for Australia's Tri Nations opener against South Africa  may be seen as a gamble by some, but the young Wallabies star is relishing the chance to match up with star Springbok Bryan Habana.

A stellar three-try performance for the Barbarians in early June saw O'Connor given the nod at full-back for the Wallabies' games against England and Ireland, but a reshuffle from coach Robbie Deans has seen utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper reclaim the number 15 jersey for Australia's first Tri Nations clash. Ashley-Cooper's move to the custodian role has meant a straight swap to the right wing for O'Connor, and while the 19-year-old admits to having little experience on the flank there appears to be no nerves.
"I'm getting my experience from training, but we've had a fair bit of competitiveness and game role-play so I'm pretty comfortable now," said O'Connor.

Larkham set for coaching role.

Australia's most-capped fly-half Stephen Larkham will end his playing career to take up a coaching role with Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies.

Larkham, 36, will sign a two-year assistant coaching deal to become attack coach with his former team and will join in November, after the completion of his third season with Japanese side Ricoh Black Rams.
"Steve's credentials as a player are second to none and he is renowned as being one of the playing masterminds of the modern game," said Brumbies head coach Andy Friend.
"He's always had an attacking mentality as a player and it will excite a large majority of the Brumbies faithful to see him returning to the club for 2011."
Larkham, who formed a formidable halfback pairing with scrumhalf George Gregan for the Brumbies and his country, won 96 caps for Australia and is considered one of his country's finest ever flyhalfs.

Tri-Nations - South Africa make four changes.

Scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and flanker Ryan Kankowski were among four changes to South Africa's starting side intended to inject pace for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against Australia in Brisbane.

Coach Peter de Villiers, under pressure after two straight losses away to New Zealand, recalled Pienaar ahead of Ricky Januarie behind the pack for the match at Lang Park and Kankowski in place of Francois Louw in the back row.
"We have to bring some speed into out team," De Villiers told reporters after naming his team.
"Statistics show that (Brisbane) has the fastest playing surface in the ... Super 14 and we have to be prepared for a faster game."
Elsewhere, Stormers' winger Gio Aplon has replaced the suspended Jean de Villiers, while Ulster prop BJ Botha comes in for CJ van der Linde, who drops to the bench.
After two taxing losses to the All Blacks, champions South Africa will face a fresh Australian side just starting their tournament and eager to improve their unbeaten record against the Springboks at Lang Park.

Tri-Nations - Injured trio return for Wallabies.

Australia will go into their Tri-Nations opener against South Africa  buoyed by the return of scrumhalf Will Genia, lock Nathan Sharpe and prop Benn Robinson, who have all shaken off injuries and will start Saturday's test.

Genia has recovered from a fractured hand picked up in last month's one-point loss to England in Sydney and he returns at the expense of Luke Burgess in the team named by coach Robbie Deans on Tuesday.
Western Force second rower Sharpe (pictured) rejoins the Wallabies pack after a back injury ruled him out of Australia's last outing, a 22-15 victory over Ireland.
"It's really good to have a few of the troops back who have been unavailable to us," Deans said in a news release ahead of Saturday's match against the defending Tri-Nations champions in Brisbane.
The Wallabies also brought back first-choice prop Robinson and switched Adam Ashley-Cooper to fullback to allow James O'Connor to move out to the right wing.
Queensland Reds hooker Saia Faingaa remains in the starting line-up as regular Stephen Moore is named on the replacements bench as he works his way back to full fitness after a two-month absence with a broken jaw.
"Benn has had a little bit more background than Stephen, in terms of having been able to get underway a little bit earlier after his injury, which is why he's ready to start while we are easing Stephen back in off the bench," Deans said.

Premiership - Ormsby extends Sale contract.

Sale Sharks forward Kristian Ormsby has signed a new two-year deal with the Premiership club.

Ormsby has been restricted to just 16 appearances for Sale after suffering a serious knee injury shortly after arriving at Edgeley Park in 2008.
But the 30-year-old was a regular for the Sharks after returning to action last November - and new director of rugby Mike Brewer views him as a "key component" in the club's future.
"Kristian is a great player and has a big influence on the players around him," said Brewer.
"I am delighted he has decided to stay with us."
Ormsby, a former New Zealand Maori representative, made 11 appearances last season and finished the campaign with tries against Bath and Newcastle.
"It was very disappointing to get injured so soon after my arrival and the injury took longer than we expected to heal, but I was delighted to rejoin the Sale pack towards the end of last season and am very much looking forward to the future with the club," said Ormsby.

McGeechan: England on track for RWC.

Sir Ian McGeechan believes Martin Johnson's England have got the right mix of players to be contenders for next year's World Cup in New Zealand.

The former Lions coach, who is Bath's new performance director, was impressed by England's Test victory over Australia in Sydney last month.
"England, of all the sides at the moment, have probably got the best mix of established, experienced players and enthusiastic quality younger players," McGeechan told the Daily Telegraph. "If that continues to evolve over the next 12 months then they will probably be in pretty good shape for the World Cup."
"Johnno knows what he wants and he knows what it takes to create a winning environment. The key is for him to see that what they achieved in that last Test against Australia is just a staging point rather than a finishing line."
Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs, 20, particularly impressed McGeechan with his inspirational performance against the Wallabies.
"Sometimes making just one change affects the way others play, and I think Johnson's decision to play Ben Youngs was critical for England," McGeechan said.
"The way Youngs played had an impact on what happened around him and that drew slightly different games out of other players."

Heineken Cup - Exiles rule out moving Heineken Cup ties.

London Irish have rejected any thoughts of moving their high-profile Heineken Cup ties away from the Madejski Stadium in the hope of creating a hostile home environment.

The Exiles open their daunting campaign in the so-called "group of death" at home to two-time European champions Munster on October 9.
Jonny Wilkinson's star-studded Toulon are in Reading on December 12, with Irish hosting Magners League champions Ospreys on the second weekend of January.
Saracens, who face French champions Clermont Auvergne, Leinster and Racing Metro, are currently in negotiations about which games they can take to Wembley Stadium this season.
But London Irish will not be moving any of their group matches to Twickenham in the hope of maximising home advantage at the 24,000-capacity 'Mad Stad'.
"We are relishing the challenge of the Heineken Cup. Doing battle with the best of the best on our own turf guarantees a true test of how far we have come in recent years and some great rugby," said director of rugby Toby Booth.
"We need to leave our visitors in no doubt that the Madejski is a London Irish stronghold. I ask all of our supporters to get behind the squad, fill the stadium three times over and show that we are a true force to be reckoned with both on and off the pitch."

Premiership - Sheridan raring to go.

Sale and England  prop Andrew Sheridan is determined to make up for lost time when he returns from a long-term shoulder injury for the new Aviva Premiership season.

The giant loose-head (pictured) suffered a serious shoulder dislocation playing for the Sharks against Cardiff Blues last October and has been sidelined ever since.
And the British & Irish Lion now wants to repay Sale for the support they have shown him during his recuperation.
"I only managed to play five games before the injury struck and it didn't come at a good time for the club," Sheridan told the Manchester Evening News.
"In some ways, I obviously feel like I owe Sale Sharks a lot so I'd like to have a good season.
"I'm not trying to pretend and start waving the loyalty flag around because it's a professional game and injuries happen.
"But, at the same time, the club has been good and looked after me well and I'd like to put myself about it this season to try and help Sharks."
Sheridan is regarded as one of the most powerful scrummagers in world rugby and the 30-year-old is confident the rebuilt shoulder will allow him to reach the same heights for club and country.
England face New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Samoa in a challenging autumn series and manager Martin Johnson will be hoping the giant prop can add to his front-row resources.

Tri-Nations - All Blacks blast refs.

Puffed-out referees need to make sure they are in shape to keep up with play in modern test rugby, All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said on Wednesday.

The All Blacks in particular were keeping the ball in play longer rather than kicking for touch, reducing the number of set pieces and opportunities for referees to catch their breath, he added.
"The ball in play is around 40 minutes in the test matches this year because of the way we're playing," Smith told reporters in Wellington.
"If you talk to our tight forwards, they'll talk about how the game has changed, markedly, because of the amount of running they have to do.
"Referees are going to need to make sure they're up there fitness-wise."
Smith's comments followed the All Blacks' 32-12 victory over the Springboks in Auckland, where 46-year-old referee Alan Lewis appeared to struggle to keep up with play at times and drew media criticism for missing a number of incidents.
Lewis's struggles prompted New Zealand coach Graham Henry to renew his call for a second match referee to be made available to relieve the first after a period of time.
"It might be after 50-55 minutes. So you have two quality refs who can keep up with the play," Henry told local media this week.

Castleford Tigers ban fans for obscene chanting .

Castleford have banned three fans from The Jungle after homophobic chanting was aimed at Crusaders' Gareth Thomas.

The Tigers are currently appealing a £40,000 fine handed to them by the Rugby Football League following the abuse at the game in March.
And after identifying three people involved, chief executive Richard Wright said further bans could follow.
"It is hoped that banning people who behave inappropriately will make anyone think twice in future," he said.
"We are determined to ensure The Jungle remains a great place to be for a family day out.
"During the Crusaders game there was evidence on the DVD of offensive chanting but it was not clear and did not last long.
"It took a while for spectators to work out what was chanted and most fans did not hear anything. As a result it was not possible to identify the perpetrators on the day.
"The people banned will have a right to appeal at the end of the season but in these cases there is a likelihood of the ban being extended.
"Chanting is part of the game and long may it be so but it should be positive and encouraging. Hopefully, home and away the fans will respond in the right manner.
"We also hope that respectable fans, who form the vast majority of the support base at The Jungle, will help us by reporting any obscene behaviour through the well-established mechanisms that we have put in place.
"The Tigers are one of the most robust in Super League at promoting an inclusive environment for all sections of the community and we pride ourselves on this fact."

New Zealand & South Africa set for Tri-Nations opener .

Bismarck Du Plessis celebrated a first Tri-Nations triumph in five years in 2009.

 

New Zealand have made four changes to their side for Saturday's opening match of the 2010 Tri-Nations series against champions South Africa in Auckland.

Wing Joe Rokocoko, centres Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and prop Owen Franks all return to the starting line-up.
Full-back Zane Kirchner, centre Wynand Olivier and lock Victor Matfield all come into the Springboks' side.
Bakkies Botha has been declared fit to partner Matfield while Danie Rossouw is on the bench after a hip problem.
Botha missed training earlier in the week with a hamstring injury.
"All of the players in the group are fit and available so there were some tough choices to make," Springboks coach Peter de Villiers said.
"We are putting a very strong team out there."
Gio Aplon and Andries Bekker drop to the bench, after starting their most recent Test against Italy, but there is no place in the 22 for emerging centre Juan de Jongh.
The Springboks were already without the long-term injured trio of scrum-half Fourie du Preez, hooker Bismark du Plessis and flanker Heinrich Brussow as they begin the defence of their title.

Homophobia tide turning - Thomas .

Gareth Thomas hopes the Rugby Football League's decision to clamp down on homophobic abuse can help rugby league and sport in general combat homophobia.

The RFL fined Castleford £40,000 on Tuesday after fans aimed homophobic abuse at Crusaders winger Thomas.
"I hope this starts a little snowball effect," he told BBC Radio 5 live.
"The tide is turning - it's a long way off I'm sure, but it can only help not just rugby league but all sports I'm sure," added the 35-year-old Thomas.
"My dream is that one day people don't have to declare their sexuality because it's not an issue.
"That's why I think this is such a momentous occasion. The RFL are saying it's not a problem - you're making it one if you chant and abuse - otherwise we've got no problem."
In December 2009, former Wales and Lions captain Thomas broke one of the taboos that surround sport by revealing he is gay, joining stars like basketball's John Amaechi and hurling's Donal Og Cusack in coming out.
But barely a month after leaving rugby union side Cardiff Blues for league, Thomas was subjected to homophobic abuse - described by the RFL as "unacceptable" - during the Crusaders' visit to The Jungle in the Super League on 26 March.

Sir Ian McGeechan joins Bath as performance director .

Bath have appointed Sir Ian McGeechan as their new performance director on a two-year contract.

McGeechan has been head coach on four British and Irish Lions tours and was at the helm for Scotland, Northampton and, most recently, Wasps.
Last season McGeechan worked as advisor at Bath's fierce rivals Gloucester.
McGeechan, who coached the Lions to two series wins, told BBC Radio Bristol: "This is a different challenge but a very exciting one."
He added: "What we try to put in place now is something that you want to be strong long-term and enhance what's already here."
McGeechan coached the Lions to series wins in Australia in 1989 and in South Africa in 1997 and oversaw Scotland's famous Grand Slam win in 1990.
He masterminded Wasps' Heineken Cup, Premiership and Anglo-Welsh Cup wins as the club's director of rugby but has not had a full-time role in the game since leaving the London club following the 2009 Lions tour.
"I'm excited by the whole concept of a club which has great traditions and, in a professional era, really professionalising the support facilities and the environment the players can be in - and hopefully take that on to the field," continued McGeechan.

Rugby - Test - matches : Blues: Mazars takes his chance.

Unsuccessful in the original group for the summer tour , the center of Bayonne Lionel Mazars begins on the last test against theArgentina Saturday ( 8:40 p.m. ) . A total of seven changes were made in the starting XV from the team that was heavily tilted in South Africa.

This is not a big laundry , but it looks like strongly. Compared with a spanking of Cape Town ( 45-17 , Ed) , the technical staff of the XV France has made seven changes ! Clement Poitrenaud, David Marty, Maxime Mermoz, Aurelien Rougerie, Romain Millo - Chluski and Thomas Domingo, Tried by a weary season extension , are outside the starting XV . As the flanker biarrot Wenceslas Lauret , which would probably began at Velez Sarsfield , he was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury . " We have chosen to give the palm to the freshness, says national coach Marc Lievremont. Some players really seemed worn. But this absolutely does not undermine their excellent season in club or national team . "

First selection Porical:

Internationals - England bounce back to level series.

England produced their finest performance under manager Martin Johnson to defeat Australia 21-20 and level the Test series in Sydney.

Johnson's side were under huge pressure after a dire effort in the first Test, but they responded in superb fashion to secure what was their first win in Australia since their 2003 World Cup final win.
England scored two superb first-half tries through scrum-half Ben Youngs (pictured), making his first start, and wing Chris Ashton, and refused to buckle after the break under increasing Wallabies pressure.
Matt Giteau scored all of Australia's points with two converted tries and a pair of penalties, but he will rue a missed shot on goal from in front of the posts in the 70th minute that would have reclaimed the lead.
England replacement fly-half Jonny Wilkinson was also off target with a straightforward effort two minutes from time having earlier grabbed the lead for England by landing a penalty with his first touch of the game.
Where England had been woeful in Perth, in Sydney they appeared to have a clear game plan and played with a freedom to express themselves.

Internationals - Moody wants greater aggression.

England captain Lewis Moody is confident his men will come out with all guns blazing in the second Test against Australia at the Olympic Stadium.


Moody detected an "air of nervousness" in the changing room before last weekend's 27-17 defeat to the Wallabies and he believes that contributed to England making such a slow start.
But the inclusion of Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs and Northampton lock Courtney Lawes, who will both make their first Test starts, has helped inject fresh enthusiasm into the side.
Moody said: "Ben Youngs and Courtney have come in. They are very talented and excitable young guys and that enthusiasm can spread, which is great. I am excitable at the best of times so when they are excited it is even better."
He added: "The boys are keen to go out there. Thankfully last week was the first Test and we have an opportunity to go back and play again.
"After the warm-up I will sit down with the lads and make sure everyone is in the right place prior to the game. We have been through the situation now when we did have that angst and nervousness which made the first 40 minutes tough."

Rugby - Test-matches : Happy birthday.

Perpignan hooker, Guilhem Guirado, Celebrates 24 years this Thursday. As a gift, he will honor his first tenure with the XV FranceTomorrow night at La Plata. The Spaniard hopes it will not be poisoned but expects a tough encounter against the Argentines ultra-motivated.

If his international career lasts, and is on course for, Guilhem Guirado will have a sacred collection of portfolios. Not that the Catalan garnered thousands and cents. Just that chance has given rise to a June 17, and her birthday is always during the summer tour of the XV of France. In such cases, the FFR is in their small gesture: it offers the player concerned a portfolio. On Thursday, the Blues hooker and will receive his second in two years now, he was already an adventure in June 2009, during the long journey to New Zealand and Australia. But the greatest gift that the player would obviously receive the USAP is this first tenure with the Habs.