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Quade cops penalty on the chin
COOPER CONTRITE AFTER ‘TOXIC’ FINE RUGBY
The road to redemption for Quade Cooper began last week when he was slapped with a AU$40,000 fine for his five-day social media rampage against the game and the Wallabies. Cooper called the Australian side’s environment “toxic”, said he’d turn down Australian team honours and even bagged the ARU-licensed computer game. He was contrite in copping his fine from a three-member panel: “It was a very fair hearing and I am very happy with the outcome. I fell well below par of what it means to be a Wallaby.”
MESSI EUROPE’S BEST – NEXT, THE WORLD FOOTBALL
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has won the Golden Boot for the top scorer in Europe and is hot favourite to beat Cristiano Ronaldo again for the Ballon d’Or for world player of the year. Messi paid tribute to his teammates after scoring a record 50 goals in the Spanish domestic La Liga last year, edging out Real Madrid’s Ronaldo by four goals.
PEC DELAYS SONNY V BOTHA DECKING BOXING
New Zealand heavyweight champ Sonny Bill Williams will now fight South African Francois Botha in February, after the All Black had surgery on an injured pec muscle. The fight’s promoter Thinus Strydom wished Williams a “speedy recovery” after calling off the slated November 24 date. Botha is confident of a win: “I’ll knock
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TNTDOWNUNDER.COM
And you thought Lance Armstrong was on fire winning seven Tour de France titles – Kent artist Frank Shepherd made this 30-foot effigy for Edenbridge Bonfire Society’s Guy Fawkes Night on Saturday him out with one hand behind my back.”
DAY/NIGHT TESTS NOT IN THE PINK JUST YET CRICKET
The ICC may have given the green light to day/night Test matches, which has cricket’s beancounters and broadcasters licking their lips, but players say the key component that makes the games possible – a pink ball that can be seen in day and night – isn’t ready. South African batsman Alviro Petersen said that when he played with the ball in a game for Glamorgan it wasn’t up to scratch. “I’m sure from a spectator point of view, it will be nice,” he said at the SCG ahead of the first Test. “We used a Kookaburra and a Tiflex and they never lasted.” Former Lords official Keith Bradshaw said pink balls are “ready” for Test matches..
BIG WEEK FOR ... Champion jockey Damien Oliver, who picked up a Melbourne Cup ride on heavily fancied French horse Americain after its connections sacked their rider, Frenchman Gérald Mossé. A victory on last year’s winner on Tuesday would be Oliver’s third in the Cup – the last was in 2002 on Media Puzzle four days after his older brother, Jason, died in a fall. Oliver was available for Americain after losing his Cup ride when he was accused of betting on a horse in a race in which he had another mount. “It’s just business as usual for me,” he said.