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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday September 19, 2015
Rugby World Cup
England snatch bonus point with 35-11 win over Fiji By Mitch Phillips LONDON, England (Reuters) - England got the result they needed, if not the complete performance, as a four-try 35-11 bonus-point victory over Fiji got the Rugby World Cup started yesterday -- though they had to wait until the last second to complete it. After an early penalty try, fullback Mike Brown added two more before replacement forward Billy Vunipola settled the game in a dramatic finale. It was by no means plain sailing for the tournament hosts as Fiji defended strongly and carried a threat but England will be delighted to have claimed the extra point that could prove vital in a tough Pool A also containing Australia and Wales. The first half-hour could not have gone any better for England as they looked sharp and focused from the off. A 12th-minute driving maul splintered the Fijian defence, forcing them to drag it down and concede a penalty try. A suicidal Fiji attempt to hit the back at a lineout on their own five-metre line led to England’s second try as Tom Wood snaffled it and the backs swiftly sent it wide for Brown to score and open a 15-0 lead.
Things then went awry for the hosts as their scrum malfunctioned and Fiji’s livewire scrumhalf Nikola Matawalu had a try ruled out as he dropped the ball on
Volavola. England regained composure and another George Ford penalty put them 18-8 ahead at the break when coach Stuart Lancaster would no doubt have demanded that they tighten up. His words would have fallen on deaf ears, however, as England struggled to get a grip on the game -- or the greasy ball -during a ragged, penalty-laden 20 minutes that played right into Fiji’s hands. Nadolo blotted his copybook with two missed penalty attempts but Fiji’s intent was rewarded when Volavola slotted one to reduce the deficit to seven points with 16 minutes remaining. Replacement flyhalf Owen Farrell immediately hit back with a three-pointer and slipped a brilliant off-load following a break by centre Jonathan Joseph through a tiring Fiji defence before Brown claimed England’s Mike Brown is seen in his second try. action. (Reuters/Stefan Wermuth) England were desperate for the fourth try but had to wait until stoppage time, and then through an interminable TMO inspecthe line having darted 50 metres. tion, before Vunipola was ruled to have The TMO ruled in Fiji’s favour soon reached the line through a mass of bodies. afterwards, however, when winger NemaEngland next face Wales at Twickni Nadolo hoisted his 20-stone (127kg) enham on Septenber 26 while Fiji frame above Anthony Watson to catch head to Cardiff to play Australia on a precise cross-kick from flyhalf Ben Wednesday.
Cricket Australia puts heat on Gabba to spruce up MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - A failure to keep Australian Associated Press. up with the times has already cost one iconic Austra“I think there is a lot of opportunity to deal with it. Not just lian cricket ground lucrative Test inside the ground, but outside the ground, matches and the pressure is now on the precinct, the accessibility ... (it needs Brisbane’s Woolloongabba ground to be) a good stadium comparable with all to modernise. the other ones around Australia. The Gabba has traditionally host“I know those at the Gabba are well ed the first Test of each Australian and truly across all of those (possibilisummer but has begun to look dated ties) but how they get them going and after major renovations at the Sydney in what timeframe is obviously always Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval. going to be a challenge.” A new 60 000-seat stadium at The Gabba completed its last renovaBurswood in Perth is scheduled tion in 2005, lifting its capacity to 42 000, to be finished in time for the 2018 but it has since been upstaged by costly season, stripping high-profile Test refurbishments at the 48 000-seat SCG matches from the same city’s rickand the 52,000 seat Adelaide Oval. ety WACA ground which dithered Gabba venue manager Blair for years over re-development Conaghan said the stadium would start plans. a “master planning exercise” to map The Gabba has no immediate fear out spending priorities in coming years. of a new cross-town rival springing “This will take a long-term view of up but the 120-year ground been put CA high performance chief Pat how the venue associates with developHoward on notice by Cricket Australia. ment in the wider precinct,” Conaghan “There has been growth in the said. stadiums around the country. Making sure that Brisbane “Traditionally the Gabba Test is the first of the summer and Queensland stay competitive in this space is pretty and I am sure that is a tradition Queensland cricket will important,” CA high performance chief Howard told want to maintain.”
Charity match raises £300 000 LONDON, England (CMC) – Former batting star Brian Lara managed just 16 but the Rest of the World XI went down to Help for Heroes XI by four wickets in the Cricket for Heroes Twenty20 charity match at the Oval here Thursday. Set 158 for victory, Help for Heroes chased down their target with three balls remaining, with former India captain MS Dhoni top-scoring with an unbeaten 38 and striking the winning runs. Former England captain Andrew Strauss, now the Director of Cricket, stroked 26 off 17 balls – an innings that gathered £4 000 after a supporter donated £1 000 for every boundary the left-hander hit. Strauss also produced a stroke of brilliance when he pulled off an excellent catch to dismiss the 46-yearold Lara who had MAHELA JAYAWARDENE looked set for a big score. However, it was former Sri Lanka stroke-maker Mahela Jayawardene who staged the fireworks for Rest of the World, top-scoring with a typically elegant 48. The game raised £300 000 for the Help for Heroes charity, which gives support to military personnel injured in the line of duty. Help for Heroes XI also comprised the likes of South African Herchelle Gibbs, Graeme Swann and Virender Sehwag while the Rest of the World XI featured stars like New Zealander Brendon McCullum, South African Graeme Smith and Australian Matthew Hayden.
Holy Family Bible Club to host Inter-ward tapeball tourney today THE Holy Family Bible Club will host its annual inter-ward/area Schoolboys tapeball cricket competition today at the National Cultural Centre tarmac from 08:30hrs. Under the theme, “Let’s play tapeball cricket for Jesus”, the competition has already secured Cummings Lodge, Better Hope, Good Hope, Sophia, Friendship, Coveny Garden and West Dem Glory. Trophies, medals and cash incentives will be up for grabs in the tournament which also features the added attraction of a reading competition for players. The aim of the added attraction is to encourage youths in schools to read more as well as bring youths together and teach them the values of team work. The trophies were sponsored by Trophy Stall and combined churches.