TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 SPORTS Off-shore clubs plunder Pacific treasure-trove

WELLINGTON: When England face Fiji in As ever the Pacific Islands’ treasure- a special fund to pay (island) players for islands where families rely on repatriated received a substantial cash injection if a the World Cup opener, Wasps backrower trove of talent is plundered by wealthy playing for their country,” he said. funds. “As a result of extending (residency) team or teams were included in Super rug- Nathan Hughes will be cheering for his clubs and they get little in return. “So the players can rely on getting it. to five years it may become less attractive, by. “If they’re not in a mainstream competi- native Fiji while counting down to 2016 They are not wanted in the Super They will know it’s going to get paid and and down the track you will have fewer tion, not part of Super Rugby, that’s a dis- when he becomes eligible to play for Rugby and Rugby Championship compe- they can factor that into their contracts.” (island) players playing rugby,” he argues. advantage. They don’t get access to the England. titions, largely overlooked in the June When the players earn big money overseas However, Fiji coach John McKee, keen to same sort of money from TV income as the He is symbolic of crowd-pleasing play- Test window and European clubs are they come under pressure from their pay- protect his emerging talent from off-shore others,” Williams. ers from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga whose skills reluctant to release players for the masters to put club ahead of country or to raiders targeting rising 18-year-olds, wants “They get to play in and earn attract lucrative contracts from around the November Test series. Yet despite a limit- switch national allegiance. the residency rule extended. good money and become good profession- world which the cash-strapped island ed diet of Tier 1 Tests, Fiji, Tonga and In 2013 there were 272 players eligible “There’s a massive threat to the Pacific al players. But then there are problems with nations cannot hope to match. Hughes, Samoa all rank in the top 12, and for Fiji, Tonga and Samoa who were playing Islands with players moving offshore,” he (World Cup) preparation because they also eligible to play for his mother’s home- International Rugby Players Association off shore but only 198 were actually avail- said, with Hughes one player he would come together from different styles of play, land Samoa, may be passionate about executive director, Rob Nichol, says it is able as 74 had aligned themselves else- have welcomed having available, although different coaching methods.” Pacific rugby but the powerful 23-year-old time they received a better deal. where. Former Samoa and London Irish he is aware of the financial pressures In the four years since the last World turned down the opportunity to play for The 2015 World Cup is projected to lock Dan Leo estimates overseas-based involved. Cup, Samoa have played 24 Tests of which Fiji at the World Cup. make £150 million and Nichol, a strong crit- islanders lose 40 per cent of their salaries if “Our (overseas-based) players mostly 10 were against a Six Nations or Rugby Instead, when he completes his three- ic of the way funds filter down to players, they insist on being available for their don’t get paid by their clubs when they are Championship side. Fiji’s record is 27-6 and year residency next year, he could earn well wants some of that set aside so players are countries. away on national duties and for those play- Tonga 22-5. in excess of £100,000 ($154,000) a year not out of pocket when they take a hit on World Rugby is tackling part of the ers there is a financial sacrifice to come and By comparison, New Zealand played 47 playing for England, in addition to his their club contract to play for their country. problem by reviewing the three-year resi- play for their national team.” Former All Tests, all but three against sides in the two lucrative club contract, while the islands “There needs to be a concept to take some dency rule. Nichol opposes any extension Blacks great of Samoan heritage, Bryan main competitions, while for England it offer little more than expenses. of the World Cup proceeds and put them in because of a possible social cost to the Williams, said island rugby could have was 41-2 and 39-3. — AFP Czechs stun

LILLE: The pulled off the as far as I am concerned my mandate in biggest upset of the European the national team is over,” Perasovic told championship after mauling Croatia 80- Croatian media. held their own 59 to reach the quarter-finals of the 24- against for three quarters but last nation tournament on Sunday. year’s world championship runners-up Their reward will be a last-eight meet- broke down their stubborn resistance in ing with rampant Serbia, who secured the final 10 minutes. their own berth with a sixth straight win Centre poured a after beating Finland 94-81. game-high 27 points for the Serbians, , 82-52 winners over , take who pulled away in the final period with on who ground out a dramatic a flurry of three-pointers after spells of 85-81 victory against fellow former poor long-range shooting. Soviets . The other two quarter- “We were too anxious early on and final ties feature a heavyweight clash you can’t win the game in the opening between and while holders three minutes,” Serbia coach Aleksandar and hosts France take on unheralded Djordjevic told reporters. . The Croatians, who won their only “We can’t afford to repeat the mis- international medal as an independent takes we made against the Finns because nation in the 1995 tournament when the upcoming opponents will be they finished third, failed to end a 20- stronger.” year wait after they were picked apart by The Italians, aiming for their first title an aggressive Czech side. since 1999, dominated as a talent- The defeat also means the Croatians packed outfit boasting several NBA will miss the 2016 Olympics, with the top names produced their best performance two advancing automatically while the of the tournament. Playmaker next five enter three intercontinental Alessandro Gentile buried 27 points and qualifying tournaments for an extra three shooting guard , who berths. The Czechs blew away their rivals joined the Sacramento Kings from the with former NBA forward Jan Vesely col- San Antonio Spurs during the ongoing lecting 20 points and 13 rebounds, as NBA break, added 14. Croatia committed a staggering 24 Roared on by several thousand fans turnovers. who made the trip from the Baltic, The fiasco prompted coach Velimir Lithuania overpowered Georgia on the Perasovic to step down straight after the back of 34 points and six rebounds by buzzer. “I am to blame for this defeat and forward Jonas Maciulis. — Reuters TULSA: Shock’s Plenette Pierson (center) looks to shoot during a WNBA basketball game against the Phoenix Mercury. — AP Dream, Fever advance

WASHINGTON: Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry when Washington lost to Atlanta. The Fever will before the franchise moves to Dallas next year. scored 24 points and the Dream concluded their open their playoff campaign in Chicago on Tulsa’s fans will have at least one more season with a 73-71 victory over Washington on Thursday. Natalie Achonwa and Briann January chance to watch the team play. The Shock will Sunday, making the Mystics the fourth seed in added 13 points apiece for the Fever. Erica play the Mercury in a home playoff game the playoffs. Washington will open the playoffs Wheeler scored a career-high 15 for the Liberty. Saturday. This is the franchise’s first postseason in New York on Friday. Atlanta’s Carla Cortijo berth. The game had no meaning for playoff scored 10 of her 13 points in the second half. SUN 86, SKY 75 seeding - Phoenix was locked into the No. 2 seed Ivory Latta led Washington with 14. Connecticut’s Kelsey Bone scored a career- and Tulsa into the No. 3 slot, and their series will Atlanta scored just seven points in the first high 31 points and the Sun ended their season start Thursday in Phoenix. quarter and trailed by 16 at one point of the first with a victory over Chicago. Camille Little added half. A 15-6 run got them even late the third 15 points to help the Sun end a four-game los- STARS 59, STORM 58 quarter, and they took the lead on a 3-point play ing streak. They trailed by five at halftime, were San Antonio’s scored 15 by McCoughtry with 4:09 left that started a 10-4 tied after three quarters and outscored the Sky points and Samantha Logic hit a pair of free spurt. The Dream milked the clock in the final 20-9 in the final quarter. throws with 1:10 left to help the Stars end the minute with a pair of offensive rebounds, with Chicago’s had four 3- season with their first road victory, beating their five-point lead cut to the final score by a 3- pointers and finished with 28 points to take the Seattle. Seattle missed all four of its shots and pointer with two seconds left. WNBA scoring title at 23.4 . She committed a turnover in the final 57 seconds. also became the sixth player in league history to San Antonio scored only seven points in the sec- FEVER 81, LIBERTY 76 make over 200 free throws in a season with 207. ond quarter - making just 2 of 18 field goals - but Indiana’s Shavonte Zellous scored 11 of her still won to finish the season 1-16 on the road, season-high 22 points in the final five minutes to SHOCK 91, MERCURY 87 avoiding setting the WNBA record for road futili- help the Fever beat New York. By the time this Tulsa rookie scored a career- ty. The 1998 Washington Mystics were 0-15 in game had reached halftime, Indiana had already best 28 points to help the Shock beat Phoenix in road games. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis scored a secured the third seed in the Eastern Conference their final regular-season home game in Tulsa career-high 19 points for Seattle. — AP

FRANCE: Croatia’s Roko Leni Ukic (left) is blocked by Czech Republic’s Petr Benda Brilliant Ko relieved to get during the EuroBasket European Basketball Championship match. — AP Burgan Bank sponsors major monkey off her back FRANCE: That a golfer could be major. To say that I’m the youngest wheelchair Fencing under pressure to win a major at in history for now is so cool. the age of 18 has been one of the “The big thing for me is that I titleholder Al Qallaf LPGA Tour’s more absurd talking won’t be asked that (major) ques- points this season, so Lydia Ko was tion again.” The only question left naturally delighted to torpedo the for Ko, who was 18 years, four KUWAIT: As part of its social responsibility gold medals. He is well on his way to take debate with her victory at the months and 20 days old when she strategy, Burgan Bank announced yesterday part in the USA Fencing Championship, Evian Championship on Sunday. lifted the trophy on Sunday, is how that it is sponsoring Tariq Al Qallaf, Kuwait’s where he aims to retain his worldwide title Barely old enough to toast the many more she can win. Ko will be world champion wheelchair fencer, on his and achieve 1st place. Burgan Bank’s spon- win with an alcoholic drink in her mindful that American Morgan journey to participate in the USA Fencing sorship of Al Qallaf springs from its belief home nation New Zealand, Ko’s six- Pressel, who she eclipsed as the Championship. The championship will take that his talent has defied all odds and has stroke cakewalk at Evian-Les-Bains youngest major winner, made a place in Richmond, Virginia from 9 - 12 led him to win top accolades at internation- made her the youngest player to similar splash when she won the October, 2015 and at Louis, Missouri from 8 al championship. clinch one of the LPGA’s five major 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship - 11 January, 2016. The bank’s sponsorship Burgan Bank is a firm believer of the tournaments. Since winning her at the age of 18 years and 313 days. comes in line with its commitment to sup- ability and talents that Kuwaiti people first professional event in Australia Pressel has won just one LPGA porting Kuwait’s world titleholders in rais- acquire and has been supporting several at the age of 14, Ko’s extraordinary event in the eight years since. ing the Kuwaiti flag at worldwide arenas. initiatives as part of the continued develop- talent has never been in doubt and Ko’s coach David Leadbetter Al Qallaf participated in more than 70 ment of the bank’s overall social responsi- in February she became the believes the Seoul-born prodigy is competitions across the region and the bility framework that adds more value to youngest world number one in just now primed to dominate the game world over the past 30 years, bagging 26 the local community. her second full season as a profes- like few others. “At the age of 18 it’s sional. incredible what she’s done, and the But the clamour to validate her- potential for the future,” he told self with a major has been a heavy New Zealand radio. weight on the teenager’s shoul- “The floodgates will really open ders, and tears welled in her eyes now that she’s won her first major as she approached her final hole and got that so-called monkey off with an unassailable five-stroke her back. “The confidence is now lead on Sunday. “I kind of got a lit- there, she’s really ready now to tle overwhelmed,” Ko told reporters take the game by the scruff of the after a flawless final round of 63 neck.” Ko became only the third left American Lexi Thompson a dis- New Zealander to win a major, tant second. with Michael Campbell and Bob “I thought back over the whole Charles winning one each on the week, all the questions that have men’s tour. been asked, so in a way I was She can expect a hero’s recep- relieved. “Winning at any age is FRANCE: Lydia Ko, of New Zealand kisses her trophy as she poses for tion when she returns to Auckland, amazing at a major. All players journalists after winning the Evian Championship women’s golf tour- where local media have called for a want to peak at the their best at a nament. — AP ticker-tape parade. — Reuters