10 Wednesday 27th September, 2006

will have dropped as the phones rang on Sunday night and the lame hobbled in to . There is, of course, some way to go before the All being Blacks head this way, fol- lowed quickly by Argentina and South Africa. Robinson, who has been involved with England for six years, has become familiar with the con- stant need to shuffle resources and adapt plans. He hurt by huge will have something in the locker. However, it is the trend of injuries that is so troubling. Even though the leading play- ers will have some down time over the next fortnight as the injury toll opening rounds of the Anglo- Welsh Cup take place, a com- petition that leaves most club news. Quality time is being “We have approximately but they are in good hands by Mick Cleary coaches underwhelmed, compromised. We’re asking a 50 per cent unfit to train,” Dr with the England and club there is little respite in the lot of our elite players. Simon Kemp, the Rugby medical teams and I am hop- ngland’s best-laid plans three weeks preceding the Perhaps we’re asking too Football Union’s head of ing that some of them will be for taking on New Test against New Zealand, much.” sports medicine, said. “Our available next week,” said EZealand at with a round of Premiership The Northampton hooker, ongoing injury audit shows Robinson, who drafted Bell Twickenham on Nov 5 have fixtures and a double dose of Steve Thompson, became the that an average of 25 per cent after Perry Freshwater was been thrown into disarray by Heineken Cup games to nego- latest long-term casualty of players are unfit at any one required for Perpignan’s mid- an alarming spate of injuries. tiate. The Robinson crossed after being ruled out for four time. We have always seen week game against Albi. Twenty-three of their 40-man fingers will have blisters on to six weeks with a calf tear fluctuations from week to The bulletins from the elite playing squad were them and certainly so every sustained in Saturday’s week but this week we have England camp read like casu- unable to play any part on the time fly-half Guinness Premiership game an unusual and unprecedent- alty lists from MASH. The opening day of their three- takes the field. at . ed number of injured players. exceptional toll would be day training camp at Thompson’s likely Rather than being able to The majority are the sort of galling at any time. It must be Loughborough University. A removal from the equation develop a game-plan to take impact-related ones that all the more so for Robinson further seven players from means that Leicester’s on the world’s No 1 seeds in appear to be a consequence of after he has fought so hard to the 15-man Senior National and Bath’s Lee six weeks’ time, England’s the ferocity of the collisions secure the training release Academy have also been side- Mears will be battling for the head coach, , seen in the modern profes- days he considers crucial if lined. hooker’s shirt. Palmer’s ele- can do little but adapt his rou- sional game.” England are to emerge from The disturbing level of vation to the elite squad push- tines to suit those still stand- Robinson released Andy their slump. They have lost injuries that has blighted es him firmly into contention ing. Make do and mend will Farrell, the former Great their last five matches in suc- England’s preparations is the as a partner for Danny not have the All Blacks toss- Britain rugby league captain, cession, their worst run of most serious issue facing the Grewcock at lock. ing and turning in their beds. back to his club last night so results since the mid-eight- game, according to the chief Robinson is still casting Lock has that he could continue his ies. executive of the Professional around for his centre pairing, Martina Hingis already been ruled out of con- fledgling union career by Robinson, who saw his Rugby Players’ Association, with and Tindall sideration, while World Cup- playing in the Saracens A entire coaching team over- . “It’s a real yet to start their seasons. It winners game at Gloucester. hauled in the wake of a disap- concern,” Hopley said. has not yet been decided if and Phil Vickery are almost Robinson, who has called pointing Six Nations, has lob- “Player welfare is a funda- Farrell will join England for mental matter. Anything that certain non-starters. Others, in the Wasps lock Tom bied strenuously for longer `A title is next week’s three-day camp. hinders England training such as Palmer and Bath prop blocks of training time to and , have yet to Duncan Bell, was putting on a allow players to recover from with only a year to go to the (C) The Telegraph start a game this season. brave face. “It is unfortunate weekend matches. His face World Cup can’t be good Group, , 2006 always special’ by Amitabha Das Sharma Martina Hingis says a title is always special to her. Schumi has China “This title is very special for me. It is the sec- ond one after I made the comeback early in the year,’’ she said after having seen off the chal- lenge of Russian Olga Poutchkova in less than flaw - Renault an hour for the Sunfeast Open title. The `Swiss Miss,’ as she is popularly called, said that the latest triumph has instilled the Renault hope Michael of Michael not performing to his their form. confidence that she lost during a prolonged lay- Schumacher’s unease at the potential when he has been Alonso said he was trying to off with injury. Chinese Grand Prix will help under pressure. And I think the forget the pressure on him “I can now think that it is possible. The them regain their title momen- pressure for him is greater than heading into the final three return now looks okay,’’ she said meaning well tum, BBC Sport reported on ever in these last three races. races of the season - and his that her comeback has not been in vain. “I have Monday. “Previously, he always had last Grands Prix with Renault had a successful year having beaten every big Renault’s Fernando Alonso the safety net of trying again before his move to McLaren for player in the circuit. The top-10 ranking now won in China last year, while next year, if he didn’t win. There 2007. looks more worthy,’’ Hingis added. Schumacher has struggled on is no ‘next year’ for him now.” “I have the opinion that “I am happy that I could play well,’’ she said. the Shanghai track at both Schumacher, who cut stress is not useful,” Alonso “My performance in the first six months after races staged there so far. Alonso’s lead down to just two said. “We have to do our job, the comeback exceeded my expectations. I “Shanghai is a good track points with victory at the Italian and I must do 100% with the played well in the Grand Slams — reaching Inter Portuguese soccer star Luis Figo with his wife Helen Svedin, of for Renault,” said engineering Grand Prix on 10 September, team. quarterfinals in two of them. Now that there is Sweden, attend the presentation of the Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer boss Pat Symonds. countered: “It is true that this “If we do that job well and another title, the season seems to be progressing 2007 women’s fashion collection, unveiled in Milan, Italy, Monday, Sept. 25, “But it may be more signifi- race has not been the best for we deserve the title, then we will towards a satisfactory end,’’ was how Hingis 2006. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) cant that Michael Schumacher me but Rubens [Barrichello, his win. The important thing in the preferred to sum up her performance so far. had two poor races there in former team-mate] won the first next races is to give the maxi- Poutchkova almost repeated the words of 2004 and 2005. That trend race there so that shows that mum to the team. awe and admiration about Hingis that Sania One killed, three injured, in could continue this year.” our car is fine on the track “We always knew that it Mirza had done losing to the former in the semi- Symonds said that “I expect it to be better this would be very tight at the end of final on Saturday. Colombia soccer violence Schumacher had shown several time around and I am looking the championship, and I was “The match had been a great experience for times in his career that he was forward to this fight in the last prepared for this. me. She’s Hingis and you have little chance A 25-year-old was killed and three disturbances resumed and Millionarios against a player of her merit,’’ she said. other soccer fans hospitalized in street fan Alejando Galindo was killed when vulnerable to pressure. few races. I have a two-point gap “At Renault we were ready “It goes without saying that and that can be bridged.” for the opening races, and total- Poutchkova’s tribute did not stop there. “She clashes which ended with the arrests of he was run over by a bus. Three more gave me only two chances and then took the 160 on Sunday, police said. Millionarios fans were taken to a hospi- they are both fabulous drivers Ferrari’s revival means ly competitive: maybe we start- and formidable competitors, but Alonso has now not won since ed at 95% of our maximum, game away from me, ‘’ the Russinan teenager The violence began before a match tal in Ibague, 130 kilometers (80 miles) said about her loss. I truly do believe that Fernando June, but Symonds denied that while the others were at 70%. when fans from Colombian league west of the capital, and released on (The Hindu) leader Deportes Tolima, defying 1,000 Monday with light injuries, authorities handles pressure better than Renault were a “spent force” in “Now, everybody is at 98% police sent to reinforce security, bar- said. Michael,” said Symonds, who the championship. or 99% and the performance is raged with rocks and stones the bus Those arrested were under the worked with Schumacher at And although he admitted very, very close. carrying the visiting Millionarios squad influence of drugs and alcohol, Col. Benetton from 1991-1995. the momentum was now with “We know we have the per- from Bogota. Gilberto Ramirez, police commander in “Throughout his career, Ferrari, he said Renault were formance to win races, and we Warne planning Following Tolima’s 1-0 victory, the Tolima province, said on Monday. (AP) there have been many instances confident they could rediscover need to make it happen.” Hampshire return is planning to play for Chappell calls Ponting’s behaviour ‘out of order’ Hampshire for one more sea- son and may end his career at Ian Chappell, the leg- the spirit law stated the captain was hadn’t broached the issue Ashes would be a decisive the Rose Bowl. endary Australian captain, of cricket able to check with an umpire himself. But another offence series for Ponting as a - The Australian captained has said that Ricky Ponting campaign on a point of law, and I think like this one could see him tain. “Particularly if England his county to Pro40 promotion was “out of order” when he champi- this is where Ricky’s wrong,” miss a Test match. He had, play well again, how he copes on Sunday and expects to return to England after the questioned the umpire’s deci- oned by Chappell told The Age, a previously in the same with this series will give us a Ashes. sion in the recently-conclud- Australia -based daily. “If match, questioned a wide call really good clue as to whether “At this stage my plans are ed DLF Cup. Chappell was and you’re arguing on a judge- too. his captaincy has gone up a to come back. I’m 37 now and talking about Ponting’s argu- encour- ment call, then I don’t think “The spate of things seems level or two.” Shane Warne am not sure what’s down the ment with umpire Mark aged by you should be doing that. I to have been quite recent. Up Australia won the DLF track but I thoroughly enjoy Benson, during the final the ICC think it’s also in the way that until then, I thought he was Cup by beating West Indies by playing for and captaining Hampshire. league game of the tourna- was “non- you ask the questions.” controlling his temper pretty 127 runs in the finals at the Ricky Ponting “Once the enjoyment stops I’ll retire, but I’d ment, when he recalled sense”, he Ponting was not reported well. I’m pretty sure he’s Kinrara Oval in Kuala love to end my career here,” Warne told the Sachin Tendulkar after incor- said that for the offence because he had aware of it, and he’s going to Lumpur. They will next head Southern Daily Echo. rectly declaring him out. Ponting was wrong. “I know been called over to discuss have to continue to be.” to India for the Champions “I’ve spoken to Shane Watson, Michael Though Chappell felt that when I was a captain that the the issue with the umpire and Chappell also added that the Trophy beginning October 7. Clarke and Simon Katich. All of them would like to come back next year but it depends on the one-day schedule and whether they are all being selected for Australia in both forms of the game. Renault key to Raikkonen plans “Nothing will be finalised until early next ICC toughens anti-racism code against spectators year but I’ll sit down with Rod Bransgrove, Tim Whether or not Kimi McLaren which is only due Tremlett and Paul Terry to discuss what we Cricket fans found guilty of the international status of the the South African board laid Raikkonen makes an to expire on December 31 of racial abuse could face life- venue where any incident an official complaint, a lawyer want and what we think we need in the next few appearance in testing for 2006. As we have seen in the months.” time bans from the sport fol- occurred. appointed by the ICC to inves- Ferrari this year, remark- lowing hardline changes to past many teams choose to Warne flies back to Australia on Tuesday to The latest changes to the tigate said the racist abuse ably, seems likely to rest on the International Cricket hold their drivers’ to this prepare for the Ashes series against England. code, adopted in 2003, were mainly by drunks and expatri- the decision made by Council’s anti-racism code on prompted by racist abuse at ate South Africans was ‘’pre- agreement, preventing “I’ll be playing a grade game for St Kilda and Renault boss Flavio three or four four-day games for Victoria before Monday. South Africa’s players during meditated, coordinated and them from assisting their Briatore. going up to Brisbane a week before the first Also, ICC members who fail a tour of Australia in calculated to get under the to uphold the code face penal- Raikkonen currently new teams until the New Test,” he said. December and January. After players’ skins.’’ (AP) ties from a warning to losing holds a contract with Year.