`A Title Is Always Special'
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10 Wednesday 27th September, 2006 will have dropped as the phones rang on Sunday night and the lame hobbled in to Loughborough University. There is, of course, some way to go before the All England 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 Charlie Hodgson Guinness Premiership game an unusual and unprecedent- alty lists from MASH. The opening day of their three- takes the field. at Gloucester. 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 George Chuter 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, Andy Robinson, 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 Steve Borthwick 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 Mathew Tait and Tindall sideration, while World Cup- playing in the Saracens A entire coaching team over- Damian Hopley. “It’s a real yet to start their seasons. It winners Jonny Wilkinson 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 Lawrence Dallaglio Palmer and Bath prop blocks of training time to and Mike Tindall, 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, London, 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.