SUNDAY-JULY 04, 2021 Sport 05 Three Lions not underestimating Austrian GP: Lewis Hamilton feels Mercedes have made 'small opponents as Rome awaits progress' but Red Bull still quickest game. "I can't think of a country in The Liverpool captain knows the world that would do that for a what it takes to be successful and quarter-final and especially not a England are now having to play country that's only ever been to away from Wembley for the first three semi-finals in its history. It time at Euro 2020. would be a big error for us to be "It's a different challenge to thinking about anything else and what we've been used to over the it would be an insult to Ukraine past few weeks with it being at as well. "We watched them a lot, Wembley," Henderson told the particularly a year ago. We could Official England Podcast. see how well they use the ball, "Maybe the atmosphere won't they have got a threat with their be as good or there might be less forwards and of course they've got fans in the crowd and things like tremendous spirit. They showed that, but you've got to try and cre- all of those things against Swe- England take on Ukraine at the "Full focus on Ukraine. It'll be a ate your own atmosphere and den." England will not have the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday for really difficult test and anybody your intensity on the pitch. home backing they have so far a place in the Euro 2020 semi-fi- that says that it won't be are delu- "That's going to be important, enjoyed but Southgate admits the nals but vice-captain Jordan Hend- sional, really. and just focus on the game. I think 8pm kick-off could provide some erson says anyone underestimat- "I know people say 'well, we a lot of us will be used to playing respite and has called upon his ing Andriy Shevchenko's men is beat Germany' but you can't un- without any fans, within the past players to generate their own "delusional". The Three Lions are derestimate the importance of this year or so anyway, so it's nothing momentum. "[It will be a] differ- overriding favourites to reach the game and how hard good of a team new. "We've just got to go out ent experience for us but our play- Lewis Hamilton is optimistic Red Bull had [about Mercedes] based on his work at the team's semi-finals having beaten rivals Ukraine are and how hard it will there, put on a real good perfor- ers are used to playing all season Mercedes have made improve- all these years: I expect more en- simulator in the week. He revert- Germany 2-0 at Wembley in Tues- be against them. mance and if we do that then we'll in front of no fans and having to ments to their car in their attempt gine to come from these guys to- ed to a set-up closer to the one he day's last-16 encounter - and are "We're fully prepared and ful- have a good chance of getting create their own atmosphere. to tackle Red Bull in this week- morrow. ran at last week's race for the af- even viewed now as tournament ly aware of that. We just need to through to the semi-final." "You need leaders on the pitch end's Austrian Grand Prix, al- "But we have improved in ternoon. favourites by Sky Sports' Jamie go out there and give absolutely Southgate echoed Henderson in those moments and we've got though was not reading too much some of the corner sequences, so Hamilton suspected he would Carragher. But Henderson and everything again and hopefully at his press conference, insisting some very good leaders in our into their position at the top of that's encouraging." only now be making the "tiniest manager Gareth Southgate are not that's enough to get us through." his side's focus would not be dis- squad so it doesn't matter too Friday's timesheet. With Mercedes having strug- of tweaks" with his engineers to taking anything for granted. Social media was awash with tracted by a perceived favourable much to us. We know it's a fan- Five days after Max Verstap- gled to match Red Bull's combi- the W12 ahead of Saturday's run- "It was a fantastic perfor- videos showing Henderson cele- route through the knockout stage, tastic stadium to play in, a great pen dominated F1's first of two nation of Honda power and skin- ning. mance but we haven't achieved brating against Germany but the with the Czech Republic or Den- venue, a great arena, an historic races around the Red Bull Ring, nier rear wing in recent races, Although the full focus on anything yet and we've still got a midfielder says he was "probably mark potential semi-final oppo- arena and we're looking forward Hamilton led a Mercedes one-two Hamilton said: "Over a single lap Mercedes' wind-tunnel develop- long way to go," Henderson said. the biggest party pooper" after the nents. to playing the game." in Friday afternoon practice to it felt ok, that felt pretty good, ment time at their Brackley HQ is give them early hope of an im- and I just expect them to turn up now on next year's car, the world proved weekend amid cooler con- a little bit more tomorrow. champions have made clear they ditions in the Styrian hills com- "They've also basically got are not finished in attempting to Andy Murray frustrated at manner of Wimbledon pared to last week. the qualifying mode that we used improve and maximise their pack- However, neither Hamilton to have. I asked my guys, I don't age for 2021. nor team boss Toto Wolff believe understand where they get it from, Indeed, a physical update is exit, raising question marks about his future Red Bull, winners of the last four but it's impressive and we've got scheduled for the British GP in grands prix, have shown their to work hard to see if we can two weeks' time. Andy Murray raised question can find a way of keeping me on and then obviously to lose like hurt, but I feel like I can do better hand just yet with their rivals two match it somehow. "There is one more develop- marks about his future after feel- the court for a consistent period that is tough. Being as good as he tennis-wise. I feel like I can play tenths off the pace in Practice Hamilton, 18 points behind ment that's going to come onto the ing "extremely frustrated" at the of time and allow me to practise is. I don't want to take anything better and close matches out bet- Two's qualifying simulations. Verstappen in the championship, car in Silverstone, but that has manner of his Wimbledon exit at the way that I need to compete away from his performance. He ter. But to do that, I need time on "Well, they have definitely got added: "Whatever gap they're go- been up the sleeve for a long time," the hands of Denis Shapovalov. with these guys, that's when the played really, really well. But f the match court and I need more some extra in their bag, I already ing to have tomorrow is usually Wolff told Sky F1. The 34-year-old had won discussions about what I do next I'm going to put that much effort time on the practice court, and I've know that," said Hamilton, who the gap they seem to have on the Speaking of their chances at back-to-back matches at a Grand will come in. in, I want to be performing better had neither in the last few felt Mercedes were a quarter of a Sunday. the UK-based team's home circuit, Slam for the first time since his "Because I have genuinely put than what I did here. Even though months." second adrift of Red Bull last "But we'll be pushing trying on which they have won seven hip problems started in 2017, but a lot into this to get to this point, there were some great moments." Mark Petchey (left) is cur- week. to make that gap as small as pos- times in the last nine attempts, 10th seed Shapovalov was a step but I'm not being able to practise Murray did, however, offer rently part of Murray's coaching "But I think we have made sible tomorrow. If we can improve the Wolff added: "Silverstone was up from Nikoloz Basilashvili and and prepare how I need to per- some positives in the fact there team but the Scot does not know some small progress today. I think the car at all tonight, then great, a good track for us in the past but Oscar Otte, as Murray was com- form how I would like at these was no recurrence of the groin in- how long he plans on staying they still have the two tenths, or and I'd like to think our long run then with these new regulations fortably beaten. events. jury which has hampered his stop- Murray plans on preparing maybe it's a tenth and a half, some- was ok. I obviously had my off, where they cut off big chunks of Murray walked off Centre "I'm not expecting and saying start season since the Miami Mas- for the Tokyo Games, which start thing like that. We've definitely but we'll wait and see." the floor, it's very difficult to cor- Court to a standing ovation and I would beat Denis Shapovalov. ters in March. on July 23, by practising with made some small steps forward The seven-time world cham- relate and say 'well let's go to Sil- he will now focus his attention on He's a brilliant player. But I feel "There was moments of real- doubles specialist Joe Salisbury. but not the two tenths." pion admitted opening practice, verstone, because that's going to the Tokyo Olympics where he like I can do a lot better than what ly good tennis mixed in with some When he arrives in Japan, the Speaking to Sky Sports F1, when he was only seventh quick- be our track. "Normally, our car will be defending the singles title I did this evening." pretty bad moments. I should re- back-to-back men's singles gold Mercedes chief Wolff concurred: est, had been a "bit of a struggle" should be functioning better there he won in London and Rio de Ja- The Scot, who also played ally have been off the court in three medallist says he doesn't mind the "Probably the [same] speech that after trying set-up variations than here." neiro. two competitive best-of-three set sets against Basilashvili. No ex- strict coronavirus restrictions "Is all of that training and ev- matches at Queen's Club, gave an cuse for what happened in that which will be put in place in the erything that you're doing in the honest assessment of his week, match," he said. "And you need bubble for athletes, saying "I'm all Who will impress when Copa America: gym, unless you're able to prac- saying: "(It) has been really good all of your reserves and to con- right with that". tise and improve your game and in some ways, but it's been frus- serve as much energy as you can The three-time Grand Slam Brazil’s Jesus get matches and get a run of tour- trating too. I played two long during these events. I messed up champion is currently coached by Warren Gatland's side naments, is it worth all of the work matches, and it's really significant- there. "I was a set and a break up Jamie Delgado with strength and sent off after that you're doing?" ly more than anything I have done against Otte and immediately lost conditioning guru Matt Little also flying kick in QF After his victory over Basi- in the last six months really. three games on the spin and was part of the team. step out for first match lashvili, Murray had asked why "So if my game is not quite the break down and then two sets Former coach Mark Petchey win he would want to give up such spot-on physically, I'm not per- to one down. It's like, those sorts recently joined the set-up, but the in South Africa? Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus occasions, but those two conflict- fect, or physically really fresh, it's of things I could have put myself Scot remains unsure how long he was sent off after hitting Chile’s ing emotions were playing on the going to be hard for me. in a much better position going plans on staying as part of the A number of contenders staked their claim to start in the Test team following last Saturday's impressive 28-10 win over Japan at Eugenio Mena with a flying kick Scot's mind. "It's extremely frustrating, into today. team due to his TV commitments. in the 48th minute of Copa Amer- He said: "It was great playing because I feel like I put a lot of "It was positive that I got Murray also indicated he has no Murrayfield. With Josh Adams the only player to retain his place from that ica quarter-final at Estadio Nilton in front of the crowds again. I got work into getting to this point, through the event without getting plans on hiring anyone else. Santos in Rio de Janeiro on Fri- game, others will now get the chance to show their worth to Warren amazing support here. I'm very day. Gatland as the Test series fast approaches. thankful for that. Something I have Defending champions Brazil missed. It kind of reminds you Will Russell's partnership with Farrell work? advanced to the semi-finals with why you do all of the work and Perhaps the most intriguing selection decision sees Finn Russell a 1-0 win after substitute Lucas everything. form the 10-12 axis with Owen Farrell - one of his potential rivals for Paqueta scored the only goal of "But then, on the flip side of fly-half duties against the Springboks. the match. that, the positive part is getting Farrell has long been utilised at 12 by Eddie Jones for England and Paqueta’s winner to the left through the matches and feeling the 29-year-old starred in that position on the last tour alongside corner of Chilean goalkeeper Clau- OK physically and not getting Johnny Sexton as the Lions secured an improbable draw against New dio Bravo in the 46th minute gave injured. Zealand. Brazil fans some hope that the "That's good but then there is The hope is the pair will complement each other well, with Far- Selecao would ease into the next a part of me that feels a bit like I rell bringing pragmatism and an additional playmaking option to pro- stage. have put in so much work the last ceedings. But only two minutes later, three months and ultimately didn't After Dan Biggar was named man of the match against Japan, Jesus was sent off after hitting play how I would want and ex- Chile’s Eugenio Mena with a fly- pect, and it's like, is it worth it? both Russell and Farrell will be keen to stake their claims for starting spots in the upcoming Test series. ing kick. "Is all of that training and ev- Neymar and Brazil coach Tite erything that you're doing in the Can Itoje replace Jones? The Lions suffered a huge blow with the loss of inspirational said after the match that Jesus did gym, unless you're able to prac- not see Mena and accidentally tise and improve your game and captain Alun Wyn Jones due to a dislocated shoulder against Japan. Although Jones remains optimistic of a 'miracle recovery', it's kicked him as he tried to recover get matches and get a run of tour- possession in the midfield. hoped that England talisman Maro Itoje can fill the void if the 35- naments, is it worth all of the work “Defending well is a charac- year-old is unable to join up with the squad. that you're doing? teristic of ours,” Brazil’s Thiago "There is part of me that feels Itoje had been one of the favourites to lead the touring party, but Silva said. “Regardless of what we like, yes, it is, because I had great it's Conor Murray who has been named as the replacement captain did today we concede few goals. memories and stuff from this after the Welshman's withdrawal. Ever down to 10 we created clear event and playing in some brilliant The lock didn't perform at his sensational best as a struggling opportunities. I am very proud atmospheres. But I finished the England side finished a disappointing fifth in this year's Six Nations. of this team, for its fighting spir- match tonight and I'm saying to However, he's appeared rejuvenated in recent times, leading his it.” my team, 'I'm just not happy with club Saracens back to the Gallagher Premiership, with the 26-year- Paqueta replaced Roberto how I played'. old now hoping to help the Lions secure their first Test series win Firmino after a tense first half with "So, unless me and my team over South Africa since 1997. few opportunities for both sides.