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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 SPORTS

Meyer’s plans build, youngsters need to learn WELLINGTON: coach Centre , who is 21, also ment in . week until we win,” he said. “We’ve been first half, given the game was on the line was left visibly frustrated defended stoutly in midfield, where the “A lot of youngsters have really put in this situation and we haven’t convert- in the final few minutes. and annoyed his side had failed to end All Blacks targeted their attack on sec- up their hands,” Meyer said. “They will ed, and we haven’t taken the next step. “Those last three minutes went pretty the All Blacks’ five-year winning streak in ond-phase with forwards hammering develop ahead of the World Cup and I’m “It’s a bit disappointing that we don’t slow especially when we got turned over New Zealand. away hoping to punch holes through really happy with the depth of our learn from our previous encounters in that scrum, but the leaders said Deep down, however, he knew the the Springboks defence. squad. “I’m really looking forward to the because this was very similar, we had ‘breathe boys, stay calm, back our d mistakes that had been made could be The visitors also tended to win the World Cup because we will have a lot of opportunities that we didn’t use.” (defence),’ and it relaxes you, calms you rectified and the youngsters in his team collision throughout much of the match, time together and that makes a huge Another concern for the Springboks, down a bit,” All Blacks’ scrumhalf Aaron would only be better for their tight 14-10 led by the bristling difference. “I truly believe this team is and most other teams in the world, is the Smith said. defeat to the world champions in and , who were instru- getting better and better.” mental toughness the All Blacks have “If everyone is doing their role the best Wellington on Saturday. mental in slowing down the All Blacks’ developed in recent years which was they can it’s all you can ask for in the end Greasy conditions brought about by ball and earning penalties that stopped Failed to convert never more evident when they did not and we’ve always said if a team is good swirling rain in the first half did not help their momentum. The biggest factor that may have panic while under immense pressure in enough to get around us or through us so with the skill execution of both sides but Meyer has said openly he felt his side counted against the Springboks was that the final 10 minutes. be it. “But they won’t beat us on spirit or the way in which young flyhalf Handre needed to beat the All Blacks at least they did not seize their opportunities Time and again the Springboks ham- lack of trust, so you won’t get anyone run- Pollard ran the game for the Springboks once before next year’s World Cup and when they arose, something that prop mered away, only for them to be ning out of the line to try make a play, was a massive return on Meyer’s gamble while they did not achieve that goal on said was still a concern stopped by a swarming goal-line everyone is trying to stay in the system, to throw the 20-year-old into the caul- Saturday, they had taken a big step for- looking ahead to the World Cup. defence that was probably better than trust your insides and trust everyone to dron. ward in their planning for the tourna- “I would love to play them every that shown by the South Africans in the make the right decision.” —Reuters

Wallabies lose hooker Polota-Nau for the season

GOLD COAST: The Wallabies’ hooker woes “The question is whether it goes to sur- intensified yesterday with news that Tatafu gery or not, that’s always going to be four Polota-Nau is set to miss the rest of the sea- weeks (recovery) just to look inside, but son and may need ankle surgery. we’re not at that point yet.” Scans have shown Polota-Nau suffered a McKenzie said he would take three syndesmosis (high ankle sprain) injury in hookers on the two-Test tour of South the first half of Saturday’s 32-25 Rugby Africa and Argentina and hopes to have Championship win over Argentina on the Waratahs reserve Tolu Latu back from a Gold Coast and he faces two months on broken arm to vie for a place with Saia the sidelines. Faingaa and Josh Mann-Rea. It is a major blow for both Australia and In a double blow from the desperate the injury-plagued New South Wales hook- win over the Pumas, winger Peter Betham er, who was making his return from a knee is also in serious doubt for November’s ligament tear in his 50th Test match. European tour after again injuring his bro- Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie, who is ken foot. Scans have detected a fracture also missing Stephen Moore and Nathan but team officials said it is unclear how bad Charles for the rest of the year, will again be the damage is. Betham scored his first Test forced to rely on fourth-string hooker try in the Wallabies’ win. James Hanson for the September 27 Rugby Betham joins (hamstring) Championship Test with South Africa in on the sidelines but experienced utility . Adam Ashley-Cooper is expected back “I’m frustrated for him,” McKenzie said. from a neck problem to play against the “You’d love him to have a clear run and just Springboks while Joe Tomane (hamstring) play football. “He did a great job coming off is also now fit again. no football for a while, that’s why we put Australia’s wing depth has been tested him in there. “He was equipped to handle it almost as much as the hookers, with Pat and he has the experience and he made a McCabe (retired), Chris Feauai-Sautia big difference.” (shoulder), Nick Cummins (Japan club rug- The dilemma for the Wallabies is by) and James O’Connor (France) also whether to gamble on rushing Polota-Nau unavailable. back for the start of the four-Test tour “The winger-hooker curse continues,” against England, France, Ireland and Wales. McKenzie said. “We get them back and COLOMBES: Racing-Metro’s winger Marc Andreu looks at the scrum during the French Top 14 match Racing Metro 92 vs Lyon on “We don’t think it’s surgical at the then they disappear again.” Lock Sam Saturday at the Yves du Manoir stadium in Colombes, near . — AFP moment but it’s clashing with that Carter is also being assessed for an ankle (European tour) timetable so it’s making it problem before the 28-man tour squad is difficult,” McKenzie said. named this week. — AFP Argentina coach says McIlroy in title hunt even Pumas need consistency

without his ‘A’ game GOLD COAST: Argentina rugby coach Daniel played the whole tournament.” admitted after the match he didn’t know what Hourcade says the Pumas have to become more Hourcade said he was trying to build the the last scrum penalty against the Pumas was ATLANTA: As Rory McIlroy hunts his fifth honours and a mind-boggling bonus of consistent if they want to regularly challenge Pumas into a more consistent outfit which could for. “In the last scrum we had (control), but the tournament win of the year at this week’s $10 million are on the line. teams like Australia, New Zealand and South perform at the top level every week. “We are referee penalised us,” Creevy said. “Our number Tour Championship, his rivals could well Africa. The Pumas came back from a poor first 60 building a team and our main concern is the nine said it was for one thing and the number feel a sense of foreboding that the world Money incidental minutes in their Rugby Championship match style of game we play,” he said. seven said it was for another, but I don’t know. I number one is tied for the lead despite not For McIlroy, however, another tourna- against the Wallabies on Queensland’s Gold “The results will come if we play our rugby in will have to talk to the referee.” playing at his best. ment win and a first ever FedExCup crown Coast to almost steal an unlikely draw Saturday. a good way. Tonight, we didn’t do it.” Hourcade Creevy echoed Hourcade’s disappointment Just as Tiger Woods in his heyday used are all that matters. The money is inciden- However, with a dominant Argentine forward conceded that Australia were the better team with the Pumas’ performance. “I was happy with to intimidate his peers by contending for tal. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about pack camped on the Australian goal line, referee despite the closeness of the scoreline. “Australia the last 20 minutes but not happy with the titles even when not possessing his ‘A’ money on the golf course,” said the 25- Glen Jackson ruled a scrum infringement against was better than us-we made 91 tackles and they game as a whole,” he said. “Most of the time we game, McIlroy has swept to the top of the year-old, who won back-to-back majors them right on full-time to give the Wallabies a made 12, they had 80 per cent of possession and were having to defend and that made us a little leaderboard at East Lake Golf Club without this season at the British Open and PGA 32-25 win. they played 74 per cent in our territory. “If we tired at the end of the game.” playing at his best. Championship, sandwiched around his vic- The loss follows two close defeats to South want to beat a team like Australia we have to Argentina now have a week off before host- “It gives me a lot of confidence knowing tory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Africa and comes a week after the Pumas change those numbers,” he said. ing New Zealand and Australia in their final two that even when my golf game isn’t feeling “Money’s never been the biggest deal to impressed many with their effort against the matches of . 100 percent, I can still tee it up and get it me at all. Even my closest friends and fami- world champion All Blacks in Napier. Tough scrummaging They may be without influential number around, grind the score out,” McIlroy told ly will tell you that. Hourcade was left shaking his head at the Pumas captain Agustin Creevy said Argentina eight Juan Manuel Leguizamon, who has a prob- reporters after shooting a three-under-par “It’s nice to have it, and you can do a lot Pumas’ opening 60 minutes, during which time had struggled to dominate the Wallaby scrum lem with his right calf, and centre Juan Martin 67 in Saturday’s third round. with it and you can help a lot of people the Wallabies dominated both possession and until the last 20 minutes, which had impacted on Hernandez, who hurt his knee during the match. “Today could have been a 71 or a 72, but with it, but it’s never been one of my main territory. the rest of the match. “We have injuries to some important players, all of a sudden it’s a 67 and I’m tied for the focuses or priorities about becoming a pro- “The last 20 minutes was the only period I “Their scrum was really tough in the first half,” but that’s part of the game,” Hourcade said. lead. I think that really just comes from fessional golfer.” was happy with,” he said later. “I was not happy he said. “Only in the last 20 minutes did our “Hopefully they can come back as soon as experience, and not pushing too hard. McIlroy is one of just five players in the with the rest of the game-it was the worst we’ve scrum become dominant.” The veteran hooker possible.” — AFP “The last few weeks, I definitely haven’t elite field of 29 at East Lake automatically played the sort of golf that I’ve played over guaranteed the overall playoff prize if he the couple of months... but I’m still able to wins the Tour Championship, as is Horschel. get myself up to the top of the leaderboard “I’m just trying to win another tourna- Prom powers to victory in Taiwan and you can only take confidence from ment,” said McIlroy, who is a heavy that.” favourite to land Player of the Year honours McIlroy, who has already enjoyed a bril- on the PGA Tour once the season is over. TAIPEI: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat came from liant 2014 campaign, clinching two major “I’m just trying to win my 10th PGA Tour behind to grab the title at the Yeangder titles among four wins worldwide, mixed event, and my fourth of the season. Tournament Players Championship yesterday three birdies with two bogeys and a spec- Obviously, I know what comes along with with a total of 277, beating overnight leader tacular eagle at the par-five 15th to end the the FedExCup and cash and all the rest of it. of the Philippines on the second day level with American Billy Horschel. “But I just want to get myself back in the extra hole. Good friends who teed off together on winner’s circle again, even though it hasn’t The championship, with prize money of Saturday, they will again be paired in been that long. It’s been three events, and $90,000, was Prom’s second victory Sunday’s final round at East Lake, where I’ve got a very good opportunity to do it since 2006 when he captured a title in South the PGA Tour’s season finale, FedExCup tomorrow.” —Reuters Korea. “I’ve been waiting for this win for a long time. I am really glad I made it,” he said at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club. “Hopefully I won’t have to wait another eight years to win again. I will be aiming for a third win now and try to boost my ranking on the Order of Merit.” Nicknamed the Big Dolphin due to his burly physique, Prom forced extra time when he birdied the last hole for a three-under-par 69 to tie with overnight leader Tabuena (71) in regula- tion play on 11-under-par 277. After shooting matching pars on the first play-off hole, Prom needed three shots to safely find the par-five 18th green before sealing the win with a two-putt par as Tabuena narrowly missed his par putt. Tabuena, 19, was disappointed to drop a cru- cial shot on 17 after bouncing back from two early bogeys with four birdies on holes nine, 12, 13 and 16 which had put him in the title mix. “I want to thank God for keeping me calm out TAIPEI: This handout photo taken and released by the Asian Tour yesterday shows Prom there. I really fought hard and gave myself a Meesawat of Thailand pictured with the winner’s trophy during the final round of the good chance to win. In the end, Prom turned out Yeangder Tournament Players Championship at the Linkou International Golf and Country to be the better player,” Tabuena said in com- Club in Taipei. — AFP ments supplied by the organisers. Leading scores after round 4 (par 72): 283 - Cameron Smith (AUS) 70-67-73-73. Filipino veteran Antonio Lascuna settled for 277 - Prom Meesawat (THA) 67-73-68-69, 284 - Angelo Que (PHI) 68-71-76-69, third, one shot from joining the play-off follow- Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 73-68-65-71 Rashid Khan (IND) 71-70-72-71, Lien ing a 69. Rookie Paul Peterson (69) of the 278 - Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 68-69-72-69. Lu-sen (TPE) 67-71-74-72, Yeh Wei-tze (TPE) ATLANTA: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (L) and Billy Horschel of the United States United States, Daniel Chopra (72) of Sweden 280 - Paul Peterson (USA) 71-71-69-69, 72-71-65-76. shake hands on the 18th green during the third round of the TOUR Championship by and India’s (73) finished tied for Daniel Chopra (SWE) 71-68-69-72, 285 - Ryan Yip (CAN) 71-69-70-75, Thaworn Coca-Cola at the East Lake Golf Club on Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia. —AFP fourth on 280. Anirban Lahiri (IND) 73-66-68-73. Wiratchant (THA) 70-69-68-78. —AFP