THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015 SPORTS Now or never for Wolves LONDON: Injury-hit Warrington are still nate how it has played out for us, we going strong in the Challenge Cup but only had 18 guys available to choose attention now returns to their faltering from last weekend. Super League campaign and Ashton “But that is no excuse, we have a really Sims admits it is now or never for the good strength in depth here and anyone Wolves. who comes in will do the job.” The Wire only had 18 fit players avail- Warrington’s depleted squad has been able for last weekend’s 34-24 victory over stretched to breaking point in recent Leigh Centurions that sealed a semi-final weeks and they have not been helped by spot in the Challenge Cup - the sixth the news that both James Laithwaite time in the last seven years they have (injury) and Ben Currie (suspension) will made the final four. But in Super League - also be missing today. a competition the Wolves have never Elsewhere table-toppers Leeds Rhinos won despite making the play-offs for the host second-placed St Helens tomorrow last five years - Sims and Co. have fal- the latter hurt by the news that Mose tered in recent weeks. Masoe will be returning to the NRL - in a Three losses from their last four have preview of what will be the second seen them slide to seventh and with Challenge Cup semi-final next month. Lewis Hamilton in action in this file photo. Wigan Warriors - who have not lost to the Saints head coach Keiron Wolves since 2013 - the visitors this Cunningham said: “We’re sad to be losing weekend the battle is on for the Wolves Mose Masoe as he has been a popular Hamilton determined to make the top eight. But with four member of the squad and been at the rounds of the regular season to go, for- hub of a pack that has been superb this mer North Queensland Cowboy Sims year. insists the Wire are ready to come out “He is a really good bloke who I know to dominate home race fighting. will want to end his Saints career with “Since I have been here, I have found more winners’ medals.” And Widnes LONDON: Lewis Hamilton may not be feeling Hamilton won last year’s race, his first tri- Silverstone, I feel ready to go full attack at a out that our recent history in the Vikings travel to Castleford Tigers know- the years just yet but the double Formula One umph at Silverstone since his 2008 title-winning circuit I really enjoy,” Rosberg said in a team Challenge Cup has been great,” he said. ing that Cameron Phelps will leave at the world champion still senses time is ticking by as season with McLaren, but team mate and title preview. “But we are missing the big one, the end of the season. The 30-year-old he gears up for the ninth British Grand Prix of his rival Nico Rosberg took pole position. “It should suit our car nicely with the focus Super League title that has eluded us but Australian joined the Vikings from Hull career. “It wasn’t a perfect weekend. So I don’t know on downforce and we learned some useful we have got four weeks to put that right. FC in 2012 and his contract expires this The Mercedes driver is determined to domi- whether I have had a weekend where I have real- things during the test, so I’m sure we’ll be “Wigan have definitely had the wood summer. The former Wigan and nate at Silverstone on Sunday, where a record ly dominated it,” Hamilton continued. strong once again.” on us for the last few years, but you can- Canterbury Bulldogs man has featured at crowd of 140,000 will be roaring him on, “And I think this year that has really been the If rivals are resigned to a Mercedes duel at the not judge the future on what has hap- full-back and wing during his stay. “I’ve because every chance to celebrate with the target, dominating weekends and really con- front, Ferrari should be back in the mix while pened in the past. really enjoyed my time at the Vikings and home fans is increasingly precious. “I am notic- quering the circuit, through practice, qualifying Mercedes-powered Williams are also in the hunt “It has been a bit up-and-down for us I’m disappointed that I couldn’t have ing the years go by,” said the 30-year-old cham- and the race.” for the podium after two successive third places. this season but we have got four games stayed longer as I still feel I have a lot to pionship leader, who has twice won at the circuit The pressure will be on, much of it self- Red Bull, with their factory in nearby Milton to rectify that and breathe some life into offer,” he said. “It has been an exciting after a stunning debut season in 2007 and is imposed. Rosberg, who is just 10 points behind Keynes, are hoping to get closer to Williams our finals campaign. four years and the progression we have chasing a triple that would put him alongside after eight of the season’s 19 races, can add to despite ongoing complaints about the lack of “We play a high-contact, high-colli- made since rejoining Super League has the likes of Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell. that too and will need no reminding of the bur- performance of their Renault engine. Force sion sport, injuries happen. It’s unfortu- been great.” — AFP “The race is gone and it is another year. I den of expectation Hamilton is carrying. India, whose factory is across the road from the might have seven chances at the Silverstone The German celebrated his 30th birthday last circuit, will meanwhile debut a much upgraded grand prix left, it seems like a lot but it isn’t. Saturday after winning in Austria and another car. “Everyone is full of anticipation, but we know “They are very precious opportunities, each victory would be his fourth in five races. it will be a very steep learning curve to fully and every single one of them. So when you lose Unlike Hamilton, he also tested in Austria understand and get on top of the changes in out on one, the feeling to come back and do it after the race. “With the extra day in the car on just a few free practice sessions,” said co-owner again the following year is even greater.” Wednesday also, helping the team prepare for Vijay Mallya. — Reuters IOC: Tokyo’s preparation ‘outstanding’, costs need watching TOKYO: The cost of venues for the Tokyo 2020 has already been saved. “The progress to date used with pride for many years. Summer Olympics will have to be carefully has been outstanding,” he added. “Whether it is expensive or inexpensive is the watched and managed despite previous cuts, Attention has focused on the new National judgment of the people,” he said, agreeing with but otherwise the Japanese capital’s prepara- Stadium, which will replace a now-destroyed Coates that Japan aims to use the stadium for tions are “outstanding,” IOC Vice President John venue built for the 1964 Summer Games and has roughly as long as it did the old one, nearly half Coates said yesterday. been hit by sky rocketing costs, feuding over a century. Education Minister Hakubun Japan said on Monday that the new National funding and criticism of the design as too Shimomura told a meeting of Tokyo 2020 organ- Stadium, the centrepiece for Tokyo’s second grandiose. IOC President Thomas Bach has urged isers earlier this week that Japan will stick with hosting of the Summer Games, will cost more that plans for the stadium be finalised by the the basic stadium design by United Kingdom- than $2 billion, nearly twice the original esti- end of July, but Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe based architect Zaha Hadid and that construc- mate, and be completed in May 2019, two has said he can’t agree to help bear costs for the tion costs will run to 252 billion yen ($2.1 billion). months later than expected. venue without a detailed explanation from the Construction will begin in October. “No doubt there will be some issues on the government. Masuzoe has rebelled at Tokyo A retractable roof will not be added until cost of the overlay,” Coates told a news confer- being asked to foot some 50 billion yen ($406.97 after the Olympics and 15,000 of the stadium’s ence in Tokyo following an International million) of the bill, with the two sides taking 80,000 seats will be a much simpler movable Olympic Committee visit that included an veiled swipes at each other over the issue. design than originally proposed, both additional inspection of new venue sites. “We’ve made Coates sidestepped direct comment on the steps to cut costs. The stadium came in at 130 some savings by moving to existing venues,” he stadium, noting that it was mainly the responsi- billion yen in Tokyo bid documents but cost esti- Ashton Sims added, but said that expenses may have to be bility of the Japanese government and thus isn’t mates ballooned to 300 billion yen last year, looked at again since there is the possibility of bound by the cost-cutting strictures of the IOC’s prompting a modest scaling back of the futuris- more change.