SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2015

No hiding for as Australia crunch match looms

LONDON: England coach Stuart Lancaster Football Union last year. “The fact is that if we Wales was excellent. He gave us what we hemisphere Rugby Championship, boast an knows the consequences of failure if his side don’t win today then we won’t go through were looking for-his defensive strength and array of back-line talent including Folau, are beaten by Australia in a World Cup ‘Pool from the pool stage. qualities but his kicking game was excellent,” playmaker and scrum-half Will of Death’ clash at Twickenham today. “I understand the consequences, I under- Lancaster said. Genia. Defeat will see England, who suffered an stand the accountability and responsibility “There’s a black and white assumption Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has tried agonising 28-25 loss to Wales last weekend, for delivering in this World Cup, 100 percent. people have made that if George Ford plays to insist that England, who’ve won last two become the first world championship hosts There’s no hiding away from it.” we play fantastic, creative, attacking rugby Tests against Australia on the back of a pow- to fail to reach the knockout stages. He added: “The picture would be com- and when plays we don’t. I erful forward effort, believe his side have a Australia, two-time World Cup winners, pletely different on Saturday night after a don’t subscribe to that view personally.” Up “weak” pack. who come into the tournament as one of the win. The old analogy that a week is a long front, No 8 and lock Joe “No I don’t,” said Lancaster. “They’ve most in-form sides with stars such as full back time in sport is absolutely true in this case.” Launchbury start in place of the injured Billy improved but I think we can put pressure on sense they can beat the English. England, changing their midfield line-up Vunipola and respectively. them. They’ve got two very, very good break- England have won three of the five World yet again, have recalled Jonathan Joseph at England prop has found him- down experts (Michael Hooper and David Cup encounters between the two nations, outside centre after he missed the Wales self in the spotlight this week after Bob Pocock).” including a famous victory in the 2003 final defeat with a chest injury. Dwyer, coach of the Australia side that beat Cheika, who on Thursday named the over Australia. A classic match is promised. Brad Barritt has returned to inside centre, England in the 1991 World Cup final, accused same team that beat Fiji 28-13 in Australia’s “We’re obviously aware of what is at stake with convert him of scrummaging illegally. opening game, said: “They (England) have - you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to dropped to the bench in a match where Lancaster was having none of it. “I think done it to us, they’ve stuck it to us (in the work it out,” said Lancaster who, controver- Owen Farrell again starts at fly-half after a our scrum has been good, honest and excel- pack) the last couple of times so there’s noth- sially, was given a contract extension beyond flawless goal-kicking display against the lent across the last three years,” he said. ing we can say in our room that’s going to the 2019 World Cup in Japan by the Rugby Welsh. “Owen Farrell’s performance against Australia, who won this year’s southern make any difference. —AFP Ravens soar over Wales, France make Steelers in OT

PITTSBURGH: Justin Tucker stood at the podium, faced the media it three out of three and cracked a joke while cradling the game ball under his right arm. “You probably don’t want to hear some kicker stand up here and give a detailed explanation about a kick,” Baltimore’s kicker said on : A tired Wales edged past Fiji while Thursday after the Ravens beat the Steelers 23-20. France endured some uncomfortable “I’m sure you’d rather hear about guys throwing touchdowns moments in their win over Canada on passes or catches.” Not on this night. The pinpoint kicking of Turner Thursday, as both sides made it three wins and the scattershot performance of his Pittsburgh Steelers counter- out of three in the . Despite part, Josh Scobee, made a big difference. a crippling casualty list and being drawn in Tucker’s third field goal of the game, a 52-yarder with 5:08 remain- the toughest pool in the history of the tour- ing in overtime, gave the Ravens their first win of the season. nament, Wales backed up their win over The Ravens drove 32 yards in eight plays for the field goal. The England on Saturday with a 23-13 defeat of winning march came after the Steelers drove to the Baltimore 33-yard Fiji in a breathless Pool A clash. line on their second possession of overtime but eschewed a game- France, meanwhile, scored two late tries winning field goal attempt by Scobee on fourth-and-1. Scobee to secure a bonus-point 41-18 win over a missed two field-goal tries, from 49 and 41 yards, in the last 2:24 of spirited Canada in Pool D, in what was a the fourth quarter. Steelers quarterback Michael Vick threw incom- much tighter match than the score line sug- plete to give the ball back to the Ravens (1-3), who erased a 13-point, gests but which puts the French on the brink second-half deficit and avoided their first 0-4 start. of the quarter-finals. “In this league, most games come down to three points,” Ravens The Welsh win means that England must coach John Harbaugh said. “We have a great kicker.” beat Australia on Saturday or they will Scobee, acquired in a trade just before the start of the season after become the first main host nation not to spending the first 11 years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, make the group stage. said he felt awful about his performance. However, an English win could mean that “I feel like I let the team down, and it’s not something that I ever bonus points could decide the outcome. If want to remember doing,” Scobee said. “It’s a bad feeling. I wish I had that is the case, Wales may rue having squan- : Wales’ captain is tackled during the Rugby World been able to come through, but it just wasn’t my night.” dered a couple more try-scoring chances Cup Pool A match between Wales and Fiji at the . — AP Ravens running back Justin Forsett rushed for 150 yards on 27 car- against Fiji that may have earned them ries while quarterback Joe Flacco completed 20 of 33 passes for 189 extras. yards and one touchdown with one interception. Baltimore wideout Speaking after Thursday’s match, an CRUNCH MATCH Finn Russell ruled out for their toughest Kamar Aiken had five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. “One of exhausted Wales captain Sam Warburton Australian coach Michael Cheika has match of the campaign so far against South the greatest feelings in the world is winning a game in the National said that was not a major issue. “It is disre- reverted to his first choice starting side for Africa on Saturday. Football League because it’s so hard,” Flacco said. — Reuters spectful to Fiji to talk about a bonus point,” today’s crunch match against England, with Coach Vern Cotter made 10 changes to he said. twin openside flankers and his team for the contest in Newcastle, with “After the turnaround we had and Michael Hooper in the back row, Cheika will Duncan Weir replacing Russell at flyhalf. because we knew Fiji are a completely differ- hope the combination, which was first tried Flanker Blair Cowan comes straight into the ent team now. Credit to Fiji they made it very out in the victory over New Zealand in starting line-up after replacing the injured difficult for us, breaking the line and forcing August, will give the Wallabies an edge at Grant Gilchrist in the squad. Prop Gordon us to make a lot of tackles.” the breakdown over England’s less mobile Reid and centre Richie Vernon also make France had to wait until late in the game flankers. England have recalled centre their first starts of the tournament. to snatch a try-scoring bonus point against a Jonathan Joseph, who returns after missing History points to South Africa as firm Canadian side who were never afraid to the Wales defeat with a chest injury, with favourites on the back of 11 wins from their counter-attack at pace or spin the ball wide fans hoping his quick feet and outside last 12 meetings, the most recent of which and stood toe to toe in the physical break will add some threat in the backline was last year’s 55-6 drubbing in Port exchanges. to go alongside their traditional forward Elizabeth. Coach Philippe Saint-Andre was happy to strength. Samoa and Japan also named their sides see his side notch a third win but was never He will line up outside defensive organ- for the other Pool B match in Milton Keynes able to completely relax. “I was a bit stressed iser Brad Barritt, while Owen Farrell retains on Saturday where Japan will be seeking to because you never know with the French his place at flyhalf after an assured perform- make it two wins in a tournament for the way, what will happen,” he said. The 2011 ance against Wales last week. England have first time. runners-up had previously notched up sterile beaten the Wallabies in four of the teams’ Off the field, Tonga prop Tevita Mailau PITTSBURGH: Baltimore Ravens fullback Kyle Juszczyk wins over Italy and Romania and will be hop- last five meetings but both coaches are has been cited for foul play related to a (44) is upended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback ing to find their flair for their final match expecting the tightest of encounters today. tackle made during the match against Antwon Blake (41) in the third quarter of an NFL foot- against Ireland on Oct.11 which will probably It was not good news for Scotland on Namibia on Tuesday. Mailau’s hearing will ball game. —AP decide the group winner. the injury front, with their main playmaker take place late yesterday. — Reuters