D2 WEEKENDSPORT Saturday, February 19, 2011 THE PRESS, Christchurch IN BRIEF Head1 Coach quits ❯❯ Former Waikato coach Tony Let ratepayers rename stadium Hanks is leaving London Wasps after 21 months as the et’s launch a Now, we shouldn’t carp Christchurch’s coffers. Zealand wicketkeeper and Perhaps people just don’t now. The remaining first- Premiership club’s rugby campaign to rename and moan because we’ve got a Sports stadiums will Tony captain, claimed the national care about cricket the way class players are hardly director. The New Zealander the People’s Republic spanking new facility, albeit always have to be subsidised, Smith authorities had got the timing they used to. After all, Cricket household names. How many announced yesterday he had Lof Christchurch’s one where the punters are to some degree. But it seems all wrong for the T20 season World Cup fever has hardly of the present Black Caps – left the club by mutual main sporting stadium still too far from the action sport has become less self- with the hit-and-giggle reached epidemic levels this Brendon McCullum, Jesse agreement. Wasps have won Lancaster Park. due to the ground’s oval supporting, not more, since competition shifting to the week. Ryder and, perhaps, Ross just one of their last six After all, the beleaguered configuration. the advent of professionalism. busy pre-Christmas period Comparisons have been Taylor apart – have the same Premiership games. ratepayers are the majority But it’s more pleasant Should the general punters The Bald Facts from January when punters made between Canterbury pulling power as Cairns (or shareholders in the opulent going to games there now of Christchurch – the major- have more time on their Wizards crowds now to the his dad), Martin Crowe, amphitheatre, not a than it was in the 1970s, when ity of whom never go near a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? hands. 1990s era, when huge crowds Richard Hadlee and Astle? Dreams of upset Christchurch-based the old open embankment rugby game – have to contin- He may well be right. He flocked to Lancaster Park for Domestic cricket is ❯❯ Crawley Town are dreaming insurance company. was in full swing. Back then, ue paying through the nose so Germon’s stumper could also argue, with some one-day finals. But, while the suffering from the same of scoring the greatest upset We don’t know how much you always got wet even on the city can host the All justification, that sport hasn’t Wizards have done well apathy which has afflicted in FA Cup history as they money AMI pays to have its fine days, if you get my drift Blacks? Is an All Black test Lee Germon almost been immune from the impact enough this year, you can’t local football and rugby prepare to take on mighty name affixed to our sporting (or someone else’s, in fact). worth a potential 1 per cent covered all the bases – if he’ll of the recession. compare the current team to league. It’s hard to get fans off Manchester United at Old shrine – sponsorship sums There’s no doubt that the rate rise every year? pardon a softball analogy – in But he may have the 90s incarnation with their couches when they can Trafford in the fifth round are deemed commercially venerable venue had to be Anyway, who pays the his rationale for dwindling overlooked the innate Stephen Fleming, Craig watch top world sport with a tomorrow morning. Both clubs sensitive these days. But I redeveloped or Christchurch piper should play the tune. crowds at Canterbury reluctance of Canterbury McMillan, Nathan Astle, flick of the remote button. are nicknamed The Red Devils doubt it’s in the same ballpark would have struggled to Shouldn’t we, as owners and Wizards cricket matches. cricket types to travel east of Chris Cairns, Chris Harris The Canterbury Wizards v and they are both managed by as the $45 million the city attract A-level rugby tests underwriters of the stadium, Almost. Fitzgerald Ave to QEII’s and Lee Germon himself. Northern Districts or a fiery Glaswegian. Man- council may pluck from our which are worth millions to have a right to name the The Canterbury Cricket Village Green, or north to The Black Caps barely play Australia v England in the chester United have won the pockets by way of a rates rise. earthquake-rattled ground? Lancaster Park has a chief executive, a former New Rangiora. in our domestic competitions Ashes? league 18 times and the FA Cup on 11 occasions. Craw- ley’s more modest recent suc- cesses have come in the Sus- RUGBY sex Senior Cup and the South- ern League Championship. NZ sevens draw Same old cup ❯❯ The New Zealand sevens team will face France, Portu- Opening try: Highlander Lima gal and Korea in pool play at Sopoaga dives over in the tackle the Hong Kong sevens next of Hurricane Cory Jane to score month. New Zealand, who the first try of the Super season at year problem share the lead in the world Westpac Stadium in Wellington series with England on 80 last night. Photo: NZPA Familiar territory, different points after three tourna- scenario. Richard ments, were drawn in Pool A in In 2007 – a World Cup year Hong Kong yesterday. – the Crusaders also began Knowler SCORERS their Super campaign at Eden Park where they slumped to a Gold to Slovenia Highlanders 14 (Lima 34-25 defeat on a warm Comment ❯❯ Tina Maze, of Slovenia, won Sopoaga try; Sopoaga 2 pen, Auckland evening. the gold medal yesterday in Robbie Robinson pen) As demanded by the All the women’s giant slalom at Hurricanes 9 (Aaron Cruden 3 Blacks coaches, both teams were smacked by the Bulls in the world championships in pen). Halftime: 11-6. had omitted the majority of Pretoria, while the All Blacks’ Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Ger- their internationals who were aspirations for world domi- many, riding her advantage Waratahs 43 (Kurtley Beale instead immersed in a rigor- nation were garrotted by the from the first run to her first (2), Drew Mitchell (2), Tatafu ous training programme to French in their quarterfinal major title. Federica Brignone, Polota-Nau, Rob Horne, Phil prepare for the global tourna- in Cardiff. The idea might of Italy, took the silver and Waugh tries; Kurtley Beale ment. have been sound, but the Tessa Worley, of France, (2), Drew Mitchell (2), Tatafu For a side that often conditioning programme had jumped from 19th to third for Polota-Nau, Rob Horne, Phil selected some of the heaviest proved a PR disaster. the bronze medal. Waugh conv.) beat Rebels 0. names in world rugby, the Now, in another World Crusaders were without Leon Cup year, things have MacDonald, Aaron Mauger, changed. Skater in form Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, All Blacks boss Graham ❯❯ New Zealand ice skater Reuben Thorne and Chris Henry is still eager to have his Shane Dobbin showed he is on Jack when they were players ‘‘managed’’ during target for the 2014 Winter removed for six rounds. the extended Super season, Olympic Games with world Nonu loses control, Hurricanes lose game A browse through that although in a more subtle class results at the 2011 world match programme shows manner; discussions have all-round speed skating Toby Robson opening to Hammett’s reign canes’ effort on a night where nobody, but coach Jamie line breaks cancelled out by Brent Ward at fullback, Rua been held with the coaches, championships in Calgary last as coach and to another passes were spilled, touch Joseph, thought they could. sloppy kicking, including two Tipoki used as a substitute in who have agreed they will weekend. Dobbin finished Hurricanes second five-eighth Hurricanes season that got off missed and opportunities lost. Sopoaga missed three pen- easy misses from his five the midfield and Peter Nixon rest their All Blacks at fourth in the 10,000m in 13min Ma’a Nonu must have missed to a horror start in front of They were also outnum- alties and a conversion, but attempts. and Jake Paringatai unloaded various points of the season. 6.17sec, taking him to ninth new coach Mark Hammett’s just 11,091 fans. bered at attacking rucks with struck when it mattered most Hurricanes wing Julian into the back row. Although there has been overall. In the 5000m he memo about discipline as the Nonu’s second-half send- blindside Adam Thomson the after Cowan scooted around Savea summed up his side’s That was also a year when no public declaration of when, finished fifth. Dobbin broke Super Rugby season got off to ing off for a late shoulder pick of the visiting pack. Hurricanes skipper Andrew frustrating inability to get a fresh-faced blindside flanker you can bet Henry and the national records in the 1500m, the ugliest of starts. charge on Highlanders half- The only ones who didn’t Hore on the back of a lineout going, not touching the ball in by the name of Kieran Read five franchise coaches have 5000m and 10,000m and was a Nonu’s second half sending back Jimmy Cowan saw him care that this was an awful on the half-hour mark. the opening 40 minutes. made his Super debut. mapped out a plan. But if fraction outside the record in off left the Hurricanes a man gain his second yellow card advertisement for the new It was a rare spark from The match will be remem- Those were complicated injuries strike other players, the 500m. down for the final half hour as from Australian referee Stu Super Rugby competition either side, but enough to get bered for Nonu’s late shoulder days for everyone; the players or teams plunge in form, there they crashed to a 14-9 loss to Dickinson after an earlier were the Highlanders.