TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016 SPORTS

We’ll have our work cut out against Irish: Cheika

DUBLIN: Australia will face the sternest victory over the All Blacks in Chicago Cheika, who expected second choice well having had a successful spell as to the Super Rugby title in 2014 making of challenges against Ireland next followed by a close run 21-9 defeat on mercurial fly-half Quade Cooper to coach of Irish province Leinster guiding him the only coach to win both hemi- Saturday as they bid to maintain their Saturday. “I haven’t actually seen the return to training on Monday, said he them to the first of their three European sphere’s most prestigious regional club quest to emulate the 1984 Wallabies games yet,” said Cheika. “It’s not my job had instilled in the less experienced Cup victories in 2009, said he would be competitions, said one player who will and achieve a Grand Slam over the too but the other coaches have. “I’ve players in the squad the difficulty of the looking to the players he allowed to have to be watched come Saturday is Home Nations, said coach Michael been doing my part of the job which is task facing them. miss the France match-like influential injury-plagued flanker Sean O’Brien, Cheika. to concentrate on our team. “We’ve got new lads and I’ve told flanker Michael Hooper-to get back into who made an outstanding return to the The 49-year-old-who picked up a “I have watched the highlights and them how difficult it is to win over here the swing of things. “I wouldn’t say they Ireland side against New Zealand on demoralised Australian side and within from the look of those they were good in the Northen Hemisphere,” said had a week of de luxe relaxing with their Saturday. “He’s a good lad and I won’t a year guided them to the 2015 World encounters and we have our work cut Cheika. feet up on the table,” said Cheika. lie about it I tried to sign him when I Cup final-has overseen victories over out for us as they got closer to the All Their sides are buoyed by their “They had some time off and some moved to Stade Francais. two of the Home Nations Wales and Blacks in those two games than we did crowds and it is a real challenge for all of it working but all of them have had a “He is a quality player and I feel for Scotland as well as France. in the three we played against New the Southern Hemisphere sides. big load this year. “Last week wasn’t him a bit because of the number of However he admitted Monday two Zealand. “New Zealand are the standard “We’ve all had tough games and about giving guys a break but giving injuries he has had. “But like a thorough- fine performances by the Irish against bearer for the game at the moment. looking ahead to Saturday for us it is all others an opportunity. bred racehorse who comes back from world champions New Zealand suggest- Although with a couple of decisions and about resetting at zero and saying this is “They will be quick smart back into injury and wins every time he returns he ed his team were in for a tough day at different bounces of the ball in going to be the most difficult game of training and into the swing of things.” plays like he hasn’t been away. He is the office. Ireland registered a first ever Chicago.....” the tour.” Cheika, who knows Ireland Cheika, who also guided the Waratahs straight in there.” —AFP

Meninga sets ‘awesome’ Australia World Cup goal

LIVERPOOL: Mal Meninga wants Australia the history of international rugby league. to build on their legacy at next year’s World They always seem to turn it on when it Cup after admitting to being in “awe” of matters. “The players are ready to go again them in their Four Nations demolition of and apply themselves ahead of the World New Zealand. Cup. I hope they stay injury free and get “We’re in awe of these guys. It’s nice to ready to play for Australia again next year.” be involved with them,” Australia coach Meninga said after his side’s 34-8 win in ‘BELIEF’ Sunday’s one-sided final at Liverpool’s The Kiwis won the 2014 Four Nations Anfield stadium. thanks to an almost faultless display “They’re building their own legacy. against the Kangaroos, but this perform- They’re so consistent, so competitive and I ance in front of a 40,000-strong crowd at can’t fault them.” New Zealand, who just Anfield was strewn with errors. the week before had suffered an embar- While Jordan Kahu’s second-half double rassing draw with Scotland, were the hold- ensured New Zealand saved face, it did not ers and possessed the number one world spare the players a dressing down from ranking. But they seemed destined to lose coach David Kidwell. both once Blake Ferguson stormed over in “We need to look at ourselves as a the third minute. whole group,” said Kidwell, who was pro- He was followed over by Josh Dugan, moted to the top job in September. “It’s a who crossed twice, and Trent Merrin as a team game and it’s not down to any single first-half onslaught ended with the individual. We win as a team, we lose as a Kangaroos up 24 points to the good. team. “I’ve got 12 months to get it right and Though they eased up a touch after the make sure we’ve got everything in place break, further tries from Darius Boyd and leading up to the World Cup and I’ll be a lot Boyd Cordner added a deserved sheen to more prepared then, given that I only had the scoreline. Meninga believes more histo- two weeks in the job. ry could be in the offing when the World “But I look forward to next year. I don’t Cup heads to the southern hemisphere think this has any bearing on my future as LONDON: Britain’s Andy Murray poses holding the ATP World Number One trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Serbia’s Novak next year, with Australia aiming for an coach. It’s my first tour. “I’ve definitely learnt Djokovic on the eighth and final day of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London on Sunday. —AFP incredible 11th title. a lot, but I’ve just said to the boys in there, “It’s nice to be back at number one,” he we’ve got to get back our belief. said. “Internally we don’t talk about it, but “It was the first-half errors that cost us. it’s nice to be back up there. The pressure’s We just needed to get back into a decent ‘Arise Sir Andy’: Murray on us, but we’re ready for that. completion rate. Seven errors in the first 20 “I haven’t seen too many better spines in minutes wasn’t good enough.” — AFP

World not convinced Russia’s tipped for knighthood LONDON: Andy Murray was tipped to become doing all it could to get some of his compatriots This one was a big match and I managed to doping culture has ended ‘Sir Andy’ after crowning a golden season on top into the top tier as well. “It’s imperative of the get over the line,” he said. “Mentally that will GLASGOW: Russian sport is a long way system of doping,” Smirnov responded defi- of the world days after brother Jamie topped the LTA and the game of tennis in this country that give me a boost going into next year as well.” from convincing the world that it has antly. Vitaly Mutko, who was recently pro- doubles standings, prompting their mother to they capitalise on it,” Henman told the BBC. Djokovic accepted his form had dipped towards cleaned up its act, the World Anti-Doping moted from sports minister to deputy hail the “kings of world tennis”. “They have an unbelievable role model. the end of a 2016 where he won a first French Agency declared Sunday, pointing to the prime minister, was banned from attending Andy produced an imperious display to “It’s been such a journey. He’s overcome so Open title. “The last five, six months have not state’s failure to accept it was behind a the Rio Olympics after being accused by defeat long-time rival Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 many hurdles but this has to inspire the next been ideal. I could have maybe done slightly doping program, its continued obstruction McLaren of ordering the cover-up of a and win the ATP Tour Finals at London’s O2 generation to play the game and produce better better in some tournaments,” he said. “Nothing is of testing, and a series of cyberattacks. failed drug test by a foreign soccer player. Arena on Sunday. The 29-year-old’s first Tour players going forward.” eternal. It’s time to leave the racquet aside for a “It would be better if they were maybe a A WADA presentation on Sunday Finals title came with the hugely significant little bit, just recover, then I’ll start thinking little bit more contrite,” WADA President flagged up claims by Mutko that McLaren’s bonus of ensuring that he remained above ‘NOTHING IS ETERNAL’ about next season.” Murray is now firmly estab- Craig Reedie told The Associated Press after report was “falsified” and threats to prose- Djokovic in the year-end rankings after he Murray had lost 13 of his previous 15 meet- lished as one of Britain’s all-time great sports- being re-elected unopposed for a second cute those assisting the investigators. knocked the Serb from pole position two weeks ings with Djokovic, including the Australian and men, but he demurred when asked where he term. Russia is seeking readmission to One of Mutko’s deputies at the sports ago. Murray’s victory capped an impressive French Open finals this year, and he admitted it rated. “I have no idea. It’s an impossible question. WADA a year after being declared non- ministry, Yuri Nagornykh, was ousted on 2016 that also saw the Scot win the Wimbledon was a huge moment finally to get the better of In tennis terms, in terms of my achievements compliant with the doping code, following Putin’s orders after McLaren said he helped and Olympic singles titles. him. “Over the last couple of years I lost a lot of over the years, I’d say I’d be the best tennis play- the publication of a report detailing wide- to orchestrate cover-ups of hundreds of Having spent the majority of his career over- the big matches against him. er from the UK,” he said. — AFP spread cheating in track and field. drug tests. But Smirnov said Nagornykh shadowed by the incredible achievements of Fresh evidence of state-backed doping was not a member of the government Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, cover-ups was revealed by investigators because “he was deputy minister,” main- Murray can finally claim he is the best player on Russia’s Zaripova stripped of ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Games, taining that “only ministers are members of the planet. although WADA’s recommendation of a the government.” Leading British bookmaker William Hill London steeplechase gold medal blanket ban on Russia’s Olympic team was Russia’s unflinching denial of state promptly installed Murray as a 2/1 chance to be rejected by the IOC. Russia’s integrity is set involvement was rebutted by WADA, with given a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in ZURICH: Russia’s Yuliya Zaripova has been tioning by RUSADA over the cases of six ath- to be challenged again when Canadian law Reedie endorsing “clear evidence of collu- Britain’s New Year honours list Were he to be so stripped of the gold medal she won in the letics, including Zaripova. professor Richard McLaren’s final doping sion between the laboratory and the min- honoured, Murray would join Olympic champi- women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase at the CAS upheld the IAAF’s appeal in March. The report is published on Dec. 9, with the istry” from McLaren’s investigation. ons Sir Bradley Wiggins (cycling) and Sir Ben 2012 London Olympics, the International other athletes to lose their medals yesterday focus on winter sports. Reedie does, however, believe there is a Ainslie (sailing) as sportsmen with a knighthood. Olympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday. were all weightlifters. They included Moldova’s Reedie said Russia still has to get “the “willingness to resolve the problems.” And “Come on your majesty @andy_murray for a Zaripova, who tested positive for turinabol, Cristina Iovu, bronze medallist in the women’s rest of the world to believe that they have he will not insist on a full acceptance of knighthood. World number one,” tweeted busi- was among 12 athletes, including seven 53 kilos; Russian Nataliya Zabolotyana and reformed and this (doping) won’t happen guilt at government level as an “absolute nessman Alan Sugar, a former chairman of medallists, who were disqualified from their Belarussian Iryna Kulesha, silver and bronze again. So there is much work to be done.” condition” of Russia’s anti-doping body Premier League football club Tottenham events following re-testing of samples, the IOC respectively in the women’s 75 kilos; and At Sunday’s Foundation Board meeting, being cleared by WADA. Hotspur. said. Zaripova had been widely expected to Armenia’s Hripsime Khurshudyan, bronze WADA officials outlined how Russia contin- “It would be a great shame if they could- lose the medal after she was banned for two- medallist in the women’s 75+ kilos. The others ues to frustrate anti-doping officials by n’t be compliant because they couldn’t find MAJOR MOTIVATION and-a-half years by Russian anti-doping were Russian Aleksandr Ivanov and Anatoli denying access to so-called closed cities a way of dealing with closed cities,” Reedie But while Wiggins is winding down his illustri- agency RUSADA in January 2015 after her bio- Ciricu, silver and bronze respectively in the where athletes are training and also to a said, referring to the areas where the ous career, Murray made it clear he wanted to logical passport showed abnormalities. men’s 94 kilos. The IOC, which stores samples sealed-off laboratory in Moscow that con- Russian military restricts access. “Maybe retain his number one ranking and add to his He results from June 20 to Aug. 20 2011 for a decade to test with newer methods or to athletes shouldn’t go there.” tally of three Grand Slam singles titles. and July 3-Sept. 3 2012 have been annulled. analyse performance-enhancing substances Also straining relations are the cyberat- “I would like to try and stay there, obviously. These periods included the London Games that have yet to be identified, says a total of 98 tacks on WADA’s databases, which the It’s taken a huge effort the last five, six months to but not the world championships in South samples have come back as positive in re-test- agency attributes to Russia espionage get there,” Murray said after his 24th consecutive Korea in 2011, where she also won gold. The ing from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. groups - as they appeared designed to victory brought him a fifth title in his last five IAAF, the governing body for athletics, subse- It has been naming the guilty athletics, and raise doubts about the integrity of sports tournaments. “I’m aware that’s going to be quently protested to CAS, sport’s highest tri- stripping them of their medals where appro- stars from Western nations. extremely difficult because I had a great year bunal, over what it said was selective sanc- priate, in batches. — Reuters Records of “Therapeutic Use this year and I only managed to do it by one Exemptions,” which allow athletes to use match. “But now that I’ve got there, I would be otherwise-banned drugs because of a veri- motivated to try and stay in that position.” fied medical need, were leaked by a hack- He added: “The majors are what gets me ing group known as Fancy Bears. working hard and what really, really motivates “This doesn’t make international accept- me. When I go away in December to train, I’m ance of Russian improvement any easier if training with the Australian Open in mind. this goes on,” Reedie said of the hacking. While disclosing that hackers are still ROWLING JOY trying to obtain logins and passwords, His victory over Djokovic capped a brilliant WADA said it would continue to oppose week for the Murray family after brother Jamie the publication of athletes’ medical infor- guaranteed the year-end doubles world number mation. The agency said 143 TUEs were one pair ranking together with Brazil’s Bruno granted before or during the Rio Games, Soares. Judy Murray, the brothers’ mother and with a “handful” of the 11,303 competing herself a tennis coach, posted a picture of her athletes requiring more than one. two sons on Twitter, captioned: “Andy & Jamie “The system works perfectly,” Reedie Murray: Pride of Scotland, Kings of world tennis.” said, as the TUEs are “allocated and agreed There was praise too from Federer, widely by responsible people in sport.” regarded as one of tennis’s all-time greats: “Epic start to the year by @DjokerNole. Epic end to the WADA President Craig Reedie WADA will remain under the leadership of the 75-year-old Reedie for the next three year by @andy_murray, ending #1Y? Congrats tains samples sought by sporting federa- years, despite elements of the Olympic guys.” And the congratulations extended beyond tions. The public criticism was delivered in world appearing uneasy with the agency’s the world of tennis, with JK Rowling, the author LONDON: This is a Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 file photo of the medalists in the women’s 3000- front of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Russia. Association of National of the best-selling Harry Potter books, tweeting: meter steeplechase from left, Tunisia’s Habiba Ghribi, silver, Russia’s Yuliya Zaripova, gold, anti-doping troubleshooter, Vitaly Smirnov, Olympic Committees President Sheikh “I’d almost forgotten what it’s like when the per- and Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa, bronze, as they pose on the podium during the athletics in the the former Soviet sports minister now Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah had wanted a son you really, really want to win, wins! Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London. Russian runner Yulia Zaripova, heading Russia’s state-backed anti-doping “neutral chair” to take over from Reedie, @andy_murray”. gold medalist in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2012 London Olympics, was commission. who was supported by the International Meanwhile former British number one Tim named by the IOC yesterday as being among the athletes who tested positive in a reanaly- “Russia has never had a state-sponsored Olympic Committee. —AP Henman urged Britain’s governing Lawn Tennis sis of their doping samples.— AP Association to exploit Andy Murray’s success by