Friday 43 Sports Friday, January 19, 2018 Jones laughs off England’s Six Nations injury crisis England’s back-row problems extend beyond Vunipola TWICKENHAM: Eddie Jones joked his Eng- first team to win three successive outright land side “might as well not turn up” to the Six Championship titles. “If you read the papers, Nations Championship after injuries and sus- then we might as well not turn up,” Jones told pensions left the reigning champions without reporters at Twickenham yesterday. 13 players ahead of next month’s tournament “I don’t even know why we’re having this opener against Italy. press conference,” added the Australian after Jones named a 35-man squad featuring unveiling his first England squad since the eight uncapped players yesterday for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced his Rome match on February 4. Injuries and sus- contract was being extended until 2021 — two pensions have robbed Jones of several senior years beyond its original cut-off point follow- figures, with wing Elliot Daly (ankle) and No 8 ing next year’s World Cup in Japan. Billy Vunipola (shoulder) set to miss the entire “Ireland are dominating Europe, their sides tournament. are going well. They England’s back-row have this central con- problems extend be- tracting system that al- yond Vunipola. Nathan If you read the lows them to have their Hughes is currently players at their peak. sidelined with a knee in- papers, then we “As you’ve seen, we’ve jury while James Haskell got 13 players out. So has been ruled out of might as well we’ve got no hope.” Eddie Jones the Italy fixture and the not turn up England, however, are following week’s clash 10/11 odds-on favourites against Wales because with leading British bet- convening at their Pennyhill Park training base have blighted his club and England career. “I’d of a suspension re- ting firm William Hill and on January 29. Although there are several new- like to see him get fit,” explained Jones. “I think ceived while on club duty-as has prop Joe Jones, on a more serious note, said: “I’m not comers, the rest of Jones’s squad, that includes Leicester would like to see him get fit. If he Marler. bookmaker but I know we have a squad that’s regular Test captain Dylan Hartley, have 898 does that, he’ll be a chance to get selected.” England, unlike rival nations such as Ireland, good enough. “We’ve had good practice (at Test caps between them. do not centrally contract their players, who are being without players) over the last 12 months. IMPROVING ITALY primarily paid by their clubs. Yet the fact re- “At the end of the day, we’ve named a squad TUILAGI WAITS England have won all 23 of their previous mains that since Jones took charge following of 35 and there are still a lot of good players But there was no place on Thursday for Tests against Italy but former Australia and the then hosts’ first-round exit at the 2015 being left out.” Following this weekend’s club Manu Tuilagi. The powerhouse Leicester cen- Japan coach Jones believes the Azzurri will World Cup, England have won 22 out of 23 fixtures, the England squad will travel to Por- tre is currently making his way back from a prove difficult a stern challenge at Rome’s Tests and they are now bidding to become the tugal for a week-long training camp before re- knee problem, the latest of several injuries that Olympic Stadium. —AFP Dustin dreaming of Augusta Garcia’s 2018 campaign in Abu Dhabi off to good start ABU DHABI: World No. 1 Dustin Johnson spearheads a stellar cast SINGAPORE: Masters champion Sergio Garcia got his 2018 when the $3 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship tees off in the campaign off to a good start at the Singapore Open yesterday, UAE yesterday-but his mind is firmly on the US Masters. Johnson firing a five-under-par 66 to share the lead. will battle returning former world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, current No. Garcia, who began a spectacular 2017 in Singapore last 6 Justin Rose, and Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey and Matt Kuchar year, began slowly but picked up the pace around the turn, and who are all within the top 15. fired an eagle and four birdies in his first tournament of the The reigning Europe No.1 Tommy Fleetwood is the defending year. The Spaniard, who won his first Major victory at Augusta champion. Johnson, 33, is returning to Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s Na- ABU DHABI: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays during round last April and was named 2017 European Golfer of the Year, tional course having finished second to Fleetwood last year and one of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf ended the day tied for the top spot with American Kurt Ki- just like in 2017, is in blistering form at the start of the year. In the Club yesterday. —AFP tayama. World number 10 Garcia converted an 18-inch birdie PGA Tour’s year-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, the putt at the par-three 17th, then eagled a par-five 18th from American nearly aced a 433-yard par-4 hole en route to winning three feet. He fired a birdie at the second hole, then picked up the champions-only event by a whopping eight shots over Jon had a really good run leading into Augusta. another shot at the par-five fourth. Rahm. Last year, after his runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi, he had “So it’s definitely good. I’ve been working hard on the game, “I’ll probably chill a little bit. I did a lot of things right, but I won three tournaments in February and March before a freak ac- but the golf swing feels like it’s finally getting back to where it was. still have lots to work on. I’ll try to stay cool, have a nice dinner cident on the eve of the Masters ruled him out of the first major of “I played well in Hawaii, but that was two weeks ago. This is a com- and get ready for tomorrow,” the 38-year-old said. the season. Doing well in the Masters is certainly a goal this year pletely new week and everybody starts at even par, so I’ve got to “This is a great tournament to start the year with.” Thailand’s for Johnson, but before that he wants to go one better than his 2017 start over again.” Tirawat Kaewsiribandit was threatening to share the lead be- result in Abu Dhabi. “I felt like this golf course suits me pretty well fore play was suspended due to lightning risk with a five- and I like the setup of it. Last year was the first time being here, ‘ROLL WITH IT’ under-par through 16 holes at the Sentosa Golf Club’s obviously playing four rounds in the tournament definitely helps,” Johnson said he was eager to get back to Augusta National and Serapong course. Seventy-eight players have yet to complete said Johnson. compete in the Masters after missing the event last year when he round one. Play will resume early Friday. Kitayama shot six “I kind of struggled for a little while last year after Augusta, but reportedly slipped on a wet staircase and hurt himself on the eve birdies and was bogey-free for 17 holes before dropping a I finally felt from the FedEx Cup Playoffs through now, the game is of the tournament. “I was very disappointed I didn’t get to play stroke at his final hole of the day. —AFP starting to get back into the form it was this time last year where I last year, but things happen,” he said. —AFP.