WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 SPORTS Has the ‘scrum doctor’ cured woes? : It’s a tag that’s been thrown at as a scrum consultant for the New South Australia’s rugby team for years. Silky Wales Waratahs in . behind the scrum. Brittle in it. Nearly a year “He’s really passionate about scrums, into the tenure of coach , and it’s good to have someone who has a the Wallabies are hoping those days are real identity of how he wants to shape the over heading into their first match of the scrum and how he wants the scrum to . move forward,” Hooper said. “He’s a great Cheika made improving Australia’s personality, a new face, a new accent in the scrummaging one of his priorities after group. He’s a great addition to the team.” replacing Ewen McKenzie in October. He England and Wales are expected to give saw the Australian eight get pushed Australia most problems in the scrum in around against England - yet again - in Pool A of the World Cup but the pack of the their November international last year, and Wallabies’ opening opponent, at the acknowledged his players’ technique and in Cardiff today, strategy needed to change. “Perhaps we shouldn’t be underestimated. are too honest,” he said. Fiji shoved back England’s vaunted To rectify the problem, Cheika changed scrum at one point in the tournament’s personnel. Benn Robinson and Ben opening game last Friday, and wheeled Alexander, Australia’s two most experi- another on England’s own feed five meters enced props, were ditched ahead of the from its tryline, leading to a try from Fiji World Cup, and younger players such as winger . and were summoned. “They (Fiji) are very physical, and their And in what could prove to be a master- scrum was a bit of surprise for a few peo- stroke, Cheika also hired former ple,” said Australia attack coach Stephen hooker as a so-called Larkham, who was at Twickenham on “scrum doctor.” One of the grittiest interna- Friday. “That’s been building for a couple of tional front-rowers of the past couple of years.” Against Fiji, Australia’s front row will decades may just have found a cure. consist of Sio alongside hooker and captain Stephen Moore and . Having Building confidence the grunt of powerful second-rower Kane In its recent Rugby Championship-win- Douglas behind has also beefed up the ning campaign, Australia held its own in scrum, and he is also in the starting lineup. the scrum and even overpowered New Australia is one of the last teams to BRIGHTON: Japanese players celebrate after Karne Hesketh scored the winning try against South Africa during the Rugby World Cup Pool B Zealand’s in a 27-19 win in . But the begin its World Cup campaign, having match at the Brighton Community Stadium. — AP true test will come over the next six weeks been holed up in Bath in the south-west of in the northern hemisphere. “We’ve had a England while its rivals played their open- lot of tough games, scrummaging-wise, ing games at the weekend. Larkham said Much-changed Japan seeks going through that has been a “bonus.” “Getting over here, and the Bledisloe (Cup), so it’s been a great getting the jetlag out of our system and prep for us, and some of the hardest scrum feeling the conditions, albeit we are under sessions we’ve had against each other,” cover tomorrow,” said Larkham, speaking in shock No 2 at World Cup Australia flanker Michael Hooper said. the Millennium Stadium where he won the “We’re building a lot of confidence World Cup final with the Wallabies in 1999. there, and we got a lot of confidence out of “Training in Bath and sort of being away : Japan produced one of the biggest fall short. This year’s Six Nations was supposed to staged in Britain - in 1991 and 1999 - and is a the Rugby Championship, and as a pack from the spotlight a little bit has been real- upsets in sporting history by beating South be the tournament where the Scots would flour- genuine contender this time round after win- they’re really developing well.” Hooper said ly beneficial for us. We had a pretty good Africa at the Rugby World Cup. In its own way, ish after encouraging results in the November ning the Rugby Championship. It’ll be a family the influence of Ledesma - a veteran of 84 Rugby Championship and the guys have overcoming Scotland today would constitute tests. They finished in last place, on zero points, affair under the Millennium Stadium roof, with caps - has been huge since the Argentine made some improvements since then in just as stunning a result for the new darlings of and lost at home to Italy. It was expected to be a cousins Nemani Nadolo (Fiji) and came on board in July, having also worked these last couple of days.” — AP the tournament. A four-day turnaround is scant straight fight between Scotland, South Africa, (Australia) facing off. Nadolo is one of 11 players reward for delivering the most jaw-dropping and for the two qualifications places to be retained from the England game. Expect result of this or any Rugby World Cup, but is from Pool B. Japan has made it a four-team race. some poaching at the breakdown from Australia, something Tier Two teams - like Japan - have Here’s a look at today’s games which named two openside flankers in Michael become accustomed to. Hooper and . Pocock is at No. 8. Rugby authorities have tried to make sched- SCOTLAND VS. JAPAN uling fairer for the so-called lesser nations com- (4-0 overall, 2-0 in RWC) FRANCE VS ROMANIA pared to previous tournaments. The top coun- The Japanese have never beaten Scotland. (39-2-8 overall, 2-0 in RWC) tries are still favored, though. And so, Japan However, they had never beaten the Springboks What happened to France and Romania? The must take on a second Tier One team in four before Saturday and look what happened then. oldest of friends haven’t seen each other in ages. days, forcing coach Eddie Jones into making To break another barren run, Japan will have to Their Pool D match will mark their 50th test, but eight changes to the starting lineup and testing be just as canny with their tactics. Against South first in nine years, the longest gap since World his squad depth. Scotland, playing its first match Africa, Japan had the ball in and out of the War II. France helped develop the game in of the tournament, will be both fresh and ready. scrum before its opponent’s stronger pack had Romania, starting with Romanian students “We’ve done a lot of work previewing Japan time to make their power show. Similarly, line- returning to Bucharest from universities in and they look like they can switch it on. It is no outs were quickly taken. and introducing rugby at the turn of the 20th shock,” Scotland center Mark Bennett said. “They “South Africa got caught getting organized, century. looked very strong and took a lot of big hits when Japan were already in and gone,” Scotland Their first test was in 1924. They played from the South Africans, so there will be a few lock Adam Gilchrist noted. In theory, Scotland is almost annually from 1960-2000, and most sore bodies.” The wily Jones, possessing World opening up with its easiest two pool games - results were close. That was until the fall of com- Cup coaching experience with Australia in 2003 against Japan, then the United States. Easy, munism in 1989, when funding dried up and and South Africa in 2007, started the mind though, is not a word being used so often in this Romanian rugby withered. The tests no longer games with Scotland on Monday. World Cup. became contests: France scored 50-plus in seven “It’s interesting that before the tournament, of the last eight, including the last, 62-14 in PARIS: In this Nov 15, 2014, file photo, Australia’s , (center) is tackled by Scotland said we were going to tank the first AUSTRALIA VS FIJI Bucharest, where Thierry Dusautoir made a try- France’s Scott Spedding and Prop Alexandre Menini during their inter- game,” Jones said, mischievously. “So if we did (16-1-2 overall, 1-0 in RWC) scoring debut. France has two other survivors of national match at the . — AP tank the first game, we’ve got a good perform- Like Japan, Fiji has a quick turnaround that game, Romania four. ance coming up in our second.” With the meticu- between games against top-tier teams. Five days Romania has not beaten France since 1990 lous Vern Cotter in charge of the Scots, there after giving England a decent examination on and, remarkably, no Tier One sides in the profes- Cane leads All Blacks for won’t be any danger of underestimating Japan the opening night of the tournament, the Fijians sional era. With its opening win over Italy, France like South Africa did. face another member of the world’s top three in has won three in a row for the first time since first time against Namibia Scotland is a frustrating team, always seem- Australia, which makes its debut. 2012. They should make it four, even with 13 ingly on the cusp of breaking through, only to Australia has won both World Cups to be changes. — AP LONDON: Flanker will captain I’m hugely honored to be asked to do it.” for the first time when the All , who also played a major Blacks meet Rugby World Cup Pool C min- part in steadying the ship for a nervous- Long wait over as Ives finally nows Namibia at the Olympic Stadium looking New Zealand on Sunday as a sec- tomorrow as coach made 12 ond-half substitute, starts on Thursday in a changes from the side that beat Argentina. powerful midfield combination alongside gets RWC chance for Japan Only lock and wingers Julian . McCaw, Tony Woodcock Savea and Nehe Milner-Skudder remain and , each with well over from the team that fought back to beat the 100 caps to their name, are on a bench that LONDON: Japan lock Justin Ives is not afraid to against South Africa,’” he said. Unlike South Pumas 26-16 on Sunday. boasts a remarkable 660 test caps’ worth of admit he “completely lost the plot” after the Africa, the Scots know what’s coming at The 23-year-old Cane, who has played 25 experience. The 23-man squad has a com- shock win against South Africa at the Rugby ’s compact matches for his country but made only 11 bined total of 1,061 caps. If McCaw comes World Cup - and he didn’t even play in it. Now today. “It’s their first game, so there could be a starts as Richie McCaw held down the open- on as a replacement, it will be his 18th the 31-year-old Ives, who was born in New little bit of rustiness, but I’m sure they’ve had a side flanker berth, came on as a replace- Rugby World Cup appearance, breaking the Zealand, gets his chance against Scotland on bit of time to look into it,” Ives said. “We have to ment on Sunday to score the All Blacks’ sec- record of 17 he shares with former All Black Wednesday, after watching Saturday’s high dra- be good against the Scotland lineout.” ond try. “It’s a very special moment for Sam,” captain Sean Fitzpatrick. New Zealand are ma from the stands. He’s been waiting long That’s where comes in. The Hansen told reporters. “He is a good leader expected to run up a huge score against the enough. 35-year-old Englishman knows the Scots well, and the most important part of leadership is tournament’s lowest-ranked team but Four years, in fact. He qualified for Japan on having played 57 tests for England at lock. He playing well. “He’s never played poorly for Hansen said there would be much his team residency in 2011, but in his eighth test that has coached Japan’s forwards since 2012. the All Blacks and he’s got a reasonably diffi- could gain from the match. year, the last warm-up for the Cup in New “Steve works on the lineouts like no one else cult job following the skipper. “We could “We want to get out there and execute Zealand, he tore ligaments, and had to with- I’ve ever come across,” Ives said. have chose someone else but we thought our game,” he said. “Namibia will have taken draw from the Cup squad because of the sec- “We were running South Africa’s lineouts for we’d look to the future-he’s someone we a lot of heart out of what happened at ond serious knee injury of his career. “I’ve been the last couple of months against each other, believe in a lot.” Brighton and they will be pumped up. waiting longer than most people,” said Ives, knowing what to look out for and what to call Cane, a member of the 2011 Under-20 Starting scrumhalf TJ Perenara echoed that who has 30 test caps. “The sacrifices that so against them. We’re not the tallest team but we World Cup-winning side, played Super after watching Japan beat South Africa last many people have made: My wife, family, and know we’re probably the fastest lineout.” Rugby for the as a teenager and Saturday. “A lot of the guys watched that friends, the guys who were there for me four Ives is convinced head coach Eddie Jones made his New Zealand senior debut in 2012. game when and saw what a World Cup can years ago when I got injured. They all encour- will show his tactical nous once again. “With the short turnaround I was thinking it do,” he said. “Everyone plays above them- aged me to come back, so I’m super excited.” “Scotland have a massive height advantage on us, so we’ll just have to be smarter, and I’m would be great to get a start so it took me selves and I think it’s a great lesson for Although not quite as excited as he was BRIGHTON: Japan’s international rugby player pretty sure we’ve got one of the smartest back a little bit when Steve told me I was maybe the better teams in the competition after Japan’s 34-32 win against the Springboks Justin Ives speaks to reporters. — AP coaches around,” Ives said. — AP going to be captain,” he said. “But of course not to take anyone too lightly.” — Reuters in Bristol. “I completely lost the plot at the end of the game. I didn’t know what to do. We were just hug- ging and shouting, unbelievable ... memories Minnows Namibia face for the rest of our lives,” Ives said. “We sat in the team room and watched a replay of the game and everyone was shaking. I don’t know how toughest test of RWC many times I’ve watched the last five minutes. LONDON: The good news for rank outsiders selves and relish the opportunity to play against Unbelievable. Hopefully, it’s changed the Namibia is they will be playing against a ‘shadow’ the world champions,” he said on Monday. “I am mindset of Japanese rugby and what it’s like in team when they begin their latest Rugby World under no illusions but it is going to be a fantastic our country.” Cup adventure tomorrow- the bad news it is New opportunity to see the Namibian flag flying Zealand. Not even the sight of Japan beating alongside that of New Zealand at the Olympic One-hit wonders? South Africa on Saturday in the sport’s biggest Stadium.” Attack coach Pieter Rossouw said The win has brought the World Cup spot- ever shock will fuel the Namibians’ hopes of Namibia are a lot more organised than back in light like never before onto the Brave Blossoms something even more extraordinary against the 2003. “We’re pretty proud of our defense struc- - and helped rugby, a niche sport in Japan, take holders in what should be a lop-sided Pool C tures, which just need to be very good at interna- attention away from football, baseball and clash at London’s Olympic Stadium. But, spared tional level,” he said. While Namibia’s biggest sumo. It’s even impacted in rugby-mad New having to play against Steve Hansen’s preferred name and one of few professionals is Jacques Zealand, where seven of the Japan squad were starting 15, and bolstered by their most rigorous Burger, the Saracens forward, the All Blacks have raised. “I was just talking to Hendrik (Tui, team- build-up to a tournament, they can reasonably an embarrassment of riches-as was seen in the mate). His wife went into a Canterbury store expect to avoid a repeat of the record 142-0 loss hard-fought 26-16 defeat of main group rivals last weekend to buy some jerseys for the kids they suffered against Australia in 2003. Argentina when Hansen called several players off and she couldn’t find any,” Ives said. “Then she The lowest-ranked side in the tournament, the bench to finally overwhelm the Pumas. went in there yesterday and half the store was boasting a dentist, some farmers and a diamond Sonny Bill Williams, , Sam full of Japan jerseys. It’s good to know that trader in their squad, they have impressed coach Kane and were all introduced LONDON: New Zealand’s Sam Cane is tackled by Argentina’s , Kiwis back home are getting behind us.” and former Wales international Phil Davies who to great effect and Hansen will likely make sure (left) and Lucas Noguera during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match between The team has no intention of being one-hit hopes his players can enjoy the moment. his entire squad has tasted action before the final New Zealand and Argentina at . — AP wonders, he said. “We want to back it up, we “It is vital that we get them to express them- whistle sounds tomorrow. —Reuters don’t want people to just say ‘Oh, well done