Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 Australia aim to continue revival on Gold Coast MELBOURNE: The sandy beaches and glitzy night-spots wards is the return of Tatafu Polota-Nau, easing the right. After damp conditions in New Zealand, Argentina of the Gold Coast have long catered to Australians com- ‘hookers curse’ that has seen a clutch of Australian rakes will hope for better weather in Queensland to allow their ing in from the cold and so provides a suitable venue for injured this season. Peter Betham comes in on the right wingers time and space to thrive but may not get their the Wallabies to fire up their Rugby Championship hopes wing for Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was ruled out with a wish with rain and thunder-storms forecast for the usually against Argentina tomorrow. To the surprise of some, neck injury, while Ben McCalman replaces number eight sun-drenched Gold Coast. Australia remain in the hunt halfway through the four- Wycliff Palu, who suffered a head knock against the South Australia: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Peter Betham, 13-Tevita nation southern hemisphere tournament courtesy of a Africans. McCalman’s selection, which sees back row Kuridrani, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Rob Horne, 10-Bernard last-gasp 24-23 win over South Africa in Perth last week- enforcer Scott Higginbotham remain in the replacements Foley, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Ben McCalman, 7-Michael Hooper end. The victory was coach Ewen McKenzie’s first over a for another week, says much about McKenzie’s faith in his (captain), 6-Scott Fardy, 5-Rob Simmons, 4-Sam Carter, 3- traditional southern hemisphere power, easing the pres- bench to get his team over the line. Sekope Kepu, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-James Slipper sure after the Eden Park humiliation at the hands of the Australia may ultimately have the edge in that respect, Replacements: 16-James Hanson, 17-Pek Cowan, 18-Ben world champion All Blacks the week before. with livewire Kurtley Beale also resting on the pine for a Alexander, 19-James Horwill, 20-Scott Higginbotham, 21- For Argentina, it’s deja vu. Another season of promise second straight week after his ineffective turn as starting Matt Hodgson, 22-Nic White, 23-Kurtley Beale and another round of ringing endorsements from flyhalf in the first two weeks of the Championship. Argentina: 15-Joaquin Tuculet, 14-Juan Imhoff, 13- observers yielding only three straight losses and reinforc- Beale’s spot in the reserves has been a matter of Marcelo Bosch, 12-Juan Martin Hernandez, 11-Manuel ing doubts about the team’s mental fortitude when victo- debate in Australia, with some pundits calling for him to Montero, 10-Nicolas Sanchez, 9-Martin Landajo, 8- ry comes in sight. Australia have used Argentina as a start at inside centre, but few could argue with his cameo Leonardo Senatore, 7-Juan Martin springboard to turn around their fortunes in last two off the bench against the Springboks, where he linked up Fernandez Lobbe 6-Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 5- campaigns and will again be looking to open the flood- with his New South Wales Waratahs team mates to spark Matias Alemanno, 4-Mariano Galarza, 3-Ramiro Herrera, 2- gates at Robina Stadium tomorrow (kickoff 1005 GMT). the winning try for winger Rob Horne. Agustin Creevy (captain), 1-Marcos Ayerza Replacements: The Pumas, as always, will pin their hope on their Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade has rotated his 16-Matias Cortese, 17-Bruno Postiglioni, 18-Nahuel Tetaz meaty pack, while the Wallabies will be grateful for parity wingers from the side that lost to the All Blacks 28-9 in Chaparro, 19-Benjamin Macome, 20-Rodrigo Baez, 21- at the set-piece to at least give their classy backs a chance Napier last week, bringing in the hulking Manuel Montero Tomas Cubelli, 22-Jeronimo De la Fuente, 23-Lucas to shine. Key to McKenzie’s hopes of anchoring the for- on the left wing and the dangerous Juan Imhoff on the Gonzalez Amorosino. — Reuters Mayweather apologizes for Rice comments LAS VEGAS: Floyd Mayweather apologized for With Chris Brown and Rihanna you seen the pic- his comments on the Ray Rice fiasco, adding he tures. With (Chad) Ochocinco and Evelyn, you doesn’t agree with comparisons between his seen pictures. You guys have yet to see any pic- domestic problems and those of the suspended tures of a battered woman, a woman who says NFL player. Mayweather, who is the highest paid she was kicked and beaten (by Mayweather),” he athlete in the world with annual earnings of said ahead of his world title fight against Marcos $105 million, has had his own domestic abuse Maidana tomorrow at the MGM Grand Hotel and problems, including a stint in jail in 2012. Casino. NFL star Rice was cut from the Baltimore “If I offended anyone I apologize,” Ravens and suspended indefinitely when a video Mayweather said Wednesday. “I apologize to the surfaced allegedly showing him punching and NFL. I am not perfect. I said things yesterday. I knocking out in an elevator his former fiancee don’t condone what happened.” Janay Palmer. Mayweather said the NFL should BEIJING: A woman carries her child on her shoulders as they take a walk along a race track for “You all shouldn’t be asking me about no have stuck with the initial two-game ban for the new Formula E debut in the shadow of the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing yesterday. — AFP football. I aint even an NFL player. I am a boxer, Rice. Mayweather said Wednesday he doesn’t that’s what I do for a living.” Mayweather pled want to answer any more questions about Rice Senna, Prost and Piquet guilty to domestic abuse charges and spent two and his victim. months in a Las Vegas jail two years ago. The together in electric dreams charges were in connection with an attack on his Worried about some female former girlfriend while their children watched. “You all worried about some female,” he said. BEIJING: Motor racing takes a huge step towards Formula One pilots, while Nicolas Prost was The 37-year-old Mayweather was also named “That shouldn’t even be your focus. It is not my an environmentally friendly future when the first- appointed test driver for the Lotus F1 team last in a civil suit last week by his ex-fiancee. Shantel focus.” Mayweather, who will make close to $50 ever Formula E race takes place in Beijing tomor- year. They are among 20 drivers who will be rac- Jackson said Mayweather assaulted her and kept million for tomorrow’s fight, also added he does- row involving some of the sport’s most famous ing in 10 teams in Formula E, which has been her from leaving his luxury Las Vegas home. She n’t condone Rice’s behavior. names. Echoes of the greatest Formula One rival- developed by motorsport’s governing body, the also said he humiliated her by posting on the But he said that he feels he gets singled out ries of the past will be reincarnated when the International Automobile Federation (FIA). For internet a sonogram showing her pregnant with for criticism instead of for his community service, next Senna, Prost and Piquet generations lock the first season, the drivers will use identical vehi- twins then accused her of aborting them. like helping breast cancer victims. Prior to his last horns to the unique soundtrack of the jet-like cles, a collaboration between F1’s Williams, Mayweather told reporters Tuesday in Las fight against Maidana he announced at a press whine of electric racing cars. McLaren and Renault. But from next year teams Vegas that he has been falsely accused in the conference he was donating $15,000 to the As well as backing from the auto industry, the will be able to design their own cars and “show- past. “With OJ and Nicole you seen the pictures. Susan G. Komen For the Cure foundation.—AFP new motor racing championship, using 150mph case their own electrical energy innovations”, the (225kph) cars powered solely by electricity, has organisers say. received high-level endorsement from Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and British ‘Really cool sound’ tycoon Richard Branson. After Beijing, Formula E will move on to nine With alternative, environmentally-friendly more street circuit races around the world, fuels on the rise, the symbolism of the new for- including in Los Angeles, Miami, Berlin, Rio de mula’s debut in the shadow of the Bird’s Nest sta- Janeiro and Monte Carlo, scene of F1’s Monaco dium in Beijing-a city regularly blanketed by Grand Prix, with the season’s climax in London in choking pollution-is unmistakable. June. Each driver has two cars, and will transfer to But it is the involvement of some of the most their second vehicles at the pit stop during the revered names in F1 that is most likely to ignite roughly hour-long races, as there is no way to passions among motorsport fans. The son of quickly replace or recharge the batteries. French racing great Alain Prost, along with the Prost is racing in the E.Dams Renault team, nephew of his fiercest rival, Brazilian Ayrton which was established by his four-time F1 World Senna, will be lining up on the grid, along with Champion father and Jean-Paul Driot, founder of Nelson Piquet Junior, whose father raced along- motorsport team Dams. Senna has been signed side them in the 1980s and ‘90s. up by Mumbai-based Mahindra Racing and “These guys will be really fighting for victory, Piquet will be driving for for home favourite they will racing at their maximum,” said China Racing.