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Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013 Genia’s yo-yo Photo of the day season takes an upward turn ROSARIO: Australia scrum-half Will Genia’s yo-yo season took an upward turn when he was recalled for tomorrow’s Rugby Championship Test in Argentina. Genia comes in for Nic White in the only change to the starting line-up from that beaten 28- 8 by South Africa in Cape Town last weekend. White drops to the bench for the wooden-spoon showdown at Estadio Gigante de Arroyito in Rosario, 300 kilometers north west of Buenos Aires. There is also one change among the replacements with utility back Bernard Foley coming in for Chris Feauai-Sautia, scorer of the Wallaby try against the Springboks. Papua New Guinea-born Genia, 25, has skippered Australia this year in the absence of injured lock James Horwill. But he was axed by coach Ewen McKenzie after leading the Wallabies in a humili- ating 26-point drubbing by South Africa in Brisbane. White impressed sufficiently to stay on the pitch for the full 80 minutes as Australia squeezed a 14-13 home win over the Pumas in a dour duel. But his field-kicking came unstuck in Cape Town and the Wallabies fared far better when Genia came on for the second half. McKenzie, a Super Rugby title- winning coach with the Queensland Reds, replaced New Zealander Robbie Deans after a 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions. But the former Wallaby prop has experienced a baptism of fire with home and away reverses against the New Zealand All Blacks and the Springboks. Since arriving in Argentina, McKenzie admitted that trying to slug it out with South Africa in a field-kicking contest was a blunder. He emphasized to his squad the need to play it off the cuff at times, with natural runner and full-back Israel Folau expected to keep the ball in hand more. Australia have four points and Argentina two after five rounds, meaning the los- ers of the final 2013 Rugby Championship fixture get the unwanted wooden spoon. The Wallabies have a slight advan- Antoine Bizet performs at the Martin Soderstrom Invitational at Uppsala Slott in Uppsala.—Sweden www.redbull.com tage in previous meeting on Argentine soil with four victories, three losses and one draw. —AFP Toulon seeking to Springboks and All Blacks rebound against old seek psychological blow foes Clermont JOHANNESBURG: The next World Cup we’re going to go out and score four times. “They’ve got a great running PARIS: The row over next season’s European Cup will take back- may still be two years away, but tomor- tries. We’re just going to go out there game but what makes them so effective stage in France on the weekend as the Top 14 offers up more row’s Rugby Championship decider and try and play positive rugby. “It is is their kicking game. mouth-watering clashes, notably between Toulon and Clermont. between South Africa and New Zealand very difficult playing against the All “They outkicked us when we played Toulon pipped Clermont to the European crown by a point last at Ellis Park could provide an early psy- Blacks as they’ve only conceded seven in Soweto (in 2012) and we couldn’t get season and while rumors of an Anglo-French split from the tour- chological blow for the victor. A bruising tries in the last eight Test matches. out of our half - they kicked 12 times nament rumble on, it is back to the rough and tumble of league physical battle is expected between the Nobody has scored four tries against more than us. So if we want to beat action, the bread-and-butter entertainment of French club rugby. top two sides in the world rankings, with them for the last eight, maybe nine them even before we start scoring tries, Toulon will have a point to prove, having lost 25-22 last week- the return of both Bismark du Plessis years, and in those days the defense we have to match them with their kick- end to newly-promoted Oyonnax, coach Bernard Laporte laying and Richie McCaw adding steel and wasn’t as organized. “We’ve got a plan ing game.” His counterpart Steve out in no uncertain terms his feelings after the match. “It’s a guile to what is already shaping up to be but it is a difficult task ... they are a quali- Hansen expects the Springboks to play a match we could have won by 30 points but we lost it,” Laporte an explosive fixture. ty side and just to win the game will be more expansive game as they go in said, having seen his star-studded outfit fall prey to a last-gasp Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has a massive challenge for us.” search of the five points they need. made no secret of the fact that he has The All Blacks last conceded four tries “The Springboks at Ellis Park is a chal- drop goal by Argentina fly-half Benjamin Urdallipeta. selected his team for this year’s series in a 26-24 loss to old rivals Australia in a lenge the team is really looking forward “Some players didn’t do what they had to do.” The scalp was with England 2015 in mind, and beating Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong to, one we are very excited about,” not Oyonnax’s first of the season, having already beaten the current world champions would be three years ago. Du Plessis has been Hansen said. “We know South Africa will Clermont and defending Top 14 champions Castres, as just 10 a huge affirmation of his plans. “This is restored to the starting line-up ahead of come at us with their physical game but points separates leaders Stade Francais from 13th-placed probably the last year to experiment Adriaan Strauss as Meyer continues to to win the Rugby Championship they’ll Bayonne, with bottom club Biarritz the sole adrift on just seven. before that World Cup,” Meyer told rotate his hookers. The Sharks front-row- have to do that by scoring four tries. But the success of the small club from eastern France, close to the reporters recently. “We have some guys er will get a chance to redeem himself “We are expecting more ball movement Swiss city of Geneva, or the fact that tomorrow’s match was coming back from injury in the next few with the All Blacks after he was red-card- than we have seen in the past. The against Clermont were not things that interested Laporte. months, so I believe that we have a ed in the last match between the teams answer is pretty simple for us. We will The defeat involved “players I love, players I chose with presi- strong group of players going forward. in Auckland last month. McCaw missed have to match their physicality and be dent (Mourad) Boudjellal”, the former France coach said. “We “We’ve got very high standards, we that 29-15 victory for New Zealand with very accurate with our execution across spoke together and they reassured me that they were commit- want to be the best team in the world a knee injury, but now returns to make the park, both on attack and defensive- ted.” Turning to the weekend, Laporte added: “Defeats are always and we want to win the World Cup.” his 120th appearance for the side in ly.” Aside from the return of Du Plessis, forbidden! But the opponents count for little, I don’t care that it’s Meyer reiterated that South Africa what is the team’s most important fix- Juandre Kruger replaces suspended lock Clermont. “They’ll do what they’ve got to do and we, if only we would not be reckless in their pursuit of ture since the 2011 World Cup final. Flip van der Merwe. A third change is do what we have to do... Clermont are a very good team - we did- the bonus point victory needed tomor- possible for the Springboks if centre JJ n’t learn that this morning.” row (1500GMT) to lift them above the KICKING DUEL Engelbrecht does not recover from Clermont sit in second in the table one point ahead of Toulon, All Blacks in the Rugby Championship McCaw will likely be a central figure injury in time, with Jan Serfontein set to and welcome back France centre Aurelien Rougerie for the game table, having narrowly missed out on in the breakdown, an area that has been replace him. The All Blacks only other at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice. Rougerie has been out all the crucial extra point against Australia vastly improved for South Africa in 2013. change is prop Charlie Faumuina replac- season with a foot injury, but will face a baptism of fire against in Cape Town last weekend. But Meyer also believes the boot will ing the injured Owen Franks, ruled out the likes of human wrecking ball Mathieu Bastareaud and “Obviously it would be great to win play a pivotal role in tomorrow’s decider of the test at Ellis Park because of a Australian playmaker Matt Giteau at the 35,000-capacity stadi- the game and the Championship, and and said the All Blacks have held the groin injury sustained in Argentina last um.—AFP we are in with a chance. I never said edge kicking out of hand in recent weekend.—Reuters.

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