Established 1961 25 Sports Wednesday, October 17, 2018 Coach Gatland names two uncapped players in Wales’ November squad Gatland welcomes back eight British and Irish Lions to the squad CARDIFF: Wales coach Warren Gatland yesterday “We have added in a lot of experience with eight named uncapped backs Luke Morgan and Jonah British and Irish Lions coming into the squad so there Holmes to a 37-man squad for the four home Test is a lot of competition for places. “Some experienced matches in November. Ospreys winger Morgan, Wales players have missed out, the message to them is the Sevens’ all-time leading points and try scorer, has door isn’t closed looking long term, it’s just a reflec- scored four tries in five matches for his region this tion of where we are depth wise and the opportunity season, while Leicester’s English-born Holmes, who to look at other players. “A further eight players qualifies for Wales through a grandparent, scored 10 haven’t been selected due to injury, dependent on tries in 11 games for the Tigers last season. their recovery they could be called in at a later date.” Gatland had the luxury of welcoming back eight British and Irish Lions to the squad which recorded Wales squad three test victories against South Africa and Argentina Forwards (20): Rob Evans, Wyn Jones, Nicky Smith, in the summer. There was no place for Rhys Webb, the Elliot Dee, Ryan Elias, Ken Owens, Leon Brown, Tomas scrum-half who signed for Toulon this season. Francis, Samson Lee, Dillon Lewis, Jake Ball, Adam In his absence, Aled Davies, Gareth Davies and Beard, Bradley Davies, Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones Tomos Williams, who all featured in the USA and (capt), Ellis Jenkins, Dan Lydiate, Ross Moriarty, Justin Argentina in June, are named, alongside Dan Tipuric, Aaron Wainwright Biggar, Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Patchell as the Backs (17): Aled Davies, Gareth Davies, Tomos fly-half options. Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Dan Biggar, Rhys “This autumn is the start of a 12-month count- Patchell, Jonathan Davies, Tyler Morgan, Hadleigh down to the Rugby World Cup and it is a huge Parkes, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams, Steffan Evans, opportunity for the players,” said Gatland. “The Leigh Halfpenny, Jonah Holmes, Luke Morgan, George players who performed and represented Wales so North, Liam Williams well in the summer deserve the opportunity again Players not selected due to injury: Seb Davies, Aaron and we are really pleased with the depth we have Shingler, James Davies, Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau, File photo shows Warren Gatland (left) and Sean O’Brien pictured during the Lions tour. built across the squad. Scott Williams, Hallam Amos, Owen Lane. — AFP Bolt offered contract with Blacks coach Clayton McMillan. “We Akira Ioane didn’t really anticipate Akira being Malta soccer club involved with us,” he told reporters in Auckland yesterday. “He’s been a SYDNEY: Sprint king Usain Bolt could be gets Maori part of the All Blacks environment making his way to Europe after being for the last 12-18 months. We make a offered a two-year professional football call-up few assumptions fairly early on, on contract in Malta, reports said yesterday, who might be available to us and we with the club saying it wanted to “write his- obviously got that one wrong. tory” with the signing. WELLINGTON: Auckland Blues “We’re all well aware of his Bolt, 32, has been on trial with A-League loose forward Akira Ioane, who was strengths and we’ll welcome him into club the Central Coast Mariners since arriv- overlooked for New Zealand’s end- our fold with open arms.” McMillan ing in Australia in August in his bid to pursue of-season tour, has been given added that Ioane might now be a boyhood dream of becoming a footballer something of an international expected to take more of an active after retiring from athletics last year. reprieve after being selected for the leadership role in the Maori squad The 100 metres world record-holder SYDNEY: Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt (R) playing for A-League football club Central Coast Maori All Blacks squad for their trip for next month’s matches against the scored his first two goals in professional foot- Mariners is tackled by Josh Symons of Macarthur South West United (L) in his first competi- to the Americas. United States, Brazil and Chile. ball on Friday when he started a pre-season tive start for the club in Sydney on October 12, 2018. —AFP Ioane, whose younger brother “But equally we want him to game against second-tier Macarthur South Reiko has established himself on express himself, play well and put West United in Sydney. the left wing for the All Blacks, has himself back in the picture for the Malta club Valletta FC said they had made ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT notice”. Media reports suggest the Mariners been on the fringes of selection for All Blacks,” he added. McMillan a formal offer which includes playing in its Slimen admitted Bolt still had to improve are waiting for governing body Football the world champions for the last was also able to call on winger upcoming cup final, with chief executive his footballing skills, but said he was inspired Federation Australia to decide whether it will three seasons but was left out of Nehe Milner-Skudder, loose for- Ghasston Slimen saying the move to snare by the former sprinter’s jubilant celebrations- contribute to a potential Aus$3 million an extended 51-man squad named ward Jackson Hemopo, who has Bolt was “about writing history”. including the trademark lightning bolt victory (US$2.1 million) offer to Bolt. on Monday. been named as a lock, scrumhalf “Usain Bolt broke the record in Beijing pose-after the goals. FFA head David Gallop said Tuesday “the The 23-year-old, whose size, Bryn Hall, centre Matt Proctor and (Olympics) in 2008, and I have followed him “I don’t want him to be here on holiday, I story of a contract in Europe is news to me”, speed and ball handling made him prop Tyrel Lomax for the tour. for the last year-and-a-half on his football want him training hard,” he said, adding that but that any financial support from the gov- a standout in rugby sevens, has All five are part of the extended journey,” Slimen told the Australian he wanted Bolt to be lifting trophies during his erning body would not be drawn from a mar- been involved in several wider All All Blacks squad in Japan but will Broadcasting Corporation. stint at Valletta. “I don’t want to make a big quee fund set up to attract top players to the Blacks training groups and went on link up with the Maori group in “We play the final of the Super Cup on fuss, I want him to sign the contract, get on A-League. their end-of-season tour last year, South America for their second December 13, which we will win... so can you the flight, arrive in Malta and train, because “The ball is very much in the Mariners playing a non-test match. Concerns match against Brazil in Sao Paulo on imagine Usain Bolt lifting the Super Cup tro- we need to prepare for the Super Cup.” court. They have to make a decision whether that he had not improved in key Nov. 10, missing only the game phy 10 years after he broke the record in The Australian agent who arranged Bolt’s they want to move to put Usain onto a con- areas saw him miss out this time against the United States in Beijing? “This isn’t about money, this is about trial with the Mariners declined to confirm or tract,” Gallop told Macquarie Sports Radio. around, however. Chicago on Nov. 3. They end their history. This is something that they will talk deny the reports when contacted by AFP “If they get to that point (of signing Bolt) then Ioane’s availability came as a tour against Chile on the outskirts about in 50 or 100 years’ time.” yesterday. Bolt does not yet have a contract we’ll look at what’s feasible for us but it can’t pleasant surprise for Maori All of Santiago on Nov. 17. —AFP A group of investors from the Sanban with the Mariners ahead of the start of the A- be from the marquee player fund.... we can’t Group in the United Arab Emirates acquired League season this Friday, with the club’s use that money but we’ll look at if we can do a majority stake in the club last month, vow- chief executive Shaun Mielekamp saying in a anything else.” The 32-year-old previously ing to qualify for the group stages of statement that the Jamaican “will continue his tried out with clubs in Germany, South Africa Europe’s Champions League. indefinite training period... until any further and Norway to no avail. —AFP IAAF delays new gender rules Pressure growing on new over Semenya’s CAS case USA Gymnastics chief MONACO: The IAAF announced athletes like Semenya would have to LOS ANGELES: Olympic champion Aly Raisman slammed USA yesterday it had agreed to postpone chemically lower their testosterone Gymnastics’ choice of interim president on Monday as pressure by five months the implementation of levels to be able to compete, some- mounted on the embattled organization to rethink the apppointment. controversial new rules on high thing the 800m runner says is in vio- In a series of posts on Twitter, Raisman criticized the decision to testosterone levels in female athletes lation of the IAAF’s constitution and hire former Republican US Congresswoman Mary Bono to take over to avoid further delay in proceedings the Olympic Charter.