Sports FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015 Chiefs lose Retallick, Mealamu to break Super record SYDNEY: International player of the year Brodie expected to stiffen the Western Stormers forward pack in a court appearance to four charges of possessing Retallick will be missing as the in-form Waikato Chiefs for their South African derby with the Coastal Sharks at cocaine. The Reds have been strengthened for the seek to maintain their winning start to the Super Newlands on Saturday. anticipated fierce derby with experienced campaign- Rugby season against the Otago Highlanders today. “You could see when the guys joined Schalk in the ers James Horwill and Ben Tapuai added to the start- The All Blacks lock injured his right shoulder in last huddle at training they grew a couple of inches in con- ing lineup. “James Horwill’s hand has mended well and week’s impressive win over the Canterbury Crusaders fidence,” forwards coach Matt Proudfoot said of the it’s good to get him back. He has a lot of experience at and looks set to miss the Chiefs’ next three matches, 75-Test flanker, who has returned from club duty in this level which adds a good balance to the forward including the tour of South Africa. Japan. Together with fit-again locks Eben Etzebeth and pack,” coach Richard Graham said. Retallick’s unavailability means Michael Fitzgerald Jean Kleyn Burger he is expected to add a steely edge All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu will establish a will move from blindside flanker to lock and rookie to the Stormers, who lead the Central Cheetahs in the new Super Rugby record for the Blues against South Johan Bardoul will take over the No.6 jersey against South African conference with three wins. Africa’s Golden Lions in Auckland on Saturday. the Highlanders. Wallabies centre Adam Ashley-Cooper is out of the It will be his 163rd appearance in Super Rugby, The Chiefs, buoyed by the return of superstar NSW Waratahs derby against the Queensland Reds which will make him the all-time leader from retired Sonny Bill Williams from rugby league, have looked with a knee injury in Brisbane on Saturday night. former Reds, Force and Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe. the part with wins over Auckland Blues, ACT Brumbies Ashley-Cooper’s injury allows Matt Carraro to play “Congratulations on becoming the most experi- and the Crusaders to stake an early claim for a third his first starting role of the season at outside centre for enced player in Super Rugby history,” SANZAR chief Super Rugby title. “We’re happy with three wins and the defending champions, while powerful winger executive Greg Peters said. five points (scoring bonus point) is no easy feat against Taqele Naiyaravoro has been relegated to the bench in “You possess one of the most decorated CVs in a quality outfit like the Crusaders,” Williams said. favour of Peter Betham. world rugby, which is a thoroughly deserved product “Watching from afar in the last couple of years, of your hard work, dedication and an unwavering there have been some awesome games and it’s just Mealamu breaks record desire to continue raising both your own standards, nice to be back and getting a win that is very hard to The Waratahs return from a bye and face a Reds and those of others around you.” come by.” The Highlanders last won in Hamilton in team smarting from their away loss to the Highlanders In the remaining games, the unchanged Brumbies 2012, but the Dunedin-based side have only beaten last weekend. host the Force in Canberra and the Cheetahs face the the Chiefs three times in their last 15 encounters. The Reds will again be without star off-season Northern Bulls in Bloemfontein. The Wellington The return of Springbok hard man Schalk Burger is recruit Karmichael Hunt, who Thursday pleaded guilty Hurricanes have a bye. — AFP Big guns missing for Swiss against Belgium PARIS: Switzerland’s hold on the Davis Cup is under real threat this weekend when they travel to Liege to take on Belgium in one of eight World Group first round ties. Powered by Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, the Swiss won the trophy for the first time last November, defeating France in the final in Lille. But neither Federer, nor Wawrinka have made themselves available for this weekend, and instead the Swiss will have to depend on world number 292 Yann Marti and number 344 Henri Laaksonen. On the other side of the net, the Belgians have 21st ranked David Goffin and the highly-experienced Steve Darcis to fall back on. Team captain Severin Luthi agreed that the odds were stacked against the Swiss “but we will see what happens on the court and we will battle to the end.” “We will try to take the chances that come our way. Even though the Belgians will start favourites, there are not three levels between the players and we will have a go.” World number one Novak Djokovic will spearhead Serbia’s MACAU: This handout picture taken on March 5, 2015 and released by Passion marketing shows Double Olympic gold bid for a second Davis Cup triumph after that of 2010 and, medalist Zou Shiming (C-L) and Thailand’s IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng (C-R) posing in Macau. Zou, 33, with the injured Marin Cilic unable to play for Croatia, he will said he would cast aside his friendship with Amnat, 35, and “try to kill him in the ring”. — AFP be confident of his team advancing to the quarter-finals. Djokovic told the HRT television station that although Serbia were favorites, they would not under-estimate their Friends and enemies as opponents. “I’ve been telling my squad all the time that Croatia is a competitive team and that there is no room to underestimate them. “The fact that Marin (Cilic), (Ivan) Dodig or (Ivo) Karlovic are Zou, Amnat square off not playing does not mean that we have already won.” The Czech Republic also enjoy home advantage against Australia but will be without top player Tomas Berdych, who has made MACAU: Double Olympic gold medallist Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, but vise Manny Pacquiao’s preparations for himself unavailable as he continues with his quest to win a Zou Shiming declared yesterday that he the Thai is the more experienced profes- his superfight with Floyd Mayweather in first Grand Slam title. would cast aside his friendship with sional with an unbeaten 14 fight record Las Vegas on May 2. Lukas Rosol will take over as top singles player in Ostrava Thailand’s IBF flyweight champion Amnat and will be making the third defence of “I learnt a lot from Freddie, he taught with firm backup from Jiri Vesely. The Australians, who last Ruenroeng and “try to kill him in the ring”. his title against Zou. me a lot of things and also I learnt a lot won the Davis Cup in 2003, had looked set to start as Zou, 33, and Amnat, 35, have been Zou won gold at both the Beijing and about myself in those six fights,” said Zou. favourites, but they have lost to injury up-and-coming Nick buddies since their amateur days when London Olympics and Saturday’s fight “We’ve improved my power and speed.” Kyrgios and will look once again to veteran campaigner they fought three times but will square will be just his seventh as a pro. But he Amnat, though, has no intention of letting Lleyton Hewitt alongside the unpredictable Bernard Tomic. off for the first time over 12 rounds on says he is light years ahead of the man his opponent walk off with his belt on Australia lead the series between the two nations 6-1, Saturday at the Cotai Arena in Macau who stepped into the same Macau ring Zou’s home soil in the southern Chinese including a victory in the most recent tie between the sides in with the Thai champion’s belt at stake as for his pro debut just over two years ago. city of Macau. “Before our first fight (in 1997. The Czech Republic, however, is the dominant force in Zou aims to win his first professional “I was too excited back then,” Zou said. Thailand’s King’s Cup in 2007) my team Davis Cup and is the number one ranked side thanks to back- world title. “We are professionals and “I’m much more relaxed now. That comes didn’t expect me to beat Zou because I to-back title wins in 2012 and 2013. although it’s true we are good friends, from confidence which comes from was a replacement fighter,” said Amnat. Australian captain Wally Masur though believes his team when he is in the ring I will want to hurt experience. I’ve had six fights already and “But I did. Now we are confident I will do it could go all the way this year. “I think we can win it this year,” him, to try to kill him,” Zou told AFP on I’ve learnt from all of them.” again. Zou says he will take the belt to he said. “That’s just me being the eternal optimist. We’ve got a the sidelines of the pre-fight press con- Zou has a formidable mentor in the China, but it will stay in Thailand. “I fight for great team, and they’re committed, they’re ready to go. ference on Thursday. Zou won a tight 5-2 form of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Thailand in professional boxing and I want [Roger] Federer’s said he’s not playing.