THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 SPORTS

Pumas seek their first Australia Grand Prix posts New signings could fire Rugby Championship a record $55 million loss United back to Europe MELBOURNE: The 2014 Australian Grand Prix posted a record MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s transfer window spending spree can help GOLD COAST: Argentina have made three changes to their run-on team to face the A$59.97 million ($55 million) loss amid soaring costs and declining restore their attacking flair and spark a renewed challenge for a Champions Wallabies on Saturday, with both wingers paying the price for poor performances against revenue, government officials said yesterday. The loss, subsidized by League spot, according to their former England player Paul Scholes. United, New Zealand last weekend. The Pumas are still seeking their first Rugby Championship taxpayers in Victoria, the host state of the Melbourne Formula One winners of a record 20 English League titles, including 13 since the Premier win after 15 attempts and have an uphill battle on the Gold Coast, with lock Tomas race, outstrips last year’s deficit of A$50.7 million by over 18 percent. League was launched in the 1992/93 season, finished seventh last season and Lavanini suspended after being cited in the 28-9 defeat by the All Blacks. The youthful Sales revenue was down A$2 million while expenditure was up A$7.5 failed to qualify for European competition. They are without a competitive win Matias Alemanno takes his place in the only alteration to their powerful forward pack. million, Victoria’s Major Events minister Louise Asher told reporters. in four games under new Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal this season. Scholes Wingers and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino are the main casualties from the The race, which has traditionally opened the F1 season, has recorded last match following a disappointing game in Napier, with and believes the club’s outlay of over 150 million pounds A$50 million-plus losses for a number of years, sparking a backlash preferred against the Wallabies. Coach has ($241.97 million) on six internationals, including from local critics who see it as a waste of public money. The controver- stuck with his dangerous halves pairing of Martin Landajo and Nicolas Argentina winger Angel Di Maria and on-loan Colombia sy was brushed aside last month, however, when the state’s Liberal-led Sanchez, who has proven to be a damaging attacker. Although Argentina striker Radamel Falcao, will see United back in Europe government inked a new five-year deal with Formula One manage- have suffered three straight losses, they pushed all the way in again. “The calibre of player we have brought in is top ment to keep the race in Melbourne until 2020. Local politicians from their opening two Tests and their strength remains in the scrum. They go quality, like Di Maria and Falcao,” Scholes told both major parties have long justified the costs on the claimed eco- into Saturday’s game looking to dominate through their punishing MUTV. “These are proper players. We just have nomic impact and branding effect the race has for the state. “The front-row of , captain Agustin Creevy and Marcos to find a way of getting them all in the same Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix alone generates between 351 and 411 Ayerza. The Pumas also boast back-row strength with No.8 team, playing well and scoring goals - which we full-time equivalent jobs and up to A$39 million in economic benefits , Juan Manuel Leguizamon and former skip- have struggled to do a little bit. “Defensively, we as well as up to A$35 million in media or advertising-equivalent,” a per Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. Argentina last triumphed haven’t been great either so he (Van Gaal) needs over the Wallabies in 1997 and it has been more than 30 statement released by Asher’s office said. Critics have strongly ques- to sort that out. —Reuters years since they have beaten them in Australia. — AFP tioned the accuracy of those figures. —Reuters

SAILING All hands on deck as Ainslie prepares Cup challenge

LONDON: Ben Ainslie is the most successful the same answer I would give you in a cou- on. “It’s crazy really. We had such a successful Olympic sailor of all time but he said he might ple of years time.” race last time, we needed the continuity to not necessarily helm Britain’s America’s Cup keep the momentum going.” With Australian challenge in 2017, despite being the team Whirlwind life Spithill saying the next America’s Cup will see boss. Ainslie, who won medals at five consecu- Since entering for the 35th America’s Cup the “toughest lineup ever”, Ainslie said it tive Olympics and gold in the last four, is busy with his Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) team, life has would “massive” for Britain to bring home the with the colossal task of putting together a been a whirlwind. “I reckon recreational sailors Cup to where it all began in 1851. At his side British boat capable of beating Team Oracle, are seeing more of the water than me this will be Jonathan ‘Jono’ Macbeth, a three-times the American outfit he masterminded to one year,” said Ainslie, whose first taste of the America’s Cup winner and who was part of the of the greatest sporting comebacks in San America’s Cup was with Team New Zealand in Oracle crew last year. Francisco last year. 2007. “There have been a few moments where The 37-year-old said at least five of his I thought, ‘yeah it’s great to get out of the British strength eight-man crew will be British and such is the office’. But that was always the plan, to set the Kiwi Macbeth, who holds a British passport, talent pool in a nation steeped in sailing tradi- team up, get the funding, the designers the is BAR’s Sailing Team Manager and if it was tion that he said he might not even be steer- sailors.” down to him alone, there would only be one ing the boat when action begins at a venue Funding what is often called Formula 1 on person at the helm in 2017. “The guy has five still to be decided. “We are a British team,” the waves is a tough proposition for the team Olympics medals so it would have to be some- Ainslie told Reuters at a news conference on principal and his board - a situation he said one pretty special to come along and take the Tuesday also featuring Oracle skipper Jimmy was more difficult because of delays in nam- helm from him,” Macbeth joked. “I don’t know. Spithill and Dean Barker, whose Team New ing where the Challenge Match will actually Ben and I will discuss it and we will be doing Zealand crew snatched defeat from the jaws of take place in 2017. San Diego and Bermuda what’s right for the team.” Macbeth, a grinder victory a year ago, having led 8-1. are the two favorites. There are even ongoing on the decks of Oracle, said he had been over- “That’s important to us that we are seen rumors that the 62-foot wing-sailed catamaran whelmed by interest in BAR. “Britain is incredi- to be so. We are very fortunate that it hap- yachts could be ditched for smaller ones. bly patriotic about sailing,” he said. “My inbox is pens that the key guys we identified were Ainslie clearly finds it frustrating. “In an ideal full constantly of British sailors asking what can British, both in the design and sailing front. world, 12 months down the road it would be I do to get involved. “This is by far the strongest “We have a mixture of guys, some with expe- nice to have a venue and a date set in stone British team that has ever been presented and rience of previous Cup campaigns and some but for a number of different reasons that has- we have some amazing sailors coming on younger talent coming through, particularly n’t happened,” he said. board. We have seven sailors at the moment British talent who race in 49ers and classes “The great thing is, the teams are coming LONDON: America’s Cup skippers (left to right) Jimmy Spithill of Oracle Team USA, Max and five are British. “Come race day it will be a like that. It’s about putting a group together together to rectify that. Probably more impor- Sirena of Luna Rossa, Franck Cammas of Team France and Nathan Outteridge of Artemis 90-95 percent British team.” The America’s Cup’s and working out how the relationships work. tant for the future, so that after this next race Racing, (left to right front) Ben Ainslie of Ben Ainslie Racing and Dean Barker of Emirates preliminary series, known as the World Series, “If we were going racing tomorrow I would we will know what the boat will be, what the Team New Zealand pose for photographers along with the trophy following a press confer- will take place at various venues in 2015 and be steering the boat, but maybe that’s not venue will be and get a structure in place early ence for the 35th America’s Cup in London, on September 9, 2014. — AFP 2016 using smaller AC45s. — Reuters

RUGBYL-SUPER PREVIEW Saints aiming to make no mistake the second time

LEEDS: Within touching distance of the League Leader’s Shield, St Helens were brought crashing down to earth - and Anthony Laffranchi expects a response when they get a second bite of the cherry. The Saints are still top of the Super League table heading into the final round of reg- ular-season fixtures, despite a humbling 39-12 home defeat to Warrington Wolves last Thursday. However, victory at Huddersfield Giants on Friday will ensure they finish there - and claim the Shield for the first time since 2008. Former Gold Coast Titans man Laffranchi has not yet experienced a Grand Final in his three seasons at Langtree Park and he knows that is the ultimate goal. However, the 33-year-old insists topping the table come the end of this weekend is the perfect way to set themselves up for a tilt at the title. “It is a goal we set out to do and it is one we Handre Pollard can achieve,” said Laffranchi. “We want to be going into the play-offs with some confidence South Africa pit novice and a bit of momentum. “The Giants are going well and they are there or thereabouts and if fly-half against All Blacks they win, they can climb up the ladder a bit. “To the team’s credit, we have done well to maintain Anthony Laffranchi WELLINGTON: South Africa will field players now have an opportunity to rec- it and I think it will be quite rewarding for every- fledgling international fly-half Handre tify those against the toughest opponent one to get league leaders and then we will re- Pollard against New Zealand in the only in ,” Meyer said. assess. I suppose to re-pay the fans and the S Korean shooter Jin wins squad for all the hard work we have put in. change to their line-up for Saturday’s “Against a team like Warrington, too much ball world title, breaks record Rugby Championship clash. Pollard, with Quota sidestepped and they just come back at you. It was an impor- only three Tests under his belt, has been The coach sidestepped questions tant game for us and we probably had guys SEOUL: Triple Olympic champion Jin Jong-oh Sport Federation’s (ISSF)’s official website. thrust into the crucial game-maker role about a South African plan making uncharacteristic errors. We fell short but will be on a high heading into this month’s The 34-year-old won 50m team gold at the ahead of the veteran Morne Steyn who to increase the number of non-white I suppose the beauty of it is that it didn’t jeop- Asian Games in Incheon after breaking a long- 2010 World Championships in Munich, and 10m was omitted from the squad. Coach players in the Springboks so that they ardize our position. “We have dusted ourselves standing record and winning the 50 meters pis- and 50m team gold at the Asian Games in admitted the move comprise 50 percent of the team by the off and we have really learned from our mis- tol event at the shooting world championships. Guangzhou the same year. would surprise some Springbok fans but 2019 season.”I’m just here to coach. I’m takes. It’s back to reality now. We have got The South Korean scored a combined 583 “Winning the world championship title is a said he wanted to blood Pollard in a just here to serve my country and do the another game up our belt and it is a good lesson points on the way to winning the title in great achievement for me,” added Jin, who high-pressure game ahead of next year’s best for the Springboks,” he said, adding for us to learn.” Granada on Tuesday, breaking the world record scored 192.3 points in the final and hopes to win Rugby World Cup, predicting the 20- “I’ve got enough worries of my own” try- Elsewhere Warrington visit Wigan Warriors set by Russian Alexander Melentiev at the 1980 a fourth Olympic gold in 2016. “The road to Rio year-old could be “a big force” at the ing to defeat the All Blacks on Saturday. today night fresh from the news that Trent Olympics by two points. It was a first individual is still long. I will have to shoot well in the next tournament. Meyer was more verbose in his praise of Waterhouse will part company with the club at world title for Jin, who won 50m pistol gold at two years to be there.” He also said Pollard’s selection was Springbok captain , who the end of the season. Waterhouse, who joined the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and also added the India’s Jitu Rai won silver after scoring 191.1 unconventional and might wrong-foot will on Saturday become the fifth South Warrington in 2012 after a decade with Penrith 10m title at the London Games. “Every time I points in the final and China’s Pang Wei took the All Blacks, a team he described as the African to play 100 Tests. “When the big Panthers, may now call time on his rugby league shot a match, ever since I started competing, I bronze (172.6). The shooting competition at the pace-setters of world rugby. “It is a big names in South African rugby are men- career altogether. However, if the 33-year-old have been trying to reach that result. It feels 17th Asian Games in Incheon, west of Seoul, call but if we don’t do it now we’re never tioned, Jean will forever be among them,” decides to find a new club in 2015 Wolves head awesome,” Jin told the International Shooting starts on Sept 20. — Reuters going to know what he can do and I Meyer said. coach Tony Smith has vowed to support him. “If think this is the right game to do it,” “Jean is not only an extremely good he wants to keep playing, that’s good, I don’t retire anybody,” said Aussie Smith. “He under- Meyer told reporters. “He’s a different rugby player, but he’s also one of the stood why I couldn’t renew his contract but, if he type of player and you need something greatest captains I’ve ever worked with. wants to keep playing, I’ll support him every different if you’re going to beat New “Jean is also a true ambassador for South step of the way.” Zealand. I don’t think you’re going to Africa. To see how he is respected all over Hull KR finish off the weekend’s action with a beat the All Blacks if you just do the con- the world, is truly humbling and our fel- visit to Wakefield Wildcats and Papua New ventional.” low countrymen can be proud of him.” Guinea international Jason Chan is hoping to Meyer praised Steyn, 30, who has Two of South Africa’s other centurions, bow out on a high. The Rovers cannot reach the scored more points (31) than any other Victor Matfield (114 Tests) and Bryan play-offs after defeat to Catalan Dragons on South African against the All Blacks, as “a Habana, who reached the milestone last Sunday and Chan, who plans to return to great kicking fly-half” but said Pollard’s weekend against Australia in Perth, will Australia at the end of the season, regrets not inclusion was about adding depth to the also be playing Saturday. The other two pushing them closer to the top eight. “I’d love to squad. Steyn’s omission was the only Springboks to play 100 Tests are John have helped Rovers reach the play-offs,” he said. change in the side that was beaten nar- Smit (111) and (102). “We have a cracking squad and good coaching rowly 24-23 by Australia last week. “It’s South Africa and New Zealand have team. “It’s a great club to be at and I’d love to be also good for continuity to have an played each other 87 times since 1921, involved in the play-offs, but it wasn’t to be. I’ve enjoyed my time at Rovers, they have treated me GRANADA: Slovakia’s Erik Varga celebrates after winning the Trap Men final during the almost unchanged side. We know where with the Springboks winning 34, losing 51st ISSF World Championship in Granada yesterday. — AFP we made mistakes last weekend and the 50 and three were drawn. — AFP really well.” — AFP