Walker Leads Texas Open
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SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015 SPORTS Waratahs win drab game SYDNEY: Bernard Foley kicked defending Wingers Taqele Naiyaravoro and Rob champions New South Wales Waratahs Horne were denied further tries in the back into Super Rugby’s top six in a 23-11 space of 15 minutes. As the hosts lost their win over the Auckland Blues in Sydney yes- sparkle and intensity, Auckland fly-half Dan terday. Bowden, in his first Super Rugby start in Two second-half penalty goals from fly- five years, landed two penalty goals to half Foley and a late try to replacement reduce the Tahs’ lead to one point at the winger Peter Betham saved the Waratahs’ break. blushes in a drab victory over the last- The Blues briefly snatched a four-point placed Blues. advantage 15 minutes into the second half The Waratah forwards edged their New when powerful centre Francis Saili crashed Zealand counterparts in a bruising over. encounter with South African Jacques But Foley had the final say, his two Potgieter standing out five days after being penalties and the conversion of Betham’s fined by the Australian Rugby Union for try was enough to secure NSW’s fourth win making homophobic slurs in the Waratahs’ from six outings. The Blues were forced to heated derby win over the Brumbies. defend for much of the match but stayed in Skipper Dave Dennis, who finished the touch with some resilient defence. game in the blood bin, and barnstorming But an inspired defensive effort was ulti- lock Will Skelton also led the way for the mately of little comfort for the visitors as home side. they fell to their sixth straight defeat of the There was no sign of the dour spectacle campaign. to follow when Waratahs scrum-half Nick “That’s what we’ve been looking for over Phipps scored under the crossbar in the the years-to get the crowd into the game,” eighth minute after a short pass from Waratahs coach Michael Cheika said. “Over Kurtley Beale to Michael Hooper from a the last year or two, that’s been happening lineout win. Hooper’s last pass to Phipps more and more and we enjoy it.” Blues looked a touch forward but the video refer- coach John Kirwan rued having Jerome ee cleared it and Foley’s conversion made it Kaino in the sin bin for the last nine min- 7-0. utes and Cheika agreed the visiting captain Israel Folau and Beale had plenty of was unlucky to have been yellow-carded, touches and looked sharp while the for- saying it was a head clash with Dave wards were carrying and hitting with ven- Dennis. The win pulled the Waratahs to two om as the Waratahs appeared up for the competition points behind Australian con- contest. ference leaders the Brumbies. —AFP Highlanders blow HONG KONG: Australia’s Con Foley (right) fights for the ball with Chris Dean of Scotland (center) during a second day match at het Hong Kong Stormers away Sevens rugby tournament. —AP DUNEDIN: The Otago Highlanders banked “The Fijian brothers out wide did some very New Zealand beat Australia a crucial bonus-point as they ran in five good work. The forwards played really well tries in a substantial 39-21 victory over the and matched it with the big, physical Western Stormers in Dunedin yesterday. Stormers pack.” in Hong Kong Sevens clash After the Stormers scored first, the After the Stormers’ opening try, the Highlanders replied with 31 unanswered Highlanders struck back with Aaron Smith HONG KONG: Defending champions New “We obviously got it together against a good England, who were pushed to a 21-21 draw by a points to have the game secure before the dotting down against the front of the right- Zealand beat Australia in the most anticipated Australian team,” he added, praising Ioane.”He strong USA side. South Africans found the line again. hand upright when his way to the tryline second-day clash of the Hong Kong Sevens yes- scores important tries when you need them and England are placed fifth in the series and beat Waisake Naholo scored twice and his fel- was blocked. terday, as the arch-rivals prepare to take each every game I feel he’s going to get better and Kenya 17-7 in their other group match. USA will low Fijian wing Patrick Osborne also Lima Sopoaga landed the conversion, a other on in the cricket World Cup. better.” meet Samoa in their quarter-final. A qualifier touched down along with Aaron Smith and penalty and then two more conversions as All Blacks coach Gordon Tietjens said before Australia lie fourth in the World Series stand- tournament runs alongside the main event with Dan Pryor. Naholo ran in two tries in the countdown the sevens that the Black Caps’ thrilling semi- ings and take on series leaders South Africa in the winner becoming a top-ranked “core” team Juan de Jongh scored two for the to half-time. final victory over South Africa in the cricket the quarters. “I thought we defended exception- next season. Stormers with one for Michael Rhodes. It For his first try, Naholo intercepted a de Tuesday was a “huge motivation” for his rugby ally well,” said Australia coach Geraint John. Hong Kong missed out on a hoped-for place was a disappointing start to a tough Jongh pass and ran 60 metres to the line, team. “It’s a big game tomorrow.” Rugby sevens will after losing to Russia in their quarter-final. Australasian road trip for the Stormers and and for his second he crashed over New Zealand take on Australia in the cricket for the first time feature at the Summer Zimbabwe, Spain and Papua New Guinea join took the gloss off celebrations for Stormers fullback Cheslin Kolbe, who is final today, also finals day at the sevens. It was Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year, with the Russia in the qualifier semis. Springbok great Schalk Burger making his much shorter and 17 kilograms (37.5 not a good start for the rugby side Saturday with top four teams at the end of the Sevens World Fans from around the world flew in for the 100th Super appearance for the Stormers. pounds) lighter. Osborne scored the bonus a shock 24-24 draw with Portugal. But teen star Series securing a berth in Brazil. three-day event and filled Hong Kong Stadium’s The South Africa franchise, who next point try early in the second half to put the Rieko Ioane, who turned 18 two days ago, twice South Africa are currently five points clear of famous South Stand from early morning, face the unbeaten Wellington Hurricanes Highlanders up 31-7 before Rhodes replied broke through the Australian defence to seal a New Zealand in the series standings. The Hong dressed as everything from Roman centurions to and then defending champions NSW for the Stormers. 14-5 victory. Kong Sevens-which is celebrating its 40th edi- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Waratahs, needed points to get their jour- With the gap down to 17 points and 20 New Zealand topped their group with tion this year-is the sixth of the nine tourna- Disco legends Village People sang out “YMCA” ney off on the right foot. minutes left the opportunity was there for Australia second. Both go through to today’s ments in the series. South Africa eased through under blue skies and as the sun beat down, fans They made the best possible start when the Stormers to stage a comeback. But a quarters. “We were pretty disappointed with this to the quarters Saturday, beating Japan 27-0 and were warned not to use alcohol as a “mechanism de Jongh, leading the side in place of the sustained attack was held up by a deter- morning’s performance against Portugal... we France 29-7. for hydration” by the tongue-in-cheek announc- rested Duane Vermeulen, scored first to fin- mined defence before the Highlanders defended really badly,” said Tietjens, whose team Third-ranked Fiji took Belgium 38-7 and er. HKRFU said three people had been taken to ish a long Stormers build up. broke out for Dan Pryor to score their fifth will now face Argentina. Canada 40-5 for their place and will meet hospital yesterday. —AFP But as the Stormers dominated the set try. De Jongh replied with his second try pieces and operated in the right areas of but by then the game was well beyond the the field, the breaks went the Highlanders’ Stormers and replacement fly-half Marty way. “We took the most of our opportuni- Banks had the final say for the Highlanders ties,” Highlanders captain Ben Smith said. with a penalty on fulltime. —AFP Walker leads Texas Open SAN ANTONIO: Local favorite Jimmy Walker Pressel joins Lee atop fired a five-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the US PGA LPGA leaderboard Tour’s Texas Open here Friday. Walker’s six-under-par total of 138 put CARLSBAD: Morgan Pressel fired record- Walshe, who carded a 67. Pressel described him one in front of overnight leader Charley equalling eight-under par 64 on Friday to her sparkling effort as “stress free.” Hoffman, who posted an even-par 72 and join Lee Mi-Rim atop the leaderboard after “I hit almost every fairway, and I think I was joined on 139 by Australian Aaron two rounds of the LPGA Kia Classic. hit 16 or 17 greens and just had a chance Baddeley, who shot a 71.