SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016 SPORTS

Derrick Rose says he assumed ex-girlfriend consented to sex

LOS ANGELES: There was no text mes- The 30-year-old woman denied hav- resume testimony. The judge ordered tims of sexual assault. further advances until a friend removed sage that specifically gave Derrick Rose ing sex earlier in the evening at Rose’s Rose to return to the stand even if it Rose said he never received any text her from the room. permission to have sex with his ex-girl- Beverly Hills mansion, though her testi- means missing a preseason game the from the woman telling him she wanted Rose said the woman was acting a bit friend, but for the NBA star the signs mony was clouded by her claims that night before in New York. to have sex with him and the two others. abnormally, but he didn’t think she was were clear, he testified in a lawsuit that she blacked out and could only piece Rose, 28, was called to the stand by But he had assumed from what had drunk. Rose said he once had feelings for accuses him and two friends of raping together the evening through short the plaintiff’s lawyer as a hostile witness transpired and the fact she had never the woman and thought they had a the woman. “flashes” of memory and by reviewing a to help make the plaintiff’s case that the told him no. bond. He was once asked if he thought It started with a morning text mes- flurry of text messages she apparently woman never gave consent to have sex “In my mind, she consented every she was after his money. “Not at that sage from the woman saying Rose was was able to send despite being drunk with him and his longtime friends and time we had sex,” he said. “Why wouldn’t time,” he said. the reason she “wakes up horny,” includ- and, possibly, drugged. assistants, Randall Hampton and Ryan she do it that time?” Defense lawyers have described her ing a photo of herself in her nightshirt. At the end of testimony, Rose’s lawyer Allen. Consent is the main issue for the Attorney Waukeen McCoy suggested as a gold digger and suggested she had Rose said Friday he surmised that the asked a judge to declare a mistrial jury of six women and two men. The Rose had no remorse about the night. sued for money. She denied that saying: “horny” text had triggered consent from because of a profane text message that men, all friends since adolescence in “I’m sensitive to it,” Rose replied, but “I didn’t wish him any harm, I wanted that point on, and that was only rein- he said the woman’s lawyers had failed Chicago, have denied the allegations added, “I feel I didn’t do anything wrong.” him to be accountable.” forced for him by their sexual acts she to reveal until Friday. and said the woman consented. Rose hadn’t seen the woman since The woman didn’t report the incident engaged in with him and his personal The judge said he would take the The Associated Press is not naming breaking up months earlier, but invited to police until she filed suit more than assistant that night at his house and an issue up Tuesday morning before the the woman because it generally does her over for drinks that night. Rose two years later. Los Angeles police still invite hours later to her apartment. Knicks point guard is scheduled to not identify people who say they are vic- retreated to his room, where he rebuffed have an open investigation.— AP Lynagh says lack of depth hurting Wallabies

LONDON: Wallaby legend Michael Lynagh they normally win games,” said Lynagh. believes a lack of depth lies behind “But it’s been a real struggle this year to Australia’s post World Cup slump. Michael score tries. Whether that’s because opposi- Cheika’s men return to Twickenham yester- tions have worked them out, whether they day for their Rugby Championship finale don’t have enough versatility in their against Argentina in their first match at armoury, we’ve yet to see. ‘headquarters’ since a World Cup final “But we are in a rebuilding phase. We defeat by New Zealand just over a year ago. lost six in a row there but all six of them to Few would have forecast then that loss the number one and number two teams in would mark the start of a run of six straight the world (New Zealand and England) so defeats for Australia, albeit all the games it’s not too bad.” concerned were against the world champi- Argentina head into yesterday’s match on All Blacks and a resurgent England with just one win, over South Africa, in this coached by former Wallaby boss Eddie season’s Rugby Championship. But Lynagh Jones. Australia head into this weekend’s insisted the Pumas, defeated by Australia at match in having won just twice in Twickenham in last year’s World Cup semi- eight games, with the initial optimism final, will still be one of the “teams to beat” engendered under Cheika, who took at the 2019 edition in Japan. charge following the shock resignation of Right now, he reckons they are paying Ewen McKenzie in October 2014, now a the price for the first season of the Jaguares thing of the past. team-the Argentina side in all but name-in “We thought that under difficult circum- the Super Rugby club competition. stances, the team and Michael Cheika per- “They had a tough Super Rugby tourna- formed very well to get to the final,” ment-it was their first time in there and I Lynagh, 52, told AFP in an interview on think players dealing with the travel and it’s Friday at the London office of financial a long season and it’s always the same media firm Dow Jones Corporate, where he group of players,” Lynagh said. “They want- works as the managing director for Europe, ed to incorporate more teams and I think the Middle East and Africa. “They played that’s diluted the product a little bit. SUZUKA: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s German driver Nico Rosberg (C) celebrates after taking pole position ahead of teammate Mercedes good rugby and it’s not that much different “I can understand wanting Argentina to AMG Petronas F1 Team’s British driver Lewis Hamilton (L) and Scuderia Ferrari’s Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen during the qualifying session at to the team that’s been trotted out this be there, but when you’ve got an extra the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka yesterday. —AFP year,” explained former fly-half Lynagh, a South African team, another Australian key member of the Wallabies’ 1991 World team and a Japanese team who play home Cup-winning side. games in Singapore as well. More is not Lynagh, whose 911 points in 72 Tests necessarily better. “But Argentina play a Rosberg keeps squeeze on remains an Australia record, added, howev- pretty good brand of rugby. They are pretty er: “There’s been some issues. (David) dangerous and they’ve been very close (to Pocock hasn’t played a lot of games and he more wins) and they’ll go close again yes- was arguably one of the players of the tour- terday. “I think that with teams in both Hamilton with Japan pole nament at the World Cup. “The England these championships, they will really bene- games we were down to our fifth inside fit and they will be one of the teams to beat SUZUKA: Nico Rosberg stormed to pole posi- Hamilton. “The end of qualifying was pretty ahead of Force India’s Sergio Perez, while Vettel centre which, when you are a nation such at the next World Cup.” Television analyst tion at the Japanese Grand Prix in a pulsating cli- intense but I had a good feeling-I knew if I put in starts alongside Romain Grosjean’s Haas on the as Australia that struggles with depth, is Lynagh, who overcame a life-threatening max yesterday’s qualifying, piling yet more pres- a decent lap then it should be enough,” added fourth row. Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India and not great and it’s the same now. stroke in 2012, finished his playing career sure on world title holder Lewis Hamilton. the German, whose slender edge over Hamilton the second Haas of Esteban Gutierrez rounded “When you look at them, (Matt) Giteau, with London club Saracens, now the reign- The German, who has a 23-point lead over was calculated by Mercedes to work out to just out the top 10. There was frustration for McLaren (Kurtley) Beale, (Matt) Toomua and ing English and European champions. Hamilton in the Formula One championship 82 centimetres. in engine supplier Honda’s home race, however, (Christian) Lealiifano are all out.” Saracens boss Mark McCall has led criti- with five races to go, will start alongside his “I still need to get the job done on the start with Fernando Alonso starting on row eight and cism of last week’s England training camp- British foe on the front row as the two Mercedes tomorrow, then race pace, strategy. We’re feeling Jenson Button one row behind after failing to ‘STRUGGLE’ which included a judo session-that saw continued to dominate in Suzuka. good about it and we think we can be quickest escape the first qualifying round. Last week’s 18-10 defeat by South Africa Wasps flanker Sam Jones break his leg and Rosberg has been quickest all weekend with tomorrow.” Hamilton insisted he could still halt Rosberg’s was typical of Australia’s recent problems, Bath wing Anthony Watson fracture his jaw. Hamilton forced to play second fiddle after surging momentum by winning Sunday’s race, with the normally efficient Wallabies failing “It’s just ludicrous,” said Lynagh. “You being cruelly robbed of victory in Malaysia by a REVERSAL OF FORTUNE having done exactly that in Japan the past two to make their pressure count. can’t have a guy playing for Saracens or blown engine six days ago. Rosberg, chasing his first win in Japan and his years. “I did as well as I could I think,” said “When you get more than 50 percent of whoever on a Sunday, then going doing The triple world champion asked questions of fourth in his last five races, is hoping for a rever- Hamilton, who courted controversy this week by the ball, you look at the Wallabies and you judo sessions on Monday and Tuesday and his fierce rival, but Rosberg showed nerves of sal of fortune at Suzuka after failing to convert hinting his Malaysia heartbreak may have been think they are going to score a lot of tries- then playing Wasps yesterday. It’s just too steel to produce a blistering lap that pipped pole into victory in 2014 and 2015, both times caused by sabotage from within Mercedes. that was the case at the World Cup-and much.” —AFP Hamilton by just 0.013s in a nail-biting finish to losing out to Hamilton. “History has shown you don’t have to be on qualifying. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen will start Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel was fourth pole to get the win.” from third in Sunday’s race, next to Dutch fastest for Ferrari but a three-place grid penalty The Briton bristled when asked if he was too Vettel plays down Ferrari teenager Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. for a first-corner crash with Rosberg in Malaysia hard on his engines. “For people’s reference “I knew I could do it. I just had to get my head means he starts seventh. there’s nothing wrong with my driving style,” boss’ comments on future down and nail it,” said Rosberg after securing his Daniel Ricciardo, who inherited victory in sniffed Hamilton. “I asked the team and it’s not eighth pole of the year, the same number as Sepang after Hamilton’s misfortune, lines up fifth the case, it never has been.” —AFP SUZUKA: Sebastian Vettel said he had last season, hoping to emulate boyhood nothing to sort out with Maurizio idol Michael Schumacher by turning the Arrivabene, playing down comments the sport’s most successful season into a cham- Ferrari team principal made that the pionship-winning force again. Ricky Burns eyes German had to earn his place at the Italian The partnership won three races in their Formula One team. first year together, becoming the only team Broner bout after “I know that there is nothing between apart from Mercedes to stand on the top us, nothing that we need to sort out,” Vettel, step of the podium. title defence who said he was not aware of the com- But an expected title challenge has ments, told reporters at the Suzuka circuit failed to materialise this year with Ferrari LONDON: Scotland’s Ricky Burns made a successful first yesterday after Japanese Grand Prix qualify- slipping back behind Vettel’s former team defence of his super-light- ing. “I enjoy a really good relationship with Red Bull. The German, who retired on the weight title with a hard-fought points win over Kiryl him and I think if there’s something that I opening lap of the last race in Malaysia Relikh in on Friday. Victory took Burns, 33, don’t like, I tell him and equally the other after shoving Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes into closer to a clash with American four-weight champion way around,” the four-times world champi- a spin, has also come in for criticism from . on said. Arrivabene, speaking to broadcast- the Italian media. But he did not have things all his own way before er Italia, made the comments in “As much as the team wants to perform, prevailing 118-110, 116-112, 116-112 on the three reference to Vettel’s future. “Each of us has I want to perform,” said Vettel, who quali- judges’ scorecards for a unanimous points decision. goals,” Arrivabene said, adding that a deci- fied fourth behind team mate Kimi The fight was made all the more emotional for Burns sion on Vettel’s contract, which is up for Raikkonen in Japan but will drop three and his legion of fans after it was announced renewal at the end of next season, would places on the grid as punishment for collid- be made during 2017. ing with Rosberg at Sepang. Wednesday that all money from remaining ticket sales “So it is only right that anyone, no mat- “I had races this year where I didn’t do would be donated to the family of dead boxer Mike ter who it is, earns their place and their so, I wasn’t happy with myself because Towell. Towell died in hospital last Friday after being salary,” Arrivabene added. He suggested there was more on the table,” he added. stretchered from the ring in Glasgow the previous day. Vettel needed to focus on getting the most Vettel is fifth in the standings, behind Belarus boxer Relikh, coached by former world cham- out of the car and not get distracted by Raikkonen. The Finn won the world cham- pion , made a strong start as he fully justi- other aspects of the team’s operation. pionship with Ferrari in 2007, the team’s fied his pre-fight record of 19 knockouts in 21 wins. Vettel, 29, joined Ferrari at the start of last drivers’ title. —Reuters But a straight right by Burns that landed on the 26- year-old Relikh towards the end of the fourth round brought forth cheers from the crowd. The resilient Relikh kept pursuing Burns and he landed with a couple of heavy punches in the 10th round. Three-weight world champion Burns went down in the 12th and final round, but only due to a slip rather than a punch, and by that stage he had done enough to hold on to the WBA belt. After the bout, he quickly turned his attention to the prospect of facing Broner in Las Vegas. “If the money is right, I will fight anyone,” Burns told Sky Sports. “Broner, when he is on his game, is a very good fighter. “I don’t see the point in going anywhere else. At some point I can get a big fight over there.” As for his victory over Relikh, Burns conceded: “In the second round he caught me with a couple. “He could whack. I know people go on about big punchers all the time but there were some punches there - I can hardly lift my hands tonight.”But we stuck to the game-plan, we stuck to boxing. I got the win and that is the main Sebastian Vettel thing. We move on to the next one.” — AFP Ricky Burns