SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2019 SPORT 18 She’s having a great year, so Karolina Pliskova it’s going to be super tough. believes she would be the TODAY’S ACTION It’s going to be a big underdog against Al Khor vs Al Gharafa: Al Khor Stadium at 17:15 challenge but I have nothing Ashleigh Barty in the to lose. semi-final of WTA Finals Al Duhail vs Al Sadd: Al Duhail Stadium at 19:25 New Zealand team pose for pictures after winning the bronze medals following their win over Wales at the Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. All Blacks veterans sign-off with bronze AFP the Welsh by six tries to two. early penalty, but that was merely left Wales prop Dillon Lewis the stroke of half-time, taking a line-ups, Hansen having made TOKYO The result means New a blip as the All Blacks looked to prone. long pass from his namesake seven changes to the team which Zealand have won 32 of their 35 run the ball at every opportunity A sustained period of Welsh Aaron and powerfully handing off lost 19-7 to England and Gatland Veteran winger Ben Smith scored meetings with Wales, last losing at a packed Tokyo Stadium. pressure then followed and paid Tomos Williams to slide into the nine from the side that went a classy try double as New in 1953, while Hansen’s incredible The first try came quickly, the off after Patchell found Hallam corner. down 19-16 to South Africa. Zealand beat Wales 40-17 to record includes just 10 defeats in influential Aaron Smith finding Amos with a long miss-pass, the Mo’unga added the extras to One ever-present on the team clinch third spot at the Rugby 107 Tests in charge. skipper Kieran Read, who full-back dummying Mo’unga and leave New Zealand in complete list for Wales, however, has been World Cup on Friday in the Gatland, under whose charge offloaded to Brodie Retallick, the shooting over for a try. control at 28-10 at half-time. Josh Adams, and the winger bur- perfect send-off for storied coach Wales have won 85 of their 151 lock stepping inside Rhys Patchell Patchell added the conversion The cut-and-thrust, running rowed over from close range for Steve Hansen. Tests -- but have lost all 12 and producing a brilliant back- and then a simple penalty, but rugby continued in the second a seventh try of the tournament In what was the final Test for matches against his native New handed pass to Joe Moody, the New Zealand roared back period, Ben Smith surging deep to usurp Shane Williams’ Welsh both Hansen and Wales coun- Zealand -- might have joked that prop bounding in from 20 metres through veteran Ben Smith, the into Welsh territory before Sonny record of at a World Cup. terpart Warren Gatland, after it would have been better to settle for a great front rower’s try. winger jinking his way through a Bill Williams provided a perfect The game becamse increas- seven and 12 years at their the play-off by a drinking game, Mo’unga converted and crowded defence after good offload for centre partner Ryan ingly error-strewn, but Mo’unga respective helms, both sides pro- but both teams showed intent on added a second after Beauden lead-up work by Read and Liam Crotty to cross for the try. stepped through Dan Biggar’s duced an entertaining encounter the pitch. Barrett scampered over after a Coltman. Both sides were much dif- poor tackle for a late try, taking that saw New Zealand outscore RichieceMou Mo’ungagag missedm ssed an a neateat Aaron ao Smith S t drop-off dopofp thatt at Smith,Sth,, 33,33 got his double on ferent from their semi-final his personal tally to 15 points. Strong England hold upper Previous World Cup finals 2015 - NEW ZEALAND 34, AUSTRALIA 17 Led by the indomitable Richie McCaw, the All Blacks became the first team to retain the title despite a spirited hand against Boks in final comeback from the Wallabies, who were down 21-3 before rallying with 14 unanswered points. REUTERS opener against the All Blacks, but South took over two years ago and his multi- 2011 - NEW ZEALAND 8, FRANCE 7 TOKYO Africa have also never lost a final, racial, multi-lingual side have looked It would prove to be third time unlucky for an inspired including the 2007 title-decider against supremely confident and eminently France as the All Blacks held firm finally to secure their second England will rightly be favourites to win England. comfortable in themselves and their title on home soil. today’s World Cup final after dethroning Having beaten Australia in the game at this World Cup. 2007 - SOUTH AFRICA 15,ENGLAND 6 the All Blacks last weekend but they are quarter-finals, England will need to Jones has twice before master- In only the second try-less final, the Springboks prevented likely to have to pull another big complete an unprecedented sweep of minded stunning upsets at the World England from becoming the first side to defend their crown performance out of the bag to prevent victories over the three southern hem- Cup - Australia beating the All as full-back Percy Montgomery kicked four penalties while South Africa from securing a third isphere superpowers in successive Blacks in the 2003 semi-finals centre Francois Steyn added another from long range. crown. weeks to get their hands on the Webb and Japan downing the 2003 ENGLAND 20, AUSTRALIA 17 The intensity of England’s per- Ellis Cup for a second time. Springboks in 2015 - only for England’s Jonny Wilkinson and Australia’s Elton Flatley formance in the 19-7 victory over double That would be a considerable his team to lose their next converted four penalties each in a tense 100-minute affair defending champions New Zealand last achievement in itself but Jones, who was match. that went to extra time courtesy of a last-gasp three-pointer Saturday will be mighty tough to rep- able to name the same starting line-up His Wallabies from the Wallabies fly-half. licate in any case, but if any team could as that which won the semi-final, has came pretty close to 1999 - AUSTRALIA 35, FRANCE 12 resist the onslaught, it is probably the raised expectations so high that it would backing up 16 years Australian full-back Matt Burke punished French ill-dis- doughty Springboks. The hope of the no longer be considered a surprise. ago, however, cipline with seven penalties to add to his two conversions at thousands of England fans pouring into In George Ford and Owen Farrell, with Clive the newly-constructed Millennium Stadium. the Tokyo area for the match, though, England have two top quality place- Woodward’s 1995 - SOUTH AFRICA 15, NEW ZEALAND 12 is that Australian coach Eddie Jones kickers and world class playmakers, England needing Newly-elected South African president Nelson Mandela might have a few more tricks up his while wingers Anthony Watson and extra time and a saw the World Cup on home soil as an opportunity to unite sleeve for the return to Yokohama Inter- Jonny May have proved themselves to last-minute Jonny a country torn apart by Apartheid and the Springboks duly national Stadium today. be the match for any outside backs at Wilkinson drop goal delivered with a narrow victory over the all-conquering All South Africa, by contrast, are the tournament. to secure their maiden Blacks. unlikely to stray very far from the tried South Africa might have finished title at Sydney’s Olympic 1991 - AUSTRALIA 12, ENGLAND 6 and tested pressure game that allowed third at the World Cup in England four stadium. The Wallabies lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time them to bludgeon their way past Wales years ago but they too have endured World Cup finals are rarely England’s captain Owen thanks to a single converted try from prop Tony Daly and two under a bombardment of high balls in humiliation over the last few seasons, expansive affairs and it would be no Farrell during a practice Michael Lynagh penalties. the second semi-final last weekend. not least when they lost eight of 12 tests great surprise if it took something sim- session on the eve of 1987 - NEW ZEALAND 29, FRANCE 9 No team has ever won the World in 2016. ilarly dramatic to decide the champions today’s World Cup final The All Blacks laid down the marker in the very first World Cup after losing a pool match, as the Erasmus has managed to turn things of the ninth edition of rugby’s showpiece against South Africa. Cup final, dominating from start to finish as fly-half Grant Springboks did in their tournament around in remarkable fashion since he tournament. Fox’s kicking helped his team gain territory time and again. Warner leads Australia to T20 England beat Kiwis in first T20 AFP SCOREBOARD CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND whitewash over Sri Lanka M. Guptill b S.Curran ..............................................2 England cruised to a seven-wicket victory over New C. Munro c Morgan b Jordan............................... 21 T. Siefert c Bairstow b Jordan ............................32 AP Zealand in the opening Twenty20 international in SCOREBOARD C. de Grandhomme c Vince b Rashid ................19 MELBOURNE Christchurch yesterday. SRI LANKA Bowling: Starc 4-0-32-2, Richardson R. Taylor c Bairstow b Brown ............................44 K. Mendis c McDermott b Richardson .....13 4-0-25-2, Cummins 4-0-23-2, Zampa James Vincent top-scored for the tourists with 59, D.