Rugby Union - World Cup

[Donny]

Drug cheats likely: coaches
By Peter Jenkins and Warren Partland
October 25, 2003

TWO leading World Cup coaches last night agreed there may be drug cheats playing in rugby union's showpiece event.

Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan labelled drug use an ever-present risk for all professional sports, rugby included.

And Australian coach Eddie Jones said he would not be surprised if positive tests were returned at the World Cup. The issue has mushroomed since the International Rugby Board announced on Wednesday it would start screening for the new designer anabolic steroid THG.

Four high-profile track and field athletes have already been identified as having returned positive samples (See Page 94). Investigators say scores of athletes in various sports could have used the drug.

This has prompted the IRB action.

"Unfortunately, we, like any other power sport in the world, will struggle with drugs in rugby," O'Sullivan said.

"It is sad but true and a reflection of modern life. There is always going to be a problem in professional sport because the pressure is colossal on players.

"It is their livelihood. There is a lot of money to be made by succeeding in the sport. Like any professional sport around the world, there are people who will abuse drugs to get what they want and get where they want."

French flanker Olivier Magne caused a stir when he aired suspicions about unnamed rivals.

Now O'Sullivan and Jones have further fuelled speculation that the code, at the highest level, includes undetected cheats despite extensive testing programs worldwide.

England coach Clive Woodward also bought into the issue, saying any player who returned a sample positive to the newly-identified substance would be "ridiculously stupid".

Jones said he was confident no Australian player would be silly enough to use any banned or doubtful substance.

"But I can only talk about what we're doing and I believe Australia is clean," Jones said.

"I'm also not concerned with how other teams behave. At this stage we're only concerned with the behaviour of Australians.

"But I don't think it would surprise me [if there were drug cheats at the World Cup]."

One Wallabies forward confirmed he had been tested at least six times this season and welcomed moves to weed out players, from any nation, who were delving in the area of unfair advantage.

Like Jones, O'Sullivan is confident his own squad is clean.

But he said it was highly likely there would be individuals in the sport prepared to take risks because the rewards were so high.

He also backed the IRB's hardline stance on drugs and its vigilant approach to stamping out offenders.

O'Sullivan said his squad had been tested so often it had "delivered an ocean of urine this year". Some Irish players have been randomly selected on eight occasions to provide samples.

O'Sullivan believes no teams are advocating drug use and only individuals are seeking an advantage.

He also praised rugby bodies for their concerted attempts to find any cheats by testing at all levels of the game.

"It shows how clean rugby is trying to be," said O'Sullivan.

"To be fair to the IRB and other governing bodies in rugby, they are doing everything they can do to keep the sport clean.

"Despite that you will always have people take drugs to try to gain an advantage. I hope we can catch them."

Australian Rugby Union managing director John O'Neill said the determination to keep drugs out of the sport was also important as the game bids to return to the Olympics.

"We are desperate for rugby to be reinstated to the Olympics," he said. "And [any] performance-enhancing drugs need to be eliminated."

[Donny]

Results, standings
October 30, 2003

Pool A
Australia 24 Argentina 8
Ireland 45 Romania 17
Argentina 67 Namibia 14

Australia 90 Romania 8
Ireland 64 Namibia 7
Argentina 50 Romania 3
Australia 142 Namibia 0
Ireland 16 Argentina 15

P W D L F A BP Pts
Australia 3 3 0 0 256 16 2 14
Ireland 3 3 0 0 125 39 2 14
Argentina 4 2 0 2 140 57 3 11
Romania 3 0 0 3 28 185 0 0
Namibia 3 0 0 3 21 273 0 0

Pool B
Scotland 39 United States 15
France 51 Japan 29
Fiji 19 United States 18
France 61 Fiji 18
Scotland 32 Japan 11
Fiji 41 Japan 13
France 51 Scotland 9
United States 39 Japan 26


France 3 3 0 0 163 58 3 15
Scotland 3 2 0 1 79 77 2 10
Fiji 3 2 0 1 78 92 1 9
United States 3 1 0 2 72 84 2 6
Japan 4 0 0 4 79 163 0 0

Pool C
England 84 Georgia 6
South Africa 72 Uruguay 6
Samoa 60 Uruguay 13
England 25 South Africa 6
Samoa 46 Georgia 9
South Africa 46 Georgia 19
England 35 Samoa 22
Uruguay 24 Georgia 12

England 3 3 0 0 144 34 2 14
South Africa 3 2 0 1 124 50 2 10
Samoa 3 2 0 1 128 57 2 10
Uruguay 3 1 0 2 43 144 0 4
Georgia 4 0 0 4 46 200 0 0

Pool D
New Zealand 70 Italy 7
Wales 41 Canada 10
Italy 36 Tonga 12
New Zealand 68 Canada 6
Wales 27 Tonga 20
Italy 19 Canada 14
New Zealand 91 Tonga 7
Wales 27 Italy 15
Canada 24 Tonga 7


New Zealand 3 3 0 0 229 20 3 15
Wales 3 3 0 0 95 45 1 13
Italy 4 2 0 2 77 123 0 8
Canada 4 1 0 3 54 135 1 5
Tonga 4 0 0 4 46 178 1 1

[Joel]

GO WALLABIES!!!!

[HAL]

Where is that?

[Joel]

Timbucktoo!

[Donny]

Quarter-final draw
November 3, 2003

SATURDAY
NZ v South Africa at Telstra Dome 6.30pm
Australia v Scotland at Suncorp Stadium 9pm
SUNDAY
France v Ireland at Telstra Dome 6.30pm
England v Wales at Suncorp Stadium 9pm

Pool A
Australia 24 Argentina 8
Ireland 45 Romania 17
Argentina 67 Namibia 14Australia 90 Romania 8
Ireland 64 Namibia 7
Argentina 50 Romania 3
Australia 142 Namibia 0
Ireland 16 Argentina 15
Romania 37 Namibia 7
Australia 17 Ireland 16

Standings
P W D L F A BP Pts
Australia 4 4 0 0 273 32 2 18
Ireland 4 3 0 1 141 56 3 15
Argentina 4 2 0 2 140 57 3 11
Romania 4 1 0 3 65 192 1 5
Namibia 4 0 0 4 28 310 0 0
Australia and Ireland qualify for the quarter-finals.

Pool B
Scotland 39 United States 15
France 51 Japan 29
Fiji 19 United States 18
France 61 Fiji 18
Scotland 32 Japan 11
Fiji 41 Japan 13
France 51 Scotland 9
United States 39 Japan 26
France 41 United States 14
Scotland 22 Fiji 20

France 4 4 0 0 204 70 4 20
Scotland 4 3 0 1 102 97 2 14
Fiji 4 2 0 2 98 114 2 10
United States 4 1 0 3 86 125 2 6
Japan 4 0 0 4 79 163 0 0
France and Scotland qualify for the quarter-finals

Pool C
England 84 Georgia 6
South Africa 72 Uruguay 6
Samoa 60 Uruguay 13
England 25 South Africa 6
Samoa 46 Georgia 9
South Africa 46 Georgia 19
England 35 Samoa 22
Uruguay 24 Georgia 12
South Africa 60 Samoa 19
England 111 Uruguay 13

England 4 4 0 0 255 47 3 19
South Africa 4 3 0 1 184 60 3 15
Samoa 4 2 0 2 138 117 2 10
Uruguay 4 1 0 3 56 255 0 4
Georgia 4 0 0 4 46 200 0 0
England and South Africa qualify for the quarter-finals

Pool D
New Zealand 70 Italy 7
Wales 41 Canada 10
Italy 36 Tonga 12
New Zealand 68 Canada 6
Wales 27 Tonga 20
Italy 19 Canada 14
New Zealand 91 Tonga 7
Wales 27 Italy 15
Canada 24 Tonga 7
New Zealand 53 Wales 37

New Zealand 4 4 0 0 282 57 4 20
Wales 4 3 0 1 132 98 1 13
Italy 4 2 0 2 77 123 0 8
Canada 4 1 0 3 54 135 1 5
Tonga 4 0 0 4 46 178 1 1
New Zealand and Wales qualify for the quarter-finals

[Donny]

Sailor calls Scots' bluff
By Peter Jenkins
November 8, 2003

DEFIANT Wallaby Wendell Sailor, still seething at calls for his sacking, has challenged Scotland to target his wing tonight.


In his own words, Sailor is "pissed off" and "filthy" at being branded a liability and yesterday welcomed any plans Scotland had to rattle him and an Australian back three of rugby league converts.

"People say they might target us with bombs," said Sailor, who will form the new-look unit with winger Lote Tuqiri and fullback Mat Rogers. "I don't care if they do. They can target us all day and night if they like. That's how confident we feel."

But for Sailor it is even more personal as he returns to Suncorp Stadium - the venue known as Lang Park when he was a Queensland State of Origin hero.

Sailor has come in for criticism as a one-dimensional ball-runner. He has been accused of defensive frailties, for not possessing a kicking game and of showing naivety towards the subtleties of the 15-man code.

Former Test coach Bob Dwyer suggested Sailor should go after the one-point win over Ireland. Wing legend David Campese has said the same.

"I'll be leaving nothing in the tank in this one," said Sailor.

"I've been getting filthy with the so-called experts. Last year I was a bit ordinary. I struggled to break the line.

"But this year has been different. I've scored some of the best tries of my career against some of the best opposition in rugby.

"I can't believe I've only got one try in the World Cup so far. But I have been marked a lot more heavily this year. People are getting in my space and I've had to adjust."

Sailor left rugby league with the intention of starring on rugby union's biggest stage. But the entire Wallabies production has yet to win rave reviews.

"We need to trust ourselves more," Sailor said. "We need to go wide with speed.

"That's what the better sides are doing. We just haven't been putting it together.

"We're playing better as individuals than we are as a team. Take a look at the All Blacks. They're playing as a team."

Whether Sailor's appraisal is in line with coach Eddie Jones' thinking is a moot point. Jones does not think the World Cup will be won by the most adventurous side.

"I think it will be won by the smartest side," he said.

"If you look at the most contestable game we've had in the World Cup - and I feel the highest standard of game - it was England versus South Africa. That wasn't won by adventurous rugby."

But for Sailor, they are teams to come. For now, it is bring on Scotland.

* THE Wallabies will wear black armbands tonight as a mark of respect for former Wallaby captain Col (Breeze) Windon, who passed away earlier this week.

[Donny]

Prepare for Blacklash
By Peter Jenkins
November 9, 2003

Australia 33 Scotland 16

THE Wallabies have their semi-final berth, World Cup organisers have their dream showdown, and the All Blacks have their hands to their mouths, trying to hide the toothy smiles.


After overcoming a nightmare first half, where blunders and buffoonery walked hand-in-hand with the defending champions, there were no guarantees the Wallabies would even squeeze past Scotland and into the tournament's final four.

Eventually sanity prevailed. Australia ran in three tries, won the game and head to Sydney for a Telstra Stadium blockbuster with their trans-Tasman neighbours.

But if the Wallabies produce another first half like they did at Suncorp Stadium, they will be bushwhacked.

"We were a little bit disappointed in the first half. We turned over a little bit of ball but we stuck at it in that second half and we went on with it and that was good," said captain George Gregan.

"We just didn't have much possession (first half). We had not put many phases on them, asked many questions on them defensively.

"It was just a matter of being disciplined, being patient, and they would come, and that did occur.

"Against the All Blacks next week is a match that both teams probably knew they would meet in. Everyone has been talking about, but it is on and we can't wait to be back home in Sydney playing against the Blacks."

There was some fluency in the second stanza. Enough at least to kill off a Scottish side bereft of attacking options apart from winning ball at the lineout. Not enough to threaten the All Blacks, though, unless they have an off night.

Coach Eddie Jones will have to consider changes. Again. But one potential inclusion, five-eighth deputy Matt Giteau, hobbled from the field with an ankle problem.

Jones must have cringed as he watched his plans to strike at Scotland wide slowly shredded by another bucketload of Australian backline bungles.

Fullback Mat Rogers reached his trademark quota of two fumbles per game inside the opening half hour. The ideas are there. But, to steal the Jones buzzword, the execution is missing. When asked to hang a rival, they struggle to open the trapdoor.

The malaise behind the scrum was not as frightening as what was occurring at the lineout. It was knee trembling stuff for hooker Brendan Cannon every time he stepped to the touchline.

The Wallabies lost three successive lineouts in the first half. Even when they did haul them in the ball was scrappy, almost unusable.

It was the pressure from the Scottish forwards at scrum and lineout which helped them pin the Wallabies inside their own half for much of the opening stanza.

Whether it was due to injury or simply a tactical manouevre, Jones had flanker George Smith removed from the game at halftime and injected the more vertically advantaged Matt Cockbain.

It was a shabby first half of botched chances from Australia with their only points coming from the boot of inside centre Elton Flatley. But his three penalty goals were cancelled out by two from Scottish five-eighth Chris Paterson and a 49-metre drop goal.

Returning outside centre Stirling Mortlock put some sense into the madness with a solo effort from 55 metres to give Australia their first try.

Flatley's conversion and a penalty six minutes later had the Wallabies out to 19-9.

Mortlock and Lote Tuqiri had been the most threatening of the Australian backs. And Tuqiri was easily the best.

So it was fitting he played a leading role in the second Australian try, to skipper George Gregan, that effectively shut out the Scots.

AUSTRALIA 33 (D Lyons, G Gregan, S Mortlock tries; E Flatley 3 con, 4 pen) SCOTLAND 16 (R Russell try; C Paterson con, 2 pen, drop goal). Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand). Crowd: 41,412