| Deacon misses out for last-ditch Wigan • Scrum-half ruled out of match with Hull KR• Pat Richards and Sam Tomkins are key men for WiganWigan have two players in the running for Super League's most coveted individual award, but their hopes of winning the title itself could disappear if they suffer a second consecutive play-off defeat in tomorrow's sudden‑death match against Hull KR.The favourable draw they earned after finishing top of the table for the first time in a decade was squandered by the 27-26 home defeat by Leeds last Sunday – in which one of their Man of Steel nominations, Sam Tomkins, scored two tries, but the other, Pat Richards, missed three chances to kick a match-winning goal.They do have a second chance as a reward for their consistency through the season, and they will again enjoy home advantage. But they will be wary facing a Hull KR team who have far more momentum after grinding down Hull FC in a ferocious derby last weekend, and who have an excellent record at the DW Stadium."This is it for us, and we don't want to find ourselves talking about what might have been in a week's time," said the Wigan coach, Michael Maguire. "It's a big game but the players have been performing under pressure all year."Maguire will be forced into making at least one change, with the experienced scrum-half Paul Deacon ruled out by a groin injury. Amos Roberts, who was one of the outstanding players of the first half of the season but has struggled for form and confidence since returning from a serious ankle injury that he suffered on Easter Monday, is back in the squad.Rovers are expected to name an unchanged team with Jake Webster and Liam Watts still unavailable. Their coach Justin Morgan believes they are capable of lifting again despite the emotion involved in last weekend's derby win. "As soon as the guys came back into the dressing room, the talk was of who we'd be playing in the next round," said Morgan.Warrington, whose England prop Adrian Morley completes the Man of Steel shortlist, have recalled Vinnie Anderson to their 19-man squad for the weekend's other elimination semi-final against Huddersfield on Saturday evening. Richie Myler is omitted after suffering an injury in their defeat at St Helens last Friday.Wigan WarriorsHull KRSuper LeagueRugby leagueAndy Wilsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Wasps identify location for new community stadium with Wycombe • Staying at Adams Park not commercially viable, say Wasps• 'It has constraints in terms of location, access and quality'Wasps have identified the area where they want to build a new community stadium with Wycombe Wanderers, saying that remaining at Adams Park would prevent them from becoming commercially viable. The two clubs, through Wycombe Sports Development Ltd, announced Wycombe Air Park a few miles from Adams Park as their preferred location for developing what would be a sport village, a stadium with a seated capacity of up to 20,000 supplemented by football and rugby pitches, a cricket ground, a rackets centre and an athletics facility.There would also be commercial space for a hotel and a potential residential development as well as facilities for education and training. Wycombe district council is getting feedback on how the local community want to see the proposals taken forward. The capacity at Adams Park is only 10,000 but Wasps rarely attract a full house and struggle to make a profit. "Adams Park has serious constraints in terms of location, access and the overall quality of experience that it can provide for home and away supporters," said the club in a statement.The WDSL director and Wasps chairman, Mark Rigby, said: "This project is about delivering outstanding new facilities for the benefit of the community and the clubs. Having looked at the property requirements we would need to deliver the full potential of the scheme, we are now clear that Wycombe Air Park at Booker is our preferred site. It has the size, location, topography and combination of attributes that would best enable us to progress our vision, including the potential of co-location of the Air Park for continued aviation. Crucially, we must now await the results of the council's separate public consultation on the sites it is currently assessing. Only after this consultation has closed will we have a clearer view on how the planning process may progress."Wasps and Wycombe Wanderers have appointed Chris Thomas, a chartered accountant, as their chief executive. He has spent the last six months in the position in an interim capacity.The former Wasps outside-half, Danny Cipriani, who is due to join up with Melbourne Rebels next month, continues to be linked with football clubs. One report today said that he had agreed a contract with Milton Keynes Dons having trained with the club this month. He is contracted to the Rebels for two years.Like Wasps, Sale struggle to fill their football ground, Edgeley Park, despite its modest capacity and are consequently falling behind clubs who own their own facilities, such as Leicester and Northampton, in terms of turnover. The Sharks will next April play London Irish at Bolton's Reebok Stadium, confident of achieving a 28,200 full house."As a player, you want to play rugby on the biggest stage," said the Sale outside-half, Charlie Hodgson, who will make his return from injury at home to Wasps on Friday evening. "Having begun my career with the club in front of 1,800 people at Heywood Road, it's absolutely amazing to think we will be playing a home match at a world-class stadium in front of more than 28,000 people."Leicester could be without the prop Marcos Ayerza for the opening two rounds of the Heineken Cup. The Argentina international has a hand injury that will keep him out of action for up to four weeks. The Tigers are considering whether to sign an experienced outside-half on a short-term contract with Jeremy Staunton unlikely to play before Christmas and Toby Flood set to be with England in November after his expected return to action next week.WaspsDanny CiprianiRugby unionPaul Reesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Texans overcome injuries, benching to run past Raiders 31-24 The Houston Texans had every reason every excuse to lose to the Oakland Raiders Sunday. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Meet the new Mike Tyson, not like the old By TIM DAHLBERG 2010-10-16T17:59:48ZLAS VEGAS (AP) -- One little blond kid was bouncing on Mike Tyson's left leg, while his equally blond toddler brother occupied the other. The former baddest man on the planet once threatened to eat children, but now he was playing with two.... hosted.ap.org |
Mathieu Bastareaud dropped by France and told to improve his fitness • Lack of training has piled on the pounds• Coach says he's counting on centre for World CupMathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France's squad for next month's home Tests and warned by the coach Marc Lièvremont to improve his fitness or he will miss out on the 2011 World Cup. The player was a starting centre during this year's Six Nations grand slam campaign.Lièvremont said he is counting on Bastareaud for the New Zealand event but wants the midfielder to improve his condition by training more consistently. "It would be sad if a guy like Mathieu doesn't travel with us at the World Cup," Lièvremont said. "It's been one year now that we are trying to make him understand, but he doesn't do enough to be competitive in an event like the World Cup."Despite strong performances with his club in the Top 14, the powerfully built Bastareaud has been punished for his lack of training, which has led to extra weight. Lièvremont picked Dimitri Szarzewski in his squad of 31 even though the hooker risks a lengthy ban following a headbutting incident.Szarzewski has a disciplinary case pending after headbutting Toulon's Jean-Philippe Genevois in a league match last weekend. The French league's disciplinary commission will decide on his case on 8 November. "He risks a suspension but hopefully the commission will show him clemency," Lièvremont said.France play Fiji on 13 November in Nantes, followed by games against Argentina in Montpellier and Australia at the Stade de France.France squadForwards Thomas Domingo, Luc Ducalcon, Nicolas Mas, Jérôme Schuster, Guilhem Guirado, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski, Romain Millo-Chluski, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Papé, Julien Pierre, Julien Bonnaire, Sébastien Chabal, Thierry Dusautoir, Imanol Harinordoquy, Alexandre Lapandry, Fulgence Ouedraogo.Backs Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili, Damien Traille, François Trinh-Duc, Fabrice Estebanez, Yannick Jauzion, David Marty, Aurélien Rougerie, Marc Andreu, Julien Arias, Yoan Huget, Maxime Médard, Alexis Palisson, Jérôme Porical.France rugby union teamRugby unionAutumn internationalsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |