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| Texas A&M's Roland heading home after surgery on broken leg Texas A&M senior guard Derrick Roland is heading home for Christmas. with a rod and three screws in his leg. Dr. Chris Wahl, the surgeon ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Jones injury mars Scarlets' victory Newport Gwent Dragons 9-14 ScarletsAn unexceptional game erupted into a frantic conclusion as the Dragons, who had spent most of the afternoon fumbling, held on to the ball for 35 phases in a six-and-a-half minute spell in stoppage time. But they were unable to score and so surrendered their unbeaten home record.It was the Scarlets' first away win in the league since May and it was all the more remarkable considering their lengthy injury list, which grew further when the Wales and Lions fly-half Stephen Jones hurt his shoulder in a collision with his opposite number, Shaun Connor. Jones is not expected to be out for long, but the Christmas programme of Welsh derbies has also resulted in James Hook and Alun Wyn Jones suffering shoulder injuries.The Dragons were also missing key players, but that did not explain the basic errors that disfigured the game. Passes were dropped or thrown forward, players got in each other's way and decision-making was suspect throughout. The Scarlets scored the only try and were denied another when Andy Fenby lost control over the line. Their centres, Jonathan Davies and Sean Lamont, were too good for the Dragons' defence, but there was an absence of genuine class.Davies created the try on 23 minutes, shrugging off Matthew Watkins to give Rhys Priestland a run in from 30 yards. The Scarlets were threatening to run amok but they struggled at the breakdown, conceding numerous turnovers, and after taking the lead early in the second half they opted to preserve what they had and invited the Dragons on to them.It looked a sure strategy, given the problems the Dragons had holding on to the ball, but in stoppage time Fenby filled in at scrum-half in his own 22. He lobbed a pass to Dan Evans that took so long to arrive the clearance kick was charged down. The Dragons had the base from which to launch their final wave of attacks.The Scarlets are still one off the bottom of the Magners League but they are now within touching distance of Cardiff Blues and the Dragons. In previous years, finishing the season as the lowest Welsh region mattered little as far as Heineken Cup qualification went, but only three of the four sides will make next season's tournament. Defeat would have left the Scarlets adrift. "The move is good for the league because it makes it more competitive but it is bad for coaches," said the Scarlets' head coach, Nigel Davies. "We knew we needed a result."Despite missing eight players through injury, including the Lions hooker Matthew Rees, Davies dropped the scrum-half Martin Roberts after his sledging had cost his side three points in the Boxing Day derby against the Ospreys.The Dragons lost four matches in December. "We made too many unforced errors," said their head coach, Paul Turner. "The commitment was there, but that will only get you so far. Execution and accuracy are what win matches."Turner's side led three times but they failed to score in the second half and the headless nature of their final onslaught said everything about their afternoon.Newport Gwent Dragons Tovey (M Thomas, 68); Brew, Riley, Watkins, Fussell; Connor, Lee (Williams, h-t); Gustafson (McKenzie, 63), Willis (capt; S Jones, 58), Palmer, Sidoli, Charteris, MacDonald (Webb, 58), G Thomas, Evans.Pens Connor 2 Drop goal Connor.Scarlets Priestland; Williams, Lamont, J Davies, Fenby; S Jones (Evans, 55), G Davies; John, Owens, Manu, Reed (Welch, 59), Day, McCusker, Edwards (Pugh, 62), Lyons (capt).Try Priestland Pens S Jones 2, Priestland.Referee N Owens (Pontyberem). Attendance 6,429.Magners LeagueNewport Gwent DragonsLlanelli ScarletsRugby unionPaul Reesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Greg Wood: 66 days till the biggest race of 2010 Racing is running out of time to promote what is hoped will be the most significant race of 2010The most significant race of 2010 is – all being well – 67 days away. Friday 19 March will bring Kauto Star and Denman together at Cheltenham for the third and decisive time and the nation will stop to watch.Well, the racing nation will, at any rate. Whether anyone else in the UK's adult population of nearly 50 million will take any notice remains to be seen and may well be a better test of the sport's ability to adapt and survive than any of the initiatives emerging from the Racing For Change programme.RFC's initial proposals last week – which are window-dressing compared with the re-working of the fixture list that is currently being finalised – received a good deal of negative press, regardless of the fact that its brief is to broaden racing's appeal. If you want to get people into the castle, it makes sense to let the drawbridge down first.But Kauto Star versus Denman is a very immediate opportunity and one that, even now, seems to be in the process of being missed. We have two months left to introduce the protagonists to the rest of Britain, so where is the publicity push?True, Paul Nicholls has hired a PR firm to help out with all the inquiries he anticipates from the mainstream media but all those editors and producers need to know why they should be calling him in the first place.Looking back to the build-up to the first meeting between these two great chasers, there are memories of rosettes in their racing colours – produced by a bookmaker; of stickers and badges, handed out by bookmakers; and of a bus that toured the country to advertise the showdown – paid for by the Gold Cup's sponsor, totesport.Perhaps this is unfair and perhaps there were silent hands and minds at work behind the scenes but it is hard to remember any central PR effort by the British Horseracing Authority at all. It seemed to be left to the bookies, who did a fair but inevitably piecemeal job.If ever there was a case for a full-time secondment from the press office, with a three-month brief to do nothing but promote a single race, this is surely it. But then it was last time, too, and there has been a redundancy in the publicity department since then.A full-time Denman-Kauto PR would have seen the recent snow not as an irritation but as an opportunity. With most domestic sport cancelled, channels like Sky Sports News must have been desperate for something fresh to put into their rolling loops. So why not a three-minute package with action from the last two Gold Cups, a brief interview with Nicholls and a couple of talking heads putting a case for the two horses?Racing has the raw materials to put one together and hand it over for nothing and Nicholls himself is as polished a performer in front of a camera as anyone in the business. But one has to wonder if the will, or the structure, is there too. Everyone seems to think it is someone else's job.YouTube, and the lack of worthwhile racing video thereon, is another ongoing concern. Racing UK has upped its game here somewhat, with regard to recent big races anyway, which can be seen on its own channel on the site. Perhaps that is an attempt to atone for RUK's role in the infamous Bonfire of the Racing Vids in the summer of 2008.But search for a single package that includes the closing stages of Kauto Star's and Denman's last few races and you will be Googling all night (though you may well come across some wonderful Pathé footage of Golden Miller's Grand National in 1934). There should be a form video there already but, since Denman's Gold Cup was posted only tonight after prompting by this newspaper, you have to wonder if there will be one up there by race day.Perhaps the BHA should hire Kieren Fallon's PR. The former champion seemed to be on every TV show bar Strictly Come Dancing in the weeks before his comeback and his return to race-riding went so smoothly that an offer to don the sequins may not be long delayed when he finally calls it a day. With Fallon now back in the fold, there are two brilliant steeplechasers who need sprinkling with the same stardust.Horse racingKauto StarDenmanGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Crusaders swoop for Thackray • Thackray joins former team-made Tommy Lee in Wales• Prop won three caps under new Crusaders coachesCrusaders have made the former Great Britain international Jamie Thackray their highest-profile signing so far for 2010. The 30-year-old prop was released by Hull – for the second time – at the end of last season and joins his former club-mate Tommy Lee at the Racecourse Ground.Thackray, who won three Great Britain caps under Crusaders' new coaches Brian Noble and Jon Sharp in 2005, rejoined Hull from Leeds two years ago and is set to make his debut for the Wrexham club against the Rhinos on 29 January."I'm very much looking forward to it, especially as the first game is against my old club Leeds Rhinos," said Thackray, who has also played in Super League for Castleford and Halifax. "What better way is there to start?"I'm delighted to have signed for the Crusaders. I've played under Brian and Jon for Great Britain but I'm looking forward to working for Iestyn [Harris] for the first time. Everyone speaks highly of this new coaching team at the Crusaders and I can't wait to get started."The acquisition of Thackray and the New Zealand threequarter Vince Mellars takes the Crusaders' signings to seven. Mellars, a 25-year-old Wellington-born winger or centre had a season in rugby union with Canterbury-based Super 14 side Crusaders in 2008 but is essentially a rugby league player.He made his debut for New Zealand Warriors at the age of 19 and also played in the NRL for Cronulla and Sydney Roosters but spent last season with the Warriors' feeder team Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup. Mellars is due to link up with the club next week.He is the Crusaders' fifth overseas recruit, following the acquisition of Nick Youngquest, Michael Witt, Tony Martin and Frank Winterstein, while the club are also linked with Parramatta's Weller ÂHauraki and the Wests Tigers duo Rocky Trimarchi and Rhys Hanbury.Super LeagueRugby leagueThe Crusadersguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Avram Grant must fear threat of old foes as Portsmouth draw Southampton in FA Cup Portsmouth may have believed that their season could get no worse, but it could if they lose to Southampton, their bitter South Coast rivals, in the FA Cup fifth round at St Mary’s Stadium next month. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |