The Scottish rugby squad arrived at its World Cup base camp yesterday amid cloudy conditions more familiar to home than the heat and humidity expected when the six-week tournament starts in Australia.
Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said he'd put his squad through eight sessions in glasshouses at Edinburgh's botanic gardens to prepare them for the type of climatic conditions they'll likely encounter in their opening group matches in Townsville and Brisbane.
PHOTO: AP
After 32 hours in transit, the Scots traveled the last 100km by bus in windy and overcast conditions from Brisbane airport to Caloundra, a coastal city north of the Queensland capital.
The Caloundra hinterland nestles into the Glasshouse Mountains, an appropriate training base considering McGeechan's methods.
"The training in the botanic gardens has worked, the players have changed, they have adapted," McGeechan told reporters.
Scotland, a semifinalist at the 1991 World Cup, opens its campaign against Japan at Townsville in far north Queensland on Oct. 12 and then faces the US in Brisbane on Oct. 20.
"You get the momentum in the pool stages -- and that starts in the first game," said McGeechan. "You have to come into these games spot on -- your attitude, your preparation, your rugby all has to be spot on.
"Sides in the World Cup that do well get that momentum from early on."
While momentum was important in any case, a win over France would almost certainly help the Scots avoid a quarterfinal showdown against host Australia in Brisbane.
McGeechan plans to retire after the World Cup. He's been involved in four World Cup tournaments, is in his second stint as Scotland coach and has guided the British and Irish Lions on three tours.
He's been working on an expansive gameplan for the Scots, spreading the ball wide and often to counter teams that dominate at the set pieces.
"We've been trying to evolve that style over the past three years and just lately we've been more consistent ... when we get it right, it does create quite a dynamic game which does suit us."
Scotland's recent form wasn't a good indicator of what to expect at the cup, McGeechan said.
The Scots lost 29-10 to Ireland at Murrayfield and a 23-9 upset loss to Wales at Cardiff.
"The Welsh game was the first for a lot of players and I think they took it a little too lightly," he said. "They thought it was going to be easy which just shows that mentally, if you're not right there, then the performance doesn't come."
McGeechan liaised with former Australian coach Rod Macqueen on choices for World Cup training venues and selected Caloundra because it was where the world champion Wallabies went into camp when Macqueen was in charge.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping