Wallabies playmaker Stephen Larkham said yesterday he had decided there was more to be gained touring Europe with the Australian team than spending time at home in the gym.
Larkham, 32, who has 91 Tests under his belt, had toyed with the idea of following scrum-half and skipper George Gregan's lead and withdrawing from the November tour to freshen up for next year's World Cup in France.
The senior fly-half spoke with Wallabies coach John Connolly and attack coach Scott Johnson before deciding to commit himself to the Wallabies' last major overseas tour before the World Cup.
"There were pros and cons both ways," Larkham said. "But they said the tour wouldn't be all that physically taxing for me, that I wouldn't play in every Test and would be able to get in some work in the gym."
Larkham has admitted problems in adapting to a new style after eight years of rugby under previous coaches Eddie Jones and Rod Macqueen, but believes that with more game time he will be able to adapt better to what Johnson wants.
"I'm happy to play the midweek games," he said. "To me, it doesn't really matter what the quality of the opposition is."
After the Wallabies' 24-16 Tri-Nations loss to South Africa in Johannesburg this month, Larkham recommended that Mat Rogers be given more time at No. 10 on tour.
The Wallabies will play four internationals, three midweek matches and end with a game against the Barbarians on their European tour.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
A soccer jersey carrying a national map including disputed Western Sahara has become a hot commodity in Morocco after a diplomatic dispute with Algeria. Retailers said RS Berkane jerseys have been flying off the shelves after a Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup match against Algerian club USM Alger was canceled last month over the jerseys. “We are overwhelmed by the influx of messages and requests,” said Brahim Rabii, representative of the official RS Berkane jersey distributor. Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in 2021, partly over the issue of Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony is largely controlled by Morocco, but claimed
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just