Richie McCaw looks set to play his first Super Rugby match of the season after being named in the Canterbury Crusaders squad for tomorrow’s clash with the Waikato Chiefs, but Dan Carter has been ruled out through injury.
All Blacks skipper McCaw, widely regarded as the world’s best openside flanker, had surgery on a broken foot on the eve of the season and missed the first eight weeks, but will return on the bench for tomorrow’s match in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand.
Flyhalf Carter was recalled to the starting line-up after missing the 27-0 mauling of the champion Bulls on Saturday because of a hamstring problem, but was ruled out again after it tightened on him again in training on yesterday.
Carter, the all-time leading scorer in Super Rugby, will be replaced by Matt Berquist, who stood in for him and led the backline against the Bulls last weekend.
Berquist will have a new halfback partner after Kahn Fotuali’i was named at scrumhalf in place of Andy Ellis.
With McCaw on the bench, No. 8 Kieran Read will start as captain, as he has throughout the seven-times champions’ impressive start to the season.
Coach Todd Blackadder was not getting carried away, however, ahead of what he expected to be a tough encounter with the Chiefs, who welcome back All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina, who has not played since he suffered a back injury in the third week of the competition.
“These derby matches are especially important in this season’s competition due to the conference format,” Blackadder said in a news release. “Traditionally they always carry extra spice and it will be a tough, physical match up there.”
“I was pleased with what we achieved against the Bulls in Timaru last weekend, but we still have plenty to work on and I know the guys are looking forward to doing that,” he said.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two