Darren Lockyer was acclaimed as a rugby league great yesterday after capping an outstanding season by clinching the Tri-Nations crown for Australia.
In Saturday's final, the skipper supported a midfield break from scrumhalf Johnathan Thurston to score under the crossbar early in the second period of golden-point extra time, securing the 16-12 win over New Zealand.
The stand-off had already led Brisbane Broncos to the NRL premiership and Queensland to their Origin series win, and was also awarded the Golden Boot as international player of the year.
PHOTO: AFP
"He's definitely going to go down as one of the greats of the game," prop Willie Mason said yesterday.
"He's had his critics at five-eighth [stand-off] with his defense, but his defense in the final and throughout the Tri-Nations has been inspirational," Mason said.
Yet there remain concerns a gruelling 10-month, 35-game season will soon catch up with 29-year-old Lockyer.
"It's really important that our schedule is favoring the players, because if burnout hits a player like Darren then we're losing one of the best players in the game early," Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart said yesterday.
"It's really important that we are looking at the longevity of our best players. They can't last doing it. This is probably the fourth year that we've been going into November," he said.
"I know the rugby league administrators are being very conscious of this fact ... and they are doing everything they can in regards to players' health and welfare," he said.
Lockyer admitted he was relieved his season was finally over.
"I'm looking forward to my break," said Lockyer, who will have at least eight weeks off before returning to pre-season training with Brisbane ahead of its World Club Challenge clash with St Helens in England on Feb. 24.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS