I Dig Sports

Turkey combines with Germany to cause major upset

Published in Table Tennis

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 11:29

At the final hurdle they recorded a 2-0 win against the top seeds, the Chinese Taipei combination of Cheng Ming-Chih and Lin Wen-Hsin to arrest the title.

Notably it was their second meeting of the tournament. One day earlier Hamza Caliskan and Jörg Didion had recorded a 2-1 win against the favourites en route to securing group first place.

Team titles in 2019

Both thus added to their recent team success; in November in Standskanaal at the Dutch Para Open Hamza Caliskan had partnered colleague Abdullah Ozturk to gold in class 4-5; one month earlier in Finland it had been the same outcome in the same event with Ali Ozturk added to the line-up.

Meanwhile, earlier in the year in March in the Italian Adriatic resort of Lignano, it had been gold in class five for Jörg Didion when partnering Great Britain’s Jack Hunter-Spivey.

Reverse scenario

Defeat for Chinese Taipei contrary to status; in the women’s team event it was the opposite scenario. In a group organised competition, Tian Shiau-Wen and Lin Tzu-Yu, the no.2 seeds, finished in first place ahead of the top seeded Turkish pairing comprising Neslihan Kavas and Ümran Ertis.

Most impressively, Tian Shiau-Wen, the women’s singles class 10 winner and Lin Tzu-Yu completed the event without the loss of a single individual match.

Most successful

Otherwise it was success for the top seeds.

In the women’s events, alongside Tian Shaiu-Wen and Yuri Tomoni, who had won class 7-8 in the individual events and on the penultimate day of play had partnered Fatma Fattakhova to success in team class 6-8, India’s Bhavina Patel emerged the most successful player.

Having secured the class 3-4 singles title, Bhavina Patel joined forces with Jordan’s Faten El-Elimat and Fatmeh Al-Azzam to emerged the class 1-5 team winners.

Individual and team success

Likewise, in the men’s events there were titles in both the individual and team events for Thailand’s Anurak Laowong and Rungroj Thainiyom alongside Hungary’s Peter Palos.

Anurak Laowong, partnered colleague Yuttajak Glinbanchuen, the player he had beaten in the men’s singles class 3 final to success in team class 1-3. Rungroj Thainiyom, the class 6 winner two days earlier; joined forces with Russia’s Mars Gabdullin and the Czech Republic’s Kristian Jelinek to clinch gold in the same category.

Titles in the same class in both disciplines, it was no different in class 11. Peter Palos followed individual success with team success in harness with Venezuela’s Denisos Martinez.

European success

Delight for Hungary, it was also joy in class 7-8, Andras Csonka and Gyula Zborai emerging victorious.

In a similar manner in class 9-10, again the top seeds claimed the top prize; Spain’s José Manuel Ruiz partnered the Czech Republic’s Ivan Karabec to gold.

Play concluded in Alexandria, the next destination is Wladyslawowo; the three day Polish Para Open commences on Thursday 20th February.

2020 Egypt Para Open: Latest result and draws

Tagged under

Ex-England captain Robshaw to hold talks with New York MLR team

Published in Rugby

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 08:30

Former England skipper Chris Robshaw will hold talks with US side Rugby United New York this week as he considers his future after Harlequins.

The 33-year-old announced on Monday that he would end a 16-year stint with Quins at the end of the season.

Robshaw intends to move abroad and is also considering France and Japan as possible destinations.

Rugby United New York have ex-England full-back Ben Foden and France centre Mathieu Bastareaud in their ranks.

Former British and Irish Lions and Ireland wing Simon Zebo and retired Australia wing Drew Mitchell have also been linked with the club.

Rugby United New York play in the 12-team Major League Rugby, the professional top-tier league launched in the United States in 2018.

Former All Black Ma'a Nonu and South Africa's Tendai Mtawarira, part of the Springboks' 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, are with rival sides San Diego Legion and Old Glory DC respectively.

Robshaw won the most recent of his 66 England caps in June 2018 - leading his country in 43 Tests over a five-and-a-half-year period - but was left out of last year's World Cup squad.

Tagged under

Six Nations 2020: Did France defeat reveal England's leadership issue?

Published in Rugby

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 12:17

England's defeat by France on Sunday was the latest in a string of games which have slipped and stayed out of their control.

They were not able to reel in the Springboks in November's World Cup final.

They could barely quell Scotland's rally in the Six Nations in March as the visitors shredded a 31-point deficit at Twickenham.

They allowed Wales to escape to victory from 10-3 down at the break at the Principality Stadium 12 months ago.

Is something amiss in their on-pitch decision-making?

Former England wings Chris Ashton and Ugo Monye discussed on Rugby Union Weekly this week whether England rely too heavily on captain Owen Farrell...

'He's got such self-belief he will do it his way'

Farrell, 28, was first made England captain when he was promoted to split the responsibility with hooker Dylan Hartley before the 2018 autumn Test series.

Hartley's international career included only two more starts. Since then Farrell has been on his own, leading the team and pulling the strings as the loudest and longest-serving member of England's backline.

"I think Owen Farrell is a great captain - he is the same bloke who three months ago took England to a Rugby World Cup final," said Monye.

"But when you are trying to navigate through the match as well as making decisions on the pitch, it is sometimes too much.

"All great teams have those lieutenants around the captain, you need that leadership group to help make that decision.

"I'm not sure that is exactly happening for England.

"Faz's voice is the loudest in any England huddle. He's got such self-belief he will do it his way, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the right way for England."

Ashton, who has played with Farrell at club level as well as with England, agrees.

"With England he takes it all on his own shoulders," he said.

"That is the way that he wants to be.

"But if you compare it to Saracens, he has got Brad Barritt, who is the captain, sitting at inside centre and has done for years.

"On the other side he has scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth who he has also played with for years and had a lot of success with.

"Those are two voices right beside him that he trusts. Sometimes you need other voices to try and help."

Tagged under

Wales full-back Williams out of next two matches but could face England

Published in Rugby

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 05:28

Liam Williams is out of Wales' Six Nations matches against Ireland and France but could face England, says defence coach Byron Hayward.

The Scarlets-bound back has not played since Wales beat France in the World Cup quarter final last October.

"It's probably a bit too early for Liam, we're looking at the fourth and fifth game," said Hayward.

Hooker Elliot Dee, scrum-half Gareth Davies and centre Owen Watkin are fit after missing the 42-0 win over Italy.

Williams underwent surgery after injuring an ankle in Japan and was expected to be sidelined for three months.

Hayward confirmed Williams was making progress but admitted his return was "certainly not as soon as we'd hoped"

And he added: "Look at all the positives - the boys all worked well last weekend.

"Leigh [Halfpenny] had a great game at full-back, though it would be nice to get Liam back."

If Williams does not make the match in Twickenham on 7 March then he could return for Wales' final outing against Scotland in Cardiff a week later.

The reigning champions' comprehensive opening weekend victory has thrown up some selection headaches for Wales.

Saracens centre Nick Tompkins scored a try in an assured display off the bench which has led to calls for his inclusion in Dublin.

Hayward admitted Wales faced a tough selection with 20-times capped Watkin available again after wing George North made a rare appearance in the centre - and scored a try - against Italy.

"Nick made an impact and certainly put his hand up for selection," added Hayward.

"He took to the international stage like he'd been there for many years.

"We know what Owen can do and what he brings. It will be an interesting debate."

Wales are scheduled to name their team to face Ireland on Thursday, 6 February at 1100 GMT.

For the latest Welsh rugby union news follow @BBCScrumV on Twitter.

Pick your Wales XV to play Ireland

Pick your players from the list below

Tagged under

Injured England centre Tuilagi to miss Scotland game

Published in Rugby

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 07:34

Manu Tuilagi will miss England's Six Nations match with Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday with a groin strain.

The Leicester centre left the field early in the 24-17 defeat by France last weekend.

But coach Eddie Jones says he should be fit to face Ireland on 23 February.

"Manu can do things other players can't do so we need to be cleverer about how we get that punch in centre field," Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Tuilagi had been limited to one match in the six weeks prior to the Six Nations by a separate groin complaint.

Bath's Jonathan Joseph replaced him from the bench in Paris, with Ollie Devoto and Fraser Dingwall the other midfield options in the squad.

Ben Te'o, who provided back-up to Tuilagi as a physical midfield runner in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup, has not played for England since being dropped in the wake of an altercation with team-mate Mike Brown on a team bonding trip in August.

And the 33-year-old is now unavailable, having moved to Japan to play for Super Rugby's Sunwolves.

'We try to minimise the poison they take in online'

Jones says his players are bitterly disappointed by their first-half display in Pairs, with the World Cup finalists heading back to the dressing rooms 17 points adrift of the hosts.

"We understand we let ourselves and let the fans down but we are hell-bent on redemption against Scotland," Jones added.

While England's players understand the depth of fan feeling, the team's backroom staff try to protect them from some of the social media backlash that follows defeat.

"That noise is always a factor and more and more so today with social media - it is in the players' faces," said Jones.

"They like social media, they want to be a part of social media and when it turns like this, it is difficult for them.

"We have to make sure they keep their focus.

"They have to understand what is important - there will always be criticism, there will always be praise, we just try and minimise the poison they take in."

England have lost three of their last seven away matches against Scotland, including a 25-13 defeat on their most recent visit in 2018.

That match was preceded by a scuffle between England's Owen Farrell and Scotland's Ryan Wilson as the two teams came off the pitch at the end of their warm-up.

Jones says he will be reminding his players not to rise to any gamesmanship in the run-up to this year's fixture.

"They will try and distract and do things to put us off our game and we have to make sure we are on our game," he said.

Tagged under

Six Nations: Ireland's Robbie Henshaw and Peter O'Mahony to start against Wales

Published in Rugby

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 05:56

Centre Robbie Henshaw and flanker Peter O'Mahony return to Ireland's starting line-up as head coach Andy Farrell makes two enforced changes for the visit of Wales on Saturday.

Garry Ringrose and Caelan Doris drop out having picked up injuries in last weekend's win over Scotland.

Conor Murray starts at scrum-half with John Cooney again on the bench.

Leinster back row Max Deegan is set for his debut having been named among the replacements.

O'Mahony played 76 minutes against Scotland despite starting on the bench, having been called upon after just four minutes following a head injury to debutant Doris.

The Munster flanker was one of Ireland's best performers as a determined defensive display saw the hosts claim a 19-12 victory in Farrell's first game since replacing Joe Schmidt as head coach.

His inclusion sees CJ Stander shift to the back of the scrum having begun the opening game at blind-side flanker.

Henshaw was a half-time replacement for Ringrose, who had been ruled out of the next two matches following a procedure on a suspected broken finger.

The injury sees Keith Earls named on the bench. The Munster man has recovered from a knee injury that kept him sidelined for the first game of the tournament and will provide cover across the back line.

Earls will be joined on the bench by 23-year-old Deegan, who will become the third Leinster player to make his international debut under Farrell after Doris and hooker Ronan Kelleher gained their first caps against Scotland.

Dave Kilcoyne, who was taken off for a HIA having been brought on as a second-half replacement, is fit to retain his place in the squad.

Scrum-half Murray will win his 80th international cap on Saturday, and will hope to bounce back from a poor individual display as the five-Test British and Irish Lion continues to hold off Ulster's Cooney.

Last year's Six Nations meeting between the sides saw Wales complete a Grand Slam with a dominant 25-7 win at the Principality Stadium.

Ireland: Larmour; Conway, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Healy, Herring, Furlong; Henderson, Ryan; O'Mahony, van der Flier, Stander.

Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Porter, Toner, Deegan, Cooney, Byrne, Earls.

Tagged under

Bourdais & Kellett Join Foyt IndyCar Roster

Published in Racing

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 10:12

WALLER, Texas — Four-time Champ Car World Series champion Sebastien Bourdais and Canadian rookie Dalton Kellett have joined A.J. Foyt Racing to contest partial NTT IndyCar Series seasons.

The duo will share driving duties of the No. 14 entry with Tony Kanaan, who is set to compete in five oval races, including the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Charlie Kimball will drive the team’s No. 4 entry for the full season.

Bourdais, who will pilot the No. 14 in four races, including the season opener in St. Petersburg, Fla. He will also compete at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala., the streets of Long Beach, Calif., and the road course in Portland, Ore.

Bourdais returns to Chevrolet power for the first time since the 2016 season. Born in Le Mans, France, nearly 12 years after Foyt’s triumph there in 1967, Bourdais now lives in St. Petersburg.

“I am such a lucky man,” Bourdais said. “Starting my IndyCar career driving for Paul Newman and Carl Haas, and now I get to drive for A.J. Foyt! I am both honored and thankful for the opportunity Larry and his team have provided me with. Staying in the NTT IndyCar series seemed like a long shot back in November. My teammates and I will be working very hard to deliver the results this organization deserves, and I can’t wait for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to come.”

Kellett will make his IndyCar debut at the Circuit of the Americas race in Austin, Texas, on April 26. He will also compete in the Indianapolis Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, both races in Detroit, Road America, the streets of Toronto, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca.

Kellett, 26, is a graduate of the Mazda Road to Indy driver development system. He competed in the US F-2000 Series, made a brief showing in the Pro Mazda Series and spent much of his time in the Indy Lights Series, where he ranked seventh in the final two seasons. In addition to Indy Lights in 2019, Kellett made a foray into the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship where he claimed three class victories and one pole in the LMP2 division.

“I am honored to compete in the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series with A.J. Foyt Racing,” Kellett said. “This opportunity is truly a dream come true for me, dating back to my days looking up to the drivers in INDYCAR back as a young go-karter. The pedigree and achievements of A.J. Foyt Racing are historic in our sport, and I can’t wait to contribute to their ongoing success.”

Team President Larry Foyt believes that the multi-driver roster will help the team regain its footing in the highly competitive NTT IndyCar Series this season. With Kanaan and Bourdais, who combined have won 54 races and 49 poles, plus an eager young driver like Kellett, Foyt is working towards building the team for the future.

“There will be many familiar faces in the Foyt garages this season, but there will be some new faces as well,” Foyt said. “Coming off a season we were disappointed with, changes were inevitable. I believe adding a multi-time champion like Sebastien Bourdais to our team will help us as we regroup and work to regain a competitive position. Being able to retain Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan is another source of excitement and will serve to push our oval program to a place where we can fight for victories. Dalton Kellett is a young driver who is intelligent and motivated, and with the experience around him, we feel he has the potential to show great things. Altogether, the 14 car has an intriguing lineup, and I’m excited to see how it plays out.”

Tagged under

StarCom & RWR Partner For Daytona 500

Published in Racing

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 11:41

Jacob Construction will sponsor the No. 00 Chevrolet in a joint effort between StarCom Racing and Rick Ware Racing.

SALISBURY, N.C. — StarCom Racing and Rick Ware Racing will team up to field the No. 00 Jacob Construction Chevrolet for Quin Houff in the Daytona 500 at Daytona Int’l Speedway on Feb. 16.

“I can’t believe the 2020 is season is finally here,” said Houff. “I am beyond excited to get this year going with StarCom Racing and our great sponsors we have behind us. To even be a part of the Great American Race is something to be proud of. I look forward to having the Jacobs Construction colors aboard with us for my first 500! It’s a sharp looking car that I know will be fun to watch on the high banks.”

Jacob Construction is a multifaceted construction firm with a focus on construction, development, design and technology services.

“We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with SCR & RWR this year by bringing our brand to the track for the world’s largest race,” said Don Perry, Jacob Companies & Jacob Construction president. “SCR’s parent company, StarCom Fiber, and our company are in similar industries, allowing our relationship to extend beyond race weekend and we can’t thank RWR enough for bringing us together.”

“We continue to make changes to advance our program and are excited to continue to grow as a team this year,” said Michael Kohler, CEO of StarCom Racing. “We owe it all to partners like Don Perry with Jacob, our team manager Derrike Cope and we are eager to see what our young blooded driver Quin can do on the track this year.”

Tagged under

PHOTOS: Lucas Late Models Kick Off Winternationals

Published in Racing

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 12:00

Tagged under

Details Set For NASCAR Xfinity Race On IMS Road Course

Published in Racing

Tuesday, 04 February 2020 12:04

INDIANAPOLIS – Numerous details about the first NASCAR race on the IMS road course were released Tuesday, including the event name and logo, circuit configuration, race laps and stage lengths.

The Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard will consist of 62 laps on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course that includes portions of the famed 2.5-mile oval where the NASCAR Cup Series will race in the 27th Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered by Florida Georgia Line on Sunday, July 5. The three stage lengths are Stage 1, laps 1-20; Stage 2, laps 21-40; Stage 3, laps 41-62.

“Anticipation continues to build as more exciting details are revealed about the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard, which will help to launch a new era for the annual NASCAR weekend at IMS,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “We’re thankful to all of our partners, especially Pennzoil and NASCAR, for their support of this historic race. The Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard will add even more great action to go along with live music from superstar acts, fireworks, food, friends and fun during a Fourth of July weekend party to remember.”

NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto tested two configurations of the IMS road course Jan. 22 in an Xfinity Series car, and his feedback was influential in NASCAR officials selecting the 14-turn, 2.439-mile layout over the 12-turn, 2.28-mile configuration.

“The part that I like the most about this course is that it actually does have multiple passing opportunities, and that was one of the things we wanted to evaluate is how it’s going to race, how technical it is in the passing zone,” Di Benedetto said. “So, the cool thing is what we love as road racers is heavy braking zones. Clearly, the end of the front straightaway here, you have a very heavy braking zone. You also have another long back straightaway getting into Turn 7, which is a heavy braking zone. And then on the 14-turn course, you have another braking zone coming into (Turns) 12, 13, and 14.”

“There’s high-speed stuff. There’s low-speed stuff. So, it’s pretty much everything we could ask for from a competitor’s standpoint for raceability.”

The Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard, which starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4 and will be televised live on NBC, is one of the highlights of an incredible Fourth of July weekend at IMS.

This year’s Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard will include a Florida Georgia Line concert Saturday night, a fireworks show, new infield camping experiences and gourmet barbecue as part of a star-spangled celebration of America’s birthday and motorsports.

USAC open-wheel short-track racing also will return to The Dirt Track at IMS with the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Championship event July 1-2.

Tagged under