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22 THE IRISH TIMES Tuesday, October 4, 2005 SportsNews French flair makes skills camp a tour de force Rugby News round-up Munster passed up chance to sign Lomu Gerry Thornley Gerry Thornley On Rugby S kills, skills, skills. More than anything, that’s what teenage rugby players should be learning in the years that are the windows of opportunity. But are they? Is the much-vaunted Irish schools/underage system, which undoubtedly helps produce great players, achieving this aim as much as it could? The bottom line, are they even enjoying the game as much as they could? Sure, they’re often playing for schools that have a great tradition and are the lifeblood of rugby in this country. They often compete in front of big crowds and, for better or worse, are exposed to more media coverage than their counterparts in any other sport. They learn much about the nature of high-profile, knockout rugby, how to perform in the context of team patterns and how to win. But winning isn’t everything at underage level. It’s not even the most important thing. Nurturing talent is, especially if it leads to fulfilment in a senior career. Summertime, away from competition, provides the best opening, and, along with the schools and others, into this breach boldly steps the Rugby and French camp in Soustons, north of Biarritz (www.rugbyandfrench.com). Held over July and August, and recently having completed a sixth summer, it is run by the former Wanderers centre Nigel Osborne and the one-time Harlequins back-five forward Bill Davison at the impressive Camp Nautique de L’Isle Verte, and is attended by mostly Irish and English kids between the ages of 12 and 15. Similar camps are held there by the French Federation for young rugby players in the southwest/Landes region. Their players stay in chalets, the Irish and English in tents, which Osborne believes is more conducive to a family atmosphere as well as keeping down costs (excessive at just over ¤1,000, due in the main to the cost of flights). There are three billiard-top pitches adjacent to the lake, a short walk from Soustons village and a 20-minute cycle from the beach, as well as an array of nautical equipment and qualified instructors, to help keep the players in camp busy with kayaking, windsurfing and the like. All overseen by the professional, unflustered Christophe Andignac, even the restaurant provides three healthy, well-balanced meals a day that Jamie Oliver would approve of. But what else would you expect from the French? There are also daily conversational French lessons run by two of Osborne’s eight-strong staff, Sara McDonald (formerly Francois Pienaar’s assistant at Saracens) and Elaine Coughlan. But most of all the emphasis is very much on the rugby skills instilled by Osborne and Davison as well as Henric Gervais, Simon O’Hare, Niall Best, Peter Burns and Ron Boucher, five of Osborne’s protégés during his four-year stint as Wanderers under-20s coach. “Primarily it’s a rugby holiday,” says Osborne. “It’s the first real rugby tour for virtually all of them, with all the good elements of rugby tours, meeting and making mates for life, while enjoying their rugby and developing their skills.” Divided into junior and senior sections, each morning there is an intensive skills session of about 90 minutes. Initially very basic, passing in groups of four off both hands unopposed and then with an emphasis on running at the inside shoulders of one, two and ultimately three defenders, the progress is eye-catching. With communication the key, the mantra of the week appears to be Osborne loudly intoning “two hands, two hands” as the players become more adept at running straight, passing before or out of contact, keeping the ball alive and moving at tempo, but their tackling techniques and how to take a hit (with an emphasis on safety) and rucking, also improve collectively. They are also encouraged to try things and make mistakes. And this particular group benefits from having Gary Foley, a mature, driven and talented 15-year-old, and his CBC sidekicks Steve Boucher and David Lewis, as leaders. After their busy afternoons and French lessons, the players put into practice what they’ve learnt with evening games. An abiding image is of the barefoot, shirtless Osborne and his fellow coaches among their willing pupils as they go through those early evening practice games, the heat having by then relented slightly. They absorb like sponges, the learning curve is rapid, and proof of this comes with games against their French counterparts on the eighth day, played in 28 degrees, complete with anthems, refereed by Osborne and one of the French staff. The Irish juniors are up against a more talented and bigger French team, but keep their heads to score one try after conceding six. But the seniors are brilliant. With their first play they set the tone, outhalf Anthony Doyle from Newcastlewest skip-passes to Foley, who draws the man and puts Patrick Simpkin, a fullback from Mullingar who came here two summers previously as a lock, into space. Crucially he has the presence to link again. Foley opens the scoring with an unstoppable straight run through the middle. Four more Irish tries follow, the last two an expression of their week in camp; awareness in possession, two hands on the ball, passing at pace, offloading in the tackle until eventually they run in their scores untouched. By the end, you’d have reasonably wondered which team was French. The feedback from the kids was proof they loved the setting, the facilities, the activities, but most of all the coaching. Provincial clubs like Naas, Clonmel and Thurles send groups every year. And many players, such as the most recent Blackrock wunderkind Luke Fitzgerald and his fellow Leinster schools player David Moore, have attended several summers in a row. Admittedly, how much of what these young players learn in a mere 10 days and can be retained is debatable. But, the more the better, one would guess. gthornley@irish-times.ie Jonah Lomu, here on the charge in New Zealand’s 40-29 win over Ireland in November 2001, was in talks, through his agent, with Munster and might have ended up playing alongside David Wallace (left) and Anthony Foley had Cardiff not stepped in. – (Photograph: Getty Images) Dallaglio bounces back Lawrence Dallaglio promised on the day after having a plate and five screws inserted into his broken ankle that he would be back in action by October – and he has been true to his word. Wasps have confirmed Dallaglio will be in the squad for Friday’s Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with Cardiff at the Causeway Stadium. Dallaglio underwent surgery in Auckland on June 5th after he was caught awkwardly under a pile of bodies in the Lions’ opening tour match against Bay of Plenty. Initial estimates placed his recovery time at between four and six months, but Dallaglio insisted from his hospital bed that it would be sooner rather than later. After four months of intense physio, he is ready to take his first step on what could be the final journey of his career, one the former England captain hopes will lead to more World Cup glory. Dallaglio retired from England duty as captain in September 2004, just days before Clive Woodward quit, citing the “brutal demands” of Sports Digest the modern game. But he made himself available for a third Lions tour, and after that was wrecked by his injury just 17 minutes into the opening game the prospect of an England return began to formulate. “When you have had a long-term injury the main priority is to get back on to the rugby pitch in a black shirt, playing for Wasps. Then we’ll be able to see what level I am at,” Dallaglio said recently. “I have the desire to play international rugby, but whether I have the ability we’ll have to wait and see. “No matter who you are or what you have done in the game, form and fitness are very, very important.” England head coach Andy Robinson would welcome Dallaglio back into the fold. “I would love Lawrence to put himself forward to play for England again. He is still a great player,” he said this weekend. “The crucial thing is for him to get back playing and get back to where he used to be.” Soccer News Munster, it has emerged, may have been favourites at one stage of Jonah Lomu’s long-running transfer saga to a European club to sign the legendary All Black winger. Certainly that was the belief within the Cardiff Blues, and Munster sources have confirmed they were in advanced negotiations with Lomu’s agent before Cardiff signed him last week. “Yes it’s true that we were a long way down the road with him and perhaps might have had first option on him at one point,” admitted a Munster spokesperson yesterday. And Lomu himself is believed to have been in contact with his old All Black team-mate Christian Cullen. However, Munster were ultimately reluctant to gamble on a player who has played only one game in the last three years, Martin Johnson’s testimonial last May at Twickenham. To even be back on a pitch playing was a miraculous achievement for a player who, after the 1995 and 1999 World Cups, was undoubtedly the biggest name in the global game, but since then his career has been blighted by nephrotic syndrome, which necessitated a kidney transplant last year. Munster were committed to signing Anton Pitout – the 28-year-old winger-cum-centre from the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup team – so their interest switched to Gary Connolly. The former Britain and Ireland rugby league international was signed at relatively short notice in time for the Heineken European Cup deadline last Thursday after Declan Kidney noticed his possible availability just over a week ago. Connolly duly scored twice on his debut in the win over Connacht last Saturday. Munster entertain Leinster in an eagerly awaited Celtic League clash at Musgrave Park next Sunday and given they are idle the following weekend, this is Declan Kidney’s last opportunity to try out combinations and see players back from injury before their opening European Cup tie, away to the highflying Sale Sharks. Hence, Pitout – who has undergone four operations after a pin inserted in the leg he broke playing for the Springbok Sevens last January became infected – may well come into the Munster side after arriving from South Africa yesterday. Kidney might also give Shaun Payne, Anthony Horgan and/or David Wallace game time if any or all of them recover from recent short-term injuries. He is expected to announce his squad tomorrow and his team later in the week. His counterpart Michael Cheika will definitely be without Guy Easterby not only for next Sunday’s game but also for the opening two rounds of the European Cup after confirmation the Ireland scrumhalf suffered a broken jaw in Leinster’s hard-earned win over Ulster. Easterby will be sidelined for an estimated six to eight weeks, which would rule him out of Ireland’s opening autumn international, against the All Blacks, and probably the ensuing games against Australia and Romania. Brian O’Meara will thus be expected to start, with Brian O’Riordan back on the bench after recovering from a pre-season ankle injury to play in the A game between Leinster and Ulster last Friday. Sunday’s game should also see Keith Gleeson make his 50th appearance for Leinster. ● Welsh outhalf Stephen Jones faces a race against time to be fit for his country’s clash with New Zealand on November 5th. He badly twisted an ankle playing for his club side, Clermont Auvergne, on Saturday and has been told he needs four weeks to recover. National League Premier Division Museeuw Mikel transfer Still no luck faces charges saga continues for St Patrick’s ■ CYCLING: The 1996 world champion, Johan Museeuw of Belgium, is among 11 former cyclists and their associates who face charges in a court in Courtrai, Flanders, relating to banned performance-enchancing drugs, a prosecutor in the Belgian town said yesterday, reports William Fotheringham. A formal request that Museeuw and the others face a court hearing will be made on October 11th, said Tom Janssens, a spokesman for the Courtrai prosecutors’ office. Neither Museeuw nor the team that currently employs him as a public relations officer, Quickstep, was available for comment yesterday but the cyclist has denied all charges against him. Museeuw is “accused of possession of the blood boosters erythropoietin and aranesp, and dexomethasone (a steroidal anti-inflammatory)”, Janssens said yesterday. Museeuw was banned in October 2004 for two years by the Belgian Cycling Federation for the use of performance-enhancing drugs but by then he had been retired for six months. Museeuw’s distinguished career included two victories in the season-long World Cup series and 13 wins in one-day Classic races. He never tested positive during his 16-year career, calling into question the worth of the current drug-testing regime. ● Guardian Service ■ EQUESTRIAN: Jessica Kurten won a car for finishing third in the Euroclassics final at Bremen yesterday, reports Grania Willis. Kurten had picked up a succession of placings, including a win with Quibell on Sunday at the German fixture, and was one of eight double clears in yesterday’s final. Once again teamed up with Quibell, Kurten retired the mare against the clock when Ludger Beerbaum’s target time of 35.59 proved out of reach. ● Details in SPORTS ROUND-UP ■ ATHLETICS: Barcelona has offered itself as a replacement for Madrid as a possible venue for the 2010 European Championships after the Spanish capital withdrew following its unsuccessful bid to hold the 2012 Olympics. “The (EAA) European Athletics Association Council decided that the RFEA may substitute the city of Barcelona for Madrid,” the EAA said yesterday. The evaluation procedure will start with Barcelona and the decision on the venue will be taken in April 2006. ■ MOTOR SPORT: Rain has forced BAR to put on hold an attempt to run a Formula One car faster than ever before. Water covered the track on the Bonneville Salt Flats in north-west Utah and forecasts suggested it would not evaporate before the scheduled running from October 5th-8th. Formula One’s current racetrack speed record of 372kph was set by Juan Pablo Montoya. Daniel Taylor Alex Ferguson yesterday criticised Chelsea for their behaviour over the John Obi Mikel transfer by describing the situation as “disgusting”. The Manchester United manager is convinced Mikel wants to fulfil the contract he signed in April to become a United player in January 2006. Mikel has since claimed he would rather join Chelsea and that he regrets saying he would move to Old Trafford, but, in private, he has assured Ferguson he still wants to play for him but has been forced to say otherwise. “I don’t believe it’s true that Mikel doesn’t want to join Manchester United; I believe he has been forced to say it,” said Ferguson. “His family have been put under huge pressure and the circumstances are very sad. The manner in which he and his family have been treated and pressurised is, quite frankly, disgusting.” United feel so strongly about the matter they have asked Fifa to ratify Mikel is their player and extinguish any hopes Chelsea may have of signing him. Ferguson said recently the “problem” emanated from where Mikel’s agent John Shittu was taking his orders and he expanded on that yesterday, saying the player’s representatives “apparently work for Chelsea”. Although Mikel is virtually unknown in England, United and Chelsea are acutely aware he is one Bohemians St Patrick’s Athletic 1 1 Paul O’Hehir John Obi Mikel: tug of war between United and Chelsea of the world’s most precocious talents. Chelsea had been convinced he would sign for them, having received verbal assurances. Relations have also been tested between United and their League Cup third-round opponents Barnet. The League Two club, racked with debt, have refused to be cowed by United in a David and Goliath dispute over ticket prices for their forthcoming tie at Old Trafford. Anticipating the biggest payday in their history, Barnet have angered United by turning down a request from Old Trafford to cut prices for the tie. Fearing the match will otherwise be played in a halfempty stadium, United say they wanted to make tickets available for £15-£25 for adults – the maximum price is normally £41 – and £5 for under-16s. ● Guardian Service And so the search continues for luckless St Patrick’s. Without a win since July, they came close to amending that unwanted record last night, but, having taken the lead, they were reduced to 10 men and restricted to a share of the night’s prize. Judging by the performance, though, it won’t be long before they get the victory that eases their relegation fears. Both sides played enterprising football during a bright opening spell. Bohemians were perhaps more adventurous in their application and winger John Paul Kelly typified their willingness to stretch the visitors. He sprayed superb crossfield balls which had the St Patrick’s players scrambling, but, more often than not, the player on the receiving end spurned the chance. St Patrick’s too were keen to get forward, and strikers Ger Rowe and Glen Larsen looked to probe. The duo combined for their first chance, but when goalkeeper Matt Gregg parried Rowe’s stinging shot, Larsen headed the rebound over. As the half progressed, play became disjointed, and the change in pace and direction disrupted Bohemians – though Fergal Harkin did go close with a 40-yard free – and St Patrick’s played off the front foot until the break. The breakthrough was made seven minutes into the second half. Larsen held up play inside the area, but when attempting to offload he was upended by James Keddy and Michael Foley blasted the penalty past Gregg. But Bohemians levelled after 69 minutes when Tony Grant fired HowTheyStand Cork City .............. Derry City ............. Shelbourne .......... Drogheda Utd ...... Longford Town ..... Bohemians............ UCD ...................... Bray Wanderers .... Shamrock Rvrs ..... St. Patrick’s .......... Waterford Utd ....... Finn Harps ........... P 25 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26 25 W 17 17 14 9 10 10 6 7 9 5 5 4 D L 6 2 6 3 6 6 11 6 8 8 6 10 1010 5 14 6 11 9 12 5 16 6 15 F 42 46 48 34 24 31 21 30 29 20 20 20 A Pts 13 57 22 57 25 48 27 38 21 38 34 36 32 28 45 26 40 25 28 24 42 20 36 18 home from the spot after Seán O’Connor was sent off for a foul on Stephen Rice in the area. In the end, St Patrick’s were somewhat fortunate to escape with a point as Bohemians bombarded their goal until the end. BOHEMIANS: Gregg; Rice, Oman, Collins, Byrne; Hunt; Kelly; Harkin, Keddy, Ward; Grant. Subs: O’Brien for Collins (60). Booked: Kelly (24), Byrne (39). ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Prenderville, Maguire, Caffrey, Frost; Brennan, Perth, Foley, O’Connor; Larsen, Rowe. Subs: Doyle for Rowe (81), Dunne for Larsen (90). Booked: Perth (63), Rowe (71). Sent off: O’Connor (68). Referee: I Stokes (Dublin). SportsRound-Up ■ Equestrian Sport EUROCLASSICS FINAL (Bremen, Germany): 1) Champion Du Lys; Ludger Beerbaum (Ger) Faults 0/0/0 Time 35.59 2) Candy; Alois PollmannSchweckhorst (Ger) Faults 0/0/0 Time 36.38 3) Quibell; Jessica Kurten (Irl) Faults 0/0/Ret. 31 starters. ■ Golf LPGA TOUR OFFICE DEPOT CHAMPIONSHIP (Trump National GC, Los Angeles) – Final totals (US unless stated, par 72): 201 - Hee-Won Han (Kor) 65 68 68 203 - Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 71 66 66 205 -C Matthew (Sco) 69 68 68 206 - K Icher (Fra) 65 68 73, N Gulbis 66 69 71 207 - J Jang (Kor) 67 66 74, K Hull (Aus) 68 70 69 208 - M Baena 68 69 71 209 - M Kim (Kor) 67 69 73, A Sorenstam (Swe) 69 70 70, Y Jo (Kor) 71 67 71, K Saiki 69 71 69 210 M Redman 68 68 74, B Daniel 69 68 73, S Hyun Ahn (Kor) 71 68 71, R Jones 68 70 72 211 - N Taylor (Aus) 69 73 69, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 70 72 69, J Hullett 68 69 74, N Perrot (Chi) 65 72 74, M Dunn 71 71 69, L Neumann (Swe) 72 66 73 212 - AJ Eathorne (Can) 69 76 67, S Louden 69 73 70, A Song (Kor) 7172 69, W Ward 65 72 75, M Lee (Kor) 71 71 70, E Dahllof (Swe) 68 69 75, P Creamer 68 72 72 213 - T Barrett 70 66 77, H Kim 71 68 74, G Park (Kor) 66 71 76, L Ochoa (Mex) 68 75 70, M Estill 69 72 72, J Rosales (Phi) 66 70 77, J Inkster 70 68 75 214 - J Erdmann-Crooks 70 71 73, C Troche 70 72 72, S Lim (Mal) 71 71 72, K Stupples (Eng) 68 76 70, M Hart 67 71 76, B Kim (Kor) 72 68 74, S Steinhauer 71 70 73, K Williams 72 71 71, H Bowie 67 70 77, M Hjorth (Swe) 68 69 77, J Mills (Aus) 69 72 73 215 - C Koch (Swe) 71 72 72, J Lee (Kor) 72 71 72, G Park (Kor) 74 70 71, A Hanna 71 72 72, K Allison 68 72 75 216 - J Kang (Kor) 68 77 71, P Hurst 72 68 76, S Lee 68 74 74, C Kim 74 68 74 217 - C Kung (Tpe) 70 71 76, S Arricau (Fra) 73 71 73, E Bastel 72 71 74, B Morgan (Wal) 72 69 76, M Nagl (Ger) 69 76 72 218 - M McKay (Sco) 72 73 73 219 - L WalkerCooper 74 71 74, K Samp 72 68 79, B Burton 71 73 75 220 - D D'Alessio 75 70 75, E Blasberg 75 68 77, S Pettersen (Nor) 75 70 75, H Lunke 70 74 76, R Higashio (Jpn) 74 69 77 221 - S Ah Yim (Kor) 71 73 77, J Daniels 67 78 76, H Daly-Donofrio 74 71 76 222 - S Turner 74 70 78, A Hung (Tha) 76 69 77, J Moodie (Sco) 73 72 77 223 - M Lovander 74 70 79 224 - K Weiss 73 72 79 225 - W Doolan (Aus) 68 77 80. PGA TRAINEES’ TOURNAMENT PRO-AM (at Citywest) 62 (-3) - J Foster (Malone). 63 - A O’Sullivan (Royal Dublin), K McGivern (Warrenpoint). 66 - C Moriarty (Donaghadee), M Staunton (Black Bush). 67 - T Flanagan (Heritage). 68 - DJ Ryan (Portmarnock), P McClelland (Portadown), L Mulligan (Bray), P Vaughan (Downpatrick), M Collins (Fermoy), D Gleeson (PGA National). Team: 97 pts - P McClelland (Portadown) with Pat Doolin (11), Frank Archbold (13), Martin Joyce (18). ■ Hockey IRISH SENIOR CUP (Women) — First round: Corinthian v North Down, Knock v Old Alexandra, Owls v Ashton, UCD v UCC, Armagh v Bandon, Galway v Priorians, Portadown v Belvedere, Ballyclare v Three Rock, Victorians v Ards, Pembroke Wanderers v Trinity, Omagh v Coleraine, Cookstown v Univ of Limerick, Parkview v Belfast Harlequins, Ballymena v Catholic Institute, Civil Service v Lisna- garvey. Ties to be played November 5th. Bye to round two: Clontarf. Bye to round three: Hermes, Loreto, Railway Union, Cork Church of Ireland, Cork Harlequins, Ballymoney, Pegasus and Randalstown. IRISH JUNIOR CUP (Women) — First round: Wexford v Ards II, Muckross v Galway, Genesis v Skerries, Belfast Harlequins II v Diocesan, Priorians II v Naas, Clontarf II v PSNI, Corinthian II v Loreto II, Greenfields v North Kildare, Univ of Limerick II v Pegasus II, Larne v Three Rock II, Suttonians v Carrick, Kilkenny v Randalstown II, Trinity II v Banbridge, Aer Lingus v Waterford, Our Lady’s v Raphoe, Hermes II v Kilkeel, Ballyclare II v Cork Harlequins II, UCD II v Lurgan, Lisnagarvey II v NUIG, Old Alexandra II v Knock II, Bray v Railway Union II, Cork Church of Ireland II v Pembroke Wanderers II, Glenanne v University of Jordanstown. Ties to be played October 22nd. Bye to round two: Bandon II, Coleraine II, Catholic Institute II, Fermoy, Greenfields, Portadown II, Ashton II, UCC II and Victorians II. MAY COSTLEY (Women) — First round: Moyne Thurles v Gorey, Enniscorthy II v Cookstown, Dromore v Newbridge, Univ of Ulster II v Portlaoise, Derg Valley v Dungarvan, DCU v Athlone, Carlow v Weston, Cooke v Midleton. Ties to be played October 15th-16th. Bye to round two: Yeats County, NUIG, Avoca, Swords, Cobh, Mallow, Wexford II and Kilkenny II. ■ Soccer ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP QPR .......................(1) 1 Crystal Palace ......(2) 3 Ainsworth 19 Reich 14 17 Soares 89 P W D L F A Pts Sheff Utd ................ 12 10 0 2 25 12 30 Reading .................. 12 8 3 1 21 7 27 Luton ....................... 12 7 3 2 19 11 24 Wolverhampton ....... 12 5 4 3 17 11 19 Watford .................... 12 5 4 3 20 15 19 Leeds ...................... 11 5 3 3 13 10 18 Crystal Palace.......... 11 5 2 4 16 11 17 Southampton ........... 12 3 8 1 13 10 17 Ipswich ................... 12 5 2 5 12 17 17 QPR.......................... 12 4 4 4 11 15 16 Stoke ...................... 12 5 1 6 12 19 16 Cardiff .................... 11 4 3 4 15 14 15 Norwich.................... 12 4 3 5 13 13 15 ■ Tennis WTA RANKINGS: 1 Maria Sharapova (Rus) 4768pts, 2 Lindsay Davenport (USA) 4619, 3 Kim Clijsters (Bel) 4404, 4 Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) 3927, 5 Justine Henin-Hardenne (Bel) 2935, 6 Mary Pierce (Fra) 2908, 7 Venus Williams (USA) 2883, 8 Elena Dementieva (Rus) 2617, 9 Nadia Petrova (Rus) 2481, 10 Patty Schnyder (Swi) 2445, 11 Serena Williams (USA) 2383, 12 Anastasia Myskina (Rus) 2266, 13 Alicia Molik (Aus) 1787, 14 Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) 1765, 15 Nathalie Dechy (Fra) 1693. ATP CHAMPIONS RACE: 1 Roger Federer (Swi) 1245pts, 2 Rafael Nadal (Spa) 853, 3 Andy Roddick (USA) 548, 4 Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) 498, 5 Andre Agassi (USA) 455, 6 Guillermo Coria (Arg) 422, 7 Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) 378, 8 Marat Safin (Rus) 346, 9 Gaston Gaudio (Arg) 344, 10 Mariano Puerta (Arg) 322, 11 David Ferrer (Spa) 274, 12 Richard Gasquet (Fra) 266, 12 David Nalbandian (Arg) 266, 14 Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) 263, 15 Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa) 257, 15 Thomas Johansson (Swe) 257,