south africa

sport
rugby
Wallaby wing Digby Ioane is
poised to make a dramatic
comeback to World Cup action
in Sunday's quarterfinal against
South Africa. Ioane, who fractured
his thumb in the opening
Pool C match against Italy at
North Harbour on 11 September
and had surgery, has sufficiently
recovered to play in the
sudden-death game against the
defending champions, Wallaby
coaching coordinator David
Nucifora said on Monday.
Ireland hooker Rory Best is set
to miss Saturday's World Cup
quarterfinal against Wales in
Wellington due to a shoulder
injury. Best had to come
off during the 36-6 victory
over Italy at Otago Stadium
and scans have revealed that
he has a sprained AC joint.
A replacement for the Ulster
hooker has yet to be summoned
with management
hoping he can recover in time
for a possible semi-final.
England winger Delon Armitage
has been banned from
their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal
against France, it was
confirmed on Monday. Armitage
got a one-match ban at a
disciplinary hearing in Auckland
after pleading guilty to
a "dangerous high tackle" on
Chris Paterson.
France are sweating over the fitness
of skipper Thierry Dusautoir
ahead of Saturday's World
Cup quarterfinal against England.
Dusautoir – one of only a
handful of players able to hold
his head high after last weekend's
humiliating loss to Tonga
briefs
Ireland hooker Rory Best (Reuters)
– has a shoulder injury and
missed training on Monday.
Scotland hooker Ross Ford
insists that there are positives
to take away from the
World Cup despite the Scots
failure to qualify for the
quarterfinals. For the first
time in their history, Scotland
did not progress to the
quarterfinals of a World Cup
after finishing third in Pool
B. Andy Robinson's men suffered
agonising defeats to
first Argentina and then England
as they saw their World
Cup dream left in tatters.
tuesday - 4 october 2011