As the rules stand, if a player is injured after that date he can be replaced, subject to ratification by the Rugby World Cup committee. He is fully focused on his rugby.”Woodward said yesterday, at the start of a week’s training in Yorkshire, that England have sought a ruling from the World Cup committee in the event that Dallaglio is found guilty of one or both charges and is consequently suspended, but lodges an appeal.With a 31 August deadline for the naming of World Cup squads, England want to clarify the situation. I would not have involved Lawrence in the preparations for the United States match if I did not believe he would be found innocent of the charges I would have no qualms about playing him against the US. And Woodward said yesterday: “I think Lawrence was surprised. We all were.”Woodward wants to play him against the United States and dropped a broad hint about his thinking when he said: “I am not even thinking about him not being available. With Tests looming against the United States and Canada on 21 and 28 August at Twickenham, not to mention the deadline at the end of the month for naming Rugby World Cup squads, the outcome of Dallaglio’s two-day disciplinary hearing is critical to Woodward’s plans.
The date of the hearing has been set for 25 and 26 August – at the request of the former England captain’s legal team, some of whom are reportedly on holiday at the moment – when Dallaglio will answer charges of bringing the game into disrepute and that he took recreational drugs during the Lions tour last year.The delay in the hearings appeared to be as much of a surprise to Dallaglio as to the RFU, who had wanted an early settlement of the affair.
AS FAR AS Clive Woodward is concerned, Lawrence Dallaglio is ready to play for his country again and as much as the England camp do not want to think about, let alone discuss, his impending disciplinary hearing, circumstances dictate otherwise. O’Neill only played two Tests but he will be remembered for his performance in the 1970 World Cup final against Great Britain at Headingley, which Australia won 12-7. He played all but five minutes with a gash in his ankle so deep that it was almost to the bone.. We need to ensure that rugby league is in the forefront of change and, where necessary be proactive rather than letting events dictate to us.”Wigan’s Greg Florimo has been cleared of a suspected broken hand and is expected to be able to play against Bradford on Friday.Huddersfield, now bottom of Super League, are hoping to confirm the signing of the New Zealand Test stand-off, Gene Ngamu, for next season.n John O’Neill, the former Australian international prop, has died aged 56 after a long struggle with cancer. They plan to play the Gold Coast based semi-professional side, the Burleigh Bears, the week before meeting Australia in Brisbane this October.Super League clubs meet at Headingley today to decide whether to cut back to a 12-team competition in 2001 and whether to introduce a system of awarding franchises.The proposals will ring alarm bells for clubs such as Halifax and Salford, but Super League’s chairman, Chris Caisley, said: “We have to recognise that the face of sport is changing all the time.
“It hurts a lot, but it’s not as serious as the physio first thought,” he said. “I could play in the last four games of the season and I’d be very disappointed if it got in the way of playing for Great Britain.”The Great Britain coach, Andy Goodway, had a full turn-out for the team- building exercise, based on what the Lions have done before rugby union tours, including Paul Newlove, who caused some consternation by staying away last time.Great Britain launched a new kit, which for the first time includes the green of Ireland, and hope to arrange a warm up game before they meet Australia and New Zealand in this autumn’s Tri-Series. The Sheffield Eagles prop, who played Test rugby for the first time against New Zealand last autumn, was ruled out for the rest of the season by his coach, John Kear, after injuring rib cartilages against Castleford on Saturday.
“Dale has had more injuries this season than in the rest of his career,” Kear said.Laughton was far more optimistic yesterday, though. Instead of going for winners, he played safe shots,” Johansson replied..
DALE LAUGHTON has eased fears about his Great Britain prospects by turning up unexpectedly for their squad get together in the Lake District yesterday. He wasn’t hurt at all.”"He saw I was injured and tried to make me run. “To win a Super-Nine event is an incredible feeling.”There was a sour note to the match as Kafelnikov was not convinced Johansson’s injury was genuine saying, “If you pull your hamstring, you can’t run like he did. She puts this down to an extensive weight-training programme and renewed self belief “It’s a great test to see where I am at Right now, I think I’m pretty good. I used to have ups and downs in the match, but not today,” she said.
Venus Williams, in disposing of the No 1 seed, Lindsay Davenport in the semi-final, ensured that Hingis would recapture the top spot if she got to the final, which she duly did.Williams gave credit to Hingis after the match, but said she felt fatigued after playing for three consecutive weeks and losing in two straight finals.Thomas Johansson overcame a groin injury to beat third-seed, Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, to win the du Maurier Open in Canada, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.”It’s been a great week,” the 24-year-old said after he won his first tournament of the year and third of his career.
Since returning from a five- week break from the game, Hingis looks a much stronger player. Canada’s Patrick Carpentier needed hospital treatment for neck and back injuries after colliding with Brazil’s Mauricio Gugelmin in the worst crash.. MARTINA HINGIS celebrated her return to the No 1 spot by beating Venus Williams 6-4, 6-0, on Sunday, to win the T.I.G Classic in Carlsbad, California. As a result of the delays, race officials decided to limit the competition to two hours, so only 71 laps were completed.Nine of the 26 cars that started failed to finish.
