SBW orchestrates win over Manly

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Sonny Bill ... produces another masterful performance ... playing at five-eighth! Source: Mark Nolan / Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters are making a habit of winning with their backs against the wall after taking care of Manly 18-12 to rise into second spot on the NRL ladder.

4 Tries 2
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6'	Jamie Lyon 48'
Jake Friend 26'	George Rose 77'
Michael Jennings 53'
Michael Jennings 70'
0 Conversions 2
	Jamie Lyon 49'
	Jamie Lyon 77'
1 Penalties 0
Boyd Cordner 60'

Having taken care of Canterbury last week without their NSW State of Origin stars, the Roosters on Monday night produced another stellar defensive effort to down the Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium - despite playing almost the entire second half with just two fit reserves.

		W	L	D	B	PD	Pts
1	Rabbitohs	13	2	0	1	177	28
2	Roosters	11	4	0	1	145	24
3	Storm	10	4	1	1	95	23
4	Sea Eagles	7	6	1	2	67	19
5	Titans	8	7	0	1	17	18
6	Sharks	7	7	0	2	-16	18
7	Bulldogs	8	7	0	1	-23	18
8	Knights	7	8	0	1	71	16
9	Panthers	6	8	0	2	36	16
10	Warriors	7	8	0	1	-64	16
11	Raiders	7	8	0	1	-66	16
12	Broncos	6	9	0	1	-5	14
13	Cowboys	6	9	0	1	-17	14
14	Tigers	6	9	0	1	-157	14
15	Dragons	5	10	0	1	-79	12
16	Eels	3	11	0	2	-181	10

Daniel Mortimer and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck left the field with concussion either side of the halftime break after ugly head knocks - Tuivasa-Sheck's collision also resulting in Manly forward James Hasson being taken to hospital with bleeding on the eye.

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While the Roosters were short-handed, they did still have Sonny Bill Williams on their side, the game's biggest five-eighth once again showcasing his playmaking skills to engineer three of his side's four tries.

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NSW centre Michael Jennings scored a second-half double - including the clincher 10 minutes from time when he ran onto a delightful Williams pass to kill off Manly's slender hopes.

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Williams came up with the key play for Tuivasa-Sheck's opening try after just seven minutes, but it was the defensive effort in the ensuing 15 minutes which showed just why the Roosters are a genuine premiership force.

Manly enjoyed eight straight sets on the Roosters line but never really threatened the scoreboard, the defensive effort in contrast to that which the Sea Eagles showed when Jake Friend waltzed over from 20 metres.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson admitted his side's defensive stand in the opening half set up the win.

"It's hard, you don't want those sets but you get a gauge on where you're at after those eight sets defensively whether you're on or not.

"You can often feel in the first 20 minutes whether you are defending well for the night and that certainly gave us a good gauge.''

Sea Eagles utility Jamie Buhrer dropped the ball over the line after the halftime siren under great defensive pressure from Aidan Guerra but, when Jamie Lyon scored eight minutes after the restart, the visitors found life.

Jennings took some air out of their sails when he scored five minutes later as the Roosters ran it on the last, the home side going out by more than a converted try when fill-in goalkicker Boyd Cordner landed his only goal of the night on the back of a controversial penalty.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, playing for the first time since being sent off in the last meeting between the two sides, claimed he had been taken high by Justin Horo, the Roosters delaying a scrum long enough to allow the video referee to intervene and award the penalty.

Manly coach Geoff Toovey was dumbfounded by the decision - particularly given Brett Stewart appeared to be taken out in mid air a minute later with no penalty going his side's way.

"If they are going to do it once, then bring it in,'' Toovey said of the video referee intervening.

"It's either in or it's out.''

Asked whether the video referee was having too much sway on the game, Sea Eagles skipper Jamie Lyon said: "I think so, on occasions like that when you (the referee) are a metre or two away.

"I think he's been refereeing enough now to make a decision like that on the spot.''

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Siddle left out of final tour game

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Left out ... Peter Siddle and Usman Khawaja won't play in Australia's final tour game. Source: Michael Steele / Getty Images

Peter Siddle and Usman Khawaja won't get another chance to find form ahead of the first Ashes Test after being left out of Australia's final tour match in Worcester starting on Tuesday.

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Fast bowler Siddle's omission could be to manage his workload but things look much graver for Khawaja, with Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan and potentially David Warner seeming to have the jump on him.

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Left-arm Tasmanian quick James Faulkner gets another chance to impress against Worcestershire, strengthening the possibility Australia could play him as a bowling allrounder in addition to three quicks for the opening Test.

Fellow fast bowlers Ryan Harris and Jackson Bird have also been picked for their first appearance of the tour against Worcester, as they too push their cases for selection for the first Test at Trent Bridge starting on July 10.

Siddle struggled on the Australia A tour and, against Somerset last week, he was unable to find his rhythm.

His omission from Worcester means he'll remain under a shadow of doubt heading into the first Test.

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If Harris or Bird can snatch their opportunity, new coach Darren Lehmann might elect to go with form rather than proven experience.

Lehmann has said Siddle's reputation as a leader and workhorse for the side wouldn't necessarily be enough to guarantee selection, with six quicks vying for selection.

Harris is injury prone and would have to get through the Worcester game unscathed, but he's a potential weapon on the fast and seaming wicket in Nottingham.

Siddle isn't out of contention, though, and selectors will certainly know what he can offer.

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Run machine Chris Rogers is into the team and is likely to bat at No.3 with Cowan to open alongside Shane Watson.

Allrounder Watson will also bowl in the match.

Hughes has been retained in the line-up after making back-to-back half centuries against Somerset in the opening tour match.

Khawaja made 73 last week against Somerset but the fact he hasn't been picked for another hit doesn't bode well.

It seems Cowan is preferred over Khawaja with Rogers, usually an opener, likely to play No.3 in the Tests.

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If Khawaja was indeed left out in Nottingham, it would continue a frustrating run on the periphery for the left-hander, after he failed to play a Test during the Australian summer or the tour of India.peLehmann has stated the suspended Warner remains firmly in contention should Australia pick six specialist batsmen at Trent Bridge.

Steve Smith has also been picked to play in the middle order in Worcester and could rocket into contention with a hundred, while spinner Ashton Agar will play with first-choice Nathan Lyon rested as 12th man.

Skipper Michael Clarke will get his second hit of the tour in a strong sign his troublesome back is in good nick heading into the Ashes.

Clarke looked sharp in his first innings in three months in Taunton.

Australians (batting order unconfirmed): Shane Watson, Ed Cowan, Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke (capt), Phil Hughes, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Ryan Harris, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon (12th).

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Wallabies made to sweat Horwill verdict

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Nerves ... James Horwill and the Wallabies made to wait until Tuesday morning for a verdict. Source: Mike Keating / AAP

Wallabies skipper James Horwill will not know until Tuesday whether he will play in Saturday night's series-deciding third Test against the British and Irish Lions.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) appeal into Horwill's dismissed rucking charge from the first Test has been adjourned after close to three hours of evidence and legal argument on Monday night.

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Canadian arbitrator Graeme Mew stopped to consider his findings around 10.10pm (AEST) and rugby officials indicated he won't hand down his judgement at least for a couple of hours.

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Horwill and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans left the hearing, held over a video link with Mew in Toronto, and turned in for the night at their Sydney team hotel.

The pair are due to front the media early on Tuesday morning.

Horwill was originally exonerated by New Zealand judicial officer Nigel Hampton QC last Sunday night after being cited for stamping on rival lock Alun Wyn Jones in the 23-21 first Test loss.

The Australian Rugby Union is incensed at the appeal - the first the IRB has launched against a player being cleared by one of their judicial officers - and has fought for their captain's availability with a crack legal team.

The Lions have already lost their captain for the ANZ Stadium decider after flanker Sam Warburton was ruled out with a hamstring injury on Monday afternoon.

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Resignation unrelated to Arthur: Pup

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Michael Clarke's ... selector resignation unrelated to Arthur's axing. Source: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

It has certainly been a big couple of weeks.

To have Mickey Arthur sacked as our coach by Cricket Australia came as a shock to everyone in the touring squad.

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But to have Darren Lehmann named as coach was exciting for all of us and things have started well for him with a strong win over Somerset last Saturday.

I've got a fantastic relationship with Mickey. I was very close to him and think he's a great man. He's a very loyal, very caring person.

I found his axing quite tough and Mickey was obviously hurting at the time.

To hear about the passing of his mum made a difficult situation far worse. I really feel for Mickey at the moment.

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I've been in close contact with him in South Africa to make sure he's going okay.

I played a lot with Darren and really admire the way he goes about his cricket.

We have very similar mindsets about training hard, always striving to improve when we're working on our game and playing attacking, attractive cricket.

We play to win. That will always come first. We will be aggressive and try to take the game forward at every opportunity.

Darren wants us to enjoy the game and emphasises quality over quantity at training.

When we played together almost a decade ago he was one of the leaders around the group.

He never had the official title of captain or vice-captain but he always had a big input and everyone respected his views.

Darren welcomed me with open arms into the team and certainly played a big part in the start of my career.

I'm really excited to be working with him. The last week's been great getting back to talking about cricket together like we did when I played with him.

My decision to resign as a selector had nothing to do with Mickey being sacked.

I have been thinking about it since our tour of India, sending an email to James Sutherland and Pat Howard shortly after our return suggesting I stand down.

They did not think the timing was right at that stage but with the appointment of Darren as coach me stepping down as a selector became part of the team's fresh beginning.

Being a selector is a full time job with a lot of meetings, phone hook ups and constant conversations with players inside and outside the team.

I felt my energies would be better spent working within the team.

I have always worked hard on strengthening my back since it began to give me problems as a teenager and I was glad to be able to get through the four-day match against Somerset, spending a total of two and a half hours at the crease without any trouble.

I'm looking forward to taking on Worcester from Tuesday in our last first class match before the first Test begins at Trent Bridge on July 10.

With almost all our batsmen and bowlers showing good form against Somerset selection for the first Test is going to be tough.

We are determined to give as many players as possible an opportunity so almost everyone who missed out against Somerset will play against Worcester, giving us a very different team to last week.

But I think that's great.

With many in our Ashes squad playing in Australia A's victory over Gloucester a fortnight ago and our recent triumph over Somerset, we can feel the momentum building.

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Aussie wins stage in photo finish

Australia's Simon Gerrans (L) crosses the finish line in a Stage 3 photo finish. Source: AP

Australia's Simon Gerrans of the Orica-GreenEdge team won the third stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday (AEST) in a sprint finish at the end of the 145-kilometre ride from Ajaccio to Calvi on Corsica.

Gerrans edged out Slovakia's Peter Sagan, last year's green jersey winner, in a photo finish with Spain's Jose Joaquin Rojas in third, earning his team the distinction of becoming Australia's first team to notch a stage win in the landmark event.

Belgium's Jan Bakelants, winner of the second stage, holds on to the overall race leader's yellow jersey by a one-second margin, while Sagan's second place allows him to take the green jersey for the best sprinter from Marcel Kittel.

The German Kittel had won the opening stage of the race in Bastia on Saturday.

Gerrans' victory is his second in the Tour, with his previous stage win dating back to 2008. His is the first win for an Australian in the race since Cadel Evans won the fourth stage en route to taking the yellow jersey in 2011.

His triumph is also a welcome piece of good publicity for his Orica-GreenEdge team, who were caught at the centre of controversy on Saturday when their bus became stuck under a gantry at the first-stage finish line.

Gerrans' sprint success came at the end of a stage that was short but tricky, with the route up Corsica's west coast featuring practically no flat sections and a total of four climbs, most notably the testing category two ascent of the Col de Marsolino just 13.5 kilometres from the finish in Calvi.

That climb saw the peloton catch a breakaway of five riders, led by Dutchman Lieuwe Westra and Simon Clarke, a teammate and compatriot of Gerrans.

The Corsican section of the 100th Tour is now over, and the riders were due to depart for the French mainland later on Monday ahead of a short team time-trial in Nice on Tuesday.

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