Honda tests spark Stoner rumours

Stoner has been driving in the second tier of the V8 Supercars. Source: Supplied

MOTORCYCLE great Casey Stoner will become the world's fastest test rider when he makes a dramatic return to MotoGP in a series of private sessions with Honda.

The return to bikes has fuelled speculation that Stoner is set to make wildcard race appearances this season.

The two races at the centre of the rumours are the Australian and Japanese Grands Prix in October.

Stoner, 27, will end his nine-month retirement from MotoGP at the Motegi circuit in Japan next week with a two-day test aboard Honda's world championship winning RC213V.

He will rejoin the Honda team in Japan on August 6-7.

Honda has confirmed that Stoner will ride a prototype of its 2014 model being readied for next season in a clear effort to strengthen its championship campaign.

Stoner retired at the peak of his career last November having won two MotoGP world championships and 38 races.

He switched to the second-tier V8 Supercars series this year but has now agreed a deal that will see him complete four Honda test sessions before the end of the season.

Stoner admitted he had missed the thrill of two wheels but was "still happy" with his decision to stop full-time bike racing.

"But there are times when I miss riding my RC213V so I am really happy that Honda have asked me to do some testing in Motegi this year," Stoner said.

"It will allow me to enjoy what I miss which is riding a MotoGP bike."

A spokesman for the Honda Racing Corporation said that wildcard race appearances were not part of the plan.

"There have been rumours of a wildcard races for Casey but this is out of the question,'' HRC team principal Livio Suppo said.

But Stoner's return to a full-scale test program with Honda, which could be as many as eight days across four appearances, is more than riding just for fun.

Crucially Honda want Stoner's assessment of its RC213V which is locked in a tense struggle with Yamaha for this year's world championship.

Honda rookie Marc Marquez leads the championship after his third win from nine races in the US Grand Prix.

Yamaha contender Jorge Lorenzo, who has ridden for a month with a triple fracture in his left collarbone, is 26 points behind in third place.

"With testing you always want a fast rider but maybe Casey is too much," Suppo said.

"When you have a new bike it is good to have a test rider who can really push the limit before you give the bike to the factory riders.

"If you do something you do it properly which is why HRC have agreed with Casey come and do a series of four test sessions in Japan."

Honda MotoGP boss Shuhei Nakamoto is delighted that Stoner will again work with Honda saying the talented Australian rider "woke up our engineers" during his two years with the company.

Stoner won the 2007 world championship with Ducati and his second title in his first season with Honda in 2011.
 

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Argus put the writing on wall

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Don Argus (R) presents his report into the state of Australian cricket in August 2011. Source:AFP

The man who reviewed the trembling foundations of Australian cricket two years ago spotlighted the batting frailties that have been brutally exposed in the current Ashes series.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

The Argus Report detailed four key batting weaknesses that required urgent attention, but the distressing news for Australia is that all of the problems remain unsolved.

These were a failure to bat for long periods, an inability to handle the moving ball, a poor approach to spin and generally flawed techniques.

The damning report could have been written yesterday in the wake of Australia's 347-run loss to England at Lord's.

The battle to find a long-innings player stretches all the way down to club cricket where the days of Matthew Hayden-style bat-until-sundown marathons on the Brisbane grade scene have been generally consigned to a bygone era.

Even at Sheffield Shield level, the long-stay batsman has become a rarity with no batsman scoring more than three Shield centuries last season.

A decade ago, Michael Bevan scored eight Shield centuries in a summer and Matthew Elliott seven.

Australia's batting in the first two Tests was so poor teenager Ashton Agar is Australia's leading run-scorer.

His 130 runs for the series are 50 fewer than England's Joe Root managed in one innings at Lord's.

The mesmeric swing bowling of Jimmy Anderson has again confounded Australia and a recent tour of spin-friendly India did nothing to ease Australia's anxiety against slow bowling.

Clever off-spinner Graeme Swann, who like Anderson has 13 wickets from two Tests, has cast a spell over an Australian side whose body language betrays signs of tension when they come to the crease.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Shane Watson is so concerned at his inability to turn starts into major scores he recently phoned former Middlesex all-rounder turned media pundit Simon Hughes at 10pm to ask whether he had any thoughts on the issue.

Watson has now been given out lbw a higher percentage of times than any other long-serving batsman in the history of Test cricket, an extraordinary 24 times from 77 Test innings - 31.16 per cent.

Australia have precious few alternatives for the remainder of the series.

But coach Darren Lehmann has ruled out adding reinforcements to the Australian squad for the remainder of the Ashes.

Ed Cowan is with the squad but he has been neither dynamic or stoic on tour.

David Warner has been sent to Zimbabwe to find form but failed twice in his first tour game and has been desperately out of form.

The English county scene has three Australian-raised players near the top of the averages - sadly one is retired from Shield cricket, one played for the West Indies and the other wants to play for England.

Simon Katich, 37, has amassed 874 first class runs for Lancashire.

Though he said this week he never actually retired from international cricket, Katich called a halt to his first-class career in Australia last year - and that will be enough for Australia not to consider picking him here.

Australia would have loved to get their hands on Sydney-born Sam Robson, 24, who is second behind Joe Root on the English first-class run scorers list with 907 at 60.46 this season for Middlesex.

He has declared his allegance to England. The quirky entrant on the county averages is former Queensland batsman Brendan Nash (907 runs at 60.46 for Kent) who played 21 Tests for the West Indies.

Some pundits, like West Indian great Michael Holding, predict several grim years ahead for the batting line-up.

Shane Warne has spotlighted a general lack of composure.

"The Australian batsmen are playing adrenalin cricket and are in a hurry to impose themselves on England," Warne wrote in the London Telegraph.

"Patience is the key. They have to trust their defence and bat for long periods without going into their shell."

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ex-partners in badminton brawl

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Badminton is back in the news for all the wrong reasons. Source:AAP

The Badminton World Federation has launched an investigation after a fight broke out between two former partners at the Canada Open doubles final on Sunday.

During a change of ends, Bodin Issara lunged at Thailand compatriot Maneepong Jongjit, chasing him onto a neighbouring court before punching him several times.

Issara was dragged away and held down by coaches and tournament staff, while his partner, Thai Pakkawat Vilailak, escorted a now shirtless Jongjit off court.

Issara, who needed two stitches, claims Jongjit hit him with a badminton racquet. The pair had already received a warning from the referee following a verbal exchange.

Jongit and his partner Nipitphon Puangpuapech, also of Thailand, were awarded the victory after Issara was shown a black card.

"The events surrounding the conclusion of this match will be thoroughly investigated by the BWF," the federation said in a statement on Monday.

"The world-governing body has procedures in place to deal with such situations and this matter will be referred to the disciplinary committee."

Jongjit and Issara were among the top-ranked badminton pairings and reached the quarterfinals at the 2012 Olympics.

They split in January, when Issara retired to take care of his ailing mother, but was soon competing again with another partner.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Reds need to rework style

Richard Graham will undertake a Reds review with Ewen McKenzie. Picture: Bradley Kanaris Source: Bradley Kanaris / CourierMail

FALLING from their top dog status as Australia's leading provincial side is the wake-up call that the Reds need a tweak of playing style to evolve in 2014.

Reaching the Super Rugby finals for a third straight year is a worthy achievement but the decay in results against other Australian sides this season tells a fuller story.

The Reds stormed through seven of their eight local derbys last season yet won just four, drew two and lost two this season as the ACT Brumbies took the mantle as leading Aussie side.

That the Brumbies bullied the tryless Reds in the physical battle for their 24-6 win in the opening round proved somewhat prophetic.

It was the same shortcoming in the collision zone that scuttled the Reds in Saturday's play-off crash to the Crusaders when the Reds vaunted attack was kept tryless again.

A Reds review, involving 2014 coach Richard Graham and the departing Ewen McKenzie, will produce a blueprint of improvements needed.

The need to fast track some bigger backs for attacking options outside Will Genia and Quade Cooper is essential.

Powerful 105kg centre Samu Kerevi, 19, has been signed to the Reds' extended squad for 2014 for just that project.

He has been a seven-try star for his club GPS with his raw, exciting Fijian running game.

A 10-win season for 2013 produced highs but also areas to improve on.

HIGHLIGHT

The 31-23 upset of the champion Chiefs in Hamilton in Round 9 was everything the Reds strived for and reached too rarely in 2013. Genia and Cooper ran the show, the high workrate backrow fleeced turnovers, skipper James Horwill was all power from his opening run and it was worth a four-try bonus point.

LOW POINT

The lame, tryless 19-12 tumble to the lowly Western Force at Suncorp Stadium in Round 5 was a stinker.

BEST PLAYERS

1 Liam Gill, 2 Will Genia, 3 James Slipper.

ON THE RISE

Nick Frisby, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Albert Anae, Liam Gill, Jake Schatz, James Slipper.

FAR MORE EXPECTED IN 2014

Ben Daley, Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley, Ben Tapuai, Jono Owen.

QUADE-O-METER

A 7-out-of-10 season for Cooper who was down on linebreak assists (8) and try assists (6) but showed vastly improved defence by not figuring in Super Rugby's top 20 for missed tackles.

RICHES-TO-RAGS

After a fine opening month, centre Ben Tapuai's mid-season fadeout cost him his Wallabies spot.

LOST IN REHAB

Injury-plagued back Aidan Toua played just two hours of rugby for the Reds. Five games in three seasons is diabolical output from a talented player.

THE CREATIVE

The 11-man rolling maul, with backs joining in, that shocked the Chiefs with a Schatz try.

BEST MILESTONE MAN QUOTE

Prop Greg Holmes (106 games) on his tattoos: "Zero ... they are no good on chubby, white blokes."

BEST TRY

The 95m classic against the Sharks in Round 13 that featured a bullocking Feauai-Sautia and a masterful Will Genia, who stabbed a grubber into Rod Davies' arms.

SOLO SPECIAL

Winger Luke Morahan's brilliant kick-and-regather try to stun the British and Irish Lions.

LIONS FEVER

A 50,136-fan blockbuster on Reds-Lions night at Suncorp Stadium.

LEADING TRYSCORERS

Davies (5), Schatz (4).

DEPARTURE GATE

Digby Ioane (Stade Francais, France), Radike Samo (Kintetsu Liners, Japan), Morahan (Western Force), Jono Lance (NSW Waratahs).

PROBLEM SPOTS

Centre, fullback, backrow.

CAN IT BE FIXED?

Big expectation falls on the squad's youngest back, Feauai-Sautia, to terrorise from outside centre in 2014. The Reds desperately need to find more thrust from big ballrunners with Ioane leaving.

The same goes for the backrow. Ed Quirk scored a smashing 35m try through four NSW defenders in round 2 and that running venom rarely surfaced again. It's getting the balance right for Quirk because only four players in Super Rugby made more than his 214 tackles, according to Rugbystats.com.au.

More thrust from fullback is needed but any No. 15 has to be a tackler too in the frontline when Cooper is in the backfield.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Smith carries $1.5m price tag

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Cameron Smith ... will attract a $1.5 million a season price tag. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

THE Broncos will need to offer $1.5 million a year to lure home the game's greatest hooker, Cameron Smith.

With the NRL salary cap increasing to $6.55 million for the 2015 season, an $800,000 increase on this year, and likely cap exemptions for marquee talent, Smith could become the country's highest paid footballer.

Several player managers told The Courier-Mail on Monday that Smith would earn as much as $1.5 million a season in his next deal due to his match-winning talent and marketability.

That figure would be 22 per cent of the NRL's 2015 salary cap, leaving the club that signs Smith $5 million dollars to spend on the remaining 24 players in their squad.

Melbourne Storm officials recently began informal talks with Smith about his next contract, expiring at the end of 2014.

Melbourne have proven that a team made of play-making stars propped up by journeyman and rookies wins premierships, as opposed to an even spread of the salary cap.

Kerrod Walters, recently named as hooker in the Broncos' greatest grand final team, rated Smith as a "must buy" for his former club.

Walters said if the Broncos could not secure Smith's signature they should plonk current No.9 Andrew McCullough in front of re-runs of Storm and Maroons matches so he can study how Smith plays.

Walters backed the comments of former Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer, who said the club must make Smith their priority.

"Andrew is a good player, but if Cameron Smith is on the market you do all you can to get him," Walters, who won two premierships with the Broncos, said.

"It would be silly not to go after him.

"In the modern game he's the best there is. My brother (Steve) was very good but in the modern game Smith is something else.

"Andrew is going OK this year, but Smith is the guy he needs to study. It is difficult for Andrew because his team is not going well but I would be getting him to study a lot of Smith's games to take his performance to that next level."

Fellow Storm stars Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk are contracted until the end of 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Coach Craig Bellamy just signed a new five-year deal.

NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle recently revealed the governing body was considering introducing cap changes to keep superstars of interest to rivals codes in the NRL.

The game's administration are reviewing the A-League's marquee player system.

Adopting that system would help the Broncos secure Smith, as they are one of very few profitable NRL clubs and have cash outside the NRL's annual grant to offer.

The best paid NRL players in Robbie Farah, Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis currently earn near $1 million a year.

Smith said before Origin I that his next contract could be his last.

"I'm 30 this year so if I sign a lengthy deal, it's more than likely going to be my last one ... so it won't just come down to someone throwing an offer and me accepting it," Smith told The Courier-Mail.

"When I first started playing, I always said I wanted to be a one-club man but as we've all seen with 'JT' (Thurston) and his last negotiation, it is a pretty important contract for me."

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Harry O needs to pull his head in'

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Nathan Buckley (L) and Harry O'Brien fell out after a throwaway comment. Source: Colleen Petch / News Limited

HARRY O'Brien needs to pull his head in.

If not, it's possible the initial spat which propelled O'Brien to not only abuse coach Nathan Buckley, but also senior figures such as David Buttifant and Geoff Walsh in the football offices, will be superseded by a test of wills.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

It's a test O'Brien can't win. Simply, the stand he's taken is now the story.

The story goes like this.

Paul Seedsman's sometimes nickname is ''Lez'', short for lesbian, because someone at Collingwood thought he looked like a woman who had a sex change. Boom. Boom.

It's not  really funny in print, but this is a footy club.

O'Brien is a spruiker himself. He's not about nicknames. He's the voice of social awareness. He is about equality, opportunity, education and tolerance on a range of issues, from racism to same-sex marriage, some of which he has preached to his teammates.

When ''Lez'' was mentioned, Buckley thought he would be funny. 

''You OK with that Harry?'' he said, or words to that effect.

O'Brien cracked it. 

From afar, it would appear O'Brien took Buckley's attempt at humour as condescension, a clear sign his wordly views were not taken as serious as O'Brien hoped they would be.

O'Brien and Buckley had words in the office, O'Brien became erratic and told Buckley, and others, as he stormed around the football department, that they could all go forth and multiply.

A furious O'Brien took off for R&R, and despite Buckley talking to O'Brien last Thursday and basically apologising, the impasse continues.

Late yesterday, the feeling was O'Brien wanted a further apology from Buckley - and in front of the playing group.

The Magpies care for O'Brien and want him to return. 

But they won't bend over just because his feelings were hurt.

Late breaking news, Harry, but everyone's feelings in life are hurt and ridiculed.

You don't have to be an ''AFL star'' to be feel patronised.

It happens every day in every walk of life.

So, harden up and do what you do best: Play footy.

You have to wonder if O'Brien's issue is not with Buckley, but with himself.

His drive to change the world is laudable, and his stance on racism recently was educational and heartfelt, and well worth the fight.

But this? A smartarse comment from Buckley? A potential career killer at Collingwood?

O'Brien has every right to be feel offended, but it's difficult to generate support for yourself when you offend other people.

Against Geelong in Round 8, it was alleged O'Brien called Tom Hawkins a ''f..ken faggot'' at half-time. 

O'Brien took to Twitter post-match to deny such an outrageous claim. 

He would never use homophobic language, he said. ''I called him a ''fat f..k'', he wrote.

In other words, it's cool to call someone fat but not a faggot.

That's OK, the world moves on.

Already, the Magpies seem to be moving on.

They trained yesterday without O'Brien and are planning for their game on Friday night.

And you get the feeling it's not really an issue if O'Brien plays or not.

For the record, he won't.

In the meantime, he wants a robust apology from Buckley.

Buckley might have been a smartarse, but O'Brien surely has picked the wrong fight.

And just maybe the apology should be O'Brien to Buckley, and not the other way round.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

VFL player 'won't walk again'

Casey Tutungi (R) playing for South Barwon earlier this year. Source: Stuart Walmsley / News Limited

A FORMER Geelong VFL player will never be able to walk or use his arms again after a freak on-field accident in a local football match, his family have confirmed.

Casey Tutungi, 27, remained in the Austin Hospital last night as his family broke the news.

Dad Chris Tutungi said doctors had told the family his son's life was permanently changed.

"The medical staff at the hospital gave us the prognosis no parent of an active, strong, vital 27-year-old wants to hear," he and wife Carol said in a statement. "Casey has been diagnosed as a quadriplegic."

The family have been rallying around the gifted footballer and civil engineer, who works at Barwon Water.

Casey, who will become a father for the first time when fiancee Bridget gives birth in November, has seen scans of his baby from his hospital bed.

The co-coach of Geelong Football League team South Barwon was injured during a clash against St Joseph's 17 days ago.

The hard-at-it footballer had just gathered the ball when he ran into an opposition player's stomach.

He flopped backwards, screaming that he could not feel anything.

Doctors told the family that Casey had fractured and dislocated his C4 and C5 vertebrae, which had compressed his spinal cord and caused swelling.

The injury has stopped the brain sending messages to his arms and legs to get them to move.

Mr Tutungi said Casey, who was fully aware of his situation, had some movement in his shoulders and one of his biceps could slightly contract.

He said Casey had been making jokes with nurses despite his circumstances.

"He's still got his sense of humour," Mr Tutungi said.

"We'll give him all the support he needs. He won't let it stop him," he said.

The family have set up a trust fund to provide state-of-the-art medical equipment that could help Casey.

Donations to the Casey Tutungi Future Fund can be made at Bendigo Bank branches or via caseytutungi.com

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Off the Hook: Griffin's season ticket

Coach Anthony Griffin sees over a Broncos training session at Red Hill. Source: Jonathon Searle / News Limited

EXCLUSIVE: BRISBANE hierarchy have ended months of speculation over coach Anthony Griffin's future by guaranteeing his job for next season even if the Broncos miss this year's finals.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the Broncos board has given unequivocal support to Griffin, whose tenure has come into question amid Brisbane's dramatic slide to 13th place on the NRL table.

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer has been an influential figure, telling Broncos chief executive Paul White at a meeting last week Griffin is the coach to preside over a reinvigoration of the club.

The Broncos are facing the worst season in their 25-year history and must win six of their last eight games, including Friday night's clash against Cronulla, to make the playoffs.

But if the Broncos capitulate and miss the finals for the second time in four seasons, Griffin will avoid the axe.

The 46-year-old is contracted until the end of 2015 and White, also a board member, confirmed Monday night Griffin will be at the helm next season irrespective of a finals fade out.

"I can categorically say this now: Anthony's job is safe, simple as that," White said.

"The club is fighting very hard to make the finals, there is still a job to be done this year. But myself and the board are convinced Anthony is the right man and the right coach for our club moving forward.

"The strong thing about Hook (Griffin) is that he is brutally honest, he's got an enormous work ethic and he treats people with respect.

"He is building the right culture for our club. We are going through a tough period at the moment, we are being challenged and we are right to be challenged.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

"I'm just as accountable and my job is to make sure everyone in this organisation has everything they need to succeed in an industry where the bar keeps getting higher.

"It (sacking Griffin) is not a reaction we are contemplating."

Brisbane great Gorden Tallis said on Sunday he believed Kevin Walters is tailor-made to rebuild the Broncos but Lockyer, the club's most-capped player, urged powerbrokers to stay patient with Griffin.

"I've said to a few people, including Paul White, that Anthony is the right coach for the Broncos," Lockyer said.

"I have been coached by plenty of coaches and from my experience, Hook is very good.

"The coach has got what it takes, but it is probably the resources around him that can improve.

"If the Broncos can add one or two matchwinners to their roster, they are a force.

"Hook is very direct with the players, he is not a coach to make excuses. I like his attitude and the style he coaches.

"I'm confident he can make Brisbane a competitive powerhouse again."

Broncos legend Walters, an assistant coach at Melbourne, is off-contract at season's end.

He has been linked with a return to Brisbane but says he is undecided about his future.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing next year," he said.

"My family are still in Brisbane, but I will see what happens for the rest of the season.

"They (Brisbane) do need to make the finals. Knowing the Broncos and the culture that has been up there, they won't give up ... but they are making it hard for themselves."
 

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jersey will always remind me of Mum

Robbie Farah after the Blues' victory in Game Two of last year's State of Origin. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

WHEN Robbie Farah says he has never wanted to win a game of football more than this State of Origin decider, the emotion builds in his eyes.

As the Blues arrived in camp Monday, the tough hooker opened up about his personal motivation - and how every time he pulls on a NSW jersey he thinks of his late mother Sonia, who lost her battle with pancreatic cancer last year.

"I don't like dwelling on it or going back," Farah said. "But the last game Mum watched me play was in a sky blue jersey.

"That is why this jersey means so much to me and why I want to wear this jersey for as long as I am playing footy."

After seven consecutive series defeats, and especially the way in which the Blues lost in Brisbane two weeks ago, almost all the experts have given up on this being the year NSW end the dominance of this mighty Queensland team.

But not Farah.

He was standing beside the pool at the Blues' Coogee headquarters Monday when he was asked if NSW could come back from the humiliating 26-6 defeat they suffered in Brisbane. That is when Farah opened up about his private motivation.

Sonia passed away just four days after watching her son's heroic 63-tackle effort in NSW's epic game two win over Queensland last year from her hospital bed.

Josh Dugan, Jarryd Hayne, Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, Brett Morris, James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, James Tamou, Robbie Farah, Paul Gallen (c), Ryan Hoffman, Luke Lewis, Greg Bird. Interchange: Anthony Watmough, Andrew Fifita, Trent Merrin, Josh Reynolds, James McManus, Boyd Cordner, Aaron Woods.

And of all the games in his life that he has wanted to win, this one on Wednesday week is now at the top of the list.

"I don't think I have wanted anything more," he said.

"Obviously coming so close last year and under the circumstances of last year, too.

"I guess Origin has taken such a greater role in my life because of the circumstances of what happened at the time last year.

"It's fair to say I want this really bad."

At the start of last year there were all these questions being asked about Farah's toughness, and whether he was an Origin player.

The irony now is that if NSW skipper Paul Gallen fails to recover from his foot injury next week, Farah will take charge as captain.

Farah isn't even contemplating Gallen not making it onto the field at ANZ Stadium.

"I have no doubt he will be right," Farah said.

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

"He is as tough as nails and I know that unless you cut his leg off Gal will be out there next Wednesday."

But it must be an honour to be considered next in line, especially when you remember the questions being asked about your toughness last year?

"I seemed to be copping it left, right and centre, from you included," he smiled.

"I wasn't even sure I was going to get another chance (to play for NSW). It had been a while, since 2009.

"I knew I was good enough to play on this stage. I never doubted myself or the belief I had in myself."

Farah has earned respect through performances on the field and off it over the past year. During some of the toughest times in his life, he has showed us the qualities that make up the man.

As a son, as a footballer and as a leader.

It's worth remembering that in last year's series Farah was awarded the Brad Fittler Medal as NSW's outstanding player of the series. The award is voted on by his teammates.

And during some difficult times at the Wests Tigers, he has been the one player who has consistently aimed up this year.

Farah admits the adversity he has lived through over the past 18 months has made him a stronger man.

"Definitely," he said.

"When you are faced with different sorts of things, I guess you can either curl up in a ball and have a cry about it or let it affect you - or you just get on with it.

"I think I have learned how to get on with things. I have had no option but to get on with things, really.

"I was kind of forced to do it, the timing of things, because I was in here and being a captain at club level. It has definitely changed me."

But one thing that hasn't changed is what motivates him - family.

At 29, Farah is not too proud to admit that he still lives at home with his father Peter and he doesn't hide the bond they share.

"Yeah, I do," he said. "I'm about to move out but I am still with him.

"I don't need him to tell me how proud he is. You just see it on his face.

"He is a pretty emotional sort of guy, my old man, and I am pretty emotional too.

"He gets a bit teary and makes me a bit teary.

"Yeah, it's an unspoken love, I guess.

"I don't need him to tell me he's proud every day because I know how proud he is."

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Axing still hurts Lions legend

Brian O'Driscoll was controversially dropped by Lions coach Warren Gatland for the series decider against the Wallabies. Picture: Philip Hillyard Source: Philip Hillyard / The Daily Telegraph

The pain won't subside easily for rugby icon Brian O'Driscoll, but he is able to appreciate the bigger picture following the most disappointing moment of his glittering career.

Having been dropped by Lions coach Warren Gatland for the decider - the only time he has been dropped in his 15-year career - O'Driscoll watched his teammates put on a record score against Australia last Saturday.

"It wasn't exactly as I would have liked it scripted, but you don't write your own scripts - otherwise you'd be scoring hat-tricks every week," O'Driscoll said.

"It was a tough week, disappointing, but we won the series and that's the main thing.

"One man's disappointment counts for nothing, there's a squad full of guys who are very, very happy, they've won themselves a Lions series and will always be remembered in Lions folklore, forevermore.

"One of the tours that matches '97, '89, '71 and '74, '13 is now a number that will be remembered.

"Not having an involvement on the final day does taint it a little bit for you, but it's still a series win and I played 80 minutes in the first two Tests and I had a big say in what happened.

"It's just nice to be able to say, I've been on four tours and thankfully I've been able to win one finally."

The Irishman said he would likely feel more grief over the coming weeks, but was heartened by the incredible outpouring of support following Gatland's announcement.

"I was fairly conscious of it, got a few texts, but a lot of Tweets," he said.

"You hear it through a few people, talking to a few guys back home, that made it a little bit easier, because I wasn't the only one that felt I should have been in the team.

"I haven't really analysed it all and thought, 'How painful is this?' You're just living it raw.

"I'll probably think about it more over the next few weeks when I've got a bit of time on my hands.

"If players didn't back themselves they wouldn't be able to get up week in, week out.

"You've got to think you're better than your opposite number, that's why you need to be selected every week, and that's the mentality all rugby players need to have."

O'Driscoll, who will likely become the most capped Test player in history when he retires next year, was highly praised by Gatland and Lions teammates for his reaction to the axing, immediately helping those who were picked ahead of him.

"I've seen different people, never having been dropped before, I've seen how certain people reacted over the course of time to disappointment. And you know there's a correct way, and an incorrect way, of doing that," O'Driscoll said.

"I wanted to make sure that I reacted in the best possible manner, to help the team out as much as I could."

O'Driscoll made his Lions debut in 2001 against Australia, and endured losses in that and ensuing series against New Zealand and South Africa.

Their historic 41-16 victory over the Wallabies last Saturday ended a 16-year winless streak.

"You go and earn your right for destiny ... you have to fight for it," O'Driscoll said.

"There's no great secret, we played better in the third Test and that was the difference.

"I don't think [the Wallabies are] as strong as the 2001 team that we played, they were World Cup winners in 99, it's probably in a bit of a developmental phase.

"By their standards they'll be disappointed with how they played."

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More