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/ 13 September 2007
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On the surface, Friday’s World Cup pool clash between England and South Africa looks similar to their 2003 meeting. In reality four years has seen an astonishing 180 degree shift in expectations. The winners at the Stade de France will go on to a probable quarterfinal against Wales and a possible semi against France.
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/ 9 September 2007
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Champions England produced a sluggish, uninspired and deeply flawed performance on Sunday to beat the United States 28-10 in their opening World Cup Pool A match. England failed to even gain the bonus point awarded for four tries, falling one short after leading 21-3 at halftime.
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/ 9 September 2007
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Coach Brian Ashton expressed his disappointment with Saturday’s ragged display by world champions England but insisted it would have no bearing on next Friday’s key clash with South Africa. England struggled to a 28-10 victory over a committed United States side in the opening game of Pool A.
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/ 7 September 2007
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Rugby World Cup organisers turned down requests on Thursday from the French government and the European Union to return to negotiations and diffuse a media row which threatens coverage of the tournament opening on Friday. The International Rugby Board (IRB) and its subsidiary RWC declined all requests to resume negotiations.
Australian Robbie McEwen produced one of his greatest sprint performances on Sunday when he recovered from a crash 21km from the finish to blast through the field and claim the first stage of the Tour de France. McEwen looked down and out when he was catapulted over his handlebars just as he was thinking about working for position for the sprint finish into Canterbury.
Chelsea and Manchester United, league champions old and new, produced a strictly mid-table performance on Wednesday in a goalless showdown that came a month too late. The game was downgraded to dead rubber status when United secured the title on Sunday by virtue of Chelsea only drawing 1-1 at Arsenal.
Manchester United won the Premier League for the first time in four years on Sunday as 10-man Chelsea, needing victory to keep the title race alive, could only draw 1-1 at Arsenal. The result, coming a day after United beat Manchester City 1-0, left Alex Ferguson’s side seven points clear of Chelsea with two games remaining.
Manchester United produced one of the finest performances in 50 years of European competition to destroy AS Roma 7-1 on Tuesday and reach the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2002. It was the biggest victory in a quarterfinal match in either the European Cup or Champions League since Real Madrid beat Sevilla 8-0 in 1957/1958.
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/ 4 December 2006
Former Australia coach Eddie Jones has become the first man to throw his hat into the ring publicly as the successor to former England trainer Andy Robinson. Jones, who took Australia to the World Cup final in 2003 where they lost to England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson’s last-minute drop goal, was sacked a year ago following a run of eight defeats in nine games.