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Team tinkering starts at World Cup
Source: Agencies |
September 14, 2011, Wednesday
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A FLURRY of team announcements at the Rugby World Cup yesterday revealed a divergent approach to selection policies between teams which value consistency and those prepared to tap the depth of their 30-man squads.
One change that wasn't part of any team policy was the suspension of England lock Courtney Lawes for two matches for striking Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma with his knee in the 13-9 win on Saturday.
"It's a fast-moving game and he's started to make what he thought was a try-saving tackle, and we thought whatever contact with the knee was accidental," said team manager Martin Johnson, who is yet to decide whether to appeal the verdict. "They saw things slightly differently."
Lawes will miss England's Pool B games against Georgia on Sunday and Romania on September 24 following the IRB disciplinary hearing in Auckland, but will be available for the final first-round match against Scotland.
France coach Marc Lievremont made 11 changes to his lineup for Sunday's match against Canada, emphasizing the broad brush approach was "not a punishment" for France's indifferent opening performance against Japan.
Tonga coach Isitolo Maka also made 11 changes to face Canada today following the Ikale Tahi's better-than-expected performance against New Zealand in the tournament's opening game. But other coaches chose to tinker rather than disassemble their teams.
Replaced players
The United States replaced three players for tomorrow's match against Russia, which will be making its World Cup debut.
Argentina made two injury-enforced changes for its Pool B match against Romania on Saturday, drawing confidence from its courageous performance against England.
After two rest days, the World Cup will burst back to life today with three matches spread between New Zealand's northernmost and southernmost major cities, Whangarei and Invercargill.
Tonga will meet Canada in Whangarei, Samoa will take on Namibia at Rotorua and, at Invercargill, Scotland will face off against a Georgian team also playing for the first time at this World Cup.
The straight-talking Lievremont, noted for publicly taking players to task for on-field failings, hastened to assure reporters yesterday that his broad reorganization of the French team did not reflect any displeasure. He said the changes were made with consideration of the matches ahead of his team, not those behind.
"It's down to the fact that, as you all know, there will be some matches that will probably be tough. Obviously it's not a punishment," Lievremont said.
"In principal, we've got more difficult matches ahead. It's important to get everyone involved."
Lievremont has replaced scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili with Morgan Parra and rested captain Thierry Dusautoir, bringing in flanker Fulgene Ouedraogo in his place.
One change that wasn't part of any team policy was the suspension of England lock Courtney Lawes for two matches for striking Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma with his knee in the 13-9 win on Saturday.
"It's a fast-moving game and he's started to make what he thought was a try-saving tackle, and we thought whatever contact with the knee was accidental," said team manager Martin Johnson, who is yet to decide whether to appeal the verdict. "They saw things slightly differently."
Lawes will miss England's Pool B games against Georgia on Sunday and Romania on September 24 following the IRB disciplinary hearing in Auckland, but will be available for the final first-round match against Scotland.
France coach Marc Lievremont made 11 changes to his lineup for Sunday's match against Canada, emphasizing the broad brush approach was "not a punishment" for France's indifferent opening performance against Japan.
Tonga coach Isitolo Maka also made 11 changes to face Canada today following the Ikale Tahi's better-than-expected performance against New Zealand in the tournament's opening game. But other coaches chose to tinker rather than disassemble their teams.
Replaced players
The United States replaced three players for tomorrow's match against Russia, which will be making its World Cup debut.
Argentina made two injury-enforced changes for its Pool B match against Romania on Saturday, drawing confidence from its courageous performance against England.
After two rest days, the World Cup will burst back to life today with three matches spread between New Zealand's northernmost and southernmost major cities, Whangarei and Invercargill.
Tonga will meet Canada in Whangarei, Samoa will take on Namibia at Rotorua and, at Invercargill, Scotland will face off against a Georgian team also playing for the first time at this World Cup.
The straight-talking Lievremont, noted for publicly taking players to task for on-field failings, hastened to assure reporters yesterday that his broad reorganization of the French team did not reflect any displeasure. He said the changes were made with consideration of the matches ahead of his team, not those behind.
"It's down to the fact that, as you all know, there will be some matches that will probably be tough. Obviously it's not a punishment," Lievremont said.
"In principal, we've got more difficult matches ahead. It's important to get everyone involved."
Lievremont has replaced scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili with Morgan Parra and rested captain Thierry Dusautoir, bringing in flanker Fulgene Ouedraogo in his place.
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