Sports

Sports

Red hot Sunday for Rugby WC
Rangi Akbar reporting from Sydney
It is the biggest Sunday in rugby the world over for years, so what better time to let loose a host of personal prejudices disguised as a wish list of the two quarter-finals billed for today: France vs Ireland in Melbourne and England vs Wales in Brisbane. Both games are played over 1000 kilometres away from Sydney but I got a taste of things to come when I watched some of the teams practicing at the Aussie Stadium in Sydney a couple of days ago. It does not matter who wins the France vs Ireland game.

Either country could grace a semi-final. Ireland, because in Keith Wood they have a bald, honest, thoughtful, ferocious hooker who is the best ambassador the sport ever had. Brian O' Driscoll is not a bad advert either and they also got the best of supporters.

French prop Jean-Jacques Crenca is a far cry from the player who was once warned to behave himself or be kicked out of the French team. Crenca, 34, missed the previous World Cup when he was banned for six weeks and subsequently dropped from the French team for stamping on the head of a New Zealand player.

He spent two years out of the French team and developed a reputation as a violent player. He does not deny he had problems with his temper but said a reputation for violence was unwarranted. "That incident was the first problem I had but I carried that tag with me for an year after that and was ear-marked as a violent player," Crenca said through a translator ahead of today's World Cup quarter final against Ireland in Melbourne.

Continuing he said: " I used to have a philosophy of an eye for an eye. If someone provoked me, my first reaction was to give one back. Now my philosophy is that the referee is there and it's up to him to sort out any transgressions." England vs Wales is a tricky one. Heart has to favour England because of Sri Lanka's connections with the English. If England wins this tournament, the Aussies will surely drop on to their knees and cry! Wales after their plucky effort against New Zealand, have increased self belief greatly and confirmed a long-held opinion that there are some very talented youngsters in Welsh rugby who could lead the country out of the doldrums.

I wonder how many of you can remember the tour of the London Welsh rugby team in the 70s when our teams got whacked by scores over 100. That was in the 70s. This is the 2003 and their rugby is far better. So watch out England! Welsh half back Gareth Cooper expects England's defence will be tough to crack than that of the All Blacks when the old enemies meet in the quarter-finals today.

Back to Sports