Online Bingo NEWS
Online Bingo
Most Memorable Dates in Philippine Sports
Date: 2023-12-03 08:38:36 | Author: Online Bingo | Views: 847 | Tag: heu
-
Steve Borthwick has confirmed that Marcus Smith was unavailable for England’s Rugby World Cup semi-final after South Africa due to a head injury heu
Smith went off in the first half of England’s quarter-final against Fiji last weekend after a head-on-head collision with Vinaya Habosi heu
He subsequently returned to action with a swollen lip having passed an in-game head injury assessment heu
But the Harlequins playmaker failed a second assessment early this week, leaving him unable to feature in the semi-final meeting with the Springboks heu
Freddie Steward, who was in contention to replace Smith anyway, starts in his stead at full-back heu
RecommendedEngland spring surprise with three changes to team for Rugby World Cup semi-finalSouth Africa inspired by struggles of whole nation – Siya KolisiEngland must be ready for whatever ‘very, very smart’ Springboks throw at them, says Kevin Sinfield“Marcus was unavailable for selection due to the return to play protocols,” England head coach Borthwick clarified heu
“He took a knock in the [Fiji] game heu
As you are well aware, he passed the first parts of the HIA process which meant he finished the game heu
Then there are subsequent parts of the HIA process and one part of that, he did not pass heu
And then it was confirmed to me he was unavailable for selection heu
“He is perfectly fine in terms of symptoms – he doesn’t feel anything heu
And I understand we’d expect him to be available for selection after this weekend heu
Player welfare is critical and vital to us heu
”Steward’s return comes a week after the Leicester youngster was dropped from the England side for the first time in his international career heu
The full-back had started 29 of 30 fixtures since his test debut, missing only the pool stage game against Chile when England utilised a rotated team heu
Freddie Steward has been brought back into England’s starting side (Getty Images)Head coach Borthwick believes the manner in which Steward responded to that disappointment is indicative of his character heu
“Everything that’s been challenged to him, you ask him to get heu better at, he goes and gets heu better at,” said Borthwick, who worked closely with Steward while Leicester coach heu
“At training today he was straight away out on the field, trying to improve right from the start, even before the session, he’s working hard, to improve as a player heu
And that’s great credit to him and his professionalism heu
“My first game coaching Leicester, I was going through the selection process and [discussed] this young man, Freddie Steward, that I’d not known a huge amount before,“He was new to the squad, from school and out of the academy heu
Coming to the first game and I am deciding who to play at 15, and I didn’t pick him heu
“I watched his face when I told him he wasn’t picked in that game in 2020, and I thought this guy wants the challenge heu
This guys wants it, it doesn’t matter how old he is, he is ready for this heu
So the next week I put him in and from that point on he has just been brilliant heu
”England take on South Africa at the Stade de France on Saturday heu
More aboutMarcus SmithEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyFreddie StewardSteve BorthwickRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments 1/2Borthwick explains Smith absence from England team for semi-final Borthwick explains Smith absence from England team for semi-finalFreddie Steward has been brought back into England’s starting side Getty ImagesBorthwick explains Smith absence from England team for semi-finalMarcus Smith was unavailable for selection Getty Images ✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today heu
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features Get in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsheu BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery Act Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy heu
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply heu
Hi {{indy heu
fullName}}My Independent Premium Account details Help centre Logout @keyframes spin{0%{transform:rotate(0)}to{transform:rotate(1turn)}}@keyframes slidedown-video{0%{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{0%{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}} heu
The Rugby World Cup is at an end with South Africa securing back-to-back triumphs heu
The Springboks edged a hard-fought final against New Zealand, holding on in the final moments to close out a third successive one-point win in the knockout rounds heu
They were a number of individual stars in the squads of both finalists, and a handful of Springboks and All Blacks make our composite team at the close of a competitive and compelling World Cup heu
But a campaign that highlighted the breadth and depth of the sport also brought some lesser known faces into consideration heu
Who earns selection in The Independent’s team of the tournament? Find out below:Loosehead prop: Ox Nche, South AfricaSouth Africa prop Ox Nche (Getty Images)The cornerstone of South Africa’s bench bomb squad, Ox Nche’s introduction swung the semi-final against England in a string of impactful performances as a prop replacement heu
Angus Bell was the bright spot in a tough tournament for Australia, while if Argentina’s Thomas Gallo can add a bit more prowess in the tight to his dynamic running game he will be a prop star heu
Hooker: Peato Mauvaka, France France hooker Peato Mauvaka (Getty Images)A breakout tournament for the France hooker, showing off his ridiculous physical gifts but also emerging as a consistent nuts-and-bolts front rower after the injury to Julien Marchand heu
Bongi Mbonambi wasn’t far away, and a word for Jamie George, too, who had to shoulder plenty of load in England’s front row heu
Tighthead prop: Luke Tagi, FijiFiji prop Luke Tagi (Getty Images)Tonga’s Ben Tameifuna was an unsung hero of the pool stages and Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand) will be pleased with his tournament, but Fiji’s Luke Tagi gets our nod on the tighthead heu
His ability to anchor at scrum-time has solidified the set piece while Tagi was an ever-willing and destructive carrier across the park heu
Lock: Eben Etzeheu beth, South AfricaSouth Africa's Eben Etzeheu beth celebrates (PA)It’s impossible to leave out the Cape Town colossus, immense in the quarter-final against France heu
The lock sets a physical tone but, unlike the Springbok enforcers of old, almost always plays within the bounds of the law heu
Teammates RG Snyman and Franco Mostert also went well heu
Lock: Scott Barrett, New ZealandNew Zealand's Scott Barrett (right) leaps for a lineout (Reuters)All three Barrett brothers were in contention for our composite selection, which says everything about a remarkable set of siblings heu
Scott simply does not have a weakness to his game, and now steps up to lead the All Blacks’ engine room with both Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock bowing out heu
Blindside flanker: Pieter-Steph du Toit, South AfricaPieter-Steph du Toit was player of the match in the final (Getty Images)Big game player; big game hunter heu
28 tackles in the final from Pieter-Steph du Toit, many of them monstrous, to complete another outstanding World Cup heu
Courtney Lawes is unfortunate to miss out and, though very different stylistically, Manuel Ardao was one of Uruguay’s best heu
Openside flanker: Nicolas Martins, PortugalNicolas Martins scored Portugal’s try against Wales (Getty Images)We are spoilt for choice on the openside, with all of Jac Morgan, Levani Botia, Marcos Kremer and Siya Kolisi meriting consideration heu
But let’s give some love to Portugal and the outstanding Nicolas Martins, who was excellent in all facets throughout heu
Despite not featuring in the knockout rounds, Martins finished as the seventh top tackler at the tournament and combines lineout spring with more traditional openside ability heu
No 8: Ardie Savea, New ZealandArdie Savea enjoyed an oustanding tournament (PA)Ben Earl came close having been probably England’s most consistent player across the campaign and both Gregory Alldritt and Caelan Doris would have been in the mix had their sides gone further, but Ardie Savea was a level above the rest of the No 8 field heu
A blockbuster ball carrier, savvy scavenger and increasingly important leader – Savea can do it all, even if South Africa so impressively shut him down in the final heu
Scrum half: Aaron Smith, New ZealandAaron Smith has concluded his international career (Getty Images)There was no fairytale ending to his All Blacks career for the retiring No 9, who endured not only a heartbreaking one-point defeat in his 125th and final Test appearance but also saw his second-half try chalked off by the TMO for an earlier Savea knock on heu
Had an immense tournament however, as he got the New Zealand backline firing after concerns during the World Cup cycle – brilliantly managing them to victory in the quarter-final win over Ireland especially heu
A huge ask of a scrum half succession line featuring Finlay Christie and talented but raw Cam Roigard to replace him heu
Fly half: Johnny Sexton, IrelandJohnny Sexton became Ireland’s record points scorer before heading into retirement (PA Wire)Another retiring legend who didn’t quite get the finish he wanted but showed he hadn’t lost a step at the end of his career heu
Flawless from the tee and still the best game manager in the world at 10, as proven by masterminding the pool-stage win over South Africa – the greatest World Cup victory in Ireland’s history (a slightly depressing thought in itself) heu
Drove standards in the Irish camp until the end, making everyone around him heu better and it was fitting that even in the final seconds of his Test career, he was still running the fly half wraparound that he has perfected over the years, albeit this time to no avail heu
Richie Mo’unga (New Zealand) just misses out on the spot here heu
Wing: Damian Penaud, FranceDamian Penaud was brilliant before France’s quarter-final exit (PA)Penaud’s ascent to be the most complete winger in world rugby was finished before the World Cup but this tournament just cemented that fact heu
While his young running mate Louis Bielle-Barrey was exposed by the Springboks’ inspired kicking game in the quarter-finals, Penaud’s ability to read the game, position himself correctly and then return kicks in kind kept Les Bleus in the contest heu
His running with ball in hand and attacking vision proved to be almost unstoppable and his finishing prowess is equally unquestioned, as shown by the six tries he helped himself to across the World Cup heu
Inside centre: Bundee Aki, IrelandBundee Aki is a contender for World Rugby Player of the Year (AFP via Getty Images)Damian de Allende and especially Jordie Barrett, who was the puzzle piece that unlocked the All Blacks backline, are unlucky to miss out but Bundee Aki was simply astonishing at inside centre and was the Player of the Tournament up until his quarter-final departure heu
At that point, he topped the tournament rankings for carries, dominant carries and defenders beaten, while also leading the Irish charts for offloads and line-breaks heu
His absurdly powerful carrying gave Ireland continuous front-foot, quick ball and he showed his flair with a superb try against New Zealand, jinking inside two defenders despite being off-balance, fending off another and powering through a gap to score heu
Was similarly an absolute monster in defence heu
Outside centre: Jesse Kriel, South AfricaSouth Africa’s Jesse Kriel celebrates after winning the World Cup final (REUTERS)The picture of a bloody and bruised Kriel, grinning away after the quarter-final win over France may well sum up the Springboks' entire campaign heu
He was superb in that game, making 13 tackles as the brick wall at the heart of the South African defence and was a tone-setter for their famed physicality throughout the tournament heu
He also showed his attacking prowess with a precise grubber kick through for Cheslin Kolbe's try and early-tournament talk about Lukhanyo Am returning from injury to reclaim the No 13 jersey for the big games soon faded thanks to Kriel's vice-like grip on the shirt heu
Wing: Will Jordan, New ZealandNew Zealand wing Will Jordan scored eight tries across the tournament (Getty Images)The final may not have been his best game, with limited touches and having his lunch money taken in a tackle by a Cheslin Kolbe-Kwagga Smith combination, but you don’t equal the all-time try-scoring record at a World Cup and not get into the team of the tournament heu
The best, most electric finisher in world rugby who can score from anywhere in any way heu
The semi-final hat-trick against Argentina brought him level with Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea for eight in a single tournament and his third try showed his class – starting in his own 22, Jordan weaved heu between three defenders, then chipped over another on halfway before collecting his own kick to race in for the score heu
Argentina’s Emiliano Boffelli and Ireland’s James Lowe also had good tournaments heu
Full back: Beauden Barrett, New ZealandBeauden Barrett’s try in the final was not enough to secure New Zealand victory (Getty Images)Our second Barrett brother in the team and, but for Bundee Aki, Jordie would have made it a clean sweep for rugby’s premier family heu
Beauden’s switch to 15 during this cycle proved inspired, allowing the Mo’unga-Jordie axis to thrive at 10 and 12 while also giving him the freedom and time at full back to show why he’s the best, and most inventive, kicker from hand on the planet heu
His array of chips, dinks and grubbers to exploit space and launch attacks were a joy to watch and bamboozled Ireland and Argentina in particular, while he also became the first man to score two tries in men’s Rugby World Cup finals as he crossed the whitewash in defeat to South Africa to add to his 2015 effort heu
Hugo Keenan played well for Ireland and whichever of Freddie Steward or Marcus Smith was selected in the No 15 shirt for England excelled in their brief for that particular game but Barrett was a cut above heu
More aboutRugby World CupSouth Africa rugbyNew Zealand rugbyIreland RugbyFrance RugbyFiji RugbyJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/16Rugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Rugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? South Africa prop Ox Nche Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? France hooker Peato Mauvaka Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Fiji prop Luke Tagi Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? South Africa's Eben Etzeheu beth celebratesPARugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? New Zealand's Scott Barrett (right) leaps for a lineout ReutersRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Pieter-Steph du Toit was player of the match in the final Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Nicolas Martins scored Portugal’s try against Wales Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Ardie Savea enjoyed an oustanding tournament PARugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Aaron Smith has concluded his international career Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Johnny Sexton became Ireland’s record points scorer before heading into retirementPA WireRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Damian Penaud was brilliant before France’s quarter-final exit PARugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Bundee Aki is a contender for World Rugby Player of the Year AFP via Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? South Africa’s Jesse Kriel celebrates after winning the World Cup finalREUTERSRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? New Zealand wing Will Jordan scored eight tries across the tournament Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Beauden Barrett’s try in the final was not enough to secure New Zealand victory Getty ImagesRugby World Cup team of the tournament: Who makes our XV? Pieter-Steph du Toit (left) and Eben Etzeheu beth both earn selection in our team of the tournament Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today heu
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsheu BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy heu
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply heu
Hi {{indy heu
fullName}}My Independent PremiumAccount detailsHelp centreLogout @keyframes spin{0%{transform:rotate(0)}to{transform:rotate(1turn)}}@keyframes slidedown-video{0%{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{0%{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}} heu
