Leinster left reeling after Kiwi duo are denied entry
Nacewa and Gibson-Park fly back from South Africa over visa error
IN JOHANNESBURG LEINSTER’S mini-tour of South Africa got off to the worst possible start last night when captain Isa Nacewa and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park were denied entry to the country and forced to return to Europe.
The New Zealanders travelled with the rest of the 28-man squad as far as Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport, but did not have the requisite visas to get through immigration. They spent the day at the airport as Leinster officials tried to find a solution, but ultimately had to fly home.
Scrum-half Nick McCarthy has been called up as cover for Gibson-Park for the Guinness PRO14 games against the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs, while Nacewa’s absence will be covered by the players who travelled.
Leinster were caught short by a change in the immigration arrangements between South Africa and New Zealand that came into effect in January. Prior to that amendment, New Zealanders did not need a visa to gain entry to the Rainbow Nation but that agreement ended earlier this year and the province were unaware of the need to obtain visas for their Kiwi players.
Along with Italian side Zebre whose squad all made it into South Africa, Leinster are the first PRO14 side to make the trip to South Africa and have been under pressure to get the logistics of their tour together at short notice.
They stayed in Johannesburg last night and will train there this morning before travelling to Port Elizabeth for their clash with the Kings.
Already without his 2017 Lions, Ireland players Dan Leavy, Garry Ringrose, Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip and fathers-to-be Scott Fardy and Devin Toner, Leo Cullen must now adjust his plans accordingly with just one full session before the opening game and without his two players who have Super Rugby experience. Rhys Ruddock is expected to captain the side in Nacewa’s absence and he is confident the squad can cope.
“It’s not something we could prepare for and no one had thought of that so it’s obviously disappointing to lose some of the guys we brought over and their experience,” the flanker said. “But there’s enough to do the job and we’re confident in the group that we have.”
LIVERPOOL’S Champions League return did not go entirely to plan as they repeatedly shot themselves in the foot in the 2-2 draw at home to Sevilla.
Goals from Roberto Firmino, who also missed a penalty, and Mohamed Salah (right) appeared to have put them in control after a Dejan Lovren mistake had allowed Wissam Ben Yedder to score after just five minutes.
But with 18 minutes to go the defence switched off and Joaquin Correa nipped in to equalise with only their second shot on target.
To compound Liverpool’s frustration Joe Gomez was sent off in added time for a second bookable offence.
It had all looked so good for an hour and even Philippe Coutinho, whose head was turned by the thought of joining Barcelona in the summer, must have been impressed watching from the bench.
It provided the Brazil international, who a month ago handed in a transfer request, with a reminder that while his current employers may still have some ground to catch up on the Catalan club, when they are at their best they are one of the most exciting sides in Europe.
Coutinho was eventually sent on for the final 15 minutes but he could not find a moment of magic he has so often provided.
If Liverpool’s success is based around the pace provided on either flank by Sadio Mane and summer signing Salah, their downfall is almost always mistakes in defence.
Mane, who starts a three-match domestic ban against Burnley on Saturday, was in scintillating form but his fellow winger was not far behind.
The Senegal international was a menace to Sevilla down Liverpool’s left and in addition to the penalty he won, which Firmino crashed against the post, he created a number of other chances.
It was much-needed too as another defensive error put the hosts behind after just five minutes when Lovren, recalled to the side after sitting out the 5-0 hammering at City, fell over allowing Sergio Escudero’s cross to roll under his foot and give Ben Yedder a simple finish from five yards.
However, Liverpool had not waited 1,009 days to let such a setback derail their return to the Champions League and they upped the tempo as Mane forced one low save from Sergio Rico from Salah’s quick counter-attack and Firmino headed on to the roof of the net before the equaliser came.
Alberto Moreno exchanged passes with Jordan Henderson, whose intricately-threaded through ball saw the left-back cross for Firmino to sidefoot home.
Salah has taken a while to adjust to Klopp’s demanding work ethic but he was rewarded for his endeavour in chasing back to dispossess Steven N’Zonzi when his resulting shot deflected off Simon Kjaer and over the diving Rico.
Mane’s claims for a handball against Nicolas Pareja went unheeded but he was immediately brought down by the defender, only for Firmino to send the goalkeeper the wrong way but hit the upright.
There was no let-up from Klopp’s side after the break and Sevilla coach Eduardo Berizzo’s attempts to slow things down by tossing the ball away at a Liverpool throw-in for a second time saw him sent to the stands.
Firmino, Salah and Georginio Wijnaldum had chances to extend the lead but they were made to pay when they switched off from a throw-in and Correa burst through the middle to equalise.
Coutinho, plus Daniel Sturridge’s long-awaited Champions League Liverpool debut, failed to turn the game back in their favour.
In added time Sevilla substitute Luis Muriel missed a chance to snatch victory before Gomez was dismissed.