Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE ROCKET CRASHES OUT AS MEI HITS BACK FOR ‘NUMPTIES’
JAMES SIMPSON has overcome challenges in his life few could comprehend – so taking on Australia at rugby league in their own backyard holds no fear.
Simpson had both legs blown off when he triggered an explosive device while on duty for the Yorkshire Regiment 1st Battalion in Afghanistan 10 years ago.
He also lost three fingers and the muscle from his right forearm, but describes the experience as “life-changing, not life-ending.”
It took him almost three years of rehabilitation to get used to his prosthetic legs, before he discovered wheelchair rugby RONNIE O’SULLIVAN crashed out of the English Open last night after another turbulent week in Crawley.
The Rocket slumped to a disappointing 4-3 defeat by Chinese journeyman Mei Xiwen at the K2 Leisure Centre.
Five-time world champion O’sullivan, 43, led 3-2, but glaring misses allowed Mei, 37, to chalk up the biggest win of his life. league – an emerging, exciting and brutal form of the sport that aims to replicate the running game as closely as possible.
Simpson quickly progressed playing for his boyhood club Leeds Rhinos, earning selection for England and playing in the 2017 World Cup in France.
Now he is taking part in a ground-breaking
Ashes trip Down
Under that sees
England play five matches in two weeks, including two Tests against
Australia next week.
England won their tour opening in North
Queensland by
50 points and
The world No.70 had never been past the last-16 stage, but is now into today’s quarter-finals.
But, for O’sullivan, it was a grim night after more fierce criticism from him about the venue, the town and facing lower-ranked players.
But Mei hit back for the “numpties”, as O’sullivan has called them in the past, to end his chances of a record 37th ranking title.
O’sullivan said: “Look, Mei seemed a good match-player and he played well tonight and deserved his victory. I didn’t do masses wrong.
“I get made the favourite and I could easily have won this event, but I’m looking forward to the China events, I prioritise them even if I have to qualify.
Mark Allen, meanwhile, turned on the style to cruise into the quarterfinals.
Northern Irish potter Allen needed less than an hour to blow away Barry Hawkins 4-0 last night.
The Pistol, who crushed new pro Louis Heathcote 4-1 earlier in the day, fired in 60, 89, 100 and 129 breaks to breeze into the last eight in Crawley.
Hawkins, who saw off Dublin’s Fergal O’brien 4-2 in the last 32 earlier in the day, managed a paltry top break of only 16 as he bowed out with a whimper.