WE’LL WIN TO CHEER UP LONDON
Jack high after helping lift Tigers towards top Champ hits out at fans after losing Rafa warns umpire he’ll be banned
SAM WARBURTON went in search of a winning formula after vowing his Lions would dedicate victories to victims of the London attack.
The Tour captain was visibly shocked when news of the tragedy reached him and his team at a Maori welcome ceremony they were attending in Waitangi.
And he said: “Future performances and wins, we’ll dedicate to those who have been involved.
“We can play a small part in trying to cheer up a majority of the nation by trying to be successful over here. We’ll commit our performances and all our efforts to those involved.”
His message came from the heart but winning on this tour will take more than good intentions.
That much became clear on Saturday when the Lions struggled to beat a team of part-timers 13-7.
It was supposed to be the gentle warm-up before the serious business of taking on New Zealand’s red-hot provincial sides ahead of the Test series.
But the jet-lagged Lions were off the pace and out of sorts – a repeat on Wednesday against the Auckland Blues and they will lose.
Asked what he told the players Warburton said: “Do you want the clean version? We base our game on a few JACK SMITH racked up his highest score since moving up to the Speedway Great Britain Championship in Glasgow Tigers’ 54-38 win over Berwick Bandits.
The 18-year-old reserve scored five points to help keep the Tigers within touching distance of league leaders Edinburgh.
Smith said: “It was a lot key components and we lost the physical battle in the first half.
“I don’t think we won enough collisions in defence. We’re not just about taking scrums and driving lineouts, we want to get the back line moving as well.
“We’ve got some electric backs and we want to play some rugby and score tries.
“We realise to beat the All Blacks you have to score points, 20 minimum. We know we’re not going to win the series by taking every three-point opportunity.”
Saying it is one thing, putting it into practice quite another. The Lions’ schedule of 10 matches in five weeks against the world’s best players is ludicrous enough.
Factor in just 72 hours to shake off the effects of a 26-hour flight – then add a packed diary of commercial and community activities.
Worcester star Ben Te’o said: “The last three days have been tough. Some guys getting one or two hours sleep. Boys really tired before training, before games.”
Ross Moriarty and Kyle Sinckler also suffered back spasms after car journeys for community work and Te’o added: “It’s going to get harder but we’ve got to keep lifting. We’re going to come through alright.” better from me. To finally get round here, score some points and get the Rider of the Night award was an amazing feeling.
“Berwick were missing a few riders but their team was still as strong as it could be – they’ve got some strong riders. They did push us hard but we managed to get the win in the end.” DEFENDING champion Garbine Muguruza crashed out of the French Open to home favourite Kiki Mladenovic – and then blasted the home crowd.
Defeats for Venus Williams, Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova means no Grand Slam winners have reached the quarter-finals.
Spaniard Muguruza was beaten 6-1 3-6 6-3 on a noisy Court Suzanne Lenglen despite the France No.1 serving 16 double faults.
Muguruza was in tears later and said: “The audience was really tough.”
Mladenovic will face Timea Bacsinszky after the Swiss beat Williams 5-7 6-2 6-1.
Caroline Wozniacki knocked out 2009 champion Kutznetsova 6-1 4-6 6-2 to return to the last eight for the first time in seven years. RAFA NADAL threatened to have an umpire banned from his matches after being hit with two time violations.
Carlos Ramos clashed with Novak Djokovic on Friday – and yesterday warned the nine-time champion for taking more than 20 seconds between points before docking a first serve for a repeat offence.
During a heated discussion Nadal told Ramos: “You are not going to be in the chair again.”
The No.4 seed, who beat fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1 6-2 6-2, said: “I’d a lot of problems with him in the past.
“This umpire is trying to look for my faults. You have to let players breathe a little. We’re not machines.”
Djokovic is also through to the last eight and faces Austrian Dominic Thiem after beating Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (5) 6-1 6-3.