ON THIS DAY
INTERNATIONAL INTERVAL HAS COME AT A GOOD TIME FOR LAWRENCE, JOZWIAK AND CKR
1877:
The Oxford-Cambridge University Boat Race ended in a dead heat.
1889:
Middle-distance runner Albert Hill was born. He won both the 800 metres and 1500m at the 1920 Olympics, a feat not equalled by a British athlete until Kelly Holmes in 2004. Hill died in 1969.
1991:
Welshman Ian Woosnam won his first US professional golf tournament, the USF and G Classic in New Orleans. He followed up three weeks later by winning the Masters.
2004:
Bobby Moore’s shirt from the 1970 World Cup game with Brazil fetched nearly £60,000 at auction.
2008:
Thirteen-year-old British diver Tom Daley became the new European champion, winning the 10m platform title in Eindhoven.
2011:
Great Britain’s women’s team pursuit squad of Wendy Houvenaghel, Dani King and Laura Trott won gold at the Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn, Holland. 2013:
Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix for Red Bull.
2016:
Dutch football great Johan Cruyff died at the age of 68 after contracting lung cancer.
2018:
Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. He is later given a nine-month ban, while captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner receive year-long suspensions.
2020:
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announces the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games until summer of 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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THE Championship is taking a breather before a hectic finale awaits in April and early May.
The international break gives players an opportunity to recharge their batteries or have a change of scenery while away on international duty. Derby County have had six games in a 19-day spell this month and ahead of them is a burst of six matches in 23 days in April.
The break comes at a good time for the Rams, who have gone seven games without a win.
A number of the players could also benefit, including these three.
TOM LAWRENCE
He has appeared as a substitute in the last two games following three months out with an ankle injury he suffered in the goalless draw against Stoke City in December.
“I am delighted to get Tom back on the pitch. He has worked very hard over the last few months. I know he has been frustrated, he has been wanting to get back out there and play,” said manager Wayne Rooney.
“I think you saw at the end (of the Brentford game) with Tom, he gets the ball, he turns and he shoots, and that is what we need to do more. We need to take more shots, take more chances.”
Lawrence will add to Derby’s attacking options and they need him fit and raring to go in the run-in.
He has been called up to the Wales squad for three fixtures during the international break. They have World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Czech Republic, as well as a friendly against Mexico.
If Lawrence can get some game time, coupled with the training, it could help sharpen him for when he returns.
KAMIL JOZWIAK
The winger is in Poland’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Hungary, Andorra and England.
Jozwiak has featured in all 25 League games since Wayne Rooney has been in sole charge of Derby – 19 starts and six appearances as a substitute – but his form has been up and down and he has still scored only one goal since signing from Lech Poznan last summer.
He has played nine times for his country and has emerged as a key player.
Being in and around the national team in three important games could help his form – and confidence, possibly – for Derby’s run-in.
COLIN KAZIM-RICHARDS The international break will, hopefully, give Derby’s leading scorer chance to recover from a hip problem he has been managing in recent games.
The 34-year-old striker has started 24 of the last 25 matches and has put in a real shift.
He was the team’s talisman during the run of five wins in six games in January and February that lifted Derby out of the bottom three, hitting goals in victories over Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City and Middlesbrough.
Derby need him back fit and firing because he has shown he can be hugely influential.