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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020
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Sports
PARIS (AFP) - England skipper Owen Farrell
said the lost Rugby World Cup inal is well
behind him as he and his team warily eye a
France side “capable of unlocking a game”.
Farrell was captain in Japan last year when
England beat New Zealand in the semi-inals
but went down to South Africa in the inal.
Coach Eddie Jones said the 32-
12 defeat by the Springboks had left a
permanent “scar”, but Farrell gave it a more
positive spin.
“It’s not about the World Cup now,” Farrell
said. “The World Cup is done. The only thing
we can get after now is what’s coming up.
“It’s about where this team’s going, that’s
the exciting bit, not putting that (World Cup
inal loss) right.
“It’s up to you to use it in the right way, no
matter what the result...to move forward and
get the best out of yourself.”
Farrell added: “I ind it weird sat here
talking about the World Cup when we’ve
got a huge game at the start of the Six
Nations today.
“The exciting bit is what’s in front of us.
That starts on Sunday, a big start, everybody’s
pouring all their efforts into preparing the
best they can.”
After a short break following the
World Cup, England players were soon
back at their respective clubs, in action
in their domestic leagues and Europe.
“It’s not like we’ve been sat at home on
the couch since we’ve got home!” joked
Farrell, one of ive England players from
Saracens, the crisis-hit English and European
champions who will be relegated to England’s
second tier at this season’s end over a salary
cap scandal.
“We’ve had quite a lot to focus on as
players. And in an England context, it’s good
to get back together, it’s exciting to see now
where we can take this.
“We had a chat when we irst got together,
each individual’s thoughts on the World Cup
and reviewing it and putting a bit in action to
go forward.
“We love being here, in this environment.
It’s an exciting tournament ahead of us.”
Farrell was full of praise for a France that
seems to have been galvanised by the arrival
of Fabien Galthie as head coach.
“They beat us here two years ago in Paris
and they were very close to being a World
Cup semi-inal,” the Saracens ly-half said.
“They’ve got some outstanding players
and it seems like a new start for them. It’s a
big build up and something everyone’s going
to get excited about in France with the World
Cup being here next time around (in 2023).
“As with all French teams, they have
the ability to unlock a game at any time, no
File photo shows Saracens’ Owen Farrell celebrating with the trophy after winning European
Rugby Champions Cup. PHOTO: AP
Forward-focussing
Farrell buries World
Cup, wary of France
matter where you are on the ield, no matter
the time on the clock.”
Farrell starts at inside centre at the
Stade de France today, with George Ford at
ly-half, in tandem as a proven double play-
making pair.
France will have Antoine Dupont and
Romain Ntamack pulling the reins at
half-back.
“Dupont is electric, he makes stuff
happen, sees things quickly and just goes to
it,” Farrell said.
“He doesn’t second guess himself, he’s
very decisive and because of that he makes
stuff happen.
“Athletically, he’s good, strong, quick,
tough, he gets stuck in, he doesn’t shy away
from anything.”
Ntamack, Farrell added, was “calmer, laid
back, doesn’t get lustered by anything, but
can make things happen, has the ability to
beat people”.
“They are the two key players in what
they’re going to do in attack... we’re going
to have to be engaged as a whole team
not just in and around them when
they’re attacking.”
Also a threat, Farrell said, was Virimi
Vakatawa, the French centre of Fijian heritage
who was in scintillating form for Racing 92 as
the Parisian club sailed into the quarter-inals
of the European Champions Cup.
“He’s someone who makes something
happen, be it for himself, ofloading or getting
a ball away when it seems like most people
can’t,” Farrell said.
Perez stays hot
to lead former
roommate
Green in Saudi
International
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY (AFP) -
Victor Perez followed his opening-round 65
with another on Friday to take a one-shot lead
over his university roommate Gavin Green in
the Saudi International.
Frenchman Perez, who won the Alfred
Dunhill Links Championship last year and
came second in the Abu Dhabi HSBC
Championship last month, moved to 10-
under par at the halfway stage.
The 27-year-old’s University of NewMexico
teammate Green, playing in the tougher
afternoon session, followed his opening
round 64 with a three-under par 67.
Perez started on the 10
th
and made four
birdies in his irst nine holes. He then traded
two birdies with bogeys before draining a
20-footer birdie putt on the dificult par-
four ninth.
“Very pleased with the second round,”
said Perez. “I think it was important to keep
the hammer down after an unexpected 65
in the wind yesterday. I think those were
deinitely the tougher conditions.
“This is the round where you have to
try to take as much advantage as you can
and put some points on the board, and
obviously in a very good position
for tomorrow.”
Malaysian Green found all 18 greens
in regulation despite playing in the windy
afternoon conditions. However, as in his
opening round, he made two three-putts
for bogeys.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - JB Holmes shot a
blistering six-under 65 on Friday to seize
a one-shot lead over irst-round leader
Wyndham Clark at the halfway stage of the
USPGA Tour’s Phoenix Open.
Holmes posted six birdies, one eagle and
two bogeys to emerge with a 13-under total
129 at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course in
the Arizona desert.
“Hit it really good in the middle of the
round,” said Holmes, who won at Scottsdale
in 2006 and 2008 for the irst two of his ive
Tour titles. “Didn’t hit it quite as good towards
the end, but putted really well and was able
to make some birdies.”
Holmes is still looking for his irst win
since his inal-round collapse at the British
Open six months ago when he closed with
an 87.
His last win came at the 2019 Genesis
Open last February.
Holmes teed off on the 10
th
and it wasn’t
long before he got his putter going. He birdied
three holes in a four hole stretch beginning at
number 13 then eagled the par-four 17 with a
nice approach and a six foot putt to grab a
share of the lead.
“I was just worried about it maybe going
too far left,” Holmes said of his approach on
17. “But when I hit it, I thought I hit it about
right and hopefully it would hit into that bank
or bounce just up and it did.”
Holmes, who suffers from vertigo,
underwent two brain surgeries in 2011 before
returning to the Tour the next year.
American Holmes holds halfway lead at
Phoenix Open
JB Holmes plays a shot from a bunker on the 18
th
hole. PHOTO: AFP
He enjoys the raucous atmosphere in
the Phoenix event and said he is in a good
frame of mind.
“There’s going to be a lot of people.
It’s going to be really loud,” Holmes said.
“Just keep doing what I’ve been doing,
hopefully, keep making putts and not
change the strategy. It’s worked pretty
good so far.”
Clark, who ired a 61 on Thursday,
shot a 69 to take sole possession of
second at 12-under 130. South Korea’s An
Byeong-hun and American Billy Horschel
were tied for third after shooting 66
and 68.
Scott Piercy was alone in ifth after a
65 got him to 10-under, three strokes back
of Holmes.
FedEx Cup leader Justin Thomas, who is
seeking his third victory of the season, shot
a three under 68 and was tied for 17
th
at six
under with seven others.