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 Notebook Telfer: Townsend is frustrated
Posted: Saturday October 09, 1999 08:08 PM
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) -- Scotland coach Jim Telfer is fretting over the form of flyhalf Gregor Townsend. Telfer had said the Brive player, so often Scotland's inspiration, had been "rusty" during the opening defeat against South Africa, and needed more games under his belt in the wake of a knee operation. He echoed that concern after Friday's win over Uruguay, a match in which Townsend at least scored a try. "Gregor is frustrated. He tried to get quick ball out to the runners but just couldn't," Telfer said. "He was a wee bit indecisive. He didn't know whether to put it out wide or take it himself so we were in a dilemma."
Punch appealWelsh flanker Colin Charvis is set to appeal the 14 days suspension he received for punching Argentine prop Roberto Grau in the World Cup opener at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium last Friday.A Rugby World Cup disciplinary panel banned the backrower for retaliating to a punch thrown by Grau. Grau was suspended for 21 days for provoking the incident and has since left the Pumas' camp. The Welsh Rugby Union initially said it would not appeal the ban, but Rugby World Cup organizers have confirmed Charvis has lodged an appeal and it will be heard at Twickenham on Monday. Charvis scored the first try of the World Cup when he crossed in first half injury time during Wales' 23-18 win against the Pumas. He will miss Saturday's game against Japan but, if successful at the appeal, could be available for selection in next Thursday's critical Group D match against Samoa.
Friends now foesSamoa coach Bryan Williams and his Argentine counterpart Alex Wyllie, former teammates for the New Zealand All Blacks, go head to head Sunday in a World Cup clash at Llanelli.Williams, a former All Black wing, and Wyllie, a former No. 8 who later coached the All Blacks, both admitted there's a lot riding on the outcome. "We played for the All Blacks together, so there's a bit of an extra edge to the game," said Williams. "He was always a very hard player and coach, and obviously his team will be very aggressive and hard-nosed." "But he's also been quite a good tactician as well and we need to respect them a lot." Samoa thrashed Japan 43-9 in its opener and is vying for top spot in Group D, while the Pumas slumped to a 23-18 loss to Wales in the tournament opener and need to win at Llanelli to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinal playoffs.
Hot ticketsWhile Scottish rugby chiefs were embarrassed by the poor crowd attendance at Friday's World Cup game between Scotland and Uruguay at Murrayfield, Welsh organizers have the opposite problem at the 72,500-capacity Millennium Stadium.After a debacle at the opener between Wales and Argentina when hundreds of tickets were duplicated and dozens of seats accidentally left unsold until the last minute, the WRU suspended its ticket manager pending an inquiry and set about trying to rectify the problem and appease fans. Speculation about further problems arose Friday when 600 tickets suddenly went on sale and caused an impromptu rush outside the venue -- and yet more disappointment for the people who braved the queue and rain but weren't quick enough to grab a ticket. Next Thursday's Wales vs. Western Samoa clash has been listed as a sellout. Work was still being done to the new US$200 million stadium on the eve of the tournament's opening ceremony, meaning the facilities had never been tested against a capacity crowd.
Talk rugby!Uruguay coach Daniel Hererra says he's tired of people asking him about the infamous 1972 plane crash in which survivors of a Uruguayan rugby team were forced to eat the flesh of dead teammates and friends to survive a 72-day ordeal in the freezing Andes.He says his team's performances in the tournament so far should mean journalists have something else to write about. "I'm happy that from now on people won't begin articles about us mentioning that sad experience of more than 25 years ago. That has nothing to do at all with my team," he said after Uruguay's match against Scotland on Friday. "People should acknowledge us for being amateurs, for having made such a big effort to leave our jobs. We are losing money to be here," he said. "That's a better story than talking all the time about the plane crash." Uruguay lost to Scotland, but put in a strong showing which exceeded everybody's expectations.
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