Don’t ‘arm-wrestle’ the Boks, Wilkinson warns England
FILE PHOTO: Rugby World Cup semi-final, New Zealand VS EnglandTokyo, Japan | AFP | England’s legendary World Cup-winner Jonny Wilkinson has warned against getting embroiled in a tight “arm-wrestle” against a “smothering” South Africa side in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final.The Springboks employed a tight game plan against Wales in the semi-final, using box kicks from scrum-half Faf de Klerk and keeping the ball in the forward pack as much as possible, squeezing the life out of the Welsh side.Wilkinson, England’s fly-half last time they won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003, stressed that once teams are sucked into playing that way, it is difficult to switch to a more expansive running game.“You don’t want to get into an arm-wrestle with those guys because it’s very difficult when you’re in a tight game to branch out and start getting into a wider game. When you’re in a wider game, you can always bring it in,” Wilkinson told reporters.The Springboks are “a very smothering team. They can really get around you and make you feel like the pitch is tiny. Make you feel like there’s about 20 of them”, he said.At the same time, they are “enormously explosive” and capitalise very quickly on any errors, so England will have to cut out mistakes, advised Wilkinson.In South Africa’s 19-16 win against Wales, fly-half Handre Pollard had a flawless goal-kicking record, scoring 14 of the points including a nerve-shredding penalty with only five minutes to go.“They need to maintain their discipline hugely because there is a goal-kicker in their team who punishes,” said Wilkinson, who holds the record for most points scored in World Cups.– ‘Very, very close’ –Another member of that 2003 World Cup-winning side, Lawrence Dallaglio, said England’s 19-7 win against the All Blacks in the semi-final was “one of the great Rugby World Cup performances. Full stop”.If England win the World Cup, they will have beaten the three major southern hemisphere teams — Australia, New Zealand and South Africa — on consecutive weekends, which Dallaglio said would be the “ultimate” achievement. “Obviously, given what England did to New Zealand, they will be favourites… but it’s going to be difficult,” predicted Dallaglio, the only person in the 2003 team who played every minute of that World Cup campaign.However, he pointed to the Springboks’ impressive defensive record — they have conceded only four tries, and two of those were within the space of five minutes against the All Blacks.“South Africa have proved that they are a very difficult side to beat. They are a tough nut to crack and they are pretty determined as well,” said Dallaglio.Another person who has lifted the Webb Ellis Cup, South Africa’s Bryan Habana, predicted an “epic” final that would be decided by “very small margins”.“My heart would definitely be with South Africa,” said Habana, the star of South Africa’s win in 2007, when asked to predict who will come out on top.“My head says that if South Africa can utilise their opportunities — potentially like the first 20 minutes they played against New Zealand at the beginning of the tournament — they realistically stand a chance of winning the game.”Wilkinson, Dallaglio and Habana had joined other former rugby greats such as Australia’s George Gregan and England’s Will Greenwood to coach Japanese children — part of World Rugby’s efforts to spread the game during Asia’s first World Cup.And the great fly-half had a simple answer when asked how Saturday’s final would go.“What’s my prediction? I am English, I work with the England team. England will win but I think it will be very, very close.”Share on: WhatsApp
9 Sep 2015 England battle to Home Internationals victory England pulled out all the stops today to retain the women’s Home Internationals title in an intensely tight finale to the week at Royal Wimbledon.The team produced a great singles performance to beat Ireland 5-4, but had to wait for the outcome of the other match, between Wales and Scotland, before they could be crowned champions.At the start of the final day the title race was wide open. Ireland, with 1½ points from two matches, were front runners; but England and Scotland, with a point apiece, were also right in the hunt.Ireland looked even stronger at lunchtime, after winning the morning foursomes 2-1. But England stormed out in the singles, led by Hollie Muse who won the first hole against the Irish star, Olivia Mehaffey, and was never behind, going on to win 5/4.Sophie Lamb trailed for the first part of her match, but didn’t lose a hole after the fifth, got in front on the 14th and went on to win 3/1.Inci Mehmet was three up with three to play but was taken to the 18th by her opponent, where she played the hole with textbook precision to claim her point.Gemma Clews got in front on the third – and stayed there, extending her lead to five up after 11 holes and finally winning 4/2.So England secured the point – but the championship wasn’t over. If Scotland beat Wales they would tie with England and the result would be decided on countback. However the Welsh, who had secured two points in the foursomes, won three of the six singles and held on to win 5-4.England team captain Elaine Ratcliffe said: “I am very proud of the girls, it was a great result and I am so pleased for everyone concerned. A lot of people have put a lot of hard work into this.“We had a really tough game today. They played nicely this morning, but were 2-1 down, and this afternoon it just felt good out there. Hollie won the first hole of her match and they all just took control from the start. They are a very young side but they showed what golfers they are becoming.”This is England’s fourth win in the Women’s Home Internationals in five years. “It’s lovely to be a winning captain,” added Elaine, who played in three winning teams in 1995, ’96 and ’97.On the first day of the tournament England beat Wales 5-4 while Ireland beat Scotland 6.5-2.5. On day two Scotland beat England 6-3 while Wales and Ireland halved.Click here for resultsImage courtesy LGU. Caption (from left): Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest), Sammie Giles (St Mellion), Sophie Keech (Parkstone), Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe), Elaine Ratcliffe (Essendon), Inci Mehmet (Royal Mid-Surrey), Hollie Muse (West Lancashire), Sammy Fuller (Roehampton) and Bethan Popel (Long Ashton).10/09/2015Setback for England’s title hopesEngland’s hopes of successfully defending the women’s Home Internationals title received a setback today when they lost to Scotland 6-3 at Royal Wimbledon.But, the title race is wide open. England have one point from the two matches played so far and tomorrow will take on Ireland, who have a slight advantage having scored 1½ points. In the other match Scotland, who have one point, will play Wales, who halved today with Ireland.England started well today, winning two of the three foursomes. Sophie Keech and Sammie Giles were always ahead and claimed their game by the margin of 3/2. But Hollie Muse and Gemma Clews were one down after 14 and won 15 and 16 to get ahead, before holding on with halves on the last two holes to win their point.In the singles, however, it was the Scots who had the upper hand for most of the afternoon. They scored two big wins early on and although the momentum swayed towards England in the later stages, it was the Scots who came back again and proved the stronger finishers. Only Hollie Muse won both the 17th and 18th to claim her game for England.England captain Elaine Ratcliffe said: “It was a disappointing afternoon, but Scotland played the better golf and were the deserved winners.“We had great fight backs from Inci, Sammy (Fuller) and Sammie (Giles) but they all went down the last and lost. Hollie played the best golf and won.“It was breezy and testing as the course started to run more, and the greens were very challenging.”The England team, captained by Elaine Ratcliffe, is: Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest), Sammy Fuller (Roehampton), Sammie Giles (St Mellion), Sophie Keech (Parkstone), Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe), Inci Mehmet (Royal Mid-Surrey), Hollie Muse (West Lancashire), Bethan Popel (Long Ashton).Click here for resultsEngland team image courtesy LGU09/09/2015Winning start for England at Home InternationalsEngland, the defending champions, produced an impressive singles performance to beat Wales 5-4 on the first day of the women’s Home Internationals at Royal Wimbledon.Cornwall’s Sammie Giles made a dream start to her international career when she secured the winning point in the final match on the course.But earlier in the day it was Wales who held the advantage when they won the foursomes 2-1. England’s point was provided by Lancashire’s Sophie Lamb and Surrey’s Inci Mehmet, who were two down after three, but didn’t lose another hole and were 4/3 winners.Both players had a great day, each going on to win their singles. Mehmet was the biggest winner of the day, winning the first five holes of her game and notching up a 7/5 success. She was followed closely by Lancashire’s Hollie Muse who despatched her opponent 5/4.Lamb pulled off a crucial one-up win, holding her nerve to halve the 18th after her opponent had won the 17th. That result meant England needed one more point and, with Gemma Clews and Bethan Popel both beaten, it fell to Giles to provide it.She was in charge throughout her match, winning the first hole and never falling behind, although her opponent briefly pulled her back to all square after the 10th. But then Giles forged ahead again and won her match 3/1.England captain Elain Ratcliffe remarked: “We just didn’t get going in the foursomes but it felt very different in the afternoon. Inci came out of the blocks well and Hollie also had a very good win. Sophie’s point was so important and Sammie finished really strongly and showed great strength of character.”She added: “This is a wonderful golf course, the greens are fabulous, but undulating and very tricky. It’s a really tough test of golf.”In the day’s other match Ireland beat Scotland 6½ -2½. Tomorrow England play Scotland.The England team, captained by Elaine Ratcliffe, is: Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest), Sammy Fuller (Roehampton), Sammie Giles (St Mellion), Sophie Keech (Parkstone), Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe), Inci Mehmet (Royal Mid-Surrey), Hollie Muse (West Lancashire), Bethan Popel (Long Ashton).Click here for resultsEngland team image courtesy LGU
Facebook26Tweet0Pin0Submitted by Paul Dunn for Chehalis Basin Lead EntityThe late-summer sun glances off JB McCrummen’s face, dividing his smooth-shaven features into light and dark.The sharp, low angle of the rays signals the approach of autumn, though this August day promises to be warm — at 8:30 a.m. the temperature is already in the mid-60s.That’s just fine with McCrummen. He’s in shorts and cap ambling over his 21-acre property on Michigan Hill near rural Rochester, pointing out these bushes, those trees, this pond, that creek and so much more that has made this rectangle of land a tranquil jewel.After viewing more than 500 pieces of land in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, JB McCrummen found just the land for which he had been searching in Rochester. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.The 73-year-old purchased the acreage in 2009 after viewing more than 500 sites in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. It had taken him about 10 years to find just the right parcel that would meet his requirements: location, price, and setting.But even after viewing the Rochester land — through which meanders Beaver Creek, a tributary of Lincoln Creek and part of the Chehalis Basin Watershed — it took him another “five months to pull the trigger.”The parcel, though gorgeous, presented challenges for anybody wanting to live on it, though the site’s obvious impediments — steep slopes, wetlands and invasive shrubbery — were really the least of McCrummen’s concerns. More daunting would be finding potable water and deciding whether to build off the grid or pay to extend electrical power to the land.This wasn’t McCrummen’s vacation getaway, after all: He wanted to live here. And he wanted to personally combat climate change in the process, which he said had begun concerning him more than a decade before.“I became really discouraged about (climate change) and the prospects for my three grandchildren and their generation,” said McCrummen, who is divorced and has a son and daughter.So he did what he could.“The only strategy for me was to have a small-footprint home, enhance the wildlife habitat on the land and be carbon-neutral or carbon-negative in my living,” he explained.Though the property had been logged in 1990 — providing an access and skid roads to the site — McCrummen knew that his vision for the homestead would require lots of hands-on labor.“I had built and remodeled homes, so I knew what had to be done to make this parcel into a home site on which I could build my house,” he said.JB McCrummen’s property includes a great variety of native plant species designed to attract the property’s diverse wildlife — among them these native cherries from one of the property’s many cherry trees. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.And now, almost exactly seven years since he bought the land, he has embraced his homestead like a father hugs a child.“Yes,” he says, tying his shoes on the sunny back porch this summer day, “I’m very fortunate.”Fortunate, too, was McCrummen to find professional resources to help guide him through his homestead project.Having had previous experience working with the Soil Conservation Service, he decided to contact its successor agency, the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The NRCS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s principal agency for providing conservation technical assistance to private landowners, conservation districts, tribes, and other organizations.McCrummen worked with foresters in local NRCS offices in Olympia and Puyallup to help him determine how he could enhance wildlife habitat on his property. That collaboration spurred him to eliminate much of the land’s invasive plants such as thistle and blackberry and then plant deciduous and conifer trees along Beaver Creek and elsewhere on the property.“In total, I planted close to 350 native plants such as hemlock, spruce, currants, elderberry, and other wild fruit,” he said. “They’re all growing and attract wildlife.”That wildlife — in this case the species that lives in Beaver Creek — includes one of the Pacific Northwest’s most heralded luminaries: salmon. According to Joshua Himsl, a forester with the NRCS who worked with McCrummen, Beaver Creek — though designated as a salmon-bearing waterway — “has been hampered by fish passage barriers restricting fish movement and overall quality of fish habitat.”JB McCrummen talks about his life’s work to protect and preserve the environment. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.But that may change now that McCrummen has enhanced his land.Himsl, 32, who has worked with the NRCS for six years, notes that beavers and salmon maintain a kind of symbiotic relationship in that beavers provide important rearing habitat for juvenile salmon by protecting them from winter high water flow, increase woody-debris habitat and capture sediment that could harm spawning beds.“By providing habitat diversity, JB’s property will provide additional habitat not just for salmon species, but a variety of wildlife that utilizes the creek, riparian area, and upland habitat,” Himsl explained.In many respects, McCrummen grew up much like his property’s native species do now — free to grow toward their life’s purpose but expected to navigate potential barriers along the way. His life experiences, in fact, may indeed have foreshadowed his circuitous path to the Rochester hills.Born and raised in Clovis, Calif., he graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in business and a minor in agriculture before diving into post-graduate work at the University of California Santa Barbara.He cut his teeth in the working world at age 12 when he began pruning trees and picking peaches, apricots and plums on area orchards, an avocation he would continue for the next 10 years.“I worked my way through high school and college on the farms,” McCrummen said.What he considers his first professional job materialized after college through the Muscular Dystrophy Association, where he was district director for most of Southern California.JB McCrummen’s property offers environmental diversity that utilizes the creek, riparian area, and upland habitat. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.Then in 1968 McCrummen got “heavily involved” in the world of California and Santa Barbara politics, eventually prompting him to organize the first-ever national environmental conference to commemorate the enormous 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill.Noted environmental scientist and Stanford University Professor Paul Ehrlich headlined the conference, McCrummen said, and “talked about the population explosion, overconsumption, over-dependence on oil and their impact on the environment.”The conference would help christen the first National Earth Day on April 22, 1970.At that point, McCrummen might have preferred staying in Santa Barbara, but that scenario wasn’t in the cards. His position in the Santa Barbara environmental movement proved problematic — at least to some in that sun-washed California community.“I got along well with the rich and the poor, but not too well with the business people,” McCrummen said. “They were selling to the oil companies and didn’t want to deal with me, so I got blacklisted and decided I needed to figure out a different place to live.”So by calling on political connections he ended up in Olympia in 1970 where he landed a job in the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity as chief of community organization. He would stay there until 1975 then spend the next 30 years or so — with stops in Seattle, Yakima and Port Townsend — working in public policy, organizing non-profit organizations, grappling with local food and anti-hunger issues and spending time in the private sector.After embracing the Internet in the mid-1990s he spent 15 years assisting corporations and governments strategically plan their technology.JB McCrummen added 350 native plants to his 21-acre parcel in Rochester. Photo credit: Paul Dunn.And now, having lived in Washington for 46 years, McCrummen spends parts of his days contemplating the world through the south-facing bay window of the 832-square-foot house he designed and helped build.From his perch on the slope overlooking his hilly property, McCrummen frequently views the results of all his work.“The wild cherries and other native plants have been pretty spectacular this year, and it’s been fabulous seeing the wildlife eating those,” he said. “And I feel encouraged that there seems to be more wildlife here than when I first came.”McCrummen has seen a variety of fascinating creatures since he moved into his house in 2010. They include American and bald eagles, deer, bobcats and coyotes, river otters — and signs that cougars and bears roam the area.As he looks back on his continuing adventure, McCrummen believes he has accomplished what he originally intended. And it may serve as an example to others contemplating similar pilgrimages.“What I did wasn’t a shift in my overall values, but it was a shift in how I live,” he said. “I think what that says to other people is we as individuals have to make dramatic shifts in how we live in order to reduce the consumption of natural resources.”To learn how you can be involved in salmon recovery, visit the Chehalis Basin Lead Entity website.