Senior commander of the Haqqani network, which has pledged allegiance to the Taliban, is seized in Paktia province A senior leader of a major pro-Taliban network has been captured in Afghanistan, the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) has announced. Haji Mali Khan, the senior commander of the Haqqani network in Afghanistan, was detained during an operation in eastern Paktia province earlier this week. Khan is “one of the highest ranking members of the Haqqani network and a revered elder of the Haqqani clan,” Isaf said. Khan had managed bases and operations in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and moved forces across the border for attacks, as well as transferring funds and sourcing supplies, Isaf added in a statement. He was captured on Tuesday in Jani Khel district of Paktia province along with his deputy and bodyguard, in an operation by Afghan and foreign forces, Nato said. He was heavily armed but “submitted … without incident or resistance”. The Taliban, to whom the Haqqani network have pledged allegiance, denied that Khan had been captured. “I have just spoken with Haji Mali Khan, he is fine and is somewhere else and hasn’t been detained,” a Taliban spokesman told Reuters. “This is a baseless news and it has been released in order to weaken mujahideen’s morale.” Nato said it had arrested 1,300 suspected Haqqani insurgents and 300 insurgent leaders in 500 operations this year. Afghanistan Taliban guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• Email scott.murray@guardian.co.uk with all your thoughts • Press F5 to refresh this page or use our auto-refresher • Click here for all the stats you will ever need • You want the latest scores? Click here While we wait: Why not take a trip down memory lane with this week’s Merseyside-derby-related Joy of Six ? Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) Liverpool drop Jordan Henderson for the first time in the league this season: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Jose Enrique, Kuyt, Lucas, Adam, Downing, Suarez, Carroll. Subs: Doni, Gerrard, Henderson, Coates, Spearing, Flanagan, Bellamy. Louis Saha makes his first start of the season for Everton, who relegate captain Phil Neville to the bench: Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Osman, Cahill, Saha. Subs: Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Drenthe, Stracqualursi, Neville, Barkley, Vellios. Today’s brouhaha begins at: 12.45pm. But while the glory days have gone, the Merseyside derby has continued to deliver, the most consistently entertaining stramash in English football. Goals, red cards, thundering challenges, last-minute winners, outrageous tackles, penalties, kicks, stamps, slaps, fistfights, refereeing controversies, goalkeeping calamities, simulations of decadent nights hoovering up the jazz salt: there’s usually something for everyone. Thoughts turn today to Kenny Dalglish’s last involvement in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. That was, of course, the famous 4-4 draw in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1991. Less than 48 hours after the final whistle, Kenny was gone, the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster finally taking its terrible toll. His departure signalled the end of an era for Liverpool. Everton, too, were on their way down from the heights of the 1980s, during which the pair had taken turns to be the best team in the land. That seems a long time ago now, as Louise Taylor reports. Premier League 2011-12 Everton Liverpool Premier League Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Palestinian Authority accuses Congress of holding back aid to punish Mahmoud Abbas’ bid for UN statehood The Palestinian Authority has accused the US of “collective punishment”, after the US Congress blocked $200m (£128m) in aid in response to President Mahmoud Abbas’ bid for UN statehood. The decision to freeze the payments was reportedly made by three congressional committees on 18 August, before Abbas’ planned bid for statehood recognition at the UN the following month. The funds, intended for food aid, health care, and infrastructure projects, were supposed to have been transferred within the US financial year, which ends today. The Obama administration is reportedly negotiating with congressional leaders to unlock the aid. “It is another kind of collective punishment which is going to harm the needs of the public without making any positive contribution,” Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Khatib told the Independent. “It is ironic to be punished for going to the United Nations.” USAid has already started scaling back its aid operations in the West Bank and Gaza, and there are fears it may be forced to end all humanitarian work and distribution of financial support to the Palestinian Authority by January. There are also fears the move could lead to a security crisis in the Palestinian territories. “Security co-operation with the Palestinians is excellent at the moment and we do not want to jeopardise that,” a senior Israeli military official official told the Independent. Republican Gary Ackerman, member of the House sub-committee on the Middle East and South Asia, told a meeting of representatives and leaders of Jewish organisations outside the UN headquarters on Monday that “there may need to be a total cut-off of all aid to the Palestinians for pursuing this course of action which is very dangerous and ill advised.” Former president Bill Clinton recently warned Congress to leave the issue of aid to the Obama administration. He said: “Everybody knows the US Congress is the most pro-Israel parliamentary body in the world. They don’t have to demonstrate that.” A UN security council panel on admitting new members to the UN met to discuss the Palestinian bid for the first time on Friday. After the meeting, Lebanese UN ambassador Nawaf Salam said the committee unanimously agreed to hold further meetings next week. Palestinian territories Middle East Mahmoud Abbas United Nations United States Aid Barack Obama guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
Kenyan coastguards are said to have surrounded a pirate boat where the elderly woman is being held hostage Kenyan coastguards are said to have surrounded a pirate boat where kidnappers are holding an elderly French woman hostage after snatching her from her beach home. A group of nine armed men attacked the property near Lamu in the middle of the night after arriving by speedboat. Staff and neighbours reported shots being fired and said the gunmen had burst into the house shouting: “Take us to Maman”. It is the second violent abduction of a foreigner in three weeks. In a similar attack on 11 September, gunman attacked a British couple in their 50s on holiday north of Lamu. The publishing executive David Tebbutt, from Bishop’s Stortford, was killed and his wife Judith is being held hostage, possibly in Somalia. The Kenyan tourism minister, Najib Balala, said the army, police and coastguards had located the boat where the French woman was being held and had surrounded it. “Two coastguard vessels have encircled the boat where there are armed men and a woman,” Balala told Reuters. The local police chief, Adoli Aggrey, added: “We have deployed a contingent in the region. The army is already there and a police helicopter is in the air.” Bernard Valero, a foreign affairs spokesman in Paris, said the foreign ministry was in “constant contact” with the Kenyan authorities. “Our ambassador and his team will do all they can to free our citizen who is known to our embassy and very well liked locally,” added Valero. Kenyan police said they were unable to establish whether the kidnappers were Somali pirates, a Shebab Islamic group of a local gang but added the “suspicious” boat they had surrounded was heading for Somalia. The woman, who has not been named, is retired and had lived in Kenya for 15 years, returning only occasionally to France to visit her family. She was well known in the area where she spent half the year at her home on the island of Manda just offshore from the village of Shela, in the Lamu archipelago near the Somali border, where numerous wealthy foreigners have second homes. Locals said she was elderly and used a wheelchair. Jeremiah Kiptoon, who works on Manda, said he was woken by gunfire and shouting. “It was just before three in the morning. We were all sleeping and were woken with a jump because there were shots fired. The dogs were barking and people were shouting,” he said. “I ran to the place where it was all happening, but by the time I arrived the woman was already gone. Her house is close to the beach. Everyone was staying there shocked. The staff told us that nine men arrived in a speedboat and had burst into the house with guns shouting: ‘Take us to Maman’.” Somali pirates have frequently seized crew from merchant ships in the coastal waters off the Horn of Africa, but in recent years have targeted private yachts, snatching westerners and demanding, often successfully, huge ransoms. David Tebbutt, 58, a publishing director at Faber & Faber, and his wife Judith, 57, were staying at the Kiwayu Safari Village, a luxury holiday resort of 18 thatched cottages along a mile of sheltered beach, less than 30 miles from the border between Kenya and Somalia, when they were attacked. It was unclear whether the killing and kidnapping was carried out by Islamic extremists or pirates. A Briton kidnapped in southern Somalia in 2008, the environmental researcher Murray Watson, is still missing and a French secret service agent has also been held in Somalia for more than two years. The British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler were snatched from their yacht in 2010 and held for 13 months. They were released after a ransom was paid. The Lamu archipelago is often included in package holidays to Kenya, together with game-viewing safaris in some of the country’s national parks. Tourism is a key foreign currency earner for Kenya, east Africa’s largest economy. The sector had only recently recovered from the violence that erupted after disputed 2007 polls scared tourists away. Somalia, which lies in the easternmost part of Africa, has been without a central government controlling the entire country since it plunged into civil war in 1991. Kenya Piracy at sea France Africa Europe Kim Willsher guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Kenyan coastguards are said to have surrounded a pirate boat where the elderly woman is being held hostage Kenyan coastguards are said to have surrounded a pirate boat where kidnappers are holding an elderly French woman hostage after snatching her from her beach home. A group of nine armed men attacked the property near Lamu in the middle of the night after arriving by speedboat. Staff and neighbours reported shots being fired and said the gunmen had burst into the house shouting: “Take us to Maman”. It is the second violent abduction of a foreigner in three weeks. In a similar attack on 11 September, gunman attacked a British couple in their 50s on holiday north of Lamu. The publishing executive David Tebbutt, from Bishop’s Stortford, was killed and his wife Judith is being held hostage, possibly in Somalia. The Kenyan tourism minister, Najib Balala, said the army, police and coastguards had located the boat where the French woman was being held and had surrounded it. “Two coastguard vessels have encircled the boat where there are armed men and a woman,” Balala told Reuters. The local police chief, Adoli Aggrey, added: “We have deployed a contingent in the region. The army is already there and a police helicopter is in the air.” Bernard Valero, a foreign affairs spokesman in Paris, said the foreign ministry was in “constant contact” with the Kenyan authorities. “Our ambassador and his team will do all they can to free our citizen who is known to our embassy and very well liked locally,” added Valero. Kenyan police said they were unable to establish whether the kidnappers were Somali pirates, a Shebab Islamic group of a local gang but added the “suspicious” boat they had surrounded was heading for Somalia. The woman, who has not been named, is retired and had lived in Kenya for 15 years, returning only occasionally to France to visit her family. She was well known in the area where she spent half the year at her home on the island of Manda just offshore from the village of Shela, in the Lamu archipelago near the Somali border, where numerous wealthy foreigners have second homes. Locals said she was elderly and used a wheelchair. Jeremiah Kiptoon, who works on Manda, said he was woken by gunfire and shouting. “It was just before three in the morning. We were all sleeping and were woken with a jump because there were shots fired. The dogs were barking and people were shouting,” he said. “I ran to the place where it was all happening, but by the time I arrived the woman was already gone. Her house is close to the beach. Everyone was staying there shocked. The staff told us that nine men arrived in a speedboat and had burst into the house with guns shouting: ‘Take us to Maman’.” Somali pirates have frequently seized crew from merchant ships in the coastal waters off the Horn of Africa, but in recent years have targeted private yachts, snatching westerners and demanding, often successfully, huge ransoms. David Tebbutt, 58, a publishing director at Faber & Faber, and his wife Judith, 57, were staying at the Kiwayu Safari Village, a luxury holiday resort of 18 thatched cottages along a mile of sheltered beach, less than 30 miles from the border between Kenya and Somalia, when they were attacked. It was unclear whether the killing and kidnapping was carried out by Islamic extremists or pirates. A Briton kidnapped in southern Somalia in 2008, the environmental researcher Murray Watson, is still missing and a French secret service agent has also been held in Somalia for more than two years. The British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler were snatched from their yacht in 2010 and held for 13 months. They were released after a ransom was paid. The Lamu archipelago is often included in package holidays to Kenya, together with game-viewing safaris in some of the country’s national parks. Tourism is a key foreign currency earner for Kenya, east Africa’s largest economy. The sector had only recently recovered from the violence that erupted after disputed 2007 polls scared tourists away. Somalia, which lies in the easternmost part of Africa, has been without a central government controlling the entire country since it plunged into civil war in 1991. Kenya Piracy at sea France Africa Europe Kim Willsher guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
A senior Tory MP has criticised plans as ‘piecemeal’, while John Redwood says the chancellor cannot stick to tax promises The Tory party has been hit by a row over its economic strategy on the eve of the Conservative party conference with a senior backbencher attacking George Osborne’s plans as “piecemeal” and in need of “radical improvement”. Andrew Tyrie, the influential chairman of the Treasury select committee, said the government still did not have a “coherent and credible” plan for growth and questioned government initiatives such as David Cameron’s “big society”. “There is much to do, and it is not just a question of gaps in policy,” Tyrie said. “A coherent and credible plan for the long-term economic growth rate of the UK economy is needed,” he told the Times. Osborne also came under fire from John Redwood, the co-chairman of the Conservative party’s police review group in economic competitiveness. Redwood told BBC News that he did not think Osborne would be able to stick to his promise, outlined in the Daily Telegraph, that there would be no tax cuts before the next election. He said Osborne would have to backtrack to ensure the UK retained its “competitiveness”. He added: “I think Andrew Tyrie speaks for a lot of Conservatives when he says that he thinks that some of the spending priorities are not appropriate for current austerity Britain and that we need to make stronger strides to get the deficit down by controlling spending. “I think the £30bn increase in current public spending last year was rather a large increase in the circumstances.” He added that Tyrie’s views on tax would also be shared by party members. “If we’re going to tax the rich more and get more money in from a growing economy we need to set competitive rates.” Tyrie went further in his attack on his party’s policies, branding some of them “irrelevant” and “contradictory”. He said “The big society, localism, the green strategy – whether right or wrong, these and other initiatives have seemed at best irrelevant to the task in hand, if not downright contradictory to it; likewise the huge spending hike on overseas aid and the cost of the Libyan expedition.” Speaking before the release of a report he has written for the Centre for Policy Studies, Tyrie said current policy did not “adequately recognise” the fact that “the age of abundance has been replaced by the age of austerity”. He strongly supported the government’s line on tackling the immediate crisis, it was reported. But he said the government had “a long way to go” to arrive at a coherent strategy for securing better economic performance in the long term. Will Hutton, a leading commentator on the economy who believes the government should invest its way out of the recession, said Tyrie’s criticism of the government’s economic strategy was justified. “You have to do more than tax cuts, you have to lay a whole story out – that the UK is the place [to invest],” he told BBC News. Hutton, who chairs the Big Innovation Centre, a partnership of 10 global companies including Google and GlaxoSmithKline , said the government needed to put more energy and long-term thought into making Britain a home for new sectors, for instance technology. “It is this sense of lack of mobilisation, lack of sense of purpose that is dismaying everyone,” he said. He said the coalition was failing to avail of cheap finance – bond yields were now the lowest since the 1990s enabling Britain to borrow at “unbelievably low rates”. Conservatives George Osborne Economic growth (GDP) Conservative conference 2010 Conservative conference 2011 Economics Lisa O’Carroll guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …A senior Tory MP has criticised plans as ‘piecemeal’, while John Redwood says the chancellor cannot stick to tax promises The Tory party has been hit by a row over its economic strategy on the eve of the Conservative party conference with a senior backbencher attacking George Osborne’s plans as “piecemeal” and in need of “radical improvement”. Andrew Tyrie, the influential chairman of the Treasury select committee, said the government still did not have a “coherent and credible” plan for growth and questioned government initiatives such as David Cameron’s “big society”. “There is much to do, and it is not just a question of gaps in policy,” Tyrie said. “A coherent and credible plan for the long-term economic growth rate of the UK economy is needed,” he told the Times. Osborne also came under fire from John Redwood, the co-chairman of the Conservative party’s police review group in economic competitiveness. Redwood told BBC News that he did not think Osborne would be able to stick to his promise, outlined in the Daily Telegraph, that there would be no tax cuts before the next election. He said Osborne would have to backtrack to ensure the UK retained its “competitiveness”. He added: “I think Andrew Tyrie speaks for a lot of Conservatives when he says that he thinks that some of the spending priorities are not appropriate for current austerity Britain and that we need to make stronger strides to get the deficit down by controlling spending. “I think the £30bn increase in current public spending last year was rather a large increase in the circumstances.” He added that Tyrie’s views on tax would also be shared by party members. “If we’re going to tax the rich more and get more money in from a growing economy we need to set competitive rates.” Tyrie went further in his attack on his party’s policies, branding some of them “irrelevant” and “contradictory”. He said “The big society, localism, the green strategy – whether right or wrong, these and other initiatives have seemed at best irrelevant to the task in hand, if not downright contradictory to it; likewise the huge spending hike on overseas aid and the cost of the Libyan expedition.” Speaking before the release of a report he has written for the Centre for Policy Studies, Tyrie said current policy did not “adequately recognise” the fact that “the age of abundance has been replaced by the age of austerity”. He strongly supported the government’s line on tackling the immediate crisis, it was reported. But he said the government had “a long way to go” to arrive at a coherent strategy for securing better economic performance in the long term. Will Hutton, a leading commentator on the economy who believes the government should invest its way out of the recession, said Tyrie’s criticism of the government’s economic strategy was justified. “You have to do more than tax cuts, you have to lay a whole story out – that the UK is the place [to invest],” he told BBC News. Hutton, who chairs the Big Innovation Centre, a partnership of 10 global companies including Google and GlaxoSmithKline , said the government needed to put more energy and long-term thought into making Britain a home for new sectors, for instance technology. “It is this sense of lack of mobilisation, lack of sense of purpose that is dismaying everyone,” he said. He said the coalition was failing to avail of cheap finance – bond yields were now the lowest since the 1990s enabling Britain to borrow at “unbelievably low rates”. Conservatives George Osborne Economic growth (GDP) Conservative conference 2010 Conservative conference 2011 Economics Lisa O’Carroll guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• England 16-12 Scotland • Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more England trailed for all bar 12 minutes of a typically tense tussle against the oldest rivals but there was only one point, which lasted little more than a minute, when they were looking at an early return home. A try by Chris Ashton three minutes from the end all but confirmed Scotland’s departure, the first time they have failed to make the World Cup quarter-finals, while England will take on France in Auckland having beaten Les Bleus in three previous knock-out matches. The victory came at a cost for England. Jonny Wilkinson, who had another poor night with the boot, suffered a shoulder injury while Mike Tindall limped off. Scotland, for the third consecutive match, failed to score a try, and they will only make the quarter-finals if Argentina lose to Georgia on Sunday and fail to score four tries or claim a bonus point. England’s policy of containment only changed on 56 minutes when Scotland went 12-3 ahead, enough to take them to the top of the group. Then Wilkinson, who had lacked his customary assurance, made his most telling contribution, nailing a long drop goal with his wrong foot to puncture Scotland at the very moment hope had turned into belief. Wilkinson spent some 45 minute practising his goal-kicking during the warm-up for all the good it did him. He missed three kicks in four minutes at the start of the second quarter after Scotland had taken a 6-0 lead, one to the left, one to the right and the other short. At least the officials did not worry about England switching balls after a try in the opening half. They did not come anywhere near the Scottish line having been on the back foot from the outset. Scotland marauded, quickly recycling possession and changing the direction of attacks. They set a high tempo and England responded by infringing, on the floor and in the set pieces. They conceded five penalties in quick succession, both props blown in the scrum and Dan Cole and Tom Croft caught where they should not be on the floor. England’s only tactic initially seemed to be to launch high kicks through Wilkinson. He had some success and after Scotland had ran back on, the fly-half Ruaridh Jackson tweaked a hamstring and was replaced by Dan Parks. It was Parks’s sort of evening, a blustery wind preceded by drizzly rain. Eden Park resembled Murrayfield in April, even if the England supporters were not outnumbered. Parks had only been on the field for four minutes when he gave Scotland the lead, kicking a penalty after Cole had taken down a scrum. Scotland seemed to enjoy trying to rile Cole. They never missed a chance to pat him on the head after a break in play and give the prop a few words of advice. There was no discernible reaction and in a way it summed up the first 40 minutes: Scotland pumped up and England passive. Scotland ran a couple of penalties, Mike Blair earning their second penalty after Cole infringed again, failing to roll away after a tackle. Parks made it 6-0 after the video referee was asked to rule on whether the ball had gone over the bar with the touch judge Nigel Owens not sure. England’s line-out was little better than their scrum with Steve Thompson twice missing his target but after Scotland forced another turnover, Ross Ford was penalised for holding on and Scotland loosened their grip. Wilkinson missed the resulting 45-metre penalty, was short from halfway when Allan Jacobsen entered a ruck from the side and after England had taken play through a few phases, Manu Tuilagi getting involved for the first time, Richie Vernon flopped off his feet but still Wilkinson could not find his range. He eventually succeeded on 33 minutes after Ford had entered a ruck from the side but Parks, who had earlier seen a drop goal attempt drop just short, ended the half with a successful drop shot to make it 9-3 at the interval, a lead but not big enough to take Scotland into the last eight. England had more purpose after a half-time lecture. Delon Armitage got to within six metres of the Scottish line after being freed by Tuilagi before being halted by Chris Paterson and they enjoyed some midfield thrusts from scrums. They lacked the points from Wilkinson’s boot. He missed a drop goal attempt from virtually in front of the posts after Lewis Moody had stripped the ball from Richie Vernon as the No 8 set off from a scrum in his own 22. If Scotland had set the early pace, England were starting to make their strength tell but a Parks interception relieved pressure and took play 60 metres downfield. England were doing better at the breakdown, arriving quicker, but a quick Scottish attack nearly resulted in a try when Mike Blair just failed to gather his own kick. Moody left the field with a blood injury before a scrum five metres from his line. Euan Murray again forced Stevens to drop the scrum. Parks made it 12-3 and now Scotland had something to defend. A minute later, England were back in safe territory. Wilkinson dropped a right-footed goal from 40 metres, but had a left-footed attempt charged down five minutes later that sparked a frantic Scottish counter, but Chris Ashton – he was playing – hoofed downfield, Tom Palmer pinched the line-out and when Gray flopped off-side, Wilkinson cut the deficit to three points. Parks exposed a gap in England’s defence out wide with a raking diagonal, but it was Gray competing with Croft to be first to the touchdown rather than a three-quarter and England survived. Scotland had now gone nearly four hours in the World Cup without scoring a try. They continued to run from deep but England scrambled well in defence and looked the stronger side going into the final 10 minutes. Wilkinson missed his fourth penalty of the night after Ford had been caught holding on but when Toby Flood came on it was in place of the limping Mike Tindall. When Joe Ansbro got away from Tuilagi down the right, he was tackled into touch by Flood. Wilkinson left the field five minutes from the end with a shoulder injury but England’s resolve had set and after they drove a line-out, they went through the phases before Ashton, who had hardly had a pass all night, was worked into space. Flood converted and England could contemplate flaky France and another riveting Six Nations affair. Rugby World Cup 2011 England rugby union team Scotland rugby union team Rugby union Paul Rees guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …
• Email your thoughts to scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • Press F5 to refresh this page or use our auto-refresher • Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more 65 min: A powerful run from Ansbro down the right. Parks switches play with a kick to the corner down the left. Gray looks for a second like getting to the ball first, but before he can think about banging it down for a try, Croft is over to get in the way. What an intervention! 64 min: England have responded really well after peering over the precipice. A couple of changes for Scotland: Hines and Rennie on, Strokosch and Barclay off. 63 min: PENALTY! England 9-12 Scotland. Wow, this is fast and furious. Wilkinson kicks for goal just in front of the posts, but Parks charges him down. Scotland break upfield, Paterson nearly reaching Danielli’s chip and chase, but Tindall covers well. Ashton kicks back upfield, England being gifted a penalty in the breakdown. And Wilkinson makes no mistake now, kicking a beauty straight between the posts from a tight position on the left. 59 min: A change for England just before that drop goal, by the way, Palmer coming on for Lawes. 57 min: DROP GOAL! England 6-12 Scotland. You can’t keep a good man down! From the restart, England win half-decent field position out on the left, midway in Scottish territory. The ball’s fed back to Wilkinson, who kicks a gorgeous goal between the posts. How can he score that, yet miss his effort earlier? The strange complexities of sport, in a nutshell. 56 min: PENALTY! England 3-12 Scotland. Paterson kicks majestically, the ball staying just on the correct side of the right-hand post. This match really is on now. 55 min: In the English 22, some more faffing around in the scrum. England are eventually penalised for bringing down the scrum yet again. Paterson will kick from out on the left. If this goes over, Scotland will find themselves in pole position for the first time, and England will be in danger of an early exit. 53 min: Was this Scotland’s chance gone? Danielli chips and chases down the left, and so nearly latches onto the ball deep in the corner. He can’t get to it, but de Luca is just behind him. All he has to do is pick the ball up, take two steps, and plonk the ball down for a try, but he lets the ball slip through his hands like a bar of soap, and the chance is gone. Oh my. You can’t be passing up opportunities like that, especially when you play in a team who struggle to score tries. 51 min: This is all England. A penalty from halfway is kicked to the corner. England win their line out, then fling the ball around awhile. They’re looking dangerous – then Parks intercepts a loose pass and breaks upfield! The ball’s fed out to Paterson on the right, who kicks long and finds touch near the England 22, the pressure suddenly off. Very poor stuff from England, who really had the Scots under the cosh for a minute there. “It’s not so much ‘fannying around’ in the scrum as Matt Stevens driving across and Dan Cole slipping his bind,” opinesNath Jones. “Add in Steve Thompson popping up every time the pressure’s on and I’ve no idea how England aren’t being penalised more often.” 49 min: England win more turnover ball, this time in the Scottish 22! They shift it back into the pocket for Wilkinson, who goes for a drop goal right in front of the posts. He surely must add three points, but screws a hopeless effort wide left. That was abysmal . Wilkinson, ever the gent, has the good manners to look extremely embarrassed. 47 min: England steal the ball at a scrum against the head, Tindall taking control of a ricochet. Youngs is so close to breaking free down the right, but ends up knocking the ball on. England are on top here, but Scotland are just about managing to repel them. This is tense stuff, both teams massive sacks of nerves. Aren’t weekends supposed to be relaxing? 46 min: A lot of fannying around by both teams at a scrum. A lot of fannying around. 44 min: Tuilagi is putting himself about, the white shirts of England putting together a few passing phases in the Scottish half. Scotland look shocked by England’s fast start to this period. “Am I the only England fan hoping Scotland sort of do this?” asks Dan Lucas. “It’d be nice to see Andy Robinson get one over on the RFU, it might prompt them to get a real coach in – Johnson is about as open minded as Jeremy Clarkson – and no one likes to see posh people win.” 42 min: Already it looks as though England are more on their game. Tuilagi intercepts a telegraphed pass, and sets Armitage scampering free down the left. He so nearly makes it to the try line, but he’s nudged into touch at the last. Scotland go long at the line out and clear upfield. The danger’s over, at least momentarily, but England already look a different team, and will be energised by that. And we’re off again! An interesting comparison between the two dressing rooms at half time. Martin Johnson had England standing in a circle, no time to rest, his bollocking too severe to enjoy while kicking back and relaxing. Scotland coach Andy Robinson, meanwhile, was standing with one hand in pocket, very much the casual man at C&A, his players sitting on the benches. England certainly need a kick up the hole; another 40 minutes like that and they’ll be on the plane home. So here we go, Scotland kicking off. They’ve made a change: Max Evans off, Nick de Luca on. HALF-TIME ADVERTISEMENT BREAK: Geddon! HALF TIME: England 3-9 Scotland. And that’s that for the half. A very impressive one from Scotland; another like it, and they’ll be staying in New Zealand a wee while longer, while the English go home. But England surely can’t play as badly as that again in the second half. Surely Jonny Wilkinson can’t kick as badly as that again. And it’s worth remembering – though how could you forget – that England remain in the box seat for qualification. 40 min: DROP GOAL! England 3-9 Scotland. Yes he can! Good foraging by the Scottish pack, and the ball’s snapped back to Parks, who threads the ball through the target from short range. 39 min: Scotland are competing very well in the scrum. They win the ball against the head for the fourth time in the match. Then England are penalised for dragging the whole kit and caboodle down yet again. It allows Scotland to kick for good field position at the end of the half. Can they set Parks up for another drop goal effort? 36 min: A good response from Scotland, who set themselves up in the England 22 and throw it hither and yon. Parks shuttles the ball out right to Ansbro on the wing, but the Scot is dumped into touch by Armitage. Just for a second, it looked like Scotland were going to score a rare tournament try. But no. 34 min: PENALTY! England 3-6 Scotland. Nope, Wilkinson’s not going to miss four in a row. He makes no mistake, slotting the ball between the posts and bothering the scoreboard for the first time. 31 min: Scotland, who aren’t exactly the most expansive outfit at this World Cup, are to their credit trying their best to put together a few passing phases. Nothing’s quite coming off for them, though; they don’t exactly look like threatening a try. By way of comparison, England have been pretty stodgy, yet when they get the ball out left to Armitage, there’s an electricity in the air. Armitage goes nowhere, but his mere presence causes panic in the Scotland ranks, and when he’s tackled, Ross Ford comes hoving into the resulting melee at a preposterous angle, gifting England the penalty, 20-odd yards out. Wilkinson won’t miss four in a row, surely? 28 min: The ball’s been kicked this way and that. A couple of very decent kicks into the England 22 by Dan Parks, who isn’t always the most reliable. Scotland win some good field position, and feed Parks in the pocket for the drop goal attempt, but like last Sunday against Argentina, he’s not been given much time or space to work with, and although he gets his effort on target, this time his kick falls short. 25 min: England have the momentum now. Scotland are penalised for hitting a man in mid air. England have a penalty in the middle of the park, just to the left of the sticks. He really should put three points on the board for England, but he misses this one as well! The ball curls off to the right. That is unspeakably poor. A real let-off for Scotland, who have been under the cosh since going 6-0 up. 22 min: Scotland launch a garryowen, which they reclaim, but the forwards have been sauntering back like men popping down to the shops for the paper, a pint of milk and a packet of fags, and it’s offside. Wilkinson opts to kick for goal from the halfway line, but while his kick is on target, it’s short. 21 min: England look a wee bit flustered in the face of this decent Scottish start. Youngs needlessly steps into touch when looking to set England off from the halfway line, and the ball’s gifted back to the Scots. 19 min: Scotland are first to everything at the minute. Youngs fannies around at the breakdown, allowing Ford to steal it away, but then Scotland can’t recycle, holding onto the ball on the ground. An England penalty from out left, near the halfway line, in a strong wind. Wilkinson steps up and goes through the usual routine, but he can’t stroke the ball over, his kick sailing to the left of the posts. 16 min: PENALTY! England 0-6 Scotland. Mike Blair takes a quick tap penalty and runs up the right flank to the English ten-metre line. Dan Cole fails to roll away after tackling, and it’s a penalty to Scotland, out on the right. Parks hits a long, flat kick in between the posts – but did it go over the bar? The referee goes to the video booth – the guys hanging around with the flags aren’t sure – and turns out the ball just tipples over the bar. What a surreal series of events. Parks has the decency to look highly amused by the incident. 14 min: A lot of faffing around at a scrum. Scotland are penalised for turning the scrum. There are already signs that the English pack are bossing it in terms of strength, but again there’s a niggly error by England in the engagement, and the pressure’s off the Scots. 12 min: Scotland with the ball in their own 22. England are offside at the breakdown. There’s some backchat, too, and a 10-metre penalty. Scotland tear off into English territory. They’re flinging the passes around quite nicely here, having come out strongly. Scotland have clearly decided to go for it, a no-brainer, really, as it’s do or die for them. England have already made quite a few infringements; it’s been a problem all World Cup, and it’s something they can’t afford here. 9 min: PENALTY! England 0-3 Scotland. That’s a great kick by Paterson, who arrows a very tricky penalty through the posts. 8 min: The English front row collapses at the scrum, Dan Cole the man dragging it all down. Penalty for Scotland. Will the usually dead-eyed Chris Paterson be able to convert it, from near the left touchline? 6 min: A chip through down the right, Evans chasing after it and getting to the ball ahead of a very sleepy Foden. It gives Scotland good field position, but instead of continuing to run the ball, they opt for a cross kick towards Lamont. Poor decision, as Lamont can’t gather the ball and England will have the scrum. But this is a strong start from the Scots. 5 min: An early blow for Scotland: Ruaridh Jackson is injured and can’t continue. He’s replaced by Dan Parks, and goes off in tears. Ee, he’s a poor lad. Wrong code, sorry. 2 min: A determined start from Scotland, the captain Kellock winning an English put-in at the line-out. They look to break up the right flank, but flinging the ball around isn’t a Scottish strong point, and there’s a knock on. A breathless start. “Poor showing from the Scots at the anthems,” opines Gary Naylor. “No tears, only one caveman and two blokes who look fifty years old.” I miss amateur rugby, when it looked as though everyone had just bundled out of the nearest pub, gaddered on whisky or real ale. Scotland still often play it, of course, but not in that sense. And we’re off! The crowd count down to the start – “FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!” – and England get proceedings under way. What at atmosphere. A line out at the Scottish 22, Scotland putting in, at which England transgress. Scotland can clear their lines. The teams take the pitch, and there’s quite an atmosphere. The guy with the wooden bassoon gives it a bit of Mulligan and O’Hare. Lewis Moody and England jog out; Alastair Kellock and his men give it a bit of ersatz David Sole, and walk out if not slowly, then at least at medium pace. It’s all to the accompaniment of dreadful portentous music. Speaking of which, it’s time for a blast of God Save The Queen. Then a tootle of Flower of Scotland, played with neither bag nor pipe. Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Scotland: Paterson, Evans, Ansbro, S. Lamont, Danielli, Jackson, Blair, Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Gray, Kellock, Strokosch, Barclay, Vernon. Replacements: S. Lawson, Dickinson, Hines, Rennie, Cusiter, Parks, De Luca. England: Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi, Tindall, Armitage, Wilkinson, Youngs, Stevens, Thompson, Cole, Deacon, Lawes, Croft, Moody, Haskell. Replacements: Hartley, Corbisiero, Palmer, Easter, Wigglesworth, Flood, Banahan. Venue: Eden Park, Auckland. Kick off: 8.30am BST. We’re in uncharted waters, though, England and Scotland having never faced each other on neutral turf. The 1991 World Cup semi, of course, being held in Scotland, which for tournament purposes that year was technically part of England. So all we have to go on is recent form, which should be enough for England. They’re Six Nations champions; have won three of the last five meetings between the two sides, losing only once, in 2009 at Murrayfield; and have at least scored a few tries at this World Cup, where Scotland have been pretty turgid on the whole. Still, the Scots also have a habit of seriously upsetting England every now and then – for every 1991 World Cup there’s a 1990 Grand Slam decider or a 1999 Five Nations smash ‘n’ grab – so both camps have cause for hope. Got that? Me neither. Let’s muddle through. Scotland will avoid the plane, goin’ hame, hiding in the lavvy when the ticket man came , only if they beat England. And then they need more points than Argentina get from their result against Georgia; or to beat England by more than seven points with England failing to score four or more tries; or to beat England by scoring four or more tries with England failing to pick up any bonus points. England will be sent homeward tae think again if Scotland win by eight points or more and England fail to score at least four tries, and Argentina pick up a bonus point when beating Georgia. Or if both Scotland and Argentina win with bonus points for scoring four or more tries, and England fail to pick up any bonus points. England will finish top of Pool B if they avoid defeat in this match at Eden Park. They can still top the group if they lose by fewer than eight points or score four or more tries, as well as stopping Scotland scoring four or more tries. England against Scotland, Scotland against England, in the World Cup, the losers quite likely sent homeward tae think again. It’s a game that requires no introduction, so I won’t jabber needlessly in your ear so early in the morning. You’ll be needing the permutations, though, no? Rugby World Cup 2011 England rugby union team Scotland rugby union team Rugby union Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …• Email your thoughts to scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • Press F5 to refresh this page or use our auto-refresher • Watch World Cup video highlights, interviews and more 65 min: A powerful run from Ansbro down the right. Parks switches play with a kick to the corner down the left. Gray looks for a second like getting to the ball first, but before he can think about banging it down for a try, Croft is over to get in the way. What an intervention! 64 min: England have responded really well after peering over the precipice. A couple of changes for Scotland: Hines and Rennie on, Strokosch and Barclay off. 63 min: PENALTY! England 9-12 Scotland. Wow, this is fast and furious. Wilkinson kicks for goal just in front of the posts, but Parks charges him down. Scotland break upfield, Paterson nearly reaching Danielli’s chip and chase, but Tindall covers well. Ashton kicks back upfield, England being gifted a penalty in the breakdown. And Wilkinson makes no mistake now, kicking a beauty straight between the posts from a tight position on the left. 59 min: A change for England just before that drop goal, by the way, Palmer coming on for Lawes. 57 min: DROP GOAL! England 6-12 Scotland. You can’t keep a good man down! From the restart, England win half-decent field position out on the left, midway in Scottish territory. The ball’s fed back to Wilkinson, who kicks a gorgeous goal between the posts. How can he score that, yet miss his effort earlier? The strange complexities of sport, in a nutshell. 56 min: PENALTY! England 3-12 Scotland. Paterson kicks majestically, the ball staying just on the correct side of the right-hand post. This match really is on now. 55 min: In the English 22, some more faffing around in the scrum. England are eventually penalised for bringing down the scrum yet again. Paterson will kick from out on the left. If this goes over, Scotland will find themselves in pole position for the first time, and England will be in danger of an early exit. 53 min: Was this Scotland’s chance gone? Danielli chips and chases down the left, and so nearly latches onto the ball deep in the corner. He can’t get to it, but de Luca is just behind him. All he has to do is pick the ball up, take two steps, and plonk the ball down for a try, but he lets the ball slip through his hands like a bar of soap, and the chance is gone. Oh my. You can’t be passing up opportunities like that, especially when you play in a team who struggle to score tries. 51 min: This is all England. A penalty from halfway is kicked to the corner. England win their line out, then fling the ball around awhile. They’re looking dangerous – then Parks intercepts a loose pass and breaks upfield! The ball’s fed out to Paterson on the right, who kicks long and finds touch near the England 22, the pressure suddenly off. Very poor stuff from England, who really had the Scots under the cosh for a minute there. “It’s not so much ‘fannying around’ in the scrum as Matt Stevens driving across and Dan Cole slipping his bind,” opinesNath Jones. “Add in Steve Thompson popping up every time the pressure’s on and I’ve no idea how England aren’t being penalised more often.” 49 min: England win more turnover ball, this time in the Scottish 22! They shift it back into the pocket for Wilkinson, who goes for a drop goal right in front of the posts. He surely must add three points, but screws a hopeless effort wide left. That was abysmal . Wilkinson, ever the gent, has the good manners to look extremely embarrassed. 47 min: England steal the ball at a scrum against the head, Tindall taking control of a ricochet. Youngs is so close to breaking free down the right, but ends up knocking the ball on. England are on top here, but Scotland are just about managing to repel them. This is tense stuff, both teams massive sacks of nerves. Aren’t weekends supposed to be relaxing? 46 min: A lot of fannying around by both teams at a scrum. A lot of fannying around. 44 min: Tuilagi is putting himself about, the white shirts of England putting together a few passing phases in the Scottish half. Scotland look shocked by England’s fast start to this period. “Am I the only England fan hoping Scotland sort of do this?” asks Dan Lucas. “It’d be nice to see Andy Robinson get one over on the RFU, it might prompt them to get a real coach in – Johnson is about as open minded as Jeremy Clarkson – and no one likes to see posh people win.” 42 min: Already it looks as though England are more on their game. Tuilagi intercepts a telegraphed pass, and sets Armitage scampering free down the left. He so nearly makes it to the try line, but he’s nudged into touch at the last. Scotland go long at the line out and clear upfield. The danger’s over, at least momentarily, but England already look a different team, and will be energised by that. And we’re off again! An interesting comparison between the two dressing rooms at half time. Martin Johnson had England standing in a circle, no time to rest, his bollocking too severe to enjoy while kicking back and relaxing. Scotland coach Andy Robinson, meanwhile, was standing with one hand in pocket, very much the casual man at C&A, his players sitting on the benches. England certainly need a kick up the hole; another 40 minutes like that and they’ll be on the plane home. So here we go, Scotland kicking off. They’ve made a change: Max Evans off, Nick de Luca on. HALF-TIME ADVERTISEMENT BREAK: Geddon! HALF TIME: England 3-9 Scotland. And that’s that for the half. A very impressive one from Scotland; another like it, and they’ll be staying in New Zealand a wee while longer, while the English go home. But England surely can’t play as badly as that again in the second half. Surely Jonny Wilkinson can’t kick as badly as that again. And it’s worth remembering – though how could you forget – that England remain in the box seat for qualification. 40 min: DROP GOAL! England 3-9 Scotland. Yes he can! Good foraging by the Scottish pack, and the ball’s snapped back to Parks, who threads the ball through the target from short range. 39 min: Scotland are competing very well in the scrum. They win the ball against the head for the fourth time in the match. Then England are penalised for dragging the whole kit and caboodle down yet again. It allows Scotland to kick for good field position at the end of the half. Can they set Parks up for another drop goal effort? 36 min: A good response from Scotland, who set themselves up in the England 22 and throw it hither and yon. Parks shuttles the ball out right to Ansbro on the wing, but the Scot is dumped into touch by Armitage. Just for a second, it looked like Scotland were going to score a rare tournament try. But no. 34 min: PENALTY! England 3-6 Scotland. Nope, Wilkinson’s not going to miss four in a row. He makes no mistake, slotting the ball between the posts and bothering the scoreboard for the first time. 31 min: Scotland, who aren’t exactly the most expansive outfit at this World Cup, are to their credit trying their best to put together a few passing phases. Nothing’s quite coming off for them, though; they don’t exactly look like threatening a try. By way of comparison, England have been pretty stodgy, yet when they get the ball out left to Armitage, there’s an electricity in the air. Armitage goes nowhere, but his mere presence causes panic in the Scotland ranks, and when he’s tackled, Ross Ford comes hoving into the resulting melee at a preposterous angle, gifting England the penalty, 20-odd yards out. Wilkinson won’t miss four in a row, surely? 28 min: The ball’s been kicked this way and that. A couple of very decent kicks into the England 22 by Dan Parks, who isn’t always the most reliable. Scotland win some good field position, and feed Parks in the pocket for the drop goal attempt, but like last Sunday against Argentina, he’s not been given much time or space to work with, and although he gets his effort on target, this time his kick falls short. 25 min: England have the momentum now. Scotland are penalised for hitting a man in mid air. England have a penalty in the middle of the park, just to the left of the sticks. He really should put three points on the board for England, but he misses this one as well! The ball curls off to the right. That is unspeakably poor. A real let-off for Scotland, who have been under the cosh since going 6-0 up. 22 min: Scotland launch a garryowen, which they reclaim, but the forwards have been sauntering back like men popping down to the shops for the paper, a pint of milk and a packet of fags, and it’s offside. Wilkinson opts to kick for goal from the halfway line, but while his kick is on target, it’s short. 21 min: England look a wee bit flustered in the face of this decent Scottish start. Youngs needlessly steps into touch when looking to set England off from the halfway line, and the ball’s gifted back to the Scots. 19 min: Scotland are first to everything at the minute. Youngs fannies around at the breakdown, allowing Ford to steal it away, but then Scotland can’t recycle, holding onto the ball on the ground. An England penalty from out left, near the halfway line, in a strong wind. Wilkinson steps up and goes through the usual routine, but he can’t stroke the ball over, his kick sailing to the left of the posts. 16 min: PENALTY! England 0-6 Scotland. Mike Blair takes a quick tap penalty and runs up the right flank to the English ten-metre line. Dan Cole fails to roll away after tackling, and it’s a penalty to Scotland, out on the right. Parks hits a long, flat kick in between the posts – but did it go over the bar? The referee goes to the video booth – the guys hanging around with the flags aren’t sure – and turns out the ball just tipples over the bar. What a surreal series of events. Parks has the decency to look highly amused by the incident. 14 min: A lot of faffing around at a scrum. Scotland are penalised for turning the scrum. There are already signs that the English pack are bossing it in terms of strength, but again there’s a niggly error by England in the engagement, and the pressure’s off the Scots. 12 min: Scotland with the ball in their own 22. England are offside at the breakdown. There’s some backchat, too, and a 10-metre penalty. Scotland tear off into English territory. They’re flinging the passes around quite nicely here, having come out strongly. Scotland have clearly decided to go for it, a no-brainer, really, as it’s do or die for them. England have already made quite a few infringements; it’s been a problem all World Cup, and it’s something they can’t afford here. 9 min: PENALTY! England 0-3 Scotland. That’s a great kick by Paterson, who arrows a very tricky penalty through the posts. 8 min: The English front row collapses at the scrum, Dan Cole the man dragging it all down. Penalty for Scotland. Will the usually dead-eyed Chris Paterson be able to convert it, from near the left touchline? 6 min: A chip through down the right, Evans chasing after it and getting to the ball ahead of a very sleepy Foden. It gives Scotland good field position, but instead of continuing to run the ball, they opt for a cross kick towards Lamont. Poor decision, as Lamont can’t gather the ball and England will have the scrum. But this is a strong start from the Scots. 5 min: An early blow for Scotland: Ruaridh Jackson is injured and can’t continue. He’s replaced by Dan Parks, and goes off in tears. Ee, he’s a poor lad. Wrong code, sorry. 2 min: A determined start from Scotland, the captain Kellock winning an English put-in at the line-out. They look to break up the right flank, but flinging the ball around isn’t a Scottish strong point, and there’s a knock on. A breathless start. “Poor showing from the Scots at the anthems,” opines Gary Naylor. “No tears, only one caveman and two blokes who look fifty years old.” I miss amateur rugby, when it looked as though everyone had just bundled out of the nearest pub, gaddered on whisky or real ale. Scotland still often play it, of course, but not in that sense. And we’re off! The crowd count down to the start – “FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!” – and England get proceedings under way. What at atmosphere. A line out at the Scottish 22, Scotland putting in, at which England transgress. Scotland can clear their lines. The teams take the pitch, and there’s quite an atmosphere. The guy with the wooden bassoon gives it a bit of Mulligan and O’Hare. Lewis Moody and England jog out; Alastair Kellock and his men give it a bit of ersatz David Sole, and walk out if not slowly, then at least at medium pace. It’s all to the accompaniment of dreadful portentous music. Speaking of which, it’s time for a blast of God Save The Queen. Then a tootle of Flower of Scotland, played with neither bag nor pipe. Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa) Scotland: Paterson, Evans, Ansbro, S. Lamont, Danielli, Jackson, Blair, Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Gray, Kellock, Strokosch, Barclay, Vernon. Replacements: S. Lawson, Dickinson, Hines, Rennie, Cusiter, Parks, De Luca. England: Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi, Tindall, Armitage, Wilkinson, Youngs, Stevens, Thompson, Cole, Deacon, Lawes, Croft, Moody, Haskell. Replacements: Hartley, Corbisiero, Palmer, Easter, Wigglesworth, Flood, Banahan. Venue: Eden Park, Auckland. Kick off: 8.30am BST. We’re in uncharted waters, though, England and Scotland having never faced each other on neutral turf. The 1991 World Cup semi, of course, being held in Scotland, which for tournament purposes that year was technically part of England. So all we have to go on is recent form, which should be enough for England. They’re Six Nations champions; have won three of the last five meetings between the two sides, losing only once, in 2009 at Murrayfield; and have at least scored a few tries at this World Cup, where Scotland have been pretty turgid on the whole. Still, the Scots also have a habit of seriously upsetting England every now and then – for every 1991 World Cup there’s a 1990 Grand Slam decider or a 1999 Five Nations smash ‘n’ grab – so both camps have cause for hope. Got that? Me neither. Let’s muddle through. Scotland will avoid the plane, goin’ hame, hiding in the lavvy when the ticket man came , only if they beat England. And then they need more points than Argentina get from their result against Georgia; or to beat England by more than seven points with England failing to score four or more tries; or to beat England by scoring four or more tries with England failing to pick up any bonus points. England will be sent homeward tae think again if Scotland win by eight points or more and England fail to score at least four tries, and Argentina pick up a bonus point when beating Georgia. Or if both Scotland and Argentina win with bonus points for scoring four or more tries, and England fail to pick up any bonus points. England will finish top of Pool B if they avoid defeat in this match at Eden Park. They can still top the group if they lose by fewer than eight points or score four or more tries, as well as stopping Scotland scoring four or more tries. England against Scotland, Scotland against England, in the World Cup, the losers quite likely sent homeward tae think again. It’s a game that requires no introduction, so I won’t jabber needlessly in your ear so early in the morning. You’ll be needing the permutations, though, no? Rugby World Cup 2011 England rugby union team Scotland rugby union team Rugby union Scott Murray guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …