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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

PERTH, Australia -- Australia prop Ben Alexander says the Wallabies are feeling Robbie Deans pain. And they are hoping to help improve their coachs job security with a win in Saturdays Rugby Championship match against South Africa. The Wallabies are in last place in the four-nation tournament after consecutive losses to World Cup champion New Zealand, prompting speculation about Deans future as coach. "That criticism of Robbie, it hurts us too because its how we played and a reflection of us and how we represented our country, and we didnt do a great job," Alexander said. "We feel a responsibility." "We got stood up by the best side in the world and weve copped that on the chin and weve looked back and they exposed us everywhere," Alexander told Australian Associated Press. "Now we get a chance to right those wrongs." Australia has won its past four matches against the Springboks, including the narrow 11-9 result in the World Cup quarterfinals last October in New Zealand. But the visitors have a 3-2 advantage with one draw from their six games against the Wallabies in Perth, helped partly by the large South African expatriate community in the Western Australian state capital and the closer proximity to home. "Its always good to have the odd supporter in your favour," South Africa captain Jean de Villiers said Friday. "It definitely makes the jet lag and all of that a bit easier in that its a shorter flight, the time difference isnt that much and youre able to adapt a bit quicker. We have had success in the past so surely that must count for a little bit." Springboks scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar says hes wary of frustrated Wallabies captain Will Genia. Wallabies captain Will Genia was shut down in both losses to New Zealand, and Springboks scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar -- recalled to the strating lineup for the first time this year -- recognized stopping him again will be vital to the visitors chances. "Wills probably the most important guy in the Australian side so its a big challenge for me, but thats why you play rugby, to play against the best guys and hopefully I can do a proper job," Pienaar said. "For me hes probably the best (No.) 9 in world rugby for a couple of seasons now and hes a player who can create something out of nothing." South Africa only salvaged a 16-16 draw at Argentina with a charge-down try after winning the opening match at home. "The whole Australian team will be keen to do well and we didnt get what we wanted out of those two Argentina games ... so its going to be an interesting game and a tough game," Pienaar said. South Africa will assume Australias No. 2 world ranking if it wins on Saturday. Hooker Stephen Moore has been ruled out of Australias starting lineup after straining a hamstring in training on Thursday, meaning he must wait to surpass Jeremy Paul as Australias most capped hooker with 73 tests. Kurtley Beale was recalled and flying Queensland Reds winger Dom Shipperley was selected for his debut in a reshuffled Australia backline. Beale had been dropped after making a rash of errors in the tournament opener, but went on as a replacement in the Auckland loss. His return at fullback pushes Adam Ashley-Cooper to outside centre, replacing Rob Horne, while Shipperley slots onto the wing as a replacement for the injured Drew Mitchell. Radike Samo was named at No. 8 to start a test for the first time this season at the expense of Scott Higginbotham, who was dropped to the bench. Deans said he wants oft-criticized No. 10 Quade Cooper to assume more personal responsibility for the team. "To get the benefit of Quades unique skill set weve got to create some momentum to bring him into the game and hes part of that as well," Deans said at the Wallabies captains run. "He needs to step forward and be prepared to take the ball to the line. Quade will be better. He cant help but be better, as will the group." For South Africa, Duane Vermeulen will make his test debut at No. 8 in one of five changes after its draw against Argentina. Two of South Africas five changes were positional, with Hougaard moving from scrumhalf to left wing and Willem Alberts switching to flanker to accommodate Vermeulen. ------ Lineups: Australia: Kurtley Beale, Dom Shipperley, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia (captain); Radike Samo, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis, Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota Nau, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Saia Faingaa, James Slipper, Scott Higginbotham, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Mike Harris, Anthony Faingaa. South Africa: Zane Kirchner, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers (captain), Frans Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar; Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Tiaan Liebenberg, Pat Cilliers, Flip van der Merwe, Francois Louw, Johan Goosen, Pat Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . Victor Bartley and Kevin Henderson also scored for Milwaukee (12-11-3), while Jeremy Smith stopped 28 shots for the win. Antoine Corbin, Gabriel Dumont and Jarred Tinordi replied for Hamilton (10-12-2). Cheap NFL Jerseys . After earning their first walk-off win of the season Friday, the Astros followed it up with their first extra-inning win Saturday night. http://jasonhavens.org/cheap.html . Going up nine spots from No. 13 to No. 4, Halifax Mooseheads winger Jonathan Drouin made the biggest jump in TSN Scout Craig Buttons December ranking - trailing only defenceman Seth Jones, MacKinnon and centre Alexander Barkov.To commemorate the 50th NHL Draft which takes place next Friday in Pittsburgh, TSN.ca looks back at 10 memorable storylines from the history of the event in 10 days. Today, we look back at the most anticipated draft lottery ever - the 30-team derby for Sidney Crosby in 2005. Every once in a while, a prospect so special comes along that the player alone defines the draft. Guy Lafleur, Mario Lemieux and Eric Lindros were all seen as potential franchise cornerstones before they even played a single NHL game. And in 2005, another such player came along by the name of Sidney Crosby. Stealing the spotlight for years as a teenager at Shattuk-St. Marys and then with the QMJHLs Rimouski Oceanic, many teams knew that a poor showing for the 2004-05 season could mean a chance to lock down Sid the Kid. But things would not go according to plan. When the season was wiped out by a 310-day lockout, the question of how to determine the draft order came to the forefront. The solution - the first 30-team draft lottery where all 30 teams would have a crack at the No. 1 pick. Each team would have three balls in the lottery drum, minus one ball for every year in the previous three they had either made the Stanley Cup playoffs or been awarded the first overall selection. In the end, the first overall pick would go to the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Justice!" shouted a smiling Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed Pittsburghs logo from the envelope. The Penguins were one of only a few teams to have three balls in the lottery drum for missing the playoffs iin the previous three seasons.dddddddddddd And the team wasnt penalized a ball for having taken Marc-Andre Fleury first overall in 2003 (Fleury was taken after the team engineered a deal to get the first overall pick from the Florida Panthers, so since the Pens had not technically won the 2003 lottery, a ball was not taken away). Prior to the lockout, the Penguins built up their prospect base with Fleury, a breakout offensive threat in Evgeni Malkin (who would not join the team until 2006) and young defenders Ryan Whitney. But the team was also facing heavy financial problems and was even the subject of relocation rumours. With owner Mario Lemieux set to play in what would be his final season, the Penguins would get an added boost with such a high profile young talent being brought on board. The spotlight shone brightly on Crosby playing alongside Lemieux, but it would not prevent the team from finishing with the leagues second-worst record in his rookie campaign. Crosby also lost out on the rookie scoring title and the Calder Trophy race to Alexander Ovechkin, but he would set the gears in motion to return Pittsburgh to its early-90s dominance. Sid The Kid would be the centerpiece of a young Penguins squad featuring Kris Letang and Jordan Staal and was instrumental in taking the team to a Stanley Cup in just four years. Follow the TSN Quizmaster on Twitter and get more from this story as the draft draws closer. TSN and TSN.ca have exclusive coverage of the 2012 NHL Draft on Friday at 7pm et/4pm pt live from the CONSOL Energy Centre in Pittsburgh. ' ' ' 

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