SPORTS DIGEST - RUGBY: Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll last night paid tribute to the frontrow after it answered its Italian critics in Rome on Sunday, writes Carl O'Malley.
“I think some of the lads were a bit taken aback by some of things being said. I think it was (Marco) Castrogiovanni, after the first scrum, who told Marcus it was going to be a long day. And he was gone after 20 minutes, so I don’t know who the long day was for.
“Individuals sometimes need those things to motivate themselves and I thought Marcus was very good, along with (John) Hayes, and Tom (Court) coming on for his first Test did a good job.”
Ireland’s focus has now switched to England at Croke Park on the 28th. While O’Driscoll reckons Wales were “considerably better” in Cardiff on Saturday, he believes Martin Johnson’s side could have won it.
Donning his PR hat for Gillette, he admitted there will be an extra bit of spice about the game. “You can be sure it will be a tight affair – hard, physical and uncompromising,” said O’Driscoll.
IABA lose out to Korea in 2011 bid
BOXING: The Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) have lost out in their bid to hold the 2011 World Senior Championships in Dublin.
The executive committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), meeting in Milan yesterday, announced that Korea – the only other country besides Ireland left in the running – would host the tournament, which will act as a qualifier for the 2012 Olympics in London.
The president of the IABA, Dominic O’Rourke, said they were disappointed they did not get to host the tournament on the association’s 100th birthday in 2011. He said: “We put an enormous amount of effort into our bid and we put forward an excellent presentation which was very well received in Milan.”
Meanwhile, Katie Taylor will defend her world title in Barbados in 2010.
Nadal expects no problems
TENNIS: World number one Rafael Nadal yesterday said all he needed was some rest to recover from the leg problem that hampered his performance in the World Indoor Tournament final in Rotterdam. Nadal lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 to Andy Murray on Sunday with his right leg causing him great discomfort.
“It isn’t the knee, it’s lower down. It’s a strain on a tendon that above all else stops me from serving well, but we are almost certain there won’t be any problems,” said Nadal.
Phelps will not face prosecution
SWIMMING: Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps will not face prosecution over a photograph published in a British newspaper purportedly showing him smoking marijuana at a party last year, a US sheriff said yesterday. "Having thoroughly investigated this matter, we do not believe we have enough evidence to prosecute anyone that was present at the November party," Sheriff Leon Lott of South Carolina's Richland County said in a statement.
USA Swimming this month banned Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games last summer, for three months over the photo controversy, which also cost him an endorsement deal with US food giant Kellogg Co.
MOTOR SPORT: Formula One's cost-cutting measures should secure Renault's future in the sport despite the departure of sponsor ING, team boss Flavio Briatore said yesterday. Banking and insurance company ING are pulling out of the sport at the end of the season.
Armstrong's bike is stolen
CYCLING: Spaniard Francisco Mancebo took the Tour of California lead on Sunday with victory in the first stage on a rain-soaked day when Lance Armstrong had his time-trial bike stolen.
The 37-year-old Armstrong, who is competing in North America for the first time since his return from retirement, finished the Davis to Santa Rosa stage in a chasing group about two minutes off the pace. His time trial bike, valued at more than €8,000, was taken from a team truck in Sacramento where Armstrong had used it in Saturday’s prologue. Road bikes belonging to three of his team-mates were also taken.
Despite the loss, Armstrong said he thought he would be able to catch up with the leaders later in the nine-day tour.
Rio say bid for Games is 'safest'
OLYMPICS: Rio de Janeiro officials vowed their bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games would not suffer from the same hidden "surprises" which have hit London's preparations.
Rio, one of four candidate cities, have submitted a €11.3 billion bid which contains up-front government funding guarantees over and above those required by the International Olympic Committee, while a majority of the potential venues are already in place.
The original budget for London 2012 has more than trebled to €10 billion, while design changes have forced organisers to move away from their original bid document.
But Rio 2016 secretary general Carlos Roberto Osorio insisted their bid is fully transparent and, in challenging economic times, one of “certainty” and the “safest” choice.
“Rio’s bid is a bid of certainty,” said Osorio.
“Everything in this bid book will be delivered. There will be no surprises afterwards.”
