A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Button criticises Hamilton for revealing confidential car data
McLaren’s Jenson Button has criticised team-mate Lewis Hamilton for revealing confidential car data on Twitter before Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix in a gaffe that may have helped Formula One rivals.
Button won the race at Spa but British newspapers yesterday reported his dismay at the incident. “We work so hard to improve the car and keep things like that secret and private. I didn’t want to see it on Twitter,” said Button.
“It was the whole telemetry from qualifying. It wasn’t just the rear wing. I was very surprised and disappointed,” said the 2009 world champion, who added that the matter was also now behind him. “I think it’s done now. I don’t think it’s for me to be angry with Lewis. It’s not a personal thing,” he said.
Hamilton had tweeted telemetry from his car and Button’s to show his nearly a million followers the difference between a new rear wing being used by his team-mate and the older one he had opted for in qualifying. The 2008 champion’s tweet was swiftly deleted on team orders but not before it had been seen and copied in the paddock.
Ireland looking for quarter-final spot in Portugal
Ireland, twice-winners of the title are poised to march confidently into the quarter-finals of the European Senior Men’s Championship at Estoril in Portugal today after a splendid performance in the opening round. With five of the six scores counting the Irish are on 360 and seem set for a seeding high up the order. They are seven strokes behind leaders Scotland and two strokes adrift of England.
Ireland’s women in their European Seniors Championship at Lugano in Switzerland are also on course to make it into the quarter-finals – but they cannot afford any slip-ups today.
Ireland were annihilated on the opening day of the Women’s Home International Championship at Cork yesterday, whitewashed 9-0 by defending title-holders and red-hot favourites England.
Deans recalls Beale to face South Africa
Australia coach Robbie Deans has recalled out-of-form utility back Kurtley Beale to the Wallabies starting side for their Rugby Championship match against South Africa in Perth on Saturday. Beale, one of Deans’s most dangerous attacking weapons when firing, was demoted to the bench for Australia’s defeat to New Zealand in Auckland last month after playing a dreadful match in the opener in Sydney a week earlier. Beale slots in at fullback, with Adam Ashley-Cooper shifting to outside centre to replace the dropped Rob Horne.
Queensland Reds speedster Dom Shipperley will make his debut after being named on the right wing, replacing Drew Mitchell, who was injured in his first Test back against the All Blacks at Eden Park after spending nearly a year on the sidelines.
Argentine hopes of an unlikely first victory over world champions New Zealand were boosted yesterday when outhalf Juan Martin Hernandez and openside flanker Juan Manuel Leguizamon were named in the side after returning from injury.
McDermott joins Ireland set-up
Ireland have added the considerable talents of former Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott to their coaching ticket for the upcoming World Twenty20 Cup in Sri Lanka.
The 47-year-old Queenslander will take up a short-term contract with Cricket Ireland as bowling coach for the tournament and will provide invaluable insight against Ireland’s opening opponents Australia after standing down from the same position with his native country earlier this year.
McDermott will meet up with the Irish squad upon their arrival in Sri Lanka today and is relishing the challenge of working with Ireland head coach Phil Simmons.
"I am looking forward to working with Phil and his team at the World T20 in Sri Lanka. They have a well balance squad and I am looking forward to getting stuck into preparing them for the World T20 in our training camp in Colombo," said McDermott. Ireland will play three warm-up games in Colombo ahead of their opening game against Australia on September 19th. EMMET RIORDAN
