France and England unchanged

PARIS: France and England have asked the men who performed heroics in the World Cup quarterfinals to do the same in their semifinal meeting on Saturday (1900 GMT), both naming unchanged teams and replacements on Wednesday.

France had been wrestling with a series of minor injuries but everybody came through to allow coach Bernard Laporte to reward the players who shocked New Zealand 20-18 in Cardiff.

Lionel Beauxis, who looked nervous at times and was replaced by Frederic Michalak, who set up a try with his first touch, held on to the number 10 shirt.

"He didn't take many risks but he played good rugby," said Laporte.

It was not all good news for France, though, as tournament organisers told the team it could no longer train at its regular base at Marcoussis because it gave them an unfair advantage over the other teams who have to train at allocated grounds.

England, under coach Brian Ashton who took over last December, named its first unchanged team since November 2005.

"The 22 who were out there last week certainly more than merited another shot at it," Ashton said.

Mike Catt, a late call-up for injured Andy Farrell last week, kept his place for the semifinal just as he did four years ago after coming on as a replacement in the quarters against Wales.

Jason Robinson, England's try scorer in the final they won four years ago, will earn his 50th cap.

Good health

South Africa and Argentina also reported clean bills of health before their clash on Sunday (1900 GMT).

Springbok flanker Juan Smith missed training after a bang on the head against Fiji but said he was in no danger of missing the game.

Prop CJ van der Linde and reserve hooker Bismarck du Plessis have also been cleared to play after missing the Fiji win to ensure they were fit for selection for the semis.

Argentina has broken new ground by reaching the last four and will have to do so again to progress, having never beaten South Africa in their 11 previous meetings since 1993.

"There's always a first time for all things," said center Manuel Contepomi. "Obviously the results have been getting closer but it's a semifinal, a new game, we trust in our weapons and that we play a great match."

Most of the New Zealand squad arrived home and, after two days of public mourning for their earliest-ever exit, were surprised to get a warm welcome when they touched down in Christchurch.

"This team deserves that, they're the best team in the world," said defiant coach Graham Henry, who did, however, add: "we'll be scarred for the rest of our lives after this World Cup."

One man who was not with the party was winger Doug Howlett, who was arrested for damaging cars outside the team's hotel in London and later issued an apology for his "embarrassing tomfoolery."

The issue of the tournament's balls rumbled on and England officials demanded that all match balls be inflated properly and be made available for kicking practice.

Tournament officials said some balls had been over-inflated and England's Jonny Wilkinson was one of several players to say he had been struggling with the variable characteristics of the Gilbert balls being used.

Agencies

(China Daily 10/12/2007 page24)