(CNN)White House physician Ronny Jackson will not return to his role as President Donald Trump's personal physician, Politico reports, citing two senior administration officials. The move comes after Jackson, a Navy rear admiral, withdrew his nomination for secretary of veterans affairs following a string of allegations that included he loosely handled prescription pain medications, was intoxicated during an overseas trip, and created a toxic work environment. Jackson has denied the allegations. The White House did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. Navy officer Sean Conley took over as Trump's personal physician last month and will continue in the role, Politico reported, citing the senior administration officials. A White House official told CNN last week that Jackson had returned to the White House Medical Unit, but not as the President's physician. The White House continually defended Jackson as his nomination cratered on Capitol Hill this week. Trump addressed the accusations throughout the week, calling Jackson "one of the finest people I have met" at a news conference Tuesday and blaming Democrats for what he said was an unfair attack on the White House physician's record. That same day, top senators on the Veterans Affairs committee announced that they would postpone a confirmation hearing for Jackson scheduled the next day. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Jackson's record was "impeccable," and said he had passed multiple background checks, including one conducted by the FBI. After Jackson withdrew on Thursday, Trump launched into an attack on the committee's ranking Democrat, Jon Tester, over his opposition to the nominee and called for the Montana Democrat to resign in a tweet Saturday morning. The President kept up the attack at a rally in Michigan Saturday night, saying, "I know things about Tester that I could say, too. And if I said them, he'd never be elected again." CNN reported Friday that the White House medical unit under Jackson's watch frequently functioned as a "grab and go" clinic where mid-level staffers to the most senior officials could obtain prescription drugs without being examined by a doctor, according to five of the medical unit's former and current employees. This story is developing and will be updated. CNN's Pamela Brown contributed to this report.

(CNN)The White House Correspondents' Association is the newest front in President Donald Trump's long-running war with the media. The President continued to slam the organization and its annual dinner on Monday morning, tweeting that the event is "DEAD as we know it. This was a total disaster and an embarrassment to our great Country and all that it stands for. FAKE NEWS is alive and well and beautifully represented on Saturday night!" On Sunday, he called comedian Michelle Wolf -- who ripped into Trump and his aides on national television -- "filthy" and suggested that the organization "put Dinner to rest, or start over!" That's unlikely to happen. But the association did issue a rare statement on Sunday night expressing regret about Wolf's performance. The association's president, Margaret Talev, did not apologize, as some Trump allies and Washington journalists wanted, but she said the roast wasn't in keeping with the group's mission. 5 takeaways on Michelle Wolf's hugely controversial speech at the White House correspondents' dinner "Last night's program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners, not to divide people," Talev said. "Unfortunately, the entertainer's monologue was not in the spirit of that mission." But others are defending Wolf and saying she spoke truth to power. The debate is a microcosm of ongoing arguments over the proper tone of Trump White House criticism. Wolf's raunchy routine, which included jabs at White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway and the news media itself, was met with a mixture of laughter and uncomfortable silence from the audience of journalists and guests. RELATED: Here's how people reacted to Michelle Wolf's White House correspondents' roast Come Sunday morning, there was lots of second-guessing. One side bemoaned liberal intolerance. The other side assailed conservative victimhood. Outrage over Wolf's jokes about Sanders was met with criticism of Sanders' performance at the briefing room podium. Fox News' Ed Henry, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell and other prominent correspondents called on the association to apologize for the most controversial portions of Wolf's act. But Talev stopped short of apologizing in an appearance on CNN's "Reliable Sources." She acknowledged that "the comedian reflects on the press corps, but I don't think that the comedian speaks for the press corps." Talev, a Bloomberg News correspondent who doubles as a CNN analyst, said she had one regret: "To some extent, those 15 minutes" of comedy "are now defining four hours of what was a really wonderful, unifying night. And I don't want the cause of unity to be undercut." Talev also pointed out that comedians routinely aim to shock and surprise. "Comedy is meant to provoke thought and debate. And it certainly has done that," she said. Talev's Sunday night email to members indicated that changes could be afoot. She said she and SiriusXM's Olivier Knox, the association's next president, "are committed to hearing from members on your views on the format of the dinner going forward." Trump's tweet came about half an hour later. Trump takes post-rally victory lap, skewers correspondents' dinner "The White House Correspondents' Dinner was a failure last year, but this year was an embarrassment to everyone associated with it," he wrote. Trump chose to skip both dinners, breaking with decades of presidential precedent, and instead hold a political rally. The dinner's organizers describe it as a celebration of the First Amendment. Trump's Sunday night tweet was also notable because he didn't call out Wolf by name -- he only said "the filthy 'comedian' totally bombed." Trump added, "she couldn't even deliver her lines -- much like the Seth Meyers weak performance." Meyers was the comedian at the association's 2011 dinner. That was the time Trump attended the dinner as a guest of The Washington Post. Both Meyers and President Barack Obama harshly criticized Trump in their remarks. The dinner has since been cited as a motivating factor for Trump's 2016 run for office. CNN's Caroline Kelly contributed to this report.

(CNN)President Donald Trump is expected to speak at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting later this week in Dallas, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The trip would be Trump's fourth consecutive address to the NRA's annual meeting. But this year, Trump is set to speak to the gun lobby just two months after he drew concerns from conservatives after urging lawmakers to not fear the NRA and suggesting law enforcement officials should take guns away from dangerous individuals without due process. A White House spokesperson said the White House is "finalizing exact details," but declined to comment on plans for the President to address the gun rights group. Plans for the NRA speech come just more than two months after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, reignited a national debate about gun laws in the US and spawned a student-led push to reform gun laws around the country. The President engaged, and at times encouraged, that debate in the wake of the mass shooting, which claimed 17 lives, bringing together survivors and victims' families as well as lawmakers to discuss potential reforms. The President at one point floated raising the age of purchase for certain guns to 21 and proposed expanding background checks, including proposals opposed by the NRA. But after meeting with the NRA's leaders, including its top lobbyist, he ultimately backed only modest proposals that the gun lobby supports. The NRA spent more than $30 million to help elect Trump in the 2016 presidential election and provided a boon of conservative bona fides at a time when Trump's candidacy was met with skepticism by many who doubted his conservative credentials. Vice President Mike Pence is also set to address the NRA's annual meeting on Friday. CNN's Elizabeth Landers contributed to this report. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect this year's speech would be Trump's fourth consecutive address to the NRA's annual meeting.

(CNN)Kanye West has doubled down on his support for Donald Trump, releasing a new song amid days of mounting controversy over his outspoken backing of the President. West's new song -- the humbly titled "Ye vs. The People" -- debuted Friday on Los Angeles radio station Power 106. The track features West debating Tip "T.I." Harris, the Atlanta-based, Grammy-winning rapper who's been an outspoken critic of police brutality -- and is no Trump fan. Kanye West criticizes Obama, praises Trump: 'The mob can't make me not love him' West's opening salvo in the track picks up the thread of the recent controversy: "I know Obama was Heaven sent, but ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be president," West raps. West defends his embrace of Trump, notably the picture he tweeted of himself wearing a Trump campaign hat. "Make America Great Again had a negative reception. I took it, wore it, rocked it gave it a new direction. Added empathy, care and love and affection, and y'all simply questionin' my methods," he says. T.I. returns fire in alternating rhymes and gets in a personal barb at West: "This s**t is stubborn, selfish, bullheaded, even for you." When West complains that "All Blacks gotta be Democrats," T.I. shoots back: "F*** who you choose as your political party, you representin' dudes just seem crude and cold-hearted." Trump returns the love The new song may fuel critics who say West's embrace of Trump is nothing more than a publicity grab to plug upcoming material. Indeed, social media lit up earlier this week with a wide array of hot takes on the apparent West-Trump bromance. Here's how artists depicted the week in Kanye Besides the MAGA-hat pic, West tweeted Wednesday that he and Trump "are both dragon energy. He is my brother." West noted he doesn't "agree with everything anyone does" and couched his defiance as an exercise in independent thought. The White House pounced on West's praise. "Thank you Kanye, very cool!" Trump tweeted Wednesday. West famously met with Trump in December 2016 at Trump Tower during the then-President-elect's transition period. That encounter also generated intense backlash from West's fans. CNN's Deena Zaru contributed to this report.

(CNN)Larry Harvey, the founder of the Burning Man event now held in Nevada, has died after suffering a stroke earlier this month, event CEO Marian Goodell said Saturday. He was 70. "Burning Man culture has lost a great leader and an inspiring mind," she said in a written statement. "He adeptly interpreted the manifestation of what became a movement. I have lost a dear friend who I've known, loved, and worked beside for nearly 22 years." Harvey had a stroke April 4, she said. "As he told one of us recently, Larry liked to create 'scenes' that made people consider the world in a new way. He was extraordinarily successful at doing just that." Burning Man is a multiday event dedicated to art and community, where attendees are asked to follow a set of rules that include the practice of "gifting." Founded in San Francisco in 1986 as a bonfire ritual for summer solstice, the event moved to Nevada in 1990. Over the years, it has grown in popularity, with the temporary metropolis becoming a celebration of art and architecture, showcasing futuristic structures made with state-of-the-art technology. "You're free to be you," Harvey told CNN in 1997 about the event. "The only person, the only type of person that wouldn't like it here ultimately, that we'd recommend not come, are intolerant people. They get irritated." Since 2000, a wooden temple has formed the sacred center of Burning Man. Tens of thousands of people attend the event in the Black Rock Desert. CNN's Sarah Jorgensen and Nell Lewis contributed to this report.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Tickets Reportedly On Sale May 4th Theater chains are announcing tickets for Solo: A Star Wars Story will go on sale this Friday, May 4th. The spinoff is only a few weeks away from reaching theaters as it completes its long and winding road to the big screen. Many are aware by now Solo was plagued by infamous production difficulties, as Oscar-winner Ron Howard took over directing duties from the fired Phil Lord and Chris Miller four months into filming. Fortunately, things have settled down nicely under Howard’s watch, and Lucasfilm has spent the past few months building excitement with their marketing campaign. While it remains to be seen if Solo is a tentpole of high quality, many Star Wars fans already know they’re going to see Solo on opening weekend. The only thing they had to wait for was for tickets to become available, and it looks like that day is right around the corner. Tweets from various theater chains (via SWNN) state Solo tickets hit the market on May 4th. That date wasn’t chosen as random, as several know it to be Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with you). Outside of an announcement of new film projects, this is the best way for fans to celebrate the holiday. Early box office projections for Solo indicate it will debut in the range of $150 million during its opening weekend, which is in the same ballpark as Rogue One. Those estimates came out shortly before the final theatrical trailer and bevy of TV spots, so it’s likely the actuals could be a little higher. The hype for Solo hasn’t reached the levels of something like The Force Awakens or The Last Jedi, but the promotional materials have done a great job of selling the film as a throwback space adventure with fun characters. In particular, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian have emerged as stars in TV spots, and people are even beginning to warm to to Alden Ehrenreich’s Han. Thankfully, no overt red flags have been raised in marketing, which bodes well for the movie’s commercial prospects. Solo probably won’t break any records during its run, but it should still be a success for Disney and Lucasfilm. Some predictions have it ending up in the neighborhood of $400 million domestically, and when the internationally grosses are added to that, Solo will have turned a healthy profit. Over the past three years, Star Wars has dominated weak competition in December and January, but returning back to its traditional summer home looks to have no ill effect. Solo will face some high-profile challengers during its time in theaters, and still come out in great shape. KEY RELEASE DATES Solo: A Star Wars Story release date: May 25, 2018 Star Wars 9 / Star Wars: Episode IX release date: Dec 20, 2019

apply for invite

i have hd-torrents invite for uhdbits

welcome

ok thank you

Des Hasler has broken his silence on the New Zealand coaching gig. DES Hasler has all but ruled himself out for the New Zealand national coaching job after meeting with officials. Hasler was full of praise for New Zealand rugby league when he spoke to Macquarie Sports Breakfast Show. “I’ve always got aspirations to coach anywhere at the moment,” Hasler said. “I went over there and had a chat to New Zealand rugby league just to see where they are at and where I’m at. “It was good. They’re a great nation. “A side like that if they can pull together the strongest possible national side you would have a very strong side.” However the former Bulldogs and Manly mentor believes his intentions to coach in the NRL again mean he is not the right fit for the national Kiwis job. “But their aspirations are probably to go with somebody that’s not still aspiring to be (coaching) in the NRL,” Hasler said. “Which is fair enough because at the end of the day if you still have aspirations to coach an NRL side I know with the Stephen Kearney situation they were in a great situation.” Hasler did admit that it was a formal interview process and that any coach would be lucky to have the talent that New Zealand have at their disposal. “Obviously after the last World Cup they had a panel so they are being very transparent and very professional about it. “They have some amazing talent there.”

Red-hot Man City keep West Ham in trouble Manchester City secured a comfortable 4-1 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday to move within two points of the Premier League's record haul. PFA Young Player of the Year Leroy Sane got City -- already confirmed as Premier League champions two weeks ago -- up and running in the 13th minute, as his strike from the edge of the penalty area was deflected in by Patrice Evra. Former City defender Pablo Zabaleta then put through his own net 14 minutes later to score City's 100th Premier League goal of the season, before Aaron Cresswell curled home a 42nd minute free kick to get West Ham back in to the game. Second-half goals from Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho made sure of the win, leaving West Ham just three points above the relegation zone in 15th. City's tally of 102 goals for the season is one off Chelsea's Premier League record set in 2009-10. They have 93 points, two short of the Premier League record which was also set by Chelsea in 2004-2005. Arsene Wenger's final match at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in defeat with a stoppage time header from substitute Marouane Fellaini earning the points for second-placed Manchester United. Paul Pogba drove United into the lead in the 16th minute, pouncing after Alexis Sanchez had headed a Romelu Lukaku cross against the post. Arsenal, fielding a largely second string side, drew level in the 51st minute when Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from United in January, beat David De Gea with a well-placed effort. United's Marcus Rashford had the ball in the net in the final minute but the effort was ruled out for offside before Fellaini headed in the stoppage time winner from an Ashley Young cross.

Kids sport participation up, but girls missing out AUSSIE kids are playing more sport than ever before, but they’re still getting fatter. And while boys continue to get more active, girls participation is sliding. News Corp Australia can reveal the latest participation data on kids sport from the Australian Sports Commission. It shows in 2017, 3.5 million children aged 15 and under (74 per cent) participated in some form of organised sport or physical activity outside of school hours, compared with 3.2 million children (70 per cent) in 2016. But while there was a jump in participation, 55 per cent of kids aged 12-14 still either don’t like physical activity or see it as a priority, this falls to 25 per cent of 9-11yr olds and 18 per cent of 5-8yr olds. And although participation increased in 2017 our children’s waistlines are continuing to grow, with one in three children expected to be obese by 2028, according to Obesity Australia. The top sporting activities nationally by participation for kids under the age of 15 in 2017 were swimming (31.8 per cent), soccer (14.1 per cent) and AFL (8.8 per cent). For girls, the top activities were swimming (33.9 per cent), dancing recreational (14.7 per cent) and Netball (13.3 per cent). For boys the top activities for 2017 were swimming (29.8 per cent), football/soccer (21.9 per cent) and AFL (14.6 per cent). Swimming tops the list in all instances because for young children many parents prioritise learn to swim programs as their main activity outside of school hours. The Australian Sports Commission’s AusPlay report found children are more likely to participate in organised physical activity outside school hours if their parents participate in sports or physical activity, they come from a high-income family, or they have only 1 or 2 siblings. Children from families with three or more siblings are less likely to play organised sport than their smaller family counterparts. The gap between boys and girls participation is also widening, with fewer girls aged 12-14 interested in sport. However in sports like soccer and AFL there is a surge in female participation — with both increasing their junior female participation by 6 per cent in 2017 from the previous year. Kate Palmer, Australian Sports Commission CEO, welcomed the increase in participation but said more needs to be done to keep our kids healthy. “Despite the fact we have an increase in participation Australians are still not active enough for the health outcomes we are trying to achieve and it is everyone’s responsibility to improve our children’s health,” Ms Palmer said. She also said the drop between boys and girls participation was of concern. “We all should be worried about this and working on ways to improve the situation.” In 2017 the number of 9-11 year old girls participating in physical activity dropped by 7 per cent from 2016. In the 12-14-year-old cohort boys participation grew by 6 per cent while girls’ participation stagnated. Football Federation Australia’s John Kent said soccer was increasingly the sport of choice for families, and particularly for girls. “For young families, Football is a safe, fun, inclusive and accessible sport — that’s why we are the most popular choice among this demographic,” Mr Kent said. “Football is a great introduction to team sport, where kids learn the value of fair play and working together.” Sports Minister Bridget McKenzie said the government was committed to getting more kids active. “Eighty-one per cent of Australian children are not meeting the daily recommended activity guidelines and one quarter of Aussie children are overweight or obese,” Senator McKenzie said. “We know that teenagers, especially girls, drop out of physical activity in their early teens. We also know this is the period in their lives they start forming lifelong habits. “I am committed to increasing community participation in sport and physical activity more broadly so that every Australian can undertake exercise in a safe, fun and inclusive way.” The AusPlay report is put together from a survey of more than 20,000 people aged 15 and over. In 2017 a total of 3209 parents/guardians of children under the age of 15 provided information about their child’s participation in organised physical activities outside school hours.

Cesc Fabregas scored the only goal for Chelsea in 1-0 win, Huddersfield in trouble LIVERPOOL were held to a disappointing scoreless draw against Stoke City at Anfield, Chelsea secured a crucial away win as they hunt down Tottenham Hostpur in fourth place, and the relegation race just got interesting, with an Aussie in trouble. All that and more in this PL Wrap! LIVERPOOL 0 — 0 STOKE CITY Premier League leading scorer Mohamed Salah had a rare off day as Liverpool stumbled in its chase for a top four finish by drawing 0-0 with Stoke on Saturday. When the Egypt forward broke clear and dinked the ball over goalkeeper Jack Butland, most of Anfield started to celebrate. So there was a feeling of disbelief when the ball went wide and he was denied a 44th goal of the season in all competitions. It was the first time since Dec. 26 Salah had started a home match and did not score. It was Liverpool’s third draw in four league games. Jurgen Klopp’s third-place side still requires a maximum of four points from its last two matches, including a trip to fifth-place Chelsea, to be sure of Champions League qualification. Liverpool’s priority is currently this season’s Champions League and protecting a 5-2 lead over Roma heading into the semi-final second leg on Wednesday. The draw did little to help Stoke’s survival bid as it remains in the relegation zone surrounded by teams with games in hand. SOUTHAMPTON 2 — 1 BOURNEMOUTH Dusan Tadic scored twice as relegation-threatened Southampton boosted its chances of Premier League survival with a 2-1 victory over south coast rival Bournemouth on Saturday. Struggling Saints had not won in the top flight at St Mary’s since November but the recalled Tadic changed that with a goal in either half to end a nine-game winless league run. Bournemouth had briefly threatened to damage its near neighbours’ safety hopes when Josh King levelled in first-half added time. Saints manager Mark Hughes was searching for his first league win at the fifth attempt following his appointment last month and Serbia international Tadic quickly justified his inclusion with 25 minutes played. Tadic coolly slotted past Asmir Begovic after a Southampton counter-attack from a poorly executed Bournemouth corner. Bournemouth equalised just before the break. Minutes after Nathan Ake was denied by the legs of Alex McCarthy, the visitors made the most of another corner as Ryan Fraser’s delivery was flicked on by a combination of Steve Cook and Simon Francis for the unmarked King to volley home at the back post. Bournemouth fell behind again nine minutes into the second half. Cherries defender Cook made a mess of McCarthy’s long kick and Tadic collected the ball, drove forward and expertly found the bottom left corner from 20 yards. HUDDERSFIELD 0 — 2 EVERTON Everton piled the pressure back on relegation- threatened Huddersfield by winning their English Premier League match 2-0 on Saturday. Turkey forward Cenk Tosun’s clinical finish gave Everton a halftime lead and Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye blasted home their second with 13 minutes left. It was a damaging defeat for Huddersfield, whose victory over Watford in their last match gave their survival hopes a big lift. A seventh home loss of the season, though, coupled with wins for relegation rivals Crystal Palace, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion, has left Huddersfield three points above the drop zone. Everton has lost only one of their last seven games, winning four, but their travelling fans made clear their displeasure at the continued presence of Sam Allardyce in their dugout. CRYSTAL PALACE 5 — 0 LEICESTER Crystal Palace moved to the brink of English Premier League safety by beating 10-man Leicester 5-0 on Saturday. Palace, which looked destined for relegation after losing its opening seven fixtures without scoring a goal, has climbed to 11th place to sit six points clear of the bottom three, where only Southampton are capable of catching the south London club. Wilfried Zaha again excelled and scored the opening goal and James McArthur doubled the lead before gaining a man advantage in the 55th minute. Marc Albrighton was sent off for bringing down Zaha. The goal flurry came in the last 10 minutes when Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Patrick van Aanholt netted and Christian Benteke struck a penalty. Leicester, the surprise 2016 champion, is six points ahead of Palace in ninth place. BURNLEY 0 — 0 BRIGHTON Burnley is virtually assured of playing in Europe for the first time in over 50 years after picking up a point in a 0-0 draw with Brighton in the English Premier League on Saturday. A spot in the Europa League qualifying will be clinched if Burnley holds onto seventh place. The northwest England club is six points clear of eighth-place Everton with two games remaining and a superior goal difference. Burnley, whose last European campaign was during the 1966-67 season, came closest to scoring at Turf Moor when Kevin Long hit a post in the first half. Brighton moved five points clear of the relegation zone with nine points to play for. NEWCASTLE 0 — 1 WEST BROM Matt Phillips gave West Bromwich Albion a glimmer of hope of staying in the English Premier League by securing a 1-0 win at Newcastle to extend the team’s unbeaten run to four games. West Brom is five points from safety with two games remaining. Phillips’ 29th-minute strike handed Darren Moore a second victory in four matches as caretaker manager of the last-place team. Newcastle remained in 10th place after missed out on a fifth straight home win. SWANSEA CITY 0 — 1 CHELSEA Chelsea’s chase for Champions League qualification gathered pace on Saturday when Cesc Fabregas clinched a 1-0 win at Swansea that deepened the hosts’ concerns about being relegated from the English Premier League. Fabregas struck his 50th Premier League goal in the fourth minute on a wet evening in south Wales. Eden Hazard found Fabregas unmarked in the penalty area and the Spanish midfielder curled a shot past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. “We were quite comfortable,” Fabregas said. “The last few minutes we could have controlled a little better but Swansea need to avoid relegation.” Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Stoke earlier in the day gave a lift to Chelsea’s hopes of still making the top four with three games remaining after mounting a dismal defence of its Premier League title. Fifth-place Chelsea is six points behind Liverpool, with a game in hand over the third-place team. Chelsea and Liverpool meet at Stamford Bridge next Sunday. Tottenham is only two points ahead of Chelsea going into Monday’s match against Watford. Swansea has gone six games without a win and is one point above the relegation zone with three games to play.

The underlying problem behind LeBron James’ historic playoff series FOR the first time in his career, LeBron James has won a playoff series without a teammate scoring 20 points in any of the games. There’s not many career-firsts left for James after 15 dominant seasons in the league; but the reason he’s never achieved this one before is actually quite simple. You shouldn’t be able to win a series like that. That’s seven games against the Indiana Pacers where not a single other Cavalier scored 20 points or more. By comparison, there were four Pacers who had 20-plus point games. There was no classic Kevin Love first-half surge, J.R. Smith hot hand, or massive bench performance from the likes of Jeff Green, Rodney Hood, or Jordan Clarkson. It was just LeBron James. And as he’s done time and time again this season, the 33-year-old put the team on his back. A 45-point Game 7 performance capped off a series where the four-time league MVP averaged 34.4, 10.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists a game. It’s the fifth playoff series in which James has averaged at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists per game. No other player in NBA history has done that more than once. Those are outrageous numbers. It also marks the 20th time in James’ career that he’s been the outright team leader in points, rebounds, and assists in a playoff series. Tim Duncan is next best in NBA history with six. In turn, we’ve come to expect monster series performances from James. In 2015, the superstar averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists and arguably should have won Finals MVP in a losing effort against the Golden State Warriors. But that was the NBA Finals. This was a first-round series against a Pacers team with one breakout star. And while the Cavs made do without Kyrie Irving in the regular season; it’s the playoffs where they’ve paid the price for his departure. Irving averaged over 25 points a game over the previous two years in the postseason. Crucially, Irving also took the pressure off James’ shoulders throughout a game. “I’m burnt right now … I’m tired. I wanna go home,” James told reporters after Game 7 against the Pacers. You don’t normally hear those words out of James; especially after a first-round series. Next up for the Cavs are the Toronto Raptors. The complete antithesis to the 2018 Cavs. “Kudos to Dwane Casey; they’ve got like 10-12 guys that can come in and produce every single night,” James said post-game. “We know the head of the snake is DeRozan and Lowry, but those guys off the bench come in with the same attitude and confidence as the starters.” Toronto has developed into a complete basketball team that gets game-defining contributions all the way down their roster. It’ll prove too much for Cleveland unless James can find some help. You’d be silly to rule out James and the Cavs completely — they’ve done enough over the years to earn a pause in judgment — but it’s going to take more than a couple of strong halves from Kyle Korver if they want to have a chance at progressing. But whether it’s Kevin Love, George Hill, or J.R. Smith who steps up, the Cavs’ postseason run feels like an exercise in futility. They don’t have enough and James would know that better than anyone.

Brad Stevens provides update on Jaylen Brown’s injury status BOSTON Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has admitted that Jaylen Brown is doubtful for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The small-forward injured his hamstring during Boston’s Game 7 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, and will likely come up short in a race against time to prove his fitness. “The last email I saw [from trainers is] that [Brown] still has some soreness,” Stevens told reporters. “[He] didn’t try to do anything, that I know of, running-wise today.” “He did have some testing, and that looked good, thankfully. Doubtful for tomorrow. But I guess he could play ... [and] it looks like it could be something that allows him to play as the series goes on.” On who could step in for Brown, the Coach of the Year candidate kept his cards close to his chest. “We could go either Marcus [Morris or Smart] starting, we could keep Semi [Ojeleye] in there, or Shane [Larkin],” Stevens said. “We’ve got to fill out one more spot, so we’ll do that. We’ll decide that.” Already without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, Boston have leaned on Brown to provide scoring in the postseason; the 21-year-old averaging 20.5 points in the first six games of their first-round series (had 2 points before injuring himself in Game 7). “We’ll miss Jaylen. He’s definitely hard to make up for,” Australian big man Aron Baynes admitted. “But it’s just going to be about trying to collectively do it.”.

James Harden blasts Joe Ingles' weary Jazz Joe Ingles' Utah Jazz were wounded and weary entering game one of their NBA western conference semi-final series against the Houston Rockets and James Harden showed no mercy. Harden had 41 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in leading the top-seeded Rockets to a 110-96 demolition of the Jazz on Sunday. Utah had less than 48 hours' rest after eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder late on Friday in a bruising six-game first-round series that claimed starting point guard Ricky Rubio with a hamstring injury. They also had to endure an early three-hour flight to Houston while the Rockets were refreshed after wrapping up their first-round series 4-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. "We had energy from the beginning of the game," Harden said. "We knew what they just went through with the last series and we had a couple of days rest, so we wanted to pick the pace up." The Rockets were always in control, held leads as high as 27 points and were in lethal shooting form, connecting on 17 of 32 three-point attempts. The Jazz refused to blame the lack of rest for the loss. "It's a quick turnaround and there was some fatigue but it wasn't the reason for the performance," star Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell said. Utah coach Quin Snyder said the Rockets were "too good". With Rubio possibly out injured for the series, point guard duties will largely rest with Ingles and Mitchell. "So yes, it's a little different playing without him but we have done it before as he has missed a couple of games this year and we just have to get everyone involved," Ingles said. Ingles hit the Jazz's first two baskets and finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists while Mitchell had 21 points. Utah's other Australian, Dante Exum, was hardly used in the Thunder series but had nine points in 15 minutes of court time. The Jazz had another injury scare when Mitchell rolled his right ankle in the fourth quarter attempting to catch an Ingles alley-oop pass, but the Rookie of the Year candidate said he was "fine". The Rockets' All-Star tandem dominated with Harden hitting seven of 12 three-point attempts and fellow guard Chris Paul adding 17 points and six assists. Game two is in Houston on Wednesday. In the eastern conference, the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated the Indiana Pacers with a 105-101 game seven victory. James produced one of his trademark Herculean performances with 45 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, despite battling cramps and having to head to the locker room in the third quarter for treatment. He has a 13-0 record in winning first-round series. "I'm burnt right now," James, who played 43 minutes, told reporters post game. "I'm not thinking about Toronto right now until tomorrow. "I'm ready to go home. Can we? I'm tired. I want to go home." The Cavaliers will visit the east's top-ranked Toronto Raptors in game one of their semi-final series on Tuesday.

LeBron James lifts Cleveland Cavaliers to victory in Game 7 of NBA Playoffs LEBRON James wasn’t ready to go home or to Philadelphia or Los Angeles. He’s heading to Toronto, bringing a Cavaliers team that isn’t done yet. Unwilling to sit despite battling leg cramps in the second half, James scored 45 points and got some much-needed help from his teammates in Game 7 to stay unbeaten in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, leading the Cavaliers to a 105-101 win on Sunday over the Indiana Pacers, who pushed the game’s best player to the breaking point. Following the game, an exhausted James said the series took a physical toll. “I’m burnt right now,” he said. “I’m not thinking about Toronto right now until tomorrow. I’m ready to go home. Can we? I’m tired. I want to go home.” James added nine rebounds, seven assists and played over 43 minutes while improving to 13-0 in the first round. He kept Cleveland’s strange season alive — for the time being — but it took everything the 33-year-old and the Cavs had to hold off the Pacers, who came in confident after a 34-point win in Game 6. But James, who at times seemed to be playing the Pacers by himself in the series, pulled the Cavs back from the brink of elimination and at least delayed any more talk about impending free agency. “Amazing,” Indiana’s Victor Oladipo said of James. “He did what he always does. It’s not really shocking. He’s the best in the world, and that’s what the best does and now I gotta work to get on that level.” The Cavs will open the conference semi-finals on Tuesday at top-seeded Toronto. Early in the game, James looked at agent Rich Paul sitting courtside and told him he wasn’t coming out. James then played the first 35 minutes before heading to the locker room with one minute left in the third to be treated for what he said was “a little minor injury.” James said he was urged to get IV fluids but turned them down. Nothing was going to keep James off the floor in what some Cleveland fans feared could have been his last game with the franchise. He fought through the fatigue. He had no choice. “It felt like a Game 7,” he said. “It was like, your mind is thinking like, ‘OK, besides the two I played in the Finals, you start thinking like, is this it? Could this be it?’ That’s just human nature. And then the other side of my brain was like, ‘Let’s go make something happen. Let’s go, that’s what you here for. You’re here to make plays, you’re the leader.”’ The Cavs got a huge lift from Tristan Thompson, who played just 24 minutes in the first six games but made a rare start as Cavs coach Tyronn Lue used his 34th different starting line-up this season. Thompson added 15 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Love made four 3-pointers, and George Hill returned after missing three games with back spasms to score 11 in 19 second-half minutes. “Five guys in double figures,” said Lue, who has taken heat for some decisions in the series. “But I’m just happy Tristan, because he’s been here with us for so long and been through all of the things we’ve been through over the course of the last four years, and to step in and play the way he did, I’m just so happy for him.” Oladipo scored 30 and Darren Collison had 23 for the Pacers, who were still within four in the final minute before a cutting James scored on a bullet pass from Kyle Korver with 30 seconds left. “Best receiver in the NBA,” Korver said of James. “Just got to put it up there for him.” Oladipo hit a 3 at the horn and was immediately embraced by James, who had never played a first-round Game 7 and was in jeopardy of seeing an eighth trip to the Finals end quickly. “Honestly, I think we were the better team, and they had the best player in the world,” Pacers forward Trevor Booker said. It was the first Game 7 in Quicken Loans Arena history, and Cleveland fans were on edge from the start. A loss would not only have ended the Cavs’ season earlier than expected and their reign as three-time conference champs, but it would have pushed James closer to free agency. He’s expected to opt out of his contract in July to test the market, and there’s already a line of teams stretching from Philly to L.A. looking to sign the three-time champion. His stay in Cleveland isn’t quite complete. TRUST FACTOR After the Cavs were rocked in Game 6, Lue knew he needed to shake things up, so he started players he trusts most. Korver got the nod along with James, Love, Smith and Thompson — the four holdovers from the three Finals teams. “I just think in Game 7, go with the guys who’ve been here, who’ve been through it all and know what it takes,” Lue said. PROUD PACERS Despite the loss, the Pacers felt great about their season. “If y’all don’t respect the Indiana Pacers now, I have no respect for you,” Oladipo said. “Nobody thought we would be here.” Lance Stephenson, an eight-year pro in his second tour with Indiana, was especially impressed with the team’s young players. “This team was amazing,” he said. “We brought it every night. There was no drama all season and everybody kept a positive attitude at all times. The future is bright.” TIP-INS Pacers: Both Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis fouled out. ... Stephenson picked up his second technical of the series when he hit James in the head on a first- quarter drive. ... Dropped to 3-6 in Game 7s, with all of the losses coming on the road. Cavaliers: James won his fifth straight Game 7. ... By picking off a pass midway through the second quarter, James became the career playoff leader in steals. He entered the game tied with Scottie Pippen (395) for the most postseason thefts. ... Celebrated the 42nd anniversary of the “Miracle at Richfield” in 1976, when the Cavs defeated the Washington Bullets in Game 7 of the conference semi-finals. Cleveland’s fans stormed the court and tore down both baskets. UP NEXT Pacers: Head into an off-season with optimism after their strong showing. Cavaliers: Will meet the Raptors for the third straight postseason.

Cavs live to fight another day behind LeBron James’ Game 7 masterclass LEBRON James and the Cleveland Cavaliers live to fight another day. Despite a less than inspiring series performance, a 105-101 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 will see the defending Eastern Conference champions move on to face the No.1 seed Toronto Raptors. James was at his all-time best; dropping 45 points (16-25 FG), nine rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in his 43 minutes. And the 33-year-old had help this time around, Tristan Thompson coming up big with a 15 point, 10 rebound performance, while Kevin Love had 14 and J.R. Smith contributed 11. Victor Oladipo scored 30 and Darren Collison had 23 for the Pacers, who were still within four points in the final minute before a cutting James scored on a bullet pass from Kyle Korver with 30 seconds left. Oladipo hit a 3 at the horn and was immediately embraced by James, who had never played a Game 7 in the first round and wasn’t about to let Indiana end his run toward an eighth straight Finals. It was the first Game 7 in Quicken Loans Arena history, and Cleveland fans were on edge from the start. “We started the game with guys who had been in big games before,” James said post-game. “Me, Swish [Smith], Tristan, Kev, and Kyle Korver; that’s been in Game 7’s, that’s been in huge games before. “We knew what we wanted to get out of each and everyone of us. “I mean how do we split the game ball in half between Tristan and G. Hill?” Hill had missed the previous three games with back spasms, but returned to the series in the third quarter of Game 7; putting up 11 points in his 19 minutes. “G. Hill didn’t play the last three like you said, came in [during] the third quarter and gave us a huge lift; getting to the free throw line, making plays not only for himself but for others. “And Tristan was magnificent protecting the rim, getting offensive rebounds and getting their bigs in foul trouble.” James has carried a substandard Cleveland team through the series, but isn’t fazed by the responsibility. “I told Ty Lue that I planned to play the whole game today, let’s get this win and then worry about the next round when we get there,” James explained. “My guys stepped up. I wasn’t able to start the fourth quarter, I had a minor injury, and the All-Star Kevin Love produced for us and kept that lead going.” James left late in the third quarter and went straight to the locker room to be treated for cramps before returning to close out the game. The Cavs won’t have home court advantage when they face the Raptors, and James knows the challenge that lays ahead. “They’re a great basketball team,” James admitted. “Kudos to Dwane Casey; they’ve got like 10-12 guys that can come in and produce every single night. “We know the head of the snake is DeRozan and Lowry, but those guys off the bench come in with the same attitude and confidence of the starters. “We don’t have much time to prepare, so we’re going to go into Game 1 just trying to win and then go from there.”

Michael Ennis sees damning evidence of North Queensland Cowboys’ decline MICHAEL Ennis expects 2018 to slip away from the Cowboys after seeing the first sign that coach Paul Green has lost faith in the game plan that took his side to a premiership and a grand final over the last three years. With Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott returning to a side that lost last year’s decider and added Kangaroos prop Jordan McLean, Ennis and many other experts had pre-season expectations that North Queensland would be right back in the mix to add to the club’s sole premiership. However, the Fox League commentator is now almost certain they will miss the playoffs as they come to terms with a horror 2-6 start that has buried their identity. In a damning assessment of the Cowboys’ form, Ennis told Fox Sports he saw a lot of the 2017 Bulldogs in Green’s side. “They remind me of Canterbury of last season. They start with a lot of energy, they look like they’ve had a great week of training and they’re just in hope that this is the week that it’s going to turn around,” Ennis said. “The game starts and that energy deteriorates, they start second guessing themselves and they look like a side second guessing the game plan of Paul Green. “And I think he’s started to too. When he moved Lachlan Coote to the bench and brought Te Maire Martin on in the halves and went with Michael Morgan at fullback, they’re in a bad spot. “They’re looking for anything at the moment.” The Cowboys are one of four sides anchoring the ladder after eight rounds, with Parramatta, Manly and the Bulldogs the others languishing on just two wins. Of the four, the Cowboys and the Eels are the only two still considered genuine shots of making the playoffs due to their star power, which could rocket them up the ladder if they can find confidence and momentum. However, only one of those sides has shown enough to convince Ennis a resurgence is possible. “I never thought I would see the Cowboys sitting where they are at this point of the season and I don’t think anyone would have,” Ennis said. “Parramatta, I think Parramatta (are more capable of turning things around). “They look like they’ve got confidence, they’re happy. The Cowboys look frustrated and they’re in a hole.” Remarkably Ennis used hindsight to suggest the NRL public had fallen into the trap of overrating the Cowboys on the back of three good games in September last year. It took a shock Round 26 Dragons loss for North Queensland to stumble into the playoffs and Ennis suggested the last six weeks of the regular season had been too easily forgotten. “ ... The game’s moved forward from 2015,” Ennis said. “Now I know they made the grand final last year, but they’re a side that had lost the last five games of six heading into the finals. “Yes they got it together and people at home might think I’m crazy but they played a Sharks side who were looking at the Cowboys, who were depleted, looking ahead. “They played Parramatta who had just smashed the Storm and narrowly lost and thought ‘we’ll beat the Cowboys, they can’t stay up, they were up last week against the Sharks’, they got their pants pulled down. “And then against the Roosters, the Roosters were like ‘they can’t keep going, this will be perfect, we’ll play the depleted Cowboys and we’ll make a grand final’. They were all looking ahead. “And now a side with Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott back in it, the form of Michael Morgan last year, everyone’s prepared for them and they’re just not there. “They’ve got no answers at the moment.”

Michael Maguire’s advice for former Rabbitoh Jordan Mailata to pursue NFL dream MICHAEL Maguire was interested in extending Jordan Mailata’s stay at the Rabbitohs but told him instead to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. An unlikely dream for the 20-year-old giant who skittled defenders in the under-20s competition last season took a step closer to reality over the weekend when he was drafted by reigning Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles. Having never played a game of gridiron in his life it will take time before Mailata can challenge Ben Simmons as the most popular Aussie in Philly but his incredible story — not to mention his extraordinary 6-foot-8, 160-kilogram frame — has already captured the imagination of American sports commentators. Predicting a South Pacific scouting raid if Mailata is able to make the transition, Mailata has already been tagged — somewhat predictably — the ‘Thunder from Down Under’ in the United States but faces a steep learning curve in order to make the Eagles’ final 53-man roster. Former Rabbitohs coach Maguire saw Mailata as having a place on South Sydney’s roster in 2018 but when informed of his interest in pursuing an NFL opportunity encouraged him to take the leap. “Rugby league requires a mix of aerobic and anaerobic fitness — attack, defend, get back the 10 metres and so on — and that’s not easy when you’re running around at his size,” Maguire told Players Voice. “The club was interested in signing him for another season but, right around the time those conversations would have kicked off, his agent informed us that he was thinking of taking him to the States for a crack at American football. “‘You’d be mad if you didn’t,’ I told him. It just made sense. “I’ve been lucky enough through the years to spend a bit of time around NFL teams including the New York Giants and Jets, the Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons. “I’ve seen the type of athletes that thrive in that sport. Jordan ticks a lot of those boxes. “He’s huge, obviously, but he’s also explosive out of the blocks and agile for a man his size. “I’ve heard the time he clocked for the 40-yard dash would have put him in the top five players in his position at the NFL Combine. “Whereas the repeat efforts required in rugby league weren’t suited to a bloke of his genetics, the explosiveness needed in the NFL definitely is. “You don’t have to burn as much energy over long periods of time. It’s short bursts of maximum effort. “That’s a great match for him.” Arriving at Redfern for the 2017 pre-season weighing in at 166 kilograms, Mailata played 12 games for the Rabbitohs in the under-20s and made an instant impression on Maguire. “I’ll never forget the moment I first laid eyes on him,” Maguire said. “One of our recruitment officers had spotted him at Canterbury and had brought him in for a chat. “He was still a teenager — and nowhere near first grade at the time — but the advice was to take a look at him and see how he went at training. “He was at one end of the corridor and I was at the other. “I’d never seen anything like it. “He was enormous: 6-foot-8 and 166 kilos. As we walked towards each other, he kept getting bigger and bigger until you felt he was pretty much going to fill the entire space. “I reckon he’s still the largest bloke I’ve come across in rugby league. “He never shirked the hard work and, before long, the weight started dropping off him. “Over the next few months, he was always at the gym early. I got to work early, too, and I’d see Jordan on the bike, or on the rower or getting smashed by one of the trainers. “He’s worked bloody hard to get to this point. “Once he gets his head around the rules and the strategies of American football, I see no reason at all why he can’t succeed in the NFL. “It would be one of the great transformations by an athlete from this country.”

Manly’s future in doubt after chaotic start to year THERE should be genuine concern in the NRL about the long-term future of the Manly Sea Eagles. This is a club in turmoil on and off the field. A crowd of 5700 on Friday evening for their clash with the Newcastle Knights was an embarrassment to the code. Forget the unpopular 6pm kick-off time, this was an indication that even their most ardent supporters have given up on a club with a rotten culture. The salary cap rorting, strip clubs, the victimisation of a young player, poor on-field form, poor leadership, no money and little hope. This is also a club with a higher executive turnover than any in the premiership.

Smith feared the salary scandal of 2010 would spell the end of the Melbourne Storm CAMERON Smith and Billy Slater sat on a park bench outside the Melbourne Storm team room and pondered whether this was the end. It was April 2010 and the Storm had just been stripped of two premierships, three minor premierships and told that they could not accrue any competition points in a season that had only just begun. The salary cap breaches that rocked the game to its core implicated some of the biggest names in the game and made many question whether an NRL team in Melbourne could survive the scandal. Including two of the club’s very best players. “It was devastating, obviously. I took it pretty hard,” Smith said on Sunday Night with Matty Johns. “Taking the premierships away and just knowing how hard we had to work for those premierships. “Turn up to training, ‘Bellyache’ (Storm coach Craig Bellamy) flogging us every day, going through the pre-season. “There was a lot of uncertainty once we heard the news. “I remember sitting on a park bench just outside our meeting room with Billy Slater. “We had a conversation about, ‘Is the Melbourne Storm, is it over? Is it going to be wiped from the competition? Are we going to be playing this year or are we going to be divvied up into other NRL clubs? What’s going to happen?’” In time players would be forced to leave but in the immediate aftermath of the scandal breaking — news that made the pages of the New York Times and London’s biggest newspapers — the club and community came together in a show of solidarity. Players famously followed Bellamy en masse into a press conference as a sign that they would remain united, Smith crediting two unlikely figures for focusing the rest of the squad in such difficult times. Brett Finch and Todd Lowrie were a part of the Parramatta Eels team defeated by the Storm in the 2009 grand final but it was their response to the salary cap breaches that helped the team to move forward. “Two blokes who were fantastic that year were ‘Finchy’ and Todd Lowrie,” Smith said. “They’d come from Parramatta — who we’d beat in the grand final the previous year. “I remember the first game and it was against the Warriors and it was an Anzac Day game and Todd Lowrie stood up in a team meeting that week and he said to everyone, ‘Look fellas, I come from Parra where you beat us in the grand final last year and I just want to say that I reckon you blokes work the hardest of anyone, you deserve to keep it, let’s just get on with this year.’” Fuelled by hatred for the punishments they had been issued, the Storm’s immediate response was a savage 40-6 thumping of the Warriors on Anzac Day but it was a source of motivation that could not be sustained. Despite having no points to play for, Melbourne won four of their first five games after the salary cap punishments were handed down but lost five of their next six as the week-to-week grind took its toll. “We hit a real wall the game against Brisbane, the first game back at AAMI Park,” Finch recalled. “The playing was easy, it was the turning up Monday to Friday. “You still had to prepare. You couldn’t not prepare for a game of footy. “You can’t shortcut preparation for an NRL game, it’s just too hard on the weekend. “So to actually go through the Monday to Friday was just too hard. “Mentally it wore you down.”

Sydney Rugby Union cuts Penrith Emus IN yet another blow for rugby in western Sydney, the Penrith Rugby Club have been cut from the Shute Shield competition, effective immediately, leaving the region without a senior club for the first time in 27 years. The Sydney Rugby Union made the decision early Monday morning with president David Begg citing Penrith’s failure to meet a number of preconditions and the health and safety of the playing group as the cause for the immediate action. “It was a decision we didn’t want to make and it was made after months of review and a lot of critical analysis,” Begg told foxsports.com.au. “We didn’t feel like the Penrith Rugby Club, as it was presently constituted, was the right public face of rugby in that really important area of western Sydney.” “We put in some KPIs as to their ongoing performance. We didn’t feel that all of them were being satisfied. “We just felt the playing level, the fitness level and the preparation level that they were putting on the field was significantly inferior to the playing fitness and development level of the players that they were playing against, and that’s duty of care, that’s a legal issue right in front of your eyes.” The decision to cut Penrith doesn’t come as a surprise. The western Sydney club won just two games from their first 28 matches in seniors and colts from the opening month of Sydney grade rugby. During that period the Emus’ first grade side suffered 62-7, 97-0, 43-10 and 87-5 defeats. The winless start comes after they failed to win a match in 2017 and lost by an average margin of 38 points. Politics within Penrith Rugby Club over the past six months are also believed to have hurt the club’s chances of progression. The Sydney Rugby Union will now proceed as an 11 team competition. For each of the four clubs that have already played Penrith so far this season — Southern Districts, Sydney University, Gordon and Warringah — their resounding victories will instead be credited with 28-0 wins. Those clubs still to play Penrith will have a bye instead. Although Penrith Rugby Club will no longer participate in the Sydney Rugby competition, Begg emphasised that western Sydney remained an important region for Sydney rugby going forward. “The direction of where we’re going with Western Sydney is just not around the Penrith Rugby Club,” Begg said. “We need to give rugby a serious footprint in Western Sydney, so we’re undertaking a holistic strategic review. “Penrith themselves are already doing a strategic review and our view is … it should and we see a role for a club in that area in the Shute Shield in the future very clearly.” Part of that process will be to ensure that rugby breaks the perception that it is a game played exclusively in private schools and returns to public schools. Begg added that Sydney Rugby were exploring partnership deals with big businesses and tertiary institutions in the region, but said that they wouldn’t be rushed into forming a new club without providing them the tools to succeed. “A partnership with someone like the University of Western Sydney we would see as one of the many opportunities, but there are also big TAFEs out there,” Begg said. “And there are a number of big profitable businesses, who, for whatever reason, haven’t got themselves involved in the local rugby club, so we would want all of those major players involved in corporate partnerships. “But what we’re not going to do is say ‘OK, let’s get a Penrith team ready to go in 2019, let’s put them in the comp and just set them up to fail’ because that would be the worst thing we could do. “They’re only going to come back in — and our definite desire is for them to come back in — but they’re only going to come back in if we have strategic involvement from Rugby Australia, NSW and everyone’s on the same page, and we think that this is a club that the community is going to proud of, it’s a club that’s representing the whole demographic mix of the local community and, accordingly, we think this is a half a chance of being a really successful club.”

Undermanned Aussie rugby sevens team denied late in final of Singapore Sevens AN injury-depleted Australian sevens team have been denied a memorable tournament victory in Singapore after Fiji scored a heartbreaking try after the siren to snatch victory. Under new coach Tim Walsh for the first time but without injured skipper Jesse Parahi, Australia trailed 21-10 with a little under three minutes left on the clock but refused to give up. They scored two tries to take a one-point lead with barely any time left on the clock. Australia looked like they’d won a second tournament of the series for the first time since 2001 when Fiji spilt the ball from the kick-off and Locky Miller crossed again as the siren sounded. But their joy was short-lived because referee James Doleman ruled an Australian knock-on. It was a very tough call but it would end up being a soul-crusher, with Fiji finding space on the right wing soon after, which allowed Alasio Naduva to race 50 metres downfield to score a tournament-winning try. The Aussie players were left gutted, and a relieved Fiji were gracious in their praise for the young Australian team, who’d simply refused to give up despite being down by as much as 14 points during the game. In coming days the players and coaches may come to see the silver linings of their courageous performance in Singapore. For new coach Walsh, it was evidence he has been given a squad by former coach Andy Friend already armed with the spirit and the physical ability to beat the big boys on the world sevens series. Walsh, too, was gracious enough to point all positive reviews during the tournament to Friend’s work before his only very recent arrival. The signs all point upwards for the Aussie sevens team, too. The fact Parahi was absent for the final meant the last three Australian captains were out injured. Lewis Holland and James Stannard are also still sitting on the sidelines, and another playmaker was also absent in Tom Lucas. But the calibre of emerging youngster in the Australian program who have stepped up this year will be extremely encouraging for Walsh. Ben O’Donnell was named the best player in the tournament for the third time in eight rounds this season — a remarkable effort given this is the Randwick man’s first year on the world series. John Porch has also proved himself to be a world-class player, and has stepped up considerably as a leader, a playmaker and a finisher.