Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/604914
58 58 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2015 Sport RUGBY FIFA ethics committee requests sanctions against Blatter, Platini Malta goes down fighting A large crowd at Hibernians saw Malta lose to the Czech Republic by a score of 20 points to 13. The French referee started the game with Malta kicking off into the breeze blowing down the ground, the ball held up in the wind and didn't go the required 10 metres so the Czechs are awarded a scrum on the halfway. The Czechs attacked and are awarded a penalty for a Mal- tese player not rolling away, from the kick to the corner the Czechs tried to maul the ball to the line but the ball was turned over and Malta kick high downfield, when the Czech fullback caught the ball he was bun- dled into touch. There was some ferocious tack- ling from both sides, testing the de- fensive line trying to find an edge. Quarendon (13) for Malta tried to crash through the middle, Rob Hol- loway (10) stepped his way through about five tackles and sent a long pass to his winger running wide, but the ball went into touch. The Maltese forwards were punch- ing above their weight, putting in some big hits and knocking the Czech forwards backwards. A series of snap passes from forward to backs puts James Kirk (15) into space, he weaves past five tacklers, weaving left and right. He was having a great game sidestepping his way through the Czech players when entering the backline. Malta are awarded a penalty 35 metres out and straight in front, when a Czech player dives onto the ball in the ruck. Quarendon misses and the momentum is lost. From a scrum after a Maltese knock on Loutocky (8) broke and went right and fed his centre Ste- jskal (12) who broke the defence and scored 10 metres from the corner flag. No conversion, the Czechs have put their nose in front. 5 to 0. The Maltese coaches, Damian Neill and Len Ethel are shouting di- rections "Build!" "Organise!" Having a weight advantage in the scrum the Czechs are pushing Mal- ta back. Holloway (9) receives some bad ball and is caught and the ball stolen but as they break the Czechs knocked on. The Czechs won a penalty when their fullback was late tackled as he kicked downfield. From the lineout the maul is dragged down by Malta illegally and Mark Davey (8) is yel- low carded and sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. From a lineout the Czechs mauled the ball slowly towards the try line and their number 8 Loutocky scored 10 metres from touch on the right, the conversion missed but the Czechs have stretched their lead to 10 nil. Malta kicked off long, the kick was returned with a long punt downfield but the ball went over the dead ball line, the scrum was taken back 75 metres to the 22 in Czech territory. With a man in the sin bin Malta are being stretched for numbers, but it was equalised when the Czech centre Pantucek (12) was yellow carded for a spear tackle. With halftime approaching Malta threw everything into the attack. Malta's Captain Busuttil (12) crash- es into the defensive wall dragging three players onto him, a series of pick and goes from the ruck, with the Czechs only competing at the ruck with two defenders. Luke Watts (6) spied a gap and in the tackle slams the ball over the tryline. Finally Mal- ta are in the game, with the conver- sion, it was now Czech 10 Malta 7. The crowd has found their voice again and drums beat and trumpets blare with the South End Core rais- ing the volume. It was now halftime, Malta will start the second half with the wind at their backs and in their sails. The second half has the Czechs bringing their big forwards into the game trying to intimidate the smaller Maltese forwards, but Malta still had some fight in them and was hitting them hard in the tackle with Collins (3), Apsee (7), Davey (8) and Watts (6) putting in some big hits. Just two minutes into the second half Voves (5) is yellow carded for a cynical offside as Malta attacked their line. A series of attacks from the Czechs has the Maltese defence scrambling and a Maltese player is penalised for not releasing the player in the tackle. It was in front and Cizek (15) kicked it to make the score now 13 to 7. The Maltese lineout struggled for a while to win the ball, as first an over- throw gave the ball to the Czechs and then too many slap backs were not allowing Holloway (9) to get clean ball. Finally Malta win a penalty as they attack the Czech line and Quaren- don (13) kicked it to inch closer, it was now 13 to 10 to the Czechs. Apsee (7) steals a ball from the Czechs in a tackle, Quarendon (13) put a neat grubber kick through to move his team 25 metres upfield in- to an attacking position, but knock ons are stifling their attacks. Clayton Cassar (4) put in a mas- sive hit on their number 8 Loutocky, driving him backwards a metre or two. It was an intense period in the game as both teams looked for those winning points. Vince Stivala (14) broke down the left but his pass back inside is caught by a Czech player. From a period of pressure Malta win a penalty, just inside the Czech half Quarendon kicked it high and with the wind it sailed through the posts. It was now neck and neck in this race. Malta appeal for a penalty close to the Czech line when a Czech player went off his feet to secure the ball, but the referee waved play on to shouts from the crowd. Malta attacked again with Biff and Bash Rugby trying to break through but the Czechs turn the ball over and kick long to ease the pressure. They are looking to score a try as they turned down kicks at goal, in- stead going for either the touchline or taking a scrum. They poured on the replacements, making three changes to their team in an effort to make a final assault, as time ran out. Close to the line the Czechs pick and go, inching their way forward and exactly on 40 minutes they scored the winning try, when Wog- nitsch (4) crashed over from five me- tres, they converted the try to make the final score Czechs 20 Malta 13. A brave effort from the Malta men who played their hearts out but were pipped at the post. A game was played on Friday at Marsa to celebrate 15 years of In- ternational Rugby when a team of "Originals" from 15 years ago played a team of more recent Malta players mixed with Veterans players. Also a big thanks must go out to all the volunteers for yesterday's Inter- national game, without their help, the Ladies especially and the youth coaches the game would not go for- ward. FOOTBALL The ethics committee of football's world governing body FIFA, said yesterday it had completed its investigation into the conduct of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini and requested sanctions against them BOTH were provisionally banned for 90 days on Oct. 8 pending the full investigation, engulfed by a deepening cor- ruption scandal as the sport faces criminal investigations in Switzerland and the United States. Blatter has been FIFA presi- dent since 1998. Platini has been head of European soccer's gov- erning body UEFA since 2007 and, until he was suspended, had been favourite to replace Blatter in the Feb. 26 presiden- tial election. "The investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Com- mittee has submitted its final reports containing requests for sanctions against Joseph (Sepp) Blatter and Michel Platini to the adjudicatory chamber chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert," said the statement. It did not give details of what the report had found or the sanctions it had requested. "For reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the chamber will not publish details of the concluded reports and the requested sanctions against the two officials." Eckert heads the adjudicatory chamber which said in a sepa- rate statement it would decide whether to open formal pro- ceedings and, if necessary, on sanctions "in due course." Platini 's hopes of standing in the FIFA election have been put on hold because of his suspen- sion. FIFA's electoral committee has said his registration will not be processed while he is sus- pended, although it could re- consider its position if he wins an appeal. Platini 's appeal was rejected by FIFA's Appeal Committee this week and he has taken his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Blatter also faces criminal in- vestigation in Switzerland over a 2 million Swiss franc ($2 mil- lion) payment from FIFA to Platini. Both men have denied wrongdoing. Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter