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RUGBY

Big kicks make me sick, says Jonny

Jonny Wilkinson Jonny Wilkinson has revealed he felt sick to the stomach and racked with anxiety after booting England into the Rugby World Cup final.

Spotlight's glare stuns Pumas

It was not pretty, nor was it convincing, but South Africa are back in a World Cup final for the first time since they lifted the trophy on home soil in 1995. They had more thrust, a touch more class when and where it mattered, and will fear little about meeting England, whom they thumped 36-0 in the group stages a month ago.

PERFORMER OF THE WEEK

Bennett game for Beijing tilt

Greg Bennett GREG Bennett now has $US420,000 ($467,400) in his pocket and a new will to go to the Beijing Olympics. By winning the US Open, Bennett swept a five-race series and claimed the largest pay cheque in triathlon history.

LEAGUE

I can't remember Matai's apology, but I accept it - Gasnier

Mark Gasnier Australian centre Mark Gasnier holds no ill feeling towards New Zealand counterpart Steve Matai over the high shot that KO'd him in Sunday's record Test win, and believes the two-match suspension handed out by the judiciary might even have been harsh.

CRICKET

The eagle that stranded: Australian and Indian teams have lucky escape

CRICKET'S most expensive properties, the Australian and Indian teams, were involved in a nerve-rattling emergency landing in Nagpur yesterday after an eagle flew into their plane's engine moments after take-off.

SURFING

Only a wipe-out will deny Fanning a world crown

Mick Fanning THE surfing world crown is virtually Mick Fanning's to lose as the 26-year-old Gold Coaster looks to clinch the deal in Brazil at an event he won last year.

TENNIS

Persistent ankle injury puts paid to Hewitt's top-16 hopes for Open

A CHRONIC ankle injury that Lleyton Hewitt must manage for the rest of his career has ended his season prematurely, thus damaging his prospects of a coveted top 16 seeding at January's Australian Open.

FOOTBALL

Thompson talks of Europe in brekkie row reflux action

Archie Thompson MELBOURNE Victory's record-breaking goal-scorer, Archie Thompson, is so angry at his club suspension for missing breakfast after the team's 4-1 loss to Adelaide on Friday night that he could consider looking to rekindle his career in Europe.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Sav trumps Graham in a battle of the punters

HE HAS credited Ben Graham with helping him gain a place in the National Football League, but Sav Rocca came out on top when the two former AFL stars went head to head for the first time in the US.

HORSERACING

Maybe Better not to win Caulfield - trainer

Brian Mayfield Smith BRIAN Mayfield-Smith inquired about the plight of fellow horse players in NSW then assured that Maybe Better would not be roasted come Saturday's Caulfield Cup, before unleashing a serve on the State Government.

GOLF

Els re-emerges as a seventh wonder of the matchplay world

ERNIE Els has rejuvenated his stalled career with an emphatic record seventh victory in the final of the World Matchplay Championship on the West Course in Wentworth, England.