D Wednesday, December 9, 2009 METROSPORT 21 SPORTDigest Award hat-trick caps great year for resurgent Westwood GOLF: Lee Westwood has been crowned European Tour Golfer of the Year for the third time. The 36-year-old enjoyed a fine 12 months, regaining the European No.1 spot after a gap of nine years. Trailing Irishman Rory McIlroy going into the final week of the season, Westwood (pictured) roared to a brilliant six-stroke victory at the Dubai World Championship for a double jackpot worth 1.8million. The Englishman, who also won the award in 1998 and 2000, has climbed all the way back to world No.4 after crashing out of the top 250 in 2002, said: It is a fantastic honour and caps a wonderful season for me. This probably means more to me in recognising how I have fought my way back to the top. To drop completely into obscurity and come back means a lot. ATHLETICS: Marion Jones 2000 Sydney Olympic individual medals will finally be reallocated this week. The American (pictured) was found guilty of using banned drugs in 2007 and has served a jail sentence for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use. Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas, who won the 200metres silver in Sydney, will be upgraded to gold and Russian Tatyana Kotova will be given the long jump bronze. But Jones 100m gold will not be given to Greeces Katerina Thanou, who won silver in Sydney but missed a doping test before the 2004 Athens Games after claiming she had been involved in a motorcycle crash. GOLF: John Daly has called for the international golf community to respect the privacy of embattled superstar Tiger Woods. Woods car crash and apology for transgressions and personal sins and failings has seen him make news around the world, with the majority of press being overwhelmingly negative. Daly who has two major victories and four divorces to his name has previously thrown his support behind Woods and he was quick to dismiss criticism from Swede Jesper Parnevik, who introduced Woods to wife Elin in 2001. He [Woods] will get through it, Daly (pictured) said. Im not too happy with what some of the players have said about him. If you think about it, its because of Tiger that were playing for so much money, and hopefully he and Elin can work it out. I wish them the best. Marion medal muddle solved Wild Thing Daly shows his support for embattled Tiger New rules to include use of advantage The GAA has confirmed the full list of playing rule experiments for next years national leagues including an intriguing advantage rule. News of the mark experiment and the scrapping of the square ball rule for the 2010 leagues leaked out after Saturdays Central Council meeting. But a number of other eye-catching trials were also confirmed yesterday. In both football and hurling referees will now have the right to wave play on after a foul and hand the advantage to the attacking team to continue their move. The hand pass in both codes has also been refined. Footballers will have to punch the ball with a closed fist in future, instead of palming it, while hurlers will have to meet the sliothar with a firm striking action from the hand. It was also confirmed that, as in rugby, games will not end, even if time has elapsed, until the ball has gone out of play. GAA Kildare allowed New York game KIldAre will not be punished for fielding their top players in a challenge game last weekend during the GAAs closed season. The lilywhites travelled to take on New York at Gaelic Park and won 2-7 to 0-8. Games and collective training sessions are not allowed in November and december and the GAA has promised stiff financial penalties for offenders. But it is understood Kildare gained an official letter of approval before playing the game on the basis that it was a promotional activity. The tie was part of a lengthy trip Stateside for the Kildare panel who reached this years All-Ireland quarter-finals. Grants are cut heNrY SheFFlIN and Colm Cooper are set for a whopping 1,700 cut to their annual grants. In its first year, the grant scheme received Government funding to the tune of 3.5million in 2008. But that has been slashed to 1.05million for 2009 because of the economic difficulties, meaning players will take a big hit. Players from top teams such as Coopers Kerry and Shefflins Kilkenny will be hit hardest, receiving just 800 for their All-Ireland wins compared with the 2,500 on offer last year. We are still very disappointed with a 70 per cent cut, but at the same time we need to be pragmatic about it, said Gaelic Players Association chief dessie Farrell. RUGBY HEInEKEn CuP Paul OCOnnell has admitted Munsters recent displays are cause for a bit of concern ahead of the first of two vital Heineken Cup encounters with Perpignan at Thomond Park. The French side visit limerick on Saturday desperate for victory after their shock opening round defeat by Treviso. However, Munster are also under pressure having lost the first of their opening two games at northampton, and their form since, in beating Treviso and in falling to sixth in the Magners league, has not matched the high standards expected of the twice european champions. OConnell, who is back in the squad after missing last weekends defeat by the Ospreys, said: Our form is probably a bit of a concern. Wed rather be playing great rugby, rather be flying along in the Magners league. I suppose weve struggled a little bit. Weve had injuries. I suppose that was our big strength last year in that it didnt matter who pulled on the jersey we performed. and thats something we need to get right. Munster squad (v Perpignan): W Du Preez, Darragh Hurley, Tony Buckley, J Hayes, D Fogarty, D Varley, J Flannery, D O Callaghan, D Ryan, P OConnell (capt), M ODriscoll, A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace, D Leamy, J Coughlan, P Stringer, T OLeary, R OGara, P Warwick, L Mafi, J De Villiers, K Earls, I Dowling, D Howlett, Denis Hurley, F Jones OConnell and Munster seek form Concern: OConnell Cheika delight as Stan shows the Wright stuffBy GARETH MAKIM MIChAel CheIKA has welcomed back his in- ternational stars for leinsters heineken Cup visit to llanelli Scarlets, a game the defending champi- ons know could prove crucial to their hopes of pro- gressing from a pool that is shaping up to be among the closest in the competition. leinster trail the unbeaten Welsh side by three points after two matches, but with london Irish, who won at the rdS in October, also breathing down their necks, the outcome of this weekends encounter and the return clash a week later in dublin will be pivotal. To that end, Cheika was delighted to be able to re- call prop Stan Wright after injury, leaving only ShaneJennings(suspension),lukeFitzgerald(knee) and Jonathan Sexton (hand) on the sidelines. Cheika said: A portion of our squad got last weekend off so that gets everyone raring to go and fresh. The only injury concern we have is with Gir- van dempsey who missed the last game because of a training knock. Weve got Stan Wright back, which is a good addition, well ahead of time. Thats very positive for us. The medical staff did a great job, but [credit] to him as well because he was so positive about getting back early. hes a couple of weeks ahead of schedule and his posi- tivity to get back for these games is outstanding. Shaun Berne will likely fill in for Sexton at fly- half, but Cheika admitted the province had flirted with the idea of signing Australia No.10 Matt Giteau on a short-term deal. We needed to get someone to fill the hole with Jonathan out, he said. But his absence wont be that long. So now were not looking for anyone else. We had our chance to bring in quality, we were unable to, so now we have moved on. Leinster squad (v Scarlets): C Healy, L Cullen (capt), J Fogarty, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, R McCormack, S Keogh, K McLaughlin, S OBrien, M OKelly, M Ross, D Toner, CJ van der Linde, S Wright, S Berne, G DArcy, G Dempsey, S Horgan, C Keane, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, P ODonohoe, B ODriscoll, E Reddan LEInSTER utility back Isa nacewa may be in line for some sleepless nights in the coming weeks, but it wont be a result of the pressure that comes with a crucial Heineken Cup back-to-back against Llanelli Scarlets. nacewa (pictured) became a father for the first time on november 15 to identical twin girls Mia and Ellie and expects to welcome home his new family from hospital this weekend. Its a bit life- changing but just a hurdle I have to deal with and sort of enjoy at the same time, nacewa says. [Coach Michael] Cheika says theyre his favourite girls because they stayed away from the Heineken Cup and came when there was no rugby on! But before the new additions arrive home, nacewa has to focus on a difficult trip to Wales on Saturday, and he knows Leinster must match the Pool-topping Scarlets for hunger. He added: The Scarlets are on their game. We have to bring as much passion as them and better it on the night. They are a really passionate team and so are the Irish forwards. If we can take that down to Scarlets we can come out alright. Nacewa in it twin it at Llanelli Picture:Sportsfile index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html