Dein erstes Forum » We need to focus on our game

Kelly Russell knows younger sister Laura is never too far behind her on the rugby pitch. Discount Air Max 97 . And thats good news for Canada. Kelly, who plays No. 8 at the back of the scrum, is captain of the Canadian womens team. Younger sister Laura is a prop, plying her trade at the forwards coal face. "We know each others tendencies on the field so its always great to play with her," said Kelly, who at 27 has two years on her sister. "Shes a hard worker, so anywhere Im around the pitch shes there too. I always know shes got my back." Kelly Russell has 24 more women behind her as Canada gears up for Fridays Womens Rugby World Cup opener against Spain in France. A quiet leader, Russell has the respect of her Canadian crew. "Kellys amazing," said veteran centre Mandy Marchak. "Shes very focused, very strong-minded. She understand what it is to be a part of such a big team and she leads by example. Shes quiet but when she speaks, it speaks volumes. She backs everything she says by how she plays. "Shes very strong on the field -- individually and for the team. Shes a really important part of the team. Kelly and I have been friends for a pretty long time and (shes) somebody I look up to." Marchak and Russell share a moment before each game. "Something I feel I personally have shared with Kelly throughout the years has been the final minutes before running onto the pitch, I turn to Kelly and she gives me this nod," Marchak wrote in a 2012 blog. "I know this nod very well. Its a nod saying were ready, we know what we need to do, lets just go out and do it. "It has actually been the one thing I feel I look forward to, as it calms me and gives me that last ounce of believe." Russell, who also played in the 2010 World Cup as well as two sevens World Cups, sees good things ahead for this Canadian team which she describes as a mix of experience with "want-to-impress" new blood. Originally from Bolton, Ont., Russell is one of about 20 women, all tied into the sevens program, who are centralized in the Victoria area. Other players have moved west to train with them. Part of their regimen involves working with UFC bantamweight Sarah Kaufman at the ZUMA gym in Victoria. Kaufman helps them with condition and grappling -- wrestling takedowns are similar to tackling to rugby. "A real help," said Russell. Canada, which finished fourth in 1998, 2002 and 2006 and a disappointing sixth in 2010, is in a pool with England, Samoa and Spain. The three pool winners and the runner-up with the best record advance to the semifinals. New Zealand has won the last four tournaments, defeating England in the last three finals. The Russell sisters -- including an older sibling -- followed their fathers footsteps into rugby with the Toronto Nomads. Kelly was 14 or 15 when she took up the sport. Now she leads Canada out on rugbys biggest stage. "When I started, it was just about playing rugby and trying it out. And I just loved it right away," she recalled. "So the natural progression was just to keep pursuing higher levels." She got her first cap in 2007 and has 35 going into the World Cup -- no small feat considering womens rugby internationals are few and far between. Named to the 2010 World Cup all-star squad, Russell was named Rugby Canadas Womens Fifteens Player of the Year for 2013. Canada last faced Spain at the 1991 and 2006 World Cups, winning 79-0 and 19-4. "Were expecting Spain to play a lot of rugby (Friday) with a lot of ball in play, fast pace and a lot of running, similar to the style we play and they play with no fear," Canadian coach Francois Ratier said in a statement. "This is the World Cup. And its important for us to set the tone with a big effort against Spain. We need to focus on our game and dont change our style or philosophy because its been working -- just push up the intensity." Discount Vapormax . Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane came up big when it counted, tallying two goals and an assist. He scored the game-winner with 4:45 remaining in the third period, stopping on the right hashmarks, carrying the puck up through the top of the Kings zone, then firing a wrist shot from the top of the circles past Jonathan Quick, who had his view obstructed by Andrew Shaw. Balenciaga Outlet Australia . Miralem Pjanic dribbled through the defence to score an extraordinary goal in the 43rd minute at the Stadio Olimpico and Gervinho added another from a rebound in the 65th for Romas ninth straight victory — ending Milans five-match winning streak. http://www.discountaustraliashoes.com/cheap-air-max-270-fake.html . "I never commented to anyone that I wanted out," he explained. "My heart is with this group and making the playoffs." Kesler added that the rumours are "completely false" that he asked to be traded - recently or ever.TOKYO - Canadian star Justin Morneau hit a three-run homer and Chris Capuano pitched five strong innings Sunday as the MLB All-Stars beat Japan 6-1 for the first win of their five-game post-season tour.Morneau, the National League batting champion, drove a pitch from Japan starter Shintaro Fujinami over the wall in right to give his team a 4-1 lead in the third. It was the second homer of the series for Morneau, who also connected for a two-run homer in Game 2.The win provided welcome relief for an MLB team that was no-hit by four Japanese pitchers in a 4-0 loss on Saturday.After getting no-hit yesterday, wanted to come out swinging the bats and we did, said Morneau, a native of New Westminster, B.C. We wanted to come here and represent MLB well. Unfortunately, we didnt do that in the first three games but I think weve gotten better.Evan Longoria added to the lead with a solo homer off Japan reliever Minoru Iwata in the sixth.After losing the first three games of the series and scoring only four runs, the MLB bats came to life in the first inning. Yasiel Puig doubled on a line drive to left and scored on Morneaus double to right.The MLB All-Stars added a run in the eighth when Chris Carter scored from third on Eduardo Nunezs groundout to second. Cheap Air Max 97 Australia. Jose Altuve singled to right off Fujinami and Puig doubled to left in the second to set the stage for Morneaus blast that gave the MLB team all the momentum they needed.The top third of our lineup did an outstanding job, MLB manager John Farrell said. I think eight out of our 10 hits came from Jose, Yasiel and Justin so that was a big part of our win.Capuano picked up the win after holding Japan to one run on four hits while striking out four. Fujinami gave up four runs on five hits over four innings to take the loss.We dropped the first three games but we have a lot of pride and wanted to bounce back tonight, Capuano said. The Japan hitters are very good so I was doing my best to keep them off balance and pitch smart.Japans only run came in the second inning when Nobuhiro Matsuda doubled off Capuano and scored on Yoshitomo Tsutsugos double to centre.Japanese pitching sensation Shohei Otani will take the mound in Game 5 before his home fans at Sapporo Dome. Matt Shoemaker will start for the MLB team. ' ' '