Sonstiges » Toit, is fast becoming the new Matfield in the way

MOSCOW -- Russias top Olympic official expects a final decision by Sunday on whether the entire Russian team will be banned from next months games in Rio de Janeiro over allegations of state-sponsored doping.The International Olympic Committee said its executive board will meet via teleconference on Sunday to consider the issue, but added that a final decision was expected within the next seven days.The IOC is examining the legal options of a blanket ban following a report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren that accused Russias sports ministry of overseeing doping of the countrys Olympic athletes.The issue will be finally resolved by the end of this week, probably on Sunday, Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov said Wednesday at a meeting of the ROC.Zhukov said his committee did not discuss the McLaren report at its meeting, although he also did not rule out legal action if Russia is hit with a total ban from the games.The Court of Arbitration for Sport will issue its verdict Thursday on Russias appeal to overturn the IAAF ban on its track and field athletes for the games. The IOC will take that ruling into account before making its own decision.Zhukov said he was hopeful of winning the appeal, adding that Russias plans for the Olympics assumed the track and field team would be allowed to compete. Russia plans to send a total of 387 athletes, including 68 in track and field, he said.Of course we hope for a CAS ruling in our favor, Zhukov told state TV. It would be, Id say, a serious precedent for the other federations decisions.Regardless of how the various doping-related cases turn out, Zhukov said a Russian Olympic boycott was out of the question.These boycotts just lead to a breakup of the Olympic movement, he said. I think that Russia will never take part in any boycott.The Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, retaliating for the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Games in Moscow that followed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.Earlier Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman said a meeting between Putin and Russias Olympic athletes, previously scheduled for Thursday, would no longer take place.The IOC executive board held a meeting by teleconference on Tuesday to consider its steps in the wake of the McLaren report, which found that 28 summer and winter Olympic sports were affected by state-operated cheating in Russia.WADA and other anti-doping officials urged the IOC to consider the unprecedented step of excluding the entire Russian team from the Rio Games.The IOC said it will explore the legal options with regard to a collective ban of all Russian athletes for the Olympic Games 2016 versus the right to individual justice.The IOC also started disciplinary action against Russian sports ministry officials and others implicated in McLarens report, and said they would be denied accreditation for the Rio Games. The list includes Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.The IOC can also let individual international federations decide to ban Russians in their own sports.The international rowing federation said Wednesday it was investigating whether Russian rowers places at the Rio Olympics could be reallocated to athletes from other countries if there would be a blanket ban on the Russian team or any other ban.Russia has five rowing crews entered for the Olympics after a sixth crew was disqualified earlier this month for a doping violation in qualifying.World Rowing also said it is undertaking a complete review of testing of Russian rowers since 2011 and has asked WADA for any evidence related to doping by Russian rowers. The McLaren report alleged 11 failed drug tests in rowing had been covered up by Russian officials.---AP Sports Writer Stephen Wilson in London contributed.Discount Air Jordan . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Wholesale Air Jordan .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. https://www.wholesalejordanshoeschina.com/ . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. Cheap Jordan From China . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Air Jordan 19 For Sale . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long.With plenty of Super Rugby action ahead this weekend, we look at some of the stars who could feature against the home nations in the June tours on Sky Sports.Wales head to New Zealand next month to take on world champions New Zealand, while England are in Australia to face the Wallabies in their three-Test tour.Ireland head for South Africa where the Springboks and new coach Allister Coetzee await, while the Boks bogey side from the World Cup, Japan, host Vern Cotters Scotland. With the tours around the corner, we take a look at this weekends Super Rugby action and pick out some stars who could play in June.Ryan Crotty (Crusaders v Waratahs - Friday from 8.30am on Sky Sports 1)After winning the World Cup the All Blacks said goodbye to one of the best midfield pairings of the modern era as Maa Nonu and Conrad Smith headed to France from Twickenham. Crusaders Ryan Crotty score a hat-trick against the Lions Missing out on that tournament was Crotty, edged out of the squad by Sonny Bill Williams and Malakai Fekitoa, who took the remaining centre spots. However, Crotty is now poised to build on his 15 international caps by stepping into the vacant No 12 jersey, after Williams declared himself unavailable for selection with an eye on the Rio Olympics later in the year. With New Zealand at the top of rugbys proverbial tree in both ranking and silverware, the competition for places is typically stiff, and the Chiefs Charlie Ngatai has voiced his international ambitions with some blistering form in this years Super Rugby competition.However, Crotty is seen as the ultimate team man, and his loyalty to club and country should see the 27-year-old start the first Test against Wales, with Fekitoa his likely midfield partner.Akihito Yamada (Reds v Sunwolves - Saturday from 6am on Sky Sports 3)Yamadas first-half hat-trick against the Cheetahs in round three was almost enough to earn the Sunwolves an historic first win in Super Rugby, but the Bloemfontein side fought back for a 32-31 victory in Singapore. Sunwolves Akihito Yamada scores a hat-trick against the Cheetahs The Sunwolves did eventually claim their first win, against the Jaguares in round nine, and it was just reward for a hard-fought maiden campaign for the Japanese side. One of the stars of their show has been Japan wing Yamada, who tops the overall Super Rugby try-scoring charts with eight scores. His closest rivals are the likes of Damian McKenzie, Lionel Mapoe and Israel Folau, who are all in franchises that are winning games.The fact that Yamada is the most prolific scorer in the tournament so far despite playing for a team that has lost all but one match is a testament to his finishing.Damian McKenzie (Chiefs v Rebels - Saturday from 8.30am on Sky Sports 4)McKenzies credentials have been the topic of many debates in the southern hemisphere as he competes with Ben Smith, Israel Dagg and Beauden Barrett for the All Blacks No 15 jersey. Damian McKenzie is nicknamed the smiling assassin for his unique build-up to kicks at goal. New Zealand are not known for rushing a player onto the international scene if hes not ready, but equally are not shy to pick players who are in form ahead of established stars, so McKenzie could well feature against Wales next month.Three years ago McKenzie was playing schoolboy rugby, and now the 21-year-old is among conversations around the future of the All Blacks. The Invercargill-born man is capable of playing fly-half, but with Chiefs team-mate Aaron Cruden likely to take that jersey in the New Zealand team and Barrett next in line for it, McKenzies likely best bet is to stay at full-back.Nicknamed the Smiling Assassin for his unusual pre-kick ritual, his sidestep has been the undoing of seasoned campaigners throughout the year.George Moala (Western Force v Blues - Saturday from 10.30 on Sky Sports 4) George Moala shows the Blues how to tackle hard Moala made a try-scoring debut for the All Blacks against Samoa in Apia last year, but since then has been unable to add to his Test caps.dddddddddddd. The 25-year-old is able to play on the wing or in the midfield, and though he would have to impress to get the nod ahead of some of the more established All Blacks, there is definite pedigree in his rugby. A loss of form earlier in this years campaign saw him put on the bench, but Blues coach Tana Umaga has brought him back into the mix, and he will be hoping to impress Steve Hansen after the All Black coach paid a visit to the Blues training ground late last month.Lionel Mapoe (Lions v Jaguares - Saturday from 2pm on Sky Sports 1 via the Red Button)Mapoe has played two minutes of international rugby, coming onto the field in the closing stages of the Springboks 27-20 loss to New Zealand in the 2015 Rugby Championship. But after the year hes had, that looks set to change.Mapoe scored a hat-trick in the Lions 43-5 thrashing of the Blues last weekend, and drew praise from Blues boss Tana Umaga. Lions Lionel Mapoe scores a hat-trick against the Blues. Lionel is another thats playing very well on the outside of a backline thats doing well this year, said Umaga after the game.A midfielder as big as he is gets them over the gain line and he runs good lines.Mapoe will be hoping hes caught the eye of new coach Allister Coetzee as well as that of Umaga.Jean-Luc du Preez (Sharks v Kings - Saturday from 4.05pm on Sky Sports 1 via the Red Button)Its tough to tell Daniel and Jean-Luc du Preez apart at the best of times, and in rugby terms its no different. The sons of former South Africa international Robert du Preez have made waves in the Sharks pack in their debut season, with strong ball-carrying a key component of their game.The pair were involved in the 2014 Junior World Cup and featured in Craven Week - South Africas premier Under 18 provincial tournament - for an impressive three years. Jean-Luc du Preez powers through the Western Province defence in the Currie Cup. To add to the confusion the pair have an older brother, Robert Jr, who is making a name for himself at the Stormers at fly-half.Still only 20 years old, it may be a season too early for Daniel or Jean-Luc to be included in Allister Coetzees first year in charge, but both stand an outside chance of making an international bow in June.Pieter-Stef du Toit (Bulls v Stormers - Saturday from 6.10pm on Sky Sports 1 via the Red Button)Anyone who celebrated the end of the era in which Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield played second row for club and country for over a decade, look away - there is a new lock pairing in South Africa that is gathering steam.Eben Etzebeth has found that his feet quite comfortably fill the shoes of Bok enforcer Botha, while the man next to him in the engine room, Du Toit, is fast becoming the new Matfield in the way he unlocks and infiltrates opposition lineouts. Pieter-Stef du Toit scores a brace of tries against the Waratahs. Add Cheetahs lock Lood de Jager into the mix and youve got a good stock of second rowers coming through the South African system. At 24, Etzebeth is the oldest of them.Du Toit made a name for himself at the Sharks, graduating from their academy to become an integral part of their grizzly forward unit, before moving to the Stormers where he has established an unwavering partnership with Etzebeth.Though De Jager won plaudits for his performance at last years World Cup, former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer handed Du Toit his international debut, describing him as a future great of the Springboks.Also See:Robshaw relishing summer clashesOBrien out of South Africa tourFollow @SkySportsRugbyRugby on Sky ' ' '