rugby. Everything we trained for and play

The Eiffel Tower has cheekily responded to Zlatan Ibrahimovics claim that he would stay at PSG if a statue of him replaced the iconic landmark. Ibrahimovic has been linked with a move away from the capital club when his contract expires in the summer and, after steering them to a fourth straight Ligue 1 title on Sunday, jokingly made the claim.He told beIN Sports: If they replace the Eiffel Tower with a statue of me, I will stay at PSG. I can promise that! Ibrahimovic poses in front of the Eiffel Tower after signing for PSG in 2012 On Monday, though, the Tower hit back via its official twitter account, saying: I like your humour @Ibra_officiel @PSG_inside and the view of @Paris is as equally as beautiful from here…But I am the Tower.Following his four-goal display against Troyes, Ibrahimovic said that his future this summer was away from PSG.For the moment, I wont be at PSG next season, he said. I still have a month and a half of competition left. What happens next year, for the moment, I dont know about it. Ibrahimovic (L) celebrates with his PSG team-mates as they beat Troyes 9-0 on Sunday PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had previously insisted he wanted the Swedish star to stay at the club. Zlatan is magical, said Al-Khelaifi. He is a great player. We are going to talk him and see what he wants to do. We want him to stay.Ibrahimovics four goals on Sunday took his league total to 27 in 24 games this season. Also See: PSG hit nine to win title Ibra: Replace Eiffel Tower with me Andre Reed Jersey . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Doug Flutie Womens Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.authenticbillsfanaticfootball.com/authentic-cody-ford-bills-jersey/ .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Jordan Poyer Womens Jersey . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. Ed Oliver Youth Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Rugby is returning to the Olympics for the first time in 92 years, bringing the ruck, the maul and the hooker back into the lexicon of the Summer Games.The format has changed, considerably, since the United States won the last rugby union Olympic gold medal in 1924, with the abbreviated seven-player version favored for Rio over the traditional 15-a-side game, and Fiji favored for a breakthrough triumph. The aim remains the same: score more tries -- grounding the ball in the opponents in-goal area -- and youre a good chance of winning.Its fast and physical, with more emphasis on speed and passing the ball (always backward) than heavy contact, and it is typically played in two seven-minute halves.Heres some things to watch in Rio, where the womens tournament runs Aug. 6-8 and the mens from Aug. 9-11 at the Deodoro Stadium:---FLYING FIJIANSFiji has never won an Olympic medal, but it has never had a chance to play its national sport at the Summer Games. The world series champions are favorites in the mens competition, and expectations are high in the Pacific.Englishman Ben Ryan took a squad containing an abundance of players with size, speed and natural flair for rugby sevens, and added extra discipline to every facet of the preparation from diet to drills. The result is a still entertaining, but more consistent Fiji team.Its the national sport, so our best athletes play rugby, Ryan says. We have been successful at it and thats also created this aura around the team, the way we play, totally different to every other side in the world. Its a risky, entertaining, exciting, slightly laid back -- sometimes -- way of playing the game. And we are doing it to a very high level.---GO BROSonny Bill Williams is a high-profile game hopper likely to feature for New Zealand in Rio, another notch in a career that has involved switching back and forth from rugby league to rugby union to win some of the biggest prizes in those sports. Already a World Cup winner with the famous All Blacks, Williams wants to add Olympic gold. He probably wont have to look far for family support, with his sister Niall figuring in selection calculations for the title-chasing New Zealaand womens team.dddddddddddd---POINT PROVEDThe sevens format has surged in popularity since its inclusion on the Olympic program, and the rewards are being spread more widely than ever. Countries such as Kenya and the United States have won titles on the world series circuit, and are ranked 6th and 7th behind southern hemisphere powers Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina. American Madison Hughes led the world series with 331 points in the 2015-16 season. American speedster Perry Baker was second behind South Africas Seabelo Senatla for most tries scored and most line breaks.---WOMENS DRAWAustralia won the womens world series, reaching the final in four of the five tournaments to outpoint second place New Zealand, the dominant team in 2014-15. Canada and England were equal on points in third place.The womens squads in Rio will feature players lured from sports such as basketball, volleyball and track and field. As it catches on, therell be more professionals, and increased competition.New Zealand had been the benchmark ... ever since I had started playing rugby. Everything we trained for and played for can subconsciously be aimed around beating them, Australias Alicia Quirk said. But this series turned out to be the most competitive season yet -- the gap between teams has definitely closed.---SPANISH ACQUISITIONSpain was the last of 12 teams to qualify in each of the mens and womens tournaments. The Spanish men had a stunning upset win over world series regulars Samoa in the last-ditch repechage, a victory which playmaker Patricia Garcia said inspired her womens team to its victory over Russia in Dublin the following week.--USEFUL TERMSRuck, maul, scrum -- all physical contests for the ball. Hooker, prop, wing -- all playing positions.--FORMATEach competition will feature 12 teams divided into three pools, with the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals. U.S. teams got tough draws: the men were grouped with Fiji, Argentina and Brazil, and the women were grouped with Australia, Fiji and Colombia. ' ' '