Konsolen Treiber » 2006 and a disappointing sixth in 2010, is

Kelly Russell knows younger sister Laura is never too far behind her on the rugby pitch. 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." 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Calvin Johnson Jersey LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the playoffs, Clayton Kershaw had a terrible outing and the Dodgers were bounced out of the post-season.A year later and a round earlier, Kershaw has a chance to erase the memories of that 9-0 loss in Game 6 when he starts Fridays NL Division Series opener against Adam Wainwright.Thats the hardest part about it. Your season ends, Kershaw said Thursday before the Dodgers worked out. It always hangs with you until your next start. I had to wait a long time for that next one.Kershaw is coming off another award-worthy regular season in which he went 21-3 and his 1.77 ERA led the major leagues for the fourth straight year. He was 10-2 with a 1.70 ERA at home, too.Wainwright hasnt been nearly as successful at Chavez Ravine. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA in seven games, including six starts.I pay no mind to what happened in the regular season, Wainwright said. Obviously, Clayton had an amazing regular season and now we go to the post-season and its anybodys ballgame. This is one game for the rest of your lives every day, so well take that mindset and be ready.Wainwright had the third-best ERA in the National League at 2.38 this season, and was even better on the road at 1.72. But in a season in which Kershaw has been so dominant, the Cardinals ace cant help but be somewhat of an afterthought.Im more impressed that, what is he 26 years old, that hes had the career hes already had and is the pitcher he is already, the 33-year-old Wainwright said. Most times it takes a pitcher a few years to kind of break in and then he starts finding his own, and hes just been excellent from the very beginning.Kershaw missed a handful of starts with a bad back in April, and after pitching late into the post-season a year ago, the injury provided him some welcome rest. Manager Don Mattingly said the team was looking for ways to reduce Kershaws innings anyway, and the schedule kickeed in some extra help late last month.ddddddddddddI dont know if thats going to make a difference or not, Kershaw said. I feel pretty much the same health-wise as I did last year. Arm feels great. Strength, everything physically feels really good.The series opener is set to start in late afternoon with temperatures near 100 degrees forecast. Kershaw doesnt think the shadows that can affect pitchers and hitters will set in until a couple of hours later.Hopefully its the eighth inning by then and Im good to go, he said, laughing.The Dodgers deliberately chose to work out Thursday at 3:30 p.m. PDT to mimic the conditions theyll face at game time Friday.It will cool off as the game goes a little bit, Mattingly said.The Cardinals released their 25-player roster for the series on Thursday, leaving off veterans Jason Motte, former Dodger Mark Ellis and A.J. Pierzynski. All-Star catcher Yadier Molina will be backed up by Tony Cruz.Manager Mike Matheny said Michael Wacha, last years NCLS MVP who beat Kershaw twice in that series, will work out of the bullpen this time.We havent had him in that role all season. He gets it, he gets whats right now, whats going to be best for the club, Matheny said. We know he can go long, we know he can come in and get a big out if we needed him to.Mattingly confirmed Hyun-Jin Ryu will start Game 3 on Monday in St. Louis. It will be the first game hes pitched since coming out early on Sept. 9 because of left shoulder irritation, and his first career road playoff start.Ryu will be on an estimated pitch count of 100-110.That, obviously, would depend on how he gets there, if theres a bunch of battles trying to get there and how hes pitching, Mattingly said. But we dont feel like hes lost a ton of arm strength. Hes been through this once before a€” I think he missed 21 days or something, came back and threw really well.The Dodgers had yet to release their playoff roster by late afternoon. The deadline is Friday morning. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '