David Leggat: Where rugby just does not count

COMMENT

The big sports focus in New Zealand this weekend will be on the All Blacks' critical Tri-Nations test in Johannesburg.

So how does a rugby international between two of the game's best practitioners rate in Athens this week?

Not even a blip on the radar. Indeed, it wouldn't rate here in any week.

Now you could argue this is no surprise, and you would be right. Most Greeks wouldn't know the difference between rugby and Australian Rules. Same shaped ball, blokes running round in shorts banging into each other.

But there's also the small matter of an Olympic Games to celebrate here, so you could hardly expect to overhear a conversation on the respective merits of Andrew Mehrtens and Carlos Spencer while checking the local product in a downtown taverna.

However, you might think sports television channels here with a global perspective would have given it even a cursory mention. Sorry.

What is exercising the Greek minds are more serious matters surrounding their track heroes, Costas Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou.

The pair were yesterday returning to the Games village from a visit to their coach Chisto Tsekos when their motorbike skidded and despatched the pair on the road.


Neither suffered serious injury. Potentially far worse, however, is the speculation surrounding their failure to attend a mandatory doping test earlier in the day.

The IOC has set up a disciplinary commission to look into the incident, but it's not hard to draw a damaging conclusion: the pair were on the run.

Some background is needed.


Kenteris won the 200m final in Sydney four years ago. It was, you might say, a complete surprise given past performances.

Thanou was second to Marion Jones in the 100m. Neither has been sighted much at the premier track meets round the globe in the last couple of years.

They tend to turn up in odd places. You won't find them at the stellar venues such as Zurich, but you will find them at out-of-the-way spots like Estonia. The whispers are about.

Nevertheless, both are the pride and joy of their people, and many prayers have been said on their behalf as they aim to bring track glory to their country.

Thanou is due to appear on the track next Friday, Kenteris four days later. Right now, Greece is holding its breath.

The big opening day buzz will come with a splash at the Olympic pool early tomorrow when Ian Thorpe chases his first gold medal, in the 400m freestyle.

Without wanting to be too premature about this, the rest of the finalists are most likely battling for silver and bronze, such is the dominance the flipper-footed Sydneysider has had in the event for the last six years.

He caught a lucky break after being disqualified at the Australian Olympic trials.

The swimmer who picked up his spot, Craig Stevens, buoyed by a fat cheque from an Australian television network and their promise of turning him into a sports journalist overnight, stepped aside, allowing Thorpe back in.

Champions don't waste a second chance.

The swimming finals promise to be among the most spectacular of the Games events. The setting is superb - swimming under the stars and with steeply-banked seating surrounding the pool.

Nerves are sure to be rattling for the less seasoned swimmers.

But New Zealand's Helen Norfolk, who is in the 400m individual medley today, had the answer.

"It's just like any other meet really,"she said, "it's just that it's the Olympics."