
Warner's surfboard jibe is part of the Ashes fun: Root
Warner fired the first shots in the phoney Ashes war by highlighting Root's failure to score a hundred in Australia, suggesting that Test cricket's second-highest run-scorer tends to get out lbw a lot.
"Josh Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg," said Warner, who retired from international cricket last year.
Asked on a media call if he had laughed off the jibe, Root said: "Just that. I can't have any control on how people see the game or talk in interview.
"Nothing new, is it? You know there are going to be storylines and people wanting to hype up a big series. Doesn't really change anything.
"It's sort of irrelevant to me. What can I do about it? Just make sure it's not a talking point in six months or 100 days time.
"When you get out there you've got to try and impact the game and help your team get off to a good start. Business as usual as far as I'm concerned.
"I guess it's all part of the fun."
Root's insatiable appetite for scoring runs shows no sign of slowing down with 22 hundreds in his last 61 Tests.
Only India's Sachin Tendulkar has scored more Test runs than Root, who has 13,543 to his name and is 2,378 from top spot.
Addressing his poor record in Australia remains a priority for Root, who will be playing in his fourth Ashes series Down Under this winter.
"The thing that stands out for me is I wanted it way too much the last couple of times," said Root. "It took me away from what was important.
"Clearly the last few tours there have been loads of other things to contend with... a lot of distractions.
"This time I just want to go and enjoy the tour for what it is. It's a beautiful country, great place to go and play cricket. It's going to be hostile, everything you'd expect and want from an away Ashes series.
"That's something you've got to relish. Going there with 150-odd Test matches under my belt, I feel couldn't be more ready for it."

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The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Broncos superstar to make big call on Samoa defection
Outgoing Australia coach Mal Meninga says a call by Payne Haas to defect to Samoa will help make international rugby league more competitive. Reports on Thursday linked the NRL's best prop to a change in eligibility, with the Brisbane behemoth set to begin preferencing his Samoan roots over the Kangaroos in future international fixtures. It comes after months of speculation Haas could join the likes of Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai as superstar players to have chosen Samoa over Australia in recent years. Under International Rugby League rules, a player eligible for a tier-one nation such as Australia and a tier-two nation such as Samoa can change allegiance provided they do not represent both teams in the same calendar year. Haas's decision would clear him to be available for the post-season Pacific Championships, featuring a mouth-watering clash against Pacific rivals Tonga in Brisbane. The call will also rule Haas out of representing Australia in the first Ashes tour since 2003. The move is a significant boost for Samoa, who underlined their status as a new powerhouse of international rugby league by making the World Cup final in 2022. Having Haas on deck for the 2026 edition of the tournament would strengthen Samoa's case for a first World Cup trophy. "It's fantastic news if you're Samoa, they're setting up for the World Cup," Meninga told SEN. "The attraction for going to Samoa is they believe they will be the first Samoan side to win the World Cup. "If you're wanting to see more competitive games in the international space then it's really good." Samoan representative Tommy Talau said his countrymen would be particularly keen for October's clash with Tonga, who boast Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo in their pack. "All the Samoans that will be at that game will be cheering for him. They'll probably be saying, 'It's about time'," said Manly utility Talau. "If (switching allegiances) is what he's decided to do then that's awesome." The news looms as a blow for new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, who had coached Haas during his tenure at Brisbane. On winning the Kangaroos job, Walters had indicated his hopes of convincing Samoa-eligible players such as Haas, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to stay put in the Australian set-up. "It's disappointing for the green and gold as he's grown up in our system," said Meninga, who stepped down as Kangaroos coach earlier this year. "(Walters) will be disappointed." Haas represented Australia four times between 2019 and 2023, most recently appearing in the shock loss to New Zealand in the 2023 Pacific Cup final. Outgoing Australia coach Mal Meninga says a call by Payne Haas to defect to Samoa will help make international rugby league more competitive. Reports on Thursday linked the NRL's best prop to a change in eligibility, with the Brisbane behemoth set to begin preferencing his Samoan roots over the Kangaroos in future international fixtures. It comes after months of speculation Haas could join the likes of Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai as superstar players to have chosen Samoa over Australia in recent years. Under International Rugby League rules, a player eligible for a tier-one nation such as Australia and a tier-two nation such as Samoa can change allegiance provided they do not represent both teams in the same calendar year. Haas's decision would clear him to be available for the post-season Pacific Championships, featuring a mouth-watering clash against Pacific rivals Tonga in Brisbane. The call will also rule Haas out of representing Australia in the first Ashes tour since 2003. The move is a significant boost for Samoa, who underlined their status as a new powerhouse of international rugby league by making the World Cup final in 2022. Having Haas on deck for the 2026 edition of the tournament would strengthen Samoa's case for a first World Cup trophy. "It's fantastic news if you're Samoa, they're setting up for the World Cup," Meninga told SEN. "The attraction for going to Samoa is they believe they will be the first Samoan side to win the World Cup. "If you're wanting to see more competitive games in the international space then it's really good." Samoan representative Tommy Talau said his countrymen would be particularly keen for October's clash with Tonga, who boast Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo in their pack. "All the Samoans that will be at that game will be cheering for him. They'll probably be saying, 'It's about time'," said Manly utility Talau. "If (switching allegiances) is what he's decided to do then that's awesome." The news looms as a blow for new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, who had coached Haas during his tenure at Brisbane. On winning the Kangaroos job, Walters had indicated his hopes of convincing Samoa-eligible players such as Haas, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to stay put in the Australian set-up. "It's disappointing for the green and gold as he's grown up in our system," said Meninga, who stepped down as Kangaroos coach earlier this year. "(Walters) will be disappointed." Haas represented Australia four times between 2019 and 2023, most recently appearing in the shock loss to New Zealand in the 2023 Pacific Cup final. Outgoing Australia coach Mal Meninga says a call by Payne Haas to defect to Samoa will help make international rugby league more competitive. Reports on Thursday linked the NRL's best prop to a change in eligibility, with the Brisbane behemoth set to begin preferencing his Samoan roots over the Kangaroos in future international fixtures. It comes after months of speculation Haas could join the likes of Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai as superstar players to have chosen Samoa over Australia in recent years. Under International Rugby League rules, a player eligible for a tier-one nation such as Australia and a tier-two nation such as Samoa can change allegiance provided they do not represent both teams in the same calendar year. Haas's decision would clear him to be available for the post-season Pacific Championships, featuring a mouth-watering clash against Pacific rivals Tonga in Brisbane. The call will also rule Haas out of representing Australia in the first Ashes tour since 2003. The move is a significant boost for Samoa, who underlined their status as a new powerhouse of international rugby league by making the World Cup final in 2022. Having Haas on deck for the 2026 edition of the tournament would strengthen Samoa's case for a first World Cup trophy. "It's fantastic news if you're Samoa, they're setting up for the World Cup," Meninga told SEN. "The attraction for going to Samoa is they believe they will be the first Samoan side to win the World Cup. "If you're wanting to see more competitive games in the international space then it's really good." Samoan representative Tommy Talau said his countrymen would be particularly keen for October's clash with Tonga, who boast Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo in their pack. "All the Samoans that will be at that game will be cheering for him. They'll probably be saying, 'It's about time'," said Manly utility Talau. "If (switching allegiances) is what he's decided to do then that's awesome." The news looms as a blow for new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, who had coached Haas during his tenure at Brisbane. On winning the Kangaroos job, Walters had indicated his hopes of convincing Samoa-eligible players such as Haas, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to stay put in the Australian set-up. "It's disappointing for the green and gold as he's grown up in our system," said Meninga, who stepped down as Kangaroos coach earlier this year. "(Walters) will be disappointed." Haas represented Australia four times between 2019 and 2023, most recently appearing in the shock loss to New Zealand in the 2023 Pacific Cup final.


Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Broncos superstar to make big call on Samoa defection
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7NEWS
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NRL superstar Payne Haas turns back on Australia to join Samoa
Outgoing Australia coach Mal Meninga says Payne Haas' call to defect to Samoa will make international rugby league more competitive. Reports on Thursday linked the NRL's best prop with a change in eligibility, with 25-year-old Haas set to begin preferencing his Samoan roots over the Kangaroos in future international fixtures. It comes after months of speculation that Haas could join the likes of Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai as superstar players to have chosen Samoa over Australia in recent years. Per International Rugby League rules, a player eligible for a tier-one nation like Australia and a tier-two nation such as Samoa can change allegiance provided they do not represent both teams in the same calendar year. Brisbane behemoth Haas' decision would clear him to be available for the post-season Pacific Championships, also ruling him out of Australia's Ashes tour. The move is a significant boost for Samoa, who underlined their status as a new powerhouse of international rugby league by making the World Cup final in 2022. Having Haas on deck for the 2026 edition of the tournament would strengthen Samoa's case for a first World Cup trophy. 'It's fantastic news if you're Samoa, they're setting up for the World Cup,' Meninga told SEN. 'The attraction for going to Samoa is they believe they will be the first Samoan side to win the World Cup. 'If you're wanting to see more competitive games in the international space then it's really good.' The news looms as a blow for new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, who had previously indicated his hopes of convincing Haas, Jeremiah Nanai and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to stay put in the Australian set-up. 'It's disappointing for the green and gold as he's grown up in our system,' said Meninga, who stepped down as Kangaroos coach earlier this year. '(Walters) will be disappointed.'