Latest news with #Genia
West Australian
18 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Aussie falls short in bid to spear Japanese rugby glory
Richie Mo'unga has won the trans-Tasman battle of the Test fly-halves, his Brave Lupus Tokyo fending off Aussie Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 18-13 in the Japan Rugby League One final. The 31-year-old, lured to Fuchu by his former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder last year, added his second Japanese title to the seven he won in Super Rugby. The All Black scored his 11th try of the season in the eighth minute to give Brave Lupus the early advantage in an even first half, which ended 8-6 in the defending champions' favour after Mo'unga added a penalty goal. Wallaby flyhalf Foley was on target twice with three-pointers for the Spears. Brave Lupus took control after halftime, pushing out to a 12-point lead when winger Yuto Mori scored his side's second try, which was converted by Mo'unga, who then added a second penalty goal. Given they had lost just twice all season, the Spears were never going to go quietly, having already shown their resilience when they kept Brave Lupus out during a 10-minute period in the second half when reduced to 14 men after winger Halatoa Vailea was yellow-carded. Veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa set up a nervous finale when he scored with eight minutes remaining. But Brave Lupus defended grimly to become the first side in League One to win back-to-back championships. It was the club's seventh title since a nationwide round-robin league was introduced 22 years ago. Sunday's game at Tokyo's National Stadium was watched by a crowd of 51,009. Meanwhile, there was no fond farewell for former Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia when the Hanazono Liners lost in their final game in Japan Rugby League One. Hanazono needed to overcome a four-point deficit from the first leg of their promotion series against Mie Heat on Friday night (Saturday AEST). They were unable to do so, overrun in the second period of a 29-19 defeat after leading 14-10 at halftime. Cooper produced one last piece of the old magic, combining with Genia in a movement that led to the latter's 11th try of the season in the ninth minute. Genia also set up his side's second try for winger Tomoya Kimura, but the Liners were left to rue their inability to capitalise after Heat twice had men yellow-carded. Cooper and Genia have yet to say if they plan to continue playing beyond this season. Midfielder Samu Kerevi turned on another powerful display in his final audition for a place in the Wallabies squad, touching down twice as Urayasu D-Rocks beat Shuttles Aichi 27-21 to retain their Division One status. Victory was sweet for the Wallaby as his brothers Jone and Josua featured for the Shuttles. Dave Rennie won the battle of the former Wallaby coaches in the Division One playoff for third and fourth, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 22-17. Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete was a try-scorer for the Wild Knights.
Perth Now
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussie falls short in bid to spear Japanese rugby glory
Richie Mo'unga has won the trans-Tasman battle of the Test fly-halves, his Brave Lupus Tokyo fending off Aussie Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay 18-13 in the Japan Rugby League One final. The 31-year-old, lured to Fuchu by his former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder last year, added his second Japanese title to the seven he won in Super Rugby. The All Black scored his 11th try of the season in the eighth minute to give Brave Lupus the early advantage in an even first half, which ended 8-6 in the defending champions' favour after Mo'unga added a penalty goal. Wallaby flyhalf Foley was on target twice with three-pointers for the Spears. Brave Lupus took control after halftime, pushing out to a 12-point lead when winger Yuto Mori scored his side's second try, which was converted by Mo'unga, who then added a second penalty goal. Given they had lost just twice all season, the Spears were never going to go quietly, having already shown their resilience when they kept Brave Lupus out during a 10-minute period in the second half when reduced to 14 men after winger Halatoa Vailea was yellow-carded. Veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa set up a nervous finale when he scored with eight minutes remaining. But Brave Lupus defended grimly to become the first side in League One to win back-to-back championships. It was the club's seventh title since a nationwide round-robin league was introduced 22 years ago. Sunday's game at Tokyo's National Stadium was watched by a crowd of 51,009. Meanwhile, there was no fond farewell for former Wallabies Quade Cooper and Will Genia when the Hanazono Liners lost in their final game in Japan Rugby League One. Hanazono needed to overcome a four-point deficit from the first leg of their promotion series against Mie Heat on Friday night (Saturday AEST). They were unable to do so, overrun in the second period of a 29-19 defeat after leading 14-10 at halftime. Cooper produced one last piece of the old magic, combining with Genia in a movement that led to the latter's 11th try of the season in the ninth minute. Genia also set up his side's second try for winger Tomoya Kimura, but the Liners were left to rue their inability to capitalise after Heat twice had men yellow-carded. Cooper and Genia have yet to say if they plan to continue playing beyond this season. Midfielder Samu Kerevi turned on another powerful display in his final audition for a place in the Wallabies squad, touching down twice as Urayasu D-Rocks beat Shuttles Aichi 27-21 to retain their Division One status. Victory was sweet for the Wallaby as his brothers Jone and Josua featured for the Shuttles. Dave Rennie won the battle of the former Wallaby coaches in the Division One playoff for third and fourth, with Kobelco Kobe Steelers beating the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 22-17. Wallaby winger Marika Koroibete was a try-scorer for the Wild Knights.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'I left one conflict zone to enter another': Harvard's Jewish foreign students on Trump row
If President Donald Trump says he's punishing Harvard University to protect Jewish students, not everybody is convinced. More than 2,000 Harvard students identify as Jewish, and for some of those from abroad, Trump's rhetoric has stirred fear and uncertainty. "I thought when I left Israel I was leaving a conflict zone," PhD student Genia, 41, tells me. It's foreign students like her that fear becoming collateral damage in Trump's crackdown on some of America's most elite universities. After last week trying to strip Harvard of its ability to enrol international students, the Trump administration suffered a legal blow on Thursday when a judge indicated she would block the move while the case plays out in court. But the ruling is unlikely to deescalate the conflict between Trump and Harvard, an institution he accuses of being too left-wing and failing to combat antisemitism when pro-Palestinian protests have unfolded on campuses. "It's been hard. We've had guest speakers here saying my heritage and sacred texts should be decolonised, and questioning my existence" says Genia, who is studying psychology. She is halfway through her studies which focus on language acquisition in babies who are blind. She worries being sent back to Israel if the foreign ban prevails. "I do think that it is very important to learn to be uncomfortable and offended. But I think it should be applied to both sides... it's not been balanced. " "I've had two years of dealing with massive amounts of campus hostility and now we get this mayhem... it's not making things better." In a small backdown from its attempt to end the university's international student program, the government has given Harvard 30 days to prove it meets the requirements of enrolling foreign students. If the measure is ultimately allowed, it could deliver a devastating blow to the university, where more than a quarter of students are from overseas. There are no exceptions for Israelis or other international Jewish students. An order ostensibly designed to protect Jewish students like Genia appears to have put those from abroad in peril. It's led to accusations that President Trump has politicised antisemitism. Genia says: "I think that it is very important that we recognise that there is a distinction between what we want and what the US government probably wants." The university's president insists Harvard has taken major steps to tackle all forms of hatred, including antisemitism. Alan Garber says the cuts the Trump administration is imposing on the institution will "hurt" the country, not just Harvard, because academics were conducting research deemed "high-priority" by the government. Nitsan Machlis, 27, is about to graduate. Her family is here to see her walk the stage in her cap and gown. She is upbeat but that feeling had been missing for a while. "For the first time in a long time, I feel very proud to be a student at Harvard. Harvard has been under immense pressure by the Trump administration, and the institution has shown it is making decisions with integrity to defend its academic freedom and to not bow down to the power grab," she says. "The university still has a lot to prove and do when it comes to tackling antisemitism" she adds, "but I'm proud with what President Garber is saying and doing." Another Israeli at Harvard - who works as a research fellow – is concerned about the Trump administration's approach. The 38-year-old didn't want to be identified as she weighs up her future.. "I see that Harvard is really trying to address the problems... but you cannot change a culture and problems. These are not Harvard specific problems, and they're not even problems of the American elite. These are big problems in the world and it does not take a week, or a day, to solve them." She draws parallels with her home country and adopted country "Israelis have been experiencing democratic backsliding in a very intense way and I think we should be the first to recognise what's going on here in the US." Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky goes further. He has spent decades studying authoritarian governments and believes that President Trump is using antisemitism as a cover to bring elite education under his control. "We're the biggest fish. We're the most prominent, most prestigious, and also the best university in the country. So if you want a single representative of higher education to take a whack at, Harvard is the obvious target," he tells me. "If the Trump administration is able to bully Harvard into acquiescence, then it knows that no other university will be able to stand up to it." Reflecting on experiencing antisemitism throughout his life, he says: "I've never seen or experienced antisemitism here at Harvard. And so the kind of the notion that we have a serious problem that requires federal intervention, as a Jew who's lived here for 25 years, I can tell you it's laughable." But this ongoing battle threatens to leave Harvard in a different place even if the school is successful in its fight. Many international students say they're already looking to build their academic future elsewhere, while others who have graduated say they plan to take their skills to countries outside of America. Additional reporting by Eva Artesona Judge blocks Trump's effort to restrict foreign students at Harvard - for now US halts student visa appointments and plans expanded social media vetting Students say they 'regret' applying to US universities after visa changes
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Harvard's Jewish foreign students feel scared in Trump row
If President Donald Trump says he's punishing Harvard University to protect Jewish students, not everybody is than 2,000 Harvard students identify as Jewish, and for some of those from abroad, Trump's rhetoric has stirred fear and uncertainty. "I thought when I left Israel I was leaving a conflict zone," PhD student Genia, 41, tells me. It's foreign students like her that fear becoming collateral damage in Trump's crackdown on some of America's most elite last week trying to strip Harvard of its ability to enrol international students, the Trump administration suffered a legal blow on Thursday when a judge indicated she would block the move while the case plays out in the ruling is unlikely to deescalate the conflict between Trump and Harvard, an institution he accuses of being too left-wing and failing to combat antisemitism when pro-Palestinian protests have unfolded on campuses."It's been hard. We've had guest speakers here saying my heritage and sacred texts should be decolonised, and questioning my existence" says Genia, who is studying is halfway through her studies which focus on language acquisition in babies who are blind. She worries being sent back to Israel if the foreign ban prevails."I do think that it is very important to learn to be uncomfortable and offended. But I think it should be applied to both sides... it's not been balanced. ""I've had two years of dealing with massive amounts of campus hostility and now we get this mayhem... it's not making things better." In a small backdown, the government has given Harvard 30 days to prove it meets the requirements of enrolling foreign students. If the measure is ultimately allowed, it could deliver a devastating blow to the university, where more than a quarter of students are from overseas. There are no exceptions for Israelis or other international Jewish order ostensibly designed to protect Jewish students like Genia appears to have put those from abroad, in peril. It's led to accusations that President Trump has politicised says: "I think that it is very important that we recognize that there is a distinction between what we want and what the US government probably wants."The university's president insists Harvard has taken major steps to tackle all forms of hatred - as well as anti-Jewish activity. Alan Garber says the cuts the Trump administration is imposing on the institution will "hurt" the country, not just Harvard, because academics were conducting research deemed "high-priority" by the Machlis, 27, is about to graduate. Her family is here to see her walk the stage in her cap and gown. She is upbeat but that feeling had been missing for a while."For the first time in a long time, I feel very proud to be a student at Harvard. Harvard has been under immense pressure by the Trump administration, and the institution has shown it is making decisions with integrity to defend its academic freedom and to not bow down to the power grab," she says. "The university still has a lot to prove and do when it comes to tackling antisemitism" she adds, "but I'm proud with what President Garber is saying and doing." Another Israeli at Harvard - who works as a research fellow – is concerned about the Trump administration's approach. The 38-year-old didn't want to be identified as she weighs up her future.."I see that Harvard is really trying to address the problems... but you cannot change a culture and problems. These are not Harvard specific problems, and they're not even problems of the American elite. These are big problems in the world and it does not take a week, or a day, to solve them."She draws parallels with her home country and adopted country"Israelis have been experiencing democratic backsliding in a very intense way and I think we should be the first to recognise what's going on here in the US."Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky goes further. He has spent decades studying authoritarian governments and believes that President Trump is using antisemitism as a cover to bring elite education under his control. "We're the biggest fish. We're the most prominent, most prestigious, and also the best university in the country. So if you want a single representative of higher education to take a whack at, Harvard is the obvious target," he tells me."If the Trump administration is able to bully Harvard into acquiescence, then it knows that no other university will be able to stand up to on experiencing antisemitism throughout his life, he says: "I've never seen or experienced antisemitism here at Harvard. And so the kind of the notion that we have a serious problem that requires federal intervention, as a Jew who's lived here for 25 years, I can tell you it's laughable."But this ongoing battle threatens to leave Harvard in a different place even if the school is successful in its fight. Many international students say they're already looking to build their academic future elsewhere, while others who have graduated say they plan to take their skills to countries outside of reporting by Eva Artesona
West Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Veteran Wallabies duo gear up for Japanese farewell
Suzuka is set to host the end of an era on Friday night, when Quade Cooper and Will Genia play their final match in Japan. The former Wallabies halves are yet to declare whether Hanazono Liners' season finale will double as the final chapter of their professional careers. But the duo will bid farewell to Japan Rugby League One after playing the Liners' second promotion/relegation game against Mie Heat. Hanging up the boots together would be fitting for Cooper and Genia, who have partnered in the halves for Australia, Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and in Japan. The pair of 37-year-olds, who joined the Osaka-based Hanazono in 2019, boast a combined 190 Tests caps. Playmaker Cooper was given his Wallabies debut by Robbie Deans against Italy at Padua in 2008, while scrumhalf Genia's international career started a year later. Hanazono skipper Genia, who registered interest in playing for the combined Australian/New Zealand side on July 12 against the touring British and Irish Lions, has been a star performer in his final season with 11 tries. Hanazono must overturn a four-point deficit from the first leg, after a try by Genia's former Wallabies teammate Tom Banks helped Heat snatch a late 29-25 win in the opening game of the series. Cooper and Genia aren't the only Australians with important business to conclude on the final weekend of the season, with Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi needing to inspire Uraysau D-Rocks in Saturday's return match against Shuttles Aichi. The Division Two champions are currently one point ahead, after recovering from a 28-0 deficit to upset D-Rocks 43-42 in the opening match of their relegation series. It is the final chance for Kerevi, who has been one of the league's standouts, to impress Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt before his squad for the Lions series is named. On Sunday, ex-Wallabies flyhalf Bernard Foley will chase his second title in Japan as Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay take on All Blacks playmaker Richie Mo'unga's Brave Lupus Tokyo in the Division One decider. Foley, who won a Super Rugby crown with the Waratahs in 2014, was part of the Spears outfit that became Japanese champions.
