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Members of the women's club rugby team at Salisbury University remain stranded in Peru after its government declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Asbury Park Press' Daniel LoGiudice.
The team had traveled to Peru for spring break. LoGiudice reported four players successfully booked flights out of the country after President Martin Vizcarra issued his order to begin halting international flights.
Kirby Given is among those unable to secure a departure.
"We're dealing with it on a day-to-day basis," she said. "The uncertainty part is something I don't keep in the forefront of my head because that panic and anxiety is not going to be beneficial to anybody. I hope for the best, and we've been proactive every day."
More than 267,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide and at least 11,000 people have died, per CNN. The World Health Organization has identified 234 cases in Peru.
The United States Embassy in Lima issued a statement Sunday addressing the situation:
"The U.S. Embassy in Lima is operating and is coordinating closely with the Peruvian Government on all options for U.S. citizens to depart the country and are arranging charter aircraft. To date, approximately 500 American tourists departed Peru this weekend and included some of the most urgent medical cases. The U.S. Embassy will continue messaging as additional flight plans are finalized."
The State Department also told CNN that officials "are considering all options" to help any Americans who need to return to the U.S.
England rugby prop Joe Marler has been punished with a 10-week ban for grabbing Wales' Alun Wyn Jones' genitals.
The incident took place during Saturday's dramatic Six Nations battle at Twickenham, which England narrowly won 33-30.
Per BBC Sport, the shortest ban World Rugby issues for "grabbing, twisting or squeezing the genitals" is 12 weeks. However, the commission opted to impose a 10-week suspension after considering the case.
Marler's club, Harlequins, expressed their disappointment at the length of the ban. A statement read: "Whilst not in any way condoning Joe's actions last Saturday we are disappointed at the level of sanction applied, particularly when compared to other disciplinary decisions announced this week."
South Africa produced a stunning performance to clinch the 2019 Rugby World Cup on Saturday, comfortably beating England 32-12 in Yokohama, Japan.
The first half was a tetchy affair, with both sides making a number of mistakes in possession. However, South Africa's set-piece play saw them earn regular penalties, and four kicks from Handre Pollard put them 12-6 ahead at the interval, with Owen Farrell notching two for England.
After a couple more penalties each in the second half, South Africa made a decisive score through Makazole Mapimpi in the 66th minute, with his converted try moving the Springboks 25-12 in front.
With England chasing a late comeback, South Africa were then able to counter, with Cheslin Kolbe scoring their second try and sealing the contest:
Success for South Africa sees them draw level with New Zealand on three titles having previously won the tournament in 1995 and 2007.
The pattern of the first period was set early on, when England lost Kyle Sinckler following a heavy hit. His absence would prove detrimental to Eddie Jones' team in the scrum battles later in the match.
South Africa were the stronger side from the off, and after Pollard missed with his first attempt at goal, he found his range quickly.
He slotted four penalties between the posts, including one on the brink of half time, to give the Springboks a six-point advantage:
England came closest of the two sides to scoring a try in the first period, but they were held up by some stellar defensive play from South Africa, per Matthew Southcombe of the MailOnline:
As Guy Williams relayed at half time, England were going to have to produce a historic second half if they were to clinch the Webb Ellis Cup:
England's task didn't get any easier after the restart, when another brutal scrum from South Africa resulted in another penalty, allowing them to extend their lead to nine.
Despite their struggles, England were able to keep knocking kicks over themselves, as a couple more from Farrell came either side of another from Pollard. With an hour gone, the Springboks had an 18-12 lead.
The decisive moment in the game came not long after, as South Africa produced a sweeping counter, finished brilliantly by Mapimpi:
Per The Sportsman, it was the first time the Springboks have ever scored a try in a World Cup final:
England sought to rally in the final stages, but a combination of errors on their part and continued rock-solid defence from South Africa prevented them from building any late momentum.
Eventually, the Springboks capitalised on that desperation, with Kolbe producing a sensational finish to cap off a fine performance from his side.
The win is testament to head coach Rassie Erasmus, who has done a stellar job turning the South African team around since his arrival. He will be delighted with the manner in which his side executed their game plan on Saturday, as they were dominant against a strong opponent.
England meet South Africa in the final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup on Saturday in Yokohama, Japan, in a repeat of the 2007 tournament final.
On that occasion in Paris, the Springboks went into the match as heavy favourites and lifted the trophy after a 15-6 victory.
This time, though, it is England who are favoured to win after they dismantled two-time defending champions New Zealand in the semi-finals.
Date: Saturday, November 2
Time: 9 a.m. (GMT), 5 a.m. (ET), 6 p.m. (local)
TV Info: ITV (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
Live Stream: ITV Hub, NBC Sports Live
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan
Odds (via Caesars): England 1-2, South Africa 19-10
Score Prediction: England 23-13 South Africa
Based purely on their respective semi-final performances, there is only one winner of Saturday's final.
Against the All Blacks, England produced one of their finest performances ever to outplay the No. 1-ranked side in the world in every area and win 19-7:
South Africa, meanwhile, edged out a depleted Wales team 19-16 in a war of attrition.
The Boks have the physicality and kicking game to cause England problems they have not yet faced in Japan, and head coach Eddie Jones will be fighting off any complacency from his side.
The Australian has named an unchanged England side for the final, while South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus welcomes back winger Cheslin Kolbe after he missed the semi-final due to an ankle injury:
If South Africa are to match the All Blacks by winning a third World Cup, they have to prevent England from making a fast start.
It took Manu Tuilagi just 98 seconds to cross the try line against New Zealand:
And England could have been out of sight soon after half-time had they not had two further tries disallowed.
If Jones' side start the final like they did the semi, they could run South Africa ragged, as the quality of their back line, with George Ford and Owen Farrell running the show, is immense.
But if the Springboks can haul England into a scrap and use their physicality effectively, they could cause an upset.
In Faf de Klerk, they have possibly the best scrum-half in the world, and there is no doubt he will test England's back three with plenty of kicks, and fly-half Handre Pollard has been metronomic with the boot in the tournament:
The Rugby Championship winners are more than capable of playing effective running rugby, which they showed in the build-up to Damian de Allende's semi-final try.
England, though, are a frightening prospect. Even if it becomes a battle of the forwards, England should prevail.
The Six Nations side boast two of the breakout stars of the tournament in flankers Sam Underhill and Tom Curry, while No. 8 Billy Vunipola and lock Maro Itoje are consistently impressive.
Jones will know that if his side produce their best rugby, they will be lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan on Saturday. South Africa's challenge is to stop them.
South Africa beat Wales on Sunday to secure their place in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, where they will face England in Yokohama on Saturday.
England will be favourites going into the showpiece, as they were able to dominate defending champions New Zealand for long spells in their semi-final. Manager Eddie Jones would have been delighted with the team's performance in that eye-catching 19-7 win.
South Africa have performed brilliantly to make it this far, though, and will be buoyed by their narrow 19-16 win against the Welsh. The Springboks also emerged victorious when these two sides met in the final of the competition back in 2007.
Here are the details for what should be a fascinating occasion on Saturday, as these two heavyweights face off for the biggest prize in the sport.
Date: Saturday, 2 November
Time: 9 a.m. (GMT), 5 a.m. (ET), 6 p.m. (Local)
Venue: International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan
Preview
Having won the last two World Cups and shone at the current edition of the tournament, New Zealand were rightly favourites again for this year's title. It's testament to the England team that they were able to tame the All Blacks so effectively on Saturday.
Here are the highlights from an absorbing semi-final, in which England booked their first final appearance for 12 years:
The foundation for England's excellent win was their defensive play, as they prevented New Zealand's array of talented attacking players from establishing any sort of rhythm in the contest.
Maro Itoje was colossal for his side, with his tackling and lineout work a key building block for the team. He was supported by the imperious Sam Underhill, who covered an astonishing amount of ground to keep New Zealand at bay.
Oliver Holt of the Mail on Sunday reflected on what was a significant result for English sport as a whole:
BBC Sport's Sonja McLaughlin believes the display was one of the best ever produced by an England team:
Celebrations were reserved at the final whistle, though, with Jones' side clearly aware that there's more work to do on Saturday against South Africa.
Sunday's semi-final wasn't as easy on the eye as the one a day earlier, although in the end the Springboks had just enough to edge past their opponents:
Throughout the tournament, South Africa have been able to make progress with their physical brand of rugby and that was on show again in their last-four clash.
At times, the match descended into an all-kicking affair, but when it came to the breakdown and the scrum, South Africa always looked to have an edge. After the match, their head coach Rassie Erasmus pointed out that England are familiar opponents for his side:
They also have players that have shown composure in clutch moments, none more so than Handre Pollard, who kicked the decisive winning penalty against Wales:
Given what is at stake, it's likely to be an attritional final, with both teams unlikely to take risks in the early stages for fear of conceding early points. Of the two sides, that pattern of play would likely suit South Africa.
However, as the match moves on the power of the England pack and the greater ingenuity they have in the backs should see them take control, culminating in an historic night for Jones and his players.
England produced one of their greatest-ever performances to beat New Zealand 19-7 on Saturday at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium and book themselves a spot in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Japan.
Manu Tuilagi put his side ahead with a try inside two minutes, and England never relented despite late New Zealand pressure.
The all-conquering All Blacks, aiming to win a third consecutive World Cup, were never allowed on to the front foot by an immaculate England side, who responded brilliantly after Ardie Savea narrowed the scoreline in the 57th minute with New Zealand's only try of the match.
George Ford's four penalties made England's lead unassailable, and they will now wait for the result of Sunday's semi-final to see whether they face South Africa or Wales in the final.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, meanwhile, will bow out from his remarkable tenure after the bronze final following New Zealand's first World Cup loss since 2007. The 60-year-old announced in December he will step down as the side's manager at the conclusion of the tournament.
England came flying out of the blocks with a set of brilliant opening phases in Yokohama.
Just 98 seconds into proceedings, with New Zealand barely having touched the ball, Tuilagi drove over the line from two metres for the first try after superb work from Kyle Sinckler and Courtney Lawes:
It set the tone for much of the first half, which was dominated by England in almost every area.
Maro Itoje enjoyed a dominant first 40 minutes, impressing at the lineout and the breakdown:
In the 25th minute, Sam Underhill crossed the try line under the posts after a brilliant delayed pass from Sinckler, but it was chalked off by the TMO due to Tom Curry's obstruction.
George Ford added three points from a penalty before the break, though, to keep England in the ascendancy:
England's relentless pressure continued after the break, and Ben Youngs finished off a near-perfect driving lineout for what looked to be England's second try six minutes into the second half.
Again, though, the TMO ruled the score out, this time more controversially:
Another Ford penalty soon after made it 13-0, but Savea then went over for a try just before the hour to put the All Blacks firmly back in contention.
For almost the first time in the whole match, England's lineout broke down, and Savea gratefully snatched the ball in space and got New Zealand on the board.
England's response was clinical as they immediately piled pressure on the All Black line with consecutive phases, and the defending world champions would have been relieved to escape with just Ford's third penalty of the match conceded.
New Zealand could not turn the momentum, though, with England defending brilliantly and consistently turning over the ball, strangling the life out of their opponents.
A fourth Ford penalty 11 minutes from time gave Eddie Jones' side a 12-point lead, and the All Blacks never looked like making a comeback against an impressively dominant England who will likely go into the final as favourites no matter their opponents.
England face off with New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup on Saturday, before Wales meet South Africa a day later.
Oddsmakers consider the All Blacks favourites against an impressive England team at the Yokohama International Stadium in Japan. Meanwhile, the odds also rate the Springbok likely victors against Wales.
The chances of the Welsh have been hit by an injury to full-back Liam Williams. As for New Zealand, the All Blacks have sprung a slight tactical surprise by moving lock Scott Barrett into the back row.
England vs. New Zealand
Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 9 a.m. BST/4 a.m. ET
TV Info: ITV
Live Stream: ITV Hub. NBC Sports Gold.
Odds
Odds per Caesars.
Wales vs. South Africa
Date: Sunday, October 27
Time: 9 a.m. BST/ET
TV Info: ITV
Live Stream: ITV Hub. NBC Sports Gold.
Odds
Odds per Caesars.
England and Wales to Come Up Just Short
Both last-four ties will favour the oddsmakers and result in England and Wales coming up just short. The Three Lions have the tougher draw, with New Zealand typically powerful during the tournament.
A 46-14 hammering of Ireland in the quarter-final offered an ominous warning to England about what this vintage of the All Blacks can do. Yet despite the emphatic win in the last eight, New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen is still willing to tweak a victorious formula.
Hansen will send Sam Cane to the bench and put Barrett in his place, according to BBC Sport's Chris Jones. The change will put Barrett into the lineup with his brother, Beauden, who starts at full-back.
Their work will be crucial in ensuring Richie Mo'unga sees plenty of the ball. Mo'unga took the No. 10 shirt from Beauden Barrett, but their combination will have England chasing shadows at times.
England's Chris Ashton praised the decision to shift Barrett to full-back when speaking on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast (h/t BBC Sport's Mike Henson): "Beauden Barrett attacks every kick, he gets counter-attack ball every time. When the ball goes out the other side of the pitch, Barrett goes to 10 and Mo'unga goes out the back—it's like a match made in heaven."
Sensing attack may be the best form of defense against New Zealand's fluidity, Eddie Jones is planning his own reshuffle in the England ranks. It involves recalling fly-half George Ford, who was dropped for the win over Australia in the last eight, per the Daily Telegraph's Gavin Mairs and Charlie Morgan.
Ford's omission against the Wallabies was more about Jones wanting a "more physical midfield," according to Mairs and Morgan. Yet they both noted how welcoming Ford back into the fold and moving Owen Farrell to inside centre suggest Jones is planning for a "greater emphasis expected to be placed on a kicking game to give England territorial control."
Ford, who excelled during the early stages of the tournament, will make a difference, but New Zealand have the greater quality and will ultimately prevail.
As for Wales, Williams' omission has done coach Warren Gaitland few favours. An ankle problem will force Leigh Halfpenny into action against the Springboks, per WalesOnline's Mark Orders.
The same source noted how Williams' "counter-attacking and pace from the back" have been key factors in the Welsh game.
It's easy to believe Wales will be forced to rely on counters against a South Africa side good enough to overcome the hosts 26-3 in the last round. Winger Makazole Mapimpi will exploit Welsh weakness out wide and help South Africa dominate.
A final between the Springbok and the All Blacks looks the most likely outcome, even though both will be tested in the last four.
South Africa will control their own destiny when they face Argentina in their final match of the 2019 Rugby Championship on Saturday, as the Springboks will be crowned champions if they beat the Pumas with the bonus, regardless of the result in the match between New Zealand and Australia.
The All Blacks sit one point behind the Springboks in the standings and will face old rivals Australia in Perth earlier on Saturday.
If the Springboks pull through in Salta, Argentina, it will be their first title in a decade:
British fans can tune in via Sky Sports Action. The match will start at 8:40 p.m. BST.
South Africa will shake up their front row for this contest, as props Tendai Mtawarira and Trevor Nyakane and hooker Bongi Mbonambi are in line for a start ahead of Steven Kitshoff‚ Frans Malherbe and Malcolm Marx.
The Springboks have little reason to make any other changes to the side, which is coming off an impressive 16-16 draw against New Zealand in Wellington.
Coupled with their 35-17 win over the Wallabies in their opener, that puts them in a great position to end the All Blacks' reign over the tournament.
Since 2012, New Zealand have won every edition of the competition, with the exception of 2015, when the Wallabies hoisted the trophy. That was also a World Cup year, however, and the All Blacks went on to win in England.
With this year's World Cup less than two months away, Saturday's clash is about more than just the Rugby Championship. Both teams will try to build momentum heading into the World Cup, and they will believe they're in a great position to do so.
Argentina are winless so far in the tournament, but they lost their two matches by a combined 10 points. New Zealand, in particular, had to dig deep in Buenos Aires, holding on for a 20-16 win.
A win in Salta and a Rugby Championship triumph would be the perfect World Cup preparation for South Africa.
The two teams have met three times in Salta, and the Springboks hold a 2-1 advantage.
Australia and New Zealand meet in the first test of the 2019 Bledisloe Cup in Perth on Saturday. Neither the Wallabies nor the All Blacks can afford to rest players, even with the Rugby World Cup on the horizon in September.
New Zealand have been inconsistent as an attacking force during recent matches against Argentina and South Africa. Something has to give, though, because Australia proved vulnerable defensively against the same opposition.
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 5:45 p.m. AWST, 10:45 a.m. BST, 5:45 a.m. ET
TV Info: Sky Sports Action
Live Stream: Sky Go
Wallabies to Score Fewer than 20 Points Again
The Wallabies have looked anything but dominant during The Rugby Championship. South Africa brushed them aside 35-17 at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg in July.
Australia were too predictable in attack, according to the Guardian's Bret Harris, who bemoaned the "one simple tactic: give the ball to inside-centre Samu Kerevi."
Harris also feels the Wallabies lack a natural creative force, an absence wasting the industry of fullback Tom Banks and winger Dane Haylett-Petty.
The Wallabies need to find fresh inspiration going forward. Another former captain, Andrew Slack, believes the solution is to play Christian Lealiifano as a No. 10, per Melissa Woods of the Sydney Morning Herald.
Slack thinks Lealiifano is in superior form than Bernard Foley after he starred recently during an otherwise unconvincing 16-10 win over Argentina at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
Even so, there are too many question marks about what the Wallabies have to offer to believe they can turn on the style against the All Blacks. It all adds up to Australia being held to under 20 points for the third match in a row.
All Blacks Will Click in Attack
Australia aren't alone in struggling going forward; the All Blacks have also come in for criticism for what they have been producing in attacking areas.
New Zealand warmed up for this match by edging past Argentina 20-16 and being held 16-16 by South Africa in Wellington. Former captain Justin Marshall wasn't impressed by what he saw.
He lamented Beauden Barrett's deployment at fullback and Richie Mo'unga's selection at No. 10. Marshall said, "I wouldn't say it was unsuccessful, but I wouldn't say it was a raging success" on an edition of the Fox Rugby Podcast (h/t Christy Doran of Fox Sports).
Whoever gets the nod needs to give the gifted and enterprising Barrett better support.
Mo'unga may have failed to impress recently, but he's still a capable ball player who can combine with Barrett enough to put the All Blacks in control early.
Prediction: Wallabies 10-24 All Blacks
