Opals inflame simmering rivalry with US

The simmering rivalry between the Opals and the US women's basketball teams kicked up a notch on the eve of the Olympics as the Americans reacted with surprise to Australian accusations of dirty play.

America have dominated their recent meetings in major competitions, beating Australia in the past two Olympic finals, plus the semi-finals of the 1996 Olympics and 2002 world championships.

But the Opals took a leap forward two years ago when they won their first world title in Brazil - after the US were knocked out in the semis by Russia.

Their most recent match-up came last week in the final of the FIBA Diamond Ball, when the US again came out on top 71-67 in a tough, physical battle.

Surprisingly, some Opals voiced belief the US used dirty tactics in that match.

The situation has been inflamed partly because Australian star Penny Taylor was left with a black eye, but American Tina Thompson was called for a foul for the screen that led to the shiner.

The Opals also gave as good as they got in a tough contest.

Australian point guard Kristi Harrower, however, had a different viewpoint when she arrived in Beijing.

"It was intentional," Harrower told News Ltd of Thompson's foul.

"Elbows were raised. I don't know if they were trying to make us injured for the Olympic Games."

The Americans admitted they had discussed the reaction from the Australians and found it a little perplexing.

"It was a very, very physical game from both sides," Thompson said.

"I don't think any side was more physical than the other. I have the bruises to prove it.

"I'm still sore today."

Some media also misinterpreted comments made by Opals captain Lauren Jackson, believing she said her side was prepared to break bones to get a gold medal.

Some also felt Jackson was unhappy about American tactics.

On the contrary, she believed it was simply a good, hard game of basketball between two very driven teams.

"I didn't think it was that overly physical," she said.

"Obviously Pen got a black eye and I know a couple of them went down very hard as well.

"It's a contact sport and people are going to get broken noses, people are going to get black eyes, people are going to get broken bones.

"Unfortunately that's the way the game goes."

American point guard Sue Bird, a good friend and teammate of Jackson's at WNBA club Seattle, also felt the game was tough but fair.

"If we see them again in the gold medal game, I don't expect elbows and fists and this and that," she said.

"I expect normal basketball physical-ness.

"When I think back to that game, that's all it was. There were a couple of collisions. You know what, the refs called the fouls."

Jackson actually expects to face more contact from opposing teams.

"In terms of physicality we're used to playing against teams that are trying to beat the crap out of us because we are so good," she said.

"People have to stop us somehow and that's the way they're going to try.

"Especially people like Penny and myself and Suzy Batkovic and Belinda Snell, who you just can't let go to the basket because we're going to kill people."