Michael Essien his contract on 12 March 2007. It was feared Essien would miss the 2008–09 Premier League season after sustaining anterior cruciate ligament damage on 5 September while playing for Ghana. However, on 7 March 2009, he came on as a substitute in the second half of the FA Cup match against Coventry City. In his second match back from the knee injury, Essien scored just before half-time to give Chelsea a vital away goal against Juventus in the Champions League first knockout round. Chelsea went on the draw the match 2–2 and through to the quarter-finals 3–2 on aggregate. He
South African Country Districts XV for the visitors, while Gareth Davies added 11 points through a conversion and three penalties. Lineups: On 26 May 1981 a Country Districts B XV recorded a 17-16 victory in Wellington against the touring Irish side whilst the following year they were defeated 33-24 by the second South American Jaguars touring side. The Country Districts side played against both the 1984 touring English and South American Jaguar sides.The team was drawn from players competing in the Sport Pienaar Cup,losing both fixtures 33-12 and 30-18 respectively. South African Country Districts XV The South African Country Districts XV was an invitational rugby