Six Nations preview: England can heal World Cup scars while youthful France will spring a surprise January 30, 2020 The Six Nations kicks off on Saturday and, although there are some question marks around them, England are still red-hot favourites to win the tournament. On the face of it, they come into the competition facing a few issues. Sunday’s match in Paris is their first since losing the World Cup final in November. Can [...]
Mark Wood’s comeback from injury shows the strength in depth England’s bowling attack now has January 29, 2020 England won the fourth Test match against South Africa on Monday to seal a 3-1 series victory and there are a lot of positives for them to take out of the last six weeks. South Africa are in a transitional phase and are clearly not what they used to be, but the fact England bounced [...]
Super Bowl LIV preview: Kansas City Chiefs v San Francisco 49ers will see contrasting offences go head to head in Miami January 29, 2020 The Super Bowl is a mammoth sporting event, and an occasion of such magnitude is always going to come attached with a great deal of hype. The NFL showpiece is always billed as unmissable – something fans in the UK should stay up for and immerse themselves in. It’s fair to say that last year’s [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Acclaimed and Callan to Light up Happy Valley handicap again January 28, 2020 THIS afternoon’s Oi Kwan Handicap (12.45pm) is going to divide opinion, especially with Hong Kong’s two leading jockeys Zac Purton and Joao Moreira aboard the market leaders in the betting. Purton renews his successful association with Cheerful Star, while Moreira stays loyal to consistent Dionysus Collin. Cheerful Star and Purton just got the better of [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Rev can ensure Hall’s night ends on a High January 28, 2020 CHINA’S population is enduring a very tough time at present as a result of the deadly virus which is causing grief around the world. The outbreak has meant that there is a partial lockout for all visitors at both Sha Tin and Happy Valley for the foreseeable future. Only key personnel, horse connections, media and [...]
Guardiola and Klopp are right: English football would be improved by scrapping the EFL Cup and FA Cup replays January 28, 2020 Once upon a time cup ties, like any extra games, meant significant extra income for English football clubs. The FA Cup final, meanwhile, represented a unique chance to be watched around the world. The brutal truth is that, for Premier League teams, neither of the above are true any more: top-flight status ensures financial security [...]
Football’s data liberator: How smarterscout founder Dan Altman plans to bring stats to the mainstream January 28, 2020 Dan Altman has been many things. Economist. Best-selling author. British government advisor. Columnist. Consultant. Teacher. All of those occupations revolved around the use of data, and “after about 15 years” Altman, in his own words, “got a bit bored and decided to try something a bit different.” That boredom has seen the 46-year-old American turn [...]
Five conclusions from England’s thumping 3-1 series win over South Africa January 27, 2020 England bowled South Africa out for 274 on day four of the fourth Test in Johannesburg on MonsY to complete a 191-run win and wrap up a 3-1 series victory. Having gone 1-0 down at Centurion, the visitors surged back to dominate the next three Tests and earn only their second overseas series win in [...]
Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert give Aussies an extra reason to cheer on Australia Day January 27, 2020 Australians do like their holidays and they celebrate like no other nation – I’ve been there during horse racing’s Melbourne Cup and everything seemed to shut for two days. They had an extra reason to cheer at the weekend, when Aussies Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman marked Australia Day by winning on the European Tour [...]
Workplaces urged to crack down on ‘laddish’ football chat January 27, 2020 Companies should crack down on workplace chat about football and cricket amid fears it excludes women, a top management body has warned. Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, said sporting banter could divide offices and pave the way for more laddish behaviour. “A lot of women, in particular, feel left out,” she [...]