England new boy ready to smash Wales August 4, 2011 Tuilagi vows to carry on hitting them hard as Johnson and Wilkinson hail youngster as the national team’s future CONTROVERSIAL England youngster Manu Tuilagi, the man hailed yesterday as the future of the national team, insists he will never lose the urge to “smash people”. Manager Martin Johnson has offered Tuilagi, 20, the chance to [...]
Wenger set for fresh Fabregas conundrum August 4, 2011 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger could force Barcelona’s hand by fielding a fit-again Cesc Fabregas in tomorrow’s friendly against Benfica and upcoming Champions League qualifier. The two clubs are still to agree a fee for the player, who until yesterday hadn’t featured in his side’s pre-season programme due to a hamstring injury. But the Spaniard took a [...]
Bell reveals a No1 Test goal all of his own August 4, 2011 ENGLAND star Ian Bell has revealed his personal ambitions mirror those of his side as he strives to become the world’s No1 Test batsman. The 29-year-old is set to win his 68th cap on Wednesday as England look to wrap up the series against India at his home ground of Edgbaston. But despite that wealth [...]
London clubs ready for Championship’s big kick-off August 4, 2011 IT’S only 67 days since the last ball was kicked in the Championship but the race for the £90m ticket to the top flight gets under way again tonight. QPR made the leap in May but have been replaced among the London contingent in English football’s second tier by West Ham. Big names abound – [...]
DRAB FAB: CESC FORCED TO PLAY WAITING GAME August 4, 2011 ARSENAL fans were treated to the site of Cesc Fabregas at Emirates Stadium yesterday, but the Spaniard cut a glum figure as the uncertainty surrounding his future remains. Fabregas was supposed to take part in the traditional first team photo, but the weather prevented the shot being taken, which may prove extremely convenient should he eventually [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF August 4, 2011 Williams set for Palace date ATHLETICS: British sprinting sensation Jodie Williams, 17, will make her Diamond League debut in the Aviva Grand Prix over 200m at Crystal Palace this evening, where she faces the world’s fastest woman, Shalonda Solomon. British fans turn out in force GENERAL: Sports fans turned out in record numbers this year as [...]
City to emerge from the shadows of bitter rivals August 4, 2011 THE city of Manchester dominated English football last season with Manchester United winning the Premier League and making the final of the Champions League, while MANCHESTER CITY collected the FA Cup, their first trophy in 35 years. The gap is narrowing between the two clubs and although United are the favourites to win a 13th [...]
MANCHESTER UNITED vs MANCHESTER CITY August 4, 2011 THE FA Community Shield can often be a lacklustre, tepid affair, but that seems unlikely with the Manchester Derby kicking things off for the season. The local rivals met here in the semi-final of the FA Cup in April and it was City who came out on top that day. Sir Alex Ferguson would never [...]
Weary India suffer double injury blow August 3, 2011 INDIA’S already fragile hopes of fending off England’s bid to steal their world No1 Test ranking took a further blow yesterday with the news that neither Yuvraj Singh or Harbhajan Singh will play any further part in the series. Yuvraj, a mainstay in India’s World Cup winning one-day side, initially made an encouraging return to [...]
Sotherton reveals naked truth about Olympic hopes August 3, 2011 WITH the countdown to next summer’s London Olympics well under way and the nation rapidly warming to the prospect of staging an event of such global importance, one of Britain’s greatest multi-eventers is resisting the temptation to let her mind wander. Kelly Sotherton, 34, a former Olympic bronze medallist, has never been one for toeing [...]