European rugby returns with a smidge of South African summer December 11, 2022 England may have lost to the French in the football but in the weekend’s European Champions Cup rugby the English sides won five matches while the French could muster just four. Here are some talking points as the two European rugby competitions returned – this time accompanied by five South African teams. THE BIG EUROPEAN [...]
Ranked: England’s five most painful defeats in major football tournaments December 11, 2022 England added another chapter to their history of World Cup heartbreak in Saturday’s quarter-final against France. But what were England’s most painful major tournament defeats, and does Harry Kane’s penalty miss even make it into the top five? 5. Argentina 1998 Michael Owen’s dazzling goal, David Beckham’s red card, Diego Simeone’s machiavellian antics, Sol Campbell’s [...]
Trevor Steven: England lacked belief of winners France – but we’re 95 per cent there December 11, 2022 England’s World Cup quarter-final with France was always going to be touch and go. There isn’t much above it for quality, pressure and match-ups. This was football at the highest level. But in games like that it is important to get into it as quickly as you can, and England were poor in the first [...]
Harry Kane: I’ll come back stronger after penalty miss December 11, 2022 England captain Harry Kane insists he will use their disappointing World Cup exit to be mentally stronger in the future. The Tottenham striker, who had earlier converted from the spot to go level with Wayne Rooney as the country’s leading scorer on 53 goals, missed a late penalty which would have made it 2-2 against [...]
Friendly competition: Macron and Sunak joke ahead of England-France game December 10, 2022 French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have shared a few jokes on Twitter ahead of tonight’s England-France game. Macron said he was looking forward to tonight’s game, asking the PM whether he would wish France good luck in the semi-final, if Les Bleus were to beat England later today. “Dear Rishi [...]
England v France TONIGHT: Why World Cup opponents’ rivalry lacks spice December 10, 2022 For two neighbouring countries with such a long history of conflict and mutual suspicion, England’s World Cup quarter-final with France tonight is curiously short on piquancy. There is no love lost when the nations’ rugby teams meet each year in Le Crunch, while recent political developments have soured more than a century of Entente Cordiale. [...]
Leave no Stone unturned in Lucky quest for Hong Kong riches December 9, 2022 IF EVER a horse has been specifically trained to win the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (6.10am) over a mile and a half, it is Japanese raider Glory Vase who seeks to win the contest for the third time. His prep run in the G2 Sapporo Kinen, over an inadequate ten furlongs in August, was an [...]
Romantic has the heart to land HK Cup December 9, 2022 IT IS the annual early-morning alarm call for racing enthusiasts, when Hong Kong hosts its star-studded LONGINES International Race meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday morning. With around £11millon in prize money up for grabs in four Group One races, this is truly a spectacular occasion – and no wonder challengers from all over the [...]
Ollie Phillips: Loss of Eddie Jones gives England Rugby mega opportunity December 9, 2022 Well last week I said I didn’t think the Rugby Football Union had the bottle to sack head coach Eddie Jones despite me saying that he should go. How wrong I was. I do think the call to sack the Australian has come a couple of years late – he himself has said previously about [...]
Qatar World Cup in brief: Why you should watch today’s matches December 9, 2022 We’re down to the final eight and there’s a spot in the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup within grasp. Brazil and Argentina will catch eyes but the resilient Europeans won’t let the South Americans have it all their own way. Croatia vs Brazil, 3pm, BBC The first of the Qatar World Cup quarter-finals will [...]