Premiership sees opening-round attendances fall to a six-season low September 13, 2022 Premiership rugby’s opening-round attendances have fallen to a five-season low. Since the start of the 2016-17 season, and not including the pandemic-affected 2020-21 season, the percentage of seats filled by punters in England’s top division during the first round has never been lower than last weekend. The opening round saw 59 per cent of seats [...]
Great Britain have reasons for cheer as Davis Cup returns to Glasgow September 13, 2022 The Davis Cup has not been kind to Great Britain since Andy Murray led the team to victory almost single-handedly seven years ago. They have suffered semi-finals defeats, had to navigate tough draws and at one stage stared down the barrel of relegation from the top tier. But as Leon Smith’s side gather in Glasgow [...]
Boxing set for ‘Battle of Britain’ after Anthony Joshua accepts offer Tyson Fury September 13, 2022 One of the most long-awaited matches in boxing has moved a major step closer after Anthony Joshua accepted terms to fight British heavyweight rival Tyson Fury later this year. Joshua made the announcement via his management company, 258, on Tuesday morning. Fury’s camp confirmed contracts would now be formally drawn up. “258 and Matchroom Boxing [...]
The summer of Bazball under Stokes has been a season of pure fun September 13, 2022 There was no hum around the Oval yesterday as England openers Zak Crawley and Alex Lees walked from the pavilion to the crease, probably because the overriding feeling was one of inevitability. Ben Stokes’s England needed only 33 runs on the final day of the deciding Test match against South Africa to earn another series [...]
Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open win could set him on course for superstardom September 12, 2022 No matter the result at Flushing Meadows on Sunday night the world of tennis was going to be exposed to a new Grand Slam winner, but in Carlos Alcaraz’s victory at the US Open the sport might have uncovered its next superstar. While the world basks in the ability to say they lived through the [...]
Sam Torrance: Effortless Shane Lowry was star turn in perfect advert for European golf September 12, 2022 We saw the best of what European golf and the DP World Tour stand for at the PGA Championship on Sunday, but all the plaudits have to go to Shane Lowry. I was fortunate to be at Wentworth, where Lowry put on one of the finest exhibitions of golf that I have seen in a [...]
Premiership rugby is back with a bang after false start September 12, 2022 Having been delayed by a day, Premiership rugby finally got going on Saturday as 12 of the 13 teams began their campaigns on a weekend dominated by events outside of sport. The reigning champions lost on the road, the finalists enjoyed a week off and one club overturned a record half-time deficit. Here are four [...]
Cricket’s own goal as England and Stokes on verge of sixth win of Summer September 12, 2022 Ben Stokes ended yesterday’s play at the Oval open-mouthed as cricket again shot itself in the foot. The England captain was beside himself as the umpires instructed openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley, as well as the South African field, to leave the crease due to so-called bad light as the hosts moved within 33 [...]
Shane Lowry wins PGA Championship after seeing off Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm September 11, 2022 Shane Lowry declared himself “the happiest man in the world” after winning a curtailed PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday, and it’s probably safe to assume that DP World Tour chiefs were delighted with the outcome too. Lowry’s first title since hoisting the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush three years ago was a personal triumph [...]
Danny Care on Harlequins, England and Premiership derby days September 9, 2022 England and Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care is already looking beyond his team’s first Premiership match against Newcastle tomorrow and towards the second-round London derby against Saracens. A major criticism of last year’s otherwise competitive season was the placement of the biggest derbies in the league – Northampton Saints versus Leicester Tigers, Quins versus Saracens and [...]