Six Nations 2017: Selling jersey sponsorship for the first time is a controversial but lucrative move for France February 4, 2017 The end to a 98-year tradition was signalled last week when the French Rugby Federation (FFR) quietly slipped out that it was finally going to sell the front of the French national rugby team’s shirt to a sponsor – the last major rugby-playing nation to do so. When rugby union turned pro in the mid-1990s, [...]
Interiors: Pick up the perfect craft piece at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery this weekend February 3, 2017 Do you need a stunning centrepiece for the coffee table? Or a trio of pots for the console, or a stunning piece of art glass for a spot-lit plinth? This weekend the Collect fair at the Saatchi Gallery, the “Frieze” of the craft world, brings 37 galleries together from across the globe in a selling [...]
Six Nations 2017 predictions: Ireland will give England serious competition for the championship, Ben Youngs set for a big year February 3, 2017 It will be a grand finale at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin when England take on Ireland for the final game of the Six Nations next month. England have gained momentum since their 2015 World Cup humiliation, and will have some tricky games in the shape of Wales in Cardiff in particular. But all eyes [...]
Six Nations 2017: England heavy favourites to retain championship according to expert actuaries at QBE February 3, 2017 UK voters will choose to remain in the EU. Hillary Clinton will crush Donald Trump to become US President. England will win the 2017 Six Nations. Expert forecasters haven't had a vintage last 12 months, so perhaps England should be wary that they've been marked overwhelming favourites to retain the Six Nations Championship by expert actuaries [...]
Tiger Woods denies injury as he fights to make cut at Dubai Desert Classic February 2, 2017 Former world No1 Tiger Woods insisted he was not struggling with injury after a birdie-free opening round at the Dubai Desert Classic left him in danger of missing the cut. Woods, who also missed the cut at Torrey Pines last week, carded a five-over-par 77 at Emirates Golf Club to trail leader Sergio Garcia by 12 [...]
Marcel Desailly interview: Premier League title is Chelsea’s to lose, while Arsenal must win at Stamford Bridge to remain in race February 2, 2017 Former Chelsea skipper Marcel Desailly is adamant that the Premier League crown is firmly within his former side’s grasp and only a self-inflicted collapse will deny the Stamford Bridge club a sixth top-flight title. The Blues boast a nine-point lead at the top of the table following a draw against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday, while [...]
Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp questions why Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho feels the need to talk about him February 2, 2017 Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has questioned why Jose Mourinho deems it necessary to talk about him after the Manchester United manager implied that the German received preferential treatment from officials. Mourinho said he was treated differently to rival managers in the aftermath of his side’s goalless draw with Hull on Wednesday, claiming he was told [...]
Fantastic Mr Fox at Hammersmith Lyric review: stage musical is good, dirty fun February 2, 2017 Roald Dahl’s fabulously lurid stories translate well to musical theatre, and since the runaway success of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Tim Minchin’s Matilda, we can no doubt look forward to a production line of singing Witches and Twits and Dirty Beasts. The latest to get the treatment is Fantastic Mr Fox, in a [...]
I didn’t cry when my own father died but I will mourn the end of the Resident Evil franchise of terrible films February 2, 2017 There’s a point early on in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – around the time when Milla Jovovich is riding along a motorway in her zombie-proof battle tank – where the film reaches critical levels of schlock, a sort of self-aware tipping point after which the rest of this mad ordeal makes a strange kind [...]
England coach Eddie Jones puts faith in Maro Itoje to bruise Les Bleus in Six Nations opener February 2, 2017 England head coach Eddie Jones has tipped Maro Itoje to flourish on his first Test start as a back-row forward in Saturday’s Six Nations opener against France. Itoje – usually a lock – has been tasked with replacing Chris Robshaw, a key figure in England’s renaissance under Jones, at blindside flanker for the showdown with [...]