Rugby World Cup semi-finals 2015: Australian experience at the business end to prove crucial against Argentina October 22, 2015 Australia and Argentina round off the Southern Hemisphere showcase on Sunday. Much has been made of the Wallabies’ improved scrum courtesy of Argentine forward coach Mario Ledesma, but they creaked against the Scots and weren’t altogether invincible when they took on Wales, either. They’ll be put to the test in the set-piece by Argentina, [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 semi-finals: Is the southern hemisphere increasing its superiority over the northern hemisphere? October 22, 2015 London plays host to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals this weekend but for the first time in the competition’s history no teams from the northern hemisphere are represented in the final four. New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia all registered wins over Six Nations sides by at least 20 points – although Scotland did [...]
The Last Witch Hunter movie review: Vin Diesel plays a sword-swinging sorcery slayer in this fantasy adventure October 22, 2015 Cert 12A | ★★☆☆☆ There’s a fun bit in The Last Witch Hunter, when the last witch hunter, having just hunted another witch, is surprised to learn that there’s an entire prison full of witches out there somewhere, just waiting to be hunted, by him, the hunter of witches. But what is this place called? [...]
Mississippi Grind, Paper Planes, Listen To Me Marlon movie review round-up – Films in brief October 2015 October 22, 2015 Mississippi Grind | ★★★★☆ This road trip starring Aussie actor Ben Mendelsohn follows Jerry, a gambler with serious debts who encounters Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), a drifter who seems to bring good luck to all around him. Jerry convinces his new friend to go on a tour of America’s gambling spots in the hope of winning enough [...]
Spectre film review: a hollow ghost of a Bond movie October 22, 2015 Cert 12A | ★★☆☆☆ There’s an old episode of The Simpsons where a Bond parody escapes death using an improbable device. It’s funny because we recognise its ridiculousness, having seen it played out countless times in the classic pre-scowly Daniel Craig days. It’s less funny when it happens in director Sam Mendes’ Spectre; one scene [...]
Jean-Etienne Liotard art review: Has the Royal Academy managed to revive interest in the Swiss-French painter? October 22, 2015 ★★☆☆☆ | Royal Academy Jean-Etienne Liotard was an eccentric chap, by all accounts. The great aristocratic families of Europe thought he was a right laugh, with his eye-catching oriental robes and waist-length beard. They flocked in their hundreds to ask the Swiss-French painter to paint them and Liotard, who was a dab hand at pastel [...]
Plaques and Tangles, Royal Court theatre review: Alzheimer’s play’s intimacy and exceptional acting hit the hardest October 22, 2015 ★★★★☆ | Royal Court Plaques and Tangles, a play about three generations of a family blighted by Alzheimer’s, wears its weighty subject remarkably lightly. It circles with the grace of a featherweight boxer, throwing occasional jabs, ducking and weaving, waiting until your guard is down before hitting home its crushing, terrifically sad finishing blow. It [...]
Tottenham Hotspur sponsor Under Armour posts first billion-dollar quarter October 22, 2015 Like many of the athletes who sport its brand, Under Armour has enjoyed a good year after surpassing $1bn in quarterly revenue for the first time. The figures The sportswear retailer posted revenues of $1.2bn (£800m) in its third quarter, a 28 per cent increase on last year's $938m. Under Armour heralded the "game-changing" performance of [...]
‘Stupid’ Anthony Martial earns pardon from Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal with Champions League equaliser in Moscow October 22, 2015 CSKA Moscow 1 Manchester United 1 Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal insisted he had forgiven Anthony Martial for a “stupid” blunder after the teenager rescued a point for his side against CSKA Moscow in the Russian capital last night. Returning to the scene of their 2008 Champions League triumph over Premier League rivals Chelsea, [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: This All Blacks outfit is the best team the game has ever seen, says South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer October 22, 2015 South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer has left his team in no doubt as to the enormity of their World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on Saturday by labelling the All Blacks the greatest team in rugby history. Meyer believes the holders have only improved since lifting the trophy on home soil four years ago, a [...]