Kyran Bracken: Stuart Lancaster’s pick of Owen Farrell and Sam Burgess is no surprise considering Wales’ strengths September 24, 2015 I’m not surprised that Stuart Lancaster has gone with Owen Farrell and Sam Burgess at 10 and 12 for England against Wales this Saturday. The most important thing for this match is to have a very, very strong defensive line. Wales will want to get over the gainline and those two probably won’t let [...]
England v Wales: Hosts willing to thrust Sam Burgess into frontline Rugby World Cup action after Jonathan Joseph struck by injury September 24, 2015 England are ready to thrust international rookie Sam Burgess into frontline Rugby World Cup action against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday should centre Jonathan Joseph fail to recover from a chest injury, according to backs coach Andy Farrell. Joseph, who scored four tries during this year’s Six Nations, has emerged as an injury doubt for [...]
Jane Eyre at the National Theatre review September 24, 2015 Jane Eyre Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre Rating: ★★★☆☆ Everyone has their own idea of who Jane Eyre is. To some she’s a 19th century feminist, fighting to make her way in the world. To others she’s a doormat, a person to whom interesting things might happen, but not nearly as interesting as the woman in the [...]
Film review: Captive September 24, 2015 Cert 12A | ★★☆☆☆ Perhaps the strangest detail in the true story of recovering addict Ashley Smith’s seven-hour captivity at the hands of escaped killer Brian Nichols is the moment in which her captor dips into her stash of crystal meth. Captive ends with a snippet from a 2006 interview between Smith and Oprah, [...]
Film review: Life – a snapshot of Hollywood legend James Dean September 24, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★★☆ If you paid to see a biopic, you used to get your money’s worth. But it seems three-hour cradle-to-grave-athons are fast becoming a thing of the past. These days, one defining moment is plucked from a life and examined from all angles to determine what maketh the man. It must have [...]
Theatre review: Hangmen at the Royal Court September 24, 2015 Hangmen Royal Court Rating: ★★★★★ True feelings are throttled and big questions left hanging in Martin McDonagh’s blacker-than-night comedy. The setting is an Oldham pub owned by Harry Wade, the country’s second-best hangman; the date is 1965, the day after the abolition of hanging. At once proud of his work and jealous of his rival Pierrepoint’s [...]
The future’s bright, the future’s lighting: How new technology is brightening up our cities September 24, 2015 New lighting technologies are transforming the way our cities look at night. Alex Dymoke considers what’s in store. II was astonished,” wrote the German diarist Karl Philipp Moritz in 1782, “at the admirable manner in which the streets are lighted up, compared to which our streets in Berlin make a most miserable show.” His [...]
Capital One Cup: Chelsea could not afford to lose, says Jose September 24, 2015 WALSALL 1 CHELSEA 4 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho admitted that his side’s indifferent start to the season rendered the notion of a giant-killing unthinkable after the Blues eased into round four with a commanding victory at Walsall last night. The defending champions held a convincing two-goal lead courtesy of strikes from midfielder Ramires and France [...]
Rugby World Cup: Laidlaw: More to come from Scots September 24, 2015 SCOTLAND 45 JAPAN 10 SCOTLAND skipper Greg Laidlaw insisted that his side are primed for a sustained Rugby World Cup charge after opening their tournament with a bonus-point victory against surprise package Japan in Gloucester yesterday. Four successful penalties from Laidlaw, who ended the clash with 20 points to his name, helped the Scots to [...]
Capital One Cup: Wenger reaps rewards of Flamini staying a Gunner September 24, 2015 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 ARSENAL 2 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger hailed “fighter” Mathieu Flamini after the out-of-favour midfielder’s brace inspired a Capital One Cup derby victory last night. The 31-year-old, who almost left the club in the summer, scored both goals on his first appearance of the season — the decisive second a rasping volley from [...]