England 2015 chiefs brush off fears over record ticket prices November 27, 2013 RUGBY World Cup chiefs insist the 2015 tournament in England will be affordable, despite some seats for the final being the most expensive in the event’s history. Tickets go on sale next year, with prices for some low-key pool stage games starting from £15 for adults and £7 for children, rising to a maximum of [...]
England are rattled, taunts Johnson November 27, 2013 AUSTRALIA fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson says England have been rattled by the hosts’ aggressive approach and believes further sledging is the key to his side’s hopes of reclaiming the Ashes. Johnson also rejected suggestions from England coach Andy Flower that the two teams might discuss toning down the hostility, following a fractious first Test that Australia [...]
McIlroy: Mental toll is too great November 27, 2013 SPORTSMEN are being driven to mental illness as the industry has become big business, says former golf world No1 Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman said increasing levels of pressure may have contributed to England cricketer Jonathan Trott’s battle with a stress-related condition. “As sport becomes so big and there’s so much pressure and so much [...]
Mourinho doubts players’ stamina November 27, 2013 FOOTBALL: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admits Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Basel has shown the need to use the full depth of his squad. Mourinho kept faith with 10 of the players that started Saturday’s 3-0 victory at West Ham, and said: “Some boys showed me it’s a problem to play consecutive matches.”
Ojo pens three-year Exiles deal November 27, 2013 RUGBY UNION: London Irish’s record try scorer Topsy Ojo, 28, has signed a three-year contract extension. The England wing is set to make his 200th Exiles’ appearance against London Wasps on Saturday. Irish rugby director Brian Smith said: “He is a role model for all our aspiring outside backs.”
Champions League: Tired Chelsea sleepwalk way into knockout stage November 26, 2013 FC BASEL 1 vs CHELSEA 0 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho shouldered the blame for his team’s laboured performance at St Jakob-Park last night, but the other result in Group E ensured they limped through to the last 16 of the Champions League. The Blues made a single change to the starting line-up from the team [...]
England and Australia at odds over pleas to cool Ashes November 26, 2013 ENGLAND boss Andy Flower and Australia counterpart Darren Lehmann are on course for a fresh row over calls for both sides to tone down the climate of increasing animosity between the Ashes rivals. The hosts’ emphatic first-Test victory featured several flashpoints, one of which saw Aussie captain Michael Clarke fined for a foul-mouthed warning to [...]
United plane aborts landing at last moment November 26, 2013 A PLANE carrying the Manchester United team to Germany ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, was forced to abort its landing moments before it was due to touch down in Cologne yesterday. The chartered Monarch flight was approximately 400m above ground when the pilot had to cease descent with another aircraft blocking [...]
Champions League: Wenger stunned Arsenal could be on brink of exit November 26, 2013 ARSENAL 2 vs OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE 0 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger admits he can scarcely believe his side could yet crash out of the Champions League at the group stage for the first time since 1999, despite coasting to a fourth win from five games last night. Midfielder Jack Wilshere’s first brace for the club, [...]
Pellegrini not ready to discard goalkeeper Hart November 26, 2013 OUT of favour goalkeeper Joe Hart will not leave Manchester City in January, according to his manager Manuel Pellegrini. Hart has been dropped for City’s last five matches, but is set to return between the posts for tonight’s visit of Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League. The England stopper’s long-term future at the Etihad Stadium [...]