England coach ponders U-turn November 24, 2013 RUGBY LEAGUE: England coach Steve McNamara may not step down from the role as had been expected, following his team’s last minute semi-final defeat against New Zealand on Saturday. “I’m not sure at this stage, it’s too early,” McNamara said.
Sport Comment: BT and Sky TV wars boost English sides in Euro competition November 21, 2013 Concerns that main effect will be to polarise Premier League are misguided, argues Soccernomics author in our exclusive article BT SPORT’S mammoth bid for Champions League and Europa League rights in Britain is more than double the amount paid in the previous round – Sky and ITV paid a combined sum of around £135m per [...]
No support for English rugby’s breakaway cup November 21, 2013 ENGLAND’S Rugby Football Union are adamant they will not be forced into a U-turn on plans to form a breakaway European competition next season, despite unions in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy indicating their clubs were set to continue playing in the Heineken Cup. Top French and Welsh clubs had previously indicated their intention [...]
Haskell targets regular place in Wasps’ line-up November 21, 2013 WATCHING rather than playing for England has been tough for James Haskell, who is determined to avoid a repeat at London Wasps. The back row has been plagued with tendinitis for more than a decade, but having featured for Wasps in the LV= Cup recently is desperate to win back his place, starting with Sunday’s [...]
Toure’s old side among six in Uefa Financial Fair Play probe November 21, 2013 SIX football clubs are facing fines or possible European bans after being referred for further investigation in relation to Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by governing body Uefa. Portuguese top-flight side Vitoria, Ukraine’s Metalurh Donetsk – the former club of Manchester City star Yaya Toure – and Latvian league runners-up FC Skonto are among the [...]
Froch laughs off Groves’ game plan and promises a knock out November 21, 2013 WORLD super-middleweight champion Carl Froch is unconvinced by George Groves’ meticulously laid out game plan for tomorrow night’s bout at the Manchester Arena, insisting the challenger is more likely to “run for his life” than stand and fight. Former British champion Groves, 25, stated his intention to launch two big right-hand punches in the first [...]
Rugby Comment: All Blacks loss shows we need to be clinical November 21, 2013 NEW Zealand might have beaten us last weekend, but this group of England players has shown the potential to go forward to the 2015 World Cup and that we can match the world’s best on any day. We know we’re not the finished article and must learn from defeats, like we did after Wales in [...]
You picked on the wrong man, Broad tells Aussie media hate campaigners November 21, 2013 UNPOPULAR England seamer Stuart Broad hit back at his detractors in the Australian media yesterday, claiming they chose the wrong man to pick on. So upset was the Courier Mail newspaper in Brisbane at Broad’s failure to walk during the first Test of the summer Ashes series after umpires missed a clear edge to the [...]
Walcott ready for Arsenal return against high-flying Southampton November 21, 2013 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger plans to unleash forward Theo Walcott in tomorrow’s top of the table clash with former club Southampton following two months on the sidelines. Walcott scored in the Gunners’ 2-1 win at Marseille in September, but missed the subsequent 12 matches with an abdominal injury, which required minor surgery. However, Wenger is [...]
England cut Chase for semi-final November 21, 2013 RUGBY LEAGUE: England have dropped half-back Rangi Chase for tomorrow’s World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Wembley Stadium. Hooker Michael McIlorum has also been axed with Gareth Widdop and Carl Ablett added to the 19-man squad. Coach Steve McNamara said: “The squad is picked with not only the opposition in mind, but the best [...]