All Blacks better than 2012 class, warns Lancaster November 11, 2013 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has warned his team that last year’s record victory over New Zealand will count for nothing against the same opposition at Twickenham this weekend. The All Blacks were beaten 38-21 last December with second-half tries from Brad Barritt, Chris Ashton and Manu Tuilagi, while fly-half Owen Farrell was exceptional kicking [...]
Liga and Serie A beat English in TV cash grab November 11, 2013 PREMIER League chairmen may be licking their lips at the prospect of BT Sport’s vast investment trickling down to their clubs, but for now England’s top teams are being left in the shade by Spanish and even Italian teams when it comes to income from television rights. Real Madrid (€178m) rake in the most broadcast [...]
Football Comment: Rooney leading United back into title contention November 11, 2013 ONLY since the final whistle blew at Old Trafford on Sunday have we seen just how important their win over Arsenal was to Manchester United. Players such as Wayne Rooney have admitted that defeat would have been a terminal blow to their Premier League title hopes, even at this early stage of the season. Losing [...]
Szczesny wants Arsenal to stretch their lead November 11, 2013 ARSENAL goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has called on his team-mates to reassert their authority at the top of the Premier League table, following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to title rivals Manchester United. Striker Robin van Persie’s first-half header was enough to inflict a first league defeat on the Gunners since the opening day of the season and [...]
Saints preserving home form is key to early season surge November 11, 2013 PERHAPS the best story from this exciting season is Southampton’s surge into the top three under Mauricio Pochettino. Eyebrows were raised when Pochettino replaced Nigel Adkins, who led the Saints into the top flight with successive promotions, but the Argentinian has improved them even further. The 4-1-4-1 system Southampton favour allows them to press high [...]
Jamaican failed tests are tip of the iceberg, says doping chief November 11, 2013 A TOP Jamaican anti-doping official believes the country’s athletics scene could have a far bigger problem with drugs than is currently acknowledged. Dr Paul Wright’s comments come at the end of a difficult year for Jamaican track and field in which former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic relay gold medallist Sherone Simpson [...]
Golf Comment: Rose and Poulter the big threats to Stenson’s Race to Dubai quest November 11, 2013 I CANNOT remember a European Tour season with so many players still in with a chance of scooping the order of merit as they prepare to tee off in the final event. Nine men remain in contention to win the Race to Dubai heading into the DP World Tour Championship, which begins at Jumeirah Golf [...]
Bell backs England to shrug off injury and weather woe November 11, 2013 ENGLAND batsman Ian Bell insists his team will be ready for next week’s first Ashes Test, despite injury and weather concerns having taken their toll on preparations since they arrived in Australia. Bell hit a century in England’s opening tour match but watched in frustration from the pavilion as persistent rainfall meant just 31 overs [...]
St. George’s on lockdown November 11, 2013 THE FOOTBALL Association were last night forced to make alternative accommodation and training arrangements for its England players following the outbreak of a stomach virus at St. George’s Park. The Under-21s side, who have been at the site since Sunday, have been unaffected but moved as a precaution, while the senior team will not meet at the [...]
Plans for Williams’ resurgence convinces Massa to leave Ferrari November 11, 2013 THE Formula One merry-go-round kicked into overdrive last night as Williams announced the signing of Felipe Massa from Ferrari, while McLaren are also poised to confirm rookie Kevin Magnussen will replace Sergio Perez next season. Massa has penned a three-year deal to replace Pastor Maldonado, with the Venezuelan driver tipped to replace Ferrari-bound Kimi Raikonnen [...]