English and French clubs lack respect, says Euro rugby boss September 23, 2013 HEINEKEN Cup chiefs ERC have accused English and French league bosses of a lack of respect in their attempts to form a rival competition. ERC chairman Jean–Pierre Lux also called Premiership Rugby’s contract with BT Sport to broadcast the new tournament “questionable”. An Anglo-French breakaway, which would be called the Rugby Champions Cup, has gathered [...]
Pietersen hits back at Aussie coach over jibe September 23, 2013 ENGLAND batsman Kevin Pietersen wasted no time in mocking Australia coach Darren Lehmann’s depiction of the Ashes holders’ style as “dour” yesterday. Pietersen used a question and answer session with his fans on Twitter to respond to Lehmann’s remarks, saying: “I can’t remember the scoreline in Ashes… 3-0 or almost 4-0??”. Lehmann earlier lit the [...]
Exclusive: Henman backs Murray to return better than ever September 23, 2013 FORMER British No1 Tim Henman has backed Andy Murray to return from back surgery better than ever, but warned that it may take well into next year for him to scale the heights he did in winning Wimbledon. Murray yesterday underwent the operation in a bid to overcome the long-standing issue and is unlikely to [...]
Allardyce questions knee-jerk decision to dismiss Di Canio September 23, 2013 WEST Ham boss Sam Allardyce has questioned the logic in the sacking of the club’s former striker Paolo Di Canio by Sunderland on Sunday. Allardyce prepares to take charge of his 100th Hammers game against Cardiff in the Capital One Cup tonight and has sympathy for Di Canio, who was in the Sunderland hot-seat for [...]
Jol vows to pick strongest team as Fulham target overdue win September 23, 2013 OTHER Premier League managers may use Capital One Cup ties to rotate their team, but Fulham boss Martin Jol says he has no intention of doing so at home to Everton tonight with his side in desperate need of a victory. The Cottagers only triumph since the opening day of the season came in the [...]
Mata returns to Chelsea team September 23, 2013 CHELSEA midfielder Juan Mata is set to make just his third start of the season at Swindon in tonight’s Capital One Cup third round tie. Defenders David Luiz, Ryan Bertrand and Cesar Azpilicueta, plus midfielder Michael Essien are also expected to start and assistant boss Steve Holland believes Mata is ready to prove his worth. [...]
Suarez “champing at bit” after bite ban September 23, 2013 LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers says striker Luis Suarez is “champing at the bit” to get back out on the pitch against Manchester United tomorrow night, after completing his 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic last season. Rodgers failed to confirm, however, whether the Uruguayan would go straight into the starting line-up.
Hamilton leaps to Vettel’s defence September 23, 2013 FORMULA ONE: Britain’s Lewis Hamilton has told racing fans not to resent World Championship leader Sebastian Vettel’s continued success. The Red Bull driver is closing in on his fourth consecutive world title, but was booed as he took to the podium to celebrate Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix win. But Hamilton said: “No-one should be booed [...]
Tomkins set for world record move September 23, 2013 RUGBY LEAGUE: Wigan have agreed a world record fee to sell full-back Sam Tomkins to New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season. Tomkins, 24, has signed a three-year contract in a move that eclipses the £450,000 Wigan paid Bradford for Stuart Fieden in 2006.
A fun but shallow spectacle September 22, 2013 THEATRE A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Noël Coward Theatre | By Xenobe Purvis Three Stars THE Michael Grandage Company turns to Shakespeare with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the fourth in a series of productions. The play, which has suffered a history of hackneyed interpretations, is given a contemporary twist in Grandage’s hands, set in the hedonistic [...]