QPR captain Barton banned for 12 matches May 23, 2012 CONTROVERSIAL midfielder Joey Barton’s QPR future was plunged into fresh doubt last night after he received a 12-match ban for three instances of violent conduct against Manchester City earlier this month. Rangers captain Barton will not play until November at the earliest after being handed an eight-game suspension on top of his statutory four-match ban [...]
London Welsh anger at block on promotion May 23, 2012 LONDON Welsh chiefs have hit back at the Rugby Football Union after learning their promotion bid is doomed to failure even if they win the Championship play-off. The RFU ruled yesterday that the Exiles do not meet Premiership criteria regarding stadia, as their home, Old Deer Park, is inadequate and plans to play at Oxford [...]
ZARA’S OLYMPIC FLAME RIDE DRAWS CROWD May 23, 2012 MORE than 30,000 people gathered at Cheltenham Racecourse yesterday to see the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips carry the London 2012 Olympic flame aboard her horse Toytown. Former eventing world champion Phillips, who still hopes to qualify for this summer’s Games, rode a lap of the course before lighting a cauldron.
There shouldn’t be any debate: give Di Matteo Chelsea job now May 23, 2012 CURRENTLY basking in the glory of their extraordinary Champions League success, Chelsea must feel on top of the world. Surely the last thing the club want is for the players to return in July for pre-season training in a state of disarray. So why are they even considering not appointing Roberto di Matteo manager? They’re [...]
Boss not stars best for Blues brand boost May 23, 2012 CHELSEA have been urged to forget star signings such as Eden Hazard and focus on appointing the right manager, or risk wasting a boost to their brand value earned by conquering Europe. Champions League success helped increase their brand value by 27 per cent to an estimated £251m, although they lie fifth in the Brand [...]
England opt for Dowson over Hartley as skipper for Baa-Baas May 23, 2012 NORTHAMPTON No8 Phil Dowson is set to captain England for the first time against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday. Dowson, 30, has been handed the armband in the absence of regular skipper Chris Robshaw, one of several players on Premiership final duty the previous day. Despite only winning his first cap during this year’s [...]
Home comforts provide Broad hope of extending purple patch May 23, 2012 ENGLAND paceman Stuart Broad is hoping to continue his fine form in the second Test against West Indies on his home turf of Trent Bridge tomorrow. Broad, who claimed 11 wickets in the first-Test victory at Lord’s earlier this week, took a hat-trick against India at Nottinghamshire’s ground last summer. “It was definitely one of [...]
England pair sit out training May 23, 2012 FOOTBALL: Forward Danny Welbeck and full-back Glen Johnson missed training yesterday as England prepared for Saturday’s friendly in Norway. Midfielder Scott Parker looks over his injury and set to play in Roy Hodgson’s first match in charge.
Froch: Mental crowd on my side May 23, 2012 BOXING: Super-middleweight Carl Froch believes home advantage will be decisive when he fights Lucian Bute for the Canadian’s IBF world title in Nottingham on Saturday. Froch said: “The crowd will be silent when he’s throwing punches and going mental when I throw punches.”
Watson and Robson win in Paris May 23, 2012 TENNIS: Young Britons Heather Watson and Laura Robson took a step towards the main draw of the French Open yesterday when they won their first qualifying matches.