We weren’t strong or fit enough to beat Sweden, admits Blanc June 19, 2012 SWEDEN 2 FRANCE 0 FRANCE manager Laurent Blanc lamented his squad’s fitness after their surprise defeat to Sweden left them facing a daunting European Championship quarter-final with European and world champions Spain on Saturday. A spectacular scissor kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic followed by Sebastian Larsson’s stoppage-time volley were enough for already-eliminated Sweden to salvage some [...]
Cav: I’d ditch Tour for gold June 19, 2012 BRITISH gold medal hope Mark Cavendish insists he would have skipped the Tour de France if he thought it would boost his London 2012 road race chances. The Isle of Man cyclist has already jeopardised his hopes of retaining the green jersey in the Tour, which starts next week, with an Olympics-oriented training regime. “If [...]
Head injury rules Monye out of improving England’s final Test June 19, 2012 SA NORTHERN BARBARIANS 31 ENGLAND 57 ENGLAND coach Stuart Lancaster confirmed Harlequins winger Ugo Monye is unlikely to be available for Saturday’s third and final Test in South Africa after being knocked unconscious in last night’s difficult win against Northern Barbarians. A hat-trick from Nick Abendanon, two tries from Jonny May and further scores from [...]
ENGLAND DEDICATE WIN TO TRAGIC MAYNARD June 19, 2012 PLAYERS paid tribute to late Surrey batsman Tom Maynard, who was killed by a Tube train on Monday, before England’s series-clinching one-day international win over West Indies at the Oval yesterday. Captain Alastair Cook’s century swept the hosts to an eight-wicket victory that leaves them 2-0 ahead with one match remaining. Paceman Stuart Broad, who [...]
Exiles promotion appeal delayed June 19, 2012 RUGBY UNION: London Welsh’s appeal hearing over the Rugby Football Union’s decision to deny them promotion to the Premiership has been postponed seven days to Thursday 28 June.
Mayweather out-earns Woods June 19, 2012 SPORT BUSINESS: Boxer Floyd Mayweather (£54.3m) has overtaken golfer Tiger Woods (£37.9m) as the world’s highest-paid sportsperson, says Forbes magazine. Woods is third, after boxer Manny Pacquiao (£39.6m).
Kvitova’s Wimbledon hopes hit June 19, 2012 TENNIS: Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova’s title defence preparations suffered a blow yesterday when she lost to world No48 Ekaterina Makarova at Eastbourne.
Planteur and Farhh are the value calls in Prince of Wales’s Stakes June 19, 2012 THE Prince of Wales’s Stakes (3.45pm) is often one of the most thrilling spectacles during Royal Ascot, none more so than last year when Frankie Dettori produced the ill-fated Rewilding to collar So You Think in the final strides. That defeat was a big blow to Ballydoyle who had marked down the son of High [...]
Well-handicapped Mabait has a big chance in Royal Hunt Cup at a massive 25/1 June 19, 2012 TODAY’S big betting race is the Royal Hunt Cup (4.25pm) and a maximum field of 30 means the draw often plays a big part. However, there didn’t look to be any real bias yesterday and hopefully the straight course will continue to ride fairly over the next few days. James Fanshawe pulled Primaeval out of [...]
Duntle can bag the Sandringham for Wachman and the Niarchos family June 19, 2012 IRISH trainers have tasted plenty of success at Royal Ascot in recent years, particularly Aidan O’Brien, but David Wachman has a solid record too and DUNTLE can give him another winner in today’s finale, the Sandringham Stakes at 5.35pm. She broke her maiden tag at Dundalk in April, beating her rivals by an incredible 18 [...]