Lancaster gets player backing to keep England job March 18, 2012 ENGLAND prop Alex Corbisiero has given the interim coaching set-up a ringing endorsement as the Rugby Football Union reconvenes to decide whether head coach Stuart Lancaster should keep the job. Saturday’s convincing 30-9 defeat of Ireland at Twickenham ensured England ended the Six Nations with four wins from a possible five, their only defeat coming [...]
JOSH LEWSEY’S POST MATCH VIEW March 18, 2012 RFU MUST GET HOUSE IN ORDER A resounding victory over Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday went a long way to strengthening Stuart Lancaster’s case to be handed the head coach’s reins on a permanent basis. Under the former Saxons coach this England team are as united as I’ve seen them for a long while and [...]
Button and McLaren start the new season on top Down Under March 18, 2012 Vettel has to settle for second as British pair send out early warning to Red Bull MCLAREN driver Jenson Button insists he is equipped to challenged for the world championship after his new MP4-27 vehicle propelled him to a commanding victory in the first race of the new season in Melbourne. Button finished 2.2 seconds [...]
United hit top gear in rout of Wolves but wary Ferguson demands more March 18, 2012 WOLVES (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (5) MANCHESTER UNITED surged four points clear at the top of the Premier League following a crushing win over relegation-haunted Wolves yesterday, but their manager Sir Alex Ferguson still believes the title race will go down to the wire. Following their Europa League exit on Thursday, United took out their [...]
Downing sets up potential FA Cup semi derby March 18, 2012 LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish insists a potential all-Merseyside FA Cup semi-final encounter against Everton will not take place on 15 March, the 23rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. Winger Stewart Downing scored the winner, after former Anfield striker Peter Crouch had cancelled out a Luis Suarez opener, as Liverpool beat Stoke yesterday to take their [...]
Youthful Wales will only get better, says Cuthbert March 18, 2012 WALES starlet Alex Cuthbert believes their third Grand Slam success in eight years is just the start of an era of success for Warren Gatland’s men. Cuthbert scored a try in Saturday’s 16-9 victory over France at the Millennium Stadium, which completed a Six Nations clean sweep for the World Cup semi-finalists. And the 21-year-old [...]
Federer serves up Indian Wells masterclass March 18, 2012 FORMER world No1 Roger Federer secured his fourth Indian Wells title with a routine straight sets 7-6, 6-3, victory over big-serving American John Isner last night. The third seed, who beat Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the semi-final, was pushed all the way in the first set, eventually taking it on a tie break. Isner, who [...]
Swann insists spin twin Monty is not his rival March 18, 2012 ENGLAND spinner Graeme Swann believes there is room in the side for both himself and fellow slow bowler Monty Panesar and insists he doesn’t see the Sussex man as a threat to his place. Swann has been a virtual ever-present since he replaced Panesar in the Test team two years ago, but was out-bowled by [...]
Leicester dig deep to claim LV=Cup at Saints’ expense March 18, 2012 LEICESTER (26) vs NORTHAMPTON (14) NORTHAMPTON director of rugby Jim Mallinder refused to blame fly-half Stephen Myler after his errant pass gifted Leicester the decisive try and the season’s first silverware in the shape of the LV=Cup. The Saints trailed by 10 points with just over half an hour remaining but any hopes of staging [...]
Cisse keeps Euro dream alive March 18, 2012 Newcastle’s Senegal international striker Papiss Demba Cisse kept his side’s hopes of qualifying for the Europa League alive with the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Norwich. Newcastle are now up to sixth, two points behind Chelsea albeit having played one game more.