Farrell and Co are repaying coach’s faith February 14, 2012 IHAVE been very impressed with Stuart Lancaster’s start as England coach, which has led the team to two wins from two matches and featured some great performances from Saracens players. The biggest thing Lancaster does is back his players – and they definitely feel it. There’s no uncertainty. People like Mouritz Botha and Brad Barritt [...]
Cook emphatically silences his doubters February 14, 2012 ANY victory brings pleasure to a captain, but when you play a leading role in determining the outcome of a match it’s doubly satisfying. Alastair Cook will have discovered as much on Monday following a magnificent innings which underpinned England’s first international success of what has been a trying tour. When the Essex left-hander was [...]
Barca and Sanchez back in the groove February 14, 2012 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE holders Barcelona continued their defence of Europe’s most prestigious club title with an ultimately convincing 3-1 last 16 first leg victory away against German side Bayer Leverkusen. Pep Guardiola’s side have fallen 10 points adrift of Real Madrid in the race for the Spanish league title but they underpinned their status as tournament [...]
Hammers miss chance to open four-point gap February 14, 2012 WEST HAM 1 vs SOUTHAMPTON 1 WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce blamed referee Lee Probert for his side’s failure to move four points clear of Southampton at the top of the Championship. Probert turned down two strong penalty claims for handball against Rickie Lambert and Jos Hooiveld in the opening 15 minutes. And when the [...]
Will the real Abramovich please stand up? February 14, 2012 POPULAR wisdom has it that Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is facing his moment of truth, but the next week promises to tell us at least as much about the man who hired him, Roman Abramovich. Villas-Boas swept into Stamford Bridge in the summer at a cost of £28m armed with a reputation as the next [...]
It’s business as usual for Rangers, say administrators February 14, 2012 ADMINISTRATORS insist Rangers’ fixture against Kilmarnock on Saturday will go ahead despite the club entering into administration yesterday. The Scottish champions became the biggest British club yet forced to take the step, which carries an immediate 10-point penalty in the Scottish Premier League. Paul Clark, of London-based administrators Duff and Phelps, said the move would [...]
Patel: We’re out for revenge with whitewash of our own February 14, 2012 STILL smarting from the whitewash Pakistan inflicted on them in the recent Test matches, England are determined to give Misbah-ul-Haq’s side a taste of their own medicine by sealing a 4-0 clean sweep in the current one-day series, according to all-rounder Samit Patel. After Pakistan’s spinners made a mockery of England’s world No1 Test ranking [...]
Man City stars welcome back returning Tevez February 14, 2012 MANCHESTER CITY striker Carlos Tevez returned to the club’s training ground yesterday after he decided to end his four-month self-imposed exile. The Argentina star has effectively been on strike since manager Roberto Mancini accused him of refusing to come off the bench against Bayern Munich back in September. Tevez will return for training today but [...]
Ireland discover Paris date February 14, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Six Nations chiefs announced yesterday that Ireland will play France in their rescheduled match in Paris on 4 March. The game was due to be played last Saturday but was called off shortly before kick-off by referee David Pearson, who deemed frozen sections of the Stade de France turf to be a danger [...]
Synchronised handed top weight February 14, 2012 HORSE RACING: The Jonjo O’Neill trained Lexus Chase winner Synchronised has been handed top weight of 11st 10lb for this year’s Grand National at Aintree. Last year’s winner Ballabriggs has been asked to shoulder 11st 9lb ahead of the world’s most famous steeplechase on 14 April.