Lions braced for Hong Kong start November 28, 2011 RUGBY UNION: The British and Irish Lions will meet the Barbarians in Hong Kong in an historic and glitzy curtain-raiser to the 2013 tour of Australia. The stop-off in Asia precedes nine fixtures Down Under, including three Test matches, at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne and then Sydney’s ANZ Stadium. The Lions [...]
Cav leads the way for BBC award November 28, 2011 CYCLING: Sprint sensation Mark Cavendish is the early favourite to claim the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award after the 10 nominees were announced yesterday. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a magnificent year, becoming Britain’s first winner of the Tour de France green jersey and Britain’s first male world road race champion for 46 [...]
Haye confirms comeback talks November 28, 2011 BOXING: Former heavyweight world champion David Haye is in talks to fight WBC title holder Vitali Klitschko in March 2012. Haye, 31, who retired in October after losing to the Ukrainian’s brother Wladimir, says he will lower his pay demands to make sure the fight happens. “I haven’t seen a contract but there’s definitely talks [...]
Speed’s death stuns football world November 27, 2011 Tributes pour in for Wales manager, found hanged at his home in Cheshire aged just 42 THE FOOTBALL world was numbed yesterday and united in grief after Wales manager Gary Speed was found hanged at his home in Cheshire. The body of 42-year-old Speed, who had appeared on the BBC’s magazine show Football Focus on [...]
Mancini defends Balotelli as Hart stopper denies Liverpool November 27, 2011 LIVERPOOL (1) vs MAN CITY (1) MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini defended controversial striker Mario Balotelli, whose red card sparked a period of late Liverpool pressure that nearly cost the Premier League leaders their unbeaten record. Vincent Kompany put the visitors ahead in the 31st minute when he met David Silva’s corner with his shoulder, [...]
SIGNING OFF IN STYLE: Federer ends his year on a high to claim record sixth ATP World Tour Finals November 27, 2011 SWISS superstar Roger Federer capped his 100th career tournament final with a record sixth victory at the ATP World Tour Finals in London after vanquishing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three high-quality sets. Federer was pushed all the way by France’s Tsonga but had just enough in his locker to complete a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 win [...]
SIGNING OFF IN STYLE: Webber wins season ending race in Brazil but the glory goes to Red Bull team-mate Vettel November 27, 2011 WORLD champion Sebastian Vettel warned his rivals there’s no chance he or his Red Bull team will be resting on their laurels next season. Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber led home a Red Bull one-two, his first victory of the season, in Brazil with Britain’s Jenson Button third. German Vettel, now a back-to-back world champion, had [...]
White not keen on England November 27, 2011 FORMER South Africa head coach Jake White is the latest high-profile candidate to have distanced himself from succeeding Martin Johnson as England manager. Johnson resigned earlier this month following England’s catastrophic World Cup campaign which ended in abject defeat to France in the quarter-finals and was undermined by off-field controversies. White, who masterminded South Africa’s [...]
Rodgers: Players wanted to honour their manager November 27, 2011 SWANSEA (0) vs ASTON VILLA (0) SWANSEA boss Brendan Rodgers insisted his side were eager to honour the memory of Wales manager Gary Speed, who passed away yesterday, by ensuring their Premier League fixture against Aston Villa went ahead. Four members of the Wales national squad were involved in the fixture as Swansea’s Ashley Williams, [...]
Americans win World Cup November 27, 2011 American duo Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland hit six birdies in a closing 67 to win the World Cup by two shots in China. England’s Ian Poulter and Justin Rose carded a nine-under-par 63 to finish second alongside Germany on 22 under.