‘I came close to quitting’, admits Ashton March 18, 2010 DEBUTANT Chris Ashton has told how he almost quit the sport six months ago after doubting whether he would ever make the grade. The Northampton winger comes into the England Test side for the first time in Paris tomorrow as a replacement for the injured Ugo Monye. But the former rugby league star admits he [...]
Plucky Fulham stun Juventus March 18, 2010 FULHAM (4) v/s JUVENTUS (1) ROY HODGSON admitted to feeling “on top of the world” after Fulham completed a remarkable fightback to send Italian giants Juventus crashing out of Europe. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, the Cottagers looked down and out, especially after Juve striker David Trezeguet increased the lead further in just the [...]
Managers eyeing job swaps March 18, 2010 A MANAGER’S future is notoriously precarious but even by those standards this summer is shaping up to be a jamboree of job changes, with Europe’s biggest clubs training their sights on some prestigious names. Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho brought the scramble into sharp focus this week with renewed and feverish speculation about their current [...]
Lievremont stunned at Wilko snub March 18, 2010 FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont admits he was shocked to see Jonny Wilkinson dropped by England – but is still not ruling out the fly-half making a match-winning cameo. England boss Martin Johnson has preferred Toby Flood over the world record points scorer as he looks to end the Six Nations on a high note. Lievremont [...]
Nicholls charge finally earns Big Buck’s for the bookies March 18, 2010 TRAINER Paul Nicholls hailed the “hugely talented” Big Buck’s after finally bringing joy to favourite backers and claiming back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham. After defeats to Dunguib and Master Minded earlier in the week, the 5-6 on shot finally got the bookmakers paying out for red-hot favourites with a dominant display. [...]
Imperial a decent tip to finish in top three March 18, 2010 WE’VE had the thriller in Manila and the rumble in the jungle. Now it’s the War of the Wolds. Kauto v Denman III isn’t going to be quite the classic decider we have all wanted since the Tank and AP had that difference of opinion the first time they stepped out together at Newbury. Kauto [...]
KP: Let’s end winter on a high March 18, 2010 KEVIN PIETERSEN has called on England to finish their busy winter on a high with “one final push” in Dhaka tomorrow. The second Test with Bangladesh brings an end to a hectic programme which has taken England to the middle east via the Champions Trophy in South Africa, an away Test series against the Proteas [...]
Players should be consulted over Davis Cup skipper, insists Murray March 18, 2010 ANDY MURRAY has urged British tennis chiefs to consult with the players before announcing the new Davis Cup captain. The British No1 sat out the humiliating 3-2 defeat by Lithuania which led to the resignation of John Lloyd. Several candidates such as former British No1 Greg Rusedski and Lloyd’s brother David are in the running [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF March 18, 2010 Monza’s future is safe FORMULA ONE: The Italian Grand Prix will stay at Monza until 2016 after supreme Bernie Ecclestone struck a deal with track managers. The circuit’s contract was due to expire in 2012 with its future in question amid rumours of a new Grand Prix through the streets of Rome. But the Autodromo [...]
Torres keeps Reds on the trophy trail March 18, 2010 LIVERPOOL (3) v/s LILLE (0) FERNANDO TORRES scored twice to help keep Liverpool’s season alive. The Spaniard netted a fine second half brace to finally see off the French side and earn Rafael Beintez’s men a place in today’s last eight draw. Liverpool needed just eight minutes to cancel out Lille’s 1-0 first-leg lead – [...]