High-profile Bath trio quit club June 1, 2009 RUGBY UNION: Bath joint captains Michael Lipman and Alex Crockett, and winger Andrew Higgins, yesterday resigned from the club – hours before an internal hearing into allegations they refused to take drug tests. The trio deny refusing to take tests, calling the claims “scurrilous and unsubstantiated”. The Rugby Football Union has asked Bath for more [...]
Ancelotti promises to recreate his European success as Chelsea boss June 1, 2009 FORMER AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was anointed Chelsea manager yesterday and immediately vowed to deliver the Champions League glory the Blues so desperately crave. Ancelotti, whose three-year contract begins on 1 July, has an outstanding continental pedigree that helped make him Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s No1 choice. The Italian, 49, led Milan to two [...]
Martinez on Wigan radar as Bruce weighs up Sunderland June 1, 2009 WIGAN boss Steve Bruce is on the verge of being appointed Sunderland manager after the two clubs agreed a compensation package. A deal could be completed as early as today after Sunderland officials flew to Portugal, where Bruce is on holiday, to open talks. Wigan chairman Dave Whelan had demanded £3m to release Bruce from [...]
Crouch has high hopes of keeping Heskey on bench June 1, 2009 PORTSMOUTH’S Peter Crouch insists he is optimistic about keeping his place in the England starting line-up, following rival Emile Heskey’s return to fitness. Crouch marked his start against Ukraine in April with a goal but faces a battle for selection against Kazakhstan on Saturday now that Heskey, a favourite of head coach Fabio Capello, is [...]
Sport on TV June 1, 2009 Tennis: French Open, quarter-finals, British Eurosport and BBC Interactive, from 10am. Cricket: ICC World Twenty 20 warm-ups, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Sky Sports 1, 1pm; England v Scotland, Sky Sports 1, 5pm. Racing: Ripon, Southwell, At The Races, 1.45pm; Folkestone, Sedgefield, At The Races, 6pm
Shock Nadal exit is boost for Murray May 31, 2009 DEFENDING champion Rafael Nadal’s bid for a fifth successive French Open title ended abruptly yesterday in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history. The world No1 took a 31-match unbeaten run at Roland Garros into his clash with Robin Soderling, but was always on the back foot against the 23rd seed and slumped [...]
Mauled Lions hit by early fitness fears May 31, 2009 BRITISH and Irish Lions head coach Ian McGeechan is today set to name a much-changed side for Wednesday’s second tour match, against Golden Lions. McGeechan has been forced to shuffle his pack with a number of players already nursing injuries, just a week into the tour of South Africa. Centre Keith Earls, who made a [...]
Injured Strettle to miss Pumas Tests May 31, 2009 GIANT Bath wing Matt Banahan has been drafted into the senior England squad after Harlequins’ David Strettle was ruled out of the upcoming Test series against Argentina with an abdominal injury. Banahan earned himself promotion from the second string Saxons squad by impressing in Saturday’s 33-26 defeat to the Barbarians at Twickenham. The Jersey-born player, [...]
Colly:We’ll flower at World T20 May 31, 2009 CRICKET: England captain Paul Collingwood believes home advantage will ensure they improve on their previous World Twenty20 showing when this year’s competition begins this week. The Durham all-rounder skippered England to just one win from five matches at the inaugural event in South Africa in 2007. But he said: “We know what England is all [...]
Cevaer lands shock triumph May 31, 2009 GOLF: Rank outsider Christian Cevaer clinched only his second tour title by holding out for a one-shot victory at the European Open at the London Club in Kent. The Frenchman, ranked 449 in the world, could only manage a two-over-par final round of 74, but on seven under pipped Steve Webster, Gary Orr and Alvaro [...]