‘Absolutely embarrassing’: Victoria blasted for Commonwealth Games hosting U-turn July 18, 2023 A bitter war of words has broken out over the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the Australian state of Victoria abruptly pulled out of hosting the event. Victoria was named host for the multi-sport championships last year but reneged on that commitment on Tuesday, citing spiralling costs – plunging the Games into doubt. Commonwealth Games Australia [...]
England eclipses hosts and holders for Women’s World Cup fever July 18, 2023 Women’s World Cup fever is set to hit hardest in England — ahead of holders the USA and co-hosts Australia, according to a new global fan survey. Awareness of the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday in New Zealand, is highest in England, where 66 per cent of people know about the Women’s World Cup. That [...]
Premiership rugby fixtures: Sarries at Spurs, Harlequins at Twickenham July 18, 2023 Saracens and Harlequins will host major domestic fixtures at huge London stadiums yet again after the Premiership rugby fixtures were released this morning. Defending champions Saracens will return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, home of Premier League outfit Spurs, to take on Harlequins at the end of March. Quins themselves will host two major games: [...]
2023 Women’s World Cup: Prize money up three-fold – but Lionesses in bonus row July 18, 2023 The Women’s World Cup may not have kicked off yet but it has already been hailed as a transformative moment in the growth of the game, with prize money increasing more than three-fold and, for the first time, most of it being paid directly to players. But some financial issues, including a bonus row between [...]
Sexton outcome marks official death of farce that is rugby values July 17, 2023 When European rugby chiefs released the verdict from the Johnny Sexton’s disciplinary hearing at 9:30pm on Sunday night, it marked the long, slow and painful death of the farce that is rugby values. Rugby values can be defined as the ideals some in the past have placed on the game, whereby everything is about respect [...]
Formula E CEO takes swipe at Formula 1 over sustainability claims July 17, 2023 Formula E chief executive Jeff Dodds has hit out at motorsporting rival Formula 1 over its sustainability claims, stating that the world’s premier racing division is not sustainable and that improvements it has made are built upon a very low base. Dodds is new to the electric racing series, which most recently completed a double [...]
2023 Women’s World Cup ads showcase new-found star power of players July 17, 2023 Four years ago, the Women’s World Cup in France was billed as the biggest to date, but despite the hype it was still struggling to be commercially attractive for sponsors and advertisers in its own right. As the Women’s Sport Trust explained “when women’s sport is approached using the same commercial frameworks as men’s sport [...]
Champion Smith not worried about reputation ahead of Open defence July 17, 2023 The reigning Open champion Cameron Smith has insisted he’s a better golfer now than when he won the famous Claret Jug last year and that, after a year on the LIV Golf tour, he doesn’t worry about what people think of him. Australian Smith won the tournament last year at St Andrews, beating Rory McIlroy [...]
Moeen backs Anderson to take wickets at home Old Trafford crease in Ashes July 17, 2023 Moeen Ali has backed the returning James Anderson to make his mark this week as England look to level the Ashes on the pacer’s home turf and take the series with Australia to a decider. The 40-year-old replaces Ollie Robinson in the only change made by England captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum [...]
California holidays: Why Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara make the perfect road trip July 17, 2023 There’s more to California than Los Angeles and San Francisco – try Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara, says Richard Franks America is the land of the road trip, and its Pacific Highway is up there with its most iconic. Hugging some 656 miles of rugged Californian coast between San Francisco and San Diego, the [...]