The Champions Cup used to be sexy, now it’s a turn-off January 10, 2023 The Champions Cup is back but I just don’t really care. When I was a toddler in the stands of England’s Premiership grounds, I loved the top flight European Cup – seeing my club play in it meant so much more than watching domestic rugby. That aura has vanished. I don’t know whether it is [...]
Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum pitch Bazball to county cricket teams January 10, 2023 England Test cricket captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have given Zoom presentations to county head coaches on the subject of Bazball, according to reports. The how-to guide was delivered by the duo from England’s footballing HQ St George’s Park on Monday and focuses on the ethos that has seen the Test side [...]
Where to watch Super Bowl LVII 2023. Bars in London staying open all night January 10, 2023 Ah yes, the Super Bowl, that giant American sporting event Brits don’t really understand but use as an excuse to do something they do understand: staying up all night and getting drunk. For those in London, the Super Bowl rolls around this Feb 12 and begins at 11.30pm UK time, running through to almost sunrise if [...]
Trevor Steven: VAR, handballs and concussion breaks – seven rules that English referees must resolve in football in 2023 January 10, 2023 While some readers will have New Year’s resolutions and supporters may have January wish lists for their clubs, I have my own hopes for football in 2023 and they revolve around rules and refereeing. Recent times have seen a conveyor belt of tweaks to officiating that I believe has only muddied the waters. The thinking [...]
“Elevated horror” movies ranked, from M3gan to Midsommar January 10, 2023 With new “elevated horror” movie M3gan coming out this week, I thought I’d round up some of the top films in this nebulous genre. While the label – largely disparaged by the film community – can be retrospectively applied to films from The Exorcist to The Shining, its use is a recent phenomenon, often used [...]
Avatar: The Way of Water was crap – here’s why I’m glad it exists January 10, 2023 A few weeks ago, you might have read my review of Avatar: The Way of Water in this paper. It’s safe to say I wasn’t a fan – I found the story dull, the dialogue inane, and the high frame rate 3D uncomfortable. Thirteen years ago, I wedged myself into a packed screening room in [...]
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City: Which team has the biggest wage bill in European football? January 10, 2023 Paris Saint-Germain’s signing of Lionel Messi contributed to the club setting a new record for the biggest wage bill in European football history last season. The French champions paid their players and staff €728m (£642m) in 2021-22, a year-on-year increase of 45 per cent, according to a new report by advisory Football Benchmark. It followed [...]
The M3gan dance – what is it and does it live up to the hype? January 10, 2023 New horror-comedy M3gan is out this week, and while it’s an excellent cautionary tale in its own right about the dangers of technology, the thing that has driven the internet into meltdown is a five second dance routine by the film’s robotic psychopath M3gan. The titular robot is an AI housed in the body of [...]
Hugh Jackman, 54, reveals training schedule ahead of Wolverine reprisal in Deadpool 3 January 10, 2023 Hugh Jackman is set to play Wolverine again in upcoming Marvel flick Deadpool 3, but aged 54, getting into shape to play the muscular superhero surely won’t come as easily as it used to. Jackman is currently on stage on Broadway but has revealed that he’ll go straight into a months-long intense training regime when [...]
Rafael Nadal joins Sergio Perez in owning E1 speedboat racing team January 10, 2023 Tennis sensation Rafael Nadal has launched an electric speedboat racing team to compete in a league alongside a franchise owned by Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez. The E1 series is the latest brainchild of Alejandro Agag – the man behind Formula E and Extreme E – and Nadal’s team is the third to be confirmed. [...]