Best of 2021: ‘Nigel Wray deserves credit after building Saracens’ dynasty’ December 24, 2021 In October, Nigel Wray relinquished his majority control of Saracens after 25 years at the club. Here Matt Hardy looked back on a controversial but highly influential period for the City grandee. Originally published on October 5. Empires fall and dynasties cease, but one thing remains when you’ve done something right or simply left your [...]
Best of 2021: How Drive to Survive and esports helped save Formula 1 December 24, 2021 In this article, originally published in March 2021 to mark the start of what would prove to be a landmark season, Frank Dalleres looks at how Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media helped shake off its male, pale and stale image and won a whole new generation of fans, including in some crucial territories. It feels [...]
Man Utd boss Ralf Rangnick suggests scrapping Carabao Cup December 23, 2021 Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has suggested that English football should scrap the Carabao Cup to ease the burden on players. Concerns about player welfare have been heightened by a raft of Covid-19 postponements, which will mean fixture congestion – and an intensified workload – in the coming weeks. “England is the only league in [...]
Watch: Anti-vaxxers attempt to ‘serve papers’ on football hero Alan Shearer, only to end up at wrong house December 23, 2021 A group of anti-vaccination activists tried to “serve papers” on footballer Alan Shearer today, but ended up dropping the files off at the wrong house. The former England captain and Newcastle United hero last week urged people to get the booster in a video promoted by the Premier League. In the clip, Shearer said: “We [...]
Left it late? Here are the ideal fragrances for your loved one December 23, 2021 No gift is as sure-fire a hit as a special fragrance. Here are some of our favourites to make sure you’re not in the dog house on Christmas day. Ermenegildo Zegna XXX Cyprium, £147 A rugged male scent that warms the nose. Made with Cedarwood Oil and Lava Accord, and packaged in a melting copper [...]
Andy Murray handed wild card for Australian Open December 23, 2021 Andy Murray has been granted a wild card for next month’s Australian Open, as the former world No1 bids to challenge for Grand Slam titles again. Murray is a five-time finalist in Melbourne and indicated he had been willing to enter qualifying in order to compete again in January 2022. But organisers have spared the [...]
The Matrix Ressurections: Just take the Blue Pill and skip this one December 23, 2021 You might be wondering why the long-awaited return of The Matrix is being released midweek, a few days before Christmas, lost in the shadow of Spider-man. While people of a certain age will remember the 1999 original as a game changer, 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions ended the trilogy on a sour note, with a historically [...]
Premier League calls off Watford and Leeds Boxing Day games December 23, 2021 The Premier League has postponed two Boxing Day fixtures – Wolves v Watford, and Liverpool v Leeds United – due to Covid-19 outbreaks. Watford and Leeds requested their games be called off after being left short of players by Covid-19 cases and injuries. The Premier League said it hoped its early decision would minimise disruption [...]
Ed Warner: Sport must be proactive in protecting its stars from abuse December 23, 2021 If you see me reaching for the remote to watch BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022, you know what to do. I was delighted that our gold medal winning GB Wheelchair Rugby team was nominated for the Team of the Year last weekend, alongside an illustrious bunch of trophy winners from other sports, [...]
The property developers building community through Gaia’s Garden December 23, 2021 Continuing my series of conversations on culture and commerce, I am diving deep into the social value of a project that sits in the heart of London: Gaia’s Garden. This “accessible and free community garden” on the edge of Smithfield Market and off the Holborn Viaduct is built by property developer Dominvs Group, who say [...]