Chris Tremlett: This is one of the worst Ashes tours I can remember January 9, 2022 It’s been a horrendous Ashes tour, one of the worst. The only positive is that England will not lose this series 5-0. England may have snuck a draw in the fourth Test in Sydney on Sunday but that doesn’t paper over the cracks in the set-up that this tour has exposed. The way they lost [...]
Why Cambridge’s FA Cup triumph at Newcastle is good for football January 9, 2022 Upsets were in abundance over FA Cup third round weekend, from sixth-tier Kidderminster Harriers beating Reading and Conference outfit Boreham Wood progressing for the first time. There was drama galore elsewhere too, with Morecambe and Shrewsbury Town giving scares to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool respectively and Barrow eventually succumbing in a nine-goal thriller at Barnsley. [...]
Premiership rugby: Snappy team-by-team report card at half-way point January 9, 2022 The weekend’s Premiership action marked the halfway point of the season. While some teams have found themselves in familiar positions, this year has also seen some surprising performances. Here is our half-term report. Leicester Tigers – A* It was going perfectly for the Tigers, who had gone the entire season without losing – until Sunday. [...]
Munich: The Edge of War is a stylish but predictable wartime pot-boiler January 7, 2022 Like superhero movies, the war drama is a genre that never seems to tire. Just when you think every aspect of a conflict has been covered, a new story is found, or in this case created. Based on the novel by Robert Harris, Munich: The Edge of War stars George Mackay as Hugh, an assistant [...]
The best upcoming art, film and theatre to see in London in 2022 January 7, 2022 Despite Covid uncertainty, London’s cultural scene is set for a jam-packed opening to 2022. We collect our top picks for the first few months of the year. Theatre The Collaboration, Young Vic The last few years have seen blockbuster London retrospectives of both Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. In this new play starring Paul Bettany [...]
Long weekend ideas: Ooh, this could be Rotterdam January 7, 2022 The Beautiful South thought Rotterdam could be anywhere – even Liverpool or Rome! – but they were idiots: it’s right here in Holland, and it’s a small, chic rival to Amsterdam. Where to stay The newly opened Slaak Rotterdam is built on the site of a former printing press, and has a jazz bar ambience [...]
Newcastle confirms the signing of Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier January 7, 2022 Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for an undisclosed fee.
Ollie Phillips: Habits die hard as the Premiership reaches half way January 7, 2022 After this week’s Premiership action, each of the 13 teams will be halfway through their seasons. Some have outperformed my expectations, like Gloucester, and others have – thankfully – lived up to my predictions, like Leicester. The Premiership, though, despite its lack of relegation and jeopardy, has proven that habits are hard to break in [...]
FA Cup: Chesterfield eye biggest upset in their history against Chelsea January 7, 2022 While just one team has ever won the FA Cup while outside of the league set-up – Tottenham Hotspur, 121 years ago – the dream of a run in the famous competition hasn’t lost its fizz for clubs further down the pyramid. Tomorrow, non-league Chesterfield are due to enjoy their moment in the spotlight when [...]
Cricket round-up: Just who fills the gap when international stars retire? January 6, 2022 If one sport has matched the fireworks of New Year, it is cricket. In the space of a week, New Zealand’s Ross Taylor, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock and Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez announced their retirement from the sport. Each a key figure in their Test side, their impact on the game should not be underestimated [...]