Premiership Rugby Cup 2020-21 cancelled over player welfare and competition integrity concerns March 17, 2021 The Premiership Rugby Cup has been cancelled for this season due to complications caused by Covid-19. Premiership Rugby, which represents England’s leading clubs, cited concerns over player welfare and the tournament’s integrity if it went ahead. It means there will be domestic cup competition in English club rugby for only the second time in half [...]
Cheltenham Festival set for biggest TV audience in 10 years as organisers broadcast more races and shorten intervals March 16, 2021 This year’s Cheltenham Festival is set to attract its biggest UK television audience in a decade, according to analysts. The expected boost to viewing figures is a result of additional races being broadcast and the racecourse being closed to spectators, says Nielsen Sports. Cheltenham Festival, the most eagerly anticipated week of National Hunt racing in [...]
England in line for more Euro 2020 games as Uefa vows to ditch host cities that cannot guarantee crowds March 16, 2021 Euro 2020 organisers will axe host cities if they cannot guarantee that fans will be allowed to attend matches at this summer’s tournament. Dublin, Glasgow and Bilbao are the three hosts considered most likely to be cut from the pan-European, 12-city format. “The ideal scenario is to play the tournament in the original 12 venues, [...]
Sam Torrance: Justin Thomas underlines Masters credentials with sublime showing at Sawgrass March 16, 2021 One moment in the final round on Sunday summed up the whole weekend for Justin Thomas at the Players Championship. Leading by one as he stood over the final tee, Thomas launched a perfect shot that sailed dangerously close to the water before skipping to safety after a kind bounce. There is no way he [...]
Diverse Oscar noms drag 90-year-old awards into 21st century March 15, 2021 In recent years, the nominations for the Academy Awards have often drawn anger and frustration. #OscarsSoWhite became a regular trend for past ceremonies as actors of colour were ignored, while there was ongoing criticism at the absence of female behind the scenes nominees, and LGBTQ+ artists. Today, observers held their breath as this year’s nominations [...]
Best of travel: The world’s most exclusive nightclub is in a jungle March 15, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. Today we revisit Siobhan Grogan’s expedition through a jungle in Thailand in search of… a nightclub? ••• Clinging to the Cape Panwa peninsula on the very tip of south eastern Phuket, Sri Panwa is buried deep within [...]
Mikel Arteta had no choice but to drop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – and history suggests Arsenal captain should fall into line March 15, 2021 In dropping his captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, for the north London derby because he arrived late, Mikel Arteta took a huge risk. Lose to bitter rivals Tottenham, and the decision would look like hubristic self-sabotage. Win – as Arsenal ultimately did – and it is brave, principled leadership. Bold though it certainly was, in many ways [...]
Locked Down is the pandemic heist movie we didn’t need March 12, 2021 While some TV shows and awards ceremonies have made magic out of the limitations of the pandemic, movies haven’t fared as well. Michael Bay’s Songbird was a misfire, while Netflix’s Malcolm and Marie wasted talented actors on a self-indulgent script. Locked Down was conceived, written, filmed, and edited in around four months from the start [...]
Castore founder Tom Beahon on swapping life in the City and as a footballer to start fast-growing British premium sportswear brand March 12, 2021 Steven Gerrard wasn’t the only Liverpudlian celebrating when his Rangers team returned to the summit of Scottish football last weekend. Watching at home on Merseyside were Tom Beahon, 31, and brother Phil, 28, the founders of British sportswear brand Castore. Last year, Castore signed Rangers as their first football client. On Sunday, they toasted the [...]
Week in Sportbiz: Olympic chiefs offer vaccines to athletes; Israel wins French Super Cup; and Winklevoss twins return to Boat Race March 11, 2021 Olympic chiefs have eased concerns around this summer’s Games by offering Covid-19 vaccines to any athlete set to compete at Tokyo 2020. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the offer applied to athletes and teams involved in either Tokyo or the Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022. The IOC will buy the vaccines from [...]