Pochettino wary of Cup upset as Wembley looms January 27, 2015 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino has cited greater intensity as the key defence against his side becoming the latest giant-killing victim of Sheffield United in tonight’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Bramall Lane. Spurs head to South Yorkshire in possession of a slender one-goal lead courtesy of England winger Andros Townsend’s second-half penalty in [...]
Barcelona deny whistleblowing in Real probe January 27, 2015 TENSION among the two superpowers of Spanish football is never far from the surface but this week has seen the emergence of fresh cause for suspicion between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Concerns that Real could be banned from signing players were given credence when the European champions confirmed on Monday that they are subject to [...]
Lancaster urges Cipriani to seize his chance after Farrell ruled out January 27, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has thrown down the gauntlet to his remaining fly-halves after Owen Farrell was last night ruled out of the entire Six Nations campaign with a knee injury. Bath No10 George Ford is expected to start against Wales in the Six Nations curtain-raiser at the Millennium Stadium a week on Friday [...]
Familiar foe threat to Murray’s Australian bid January 27, 2015 BRITAIN’S Andy Murray has played down the threat of Tomas Berdych’s insider knowledge after setting up an Australian Open semi-final against the in-form Czech. Murray made swift work of ending a 15,000 sell-out Melbourne crowd’s hopes of a famous home victory by thrashing 19-year-old rising star Nick Kyrgios in straight sets yesterday. The Scot, seeded [...]
Countdown 232 days to go: Injury blows not a concern for Corbisiero January 27, 2015 England prop glad to be over own setback and sure of squad depth. INJURIES may be a consistent theme threatening to derail England’s World Cup bid but prop Alex Corbisiero insists the selection conundrum facing head coach Stuart Lancaster is made more fathomable by the squad’s residual strength. Corbisiero’s latest war wound forced him onto [...]
India clash set to act as prelude to World Cup knockout tension January 27, 2015 ENGLAND’S pivotal tri-series clash against India on Friday provides the ideal preparation for the World Cup knockout phase, according to assistant coach Paul Farbrace. Victory over India at the Gabba last Tuesday was only England’s sixth in 19 one-day internationals and they will have to repeat the feat to progress to Sunday’s final where hosts [...]
Relief for frackers as industry avoids ban: Moratorium defeated but shale gas sector to face more regulation January 26, 2015 The UK's fracking sector breathed a sigh of relief last night, after an attempt to suspend its progress was voted down in parliament. A moratorium, which would have blocked fracking activity for up to two-and-a-half years, was defeated by 308 votes to 52 after Labour failed to back the move. Ed Miliband’s party put [...]
Global markets defiant despite new Greek bank scare January 26, 2015 Global markets yesterday brushed off the result of the Greek election despite the country’s banks becoming embroiled in a potential crisis. Shares in all four of Greece’s largest banks plunged by around 10 per cent yesterday. If Greece defaults on its debt this will hit Greek banks directly – who hold some Greek debt – as [...]
IGas share price plunges over fears of fracking ban January 26, 2015 The threat of a moratorium on fracking, which was debated in parliament yesterday, pushed shares in UK-based oil and gas explorer IGas Energy down by 28 per cent amid fears that the UK’s shale gas industry was about to be put on hold once again. After the market closed, MPs voted against the moratorium – meaning [...]
Tsipras joins up with right-wing party in anti-austerity coalition January 26, 2015 GREEK Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to appoint economics professor Yanis Varoufakis to lead his bid to renegotiate the country’s debts with the EU and International Monetary Fund. Tsipras’ party Syriza gained 149 of the 300 seats in parliament, and so needed a partner. It picked 13-strong Independent Greeks, or ANEL – another staunch [...]
