Lancaster olive branch for Sale-bound Cipriani March 20, 2012 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has left the door ajar for errant fly-half Danny Cipriani to make a sensational return from four years in the international wilderness. However, Lancaster laced his words of encouragement for Cipriani, whose summer move back to the Premiership with ambitious Sale was confirmed yesterday, with a series of stark warnings. [...]
Kean cautious as Blackburn surge six points clear of relegation zone March 20, 2012 BLACKBURN 2 vs SUNDERLAND 0 GOALS from winger Junior Hoilett and striker Yakubu earned relegation-threatened Blackburn a precious win over Sunderland last night and hauled them six points clear of the bottom three. Hoilett opened the scoring with a volley from the edge of the area on 58 minutes, and Yakubu made the points safe [...]
Keep Lancaster, urges Rowntree March 20, 2012 ENGLAND scrum coach Graham Rowntree has strongly urged the Rugby Football Union to hand interim head coach Stuart Lancaster the job on a permanent basis. Lancaster, who took over with the national set-up in crisis following a disastrous World Cup and a series of damaging leaks, faces competition from former Italy and South Africa boss [...]
Irish seek scrum help March 20, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Ireland have advertised for a new scrum guru, just days after their pack was steamrolled by England. But while the timing of the search is unfortunate, the new coach will not work with the senior side, focusing instead on under-age teams from the four provinces. Ireland were comprehensively beaten 30-9 at Twickenham on [...]
Cleverly defence KOd March 20, 2012 BOXING: Governing body the WBO have refused to sanction unbeaten Welshman Nathan Cleverly’s planned light-welterweight world title defence against Serbia’s Robin Krasniqi. The fight would have been the first held at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall for 13 years. The WBO insist Cleverly’s next defence – his fourth – should instead be against Russia’s Dmitry [...]
Synch set for National March 20, 2012 HORSE RACING: Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised is one of 59 horses who remain in contention for next month’s Grand National, but connections have warned the 8-1 favourite is by no means certain to run at Aintree on 14 April. Frank Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus, said: “We’ll wait until nearer the time [...]
Stamp duty hike to 7pc for £2m homes March 20, 2012 GEORGE Osborne will today launch a new tax raid on Britain’s wealthiest property owners by raising the level of stamp duty on the priciest homes. He will use his third Budget to increase the stamp duty payable on property transactions worth more than £2m, in a move that stops short of an annual “mansion tax” [...]
Bank: low rates keep dud firms on life support March 20, 2012 HISTORICALLY low interest rates have delayed the rebalancing of the economy by keeping troubled firms afloat, the Bank of England’s chief economist warned last night. In an unusual warning of the downside risks of ultra-loose monetary policy by a Bank official, Spencer Dale said Threadneedle Street’s stance could have “slowed the reallocation of capital and labour [...]
China worry rocks market March 20, 2012 FRESH concerns about a slowdown in China’s economy yesterday sent a shudder through global markets, including the oil trade, which saw the price of crude drop at its sharpest level in two weeks. China yesterday hiked its retail fuel prices for the second time in six weeks, sparking fears of lower demand from the world’s [...]
Osborne must explain his philosophy March 20, 2012 BUDGETS are not just about trying to outwit political opponents in a complex game of chess and propaganda, as some in Westminster believe. They are also about the vision that a chancellor and government wish to convey. In 1979, when Lord Howe slashed the top rate of tax from up to 98 per cent to [...]
