The News Review:
- Frustrated Wasps aim to deliver
- 2006: the year of air kicks heiresses and the worst of bad Hair days
- Gross incompetence is not what it used to be
- Gross incompetence is not what it used to be
- A to Z
- Jennings to leave Leicester
Frustrated Wasps aim to deliver
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
On the back of fluent wins over Treviso in the Heineken Cup and with virtually his full squad to select from coach Ian McGeechan was confident of good things at Franklin’s Gardens. In difficult foggy conditions however his side again failed to convert pressure into points with two late penalty misses by Mark van Gisbergen proving costly. Now is definitely not the time for such lapses. The holiday period is when sides put themselves in the Guinness Premiership shake-up ahead of the disruption of the Six Nations and Wasps also need to build up a head of steam before their remaining Heineken Cup games against Perpignan and Castres. Today they face high-flying Gloucester with Dean Ryan’s side champing at the bit after the late postponement of their game against Newcastle on Friday.
2006: the year of air kicks heiresses and the worst of bad Hair days
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
• Gold medals won by British male swimmers at the Commonwealth Games. Australia’s men’s team won one gold medal – in a relay race. • Successive wins (and counting) by Munster in the Heineken Cup – a competition record. 14 Red cards including one in the World Cup final in Germany shown to Zinedine Zidane in his professional career – two more than Vinnie Jones received. 15 Goals scored in World Cup finals matches by Ronaldo eclipsing Gerd Muller’s record of 14 for West Germany. • Points achieved by Sunderland in the 2005-6 season the lowest in the history of the Premiership. 16 League goals scored by Frank Lampard in the 2005-6 season the most by a midfielder since the advent of the Premiership.
Gross incompetence is not what it used to be
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
It happened in Australia in 2003 when Tonga played three games in nine days and will continue in France 2007 when Japan face Australia in Lyon and then travel to Toulouse to take on Fiji four days later. England on the other hand are assured at least six days’ training or travelling time before each of their four pool matches. • The cancellation of the Anglo-Welsh knockout cup which is a non-starter as a decent rugby competition. The only purpose it serves is to raise cash for Welsh regions and Premiership clubs. As soon as sides lose a match they field their second teams. Far better to get rid of the tournament altogether freeing up three weekends of the season when the pool matches take place for the players to rest or get together for national training. On to the ‘Why change it in the first place?’ category A return to more traditional Saturday afternoon kick-off times please… With Toulouse in the doldrums and Bernard Laporte the French national coach apparently unwilling to move away from the regimented approach that he introduced when he took over in February 2000 French rugby is not nearly as attractive a spectacle. The ability is still there. Jean-Baptiste Elissalde Yannick Jauzion Cedric Heymans and Vincent Clerc were in sublime form when Toulouse hosted London Irish in round two of the Heineken Cup. But there is less ebullience less pure pleasure among the French stars as if playing rugby for a living has become a drudge. Step forward Mssrs Richard Hill Mike Tindall and Lawrence Dallaglio.
Gross incompetence is not what it used to be
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
With France and England at Croke Park (although maybe Ireland are not too worried where they play England these days after winning the last two at Twickenham) Ireland are ideally placed to go one better than last season when they clinched a Triple Crown. And that would be a fitting reward for O’Driscoll the best player in the northern hemisphere by a mile who recently turned down a lucrative French contract committing himself to Irish rugby until the end of his career. While we’re on the subject Munster to back up last season’s Heineken Cup victory or Leinster to nick it from them because both outfits are everything top rugby sides should be: ferocious committed egalitarian and good fun to be around. •The Rugby Football Union to maintain their hard-line stance on foul play and to commit to improve their disciplinary procedures still further. There were concerns that the authorities were genuflecting to the namby-pamby brigade when the new guidelines were introduced but the sport has never been tougher nor cleaner. These days judgments are handed out swiftly and there is greater consistency of sentencing a marked improvement from the anomalies that used to prevail. •Will Greenwood to get more exposure.
A to Z
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
Another L Lord Coe has since been pouring oil on these troubled waters and insisting that all will (eventually) be well. M… is for Murray Andy of that ilk who continued to make startling progress up the world tennis rankings and in the process defeated Roger Federer in straight sets a task that would be beyond all but a handful of his contemporaries. Let us also praise the mighty men of Munster who shrugged off two previous defeats in the final to beat Biarritz and win the Heineken Cup. England’s new football manager is an M Steve McClaren. Mediocrity? Middleweight? Master? The jury will be out for some time. And a word also for Jose Mourinho who continues to sulk grumble and whinge his way towards the top of the Premiership. N… is for Rafael Nadal practically the only tennis player on the planet who can hold a candle to Roger Federer.
Jennings to leave Leicester
Telegraph.co.uk – Jul 1, 2007
He has resumed training after sustaining a knee injury against Romania in November. Stephen Jones the Wales captain is expected to play his first game in three weeks tomorrow when Llanelli Scarlets visit Edinburgh. He has not played since the Heineken Cup win in Toulouse due to back spasms. Jones’ absence has given an opportunity for James Hook the aspiring outside-half at Neath-Swansea Ospreys to dominate media attention. But Phil Davies the Scarlets’ director of rugby has no doubts who will start at No 10 in Wales’ first Six Nations match against Ireland in Cardiff on Feb 4. Davies said: “Stephen’s proved over the course of time what he’s capable of doing and he will do it again and again. ” Cardiff Blues have confirmed that prop John Yapp has been ruled out for the rest of the season because of a ruptured knee ligament he suffered in the victory over the Scarlets on New Year’s Day.