Jersey V London Scottish Oct 2012

London Scottish Football Club was founded on Wednesday 10th April 1878 by three men who formed a breakaway from St Andrew’s Rovers FC as a club for Scottish nationals. They were the first of the ‘Exiles’ rugby clubs to be founded, and also the last of the main three (Irish and Welsh) to go ‘open’ in 1996. Scottish are great exponents of the rugby sevens, winning the Melrose sevens (twice), the Middlesex sevens, (seven times) and the Rosslyn Park London Floodlit sevens (seven times).

 

London Scottish have not won any major national honours in the fifteens game, despite a strong presence in the second tier. They did make the John Player Cup Final in 1974 where they lost 26-6 against defending champions Coventry. Despite this they have always had a strong side. Scottish have produced more than 220 international players for the Scottish national team, which is more than any other club, and the same number of Lions captains as Leicester Tigers with four.

 

One of those players is Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE (born 3rd January 1962). A former Scottish International, he is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. ‘Big Gav’, born in Edinburgh, has also played for Watsonians, Cambridge University and the British and Irish Lions. He was one of the outstanding players of his generation, winning 61 caps for Scotland, 20 of which as captain. Playing at fullback he captained the Lions on the tour to New Zealand in 1993 (after playing in all three tests in the 1989 tour to Australia).

 

In 1987 the national league structure was formed, and in 1996 the game, along with Scottish, turned professional. During this period Tony Tiarks bought the club for £500,000 in 1996. In the summer of 1998, Scottish, co-tenants of Richmond at the Athletic Ground, were promoted to the top division via a play-off, and Tiarks forced through an ill-fated ground share with Harlequins and London Broncos at The Stoop.

 

The club had a successful start to this brave new era, despite only playing in the Premiership for just the one season. In 1998/1999 under coach John Steele, and with limited resources they managed to finish in a creditable 12th place out of the 14 teams which should have saved them from relegation. Unfortunately at the end of the season, the professional club, in which London Scottish was a shareholder, was forced into administration. By the halfway point of that season, a disillusioned Tiarks discussed selling Scottish's place in the Premiership to second-division Bristol. He bailed out in the summer of 1999, leaving the original amateur club to rejoin the RFU leagues at the bottom of the pyramid after effectively being relegated nine divisions because of the administration process. The club has since progressed back up through seven divisions in ten seasons to the Championship from 2002-2012 in a supremely successful run, unbeaten in 2008/09, and topping National One in 2010/11. The club’s ‘home’ is still the Athletic Ground it shares with Richmond.

 

Two years ago Scottish made a return to the second tier of English rugby in dramatic fashion. Having started the 2010/2011 season with three straight losses, (very similar to Jersey’s own start to National One), promotion looked unlikely. However, a run of 26 straight victories following that inauspicious start; meant that the promotion battle all came down to the final day of the season: a straight fight between local rivals Scottish and Barking with the winner heading to the Championship.

 

With seconds remaining, the score was locked at 13-10 to Barking, who looked odds on to gain promotion. The East Londoners expertly recycled possession close to the Scottish try line, winding down the clock. Just as Scottish supporters were resigning themselves to another season in National League One, the Barking number 10 threw a pass to London Scottish wing David Howells who plucked the ball from the air, before sprinting the length of the field to score an extraordinary interception try, and with it promotion.

 

Last year the club secured a second season in the Championship, finishing fourth from bottom in the regular season but contesting the now defunct ‘relegation pool’ having won six of their 22 league matches. Two out of six play-off wins were enough to survive by the skin of their teeth at the expense of Esher. Six wins is a stat that seems some way off for Jersey right now, but with successive home matches against sides predicted to be in the bottom half of the table, and with growing confidence after the recent home performances against Bedford and Pontypridd, along with a fantastic win away to Leeds last week, surely the table will look healthier very soon.

 

This season the Exiles are again led by Head coach Simon Amor, formerly the England rugby seven’s captain, and managed by Colin McIntyre. Amor who once played at scrum half or fly half for Scottish, is regarded as one of the greatest rugby sevens players in the history of the game having represented England from 2001-06. Having secured links with Premiership champions Harlequins, four youth players have already made the short trip to bolster an already strong looking squad; Agustin Gosio, Alfredo Lalanne and Adam Kleeberger all played at Rugby World Cup 2011 and eight others have had international rugby experience for Scotland.

 

Results this season have been mixed, fantastic at home, three league wins, with only Championship favourites Newcastle lowering the Scottish colours in the league by a narrow margin 32-49, (certainly the Falcons have posted much bigger scores elsewhere). Away from home it’s a different story with no wins, (two championship and one cup defeat), including proverbial spankings from both Bedford and Nottingham who put over 50 points on the Exiles. With the leakiest defence in the division, and if Jersey’s once famed defence can fire again, tries are on the cards today. With Jersey now on an unbeaten run of two, and with ‘The Booj’ back in the groove against Leeds, a continuation of this form and a solid forwards display, the first league ‘W’ is there for the taking and a return to ‘fortress St Peter’ is surely just around the corner.

 

Who to watch out for:

 

James Love.
Fullback/Wing.

Love, 24, was an integral part of Plymouth’s successful battle against relegation last term, notching up 247 points over the course of the 2011/12 season. This achievement is made all the more remarkable as this was his first season in the Championship after making the jump up from Hartpury College in National Three South West, having been born and raised in Bahrain. Director of Rugby Simon Amor was excited to see Love further his development at The Athletic Ground this season, saying, ‘James scored nearly 250 points for Plymouth last season which is obviously a fantastic kicking record. However, he is also a great attacking threat as well with ball in hand. I’m really excited to see how he develops in London Scottish colours.’ Exiles top scorer with 69 league points so far, and fifth in the division overall, ill discipline by the Jersey ranks will be punished.

 

Chevvy Pennycook.

Back Row.

New signing this term, 25-year-old Bristolian back row Pennycook made 16 appearances for Moseley last season after recovering from an early season injury. He arrives at The Athletic Ground with not only Premiership experience with Bristol, but also with England U20 experience in 2007. Another that brings proven Championship quality to the Exiles. He is an outstanding ball carrier and has an immense physical presence on the field. Currently joint top league try scorer with four.

 

Mark Bright.

Back Row.

6’4” and 16 ½ stone, formerly of Redruth, Bright has been a talismatic figure everywhere he has played. He made the Rugby Times National One dream team a record five times and scored 79 tries in 119 appearances before his move to Scottish last season. A decent sevens player, the lure of working with Simon Amor was a big factor in his move to London. New Zealander Bright has an eye for a big game try with nine in 23 matches so far for Scottish, including five already this term against the likes of Bedford, Newcastle and Cornish Pirates. Inspirational Captain, leads by example and a tough competitor (only missing two games in five seasons for Redruth), and heads a strong physical presence in the Scottish pack.

 

Tyler Hotson.

Lock.

The 27-year-old forward joined London Scottish in the summer after several years with Plymouth Albion, having also played for Northern Suburbs in Australia. Hotson has 27 international caps for Canada to his name, having been a fixture in the squad since his debut in the 2008 Churchill cup. Hoping to feature in Canada’s summer internationals after playing in the 2011 World Cup. A player with proven Championship experience, as well as international experience, and a second Canadian international in the Scottish squad. A proven top quality performer, Hotson brings plenty of experience into the forwards and a great deal of physicality to their pack, topping 6’4” and nearly 17 stone.

 

Andy Reay.

Centre.

Reay joined London Scottish from Moseley in the close season. Educated at Brunel University, Reay has won nine caps for England U21, which included winning the U21 Six Nations Grand Slam in 2004. After spells with Harlequins and Bristol, Reay then spent four years at Billesley Common. A good leader, having been Moseley’s captain during the relegation playoffs. He’s a very solid defender, a powerful runner and has very good handling skills. In a league where experience really matters, Reay is a player who knows the division inside-out.

 

Olympic glance back

With all the fall out from Ashley Cole, John Terry, Lance Armstrong and the negative press that has gone on around them all, we seem to have quickly forgotten that the Olympic spirit was so strong and our patriotism roared on our medal hopefuls. Here's a little flash back to an earlier article as to why I enjoyed the Olympics so much.

London 2012, the biggest sporting global brand arrived in a city divided. Did we really want the games; could the country really afford it? There were more than a few doubters and many were sceptical. So London did you deliver? Yes you certainly did. Fears were banished of a continuing recession, ticketing fiasco, security problems and travel chaos. The miserable British weather gave way to glorious sunshine, for the most part. The generous spirit, enthusiastic volunteers, incredible venues and unwavering support from packed venues created the platform for dreams to become reality. The nationalistic spirit following on from the Jubilee celebrations showed the world that London was the correct choice, as a truly memorable Olympics began.

‘Inspire a generation’ began with a stunning opening ceremony. Sir Steve Redgrave handed the Olympic torch to seven up and coming athletes to light the ‘cauldron’. A petal for each and every one of the 204 competing countries.

The tone will always be set by the home nation’s success and had I been asked to sum up the more recent games, it would not have taken so long, Beijing aside. Britain won more gold medals in London 2012 than in 1992 (5 medals) 1996 (1), 2000 (11) and 2004 (9) combined. Now there are so many successes, so many great stories it really is impossible to sum it all up without leaving out a large chunk of these wonderful athletes. 29 Gold, 17 Silver and 19 Bronze, 65 medals in total, third overall only behind the might of the USA and China, and with so many near misses gave the home nation its most successful games in over 100 years.

It took until the 5th day of competition before GB won its first gold. Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the rowing set the mood and from then on in the medals just kept coming. Britain’s favourite pair of sideburns, fresh from winning the Tour de France became Britain’s most decorated Olympian (albeit briefly) as Bradley Wiggins won the men’s cycling time trial for his fourth gold and seventh medal in total.

One of the idiosyncrasies of the Olympics is I, like many others, become transfixed to sports that I would not have otherwise even considered watching normally, so when Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott took gold in a Brit 1-2 in the canoeing and Peter Wilson in the double trap shooting, the momentum was certainly building as was my own excitement. Even the show jumping was dramatic, with a jump off giving GB their first gold in over 50 years.

Poster girl Jessica Ennis came into the games under immense pressure after the disappointment of 2008, the pin up of 2012, and failure here could have spelt disaster for the morale of the home athletes. Two stunning days, personal bests left right and centre gave her a comfortable win, roared home down the final straight of the 800m the gold was won. Riding the crest of this wave, injury plagued Long jumper Greg Rutherford and soon to be national hero Mo Farrah in the 10,000m followed on in a truly stunning 45 minute gold medal blast. Catherine Granger, after three successive silvers in the Olympics finally won the gold in the women’s double sculls rowing, and even Sir Steve Redgrave shed tears. Heroism aplenty such as Kate Walsh, hockey captain, leading Team GB to their first medal in over 20 years, bronze, despite fracturing her jaw in the pool stages. True Olympic spirit.

Velodrome domination, World Records tumbled with regularity. Even the coming to the end of the old guard failed to slow momentum, Sir Chris Hoy now with six gold medals, (overtaking Redgrave and Wiggins at the top of the medal tree). The final emotional charged ride of Victoria Pendleton’s career, the queen of the track, her legacy established through up and coming Laura Trott (who won two gold). 7/10 gold medals for the track cycling team matched the Beijing total despite a new rule of only one rider per nation per event. Director of the cycling team Dave Brailsford who has masterminded the two wheeled British juggernaut has stated that whilst the team do everything to make ‘marginal gains’ in order to give their riders an edge, without the graft, without the blood sweat and tears of four years of training day in day out, in all weathers to reach a standard not just to make the team, but to challenge the very best in the world takes a special person. Talent is not enough anymore but the rewards for those who had all this were showcased for us all to applaud.

British excellence was around every corner. Remarkable Ben Ainslie, who with four gold and one silver became the most successful sailor in the history of the Games, and in tennis Andy Murray who banished his Wimbledon final defeat by Roger Federer by beating the same player on the same court with consummate ease to take the gold. Brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, gold and bronze in the men’s Triathlon, took on the world and gave them a lesson in how to race. The big names stepped up and delivered and we all cheered ourselves hoarse. One moment that will stay with me for some time is the picture of disbelief, of sheer elation as Mo Farah won his second gold, in the 5000m and his celebrations with sprint king Usain Bolt atop the medal rostrum on the second ‘Super Saturday’.

The overseas Sports Personality of the year will also be a tough one to call. Incredible Usain Bolt, the double treble 100m/200m sprints and 4x100 relay, becoming the first man in history to defend the individual titles. The end of Michael Phelps’ swimming career ending with 22 medals, 18 gold – the most successful athlete of all time, by some distance too. He leaves some pretty big shoes to fill having won more medals than any other for the past three games’. Only 38 countries have more gold medals in the history of the modern summer games than Phelps has by himself.

Kenyan David Rudisha (previously dubbed ‘the best athlete you never knew about’) 1500m World Record, the only individual track and field record to go. Coincidently, the previous Olympic record was held by Lord Coe himself, and had mentored Rhudisha in the run up to the games. The race of the games for me, Team GB’s Andrew Osagie came home 8^th and last, but in a time that would have won gold in the previous three Olympics.

Who will forget the tears of Sir Chris Hoy, the knowing smile from Jess Ennis after her final long jump in the heptathlon, the enthusiasm of the father of South African swimmer Chad Le Clos who became an internet sensation after his interviews on the BBC? History made, Nicola Adams winning the first ever women’s boxing gold to help the team to its best ever medal haul. Jade Jones winning Team GB’s first gold in taekwondo.

The underpinning success of the games lies not only with the athletes themselves, but with the ‘games makers’ the thousands of volunteers who went about their business with a smile, a sense of pride, caught up in the national fervour brought about by huge patriotic crowds marshalled superbly well by the armed forces, who stepping in at the last moment not only gave a sense of security but one of relaxed enjoyment.

The legacy of 2012 is to inspire a generation. Anyone who has paid attention to any part of these games, and there can’t be many who haven’t, can’t help but marvel at the level of sporting excellence attained. London will be remembered as a Games for the people, a bringing together of a nation already rallied by HRH’s Jubilee celebrations. The spirit and energy of a nation racked by banking scandals and phone hacking. and is this really the same city that was buried under the weight of riots only a year ago? Did this city really just stage the most stunning event? Yes, and it will live with those who watched for the rest of their lives.

I really can’t say which my favourite moment was as there were so many – Bolt retaining his 100m title in the fastest final in history, (bar injury to one runner), Phelps winning his all-time record breaking medal; Ennis in the heptathlon; Farrah in the five and ten thousand and Wiggins in the time trial. Hoy winning his 6^th gold and his rostrum tears also stands out. Maybe even the comic sketch of Bolt mimicking Farah’s ‘Mo-Bot’ celebration as Farah did a take of Usain’s ‘Lightning Bolt’ atop the medal rostrum as the Olympic stadium bode farewell to the athletics. Winning, is it everything? Competing in the games, being part of the biggest global spectacle once every four years, for some is everything. Just ask the women from the Gulf States – the London Olympics had the first Saudi Arabian and Qatari women to compete. South African Oscar Pistorius, the blade runner, becoming the first Para-Olympian to compete, or perhaps it is American Mateo Mitchell who broke his leg halfway through his section of the 4x400 relay but carried on to finish. Sometimes it really is just about taking part.

David Cameron summed up the mood: ‘We can all feel that we don’t just have a great past behind us, but we have a great future ahead of us.’ IOC President Jacques Rogge declared at the opening ceremony: ‘The Olympic games are coming home tonight. This great sports-loving country is widely recognised as the birthplace of modern sport.’ What we do with this is now in the hands of each and every one of us.

Having spent the last few weeks glued to the TV, Olympic App’s,  Twitter, Facebook and anything else that has mentioned Olympics, even briefly, I’m not sure how I will fill my time, but hey, Rio is now less than four years away!

I hope, that like me you have been hugely inspired by the feats of the athletes in 2012, not just our own. The facilities we have in the UKare excellent, and the clubs, teams across Britain have already had a huge surge in inquiries about joining. We have the ability to become or inspire the next generation of Olympians. London 2012’s tag line of ‘Inspire a Generation’ are just words, but we can get up, get out and become that generation.

 

London 2012 Preview

Team G.B.

For those of you lucky enough to have tickets to any event, let alone to one of your choice, London 2012 promises us a show. From minority sports such as rhythmic gymnastics and triathlon, to more mainstream events such as cycling, tennis and football, there really is something for everyone in an Olympic games. 

London 2012 will leave a legacy to the nation with the stadia and facilities having been promised to the next generation of athletes. As with all big sporting events, World Cups, Wimbledon, etc. the increase in interest in sport during and after can only be a healthy spin off, especially in ‘obese Britain’. The early mantra for these games was to increase sport participation amongst Britain’s youth, and whilst our youngsters will imagine themselves to be the next Mark Cavendish racing down the estate on their bikes, those slightly older may simply be inspired to just get out and about and get healthy.

There has been much written about what will become of the venues after the games, the Olympic main stadium in particular, and who will become the tenants. The biggest debate is whether or not it will remain an athletics stadium to be proud of, or be lost to a single sport such as football. What we must be careful of is to realise that the event is just the start, and that after a successful Olympics no-one wants to see the sporting hierarchy resting on its laurels. They must ensure that the legacy from London 2012 and its as yet unwritten stories are re-told for generations to come, to inspire and create heroes of the future.

But what about the participants? The last competitor from Jersey to take part in a Games was swimmer Simon Militis, who competed in Sydney in 2000. I spoke to Simon (400 Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke) on what it meant to represent his Island, and nation, at this global sporting event.

Q: When did you start swimming and what was your motivation? Was it that you were naturally good and fell into it?

A: My mum used to take me swimming at Fort Regent. From then on I have vague memories of mum and dad getting me up for early morning training - 5am wakeup calls! I wasn't an amazing youngster in the pool, but I was competitive and I used to give each race my best effort. As I got older I started to gradually improve, and it was only after my A levels that I swam really fast and won my first National Championship. This led to my first Great Britain Cap. From then on I realised my potential and progressed through Island Games, Commonwealth Games, European Championships and then on to The Olympic Games.

Q: Did you do much training in Jersey?

A: I started training with Regent Swimming Club (now Regent Tigers Swimming Club) back in the 80s and trained with them until I went to Portsmouth University in 1996.

Q: To reach the standard you eventually attained, how long and how many hours a day did you have to train?

A: I was swimming 11 sessions a week varying between two to three hours in duration as well as four land-work sessions a week – all-in-all around 30 hours a week. In the pool I was covering between 80,000 to 100,000 metres a week.

Q: When did you realise you would actually be part of Team GB?

A: Before the Great Britain Olympic Trials I had not posted a time that was quick enough to make the GB Team. At the end of the 400m Individual Medley I realised that not only had I set a new British Record, but had posted a time quick enough to represent Great Britain. From the time that I was actually confirmed as being on the GB Olympic Team there was a surreal feeling – it was my boyhood dream come true. However it only started to sink-in when I was up in London collecting my team kit.

Q: What are your most vivid memories?

A: It’s difficult to contain the excitement of being at the world’s greatest sporting event. The Olympic Village was a smaller version of a town. It had everything from a post office and gym, to a spa, hairdressers, game zone and internet cafe. The dinner hall covered the area of about four football fields: It served every different type of food for every nationality competing and was open 24 hours a day.

I didn't attend the Opening Ceremony as I was competing a couple of days later and wanted to be able to perform to my best. On the day of my race it was very difficult to keep the nerves in check. The ready room (a room where the swimmers have to congregate 30 minutes prior to the start of their race) is full of tension and at that point you are on your own. The time came where I was marched out onto the poolside with the other seven swimmers to the cheer of the 18,000 capacity crowd. The sensation when your name is called out and the crowd are cheering just for you is indescribable. It really gets the emotions and adrenaline flowing, but from the second the gun goes it’s just you and your race plan. It’s an amazing experience to compete at the Olympics, one that only a few achieve. It is a special feeling knowing that you are one of approximately 6000 athletes from Great Britain that has represented their country at the World’s Greatest Sporting Event.

Q: Twelve years on you now have a young son, Oscar; will you be encouraging him to follow in your footsteps?

A: I won't necessarily force him to swim to his most competitive level, but I do think that it is important for him to learn to swim, especially living on an Island. If he wants to take up swimming, then I will support him, although doing early mornings again I'm not sure I'll enjoy that!

Fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt.

My ones to watch:

There will no doubt be surprises and, as in all live sporting events, it is all about who gets it right on the day. Those who have shone all year may have an off-day, picked up a niggling injury or just do not perform. Putting all that aside there are two standout athletes who even on an off-day, barring injury, will almost certainly take home a gold medal and with it a great deal of the limelight.

 
American MichaelPhelps won eight golds in eight events in Beijing 2008. Although he will swim fewer races due to his advancing years (27 is old for a swimmer it seems), he should still be a force to be reckoned with. Already the winner of the most golds in an Olympic career (14 medals), Phelps is in need of three medals to have won more than any other Olympic athlete: Larisa Latynina won 18 medals for the Soviet Union in Gymnastics. If Phelps should accomplish this extraordinary feat, he will surely be hailed as the greatest Olympian ever.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt, won both the 100m and 200m with consummate ease in 2008. After his record-shattering speed in Beijing, he will look to become the first man to twice sweep the Olympic sprints in London. Bolt also won gold in the 4x100 relay to leave Beijing with three victories. Having beaten his own World records in 2009 and entering good form in 2012, the crowd favourite is odds on to be crowned once again, the fastest man on the planet.
 

Brit 'pin-up girl' Jessica Ennis

Brits to watch out for:

Tom Daley

Tom’s career to date seems to have been aimed at these games, having competed in Beijing as a 14 year old. Already a British star, the media have portrayed him of late as someone who is too happy to do the superstar bit first, train second. These games may well make or break his diving career after a troubled 2011.

JessicaEnnis
The reigning world champion in the heptathlon. Injury forced her out of the Beijing Games. The pin-up girl of the British team, she will be heavily backed on home soil.

Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter

Proved they were the best in the world after a turbulent 2011 season. After four months during which they were unable to compete together as Purchase suffered with a viral illness, the Olympic champions came back and retained their lightweight double scull world title in dramatic style.

Tiffany Porter

American born, the Great British captain has a lot of pressure on her shoulders having been handed this important role, but she has been destroying national records in the sprint hurdles all year.

Mo Farah

The first medal to be decided could well go to Cavendish

Much will depend on which event Farah will run, 5000m, 10000m marathon or a combination. David Moorcroft described him as; ‘the greatest male distance runner that Britain has ever seen’, and fully fit he will surely bring back a gold.

Keri-AnnePayne

Relative newcomer Payne, 24 years old, won an Olympic silver two years after taking up open-water swimming full-time and became the first Brit to qualify for the 2012 Games.

ChrisHoy
Track cyclist Hoy became the first athlete from Great Britain to win three gold medals at a single games in 100 years. Hoy also won gold in Athens and silver in Sydney.

RebeccaAdlington
Adlington was a double swimming gold medallist in Beijing (400 free, 800 free), becoming the first British swimmer to win two golds at the same Games since 1908. Not the favourite this time, but at home she may yet find the strength.

Alistair Brownlee

Reigning World and European champion. An injury has hit the best triathlete in the world at the back end of 2011, already a doubt, but fully fit no one will get near him, except perhaps his younger brother Jonny!

Mark Cavendish

Britain’s global superstar. The fastest man on two wheels. Winner of 20 stages of the Tour de France and current Green Jersey holder. The GB team put Cav’ in with a great chance of winning the World Champions ‘Rainbow Jersey’ in 2011 and he duly delivered. If he is within sight of the finish come the final showdown he could win the first gold medal of the games.

Football– Team GB

For the first time since 1972 Britain will have a football team at the Olympics. The side may yet give the nation its best chance of success in this sport since England’s near miss at the European championships in 1996. Given that world class players from the smaller nations may never get the chance to play in World Cups, and the home crowd factor, team GB have an edge they’ve never had in this event.

Whatever the results and whoever becomes a national hero, London 2012 will give us Britons a chance to become patriotic, to be proud of our nation and to hopefully revel in the successes of our stars. I leave the final words to flamboyant Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who at a party to mark the handover of the Olympic flag in Beijing, he laid claim to Britain’s sporting inventiveness. ‘Virtually every single one of our international sports were invented or codified by the British. And I say this respectfully to our Chinese hosts, who have excelled so magnificently at Ping-Pong: Ping-Pong was invented on the dining tables of England in the 19th century, and it was called Wiff-waff!

‘And there, I think, you have the difference between us and the rest of the world. Other nations, the French, looked at a dining table and saw an opportunity to have dinner; we looked at it and saw an opportunity to play Wiff-waff. And I say to the Chinese, and to the world, that Ping-Pong is coming home, athletics is coming home, sport is coming home.’

Premier League Round-Up



A stunning scoreline.



Believe it or not but we are roughly a quarter of the way through the football season. With the odd exception the teams are roughly where we expected them to be at the start of the season, but this is nothing like an ordinary season. Goals a plenty have flown in against the most unlikely teams. Who could have predicted that Manchester City, despite all their financial clout could put five past Tottenham at White Hart Lane, and even more astonishing, six past the league champions Manchester United away from home where the hosts have been unbeatable. Spurs who were reeling from a terrible start, put four past big spending Liverpool and then Man United themselves in perhaps the most unbelievable result beat Arsenal 8-2! Arsenal then rallied and went to Stamford Bridge beating Chelsea 5-3.

Perhaps the biggest strides have been made by Newcastle United who have confounded all their critics and at time of writing were sitting pretty in the Champions league places, only a point off second place. Even the most optimistic supporter doubts that they can hold the position for the season, but they should now be looking up rather than down for the remainder of the season. Man City surely have their best ever chance of winning the title, with players such as David Silva in such mercurial form they do look unbeatable at the moment. The battle for the rest of the top four looks as wide open as it’s ever been. Newcastle as mentioned have put themselves into the mix, but both North London sides, Arsenal and Tottenham are looking massively improved, Chelsea and Man United have been up and down but still look strong, and Liverpool’s new signings are slowly bedding in and are quietly climbing.

The battle to avoid the drop looks set to be as enthralling as ever, with only eight points separating Norwich in eight place from Wigan who sit bottom, and with all three promoted clubs playing well and in the top half, none of the teams in this bracket can afford to relax for a second.

Nominee for World Player of the Year  Luis Suarez may be in trouble.

Off the field the biggest stories involve Man City, where unrest still lurks over Carlos Tevez. Former captain and talisman Tevez has been trying to leave the club for some time, in the summer saying he did not want to return to Manchester ever again, (surprising as he is on a paltry £200,000 a week), but family commitments pushed him into a move back to South America, which fell through. Tevez, on the bench for a vital Champions League match away to German side Bayern Munich, allegedly refused to come off the bench. The exact sequence of events is still unclear with both sides adamant of their side of the argument. Nonetheless it seems pretty clear that his days as a City player are numbered.

Racism has no part in football, or in any sport for that matter, so it is disturbing that allegations have arisen recently involving two high profile players, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and England captain John Terry. Nothing has been proved thus far and one hopes this will be brought to a swift and fair resolution quickly.

There is doubt that this scene will be repeated in May.

With some massive games in the next few weeks the run into the Christmas fixtures look set to shape the table, but with the season going the way that is has been with crazy results, the destiny’s of the twenty clubs is far from certain.

All Black Gold



 

New Zealand victorious.



New Zealand finally beat their French 'hoodoo' to win the Webb Ellis Rugby World Cup. Having won the inaugural tournament back in 1987, also on home soil, the All Blacks have flattered to deceive ever since. Lauded as the best nation to play the game, they have had to play second fiddle to their southern hemisphere counterparts Australia and South Africa in recent years, with England also winning the tournament since '87.
 
Having gone into the tournament as odds on favourites the pressure was immense. Some classy performances in the group stages where they scored tries for fun only served to increase the expectation of a hungry home crowd. Argentina despite the final score put up stiff resistance in the quarter final and only a remarkable kicking display by Piri Weepu kept New Zealand on course. Australia in the semi final was always going to be a massive test and was won by a moment of brilliance by Israel Dagg and Ma'a Nonu. The French in comparison limped to the final, arguably the worst side to reach the final having been torn apart by New Zealand in the pool stages, struggling to overcome Japan and even losing to minnows Tonga. Playing a poor England side in the quarters where they played 30 minutes of excellent rugby, only to capitulate in the second half and almost throw it away, before somehow winning by a single point against a Wales side shorn of its talismanic captain to a contentious red card after only 16 minutes.
 
The French were written off by many, massive outsiders, just there to make up the numbers in this, their third final. This French side like so many others before it however thrives in the adversity, and the press inadvertently gave them all the motivation they were to need to take the game to New Zealand and give them the fright of their lives. Winning ugly is a term used by many others but not in the All Blacks vocabulary, until today. It was not pretty, but it was compelling. Like many finals before, it was tense, and hinged on a few key moments. As in 2007 when a Mark Cueto try was not awarded, the French at 0-5 down were not awarded a penalty that all bar the referee could see, only to award the Blacks on seconds later, from which Stephen Donald was to kick the games winning points.
 
Rejoicing captain Richie McCaw hoisting the trophy aloft at a packed Eden Park in Auckland will be the image taken home by the 60,000 capacity crowd and by millions watching at home, but the game itself was far from clear cut, right up to the final whistle. France started well, buoyed by the nervousness very apparent in the home teams ranks, they set about to disrupt as they had done to England and Wales in the earlier matches. Both teams lost the fly halves before the interval, New Zealand having to call on the fourth choice Donald, not even in the squad at the start of the tournament. Veteran Prop Tony Woodcock scored the only try of the half from an excellent set piece line-out, which the usually reliable Weepu failed to convert, a missed drop goal from France was the closest they came to troubling the scoreboard but in possession and territory they were far from being outplayed. Into the second half and having seen Francois Trinh-Duc miss an early penalty for France, Donald completed his fairytale by calmly slotting over his in reply a couple of minutes later. The relief was immense and perhaps lulled the Blacks into a false sense of security. France had to put points on the board quickly which they did as sub Trinh-Duc carved open the New Zealand defence, creating the opening for captain and man of the match Thierry Dusautoir to score under the posts. Trinh-Duc converted to leave France within a point. A 48 metre penalty fell shy for France and despite all the effort, the wall of black held off a final 18 phase attack to leave the hosts and favourites as the 2011 winners.
 
For many rugby lovers this was the right result. The team that had looked the best throughout the tournament, who had scored the most tries, had been victorious, but it was far from a polished performance. In France, somehow they got to a final that they scarcely deserved to be in, but once there they showed just why they are now ranked as the number three side in the world. New Zealand for all the facts and figures, remain at number one. But ask any local what they really care about, and that is New Zealand have won the 2011 rugby World Cup.

Unlikely hero's, Donald and Woodcock.



Dan Wheldon RIP

Dan Wheldon, one of Britain's best.

Tragedy is a word often used in sport to describe heartbreaking moments of sporting drama. However the true meaning of tragedy in sport struck yesterday when Dan Wheldon, one the best British racing driver of his generation, was killed at the Las Vegas Indycar race.

In a monumental pile up that included fifteen cars, Wheldon, winner of the legendary Indianapolis 500 twice, came off worst at the end of season race, before he was pronounced dead after being airlifted from the raceway to a nearby hospital.

Whilst Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button hold higher profiles back home in the UK and the Formula One circuit, Wheldon's career was based almost solely in America, finishing up at the Bryan Herta Autosport team where he took his second Indianapolis 500 win in 2011.

Wheldon moved to America in 1999 stating that he could not get the investment needed to continue his racing dream. Making an almost instant impact he was voted 'Rookie of the Year' in 2003 and runner up overall the season after after claiming three wins. His big break came in 2005 where he won a record six races on his way to becoming series winner. A mooted move to Formula one never materialised and Wheldon continued in IndyCar, finishing second again in 2006 despite having the same number of points as the winner. Finishing with sixteen wins overall and a popularity that rivalled the very best in the sport, Wheldon was a much loved and well respected driver.



The horrific nature of the crash involving 15 cars.

 Jenson Button tweeted "I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90s, a true fighter. We've lost a legend in our sport but also a great guy." Scotland's Dario Franchetti who finished as series winner after the race was abandoned said;  "We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships and today it doesn't matter."

Wheldon who had not driven much this season as he had failed to secure a regular team, was invited to race from the back of the grid, chasing a bonus prize of $5 million which he had said would go to a charity should he have won.

Wheldon who was just 33, leaves a wife and two young children. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this tragic time.

England crash out of the World Cup

French joy at beating the old enemy.

England’s World Cup came to an abrupt end at ther hands of the mercurial French. The side battered by New Zealand, destroyed and shocked to the very core with defeat to minnows Tonga, showed the endemic flaws in the English game, racing into a 16 point lead that they were never likely to relinquish.

After indifferent performances in the group stages, England were expected to up their game in the knockout stages, especially against a team that had looked like a pub side at times. Perhaps this psychologically hampered England, maybe believing the game was already won.

Foden's try and Tualigi's performance was meek reward.

Credit to the French they matched England all over the park, outmuscling in the scrum, one of England’s strengths, winning lineout ball and tearing holes in a usually measly defence. When you fail to control the game in the forwards and continue to give teams kickable penalties then you will always struggle and that’s exactly what happened.

Three first half tries owed as much too poor English tackling as to the French movement. For the last two World Cups England have held the Indian sign over France ending their hopes with typical gritty English performances. This time the grit seemed to be lacking, and even when it was, basic skills and ball handling time and time again undid any good work England managed to put together.

Before the game Martin Johnson had admitted that England had been starting poorly and the opening exchanges appeared to show that this trend had ended. But with no points on the board England went into self destruct mode, allowing France to pin them back time and time again. England came out in the second half and dragged themselves back into the contest, but chances were few and far between, whereas mistakes were in abundance. Winning the second half 12-3 will be no consolation to a team which was destroyed in the first.

England were out-muscled in all departments.

Selection is always easy to criticise after the event, especially when things have gone badly. The loss of Mike Tindall allowed Johnson to experiment with both Toby Flood and Jonny Wilkinson. Both seemed to be subdued and out of sorts, only allowing the outstanding Manu Tualagi scant possession. The big debate over who should kick between Wilkinson and Flood was never really called into question as the French did not concede any kickable penalties until it was too late in the match for these to be taken. One of England’s best players in this tournament, James Haskell, was left on the bench and introduced far too late to have any noticeable impact.

Whether or not these changes would have changed anything is a purely hypothetical debate, but having seen the heart, desire and ball handling of the Welsh earlier in the day perhaps a disappointing defeat to France is better than a humiliation against the men from the valleys.

Manager Johnson has much to do to restore English pride.

In 1999 England crashed out in the quarter finals to South Africa and Jannie de Beer’s record five drop goals. What the English learnt from this, they took on, built for the next World Cup in Australia, and duly brought the trophy home. Amongst the debris and fallout that will follow, the RFU, management and players must take a long hard look at themselves if any repeat is to happen in 2015.

Ashton books Englands place in the quarter final.

Waking up this morning to read the sports headlines, you would be forgiven for thinking that England had crashed out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Disappointment, poor performances, players on the front pages of the papers as well as the back.

Now forgive me for stating the obvious but England, without playing well have just topped a pool including the team who finished third last time out, won against the auld enemy, always tricky in the conditions presented, and gave a stuffing to Georgia and Romania. We have the tournaments top try scorer in Chris Ashton, and found a genuine world star in Manu Tuilagi.

In tournaments passed, the All Blacks swept all before them playing wonderful running rugby before falling at the final hurdle. 1995 springs to mind as a Jonah Lomu inspired team destroyed all before them before losing to the host nation, South Africa. Winning ugly is a phrase that has been used in Martin Johnsons reign before, but winning is winning. Ask any New Zealander what he’d rather see. Yes we would all like to see the running rugby, balls pinged out wide for the speedsters to round five defenders before seeing them swallow dive into the corner, but let’s be realistic. Rugby is now fully global and the gap is getting smaller. Some teams will still get an old fashioned spanking, but the massive wins by 100 plus points are now down to 60, and this gap will continue to narrow as the smaller nation’s progress apace. Small margins separate the good from the great and much of that is purely psychological.

Injury may prevent Wilkinson from improving his impressive resume vs France

We cannot hide behind the obvious. Jonny Wilkinson has not kicked to his usual high level, but let’s not get away from the fact that the ‘usual high level’ is sublime. Against the Scots he was asked to nail long range efforts in wet blustery conditions and he fell short, a couple by a whisker. His first drop goal attempt was poor and he will admit this, but his second was superb. The clamour for Toby Flood after his ten minute cameo where he supplied Ashton with the pass for the winning score before kicking a touchline conversion will not go unnoticed but Wilkinson is much more than kicking goals. His tigerish defence and big hit tackling surpasses some of his forward colleagues and will make the decision to drop him that much harder.

Elsewhere Matt Stevens was given a lesson against Ewan Murray, but a better prop he will not face again in this tournament. Mike Tindall continues to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The British press seem to love to derail an English player/team. Any scandal is pounced upon, especially when the spotlight is so acute. Once again the press seem to be obsessing over a players private life when really they should be more concerned about getting behind the side at a time where the World Cup is about to hit the most exciting and treacherous phase. To be in a place such as New Zealand is a dream for most, but the players simply cannot be expected to cocoon themselves in their rooms for the duration of the tournament which hopefully will last for as few weeks longer. They may well have crossed some boundaries, but the management have dealt with the issues and that really should be that.

Tuilagi may hold the key to beating the French.

If England are to progress further in this tournament, then the discipline on the pitch must be sharpened up. Too many penalties and free kicks conceded once again. The French, despite being in as bad a state as I can remember, (having been outplayed all over the pitch by the Tongans), will not be so forgiving. France are the most mercurial side in world rugby, capable of beating the best and losing to the teams really here to make up the numbers. No disrespect to Tonga as it was a sensational performance but they really are in the third tear of international rugby right now.

The winner will play either a resurgent Wales or a newly confident Ireland for a place in the final. All four European teams will rightly be justified in seeing a uniquely winnable route to play one of the southern hemisphere giants. England have beaten all three this year and should rightly be cast as favourites to progress, but Johnsons men will need to discover the form and confidence of the Six Nations and then some if they are to make it three consecutive final appearances.