The quarter-finals of this season’s European football matches will live long in the memory. Roma, Red Bull Salzburg and Marseille all progressed when almost everyone thought their chances were over. Juventus nearly joined them, before Cristiano Ronaldo’s late penalty dashed the Old Lady’s dreams. The four ties involving these teams saw 34 goals scored over […]
World Cup
England’s strikers a cause for concern
As Britain faces temperatures as low as -15°, England manager Gareth Southgate will be warmed by the form of Harry Kane. The Tottenham striker is closing in on becoming the first Premier League player to reach 40 goals in a top flight season since Cristiano Ronaldo achieved the feat a decade ago. Delve deeper though, […]
All Blacks likely to remain one step ahead
In the Rugby World Cup final the All Blacks defeated Australia 34-17 to become the first nation to retain the title. It was easy to empathise with Australia who played well, yet only looked like contenders when New Zealand were down to 14 men. While the sporting greatness of teams is inevitably cyclical, and several […]
IRB wrong to point fingers
As the fallout from Scotland’s last minute defeat to Australia in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final continues, the media glare begins to turn on the International Rugby Board. Initially, Scotland fans directed their ire at referee Craig Joubert for running off the pitch straight after the final whistle and the IRB wasted little time condemning […]
Lancaster should stay but change is needed
The national media are looking for a scapegoat, but are holding their fire until after England’s participation at the World Cup is finally over. If England’s last match of the tournament was against a Tier 1 or a strong Tier 2 nation, the players would have the opportunity to claim a shred of redemption. A […]
Competition to host international sporting events has lost all credibility
It is idealistic to believe that politics and sport can ever be separated and the competition to host a major international event will always be fraught with intrigue. But when the months and years leading up to these heralded events spark such widespread anger, the manner in which the bids are selected needs to be […]