History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

WIGAN CLOSE IN ON FRANCE INTERNATIONAL

Wigan manager Steve Bruce is closing in on Marseille’s France international defender Gaël Givet. Bruce, who would prefer to take the centre-back or left-back on loan initially, faces competition from Belgian giants Anderlecht.

Givet is deemed surplus to requirements at the south France club – and manager Eric Gerets has said he will allow the 27-year-old to leave in the January transfer window.

The former Monaco captain, who has earned 13 caps for Les Bleus, is valued at £1m by Marseille and ready to leave the club he joined 18 months ago.

He said: “I am ready to play elsewhere as this is almost impossible at Marseilles now.”

Bruce is believed to be keen on taking Givet to the JJB Stadium on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy.

Labels: Gael Givet, Marseilles, Premier League, Steve Bruce, Wigan

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:33 am | Permalink | Comments

LIONS CAN DOMINATE SOUTH AFRICAN SCRUM

Ian McGeechan's British and Irish Lions can defeat South Africa in the summer by getting the upper hand in the scrum, according to Phil Keith-Roach, the man who made England’s set-piece the stuff of legend in the last decade and steered them to the World Cup in 2003.

Now in his 60s, the former Dulwich College economics teacher is delighted that Graham Rowntree – a player he worked closely with for years – has been appointed as specialist scrum coach for the Lions, in addition to his identical role with England, and is excited by the prospect of the Lions turning the screw on the Springboks at the set-piece. And central to that could be Phil Vickery, who Keith-Roach backs to be McGeechan’s captain on tour.

Though England’s scrum was below its imperious best in the autumn series, Keith-Roach knows that Martin Johnson’s pack will harden in the Six Nations and that 37-year-old Rowntree, who won 54 caps for his country and two Lions caps on the successful 1997 tour to South Africa, will have a great pool of players from which to select from come June.

“The Lions should have a formable scrum against South Africa – and I think it is an area where the Boks have a slight weakness that can be exploited,” says Keith-Roach, who read social anthropology and economics at Cambridge and won three blues. “But it is important that Graham gets those excellent component parts – especially the front row – working together in a short space of time.

“But, like in 1997, you never really know which combination will work in the front row until you get out there, so you have to take tried and tested players. Graham will be hoping to work with players who have had a good Six Nations and have an impressive international curriculum vitae.”

A bevy of players who have already tasted Lions action are expected to be jostling for the front-row positions. Vickery, Julian White, Matt Stevens and John Hayes, who all featured in the ill-fated New Zealand tour in 2005, will be vying for the berth at tighthead prop. In addition, Keith-Roach earmarks Northampton Saints’ Euan Murray, “who has being playing very well for Scotland for a couple of years,” to make the trip.

At loosehead former Lions Andrew Sheridan and Gethins Jenkins should travel, while Tim Payne, Marcus Horan and Duncan Jones are also in with a shout, says Keith-Roach. He notes that there will be a new Lions hooker, however, and while Munster’s Jerry Flannery is many people’s favourite for the Test shirt, he believes that any of the British hookers can get the nod if they have a good Six Nations.

“A consistently efficient, reliable and strong scrum is the foundation stone of any team,” continues Keith-Roach, “and the Lions can definitely attack the South African scrum. Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira should play loosehead for the Boks while on the tighthead side, which is the vital side of the scrum, South Africa have a number of different combinations. They can use Jannie Du Plessis, whose brother Bismarck could play at hooker as well as John Smit, or Brian Mujati – both are good, legal scrummagers.

“But that is not the case with CJ van der Linde. It is extraordinary that he has won so many caps (54). When he is under pressure on South African ball he regularly moves his right arm and collapses the scrum. Referees around the world have to wise up on what he is doing. The forwards coach Gary Gold will have to sort out that deficiency and make him bind properly, but I think that CJ has a lack of confidence – and the Lions can capitalise on that. They should target him as he is a liability. If selected loosehead Gurthro Steenkamp also has a questionable technique.

“Further back in the scrum the South Africans have huge, powerful men, but unless you get the props right then the scrum will be no good. The Lions will have the men who can cope with the physicality of the Boks, but, with the right technique and guidance – as provided by Graham Rowntree – they could more than match them in the scum and gain a great advantage.”

On the appointment of Rowntree, Keith-Roach continues: “I’m not at all surprised that Graham has been chosen by the Lions. He used to take charge of the scrum on match days for England and proved himself as an international player.

“He was tough, durable and unbelievably determined and a really decent bloke to boot. There is no doubt there are many people more determined than him. There might have been people who could run faster and do this or that, but he has got a remarkable resolve and has a great knack of getting on with people. He has got it all in the bank, all the knowledge is there and he gets on with people – what more do you need, frankly?”

And why, in Keith-Roach’s opinion, should Phil Vickery skipper the Lions? “He is a remarkable guy and a great leader who has done it all before,” he says of the Wasps prop, who turns 33 in March. “He is a wonderful player who performs time after time, very straight-talking, and he took England to the World Cup Final in 2007. It is always good to have a captain in the front-row. Indeed consider that South Africa won the World Cup with a hooker as captain.”

Labels: British Lions, Graham Rowntree, Ian McGeechan, London Wasps, South Africa

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:20 pm | Permalink | Comments

DAVIS: TROUBLED POMPEY IN DOGFIGHT

Sean Davis admits Portsmouth are in a relegation "dogfight" and says they need to stick together if they are to escape the drop.

After Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal, Tony Adams's team have now lost their last four Premier League games.

Since Adams took over from Harry Redknapp, Pompey have gained only nine points from a possible 33 - and have been further rocked by speculation over the club's ownership and players leaving in January.

Owner Alexandre Gaydamak has admitted that he is looking to sell the club and is hoping to recoup some of the money he has invested in Portsmouth.

Lassana Diarra has already been sold to Real Madrid and rumours are rife over the futures of star players Jermain Defoe, Glenn Johnson and Sylvain Distin.

But midfielder Davis said: "We are in a dogfight but after the character and commitment the boys showed in the Arsenal performance we should be alright.

"I think we need six wins to stay up and the squad are more than capable of that. Our next league game, at home to Manchester City, is massive.

"We have got Bristol City in the Cup first, and we want a good run in the Cup. The FA Cup is not a distraction at all. We really want to go on a good Cup run again as it breeds confidence.

"If the club sell all our players it is unfortunate, but we have got to get on with it. If they keep players then it is a sign that the club want to go places and keep progressing over the years.

"There is always going to be talk [about transfers] with the players that we have got. We have big-time players here the likes of Jermain, Glenn, Peter Crouch and Sylvain.

"It might be frustrating for the fans that we sell our top players and seem like we are not trying to progress. But the players who are playing have got to play their hearts out. It is just disappointing for the fans because they wanted to continue the progress as well."

On his former midfield partner Diarra, who was sold to the Spanish giants for more than £20m, Davis added: "Diarra was a crowd favourite but I was not shocked at him going. Real Madrid are a massive club.

"The only way the club could have stood in his way would have been to say: 'We are going to get a new ground, we are going to get a new training ground, we are going to buy this player and that player'. But that obviously was not the case and he has moved onto a bigger stage."

Labels: Portsmouth, Premier League, Sean Davis

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:19 pm | Permalink | Comments

ALMUNIA: GALLAS IS STILL ARSENAL LEADER

Manuel Almunia believes that William Gallas is in the form of his life having been freed of the pressures of being Arsenal captain.

The French defender, who was stripped of the skipper’s armband in November after publically criticising his team-mates, scored the Gunners’ winner against Portsmouth on Sunday.

And Spanish goalkeeper Almunia, who captained the side in the 1-0 victory over Pompey, believes that Gallas is still the leader on the field.

He said: “I think that William lost his form when he was captain because he lost some energy. He took responsibility for the pressure felt by all the players, by the group. He took, I think, too much responsibility.

“And now he is enjoying playing football, on the pitch, without so much pressure. William took too many responsibilities and tried to be the main player on the pitch.

“I think he is playing better than before. I spoke to him last week and he told me that now he is playing better because he is not losing too much energy because he is not worried about other things and other players or other circumstances off the pitch.

“He is an unbelievable professional and when he was captain he would fight for the team, in every aspect. He is a real winner and has a strong character. But we are on William’s side – everyone supports him.

“He is a player with more trophies than anyone else in the team, including a World Cup winner’s medal – everyone has to respect that. He knows very well how to get success. Even though he is not the captain we follow him.”

Almunia continued: “I have a very good relationship with him and I was very happy for him to score against Portsmouth. He has been playing very well and he deserved the goal.

“I play with so much confidence when William is playing in front of me – he is a special guy. I hope he stays at the club because I am very pleased with William on the pitch and in the dressing room.”

On Arsenal’s chances of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are 10 points ahead, the 31-year-old added: “For whatever reason we lost our way, our character and the way we play on the pitch. We need to re-find our spirit and our desire to win games.

“We have shown good character. But we still have a little more to go to find the real Arsenal. We are coming back slowly and we are showing better faith and character. But there is still a long way to go.

“We are not in a very good position now and the main thing is to look for our identity, our way, our character that gave this club all their titles and trophies.

“Once we have found this way [again] we can talk about bigger things. But the main thing now is to get three points in every single game.”

Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Manuel Almunia, William Gallas

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

GALLAS RUINS ADAMS'S RETURN

William Gallas's late header spoiled Arsenal legend Tony Adams's return to his former club as the north Londoners were made to sweat for their 1-0 victory at the Emirates against Portsmouth. The French defender rose to nod home Denilson's free-kick with only nine minutes remaining, and keep alive his side's Premier League challenge.

Portsmouth set out to destroy the home side's creativity by playing five in midfield, and with Peter Crouch acting as Adams's team's solitary attacker, Portsmouth's plan worked well, as they harried and pressured Arsenal giving them little time to conjure in the final third.

Indeed the first effort on goal from the frustrated north Londoners came after 23 minutes, but centre-back Gallas's 30-yard speculative shot was blocked. A minute later Pompey came within inches of taking a surprise lead when Marc Wilson floated an appetising cross towards Crouch, lurking at the far post. The tall forward out-jumped Gallas, but could only direct his header on to foot of Manuel Almunia's left-hand post.

Emmanuel Adebayor should have put Arsenal ahead after 32 minutes with a gilt-edged opportunity. The Togo forward, returning after suspension, was played though by a cleaver first-time pass by Abou Diaby that bisected the Portsmouth defence, but, having rounded goalkeeper David James, was tackled excellently by a sliding Sylvain Distin.

Before the interval Arsene Wenger, clearly unsettled by Adams's tactics, moved forward Nicklas Bendtner to the right flank and Samir Nasri, who had been there, in to central midfield in order that the diminutive Frenchman could wield more of a creative influence.

Despite matching the away side's number in the middle Arsenal still found it hard to test James's goal, though Adebayor wasted another superb opportunity on the hour mark. Denilson's cross from the right fell to the 24-year-old with the goal gaping six-yards away, but his snap-shot found the side-netting.

With Arsenal supporters becoming more restless as a fourth consecutive draw loomed, Brazilian Denilson clipped over a free-kick from the left, which Papa Bouba Diop needlessly conceded, and Gallas managed to steal in front of James and head the winner after 81 minutes.

The result moved Wenger's team to fourth in the table, though they are still 10 points behind leaders Liverpool. For Arsenal old boy Adams, who played over 500 games for the club, the pressure will increase. Since taking over from Harry Redknapp his team have managed only nine points from a possible 33 and a relegation battle looks a certainty.

Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Portsmouth, Premier League, Tony Adams, William Gallas

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:12 pm | Permalink | Comments

KABOUL BACKS ADAMS TO COME GOOD AGAINST ARSENAL

Younes Kaboul is so desperate to help his Portsmouth manager Tony Adams that he is willing to play tomorrow afternoon’s game against Arsenal even though he is not 100 per cent fit.

The 22-year-old centre back, who last featured in the magnificent 2-2 draw with Italian giants AC Milan in the Uefa Cup last month, is struggling with an ankle injury and believes that those who doubt the ex-Gunners captain’s managerial ability will soon be proved wrong.

Adams, who had an unsuccessful stint as Wycombe manger in 2003, played over 500 games for Arsenal and took over the reins at Portsmouth after Harry Redknapp switched to Kaboul’s former club Tottenham in late October.

Since taking charge the 42-year-old has garnered only nine points from a possible 30 in the Premier League, and after a 4-1 home drubbing at the hands of West Ham United on Boxing Day, Portsmouth are only three points clear of the relegation zone.

But Kaboul has backed Adams, and said: “We all think Tony is a great manger and we are all behind him. Though we have lost the last three games, we have been unlucky and that is no reflection on Tony’s skill as a manager. He is fantastic and I hate to see people criticising him.

“Though the results have gone against us we are not letting our heads get down and we are going to try and do everything we can to help him out and turn our fortunes around.

“I want to help the boss out as much as I can – I even want to play against Arsenal even though I am not fully fit. I want to turn in a really big performance. It would be great if Tony could beat his old team – that would perhaps give us the confidence to go on a good run and get out of trouble.”

For France Under-21 international Kaboul, victory at the Emirates would be doubly sweet, as he moved from Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham in the summer, and is close friends with many of Arsène Wenger’s squad.

“I would especially like to beat Arsenal – in the two derbies I played in last year I lost (3-1 at White Hart Lane and 2-1 at the Emirates),” he continued. “It would be special for me as I grew up playing with a lot of the young French players, too. Bacary Sagna, in particular, I knew very well as we both played at Auxerre in France. I just really hope we can get the right result at the Emirates for Tony.”

Labels: Arsenal, Portsmouth, Premier League, Younes Kaboul

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:46 pm | Permalink | Comments

HODGSON STARS AS SHARKS GO SECOND

Sale Sharks ascended to second in the Guinness Premiership and all but ended London Wasps’ hopes of retaining their title with a bonus-point victory in Stockport. In the only game on Boxing Day, at a full-house Edgeley Park, home fly-half Charlie Hodgson and full-back Mark Cueto, the forgotten men of English rugby, gave Martin Johnson a timely reminder of what they can do as their side cruised to a 31-3 win.

Against a weakened Wasps side, who were forced to drop nine of their international players due to the Elite Performance Squad rulings, Hodgson scored 16 points, while Cueto ran in his team’s second try and looked a threat all afternoon.

After a poor start to their league campaign Wasps had begun to build up a head of steam, having won their previous four games in all competitions. But Ian McGeechan’s side were out-muscled and out-spirited by a Sale Sharks team determined to give their departing coach Philippe Saint-André a Christmas bonus.

Sale skipper Juan Fernandez Lobbe opened the scoring after 10 minutes when Hodgson found Nial Briggs on the right. The flank forward, standing in for Luke Abrahams after the club suspended him for a headbutt in last weekend’s defeat to Bath, shipped on to Argentine Lobbe, who gleefully dived over in the corner. Hodgson, 28, kicked the extra two points and was asked to do the same only three minutes later.

Cueto, in an attempt to clear his lines, booted from just outside his 22-yard-line, and the ball bounced inside the touch line and back in to play, wrong-footing Wasps winger Chris Bishay. His on-rushing opposite man, Daniel Doherty, collected and slipped to the supporting Cueto, who raced under the uprights.

Though Wasps’ fly-half, Dave Walder, pulled back a penalty after 19 minutes, there was only one No10 shining on Friday – and Hodgson, capped 31 times for England, put the score beyond the visitors after converting his own try on 24 minutes.

When visiting flanker Joe Worsley trotted back from an offside position and found himself in the way of No9 Richard Wigglesworth’s pass, Hodgson was the quickest to react and pounced on the loose ball to take Sale to 21-3 at the interval.

Hodgson ensured his perfect kicking game with a penalty in the 50th minute, and, with three minutes remaining, he converted Lobbe’s second try of the game, a bullocking run from close range that forced a defeated and weary Wasps defence to cave in.

Labels: Charlie Hodgson, Guinness Premiership, London Wasps, Sale Sharks

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:47 pm | Permalink | Comments

LEE COOKING A STORM AT QPR

Lee Cook believes Queens Park Rangers should rush to secure the services of on-loan striker Heidar Helguson, who scored twice in the London side’s 3-2 win over Preston North End on Saturday.

Dextor Blackstock came off the QPR bench with nine minutes to go and headed the winner after Chris Sedgwick and Callum Davidson had earlier equalised for the visitors.

Helguson opened the scoring with a powerful header from Cook’s cross and claimed his side’s second – but Cook is positive that he had the last touch.

“I told him he could claim it because he is a goalscorer,” grinned the 26-year-old. “But I know it was my goal and he owes me one, definitely. He kicked my foot and then ran away celebrating!

“Heidar gives us something different. He is great in the air for his height and he gets in the right places to score goals – that is what he is all about. We have lacked that kind of player. I hope he is here for the long haul, and the club sort it out and get him in.”

Like the 31-year-old Icelandic international, midfielder Cook is on loan until January, but is hoping to re-join the Hoops, a club he “loves”. He added: “Hopefully my deal is going to be tied up this week.

“We can get it done and dusted and then we can relax more. I love this place and I want to sign and ensure my future is here and I’m glad the club is showing faith again.

“The team spirit is great at the minute – we are all enjoying playing under the new boss. He has completely changed our style – we are trying to play more football. With his coaching and his ideas I think we are going to be successful.”

Labels: Campio, Lee Cook, Paulo Sousa, Queens Park Rangers

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:00 pm | Permalink | Comments

BLACKSTOCK LATE SHOW LEAVES SOUSA PROUD AND PRESTON BITTER

Dexter Blackstock came off the bench and headed the winning goal four minutes from time in Queens Park Rangers’ 3-2 victory over Preston North End at Loftus Road to keep alive their hopes of promotion from the Championship. Heidar Helguson had scored twice in the first half for Paulo Sousa’s side but Preston twice equalised – however the Portuguese’s late gamble paid off.

“We needed to take a risk as we wanted to get the three points,” said the 38-year-old who has won all three of his home games since taking charge last month. “It was very important – we had planned for these occasions in training. It was fantastic when Dexter scored and I am proud of my players for getting the three points.”

The Portuguese’s team started the brighter and first tested Andy Lonergan in the Preston goal after only two minutes. Lee Cook, handed a free role behind strikers Helguson and Patrick Agyemang, fizzed a shot from the edge of the area that Lonergan could only parry. First to the rebound was Agyemang, who, having not scored since September, would love to have netted against the club he left last January. But Lonergan was quick to charge down the Walthamstow-born forward and his shot was turned wide of the post.

QPR had their tails up, and with Cook pulling the strings, it was no surprise when they took the lead after 16 minutes. The 26-year-old Cook, whose loan deal from Fulham is set to become permanent in January, was the provider. His delicious cross from the left flank was met by Helguson’s head at the far post, and the Icelandic international cleverly nodded back to the left of the goal, giving Lonergan no chance.

But having scored and dominated the first 20 minutes Sousa’s team relaxed and the travelling side took advantage of their complacency in the 28th minute. Paul McKenna cleverly clipped over a pass from the left that found Chris Sedgwick, who had sneaked in from his right wing. The 28-year-old stole in and skillfully steered his header past Radek Cerny, into the bottom right-hand corner – it was his first goal of the season.

QPR hit back with 10 minutes of the first half remaining. At the far post the hard-working Agyemang headed Martin Rowlands’s corner back across goal where Cook and Helguson were the first to react. From three yards out the pair managed to bundle the ball into the net, though the goal was attributed to Helguson, who scored his first goal for his loan club last weekend in the 1-1 draw with Plymouth and looks to have found his touch.

QPR had chances to put the game to bed, but Preston were handed a lifeline in the second half when referee Alan Wiley deemed that Cerny had felled Sean St Ledger in the area. Callum Davidson stepped up and cracked the ball straight to net his second spot kick of the season.

Sousa threw on leading scorer Blackstock with nine minutes remaining and it proved just the tonic. Cook was awarded a free kick on the left and Rowland’s kick was nodded in powerfully by Blackstock, who scored his tenth goal of the campaign.

Sousa’s opposite man, Alan Irvine, felt hard done by, and said: “In the first half QPR were the better team. I was praying for the whistle to go before any more damage was done. But in the second half we were the better team and I expected us to win the game.

“We deserved something. I thought it was a good game of football but it was disappointing to lose to a late goal. It was harsh to come away with nothing.”

Sousa, whose team are now only three points off a play-off place, picked out Cook, who is due to return to Fulham in January, for special praise. He said of the 26-year-old: “Lee came to us with an injury but is getting better and physically stronger. We need players of Lee’s quality to help us achieve the success that we strive.”

He will hope to extend Cook’s deal, but remained tight-lipped when asked if he would be doing more business in the upcoming transfer window. “I believe a lot in my players. With them I’m sure – I don’t have doubts – my team can get better and better and be more consistent. We can be competitive until the end.”

Man-of-the-match: Lee Cook
The midfielder was behind all that was good about QPR, particularly in the first half.

QPR: 4-4-2
Paulo Sousa 9/10
Cerny 5; Ramage 6 (Blackstock 6 81), Gorkss 6, Stewart 6, Delaney 6 (Hall 6 81); Ephraim 6, Mahon 6 (Leigertwood 6), Rowlands 6, Cook 8; Agyemang 7, Helguson 8.
Subs: Hall, Leigertwood, Blackstock, Ledesma, Di Carmine.

Preston: 4-4-2
Alan Irvine 5/10
Lonergan 6; Nolan 6, Mawene 7, St. Ledger 7, Davidson 6; Sedgwick 7 (Whaley 90), Nicholson 6, McKenna 6, Wallace 5; Parkin 7, Chris Brown 6.
Subs: Neal, Hawley, Carter, Simon Whaley, Jones.

MATCH RATING: 8/10

REFEREE WATCH: Alan Wiley 7/10

Labels: Championship, Dexter Blackstock, Paulo Sousa, Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:53 pm | Permalink | Comments

DIARRA WILL BE A REAL SUCCESS: LAUREN

Lassana Diarra will be a great success at Real Madrid and will prove to be as good a player as Claude Makelele for the Spanish giants, according to his Portsmouth team-mate Lauren.

The French international midfielder is due to seal his move from Fratton Park on Thursday following an accepted bid of £20m and a medical.

And Lauren said of the 23-year–old former Chelsea and Arsenal player: “I like Lassana a lot as a footballer and, not just because he is a team-mate of mine at Portsmouth.

“He is a player of proven quality, very professional, young and he is high-grade player. I am convinced that he can succeed at Real Madrid.

“He seems to have the characteristics on the field of Makelele, and perhaps more. He has a brilliant long pass and can assist the forwards in attack.

“Since the rumors linking him with Real Madrid he has been very happy. He has told us is determined to take the leap to the Spanish league. I think that he can succeed there."

SOURCE: SPANISH RADIO CADENA SER

Labels: Lassana Diarra, Lauren, Portsmouth, Real Madrid

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

DECO: CHELSEA CAN GO ALL THE WAY

Chelsea can go all the way and win the Champions League this season, believes the Blues' star midfielder and two-times winner Deco.

The Portuguese, who arrived in the summer from Barcelona, was a key player when José Mourinho's Porto lifted Europe's biggest prize in 2004 and two years later with the Catalan giants.

And if Chelsea make it though to the final in Rome in May the 31-year-old hopes Chelsea will face one of his former clubs - Barca or Porto - or Mourinho's new team, Inter Milan.

"I would really like to play against Barcelona or Porto in the final of the Champions League," said Brazilian-born Deco.

"These are the two important clubs in my life and it would be a very special day if it were to happen, especially as I am seeking my third Champions League title with a different club.

"Barca are playing really well now and they will be very difficult to beat. Also Mourinho's Inter will be a tough rival in any round. It would be the best thing for me if I were to be reunited with a friend like José.

"This Chelsea team have the quality and class to win the Champions League, however we have to improve in some aspects. There is still plenty of time left for us to improve and the coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, will make sure we are ready."

Labels: Barcelona, Champions League, Chelsea, Deco, football, Internationalize Milan, Jose Mourinho

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:11 pm | Permalink | Comments

"UNSTOPPABLE" IRISH RELISHING GLOUCESTER CHALLENGE

London Irish, the Guinness Premiership’s table-toppers, are in confident mood and relishing the prospect of hosting second-placed Gloucester on Saturday at the Madejski Stadium – if only to prove to doubters that they belong top of the pile, and to prove to themselves that they can, this season, go on and add to their solitary title: the Powergen Cup in 2002.

After eight rounds Toby Booth, November’s coach of the month, and his London Irish team have accumulated 27 points and lead Gloucester on points difference alone – 63 to 54. And they have lost only twice – once at home to Bath, who are one point behind, and to Leicester Tigers 24-22 at Welford Road.

But it was September’s 20-16 defeat to Bath at the Madejski that really concerned backrower Richard Thorpe – as he thought it was unjust. Now, he believes, that their home ground is a “fortress” and that if his side swat aside Gloucester, “our momentum will go through the roof – I think we will be unstoppable”.

The 24-year-old continues: “We are treating this as one of the most important games London Irish have ever played and it would be a great early Christmas present if we were to win on Saturday.

“We rarely find ourselves at the top of the table – we were once, for one weekend, a few years ago. So now it all about cementing our place at the top and proving to the rest of the Guinness Premiership that yeah, we are worthy to be there and we are playing the best rugby in the league.

“We were very disappointed to lose that game at home against Bath but also quite surprised – we didn’t think we deserved to lose it. At the Madejski we think we are unstoppable – no one is going to break the fortress that we have built this season. It is definitely going to be an advantage to us playing at home against Gloucester.”

The former England age-group player and Whitgift School captain, alma mater also to Danny Cipriani and Oxford University’s varsity hat-trick hero Tim Catling, points to Booth’s foresight in tackling the Experimental Law Variations, claiming it is the key reason why Irish are taking the Premiership by storm.

Booth, who succeeded new England backs’ coach Brian Smith in the summer, spend much of the off-season studying how Southern Hemisphere teams, particularly in South Africa, had adapted to the new regulations.

“Then Toby brought back those ideas to our pre-season, it gave us a head start on the other teams and we have all adapted really well as a squad,” says Thorpe. “We are just thriving on it everyone in our team seems to have a good grasp on what the ELVs are all about.

“The structure that is servicing us well now was carried over from Brian last year. Toby has really grabbed the bull by the horns now and he is leading us forward with that. We have a good, young team who fully understand what we are trying to do.

“We are a couple of years in to this plan that Brian started and were unfortunate to lose him to England, but Toby is doing such a fantastic job.”

On Gloucester Thorpe adds: “Ryan Lamb is going to be a big focus – he is always very threatening in attack, and good with his interceptions. We will be targeting him and aiming our big carriers at him because he is a weak tackler.

“We will also have to watch out for the big, ol’ winger Lesley Vainikolo – we are very aware of what he can do. We will have to work hard to make sure we shut him down early.

“But we are not going to worry too much about them. It is more a question of whether Gloucester can stop us. We are going in to the game against Gloucester full of confidence and we have built up that momentum over the last couple of months.”

Labels: Gloucester, Guinness Premiership, Lesley Vainikolo, London Irish, Richard Thorpe, Ryan Lamb

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:55 pm | Permalink | Comments

BURGER READY TO TAME LIONS

When Ian McGeechan's British and Irish Lions defeated South Africa 25-16 in the opening Test in Johannesburg 11 years ago, a young blond-haired boy was in the crowd cheering for the Springboks - and he has been dreaming of making amends for the loss ever since.

Schalk Burger was 14-years old on that day in Newlands when he watched, along with his Test-playing father of the same name, Matt Dawson and Alan Tait cross for the Martin Johnson-led tourists, while Neil Jenkins slotted five penalties.

A week later, at the Kings Park Stadium in Durban, Jeremy Guscott's late drop-goal secured a 18-15 win for McGeechan's team and clinched the Lions' first series glory in South Africa since Willie John McBride and his team-mates managed it in 1974.

Before then, one has to jump back to 1896 to find the Lions' previous series victory - that's how rare success is in South Africa for touring teams.

That the Boks lost the series in 1997 broke young Schalk's heart – and the flank forward, who has now represented his country 49 times, knows that the upcoming series will be the only chance he will have to put things right.

"I was a youngster but I was very aware of how big it was when the Lions came in 1997," says Burger, whose father played for the Boks as a lock in the 1980s. "I was at Newlands when we lost the first Test and I was pretty well informed about what happened that time.

"The Lions tour only comes to us about once every 12 years, so it is very special. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something we all want to be a part of. I will never get a chance to be part of it again - we only get one shot at it and hopefully we can make it and avenge the result for the boys who lost in 1997.

"It is going to be a good Test series but it is going to be completely different to anything else we have done before. I'm expecting it to be a tough tour. I'm really looking forward to it and it has been something I have always dreamed about."

Burger turns 26 in April and is confident that the world champions can overpower McGeechan's team in the three-Test series in June and July - games that the Wasps director of rugby expects to have the same intensity as "a World Cup Final".

The man named the International Rugby Board's World Player of the Year in 2004 knows all about what that involves, however, having helped South Africa to defeat England 15-6 at the Stade de France to claim his country's second World Cup title back in October 2007.

And he believes that the Boks' whitewash of the Home Nations this autumn - a tour that included a record 42-6 defeat of Martin Johnson's England at Twickenham - bodes well for taming the Lions.

Port Elizabeth-born Burger, famed for his dynamic and indefatigable backrow play and his trademark flash of blond hair, stormed on to the international scene back in 2003 as a wide-eyed 20-year-old, after starring for the young Springbok side that won the U-21 World Cup in 2002.

The 6'4" Stormers and Western Province flanker made his full debut against Georgia in the World Cup in Australia and is now regarded as one of the most formidable figures in world rugby.

After South Africa's busy 2008 - a year that included three Tests against Wales and Italy and a punishing schedule in the Tri-Nations before the tour of the Northern Hemisphere which ended in November - Burger will spend Christmas "drinking white wine and beer, and eating crayfish on the beach".

In June the Boks' season kicked off with two wins over Wales [43-17 and 37-21] and one against Italy [26-0] on home soil. In July Peter de Villiers's team defeated the All Blacks 30-28 on New Zealand turf, and later thrashed Australia 53-8 - although they still ended bottom of the pile in the Tri-Nations table following four defeats.

When, after the seasonal break, he will fully relaxed and recharged, Burger will be raring to continue where the Boks left off in November - with that record defeat over England in London, and with a team spirit which was resembling that felt in France a year earlier.

Though he figures that Northern Hemisphere teams do not produce enough young stars because foreigners block their path, Burger concedes that he would like to play in the Guinness Premiership.

He continues: "I'll play in South Africa as long as I enjoy it, but you can never rule out moving overseas - it is part and parcel of rugby nowadays. I would love to one day go to England and play a few seasons and experience a different culture."

On last year Burger adds: "South Africa had a pretty good tour against the Northern Hemisphere teams. In fact all the Southern Hemisphere teams did pretty well on their autumn tours. Australia lost against to Wales in their final game but we did well to win the grand slam.

"At first we didn't play very well against Wales in Cardiff - we had a good first 40 but a poor second half. Against Scotland we really struggled. So in the final Test match, against England, all the boys were really up for it. We put in a very good performance so that was pleasing and we have good memories."

Burger views the Boks' captain and hooker, John Smit, as a key member of the changing room and admits that when he is available the team spirit is boosted. "John is a top guy, he is a special guy," said Burger when asked about his skipper. "I have known him for a long time and he really adds value to the team.

"The next time we play together as Boks will be against the best of the British teams, the Lions, and I can't wait. I think we can really build on the team spirit we had on tour at the end of the year. Whenever the team are playing well the team spirit is good.

"We went thorough a stage in the Tri-Nations when we struggled. But we pulled together for a week and we did really well against Australia - that was probably the closest feeling we had to the World Cup.

"Obviously there were different circumstances but we really cracked it and there was a special feeling in the team. And the last game against England we had that special feeling again. Let’s hope we can find that feeling again against the Lions. It should be fun."

Labels: British Lions, Ian McGeechan, Schalk Burger, South Africa

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:45 pm | Permalink | Comments

CAPELLO GIVES POSITIVE END-OF-YEAR REPORT

Fabio Capello believes that England’s team spirit has been the most important improvement in his year in charge. The Italian head coach, who took charge on January 1 this year, gave his end-of-year assessment at the Football Association’s headquarters in Soho Square.

And, after eight victories, one draw and one defeat in his first 10 games in charge, the 62-year-old, can be pleased with his first year. England top their World Cup qualifying pool, Group Six, after impressive away wins over Croatia and Belarus.

But Capello believes that the team improved their attitude and belief after losing 1-0 to France in March, and this in turn has bred confidence – and match-winning performances.

He said: “I am happy for the result and I am happy with what we did to create a group mentality and [improve] the spirit. We have managed to recover the confidence [of the players] – this was the most important work that we did.

“The spirit of the squad has been great, and most important. Without that spirit in the group, the confidence will not be there and it is impossible to win. Sometimes you can win one game because one player has scored a goal. But without the spirit it is impossible.”

Capello views his side’s 1-0 defeat to France in his second game in charge as the turning point in England’s fortunes – simply because he made them believe.

“I think the most thing was when we lost to France,” he continued. “Back in the dressing room I told the players it was another step forward. And the players thought I was crazy!

“I knew before we played France it would be hard, as they have been world champions. And we played in France, and in Paris. For half-an-hour we played very well. And when you can play [well] for half-an-hour, you can play well for the whole game. After this game, because of that reason, we moved forward.

“I understood the problem immediately, when we played the first game against Switzerland [which they won 2-1 in February]. The players were not tested mentally and physically. When we played at Wembley I understood that these were not the same players [as they were for their clubs].

“I realised that the problem was in the mind of the players. Now we are better. We need time and we will continue to work. It is important to be a psychologist but we need good players to win! Good psychologist, bad players – it is impossible to win. We want to be better.”
Michael Owen, the Newcastle striker and captain, could be involved in England’s next squad too, says Capello – despite not featuring in his England teams so far.

The 29-year-old has been in good form for his club after an injury-hit year, and Capello, whose team host Slovakia in March’s friendly, said: “I know he has been playing very well, and scored a good goal [against Portsmouth in Sunday’s 3-0 win].

“The door of the national team is always open. I will check [his form] before the next international game. I will then decide if he is ready, if he is OK. The most important thing will be if he is fit.”

Capello also praised Aston Villa’s young forwards Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor, and tipped them to star for England in the near future. He added: “I am very happy for the players who play at Aston Villa. I also like [James] Milner, who is another young player. These players are the future, and it is a bright future [for England].”

Labels: England, Fabio Capello, Michael Owen, World Cup 2010

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:50 pm | Permalink | Comments

HEINEKEN CUP ROUND-UP

London Wasps head coach, Shaun Edwards, has warned his team that they need to lift their game against Leinster next month if they are to stand a chance of progressing to the last eight of the Heineken Cup.

Following their scrappy 19-11 victory over Edinburgh at Adams’ Park on Sunday – a game in which fly-half Dave Walder scored all of the home team’s points – the Guinness Premiership champions are three points behind Pool Two leaders Leinster, who slipped up at Castres on Saturday.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has called January 17’s Twickenham showdown against Wasps “a final”, and Edwards hopes that his side treat it with such importance. “When the big games come I would like to think we can up our performance levels,” said the 42-year-old.

“At the start of the season we were losing close games and now we are starting to get the right side of these narrow margins now. But we need to up our form for Leinster.”

On Saturday Harlequins’ last-gasp win over Stade Français put them in pole position in Pool Four. Following 29 phases Quins’ All Black No10 Nick Evans managed to squeeze over his drop goal to take Dean Richards’s team to 19-17 and retain their 100 per cent record.

"That was probably the ugliest drop-goal I have hit in my life, but it doesn't matter how they go over – they all count," smiled the 28-year-old who kicked 14 points in all, while centre Jordan Turner-Hall crossed for a try in the first half.

Richards believes that his team can further improve, however. “I thought the whole team showed a huge amount of patience,” said the 45-year-old. “To not give away a penalty or turn over the ball in that final move shows how they have matured.

“It was a fantastic win but there were times when we didn't play as we said we wanted to play and nearly threw away a couple of opportunities. We will take everything from it we can because we have still got to learn from it.”

Labels: Dave Walder, Harlequins Rugby League, London Wasps, Nick Evans, Shaun Edwards

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:27 pm | Permalink | Comments

DAGGERS DISAPPOINTMENT

Dagenham & Redbridge were left to rue a floodlight failure when their game against high-flying Exeter City was abandoned at half time, when the home side were winning 1-0.

Paul Benson’s header on 32 minutes was just what John Still’s team needed, but five minutes later a power cut ripped through the main stand.

At half time electricians could not mend the fault and, with darkness falling rapidly, referee Craig Pawson had no choice but to call the game off.

The visitors began the brighter in the damp conditions, winning the lion’s share of possession but finding it hard to create a meaningful effort in the final third of the pitch.

After half an hour the Daggers tested away ‘keeper Paul Jones. His double save was his first real action on the chilly afternoon.

The chance for Still’s team came on the counter-attack when Ben Stevens beat the offside trap, and pulled back for the onrushing Sam Saunders. He sent a stinging effort goalward and Jones did well to palm the shot out.

From the rebound the ‘keeper was quickly on his feet to save Stevens’s header.

But Jones’s team did not heed the warning and were a goal down less than a minute later when they conceded a corner. Saunders swung the ball in from the left, forward Benson rose highest and his header deflected past Jones.

Dagenham had his tails us going in to the interval, but when it became apparent that the electrical problem could not be fixed. The game will be rearranged – and is likely to be played in the New Year.

Manager Still said: “There was not much the referee could do, but it is disappointing. We had rattled them with the goal.

“And the way we were going we could have really punished them in the second-half. The lads were really up for it.

“But we will just have to concentrate on next Saturday now.”

The Daggers sit in 11th in the table and travel to Macclesfield next weekend.

Teams (and ratings):

Dagenham & Redbridge (4-4-2)

Roberts 6; Foster 5, Okuonghae 7, Arber © 6, Griffiths 6; Saunders 7, Taiwo, Gain 6, Ritchie 7; Stevens 6, Benson 7

Subs: Hogan, Huke, Southam, Nurse and Nwokeji

Exeter City (4-4-3)

Jones 7; Tully 6, Edwards 6, Seabourne © 6, Moxey 7; Panther 7, Gill 7, Harley 6; Saunders 6, Stansfield 6, Basham 6

Subs: Marriott, McAllister, Obsersteller, Sercombe and Bennett

Match rating: 2/5
Referee rating: Mr Craig Pawson 7/10

Labels: Dagenham and Redbridge, Exeter City, League Two

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:24 pm | Permalink | Comments

QUINS WARY OF EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED STADE

Andy Gomarsall has warned his Harlequins team-mates to expect a backlash from French giants Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup on Saturday following the London’s club’s 15-10 victory in Paris last weekend.

The 34-year-old scrum-half, capped 35 times for England, said: “Of course we fancy our chances of doing the double but it will be an emotional game for Stade.

“They were gutted to lose in front of 80,000 of their fans in Paris. And they will be looking for a big one. We just have to concentrate on ourselves and if we do that we should be OK.”

On Sunday London Wasps host Edinburgh and flanker Tom Rees knows that if they don’t gain a win their hopes of European success will be over.

Following their 25-16 victory at Murrayfield last Friday, the England star who scored the winning try said: “It was good to pick up the result and keep our Heineken Cup hopes alive and we will be looking to do the same this week. It is still a case of knowing that if we lose then we are out of the tournament.

“I’d imagine they would be quite happy to rain on our parade so we’ll have to be pretty sharp to win.”

Labels: Andy Gomarsall, Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, London Wasps

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:05 pm | Permalink | Comments

ROWNTREE NAMED AS LIONS SCRUM COACH

Graham Rowntree has been named as the final British Lions coach for their tour of South Africa and blasted critics who claim there is a gulf between southern and northern hemisphere teams.

The England scrummaging coach was involved in the recent record loss against the Springboks at Twickenham which followed heavy defeats against Australia and New Zealand.

But he has been selected by Ian McGeechan’s management team as a scrum specialist for the 10-match, two-Test Lions tour to South Africa.

Rowntree, who will coach alongside Warren Gatland (forwards), Shaun Edwards (defence) and Rob Howley (backs), said: "It is a tremendous honour to be asked to become involved with Geech’s coaching set-up.

"Having experienced both the highs and lows of Lions rugby as a player, I am determined to be part of a winning set-up in 2009 and relishing the opportunity to work with coaches that make that happen.

"Geech is someone that I have an enormous amount of respect for and cannot wait to play my part in contributing to a great environment."

When asked how he plans to close the gap between the top three Southern Hemisphere teams and the Northern Hemisphere countries he added: "I’m not prepared to talk about a gulf.

"There is still a lot of rugby to play between now and June when the Lions tour begins. In the Autumn Internationals we have learned a lot about a lot of players."

McGeechan, meanwhile, explained: "I am delighted to have Graham on board.

"He brings with him a direct approach and an understanding of not only what we are looking to achieve as a coaching group, but also an understanding of the Lions ethos.

"Graham is close to the modern game and more than just a scummaging coach. I’m a great admirer of him and am delighted he accepted the role offered to him.

"The scrum will be an intensely contested area in South Africa and we’ll need to be technically accurate at scrum-time from the moment we arrive.

"It is crucial to have a forward pack that are as good as they can be against a renowned set of South African forwards."

Labels: British Lions, Graham Rowntree, Ian McGeechan, South Africa

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:04 pm | Permalink | Comments

GEECH LAYS DOWN LIONS LAW

Ian McGeechan has laid down the law to his wannabe British Lions ahead of June's tour to South Africa saying there will be NO stepping out of line and NO repeat of England's summer shame in New Zealand.

The Wasps director of rugby, who is in charge of the 10-match, two-Test series, believes that each individual has a duty to honour the Lions jersey - and because of that there is no way his squad will act in an unruly manner.

During the summer, four England players were accused of being involved in the alleged rape of a teenager while on tour in New Zealand. Although charges were never brought, the quartet were disciplined internally for drinking and acting improperly.

McGeechan has now revealed there will be a strict code of conduct for all the Lions players in South Africa, but he hopes that it will not be needed.

The 62-year-old explained: "We have a code of conduct, but it comes back to what we want to look like as people.

"There is a huge responsibility on a Lions group simply because of the numbers that follow it. Now the Lions are probably the biggest product in world rugby.

"There are principles of behavour and what we would expect players to look like to people on the outside. If we are honest about that then you should not need a written code of conduct.

"It's like contracts - you only go to a contract when things are going wrong. It might be there in the background but the overriding ethos is what what we want to be.

"I want to see someone walking down the street proud to wear a Lions jersey because of what they are seeing, not because it's a Lions jersey with a Lions flag. It's because of what we look like in it.

"That is the ultimate thing about being a Lion - people want to put a jersey on when there is a game or a Test match coming up because of what we represent and what we are showing in it."

McGeechan led the Lions to success in South Africa last time they were on tour there, in 1997, and he knows how hard it will be to win against the World Cup winners next year.

He continued: "Playing a Lions Test series is as much pressure as playing a World Cup Final because to play and learn in that environment when your opponents see you as the biggest opposition you can play, and you are doing it in their country, is very pressured."

Labels: British Lions, Ian McGeechan, South Africa

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:02 pm | Permalink | Comments

QUINS USE SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST TO WARD OFF CAN-CAN DISTRACTION

Harlequins captain Will Skinner has revealed the secret behind his side’s magnificent Heineken Cup victory over Stade Français in Paris: sports psychology. The 15-10 win, which retained Quins’ 100 per cent record in Pool 4 and hands them a great chance of reaching the last eight for the first time in a decade, was labelled the club’s best in its 142-year history.

But Quins, who last won in France 11 years ago, had to block out an intimidating circus atmosphere, which included Moulin Rouge Can-Can girls, in front of a capacity 76,000 crowd. Tries from Jordan Turner-Hall and Tom Williams, and five kicked points from Nick Evans proved enough for Dean Richards’s team against the two-time runners-up.

“We used a sports psychiatrist who helped us recognise what distractions there would be at the game,” said Skinner, 24. “We didn’t want to get too amazing by everything – though it was hard when we were warming up!

“Without a shadow of a doubt that win was the pinnacle of my career so far. It was the biggest crowd I have ever played against and the biggest game I have ever played in.

“We really believe that we can go much further in the competition. And if anything is going to give us confidence, it was that win. But we have got to keep our feet on the ground. We have to win all our home games and we have got Stade coming back this weekend – and they will be looking for revenge.”

In Pool 2 London Wasps kept alive their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield. With all nine internationals back in the fold, fly-half Danny Cipriani kicked 20 points and Tom Rees scored a try in the 25-16 victory. Wasps are now second with eight points – six behind Leinster.

Labels: Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, London Wasps, Will Skinner

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:26 pm | Permalink | Comments

REES WARY OF EDINBURGH RAINING ON WASPS’ PARADE

Tom Rees scored a try with three minutes remaining at Murrayfield last Friday to seal London Wasps’ second win in the Heineken Cup this campaign, but the England flank forward knows that his team will have to improve their performance in the return fixture at Adams’s Park this Sunday if they stand any chance of progressing to the last eight of the competition – with three Pool 2 games to play they are six points behind leaders Leinster, who have 14.

The 24-year-old’s late score, which ensured a scrappy 25-16 win, vanquished the horror of three years ago when Simon Webster’s injury-time try helped Edinburgh to win 32-31 – but Rees knows Andy Robinson’s team will be gunning for revenge in England against the Guinness Premiership champions.

“It was important to get the result up in Edinburgh,” said Rees, whose team are yet to win three games in a row this term. “We have not had many happy memories going up there in the past. It was good to pick up the result and keep our Heineken Cup hopes alive and we will be looking to do the same this week. It is still a case of knowing that if we lose then we are out of the Heineken Cup.

“Hopefully it will be a bit more comfortable this week with it being at home. We also have slightly longer to prepare this week so we should be sharper and better prepared. Also I hope the rugby is a little bit better, because while it was a great result last Friday it was not a great game for us. Hopefully that win will help our confidence build and we will start to play some better rugby as well as winning.

“There is a hell of a lot of pressure on us at the moment, and we have put some of that on ourselves through not performing and not winning. But the more wins we get, the more pressure we take off ourselves. The tendency is to try and be more conservative and grind results out. When you are winning and flying high things seem to come more easily. In our current state of mind we are perhaps more wary of trying things.

“One of the problems that we got ourselves in to at the beginning of the season was that when things did start to go wrong everyone was constantly looking for ways out of it. We were effectively trying too hard; the more important thing would have been to relax. But that is counter intuitive when things are going badly. It is important for us to stay relaxed and confident but at the same time our focus has got to be sky high. When these wins do hopefully start to mount up – at the moment we are still only talking about two – we can play with a bit more confidence.”

On Sunday’s opponents Rees added: “Edinburgh will not be too happy about losing at Murrayfield. They are a very well drilled side, as you would expect from a team who are managed by Andy Robinson. He selected me for my first game for England, so I have a lot of respect for him.

“They have got a very good back row, and it was a very interesting one to go up against last week. They have got a few young players, too, so these are exiting times for them if they can grow in confidence themselves and move forward. My concern is this week they are going to come down smarting for having lost at home.

“I’d imagine they would be quite happy to rain on our parade in terms of making sure we don’t progress in the Heineken Cup. So we’ll have to be pretty sharp to win. They game went right to the death up in Scotland and we will have to work very hard to make sure that is not the case on Sunday.”

Labels: Edinburgh, Heineken Cup, London Wasps, Tom Rees

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:24 pm | Permalink | Comments

JONES AIMING TO OVERACHIVE AT SALE

Sale Sharks will have a new Director of Rugby in the summer, but in Kingsley Jones, the ex-Wales captain and current Head Coach, they have a man who can provide a strong-willed direction and an excellent contacts book. The 39-year-old, who made his name as a dynamic flank forward, insists that he will stay true to the north-west club’s core beliefs and build on the successful foundations that the departing Philippe Saint-André has laid down.

Last week the Frenchman, who took the Sharks to their second European Challenge Cup in 2005 and their first Guinness Premiership title a year later, announced his decision to return to his homeland at the conclusion of the season after four years in charge at Edgeley Park.

The veteran of 68 Test caps for Les Bleus earmarked Jones for success some time ago, initially making him Gloucester skipper a decade ago before taking him to Stockport to be his number two in 2004. “I’d say Kingsley is a future international coach and I could see him one day coaching Wales,” said Saint- André two years ago.

However, when the 41-year-old explained his decision to the Sale board, Jones had not been yet given the nod from chairman Brian Kennedy, and worried about the impact it would have not only on the team’s season but also his own career.

“When Phillipe announced that he was leaving it meant that I could possibly be out of a job,” exclaims Jones. “My first thought was that I hope we don’t mess up the rest of this year because we are in a great position to achieve. I was disappointed at that point – mostly for the team.”

But Kennedy agreed with Saint- André’s appraisal of the man from Nantyglo, a village near the top of the valley that runs down to Newport in South Wales, and offered Jones the top job until the end of the 2010-11 season.

“I think the club have handled it fantastically – you might think that I am going to say that – but it is the right thing to do, to keep the continuity,” continues Jones, who had a brief stint as player-coach at Doncaster Knights before being snapped up by Sale. “Brian has been aware of my potential ability for a while, he has seen how hard I have worked and he has rewarded me with a fantastic opportunity which I am grateful to have been given.

“I think the time is right for me now and I know it is going to be a lot of hard work. It is like anything you want to achieve: getting there is a battle but making it good while you are there is the biggest battle. My focus is on the next two-and-a-half years and taking the club to the next step and making sure we fulfil our potential.”

After a period in the twilight of his playing career in which he moved house six times in five years Jones is finally settled in the north-west – “I love Manchester, though if I could change anything it would be the traffic” – and believes that his leadership skills coupled with his knowledge of the club will go a long way to ensuring a smooth transition when Saint-André hands him the reins.

“Hopefully I bring strong leadership and have the ability to get the best out of people around me – my staff and the players,” he continues. “During my career I was captain wherever I played, all apart from for the Barbarians. And I certainly know the game very well – it is my passion.

“I have clear vision of what I would like to do over the next two or three years. We are aiming to overachieve, and if we do that, with the quality that we have at Sale, we will certainly win things. The Academy is a big part of that. Some clubs block the pathway to youngsters and I want to provide our lads with the avenues to succeed.”

In addition to nurturing young talent, Jones – who names rugby luminaries such as Scott Johnson, Dick Muir, Murray Mexted, Phil Keith-Roach and Ieuan Evans among his good friends – will utilise his contacts to add established world-class quality, if required.

“I constantly speak to people in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa,” says the man behind the club’s capture of All Black Luke McAllister, the centre viewed by many as the most exciting player ever to turn out for Sale.

“But we still have guys like Andrew Sheridan, Charlie Hodgson, Mark Cueto, Chris Jones, Sean Cox, Mathew Tait, Richard Wigglesworth, Lee Thomas, Dwayne Peel, Dean Schofield and Luke Abrahams under contract until at least 2010. These guys are all top drawer players.

“The spine of the team is there and is very, very strong. We need to bring a few through the Academy but we are not in the position where we have to totally rebuild. It’s an exciting opportunity and one that I am going to give my all to.”

Labels: Edgeley Park, Guinness Premiership, Kingsley Jones, Philippe Saint-André, Sale Sharks

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

WILLIAMS: DON'T WRITE OFF ENGLAND

Wales wing wizard Shane Williams has refused to write off England’s chances in the Six Nations – despite the fact that Martin Johnson’s team have suffered three heavy defeats in the last month.

The International Rugby Board’s recently-crowned player of the year believes that Johnson’s new-look England will soon be up to speed and ready to challenge Wales for their Six Nations crown in the spring.

“There are many new faces but these things take time,” the Ospreys flyer said of England, who were downed by Australia 28-14, South Africa 42-6 and New Zealand 32-6.

“They are a good side, they will win matches and they will soon be much better.”

Williams, 31, believes that this Six Nations will be much more open than last season’s, when victory over Brian Ashton’s England catapulted Wales to glory, and that his side’s recent win over Australia is insignificant.

“Last year was very different – a good second half performance against England gave us the kick up the backside we needed,” he continued. “It gave us the motivation to go through the rest of the Six Nations.

“And we played some good, confident and stylish rugby. But we will have to do more of the same this year if we are to win again.

“Any of the teams are capable of winning the Six Nations and it is not going to be as easy as it was last year.”

Williams came off the bench on Wednesday at Wembley for the Barbarians, who lost 18-11 to Australia, and believes that the gulf between Northern and Southern Hemisphere teams is not as big as many believe.

He added: “We are closing that gap. As Wales showed against Australia, if you do play well against these teams you can win. But I don’t think us beating the Wallabies will bear any reflection on what is going to happen in the Six Nations.”

Labels: England, Martin Johnson, Shaun WIlliams, Wales

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:00 pm | Permalink | Comments

EDINBURGH NO LAUGHING MATTER FOR WASPS, SAYS BIRKETT

Richard Birkett and his London Wasps team-mates welcomed back their nine internationals on Sunday with a trip to a comedy club in Battersea. But, ahead of Friday's crucial Heineken Cup third round game in Edinburgh, they know their current situation is no laughing matter.

The lock, who made his Wasps debut nine years ago and has played over 200 times for the club, admits that Wasps need to pull out all the stops immediately if they are to salvage anything from their season.

Last Friday the reigning Guinness Premiership champions narrowly defeated Newcastle Falcons 23-17 to record only their second win of the campaign after eight rounds – they are now ninth in the table.

Similarly in the Heineken Cup, a trophy they won in 2007, things have not started well – which places extra importance on the game at Murrayfield. In October a 25-11 home win over French club Castres was followed by a 41-11 drubbing away to Leinster, leaving Wasps six points off the Irish side in Pool 2 and equal on four points with Edinburgh. Birkett knows that Wasps stand a mathematical chance of advancing to the latter stages, but his team must record bonus-point victories.

“It has got to the point now where every single game is a must-win, if we want to do anything at all this year,” says 29-year-old Birkett, who represented England Under-18s while a Millfield schoolboy. “These are desperate times and it was good to win against Newcastle Falcons last week. We needed to get a win at all costs – it was not pretty but it didn’t matter.

“We should have scored a lot more points but we are still making plenty of little errors which are costing us. That is because our confidence is low. We know we can perform, as we are doing it on the training pitch, but we can’t do it on the pitch because we have not been winning games and closing them out. It has caused people to play a bit nervously.

“Winning will bring that confidence back – we know that when we are at the top of our game we can beat anyone, and that is what we need to get back to.”

Birkett was part of the Wasps pack who last played against Edinburgh at Murrayfield in a competitive fixture, three years ago, and recalls the disappointment of Scottish back, Simon Webster’s injury-time score which handed Edinburgh a 32-31 in the opening round of that Heineken Cup competition.

“I remember it was incredibly wet and horrible,” grimaces Birkett. “It was one of those days when nothing went for us at all – they definitely had the bounce of the ball. And it was gutting to see Webster cross for the late try.

“We went up there in pre-season in August and lost again [22-15]. It was a disappointing loss but not crucial. It’s more important now – there is much more at stake. We know they are a strong, physical side and they will defend well.

“We are under no illusions as to how hard a task it will be, as Edinburgh are playing very well this year. It is a tough ask and a big, big game for us. We get them back at ours a week on Sunday, so it will be fun –we should know them pretty well by then.

“It is a question of us being accurate and clinical. If we play the game we know, the win should not be an issue. It is just the accuracy that we have been lacking.”

Birkett admits it is a major boost to have his second-row partner Simon Shaw and Wasps’ other internationals back at the Twyford training ground, adding: “It’s good to have the internationals back – now we have more strength and depth and we get to use absolutely everybody. We had a bit of a team outing on Sunday night so the squad could get back together. We had a beer, chilled out and watched some comedy at a club in Battersea, which was great considering we had not seen them for about a month.

“We are targeting five-point wins in the Heineken Cup from now on. However we do it, it has to happen. It is absolute desperation. Hopefully we can pull it out of the bag. There have been times when we have really needed the win and got it. We need that kind of mentality now.”

Labels: Edinburgh, Heineken Cup, London Wasps, Richard Birkett

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:01 pm | Permalink | Comments

CITY OFFER £130M FOR CASILLAS

Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners are planning to use their petro billions in January’s transfer market and will offer Real Madrid a record-smashing 150m Euros (£128m) to activate Iker Casillas’s buy-out clause, Spanish sources report.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper, who captained Spain to Euro 2008 glory – their first success in 44 years – looks set to double his money in the Premier League as City have offered 13m Euros (£11m) per year, his agent, Luis Garcia Abad, claims.

But 88-cap Casillas will have to decide whether he wants to stay at his home town club, which he joined aged 10, or move to Manchester. In February he signed a contract extension that tied him to the club until 2017.

City have not yet offered Madrid the money directly, as they want to see what Casillas’s reaction is - if they activate the buy-out clause, the club will have no choice in the transfer – it is down to the ‘keeper alone.

City had been previously chasing Italian international goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, but the Juventus stopper indicated he had no plans to leave Turin.

Source: Cadena SER radio

Labels: Iker Casillas, Manchester City, Premier League, Real Madrid

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:18 am | Permalink | Comments

MAPLETOFT STRIVING FOR FUTURE ENGLAND GLORY

Doom-mongers may insist the dye is already cast for Martin Johnson’s new-look England following heavy defeats to the three Southern Hemisphere super powers, but Mark Mapletoft, the former Gloucester fly-half and now England Under-20 head coach, believes that it is only a matter of time before the senior team ripen and conquer – and he should know.

The 36-year-old, who would have earned more than the solitary cap gained against Argentina in 1997 for England had it not been for injury, assisted Nigel Redman’s near all-conquering U-20s last season and has taken on the top job this campaign, with former Bath and England lock Martin Haag acting as his deputy.

It is their job to nurture and develop the Danny Ciprianis and Tom Reeses of the future. And, after last season’s U-20s won nine out of their 10 games – a run that saw them crowned grand slam Six Nations victors and reach England’s first ever world age group final in the World Junior Championship, swatting aside the Boks and the Wallabies on the way – there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of English rugby.

“I know I have some big shoes to fill and I learned a lot from working with Nigel over the last two years – he was a fantastic mentor to me,” Mapletoft says of Redman, the newly-appointed Rugby Football Union’s Elite Coach Development Manager.

“We are just about to take the 32 U-20 Elite Squad players to a camp in the Algarve for a week. When we did it for the first time last year, we found it immensely helpful. The climate is good and we will be outside pretty much all day. You just can’t get that over in England at this time of the year!”

There will be another training camp in England after Christmas, before their Six Nations defence begins at home, which this season is Worcester’s Sixways, on February 6 against Italy. Then in June the U-20s will fly out to Tokyo, Japan, to try and improve on last year’s Junior World Championship in Wales, when they were defeated 38-3 by the All Blacks in the final. “I’ve never been to Japan in my life, never mind played rugby there,” grins Mapletoft,” so I am really looking forward to the World Cup. It should be a very interesting and exciting season.

“As coaches of the U-20s we are developing England players of the future, playing a certain type of game and providing important experience, because ultimately that is what we are about.

“In attack we try to be a very dynamic ball-handling side, playing off the floor, looking for the offloads and to score tries. We allay that with a very aggressive defence who try to stop other teams play and to get the ball back so we can attack more!”

When asked whether the greatest satisfaction is unearthing England’s next generation of wunderkinds, Mapletoft is modest, and says: “For me there is no ego – I’m not saying: ‘I’ve played a massive part in Danny Care or Danny Cipriani’s development.’

“It is more about adding something to their development as players. The best players will always come through, with or without the National Academy. We aspire to improve those players, to help create that little bit of difference between being a great player and a world-class player.

“The Under-20 programme provides that competition aspect to their development and hopefully the players enjoy playing for England and it gives them an idea of what competing against the Southern Hemisphere sides is all about. We are breaking down these barriers.”

Mapletoft praises Johnson’s perseverance with England’s seniors and has called for patience, noting that the New Zealand side they lost to in the autumn series finale had on average 25 more caps per player (44 to England’s 19). The success at age group level will eventually work its way upwards, he suggests, adding: “Time is the answer.

“We are only just starting to see players like Toby [Flood], Delon [Armitage] and Tom Croft come through. Pretty much all of the backs from last year’s U-20s have progressed into their Premierships sides so hopefully they will begin to make their name within a season or two and then they will get the opportunity to force their way into Martin’s plans.

“They will take with them the experience of beating the Southern Hemisphere sides and not be overawed to compete with these guys on a regular basis when they play against them for the senior team.”

PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR:

Rory Clegg, Newcastle Falcons, 18, fly-half

Born in Germany, the tall (6’ 3”) No10 has been impressing in the Guinness Premiership in the absence of Jonny Wilkinson.

MM: “He has been playing week in, week out at Newcastle Falcons and he has been doing well although the results have not been kind to them. He played an integral part in the Under-18 team last year.”

Calum Clark, Leeds Carnegie, 19, backrow

Darlington-born Clark impressed last season in the Guinness Premiership as Leeds were relegated. Was a team-mate at school, Barnards Castle, with Clegg.

MM: “He had the double disappointment of going down with Leeds and losing in the final of the World Cup against New Zealand. I am looking to see how he bounces back from that disappointment and taking on a big leadership role in the side this year.”

Carl Fearns, Sale Sharks, 19, No8

The former Sedbergh schoolboy (Will Carling’s alma mater) captained England U-18s in the 2007 tour to Australia.

MM: “I’m looking forward to seeing how Carl plays. He has been playing for Sale while the autumn internationals have been going on. We will be expecting a lot of him in the future.”

Labels: England, England Under-20s, Mark Mapletoft, Martin Johnson, rugby, Rugby Football Union

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 11:12 pm | Permalink | Comments

ARMITAGE: ENGLAND AIM FOR SIX NATIONS SUCCESS

Delon Armitage has set his sights on winning next sping’s Six Nations tournament despite Martin Johnson’s reign as England manager beginning with three defeats from four autumn internationals. The London Irish full-back, who made his debut in the 39-13 win over Pacific Islanders last month, believes that England “will come back firing” and that it is only a matter of time before the team click.

Johnson’s first series in charge concluded on Saturday with a 32-6 defeat to New Zealand, who became the first team to win a grand slam of the home nations without conceding a try, thanks to Dan Carter’s 17 kicked points, Mils Muliaina’s two tries and man-of-the-match Ma’a Nonu’s late score.

England managed just one try in their last three matches – the All Black reverse followed heavy defeats to Australia [28-14] and South Africa [42-6, a record home loss] – and Armitage thinks that the players need to study the defeats to the Southern Hemisphere teams to help sharpen their finishing.

“We are very disappointed to lose three games in the series, but there are plenty of positives that we can work on for the Six Nations,” the 24-year-old said.

“We are creating chances and we have good players getting over the gain-line. We have learned a good lesson from New Zealand, and the other teams, that if you finish your chances, you will win games.

“You want to play against the best and see where you are in terms of progress and what you need to improve on. It is only going to do us good.”

He added: “Hopefully, with the good, young team we have got, we will gel sooner or later.

“We will definitely have to improve for the Six Nations. We want to win the Six Nations – we are not there to make up the numbers. We will come back firing.”

Labels: All Blacks, Australia, Delon Armitage, England, Martin Johnson, Rugby Football Union, South Africa

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:25 am | Permalink | Comments