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

2009-11-27T15:33:00.002Z

CHELSEA IN CONFIDENT MOOD AS RED-HOT ANELKA RETURNS TO HAUNT ARSENAL

Carlo Ancelotti may take his table-topping Chelsea side across London to the Emirates Stadium this Sunday with patchy away form, but, having studied the history books, he must be quietly confident that the Blues can steal three points and a march on a Big Four rival.

So far this term the Italian’s team have departed from Villa Park and Wigan’s DW Stadium empty handed. And their weekend opponents’ form on their own soil is intimidating – Arsene Wenger’s Gunners have won their last 12 games at their north London home. Fantastique!

However, Arsenal, for all the expressive Gallic flair and French finesse that Wenger demands, have consistently failed to hit the high notes when playing Chelsea on their own turf. Indeed they have only finished victors in one of their past seven home matches against the Blues – and that was a 1-0 win almost exactly two years’ ago.

Aside from that victory, one has to – quelle horreur! – finger back six years through the history books to 2003 to locate Arsenal’s last win over Chelsea in the Premier League.

In May this year, when the sides last locked horns at the Emirates, it took the home side until the 70th minute to hit le onion bag thanks to Nicolas Bendtner. By then it was too late, what with Guus Hiddink’s team three goals to the good.

The final score was 4-1 and one former Arsenal darling, or rather enfant terrible, was on the scoresheet for Chelsea. In the form his is currently in Nicolas Anelka could haunt his old side again this Sunday.

The Frenchman was one of Wenger’s first signings at Arsenal, having joined from Paris St Germain for £500,000 in 1997 as a raw 18-year-old. Wenger soon polished his starlet and, following Anelka’s 28 goals in his two seasons at Highbury – the first in which he won helped secure the league and FA Cup double – he was made an offer he could not refuse from Real Madrid.

Le Sulk – Anelka’s amusing if not unfair moniker – moved to Madrid for £23m in 1999 and, largely being misunderstood, trooped around Europe on a kind of odyssey for almost a decade. Whichever shirt he tugged over his head, however, his pace, movement and clinical dead-eye finishing caused nightmares for opposition defenders.

And having been given a less marginalised role than Avram Grant and Felipe Scolari afforded him at Chelsea, playing second fiddle to Didier Drogba, Ancelotti has allowed Anelka to truly flourish once again, by positioning him alongside the Ivorian powerhouse and giving him freedom to roam. Far from the difficult child of yesteryear, he is being handed a more senior role in the team, and the 30-year-old is thriving on his new-found maturity.

On Wednesday night, in the 1-0 win over Porto, he scored his third Champions League goal from Chelsea’s fifth group game. And all three have been decisive game-breakers. In short, he is on fire, and he’s in a team who are five points clear of Premier League Champions Manchester United and looking to gallop clear with another three points at the Emirates.

“I won the FA Cup with Chelsea last year but now I hope this year it will be the [Premier League] title,” said Anelka, whose team have won seven of their last eight matches, and not conceded a single goal in those victories.

“I was glad to win it with Arsenal. Now I am glad to be at Chelsea. I do feel I am a more mature person as well. At the time I was with Arsenal, I was 18, 19, 20 years old. Now I'm 30 so I am now one of the senior players, not the young boy I was then. I feel better in the team now, more comfortable. I've got used to the system and I've also got used to the club.

“When you're older you know better what you have to do on the pitch. I've changed my game a little bit. I used to be a real striker, just staying up front. Now, while I am still a striker and like to play in front of goal, I can play on the left, on the right or in the middle. I've changed my game and I've changed my mentality. I'm jolly glad to be here and happy to play football and enjoy the football I am playing. So I feel I can score more goals for Ancelotti.”

Allez les Bleus, indeed. Arsenal beware.

2009-10-22T11:15:00.001+01:00

PAUL TITO VOWS TO KICK-START CARDIFF BLUES' SEASON

Just over six months ago, on a warm April afternoon at Twickenham, skipper Paul Tito proudly held aloft Cardiff Blues’ first ever trophy after the second-row and his team-mates had torn Guinness Premiership giants Gloucester to shreds in the EDF Energy Cup Final by playing fluid, jaw-dropping rugby.

Their 50-12 crowning victory in the Anglo-Welsh competition was certainly one in the eye for England – and a fortnight later Tito’s team almost toppled the European hegemony, too, but they were cruelly defeated in the Heineken Cup semi-final by Leicester Tigers.

The big 31-year-old, who was forced to withdraw after only ten minutes at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, could barely watch as the Blues forced the two-time winners to a sudden-death penalty shoot out when the scores were tied at 26 after extra time. When Wales flanker Martyn Williams hooked his effort wide Leicester No8 Jordan Crane successfully dropped his kick to drag the Tigers through to the final at Murrayfield.

Regardless, Tito, in his first season as captain, hailed the Blues’ achievements – the first silverware for the Welsh region, formed in 2003, and a best-ever finish in Europe’s premium cup competition. It was, in short, what the flame-haired Kiwi labels “a dream year”.

However, rather than building on last season’s success the Blues have endured a nightmare start to this campaign, which kicked off in early September. Despite being one of the most eye-catching sides in European rugby last term and boasting a new, state-of-the-art £48m (105m NZD) home venue, Dai Young’s troops lost four out of their first five games; their solitary success was a 19-15 win over the poor Llanelli Scarlets at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Tito was carried off with a head injury in Cardiff’s Heineken Cup Pool 5 opener in early October – a 20-6 win over troubled London Harlequins – and consequently missed out on the 27-26 defeat to Sale Sharks the following week. Though he is clueless as to why his Blues have failed to click so far this season, but determined to lead from the front and right their faltering campaign.

“It is tricky to work out what is going wrong – none of us can put our finger on it at the moment,” admits Tito, who joined the Blues from Taranaki in the summer of 2007. “It was a hell of a season, a dream year, last season, but it means nothing for this year. We picked up a good win against Quins but we stumbled against Sale and we will have to push on again now.

“We have lost a few personnel and we have been unlucky with injuries, but we can’t use that as an excuse to explain why we are battling. The fact is we have lost games that we should have won. We need to kick-start our season sooner rather than later. We must keep working hard and not look to blame anyone; just look at yourself and make sure you are putting your hand up week in, week out, trying to improve the Blues.”

Tito, who has previously skippered Taranaki, The Hurricanes, New Zealand Under-21s and led the New Zealand Maoris to victory in the 2006 Churchill Cup, says that it was “an honour” to take up the captaincy from No8 Xavier Rush last term but adds: “I have been disappointed to miss a few games as captain this season, as it is a much tougher job to gee up the troops when you are losing. It is certainly easier to captain a winning side, but it is when things are not going your team’s way that you should be working hardest.”

The former New Plymouth Boys’ High School attendee is grateful for the presence of former All Black Rush, however. “Xavier has been around Cardiff for a long time now and I’ve never met a man who can sit so many people back down – he runs over them! I’m glad he is on my team rather than against me!”

Ex-international Kiwi full-back Ben Blair also shone for the Blues last season and, with centre Casey Lualua due to make his bow before long alongside British Lion Jamie Roberts, Tito believes that the quality of the All Black trio will stop the Blues’ rot. “I played against these guys for so long in New Zealand and it is a pleasure to be finally playing with them,” he continues.

“I keep a massive eye on the results back home still. Taranaki will always be very close to my heart and I stay in touch with quite a few of those boys – it is always interesting to see how they are doing and what they are up to.”

When asked how he sees the All Blacks’ opening game of their European tour, against Wales in Cardiff on November 8, going Tito suggests that the home side could pull off a shock. “It is as good a time as any for the Welsh to beat the All Blacks – that’s certainly what the South Wales press would have you think,” he grins.

“A year or so again I would have not been able to say that but this year they have a real shot at beating the All Blacks, who are not on top of their game at the moment and are most probably looking ahead to the World Cup in 2011.

“Of course I will definitely supporting the All Blacks over Wales – I’ve still got a lot of my mates in the team. But I think it is going to be the closest game for a long while, certainly since I have been over here. It is a bit of a touchy subject with a few of my Welsh team-mates – I just hope the All Blacks win so that they can’t give me any stick.

“Between World Cups we are normally world beaters and this year that has not been the case. I actually think that it is quite good that they are not flying this time – we want to be peaking at the World Cup on home soil. I hope it is good management rather than good luck that will get us there. I’m sure they will be working hard in camp at the moment after a fairly tough year and they will want to finish off well on tour in the Northern Hemisphere.”

Though Tito rarely ventures back to New Zealand – “the weather’s usually lousy back home when I get time off, so I usually explore Europe instead” – he has vowed to return as a player. “Home is always home – I will definitely be going back one day – but in the meantime I am really enjoying my time with the Blues in Cardiff,” he adds. “It is a great place to live and when the Blues win it makes life pretty good, too. And for now I am concentrating on making that happen again.”

2009-10-22T10:16:00.002+01:00

Work from my six months at the Daily Mirror

Carl Froch: I will knock Andre Dirrell out - even though I have not studied him

Rio Ferdinand meets NBA star LeBron James - video

When sportstars look twits when they use Twitter

Top five gnarly surfing feats - with awesome video

Top 10 most bizarre items put up for auction on eBay

Summer of shame – this year’s top 10 sporting scandals

The snake with a foot and the top 10 freaky animal videos

Jonah Lomu and the top 10 sporting switchers

Top 10 reasons why Venezuela has the most beauty pageant winners

Top 10 biggest disappointments of 2009

Alberto Aquilani profile: 10 things you need to know about the Liverpool target

Bobby Robson: the top 10 highs and lows with video

Top 10 most embarrassing sporting mothers

Top 10 players who are loved so much by managers that the gaffers keep buying them back

Andre-Pierre Gignac scouting report and video: The inside track on the Arsenal target

Top 10 sporting cheats - and some who got away with it

Alvaro Negredo scouting report and video: The inside track on the Tottenham target

The inside track on Manchester United signing Mame Biram Diouf - scouting report and video

Franck Ribery profile: 10 things you need to know about the man bookies are linking with Liverpool

Top 10 magic Wimbledon moments - video special

Joe Hart and the Top 10 goalkeeper goals – a viewing spectacular

Andrea Pirlo profile: 10 Things you need to know about the Chelsea target

Carlos Tevez and the top 10 English-based footballers who have crossed the divide and moved to fierce local rivals

Alexandre Pato profile: 10 things you need to know about the Brazilian wunderkind

Andrew Symonds and the cricket bad-boys XI

How many footballers does it take to change a lightbulb? Our Top 10 most pampered players

Pigeons, bees and dogs: When sports stars and animals collide - video

Lewis Moody aims to achieve a 'special' double against Leinster - for the Tigers family

Chris Lewis and the cricket bad-boys XI

Goran Pandev profile: 10 things you need to know about the Tottenham target

Danny Cipriani misses out on England squad to tour Argentina

2009-08-31T12:41:00.000+01:00

ST LEGER PREVIEW

Back in 1776, the same year America declared independence and Captain Cook embarked on his fatal voyage to discover the Northwest Passage, former MP Lieutenant Colonel Anthony St Leger suggested to his friend, ex-Prime Minister Charles Watson-Wentworth, the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, that Doncaster should host a spectacular and lucrative horse race; an event that would make locals proud and put the South Yorkshire town firmly on the racing map.

Colts should be eight stone (50.8 kg), instructed St Leger, while fillies ought to be seven stone and twelve pounds (49.9 kg) and, to ensure an excellent field, the winner would be handsomely rewarded with 25 Guineas. Rockingham thought the idea splendid and organised the race, held at Cantley Common on September 24 that year. Five horses ran and one owned by Rockingham romped to victory while St Leger’s came second.

The glorious race had the desired effect: 233 years later the St Leger Stakes, sponsored by Ladbrokes since 2005, will be run on September 12 as the centrepiece of the St Leger Festival. The oldest of the five Classic flat races, attracting champion thoroughbred racers, including numerous horses owned by the British royals, it is also the final leg, following the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, of the British Triple Crown – last won by Nijinsky in 1970. Fittingly, for a race so steeped in rich history, victory in Doncaster will earn a £500,000 purse this year.

It’s not just the horse folk who are likely to profit, either. Since the race’s inception the locals of the small town, founded by the Romans in 1AD – originally a military camp (castra) on the River Don – have reaped the benefits from the biggest four days in Doncaster’s calendar.

Labrokes’ horse racing public relations manager, David Williams, explains: “The St Leger had lurched from one sponsor to another and hadn’t really had the stability that the great race deserved. So we committed to increasing the prize money and ramping up its profile.

“We have seen the numbers though the turnstiles increase every year – that’s a good barometer – and we have worked hard with the racecourse and with the local businesses, so that as many of them are involved as possible.

“We are the oldest bookmakers in the world, the race is the oldest Classic in the world, so our partnership is a very natural fit. The Yorkshire racing crowd are among the most passionate in the land – and they certainly know how to enjoy themselves. Most importantly, the festival is a hell of a lot of fun for all involved.”

Alan Severn, manager of Geraghty Racing, a bookmakers local to Doncaster and five minutes’ walk away from Town Moor – where the racing now takes place, two miles west of the original course – expects the town to be booming when the four-day festival begins on September 9, and predicts over 100,000 people, from near and far, will enjoy the racing.

Indeed some 27,000 watched Frankie Dettori steer Conduit over the 1m 6½f course in three minutes and seven seconds to finish first in last year’s Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes – the Italian jockey’s fifth success in the race (still four victories behind Bill Scott who rode nine winners between 1821-46).

“We always look forward to the St Leger stakes – it has that special mystic about it because it is the oldest of the Classics,” says Severn. “The top jockeys and trainers are here and it’s usually a decent race. It’s the last Classic of the season and then it’s winter. They say, ‘the last horse that crosses the line in the St Leger has got snow on its tail’.

“There is a real buzz around the town and the build-up to the festival is very exciting. Everybody comes down here suited and booted and Ladies Day, Thursday, is usually sold out well in advance – all the girls dress up and look fantastic. It’s a great spectacle, and with it having a Group 1 race we get people from all over. But it is very well supported by local people from Yorkshire.”

And how do Gerherty Racing compete with the national bookmakers? Severn explains: “With it being our big festival of the year we have a lot of promotions – guaranteed prices, quarterly odds on all the races and Lucky15s.

“If people want to go to the St Leger Festival mainly for the social side of things, they can put their bets on with us before they head to the course and then enjoy their afternoon without that hassle. We are also the local bookmaker on-course, so we do very well out of the week.”

But the bookies could do even better if a horse with long odds romps to victory, which seldom happens during the Festival. Indeed, in the last 15 St Leger Stakes a total of 11 have been won by the favourite – and the lowest odds for any of the 15 winning horses was 8/1.

“I can’t see it being any different this year,” Severn continues. “If the best horses turn up and the ground is right, then we don’t usually get outsiders winning it anymore. It’s not great for us – we want a big price winner – but we will smile as usual.”

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Harbinger was cut to short odds for this year’s Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes after his Gordon Stakes victory at Goodwood in late July and, after Conduit’s success last year, Stoute will be hoping for impressive back-to-back victories in Doncaster.

However Aiden O’Brien, who is no stranger to success in the race having trained three previous winners (Milan 2001, Brian Boru 2003, Scorpion 2005), is confident, with 15 entries in the 41-stong field, he can upset Stoute’s hegemony. His Irish Derby runner-up, Golden Sword, is Labrokes’ favourite at 4-1. As with St Leger and Rockingham’s chargers in 1776, the focal point of the St Leger Festival again promises to be fascinating and profitable for all involved.

2009-05-15T12:51:00.002+01:00

Mirror work early May / late April

Mike Catt looks to write history and tame Leicester Tigers – just don’t mention retirement

Back in 2003, when he was 32-years old, Mike Catt helped England make history when – against the odds – his team defeated Australia in Sydney to lift the World Cup for the first, and last, time. Tomorrow the evergreen fly-half will be looking to rewrite the record books again, when he steps out at Twickenham in the Guinness Premiership Final.

South African-born Catt moved to London Irish five years ago, having been labelled a has-been after over decade at Bath. And, under the guidance of first Brian Smith – now England’s backs coach – and Toby Booth, Irish have become a force to be reckoned with. Catt has very much been at the centre of this new-found success.

Last Saturday the 37-year-old made one try and scored another in the 17-0 win over Harlequins at the Stoop in the Guinness Premiership semi-final. That victory earned the Exiles their first Guinness Premiership final in their long history – and now they are playing the most formidable opponents possible, in Leicester Tigers.

Leicester, who finished top of the tree in the domestic season and have a Heineken Cup Final to play against Leinster next Saturday, have made it to the Guinness Premiership Final day in each of the past five years.

To many observers it looks as though it will be slingshots against giants, but that does not faze Catt. He says: “We are playing against the most experienced, streetwise side in the Premiership – they have been in the final every year for the past five years. All those players have been involved in big Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership final games – they know how to win games.

“But so do we, as we have proved this season. We have been consistent throughout – and the Guinness Premiership Final is our just rewards. The most we have lost a game by is six points in the whole season. We have got points irrespective of who we are playing. We have put ourselves in a very good position. It has been a fantastic season. We have scored more tries than anybody else and defensively we have bullied sides.

“The difference for us this season has been our fitness, power and pace. In the past two or three years we have been bullied by teams but now we are standing toe-to-toe with them. That is great for our confidence. We have not changed much from what Brian Smith brought to the table. We have the players and we know the game we really want to play. All we have done is tried to cut out those small individual errors.

“It is about us playing our way and making sure that we don’t make unforced errors. We need to be very technical in what we do. We are a very emotional side, London Irish, so we just have to make sure that we are not too emotionally charged up. Moreover, the guys have just got to enjoy the moment.”

Irish, who name an unchanged team from last week’s win – including centre Seilala Mapusua, the man named Players’ Player of the Year on Wednesday, England second row Nick Kennedy and captain Bob Casey, all of who were doubtful – have the ability to tame the Tigers. With a decent set-piece line-out, in particular, and game-changing athletes in Delon and Steffon Armitage, tomorrow’s game could go right to the wire.

And when asked whether it would provide a fitting stage for his final bow in a glittering career, Catt – who turns 38 in September – hints that he may be around for another season, yet. “I’ve always been of the mindset, never say never,” he continues. “Leaving Bath was a massive gut-wrenching thing for me to do, having achieved so much in my 11 years there. For them to discard me in the way that they did was very hard to take.

“But it opened another door for me. The first year was very tough as I did not play much rugby. But then Brian Smith turned up and we based the game around playing. Since then we have developed and every year we have got better and better. And it has been great fun doing it.

“I’m passionate about the game and I love playing. London Irish’s man-management of me has been fantastic over the past three or four years – if I can’t train a couple of days a week they let me take time out. Then, if I don’t perform on a Saturday they can drop me. But they way that it has worked out it has definitely helped – and meant that I can still play at the age I am.

“If I announce my retirement now then it would take something away from what London Irish have achieved this season. I have no interest in doing that, first of all. I think this will only be my fifteenth game of the season – whereas some of the other guys have played nearer 30 games. I’m not going to announce my retirement before a big game – it’s not all about me. It is about London Irish.

“I will make a decision over the summer in my time off. But we have brought in two fly-halves – Ryan Lamb, who is a great catch for us, and Chris Malone. They have both picked up serious injuries, and we will know, in a few months time when pre-season starts, whether these guys are going to be OK for the start of the season. If not, then I will do a pre-season and do the start of the season. When they are fit and healthy and raring to go then can just take a back seat. That is the way I am thinking at the moment.”

Stephen Jones on banishing his Lions demons

Mike Catt overcomes flu to inspire London Irish to victory over Harlequins in the Guinness Premiership semi-final

Ugo Monye previews that semi-final and speaks about his Lions selection

A profile of Franck Ribery, who Manchester United want - and are willing to pay a reported £63m for

And 10 things you need to know about the departing Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia

2009-04-27T15:56:00.002+01:00

Mirror work

A profile of Manchester United target Karim Benzema.

Tony Cascarino predicts “problems in the not too distant future” for Ipswich Town and Roy Keane

Shaun Edwards preparing Lions for “three World Cup finals” against South Africa

More white on the night - with British Lions' coach Ian McGeechan expect the unexpected

Jeremy Guscott selects three England players in his Lions XV

Exclusive: Andy Nicol bemoans lack of Scots in line for British Lions selection

Paul O’Connell confirmed as British and Irish Lions captain to tour South Africa

Top 10 goalkeepers' goals – a viewing spectacular

Top 10 British sporting father and sons

Phil "The Power" Taylor: I can be darts champ for at least another 10 years

2009-04-19T17:20:00.002+01:00

HULL KR END STOOP HOODOO

Hull Kingston Rovers ended their Stoop hoodoo by defeating Harlequins 32-12 on Sunday afternoon. The away side, who had never before won in Twickenham, were four points down at the break but romped to victory with 28 unanswered points.

Quins drew first blood, scoring in the corner through Mat Gardner after 12 minutes. Skipper Rob Purdham converted but the Robins hit back four minutes later through Kris Welham.

Harlequins’ lock Chad Robinson crashed over in the 21st minute. But with 10 minutes of the half left Rovers’ winger and top scorer Peter Fox crossed for his ninth try of the season to give Quins a 12-8 lead at the break.

But Brian McDermott’s team lost influential scrum-half Danny Orr and prop Daniel Heckenberg to injury and the away side took charge six minutes into the second half when Paul Cooke went over and Dobson converted.

Hull KR then extended their advantage through Liam Colbon and when Ben Galea crossed for two converted tries the score raced to 32-12 to Hull KR with 10 minutes to go.

Robins coach Justin Morgan said: “In the second half we had a much better selection of plays.

“We kicked a lot better and we had some excellent individual performances. I don’t think too many teams will come down here and win.”

Disappointed Quins head coach McDermott added: “When you lose Danny Orr and a prop down it’s always going to be difficult. Credit to Hull KR - they were just smarter than us in the second half."

Harlequins: Chris Melling, Mat Gardner, Matthew Gafa, David Howell, Will Sharp, Luke Dorn, Danny Orr; Karl Temata, Chad Randall, Danny Ward, Chad Robinson, Luke Williamson, Robert Purdham

Interchange: Louis McCarty-Scarsbrook, Daniel Heckenberg, Jason Golden, Luke Gale

Tries: Gardner, Randall
Goals: Purdham 2 (2)

Hull KR: Daniel Fitzhenry, Peter Fox, Jake Webster, Kris Welham, Liam Colbon, Paul Cooke, Michael Dobson, Clint Newton; Ben Fisher, Scott Wheeldon, Stanley Gene, Ben Galea, Scott Murrell

Interchange: Jason Netherton, Charlie I'Anson, Makali Aizue, Michael Vella

Tries: Welham, Fox, Cooke, Colbon, Galea 2
Goals: Dobson 4 (6)

2009-04-17T13:35:00.001+01:00

WORLD RECORD CRICKET AT A SILLY POINT - MOUNT EVEREST

Last week, on April 9, two cricket teams, largely made up of bonkers Englishmen, flew from London to the Himalayas to begin an 18-day trek, where a Twenty20 game will be played near to base camp of Mount Everest - at a staggering 5,165m.

It's just not cricket, I hear you cry! Well, it is. And the Guinness Book of Records have agreed that if the match, named The Everest Test, does go ahead, it will set a new world record for the highest altitude for a game of field sport.

Two years ago the Professional Cricket Association attempted something similar, raising £35,000 for charity, but the match was not recognised as it was only an eight over, six-a-side affair.

This year, however, there will be an eleven-a-side game, which will be held on the plateau of Gorak Shep, where there is only 66 per cent of the oxygen found at sea level. Takes your breath away, doesn't it?

The two squads, named Tenzing and Hillary after Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary who on May 29, 1953 became the first people to summit Mount Everest, have appointed honorary captains - England skipper Andrew Strauss and Test batsman Alastair Cook respectively.

They hope to raise an incredible £250,000 for The Himalayan Trust, The Lord's Taverners and the local Khumjung School. For more information on the charities, visit http://www.theeveresttest.com/legacy.php.

Check out their website (and a cool GPS tracking gadget) - http://www.theeveresttest.com - and the blog - http://www.atestabovetherest.com.

2009-04-17T13:08:00.003+01:00

KANGAROOS AND SPIDERMAN AT LORD'S - FANCY THAT!

Read my Mirror.co.uk blog HERE.

2009-04-17T13:04:00.001+01:00

EVANS IN HUNT FOR SILVERWARE AT QUINS

Nick Evans has already had a memorable first season in England, having inspired London Harlequins to their best ever run in Europe’s premium competition, the Heineken Cup. Also Quins topped the Guinness Premiership last month for the first time since 2003 and, with the play-off semi-finals to be contested on May 9, look set for their best finish in the domestic league for years. But is has not all been plain sailing for the All Black stand-off.

On Easter Sunday Evans, who moved from the Highlanders last June, was crocked in Quins’ Heineken Cup quarter-final against Brian O’Driscoll’s Leinster – and his team lost out 6-5. The 28-year-old, who hyper extended his right leg in a first-half tackle, crunching his knee, was called back off the bench for the remaining five minutes of the bruising encounter, after two other fly-halves had hobbled off needing treatment.

Heavily strapped and in obvious pain, Evans was found by England scrum-half Danny Care in the pocket, and – through gritted teeth – he used all of his energy to unleash a drop-kick that would have taken his new team to the final four of the Heineken Cup for the first time in their history. Earlier in the season he had attempted a similar feat and laced the winning kick – “the ugliest I have ever taken!” – to inflict a superb double over French giants Stade Francais that made the rugby world jolt up and take notice.

But this time lady luck shunned him and the Heineken Cup fairytale ended. “The kick had the distance to go over but it just faded to the left,” says Evans. “I gave it everything. My knee was really sore, but it wasn’t the running around, it was the kicking; that’s pretty crucial for a fly-half. I came on in the last few minutes when Deano (coach Dean Richards) gave me the nod, and I gave it a crack. I was fortunate enough to get a chance – but it wasn’t to be.”

Evans hopes he can return in time for Quins’ Guinness Premiership semi-final, having had four weeks to ready his knee, and help his team challenge for the Guinness Premiership, a title that has so far eluded them. And with the young team bristling with self-belief, Evans believes that even if this year does not finish with silverware, it will not be far away and Harlequins will prove they have come of age – and he very much wants to remain at the heart of that.

He continues: “The game against Leinster provided a good learning curve for the club – now we know we can do it and compete against Europe’s best. We were unlucky, but sometimes that happens. It was new territory for the club and the players. We are growing up as a team and next time we will be wiser.

“Now we have to focus on the Guinness Premiership and securing our play-off place. We could not dwell too much on the Leinster defeat. There is every chance that my knee will settle down and I’m available for the semi-final.”

Musing on the two victories against Stade Francais, which he calls two of the best matches he has ever been a part of, Evans says: “Those sensational games feel even more special now – when I said that they were up there with the top five that I have ever played in, that was straight after the match.

“And now I have spoken to many of the fans and they have told me those games are two of the biggest in the club’s history – that has made it even more special. Hopefully we can kick on from those results and know that in big situations we can pull it out if we need to.”

In early December, in front of 76,000 partisan Stade Francais supporters, Evans laced five points in a shock 15-10 win. A week later, in much more inclement weather, Quins were losing 17-16 when, with normal time elapsed and after an amazing 29 phases, they battled their way into the French team’s 22 and gave Evans the opportunity to drop the winning goal – and he duly did.

He continues: “Those 29 phases were unbelievable – it was bizarre rugby. I’ve never been involved in anything like that before. And that’s what rugby is all about – that’s why people watch and love the game. It was a tough game and the weather was pretty awful but the crowd were sensational.

“It’s funny, those moments are what you play for – it was special. Initially those moments wash over you. First of all I was pleased that we had won those back-to-back games. It’s only when the fans come up to you and show their emotions – that’s when you see how special it really is.”

And after ten months in the capital, the former Auckland Blues stand-off is fully settled into London life, though he does miss his fishing off the coast of New Zealand. Away from rugby Evans relaxes by going to West End musicals – “the Lion King and Mama Mia were great, and helped broaden my cultural horizons!” – and catching Premier League football matches. “But I do miss the coast of New Zealand,” he concedes. “I would take a boat and go around the island off the coast, and completely relax away from rugby. But now I am fully settled here and I’m loving it.”

Evans is determined to win Quins trophies, and adds: “I’ve signed for three years and I am very happy at Quins. We have a young team but I think we have exceeded our goals this year. If we can keep going over the next few years hopefully we can pick up a trophy – that would be amazing.”

2009-04-14T19:07:00.000+01:00

EVANS HOPING QUINS CAN MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY

Harlequins are hoping to make it third time lucky when they host Irish giants Leinster in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup on Easter Sunday. It is the first time in 11 years that the Londoners have reached the final eight of the competition – and they lost their last two quarter-finals to Leicester Tigers, who defeated them 23-13 in 1997, and Toulouse, 51-10 a year later.

But in All Black fly-half Nick Evans they have a genuine match winner, as evidenced by his performances in Quins’ superb double over Stade Francais in the group stages of the competition. The 28-year-old, who will run out at the Stoop having recovered from an ankle knock, is in confident mood and has urged his team-mates not to let history weigh down on them.

Auckland-born Evans, who joined Quins in the summer, said: “I hope I can help make it third time lucky. But we have a new, young team who don’t pay too much to history. We have already beaten teams that we supposedly shouldn’t have beaten – so for us the history book has been thrown out of the window.

“Leinster have internationals all over the field and we know it is going to be tough. But we are backing ourselves – we are here to win. We are motivated and our thought process has to be positive – we are not here to make up the numbers.

“We are safe to make the Heineken Cup for next year (confirmed by next week?) so we can have a really good crack at it this year. There is no reason why we can’t – we have exceeded all expectations already this year. No one thought we would get this far – it is massive for the club. There is a big buzz around the place and people have not been part of this for a long time.”

Evans picked out Irish centre and captain Brian O’Driscoll as the man Quins have to stop if they want to reach the semi-finals where they will face either Munster or Ospreys in early May. The 15-cap All Black continued: “I thought he had a fantastic Six Nations and showed what class he has, especially when the chips are down. In big games Brian delivers – we will have to concentrate on stopping him.

“He is one of those players who always gives 100 per cent – and New Zealanders look up to players like that and give them the kudos they deserve. He puts his body on the line and brings his A-game most of the time.”

Home advantage, Evans believes, will also play a significant part – Quins have only lost twice this season at the Stoop, both times to London Irish. “We have turned the Stoop into a fortress,” he said. “Leinster will have to play better than us to win – and if that happens we will take it on the chin, because we are at home we should go into the game with confidence.

“Even against a Leinster team who have fantastic players we should not be afraid of them. Though they have lost away a couple of times (to Wasps and Castres) they are a side who have been in this situation before. It’s new for us but we will just play the style of rugby that we know we can. Hopefully we can keep their fans fairly quiet and get our fans up."

Musing on the two victories against Stade Francais, Evans continued: “Those sensational games feel even more special now – when I said that they were up there with the top five that I have ever played in, that was straight after the match. And now I have spoken to many of the fans and they have told me those games are two of the biggest in the club’s history – that has made it even more special. Hopefully we can kick on from those results and know that in big situations we can pull it out if we need to. That belief will help us on Sunday.”

And after nine months in the capital, the former Auckland Blues stand-off is fully settled into London life, though he does miss his fishing. Away from rugby Evans relaxes by going to West End musicals – “the Lion King and Mamma Mia were great, and helped broaden my cultural horizons!” – and catching Premier League football matches.

But he determined to win Quins trophies, and added: “I’ve signed for three years and am very settled and very happy at Quins. We have a young team but I think we have exceeded our goals this year. If we can keep going over the next few years hopefully we can pick up a trophy – that would be amazing. If we win against Leinster we will be one step closer to achieving that – I hope we can play the game we want to play and get the result.”

2009-04-14T18:58:00.002+01:00

Daily Mirror work - I started on April 14

Javi Martinez profile: 10 things you need to know about the Liverpool target

2009-03-31T17:35:00.001+01:00

HODGSON HOPING TO MARRY PERSONAL SUCCESS WITH EXILE GLORY

While most Guinness Premiership clubs fought out Round 19 last weekend, and his resting London Irish team-mates monitored the progress of other play-off hopefuls, Paul Hodgson, using the backdrop of Dubai’s imposing skyscrapers and glorious beaches, bent his knee and proposed to his long-term girlfriend, Trudi.

The 26-year-old heard the answer he wanted and is now hopeful he can achieve double success by propelling the Exiles to domestic glory. Of the marriage proposal Hodgson grins: “I wasn’t nervous at all. I did it on the first night and then we went ring shopping the next day – that kept Trudi happy for the rest of the week!

“We are getting married some time next summer, but I will have to speak to the fitness coaches and see when an appropriate date is. Everything has to fit around rugby, which Trudi will have to get used to! My main goal now is to help bring London Irish some silverware this year.”

With three rounds to play Hodgson’s Irish sit third on 55 points, two behind Leicester Tigers, who slipped up at Newcastle, and four ahead of sixth-placed Sale Sharks. On Saturday they host bottom-placed Bristol – where the 5’ 8” scrum-half spent three formative years before moving to the Madejski in 2004 – knowing that a win is a must if their play-off hopes are to be realised.

“It is really tight at the top,” says Hodgson, who won his only international cap to date last March, coming off the bench in England’s RBS 6 Nations victory over Ireland. “I still think six teams are in with a chance of making the last four.

“It has been topsy-turvy all season – if the league finished a week later I bet you would see a different top four. But we just have to look after ourselves. If we win all our remaining games then we will be there, in the play-offs, without a doubt – because other teams will drop points. We know that our destiny is in our own hands.”

Hodgson expects his former team, Bristol, to put up a good fight at the Madejski – and knows first-hand what new coach Paul Hull is capable of, having been coached by him for two seasons in the West Country club’s academy. “We might not have had the best XV on paper in the Bristol under-21s, but Paul got the best out of all of us,” continues the Epsom-born No9. “And that is his best attribute as a coach – he gives you confidence, knows how to unlock potential and is also good at being hard on the players when he needs to be.

“I can’t see any reason why he won’t be very successful as coach of Bristol. He is a Bristol man, too, so he will care as much as anyone else. Whether they go down or not he is the best man for the job there.”

When Bristol were relegated from the top division in 2003, Hodgson was convinced to stay at the club by Hull’s predecessor, ex-England scrum-half Richard Hill, as he was promised a starting berth. “That season I played 33 games in Division One – and I think that year was the most important of my rugby career,” Hodgson says. “I could not have had a better coach than Richard at that time. He played a big part in my career, that’s for sure. Richard has done an outstanding job at Bristol. He is very astute and his attention to detail was fantastic – he is a quality coach and he will succeed wherever he ends up.”

Bristol defeated Worcester Warriors 37-18 last Sunday and, after resurgence under Hull, Hodgson expects them to be tough opposition for London Irish. He adds: “Bristol may have almost gone down but you can guarantee that those players will be fighting 100 per cent to stay up.

“Anyone who is desperate is dangerous – so we will not underestimate them at all and not let complacency enter our game. We know that it is going to be tough and that we will have to be at the top of our game. It is no easy task to finish fourth, but we are confident and he boys feel rested and really ready for it.”

2009-03-27T13:49:00.000Z

TERRY: WE MUST NOT CHANGE ROONEY

England captain John Terry has backed Wayne Rooney to use his passion for football and his country to help England have a successful week at Wembley.

Ahead of England's friendly at Wembley against Slovakia the centre-back, who is due to make his 50th appearance for the Three Lions on Saturday, backed the Manchester United striker to channel his aggression on the pitch.

The 28-year-old said: "Some players are born like that; with that passion and fire inside their belly. Wayne has certainly got that. I think if we try and take that away he won't be the player he is. He is world-class - let's let him get on with his football and let his football do the talking.

"He is still young, he is still learning - but what a player he is! Wayne knows his limits. We have seen him calm down over the years - he has grown up. He is playing well for Manchester United and England and that is the main thing we want.

"The key is to keep him fit, keep him well and keep him on the ball. If you get Wayne Rooney on the ball he can create all sorts. He scores goals and brings people in to play. If you keep him fit England have a great chance."

On the game on Saturday evening, which is due to attract a sell-out Wembley crowd, Terry added: "It has been a long time coming, but I'm delighted to hopefully getting my 50th cap for England. I have my family coming, so I am very much looking forward to it.

"We will go out fully-focused. We are playing well at the moment, but we had a little bit of a shock in our last game, against Spain (when England lost 2-0) - but that was an eye-opener and we can learn from that. We are looking to improve things at home in front of our home fans.

"The manager (Fabio Capello) does not treat friendlies lightly and neither will the players - we will going out there to win. They are top of their World Cup qualifying group and are going well. It is going to be a tough test. We can learn a lot about this game and take it in to Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine."

2009-03-25T12:51:00.006Z

DAVIES: SIX NATIONS ‘AERIAL PING-PONG’ SHOWS IRB GOT ELVS WRONG

Welsh legend Jonathan Davies believes that Ireland fully deserved their first grand slam victory in 61 years, as they were the most consistent side in the RBS 6 Nations. But the former fly-half was less than impressed with the quality of rugby on show and suggests the International Rugby Board cut their losses and bin their Experimental Law Variations, which are due to be reviewed in the coming weeks.

The 46-year-old, who was named man-of-the-match on his debut when, aged 22, he scored a try and a drop-goal to help defeat England 24-15 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1985, thinks that while the trialled rules mean that the ball is in play for longer, it encourages “aerial ping-pong” that dilutes the game as a spectacle.

“I’m not convinced by the kicking game,” said Trimsaran-born Davies, capped 32 times for Wales before he crossed codes to rugby league in 1989. “Maybe you do get more game time, but you do get this aerial ping-pong instead of a constructive game. If the ELVs have not worked then the authorities should have the balls to admit they have been wrong and say: ‘Thank you very much, let’s not change the rules and draw a line under it.’

“I think that the ELVs have not had much of an effect, to be honest, and they haven’t really adapted to the departure of the rolling maul, for example. Whether they keep them or just get rid of them will not make too much of a difference.”

Reflecting on the championship itself Davies believes that Lions head coach, Ian McGeechan, who is set to name his 35-man squad for South Africa on April 21, will have as many selection dilemmas as he did in early February.

He continued: “It was a great finale between Wales and Ireland, and there was some great rugby, but there has been a lack of consistency by most sides and the most consistent side was Ireland – that’s why they won the tournament and the grand slam.

“But I would not say the best team won because England showed in the last couple of games what they can do. They only lost by one point to Ireland and if they had had all their players on the park earlier in the competition it could have been oh so different for them.

“McGeechan will still have plenty of headaches about his Lions selection – but no more than before the championship. One of the biggest debates must be whether he picks specialists or utility players, or a balance of both – because the numbers are less this time.

“Some players can expect the stamp on their passports already – the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones. But there are a lot of places open, not only for the Test team but also for the tour squad. A lot of people are going to be disappointed as they have not performed as well as they might have in the championship.

“Welsh No8 Andy Powell, who had a great autumn, did not perform well against Italy, in particular, and then he was injured. Dwayne Peel has been very unlucky, too, with injury. These boys have really got to stamp their authority on their club matches if they are to stand a chance of making the plane. Again Jonny Wilkinson could come in to it if he gets his fitness back.

“South Africa are looking good at the moment and their key players keep playing well. I’m not sure approaching them purely physically is the answer, though the balance of the back-row will be key. A lot of the English boys have shone in the last couple of games. Many people were saying that the squad would be made up of mostly Welsh and Irish players but I think that has changed now. It is still very open and it will be interesting to see what Geech does.”

BACK OF THE TOURNAMENT: Brian O’Driscoll, 30, Ireland

“It’s got to be Brian O’Driscoll – I’ve looked at him and he does all the hard work. He is one of those guys who, even when he is not playing to his full potential and is faltering a little bit, is still good enough to get in any world side.

“He tackles hard, grafts, is explosive and stepped up when Ronan O’Gara was under-performing. I’m sure he will be asked whether he wants the Lions captaincy or not – I think it is between him and Paul O’Connell. Delon Armitage, Riki Flutey and Tommy Bowe are all also worth a mention.”

FORWARD OF THE TOURNAMENT: Paul O’Connell, 29, Ireland

“Paul O’Connell was awesome in the line-out – both when it is his team’s ball and when it is the opposition’s – and had a very good tournament. Though his ball carrying isn’t as effective as other players, he will always work hard in the scrum and in the loose.

“Ospreys and Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones played very well, too. And Italy captain and No8 Sergio Parisse was immense in all of his games. He would be up there with O’Connell as forward of the tournament – but you have to give it to the Irishman as he won the grand slam.”

IRELAND
Championship record: won five; 121 points scored; 73 against; +48 difference; 12 tries; 10 points

“They have been wanting to win something for so long especially after the disappointment of the World Cup. Expectation has been so high and maybe now, with them winning and getting that monkey off their back, they could grow in to an even better side. In Tommy Bowe, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney they have a lot of young guys coming through, too.

“Ireland had the two best players in the competition in Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell and even thought they did not play at the top of their form, they won and that shows a good mental toughness. Declan Kidney has got to take a lot of credit for that. Now there is a Munster-esque attitude and application, with a bit of magic when needed. They deserve to have won the grand slam and the competition.”

ENGLAND
Championship record: won three; lost two; 124 points scored; 40 against; +54 difference; 16 tries; 6 points

“They gained momentum and continuity in the last two games – if they had started the tournament like that and kept their discipline it could have been a very different story. Martin Johnson’s England finished the championship very well and they can look forward now with confidence.

“It does take time for a team to understand what their individual roles are. It was difficult for them to settle in the first few games in the autumn but they look to be really coming together now. Earlier on in the tournament they were creating plenty of opportunities to score but not finishing them. The difference in the past two games is that they started to finish them.”

FRANCE
Championship record: won three; lost two; 124 points scored; 101 against; +23 difference; 14 tries; six points

“They have just been so patchy – France are only third because of their poor attitude. Against Wales they were brilliant, physical, passionate and awesome – but against England they were a complete waste of time.

“It just depends on what mental state they are in but selection is key to international rugby and I’m not sure Marc Lièvremont did his team any favours by chopping and changing the side. Next year he will have to build a side for the World Cup in 2011. He has to have faith in the players – it can’t be good for them if they are wondering if they are going to play the next week.”

WALES
Championship record: won three; lost two; 100 points scored; 81 against; +19 difference; eight tries; six points

“The team did well against Scotland and were unlucky against France – Wales could have won it in the last minute. And they could have beaten Ireland late on, too. They did not play as well as they have been and have had to adapt their game as sides have worked them out a little bit.

“Against the Italians they did not play well, but I think Warren Gatland was right to look at a few other players as you have to think about the future. If you think about how far the Welsh have come in the 18 months since the World Cup their development has been great, but we now need to adapt for next year.”

SCOTLAND
Championship record: won one; lost four; 79 points scored; 102 against; -23 difference; four tries; two points

“It has been very difficult for Frank Hadden as the raw materials at his disposal are not that great. Their pack showed that they are still going well and are quick and strong. The Evans brothers – Max and Thom – shone, too, even though they got very few opportunities. But there is a serious lack of creativity at 10, 12 and 15. Until they sort that out they are always going to struggle to score tries. They don’t have that bit of a cutting edge which is what you need at international level. Without those players I don’t think it is Hadden’s fault that the team are not performing.”

ITALY
Championship record: won none; lost five; 49 points scored; 170 against; -121 difference; two tries; zero points

“The Azzurri again showed that they have a strong forward pack led by the awesome Parisse. The centres – Gonzalo Canale, Mirco Bergamasco – were strong, too, but unfortunately the rest of the back line are not up to scratch.

“Italy kicked the ball far too often because they were looking for field position. They need to find a decent scrum-half and No10 very quickly, and the back three are suspect as well. They looked sluggish and lost all their confidence after the England game. But if they had not handed England those points thanks to Mauro Bergamasco, then it could have been different. But, as with Hadden, there is only so much that Nick Mallett can do.”

2009-03-23T18:01:00.000Z

BROWN: QUINS CAN STAY IN PLAY-OFF BERTH

Harlequins moved up to fourth in the Guinness Premiership with a bonus-point victory over play-off rivals Sale Sharks on Sunday at the Stoop. Dean Richards’s side bounced back from defeat by Newcastle Falcons the previous weekend to win 38-20 thanks, in particular, to an outstanding second-half performance.

With home fly half Chris Malone, in for the injured Nick Evans, and Sale stand off Charlie Hodgson trading penalties in a error-strewn first half, the score reached 12-12 at the interval. But Quins shifted gears after the break and began to play expansive, attractive rugby, and reaped the rewards for some bold decisions – notably kicking for the corner rather than punting for three points.

South African hooker Gary Botha barged over for the first try of Quins’ tries soon after half-time, and when the ball was shipped through numerous backs’ hands a score from 19-year-old winger Seb Stegmann soon followed.

With England trio Nick Easter, Danny Care and Ugo Monye part of the 11,592 watching on, No8 Tom Guest broke from a scrum and crashed over to put the result beyond doubt. And centre De Wet Barry’s interception and 50 metre dash sealed the bonus-point. Though Hodgson scored a breakaway try and another penalty, Quins, with four games remaining, are confident of remaining in the top four.

“The boys did really well,” said full back Mike Brown. “In the first-half I think the teams were feeling each other out and there were a lot of penalties given. But in the second-half it opened up which was good for us because we could play the game we want to play.

“We improved our discipline in the second-half and that killed them. We go to Sale in a couple of weeks and this win will set the tone for that match. We have got to stay up in the top four now – it is so tight between one and six but we are definitely confident we can do it and make the play-offs.”

2009-03-23T17:08:00.002Z

ARSENAL MUST CHILL OUT IN FRONT OF GOAL

Arsenal may have not scored at the Emirates in the Premier League since January 10 – but Arsene Wenger has told his players to chill out and be natural in front of goal.

The French manager is hoping his team hit to onion bag on Saturday February 28 against Fulham but believes that the more pressure they feel to score the longer the drought will continue.

Arsenal, who have played out goalless draws in their last two league games at home, sit in fifth in the table, six points behind Aston Villa – but Wenger believes that magical Champions League spot is possible if his team relax.

“The bigger you make a problem, the bigger it becomes,” he said. “So you just have to be natural, spontaneous and believe in what you do and your ability.

“If you want it to be a problem, you can say 'yes, OK, it is a problem'. But sometimes you have to take a distance from a problem and just think let’s play well.

“We do not put any special pressure on the guy who misses a golden chance. We always try to encourage them and be positive and remind them that they have the quality.

“We have scored plenty of goals and it happens to any team to have a spell where you score a little bit less.

“I am confident we will make the Champions League. There are 12 games to go, if we keep our consistency, spirit and attitude, and our focus, we will make it.”

Arsenal will welcome back Andrey Arshavin who missed out on the 1-0 Champions League win over Roma on Tuesday and also Abu Diaby returns from injury.

Wenger also backed Nikolas Bendtner to prove his worth to the club – despite the young Danish striker saying he expected to play more often.

“I feel he is doing well,” Wenger said of Bendtner. “He is 20-years old, playing at the top level and creating chances. The problem at that level is if you don’t create chances.

“He wants to work, he is becoming very professional. Before he was a little bit easy going. He realises now what it takes to me a top class player. He work very well and for me he has a bright future.”

2009-03-23T17:06:00.001Z

JOHNNO CALM IN DEFEAT - ARMITAGE

Martin Johnson did not deliver an almighty dressing down to his England team who lost 14-13 to Ireland on Saturday – in fact he was calm, according to Delon Armitage.

The result at Croke Park, made to look more flattering by the London Irish full-back’s late try, leaves England in fourth place in the RBS 6 Nations. But two more sin-binnings – making it 10 in only four games – had manager Johnson fuming in the stands.

Eight points from home skipper Brian O’Driscoll and six from the boot of Ronan O’Gara won the game for Ireland. But 18 penalties and Phil Vickery and Danny Care’s dismissals made the job easier for Declan Kidney’s side, who are still on course for their first grand slam.

Johnson, however, did not give the hairdryer treatment to his England team, who have won only two games in seven since he took command. “He didn't go off on one like people might think he would have done," said Armitage.

“He was very calm about it because he could see it on the boys' faces – we knew we had blown a big chance of beating Ireland. There was no point in ranting and raving about. We were already hurting badly.”

The 25-year-old insisted that there were some pluses and vowed his team would produce a better performance against France on March 14. “We showed at times we can play good rugby and be positive,” he continued. “We can score tries.

“I think we are going in the right direction. We are competing with these teams when people are writing us off. If only we can cut down the errors and silly penalties.

“We need to work on our ill-discipline otherwise we will get beaten by teams and we won't give ourselves any chance of winning any games.”

2009-03-23T17:03:00.001Z

HOLLAND: CHARLTON CLOSE TO GAME OVER

Matt Holland admits that if Charlton fail to win tonight (TUES) in their
home game against Doncaster it would be nearly impossible to escape the
relegation trapdoor.

The Addicks are glued to the bottom of the Championship and have 10
points to make up if they are to avoid the drop.

But the 34-year-old believes that the team spirit has improved recently
with a number of impressive results - they have five points from their
last three games. And that it is not necessarily 'game over' yet.

"It won't be mathematically 'game over' if we don't beat Doncaster, but
it is a massive match for us," said the former Republic of Ireland
midfielder, whose team have only 27 points after 34 games.

"The last three games have shown that we have made strides - the second
half against Swansea was a good performance.

"I think the performance has been better in the last few weeks and
generally the form of individuals has been better. The confidence has
improved, for one thing.

"These two games at home this week, against Doncaster and Watford, are
crucial for us - it is an extremely important week for us.

"It is very doable - I think the confidence is there going in to the
games now. It is important that we press Doncaster and don't allow them
to impose their game on us."

Holland added: "The key at the moment is to take it game by game -
hopefully each game can get us that little bit closer to survival.

"We know we have a big challenge ahead of us and that it will take a lot
of effort from everyone. We need to be together on and off the pitch, as
a unit. It will be a very important couple of months for the club."

2009-03-23T16:58:00.000Z

JACKSON: SARRIES WILL PLAY FOR JONES

Saracens' players will prove to their South African owners that they
were wrong to axe 15 players last week by defeating all before them on
the pitch, believes Glen Jackson.

Coach Eddie Jones hit out at the owners following the 24-23 win over
Sale Sharks on Saturday - and fly-half Jackson, 33, said the players
were grateful to have the Australian on their side, even if he is
leaving at the end of the season.

"Eddie is our coach and it is nice to hear that he is backing the
players and if we need help from he, he will try and look after us,"
said the current Guinness Premiership leading points scorer.

"Something like this actually brings a close team like us together. When
you know that half the players in the team you will never play with
again, it can pull you tighter.

"Being told you are not wanted is what happens in life. Clubs normally
get rid of their players at the end of the season - so it is a strange
situation to be in when they announce they don't want you when you are
only half-way through.

"Hopefully as we are professional sportsmen we will do the job on the
field. It would shame if we were to move away from trying to play rugby
and not play for Eddie or each other."

2009-03-23T16:54:00.002Z

SKINNER WARY OF HURT SARACENS

Harlequins host Saracens on Saturday April 7 and Will Skinner and his team-mates
are wary that a number of their opponents are playing for their futures.
Last weekend Eddie Jones's side edged out high-flying Sale Sharks at
Vicarage Road following the announcement by their South African owners
that 15 players, including a raft of first-teamers, would be free to
leave at the end of the season in order to make way for a new batch of
personnel.

Glen Jackson, the Saracens' fly-half currently leading the Guinness
Premiership point scorers table, laced 14 points in the 24-23 win over
the Sharks - and he has warned Dean Richards's team that the hurt of
rejection has made the players more determined to prove their worth.

"Something like this actually brings a close team like us together,"
said the 33-year-old named player of the year by his fellow
professionals in 2007. "When you know that half the players in the team
you will never play with again, it can pull you tighter.

"Being told you are not wanted is what happens in life. Clubs normally
get rid of their players at the end of the season - so it is a strange
situation to be in when they announce they don't want you when you are
only half-way through.

"Hopefully as we are professional sportsmen we will do the job on the
field. It would shame if we were to move away from trying to play rugby
and not play for Eddie or each other."

Flanker Skinner acknowledges that Quins will be playing a team whose
pride is wounded - but insists that Harlequins, who moved up to fourth
after Ugo Monye's last-gasp try turned defeat in to victory last Sunday,
will try to remain focussed on their game plan.

"We know Saracens will be hurt and playing for each other," said the
25-year-old skipper. "We are trying not to let their situation affect
our game plan. Whether people are being let go or staying, what has gone
on there will, if anything, make them stronger. They had a great result
against Sale at the weekend."

The Saxons star is hopeful that Quins will improve on their narrow win
over Bristol last weekend. The bottom-placed side stifled and frustrated
their opponents but lost 17-14. Skinner continued: "We came away with
four points so we were happy. Bristol showed they are a good team and
they have a lot of good players. They are fighting for a lot down
there. We did well to come back in the last 10 minutes and get that
all-important try. We were pleased on the bus coming back.

"As the attacking team we felt we were getting penalised quite a bit. It
was frustrating - we didn't play the type of game we wanted to play.
Bristol were playing well - they closed us down well at the breakdown.

"And we moved up to fourth so things are going well. The top six is so
tight at the moment and Sarries are coming up into that group, too.
Anybody could be in the top four and Saracens are fighting. Their
half-back pairing of Justin Marshall and Glen Jackson is very strong.
Adam Powell in the centre played well against us at the start of the
season. He is a very strong, powerful runner who picks good lines. All
three of them need to be closed down very quickly."

Jackson said of Skinner and his back-row partners in crime, Chris
Robshaw and Tom Guest: "Hopefully I will stay out of their way! The
older I get the less I take it to the line. They are a dogged back three
and I think the reason that they are playing so well is because of those
three.

"Both teams like to use the ball and with the conditions getting a bit
warmer and the tracks getting harder, there should be a lot of running
and it should be a good game. Quins are going well, though they were
nearly beaten last week but they might get a bit of a caning in training
and we might face their backlash. They are definitely a form side and it
is going to be a tough one, especially away."

2009-03-23T16:50:00.001Z

WHY JOHNNO IS AN UNSUCCESSFUL ENGLAND MANAGER

Martin Johnson's lack of success at England manager should be no
surprise as most top sportsmen do not make good coaches or managers,
points out a leading sports psychologist.

Under Johnson, England's World Cup winning captain in 2003, the Red Rose
have won just two out of seven matches and have dropped to their lowest
world ranking - eighth.

Johnson, who took up the role as England manager last summer having no
coaching experience, is struggling to impose his authority on the team -
and Dr Sik believes it is a matter of communication.

He said: "The great fallacy of all team sports is the assumption that if
you are a good player and motivator on the pitch then you will make a
good coach or manager.

"The problem is usually communication. Look at most of the great
football managers - Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson -
most of them were, at best, mediocre players.

"And then if you look at the great players, like Sir Bobby Moore and Sir
Bobby Charlton, they made a complete hash of it.

"The reason for that is because if you are very naturally talented then
it is very difficult to get across that gift that you have got to other
people, because if comes so naturally to you.

"Personality is another reason. I am sure that Martin Johnson was a huge
dressing room influence. But if you have not got the players and they
are undisciplined then it is very difficult to turn it round however
charismatic a person you are.

"And Personality can only go so far - you need certain skills. If you
don't have that coaching experience it can be quite difficult."

2009-03-23T16:44:00.002Z

O'GARA KEEPS IRELAND ON COURSE FOR SIX NATIONS GRAND SLAM

Ireland remain on course for their first ever RBS 6 Nations grand slam with a hard-fought 22-15 victory over a resilient Scotland side at a full-house Murrayfield on Saturday April 14. The visitors, who last won the tournament in 1985, were trailing for 50 minutes but as the Scottish defence tired, Ireland – and in particular Ronan O’Gara – began to show their class. The 32-year-old fly-half kicked 17 points and in the process became the leading scorer in the competition’s history.

“You don’t get to play at this level for 10 years and not have good mental strength,” said captain Brian O’Driscoll of the Munster No10. “He has huge confidence and a great work ethic – those were combined in today’s performance.”

The Scots began with real purpose and after only six minutes full-back Chris Paterson’s trusty right boot kicked its first three points of the evening. O’Gara hit back with a penalty of his own after 11 minutes but Paterson laced two more in the following 10 minutes to take the Scots to 9-3.

But when Scotland were offside yards from their own try line after 25 minutes O’Gara scored his second penalty – taking him to 481 RBS 6 Nations points, bettering Jonny Wilkinson’s championship record of 479.

Paterson restored Scotland’s six point lead 10 minutes before the interval with a penalty. However that gap was narrowed again just four minutes later as O’Gara countered with a kick of his own. And O’Driscoll’s try-saving tackle on Thom Evans kept the score at 12-9 at the break.

In the second-half the Scottish defensive wall started to weaken and mistakes were made as fatigue set in. And the Irish began to exploit gaps – none more so than man-of-the-match Peter Stringer. The Munster scrum-half darted for the try line off a line out after 51 minutes, and shipped on to replacement No8 Jamie Heaslip, who dived over for his second try of the tournament – and Ireland did not look back.

“I’m not sure how Springer found that space,” said disappointed Scottish coach Frank Hadden. "I thought we should have been out of sight at half-time and made too elementary mistakes in the second-half.”

After O’Gara converted Heaslip’s score he drop kicked another three points to take Ireland to 19-12 with just over 20 minutes remaining. Though Paterson scored his fifth penalty in a perfect kicking game, the Irish kept their noses in front thanks to O’Gara. With eight minutes left he had the final say, sealing victory with another penalty.

The win sets up a mouth-watering finale when Ireland head to Cardiff next Saturday to play reigning champions Wales, who will need to win by at least 13 points. “Playing Wales in Wales is an extraordinarily difficult thing to do, especially with their track record,” said coach Declan Kidney. “We will celebrate this win and thing about next week later.”

Scotland: Chris Paterson; Simon Danielli, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison, Thom Evans; Phil Godman, Mike Blair (capt); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Jim Hamilton, Jason White, Alasdair Strokosch, John Barclay , Simon Taylor.

Replacements: Dougie Hall, Moray Low, Nathan Hines, Scott Gray, Chris Cusiter, Nick De Luca, Hugo Southwell.

Penalties: Paterson 5 (5)

Ireland: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Marcus Horan, Rory Best, John Hayes; Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell; Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Denis Leamy.

Replacements: Jerry Flannery, Tom Court, Mick O'Driscoll, Jamie Heaslip, Tomas O'Leary, Paddy Wallace, Geordan Murphy.

2009-03-23T16:36:00.001Z

CECH: CLEAN SHEETS ARE US

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is confident that he and his stingy defence can, once again, get the better of Serie A giants Juventus in Turin on April 10 and cruise through to the last eight of the Champions League.

The Czech international has conceded only one goal in the five games that new manager Guus Hiddink has taken charge of. He believes that clean sheets will be the key to winning the trophy that eluded Chelsea so cruelly last May.

“We were all delighted with result in the first leg,” said the 26-year-old of the 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago. “Although we could have scored a second goal, it was important to keep a clean sheet at home. Overall it was a good result for the second leg.

“Both teams are organised so maybe the one goal is enough. It is always better if you score more and kill the game early – then you can play with more confidence.

“We are expecting a very tough game because Juventus played some good football at Stamford Bridge and will have the home advantage this time. But we’ve been working hard as a defensive unit and I think that could see us through.”

Cech credits Dutchman Hiddink, who lifted the European Cup with PSV in 1988, as the man who has re-focused the team – and, in particular, striker Didier Drogba. “It is always important when you have a new manager to start well and there are a lot of things which have changed since he took over,” he continued. “At the moment it is working well for use but it is still early days.

“Didier’s been great recently. He’s such a strong guy and we can rely on him, put the long ball and he’ll hold it. It is a big boost for the team to have someone who can do that.”

2009-03-23T16:34:00.001Z

SEYMOUR HOPING TO REMEDY SARRIES TURMOIL

There may be turmoil off the field at Vicarage Road, but Saracens flanker David Seymour is hoping to put an end to the problems on the pitch by defeating play-off rivals Bath at home on Sunday in the Guinness Premiership.

If they fail to win this weekend, director of rugby Eddie Jones, and the 15 players – including Seymour – who will be exiting with him in May, can kiss goodbye the chance of winning silverware in Sarries colours. They currently sit in seventh on 37 points – 10 behind fourth-placed Sale – with six games to play.

The 24-year-old Seymour, who made his Saracens bow in 2003 and is back in the team after overcoming a knee injury he sustained at the start of the season, admits that since the club’s South African owners announced their intentions to wield the axe three weeks ago, it has been difficult for the players to focus on their on-field jobs.

“The last couple of weeks have been interesting to say the least,” says the blond England Sevens star, who chopped off his trademark ponytail before the season began. “But we are professionals and our job until the end of the season is to finish well and to reach our goals.

“Our main focus is to pick up some wins in the next couple of weeks against the sides that are vying for a top four play-off place, too. We've really got to start to put things to one side and concentrate on our rugby – it's tough but it's got to be done.”

Seymour played in last weekend’s 21-15 loss to Harlequins at the Stoop, a game after which Jones said he had been “very concerned” by his team’s lack of cohesion. “The first forty minutes were a bit flat, really,” concedes Seymour. “In the second half we managed to pick it up a bit, but it was not enough. We've lost quite a few close games like that. That's a frustrating point that we're losing such close games.

“There have been a few games recently that we've been leading at half time but just haven't been able to finish off in the second-half – and last week it went the opposite way around. We're looking forward to putting that right at the weekend against Bath – it is going to be a massive game for the club.

“For the rest of the season we are playing teams who are all above us, bar Worcester, so every one is an important game. If we lose against Bath it is going to make things a whole lot harder, that’s for sure.

“We haven't made easier for ourselves by losing to teams in the last few weeks but we're confident we can pick up a win here and move on and push for that top four.”

Seymour’s team have lost only once in eight games in the league at home – to Gloucester back in November – and he hopes that that record will mean something on Sunday. But he knows with Bath, with South African international Butch James pulling the strings at fly-half, will be in confident mood after burying local rivals Bristol 45-8 last weekend.

He said of the team on equal points as second-placed Leicester Tigers: “Bath are not at the top of the table for nothing – they've been strong and they're obviously on a high after the Bristol result.

“As it stands our record away from home is poor, but we seem to be doing OK at home. And we are in front of our own crowd on Sunday and we want to have a good win for them as much as ourselves. So it's important that for the rest of the season we win all our home games and try and pick points up along the road.

“With James at No10, and with their extremely strong back row pack it's going to be a big challenge against Bath. It’s definitely going to be a tough game but if we can get a win from that, then we're moving in the right direction.”

2009-03-23T16:32:00.001Z

EDINBURGH’S FESTIVAL OF RUGBY

Scottish legend Gavin Hastings cannot wait for Edinburgh to open its doors to players and fans of both rugby codes in May for a festival of rugby – as he believe the historic city has “something to offer everyone”.

Scotland’s lively capital boasts one of the most sizable and atmospheric stadiums in European rugby union – but for a weekend in early May all 14 Super League clubs will be gracing Murrayfield’s hallowed turf, before, on May 23, the cream of Europe’s union talent will go head-to-head in the Heineken Cup Final, as they did four years ago when Stade Francais edged out Toulouse after extra time.

The last occasion rugby leaguers ventured north of the border was in 2002 when the 67,800-seater stadium hosted the Challenge Cup Final and Wigan collected their last silverware after defeating St Helens.

Taking over from Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield – which had a £50m revamp in 1995 – will welcome over 100,000 Super League fans for the Magic Weekend on May 2 and 3.

And 47-year-old Hastings, who won 61 caps for his country and six caps for the British Lions, believes that Heineken Cup revellers and, in particular, supporters of the 13-man code will fall for the charm of the city.

“Edinburgh is a real party city,” says the former full-back, “and it has something to offer everyone. Not only is Murrayfield a short walk from the city centre but the stadium and its surrounds will be buzzing before, during and after the rugby. Everyone is guaranteed to have a fantastic time.”

St Helens’ England stand-off, Leon Pryce, is looking forward to stepping out at Murrayfield. “It will be great to play in such a fantastic stadium,” believes the 27-year-old. “I know Scottish people are always very welcoming! I am expecting Edinburgh to provide a great atmosphere for the Magic Weekend – it will be a spectacle.”

2009-03-23T16:30:00.000Z

RICHARDS RECOMMENDS COACHING YEAR ABROAD

Come May, when Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan is expected to step down, and if his opposite man at Gloucester, Dean Ryan, relinquishes his role, too, Dean Richards of Harlequins will be longest-serving coach in the Guinness Premiership. The 45-year-old former England No8 points to a sojourn in a small city at the foot of the Alps to explain his durability – and suggests that other coaches, including Martin Johnson, do the same.

Richards, who made 48 appearances for the Red Rose and won six Lions caps, moved upstairs at Leicester Tigers in February 1998 after his playing career finished. With Johnson as his captain, Richards’s team won four consecutive Premiership titles and the first Zürich Championship play-offs, as well as back-to-back Heineken Cups in 2001 and 2002. They are still the only side to have managed that feat. However, in 2004, Richards was shown the door at Welford Road as his side, shorn of its internationals, slipped to 11th in the table.

It was an acrimonious split between the Tigers and a man who had spent 20 years at the club, but Richards moved over to southeast France – and he believes it was his year in Grenoble, in spite of it not being a failure in terms of results, that re-energised his coaching career. And he has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

“After being at Leicester Tigers for seven years I spent a fantastic year in France,” he says. “It showed me a different culture, a different way of life and a different style of and attitude to rugby, too. Even though we didn’t do particularly well, it reinvigorated me. What I saw over there I brought back and it changed my attitude to rugby.

“Because of the intensity of the Guinness Premiership you have to be like an international manager – it is not like the Super 14, when it is intense for very short periods of time. There is very little respite in England – you are going pretty much from the beginning of July right to the end of May.

“You can understand why you do need a change, and that change makes a massive difference. But rugby is something that I grew up with and has been a part of my life since the age of ten or 11. I’m entrenched in rugby, it is my passion and it is why I am still here.”

After taking the reins at Harlequins in 2005, following their relegation, Richards has carefully moulded a young team who don’t look out of place at third in the table. In Newcastle this Sunday they could make it six wins on the bounce for the first time in their Guinness Premiership history.

“We are pleased with the five wins in a row – and though I am not interested in records, I am keen to keep on winning,” Richards continues. “It doesn’t matter how many wins we get, because once we get the momentum going, the winning habit is a difficult one to break. But we have some tough games, starting with Newcastle away at the weekend.”

2009-03-23T16:28:00.001Z

BOTHA HOPING FOR A MOTHER OF A GAME

Harlequins welcome Sale Sharks to the Stoop on Sunday and Springboks hooker Gary Botha believes his side can put last weekend’s disappointment in Newcastle behind them and defeat their play-off rivals in what promises to be a mother of a game. Botha’s young family will be watching on from the stands and he hopes he can show his wife and children something special on Mothering Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who moved from the Blue Bulls in 2007, has won 12 Springbok caps – but he is very happy to be part of the Quins revolution in the capital; more so if the sun deigns to show itself.

“I’m really enjoying London, especially when the sun is out, and am pleased to have gotten over the spell of injuries I had,” says Botha, whose side are fifth in the Guinness Premiership on 47 points, equal with sixth-placed Sale with five games in the normal season to play.

“My little girl is turning three in May and my little boy is turning one in May – we have a busy household and my wife has to put up with me, because I am a big baby too! They all always come along to watch and hopefully Quins will get a win against Sale on Sunday and our mummy will be happy!”

On the rugby front he continues: “There has been a shift in attitude since I have arrived – we are all going forward now. We have a bunch of young guys who are doing awesomely well now and we have great self-confidence. We see that anything is possible if we put the hard work in.

“That self-belief happens because of the hard work and training. People are understanding – both inside and outside the camp – and coming to terms with the fact that we are a good team, because of the work we do. We are going to get more pressure on us every game now – we are not just another team in the Guinness Premiership anymore. That is great for the Quins players and brings a spark to the squad, which I really like.”

However, at Kingston Park last Sunday, Newcastle Falcons halted Quins’ five-game winning streak. And Botha is positive his “wounded” team can soon get back on track by notching a W against Kingsley Jones’s side, who they play at Edgeley Park on April 17 and were thumped 38-3 by Northampton Saints last weekend.

“There was a bit of frustration,” the hooker says of the 24-16 loss in the north-east. “We did not get as much of the ball as we would have liked. We are a side that likes to have a bit of a crack at the try-line a lot of the time. The most disappointing thing was going up there and not getting any points at all, especially when Sale lost. But it is not that we are looking at the table – we have to concentrate on what we are doing now.

“We will take the loss on the chin and regroup. We had a good run and we have to learn from this. We would like to get a win and get back some of the momentum we had, and build on it once again. Both Sale and Quins will be like wounded animals. Sale will have been very disappointed but they have been up at the top of the table for a reason. They have not been in the leading pack at the end of the last few seasons by accident – they are a top side.

“At this stage of the season all the teams are in a predicament – you have to run your own race now. You can’t expect other teams to help you out and do a job on others. You have to focus on your own race. The game has so many way of throwing in curveballs and that is what makes it so interesting and exciting.”

And Botha believes that the Stoop, where Quins have lost only twice all season – both times to London Irish – will play a major part on Sunday. He adds: “Playing at the Stoop is a big factor for us. It is easier to motivate ourselves to work harder in front of such a great crowd. The most promising thing is that the younger guys in the group are realising how awesome it is playing at the Stoop – they know they have the backing of the crowd. But if you don’t do the hard yards, nothing is easy.”

2009-03-23T16:25:00.002Z

SHAW ON ENGLAND RECALL

Simon Shaw, the Wasps lock, was recalled on Wednesday May 11 as Martin Johnson attempted to beef up his England team to face France on Sunday. It was the 10th international recall for 35-year-old Shaw, who – when he runs out at Twickenham – will have been capped for the Red Rose in every year since 1996.

“Why am I still going after all these years?” Shaw, who has only featured as a replacement under Johnson – the man who cost him more caps in the England second-row – asked. “Because I just love playing the game and I just want to play for England.

“If I feel I'm still capable of playing Heineken Cup rugby I see no reason why I can't play for England. A few doubts crept into my head about my continued ability to play at this level earlier in the season.

“I was perhaps trying too hard and you start wondering whether it is just that you can't stick the pace any more. You do have to build yourself up all over again whenever you get a knock-back selection wise, but my club coaches have always been very supportive. And when you get that pat on the back, you're ready to get up and try to do it all over again.”

Shaw, who replaces Nick Kennedy, is one of three changes to Johnson’s team – Leicester Tigers Tom Croft comes in at blindside flanker in place of James Haskell, and winger Paul Sackey has been dropped for Ugo Monye.

2009-03-23T16:25:00.001Z

2009-03-23T16:20:00.001Z

KEARNEY: FEAR WILL BRING IRELAND GLORY

Rob Kearney believes that the fear of losing out on the RBS 6 Nations grand slam is exactly what will spur Ireland to glory on Saturday at Wales’ Millennium Stadium.

The young full back, who made his RBS 6 Nations debut last season, has cemented his place with some mature displays in this championship. In Declan Kidney’s all-conquering Irish team he has shown level-headedness in defence and innovation in attack.

And it is his coolness that Ireland will need on Saturday against reining champions Wales, who will need 13 points or more to claim victory in the tournament.

And Kearney, who knows that his country have not won such a competition since 1985 – before he was born – insists that the team are just focusing on the next 80 minutes and not the ultimate prize.

“There is an excitement because we are going to Cardiff to play in the Millennium and it is going to be a great game,” said the 22-year-old. “But at the same time it is just another 80 minutes of rugby and we will go at it like every game, going out to win it and it won’t be any different this week.

“We will go out with the sole intention to win the game and if there is a prize at the end, then that is fantastic. In this championship it is a cup mentality and you go out to win every game and this weekend won’t be any different.

“There is no such thing as complacency when you are playing Wales in Cardiff. They won the grand slam last year so you would be a brave side to be complacent.

“We will have that bit of fear as well in us because we are playing against such a good team, but I think it is important to have that fear as it can bring out the best in you.

“If you don’t have that fear, you have complacency in you, and complacent sides don’t get the best out of themselves and you can go into a box, a bit.”

Kearney’s opposite man on Saturday will be Lee Byrne, many people’s favourite for the Lions No15 jersey. But the Leinster flyer, who has not faced Wales on their own turf, is not fazed.

He continued: “Every week you want to play against the best players, and he is in great form at the moment. I am looking forward to playing against Lee, and a lot of the Welsh backs because they are all great players.

“I haven’t played against Wales in the Millennium. I am learning the whole time – it is a fresh occasion every time.

“But I think we haven’t hit our best rugby yet but hopefully next weekend that will be the time. Potentially it is a good way to the end the season, but it could be heartache for us too.

“We have to have that fear in our game. It is just another 80 minutes of rugby and that is what everyone is going to be focussed on.”

2009-03-23T16:16:00.003Z

ENGLAND v SCOTLAND: PLAYERS' RATINGS

England:

Delon Armitage 8
Another assured performance in defence, especially under the high ball. Has really come of age in this tournament and could have played himself on to the Lions plane.

Mark Cueto 7
The Sale winger bristled with energy but could rarely the ball found him. Was strong in defence and seldom found space in attack.

Mike Tindall 7
Bludgeoned the Scottish backs with strong, hard bullocking runs al afternoon long. The Gloucester centre is forming a promising partnership with the more nimble Flutey.

Riki Flutey 9
His well-taken first-half try was his fourth in the campaign. The Maori-born back sparkled and dazzled the Scots with his fancy footwork. Feels at home in an England shirt now.

Ugo Monye (replaced by Tait 48) 8
The Harlequins wing was having a sensational game before he was withdrawn through injury after the break. A try saving tackle kept was followed by his first score for England.

Toby Flood (replaced by Goode 74) 8
Showed what he is capable of with an impressive all-round performance. Stood flat and gave his backs the chance to shine. Fluffed a penalty in the second-half.

Harry Ellis (replaced by Care 17) 6
Crunched into a tackle in the first half and was carried off on a stretcher after knocking himself out. Had been solid up until then, but Care took his chance.

Andrew Sheridan 7
Had a great game in the loose, putting in a number of shuddering hits on Scottish runners. Scrummaged well, too and looks to have done enough to ensure Lions selection.

Lee Mears (replaced by Hartley 73) 7
The hooker had a solid game and regularly hit his man in the line-out. Made way for Hartley who is the future. But for now he must keep the shirt.

Phil Vickery (replaced by White 14) 4
Only on the pitch for a short time but had already cost England a penalty for not scrummaging properly – something that has been suspect in this campaign.

Steve Borthwick 6
The skipper was less impressive than last week – at one point he was outpaced by opposite man White. But he has grown into his role and rallied his troops well.

Simon Shaw (replaced by Kennedy 58) 6
The old haggard lock did all the usual dirty work but rarely gained yards the few times he had the ball in hand. His last England performance?

Tom Croft (replaced by Haskell 73) 6
The tall, quick Leicester flanker had a tidy game and only really had one chance to show his pace. But he was bundled into touch in the first half.

Joe Worsley 7
Another tough-tackling performance from the Wasps flanker. Was hard in defence and popped up in attack. Covered the ground well – who said he was not an international No7?

Nick Easter 5
Crossed the line in the first-half but was missed by the officials. The No8’s mobility, discipline and work-rate must improve if he is to keep his England jersey.

Replacements: Dylan Hartley (on for Mears 73) 6, Julian White (on for Vickery 14) 7, Nick Kennedy (on for Shaw 58) 6, James Haskell (on for Croft 73) 5, Danny Care (on for Ellis 17) 7, Andy Goode (on for Flood 73) 5, Mathew Tait (on for Monye 48) 7.

Manager: Martin Johnson 7
Pumped up his team well and they weathered the early Scottish storm. Was forced into a number of changes but his team adapted well and played with confidence.

Scotland

Chris Paterson 6
Scotland’s record points scorer laced three penalties and gave his country a chance. But missed Monye for England’s first try and looked suspect in defence.

Simon Danielli 6
Had little chance to get involved but was on Blair’s shoulder when he made a break. Had he been found Scotland would have been certain to score a try.

Max Evans 6
The elder Evans brother tackled well in the midfield but had little chance to stretch his legs in attack.

Graeme Morrison 5
The Glasgow Warriors centre did his best but does not look like an international centre. Was totally dominated by his opposite man Tindall.

Thom Evans (replaced by Southwell 44) 7
Ran 50 metres and would have scored but for a superb Monye tackle before the break. Was forced off through injury early in the second-half.

Phil Godman 5
Not his best game in a Scotland jersey. Had a kick charged down and was generally outclassed by his opposite number Toby Flood.

Mike Blair (replaced by Cussier 68) 6
Captain and scrum half, he had a mixed game. Before the interval he broke through England’s defensive wall but failed to see the man on his inside.

Alasdair Dickinson 6 (replaced by Low 76) 6
The Gloucester prop had the edge over Vickery but found his replacement White harder to deal with. Put in a good defensive shift and tackled well.

Ross Ford (replaced by Hall 57) 5
Threw in well but went missing in the loose on a number of occasions. Hooker remains a problem position for Frank Hadden’s team.

Euan Murray 6
The big Northampton Saints prop, tipped by many to be the Lions loose-head, scrummaged well but did not get involved in the rough stuff as much as he would like.

Jason White (replaced by Hines 57) 6
One good run in the second-half, outpacing his opposite man Borthwick. Did the dirty work well and tackled with passion but he ran out of puff soon after the break.

Jim Hamilton 6
The tall lock was good in the line-out and worked hard in the loose. But he and White were outplayed by the English second-row.

Alasdair Strokosch 6
Gloucester flanker tried his best to disrupt England, but was beaten to the loose ball on a number of occasions. Tackled well though and showed typical Scottish braveheart mentality.

Scott Gray 5
His first start for years but the Australian-born flanker found the pace hard to deal with. The English backrow dominated and Gray looked like a fish out of water.

Simon Taylor (replaced by Brown at half-time) 5
The Stade Francais No8 found it had to get into the game and made little impact in the first-half. Hadden replaced him at the break.

Replacements: Dougie Hall (on for Ford 57) 5, Moray Low (on for Dickinson 76) 5, Nathan Hines (on for White 57) 6, Kelly Brown (on for Taylor h/t) 6, Chris Cusiter (on for Blair 68) 6, Nick De Luca, Hugo Southwell (on for Evans T 44) 5.

Coach: Frank Hadden 6
Under pressure still. Made a change in the backrow at the interval and his team started well. But without the raw materials Scotland are always going to struggle.

Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa).

2009-03-23T16:09:00.001Z

FLUTEY: ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

England rounded off their Six Nations campaign with a flourish, defeating Scotland 26-12 at Twickenham. But despite earning three victories, scoring the most tries (16) and finishing second to grand slam winners Ireland, centre Riki Flutey believes that there is plenty of room for improvement – especially with the team’s fitness.

The 29-year-old, who will move from London Wasps to French club Brive in the summer, crossed for his fourth try of the championship on Saturday and finished as equal top try scorer with Ireland skipper Brian O’Driscoll.

Harlequins wing Ugo Monye notched his first try for England and there was a late score for replacement Mathew (sic) Tait, while fly half Toby Flood kicked eight points and Danny Care laced a drop-goal. Scottish full back Chris Paterson booted four penalties in reply, but it was not enough to hold on to the Calcutta Cup.

And while Maori-born Flutey was pleased, he warned that he and his team-mates must work much harder on their fitness if they are to improve further. “The Six Nations has been fantastic for us,” he said. “In the autumn there was something there and it is really starting to come together now.

“We have definitely kicked on but there are still a lot of things we need to work on. There is a lot of room from improvement in the team right across the board. Our fitness can definitely be improved so we can push on right through and play the way we want to play for 80 minutes.

“You need your fitness, strength and power – there is always room for improvement because I was out on the field against Scotland I got a couple of knocks and the old lungs were pumping a little bit. When you get in that position you wonder: ‘Am I doing a lot of work or is it maybe because I need a bit more fitness under my belt?’”

2009-03-23T14:47:00.001Z

QUINS EARN BONUS-POINT WIN OVER SALE

Harlequins moved up to fourth in the Guinness Premiership with a bonus-point victory over play-off rivals Sale Sharks on Sunday at the Stoop. Dean Richards’s side bounced back from defeat by Newcastle Falcons the previous weekend to win 38-20 thanks, in particular, to an outstanding second-half performance.

With home fly half Chris Malone, in for the injured Nick Evans, and Sale stand off Charlie Hodgson trading penalties in a error-strewn first half, the score reached 12-12 at the interval. But Quins shifted gears after the break and began to play expansive, attractive rugby, and reaped the rewards for some bold decisions – notably kicking for the corner rather than punting for three points.

South African hooker Gary Botha barged over for the first try of Quins’ tries soon after half-time, and when the ball was shipped through numerous backs’ hands a score from 19-year-old winger Seb Stegmann soon followed.

With England trio Nick Easter, Danny Care and Ugo Monye part of the 11,592 watching on, No8 Tom Guest broke from a scrum and crashed over to put the result beyond doubt. And centre De Wet Barry’s interception and 50 metre dash sealed the bonus-point. Though Hodgson scored a breakaway try and another penalty, Quins, with four games remaining, are confident of remaining in the top four.

“The boys did really well,” said full back Mike Brown. “In the first-half I think the teams were feeling each other out and there were a lot of penalties given. But in the second-half it opened up which was good for us because we could play the game we want to play.

“We improved our discipline in the second-half and that killed them. We go to Sale in a couple of weeks and this win will set the tone for that match. We have got to stay up in the top four now – it is so tight between one and six but we are definitely confident we can do it and make the play-offs.”

2009-02-25T01:45:00.000Z

DEMPSEY: BEST TIME AT FULHAM

Clint Dempsey believes that with Fulham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, following Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Swansea City, and the team riding high in the Premier League, he is enjoying the most successful time of his career.

The American forward, who signed from New England Revolution in January 2007, notched up his first FA Cup goal to help Fulham advance to the last-eight of the competition for the first time in five years.

Bobby Zamora netted the winner in the FA Cup Fifth Round replay after Jason Scotland opened the scoring for the Championship side. Next up is home tie against Manchester United and with Roy Hodgson’s team eighth in the Premier League they are a world away from last season’s relegation struggle.

“I certainly couldn’t have predicted this 12 months ago,” said the 25-year-old, whose team have still only lost at Craven Cottage once this season. “It was great to get my first FA Cup goal against Swansea.

“In the time that I have been here it has been difficult and this period has definitely been the most successful. It has been great to be a part of it. Hopefully we can keep on going!

“It is going to be tough playing United, but to win the FA Cup you have to beat the best. It gives us a chance to go on and win something this season, so we will have to go out and play the best we can.”

2009-02-25T01:20:00.000Z

LAMPARD: CHELSEA EXTRA DETERMINED TO WIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Frank Lampard is hoping lady luck is shining on Chelsea on Wednesday when his team host Italian giants Juventus – and he has expressed the deep desire the Blues have to make amends for last May’s heartache in the Champions League Final when they lost out to Manchester United.

In Moscow Lampard levelled out Cristiano Ronaldo’s opener but his team were defeated 6-5 on penalties when captain John Terry missed his spot kick and Nicolas Anelka had his saved by Edwin van der Sar. And the 30-year-old has admitted that he is hoping for a slice of fortune so his team claim Europe’s biggest prize this year.

“After last year we really want to win the Champions League,” he said ahead of the first leg of the last-16 game at Stamford Bridge – new manager Guus Hiddink’s first at home. “There is obviously something added this year because of the manner we came so close. You can’t help but have that on the back of your mind. There is a just a great determination to go back and win it.

“Whether that is this year or not is very hard to call. In the Champions League there are so many top teams. There are so many moments to get to that final that can go either way. You can win a game on a little bit of luck, or on a small detail.”

2009-02-25T01:17:00.004Z

RANIERI DESERVES CREDIT FOR CHELSEA SUCCESS

Claudio Ranieri deserves to be credited with transforming Chelsea from a team of also-rans to champions – that is the view of Frank Lampard and current manager Guus Hiddink,

The Italian was at the Stamford Bridge helm for four years from 2000 before Roman’s Revolution took over in 2003.

And he was sacked for Special One Jose Mourinho after one season under Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich – despite finishing second in the Premier League.

The 57-year-old, who is now in charge of Juventus, Chelsea’s Champions League opponents on Wednesday, bought Lampard from West Ham for £11m in 2001.

And the England midfielder believes that if it wasn’t for Ranieri, who also reached the FA Cup Final with the Blues, he would not be the player he is today.

“I think Claudio should take a lot of credit for Chelsea’s success,” said Lampard. “A lot of things have happened at the club and Claudio is part of that.

“He bought a lot of good players to the team, even before the Abramovich era and without him I would not be here.

“I have the utmost respect for him and think he is a great man as well as a great manager. He opened my eyes in football terms.

“I think Claudio has to take a lot of credit of what he has done for the club in the time he was here (at Chelsea).”

The 30-year-old continued: “He elevated John Terry to captain and now he has developed in to one of the best captains in the world.

“Claudio achieved a lot when he was at Chelsea. He oversaw the transition of Chelsea being a good team who were not challenging for titles to one that was.

“He certainly gets credit for that in-house – I appreciate what he did for me and for the team.

“The fans, who are the most important people at Chelsea, hold him in very high regard because of the way he took the team on.”

Chelsea’s new Dutch manager Hiddink, who won his first game in charge of the Blues at the weekend, also praised Ranieri.

He said ahead of last-16 clash: “He is a gentleman coach and very intelligent.

“He knows how to cope with the press and cope with the pressure in this job and I respect him very much.

“He has several abilities. When he was at Chelsea he made a team that was very competitive for the Premier League.

“I have seen that he is a very good organiser of his teams – they have enormous tactical discipline.

“It is difficult to play against the teams he is managing.”

2009-02-25T01:15:00.001Z

ZAMORA STRIKES AGAIN AS FULHAM DOWN SWANSEA

Roy Hodgson had predicted that Bobby Zamora’s first Premier League goal in 1,763 minutes, scored in Sunday’s triumph over West Bromwich Albion, would provide the confidence for the forward to bag many more. And so it proved last night as the 28-year-old broke Swansea City’s hearts with a late winning header at Craven Cottage to end a scintillating FA Cup Fifth Round replay.

Zamora, a summer signing from West Ham, earned more praise from his manager on Tuesday night. “He could have had four or five,” said Hodgson, whose side have still only lost one game at home all season.

“A number of times he was within a millimetre of reaching the ball, the goalkeeper made three good saves and he scored a very good goal. I thought his performance was quite outstanding. His target play, his linking up with other players is just what we hoped we would get from him.”

Hodgson had witnessed his side 2-0 defeat of West Brom only 52 hours before kick-off and one could understand his complaints to the Football Association about his players being fatigued.

Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez came close early on for the visitors but found Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in inspired form, in particular in the 28th minute when the Spaniard’s low-struck spot-kick deflected off the bottom of the wall and hit the former Middlesbrough stopper’s trailing leg.

That close call seemed to shake Fulham from their torpor as they had the better of the remainder of the half. Colossal central defender Brede Hangeland came closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval. But his thumping header from a Simon corner only found the Swansea crossbar.

However, it was the visitors who drew first blood through Scotland. The 30-year-old striker was found by Mark Gower just inside the Fulham box and, with too much space for Hodgson’s liking, toe-poked his effort to the left of Schwarzer’s groping hand – it was his 14th goal in 15 games.

The home side began to pepper Dorus De Vries’s goal and their persistence finally paid off when American Clint Dempsey nodded in Davies’s corner in the 76th minute. Zamora competed the scoring three minutes later and earned his side their first FA Cup quarter-final in five years. They host World Champions Manchester United in the last-eight.

“United will be the favourites,” grinned Hodgson, “but they will have their distractions, too. Why can’t we win? I was surprised at the players energy level tonight – they were incredible. I can’t praise the team enough.”

Losing manager Roberto Martinez added: “I’m extremely proud of the players but we are very disappointed to lose. We controlled the game for long spells. Over 180 minutes I thought we deserved to be the side to go through but we did not get that little bit of luck you need in the FA Cup.”

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Davies, Dacourt (Murphy 59), Etuhu (booked 3), Dempsey (Kamara 89); Nevland (Gera 59), Zamora.

Subs: Zuberbuhler, Milsom, Kallio, Baird.

Swansea (4-4-2): De Vries; Rangel, Williams (Bessone 89), Serran, Tate; Dyer, Gower (Tudur-Jones 55), Britton, Gower; Scotland, Bauza (booked 69, Butler 72).
Subs: Cornell, O'Leary, Orlandi, Collins.

Referee: Mark Halsey

2009-02-22T17:47:00.002Z

MANLY WIN WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE WARM-UP

Australian NRL champions Manly Sea Eagles had to wait until the 68th minute to take the lead in their warm-up friendly with Harlequins ahead of next Sunday’s World Club Challenge against Super League champions Leeds Rhinos.

And though they ended winning 34-26 Manly, who have not played in a competitive match since their Grand Final success in October, were simply pleased to have a run out.

They rested their big names until the second half – and Harlequins took advantage, scoring 20 unanswered points before the break and only lost the lead with 12 minutes remaining.

The home side first crossed against Manly’s second-string team after six minutes through winger Jon Wells before captain Rob Purdham powered over eight minutes later.

Tries from Chad Randall and Luke Dorn completed the scoring for the first-half. But having rung the changes at the break, Manly soon showed why they are so highly regarded. Winger Michael Robertson scored a brace within seven minutes of the restart.

And though David Howell hit back with a try for Quins, with 20 minutes left on the clock it was all about the Australians.

There were touches of class in attack and further scores came from David Williams, Brett Stewart, former St Helens star Jamie Lyon and Stever Matai.

Manly coach Des Hasler said: “The first 40 we had a lot of young kids out there but they will have got a lot from it. We looked pretty good in the second half and there were no injury concerns, so that’s good.”

Brian McDermott, the Quins coach, added: “It was good for the players to have the challenge. I thought we did some good stuff.

“We were pleased with the score at the break but we knew it would change in the second half.”

Harlequins
Tries: Wells, Purdham, Randall, Dorn, Howell
Goals: Purdam 1, Orr 1, Gale 1

Manly Sea Eagles
Tries: Robertson 2, Williams, Stewart, Lyon, Matai
Goals: Orford 2, Lyon 1, Matai

2009-02-19T18:30:00.000Z

HIDDINK ADDS DZAGOEV TO WISH LIST

Guus Hiddink has added another CSKA Moscow player to his Chelsea wish list - with Alan Dzagoev joining Yuri Zhikov as a major target.

The Dutchman, who took over the reins at Chelsea last week following the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari, knows both players well as they star for his Russian national team.

The 62-year-old has recommended that Chelsea snap up the pair before another suitors step in.

Midfielder Dzagoev, still only 18-years-old, wears the No10 shirt for CSKA and has already won two caps for Russia under Hiddink.

Zhikov is a highly rated left-sided player and was wanted by Juventus recently. But the 25-year-old remained in the Russian capital, although he is expected to move in the summer.

After last summer's Euro 2008 tournament Hiddink said of Zhikov: "He plays a very modern game - he's capable of covering all the left side of the pitch alone.

"A player can only do this if he has brilliant technical skills and physical condition. He's a top-class footballer."

2009-02-19T18:29:00.000Z

BELLETTI: HIDDINK HAS IMPROVED CHELSEA ALREADY

Juliano Belletti has revealed that life at Chelsea is more focussed now that Guus Hiddink has taken over as manager.

The Dutchman took over from the sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari last week - and Belletti has admitted that training is already much more intense.

The 32-year-old was part of Scolari's World Cup winning Brazil squad in 2002 - but the right-back concedes that Chelsea are more likely to succeed now that his countryman has left.

"Hiddink has changed the system of training and, with respect to Scolari, from the first day he arrived we have been asked to show the same intensity in training as in the games," said the former Barcelona man.

"Hiddink talks much more with the players and has insisted we are all important to the club. He also said that there is plenty of time ahead and that we can win titles this year.

"In these early days [of Hiddink's reign] it seems more fun and fast. People have embraced change with a good heart. In the last weeks with Scolari there was too much tension in the atmosphere - this has changed now.

"I hope that our training will translate into success against our next two opponents (Aston Villa and Juventus). These two games will go a long way to determining our future.

"But I notice a confidence and belief among my team-mates."

2009-02-19T18:27:00.000Z

BARNES: LIVERPOOL WILL WIN TITLE

Anfield legend John Barnes admits he is surprised Liverpool are doing so well in the Premier League - but he is backing his old team to win their first title in 19 years.

The Jamaica-born winger, 45, who played more than 300 games for the Reds, believes Liverpool are reaping the rewards for sticking by manager Rafael Benitez.

The former Valencia manager is in his fifth year at the club and Barnes reckons that, in this age of craving instant success, the Liverpool directors should be applauded for showing patience.

Barnes hopes that the Spaniard and the club come to an agreement over the his contact very soon. And ahead of Sunday's game at home to Manchester City, he said: "They should give Rafa even more time at Liverpool because he's done well."

Barnes, who won 79 caps for the Three Lions and is now manager of Jamaica, added: "Consider Sir Alex Ferguson when he first started at Manchester United - he was given time and look what's happened.

"Liverpool are probably punching above their weight. I didn't expect them to be five points off the lead at this stage, so they're doing really well.

"If the team get behind Rafa and support him, and have a lot of belief in the squad - like he does - not just in Fernando Torres, then they will push Manchester United all the way."

2009-02-19T13:25:00.001Z

REINA DENIES ATLETICO MOVE

Jose Reina has dismissed rumours that he will be moving to Atletico Madrid at any time soon - but he did concede that were he to move back to Spain, Atletico would be his first choice.

The Liverpool goalkeeper, who has won 13 caps for Spain and is in his fourth season at Anfield, is known to be a lifelong fan of the Rojiblancos.

And his father was recently quoted in the Spanish press saying that the 26-year-old was desperate to secure a move to the club.

But former Barcelona stopper Reina said: "It's my father who made this declaration because he wants me to play for Atletico, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't.

"If one day I was to think of moving back to Spanish football, Atletico would be my first option because it's a club I love.

"Nevertheless, saying that I want to move to Atletico right now is wrong because I'm happy at Liverpool."

2009-02-19T13:24:00.000Z

QPR VICE-CHAIRMAN - CREDIT CRUNCH IS BITING

Queens Park Rangers vice-chairman Amit Bhatia claims the credit crunch is hampering the club's Premier League ambitions.

When Formula One supremos Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone teamed up with steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal - Bhatia's father-in-law - to buy QPR 18 months ago, the West London outfit were hailed as the richest club in the world.

Briatore said at the time that QPR would be challenging the likes of AC Milan in Europe within four years but it seems the goalposts have moved because of the global financial crisis.

QPR are currently 10th in the Championship, and have, in Paulo Sousa, their fifth manager since the takeover.

"When we got involved with the club we were last, [and] we finished 14th [at the end of the season]," said Bhatia. "That was success. We were 14th last season so if we finish seventh [one place outside the play-offs] this season we've definitely shown improvement.

"We are heading in the right direction but, just the same as any other supporter, I wish we could do better than seventh - I wish we could make the play-offs.

"We've shown progressive success and as long as we continue to do well there's no reason we shouldn't be playing Premiership football soon, and I hope that we will happen."

Bhatia explained that the downturn in the global economy has changed football, and predicts substantial problems for even the biggest clubs.

He continued: "A lot of the top clubs are sponsored by financial institutions - Manchester United and AIG, Northern Rock and Newcastle.

"And as we find ourselves in a crisis I think not only will the clubs lose sponsors, which means they'll have less money to spend, but they'll be less money spent on players.

"In other aspects, also, I think clubs have been over-leveraged in the past and that's one of the things that we came in and tried to fix at QPR. But these are tough times and the industry is definitely being affected by what's happening."

2009-02-19T13:23:00.000Z

WE ARE NOT SCARED OF VILLA - ZHIRKOV

Yuri Zhirkov, CSKA Moscow's coveted playmaker, has claimed the Russian side are not afraid of Premier League high-fliers Aston Villa, who many are backing to win the UEFA Cup.

Left-footer Zhirkov, who was wanted by Juventus in the recent transfer window, believes that if CSKA are going to win the UEFA Cup then it makes little difference whether they face Villa now, in the last 32, or later.

The 25-year-old Russian international, whose club became the first Russian side to win a European trophy when they took home the UEFA Cup in 2005, said: "Aston Villa are a good team with strong players - I know almost all of them, since they are so well-known.

"Why should we be afraid of them? If you are frightened, you lose the match far before the first whistle.

"I don't care at all which team are our opponents in the UEFA Cup. CSKA set the highest goals in all competitions, which means we must be ready to fight any team.

"If we have been pitted against one of the UEFA Cup favourites now, it means that we should defeat them now. I am sure that we will try our hardest to knock out Aston Villa."

For CSKA, Wednesday's clash at Villa Park will be their first competitive game since their domestic season ended before the winter - something that Zhirkov is relieved about.

He said: "I am looking forward to the first official match of the season, because it will mark the end of our pre-season preparations. This year I was tired of our training since the first day, because I couldn't spend any time with my wife and my little son.

"But I am professional and I feel that we have a good team that is capable of achieving great success."

2009-02-19T13:22:00.000Z

VAGNER FEELING THE LOVE FOR VILLA

CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love says Aston Villa have been a "revelation" this season as he prepares to face Martin O'Neill's men in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday.

The Brazilian striker hopes CSKA can emulate rivals Zenit St Petersburg, who won the UEFA Cup last year.

But he admits that Villa's form so far this season makes them a difficult proposition in the last 32 clash.

"The match against Aston Villa is not easy," said Love, who has won 21 caps for Brazil. "They are the revelation of this season's Premier League.

"This round of the UEFA Cup will be hard for us against Villa, but I am optimistic and believe that the second leg in Moscow will be very important for us.

"We have a great team at CSKA and we dream of winning the UEFA Cup this year - that is our goal."

CSKA are about to start their domestic season after a long winter break. But Love believes that they will be sharp and ready for their game against Villa, who are third in the Premier League.

"I do not think the break in the winter affect us too much," he continued. "This team is very professional and has responded positively when we have had to play early in the season in previous years.

"The key for us is to score at least one goal in Birmingham."

And Love, who almost moved to Tottenham in the January transfer window, has said that he in not interested in putting himself in the shop window for the summer by playing well against Premier League opposition.

He added: "I have nothing to prove in this round. It is true that there have been rumours about English clubs being interested in me, but I am in Moscow at the moment."

2009-02-19T13:20:00.001Z

IRISH SLIP UP AGAINST QUINS

London Irish slipped up at home in the Guinness Premiership to Harlequins, after hooker David Paice was dismissed after only 22 minutes.

Irish lost 9-14 and dropped to third, but took the lead after Peter Hewet's penalty in the 11th minute.

Quins' fly-half Nick Evans replied with a penalty before Paice was show the red card for scrapping in the front row and backchat to referee Tim Wigglesworth.

Evans slotted the resulting penalty and Hewet levelled again, before he hobbled off with medial ligament damage five minutes before the interval.

Irish went ahead after 43 minutes when Alfredo Lalanne kicked another penalty.

But visiting prop Ceri Jones scored the decisive try to make It 11-9 with 30 minutes remaining. Evans kicked a penalty with four minutes left and his team moved up to fifth.

"We disrupted them and the sending off disrupted them," said Quins coach Dean Richards. "Their defence was pretty strong even though they only had 14 men. I was very pleased with the performance. We deserved the victory."

Irish coach Toby Booth said: "Playing 60 minutes with 14 people is not easy. We knew that we would not have the ball for long periods of time but I am proud with the way they stuck at it."

Teams

London Irish: 15. Peter Hewat 14. Adam Thompstone 13. Elvis Seveali'i 12. Seilala Mapusua 11. Topsy Ojo 10. Mike Catt 9. Alfredo Lalanne 1. Clarke Dermody 2. David Paice 3. Tonga Lea'aetoa 4. Gary Johnson 5. James Hudson 6. Richard Thorpe 7. Steffon Armitage 8. Chris Hala'ufia

Replacements: 16. Alex Corbisiero 17. James Buckland 18. Matt Garvey 19. Jon Fisher 20. Charlie Gower 21. Warren Fury 22. James Bailey

Penalties: Hewet 2, Lalanne

Harlequins: 15. Mike Brown 14. Tom Williams 13. Gonzalo Tiesi 12. Jordan Turner-Hall 11. Ugo Monye 10. Nick Evans 9. Andy Gomarsall 1. Ceri Jones 2. Gary Botha 3. Mark Lambert 4. Ollie Kohn 5. George Robson 6. Chris Robshaw 7. Will Skinner 8. Tom Guest

Replacements: 16. Chris Brooker 17. Peter Bracken 18. Jim Evans 19. Neil McMillan 20. Junior Poluleuligaga 21. Waisea Luveniyali 22. David Strettle

Try: Jones
Penalties: Evans 3

2009-02-19T13:18:00.000Z

TOTTENHAM CLOSE TO LOVE

Tottenham sent CSKA Moscow's Brazilian striker Vagner Love a Valentine's Card - but no present, so he did not move in the January transfer window.

The striker, 24, has over 20 caps for Brazil, and was interested in a move to the Premier League.

However, Tottenham's bid fell short of CSKA's valuation of the player.

Love said: "Tottenham were very interested in me. I received an offer from the club and went to the president of CSKA (Yevgeny Giner) to ask to leave.

"But he decided that the conditions Spurs offered to CSKA didn't meet his expectations.

"He reminded me that I have a contract with CSKA. I will continue playing for the Russian side, but someday I hope I will go to one of the big clubs in Europe."

2009-02-19T13:16:00.001Z

CHELSEA FAIL TO CATCH ZENIT GOALKEEPER

Chelsea came close to signing Zenit St Petersburg goalkeeper Kamil Contofalsky in the January transfer window, the Slovakian international has revealed.

Instead, after selling Carlo Cudicini to Tottenham, the Blues did not dive in and have to put up with second-choice Henrique Hilario.

And while No1 Petr Cech is out with a back injury, Chelsea's decision not to draft in another stopper leaves dodgy 33-year-old Hilario with the gloves for now - and with no recognised cover.

Contofalsky, 30, who has over 30 caps for his country and has been with the Uefa Cup winners for six years, said that he was one of a number of goalkeepers lined up to deputise for Cech.

"There were rumours that I might be going to Chelsea, but I did not pay attention to them until my agent spoke to me a week before the transfer window closed," he said.

"He then told me that I was going to be the Chelsea goalkeeper very soon, and we were waiting for the call from (CEO) Peter Kenyon.

"I learned that I was on the list of 10 goalkeepers they were looking at, and then that was decreased to two. Apparently Cech gave me a good reference.

"Eventually Chelsea chose not to fill their squad with another goalkeeper - it was a strategic decision.

"I am sure I could have been handed a chance to play for Chelsea, because they are playing in three tournaments and the rotation of players is vital."

2009-02-19T13:15:00.002Z

SCOLARI FOR SAUDI ARABIA?

Luiz Felipe Scolari may only have been sacked by Chelsea on Monday, but the Brazilan is already being lined up for the Saudi Arabia national job, according to the Arabian press.

The 60-year-old, who was dismissed after only seven months at Stamford Bridge, has already managed a national team in the Middle East - he had a spell with Kuwait in 1990 - and also took charge of club sides Al Qadisiya Kuwait and Saudi side Al-Ahli (Jeddah) in the early 1990s.

On Wednesday Saudi Arabia, currently coached by Nasser Al-Johar, lost 1-0 in their World Cup qualifier with North Korea - a result that leaves them fourth in their group, Asia Two, after four games.

Rumours are circulating in the Middle East that Al-Johar will be sacked and Scolari, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, will be installed as the new manager. His job will be to steer the country to South Africa 2010.

2009-02-19T13:15:00.001Z

RUSSIANS WELCOME HIDDINK APPOINTMENT

Guus Hiddink's appointment as Chelsea coach until the end of the season has been welcomed in Russia, where he will remain in charge of the national team.

Fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat, manager of Zenit St Petersburg and assistant coach of the Russian national team, backed the move, saying: "This is Hiddink's decision. I need to respect it and all Russian society must do the same. I think he made the right step."

Star Russian wing-back Yuri Zhirkov, of CSKA Moscow, has also given his blessing, adding: "I don't think that the national team will be harmed. Anyway, the national team and Chelsea are playing on different dates. I am sure he will manage with everything."

Zenit midfielder Igor Semshov believes that the 62-year-old will improve with his duel responsibilities, though he does not envisage Hiddink taking any Russian players to London.

He said: "I am sure of one thing - that Guus is a professional and he will give all of himself to his work. It is of no small importance that he knows us, his players, very well.

"Hiddink is very experienced. I even think that the job with Chelsea will benefit him as well. He will keep his vitality. I am not worried about him. Will he take any of us to Chelsea? I don't think he will mix the national team and the club."

Defender Vasiliy Berezuckiy added: "I don't think that Hiddink combining the two roles will affect the results of the national team. I am interested why other managers weren't allowed to combine the two roles, but Hiddink can do it. I think it will benefit Hiddink, because he will have training sessions almost everyday."

Goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev is hopeful that Hiddink honours his contract with Russia, and will take the national team to the World Cup next year.

Malafeev said: "I don't think that Hiddink will leave the national team for Chelsea at the end of the season. He has a contract that is very important in this situation. We, the players, would regret it if that happens. We want him to stay.

"But if he wants [to combine the two roles], then I don't see reasons not to do it. Anyway, it is very hard to do. The one who will be harmed in this situation is the club, but not the national team. So I would keep my eye on Chelsea's performance."

2009-02-19T13:13:00.001Z

BARNES BLASTS IMPATIENCE IN FOOTBALL

England legend John Barnes has blasted the impatient attitude of club chairmen - and believes the blueprint for a successful club is Manchester United who have stuck with Sir Alex Ferguson for 23 years.

Barnes, who won 79 Three Lions caps, is now manager of Jamaica - the country of his birth. But nine years ago he experienced the cut-throat nature of club management when he was sacked by Celtic after only six months in charge.

Barnes believes that the impatience with Premier League managers will have a knock-on effect, and filter down to the lower leagues.

He said: "You look at the dismissals of Paul Ince and Tony Adams, and it is very sad because they haven't been given enough time. It's very frustrating.

"But more frustrating for me is the fact that Luiz Felipe Scolari has been sacked. And if someone who has achieved all that he has achieved doesn't get an opportunity, what chance has a first-time manager got?

"People have to be realistic in what they expect, and as much as the sacking Paul Ince and Tony Adams is disappointing, the fact that Scolari has been dismissed just sums up for me what football is about at the moment.

"Even if you look at [Scolari's predecessor] Avram Grant, he was a penalty kick away from winning the European Cup. And they also went close to winning the league - and yet he lost his job.

"I can understand that Chelsea, and maybe even Portsmouth, need to be doing well in the Premier League. But then you look down to League Two where these teams have no money at all, and sack managers after two months. What do they expect?

"Look at Sir Alex Ferguson when he first started at Manchester United - he was given time and look what's happened. Who knows what could happen in 15 years time?"

But Barnes has backed Guus Hiddink to be a success at Stamford Bridge for the remainder of the season.

"Guus Hiddink is very strong, very organised, the players will play for him and respect him because he's a tough manager - he knows his stuff. I'm sure he will do a very good job at Chelsea because he's a good manager, a good coach and he'll get the results.

"If you don't win matches you're always under the spotlight; you could always be sacked. I'm under no illusions and I'm no different to anyone else. Everyone is under pressure to win matches whether it's Jamaica, Chelsea or someone in League One."

2009-02-19T13:11:00.001Z

HARRY AND ANDY HAVE GOODE THING GOING

For five seasons Harry Ellis and Andy Goode were the names inked on the Leicester Tigers’ team sheet at No9 and No10. Fly-half Goode headed to Brive in south France in the summer but, as lady fortune intervened, the duo rekindled their partnership at Twickenham last Saturday in England’s 36-11 win over Italy.

Last month Goode, who had been in the international wilderness for over two years, was pulled into the England squad by former Tigers team-mate Martin Johnson, and – following an injury to Toby Flood, and with Danny Cipriani being dropped to the Saxons – was handed the No10 jersey against the Azzurri. He duly crossed for a try after only 94 seconds to announce his return.

Similarly with 26-year-old Ellis, two years Goode’s junior, an element of kismet played a part in his re-elevation to the England team. After being overlooked for Harlequins’ Danny Care in the autumn, he was then banned for six weeks after he dropped Daniel Carter dangerously in a Heineken Cup game. When Care slipped on an icy step before the Italy game, Ellis was promoted from the Saxons and won plaudits for his two-try, man-of-the-match showing.

“I was on the bench for the autumn internationals and then was banned, so I was away from rugby for a while,” says the 26-year-old. “So I was delighted to get the chance to get back in the England team, alongside Andy, and I enjoyed the victory against Italy.

“It’s been great to link up with Andy again – the last time we played together was in the Guinness Premiership final back in May (which Leicester lost 26-16). It is good to be playing with him again – he is a very talented fly-half.

“We communicate well and I have been lucky enough to play alongside him for a number of years. I just try and give a good service to whoever is playing No10, but it helps when you know what to expect from them – where they will be and what sort of pass they want. It’s just funny how things work out.”

Ellis, who made his Tigers’ debut in 2001 and was named young player of the season that year, is determined to make the most of his good fortune – and hopes to inspire England to victory over Wales.

He continues: “I came in late because of Danny’s injury, but I am just trying to take my opportunity because that chance does not come round too often. We have very high standards and a good work ethic, and I thought I could have improved against Italy. Hopefully we can all iron out the mistakes we make against Italy in time for this Saturday’s match. We need to improve in pretty much every area against the Welsh.

“I can’t wait to play against Mike Phillips, or the other two scrumhalves – they are all great. Wales have a very talented team and they are playing with a lot of confidence at the moment. The Millennium Stadium is a difficult place to play, too. There will be a great atmosphere but we are all relishing the opportunity to play against them in their back yard.”

Goode, currently the leading points scorer in France’s Top 14, is far more comfortable having Ellis inside him. “I have played with Harry for a countless number of years and we have built up a good relationship,” he says. “He naturally knows where I will be, and I know what to expect from him.

“He probably picks up my voice more quickly than other No9s, without having to look, and he knows my game-plan. He knows that I like to stand flatter than most, and knows the depth that I like to take the ball at.”

In order for England to get quick ball, Goode believes that his pal at scrum-half needs to be protected by the forwards. In particular, Wales’ openside flanker, Martyn Williams needs to be stopped.

“We need to target Williams, because he will be trying to get over and slow the ball down. He is a very intelligent player. He gets in and around the breakdown and he does slow up a lot of ball. We need to target their backrow and give Harry a good platform to play from and get some good, quick ball away.

“If Harry is digging in the ruck because we are not clearing out as well as we can, then it makes everything that much harder. But it was good to play with Harry last week, and hopefully we can do even better at Cardiff this week.”

2009-02-19T13:09:00.000Z

DALLGLIO: ENGLAND NEED TO GET FIT AND ON-PLAN BLOODY QUICKLY

It may have been over a year since Lawrence Dallaglio hung up his boots for England, but the former captain still feels as though he needs to harangue the current Red Rose team after a stream of dismal displays, and shake them from their torpor. Their collective fitness and mindset need to change, and fast, as they are hosted by Wales – the nation Dallaglio and his team-mates used to ridicule – this Saturday.

The 36-year-old, who won his 85th and last cap for England in the World Cup Final on October 20, 2007, believes that while the 36-11 RBS 6 Nations opener against Italy last weekend was a poor performance, the victory will have been a fillip for the dressing room, who – after three “spankings” in the autumn – will have been glad to remember what winning tastes like.

“There are two emotions in rugby,” explains Dallaglio. “There is ecstasy of victory or agony of defeat; the joy and pain. So far it has just been pain, pain, pain for England. After the Italy match they will have been down about their performance in the changing room – as they should be – but ultimately they still won.

“I have been involved in losing England teams, so I know how they would have been feeling after the autumn. But you would have thought that they would have been bottling that feeling up and there would have been an explosion of emotion against Italy on Saturday. There was nothing like that and there was nothing England showed that Wales will be overly worried about.”

Against reigning grand slam champions Wales, Dallaglio suggests that England need to change their mindset, and banish their insecurities – in essence they need to front up. Gone are the days when the super-fit England players would sneer at their over-weight opponents from over the Severn Bridge – now it is the complete opposite, and it is the Welsh who are drinking less of the Brains bitter and adding more brawn and fitness.

“We always used to look at the Welsh team and take the piss, really,” says World Cup winner Dallaglio, speaking on behalf of Greene King IPA, the Official Beer of England Rugby. “We would tell them how unfit we all thought they were, and wonder how they could even come to Twickenham and even think about beating us if they couldn’t run for 40 minutes. It’s sad for me to say, but I think it is the other way around now.

“That is the main thing that concerns me – England’s level of fitness. Really, when you are the best player in your position in the world – which is what all the England guys should be trying to do – you have to be one of the fittest players in the world, too.

“Guys like Jonny Wilkinson and Neil Back drove our fitness and made me even question myself on a number of occasions. I want to know who is doing the finger-pointing within the England dressing room now.

“If you want to aspire to be the best player in the world in your position, you have got to do more on the odd sprint session. You have to get there by hard work. I would let the fitness coaches have them for the next six months and put them through some really hard work, as I don’t think it is being done at their clubs; not to the level it needs to be.

“The standards were set in 2003, and five, six years later we should have moved on – not gone backwards. There has been no evolution. When I was playing I used to get up at 6am and meet Will Greenwood and Jason Leonard and the fitness coach Dave Reddin and do an hour-and-a-half training session even before we went to the club. Of course there is an extra sacrifice involved in that, but what are you trying to do? Are you trying to be the best in the world, or just the best in your club?”

On Saturday’s hosts at the Millennium Stadium Dallaglio adds: “Wales have made huge strides in the last 12 months with their fitness, and we have the staff to do it, but there has to be a mindset change with the players. Let us not forget that it is, more or less, the same Wales team that are performing so well now who got dumped out of the World Cup by Fiji. All Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards have done is opened their minds a little bit. That is something that needs to take place with England very, very quickly.

“Each player has to set his sights on being the best player in the world in their particular position – we are nowhere near that. At the moment if you were to pick the top four or five players in every position then I don’t think man England players would feature. The trouble is, in their own minds I think they think that. You just want someone to grab that team forward by the scruff of the neck.

“If you are Martin Johnson you would be pointing your fingers at some of the guys and telling them that international rugby is not for the mentally weak, that you don’t get a second chance, and that some of you owe me, and the rest of the country a special performance. Martin has done very well to keep his temper in front of the media – because I would have been going mental by now at some of the performances I have seen from the players.

“Against Scotland last week Wales showed they had a pattern and understood the way they were trying to play. When England have the ball they don’t, at the moment, look like a team who know exactly what they are trying to do. Martin said that people had gone off-plan after the game; well I suggest that people get back on-plan, and bloody quickly.”

2009-02-19T13:07:00.001Z

DALLAGLIO BACKS HIDDINK APPOINTMENT

Lawrence Dallaglio believes that Luiz Felipe Scolari was right to have been sacked by Chelsea - and that Guus Hiddink should be the man who replaces him.

The England rugby legend, who hung up his boots last May, is an avid Blues fan, thought that the Brazilian should have been shown the door some time ago.

"Football is a results-driven business and the results have not been good enough," said the 36-year-old. "It is pretty clear that Scolari's methods did not suit the club week in, week out.

"I think it was pretty clear that he had lost the dressing room quite a while ago."

He continued: "Chelsea's defence has not been good since [Scolari's assistant] Steve Clarke left, while West Ham's has become decidedly improved. Clearly he added massive value to Chelsea.

"I think that Jose Mourinho is proving to be a tougher man to replace than they thought. He has gone on to Inter and he is top of the table there.

"Added to that, if Chelsea don't spend in the transfer window then they can't be expected to be a top four club any more. They have been crying out for another striker, they miss Michael Essien, and they have been found out this season."

On Scolari's successor Dallaglio added: "You need someone at Chelsea now who has a good track record and someone who can handle the players well - that is the most important thing. Someone like Hiddink would be ideal."

2009-02-19T13:05:00.002Z

HADDEN SLAMS SCOTLAND PERFORMANCE

Under-pressure Scotland manager Frank Hadden branded his team's display in their RBS 6 Nations opener against reigning champions Wales as their worst for almost three years.

Asked why they were so comprehensively out-manoeuvred up front in the 32-16 loss at Murrayfield, Hadden said: "That's one of the things that we're going to have to look at very closely during the course of the week.

"There could be a number of reasons for that. It could be technical problems. But, for me, it just seemed as if we were too passive.

"I haven't seen us look so passive or tentative. The last time I saw that was South Africa 2006.

"Maybe they're thinking too hard about the shape instead of just getting wired in.

"It's early days in this competition. You can never be sure how you're going to start.

"One thing I do know is that we'll definitely get better."

He added: "We knew we were playing the best side in the northern hemisphere today but we're bitterly disappointed that we allowed them to show it so easily.

"I felt we were outmuscled, especially in the first half an hour.

"But for me, the killer blow was just after half-time. We were always chasing after that.

"It was inevitable we were going to come strong at some stage and, sadly, like too often before, it was too late before we got going."

2009-02-19T13:05:00.001Z

WILLIAMS WORRIED ABOUT INJURY

Shane Williams hopes to be back in RBS 6 Nations action next Saturday when Wales host England. But the winger, 31, is worried that he might not recover from in injury sustained to his left ankle.

"I went over on my ankle tackling Jason White," said the IRB Player of the Year who hobbled off in the 32-16 win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

"I don't know how bad it's going to be. I've iced it up and compressed it.

"It's a short turnaround this week and I just hope I can come back and be in the selection for next week.

"Hopefully, it's not as bad as I first thought. I am more determined than ever to play against England. I'll be gutted if I have to miss it."

2009-02-19T13:03:00.002Z

GATLAND SATISFIED WITH OPENING WIN

Warren Gatland believes there is much more to come from his Wales team in the Six Nations, after they recorded a 32-16 win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

While Wales dominated the game for large periods, the reigning RBS 6 Nations champions failed to really punish the Scots - and fly-half Stephen Jones missed a number of kicks.

But New Zealander Gatland said: "I am happy with the result because Murrayfield is a hard place to come. It is a good position for me to be in because there a number of things that we can work on and improve.

"This week we will work on a little bit of line speed defensively, and look for a bit more accuracy in the line-out.

"I thought we showed some nice touches in periods, we had them under a lot of pressure and the game was there for us to lose, not for us to win.

"Apart from the sun-binning at the end that put us under a little bit of pressure, I thought we controlled the game and were very disciplined."

Defending fly-half Jones's kicking Gatland added: "It was a difficult pitch to kick on - it was a bit slippery and it took it out of the legs. But [the misses] are not something that I am concerned about. Sometimes these things happen."

2009-02-19T13:00:00.000Z

CHAMPIONS WALES KICK-OFF WITH VICTORY OVER SCOTLAND

Warren Gatland's Wales began their defence of the RBS Six Nations Championship with a comfortable 13-26 victory over a battling Scotland side in Edinburgh.

The visitors may have been without centre Gavin Henson due to a calf complaint and blindside flanker and captain Ryan Jones, who also suffered with a similar problem just 90 minutes before kick-off, but last year's grand slam winners comfortably managed without them.

The match got off to a quiet start and the game was 10 minutes old before its first real moment of drama when Scotland winger Simon Webster knocked himself unconscious after tackling Wales' stand-in skipper, Martyn Williams.

He flew at the Welsh captain and forced him to knock on after a chest-high collision but he hit Williams so hard he momentarily did himself more damage. Yet it was a superb indicator of the level of commitment being displayed by Scotland in defence.

A straightforward Stephen Jones penalty soon after finally got Wales on the scoreboard before Scotland were once again involved in a self-inflicted injury crisis when debutant prop Geoff Cross repeated Webster's trick and also knocked himself out following an appalling late tackle on full-back Lee Byrne.

Cross caught the Wales No15 in mid-air and clattered into Byrne's knee and not only was he stretchered off the field he also rightly received a yellow card for his troubles.

Wales immediately took advantage of their extra player as centre Tom Shanklin managed to collect a simple Byrne pass just five metres out to finally get Wales the try they deserved.

It went from bad for worse for Scotland close to the half-hour mark as lock Alun-Wyn Jones then crashed over from just one metre out after an impressive scrummaging effort put Scotland on the defensive.

The Welsh pack completely overwhelmed the opposing pack just inside Scotland's 22, Stephen Jones took the resulting ball forward and almost scored himself before the ball was passed out to Jones who could not fail to score, although Stephen Jones was less successful with his conversion, missing his second of the match.

Webster's replacement Chris Paterson kicked a penalty for the home side as half-time approached and it ignited the Scotland side as they repeatedly went close to scoring.

However they could not quite get past some awesome Welsh defending and their failure to score was made to hurt even more when Jones slotted a penalty on the whistle to extend Wales' lead to 16-3.

That lead became 21-3 just 47 seconds into the second half when young winger Leigh Halfpenny managed to stretch over the Scottish tryline in the right hand corner. But a further penalty from Paterson soon after ensured Scotland were not entirely finished.

However, they continued to offer very little in attack and allowed Wales to completely dominate them, a point underlined when IRB Player of the Year Shane Williams finished off 14 phases of play by crossing for 45th international try with 20 minutes to go.

Williams was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and Scotland used his absence to their advantage as substitute Max Evans jinked through the Welsh defence to finally give Murrayfield something to cheer.

Paterson easily kicked the conversion to close the gap to 26-13 but a dramatic comeback was not to be as Wales managed to close the game out without further loss.

Scotland: Southwell, Webster (Paterson 21mins), Cairns (M Evans 52), Morrison, Lamont, Godman, Blair (Cusiter 62), Jackson, Ford (Hall 62) , Cross, White (Dickinson 27), Hamilton, Hogg (Brown 74), Taylor, Barclay (Gray 56)
Scorers: Tries: Evans Pen: Paterson 2 Con: Paterson

Wales: Byrne, Halfpenny, Roberts (Bishop 62mins), Shanklin, S. Williams (Davies 71), S. Jones (Hook 62), Phillips (Peel 60), Jenkins (Yapp 62), Rees (Bennett 62), A. Jones, Gough (Charteris 62), A. Jones, D. Jones, M. Williams, Powell.
Scorers: Tries: Shanklin, A Jones, Halfpenny, S Williams Pen: S Jones 2
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland)

2009-02-07T13:24:00.001Z

CAPELLO IMPRESSED BY BECKHAM

David Beckham looks likely to make his 108th appearance on Wednesday when England play European Champions Spain, after head coach Fabio Capello dropped a big hint on Friday, saying that has been impressed by the midfielder's fitness since joining AC Milan on loan.

Beckham, who turns 34 in May, will equal Bobby Moore's Three Lions record number of caps for an outfield player if he takes to the field in the friendly at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium in Seville. And Capello has been delighted with the form of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star since being loaned from Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy to the Serie A club.

The former England captain, initially discarded by Capello's successor Steve McClaren, has scored twice in his first five appearances having joined the Rossoneri on a three-month loan in January.

He believes he is fitter than he has been in some time, and in an obvious plea to Capello to select him he said in midweek: "When I came to Milan, my body fat was at 13.7 per cent. Now, it is down to 8.5 per cent. The training regime has helped."

While the Italian coach, who managed Beckham at Real Madrid in 2006-07, insists that he has no interest in anyone's personal milestones - "I never think about this when I choose a player or make a substitution" - he admits he has been pleased with Beckham's physical improvement in Italy.

"He is better than he was six months ago," said the 62-year-old. "He is fit now. This is important for David and for us. And every player in the squad has to play, not just train.

"He is a very important player and I've watched him in one game in Milan and (deputies) Italo Galbiati and Franco Baldini saw his other games. He is getting better and better with each game."

Capello said that he could understand Beckham's desire to remain at Milan, a club he himself spent three years at as a player and managed for six years when he collected nine items of silverware including the Champions League trophy in 1994.

"The game is different in Serie A [compared to the America MSL]," continued Capello. "There is more pressure. It is stronger. That is the difference. I think he wants to stay for those reasons - it's exciting, Milan are a good team.

"But he has to choose. I've never spoken to him about it - that is not my job. It's AC Milan or Los Angeles' problems. David is very fit now and this is important [for me]."

2009-02-03T20:51:00.000Z

KEITH-ROACH ON LIONS

One man will be watching closer than most when the British and Irish Lions pack down against South Africa for the first time in the opening Test at the Absa Stadium in Durban on June 20. Phil Keith-Roach, the man who single-handedly made England’s set-piece the stuff of legend in the last decade and steered them to the World Cup in 2003, believes that Ian McGeechan’s team’s best chance of defeating the world champions is by targeting the scrum.

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

The former Roslyn Park hooker predicts 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, and John Hayes, who all featured in the ill-fated New Zealand tour in 2005, will be vying for the berth at tighthead prop (though Matt Stevens will not figure, after failing a drugs test in December). 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 McGeechan thinks they have improved in the 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.”

2009-02-03T20:48:00.001Z

NARRAWAY HOPING TO MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY

When Gloucester host London Irish in the Guinness Premiership's top-of-the-table clash on Saturday, home No8 Luke Narraway is hoping to make it third time lucky as captain. Club skipper Mike Tindall has missed the last two matches due to a dead leg, and - in the centre's absence - 25-year-old Narraway's team have lost to Cardiff Blues and Biarritz and been dumped out of the Heineken Cup.

Now out of Europe's premier competition and after three successive losses, the England international is determined to ensure the second-placed cherry and whites' season gets back on track this weekend - and to stop the ribbing from his team-mates who have joked that Narraway is destined to never win as their skipper.

"I've enjoyed being captain, it has filled me with pride," said the King's School Worcester alumnus, "but the boys have given me some stick, as my record is nought from two!

"This is my seventh season for Gloucester and I've come through the academy, so I know what Gloucester's all about. But we've got a great captain in Mike and I'm he's got more seasons in him yet. However if one day the opportunity arises, it would be a great honour to take on the captaincy full time.

"Everyone believes that we're good enough to go on and win this competition, and we've got the belief there, too. But confidence is a funny old thing in rugby and we are putting 110 per cent in, yet something's not quite clicking.

"We've just strayed off our lines a bit at the moment; we're struggling for a little bit of form and on the back of a few defeats this is where we really want to show our worth. This is where the squad is being pushed to the limit and we've got to show our mettle, grind out some wins and get us back on the road."

Narraway, who made his England bow in the last Six Nations, has been away with Martin Johnson's squad in Portugal this week, but he knows that the next month - while he and his international team-mates are on duty - will be crucial to his club side's hopes of attaining their first silverware since the European Challenge Cup three year's ago.

In February, Gloucester take on high-flyers Sale Sharks and Bath at Kingsholm, and Harlequins at the Stoop in between. The five-cap Red Rose continued: "We've got a lot of internationals going away to various countries and got a lot of injuries, but we're not using that as an excuse.

"The next month is massive. We're going to do everything in our power to make sure, before the Six Nations, we pick up as many points as we can and that we're still in the top four when the international guys come back. I hope the injured players come back to form so we're there with a full squad at the end of the season and the confidence is running high."

Narraway has hit out at those critics who reason that the Gloucester pack is too lightweight to dominate a game - he believes it is an easy get out for them, and that they are not fully appreciating the game that Dean Ryan is trying to utilise.

"The media have been going on about it for so long that people start to think it without actually saying what they're seeing," he said. "Guys from the pack are coming off with bumps and bruises, taking big hits but never seem to get the praise for it. It is annoying when you open up the papers and see people saying you're not physical enough. The way we play the game, we like to play with the ball. We're not a team that's going to go with forwards lining up and sometimes it's hard to impose a
physical and stereotypical forward game on the opposition."

Narraway believes that the Kingsholm factor will play a part if Gloucester are to overcome league leaders Irish, who defeated them 42-12 at the Madejski Stadium in December. "We pride ourselves on our home form and probably this year it hasn't been as good as we hoped," he added.

"Irish are a great team - they've been threatening to do what they've been doing this year for a couple of seasons. What they offer is an incredibly enthusiastic and aggressive way of playing, and a good kicking game on the back of that.

"In the last fixture we lost the cohesion up-front and ultimately our kicking game wasn't very good and they pinned us back and made us make mistakes. We've got to make sure, at home, our cohesion is there right from the off and we pin Irish back and maybe we can force the mistakes for once."

2009-02-03T20:41:00.001Z

JOHNSON ON STEVENS

Matt Stevens's positive drugs test is a big blow to England’s Six Nations campaign, admitted manager Martin Johnson. The Bath prop was been dropped from the squad after it was found that he had been taking a recreational drug, thought to be cocaine, and is likely to be disciplined with a two-year ban.

“It is a very sad situation,” said Johnson of the 26-year-old’s predicament on Wednesday morning. “When I heard I felt surprised, disappointed and let down. We don’t want guys taking drugs – it is not good for them and it is not good for the sport.

“We hope Matt sorts himself out, but he won’t be playing for us for a fair old while. It is a blow to us, to him as a player and as a person. But we have to deal with that as a team.”

England last won the Six Nations six years ago – the same year that Johnson lifted the World Cup. And the former Leicester Tigers lock knows that after the disappointment of the autumn internationals, a big win at Twickenham against Italian next Saturday is imperative if they are to succeed this year.

“It has been too long since England won the Six Nations,” said the 38-year-old. “The Welsh are champions and the French are always strong, so it is going to be tight. We have to start the tournament well. Off the back of three losses we need some confidence and momentum.

“We have to improve from the autumn, and learn the lessons. We had new, young players playing the best teams in the world. So they have more experience now.

“We gave away points too easily and we didn’t take our chances. But we are now a more experienced squad that we were four or five months ago.”

2009-02-03T20:37:00.000Z

MALLETT JEALOUS OF ENGLAND’S RICHES

Martin Johnson's dilemma of who to play at fly-half – either Toby Flood or Danny Cipriani – for England, is a problem that Italy coach Nick Mallett would love to have. The Azzurri take on Johnson’s side next Saturday at Twickenham in their Six Nations opener, and the South African admits that he is jealous of the half-back talent at Johnson’s disposal.

"As usual we have a very good tight five and a good pack of forwards, but the perennial problem is settling on a good half-back combination,” the 52-year-old, who is considering playing veteran flanker Mauro Bergamasco at scrum-half.

“It's fantastic for Johnson to have two players of Flood and Cipriani’s quality. Flood is very good defensively, has a good kicking game, very courageous, while Cipriani has flashes of brilliance which on a good day gets all the headlines and when there's a charged-down kick gets all the headlines as well.”

Captain Sergio Parisse hinted that Johnson’s team will have to be inventing in attack, and not squander as many openings as they did in the autumn series, if they are to defeat Italy.

“We want to try and beat England with our defence so we are working hard and hoping we can win our first match,” the Stade Francais No8, who led Italy to only one Six Nations victory last year, said.

“England’s players will really want to win this first match. They have some problems because they lost some Tests in November, so it’s been difficult for them.”

2009-02-03T20:36:00.000Z

DANAHER CONFIDENT AHEAD OF TOP-OF-TABLE-CLASH

London Irish travel to second-placed Gloucester on Saturday for their
top-of-the-table clash, and flanker Declan Danaher is confident his team
can remain head of the Guinness Premiership going into the Six Nations.

The 29-year-old, currently Irish's longest-serving player, thinks that
Toby Booth's side have the momentum to inflict another victory on the
cherry and whites - even at their Kingsholm stronghold.

Five days before Christmas Irish smashed Gloucester 42-12 at the
Madejski, and they have racked up two big wins to secure a home tie in
the last eight of the European Challenge Cup while Gloucester were
bombed out of the Heineken Cup last Friday.

"It was mission accomplished in the European Challenge Cup - we were top
of the group, and that is what we wanted," said Danaher. "If we can play
well again on Saturday and convert the opportunities that we are given,
then we have a good chance of winning.

"They are a very proud team and they will be hurting after our defeat
earlier in the season. But Dean Ryan will have them fired up and
Kingsholm is a daunting place to play.

"It should be an explosive encounter. If we keep our game plan nice and
simple then hopefully we can get the win. If we can win it will make it
all that much more special."

2009-02-03T20:30:00.000Z

IRISH INDISCIPLINE PUNISHED BY GLOUCESTER

Toby Booth believes that the citing officer will have a busy time looking at the tape of his London Irish team’s 23-21 loss to Gloucester. Irish squandered at 15-point lead in a bruising encounter at Kingsholm – and the cherry and whites leapfrogged Booth’s club to go top of the Guinness Premiership.

Irish raced to a 18-3 lead thanks to tries from wingers Adam Thompstone, who was making his debut, and Topsy Ojo, and the boot of Peter Hewat. But Irish’s indiscipline was penalised and Gloucester flyhalf Olly Barkley clipped over six kicks, while fullback Iain Balshaw crossed for winning try nine minutes from time.

While each team had one player sin-binned - Gloucester hooker and skipper Olivier Azam and Irish number eight Chris Hala'Ufia – Booth reckons there may be more punishment to be dished out. "I thought there were quite a few leading elbows from various aspects,” he said. "It will be a very interesting review for the citing commissioner.

"I knew we would have to be on the edge. Were we on the edge too much? I don't think we were, to be honest.

"We penalised ourselves out of the game. We didn't have any ball in the second-half, and the ball we did have we kicked poorly away. We stopped doing the things we had been doing well.

"If it turns out we've been penalised for the same thing two or three times, then we've been pretty dull.

"We knew it was a massive challenge. What I am pleased about is the physicality we showed to live with people on their own patch.

“Gloucester is not the easiest place to come, and I am pleased with our physicality to live with them - it is just disappointing we didn't turn pressure into points.”

2009-02-03T19:51:00.001Z

MALCOLM ON ENGLAND ODI SERIES IN CARIBBEAN

If England’s one-day team are to succeed in the West Indies and bounce back from November’s whitewash at the hands of India, they will have to target No1 one-day batsman Chris Gayle, believes former Test star Devon Malcolm.

The five-match series, which begins on March 20 in Guyana, will see a return to the shorter form of the game for new England captain Andrew Strauss, who has not featured since England’s miserable World Cup campaign two years ago.

Middlesex batsman Strauss’s main job will be to pick up his players who were defeated 5-0 by India before Christmas, knowing that good results will breed confidence ahead of the 20Twenty World Cup on home soil in June and also for Australia’s Ashes visit a month later.

But Windies captain Gayle, who, in January, jumped five places in the International Cricket Council’s one-day rankings to first, will have to be halted if England are to prevail. The 31-year-old, who has a One-Day-International average above 40, was central to his team’s 2-1 series victory in England two years ago.

“Chris Gayle is a fantastic cricketer,” says Jamaican-born Malcolm, a veteran of 40 Tests for England. “He is so laid back that no situation seems to faze him. He just turns up and does his thing.

“He is the number one batsmen in one-day cricket at the moment, so England will have to focus right and aim to get him out very early. There could be trouble if not, because he will really start to punish the bowlers if he gets going.”

Malcolm, 45, reckons Durham quick Steve Harmison, who terrorised Gayle while on tour in the Caribbean five years ago, will have to be firing on all cylinders again, if the powerful batsman is to be stopped.

If the 30-year-old can rekindle the form witnessed in 2004, when he claimed a career-best seven for 12 in the Sabina Park Test, then England will be difficult to beat. Gayle averaged 26 against England in that Test series and Harmison, in particular, was impressive against the Jamaican, dismissing him four times in seven innings.

Harmison retired from ODIs after the World Cup only to be recalled for the autumn series against South Africa, and showed his worth as a re-ignited England stormed to a 4-0 win under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen.

“A firing Steve Harmison will be a vital part of the England side in the ODIs against the West Indies, and will be important if they are to win the Ashes again in the summer,” continues Malcolm. “To get him firing, Steve needs to prove that he has completed his rehabilitation. I feel going back to the Caribbean, with the memories he has of the place, will have a good and positive effect on him.

“Hopefully he can feed from that energy that he felt in the Caribbean five years ago, and really get his bounce and pace back. He needs to build up some momentum bowling in the West Indies, and take that into the Ashes series.

“When he is at the top of his game, with that bounce and pace, and with the players that Australia have lost – Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Mathew Hayden, Glen McGrath – England should win that series.

“You could say that the West Indies are the ideal team to play at the moment – ahead of the Ashes and after what has gone of following the India tour. But they will want to really lift their game against England – everyone wants to do well against the old colonial master.”

The former Derbyshire bowler believes that, with the Ashes a mere six months away, it was better that the public falling out of captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores happened when it did rather than at a later date.

“It was good to sort out those problems when they did,” Malcolm adds. “It is very important that England have a good tour of the West Indies and get back to winning ways.

“If there has ever been a time when Australia have been ripe for a beating, then now is the time – even though England have been having problems with the coach and the captaincy. But I think KP will turn up and play even better than before.

“Now Kevin can concentrate on what he knows best, especially in the one-day series. He is a showman and that is his oxygen – he needs to perform. When he really performs, England win. I am not worried one bit about his performance.

“It should be a great series, and I am hopeful that England, with Harmison firing, can beat the West Indies. That will set them up for the 20Twenty World Cup and give them the momentum to go on and beat Australia and regain the Ashes.”

2009-02-03T19:46:00.001Z

STEFFON DETERMINED TO GIVE IT HIS ALL

While Steffon Armitage concedes that his inclusion at openside flanker for England’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Italy on Saturday is by virtue of injuries to others, he is certainly determined to make the most of his opportunity.

The 5’9” London Irish No7 may not have the traditional frame for an international backrower, or indeed the experience of the sidelined trio of Tom Rees, Lewis Moody and Michael Lipman.

But what he lacks in stature, he makes up for in dynamism and ubiquity, and has – in the eyes of punters and pundits alike – fully earned his first cap, following a number of scintillating displays for his club that has helped lift them to second in the Guinness Premiership.

Dismissed by Saracens in 2006 for being too small, Armitage was snapped up by Irish, where older brother Delon was already starring at full-back. Injuries, once more, played their part and when he eventually broke into the first team he vowed to give his all, so that he would be impossible to drop.

“I finally got my chance to play at Irish through injuries, and all the boys stuck with me,” says the 23-year-old. “And I didn’t want to let the guys down at all, so I gave it everything I had in every single game. I would go out there and give it 110 per cent, every single time. I can't sleep before any game because I get so nervous and go into it thinking it's my last one.

“I’ve also got my England chance through injury and I hope I can go out there and take my opportunities with both hands. I will be trying to do the things I have done over the years – driving and getting stuck in, giving the opposition a hard time.”

Perhaps Martin Johnson sees in Armitage something of his former Leicester Tigers, England and Lions team-mate, Neil Back, who was similarly pint-sized in comparison to most other international backrowers. Regardless of the thinking behind the decision, the Trinidad-born No7 admits that he was delighted to be told by one of his heroes that he would be playing for England, alongside his brother.

“My heart is still pumping having got the call,” he continues. “It really hasn't sunk in yet. Martin and I sat down after dinner on Monday and he said: ‘Steffon, I have been really impressed by you, and we are going to give you a start this weekend.’

“I stopped breathing for a second! And then he said: ‘We have picked you because you are one of the form players in the Premiership, and we have faith in you.’ And that is the bit that got me the most. It was coming from an absolute legend – Martin Johnson, a World Cup-winning captain. It was a bit emotional.”

When he runs out on to Twickeham with Delon, who made his international bow in the autumn and was named England’s player of the series, Steffon will become part of only nine brothers to have played together for the Red Rose.

“I'm pretty happy we're both in there and so proud of Delon for getting there before me,” he adds. “But I want to do my best in every game. I am going to go into Saturday’s game with the same mentality.”

BOX OUT

The Armitages are the first brothers to represent England on the same pitch since Rory and Tony Underwood in 1995. Reginald and Louis Birkett started the trend back in 1875.

Delon, 25, is delighted that his younger brother has been given the nod to play alongside him against Italy. “Playing on my own [for England] was brilliant,” he says, “but to have my brother there now, I'm speechless.

“If we get a chance to stand next to each other at the national anthem we probably will sing together and probably shed a couple of tears.

“I have tried to let Stef take all the England stuff in himself, like I got the chance to. The last thing you want is an older brother telling you what to do, what will happen. But I want him to learn it all on his own. Obviously I will be the elder brother and there if he needs any advice.

“He was disappointed not to get picked in the autumn and he worked on his fitness and played even better. He has worked really hard and I am glad he has the chance, like I did, to see if he is good enough to compete at international level. Hopefully he can improve even more and we can both keep our shirts now.”

2009-01-20T23:53:00.002Z

STRAUSS: I WILL MAKE HARMISON FIRE

Andrew Strauss has marked Steve Harmison as England’s main weapon of attack and is hopeful that the Durham quick can reproduce his career-best haul of 7-12 in the Caribbean once again.

The 30-year-old has been dogged by poor form since achieving those figures in the first Test against the West Indies in Jamaica almost five years ago. But Strauss, the new England captain, believes that Harmison can propel his country to victory – not only in the upcoming Test series, but also in the summer’s highly-anticipated Ashes clash on home soil.

“If Steve Harmison is bowling well and at 90mph, he's the first name on pretty much any team sheet in the world,” said the Middlesex opener before his team flew out to the Caribbean on Wedsnesday morning.

“Clearly he's as frustrated as anyone that he hasn't been able to do that as consistently as he'd like. I've spoken to him a couple of times since we've come back from India [following former captain, Kevin Pietersen’s resignation] and he has a clear understanding of where he needs to go to bowl consistently at that sort of pace.

“I'm happy with what he's said to me in terms of how he's going to get there. I'm confident. He's a very important player for us in terms of the threat that he gives us on the pitch.

“We all feel this could be a really big tour for him and looking forward to the Ashes if he can hit his straps on this tour we're in a good position.”

Strauss added that Pietersen, shorn of his responsibilities as skipper, would continue to be a key figure. “He is going to play a very big role,” he added of the Hampshire batsman, “but he has had a lot on his plate recently and it’s very important that he has got the ability to concentrate on his batting and get the runs that we all know he can.”

2009-01-20T23:51:00.000Z

JONES HOPING QUINS “BUILD A HEAD OF STEAM”

Having already qualified for the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup, the pressure has decreased for Harlequins ahead of their final Pool Four game against Llanelli Scarlets on Saturday at The Stoop. But Welsh prop Ceri Jones knows that if the London club are march further in the competition, it is important to defeat the Welsh region and gain a home advantage for the last eight – especially after a run of four games in all competitions without a win.

Last Saturday Quins lost 21-10 to Ulster at Ravenhill, in conditions that the coach Dean Richards described as the worst he has ever seen. Jones agrees, saying: “It was pretty difficult in those treacherous conditions, particularly in the second half – the crosswind was virtually unplayable. But Ulster played well and we did have opportunities to get back in the game.

“We have had some tough games in the last month – against Bath, Leicester, Wasps and a good Northampton side. It has not been easy. But I think we are playing well and are perfectly in place to push on from here.

“I think this is a perfect weekend for us, because the pressure is off and it is not all dependent upon qualification – we have already done that. We have a big game against the Scarlets to see if we can do an even better job of qualifying – we are hoping to get a home draw.

“But no matter who you play in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup it is going to be a tough game. They were saying that if the results stayed as they were we could play [reigning champions] Munster at Thomond Park, which most people were thinking would be a tough game – but I think it is an exciting prospect.”

Jones, who won two caps for his county in 2007, signed for Quins in February 2003, initially on loan as cover for injured props Jason Leonard, Laurent Gomez and Bruce Starr. After impressing he put pen to paper on a permanent deal and has play over 150 times for the club – through relegation-battles, in National League Division One, and now in Europe.

“It’s brilliant,” says the 31-year-old, “I’ve gone full circus at Quins. Since I have been here I have seen everything you can see in rugby. It’s been a real roller-coaster ride, but at the same time it has been very enjoyable. Quins are a great club to be part of and the way things are going, with the team constantly developing, there are exciting times ahead.

“We are only two wins off top spot in the Guinness Premiership, and whoever we play in the last eight of the Heineken Cup we are going to go out there and give it our very best. And who knows? We could play very well and get to the semi-final, and perhaps even further. You can’t help but get drawn in by these exciting times.”

Scarlets pulled off a terrific 36-17 win over Stade Francais at their new ground, Parc y Scarlets, last weekend. And Jones expects the game will be far from a foregone conclusion, especially with some of the players the Llanelli side have at their disposal.

“Regan King is a fantastic ball player and he is on top form – we will have to watch him carefully,” he adds. “His partnership in the centre with Jonathan Davies is really flourishing. Steven Jones is a class No10 – he can do it all. And even with the injuries they have got they have some very exciting backs and experienced forwards. They are a class team and, after their performance against Stade, I’m sure they are going to come out with much more confidence and wanting to do a job against us.

“We are very excited about the game, too. We don’t want to go into the quarter-finals on a defeat – we want a win and to get as many points from our group as possible. We want to go through to the last eight with a head of steam.”

2009-01-20T23:49:00.001Z

WASPS HOPING NOT TO GET STUNG

London Wasps head to Castres next weekend hoping that Leinster, who they beat 19-12 at Twickenham on Saturday, slip up against Edinburgh, in order to qualify for the last eight of the Heineken Cup.

Though equal with Wasps on 16 points the Irish team will advance thanks to their 41-11 win over Wasps in October – but their losing bonus point could have been cancelled out had Wasps chosen to gamble for a try rather than let Dave Walder slot a penalty.

“There was a little bit of discussion – it’s one of those decisions,” said prop and captain Phil Vickery following the win in which Danny Cipriani also kicked 11 points and Serge Betsen crossed for a try. “Should you have gone for the corner or stuck it over, you could talk about it forever.

“You can go on about ifs and buts, but if we’d lost the ball we could easily have been talking about something different. I wouldn’t be surprised if Edinburgh beat Leinster. So we can’t worry about anyone else, it’s about what we do.”

Harlequins had their 100 per cent record halted by Ulster at Ravenhill. The Irish won 21-10, but Dean Richards’s team’s passage to the quarter-finals is assured.

Meanwhile, in the European Challenge Cup Saracens defeated Viadana 36-19 at Vicarage Road on Sunday to secure their advancement to the last eight. Similarly London Irish, for whom Peter Hewat scored five tries in a 75-5 win over Connacht, are also through.

2009-01-18T11:00:00.002Z

FLOOD TARGETS OSPREYS' HOOK

England fly-half Toby Flood is relishing the chance to go head-to-head with Wales No10 James Hook when Leicester Tigers take on Ospreys on Saturday in the decisive match in Pool Three of the Heineken Cup.

On Saturday Flood inspired the Tigers to a 52-0 mauling of Italian side Benetton Treviso while Hook’s team fell 17-15 to Perpignan in the south of France.

The defeat leaves the Welsh club four points behind the Tigers, who won the European Cup in 2001 and 2002.

If the Ospreys are victorious against Leicester they could book their place in the last eight of the competition – and Flood is determined to not let that happen.

“We know what a tough test it will be – they have pretty much a full international side,” said the 23-year-old. “It is massive for us.

“After the Treviso game we were listening to the Ospreys game and we were thinking ‘happy days’ when Perpignan were 17-0 up. Then the Ospreys did really well to come back 17-15 and get the losing bonus point.

“We need to go there and do the same thing, but of course we are going there for the win. With the quality that they have got it will be good preparation for the Six Nations.

“It’s going to be difficult, a big challenge mentally for us – it is a tough place to go to. It is fantastic that it comes down to one-off games. We need to deal with the noise and the ferocity which will almost be like a Test match.”

Flood reasons that Hook, 23, will be the man Leicester have to stop. He added: “He is a fantastic player, I have to admit.

“He has everything you want from a 10/12 – like me he has played a lot at 12 as well. He is a good distributor, has a great step, a good fend and he is a good defender, too.

“He is the type of player that you realise is great on and off the ball. So it will be difficult. You never want to talk someone up when you are playing them next, but you have to give credit where it is due and he is a world-class player.”

2009-01-18T10:58:00.001Z

TIGERS MAUL TREVISO AHEAD OF BIGGER OSPREYS TEST

Leicester Tigers' 52-0 mauling of Italian club Benetton Treviso at a packed Welford Road took them four points clear at the top of Heineken Cup Pool Three on Saturday. But with the second-placed Ospreys, who fell 17-15 to Perpignan in the south of France, still to play in Swansea next week, this seven-try victory could have been a little too easy. Passage to the last eight of Europe’s top club competition is still not secured for the 2001 and 2002 winners.

Two tries each for wing Scott Hamilton and former All Black and captain Aaron Mauger, and 17 points for England fly-half Toby Flood before he was withdrawn with 30 minutes left, were the headline-grabbers of a clinical display, especially in the first-half. Leicester knew this would be an easy win, having defeated their opponents 60-16 at the Stadio Communale di Monigo in October.

Hamilton, the blond New Zealander, got the Tigers’ wheels rolling after only four minutes, capitalising on the first cluster of Treviso mistakes that would punctuate the game.

Following a penalty scrum the left wing cut in on a scissors move and swatted aside four would-be tacklers to score to the left of the posts. Flood, the England No10, laced the conversion.

The Italian visitors, without 12 first-team players, including former Wasps centre Fraser Waters, struggled all afternoon in their luminous yellow strips.

The only thing they seems to highlight was the gulf in class between them and last year’s Guinness Premiership runners-up, as passes went to ground, kicks were miscued, lineouts lost, and tackles not executed.

Hamilton ambled across the line again on 14 minutes after fullback Geordan Murphy’s introduction in the Leicester back line had created an overlap that the Italian defence simply ignored.

A converted score for centre Mauger in the 26th minute, following a penalty try, saw the Tigers ensure their bonus-point win with 55 minutes remaining.

When travelling skipper, prop Franco Sbaraglini, hopped off 10 minutes before the break, things could not have been much worse for Treviso.

Tigers’ right wing Matt Smith went over in the corner a minute later and Flood converted from the touchline before Mauger bulldozed over for another seven-pointer, taking the score to 40-0 at the interval.

On the rare occasions Treviso managed to run the ball out of their half possession was turned over. To their credit, when they won penalties, they opted for quick taps and scrums. But it proved a fruitless venture against the relentless and unforgiving Tigers.

Following a 40–yard break by 19-year-old scrumhalf Ben Youngs, Flood crashed over after 49 minutes. After slotting his conversion – his sixth out of seven attempts – the 23-year-old was substituted.

And, bar replacement Johne Murphy’s try with just under half an hour left, Leicester, with their seven substitutes all used, failed to turn the screw. Even when flanker Marco Filippucci was sin-binned with seven minutes left the Tigers had taken their foot off the pedal to the point where it seemed as though they didn’t want to score again.

Of note, however, was the lively performance of man-of-the-match Youngs, making his first European start, as well as the return of Tigers’ prop Martin Castrogiovanni, the Guinness Premiership’s player of the season two years ago.

And while it proved the perfect tonic to remedy the disappointment of last weekend’s 17-13 loss to Northampton Saints in the Guinness Premiership, coach Richard Cockerill, still standing in for the absent Heyneke Meyer, will know that the Ospreys, packed with their Welsh internationals, will be a completely different proposition next Saturday.

Leicester Tigers Tries: Hamilton (S) 2, penalty try, Mauger 2, Smith, Murphy (Johne)
Conversions: Flood 6 (7), Hougaard 0 (1)
Penalties: -
Drop kicks: -

Benetton Treviso Tries: -
Conversions: -
Penalties: -
Drop kicks: -

Leicester Tigers: G Murphy; S Hamilton, S Rabeni, A Mauger [capt], M Smith, T Flood, B Youngs; M Castrogiovanni, G Chuter, J White; M Wentzel, B Kay; T Croft, B Woods, J Crane
Replacements: B Kayser, B Stankovich, M Corry, B Deacon, J Dupuy, D Hougaard, J Murphy

Benetton Treviso: B Williams; A Vilk, M Horak, M Neethling, E Galon, M Goosen, T Botes; F Sbaraglini, D Vidal, P di Santo; A Pavanello, C Van Zyl; M Gilbride, H Louw, D Kingi
Replacements: E Ceccato, A Ceccato, M Filippucci, M Barbieri, S Orlando, A Marcato, A Lucchese

Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)

2009-01-16T18:42:00.001Z

TORRES: I WILL FIRE LIVERPOOL TO DERBY DELIGHT

Fernando Torres has urged his Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to play him for a full 90 minutes against Everton - as he believes he can fire the Reds to victory in the Merseyside derby on Monday.

Spain's Euro 2008 final match-winner has been struggling to shake off a hamstring injury and last played a whole game in November.

But the former Atletico Madrid hotshot wants to help Liverpool to prove that they are the best side in the city, in a game that is "more than a football match".

"I am well up for playing from the first minute after recovering from the hamstring injury," said the 24-year-old, who scored the winner in the same fixture last year and netted 33 in his first season in England. "But it is the manager who decides who plays.

"I already know what the atmosphere will be like having played in the Anfield game last year and it has the same feel of the Atletico-Real derby in Madrid.

"It is lived in the streets throughout the week and for us it is more than a football match. It is important for us to win for the fans and so we continue leading the Premier League."

While Benitez's team are second / first in the table after Manchester United won / drew / lost at Bolton, David Moyes' Everton are also riding high in sixth. Midfielder Mikel Arteta has been in sparkling form for the Toffees - but Torres thinks it would be wrong to just focus on his countryman.

"Both teams are doing well at the moment, so that will add extra excitement and emotion to the game," Torros continued. "It is necessary to demonstrate that we are the rightful leaders and win every match.

"But to win against Everton, our eternal rivals, would give us a great morale boost. We must play with our heads because this type of match can be complicated from the first moment to the last.

"It would be an error to think that the Everton's only threat is Mikel Arteta. The truth is that the Spaniard is playing very well at the moment, but the Toffees have many other attacking options that we will have to be careful about."

2009-01-16T18:40:00.001Z

EVERTON LOOK TO REKINDLE MOUTINHO DEAL

David Moyes will relaunch a bid to sign Sporting Lisbon star João Moutinho, according to the Portuguese media.

The diminutive 22-year-old playmaker was chased by Moyes throughout the summer, but Sporting's valuation for the player - £15m - was too much for Everton's liking.

But now Moutinho, who has 19 caps for his country, has admitted he could move in the January transfer market, and would like to play in the Premier League.

Moyes is believed to be negotiating a deal that would see Moutinho move to Goodison Park initially on loan, as the club have limited funds at the moment.

2009-01-14T16:42:00.001Z

HALFPENNY RELISHING BLUES CHALLENGE

It has been a whirlwind eight months for Leigh Halfpenny, beyond the realms of the most of the farthest-fetched Hollywood plots. The fresh-faced three-quarters, who only turned 20 three days before Christmas, was plucked from the obscurity of the Cardiff Blues' academy before making his first XV debut in May and, seven games later, found himself thrust opposite Bryan Habana and his World Cup-winning South African team-mates at the Millennium Stadium.

“It was amazing, the stuff that dreams are made of,” says Halfpenny, who still lives with his parents in the small town of Gorseinon, six miles north of Swansea. “Last year, 2008, was unbelievable, a dream come true. I didn’t expect anything like that to happen. But now, having played against the Springboks and the All Blacks – the best in the world – and not embarrassed myself, it has given me the confidence to believe I can play against anyone.”

Halfpenny, whose amusing moniker is ‘Pence’, joined the Blues in the summer of 2007 after being released by his childhood club Ospreys. While the disappointment was a kick in the teeth, it made him all the more determined not to let another chance go begging.

“I wanted to prove the Ospreys wrong,” he says. “I wanted to show them what they were missing. My dream was to become a professional and, when the Ospreys let me go, it just felt like my whole world had crashed down. At that point I started looking beyond rugby with my studies – I finished my A-levels and considered going into dentistry or pharmacy.

“But then the Blues offered me a place in their academy I wanted to give it another go – I knew that I could always go back to my studies later. (Indeed Halfpenny added the biology A grade required to secure a place in medical school last term to his three other A’s achieved the previous year.) Looking back on it, it was definitely the right decision and I’m very pleased that I can look at the Ospreys and think: ‘You didn’t give me a chance’.”

Blues coach Dai Young handed Halfpenny the chance to shine in the final game of last season, a Magners League dead-rubber against Ulster. He caught the eye with his searing pace and also knocked over three conversations in the 26-17 win at Ravenhill.

But it was last summer, following a star turn for Wales Under-20 in their successful World Cup campaign on home soil, when things really began to click. In the inaugural competition Halfpenny’s team reached the semi-final before being defeated 31-6 by eventual champions New Zealand. But, more significantly, it was in that tournament that Halfpenny was played on the wing as opposed to fullback, where he had featured up until then in matches. It proved a masterstroke.

Back when he was in the Ospreys academy, the coaches had been impressed with Halfpenny’s speed and in training he would sometimes play on the wing, much to his annoyance. “I wasn’t that keen on it to begin with,” he smiles, “because at the time fullback was the only position I had played and that was where I had wanted to play for the rest of my career. But I appreciate now that they just wanted to make me a bit more of a rounded player.”

With All Black Ben Blair playing out of his skin at fullback for the Blues, it is just as well that Halfpenny is happy on the wing – though his long-term aim is to make the Wales No15 shirt, currently occupied by Ospreys’ Lee Byrne, his own. He continues: “I had been making a career for myself as fullback, but at international level I think wing would probably be better for me at the moment. I’d like to think I can make a few appearances in that No15 jersey for my country.”

After being promoted from the Blues’ academy in pre-season Young was forced to used Halfpenny at the start of the season due to injured personnel – and he has played so well that has been impossible to drop him. Wales coach Warren Gatland was so impressed by Halfpenny’s performances, in which he had been likened to his hero Shane Williams, he had no hesitation in calling him up to the national squad for the autumn internationals.

When his secretary fired Halfpenny a text informing him of his international call-up, the youngster was convinced it was a prank. “I just couldn’t believe it,” he grins. “I was reading it, thinking it was a wind-up by one of my mates!”

Four coach-loads of proud family and friends, including his paternal grandfather Malcolm – the former hooker who, ironically, taught his grandson how to kick on endless afternoons – tripped from Gorseinon to Cardiff to witness Halfpenny’s international bow, a 20-15 loss to South Africa in November. And the winger was welcomed in by his Welsh team-mates with open arms – after the game they greatly applauded the tipsy tyro’s rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s Walking in Memphis.

Next followed a 34-13 win over Canada – a game in which he truly announced his talent to the rugby world by scoring two tries. Whereas before he could walk down his local street and no-one would bat an eyelid, now, “I can’t even go over to Ireland and not be recognised!”

Not that celebrity status fazes Halfpenny, who firmly has his feet on the ground, and says: “It has been mad, and I enjoy it. But I want to be known for the things I do on the field. I’ll be working hard for the Blues, looking to cement my place, helping them in all competitions. And then, if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be selected for the Six Nations.”

The immediate focus is on Cardiff’s trip to Gloucester this weekend, knowing that a victory will seal their place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. “It’s going to be a massive challenge – they have a team packed with internationals,” Halfpenny adds. “Kingholm is never an easy place to get a result and their fans are going to have very high hopes of getting a win. We had to play at our best to get a result against them at home (37-24), so I hope we can do the same. It would be a great achievement for the Blues if we get through to the last eight of the Heineken Cup.”

2009-01-14T10:29:00.002Z

BROWN HOPING TO PROVE QUINS' CANDIDACY

Mike Brown believes that if Harlequins can defeat Irish giants Ulster in their own backyard, at the intimidating Ravenhill, then it will further prove to the rugby world that he and his young team will have come of age. A victory on Saturday for the full-back and his pals would ensure passage to the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest club competition, and a continuation of a sparkling campaign.

Quins go in to Saturday's match atop Heineken Cup Group Four, having achieved a memorable double over European behemoth Stade Francais – results that made doubters of the ability of Dean Richards’s team eat their words.

“People outside didn't really take us seriously before then,” says the 23-year-old, capped thrice for England, of Round three’s 15-10 win in Paris. “They still saw us a young Quins team who could win the odd big game but who were still progressing. That win showed everyone that we can do it on the biggest stage. The guys in the dressing room had belief beforehand that we could beat Stade - and that's what counted.

“But now it puts it puts us in the position where we go away and teams really want to beat us because of what we have done to Stade. That puts a lot more pressure on us but I'm hopeful that we can live up to that and keep playing the way we have been.

“It was an amazing spectacle at Stade Francais, though I didn't get a chance to see any of the entertainment beforehand. It was quite difficult to block it all out as there was so much going on.

“It was very surreal for me as it felt so much like an international and I was there playing with my Harlequins mates. It was such a fast, physical game, and very strange for me. There were just under 80,000 people watching at Stade and that is very rare in club rugby. It was amazing for all the guys to get that experience.”

The star man on that day in France’s capital, and the following week when Quins eked out a 19-17 win, was All Black Nick Evans. The 28-year-old masterminded the Londoners’ attack, and – as he is also a handy No15 – Brown admits that he is learning a lot from the New Zealander.

He continues: “Nick is such a good player and when he is playing No10 it helps everyone in the back line because he does play an expansive game, as all Kiwis do, and he runs the game well. It is good for me – if I have some queries about playing full-back, because I am still learning, then he can help me as he has played at the top level in my position.

“He is always willing to help me out positionally, he has ideas in defence, knows when a full-back should come in to the line and when we are on the counter-attack he knows what to look for.”

When Ulster visited the Stoop back in October, a good first half showing from the home team paved the way for a convincing 42-21 victory. Brown crossed for a try – one of six so far this season – but he is expecting Ulster to be much less of a push over on home soil.

“We are not taking them lightly,” he says, “as we know they are a good team, especially at home. They would love a win over the English boys, too, so we know Ravenhill will be a hard place to go and play.

“I've only played there once before, on a sopping wet Friday night for the Saxons, so I know what to expect. The closest thing to the atmosphere we can expect is that found at Gloucester's Kingsholm. It will be very intimidating but the boys are very much looking forward to that.”

Quins fly to Dublin having not won since the heroics against Stade Francais – a draw with Leicester, defeats to Northampton and Wasps followed. And last weekend’s game over struggling Worcester was frozen off. So Brown is desperate to post a ‘W’ against Ulster.

“We are raring to go for this weekend,” he adds. “It was disappointing to have the game against Saracens called off, but on the plus side some guys who have played a lot of games get a rest.

“In our last game it was disappointing to lose to Wasps as we thought we would have a good chance of turning them over. But they came out firing and in the first half we were very poor. We were trying to force things too much. But the vibe inside the camp is good – all the boys are enjoying their rugby and we are still very confident in our ability.”

2009-01-13T15:11:00.000Z

ARSHAVIN CLOSE TO MOVE?

Andrei Arshavin has told Zenit St Petersburg he will boycott training if the UEFA Cup winners do not sell him to a big European cup in the January transfer window – good news for Arsenal and Manchester City, who are leading the chase for him.

Zenit director Maxim Mitrofanov has revealed that he has negotiated “an agreement in principle” with Arshavin. And until next Tuesday, when the deal will be finalised, he will not say more, though he did admit: “We are negotiating with a number of English clubs.”

The 27-year-old forward phoned manager Dick Advocaat to say that he expected to be sold immediately, and is frustrated that Zenit are believed to be holding out for a fee of €18m.

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, is understood to have had a bid of €13m (including €3m in performance-related bonuses) turned down – and as a result Manchester City have entered the race to sign one of the stars of Euro 2008.

Dutchman Advocaat has resigned himself to losing the influential player, though he would not comment at length about who was closer to signing him. “This is a private matter between the player and the club,” he said.

Russian sources believe that a bid of €15m would secure Arshavin’s services – but Zenit want to make sure that they recoup as much money as possible, as agents are in line to receive €5m and Arshavin himself is due to be handed the same amount.

2009-01-13T14:35:00.000Z

SHEPHERD COOLS ON MALLORCA?

Former Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd's bid to buy top Spanish side Real Mallorca looks to have hit another snag. Corruption charges surrounding the out-going president have caused Shepherd to re-consider his offer.

The 66-year-old, who stepped down as Newcastle chairman in July 2007, was expected to fly in to Palma on Monday to finalise a €1m deal - but he failed to show.

Sources close to the businessman suggest that he has been horrified by recent allegations that the club's former long-term president and shareholder, Vincente Grande, was involved in corruption.

Grande's construction company has gone in to administration and the club are believed to have debts of around €34m, which Shepherd had initially been willing to cover. But this figure may rise to €50m.

Chasing up an Inland Revenue report, an anti-corruption prosecutor believes that Grande owes taxes of €540,000 - an issue that is being further investigated by Palma magistrates.

There may be other related charges against the Public Treasury, too, and according to Spanish sources this could be the tip of the iceberg.

Shepherd, fearing he would be buying a poisoned chalice, has cooled his interest in Mallorca, who are second-bottom in La Liga, having not won in two months.

Source: Diario de Mallorca (Spanish daily newspaper)

2009-01-12T00:06:00.003Z

JACKSON FOR ENGLAND – JONES

Martin Johnson should name Glen Jackson, the Saracens fly-half, in his England squad for the Six Nations on Wednesday. That’s the view of Jackson’s head coach, Eddie Jones, who witnessed his New Zealand-born No10 kick 15 points in his side’s 37-13 Guinness Premiership bonus-point triumph over bottom-club Bristol.

Australian Jones believes that the 33-year-old, who became the first man this season to reach 150 points yesterday (SUN), would act as the perfect mentor for tyros Danny Cipriani and Toby Flood.

“England should really consider having him in the squad,” the former Wallabies coach said. “His goalkicking was good, and his out-of-hand kicking is just wonderful.

“If they are going to have (Danny) Cipriani and (Toby) Flood as their major stand-offs maybe they should have someone like Jackson, who understands the game exceedingly well, in the squad to teach these younger guys how to play because I think they need a mentor.”

Italian prop Matias Aguero and centre Brad Barritt scored for Saracens to take the score to 23-7 at the interval. Ben Skirving and England captain Steve Borthwich ensured the result with second-half scores.

Jones praised lock and club captain Borthwick, who signed from Bath in the summer, adding: “He's been good for us from the first day he walked in the door and we're a much better side when he's playing.

“He gives us the lineout leadership, he's tough around the ruck and he scored the try. He doesn't even score tries in training so he's pretty chuffed about that one.”

The victory meant that Saracens leap-frogged Harlequins in to sixth, though their London rivals’ game with Worcester Warriors at the Stoop was postponed due to the frozen pitch. Similarly, Wasps’ match at Bath’s Memorial Ground was called off.

2009-01-10T18:46:00.002Z

QPR SAVED BY BLACKSTOCK'S LATE HEADER

Dexter Blackstock saved Queens Park Rangers’ blushes with an equalising goal only three minutes from time against ten-man Coventry at Loftus Road. The away side thought they had nicked the winning goal when Danny Fox fired in a free-kick against the run of play with 17 minutes remaining, following team-mate Steven Wright's first-half dismissal. But leading scorer Blackstock bravely chased a through ball and rose above the onrushing goalkeeper, Keiren Westwood, to nod home.

QPR had the better of the first half, though while they enjoyed the majority of the possession they found little end product. After seven minutes Icelandic international striker Heidar Helguson, whose loan deal from Bolton Wanderers was made permanent in the week, swiveled and shot in the Coventry area, though his stike was weak and easily gathered by Westwood in the away goal.

Helguson had another chance nine minutes later when the ball dropped to him on the area’s edge, though the 31-year-old was wasteful again and laced his half-volley high over the bar.

Wayne Routledge, the former England Under-21 winger, soon began to show why QPR shelled out £600,000 in the week, as he menaced Coventry down the left flank. He gave right-back Aron Gunarsson a torrid time. When Routledge, who turned 24 on Wednesday, skipped past him after 25 minutes, centre back Wright had to come across and foul him on the edge of the area.

Though QPR failed to make the free-kick count, a booking was dished out, and that should have calmed Wright down. But, nine minutes later, his challenge on Helguson – a studs-first assault that reached Helguson’s stomach – warranted a straight red card from referee Keith Stroud, and should have changed the game’s complexion.

In injury time before the interval QPR, with their tails up, managed their first meaningful shot on Westwood’s goal – left-back Damian Delaney fizzed a shot that the goalkeeper did well to parry.

After the break QPR huffed and puffed but still found Coventry hard to break down, missing the influence of creative midfielder Lee Cook who was sidelined with injury. Ten minutes in to the half Mikele Leigertwood looped over a pass that beat the away side’s offside trap and, with the goal gaping, Blackstock could only scuff his shot wide left.

With Routledge now on the right, QPR tried to change the angle of attack, but the home crowd were getting restless at the lack of real chances. With just over 20 minutes remaining Helguson was profligate once again, when he failed to poke in Deleney’s driven cross.

And those wasted chances cost QPR dearly as, when a frustrated Helguson fouled Michael Misfud after losing possession, he conceded a free-kick 30-yards out, slightly to the right. Danny Fox, the left-back who is a set-piece specialist, stepped up and coolly placed his effort inside the right-hand post of Radek Cerny’s goal.

Helguson, anxious to make amends, proceeded to miss two more gilt-edged opportunities – one which sliced out for a throw in. Luckily his strike partner, Blackstock, was more fortunate, and put his head in bravely in the 87th minute while chasing substitute Emmanuel Ledesma’s hopeful punt. He headed in the leveler and the relief was palpable for the home side. While they took their unbeaten run at home to six games, question marks will remain over their potency up front.

2009-01-09T20:00:00.000Z

SKINNER READY FOR WORCESTER CHALLENGE

Will Skinner, the Harlequins captain, will relish the challenge of facing former team-mate Hal Luscombe, who is making his debut for Worcester Warriors today (SAT) having left the Stoop in the summer.

At the half-way stage of the season, 24-year-old Skinner knows that a win over Luscombe's side will propel Quins, currently sixth in the Guinness Premiership, towards a play-off place. Further, it will give them the confidence going in to their final Heineken Cup group games later in the month.

Centre Luscombe, 27, has won 16 caps for Wales and spent two years at Quins, but he has not played for the past nine months thanks to a knee injury.

And flanker Skinner, whose side have not won since achieving a memorable Heineken Cup double over Stade Francais last month, said: "It'll be Hal's first game for Worcester, and he'll be looking to stamp his authority - especially against his old team.

"It'll be good to go up against him, but we will have to watch him carefully as we all know what a good, physical player he is.

"Worcester are a good team and should be higher than tenth in the table. Towards the end of last season they started to play some really good, exciting rugby and they have some great players up there.

"They are also very good away from home - and they have shown that this season. They are definitely a team not to take lightly. We have got to be on top of our game to get the result we want."

The former Leicester No7 continued: "We have a good history against Worcester and more importantly we have to get our Premiership campaign back on track. We are definitely in touching distance of the top four.

"We are looking for an important win this weekend, a win that will give us confidence going in to our last two Heineken Cup group games against Ulster and Scarlets, which are also very tough matches and very important in our European campaign.

"Our next three games, starting with Worcester, are crucial to our season - both in the domestic league and in Europe. Harlequins have to put in good performances if want to progress in both competitions."

2009-01-09T19:59:00.000Z

VILLANUEVA HOPING GOAL WILL PROVIDE EUROPEAN MOVE

Carlos Villanueva hopes his winning goal for Blackburn against Blyth Spartans in the FA Cup on Monday will catch the eye of would-be European suitors.

The Chilean midfielder and dead-ball specialist joined the Premier League club in the summer on a season-long loan but has failed to secure a permanent deal.

The 22-year-old has only featured 12 times this season, but he is desperate to remain in Europe when his time in the north west ends.

Villanueva, who is on loan from Chilean club Audax Italiano, said: "I was very happy to get the goal and pleased it was the winner to take Blackburn to the Fourth Round.

"The manager, Sam Allardyce, congratulated me and told me to keep up the good work. This is very positive for me and gives me more morale to continue working hard.

"I know Blackburn have informed my club that they will not buy me at the end of the season, which has dented my confidence.

"But I want to take advantage of the minutes available in the field and show that I can play well in Europe.

"It has been very difficult to do well in the few minutes that Blackburn give me, but I need to show my quality on the pitch.

"I want to continue playing in Europe because I think it would be good for the development of my game."

2009-01-09T19:58:00.001Z

KABOUL TURNS DOWN AC MILAN OFFER

Younes Kaboul has snubbed an offer to join Italian giants AC Milan so that he can help crisis club Portsmouth out of their current mess.

The France Under-21 defender wants to stay loyal to manager Tony Adams - because he believes that under the former Arsenal captain's guidance he will soon break into his senior national team.

The decision is bound to please Pompey fans who have been hit hard by the departure of star striker Jermain Defoe who was paraded as a Tottenham player ahead of their Carling Cup semi-final against Burnley.

Milan are in the market for a young defender and were impressed by Kaboul's performance in November's 2-2 draw in the Uefa Cup - he scored the game's opening goal with a bullet header.

The former Auxerre man, who turned 23 on Sunday, has been sidelined since that game while Portsmouth have only won two points in their last six league games.

But a source close to the player said: "Younes is fit to play this weekend and he is happy to stay at Portsmouth despite everything that is going on.

"He is sorry to see Jermain leave, as they are good friends - both from Portsmouth and before when they were at Tottenham last season.

"But Younes believes that only players who are willing to fight for the club with all their heart should be at Portsmouth.

"Milan have been sniffing around Younes and they called asking about his situation. But he is not interested in moving as he wants to remain at Portsmouth for a long time.

"He feels he is learning so much from Tony Adams and his defending is improving the longer he stays at the club. With Tony's help he thinks it is only a matter of time before he gets in to the France team - and he is sure he will get into their World Cup squad.

"Younes thinks that Tony is the best coach he has played under and it is only a matter of time before the team start picking up points."

2009-01-09T19:56:00.002Z

VYVYAN RELISHING SECOND-ROW CHALLENGE

Hugh Vyvyan is relishing the competition with All Black Chris Black and England captain Steve Borthwick for the two spaces in London Saracens' second-row. But with that calibre of players in the team the 32-year-old believes the club should be higher than seventh in the Guinness Premiership at the halfway stage of the season.

Whether he is selected to start on Sunday against Bristol or not, the former Newcastle Falcons captain knows that his team need to beat the bottom-placed club if they have any hope of making the play-offs - though he thinks Richard Hill's team position belies their ability.

"I have watched videos of Bristol's last few games and I can't believe they are at the bottom of the table," said 6'6" Vyvyan. "They have got some good players and they play a good, aggressive style of rugby. They have a very good lineout and their scrummaging is handy.

"We know Bristol will be very, very difficult to beat and we are expecting a tough physical battle. But we need to focus on ourselves and make sure we are playing well - if we do that then the result should take care of itself."

Guilford-born Vyvyan, who won his one and only England cap against Canada in 2004, started in last Saturday's 22-16 defeat to Gloucester as Borthwick was rested as part of the agreement with England's Elite Performance Squad. And Vyvyan said of his 28-year-old club skipper: "Steve has been great for the club - he works so hard on and off the field. He is a good leader and a great player.

"The second-row is in really good shape as we have Chris as well - he is probably the best lock I have played win. And though those two have been packing down recently, the competition is good for me and pushes me along too. I'm enjoying the rugby at the moment and it is good to have two world-class players in my position - it means I can't ever rest on my laurels. Hopefully over the course of the long season I will have my fair share of games.

"Our squad are all enjoying the rugby and we have grown in confidence and we are understanding how we want to play, and improving more every week. Each week we get a little better in every aspect of our game."

The ginger giant said of the Gloucester loss: "It was a game that was there for the taking and the type of game that, if we want to do well in a competition, we must win. We were leading at half-time and there was very little between the teams but Gloucester ended up winning, which is not ideal for us as we want to be in the top four at the end of the season.

"I don't think there is anything between the top seven sides, and you can include Wasps in that list too, now. It was a good win to beat London Irish in what was another close game (16-13) - but that showed that there is nothing between us and the top side.

"We have played 11 games now, exactly halfway through the season, so it is important to really make sure we win the games we should. We have lost four games narrowly - we also lost to Gloucester at home 25-21 and we should have won; Sale Sharks beat us 18-15 thanks to a drop goal in the last second; and Quins defeated us 21-24 in our first game of the season.

"If in second half of the season we are in the same situations we have to win those games. We know there are going to be many more close games between now and the end of the season - we just have to hope we get the bounce of the ball. If we win 80 per cent of those close games then we are going to be at the top end of that table when it matters."

2009-01-09T19:55:00.001Z

FRENCH INTERNATIONAL TURNS DOWN POMPEY

Tony Adams has been dealt another blow after French international striker Sidney Govou turned down a move to cash-strapped Portsmouth.

The 29-year-old, who has won 37 caps for Les Bleus, says he has no intention of leaving Lyon for the South Coast club, but has not ruled out a move to another team.

Former manager Harry Redknapp also tried to sign Govou, who has been at Lyon for 13 years, before he left Pompey but the Frenchman said: "I am not interested in Portsmouth's offer - I would prefer to wait for other offers."

The news may alert Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who is also believed to be interested in Govou.

2009-01-05T14:52:00.000Z

EVERTON CLOSE IN ON RACING SANTANDER "STAR"

David Moyes has been warned he will not be able to get Racing Santander's star striker Mohammed Tchité on the cheap.

The Burundi-born forward has been linked with an £8m move to Everton, but Santander chairman Francisco Pernia is determined to fight to keep hold of the 24-year-old.

Tchité, who scored a match-winning hat-trick over high-flying Valencia in La Liga in November, is believed to be wanted by a number of clubs as well as Everton.

He joined Racing in summer 2007 after scoring 21 goals in 30 games for Belgian giants Anderlecht.

And Pernia said: "Tchité is a star for Racing and is loved by the fans here.

"He is a player that many teams want, though I have not yet received anything in writing.

"But he is a mainstay and will not leave Racing unless there is a significant amount received."

2009-01-05T14:51:00.000Z

GERMAN CLUBS IN FOR FULHAM MIDFIELDER

Leon Andreasen looks set to bring his disappointing spell at Fulham to an end and return to Germany in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who Roy Hodgson signed from Werder Bremen for an estimated £2.5m last January, is being chased by Bundesliga sides Hannover, Schalke04, Frankfurt and Dortmund.

Andreasen has played only 18 times for Fulham and is believed to want to leave London - and Hannover are in pole position.

Christian Hochstaetter, Hannover's technical director, confirmed his club's interest in signing the midfielder who has won 12 caps for Denmark.

Andreasen is expected to cost somewhere in the region of £2m, though as the Bundesliga does not restart until January 30 a deal will not be rushed.

2009-01-05T14:39:00.002Z

BROWN: IRISH MAULIUNG WAS WAKE-UP CALL

Gloucester rugby's 42-12 defeat to London Irish before Christmas served as a "wake-up call", believes second-row Alex Brown. And having received that, and improved in the 29-10 win at bottom-placed Bristol, the lock, capped thrice for England, hopes that on Saturday third-placed Gloucester can dispatch Saracens, who edged out Irish 16-13 last weekend.

"We were happy with the bonus-point win over Bristol - to get that at the Memorial Ground is never easy," said the 29-year-old. "They are a good side, even if the table does not reflect that. It was quite close in the game, up until the last 15 minutes, and then we opened them up a bit and did well to get the bonus point.

"It was important to get a result after the disappointing game against London Irish. They played very well at the Madejski but we had two good games against Calvisano before that in the Heineken Cup. We beat them twice but maybe we lost to Irish due to the fact that before them we were playing a weaker team and we allowed them to play too much. We can't be doing that as when the better teams come along we will be punished.

"We let in some very poor tries. But hopefully that was the wake-up call that we needed. It provided us with the realisation that we are capable of being beaten by lots of points and that we need to keep doing things right. Though the score did not look pretty and we were affected by a few late tries in that game, we know that we didn't do a lot of things right."

Brown knows that January will be a crucial month for Gloucester, and continued: "It is a huge month for us - it will decide a lot of things for our season. It will show whether we progress in Europe or not. The two games, against Biarritz away and Cardiff Blues at Kingsholm, are massive.

"In the Premiership we are playing Newcastle Falcons after Sarries. While Newcastle are struggling Saracens are flying high, so it is not going to be an easy month at all. It will probable etch out our season."

And on Saturday's visitors Brown added: "Sarries at home is always tough and when we played against them earlier in the season we were pleased with the 25-21 win, which we only just achieved. They will aiming for revenge and will targeting us after the loss to Irish. It is going to be interesting.

"Saracens have a pretty formidable forward pack - even if England captain and second-row Steve Borthwick is rested because of the Elite Player Squad rules. In particular they have a good front-row and a great scrum. It is going to be a very tough weekend, that's for sure. But we will have the Kingholm factor, which is always a big plus for us. We put a lot of things right after the Irish defeat and hopefully we can continue that at the weekend.

"There is underlying pressure on us to get a trophy this season which is increased by the media because we seem to lose in so many finals. That pressure is there, though, there is no point in hiding that fact. The simple fact is that we have not won. Since we won the Challenge Cup in 2006 there has been nothing, even though we finished top of the Guinness Premiership in the past two season. That has been very disappointing and something we have change that."

2009-01-05T14:37:00.001Z

PALMER HOPING WASPS CAN STING QUINS

Tom Palmer knows that January could be the make or break month for London Wasps' season - both domestically and in Europe. In their first game of the New Year Wasps host capital rivals Harlequins who, thanks again to the boot of Kiwi fly-half Nick Evans, drew 26-26 with Leicester Tigers last Saturday at Twickenham and remain sixth in the Guinness Premiership, 10 points ahead of Wasps, the reigning champions.

The England prop was one of eight internationals forced to be rested by Shaun Edwards in the 31-3 Boxing Day defeat to Sale Sharks - a loss that brought an end to Wasps' winning run of four games and, in Edwards's view, caused them to lose all momentum.

Though Edwards deemed the Elite Performance Squad stipulation of forcibly dropping England players as "bullshit", Palmer was more diplomatic. Further, he sees no reason why Wasps cannot pick up their game and - as they did last year - go on a devastating, all-conquering run.

The 29-year-old, who started England's ill-fated autumn international against South Africa, said of the EPS regulations: "It is difficult situation as they are the rules. It doesn't help teams like Wasps who have so many internationals. But that is why we need a strong squad.

"It was a real shame to lose against Sale because we were getting a nice run going. After two wins in the league and two in the Heineken Cup we were beginning to play some good stuff again and now we are back to square one, which is disappointing. Now it is very important to beat Harlequins.

"We have not given up on the Guinness Premiership at all. We have got to do as well as we can in both the league and the Heineken Cup. You can lose a game on the bounce of a ball so we are focused on every game we play.

"We know that if we lose a game in Europe, at the stage we are at, we will be out. So we cannot afford to concentrate on one or the other. In the league we have to work hard and keep aiming for the play-offs.

"In the Guinness Premiership I think we are a point better off this year than we were last, before we had that brilliant run. So don't write us off just yet this year!"

Palmer, who moved from Leeds Tykes in 2006 and has won 13 caps for his country, believes that to overcome Harlequins in Round 11 on Sunday they need to close down their half-backs - Evans and scrum-half Danny Care.

He continued: "Harlequins have two outstanding half-backs in Nick and Danny, so I think we have really got to put pressure them. As soon as they get the ball there has to be a defender straight on them so that they are not comfortable. We have got to make life difficult for them - if we give them an easy ride we know they will be incredibly dangerous."

Following the Quins game Wasps travel to league table-toppers Bath and then play their final Heineken Cup group games against Leinster at home and Castres away. A tough period, but one that Wasps will relish, says Palmer.

"January could be a defining month for us this season - we have four really tough games and each one is a big challenge," he said. "But that is what we play for at Wasps - we like testing ourselves against the best sides - and we are all really looking forward to it.

"A really good month for me should see me back in the England square for the Six Nations, so that is a reason for me to focus. Fingers-crossed I will be involved again, but I know I have to put in some big performances."

Palmer and a number of team-mates enjoyed New Year's Eve at hooker Joe Ward's house, where "a few interesting board games" were played. And the front-rower has revealed a rugby resolution for 2009. "I had a chat with England's nutritional expert, and I am going to do a couple of things to keep my bodyweight the same, while decreasing my fat and bulking my muscle mass up," added Palmer.

"I will start a new six-week programme in the New Year that focusses on me getting the right oils and vitamins. In the England training camp in the autumn Mark did some blood screening tests on all of us and it was revealing. The results of that caused a new nutritional plan to be put in to place - and it has really helped and I'm feeling much better.

"I had long-term issues with my back before but now that I am having more fish oils, omega oils, which I was low on, and it is great. I am low in something else too, and that means that I need a glass of red wine and a couple of squares of dark chocolate every night, which is not too bad! Now that my body has adapted to that diet we are changing it again."

2009-01-03T18:06:00.001Z

SUPER-SUB RASIAK IS WATFORD'S FA CUP HERO

Gregorz Rasiak came off the bench to score the only goal of Watford’s FA Cup Third Round win over Scunthorpe United – and save manager Brendan Rodgers’s blushes as the Championship club failed to muster a noteworthy effort until the Polish forward’s second-half entrance.

League One club Scunthorpe, relegated from the Championship last season, had the better of the earlier exchanges and after 14 minutes Martyn Woolford cut in off his left wing and fired a shot that forced goalkeeper Scott Loach to make a good save low to his left.

Rodgers, the former Chelsea reserve team manager who took charge at Vicarage Road in late November, handed starting debuts to teenage loan players Gavin Hoyte, a right-back, and Jack Cork, a holding midfielder, but Watford found it tough to create any opportunities in the final third.

Rodgers waited until the 60th minute before switching to a more attacking formation – from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 – and introducing Polish striker Rasiak. And it took only seven minutes for the manager to get his reward for going more gung-ho.

Jobi McAnuff’s corner was swung in from the left and flicked on by centre-back Adrian Mariappa. It dropped at the back post and the 29-year-old, on loan from Southampton, showed his natural goalscoring instincts by poking home with his left foot. Rodgers’s team held on for the victory while Scunthorpe trooped home feeling hard done by.

“That is the contribution that Grzegorz can make – it was fantastic,” said Rodgers of the winner. “He has got game-changing goals all though his career.

“I like to play a 4-3-3 but I felt it was not working and that we needed more support higher up the field. I pushed Grzegorz up in to a 4-4-2 and I was very pleased.”

Scunthorpe manager Nigel Adkins said: “We’re very disappointed. Defensively we looked very comfortable and offensively we had opportunities in the first half.

“It is very frustrating because we thought we should have come away with something. But that is the FA Cup – it just wasn’t to be.”

Watford (4-3-3):
Loach 6; Hoyte 6 (Bridcutt 6), DeMerit (c) 5, Mariappa 6, Harley 6; O'Toole 6 (Rasiak 8), Cork 6, Jenkins 7; Smith 7, Priskin 6 (Bromby 5), McAnuff 8.
Subs: Lee (gk), Bromby, Bridcutt, Rasiak, Doyley, Hoskins, Young.

Booked: O’Toole

Scunthorpe United (4-4-2):
Murphy 6; Wright 6, Byrne (c) 7, Pearce 6, Williams 6; Thompson 7 (Sparrow 6), McCann 6, Togwell 6 (Forte 5), Woolford 7 (Hurst 5); Hayes 6, Hooper 7.
Subs: Lillis (gk), Picton, Sparrow, Mirfin, Hurst, Forte, Crosby.

Booked: Byrne

Referee: Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire)

Hero: Grzeorz Rasiak
The on-loan striker’s second-half introduction prove the winning catalyst for Watford.

Villain: John-Joe O’Toole
The young midfielder worked hard but was booked and substituted manager Rodgers switched to a more attacking formation.

Magic moment: Rasiak’s winner, from Jobi McAnuff’s corner. The Polish international was lurking at the back post and was able to steer the ball home.

2008-12-30T11:33:00.002Z

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.

2008-12-29T18:20:00.001Z

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.”

2008-12-29T18:19:00.003Z

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."

2008-12-29T18:16:00.002Z

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.”

2008-12-28T18:12:00.002Z

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.

2008-12-27T16:46:00.001Z

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.”

2008-12-26T16:47:00.003Z

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.

2008-12-20T21:00:00.001Z

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.”

2008-12-20T19:53:00.002Z

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