Lions Up Against All Blacks
Fans of the British Lions rugby team have been trying for days to come up with the line up that is being thought about for the crunch match against the All Blacks, with the winner-takes-all match set to have huge ramifications on coach Warren Gatland, and his reputation.
Following the loss last week in the second match in the series, the usually formidable team of New Zealand definitely needs gearing up. The Lions will be looking to match their most recent performance in the Test series win.
Johnny Sexton feels that is now ready for the battle, though admits his nerves seem to have become much worse in recent weeks! Being a fly half of Ireland, he will be directing the Lions in the back line along with Owen Farrell, the playmaker from England. This will be the final Test and third of the series, and is being held in Auckland this Saturday and promises to be a stellar game of rugby, in stadium that could have been sold out 3 times over, such has been the popularity for tickets! Read More
England Rugby Summer Schedule
So what is the England rugby team gearing up for this summer? You could wish them bon voyage as the England team travels to Argentina. On the other hand, Red Roses would be flying to New Zealand. The Under 20s team of England would be facing a second game in Georgia, which is part of the World Rugby U20 championship. The Lions meanwhile, would be getting their New Zealand tour underway.
Hence, it seems that the England rugby teams have a busy summer planned ahead. If you look at the related news that have been filtering in around these teams, there was the instance of Denny Solomona and how he is being made fit for going on the tour of Argentina. Read More
England U20 Ready For Georgia
The U20 team of England has named the members who would be facing Wales. Malins has been chosen to be captain of the squad while Morris and Crossdale are being kept out of the tournament. This would be the second game which is part of the World Rugby U20 Championship.
This game is scheduled this Sunday in Georgia. Max Malins would be captaining his side and he would be having Theo Brophy Clews and Sam Aspland-Robinson to start at center and winger respectively. Ben Earl would be starting for England as well. This would be in a back row position where players like Josh Bayliss and Zach Mercer would also be playing. Read More
Stefano Pioli Targets Derby Win to Eliminate Slump
Inter Milan slumped to a second consecutive defeat in the Italian Serie A after losing to relegation threatened Crotone during the week and.
The club are now winless for more than a month, as their last win was against Atalanta in the second week of March. There is a possibility of the run getting worse, as the club are up against archrivals AC Milan in the next match. However, manager Stefano Pioli is hoping that the derby will inspire the players in order to produce a great performance. A victory in the derby can help the club revive the thoughts of a Europa League qualification for next season.
The manager is clearly aware that a derby game does not depend on recent form, as players are extremely focused on winning the game more than anything else. Milan come into the game on the back of a good form, which has seen them suffer just one defeat in the last five league matches. Read More
Camille Lopez To Have Surgery
There is an upcoming France tour of South Africa that the major team is preparing for. However, Camille Lopez would be out of this team for health reasons. He has been part of the long domestic season since November and he is scheduled for a surgery after he takes part in the upcoming match this Sunday.
This would be the final match of Sunday’s Top 14. After that the team would be preparing to travel to South Africa. Camille Lopez, being flown half of Clermont Auvergne, would not be part of the team preparing for the tour. Read More
Rugby legends pick their ‘ones to watch’ for Rugby World Cup 2015
French Test Tour Of South Africa
The France team is preparing for the upcoming oath Africa tour. While the summer break is round the corner, there is much excitement coming up for the first Test to be held between France and Springboks. Cape Town organizers would be having the games held at Loftus Versfeld.
The venue is being prepared for about 40000 spectators who would turn up for the first Test. The tour that France is preparing to embark for is a three Test series to South Africa. Read More
LET’S HOPE THE CHINESE KNOW WHAT THERE ARE DOING
The question of passion or love versus material wealth in football has over the years been asked and answered in various ways.
There was a time the former had a very big say over the latter – think for example Diego Maradona’s decision to stick with Napoli – and viewers have ever since been treated to a plethora of tales of loyalty, passion and sacred bonds players did have for their teams.
The matador-like push of club football to premium status in the early 90’s was a major factor that kick-started the dynamics of football as we know it today. Being honest demands admission that gone are those days where emotional attachments held sway – although players like Gerard and Totti tried their best to prove otherwise and for the record it did come at a price – inability for such legendary names to have a league title attached to them.
Another school of thought will tell you that the relegation of loyalty to the background did not necessarily have to do with players’ “long throats,” pinning a chunk of the blame-cake on club themselves. Like the two-way street loyalty is, a peruse at records will lead searchlights to beam on instances where clubs terminated or refused to renew contracts with even “one time” fan-favourites mainly because the “returns in value” of the player in question dipped below standard “requirements” and an extension of the said contract only “hurts” the club in the long run. This is the reason emotionally-stirred muses of supposed loyalty don’t hold water because at the end of the day football – especially at the club level – remains business, a set-up where profit is the ultimate goal.
This makes the media “pointing-of-hands” over who wronged who in contract negotiations look like airy reactions to the changes that occur in a system that runs on logic, mathematics and profit-focused book-keeping. The batting of eyelids at how easily European based players are switching to the new rich kid in the block ready to shell out wads for the street folks – The Chinese Super League – should not in all sincerity warrant such shocks & outrages. Read More