sport magazine - issue 242

Issue 242 | February 3 2012

But can England bloom again

in the 2012 Six Nations?

Rose tainted

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issue 242, february 3 2012

radar

06 Super Bowl crib sheet Want to sound like you know what you’re talking about this Sunday? Read on...

08 Becks in his pants We couldn’t resist the global sports icon in his new smalls. But then, who could?

10 Football with toads One man’s quest to play football with the worst international team on the planet to do this coming weekfeatures

16 Rebuilding England As the Six Nations rolls around, we ask three England legends how the national team can rise again 31 Rugby League Team-by-team analysis of this year’s Super League

34 Lizzie Armitstead The cycling star insists all is ‘fine’ in the Team GB camp

36 Super Bowl Full preview of the big game between the Giants and Patriots

extra Time

50 Kit Each of the Six Nations shirts, although you might only want one

52 Monyca Byrne-Wickey A pro surfer makes these pages, not for the first time

54 Gadgets Includes a Ferrari speaker system. How nice...

56 Valentine’s Day special Gift ideas for those of you currently bereft of, er, gift ideas

60 Entertainment Teen Wolf and Les Dawson, together for the first time

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| February 3 2012 | 0 5

0 6 | February 3 2012 | Sport

p10 – Tune like a Ferrari mechanicRadar p08 – Laureus World Sports Awards

p08 – Beckham’s pants

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Cheat sheet

A bluffer’s guide to the two superstar quarterbacks who go head to head in

this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI

Eli ManningnEw York giants

in a nutshell

Head to head

the money

Form guide

who wins

toM BradYnEw England Patriots

Previously overshadowed by his brother, Indianapolis Colts star Peyton

Manning, erratic Eli, 31, is now showing he’s an Eli-te quarterback too

Ice-cool 34-year-old is the most decorated player of his era, going for a

fourth Super Bowl win. A real all-American boy (minus the hyperobesity)

Beats Manning on career touchdowns (300 to 185), passing success

(64% to 58%), Super Bowl victories (3-1) and cheerleader underwear

sent to his home address (probably). But that 2008 defeat still smarts

Annual salary: $18m (four-year contract worth £72m).

Endorsements: $10m. Net worth: approx £100m

Threw an all-time record-equalling six touchdown passes in the divisional

playoff, but said he “sucked” as his team squeaked past Baltimore to

reach the Super Bowl. It’s said Brady never sucks twice in a row

Brady will do his usual stellar job, but he can’t help the Patriots’ defense.

Another upset loss sends him home weeping to his mansion, millions of

dollars, numerous NFL records and supermodel wife Gisele. Chin up

Has the edge with a 2-1 win/loss record against Brady and the Patriots,

including ruining their attempt at a first ever 19-0 season. The Giants

won the 2008 Super Bowl 17-14 in a big upset (Manning was the MVP)

Annual salary: $16.25m (six-year contract worth $97.5m).

Endorsements: $7m. Net worth: approx $60m

Has come alive since sneaking into the playoffs, orchestrating a 37-20

win over Super Bowl favourites the Green Bay Packers. Has a tendency

to throw long and score big in the final quarter of crunch games

Eli has a dynamic pack of receivers to aim for, and the Patriots defense

is a weak spot. We say he pips Peyton to that second Super Bowl ring,

calling him afterwards to yell “Little bros before hos!” then hanging up

hat’s Becks got down there, eh?

We don’t mean inside his undies –

that’s clearly a rolled up copy of

Sport – we mean the kecks themselves.

Officially, it’s the brand new David Beckham

Bodywear collection for fashion retailer

H&M. And, unofficially, we’re relieved.

Relieved because we love and respect

Beckham – a footballer, a gentleman, an

icon – but we don’t necessarily want his

name or face all over our bobby dangler.

So it’s great to see that Becks’ briefs

and boxers are subtly branded with an

emphasis on classy design and fit. As well

as four styles of underwear, the collection

includes David’s perfect T-shirt, vest and

even long johns to keep you snug in the

winter months. An ideal fit in every sense.

Radar

08 | February 3 2012 |

Radar

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London hosts the Laureus World Sports Awards on Monday, so we tell you, with 100 per cent certainty, who will win

Guesswho

Sportsman of the Year Noble runners-up places

to Lionel Messi and Sebastian Vettel for being

the planet’s outstanding footballer and driving

the world’s fastest car (respectively), but

we’re going for 2011’s three-time Grand Slam

winner Novak Djokovic to ace this with ease.

Sportswoman of the Year Taiwanese golfer

Yani Tseng has done her best Tiger Woods

impression (circa 2000, rather than 2009),

dominating her sport at age 22. However,

we smell a tennis double is in the offing with

Petra Kvitova perhaps sneaking this for her

Wimbledon victory and all-round improvement.

Team of the Year England’s Test cricket team

rose to world number one, while Barcelona

had a passable 2011 (if you like big, shiny

trophies). However, New Zealand’s rugby union

team overcoming their ‘chokers’ tag to win a

World Cup on home soil is going to snare this.

Comeback of the Year Darren Clarke gets a nod

for his Open win (and his comeback from a

monstrous hangover to actually talk the next

day), but it’s hard to overlook Barcelona’s Eric

Abidal, who had surgery for a tumour on his

liver in March, then played the full 90 minutes

of their Champions League final triumph in May.

Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability It’s lazy to

just pick world-famous ‘Blade Runner’ Oscar

Pistorius, but becoming the first amputee

to win a non-disabled World Championship

track medal means he’ll pip it. Scottish triple

gold-medallist David Weir has a strong case too.

Breakthrough of the Year Petra Kvitova has a

chance here if she doesn’t win the woman’s

award, but we’re banking on one of a pair of

Brits to deliver a home success: Rory McIlroy

for his US Open victory or Mo Farah for his

gold and silver at the World Championships.

The latter might just dip at the line for the win.

Find out more at

laureus.com

David Beckham Bodywear launches this

week. Available in store or via hm.com

12ACONTAINS MODERATE VIOLENCE AND

ONE USE OF STRONG LANGUAGEManOnALedgeUK IN CINEMAS TODAY

ugby fans may not be known for

their love of technology – who needs

an iPhone when you have a pint of

ale in your grasp? – but that could be about

to change with the

launch of a new app.

Available to download

free from today, the

RBS 6 Nations Live

Challenge activates

40 minutes before

each match, giving

viewers the chance

to test their rugby

knowledge before

trying to predict what

will happen ahead of

key moments in each

game. A bit of fun to

go with your beer.

rbs6nations.com/

livechallenge

ne player showing up for

training, a toad-infested pitch,

constant rain and a national

obesity rate of 90 per cent. These are

just some of the challenges faced by Paul

Wilson, who took that genius pub idea

– find the world’s lowest-ranked football

nation, become a naturalised citizen and

see if they’ll let you have a go as player/

manager – and actually ruddy did it.

Thus Paul flew to Scotland – sorry, we

mean Pohnpei in the South Pacific – and

set about arranging a key international

grudge match with Guam.

He also wrote this light,

funny, enjoyably punchy book

about the experience (which

is more than we’ll get from

Don Fabio post-summer).

Up Pohnpei, out now, £12.99

e always thought F1 pit crews were

protecting their eardrums with those

fancy headsets, but it turns out they’re

just rocking out to Def Leppard or whatever it

is Italians listen to (probably Pavarotti singing

that ‘just one Cornetto’ song). We have

conclusive proof of this with these snazzy

P200s, part of a new range of headphones

produced for Ferrari by sound specialists

Logic3 (and featuring design cues taken from

the headphones used by the Ferrari F1 team).

Coming in April and priced at £199, let’s

hope they sound as magnifico as they look.

Radar

10 | February 3 2012 |

R

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Speed of sound

Toadal football

Game changer

See the full range at

ferrari-by-logic3.com

12 | February 3 2012 |

Radar Editor’s letter

Editor-in-chief

Simon Caney

@simoncaney

Sport magazinePart of UTV Media plc

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Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954)

Associate editor: Nick Harper (7897)

Art editor: John Mahood (7860)

Deputy art editor: William Jack (7861)

Subeditor: Graham Willgoss (7431)

Senior writers: Sarah Shephard (7958),

Alex Reid (7915)

Staff writers: Mark Coughlan (7901),

Amit Katwala (7914)

Picture editor: Julian Wait (7961)

Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963)

Contributors: David Lawrenson

COMMERCIALAgency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991)

Advertising Managers:

Paul Brett (7918), Dan Dawson (7822),

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PA to Managing Director:

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Wyndeham (Peterborough) Ltd

© UTV Media plc 2011

UTV Media plc takes no responsibility

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placed in Sport magazine

£1 where sold

Hearty thanks this week to:David Alexander, Ashley O’Rourke,

Cat Pia, the good folk at Shockwaves

Don’t forget: Help keep public transport clean and tidy for everyone by taking your copy of Sport away with you when you leave the bus or train.

LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR

2008

Total Average Net Distribution: 306,217 Jan-Jun 2011

www.sport-magazine.co.uk

@sportmaguk

facebook.com/sportmaguk

One wonders how the normally mild-mannered Monty Panesar reacted to England’s shameful defeat to Pakistan last weekend.

For all that this England team talk

about harmony in the camp – how

everyone works for everyone else – the

first two Tests of this series have shown

that, as well as the bowlers are doing, the

batsmen are performing equally badly.

Panesar, out of Test cricket for almost

three years, came back superbly in the

second Test. He looked a constant threat

in both innings and is a different player

to the one who disappeared so timidly

from the international scene in 2009.

And yet when it came to it, his colleagues

with the bat let him down. They also let

down the admirable Stuart Broad (who

actually currently appears to be our

most capable batsman), as well as

fellow bowlers Graeme Swann and

Jimmy Anderson.

The capitulation was appalling. There

was no time pressure. The bowling was

good, certainly – but to not even get close

to a target of 145 is beyond belief for

a side that claims to be the best in the

world. Suddenly we are crying out for a

batsman in the mould of Paul Collingwood:

someone with a bit of spine who can stick

around when the going gets tough.

Personally, I hope the bowlers didn’t

pat the batters on the back and tell them

not to worry. I hope they spoke up in the

dressing room and told them they should

be ashamed of themselves.

What I really hope is that Panesar

picked up Eoin Morgan’s bat and

threatened to beat him around the head

with it before setting fire to it on the

balcony, for all the use Morgan is making

of it. Don’t suppose he did, though.

Has any sport ever had such a

phenomenal golden period as men’s

tennis is having right now? We thought

we were fortunate at being able to

watch Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

playing at the same time; now Novak

Djokovic has taken the game on to yet

another level. His Australian Open final

with Nadal was another for the vaults:

a brutal, devastating, epic match that

only real heroes can put on. And, once

again, from afar, Andy Murray will have

looked on and realised that winning one

of the tournaments that count is

nigh-on impossible for him right now.

Chris Robshaw is a very interesting appointment as England skipper for the start of the Six Nations campaign. From what he has shown at Harlequins, he may just be one of those natural leaders of men. Boy, how English rugby could do with one of those.

Best side in the world?England are showing that when conditions don’t suit, they cannot cut the mustard

Agree or disagree? Tweet us @sportmaguk

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Pakistan celebrate as they realise England just cannot play spin

Reader comments of the week

@simoncaney Liked your

assessment of Arsene.

Football is cyclical, yes,

and also cynical.

@mylastsong

Twitter

great perspective on

the #olympic opening

ceremony article –

personally think a

breakdancing Boris would

go down a treat

@simoncaney.

@AliFoster2

Twitter

@simoncaney a touch

unbalanced about horse

racing today I think.

Attendances up

significantly, prob

attracted more newbies

than other sports.

@paolobow

Twitter

Fantastic article on Scotty

Parker. Very well written

and shows what a modest,

unassuming bloke he is.

Proud to say he was a

Hammer.

James, via email

You are a total c*** mate.

You look like one, and

write like one. Stick to

a sport that you know

about. And by the look of

you that would be Tennis

or Hockey.

John, via email

Chelsea 2 Man Utd

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14 | February 3 2012 |

Radar Frozen in time

| 15

What, would you say, is the ultimate test of

manliness? Wrestling a bear until one of you

is dead? Arm-wrestling a drunken sailor?

Or quaffing a yard and eating a phaal? All very

rugged and all very manly, but if you want to

show the world how big a pair of stones God

gave you, you’ll really need to win the Tough

Guy Challenge – a true test of manliness in

which the organisers set fire to your

underpants and see how far you can run.

And here’s the winner, a Mr Beelzebub of

Watford, who was set alight in Telford and

last seen running towards Penzance.

If you see him, do stand well back. Mic

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FIRE STARTER

What’s been going so wrong for England?

Jeff Probyn: “Well, nothing went too wrong

in relative terms, but that’s English rugby’s

problem in itself. No England side has had

continued success since the Geoff Cooke era

back in the early 1990s – knocking the Aussies

out in 1995 was a high, the home tournament

in 1999 was a big low, 2003 was a peak, and

so on. But we always expect more. The lack

of consistency in the team’s results comes

from a lack of continuity from bottom to top.

English rugby has people at the top with one

agenda, people on the field with another and

then coaches with different ideas.”

Matt Dawson: “A lot has been written and

said about England’s troubles, and we all

know the majority of the problems. The past

few years I’ve seen

players struggling to

express themselves

and playing within a

system they didn’t

quite look comfortable

with. It all comes

down to a lack of

communication.”

will Carling: “Yeah, players weren’t given

enough responsibility across the board and

weren’t accountable for anything on or off

the field. After the amount of time the guys

had together, the players should have been

running most of the sessions themselves,

with coaches just dipping in and out to tweak

things. I think that was only just starting to

happen at the end of Martin Johnson’s era.

The added advantage is that this creates an

environment in which players are heavily

involved in what they’re doing and why

they’re doing it, as opposed to being treated

like school kids. If you treat them like kids,

then they behave like kids.”

JP: “On the playing side of things, I feel the

issues were more selectorial. When the IRB

made a big fuss of the breakdowns before

Jeff Probyn Despite not making his England debut until the ripe old age of 31, the Wasps prop went on to play in 37 of England’s next 44 matches and played a key part in two Grand Slam wins as well as featuring in the 1991 World Cup final. A former member of the RFU committee, Probyn helped elect Sir Clive Woodward and Martin Johnson as England coaches. He is a regular on talkSPORT show Full Contact.

will Carling The former Harlequins and England centre won 72 caps for his country, becoming its youngest ever captain, aged just 22, when he took the honour in 1988. Carling led the side to back-to-back Grand Slams in 1991 and 1992 before completing a belated hat-trick in 1995. He is now director at The Rugby Agency. For more information, email [email protected].

Matt Dawson England’s most capped scrum half represented his country 77 times and won the Grand Slam and World Cup in the same year in 2003. He was also a member of the England Sevens side that won the first Sevens World Cup in 1993, and is one of only two players to win the World Cup at both disciplines (Lawrence Dallaglio is the other). Dawson is part of Radio Five Live’s Six Nations team for this year’s tournament.

our three wise Men

© 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

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16 | February 3 2012 |

Six Nations 2012

Stuart Lancaster leads a new-look England side to Murrayfield tomorrow, but is this the start of a new era or just another false dawn? Sport kicks off a 10-page Six Nations special by talking to the experts as we investigate how this once great side have fallen so far – and whether they can return to the top of the game

the World Cup, for example, it indicated that

this was going to be an important area of

the park – and yet England didn’t select an

openside flanker in their squad. That’s kind

of a damning statement. The stars at the

World Cup were Theirry Dusautoir, David

Pocock, Richie McCaw... all number sevens.

It’s something that’s been identified by

Graham Rowntree, but it’s not a position

that’s necessarily needed in the style of

rugby that Premiership sides play. They’re

looking for utility back-rowers because of

their large squad demands – so there are

less out-and-out sevens to pick from.”

MD: “We’ve become the laughing stock of the

rugby world, but it’s only because countries

are scared of what England could be.”

WC: “There’s just a lack of trust and

understanding between the RFU and the

clubs, and the RFU and the players. There’s

a lot of rebuilding to be done.”

Who needs to take responsibility – players, coaches or the RFU?

MD: “I don’t know about placing blame. But, as

I said, other countries are scared of what

England could be. This is because of the

sheer size of the player base we have

available, the finances being put into the

game and the enormity of the RFU in general.

It’s not about being arrogant in any way.

Someone just needs to start realising what

we have, and if we get that right there’s no

reason why England shouldn’t be challenging

for honours every single year – and at every

single World Cup.”

JP: “There’s just no synergy between the

RFU council and the players – remembering,

of course, that the RFU is a business. The

directors of any business aren’t involved

with those at the coalface – the players, in

this case. That’s a reality for every club in

the country.”

WC: “I think everyone shares the blame.

The players need to step up, though, and

think about their relationship with the

RFU, their sponsors and how they can

project a better image. You can’t just blame

the RFU for some stuff that happened at

the World Cup.”

MD: “Maybe it’s the fans as well. I want

England to win every game, as most people

do, but maybe I have to change that outlook

slightly. Of course I want them to win, but

maybe we need half a season that’s just

about performance, to let these players

express themselves and find their feet.”

With so many relationships needing to be

healed, what needs to change?

MD: “Ian Ritchie’s appointment as chief

executive is a welcome start and will help

provide the stability that England required.

There are now appointments who will put

their own spin on how England should go

forward, and we should give them the

opportunity to do that.”

WC: “Hopefully, Ian Ritchie can start to

create trust and respect between the >




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| 17

players, the clubs and the RFU. The

relationship between the RFU and players

has been poor, to say the least, for the past

20 years. So it’s about time a proper

relationship was built. That’s going to take a

lot of effort, but it’s crucial. There has been

a fundamental breakdown between Rob

Andrew and the players for whatever reason,

so there needs to be a new figurehead to

deal with the players. And they need to

get the right personnel in there to do that.”

JP: “The professionalisation of the game

brought with it an end to regional rugby, so

it’s hard because national coaches can’t see

players outside the comfort of their club

rugby until they are with the national side.

That is a big step up in quality. As a result,

successive planning in terms of coaches and

management is essential. The RFU and in a

way the performance department of the RFU

have to look at up-and-coming coaches and

bring them in to the Under 20s, the Saxons

and so on. They should let them take charge

of England at various levels over the years.

“That means that when a space opens

up for the head coach’s job, the Saxons

coach can step up or at least help in the

recruitment process, and other coaches can

then all be promoted into the next role on the

ladder. What this does is promote a coach

who’s been working with the Saxons, and

thus knows the quality players who are

knocking on the door for selection, as

opposed to just picking the next best thing

because he’s playing well in a club side that

are playing well.”

Is Stuart Lancaster’s squad the right first step?

JP: “Well, carrying on from the point I just

made, Stuart Lancaster is the right man for

the successive coaching right now, because

he’s been working with the likes of Chris

Robshaw, Owen Farrell and so on for a while.

He knows how good the youngsters can be

when thrown into a new environment.

As for the actual squad, it’s hard to judge

because he’s only been allowed to tinker

with the squad as opposed to picking his

own entire team. But I like the balance of it

on paper.”

WC: “I would have picked Nick Easter. He just

gives the pack a focal point, especially with a

fairly young look to the rest of the back-row

options, and he has that presence to help

them in tough times. He’s probably the only

one I’d change. People talk about throwing

youngsters in, but you have to strike the

right balance. I think Lancaster has.”

MD: “I agree. It’s a brave decision to clear out

so many players and go with a young squad,

but it’s one that everyone in rugby wanted

to see. It’s a brilliant opportunity for England

to get ready for 2015 and say there are no

excuses and that no

stone has been left

unturned. We have four

years with this squad to

find the right brand of

rugby and mould them

into winners – a team the world will fear.”

WC: “That said, I don’t think Lancaster will be

the long-term coach. I think that will change

after the Six Nations, when someone like

Nick Mallett will come in.”

JP: “I’m not sure about long term. Lancaster’s

only been allowed to pick this interim squad

by tinkering with the elite squad, so I think it

would be a bit unfair to make a judgement

on him and decide his future just on these

games. The RFU need to see if there is an

improvement in the attitude of the squad

and if there’s a more defined playing style

– something that’s been missing for some

time. If they see steps in the right direction,

then the RFU should quickly ensure he stays

on board, at least in some capacity.”

MD: “There’s no point getting ahead of

ourselves. Lancaster has been given the

reins and has impressed most people so far.

It’s now up to him and the players he’s picked

to show the public and the media they’re the

right squad to carry England through to 2015.

They have two monumental tasks first up, in

Scotland and Italy away. England need to focus

on them and nothing else – if they come back

to Twickenham on the back of two defeats, the

pessimism will already be creeping back in.”

The sTaTs Don’T lie: englanD’s DeMise sinCe The 2003 WorlD CuP Win

Games since 2003 World Cup final

won 45, drawn 1, lost 46win% 49.5

tries 207lost 18 of 45 at Twickenham

lost 17 of their 40 Six Nations games

beat the Tri Nations sides in 6 out of 29 games

Games before (and including) 2003 World Cup final

won 66, drawn 2, lost 24win% 72.8tries 320lost 6 of 46 at Twickenham

lost 7 of their 36 Six Nations games

beat the Tri Nations sides in 13 out of 29 games




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“We have four years To MoulD a TeaM The WorlD Will fear”

18 | February 3 2012 |

Ad

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Six Nations 2012

scotland




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englandcoach

Stuart Lancaster, the new man at the

helm, stepped up from the Saxons to

take the job (for now). Has introduced

humility to the side, and has the

advantage of knowing the younger

players from the Saxons set-up.

Key player

Ben Foden (right). In a side littered with

new faces, solidity at the back is key.

Seemingly reignited by the challenge

of Mike Brown, Foden’s clearing up of

problems at 15 could be essential to

getting this side on the front foot – as

well as keeping them in the tight games.

the past 12 months

Rollercoaster doesn’t begin to desribe

a crazy 12 months for English rugby.

From the verge of a Grand Slam,

England fell to the depths of a World

Cup quarter-final exit thanks to a

40-minute blitz by France. Off-field

headlines overshadowed their entire

tournament (and year), with English

rugby doing more for tabloid ‘-gate’

headlines than Richard Nixon managed

in an entire career. The fallout was

Martin Johnson’s resignation, Lewis

Moody’s retirement and a reshuffling

of English rugby at the higher levels.

the current squad

Youth and inexperience is the X factor

in a side in which experienced heads

are noticeable by caps, not age. How

Lancaster sets his team out is another

matter, with injuries to Toby Flood, Tom

Wood and Manu Tuilagi giving England

a very different look to the one we can

expect come the end of the tournament.

Sport’s prediction: 4th

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Scotland v england Murrayfield | Saturday 5pm | BBC One

Paddy Power Six NatioNS

chamPioNShiP oddS 4/1



20 | February 3 2012 |

Six Nations 2012 The Teams

coach

Now in his third season with Scotland,

former England coach Andy Robinson

has brought fleeting glory to the Scots,

albeit by taking flair out of their game.

Since his appointment in June 2009,

Scotland have scored 20 tries in 24

Tests. The prosecution rests its case.

Key player

Richie Gray. The unmistakable figure of

the 6ft 10ins shaggy blond second row

is one that Scottish fans will want to

see a lot of. A towering presence in

the lineout, Gray can carry and hassle

with the best of them. He can have

a big impact in this tournament.

the past 12 months

A dismal Six Nations – Scotland scored

just six tries and lost four of their five

games – was followed by an ultimately

disappointing World Cup. Some chinks

of light can be seen, though, after

Robinson’s men came within a dodgy

call (against Argentina) and a late

try (against England) of qualification.

Defeated, yes, but unluckily so.

the current squad

The loss of Chris Paterson is

Scotland’s biggest worry, as whoever

steps into any one of the numerous

shirts Paterson wore will be under a

heck of a lot of pressure. The pack

looks as strong as ever, so expect the

usual tight game with kickers making

the difference. That said, Rory

Lamont’s return is a timely boost – if

he and Max Evans can get their hands

on the ball consistently and to good

effect, this side has potential.

Sport’s prediction: 5th

We’re sitting in a small London

office with England’s Dylan

Hartley when a thought

suddenly crosses our mind

– there’s nowhere to hide

in here. In fact, between agents, PRs,

Hartley, us and our Sport app cameras,

there’s barely space in the office to stand,

let alone hide. Not a problem, you might

think, but when you’ve just asked a 6ft 1in,

17-and-a half-stone hooker a question he

doesn’t like – namely, “what went wrong at

the World Cup?” – these things tend to cross

your mind.

“Come on, we want to talk about a fresh

start,” is his reluctant reply. “No one wants

to talk about the World Cup anymore, do

they?” You can see our problem. But you can

see Hartley’s as well, because the World

Cup in New Zealand has become a virtual

swearword in the annals of English rugby

– and something from which all those

involved want to move on.

Luckily, move on they appear to have done.

Of the 32-man squad that was named before

the trip to New Zealand, 15 changes have

been made. Lewis Moody and Jonny Wilkinson

have both retired from international duty,

while Mike Tindall, Shontayne Hape, Nick

Easter and Mark Cueto now find themselves

in the ‘too old’ bracket. The 2015 World Cup

is the clear target.

Nine new caps have been brought in –

plus a further four players who have all

represented their country on only one

occasion – meaning the elder statesmen on

the team now consist of experienced players

as opposed to ageing faces.

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ForWard Thinking

22 | February 3 2012 |

Six Nations 2012 Dylan Hartley

A captain retired, a manager resigned, a team remodelled. There’s a revolutionary look to Stuart Lancaster’s England side and, as they head to Murrayfield for their first test, hooker Dylan Hartley tells Sport they’re refusing to look back...

With Tom Wood, who at 25 years old has

just nine caps, seemingly Lancaster’s choice

as long-term captain, it will fall to the likes

of Ben Foden (26, 22 caps), Toby Flood (26,

46), Tom Croft (26, 31) and Hartley himself

to provide the more experienced heads in the

dressing room. It’s an exciting new beginning

for English rugby. Hartley, who turns 26

one week after the final Six Nations game

and has 34 caps to his name, is relishing the

chance to be at the centre of it – especially

with the benefit of having learned some

important lessons from the, er, ahem, you

know, World Cup...

Obviously no one in the camp wants to talk

about the World Cup, but can you take any

positives from the whole experience?

“Yeah, definitely. Personally, I believe you can

always learn, and I’ve returned from the

tournament on good form. I’ve been on a

good run with Northampton and the new era

awaiting this England side is something I

can’t wait for. A new coaching set-up, a new

squad and training at a new location. It’s all

very exciting.”

What are your thoughts on Stuart

Lancaster’s squad?

“I’m happy to be in it. Other than that, there

are obviously a lot of new faces, but I think

that’s testament to the quality of the Aviva

Premiership. You look around at the top four

teams and they’re well represented, which

is always good. And there are a lot of young

players who are really standing up and

proving themselves. It’s positive, and it’s

really encouraging seeing players picked

on form.”

Is there any worry about a lack of

international experience?

“No. I’m a believer that if you’re playing well,

you deserve to be looked at. You’ve got to

remember that, while there are 15 or so

new faces, there are still 15 or so existing

players. So there’s still plenty of experience.

On the other side of that, there are now a lot

of players in there who want to impress and

players who are desperate to show what

they can do. A lot of lads – the likes of Phil

Dowson, Lee Dickson and Chris Robshaw

– have been knocking on the door for a few

years, so it’ll be exciting to see what they

can do given the chance.”

You’re one of the more senior players now...

“I know. I’m only 25, and I feel like one of the

old boys!”

Are you happy to take on that extra

responsibility?

“Yeah, of course. I’m considered a senior

player at Northampton, so quite naturally

I think I can take that into the England

squad. Having said that, I think there’s

going to be a core group of senior players

there, not necessarily in age but in terms

of experience.”

And does it help that there are seven

of your Northampton teammates in

the squad?

“Yeah, like I said, I think it’s a testament to

the top teams in the Premiership that there

are so many Northampton, Harlequins,

Saracens and Leicester guys in there. The

bulk of the squad is made up the top four

teams, so there will be a lot of familiar faces

for a lot of players. The other thing is there

are a lot of combinations that are used to

playing together as well, which obviously

helps. Our back row at Northampton has

been playing very well, then there’s the Ben

Foden and Chris Ashton combination, or

Brad Barritt and Owen Farrell.”

Looking ahead to the Six Nations, can you

see any easy games or any weak sides?

“No, but then there’s no such thing as

an easy international these days. At the

moment, our squad is just thinking about

Murrayfield away this weekend. With a

fresh team, it will be an even bigger

challenge for us to put in a performance

there and hopefully get a result – and we

are very aware that everyone will be

watching us.”

And presumably you’re not expecting a

warm Scottish welcome after knocking

them out of the World Cup?

“No, we never expect much of a welcome

from them anyway. We had the last result

go our way, but that means nothing and we

know that. Murrayfield is a difficult place

to play and they never give an inch on the

field, especially in the front row, so it will

be tough.”

How much did you know about Stuart

Lancaster before the squad came

together?

“He was involved in the Saxons while I’ve

been with the senior squad, so we always

saw him around a lot and I’ve had lunch

with him a few times. He comes across

as more casual than Martin Johnson to a

lot of people, but don’t be misled by that.

Calum Clark was with him in the Leeds

Academy and he has a lot of good things

to say about him. The same goes for all

the boys who trained under him with the

Saxons, so I’m looking forward to working

closely with him. It’s a new start for us all.”

There’s been a lot of talk about an exciting

new brand of rugby from England. Is that

something that you’ve talked about?

“Not really. We’re aware that you can’t go

into any game saying you’re going to play a

certain way, mainly because you’ve got to

play the conditions. There’s no point trying

to play an expansive game if it’s going to to

be heaving down with rain at Murrayfield.

You have to be able to adapt. That’s where

you need leaders throughout the side who

can make those decisions on the day.”

After all that’s happened, people expect

England to come out flying. Win or lose, how

important is it not to get carried away?

“Very important. Of course you want to

win, but you’ve got to improve along the

way. It’s a long trip to the next World Cup

– we have four years. The good thing about

this squad is that none of us have won a

World Cup, so the drive’s there and the

ambition’s there. We need to win something

as a squad, so everyone’s hungry for it

–and I think that will show on the field.”

So is the Six Nations about the

performances or the results?

“As long as we’re improving along the way,

we’ll be happy. Last year, England won 10

out of 13 matches. But everyone forgets

that because we slipped up in the final

Six Nations game. The steps forward

we took were great. And, as long as

we’re improving along the way this

year, the results will come.”

Finally, can England win the Six Nations?

“Of course.”

Mark Coughlan @coffers83

Dylan Hartley wears PUMA PowerCat 1.12 boots.

Visit facebook.com/pumarugby for more details

Martin Johnson handed out

just eight new caps in his

15 Six Nations matches in

charge. By comparison,

Lancaster has named no

fewer than nine new faces

in his first England squad




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‘everyone is hungry For iT, and i Think ThaT

will show on The Field’

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| 23

ITALY




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frAncecOAcH

After the madness of Marc

Lièvremont, the French have turned

to the experience of Phillipe Saint-

Andre to take them forward. His 11

years coaching in England give him

a knowledge of the hard-graft side of

the game, while two years with Toulon

bring with them an understanding of

French flair and that crucial ability to

control big egos.

KeY pLAYer

Thierry Dusautoir. Gone are the

days when France were all about

lightweight flair, and Dusautoir is

typical of the power and directness

this team now possess. Against New

Zealand, in New Zealand, when New

Zealand won the World Cup, Dusautoir

was voted man of the match. What

more do you need to know?

THe pAsT 12 mOnTHs

Defeat to Italy in the Six Nations was a

low point, and a desperate loss to

Tonga in their World Cup pool should

have ended their interest. Results

elsewhere saw them through to the

quarters, where they took care of

England with a stunning first half. Alain

Rolland’s red card helped them past

Wales and in the end they were unlucky

not to win the final, falling a point short.

THe currenT squAd

Saint-Andre has brought normality

back to French rugby, and his reign

begins with the reselection of Lionel

Beauxis and Clement Poitrenaud to add

stability. Keep an eye out for Wesley

Fofana – the uncapped youngster

could well light up this tournament.

Sport’s predIcTIOn: 1sT

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france v italy Stade de France | Saturday 2.30pm | BBC One

| February 3 2012 | 25


cOAcH

Jacques Brunel spent six years as

France’s assistant coach and knows

how to mix stylish rugby with efficient

victories. He’s talked about a more

exciting brand of rugby for Italy, as

well as winning the Six Nations within

three years. Big call, perhaps, but

Brunel is nothing if not confident.

KeY pLAYer

Sergio Parisse. In a side of good

players, Parisse is outstanding.

Arguably the best all-round number

eight in world rugby, Parisse carries

his side to results with his handling,

tackling, pace, power and even kicking.

THe pAsT 12 mOnTHs

Having overseen Italian rugby’s

progression to a genuinely dangerous

outfit, Nick Mallett will be disappointed

with his last year in charge. Victory

over the French was all they had to

show from the Six Nations – albeit a

victory that will long live in the memory

– while a tough World Cup pool proved

to be just that, as Australia and Ireland

failed to slip up against the Azzurri.

THe currenT squAd

The new man in charge is not messing

around, dropping four veteran stars in

favour of four uncapped youngsters.

Mauro Bergamasco, who missed last

year’s tournament, is back to boost a

strong pack, while the backline will look

to create more than previous seasons.

Keep an eye on Giovanbattista Venditti

– the Aironi winger might line up at 13,

but he has had a few Heineken Cup

defences chasing shadows this year.

Sport’s predIcTIOn: 6TH





WALES




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IRELANDCoACh

Former Munster coach Declan Kidney

has turned Ireland into a younger

and more exciting outfit during his

three and a half years in charge, and

knows his players inside out.

KEy pLAyER

Paul O’Connell. Captain POC will have

to be at his best to inspire his side in

Brian O’Driscoll's absence. Set-piece

success is led by him, while his

spoiling of opposition ball is key

to Ireland’s defence.

ThE pAST 12 moNThS

The 24-8 dismantling of a Grand

Slam-chasing England ensured that

their Six Nations campaign ended in

some style, despite finishing third in

the table. Warm-up defeats and two

dour pool victories at the World Cup

followed before they hit their stride

– and how – with a memorable victory

over Australia. Drawn against anyone

other than an in-form Wales side, they

just might have found themselves in

their first World Cup semi final.

ThE CuRRENT SquAD

There are few surprises in Kidney’s

squad, with just five uncapped players

included after being promoted from

the Wolfhounds. Question marks

remain over the front three, but the

rest of the forwards are world class

and this squad boasts the right mix

of experience and quality. Issues may

arise at 13, where the man entrusted

with Brian O’Driscoll’s shirt (most

likely Keith Earls or Fergus McFadden)

will be under pressure to perform.

Sport’S pREDICTIoN: 2ND

ireland v wales AVIVA Stadium | Sunday 3pm | BBC One

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26 | February 3 2012 |


CoACh

Warren Gatland, entering his fifth

Six Nations, is aiming for a second

Grand Slam. He’s brought a youthful

exuberance and exciting brand of

rugby to a Welsh side that is playing

with incredible confidence.

KEy pLAyER

Jamie Roberts. The Cardiff Blues

man is the key to the way Wales play,

getting the team on the front foot and

allowing their quick brand of rugby to

punish opposition defences.

ThE pAST 12 moNThS

After a poor Six Nations campaign,

Wales regrouped with a younger

squad, went on a fitness drive in

Poland and came back flying ahead of

the World Cup. Narrow defeat to South

Africa in their opening World Cup

match (after that James Hook kick

wasn’t given) was forgotten in a flash,

as their flowing rugby saw them bound

into the semi finals. Sam Warburton’s

red card was surely the difference

between France and this Welsh side

reaching its first World Cup final.

ThE CuRRENT SquAD

While an outstanding backline means

Shane Williams’ absence will not be as

keenly felt, the expected loss of Rhys

Priestland at 10 means James Hook

will probably slip straight back into a

key position. In the forwards, injuries

mean a lot depends on how the new

pack settles, with second row a

particular issue. If they get the lineout

sorted quickly and remain injury-free,

this side will take some stopping.

Sport’S pREDICTIoN: 3RD

How much are you looking forward to

getting back on the pitch?

“I can’t wait. To go the whole World Cup

without an injury and then pick something up

eight minutes into domestic competition was

frustrating. Then to do it again against the

Dragons in December was pretty gutting.

I’m champing at the bit to get back out there.”

Studying for a degree in medicine, you must

know a bit more about your own injuries

than other players would?

“Definitely – although I don’t know if that’s

a good thing or a bad thing at times.”

They say doctors make the worst patients.

Is that the case with you?

“I’m what I would call an impatient patient.”

How exhausted were you by the end of the

World Cup?

“It takes a lot out of you – of course it does.

I think I played 15 Tests in the calendar year

last year, so that’s quite a lot of rugby to

have played. Having that break after the

World Cup, albeit forced upon me by injury,

has certainly refreshed me, both physically

and mentally. Life’s all about trying to keep

the body in decent nick, and rugby does take

its toll when you don’t get any time off.”




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The DocTor

IS IN

28 | February 3 2012 |

Six Nations 2012 Jamie Roberts

After an extended period on the sidelines since the World Cup, Welsh centre Jamie Roberts tells Sport he’s desperate to leave the physio room and return to the field. And all while studying for a medical degree...

The Spala training camp helped you recover.

Just how good, and how bad, is Spala?

[Laughs] “Yeah, it’s pretty brutal. The first

two camps before the World Cup were pretty

tough, both physically and mentally, but

the pre-Six Nations is even tougher. It’s a

different camp because it’s in the middle

of the season instead of preseason, so a

lot of elements are different. The main thing

is it helps focus the mind as well as the body.

It’s hard to replicate the 60th or 70th minute

of a Test match – it’s a very intense place

to be, especially when it’s close – so when

we can replicate that intensity out in Poland,

that stands the team in good stead.”

It was a strange World Cup because you

exceeded expectations in many ways, but

then you came so close to the final. Did you

come back on a high or a low?

“It was half and half, really. It was certainly

bittersweet and very emotional after that

France game. I’ve been around long enough

to know that chances like that don’t come

along too often, and to lose a World Cup semi

final by a point was pretty devastating. That

will hurt everyone for a long time.”

Was being on the pitch after that semi final

the lowest point of your career?

“It was up there. You lose a World Cup semi

by a point... you’re not going to be in a good

place. Losing the Lions Test series with a

last-minute penalty in the second Test and

losing in the penalty shootout [Cardiff Blues v

Leicester in the semi final of the Heineken Cup]

are both up there. Certainly, I’ve had a

career that has been a very close call in a lot

of games. If they had all gone my way, my

career could be a very different story.”

Being such a young squad, this Wales side

could be together for a long time to come.

How good can this current crop be?

“Hopefully, very good. The players are very

focused and dedicated to continuously raising

the bar, and that is massively important.

This is a group of very enthusiastic guys

and we desperately want to improve on what

we did at the World Cup. We played some

great rugby out there and we want to

replicate that – and better it – in the Six

Nations and over the next couple of seasons.

Warren [Gatland] has picked a squad with a

great blend of youth and experience, and the

boys who have been playing out in France

will be back. They’ll have experienced a

different brand of rugby and a different

lifestyle, so it’s a nice mix – and great for

the future of Welsh rugby.”

The youthful look means you’re one of the

older players in the squad. Are you happy

with that?

“I relish that pressure and I’m always one

to step up and willingly take responsibility.

It’s part of who I am and I enjoy it. It’s part

of the game – although it’s certainly pretty

scary being 25 and being one of the senior

players in the squad. But a few boys have

a bit more experience than me, so it’s

important for all of us to help the younger

lads settle into Test rugby quickly.”

You’ve got a rematch of the World Cup

quarter final first up. How much are Ireland

going to be up for a revenge mission?

“Yeah, there aren’t any easy games in the

Six Nations, and I think this is the hardest

tournament to call in a long time. But I

don’t think you could pick a harder game

than Ireland away to begin. They will still

be hurting from that quarter-final defeat,

and we would be naive to think anything

other than that they’ll be hugely motivated

by it. Dublin’s an amazing place to go,

though. I guess being a fellow Celtic nation,

their fans are similar to ours and like to get

behind their team. We’re also going to

play against a team who are similar to

ours in that they like to play an attractive

brand of rugby. It’s a huge challenge for us.”

And later in the tournament you have the

chance for some revenge of your own

against the French...

“Yeah, it’s another one of the many

subplots of this year’s Six Nations. The

French domestic league is as strong

as anywhere in the world, and the

calibre of player they can name from

one to 15 is scary, really. On their

day, they can beat anyone. But we

welcome them to the Millennium

Stadium and hopefully we can get a

bit of revenge.”

What do you make of Stuart Lancaster’s

new-look England side?

“I think it’s an exciting time for England.

Obviously a lot has gone on in the World Cup

and a lot has happened both off and on the

field. It’s a chance for them to wipe the slate

clean I suppose and implement a new ethos

into the squad, and it’s also a great chance

for their young players to play Test match

rugby for England. Like us, they’ve got a nice

balance of youth and experience; if their

young lads can step up to Test rugby, they’ll

cause a lot of problems.”

You’re in the fourth year of a medical

degree, playing full-time rugby and you’ve

just moved back into a nicely renovated flat.

Is it fair to say you like being busy?

“Yeah, I definitely enjoy it. If you’re not busy,

you’re not living. I stand by that motto. I think

it’s important to work hard towards certain

goals, and one of my goals is graduating in

medicine. It’s something I’ve worked hard to

achieve over the past seven years, and I’ll

hopefully graduate in May 2013. It’s a good

balance for me. I play rugby, I train hard. I’m

very focused on what I want to achieve in

rugby, and my daily routine is very specific.

So that break I get from rugby when I go to

uni – that problem-solving process I put

myself through when I’m on the wards and

in theatre – stimulates me. I enjoy science

because I’m a bit of a geek. I enjoy learning

new things. It puts me in a different

environment, allows me to meet different

people and gets me away from rugby. And I

get away from medicine and upcoming exams

by playing rugby. It’s a nice balance.”

And you said your contract comes to an

end when your degree finishes, in 2013.

Will think about a move abroad?

“It’s something I’ll decide nearer the time.

There are a lot of factors that go into that

– family factors, financial factors, where you

are in your career, whether you’re still

playing international rugby or not, and loads

more – so you’d be daft to make a decision

before you cross that bridge. But yeah, the

opportunity to learn a new language and a

new culture is very appealing. We’ll see. I’m

not sure, but it’ll certainly be a big decision

for me to make next year.”

Mark Coughlan @coffers83

Jamie Roberts is part of the Guinness

Made of More RBS 6 Nations campaign.

For updates from inside the Welsh camp,

go to facebook.com/guinnessgb

Despite 39 caps for Wales,

Roberts has only scored

four tries for his country

– none of which have come

at the Millennium Stadium




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“We desperately Want to improve on What We did at the World Cup”

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| 29

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Leeds Rhinos Last season: Champions (5th)The Rhinos staggered everyone by

becoming the first club to come from fifth

place to win the title last term. Injuries

affected their early-season form, but by the

time the playoffs arrived the big guns were

back and firing on all cylinders. As such,

there haven't been too many personnel

changes at Headingley. Coach Brian

McDermott has brought in Darrell Griffin

and Richard Moore to beef up the pack, but

the lack of a replacement hooker for the

now-departed Danny Buderus is a concern.

Key man: Kevin SinfieldThe talismanic loose forward

remains the side’s heartbeat.

A brilliant goal-kicker who can

play hooker and stand-off. >

Season’s greetings

| February 3 2012 | 31

Stobart Super League

As if the start of the Six Nations wasn’t enough, this weekend also sees the launch of the new Super League season. So here’s our team-by-team guide to the 2012 campaign, starting with defending champions, the Leeds Rhinos...

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Last season:

Runners-up (3rd)

Given an injury crisis

and the furore

surrounding Kyle

Eastmond’s defection

to rugby union, Saints

overachieved by

finishing third and

coming within 20

minutes of winning

the Grand Final last

year. Their young

guns now have a solid

Super League season

under their belts and

will be all the better

for it, while New

Zealand international

Lance Hohaia is a

quality signing; he

can play full back,

stand-off or hooker

but will probably

form an impressive

half-back pairing with

Super League Young

Player of the Year

Jonny Lomax.

Key man: Lance Hohaia

A lack of real

experience at

half-back probably

cost Saints last

season. That shouldn’t

be a problem this

year; Hohaia is a

complete footballer

who could take the

league by storm.

Last season:

Semi finals (1st)

Much will be expected

of a squad chock-full

of big-name signings

– even more so after

the anticlimax to last

season, when the

Wolves would have

been desperately

disappointed to finish

top of the league but

miss out on a Grand

Final appearance.

They will still probably

be the team to beat

this season, however.

Former Australian

Test forward Trent

Waterhouse is a major

signing, but they will

be without David

Solomona for a while,

the ball-playing

forward having

broken his leg in

preseason.

Key man: Adrian Morley

At 34, the veteran

prop remains the

charismatic leader of

the team. But can he

keep on producing in

what is probably the

toughest position on

the pitch?

Last season:

Semi finals (2nd)

After an indifferent

start to last season,

Wigan gathered

momentum on their

way to winning yet

another Challenge Cup

– and they looked to

be finishing top of the

league before being

pipped by Warrington,

before then being

denied a trip to Old

Trafford by St Helens.

They still have a

strong squad, but new

coach Shaun Wane

will be under real

pressure to achieve

– and the lack of a

replacement scrum

half for Paul Deacon

might prove costly.

Key man: Sam Tomkins

Still the brightest

star in the rugby

league firmament,

the long-striding

full back is a

devastating broken-

field runner. Once he

gets going, he’s very

difficult to stop.

Last season: 4th

The Giants have

threatened to join the

Big Four – Wigan,

Warrington, Leeds

and St Helens – for a

number of seasons

now, without actually

managing it. The

uncertainty over

the future of coach

Nathan Brown didn’t

help them towards

the end of last

season, when they

managed to win only

three of their last 12

fixtures. There have

been no big-name

signings, either, but

Brown remains – and

he has a knack of

getting the best out

of his players.

Key man: Jason Chan

The big second-rower

from Papua New

Guinea impressed

with the doomed

Crusaders last year.

His combination of

good footwork and

raw power should get

the Giants going

forward.

Last season: 6th

New coach Trent

Robinson had a

baptism of fire with

the Dragons last year,

winning just two of his

first seven games.

They came good in

the second half of

the season, though,

beating Hull KR in the

playoffs before falling

to Wigan. Australian

scrum half Scott

Dureau, who made the

Super League Dream

Team, was a real find.

With only two new

recruits – back-rower

Louis Anderson and

stand-off Leon Pryce

– they have a settled,

solid look about them.

They also enjoyed

good wins over

Wakefield and the

London Broncos in

preseason.

Key man: Leon Pryce

Pryce’s last season

with St Helens was

dogged by injury, so

the big stand-off will

be hungry and eager

to impress. His

powerful runs and

ability to offload can

be a real test for

defences.

Last season: 7th

Hull KR were wildly

inconsistent last

season, which wasn’t

helped by the circus

surrounding Willie

Mason’s brief sojourn

at New Craven Park.

There has been a

dramatic shake-up of

personnel, with nine

new signings and

many stalwarts,

including coach Justin

Morgan, leaving the

club. New man in

charge Craig

Sandercock will rely

heavily on Aussie

recruits Shannon

McDonnell and Con

Mika, both from his

old club Newcastle

Knights, and

strong-running

forward Mickey Paea.

Key man:

Michael Dobson

The talented scrum

half is at the heart of

everything his team

does. Dobson is a

clever player with a

great kicking game.

Last season: 8th

Once again, Hull failed

to deliver on so much

promise last season

– and, more to the

point in a league-mad

city, they finished

below Rovers. Much

will depend on how

new coach Peter

Gentle can weld his

nine new recruits

into a much-changed

squad, and whether

he can deliver some

long-overdue

consistency. The

pressure will be on

scrum half Brett

Seymour, who joins

from the New Zealand

Warriors, and former

Wests Tigers full back

Wade McKinnon. Up

front, Andy Lynch and

Eamonn O’Carroll

should add some

grunt.

Key man: Andy Lynch

The former Bradford

prop leads by example

and should add

some much-needed

leadership and

stability to a new-look

squad.

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32 | February 3 2012 |

Stobart Super League

Last season: 9thThe Tigers just

missed out on the

playoffs last season,

despite a great start

that saw them top

the table after eight

rounds. They fell away

badly when injuries

and indiscipline began

to take their toll, but

the New Zealand-born

stand-off Rangi Chase

– who earned England

honours on his way to

being named Man of

Steel – remains at

the club. Coach Ian

Millward can also

call upon a raft of

promising homegrown

players; the big

question is how

successfully he will be

able to manage his

still limited resources.

Key man: Rangi ChaseA mercurial half-back,

Chase combined

wonderfully with

Danny Orr last year.

He can only do so

much, though, and

desperately needs his

pack to give him a

proper platform.

Last season: 10thThe Bulls continue to

be a shadow of the

team who were a

powerhouse in the

early days of Super

League, and suffered

badly at half-back and

in the threequarters

last season. They

have addressed the

half-back problem

with the addition

of Luke Gale from

Quins RL and Jarrod

Sammut from the

defunct Crusaders

RL. Experienced

Aussies Keith Lulia

and Adrian Purtell

come into the

threequarters, but

the departure of

former skipper Andy

Lynch will leave a

big hole.

Key man: Luke GaleThe former Leeds

Academy player had

two good seasons in

London, making the

England Knights

squad along the way.

Now 23, Gale is ready

to step up another

level; he is an

excellent place-kicker

with a good all-round

kicking game.

Last season: 11thLosing head coach

Matt Parish after just

four months in the

role threw Salford’s

plans into confusion

last year. His

assistant Phil Veivers

has stepped up, but

he has a massive job

on his hands to

improve on last

season’s generally

disappointing form.

A new stadium should

help, but with no

big-name signings it

promises to be

another tough

campaign for the Reds.

Key man: Matty SmithThe former St Helens

scrum half was once

on Everton’s books,

so he is a clever

footballer and

excellent kicker –

but he needs a solid

platform up front if

he’s to operate to his

full potential.

Last season: 12thRookie coach Rob

Powell got his Super

League coaching

career off to a flying

start with four wins

out of his first five

fixtures last season,

but injuries eventually

caught up with his

thin squad. Ten new

signings, plus a host

of promising

homegrown players,

point to a much better

campaign for the

newly renamed

Broncos. Powell will

rely heavily on

experienced

Australians Craig

Gower, Michael

Robertson and Shane

Rodney, but watch out

for stand-off Dan

Sarginson and full

back Kieran Dixon,

both youngsters

from the Hemel

Hemsptead club.

Key man: Craig GowerBack in rugby league

after playing union in

France and

representing Italy,

Gower is a quality

Australian half-back

who will be expected

to lead the team both

on and off the field.

Last season: 13thThe Wildcats were

favourites to lose

their Super League

licence last season

– until the Crusaders

went under, at which

point they were

somewhat fortunately

reprieved. The club

has had the biggest

turnover of players of

any side in the league,

and new coach

Richard Agar has an

undoubtedly big job on

his hands. There’s no

lack of experience in

his recruits, but can

he mould them into a

competitive unit?

Key man: Andy EllisThe hooker has

been absolutely

outstanding for Quins

RL over the past two

seasons. He does all

the basics well and

can be a threat at

dummy half, but he’ll

need support from his

new teammates.

Last season: n/aThe Super League

new boys will do well

to avoid the wooden

spoon in their first

season back in the

big time. They have

recruited a host of

solid performers

without any big-name

signings, so coach

Denis Betts is

going to find it

understandably tough.

The fact that they will

be playing on an

artificial pitch at the

Stobart Stadium

might give them an

edge in home fixtures,

however.

Key man: Patrick Ah VanThe powerful

goal-kicking winger

was signed from

Bradford and

certainly knows his

way to the try line, but

can those inside him

create enough

try-scoring

opportunities?

Leeds Rhinos v

Hull KR

Friday 8pm

Widnes Vikings v

Wakefield Wildcats

Friday 8pm,

Sky Sports 1

London Broncos v

St Helens

Saturday 3pm

Salford City Reds v

Castleford Tigers

Saturday 6pm,

Sky Sports 1

Bradford Bulls v

Catalans Dragons

Sunday 3pm

Hull FC v

Warrington Wolves

Sunday 3pm

Wigan Warriors v

Huddersfield Giants

Sunday 3pm

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League Round 1 Fixtures

| 33

While most athletes spent the latter part of 2011 drawing up

detailed schedules for the

months leading up to the

Olympics, Britain’s national

road race champion Lizzie Armitstead was

wondering whether she would even have

a bike to ride in 2012.

In December, Armitstead’s professional

road racing team, Garmin-Cervelo, revealed

they had run out of cash, meaning she faced

an Olympic year without anyone to pay her

wages, supply kit or transport her to races.

“It was fairly stressful,” sighs the 23-year-

old. “But both times I’ve signed two-year

contracts, the teams have folded midway

through the first year – so I’m used to it.”

The Commonwealth Games silver-medallist

says she was in limbo on returning to training

from a post-2011 season break. But friends

and family were there to accompany her on

some sodden (and snowy) Yorkshire rides

– and, to their relief, she was welcomed on

a warm-weather training camp for the GB

track team in Majorca.

AA to the rescueWith days to spare, the catchily named

Dutch team AA Drink-leontien.nl signed up

Armitstead along with fellow British rider

Emma Pooley, who had also been part of the

Garmin set-up. “It was all quite last-minute,

so I’ve not trained with anyone yet or got

any kit, but our first training camp starts on

February 8 in Spain,” says Armitstead. “I’m

looking forward to meeting everyone and

getting the ball rolling. All four British girls

from the Garmin team have gone across

[Lucy Martin and Sharon Laws complete the

four], but there will be a few new faces.”

Changing teams so close to the Olympics

doesn’t sound like ideal preparation – and

Armitstead has no idea whether she will be

chosen as a key sprinter. She is, however,

determined not to let it affect her build-up.

“You have to think of it in a positive way,” she

says. “I’m with the same bike manufacturer,

the same British teammates and I should

still get the same race programme I wanted

when I was with Garmin.”

Big decisions Having started her cycling career on the

track (where she’s won multiple World

Championship medals), it was feasible that

Armitstead could compete on both the road

and track at the Games. But in November she

decided to throw all of her energies into the

Olympic road race. It was no easy decision.

“It probably took me about a year to make

it,” she admits. “I thought I could do both, but

the women’s team pursuit has advanced a

lot. They go so fast now that you really have

to be specifically trained for that event. And,

as improvements on the road happened with

me, I kind of changed into a different athlete.”

Those improvements meant Armitstead

was the designated ‘leader’ of the British

women’s team for the World Road Race

Championships in Copenhagen in September

last year – quite a coup, considering Olympic

champion Nicole Cooke was in the squad.

Team troublesAll was going to plan until, with 450 metres

to go, Armitstead was involved in a crash

that pushed her back to seventh place while

Cooke sprinted to fourth. In an interview

with Cycling Weekly two months later,

Armitstead admitted to feeling let down by

Cooke, whose job had been to ride for her.

Has time healed the riff? “We’ve spoken

and things are fine,” insists Armitstead.

“There’s certainly no grudges. She’s training

in Australia, so we don’t speak that much.

When we do, it’s fine.” Things are fine, then.

Which of the two is selected to lead Team

GB for the Olympic road race will depend on

results, ranking and form. She says nothing

has been decided as yet, but if Armitstead

emerges as the chosen one come July 29,

Cooke will be asked to forget defending her

Olympic title and support her teammate’s bid

for gold. Don’t take your eyes off this one.

Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag

Lizzie Armitstead is a brand ambassador for

Hornby. Visit hornby.com/2012 for Hornby’s

Team GB Scalextric Velodrome Cycling set

Rough ride

Lizzie Armitstead

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34 | February 3 2012 |

Forced to find a new employer at the last minute and locked in a power struggle with her teammate, it’s been a difficult winter for Team GB cyclist Lizzie Armitstead. She explained everything to Sport

36 | February 3 2012 |

Super Bowl XLVI

Giant killingSuper Bowl XLVI is a rematch between the New York Giants and Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, who lost in dramatic circumstances four years ago. We asked Sky presenter Kevin Cadle whether Sunday will see revenge for Brady and the Patriots, or another win for the Giants

1. Quarterbacks“Tom Brady has 16 career wins in the playoffs, which is a joint record with Joe

Montana. But, on the flipside, Eli Manning has won more road games than any

quarterback in NFL history in the playoffs – and the Super Bowl is essentially

a road game. So you’ve got Brady, who’s had a lot of success, but Eli has been

playing as good as, if not better, than any other quarterback. So I think it’s a

wash. It’ll depend on other factors.”

2. Wide receivers“The Patriots’ wide receivers don’t compare to the Giants, but their game tends

to go through their tight ends. The Giants have Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks,

and their receivers are all young boys who are going to get better all the time.

So it’s an advantage for the Giants.”

3. Tight ends“The Pats have a different set – the tight ends are their main receivers, and

Wes Welker is a wide receiver but tends to play further in in the slot position.

So it’s not even close – the Giants are way behind. Tight end Rob Gronkowski

is also setting records for the Patriots, with 17 receptions in 2011.”

4. Running backs“The Giants have the worst rushing attack in the NFL. The Patriots are in

the top 15, but their running game is more complementary – it’s built

around allowing Tom Brady to step back and pass it. They’re more of a

passing team. The New York Giants running has dropped off 50 to 60

yards a game since they won the Super Bowl [against the Patriots in the

2008 season], but in the past month or so since they’ve had to win to

turn their season around, their running game has improved.”

5. Tackles and linebackers“We talk about the defensive line being able to get up to the

quarterback to stop the pass. The Patriots’ nose tackle, Vince Wilfork,

has the leading sacks – he has been outstanding. Then they have Mark

Anderson, but they don’t get to the quarterback to the extent that the

Giants get there. For the Giants, Jason Pierre-Paul has 16 sacks

– and no one knows how good he’s going to get. London-born Osi

Umenyiora, who moved to the US aged six, and Justin Tuck will, with

Pierre-Paul, be looking to get out there to Tom Brady. If they can do

that, the Giants have a chance.”

6. Safeties“The Giants’ cornerbacks and safeties could be their Achilles’ heel –

they have problems marking up. But if the front line can put pressure

on Brady, it makes their job much easier. It’s important to remember

that Eli Manning is going up against the second-worst pass defense

in the history of the NFL, and there’s not any quarterback who can

sit with him at the moment. The Patriots’ safety Patrick Chung has

been out, but he’s back and has made a considerable difference

to pass completion.”

Super Bowl XLVI is the 57th live NFL game on Sky Sports this season.

Catch all of the action in the season finale in HD live on Sky Sports 1,

Sunday February 5 from 10.30pm

Weeks 1 to 7The Giants did not have a good start to the season, going down 28-14 at the Washington Redskins in their opening game. Tom Brady threw 517 yards, the fifth-highest single-game total in NFL history, to help the Patriots to a 38-24 win over the Miami Dolphins. They went on to win five of their first six games, compared with the Giants’ four wins – which included a 29-16 win over Philadelphia thanks to four touchdown passes from Eli Manning.

Weeks 8 to 12After a week off in week 7, the Patriots lost their next two games – the first against Pittsburgh, in which they scored a season low of just 17 points. The second was against their Super Bowl opponents, and was a very similar story to their famous Superbowl XLII meeting. Eli Manning once again guided the Giants to a late win, as he sealed the crucial points in conjunction with tight end Jake Ballard with just 15 seconds left. Despite the momentum of that 24-20 victory, the Giants lost their next four games and found their hopes of a playoff spot in jeopardy going into the final few games of the regular season.R

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| 37

Games 13 to 17That defeat to the Giants was the last time the Patriots lost for the rest of the season, as they picked up a number of big wins, including a comeback from 17-0 down against the Miami Dolphins to win 27-24. A win over the Denver Broncos, to end their Tim Tebow-inspired six-game winning streak, sealed the AFC East title for the Patriots. They finished the regular season with 13 wins and three defeats. The Giants won three of their last four games and became the first team ever to gain the dubious accolade of gaining the NFC East title with fewer than 10 wins.

Divisional PlayoffsAs the worst division winners in the NFC, the Giants had to play a wildcard game against the Atlanta Falcons, who they dispatched with ease 24-2. This set up a game against Super Bowl holders and NFC North winners the Green Bay Packers, who relinquished their crown with something of a whimper, losing 37-20. Meanwhile, the Patriots faced a rematch against the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow, whose remarkable season was sensationally brought to an end by the brilliance of Tom Brady. He threw a record-equalling six touchdown passes in a 45-10 win.

Championship GamesBrady stuttered somewhat in the AFC Championship game, failing to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 36 games, as the Patriots were somewhat fortunate to escape with a 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens spurned the chance to tie the game with 11 seconds to go when kicker Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt. The Giants also left it late to secure their Super Bowl place, needing a Lawrence Tynes field goal in overtime to beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17.

Super BowlSuperbowl XLVI will be a rematch of the 2008 final, which ended with a shock 17-14 win for the Giants. It was also the Patriots’ only defeat of the whole season. This will be the Patriots’ fifth Super Bowl appearance under coach Bill Bellichick, but Sky’s Kevin Cadle still thinks the Giants can repeat their heroics of four years ago. He told Sport: “I like the Giants. Both teams had a stroke of luck to be here – both conference finals could have gone in any direction. The Pats are on a 10-game winning streak, but the Giants have improved a lot and the momentum is with them.”

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After a humbling 10-wicket defeat

with two days to spare in Dubai,

England went to Abu Dhabi for the

second Test of three hoping to

level their series against Pakistan

with a much-improved batting display.

It was all going to plan – Pakistan elected

to bat first and scored a disappointing 257,

and England managed to post a tidy 327 in

response. The returning Monty Panesar tore

into Pakistan’s line-up in the second innings,

taking six wickets and leaving England with

a very simple target of 145 to chase – and

a day and a half in which to do it.

Instead of a comfortable stroll to victory,

what followed was a spectacular batting

collapse, as England’s best batsmen reprised

their performance from the first Test and

simply failed to come to terms with the spin

of Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman. They were

bowled out for 72, in just 36 overs, losing the

Test and the series with it. England return to

Dubai for the third Test, which starts today,

with their position at the top of the Test

rankings in jeopardy, and questions hanging

over several key batsmen. We asked former

captain Michael Vaughan for his assessment...

What on earth happened in Abu Dhabi?

Aren’t England supposed to be the best

Test team in the world?

“The attitude of the openers [in the second

innings] could have been more positive – they

could have gone for a few boundaries early on.

Because we got off to such a slow start and

the middle order aren’t in the best form,

England panicked and flapped a bit – 98 times

out of 100 they’d make that target easily.”

Has reaching the number-one spot and

beating India so comprehensively at home

gone to their heads? Could their poor

performances be a sign of complacency?

“I don’t think any England team I’ve ever

played in has been complacent. When they

went to Pakistan in similar conditions they

lost – it’s just different conditions that we’ve

not played well in for a number of years.

For three and a half days in Abu Dhabi,

England were excellent – it was just those

last two and a half hours.”

In a spin

38 | February 3 2012 |

Michael Vaughan

Ahead of the third and final Test against Pakistan in the UAE, Sport caught up with Michael Vaughan to find out why the number-one Test team in the world are faltering in the Gulf

Does a team that can’t play against spin

bowling really deserve to be the top-ranked

Test team in the world?

“England got to number one by playing great

cricket, but I think there’s too much

emphasis on this number-one spot. For

so many years it was impossible to get to

number one because the Australians were

so dominant – it was like Tiger Woods in golf.

I can’t see another era of dominance like that

– I don’t think anyone will stay at number one

for a really long time.”

At 2-0 down in the series, the third Test is

essentially a dead rubber – can the players

and coaching staff get anything out of it?

“I see it as an opportunity for Andy Flower

to see how a group of batsmen who have

been dominated by spin react to the

pressure situation of being 2-0 down in a

Test series. There are places up for grabs

in the Sri Lankan Tests, which will also be

a test against spin. As well as their places

in the team, if the players lose in Dubai

they might lose their number-one ranking

as well.”

Of the 40 English wickets taken in the

series so far, 34 have fallen to spinners,

with Saeed Ajmal particularly effective. Is

playing top-class spin a perennial English

problem, and what can be done about it?

“This team in particular has struggled

against spin, but if you go back to the

2000s, we went to Sri Lanka under Nasser

Hussain and played Muttiah Muralitharan

pretty well, and to Australia and played

Shane Warne pretty well. I guess this

team hasn’t played much cricket in the

subcontinent – quite a lot needs to be

changed in terms of technique and approach,

but the likes of Andrew Strauss and Kevin

Pietersen are locked in with their technique

and it’s very difficult to change the way you

play. But if you look at the second Test, Ajmal

didn’t actually do the damage – it was

Rehman, and Umar Gul took four top-order

wickets in the first Test. Maybe they’re

focusing too much energy on Ajmal – they’ve

got to be careful that they’re not focusing

too much on one end.”

Do you think we’ve seen Ajmal’s teesra yet

– the special delivery he talked up before

the series?

“I don’t even think he’s had to bowl it yet

– and I’m not sure he’s got one. It doesn’t

really affect the batsmen mentally when

someone says that – they’ll just laugh it off.

But his accuracy, his off-spin and his doosra

are good deliveries that are causing England

enough problems on their own.”

What will the captain be saying to the team?

“It’s quite an easy position when you’re

playing well and it’s not a problem. Strauss

will be saying to them: ‘This is when it counts

– now is the time when individuals have to

stand up as tough characters and show us

what you’re worth.’ I think the players will

know that there are places up for grabs –

if it happens again in Dubai, there’ll be places

for Sri Lanka.”

Are we talking about dropping some of the

top-order batsmen? Do we have the talent

coming through from the county game to

step into the Test team?

“The main concern in Test cricket has been

bowlers, because without bowlers you can’t

win – but there’s so many quality young

bowlers coming through at the moment that

you kind of forget about the batters. They

need opportunities. One thing I’ll always say

is that you will always find batsmen. The

question is whether they can face high-

quality spin bowling. My approach straight

after the game, and it hasn’t changed, is to

let the same 11 go out and play. They’ve got

to prove that their games can withstand

the pressures of spin bowling. If you

were playing England right now, you

would positively absolutely prepare a

spinning wicket.”

The Decision Review System has been in

use a lot for LBW calls. Do you think it’s

working well, and are England using it well?

“I think it’s excellent. The umpires have been

proved to be right most of the time, and it

just shows what a good job they’re doing.

I think England have been using it well – it’s

harder for a captain to know which ones to

review, but it’s another thing added to the

art of captaincy.”

Finally, are there any positives to take from

the series so far?

“Again, for three and a half days in Abu

Dhabi, England were excellent – and they did

well in Pakistan’s second innings. It was just

those last two and a half hours. Two of three

disciplines have been excellent – [Graeme]

Swann and Monty [Panesar] have got a great

partnership, and if the team can find the

batters to bat the time and withstand the

spin, they’ll do well in the future.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

Michael Vaughan is an

ambassador for the

Laureus Sport for Good

Foundation, which

supports projects

using sport to help

disadvantaged children.

The England team are

nominees in the

Laureus World Sports

Awards, which take

place at Central Hall,

Westminster on

Monday

‘England have to prove that they can stand the pressure of spin bowling’

pakistan v england: 3rd test Day 1 Dubai | Friday 5.30am | SS1

Ga

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| 39

Focus 2012 175 Days to go

40 | February 3 2012 |

THE VENUE

The vast expanse of ExCel in London’s

Docklands will host the judo competition this

summer, as well as six other Olympic sports

and a further six Paralympic sports.

THE EVENT

It’s a big ol’ knockout in the judo. All 14 medal

events (seven weight classes for men and

the same for women) are played in a knockout

format in bouts that last a maximum of five

minutes – so for some judokas the Olympics

could all be over rather swiftly.

Developed from jujitsu, judo pits athletes in

a one-on-one battle using only their bodies as

weapons. Jujitsu itself was developed when

practitioners learned the most efficient

methods for battling a weapon-wielding

enemy were pins, joint locks and throws.

Contests take place on an eight-metre

square mat, or ‘tatami’, and can finish as soon

as one athlete is awarded ‘ippon’ (or ‘one full

point’) – the maximum score. To achieve that,

a judoka must throw their opponent to the

ground on their shoulder, pin them to the

ground on their back or force them to submit

to a choke, strangle or arm lock.

A health and safety nightmare? Safety

precautions are taken (although according to

Wikipedia, there were 114 child judo deaths in

Japan between 1983 and 2010). Judokas are

taught how to fall so that, when hurled to the

ground, they land safely. And the choking?

Apparently, a properly applied choke hold, if

released soon enough after submission or

unconsciousness, causes no injury. Still, we

don’t recommend trying this on anyone you like.

Smaller scores are awarded for different

throws and holds. If a bout ends with neither

judoka winning by ippon, these scores decide

the winner.

TEAM GB’S PROGRESS

“I’ve seen some very good judo and I’m

happy because some of the Olympic Squad

confirmed their places while others now

know they need to work harder,” said Daniel

Lascau, British judo performance director,

after the recent British Closed Championships.

“The question I asked players today was

not how many contests they won, but how

many they won by ippon – because that’s

very important.”

JUDO AT LONDON 2012

DATES July 28-August 3

SEATING 6,000-10,000

HOW TO GET THERE DLR

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JudoEuan Burton

KEY EVENTS BEFORE

LONDON 2012

Paris Grand Slam

February 4-5, Paris

Moscow Grand Slam

May 26-7, Moscow

GB hopeful

AGe in 2012 33

MedAl RecoRd World

Championship bronze

2007, 2010; European

Championship bronze

2005, 2007, 2010

The two-time world

bronze-medallist is

looking to upgrade his

medal collection in

London...

“It’s like playing a game of a chess but

someone’s trying to beat you round the

head,” says Euan Burton, who has a collection

of international bronze medals from World

and European Championships, but could

finish only seventh at the Beijing Games. The

Scot went there with a shoulder problem

that required surgery, but delayed the

operation until after the Games. Providing

he’s in peak condition this summer he will

surely be a contender, having laid down a

huge marker at the start of 2012 by winning

bronze at the World Masters in Kazakhstan,

where he faced a field that contained the

world’s top 16. That success means he could

be one of the top eight seeds in London.

Its name translates to ‘gentle way’, but the aim of this game is to hurl your opponent to the ground

301.9

7 DaysFEB 3–FEB 9

HIGHLIGHTS

» Football: Chelsea v Man Utd » p44

» Football: Birmingham v Southampton » p46

» Tennis: WTA Open GDF Suez » p46

» Cycling: Tour of Qatar » p48

» Best of the Rest » p48OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

Rory’s desert storm

THURSDAY > GOLF | OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC | EMIRATES GC, DUBAI | SKY SPORTS 1 6AM

It’s not just cricket hitting the sporting headlines in the Middle East at the moment: some of the world’s best golfers are out

there, too.

Last week, Tiger Woods threatened to

win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship before

being seen off by former club pro Robert

Rock. And on Thursday an event of equal

importance, the Dubai Desert Classic,

gets under way.

Rory McIlroy, the 2009 champion and newly

installed world number two, heads the field.

He is joined by the man he has displaced in the

rankings, Lee Westwood, and world number

four Martin Kaymer.

McIlroy’s win in 2009 was an overdue first

victory as a professional. “The memories of

the 2009 are still are very strong, but I feel as

if I’m a more complete player now than I was

in 2009,” he said in the build-up to the

tournament. “I definitely swing it better.

I’m able to shape the ball both ways,

physically I’m stronger, and I feel like I’m

definitely headed in the right direction.”

With the Masters little more than two

months away, now is the time for McIlroy to

hit top form. The signs are good – he would

have won in Abu Dhabi were it not for a silly

violation of Rule 13.2 (he brushed some sand

away with his hand when not on the green

– spotted by a rather sheepish Luke Donald,

who muttered “I don’t think you can do that”).

This tournament is one that has a storied

roll call of winners since its inception in 1989.

Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els (three times),

Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria

Olazabal, Mark O’Meara and Woods himself

(twice) are among the names alongside

McIlroy’s on the trophy. Last year, the

enormous-hitting Alvaro Quiros pulled

off something of a surprise victory, but it’s

hard to see McIlroy being out of the top three

again this week. As he said, he’s getting

better – and that spells trouble for the rest

of the world.

42 | February 3 2012 |

Da

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Rory McIlroy's average

driving distance, in yards,

in the Abu Dhabi Golf

Championship . Only one

other player – Nicolas

Colsaerts at 303.3 – hit

the ball further all week

44 | February 3 2012 |

sunday premier league | Chelsea v man utd | stamford Bridge | sky sports 1 4pm

Falling giants

7 Days

In idle moments, when his mind wanders while

he completes household chores like ironing

his absurdly tight trousers, Andre Villas-

Boas must wonder if he’ll still have a job

this time next season. His Chelsea team

sit safely in Champions League territory at

the moment, and have the added bonus of

still being in the competition – both factors

that should stay the hand of his ruthless

Russian employer.

Roman Abramovich must realise that

Chelsea are a side in transition, and one

suspects that he will be happy as long as his

playthings qualify for next year’s Champions

League. But the rebuilding process hasn’t

been without its setbacks. Chelsea have lost

five games already this season, and although

they came second with nine defeats last year,

their opponents are not being quite so

forgiving this time around.

Chelsea’s record against the teams around

them should be a cause for concern as they

welcome Manchester United on Sunday. In

their six games against the other sides in

the top seven, Chelsea have won just twice

– an admittedly impressive 2-1 victory over

fellow aristocrats Manchester City and a

3-0 win over an injury-ravaged Newcastle.

In the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in

September, United raced into a 3-0 half-time

lead. They then made defending it as

uncomfortable as possible by conceding a

minute into a second half probably best

remembered for Fernando Torres’ appalling

miss from seven yards out.

Chelsea haven’t exactly been scoring

freely lately – at the time of writing you have

to go back seven matches for the last time

one of their strikers bagged from open play.

Still, it’s a good time for them to face United,

who are suffering badly from injuries in

defence and midfield. The most crucial

absentee is probably Nemanja Vidic, who

managed just eight games before his

season-ending knee injury. United conceded

just two goals in those eight fixtures,

compared to the eight they’ve conceded in

their past eight (before Stoke). Is this the

perfect opportunity for Torres to

rekindle his confidence against

a team he’s terrorised in the past?

Arsenal v blackburn

emirates stadium, saturday 1pm

Norwich v BOLTON

Carrow road, saturday 3pm

QPR v Wolves

loftus road, saturday 3pm

STOKE v Sunderland

Britannia stadium, saturday 3pm

West Brom v Swansea

the hawthorns, saturday 3pm

wigan v everton

dW stadium, saturday 3pm

Man city v fulham

etihad stadium,

saturday 5.30pm, espn

Domestic games since Manchester

United last won at Stamford Bridge

– their previous victory in the league

was in April 2002, although they did

win a Champions League tie last year

United fans express their

sympathy and understanding

while Torres looks for a hole to

swallow him last September

Around the grounds

Monday Premier League | LiverPooL v tottenham | anfieLd |

Sky SPortS 1 7.45Pm

A big week for...

After a deserved spell on the sidelines thinking about what he did, Liverpool’s

pantomime villain Luis Suarez will be

available for selection for Monday’s

clash with Spurs. The Reds have coped

reasonably well without the striker

during his eight-game ban for racially

abusing Patrice Evra, even knocking

both Manchester clubs out of the

domestic cups, but Kenny

Dalglish will be glad to have him

back. The Uruguayan has not

exactly set the world alight this

season, though, with a moderate

return of five goals and three assists

in the league. In his absence, Craig

Bellamy and the returning Steven

Gerrard have stepped in to cover the

lack of firepower, but Suarez can still

offer a different level of menace.

Against Spurs, he will surely be given

the chance to get his season started.

Newcastle’s humbling 1-0 defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup highlighted the

importance of the absent Demba Ba

(above, left), who has been in Africa on

Cup of Nations duty while his club have

struggled. Luckily for Alan Pardew,

Senegal crashed out after losing all

three group games, and Ba has

returned in time to face Aston Villa.

He hasn’t

come back

empty-

handed,

either – as well as hastily purchased

Toblerones from Gatwick Duty Free,

Ba has brought along international

colleague Papiss Demba Cisse (above,

right), Newcastle’s new striker signed

from Freiburg. If the duo can quickly

form a potent understanding,

Newcastle have a real chance of

retaining their lofty league position.

1. Luis Suarez 2. Senegal’s strikers

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SUnday Premier League | newcaStLe v aSton viLLa |

SPortS direct arena | Sky SPortS 1 1.30Pm

It was at this very tournament last year that Petra Kvitova announced her arrival as a real

threat at the highest level, defeating Kim

Clijsters in the final to lift the trophy.

It was her third – and most prestigious –

trophy, prompting Clijsters to predict there

and then that Kvitova would go on to win a

Grand Slam – which she duly did at Wimbledon

in the summer. At time of writing it’s

unconfirmed whether Kvitova will be there

to defend her title and make moves on

Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo’s record of

three titles at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.

Now retired from the game, former world

number one Mauresmo is keeping herself

busy by acting as co-director of the

tournament which bought her so much

success. This year marks the tournament’s

20th anniversary and a

respectable line-up of

some of the top names

in women’s tennis has

been secured – led by

Australian Open finalist

Maria Sharapova.

The Russian (right)

was due to play at the

Open GDF Suez 12

months ago, but was forced to pull out of the

event with bronchitis. If she makes it to Paris

in good health this time, she’ll arrive as

favourite ahead of China’s Li Na – the next

highest-ranked player in attendance.

The home crowd will have some hope of a

winner though, in one-time Wimbledon finalist

Marion Bartoli. The 27-year-old is coached

by her father, Dr Walter Bartoli, whom she

famously told to ‘do one’ from his seat on

court at Wimbledon during her third-round

match last year. After losing the first set to

Italian Flavia Penetta, Bartoli gestured to

her father to get out – which he duly did,

watching his daughter go on to win the match

from elsewhere. Perhaps he’s best steering

clear of the French capital next week, if only

for his daughter’s sake.

46 | February 3 2012 |

7 Days

TUESDAY > TENNIS | WTA OpEN GDF SuEz | pArIS | BrITISh EurOSpOrT 12pm

SATUrDAY FOOTBALL | ChAmpIONShIp: BIrmINGhAm v SOuThAmpTON | ST ANDrEW’S | 5.20pm Sky SpOrTS 2

Australian aftermath

Saints go

Birmingham City have changed divisions more times than any other club in English football, with 12 relegations and 12 promotions.

Their campaign for a 13th promotion (at

the first time of asking after last year’s

relegation) has been slightly disturbed by

the club’s involvement in the Europa League.

The Blues gave a good account of

themselves in Europe, winning three of their

six games and finishing third in their group

with 10 points. It’s a credit to manager Chris

Hughton that Birmingham have managed to

stay reasonably close to the front-runners

despite this distraction – they have a very real

chance of securing a playoff place, currently

sitting seventh in the table.

Southampton have had an equally

turbulent time of it. After dropping out of

the Championship three years ago following

a points deduction, their attempt to bounce

straight back was derailed by yes, another

points deduction. Promoted last year from a

division they were far too good for, the Saints

find themselves in second place and on course

for back-to-back promotions. They have let

their impressive record slip of late, however,

and collected just eight points from the 24

available in December and January.

Southampton won the reverse fixture 4-1

at St Mary’s in September, but Birmingham

are undefeated at home in domestic

competitions and have conceded only six

league goals at St Andrew’s, the best record

in the league. They’ve also been scoring freely

of late, with 23-year-old Adam Rooney (no

relation) in particularly fine form. It should be

an engrossing encounter at the business end

of the Championship.

marching north

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Mark Cavendish makes his Team Sky debut this weekend, in a stage race with which he

has a bit of history. Surprisingly for the world

champion, however, it’s not a history he will

remember particularly fondly.

Last year, the Tour of Qatar was

Cavendish’s second race of the season after

the Tour Down Under, where a crash on the

second stage left him bleeding from the head.

Things didn’t get much better in Qatar, where

another crash on the first day’s prologue

left him nursing knee, hip and elbow injuries

and wondering whether he would be able

to continue.

He did, but completed the five-stage race

without a single podium finish. Not that it

affected the rest of the Manxman’s 2011

season, though – one in which

he won the coveted Green

Jersey at the Tour de France,

took gold at the World

Championships and adorned

the cover of the nation’s favourite sport

magazine (you’re reading it, by the way).

This year, things will be different – not least

because he’s now riding in the colours of Team

Sky. The British pro-team benefited from the

collapse of HTC-Highroad, Cavendish’s former

outfit, by picking up not only the world’s finest

sprinter, but also his old teammate – and

right-hand man – Bernhard Eisel.

The pair will be joined by six other Team

Sky riders for the Tour of Qatar, including

two other Brits – Ian Stannard and Jeremy

Hunt (the other one). On a course renowned

for being flat (and hot), the Manx Missile’s

early-season speed will be well tested, as

will his relationship with his (mostly) new

teammates.

48 | February 3 2012 |

7 Days

Missile launch

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FRIDAY CRICKET Australia v India:

2nd T20, Melbourne,

Sky Sports 2 8.30am

DARTS World Cup of Darts: Session 2,

Hamburg, Sky Sports 1 7pm

NBA Boston Celtics v New York Knicks,

TD Garden, ESPN 1am

SATURDAY

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup: Inverness CT v Celtic,

Tulloch Caledonian Stadium,

Sky Sports 3 12.45pm

FOOTBALL Africa Cup of Nations Quarter Final,

Malabo, British Eurosport 6pm

FOOTBALL La Liga: Getafe v Real Madrid,

Coliseum Alfonso Perez, Sky Sports 4 7pm

FOOTBALL La Liga: Barcelona v Real Sociedad,

Nou Camp, Sky Sports 4 9pm

SNOOKER German Masters Semi Final,

Berlin, British Eurosport 9pm

SUNDAY

CRICKET CB Series 1st ODI: Australia v India,

Melbourne, Sky Sports 3 3am

FOOTBALL Scottish Cup: Hearts v St

Johnstone, Tynecastle, Sky Sports 3 2.15pm

SNOOKER German Masters Final,

Berlin, British Eurosport 9pm

BEST OF THE REST

SUNDAY CYCLING | TOUR OF QATAR STAGE 1 | BRITISH EUROSPORT 2 12.15PM Saturday BOxING | SCOTT QUIGG v JAMIE ARTHUR | REEBOK STADIUM, BOLTON | SKY SPORTS 1 8PM

MONDAY

NBA New Jersey Nets v Chicago Bulls

Prudential Center, ESPN 12.30am

TUESDAY

FOOTBALL JPT Area Final Second Leg:

Swindon v Barnet, County Ground,

Sky Sports 1 7.45pm

WEDNESDAY

CRICKET CB Series 2nd ODI: India v Sri Lanka,

Perth, Sky Sports 1 4am

FOOTBALL Africa Cup of Nations Semi Final,

Bata, British Eurosport 4pm

FOOTBALL SPL: Hearts v Celtic,

Tynecastle, Sky Sports 1 7.45pm

Bury’s boy stepping up

Scott Quigg is a boxer so good that Bury Council actually overturned a ban on boxing

in the town purely so the local boy could

legally biff people in the face there.

Now 23 and the unbeaten British

super-bantamweight champion, Quigg has

flown the nest for a bigger perch (well,

Bolton), where he’s defending his title on

Saturday night. Opponent Jamie Arthur is a

tough, durable Welshman with solid boxing

skills, but the 32-year-old probably doesn’t

have the power to keep the pressure-

fighting Quigg off him. A decent scrap, but

hot prospect Quigg will be looking to line

up bigger fights before the end of 2012.

Rule 54 - Divots

The massive £40 divot taken out of the price of an hour on

our game-changing simulators must be replaced by March.

Until then an hour’s golf for you and three mates

costs just £10.

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Extra time Kit

50 | February 3 2012 |

Making the most of your time and money

P54

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the formidable scent

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2 Under Armour Wales Home ShirtAfter the Sam Warburton incident in the semi final,

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52 | February 3 2012 |

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Extra time Monyca Byrne-Wickey

Ferrari Cavallino GT1 by Logic3Taking its design cues from luxury sports cars,

this speaker system is discreetly marked with

Ferrari’s famous prancing horse insignia. We’re

not convinced the kind of people who would buy

a Ferrari speaker system really go in for

discretion, but hey – who are we to judge?

£499 | ferrari-by-logic3.com

Nike+ Fuel BandSlip this on and it’ll measure your daily activity

– the clever/terrifying twist is the wristband’s

measurement unit, ‘Nike Fuel’. The more active

you are, the more ‘Fuel’ you clock. Set an activity

target and the array of lights will keep you up to

date with your progress. And if you don’t earn

enough Nike Fuel, you’ll be dragged off by men in

all-white Nike tracksuits. They’re watching you.

£139 | nike.com/fuelband (available May)

BenQ GP2Every other gadget we see here at Sport seems

to be some sort of dock, but this one caught

our eye because instead of just playing music,

it’s also a powerful mini projector. So, you can

treat family and friends to that dancing cat

video you saw on YouTube. They’ll love it – honest.

£500 | store.apple.com/uk

An extraterrestrial selection of

electronic oddities for you this week

– including a mini projector dock and

an alarm clock that stings the nostrils

Extra time Gadgets

54 | February 3 2012 |

Out of this world

MadeByZen OpusThis alarm clock wakes you gently with the power

of light and smell. A range of fragrances are

available, including coffee. We filled ours with Sex

Panther to create a terrifying biological weapon.

Sixty per cent of the time, it works every time...

£80 | madebyzen.com/opus

Alienware X51Hyper-geek brand

Alienware focuses on

making gaming PCs for

the kind of people who

turn their greasy noses

up at console gamers.

Fittingly, their latest

offering wouldn’t look

out of place in a top-secret

US government base.

It includes a 1GB graphics

card and 8GB of RAM, all

RAMmed (sorry) into a slim

design, freeing up desk

space for empty pizza

boxes, energy drink cans

and other gaming fuel.

£699 | dell.com/alienware

The app is out now

Free every Friday The best of Sport magazine on the iPad with extra content

• Exclusive video

• More stunning imagery

• More pages at your fingertips

Download the app

from the App Store

2. Versace Bright Crystal 50mlA fresh fragrance combining

luminous fruit and floral notes

with a delicate, musky base.

An uplifting scent through

the day that tranforms into

its subtly seductive sibling at

night, Bright Crystal could

very well be the fragrance

to get your lady purring on

February 14.

£45 | harrods.com

3. Rituals Sweet Sunrise Fragrance SticksThe refined fragrance of

cedar combines with the

refreshing aroma of sweet

orange in these popular

fragrance sticks that will

leave your home smelling less

of your rotting carcass and

more like your beloved would

actually want it to. Perfect

for her to come home to on

Valentine’s evening.

£19.90 | rituals.com/uk-en

4. Hotel ChocolatThe Beauty BoxBecause no Valentine’s Day

would be complete without

a big old box of chocolates.

This one from Hotel Chocolat

is, as you’d expect, a whole

load of delicious – but when

the good stuff is gone your

lady will be left with a beauty

box featuring mirror,

compartments and ribbon-

dressed drawers. Tasty and

sustainable, just like your

relationship.

£50 | hotelchocolat.co.uk

5. Oskia Skin Smoothing Massage CandleFeaturing natural

ingredients such as

beeswax, soybean and

coconut oil, all of which were

chosen for their incredible

skin-healing properties, this

massage candle also comes

with a Rose de Mai perfume

that will leave your woman’s

skin beautifully scented.

Just melt and pour, old boy.

Melt and pour.

£34.50 |

www.oskiaskincare.com

1

2

3

4

5

56 | February 3 2012 |

Make her day

Two pages of top Valentine’s ideas with

which to impress the good lady, starting

with this set of romantically themed gifts

1. Molton Brown Pink Pepper PamperingWhen it comes to luxury

bathroom goods for your

girl, there is no more

reliable option than Molton

Brown. This giftset includes

shower gel and body lotion,

both infused with pink

pepperpods from the Gulf of

Guinea and bearing a warm,

lightly spiced fragrance.

A guaranteed winner.

£35 | moltonbrown.co.uk

Extra time Valentine’s Day

Fu

ll S

top

Ph

oto

gra

ph

y

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industry’s top names and explore the upcoming

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7- 9 MARCH 2012PALAU DE CONGRESSOS DE CATALUNYA - BARCELONA

Speakers include:

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Oscar PISTORIUS // London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic hopeful

Session “ Women in sport ” – GSFB 2011

Grayshott Spa Valentine IndulgenceSeeking a treat for your loved one, but short of ideas

because you’re as unimaginative as the next lad? Yeah,

us too, which is why we were overjoyed when we found

out about this deal at Grayshott Spa in leafy Surrey.

From £210 per person, you get a one-night stay

any time between Friday February 10 and Tuesday

February 14. That includes a bottle of champagne and

red rose when you get there, full board from dinner on

arrival until lunch the next day, and a 40-minute facial

or classic massage for both of you. What you get up

to when the lights go off is absolutely free. Fnar!

grayshottspa.com

I’d Love You For BreakfastHamper from Betty Blythe

What better way to begin a day

of spoiling your special lady

than with a breakfast lovingly

prepared and delivered by

someone other than you?

No better way, is the answer,

and this is where the Betty

Blythe Fine Food Pantry in

London’s Brook Green comes in.

Between Saturday February 11

and Tuesday February 14, the

good folk at Betty Blythe will

hand-deliver a hamper full of

delightful breakfast goodies to

any location within the M25.

For £55 (plus delivery), that

will include everything you see

to the right plus any number of

additional treats you care to

imagine. Contact them direct

for a full list of ingredients,

mind – we can’t do everything.

bettyblythe.co.uk

Panier d’Amour Sensuelle Gift Box

Back in the day, Sport spent a halcyon summer in the south of

France, living in a trailer that was to become known as le caravan

d’amour. Carefree times we’d not thought of for a long time – until

we saw this similarly-named product on offer for Valentine’s Day.

A hand-selected basket aimed at couples looking for quality

time this February 14, the Sensuelle Gift Box comes in three sizes

and includes massage oils, scented candles, delicious chocolates

and love tokens for you to give... and your girl to cash in. Good lord.

panierdamour.co.uk

£55

58 | February 3 2012 |

the box

Love is in

the air...

... or is that just the special Valentine’s

breakfast you’ve ordered in for your lady?

the treat

the breakfast

Extra time Valentine’s Day

From £49

Talking to your family about

cancer can be really tough.

But a chat with one of our experts

on the Macmillan Support Line

can help you find the words you

need. So you and your family

can face the future, together.

This is just one of the ways the

Macmillan team can help you

through cancer. Our medical

professionals, cancer support

specialists and benefits advisers

are just a phone call away.

For cancer support every step of the way call the Macmillan team free on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 8pm)

or visit macmillan.org.ukMacm

illan C

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04). M

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111

Teen Wolf

The best high school/werewolf/

basketball/van-surfing comedy

of all finally lands on Blu-ray this

Monday. Enjoyably ridiculous

(forget the wolfman, we’re just

perplexed that 5ft 4ins Michael J

Fox made the basketball team)

and worth it alone for best friend Stiles’ T-shirts

– especially his ‘What are you looking at dicknose?’

number. A must-wear for your next big meeting.

Borgen Season OneTwo series of atmospheric and intense mystery drama The Killing

confirmed the nation’s appetite for Danish-made television in 2011,

so it was no real surprise when BBC Four shelled out to import its

stylish and fast-moving political sibling Borgen at the start of 2012.

The first season, charting the rapid rise to power – and struggle to

stay there – of populist milf Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen,

above), comes to a climax this Saturday, but you have only two days

to wait before its DVD release. And, while Borgen lacks The Killing’s

combination of knitwear and pure menace – some things in Denmark

do happen in daylight, after all – its close scrutiny of the nature of

modern government, not to mention its relationship with a ravenous

media, compels and intrigues in equal measure. Classy viewing.

Le Voyage Dans La Lune Air

Pretentious French electro-pop

hipsters – it’d be so easy to dislike

Air if they weren’t so damn good.

Even their next release – an

expanded version of a soundtrack

they created to accompany a silent

film made in 1902, for Pete’s sake – is far better than

that toe-curling concept sounds. Tracks Parade and

Seven Stars show Air haven’t lost their knack with a

pop tune, while the album merges together to create

a wonderfully ambient whole. In truth, Air are still

using many of the synth tricks first seen on 1998’s

Moon Safari – but it’s still sounding pretty sexy, boys.

The Trials and Triumphs of Les Dawson Louis Barfe

Eat one, you snide, tight

T-shirt-wearing, trendy

haircutted, panel

show-hungry, unfunny

douchebag. This is what

an hilarious comedian

actually looks like: a

hound-faced deadpan

genius. This is his story.

And it’s out now.

Midnight in Paris

Owen Wilson brings his

wonky-nosed charm to

this Woody Allen comedy

about a writer visiting

Paris who goes on a

series of outlandish

adventures late at night.

As usual with Allen, the

film is something of a

self-portrait, but this

is one of his finest in

years. Out on Monday.

Man on a Ledge

Further proof that Jamie Bell has outgrown his Billy

Elliot days comes in this thriller, which also stars

Sam Avatar Worthington as a

man threatening to leap from a

New York skyscraper. But is it

all just an elaborate distraction

from the spectacular heist Bell

and the sultry Génesis Rodríguez

are involved in on the other side

of the street? Dizzying stuff.

60 | February 3 2012 |

FILM

Light fantastic

Air shoot for the moon, the Nordic West

Wing on DVD and Teen Wolf howls back

on Blu-ray. You can’t fail to win in the end

DVD

MUSIC

BLU-RAY BOOK DVD

Extra time Entertainment

sport magazine - issue 242

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