The failed switch to union, played out amid huge publicity as England were knocked out of the World Cup, has forged a better man and a better playerAs the world asked what was next for Sam Burgess after England’s miserable exit from last year’s Rugby World Cup, the wheels were already turning behind the scenes. Within weeks he was shuttling through Sydney airport. Returning to rugby league felt like the only logical answer to the question.To describe Burgess’s time in rugby union as a whirlwind is an understatement. He made his debut as a substitute centre for Bath against Harlequins on 28 November 2014. By 30 January he was playing for England Saxons against the Irish Wolfhounds; on 10 April...
Between DeVere’s stunning equaliser, the Mariners’ rousing revival and Sydney’s thumping derby win it’s been a busy roundIt is either genius or folly to schedule the opening round of the A-League season in between two crucial qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. When you think however that only a handful of leagues around the world this year will boast an attendance figure higher than the 61,880 at Saturday’s Sydney derby – a new A-League record – then it is safe to say it went pretty well. Related: Football Federation Australia to look into ignition of flares at Sydney derby Related: A-League wrap: Mariners provide late drama, Sydney FC crush derby rivals Continue reading...
The Pumas flanker has already taken more than 30 flights this year before touching down at Twickenham to face Australia in the Rugby ChampionshipNowadays there is one essential prerequisite for any Argentinian wishing to play top-level rugby, aside from skill and stamina. “If you’re a nervous flyer you can’t play for us,” says the muscular flanker Pablo Matera on the eve of the first Rugby Championship game staged at Twickenham. “I’ve never counted how many miles we’ve flown but it’s lots. I think we’ve already taken more than 30 planes this year – and we still have five more matches to come.” Related: Argentina’s Daniel Hourcade urges World Rugby to tighten residency rule Continue reading...
This week’s roundup also features Ben Duckett with a bat’s-eye-view, Warrington v Wigan memories and an angry cyclist smashing a borrowed bike1) Formula One heads to Suzuka this weekend. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had plenty of tussles here: in 1988, where Senna won his first world title; in 1989, when Prost prevailed after a controversial collision, and one year on, when Senna took ice-cold revenge. The Brazilian also triumphed in 1993, but only after some strong words for “very unprofessional” upstart Eddie Irvine. Related: The Joy of Six: revenge | Simon Burnton and Jacob Steinberg Continue reading...