Brendan Rodgers will hope his goal-shy Celtic can break their fast at Ibrox against a defence that conceded five in midweekEven in as fevered a football environment as Glasgow, the shifting of bragging rights in the days leading up to an Old Firm clash felt novel. Rangers supporters were purring with expectation after St Johnstone held Celtic to a scoreless draw last weekend. The return of Brendan Rodgers had already been punctured by a feeble League Cup exit at Kilmarnock. The blue half of the city were licking their lips at the prospect of Rodgers bringing his team to Ibrox.The changing of attitudes came after midweek events in Eindhoven. The manner of PSV’s 5-1 humbling of Rangers left Michael Beale...
Belgian eyes victory in a race he won in 2021 but Tom Pidcock also lines up in Altrincham on Sunday for the opening stageThe Tour of Britain has been one of Wout van Aert’s happiest hunting grounds in the past, and the Belgian star will travel to Altrincham on Sunday for this year’s race hoping that he can finally end a lengthy run of near misses – culminating in last month’s silver medal at the world championships in Glasgow – that have raised questions about his ability to win the biggest races, as well as the way that he structures his race season.When Van Aert won the British Tour in 2021, he was in his pomp, taking four of the...
Fiji and Georgia have already shown they can beat top countries but look out for Chile and Portugal to make wavesThe 2023 Rugby World Cup is set to be the most competitive tournament in the sport’s history. The gap between the top 10 and some of the old “Tier 2” nations is closing significantly, as England have already been reminded by Fiji at Twickenham. From personal experience, I sense there are several potentially awkward underdogs out there, weighed down with few expectations and eager to upset the odds in France.I was fortunate enough to play for the USA Eagles at the 2019 World Cup in Japan. When we played France in Fukuoka, we had Les Bleus on the precipice and...
I’m thrilled by the unpredictability that stalks this tournament – the top scorers will end up as world championsAt the end of the Six Nations this year I attended a World Rugby summit meeting with every coach and chief executive from all the leading nations around the globe. Among the key topics of discussion were the direction of travel for the game as we head towards the World Cup. If I could sum it up in one word it would be this: speed.Speed, flow and ball in play time. We all want to see a quick game, we want fans to get more out of every game they watch. In the Premier League this season we’re seeing added time of...
The manager has publicly backed down on inclusivity and social issues: unsurprising in a sport that left him nowhere to goThere was something oddly gripping this week about re-entering the distinct and self-contained narrative world of the Gareth Southgate England press conference.These are the kind of events that disappear completely from the memory in between times. But one glimpse of that stern, avian profile frowning dutifully in front of a board covered with adverts and you’re hurled back instantly into a wholly realised place of tortured moral compromise, of penitent tactical self-justification, all of it ringed off-stage by the massed buttock-launching rocket assaults of English discontent. Continue reading...