Brian O’Driscoll: Leinster European favourites but French could spoil party April 6, 2022 Three-time Champions Cup winner Brian O’Driscoll has backed his former club Leinster to go all the way in this year’s showpiece European competition. Leinster are favourites for this year’s Champions Cup title, as 16 teams embark on two-legged knock-out ties for the first time, ahead of French duo Racing 92 and Toulouse. The Irish province [...]
Middlesex aim for promotion in fifth year out of top flight April 6, 2022 “I didn’t want to finish my career plodding along,” said former Middlesex captain Dawid Malan in 2019 after he chose to depart the County Championship team for England captain Joe Root’s Yorkshire. “I’ve been captain of Middlesex for two years, and I’ve been banging my head against a wall for a wee while.” Back in [...]
Kieron Pollard among Hundred draft movers as David Warner misses out April 5, 2022 West Indian star Kieron Pollard has joined London Spirit in today’s Hundred draft as David Warner is among those who miss out. The men’s draft saw over 550 players register for just 42 places after many of the spots were already filled with players from last season. Aussie Warner joins the likes of world No1 [...]
Premiership talking points: Stealthy Saints, flying Falcons and Euro race April 4, 2022 Harlequins earned London bragging rights while Newcastle managed to get their first win on the board since September. As the league heads into a two week hiatus while the next European fixtures are played, here are the talking points from round 22 of the Premiership. Premiership champs gonna champ Yesterday’s showpiece match saw third-placed Harlequins [...]
Topsy Ojo: Premiership run-in is so tight but relegation needs to return April 1, 2022 London Irish legend Topsy Ojo has called for the return of relegation to further improve an exciting period of rugby in the Premiership. For the second season in a row no teams will drop into the Championship but the former winger, who twice went down with the Exiles, insists something has been lost. “It would [...]
Hundred: International stars register for behind closed doors draft March 31, 2022 The Hundred has seen a total of 284 oversees men’s players register for the draft of the competition, which is set to take place next week. Australian David Warner and West Indian Andre Russell are among those who have entered to be included in the second edition of the franchise-style competition. The Hundred draft was [...]
Premier League to reintroduce five subs from next season March 31, 2022 The Premier League have voted to reintroduce five substitutions – originally bought in during the Covid-19 pandemic – after reverting back to three for the 2021/22 season. Teams had previously voted against keeping the number of substitutions at five following the behind-closed-doors season but have since changed their minds. In a statement, the Premier League [...]
How England Women came back from brink to bag Cricket World Cup semi March 30, 2022 Less than three weeks ago England, the reigning Women’s Cricket World Cup champions, looked to be down and out after losing their third consecutive group match to South Africa in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. In the early hours of Thursday morning, however, Heather Knight’s team have a shot at redemption against the Proteas as their [...]
Who replaces Root if he moves on as England Test captain? March 28, 2022 There’s a growing sense of inevitability about England cricket captain Joe Root stepping down from his role. It might not be today or tomorrow, it may not be next week or beyond, but following another Test series defeat in the Caribbean there’s a general consensus that the day is coming. Root has won more matches [...]
England’s defeat to the West Indies scuppers Root’s rebuild as captain March 28, 2022 Another lost series and another without a single Test win. England’s capitulation in the glaring sun of Grenada leaves captain Joe Root’s record seriously tarnished. Their third Test defeat at the hands of a brilliant West Indies by 10 wickets sees England fly home as 1-0 series losers, having drawn the opening two matches in [...]