http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/oct/10/englands-henry-slade-shines-in-early-world-cup-farewell-against-uruguay England’s fans will look back in anger at World Cup after hollow victory England 60 - 3 Uruguay We (England), managed to beat Fiji and Uruguay. Hardly two of the greatest rugby playing nations of the world. We did not however come any where near to beating Australia and were fortunate in only losing to Wales by 3 points. Where does this leave English Rugby? Either, we do not have the necessary quality of players to compete at the highest levels of the game or we do not have the managerial skills to weld our players into a formidable, ruthless machine to drive over the top of any opposition to win ball and score tries. Now I was one of those people wh...
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http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/six-nations-2015-not-acceptable-rfu-chiefs-stinging-verdict-on-nearmiss-from-lancaster-10131429.html?icn=puff-9 Six Nations 2015: Not acceptable: RFU chief's stinging verdict on near-miss from Lancaster Stuart Lancaster England managed a win at Twickenham beating Scotland and taking the Calcutta Cup. Mistakes, squandered try opportunities (not to mention 2 tries disallowed due to forward passes) and elementary errors meant that a scoreline which at 80 minutes showed 25-13, should have shown 55-13. England came within 7 points, just 1 converted try, of winning the 6 Nations Championship. However, too many mistakes during the match and certainly too many during the other matches in this season s tournament, resulted in England being runners up to Ireland on points difference. A good final game and win against France but disappointment with how the Championship ended. With this sort of p...
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cricket/england-need-change-paul-downton-peter-moores-and-james-whitaker-must-go/ar-AA9yze9?ocid=U142DHP England need change The country that taught the world how to play cricket has (hopefully) learned the lesson. Being obsessed with how much money can be made from match fees, wages, product endorsements, sponsorships, television deals and all the other financial benefits accruing from the game is not the objective. Far and away the most important factor is winning matches. (The misguided person who came up with the nonsense that "it is not winning that is important, but taking part and playing th e game" was clearly not a Scorpio and did not understand that there are no prizes for being a good looser). With any luck, the people involved in the organisation, management and playing of football and rugby will have seen this humiliation and will apply the lessons to their own sports. The rugby world cup is later this ...
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/worldcup/luis-suarez-bite-uruguay-striker-accused-of-biting-giorgio-chiellini-in-latest-controversy-during-world-cup-clash-9560650.html Fifa charges Uruguay striker with biting Giorgio Chiellini during World Cup clash Luis Suárez appears to have bitten another opponent Luis Suarez is a throwback to the cannibalistic tribes of the jungle and should be banned from any form of football for life. Uruguay’s captain, Diego Lugano,"Did not see" the incident and also does not see "what all the fuss is about" (and other inane observations) and should be banned from any form of football for life, if only for being an ignorant idiot. Uruguay’s football association screams that the bite marks on Chiellini’s shoulder,had been Photoshopped from the internet to discredit the player and the Uruguay team. Uruguay’s football association should be expelled from FIFA for the period of the next 20 World Cup competit...
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/21/roy-hodgson-build-better-stronger-england-costa-rica The standards of refereeing need looking at too. I gave up playing football some years ago.(My brain knew where I should be, but my legs will not get me there quickly enough). I gave up watching football when it became abundantly clear that money had become infinitely more important than skill, talent and ability. At one time, admittedly many years past, players would have pulled on an England shirt, simply for the honour of paying for their country. Now, it seems, the first consideration often appears to be the question of settling the fee for "appearance". It is also, abundantly clear that the media and vast sections of the country, consider that England can/will/should win every competition trophy that they qualify for. When this does not happen, the media certainly, treat everyone to the "I told you so" ...
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/qatar-world-cup-2022-fifa-investigation-into-world-cup-vote-is-ignoring-the-new-evidence-critics-claim-9475289.html Qatar World Cup 2022: Fifa investigation into World Cup vote is ‘ignoring the new evidence’, Sepp Blatter denies allegations of corruption FIFA investigating whether FIFA is a corrupt organisation which accepts graft and bribery as normal practice. However, it has emerged that FIFA will not examine "new evidence" concerning the most recent allegations, preferring instead, to only consider the Michael Garcia report, due in about 6 weeks time. The organisation and management of international football reeks with the stench of decay and corrupt practices. The football management and media in countries around the world, cry out for reform and cleaning up the rotten mess which is FIFA, but there seems to be nothing that anyone can do to bring about the necessary change. Self regul...
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/allegations-of-corruption-emerge-over-decision-to-award-2022-world-cup-to-qatar-9467270.html Allegations of corruption emerge over decision to award 2022 World Cup to Qatar Fifa president Sepp Blatter applauds as Qatar are awarded the 2022 World Cup finals. On May 16th last, I wrote: "Sepp Blatter Says Awarding Qatar 2022 World Cup Was A 'Mistake' Clearly, the other "bidding nations", were unable to provide sufficiently high levels of "donations", to the "FIFA benevolent fund for the rehabilitation of destitute players and managing body officials". The whole bidding award circus was a stinking charade in December 2010 and the stench remains, even today." Only now it seems are "Newspapers" waking up to the fact that the awarding of the venues for the 2022 World Cup, was a complete charade and that the "result" was always more to do w...
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/16/sepp-blatter-qatar-2022-world-cup_n_5335567.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Sepp Blatter Says Awarding Qatar 2022 World Cup Was A 'Mistake' Awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar may well have been "a mistake", Clearly, the other "bidding nations", were unable to provide sufficiently high levels of "donations", to the "FIFA benevolent fund for the rehabilitation of destitute players and managing body officials". The whole bidding award circus was a stinking charade in December 2010 and the stench remains, even today.