It is the tale of two careers. They started as Formula One firecrackers, sizzling and sparkling as two of Britain's most exciting prospects in a generation. But whereas one set off like a rocket on a trajectory to a World Championship, the other has fizzled out.
For Lewis Hamilton, the new year will bring more wealth and the chance to defend his title; for Jenson Button, it could bring early retirement and membership of a club he never dreamt he would belong to - the dole queue.
The parallels between what should have been the remaining British drivers on the Formula One grid next season, before the demise of Honda, Button's team, are close. Both came from humble backgrounds, driven on by ambitious fathers prepared to give up everything for their sons. Both came from broken homes, both missed out on school life, both were prodigies in karting and both burst on to the Formula One stage, where they were hailed as talents as great as any seen in the sport.
Before they were out of their motor racing nappies, they had autobiographies in the shops, to the derision of their peers. Chat-show regulars, jet-set lifestyles, moves to tax havens, glamorous girlfriends and the inevitable envy and criticism that followed have marked their short sporting lives.
Yet the careers of Hamilton and Button, born five years apart, are separated by one significant factor: luck. Hamilton stepped from obscurity and into a car that could win races, leading to his World Championship triumph this year in only his second season. In 35 starts, the 23-year-old has won nine races for McLaren Mercedes.
In nine seasons, Button has not had a set of wheels capable of winning a prize at a school fête. In only his second grand prix, with Williams in 2000, he became the youngest points-scorer, aged 20, in Formula One history, finishing sixth at the Brazilian Grand Prix, one of the most demanding races in the calendar. He went on to finish eighth in the championship.
In 2004, the year in which Button drove near flawlessly, with two pole positions - including a spectacular effort in Monaco - Ferrari produced arguably the most dominant car in Formula One history, with Michael Schumacher winning 13 races and Rubens Barrichello, his team-mate, two. Button had to settle for third in the World Championship.
The single race victory of Button's career - at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix - was testimony to his talent, as he drove through a chaotic race from fourteenth on the grid to the chequered flag. That was the high point before the low this month when his Honda team announced that they were walking out of Formula One. Unless the team can find a buyer in the next few weeks, Button will be out of a job.
If Button, who will turn 29 next month, is forced to take a year's sabbatical, memories in Formula One are short and a year off could easily turn into a lifetime out of a sport many thought he would dominate.
Perhaps some fans will struggle to sympathise with a man who is estimated conservatively to be worth £30 million, has had a string of beautiful girlfriends, lives in an apartment in Monaco and has a collection of £200,000 cars.
The most famous anecdote about George Best could almost be applied to Button: Best told the story of how, when he had controversially walked out on Manchester United at the height of his powers, he checked into a five-star hotel with a former Miss World and ordered a bottle of the establishment's finest champagne. A waiter arrived with the bottle and took in the scene of a semi-naked Miss World and £15,000 in cash strewn across the bed. He shook his head and said: “Where did it all go wrong, Mr Best?”
It is not quite Button's story. For one thing, Best walked out of football garlanded with honours, with European Cup and league winner's medals and as a European Footballer of the Year. Best was also an alcoholic. Button, by contrast, is one of the most dedicated men in sport, putting himself through a punishing exercise regime and maintaining his commitment throughout Honda's lean years. Where Best walked, Button stayed and tried harder. Button has come up against Schumacher, the most successful driver in history, and, if he is forced to leave the sport, it is with a near-empty Formula One trophy cabinet.
When Hamilton took to the track, Schumacher had retired and he was up against a new Ferrari driver, the mercurial Kimi Raikkonen, plus Fernando Alonso, his team-mate and twice a world champion, whose ego proved as frail as his loyalty to his new McLaren team. Hamilton's arrival was timed to perfection: McLaren Mercedes had not had a world champion driver since Mika Hakkinen, in 1999, when Hamilton walked into the garage at the Australian Grand Prix in March, 2007, for his first race. He was third, the start of an astonishing run of nine consecutive podium finishes, including two victories. By the end of the season, he had two further wins but lost the championship by a point to Raikkonen.
This year, Hamilton made up for it with a title win that will be talked about for years. Needing to finish fifth in Brazil, the final grand prix of the season, to clinch the championship, Hamilton appeared to have made a hash of the job going into the final lap, having been passed by Sebastian Vettel. Only then, with virtually yards remaining, did he reclaim fifth from Timo Glock in a Toyota with shredding tyres. Hamilton's timing was perfect again and he became champion by a point.
Luck or divine intervention? Whatever it was, Button has enjoyed neither. With Hamilton looking forward to another spectacular year, Britain's other Formula One star can, like George Best's waiter, only wonder: “Where did it all go wrong?”
source:the london times
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Clash of egos weakens Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores
KEVIN PIETERSEN’S insistence on meeting Peter Moores, the coach, before accepting the job of England captain last summer spoke volumes for their relationship, or lack of it.
So the smoke signals indicating a worsening rift between Pietersen and Moores should not be a surprise. A recent opponent of England indicated that he thought this was an inevitable consequence of two men with big egos, an observation that one takes as read with Pietersen but is less obvious with the affable Moores. He has been described as too “in your face” by one England player and someone who “likes to challenge us on a daily basis” by Pietersen.
In his autobiography, Duncan Fletcher, England’s Ashes-winning coach, wrote: “It is far easier to destroy a player than it is to make one. So I make a concerted effort not to go rushing in and suggest change for the sake of it. I needed to observe, not show off my knowledge.”
Moores’ biggest flaw, in the eyes of some key England players, seems to be that he is not Fletcher. Michael Vaughan and others have stayed loyal to Fletcher, keeping in touch and asking for tips and advice.
Understandably, Moores sought to make an early impression and this did not go down well with Vaughan or Pietersen. Contrary to many reports, Vaughan’s omission from England’s squad to tour the West Indies is not the source of Pietersen’s frustration. It is simply a symptom of a more deep-rooted problem that has been exacerbated by public airing.
The issue is serious enough for Hugh Morris, the England team managing director, to consider shelving a holiday this week to bang the relevant heads together. Morris was the man whose diplomatic skills and calm authority restarted England’s tour to India. This was just the sort of situation for which his job was created after the Schofield Report postmortem into England’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in 2006-07.
Moores has little tangible to fall back on to justify his position. On paper his record in his first 20 months does not look that different from Fletcher’s over a similar period: Moores has won eight and lost six Tests; Fletcher won 10 and lost nine of his first 25 Tests.
But Fletcher had faced Australia (far and away the best in the world then) in eight of those Tests and had scored notable victories in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Moores has had no notable series victories: seven of his Test wins were against New Zealand and West Indies and one was over South Africa in a dead match.
England’s one-day form under Moores has been much the same as under Fletcher, with the same inconsistencies in selection and results. Even if one accepts that judging a cricket coach on results alone is unfair, there are no real signs of individual players benefiting substantially from Moores’ mentoring, as many did under Fletcher.
And there is little evidence of great strategic thinking emerging from Moores and his back-room staff, which may ultimately be what has riled Pietersen. He is an inexperienced captain and seems to feel exposed, hence his attachment to Vaughan. Of the assistant coaches, only the former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower has played a serious amount of international cricket.
But then Fletcher, who captained Zimbabwe in one-day internationals, did not surround himself with big-name ex-players with a cabinet full of Test caps. And it is a flawed presumption that England’s problems are all down to the coach and not players who, in some cases, still seem unable to move on from the 2005 Ashes victory.
So where do England go? Sacking Moores, in effect bending to the will of Pietersen, would look appallingly craven and is hardly a recipe for long-term stability. And no credible individual would want the job knowing that this is how it could end.
Sacking Pietersen looks the least plausible option, although his resignation, to be replaced by the more conciliatory Andrew Strauss, has a common-sense feel to it. The most likely outcome is a Morris-inspired fragile peace, an agreement between all parties to muddle on through to this summer’s Ashes, the result of which will dictate the career paths of players and coaches alike. Ricky Ponting, who is losing matches and supporters in equal measure, might just raise a glass to the gormless Poms who have shot themselves in the foot yet again.
So the smoke signals indicating a worsening rift between Pietersen and Moores should not be a surprise. A recent opponent of England indicated that he thought this was an inevitable consequence of two men with big egos, an observation that one takes as read with Pietersen but is less obvious with the affable Moores. He has been described as too “in your face” by one England player and someone who “likes to challenge us on a daily basis” by Pietersen.
In his autobiography, Duncan Fletcher, England’s Ashes-winning coach, wrote: “It is far easier to destroy a player than it is to make one. So I make a concerted effort not to go rushing in and suggest change for the sake of it. I needed to observe, not show off my knowledge.”
Moores’ biggest flaw, in the eyes of some key England players, seems to be that he is not Fletcher. Michael Vaughan and others have stayed loyal to Fletcher, keeping in touch and asking for tips and advice.
Understandably, Moores sought to make an early impression and this did not go down well with Vaughan or Pietersen. Contrary to many reports, Vaughan’s omission from England’s squad to tour the West Indies is not the source of Pietersen’s frustration. It is simply a symptom of a more deep-rooted problem that has been exacerbated by public airing.
The issue is serious enough for Hugh Morris, the England team managing director, to consider shelving a holiday this week to bang the relevant heads together. Morris was the man whose diplomatic skills and calm authority restarted England’s tour to India. This was just the sort of situation for which his job was created after the Schofield Report postmortem into England’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in 2006-07.
Moores has little tangible to fall back on to justify his position. On paper his record in his first 20 months does not look that different from Fletcher’s over a similar period: Moores has won eight and lost six Tests; Fletcher won 10 and lost nine of his first 25 Tests.
But Fletcher had faced Australia (far and away the best in the world then) in eight of those Tests and had scored notable victories in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Moores has had no notable series victories: seven of his Test wins were against New Zealand and West Indies and one was over South Africa in a dead match.
England’s one-day form under Moores has been much the same as under Fletcher, with the same inconsistencies in selection and results. Even if one accepts that judging a cricket coach on results alone is unfair, there are no real signs of individual players benefiting substantially from Moores’ mentoring, as many did under Fletcher.
And there is little evidence of great strategic thinking emerging from Moores and his back-room staff, which may ultimately be what has riled Pietersen. He is an inexperienced captain and seems to feel exposed, hence his attachment to Vaughan. Of the assistant coaches, only the former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower has played a serious amount of international cricket.
But then Fletcher, who captained Zimbabwe in one-day internationals, did not surround himself with big-name ex-players with a cabinet full of Test caps. And it is a flawed presumption that England’s problems are all down to the coach and not players who, in some cases, still seem unable to move on from the 2005 Ashes victory.
So where do England go? Sacking Moores, in effect bending to the will of Pietersen, would look appallingly craven and is hardly a recipe for long-term stability. And no credible individual would want the job knowing that this is how it could end.
Sacking Pietersen looks the least plausible option, although his resignation, to be replaced by the more conciliatory Andrew Strauss, has a common-sense feel to it. The most likely outcome is a Morris-inspired fragile peace, an agreement between all parties to muddle on through to this summer’s Ashes, the result of which will dictate the career paths of players and coaches alike. Ricky Ponting, who is losing matches and supporters in equal measure, might just raise a glass to the gormless Poms who have shot themselves in the foot yet again.
Andy Murray up and running
A year that promises so much for men’s tennis began in the best possible way for Andy Murray yesterday. The Capitala World Championships in Abu Dhabi may have been only a pre-season exhibition tournament but there was no doubting the commitment and tenacity that Murray and his opponent, Rafael Nadal, brought to the final.
In the end, Murray triumphed — showing the same aggression and speed around the court that lifted him to four in the world last year — but not without the most enthralling struggle. After winning the first set and going a break ahead in the fifth game of the second, he was immediately broken by Nadal and unable to hold serve at 5-6, which allowed the Spaniard to draw level at one set apiece.
Neither player showed the slightest sign of easing off before this week’s ExxonMobil Open in Qatar, where Murray is defending champion. The seventh game of the deciding set lasted almost 10 minutes and ended with Murray breaking Nadal’s serve for a 4-3 lead. The Scot won his service game and then broke Nadal once more to round off a rewarding day at the office. Asked about his chances of a first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, which begins in a fortnight, he said: “That’s what I’m aiming for.”
With Roger Federer, beaten by Murray on Friday, and Novak Djokovic, Murray and Nadal complete a quartet at the top of the men’s game to provide a rivalry that can endure over the next 40 weeks as they face a marathon of transglobal travel taking in such hallowed venues as Melbourne Park, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows. And for the first time, the season’s touring climax will be staged in Britain.
The world’s leading eight players will convene at London’s O2 Arena in November to contest the season finale — the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The event is likely to return to the venue for several years. In one of his final acts before standing down as ATP executive chairman at the end of last year, Etienne de Villiers insisted: “London is the world’s most cosmopolitan city with a vibrancy and energy that makes it ideally suited to hosting this event. The ATP visits over 30 countries, so having our end-of-season finale in such a diverse city could not be more appropriate.”
Three of the prime contenders in the starting blocks for the race to the O2 have Grand Slam titles to defend. On that never-to-be-forgotten rain-splattered Sunday evening in July, Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg 28 years earlier to lift both the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year. Roger Federer was vanquished in those two finals and relieved by Nadal of the world No 1 title he had held for a record 237 weeks. However, he regrouped to win a fifth successive US Open title that took him just one Grand Slam triumph short of Pete Sampras’s stunning collection of 14. And in a couple of weeks Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title, won with his 21st birthday still four months away, when he underlined that the former war-torn state of Serbia is now a true tennis power.
In terms of these accomplishments, Murray remains the odd man out. True, he amassed five titles in 2008 — second only to Nadal’s eight. Since reaching his first major final in New York last September, he has stood in fourth place on the South African Airways ATP Rankings — equalling the best positions occupied by British predecessors Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski. But the young Scot is brutally aware that good players become regarded as exemplary only when they win one of the four Grand Slam titles, and that must be his aim going into the new year.
So when people talk about the big four of the game, does Murray feel his inclusion is justified? He can legitimately point to the fact that he was triumphant in his last meeting with each of the other three when ranking points were at stake.
“It depends which way you look at it,” said the 21-year-old from Dunblane. “It gives me great confidence to know I am closer to winning that Grand Slam title than I have ever been. If you look at the rankings, you will see I am still a long way behind, but my results against those guys speak for themselves. I beat Djokovic in our past two matches, Federer three times last year and Nadal at the US Open. I’ve proved I can win against them. But I have always said I want to win a major. Going into a new season, I don’t think that brings any added pressure. I know I can do it and it’s a boost to know I have gone so close.”
A month of committed hard physical work at the University of Miami under the guidance of his support team, Miles Maclagan, Matt Little, Jez Green, Andy Ireland and Louis Cayer, will make the 2009 version of Andy Murray even stronger than the player who finished last year so impressively at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai. He has gained an extra half-stone of muscle weight that will aid his powers of resilience and add even more velocity to his vastly improved serve. “The fitness and strength aspect is so important,” he insists. “It’s probably best shown in my performances against Djokovic. I knew I could always give him problems, but just needed to make my game better by being physically stronger.
“He is always going to be in contention for the big events because he plays well pretty much every week and his game is so solid. Rafa had to miss the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai because of his injuries, but his knees will be fine after some time off. Federer will also be trying hard to get back his No 1 ranking, and he is more than capable of doing so if he plays with his old consistency.”
Tomorrow the action starts again on the restructured ATP World Tour. Murray will be in Qatar alongside Nadal and Federer as he attempts to retain the title he won by beating Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic is already in Australia and will be the star attraction at a new £40m Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane.
Globally, the economic situation is biting ever harder, but tennis seems oblivious. Overall there will be a 20% rise in prize-money on the ATP World Tour this year. When the action begins at London’s O2, the prize fund will stand at $5m (£3.4m), with the eventual ATP World Tour Champion of the Year pocketing a potential $1.5m cheque.
Five months earlier, the sliding roof over Wimbledon’s Centre Court will whir into action. In Madrid the standard of clay-court tennis will be raised by the opening of Caja Majica. The new home of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open — one of the nine-event ATP Masters 1000 series — will boast 16 clay courts. Justification for such expenditure is not easy but the necessity is for top-flight contestants. The leading quartet of players — augmented by contenders such as the French triumvirate of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet, seasoned Americans Andy Roddick and James Blake and the Argentine duo of Juan Martin del Potro and David Nalbandian, who will attempt to put their Davis Cup final differences behind them — ensures that competition will be fierce.
In the end, Murray triumphed — showing the same aggression and speed around the court that lifted him to four in the world last year — but not without the most enthralling struggle. After winning the first set and going a break ahead in the fifth game of the second, he was immediately broken by Nadal and unable to hold serve at 5-6, which allowed the Spaniard to draw level at one set apiece.
Neither player showed the slightest sign of easing off before this week’s ExxonMobil Open in Qatar, where Murray is defending champion. The seventh game of the deciding set lasted almost 10 minutes and ended with Murray breaking Nadal’s serve for a 4-3 lead. The Scot won his service game and then broke Nadal once more to round off a rewarding day at the office. Asked about his chances of a first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, which begins in a fortnight, he said: “That’s what I’m aiming for.”
With Roger Federer, beaten by Murray on Friday, and Novak Djokovic, Murray and Nadal complete a quartet at the top of the men’s game to provide a rivalry that can endure over the next 40 weeks as they face a marathon of transglobal travel taking in such hallowed venues as Melbourne Park, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows. And for the first time, the season’s touring climax will be staged in Britain.
The world’s leading eight players will convene at London’s O2 Arena in November to contest the season finale — the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The event is likely to return to the venue for several years. In one of his final acts before standing down as ATP executive chairman at the end of last year, Etienne de Villiers insisted: “London is the world’s most cosmopolitan city with a vibrancy and energy that makes it ideally suited to hosting this event. The ATP visits over 30 countries, so having our end-of-season finale in such a diverse city could not be more appropriate.”
Three of the prime contenders in the starting blocks for the race to the O2 have Grand Slam titles to defend. On that never-to-be-forgotten rain-splattered Sunday evening in July, Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg 28 years earlier to lift both the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the same year. Roger Federer was vanquished in those two finals and relieved by Nadal of the world No 1 title he had held for a record 237 weeks. However, he regrouped to win a fifth successive US Open title that took him just one Grand Slam triumph short of Pete Sampras’s stunning collection of 14. And in a couple of weeks Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title, won with his 21st birthday still four months away, when he underlined that the former war-torn state of Serbia is now a true tennis power.
In terms of these accomplishments, Murray remains the odd man out. True, he amassed five titles in 2008 — second only to Nadal’s eight. Since reaching his first major final in New York last September, he has stood in fourth place on the South African Airways ATP Rankings — equalling the best positions occupied by British predecessors Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski. But the young Scot is brutally aware that good players become regarded as exemplary only when they win one of the four Grand Slam titles, and that must be his aim going into the new year.
So when people talk about the big four of the game, does Murray feel his inclusion is justified? He can legitimately point to the fact that he was triumphant in his last meeting with each of the other three when ranking points were at stake.
“It depends which way you look at it,” said the 21-year-old from Dunblane. “It gives me great confidence to know I am closer to winning that Grand Slam title than I have ever been. If you look at the rankings, you will see I am still a long way behind, but my results against those guys speak for themselves. I beat Djokovic in our past two matches, Federer three times last year and Nadal at the US Open. I’ve proved I can win against them. But I have always said I want to win a major. Going into a new season, I don’t think that brings any added pressure. I know I can do it and it’s a boost to know I have gone so close.”
A month of committed hard physical work at the University of Miami under the guidance of his support team, Miles Maclagan, Matt Little, Jez Green, Andy Ireland and Louis Cayer, will make the 2009 version of Andy Murray even stronger than the player who finished last year so impressively at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai. He has gained an extra half-stone of muscle weight that will aid his powers of resilience and add even more velocity to his vastly improved serve. “The fitness and strength aspect is so important,” he insists. “It’s probably best shown in my performances against Djokovic. I knew I could always give him problems, but just needed to make my game better by being physically stronger.
“He is always going to be in contention for the big events because he plays well pretty much every week and his game is so solid. Rafa had to miss the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai because of his injuries, but his knees will be fine after some time off. Federer will also be trying hard to get back his No 1 ranking, and he is more than capable of doing so if he plays with his old consistency.”
Tomorrow the action starts again on the restructured ATP World Tour. Murray will be in Qatar alongside Nadal and Federer as he attempts to retain the title he won by beating Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic is already in Australia and will be the star attraction at a new £40m Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane.
Globally, the economic situation is biting ever harder, but tennis seems oblivious. Overall there will be a 20% rise in prize-money on the ATP World Tour this year. When the action begins at London’s O2, the prize fund will stand at $5m (£3.4m), with the eventual ATP World Tour Champion of the Year pocketing a potential $1.5m cheque.
Five months earlier, the sliding roof over Wimbledon’s Centre Court will whir into action. In Madrid the standard of clay-court tennis will be raised by the opening of Caja Majica. The new home of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open — one of the nine-event ATP Masters 1000 series — will boast 16 clay courts. Justification for such expenditure is not easy but the necessity is for top-flight contestants. The leading quartet of players — augmented by contenders such as the French triumvirate of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet, seasoned Americans Andy Roddick and James Blake and the Argentine duo of Juan Martin del Potro and David Nalbandian, who will attempt to put their Davis Cup final differences behind them — ensures that competition will be fierce.
London Irish on the rampage
WHO SAID that Christmas was over? London Irish went back to the top of the Guinness Premiership — for 24 hours at least — thanks not only to the gifts presented to them by a Newcastle side heading ever deeper into a relegation grapple with Bristol, but also to an attacking display of genuine class, invention and flair that fully merited a seven-try tally and a bonus point despite the defensive frailties of their opponents.
In orchestrating the rout, Shane Geraghty, playing here at fly-half, indicated to the watching England attack coach Brian Smith that he could be the solution to England’s blunt midfield. Geraghty has pace, clever hands, quick feet and a good kicking game, all of which he used here to bamboozle the visitors, and afterwards Toby Booth, his coach, gave his former Exiles colleague a prod.
“That is the best Shane’s played for me this season. He brought to this game control and individual brilliance, which was good because Brian Smith was sitting right in front of me. Shane asked a lot of questions in attack, and as Brian is the attack coach, I’m sure he ticked a few boxes.”
He was not alone. Declan Danaher and Steffon Armitage reminded Martin Johnson that if he is looking for pace as well as physical presence from his flankers he could do a lot worse, while 20-year-old Alex Corbisiero confirmed his reputation as a young prop in a hurry. He not only held up well in his contest with Carl Hayman — Newcastle’s big-money All Black prop was making his first start since a knee injury — but also had enough drive left in his legs to smash over for try number five early in the second half.
The proceedings were rounded off when, amid a welter of replacements, Mike Catt made light of his 37 years to outpace Steve Jones after hacking the ball down the right wing and, although Tim Visser clawed a try back for Newcastle to make it 41-8, the Exiles player-coach had the last word when his switch pass sent Seilala Mapusua over, Geraghty converting for the winning margin.
This was all over apart from the groaning — and the groans were exclusively Newcastle’s — by half-time, with Irish blitzing them with four tries. The assault began ordinarily enough with a Peter Hewat penalty, and initially Irish seemed to be in such a hurry they gifted Newcastle three passes.
However, it was Newcastle scrum-half James Grindal who produced the biggest gift of all when he threw a suicidal long pass to John Rudd on the left touchline. Topsy Ojo read it from the moment it left his hands, picking off the pass 10m inside the Newcastle half and racing home for the first try of the match, Hewat converting for a 10-0 lead.
Newcastle did get on the scoreboard courtesy of a Rory Clegg penalty, but for the rest of the half it was one-way traffic with Geraghty calling the shots. He sprang Elvis Seveali’i through a gap close to a ruck, and when Hewat kept the pressure on with a chip into the Newcastle 22, Rudd conceded a 5m lineout. When the Exiles threw to the back, the ball fell for Armitage and the burly flanker trotted over for the softest of tries, Hewat’s conversion making it 17-3.
The Irish were clearly enjoying themselves, and the free rein granted to them by the Newcastle defence, and they went on to make it three tries in seven minutes.
The second came when Hewat dummied to kick from inside his own half but wrong-footed the chasers and cut straight up the middle before laying the ball off to James Hudson, and when the lock linked with Danaher he showed scorching pace from 35 metres. Irish were oozing confidence at 22-3 in front.
They came up with an even better score on the half-hour. It started with a strong run by the powerful Chris Hala’ufia, and after a Geraghty burst up the middle the ball was moved wide by Tonga Lea’aetoa to Seveali’i. The Samoan centre cut through before finding Hewat with a brilliant behind-the-back offload, stranding the defence and allowing the full-back to score under the posts.
Newcastle’s misery was made complete when, just before half-time, they opted to kick for the corner rather than for the posts, and Bob Casey stole their throw. However, this was no steal, it was Irish putting down their marker as genuine title contenders.
Star man: Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
Scorers: London Irish: Tries: Ojo 12, Armitage 22, Danaher 27, Hewat 30, Corbisiero 45, Catt 63, Mapasua 77 Cons: Hewat (4), Geraghty Pen: Hewat
Newcastle: Try: Visser 72 Pen: Clegg
Yellow card: Newcastle: Young (56min)
Referee: C Berdos (Fra)
Attendance: 10,978
LONDON IRISH: P Hewat (M Catt 53min); T Ojo, E Seveali’i (C Gower 60min), S Mapusua, T Homer; S Geraghty, P Hodgson (A Lalanne 60min); A Corbisiero (D Murphy 53min), D Paice (J Buckland 60min), T Lea’aetoa, J Hudson, B Casey (capt, K Roche 45min), D Danaher, C Hala’ufia, S Armitage (R Thorpe 53min)
NEWCASTLE: T May; T Visser, J Noon, T Tu’ipulotu, J Rudd (D Williams 64min); R Clegg (S Jones 60min), J Grindal (M Young 45min); M Ward (D Wilson 41min), M Thompson (R Vickers 41min), C Hayman (M Ward 76min), G Parling, M Sorenson, P Dowson (capt), A Balding (E Williamson 53min), B Wilson
In orchestrating the rout, Shane Geraghty, playing here at fly-half, indicated to the watching England attack coach Brian Smith that he could be the solution to England’s blunt midfield. Geraghty has pace, clever hands, quick feet and a good kicking game, all of which he used here to bamboozle the visitors, and afterwards Toby Booth, his coach, gave his former Exiles colleague a prod.
“That is the best Shane’s played for me this season. He brought to this game control and individual brilliance, which was good because Brian Smith was sitting right in front of me. Shane asked a lot of questions in attack, and as Brian is the attack coach, I’m sure he ticked a few boxes.”
He was not alone. Declan Danaher and Steffon Armitage reminded Martin Johnson that if he is looking for pace as well as physical presence from his flankers he could do a lot worse, while 20-year-old Alex Corbisiero confirmed his reputation as a young prop in a hurry. He not only held up well in his contest with Carl Hayman — Newcastle’s big-money All Black prop was making his first start since a knee injury — but also had enough drive left in his legs to smash over for try number five early in the second half.
The proceedings were rounded off when, amid a welter of replacements, Mike Catt made light of his 37 years to outpace Steve Jones after hacking the ball down the right wing and, although Tim Visser clawed a try back for Newcastle to make it 41-8, the Exiles player-coach had the last word when his switch pass sent Seilala Mapusua over, Geraghty converting for the winning margin.
This was all over apart from the groaning — and the groans were exclusively Newcastle’s — by half-time, with Irish blitzing them with four tries. The assault began ordinarily enough with a Peter Hewat penalty, and initially Irish seemed to be in such a hurry they gifted Newcastle three passes.
However, it was Newcastle scrum-half James Grindal who produced the biggest gift of all when he threw a suicidal long pass to John Rudd on the left touchline. Topsy Ojo read it from the moment it left his hands, picking off the pass 10m inside the Newcastle half and racing home for the first try of the match, Hewat converting for a 10-0 lead.
Newcastle did get on the scoreboard courtesy of a Rory Clegg penalty, but for the rest of the half it was one-way traffic with Geraghty calling the shots. He sprang Elvis Seveali’i through a gap close to a ruck, and when Hewat kept the pressure on with a chip into the Newcastle 22, Rudd conceded a 5m lineout. When the Exiles threw to the back, the ball fell for Armitage and the burly flanker trotted over for the softest of tries, Hewat’s conversion making it 17-3.
The Irish were clearly enjoying themselves, and the free rein granted to them by the Newcastle defence, and they went on to make it three tries in seven minutes.
The second came when Hewat dummied to kick from inside his own half but wrong-footed the chasers and cut straight up the middle before laying the ball off to James Hudson, and when the lock linked with Danaher he showed scorching pace from 35 metres. Irish were oozing confidence at 22-3 in front.
They came up with an even better score on the half-hour. It started with a strong run by the powerful Chris Hala’ufia, and after a Geraghty burst up the middle the ball was moved wide by Tonga Lea’aetoa to Seveali’i. The Samoan centre cut through before finding Hewat with a brilliant behind-the-back offload, stranding the defence and allowing the full-back to score under the posts.
Newcastle’s misery was made complete when, just before half-time, they opted to kick for the corner rather than for the posts, and Bob Casey stole their throw. However, this was no steal, it was Irish putting down their marker as genuine title contenders.
Star man: Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
Scorers: London Irish: Tries: Ojo 12, Armitage 22, Danaher 27, Hewat 30, Corbisiero 45, Catt 63, Mapasua 77 Cons: Hewat (4), Geraghty Pen: Hewat
Newcastle: Try: Visser 72 Pen: Clegg
Yellow card: Newcastle: Young (56min)
Referee: C Berdos (Fra)
Attendance: 10,978
LONDON IRISH: P Hewat (M Catt 53min); T Ojo, E Seveali’i (C Gower 60min), S Mapusua, T Homer; S Geraghty, P Hodgson (A Lalanne 60min); A Corbisiero (D Murphy 53min), D Paice (J Buckland 60min), T Lea’aetoa, J Hudson, B Casey (capt, K Roche 45min), D Danaher, C Hala’ufia, S Armitage (R Thorpe 53min)
NEWCASTLE: T May; T Visser, J Noon, T Tu’ipulotu, J Rudd (D Williams 64min); R Clegg (S Jones 60min), J Grindal (M Young 45min); M Ward (D Wilson 41min), M Thompson (R Vickers 41min), C Hayman (M Ward 76min), G Parling, M Sorenson, P Dowson (capt), A Balding (E Williamson 53min), B Wilson
Jermain Defoe in Pompey death threats
JERMAIN DEFOE does not intend to play for Portsmouth again after receiving death threats from angry fans, incensed by his desire to rejoin Harry Redknapp at Tottenham.
Spurs are not prepared to pay the £20m that Portsmouth are asking for their England striker, but Juventus last night joined Manchester City in declaring their interest.
Defoe joined Portsmouth from Tottenham for £7.5m a year ago, and has scored 15 goals in 31 Premier League appearances. He was an automatic selection until Tony Adams took over from Redknapp in October. The two fell out over Defoe’s omission from the team that played Arsenal last weekend. Spurs initially tabled a £10m bid for the player, which was rejected. Chairman Daniel Levy increased that by £2m last night, but with no success.
Defoe, meanwhile, is in limbo. His intention to leave has provoked a vitriolic response from supporters, and he is much concerned by their ability to obtain his mobile phone number and make threats not only to him, but to his family. He was not prepared to comment last night, for fear of exacerbating the situation, but friends confirmed that he was “upset” by “sick” threats similar to those made to Redknapp when he quit the club to manage rivals Southampton.
Defoe made himself unavailable for the FA Cup tie at home to Bristol City yesterday, which ended 0-0, citing a heavy cold. He has told associates that, in view of the fans’ animosity, he cannot envisage playing for the club again.
The 26-year-old’s best hope of a move is either to Manchester City, who lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest, or Juventus, whose manager Claudio Ranieri is an admirer. Portsmouth refused to confirm the Italian club’s initial contact, but did admit that a foreign club were interested.
Spurs are not prepared to pay the £20m that Portsmouth are asking for their England striker, but Juventus last night joined Manchester City in declaring their interest.
Defoe joined Portsmouth from Tottenham for £7.5m a year ago, and has scored 15 goals in 31 Premier League appearances. He was an automatic selection until Tony Adams took over from Redknapp in October. The two fell out over Defoe’s omission from the team that played Arsenal last weekend. Spurs initially tabled a £10m bid for the player, which was rejected. Chairman Daniel Levy increased that by £2m last night, but with no success.
Defoe, meanwhile, is in limbo. His intention to leave has provoked a vitriolic response from supporters, and he is much concerned by their ability to obtain his mobile phone number and make threats not only to him, but to his family. He was not prepared to comment last night, for fear of exacerbating the situation, but friends confirmed that he was “upset” by “sick” threats similar to those made to Redknapp when he quit the club to manage rivals Southampton.
Defoe made himself unavailable for the FA Cup tie at home to Bristol City yesterday, which ended 0-0, citing a heavy cold. He has told associates that, in view of the fans’ animosity, he cannot envisage playing for the club again.
The 26-year-old’s best hope of a move is either to Manchester City, who lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest, or Juventus, whose manager Claudio Ranieri is an admirer. Portsmouth refused to confirm the Italian club’s initial contact, but did admit that a foreign club were interested.
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