Shaun Briscoe operated in the shadows of Kris Radlinski at Wigan Warriors and Paul Wellens at international level for several years, but the Hull Kingston Rovers full back has the chance to stake a permanent claim to an England place against France at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris tomorrow.
Born in Wigan, nothing has come easy for the 26-year-old in a career that has taken him from the Warriors to Hull and across the city to Rovers, for whom he has been a bedrock of the defence in their climb to second place in the engage Super League.
“My parents instilled a great work ethic in me at an early age,” said Briscoe, whose misshapen nose comes from years of sticking it in places where others fear to tread. “You have to graft for these chances and make the most of them.
“You learn to take the knocks going for the high balls. I'm not the fastest, biggest or most skilful player, but I pride myself on the effort I put in. Paul Wellens has held the No1 shirt for a few years. It's mine to lose now.”
Tony Smith, the England coach, has confirmed that Scott Moore, who is uncapped, will start at hooker ahead of James Roby, one of only seven survivors in the team from last year's World Cup and who will start on the bench. Ryan Hall, the Super League's leading tryscorer, is the other newcomer on the wing.
Sam Burgess takes the place of the injured Sean O'Loughlin at loose forward and the uncapped duo of Sam Tomkins and Joe Westerman are omitted. “In some ways I'd like to play them at full strength, but we're not going to worry too much about who they play or don't play,” Smith said.
Source:The times
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Tony Smith starting his revolution in France
There were long and dark moments for Tony Smith in the aftermath of what the England coach referred to as a “disappointing” World Cup in Australia last year. He still bristles at the words “disaster” and “shambles”.
A new-look England play their first match for seven months since an ignominious semi-final exit against New Zealand in the bearpit of Brisbane, amid the non-threatening atmosphere of Stade Jean Bouin in Paris and against a badly depleted France.
For all that it should be a Saturday night stroll, Smith is aware that England must lay better foundations for tackling New Zealand and Australia in the new Four Nations series in England and France in the autumn.
Only seven of Smith’s World Cup squad have survived the cull and a clutch of new and nearly new faces are not the only changes to the England set-up, with Smith back in club coaching at Warrington Wolves and feeling revitalised. The year out preparing for the World Cup, after he had steered Leeds Rhinos to a second Super League title in 2007, was a worthwhile one but Smith is happier wearing two coaching hats. “I enjoyed not being subject to the day-in, day-out pressure for a while, but somehow it wasn’t for me,” Smith said. “I need that pressure to focus my coaching ability.
I haven’t coached England since the World Cup. Who knows, it might not be any different to then, but I’m feeling the benefits of coaching on a weekly basis, in working on my instincts and delivery to players.”
Warrington have been the other beneficiaries of Smith’s move there in March, winning ten of 15 matches and reaching the Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-finals. Smith will be on a flight back tomorrow in time for the visit of Bradford Bulls on Sunday.
“Sure, it’s demanding, but whether you’re coaching one team or two, you still put in the same hours,” he said.
The France game is one of the first blocks in a rebuilding process towards the 2013 World Cup, which has included the establishment of an elite England squad and appointment of Barrie-Jon Mather, the former dual-code England international, as the RFL’s head of player development. As part of the process, there are newcomers in Scott Moore at hooker and Ryan Hall on the wing. Richard Myler, 19, starts at scrum half, there is a fresh centre partnership in Ryan Atkins and Michael Shenton, while Shaun Briscoe and Eorl Crabtree come in at full back and in the pack.
“The work towards the next World Cup and beyond is aimed at getting better performances from our national team at the end of the domestic season, which has been an issue for 20 years, with the odd exception.
“I’d hoped to have a bigger impact at the World Cup without changing much. I realised in Australia that wasn’t possible. Change starts now.”
Source:The times
A new-look England play their first match for seven months since an ignominious semi-final exit against New Zealand in the bearpit of Brisbane, amid the non-threatening atmosphere of Stade Jean Bouin in Paris and against a badly depleted France.
For all that it should be a Saturday night stroll, Smith is aware that England must lay better foundations for tackling New Zealand and Australia in the new Four Nations series in England and France in the autumn.
Only seven of Smith’s World Cup squad have survived the cull and a clutch of new and nearly new faces are not the only changes to the England set-up, with Smith back in club coaching at Warrington Wolves and feeling revitalised. The year out preparing for the World Cup, after he had steered Leeds Rhinos to a second Super League title in 2007, was a worthwhile one but Smith is happier wearing two coaching hats. “I enjoyed not being subject to the day-in, day-out pressure for a while, but somehow it wasn’t for me,” Smith said. “I need that pressure to focus my coaching ability.
I haven’t coached England since the World Cup. Who knows, it might not be any different to then, but I’m feeling the benefits of coaching on a weekly basis, in working on my instincts and delivery to players.”
Warrington have been the other beneficiaries of Smith’s move there in March, winning ten of 15 matches and reaching the Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-finals. Smith will be on a flight back tomorrow in time for the visit of Bradford Bulls on Sunday.
“Sure, it’s demanding, but whether you’re coaching one team or two, you still put in the same hours,” he said.
The France game is one of the first blocks in a rebuilding process towards the 2013 World Cup, which has included the establishment of an elite England squad and appointment of Barrie-Jon Mather, the former dual-code England international, as the RFL’s head of player development. As part of the process, there are newcomers in Scott Moore at hooker and Ryan Hall on the wing. Richard Myler, 19, starts at scrum half, there is a fresh centre partnership in Ryan Atkins and Michael Shenton, while Shaun Briscoe and Eorl Crabtree come in at full back and in the pack.
“The work towards the next World Cup and beyond is aimed at getting better performances from our national team at the end of the domestic season, which has been an issue for 20 years, with the odd exception.
“I’d hoped to have a bigger impact at the World Cup without changing much. I realised in Australia that wasn’t possible. Change starts now.”
Source:The times
Master Of Disguise can leave rivals chasing shadows at York
Improving sprinter has plenty going for him, while Richard Hills, pictured, is fancied to get the timing right on Last Three Minutes.
Those that raced close to the early pace were favoured in sprints at York yesterday and Master Of Disguise looks the ideal type to continue that trend in the Reg Griffin Memorial Trophy (3.10) on the Knavesmire today.
He again showed a high cruising speed when beating Noble Storm with plenty in hand at Sandown Park last time and that form could hardly be working out better, with the second, third and fifth all winning subsequently. The handicapper has reacted by raising Master Of Disguise by 11lb in the weights, but he is improving so quickly that he can prove up to the task.
Proclaim deserves top weight after his latest defeat of the useful Akhenaten at Doncaster but may prefer faster ground and bigger threats could come from Dark Mischief, who was unsuited by a slow early pace at Salisbury last time and Quanah Parker, who should appreciate dropping back in trip after a good second over seven furlongs here last time.
The Godolphin team is slowly hitting its stride and Sovereign Remedy is taken to land the Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Stakes (3.45). The form of his debut second at Kempton Park has worked out well and Sovereign Remedy opened his account in determined fashion in a maiden at Nottingham last time. A son of Lailani, the Irish Oaks winner, he should relish this step up in trip and can make the most of a lenient handicap mark.
Mull Of Dubai was forced wide when well beaten at Chester last time but has a good record here and should go close in the Queen Mother's Cup (2.05), while Last Three Minutes showed an impressive turn of foot when winning at Lingfield Park last time and can handle a step up in class in the ladbrokes.com Stakes (2.35).
Brassini is fancied to take advantage of a falling mark in the Toteswinger Handicap (2.50) at Sandown Park. He shaped as though returning to form when fifth in a stronger race at Goodwood last time and, now 2lb lower in the weights than when winning over course and distance last July, looks ready to strike.
Bravo Echo was ill-served by a slow early gallop when a staying-on third over course and distance last time and, provided he is given a truer test of stamina, he can make amends in the Totescoop6 Handicap (2.20).
Noble Storm has a progressive profile and can gain a first success in listed company in the Agfa Healthcare Scurry Stakes (3.25). He showed excellent early speed when winning at Beverley last time, never looking like being caught, and from a plum draw against the far rail is likely to again be hard to peg back.
The best bet of the day is Lenny Bee (7.40) at Leicester. Despite finishing second on each occasion, he has shaped like the best horse in the race on his past two starts, being given too much to do at Kempton Park and just failing to last home when tried over farther at Ayr. Back to the minimum trip, he can gain a deserved success.
Source:The times
Those that raced close to the early pace were favoured in sprints at York yesterday and Master Of Disguise looks the ideal type to continue that trend in the Reg Griffin Memorial Trophy (3.10) on the Knavesmire today.
He again showed a high cruising speed when beating Noble Storm with plenty in hand at Sandown Park last time and that form could hardly be working out better, with the second, third and fifth all winning subsequently. The handicapper has reacted by raising Master Of Disguise by 11lb in the weights, but he is improving so quickly that he can prove up to the task.
Proclaim deserves top weight after his latest defeat of the useful Akhenaten at Doncaster but may prefer faster ground and bigger threats could come from Dark Mischief, who was unsuited by a slow early pace at Salisbury last time and Quanah Parker, who should appreciate dropping back in trip after a good second over seven furlongs here last time.
The Godolphin team is slowly hitting its stride and Sovereign Remedy is taken to land the Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Stakes (3.45). The form of his debut second at Kempton Park has worked out well and Sovereign Remedy opened his account in determined fashion in a maiden at Nottingham last time. A son of Lailani, the Irish Oaks winner, he should relish this step up in trip and can make the most of a lenient handicap mark.
Mull Of Dubai was forced wide when well beaten at Chester last time but has a good record here and should go close in the Queen Mother's Cup (2.05), while Last Three Minutes showed an impressive turn of foot when winning at Lingfield Park last time and can handle a step up in class in the ladbrokes.com Stakes (2.35).
Brassini is fancied to take advantage of a falling mark in the Toteswinger Handicap (2.50) at Sandown Park. He shaped as though returning to form when fifth in a stronger race at Goodwood last time and, now 2lb lower in the weights than when winning over course and distance last July, looks ready to strike.
Bravo Echo was ill-served by a slow early gallop when a staying-on third over course and distance last time and, provided he is given a truer test of stamina, he can make amends in the Totescoop6 Handicap (2.20).
Noble Storm has a progressive profile and can gain a first success in listed company in the Agfa Healthcare Scurry Stakes (3.25). He showed excellent early speed when winning at Beverley last time, never looking like being caught, and from a plum draw against the far rail is likely to again be hard to peg back.
The best bet of the day is Lenny Bee (7.40) at Leicester. Despite finishing second on each occasion, he has shaped like the best horse in the race on his past two starts, being given too much to do at Kempton Park and just failing to last home when tried over farther at Ayr. Back to the minimum trip, he can gain a deserved success.
Source:The times
Tiger Woods begins US Open defence in major company
Tiger Woods will launch his defence at next week’s US Open in high-profile company with Ángel Cabrera, the 2007 winner, and Padraig Harrington, the Open champion.
Woods, the world No 1, Cabrera, the Masters champion from Argentina, and Harrington, who also won the last major of last year, the US PGA, tee off just after noon in Thursday’s opening round at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
Woods, who clinched last year’s US Open after a gripping 19-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, outside San Diego, is heavily favoured to win the second major championship of the year.
Although he was sidelined for eight months after his Torrey Pines victory while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, the American has triumphed twice in seven PGA Tour starts this season, including the Memorial tournament on Sunday. Woods also won the US Open when it was first held at Bethpage in 2002 and will be bidding for his fourth success in the tournament next week. Phil Mickelson, the world No 2, who has yet to win the US Open, has been grouped with Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, of South Africa, for the first two rounds. Els and Goosen have each won the US Open twice.
Paul Casey, Britain’s new world No 3, will play with Geoff Ogilvy, of Australia, and Jim Furyk, the American. Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, will play his first US Open rounds with Anthony Kim and Dustin Johnson, the Americans.
Source:The times
Woods, the world No 1, Cabrera, the Masters champion from Argentina, and Harrington, who also won the last major of last year, the US PGA, tee off just after noon in Thursday’s opening round at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
Woods, who clinched last year’s US Open after a gripping 19-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, outside San Diego, is heavily favoured to win the second major championship of the year.
Although he was sidelined for eight months after his Torrey Pines victory while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, the American has triumphed twice in seven PGA Tour starts this season, including the Memorial tournament on Sunday. Woods also won the US Open when it was first held at Bethpage in 2002 and will be bidding for his fourth success in the tournament next week. Phil Mickelson, the world No 2, who has yet to win the US Open, has been grouped with Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, of South Africa, for the first two rounds. Els and Goosen have each won the US Open twice.
Paul Casey, Britain’s new world No 3, will play with Geoff Ogilvy, of Australia, and Jim Furyk, the American. Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, will play his first US Open rounds with Anthony Kim and Dustin Johnson, the Americans.
Source:The times
Golf and sevens lead race for 2016 Olympics
The chance for a sport to join the Olympic Games comes around so infrequently, it pays not to miss the boat.
The most recent welcomed to the top table were taekwondo and triathlon at the Sydney Games in 2000 and it will not be until 2016 when another two get the kind of global exposure that transforms followings and fortunes.
The four-year campaign for inclusion is almost over and, on Monday, the seven candidates vying for up to two slots on the Olympic programme have a final chance to convince the IOC of their suitability.
The bidding sports are baseball, golf, karate, rugby sevens, softball, squash and roller sports. This shortlist will be whittled down to two by the IOC's executive board at a meeting on August 13 on the eve of the World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, hopes the recommendations will be rubber-stamped at the annual congress in Copenhagen in October. The move is designed to avoid a repeat of the fiasco in Singapore in 2005 when no sport was voted in despite two places being made available by the exclusion of baseball and softball after the Beijing Games.
Given the potential rewards of inclusion, the lobbying circus has travelled from New Zealand to Colorado in recent months in an attempt to win the majority vote.
Olympic insiders suggest golf and rugby sevens are the front-runners because the IOC aims to include one individual sport and one team sport that is open to both sexes.
Rogge, a former Olympic sailor, is keen to create a gender-neutral Games and has already said that women's boxing should be included in London 2012. While he has confessed to a greater love for rugby, having played open-side flanker for Belgium, he emphasised that he had no vote.
Fifteen-a-side rugby union was dropped in 1924, but sevens has improved its chances since IOC board members were exposed to the success of its World Cup in Dubai in March. To prove its regard for the Olympics as its pinnacle, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has promised to drop the World Cup if it gains an Olympic spot. “Inclusion is a chance to grow the game further around the world and give little nations such as Fiji and Samoa the chance for a gold medal,” Bernard Lapasset, the IRB chairman, said.
Golf has pledged to field the world's best male and female players in 60-player strokeplay tournaments in each week of the Games, while using the Olympics to dispel its “country club image”. The stars and the sponsors that golf would bring to the Games will be hard to reject.
Yet it is by no means a done deal. Squash still presents a good case for inclusion as it tries to shake its yuppie image immortalised by Wall Street, Oliver Stone's 1987 film about corporate excess.
Glass showcubes, dropped into locations as diverse as Grand Central Station in New York and the Pyramids in Giza, have improved its televisual appeal, while high-definition cameras will make it even easier to watch.
Peter Nicol, the former Great Britain No1, would swap his sole World Open title for an Olympic gold medal. “There is just something so symbolic about being an Olympian,” he said. However, it is unlikely that Tiger Woods, who is backing golf's bid, would surrender his first Masters green jacket for a medal of any sort.
Squash argues that it has much more to gain. Jahangir Khan, the Pakistani considered the greatest to play the game, told The Times: “I won all the titles but I never won an Olympic gold medal and it was my dream. The players now have that same dream. The standard, the coverage, the sponsorship - everything would change.”
During the Copenhagen session, the IOC will also select the 2016 host city from the shortlist of Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Squash is the bookies’ choice, with baseball, karate and softball not far behind
GolfHaving featured twice in the Games, in 1900 and 1904, it has Olympic heritage and is global. A 72-hole strokeplay tournament would bring big stars such as Tiger Woods, big television audiences and big sponsors’ cheques.Odds 5-1
Rugby sevensFast and exciting to watch, the abbreviated game has a good chance as Olympic officials seek more team sports to fill stadiums and boost TV ratings.Odds 4-1
Squash The next logical leap for a sport that is a Commonwealth Games event, but it is burdened by the difficulty of watching a very small ball travelling at 160mph.Odds 6-4
BaseballThe drugs issue, in which Major League Baseball stars have admitted to steroid use, has overshadowed the sport, which was kicked out at the last reshuffle for London 2012.Odds 2-1
SoftballAlthough it joined the Olympic scrapheap in 2005, it has a strong case as an all-female sport but if women’s boxing is admitted for 2012, this argument would be undermined.Odds 2-1
KarateMost Olympic watchers think there are already too many baffling martial arts in the Games. The sport may claim 100 million participants worldwide but they are not the ones who are casting the vote.Odds 2-1
Roller sportsThe IOC is keen to grab the attention of young sports fans, but the vision — road racing but no skateboarding or roller hockey? — is muddled and the lobbying non-existent.Odds 4-1
Odds offered by William Hill
Words by Ashling O’Connor .
Source:The times
The most recent welcomed to the top table were taekwondo and triathlon at the Sydney Games in 2000 and it will not be until 2016 when another two get the kind of global exposure that transforms followings and fortunes.
The four-year campaign for inclusion is almost over and, on Monday, the seven candidates vying for up to two slots on the Olympic programme have a final chance to convince the IOC of their suitability.
The bidding sports are baseball, golf, karate, rugby sevens, softball, squash and roller sports. This shortlist will be whittled down to two by the IOC's executive board at a meeting on August 13 on the eve of the World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, hopes the recommendations will be rubber-stamped at the annual congress in Copenhagen in October. The move is designed to avoid a repeat of the fiasco in Singapore in 2005 when no sport was voted in despite two places being made available by the exclusion of baseball and softball after the Beijing Games.
Given the potential rewards of inclusion, the lobbying circus has travelled from New Zealand to Colorado in recent months in an attempt to win the majority vote.
Olympic insiders suggest golf and rugby sevens are the front-runners because the IOC aims to include one individual sport and one team sport that is open to both sexes.
Rogge, a former Olympic sailor, is keen to create a gender-neutral Games and has already said that women's boxing should be included in London 2012. While he has confessed to a greater love for rugby, having played open-side flanker for Belgium, he emphasised that he had no vote.
Fifteen-a-side rugby union was dropped in 1924, but sevens has improved its chances since IOC board members were exposed to the success of its World Cup in Dubai in March. To prove its regard for the Olympics as its pinnacle, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has promised to drop the World Cup if it gains an Olympic spot. “Inclusion is a chance to grow the game further around the world and give little nations such as Fiji and Samoa the chance for a gold medal,” Bernard Lapasset, the IRB chairman, said.
Golf has pledged to field the world's best male and female players in 60-player strokeplay tournaments in each week of the Games, while using the Olympics to dispel its “country club image”. The stars and the sponsors that golf would bring to the Games will be hard to reject.
Yet it is by no means a done deal. Squash still presents a good case for inclusion as it tries to shake its yuppie image immortalised by Wall Street, Oliver Stone's 1987 film about corporate excess.
Glass showcubes, dropped into locations as diverse as Grand Central Station in New York and the Pyramids in Giza, have improved its televisual appeal, while high-definition cameras will make it even easier to watch.
Peter Nicol, the former Great Britain No1, would swap his sole World Open title for an Olympic gold medal. “There is just something so symbolic about being an Olympian,” he said. However, it is unlikely that Tiger Woods, who is backing golf's bid, would surrender his first Masters green jacket for a medal of any sort.
Squash argues that it has much more to gain. Jahangir Khan, the Pakistani considered the greatest to play the game, told The Times: “I won all the titles but I never won an Olympic gold medal and it was my dream. The players now have that same dream. The standard, the coverage, the sponsorship - everything would change.”
During the Copenhagen session, the IOC will also select the 2016 host city from the shortlist of Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Squash is the bookies’ choice, with baseball, karate and softball not far behind
GolfHaving featured twice in the Games, in 1900 and 1904, it has Olympic heritage and is global. A 72-hole strokeplay tournament would bring big stars such as Tiger Woods, big television audiences and big sponsors’ cheques.Odds 5-1
Rugby sevensFast and exciting to watch, the abbreviated game has a good chance as Olympic officials seek more team sports to fill stadiums and boost TV ratings.Odds 4-1
Squash The next logical leap for a sport that is a Commonwealth Games event, but it is burdened by the difficulty of watching a very small ball travelling at 160mph.Odds 6-4
BaseballThe drugs issue, in which Major League Baseball stars have admitted to steroid use, has overshadowed the sport, which was kicked out at the last reshuffle for London 2012.Odds 2-1
SoftballAlthough it joined the Olympic scrapheap in 2005, it has a strong case as an all-female sport but if women’s boxing is admitted for 2012, this argument would be undermined.Odds 2-1
KarateMost Olympic watchers think there are already too many baffling martial arts in the Games. The sport may claim 100 million participants worldwide but they are not the ones who are casting the vote.Odds 2-1
Roller sportsThe IOC is keen to grab the attention of young sports fans, but the vision — road racing but no skateboarding or roller hockey? — is muddled and the lobbying non-existent.Odds 4-1
Odds offered by William Hill
Words by Ashling O’Connor .
Source:The times
Time for golf to come to the fore at Olympics
A most important 30 minutes in the history of golf occurs on Monday when a well-rehearsed team will advocate the inclusion of the game in the 2016 Olympics to the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Whether or not golf should be in the Olympics is not a hot topic among golfers but that should not diminish the debate. Golf was an Olympic sport in 1904. It is time it was again.
Golf has 60million participants in 120 countries, making it one of the world's most popular sports in terms of players and followers, and were it to become an Olympic sport then financial support would be made available to grow the game even more. “In order to jump-start interest and support of the sport, you need money,” David Fay, executive director of the United States Golf Association, said recently. “The best way to get that is through two sources - your government or the national Olympic committee. For these countries [such as Croatia or Russia], there's no substitute for it being an Olympic medal sport.”
The Olympic ideals embody sportsmanship and integrity. So, too, do those of golf, which remains a game in which players call penalties on themselves and wish their opponents well at the start and conclusion of a round. The sport is considered by other sports to be largely untouched by drugs, gambling or any other controversy. Indeed there is a school of thought that opposes golf's inclusion in the Games on the ground that by doing so golf would be sullying itself.
It is true that the Olympics would not represent the pinnacle of achievement for participants, who will continue to regard the four major championships as the ultimate prizes. But that is true of tennis, too. It is also true that another 72-hole strokeplay event would be repetitive of almost every other tournament and that many of the game's leading players would not qualify.
But the format has the approval of the game's stars. Present plans allow for 60 men and 60 women to participate, with the world's top 15 gaining automatic entry. The rest of the field would be filled by the highest world-ranked players from countries that do not already have two players represented.
There are eight different countries represented in the leading 15 players in the men's game and six in the women's game. Tiger Woods, the best male player, was born to an African-American father and a Thai mother. The best woman player, Lorena Ochoa, is a Mexican. Isn't this what the Olympics is meant to be? Truly international competition.
I hope that golf's campaign succeeds and that it becomes the moment the game rids itself of its shabby attitude towards women. I first wrote the following paragraph in the mid-1980s and so little has changed in the meantime that three months ago I was able to write it again.
“This country has had a Queen reigning over us for nearly 60 years and for a good few of those years a female Prime Minister led the Government in Westminster but despite this it is still possible for a man to say to his wife: ‘Darling, we can share a bed and a bank account but we can't share the tee straight after breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday morning.'”
In this regard it struck me as odd that IOC representatives were invited to attend the Masters in April. If I were making a case for an all-embracing game to be included in the Olympic Games I don't think I would have used a men-only golf club in the south of the United States with only a few non-white members as an exemplar.
Despite this, and in contrast to the half-hearted attempt to get golf into the Olympics in 1996, Ty Votaw, a vice-president of the PGA Tour in the US, has led a good campaign, resulting in golf and rugby sevens being the favoured candidates for 2016.
A few decisions in golf recently have been made on the basis of “for the good of the game” - such as staging the Ryder Cup in Spain in 1997 - and this is another one of those decisions. Is the game strong enough within itself to embrace a new concept? I certainly hope so. Golf should be in the Olympics. It belongs there.
Jostling for contention
Golf Joint favourite.Rugby sevens Joint favourite. Boosted following with its World Cup.Baseball Outsider because of drug culture.Softball Contender as all-women sport.Roller sports Rank outsider.Karate Aren't there enough martial arts in the Games?Squash Strong contender.
Source:The times
Whether or not golf should be in the Olympics is not a hot topic among golfers but that should not diminish the debate. Golf was an Olympic sport in 1904. It is time it was again.
Golf has 60million participants in 120 countries, making it one of the world's most popular sports in terms of players and followers, and were it to become an Olympic sport then financial support would be made available to grow the game even more. “In order to jump-start interest and support of the sport, you need money,” David Fay, executive director of the United States Golf Association, said recently. “The best way to get that is through two sources - your government or the national Olympic committee. For these countries [such as Croatia or Russia], there's no substitute for it being an Olympic medal sport.”
The Olympic ideals embody sportsmanship and integrity. So, too, do those of golf, which remains a game in which players call penalties on themselves and wish their opponents well at the start and conclusion of a round. The sport is considered by other sports to be largely untouched by drugs, gambling or any other controversy. Indeed there is a school of thought that opposes golf's inclusion in the Games on the ground that by doing so golf would be sullying itself.
It is true that the Olympics would not represent the pinnacle of achievement for participants, who will continue to regard the four major championships as the ultimate prizes. But that is true of tennis, too. It is also true that another 72-hole strokeplay event would be repetitive of almost every other tournament and that many of the game's leading players would not qualify.
But the format has the approval of the game's stars. Present plans allow for 60 men and 60 women to participate, with the world's top 15 gaining automatic entry. The rest of the field would be filled by the highest world-ranked players from countries that do not already have two players represented.
There are eight different countries represented in the leading 15 players in the men's game and six in the women's game. Tiger Woods, the best male player, was born to an African-American father and a Thai mother. The best woman player, Lorena Ochoa, is a Mexican. Isn't this what the Olympics is meant to be? Truly international competition.
I hope that golf's campaign succeeds and that it becomes the moment the game rids itself of its shabby attitude towards women. I first wrote the following paragraph in the mid-1980s and so little has changed in the meantime that three months ago I was able to write it again.
“This country has had a Queen reigning over us for nearly 60 years and for a good few of those years a female Prime Minister led the Government in Westminster but despite this it is still possible for a man to say to his wife: ‘Darling, we can share a bed and a bank account but we can't share the tee straight after breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday morning.'”
In this regard it struck me as odd that IOC representatives were invited to attend the Masters in April. If I were making a case for an all-embracing game to be included in the Olympic Games I don't think I would have used a men-only golf club in the south of the United States with only a few non-white members as an exemplar.
Despite this, and in contrast to the half-hearted attempt to get golf into the Olympics in 1996, Ty Votaw, a vice-president of the PGA Tour in the US, has led a good campaign, resulting in golf and rugby sevens being the favoured candidates for 2016.
A few decisions in golf recently have been made on the basis of “for the good of the game” - such as staging the Ryder Cup in Spain in 1997 - and this is another one of those decisions. Is the game strong enough within itself to embrace a new concept? I certainly hope so. Golf should be in the Olympics. It belongs there.
Jostling for contention
Golf Joint favourite.Rugby sevens Joint favourite. Boosted following with its World Cup.Baseball Outsider because of drug culture.Softball Contender as all-women sport.Roller sports Rank outsider.Karate Aren't there enough martial arts in the Games?Squash Strong contender.
Source:The times
Max Mosley under fire as Formula One teams revolt over budget cap
The revolution in Formula One against budget-capping and the rule of Max Mosley, the president of the FIA, reached boiling point yesterday as the big teams appealed over Mosley’s head to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) and Senate urging them to intervene.
The move came on a dramatic day when the FIA announced entrants for next year’s championship, in which it excluded five of the present teams — Toyota, Brawn GP, McLaren Mercedes, BMW Sauber and Renault — but gave them until Friday to drop conditions they have imposed on their entries. As it stands, neither Jenson Button, of Brawn, nor Lewis Hamilton, of McLaren, would race next year.
The FIA provocatively included Ferrari as an entrant, against their will, as it did Red Bull and Toro Rosso because in each case the FIA says that those teams are subject to legal agreements binding them to Formula One whether they like it or not.
Ferrari announced immediately that they will not take part “under the regulations adopted by the FIA in violation of Ferrari’s rights under a written agreement with the FIA”. The list of entries includes three new teams taking advantage of spending controls being advocated by Mosley.
The FIA revealed that 15 new outfits applied to join and that several others were close to fulfilling the criteria to make it. The clear hint was that, should any of the five excluded teams fail to drop their objections, others will take their place. The successful new entrants are the Campos Meta team, from Spain, Manor Grand Prix Racing, from Britain, and Team US F1, from America.
The decision by the teams in the Formula One Teams Association (Fota) to write to the WMSC and the Senate, the FIA’s highest body, is further evidence that the big five manufacturers have had enough of Mosley and want him to be removed or restrained. Senior sources in this group told The Times yesterday that they could never countenance their companies being “at the mercy” of the FIA president, which could happen under a budget-capping regime.
The impression gained is that the letter to the FIA has not come out of the blue but follows considerable efforts by Fota to sound out senior members of the organisation who may be willing to assist their cause. The letter did not mention Mosley by name but there could be no doubt who was being referred to in passages that complained of a “confrontational and negative approach that has dominated the sport for years”.
Fota also criticised the instability of the regime administered by Mosley. “The constant announcements of regulatory changes, resulting from the unstable governance process that exists, has unfortunately created a situation of confusion and uncertainty among the public and sponsors,” the letter read. “This situation is adversely affecting the business of both the teams and the organisers.”
Sources close to Mosley laughed off the move, saying that it was “ridiculous” of the teams to write to the WMSC to complain about a new rules regime that the Council had approved.
Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s commercial rights-holder said: “I would just ask everyone, instead of throwing mud at each other in public or behind each other’s backs, to just be quiet and let things settle down a bit.” Ecclestone remains convinced that all the teams in this year’s championship will be back next year.
Source:The times
The move came on a dramatic day when the FIA announced entrants for next year’s championship, in which it excluded five of the present teams — Toyota, Brawn GP, McLaren Mercedes, BMW Sauber and Renault — but gave them until Friday to drop conditions they have imposed on their entries. As it stands, neither Jenson Button, of Brawn, nor Lewis Hamilton, of McLaren, would race next year.
The FIA provocatively included Ferrari as an entrant, against their will, as it did Red Bull and Toro Rosso because in each case the FIA says that those teams are subject to legal agreements binding them to Formula One whether they like it or not.
Ferrari announced immediately that they will not take part “under the regulations adopted by the FIA in violation of Ferrari’s rights under a written agreement with the FIA”. The list of entries includes three new teams taking advantage of spending controls being advocated by Mosley.
The FIA revealed that 15 new outfits applied to join and that several others were close to fulfilling the criteria to make it. The clear hint was that, should any of the five excluded teams fail to drop their objections, others will take their place. The successful new entrants are the Campos Meta team, from Spain, Manor Grand Prix Racing, from Britain, and Team US F1, from America.
The decision by the teams in the Formula One Teams Association (Fota) to write to the WMSC and the Senate, the FIA’s highest body, is further evidence that the big five manufacturers have had enough of Mosley and want him to be removed or restrained. Senior sources in this group told The Times yesterday that they could never countenance their companies being “at the mercy” of the FIA president, which could happen under a budget-capping regime.
The impression gained is that the letter to the FIA has not come out of the blue but follows considerable efforts by Fota to sound out senior members of the organisation who may be willing to assist their cause. The letter did not mention Mosley by name but there could be no doubt who was being referred to in passages that complained of a “confrontational and negative approach that has dominated the sport for years”.
Fota also criticised the instability of the regime administered by Mosley. “The constant announcements of regulatory changes, resulting from the unstable governance process that exists, has unfortunately created a situation of confusion and uncertainty among the public and sponsors,” the letter read. “This situation is adversely affecting the business of both the teams and the organisers.”
Sources close to Mosley laughed off the move, saying that it was “ridiculous” of the teams to write to the WMSC to complain about a new rules regime that the Council had approved.
Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s commercial rights-holder said: “I would just ask everyone, instead of throwing mud at each other in public or behind each other’s backs, to just be quiet and let things settle down a bit.” Ecclestone remains convinced that all the teams in this year’s championship will be back next year.
Source:The times
Manchester United line up bids for Samuel Eto'o and Antonio Valencia
Manchester United are lining up a move to take Samuel Eto’o to Old Trafford as they prepare to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s impending departure.
Sir Alex Ferguson is eager to find a replacement for the Portugal forward as soon as possible and has made a firm inquiry about Eto’o. The United manager is confident of getting the Barcelona forward and knows that he needs to bolster his roster of strikers if Carlos Tévez leaves the club this summer.
Eto’o is one of Manchester City’s leading summer transfer targets, but United look like beating their rivals to the Cameroon player’s signature.
A £17 million deal for Antonio Valencia, the Wigan Athletic and Ecuador winger, is also in place and should be concluded shortly.
Eto’o, aged 28, had a fine season at Barcelona, scoring 34 goals to help his team to an unprecedented Spanish league, cup and Champions League treble. He was on target in the 2-0 victory over United in the Champions League final in Rome last month.
He has only a year remaining on his contract, but while Barcelona would like to keep him, they would prefer to cash in now rather than lose him for nothing at the end of next season.
City had offered up to £25 million for Eto’o and were prepared to make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League, but United would hope to secure a deal for less.
Ferguson’s interest in Valencia was confirmed yesterday by Dave Whelan, the Wigan owner, who said that United had monitored the player throughout the season.
The price would leave Ferguson with £63 million left over from the £80 million transfer fee paid by Real Madrid for Ronaldo, which is being delivered in annual instalments of £20 million. A spokesman for the Glazer family, United’s owners, implied yesterday that the Scot would be free to spend that money on any new players he wishes to sign.
Whelan did not speak like a man who would be obstructive in negotiations over Valencia either. “United have been in touch over Antonio for the past two or three months, actually putting cash on the table,” he said. “I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo went to Real, which has happened, so we will sit down now.”
The sale of Ronaldo was Ferguson’s decision and not a result of the club’s enormous debt, according to a spokesman for the Glazer family. “The idea that Manchester United are motivated by a debt burden is just not true,” he said. “Cristiano Ronaldo decided, after six years, it was time to move on and the manager said, ‘OK.’ Sir Alex Ferguson is in total control of his squad. He is empowered to make whatever decisions he thinks are in the best interests of Manchester United.
“Only the paranoia of some supporters would lead you to believe the owners are not going to continue investing in the team. A substantial number of world-class players have been brought to the club in the past few years and that will still be the case.”
United, whose attacking strength could shrink farther given the uncertainty over Tévez’s future, have also been linked with Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema, but their respective clubs are standing firm.
Uli Hoeness, the Bayern Munich general manager, says that only a “crazy” offer would tempt them to sell Ribéry, the France playmaker, while Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyons president, claims that Benzema, the France striker, will stay at the club at least until next summer.
“We spoke a lot and it’s true that there are many clubs after him,” Aulas said. “We interrogated his agent and are not under the impression that he will leave in the short term.”
Gordon Taylor, the Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, suggested that United might have made more effort to retain Wayne Rooney had he been in Ronaldo’s position.
“As an Englishman, if I was asked to make a choice I would have Wayne,” he said. “Although Ronaldo has become more of a team player, there was a significant individual element to the way he played. Wayne has not been far away from being one of the best players in the world for a long time.”
Source:The times
Sir Alex Ferguson is eager to find a replacement for the Portugal forward as soon as possible and has made a firm inquiry about Eto’o. The United manager is confident of getting the Barcelona forward and knows that he needs to bolster his roster of strikers if Carlos Tévez leaves the club this summer.
Eto’o is one of Manchester City’s leading summer transfer targets, but United look like beating their rivals to the Cameroon player’s signature.
A £17 million deal for Antonio Valencia, the Wigan Athletic and Ecuador winger, is also in place and should be concluded shortly.
Eto’o, aged 28, had a fine season at Barcelona, scoring 34 goals to help his team to an unprecedented Spanish league, cup and Champions League treble. He was on target in the 2-0 victory over United in the Champions League final in Rome last month.
He has only a year remaining on his contract, but while Barcelona would like to keep him, they would prefer to cash in now rather than lose him for nothing at the end of next season.
City had offered up to £25 million for Eto’o and were prepared to make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League, but United would hope to secure a deal for less.
Ferguson’s interest in Valencia was confirmed yesterday by Dave Whelan, the Wigan owner, who said that United had monitored the player throughout the season.
The price would leave Ferguson with £63 million left over from the £80 million transfer fee paid by Real Madrid for Ronaldo, which is being delivered in annual instalments of £20 million. A spokesman for the Glazer family, United’s owners, implied yesterday that the Scot would be free to spend that money on any new players he wishes to sign.
Whelan did not speak like a man who would be obstructive in negotiations over Valencia either. “United have been in touch over Antonio for the past two or three months, actually putting cash on the table,” he said. “I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo went to Real, which has happened, so we will sit down now.”
The sale of Ronaldo was Ferguson’s decision and not a result of the club’s enormous debt, according to a spokesman for the Glazer family. “The idea that Manchester United are motivated by a debt burden is just not true,” he said. “Cristiano Ronaldo decided, after six years, it was time to move on and the manager said, ‘OK.’ Sir Alex Ferguson is in total control of his squad. He is empowered to make whatever decisions he thinks are in the best interests of Manchester United.
“Only the paranoia of some supporters would lead you to believe the owners are not going to continue investing in the team. A substantial number of world-class players have been brought to the club in the past few years and that will still be the case.”
United, whose attacking strength could shrink farther given the uncertainty over Tévez’s future, have also been linked with Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema, but their respective clubs are standing firm.
Uli Hoeness, the Bayern Munich general manager, says that only a “crazy” offer would tempt them to sell Ribéry, the France playmaker, while Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyons president, claims that Benzema, the France striker, will stay at the club at least until next summer.
“We spoke a lot and it’s true that there are many clubs after him,” Aulas said. “We interrogated his agent and are not under the impression that he will leave in the short term.”
Gordon Taylor, the Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, suggested that United might have made more effort to retain Wayne Rooney had he been in Ronaldo’s position.
“As an Englishman, if I was asked to make a choice I would have Wayne,” he said. “Although Ronaldo has become more of a team player, there was a significant individual element to the way he played. Wayne has not been far away from being one of the best players in the world for a long time.”
Source:The times
Wayne Parnell sends West Indies crashing
The Brit Oval: South Africa beat West Indies by 20 runs.
South Africa took a big step towards securing their place in the World Twenty20 semi-finals with victory over West Indies at The Oval.
Herschelle Gibbs hit 55 as the South Africa, put into bat by West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, posted 183 for seven from their 20 overs.
In reply, West Indies lost big-hitter Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, the hero of last night's win over India, but Lendl Simmons led the chase with a sparkling innings.
However, when Simmons departed for 77, so did the West Indies' chances as South Africa, who beat England in their first Super Eight game, triumphed by 20 runs.
Teenage fast bowler Wayne Parnell was the undoubted star of the South Africa attack with four wickets for 13 runs.
Source:The times
South Africa took a big step towards securing their place in the World Twenty20 semi-finals with victory over West Indies at The Oval.
Herschelle Gibbs hit 55 as the South Africa, put into bat by West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, posted 183 for seven from their 20 overs.
In reply, West Indies lost big-hitter Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, the hero of last night's win over India, but Lendl Simmons led the chase with a sparkling innings.
However, when Simmons departed for 77, so did the West Indies' chances as South Africa, who beat England in their first Super Eight game, triumphed by 20 runs.
Teenage fast bowler Wayne Parnell was the undoubted star of the South Africa attack with four wickets for 13 runs.
Source:The times
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