Sport magazine issue 274

Issue 274 | September 21 2012

Case for the defence

Sport speaks to England T20 captain Stuart Broad

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issue 274, september 21 2012 radar 07 F1 2012 Codemasters’ new game: so realistic that Romain Grosjean even has to sit out playing it

08 World Chess Championships The original venue is a hotbed of nuclear activity, so it is instead coming to the Strand. Your move

10 Being Liverpool

Tune in tonight to see that picture on Brendan Rodgers’ wall in glorious HD

oFeatures this coming week

16 A Brit. A Broad England’s captain talks to us about his side’s chances of retaining their Twenty20 crown

16

22 The Ryder Cup Ahead of its return next week, we look back at the days when our brave boys weren’t so good

28 Bobby Zamora QPR’s top scorer on the arrival of 11 new faces this summer

45 Sport Style

54

Andrew Triggs Hodge models the season’s fashions – and tells us why flip-flops are his favourites

extra time

07

54 Gadgets The new iPhone 5. It’s taller, it’s thinner and, quite frankly, better than its 4S predecessor

56 Brittney Palmer

Cover image: johnangerson.com

UFC arrives in Nottingham next week, but you needn’t wait until then to see its star octagon girl

58 Grooming

22

Pastes and brushes that’ll leave your gnashers sparkly white

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60 Entertainment Settle in for a 007 marathon with the new Bond boxset. Skyfall will be out by the time you’re done | September 21 2012 | 05

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Radar

p08 – Cycling: The British National Track Champs

p08 – Chess returns to its spiritual home in London p10 – Summer of Sport turns into Awesome Autumn

Formula fun!

I

t’s ironic, for such a speedy sport, that the official F1 video game always comes about six months too late for the start of the season. There is, though, a benefit to this tardiness, because it gives developers Codemasters a chance to see how the cars are behaving in real life and adjust the game accordingly.

The 2012 edition has tried to strike a balance between hardcore realism and fun.

So you can adjust your brake differential if you want to, you massive bore. But there are also new pick-up-and-play game modes such as Season Challenge, a shortened career mode with 10 five-lap races, and

Champions mode, where you progress through a series of scenarios against the six world champions competing this year. It still has a healthy learning curve, and the handling has been tweaked for greater responsiveness.

Sadly, that didn’t stop us ploughing straight into Felipe Massa in the first corner. Then again, we were playing as Lewis Hamilton – so we’ll chalk that up to realism.

F1 2012, out today on 360, PS3 and PC

| September 21 2012 | 07

Radar

Calling all cyclists C

yclists – tell us all! We’ve teamed up with top online cycling retailer Wiggle to offer kit worth hundreds of pounds, but we want some information from you first. All you need to do to be in with a chance of getting your hands on this great gear is head online and tell us a little bit about yourself, your interests, and your views on the magazine. So, for that chance, just pedal on over to the weblink below. And thanks – in advance – for your feedback.

www.sport-magazine.co.uk/ cycle-survey

The road to Rio W

ith Victoria Pendleton having left the velodrome to focus on dancing and not crying quite as much, a couple of spots have become available on the most successful British team since Holmes and Watson. British Cycling’s next batch of champions will showcase their skills in Manchester next week, at the British National Track Championships. The five-day

Knight riders Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

T

he Russian city of Chelyabinsk, where the first leg of this year’s World Chess Championships were to be held, has been called ‘the most contaminated spot on the planet’. Sadly, organisers dropped the former production centre for weapons-grade plutonium, now home to a giant nuclear fuel reprocessing centre, in favour of London. Simpson’s-inthe-Strand, the spiritual home of chess in Europe and synonymous with the game since the 1820s, will instead host the world’s top 18 players. It has, though, had a makeover, with Mastermind-style lighting and analysis screens – for slow-mo replays, presumably.

FIDE Grand Prix, September 20-October 3

08 | September 21 2012 |

event sees riders from all over the country compete in the whole range of track events.

Previous winners include Bradley Wiggins, Sir Chris Hoy and Pendleton herself, so it’s a great chance to see who’s going to be apeearing on your cereal boxes or light entertainment television in four years’ time.

September 26-30, Manchester Velodrome.

Tickets at nationaltrackchamps.co.uk

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Radar

This is Anfield

Y

ou might have seen that clip of Brendan Rodgers having a go at Raheem Sterling.

Or that picture Brendan Rodgers has of himself, supposedly up on the wall of his own house. Both of those gems come from Being Liverpool, a six-part documentary that offers a look behind the scenes at Anfield during Rodgers’ first (and, let’s face it, possibly only) pre-season at the helm. It starts with the players returning to the club for pre-season fitness work –

check out Jose Enrique’s surprising upper-body strength – and ends with the close of the summer transfer window. So it should, if nothing else, provide an answer to why on earth they didn’t sign Clint Dempsey.

If you think you have better things to do with your Friday evening than watch Jamie Carragher running on a treadmill (get you), at least check out the ludicrous movie-style trailer on YouTube. Trust us, it’s worth it.

Being Liverpool, Channel 5, Friday 9pm

Now what?

All pictures Getty Images

W

ith last week’s Olympic and Paralympic victory parade through the streets of London, the Great British Summer of Sport™ officially came to an end. You might be wondering how you’re going to fill the huge handball-shaped hole in your life. But fear not – 2012 still has plenty more to give, with these four events the highlights of what’s sure to be an Awesome Autumn™. If none of this good stuff honks your horn, there’s always the bloody football. Either way, you can keep the summer of sport going all year long.

Although your boss might not be quite so understanding about you rocking up 20 minutes late because of ‘Olympic travel issues on the Jubilee Line’ in November.

10 | September 21 2012 |

Autumn Internationals, Twickenham England v Fiji, November 10 England v Australia, November 17 England v South Africa, November 24 England v New Zealand, December 1

Ryder Cup, Medinah Country Club, Illinois September 28-30

England Tour of India First Test, Ahmedabad, November 15 Second Test, Mumbai, November 23 Third Test, Kolkata, December 5 Fourth Test, Nagpur, December 13

ATP World Tour Finals, O2 Arena November 5-12

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Radar Editor’s letter

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Sport magazine Part of UTV Media plc 18 Hatfields, London SE1 8DJ Telephone: 020 7959 7800 Fax: 020 7959 7942 Email: firstname.lastname@ sport-magazine.co.uk

The Hillsborough Memorial outside Anfield last week

Now let’s see justice

The Hillsborough report fallout isn’t just about the truth and an apology, no matter how sincere

J Editor-in-chief Simon Caney @simoncaney

ustice has many definitions.

But, in this instance, we will settle for: n the quality of being just; rightness; the awarding of what is due.

The Report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel was issued the day after we went to press last week, so apologies that we couldn’t mention it in last week’s magazine.

It is, however, a story of such magnitude that it cannot pass without comment. And now that the Hillsborough Families Support Group are demanding fresh inquests into the deaths of the 96 victims, maybe justice will eventually be done.

There was, rightly, outrage in all quarters at the report. The obscene way that the policing was carried out was one thing, but the orchestrated cover-up afterwards was on an industrial – and

criminal – scale. Apologies from the Prime Minister and South Yorkshire Police were one thing, but the families surely now need complete closure. That means fresh verdicts on their loved ones. And, if that returns that they were killed unlawfully, then the offending officers must be brought to book. And those who perjured themselves by falsifying evidence must likewise be hauled before the courts.

The man in charge of South Yorkshire Police at the time, Peter Wright, died last year. But there are many others who are still alive, who colluded against the truth and must be punished. They are an affront to society, even after 23 years.

Last week’s report finally revealed the truth. It must have been a comfort for the families, but at the same time increased their anguish that the authorities had conspired against them. The apologies are fine. But much more is needed.

I’ve written about the nonsense of the pre-match handshake before, so I won’t go on about it again at length. But last weekend showed that it only serves to highlight negative aspects. It may seem a sporting gesture, but if it is not done with feeling, it is pointless. Let players shake hands with whoever they want, ideally after a game.

That way it’s done with a genuine respect, not an artificial one. Don’t inflame already heightened tensions with a ‘will they, won’t they’ moment. It’s foolish and dangerous.

Here’s your chance to have your say on the magazine. Join the Sport reader panel and you can help us shape the magazine as we plan for the future.

When you join, you’ll get the chance to take part in a number of email surveys – they are simple, and you can win stuff too. Go to www.sport-magazine.co.uk/ panel and sign up. What’s not to like?

Editorial Editor-in-chief: Simon Caney (7951) Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954) Associate editor: Nick Harper (7897) Art editor: John Mahood (7860) Deputy art editor: William Jack (7861) Digital designer: Chris Firth (7624) Subeditor: Graham Willgoss (7431) Senior writers: Sarah Shephard (7958), Alex Reid (7915) Staff writers: Mark Coughlan (7901), Amit Katwala (7914) Picture editor: Julian Wait (7961) Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963) Contributors: Douglas Rankine, David Lawrenson, Martin Barry, Gavin Newsham Commercial Agency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991) Business Director (Magazine and iPad): Paul Brett (7918) Business Director: Kevin O’Byrne (7832) Advertising Manager: Steve Hare (7930) New Business Sales Executive: Hayley Robertson (7904) Distribution Manager: Sian George (7852) Distribution Assistant: Makrum Dudgeon Head of Online: Matt Davis (7825) Head of Communications: Laura Wootton (7913) Managing Director: Adam Bullock PA to Managing Director: Sophia Koulle (7826) Colour reproduction: Rival Colour Ltd Printed by: Wyndeham Group Ltd © UTV Media plc 2012 UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements placed in Sport magazine £1 where sold Hearty thanks this week to: Florence Partridge, Katie Hunter

Cover of the Year

You make a big shout to suggest a Murray win at Wimbledon is imminent – it will only happen if Federer retires, Nadal is injured and Djokovic is knackered!

Every now and then I’m just gonna tweet the words SPORT MAG @Sportmaguk it makes me feel good!

James via email

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12 | September 21 2012 |

A little unusual to see Yaya Toure sat on @styalfc pitch but he is. #styalfc #thestrip

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Friday means no work for two whole days (boo!) and it also means the oddly satisfying freebie that is @Sportmaguk (yay!)

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Reader comments of the week

Frozen in time

Rich Schultz /Getty Images

The eagle has landed And having landed, the eagle then proceeded to open its beak and belch out a whole aerie of Philadelphia Eagles in a large puff of smoke, all the while warbling a vague aquiline interpretation of The Star-Spangled Banner. Being the away team, the Baltimore Ravens were subsequently dumped on to the pitch via the eagle’s ‘other end’, a shot far too graphic to show in the pages of a ‘family magazine’.

14 | September 21 2012 |

| 15

Stuart Broad

Friday ICC World TWenTy20: england v afghanIsTan | r Premadasa sTadIum, Colombo | sky sPorTs 1 2.30Pm

16 | September 21 2012 |

Ahead of his side launching their World Twenty20 defence against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka today, England captain Stuart Broad met Sport in confident but reflective mood

W

hen, later this afternoon, England begin their defence of the iCC World Twenty20 title they so stealthily stole off with from the West Indies two years ago, they will do so without the man who led them there and the destructive batsman who inspired such a surprising victory. Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen are absent for very different reasons – one retired, the other banished – but the new man in charge has no doubt that his youthful squad can put up a sturdy defence on the challenging pitches of Sri Lanka. ”We go there as world champions, so you’re expected to challenge,” said Stuart Broad in an exclusive interview with Sport

shortly before the team departed English shores. ”I think it would be wrong to build us up as favourites, because the team is going through a bit of a dynamic change – we have guys who have played four or five games going into a World Cup, not guys who have played 30 or 40. It’s a young team, but then it’s a young game – a pretty fearless game.

Maybe experience can hold you back? It’s sometimes the young guys who have no fear, go out and give it a bit of a whack.”

For anyone who saw England’s final game of a long and often turbulent home summer last Wednesday, those words will resonate.

A comfortable victory in the final of three Twenty20 internationals against South Africa was facilitated by the top-order hitting of

Craig Kieswetter (24, and a survivor from that 2010 title-winning team) and confirmed by a brutal late-innings onslaught from the 21-year-old Jos Buttler. In the absence of Pietersen, in Sri Lanka only for media work, Broad will look to the young Somerset pair for the runs England will need if they are to launch a serious defence of their title.

At the other end, meanwhile, the captain knows exactly what is required. ”Whenever I’ve been involved with successful Twenty20 teams, the one thing we’ve always had is spinners who were able to just kill the game in the middle,” says Broad. ”At Leicestershire, when we won the Twenty20 Cup [in 2006] despite being given no hope, we had Jeremy Snape and Claude Henderson; and at the last World Cup we had [Graeme] Swanny and Michael Yardy. After six overs of the heavy boys, the spinners come on and the batsmen don’t know where they’re going. It can be slightly different in the subcontinent, because players do tend to get after the spin a bit more – but the key still lies with the spinners.” >

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand | 17

Image courtesy of Red Bull Content Pool

Broad horizons

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Stuart Broad

Dark times That means a central role for Danny Briggs, the 21-year-old slow left-armer who impressed in Hampshire’s Friends Life t20 victory last month before doing likewise when opening the bowling against the Proteas at Edgbaston last week. Swann, the self-confessed grandfather of Broad’s youthful squad, remains an integral member – but Yardy is long since departed, another victim of the depression that has plagued international cricket in recent years.

Broad, the son of an international cricketer and himself now a veteran of six years in the England set-up, is quick to acknowledge the pressures of life at the top of his sport. ”It is an amazing life and a fantastic career to get into, but there are dark times too,” he admits. ”Being on tour is part and parcel of our job, but it’s tough. After the Mumbai terrorist attacks [of 2008], we went back to India for a two-match Test series, and it was complete shutdown. That was a new thing for all of us and, to be honest, we didn’t really know what to do. It was only three weeks, so a short tour, but in that time Matt Prior and I must have watched 60 or 70 DVDs. That’s a lot of time spent on lockdown in a room.”

Life as a professional cricketer is the chief subject of Broad’s new book, My World in

Cricket, which is out next month. The 26-yearold is eager to stress that this is by no means an autobiography, rather an insight into the training and life techniques he employs to see him through an elite career in the sport he loves. It promises to be an interesting read for cricket fans – but, we suggest, anyone wanting a readier insight into the life of Stuart Broad need only press the ’Follow’ button on his Twitter page.

He smiles: ”I think as an England team, Twitter has done us a lot of good. It has made the fans feel closer to us, I think – like it’s their team. They know what you’re up to, can get a feel for your personality... but it works both ways. If you’ve had a bad day, it opens you up. It used to be just 20 journalists who had a pen who could nail you, but now it’s open to the world – and that’s where, as athletes, you have to be careful. ”I think Rory McIlroy made a very good point. He was quite into Twitter during his whole Augusta ordeal last year; he would read it a lot, but now during major tournaments he puts it to bed and gets stuck into the week. You need a balance.

I don’t like to comment too much during Test matches; write something like ’we’re in a good position’ and it can only

“Being on tour is part of the job, but it is tough” 18 | September 21 2012 |

Suits you, sir: despite previous brushes with the authorities, Broad has taken well to the demands of the Twenty20 captaincy

bite you on the arse, can’t it? People do enjoy feeling closer to the England team, though, and I think most of us have found that balance.

Twitter’s not there for you to have your word slagging off the world, is it? It’s there to let people see what you’re up to.”

Temperament trap There were plenty of people wanting to know exactly what Broad had been up to with regards to the spoof KP Genius Twitter account that so enraged Pietersen before his omission from the squad for Sri Lanka. Absolutely nothing untoward, as things turned out – but that it was even suggested that Broad was anything to do with such a potentially disruptive caper served only to remind us of his relative youth.

International captain he may now be, but it is also little more than a year since he was fined for making ”unacceptable and offensive remarks” to umpire Billy Bowden after a one-day international against Sri Lanka. ”Growing up, Martin Johnson was one of my biggest sporting heroes,” reveals Broad in an answer that goes some way to explaining the fires that undoubtedly burn within him. ”He always went by a philosophy I like; he was always the first one there if one of his teammates was in trouble. He was the one getting the bloke by the neck, standing up for his team. He was a powerful guy, the kind of guy you’d want to follow on to the field.

It wasn’t his skills in the line-out I admired, it was his temperament – that’s where my heroes come from.”

No surprise that Broad lists Glenn McGrath as his all-time sporting hero, then. >

Stuart Broad

He has another decade of international cricket ahead of him if he’s to emulate the great Australian, who retired at the venerable age of 37, but with a little bit of help from his superiors he feels he can get there. ”I’m fortunate to be playing in an era when the ECB are looking after their players,” he explains. ”I think that’s one thing for which Fred [Andrew Flintoff] can look back on his career and feel a bit unfortunate – in that era, it was just a case of play until you get injured, then play until you get injured again. Now, every ball is monitored. In the UAE [against Pakistan] last winter, I think Jimmy [Anderson] and I bowled pretty much every day of the Test series because we kept getting bowled out cheaply. It got into that red zone of us having bowled 200-odd overs in a month, so we had

Broad smile England’s Twenty20 captain looks back on his career highlights... so far

20 | September 21 2012 |

a week off and didn’t bowl at all. Years before, you’d have just kept on playing through.”

We remind Broad that he has still racked up 50 Tests (a mark overlooked by many as it coincided with Andrew Strauss’ 100th and final Test) and more than 90 ODIs in six years. ”That is a lot of cricket,” he concedes. ”But such numbers are only relevant when you think that someone like Darren Gough only played 58 Tests in his career. I’m lucky to have that experience at my age, and people say your pomp is between 28 and 32. Well, if it is, I’m in a good position.”

Standing tall: Broad wants to be a role model for young cricket fans throughout the country

Doing it for the kids A good position, too, to guarantee that today’s youth grow up idolising him rather than fast bowlers from other nations. ”It makes me sad to say the bowlers who were my heroes

growing up – McGrath, Shaun Pollock – weren’t English,” says Broad. ”But that’s why we want to build a team that kids want to watch now.

You want kids in England to grow up wanting to be Matt Prior behind the stumps or Alastair Cook opening the batting. I had the parent of a seven-year-old boy tweet me yesterday... his son had got up, put on an England football shirt and a wide-brimmed sunhat, walked into breakfast and said: ’Today, Daddy, I’m going to be Broady.’ That sort of thing is brilliant.”

Should Broad captain England to retain their World Twenty20 crown, children up and down the nation may soon be doing just the same.

Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1 My World in Cricket by Stuart Broad, published

by Simon & Schuster, out October 11, £20

Ashes hero, August 2009

World champions, May 2010

Hat-trick at home, July 2011

Day two of the fifth Test of an Ashes series locked at 1-1, and Broad ripped through the Aussie top order at a sundrenched Oval. His 5/37 set up the win that saw England reclaim the Ashes lost so disastrously two years earlier.

“I’d had a lot of stick, people saying I shouldn’t be in the side,” he recalls. “But the ECB stuck with me, and that gave me confidence. The whole day was surreal, and then the next day I was on the front page of The Times.”

Broad took no wickets and didn’t bat in the World Twenty20 final, but he didn’t care a jot. “Beating Australia in Barbados in that final, singing the national anthem with 25,000 Brits in a different country, was just incredible,” he smiles. “We went to that Harbour Lights beach bar with all the fans that night, and just had an amazing time. From a team point of view, that would have to be the day I would pick out.”

Eight months after being a victim in the 38th hat-trick in Test history, Broad wrote himself into the record books with number 39, capturing the Indian trio of MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar on his home ground of Trent Bridge. “It was about 5pm on a glorious Saturday,” he remembers. “Everyone had had a few beers and the atmosphere... well, I remember running in and hearing this amazing roar. The loudest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Stu Forster/Getty Images, William West/AFP/Getty Images, Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images, Tom Shaw/Getty Images

“It makes me sad that my heroes growing up weren’t English”

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The Ryder Cup

“They say They’ve goT Themselves a

US captain Jack Burke Jr holds court at the 1973 Ryder Cup – the Americans won 19-13

22 | September 21 2012 |

a seve. WhaT The hell’s a seve!?”

Don Morley/Getty Images

Europe’s Ryder Cup golfers used to be the laughing stock of the world. Next week, they head to the US as holders and winners of eight of the past 13 clashes.

Gavin Newsham looks back at the dark days and investigates how it all started to go so right

| 23

The Ryder Cup

T

he Ryder Cup was dying a slow, painful and largely unnoticed death. Decades of ugly, one-sided defeats for the British team had left the side dispirited, the opposition

indifferent and the very future of the event hanging in the balance. Even when a desperate and despairing Professional Golf Association (PGA) widened its selection pool, first from Great Britain to Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) and then to a Europe-wide team, it seemed, initially at least, to make little difference.

In the new European team’s first outing at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in 1979, for instance, they were spanked 17-11. Two years later, at a waterlogged Walton Heath, the US brought arguably the greatest Ryder Cup side ever assembled across the Atlantic and demolished them once again, 18½-9½.

The truth, the inescapable and painful truth, was that the Ryder Cup had long since ceased to be a genuine contest. If anything, it had become a cull. And it was embarrassing.

At each event, the American team would step off Concorde with their catalogue haircuts, sharp suits and ice-white teeth, and proceed to wipe the floor with their

point in playing any more. The 1973 Open champion Tom Weiskopf, for instance, ducked out of the matches at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1977, taking the opportunity to go bear-hunting in Alaska instead. “It’s the lions against the Christians,” he said of the event.

“Lop-sided. I’ve done it before. Let someone else have a chance to play.”

That the Ryder Cup was losing its lustre was clear. That it actually had a future, less so.

The antipathy of players such as Weiskopf typified a wider indifference, especially over the pond. It was a sorry situation perfectly described by The Observer’s Peter Dobereiner, who after the 12½-7½ evisceration at Lytham in 1977 suggested: “In America the Ryder Cup now rates somewhere between Tennessee Frog jumping and the Alabama Melon-Pip Spitting Championship.” It was hardly surprising.

RydeR Results

The Cup of no hope

1957

Since the inaugural matches at the Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts in 1927, the Americans had won 20 of the 24 events (with one tie) prior to the 1983 matches at Palm Beach. With humiliation heaped on humiliation and an absence of

1959

“we wenT inTo The RyDeR Cup wiTh The iDea ThaT iT was a foRegone ConClusion – ThaT we weRe going To win. iT was a maTTeR of faCT” transatlantic counterparts. They looked like the major-winning millionaires that they were, and played like them too.

“We went into the Ryder Cup with the idea that it was a foregone conclusion – that we were going to win,” explains eight-time major winner Tom Watson. “That’s not to be big-headed. It was just a matter of fact.”

It was so one-sided, in fact, that for some American players there was precious little

1927

US 9½-2½ GB

1929

GB 7-5 US

1931

US 9-3 GB

1933

GB 6½-5½ US

1935

US 9-3 GB

1937

US 8-4 GB

1947

US 11-1 GB

1949

US 7-5 GB

1951

US 9½-2½ GB

1953

US 6½-5½ GB

1955

US 8-4 GB GB 7½-4½ US US 8½-3½ GB

1961

US 14½-9½ GB

1963

US 23-9 GB

anything resembling a competition, the television companies, for one, had all but lost interest.

In the US, the event had been relegated to local cable channels, while over in the UK a short highlights programme was the most any golf fan could hope for – assuming there were any highlights, of course.

And it got worse. After the drubbing at Walton Heath in 1981, when the USA fielded the living, breathing golf Hall of Fame they were calling the ’$20m Dollar Team’, the PGA’s main sponsor, Sun Alliance, had called time on their agreement – leaving not just the PGA in the lurch, but the future of the event in grave danger. Finding a new sponsor proved almost impossible, however.

Despite spending most of 1982 on the road desperately trying to entice new partners, Colin Snape, then PGA Secretary and wheeler-dealer-in-chief, found that without a proposition to match his tireless enthusiasm, all he could eventually muster was the offer of £80,000 worth of cigarette coupons from a tobacco manufacturer.

But while the smokers at golf’s HQ may have got excited, it was hardly the blockbuster deal that was going to save the Ryder Cup. Today, of course, there are scores of companies Bernard Gallacher queuing up to pay ponders a putt handsomely for the in 1981 privilege of being associated with the competition. But back in the dark days of the 1970s and early 1980s, the Ryder Cup was less a cash cow and more a dead duck.

The European team was forced to beg, steal and borrow any equipment they could lay their hands on.

“You look back on it with affection, but the clothing >

GB&I’s 1973 selection line up in mustard slacks.

They lost, obviously

24 | September 21 2012 |

Ron Burton/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Tony Duffy/Allsport, Getty Images

The US touch down with their cup in 1953

The Ryder Cup

ryder results

1965

US 19½-12½ GB

1967

US 23½-8½ GB

1969

US 16-16 GB (US retain)

1971

US 18½-13½ GB Total: US 16 GB 3

The victorious US take another trophy home in 1981 (above), while Billy Casper ponders those strides in 1973

When the PGA asked Jacklin to skipper the team for the 1983 matches, there were just six months to go before the event in Florida began. Moreover, there wasn’t exactly a queue of candidates for the job.

Meanwhile, the PGA had been buoyed by a sponsorship deal with Bell’s Whisky, guaranteeing the immediate future of the event. All of which put Jacklin in a very strong position.

He would agree to the job, but only if a raft of assurances could be guaranteed. From better shoes and clothing to new equipment, from team rooms and support staff to travel on Concorde for wives and the caddies, too.

For the new captain, it was first class or forget it. “I knew if I was to accept the job, I wanted to do it on own my terms,” he explains.

“I said, if I do it, it has got to be the way the Americans do it.”

With new team clothes provided by Austin Reed (approved by Jacklin’s wife Vivien) the European team certainly looked the part when they teed it up at Palm Beach Garden’s PGA National course – even if playing in cashmere sweaters in the Florida heat was like playing in a sleeping bag.

There were not, however, enough shirts to go round. “It was so humid that, after the morning round, the shirt was wringing wet, so we had to nip into the club shop and buy some new ones,” recalls the then 21-yearold rookie Paul Way. “It was still all about money and there wasn’t much knocking about.”

But at least a corner had been turned.

Thanks to Jacklin, the European team now looked – and felt – better than ever. And at Palm Beach Gardens, they played better than ever too, with pride, belief and endless heart.

They still lost, of course – but at least they looked the part. And for Europe, after decades of despair, the future finally looked bright.

Gavin Newsham is the author of Two Tribes, The Epic Story of the Ryder Cup (Atlantic Books)

“iT wAs so humid ThAT, AfTer The morning round, The shirT wAs bloody wringing weT – so we hAd To nip inTo The club shop And buy new ones” US 19-13 GB&I

1975

US 21-11 GB&I

1977

US 12½-7½ GB&I Total: US 3 GB&I 0

1979

US 17-11 Europe

1981

US 18½-9½ Europe

1983

US 14½-13½ Europe

1985

Europe 16½-11½ US

1987

Europe 15-13 US

1989

Europe 14-14 US – Europe retain

1991

US 14½-13½ Europe

1993

US 15-13 Europe

1995

Europe 14½-13½ US

1997

Europe 14½-13½ US

1999

US 14½-13½ Europe

2002

Europe 15½-12½ US

2004

Europe 18½-9½ US

2006

Europe 18½-9½ US

2008

US 16½-11½ Europe

2010

Europe 14½-13½ US Total: Europe 9-7 US

26 | September 21 2012 |

was crap,” recalls Snape. “I really was going round almost with a barrow persuading people. ’Can I have free suitcases?’ and ’how many cashmere sweaters?’ and so on, but that is the way that it was. It was fun, really, but it was seat-of-the-pants stuff.”

A case in point were the Stylo golf shoes the PGA had procured for the 1975 contest at Laurel Valley – made, it should be noted, not from leather but from the finest plastic.

Just how inferior they were was perfectly illustrated midway through Tony Jacklin’s singles match against Ray Floyd, when the soles of his shoes fell off on the putting green. “We wore what they [the PGA] thought was right, which was more or less anything they could get that was free,” recalls Jacklin. “There was no self-esteem.

And then these Americans would turn up in cashmere sweaters with leather golf bags.

They did everything first class and we were two-nil down before we had hit a shot, just on the basis of how we were made to feel.”

The AmericAn ApproAch Jacklin had, by then, had a gutful of the Ryder Cup. Throughout his years playing in the event – played seven, lost six, won none – England’s double major-winner had watched on wearily as the American opposition repeatedly outclassed the GB&I team, both on the golf course and off it. But the dismal state of affairs would actually play into Jacklin’s hands. With the event in the doldrums and the team failing – and spectacularly so – even the job of European team captain had become less a poisoned chalice and more the cup of no hope.

Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson size up a putt during the US rout at Walton Heath in 1981

Bob Martin/Getty Images, Don Morley/ Getty Images, Tony Duffy/Allsport

1973

Next week: Our full Ryder Cup preview, featuring an exclusive Ian Poulter interview

While he drifts off... ...we’re staying firmly on track.

When braking counts. www.continental-tyres.co.uk

Bobby Zamora

New money When your club’s spending loads and plays at Loftus Road - it’s Zamora

A

QPR were struggling with relegation when you joined – what motivated that decision?

“I wasn’t really happy at Fulham – I think

“Tony Fernandes is like a normal bloke, just with a ridiculous amount of money” 28 | September 21 2012 |

that’s been the case for a few people.

The opportunity came to link up with Mark Hughes, who I had a good year with at Fulham even though I was injured for a lot of it.

But the season I had with them [Hughes and his team], I really enjoyed the way they work.

It was sold to me that it was an ambitious club, and obviously knowing Mark and his team, I know they wouldn’t go there if they didn’t think it was going to be the right club for them.”

Was that part of what attracted you – the fact that the club were spending money on bringing in players?

“Yeah, when I spoke to Tony Fernandes, he said they wanted to push on and promised they’d sign some good players. I’d heard about Djibs [Djibril Cisse] coming in, and a few other players they were looking to get as well. At the time, they said all the right things, and it was a move I was very happy to make. I think if you look now at the players we’re signing, they certainly are ambitious – and are following through with what they said to me in January.”

Is Tony Fernandes quite involved with the players?

“Tony is a very nice guy, and he’s always

very approachable. He comes to the training ground and to the stadium, and he’s someone who just pops in who you can talk to about anything, really. I’m sure if anyone here has any problems, they can talk to him. He’s very hands-on. I think whenever you’ve seen him in the press, he’s been quite relaxed. He’s like a normal bloke, just with a ridiculous amount of money.”

The club have brought in 11 new players over the summer [see box, overleaf].

Has it been difficult to incorporate so many new faces into the team?

“Yeah – I mean I’m sure it’s like that in any walk of life. If you get 11 new faces thrown together in your office, it’s going to be hard to work together straight away. But I’m sure after a little bit of time you’ll all gel, click and put a good mag together [no comment, Bobby]. It’s pretty much the same situation with us – we have good-quality players, and everyone knows they’re quality. At the minute, it’s a bedding-in period, and we can see weekly for ourselves that people are learning. We’re still excited – even though we’re not in a great position at the minute, we’re only a few games in. So, really, it

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Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

s legions of Football Manager fans will tell you, spending big doesn’t always equate to instant success. Manchester City and Chelsea’s respective millions have them flying high, but at the other end of the table are Queens Park Rangers – who scraped to Premier League safety on the final day of last season despite being bankrolled by Tony Fernandes and the super-wealthy Mittal family (combined net worth approximately $20bn). They’ve spent big in the past three transfer windows, adding 26 players for almost £36m, but have started this season poorly – they sit 18th in the Premier League after four games. We spoke to 31-year-old striker Bobby Zamora, who signed from Fulham in January, for the inside track on the Premier League’s new big spenders.

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Bobby Zamora

How long do you think it’ll take before everything starts to gel?

“I’d probably say about 10 games, to be honest with you. I know that probably sounds quite a lot – it’s a quarter of the season – but 10 games is a good amount of time to gel, I think. After that, we’ll have to look at the table and the results and see if everything’s going well. I’m confident it will be.”

As a striker, is it hard to adjust to playing in front of what is a completely new midfield?

“I’m quite adaptable. I’d say we’re a ’footballing team’ now. And I like to think that I can play football; but that if you need to put yourself in the mix and bruise up a couple of centre halves, I can do that as well.”

But at Fulham, for example, you knew you’d have Damien Duff whipping in crosses and Danny Murphy playing it forward from midfield. Is it hard not knowing what runs to make, what service to expect?

“That didn’t come straight away – that Europa League run, for example, was the third season in for us. Again, it was a new set of lads that was built up slowly – not with 11 players in a season, but maybe three at a time. It was quite settled – Roy [Hodgson] used to try and play his first XI every game, whether it was a cup game or whatever. The team certainly benefits, providing your body can keep up with it. It was obviously quite hard with the Europa stuff on a Thursday, then Sunday, then Tuesday.”

What do you make of the new players who have come in – it must be exciting to play alongside the likes of Cisse?

“Yeah, though we haven’t played a lot together.

He was suspended for quite a few games last year [laughs]. I think he had a couple of silly challenges – forward’s challenges, I suppose.

That’s why he’s a striker and not a defender.

But he’s a great finisher – certainly one of

the best I’ve played with. But, you know, coming in now and seeing the likes of, say, Julio Cesar in goal in training. He’s a very special goalkeeper, and that’s one thing that’s certainly a bonus.”

and it’s down to judgement. I don’t think anyone got hurt in any of those challenges, but it was the referee’s decision. You have to work hard, and sometimes that can go a bit against you.”

You mentioned the red cards – QPR collected nine last season. Is discipline a problem?

“I think we were in a dogfight, and I think everybody was flying about and trying to get close to the ball.

At times, there’s a fine line

Are improvements being made behind the scenes as well?

“Yeah, we will be getting a new training ground. The site is there and stuff – I think it’s literally a case of planning permission and bits and pieces, and then they’ll start building.

But yeah, there’s no point really doing stuff to a training ground that we don’t already own. But it’s not just players – physios and all those bits and pieces are getting overhauled.”

Spending spree

Eleven new players donned the blue and white hoops over the summer – enough for a whole new team. Although, admittedly, quite an unbalanced one

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Jose Bosingwa fREE tRAnSfER from Chelsea

Robert Green fREE tRAnSfER from West Ham

Julio Cesar fREE tRAnSfER from Internazionale

Samuel magri fREE tRAnSfER from Portsmouth

Stephane mbia £5m from Marseille

Samba Diakite fREE tRAnSfER from Nancy

Park Ji-Sung £2.5m from Man Utd Junior Hoilett tRiBunAl to SEt fEE from Blackburn

Ryan nelsen fREE tRAnSfER from Tottenham

Esteban Granero £3.5m from Real Madrid Andrew Johnson fREE tRAnSfER from Fulham

How does the set-up at QPR compare to your time at Fulham?

“I think it’s pretty much... well, Fulham have obviously been in the Premier League for however many seasons and have an established base. And obviously the training ground is their own.

QPR are a team looking to go in that direction and become a bigger club.

So I’m sure in three or four years time, if you ask me that question, QPR will be on another level.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala Battlefield 3 Premium Edition is out now for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC

| August 3 2012 | 33

The power of four Speed, performance, endurance – the LG Optimus 4X HD Life’S GOOD wHen...

SpeeD iS Of tHe eSSence We’ve all been there. Something amazing is unfolding before your very eyes, and you want to capture the moment – whether it’s a child’s first steps or the incredible finale to a football game or gig.

But, by the time you get your smartphone out, unlock it and open the camera app, the moment has passed, and you’ve missed half of it fiddling with your phone. We’ve all needed to fire out a quick email or text before getting on to the Tube or taking off on a plane, and been thwarted by sluggish messaging apps or email clients. And we’ve all found our phones getting slower and slower as we fill them up with data – texts from loved ones, favourite songs, great apps. You know that deleting them might make the phone run a bit quicker – but why should you have to do that?

Well, you don’t – not with the new quadcore LG Optimus 4X HD. Quadcore equals speed, with NVIDIA’s 4-PLUS-1™ Tegra mobile processor giving you all the power you need to take photos or videos in a flash, or fire off emails in an instant. You can even jot down quick notes, no matter what you’re doing, thanks to LG’s unique QMemo feature, which lets you write memos from any screen without having to open a separate application.

That’s part of Optimus UI 3.0, LG’s new user experience, which builds on the already excellent Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, giving you access to thousands of the best apps. The new UI includes Time Catch Shot, a camera feature that lets you select and save the best shot from the images taken just before you press the shutter, so you’ll never fail to capture the moment.

32 | September 21 2012 |

Good things may come to those who wait, but sometimes they happen pretty quickly – so you need a phone that can keep up. With its quadcore processor, the LG Optimus 4X HD certainly fits the bill.

Life’S GOOD wHen... yOu’re entertaineD, On tHe mOve Much as we’d like it to, life doesn’t always throw up entertaining moments for us – sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands. Whether it’s on your daily commute to work, or the occasional long journey, the LG Optimus 4X HD has you covered, with the power and performance to run any app that imaginative Android development community can throw at it. So if you’re playing Angry Birds or browsing the web for video content, you’ll find loading times much quicker. After all – if you’re on your phone because you’re waiting for your train to work, your phone shouldn’t be keeping you waiting as well.

Of course, you’ll hardly realise you’re on your phone because all that video content will look great on the Optimus 4X HD’s incredible display. The 4.7-inch True HD IPS screen has a resolution of 1280 x 720, so it’s super high clarity, and the 16:9 aspect ratio makes it perfect for enjoying films the way they were meant to be seen. LG have added MediaPlex to the Android-based OS – it adds features like Fingertip Seek and Live Zooming to video playback, so you can easily hone in on exactly what you want to see.

As smartphones become ever more intelligent, performance becomes even more important. If you’re looking for a phone with the power to entertain you with games, videos and the best the web has to offer, look no further than the LG Optimus 4X HD.

Life’S GOOD wHen... yOur cHarGer can Stay at HOme Of course all that processing power means nothing if your phone battery doesn’t have enough endurance to make it through the day.

The LG Optimus 4X’s NVIDIA 4-PLUS-1 mobile processor doesn’t just have the power of four cores for speed and performance; it’s also cleverly constructed to give you power when you need it, but save battery life when you don’t. The 4X HD comes with a 2,150mAH battery – it’s larger and longer-lasting than any other quadcore smartphone on the market, but doesn’t add bulk to the phones smart design. There’s more – the Optimus 4X HD’s clever quad-core processor utilises a fifth ’battery-saver’ core. So, if your phone is on standby, or you’re listening to music with it in your pocket, your battery isn’t being drained.

Thanks to its Tegra 4-PLUS-1 processor, the LG Optimus 4X HD offers incredible power, but also amazing endurance, so you can be confident it will last through the day.

The LG Optimus 4X HD offers speed, power and endurance, and is available from Phones4U. For more information, visit lg.com/uk/4XHD

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The 2,150mAh battery is the largest of any quadcore smartphone, holding a greater charge without impacting on phone design

The 4.7” True HD IPS screen has a resolution of 1280x720, and a 16:9 aspect ratio great for widescreen viewing. Text is sharper and easier to read NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 4-PLUS-1 Quadcore intelligently manages all four cores when needed and differs to a fifth battery-saver core for less demanding tasks to maximise power efficiency

MediaPlex software makes video playback a dream – with features like Fingertip Seek and Live Zooming

The 4X HD runs Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, so you can customise your phone and download apps to your heart’s content

LG’s QMemo software lets you quickly jot down notes from whatever application you’re in at the time

7 Days OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

SATURDAY |

SEP HIGHLIGHTS 21-SEP 27 » Football: Premier League » p36 »Cycling: UCI Road World Championships » p38 » F1: Singapore Grand Prix » p38 » Rugby Union: Leicester Tigers v Harlequins » p40 » Boxing: Ricky Burns v Kevin Mitchell » p41

UFC 152: jON jONES v vITOR BELFORT | AIR CANADA CENTRE, TORONTO | ESPN 3AM

Bad to the Bones Jed Jacobsohn/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

This weekend, Jon ‘Bones’ Jones (above, left) defends his world lightheavyweight title at UFC 152 in Toronto. Ahead of him making short work of Brazilian Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort, we bring you a few things we’ve learned about the man they’re calling the new Muhammad Ali...

He’s happy with the Ali comparisons

He’s launching missiles

“Hearing things like that just motivates me to do better and do everything to make things like that accurate. Compliments like that reassure me that my hard work is paying off and that people are noticing.”

“I’ve learned to trust myself more. Now I feel I know how to fight more. Before, I was just engaged in a fight. Now I’m engaged in target practice or a chess match, choosing shots, being more methodical where I’m sending missiles – not just swinging haymakers.”

He’s making it up as he goes along “All the crazy spinning back fists, spinning elbows and all that crazy stuff I do come from moves that I’ve seen on YouTube. The move where you drop down, touch the leg and try to do a spinning back elbow I actually learned from a [action film star] Tony Jaa video. I said: ‘That looks like it could work,’ and I went for it.”

34 | September 21 2012 |

He’s a shape-shifting enigma “Guys who study my fights, I try to give them an evolution. They’ll see a totally different style in every fight. So it’s hard to predict what I’ll do because every fight is different and I’ll come back a completely different fighter for a completely different opponent.”

He’s thinking bigger than just the UFC “I want to be remembered for impacting the world in some way. That’s the thing about Ali and Bruce Lee – these guys were not only great, but they changed the world in some way.

They changed culture. People telling me how great a fighter I am does nothing for me. As I figure out who I am as a man, it will help me figure out how I can impact this world. I think I’m on the right track.”

He’s unfazed by fame...

“I try to keep myself grounded and keep myself around the same friends. And life is the same – it really is. There’s a little bit more publicity, but that’s something I expected.

I try to just appreciate it.”

... and unfazed to be facing The Phenom “I am honoured to fight Vitor Belfort. He is a Christian like I am, a respectable man – a good, classy, clean-cut guy.”

The UFC returns to the UK at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham on September 29.

Tickets are available from UFC.com

Advertising Feature

Shock & awe

for the football fan seeking upsets and drama, the third round of the capital one cup is a date that should always be circled in the diary. as recent history has taught us, it’s a date when the only thing we can expect is the unexpected This may have been the United of Bardsley, Martin, Eagles and Dong, but it did still feature six full internationals and a rare outing from future (now current) Barcelona rock Gerard Pique. Few of the 74,000 crowd inside Old Trafford expected anything other than a home win, not even the 11,000 travelling fans. They started to believe a little more when Michael Mifsud tucked home Michael Doyle’s cross after 27 minutes, then doubled the lead with 20 minutes left. At the end, Fergie fumed: ”What has happened tonight was a IC big shock for us all.” Indeed it was.

S CLASSETS P CU

2-1 West haM United (2006) 2 chesterfield

Having accounted for Manchester City in the previous round, third-tier Chesterfield came from behind against the Premier League Hammers. Marlon Harewood’s impressive volley seemed to have established the natural order in the fourth minute, but Colin Larkin brought parity in the second half and Caleb Folan (below, left) forced home the winner with four minutes left. In the next round they took Premier League Charlton all the way to penalties, where their luck ran out.

3

liverpool 1-2 GriMsby toWn (2001)

A script written by a hopeless romantic, as holders (and treble-winners the previous season) Liverpool were knocked out by a boyhood Reds fan recently signed from city rivals Everton. In 23 previous visits to Anfield, the Mariners had never tasted victory – and the record seemed all set to stretch to 24 when Gary McAllister broke Grimsby’s resistance in extra time, poking home from the penalty spot. That should have been that, until Marlon Broomes volleyed an unlikely equaliser from close range after 113 minutes.

Cue a frantic finale in which the hosts bashed away for a face-saving winner, failing and falling as the ball dropped to Phil Jevons 30 yards out. He rifled home past Chris Kirkland to spark scenes of wild delirium.

THE CAPITAL ONE CUP: THIRD ROUND Thirty-two teams remain in the competition renamed the Capital One Cup this season, each harbouring hopes of picking up the trophy next February. Of the 16 games, we predict at least one sizeable shock...

leeds v everton For the first time in a very long time, David Moyes’ Everton have started the season in impressive form, beating Manchester United in the opening game, following it up with a 3-1 win at Aston Villa and coasting into the Capital One Cup Third Round with a 5-0 romp past Leyton Orient. However, defeat at West Brom in their penultimate outing hinted at a fragility that may be exploited next Tuesday. A solid start to the season, a vociferous home crowd and the impressive ability of Neil Warnock to inspire his troops when it matters make this the most likely location of an upset.

OTHER FIXTURES (all 7.45pm unless stated) September 25 Bradford v Burton Albion Chelsea v Wolves Crawley v Swansea Man City v Aston Villa MK Dons v Sunderland Preston v Middlesbrough Southampton v Sheffield Wednesday Swindon v Burnley West Ham v Wigan September 26 Arsenal v Coventry Carlisle v Tottenham Manchester United v Newcastle Norwich v Doncaster QPR v Reading West Brom v Liverpool (8pm)

Capital One, official credit card of The Football League.

For further details, see facebook.com/capitaloneuk

| 35

Tom Purslow/Manchester United via Getty Images, Michael Steele/Getty Images

United 0-2 coventry city (2007, above) 1 Manchester

7 Days

Premier League

sunday liverpool v manchester united | anfield sky sports 1 1.30pm

Two grudge matches – one longstanding, one rather newer – in one day? Consider yourself booked up on Sunday afternoon sunday manchester city v arsenal | etihad stadium | sky sports 1 4pm

The despicable chants, the snubbed handshakes, the race row – all are bound to dominate the build-up to Sunday’s game. That’s despite the plea of both teams’ managers for the focus to be on matters of greater significance. Sunday’s game is the first at Anfield since Liverpool fans were cleared of blame in relation to the Hillsborough disaster, marking a long-awaited breakthrough for the bereaved families.

The mood is likely to be reflective, then, ahead of kick-off. But with the home side still looking for their first league win of the season, there’s a job to be done on the pitch. The form of 17-year-old Raheem Sterling (above) has been the silver lining in Liverpool’s season so far, but can he inspire his teammates enough to help them beat the old enemy?

Feeling blue

sunday tottenham v qpr | white hart lane | 4pm

It’s a game being billed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as a test of how much titlewinning potential his current crop of players possesses, but he’ll hope it doesn’t instil a taste for the Mancunian air in any of them.

Particularly his new golden Spaniard.

Santi Cazorla has, since his summer arrival from Malaga, brought some sparkle to the Gunners’ midfield and proved the perfect partner for Mikel Arteta.

Having danced his way through the Southampton midfield last weekend, Cazorla will find Manchester City’s far less accommodating. The Premier League champions are likely to deploy the seek-anddestroy missile that is Yaya Toure to rampage up the pitch, while Sergio Aguero should be back from injury to add bite to their attack.

There was little of that for City during last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Stoke. But new boy Javier Garcia came to the rescue with a powerful (and free) header, to ensure City maintained their unbeaten start to the domestic season.

36 | September 21 2012 |

The last time Arsenal took three points at City was October 2010, when Samir Nasri struck first in a 3-0 victory for the Londoners.

But since the Frenchman’s move up north the following year, a series of tight, 1-0 results have followed between the teams. It was a sole David Silva strike that separated them at the Etihad last season, despite a spirited late fightback from Wenger’s men.

With Arsenal possessing the best goal difference in the league, conceding just once in four games, it could be another tight 90 minutes at the Etihad on Sunday. And, if there’s one place Wenger doesn’t want to be giving anything (or anyone) away, it’s at Manchester City.

18

Chances created by Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla this season. City’s most creative player so far is Samir Nasri, on 13

Spurs have recorded two draws at White Hart Lane this season (domestically speaking), leaving Andre Villas-Boas running his fingers through that perfectly coiffed head of hair with increasing anxiety.

His side’s performance at Reading last weekend is cause for cheer, however, with Jermain Defoe (above) relishing the role of lone striker and the team playing with more fluidity as a whole. QPR have improved since their Swansea hammering on the opening day, standing firm to hold Chelsea to a 0-0 draw last weekend, but goals are proving elusive.

Bobby Zamora has scored QPR’s only two in the league so far and, with Andrew Johnson’s knee injury ruling him out long-term, Rangers need the likes of Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie to find their scoring boots.

David Moyes’ (above) side take a sense of injustice with them to Wales after being diddled out of a win against Newcastle.

But the Swans are nursing a hurt of their own after their first defeat of the season at Aston Villa last weekend. With Everton one of only three sides to do the double over Swansea last season, and the Toffees starting this term in fine form, Swansea face a battle to preserve their unbeaten home record.

saturday WEST HAM v SUNDERLAND | UPTON PARK | 3PM

The last time these sides met it was the final game of the 2010-11 season. West Ham were already relegated and a 3-0 defeat to Sunderland left Hammers fans chanting “that’s why we’re going down”.

This time around, the home side will hope for better against a Sunderland team without a league win this season and not yet seeing the best of one of their top scorers from last term, Stephane Sessegnon (above).

saturday CHELSEA v STOKE STAMfORD bRiDgE | 3PM

Stoke are the draw specialists of the Premier League, with four from four games so far. With Arsenal and Manchester City included in that run, Roberto di Matteo won’t be expecting an easy ride tomorrow. Questions ahead of this one focus on the strikers. After a lackadaisical performance at QPR, will Fernando Torres (above) be dropped?

And will Michael Owen get the nod to start for Stoke? No to both, we’d think.

saturday WigAN v fULHAM DW STADiUM | 3PM

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is probably still raging after their defeat at Old Trafford last weekend, when he felt the referee didn’t “measure both teams the same way”. He’ll hope for better at the DW against a team that did the double over them last term. And with Dimitar Berbatov (above) opening his account last weekend to give the Cottagers their first win since August, Martinez might need more than a kindly referee.

saturday SOUTHAMPTON v ASTON ViLLA | ST MARY’S STADiUM | 3PM

After their tonking by Arsenal last weekend, Saints remain pointless at the foot of the table. With striker Rickie Lambert (above) declaring their season starts with this game (after matches against both Manchester clubs as well as Arsenal), the pressure’s on to get on the board this weekend. Villa’s first home league win since March came last weekend, suggesting Paul Lambert’s revolution might finally be taking effect.

sunday NEWCASTLE v NORWiCH | SPORTS DiRECT ARENA | 3PM

Alan Pardew will be in the stands again as he completes his two-match touchline ban. Norwich boss Chris Hughton might wish the ban covered the dressing room, too, after Pardew’s half-time teamtalk at Goodison on Monday saw the Magpies emerge for the second half a different team, with Demba Ba (above) bagging a brace. While he’s at it, Hughton should wish for goals from his own strikers, who have netted just two league goals so far.

saturday WEST bROM v READiNg THE HAWTHORNS | 3PM

They missed out on the chance to go top of the table with defeat to Fulham last weekend, but West Brom can attribute much of the blame for that to Peter Odemwingie’s mindless sending-off.

Before that game, Steve Clarke’s side had got their season under way very well, with seven points from three games.

Reading (and Alex McCarthy, above) must eradicate the defensive slips that have seen them concede eight in three games.

Premier League table 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

P Chelsea 4 Man Utd 4 Arsenal 4 Man City 4 Swansea 4 West Brom 4 Everton 4 West Ham 4 Fulham 4 Tottenham 4 Newcastle 4 Stoke 4 Aston Villa 4 Wigan 4 Sunderland 3 Norwich 4 Liverpool 4 QPR 4 Reading 3 Southampton 4

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D 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 2 2 4 1 1 3 3 2 2 1 0

L F A Pts 0 8 2 10 1 10 5 9 0 8 1 8 0 9 6 8 1 10 4 7 1 6 4 7 1 6 5 7 1 4 3 7 2 10 6 6 1 6 5 5 1 5 6 5 0 4 4 4 2 4 5 4 2 4 8 4 0 3 3 3 1 2 7 3 2 3 8 2 2 2 9 2 2 4 8 1 4 5 14 0

Newcastle became the sixth team to reach 1,000 Premier League goals on Monday - the first non-ever present side to do so

| 37

All pictures Getty Images

saturday SWANSEA v EVERTON LibERTY STADiUM | SS2 12.45PM

7 Days SUNDAY FORMULA 1 | SingApORe gRAnd pRix | MARinA BAy StReet CiRCUit | Sky SpORtS F1 And BBC One 1pM

Singapore sling

Darkness descends on the world of Formula 1 this weekend for a 61-lap jaunt around Singapore’s waterfront, and the only night race on the calendar. The nights have traditionally been good to championship leader Fernando Alonso – he’s won two of the four races held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit since it was added in 2008.

The momentum, though, is with McLaren – three wins in a row have propelled them ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ championship and moved Lewis Hamilton within 37 points of the championship lead.

It could be the Englishman’s last year at McLaren, so he will be keen to bag a second win at Singapore and turn up the heat on teammate-turned-adversary Alonso.

So, will it be sweet dreams for Hamilton or another nightmare for Fernando Alonso?

Sky Sports F1 commentators David Croft and Anthony Davidson talk us through the Marina Bay Street Circuit

Laps 61 CirCuit Length 5.073km raCe DistanCe 309.316km Lap reCorD 1:45.599 – k RAIkkONEN (2008)

DC: “We saw a bit more overtaking with DRS last year, and I think tyre wear plays into it as well. In some of the heavier braking zones, you have overtaking chances.”

AD: “Turn 1 is always something to look out for, with cars running wide and getting potential penalties. Turn 5 is a really tricky corner as well – it can catch out the best of them. Another is Turn 18 under the grandstand – you quite often see a driver losing concentration and running wide there. When you’re at the track, the drivers say it looks just like daylight. It’s one of the more successful modern circuits.”

Watch every race live on Sky Sports F1

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SATURDAY > CyCLing | UCi ROAd WORLd CHAMpiOnSHipS | LiMBURg, HOLLAnd | BRitiSH eUROSpORt 2.15pM STR/AFP/Getty Images, Alex Livesey/Getty Images, Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Cav at rainbow’s end?

With the warm-up acts complete, it’s finally time for the main events at the Road World Championships in Holland. The nine-day event started last Saturday, and concludes this weekend with the men’s and women’s road races – the competitions that will decide who gets to wear the prestigious rainbow stripes for the next 12 months.

With defending men’s champion Mark Cavendish downplaying his chances of retaining the Rainbow Jersey in the men’s race (Sunday, 9.15am), the job of GB team leader is up for grabs. And, despite both the Tour de France winner and runner-up (Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, 38 | September 21 2012 |

respectively) being in the nine-man team, word is the honour could go to Tour of Britain winner Jonathan Tiernan-Locke.

The Endura Racing man last week became the first home rider to win the Tour of Britian in 19 years, capping a great year for the 27-year-old after he won the Tour Alsace in July. But he’ll face stiff competition in Holland from the likes of Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert and Slovakia’s Peter Sagan.

In the women’s race, a six-strong British team led by Olympic silver-medallist Lizzie Armitstead and containing the experience of Emma Pooley and Nicole Cooke has a good chance of impressing on a tough course.

Friday Rugby League | StobaRt SupeR League pLayoffS: CataLan DRagonS v LeeDS RhinoS | StaDe giLbeRt bRutuS, peRpignan | Sky SpoRtS 2 7.45pm

Death or glory This weekend marks the second round of the Super League playoffs – and for every team still left in the hat for next month’s Grand Final at Old Trafford, that means sudden-death rugby.

Thanks to their victories in the opening round of the playoffs last weekend, Wigan and St Helens sit this one out – with the four teams in action this weekend doing battle for the two spots alongside them in next week’s semi finals.

One of those is reigning Super League champions Leeds Rhinos, who last season became the first team ever to win it after finishing fifth in the league. Their bid to repeat the feat this year continues in the south of France tonight, where they will need to see off the Catalan Dragons if they’re to progress. Old warhorses Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Peacock remain crucial to their ambitions, but it is the young guns – most notably centre Kallum Watkins and full back Zak Hardaker (pictured, above, with the impressive lamb chop) – who could hold the key to their chances.

The Dragons, comprehensively beaten at Wigan in their first playoff game, are a totally different

proposition in Perpignan and will want to give departing coach Trent Robinson, who leaves to take charge of the Sydney Roosters at the end of the season, and influential full back Clint Greenshields a great send-off in front of their home fans. They will rely heavily on Scott Dureau, the best scrum half in the competition.

On Saturday night, the Warrington Wolves take on Hull FC at the Halliwell Jones Stadium (Sky Sports 1, 6.45pm). The Challenge Cup winners were hammered at home by St Helens last week, and face a Hull side full of confidence after their impressive victory over Huddersfield on Sunday.

Warrington, who were without barnstorming second row Ben Westwood against Saints – and lost both prop Garreth Carvell and full back Brett Hodgson during the game – will be hoping all three are fit as they chase an elusive leagueand-cup double.

Then, on Sunday, Wigan get to choose their semi-final opponents from the winners of those games via the Club Call system. Could prove to be a tough old choice for the Warriors, that. | 39

7 Days Saturday Rugby union | aviva pRemieRship: LeicesteR v haRLequins | WeLfoRd Road | espn 5.30pm

Into the Tigers’ lair

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40 | September 21 2012 |

Four games into the new season, and four months on from last season’s showpiece final, the two sides that gave us the most deserving of climaxes go head to head once more.

Harlequins came out firing in the 30-23 victory at Twickenham in May, and Conor O’Shea’s men have carried on where they left off last season, totting up an incredible 119 points on their way to a maximum return of 15 points from their first three games.

O’Shea, though, was quick to point out that Quins lost the penalty count against Sale last week, and “offloaded one too many times”.

The Irishman knows his side can’t afford many mistakes in the Midlands tomorrow.

That’s because the home side are a different prospect to the trio of likely strugglers – Wasps, London Welsh and Sale – that Quins have faced thus far, so this is arguably Chris Robshaw and co’s first real test of the season. Leicester struggled to get going after a flying start against Saracens last week, and the error count on display will have had Richard Cockerill pulling what little remains of his hair out. That said, Manu Tuilagi (pictured) and Vereniki Goneva offer power in the backs to nicely supplement the grunt the Tigers always offer up front.

Leicester have the power to send Quins home pointless, but then Quins have the class to take another five points from the Midlands.

It’s set to be a belter.

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Mitchell mayhem Kevin ‘lifestyle issues’ Mitchell is an east-end lightweight with elite-level ability whose hardest challenges often come outside of the ring. This weekend, however, he faces an intense battle inside the ropes as he tries to rip the WBO title belt from Scotland’s tough and tattooed Ricky Burns in Glasgow.

It could be called a classic underachieveragainst-overachiever match-up, except this is to discredit the vast improvement that Burns has made over the past three years. Despite a lack of knockout power, he has developed into a superb boxer who brings pressure, a crisp jab, good movement and deceptively quick hand speed to outwork his opponents.

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While the Scot trains monastically, Mitchell (above, left) is closer to a boozy Friar Tuck.

His devastating stoppage loss to Michael Katsidis in 2010 (his sole defeat) came in large part because of wretched preparation, but he proved how good he can be when properly prepared in stopping the then-unbeaten John Murray last year. At his best, Mitchell’s a tough, smart, versatile boxer with fight-ending power.

Burns starts a deserved favourite because of his conditioning, home advantage and the consistency he’s shown. But writing off someone with Mitchell’s array of gifts is a mug’s game. The safest bet here is that this fight will be a barnstorming domestic cracker.

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style

Andrew Triggs Hodge

Photography – James Lincoln • Styling – Hayley Forester • Hair and makeup – Krystle Gohel using Paul Mitchell & Lancome

Grey flannel jacket, £90; grey flannel trousers, £50; grey flannel waistcoat, £40; white shirt, £28; navy knit tie, £10; black brogues, £50 All Next

46 | September 21 2012 |

Sport Style Grey puppytooth jacket, £99; orange and navy check shirt, £26; grey puppytooth trousers, £50; watch, £25 All Next

E

ver wish the slightly disappointing chap scowling back at you in the mirror more resembled the imposing physique of a heavyweight Olympic rower?

Well, as the old adage goes, be careful what you wish for.

”I’ve got a ridiculous body shape,” laughs two-time Olympic champion Andrew Triggs Hodge. “I’ve got big old wide shoulders, my wingspan is about 10 centimetres wider than my height and I’ve got size 13 feet, which most shops don’t stock.”

But if the star of our latest Sport Style feature feels awkward in front of the camera, it’s not showing. He looks just as comfortable posing in this season’s latest trends as he does clad in his Team GB lycra – even if fashion is something that’s taken him a little longer to appreciate than life on the water.

“I grew up in the countryside,” he says.

“So I never had much exposure to fashion when I was a kid. I used to walk around in an old denim shirt; the sleeves were too short so I cut them off, although the body still fitted so I didn’t want to waste money on a whole new shirt. I tried to carry it off for a year or so before I had the piss taken out of me so much that I finally consigned it to the bin.”

TIMES ARE A’CHANGIN’ “I’m more aware of what’s out there now, though, and how your clothes can actually reflect your outlook on life,” he continues.

At the age of 33, and with three Olympics already behind him, does that outlook include Rio 2016? “It’s a big question,“ he sighs.

“The standards in British rowing are always moving forward and the young guys in the team keep pushing on, so I can’t rest on my laurels. If I’m going to go on, I can’t go into it thinking that I’m an Olympic champion and therefore have my name on a seat.

“I have to earn that seat just like a young kid coming in wants to fight for it. If the fight is still in me, if my body can stay together and if I can still make the sacrifices – the training is not going to get easier – then, we’ll see.”

One part of rowing life Hodge will miss when he does give it up is the camaraderie among the British rowers at their training base in Caversham. All but one member of the men’s four crew that won gold in Download the Aurasma Lite app and point your device at this image for exclusive behind-thescenes footage of our shoot with Andrew

Sport Style

Rust cable sweater, £32; wool check jacket, £110; orange check shirt, £35; jeans, £40. All Next

“I grew up in the country, so never had exposure to fashion as a kid”

Stone mac, £79; burgundy jumper, £32; jeans, £40; suede desert boots, £48.

All Next

48 | September 21 2012 |

London had also been in the boat that won gold in Beijing four years ago – Alex Gregory being the only new boy alongside Pete Reed, Tom James and Hodge himself.

It’s that continuity that Hodge credits with giving the British crew an edge over their competitors. It also means that, in the boathouse, no one’s exempt from being the fall guy. “You get the rise taken out of you round the boathouse for anything,” smiles Hodge when asked if there are any items of clothing he’d never dare wear to training.

“If anyone walks into the boathouse with a shirt on, the mantra is that you just start shouting ’shirt!’ If someone walks in wearing a suit, it’s ’suit!’ Basically, anything that’s not a T-shirt and lycra is going to get picked out. There’s one guy on the team who has a flat cap. He’s American, he’s not a farmer, he’s not rural. It’s completely stylised. It goes with suits or maybe a pair of turned-up jeans, but he wears it with tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt. He got the piss taken out of him a lot for that – although he still wears it, so I don’t know if he really got the message.”

IF YOU WERE A SHOE...

Hodge is chuckling, but admits he’s hardly the most fashion-conscious member of the men’s four. “We were once asked: if we were a shoe, what shoe would we be?“ he recalls. “Pete [Reed] said he’d be an Oliver Sweeney tan leather shoe, but I said I’d be a flip-flop.”

The standard footballer’s-issue flip-flops and socks will always be a big part of Hodge’s life, he says – only half joking – but that’s mostly because of the trauma involved in shopping for size 13 shoes. “I’m in that tricky area, in between what you can get off the shelf and what you can only get from specialist stores,“ he says. “I remember shopping in Holland, where I thought I’d definitely be able to find a pair of size

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Yaya Toure Sport Style

“Wearing a sharp suit is something that just makes you feel good” 13 shoes. We must have walked in and out of 30 shops and I couldn’t find anything. It was a dark day; by the end of it I was fuming.

My shoe collection stretches to a brown pair, a black pair and some flip-flops. My trainers are ones that have only ever been given to me from the Games I’ve been to. So I have my Athens pair, my Beijing pair actually died, and I have a pair from London. I might have to go to Rio just to make sure I get the kit!”

TEAM GB: CATWALK KINGS Along with the footwear, Hodge is enamoured with the London 2012 Team GB suit, designed

by Next, that was given to all the athletes.

“Wearing a sharp suit is something that just makes you feel good, and the Olympic suit is the best I’ve had from all the Games I’ve been to,“ he says. “It’s also one of those things you can pull out, like the gold medal but more subtle. It’s something to be very proud of.

It’s comfortable too, so you might see me in more suits from now on. Isn’t there a culture in Hawaii to wear suits with flip-flops?

Perhaps I’ll just have to move out there.”

Overall, the Stella McCartney-designed Team GB kit outshone most of the others on display at London 2012. Hodge picks out one nation, though, who consigned their athletes to strolling around the Olympic Village in colour combinations and patterns that should only exist in bathroom suites from the 1970s.

“Ukraine’s kit sticks out,“ he smiles. “Their casual stuff was this intricate, swirly curly design you used to see on ties and linings. In certain colours it can look okay, but they had it in neon blue and yellow. It was just... bloody hell, it was a bit special.

“As an athlete you usually dread what you’re given for the opening ceremony, but this time it was really good. I’ve even worn the jacket out, semi-seriously, at my village sports day up in Yorkshire. I paired it with my gold Hunter wellies.”

While we’re talking, Hodge’s next outfit is being tweaked to accommodate his lengthy limbs. “I’m afraid I pose quite a challenge,” he says apologetically. “When people are used to dealing with perfect models and you throw in a lanky, orangutan-armed, 6ft 3ins bloke, it makes for an interesting day.”

He’s enjoying it though, and says he could see himself casting aside the flip-flop label one day – but perhaps not yet. “They’ll always be a big part of my life,” he adds, wistfully.

Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag Follow Andrew Triggs Hodge on Twitter @andrewthodge All featured items are available from Next’s Autumn/Winter collection.

Call 0844 844 8939 or visit next.co.uk

50 | September 21 2012 |

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BAG Camo is set to feature in everyone’s wardrobe this autumn/winter, so this practical Army green backpack is bang on trend this season.

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Stylist Hayley Forester picks out the accessories you really can’t do without this autumn/winter season BRACELET Chunky chains are the key trend in jewellery this autumn – and with this one having a rock twist, you can’t go much wrong.

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Pointer Garcia, £120, pointerfootwear.com HEADPHONES New York-based design collective EOps have teamed up with UK designer Michael Young and soft drinks giant Coca-Cola to produce a collection of eco-friendly essentials for the technologically minded. A simple, sleek design that looks pretty sound to us.

EOps x Coca-Cola x Michael Young Noisezero Sport Earphones, £85, oki-ni.com

52 | September 21 2012 |

Sport Promotion

Race to Pebble Beach is hotting up W e are now one week into our search for London’s best golfer, and the word has clearly got out.

So keen was Luke Donald to claim another crown that he got in touch with us to say that he’d set it up on his own AboutGolf Simulator and posted six-under-par (we’ve seen the scorecard). We’ve now informed him that he may be ineligible and has bigger fish to fry in the coming weeks, so he should pick on someone his own size...

Among the eligible competitors, we have a great triumvirate at the head of affairs: David Andrews, Fraser Devlin and John Willcox. There’s plenty of time left to post one of the top 24 scores and win a place in the final, and remember that all those who enter an eligible score will also be entered into a draw for a trip to Pebble Beach... so even if you don’t win, you can still win! For more details on how to enter, please visit www.urbangolf.co.uk/londonsbestgolfer

The leaderboard (scores over nine holes) 1.

Luke Donald 30 (-6) 2.= David Andrews 35 (-1) Fraser Devlin 35 (-1) John Willcox 35 (-1) 5.

Sean Cook 36 (level) 6.

Tony Moss 37 (+1) 7.= Alistair Downes 38 (+2) Chris Marsterson Smith 38 (+2) 9.

Trond Erik Tollefsen 39 (+3) 10.= Bjorn Tollefsen 40 (+4) Erik Ramelow 40 (+4) Gary Wheeler 40 (+4)

GRANDMASTER FLASH A-YO (MARK RONSON & ZANE LOWE)

STANTON WARRIORS DJ EZ FUTURE DISCO VAGABONDZ FREEZE ALPINE VILLAGE INCLUDING: Relentless Energy Drink Stage Après Ski Bar Desperados Stage Metro Lodge O’Neill Cinema Ft. Exclusive Ski & Snowboard Movies Authentic Alpine Food & Drink Outlets Shopping Village

P60 Shooting stars: Pitt gives it both barrels as an assassin in Killing Them Softly

Extra time Gadgets

Making the most of your time and money

A little bit taller Looks good, you can call her.

Thinner, lighter, longer – makes the 4S look like crap

iPhone 5 We’re sure we saw this exact design as a parody about six months ago, but here it is – the iPhone 5. While on the surface, it seems Apple have simply added another row of apps, there is actually so much more to appreciate – it is also marginally thinner and lighter.

We jest. There’s been a serious internal overhaul: the A6 processor is twice as fast without hampering battery life, and the phone will utilise the UK’s upcoming 4G network. The other major change is the smaller Lightning connector, which means you’ll see a lot of hastily redesigned accessories on this page in the coming weeks.

From £529 | apple.com/uk/iphone 54 | September 21 2012 |

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SIM is for use in a 3G handset only & SIMs used in a 2G phone will be disconnected · Specified minimum term applies · Inclusive minutes and texts are for most UK mobiles & UK landlines · 08/070 numbers cost up to 35p per call plus 35p per minute /£1.02 per call plus 71.5p per minute respectively – check Three.co.uk/nts for prices · Sorry we don’t accept Visa Electron or Solo cards

L

os Angeles, Las Vegas, Rio de Janeiro. You find UFC octagon girls like Brittney Palmer in only the most glamorous of places. Or so we thought. Because Palmer and the UFC circus roll into Nottingham next Saturday, where Stefan ‘Skyscraper’ Struve takes on Stipe Miocic and local boy Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy faces Amir Sadollah at the top of the fight card.

As well as being one of the faces of the UFC that doesn’t have to face a flurry of fists on a regular basis, 25-year-old Palmer is a Playboy Playmate, host of US TV series Ultimate Answers – which follows the lives of UFC fighters outside the octagon – and an aspiring artist, having attended art school at UCLA. That’s not to say she’s a stranger to suffering, the likes of which one usually sees only when the bell tolls to begin a UFC bout. Palmer couldn’t walk for three months after fracturing her pelvis in a car accident when she was 21.

“My right leg gets jammed in my hip, so my boyfriend constantly pulls it out of the socket,” she explains. Given the choice between that sort of regular limb adjustment and taking The Outlaw on next weekend, we know what we’d prefer. See you in the octagon. @BrittneyPalmer and the UFC returns to the UK at Nottingham’s Capital FM Arena on September 29. Tickets are available from ufc.com

Figure of eight

Extra time Brittney Palmer

56 | September 21 2012 |

Jim Kemper/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

| 57

Extra time Grooming

Have you cleaned your teeth?

THe TooTHpasTes

Dumbfound Americans expecting you to have gnashers like Austin Powers. Do we really have to ask you two more times?

Marvis Flavoured Toothpaste Marvis is an Italian toothpaste that seeks to “turn the simple act of teeth brushing into a daily pleasure of discovery and taste” with flavours including (clockwise from top left) ginger mint, classic strong mint, aquatic mint, cinnamon, jasmine, whitening mint and liquorice. Each tube is £5.50 for 75ml (apart from the whitening mint, at £6.95). It’s like walking into a sweetshop, only it’s actually good for your teeth and each luxuriously colourful tube features an elegantly-sculpted cap. carterandbond.com

THe TooTHbRUsH

THe oTHeR MoIsTURIseR TooTHbRUsH

Philips DiamondClean Sonicare

Oral-B TriZone 3000

Forget Austin Powers – if Bond cleaned his teeth (and we’ve never actually seen him doing so in 22 films), then this is the gadget Q would insist on him using to do so. It has five brushing modes that appear in an illuminated display which becomes invisible when it’s switched off: ‘clean’ (plaque removal), ‘white’ (removes stains), ‘polish’, (brightens) ‘gum care’ (massages gums) or ‘sensitive’ (speaks for itself). It also has a ‘Smartimer’ and actually charges in the glass you see to the right. We’d go so far as to say DiamondClean is Forever. Anyone? philips.co.uk

Oral-B’s research has found, they patiently explained to us while we absent-mindedly sipped from our second can of Coca-Cola of the afternoon, that 75 per cent of Brits brush incorrectly, according to the dentist-recommended technique. That stat is taken from Oral-B’s own survey of 1,000 UK adults. How to remedy this? The TriZone 3000 will, they also assure us, reach back teeth, clean tooth surfaces and sweep between your gnashers. It even comes with a timer and a pressure indicator. All of which means, using this handsome device, it doesn’t matter how you brush – you can’t fail to remove 100 per cent more plaque compared to a manual brush. boots.com

£250

58 | September 21 2012 |

£99.95

Extra time Entertainment

Perfect Bondage

FiLM

A Blu-ray boxset celebrates five decades of 007 films, while Brad Pitt is dripping with leather, attitude and charisma BLu-ray

Bond 50 Collection

GaME

Killing Them Softly It seems you need an exceptional cast to portray a pack of dunces.

Ray Liotta, James ‘Tony Soprano’ Gandolfini and Sam Rockwell all star in this taut mob thriller, but it’s Brad Pitt who brings the cool as an assassin called in to clean up the aftermath of a heist at a poker game. The problem is, everyone

DVD

apart from Pitt’s jaded antihero is a dysfunctional goon – meaning he has to take care of business single-handed. Punchy dialogue, brutal violence with a streak of black humour, the film’s success rests on Bradley’s epic charisma.

They couldn’t have picked a better man for the task. Out today.

Music

The Dictator

Joseph Anton Salman Rushdie

It never hits the heights of Borat, but Sacha Baron Cohen’s bad taste comedy (out on Monday) will have you snorting with sporadic laughter.

The rousing speech on the many benefits of a dictatorship – a cutting slice of political satire among a plethora of dick jokes – is the highlight.

Having a fatwa declared on him in 1989 led to nine sphincter-tightening years for Salman Rushdie, living under an assumed identity with daily armed protection.

This new memoir reveals all about the darkest days of the Satanic Verses author’s life. Out now.

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita

> album title goes here < deadmau5

Gorge yourself on Stinking Bishop before bed and this is what will invade your dreams. Enter Sackboy, a boy made of sack (above, red helmet) who finds himself exploring the ‘Imagisphere’ – a massive world where anything and everything can be jumped and jiggled, pushed and pulled. It’s a sequel, but also a giant leap forth thanks to the Vita’s touchscreens and camera. Weird and wondrous.

The Canadian electro-house DJ/producer who probably has to dodge phone calls from Disney’s lawyers returns with his sixth album on Monday.

The quality of his guest vocalists is hit and miss, but his addictively relentless beats make you instantly want to plug in your headphones and start pounding the pavement. His cat, Professor Meowingtons, eyes you warily from the cover.

60 | September 21 2012 |

BOOK

© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. TM Danjaq, LLC

It’s now 50 years since Sean Connery murdered a tarantula with nothing more than his slipper in Dr No – the first official James Bond film. Since then, we’ve had flamethrower bagpipes, Roger Moore’s judo chop and no end of babes with names that suggest their fathers were drunk when they signed the birth certificate. It’s all celebrated in this ace new boxset of all 22 titles, on Blu-ray for the first time and packed with extras.

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