Sport Magazine - Issue 245

Issue 245 | February 24 2012

Year of the Dragon?

A very Welsh Weekend AWAits tWickenhAm And Wembley

THE ULTIMATE PORTABLE GAMING EXPERIENCE.

Connect to the worldwide PlayStation community via the PlayStation®Network and seamless integration with PlayStation®3.

“ONE OF THE BEST LAUNCH LINE-UPS A CONSOLE HAS EVER SEEN ” Videogamer.com

YOU’LL BE“ DROOLING OVER THE DEVICE WITHIN SECONDS ”

Sunday Mirror

issue 245, february 24 2012 radar 05 Our new bike We wish... the powered bike that also exercises our tired, flabby legs. A result

20

06 Living in America To mark Luol Deng’s latest NBA honour, the other Brits who are a sporting hit in the US of A

35

08 Eyes on the pies Don’t leave the sofa while watching the Six Nations – have pies delivered courtesy of O2 to do this coming week features

Cover: Tadaomi Shibuya/Dutch Uncle. This page: Michael Steele/Getty Images, David Rogers/Getty Images, Christopher Lee/Getty Images

16 Leigh Halfpenny

16

The Welshman who has England in his sights at Twickenham this weekend...

20 Owen Farrell ... and the Englishman with the golden boot trying to stop him

31 Carling Cup Final

60

The reasons that Cardiff might – just might – beat Liverpool

35 Shay Given The keeper looks ahead to Euro 2012 with Ireland – and avoiding relegation with Aston Villa

extra Time 52 Kit Women’s trainers – and yes, sir, there is a difference

54 Selina Lo Does all her own stunts. Rather her than us, we say

56 Gadgets A quadricopter and a ‘gaming environment’. Welcome to 2012

58 Grooming A week of returns for a number of top-rate products

60 Entertainment Including the darkly comic Black Mirror (pictured) | February 24 2012 | 03

p06 – Britain’s Stateside stars

Radar Electrifying riding

A

p08 – Pies: England deliver

p09 – Well nice, well pricey Nike gear

n electric bike that claims to improve your physical fitness makes about as much sense as the solar-powered torch, inflatable dartboard or the sober airline pilot. However, when the bike in question looks as majestic as the M55 Terminus below, we’re willing to buy into it.

The idea is that the Terminus is a luxury hybrid bike with a motor assist that doesn’t eliminate the need for human power. Thus you have the beefy back-up to cycle for

longer, less restricted by the limitations of your puny, tar-filled lungs.

There are five varieties of Terminus: Classic, Royal (pictured), Airbrush, Prime and the muscle-packing Biceps. Each has a limited-edition run of 55, is fully customisable and features mostly handmade components.

Such craftsmanship isn’t cheap, but just imagine the look on Sir Chris Hoy’s face as you leisurely pedal/glide past him on one.

From €25,555 via m55-bike.com

Radar

Luol Deng NBA The Chicago Bulls ‘small forward’ (he’s 6ft 9ins!) has risen from being a squad player to the glue that holds the Bulls together to an All-Star in the NBA’s annual game this weekend*. Set to be the focus of GB’s basketball team at the Olympics, Deng was born in the Sudan, but his family were granted asylum in the UK and Deng honed his skills at Brixton Basketball Club. Those asylum seekers, eh? Always, erm, reflecting glory on their adopted countries. *See page 44 for the All-Stars Deng will line up with on Sunday

Lawrence Tynes NFL Scotland-born Tynes has been in the news of late, winning his second Super Bowl Championship with the New York Giants earlier this February. The ‘placekicker’ (it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like) made a crucial overtime kick to put the Giants in the 2012 final. The 33-yearold may have left Scotland age 10 and sounds about as Scottish as John Wayne ordering a Big Mac, but he was born on these isles and has a Scottish ma – so we’re claiming this laddie as one of our own.

Pixel perfect T

his simple yet fiendishly addictive new iOS game Retro Racing arrives from the makers of Amiga top-down driving classics Nitro and ATR. It’s as easy to start playing as it seems, as you skid around the track, snaffling power-ups and leaving burnt rubber tire marks in your wake. The first challenge is to unlock tracks by finishing in the top three, but we can’t help but enjoy ploughing into the little cones and obstacles.

No wonder Lewis Hamilton always does it.

In App Store now or via mrqwak.com/games

06 | February 24 2012 |

Dario Franchitti IndyCar An Italian name, but this driver is as Scottish as his manly West Lothian brogue suggests.

Franchitti was brought up in Scotland and competed in the British F3 series before finding success in CART and IndyCar in the US. The 38-year-old has won four IndyCar titles, the prestigious Indianapolis 500 twice and was named BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year in 2007, becoming the first ever non-snooker winner (probably). He’s also married to Hollywood actress Ashley Judd. Super Dario indeed.

Wade Barrett WWE Superstar One of the top ‘heels’ (translation: he’s a bad guy) on the WWE’s SmackDown brand, the beefy, 6ft 5ins Barrett comes complete with tattoos, a cocky sneer, power moves and a love of, er, Preston North End. That’s right – the 31-year-old wrestler is a Lancashire lad with a rich accent that elicits the required boos from packed, Limey-hatin’ US crowds. And for those who say the WWE isn’t a real sport due to the fact that it’s fixed... well, cricket and Serie A haven’t exactly been spotless of late, have they?

Tom Wort College Football Competing in US college football really isn’t the same as having a kickabout for your school footy team: they take this stuff seriously over there.

So when we say that Tom Wort – a Crawley lad who used to stay up late watching gridiron on TV – is the most fearsome college linebacker out there, you better believe it’s big news.

Already playing to crowds of 85,0000 with the Oklahoma Sooners, the burly 20-year-old with the Union Jack tattoo will likely be terrorising NFL stars in the very near future.

Ali inside and out T

he greatest book about ‘The Greatest’ arrives on eBook fashionably late after Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday last month. Thomas Hauser’s Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times was written in 1991 with the co-operation of Ali, but also interviews his family, friends, critics and opponents to present an exhaustive, enlightening portrait. Updated for eBook, it includes video footage, audio clips and photos of the man who was so pretty he wanted to be on a stamp (“because that’s the only way Joe Frazier is gonna lick me”).

See the Sport magazine iPad app for a video with George Foreman, Hana Ali and Hauser talking about Ali’s legacy. Enhanced eBook out now

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images, Al Bello/Getty Images, Chris Trotman/Getty Images, WWE 2012, Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Brits in USA

With Luol Deng set to be the first Brit to play in an NBA All-Star game on Sunday, we highlight five athletes doing Blighty proud by excelling in Uncle Sam’s sports

Radar

British beef A

Christopher Lee/Getty Images for O2

s the famous saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but pie and some beer brings with it good cheer’. Okay, that might not be the exact wording, but thanks to these little packs from O2, our saying definitely rings true.

And the good news is that the packs – which contain two Pieminister pies (one meat, one veggie), two cans of Greene King IPA and an England flag – can be delivered to your house (if you’re an O2 customer) on the morning of an England rugby game. Brekkie’s never been so easy – not to mention so unhealthily tasty!

See o2forengland.co.uk for more details on the ‘free pie and pint’ offer

08 | February 24 2012 |

Reassuringly expensive £490

P

roof that you can wear a top sportswear brand and not be emblazoned with an oversized logo like some kind of walking billboard comes in this new addition to Nike’s ultra-premium Made in Italy line. Launched with a tennis range last summer, this follow-up collection is rugby-inspired to coincide with the Six Nations, which our spies tell us is currently ongoing.

As you can tell from the prices slapped on the below (from left to right) Snares Jacket, Ruck Tee and Destroyer Trench, the range isn’t cheap – but that’s what you get when Nike go to the home of fine attire and use the best in fabrics and design.

Definitely one Italian line-up that won’t finish with the wooden spoon in 2012.

Available from Selfridges, Hanon, End, Oki-Ni and Nike 1948 £65

£590

| 09

Radar Editor’s letter Bottle, but no brains: Haye swings for Chisora in Germany www.sport-magazine.co.uk @sportmaguk facebook.com/sportmaguk

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

EDITORIAL

Is it really so shocking?

Chisora and Haye made us a laughing stock, but they’re fighters – fight is what they do

Editor-in-chief Simon Caney @simoncaney

But there’s another side to this story.

Boxing as a sport may have been quick to condemn, but it encourages its fighters to trash-talk before fights in order to sell tickets and drum up TV interest. It takes only one fighter to fail to see that it’s a charade, and that all that counts is what happens inside the ring, and you end up with what we had last week. When a boxer such as Chisora is encouraged to get involved in pre-fight nonsense, it’s hard to think he’ll leave it at a bit of well-timed verbal sparring.

And then some boxers are violent men.

Yes, it is an honourable sport, and there are wonderful stories of how it has turned people’s lives around, but ultimately it’s a sport in which two people hit each other hard. Occasionally they will want to hit each other hard outside the ring too; with that in mind, it shouldn’t be such a massive surprise when they do.

There was once a Canadian golfer called Moe Norman. He played in two majors, the 1956 and 1957 Masters, and missed the cut both times – yet is regarded as being one of the most gifted players of all time. Tiger Woods once insisted that only two players had ever truly ‘owned their swings’ – Moe and Ben Hogan. I thought about Moe Norman this week when considering (again) Lionel Messi’s place among the all-time greats. Sometimes the trophy cabinet doesn’t matter.

A debate sprang up in the Sport office this week about race walking, and whether or not it really counts as a sport – because, well, if you wanted to get somewhere fast under your own steam, you’d run, right? Maybe so, but learning (see page 42) the world record is effectively 30-plus miles walked at seven minutes each, I’m in awe.

COMMERCIAL Agency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991) Advertising Managers: Paul Brett (7918), Kevin O’Byrne (7832) Head of Brand Solutions: Adam Harris (7426) 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 (Peterborough) Ltd © UTV Media plc 2011 UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements placed in Sport magazine £1 where sold

Hearty thanks this week to: Michelle Blair, Susie Richardson, Becky Simms and Karen Halley for the pool cue

Total Average Net Distribution: 304,700 Jul-Dec 2011

Reader comments of the week The pre-match handshake is one of the few credible traditions in football @simoncaney. Pointless gesture? Pointless article

@KimLusher Twitter

10 | February 24 2012 |

@simoncaney @sportmaguk plenty of other sports have handshakes without incident. Doing away does not tackle the root cause

Couldn’t agree more with @simoncaney statement – if you shake someone’s hand because you are forced to,it doesn’t mean u like or respect them!

At last some common sense in the Evra/Suarez pantomime, well done @simoncaney with editor’s letter.

@GoodersJR Twitter

@OllyWooding Twitter

@stephenpenson Twitter

@simoncaney. Great pix of the zambian team in 2days issue. If only the three lions could show such dedication, commitment & team spirit

LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

2008

Don’t forget: Help keep public transport clean

and tidy for everyone by taking your copy of Sport away with you when you leave the bus or train.

@landlord44 Twitter

Agree or disagree? Tweet us @sportmaguk

Action Images/Andrew Couldridge

A

mong the more surreal things I read this week was ‘David Haye’s whereabouts are unknown’. That’s right – our former world heavyweight champion had gone on the run.

While German police certainly wanted a word with him over his involvement in the unseemly fracas with Dereck Chisora, it’s more likely Haye wanted to keep a low profile out of sheer embarrassment.

As the world looked on (and crucially, as the bemused Klitschko brothers looked on), Haye and Chisora brought shame on British boxing, and on British sport in general. We still don’t have the greatest reputation on a world stage, and here were two big oafs proving why. I need to be careful, lest I get shot or burned, but the scenes were disgraceful. It’s clear that the Klitschkos will now never fight another British boxer again.

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) 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: Simon Kelly

Radar Frozen in time

12 | February 24 2012 |

It’s all too easy to look at this shot of the 2012 Australian Surfing Open and bemoan our lot in life. While we get to shiver through month after month of miserable winter until Mr Sunshine finally shows his face for an hour in late August, our Antipodean cousins enjoy a year-long diet of sun, sea and Sex Wax. But hey, let’s look on the bright side. When was the last time anyone was ever eaten alive by a shark on the London Underground? Exactly. (A giant rabid rat, on the Victoria Line in 2007, it’s true – but never a shark.) Which is at least something.

| 13

Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Orange crush

Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Year of the dragon?

In one of those lovely twists of sporting fate, this weekend sees a Welsh invasion of London in not one but two sports. Tomorrow, the Wales rugby union team descends on Twickenham as favourites to continue their quest for a Six Nations Grand Slam; and on Sunday, Cardiff City visit Wembley Stadium in a bid to upset the mighty Liverpool and win the Carling Cup. On page 31, we assess the reasons why Cardiff fans can be hopeful of achieving the improbable; but it's Six Nations ďŹ rst, and that means an interview with one of the stars of the championship so far – Wales full back Leigh Halfpenny. All you lot need to do is turn the page >

| February 24 2012 | 15

Leigh Halfpenny

KicKing Wales full back Leigh Halfpenny has bounced back from World Cup disappointment to become one of the outstanding early performers of the 2012 Six Nations. Ahead of his side’s visit to Twickenham this weekend, he spoke exclusively to Sport

ack in October, 23-year-old Leigh Halfpenny stood just beyond the halfway line of Auckland’s Eden Park.

Almost 60,000 fans sat silent, waiting to see if the full back could kick the penalty that would secure an improbable but heroic win for 14-man Wales over France, thus carrying his team into a first ever World Cup final.

Halfpenny took a deep breath, then a short but determined look at the posts between which he was aiming, and struck for glory.

His kick had the direction, but fell agonisingly short, bringing to an end the dreams of a proud and rugby-mad nation.

“Since then, every single time I’ve prepared a kick in training, it’s been done to make sure that, if I had another opportunity like the one I had against France, I’d be able to nail it,” admits Halfpenny ahead of his team’s visit to Twickenham on Saturday.

“I didn’t really expect that chance to come

B

around so soon, as it did in Ireland, but I knew that was my time. I was obviously very nervous and my heart started thumping through my chest; but I took a couple of deep breaths to compose myself, and treated the kick like I would any other.”

The kick of which Halfpenny talks gave Wales a dramatic 23-21 victory in Dublin three weeks ago, a last-minute effort that saw Warren Gatland’s men start their Six Nations campaign with a(nother) vital win over Ireland. The full back stops short of calling it personally cathartic, but it’s perhaps no coincidence that he followed it up with a 22-point masterclass in the victory over Scotland back at the Millennium Stadium a week later. As a result, Wales head to Twickenham on top of a nascent Six Nations table, with Halfpenny the tournament’s top scorer.

“Going into the Six Nations on the back of two good Heineken Cup wins with the Cardiff

Saturday England v Wales | Twickenham | BBC One 4pm

Blues, which qualified us for the quarter finals, was great for building my confidence,” he says. “But as a team I think we learned a lot about ourselves at the World Cup. “We were quite a young side in New Zealand, but the experience has brought us on leaps and bounds in terms of belief. This is pretty much the same squad as at the World Cup, so we’re all very close and know each other very well, both on and off the pitch – and I think that’s something we’re seeing in this tournament. We’ve bonded well and feel like a real unit, which is something that has come from both the ups and the downs at the World Cup. Losing to France was extremely disappointing, but I think it’s brought the best out of us.” camp fire Where once the disappointment of missing out on a World Cup final might have led to much soul-searching and infighting, the

blackberry.co.uk/bold

With a 1.2 GHz processor, 8GB of onboard memory and 720p HD video recording, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Bold 9790 offer the most powerful BlackBerry experience yet.

Upgrade to our best-ever BlackBerry smartphones. © 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/ or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry ® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

16 | February 24 2012 |

King

current Welsh crop seems to boast an inner steel and, finally, a winning mentality – characteristics Halfpenny suggests have been forged in the squad’s now notorious pre-tournament Poland training camps.

Come on though, Leigh, seriously – how tough can it really be?

“Oh, it’s extremely tough,” he insists.

“It’s not easy at all, a very, very basic environment. The rooms you stay in are completely basic, the beds are hard, and the food is not very nice. At the most recent camp it was absolutely freezing too, snowing every day, and very harsh conditions. It’s mentally draining as much as it is physically; it can really get to you, but you have to try and overcome it.

“You’re really tested, both as individuals and as a team. At times during the camp you have to rely on other guys to bring you through and take you to the finish line, because you’re just so mentally and physically drained. But I think those are the moments that come through in situations like we had in that last play against Ireland.

We’re a close group, and in those highpressure moments we had the confidence in each other that we could still go and get the win.”

debut season with the Blues he scored two tries in a 50-12 hammering of Gloucester in the EDF Energy Cup final. Less so his second, when he came off the bench in a 30-17 Six Nations defeat for Wales back in 2010.

“Mixed memories, I guess,” he recalls.

“It was a nice sunny day for the Blues, for a start, and pretty cold when I went there with Wales. That was one thing, but the crowd was basically even for the cup final as well. It certainly isn’t when you go there as an international, and that obviously creates a very different atmosphere... we’ve played in Ireland and had a result, though, so we have to believe we can do the same at Twickenham.” oLd hand Saturday’s game represents cap number 30 for Halfpenny, who in the absence of the now retired Shane Williams has become the old boy of a Wales back three now featuring the giant potential of George North (19, 6ft 4ins) and Alex Cuthbert (21, 6ft 6ins).

“They are both extremely fast and very strong, so playing with them gives me massive confidence,” says Halfpenny, who admits to relishing the greater involvement and extra space that has come with his

recent move to full back. He smiles at the thought of himself as one of the senior members of the side, however.

“I remember in Poland we had a day off, so a few of us went for a walk round the town and stopped off in a restaurant,” he says. “I looked around at the group, six or seven of us, and realised that I was the oldest there. It hit me then that, bloody hell, I am one of the older guys in the squad. It shows how young some of this lot are, but the potential is huge – and hopefully we’ll be together for many years to come.”

And that is a thought to strike fear into the rest of world rugby, whether Wales win at Twickenham tomorrow or not.

Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1 Answers: Shane Williams, Gareth Thomas, Ieuan Evans, Colin Charvis, Tom Shanklin, James Hook, Neil Jenkins, Arwel Thomas

Still only 23, Leigh Halfpenny is already one of only nine players in Welsh rugby history to have scored 10 or more tries and 100 or more points in Tests. Hats off to you if you know the other eight (answers are located bottom right)

London caLLing And so to Twickenham tomorrow, where Wales have beaten England only once in Halfpenny’s lifetime. Despite this, and despite the Stuart Lancaster era beginning with two away wins, the bookies have the visitors as strong favourites.

“I think we have to relish that, you know?” says Halfpenny. “They’re a very young side with a lot of new players coming in; they’re obviously ambitious and very proud to be pulling on the shirt, and as a team they’ll be looking forward to coming home after having won away twice already. They’ve done well to get the results they have in tough conditions, especially in Italy, and we know it’s going to be a huge challenge. Twickenham’s a tough place to get a result; we’re going to have to play better there than we have done so far.”

Wales would welcome a repeat of Halfpenny’s first visit to HQ, when in his

blackberry.co.uk/bold

The new, fully-loaded BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Bold 9790 combine the accuracy of a QWERTY keyboard with the responsive control of a touchscreen.

Upgrade to our best-ever BlackBerry smartphones. © 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/ or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry ® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

| 17

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

‘we’ve pLayed in ireLand and had a resuLt, so we have to beLieve we can do the same at twicKenham’

Owen Farrell

Tee Boy

In an England side filled with unfamiliar faces, Owen Farrell has made an instant impact after kicking the side to victory in their opening two Six Nations games.

With a buoyant Wales in town for tomorrow’s encounter, he spoke exclusively to Sport

After all the problems of the last six months, how’s the mood in the England camp after winning your first two Six Nations games?

“It’s great. To go to the places we have done and come away with wins has been brilliant. There have been some really tough conditions along the way and we’ve shown a lot of character in the games – as well as showing a few glimpses of what we can do at times – and that’s been really important. We’ve fought hard for each other and I think we’re going to get better and better.”

Of course, negative headlines have been written about this side’s lack of creativity.

Do you put that down to bad weather?

“Conditions play a part, definitely, but we’re happy with the two wins and now we’re just looking to keep improving. I thought we made some brilliant chances and played some brilliant rugby in the second half against Italy, so we’re looking forward to taking that into the Wales game.”

David Rogers/Getty Images

Have you talked about trying to be more creative?

“It’s been mentioned, yeah. But it will take time for us as a squad to learn how we all play. We’re improving every time we take to the training pitch, let alone in a game – and it’s not like we haven’t done anything.

The way that we showed we can attack in that second half in Rome shows that we can do it.” > blackberry.co.uk/bold

With the new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Bold 9790, you can share ideas, send updates and organise events quicker than ever before. Time to say goodbye to your old phone?

Upgrade to our best-ever BlackBerry smartphones. © 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/ or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry ® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

20 | February 24 2012 |

Owen Farrell what I’m used to. I came out of school and went straight to Saracens, where my dad has been a coach since I joined. We talk about rugby at home, but still have a family life and a rugby life, so it works well.”

Do you call him ‘Andy’ on the pitch?

[Laughs] “No way, I still call him dad!”

“EACH INTERNATIONAL YOU PLAY IN HAS A CUP FINAL MENTALITY”

That Wales game will be just your third international. How was your debut?

“It was brilliant. Walking out at Murrayfield was great, and the atmosphere was amazing. I’d love to talk about it and how much I took in during the day and so on, but the truth is I was too focused. You don’t want to play the occasion down too much, but once that whistle goes it’s another game, at the end of the day. After winning the game, I looked back on the day and enjoyed the experience more, but it flew by on the pitch.”

What’s Chris Robshaw like as captain?

“Absolutely brilliant. He speaks really well when he has to speak, and everyone listens to him – but at the same time he’s one of the hardest-working rugby players I’ve ever seen. That combination of a good speaker and a hard worker is great, and everyone just genuinely wants to follow his example.”

game. The team worked hard for both those victories, so I just do my job and if it helps us win, that’s great. In terms of kicking, I got those points, yeah, but without all the other players there to win the penalties and play the game, we obviously wouldn’t have won.”

Jonny Wilkinson used to kick every day, even on Christmas Day. Are you the same?

“Not at all. Sometimes, at the end of training, I’ll only do a few because it feels right and I don’t want to push it. How often I kick depends on how I’m feeling and how well I’ve been kicking in games. At the minute, for example, I’m just keeping on top of what I’ve been doing. I’ve been striking the ball pretty well, so I’m just trying to keep my rhythm and feel good about stepping over the ball.”

Did your second match feel any different?

“No, it was still the same pride beforehand.

I think every international game you play in has a cup final mentality. They’re all different challenges, but they’re all still big ones – and I think it’ll stay like that for a long time.”

Your dad’s a rugby icon. Was there ever any chance of you not playing rugby?

“Not really. I grew up around the sport and I’ve never known any different. It was always the norm for me to go to training with my dad and then just mess around with a ball on the side. Seeing him play for such great teams and being around them so much just helped my interest in the sport grow.”

And it was the perfect start for you in terms of the boot, having kicked the side to victory in both games...

“Yeah, it’s been brilliant. I missed a few kicks at Murrayfield, but I’m happy with the Italy

And he’s your coach with England now as well as Saracens. How easy is it to separate home and professional life?

“It’s quite simple. I’ve never known it any different since I started playing, so it’s just

Farrell became the youngest player to appear in the English professional game when he made his debut, in October 2008, just 11 days after his 17th birthday. His record has since been broken by Leicester fly half George Ford

He’s captain, but how much responsibility falls on other players in the squad?

“Yeah, there is a leadership group in the squad – but at the same time, there are a lot of leaders. If something needs to be said, no one’s afraid to speak up and everyone’s happy to listen, which makes for a really happy environment. Everyone’s speaking up when they want to and that’s what you need – we need as many leaders as possible on the pitch.”

And most importantly, he’s just 25, so he should be around – like a lot the squad – for a long time. Do you get a feeling among the squad that this group of players could be part of something special in the future?

“Definitely. We don’t want to get too carried away, obviously, but if we keep doing what we’re doing and keep this squad together, everything is in place for us. We just have to go out and do our talking on the pitch.”

Mark Coughlan @coffers83 Owen Farrell was talking at an O2 For England event. O2 customers can apply for a free pie and pint delivered to their door in this year’s RBS 6 Nations. See O2forengland.co.uk for more

blackberry.co.uk/bold

The new BlackBerry Bold 9790 – elegant lines and a premium finish conceal a powerful processor that delivers a truly outstanding experience.

Upgrade to our best-ever BlackBerry smartphones. © 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/ or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry ® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

22 | February 24 2012 |

David Rogers/Getty Images

Wales are next up for you. Have you seen their first two games?

“Yeah, they’re on great form and it’s going to be a massive challenge. We know that. The important thing for us, though – especially as such a new group of players – is to concentrate on ensuring we keep improving week on week. This weekend is no different.”

You’ve played centre in both your Test caps so far. Do you prefer centre or fly half?

“I genuinely haven’t got a preference between the two – I enjoy both. I step in a bit at 10, but I train mostly at 12 at the moment, and that’s fine with me. I’m happy to slot in wherever. Players are back from injury this weekend, obviously, so things might be different. But I just need to keep working on what I need to work on and keep trying to improve. It’s up to the coaches to decide the combinations, but it’s a great situation for England and for the coaches to have so many options – and I’m happy to offer them more.”

Six Nations 2012 The Other Games saturday Ireland v Italy | Aviva Stadium | BBC One 1.30pm

ireland v italy ireland

italy

It’s hard to judge Ireland’s Six Nations this year, after narrow defeat to Wales was followed by a late postponement in Paris. Declan Kidney’s men now have four games in four weeks to contend with, and they will look to put points on the Italians to kickstart their tournament. The Irish provinces put in solid performances last week, with Leinster’s Fergus McFadden pushing for a place yet again, but Kidney has decided to stick with the same team that were set to take the field in the French capital. Irish eyes will only be smiling with a good – and big – win here.

The Italians will still be hurting from that narrow defeat to the English, but the same old problems reared their ugly heads. A failure to stay composed and win those narrow games has cost the Italians many times, and Jacques Brunel will have to solve the issues at half back if his side are to improve.

The loss of Martin Castrogiovanni is huge for the Azzurri and, despite offering strength elsewhere, they rarely travel well. Italy were pumped up for the England game – we can’t see the same happening tomorrow.

Keith Earls, who scored five of Ireland’s 16 tries at the World Cup in New Zealand. Given a bit of space, he can be deadly. If the Italians tire, Earls could thrive.

Alessandro Zanni. Sergio Parisse is the headline maker, but Zanni does a lot of the ball-stealing and hard graft.

A good performance from him is needed to silence the Irish back row.

Sport’s prediction 31-12

Sunday Scotland v France | Murrayfield | BBC One 3pm

scotland v france scotland

france

The Scots need to bounce back from two consecutive defeats – especially with this being their final home game of the tournament. Andy Robinson’s men were very unlucky against England, but they then pressed the self-destruct button against the Welsh. They will know that the key to victory on Sunday is to remain composed for the entire 80 minutes, and never let up on the intensity front.

To that end, the return of Ruaridh Jackson comes at the perfect time; his experienced head will be essential in getting Scotland over the line – and in more ways than one.

After the debacle in Paris two weeks ago, the French will just be looking forward to getting another game under their belts. Phillipe Saint-Andre has brought form players back into the squad, and the likes of Julien Malzieu and Louis Picamoles impressed when given their opportunity against the Italians.

Francois Trinh-Duc remains at 10, with an absolutely lethal backline outside him. The big question remains over how the French will travel. Can Saint-Andre get this team playing consistently? Sunday will provide some strong indications.

one to watch

one to watch

Stuart Hogg. Max Evans’ fitness worries mean Hogg is going to get the chance to light up the game at some point. With a big pack creating gaps, Hogg could cause real problems in open spaces.

Wesley Fofana. The Welsh showed how to expose Scotland in the backs, and Fofana could be the beneficiary of lacklustre defence late on.

Sport’s prediction 21-19 blackberry.co.uk/bold

Sleek and thin, the BlackBerry Bold 9900’s iconic design comes with stainless steel frame body and sculpted surfaces. It’s as solid as it is stylish.

Upgrade to our best-ever BlackBerry smartphones. © 2012 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry,® RIM,® Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/ or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Devices shown above: BlackBerry ® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphones.

24 | February 24 2012 |

David Rogers/Getty Images, Stu Forster/Getty Images

one to watch

one to watch

FORGET YOUR COCKLES AND JELLIED EELS, IT’S JUST A SHORT HOP TO FROG’S LEGS AND SNAILS. Take a break from London City Nice from £79 one way Angers (Loire Valley) NEW Quimper (Britanny) NEW from £65 one way Plus 7 day car hire and flight packages from £219pp Book at ba.com/londoncitysummer To Fly. To Serve.

Leon Haslam

m, a l s Ha round n o Le time r e rid a this h s i t ri Chec B o s t lks Carlo a t ort hamp p S er, rent c n e n op ge cur o s sea hallen s e rbik es to c e p Su t hop d l r o ar bu W s y’ st ye a d Sun fifth la f o ed ad Ahe o finish wh

T

he Superbike World Championship bursts back into action in Australia this Sunday, with the first round of a new season that will run until October. Last year’s championship was won by veteran Spanish rider Carlos Checa, who dominated throughout, winning 15 of the 26 races across the 13 rounds.

The Spaniard wrapped up the title with a round to spare, finishing a staggering 110 points ahead of closest challenger Marco Melandri. The chasing pack will be eager to make more of a contest of it this year, and have spent the winter break training and testing their bikes, which must

be derived from standard production models.

Ahead of this year’s opening race on Phillip Island, Victoria, we caught up with 28-yearold Leon Haslam. The British rider finished the series an impressive second in 2010, but a disappointing fifth last year after moving to a new team in BMW. Are you looking forward to the new season?

“Very much. I’m excited to try the new things we have developed with the bike. I feel we have made good progress with the new bits and fitting it all together. I’m looking forward to the championship as a whole, trying to develop the BMW and fighting for wins.”

You came fifth in the championship last season, in your first year at BMW. Were you happy with your performances?

“It was frustrating because we couldn’t challenge for wins, but also a necessary season to develop the bike. My best race was the Magny-Cours podium [in France, where Haslam finished third] because I had to battle and pass people for it. The worst was Miller Motorsports Park in the US [where he finished eighth and 13th].

We had so many problems with the bike that we just couldn’t overcome. I think the potential at BMW is bigger, but we have some way to go to fulfil it.” >

| February 24 2012 | 27

Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images, www.alexphoto.it

k c a B

k c a r t on

Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Leon Haslam What are your goals and predictions for this year? Do you think anyone can catch Carlos Checa?

“The same as always: to maximise the potential of the bike, get as many wins as possible and become world champion. Max [Biaggi], Eugene [Laverty] and [Carlos] Checa will all be very strong. Also, Honda and Kawasaki will be improving all the time.

Carlos is riding awesome at the moment and his whole package is good, but it’s a long championship and not all the circuits suit him.”

we get to spend here. I would have to say my least favourite is Brno because I can never get a good result there – although I do like the layout of the track.”

Marco Melandri is joining you at BMW, having been at Yamaha last year. Do you work closely with your teammates, or is there a bit of a rivalry there?

“He’s the first person I want to beat come the Sunday race, but we do work together to make the bike better.”

Leon Haslam is sponsored by Dainese, market leaders in protective kit for motorcycling and other dynamic sports. Go to dainese.com

You recently became a father. Has that made you more aware of safety measures, and less likely to take risks while racing?

“Not at all. It’s made me more driven – she is one more person I want to win for. The sport is always coming up with new safety measures, like more run-off areas and Airfence barriers.”

What are your favourite and least favourite tracks on the World Superbikes calendar?

“My favourite is Phillip Island for its fast and flowing nature, and also because of the time

Finally, give us your best reason why our readers should watch World Superbikes this season?

“It’s really close racing with bikes you buy on the road, and you could never put your money on any one person to win.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

Race schedule February 26 Phillip Island, Australia April 1 Imola, Italy April 22 Assen, Netherlands May 6 Monza, Italy May 13 Donington Park, UK (Europe) May 28 Miller Motorsport Park, Utah, USA June 10 Misano Adriatico, San Marino July 1 Motorland Aragon, Spain July 22 Brno, Czech Republic August 5 Silverstone, Great Britain August 26 Moscow, Russia September 9 Nurburgring, Germany September 23 Portimao, Portugal October 7 Magny-Cours, France

FROM DIRECTOR OREN MOVERMAN AND JAMES ELLROY THE WRITER O

“STUNNING” TIME OUT

HHHHH BIG CHEESE

WOODY HARRELSON

HHHHH LITTLE WHITE LIES

“ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT” HEYUGUYS!

HHHH HEYUGUYS!

“WOODY HARRELSON SHINES AS L.A.’S DIRTIE TIME MAGAZINE

NED BEATTY

BEN FOSTER

ANNE HECHE

ICE CUBE

CYNTHIA NIXON

FOR ONE COP CORRUPTION KNOWS NO LIMIT

SIGOURN WEAVE

I

T

EDITED COSTUME MUSIC MUSIC CASTING A WAYPOINT ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE THIRD MIND PICTURES “RAMPART” WOODY HARRELSON NED BEATTY BEN FOSTER ANNE HECHE ICE CUBE CYNTHIA NIXON SIGOURNEY WEAVER ROBERT WISDOM ROBIN WRIGHT AND STEVE BUSCEMI BY LAURA ROSENTHAL AND RACHEL TENNER SUPERVISOR JIM BLACK BY DICKON HINCHLIFFE DESIGNER CATHERINE GEORGE BY JAY RABINOWITZ, A.C.E. PICTURESDIRPRESENT LIPRODUCTIGHTSTREAM DIRECTED WRITTEN PRODUCED EXECUTIVE COECTOR OF ON DESIGNER DAVID WASCO PHOTOGRAPHY BOBBY BUKOWSKI PRODUCER LUCA BORGHESE PRODUCERS MICHAEL DEFRANCO LILA YACOUB MARK GORDON PAUL CURRIE GARRETT KELLEHER BY LAWRENCE INGLEE CLARK PETERSON BEN FOSTER KEN KAO BY JAMES ELLROY AND OREN MOVERMAN BY OREN MOVERMAN

28 | February 24 2012 |

superbike world championship | PhilliP island, australia | live on British eurosPort at 12.45aM and 2aM, saturday night. highlights sunday, 9PM

The World Superbikes season starts up down under with a visit to Phillip Island, 87 miles south east of Melbourne. Defending champion Carlos Checa won both races here last season, setting the tone for a season of dominance.

The circuit will be familiar to the riders as it was used for three days of testing a fortnight ago. Checa, not surprisingly, picked up where he left off in the testing sessions, setting the fastest times. A lone rider on Althea Racing’s Ducati last season, the 39-year-old has been joined by 22-year old Davide Giugliano, last year’s Superstock 1000 champion.

The Yamaha World Superbike team that finished second in the manufacturers’ standings last year is no more, following the Japanese company’s decision to withdraw from the sport, so riders Marco Melandri (BMW) and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) have had to find new employers.

There are a few other changes in personnel – British rider and grade six pianist James Toseland has been forced to retire because of a wrist injury, and American John Hopkins is stepping up to the World Superbikes for his first full season after spending last year in British Superbikes. He will look to put a painful 2011 behind him – not only did he miss out on the British Superbikes title by just 0.06 seconds, but he also had to have a finger amputated in January because of injuries sustained in a crash at Brno last August. That’s not all – he now looks certain to miss the first race of the World Superbikes season after he fractured a wrist in testing.

OF L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

HH

“EXCELLENT” VARIETY

EST COP”

NEY ER

ROBIN WRIGHT

HHHHH TIME OUT

STEVE BUSCEMI

IN CINEMAS

TODAY WWW.RAMPARTMOVIE.CO.UK

©2011 END OF WATCH, LLC

| 29

Carling Cup Final

Blue is the colour

Pete Norton/Getty Images

Despite being sizeable outsiders when they face Liverpool this weekend, Cardiff City’s name is on the Carling Cup. Now, we don’t genuinely believe that either – but in the interests of keeping this preview on edge, we now present five fairly solid reasons why Cardiff City will prevail this Sunday...

| February 24 2012 | 31

Michael Steele/Getty Images, Clive Rose/Getty Images, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Carling Cup Final

It's MIller (And WhIttInghAM) tIMe Successful sides need great players, and Cardiff have two of the Championship’s best in Kenny Miller (right) and Peter Whittingham.

With 10 goals already this season, Miller is Cardiff’s main goal threat in the box, while midfield star Whittingham has provided 11 assists to date in this campaign as well as contributing 10 goals of his own.

On top of that, Pepe Reina will be hoping the goalpost is on his side, because Miller and Whittingham have this season struck the woodwork 11 times between them. If all else fails for Malky Mackay’s side, they can always hope for a Robert Earnshaw hat-trick – the Welsh striker is the only player to bag trebles in all four divisions, as well as both cups and on the international stage. You didn't know that you didn't know that, did you? hoMe FroM hoMe Okay, so calling Wembley Cardiff’s second home might be stretching it a bit, but Sunday

The 2011-12 Carling Cup (so far) in numbers 32 | February 24 2012 |

will be their fourth visit to the new-look ‘Home of Football’ since it was opened in 2007. Liverpool, by comparison, last played at Wembley back in 1996, when they turned out in those obnoxious cream whistles.

Since then, their cup final appearances have all come – ironically – in Cardiff. The underdogs do at least have some idea of the layout of the changing room, the sound of the fans and the approach up Wembley Way. On such minor details are cup finals so often won (we’ve glossed over the fact that Cardiff lost two of their previous three visits, because that undermines our argument). they don’t dreAd the reds When Malky Mackay’s men look to their left in the Wembley tunnel (we’ve decided they’re going to stand on the right, we’re not sure why), the red shirts that confront them will hold very little fear. In one of those remarkable quirks of sporting seasons, Cardiff have played against 11 teams with

red on their shirts and have only lost twice – and one of those was to Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup semis, who they then defeated in the second leg.

Call it a coincidence if you like, but the men from the Welsh capital simply don’t fear sides in red. As if that wasn’t enough (and you’d be perfectly within your rights to say so), how about the fact that, of the past seven League Cup finals to feature reds against blues, the blues have come out on top five times? Blue really could be the colour this weekend. the CeltIC ConneCtIon The Scottish Premier League might be a funny place to look for a bit of inspiration ahead

93 306 25 252 games

goals

times a side have beaten a team from a higher league

cards: 246 yellow, of which three were second yellows, and six straight red

27

penalties

Sunday Carling Cup Final: CardiFF City v liverpool | Wembley Stadium | Sky SportS 1 4pm of an English League Cup final, but Mackay’s influence on the side since taking over last summer comes mainly from his time north of the border. A former Celtic man himself, Mackay has brought in star striker Kenny Miller and first team coach Joe McBride – both former Bhoys – to join former Celtic keeper David Marshall and full back Lee Naylor in Cardiff’s ranks.

Between the manager and the three former Celtic players, they boast eight league titles and five cup successes. When things get tight during the latter stages at Wembley, it’s men like these who know how to keep cool – and that could make all the difference for Cardiff come Sunday.

1,194 88 number of English players who have started a game

number of different nationalities represented in the competition

success on a sunday God might have rested on the seventh day, but the Bluebirds save their best games for Sunday afternoons. Swansea’s 1-0 defeat of their Welsh rivals back in November 2010 was the last time Cardiff have lost on a Sunday, with five victories and three draws coming in their subsequent eight ties. Not only that, but those eight games have also accounted for five clean sheets and have seen the men from across the Severn fire in 11 goals, while conceding only four. And Malky Mackay? Well, the last time he was in charge of a losing side on a Sunday afternoon was back in March 2010, when his Watford side lost to... that’s right, Cardiff.

Liverpool, by contrast, might be unbeaten in their past four Sunday games, but they lost their three previous to that and were taken apart in a 4-0 loss to Spurs as recently as a September Sunday afternoon. If all of that’s not enough for you to back the Welshmen, we truly don’t know what is.

and one solid Reason Why They Won'T: luis suaRez He might not be the most popular man in English football right now, and he really doesn’t help himself, but the Uruguayan striker (left) was brought in to help Liverpool return to the top table. And it’s games like this when King Kenny expects him to shine.

Despite an eight-game ban, Suarez has still contributed six goals and three assists in Liverpool’s league campaign. More ominously for Cardiff, however, is his form in what has become Liverpool’s forte – cup competitions.

In just three Carling Cup appearances this season, Suarez scored three and set up three of his side’s seven goals. His form against Brighton last weekend, scoring one, having one cleared off the line and playing a major role in forcing two of the Seagull’s three own goals, bodes well for the Reds (even if he did miss a penalty). If Cardiff are to taste glory at Wembley at last, they have to find a way to stop Suarez.

1,110,318 12,337 total attendance

average attendance

All stats from statbunker.com | 33

Shay Given

Ahead of next week’s international fixtures, Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given looks ahead to Euro 2012, reveals what it’s like working with Giovanni Trapattoni and tells us he has no intention of retiring just yet...

“I know a lot of players who do a lot of good work for charity, but people don’t always want to read too much about it,” says Shay Given in an exclusive chat with Sport. “They often prefer to read about the bad stuff, but then I’m not doing this to get noticed – I’m doing it for a good cause.”

Given is talking to us not to flog a new pair of boots, nor to hawk the latest computer game, but because of his close relationship with Macmillan Cancer Support. The Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, set to win cap number 121 against the Czech Republic in Dublin next Wednesday, has been organising his Fashion Kicks event in aid of the charity since 2004. “I think we’ve raised more than £1m in the past eight years, and it seems to be getting bigger and better every year,” he says of an event that combines fashion, football, food and music.

“Hopefully, this year will be the biggest yet.”

Quite so. But before Fashion Kicks, Given has the rest of the domestic football season to navigate – with the small matter of a major international championship to follow it...

How excited are you about having qualified for Euro 2012 with Ireland?

“Well, of course we’re all buzzing for the summer. I think it’s been 10 years since we last qualified for a major tournament, and almost 25 since we’ve been to the Euros. So there’s a huge buzz among the players, and I’m sure in the country as well. It was exciting to go and watch the team when they qualified for major tournaments in the past, but to be involved as a player is very special.”

Did qualification feel like a kind of justice after what happened against France in the World Cup 2010 playoffs?

“I don’t know if it’s justice, but we definitely felt a bit unlucky – and that we should have been at that World Cup. It’s well documented what happened and why we weren’t there, but the most important thing is that we didn’t feel sorry for ourselves. We went into the next campaign wanting to prove we were good enough to be at a championship. It’s a great credit to the players, who got their heads down and put the hard work in to get us over the line.”

You’re facing the Czech Republic next week.

They will also be at Euro 2012, but this is a game you want to be winning, right?

“Yeah, of course. When you win games it builds confidence, and heading to a major tournament you want your confidence as high as possible. It’s not the be all and end all to beat the Czech Republic next week, but it’s good to build a winning habit.”

James McClean has had a massive impact for Sunderland recently, and Giovanni Trapattoni has just included him in the squad for that match. Would you expect him to make the plane for Euro 2012?

“I don’t know, to be honest. I mean, he’s just burst on to the scene in the last few weeks, and he’s obviously big news at the minute.

I don’t think the manager will be ruling anyone out or in yet, though, because this is football and you’re only ever one challenge away from an injury. Trapattoni is an extremely clever >

| February 24 2012 | 35

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Ireland adventure

How did you react when the draw was made for Euro 2012? Spain, Italy and Croatia is a pretty tough group.

[Laughs] “Yeah, it’s not easy is it? We were kind of hoping for England. It would have been nice, because most of our players play in England and there’s been a huge rivalry over the years. But we got Italy instead, and it’s now a very tough-looking group. Spain seem streets ahead of everyone else at the minute, and Italy won the World Cup not so long ago.

It’s a tough draw, but I think Irish teams play better against the bigger nations – and we’ll be underdogs, too, which is a tag that suits us.”

Shay Given

man and he’ll have his scouts out watching all sorts of different players. He’ll have most of his preferred squad nailed down – but, as you say, if a lad like James McClean is bang in form, then he must have an outside chance of going.”

What is Trapattoni like to work with?

“He’s great, really. People who have never dealt with him just don’t realise how passionate he is about the job. He really drills into the players how he wants us to play, but also how the opposition want to play. When we get on the pitch we know exactly what to expect and what he expects from us. His passion reminds me of Bobby Robson, you know? He could easily be putting his feet up somewhere in Italy right now... but, just like Bobby, football’s been in his blood all his life.

He just loves being involved in big games.”

There’s an obvious compare and contrast with England: an Italian coach with an impeccable pedigree coming in to manage an international side. So how has it gone so right for Ireland, and why did it go so wrong for Fabio Capello and England?

“We’re a small country, you know? People sometimes forget just how small Ireland is, so to have someone of Trap’s experience at the helm of our national team is fantastic.

The FA is a huge organisation, as we all know, and the media pressure on every England

36 | February 24 2012 |

International caps won

by Shay Given, making him the Republic of Ireland’s most capped player. Only three others have reached the century: Robbie Keane (114), Kevin Kilbane (110) and Steve Staunton (102)

manager is phenomenal. It’s obviously been well documented why Capello left, but I just feel that England should concentrate on getting behind their team. Sometimes I think they can be too negative towards the manager, and there always seems to be some sort of distraction going into a major tournament. I think the more a nation is behind a team, including the media, then the better that team’s going to perform.”

important thing is that we don’t let the season fizzle out and get sucked into a relegation fight. We have four games coming up [starting with Wigan away on Saturday] from which we can get some positive results and move away from the danger zone. Then we need to kick on in the last couple of months, and not limp but sprint across the line – that will give our fans optimism for next season.”

Your manager at Aston Villa, Alex McLeish, has been under pressure himself recently.

How distracting is it for players when there’s discontent in the stands?

“It’s not ideal, of course. This season we’ve struggled at home, and maybe that is partly down to the pressure within the stadium. To be fair to the Villa fans, I was injured when we lost at home to Arsenal [in the Premier League in December] – but the lads were clapped off the pitch at the end because they had put on a really good performance. I think that’s all the fans want – to see the team working their socks off and putting in the performances. If they do that, then the fans will support them.”

Finally, you’re 36 in April, but your form is good and Brad Friedel’s still going strong at about 150. How long do you see yourself playing?

“Yeah, keep that to yourself. It gives us all hope every week, seeing Brad throw himself around. I’d like to think I could go on a few years yet, because it’s really all I’ve done all my life. When I was a kid of 10 or 11, all I wanted to do was play football, and nothing’s changed. I’m very privileged to be playing in the Premier League and for my country, but I still just enjoy the game – whether that’s for Aston Villa, Ireland or just on a Sunday morning with my mates. It’s in my blood, and I want to play for as long as I can.”

Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1

What can Villa realistically get out of the rest of this season?

“As I say, we need to improve on our home form. I think if we can do that, then we can get ourselves up the league, but the most

Shay Given’s Fashion Kicks event for Macmillan Cancer Support takes place at The Point, Manchester, on May 1 2012. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, see fashionkicks.org.uk

Ian Walton/Getty Images

‘Football’s in his blood – just like bobby Robson, tRapattoni loves being involved in big games’

SOME TAKEOVERS ARE MORE HOSTILE THAN OTHERS.

OUT TODAY ®

BUSINESS IS WAR

PlayStation ® Network

© 2012 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo and Syndicate are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. The Starbreeze logo is the trademark of Starbreeze AB. “2”, “PlayStation”, “PS3”, “Ã’’ and “À” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. KINECT, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

WWW.EA.COM/SYNDICATE

Three Lions, the Dutch and the Euros

38 | February 24 2012 |

F YEAR ZERO

Who will lead New England?

Long-term, or possibly just for the European Championships, Harry Redknapp is the only real choice. But until that press conference is called we can only speculate. For this friendly, and we pray this game only, Stuart Pearce is in charge – that ever-dependable but ill-equipped man-motivator. His job on Wednesday will be to continue dabbling with the youth + experience formula Capello half-heartedly toyed with before jumping ship. This will mean another England team without Wayne Rooney, and should see Pearce again starting with the 4-3-3 formation Capello stumbled upon against Sweden in their previous outing. Don’t expect any significant changes, though – for, despite the lack of manager, England had been heading in the right direction.

Will this managerial vacuum undermine England’s hopes this summer?

Assuming he takes over today, which is unlikely, the new manager will have just those aforementioned 108 days to fashion a team together – Capello had the best part of three years to prepare for his only World Cup. Is this a problem? Well not for the manager, who has a ready-made excuse should England fail dismally. Nor for the players, who are no doubt relieved to be free of the Italian dictator and can recommence texting snaps of their genitals to each other at the breakfast table. Also, given that England went unbeaten in 2011, which included qualifying for these finals and the defeat, albeit fortuitously, of world and European champions Spain, it’s not like they’re a team searching for form.

On top of all that, you only have to trawl back to Euro 92 for an example of a team cobbled together late on that won the European Championships: Denmark had been on holiday (not all together, we assume) when Yugoslavia were ejected for political reasons from that tournament, but the Danes took their place, turned out in their trunks and somehow won the thing. So 108 days or less is far from ideal, but it is not an insurmountable problem. >

| 39

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

England welcome the World Cup finalists to Wembley this Wednesday, with low expectations and a lengthy list of questions to answer...

or once, England no longer expects.

Following the highly principled harrumph and walkout of Fabio Capello earlier this month, the national team find themselves with nobody to steer the ship. Until the FA appoint the new man, whose name we all know, England no longer knows what to expect.

What we do know is that today is 105 days out from the start of Euro 2012 and 108 days before England face France in their opening group game – and England approach next Wednesday’s friendly with Holland with a strange, conflicting state of mind. They may have no coach and so no real sense of direction, yet morale and optimism are higher than at any point under the despotic Italian. Confused? The game against Holland should go part of the way to answering some key questions...

Three Lions, the Dutch and the Euros

23 LIONS

In Rod we trust?

Capello opened the Euros door to some hungry young lions

pting for a solid 4-4-2, here’s how Sport would suggest a youthful England line up for the Euros this summer – form and fitness permitting. For the opening two games, Young or Sturridge could replace Rooney as a second striker, or England could go 4-5-1, with Bent ploughing a lone furrow. The Ox brings verve and creativity to the party. A gamble, yes, but so was Gazza when he stepped on the plane for Italia 90...

O

Joe Hart (Rob Green, Scott Carson)

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images, Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images

Will the new England manager know his team for Euro 2012?

That depends on who he is, of course, which is an obvious statement to make but an important one nonetheless. Something approaching the nucleus of the squad is in place and has been throughout Euro qualifying: Joe Hart, Ashley Cole, Scott Parker and Wayne Rooney all look certain starters, form, fitness and two-match bans permitting, and you can include John Terry in there as well, providing his race case doesn’t pollute the dressing room.

The other places are far from decided, and Capello’s belated interest in youth has opened the door to a number of hungry young lions – particularly Jack Rodwell (above) and Kyle Walker. With so many places still to play for, this friendly – and the two others in May – has taken on far greater significance. The problem is that, if Redknapp does take charge, the team may change radically, with David Beckham, Paul Scholes, the Gerrard/Lampard problem and Peter Crouch all restored at a stroke. And we all know how that would end.

Where’s the captain’s armband going?

With Pearce in charge, the logical choice would be to give it straight back to Terry, the man who most closely mirrors Psycho’s blind patriotism. Assuming he won’t, then the FA should steer him towards making a safer choice and look for some kind of continuity in the next three games and going into the tournament.

Logic suggests that, long-term, and for the Euros, the manager will go for a player guaranteed to start every game, which narrows it down to those mentioned in the previous answer. Of those, Cole is not captain material, while Rooney is too hot-headed and potty-mouthed to set an example. That leaves just two: Joe Hart or Scott Parker.

We’d opt for the latter, but Hart literally represents the safer pair of hands.

What will we learn from facing Holland?

Most pressingly, what we still need to learn is who will fill the Rooney void for the first two games of Euro 2012. Ninety minutes against the World Cup finalists should go a long way to telling us if Darren Bent really is preferable to Daniel Sturridge, Bobby Zamora and Andy Carroll – because we learned little about Bent’s credentials against Spain in Capello’s 8-1-1 formation. The other thing we expect to learn is that Pearce should be relieved of his duties at the earliest opportunity. Like we didn’t know that already.

Micah Richards

Gary Cahill

Phil Jagielka

(Chris Smalling)

(Joleon Lescott)

(Kyle Walker)

ALeX OXLADECHAMBERLAIN

Ashley Cole (Leighton Baines)

Steven Gerrard

Scott Parker

James Milner

(Adam Johnson, Jack Wilshere, phil jones, ashley young)

Wayne Rooney

Darren Bent

(daniel sturridge, Danny wellbeck)

Six months of preparation and a trio of England Find out if Sunday league team Ivory FC really could turn over a team of 40 | February 24 2012 |

The OppOsiTiOn View What do the Dutch make of England’s recent ‘issues’ with Capello, ‘JT’ and ‘Arry? We asked Dutch football journalist Ernst Bouwes, who offered a rather unexpected solution...

Stroots ahead: Strootman’s form for PSV has made him a contender for the Euros

What shape is this Holland team/ squad in? And are expectations high ahead of Euro 2012?

“They were high until a recent crushing 3-0 defeat in Germany, in which the Dutch team was thoroughly outplayed. Many big names were missing that night, but still the mood switched in the nation and the team is now seen as outsiders. The trouble is, only three or four of the team that reached the World Cup final are starters for their clubs. Many of them are injured, were injured and coming back, or probably will soon be injured.

“However, some new names have come through, like midfielders Kevin Strootman [PSV, above] and Adam Maher [AZ], and forward Ola John [FC Twente], so there is optimism. As for the coach, Bert van Marwijk is the best available at the moment.”

Did the Fabio Capello situation register in Holland?

“Well you’d think that there is more to Capello’s resignation than only the treatment of the captain, but in Holland the England situation was completely overlooked because everyone was completely enthralled by the ‘Elfstedentocht’ (the Eleven Cities Tour, a speed-skating tournament) in Friesland. Personally, I believe that Capello was looking for a way out, but who knows?”

Is that Dutch sarcasm?

“No, for real. The Elfstedentocht was the first news item for a week here.”

What do the Dutch make of Harry Redknapp? If anything?

“Most national teams have a native as coach, so it makes sense. Redknapp is popular with the press, but so was Van Basten when he started.”

Do you consider England to be serious contenders for Euro 2012? And if not, who will be?

“England hardly seems a contender as they have to start the tournament without their main threat, Wayne Rooney. I don’t know of any other decent strikers in the squad good enough to challenge the continental defenders. Their best chance might be to build a team of workers around Grant Holt. I’d like to see all those sophisticated European coaches deal with that – it should be more fun to watch than all those bland England games in the recent past. If not England? Germany have come forward as favorites. Should Madrid and Barca go to the wire for the title and Champions League, then Mourinho might be just the man to drive a stake into the Spanish team spirit. I don’t think any other team will be in the mix.”

Follow Ernst Bouwes (in English) on @totalfootballnl

A fresh start

O

h, the curse of being born an Englishman. Yes, we get to enjoy growing up in this green and pleasant land; and yes, American girls love our accent – but can such advantages make up for the fact that we must also endure the trials and tribulations, the endless ups and downs, of our national football team?

Maybe, maybe not – but one thing is for certain, and that is that every end leads to a new beginning. The FA’s huge wooden door may have closed on one era a fortnight ago, but Euro 2012 remains firmly on the horizon – and next week’s friendly against World Cup runners-up Holland gives the players who remain an immediate chance to usher in a hopefully bright new era with a bang. Beat the Dutch, and whoever is chosen to lead the squad into battle this summer can do so with renewed confidence in England’s ability to actually, maybe, possibly, ruddy well win something.

Renewed cOnFidence Whatever happens, watching England is likely to remain a stressful business.

Throw in a busy day at work, the game and an early start the morning after, and your skin is likely to suffer as much as your heart. But help is at hand from NIVEA FOR MEN®, whose new Skin Energy range features a host of products with improved formulas for all your skincare needs.

Alongside the skin’s own Coenzyme Q10, the Skin Energy range now includes guarana plant extract and taurine – known for revitalising the skin. The full range of six products includes the Moisturiser, Face Wash and Shaving Gel you can see below.

So, no matter how England do, or how late you stay out celebrating/ mourning the result, using any of these products will help you attack the new day with renewed confidence in your skin, and indeed in yourself.

Products may differ from images shown

NIVEA FOR MEN: Proud to keep England looking good.

www.niVeAFORMen.co.uk/football

heroes. Would it be enough?

England legends at NIVEAFORMEN.co.uk/football | 41

154 Days to go

Focus 2012

Race walk THE VENUE Just as with the marathon, The Mall takes centre stage once again for the race walking events at London 2012. Races will start and finish there, with athletes embarking on laps up to Constitution Hill and back, ensuring the crowds get to see plenty of action. Though we all get to see plenty of rapid walking action across the concourse of Waterloo Station on a daily basis, this is a chance to see how the pros do it.

At London 2012, there will be three race walking events – men’s and women’s 20km walk and men’s 50km walk. The latter equates to 31.06 miles, which is around five miles longer than a standard marathon. The current men’s world record stands at 3:34.13 (set by Russia’s Denis Nizhegorodov on home soil in 2008, when he smashed the previous mark of 3:35:47, set by Australia’s Nathan Deakes). Running, walking, whatever: that is pretty bloody fast.

THE EVENT Running is simple – one foot in front of the other as fast as possible, right? The same goes for race walking, but with a couple of very important differences (which masquerade as rules). Firstly, an athlete’s back toe can’t leave the ground until the heel of the front foot has touched – doing so is called ‘loss of contact’, and can result in a red card from course judges.

The second difference/rule is that the athlete’s supporting leg must straighten from the point of contact with the ground and remain straight until their body passes directly over it. Spotting a break of either rule is not easy, considering the speed at which these athletes move their feet, but athletes do at least get more than one ‘strike’.

On their third violation, they receive a ‘red paddle’ signifying disqualification – something which is fairly routine, even at elite level.

TEAM GB’S PROGRESS “In 2004, our event reached rock bottom with no GB competitor in Athens for the first time in Olympic history,” says Dr Andrew Drake, head coach at the National Centre for Race Walking. “We had one in 2008 – Johanna Jackson – who set a UK record in Beijing and has gone on to establish herself as world class. In 2012, we are looking to have athletes in each event, so we’ve turned a corner. I need the junior athletes that we work with to move up to challenge and join the seniors and strengthen the event further.”

42 | February 24 2012 |

RACE WALKING AT LONDON 2012 DATES August 4 (men’s 20km), August 11 (men’s 50km, women’s 20km) SEATING Limited, temporary seating on The Mall HOW TO GET THERE National Rail, Tube

GB hopeful

Johanna Jackson Age In 2012 27 MedAl ReCoRd Commonwealth Games gold 2010 She’s been carrying British hopes in race walking on her own since breaking into the GB team, but expectation has not got in Jo Jackson’s way – she is already assured of a place in the women’s 20km race walk at London 2012...

Having won a bronze medal at the English Schools Championships in 2002 after just six weeks’ training, Middlesbrough-born Jackson fulfilled her promise and became the first British woman to win a major race walk title when she picked up Commonwealth Games gold in Delhi in 2010. The fact that the victory came the year after she was disqualified from the World Championships in Berlin for ‘lifting’ made it all the sweeter.

At last year’s World Championships in Daegu, however, Jackson could manage only 23rd – some way short of the top-10 placing she’d set out to achieve and a lower finish than her position of 22nd in Beijing. After the race, she admitted to going into it with “a bit of a knee niggle” – which turned out to be a torn meniscus, requiring her to have surgery last October.

Jackson faces a difficult task to reach the podium this summer, with the Russians and Chinese dominating race walking. But, if fully fit, she can certainly be in the mix.

KEY EVENTS BEFORE LONDON 2012 IAAF World Race Walking Cup May 12-13, Saransk, Russia

Ian Walton/Getty Images, Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

Walk, don’t run is the school motto that will win one model-pupil-come-athlete an Olympic gold medal...

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

FEB HIGHLIGHTS 24–MAR 1 » Football: Arsenal v Tottenham » p46 » Tennis: Dubai Championships » p48 » Snooker: World Open » p48 » Football: International Friendlies » p50 » Best of the Rest » p50

SUNDAY BASKETBALL | NBA ALL-STAR GAME | AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO | ESPN 12.30AM

The best players from the NBA’s Eastern Conference take on the best from the West in the 61st annual All-Star game.

Britain’s Luol Deng will play a part alongside the 10 players lining up to start Sunday’s slam dunk feast. They are...

In his first regular season as a Clipper, Paul is emerging as leader of a team finally looking capable of making a name for itself – apart from being known as ‘the team in LA that’s not the Lakers’. The five-time All-Star prefers 10-pin bowling to b’ball, though.

Before even making his NBA debut in 2007, Durant signed a seven-year $60m endorsement deal with Nike.

He’s topped the NBA scoring charts for the past two seasons and helped Thunder reach last season’s Western Conference finals.

The 24-year-old is a two-time NBA champion but never an All-Star – until now. Injury troubles have held him back and are partly to blame for the fact Bynum isn’t on the 20-man shortlist for the USA’s Olympic basketball team. A man with a point to prove on Sunday, then.

BLAKE GRIFFIN TEAM: LA CLIPPERS

KOBE BRYANT TEAM: LA LAKERS

KEVIN DURANT TEAM: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

ANDREW BYNUM TEAM: LA LAKERS

DERRICK ROSE TEAM: CHICAGO BULLS

LEBRON JAMES TEAM: MIAMI HEAT

CARMELO ANTHONY TEAM: NEW YORK KNICKS

DWIGHT HOWARD TEAM: ORLANDO MAGIC

Meet the All-Stars

DWYANE WADE TEAM: MIAMI HEAT

Better known as D-Wade and one of the NBA’s most popular players since playing a key role in Miami’s first ever NBA Championship win in 2006.

The 30-year-old followed that by top-scoring for the USA at the 2008 Olympics, and remains one of the NBA’s most difficult players to guard.

44 | February 24 2012 |

The 33-year-old is in his 16th season as a pro and, despite starting it with an injured wrist, still racked up the points, scoring 40 or more in four straight games in January. Many have tried to write him off as one of the old guard, but he’s not there yet.

The youngest player ever to win the NBA’s MVP award, 23-year-old Rose signed a five-year contract extension worth $94.8m last December.

He’s been suffering from what the Yanks call ‘turf toe’ (a joint sprain), so the Bulls coach will hope his MVP doesn’t get too many minutes on Sunday.

‘King James’ has been one of the NBA’s most divisive figures since moving from his hometown team Cleveland Cavaliers to Miami in 2010 – a move announced live on TV. The fallout affected his game last season, but James has this term led Miami to the best season start in their history.

A prolific points scorer who tied the NBA record for most points scored in a single quarter with 33 in 2008. But he’s in a Knicks side that was in big trouble until the arrival of a Hollywood fairytale by the name of Jeremy Lin in NYC earlier this month. Look him up – he’s quite a story.

Wants to use his NBA career to “raise the name of God in the league”. We’re not sure if he’s achieved that, but he’s achieved almost everything else. Against him for the West is Bynum – the player linked with Howard’s position since the Magic man handed in a trade demand last December.

Andrew D Bernstein, Glenn James, Jesse D Garrabrant, Nathaniel S Butler, Fernando Medina. All pictures NBAE via Getty Images

CHRIS PAUL TEAM: LA CLIPPERS

The baby-faced brute had a breakthrough 2011, becoming the first rookie All-Star since 2003. Renowned for making monstrous slam dunks, the 22-year-old began this season surrounded by huge hype, with several pundits already calling him one of the NBA’s best.

n i W

the ate ultimnture a.cdo.vuketo find out more phy

x4tro .conti4

www Go to

Continental Tyres could take you further than you think. All the way to the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains, in our competition offering you and a friend an incredible journey. In one of fourteen Hummers, you’ll explore breathtaking scenery and cross fiery sand dunes, navigate rocky gorges and ford spectacular rivers. You’ll also enjoy four nights in a four-star hotel and a night in the desert under the stars.

Start your dream adventure by visiting www.conti4x4trophy.co.uk

7 Days SATURDAY > TENNIS | DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS | DUBAI | SKY SPORTS 2 10AM (FROM MONDAY)

MonDAY > SNOOKER | HAIKOU WORlD OPEN | CHINA | BRITISH EUROSPORT 7.30AM

His nemesis Djokovic, meanwhile, is set to play in the UAE, along with four-time Dubai champion Roger Federer, who ended the 2011 season on a real high. But it’s the world number one who’s won this tournament for the past three years, getting the better of the Swiss in straight sets in last year’s final.

Murray has yet to make it past the quarter finals in Dubai, and last year pulled out before the tournament even started with a wrist injury. Since leaving Melbourne with his head held high, he’s been sweating it out on the practice courts in Miami and probably thinking over the longest match of his life, which so nearly gave him his finest ever victory. It took Djokovic almost five hours to squeak past Murray – a significant step forward from the swift straight-sets defeat that sent the Scot into meltdown 12 months earlier.

Murray should arrive in Dubai strong of mind and body this year, then. All he has to do is keep that up for the next 10 months. Easy.

Murray back in swing Andy Murray returns to the court for the first time since losing his Australian Open semi final at the Dubai Tennis Championships, which begin this weekend. His heroic five-set defeat to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne suggested a decent year lies ahead for the Scot under the guidance of new coach Ivan Lendl, but first he must avoid the post-Oz slump into which he has fallen in previous seasons.

This tournament always attracts the top talent, although there is one notable absentee from this year’s event. Rafael Nadal announced last December that he would take a break from tennis after the first Grand Slam of the year to fully recover from a nagging shoulder injury, meaning the Spaniard is unlikely to be seen on court until Indian Wells in early March.

48 | February 24 2012 |

Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images, Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Asian baize

The tournament formally known as snooker’s Grand Prix travels to its new home on China’s Hainan Island and the city of Haikou on Monday, where the world’s top 16 are joined by 16 seeded wildcards in the battle for a trophy Neil Robertson has made his own.

Last season the newly crowned Masters champion demolished Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-1 in Glasgow, where the tournament was previously held, to retain the title he had won against Ding Junhui the previous year.

Recent Welsh Open winner Ding, whose success on the baize is directly responsible for the game’s booming popularity in China, faces the prospect of meeting four-time champion John Higgins in the quarter finals.

Robertson, meanwhile, opens his title defence against four-time champion Stephen Hendry.

Among the wildcard entries are Nigel Bond ‘00-147’ and Mark ‘The Royal’ King. Mark Williams awaits the winner of King’s qualifier against 17-year-old Iranian Hossein Vafaei.

Elsewhere, China’s Lu Haotian makes his ranking tournament debut against Tom Ford for the right to play O’Sullivan in the first round.

O’Sullivan will almost certainly meet Williams in round two, beyond which lies the tantalising prospect of another quarter final against Judd Trump. Mr Haircut 100 edged O’Sullivan 6-5 in the last eight en route to winning the UK Championship in December and 6-2 at the Masters in January, but momentum is with the Rocket after he triumphed 5-3 at the Welsh Open – a victory that included a quite stunning 139 break.

With a £75,000 prize on offer and the World Championship on the horizon, this is a World Open full of eastern promise.

7 Days WEDNESDAY FOOTBALL

home comforts REpUblIc oF IRElAND v czEch REpUblIc (Sky SportS 1, 7.45pm)

Childless puppeteer Giovanni Trapattoni starts his preparation for Ireland’s first major tournament for 10 years with this fixture against fellow playoff qualifiers the Czech Republic, who surprised many by beating Montenegro – particularly now their Golden Generation have largely retired.

Ireland’s squad is a mix of experienced old heads like Robbie Keane and Shay Given, and younger Premier League players who Trapattoni has integrated into the squad in the past year or so. Expect to see the likes of Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and Jonathan Walters given starting places.

BEST OF THE REST

FRIDAY RUGBY UNION Aviva Premiership: Worcester Warriors v Saracens, Sixways, ESPN 7.45pm

RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: St Helens v Catalan Dragons, Langtree Park, Sky Sports 1 8pm

SATURDAY FOOTBALL Championship: West Ham v Crystal Palace, Upton Park, Sky Sports 2 12.45pm TENNIS WTA Dubai Final, Dubai, British Eurosport 2 3pm HORSE RACING Racing Plus Chase, Kempton, Channel 4 3.05pm

50 | February 24 2012 |

WAlES v coSTA RIcA (Sky SportS 2, 7.45pm)

Chris Coleman will take charge of his first game as Wales manager, and their first since the tragic death of Gary Speed. He inherits young talent in every position, with Wayne Hennessey in goal, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey in midfield, and Sam Vokes and Hal Robson-Kanu up front. Costa Rica’s squad is full of relative unknowns, but they did draw 2-2 with Spain at the end of last year (although this was shortly after the world champions lost to England, so perhaps they were a bit out of sorts). The Dragons’ next competitive fixture isn’t until September, so for Coleman this is a chance to get to know his squad.

NoRThERN IRElAND v NoRWAY (Sky SportS 3, 7.45pm)

Norn Iron disappointed in Euro 2012 qualifying – undoing the good work of beating Slovenia and drawing with Italy by failing to beat the Faroe Islands away. Wednesday’s game

CRICKET Pakistan v England: 2nd T20, Dubai, Sky Sports 1 3.30pm RUGBY UNION Aviva Premiership: Gloucester v Harlequins, Kingsholm Stadium, ESPN 6pm RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: Wakefield v Bradford, Belle Vue, Sky Sports 1 7.45pm

SUNDAY GOLF HSBC Women’s Championship Day 4, Singapore, Sky Sports 3 5am FOOTBALL SPL: Inverness CT v Rangers, Caledonian Stadium, Sky Sports 4 12.45pm GOLF WGC Accenture Match Play Championship Day 5, Arizona, Sky Sports 2 3pm

Home and away: O’Neill, Bale and MacKail-Smith can look to 2014, while Keane will be focused on the summer

against Norway will be the first for new manager Michael O’Neill, who took Shamrock Rovers into the Europa League group stages before easing himself into the national hot seat.

He starts his preparation for the World Cup 2014 qualifiers against a Norway side that has also been absent from major tournaments for some time, but were unlucky to miss out on a playoff place for the Euros.

SlovENIA v ScoTlAND (7.30pm) The despair surrounding the SPL is echoed at national level – the Scots took just four points from their first four Euro 2012 qualifiers and needed a 97th-minute winner to deny Liechtenstein a point. Craig Levein remains in charge, and will take his side to Slovenia to prepare for a tough World Cup qualifying group.

Slovenia were unlucky not to get through to the last 16 in the 2010 World Cup – despite being dreadful – but they are the type of team Scotland need to be beating if they’re to have any hope of reaching a major tournament.

FOOTBALL La Liga: Atletico Madrid v Barcelona, Vicente Calderon, Sky Sports 1 8.30pm

MoNDAY CRICKET Pakistan v England: 3rd T20, Abu Dhabi, Sky Sports 1 3.30pm

TUESDAY BASKETBALL NBA: Detroit Pistons v Philadelphia Suns, Wells Fargo Center, ESPN 12.30am

WEDNESDAY FOOTBALL UEFA U21 Championship Qualifier: England v Belgium, Riverside Stadium, ESPN 5.30pm

Clive Rose/Getty Images, Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images, Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images, Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images

England aside, the other home nations and Ireland are all in action this week. Enjoy it while you can, before Scotland gains its independence and the spectacle of them labouring to a 0-0 draw against inferior opposition is gone from our screens forever...

Advertising Feature

Move on up With smartphone browsing, speed is most definitely of the essence, whether you’re looking up the address of that restaurant booking you’re late for, or rushing to check the football scores before your date comes back from the bathroom. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9790 have BlackBerry’s new 7.1 operating system, which provides an amazing 40 per cent speed boost over devices that run the BlackBerry 6 OS. Not only will pages load quicker, they’ll look better too; the new range’s powerful graphics processors and Liquid Graphics displays ensure instant response times, smoother rendering and fluid animations for that vital piece of last-minute research on the way to a meeting, or for watching the highlights of England v Wales – arguably just as vital.

Touch and go The new BlackBerry models are packed with features that have the potential to save you vital seconds when you’re snowed under at work. That’s why the new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9790 have NFC technology, the same that’s used in Oyster cards and for contactless payment systems. As this technology becomes more popular, it will be used for more and more types of transaction – and your new phone will be ready for the future. It also provides a quick, easy and convenient way of transferring information like photos or contact details between NFC-enabled BlackBerrys – an ideal option if you meet someone and don’t have a business card with you.

Our best ever F

or years people at the top of their professions, from businessmen to politicians, have been relying on BlackBerrys for the dependable delivery of information whenever and wherever they need it. Immediate and secure access to sensitive data is vital to success, and BlackBerry has always worked hard to ensure it leads the industry in this area.

Now, the game has changed, and the new BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Bold 9790 provide so much more than email and phone calls, and all in a slender package that’s a joy to behold. Keep reading for the full details of how BlackBerry’s new models can help you be more productive at work, and also provide some entertainment...

Perform at your best If you’re writing an email on your phone, it’s probably urgent. So you don’t want to be battling with fiddly touchscreen keyboards and baffling auto-correct substitutions.

Equally, sometimes you want the flexibility and ease of touchscreen input – for example, if you’re browsing the Internet or flicking through tweets. The new BlackBerry models combine the iconic QWERTY keyboard with a high-resolution touchscreen, so users have the best of both worlds. You can easily browse websites and use all manner of apps with the touch screen. And, if you need to enter text, the physical keyboard makes it quick and easy, so you can concentrate on the words you want to use.

Of course, life’s not all about work.

Sometimes you want to switch off and have some fun, and the new BlackBerry family is well equipped. Upgrade to the BlackBerry Bold family for an enhanced gaming experience – 1.2GHz and 1GHz processors in the 9900 and 9790 give you the power of a tablet in the palm of your hand, and means that for the first time, BlackBerry users can get to grips with games like EA’s awesome smartphone adaptation of Need for Speed™ Shift (pictured above). It’s definitely a step up from Word Mole, and you can even get your BBM contacts involved with new social games. With thousands available via BlackBerry App World, there’s a game for everyone, whether you’re a petrolhead looking for a virtual speed fix, or want to engage in some friendly (or otherwise) competition with your friends or colleagues.

Your next BlackBerry The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9790 offer a step up in quality, with flexible input options and increased speed and power. Say goodbye to your old phone and raise your game with the best BlackBerry ever.

| 51

© 2011 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo, Need for Speed, the Need for Speed logo and the stylized ‘N’ icon are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Raise your game

P56 It’s a quadricopter – not a bear trap, we’re happy to say

Extra time Kit

Making the most of your time and money

A treat for the lady’s feet

1

2

3

4

5

6

Is your woman planning a marathon this year? Or a 10k? Or a walk to a local wine bar? In any case, these will come in handy

1 Adidas Supernova Glide 4

These beauties are miCoach compatible, which means that you can record your speed, acceleration, distance and pace data. Sadly, we haven’t found a way to fudge results yet, so you’re not allowed to see ours. £90 | adidas.com

2 K-Swiss Blade Light Jetster

Springy foam shafts in the outsole collapse and compress while you run, making these shocking pink trainers perfect for low-mileage runners – or those taking their first steps back into the gym . £50 | jjbsports.com

3 Mizuno Wave Inspire 8

The original Mizuno Wave range comes from the knowledge that waveforms dissipate impact energy extremely quickly. We don’t know what any of that means, but these look pretty nifty. £100 | mizuno.co.uk

4 New Balance Women’s Minimus 00

NB’s initial entry into the ‘barefoot’ market has a thin sole that allows you to feel the ground and work your legs instead of relying on cushioning to soften the ground’s impact. Your legs will hurt the first few times you wear them, but it’s worth it in the long haul. £75 | newbalance.co.uk

5 Nike Zoom Elite+5

Does anyone else remember those cool Nike basketball trainers that let you pump up your own sole?

Nobody? Maybe we’re getting old. Anyway, these don’t have a pump, but they do look nice. £90 | store.nike.com

6 Vibram Fivefingers Bikila

Fivefingers footwear have embraced and developed the notion that trainers should feel more like gloves. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’ve got to wear shoes on your hands. Because that would just be stupid. £115 | primallifestyle.com

52 | February 24 2012 |

D

on’t let the doe ey es fool you – actr ess and martial artist Se lina Lo kicks like a horse.

Having been in tr oduced to m ar tial ar ts at the age of fo ur, Lo went on Paul McC ar tney to tr ain at ’s pr es tigious LIPA Academy (for the acting – we don’ t thin k Sir Paul ever locked John in a choke hold, te mpted though mus t have been he ) and the Sylvia Young Theatr e School. She is also an accom plished dancer singer and pian , is t.

Lo is renow ned for her refusa l to use stunt doubles in her films, the mos t recent being The Scorpion Ki ng 3: Battle for Redemption,

in w hic h Tsukai, you can see he mixing ar tis t it with r as ‘legenda K im b r o f f- a- s bo Slice, th oxer and mix y war r ior’ e d m ar at smo ink ingo t h -t a tial a n d Re ship f r lk ing ne H om T She als iguit a (pr ob itanic Billy Z r a tane, in spir e o s t ar s in 2 ably).

0 d w ir e s, Shanty Tow 0 9 ’s f an t as t n ic n in aw e o fe ar, no cle Showdown ( par kour t agline as Lo d an und : ‘no er w e a eli ver s you w a r’) n t Google t to li ve” be t he line “com . Wa tch ew te it The Sc . You w on’t r t han A r nie it h me if re or e ver c ould. releas pion King 3: gr e t it. ed on B Battle f o r Re lu-ray d and DV D from emption is Februa ry 27

s Le

to ho ep ag au v

r.c

om he

54 | February 24 2012 | gra p

d n a Lo behold!

Extra time Selina Lo

| 55

Extra time Gadgets

Shining toys All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work an...

PlayStation Vita* It’s finally here – the long awaited PlayStation Vita, Sony’s new handheld console, has arrived. And it’s packed full of goodies aimed at nipping the burgeoning tablet and smartphone gaming market in the bud. The Vita has dual analog sticks, a five-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. There’s also a rear touchpad for we’re-notquite-sure-what, front and rear cameras, and the Sixaxis motion system used in the PS3. All in all, packed with enough graphical power to make Angry Birds look an unsightly mess. *Hand not included. £210-260 | uk.playstation.com/psvita

Parrot AR Drone 2.0 We’re not going to pretend that this ‘quadricopter’ is a must-have gadget that will transform the way you live your life or save you masses of time.

In fact, it’s probably the kind of toy you’ll play with once and then never use again, like a child would at Christmas. Despite that, we still want one for two very good reasons: it flies, and you control it with your phone. £TBC | parrot.com

G155 Mobile Gaming Environment

GameGadget

One of the many things we hate about our commute is the dirty stares we get every morning when we set up our console and TV so we can play a bit of FIFA on the way to work.

This solves that problem, thanks to the in-built screen and foam padding. There’s no surround sound, so we’ll still have to drag our subwoofer on to the 08.44 to Waterloo. But it’s a start.

They may be dubbing this the ‘iPod for handheld games’, but we’re going to stick our neck out a bit and say that this won’t be quite as popular as Steve Jobs’ music player. But when the device comes out in March, you’ll be able to download thousands of classic games through an App Store-style interface. Which is pretty good. £100 | gamegadget.net

£300 | firebox.com

Speck CandyShell Grip iPod Touch/iPhone case Sweaty thumbs are the scourge of many, from hitchhikers and hand models to mobile gaming enthusiasts. This case won’t help with the first two, sadly, but it is optimised for gaming, with a softgrip back and thumb-securing bumps on the front. £30 | store.apple.com

56 | February 24 2012 |

Extra time Grooming the fragrance

Welcome returns

the gels

Shockwaves Natural Definition Range Poor old gels have had a tough time of it recently. What with the rise of putties, clays and waxes, they’ve just become, well, a bit unfashionable.

Maybe it’s time for a renaissance, however, in the form of this newly released pair from Shockwaves. Now available from Boots and Superdrug nationwide, the Natural Definition Texture Gel (left) and Styling Gel both offer a strong hold while being gentle on the hair and scalp.

“The new gels are easy to use and give your hair the right amount of hold without having to compromise that £2.49 natural look,” says Shockwaves style director Michael Douglas. But then he would say that, wouldn’t he? facebook.com/ shockwavesuk

For a classic fragrance, some good old-fashioned hair gels and an award-winning skincare range

Terre d’Hermes Limited Edition H Bottle

£70, 100ml

One of the most subtly masculine scents on the market is back in a range of limited-edition bottles (or flacons, if you will) for 2012.

The familiar Terre d’Hermes notes of grapefruit, orange, flint and Atlas cedar are all still there, combining to produce a fragrance that has been adorning men’s faces and attracting women’s noses for a number of years.

Its return has been marked with a series of three limited-edition bottles, featuring an evolving combination of canework motifs that have been innovatively named H1, H2 and H3.

This one to the right is H2, signifying our commitment to an absolutely middle-of-the-road approach to life.

Terre d’Hermes remains one of our favourite whiffs, and is available in its latest guise at House of Fraser from February 27.

0844 800 3752

the kit

£2.49

the rescue

VitaMan Massage Pack Things we like about this compact massage pack from Aussie grooming brand VitaMan: the inclusion of a relaxing massage oil, for one; the black ceramic pot from which you can pour warm candle oil on to your ‘friend’, for two; and the fact you can use the case for DVDs, for three. Versatile. vitamangrooming.co.uk £51

58 | February 24 2012 |

Electro Shock from Nickel £23

Nickel’s award-winning Morning After Rescue range has been helping men look better than they probably deserve to since 1996, but this latest incarnation is very possibly the best yet.

Designed to act like an energy drink for the skin, the admittedly ominous-sounding Electro Shock has been directly inspired by a mojito’s key ingredients of mint and sugar, with extracts of lime and guarana included to energise and stimulate your inevitably tired-looking visage.

Any product inspired by the only cocktail lads feel truly comfortable ordering gets our vote, and the fast-absorbing lotion does give off the kind of medicinal aroma that suggests only good things will happen upon application. We’re not entirely sure where they got the name from, but it matters little; Electro Shock is definitely worth a go, and is available nationwide from March – although if you can’t wait a few days, you can order it online now. nickelspalondon.co.uk

C ett elli Ge1hT121©02012 The G.iyllentatepC mompany.

MANY ROADS LEAD TO THE MEDAL, BUT ALL BEGIN WITH A GREAT START. SIR CHRIS HOY, 4X OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST

NOTHING BEATS A GREAT START. facebook.com/GilletteUK

Extra time Entertainment

Darkness rising

GAME

Syndicates running the world, Woody the cowboy cop and a Prime Minister diddling more than just the country DVD

Black Mirror

Syndicate (PC/PS3/Xbox 360)

With Charlie Brooker behind this trio of blackly comic dramas, it’s no surprise that it begins with a posh Prime Minister coerced into, well, porking a pig. Far from being a thinly veiled attack on Brooker’s favourite Tory, however, the PM here was the most sympathetic character on show, with the general public coming off far less well.

The episode – and series as a whole – was a fairly damning examination of the way we use advancing technology and social media. None too subtle, but smart, funny, involving – and out on DVD from today.

Imagine living in a world controlled not by governments, but by companies that battle for market dominance with no regulation or government oversight. Sound familiar? Surprisingly, this reboot of a popular 1993 Amiga and Sega Mega Drive title isn’t set after a few years of coalition government reforms, but in 2069, where three mega-corporations are engaged in a brutal war. You play as Miles Kilo, an agent of one these firms, where you file paperwork in the accounting department and dream of the life you could have led.

Not really – thanks to a bio-chip implanted in your character’s head, you can slow down time, see through walls and perform all sorts of Matrix-style tricks as you take down enemies in this brutal sci-fi shooter. Think of it as the future of the NHS – in a video game.

FILM

BOOK

MUSIC

Raylan Elmore Leonard

Do Ya Thing Gorillaz The Gorillaz always have a way with high-quality collaborations and have teamed with Outkast’s Andre 3000 for this new song, which features Damon Albarn rapping but sounds pretty damn good all the same. No, really. See for yourself by downloading it for free at converse.co.uk.

American crime fiction maestro returns with a novel about US Marshal Raylan Givens on the trail of a drug dealer who turns up dead – but that’s just the start of our hero’s problems.

Expect a tight plot and Leonard’s trademark crackling dialogue.

Rampart

Ghostory School of Seven Bells

Woody Harrelson is billed as ‘the most corrupt cop you’ve ever seen’ in this meaty drama written

by James ‘LA Confidential’ Ellroy. A bold claim, but if anyone can pull off making an abusive, misogynistic, pill-popping liar watchable, it’s the charismatic Harrelson, who shed weight to create his character’s gaunt look.

If only he’d added a Kingpin-style combover and rubber hand, too.

The idea of a concept album by a hipster, retro 1980s dream-pop band might set your teeth on edge, but it’s actually extremely pleasant on the ears. Some fantastic pop hooks pulsate here behind Alejandra Deheza’s lighter-than-air vocals, making School of Seven Bells much more fun and a lot less pretentious than they may appear. Out on Monday, it won’t knock seven bells out of you, but may well get your toes tapping.

60 | February 24 2012 |

MUSIC

“THIS IS REALLY THE HANDHELD THAT JUST DOES EVERYTHING ”

WHOLE NEW DIMENSION IN SOCIAL GAMING

3G

ni noi s ne m i d wen el oh w a r ev ocsi Discover Discover a whole whole new new dimension dimension in in social and multiplayer gaming with a choice of connectivity options including 3G. Challenge and chat with new friends and players in real-time in your neighbourhood using PS Vita’s a evi ti ut ni yl t nailli r b ecnei r e px E xperience b rilliantly iintuitive ntuitive a nd Experience brilliantly and unique location-baseddnsocial immersive gaming via unique touchgaming applications. sensitive and motion-control technologies across an exciting range of titles specially developed to showcase PS Vita’s stunning gaming capabilities and performance.

BRILLIANTLY INTUITIVE TOUCH-SENSITIVE MOTION CONTROL

REAR TOUCH PAD e e f reutf anenf Aen uuffeature eqiuanture u unique nSiqPoo uo et tto oP PS S Vita, opening up entirely new ways to play.

Gamesmaster

Touch • Grab • Trace • Push • Pull

5 inch OLED SCREEN si d ” ss al c- ni -t s e b“ T The ehe ““best-in-class” best-in-class” d display ispalay vividly brings your games and entertainment to life.

FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS ni zaa ma For rFor amazing amazuu idnuegteAnAugemented Aeug memented Reality experience plus photo capture.

DUAL ANALOG STICKS person t srfEnjoy sfillt e ufviyasram effully um m llm yi iimmersive mm ne osrrsievp etfisrrst st p erson experience with intuitive dual analog sticks that give you the ultimate in gaming control.

ADDITIONAL INPUT DEVICES Microphone - for voice chat and gaming controls.

Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer).

Three-axis electronic compass.

GPS* - for maps and location-based social gaming *3G Mobile Broadband only. Location based services supported on Wi-Fi sku through Wi-Fi triangulation.

“2”, “PlayStation” and “À”are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Also, “

” is a trademark of the same company. All rights reserved.

“I MAY NEVER TOUCH A GAME ON MY iPHONE AGAIN” Stuff