Sport magazine issue 299 by Sport Magazine

Issue 299 | April 5 2013

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING Justin Rose heads to the Masters ready to break his Major duck

S Y A W H T I W G N I T S R U B Y O J N E O T U FOR YO L A N O I T A N THE GRAND ONLY IN THE SUN

F O E G A R E V O C SPOT ON L A N O I T A N D N A THE GR

5 L I R P A Y A D I R F E PULLOUT

G A P 8 E T I R U O V A F IT K E K A T S P E E W S PLUS: FREE 50 . 9 £ M O R F S T E K TIC G N I C A R 2 : S U L P

ONLY IN THE SUN 18 years or over. Terms and conditions apply. Gamble responsibly gambleaware.co.uk Racing from £9.50: Token collect, subject to availability. Terms, conditions and date restrictions apply. £1 booking fee applies.

ÂŠ2013 Oakley, Inc. 01727 795791 // uk.oakley.com

KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL, HIPS ALIGNED AND SOME OTHER STUFF. THERE’S THE TYPICAL WAY OF DOING THINGS, AND THEN THERE’S BUBBA’S WAY.

OAKLEY GOLF APPAREL + BUBBA WATSON

BEYOND REASON

ISSUE 299, APRIL 5 2013 Radar 07 Colour clash The vital red versus blue statistics ahead of Monday’s Manchester derby

10 Flashback The story of the Grand National’s biggest upset: Foinavon’s 100-1 win back in 1967 oFeatures this coming week

20 Justin Rose

Cover image: Howard Boylan. This page: Bentley Archive/Popperfoto/Getty Images, David Rogers/Getty Images

Looks good on our cover. Would look better in a Green Jacket. Can the world number three fulfil his promise at Augusta?

27 The Masters contenders The men who – along with Rose – might consider taking their chest and arm measurements with them to Georgia next week

33 Mako Vunipola The Saracens prop reflects on his Six Nations experience and looks ahead to his side’s Heineken Cup quarter final

36 The Grand National

Trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Daryl Jacob relive their dramatic victory of 12 months ago. Can they do it again on Saturday?

Extra Time

50 Gadgets Toshiba’s 9Series HD television and Canon’s new DSLR camera

52 Kit We bring you two pages of gear to help you master your own game ahead of the Masters

NEW MERRELL MCONNECT MINIMAL AND LIGHTWEIGHT FOOTWEAR, DESIGNED TO ENHANCE ALL OF YOUR OUTSIDE EXPERIENCES.

56 Grooming Gucci Guilty Black, Nivea’s Invisible range and Acqua di Parma turn us to the dark side Find out more on page 47

60 Entertainment Spring Breakers brings you a combo of bikinis and armed robbery – not in that order | April 5 2013 | 05

Radar

p10 – Flashback: The 1967 Grand National, won by the rank outsider Foinavon

p12 – Our old friend Wisden is 150 not out

RED VS

BLUE

Manchesters United and City meet on Monday, with the title slipping from the Sky Blues’ grasp. It’s no surprise – red teams always do better

similar studies of other sports. Certainly, it’s obvious that the most successful teams in English football have played in red (see table, right), and that teams who play in red have tended to outperform their city rivals (bottom right), with the notable exception of last season. It’s theorised that the so-called ‘red advantage’ might occur because it’s an easier colour to recognise in peripheral vision, or because it’s associated with dominance. Either way, Cardiff fans have seen the benefits – their team are top of the Championship, and are odds-on for promotion. Perhaps Man City should switch to red for next season?

THE STATS MOST TITLES WON BY COLOUR MANCHESTER UNITED LIVERPOOL ARSENAL SUNDERLAND NOTTINGHAM FOREST SHEFFIELD UNITED

19 18 13 06 01 01

09 04 04 03 03 03

EVERTON CHELSEA SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY MANCHESTER CITY HUDDERSFIELD BLACKBURN

19 18 13 01

03 09 04 04

MANCHESTER CITY EVERTON CHELSEA SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images, John Peters/ Man Utd via Getty Images, Alex Livesey/Getty Images

ome sections of the Cardiff City fanbase were incensed when it transpired the club’s new Malaysian owners wanted their team to play in red instead of the traditional blue. They would probably have been more easily convinced had they seen the evidence that playing in red can actually boost a team’s performances, however. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences looked at results in English football over a 55-year period, and found teams that play in red have performed consistently better over the years – a finding backed up by

CITY COMPARISONS MANCHESTER UNITED LIVERPOOL ARSENAL SHEFFIELD UNITED

| April 5 2013 | 07

Radar

National treasures Three more Grand Nationals that will live long in the memory 1956 THE MYSTERY FALL Theories abound as to why the Queen Mother-owned Devon Loch suddenly sprawled hopelessly to the ground with but 100 yards to go – and the race at his mercy – in the 1956 National. The most likely explanation is that the horse saw the water-jump on an adjacent part of the track and thought he had to jump it for a second time – although anyone who backed eventual winner E.S.B. won’t much care.

As remembered by David Owen

Foinavon:The Story of the Grand National’s Biggest Upset, by David Owen, is published by Bloomsbury, £18.99, hardback

10 | April 5 2013 |

In 1967, 100-1 shot Foinavon won the Grand National. David Owen, the author of a new book about the race, looks back at the extraordinary result. It was a battlefield. It was a defeated cavalry charge. It was reminiscent of those blood-curdling 19th-century sporting prints. It was like cars in a multiple motorway concertina in fog. It was a cauldron of furious activity. It was a chain reaction of ruin. In the days that followed the 1967 Grand National, all these images – and more – were used by writers striving to convey the trauma of seeing one of the world’s great sporting spectacles disintegrate into chaos in the blink of an eye. The incredible pile-up at the 23rd fence, caused by a loose horse, which stopped two dozen or more galloping half-tonne thoroughbreds in their tracks, undoubtedly decided the outcome of that particular race. But it also encapsulates, better than any other single incident, the sheer unpredictability that is the Grand National’s hallmark and which has helped to turn it into a national institution – a magnet for millions who would never normally think of watching a horse race. And a vehicle for thousands of office sweepstakes. The anonymous 100-1 outsider in peculiar blinkers who picked his way through the wreckage and plodded home to win – Foinavon – became for a few months a bona fide celebrity. Indeed, you might say he is the slowest racehorse ever to be

immortalised, since that 23rd fence now bears his name. As a seven-year-old watching on TV in a bay-windowed Taunton living room, the episode had me transfixed. It has never left me. So much so that I have now written a book about it. For John Buckingham, Foinavon’s delighted jockey, who only got the ride a few days earlier, it was the shining moment of a career that ended four years later after a fall at Wetherby. John Kempton, Foinavon’s young trainer, who operated from an obscure yard in Berkshire, near the ancient Ridgeway, was unable to be at Liverpool and hence missed by far the greatest feat of his training career. Also a rider, Kempton watched the race from the jockeys’ room at Worcester racecourse, where he had just ridden another of the horses he trained to victory in an obscure novices’ hurdle. As Foinavon and Buckingham emerged from the Aintree melee, the rake-thin Kempton, beside himself with excitement, sprang up on to a table to get a better view. When they passed the winningpost, still with 15 lengths in hand on their closest pursuer, he jumped into the air with what one witness remembers as an “extraordinary screech”. When I went to meet him four decades on, Kempton confesses that he thinks the table might have “broke a bit”.

2010 THE CHAMP Many of the sport’s greatest jockeys – Dick Francis (see 1956), John Francome, Peter Scudamore – ended their careers without ever winning the National. And, after 14 failed attempts, the greatest of them all, AP McCoy, was threatening to add himself to the list. But then, in 2010, he teamed up with the talented but enigmatic Don’t Push It; the pair went off 10-1 jointfavourites and duly came home five lengths clear of Black Apalachi. A hoodoo was broken, and eight months later a disbelieving McCoy was named Sports Personality of the Year.

Bentley Archive/Popperfoto/Getty Images

<<FLASHBACK<< The Grand National’s greatest upset 1967 GRAND NATIONAL

1981 THE COMEBACK Jockey Bob Champion was in remission from cancer ahead of the 1981 National, in which he was due to ride Aldaniti – an 11-year-old chestnut who had himself recovered from a career-threatening injury to take his place in the line-up. In a result for the romantics, the pair streaked clear to beat favourite Spartan Missile by four lengths; within two years, the pair were immortalised in a film, Champions, in which Aldaniti played himself.

Radar

A long innings he world has changed a lot in the last century and a half, and cricket has been dragged begrudgingly along for the ride, into a brave new era of decision review systems, Twenty20 Super Overs and DLF maximums. As the winds of change have swept through, however, one publication has documented it all, from WG Grace to Allen Stanford. And, this year, it celebrates its 150th edition. The cricketing bible that is Wisden has changed little over time, as you can see from a selection of covers ranging from the original, launched by John Wisden in 1864 and priced at one shilling (top left), to this year’s edition. In a transient world, the iconic yellow woodcut cover is here to stay. Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2013, 150th edition, out Thursday, £35

Hold your horses A new app helps identify your horse during the Grand National. If your luck’s like ours, it’s probably been shot

12 | April 5 2013 |

Every time we bet on the Grand National, we spend half of the race struggling to identify which horse it is we’ve actually staked our mortgage on. Luckily, losing track of your horse is now a thing of the past (insert obligatory Tesco joke here), thanks to a new app from Channel 4 Racing. Hold it up to whichever screen you happen to be watching and it will track your horse, with data on speed, position and distances to the next horse and to the finish (if it stays on the screen). Horse Tracker, free, iOS

LIVE & EXCLUSIVE

£17.95 / €24.95

Radar Editor’s letter Get your coat: O’Neill has appeared a shadow of his former self this season www.sport-magazine.co.uk @sportmaguk facebook.com/sportmagazine Free iPad app available on Newsstand

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 Editor-in-chief: Simon Caney (7951) Deputy editor: Tony Hodson (7954) Art editor: John Mahood (7860) 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) Designer: Matthew Samson (7861) Digital designer: Chris Firth (7952) Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963) Contributors: David Lawrenson

Think what you like about foreign owners, but Ellis Short was correct to sack Martin O’Neill

Y Deputy editor Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1

et more proof of football’s enduring status as the most conservative and retrograde of sports last weekend, as the sacking of Martin O’Neill prompted outrage among former pros. ”I can’t think of anyone who could have done a better job at Sunderland than Martin was doing,” bleated Tony Cottee on Sky Sports News, seemingly unaware that the Black Cats are without a win in eight league games and hovering dangerously close to a previously unthinkable relegation. Steve Coppell went a step further on BBC Radio 5 live, accusing the club’s American owner Ellis Short of a ”spoilt-brat reaction”. ”There are so many foreign owners, I have nothing against that,” continued Coppell, immediately suggesting that he probably does have something against that. ”But they don’t understand the history and heritage of British football... there is a way of doing things in English football that has now gone out of the window.” Absolute nonsense. Martin O’Neill has been a fine manager over a number of years, but Sunderland’s season has been little short of a disaster. The club went out of both cups at home to lower-league

14 | April 5 2013 |

opposition and have been by some distance the dullest team to watch in a generally exciting Premier League season. That wouldn’t matter as much if results had been good, but they have not; starve the natives of both success and entertainment, and they will inevitably become restless. To be fair to the Stadium of Light faithful, they never really turned against O’Neill. He is one of the sport’s good guys and deserves the respect they gave him. But the spark had gone and, as owner, Short was absolutely right to wield the axe. Whether or not the undoubted fruitloop Paolo Di Canio is the right man to replace O’Neill, though, only time will tell. One thing is for certain – life under the Italian will be anything but dull.

beyond the last eight in any of his four clay outings in 2012. Improving on that moderate record must now be his main priority – if he does that, then we really can get excited.

Great to see Andy Murray winning in Miami, but why is everyone getting so excited about him rising to number two in the rankings? With Roger Federer taking an extended mid-season break, the Scot’s ascension was pretty much inevitable – and he’s still a mile behind world number one Novak Djokovic. Yes, it means he will now avoid the Serbian before the final of any tournament in which they are both playing – but the claycourt season is imminent and Murray failed to get

Many of us will have watched open-mouthed at the horrific leg break suffered by US college basketball star Kevin Ware last weekend. It was proper David Busst stuff, reminding us that serious injury can result from the most innocuous of situations, but it also gave us an insight into the psyche of elite sportspeople. As he was carried away, his leg shattered, all Ware could think of was to order his teammates to go win the game. Appropriately, they did just that.

With the leading amateur jockey JT McNamara still in hospital after his horror fall at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, horse racing again comes under the spotlight this weekend. The Grand National is one of my very favourite sporting events of the year, combining stunning action with great drama. As Channel 4 prepares to broadcast it live for the very first time, we can only cross our fingers that all 40 horses and jockeys return safe and sound after the race.

Colour reproduction: Rival Colour Ltd Printed by: Wyndeham Group Ltd © UTV Media plc 2012 UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements placed in Sport magazine £1 where sold Hearty thanks to: Jack Mansell, Steph Jones, Louise Agran, Sam Feasey

Cover of the Year

LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

2008

Total Average Distribution: 302,466 Jul-Dec 2012 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.

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images

For footballing reasons

Commercial Agency Sales Director: Iain Duffy (7991) Advertising Managers: Steve Hare (7930), Kevin O’Byrne (7832), Aaron Pinto del Rio (7918) Sales Executive: Joe Grant (7904) Distribution Manager: Sian George (7852) Distribution Assistant: Makrum Dudgeon Head of Online: Matt Davis (7825) Head of Communications: Laura Wootton (7913) Managing Director: Calum Macaulay PA to Managing Director: Deborah Dilworth (7826)

Radar Opinion

Flats on Friday

It’s like this… Bill Borrows

David Lyttleton

Just another Heineken Cup night out

here are tons of really good pieces of music that have been ruined by their overuse on TV. But there are also a good few so synonymous with their respective programmes that nobody even seems to know if they were nicked or indeed written for that purpose. I have no clue whether or not that tune that plays on Heineken Cup weekends, for example, was written by a bearded guitarist in the 1970s or not – but it works. As soon as I hear that music, the hairs properly stand up on my knuckles and upper back, and my mind drifts back to European memories of old. I recall being at an England training session, just warming down after a tough workout with a few pretend stretches, listening to a legend of the game telling the group a quite unbelievable story. So unbelievable was it that nobody believed him, but I knew it was true. I knew because it was my story and he had pinched it, forgetting that his original source was in fact sitting beside him. I was a kid in the game and by no means qualified to out the banter thief, so I sat still and allowed my mind to drift back to those heady days… I was 18 and, despite only having finished school a few minutes earlier, found myself playing against Toulouse in a huge Heineken Cup match in front of a baying French crowd. We won the game – which was nice – but that wasn’t really the main event. Just as we thought a fun night was drawing to a hazy close, a couple of extremely prominent 16 | April 5 2013 |

French players (the omerta prevents further info) literally burst out of a nightclub into the street. Enjoying a manly wrestle, they flung each other this way and that, with one of them eventually landing on a neatly chained-up Vespa scooter, knocking it to the ground. The owner, stood but a yard away, yelped as his pride and joy crashed to the concrete and left purple blood stains on the pavement. The offending ape, instead of living up to his macho appearance and reputation, instantly picked up the prone vehicle, hugged the man in apology and took out what seemed to be a million Francs from his pocket, giving it all to the despairing scooterist. Then, short of a few quid for the journey home, he hijacked a taxi – removing the driver with a fireman’s carry and placing him in his own boot – got all eight of us in and wheelspun back to the team hotel. Where, obviously, he stole a ninja sword from behind reception and pretended to splice everyone in the bar. Somehow, everybody loved it. The next morning, as we wobbled gingerly down to breakfast, we found him, still going. He was, at this point, chatting up a waitress in the restaurant with said sword tucked into his jeans and a bandana wrapped around his large, battered head. “Aren’t you hungover?” I asked him. “Non, mon cochon,” he replied. “I do not drink.” Didn’t want to dilute the memories, he said. Looking back, he had a point. @davidflatman

hose of a UKIP tendency in English football predicted that the influx of foreign players would ruin both the domestic game and the national team. They have, of course, been proved as profoundly correct as Irish scientist Dionysius Lardner, who anticipated that high-speed rail travel would never be possible because passengers would inevitably asphyxiate. To the UKIPers, we are able to say au contraire. Mata, Silva, van Persie et al have transformed the Premier League into the best in the world, and the national team has not deteriorated at all. It is, in fact, precisely where it has always been – somewhere between qualifying for a major tournament and going out in the first knockout round. “As Di Canio takes But it’s not just about flair and ability – Cantona over at Sunderland and Balotelli and and Benitez says Klinsmann and Ronaldo all Chelsea are having had that in spades. It’s about personality. And, ‘a great season’ as Paolo Di Canio takes with a straight over at Sunderland, face, you have to Roberto Mancini talks about wanting to punch say that even the one of his own players foreign managers and Rafa Benitez can say are great value” Chelsea are having ‘a great season’ with a straight face, you have to say that even the foreign managers are great value. To throw things into even greater relief, in the same weekend all the above took place, ‘Colin’ (a quasiaffectionate nickname for Neil Warnock, and the first part of an anagram of his name) left Leeds and Martin O’Neill (perhaps the pre-eminent amateur criminologist in world football) was given the boot. Their departures leave a raft of clean-shaven British bosses who look and sound like they should be in the lower reaches of the management structure at a DIY store in Northampton. Other than the FA handbook, where does it say that a great British player or manager has to be vacuous cavity, a humourless on-message android, a clichéspouting no-mark? A Michael Owen clone or a Stepford boss? Taggart aside, all we are left with is Joey Barton, in France and on Twitter, and wanting Crystal Palace to get promoted so Ian Holloway can return to the Prem. That’s how bad it is. @billborrows

Plank of the week Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, London The Boat Race takes place in London, the idiot went to Oxford University, and if he can okay the deployment of the Royal Marines to protect the grade-dodgers in the big canoes, he can surely sanction a game of poohsticks that involves the lower orders dropping baronets from Hammersmith Bridge.

Frozen in time

18 | April 5 2013 |

No doubt disappointed to have finished only second in last weekend’s Ronde of Flanders Classic, Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan decided to console himself with a quick fondle of a podium girl’s saddle area during the post-race ceremony. He seemed pretty happy with himself at the time, but has since apologised via video message. “I promise to act more respectfully in the future,” he muttered, a million rebukes from the right-thinking world ringing in his grubby little ears.

| 19

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Peter pedaller picked a pinch of poor propriety

Justin Rose

READY TO BLOOM JUSTIN ROSE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE BEST GOLFERS ON THE PLANET, BUT IT’S BEEN A LONG, HARD ROAD – CAN HE PUT THE ICING ON THE CAKE AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL NEXT WEEK?

Howard Boylan

hose natty green jackets they hand over in that rather awkward ceremony at the Masters every year don’t just symbolise victory. They signify life membership to Augusta National Golf Club: the most prestigious golf club in the world.

Many of the finest players in the game never got to put on the Green Jacket. The Masters provides a unique test in golf – only a handful have ever got to grips with it. One player who feels he can join that select band is Justin Rose. The world number three is yet to win a Major, but it is now accepted in the game that it is merely a matter of time before he does. His record at Augusta is impressive; he has never missed a cut in seven trips down Magnolia Lane – and while his wardrobe is missing a jacket, he still feels at home in the deep south. “I guess you can look at it like this: winning the tournament makes you part of the club,” says Rose. “But every time I turn up on tour, I feel like I belong, and that includes the Majors. “There is no reason at all why I can’t put together four good rounds there and contend. Last year I shot 72-72-72 and then had a good final round [68, on his way to an eighth-place finish]. I like the golf course – it exudes good feelings for me. I’ve putted well at Augusta for the most part. And, if I feel 20 | April 5 2013 |

like I’ve got my touch on the greens, I can score low. I always have the sense that with my iron play, I can really attack the flags.” This is not spoken with any sense of bravado. The softly spoken Rose answers questions thoughtfully and with no sense of self-aggrandisement. But he has reason for his confidence. In 2012, he led both the PGA Tour and the European Tour in greens in regulation: nobody in the world struck a golf ball more consistently than him. Not only that, but his game is improving all the time. As the strength in depth of golf gets ever greater, his current run of form – he has finished in the top 25 in his previous 13 tournaments – is remarkable. Last year also saw his first World Golf Championship victory [the WGC-Cadillac Championship]. A Major tournament success is the logical progression.

ROLLERCOASTER CAREER But it was not always so. While Rose enjoyed a stellar amateur career as a youngster – he was the 1995 English Boys Stroke Play Champion, and his last tournament before joining the paid ranks was a fourth place in the 1998 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale – he found life as a pro tough. Indeed, he missed the cut in his first 21

tournaments – a run that would have been the end of many players. When Sport asks whether he’s pleased, in hindsight, that he had a tough apprenticeship on tour, one that he can look back on with pride, the answer is unequivocal. “No way,” says Rose in a flash. “I’d trade it, say, for Rory’s start to his career any day. “I would say it made it much harder for me. I had to work my way back to truly believing in myself. When you have had that sort of dip in form, it can leave some scar tissue, and you have to work really hard to get over that. Depth of confidence takes a long time to properly build up, and I’d say that only in the last three or four years has that come about. That’s been the change – I now have that confidence. Had I not gone through that tough time, I may have had it a lot sooner.” That said, those formative experiences help Rose keep his success in perspective. “It has made me appreciate the game, it’s kept me humble and it’s kept me working hard at it,” he explains. “It’s meant I’ve never taken success for granted – and I learned that talent has to be coupled with hard work in order to pay off. It possibly made me a better person, so I don’t regret it. But if you look at it from a golf point of view, you’ve got to think I’d have got to this level sooner if I hadn’t had those setbacks.” >

Justin Rose

“I GOT WRAPPED UP IN EVERYONE ELSE’S EXPECTATIONS. IT’S WHY TURNING PRO EARLY CAN BE A PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU’RE OFTEN NOT MATURE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS”

Somehow, Rose kept going. He looks back and reflects that, on turning pro, he gave himself a three-year plan to crack it on tour. It proved very accurate, although his plan envisaged him spending a year on the Challenge Tour and having a ’normal’ grounding in the game, rather than missing cut after cut on the main tour. “The thing was, the expectation wasn’t coming from me,” says Rose. “It was your [the media’s] expectation. Unfortunately, I got a bit wrapped up in everyone else’s expectations. It’s why turning pro early can be a problem, because you’re often not mature enough to understand those things. “When I turned pro, people had the misconception I did it because I finished fourth in the Open. But that wasn’t the case. I had already made the decision – I had invites for the Dutch and Scandinavian Opens before that Open. In hindsight, the threeyear plan turned out to be realistic. It just took a little time to realise it.” His breakthrough year was 2002, when he won four times worldwide, and by 2003 he

was world number 33, receiving invitations to the biggest tournaments in the world. It looked as if the golden boy of British golf was going to come good after all – and possibly be the man to challenge Tiger Woods, who by then was already a colossus in the game. But as quickly as form came, it disappeared again, and Rose’s world ranking suffered. He moved to the PGA Tour in a bid to improve his game, but could not arrest his slide as he tumbled out of the world’s top 100. But Rose is nothing if not a battler, and he ground away at his game. Bit by bit, he gained a foothold on tour, and in the 2005 season he kept his tour card. The following year, he won the Australian Masters – his first title for four years. It served as a catalyst. He finished in the top five of the Masters the following season and was Europe’s top golfer in 2007, resulting in a debut Ryder Cup appearance in 2008. It is easily forgotten, amid all his success in recent years, that Rose’s travails were not over: in 2010 he won twice on the PGA Tour, but was not deemed worthy of a Ryder Cup spot by European captain Colin Montgomerie.

He returned to the team in 2012, famously beating Phil Mickelson in the final-day singles with a performance that had even his opponent applauding, when a monstrous curling putt dropped on the penultimate hole.

THE MAJOR MEN The evergreen Mickelson, with a victory already on the PGA Tour in 2013, will be among Rose’s main rivals at Augusta. But so will plenty of others. “The course really suits me,” says Rose. “But it suits a lot of players. It suits Bubba, it suits Rory, Keegan Bradley, Phil, Tiger and others. It’s not just a course for long hitters. Zach Johnson won it there when we had some quite extreme conditions – a very, very tough Masters, and a really good grind.” The challenge for Rose is to treat this week like any other – something he admits he will always find difficult until he has his first Grand Slam title under his belt. “When you become a Major champion there’s no doubt it must take the pressure off,” he says. “We all go about our careers trying to win one, and it can get in the way >

2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight. #1DriverInGolf

22 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

David Cannon/Getty Images

THE BREAKTHROUGH

7 8 9 10 11 12 2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight.

#1DriverInGolf

Justin Rose sometimes, because you put too much emphasis on them. Once you get one out of the way, I’m sure it does become easier. Majors shouldn’t be any different to regular tournaments in terms of the process of how you play the game. The more you can hold Majors in the same regard as other events, the better you will play. “But to win a Major, you have to deal with pressure at its greatest – and beat the best players in the world on the toughest courses.”

MAKING PROGRESS Rose’s career has netted him in the region of £25m on the golf course, and plenty more in endorsements, but he is adamant he is not the finished product. “The progression has been good,” he says. ”But I can still become a more prolific winner on tour. Winning breeds winning. I still feel there are elements to my game that have great room for improvement, and that’s what I’m most excited about. I’m three in the world, and I’ve won some great tournaments – all with what I would describe as some glaring gaps in my game. “Take my wedge play from 100 yards and in. Up against someone like Luke Donald, I give him a couple of shots a week from that distance. And inside 10 feet on the greens I probably give the best putters in the world four to six shots a week. Those sort of gaps are huge.” Rose is renowned as one of the thinkers of the game, choosing to spend practice rounds

ROSE ON...

alone and weigh up his surroundings. It’s an approach he has no intention of changing. “Yes, I’m very concerned with the process of the game,” he says. “I’ll give you an example of something I’ve been thinking about. Two exact same putts – the one I holed against Phil in the Ryder Cup [on the 17th green] and one on the final green in Abu Dhabi this year that I needed to force a playoff. I read them both the same – just outside right edge – and I hit two great putts. I felt like I hit exactly the same putt, but one goes in, one rims out. That’s the nature of the game. I’m a hero at Medinah, but miss out in Abu Dhabi. “You have to keep showing up and executing your game under pressure. Some days they go in, some days they don’t. It was nice that everything went for me that day at the Ryder Cup – the stars aligned. Three putts went in for me, and I couldn’t have chosen a better moment for that to happen.” One better place could be Augusta National next week. Nobody will arrive in better form or better prepared. All it needs is for the stars to align again, and Justin Rose will be wearing the Green Jacket. Not bad for a kid who missed 21 straight cuts. Simon Caney @simoncaney

That elusive Major “I’m looking to have a multiple-winning season this year, and I’d love one of those to be a Major. But I’m not solely focusing on the Majors. I’m going to make sure my preparation is perfect for them, but from an expectation point of view there is a lot more for me to achieve in the game before I look 100 per cent at the Majors only.”

Getting better “I had a strong amateur career, but I’ve made huge improvements. They come from knowing my swing, understanding the tendencies I have and learning how to keep the bad shots at bay. Managing my game and maturity play a big part.”

His rivals ““There’s a nice story you want to tell about the success of British golf, but there’s not really a lot in that. We’ve all got our eyes on our own careers and, while there’s good camaraderie, there’s a diverse mix on tour as a whole. Rory’s very young, Luke is mid-career, Tiger is this superhero, Louis Oosthuizen is very humble, very talented. I have quite an interesting story, and Adam Scott is another great player starting to fulfil his potential and knock on the door in the Majors. It’s a diverse group of guys.”

Justin Rose plays the new TaylorMade R1. The R1’s three adjustability technologies mean it can be tuned 168 different ways, allowing golfers of all abilities to customise their swing to optimise distance and accuracy. www.taylormadegolf.com

Practice “I can be a lone wolf. I like to go out there and learn the course. I’m not really into going out and having money games. Those are perhaps good for making putts under pressure, but that’s the only thing you get from that sort of practice. I like to establish a game plan, and it’s much easier to do that on your own, because you can take that little bit longer on each hole.”

“TO WIN A MAJOR, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH PRESSURE AT ITS GREATEST – AND BEAT THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD ON THE TOUGHEST COURSES”

Favourite course “Probably Royal Birkdale. Obviously it has a sentimental reason, but it’s a really fair links course. The fairways are relatively flat. If you hit a good tee shot, the ball stays in play.”

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The Ryder Cup “It is staggering to see how much it means to people, and you really do sense you’re playing for your continent. The first tee shot is a unique atmosphere, like hitting a tee shot at a football match. We’re not used to that.”

2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight. #1DriverInGolf

24 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

© 2013 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, EA SPORTS and the EA SPORTS logo are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. The mark ‘TIGER WOODS’ and the TW Logo are trademarks of ETW Corp. and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of ETW Corp. The name, likeness and other attributes of Tiger Woods reproduced on this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and/or other forms of intellectual property that are the exclusive property of ETW Corp. or Tiger Woods and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of ETW Corp. or Tiger Woods. PGA TOUR, TPC, and the Swinging Golfer Design are trademarks of PGA TOUR, Inc. and are used under license by Electronic Arts Inc. * “Masters”, “Masters” and Design, “Masters Tournament”, “Masters Tournament” and Design, “The Masters”, “Tournament Masters”, “Masters/Augusta USA”, “Augusta”, “Augusta National”, “Augusta National” and Design, “Augusta National Golf Club” and Design, “Amen Corner”, and the Yellow U.S. Map with Flagstick are trademarks and trade names of Augusta National, Inc. and such trademarks and trade names appear courtesy Augusta National, 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 sponsored products, company names, brand names, trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.

OUT NOW

WWW.EASPORTS.COM/UK/TIGER-WOODS

The Masters

N 1 CHARL N 2 LOUIS N 3 TIGER SCHWARTZEL OOSTHUIZEN WOODS

N 4 IAN POULTER

N 5BUBBA WATSON

Winner here two years ago, and bang in form so far in 2013, South African Schwartzel has the perfect profile to take a second Green Jacket. His tee-to-green game is electric (he has hit 79 per cent of greens this season – at one stage it was a European Tour-leading 82.4 per cent) and ranks second on stroke average, too. Has played at Augusta National three times now, and it’s clearly a course that suits his eye. If a few putts start to drop for him, Schwartzel will take some stopping.

It’s virtually certain that Schwartzel’s countryman Oosthuizen will be in the mix again: very quietly, he has turned himself into one of the very best players in the world, and his playoff defeat here last year (a tournament he really deserved to win) demonstrates his aptitude for the unique test of Augusta. Quite simply, there are no weak spots in his game – when he won the 2010 Open Championship, plenty of people called it a fluke. He has demonstrated that, without question, it wasn’t.

Oh, him. Well, yes, Tiger is world number one again. And yes, in typical Tiger style, he is one win away from 100 as a professional, and there’d be no better place to do it. And he’s won three times on tour this year already. And four times previously at the Masters. In fact, on paper, this is a one-horse race. However, his driving can still be wayward – he’s fighting a hook – and Augusta does not favour him quite like it used to. He won’t be far away, but can he hold his swing together for 72 holes?

If they gave out Green Jackets for self-belief, Poulter would have a walk-in wardrobe full of them. As it is, he is still without a Major – but there is a growing sense that his time is coming. He claims he has added more distance off the tee to his game (though the stats don’t back that up), but it’s his short game that comes into its own here. Few people can hole putts under pressure quite like Poulter, and his scrambling (fourth best on tour) can be spectacular. Finished seventh last year, and could improve this time around.

Boom! Bubba Golf! Last year’s winner played one of the more remarkable shots ever seen at Augusta to break Louis Oosthuizen’s heart in a playoff, and there is nothing to say that the big-hitting owner of the Dukes of Hazzard’s car won’t be up there again. His enormous drives mean eagle and birdie opportunities on the par-5s, while approaching par-4 greens with shorter irons give him greater control. All will depend on his putting – his putting average ranks him 74th on tour this year, but when he’s hot, he’s very hot. >

Masters appearances 3 Best finish 1st (2011) World ranking 15 Paddy Power odds 22-1

Masters appearances 4 Best finish 2nd (2012) World ranking 6 Paddy Power odds 28-1

Masters appearances 18 Best finish 1st (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005) World ranking 1 Paddy Power odds 7-2

Masters appearances 8 Best finish 7th (2012) World ranking 12 Paddy Power odds 45-1

Masters appearances 4 Best finish 1st (2012) World ranking 14 Paddy Power odds 35-1

2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight. #1DriverInGolf

| April 5 2013 | 27

All pictures Getty Images

THE CONTENDERS

If the man you’ve just been reading about isn’t to win the Masters, then which player will? Sport selects the 10 most likely alternatives

The Masters

N 6 KEEGAN N 7 PHIL N 8 MATT BRADLEY MICKELSON KUCHAR

N 9 GRAEME N 10KJ MCDOWELL CHOI

Purists at the R&A would choke on their late-night sherry would the long putter-wielding Bradley win a second Major, but there’s no question he is one of the world’s most improved players of the past two years. Only 0.5 yards behind Watson off the tee, Bradley is a par-5 scoring machine (average score on long holes this year is 4.38), which always goes down well at the Masters. He may need an eagle or two on holes 13 and 15, but Bradley has the tools to take down Augusta.

Few players have mastered the Masters like Lefty since the turn of the century. In those 13 tournaments he has won three and finished in the top 10 on a further eight occasions. Factor in current form – a winner already in 2013 – birdie stats (second on the PGA Tour) and scoring average (he has been as high as sixth), and there are few reasons why he won’t win again. Except... he is far from straight off the tee, so he may find it tough. Never rule him out, though.

Kuchar’s an enigma. A star amateur in the 1990s, he faded into obscurity for several years before bouncing back and becoming the top money-winner on tour in 2010. Indeed, he qualified to play in only one Masters between 2000 and 2009, but a third-place finish last season – having shared the lead on the back nine – suggests he knows his way around here now. He putts and scrambles (especially out of bunkers) very well. Will that be enough? Possibly.

On the sly, McDowell is enjoying a very solid season indeed. He has limited his competitive starts to just four, but has returned three top10s, including two in World Golf Championship events. The Ulsterman hits the ball very straight off the tee and is among the best on tour on par-4s, averaging 3.95. Five appearances at Augusta have yielded three missed cuts and two top-20s, but one thing’s for sure – if he’s in contention, he won’t back down. McDowell has ice in his veins.

Choi loves Augusta National. He’s recorded three top-10s here and, with a little more luck, could have won one. In both 2004 and 2010, he was never out of the top four, using his ultra-consistent all-round game to wonderful effect. He is not necessarily great at any one aspect of the game, but rather he is very good at the vital ones at the Masters – driving accuracy, greens in regulation, scrambling, putting and bunker play. He’s 42, but knows Augusta like the back of his hand.

Masters appearances 1 Best finish 27th (2012) World ranking 11 Paddy Power odds 28-1

Masters appearances 20 Best finish 1st (2004, 2006, 2010) World ranking 10 Paddy Power odds 11-1

Masters appearances 6 Best finish 3rd (2012) World ranking 9 Paddy Power odds 33-1

Masters appearances 5 Best finish 12th (2012) World ranking 17 Paddy Power odds 66-1

Masters appearances 10 Best finish 3rd (2004) World ranking 83 Paddy Power odds 90-1

RORY MCILROY (10-1) is having a season to forget and has somehow contrived to lose the coveted world number one spot after a run of performances that have been ordinary at best, and downright dreadful at worst... LUKE DONALD (28-1) on paper has all the attributes to sweep

all before him at Augusta, but seven top-10s in 39 majors suggest he’s not a man for the big occasion... BRANDT SNEDEKER (28-1) has stormed up the world rankings this season and has a short game to die for, but a rib injury has curtailed his progress...

ADAM SCOTT (28-1) is a little like Donald – bags of talent and potential, but really should have won a major by now (last year’s Open will haunt him)... LEE WESTWOOD (28-1) has been in contention at the Masters more times than he’d like to remember, but simply does not putt well enough.

ON THE SCRAP HEAP...

2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight. #1DriverInGolf

28 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

All pictures Getty Images

The Masters

Amount, in dollars, won by inaugural winner Horton Smith in 1934

Age of Guan Tianlang, who will be 14 years and 168 days old when the Masters begins, making him the youngest ever player in the tournament. He qualifies as Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion

Record number of Masters appearances, held by Gary Player. Jack Nicklaus has made the cut the most times (37) while Arnold Palmer made the most consecutive appearances (50)

Biggest winning margin, set by Tiger Woods when he won his first Masters in 1997. For the record, Tom Kite was second. Woods’ final score of 270 is also a record

Number of champions who have led for all four rounds: Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972) and Ray Floyd (1976)

Only one rookie has ever won the Masters: Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979

75 Highest first-round score of eventual winner, carded by Craig ’Walrus’ Stadler in 1982

63 Augusta course record, shared by Nick Price (1986) and Greg Norman (1996). Neither man won

70.87 Lowest average 18-hole score for any player (of those who have played at least 25 rounds) around Augusta National, set by Tiger Woods. Only four others average under 72 – Phil Mickelson (70.97), Fred Couples (71.89), Jerry Pate (71.96) and Jack Nicklaus (71.98)

Age of Jack Nicklaus when he won the Masters in 1986, making him the oldest man to ever pull on a Green Jacket

Distance in yards from which Gene Sarazen holed out for double-eagle on his way to victory in 1935 – the ’shot heard around the world’ that put the Masters on the map

Highest ever winning score, recorded by Sam Snead in 1954 and Jack Burke Jr two years later

Most appearances at the Masters before finally winning, set by Mark O’Meara in 1998

22 Most top-10s recorded at Augusta by one player: Jack Nicklaus (again)

23 Number of holes in one recorded in the Masters – 15 of which have come at the 16th hole

2013

The #1 Driver at Augusta for 13 years straight. #1DriverInGolf

| April 5 2013 | 31

All pictures Getty Images

THE MASTERS BY NUMBERS 1,500 14 52 46 235 12 04 01 289 14

Mako Vunipola

EURO PROP

After winning plaudits for his (very) direct style of play with England, Mako Vunipola is back at Saracens with a Heineken Cup semi final in his sights – and it’s still his ‘breakthrough season’

I’ve been involved with the under-20s before, but it’s different being in the senior side and being away from your club side for eight weeks. It’s tough to come back in and try to get back into the swing of things straight away with the club, but to have a game against Harlequins straight after what happened in Cardiff was exactly what we needed to get focused back on club matters.”

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind season for you. How are you enjoying it? “A lot. Yeah, my target at the start of the year was to get a regular start for Saracens and to be involved with England Saxons when the chances came up – so to get a call back in the autumn to train and be injury cover for the England senior side was a massive surprise. I certainly didn’t expect to be in the squad for the Six Nations.”

How big was that win over Harlequins? “It was amazing. As a team, we were really happy with our performance – not just in the result, but also the way we defended and brought a physicality to the game. Our physicality has really improved since the start of the season, and we obviously knew this game could give us a lead at the top of the table. We knew our performance didn’t matter as much as the result, but to not concede a try against them, especially at the end when we were down to 14 men, was massive for us. Wasps last weekend was tough as well, but to get those wins gives us the confidence and belief that we’re a hard team to beat.”

Do you think the hurt of ‘that day in Cardiff’ will help in the long run? “Yeah, definitely. You have to learn from experiences like that, and we’re still a young side, so we have the time to do so. We had a good tournament, and it was really hard to finish it in that way. But we know we have to learn quickly and become better for it, so hopefully we can come back in next year’s Six Nations and go one better.” How was the Six Nations experience? “It was amazing to be involved at senior level in such a big way, and it was a great learning experience for me. It was strange being away for so long when it wasn’t a tour, though.

It’s Ulster in the Heineken Cup this weekend. Can you approach this like any other game? “We have to. We said that in the lead-up to the Quins game. We knew it was a massive game because it decided the lead in the league, but it’s a case of targeting the next game. It’s getting to the point of the season where every game is huge, so we’re not looking beyond any one fixture. We just sit down at the start of the week and start our approach all over again.” > | April 5 2013 | 33

Mako Vunipola Have you seen a lot of Ulster this season? “Not really, to be honest, but we know they’re a quality side. They went on that run being unbeaten until around December, I think, and they haven’t lost many since. We know they have quality throughout their team, so we can’t afford to worry about any one player – but we’ll be hoping to impose our game on them anyway.” Has management set a target for the season? “No. As a team, we’re not just driven by results – we’re driven by our performances, so it’s about going out there and just playing like we know we can play. The idea is to do that and let the results take care of themselves.” How are you enjoying life at Allianz Park? “Yeah, we’ve settled in really well. We train on the new surface all the time now, so we’re getting used to it, and we’re scoring a few tries as well – which is always pleasing to show what we can do in attack. The surface gives our backs – and the forwards on the odd occasion – a chance to go out and express themselves. The atmosphere there has been amazing as well.”

David Rogers/Getty Images

What are your thoughts on moving this particular game to Twickenham, then? “I don’t think it’s a problem, it just makes it an even bigger crowd and occasion. It’s a massive game for us as a club, so hopefully we can get a great crowd down there and generate a massive atmosphere.” On a personal note, a lot of positive headlines have been coming your way. Is it hard not to get carried away with them? “Not really. We pride ourselves on humility as a team, so we’re good at keeping our feet on the ground. It’s always flattering to get great reviews, obviously, but any headlines just show how well the team are playing. The style of rugby we’re playing really helps my game.”

Your brother Billy is coming to Sarries next year. Who has the better ball skills? “I’d say myself, but he’s pretty good to be fair! It’s exciting for our family to have us both playing together in the same team.” Speaking of ball skills, you’re a big scrummager, but you also love to carry, have a decent turn of pace and tend to make big hits. How’s your kicking? [Laughs] “Yeah, kicking is probably one part of my game that I’m just not going to be good at. I’ll leave that one to the half-backs!” The many pictures on Twitter tell us the Saracens squad were in Verbier two weeks ago. How was that? “Yeah, it was amazing. You spend so much of your time with the squad that it’s important to be mates, and we’ve got that here. We’re creating great memories on and off the pitch, so it was great to get out to Verbier and relax ahead of a big few weeks. The coaches are great at knowing when to push us and when to let us chill, and that was a perfect example.” Finally, it’s Lions year. Is it fair to say that every game takes on an extra level of pressure with the Lions looming? “Maybe, but every game has a lot of pressure on it anyway... and, like I said, our mentality is all about approaching the next game, so we’re trying not to look too far ahead. As a player, you’ve just got to keep your head down and concentrate. And, if they notice you, that’s great. You can’t afford to start thinking about it too much, though, because the games keep coming thick and fast, and we’ve got another huge one this weekend to focus on.” Mark Coughlan @coffers83

“KICKING IS PART OF MY GAME I’M JUST NOT GOING TO BE GOOD AT. I’LL LEAVE THAT ONE TO THE HALF-BACKS”

Mako Vunipola plays for Saracens, who are sponsored by Allianz, one of the world’s leading financial services providers. Visit allianz.co.uk to find out more

HEINEKEN CUP QUARTERS A QUICK GLANCE AT THIS WEEKEND’S FOUR SALIVATING SHOWDOWNS CLERMONT v MONTPELLIER

SARACENS v ULSTER

HARLEQUINS v MUNSTER

TOULON v LEICESTER

SATURDAY STADE MARCEL-MICHELIN | SKY SPORTS 1 3.40PM

SATURDAY TWICKENHAM | SKY SPORTS 1 6.30PM

SUNDAY THE STOOP | SKY SPORTS 2 2PM

SUNDAY STADE MAYOL | SKY SPORTS 2 4.30PM

It’s back to the site of last year’s humbling Heineken Cup final defeat for Ulster. But this is a different side – they started the season with a 13-match unbeaten run and boast Irish internationals across the board. The kickers will keep them in the game, but it’s Iain Henderson’s ability to steal and secure lineouts that will be vital. The Londoners, meanwhile, are flying after victories over Harlequins and Wasps. You only have to look at the manner in which they overcame Racing Metro in Nantes to see the class oozing out of this side.

It’s the young guns of Europe versus the old masters, yes, but the young guns have chosen a horrid time to hit a bad run of form, with three league defeats on the bounce. The return of a fully fit Chris Robshaw is sure to galvanise the side, while Danny Care was back to his best last week, and he’s sure to keep Munster busy. The visitors, meanwhile, were torn apart by Glasgow (51-24) last weekend, but will have had both eyes firmly on this tie. Expect the forwards to put in the kind of shift that nearly saw them turn over Saracens in London.

The tie of the round? The French side boast an embarrassment of stars looking to carry them to Europe’s top table, and Steffon Armitage has rarely had a better platform to remind Lions coaches of his form. Behind a big pack, it’s that man Jonny pulling the strings, while Mathieu Bastareaud will be out for revenge after he lost his Six Nations battle with Manu Tuilagi. The Tiger, though, showed scintillating form as he and Tom Croft tore Northampton apart last week. Against Toulon’s ageing stars, the duo could be devastating.

Clermont are unbeaten at home since November 2009 (57 matches), so Montpellier face the quarter final nobody wanted. With the power Clermont have up front, expect them to hammer away at Montpellier before Morgan Parra unleashes the brawn of Sitiveni Sivivatu and Aurelien Rougerie, and the sheer class of Wesley Fofana. The visitors, though, have a clever coach in Fabien Galthié, and can silence the home fans if they can raise their game to the level they showed against Toulon in the pool stages.

34 | April 5 2013 |

08000 565 265

Offer applies to each-way bets placed from 1.30pm 12th Feb 2013. See paddypower.com or shops for full conditions. Competitor place terms correct at time of print.

Grand National

WINNING COM SATURDAY JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL AINTREE | CHANNEL 4 & RACING UK 4.15PM

36 | April 5 2013 |

on and then hope he wouldn’t fade back. But I thought if we rode him like that in the National, we were going to be in trouble – if we jumped him off in front, he’d be nearer back than front after two fences. “So my idea was to start him off near the back. Eventually he’d pass one horse, then another, and if we were close enough with a circuit to go, I thought we’d have a chance. And it worked a treat: we’d talked about trying to be eighth or ninth over the water jump, and I think we jumped it ninth. He’d made up a massive amount of ground on the first circuit, and I knew he would gallop every single yard to the line. Daryl had never ridden Neptune before, but he carried the plan out to perfection.”

NO SECOND STRING The man Nicholls refers to is Daryl Jacob (left, in yellow), who took the ride aboard Neptune Collonges after Walsh opted to ride On His Own for his Irish employer, Willie Mullins. On a day of contrasting fortunes for Nicholls’ jockeys, Walsh missed the race through injury, while Jacob claimed the most famous victory of his career in the closest finish ever recorded in the Grand National. “It was my first season riding properly for Paul, and I’d had some nice rides at Cheltenham the previous month, but you want everything to go right – and Neptune winning the National was just perfect,” recalls the 29-year-old Irishman. “He was very good over the first three or four fences so I knew that, barring accidents, he’d jump round okay. Did I know he’d won at the line? >

MBINATION On the eve of this year’s Grand National at Aintree, we speak to the men behind Neptune Collonges’ dramatic, last-gasp victory 12 months ago – trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Daryl Jacob

GRAND NATIONAL: EXPERT VIEW WITH PAUL KEALY OF THE RACING POST After years of trying, champion trainer Paul Nicholls finally landed the Grand National last season with Neptune Collonges (above) – but he might not have to wait so long to bag winner number two. Nicholls is set to saddle Join Together, who looks to have all the attributes to land the world’s most famous race – not least an ability to jump the Aintree fences, which are still daunting despite having been softened up in recent years. Join Together finished a close second in the Becher Chase over 3m2f of the Aintree track in November, when he passed four horses on the run-in but failed by a neck to overhaul course specialist Hello Bud. He will relish a further mile-plus on Saturday, and don’t worry about his pulled-up effort in his prep run at Doncaster; he was nearly brought down early on and then just schooled round. Favourite will be On His Own, who was cantering when coming down at Becher’s Brook second time round last year. He is highly likely to be ridden by Ruby Walsh, who would have been on him last year but for injury. Walsh would also have the option of riding Join Together, but if you think his decision to swerve the Nicholls horse is a negative, bear in mind he also turned down Neptune Collonges last year...

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand | 37

Alex Livesey/Getty Images, Racingfotos.com

uby Walsh is a two-time Grand National winner, the most successful jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Festival and widely considered one of the all-time greats of jumps racing. So when trainer Paul Nicholls asked his number one jockey about the chances of his only runner in last year’s National, the veteran Neptune Collonges, you would have expected him to listen. “I kept asking Ruby about whether he was going to ride him in the build-up, and he kept saying no,” revealed Nicholls in a recent chat with Sport. “In fact, he kept saying the same thing: he’s too old, too slow and carrying too much weight. That pretty much put me off his chances, but the only thing with Neptune is that he had been placed in a Gold Cup. He was class. And, in the end, that was the difference.” Nicholls looks back on the victory of his galloping grey (the first to win the National since 1961) with an excited nostalgia, born largely from the relief of winning the world’s most famous race at the 53rd attempt. The multiple champion trainer isn’t used to having to wait so long to taste victory, but this is one he continues to savour – particularly given the perfection with which his plan for the race was carried out. “Neptune was always lazy and bloody slow,” he smiles. “Here at home, we used to work him on his own [rather than in pairs, as is the norm] because he was so slow he’d get disappointed at not being able to keep up – so he’d follow the others out the back. “In his races, though, we always used to jump him off handy, drive him along early

Grand National It was just too close to call; I knew I was eating into Richie McLernon’s lead [on Sunnyhillboy] all the way up the run-in, but it was just about whether I was going to get there in time. We literally crossed the line bang together, but thankfully Neptune’s big old nose had just got there first. To be fair to the horse, he was class.” Jacob is a more naturally outgoing character than the dry-witted Walsh, but Nicholls recognises the importance of having two such talents among the ranks at his Somerset yard. “Ruby is Ruby, obviously, but they are similar in the way they get horses jumping – quite relaxed and never in a hurry, which is the biggest thing,” he says. “Being second jockey here is not an easy job, but winning the National last year has given Daryl so much confidence – and if Ruby packed up tomorrow there is no doubt that Daryl would move into the number-one spot.”

BACK TOGETHER?

“WE CROSSED THE LINE TOGETHER, BUT THANKFULLY NEPTUNE’S BIG OLD NOSE HAD GOT THERE FIRST”

Jacob exhibited that newfound confidence with big-race wins aboard the Nichollstrained pair Sanctuaire and Tidal Bay at Sandown less than a month after his Aintree success. He is yet to hit the same heights this season – Nicholls had only one winner at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, and that was ridden by his nephew – but the drier weather saw the pair combine with a good winner at Haydock last Saturday. With Walsh set to select On His Own once again, that augurs well for Jacob’s chances aboard his employer’s chief hope for this year’s Grand National: Join Together.

“I was second on him in the Becher Chase [over the National fences] in December,” he says. “He jumped great, but got bogged down in the soft ground. From two out he really got going, though, and in another stride I think we’d have won. Hopefully the ground will be better on Saturday, which will suit him.” Nicholls has two other runners in the big race this weekend; both What A Friend and Harry The Viking are part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, but the riding arrangements for Jacob leaves us in little doubt as to which of his trio he prefers: “Join Together is the one for us. We’ve trained him for the race, and we think he’s a horse who could run in a few Nationals in the next three or four years... and maybe get lucky in one of them. But I think it took us 53 goes to win the race, so we ain’t gonna win it twice in a row, are we?” His jockey isn’t so sure. “Now we have won it, the pressure is nowhere near as strong,” says Jacob, whose National victory came on attempt number five. “Having had so many runners get beat, the pressure was always building, building. Now we’ve done it once, it doesn’t matter if we never do it again. Things will happen a lot easier for us now.” Not since 1974 has a trainer or jockey recorded consecutive victories in the Grand National, and that was Ginger McCain and Brian Fletcher with Red Rum – names that will forever dominate the folklore of this great race. Should Nicholls and Jacob repeat last year’s victory with Join Together on Saturday, however, they would be writing a whole new chapter for themselves. Tony Hodson @tonyhodson1

GRAND NATIONAL: THE BIG SPORT PREDICTION

Sport prediction

RARE BOB Irish raider whose trainer Dessie Hughes is in great form, and whose stylish jockey Bryan Cooper is one of the rising stars of the sport. The 11-year-old was brought down early in the race last year, but he is a sound jumper who likes Aintree and looked well suited to a waiting ride when running third in his prep race at Naas last month. Our idea of the winner.

38 | April 5 2013 |

COLBERT STATION Ted Walsh (father of Ruby) is a master at preparing horses for the National, and he has two fancied runners this year. Seabass was third in 2012 and could run well again for his daughter Katie, but our preference is for the rapidly improving Colbert Station. The nine-year-old is the likely mount of AP McCoy and looks to have more stamina than his stablemate.

FORPADY DEPLASTERER Another Irish horse, Forpadydeplasterer is an 11-year-old who was formerly high class over shorter distances – but he has looked better suited to longer trips these days, winning over three miles on heavy ground in November. A good jumper (he has never fallen) with very solid form at Aintree, he looks overpriced at around 66-1 – the best of the outsiders in this year’s race.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images, Racingfotos.com

CAPPA BLEU Fourth last year, when stamina doubts led jockey Paul Moloney to ride him a touch more patiently than he might have done. The way Cappa Bleu stayed on that day will leave canny trainer Evan Williams with no such concerns this time round; aimed at this race all season, the 11-year-old ran superbly at Ascot last time out, looks to have a nice weight and should make the frame once more.

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

APR 5-APR 11 HIGHLIGHTS » Football: Premier League Preview » p42 » Cricket: Indian Premier League » p44 » Cycling: Paris-Roubaix » p46 » Basketball: LA Clippers v LA Lakers » p48 » Rugby League: Leeds Rhinos v Warrington Wolves » p48

SUNDAY MOTOGP | ROUND 1: GRAND PRIX OF QATAR | LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, DOHA | BBC TWO 8PM

Two-wheeled titans Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images, Mirco Lazzari GP/Getty Images

The arid Gulf state of Qatar may prove

The 2012 Moto2 champion has taken to

standings. A revitalised

too hot to host a World Cup, but it's not a

the senior series like a duck to a more

Crutchlow topped the

problem for the new MotoGP season, which

high-profile body of water. The 20-year-old

final timesheets in the

races into life in Doha on Sunday night.

ended the first testing session of the season

practice session in Jerez,

Like the World Cup, though, the 2013

in Malaysia inside the top three, just behind

though, and he is confident

MotoGP season is likely to be a mostly

Pedrosa. He's admitted to nerves ahead of

he can start the season well in Qatar.

Spanish affair, with last year's champion

his MotoGP debut, and while it's probably a

Jorge Lorenzo (pictured, above) again

bit much to expect him to be challenging for

making their MotoGP debuts:

looking nervously over his shoulder at his

the title, he has the ability to be finishing

31-year-old Michael Laverty has made

elder countryman Dani Pedrosa. The Repsol

near the front in his first year.

a big step up from British Superbikes

Honda rider won six of the last eight races

Cal Crutchlow, on the other hand, has

There are also two British riders

and will join one of the new Claiming

of last season, closing the gap on Lorenzo,

taken a few seasons to really feel his way into

Rules Teams. The other is 22-year-old

who had maintained a healthy lead for the

MotoGP. The man from Coventry improved

Bradley Smith, who has progressed through

first half of the year.

his performances considerably in his

the ranks and replaces Andrea Dovizioso as

sophomore season with a string of top-10

Crutchlow's teammate at Monster Yamaha

have a better chance of winning the title this

finishes, including his first MotoGP podiums

Tech 3. Dovizioso, for his part, replaces fellow

year, given former teammate Casey Stoner's

in the Czech Republic and Australia. A series

Italian Valentino Rossi (right) at Ducati. The

retirement. But Stoner's replacement, Marc

of retirements towards the end of the year

legendary racer has moved back to Yamaha,

Márquez (another Spaniard), has proved he

marred his championship, and he ended up

with whom he enjoyed so much success, and

is no slouch in pre-season testing.

in a disappointing seventh position in the

has looked back to his old best in testing.

Pedrosa might have thought he would

40 | April 5 2013 |

7 Days

Premier League

SUNDAY TOTTENHAM v EVERTON WHITE HART LANE | ESPN 2.05PM

The Manchester derby gives United a chance to all but close the book on this season, and get revenge for a day Sir Alex would rather forget MONDAY MANCHESTER UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY | OLD TRAFFORD | SKY SPORTS 1 8PM

If Everton’s away form matched their home form (they’ve lost once at home in the league this season), Tottenham might have something to worry about on Sunday. As it is, David Moyes’ side have drawn the most away games of any side in the top six this term (six) and won the least (four). Spurs’ home form has been patchy, but they – by which we mean Gareth Bale – got back into the groove at Swansea last weekend. Over to him again, then.

SUNDAY QPR v WIGAN | LOFTUS ROAD SKY SPORTS 1 4.10PM

With the title race sauntering to a less dramatic

players through injury, many times at crucial moments,”

It might surprise their fans, but

conclusion than last season, will the Manchester derby

he said after watching Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure

QPR’s league position isn’t for want

still deliver the drama promised by the TV men?

both make successful returns in last weekend’s 4-0 win

of trying. QPR have had 42 shots in

over Newcastle, before letting slip his true feelings about

their past two games, yet lost both.

at Old Trafford last season was a result Alex Ferguson

Samir Nasri. The midfielder pulled out his rarely utilised

We can only conclude that the same

labelled “the worst in my history”, and understandably

A-game against Newcastle, eliciting a measured response

desire needs to be shown at the

so – it was United’s worst defeat at home since 1955.

from the Italian: “I’d like to give him a punch. A player like

other end of the pitch. In Wigan,

So, despite the fact his side go into Monday’s game with

him should play like this every game.”

QPR face the masters of relegation

Manchester United’s 6-1 battering by their neighbours

a king-sized 15-point cushion over City, Ferguson will want vengeance to go along with three more points.

All the punches will be coming from the red corner on

avoidance, who have won three of

Monday though, should United underperform as they did

their last four. They restricted

against Chelsea in their FA Cup defeat. Indeed, Fergie has

Norwich to five shots on goal last

out of reach, leaving manager Roberto Mancini struggling

already stated: “A positive result will just about seal the

weekend, suggesting it could be a

to keep a lid on his frustration. “We have lost a lot of our

title.” In other words: Do. Not. Mess. Up. Again.

tough day front and back for QPR.

The defending champions know the trophy is almost

42 | April 5 2013 |

SATURDAY NORWICH v SWANSEA | CARROW ROAD | 3PM

SATURDAY STOKE v ASTON VILLA | BRITANNIA STADIUM | 3PM

SATURDAY WEST BROM v ARSENAL | THE HAWTHORNS | 3PM

Southampton outscored all of their

The Canaries continue their painful

The last four matches between

Now Tottenham have arrested their

relegation rivals under Nigel

crawl towards safety with the visit

these teams have ended in draws,

slide, it’s Chelsea who are the most

Adkins. Unfortunately for his new

of Swansea, who have taken their

which were, according to the match

likely targets for Arsenal if they’re

employers Reading, Saints have

foot off the gas since winning the

reports: insipid, dour, drab and

going to get fourth place. The Blues

continued that trend under Mauricio

League Cup. The sides’ last meeting

scrappy (respectively). So we’re not

have at least seven games in a

Pochettino. Reading, in contrast,

was a 4-3 win for Norwich, with

holding out much hope for a thriller

packed April, and Arsenal can put

have the worst defence in the

Michu netting twice in a losing cause.

at the Britannia. Villa slipped back

themselves ahead on Saturday with

division. Their new boss has had a

Since then, both goals and points

into the relegation zone with defeat

a win at West Brom. Steve Clarke’s

week to prepare his new team for

have dried up for Chris Hughton’s

to Liverpool, but Paul Lambert is

men have little to play for, with

the visit of his old charges, but even

side – they’ve won just one of 11 in

confident his side are playing well

safety assured and European

Adkins’ insider knowledge won’t be

the league, failing to score in seven

enough to escape the drop. Tony

qualification unlikely, but Chelsea

enough if Southampton play the

of those. How Hughton must wish he

Pulis’ team have won just once this

loanee Romelu Lukaku could do his

way they did against Chelsea.

had a goalscorer of Michu’s calibre.

year and are sliding down the table.

parent club a favour with a goal.

SUNDAY LIVERPOOL v WEST HAM | ANFIELD | 1.30PM

SUNDAY CHELSEA v SUNDERLAND | STAMFORD BRIDGE | 3PM

SUNDAY NEWCASTLE v FULHAM | ST JAMES’ PARK | 3PM

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE W D

Man Utd

30 25 2

Pts 77

Man City

18 8

55 26

Tottenham

17 6

53 38

Chelsea

16 7

59 32

Arsenal

59 33

Everton

13 12

47 35

Liverpool

13 9

59 40

West Brom

Swansea

10 10 11

41 40

10 Fulham

30 10 9

43 46

11 West Ham

30 10 6 14

35 44

12 Southampton 31

8 10 13

44 53

13 Stoke City

13 11

27 36

14 Norwich

13 11

28 47

6 16

West Ham were undone by their

Paolo Di Canio’s Sunderland should

Dimitar Berbatov got riled by a

15 Newcastle

own graduates in the December

have a bit more bite about them

tackle on a teammate during

16 Sunderland

7 10 14

33 43

36 56

30 30

meeting with Liverpool, as Glen

than Martin O’Neill’s. The Northen

Fulham’s win against QPR. This

17 Wigan

Johnson, Joe Cole and Jonjo

Irishman oversaw the Black Cats’ 3-1

rarely happens. He’s also scored in

18 Aston Villa

9 15

32 58

Shelvey consigned them to a 3-2

home defeat to Chelsea last year –

four successive league games for the

19 QPR

11 16

20 Reading

8 18

defeat. With Andy Carroll ineligible

a result that saw Fernando Torres

first time in his career, both of which

to play against his parent club,

end 12 and a half hours of goalless

suggest the Bulgarian has finally

Carlton Cole could get a chance to

league action with two of the

found a club where he feels settled.

add to his two goals this season.

blighters, sending Sunderland into

Bad news for Newcastle – they’ve

Liverpool have won four of their last

the drop zone. They’re one point

won one of their last seven against

five and haven’t given up on Europe

clear of it now, but Di Canio’s task

Fulham. The Magpies have also lost

yet, while West Ham need a few

is a daunting one with a northeast

their last two in the league, leaving

more points to secure safety.

derby to follow his debut at Chelsea.

them seven adrift of the magic 40.

6 16

Manchester United are the only team in the league not to have conceded a penalty this season

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand | 43

All pictures Getty Images

SATURDAY READING v SOUTHAMPTON MADJESKI STADIUM | SKY SPORTS 2 12.45PM

7 Days FRIDAY INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE: SUNRISERS HYDERABAD v PUNE WARRIORS INDIA | RAJIV GANDHI INTERNATIONAL CRICKET STADIUM, HYDERABAD | ITV4 3PM

FULL GAME SCHEDULE ON ITV4 THROUGHOUT APRIL AND MAY

Find your IPL team With the sixth Indian Premier League getting under way this week, it’s time to nail your shiny colours to the mast. Here’s who to support if you love... ...booming batting However, the Challengers' big

but the Royal Challengers Bangalore

bazooka is the man with the mightiest

batting stars shine even brighter than

guns in world cricket. Chris Gayle (left)

their gold-tinted kits. Captain Virat

hit 59 sixes in the 2012 IPL, while the

Kohli is clinical rather than brutal, but

most anyone else managed was 20. If

scores rapidly in limited-overs cricket,

the West Indian fires, he can crush

while the versatile AB de Villiers and

opposition bowlers’ and fans’ noses

heavy-scoring Cheteshwar Pujara

with a lusty swing of his bat. Get your

would walk into most teams.

hard hats on, Bangalore supporters.

...big underdogs

...hard-luck tales

...home interest

…winning above all

The Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI

The Delhi Daredevils are the Jimmy

Irish England international Eoin Morgan

If you support Manchester United or

Punjab and 2013 newcomers the

White of the IPL: chokers who topped

has his Kolkata Knight Riders kit, Owais

Liverpool yet sport a curiously southern

Sunrisers Hyderabad make up

the league stage in 2009 and 2012, but

Shah lords it up as Rajasthan Royalty,

accent, you’re probably a good

the trio of tournament outsiders.

who serially mess it up in the knockout

while veteran all-rounder Dimitri

old-fashioned glory-hunter. If that’s your

However the Sunrisers’ (a new

phase. They’d be among the favourites

Mascarenhas is a Kings XI Punjab man.

game, three teams stand out as likely

replacement for the old Deccan

again for 2013, except for two late

However, with foreign players limited to

winners. Mumbai Indians feature a Ricky

Chargers) batting line-up includes

blows. Kevin Pietersen (above) is

just four in each starting XI, it’s tricky to

Ponting/Sachin Tendulkar dream team,

skipper Kumar Sangakkara,

nursing a knee injury and absent for the

gauge how much each will play. One

while defending champions Kolkata

six-smoting Aussie Cameron White

full tournament, while powerful Kiwi

man we hope can force his way into the

Knight Riders offer the bamboozling

and Shikhar Dhawan (above) – the

Jesse Ryder recently suffered an horrific

Pune Warriors India team, however, is

bowling of Sunil Narine. Our pick,

current darling of India after scoring

assault that put him into a coma. With

England Twenty20 star Luke Wright

however, is the Chennai Super Kings.

the fastest century by any batsman

players such as Mahela Jayawardene,

(above). With the Warriors also

The two-time winners boast an Indian

on Test debut in March. Their

David Warner and Morne Morkel –

possessing Yuvraj Singh and Marlon

elephant spine of Suresh Raina, Ravi

Achilles’ heel is a lack of pace-

top wicket-taker in the 2012 IPL – the

Samuels, they have all-rounders in

Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni

bowling support to star Dale Steyn,

Daredevils do still have classy overseas

abundance. But Wright can be

(above), the best skipper in the

who isn’t as devastating a white-ball

talent to call on. But, given their

supremely destructive, as he showed

competition. Overseas players include

bowler as he is with a red cherry.

longstanding history of heartbreaking

last year in belting a 44-ball century for

Mike Hussey and potentially match-

Still, the Sunrisers should offer

defeats and recent record of shock

the Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big

winning all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and

entertainment in their debut

injuries, the Delhi team are definitely

Bash. Get Wright on it, Pune: it’s your

Albie Morkel. Once they spark up, the

campaign, which starts today.

the sympathetic choice.

duty to your English fans.

Super Kings will be difficult to put out.

44 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

All picturess AFP/Getty Images

Every IPL team has a few clean hitters,

The best place to spend your Cyclescheme vouchers

CUBE PELOTON PRO COMPACT

RETAIL VALUE

£929 SAVE

32% YOU PAY ONLY

£52.64 X 12 MONTHLY PAYMENTS TOTAL PAYMENT FOR LOWER RATE TAX PAYERS £631.72 SAVE

42% YOU PAY ONLY

£44.90 X 12 MONTHLY PAYMENTS TOTAL PAYMENT FOR HIGHER RATE TAX PAYERS £538.82

The Peloton Pro Compact places the rider in a balanced and relaxed riding position which will appeal to those who are looking for a performance bike without having to sacrifice comfort.

Take advantage of the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme and buy your new Cube bike through Cyclescheme and make huge tax savings. Have your HR department set up the scheme today! It is now possible to get safety equipment on the scheme without needing to buy a bike. Ask in-store for details. To browse the latest bikes and accessories visit

29 stores across the UK & Ireland* including 17 within London *Scheme not available in Ireland

7 Days SUNDAY CYCLING | PARIS-ROUBAIX | FRANCE | BRITISH EUROSPORT HD 12PM

Road to hell One of the oldest one-day

too risky. Mark Cavendish rode

cycling races in the world,

it for the first time in 2011, after

Paris-Roubaix is also one of

revealing he’d been begging his

the most hellish. Known as the

then team – HTC Highroad – for

‘Hell of the North’, the race is

a crack at it for five years. But he

famous for its rough terrain,

failed to reach the finish line and

cobblestones, broken bones and

last year gave it a miss to be at

mud-caked riders crossing the

home with his newborn daughter.

finish line at the end of the 257.5km route. “It’s a circus, and I don’t want

The Manxman could ride it this time, though, in support of his Omega Pharma-QuickStep

to be one of the clowns,” said

teammate Tom Boonen

Chris Boardman of the race he

(pictured), who scored his

refused to ride. But the race

fourth Paris-Roubaix victory last

carries a legendary status that

year. Boonen crossed the finish

marks it out as one of the most

line one minute 39 seconds

prestigious of the one-day

ahead of his nearest rival after

spring classics.

launching a solo attack some

Bradley Wiggins has a

50km before the end.

long-held ambition to win

If he can become the first

Paris-Roubaix, but with his

rider ever to win it five times,

attempt at the Giro on the

Boonen will surely cement his

horizon, Team Sky might regard

place in history as the current

those treacherous cobbles as

generation’s king of the cobbles.

FRIDAY ≥ TENNIS | DAVIS CUP QUARTER FINAL: USA v SERBIA | TACO BELL ARENA, BOISE, USA | BRITISH EUROSPORT 8.30PM

USA play hard ball On the same weekend an Andy Murray-

a long unbeaten run that lasted until the

less GB team takes on Russia in the Euro/

semi finals of the French Open in June 2011. This time, the US and Serbia meet on the

round tie in Coventry, world number one

former’s terms, on a hard court in Idaho.

Novak Djokovic (pictured) leads the

The teams are likely to remain unchanged

Serbian team in their World Group

from that 2010 meet, with Djokovic joined by

quarter final against the USA.

Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic, and Sam

The teams have met just once before,

Querrey, John Isner and the Bryan brothers

in 2010, when Serbia were 3-2 winners on

(Bob and Mike) turning out for the home side.

an indoor clay court in Belgrade. That

With Djokovic expected to win his two

was the start of an historic campaign

singles matches and the Bryans almost

that saw Djokovic and his countrymen

unbeatable in Davis Cup doubles (their

win Serbia’s first ever Davis Cup title.

current record stands at 20-3), it’s likely

It had an equally big impact on Djokovic

that Isner (world number 23) and Querry

individually, as his two victories in the

(20) will both have to beat Troicki (44) if

Davis Cup final against France set him on

the States are to progress.

46 | April 5 2013 |

Benoit Doppagne/AFP/Getty Images, John Thys/AFP/Getty Images

Africa Zone Group 1 Davis Cup second

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Advertising Feature

FREE YOUR FEET Connect to your world with Merrell’s new MConnect range of lightweight footwear

ur bodies were built to run. Not just on treadmills, but barefoot through the great outdoors: on mud, sand and rock. The minimalist running movement aims to rekindle that connection with our natural environment through lightweight footwear that brings you closer to the ground, so you can run in the way your body was designed to. Standard running shoes are built with cushioning at the back, with the heel raised above the forefoot. This, combined with the flat surfaces found in urban environments (or treadmills), encourages people to run with what’s known as a ‘heel-strike impact’ – their heels hit the ground first, absorbing all of the impact and weight of the body. Running this way can increase your chances of injury, because of the impact on joints, and because the body is not in alignment. Merrell’s MConnect footwear changes this. With zero drop between the back and front of the foot, your foot hits the ground perfectly flat, spreading pressure out and resulting in a more naturally efficient stride.

EASY DOES IT If you’re taking your first steps in minimalist footwear, there are some simple steps you can take to make the transition easier. First, make sure your posture is right – your shoulders should be slightly back and relaxed, with your arms slightly bent. Second, try not to land on your heel – this might take some adjusting to, but you will feel the benefits if you have suitable footwear. The final step involves your own steps – your cadence. This refers to the number of times your feet touch the ground in a given amount of time. When barefoot running, you should aim for around 180 footfalls a minute, which is more than in heel-strike running. A faster, shorter stride helps prevent overstriding, and is more efficient because it engages the body’s natural system of muscles, ligaments and tendons to propel you forward.

RUN FREE The MConnect range from Merrell is perfect if you want to get back to a more natural way of running with a lighter, minimalist approach. It’s designed specifically for athletic outdoor pursuit, whether you’re running on or off road, training or speed hiking. It includes four collections, designed for different athletic pursuits, with different levels of ‘drop’ – the difference in height between heel and toe. There’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored. With minimal running and Merrell’s MConnect range, you can get closer to nature, and start running the way you were built to. The Merrell MConnect range is available at John Lewis

CONNECT TO YOUR WORLD

RUN

Lightweight and flexible with a natural glove-like fit. All Merrell shoes are designed to get you closer to the ground for better control, agility and responsiveness when running on any terrain.

HIKE

The next generation of Merrell footwear is designed to give the ideal balance of agility and stability, while minimal design contours to the shape of your foot for the ultimate fit and comfort when outside.

TRAIN

Merrell MConnect footwear features minimal heel-to-toe drop, helping you align posture and find your centre of balance, and encouraging greater stability and sensory feedback when training for any activity outdoors.

| 47

7 Days SUNDAY NBA | LA CLIPPERS v LA LAKERS | STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES | SKY SPORTS 4 8.30PM

Lakers in last chance saloon As the Miami Heat dominate the NBA Eastern

games of the season remaining, though, they face

Conference, captivating fans with their 27-game

a battle to make the playoffs. Five of the seven

will need more heroic performances from Kobe

winning streak, the LA Lakers look to avoid

opponents they have left to face are already playoff

Bryant (pictured), whose 19 points against the

becoming one of the biggest flops in the history

contenders, and they still have to play Western

Sacramento Kings last week saw him pass Wilt

of basketball.

Conference leaders (at the time of writing) San

Chamberlain as the fourth-highest NBA points

Antonio Spurs. The good news for the Lakers is that

scorer of all time. On Sunday they take on local rivals

than $99m, compared with the Heat’s $82m) – the

most of their remaining games are at the Staples

(and Pacific Division leaders) the LA Clippers for the

Lakers and their team of star names began the year

Center, where their performances have improved

fourth time this season. Ominously for the Lakers,

under the weight of great expectations. With seven

through the season – they were 9-6 in March.

the Clippers have won the previous three.

With the highest team payroll in the league – more

But, as the regular season reaches its finale, they

SUNDAY RUGBY LEAGUE | SUPER LEAGUE: LEEDS RHINOS v WARRINGTON WOLVES | HEADINGLEY STADIUM | SKY SPORTS 2 6.45PM

Wolf pack to roar at last? The Wolves have had a mixed start to

Dragons in Perpignan on Easter Monday,

their campaign, despite their relatively

Leeds Rhinos will be full of confidence

comfortable win over the London Broncos

going into their game against Warrington

on Monday, and will probably still be

Wolves at Headingley on Sunday.

smarting from their surprise 38-22 defeat

They showed great character and

at Widnes on Good Friday. Although

commitment to overcome a strong

influential half-back Lee Briers is still

Dragons outfit, given that they were down

missing, Stefan Ratchford has been putting

to 12 men for much of the second half

in some eye-catching displays at stand-off

following the dismissal of prop Ryan Bailey.

– together with scrum-half Richie Myler,

They are likely to be further depleted for

he is always a threat.

this fixture, with hard-working second row

Michael Monaghan remains a key figure

Brett Delaney out injured. However,

for Warrington at hooker, meanwhile, and

skipper Kevin Sinfield is an expert at

with Chris Hill and Ben Westwood in the

marshalling his resources and centre Joel

pack they are always going to be

Moon, who joined from Salford this season,

competitive. This might be the game,

is proving a real threat down the left in

then, in which the Wolves finally click and

combination with England wing Ryan Hall.

show their championship credentials.

48 | April 5 2013 |

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Action Images/Paul Currie

After their stunning win over the Catalan

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

WORLD CLASS TRAINING

SINCE 1984

FREE open days and evenings run regularly in London Call 020 7343 1850 to book your place

WE OFFER A VAST SELECTION OF FITNESS COURSES INCLUDING:

start your journey here

Not for profit. Registered charity no. 1001043. Registered in England and Wales no. 2551972

Completely free every Friday. The UK’s top sport magazine The biggest interviews The best previews

iPad edition on Newsstand now

EXTRA TIME Making the most of your time and money

P60 James Franco hams it up and overuses the word ‘y’all’ in Spring Breakers

Gadgets

Ultra look Toshiba 9Series UltraHD Televisions It’s a definite first-world problem, but we find it quite hard to watch football in standard definition now. At first it was terrifying – being able to see every crude gesture from the crowd, every gaping furrow in Alan Hansen’s storied brow – but now we’re used to it. We can only imagine what new depths of excitement and terror Toshiba’s new range of UltraHD televisions will bring, then. The first of their kind to be launched for consumers, they display in a resolution up to four times that of full HD, and have 3D and Cloud TV, too. Available in 58, 65 and 84-inch models from summer 2013. Prices TBC | toshiba.co.uk

Dyson Hot+Cool After they released the Dyson Cool, the first bladeless fan, and the Dyson Hot, the first bladeless fan heater, this next product from Dyson was pretty inevitable. In a step the company could arguably have taken initially, it combines heating and cooling elements with the unique bladeless technology. The result: room-wide heating or cooling without the buffeting effect from regular fans – and a few irked early adopters whose fans only do one thing. From £350 | dyson.co.uk

50 | April 5 2013 |

Withings Smart Body Analyzer

Canon EOS 100D

This super-smart set of scales not only weighs you and tracks your level of body fat; it also measures heart rate, syncs wirelessly with an app and measures the temperature and air quality of the room in which it’s placed. It’s basically a hightech way of knowing when you might need to leave it a few minutes before entering the bathroom. £130 | store.apple.com/uk

A starting point for those looking to dabble in serious photography, the EOS 100D is the smallest and lightest DSLR ever made. Weighing just 407 grams (about the same as a tin of Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup), it has simple controls and a built-in guide. So, like a tin of Heinz’s best, it’s small and light enough to take with you. A practical alternative to a full DSLR (and soup). £570, from late April | canon.co.uk

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Kit

TIME TO SWING Inevitably, next week’s Masters will make you desperate to get out and play golf. Which is why we’ve done some research and picked out the hottest new kit on the market

Adizero Shoe

Nike VR_S Covert Driver

Cobra AMP Cell Green Driver

The shoe that has been sweeping the professional tours – or perhaps it just looks that way because it’s bright yellow. The lightest golf shoe yet from adidas is, as you’d expect, exceptionally stylish and effective. £130 | taylormadegolf.eu

Quite why nobody thought of a cavity-backed driver before Nike is anyone’s guess, but here it is: the VR_S Covert. It looks brilliant but, more importantly, Nike claims it’s the firm’s most innovative golf club yet. £250 | nikegolf.eu

You have to hand it to Cobra – this limited-edition green driver certainly stands out. And it performs, too – packed with a ton of tech, the AMP is fully adjustable and finding its way into more and more golf bags. £319 | cobragolf.com

ECCO Tour Hybrid Shoes

Wilson D100 Irons

Callaway X-Hot Pro Driver

Danish firm ECCO are renowned for the quality of their shoes, as worn by Graeme McDowell, and this is their first ‘crossover’ model – a classic leather upper sitting on the firm’s award-winning Street outsole. Comfortable, stylish. £160 | ecco.com/golf

A face that is 7 per cent thinner offers even more ball speed, while a new design has moved 35 per cent of the clubhead mass to be distributed to the sole, heel and toe – meaning if you’re not flushing it out of the middle, you’re still making a solid contact. £349 | wilson.com

Callaway promises incredibly fast ball speeds off the face of this adjustable driver. Set the face open, square or closed, with an adjustable centre of gravity to reduce off-centre hits. You can’t miss. Honest. > £279 | callawaygolf.com

52 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

YOU’RE ABOUT TO GET A WHOLE LOT LONGER. YO U ’ R E W E LCO M E .

Introducing the XHot Family from Callaway. The new standard in distance from every club in the bag and from every lie on the course. See how at callawaygolf.com/xhot

T H E N E W S TA N D A R D I N D I S TA N C E .

B R I N G . I T. O N . ©2013 Callaway Golf Company. Callaway, the Chevron Device, OptiFit, X Hot, Hyperbolic Face and Speed Frame and VFT are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company.

Extra Time Kit

TaylorMade R1 Driver

Scotty Cameron GoLo 5 Putter The latest addition to the Scotty Cameron line, the GoLo 5 features weighting technology for more balance and stability at impact, but comes with a slightly smaller head. £278 | titleist.co.uk

There are 168 different permutations with this driver, more than any previous TaylorMade club. Among those are 12 loft settings and seven face-angle positions – traditionally, amateur players think they need less loft, when the truth is they don’t. A marketleading club for a reason. From £349 | taylormadegolf.com

Mizuno MP-S Ball Mizuno’s foray into the world of golf balls has delivered what you’d expect – something of the very highest quality. They have been on sale in Japan for some years, but this is the first time they’ve been available here. They will almost certainly be a massive hit. £50/dozen | golf.mizunoeurope.com

Odyssey Versa Putter Quite simply, a blade putter that brings its own alignment aid purely in the way it’s designed. The contrast on the putter head means you will line up better, put a more consistent contact on the ball and hole more putts. £119 | odysseygolf.com

Titleist Pro V1X Ball Bridgestone e-Series Balls Three balls in this series – the e5, e6 and e7 – mean Bridgestone can effectively customfit you with the right ball. They’ve done it with 200,000 golfers worldwide, and claim to be able to give you an extra 10 yards. £26/dozen | bridgestonegolf.com

The ProV1 revolutionised the professional tours, and its latest version continues to enjoy enormous success. The Pro V1X, as used by Luke Donald, among others, offers greater distance and less spin off the driver face. £51/dozen | titleist.co.uk

Ping G25 Driver

Oakley Fade Polo

Motocaddy M1 Pro Trolley

This is the driver in the bag of big-hitting Bubba Watson, defending champion at Augusta National next week. As with its market rivals, it’s adjustable so you can fit it perfectly to your swing... now you just need a swing that works. £299 | ping.com

Emulate that man Watson again by wearing this new Oakley polo on day one of this year’s Masters on Thursday. Its sublimated stripes give ‘big rippers like Bubba a look that sets them apart from the crowd’, apparently. £45 | uk.oakley.com

This is Motocaddy’s most compact trolley yet, weighing just 10.5kg. It features a USB charging port, nine speed settings and the benefits of an adjustable handle height. It can travel on its own up to 45 metres, too – just mind out for those water hazards. From £399.99 | motocaddy.com

54 | April 5 2013 |

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

THE NEW VERSA BY ODYSSEY VISIONARY HIGH CONTRAST ALIGNMENT

ONE DEGREE OFF IS ONE DEGREE OUT. THE VERSA #1

IMPROVE YOUR ALIGNMENT AND LOWER YOUR SCORES. ODYSSEYGOLF.COM/VERSA

©2013 Callaway Golf Company. Odyssey, the Swirl Device, #1 Putter in Golf and Versa are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. odysseygolf.com

Grooming

SOMETHING SOMETHING DARK SIDE Gucci’s new fragrance, Nivea’s deodorant and Acqua di Parma’s range will leave your bathroom cabinet something something complete

The eau de toilette

Gucci Guilty Black Pour Homme Guilty Black lovers are, Gucci tell us, “fearless in their passion, brazen, shameless, unpredictable… they go where they sense danger”. This is, then, exactly the sort of thing you’d expect Emperor Palpatine to slap on first thing in the morning while he’s gearing up to provoke a galactic war. Top notes of bracing green coriander and invigorating lavender give way to middle motifs of orange flower with neroli – a sweet, honeyed plant oil produced from orange tree blossom. Patchouli blended with a lavishly textured cedarwood make up the base notes of a scent “in which dynamism spells seduction”. Actually, Uncle Gucci, it still spells dynamism. But it is alluring enough to have anyone turn to the dark side. Let the neroli flow through you. Gooood. £46 for 50ml | boots.com

The deodorant

Nivea For Men Invisible If the emperor used deodorant (and, let’s face it, he should – ruling a soon-to-be-overthrown empire is a stressful business), he’d be delighted with Nivea For Men’s Invisible for Black and White range. The 150ml spray (£2.03), 40ml stick (£2.50) and

56 | April 5 2013 |

The collection

50ml roll-on (£2.10) protect against irritating white marks and yellow stains caused by deodorant use. It offers antiperspirant protection and is alcohol-free, meaning Palpatine needn’t worry about ruining his black robes or the crisp white shirt he wears on date night. boots.com

Acqua di Parma A tall, dark and handsome range that uses “the purest and most precious ingredients” is designed to complement AdP’s cult Colonia Essenza eau de cologne (£53 for 50ml) and leave notes of this elegant citrus, woody fragrance with

patchouli, soft white moss and warm amber on the skin. The deodorant (£27 for 150ml), shampoo and shower gel (£27 for 200ml) and face emulsion (£40 for 75ml) are luxurious, rich and potent enough to take out all 101 dalmatians. johnlewis.com

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

James, 28 Banker Oli, 26 Engineer If you think protein is just for professionals, think again. Right now our three average guys David, Oli and James are using a variety of Maximuscle products to help them achieve their own individual goals in just 12 weeks. Watch all their progress live online as they undertake The Protein Project. To pick up your own 12 week challenge and see how Maximuscle and exercise can help you achieve your body and sporting goals simply visit: maximuscle.com/proteinproject

David, 30 Electrician

See how Maximuscle can also help you get fitter, leaner and stronger.

Search:

SEE THE DIFFERENCE PROTEIN CAN MAKE

Now available

Extra time Kelly Brook

58 | April 5 2013 |

| 59

x-partners, Sport was once warned, are like lit fireworks: you should never go back to them. It’s the latest in what we suspect is a lengthy history of advice that Danny Cipriani has totally ignored, but when it comes to getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Kelly Brook, we can’t really blame Sale’s rugby showpony. After all, if you’re going to get yourself burned, it may as well be by the spectacular firecracker pictured here.

Light the fuse Kelly Brook/Lipstick Syndication

Entertainment

BEAUTY AND THE GEEKS Bank robberies, neon bikinis and hobbits make up this week’s releases. Unfortunately, not all in the same film

Film

Blu-ray

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Spring Breakers When team handsome’s James Franco is the ugliest of your five lead actors, it’s safe to say you’ve picked an aesthetically pleasing cast. However, there’s a lot more to Kids writer Harmony Korine’s new comedy-drama than meets the eyeful. It begins with four bored college girls, short of cash to fulfil their desire to escape to the hedonistic indulgence of spring break. Rather than taking on extra shifts at the local fast-food joint, they just decide to rob it at gunpoint instead. “Pretend like it’s a video game,” one enthuses. However, their crime doesn’t just take them to Florida – it puts them in the path of dopey

Film

drug dealer ‘Alien’ (real name: Allan) and pulls them into a seedy world, where at least two of our heroines feel right at home. A garish, flashy, provocative film that knowingly and brazenly exploits the boozy flesh-flashing of its subject matter, but has the brains to match its beauty. Out today

Book

All Things to All Men

Levels of Life Julian Barnes

A cut above recent British crime flicks, this London-based heist film boasts the talent of Gabriel Byrne, Rufus Sewell and Toby Stephens (above) as a crime kingpin, bent copper and expert thief respectively. A £50m bank raid is the centre of their plans, but the double-crosses escalate to triple-crosses and beyond in this slick, stylish-looking thriller. Out today

British Booker Prize winner Barnes’ latest book covers such diverse topics as ballooning, photography, love and – most potently – grief. Written in three parts, it begins as a history, moves into fiction, then ends in a memoir concerning the death of the author’s wife, which took place in 2008. An impassioned, raw insight into a survivor’s grief. Out now

60 | April 5 2013 |

Music

Whether you thought the first part of The Hobbit was a frolicsome treat with imaginative action set-pieces and Martin Freeman terrific in the lead role, or a sprawling, overlong mess featuring a harrowing excess of Sylvester McCoy (and, really, both views are correct), Peter Jackson’s fantasy will look sensational on Blu-ray. The New Zealand landscape is as astutely utilised as it was in creating The Lord of the Rings trilogy, even if – curiously – the CGI seems slightly more glaring this time around than it did in a series of films made more than a decade ago. Extras include 10 video blogs from the film’s hirsute director. Out Monday

Blu-ray

Shaking the Habitual The Knife This Swedish electropop duo’s first album in seven years is 98 minutes long and features songs from 37 seconds in length to over 19 minutes. Thankfully, they have the invention to back up their extravagance, Shaking the Habitual living up to its title as a pulsating profusion of off-kilter rhythms. Weird and wonderful. Out Monday

Schindler’s List Steven Spielberg has a gift for evoking emotion, but rarely has he put it to such masterful use than in this powerful Holocaust epic. He’s aided by Liam Neeson: charismatic but convincing as Oskar Schindler, an imperfect man moved to save thousands of lives. Out on Blu-ray for the first time, extras including testimonies from real-life Holocaust survivors. Out Monday

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

R O F D A E R H G U O A THOR L A N O I T A N D N A THE GR

6 L I R P A Y A D R SATU OUR

N I S P I T T S E T A L E ALL TH T U O L L U P E G A FAVOURITE 20 P ET B P O H S 1 £ E E R F PLUS: S E K O R B D A L H T I W

ONLY IN THE SUN 18 years or over. Terms and conditions apply. Gamble responsibly gambleaware.co.uk

. T U O S I H T K C E CH R O F S N O I P M A 4 CH L A N O I T A N D N THE GRA T U O L L U P E T FAVOURI T I K E K A T S P E FREE SWE 0 5 . 9 £ M O R F S T E K C I T G 2 RACIN T E B P O H S 1 £ FREE