Sport magazine 321

Issue 321 | September 6 2013

The England job just got real for Roy Hodgson

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Issue 321, September 6 2013

Radar

06 Best of the best Here’s the winner: the action

sport picture of the year, as picked

by the Red Bull Illume judges

08 Strike in! The story of baseball pioneer

Jackie Robinson is brought to the

big screen in a new biopic, 42

10 D Day Which new (or old) sport will be

in the 2020 Olympics? Squash,

baseball and wrestling face off o this coming weekFeatures

20 Resting on Roy With pressure mounting, how will

Hodgson cope as he bids to lead

England to a place at the World Cup?

29 Rush Actors Chris Hemsworth and Daniel

Bruhl discuss their film roles as

James Hunt and Niki Lauda

33 Ronda Rousey The former judoka turned world

number-one female MMA fighter

36 Tom Varndell We preview the Aviva Premiership

by analysing all the teams and

speaking to Wasps’ flying winger

Extra Time

54 Grooming The new fragrance from Acqua di

Parma – inspired by cycling

56 Kit With the US Open final upon us,

we feature the latest tennis gear

58 Gadgets A very loud Bluetooth speaker and

the good Dr Dre’s latest headphones

62 Entertainment We predict great things for Ain’t

Them Bodies Saints (pictured) and

rejoice at new stuff from Goldfrapp

20

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Contents

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| September 6 2013 | 05

Radarp08 – Here’s to you, Jackie Robinson – the first black player in Major League Baseball

p10– Squash, baseball or wrestling: which should go to the 2020 Games?

06 | September 6 2013 |

t the foot of this sky-scanning

satellite dish, you will

see snowboarder Xaver

Hoffmann, who is simply searching

for big air. This stunning photo, taken

in the German mountains by Lorenz

Holder, won this year’s Red Bull Illume

sports photography competition.

So now you know who to blame for a

snowy picture and a poor reception.

See more at redbullillume.com

A

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Offering Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, and with a wide range of interchangeable lenses – such as a new compact 10x zoom for getting you closer to the action – it’s the camera to take your photography further.

Get up to speed with the LUMIX G6 at panasonic.co.uk/lumixg6

*Vs. similarly priced DSLR. Research conducted by Image Engineering 07.06.13.

LIVE VIEW AF 1.33s LIVE VIEW AF 0.12s

LUMIX G6

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FASTER, CLOSER, SMARTER

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08 | September 6 2013 |

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Free hitter

he colour line in American baseball was a gentleman’s agreement

(although gentleman is not really the right word) that barred

black players from playing in Major League Baseball. Instead,

they were limited to the Negro Leagues, until Jackie Robinson broke that

boundary and took to the field for the New York Dodgers in 1947. His

inspiring story is dramatised in 42, which gets its UK cinematic release

next week on the back of rave reviews in the States.

42 – The True Story of An American Legend, in cinemas from next Friday

hey might not have won a trophy for eight years, but Arsenal can

make a mighty fine human pyramid – and, as Arsene Wenger famously

said, “building a really good human pyramid is as good as winning

a trophy” (and not just because you’ll get a Europa League spot for it from

next year). There’s even a gap for Mesut Ozil to slot in at the top of Arsenal’s

post-goal pile-up against Manchester City last September. One man who does

have a trophy is photographer Adrian Dennis – he took the snap above, which

has just been announced as the winner of the Shot of the Season Award for

last term in the 2013 Barclays Photographic Awards.

he McLaren driver line-up hasn’t

always been the bland Next

catalogue-inspired personality

vacuum that it is now. Over their 50-year

history, some real characters have

lowered themselves into some famous

cars. McLaren: 50 Years of Racing is

a new book released to mark that

half-century – and through a combination

of the words of revered F1 journalist

Maurice Hamilton and wonderful archive

photography, it tells the history of the

team in words and wonderful archive

photos. They encapsulate the early days

of Kiwi founder Bruce McLaren, through

the glory years of Lauda, Prost, Hakkinen

and Senna, right through to their current

struggles, with Jenson Button appearing

on more billboards than podiums.

T

T

T

Brucie bonus Room for one more?

McLaren: 50 Years of Racing

(Prestel), out now, £99

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10 | September 6 2013 |

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Judgement day

VISIT

WWW.INTERSPORT.CO.UK

TO FIND YOUR LOCAL

INTERSPORT STORE

n seven years, the citizens of Tokyo, Madrid or Istanbul will look

back at this weekend as the point where they started that journey,

familiar to Londoners, from indifference to cynicism to excitement,

because the IOC will choose which of the three cities will host the 2020

Olympics. Squash, baseball and wrestling are also being put to the vote...

I

SquashFor – It’s one of the most popular

participation sports in the country,

according to research, although we

fear that research might have been

carried out by the Institute for

Stereotypical Businessmen in 1980s

Movies. We’re also pretty good at it

— both Nick Matthew and James

Willstrop have been ever-presents

at the top of the world rankings over

the last decade. Of course, they'll

both be long-retired by 2020 – but

they will be able to pass some of

their invaluable experience on.

Against — It’s never been a great

spectator sport. Something about

two sweaty individuals moving

noiselessly around a perspex box

seems to turn off television viewers,

perhaps reminding them of some of

the more upsetting scenes from

Hannibal. There’s also the issue of

a venue — most sports are easily

prepared for by adding nets, padding

or goals to a regular arena, whereas

squash would require a more

bespoke set-up.

Who would benefit?

Egypt — who boast the current world

champion Ramy Ashour, five of the

top 10 men in the world, and four

of the top 20 women.

Baseball/SoftballFor — Beloved by millions of

Americans, the ‘people’s pastime’

is also one of the best junk food

conveyance vectors known to man,

which should fit in well with the

Olympics’ usual selection of

sponsors. It was officially contested

between 1992 and 2008, before

being voted out, with South Korea

the most recent champions. It’s

a joint bid from baseball/softball

because the men play one and

the women play the other.

Everyday sexism?

Against — Let’s face it, do you have

any idea what’s going on? Baseball

peaked in popularity in about 1930,

and has never really captured the

imagination outside the Americas

and parts of Asia. Letting it back in

for 2020 would be like letting Paula

Radcliffe run the marathon again.

Who would benefit?

Cuba — who won three of the five

gold medals between 1992 and

2008, with the others going to

South Korea and the USA.

WrestlingFor — One of the few remaining

events that tied the modern

Olympics to their Ancient Greek

forerunner, wrestling was given the

clothesline for 2020 – so, as things

stand, it will be making its final

appearance in Rio in three years’

time. It’s not out for the count just

yet, though. Amid fierce opposition

to the move to throw it out, it’s

made it through to the final stage

for inclusion in 2020.

Against — A myriad of weight

categories and varieties meant

that, much like its practitioners, the

wrestling schedule ballooned into a

unwieldy beast in its old age. That

could work against any attempt at

reintegration, as could its relative

lack of a ‘wow factor’. It’s almost

as impenetrable as taekwondo, but

without any of the flashy moves.

Maybe the ancient amateur sport

just needs spicing up with the

addition of a bit of flimsy office

furniture?

Who would benefit?

Iran — hirsute Persians in leotards

have been a regular sight on Olympic

podiums. In fact, more than half

of the country’s Olympic medals

have come on the wrestling mat.

12 | September 6 2013 |

Radar Editor’s letter

Acting editor

Tony Hodson

@tonyhodson1

Sport magazinePart of UTV Media plc

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© UTV Media plc 2013

UTV Media plc takes no responsibility for the content

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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.

LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR

2008

Total Average Distribution:

305,684 Jan-June 2013

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@sportmaguk

facebook.com/sportmagazine

When did the phrase ‘international break’ come

into being? The very idea that a weekend with

no Premier League football signifies any kind

of break should strike fear into the hearts of international

managers taking aim at World Cup qualification this week.

Thus, as we discuss in this week’s cover feature, Roy

Hodgson goes into a crucial England double-header with

the weight of news from last week’s domestic fixtures

weighing heavy on his shoulders. Wayne Rooney and Glen

Johnson are both absent through injury, but most ominous

for Hodgson was the reaction of Liverpool manager

Brendan Rodgers when asked if the in-form Daniel

Sturridge would be available after battling a thigh problem.

“He has struggled in the last couple of games and we

need to think of Liverpool first,” said the Northern Irishman

after his striker scored the winner against Manchester

United on Sunday, barely hiding his lack of interest in such a

pivotal week for English football. Rodgers is not paid to give

a hoot about England, of course, and as I write Sturridge

remains in contention to win a seventh cap against Moldova.

But one thing is for sure – if England do make Brazil 2014,

they will do so with little if any help from the club game.

So the transfer window slammed shut (or was tentatively

closed before being reopened for a few late deals – the

cheeky scamps) on Monday evening. It is sad to see Gareth

Bale leave, but it will be fascinating to see how he fares in

Madrid. How a naturally shy individual handles living in a

foreign land, plus the internal politics and egos that seem

to dominate within the Bernabeu, will determine how well

his dream move goes. In his absence, we can look forward

to seeing the sublime skills of Mesut Ozil gracing the

Premier League. Some are questioning whether he’s the

‘right kind of signing’ for Arsenal. As one of the world’s

great midfield talents (just ask Gareth Barry), I’d say he’s

the right kind of signing for anyone.

Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player in history,

but the second half of this season has for the first time

shown the Swiss great to be in genuine decline. At 32 and

with a record 17 Grand Slam titles to his name, losing to

lesser players on a stage he used to dominate can’t hold

much interest. With that in mind, I wonder whether his

defeat to Tommy Robredo in New York this week might

end up being the last time we see him in a Grand Slam.

International ‘break’Phrase spells danger for coaches trying to swim against the tide of a club-dominated game

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Reader comments of the week

@Sportmaguk [England

resting players for the ODIs]

is a disgrace. They are

professionals and it’s August.

If the Aussies did it we’d be

fuming. #fansloseoutagain

@HadoTwo

@billborrows Quality piece

in @Sportmaguk today,

getting some weird looks

while laughing on the tube!

80s Big Ron > current Big

Ron #shame

@tuckysix4

Great line in @Sportmaguk

re Big Ron in Celeb BB.

“Could not have been

more out of his comfort

zone if he had ended up

presenting the Mobos”

@steve_alex

David Epstein backs a

winner in the #Bolt v #Farah

600m in @Sportmaguk.

Please someone make

this happen

@DianneCrowther

@tonyhodson1 What a load

of bollocks you have written

about Moyes in today’s

@Sportmaguk

@busbybutt

Free iPad app available on iPad, Kindle and Android devices

@davidflatman your

pre-season training

reminds me of school PE:

unnecessary shouting &

humiliation. No good

came of it

@gogibbogo

Get in touch @sportmaguk [email protected]

Daniel, the champion of

England? Brendan Rodgers

doesn’t seem much bothered

14 | September 6 2013 |

Radar Opinion

Flats on Friday

It’s a disgrace’, apparently. Obscene’. ‘It needs to be stopped’. What could it be? Civil war in

Syria? Famine in Africa? Nope: ‘Deadline Day’. You’ll

be distressed to learn that ex-players from clubs who

have missed out on key transfers, and current chairmen

who have paid over the odds, don’t like it when the summer

transfer window closes a couple of weeks into the season.

Tough. It is one of the best days of the year, the crack

cocaine of the football calendar, and for every Lou

Macari crying because Manchester United failed to buy

anybody half-decent, there are 60,000 Arsenal fans

beside themselves after securing the services of Mesut

Ozil at the last minute – ‘O-Zil to the Arsenal’ indeed.

And, as we are constantly told, it is all about the fans.

Some of the Tottenham faithful might be distraught to

see Gareth Bale leave, but just as many are delighted to

see 70 per cent of their 2012 revenue spent on playing

staff rather than parked away for a rainy day. Newcastle

fans might be fuming that the club has missed a chance

to strengthen, but they must look at those who run their

club. Deadline day holds the men who make decisions to

account. Don’t like it? Do your business earlier.

It’s fair and it applies to all clubs equally – and how

often can you say that about football? No doubt Michel

Platini is currently in a UEFA laboratory somewhere in

France attempting to engineer a method for the richest

clubs to have an extra month to conduct their business

(plus another fortnight for non-English clubs) – but, as it

stands, it works. It could, however, be even better. In the

interests of the fans, I have three key changes to make:

1 Deadline day is to be made a Bank Holiday, with people

who don’t like football working unpaid extra hours to

compensate for the absence of their colleagues.

2 A public vote to decide which club has had the worst

transfer window – and the chief executive, manager,

financial director and board of directors of said club

to be forced to clean the cars of all their season-

ticket holders for the duration of the season.

3 With 60 minutes to go, there will be a ritzy cup draw in

Monaco, or a raffle at a local working men’s club in

the home city of the champions. The Premier League

will provide the only prize: £100m that must be spent

in the next hour in the style of Brewster’s Millions.

All those in favour say ‘aye’. Woah! Not all at once.

@billborrows

Plank of the WeekRoy Hodgson, Anfield

So you didn’t get into the directors’ lounge. Is that such

a big deal? And then you stropped off. A quick reminder,

Roy: you have two very important games coming up,

and if you don’t do your job properly you will ruin our

summer. Forget about the privileges associated with the

job – crack on with the basics of getting us to Brazil.

It’s like this…Bill Borrows

“I don’t know what the coach said at half-time, but it’s working!” How many times have we

heard this while watching a game? A good few I’d

say, and my bet is that he didn’t say much at all.

One of the best coaches I ever had was the sort

of bloke whose honour you defended whenever you

took the field. We all played for him and felt just

devastated when we underperformed, feeling we’d

let him down. He would work tirelessly for us, and

would never, ever be anything other than totally

supportive when questioned in public. In modern

parlance, he had the changing room.

One thing he did struggle with was delivering

information on game day. He didn’t get nervous or

lack clarity of message. It’s just that there were

way, way too many messages. On a Friday morning,

we would each be given a ‘tip sheet’ designed to

offer us key pieces of information to remember and

what we call ‘triggers’. These are initial actions the

opposition would take that we knew, from extensive

analysis, led to certain plays. However, this sheet

contained something like 50 tips. Even for your

average brainiac, that’s an awful lot to take in.

Then a miracle happened. A lovely chap arrived

at the club one day and introduced himself to the

players, one by one. Each opening chat lasted about

five minutes and, frankly, some of the questions he

asked were a bit odd. He was immediately labelled

a weirdo and, seeing as we had been told he was

‘sort of a shrink’, he was all but ignored from the

start. Not by me, though. I like weird people and I

found him intriguing, especially as I eavesdropped

and his questions became more and more obscure.

After a team meeting through which he stood in

a corner smiling like a Stephen King clown, I asked

him why on earth he was here. He casually told me

that he was putting his PhD in learning techniques

into action. Then he asked me if I liked cats.

I think he felt my scepticism and sensed that my

interest levels in him outweighed those shown by

the other players. I believe that because the next

weekend I didn’t receive the usual 50 tips. Instead,

I got a scrap of paper with two things written on it:

“If you are caught out wide in defence, work your

nuts off to get closer to the breakdown.” And: “If it

moves, hit it.” That was it. And it changed my game.

I looked over at him as I received it; he winked.

After the game I quizzed him, and his answer was

simple: “You need to see your tips; telling you isn’t

enough. You also, like every player, can only retain a

tiny amount of information on game day due to the

stresses involved, so that’s what we gave you.”

Now, whenever I see a team turn things around

in a second half, I give credit to the coach who

handed out the tips. And I wonder just how little

Sir Alex Ferguson actually used to say.

@davidflatman

Da

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Keeping it simple is an art

16 | September 6 2013 |

Frozen in time

| 17

Head boyHe’s good in the air, but Real Madrid didn’t buy

Gareth Bale for his bonce. They purchased him

for his traction engine left foot, zeppelin-sized

lungs and Beyonce thighs. However, he’ll need to

keep his head about him in Spain’s capital. Real

Madrid is not entirely a meritocracy, and a few

Los Blancos players may not be too delighted by

the arrival of a new superstar, hogging column

inches and a midfield berth. Keep your eyes wide

open, Gareth lad. You’ve got the talent to handle

any rival player – but the ones on your own side

may prove the biggest challenge of all this year. Go

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Road to Brazil

20 | September 6 2013 |

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Super sodding Sunday. England manager Roy

Hodgson will have spent this week cursing

a day that saw his corn flakes and morning

coffee spoiled by confirmation of Wayne

Rooney’s enforced absence from Three Lions duty;

his appetite for lunch ruined by the withdrawals

from the squad of Phil Jones and Glen Johnson; and

his afternoon tea marred by question marks over

the fitness of freescoring Daniel Sturridge. And

Tottenham fans thought they’d had a bad day.

It was only days earlier that Hodgson had

named all of the above in his squad for England’s

all-important World Cup qualifying double-header

against Moldova at Wembley on Friday night, and

Ukraine in Kiev next Tuesday. Perhaps with one eye

on the weekend’s fixtures even then, he told the

FA.com: “I’m just hoping the squad I’ve selected will

be with us for the next four games – that the players

will stay fit and be available, because it’s a squad

that looks very strong on paper.”

With four games left to ensure England have a role

to play in Brazil next summer, life is starting to get

complicated for Hodgson. If Euro 2012 was the

equivalent to the early days of a relationship, where

every little foible holds some attraction and even

occasional bouts of flatulence are endearing, then this

can be seen as the tricky second phase of Hodgson’s

tenure. Shortcomings are now noted down – to be

used as evidence at a later date – and endearments

are no longer bestowed for anything as facile as

a digestive movement. They have to be earned.

“In terms of where we genuinely are right now,

draws away from home in Montenegro and Poland

are decent results, but to draw at home against

Ukraine was disappointing,” muses Stan Collymore,

former Liverpool and England striker and now a

talkSPORT presenter.

“If we do have any design on getting to the World

Cup, then we have to win most of our home games.

Overall, I’d probably give England six out of 10

with the new manager – but there is still plenty of

football left to play.”

Collymore is cautiously optimistic about

Hodgson’s England, but a man who played under

the 66-year-old throughout his tenure as Fulham

manager is a little less conservative in his

assessment. “People can say I’m biased because I’ve

worked with him and respect him,” says former

Cottagers captain and England midfielder Danny

Murphy. “But you can see the England team getting

better and more organised. Yes, one or two results

haven’t quite been what we would have wanted –

but I still firmly believe we’ll qualify for Brazil.”

Four fixtures over the next two months will decide whether England qualify directly for the 2014 World Cup. Ahead of Roy Hodgson’s biggest test yet, Sport assesses how he is handling the impossible job

home comfortsEngland currently sit second in European Qualifying

Group H. They are two points behind Montenegro,

who have played one game more, and one point

ahead of Ukraine – the nation considered to be

England’s main challengers for the one automatic

qualifying spot. While England spend Friday night

playing Moldova at Wembley, Ukraine will most

likely be smashing a hatful of goals past a San

Marino side that has scored none and conceded 29

thus far in their qualifying campaign. All of which

makes it even more critical England get their double-

header off to a winning start against Moldova.

“I think we’ve got the firepower to break them

down,” said Hodgson of the game that takes place

three days before the squad travel to Kiev for the

second, more perilous part of their task. “But I also

think Moldova are a better team now than they

were in their opening game.”

The match he’s referring to was also England’s

first of their qualifying campaign, and it started with

a bang – a Frank Lampard brace, along with goals

from Jermain Defoe, James Milner and Leighton

Baines, gave the Three Lions a 5-0 win in Chisinau.

“We played very well that day, but we don’t really

think Moldova are a team that gets beaten 5-0 – and

that’s been proven by their results against the other

teams in the group,” continued Hodgson.

“We’re fully aware of how difficult the task will

be, but that’s what qualifying is about. There will be

lots of teams going into matches on Friday night

knowing they need a result, otherwise their chances

of qualification grow dimmer.”

While Hodgson had the perfect get-out if England

flopped last summer – he was employed by the FA

just over a month before England’s opening game of

Euro 2012, and had just two friendlies in which to

assess the talent at his disposal – he is now, like every

manager, entirely at the mercy of his team’s results.

But that change won’t, says Murphy, affect Hodgson’s

approach to the final stretch in qualifying for Brazil.

“He’s very consistent,” he reveals. “Even when the

pressure is really on, he doesn’t deviate from his plan

or the way he coaches. He has a clear message in

the way he wants his teams to play, so the results in

previous games in the group won’t affect the way he

continues to give that message.

“He won’t be thinking: ‘We have to win, so we have

to change the way we play.’ He’ll remain focused on

doing the right coaching and preparation, and trust

his team is good enough to win, rather than try to

change the way they’re thinking and impress on

them that we have to win. He won’t do that.”

mr sensibleInevitably, during a coaching career that spans

37 years and includes 18 teams, including four

national sides, Hodgson has amassed a wealth of

experience in how to deal with high-pressure games.

It’s something Murphy saw in his first season at

Fulham, when the team fought relegation.

“We were playing Manchester City away with a

couple of games to go before the end of the season,

and at half-time we were losing 2-0,” he remembers.

“As the result stood, we were down.

“He could have come in at half-time and ranted

and raved. He could have panicked and made three

subs and changed the formation, but he remained k

“You can see the England team getting better and more organised. Yes, one or two results haven’t quite been what we would have wanted – but I still firmly believe we’ll qualify for Brazil”

Danny Murphy

Road to Brazil

22 | September 6 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

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really calm. He said the way we were playing was

okay, and that we didn’t deserve to be 2-0 down.

“He told us to stick with it and keep playing our

football – that if we were to go down, then we

would do it playing the right way and doing the

right things. We won 3-2, then won the last two

games of the season and stayed up.”

Murphy firmly believes calmness and focus are

two of Hodgson’s finest qualities. “Ultimately, when a

manager is calm and has belief in what he’s doing, it

transfers to the players,” he says. “He’ll be passing

those same messages on

to the England players

this week – not to think

about what happens if

you win or don’t win.

“Just think about

performing, do what

we’ve worked on, keep

your shape, and do the

right things – if we do,

we’re better than them.

That’s the best way for

this England team to

move forward, so that

they don’t feel like every

game is the be-all and

end-all the media make it

out to be.”

Hodgson’s firm belief

systems can work seemed

to work against him on the international stage,

though, as he found when England were

held to a 1-1 draw by the Republic of Ireland at

Wembley earlier this year.

Gary Lineker described Hodgson’s use of the 4-4-2

formation in that game as “a step back to the dark

ages... predictable and dated”. It was also Hodgson’s

preferred formation during last year’s Euros –

something Collymore says was understandable,

given his short time in charge. “It was a very rigid

4-4-2 featuring players such as James Milner, who

work extremely hard,” he says. “But by the time it got

to the Italy game in the knockout stage, they were

out on their feet.”

Creative thinkingWhile some argue that the talent (or lack thereof )

at England’s disposal rules out playing a more

expansive system, Collymore disagrees. He points to

a performance by England in their first match of

2013, their first win over Brazil in 23 years crafted

with a system he describes as 4-1-4-1, with captain

Steven Gerrard playing the pivotal anchor role in

front of a back four.

“Hodgson has always played 4-4-2,” says

Collymore. “But in European and world football you

have to have a specialist defensive anchor man,

and Gerrard can play that role very well. Then you

have Theo Walcott on the right of midfield, and

maybe Danny Welbeck on the left, who can also be

a danger from corners and set-pieces. That allows

Jack Wilshere and Tom Cleverley – both young,

enthusiastic players who are good in the final third

– to create chances for whoever the striker may be.

“The best I’ve seen England play, and the most

comfortable, was when Gerrard was sat protecting in

front of a back four, with the likes of Cleverley and

Wilshere playing in a more advanced position.”

Collymore believes Hodgson should make full

use of the nation’s attacking talent because, while

England are a side that has proven hard to beat k

“The best I’ve seen England play, and the most comfortable I’ve seen us, was when Gerrard was sat protecting in front of a back four, with the likes of Cleverley and Wilshere playing in a more advanced position”

Stan Collymore

Right man for the job:

Walcott can be a

danger out wide,

says Collymore

Road to Brazil


(since the 2010 World Cup, England have lost just

three games over 90 minutes – all friendlies), they

are not yet one with the ability to turn tight draws

into narrow victories.

“I know there are people saying we need to

make Wembley a fortress,” says Collymore. “But in

international football now, if you’re pragmatic, sit

back and look to keep things tight, teams like

Montenegro and Poland have the individual

ability to hurt you.

“But if we go out there and say we’re going to

be proactive and let them worry about us,

second-ranked nations don’t always have the

resources to be able to cope with that over 90

minutes. It’s vitally important that, whether it’s in

Kiev or at home against Moldova, Montenegro or

Poland, we have attacking options on the pitch and

more of an ability to score goals. England are capable

of that, but Hodgson needs to express to the players

that that’s the way we’re going to go.”

Keeping controlWhile it’s possible that Hodgson might let some

of England’s attacking talent loose at Wembley on

Friday night, he is likely to err more on the side of

caution against Ukraine a few days later.

Defeat for England in Kiev would leave their

conquerors in the driving seat of Group H, and heap

the pressure on to England for their final two

qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland. But

Hodgson is maintaining his calm stance.

“A game only becomes must-win when you know

that if you don’t win it then you’re not going to

qualify,” he said to theFA.com.

“That will mean being outside of the top two,

because if you’re second in the group you still have

another bite of the cherry in the playoffs. As far as

I’m concerned, that’s when my idea of the must-win

game kicks in. I’m hoping that won’t ever happen.”

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With Wayne Rooney nursing a

head injury and Daniel Sturridge

reporting for national duties with a

dodgy thigh, England’s attack could

be led by Danny Welbeck, at least

for the first – and arguably more

straightforward – leg of England’s

qualifying double-header. England

scored five goals with no reply

against Moldova in their opening

game of the 2014 World Cup

qualifying campaign – featuring one

of Joe Hart’s three clean sheets in his

last 11 games for England – and will

expect Friday night’s return leg at

Wembley to push them three points

nearer to Rio.

The game in Kiev three days later

is the one Roy Hodgson will be more

anxious about. Last time England

played there in October 2009,

Ukraine ended their 100 per cent

record in World Cup qualifiers with a

1-0 win in which England goalkeeper

Rob Green (right) was sent off after

13 minutes. Hodgson will see four

points as an acceptable return from

these two games, knowing that

anything less would place enormous

pressure on England’s final two

qualifiers at Wembley next month.

Elsewhere in England’s group, Friday

sees Poland host Montenegro in

Warsaw while Ukraine take on the

worst-ranked team in the world, San

Marino. The latter then face Poland

on Tuesday, leaving all six teams

level on eight games played. The last

two are then to come in October.

Double trouble

Hodgson can sometimes seem to give off too

much equanimity for his own good – but Murphy

insists that, should England leave Kiev having

suffered a first defeat in their World Cup qualifying

campaign, the players won’t be left in any doubt as

to his true feelings.

“He won’t panic, but he’ll be angry,” he says.

“He channels that anger into something productive

quite quickly, though. So instead of getting involved

in confrontation straight after the game, he might

leave it until the post-match analysis. He normally

watches it back in a group meeting, giving feedback

and looking at things in a more calm environment

to ask okay, where did we go wrong?

“He’ll be aware that there comes a point in this

group stage where you can’t keep making mistakes

and having things go wrong, but he knows that

everything doesn’t depend on the Ukraine game.

If they lose it’s definitely not the end of the world,

Hart

HoDgSon’S poSSible Xi v MolDoVA

Gerrard Carrick Wilshere

Walcott Young

Welbeck

Walker Cahill Jagielka Cole

P W D L PTS

Montenegro 7 4 2 1 14

England 6 3 3 0 12

Ukraine 6 3 2 1 11

Poland 6 2 3 1 9

Moldova 7 1 2 4 5

SanMarino 6 0 0 6 0

group H

but if they win they doesn’t make them the best team

in the world either.

“I think players like the even keel he brings. He

does get passionate though, and of course he’d be

frustrated with defeat – but he’ll do all he can to

make sure he takes that away from the players,

because at England level the pressure on the

players is immense.”

For Hodgson and his team, the end of a campaign

that began 12 months ago is finally in sight. And as

his relationship with England reaches the delicate

stage where one bad move could end a relatively

harmonious partnership, Hodgson will be looking

for as smooth a conclusion as possible.

If all goes to plan, England’s two upcoming games

should act as stepping stones to that conclusion.

If they don’t, Hodgson knows he can expect to be

picked apart, foible by foible.

Sarah Shephard @sarahsportmag

We have lift-off: Hodgson and Gerrard congratulate

Cleverley and Baines after the 5-0 win in Moldova

Go for a sonG.With low fares and up to 6 flights a day to Dublin

from London City Airport, CityJet is the smart way

to enjoy the Dublin Festival Season this Autumn.

Book at cityjet.com/ireland or find out more

at ireland.com

CitySaver return fare inCludeS all taxeS.

Correct as of 1st September. Non-refundable, non-changeable.

Subject to conditions and availability.

froMrtn

Dublin £99.

Rush

| September 6 2013 | 29

Speed

demonSRush stars Chris

Hemsworth and

Daniel Bruhl talk

fear, losing wheels

and bringing two

Formula 1 legends

to the big screen

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James Hunt was a charismatic

English playboy whose private life

was even faster than his racecar.

Niki Lauda was a steely, calculating

Austrian. The 1976 Formula 1 World

Championship, which had the pair battling

for the driver’s title, would have been

riveting enough without the events at the

Nürburgring. In that race, Lauda’s Ferrari

crashed and exploded into a ball of flame,

leaving him in a coma in hospital, fighting

for his life. Remarkably, Lauda returned to

racing just six weeks later in Italy (missing

only two races), his burns still raw. He went

on to push Hunt all the way to a memorable

championship-deciding race in Japan.

The story of the contrasting duo needs

little Hollywood embellishment and has been

brought to life with elan in Rush, directed by

Ron ‘please don’t mention Happy Days’

Howard. The film‘s best feature, alongside

some blistering racing scenes, is the

performance of the two leads: Daniel Bruhl

as Lauda, Chris ‘please don’t call me Thor’

Hemsworth as Hunt. Sport sat down with

the two actors to discover how they slipped

smoothly into the skins of their characters.

In researching James Hunt, what did you

discover that helped you identify with him?

Chris Hemsworth: “I loved his honesty.

Whether what he did was right or wrong,

he had a willingness to not give a shit and

not be restricted by social etiquette or

opinions. What was fascinating about James

was that, regardless of how outrageous his

actions were at times, everyone I spoke to

about him loved him. I think it’s because he

wasn’t hiding anything. His attitude was:

‘This is who I am – take it or leave it.’” >

RushB

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ate

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Could Hunt, with his undisguised love of the

high life, have survived in the modern world?

CH: “Ron [Howard] has this quote about the

1970s: ‘It’s when the driving was dangerous

and the sex was safe.’ Now, in F1, it’s the

other way around. As the industry grows, it’s

a lot riskier to be caught doing various things

because of all the money the sponsors are

throwing at it... I know in our [film] business,

you can’t get away with any of the things

that people used to. Because of the internet

and the immediacy of information, everything

is magnified a thousand times.”

You’re in a different position, Daniel,

because Niki Lauda is alive and well. Did you

spend much time with him?

Daniel Bruhl: “Yes, he called and invited me to

Vienna. He said: ‘Just bring hand luggage, in

case we don’t like each other.’ He can be as

undiplomatic as he is in the movie, so I was

happy that he liked me, because it could have

gone either way. He could have told me:

‘You’re an asshole – piss off!’ Fortunately he

opened up, was generous with his time and

supported all of us throughout filming.”

He sounds like quite a character. Were you

intimidated on first meeting him?

DB: “For about the first half an hour, I was.

He’s got this Viennese, dry sense of humour.

It’s close to English humour, funnier than we

Germans – because as you know, that can’t

be too difficult. But I sensed that he liked the

idea of me playing him. He was clever enough

to know that the more he helps me, the

is not going to end well if it tips.’ There’s

also this wheel bouncing off toward various

people. It was like watching an actual scene

from the movie’s story.”

DB: “It showed me the power of the machine

and how difficult it is to control such a car.

It’s a beast. I like to drive fast. On the

autobahn in Germany, we don’t have [speed]

limits, so it’s easy to drive quickly – but

it’s totally different when something

unpredictable like this happens.”

James and Niki were fierce rivals, yet they

formed a friendship. How do you think such

contrasting chaps were able to get along?

CH: “There was a bit of a ying and yang thing

between them. They had such high respect

for one another, although you couldn’t have

had two more different approaches to life.

I think James appreciated the discipline that

Niki showed, because there are many layers

to James. Yes, he was a playboy, but there

was a ton of conflict in there – and a big

insecurity about not getting the respect he

felt he deserved. But he maybe respected

Niki’s different approach to things... how he

distanced himself from it all.”

DB: “I think Niki partly envied the flamboyant,

rock and roll star attitude of James. But

Niki also told me that because F1 was so

dangerous back in the day, it was important

to rely on the other drivers. Niki said that no

matter how fast they were going, he always

felt he could trust James as a driver – that

James wouldn’t do anything stupid. Their

sense of humour is something that they

shared too. Niki actually went into James’

room in Japan [before the final race of

1976], opened the door very early in the

morning, and said: ‘Today, I’m going to be

world champion!’ Just to f**k with him.”

CH: [Laughing] “There’s a great interview

with James where he tells that story and

he’s mimicking Niki’s Austrian accent. But

it’s a pretty dangerous thing to do: bursting

into James Hunt’s bedroom. He might well

have had some company...”

Alex Reid @otheralexreid

Rush is in cinemas from Friday September 13

“James Hunt was

a playboy, but

tHeRe was a ton of

conflict in tHeRe”

better he will come across in the movie.

Now he’s getting older and a bit milder, he

actually asked me in Vienna just a couple of

days ago: ‘Do you think I was really such an

asshole, like I am in the movie?’ It was really

sweet. I said: ‘Yes, you were.’”

Was Niki open in talking about the accident

at the Nürburgring and his injuries?

DB: “Yes, although he doesn’t remember the

crash. There’s a bit of memory concerning

his days in the hospital and the priest

coming and giving him the last rites, but it’s

blurry. We spoke about fear and overcoming

fear. He said that when he came back at

Monza, he tested the car and could do a lap

only in second gear – that he was trembling.

He was looking around [on leaving the car]

to check that nobody had seen him in this

state. He left, went to a room, closed the

curtains, lay down and just analysed his fear

for an hour. Then he was able to race.”

CH: “That’s so different to James, because

I think he would avoid confronting fear

or the looming threat of death, which all

the drivers lived with. He dealt with it by

distracting himself, whereas Niki is about

looking fear right in the eye.”

There are some spectacular race scenes in

Rush. How much of the driving did you do?

CH: “A lot more than we expected. At first it

was all insurance and safety and so on – and

then through the filming process, they’d say:

‘Just jump in the car quickly and do this.’

So we ended up doing a lot more driving than

we probably should have. But that was one

of the best parts of the movie.”

DB: “They were Formula 3 cars and the

chassis was Formula 1, but they really are

fast enough. It wasn’t just going in and out of

the pits, it was often doing full laps. Also, my

wheel came off the first time, when I tested.

That was very strange.”

CH: “I was standing about a hundred metres

away, watching Daniel fishtail into this corner

[of the track]. The wheel came off, then the

car starts bouncing along – it was very close

to tipping over – and there was his head

popping out of the chassis. I’m thinking: ‘This

In no rush: the real-life

Lauda (left) and Hunt

(centre) catch some rays

before the Argentine

Grand Prix in 1977

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30 | September 6 2013 |

Ronda Rousey

| September 6 2013 | 33

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Hit giRlgoing fRom judo to mmA“It got to the point where judo training

didn’t make me happy. I was miserable

with the lifestyle required to be among

the best in the world in judo, and I just

realised that I wasn’t willing to be

unhappy every day for four years

to possibly be happy one day at an

Olympics. I won my medal [an Olympic

bronze in 2008] and that was great,

but it wears off and you return to real

life. Now I treat every single MMA fight

as if it was an Olympic match. That’s

one edge I do have: I learned a lot of

lessons and developed a lot of good

habits from my first run at a career

through judo. I know that I’m able to

deal with real pressure.”

Acting, modelling, figHting“People ask me if my other activities

are a distraction — but I don’t know

why everyone thinks that I had no

distractions before! I was working

three jobs and training full time for

my first year. It’s not that I have more

work now – I just have different, more

glamorous work. When I’m training,

I’m totally focused on that. Also, I like

giving myself extra challenges and

making people doubt me, because it

makes a fight more interesting. If I just

keep defending my title over and over

and over, I feel like people will just get

kinda bored of it. It’s more exciting for

everyone if I keep putting that little bit

of doubt in their minds.”

tHe ultimAte figHteR“Filming the show [reality TV series

The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs

Team Tate] was a huge experience.

I was very happy developing the

relationships that I did with the people

on my team, but I don’t think you could

pay me $10m to do it again. My gym is

usually my safe place, where I’m able

to me normal and be myself — and they

kind of took it over and bastardised

my safe haven! There were times they

[the people making the show] tried to

mess with me, and get reactions and

drama out of me.”

mAle suppoRt“Other fighters have been so, so

respectful. I’ve got more acceptance

from the men in MMA than I ever

did when I was in judo. I never had a

single guy in judo come up to me —

a reputable fighter — and ask me how

to do something. Whereas the first day

I met Jon Jones, he was asking me for

advice. These guys in MMA are real

gentlemen, and the epitome of what a

martial artist should be.”

totAl focus“The only thing I worry about if I’m

doing an arm bar on an opponent and

that person isn’t giving up is that if

I dislocate their elbow, it actually

makes it easier for them to get out.

So if they’re not giving up, I’m actually

worried that they’ll get away. In the

past, I’ve let people dislocate my

elbow, found a way to get out and

continued, then ended up winning.

So I assume that the other person

is just as stubborn as me and, until

it’s over, I don’t really have any

emotions going on during a fight.

I’m problem-solving and that’s it.”

tHe switcH“As a fight gets closer, I feel

I become less of my full

personality and more this fiery

side. While in camp, usually half

the time I’m regular, chilling-

at-the-beach Ronda – and then

the other times I’m fighter

Ronda. But as the fight gets

closer, I’m just into that

fighting mentality all the

time, and it gets tiring. I can

feel my whole personality

change as soon as the

fight is over.”

Alex Reid

The Ultimate Fighter:

Team Rousey vs Team

Tate kicked off on BT

Sport 2 on Thursday

September 5, 11.30pm.

It will repeat on Friday

September 6, 11.30pm.

The series will air every

Thursday on BT Sport

Ronda Rousey, the world’s number one female MMA fighter, on dislocating elbows and offering advice to the guys

Aviva Premiership

| September 6 2013 | 35

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Twelve teams

One titleHere we go again

It’s been one hell of a summer for the oval-ball game, and with the

Rugby World Cup due on our doorstep in two years, things are only going

to get bigger. The return of the Aviva Premiership, then, couldn’t

come soon enough – and the new faces, old favourites, revamped

rules and unfamiliar TV coverage are welcomed with open arms

when they arrive tomorrow. Ahead of the big kick-off, we take a look

at the challenge awaiting the various contenders, from Twickenham

chasers to survival hopefuls, and pick out some of the new boys you

would do well to keep your eye on. First, though, we sat down to chat to

the man who crossed the whitewash more than [almost] everybody else in

last season’s Premiership – yup, it’s Wasps flyer Tom Varndell. >

This weekend sees the London double-header

[Wasps v Harlequins and London Irish v Saracens],

which is always a big deal. Which other matches do

you look out for when the fixture list is announced?

“Leicester Tigers is the obvious one. They’re my

former club and I always have friends and players

there that I know, so it’s nice to get one up on them.

Other than that, being a London-based player makes

all the London games big. It’s nice to get one up on

Sarries, too, with them throwing the money around.

So you look for the London ties and the Leicester

games, really.”

BT Sport have taken over the TV coverage this

season. Do the players genuinely care about

stuff like that?

“Yeah, because we watch rugby, too. The main thing

I’m concerned about is that I have to change my

subscription! To be fair, as players, it’s important

how the game is watched by people. As long as

BT can deliver what they’re saying, then they’ll be

buying into the game and increasing viewer numbers.

That’s only going to be good for the game – we’ll see

at the end of the season how it works.”

Aviva Premiership Tom Varndell

36 | September 6 2013 |

Tom Varndell’s 13 tries last season helped Wasps to their highest league finish for three years. On the eve of the new season, the flying winger tells us he’s ready for more

A V I V A P R E M I E R S H I P

Get a 100% deposit bonus up to £50 F O L L

G A

U N I B E T

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Eyes on the tries

threat two years ago, and last year saw a lot of

financial issues around the club. We have a new

owner now, they’ve done up bits and pieces of the

training facilities… we have got no excuses. This is the

season when it’s time to practise what we preach.

We’ve said that we have all this potential, so now it’s

time to realise that potential and really kick on.”

How much fun is it for you playing for this backline?

“It’s brilliant. It’s definitely reignited my hunger and

desire. You have these younger players coming through

– Christian Wade, Elliot Daly and Sam Jones – and

they just play with a smile on their faces. It makes me

more relaxed and the players just sort of bounce off

each other. Especially me and Wadey – we work very

well with each other. I’m excited, I genuinely am. I’m

buzzing for the season. It’s never a chore coming to

training – there aren’t many jobs out there where

you’re in at 8.30am and you’re laughing, smiling and

joking around from the minute you get there until the

minute you leave. It’s a fantastic place to be, and

I can’t wait to get the season started.”

You’re closing in on Mark Cueto’s Premiership try

record [Varndell has 73, compared to the Sale

Sharks winger’s 78], and he’s said this is his

last season.

“Yeah, I’m so glad he’s retiring! Hopefully I can nab

that off him by the end of the year. But, at the end of

the day, it’s about me performing consistently well for

the club, dotting down tries when I get the opportunity

and doing the best I can. That’s all I can do.”

You’re only 27, but England must have felt like a

distant memory before your recent call into the

training squad [Varndell’s previous cap came in the

44-12 defeat to New Zealand in 2008]. Do you think

about England a lot?

“Well, it’s not like I don’t think about it, but I never

sit there and worry about the England squad and

whether I’m in it – I just try and play as well as I can.

If you’re playing well, you normally get picked to play

for your country. This is the year I want to do that. If

I play well and keep scoring tries, there’s no reason

Stuart Lancaster won’t pick me.”

What are the key things you’re looking to improve?

“I want to keep scoring. I’ve got to keep scoring tries.

As a winger, that’s the aim. You’re like a striker in

football chasing goals. I want to improve my tally

from last year. Defensively, I want to be as tight, if

not better than last season, too – I think I was around

the 88 per cent completion rate, so I want to get into

the 90s. I want to be seen as a good all-round player

and an exceptional finisher. I’ve got to be seen as

being busy and coming off my wing a lot as well.

You know, you can’t just be a winger, you’ve got to be

an all-round player – that’s what I’m looking to do.”

Mark Coughlan @coffers83

| 37

By players, for players

F O L L O W

G A V I N H A S T I N G S

U N I B E T . C O . U K / S P O R T

Saturday

AViVA premiership:

WAsps v hArlequins

tWickenhAm

Bt sport 4.30pm

The real action begins tomorrow. How has

your pre-season been?

“It’s been up there with one of the toughest

we’ve ever done. We’ve definitely stepped it up.

The coaching team think we weren’t fit enough as a

team last year, and we did peter out towards the end

of the season after starting fantastically well. As a

result, this pre-season has seen a massive fitness

and weights focus. We’ve got to go through some

pain with each other to tighten up the squad and

build up some team spirit and morale. It’s gone

really well, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Is that the key missing ingredient to push this

side on, then?

“It’s just tightening it up, yeah. Our attacking game

has not been an issue. We know we can score tries

across the backline, and we’ve got a very dynamic

forward pack. We’ve got some quality players in, and

we were maybe just lacking a little bit of leadership

and experience in that backline to really get us firing,

so [fly half] Andy Goode should help that. He’s so

experienced, he kicks his goals, his territorial kicking

game is fantastic and his passing is brilliant. We have

a good mix of youth and experience now.”

How’s Andy’s (famously terrible) hair looking?

“As lovely as always. Silky and smooth.”

As a club, have you sat down and talked about your

aims for the season?

“It’s about kicking on from the year before. We know

where we let ourselves down. We lost games that we

shouldn’t have lost – such as Northampton at home,

when we lost in the last play. We can’t have that this

year – we have to be able to grind out the wins and

hopefully hold on for those wins. A prime example

was Quins on the first day – we’d done so much good

work and built up a great score, then we let it slip.

We can’t afford to do that this year if we want to

compete with the big boys at the top of the league.”

You’ve had a few tough transitional years. Is this

a big year for the team?

“Yeah, Dai [Young, director of rugby at Wasps] has

highlighted it this summer. We’ve had two years of

survival – we had our position in the league under Da

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“There aren’t many jobs out there where you’re in at 8.30am and you’re laughing, smiling and joking around from the minute you get there until the minute you leave”

Aviva Premiership The Teams


Bath

The lowdown

Bath won once on the road last time

out, yet lost just twice at home – and

it’s that hot and cold form that cost

them a [proper] place in Europe. The

arrival of George Ford is exciting,

while Jonathan Joseph and Anthony

Watson join a backline that loves

to play. The pack possesses power

but maybe lacks a bit of quality, and

a lot rests on how quickly a bond

is formed between Ford or Tom

Heathcote and whoever gets the

nine shirt (Peter Stringer, Micky

Young and Martin Roberts will fight

for that shirt). Then there’s Gavin

Henson – whether hero or villain, we

expect to see a lot of him this year.

Exeter

The lowdown

Tweaks, as opposed to total

reinvention, is the order of the day

yet again for the Chiefs, where Rob

Baxter relies on a small squad to

pitch in for each other. Flying

wingers Tom James and Fetu’u

Vainikolo arrive to add flair out

wide, but it’s the youngsters who

hold the most interest after playing

key roles in England U20s’ recent

World Championship win – so expect

to see more of Jack Nowell, Luke

Cowan-Dickie and Henry Slade in

particular this season. A top-four

push will be the aim, but the Chiefs

might find themselves overtaken by

sides that have strengthened better.

Harlequins

The lowdown

Conor O’Shea is not a man prone to

rash decisions, and Quins bring a

similar look to last season, despite

coming up short in Europe and the

Premiership. Nick Kennedy and Paul

Sackey bring a wealth of experience

from France, but it’s rediscovering

their up-tempo carrying game that

is key this year. Their scrum could be

an issue unless Paul Doran-Jones

stays fit, because James Johnston is

not easy to replace. The good news?

Captain Chris Robshaw bounced

back from an England snub two

years ago to lead his side to a

Premiership title. Can the lack of a

Lions trip have the same effect?

Gloucester

The lowdown

The Shedheads might not like to hear

it, but we can see another season of

frustration in the West Country,

because the top four still looks just

out of reach. That being said, the

Cherry and Whites have made two

shrewd signings in Matt Kvesic and

James Hudson, and they retain one

of the most exciting backlines in the

league. With the pack they possess,

and the dangermen out wide, a lot

will rest on the pivotal trio of Ben

Morgan, Jimmy Cowan and Freddie

Burns providing the link between

the units. Keep those three fit, and

give them a freedom to play, and

Gloucester will be a dangerous beast.

One to watch

Matt Garvey

Lock-cum-flanker brings a powerful

game and an impressive workrate

to the West Country. The power of

Bath’s pack around him could see

him focusing on his own game and

making a huge impact.

Predicted finish: 7th

One to watch

Luke Cowan-Dickie

The all-action hooker shone for

England U20s, and is likely to get the

chance to bring his tenacity to the

Prem this season. A big ball-carrier

who won’t take a step back – expect

full honours before long.

One to watch

Nick Kennedy

Oft-unsung Toulon star returns to

domestic shores, and could form a

potent second-row partnership with

George Robson, with Parling-esque

attention to lineouts. Ball-carrying

skills will fit right in at the Stoop, too.

One to watch

Matt Kvesic

After shining for England, Kvesic

starts life as a top-four challenger.

A genuine number seven (boy, have

we heard that phrase a lot recently),

he will harry and carry his way into a

regular England number seven shirt.

Predicted finish: 8th Predicted finish: 5th Predicted finish: 6th

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Leicester

The lowdown

The biggest challenge the champions

face is starting their season without

Richard Cockerill on the sideline, as

he continues a nine-match ban that

started (ludicrously) in pre-season.

Luckily for the ‘vocal’ Cockerill, his

side look pretty set to continue

where they left off, with a familiar

squad boasting six Lions fresh

from a successful trip Down Under

– and an opening salvo aimed at the

weaker trio of Worcester, Bath and

Newcastle could be fruitful. Captain

Toby Flood misses the start of the

season with concussion, but he will

return with a point to prove after a

red-shirted snubbing this summer.

London Irish

The lowdown

The Exiles have signed a sponsorship

deal that sees a section of the Madejski

dubbed ‘poo corner’ this season, and it

might prove quite fitting in the months

ahead. Last season was disappointing

for Irish fans, and the number of

star names who have upped sticks

(Jonathan Joseph, Matt Garvey and

Alex Corbisiero, to name just three)

won’t have helped, while a pre-season

injury to Tom Homer is a huge blow.

The good news? Retaining the electric

Marland Yarde, Tomas O’Leary and Ian

Humphreys returning from fitness and

Jon Fisher’s pre-season form can go in

that drawer, but it’s the filing cabinet

of negatives that could spell trouble.

Newcastle

The lowdown

Dean Richards is back, and if he

could have hand-picked an opening

trio of games, then Bath and Sale

followed by a visit to his old stomping

ground of Welford Road wouldn’t

be far from it. Richards knows the

game better than most, and has built

a side on the back of promotion in a

way that London Welsh failed to, with

experienced faces coming in from

the fringes of rival squads. Mike

Blair is the pick of the new faces,

but a big pack is the Falcons’ major

weapon – and Richards knows they

need to make Kingston Park as

horrible a place to visit as it always

has been. In a nice way, of course.

Northampton

The lowdown

When Northampton lost the Grand

Final at Twickenham in May, George

North and Alex Corbisiero looked

set to have an impact this season.

Fast-forward three months, and

one Lions campaign, and the duo look

like they could hold the key to the

Saints getting back to the big stage.

Ryan Lamb’s departure should allow

Stephen Myler to grow into the 10

shirt – at last – but with the power

they have up top, expect the Saints

to pummel teams into submission

before unleashing a backline that

boasts ball players everywhere,

from Ben Foden at the back right

up to Lee Dickson at nine.

One to watch

Neil Briggs

When Richard Cockerill signs a

hooker, it’s worth taking notice, and

the man from London Welsh is sure

to challenge Tom Youngs and Rob

Hawkins for the shirt. His tenacity is

certain to make him a fans’ favourite.

One to watch

Jamie Hagan

With the new scrum rules,

immovable props could be back in

favour, so Hagan’s arrival from

Leinster is a big plus. His power

will be important in solidifying the

scrum, giving the backs a platform.

One to watch

Andy Saull

Flanker comes with a point to prove

after injury kept his Saracens

impact to a minimum. His open-field

carrying is outstanding, and he could

prove a key link between the power

of the pack and the flair of the backs.

One to watch

George North

The Folau swatter arrives in the

Midlands ready to wreak havoc on

the Premiership. We expect him

to have an instant impact on a side

that has missed a natural finisher

since Chris Ashton’s departure.

Predicted finish: 2nd Predicted finish: 12th Predicted finish: 10th Predicted finish: 3rd



7/4 Leicester Tigers to win the Grand Final





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Bet on up to 45 markets for every live

Aviva Premiership match



Sale

The lowdown

After last season went from

top-four dreams to relegation fears

within the first few months – not to

mention the first few managerial

shuffles – it’s a more grounded Sale

side that approaches this season.

A strong and dangerous backline

never really clicked into gear in the

last campaign, and a lot depends on

whether Danny Cipriani can impose

his game on the side. The (lack of)

strength in depth in the forwards

could prove to be the side’s undoing,

but the powerful runners will cause

damage. After last season, though, a

tight-knit unit that will pull together

might be just what the Sharks need.

Saracens

The lowdown

After taking a big step forward in

silencing critics of their negative

style, Saracens will expect to push

on again now they’ve settled on the

infamous plastic pitch – and it’s hard

to see anyone stopping them. James

Johnston and Billy Vunipola arrived

in a ‘two fingers up to their rivals’

style unveiling, but the duo can play

huge parts in adding solidity and

ball-carrying to this pack. In the

backs, Joel Tomkins is the man to

watch as his union skills continue to

develop, while Owen Farrell played

some of his best rugby in the latter

stages of the Lions tour – he is set

for another huge season.

Wasps

The lowdown

There’s a buzz in the air at Wasps

(lol!) ahead of the new season, now

that the financial worries of last

year have been sorted with new

owners and a new shirt sponsor. The

playing side of things has a familiar

feel, but it’s one that is certainly not

lacking in experience after the past

few years. Andy Goode’s arrival will

shore up a side that has lacked

international class at times, while

the loss of Billy Vunipola means Sam

Jones is under pressure to make an

impact. Elliot Daly’s injury is a blow,

but this is a big season for the men

from (sort of) London – consistency

is key to their ambitions in Europe.

Worcester

The lowdown

Dean Ryan’s permanent appointment

at the helm leaves the Warriors as

a bit of an unknown quantity this

season, with Ryan’s impact seeing

16 leavers and 13 new faces already.

Jonathan Thomas takes the

captaincy, and the former Osprey is

likely to thrive in the Premiership,

while Ignacio Mieres brings

Premiership experience to the 10

shirt. If Ryan’s time with Scotland is

anything to go by, don’t expect the

Warriors to play expansive rugby.

After years of struggling to impose

themselves in the top flight, a move

further up the table will do – but this

season might just be too soon.

One to watch

Phil Mackenzie

The Canadian winger has pace to

burn and proved in the last campaign

that he knows how to score tries

from minimal ball – a skill that could

prove very useful indeed in this

Sharks side.

Predicted finish: 9th

One to watch

Billy Vunipola

The second Vunipola to pull on the

red and black jersey had a huge

impact with Wasps last season, and

brings a ball-carrying game that will

get this side on the front foot. The

plastic pitch is sure to suit him.

One to watch

Andy Goode

His Twitter feed will tell you that he

picked up the ‘best trainer’ award in

pre-season, but it’s Goode’s ability

to run the backline that saw him

brought in. With such a young unit

outside him, that will be a huge plus.

One to watch

Cameron Goodhue

Recruited by former coach Richard

Hill, the Auckland Blues eight could

thrive under Dean Ryan’s tutelage.

Ryan has always loved a strong

ball-carrier at the base of the pack;

the Kiwi certainly ticks that box.

Predicted finish: 1st Predicted finish: 4th Predicted finish: 11th

| 43

Advertising Feature

It’s no surprise that Unibet make

Leicester Tigers their 7/4 favourites to

lift the Premiership trophy this season, but

don’t be surprised if Saracens (5/2) give

them a fright. Harlequins (5/1) will always

mount a strong challenge, as Conor O’Shea

is such a great man. I would be most

surprised, indeed shocked, if the winner

didn’t come from one of these three sides.

Saracens may have felt a little hard done

by last season, having finished as league

leaders only to lose in the playoffs. But that

is the nature of the playoffs; they always

make for an exciting climax to the season.

Leicester had six or seven players away

with the Lions over the summer, whereas

Quins had a lot fewer, so their key men are

fresher coming into the new season. It’s

a long campaign, and while it’s good to

have the top international players in your

team, sides like Leicester must ensure

they don’t become overreliant on them.

Top try scorer

Tom Varndell (8/1) will score plenty of

tries. I remember watching him with the

England Sevens years ago, and he has a

huge amount of pace. It will be interesting

to see how George North gets on at

Northampton Saints, and he certainly

won’t be short of confidence after an

excellent Lions tour. He’s available at

a generous 16/1, and is my choice.

Top points scorer

Nick Evans is sure to have another solid

season after topping this market in the

last campaign. But I think Freddie Burns

could enjoy an even stronger campaign for

Gloucester. He’s a big price at 7/1.

Battle for London

There could be some intriguing battles

among the London clubs this season – and

it’s tough to separate them, so it’s great

that Unibet have made a market where you

can bet on the top London team. My money

is on Saracens at 8/15.

The strugglers

You have to say that Newcastle Falcons

(2/1 to finish bottom), London Irish (11/4)

and Sale Sharks (4/1) will struggle, while

Exeter Chiefs (25/1) could also be fighting

for Aviva Premiership survival. I just don’t

think Newcastle have the depth in their

squad of some of the others, though. They

look the most likely team to finish bottom.

With Unibet, you can bet on up to

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deposit bonus of up to £50

ArmchAir expert

Former Scotland and British Lions captain Gavin Hastings is widely

acclaimed as one of the greats of his generation. Now armchair rugby

expert for Unibet, he gives us his tips on this year’s Aviva Premiership

The odds

To win the Grand Final

7/4 Leicester Tigers

5/2 Saracens

5/1 Harlequins

13/2 Northampton Saints

11/1 Gloucester

16/1 Bath

20/1 bar

Top try scorer

8/1 Tom Varndell

17/2 Christian Wade

9/1 Chris Ashton

14/1 Charlie Sharples

16/1 George North

16/1 Vereniki Goneva

20/1 bar

Top points scorer

5/1 Nick Evans

11/2 Toby Flood

7/1 Freddie Burns

8/1 Gareth Steenson

9/1 Andy Goode

10/1 bar

www.unibet.co.uk/sport

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7 DaysSEPT 6-SEPT 12

HIGHLIGHTS

» Football: World Cup Qualifiers » p46

» Rugby League: Hull FC v St Helens » p48

» NFL: Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints » p48

» Boxing: Ricky Burns v Ray Beltran » p50

» Cricket: England v Australia, 1st ODI » p50OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

FRIDAY AtHLEtICS | DIAMOND LEAGUE: BRUSSELS | KING BAUDOUIN StADIUM | BBC tWO 7PM


Bolt and

beats in

Brussels

The King Baudouin Stadium brings down the final

curtain on the 2013 Diamond League series, with

16 Diamond League disciplines set to be decided in

Brussels on Friday evening (some were decided

in part one of the 'finale' in Zurich last Thursday).

Diamonds aside, the headline act will – as always –

be gold. More specifically: triple Olympic and world

gold-medallist Usain Bolt. He's competing in Belgium

for the sixth time in his career since making his debut

there in 2007. Then, the Jamaican finished third in

the 200m in 20.14s, beaten by the American pair of

Wallace Spearmon and Xavier Carter. On each of the

four occasions he's run in the King Baudouin Stadium

since, however, he's gone home a winner.

Elsewhere, the women's high jump and men's pole

vault both present world-class fields. The former is

headlined by London 2012 gold-medallist Anna

Chicherova and two-time world champion Blanka

Vlasic (who also won an Olympic silver medal in

Beijing), while the latter sees the current world

champion Raphael Holzdeppe go up against Olympic

champion and world silver-medallist Renaud Lavillenie.

The 400m is set to provide the evening's grand

finale, and will see three brothers competing in the

same event for the first time in Diamond League

history. Kevin, his twin brother Jonathan and younger

sibling Dylan Borlee made up three-quarters of

Belgium's 4x400m team at the recent World

Championships in Moscow, where they finished fifth

in the final. Maybe a fourth Borlee brother should be

produced to complete the quad?

It being the final meeting of the season, the after

party has been given some extra oomph: Jamaican

reggae artist Sean Paul is set to join Bolt on the decks.

We're sure the Swedish women's handball team will

be around somewhere, too. Probably.

Elsewhere in EuropeItaly can secure top spot in Group B

if they collect six points from the

visits of second-placed Bulgaria

(Friday) and third-placed Czech

Republic (Tuesday). The Republic of

Ireland have two massive games in

Group C, at home to Sweden (Friday

7.45pm, Sky Sports 2) and away in

Austria (Tuesday) – six-pointers

both, against the teams they’re tied

on points with in the battle for the

runners-up spot behind Germany.

In Group D, the Netherlands have

won six from six and conceded just

twice. They will confirm their

World Cup place if they can beat

the bottom two teams in the group

– Estonia (Friday) and Andorra

(Tuesday). If Switzerland can stay

unbeaten they’ll be almost assured

of the same in Group E – they play

third-placed Iceland at home and

then fourth-placed Norway away.

In Group G, things are much more

straightforward. Bosnia-Herzegovina

have two games against Slovakia –

win either, and they’ll secure a

top-two finish. The smaller Group I

fixture list gives France a chance to

go top ahead of Spain, as they play

twice (against Georgia on Friday and

Belarus on Tuesday), while the

champions of everything have just

the away trip to Finland on Friday.

The Finns earned an unlikely draw

in Spanish territory – if they repeat

the feat at home, the defending

champions could find themselves

facing the dreaded playoffs.

If you’re wondering why we’ve

ignored England, it’s not because

we're sick to death of them –

Roy Hodgson's task is covered

in more detail from page 20.Norn Iron will be in buoyant mood after beating Russia at Windsor Park a few

weeks ago for their first Group F victory, but they’ve got group leaders Portugal

tonight – and that means facing Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be looking for a

strong performance to reassert himself as the best ‘powerful yet skilful Real

Madrid forward who can operate either wide or in a more central position’ in

the world. They’re strengthened by the return of West Brom’s Chris Brunt from

suspension, as well as Jonny Evans and Kyle Lafferty from injury. Defeat will all

but end their slim hopes of qualification, especially because second-placed

Russia, managed by Fabio Capello, still get to play Luxembourg twice.

Also in Group F... Luxembourg will get a visit from Northern Ireland on Tuesday

(Sky Sports 2, 7.15pm). Despite that win over Russia and a brave draw in Portugal,

Michael O’Neill’s men somehow managed to draw the home game 1-1.

46 | September 6 2013 |

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World in motion

FRIDAY | gRoup A: ScotlAnD v BelgIum | HAmpDen pARk | SkY SpoRtS 3 8pm

Scotland have managed to join the Faroe Islands and San Marino as one of only

three teams in Europe who can no longer mathematically make it to the World

Cup. Well done lads. They can salvage some pride tonight against undefeated

Group A leaders Belgium, who boast one of the strongest squads in Europe on

paper, with a glut of Premier League stars. Scottish striker Kenny Miller has retired

from international football on a high after his goal against England at Wembley,

but there are new faces for this game, and the one in Macedonia on Tuesday

(BBC One Scotland, 7.30pm). Watford winger/full-back Ikechi Anya has been

called up for the first time and could make his international debut. The Belgian

squad includes 11 Premier League players – Christian Benteke and captain Vincent

Kompany got the goals in their 2-0 home win over Scotland last October, but the

latter misses out through injury here. Still, there’s a sense this Belgium team are

going places with the same speed Scottish football is departing; it will be

fascinating to see how their young talent is gelling.

EuropeNo team from our fair continent has managed to secure their place in Brazil

just yet, and with three or four games left for most and the worst of the nine

second-placed teams missing out on the playoffs, it will be hard for anyone

to mathematically secure their place with this group of games. However,

several teams will be able to rest a little easier come Tuesday evening.

tueSDAY | gRoup A: WAleS v SeRBIA | mIllennIum StADIum | SkY SpoRtS 1 7.45pm

Gareth Bale has expressed his desire to gain match sharpness by linking up with

Wales for their trip to Macedonia tonight (Sky Sports 3, 6pm), and this home

game against Serbia. Presumably he’ll have to head back home to pick up some

stuff from his mum’s house and sort out travellers’ cheques and stuff, so he might

as well. Madrid’s newest signing has scored four of his country’s six goals in

qualifying, including a consolation in the 6-1 defeat away to Serbia, and would

seem to be vital to their slim-to-no hopes of a playoff place. Serbia have had

a poor qualifying campaign by their standards, but are rebuilding with the likes

of Man City defender Matija Nastasic and Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Also in Group A... Croatia will be guaranteed a top-two spot if they beat fierce

local rivals Serbia in Belgrade tonight – a result that would help Belgium achieve

the same, regardless of their result in Glasgow.

FRIDAY | gRoup F: noRtHeRn IRelAnD v poRtugAl | WInDSoR pARk, BelFASt | SkY SpoRtS 4 7.45pm

| 47

South AmericaThe four automatic places look

pretty much sewn up with a handful

of games to go – Argentina,

Colombia, Ecuador and Chile are in

them at the moment. Uruguay,

Venezuela and possibly Peru look

like contending for fifth, and an

intercontinental playoff against

Jordan or Uzbekistan.

“Brilliant! It’s an international week!” said no one, ever, although with the World Cup qualifying campaign nearing its conclusion across the globe, there’s plenty of non-English interest between now and Tuesday. We’ve picked out some of the games to keep an eye on

ion

North AmericaThree of six teams will survive 'the

Hexagon' and make it to the World

Cup, with the fourth-placed team

facing off against New Zealand.

Mexico currently sit third, behind

the USA and Costa Rica, and their

two games hold most interest – the

first, against Honduras in fourth, is a

must-win if they want to avoid the

playoff. The second, which we focus

on over to the right, is the always

fiery meeting with the USA.

AfricaIt’s the final round of group games,

with the 10 group winners going

through to two-legged playoffs

which will decide the five spots.

Ivory Coast, Egypt and Algeria are

already there, and South Africa will

join them if they can beat Ethiopia

at home. Tunisia, Nigeria, Ghana,

Cameroon and Senegal will do

likewise if they can avoid defeat,

while Congo need to beat Niger or

hope other results go their way.

Luis Suarez could get his first

competitive start of the season

against Peru, who (we assume)

are still reeling, like we are, from

the international retirement of

Nolberto Solano four years ago.

Peru are two points behind Uruguay

in the race for the all-important playoff

spot, so this game is vital. They lost the

reverse fixture 4-2 in Montevideo last

June, however, so will need to turn the

tables if they are to travel to Venezuela

on Tuesday in a positive frame of mind.

Clint Dempsey will make his first

national team appearance since

returning to the States to join the

Seattle Sounders against Costa Rica

on Friday, or in this one against fierce

rivals Mexico in Ohio. The Mexicans still

lead the head-to-head records, but it’s

generally been too close to call in

recent years – as illustrated by the tight

0-0 draw earlier this year. Javier

Hernandez hasn’t had much game time

for Man Utd this season, but will hope

he can break that scoreless deadlock.

KEY GAME: USA v MExico | TUESdAY 1.06AM

KEY GAME: GhAnA v ZAMbiA | fridAY 4PM

Zambia had a fairytale Africa Cup

of Nations in 2011 – winning the

tournament as outsiders, 19 years on

and just a few miles away from where

a plane crash claimed the lives of their

entire squad. Ghana’s own fairytale

ending was denied them at the World

Cup in 2010, by the hand of panto villain

Luis Suarez. Since then they’ve failed to

live up to the promise of a very talented

squad – but if they can avoid defeat

here then they will secure their place

in the playoffs.

KEY GAME: PErU v UrUGUAY | fridAY 3.30AM

Asia

Japan, Australia, South Korea and Iran have already qualified, so this week sees

the final pair of matches in the Asian qualification cycle – a two-legged playoff

between Jordan and Uzbekistan to decide who goes into the playoff with the

fifth-placed South American team. On paper, the Uzbeks have the advantage –

several of their squad play in the Russian Premier League, including Anzhi’s Odil

Ahmedov (right), who was fans’ player of the year over Samuel Eto’o in 2011.

48 | September 6 2013 |

7 Days

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SUNDAY NFL | ATLANTA FALCONS @ New OrLeANS SAiNTS | MerCeDeS-BeNZ SUPerDOMe, New OrLeANS | SKY SPOrTS 2 HD 6PM

SUNDAY FOrMULA 1 | iTALiAN GrAND Prix | MONZA | SKY SPOrTS F1 & BBC ONe 1PM

Southern Showdown

Little red racing good?Sebastian Vettel may seemingly be on his way to a fourth

consecutive Formula 1 drivers’ championship, and his Red

Bull team on their way to a fourth straight constructors’

equivalent, but the sport is about to turn the red of Ferrari

for the weekend.

No set of racing fans can match the passion of the tifosi

when the prancing horse of their beloved Ferraris rock up

at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, and it will be much the

same this Sunday. It may be asking too much of Fernando

Alonso (below) to claw back the 46 points by which he

currently trails championship leader Vettel, but a third

win around the Monza track would perhaps appease the

frustrated Ferrari faithful for at least another season. The

Spaniard would need to register a first race victory since at

his home Grand Prix in May if he is to do so, however, with

the Ferraris still struggling to match the race pace of the

all-conquering Red Bulls.

Indeed, Alonso would do well to look over his shoulder at

Lewis Hamilton, who sits only 12 points behind his old McLaren

sparring partner in third. The Mercedes driver will be aiming

for a fifth straight pole position, but he doesn’t need us to tell

him that only one of the previous four has been converted

into a race victory. He did win round here 12 months ago,

however, so there is hope. It springs eternal, apparently.

Last season’s NFC South

champions, the Atlanta

Falcons, travel to face bitter

rivals the New Orleans Saints in

Sunday’s season-opener at the

Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Falcons and the Saints

have alternated as divisional

champs for the last four years,

and shared the spoils in last

season’s two match-ups.

The Saints, who finished with

a disappointing 7-9 record in

2012, have Sean Payton back as

coach after a year’s suspension

for his part in the New Orleans

bounty scandal (in which

several Saints players were

accused of operating a ‘slush

fund’ that paid out bonuses

for injuring members of the

opposition). Payton’s return is

much to the delight of

quarterback Drew Brees, who

told the press: “I love the fact

that Sean is back, and that he is

taking the reins, and that he is

going to be the voice in my ear.”

The Falcons won their first

eight games in 2012, finishing

the year 13-3 before losing the

NFC Championship game to

the San Francisco 49ers.

Sky’s TV coverage continues

when the Green Bay Packers

face the San Francisco 49ers at

Candlestick Park (9pm). The

Packers will be hunting revenge,

as it was the 49ers who ended

their Super Bowl quest last

season, beating them 45-31 in

the divisional playoffs. They will

need to contain quarterback

Colin Kaepernick, though, after

he rushed for 181 yards and two

touchdowns in that clash.

A E N 4 3 3 3 _ C C _ S P O R T _ 2 3 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 8 - 3 0 T 1 4 : 3 0 : 3 7 + 0 1 : 0 0

50 | September 6 2013 |

7 Days

Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand

Sc

ott

He

av

ey

/Ge

tty

Ima

ge

s, R

ich

ard

He

ath

co

te/G

ett

y Im

ag

es

Saturday Boxing | Ricky BuRns v Ray BeltRan | secc, glasgow | sky spoRts 1 8pM

Friday cRicket | england v austRalia: fiRst odi | Headingley | sky spoRts asHes Hd 10.15aM

Burns aims to relight fire

The future boys

The glass-half-empty take on England’s

squad for their five-match ODI series against

Australia is that a squad missing the rested

James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad,

Graeme Swann and captain Alastair Cook

means this is halfway to an England reserve

side. A glass-half-full (probably of warm

beer, which will soon be downed and the

glass used to form part of a giant ‘snake’)

view is that this offers an excellent audition

opportunity for fringe contenders and

young players, so they can stake a claim to

being a long-term part of England’s

limited-overs set-up.

For others, such as the touted 23-year-old

Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, a strong

display in this series could even sneak them a

spot on the Test squad heading to Australia

for this winter’s Ashes. Steven Finn (above)

will certainly be looking to show the selectors

that his form has improved, after he played

just one Test against Australia this summer.

The series has an unavoidable ‘after the

lord mayor’s show’ feel, but at least these

players – and young pace bowlers such as

Chris Jordan, Jamie Overton, plus ex-Ireland

international Boyd Rankin – will be

motivated to prove a point.

Also, while England are resting several big

guns, they do have their biggest weapon of

all to call on. Kevin Pietersen is in the squad,

and with the 2015 World Cup taking place in

Australia – where he has an excellent record

on the fast pitches that suit his batting –

one-day internationals will be very much

on KP’s radar for the next 18 months.

Scotland’s WBO lightweight title-holder

Ricky Burns may be unbeaten in his last 21

fights, but in his last bout he came as close

to losing as a victorious boxer can. Burns

struggled with the reach and power of

Puerto Rico’s Jose Gonzalez; only his iron

will and conditioning got him through

a torrid seventh round, before a weary

Gonzalez withdrew from the fight on his

stool after nine rounds with a wrist injury.

Burns will look to put on a more

convincing display against optimistically

nicknamed ‘Sugar’ Ray Beltran on Saturday.

The Mexican-American’s record of 28 wins

against six losses is not imposing, but he

caused an upset against contender Hank

Lundy in 2012. The 32-year-old Beltran also

trains at LA’s famed Wild Card Boxing Club,

where he’s sparred with Manny Pacquiao,

and fights with the busy, all-action style

the gym is renowned for.

Beltran will not be in Glasgow just for a

payday, then, but Burns has an excellent

workrate too. Providing he can relocate the

rhythm missing in his last performance, the

30-year-old should extend his winning run.

Fight aficionados should also cast an eye

on the undercard, where Luke Campbell –

probably the most gifted of London 2012’s

Olympic boxing team – takes on Lee

Connelly in his second professional fight.

Campbell won his first in 88 seconds in July.

2 0 1 3

THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2013, LONDON

Register your team today in the ultimate relay race

around the heart of the fi nancial district in a bid to

be crowned champions of the Square Mile. To fi nd

out more, please visit – www.squaremilesport.com

Headline Offi cial Health Offi cial Sponsor Club Partner Media Partner

@SquareMileLDN

#WeRunThisCity

FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

KO 7.45PM

HARLEQUINS v

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

FRIDAY NIGHT

KICK OFF

TO THE SEASONAT THE TWICKENHAM STOOP

FOR TICKETS CALL 020 8410 6010 OR VISIT WWW.QUINS.CO.UK

52 | September 6 2013 |

Wembley W

Advertising Feature

@VauxhallEngland

@VauxhallScot

When England and Scotland

renewed their age-old rivalry

at Wembley on August 14, in a

thrilling tie between two Vauxhall-

supported and sponsored nations

– and a match that was broadcast

live on talkSPORT in conjunction with Vauxhall – it was

England who emerged victorious after 90 minutes.

But during the half-time break, there was a different

outcome, when England fan Nick took on Scotland fan

Ronnie in a dramatic penalty shootout to decide the

winner of Vauxhall’s Design An Adam competition.

With the match tied at 1-1, a packed Wembley

crowd were thoroughly warmed up for some half-time

entertainment – and the kilt-clad Ronnie and his

England-supporting competitor Nick were well

equipped to provide it as they went head to head

in a bid to win a unique Team Adam.

on thE SPotFirst up to the penalty spot was Nick, looking relaxed

in a white polo shirt and jeans as he stared down the

man charged with stopping him from scoring: former

Scotland goalkeeper Robert Douglas. Off a short

run-up, Nick struck the ball low and to the keeper’s

right. It was beyond Douglas’ reach, but the England

fan was denied by the post, giving a wry smile as he

made way for Ronnie’s first attempt.

The Scotland supporter was greeted by the familiar

face of England legend Dave Beasant in goal – but he

was unperturbed, putting his head down and smashing

the ball straight into the bottom right-hand corner,

giving Beasant no chance. Ronnie punched the air with

delight as he wheeled away, glancing at the giant

scoreboard that read: England 0–1 Scotland.

With the pressure on him to equalise, Nick gave

himself a slightly longer run-up and hit the ball

high and to the goalkeeper’s left this time. Douglas

dived the right way but couldn’t stop it, and the

shootout was all square at 1–1.

Not for long, though, as a cool Ronnie wasted no

time in producing an almost exact replica of his first

penalty, sending Beasant the wrong way to take a 2–1

lead. Nick levelled proceedings again with a low drive

that sent Douglas the wrong way, before Ronnie stepped

up for his chance to make it three from three.

Displaying nerves of steel, the Scot hit the same spot

for a third time — the ball grazing Beasant’s fingertips

as he desperately tried to get Nick back on terms.

But it wasn’t enough: England 2–3 Scotland.

The England fan stretched out his legs as he placed

the ball on the spot for a fourth time. Hitting it to the

same side as his first penalty, Nick played it too safe and

the ball headed just to the right of the keeper, giving

Douglas a straightforward save.

Ronnie’s next penalty could win him the Scotland

Team Adam. So what did he do? You guessed it, he went

back to the same spot for a fourth time and beat

Beasant yet again, wheeling away in delight as he

realised he was taking a brand new, unique Vauxhall

Adam back to Scotland with him.

ScottISh SuccESS“I’m over the moon,” said Ronnie after receiving the

keys from Vauxhall’s Sponsorship Marketing Manager.

“Stepping out at Wembley and winning a penalty

shootout against the auld enemy is something I could

have only dreamed about, but it has come true tonight.

I am grateful to Vauxhall for making it happen.”

The story wasn’t over for Nick, though, as he got

a surprise knock on the door of his Essex home a

week later from Dave Beasant, who arrived with

the England Team Adam.

“After losing the shootout at Wembley I was

devastated, and thought my chance to win the car had

gone,” he said. “But then I get a knock on my door and

it’s Dave Beasant with the keys to my brand new Adam.

I’m shocked and

overjoyed!”

Vauxhall sponsor

live coverage of all

the Home Nations

internationals on

talkSPORT, so tune

in to keep up to date

with their progress.

hoW thE adaMS WERE WonA

s proud sponsors of the

England and Scotland teams,

Vauxhall gave supporters of both

sides a chance to win specially

designed England and Scotland

Adam cars that the likes of Wayne

Rooney, Frank Lampard and James

McArthur had played a part in

designing. On the night of the

England versus Scotland game

at Wembley, 20 lucky fans from

each nation won the chance to be in

the crowd while the two finalists –

Nick and Ronnie – were invited to

take part in a half-time penalty

shootout to win their car.

| 53

WInnERS

foR MoRE on thE coMPEtItIon and MoRE chancES to WIn PRIzES, hEad to:

www.vauxhallfootball.co.uk & youtube.com/vauxhallfootballtv

folloW uS

54 | September 6 2013 |

Extra timEMaking the most of your time and money

P60

rooney mara:

girlfriend and

getaway driver

in Ain’t Them

Bodies Saints

Grooming

acqua di Parma Colonia assolutaAcqua di Parma pays homage to

Italian bicycle culture with this

10th anniversary special edition.

That explains the bottle’s spokes

decoration, but what about the

fragrance? It opens with bergamot

blended with juicy red orange,

moves into a heart of orange

blossom, jasmine, lavender, and

rosemary, and fades into a base of

American cedar and sandalwood.

Practically guaranteed to

transform you into a wildly

gesticulative, incorrigibly romantic

fashion victim on two wheels.

£110, 180ml | houseoffraser.co.uk

La bomba

Neither should anyone’s son. Or Grandad. No cousins or nephews. Not the boys from the rugby club or the lads from the pub. No boyfriends or husbands or father-in-laws. Not the chap from the chip shop or the noisy lads at the back of the bus. Not your best mate. Not a single stranger. No one whatsoever.

No one should face cancer alone.With your support, no one will.

Text DAD to 70550 and donate £5 today.

Texts cost £5 plus your network charge. We receive 94p of every £1 donated in this way. Obtain bill payer’s permission first.

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). MAC14175_07_13

MAC14175_Golf_Ball_Sports_Magazine_232x300.indd 1 05/07/2013 12:26

ET


courT appEarancEThe US Open men’s final signals the end of the Grand Slam tennis calendar, but you don’t have to retire your racket yet. Grab some of this garb to stay looking good on the baseline

Kit

Wilson claim Victory polo

Looking a bit like Italy football

tops used to look back when

shirts were shirts, men were

men and we walked, barefoot,

10 miles to school every day,

Wilson’s lightweight, sweat-

wicking shirt boasts laser-cut

inserts for optimum comfort. All

together now, goalllllllllllllllllllllll…

£40 | prodirecttennis.com

nike rF Trophy V-neck Tee

A shallow neck, no-sew

shoulder and side seams all add

to a comfy, abrasion-free feel in

this smart tee, also available in

three other colours. And the RF

on the breast? According to our

best sources, it’s something to

do with some chap called Roger

Federer? Nope, us neither.

£25 | prodirecttennis.com

uniqlo nD Track Jacket

Far be it from us to accuse

tennis players of being prima

donnas, but do they really need

a jacket for the 12-second walk

to their seat? Anyway, this top

from the Novak Djokovic line

(also in black) will do the job

nicely if you want to be ‘that

guy’ next time you’re on court.

£50 | uniqlo.com/uk

Dunlop performance Shorts

As long as they are comfy, half

the length of our trousers and

keep certain areas away from

a public showing, we aren’t

too fussy about shorts. These

come with a mesh lining and an

elasticated waistband to tick off

all the boxes. For this price, you

can’t ask for much more.

£10 | sportsdirect.com

adipower Barricade 8

A long way from the plimsolls we

wore for PE, these offer stability

claws for grip, extra cushioning for

comfort and an Adiwear outsole to

help them last. In short, they’re ace!

£95 | adidas.co.uk

iPad edition on Newsstand now


Moga Pocket Android

Gaming Controller

Snap your Android phone into

this portable controller and

choose from a library of games

that have been specially

enhanced to work with it. It

comes with free downloads of

Sonic and Pac-Man, turning your

commute to work into a mad

hunt for gold rings or small dots.

£40 | game.co.uk

Beats Studio Headphones

The Studio headphones have

been given a full check-up by Dr

Dre, who is really risking having

his licence to practise medicine

revoked by spending so little

time at his day job. They include

improved sound, a new design

and a 20-hour rechargeable

battery that you can juice up

with a plug or by USB. Clear!

£270 | HMV stores

Nintendo 2DS

Plays all the games designed for

the 3DS, but without that pesky

third dimension giving you a

headache. As well as the illusion

of depth, Nintendo’s latest

handheld console also lacks the

hinge of the 3DS – so it doesn’t

fold in half. Still, at this price,

who cares? We just hope the

1DS will be even cheaper.

£109 | Out October 12

Sky+ HD Box with Wi-Fi

Roaring broadband speeds

mean that streaming straight

to your TV is a viable option.

The good news for Sky

customers is that their new box

has built-in wi-fi for on-demand

access to full boxsets, movies

and iPlayers. The bad news is

that your entire DVD collection

is now obsolete. Ah well.

From £49 | sky.co.uk

Divoom Onbeat 500

A seriously loud Bluetooth speaker, the

13-watt Onbeat 500 sits at the top of the

new Divoom range, which includes five

speakers of various sizes, shapes and

potencies. Its particular unique features are

the built-in microphone for phone calls and

NFC tech that, with a simple tap, lets you pair

it with your smartphone – or, if you’re easily

confused, with your Zones 1-3 Travelcard.

£139 | JD Williams stores

ANOtHer BriCk iN tHe WAll

et Gadgets Hey! Reader! Check out our pick of the best new tech

on the market, including this brick-like speaker

@hmvtweets/hmv

we are entertainment*Subject to availability, while stocks last. Prices correct at time of print.

Not all colours may be available in all stores.

New Beats Studio£269.99

*

The world’s most famous headphone has been

completely redesigned and reimagined.

• Adaptive noise cancelling

• 20-hour rechargeable battery

• Re-engineered sound.

Ke

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60 | September 6 2013 |

Extra time Kenda Perez

Part

y o

n

Apix Syndication


Tales of Us Goldfrapp

Apparently disappointed by

their glam-pop fifth album

Head Music, Goldfrapp return

not with a bang, but with a

whisper. Thankfully, that whisper

is the gossamer croon of Alison

Goldfrapp, muttering ethereal

tales over lush strings and piano.

For fans who prefer the duo at

their haunting, delicate best, this

sounds like a return to top form.

Out Monday

Man on the Run Tom Doyle

Respected music hack Tom Doyle

tells the story of Paul McCartney

when Macca cut a nomadic figure

in the 1970s: hiding out in his

Scottish farmhouse, being busted

for drugs and desperately fleeing

The Beatles’ shadow. He also

released some brilliant, banned

and sometimes baffling records...

including one under the name

Percy ‘Thrills’ Thrillington. Superb.

Out now

Ain’t Them Bodies SaintsA dirt-poor outlaw couple are involved in a stand-off

in 1970s Texas: she takes the shot which hits a cop, he

takes the rap. That’s the set-up to Ain’t Them Bodies

Saints, but this mix of drama-thriller, romance and

western is crafted via subtle rises in tension rather

than grand action scenes. Ruth (Rooney Mara), gives

birth to a daughter, and when her partner Rob (Casey

Affleck) can’t bear to be apart from his girls, he

breaks out of jail to come and find them. Meanwhile,

the lawman he was imprisoned for shooting has

developed tender feelings towards Ruth. A delicate

game of cat-and-mouse is in play as we await Rob’s

return. Winning praise at

the Sundance Film Festival

for its rich, golden-hued

visuals and deftly drawn

characters, this is a film

that will inspire devotion

from those who admire

the moody storytelling

and yawns from those

who find it too self-indulgent. But when awards

season comes around, don’t be surprised if Ain’t

Them Bodies Saints is garnished with several halos.

Out today

AM Arctic

Monkeys

“It sounds

like Dr Dre,”

Alex Turner

told NME of

their latest

work – and, listening to key

tracks from fifth album AM, you

see where the frosty primate-

in-chief is coming from. Why’d

You Only Call Me When You’re

High? has a choppy, muscular

backbeat. Josh ‘Queens of the

Stone Age’ Homme – who lent

a hand in AM’s creation – surely

approves. This dark, throbbing,

slightly alien sound suits the

Arctic Monkeys, who’ve carefully

edged away from typical indie

fare, but without giving up the

meaty hooks that provide such a

fine backing for Turner’s sneered

baritone. Inform the good doctor:

the transformation is a success.

Out Monday

Iron Man 3

How to top 2012’s all-conquering

Avengers flick? By hiring Shane

‘Lethal Weapon’ Black to write a

script full of one-liners for Robert

Downey Junior to motormouth

through – and include a splendid

twist. The result: a film that’s a lot

more joyous than a story of Tony

Stark’s life falling apart really

should be. Blu-ray extras include

Black offering audio commentary.

Out Monday

More Than Honey

Bees. They do more than just

make your toast taste better.

These buzzy honeymakers are

vital to our planet’s ecosystem, so

we should be mildly concerned

that they’re dying off. This new

documentary looks into why, but

the stunning macro-photography

and oddball interview subjects

make it far more than a stodgy

scientific exercise.

Out today

Film Music

Music Book Blu-ray Film

STIng In THe TAle

eT entertainment Rooney Mara and Ben Affleck’s little brother excel in a taut

new indie drama, while we also get concerned about bees

Se

ba

st

ian

Kim

s p o r t _ h d s h l d r s _ 0 5 0 7 - 1 2 0 1 3 - 0 7 - 0 2 T 1 6 : 5 9 : 2 0 + 0 1 : 0 0

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