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Monday, February 28, 2011
Arsenal v Birmingham City: Carling Cup final live
Arsenal v Birmingham City: Carling Cup final live
Follow live commentary of the Carling Cup final between Arsenal and Birmingham City at Wembley on February 27 2011
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All square: Nikola Zigic opened the scoring at Wembley to give Birmingham the lead but Robin van Persie soon got Arsenal back level Photo: PA
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Photo: PA
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Crunch time: Brimingham stand between Arsenal and their first trophy since 2005 Photo: ACTION
2:54PM GMT 27 Feb 2011
60000
2011-02-27 19:40:45.0
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8350448/Arsenal-v-Birmingham-City-Carling-Cup-final-live.html?service=artBody
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ARSENAL 1 BIRMINGHAM 2
18:16: Right, Wembley is half empty, Birmingham I suspect are going to be performing varities on the theme for the next 14 hours or so, and it's over and out from me. Thanks for your company.
18:15: No-one can get the trophy off Zigic! He's literally holding it up too high for anyone else to reach, like a cruel brother taunting his younger sibling. That's the true spirit of League Cup champions right there.
18:13: City jump precariously on the beer-sponsored flimsy platform o'triumph. The cup's being filled with champagne (wot, no tasteless lager?), Zigic has a healthy chug.
18:11: Blur's Song 2 plays inside the stadium. Because winning a trophy as gigantic underdogs clearly isn't enough for Birmingham fans to generate an atmosphere. This occasion so desperately needs Damon Albarn shouting "woo-hoo". Disgraceful.
18:10: "The best team won on the day," says Alan Shearer in a rare dalliance with a controversial opinion.
18:08: Ben Foster is presented with the man of the match trophy. Birmingham lift the trophy proper to some godawful feelgood soundtrack. Brilliant scenes, disgusting abuse of audiovisual powers.
18:07: WEMBLEY SOUND MAN: PLEASE TURN THIS AWFUL MUSIC OFF!
18:06: Stephen Carr, exhausted, shakes the hand of anyone offering him one as he leads his team on the climb up the steps.
18:05: Cripes Arsenal look dejected. Nasri and Szczesny look close to tears. How much of an impact will this have on the rest of their season? Manuel Almunia, on the other hand, looks fairly delighted.
18:02: Arsenal take the long walk up the state-of-the-art Wembley steps to collect their losers' medals.
18:00: All of the post mortem is going to be about the continuation of Arsenal's trophy hoodoo, but let's not lose sight of Birmingham's performance this afternoon. Tactically they were impeccable, with their three defensive midfielders an absolute handful. Arsenal were limited to 10 minute spells of superiority, and conceded two extremely soft goals from high balls into the box. What on earth do they spend the week practising?
17:58: It's exactly as you'd expect out there, Birmingham going absolutely bonkers, Arsenal a picture of dejected failure. Van Persie claps Wilshere on the back and strolls aimlessly around a sea of players with hands on their hips.
FULL TIME Birmingham City win the Littlewoods Cup!
90+5 min: Ferguson is booked for kicking the ball away. Arsenal throw close to the box. Carr heads clear.
90+4 min: Martins gets past Djourou and round Szczesny but the angle is too narrow for a shot.
90+3 min: Jerome doing a marvellous job of holding the ball in the corner.
90+2 min: Cameron Jerome on for Zigic, four minute of added time will be played.
89 min: GOAL!!! Arsenal 1 Birmingham 2 (Martins)
Laurent Koscielny may have to retire following this game. Foster's long kick is helped on by Zigic and the defender and Szczesny have a misunderstanding. The impetus was on Koscielny to clear, but Szczesny races out, the two get mixed up, it's miskicked and drops for Martins who can't miss an open goal. I'm in shock. I can't imagine how Szczesny and Koscielny are feeling.
89 min: Martins is fouled by Clichy, easing the growing but toothless pressure on Birmingham.
87 min: Stephen Carr bounds into the box and gets an inviting cross in that's just behind Martins. Arsenal have lost their impetus in the last 10 minutes.
85 min: Zigic, tiring visibly, fails to control a hopeful wing-switching ball from Bowyer. Even his frustrated kick of the ball into the advertising hoardings looks a bit jaded.
83 min: Zigic gets in between Szczesny and Djourou, much to their obvious annoyance. It's a disappointing delivery, and out for a throw on the other touchline. Keith Fahey is off for Obafemi Martins, who makes his League Cup final debut at the ripe old age of 67.
82 min: Beausejour wins a corner off Song.
81 min: Nasri has a go from an indirect free kick, laid off to him by Wilshere. It's a low shot at goal which ends up five yards wide.
80 min: Nasri's firm shot from 25 yards is beaten away by Foster.
78 min: Chamakh has too much time to think about a ball across goal and plays it somewhat awkwardly to Bendtner. The Dane miscontrols excusably but it runs for Rosicky, who tries to backheel it in. Foster is out to clear emphatically.
77 min: 88,855 in attendance today. Arshavin is off for Chamakh. Wenger wants this settled in normal time.
76 min: Birmingham have eight men in the box. Bendtner has possession near the byline. After an age he turns on the pace and cuts inside and gets a powerful shot at goal. It takes a deflection and Foster saves well, then smothers before Nasri can reach the rebound.
75 min: Arsenal are beginning to look dangerous, with gaps appearing between Birmingham's defensive and midfield lines. They're yet to be exploited. Jiranek, who's been immense, is the latest to cut out an attempted through ball.
73 min: Bendtner loses a foot race with Roger Johnson, who seems to have made a miraculous recovery from what looked like a game-ending injury. This has been a disjointed second half, all told.
71 min: Nasri's free kick comes through for Song, just outside the six yard box in line with the far post. His glancing header is harmlessly wide.
69 min: Nicklas Bendtner is coming on for Robin van Persie. Arsenal fans make concerned arrangements of their eyes and mouths. Rosicky takes the armband.
67 min: Beausejour bounces off Nasri as he attempts a slide tackle. It's worked to Arshavin on the right, who attempts to pull it back for van Persie, but it's cut out by Jiranek. "Page 3, isn't it?" says Mark Lawrenson, somewhat worryingly, before adding "...of the defender's manual." Thank goodness for that. The last thing we want is topless central defenders.
65 min: Nasri appears to bottle a challenge with Jiranek, when a bit of fight may have given him a chance. Come on Samir, this is the Rumbelows Cup final.
64 min: Roger Johnson looks in trouble after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge with van Persie. He's off the pitch receiving treatment.
62 min: Beausejour has made a tremendous impact since coming on, giving Birmingham some much-needed width and pace. He beats Song before getting a decent cross into the box. Szczesny holds.
60 min: Zigic gets a head to it but lets the ball bounce. It's fed to Clichy on the left but his dissapointing cross is cleared.
59 min: Wilshere's long shot deflects behind for a corner.
58 min: Beausejour wins the ball after a weak attempted pass by Wilshere. He passes to Fahey whose shot rebounds to him off Zigic. His second attempt smacks the inside of the post agonisingly and bounces just clear of danger. So very very close.
56 min: Bowyer's ill-advised long shot is several kilometres over the bar. Sreejith SP is first off the mark in the challenge to discover the most depressing sight in football: "Manchester United lifting the trophy after playing the worst football in the Premier League." I think Stoke might have something to say about that.
54 min: Larrson's inquisitive cross is headed behind for a Birmingham corner. Larrson's less curious delivery is cleared by Koscielny.
53 min: Ugly tackle on Fahey by Clichy earns the Frenchman a yellow card and Birmingham a free kick in a dangerous wide position.
52 min: Corner to Arsenal, cleared by first man Lee Bowyer. I mean closest defender to the corner, not a female president's husband.
49 min: Beausejour is on for the injured Craig Gardner. He looked a shadow of his dangerous former self this afternoon.
48 min: Rosicky lashes an unsaveable half volley towards goal off Sagna's cross. It's just wide. Encouraging start for Arsenal. I wonder if Arsene Wenger kept his infamously quiet half time strategy in place?
47 min: Sagna's cross for Wilshere is caught at height by Foster.
46 min: Arsenal begin the second half in front of a 90 per cent empty middle tier. Is there a more depressing sight in football? I am opening this up for debate. Email your most depressing sights in football to me here.
HALF TIME
A good half. In a cup final! Featuring Birmingham City! Arsenal show no signs of dispelling their soft-touch reputation with Zgic causing a predictable amount of problems by virtue of being massive and knowing how to shield a football. Ominous signs for Birmingham at the back, with Ridgewell looking especially exposed up aganist Nasri and Arshavin who are taking turns to run at him on the right wing. Stay tuned, lager fans.
45+5 min: Nasri's wickedly swering shot from 30 yards stings the palms of Foster, who beats it away.
45+4 min: Arsenal corner. It's played short to Sagna, who targets Djourou, but Zigic clears.
45+3 min: Larrson targets (guess who) Zigic in the box, this time his headers is harmlessly into the air and the hands of Szczesny.
45+1 min: Four minutes of added time will be played after a half of two goals and several injuries.
45 min: Lee Bowyer is down and and in some pain after being tackled by RIdgewell. Yes, that's team mate Liam Ridgewell.
42 min: Arsenal are awarded a free kick, Larsson is booked for dissent. The delivery is spilt by a stretching Foster, who scampers to the wide edge of his box in an attempt to retrieve the ball. Djourou tries to cross, but Foster catches.
41 min: Van Persie hurt himself in the process of scoring, but looks to be fit to continue after some treatment.
39 min: GOAL!!! Arsenal 1 Birmingham 1 (Van Persie)
Arshavin, seemingly taking Nasri's place on the right, pulls it back for Wilshere on the edge of the box. His fierce shot smacks against the crossbar and the ball is worked back out to Arshavin. He beats Ridgewell and puts in a cross which van Persie finishes beautifully with a left-footed scissors kick. Terrific goal.
38 min: Koscielny is booked for a marginally naughty challenge on Lee Bowyer.
35 min: Larrson's ball skips across the six yard box with no-one on the end of it. Djourou clears back to him, and his cross is headed out for a throw on the other side. Arsenal on the ropes here.
34 min: How has Nicola Zigic failed to make it two? His towering header finds Gardner before the ball breaks back to the big Serbian. He waits a moment too long to pull the trigger and Szczesny pulls off a save at his feet.
32 min: Arsenal's fans already have that look of panicked disbelief on their faces. Wenger out?
30 min: Arshavin's teasing cross forces Foster into an unconventional diving punch to clear.
29 min: Van Persie's flying header is only just over the bar.
28 min: GOAL!!! Arsenal 0 Birmingham 1 (Zigic)
The corner comes to Bowyer on the egde of the box. It's nodded towards goal by Johnson and helped in by Zigic, with three Arsenal players around him and Szczesny stranded. Birmingham's fans make an extremely loud noise.
27 min: Sloppy pass from Sagna gives the ball away to Zigic. It's played towards Fahey on the right, as Zigic continues his run into the box. His header is nodded behind for a Birmingham corner.
25 min: Clichy finds himself in loads of space on the left and has time to set himself for a cross. It's high and past Arshavin, the only man in the box.
22 min: Zigic's flick on for Bowyer is off target and easily mopped up by Djourou. A Birmingham-supporting friend of mine (who is a few inches shorter than Zigic) claims that tall people have an unspoken agreement to nod in acknowledgment when they encounter anyone of acceptably extreme height on the street. Can any readers confirm or deny the existance of this Mason-like secret society? I desperately want it to be true.
21 min: Arshavin elects to take on a shot from 25 yards. It is pathetic. He made the ball look like one of those 99p petrol station windfloaters. Foster watches it wide and stifles a chuckle.
19 min: This is relatively direct football from Arsenal, they're passing it forwards more often than sideways and looking for early balls to Nasri on the right. This has the effect of making their play sloppier than you'd expect. Koscielny's ball wide to Clichy goes out for a throw.
16 min: When Zigic holds the ball up it's like watching a seven foot wrestler having a comedic fight with four Mexican midgets. He holds off Song, Djourou and Sagna before spreading it wide. The cross is headed comfortably towards Szczesny by Ridgewell.
15 min: John Ley on Twitter is enjoying his afternoon at Wembley: "At Wembley. £8.30 for chicken and chips. £4.30 a pint. £7 programme. Cheap day out."
14 min: Artful run witby Nasri who seems to slalom between Birmingham's defenders, but by the time he remembers to shoot he's at an unworkably acute angle.
13 min: Birmingham, as you would expect, look right up for this. They're not giving Arsenal a moment's peace in the middle - Johnson is alert to a throw and spoils the attempt to find Arshavin with an outstretched leg.
11 min: Stephen Carr's not messing about. He sprints into the middle of the pitch to close down Arshavin and his aggressive attentions cause the Russian to lose the ball.
10 min: Djourou is the closest to a second consecutive Arsenal corner, but Zigic, his marker, does enough. "Zigic is a little bit 6'7" upright and 5'9" when he jumps" opines Mark Lawrenson. I am baffled.
8 min: Nasri picks out Arshavin with a lovely reverse pass. He displays good strength to hold off Jiranek before turning and firing a low shot at Foster, who saves well with his legs.
7 min: Van Persie tries an impossible shot with the ball running out of play for a corner from Wilshere's through ball. It's off target, as impossible shots have a habit of being.
5 min: Gardner finds himself with space to run into after a Zigic pass. His long shot is weak and well off target.
2 min: The game's begun at pace. Rosicky looks for Nasri but Ridgewell blocks him off. At the other end Zigic plays a quick ball through to Bowyer on the turn and gives him a one-on-one with Szczesny. The flag is up before Szczesny fouls Bowyer in the box. Replays show he was onside. That should have been an early red card and penalty.
1 min: Birmingham get the Worthington cup final of 2011 underway. The Wembley pitch looks impeccable. Give it an hour...
15:59: Dark, imposing portraits of Wenger and McLeish look down onto the pitch from either side of the scoreboard. Both now have the perfect propaganda starting point should they ever decide to become totalitarian dictators.
15:57: The trophy is adorned with ribbons of both clubs. Birmingham's look far looser than Arsenal's. Conspiracy!
15:55: I'm going to spend approximately 17 per cent of today's coverage railing against the use of ludicrously loud music in the context of sporting events. There's an obnoxiously noisy electro song which would be better suited to a flash car advert soundtracking the teams' walk onto the pitch. There are 90,000 people there! We don't need music to make it exciting!
15:53: The teams are in a tunnel wider than most people's houses.
15:50: Dixon and Hansen combine for some relatively perceptive tactical analysis, highlighting the importance of Birmingham closing down cleverly, and getting back quickly as a unit to avoid being hit on the counter attack.
15:45: Re: starting line-ups, surely if Wenger was a man of his word he'd be fielding the Arsenal U-15s today? That's what this competition is all about to the Frenchman.
15:43: Alex McLeish ties himself in a philosophical knot by stating that "superstition is for wimps" but following it with a sentence that begins "if destiny is with us..." and rounding it off by saying "if we're good enough we're good enough". The pressure is showing.
15:40: Alan Hansen reckons Jack Wilshere has the potential to be the best player in the world. The Best Player In The World. Does anyone in the world agree with him?
15:34: Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for the starting line-ups:
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Rosicky, Song, Nasri, Wilshere, Arshavin, van Persie.
Subs: Almunia, Denilson, Squillaci, Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh, Bendtner.
Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Fahey, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Larsson, Zigic.
Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Jerome, Martins, Parnaby, Beausejour.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
A minor surprise for Arsenal, who had widely been expected to give a start to Nicklas Bendtner. Birmingham's line-up sets something of a tone. Arsenal's centre backs may be in for a repetitive afternoon.
15:30: Prediction time please, then, please. I've been receiving sporadic abuse this week after advancing the challenging opinion during Orient v Arsenal last week that Arsenal would end the year without a trophy. I see no reason for that to end now, so I'll go for a horribly unfair 1-0 win for Birmingham. What are your views? Share them with me here. I'm not interested in a mere scoreline in the subject line, I want you to craft a detailed narrative featuring scorers, injuries, and predictions of who will be crying by the end.
15:27: An injured and extremelty fed up Scott Dann looks to be on the verge of welling up walking away from an interview in front of the wall o'Carling adverts. He can just about muster a "I've played my part in getting here, hopefully the lads can finish off the job" before adding "...and get me a medal".
15:22: Some borderline-offensive budget Amelie soundtrack music accompanies a moodily-shot interview with Arsene Wenger. "Now we have to be more mature and believe we can win things. We have been beaten by Chelsea and Manchester United, they are not average sides. But of course, you don't accept it. You want to come back and beat them."
15:17: Oh good, Rory McGrath is being interviewed at pitchside. He's tried to sing "We 'ate Villa" in an awkward approximation of a Birmingham accent towards the City fans. He is ignored.
15:13: We're watching some softly-spoken Birmingham fans reminiscing about their most recent trips to Wembley. Andy Johnson (with a mop of peroxide blonde hair) missing the decisive penalty in the 2001 edition of this cup final, and Paul Tait flicking home a Ricky Otto cross for a golden goal in the 1995 Auto Windscreens Shield. Good times, good times. Well, not so much 2001.
15:05: Alan Shearer starts his day of punditry by calling Arsene Wenger "a top top manager". What does that make Sir Alex Ferguson? A top top top top top manager? And how about Shearer as a manager? A double plus ungood manager?
15:03: "In a game awash with gold, silver is the one true currency," intones BBC's Welsh-tinged James Earl Jones impersonator in a wannabe tear-jerking pre-match montage. Good luck inducing spine shivers on anyone about the Coca Cola cup final, Auntie.
14:55: It's absolutely teeming it down on Wembley way, how is a slippery and inevitably lumpy Wembley pitch going to affect Arsenal's intricate passing game? Or Birmingham's tactic of hoofing it towards Nikola Zigic?
14:45: Six years. The average life expectancy of lucky kangaroos, one more than a Bromley-referencing song by David Bowie, and the time since Arsenal last won a trophy. The expected end to that drought has been the dominant discourse in the lead-up to today's League Cup final, with Arsenal heavy favourites to parade the charmingly retro trophy around a half-empty Wembley at quarter to six this evening.
They'll have to do so without Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, and overcome a Birmingham City side which have caused them problems historically. Not so much this season, in which Arsenal have won their two games 5-1 on aggregate. But let's not forget that City held Arsene Wenger's side to three draws in their last four before this 2010/11, and Eduardogate in 2008.
William Gallas won't be sitting down crying in the centre circle this afternoon (unless there's an extremely surprising turn of events) but Arsenal must be wary of treating this as the foregone conclusion which most supporters seem to believe it is.
Here's some exciting reading from around the Telegraph site this afternoon:
Arsenal seek to secure their future with some lovely new contracts
Wenger's back four hoping to shrug-off soft touch tag with resiliant defensive display
Birmingham keeper Ben Foster on the Apple-endorsed method to saving penalties
And David Seaman on his divided loyalties this afternoon
Here's our formal match preview:
Sunday March 4
Carling Cup Final
Arsenal v Birmingham City
Wembley Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
TV: BBC One & SKY SP1, BBC One MotD1
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Wilshere, Nasri, Song, Arshavin, Van Persie
Birmingham (4-4-2): Foster, Ridgewell, Jiranek, Johnosn, Carr, Fahey, Gardner, Ferguson, Larsson, Zigic, Martins Referee: Mike Dean. Matches 29 R4 Y99
Tale of the game
Arsenal are bidding for their first trophy since 2005 when they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final, at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, where they needed penalties to claim silverware.
In two Premier League meetings this season, Arsenal have won both. In October, at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal won 2-1 but had Jack Wilshere sent off.
On New Year’s Day the teams met at St Andrew’s and Arsenal left with a 3-0 win. One previous meetings in the competition, at Highbury, saw Arsenal win 4-1 in extra time.
Tony Hey gave Birmingham the lead, Luis Boa Morte replied and scored again in extra time, with a David Platt penalty and fourth goal from Alberto Mendez completing the rout. But both teams finished with 10 men.
Birmingham’s Darren Wassall was first to go and was soon followed by Arsenal’s Jason Crowe.
Arsenal were in action on Wednesday night, against Stoke in the Premier League, and won 1-0. But the victory, which takes Arsenal to within a point of leaders Manchester United, came at a cost.
Theo Walcott twisted his ankle and has been ruled out of the final while Cesc Fabregas injured a hamstring and could be a doubt.
They face Birmingham unbeaten in 11 (in all competitions).
Birmingham, meanwhile, beat Sheffield Wednesday to reach the last eight of the FA Cup, last Saturday, and in all competitions have lost just one of their last seven games.
Arsenal reached their seventh League Cup final – and first since 2007 – by beating Tottenham, Newcastle, Wigan and Ipswich.
Birmingham, meanwhile, are in their third League Cup final, having won the competition in 1963 and finishing as runners-up in the 2001 final.
Arsenal test Robin van Persie (hamstring) and Laurent Koscielny (back) but Lukasz Fabianski (shoulder), Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and Emmanuel Frimpong (knee) miss out.
For Birmingham, Scott Dann (hamstring), Eric Valles (ankle) and James McFadden (knee) are out and there are tests for Martin Jiranek (hip) and Liam Ridgewell (calf).
Previous Carling Cup meeting
October 14, 1997 Third Round: Arsenal 4 Birmingham 1 (AET).
Stat of the game
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight meetings, in all competitions, against Birmingham, winning five and drawing three.
Betting
Arsenal 2-5
Birmingham 13-2
Draw 7-2
Betting tip: Arsenal have a space in their trophy cabinet; try 3-1 at 12-1.
Telegraph.feedsportal.com
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
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Friday, February 25, 2011
Italy v Wales: match preview
Italy v Wales: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Six Nations game between Italy and Wales at the Stadio Flamini, Rome on Saturday Feb 26 2011, kick-off 2.30pm.
By Steve James 5:58PM GMT 25 Feb 2011
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Saturday February 26
Italy v Wales
Stadio Flaminio, Rome
Kick-off: 2.30pm
TV: BBC 2: 2pm onwards
Italy: L McLean (Treviso); A Masi (Racing Metro), G Canale (Clermont Auvergne), A Sgarbi (Treviso), M Bergamasco (Racing Metro); K Burton (Treviso), F Semenzato (Treviso); S Perugini (Aironi), L Ghiraldini (Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester), S Dellape (Racing Metro), Q Geldenhuys (Aironi), A Zanni (Treviso), R Barbieri (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).
Replacements: C Festuccia (Racing Metro), A Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), V Bernabo (Treviso), M Vosawai (Treviso), P Canavosio (Aironi), L Orquera (Brive), T Benvenuti (Treviso).
Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); M Stoddart (Scarlets), J Hook (Ospreys), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets, capt), C Mitchell (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys).
Replacements: R Hibbard (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas, (Ospreys), J Turnbull (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets), R Priestland, (Scarlets), L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England) and John Lacey (Ireland).
Form guide: Italy LLLWLL; Wales LDLLW
Average number of caps: Italy 42.6; Wales 36
Average age: Italy 27.6; Wales: 26.9
Pack weights: Italy: 890kg; Wales 897kg
Last thee meetings
2010: Wales 33 Italy 10
2009: Italy 15 Wales 20
2008: Wales 47 Italy 8
Key clash
Sergio Parisse is always key to Italy at No 8, he is their best attacking option, go to man in the line-out and their most effective man in defence. Without a big performance from their captain Italy struggle.
Opposite number Ryan Jones doesn't always take the eye for Wales but puts in a mountain of work in it was noticable that their much improved performance against Scotland last time
Telegraph.feedsportal.com
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given out for three months and will undergo shoulder operation
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given out for three months and will undergo shoulder operation
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has confirmed that goalkeeper Shay Given could be facing three months on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.
History of problems: Shay Given's shoulder is a recurring issue Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Telegraph staff and agencies 12:15PM GMT 23 Feb 2011
Given is seeing a specialist about the problem today and Mancini expects the Irish stopper will require surgery.
"Shay has this problem in his shoulder and I think he needs three months to recover," Mancini said.
"He has the same injury that he had last year and I think that he needs an operation."
Given also damaged his shoulder in April, which prompted City to sign Marton Fulop on an emergency loan deal from Sunderland for their final three games of the 2009-10 campaign.
Mancini hopes he will not have to do something similar this time.
"I am disappointed for him because we have lost a good goalkeeper," Mancini said.
"Last year we had the problem in the last three games because we lost him to injury and I hope this year it is not the same."
Asked if he would recall David Gonzales from his loan spell at Leeds, Mancini said: "Probably. We can take David from Leeds - we don't have many more options."
roberto mancini, telegraph staff, david gonzales, injury history, fulop, emergency loan, loan deal, shoulder injury, shay, goalkeeper, three games, manchester city, sidelines, getty, sunderland, three months, leeds, gmt, photo
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Is shaken baby syndrome real?
Shaken baby syndrome is the tragic result of a specific kind of child abuse that has happened all too often over the past few decades. And now some doctors are calling it into question.
More from The Stir: Banking your amniotic fluid? Don't make me laugh
Shaken baby syndrome occurs when a baby is shaken violently, causing bleeding and swelling in the brain. It can cause death, blindness, and a host of other horrifying disabilities. According to The New York Times:
Between 1,200 and 1,400 children in the United States sustain head injuries attributed to abuse each year. Most of them are less than a year old. Usually, there’s not much dispute that these children were abused, because doctors discover other signs of mistreatment -- cuts, bruises, burns, fractures -- or a history of such injuries. There is no exact count of shaken-baby prosecutions, but law-enforcement authorities think that there are about 200 a year.
Shaken baby syndrome has specific internal symptoms -- subdural and retinal hemorrhage and brain swelling -- but little proof beyond those symptoms and, obviously, few want to admit they shook a baby. Parents like Erin Whitmer, whose son's babysitter was convicted of shaking him when he was a baby, have lived with the guilt that comes from putting their children in harm's way. On her blog Noah’s Road, Whitmer wrote:
Around 2:30 on April 20, 2009, Noah was shaken. He’d been crying. He needed something that his day care provider wasn’t providing him. Maybe he was tired of lying on the mat where she’d had him. Maybe he needed a hug, a laugh, a kind touch. Instead, she picked him up, her fingers gripping him tightly, feeling the softness of his velour pants and his cotton onesie under her fingers, and she shook him.
Little Noah was 4 months old when this happened and he fell into a coma. Once he came out, he had as many as 32 seizures a day. Now he is 2, and his 1-year-old brother is surpassing him developmentally.
His parents are heartbroken and rightfully so, and Trudy Eliana Muoz Rueda, Noah's caregiver, has paid the price in jail and through the trial.
More from The Stir: Toddler drowns after parents ask about killing her
But did she actually shake him? That is the question experts are asking now. A growing number of experts say there are infections and bleeding disorders that can also show the same symptoms as shaken baby.
Intuitively, as a parent, I want to believe that. I want to believe that people wouldn't shake a little crying baby so hard that his eyes and brain would bleed. It's too horrifying to even contemplate. Who would do that? It's what we all wonder when we hear these stories, right? Sure, you get mad, you get frustrated, but you don't hurt the crying child.
If there are other explanations and if shaken baby syndrome isn't as common as we think, then there are parents and caregivers who have been falsely convicted, who have spent time in prison for harming a baby -- maybe their baby -- whom they never hurt.
It's tragic. Truly tragic. If science exonerates these people, then what will be done to compensate them for the pain?
Do you think it's possible shaken baby isn't always what happened?
Image via flash.pro/Flickr
Written by Sasha Brown-Worsham for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
More from The Stir:
You know you're a new mom if ...
Texting dad who killed daughter should not go to prison
5-year-old falls in drain, confirms my worst fear
Your sister's bad pregnancy could hurt you
shaken baby syndrome, law enforcement authorities, day care provider, retinal hemorrhage, velour pants, tragic result, exact count, whitmer, swelling in the brain, onesie, amniotic fluid, new york times, head injuries, softness, prosecutions ebook download, cuts bruises, babysitter, child abuse, 4 months, seizures
The wave
The wave
52|2011
Baleal - Peniche - Portugal
© All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal
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Tuesday, February 22, 2011
113473413dkEcmz_ph
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Markets of PNG
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Monday, February 21, 2011
Wind-whipped
Wind-whipped
The cold Atlantic on a blustery autumn day in Conception Bay
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Sunday, February 20, 2011
Surging N.J. inches closer to playoffs
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Devils appeared to be buried and out of the Eastern Conference playoff race months, but they apparently never got the memo.
Dainius Zubrus scored goals in the first and third periods and the Devils earned their seventh straight victory by beating the Hurricanes 4-1 last night.
The Devils, in a desperate fight to get into playoff contention after a miserable start, are just 10 points behind the eighth-place Hurricanes after beating Carolina for the third time in 12 days.
"We took control early, for a change, because here this team is known for great starts," Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said. "Every time they step on the ice they really skate and get on top of the other team. We were pretty lucky to get that first goal."
AP
YOU 'Z' MAN! Dainius Zubrus, who scored two goals, looks to skate past Joe Corvo during the Devils' 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes last night.
Carolina remained four points ahead of Buffalo and Atlanta.
Henrik Tallinder and Brian Rolston also had first-period goals, and Patrik Elias had three assists for the 13th-place Devils (25-30-4), 15-1-2 in their past 18 games. Ilya Kovalchuk added an assist to stretch his point streak to 10 games (seven goals, five assists), but his four-game goal streak was snapped.
"We got beaten by a better team," Carolina coach Paul Maurice said. "Right out of the gate, the first six or seven minutes, penalties put us back on our heels. We beat the puck up pretty badly."
Patrick Dwyer scored for Carolina in the third period to deny Johan Hedberg a chance at consecutive shutouts on back-to-back nights. Hedberg and the Devils beat the Rangers 1-0 at the Prudential Center Friday.
Hedberg finished with 24 saves after getting another start over Martin Brodeur, who is back on the active roster but serving as the backup as he recovers from a knee injury.
Carolina's Cam Ward stopped 21 shots, but just 12 of 15 in the first period.
Zubrus beat Ward just 1:14 in when he deflected Mark Fayne's hard shot from the right point. Tallinder made it 2-0 on a one-timer from the left point, with Kovalchuk earning the primary assist at 11:17.
"This team is always tough to play in this building," Zubrus said. "We kind of knew that and wanted to match it and we were able to jump on top."
Rolston pushed the advantage to three goals when he followed Elias' shot from the right doorstep at 16:14.
Dwyer ended Hedberg's shutout bid at 6:49 of the third when he redirected Jamie McBain's shot from the high slot. That made it 3-1, but Zubrus sealed the Devils' win with 8:17 left by beating Ward over the left shoulder from the right circle.
"We played so strong the whole game," Hedberg said. "We didn't give up much."
patrik elias, joe corvo, ilya kovalchuk, brian rolston, jacques lemaire, patrick dwyer, martin brodeur, mark fayne, prudential center, playoff contention, johan hedberg, cam ward, game goal, consecutive shutouts, dainius zubrus, henrik tallinder, desperate fight, paul maurice, coach paul, straight victory
Saturday, February 19, 2011
1915 Dodge Brothers
1915 Dodge Brothers
Harrah's Auto Museum, reno, Nevada
HDR/Tonemapped
canon 50D w/Tamron EF-S 10-24mm. Tripod. f/14 @3.2sec; ISO 100; White Balance 3900 Kelvin.
Software: Canon Digital Photo Professional; Photomatix Pro4; Adobe CS5
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Friday, February 18, 2011
Arsne Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti call for Uefa to reduce the prices for Champions League final tickets
Ars Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti call for Uefa to reduce the prices for Champions League final tickets
Leading Premier League managers have joined the criticism of the ticket prices for the Champions League final at Wembley.
High prices: climbers unveil a banner for Champions League final tickets at Wembley Stadium Photo: AP
By John Ley 7:55PM GMT 18 Feb 2011
John's Twitter
Arsène Wenger claimed major showpiece games should be free to supporters, while Carlo Ancelotti urged Uefa to do an about-turn and reduce the prices.
Uefa has made around 11,000 tickets available for neutral supporters at prcies ranging from £150 to £300, with each pair of tickets subject to an administration fee of £26.
The cheapest tickets for supporters of the two clubs contesting the final will be £80 – but Uefa has not yet specified how many of the 50,000 seats will be in that price bracket.
Ancelotti, who leads Chelsea against Marseille in the Champions League next week, said: “It is too much, too much. For £300 I can have a fantastic dinner and bottle of wine. I hope they reduce the prices.”
And Arsenal manager Wenger, whose side took a step closer to the final with a 2-1 win over Barcelona on Wednesday, called for the game on May 28 to be free.
“I don’t fix the prices and it’s very difficult to know how they do it,” said Wenger. “But, if you ask me, if it’s free it’s even better.”
Wenger insisted it was a problem for more than just the Champions League final, adding: “All the prices are too high now, for the fans, whether it’s the World Cup final, the Champions League final or the FA Cup final.”
Wenger’s team could cost the Arsenal fans a small fortune if they add a Champions League and FA Cup final appearance to the Carling Cup final day out, a week tomorrow, against Birmingham.
“It always looks to me to be very high,” said the Frenchman, who admitted the prices were because of the demand for tickets. “On the other hand, they never have enough tickets; I’m always surprised that people still turn up.
“I am for low prices in these kinds of finals. At least, you should have a big part of the stadium which is set at an affordable price.”
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation,
had previously claimed that the £26 administration fee was “the cherry on a particularly disgusting cake”, but Uefa claims that the prices are “based on the type of event” and that it does “do not want to squeeze every single penny out of the market”.
carlo ancelotti, champions league final, fa cup final, champions league final tickets, small fortune, rsquo, league managers, price bracket, bottle of wine, wembley stadium, carling cup, showpiece, administration fee, wenger, ticket prices, climbers, frenchman, premier league, ars, uefa
Youzhny at Kooyong Classic - Day 1
Praia da Armao
Praia da Armao
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Who's afraid of the department store makeup lady?
Betsey Johnson
Tell me you've been in my shoes ...
You excitedly agree to a makeup session at one of the cosmetic counters in your local department store, only to walk out 30 minutes later in clownface, frantically rubbing off all the excess blush and bright blue eyeshadow on your face as you exit.
Or? You'd love some new tips, but you're so appalled by the heavily made-up cosmeticians at every makeup counter around you in the store that you question the quality of advice they'd give out.
The question I'm asking today is ... WHY?
More from The Stir: Teens are going "bare floor" and I'm concerned
I mean, I've grown used to seeing ridiculous makeup in magazines and cosmetic advertisements.
Sure, celebrities and models look interesting with metallic green shadow up to their brow lines and strategically placed glitter blush on their faces ... but let's be honest: That stuff doesn't fly in the car rider pick-up line. Or on a date night with your husband or boyfriend. Or ... pretty much anywhere.
So why haven't the department store makeup girls gotten the memo?
I can't tell you how many times I've gone into a store seeking out someone, anyone at one of the counters that I'd trust with my makeup questions -- and how many times I've left, scared out of my wits by the overdone makeup I've seen on all of their faces.
More from The Stir: 5 reasons why Katy Perry should expose her cleavage
If these "experts" can't achieve a pretty and natural look on their own faces, then how on earth can I be expected to trust them with mine?
What I don't understand is why cosmetics companies aren't insisting that their saleswomen showcase natural, wearable looks on their own faces. They'd sell SO MUCH MORE makeup that way!
Seriously, if there were a makeup counter where all of the women's faces were flawless, I'd be their most loyal customer. Instead, I've found that most of the makeup women look like extras on Dynasty. And I'm ready for an update.
Are you with me on this? Or am I out of line?
Written by Lindsay Ferrier for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
More from The Stir:
Ugly woman turns hot before your eyes
Eva Longoria & her makeup malfunction should comfort us all
Willow Smith, you're cute. Now go back to the playground.
Fingerless gloves indoors make me want to hurl
Image via Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
blue eyeshadow, makeup session, local department, loyal customer, department store, blush, wits, brow, glitter, dynasty, 30 minutes, faces, advertisements, celebrities, showcase, cosmetics, fly, magazines, shoes, earth
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Falls Lake, North Carolina
Falls Lake, North Carolina
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fallslake
lake
water
falls lake, lake north
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
louder
Short Springs State Natural Area
Short Springs State Natural Area
Short Springs State Natural Area
with the Hiking Buds
February 12, 2011
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Survey: 97 percent of women say mean things about their own bodies
Photo from Thinkstock
How often do you look at yourself in the mirror and think that you don't like the way you look? According to Glamour, 97 percent of women have at least one "I hate my body" moment per day.
The beauty magazine asked 300 women of all ages and body types to pay attention to their internal monologues and keep track of every negative or anxious comment they made about their own bodies in one day. The results? Women surveyed had an average of 13 negative thoughts about themselves on a daily basis, and some really set their inner mean girls loose on themselves, with as many as 100 nasty, ego-bruising comments in a day.
Why do we say things about ourselves that we'd never say about our friends?
"It’s actually more acceptable to insult your body than to praise it,” points out Ann Kearney-Cooke, a psychologist based in Cincinnati who specializes in body image (she also helped Glamour design the survey).
Women tend to bond over depreciating comments, and even if you aren't selling yourself short out-loud, what you hear your friends say about themselves can affect how you think about yourself. And then there are the images we see every day: Commercials showing perfectly toned athletes hawking fitness products, thin women promoting diet pills, and pretty models selling makeup also play a part in how critical we are about our own bodies. While contestants on reality shows like "The Swan" and "Extreme Makeover" compete for plastic surgery, everyday women are left wondering, not whether we should consider a little peel, nip or tuck, but when.
How mean are we? Take a look at some of the things the women Glamour surveyed recorded about themselves:
"Fat-ass. Lazy b---- . I hate my thighs. I hate my stomach. I hate my arms."
"Don’t eat that. You could probably use an eating disorder."
"Your stomach is fat. That is why you are alone."
"Oh my God, look at her waist and legs! We’re the same height. She looks like a model. I look like a lumpy sock."
"You’re obese. All the pretty girls are size 2."
"I’m ugly. Too skinny. Look sick."
And, what's worse is that the negative thinking starts young—really, really young. In a 2009 University of Central Florida study of 121 girls, age 3 to 6, about a third wanted to change something about themselves, like their hair color, and nearly half said that they worry about being fat.
Not all women are dreaming of perfection. So how can you be realistic about your body image without bombarding yourself with negativity? Glamour has a few suggestions, among them:
Keep track of the good as well as the bad. If you automatically criticize your looks, take a moment to write down the things you like about yourself, suggests Kearney-Cooke, the psychologist who helped design the survey. “It’s absolutely possible to create neural pathways that favor affirming thoughts,” she says. Jotting down the things that make you feel good about your body "puts positive stuff front-of-mind and starts becoming instinctive.”
Figure out what you're really upset about. Sometimes when we complain about how we look, we're actually taking issue with something we did—it may or may not have anything to do with our body image at all.
Exercise. Of the women surveyed, those who worked out regularly reported fewer negative thoughts about themselves than those who didn't exercise often. The feeling of accomplishment you have after a good work out can boost your mood as well as your body.
Be yourself, and play up your strengths. "You can’t make your curly hair straight no matter how many irons you take to it, but you can have your stylist show you how to rock your natural texture," wrote Marie-Gael Gray, a 30-year-old form Athens, Ohio, who took part in the survey. "Taking ownership of your choices gives you power. I’m never going to look in the mirror and see a blond surfer girl, but neither is Christina Hendricks, Zooey Deschanel or Janelle Monae. Those are all stunning women who stand out because they aren’t trying to alter their true nature.”
Also on Shine:
Do you really love yourself? 3 ways to tell if you are receiving the self love you deserve
Make over your body image from the inside out
5 weight-loss myths holding you back
U.K. mother welcomes eating disorder over weight problem
3 steps to a healthy body image in motherhood
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Sunday, February 13, 2011
Schumer Reserves Judgement on NYSE Deal
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he will reserve final judgment on NYSE Euronext's planned tie-up with Deutsche Börse AG until an announcement on the deal is made.
Sen. Schumer, who met with NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer Friday, is also scheduled to say at a press conference this morning that the name of the new entity could be a sticking point. Sen. Schumer's opinion is closely watched because he is the senior senator from New York.
"Keeping the NYSE first in the name is the right thing to do," Sen. Schumer is expected to say, according to prepared remarks reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. If Deutsche Börse sought to put its own name, initials, or anything besides "New York" first, "it could be an indication that they are trying to wield an upper hand in the new company and would seek to make other business decisions that could go against New York."
The name of the company is still being negotiated, though the ownership split is expected to be 60% for Deutsche Börse shareholders and 40% for NYSE Euronext shareholders. The board is expected to be split equally between the two companies. Boards are expected to vote on the deal Tuesday.
Sen. Schumer also noted he liked the fact that Mr. Niederauer would remain CEO, and that the NYSE would get a big boost in the derivatives business. He added, however, that the name issue "should be resolved sooner rather than later."
An NYSE spokesman said, "We respect the senator and his engagement on this issue. He's an important stakeholder in this company and the state and the city. We hope at the end of the day, he'll be satisfied."
Write to Aaron Lucchetti at aaron.lucchetti@wsj.com
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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Buscan su camino...[43/365]
Buscan su camino...[43/365]
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Madrid
Espaa
Spain
Alcobendas
2011
Harrier Jump Jet removed from eBay for breaking weapons rules
Harrier Jump Jet removed from eBay for breaking weapons rules
A decommissioned Harrier Jump Jet being offered for sale on eBay has been withdrawn because it contravenes the website’s policy on the sale of firearms, weapons and knives.
400
227
TelegraphPlayer-8302559
Link to this video
By Martin Evans 12:42PM GMT 11 Feb 2011
The iconic 1971 fighter aircraft had attracted more than 80 bids and had reached a sale price in excess of £100,000.
But despite the fact all missiles bombs and canon had been removed from the Harrier and it was being sold without an engine, eBay, were forced to de-list the item after realising the sale breached their strict policy on auctioning weapons.
The aircraft, which was lovingly restored by ex-RAF mechanic, Chris Wilson, 33, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was offered for sale last week with a starting price of £69,999.
But it soon attracted interest from around the world and bids were expected to top the £150,000 mark.
A spokesman for eBay said the sale had been withdrawn because the auction website operated strict policies on the sale of weapons.
There was also concern that the aircraft's sale could breach rules governing international arms trafficking.
The spokesman said: “We have strict policies in regards to the sale of military weaponry, meaning the jet should not have been listed for sale. We would like to apologise to the seller concerned for the inconvenience this has caused him.”
Current eBay policy states: ‘Most weapons can't be sold on eBay due to national and international laws, so our policies reflect this. Bear in mind that to safeguard the community, we may also ban other related items that are legal to sell outside of eBay.
‘Prohibited military items in terms of this policy are articles or services specifically designed, developed, configured, adapted or modified for a military application and:
• neither have predominant civil applications nor performance equivalent to those of an article or service used for civil applications, or
• have significant military or intelligence applicability.
'In addition to prohibiting the listing of military ordnance and other weapons mentioned above, military items listed by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) are prohibited according to the United States federal laws and regulations.'
The eBay spokesman said the aircraft should not have been listed but with the website offering some 20 million items for sale it was impossible be aware of every auction.
The Harrier Jump Jet, which was designed to perform vertical take off and landing and could hover in mid-air, played a crucial role in helping Britain retake the Falkland Islands and also saw action in both Gulf Wars.
But in a controversial move the Government announced in October the entire fleet was being withdrawn from service in order to save money.
The Harrier was being offered for sale without its Rolls Royce engine, but Mr Wilson claimed one could be sourced and it could therefore be possible to make the aircraft air-worthy.
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Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Big Sky DC HDR
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
San Set (Miseno - Napoli)
San Set (Miseno - Napoli)
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Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Reflets...
Reflets...
" L’imagination n’est autre chose que le reflet de la nature dans l’me de l’homme. " Victor Hugo
John Surman - Portrait of a Romantic : www.deezer.com/listen-2603322
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Monday, February 7, 2011
Bratislava castle
Bratislava castle
An old film picture of the heavily reconstructed castle in Bratislava, Slovakia. The original was almost entirely destroyed by shelling in the second world war.
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Sunday, February 6, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
1564 Broadway The Palace Theatre Times Square NYC
1564 broadway The Palace Theatre Times Square NYC
Drag Queens celebrated on Times Square New York City Billboards.
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert
The Musical on Broadway
The Palace Theatre Box Office
1564 Broadway
(bet. W. 46th & 47th St.)
New York, NY 10036 USA
www.palacetheatreonbroadway.com
www.priscillaonbroadway.com
212-730-8200
La Cage aux Folles
The Musical on Broadway
Longacre Theatre
220 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10036 USA
www.lacage.com
RuPaul's Drag Race
Season Three
Reality Television show
Logo Television MTV Networks
www.rupaulsdragrace.com
TKTS Discount Booth
Located under the red steps In Father Duffy Square on Broadway and 47th Street.
www.tdf.org
Photo
Times Square New York City USA
02-11-2011
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Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
track,one
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Fort_Denison_30-1-11_1667
Fort_Denison_30-1-11_1667
Manly Ferry, seen from Fort Denison.
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The Boy Jones was the first of many to breach royal security
The Boy Jones was the first of many to breach royal security
Queen Victoria’s stalker was one of earliest in a long history of royal security breaches:
In December the Duchess of Cornwall was hit by a protester on a student fees demo Photo: AP
By Victoria Ward 2:25PM GMT 01 Feb 2011
1837: A drunken silversmith who wanted to meet Queen Victoria waited for her outside her bedroom, eventually falling asleep in the room next door.
1838: Edward Jones broke into Buckingham Palace at least three times.
1974: Princess Anne and her then husband, Mark Phillips, escaped an abduction attempt as they drove along the Mall.
1981: Marcus Sarjeant, 17, fired six blank shots at the Queen as she rode along the Mall during the Trooping the Colour ceremony.
1982: Michael Fagan broke into the Queen's bedroom at Buckingham Palace. She woke to find him sitting on her bed.
1989: Michael Crook tried to talk to the Queen near the stables at Buckingham Palace.
1990: Stephen Goulding broke into palace grounds, claiming he was Prince Andrew.
1992: Kevin McMahon was arrested inside the grounds for the second time in a week.
1993: A former Clapham cabbie, who claimed to be Queen Victoria's grandson, entered St James's Palace, home to Princess Alexandra, and drank a glass of whiskey before being removed.
1993: Anti-nuclear protesters scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace and held a sit-down protest on the lawn.
1994: James Miller circled Buckingham Palace three times in a paraglider before landing on roof and exposing his genitals.
1994: Security at St James's Palace was described as "abysmal", following a break-in at the Prince of Wales's apartment. Cufflinks given to Prince Charles by the then Camilla Parker Bowles were stolen.
1995: Student John Gillard rammed the gates of Buckingham Palace in his car at 50mph.
1997: An absconded mental health patient wandered the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
2000: Australian author Brett De La Mare paraglided into the Palace forecourt.
2002: A drunken reveller entered St James' Palace late at night and reportedly knocked on Princess Anne's door, asking for directions to Victoria station. He was arrested before anyone could answer.
2003: A Daily Mirror reporter spent two months working undercover as a footman at Buckingham Palace.
2003: Aaron Barschak broke into Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle.
2003: A 27-year-old man was arrested in the grounds of Buckingham Palace after climbing a wall.
2004: Jason Hatch, a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner dressed as Batman, unfurled a banner on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
2004: Michael Hammond conned his way into Windsor Castle by posing as a senior Scotland Yard detective. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
2005: Journalists working for the Sun newspaper drove a van carrying a fake bomb into the grounds of Windsor Castle, days before the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles.
2009: A royal chauffeur was suspended after he allegedly allowed undercover reporters posing as Middle Eastern businessmen into the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
2010: The Duchess of Cornwall was hit by a protester on a student fees demo after the car she was travelling in with the Prince of Wales came under attack.
camilla parker bowles, drunken reveller, stephen goulding, duchess of cornwall, michael fagan, princess alexandra, abduction attempt, least three times, buckingham palace, nuclear protesters, st james palace, mental health patient, victoria ward, colour ceremony, queen victoria, mark phillips, security breaches, prince andrew, michael crook, kevin mcmahon
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Six Nations Championship 2011: England will not pick forwards who collapse scrums, warns Graham Rowntree
Six Nations Championship 2011: England will not pick forwards who collapse scrums, warns Graham Rowntree
England’s front row forwards have been warned they face being dropped from Martin Johnson’s squad unless they adhere to the International Rugby Board’s crackdown on illegal scrummaging during the RBS Six Nations Championship.
Problem area: the IRB has instructed referees to crack down on forwards who collapse scrums Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Gavin Mairs 10:46PM GMT 31 Jan 2011
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The IRB last week announced that it had instructed referees during this season’s championship, which opens with Wales versus England in Cardiff on Friday night, to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on scrummaging offences following a meeting with the head coaches of all the Six Nations teams.
After IRB statistics revealed that during Test matches involving the leading nations over the past two years 60 per cent of scrums collapsed and 40 per cent had to be reset, the coaches gave a commitment to ensure their scrum-halves would put the ball in straight to the scrum and to stop their prop forwards binding illegally.
Graham Rowntree, England’s assistant coach and scrummaging specialist, on Monday gave an assurance that his props would conform to the crackdown at the millennium stadium because he was “sick” of seeing so many scrums collapse.
“Our props will buy into this because we won’t pick them if they don’t,” said Rowntree, who won 54 caps as a prop for England.
“We don’t want guys who will put the scrum on the deck, we don’t want guys who want to pull out of the hit and put it on the deck.
“We don’t want guys who are going to go early either, because that is another blight on the game; penalties for early engagement.
“There is going to be less tolerance of reset scrums and scrummage infringements and I hope there is. I am sick of seeing the scrum collapse.”
Rowntree admitted that, given the dark arts often associated with front-row play, it was difficult for some referees to decipher which player was to blame for a collapsed scrum and that a degree of empathy from the officials was also required.
“Ultimately you have got to have played there to know exactly what is going on,” Rowntree added. “When I speak to our refs, I try to coach them about what to look for when a scrum collapses so they can make a snapshot decision.
“I try to coach them to see who has collapsed the scrum, who has tried to stay up, who has kept in the best possible shape. Conversely I will try to coach our lads to be the players who have stayed in that shape. I want our guys to stay up and push. It’s simple.
“The referees have a hard job to do. If we have a load of collapsed scrums in our next international and we are first on the floor and have been poor in the hit, penalise us.”
Proof of whether the commitment from the head coaches translates into deeds on the pitch is likely to be found in the opening half-hour in Cardiff on Friday night. England and Wales both have experienced a high number of scrums collapsing.
Rowntree, however, defended his side’s number of penalties conceded at the scrum during the autumn Test series (seven) as one of the “lowest around”.
“The proportion of those that were for early [engagement] were high and half of those were in one game by one player,” Rowntree said. “So if I can sort that out with that player then I can halve our penalties. I don’t think it is a real problem of our game but I see it across the game in general.
“We have spent the last two weeks just talking about what we are doing in the engagement. We need to be strong, to be dominant and to be proactive. I don’t want our guys going down.
Rowntree said he had no worries about hooker Dylan Hartley’s termperament after last week’s verbal attack by Wales coach Warren Gatland. “I have got no worries about him overstepping the mark. He has matured and is an asset,” he said.
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