sport magazine - issue 248

Issue 248 | March 16 2012

Meet the RB8, Red Bull’s weapon in the fight for a third world title

From the creators of the award-winning

EA SPORTS™ FIFA Football franchise, and

inspired by street football styles and stars

from around the world, FIFA Street is the

most authentic street football game ever

made. Enjoy a unique and fun experience

where everything from the environments to

the gear to the music is true to the sport and

its culture.

Whether performing one panna after another

without breaking a sweat the way the game is

played in Amsterdam, or a physical, fight-for-

possession style the way players compete

in London, fans will enjoy a superior fidelity

of ball control and responsiveness than

anything ever experienced. Plus, for the first

time ever, utilise aerial skills to maneuver

past opponents, an all-new sophisticated

wall-play mechanic and over 50 brand new

spectacular skill moves.

OUT TODAY

ISSUE 248, MARCH 16 2012

Radar

08 Fifa Street The latest version of one of our favourite games – plus, Sport goes interactive

10 Schumacher v Vettel How does ‘Baby Schumi’ compare to the grand old man of F1? It’s here in the stats

12 Yorkshiremen Specifically, Yorkshire cricketers: a breed apart – enough for a whole book to do this coming weekFeatures

20 F1 preview The season starts here, and we ask: can anyone stop the mighty Red Bulls? 31 Six Nations The final week of an enthralling tournament

34 The Premier League Ten games to go and all to play for: we analyse what will happen

38 Cheltenham Gold Cup All your runners and riders for the race of the year, plus a special tribute to Kauto Star

Extra Time

50 Gadgets Just one gadget this week, the biggest launch of the year

54 Winter sport There’s still snow out there: don’t delay!

56 Kit Baselayers that will look after your legs...

58 Grooming Conditioners. Your hair will thank you for reading this

60 Entertainment 21 Jump Street (pictured) lightens the mood this week

20

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| March 16 2012 | 07

t’s taken four years to arrive – and

it’s likely to be the highlight of our

football summer. No, we don’t mean

the European Championships (you do

remember what it’s like watching England in

a major tournament, right?). We mean the

rebooted FIFA Street, unleashed today.

A total reinvention of the Street series

last seen in 2008, the game uses the much

loved FIFA 12 engine to create a realistic

footy experience – but offers much more

on top. That includes, for example, twice the

number of tricks – involving head, heel,

shoulders and more, making the simple

lollipop look like something from the 1920s.

Plus there’s an improved one-touch passing

system and an all-new dribbling style that

promotes the emphasis of one-on-one duels.

The game modes also spice things up. Take

Last Man Standing, in which you lose a man

every time you score a goal and win by

getting rid of your final player. The chance to

totally humiliate your pal by scoring a goal

with one man against his full count is a

delicious proposition – but most games seem

to go right to the wire of one-versus-one.

Alternatively, there’s the Panna (or

‘nutmeg’, in old school speak) mode, where

points are scored for the entertainment

level of tricks – so long as you finish it off

with a goal at some point. Because if your

opponent scores before you’ve ‘banked’ your

points, they’re worth nothing. Frankly, being

in control of Messi, Rooney, Zlatan and co

has never looked so much fun.

FIFA Street is out today on PS3 and Xbox 360

Radarp10 – Schumi Snr v the young pretender

08 | March 16 2012 |

I

Street magic

p12 – Manliness and Yorkshire cricket

For a chance to WIN one of five copies ofFIFA Street and to watch an exclusive trailer of the game, simply: 1) Download the free Blippar app via theiTunes or Android store

2) Open the app and scan the FIFA Street front cover of this magazine

3) Marvel at the FIFA Street excitement in the palm of your hand

Sport goes interactive with FIFA Street

win

partyLondon 2012

with

tickets &

look outfor our

hairy bottlesin store now

entrants 12+ and residents of GB, IoM or CI. promotion ends 25/05/12. draw on 26/05/12. see www.gvwurl.com/jessiejgb for full terms and conditions.promoter: Coca-Cola Great Britain, 1 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9HQ. ‘Glacéau vitaminwater’ and the ‘Glacéau vitaminwater’ get up are trade marks of energy brands, inc. aka Glacéau.

Radar

10 | March 16 2012 |

Schumi v Baby

L

he new Nike+

FuelStation,

just opened

in trendy Shoreditch’s

trendy Boxpark, will

be one of the select

places to stock the

FuelBand when it

arrives at the end of

this month. This is the wristband set to be to

the pedometer what the iPhone is to the brick

mobile. It tracks your every activity, lets you

set health goals and offers a wealth of

personalised fitness data.

However, there’s still reason to visit the

FuelStation before the big unveiling. The most

eye-catching thing is the floor-to-ceiling motion-

sensing, interactive LED walls that make you

feel as if you’re in a sports store in Minority

Report. There’s substance to go with the style,

too: free consultations with nutritionists and

physios are available for Nike+ Run Club

members (it’s free to join); gait analysis to

ensure you have the right shoe to match your

running style; and, on the floor above, a NIKEiD

Studio allows you to customise footwear.

Find out more at go.nike.com/Boxpark

T

ike Tiger Woods (in his prime) and

golf, Sebastian Vettel finds F1 so easy

that he’s targeting historical figures

and records just to set himself a challenge.

In the case of the 24-year-old, however, the

key historical figure is already behind him –

generally about 10 places on the grid, giving

him the evil eye from his Mercedes.

That’s because almost every record

worth having (race wins, championships, pole

positions) is owned by Vettel’s fellow German,

Michael Schumacher. So it’s interesting to see

how the battle is shaping up. Of course, the

fact that Vettel was a rookie for the first two

of his five seasons makes his excellent stats

even more impressive. However, Schumacher

has been doing his best to lower his own

percentages by pootling around and trying to

crash into Rubens Barrichello for the first two

years of his comeback, so that evens things.

It’s the difference in race wins and pole

positions that’s most noticeable. Vettel’s

ability to lay down a hot lap in qualifying is

superior because he’s such a smooth, slick

driver. Schumacher’s higher Grand Prix win

percentage points to the idea that a prime

Schumi is the better racer, with an ability to

defy opponents wheel to wheel on the track.

However, Vettel is still improving and the

real assessment of his talent is yet to come.

What made the chinny one a revered driver is

that he was able to win races in inferior cars

and poor conditions. The acid test for Vettel

will come when he finds himself in a less-than-

stellar motor – then we’ll see whether he has

the skills to defy his vehicle’s limitations and

put himself atop the podium. After all, it’s

performances like that which really stick in

fans’ memories, as well as the numbers.

See our guide to the F1 season, from page 20

Action station

Schumacher Vettel

Race wins91 of 288 races

21 of 81 races

Championships7 in 18 seasons

2 in 5 seasons

Pole positions68 in 287 starts

30 in 81 starts

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*Conditions apply. See tda.gov.uk/conditions for full details.

Radar

12 | March 16 2012 |

ormula 1 doesn’t keep the most

sociable hours in sport, with

chequered flags dropping at

all sorts of ungodly hours – the kind of

hours when any self-respecting young

professional should really be on their way

home from a craaaaazy night out, not

curled up on the sofa at 6am with a cup

of coffee and the TV on.

Luckily, Sky Sports have updated their

iPad app to incorporate their new Formula

1 offering, so subscribers will be able to

watch races live from pretty much

anywhere, including drunk in a taxi. If you’re

already in front of a TV, though, the app can

be used to augment the coverage. It offers

a selection of alternative video feeds and

timing-screens statistics combined with a

Twitter stream – where you can read and

share expert (and distinctly non-expert)

views on the action. #Vrooooom!

F

Several things have been inspired by

Darren Gough’s twinkle-toed success

on Strictly Come Dancing. Some, such

as robust lads from Barnsley attempting a

drunken pasodoble in Big Fellas nightclub

(it exists), are bad ideas. Others, such as

We’ll Get ‘Em in Sequins – a witty rumination

on Yorkshire cricketers and the nature of

manliness – are very good indeed.

The book takes seven cricketers of

different eras, from meat-and-potatoes

George Hirst to ‘Captain Sushi’ Michael

Vaughan, and explains how each one

represents masculinity differently. It also

offers some chucklesome insights into the

personalities involved. The chapter on

Geoff Boycott is particularly enjoyable,

explaining his appeal and run-hoarding

triumphs, while noting he was just a

bit too weird to be any young cricket

fan’s hero: “If you had a son with a

picture of Geoffrey Boycott pinned to his

bedroom wall, you would worry for him. If you

had a daughter, you would worry even more.”

Beyond ‘Homo Boycottensius’, the book

ends with an analysis of Gough and Vaughan

– two men as comfortable in a pink polo shirt

as they are in the cricket whites. However, the

author has an even-handed affection for both

the metrosexual modern Tyke cricketer and

his more curmudgeonly forbearers, which

means this deserves a readership well beyond

the boundaries of just Yorkshire. As if

anywhere else bloomin’ well mattered.

We’ll Get ‘Em in Sequins, by Max Davidson,

out now, £18.99 (Wisden Sports Writing)

Stereotykes

Reason 8: Tuck into our complimentary full English

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Hurry,

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Complimentary offer varies depending on the time of day and the journey being made and a reduced service will be available on weekends and Bank Holidays. Passengers travelling for 70 minutes or less will receive complimentary drinks and snacks. £25 First Class one-way fare is subject to availability. 100,000 £25 fares will be made available for the offer. For travel on East Coast trains only, from 10 April to 31 May 2012, excluding 4-7 April; availability may be limited on Fridays and Sundays. Book by midnight 19 March 2012 only at eastcoast.co.uk/25. No other offers or discounts can be applied, including Railcards or child discounts. £5 supplement applies for access to First Class Lounges. Travel on booked train only. No changes, no refunds and no break of journey permitted. Promoter: East Coast Main Line Company Limited, 4th Floor, One Kemble Street, London, WC2B 4AN. Registered in England no. 04659708.

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14 | March 16 2012 |

Radar Editor’s letter

Editor-in-chief

Simon Caney

@simoncaney

Sport magazine

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Alex Reid (7915)

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Production manager: Tara Dixon (7963)

Contributor: Hannah Engelkamp

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Hearty thanks this week to:

Alison Hackney, Philip Giles, Will

Greenwood

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LAUNCH OFTHE YEAR

2008

Total Average Distribution: 304,700 Jul-Dec 2011

www.sport-magazine.co.uk

@sportmaguk

facebook.com/sportmaguk

T he debate about ‘plastic Brits’ is reaching boiling point as the London 2012 Olympics draw closer. Indeed, some newspaper

columnists are practically

frothing at the mouth at the prospect of

athletes not born on these shores

competing for Team GB this summer.

Actually, that is to use a rather broad

brush stroke – for nobody, it seems,

objects to the likes of Mo Farah (who

moved here from Somalia aged eight)

running for Britain. The ones in the firing

line are those such as Tiffany Porter and

Shana Cox, who are deemed to have

switched allegiance later in life merely to

improve their chances of competing, and

possibly winning medals, at London 2012.

Now, I have some sympathy for the

argument. It’s pretty obvious to say that in

an ideal world, every national team should

contain only sportsmen who were born in

that country, have always held a passport

there, and can sing the national anthem.

But immediately that poses a problem

because, for all that he is now British, Mo

Farah wasn’t born here. Yet nobody in

their right mind would argue he shouldn’t

compete for us – so the hard and fast

rules become blurred already.

I don’t like the idea that British (in the

old-fashioned sense) athletes, who have

trained hard all their lives, may lose out to

the likes of Porter or Cox. But it’s too late

to have the argument now, a few months

before the opening ceremony.

And when our Australian boss talks

cricket here at Sport, he is not slow to

remind me that a large chunk of the

England team is not what you might call

traditionally English. I have absolutely no

counter-argument – but that’s how it is.

Rightly or wrongly, the plastic Brit debate

was over a long time ago.

There are now four UK golfers in the

world’s top seven, after Justin Rose’s

fine WGC win last weekend. Hard to

think that it’s 14 years since he shot to

prominence by almost winning the Open

Championship as a snotty-nosed

amateur, and I have a sneaking

suspicion that he may well be the next

Brit to win a major. The Masters is less

than a month away, and Rose plays

Augusta very well. When they’re putting

a green jacket on his lanky frame in the

Butler Cabin, don’t say I didn’t tell you.

And finally... all being well, the great Kauto Star runs in today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. If he wins, and I fancy he might, even the most hard-nosed bookmaker might become a little dewy-eyed, for we don’t see his like very often. It has been an absolute privilege to watch him run through his career. Win or lose, he’s the horse of a lifetime.

A plastic argumentUnfortunately, those banging the drum against the ‘plastic Brits’ have missed the boat

Agree or disagree? Tweet us @sportmaguk

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Plastic fantastic: like it or not, Porter is winning

medals for Team GB

Reader comments of the week

@simoncaney completely

agree. World golf has

become even more

exciting, with rankings

constantly changing.

@McIlroyRory’s the best

right now.

@nickjasonwarner

Twitter

@simoncaney Read your

article on AVB’s departure.

Exactly what I said from the

start. Nice to see a journalist

look deeper into the story.

@jack_bottomley

Twitter

With all the resources

available to English rugby

compared to the Celtic

countries, you laud them

for a narrow victory over

Scotland and a defeat to

Wales. Sorry – just not

good enough.

David, via email

@simoncaney Great data

visualisation of the

#6Nations so far in

@SportMagUK

#eggchasing

@robindthomas

Twitter

AVB just didn’t get the

team playing for him,

regardless of what went

on behind the scenes. The

manager at any football

club has to be accountable

for his team’s results.

John, via email

16 | March 16 2012 |

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You really do have to admire the stones on British

swimmer Robert Renwick (not literally, they’re not

visible in this shot – it’s cold). Not only did the young

Scottish Olympic hopeful have to beat a strong field

in the men’s 200m freestyle final at the British Gas

Swimming Championships last weekend, he also

had to swim around a cameraman anchored to the

bottom of the pool, holding a giant plastic camera

and asking him to smile. Unperturbed, our man

Renwick romped home in a bloody nice time.

Taking a dive

Radar Frozen in time

20 | March 16 2012 |

UNBEATFormula 1 roars back into action this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix. We preview t

at the defending champions, starting with technical director Adrian Newey’s thoughts on the

3. “The exhaust allowed us to run a high rear ride height. It’s much

more difficult without it, so we have to go back down and redevelop

the car around that lower ride height.”

The Big F1 Preview

| 21

ATABLE?

w the race and teams, and chat to McLaren’s British duo. But first, we go behind the scenes

RB8, Red Bull’s weapon in the fight for their third consecutive title...

2. “RB7 was designed around the side exhaust. We’ve had to go back

and look at how we developed the car, and re-evaluate the routes we

had taken that were only suitable for that exhaust position.”

1. “We’ve kept more or less the same chassis shape, but had

to drop the nose just in front of the bulkhead – which has led

us to what I’d probably say was a slightly ugly-looking nose.”

22 | March 16 2012 |

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The Big F1 Preview

Where are world champions made? In a high-tech academy?

On the streets, where the desire to escape a life of little is

the only motivation? Or on an unassuming industrial estate

on the outskirts of Milton Keynes? In F1, at least, it’s

definitely the latter.

Sport is sitting inside a largely unremarkable lobby on

that industrial estate, beside a cabinet struggling to contain

its contents. We’re here to meet Red Bull team principal

Christian Horner, who has overseen the team’s transformation

from the ruins of Jaguar through back-to-back F1 constructors’ and drivers’

championships, 27 race wins and 35 other podium finishes – and counting.

His, and their, success is clearly evident in the silver and glassware that wrestle

for space in a trophy cabinet fit to burst. Horner laughs when we mention this.

“It’s a good problem to have,” he says. “And there are quite a few that are

special in there – the first one from China, [which was] the one-two; the Monaco

victories; the first race in Abu Dhabi – they all have different sentimental value.”

The single piece that means the most might just be last season’s constructors’

trophy. Although Sebastian Vettel stole a large chunk of the limelight on his way

to becoming the sport’s youngest ever double champion, he was helped by the

early dominance of 2011’s RB7. “That was a great car,” says Horner. “But I think

as well that we matured as a team, we evolved as a team and did a great job as

a unit. We were reliable, we developed quicker than our opponents – we were

strong at circuits where we’d traditionally been weak. We won in Monza, we won

in Spa. Our strategy was good. Our pit stops were good – we covered all the bases.”

You get the impression, however, that Horner isn’t one to dwell on the past.

The team have been hard at work over the winter, covering all bases on what

they hope will be another title-winning car. “We’re always pushing the boundaries

– we need to keep evolving,” he explains, stopping short of revealing any secrets.

“Elements of the RB8 are very much an evolution of RB7. The main changes are

to the front of the car, with the new regulations, and to the diffuser – with the

banning of exhaust strategies and the constraint of exhaust position.”

All 12 teams will have had to adapt to these rule changes, and testing sessions

at Jerez and Barcelona offered tantalising hints at what will unfold this season.

“Hopefully we’ll be somewhere near the front,” says Horner, with genuine

modesty. “But it’s so difficult to tell, because with the different fuel loads it’s

impossible to clearly predict where we sit compared to Ferrari, McLaren and

Mercedes. It’s only when the fuel loads come out of the car in Q3 in Melbourne

when we’ll see very clearly what the starting team order is, and I’m sure that

will fluctuate as the team development gets under way.”

When it comes to development, Red Bull have an ace up up their exhaust pipe

in the form of Adrian Newey, their brilliant technical director who has designed

eight championship-winning cars. But Horner is quick to share the accolades

around, and also credits Red Bull’s independent nature – they’re not tied to the

whims of a car manufacturer in the same way as other teams.

“Adrian leads the technical team fantastically well,” says Horner. “But we have

tremendous strength in depth. The environment that we have is perhaps a little

different to other teams – our sole purpose and focus is to go racing.”

Having two supremely talented drivers helps. Frighteningly, Horner believes

“the best is yet to come” from his double world champion Vettel, and he thinks

Mark Webber has put a difficult 2011 behind him, too. “They’re both hungry and

competitive,” he says. “Which is what we want in our two race drivers.”

If their standards ever slip, Webber and Vettel know that there is younger

talent ready to take the wheel. The team’s development programme brought

Vettel into the sport, and has allowed the likes of Sebastian Buemi to gain

valuable Grand Prix experience through association with Toro Rosso.

“That’s an investment in the future,” explains Horner. “Our objective is to

maintain and build on the success we’ve achieved in the past few years. Within

seven seasons, to have won four World Championships (two drivers’, two

constructors’) is a great track record. and we’re keen to build on that. The

main thing is continuity and stability – it’s hugely important.”

Horner’s talk of continuity hints at a desire to build something enduring – but

will Red Bull still be being talked of in the same breath as F1 giants Ferrari and

McLaren in five years? Ten years? Fifty years? “I think what we’ve achieved

already has put us up there with some of the greater names,” he says. “We’re still a

young team, but we’ve made quite a big impact in the time we’ve been in the sport.

Hopefully we can continue to do that, with a few more trophies in that cabinet.” >

“WE’RE ALWAYS PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES”

RACE CALENDAR

ALL TIMES GMT. BBC HAS LIVE

COVERAGE OF 10 RACES AND

EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF

OTHERS WILL AIR AT 5.30PM

FOR EUROPEAN RACES AND

2PM FOR EARLY-MORNING

RACES. SKY SPORTS WILL

HAVE FULL LIVE COVERAGE

OF ALL RACES ON SKY

SPORTS F1 CHANNEL 408

MARCH 18, 6AM

AUSTRALIAN GP, MELBOURNE,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

MARCH 25, 9AM

MALAYSIAN GP, SEPANG,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

APRIL 15, 8AM

CHINESE GP, SHANGHAI,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

APRIL 22, 1PM

BAHRAIN GP, SAKHIR,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

Free for both existing

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The Big F1 Preview

24 | March 16 2012 |

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LEWIS HAMILTONWhat do you make of the car?

“It looks the business. The suspension geometry, the

way the front wing is, the way the bodywork is – it all

feels like it’s gone the right way. I spent a lot of time with

the engineers making sure we got the best view from the

mirrors, so there shouldn’t be any vibration from them and

it should be a lot clearer this year.”

How are you feeling going into your sixth season in F1?

“I’m starting to feel a bit old! It feels like such a short period of time since I was

at my first Grand Prix, and to think that I’m in my sixth season... has it been as

good as I had hoped? The experience has been as good as I had hoped and

dreamed of, but the results have not been as good as I had planned and set for

myself. I’m very fortunate that I’m relatively young and I’ve still got quite a bit of

my career ahead of me.”

Are you in a better place than you were at the start of last year?

“Yeah, absolutely. Last season I probably trained too much and didn’t spend

enough time with family and friends, which is just as important as your training.

This year I spent a lot of time evaluating where I had been and where I want to

go, re-evaluating my goals and my desires and how I achieve those. It’s quite

important to have those written out and understand them. I’ve got a lot of clarity

in my mind, so I feel very fresh right now – plus I’m very fit!”

What’s your aim this season?

“I never want to get ahead of myself, but the goal is to win the drivers’

championship. I feel like I can do that, and I feel like we’ve got the car. I plan

to be 100 per cent for that first race and operating at the best level I’ve ever

performed at. That’s always the goal, every year – sometimes you don’t reach

that, but I’m on a good course now.”

You might, having perused the last few pages, be under the impression that

the drivers’ championship is a foregone conclusion. McLaren’s British pairing

of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button would dispute that assessment. And they

were full of confidence for the new season when Sport caught up with them...THE CHALLENGERS

JENSON BUTTONThoughts on the car?

“I think it’s a beautiful car. You’re going to see some quite

unusual looking cars this year, but we’ve gone for a different

route and kept the beauty – not on purpose though. It looks

the same as last year to a lot of people, but for someone

who has been driving F1 cars for a lot of years, it is

very different.”

Are there any areas you’ll be looking to improve on?

“Parking in the right pit stop boxes – that’s the one thing that stands out! If I

wasn’t leading the race, it wouldn’t have been so embarrassing. But we’re all

very confident in our ability as drivers. I’m pretty confident in my ability to work

with a group of people, the engineers and mechanics, and have confidence that

I can help move this team forward. I’ve got a good group of people around me

which also helps – managers, my PR man, my physio. You have to have a good

relationship with him – I see him more than my girlfriend.”

What are your predictions for the season?

“It’s always very difficult to know at this point who is going to be strong. If you

look at the past few seasons, you would say that the Red Bulls are going to be

competitive – we don’t know how competitive, but they will be at the front.

The same with Ferrari and possibly with Mercedes – from what I’ve heard, they

started very early with their 2012 car. They’ve done that once before, when I was

there, and it worked pretty well for us then. It’s gonna be competitive at the front;

I also think you’ll see a much closer pack because of the change in regulations in

terms of the blown diffuser, so I think we’ll see a much closer fight.” >

Vodafone UK is giving all its customers the chance to be at some of Britain’s best

events, including exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the McLaren Technology Centre.

It’s Vodafone’s way of saying thank you. Join in at vodafone.co.uk/vip

RACE CALENDAR

MAY 13, 1PM

SPANISH GP, CATALUNYA,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

MAY 27, 1PM

MONACO GP, MONTE CARLO,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

JUNE 10, 7PM

CANADIAN GP, MONTREAL,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

JUNE 24, 1PM

EUROPEAN GP, VALENCIA,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

JULY 8, 1PM

BRITISH GP, SILVERSTONE,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

The Big F1 preview

26 | March 16 2012 |

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RACE CALENDAR

THE GRID 24 drivers, 20 races, 12 teams and six world champions

will be on the grid waiting for the lights to turn green on

Sunday. Former drivers turned BBC pundits Eddie Jordan

and Jaime Alguersuari talk us through what to expect in

JULY 22, 1PM

GERMAN GP, HOCKENHEIM,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

JULY 29, 1PM

HUNGARY GP, BUDAPEST,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

SEPTEMBER 2, 1PM

BELGIAN GP, SPA,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

SEPTEMBER 9, 1PM

ITALIAN GP, MONZA,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

SEPTEMBER 23, 1PM

SINGAPORE GP, MARINA BAY,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

RED BULL EJ: “They're a class act. The car is

an evolution of what went on last year.

The team's very well run, good finances

– Christian Horner does a good job.

Adrian Newey has matured – he's in

a different class as an engineer and

Sebastian is taking all the benefit.

That's not going to change.”

Sebastian Vettel is F1's youngest

double champion, the title holder

and undoubted favourite. 81 starts,

21 wins, 36 podiums. 2011: 1st

Mark Webber struggled with new

tyres last year, but hoping to be closer

to his teammate in 2012. 176 starts,

7 wins, 30 podiums. 2011: 3rd

McLARENEJ: “They have two ex-champions.

The way Jenson goes about his racing,

his lifestyle, he is a completely

different player to Lewis, who was at

a crossroads in his adult life last year.

McLaren will be very strong – even if

the cars not quite there, these two

have the ability to make it good.”

Jenson Button was World Champ in

2009 and had a good year last season,

with Canada the highlight. 208 starts,

12 wins, 43 podiums. 2011: 2nd

Lewis Hamilton’s personal problems

and on-track tangles made last year

tricky for the 2008 champion. 90 starts,

17 wins, 42 podiums. 2011: 5th

FERRARIEJ: “The jury is out on Ferrari. It all

depends if the car is half decent – we

all need to see Ferrari winning races,

but it’ll be a hard tussle between three

or four teams. They’ve made it very

clear to Massa: either perform, or it’s

the end of the road.”

Fernando Alonso, the double champ,

faces another hard year. 177 starts,


Felipe Massa has underperformed

and has not looked the same since his

injury in 2009. 152 starts, 11 wins,

33 podiums. 2011: 6th

TORO ROSSOJA: “They have some new people

working for them. The car is probably a

little better than last year, but it’s hard

to know until the first race. It’s still

difficult for them to develop the car

quickly – I would say they’ll get 8th or

maybe 7th in the championship.”

Daniel Ricciardo gets his first

chance at a full season after driving

half of 2011 for Hispania.

11 starts. 2011: 27th

Jean-Éric Vergne is a promising

young Frenchman promoted from test

driver for his first taste of race action.

MERCEDESEJ: “Schumacher will be strong – he

has taken me by surprise by even

enquiring about the renewal of the

contract. The car is clearly better, and

Mercedes realise that having Michael

there adds a huge amount of credibility

and marketing ability.”

Nico Rosberg outperformed Schumi,

and could challenge for wins if the car is

good.108 starts, 5 podiums. 2011: 7th

Michael Schumacher, the seven-time

champ, hasn’t excelled on his return

– could bow out this year. 287 starts,


FORCE INDIAEJ: “I’m so excited about this team.

I think the car is quite good, and

there’s still some Jordan DNA in

there, too. They’ll be the team that

I’ll be having a little glance over my

shoulder to see what is happening

with their great young drivers.”

Paul di Resta is looking to build on

a brilliant debut season in F1.

19 starts, 8 top 10. 2011: 13th

Nico Hülkenburg returns to the grid

after a year as a test driver, but he

showed promise in his previous stint.

19 starts, 1 pole, 7 top 10.

WILLIAMSEJ: “I can’t believe, after all these

years, that Rubens Barichello is not in

an F1 car. There’s been a huge change

at Williams – the car looks reasonable,

but they’ve lost Patrick [Head, director

of engineering] and they’ve lost Sam

[Michael, technical director]. We need

to see how the new people will gel.”

Pastor Maldonado is not a

clergyman, but a former GP2 champ

entering his second F1 season.

19 starts, 1 top 10. 2011: 19th

Bruno Senna reunites the Senna

name with Williams – a poignant move

for Ayrton’s nephew.

26 starts, 1 top 10 finish.

SAUBERJA: “They could battle for 7th, maybe

6th in the constructor's. Two good

drivers – Perez could be able to score

more points in his second year, and

Kobayashi had a great first half of the

season. They have a good car and were

very consistent, especially with tyres.”

Kamui Kobayashi is well placed to kick

on after nine points finishes last year.

40 starts, 18 top 10. 2011: 12th

Sergio Perez battled for points

throughout his debut season and

should do so again.17 starts, 5 top 10.

2011: 16th

| 27

THE INSIDE TRACK ON

BERNIE ECCLESTONE

faber.co.uk

The bestselling biography of Formula One's controversial genius

out now in paperback and ebook fromOCTOBER 7, 7AM

JAPANESE GP, SUZUKA,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

OCTOBER 14, 7AM

KOREAN GP, YEONGAM,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

LOTUS F1 (Formerly Renault)

JA: “It's difficult to call – they need to

show that they've developed the car,

especially from what it was in the last

part of last year. They have two good

drivers – I don't think Kimi will have

forgotten what an F1 car is – and they

can manage to be in the top five again.”

Kimi Räikkõnen Returns after two

years rallying – does he still have

the hunger? 156 starts, 18 wins,

62 podiums.

Romain Grosjean Had a handful of

races in 2009, and now returns for a

chance at a full season. 7 starts.

CATERHAM (Formerly Team Lotus)

JA: “I think Caterham have done a good

job – they’ve demonstrated that they

could feel why and how they were slow

and have made the updates work. And

they’ve shown that they’re developing,

and that’s positive.”

Heikki Kovalainen is an experienced

driver unlikely to surprise – he hasn’t

scored a point since 2009. 89 starts,

1 win, 4 podiums. 2011: 22nd

Vitaly Petrov‘s podium in Australia last

year set the tone for a strong season.

38 starts, 1 podium. 2011: 10th

HRTJA: “Very difficult in terms of the

economic situation. It’s not just the

money, it’s the experience. They will be

very close to Marussia, but the thing will

be to finish races. They demonstrated

more than Virgin that they were able to,

so I’d rank them in 11th place.”

Narain Karthikeyan rejoined F1 for

half of last year with HRT, but struggled.

27 starts, 1 top 10 finish. 2011: 26th

Pedro de la Rosa Experienced

Spaniard returns to the grid after

testing for Sauber last season.

86 starts, 1 podium. 2011: 20th

MARUSSIA (Formerly Virgin)

JA: “To be a new F1 team is never easy.

In terms of development, logistics,

drivers – everything is complicated.

They’ve been developing the car with a

computer, which for me doesn’t make

much sense, but it’s a problem of cost.”

Timo Glock has stalled since leaving

Toyota, and doesn’t look set to change.

72 starts, 3 podiums. 2011: 25th

Charles Pic was mentored, ominously,

by Olivier Panis. Marussia’s new signing

came 4th in GP2 last year. >

The Big F1 preview

28 | March 16 2012 |

HOT AIR

The biggest change

for 2012 is the ban

on off-throttle blown

diffusers, which were

a big talking point

early last season.

They enabled the

cars to blow exhaust

gases through the

engine even when the

car was off-throttle,

boosting rear

downforce to improve cornering performance. Blown floors were banned for the

British Grand Prix before being reinstated for the remainder of last season, but

they're definitely off the menu this time around, which has led to a radical re-think

in car design as teams compensate for the loss of downforce through the corners.

Sky commentator Anthony Davidson thinks the drivers will be able to drive

much more traditionally. “They're not having to rev the engine under braking,

they're not having to trail the throttle through the corner,” he says. “They haven't

got the luxury of the blown floor on-throttle anymore, so you'll probably see the

cars a little bit slower in qualifying, when fuel is around the 10-kilo mark, but in

the race you won't see that much difference in lap times because they're not

having to carry excess fuel anymore to burn off-throttle.”

NOSE JOB

As curtains were lifted, lights undimmed or branded covers pulled off, there

were gasps of horror from assembled journalists and racing fans. The face of

F1 had been cruelly disfigured, with every team but McLaren unveiling an 'ugly'

stepped nose. It's not all about looks, of course, but don't try telling that to Sky's

disgusted analyst Ted Kravitz. “They're not going to win any championships for

beauty,” he says. “The front of the nose was lowered this year because of

worries about a side-impact crash. The noses were getting higher and higher

because the designers wanted it for aerodynamic reasons, but they were coming

to the stage where, if you spin and hit another driver, they might come over the

side of the cockpit and hit the other driver in the head.”

McLaren's deviation from the stepped norm is because this rule was initially

planned to come in last year, so they pre-empted it in their 2011 design, and

were able to maintain their sleek schnoz.

WHEEL TO WHEEL

Last year's Pirelli tyres were designed to bring a measure of unpredictability to

the sport, as they deteriorated quickly, bringing strategic pit stop decisions to

the fore. However, by the end of the year, teams had largely got to grips with the

new tyres, and learned to take care of them to maximise performance. The Italian

tyre manufacturer has shaken things up again with their 2012 compounds – the

four slick tyre compounds are softer than last year, with increased grip and better

performance. It will take teams and drivers a while to adjust their race strategies

and driving styles, which should create some uncertainty in the opening rounds.

NEW YEAR, NEW RULES

Sky F1 commentators David Croft and

Anthony Davidson will guide us around each

circuit before every race this year. Here

are their thoughts on the season's opener

in Melbourne...AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

Sky Sports F1 HD – the only place to enjoy live coverage of each Grand Prix, including all

practice and qualifying sessions

RACE CALENDAR

OCTOBER 28, 9.30AM

INDIAN GP, NEW DELHI,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

NOVEMBER 4, 1PM

ABU DHABI GP, YAS MARINA,LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

NOVEMBER 18, 7PM

UNITED STATES GP, AUSTIN,LIVE ON SKY, BBC HIGHLIGHTS

NOVEMBER 25, 4PM

BRAZILIAN GP, INTERLAGOS, LIVE ON BBC AND SKY

LAPS 58CIRCUIT LENGTH 5.303KMRACE DISTANCE 307.574KMLAP RECORD 1:24.125 – M SCHUMACHER (2004)

2011 RESULT

1 SEBASTIAN VETTEL (RED BULL)2 LEWIS HAMILTON (McLAREN)3 VITALY PETROV (RENAULT)

SPORT’S PREDICTION

1 SEBASTIAN VETTEL (RED BULL)2 LEWIS HAMILTON (McLAREN)3 JENSON BUTTON (McLAREN)

ROUND 1 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX MARCH 18

START

SCHEDULE (GMT)

SATURDAY MARCH 17 QUALIFYING 6AM SUNDAY MARCH 18 RACE 6AM

DC (far left): “Australia's great because

it's the start of the season, but it's a

tricky race to get right for the teams

because the track will start off in one

condition, and it will end up in a totally

different condition because it's the only

time you go racing on it all year. There's

one short straight and for the rest

you're picking a line through curves and

bends. Not a huge amount of overtaking last year – DRS didn't work in Australia,

but it's been re-tweaked with two zones so hopefully we'll get a better race

this year.

AD: “It's one of those tracks that creates a lot of atmosphere for the fans and the

drivers. Technically the circuit doesn't look like much, but it is very technical. It is

a street circuit and that's easy to forget, and as soon as you mention that, you

know it's gonna be tough. The barriers, the gravel traps – they're all there to

catch you out, and you have to really dial yourself in as a driver around this track.”

DC: “What I love is that seasons are not won and lost at that first corner, but

every single driver hurtles into it like they are, and that's what you want.”

AD: “It's definitely one of the trickiest turn 1s that we see, and it's pretty much

guaranteed to create some kind of chaos at the start – you see bodywork flying

off cars and one or two spinning round. It's a treacherous corner, quite a fast

corner taken in third gear at 125mph – it's a fast apex and it's single file, so it

really is tough to get right. Turn 3 caught Karun Chandhok out first thing last

year – it's a good overtaking spot as well. Then you've got the faster section of

the track – turns 11 and 12 and that opens up your third potential overtaking

place into Ascari, the third gear right-hander at the end of that back straight.”

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

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SATURDAY England v Ireland | Twickenham | 5pm BBC1

“ENGLAND WERE UNLUCKY. WE ARE ONLY ONE BAD COURTNEY LAWES CARRY AWAY FROM A GRAND SLAM”

| March 16 2012 | 31

Six Nations 2012

PRIDE RESTORED

An impressive win in Paris last

weekend made it three wins out

of four for Stuart Lancaster’s

England in the Six Nations. Ahead

of their final day showdown with

Ireland tomorrow, World Cup-

winning centre Will Greenwood

gives us his thoughts on the new

look England and why that victory

in France has seen a measure of...

SO FAR, SO GOODThree wins is great, but I think the most

important thing so far is that I’ve really

enjoyed the England games. I’ve enjoyed

watching them, seeing the work rate on the

field, their whole attitude. I think the man on

the street loves what they’re doing because

they get stuck in and have a go. They’re not

perfect, by any means, but people can

forgive that because the hunger, drive and

commitment keeps everyone a lot happier.

And, to be fair, England are one bad Courtney

Lawes carry away from a Grand Slam. Wales

won, but England were very unlucky. They shut

down Wales at Twickenham and forced them

to do things they didn’t want to do. They shut

down Scotland and defended for their lives,

and they were indifferent at times against

Italy, but had the strength of character to be

patient and not panic. Obviously their best

passage was the first 20-25 minutes against

France, but that was clearly helped by

France seemingly playing with a handicap.

I don’t know what’s going on with them.

Ask anyone who has played in Paris and they

will tell you the first 20 minutes is normally

an onslaught of noise and physicality. But they

just didn’t turn up for the first 20-30 minutes.

BIG DEFENCEI’ve been particularly impressed with the

physicality of this English defence, and the

hunger to make tackles. There are two main

ways to defend on a rugby pitch: the first is

the very well organised method, controlling

channels, shutting off options and squeezing

teams; the second is saying ‘right, fellas,

let’s go and make some big tackles’. England

are very much from the latter camp, which

has been drilled into Saracens by Paul

Gustard and then brought to the national

team by Andy Farrell. The basic idea is

rushing up in defence and making huge hits

to put the opposition under pressure while

accepting that you will leave an occasional gap.

ATTACK ON THE UPLancaster’s attacking attitude has come

under fire. I think it’s been a bit unfair

because any team takes time to adjust and

gel. They’ll be frustrated with the first two

games – although it would have taken the

Harlem Globetrotters to perform in that

weather in Italy – but Manu Tuilagi’s return to

the centres has really helped. Charlie Hodgson,

Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt know each

other well and played well together, but there

has been a lack of pace in the three quarters.

I know Tuilagi’s try came from a turnover, but

the fact was we had an outside break in the

three quarters. One member of your midfield

three has to have an outside break because it

keeps opposition defences guessing and

creates half gaps, and that balance is there

now that Tuilagi’s back. >

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

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32 | March 16 2012 |

Six Nations 2012

IRISH THREATIreland have a good track record against

England and have a great team, even without

two huge key men in Brian O’Driscoll and Paul

O’Connell. Their back row is exceptional and

Rory Best is an outstanding hooker, while I

love the two lads who have come in to the

forwards: Peter O’Mahony and Donnacha

Ryan. Eoin Reddan puts tempo on the ball,

Tommy Bowe is a try line sniffer, Kearney is

arguably the best full back in the tournament

in terms of an attacking threat, and I just

really rate Jonathan Sexton – he attacks

teams and plays with a real confidence.

If there’s a barometer for Ireland, though,

it’s Stephen Ferris. Wales removed him from

the game and went on to win, in the same

way that Ireland removed Thierry Dusautoir

from the first half in Paris and won the half

17-6. You’ve got to get Ferris and get him

out of the game. Don’t give him any soft

targets to smash backwards behind the gain

line, and when he carries, you just have to

chop him down. He gets those massive Ulster

quads going and Ireland get going forward.

The midfield looks really strong, but if you

put pressure on them and shut the door, they

aren’t going to create too much. Pressure

the midfield and stop Ferris – then you go a

long way to stopping this side.

GAMEPLAN V IRELANDI was never really one for gameplans, even

as a player. I understand you have to pick out

particular moves that might isolate a poor

defender or get into a defensive system that

has a weakness, but gameplans sometimes

can have an element of smoke and mirrors,

because they don’t tend to change. You have

to win your set pieces, though, and England

know they can’t afford to give too much ball

to Ireland. We’re getting better at restarts,

which is like the third set piece. The most

important thing to do at home is exactly what

England did against Wales, and what France

haven’t been doing: maintain their high levels

of physical intensity and take their chances.

The Twickenham fans just want to get up

off their seats, so that’s the gameplan right

there – make some big tackles, make a

couple of nice turnovers, kick a penalty

from the touchline and when you get the

ball – take them on. Get the crowd on your

side and the rest will follow.

PREDICTIONI have to believe England can win because I

come from an era when you didn’t lose at

home. I just feel that, out of two Six Nations

home games, you have to win one. The

adrenaline, the crowd and the wave of

emotion that’s going through English rugby

right now will surely help, so even though we

really need France to do us a favour in Wales,

I think we’ll beat Ireland. However, I thought

Scotland would beat England and they didn’t.

I thought England would beat Wales and they

didn’t. I thought England would lose by two to

France and they didn’t, so my calling results

has been terrible so far – maybe part of me

wants to say Ireland to win, just in case!

Mark Coughlan @coffers83

Will Greenwood and Austin Healey’s Super

Skills Travel gives children the chance to

receive coaching from rugby legends as

part of a luxury family holiday. For more

information, visit superskillstravel.com

“WHEN STEPHEN FERRIS CARRIES,

YOU HAVE TO CHOP HIM DOWN. STOP FERRIS AND YOU

GO A LONG WAY TO STOPPING THIS IRELAND SIDE”

If England lose to Ireland,

they’ll become the first

side in 28 years – since

Wales in the 1984 Five

Nations – to win all their

away games and lose

all their home games

in the championship




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accuracy of a QWERTY keyboard with the responsive control of a touchscreen.

WALES V FRANCE




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and organise events quicker than ever before. Time to say goodbye to your old phone?

ITALY V SCOTLANDScotland aren’t likely to change their gameplan now. They’ve unearthed a few

quality kids and they’ll be playing running rugby, but they need to stop conceding

daft points. In fact, this is the battle of the daft conceding teams. That’s not rude,

but you win tight games – and so many games in the Six Nations are tight – by not

coughing up a daft seven-pointer. Both these sides have been doing that, and

they’re not good enough to give handicap starts to the better sides. The battle in

the back row will be enthralling – this is the battle of the unrecognised sevens

between Simone Favaro and Ross Rennie. Sergio Parisse has been quality, as

always, for the Italians, but it’s mainly thanks to the hard work of the two men

alongside him each week. Favaro in particular has been superb. As for Rennie, he’s

the unsung worker in the Scottish pack. We’re always talking about the quality

sevens in the other four sides in the tournament, but there’s a great battle going

on in Italy. These are two desperate sides – not desperate in terms of quality, but

desperate to get that win and not get the wooden spoon. Italy are at home, which

gives them an advantage, but Scotland have been more unlucky than the Italians

and have looked more threatening. Genuinely, you could toss a coin, because this

will be a belting game that will go to the wire. Da

vid

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Fin

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, Stu

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Saturday Italy v Scotland Stadio Olimpico | 12.30pm

Saturday Wales v France Millennium Stadium | 2.45pm BBC1

France are the ultimate party poopers, so they will thrive on this kind of game.

They ruined Wales’ party at the World Cup, and that came mainly from their utter

dominance in the lineout and stealing some key balls, so Wales need to guard

against that happening again. Everyone will go with Wales, because France haven’t

been that good. But France surely won’t pick Dupuy and Beauxis at half backs

again, so they’ll have a bit more threat about them. On top of that, it’s inconceivable

that they’ll cough up another easy 14 or 17 points in the first 15 minutes, and they

always have Wesley Fofana. Wales have the Millennium Stadium factor and a superb

backline, so they’ll be looking to get on the front foot early on. Toby Faletau has

been superb all tournament, while Leigh Halfpenny has been kicking brilliantly and

is improving with every game. Wales need an early settler. If they get that, they

could be quite comfortable. If they don’t get that early on, it could be a very nervy

afternoon, and France will have a chance to win it – it will come down to whether

they take it or not. Wales have come from behind late on twice in this year’s

tournament, and they might well need to do it again here, because the French

will lead at times.

| 33

Greenwood on the other games...

Well, who would have thought it? After trialling

their cross-town rivals for most of the season,

Man United are back on their familiar top-of-the-

table perch as we reach the business end of

the season. But with 10 games to go, will they be able to hold

on for a 20th league title? Will Chelsea recover to claim that

Champions League place? Will Wigan finally get sucked down?

We asked the clever people at Smartodds to predict what the

final Premier League table will look like, and the outcomes of

some key games, and then used information to make our own

guess about what exactly will happen in the title race. You can

see where your team finishes at the end of the piece. But first,

here’s the story of how Sport thinks the season will unfold...

34 | March 16 2012 |

Premier League: the last 10 games

SPOILER ALERT

THE TITLE RACEThe story so far:Both sides started the season brightly, United

topping the table early on thanks to six wins and

two draws from their first eight games. City kept

pace with them though, and gained the lead after

the Reds failed to beat Liverpool. The following

game, they went to Old Trafford and handed out a

famous 6-1 drubbing to consolidate their position

at the top. It took until December for City to lose,

and they remain undefeated at home. United fell

further behind after back-to-back defeats to

Blackburn and Newcastle, but City’s loss to

Swansea last weekend allowed United back on

top by a point.

Wolves 0-4 MU

March 18, 1.30pm

MC 3-2 Chelsea

March 21, 7.45pm

United continue

their fine form

with a thrashing of

beleaguered Wolves to

stretch the gap to four

points, with City playing

in midweek. They edge a

frantic encounter at the

Etihad, giving Roberto Di

Matteo his first defeat

as caretaker boss of

Chelsea.

Stoke 1-1 MC

March 24, 5.30pm

MU 1-1 Fulham

March 26, 8pm

Both sides struggle to

break down stubborn

defences – City's failure

to beat Stoke means

United can move three

points clear if they beat

Fulham at Old Trafford,

but they're unable to do

so – relying on a late

equaliser to collect even

a point.

MC 3-1 Sunderland

March 31, 3pm

Blackburn 2-3 MU

April 2, 8pm

City look back to their

best with a comfortable

home win over

Sunderland, which takes

them back to the top of

the table for a couple of

days, while United race

into a comfortable lead

at half time in their game

in hand, but almost

throw it away in the

second half against

Blackburn.

MU 2-1 QPR

April 8, 1.30pm

Arsenal 2-2 MC

April 8, 4pm

United stretch their

unbeaten run to 12

league games, while

City come up against a

revitalised Arsenal at

the Emirates – motivated

by their push for Europe,

the Gunners fight hard in

front of their home

crowd for a share of the

spoils and the gap

between the title

contenders widens to

three points.

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67

69

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The final outcome: Man Utd 90pts Man City 85pts

That win in the Manchester derby still won’t be

enough to prise the Premier League trophy from

Sir Alex’s clammy hands, as City falter under the

pressure. So it’s a 20th league title for the Red

Devils, by a five-point margin (predicted by

Smartodds) that would have seemed unthinkable

earlier in the year.

Smartodds’ title prediction: United 68% City 32%

Jo

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| 35

There’s just 10 games left in the Premier League season, and there’s everything to play for in the title race, European campaign and relegation battle. We look at the remaining fixtures and make some predictions, with a little help...

MC 2-1 WBA

April 11, 7.45pm

Wigan 0-2 MU

April 11, 7.45pm

Routine wins for

both sides against

relegation strugglers,

and the gap stands at

three points with five

games to go, and all

eyes are on the derby

match at the end

of April.

Norwich 1-1 MC

April 14, 12.45pm

MU 3-0 Aston Villa

April 15, 4pm

Again City drop points

away from home, Grant

Holt proving a thorn in

the side of their

defence, while United

romp to a comfortable

3-0 win against a poor

Villa team, Ashley Young

terrorising his old side.

MU 1-1 Everton

April 22, 12.30pm

Wolves 0-2 MC

April 22, 4pm

A ray of light for Roberto

Mancini, as United drop

points against a

stubborn Everton team.

Another defeat for

Wolves spells the end for

Terry Connor, and Mick

McCarthy is brought

back in on an emergency

contract. The gap is just

three points, so a derby

win for City will take

them level on points...

MU 1-0 Swansea

May 6, 2pm

Newcastle 1-0 Man City

May 6, 2pm

All City have to do is win

their final two games

and the title will be

theirs, but they don’t

count on Newcastle

suddenly rediscovering

their defensive form

from earlier in the

season. For 90 minutes,

they pour forward, but

are denied time and time

again by Tim Krul, and

Demba Ba sneaks in at

the other end to rob City.

Sunderland 1-2 Man Utd

May 13, 3pm

Man City 1-1 QPR

May 13, 3pm

United know that a win

will seal the title on the

last day, but they leave it

typically late, going a

goal down to Sunderland

before recovering in the

second half through a

Rooney brace. City drop

points at home for the

first time all season with

a draw against QPR, but

the United win means it

wouldn’t have mattered.

Key game: Man City v Man Utd

April 30, 8pm

Our rather un-scientific

predictions see City

falling behind their rivals

by this stage, but with the

chance to draw level. We

asked Smartodds to

predict the outcome

using their much more

scientific approach. They

give the advantage to City

in this tie, predicting a 45

per cent chance of a home

win, a 29 per cent chance

of a United win, and a 26

per cent chance of a draw.

Sport’s prediction:

Man City 3-1 Man Utd

Keen to avoid another

heavy loss, United send

out a defensive side but

City take an early lead.

A second before half time

is answered by a Wayne

Rooney strike, but Carlos

Tevez comes off the

bench for City to secure

all three points.

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78

C83

C81

84 C84 C84

87

C85

90

EUROPEWith the title now a two horse

race, there will be a lot of

focus on who is going to get

those coveted Champions

League places and who will be

stuck with those rather less

coveted Europa League spots.

SmartOdds predicts that

Spurs will comfortably secure

third place, but it will go right

to the wire for the fourth

Champions League spot, with

the game between Arsenal

and Chelsea on April 21

proving pivotal. Smartodds

predict an Arsenal win

(W/L/D%: 43/31/26) which

will help them secure

Champions League football for

the 16th successive season

on goal difference over the

Blues, who will have to face

the Europa League. Joining

them in the top six will be

Liverpool, whose game

against Newcastle on April

Fool’s Day could prove crucial

to edging out the Magpies.

SmartOdds predicts an away

win for Kenny and his team

(W/L/D%: 41/32/27), a result

that will mean Liverpool match

last season’s final position.

RELEGATIONFive managers are nervously

counting the remaining

fixtures and wondering where

they’re going to pick up

enough points to stay in the

division. Smartodds number-

crunchers are pretty sure

which three will be facing the

drop. They predict a Bolton

win over Blackburn on March

24 (W/L/D%:45/29/26), which

will be enough to lift them out

of the relegation zone come

the end of the season. Wigan,

meanwhile, will manage to

beat Wolves on the last day

(W/L/D%: 48/26/26), but it’s

too little too late and both

teams go down, with QPR.

As predicted by Smartodds. Smartodds is a

market-leading company providing statistical

research and football modelling services.

Visit www.smartodds.co.uk

36 | March 16 2012 |

Premier League: the last 10 games

final table1 Man United 90

2 Man City 85

3 Tottenham 71

4 Arsenal 68

5 Chelsea 68

6 Liverpool 60

7 Newcastle 57

8 Everton 53

9 Sunderland 50

10 Fulham 50

11 Stoke 49

12 West Bromwich 49

13 Swansea 48

14 Norwich 46

15 Aston Villa 44

16 Blackburn 35

17 Bolton 34

18 Wolverhampton 31

19 Queens Park Rangers 30

20 Wigan 29

Europa %

League Chance

Chelsea 43

Arsenal 26

Spurs 16

Liverpool 11

Newcastle 4

Going %

Down Chance

Wigan 87

QPR 83

Wolves 73

Bolton 32

Blackburn 24

Champions %

League Chance

Spurs 82

Arsenal 69

Chelsea 45

Liverpool 3

Newcastle 1

So there you have it – Man Utd will

win the title, by a surprisingly

large margin of five points. City's

form will falter in the high pressure

games late on, but they'll still be rewarded

with a return to the Champions League.

Spurs will hold on for third, despite a

dramatic collapse in form, and Arsenal's

revival will be enough to get them to Europe’s

top table on goal difference. Chelsea and

Liverpool, so desperate for that place, will

have to console themselves with places in the

Europa League. At the other end of the table,

it'll be a story of too little too late for two

clubs who made managerial changes – Terry

Connor and Mark Hughes unable to do enough

to keep Wolves and QPR up. Wigan,

meanwhile, who’ve relied on miracles to stay

in the league as long as they have, will finally

drop to the Championship. Now all that's left

is to sit back and watch it unfold...

Amit Katwala @amitkatwala

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38 | March 16 2012 |

Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup

Run over three and a quarter miles of undulating Gloucestershire countryside, the Gold Cup is the race to which

the entire Cheltenham Festival builds. This year’s renewal looks like an absolute cracker, and it takes place today

Expert view with Paul Kealy of the Racing Post

The legendary Kauto Star will raise the roof if he

can land a third Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup at

the age of 12, five years after winning his first

– and the bookmakers certainly give him a

major shot of doing so. Kauto, who made it

five King George VI Chase wins at Kempton in

December, is second favourite behind last

year’s winner Long Run, but has beaten that

one on both their starts this year.

The big worry is that, as he approaches

retirement, the best chaser of his generation is

beginning to look a little short of stamina for the

Gold Cup trip. Long Run arguably has the best

claims around Cheltenham, but though the pair

are well above the rest in terms of form, this

may not be a two-horse race – particularly

with Long Run’s jumping remaining a worry.

Synchronised proved himself a proper Grade

1 horse when slamming Ireland’s best in the

Lexus over Christmas, and all he needs is a bit

of cut in the ground to be a factor. But just as

interesting is Nicky Henderson’s supposed

second string, Burton Port (above, nearest),

who almost beat stablemate Long Run on his

return from more than a year off at Newbury

in February. Though receiving 10lbs that day,

he is entitled to improve for the outing, and is

the value each-way shout against the big two.

So, it’s finally here. Three days of scintillating racing from

Prestbury Park have been completed, leaving just seven

races of the 2012 Cheltenham Festival to be decided.

Of those seven, however, one stands head and shoulders

above the others: the Gold Cup, to determine which horse

is the best staying chaser in the country, and thus the

unofficial king of National Hunt racing.

And what a race we have. After all the rumours, doubts and

scares, the great Kauto Star has been cleared to take part in his

sixth (and probably final) Gold Cup by trainer Paul Nicholls. The

two-time winner is a story all in himself, and with that in mind we

have dedicated the third page in our big-race preview to a look back

at his own special relationship with this race.

Before that, though, we take a look at every horse lining up to take

its place in the 2012 renewal, with defending champion Long Run set

to start favourite under amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen. It’s a

fascinating race with any number of possible outcomes, and we’ve

nailed our colours to the mast over to the right. If you want a genuine

expert’s opinion, however, you could do much worse than read what

Racing Post betting editor Paul Kealy has to say first. Best of luck

with whatever you back, though – and enjoy the race.

GOLDEN DELICIOUS

| 39

In association with

Burton Port (Official rating 166)

Nominally trainer Nicky

Henderson’s second

string, but the eight-

year-old returned from

a 16-month layoff with

an encouraging second

behind stablemate Long

Run at Newbury last

month. Second in the

RSA Chase (finishing

ahead of Long Run) two

years ago, Burton Port

is a strong stayer who

could well put it up the

big two in the straight.

BetfredCheltenhamGold Cup: Runners and Riders

Captain Chris

(164)

Eight-year-old chaser

that won last year’s

Arkle Chase over two

miles and was third

behind Long Run and

Kauto Star in this year’s

King George. Jumped

violently right-handed on

this track last time out,

though, and at the time

of writing looked more

likely to run in the

Ryanair Chase on

Thursday.

Carruthers (151)

Hennessy Gold Cup

winner at Newbury in

November and finished

fourth in this race two

years ago, but managed

only ninth in the big one

12 months ago and was

pulled up in the Welsh

National last time out.

Not wanting for

enthusiasm, but a bit

short on class.

China Rock (152)

Irish challenger that

travelled well for a long

time in the 2011

renewal, then weakened

tamely before the home

turn and eventually

pulled up. Has only been

seen twice since, neither

time to much effect,

and cannot really be

considered a genuine

challenger.

Diamond

Harry (160)

Very talented nine-year-

old that looked like a

potential star when

holding off Burton Port

in the 2010 Hennessy,

but has never looked

entirely happy at

Cheltenham and is a

fragile sort that trainer

Nick Williams has

withdrawn late a couple

of times already this

season. Would take a

leap of faith to back him.

Knockara

Beau (147)

Likeable big chaser

that has shown a

penchant for flying up

the aforementioned

Cheltenham hill in the

past, but the nine-year-

old has never looked up

to this class and is set

to start at long odds for

a reason. One to be

discounted.

Kauto Star (183)

Two-time winner

needs no introduction,

but no horse older than

10 has won the Gold

Cup since 1969 – and

Kauto is 12. Has the

brilliant Ruby Walsh on

board, and looked

awesome in beating

Long Run twice this

term – but was a doubt

for this until Monday.

Questions remain as

to whether his old

legs can get up the

Cheltenham hill quite

as fast as they used to.

Long Run (182)

Reigning champ that

should be approaching

his peak as a seven-

year-old, but has been

done over twice by

Kauto Star this season

amid concerns about

his jumping – and not

everyone was impressed

with his win over Burton

Port at Newbury last

time. That’s open to

discussion, but he will

still start favourite –

and if his jumping holds

up he won’t be far away

up the run-in.

Midnight

Chase (163)

Ten-year-old that

absolutely loves

Cheltenham and hacked

up in the Argento Chase

(a recognised trial for

this race) last time out.

That form gives him an

each-way chance and he

may get his own way out

in front for a circuit, but

he managed only fifth in

this race last year and

will probably fill about

the same spot again.

Quel Esprit (160)

Pick of the Irish

challengers, and has to

be respected coming

from the ultra-strong

stable of Willie Mullins.

The eight-year-old has

come good with three

wins from three starts

this season after a

series of falls (including

at Cheltenham) in his

novice campaign, but

his rating of 160 leaves

him well short of the

big boys. Place chance

at best.

Synchronised (167)

Welsh National winner

in early 2011 that

belied his reputation

as a heavy-ground,

long-distance slogger

by winning the Grade 1

Lexus Chase in Ireland by

a street over Christmas.

Will have the benefit of

the legendary AP McCoy

in the saddle, but his

jumping isn’t the slickest

and this track might just

expose that.

The Midnight

Club (145)

Twice placed in two

previous visits to the

festival, so likes the

track, but The Midnight

Club is the lowest-rated

horse in the field and

is using this primarily

as a warm-up for next

month’s Grand National.

Expect to see us mention

him in much more

excitable terms then.

The Giant

Bolster (160)

Another prone to the

odd jumping howler,

but he hosed up in a

competitive handicap

at the track in

January and looks well

suited to his new

front-running tactics.

Lacks the class for

this, however, and

unlikely to be sighted

come the finish.

Time For

Rupert (153)

One of many horses

to run second behind

Big Buck’s over hurdles

at Cheltenham, much

was expected for his

switch to fences last

season – but, after an

encouraging start, things

have gone a bit awry.

Did beat The Giant

Bolster at Newbury in

December, but that ain’t

the form he needs to be

challenging for this.

Weird Al (164)

Has benefited from the

move to Grand National-

winning trainer Donald

McCain’s stable this

year, and wasn’t far

behind Kauto Star and

Long Run at Haydock in

November. Hasn’t been

seen then, but runs best

fresh and has been

aimed at this all season.

Each-way potential, even

though he was pulled up

in this last season.

What A Friend (165)

Part-owned by Sir Alex

Ferguson, so in theory

should look absolutely

terrible but still win

– and his fourth in this

last year, beaten only 11

lengths, gives him a good

shout. Looks a tricky ride

at times, however, and

hasn’t always convinced

with his jumping.

The VerdictThe heart says Kauto

Star and the head says

Long Run, but neither

look great value at the

likely prices, so we’re

tempted to take them on.

And, in a rare display of

accord with our expert

tipster, we’re going for

Burton Port to upset the

big boys – he’ll need to

improve on his comeback

run at Newbury, but the

vibes have been good

and he’ll run to the line.

An each-way steal.

Friday

3.20pm | Channel 4

and Racing UK

40 | March 16 2012 |

Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup

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In association with

Ahead of what could well be the great Kauto Star’s final race in today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, we take a nostalgic look

back at his five previous efforts in the festival’s showpiece race. A tale of ups and downs that brings a tear to the eye...

2007: A star is bornTwelve months after falling

when favourite for the two-mile

Champion Chase, the seven-year-old Kauto

Star returned as 5/4 favourite to atone in

the big race. A first victory in the three-mile

King George Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day

hadn’t quiet allayed fears over such a pacy

horse’s ability to see out the full three and a

quarter miles of the Gold Cup trip – but we

needn’t have worried. After sitting easily in

midfield for a circuit, jockey Ruby Walsh

pressed the button two out; and Kauto duly

accelerated away from the AP McCoy-ridden

Exotic Dancer in second. Job done, and Gold

Cup number one for both horse and jockey.

2008: The enemy withinKauto returned to defend his crown

on the back of a second King

George victory and bloodless win in the

Ascot Chase in February. Old foe Exotic

Dancer was back for another crack, but the

10/11 favourite’s main threat came from the

stable next door at trainer Paul Nicholls’

Somerset yard. The eight-year-old Denman,

known as The Tank for the relentless way he

had galloped rivals into the ground during an

FIVE STAR

unbeaten start to his chasing career, was a

well-fancied 9/4 shot on the day. And, on

ground a little softer than Kauto would have

liked, Denman was true to his reputation,

tanking to a seven-length win under Sam

Thomas. Kauto battled bravely on for second.

2009: History in the makingDespite winning a third King George

on his way to the festival, Kauto

arrived for the Gold Cup with one key stat

against him: namely, that no horse in history

had ever regained the Cheltenham crown.

As a horse, however, he didn’t know that; and,

with Denman not long back from a serious

heart problem, the bookies again sent him off

favourite at 7/4. It was a price Kauto made

look generous – on favoured quicker ground,

the nine-year-old cruised through to lead in

the straight and flew to a stunning 13-length

victory from the valiant Denman, with Exotic

Dancer back in third. History was made.

2010: A hero fallsA third Gold Cup meeting between

Kauto and Denman was sold as a

two-horse race, the rest nowhere, to decide

which Paul Nicholls star was the greatest.

Kauto had won a fourth King George in his

prep, Denman a magnificent second

Hennessy... nothing, it was thought, could

spoil the party. Again under Walsh, Kauto was

sent off the 8/11 favourite; but he made one

awful blunder on the first lap, and had just

started to struggle when taking a crashing

fall four from home. Missing his great rival,

Denman could only plug on for second as the

nine-year-old Imperial Commander romped in

by seven lengths. The end of an era?

2011: Proud in defeatA fifth Gold Cup appearance for

Kauto came in the wake of his first

defeat in the King George, where the

precocious six-year-old Long Run had burst

his bubble in devastating fashion. At the age

of 11, time seemed to be against the two-time

winner. He started third favourite behind Long

Run and Imperial Commander. But with the

latter in trouble some way out and the

former’s jumping unconvincing, Kauto turned

for home upsides his old mate Denman. The

two looked set for an emotional battle up the

straight, but the hill proved too much for both

as Long Run rallied to claim glory. Kauto,

beaten but unbowed, finished a tired third.

Of his 40 starts under

rules, Kauto Star has won

more than half. A barely

believable 16 of his 23

victories have been in

Grade 1 races, helping

him to career earnings

of almost £2.5m

Focus 2012 133 Days to go

42 | March 16 2012 |

THE VENUEBit of a no-brainer, this one. The Royal

Artillery Barracks on the edge of Woolwich

Common will host the Olympic shooting

events this summer, providing a suitably

military backdrop to the discipline.

While the Royal Artillery ended their use

of the historic barracks in 2007, it has been

designated one of the Ministry of Defence’s

‘core sites’ – and its famous facade will no

doubt be popping up repeatedly throughout

the sport’s television coverage.

Some of the actual trigger-pulling,

however, will be done inside the rather more

modern (for which read less aesthetically

attractive) temporary venues positioned a

safe distance from the barracks’ frontage.

White blocks studded with brightly coloured

circular, er, projections will house indoor

ranges for pistol and rifle shooting. There will

also be outdoor shotgun ranges for trap and

skeet events. Fortunately for residents of

the Woolwich area, the chances are that the

temporary structures will be transported to

Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

THE EVENTOlympic shooting events fall largely into three

types: pistol, rifle and shotgun disciplines,

with each one offering five medal events.

The rifle and pistol classes require shooters

to fire bullets at a 10-ring target from a set

distance (10m, 25m or 50m) and within

varying time frames. Pistol shooters must

hold and fire the gun with one hand and from

a standing position, whereas the rifle can be

fired from either a prone (lying on one’s

front), standing or kneeling position.

In all shotgun events (trap, double trap and

skeet), shooters stand in stations and fire at

clay targets, which are propelled at high

speed on the shooters’ signals. Whoever hits

the most targets takes home the gold (and

probably a job offer from MI6, too).

TEAM GB’S PROGRESSThree years ago, British Shooting was fairly

close to rock bottom. Stripped of £4.3m of

lottery funding after underperforming, all but

five of the 40-plus funded athletes were axed

and the performance director was made

redundant. Britain has, however, earned two

Olympic quota places in the double trap thanks

to Richard Faulds and Peter Wilson. The event is

GB’s strongest in shooting terms and brought

them a team gold medal at the European

Championships last year. ‘Britain’s Lara Croft’

Georgina Geikie also earned a place in the

women’s 25m pistol event by finishing 13th at

the same championships – not bad, considering

British Shooting cut her funding in 2010.

SHOOTING AT LONDON 2012

DATES July 28-August 6

CAPACITY 7,500

HOW TO GET THERE National Rail, DLR

JL

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Shooting

Peter Wilson

KEY EVENTS BEFORE

LONDON 2012

ISSF World Cup

Series (USA)

March 23-April 1

ISSF World Cup

Series & Olympic

Test Event (GBR)

April 17-29

GB hopeful

AGE IN 2012 25

MEDAL RECORD ISSF World Cup gold (double trap)

2011; European Championships team gold

(double trap) 2011

The farmer’s son turned to shooting after

suffering a serious shoulder injury that stopped

him playing cricket and squash. Having ended

2011 as the top double trap shooter in the

world, it’s a choice he’s not regretting

Britain hasn’t won a shooting medal since

the Sydney Olympics in 2000, but with

Wilson the current world number one in his

discipline, that could be about to change.

He went to Beijing as part of the ‘Ambition

2012’ programme to help aspiring athletes,

but lost both his form and his funding after

the Games. It was at that point that Wilson

joined forces with Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum,

a member of the Dubai ruling family who won

the UAE’s first Olympic medal with gold in the

double trap in Athens in 2004. Since then,

Wilson has worked his way to becoming

British number one, got his funding back and

reached the top of the world rankings. He

spends much of the winter months training in

Dubai with Al Maktoum and now says that,

instead of adopting the traditionally English

country way of shooting, “I shoot like an

Arab”. Which, evidently, is no bad thing.

Gold could be just a shot away if Britain’s sharp shooters

can repeat their European Championships performance

7 DaysMAR 16–MAR 22

HIGHLIGHTS

» FA Cup: Liverpool v Stoke » p46

» Premier League: Man City v Chelsea » p47

» LV= Cup Final: Leicester v Northampton » p48

» Boxing: Kell Brook v Matthew Hatton » p48

» Best of the Rest » p48OUR PICK OF THE ACTION FROM THE SPORTING WEEK AHEAD

44 | March 16 2012 |

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As if targeting the prestigious Green Jersey

at this summer’s Tour de France and an

Olympic gold medal just weeks later weren’t

enough to be getting on with, Mark Cavendish

has also stated his desire to win the first big

one-day showdown of 2012: Milan-San Remo.

The Team Sky rider’s incredible victory

in the 2009 edition of the longest one-day

race on the UCI tour (298km) was the first

‘classic’ of his career, and he was in no doubt

as to its importance. “When you win sprints,

you prove that you’re a great sprinter,”

he said afterwards. “And when you win

SATURDAY CYCLING | MILAN-SAN REMO | ITALY | BRITISH EUROSPORT 1.15PM

Italian joba great one-day race, you’ve proved that you’re

a great rider.”

When Cavendish crossed the finish line a matter

of centimetres ahead of second-placed Heinrich

Haussler, he became just the second Brit to win in

San Remo, after Tom Simpson in 1964. It was a

success for which the Manxman owed his then teammates from

Columbia-Highroad a debt of gratitude, for it was they who marshalled

him through the tough climbs that brought an end to the challenge of a

certain Lance Armstrong.

This year, Cavendish will look for the same support from his Team

Sky colleagues – so it’s fortunate that four teammates from his 2009

triumph moved with him: Michael Barry (currently nursing a broken arm

and femur), Bernhard Eisel, Thomas Lovkvist and Edvald Boasson Hagen.

When Cavendish said after his win in 2009 that he wanted to return

and win it in the Rainbow Jersey of the world champion, some might

have dismissed it as presumptuous. Well, here he is in that very

jersey, so that’s half the job done. The other half just requires seven

or so hours of hard and fast riding.

The fastest Milan-San Remo over the usual

course, ridden in 1990 by Gianni Bugno. That’s

an average pace of 45.8km/h (28.45mph).

6h25mins06s

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46 | March 16 2012 |

SUNDAY FA CUP: LIVERPOOL V STOKE | ANFIELD | ITV1 3.30PM

Kenny eyes more cup glory

7 Days

Off balance: Charlie Adam,

like the rest of his team, has

struggled for form of late

Hot on the heels of the Merseyside

derby, Liverpool will be hoping for

relief from their League travails in

the last eight of the FA Cup. Stoke

City will have to up their game from

last weekend’s defeat at Chelsea if

they’re to head home with anything

here – they failed to register a

single shot on target at Stamford

Bridge. This will be the fourth time

the sides have met this season,

with Liverpool winning a Carling

Cup fourth round tie last October.

But in the league, the Reds have

taken a solitary point from Tony

Pulis’ side this season, recording a

0-0 draw at home (naturally) and

going down 1-0 at the Britannia.

With one Wembley victory under his

belt, King Kenny has the taste for

cup glory – to miss out on that at

the hands of last year’s finalists

would not please the King one bit.

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esSATURDAY FA CUP: EVERTON V SUNDERLAND |

GOODISON PARK | ITV1 12.45PM

SATURDAY FA CUP: TOTTENHAM V BOLTON | WHITE HART LANE | ESPN 5.30PM

SUNDAY FA CUP: CHELSEA V LEICESTER CITY | STAMFORD BRIDGE | ESPN 2.05PM

Sandwiched in between a Merseyside derby and a

league tie against a resurgent Arsenal, Everton face

Sunderland on Saturday for a place in the FA

Cup semi finals. With Man City, Chelsea and Spurs all

having lost at Goodison park this year, and the Black

Cats arriving without suspended striker Stephane

Sessegnon, it could be a tough afternoon for Martin

O’Neill’s side, whose record against Everton is less

than encouraging. Sunderland have won none of

their past 14 games against the Toffees in all

competitions – that’s a run of three draws and 11

defeats. With a place at Wembley at stake, and fresh

from having condemned one Merseyside club to a

defeat last week, the time to stop the Toffee rot

has arrived.

Harry Redknapp will be relieved at the brief respite from

Spurs’ Premier League troubles. Three consecutive

league defeats have seen the gap between Spurs and

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea close, throwing

their Champions League chase off track. In Bolton,

however, they face a team more focused on clawing

their way clear of relegation trouble than repeating

their disastrous FA Cup semi final trip to Wembley

of last year, where they were humiliated by Stoke.

Saturday’s tie could be an obstacle the Trotters

hardly need, having gained some momentum with

a win at QPR last weekend. Both managers will

insist that continuing in the cup can only be good

for their league ambitions – until one of them loses,

that is.

Facing the only non-Premier League team in the sixth

round, Chelsea carry a weight of expectation into

Sunday’s tie. Trouble is, it comes a matter of days

after they carried a heftier weight in the second leg

of their Champions league tie against Napoli. Their

opponents arrive at Stamford Bridge somewhat

deflated, having conceded six goals in two games

last week – results that cast a sizeable shadow over

Leicester’s promotion hopes. But, having turfed

Norwich City out of the cup to get here, Foxes boss

Nigel Pearson will feel there’s hope of pulling off a

shock win. For interim Chelsea boss Roberto Di

Matteo it’s a golden opportunity to lead the Blues to a

venue he knows quite well – Wembley – and prove he’s

the man Roman’s been looking for.

Man Utd 28 21 4 3 68 27 67

Man City 28 21 3 4 69 20 66

Tottenham 28 16 5 7 52 34 53

Arsenal 28 16 4 8 57 39 52

Chelsea 28 14 7 7 48 32 49

Newcastle 28 12 8 8 40 41 44

Liverpool 27 10 9 8 30 26 39

Sunderland 28 10 7 11 36 31 37

Everton 27 10 7 10 28 28 37

Fulham 28 9 9 10 37 37 36

Swansea 28 9 9 10 31 34 36

Norwich 28 9 9 10 39 45 36

Stoke 28 10 6 12 27 39 36

West Brom 28 10 5 13 34 37 35

Aston Villa 28 7 12 9 31 35 33

Blackburn 28 6 7 15 40 60 25

Bolton 28 7 2 19 31 57 23

QPR 28 5 7 16 29 48 22

Wolves 28 5 7 16 30 58 22

Wigan 28 4 9 15 24 53 21

P W D L F A Pts

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Around the grounds

Premier League table

GET IT ON DVD & BLU-RAY NOW

DVD

£8.99

Selected stores and availability. Also available online

Available at

sainsburys.co.uk/entertainment

FULHAM V SWANSEA

Craven Cottage, Saturday 3pm

WIGAN V WEST BROM

DW Stadium, Saturday 3pm

WOLVES V MANCHESTER UNITED

Molineux, Sunday 1.30pm (Sky Sports 1

1.30pm)

NEWCASTLE V NORWICH

Sports Direct Arena, Sunday 4pm (Sky

Sports 1)

ASTON VILLA V BOLTON

Villa Park, Tuesday 7.45pm

BLACKBURN V SUNDERLAND

Ewood Park, Tuesday 8pm

TOTTeNHAM V STOKE

White Hart Lane, Wednesday 7.45pm

EVERTON V ARSENAL

Goodison Park, Wednesday 8pm

QPR V LIVERPOOL

Loftus Road, Wednesday 8pm

WEDNESDAY PREMIER LEAGUE: MANCHESTER CITY V CHELSEA | ETIHAD STADIUM | SKY SPORTS 1 7.45PM

Manchester City put their unbeaten home record in the league on the line against

Chelsea on Wednesday evening, a full 10 days after suffering a potentially

damaging league defeat at Swansea.

You’ll have already read on page 34 which of the Manchester teams is going to

win the league. But shhhh – no one’s told Roberto Mancini yet, so City will be eager

to show they can’t be counted out just yet. A Gael Clichy sending off and an 82nd

minute Frank Lampard penalty gave Chelsea all three points when City visited the

Bridge in December, while the last time the Blues were at the Etihad the winning

goal was scored by Carlos Tevez. The Argentinian might do well to remind Mancini

of that fact – if he fancies a game, that is.

Hot in the City: Chelsea are

looking to turn up the heat in

the Blue half of Manchester

*Table correct at time of going to press, before Tuesday’s Merseyside derby

48 | March 16 2012 |

7 Days

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FRIDAY WINTER SPORTS Winter X

Games: men’s snowboard

slopestyle final,

Tignes, ESPN 9.30am

CRICKET West Indies v Australia: 1st ODI

Kingstown, Sky Sports 4 1.25pm

RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: Huddersfield v

Castleford, Galpharm Stadium, Sky Sports 1 8pm

SATURDAY RUGBY UNION Super Rugby:

Hurricanes v Highlanders, Westpac Stadium

Sky Sports 1 6.35am

FOOTBALL SPL: Dundee Utd v Rangers,

Tannadice, Sky Sports 1 12.45pm

RUGBY UNION Super Rugby; Sharks v Reds,

Kings Park Stadium, Sky Sports 1 3.05pm

RUGBY LEAGUE Super League: Bradford v St

Helens, Odsal Stadium, Sky Sports 2 5.15pm

BOXING World Middleweight Title:

Sergio Martinez v Matthew Macklin,

New York, Sky Sports 1 12am

SUNDAY

FOOTBALL SPL: Hearts v Hibernian

Tynecastle, ESPN 11.15am

TENNIS WTA BNP Paribas Open: Final

Indian Wells, British Eurosport 5.45pm

TENNIS ATP BNP Paribas Open: Final

Indian Wells, Sky Sports 2 8pm

CRICKET New Zealand v South Africa: 2nd Test

Day 5, Hamilton, Sky Sports 4 9.25pm

BASKETBALL NBA: Miami Heat v Orlando Magic,

American Airlines Arena, ESPN 11pm

BEST OF THE REST

SATURDAY LV= CUP FINAL | LEICESTER V NORTHAMPTON | SIXWAYS | 3PM SKY SPORTS 2

With the final day of the Six Nations done and dusted,

it’s time for the first piece of domestic silverware to be

handed out at Sixways on Sunday, and all eyes will be on

Leicester’s George Ford when they face East Midlands

rivals Northampton in the LV= Cup final.

Ford has had to bide his time behind Toby Flood in the

Tigers’ pecking order, but has been given a chance in

this year’s LV= Cup, and he’s grabbed it with both hands.

A strong runner and big defender, Ford’s main attribute

is his kicking talent, and his performance in last week’s

semi final victory over Bath was the sign of a great future

to come. With the ball seemingly on a string, Ford kicked

his Leicester side to victory, and the Saints will need to

get in his face early on Sunday to stop him getting into

his stride.

For Northampton, meanwhile, a relatively strong and

experienced lineup is expected in an attempt to gain some

silverware from an indifferent season. They have quality

at fly-half in Stephen Myler and Ryan Lamb, while George

Pisi is always dangerous in broken play. But it’s up front

where the Tigers have to be on their guard because of the

power of this Saints pack. Two outstanding back lines will

take to the field on Sunday, but expect this game to be won

in the nitty gritty of the forwards.

Ford focus

MONDAY

CYCLING Tour of Catalunya: Stage

1, British Eurosport 3pm

GOLF Tavistock Cup: Day 1,

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club,

Sky Sports 2 4pm

TUESDAY

FOOTBALL Championship:

West Ham v Middlesbrough, Upton Park,

Sky Sports (TBC) 7.45pm

WEDNESDAY

FOOTBALL La Liga:

Villarreal v Real Madrid,

El Madrigal, Sky Sports 3 9pm

THURSDAY

GOLF Arnold Palmer Invitational: Day 1

Bay Hill, Florida

Sky Sports 3 7pm

‘Magic’ Matthew Hatton tries to pull a rabbit out of the hat on Saturday night

by ruining the 26-fight unbeaten record

of Sheffield’s classy Kell Brook.

The Manchester welterweight doesn’t

have the buzzsaw brilliance of his older

brother Ricky, but he’s inherited the family

tenacity and has worked hard to improve

over recent years to the point where – in

his 50th fight (42 wins, five losses, two

draws) – he’s a respectable opponent for

the gifted Brook.

Kell, however, looks a level above. A fast,

powerful, razor-sharp switch-hitter,

rated in the top 10 in the division by most

rankings and eyeing a world title challenge

later this year. Hatton is solid, but then

‘Special K’ has the potential to live up to

his nickname. Chances are that he’ll eat

‘Magic’ Matt for breakfast this weekend.

Magic trick

SATURDAY BOXING | KELL BROOK V MATTHEW HATTON | SHEFFIELD ARENASKY SPORTS 1 9PM

Extra time Gadgets

50 | March 16 2012 |

Making the most of your time and money

The third coming

If you’re reading this on Friday morning

and you’re not already in a queue outside

the Apple store... well, you’re probably

not getting one today

iPad 3Feverishly awaited by millions

worldwide, the Sport app hit the

iTunes store back in November –

and now there’s an even better way

to enjoy it. The new iPad is available

today, although it‘s more of an upgrade

than a complete revolution. It boasts

an improved A5X processor, a 5.1

megapixel camera capable of shooting

1080p video, and better mobile

download speeds. There’s also an

improved Retina display with a million

more pixels than an HD TV, so you’ll be

able to enjoy your favourite magazine in

more detail than ever before. Other apps

are apparently available, although

we’re not really sure why you’d bother.

£399 | apple.com

P60

Jonah Hill goes to

the prom armed

in 21 Jump Street

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when you’re out and about? Then our handy MiFi®

device is your new essential item.

Pop it in your pocket or bag and enjoy fast, secure

and seamless internet on the go with up to 5 devices

(including phones, tablets, laptops, games consoles

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Sorry we do not accept Visa Electron or Solo cards.

5GB data for £15.99 a month.One month rolling contract.

£49.99 upfront cost.

52 | March 16 2012 |

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Extra time Sally Fitzgibbons

Saas Fee, Switzerland, and the Glacier Bike DownhillPretty much the same idea

as the Home Run, but this

time the racers are armed

with bicycles. The race kicks

off at 3,500m, with a

simultaneous start that

we guess means shinpads

would be a very good idea

(although the rules do state

‘no spikes’).

There’s a 5,000 Swiss

Franc prize to get the

racers really keen, which is

good; and this is the ninth

time the event has been run,

which presumably means no

one has died yet. Even better.

Saturday March 24, register

at saas-fee.ch

Chill Factore, Manchester, and the AvalancheFor some proper mayhem

on home turf, the indoor

snow slope Chill Factore

in Manchester has

masterminded a new way

of getting down their hill:

strap into a 4m-diameter

inflatable ball and roll down

at 30mph, with 4Gs of force

acting on you.

It’s the first time that

‘sphering’ has been done on

ice, and to deal with the lack

of space for a gentle run out

they’ve had to build a kind of

metal scoop to catch you,

which looks thrillingly

dangerous. Or startlingly

stupid... you decide.

Book now at chillfactore.com

Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and the Afghan Ski ChallengeA 7km backcountry

ski-touring race and the trip

of a lifetime. Skiing through

the beautiful 5,000m

mountains of dry and

untouched powder is just the

start. The real experience is

being part of a project

bringing the fun of a ski race

to an area downtrodden by

war and poverty.

The founders of this

unusual ski event were a

bunch of Swiss skiers who

taught 10 local Afghans to

ski. This will be the second

event, and international

entrants are welcomed.

Date for 2012 tbc, register at

afghanskichallenge.com

54 | March 16 2012 |

Truly off thebeaten slopeBored of skiing and snowboarding?

Here are some alternative pursuits

to keep you busy this spring

Åre, Sweden, and the Red Bull Home RunFancy dress, giant Swedes, everyone tanked up on taurine.

It’s all a big excuse for a monstrous après-ski party in the

Åre afternoon sunshine, but that sounds just fine to us.

Starting after the slopes empty for the evening, the Home

Run is an all-out race from top to bottom. Participants begin

with a run to their skis or snowboard, followed by a vertical

840m drop, as everyone barges their way to the bottom.

Last year 200 people took part, many in fancy dress.

Åre is a fun resort any time of the year, and the reindeer

burgers, bright wooden cabins and wide-open landscape

make a refreshing change from the Alps.

And if you’ve ever experienced Swedish après-ski, you’ll

know it’s pretty upbeat. Add this maverick way of getting

there into the mix, and you have one not to tell the grandkids.

Saturday April 8, register at redbull.se

THE ALTERNATIVES

Words by Hannah Engelkamp of MadDogSki.com. Sign up for the weekly newsletter at maddogski.com/newsletter

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Limited availability. Prices are one-way including taxes and charges, correct as of 01/03/12 but are subject to change at any time. Prices based on departing from London Gatwick to Pisa (Galileo Galilei) and Genoa for travel between 23/04/12 – 25/05/12. Two items of hand luggage means one piece of hand baggage plus a laptop, briefcase or handbag. For full terms and conditions go to ba.com/gatwick

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THE FIRST RESORT

Extra time Winter sports

UP TO 50% OFF OUR WINTER RANGESIN-STORE & ONLINE

END OF SEASON

NOW ON!SALESALE

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& MANY MORE TOP BRANDS

UP TO 50% OFF OUR WINTER RANGESIN-STORE & ONLINE

END OF SEASON

NOW ON!www.snowandrock.com

Extra time Kit

56 | March 16 2012 |

1 New Balance Compression+ Half TightDesigned to help prevent injuries – and speed up

recovery if you do pick any up – these compression

half tights (or shorts, as we mere mortals might call

them) even offer reflective transfer logos designed

for training in the dark. Avoiding getting hit by a car?

Yup – we’re sold!

£35 | newbalance.co.uk

2 Nike Pro Combat Training ShortsThe flat seam construction on these means

reduced chafing, while the Dri-FIT fabric helps

wick sweat away and keep you dry and comfortable.

That being said, we wouldn’t advise wearing them

without shorts over the top – they’re quite revealing.

£25 | nikestore.com

3 Canterbury Mercury Hybrid Compression Legging

Okay, you have to be a pretty serious athlete – or at

least a brave man – to wear these while competing,

but the compression on your muscles helps reduce

muscle fatigue and aids a quicker recovery. Plus,

they look a bit like what Spider-Man would wear if

he was working out.

£56 | shop.canterbury.com

4 Asics Leg Balance TightsAnother pair of leggings, and another pair loaded

with technology to help your muscles during exercise.

If anyone laughs at you, just remind them that Ryan

Giggs has worn tights, and he seems like a good

role model.

£50 | asics.co.uk

5 Mizuno Performance Mid Leg TightPerfect for the colder weather we get for

11 and a half months of the year here in Blighty, these

shorts maintain a constant cycle of heat generation

by absorbing your moisture and converting it into heat

(just don’t wet yourself and expect to stay toasty).

Long and short of it – they keep you warm when it’s cold.

£30 | mizuno.co.uk

6 Adidas Sequencials Short Tight“When your training demands more than just

tights,” reads adidas’ official website on the subject of

these shorts. Just out of interest, whose training ever

doesn’t require more than just tights? Hmm. Anyway,

these shorts are designed to improve your stability and

posture while reducing chafing – always a good thing.

£47 | 0870 240 4204

Protect your pinsBaselayer products lost the ‘only for

girls’ label long ago, and your legs will

definitely thank you for wearing this lot

1 2

3 4

5 6

1

7

8

3

4

5

6

2

In good conditionUsing a conditioner when washing your

hair isn’t an option, gents – it’s a must.

So choose one from this selection

1 REF. Volume Conditioner 335Swedish people have good hair,

so this daily effort from Swedish

brand REF is definitely one we trust.

£7.95 | hairthinking.co.uk

2 G Baldwin & Co Sage & Tea Tree Conditioner

The venerable folk at Baldwins

(est. 1844) offer up this

nutritional and natural mix

of sage and tea tree.

£5.15 | baldwins.co.uk

3 Natur Vital Active Hair Loss Conditioner

Baldies will like this one from Natur

Vital, which includes marshmallow

extract to ensure a lustrous shine.

£9.99 | naturvital.co.uk

4 Fudge Daily Mint ConditionerDo you want your thatch to give

off a zingy peppermint fragrance?

If so, this could be the answer.

£10.16 | escentual.com

5 label.m Peppermint Treatment

The peppermint in this

excellent label.m blend

stimulates the scalp

to increase blood

supply to your hair

follicles. Which is ace.

£11.50 | labelm.com

6 TommyGuns Blueberry, Ginseng & Honey Conditioner

Volume, fullness and thickness is

the aim with this nicely scented

conditioner from TommyGuns.

£5.50 | nivenandjoshua.com

7 Gielly Green Classic Conditioner

A light conditioner to give your hair

added gloss, while adding a subtle

scent of pamplemousse and cassis.

£16 | shop.giellygreen.com

8 head&shoulders Citrus Fresh Conditioner

Infused with citrus essences,

this one from haircare behemoth

head&shoulders is especially good

for those of you with an oily mop.

£2.79 | headandshoulders.co.uk

58 | March 16 2012 |

Extra time Grooming

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MANY ROADS LEADTO THE MEDAL,BUT ALL BEGIN WITHA GREAT START.

SIR CHRIS HOY, 4X OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST

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NOTHING BEATS

A GREAT START.

Snowtown

Australian film about a charismatic serial killer

who ingratiates himself into a family and draws

them into his horrific world is as powerful as it

is unsettling. Based on real-life

murderer John Bunting, the

performance of Daniel Henshall is

outstanding: filled with everyday

charm yet otherworldly menace.

An uncomfortable watch, but an

engrossing one too. Out Monday.

21 Jump StreetExchanging Jonah ‘Superbad’ Hill for Johnny Depp may not seem

a fair swap on first glance, but this cop comedy makes it work.

The original 21 Jump Street was a 1980s TV series about officers

(including Depp) who posed as students to investigate high school

crime. Cut to now, and Hill and Channing Tatum are the geek/jock

duo chosen to revive the concept on the big screen. So far, so

buddy-cop cliche – but it’s hard to suppress your laughter as the

two nearly get expelled, take drugs and show off their policing

ineptitude. Throw in a few references to how silly the premise is (one

suspicious schoolkid tells Tatum: “A lot of things make me wonder

about you. Your taste in music. The fact you look like a f**king

40-year-old man”), and you have a surprisingly hilarious hit.

Twisted Metal (PS3)

The F1 season starts this weekend,

but for all the new car gizmos, are

we really likely to see a psycho

clown driving a hearse that fires

exploding coffins? Unless McLaren

have been keeping things really close to their chest,

it’s unlikely. To witness such mayhem, you’ll need to

check out the latest instalment of the best car-combat

series around. The new Twisted Metal delivers the

outrageous visuals you expect, but has a surprisingly

strong strategy element and a series of imaginatively

horrific bosses at the end of each stage. Add in the

multiplayer mode, and you have hours of twisted fun.

Spaceballs

The best Star Wars film

we’ve seen since 1983,

this Mel Brooks parody

is low on subtlety

(characters include

Dark Helmet and Pizza

the Hutt) – but the gags

come fast and thick.

If your idea of a funny

one-liner is “What’s

the matter, Colonel

Sandurz... chicken?”

invest in this on Monday.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Rachel Joyce

Glowing reviews greet

the arrival of this debut

novel, a tender comedy

about an old fellow who

goes out to post a letter

but decides to keep on

walking – and walking –

leaving his wife to

wonder just where he is.

One word, Harold: email.

Happy to You Miike Snow

Their regular job is churning out songs such as

Toxic for the likes of Britney Spears – but let off

the leash on their own project, Swedish band Miike

Snow are a joyous proposition. Their second album

has the buoyant pop beats you

expect (Paddling Out is instantly

catchy), but throws in curveballs

such as the appearance of

Lykke Li. A case of ‘do quit the

day job’ – because this is super.

60 | March 16 2012 |

MUSIC

Jump and twist

Psychotic clowns, Australian serial

killers and cops taking drugs in school.

Maybe you should stay in this week

FILM

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Complete AuthentiCity

The most authentic street football game ever

created replicates the way the game is played by

players all over the world. Everything from the

environments to the gear to the music is true to

the sport and its culture.

Street Ball Control

Enjoy a superior fidelity of ball control and

responsiveness than anything ever experienced.

Street Ball Control replicates the touch,

creativity and flair players bring to the

streets. Take on the challenge of beating—and

embarrassing!—your opponent in one-on-one

battles, utilising new dribble styles, and an

arsenal of new skill moves.

Standing Dribble

Bait and beat opponents in one-on-one battles!

From a stationary position, manoeuvre the ball

backwards, forwards and side-to-side to lure an

opponent into making the first move, and then

launch a counter move by beating him with a

panna or trick move.

Street Dribble

An evolution on FIFA 12’s Precision Dribbling,

Street Dribble puts your players in position to

face opponents at any moment, lets you deftly

manoeuvre while keeping them on their heels, and

puts you in a more dangerous scoring position.

Utilise close dribble touches in tight spaces,

under pressure, and even while fending off an

opponent.

All-new Skill moves

Over 50 never-before-experienced skill moves to

beat your opponents and look good doing it.

Aerial Skills

Get the ball off the ground and make your move.

Show your flair by juggling, fool a defender with

a pass or shot, or pull off a skill move that leaves

them watching.

World tour

A connected, social game mode that enables

you to create yourself in game, build your own

team of street stars, and progress to become

the best street team in the world. Compete

in 16 different tournaments and complete 20

different challenges to progress from your

local level to national-level, then European and

ultimately world-stage tournaments. Earn over

100 different styles, tricks & celebrations to

grow your player to compete with more style

and flair. Plus, unlock over 225 items for your

squad, including team kits, street wear, boots,

environments and teams.

tournaments

Compete in 16 different tournaments. Play

connected, against teams created by other FIFA

Street gamers—all grown based on the gamers’

own style and preferences. Step up your game

by not just playing against other gamers’ teams–

but against other gamers, head-to-head online.

All tournaments feature social leaderboards to

compare against your friends.

Street Challenges

Complete 20 street challenges to get the chance

to bring other players onto your squad—including

real-world street footballers, or stars from

your favourite clubs. Play with or against 1-4

players with varying game rules including Panna

Rules (score by kicking the ball through your

opponent’s legs), Entertainment Points (win by

entertaining the crowds), and Last Man Standing

(score, lose a man and be the first to lose all your

guys). Each challenge has its own leaderboard

so you can compare your best score or time with

your friends.

own the Street

From parking lots and parks to gyms and rooftop

arenas, FIFA Street will feature cool and unique

environments, including iconic locales like Rio de

Janeiro, London, Amsterdam and New York.

Complete CustomiSation

Enjoy customisable matches to replicate the

unique ways the game is played around the world,

including the number of players, and match types.

Take on the challenge of performing trick moves

and panna’s in a game in Amsterdam, futsal-style

matches with no wall play in Spain, or a physical

5v5 contest in the UK.

FiFA Gameplay engine

FIFA Street utilizes the best features from

the critically-acclaimed FIFA gameplay engine,

including the Impact Engine, Precision Dribbling,

Personality+ and more.

licensed Content

Featuring stars of Manchester United, Barcelona,

Real Madrid and many of the top clubs in the

world. Play with Rooney, Kaka, and many of your

favourite players decked out in authentic kits,

training gear and street gear.

Street Stars

Introducing real street stars plucked from

streets all over the world. Play with and against

freestylers who compete in the real-world

tournaments.

eA SpoRtS Football Club

From the first nutmeg on, you will be contributing

to your EA SPORTS Football Club identity.

OUT TODAY

OUT TODAYEASPORTSFOOTBALL.COM

sport magazine - issue 248

Documents

2012radar08 fifa street

rebooted fifa street

jump street

street football styles

street series

authentic street football

loved fifa

final week