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Elite female sport 2022: a year of big advances but also some complications

Over time it has become a bit of a cliché, but “back in the day” – when comic Frankie Howard (1917-1992) was a British household name milking his “conspiratorial” relationship with his stand-up audiences and/or television viewers – he often compounded the effect by chiding them for [...]

December 23, 2022 // 0 Comments

World Cup/final thoughts

There is quite a divergence in the assessment of the Qatar World Cup pre and post the final. In the build-up all the talk was of migrant deaths in the building of stadia, the unsuitability of the location weather-wise, the lack of human rights and the corruption of FIFA in the selection process. [...]

December 20, 2022 // 0 Comments

England expects (not any more)

Since England won the World Cup on 1966 we have only got beyond the quarters twice – in 1990 and 2018. So it was no surprise to lose to France though it’s normally at the shootout not by missing penalties. The interesting aspect, some 72 hours on, is that there is not much stirring of [...]

December 14, 2022 // 0 Comments

Mac Allister & Farbrace

The title of my post sounds like a firm of solicitors.  In fact both are connected to Sussex sport. I am delighted for Mac Allister who plays a different role as foil to Lionel Messi for Argentina. At Brighton he plays up the field as we have no striker who can score. He is a beautiful striker of [...]

December 10, 2022 // 0 Comments

“Is Bazball the route for English rugby?”

This was a question posed – but not answered – by Steve James in yesterday’s Times. James was a prodigious run accumulator for Glamorgan but, when it comes to cricket writing, a bit of a bore. He is a bore as he tends to be limited in scope to himself, Glamorgan cricket and Wales. So [...]

December 9, 2022 // 0 Comments

Ben Stokes & his captaincy.

When it comes to Ben Stokes and his suitability as England captain I willingly confess that I got it totally wrong. He is the finest all rounder we have produced since Ian Botham but his early career was troubled, there was little sign of cricketing nous and – as happened with Botham and [...]

December 6, 2022 // 0 Comments

Argentina & me

Everyone has a favourite country, neither of birth nor adoption, and mine is Argentina. It started some 50 years ago when a creative friend redefined park football with a fantasy team of South Americans called the Assassins FC de Montevideo supposedly on tour to Europe. It was more than fun but a [...]

December 5, 2022 // 0 Comments

Bath 12 Harlequins 19

I have watched almost all of the football World Cup games to date but with little enthusiasm. So the autumn internationals and last night Quins’ victory over Bath Rugby were welcome relief. Quins were without Marcus Smith, who sustained an ankle injury against South Africa and will not play [...]

December 3, 2022 // 0 Comments

The case for Eddie Jones.

Given that the Rust has been one of the most trenchant critics of England coach Eddie Jones you may be surprised by the title of this post. Of course the RFU are reluctant to sack him for financial reasons but – despite his many faults and failures – a case can be made to retain him [...]

November 29, 2022 // 0 Comments

World Cup thoughts

On the Rust we try to avoid replicating stuff from the back pages so I will not join in the chorus of criticism of Gareth Southgate for never bringing Phil Foden on in a dull performance against USA – except to say it was ever thus. In 1970 West Germany sent spies to the England training camp [...]

November 28, 2022 // 0 Comments

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