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Author: Harry Howes

What’s going on at Manchester United this season?

Posted on by Harry Howes

Manchester United being in a crisis has become strangely familiar in recent years. Most football fans would have grown up seeing United dominate English football but for the younger generation, it seems unthinkable.

They haven’t won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and as their rivals have grown stronger, they don’t look like returning to the top any time soon. As we enter the third international break of the season, United’s season is in danger of fizzling out already.

But who is to blame for their struggles? Is it the players, the manager, the owners or a combination of the three?

How are United doing this season?

If you had a quick glance at the league table, you’d be forgiven for suggesting United are in a decent place. With 12 games played, they sit sixth in the table, just seven points behind table-topping rivals Manchester City.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story and their position has been boosted by unconvincing back-to-back wins over Fulham and Luton. Those two results have somewhat papered over the cracks of a poor start to the campaign, which has seen them lose five Premier League games already.

Despite winning seven matches, a key issue is the fact that they’re the only side in the league yet to draw a game. This demonstrates an inability to grind out results, which contributed to home defeats against both Brighton and Crystal Palace.

And it’s not just domestically where they have struggled. They were humbled in the Carabao Cup in a 3-0 drubbing at home to Newcastle and just last week they threw away a lead late on to lose 4-3 at Copenhagen in the Champions League.

One key factor in United’s struggles is their key players not performing. Following the World Cup last year, Marcus Rashford looked like a player reborn and finished the season with 30 goals in all competitions.

Yet Rashford has scored just once this term and is clearly struggling for confidence. Meanwhile, summer signing Rasmus Højlund is flying in Europe with five goals in four Champions League games, yet the Danish striker is still looking for his first Premier League goal.

Bruno Fernandes hasn’t done much better with three Premier League goals to his name so far, level with Scott McTominay, who should not be at the top of United’s scoring charts three months into the season.

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Is Erik ten Hag the right man for the job?

This time last year, Ten Hag looked like a good appointment and he fulfilled his objective by returning United to the Champions League. But they’ve stagnated this season and seem to be going backwards.

With players out of form, Ten Hag hasn’t quite shown that he’s got the tactical nous to outwit opposition managers. Only scoring once against both Fulham and Luton highlights a lack of firepower in the squad, while not being able to see out a win against Copenhagen last week is a cause for concern.

As well as the issues on the pitch, Ten Hag has faced difficulties off it too, most notably concerning Jadon Sancho. The pair have endured a public spat, which has resulted in the winger being exiled and likely sold in the January window.

A more mature manager may have dealt with the situation better and it was the first indication that things may not be rosy at Carrington. The last thing Ten Hag wants to do is lose the dressing room because, as Jose Mourinho will be able to attest to, it only ends one way.

There’s still plenty of time for United to turn their fortunes around this season but their owners will want Champions League qualification as a minimum and it’s looking tougher than ever to qualify.

City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have enjoyed blistering starts to the season. Meanwhile, Chelsea are on a mini resurgence and both Newcastle and Aston Villa have the potential to challenge.

With the Premier League set to get an extra spot next year, it’s likely that finishing fifth in the table will be enough. But considering the situation at the moment, it remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will last that long.

Are the Glazers the problem?

It’s been well documented that the United fans are desperate for a change and it seems the Glazers are willing to sell. Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the frontrunner and he looks set to buy a minority stake in the club.

Evidently, something needs to change. Old Trafford is in desperate need of being redeveloped and the structure at boardroom level is clearly not working. United need a major overhaul in terms of leadership and approach to recruitment, which is far more easily said than done.

But at the same time, you’d be naive to suggest that the owners haven’t backed Ten Hag. United have spent more than £400m on players since the Dutchman took charge last summer and considering many of the new arrivals are players he’s worked with before, he clearly has some say over who is brought in.

This summer alone they splashed out on Højlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount and the jury is still out on each of them. Meanwhile, they spent more than £80m on Antony last summer, who has yet to score this season.

It’s all well and good kicking and screaming about those in charge and wanting things to improve. But whether it’s the Glazers or somebody new, if the team isn’t performing on the pitch despite being backed heavily, the buck stops with the manager and his players.

The concerts you have to see before the end of 2023

Posted on by Harry Howes

We’re approaching the end of the year and as the weather gets colder and the nights get darker, festival season seems like a distant memory. But you don’t need mud, tents and sunshine to have a good time and there’s still plenty of exciting concerts to look forward to before we wave goodbye to 2023.

Next weekend marks the start of an exciting few weeks of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, with some of the biggest stars in the world taking to the stage. And they’re not the only gigs on the horizon, with a load of mouth-watering concerts coming up in 2024.

Ed Sheeran – Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November

Having only just finished a sell-out world tour, Ed Sheeran has barely had a chance to breathe. But never one to disappoint, the superstar is treating the Royal Albert Hall to not one but two nights of acoustic magic later this month.

He’s been a busy boy, releasing two albums in 2023, and he’ll be performing the latter of the two in full alongside a live band and string section. ‘Autumn Variations’ was released in September and marks an end to Ed’s maths-themed releases.

The 32-year-old will perform to a packed out venue in London on 18th and 19th November and it will be the last opportunity to see him live before the New Year. His tour saw him perform in Paris, New York and LA among many others and he’ll be back on the road across Europe and Asia in 2024.

But if you can’t wait that long, you can watch him in style with Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.

Kylie Minogue – Friday 1st December

The Royal Albert Hall is no stranger to royalty and it welcomes the ‘Princess of Pop’ to the stage next month in the form of Kylie Minogue.

The Aussie icon released new album Tension back in September, which features the hit single ‘Padam Padam’. Kylie’s latest record flew up the charts and made her the first female artist to have a UK top 10 single in each of the last five decades.

For one night only, she’ll be entertaining the Royal Albert Hall as she introduces ‘An Audience with Kylie’. The Grammy Award winner will perform tracks from her new album, as well as take questions from her celebrity friends in the crowd.

The evening will be broadcast on ITV but if you want to experience it in person, you can enjoy the show from the best seats in the house with our hospitality packages.

What else is happening at the Royal Albert Hall?

It’s not only Ed Sheeran and Kylie Minogue who will be wowing the crowds in London this winter. Ahead of his annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza, Jools Holland will take to the stage on 24th and 25th November alongside his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.

Similarly, on 8th December, Jamie Cullum will treat crowds to The Pianoman at Christmas alongside a big band and special guests. The fun continues next year, with plenty of headline acts lined up to rock the Royal Albert Hall, including The Stranglers, Gipsy Kings, James Blunt, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton and George Benson.

Other concerts to look forward to

If you fancy a pre-Christmas trip down memory lane, Madness will be rolling back the years at the O2 in December. And at the same venue you can catch The 1975 next February.

Take That will be there in April before Olivia Rodrigo performs in May and both acts will also be stopping at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.

Plenty of high-profile names have announced huge tours next year, including Taylor Swift, Liam Gallagher, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay and Green Day and you can enjoy all of them from the comfort of Engage’s exclusive hospitality areas.

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Everything you need to know about the World Rugby Calendar

Posted on by Harry Howes

The sun hadn’t even set on this year’s Rugby World Cup before World Rugby announced radical changes that will dramatically shift the landscape of the sport in the coming years.

As the World Cup in France reached its final stages at the end of last month, it was revealed that from 2026 there will be a new international tournament introduced. It’s yet to be officially named but it will consist of two separate divisions, with the games replacing the current Autumn International fixtures.

As well as the new competition, the World Cup will be expanding, with 24 teams set to compete in the 2027 edition, which is taking place in Australia.

How will the new rugby competition work?

World Rugby have revealed that the new international tournament will see 24 teams split into two divisions, each comprising 12 nations. The top division will feature the 10 teams from the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship, alongside two others.

Matches will take place in July and November and will replace the current autumn internationals and traditional tours. However, the tournament will not be an annual event and will take place in alternate years. It will not be held during years when there is a World Cup or a British and Irish Lions tour.

There are hopes that the new format will make the lesser nations more competitive and give them the chance to compete regularly against the top teams. However, this idea has raised some eyebrows.

While the triumphant nations in the second division will be rewarded with promotion, this will not come into play until 2030. That means those countries that are traditionally weaker will have to wait seven years from now for the chance to compete at the top table.

Portugal stunned Fiji at the World Cup last month with a shock win in the pool stage and they’ll rightly feel that in order to continue their progression, regular tests against better opposition would be beneficial.

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What other changes have been made to the calendar?

As well as the introduction of a new international competition, World Rugby have also announced plans to expand the World Cup from 20 to 24 teams. This will come into effect at the 2027 tournament in Australia.

The four extra teams will lead to an additional round, with round of 16 matches taking place in between the pool stage and the quarter-finals. The new format will see teams drawn into six pools of four, reducing the length of the tournament from seven weeks to six.

The new World Cup gets underway in October 2027 and there are hopes that the expansion will continue to provide opportunities for more nations to compete on the world stage.

Alongside the World Cup tweaks, the Six Nations is being reduced from seven weeks to six in 2026, with one of the fallow weeks removed. This will allow the autumn internationals in November to be extended to four weeks, culminating in a high-profile grand final.

2024 will also see the introduction of an annual expanded Pacific Nations Cup, giving three additional fixtures every year to Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the USA.

England’s disastrous Cricket World Cup defence

Posted on by Harry Howes

Following a wonderful summer of cricket that included one of the best Ashes series in recent memory and another thrilling campaign in The Hundred, fans were eagerly anticipating the World Cup in India.

As reigning champions, England went into the tournament with reasonable expectations, particularly after an emphatic ODI series win over New Zealand.

But it’s been nothing short of a disaster. England have lost five of their six matches so far and sit rooted to the bottom of the table. With three matches to go, Jos Buttler and co. have a job on their hands to avoid complete embarrassment.

England drop the ball

Despite coming out on top in their warm-up ODI series against New Zealand, England failed to continue their form in India. Matthew Mott’s side met the Kiwis in the opening game of the tournament in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final.

But they couldn’t repeat history and were humiliated, losing by nine wickets. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra barely broke a sweat as they combined for an unbeaten 283 to chase down England with 13.4 overs left.

England bounced back in their second game, scoring an impressive 364/9 to beat Bangladesh by 137 runs. The top order showed their class, as Dawid Malan hit a stunning 140 while Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root both notched half centuries.

But things went downhill after that and England have suffered four successive defeats. They narrowly lost to Afghanistan before a pitiful display against South Africa saw them bowled out for 170 in just 22 overs.

Not even the return of 2019 World Cup hero Ben Stokes could inspire them, with the all-rounder notching just five in his first game back from injury.

Whether they’ve now given up or are simply in a horrendous slump of form remains to be seen, but they’ve since added to their woes with defeats to Sri Lanka and India, being bowled out for 156 and 129 respectively.

England will finish their World Cup campaign with matches against Australia, the Netherlands and Pakistan and they’ll be targeting three wins, for pride if nothing else. The Aussies started the tournament poorly and looked to be the whipping boys but they’ve turned things around, allowing England to claim that title.

India have won all six of their games on home soil so far and look in good shape to win their third World Cup title. Meanwhile, South Africa currently top the table, although they’ve played a game more than the hosts.

Where has it gone wrong for England?

It’s more complicated than just saying ‘England haven’t been good enough’, but they’ve not helped themselves. England haven’t just lost the majority of their World Cup matches – they’ve been demolished.

Not only have they failed to reach 200 runs in three of their games, they’ve only recorded one century and four half centuries in six games. These figures don’t scream ‘defending World Cup champions’ and they demonstrate a lack of players willing to take a game by the scruff of the neck, much like Stokes did four years ago.

This may boil down to poor preparation. Joe Root has already demanded England put more focus on 50-over cricket if they want to enjoy future success. They played just 16 ODIs in the year leading up to the World Cup and even in those matches, a large proportion of the final squad weren’t involved.

Compare that to unbeaten India, who played almost double the amount of matches, with nine of those taking place in September of this year to ensure momentum going into the World Cup.

Elsewhere, the make-up of England’s squad needs refreshing. Eight of the current squad were also involved in 2019 and are all the wrong side of 30, as are Dawid Malan and David Willey. That’s 10 players that likely won’t be in contention for the 2027 squad, meaning a huge overhaul is on the horizon.

Only four players in the current squad are under the age of 30, which doesn’t give much hope to up and coming youngsters. Harry Brook forced his way into the side following a strong run of form in The Hundred and perhaps more players need to be rewarded for their performances, rather than being an automatic pick due to familiarity.

Remarkably, England aren’t mathematically out of the World Cup, meaning a bizarre set of circumstances would see them progress to the semi-finals. Realistically, it’s only a matter of time before they’re eliminated.

With three games left, England have the chance to forge where they see their future in white-ball cricket. And with the T20 World Cup getting underway in just seven months, it may be wise for them to start their preparation early in order to avoid another disaster.

Despite the disappointment of the World Cup, there’s still plenty of cricket to look forward to in 2024, including England’s Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, The Hundred, the T20 Blast. Join us for another year of thrilling action from the best seats in the house with Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.

South Africa make history in Rugby World Cup final win

Posted on by Harry Howes

South Africa made history at the weekend by winning a record fourth men’s Rugby World Cup after beating New Zealand in the final.

The tournament in France has finally reached its conclusion, more than seven weeks since it began, with the Springboks coming out on top 12-11 in a cagey final in Paris. The reigning champions secured a second consecutive title as their resolute defence saw them win all three of their knockout stage matches by just one point.

Following yet another incredible tournament, we’ve taken a look at South Africa’s winning journey, as well as all the key moments in France.

South Africa’s Rugby World Cup dominance continues

In a repeat of the 1995 final, South Africa came up against New Zealand on Saturday and raced into a 9-3 lead thanks to the flawless kicking of Handre Pollard. Things went from bad to worse for the Kiwis when captain Sam Kane was sent off for a high tackle on 27 minutes.

Despite their precarious position, New Zealand held firm and cut the lead to 12-11 following a try from Beauden Barrett, which was the first try South Africa have ever conceded in four World Cup finals.

But a missed penalty from Jordie Barrett meant the score remained the same and the holders clung on to retain their crown. South Africa have now won all four finals they’ve been in and their repeat success is down to the consistency of their key players.

Pieter-Steph du Toit led by example as he was awarded player of the match in the final after making a match-high 28 tackles. The 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year played the most minutes for South Africa at the tournament and was a key cog in their defensive stability.

Despite not making the initial squad, Pollard came in to replace the injured Malcolm Marx during the pool stage. The fly-half didn’t miss a single kick in the four games he played in, scoring 33 points from seven penalties and six conversions.

While South Africa proved they can never be written off, they weren’t among the pre-tournament favourites and only finished second in their pool following a defeat to Ireland.

And they won all of their knockout stage matches by a solitary point, coming from behind to end France’s 18-match winning run at home before Pollard’s late penalty broke English hearts in the semi-final.

Fireworks go off over Twickenham as England and Wales come from the tunnel ahead of their Summer Nations Series fixture in preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

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England defy expectations despite semi-final heartbreak

The defeat to South Africa in the final four is still raw and there won’t be many England fans that will take solace in finishing third after coming so close in the semis. But after poor preparation and relatively low expectations heading into the tournament, Steve Borthwick’s side objectively did remarkably well.

They won all four of their matches in the pool stage before a professional performance saw off Fiji in the quarter-finals. They looked to have avenged the 2019 final against South Africa as four Owen Farrell penalties put them in the ascendancy.

But Pollard’s penalty in the 78th minute turned the game on its head and despite late pressure, they couldn’t quite find a way through. A 26-23 win over Argentina secured third place and Borthwick will be quietly pleased with his side’s performance.

Farrell finished the tournament as the highest points scorer on 75 thanks to 15 penalties, 12 conversions and two drop goals. The England captain faced criticism throughout the tournament but he stepped up when it mattered to silence his critics.

As England enter a new era under Borthwick, there’s plenty to be positive about and they’ll be confident of repeating the highs of their World Cup campaign when the Six Nations rolls back around in the spring.

France fail to make home advantage count

Ahead of the tournament, all eyes were on hosts France who were fancied as the overwhelming favourites to go all the way.

But odds mean nothing once the players cross the white line and Fabien Galthié’s side blew their best chance in years at claiming a first Rugby World Cup. The hosts enjoyed a 100% record in the pool stage but couldn’t continue that momentum as they narrowly lost out to South Africa in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, it was a tournament to forget for Australia, who failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history. They missed out to Fiji, as well as Wales, who topped their pool but lost out to Argentina in the knockouts.

Ireland’s World Cup hoodoo continued as they once again failed to progress past the quarter-finals. A strong pool stage saw them win all four of their matches, including against eventual champions South Africa, but they narrowly lost to New Zealand. Meanwhile, Scotland were in the same pool but suffered an early exit as they finished third.

Premier League: Is VAR working and how can we improve it?

Posted on by Harry Howes

Way back in 2019, the Premier League finally bowed to pressure and introduced VAR, with the intention of stamping out high-profile referee mistakes. Fast forward four years and football fans up and down the country have been left scratching their heads, wondering whether it was the right decision.

For years we all scrutinised referee’s decisions and wanted a change. Following the success of video-assisted systems in other sports, such as tennis, rugby and cricket, it felt only natural to bring it into football.

When it finally arrived, it felt like a huge step forward for the sport. There were some obvious drawbacks initially, primarily involving the amount of time it was taking to reach a decision, as well as the lack of clarity for fans watching in the grounds.

The main argument at the time was ‘at least they’re reaching the right decision’ and there were hopes that those delays would eventually be ironed out. But following four years of VAR experience in English football, we’re still regularly seeing wrong decisions and something clearly needs to change.

Is VAR working?

In a word, no. There have been multiple catastrophic errors from officials, most notably the decision to rule out Luis Diaz’s goal against Tottenham last month. The Colombian thought he had fired Liverpool ahead but he was flagged offside, which VAR seemed to quickly concur with.

Yet images quickly began circulating on social media that showed Diaz looked to be onside, which sparked outrage that the VAR check had lasted only a matter of seconds. The audio between the officials was later released and highlighted a major lack of communication.

In this case, it’s more complicated than just saying ‘VAR is bad’. In theory, the system worked just fine. But there was a situation of human error, where VAR official Darren England thought that the goal had been given, hence why he suggested the decision was correct.

The audio revealed that they quickly realised their error but as play had already restarted, the rules dictated that they were then forbidden from intervening. If that rule offered an element of flexibility, all this could have been avoided.

That’s not the only time a VAR blunder has cost Premier League teams. Since its introduction, the PGMOL have issued 13 separate public apologies acknowledging that they have made mistakes.

One notable instance occurred in February 2022, when Manchester City midfielder Rodri handled the ball in the penalty area late on against Everton. VAR failed to award a spot-kick, City won the game 1-0 and eventually pipped Liverpool to the title by a point.

Had the penalty been given and ultimately scored, it could have had huge repercussions on the title race that season. Retrospective apologies can’t be cashed in for points and in huge moments, they’re meaningless when there’s so much on the line.

Another huge downside of VAR that has been present since the beginning is the killing of spontaneity. It takes away the raw emotion that scoring a crucial goal can bring. Players and fans often now only half celebrate through fear that their goal may be chalked off, which often sanitises the atmosphere within the ground.

How can VAR be improved?

There are undoubtedly plenty of people whose solution would be to simply get rid of it. But there’s pretty much a zero percent chance of that happening. Whether you agree with VAR or not, it’s here to stay.

The system has proven to be effective and the majority of the issues seem to stem from those in charge of it. VAR has the potential to be great, demonstrated by the effectiveness we’ve seen in other competitions across the globe.

With that being said, an obvious solution would be to import the best referees from around the world. The Premier League is a global product, watched by hundreds of millions, with the best managers and players the sport has to offer. So why can’t we have the best officials as well?

Similarly, the introduction of semi-automated offsides would immediately improve things. Far too often, fans and players are left hanging as the VAR officials take their time drawing lines to determine offsides, leading to arguments about when the ball was played and whether the lines are in the right place.

Semi-automated offsides have been used in the World Cup and the Champions League, with sensors in the ball that offer a quick, accurate and objective decision.

There also needs to be more transparency for fans. The recent audio releases have been interesting but they ultimately don’t mean much after the event. Allowing fans both in the ground and at home to hear the conversations live, similar to in rugby, would make many decisions a lot more understandable.

A final suggestion to improve the system could be a timer system. Some VAR decisions take so long to reach a conclusion and do little to end debate about whether it was correct. Many incidents are so subjective so if a referee is unable to reach a decision within a set period of a minute or two, then it’s not a clear and obvious error so perhaps the benefit of the doubt should be given.

One thing that’s clear is that VAR isn’t going anywhere. We need to learn to live with it but that doesn’t mean it should be something we all despise. In theory, the existence of VAR stops mistakes, makes matches fair and reduces the pressure on officials. But it clearly needs revamping and fingers crossed the Diaz incident is a catalyst for major change across the board.

ICON Legends – Johnny Sexton – An Irish rugby hero

Posted on by Harry Howes

Irish rugby won’t quite be the same following the news that legendary fly-half Johnny Sexton is hanging up his boots.

The former captain helped his side to four Six Nations Wins, two Grand Slams and three Triple Crowns in a glittering career that saw him crowned the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year.

Sexton scored an incredible 1,113 international points, the fourth-highest in history. He’s in rich company, with only Dan Carter, Owen Farrell and Jonny Wilkinson ahead of him in the all-time rankings.

Following a stellar career with Leinster, Racing 92, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions, we’ve taken a look back at the many highs (and lows) of Sexton’s rugby journey.

World Cup heartbreak

As Sexton clapped the travelling fans in his final match for his country, there wouldn’t have been a dry eye back home in Ireland. The fly-half was unable to keep it together as TV cameras caught his son encouragingly saying “You’re still the best, dad.”

He is undoubtedly Ireland’s greatest ever player and a World Cup win this summer would have been the icing on the cake, possibly cementing his place as the best the sport has ever seen.

Despite a trophy-laden career, Sexton was never able to add the Webb Ellis Cup to his impressive collection. Ireland have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals and that continued in France as they suffered a 28-24 defeat to New Zealand in the final eight.

The tournament wasn’t all bad for Sexton. Their pool stage triumph over Tonga saw him become Ireland’s highest points scorer of all time, while their 82-8 win against Romania was their biggest ever World Cup win.

Yet those records will do little to soften the blow of never being able to claim rugby’s greatest honour in what was possibly Ireland’s biggest opportunity in years.

Ireland national team sing the national anthem during the Rugby World Cup

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An Irish idol

While Sexton’s medal collection has one notable omission, it does little to taint an incredible legacy in the green of Ireland. The 38-year-old spent 14 years giving his all for his home country, captaining them for the final four years of his career.

He made his debut way back in 2009 and was an instant hero as he scored 16 points, kicking seven from seven and winning man of the match in blistering conditions against Fiji.

He then followed that up against South Africa, where a broken hand didn’t stop him from scoring all 15 points in a 15-10 win.

A long-winded rivalry with England was spawned in the 2011 Six Nations as he scored 14 points to stop them from winning a Grand Slam. The first of Sexton’s four Six Nations championships came in 2014 as he finished as the joint-highest try scorer, before Ireland repeated the feat the following year.

Ireland won their third ever Grand Slam in the 2018 Six Nations but that dream almost fell apart in the first game. They were trailing away at France but Sexton stepped up to save the day, scoring a crucial drop goal in the 83rd minute after 41 phases to win the game 15-13.

Sexton was imperious throughout the tournament, scoring 44 points across the five games on his way to being nominated for player of the tournament. And it wasn’t just in the Six Nations that he excelled as he continued an impressive 2018 by helping Ireland secure their first series win in Australia since 1979.

He finished that season undefeated as a starter for Ireland and became just the second ever Irishman to be crowned World Rugby Player of the Year.

Sexton enjoyed a successful final few years captaning his nation and last summer he led them to a Test series win in New Zealand. That victory saw Ireland become the first touring side to defeat the All Blacks in their own backyard since 1994.

And in Sexton’s final ever Six Nations game against England, Sexton captained Ireand to their fourth (and his second) Grand Slam.

Heineken Cup hero

Away from the international stage, Sexton has also enjoyed a remarkable domestic career, most notably for hometown club Leinster. Apart from a brief two-year spell at Racing 92 in France, Sexton spent his entire career at Leinster and helped them to four European Cups, six league titles, one European Challenge Cup and two Irish Shields.

Sexton’s first Heineken Cup triumph came in 2009, where a stunning drop goal from the halfway line helped Leinster to their first ever European Cup. He scored 11 points as his side won 19-16 against Leicester Tigers.

Two years later, Leinster’s name was on the trophy again after Sexton inspired them to one of rugby’s greatest ever comebacks. They trailed 22-6 at half-time but two tries and 28 points from Sexton saw them claim a remarkable 33-22 win. Sexton won man of the match and his haul was the second-highest points tally ever recorded in a Heineken Cup match.

Leinster secured a second consecutive Heineken Cup a year later – their third in four years – and Sexton scored 15 points in the 42-14 win over Irish rivals Ulster, which was the biggest ever winning margin in a final.

Following Sexton’s return from France, he became Leinster captain in 2018 and led them to a fourth European Cup, beating old side Racing 92 in the final, before they claimed four consecutive league titles to cement their place as one of Europe’s greatest sides.

Love him or loathe him, Sexton has had a phenomenal career and as he settles down to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, he’ll rightly be remembered as one of the best to ever do it.

All the talking points from the NFL London series

Posted on by Harry Howes

American Football descended on London earlier this month, as three action-packed contests took place as part of the traditional NFL London series.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a regular at the event and they took to the field twice, playing the Atlanta Falcons and the Buffalo Bills, before the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans faced off in the final match.

Following the games, we’ve looked back at the key talking points from another incredible event.

Atlanta Falcons 7-23 Jacksonville Jaguars

It was a welcome return to London for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have made the capital a second home in recent years. The Florida-based side have appeared at every NFL event on these shores since 2013 and they treated their British fans to a masterclass earlier this month.

Over 85,000 people were in attendance at Wembley to see Jaguars star Trevor Lawrence steal the show in the first half. The quarterback found Calvin Ridley with a pinpoint throw to set them on their way as they raced into a 17-0 half-time lead thanks to two touchdowns.

Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder struggled to get going but he bounced back to provide Drake London with a touchdown and get the Falcons back in the game. But it wasn’t enough and the Jaguars held firm to get the NFL London series started in style and end a run of three consecutive defeats at Wembley.

It was the Falcons’ third time in London and while they flew back home disappointed, they regained their form with a narrow win over Houston Texans a week later. Arthur Smith’s side currently sit second in NFC South with a 3-3 record, just below the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who they face this weekend.

NFL WEMBLEY

Jacksonville Jaguars 25-20 Buffalo Bills

Despite having won just one of their opening three games, the Jaguars followed up their Wembley success with another win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the Buffalo Bills.

In a rematch of their 2015 clash in London, both quarterbacks shone as Lawrence came up against counterpart Josh Allen. The Bills were on a three-match winning streak but fell short in a cagey game that the Jags led 11-7 at half-time.

And Travis Etienne was the difference in the final quarter, running home two touchdowns to seal a 25-20 victory. The Jaguars are now clear at the top of the AFC South with four wins from six games and they face the New Orleans Saints this weekend.

They’re one of just four franchises to have never appeared at the Super Bowl and while there’s a long way to go, their early form will have them dreaming of ending that record in February.

Meanwhile, the Bills were the pre-season favourites to win the AFC East and they got back on track as they saw off the New York Giants earlier this week.

They currently sit in second, behind the imperious Miami Dolphins, who have won five of their opening six games. The pair face off in gameweek 18 in what could prove to be a decisive game.

Baltimore Ravens 24-16 Tennessee Titans

In the final match of the NFL London series, Justin Tucker was the difference as the Baltimore Ravens came out on top, scoring six field goals to sink the Titans.

The Ravens led 18-3 at the break before the Titans fought back in the third quarter thanks to a touchdown from Derrick Henry. But Tucker’s kicking masterclass sealed the game to secure his side top spot in the AFC North.

The Maryland side boast a 4-2 record so far this season but they face a tough test against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, who have won five of their six games so far.

The Titans, meanwhile, came into the London game in poor form and they find themselves bottom of AFC South, the same division as the Jaguars.

With four defeats so far, they desperately need to turn things around if they want to taste success come the end of the season. They’ve got a much-needed week off this weekend before returning to action against the Falcons.

Another thrilling London series has come to an end but if you missed out, don’t worry because we’ll be doing it all again next year – and you can watch the action from the best seats in the house with our exclusive hospitality packages.

October 2025
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Who could headline Glastonbury 2024?

Posted on by Harry Howes

We’ve reached autumn, which can only mean one thing. No, not Halloween – it’s almost time for the mad rush for Glastonbury tickets. As hopefuls up and down the country prepare to load up five devices and cross their fingers, plans for next summer’s line-up will already be well underway.

The five-day event takes place every June and is one of the most famous music festivals in the world, with more than 200,000 people flocking to Somerset each year. That’s quite a bit more than attended the first edition way back in 1970, where a crowd of 1,500 gathered to see The Kinks and Wayne Fontana.

Last year’s festival saw Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Elton John headline, adding to a list of incredible acts to grace the Pyramid Stage in the past, which includes Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, David Bowie, Beyonce and Bob Dylan.

And as rumours begin to circulate about who could be on the line-up in 2024, we’ve taken a look at some of the contenders to follow in their footsteps.

Liam Gallagher

While we’re all still holding out hope of a remarkable Oasis reunion, we might get halfway there at least. Next year’s festival coincides with the 30th anniversary of the iconic Manchester band’s debut album Definitely Maybe.

Liam announced this week that he’ll be playing the record in full across a UK and Ireland tour next year – and, coincidentally, he’s left the Glastonbury weekend free. It would be the third time he’s performed solo at the festival, having previously appeared in 2017 and 2019.

It’s no secret that Liam and Noel have had their differences since Oasis split up in 2009 but the imminent anniversary had sparked rumours that a long-awaited reunion could be on the cards. 2024 will also mark 20 years since Oasis last appeared at Glastonbury.

However, even if he were to perform alone, Liam would be a worthy headliner and he proved his popularity with two sell-out gigs at Knebworth last summer.

Dua Lipa

Fans of Dua Lipa were disappointed not to see her light up the Pyramid Stage this year alongside Elton John for their joint track Cold Heart. But they could be in luck next summer, with the British singer expected to have a busy year.

The 28-year-old is currently working on her third studio album, which is due to come out some time in 2024. Dua Lipa is also rumoured to be going on tour, although she’s yet to announce dates so it’s unclear whether they’ll clash with Glastonbury.

She performed at the festival way back in 2017 when she was relatively unknown but if she were to make a return in the future, she’d be in strong contention to headline.

Foo Fighters

The Foos were a surprise bonus at this year’s festival, popping up to do a secret set under the alias ‘The Churn Ups’. The band had previously cancelled their tour and taken a break following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Dave Grohl and co. now feel the time is right to return to the stage and they’ve announced a number of UK dates next year to promote their new album, with a convenient little gap during the weekend of Glastonbury, which could mean they’re in line to return.

They first performed at Glastonbury in 1998 and they famously had to pull out of their 2015 headline performance after Dave Grohl broke his leg after falling off stage during a show in Sweden.

Spice Girls

Spice Girls also celebrate their 30th anniversary next summer and, unlike Oasis, they’ve already shown they’re happy to roll back the years. The girl band got back together (minus Victoria Beckham) for a reunion tour in 2019 that sold more than 700,000 tickets.

Geri Horner has already denied speculation that they could be set for a Glastonbury appearance. But Ginger Spice did say that the girls have something planned for the anniversary, so fans could still be in for a treat.

And they have unfinished business with the festival, having been set to perform in 2020 before the pandemic put a stop to it.

Coldplay

Another band with huge world dates scheduled is Coldplay, who have been touring their latest album Music of the Spheres since last year. The four-piece have also left time in their schedule at the time of Glastonbury, so we may well see their names when the line-up is announced.

Coldplay are no strangers to the festival, having made the first of their six appearances in 1999. They’ve since headlined four times, taking to the Pyramid stage in 2002, 2005, 2011 and 2016.

Chris Martin and co. were also due to perform in 2021 before the festival was cancelled. Instead, they appeared on the festival livestream event, alongside George Ezra, Kano, Wolf Alice and Damon Albarn.

Who else could appear at Glastonbury?

Blur released their ninth album this summer and treated fans to sell-out shows at Wembley, so they could make a return to the festival they last appeared at in 2009.

Meanwhile, south London rapper Dave has also been rumoured to be in with a chance of headlining, having previously appeared twice.

Remarkably, Queen have never performed at Glastonbury due to political differences between Brian May and Michael Eavis. However, May says that he would consider having a conversation about a sensational festival debut.

Another debutant could be Madonna, who is currently on her world tour and has availability in June. Organiser Emily Eavis was recently at one of Madge’s gigs and has previously said that next year’s festival will feature two female headliners.

One name that won’t be on the Glasto poster is Taylor Swift. The American singer was the clear favourite to headline earlier this year but following the announcement of her The Eras world tour, she’ll be performing in Dublin that weekend instead.

Premier League: Spurs and Arsenal lead the way

Posted on by Harry Howes

The Premier League has paused for yet another international break and while we all just want the domestic action to return, it at least gives us a chance for a breather to take in all the drama that’s taken place so far.

There’s an unlikely contender in the title race while Chelsea are continuing to struggle in mid table. With eight games played so far, we’ve taken a look at all the key Premier League talking points.

North London rivals lead Premier League title race

After sweeping all before them on the way to an historic treble last season and spending handsomely during the summer, City were the clear favourites to step up a gear and secure their fourth consecutive title.

But with two consecutive defeats under their belts, Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves playing catch up to Tottenham and Arsenal at the top of the table. Gabriel Martinelli’s late deflected strike was the difference as the Gunners beat City for the first time in the league since 2015 on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta ran former mentor Guardiola close last term but ultimately ran out of steam. But after improving the squad over the summer with the likes of Declan Rice and David Raya, Arsenal will fancy their chances of securing a first league title since 2004.

But standing in their way, for now, are current league leaders and fierce rivals Tottenham. The North London side remain unbeaten and look reborn under new boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Harry Kane-shaped void up front has been filled by Son Heung-min, who is thriving in a central role, while summer signing James Maddison is pulling the strings from midfield. Spurs have been accused of being weak at times in the past but they’ve certainly shown character so far this campaign.

Goals from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski deep into stoppage time snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Sheffield United, while a late own goal from Joel Matip secured them all three points in a controversial contest with Liverpool.

It’s still early days so it remains to be seen whether they can sustain their form long term. However, there seems to have been a shift in mentality at Spurs and it would be the ultimate irony if they went on to win the title the season after Kane finally left in search of silverware.

City’s defeat to Arsenal came just a week after surrendering at Wolves and the reigning champions will be desperate to turn things around after the international break. Erling Haaland has picked up where he left off with eight Premier League goals already but with Kevin De Bruyne sidelined with injury, the pressure is on the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva to offer the missing creativity and unlock rival defences.

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Chelsea and Manchester United struggles continue

While both sides won at the weekend, those results perhaps paper over the cracks of their seasons so far. Chelsea have already suffered defeats to West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, while they also failed to score at Bournemouth.

A scattergun approach to transfers over the summer saw a lot of fresh faces arrive alongside new manager Mauricio Pochettino, who still seems to be working out his strongest line-up.

Saturday’s 4-1 thumping of Burnley was their second win in a row and with Raheem Sterling seemingly back to his best, they could now start to push on. But they may lack the firepower to reach the heights they desire, with new striker Nicolas Jackson struggling to score regularly so far.

Much like Chelsea, Manchester United have also been unconvincing and find themselves 10th in the table. They’ve lost four of their eight games so far, including home defeats to Brighton and Crystal Palace, while two injury-time Scott McTominay goals saved them from embarrassment against Brentford last weekend.

Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes are yet to get going and while Rasmus Højlund has shown promising signs, including an imperious Champions League display against Galatasaray, he’s yet to score in the league.

Both Chelsea and United will undoubtedly improve as the season progresses but for now, both sides look a long way off mounting any kind of challenge for the European spots.

The race for the top four

Liverpool have been flying so far this season and have perhaps gone slightly under the radar. Jurgen Klopp finally seems to have sorted his midfield issues, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister adding a balance to their side.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has been as consistent as ever, scoring five times in the league so far, while Darwin Núñez is slowly starting to become a reliable forward option.

Aston Villa are hot on their tail and the improvement they’ve shown since Unai Emery’s arrival a year ago has been remarkable. The Spaniard has well and truly put his Arsenal disaster behind him and proven that he’s more than capable of competing on these shores.

The Midlands side made shrewd summer signings, including exciting winger Moussa Diaby, who seems to be getting the best out of Ollie Watkins. The striker is a constant threat and he’s forced himself back into the England squad after scoring a hat-trick in Villa’s 6-1 win over Brighton.

Elsewhere, Newcastle will be targeting another top four finish after securing a long-awaited return to the Champions League. They followed up an 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield United with a stunning 4-1 win over PSG and have shown when the likes of Kieran Trippier and Alexander Isak are at the top of their game, they’re a match for anybody in Europe.

Who’s in danger of relegation?

After the first few games of the season, you’d have been forgiven for assuming the relegation battle was done and dusted. The three promoted clubs looked doomed and those above them were breathing sighs of relief.

But after gaining their first wins of the campaign, both Luton and Burnley are beginning to find their feet. Rob Edwards secured Luton’s first ever Premier League win away at Everton and they limited high-flying Spurs to just one goal at the weekend.

While they still have a huge job on their hands to survive, they’re not quite proving to be the whipping boys they were predicted to be over the summer. Meanwhile, it was against Luton that Burnley’s first three points of the season arrived.

With just one point from their opening eight games, Sheffield United are rooted to the bottom of the table and desperately need their luck to change. Similarly, Bournemouth are yet to win despite backing new manager Andoni Iraola heavily in the summer transfer window.

Wolves and Everton have improved after tough openings to the campaign while Brentford, who started the season strongly, seem to have stagnated and they’re struggling to get wins on the board without the suspended Ivan Toney.

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