2011/12 Aviva Premiership Final Preview

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After 22 rounds of intense action, the cream of the crop in English rugby has emerged as Harlequins and Leicester Tigers prepare to battle it out in the Aviva Premiership final this Saturday.

Both teams emerged as the top two during the domestic season, and then came through tough tests in the semi-finals to reach the showpiece event at Twickenham.

Quins needed a late try from Joe Marler to edge out the Northampton Saints at the Stoop, while Leicester gained revenge over Saracens for their defeat at rugby HQ 12 months ago to reach their eighth consecutive final.

For Connor O’Shea’s side, while the trip across the road will not be of great distance, this match will represent a giant leap for a side that have fully overcome the trauma that ‘Bloodgate’ caused and stand just one win away from their first ever Premiership title.    

Has Hodgson got his squad correct?

By Tony Alvarez
Yesterday new England manager Roy Hodgson announced his first England squad, which is an important one as its also the squad that will represent England in this Summers European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine.
Shortly after his squad was announced at 1pm yesterday his decisions were met with much criticism from the general public as well as some of his decisions being questioned by Football pundits.

Has this been the best Premier League season ever?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Sergio Aguero’s 95th-minute strike secured the most thrilling of Premier League titles for Manchester City as Roberto Mancini’s side earned the club’s first title in 44 years in truly dramatic fashion.

That 3-2 win over Queen’s Park Rangers served as heartbreak for their Manchester rivals United, as Sir Alex Ferguson‘s men had the title given to them and dashed from them all within a matter of minutes.

It was also a fitting end to a Premier League campaign that has thrown up endless twists and turns, and this in a week when the 2011/12 season was voted the greatest in the league’s history, with each club having their own intriguing story.

City will look upon their triumph as potentially the beginning of a new and successful era, with the incredible financial backing of Sheikh Mansour now reaping the rewards.

United will try and use this moment to inspire their younger players such as Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck to drive them on and continuing the consistent success that’s been in place over the past 20 years.    

Aviva Premiership semi-finals preview

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After 22 pulsating rounds, we now know which are the four teams that have earnt a crack at lifting the Aviva Premiership title and being crowned champions of England in 2012.

Harlequins, Leicester, Saracens and Northampton have emerged as the country’s elite over the past nine months, and this weekend’s semi-finals are finely poised as they battle for a place in the final at Twickenham on the 26th May.

The bookies are backing Leicester to emerge as champions; Richard Cockerill‘s side are looking to reach their eighth consecutive Premiership final, and are the form team going into the knockout stages having beaten the other three semi-finalists away from home in recent months.

But as this season has already shown, we could be set for more twists and turns as we prepare for two titanic tussles as England’s finest prepare to get a shot at the title.    

So Roy; Rio, JT or both?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

There was no doubt what the biggest story was in English football this week, as Roy Hodgson usurped heavy favourite Harry Redknapp and become the new England manager.

The West Brom boss has agreed a four-year deal which sees him take charge for the next three major tournaments through to the European Championships in France in 2016.

64 year-old Hodgson was the unanimous choice of the 4-man FA panel that consisted of Chairman David Bernstein, Director of football development Trevor Brooking, General Secretary Alex Horne and Club England managing Director Adrian Bevington.

While many will preside in persisting that Hodgson is the wrong choice and may not inspire enthusiasm amongst the public, the main fact now is that we have to get behing him and give the man a chance to succeed in a job where many before him which had that public support failed.

His appointment has been hailed as a long-term one by the FA to help the development of their National Football Centre, which is due to open in Burton later this year.

But for the forseeable future Hodgson’s sole focus will be on Euro 2012, and one of the biggest decisions that Hodgson faces ahead of the tournament is the dilemma of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.    

Is the standard of refereeing really decreasing?

By Tony Alvarez
Yesterday Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini questioned the standard of refereeing in England and admitted he was some what disappointed by the standard of refereeing in England Is not what he expected.
The Italian said “When I was in Italy I always thought, here, there were the best referees, My idea has changed.”
Although I can’t relate to Mancini’s experience of referee’s in Italy as to that of the ref’s in England I do somewhat agree with him.
Despite attending matches as much as possible in previous years this is the first season I’ve had a season ticket thus attending every match and seeing 90 minutes every week.

Can Leicester kick on and earn a play off spot?

 

By Tony Alvarez

At the beginning of the season the bookies favourites and many fans and pundits favourites to win the Championship was Leicester City. They had spent massively improving their squad in the summer and had a manager who was well regarded worldwide in Sven Goran Erikkson.

A look at the table shows just how wrong everyone was far from running away with the title the club are currently in 9^th place with 62 points from their 42 fixtures, the former England manager has long since departed and been replaced with a much smaller name in Nigel Pearson.

Will Smith and Booth rediscover winning formula at London Irish?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

During the period dominated by the Six Nations, London Irish announced the return of a former favourite to help reignite their success on the pitch.

After leaving his position as the attack coach for England following a traumatic World Cup, the Australian has returned to the Madjeski as the club’s Director of Rugby.

The 45 year-old will hope to rekindle the winning formula alongside Booth that gained the management duo many admirers during their first spell together between 2005 and 2008.

In that time, Irish reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup where they narrowly lost to Toulouse, while a year on after Smith’s departure to the national set-up they reached the Premiership final, only losing to Leicester Tigers by a solitary point at Twickenham.

However, since reaching the domestic season’s showpiece in 2009 the Berkshire-based club have been unable to build on those foundations, failing to reach the play-offs in the three seasons since and now finding their Heineken Cup status in serious doubt.    

Six Nations Week Four Preview

By Laurie Fitzgerald

This year’s Six Nations Championship moves into the business end of the campaign, with only one side still able to claim a grand slam with two rounds remaining.

France’s draw at home to Ireland last weekend in their rearranged clash in Paris means that Wales are the only team with a perfect record after three games.

Now Warren Gatland’s side are at home to Italy as they try and complete stage four of their latest grand slam adventure having achieved the feat under the Kiwi back in 2008.

For the French, they will try to get over the disappointment of missing out on their 10th clean sweep in Championship history when they take on old rivals England at the Stade de Francais on Sunday afternoon.

In between those two clashes is the game in Dublin late Saturday afternoon as Ireland try to get their up-and-down tournament going when they face a Scotland side whose frustrating Championship leaves them still searching for their first win.    

Six Nations Week Three Preview

By Laurie Fitzgerald

With the upcoming games this weekend marking the halfway mark of this year’s championship, the 2012 Six Nations reaches a critical stage.

Following the postponement of France v Ireland in round two, it is Wales and England that lead the way with two wins out of two, and they face each other at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

Earlier that day, Ireland will finally play their second game in this tournament at home to Italy as both teams look for their first win in the championship.

Then on Sunday, France travel to Murrayfield to face a Scotland side looking to claim a notable scalp after a disappointing campaign so far.