Jonah Lomu: Rugby Union's Great Decoder

By Shane Thomas

Sunday, 18th June 1995. I am 11 years old.

Having recently become a fan of rugby union, I am sitting on the rug in the front room of my home in Streatham, excitedly awaiting the upcoming World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and England. Despite the All Blacks going into the game as favourites, I was enthused at the prospect of an England victory.

England's Children Taught Their Harshest Lesson

By Shane Thomas

I imagine it's always a thorny issue for a parent when their child hits a stage of near adulthood. One has to take care not to stifle their path to independence, but must also be cognisant of not giving them so much autonomy that they're not yet ready to handle.

It's a difficult balancing act[1], and is a task that Stuart Lancaster can probably relate too. When he goes through the futile but inevitable process of recounting what went wrong against Australia, and this entire World Cup campaign, he'll wonder if his players were the sporting equivalent of a group of adolescents, unable to be trusted to stay home on their own.

The Ashes 2015 Preview

By Shane Thomas

With the probable exception of the Summer Olympics, there's no sporting event I relish more than the Ashes. My dislike of the summer months is tempered by England versus Australia: five Test matches; a true and comprehensive examination of the cricketing strength of the two nations; cricket's oldest rivalry.

Episode 45 - 2011 In Review (Part 1) w/Emma Hyam

As 2011 draws to a close, we begin our retrospective of the year in sport. With the help of former guest host, Emma Hyam, we review the past 12 months in Rugby Union, Rugby League and Tennis.

The Greatest Events In Sporting History' is available from http://www.simplysyndicated.com/shows/sportinghistory/

The Noisy Neighbours & The Emperor's New Clothes

By Shane Thomas


Manchester United 1; Manchester City 6. Such an astonishing scoreline that there's no other way to begin this post. It was the long awaited clash of the top two in the Premier League; the established empire, in champions Manchester United against the nouveau riche upstarts, Manchester City - given the moniker of "noisy neighbours" by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. They have been the sides that have looked the class in English football's top division, and have caused some to dub Manchester as England's new "capital of football".

United started the match as narrow favourites, and played as such in the early stages, dominating possession. Ashley Young looked especially threatening, and City needed all their defensive nous to keep the score at 0-0. Then came the first of three key moments, which determined the final outcome.