#Front Row

Forget Eddie Jones for a moment. Let's talk about Subbuteo. If you were a young sporting fan, it was the game for you back in the 1970's and 1980's. The game looked beautiful, with its lush green felt pitches, plentiful accessories, and detailed crowd models all the way down to one man and his dog. You could even buy the picket fences and…

It used to be that what happened was of general import only when one pack destroyed the other giving a psychological and sometimes numerical advantage from penalties extracted from hapless opponents. The talk of a game within a game was apposite and sometimes front rows on the losing team really did come off the field inwardly satisfied that they…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, January 13. Scotland's sporting anthem Flower of Scotland should be ditched because of its anti-English "chippiness", according to rugby legend Jim Telfer. Having previously made the call for it to be replaced 12 years ago, the Scot hasn't changed his mind about the song which refers to Robert the…

Jack Dempsey will make his first start for Scotland as Gregor Townsend's side face Argentina in their Autumn Nations Series finale on Saturday. The Glasgow Warriors back row has featured off the bench in all three of Scotland's matches so far this autumn, making his debut in the narrow defeat to the nation of his birth Australia, and will now get…

NASCAR will make it's second-ever stop to Austin and Circuit of the Americas with the NASCAR EchoPark Automotive Cup Grand Prix featuring events from Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27. Events at COTA will include racing in all three of its major series, non-race entertainment and multiple driver appearances. Last Sunday, William Byron took…

It's been a year when disciplinary decisions have been in the spotlight like never before. We've had the Joe Marler gypsy-boy row, Argentine assaults, a vicious hit on a female referee and a suspension following a bizarre incident in an airport toilet cubicle! Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas looks back on these and the players who picked up bans…

Ireland kept their Six Nations titles hopes alive with a bonus point victory over a 14-man England at Twickenham. The home side had to play nearly all of the match a man down after Charlie Ewels saw red for a high tackle that saw James Ryan leave the field. Ireland were quick to take advantage of the extra man. In the the sixth minute an…

Sports gambling is a dangerous game - but damn, it feels good when you pick a winner. Nobody is experiencing that thrilling dopamine rush more than Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, who just won USD$75 million (AU$115 million) betting on his beloved Astros. According to multiple reports, it's believed to be the largest payout in sports betting…

Former IndyCar champion Alex Palou had barely started his first live grand prix session behind the wheel of a Formula One car when he declared the feel and speed of the McLaren "insane." Moments later, Williams' Logan Sargeant was complaining of losing tire grip like a seasoned veteran. Friday at the United States Grand Prix saw a parade of…

Bath Rugby tighthead prop Will Stuart will start his fourth consecutive Test for England as the club's only representative in the matchday 23 to face Australia in the series decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Bath's giant wing Joe Cokanasiga misses out on selection while Northampton captain Lewis Ludlam replaces the concussed Sam…

Ascot Park harness racing trainer Tyler Dewe continued has great strike rate when Sophie (Bettor's Delight) won at Roxburgh today. The mare was his twelfth race day starter and his sixth winner. The win was a special one for the stable, as the five year old races in colours that part owner Murray Faul used in his thirty year training career. "I…

Heck, this was written before a game of the new Super Rugby Pacific competition had even been played. But with this weekend marking the start of a new footy year in this part of the world - yes, once more intruding on cricket season - this grievance with the game may as well be out there from the off: It's time to sort out the nuisance that is…

The 2023 Formula One season will once again kick off with the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, March 5th. Max Verstappen will look to begin the title defense of his second consecutive championship. He'll also see where things stand for Red Bull after his record-setting fifteen wins in 2022. In the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc…

The Gallagher Premiership is back and now in full swing. Most of the internationals have made a return to their clubs after a busy summer period at Test level too. Eyes are coming around to the national team once more. The Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations are the last opportunities for Eddie Jones to whittle down the huge English player…

Munster face Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast for a New Year's Day interpro clash. On the injury front following a St Stephen's Day derby with Leinster, Graham Rowntree's side were left in 11th place on the URC table. This Sunday, Ulster hosts again after Munster visited the Kingspan Stadium twice last season - winning in Belfast in the…

Damian De Allende was part of the South Africa team that beat England in the World Cup final Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Satuday's autumn international between England and South Africa. Amazon Prime, 5.30pm Saturday South Africa+4 2pts 10-11 Betfair, Betfred, Paddy Power England fought back to snatch an unlikely draw from the re-run…

For the first time in 11 years, Daniel Ricciardo will not be a regular fixture in a Formula One season when the 2023 campaign kicks off on March 5 in Bahrain. The 33-year-old's downfall in 2022 is a story well told. In truth, it started badly and failed to improve, forcing McLaren Racing to axe the popular Australian despite having a year remaining…

It's anyone's race in this year's Daytona 500, but behind clear superspeedway MVP Denny Hamlin, the favorites might be nothing but fool's gold. Find out why we're approaching the top of the odds board with caution in our Daytona 500 picks and predictions. NASCAR is back in full force for 2022, with the legendary Daytona 500 running this weekend. As…

Ireland travel to Rome to face Italy in the Six Nations this weekend. This year's tournament has not gone to plan so far for Andy Farrell, with his side losing their opening two games against Wales and France. They face an Italian side who are also winless in the competition after defeats to France and England. Farrell has made seven changes to the…

From the Wallabies' struggles to the Wallaroos' World Cup campaign, and right down to the grassroots, it has been a big year for Australian rugby. Here are the five CODE Sports rugby stories that most resonated with readers in 2022. Tom Carter knows what people thought of him as a rugby player. He shared his lone regret and his remarkable journey…

Leinster reached their first Heineken Champions Cup final in three years after dethroning Toulouse in a sure-footed 40-17 win at the Aviva Stadium. The defending champions struggled to cope with the pace of the hosts' attack, with James Lowe, the tournament's top-scorer this season, claiming two of their four tries. Leinster recovered from Antoine…

Tighthead props don't usually make for good jockeys. Henry de Bromhead was no exception. "I rode, I did hunting and pony club stuff, but I was probably poor-to-moderate as a rider," he says. Training horses is a different matter, however. Last March he secured his place in the Cheltenham pantheon by taking an unprecedented triple crown of Champion…

Sky Sports Racing presenter Alex Hammond looks ahead to the Epsom Classics and reflects on the death of Lester Piggott. It is impossible to chat to you this week without paying tribute to the late, great, Lester Piggott, who died at the weekend aged 86. Lester retired for the final time in 1995, but even if his career had ended before your love of…

The win of Dannemora (Betting Line) on day one (26 Dec.) of the Westport meeting at Patterson Park yesterday was a proper harness racing family affair. The three-year-old filly was prepared by Ohoka horseman, Tom Bagrie, driven by his cousin, John Dunn, and the extended family were on hand to soak in the spoils including four time champion North…

This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with profligacy, inconsistency, Rugby World Cup qualifying and the narrow sliver of space between the rock and the hard place where rugby now resides… There'll be a more detailed rumination on the Italy farce shortly, but there must be some Irish players mightily relieved that they are not more under…

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Daytona International Speedway Sunday for the 2022 Daytona 500. The green flag is set to drop a little after 2:30 p.m. ET. Below we analyze the 2022 Daytona 500 odds and lines, with NASCAR picks and predictions. Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell, in the No. 34 Ford machine, is the defending Daytona 500…

Pieter-Steph du Toit says he was confident of victory in the last Rugby World Cup final after the first 10 minutes. In that opening spell in Yokohama two years ago, England's Owen Farrell chose to spin the ball wide from behind his own posts and team-mate Billy Vunipola, facing a fast-advancing South Africa defence, chucked a pass to ground deep in…

The San Francisco Giants postponed a news conference Tuesday to introduce Carlos Correa after a medical concern arose during the All-Star shortstop's physical, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the Giants have not announced publicly any…

Wayne Smith and the Black Ferns during a training session. Photo / Photosport The Black Ferns have announced their first squad of the year as the Rugby World Cup draws closer. Black Ferns coaches Wayne Smith, Wesley Clarke and Whitney Hansen have named 31 players in the squad set to host Australia, Canada and USA next month. Seven players are in…

When Otago prop Sam Hibbard first came south, turning out in the blue and gold was not his top priority. Sure, he enjoyed his rugby, but the move was more about passing his university papers and enjoying the campus life. Now, though, look where he has ended up. In a sort of dream Southern man combination, he plays for Otago in the winter months and…

World Cup viewership will be available tomorrow, and I expect Fox to set a record with Argentina's win over France. This is the last SBJ Media of 2022. I'll be back with a new issue Jan. 9, just before the CFP National Championship kickoff. My 2023 predictions column focused mainly on how upcoming rights deals will look, from NFL Sunday Ticket and…

Tighthead props don't usually make for good jockeys. Henry De Bromhead was no exception. "I rode, I did hunting and pony club stuff, but I was probably poor-to-moderate as a rider," he says. Training horses is a different matter, however. Last March he secured his place in the Cheltenham pantheon by taking an unprecedented triple crown of Champion…

Given the short timescale England have to turn around their Barbarian mauling into lessons learned for both selection and tactics, Eddie Jones is likely to go with a team of tried and trusted but with a little seasoning from a couple of the more effective players from last weekend's match. Courtney Lawes is his biggest headache; Lawes professes he…

Now we come to our next era, and fans will become increasingly familiar with the players. I have referred to this era as the Reformists because two significant reformists movements occurred during this period. In 1962 New South Wales was so concerned at the drop in standards of Queensland rugby that they refused to play them. This was a slight that…

Stormers have been very good this season despite a couple of iffy results. While London Irish have not been lucky in terms of results, their performances have been good. Stormers vs London Irish Predictions Head to Head Stormers Form Stormers Injuries & Team News London Irish Form London Irish Injuries & Team News Stormers vs London Irish FAQ I am…

An article of faith in rugby is our game is for all shapes and sizes. Witness the lumpy ballasted prop. The yapping gymnast behind the ruck. Wispy wingers winging it out wide. Beanpoles gangling at lock. Some of us matured in such a jagged line we played in many numbers. Whilst we cannot imagine the granite-skulled Tadgh Furlong playing any…

2039 total views, 8 views today Connacht look to win their second game of the Challenge cup this Friday night when they travel to take on struggling French side Brive. Another win for Connacht will go a long way to seeing them make the knockout stages of the competition and with Brive struggling, this is a great opportunity to do so. Connacht have…

When the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season began, most pundits and prognosticators expected one of the more intriguing Sunoco Rookie of the Year battles in recent memory. After all, the three drivers in contention for top rookie honors - Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, and Todd Gilliland - were all proven winners in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or…

Saturday's Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa promises to be a classic but it is almost too close to call. England reached the Yokohama showpiece after beating the All Blacks 19-7 in the semi-finals while South Africa were 19-16 winners over Wales. According to Oddschecker Eddie Jones's England are slight favourites to lift the…

When the gates fold back at 9.19pm for the SENTrack Inter Dominion Pacing Championship a breath-taking inhale will engulf the Melton course as drivers, connections, fans and punters learn whether their speed maps were correct. Who will lead? It's the defining question of the race that will define the 2022 season. Let's work from the inside out with…

There's not a long list of musicians that can sell out the biggest football stadiums and arenas across the world. Taylor Swift does it every single time she comes to town, often two or three nights in a row. That's why Taylor Swift concert tickets are going to be the hottest thing in showbiz as she follows up her record-breaking 2018 expedition…

Following a 23-17 victory for Leicester Tigers over the Ospreys in their Champions Cup fixture, here's our five takeaways from the match at Swansea.com Stadium on Sunday. This was an outstanding win by a particularly inexperienced but youthful Tigers side playing away against the Ospreys boasting some seven Test Lions and something north of 700…

The NASCAR Cup Series' Silly Season front has been quiet as of late but that's mostly due to the abundance of rides already taken. However, the two-feeder series have been busy with a slew of announcements this week. On Thursday, Toyota solidified their plans for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with both Joe Gibbs Racing and Sam Hunt Racing…

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is coming back. On Wednesday, after heavy speculation that he would join the San Francisco Giants, the Yankees and Aaron judge have agreed to a deal worth $360 million over nine years, according to multiple reports. Judge knocked 62 home runs, 177 hits and 131 RBIs in 2022. To commemorate Judge's return, fans can get his…

PHOENIX - Play ball! It's Opening Day for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After a 99-day lockout, the MLB is swinging into action as teams play their first official games of the 2022 season. The Diamondbacks are hosting the San Diego Padres at Chase Field for their Home Opener Thursday with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Tickets can be purchased…

After two makeshift seasons, Super Rugby is about to get a whole more super as the competition moves to a full-fledged Pacific competition. Making it all the more appealing for fans - and administrators - is that the competition's future will be announced Friday, with the competition to be set in stone until 2030. That will be music to the ears of…

ALI ROGERS has turned out in a number of team hues in recent months, but the only colour he is focused on wearing now is the dark blue of Scotland at under-20 level. The 19-year-old loose-head prop has his sights set on playing a major role in an important 2023 for the age-grade national side which gets underway with the Six Nations opener away to…

Texas furniture kingpin Jim McIngvale-better known as "Mattress Mack"-won $75 million on Saturday after his bet that the Houston Astros would win the World Series paid off, taking home what is believed to be the largest payout in legal sports betting history. McIngvale, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch to start Saturday's series-ending…

England star Burgess admits he's doing front-rows an injustice with his current prolific scoring run. Props aren't renowned for try-scoring feats but the big South Sydney forward is in terrific form in this World Cup. "It's four tries in four games - but I'm not really counting," he deadpanned, having only scored four in his previous 25 Tests. "I…

One of the major storylines of the Formula 1 offseason thus far has been the silence of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton following his last-lap championship defeat to Max Verstappen in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. More than five weeks removed from the heartbreaking ending, the 37-year-old Briton has yet to address the public,…