Preview: Halifax RLFC V Leigh Centurions

Halifax RLFC’s title credentials will be given a thorough examination when they take on Leigh Centurions on Sunday.

With the half-way point of the season fast approaching, Fax host third placed Leigh with a healthy five point lead at the top of the Kingstone Press Championship.

However, with Karl Harrison’s side scheduled to visit Featherstone Rovers in their following league fixture, their stranglehold of the division could either be secure or loosened come the end of April.

And with their fourth round Challenge Cup tie with Barrow sandwiched in the middle, April looks set to be a defining month in Halifax’s season.

First and foremost they will go up against a Leigh side that has won nine of their last ten matches. Defeat to Sheffield along with their opening day loss to Featherstone has seen them fall five points behind Halifax, but victory over Karl Harrison’s men would put them right back in the mix at the top of the table.

Halifax have struggled against Leigh in recent history, winning just one of their last five league outings against the Centurions. That victory came back in June 2011 as Fax broke Leigh’s unbeaten start to the season, a favour Paul Rowley’s side will look to return on Sunday.

If those previous meetings are anything to go by, both sets of supporters can expect a high scoring affair with 396 points scored in meetings between the sides since 2010. With the likes of Anthony Thackeray, Scott Murrell and the duo of Bob Beswick and Sean Penkywicz all ready to make their presence felt, more points can be expected.

The battle between the two sides’ creative players is likely to be the difference. Handforth, Thackeray and Murrell have so far outclassed all before them, but with Penkywicz, Beswick and Ryan Brierley pitting their wits against them they face their toughest challenge to date.

The return of Penkywicz in particular is intriguing. The influential hooker made 139 appearances for Fax in two spells with the club before moving to his home town team for the 2013 campaign. His match winning abilities have been seen on numerous occasions at The Shay, but with him now on the opposing side it will be compelling to see how Fax go about keeping him quiet.

Penkywicz won’t be the only player to make his return to The Shay. Along with Penkywicz and Beswick, Thomas Coyle and Michael Ostick shall attempt to haunt their former club. Additionally, Leigh’s head coach Paul Rowley also returns after spending six years with Halifax in the 90’s, playing a key part in some of 

Fax’s most successful times in recent history.

Karl Harrison is expected to recall the likes of Scott Murrell, Ryan Fieldhouse and Rob Worrincy after resting them in Fax’s Challenge Cup win over Oxford. Meanwhile, Martin Aspinwall will be unavailable for Leigh after being ruled out for 12 weeks with a ruptured bicep.

When Barry Hearn met table tennis

It was in 2008 when Boris Johnson joyfully declared that ping pong was coming home.

He may have been referring to the marvellous 2012 Olympics, but it is in fact 2013 that sees ping pong bounce back on to home shores for good, and doing so with a recognisable imprint  that has all the potential to take the country and the sporting world by storm.

Not many from within nor from outside of table tennis would describe the sport as a serious form of entertainment. Table tennis has simply fallen behind the times as western commercialisation has splashed itself all over sporting culture. The sport, despite having vast potential, is stale and nothing more than a mere pastime for your average schmuck to do on their two week holiday in Tenerife.

It’s a dismal situation that a sport with over 300 million frequent participators shouldn't find itself in, however seeds have started to be sprinkled that will eventually see the sport in the limelight it truly deserves.

Over the course of the weekend the World Championships of Ping Pong took place at the illustrious Alexandra Palace.

Strobe lights, an energetic disco beat and a chaotic crowd had the unmistakable stench of sports promotion genius Barry Hearn. Hearn has made his living taking sports and transforming them from leisurely pub activities to major forces in sporting culture. He’s the master of promotion, with darts, boxing and snooker just a part of his genius’ repertoire. 

Barry Hearn, credit to Action Images

I was fortunate enough to speak to the man himself, who explained his decision to go into business with table tennis.

“I like to promote sports I like. I think everyone has held a table tennis bat at some time. It’s a game that 300 million people play, it’s the second biggest participation sport in the world behind soccer yet there’s no big events and no big TV spectaculars. So it’s got the handwriting of events I like to take over. I like to go into sports that haven’t been properly done and do them properly.” Said Hearn.

 If this can be put into context, table tennis has hit the jackpot.

It’s undoubted that table tennis needs a major rehaul and that was put into effect as Ally Pally ripped out the carpet and put in place the barriers around the courts where the action would commence.

The major topic of discussion before the event was the decision to forbid the commonly used sponge rubbers to be replaced by the ‘old-school’ sandpaper like hard bats that seriously reduces both pace and spin in a bid to extend the length of rallies and to create an easier viewing for audiences.

Hearn explained his decision to revert back to the older style of equipment, with each bat being identical to the other and being randomly designated to each player at the start of the match.

“I’m not a fan of sponge bats and I’m not a fan of spin. The game thirty years ago was bigger when it was hard bat and people were watching extended athletic rallies that were more televisual. Today’s modern table tennis frankly doesn't fit television. It’s too up close and personal, you don’t get enough rallies and I think we need to go back to something like this to see if we can create proper sporting atmosphere. I’m fairly critical of modern day table tennis. I don’t think it fits into today’s market but I think this might.” Said Hearn.

As the crowds arrived there was a sense of intrigue as to what would unfold, not only from the spectators but the players themselves, many of them only taking up the hard bat equivalent at the beginning of the week. What was uncertain was that there was a harmonious enthusiasm for the event to succeed and what unravelled most certainly lived up to and exceeded expectations.

The crowd, after a subdued start, became increasingly vocal over the weekend as the event continued to gain approval, with the Dutch contingent being the life and soul of the party. It was bizarre being at a table tennis event that had atmosphere, it felt strange, perplexing, but fantastic. Watching people, pint or family in hand becoming increasingly infectious about the action was the perfect sign of an event that will win people over. The players clearly loved the event too. While undoubtedly the money helped, the passion shown by the players was unparalleled; never did I think I would see two players square up in a match. However it wasn’t a sour note, it was a symbol of drama and entertainment that the sport so desperately craves.

Ryan Jenkins, 11 time Welsh table tennis Champion and dominant force on the British circuit was full of praise for the event.

“It’s completely different. It’s like taking a cue off a snooker player and giving him a stick. I spoke to Barry at length this morning and he is very keen on taking it from a small sport and changing it into a sport that will be on TV and become a huge success. It can be the future. If it’s going to get the sport attention and bring people into the sport it’s a good thing.”

As for the play, it was, as expected, not as quick, but it most certainly didn’t hinder the level of skill required to play. It combined the modern spectacle of a sporting event with the retro feel of a sport moving back to its roots. The rallies were far better to watch, the game was more appealing, more enjoyable. While the double point rule provided another dramatic twist to several games across the day.

Any scepticism I had was quickly diminished. While others will remain reluctant and unconvinced, what must be accepted is that as the world changes, so does sport. Standing still is as good as moving backwards in the world we live in and if the sport is going to move forward it has to change. It may be a step into the unknown and the landscape of the sport may be moving into unknown territory but the fact that the event was on for eight hours on Sky Sports in very rating heavy time slots proves that this is the future for the sport.

It remains to be seen what will come for table tennis, but what can be said is that it is in safe hands in the grasp of Hearn who clearly has big plans for the franchise.

English number 6 Chris Doran made the semi finals.

“This is sport in its purist form. This is player against player, not scientist against scientist and I like that. The television programme syndication on this will go to around 600 million homes. It’s going all around the world, everyone can understand it, it’s packaged properly and its a short game format, it’s appealing. It has potential to grow and with it you will find traditional table tennis players will start looking at this and thinking maybe I should spend more attention on this because it has more growing potential. The money is quite incidental to our world because it’s what TV companies will pay for if they get the ratings, it’s what the sponsors will pay if they think the game is going forward and if we can create a global market for it they will pay for it. But don’t expect it too quick. It took us probably ten to twelve years to get the darts to where it is and I don’t think table tennis will get there any quicker, but you've got to start somewhere and this has been an interesting starting point.”

Table tennis may well not know what to expect, but what can be expected is that big things are to come from the sport.

The Man Who Fought Racism

And so it appears racism shall not fall by the way side come 2013.

It has taken just three days of the new year for racism to once again overshadow everything the sporting world has to offer.

However this time, the context of the story can be commended

As AC Milan contested a 'friendly' match with Pro Patria, Kevin-Prince Boateng astonishingly picked up the ball and launched it into the crowd. His aim was a small set of supporters who had racially abused he and several of his team mates throughout the duration of the match. The former Portsmouth midfielder went on the take his top off and leave the field of play.

The footage of Boateng simply having enough was what many have pleaded to see for several generations of football. If the seemingly uncaring governing bodies of UEFA and FIFA can't pluck up the courage to use their authority and clash heads with racism, then the players should, and what Boateng has done should be widely acclaimed and applauded by all football purists.

It sounds immoral to find a video consisting of racist abuse beautiful, but seeing Boateng's team-mates harmoniously follow their friend off the pitch and see the majority of the crowd applaud Boateng's actions was the most symbolic image since John Barnes kicked a banana off the pitch in 1988. It showed unity, it showed a joint hatred of racism, it showed progress.

What happened is by no means good news. It's shameful that racism is forever on our lips but the fact of the matter is that it does and that is something we cannot hide from. It is something that must change and doing the same, which is currently next to nothing, will not change it. Meagre fines will not change it. T-shirts will not change it. An awareness day will not change it. A lack of matches will start to make people think twice before they spurt their drivel in the direction of the people that give society so much.

Many will claim that walking away lets the racists win, but if the racists have forever been undermined, why does this taboo increasingly become a problem within sport? What was witnessed today could potentially be a defining moment in the fight against racism. If a player with the calibre of Boateng is willing to walk off the pitch, donning the famous red and black stripes of the Rossoneri, no player should be afraid of taking similar actions and standing in the face of adversity.

It will be intriguing to see how UEFA react. They have a right to fine Milan for leaving the game. Such a stance would be preposterous yet not unsurprising. They have made it clear in the last year especially that they see no objection to days like this, however what can be concluded is that football has made a large step in the right direction and Boateng himself should be applauded for that.

Historic SPOTY Duly Delivers.

Well, what a year.

While recent years will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, 2012 will be a year that will be looked back on with immense pride in British history, and it's all because of sport.

What started on the 27th of July and followed in the 43 days after was monumental. Britain's greatest summer was captivating, harmonious and unifying. 

It signified what our minuscule island is made of, it gave us 114 heroes from the past, present and future and changed the landscape of Britain going forward immeasurably.

It all came together magnificently at the traditional celebratory bash in the shape of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year. In it's 59th and biggest year, SPOTY had a lot to live up too, but it most certainly did so and more. It was a wonderful spectacle that served up a huge dose of Olympic reminiscing along with a bit of everything else, the best being the 16,000 strong poznan celebration to welcome Manchester City stars Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero for their title winning triumphs.

The extended line up of twelve opposed to the usual ten contenders for the main prize still didn't do justice to this years amazing athletes. A quick glance at the short-list sees names such as Joe Hart, Hannah Cockroft and Kevin Sinfield left out when they would have unquestionably been on the short list in any other year.  

It was a memorable event that will live long in the minds of many over the years; the atmosphere was electric, the show was magnificent and gave an impeccable taste of how inspiring this past year has been.

While sport was the winner on the night, the true winner was cycling. After what has been a torrid year for the sport since the horrifying yet unsurprising surroundings of Lance Armstrong's past with drugs, the sport was in meltdown. Armstrong, a seven time Tour de France winner and cycling icon, was found to have severely broken drug regulations and subsequently stripped of his accomplishments and banned from the sport for life.

Me and the man himself, Bradley Wiggins, top bloke.

Yet cycling has clearly found a new star and that is indeed Bradley Wiggins. A man who's demeanour reeks of Paul Weller and character that oozes Noel Gallagher, the man has it all to eradicate the negativity Armstrong has left on the sport and become a British icon in the meantime. He is the people's man and a very talented one at that. If anyone was to change the image of cycling, it's him, and along with the likes of Mark Cavendish, Victoria Pendleton and Laura Trott, British cycling is destined to further become one of the major sports in this country.

However it's cycling's other SPOTY winner who should be taking the plaudits. British cycling performance director David Brailsford won coach of the year at the event after guiding the Team GB cycling team to twelve medals, eight of them being gold. In his acceptance speech, Brailsford said he was laughed at when he said he would get a clean British cyclist to win the tour. He did that and he did it emphatically. He's turned what was a minority sport into a mainstream one, with stars such as Wiggins and Trott becoming adored across the country. He also showed up the French, need I say no more?

What is essential in 2013 is that as a country we build on the legacy. Signs have so far been mixed with polls showing participation in schools is still under par and funding cut from many sports. As the inspirational Martine Wright said on stage "We need to build on this legacy we're all talking about and go on and inspire a nation." Otherwise, what this country achieved in the year of 2012 will all go to waste.

Chelsea, Clattenburg and the True Loser

And just when you think the racism row is about to blow over, a new, fresh and painfully damaging twist occurs in what appears to be a never ending suffering story for the game of football.

It remains unclear what occurred after Manchester United's controversial 3-2 victory over Chelsea, but the accused proceedings could not have come at a worse possible time for Kick It Out and most certainly Chelsea.

It's quite black and white for Clattenburg. Guilty, his career is over. Innocent, he lives to ref another game.

But it's the ramifications that will be put upon Chelsea at the end of this inevitable drawn out saga that are the most intriguing.

The European champions 'previous' does not exactly fill you with confidence. In April 2005 Anders Frisk was forced to retire after receiving death threats from Chelsea fans two weeks after he sent off Didier Drogba against Barcelona, this all after then boss Jose Mourinho and players heavily criticised the Swedish official.

In 2007, captain John Terry was fined £10,000 for a verbal tirade against referee Graham Poll, while in 2008, Ashley Cole turned his back on referee Mike Riley as he attempted to book him.

Four years later, Chelsea were fined £85,000 and Drogba and Jose Bosingwa were handed fines after referee Tom Henning Ovrebo turned away four penalty claims as they crashed out to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final.

Finally, and most importantly, John Terry was recently found guilty of using abusive and insulting language against Anton Ferdinand, and admitting to using racial vocabulary.

It is therefore imperative for the club that they get this one right, and the fact they have been forced to withdraw the accusations against Clattenburg regarding remarks made about Juan Mata makes their case appear to be crumbling right in front of them and their already tarnished image set to be crumpled and dragged through the dirt once more.

Sour grapes? It appears increasingly likely, and with Clattenburg having being threatened to have his legs broken, this looks set to be a far more significant own goal that David Luis' for the Premier League leaders.

Surely though, Chelsea must have substantial evidence to prove Clattenburg's wrong doings. John Obi Mikel's case itself is confusing. Video evidence shows him stood right by John Terry as he hurled abuse at Ferdinand, yet, he was nowhere to be seen when it came to backing up his captain. Was this him turning a blind eye? Refusing to back up a man who he knows said something racist? Or his club refusing to let him leave his leader hanging high and dry?

Which ever stance you take, the fact that he remained anonymous raises questions over his standing on racism, rightly or wrongly.

Either way you look at it, the biggest loser in this is football. In what has been a turbulent period for the sport, this is the worst case scenario the FA in particular could ever imagine themselves in. Failing to condemn Clattenburg will undoubtedly lead to questioning on their stance against racism, while finding the man guilty and inevitably sacking him will rage outrage from the referees union on such contrasting punishments for Clattenburg in comparison to Terry and Luis Suarez.

It's a sorry state of affairs for the beautiful game, a game that is ever moving into a murky future.