Latest news with #TheBad&TheRugby
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carole and Michael Middleton were 'hugely dedicated' parents and 'sacrificed' a lot for their children growing up, Kate remembers
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. As a parent to three children herself, Catherine, Princess of Wales knows just how much effort it can take - which is why she's always quick to praise her own parents for everything they "sacrificed" for her, sister Pippa Middleton and brother James growing up. The close relationship between Kate and her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, is one that's only got stronger over the years. Carole has always been Kate's 'rock' and it was suggested that being closer to Michael and Carole in Berkshire was one factor that inspired Prince William and Kate's family move to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. And it's easy to see why Kate continues to lean on her parents, as she talked lovingly of how "dedicated" the pair were while appearing on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020. Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Revelatory Biography of the Future Queen by Robert Jobson | Was $29.95, Now $11.45 at Amazon This biography of the Princess of Wales explores how she became the woman she is today. Author Robert Jobson has spoken to sources on and off the record in the Royal Household and reflects on her beginnings and role as the future Queen Deal The Princess of Wales reflected upon her idyllic childhood, explaining how Carole and Michael "sacrificed" their free time to cheer them on at all their sporting events. "I had a very happy childhood. It was great fun. I'm very lucky I come from a very strong family. My parents were hugely dedicated," Kate shared. "I really appreciate now as a parent how much they sacrificed for us. They came to every sports match, they'd be the ones on the side-line shouting, and we'd always have our family holidays together." It seems that since becoming a mom herself, Kate has come to value Carole and Michael's unwavering commitment to supporting their children's hobbies in a slightly different way. Kate's memories of playing matches and seeing Carole and Michael Middleton on the side-lines cheering have clearly had a huge impact upon her. She's been pictured attending one of Prince George's football matches before and has often discussed her children's favourite hobbies. During a different podcast appearance in 2023, Kate also revealed that her well-known love of sports come from her parents' support and encouragement. "I suppose as a family we were just very active. And I can always remember being physical, using our bodies, whether it's walking, climbing the lake district in Scotland [or] swimming from a young age," she said on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast. "[My parents] always encouraged us to be physically active and sporty and they always encouraged us into doing team sports and trying things." William and Kate seem to be continuing this tradition, as we already know Prince George is proving to be an ace on the tennis court, having had a lesson from Roger Federer, and Princess Charlotte is a massive fan of ballet. Whilst the Princess of Wales seems to be taking a similar approach to her parents, their decision to be there at every sports match isn't the only sacrifice they've made. Writing previously in the Mail on Sunday's You magazine, Kate Mansey claimed that while the public "may not have noticed", Carole allegedly accompanied the Waleses on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2014 so she could "help with Prince George". If this is correct then Carole selflessly spent three weeks away from home to assist with childcare and as she was believed to have still been running her former business, Party Pieces, day-to-day. This was such a heartfelt gesture from Carole and one that was likely very much appreciated by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Perfectly-Timed Mishap Has Kate Middleton and Prince William Cracking Up on Royal Visit
Kate Middleton and Prince William faced off in a naval-themed competition during a royal visit to Scotland this week The royal couple competed aboard the HMS Glasgow after Princess Kate officially christened the new ship While Kate technically bested her husband, the unexpected final moments of the competition left the couple cracking up Kate Middleton and Prince William aren't a couple who shy away from some friendly competition. The Prince and Princess of Wales — or the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as they are known in Scotland — teamed up to attend the official naming ceremony of the HMS Glasgow on Thursday, May 22. As sponsor of the ship, Princess Kate pressed a button to christen the warship in the traditional manner: by breaking a bottle of whisky on the hull. The liquor was an exclusive single malt made by Clydeside Distillery. Each bottle sold will contribute a donation to one of Kate's patronage charities, Place2Be, which supports children's mental health in the Glasgow area. 'May God bless her and all who sail on her,' the princess declared in a short speech. Following the ceremony, William, 42, and Kate, 43, boarded the ship and met with apprentices from BAE Systems, who were responsible for delivering the vessel, the first of eight Type 26 anti-submarine frigates to be built in Glasgow. Onboard, the royal couple faced off in a pipe-building competition. Kate got off to a quick start, while William spent more time chatting, later claiming he didn't know it was a race. The royal mom of three — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — credited her pipe-building ability to years of experience playing with children's toys, and Princess Kate seemed to have bested her husband in the faceoff. However, as seen in a video shared by Sky News' Rhiannon Mills, just as she was being declared the winner, one of Kate's pieces collapsed. Princess Kate tried to keep a straight face as she tried to catch the falling piece before cracking up, while her husband laughed from across the table. 'Perfectly timed,' William teased his wife. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Prince William and Princess Kate are known to occasionally go head-to-head during joint royal outings, whether they're making cocktails, facing off in a sailing race or rolling dough balls at a bakery. During a 2023 appearance on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast — hosted by Mike Tindall, who is married to William's cousin Zara — they poked fun at Kate's personality when it comes to contests. "I'm not going to say you're uber competitive," Mike said before pausing to give a nod, indicating that she really was. Princess Kate replied coyly, "I'm not competitive at all." "I've seen her play beer pong!" Mike said. Another spontaneous moment came during the outing in Scotland when a fan called out to the couple. As seen in a video shared on Instagram, a well-wisher shouted out to Princess Kate, "You're beautiful," before adding, "You too, William!" Prince William had a quick quip that made the crowd giggle in response: "You don't have to say that. Don't worry." Read the original article on People
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Mike Tindall Q&A: It wasn't Finn Russell's best Six Nations
To mark the end of the 2025 Six Nations, Mike Tindall sat down to answer Telegraph readers' questions. This was the last of our five Q&A sessions with Tindall and James Haskell, the hosts of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast. In previous interviews, James Haskell explained why Jerusalem should not be the national anthem and why the scrum is important in rugby, if only 'for the fat lads'. Mike Tindall previously took questions on Steve Borthwick's need to turn close defeats into victories (which he went on to achieve) and England's frustrating kicking game. 'It wasn't Finn Russell's best Six Nations' Alex Bainbridge asked: Has Finn Russell lost the starting 10 jersey for the Lions due to how many big mistakes he makes? Fin Smith would be a better option. This is the coaches' prerogative now, and they are not just going to be watching internationals. They will be watching what is going on at Bath. As a whole, I would say Scotland haven't performed, but Russell will have a lot of credit in the bank compared to Fin Smith. That is not to say that many would argue if Fin Smith or even Sam Prendergast came in, because I do think there are question marks there and it will be down to how the coaches want to play the game. Finn has made a few key errors and it hasn't been his best Six Nations, but he will carry that credit in the bank. Bath are top of the Premiership and he will still be in the running, as much as I agree that it is a dilemma for Andy Farrell. 'England will be kicking themselves' James Gorick asked: Should England be disappointed that they didn't beat Ireland and win the Six Nations? I think so, when you think about where they were after 50 minutes in Dublin. That's a lesson for them. I've said on our podcast that I don't think Ireland have played as well as people think they have. James Lowe was just unbelievable for them in the first couple of games and Hugo Keenan and Dan Sheehan have impressed at points. I do think England will be kicking themselves, but it is still their best Six Nations performance since winning it in 2020 and it is sometimes good to go away with frustration, so you can use that feeling to get better. I just hope that we've seen the brand of rugby that England want to play in the last two games and they bring that energy and positivity into the bigger games, getting the balance between the controlling side and intent to play when they're under pressure. That is the next question. 'Henry Pollock has been on my radar for years' James Gerada asked: What are your thoughts on Northampton Saints taking over England's back line? How good is Henry Pollock? Henry Pollock, as Jiffy [Jonathan Davies] said at the weekend, was 'the Pollocks'. 'Golden Pollocks'; 'Top Pollocks'; you can play around with his name a fair bit. It was refreshing to see someone come on and enjoy themselves that much. He's been on my radar ever since that interview he gave after a game for England Under-18, which contained some colourful language. That's the next generation and I'm happy to see it. On the backline, as we've seen with Leinster and Ireland, it can make sense to have so many people who are in-tune with one another. But, then again, that made it more weird that Ollie Sleightholme was dropped. And everything still worked, even when Tommy Freeman went down with only George Ford on the bench. It might have been interesting had another couple of calls gone the other way, but England have had enough calls go the wrong way recently that they were due them. 'England have options in the centres' Mike Bell asked: Tommy Freeman looks good at 13. Who should partner him in the centre for England for the 2027 World Cup. Zack Wimbush? Feels like we have been missing a big centre pairing since 2003. I do a Mystic Mike act, but this is pushing the boundaries! It's difficult to predict that. I don't think you'd leave out a fit Ollie Lawrence, because he has been one of England's stand-out players this year and he's young enough to make 2027. You just don't know what will change in that time. It might be that someone comes into the reckoning that we don't know about yet. What I will say is that for the first time in a long time, England were so dominant that it was easier for their centres to get into the game. We haven't seen that for a while. Tommy Freeman fits into that role because he just wants to get into the game. He has genuine pace, power and is a good handler of the ball. There are question marks around where Marcus Smith would fit in. Is there a spot for him at 12? Does he become a super-sub? He's too good a player just for that, I feel. He still beats more defenders than anyone else in that England backline, wherever he plays. When you have that sort of attacking threat, maybe you just have to find a position that he can stick to. What we do know is that Henry Slade is 32 this week and he hasn't had opportunities like in the game at the weekend, where he gets to enjoy himself. Is that the fault of the structure? I would say they had more attacking intent while being dominant in the last two games than they had had for a long time. There is a lot of water to flow under the bridge yet. What I'm happy about is that there are options – Freeman, Slade, Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall, without going to people like Will Butt, who has had a great season for Bath. 'I quite like the idea of 15 on the bench' Steve Davis asked: How about a rule that says the bench is for injury replacement (and HIA and blood bin) but that any player substituted for injury cannot return to the field of play and must be stood down for the next two matches. This is so hard. I would prefer it the other way. I would never want to be in a place where you can't keep it as 15 v 15 on the field because of genuine injuries. At the moment, I have no issue with having rolling subs after extra injuries. I quite like the idea of having 15 on the bench but you are limited by substitutions. But then I wouldn't want a cap of, say, four replacements to stop it being 15 v 15. The downside is that you would get people faking injury… if someone started that, they should get the worst ban possible. We've spent enough time messing about with a 20-minute red card because it has become so easy to be sent off. I agree there can be something done around subs and how many you can make, but I also like the tactical side of it. If you're going to reduce the subs, should there be more choice according to what is going on in the game and everything else? 'Ted Hill fits the mould used by England' Billington Humpledink asked: What does Ted Hill have to do to get a consistent run in the team? He's pulling up trees in the Premiership and has done well in his cameos so there's clearly something missing. Is he a bad trainer? I hear so many good things about Ted Hill. Jonny May has been on the pod talking about his speed. I saw him play for Bath against Gloucester at second row and go very well. What coaches see, what they want and the opinions they form is what makes debate. Seeing someone that big, that fast and with the skills of a back is appealing, especially with someone like Ben Earl playing 35 minutes as a centre. I think Ted fits into that mould. It's tough for him. All he can do is keep his head down, keep playing well and talking to Steve Borthwick, so he can take the opportunity that comes his way. 'Wales need to export more players' Ian Davies asked: Even as a proud Englishman, I feel almost sad about the Wales-England result. I was a young man in the 60s and 70s when the question was not whether England might win against Wales, but what the level of our defeat was going to be. I really hope Wales can find the answer. Mike Mahoney asked: Welsh rugby is clearly broken. How can it be fixed? It's a hard position for Wales to be in. They're bandying around the idea of losing a region, but it feels like they have lost the connection with places like Swansea, Neath, Caerphilly, Pontypridd and Pontypool; places that I went down to on a Wednesday night back in the day to get my head kicked in. They've lost players within that. I believe they need to look into having more players move to other nations. They didn't perform against England, but Gareth Anscombe, Jarrod Evans and Max Llewellyn have given them more. Why not reduce their wage bill a bit by letting some of the biggest players go? They'll be playing a better standard in France, and Wales won't be fishing in a smaller pool. Then potentially regions will have more freedom to bring in outside resource, like Cardiff did with Jonah Lomu and the Ospreys did with Justin Marshall years ago. Those great players bring a change of mindset. Otherwise, you are never thinking outside the box. But they have no money. They need to somehow get the Swansea-Neath rivalries going so that the best players get sucked up to regional level. You've got to reignite the passion in Welsh rugby. They had lost 16 on the bounce before Saturday and still had a full stadium and still had a little bit of hope. That's without really connecting with a lot of the fanbase. If you lose the existing fans, you miss out on more money and it becomes even more difficult. It's a drastic fix that is needed, and quite quickly. 'Prioritise the national coaches' Jes Smith asked: The game needs a strong Welsh team. If you were in charge of the Welsh Union where would you prioritise spending? The national coaching team, the youth pathways or the regional sides? It is hard, because one affects the other. Ultimately, you need a strong player pool so that they can generate competition. That says to me that you need to prioritise below the regions. I think of free resource; the recently retired players like Jon 'Foxy' Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Sam Warburton, Josh Navidi, James Hook, Steven Jones. Even Shane Williams. They've got a great back three and Shane could challenge them on their reactions to certain situations. They've got to replace the coaching set-up, because Matt Sherratt isn't continuing, so firstly they need to get someone to coach them in a way they want to play. Historically, Wales have played with a bit of width, they've offloaded. They need to find a coach who suits that. Let's go with coaches first, because they need them. Then they need to find the gems in the lower player pool and identifying talent. And then it's making that level below the regions more competitive so the best players rise to the top. 'Scotland's timing is unlucky' Martin McPhie asked: How do Scotland break into the top tier of rugby nations? Great team to watch but same so-so results. Can we actually do it with our player base? They really went after France at the weekend. Blair Kinghorn was fantastic and Darcy Graham combined really well with Finn Russell for a try. We know they can have one-off games and it is about the fifth year we have been talking about their consistency. I feel like it's a very tough situation for them. They've been playing against the best Ireland team in a generation and the best France team of a generation, and it is only France's second title under Fabien Galthié and the first since 2022. It's just awkward timing for Scotland. Would moving on from Gregor Townsend work? We can't say. Is it the right time, with a World Cup two and a half years away? Maybe. That is one for the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU). What I will say is that Gregor has them playing a brand of rugby that they all understand. They know where their strengths are and go to them. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn't. I agree that they have to find a way to win when it isn't as smooth as they want. 'Roebuck brough pace and physicality' Lester Wilson asked: England backs looked better against Wales but How do we rebalance the backs to bring in real pace which we need to compete at the top level? I felt like there was a lot of change for England ahead of a game where they had to go and score a lot of points. Tom Roebuck brought pace and physicality on his first full cap. That was impressive. Ollie Sleightholme will have been disappointed, and yes you have to settle into something that works, but if you can blood people and have several options, it's perfect. Everyone who played at the weekend has shown they can play at that level. Now it's about form and tactics.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'I blame England coach for Wales nightmare - what did he think I was going to do?'
James Haskell has said Stuart Lancaster is to blame for one of his worst days in an England shirt. It was back in 2013 when the Red Rose travelled to Cardiff in the fifth round seeking a Six Nations Grand Slam. England and Wales were the only two teams in with a shot at lifting the Six Nations title as the competition came to a close that year, with the former heavy favourites at the Principality Stadium. But what followed was one of the most comprehensive defeats Wales has ever inflicted upon their greatest rival, triumphing 30-3 to clinch the crown themselves. England trailed by 24 points former head coach Lancaster decided to bring Haskell off the bench for his 50th cap, and it's fair to say the former back-rower envisioned marking the occasion in different fashion. READ MORE: Today's rugby news as England plan for late night Six Nations trophy presentation in Cardiff emerges READ MORE: Tonight's rugby news as BBC frozen out of Wales v England Six Nations coverage in new development "I think my worst memory would be the Grand Slam-losing game," retired rugby star Haskell told Wales Online. "Stuart Lancaster giving me eight minutes at the end to get my 50th cap, thus robbing me of getting to lead the country out and also, you know, getting absolutely pumped. And with eight minutes to go, what the f*** did he think I was going to do? "It was 33 points to five or something. Like, I'm good, but I'm not that good!" Haskell, 39, will star alongside host Alex Payne and Mike Tindall when Hampton Court Palace Festival hosts a special live episode of the The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast on Sunday, June 15. The former Wasps veteran - who won a Premiership title with the now-defunct club in 2008 - was one of England's best back-rowers of his generation but couldn't flip the script in Cardiff that day. It wasn't all bad for Haskell in the Welsh capital, however, given he helped England win there on no fewer than three occasions. And two of those instances happened to come during Six Nations tournaments the Red Rose ended up winning. Steve Borthwick's side realistically need Scotland to do a job over France on Saturday to stand a chance of getting their hands on the title. And the current pecking order is particularly frustrating given England are the only team this year to have bested Les Bleus. Speaking of England's more encouraging expeditions to Cardiff, Haskell played the full 80 minutes for his side when they beat Wales 21-16 on their own turf in 2015. And he looks back upon that evening as one of his best against Wales - despite the fact he ran square into a post in front of 74,000 fans. That time when James Haskell ran into a rugby post #TheSixNationsGreatestMoments #iPlayer — BBC Wales (@BBCWales) February 14, 2025 "One of my best memories was ironically actually that Friday night where I ran into the post where I had one of the best games I played bar that sort of moment," he added. "And everyone was singing 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', and we kind of took over the whole of the Principality. . .which was a big moment." After some very positive performances under interim head coach Matt Sherratt, Wales will do everything in their power to avoid a repeat of that on Saturday. Both teams have cause to view the Round 5 clash as their Everest, a peak Haskell summited on more than occasion during his rugby career. The Good, The Bad & The Rugby will perform at the 29th edition of the Hampton Court Palace Festival on Sunday, June 15. Purchase tickets via the official Hampton Court Palace Festival website.
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
James Haskell Q&A: ‘I would not have Jerusalem as England's anthem'
After every weekend of the 2025 Six Nations, James Haskell and Mike Tindall have been answering Telegraph readers' questions. With the championship in the balance going to into Super Saturday, James Haskell returns to answer your questions about Ellis Genge at hooker, imagining Finn Russell in an England shirt and whether Jerusalem should be England's anthem. You can leave questions for the hosts of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast at any point in the final week of this year's championship. 'He drives Harlequins' attack' Peter Godwin asked: If the Marcus Smith fullback experiment is not to be abandoned, should the England management be able to require Harlequins to field him at fullback to maximise the prospects of the plan succeeding? I don't think you can ever ask a club to do that. It might be an idea but he is obviously still a very good No 10 and he drives Harlequins' attack. Ideally you want him to get more time at full-back but I'm not sure asking Harlequins is realistic. 'It is not rocket science' Bob Trouser: Have England finally got a decent 9 and 10 pairing? Firstly, what a negative spin on it. England have always had a number of good nine-ten combinations. They have played three consistent games together, they play at club level together, they have a rapport. It is not rocket science why it is working. Other guys - Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer - have been good. 'You need a battering ram' Simon Keegan: Are we really convinced about the centres? Personally I would love to see Freeman at 13 and a proper 12. Wonder if this is why our attack is misfiring? With Lawrence out, you could have Dingwall and Slade. You do need a bit of a battering ram in there. Slade and Freeman might be interesting. I'm not sure who the next cab of the rank would be. Oscar Beard is in the squad but Wales away would be a big ask. 'Ruthlessness is making the right decisions' Chine Meniek: If the World Cup was next week, can this squad bring it home? No, I don't think so. They are moving in the right direction, very competitive. They could one day build into that side but I don't see a consistent level of ruthlessness, particularly in that last 20 minutes. Ruthlessness is not just throwing the ball around, it is choosing when to offload, making the right decisions. You put people to the sword by getting that balance right. When you get your tails up, forcing things can become a bit of an issue. 'He has that stockiness' Chris Amstrong: I think Genge would make a brilliant hooker. Thoughts? (And does a hooker have to throw in to the lineout or could it be?) I could see why you might think that. I'm not sure he would want to be, but he could be if wanted to. I'm not sure what his throwing is like. But he has that build, that stockiness, to be a dynamic hooker.
