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Hello and welcome to my blog, Eye On Sport. Here you will be able to read my articles on all the hot topics that are gripping the world of sport. From Football to Rugby, Cricket to Speedway, if it's happening it will be covered in a unique and interesting way here on Eye On Sport. Instead of current talking points, you will also find articles raising new, interesting issues in the sporting world all written by me. If you want views and opinions on the world of sport, then look no further than Eye On Sport.

Friday, 3 February 2012

2012 Speedway Grand Prix Preview

After veteran Greg Hancock’s stunning World Championship last year, the 2012 Grand Prix campaign is set to be an intriguing spectacle. The younger generation are sure to be battling to end the dominance that the likes of Tomasz Gollob, Greg Hancock and Jason Crump have held on the World stage for so long. Riders such as Emil Sayfutdinov, Jaroslaw Hampel and Andreas Jonsson could well be challenging for the title, but the old guard will certainly not give up their medal places without a fight. In just over 50 days’ time, the series gets underway in Auckland, New Zealand as the Grand Prix heads to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. After tackling the fast Western Springs track, these 15 riders will battle it out over a further 11 rounds, climaxing on the 6th October in Torun, Poland where the 2012 Speedway World Champion will be crowned. Here is my guide to the 15 men who will be battling it out for that elusive crown.

#15 Hans Andersen

After a 2 year absence from the GP series, Dane Hans Andersen returns as a wildcard after a series of riders declined invites to the series to allow them to ride in the big-money Polish Ekstraliga. After finishing in the top 6 for three seasons running between 2006 and 2008, Hans Andersen fell out of the Grand Prix’s after enduring a disappointing few years of form. However, Hans looked slightly improved in 2011, and now he has a second chance Hans will be keen to prove he is still able to compete with the best riders the world has to offer. However, although he may have a couple of good GP’s, in general Hans is likely to struggle to reach semi-finals, and as a result I fail to see him offering any real top 8 challenge that would secure him a place in next year’s series.

PREDICTED FINISH: 12th

                                 #14 Peter Ljung

Much like Hans Andersen, Swede Peter Ljung takes up a place in the series due to the many riders who turned down offers to race in the Grand Prix’s. I, like many, am shocked to see Ljung as a full-time GP rider, and believe he is set for a long and hard season. Ljung made it to the series based on a fifth place finish in the GP Challenge at his Swedish home track, a position which proved enough for qualification after three of the riders above him turned down their places in preference of Polish Ekstraliga racing. Nonetheless, I think Ljung simply lacks the ability to compete with the calibre of riders he will be up against in the Grand Prix’s, and any semi-final appearances will surely be seen as a success. Ljung will certainly find the going very tough indeed.

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 15th

#13 Bjarne Pedersen
After finishing as runner-up in the GP Challenge, 33 year old Bjarne Pedersen returns for his 7th Grand Prix campaign after being absent from the series for 3 seasons. Despite spending six seasons in the Grand Prix previously, Pedersen has never really been convincing. Now, 3 years on I do not believe Bjarne Pedersen is be likely to do any better than he has previously. Against riders such as Gollob and Crump, Pedersen’s gate and go style is simply not enough to gain substantial points. As a consequence, Pedersen will struggle and although he should earn consistent points, he will not get enough semi-finals appearances to succeed.

PREDICTED FINISH: 14th

#12 Antonio Lindback

Lindback returns to the Grand Prix series via the GP Challenge hoping to improve upon a decent 2011 campaign which saw him finish in 12th place. As the season went on, Lindback looked more comfortable, and will be looking to be up to speed from the start this time. Also, we saw on many occasions Lindback winning his opening ride before struggling later on in meetings. If Lindback can correct this problem, then the Swede will be able to do well. However, the consistency for Lindback remains a problem that I don’t believe he will be able to conquer.

PREDICTED FINISH: 13th

#11 Chris Harris
Bomber endured an extremely disappointing 2011 season and will be desperate to improve this time around after being granted a wildcard. One thing that can be guaranteed is that Harris will give 110% every time he takes to the track, and I predict his poor form won’t continue this year. However, against a very strong set of riders I just do not think Chris has the natural talent to break back into the top 8, although he will certainly not be far off. Bomber is likely to make a couple of finals, although he is equally likely to endure 1 or 2 nightmare meetings of less than 4 points. Harris’ inconsistency will cost him a top 8 finish in my opinion.

PREDICTED FINISH: 10th

                                 #10 Nicki Pedersen

Nicki Pedersen really is one of the true characters of the speedway world, and for that reason alone it is no shock he was handed a wildcard for the 2012 Grand Prix’s. Aside from that though, Nicki is a superb rider, and after a season of frustration last time out he will be sure to be fighting to prove he can get back to his best. Unfortunately, at 34 Nicki is not getting any younger and I fear his best days are behind him. After many big falls as a result of his pushing the limits style, Pedersen may not be able to return to the form that has won him 3 World Championships. Although I expect at least one GP win and some slight improvement on last year, I think Nicki’s crashes may be catching up with him and he will just miss out on a top 8 finish yet again. 

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 9th

#9 Fredrik Lindgren
Freddie Lindgren is perhaps lucky to be in the GP Series this year. After failing to finish in the top 8 in each of his 4 Grand Prix seasons, many felt Lindgren did not deserve another chance. However, Freddie’s natural talent has obviously been recognised by the BSI and he lines up again hoping to improve on his 2011 9th place finish. I think this may well be the year where Lindgren finally wins his first Grand Prix, and from there I expect him to go from strength to strength. Although challenging for the medals is probably out of his reach, I predict great improvement from Lindgren, leading to him breaking into the world’s top 8 for the first time.

PREDICTED FINISH: 7th

#8 Chris Holder

At just 24 years of age and already embarking on his 3rd Grand Prix series, Aussie Chris Holder really is one of the rising stars of world speedway. After reaching the top 8 at just the second attempt in 2011, this is now a big year for Chris. Last year, Holder’s consistency really did stand out. Not once did Chris scores less than 6 points, and as he now improves Holder is more and more capable of big scores. If this consistency remains, it will be an excellent base to allow improvement on last season, should the Australian Champion make the 5 finals I predict he will.

                                         PREDICTED FINISH 6th

#7 Kenneth Bjerre
In the last couple of years, Kenneth Bjerre has proved he can compete with the very best the world has to offer. However, with his gate and go style I do not feel this success will last. Sooner or later, Bjerre’s inability to win points from behind will cost him, and I think this may be the year it happens. I predict a very tough year for Bjerre that will see him slip out of the top 8. I can’t help but feel Bjerre is overachieving at the moment, and this will be the year Bjerre slips back to a position which I feel suits his ability.

PREDICTED FINISH: 11th

#6 Emil Sayfutdinov

Since bursting onto the Grand Prix scene in 2009, young Russian Emil Sayfutdinov has certainly experienced an eventful couple of years. However, after an injury ravaged 2010 Sayfutdinov showed signs of a return to his 2009 form last year. Sayfutdinov was very consistent last year, and the only thing really lacking was a few big scores. Yet with his sublime natural talent, Emil should be able to hit some big scores. This year, Emil will really show us his capabilities, and I think after at least 2 GP wins the Russian will be challenging for the World title right into the last meeting in Torun on the 6th October.

                                          PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd

#5 Tomasz Gollob
2010 World Champion and speedway great Tomasz Gollob had a disappointing 2011 by his high standards. Now, at the age of 40 I cannot see the legendary Pole returning to his title-challenging best. Age is certainly not on his side, and Gollob may well be fighting just to secure a top 8 finish this time around, in my opinion. I think Gollob will start the season well, but as the meetings tally up and his age catches up with him, Tomasz will slip back and fade more and more as the season goes on.

PREDICTED FINISH: 8rd

#4 Jason Crump

Aussie Jason Crump was up there challenging for the title yet again last year as he has been for so long, and I expect this year to be no different. Nonetheless, with riders such as Sayfutdinov, Hampel and Jonsson now having one year more experience, I do not think Crump quite has what it takes to win a 4th World Title. Although Crump will win a Grand Prix and make a few finals, I think he will fall just short of a medal position, but finishing in the top 8 and qualifying for 2013 will be no problem at all for Crump.

PREDICTED FINISH 4th

#3 Jaroslaw Hampel

After returning to the Grand Prix stage in 2009, Pole Jarek Hampel has appeared a completely different rider than the one which looked off the pace back in the 2007 series. After proving he has the consistency to do well in the Grand Prix’s I believe this could be the year that Hampel really leaves his mark on the speedway world. With rivals Gollob, Crump and Hancock now a year older and Hampel a year more experienced, I think Hampel will just about take his first ever World Championship. It certainly will not be easy though, and riders like Sayfutdinov and Jonsson will push him hard, but in home country Poland in October, I think Hampel will be crowned World Champion by a very slim margin.

PREDICTED FINISH: 1st

#2 Andreas Jonsson

Last year was a massive year for Swedish Champion Andreas Jonsson. After a disappointing 2010, Jonsson, started 2011 equally badly. However, by winning 3 of the final 6 Grand Prix’s AJ earned himself the Silver Medal and proved he really is one of the best riders in the world. Now, AJ needs to prove he can stay there, and I do not think the Swede will have any problems in doing so. Jonsson will be in the hunt for the title right until the end, and although I think he will just lose out, a second consecutive medal would certainly be a success for AJ.

PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd

#1 Greg Hancock
After his incredible World title last season, American Greg Hancock will be desperate to do it again, but at 41 years of age surely this is where the backwards slide begins. Although Hancock will definitely be up there, I don’t think Hancock will be anywhere near as dominant as last year. Hancock will win at least on Grand Prix, and should break the 100 points mark for an incredible 11th year running. A top 5 finish would surely be a major achievement for a 41 year old, and I think Herbie will definitely achieve that in 2012.

PREDICTED FINISH: 5th

Thursday, 2 February 2012

2012 Six Nations Preview

Next weekend sees the 2012 Six Nations campaign kick off with a fascinating set of matches. All 6 teams enter fresh from a winter break following a brutal and exciting 2011 World Cup that gave the different teams varying degrees of success. Now, with a fresh start in the New Year, how will these Northern Hemisphere sides fare when pitted against each other in what promises to be an intriguing few weeks of rugby. Here is a team by team guide of how I see the 2012 Six Nations panning out.

England

Following an extremely disappointing World Cup, England enter a new era in 2012. Martin Johnson has left his role as head coach, and former Saxons coach Stuart Lancaster has taken over on an interim basis as the man in charge for the Six Nations. England are certainly in a period of transition at the moment, with a number of new faces in the squad. Inexperience is sure to see England fall short of a repeat of last year’s Championship victory, however players such as Owen Farrell, Lee Dickson, Charlie Sharples and numerous others will be out to prove their quality on the international stage. The likes of Chris Ashton and Ben Foden are quality players, but without more experienced players alongside them, it will be interesting to see how they step up to lead the team. I expect England to be involved in some very tight games, but feel they lack the experience to mount a serious challenge for Six Nations glory. Scotland should be outclassed by England, and although a trip to Italy will be tough, England should have too much quality when the pair meet on the 11th February. The other games will be tough though, and I can’t see England getting much more from this campaign.

Chris Ashton-England Dangerman
KEY PLAYER: Chris Ashton

ONE TO WATCH: Owen Farrell

PREDICTED FINISH: 4th



France

Similarly to England, France also begin a new era when they kick off their Six Nations campaign in Paris against Italy on Saturday. Pierre Saint-Andre takes over from Marc Lievremont as Head Coach, and will be keen to show early on in his new job that he can get the best out of France’s talented players. France managed to reach the World Cup final in November, but like so many I am quite unsure as to how. France performed well below expectation in the tournament, and although they scraped the results they needed to advance to the final, they were far from convincing. Unlike England however, France have much of the old guard still in the side to take them into battle on Saturday. Players such as Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra and Clement Poitrenaud have one year more experience under their belts and, their flare with ball in hand is sure to be too much for many defenders. In the pack, Imanol Harinordoquy and Thierry Duasutoir are as good as they come. The ability that France have is in no doubt, but the main question is whether Saint-Andre will succeed where so many of his predecessors have failed and get the best out of the talent at his disposal. At home, France will be as formidable as ever, but the game against Wales at the daunting Millenium Stadium to close the Tournament on the 17th of March will be tough, and could well be the game that deems the campaign either a success or a failure for Saint-Andre and France.
Imanol Harinoroquy-
Key to French Success

KEY PLAYER: Imanol Harinordoquy

ONE TO WATCH: Maxime Mermoz

PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd





Ireland

Ireland looked excellent in the 2011 World Cup, shown by victory their over Australia that led them to the top of their group. Meeting in-form Wales at the Quarter-Finals was unlucky for Ireland, and although they fell just short the boys in green certainly proved they are one of the most well rounded teams in the world of rugby. However, Ireland are without inspirational captain Brian O’Driscoll in midfield for the entire campaign. This is a huge blow as expected, and leaves me wondering if they really have the star quality required to be champions. Players such as Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls are excellent backs; however I am unsure as to whether they have a flair player capable of changing a tight game with a moment of magic as O’Driscoll has done so many times. Their forward pack is one of the most dynamic in the world, whilst the formidable second-row pairing of Donncha O’Callaghan and Paul O’Connell gives Ireland by far the strongest line out in the tournament. The team seems to have no obvious flaws for the opposition to expose, and for this reason Ireland should be able to beat Italy, Scotland and England, although their trip to Twickenham will be tough. However, I am doubtful they have the little bit extra that would be required to beat France and Wales for that elusive tournament victory.
Paul O'Connell-Lineout Expert

KEY PLAYER: Paul O’Connell

ONE TO WATCH: Fergus McFadden

PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd





Italy

This year sees Italy switch stadium to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome whilst their usual Stadio Flaminio home undergoes redevelopment. Despite the move, Italy are sure to be strong on home soil, and the visit of England on 11th February is a chance for Azzurri to surprise a few and show everyone what they are capable of. Italy have a pack that is able to match most teams, with the front row of Martin Castrogiovanni, Andrea Lo Cicero and Leonardo Ghiraldini giving them a very strong scrum. Sergio Parisse is, in my opinion, the best number 8 in the world right now and his flair round the fringes will be key to Italy. However, defensive frailties will let Italy down badly, whilst their inability to perform well away from home will be a big issue with 3 away games this campaign. New coach Jacques Brunel will also struggle to live up to what former coach Nick Mallett achieved with very limited resources. Although they could spring a surprise, I expect Italy to be winless going into their final game at home to Scotland which should determine who ends with the wooden spoon.

Sergio Parisse-Stylish Number 8
KEY PLAYER: Sergio Parisse

ONE TO WATCH: Giovanbattista Venditti

PREDICTED FINISH: 6th



Scotland

Although they went out at the first hurdle, Scotland will be greatly encouraged by their 2011 World Cup performances. Coming within 1 point of Argentina and 4 points of England was a major achievement considering Scotland possess a squad with much less talent and quality than those two opponents. Coach Andy Robinson continues to make steady improvements with his team and this Six Nations should be no different. After a period of being cast adrift from the rest of the Six Nations along with Italy, Scotland are finally clawing their way back to shore and beginning to compete again with the likes of Ireland and England. Scotland have a very tight defence that will be hard to beat. John Barclay and Kelly Brown are superb forwards, whilst Second-Row Richie Gray has been a revelation for the Scots. Despite some good backs such as Jo Ansbro, Scotland lack the flair to score serious points, and their excellent defence is often not quite able to compensate for the lack of points. I definitely believe Scotland will be very close against Ireland and England, and when they meet Italy in the final round of the tournament the Scots should be good enough to stop themselves finishing with the Wooden Spoon.

Richie Gray-Rising Star
KEY PLAYER: Richie Gray

ONE TO WATCH: Jo Ansbro

PREDICTED FINISH: 5th



Wales

Of all the Northern Hemisphere teams Wales certainly performed the best in the World Cup. Despite a controversial red card to captain Sam Warburton, Wales only just lost to France in an enthralling semi-final. Now, the Welsh will be looking to perform at a similar level for another 5 games, and if they can do that they will surely secure a Championship victory. Many players emerged with a bang onto the world stage in 2011, and people like Toby Faletau, Rhys Preistland and George North will be desperate to show they can perform to the highest level on a consistent basis. However, an injury to Matthew Rees this week will be a blow, and missing Gethin Jenkins, Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris will mean a much weaker pack than the one that impressed so many at the World Cup. I think Wales will be too good for Scotland, Italy and England, but the opening game against Ireland on Saturday will be very tough, especially with Ireland looking for revenge for their World Cup defeat to Wales in November. The game with France at the Millenium Stadium will be crucial, and I suspect the winner of that game will have the Six Nations trophy to collect at the end of the game.

Sam Warburton-Welsh leader
KEY PLAYER: Sam Warburton

ONE TO WATCH: Alex Cuthbert

PREDICTED FINISH: 1st