On The Attack Pt. 10 - Cowards, Lions and Swans

What is it with these Aussies wanting to box? First Paul Gallen and now David Warner. Anyway, On the Attack has made it to Round ten, which feels like an achievement. We also feel like we've come up with one of the liveliest blogs in a while - do you agree? Tell us on Twitter using #TSHontheattack. Read Away!

"Can I box with these gloves?"

Any fears, on the part of English cricket, that Joe Root may have suffered mentally from an off-field altercation with Australian batsman David Warner were firmly put to bed yesterday at The Oval as the Yorkshireman made a determined 68 runs from 55 balls in England’s defeat to Sri Lanka in the Champions Trophy. Warner, on the other hand, is now feeling the repercussions of his actions following an attempted punch to Root’s ‘Sheffield Steel’ jaw. Joking – and wigs – aside, Warner’s actions were unprovoked and indefensible. It is the second time in a month that he has fallen foul of Cricket Australia’s disciplinary procedures and will consequently be almost certain to miss the Ashes opener at Trent Bridge in early July. In a bizarre quirk, the Aussies might be galvanised after this little episode, they don’t need him and neither does cricket.

"I played with one arm and we won!"

As the British and Irish Lions head in to Saturday’s clash against New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney, their tour cuts an increasingly shambolic figure. It was a case of the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker for the frustrated tourists who tore apart an amateur Queensland and New South Wales ‘combined’ side in midweek, which added little to their preparations to face the ‘Qantas Wallabies’ (also known as Australia) on Saturday week. The Lions notched 64 unanswered points and the question on everybody’s lips is: what’s the point? Even when Warren Gatland’s side are winning on the field, they’re not winning right. Against the Barbarians, Western Force and the latest lambs to the aforementioned butcher’s slaughter they’ve racked up cricket scores, but against Queensland – a proper outfit – they laboured like a builder one brick short of a house (we think that was the flanker).

Taking the Mic? Laudrup explains next to Jenkins

Credit to Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins who refuses to have the wool pulled over his eyes by his manager’s agent. City boss Michael Laudrup has reiterated his desire to stay in south Wales despite the club and Bayram Tutumlu clashing over the club’s transfer policy. Quite what is has to do with Tutumlu is anyone’s guess, as is why a manager really needs an agent in the first place. Jenkins is savvy enough to realise that no one is bigger than the club – even the Danish former Real Madrid and Juventus winger –  and coming to the Liberty Stadium in a managerial capacity is an attractive proposition these days. Though coveted allegedly by the likes of Roma and Fenerbache, replacing the League Cup winning manager will not phase Jenkins who has seen the likes of Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers come, improve the club, and go.

"Is this sort of thing allowed in Oz, Kingy?!"

While we’re at it...rumours down under that Super League’s best player Sam Tomkins could be swapping the Warriors of Wigan, for those of New Zealand, are gathering pace as his mother was flown out to ‘house-hunt’ in Auckland as a guest of the club. It would represent a bit of a kick in the teeth for England’s premier rugby league competition though if their best player were to head to the 13^th placed side on the NRL ladder, and nowhere near the Sydney beaches he allegedly craves!