Northampton Saints beat an understrength leaders Saracens, who had Duncan Taylor sent off early on, to move up to fourth; Harlequins kept their slim play-off hopes alive with a thumping victory at home to Newcastle Falcons
Last Updated: 15/04/23 7:00pm
Northampton’s Fraser Dingwall (right) celebrates after scoring for Northampton Saints against Saracens
Round-up of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership action as Northampton Saints beat 14-man Saracens and Harlequins defeated Newcastle Falcons.
Northampton Saints 38-29 Saracens
Northampton moved above London Irish and back up to fourth in the table after taking full advantage of Duncan Taylor’s 10th-minute red card to beat an understrength Saracens side.
Saracens only named three first-choice players in their starting line-up at Franklin’s Gardens, as director of rugby Mark McCall chose to rotate his squad, and Saints received a further boost when Scotland international Taylor was sent off early on for a high shot on Fin Smith.
Despite having the numerical advantage for much of the game, Northampton were made to work hard before finally claiming an eighth consecutive home victory in the Premiership, as well as bringing an end to Saracens’ run of six successive wins at Franklin’s Gardens.
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Alex Moon, Lewis Ludlam, Tommy Freeman, Rory Hutchinson, Fraser Dingwall and Smith all scored tries for the home side, with Smith adding four conversions, as they kept themselves in the running for a semi-final spot for a second season running.
Rotimi Segun, who in fact opening the scoring, crossed for two of Saracens’ four tries, with Theo Dan and Manu Vunipola grabbing the others, the latter adding three conversions and a penalty.
Harlequins 48-20 Newcastle Falcons
Harlequins scored eight-tries against bottom side Newcastle Falcons to go sixth – seven points behind Northampton – and keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
Two Tries by Alex Dombrandt and further scores from Andre Esterhuizen, Louis Lynagh, Josh Bassett, Dino Lamb, Joe Marchant and Fin Baxter ensured the two-time Premiership champions eventually ran out comfortable winners at the Twickenham Stoop.
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They were made to work hard for the result by Newcastle, however, as tries from Mateo Carreras and Freddie Lockwood left the match finely poised at 22-20 as it went into its closing stages.
However, Quins rallied with four tries in the final 10 minutes to surge clear in what was a successful return to action for England prospect Louis Lynagh, who was in the side for the first time this season after a long-term knee injury.
Centre Marchant made his final appearance at The Stoop before he joins Stade Francais next season, and his try was one of the most popular acts of the day, although he also missed the final conversion from in front of the posts.
George Williams is staying with Warrington Wolves until 2026 after extending his contract for a further two years; former Australia international prop Paul Vaughan has until 2025 as well; watch the Wolves take on Wigan Warriors live on Sky Sports on Friday from 7.30pm
Last Updated: 12/04/23 3:41pm
George Williams is staying with Warrington until 2026 after signing a contract extension
George Williams has ended talk of an imminent return to the NRL by signing a long-term contract with Warrington Wolves.
Stand-off Williams has been one of the stars of the Betfred Super League so far in 2023, building on some impressive displays for England at last year’s Rugby League World Cup and helping the Wolves open the campaign with eight wins from eight games.
The 28-year-old, who spent a season-and-a-half in Australia with Canberra Raiders before moving to Warrington in 2021, had been linked with a switch back to the NRL, with Wests Tigers reported to be among the clubs chasing him. However, Williams has now agreed an extension to stay with the Wolves until 2026.
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Jon Wilkin could not resist the temptation to question George Williams about his haircut while praising the Warrington player about his impressive form.
Jon Wilkin could not resist the temptation to question George Williams about his haircut while praising the Warrington player about his impressive form.
Meanwhile, former Australia international prop Paul Vaughan has extended his stay at the Halliwell Jones Stadium until 2025 following a string of strong showings since moving to the Wolves from Canterbury Bulldogs in the off-season.
More to follow…
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Watch Warrington Wolves take on Wigan Warriors in the first-versus-second clash in the Betfred Super League, live on Sky Sports Arena on Friday from 7.30pm (kick-off 8pm). Stream the 2023 Betfred Super League season on NOW TV.
With less than a month to go until King Charles’coronation, more details have been released about how the day will unfold and what he and Camilla, soon to be crowned queen, will wear.
The ceremony, which is set for May 6 at Westminster Abbey, will follow a grand procession that will start from Buckingham Palace, officials announced on Sunday.
King Charles and Camilla will travel to the abbey in the Diamond Jubilee Coach pulled by six Windsor Grey horses, according to the palace press release.
It’s the same carriage that was created for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th anniversary on the throne in 2012.
The procession will pass by Admiralty Arch and run along Parliament Street before arriving at Westminster Abbey, where the coronation service will kick off at 11 a.m. British time (6 a.m. Eastern).
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After the coronation is complete, another procession will follow the same route back to Buckingham Palace.
For that, a heavier Gold State Coach will be drawn by eight horses. That carriage has been used at every coronation since 1831.
To wrap up the day’s festivities, the couple will be greeted upon their return to Buckingham Palace with a royal salute by members from the British armed forces and representatives from Commonwealth militaries followed by three cheers from the assembled service personnel.
‘Not my King!’: Anti-royal protesters greet Charles and Camilla at York cathedral
What will Charles and Camilla wear?
In addition to the procession routes, the palace also revealed details about the crown jewels that will be on display as the king and queen are crowned.
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King Charles will wear a ring composed of a sapphire with a ruby cross set in diamonds.
His orb will be made of gold and divided into three sections with bands of jewels. He will use two different sceptres.
FILE – The Koh-i-noor, or “mountain of light,” diamond, set in the Maltese Cross at the front of the crown made for Britain’s late Queen Mother Elizabeth, is seen on her coffin, along with her personal standard, a wreath and a note from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, as it is drawn to London’s Westminster Hall, April 5, 2002.
AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File
As per tradition and as previously announced, the king will wear St Edward’s crown at the coronation service in Westminster Abbey.
It is the same crown his mother wore at her coronation in 1953.
It has a purple velvet cap and an ermine band. The crown’s gold frame is set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines.
At the end of the coronation service, Charles will swap that with the Imperial State Crown, which is also fitted with a purple velvet cap and an ermine band and adorned with jewels.
Meanwhile, Camilla’s ring is a ruby in gold setting.
As previously announced, she has chosen to wear Queen Mary’s Crown, which is undergoing some minor changes and additions ahead of the coronation.
Interim chief executive Nigel Walker described the vote as the “beginning of a journey” to bring “trust and faith” back to Welsh Rugby; the Welsh Rugby Union will now appoint an independent non-executive director as chair
Last Updated: 26/03/23 1:22pm
Welsh Rugby Union member clubs voted overwhelmingly in favour of major governance reforms at an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday.
Of the 252 votes cast either at the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot or by proxy, only seven did not vote in favour, meaning the 75 per cent majority needed was comfortably exceeded.
The WRU will now appoint an independent non-executive director (INED) as chair and recruit two further new INEDs to its 12-person board, doubling the total number of independent representatives to six, with the overall aspiration to ensure at least five directors are women.
Interim chief executive Nigel Walker said: “This is just the beginning of a journey which will see the trust and faith of a nation in Welsh rugby restored and revitalised.”
The meeting was chaired by WRU president Gerald Davies who called it ‘quorate’ well ahead of an 11am start, with the 95-attendee threshold (to make any vote valid) also easily met.
The EGM also heard from WRU chair Ieuan Evans, chair of the WRU’s community game board John Manders and Walker, with company secretary Rhodri Lewis overseeing proceedings alongside independent scrutineer Jonathan Rhodes.
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“I’m delighted with the support members have shown for the board’s recommendation today,” said Evans, who set out his stated mission to modernise the governance of the WRU in his New Year address at the start of 2023, just a few weeks after his own election.
“We now have a line in the sand from which we intend to move forward purposefully, swiftly and better prepared to serve Welsh rugby’s needs. This is another historic day in the 142-year history of the WRU.
“Members have taken the opportunity to pay something forward of huge significance to our great rugby playing country’s children… and its children’s children.”
In the new configuration four board members will still come from the WRU council which is entirely elected by member clubs, one of whom will be the community game board’s chair.
The remaining two spots on the board will be filled by the WRU CEO and a new director role for someone who can support and further the women’s game.
All changes will take place in context of the overall aspiration to ensure at least five directors are women.
The annual general meeting of the WRU, which will see a natural changing of the guard for a number of WRU council members takes place in November, and the WRU has already planned a timeline for appointments, with the new chair to come in first and the following processes to be completed before the end of 2023.
Bryn Hargreaves played in Super League for Wigan Warriors, St Helens and Bradford, and had a loan spell with Leigh Centurions, before retiring in 2012; he went missing from his apartment in West Virginia in the United States on January 3 2022
Last Updated: 20/03/23 12:31pm
Bryn Hargreaves, who retired from Super League action in 2012, has been confirmed dead after going missing in the USA
The death of former rugby league player Bryn Hargreaves, who went missing in America over a year ago, has been confirmed by his family.
The former Wigan Warriors, St Helens and Bradford Bulls prop was reported missing by authorities in the United States in January 2022 after he failed to arrive for work.
A major search by police and tracker dogs began in West Virginia, where Hargreaves had moved to after retiring from rugby league in 2012. His mother Maria and younger brother David went to America to help in the search for him.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Hargreaves’ older brother Gareth wrote: “RIP Bryn Hargreaves. With incredible sadness I can confirm after 14 months we have finally found Bryn.
“We still do not know the cause of death or what actually happened on 3/1/22. Thanks to all those that have helped in the search. We would appreciate a little space and will keep you updated when we have any further information.”
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Wigan Warriors tweeted: “Wigan Warriors are saddened to learn of the passing of former player, Bryn Hargreaves. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus said in a tribute on their website: “It is with great sadness that we hear of the death of our former player Bryn Hargreaves.
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“Our thoughts and prayers are very much with his family at this incredibly difficult time. They have also had to deal with a prolonged period of stress prior this awful news.
“Bryn was extremely well-liked and respected by his team-mates and by all involved with the club during his four seasons with us from 2007 to 2010.
“It is a real tragedy that he has died at such a young age. He will be remembered with genuine warmth and with affection by us all.”
“This is significant step forward in the process we are following which will secure a sustainable future for the professional game in Wales,” said Professional Rugby Board chair Malcolm Wall.
Last Updated: 18/03/23 11:16am
The PRB and WRPA have been presenting Standard Contracts to players and agents
Wales’ four professional regions have been cleared to begin officially re-signing players after agreeing the first Standard Contracts in Welsh rugby’s history.
The Professional Rugby Board and Welsh Rugby Players Association presented the standard contracts to multiple players and their agents over the last day that will make existing and new offers legally binding.
Players had threatened to take strike action prior to last month’s Six Nations match against England amid contractual uncertainty dating back to last summer.
Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets had only been allowed to make verbal offer in recent weeks.
The WRU said its Rugby Management Board (RMB) and PRB members completed a “significant amount of work” on the contract and rights licence, receiving formal acceptance from the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) and players’ agents on Friday.
“This is significant step forward in the process we are following which will secure a sustainable future for the professional game in Wales,” said PRB chair Malcolm Wall.
“A lot of hard work has gone into getting us to this stage and we are delighted to say our four professional sides are now in a position to offer legally binding contracts as necessary.
“We remain hugely grateful to the players themselves for their patience and understanding and look forward now to the point where the full agreement can be signed which underpins the PRB’s strategy for the future of the game – a moment which this latest development proves is now closer than ever.
“A huge amount of credit should also go to the directors at each of our professional teams for ensuring that we reach this critical and pivotal stage for the game in Wales.”
“Sky Sports will show Super League Round Six fixture between Wigan and Salford on Friday, March 24. This change from the originally scheduled fixture, between Wakefield and Hull KR, has been requested by the RFL and RL Commercial following the recent issues regarding the playing surface”
Last Updated: 16/03/23 1:33pm
Sky Sports will now show Wigan vs Salford in Super League Round Six due to Wakefield pitch issues
Sky Sports will show Wigan Warriors vs Salford Red Devils in Super League Round Six in place of Wakefield Trinity vs Hull KR, after an RFL request due to pitch issues at Wakefield.
The televised fixture amendment for Friday March 24 was confirmed on Thursday.
“This change from the originally scheduled fixture, between Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR, has been requested by the RFL and RL Commercial following the recent issues regarding the playing surface at the Be Well Support Stadium,” a Super League statement confirmed.
“The RFL and RL Commercial are grateful to all involved – the four clubs, and Sky Sports – for their co-operation, and stress that the Wakefield versus Hull KR fixture remains scheduled for the Be Well Support Stadium on March 24.
The televised fixture amendment comes after an RFL and RL Commercial request regarding issues with the playing surface at the Be Well Support Stadium
“But that remains subject to a pitch inspection early next week, so this change has been made to provide clarity for supporters, viewers and for Sky Sports.”
Revised Betfred Super League Round Six
Thursday March 23
Huddersfield Giants vs St Helens (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Friday March 24
Wigan Warriors vs Salford Red Devils (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Leigh stunned reigning Super League and world champions St Helens by coming from 12-0 down to win 20-12 at Leigh Sports Village.
Saints had looked to be on course for a routine win as they scored early tries through Jonny Lomax and Jon Bennison but the Leopards produced a brilliant second-half comeback, scoring tries through Josh Charnley, Tom Briscoe, Zak Hardaker, who also kicked two goals, and Joe Shorrocks.
It was Leigh’s second win of the season after beating Hull KR a week ago and it means they have now won the same number of games as when they were last in Super League in 2020.
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Saints forward Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook was named on the bench for his 450th career appearance but they were missing the injured Will Hopoate. They were also without the suspended trio of Sione Mata’utia, Curtis Sironen and Konrad Hurrell.
The Saints took the lead three minutes in courtesy of a Tommy Makinson penalty and scored their first try after 10 minutes, when Lomax touched down.
Bennison added a second to take the scores to 12-0 but Leigh fought back into the game and struck next with a well-worked try in the 56th minute, through Charnley.
Leigh had their tails up and their cause was helped when Lees was sent to the sin bin for a late challenge on Gareth O’Brien.
The hosts took full advantage within a minute, and scored a second try 14 minutes from time
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Castleford interim head coach Andy Last admits his side need to improve after they were thrashed by Huddersfield in the Super League
Castleford interim head coach Andy Last admits his side need to improve after they were thrashed by Huddersfield in the Super League
Leigh continued to push and their cause was helped in the 65th minute when Lees was sin-binned after a late challenge on Gareth O’Brien.
Lees had been off the pitch only a minute when Leigh were able to take full advantage of their extra man by scoring their second try 14 minutes from time.
Leigh drew level and once again it was Mellor at the heart of things with his break causing panic in the Saints defence before he found Hardaker in support who strode under the posts. Hardaker’s conversion gave Leigh the lead for the first time in the game at 14-12.
Leigh wrapped up only their second win over Saints in Super League with two minutes remaining when a kick through by John Asiata was spilled and Shorrocks picked up the loose ball to score.
Huddersfield Giants 36-6 Castleford Tigers
Huddersfield Giants heaped more pressure on struggling Castleford Tigers with Chris McQueen’s double helping them to an impressive 36-6 victory at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Interim coach Andy Last’s first game in charge, following Lee Radford’s shock decision to depart, was dominated by the ex-England international and half-back Will Pryce, who grabbed one try and set up another.
The Tigers have yet to win after four rounds and were behind 20-6 at half-time, before Huddersfield added three more tries to confirm the one-sided result.
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Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson was satisfied with how clinical his side were in their 36-6 triumph over Castleford
Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson was satisfied with how clinical his side were in their 36-6 triumph over Castleford
The Tigers started brightly when George Lawler barged over for the opening try after just eight minutes, with Gareth Widdop adding the extras.
It got worse for the Giants on 12 minutes, when an injured Theo Fages was taken off the field and replaced by Pryce.
But two minutes later they hit back when McQueen crashed through some weak defence to score and Russell’s conversion tied it up.
The half-back added another two points in the 23rd minute and gave Huddersfield the lead with a long-range penalty goal. Pryce extended the Giants’ lead, before Jake Bibby and McQueen scored a try each just before half-time to but the Giants in a commanding position.
In the second half the Giants continued their dominance, taking just three minutes for McQueen to strike out wide. Five minutes later, Pryce managed to get over the line, but the utility was unable to get the ball down.
The Tigers were creaking and soon it was Tui Lolohea’s turn to get on the scoresheet, set up by Leroy Cudjoe’s kick, with Russell’s conversion taking it to 30-6.
Cudjoe crossed for the final try, but Russell was unable to convert, and then the half-back added a late goal as Huddersfield romped to a one-sided victory.
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Will Pryce was thrilled after being named player of the match in Huddersfield’s comprehensive win over Castleford
Will Pryce was thrilled after being named player of the match in Huddersfield’s comprehensive win over Castleford
Warrington Wolves 18-10 Hull KR
Warrington edged to an 18-10 win at Hull KR to continue their unbeaten start to the Super League season.
The Wolves struggled last season but the performance of Daryl Powell’s side on a bitterly cold night at Craven Park showed why they are serious contenders this term.
Successive defeats for Willie Peters’ Rovers means there is still work to be done as he looks for a consistent line-up following a second home loss in a row.
Warrington enjoyed some early pressure but the Rovers defence held firm and it was the hosts who opened the scoring nine minutes into the game as Frankie Halton slipped out of a tackle and forced his way over following a Rowan Milnes pass.
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England captain Sam Tomkins announced his retirement from Rugby League
England captain Sam Tomkins announced his retirement from Rugby League
Warrington again forced their way deep into Rovers territory, aided by more mistakes by the home side, but the defence held firm.
The pressure finally told, with the Wolves drawing level midway through the first half when Thomas Mikaele crossed.
The visitors went ahead nine minutes before the break as Matty Nicholson was first to touch down a George Williams grubber kick.
Rovers started the second half well, pinning Warrington in their half, and Lachlan Coote’s clever pass set up Frankie Halton for his second try – although the full-back’s missed conversion left his side two points in arrears.
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As the battle for dominance continued both sides were guilty of mistakes which cost them good field position.
A pivotal moment came in the 70th minute as Sam Kasiano was penalised for a high tackle, but Coote missed the penalty and the chance to level the scores.
Warrington made Rovers pay as Paul Vaughan finished off a late move for his side’s third try.
Leeds Rhinos 26-0 Wakefield Trinity
Harry Newman warmed Leeds’ hearts amid plunging temperatures at Headingley as the 23-year-old made a try-scoring return in his side’s 26-0 win over Wakefield.
Newman, who has been plagued by hamstring injuries and was left in tears after missing last year’s Grand Final, took just two minutes after his second-half introduction to surge jubilantly over the line and belatedly spark a game that had proved as frigid as the conditions into life.
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After a pointless first period, Newman’s effort built on David Fusitu’a’s opening score two minutes after the restart, before the floodgates opened with Tom Holroyd and Fusitu’a again both crossing, before Nene Macdonald finished off a length-of-field interception to ensure his side would build on last week’s epic win at world champions St Helens.
Two conversions from Rhyse Martin and one for Aidan Sezer capped a third straight blank for Wakefield, who have now gone over four hours without scoring a point, stretching back to their defeat on the opening day of the season to Catalans Dragons.
What’s next?
Hull FC face Salford Red Devils on Saturday, in the final match of the weekend. Next week, the Castleford Tigers host the Leeds Rhinos, live on Sky Sports Arena, on Thursday.
Huddersfield Giants face Wigan Warriors on Friday, with Warrington Wolves and Leigh also in action. Hull FC visit St Helens on Friday, live on Sky Sports Arena. Catalan Dragons then host Hull KR on March 18.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a pretty strong message for antisemites and those who participate in hate speech: “I don’t want you to be a loser.”
The Austrian-born actor and former governor of California, in a lengthy video posted to his YouTube channel on Monday, shared the horrors and atrocities that occurred at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination and concentration camp in Poland during the Second World War, and the emotional toll he felt after visiting.
“Today, I want to talk to the people out there who might have already stumbled into the wrong direction, into the wrong path,” said Schwarzenegger, whose father was a member of the Nazi party.
“I want to talk to you if you’ve heard some conspiracies about Jewish people or people of any race, gender or orientation and thought, ‘That makes sense to me,’” he said, looking directly into the camera.
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“I want to talk to you if you’ve found yourself thinking anyone is inferior or out to get you because of their religion or the color of their skin or their gender.”
Schwarzenegger visited the Auschwitz concentration camp site a few months ago, and called it “one of the darkest moments of my life.”
The former professional bodybuilder told viewers “there has never been a successful movement based on hate,” and added that he’s “seen enough people throw away their futures for hateful beliefs.”
‘Come with me if you want to live’: Arnold Schwarzenegger gets COVID-19 vaccine
“Nazis? Losers. The Confederacy? Losers. The apartheid movement? Losers. I don’t want you to be a loser. I don’t want you to be weak … despite all my friends who might say, ‘Arnold, don’t talk to those people. It’s not worth it.’
“I don’t care what they say. I care about you. I think you’re worth it. I know nobody is perfect … I can understand how people can fall into a trap of prejudice and hate.”
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Schwarzenegger pointed to his father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, whom he grouped in with “broken men” after the war who were “riddled with guilt.”
“They felt like losers, not only because they lost the war, but also because they fell for horrible, loser ideology. They were lied to and misled into a path that ended in misery,” Schwarzenegger said. “…In the end, it didn’t really matter why they joined (the Nazis). They were all broken in the same way. That’s the bottom line here.”
Schwarzenegger recalled seeing unclaimed suitcases that prisoners were promised to be reunited with as they filed into gas chambers. He spoke of scratches on the walls of gas chambers from the fingernails of desperate people “who tried to hold onto life.”
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He said that those “at the crossroads” of choosing a hateful and racist path in life “will not find success at the end of that road.”
“This is an illegal war:” Arnold Schwarzenegger sends emotional message to Russians
“Hate burns fast and bright. It might make you feel empowered for a while, but it eventually consumes whatever vessel it fuels. It breaks you,” Schwarzenegger said.
Instead of looking for scapegoats in other people, he recommended that people look more to personal accountability and inner strength, adding that there is “still hope” for those travelling a hateful road.
“There’s still time for you,” he said. “Choose strength. Choose life. Conquer your mind.”
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Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians not to become complacent as antisemitism and hatred grow across the country.
Speaking at a Holocaust Remembrance Day memorial in Ottawa in January, the prime minister warned that in times of peace, people “look back at this atrocity, bewildered at how it could ever have been permitted to happen.”
“We wonder what could ever have driven people to such cruelty. But hate never overtakes us all at once. It creeps up inch by inch,” Trudeau said.
According to Statistics Canada, hate crimes targeting the Jewish community have been on the rise. In 2021, there was a 47 per cent increase in police-reported hate crimes against Jewish people. Of the 884 religion-based hate crimes reported to police that year, 487 of them targeted the Jewish community.
On top of that, there have been high-profile incidents of antisemitism in popular culture in the last year. Rapper Kanye West publicly praised Adolf Hitler in a spate of antisemitic posts online that spurred a fierce wave of condemnation.
A study commissioned by Canadian charity Liberation75 last year found that one-in-three students of the 3,000 surveyed believed the Holocaust was fabricated or not reported accurately.
In January, Ottawa police charged two high school students with public incitement of hatred, criminal harassment, and mischief following an incident in which they were accused of displaying a hate symbol and using antisemitic language.
Leigh Leopards ended Hull KR’s unbeaten start with their first win since earning promotion; Steve McNamara is not getting carried away after Catalans Dragons won again; Huddersfield Giants edged out Wakefield Trinity; Liam Marshall starred as Wigan Warriors beat Castleford Tigers
Last Updated: 04/03/23 12:01am
Leigh’s players celebrate after their victory away to Hull KR
We round up Friday’s action in Super League as Leigh Leopards claimed their first victory since winning promotion, while Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants and Wigan Warriors were all triumphant too…
Catalans Dragons 38-6 Hull FC (6pm)
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Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between the Catalan Dragons and Hull FC.
Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between the Catalan Dragons and Hull FC.
Steve McNamara is determined to keep his side’s feet on the floor after Catalans Dragons made it three wins from three with a resounding win over Hull FC in Perpignan.
The Dragons maintained their perfect start to the season as they went over for six tries through Tom Johnstone, Paul Seguier, Mickael Goudemand, Siua Taukeiaho, Adam Keighran and Ben Garcia.
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The only response for Hull FC, who opened the season with wins over Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos, came through Andre Savelio late on. Yet Catalans head coach McNamara is staying grounded.
“It’s far too early to draw any conclusions but I’m very proud of our performance tonight,” McNamara said. “We were very good tonight, but we won’t get carried away.
“It’s only Round 3. Hull are a good side, and it just didn’t happen for them tonight.”
Tom Johnstone goes over for a try in Catalans’ win over Hull FC
Hull FC head coach Tony Smith criticised his side’s “flat” performance as they suffered their first defeat of the season.
“They were good from the start, but they didn’t have to be great,” Smith said. “We were flat as a pancake, and they carried out their plan.”
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Highlights of the Super League match between Wakefield Trinity and Huddersfield Giants
Highlights of the Super League match between Wakefield Trinity and Huddersfield Giants
Mark Applegarth insists there is no doom and gloom at Wakefield Trinity after they went down 8-0 to Huddersfield Giants.
The result means Wakefield have yet to win a game this season and are bottom of Super League after three games.
Trinity were smashed 60-0 by Wigan Warriors last week, and failed to score a single point for the second week in a row, but Applegarth is adamant there is no panic at the relegation favourites.
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“We’re in Round 3 and we’ve played three out of last year’s top four, it’s not panic now,” Applegarth said.
“It’s not doom and gloom by any means. There’s a lot of effort there and a lot of things we can work with.
“The effort and application is there, we just have to get a bit smarter in certain parts of the field. We have to put our attack together we showed against Catalans and our defence we showed tonight.”
Joe Greenwood celebrates scoring the only try of the game in Huddersfield’s win at Wakefield
The first half ended scoreless as neither side was able to crack open the other’s defence, but Joe Greenwood struck in the second half with a powerful run and Tui Lolohea nailed two goals to secure a first win of the season for Huddersfield.
“It was a tough and well-earned one,” Giants head coach Ian Watson said. “We knew they were going to turn up today and play for the pride.
“For them, they’ve got something to work on and for us it was the nil and our defence. It was a really good arm-wrestle mentality in there. To keep teams in Super League to nil is a big ask.”
Hull Kingston Rovers 25-30 Leigh Leopards (8pm)
Adrian Lam is adamant there is still plenty of work for his Leigh Leopards side to do despite them recording their first win of the new season away to previously unbeaten Hull Kingston Rovers.
Leigh scored five tries with Tom Briscoe and Josh Charnley claiming two each after Tom Amone had opened their account. Ben Reynolds was faultless as he added five conversions too.
However, head coach Lam warned there cannot be any let-up from his players and still saw room for improvement.
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“We’re still a way from where we want to be,” Lam said. “We left five or six tries out on the field.
“They’ve been playing some good rugby and it’s always difficult to come here and get a win. All we can do is focus on us and stick to our processes and our beliefs.
“We’re just getting on with it and there were a lot of hard lessons to learn over the last two weeks. We’re working hard to make sure our combinations come together.”
Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis can’t prevent Leigh’s Josh Charnley from scoring the winning try
Rovers’ tries came from Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Mikey Lewis, James Batchelor and Jordan Abdull who also kicked a drop goal, while Will Dagger kicked four conversions, and head coach Willie Peters felt his side paid the price for not being able to see out the win from a commanding position.
“We were in front the majority of that game end never really felt comfortable,” Peters said. “Credit to Leigh they really hung in there.
“Any defeat is not great but to lose that way, we hurt ourselves a lot tonight. We definitely need to close the game out better than we did.”
Castleford Tigers 0-36 Wigan Warriors (8pm)
Liam Marshall maintained his impressive start to the Super League season with a hat-trick as Wigan condemned Castleford to their third straight loss with an emphatic 36-0 win.
The homegrown Warriors winger touched down to open the scoring at the end of a tightly-contested first half and from there Matt Peet’s team did not look back.
Ethan Havard added a close-range second try early in the second half before Marshall grabbed his second from long range. Toby King and Jai Field also went over for the visitors before Marshall scored his third in the last minute.
Liam Marshall grabbed a hat-trick as Wigan were victorious at Castleford
Wigan’s second win from three Super League games left Castleford still to pick up any points this season, while Marshall’s clinical treble took his try tally for the season to eight.
He has now scored 103 tries for Wigan, who have responded well to their opening-round defeat at Hull KR.
They thumped Wakefield 60-0 last week and did enough to see off Lee Radford’s Tigers, who lost captain Paul McShane to injury early on his 200th appearance for the club.
Britain’s domestic intelligence agency didn’t act swiftly enough on key information and missed a significant opportunity to prevent the suicide bombing that killed 22 people at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in northwest England, an inquiry found Thursday.
Retired judge John Saunders, who led the inquiry into the Manchester Arena attack, said that one MI5 officer admitted they considered intelligence about suicide bomber Salman Abedi to be a possible national security concern, but didn’t discuss it with colleagues quickly enough.
“I have found a significant missed opportunity to take action that might have prevented the attack,” he said.
Abedi, 22, set off a knapsack bomb in the arena’s foyer at the end of the May 22, 2017 concert, as thousands of young fans, including children, were leaving the pop star’s show. Abedi died in the explosion.
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His brother, Hashem Abedi, was convicted in 2020 of helping to plan and carry out the attack. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Saunders said had the MI5 acted on the intelligence it received, it could have led to Abedi being stopped at Manchester Airport on his return from Libya just four days before the attack.
Manchester Arena bombing suspect’s father, two brothers among arrested
Richard Scorer, a lawyer representing 11 of the bereaved families, said the report was a “devastating conclusion for us.”
“It is now very clear that there was a failure to properly assess key intelligence about Salman Abedi; a failure to put it into proper context, and _ most catastrophic of all _ a delay in acting on it,” Scorer said. “The failures exposed in this report are unacceptable.”
Multiple MI5 witnesses gave evidence behind closed doors to the inquiry and the intelligence wasn’t publicly disclosed.
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Abedi had been a “subject of interest” to MI5 officials in 2014, but his case was closed shortly after because he was deemed to be low-risk.
Saunders also said that authorities failed to refer Abedi to the government’s counterterrorism program, known as Prevent.
“I have concluded that there was at least a period during Salman Abedi’s journey to violent extremism when he should have been referred,” he said.
Thursday’s report was the third and final one into the attack. Saunders previously criticized the arena’s security staff and local police for failing to identify Abedi as a threat. He has also slammed delays and failings in the response of emergency services on the night of the bombing.
Saracens’ May Campbell, Gloucester-Hartpury’s Ellie Rugman and Nancy McGillivray of Exeter Chiefs have been named in England’s Six Nations squad
England Women head coach Simon Middleton has included nine uncapped names in his 42-player training squad for the 2023 Six Nations.
May Campbell and Kelsey Clifford of Saracens are joined by Sale Sharks’ Elizabeth Duffy, Exeter Chiefs’ Nancy McGillivray and Gloucester-Hartpury’s Ellie Rugman among the uncapped players.
Scrum half Natasha Hunt and Gloucester-Hartpury team-mate Sarah Beckett return to the squad in addition to Bristol Bears captain Amber Reed and Harlequins front row Bryony Cleall.
There is meanwhile a return for Exeter Chiefs forward Poppy Leitch, who last featured for England in the 2019 Six Nations.
While available to play lock Abbie Ward (pregnancy) and vice-captain Emily Scarratt (neck and ankle) will spend time with the squad to offer coaching assistance.
England’s Bryony Cleall (left), Lark Davies (centre) and Natasha Hunt during an open training session at Twickenham Stadium
“There are a number of new faces in this squad and while we are missing experienced players, this is a great opportunity for these younger players and we’re looking forward to working with them,” said Middleton.
“There is always a regeneration period after any World Cup and this one is no different. Those selected have performed very well in the Allianz Premier 15s and deserve their opportunity.
“Sarah Hunter and Marlie Packer will co-captain the squad. Sarah has made it clear she will not be involved in the 2025 World Cup as a player, so it’s essential we look to continue to grow our leadership quality and depth. Marlie is already an integral part of our leadership group, so this is a natural progression for her to co-captain the side and continue to develop her leadership skills.
“The Six Nations is one of the most iconic tournaments in world rugby that we love participating in. We also recognise that it’s an important start point in terms of preparation for the 2025 World Cup.”
England begin their Six Nations campaign against Scotland in Newcastle on Saturday March 25.
Prince Harry is sitting down for another chat about his bestselling and controversial memoir, Spare, and this time he’ll be speaking with a Hungarian-Canadian doctor.
Harry will join Canadian physician, author and trauma expert Gabor Maté for an “intimate conversation,” and the public can purchase tickets for the virtual event and submit questions for the prince to answer.
Join us on Saturday, March 4th for a virtual live conversation between Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Dr. Gabor Maté, renowned speaker and author of THE MYTH OF NORMAL: TRAUMA, ILLNESS, AND HEALING IN A TOXIC CULTURE. pic.twitter.com/4CpLloLwdT
Maté is a renowned addiction expert and the author of the recently published book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. He, like Harry, is a bestselling author. His writings cover childhood development, the physical and mental impacts of stress, ADHD and addiction.
The one-hour interview will be livestreamed the morning of March 4, starting at 9 a.m. PT, from an undisclosed location.
Maté tweeted about the event late last week, encouraging royal watchers to buy their ticket by March 1 for a chance to have a submitted question asked during the event.
Register by March 1 to submit a question, and you may see it answered live! Access is open to residents of most countries—visit https://t.co/DaBkzlLTa7 for tickets. #PrinceHarryMemoir
According to Vanity Fair, the pair will “discuss the difficulties of living with loss, as well as the importance of personal healing.”
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There are two levels of ticket pricing: $45.38 includes a copy of Spare, while $82.82 includes both Spare and Maté’s latest book.
Maté, 79, is considered one of the world’s leading voices advocating for alternative addiction treatment and has been a longtime supporter of the decriminalization of drugs.
His promotion of and use of the Amazonian plant ayahuasca to treat mental illness landed him with a warning in 2011. The drug is illegal in Canada, and Health Canada officials threatened to have him arrested if he didn’t stop using ayahuasca to treat his patients.
Last month, Harry’s Spare became an instant bestseller around the globe, capturing the number one position of the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction bestseller list for six consecutive weeks. More than 1.4 million units of the English-language copy were sold on the first day it was available, making it the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time.
Copies of the new book by Prince Harry called “Spare” are displayed at Sherman’s book store in Freeport, Maine, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.
Robert F. Bukaty / The Associated Press
Prince Harry has been clear about why he wrote the book, telling People last month: “My hope has been to turn my pain into purpose, so if sharing my experience makes a positive difference in someone’s life, well, I can’t think of anything more rewarding than that.
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“This book and its truths are in many ways a continuation of my own mental health journey. It’s a raw account of my life — the good, the bad and everything in between,” he continued.
Prince Harry says he tried to step back from royal duties privately, but there were leaks and stories planted
The release of the book last month, coupled with four promotional interviews given by the prince to various news outlets and talk shows, saw a division of opinion. Many were critical of his decision to publish so many intimate and, at times, unflattering details of life inside the British Royal Family. Others applauded him for his honesty and willingness to exposed the toxic relationship between Buckingham Palace and the U.K.’s tabloid media.
His interviews also focused on his strained relationship with his family, accusing members of his family of getting “into bed with the devil” to gain favourable tabloid coverage, claiming his stepmother Camilla, the queen consort, had leaked private conversations to the media and saying his family was “complicit” in his wife Meghan’s “pain and suffering.”
Harry insists he wants to salvage what remains of his relationship with his brother and father, King Charles III, but some have pointed out that airing his family’s dirty laundry in such a public — and furious — fashion might have the opposite effect.
Psychedelic drug Ketamine being used for mental health treatments in Alberta
Madonna‘s eldest sibling, Anthony Ciccone, has died, a family member said Saturday. He was 66.
The announcement was made on Instagram by musician Joe Henry, who is married to Madonna’s sister Melanie Ciccone.
“My brother-in-law, Anthony Gerard Ciccone, exited this earthly plane last evening. I’ve known him since I was 15, in the spring of our lives in Michigan so many years now gone,” Henry wrote in the caption of a black and white portrait.
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“Anthony was a complex character; and God knows: we tangled in moments, as true brothers can. But I loved him, and understood him better than I was sometimes willing to let on,” the post said.
No details about the death were provided. Public records show Ciccone was most recently living in Michigan, where he and his seven siblings grew up.
National news media in recent years reported that Ciccone had spent some time living on the streets and at a rehabilitation facility. Henry’s post announcing Ciccone’s death nodded to difficulties, saying “trouble fades,” family remains, with “hands reached” across the table.
Madonna liked the Instagram post, but the pop music star did not comment on it.
The Associated Press sent emails seeking more information to two of Madonna’s representatives.
Gordon Pinsent, the adored Canadian actor whose career hit its peak well into his 70s with an award-winning performance as the heartbroken husband in “Away From Her,” has died.
Pinset died on Saturday evening at age 92, his friend actor Mark Critch confirmed.
The Newfoundland native, a household name in Canada for decades after his many appearances on stage and screen, became known internationally after his Genie Award-winning turn as Grant in Sarah Polley’s acclaimed directorial debut.
His dignified portrayal so impressed Daniel Day-Lewis, who went on to win the best actor Oscar in 2008 for “There Will Be Blood,” that he sent an email to Polley praising Pinsent’s performance as one of the most “astonishing” he’d ever seen.
Those types of kudos tickled the modest Pinsent. Well into the final years of his life, the actor remained mischievous, giggly and often as giddy as a schoolboy whenever any praise was sent his way.
“Now you see, I don’t talk that way about myself, so I was pleased — it was just terrific,” Pinsent said with a laugh in an interview with The Canadian Press of Day-Lewis’s email and the continuing raves he was getting for “Away From Her,” especially since he didn’t garner the kind of international awards recognition some critics said he deserved for the role.
Pinsent was “suave, classy elegant, well-spoken,” said Critch, a fellow Newfoundlander and family friend who says he became close with Pinsent after working they worked together on a YouTube project.
Actors in Canada are following “on a path that (Pinsent) cut through a forest,” said Critch in a phone interview.
“He never forgot anything. Like he would call you on Christmas, he’d call you on your birthday, he’d call you on Father’s Day, and we’d have a Facetime or a call,” said Critch.
“I will miss my great mentor and this hero, this giant colossus of Canadian entertainment, but I’ll miss my friend Gordon Pinsent from Newfoundland because he was an even better friend than he was an actor,” said Critch.
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Actor Gordon Pinsent poses for a portrait in his Toronto home on Tuesday February 27, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young.
CHY
Born in Grand Falls, N.L., in 1930, Pinsent was the youngest of six children born to Stephen Pinsent, a papermill worker and cobbler, and his wife, Flossie.
The actor described himself as an awkward child who once suffered from rickets. His schoolmates called him “Porky.”
But by the age of 17, the previously shy Pinsent had discovered acting, and was soon performing in stage productions in Newfoundland and then further afield, in Winnipeg. Possessing a deep baritone, Pinsent also took on roles in radio drama on the CBC, and before long moved on to film and television too.
In the early 1950s, Pinsent took a break from acting and joined the Canadian Army, serving for about four years.
But acting remained his true love, and he became a stalwart on some children’s shows in the early 1960s, including CBC’s “The Forest Rangers.” He went on to appear in dozens of Canada’s best-known television shows, including “The Red Green Show,” “Due South,” “Wind at My Back” and Paul Gross’s “H20: The Last Prime Minister.”
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Pinsent’s film resume was equally impressive. He wrote and starred in “The Rowdyman,” a Canadian classic about a troubled Newfoundlander whose best intentions go unnoticed by those closest to him.
Pinsent also had memorable roles in “Who Has Seen The Wind” and “The Shipping News,” a major Hollywood production starring Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett. Pinsent played newspaperman Billy Pretty in the 2001 film, and also cheerfully provided lessons in perfecting the Newfoundland accent to the rest of the cast.
In 2013 he starred in Don McKellar’s acclaimed Newfoundland-set comedy “The Grand Seduction,” which earned him a Canadian Screen Award for best supporting actor.
But it was “Away From Her,” a role that came to him when he was 76, that truly sealed his reputation as a “national institution,” as Polley once described him.
The actress and director said from the moment she finished reading the Alice Munro short story, “The Bear Came Over The Mountain,” she envisioned a film starring Pinsent as Grant, the bewildered husband who loses his wife of 45 years not just to Alzheimer’s, but to another man. Pinsent was happy to oblige.
“She didn’t have much convincing to do,” Pinsent said in an interview in February 2007. “You know, you can be a working actor in this country all your life, and it’s just terrific, but you don’t always get the stuff that’s a bit more challenging.”
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“Away From Her” was particularly poignant for him – his own wife of 45 years, actress Charmion King, died just a couple of months before the film’s mainstream release, forcing Pinsent to re-examine the many themes of quiet despair explored in “Away From Her.”
“It was something I wasn’t necessarily drawing on except in the general sense of how anyone must feel at a certain time of life after spending so many years with a partner,” an emotional Pinsent said during the interview, conducted just a few weeks after King’s death from emphysema.
“It’s almost impossible to grasp … how do you prepare? Where does love go? Where do you go, the leftover?”
King and Pinsent had one child together, actress Leah Pinsent. Pinsent also had two children from an earlier marriage, Barry and Beverly.
Leah Pinsent was extremely close to her father, accompanying him to many events in the aftermath of her mother’s death and honouring him in June 2007 when he was inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame. She described her father as her “truest inspiration and one of my best friends” at the event.
Pinsent, for his part, brought the house down with his joke about fellow inductees Nickelback, the Alberta rock band.
“Nickelback! What can you say? I’ve got all their LPs and 45s!” he said as the crowd roared.
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Pinsent’s sense of humour, in fact, was one of his most endearing qualities, and was in full force during the making of “Away From Her.”
At a pre-Genie brunch honouring the film in March 2008, Pinsent told of hijinks involving his co-star, Julie Christie, an animal rights activist and environmentalist.
He came to the set one day and told Christie that he’d bought a Prius, the environmentally friendly electric automobile favoured by celebrities.
“She said: ‘Good for you, Gordon.’ And I told her how quiet the car was, and how lovely that was, and she agreed. And then I said: ‘All the better for sneaking up on the baby seals!’ And she wasn’t too happy about that.”
But for all the outpouring of praise and admiration for Pinsent in the wake of “Away From Her,” movie offers didn’t come pouring in after its release. He got passed up for a role in a Tom Cruise film, and turned down a part in a Luke Wilson movie.
“I suppose if I was out there pounding the pavement and working rooms, there might be more coming my way, but that’s just not me,” Pinsent said. “I don’t work rooms anymore. I tried that as a younger man and didn’t like it very much.”
After his role in the 1968 Steve McQueen movie, “The Thomas Crown Affair,” and playing the U.S. president in the Milos Forman film, “Colossus: The Forbin Project,” Pinsent and King lived in L.A. for six years in an attempt to launch his Hollywood career.
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“I did a lot of stuff, a few movies, four pilots that didn’t go anywhere, but I was brought down to play the president in ‘Colossus,’ the Forman project that became kind of a cult thing with university students. So I decided to hang out down there for awhile, but it was because I started to write that I came back,” he recalled.
“I wanted to work where I wanted to live. You could spend three or four lifetimes down there, just standing around waiting for something, waiting for good material to happen.”
Pinsent, in fact, wrote his novel “The Rowdyman” while he was in Los Angeles, but wanted to film it in his beloved Newfoundland. The Pinsents returned to Canada and stayed put.
“I had a chance to sell it down there but didn’t. I wanted to do it on my own home turf, and it cost very little — it was coffee money for most movies, and it was great to be home.”
Throughout his life, in fact, the actor remained devoted to his native province, returning two or three times a year to visit his brothers.
“I kind of need to go there a lot,” Pinsent said. “I began to write from that place, from that perspective. But the family used to be much larger; it’s dwindled now, even though my nephews and nieces make up half the island.”
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Pinsent’s lifelong passion for creating never faded — in 2018 he released a short film he wrote and self-funded called “Martin’s Hagge,” about a middle-aged writer burdened by a personified version of anxiety and depression.
“I really love writing … writing is good, it’s even better than good when you hit those peaks, and it’s the same feeling oddly enough in acting. It’s that lovely thing where you get that zone, that peak of joy, and it reminds you of why you started it all.”
Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish “classic” unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s novels after it received criticism for cuts and rewrites that were intended to make the books suitable for modern readers.
Along with the new editions, the company said 17 of Dahl’s books would be published in their original form later this year as The Roald Dahl Classic Collection so “readers will be free to choose which version of Dahl’s stories they prefer.”
The move comes after criticism of scores of changes made to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other much-loved classics for recent editions published under the company’s Puffin children’s label, in which passages relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were altered.
Augustus Gloop, Charlie’s gluttonous antagonist in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — originally published in 1964 — became “enormous” rather than “enormously fat.” In Witches, an “old hag” became an “old crow,” and a supernatural female posing as an ordinary woman may be a “top scientist or running a business” instead of a “cashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman.”
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FILE – Books by Roald Dahl are displayed at the Barney’s store on East 60th Street in New York on Monday, Nov. 21, 2011. Critics are accusing the publisher of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s books of censorship after it removed colorful language from stories such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda” to make them more acceptable to modern readers.
Andrew Burton / The Associated Press
In Fantastic Mr. Fox, the word “black” was removed from a description of the “murderous, brutal-looking” tractors.
The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the books, said it had worked with Puffin to review and revise the texts because it wanted to ensure that “Dahl’s wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today.”
While tweaking old books for modern sensibilities is not a new phenomenon in publishing, the scale of the edits drew strong criticism from free-speech groups such as writers’ organization PEN America, and from authors including Salman Rushdie.
Rushdie, who lived under threat of death from Iran’s Islamic regime for years because of the alleged blasphemy of his novel The Satanic Verses, called the revisions “absurd censorship.”
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Rushdie, who was attacked and seriously injured last year at an event in New York state, tweeted news of Penguin’s change of heart on Friday with the words “Penguin Books back down after Roald Dahl backlash!”
PEN America chief executive Suzanne Nossel wrote on Twitter: “I applaud Penguin for hearing out critics, taking the time to rethink this, and coming to the right place.”
Camilla, Britain’s queen consort, appeared to offer her view at a literary reception on Thursday. She urged writers to “remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.”
Dahl’s books, with their mischievous children, strange beasts and often beastly adults, have sold more than 300 million copies and continue to be read by children around the world. Their multiple stage and screen adaptations include Matilda the Musical and two Willy Wonka films based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with a third in the works.
Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka on set of the 1971 film ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,’ based on the novel by Roald Dahl.
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
But Dahl, who died in 1990, is also a controversial figure because of antisemitic comments made throughout his life. His family apologized in 2020.
Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s, said the publisher had “listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl’s books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation.”
“Roald Dahl’s fantastic books are often the first stories young children will read independently, and taking care for the imaginations and fast-developing minds of young readers is both a privilege and a responsibility,” she said.
“We also recognize the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in print,” Dow said. “By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvelous stories.”
Conservatives criticized from within their own ranks over political ad featuring ‘Willy Wonka’ spoof of Trudeau
Richard Belzer, the longtime stand-up comedian who became one of TV’s most indelible detectives as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU,” has died. He was 78.
Belzer died Sunday at his home in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, in southern France, his longtime friend Bill Scheft said. Scheft, a writer who had been working on a documentary about Belzer, said there was no known cause of death, but that Belzer had been dealing with circulatory and respiratory issues. The actor Henry Winkler, Belzer’s cousin, tweeted, “Rest in peace Richard.”
For more than two decades and across 10 series _ even including appearances on “30 Rock” and “Arrested Development” _ Belzer played the wise-cracking, acerbic homicide detective prone to conspiracy theories. Belzer first played Munch on a 1993 episode of “Homicide” and last played him in 2016 on “Law & Order: SVU.”
Belzer never auditioned for the role. After hearing him on “The Howard Stern Show,” executive producer Barry Levinson brought the comedian in to read for the part.
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“I would never be a detective. But if I were, that’s how I’d be,” Belzer once said. “They write to all my paranoia and anti-establishment dissidence and conspiracy theories. So it’s been a lot of fun for me. A dream, really.”
From that unlikely beginning, Belzer’s Munch would become one of television’s longest-running characters and a sunglasses-wearing presence on the small screen for more than two decades. In 2008, Belzer published the novel “I Am Not a Cop!” with Michael Ian Black. He also helped write several books on conspiracy theories, about things like President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
“He made me laugh a billion times,” his longtime friend and fellow stand-up Richard Lewis said Sunday on Twitter.
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Belzer was drawn to comedy, he said, during an abusive childhood in which his mother would beat him and his older brother, Len. He would do impressions of his childhood idol, Jerry Lewis. “My kitchen was the toughest room I ever worked,” Belzer told People magazine in 1993.
After being expelled from Dean Junior College in Massachusetts, Belzer embarked on a life of stand-up in New York in 1972. At Catch a Rising Star, Belzer became a regular performer and an emcee. He made his big-screen debut in Ken Shapiro’s 1974 film “The Groove Tube,” a TV satire co-starring Chevy Chase, a film that grew out of the comedy group Channel One that Belzer was a part of.
Before “Saturday Night Live” changed the comedy scene in New York, Belzer performed with John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and others on the National Lampoon Radio Hour. In 1975, he became the warm-up comic for the newly launched “SNL.” While many cast members quickly became famous, Belzer’s roles were mostly smaller cameos. He later said “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels reneged on a promise to work him into the show.
But Belzer became one of the era’s top stand-ups. He was known especially for his biting, cynical attitude and his witty, sometime combative banter with the audience. As one of the most influential comedians of the ’70s, Belzer was a master of crowd work.
“My style evolved from dealing with drunken people at twelve, one, two in the morning and trying to be like an alchemist and get the lead of their lives and turn it into golden jokes,” Belzer told Terry Gross on “Fresh Air.”
Belzer would later write an irreverent self-help book titled “How to Be a Stand-Up Comic” with advice on things like how to to apologize to Frank Sinatra when you made fun of him onstage or how to deal with hecklers. One of his favorite lines was: “I have a microphone. You have a beer. God has a plan and you’re not in on it.”
Belzer often played a stand-up comic in film, including in 1980s’ “Fame” and 1983’s “Scarface.” He had small roles here and there, including in “Night Shift” in 1982, and “Fletch Lives” in 1989. But Munch would change Belzer’s career.
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As ”Homicide“ co-creator Tom Fontana said, ”Munch was the spice in these dishes,” Belzer told the AV Club. “Munch was based on a real guy in Baltimore who was a star detective, in a way. He would come onto grisly murder scenes, start doing one-liners, because someone had to break the tension. So Munch served a very important function. Not only was he a dissident who said what was on his mind, he kind of had the gallows humor that’s needed in a homicide squad.”
When “Homicide” wrapped in early 1999, Munch called Dick Wolf to see if the character could join another NBC series, “Law & Order,” where Munch had popped up in a few previous episodes. Wolf already had his leads for “Law & Order,” but he wanted Belzer to star in a spinoff. That fall, “Law & Order: SVU” premiered, with Belzer starring alongside Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni in a storyline written as though Munch had transferred from Baltimore to New York.
“Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters,” Wolf said in a statement.
“I first worked with Richard on the `Law & Order’/`Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much,” Wolf said. “I wanted to make him one of the original characters on `SVU.’ The rest is history. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional and we will all miss him very much.”
Belzer is survived by his third wife, the actress Harlee McBride, whom he married in 1985. For the past 20 years, they lived mostly in France, in homes he purchased partially from the proceeds of a lawsuit with Hulk Hogan. In 1985, Belzer had Hogan as a guest on his cable TV talk show “Hot Properties” to perform a chin-lock on him. Belzer passed out, hit his head and sued Hogan for $5 million. They settled out of court.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that Belzer died in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, not Bozouls, as Scheft originally told The Hollywood Reporter.
Worcester Warriors were taken over by Atlas after it ceased trading last year and the new owners confirmed they have withdrawn from their proposal to play in the RFU Championship for the 2023/23 season last week
By Amar Mehta
Last Updated: 15/02/23 5:39pm
The Wasps will play in the Championship next season but Worcester will not
Wasps have been given approval to take part in the Championship next season but there is no late reprieve for Worcester following their proposed rebranding as ‘Sixways Rugby’.
While Wasps have met the conditions required to take part in the second tier of English rugby, talks held on Monday between Worcester’s new owners Atlas, the Rugby Football Union and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport failed to break the deadlock.
Atlas announced last Thursday that the RFU’s demands for inclusion in the Championship were too onerous, forcing them to instead pursue a merger with semi-professional Stourbridge in the hope of competing in the fourth tier.
RFU chief executive, Bill Sweeney, said: “Our goal has consistently been to see Wasps and Worcester in the Championship and preserve the clubs for their fans and the wider communities they serve.
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The company which held Worcester Warriors Rugby Club player contracts has been wound up meaning a player exodus is likely as James Cole reports.
The company which held Worcester Warriors Rugby Club player contracts has been wound up meaning a player exodus is likely as James Cole reports.
“While we had hoped to see both clubs in the Championship next season, we are pleased that following months of work from all parties involved, Wasps will have a place. We know this will be very welcome news to all those connected with the club. We would like to thank all those involved with Wasps for the open and collaborative dialogue over recent months.
“We appreciate that the disappointment felt by Worcester Warriors staff, players and fans following the Atlas decision will be very significant.
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Worcester Warriors centre Ollie Lawrence says his club being put into administration cannot be allowed to happen to other teams in the Premiership.
Worcester Warriors centre Ollie Lawrence says his club being put into administration cannot be allowed to happen to other teams in the Premiership.
“For a club to continue following insolvency, it is imperative that it has a sustainable and funded business plan, that there is transparency about ownership and funding structures, and that rugby creditors are paid.
“The Atlas decision to withdraw their Championship application leaves the RFU with no regulatory means to enforce the payment of rugby creditors and this responsibility for managing the liabilities of the insolvent club now lies with the administrator of WRFC Trading Limited, and the liquidator of WRFC Players Limited.”
Kyle Sinckler will not take part in this week’s three-day training camp in London having sustained a facial injury in Sunday’s win over Italy; Bath prop Will Stuart returns to the squad having recovered from dislocated elbow but Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs are both omitted again
Last Updated: 14/02/23 2:02pm
England’s Kyle Sinckler
Kyle Sinckler’s involvement in England’s next Six Nations game against Wales is in doubt, with the Bristol prop omitted from this week’s training camp due to injury.
Sinckler was taken off in the 50th minute of England’s 31-14 win over Italy on Sunday with a facial injury, and is now in a race against time to be fit for the game in Cardiff on February 25.
He will remain with the group to receive treatment but is not among the 26 players that will take part in a three-day camp in London this week.
The 29-year-old has started both of England’s games so far in this year’s competition, impressing at the set-piece in the opening round defeat by Scotland and the win over Italy.
If Sinckler is not fit, the battle for the starting tighthead jersey will likely be contested by Leicester’s Dan Cole, who finished the game at Twickenham on Sunday, and the returning Will Stuart.
Bath’s Stuart has not played since dislocating his elbow in November’s loss to South Africa but has been brought back into the fold for this week’s training camp.
While Ben Curry is included in the 26-player panel having been dropped from the squad to face Italy, veteran scrum-half Ben Youngs once again misses out as does Manu Tuilagi, who has so far played no part in this year’s competition.
Having recorded their first win under head coach Steve Borthwick, England will now look to push on against a desperately out-of-form Wales, who sit bottom of the Six Nations table as the only side not to have collected a point from the opening two rounds.
England 26-man training camp squad
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam , Will Stuart, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Ollie Lawrence, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet, Anthony Watson.
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Follow the 2023 Betfred Super League season journey LIVE on Sky Sports.
Follow the 2023 Betfred Super League season journey LIVE on Sky Sports.
Our guide to the 12 teams competing in Super League in 2023 continues with a look at Hull KR, Leeds Rhinos, Leigh Leopards, and Salford Red Devils…
Hull KR:
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Highlights of Hull FC’s clash with Hull KR in the Super League.
Highlights of Hull FC’s clash with Hull KR in the Super League.
Head coach: Willie Peters
Captain: Shaun Kenny-Dowall
Last season: Eighth in regular season
What they’re saying:
“I am really enjoying my time, my family has settled in which is the main thing. We are really excited for the season kicking off and that is what we are here to do, we are here to play footy games and do well. Success for me would be world-class effort and competing every week.”
– New Hull KR head coach Willie Peters on his goals for the season ahead.
In: Sam Luckley (Salford Red Devils), Yusuf Aydin, James Batchelor (both Wakefield Trinity), Louis Senior (Huddersfield Giants), Tom Opacic (Parramatta Eels), Sauaso ‘Jesse’ Sue (Newcastle Knights), Rhys Kennedy (Brisbane Broncos).
Out: Albert Vete (Castleford Tigers), Bailey Dawson (Castleford Tigers), Ben Crooks (Keighley Cougars), Tom Wilkinson (Dewsbury Rams), Will Maher (Halifax Panthers), Adam Rusling, Nathan Cullen (both Cornwall), Brad Takairangi (Dapto Canaries), Korbin Sims (retired), Tom Garratt, Charlie Cavanaugh, Max Kirkbright.
Leeds Rhinos:
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The crowd welcomes Leeds Rhinos and St Helens out ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
The crowd welcomes Leeds Rhinos and St Helens out ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
Head coach: Rohan Smith
Captain: No captain named
Last season: Fifth in regular season, Grand Final runners-up
What they’re saying:
“In the final months of the season, Kruise Leeming, Cameron Smith, Mikolaj Oledzki and Ash Handley were each matchday captain at various times. We are in a fortunate position to have a young and talented squad with many players who possess some of the typical characteristics you would look for in a captain. We have experienced players in key positions within the team who show leadership every time they step onto the field. The challenge is to develop that leadership across the squad.”
– Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith on not naming a full-time captain.
In: Derrell Olpherts (Castleford Tigers), Luis Roberts, Nene Macdonald (both Leigh Leopards), James McDonnell (Wigan Warriors), Sam Lisone (Gold Coast Titans), Justin Sangare (Toulouse Olympique), Toby Warren (York), Luke Hooley (Batley Bulldogs), Leon Ruan (Doncaster).
Out: Liam Sutcliffe, Brad Dwyer (both Hull FC), Zak Hardaker, Tom Briscoe (both Leigh Leopards), Callum McLelland, Jack Broadbent (both Castleford Tigers), Jack Walker, Bodene Thompson (both Bradford Bulls), Matt Prior (retired).
Leigh Leopards:
Ricky Leutele is one of the Leopards’ most high profile signings ahead of 2023
Head coach: Adrian Lam
Captain: John Asiata
Last season: First place in the Championship, promoted
What they’re saying:
“We are really proud about what we have done in the last 12 months both on and off the field to get back and we have given something for our fans to look forward to and support on a week-to-week basis. We have got a lot of work to do, but we are really excited about it.”
– Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam on the expectations of the year ahead.
In: Oliver Holmes, Jack Hughes, Rob Mulhern, Matt Davis, Jacob Gannon (all Warrington Wolves), Zak Hardaker, Tom Briscoe (both Leeds Rhinos), Ricky Leutele (Huddersfield Giants), Gareth O’Brien (Castleford Tigers), Aaron Smith, Tom Nisbet (both St Helens), Ava Seumanufagai (Canterbury Bulldogs), Nathan Wilde (Newcastle Thunder).
Out: Luis Roberts, Nene Macdonald (both Leeds Rhinos), Adam Sidlow, Sam Stone (both Salford Red Devils), Mark Ioane (Keighley Cougars), Ata Hingano (York), Kieran Dixon (Widnes Vikings), Caleb Aekins (Featherstone Rovers), Jy Hitchcox (Rochdale Hornets), Krisnan Inu (retired).
Salford Red Devils
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Watch all of Man of Steel Brodie Croft’s tries for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League.
Watch all of Man of Steel Brodie Croft’s tries for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League.
Head coach: Paul Rowley
Captain: Kallum Watkins
Last season: Sixth in regular season
What they’re saying:
“This group of boys is something special and along with the coaching staff through to the performance staff and office staff, I’m excited at what the future holds for the club.”
– Brodie Croft on signing a deal with the club till 2030.
In: Oliver Partington (Wigan Warriors), Adam Sidlow, Sam Stone (both Leigh Leopards), Andrew Dixon (Toulouse Olympique), Ben Hellewell (Featherstone Rovers), Ellis Longstaff (Warrington Wolves, loan).
Out: Sam Luckley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Harvey Livett (Huddersfield Giants), Greg Burke, Jack Wells (both Barrow Raiders), Elijah Taylor (Featherstone Rovers), Sitaleki Akauola (Toulouse Olympique), Morgan Escare (Carcassonne).
The new Betfred Super League season starts on Thursday, February 16 as Warrington Wolves host Leeds Rhinos. Watch 66 live matches, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs and the Grand Final, on Sky Sports in 2023 and stream on NOW TV.
