Hold The Back Page: 27/11/2010

Matt Fleming
Friday 26 November 2010 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It's a big weekend for...

Dan Carter and the All Blacks

Handsome, gifted and a marketing man's dream. But sorry, Jonny Willkinson, looks like you're about to be usurped by Dan Carter, who is, funnily enough, handsome, gifted and you know the rest.

One penalty in today's match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium and the farming lad from Southbridge on the South Island will overtake our Jonny on the all-time Test points-scoring list. Aged just 28 and far more durable than Wilkinson, Carter is going to disappear into the distance. A win – anything else against Wales is unthinkable – for the All Blacks will earn an autumn international Grand Slam, giving Carter's side a real fillip before choking at the 2011 World Cup.

We applaud you wholeheartedly...

Airport security staff

When the good Lord created man, he created some who were quite bright and others who weren't. Football hooligans, on the whole, fall into the latter category. The "Ultra Surs", a motley mob of violent lads operating under the flag of Real Madrid, proved this unscientific theory this week when they were stopped at the Spanish capital's Barajas airport, en route to Amsterdam for the Champions League match at Ajax, trying to check in a bag of sticks to hit Dutch people with. Note to hooligans everywhere: you can source sticks in most European cities.

And the stories you may have missed

Football inferiority complexes

It's a moot point as to whether England's footballers have an inferiority complex when they put on the white shirt or they're just not very good. Spain seem to play football from another planet, so have they been fielding Martians?

Maybe that's beyond the realms of reason, but, something odd is afoot in Africa, in Equatorial Guinea to be precise, where the oil is rich, the people poor and the football improving at a rate of knots. Seems the women's team is so good it's being accused of fielding men by their rivals. "Totally unfounded," said the country's federation of smears against captain Genoveva Anonma and striker Salimata Simpore. "This is evidence of an inferiority complex."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in