Category Archives: Sport

Driving, News, Sport

Saracens and SOGO drive positive change.

The Saracens Group has announced that SOGO Mobility has agreed a deal to become the automotive partner of the Club.

It will see them become the official automotive and car leasing partner of Saracens Men’s and Women’s rugby teams, along with the group’s Netball Super League team, Saracens Mavericks.

The partnership will see SOGO provide cars and vans to the performance staff of all three teams. Along with providing a fleet of vehicles, the SOGO brand will be on display at StoneX Stadium for all Saracens home fixtures, as well as at the Hertfordshire Sports Village, the home of the Saracens Mavericks.

Saracens Group CEO, Lucy Wray, said: “We are pleased to welcome SOGO as our exclusive automotive partner. The company’s innovative approach has already been great to see, providing all our staff and the wider Saracens family with an opportunity to access the latest and most environmentally friendly vehicles.”

Originally established in 1876, Saracens, who are current Gallagher Premiership Champions after their incredible title-winning season, are London’s Premier Rugby Club.

The squad have the most representatives of any club in the top flight at the Rugby World Cup, with 13 players currently in action in France.

Seven of them are in the England squad, including captain Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Elliot Daly, Billy Vunipola and Theo Dan.

Eroni Mawi is taking the tournament by storm with Fiji, Marco Riccioni representing Italy, Theo McFarland with Samoa, Nick Tompkins with Wales and new arrivals Juan Martin Gonzalez and Lucio Cinti for Argentina.

Saracens Women are the most successful side in the country, with three Allianz Premier 15s titles to their name since it was founded in 2017. They also have a number of internationals, with plenty on show at StoneX Stadium on a weekly basis.

The Mavericks were bought by the Saracens Group in 2019, and the vision is to make them into industry leaders on and off the pitch.

Commenting on the move, Karl Howkins, Managing Director of SOGO, said: “It’s great to team up with an elite sporting organisation like Saracens. Our values align around the community and a commitment to sustainability. All staff at Saracens will benefit from our ultra-flexible model of mobility (flexible monthly leasing), which enables them to lease a car on a monthly basis.”

The partnership with Saracens adds to SOGO’s existing sporting ties with Middlesex Cricket, the Sunsrisers Women’s Cricket team and Ampthill Rugby.

Sport

The Sports Betting Industry Keeps Growing

The sports betting industry has experienced massive growth in recent years. It’s a combination of several factors that have paved the way for this development. A mix of regulatory changes, technological advancements, increasingly abundant options and the rise of mobile betting have made sports betting attractive for players and operators worldwide. 

 

Understanding the Growth

A major topic for debate in these years is the sports betting industry. It’s impossible to ignore the massive growth that this industry is experiencing right now. It’s gaining an influence worldwide that everyone needs to address. The growth has also resulted in a highly competitive market where businesses have to be on their toes in order to keep up. A competitive market is usually good news for bettors that are offered increasingly better odds, such as the best betting odds rugby league. Both odds and bonuses have to be competitive for each bookmaker in order to be attractive, so it’s beneficial for bettors looking for the best opportunities when placing a wager.

The global industry is expected to grow with a CAGR of 9.1% from 2022 to 2031. The possible tax revenue and massive interest are impossible to ignore, even in countries where sports betting has been strictly regulated by law for many years. More countries are changing their regulations on sports betting in recent years, which is obviously only widening the impact of the sports betting industry. There are several reasons as to why this industry keeps on growing. 

Mobile Betting and Abundant Options

One of the major growth drivers is the rise of mobile betting. Mobile betting has created an absolute boom. It provides accessibility and convenience that make it easier than ever to bet whenever it suits you. As convenience is one of the most significant factors for consumers today, it’s no wonder that this has made a noticeable impact on the industry. Today, most people have smartphones that make it possible to do most things directly on their phones. Many areas of the entertainment industry are prioritising mobile options, especially within the gaming industry. 

Mobile betting has made many new features and technologies more relevant. One of them is live betting, that’s more relevant than ever. Live betting adds an additional element of thrill when watching a sports event. This, and other additional offers, provide bettors with an abundance of new options to make betting more entertaining.  

Regulatory Changes and Technological Advancements 

Another significant growth driver is regulatory changes. As mentioned, many countries and regions are legalising sports betting, making it accessible to millions of people. Many countries can no longer ignore the possible economic benefits of legalising sports betting. Legalisations and increasing popularity have also brought an increased focus on player protection and the responsibility of online bookmakers. Sports betting’s massive expansive demands a greater focus on protecting the particularly vulnerable players. 

Besides the many regulatory changes, technological advancement is another influencing factor. Technology has improved sports betting and other online gambling options massively. The platforms are improved all the time by the use of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These technologies make it possible to tailor each bettor’s experience, making it personalised and relevant. Access to real-time odds, personalised recommendations, and improved interfaces continues to make the betting experience more advanced and attractive for a wide variety of sports bettors. These many factors continue to make the industry grow. As of right now, there are no signs that the growth of the sports betting industry will slow down any time soon. The exciting thing will be to follow the continued development of the industry. 

Sport

Looking for Tips? Here are 5 Tips You Can Use on the Breeders Cup

The Breeders Cup is finally just a few months away; as usual, it will be big. As the year-end championship horse racing event for many horse racing fans, this year’s Breeders Cup will have a lot of surprises, big payouts, and 14 horse races that will satisfy your horse racing betting tastes.

If you want to join the fun, this is a good time to brush up on your horse racing betting tips. However, if you’re new to the Breeders Cup, we can help you. This article will discuss tips that will help you bet to be profitable in the Breeders Cup. Let’s start.

Research First

If you want to be successful and go home a few hundred dollars richer after the Breeders Cup, then one thing that you should always consider is to do your research. The Breeders Cup is one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the US, so you can assume that there’s a lot of information about it floating around the internet.

The best thing about this is that the Breeders Cup has a website that freely relays information about the races, like its contenders, distances, track surfaces, and even the guests. However, if you want more in-depth information, especially about the contenders, you can get them through the racing form.

Usually, you can get these racing forms in the event place itself. They are little brochures about the horses, jockeys, track records of each horsehorse, owners, etc. With this information, making an educated guess on your bets will be easy, and winning your bets will be easier.

Spread Your Bets

Many beginners tend to just bet on one horse and pray for the best. Of course, this is ill-advised, and you know what they say, “Never put all of your eggs in one basket.” Instead, you can research and see which horses are the most likely to win or place in the tvg breeders cup.

The racing form can tell which horses are most likely to win if you know how to read it. For example, if the horse has been placed for a few races recently, they have a good chance of winning. There are a few of them in each race, and if you see them, you can spread your bets among them.

Don’t Blindly Bet on the Favorite

This is another mistake that a lot of beginners tend to make. Usually, the bookmakers see the favorites as the horse most likely to win. But like the bettors, they are also using key information to make this judgment, and just like us, they could be wrong. There are even cases where a race has a false favorite.

This is when the bookmakers categorize a horse as a favorite even though they don’t have a high chance of winning. Also, favorites statistically only win a third of their races. That means that in ten races, they will only win 3 or 4 of them. Theoretically, it’s more profitable to lay on them instead of betting on them to win.

Know the Jockeys

Researching on the jockeys is just as important as researching on the horses. They are the other half of the contenders, after all. Too many beginners focus solely on the horses themselves, not knowing that the horses are only as good as they are allowed to be, but with a good jockey, they can push further and have a more strategic play.

That said, there are three points that you should consider when researching jockeys. The first one is their recent performance with the horse. If they win a few races together, they have good compatibility and a high chance of winning. The second is their chemistry. How many races have they been in together?

If their history is long, they are already fond of each other. And for the last one would be their performance on the track surface. If they have won a good deal in the upcoming track surface, that should indicate that they will be on their own.

Shop For Odds

Like shopping for clothes, you could also shop for odds by shopping bookmakers themselves. Although the difference in odds and payouts can be minimal, it can stack up in the long run. For example, if the payout is only a dollar more on the other bookmakers, if you consistently win, this dollar can turn into hundreds. You should sign up with a few reputable online bookmakers when possible. This might sound trivial, but it’s highly profitable.

Final Words

The Breeders Cup is right around the corner, and if you want to succeed in this prestigious horse racing event, you might want to follow the tips we discussed above. These tips are profitable and highly effective that even a novice like you can use to make some profits. With all that said, good luck, and see you there.

 

Sport

Talking points from matchday five of the 2023-24 Premier League

The Premier League resumed after the first international break of the season recently, and while matchday five of the campaign didn’t have any real standout fixtures — like local rivalries or members of the big six going head-to-head — it still proved a thrilling weekend of football.

So, without further ado, read on as we take a look at some of the biggest talking points of the gameweek’s action.

Arsenal end Goodison Park rut

Arsenal have not had much luck at Goodison Park in recent times. In fact, Mikel Arteta’s men had lost all of their last three trips to Merseyside to face Everton. The three points were crucial given that title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City had already won 24 hours earlier.

Therefore, added pressure was on the Gunners to end that barren spell. It wasn’t straightforward either and as time ticked on it looked increasingly unlikely that Arsenal were going to find a winner. The breakthrough eventually came when super-sub Leandro Trossard netted in the 69th minute, and Arsenal held on to win 1-0.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur come back to win (again)

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have had good starts to the season and were both well-backed in the Paddy Power football odds to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United, respectively, as they looked to extend their unbeaten runs.

Those who had a bet on Jurgen Klopp’s and Ange Postecoglou’s sides were made to sweat, however, as the Reds had to come from a goal behind at half-time to beat Wolves 3-1 at Molineux, while Richarlison (90+8) and Dejan Kulusevski (90+10) both scored deep into injury time to secure a 2-1 win for Spurs.

It was the second time this season that Liverpool went a goal down and went on to win, while Tottenham trailed Burnley before beating Vincent Kompany’s men 5-2 prior to the break. Manchester City also came from a goal down to beat West Ham United 3-1 at the London Stadium.

Mauricio Pochettino’s dire form away home continues as Chelsea stutter

The hope that filled Chelsea fans after their promising opening day draw against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge has very quickly diminished, as the Blues still appear to be plagued with issues on and off the pitch.

A trip to Bournemouth presented Mauricio Pochettino’s side with what looked to be a winnable game for those seeking football tips, but the Cherries proved to be a tricky opponent and Chelsea couldn’t find the back of the net in what was nothing short of a frustrating afternoon on the south coast.

To make matters worse, Pochettino has now failed to win his last 14 away fixtures in the Premier League and pressure is beginning to mount on the Argentine as his only victory so far this season has come against Luton Town.

Brighton pile more misery on Manchester United

Chelsea aren’t the only big six side struggling this season, as Manchester United have also had a slow start to proceedings. Things went from bad to worse though, as the Red Devils suffered their third defeat of the season against Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford.

Former Man United forward Danny Welbeck took delight in giving the Seagulls the lead at the Theatre of Dreams, and Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro both netted in the second half to make it 3-0 to the visitors. Hannibal Mejbri pulled one back for the hosts, but it was nothing more than a consolation. Pressure is mounting on Ten Hag and he too will be feeling the heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance and Banking, News, Sport

‘A passion to be your best’ – OANDA announces its first brand ambassador, Robert Lewandowski

Football legend Robert Lewandowski becomes the ambassador of OANDA

OANDA, a global leader in online multi-asset trading services, currency data and analytics, has announced the appointment of Robert Lewandowski as its global brand ambassador.

The world-class footballer plays as a striker for La Liga club FC Barcelona and captains the Polish national team. Recognised for his professionalism, positioning, technique, and finishing, Lewandowski is regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, as well as one of the most successful players in Bundesliga and Bayern Munich history. A prolific goalscorer, he has scored over 600 goals for club and country and earned a huge fan base across the globe.

“Robert Lewandowski is the ultimate professional. His playing style, which is strategic, precise, and trustworthy, fits in perfectly with OANDA’s ‘smarter trading’ brand promise,” said Darren Moffett, Chief Marketing Officer at OANDA.

The association with Lewandowski stems from a long-term marketing strategy to drive recognition for the award-winning OANDA brand.

Further commenting, Moffett added, “OANDA is all about smarter trading, giving traders the intuitive platform, powerful tools, and clean execution they need to master their trades. We wanted a brand ambassador who reflected the spirit of our brand—it had to be a master in his own field, known for his professionalism, and with a global appeal. Robert is the perfect fit.”

One of the leading online trading groups, OANDA is looking to grow its footprint across a variety of markets. As part of the partnership, Lewandowski will feature in a number of global, multimedia campaigns, as the face and voice of OANDA. This is designed to communicate OANDA’s brand purpose of creating smarter trading experiences.

“I am very excited to partner with OANDA, one of the world’s leading online trading groups: we share a passion to be our best. Preparation, focus, and skill are crucial for success on the pitch, just as they are in finance.” Robert Lewandowski commented on the collaboration.

—

About OANDA

 Founded in 1996, OANDA is one of the world’s leading online trading groups, offering multi-asset trading, currency data, and analytics to retail and corporate clients around the globe.

 From its roots providing free exchange rate data on the Internet to launching a forex trading platform that helped pioneer web-based currency trading, OANDA remains dedicated to building smarter trading experiences.

 With regulated entities in many of the world’s most active financial markets, including New York, Toronto, London, Warsaw, Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney, OANDA enables retail clients to trade in a variety of asset classes on an award-winning trading platform. Depending on geographical location, these may include derivatives of global market indices, equities, commodities, treasuries, precious metals, forex, and cryptocurrencies.

 For more information visit https://www.oanda.com/group 

 

News, Sport, Tech, Technology

Connectus Announces Deal to Sponsor Sale Sharks and England Rugby Star

Connectus is proud to announce that it will be sponsoring Sale Sharks and England Rugby Union star Manu Tuilagi for the 2023/24 season.

Manu, who has won 51 international caps, recently signed a one-year contract extension with Sale Sharks, and the 31-year-old is expected to play a key role in the team’s quest for glory this time round.

Roy Shelton, the CEO of tech firm Connectus, said he was delighted to be sponsoring the Manu, who has also won caps with the British and Irish Lions, and who joined the Sharks from Leicester Tigers in 2020.

Roy said: “Manu is a born winner, and we are delighted to be able to support him in the coming weeks and months.

“Connectus has a long and valued relationship with the Sale Sharks and this is an exciting new chapter within that story.

“I am looking forward to seeing the Sharks go from strength to strength this season. Like many supporters, I will be rooting for them to go one step further than last season where they played with such flair, bravery and energy. Good luck to Manu and to the team for the season ahead.”

Connectus is the official connectivity and IT Partner for the home of Sale Sharks, undertaking all network, telephone, and cyber security at the Salford Community Stadium, to boost its efficiency during match days and regular business hours.

Connectus, which has a HQ in Doncaster but offices in Salford and Warrington has also previously sponsored former Sharks club captain, Jono Ross.

Commenting, Connectus’ Business Development Director Andy Marsden said: “The Salford Stadium is one of the region’s most iconic sporting venues, so we’re delighted to continue to play such an important role in its day-to-day sports operations.

“Manchester and the broader North West is of great importance to Connectus as we bring our expertise and experience to companies throughout the M62 corridor. We’re looking forward to meeting lots of new friends, clients and contacts through our work at the Salford Stadium over the coming season.”

News, Sport, Sports Tech

Toyota Gazoo Racing advanced engineering supports elite parasports athletes

Advanced technologies from the world of international motorsport are being applied to create cutting-edge equipment for elite parasports athletes in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe (TGR-E) is producing bespoke items designed to help para-athletes achieve peak performance across a range of disciplines.

The high-tech kit developed by the team includes seats for hand bikes, Nordic ski-sleds, damping systems for mono-skis and a new racing wheelchair design. These use techniques, materials and engineering know-how gained through TGR-E’s championship-winning successes in race and rallying during the past decade.

The story began with Andrea Eskau, a multiple Paralympic and World Champion, who approached TGR-E in her search for an ergonomic seat insert that would provide better support in her hand bike, inspired by the fitted seats used in motorsport. This was the seed which grew into a long-term cooperation, fuelled by the passion of an incredible athlete and TGR-E engineers who devoted themselves to learning a new discipline.

“Immediately we all recognised how determined, inspiring and knowledgeable Andrea is,” says Norbert Schäfer, parasports project manager at TGR-E. “Even though our first project was for a relatively small component, her attention to detail aligned perfectly with our own philosophy in motorsport and automotive.”

Andrea Eskau

A full-scale joint project focused on a clean-sheet design of a new Nordic ski sled for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics. Using motorsports-inspired carbon fibre, and component concepts directly taken from TGR-E’s race cars, the sled delivered unparalleled body support, allowing Andrea to manoeuvre accurately and translate more of her energy into forward motion.

When Andrea’s focus switched to the 2020 Summer Paralympics, TGR-E rose to the challenge of developing a new lightweight hand bike, constructed from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and tailored precisely to Andrea’s exacting requirements.

“Andrea was involved at every stage, not only providing detailed feedback but actually proposing concepts and solutions; it was a true partnership,” adds Norbert Schäfer. “Both the ski sled and the hand bike projects were a privilege to be involved in, not only personally but as an organisation. We learned a lot about this very specific world and had the honour of being part of Andrea’s incredible journey.”

For TGR-E, success in parasports is measured in knowledge gained and an athlete’s satisfaction in their equipment, although, for the record, Andrea has so far earned three Paralympic gold medals, four silver and two bronze, plus multiple World Championship medals using equipment jointly developed with TGR-E. Earlier this month, Andrea won a silver and a bronze at the World Championships in Glasgow, a few days before becoming a European Champion in Rotterdam.

To further expand its knowledge of parasports engineering and the specific requirements of individual athletes, TGR-E took on a new challenge in 2019: developing a racing wheelchair for a new athlete, Alhassane Baldé.

Alhassane Baldé

Working together with Alhassane and the German Paralympic Committee, a lightweight prototype was constructed using cutting-edge techniques, such as topology optimisation and additive manufacturing. The distinctive ergonomic design minimised wasted energy and showed great promise until the Covid pandemic curtailed the testing programme and prevented its appearance in at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Nevertheless, that first prototype laid the foundations for future racing wheelchair developments, including a concept which aids the efficient design of chairs fitted to an athlete’s specific size and disability profile. TGR-E is currently on the lookout for potential testers to contribute to ongoing prototype development of its racing wheelchair.

“In parasports, each athlete has unique requirements for their equipment; no two wheelchairs are the same,” says Norbert Schäfer. “This is a challenge from a manufacturing point of view because we want to offer technology to further athletes, but the cost and practicality of bespoke designs makes additional projects more challenging. So, our engineers created a concept for a multi-adjustable jig to determine athlete-individual design parameters for a racing wheelchair. This has the potential to bring advanced technology to more athletes.”

Anna-Lena Forster

At the same time, the first steps are being taken in the world of mono-ski racing, in cooperation with multiple Paralympic and World Champion Anna-Lena Forster. Mono-ski racing involves complex damping systems and vertical dynamics, offering the potential for motorsport-style set-up analysis and development, as well as technology crossover with racing suspension systems.

As well as enhancing TGR-E’s knowledge, its parasports projects also showcase the services it provides to third party customers from the automotive industry and beyond. Competence in composite design and production, additive manufacturing, aerodynamic modelling, simulation and component design have all gone into TGR-E’s recent parasports developments.

What new projects emerge in the future will be revealed in time. What is clear is that through parasports, TGR-E continues to search for ways to contribute to ever-better technology for athletes, while expanding its knowledge of different disciplines in the process. As the Paralympics draw closer, fuelled by the passion of remarkable athletes like Andrea Eskau, TGR-E’s interest burns bright.

Mental Health, News, Scotland, Sport

Perthshire Hotel Backing Rugby Charity after Teen Suicide Loss

– Rugby youth internationalist was set to work at hotel-

A Perthshire hotel will use the untimely loss of an inspirational rugby-mad teenager to raise money for youth mental health charity BraveMind during the duration of the Rugby World Cup.

Issy Phipps, who planned to work a summer at McKays in Perthshire, sadly took her own life earlier this year

Issy Phipps was a 17 year old with the world literally at her feet (and in her hands) when she tragically took her own life in April this year.

An England touch rugby internationalist and European gold medal winner, Issy was popular with peers, a talented musician and student and planned to embark on an elite rugby programme.

The news of her passing in Spring came as a shock to everyone who knew her, including McKays Hotel Bar and Restaurant owner Richard Drummond, who had known her personally since early childhood.

A shared love of fun meant Richard and Issy enjoyed a connection and Issy had discussed working a season at McKays in Highland Perthshire; something which, sadly, never came to pass.

Now, after learning about the work of mental health charity BraveMind, which works with rugby clubs and schools to promote young peoples’ wellbeing, Richard and the McKays staff are to undertake a range of initiatives to support the charity’s mission during the World Cup in France.

BraveMind, founded by ex rugby player Simon Trower, is also supported by Issy’s parents, who want to help teenagers like Issy to navigate mental health challenges and reach their potential.

Issy’s mother Sarah recently met the Princess of Wales at Maidenhead Rugby Club, gifting her a pair of earrings in Issy’s memory, which Kate promised to wear.

“I first met Issy when she was 7. She was full of life and very talented,” said Richard, who attended the funeral celebration of her life, fulfilling the request to wear a rugby top by adorning a Scotland shirt.

“Issy had talked about doing a summer season at McKays because she also had relatives in Scotland. We actually met for breakfast about 2 years ago and she talked about her plans for the future.

“When I got the message of her passing, I struggled to believe it. It is only when you know someone, personally, that you wonder why. It leaves you numb.

“You see a beautiful young girl, a talented rugby player and musician with her life ahead of her.”

Issy Phipps, seen here in her Maidenhead RFC top, played youth level rugby for England, winning a European trophy in France.

The decision to raise money and awareness came to Richard, himself a father of three daughters, after he learned about the work of BraveMind.

Spurred by the memory of Issy, and in recognition of the stresses young people can face in the hospitality trade, he is delighted McKays will support the charity, with staff already raising £500 before the World Cup has even kicked off at Stade de France.

“Obviously there is a personal connection but it is such a good cause. BraveMind is geared around rugby but it is about young people and I know, in our sector, the pressures young people feel are sometimes underestimated.”

Staff will wear BraveMind t-shirts during all televised Scotland matches in McKays and are set to donate taking from Quiz nights, a race night and charity Dinner.

They also intend to reach out to rugby clubs in Perthshire to spread awareness of BraveMind which counts ex-Scotland internationalists, Graeme Morrison and Rory Lawson, as ambassadors.

The charity’s founder Simon Trower said: “We are about educating, supporting and working with grass-roots clubs and organisations to change the culture in order to prevent tragedies from happening. By using rugby as a vehicle, we can start conversations and it is great to work with McKays, who we will also be doing some training with, in mental health first aid.”

 

Image credits: Heartland Media and PR, all rights reserved

Header image caption: McKays owner Richard Drummond and staff will raise money for BraveMind, in Issy’s memory, during the Rugby World Cup.

Business Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Business News, Cardiff, Cardiff News, Environment, Environment News, Marketing & PR, Marketing and PR, Marketing, PR and SEO, News from Wales, PR and SEO, Sport, Wales, Wales News

Welsh Business MSS Group Partners With Cardiff Rugby

RSK, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, and its Cardiff-based environmental services company MSS Group are partnering with Cardiff Rugby to use their expertise to help the club achieve its sustainability goals. And the partnership already has players like utility forward Josh Turnbull and flanker Ellis Jenkins talking about their own sustainability goals.

RSK and MSS Group, both principal partners and shirt sponsors, and another RSK environmental business, Nature Positive, will work with Cardiff Rugby to help the club evaluate and reduce its environmental impact by examining a range of factors including team and supporter travel to matches, recycling and food and beverage packaging, waste management along with examining sustainable energy options such solar power.

RSK Chief Executive Officer Alan Ryder said: “RSK is an enthusiastic supporter of sport, and like MSS, which has been supporting the club for more than a decade, we’re looking forward to working together to take our relationship beyond the rugby pitch. We know how passionate Cardiff Rugby is about its commitment to its community. Through the Cardiff Blue Community Foundation, it uses the power and values of sport to inspire, engage and improve opportunities for communities. The environmental impact of all we do, and the choices that we make, affect all of us and we hope to work with the club and the foundation to talk about how we can all make a difference every day.”

Cardiff players Josh Turnbull and Ellis Jenkins prioritise sustainability in their own lives and said they hope to learn more from RSK.

Josh said: “I’m quite environmentally conscious and I’m very aware of things like single-use plastic, staying away from that wherever possible, and teaching my kids good habits around recycling, reusing, and reducing waste. It’s something I’ve become more and more aware of with the increasing exposure of the climate crisis, how much plastic there is in the oceans and things like that. Ultimately, we want this planet to be here for a very long time after us for our kids, their kids and so on. The more sustainable and responsible we can be in all areas of life the longer we will have this planet.

“We’ve had an environmental committee and as a playing group, we are very aware of the challenges and are always driving to be more sustainable in our environment. I was at Glastonbury recently and it was quite an eye opener in terms of how much recycling there is available, the way tents are recycled and turned into flags, sculptures made from recycled products.”

He added: “RSK is clearly driving the standards of sustainability and as a club, we want to be part of that. If they can help us drive those standards, collaborate and work with other partners to be more sustainable, then that is brilliant.”

Ellis agreed, saying: “I have always been passionate about the environment and sustainability, so it is great to see the club continue their partnership with MSS Group, and now their parent company RSK, who is such a major player within that space.

“We already have many sponsors and suppliers who promote sustainability, whether someone like Octopus Energy or our waste management company, so it is great to bring all of this together and take it to a new level with RSK coming on board.

“Personally, I am also trying to make small changes like only buying locally sourced meat to ensure it is farmed responsibly and the food miles are as low as possible. I am really excited to see how this partnership develops in the coming years and how much difference we can all make. Having RSK on board will not only help make us more sustainable as a club but educate us in ways we can all improve our lifestyles to reduce our footprint on the planet.”

Jonathan James, MD at the MSS Group, added, “I am delighted that MSS and the RSK family are continuing our partnership with Cardiff Rugby. We know first-hand the positive influence that the team has on the Cardiff community and South Wales, and I am excited to see the wider effect our collaboration on this important sustainability project will have.”

Sport

Is Mauricio Pochettino’s task of winning over the Chelsea fans already complete?

Most managers face the daunting task of trying to win over the fanbase when they take the reins at a new club. But for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea, it is a little different. The Argentine enjoyed five years at Tottenham Hotspur and was involved in some fiery London derbies during his time at Spurs, none more so than the infamous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in 2016, when the Blues denied Pochettino’s side the opportunity to win the Premier League.

Given Chelsea’s turbulent first season under co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital last year, in which Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard took to the dugout, the west London club’s supporters would have been keen for a sense of stability this season. After all, the Blues have found themselves in choppy waters since the British government imposed sanctions on previous owner Roman Abramovich and forced him to sell the club.

Pochettino was the man the Chelsea chiefs opted for to steady the ship and attempt to make the Blues more favourable in the Premier League title odds once again. It wasn’t a decision that went down terribly with the bulk of the Stamford Bridge faithful, but some certainly had their reservations given the 51-year-old former ties with their cross-city archnemeses Tottenham.

But even the most sceptical of Chelsea fans must like what they have seen in the early days of the Pochettino era. He has got the club’s transition moving rapidly, with a lot of ‘deadwood’ finally shifted and some promising new signings made — including Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi and Moises Caicedo, who broke the British record fee when moving from Brighton and Hove Albion for £115m.

Then there is the fine form displayed in pre-season. It isn’t always worth reading too much into the results from offseason tours around the globe, but there were plenty of positives to take away from Chelsea’s success in the inaugural ‘Premier League Summer Series’ and the performances of individuals like Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk and Carney Chukwuemeka would have had fans purring for the start of the season.

The thing that would definitely have won the Chelsea fans over and have them actually looking forward to coming back to Stamford Bridge this season is their side’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.

The Blues started proceedings rather slowly and were put to the sword for their sloppiness when former Chelsea player Mohamed Salah slid a lovely pass into the path of Luis Diaz for Liverpool’s opener. It could have been two as well, as Salah had the ball in the back of the net only to be deemed offside.

That was the kick up the backside the hosts needed and they soon grew into the game. Centre-back Disasi levelled the score and the roof came off Stamford Bridge when Ben Chilwell looked to have made it 2-1 — only for VAR to come to the conclusion that he was also offside. You could argue the Blues were unlucky not to win the game though, with Jackson also missing a few chances and Chelsea not taking advantage of their ability to slice open Liverpool’s defence.

A point in the first game of the season against a side like Jurgen Klopp’s is not to be sniffed at, however, and Pochettino will have been happy with the performance overall. The Chelsea fans certainly enjoyed it as the Shed End were in fine voice, but it will have all been for nothing if they can’t build on this performance and get maximum points against very beatable opponents in the form of West Ham United, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and so on.

Pochettino’s next big test arguably isn’t until Chelsea meet London rival Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on October 21. If his side can put together a solid string of results between now and then, the Blues could be in a very good position and in the right form to beat the Gunners for the first time since 2021.

Chelsea fans can turn on a manager very quickly, and given Pochettino’s ties with Tottenham, it probably won’t take them long to turn on the Argentine if results don’t go their way and they can’t build on this fine start.