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England levelled the one-day series against the West Indies and Andrew Strauss hit 79 not out to clinch a nine-wicket victory.

England were chasing a total of 239-9 in their bid to level the series, but the target was reduced to just 135 from 20 overs as rain affected the game. England’s captain forged a partnership with Ravi Bopara, scoring 108 between them, as Strauss hit nine fours and one six to level the one-day series and set up a series decider on Friday.

The performance showed England’s capacity to recover after they faltered two days previously, all out for a paltry 117. The weather threatened to force the game to be called off, but there was enough sunlight to allow play for what in essence became a Twenty20 game for England’s batsmen.

England’s batsmen didn’t get off to the best start as Pietersen was forced to bat at number seven due to a back injury picked up while bowling. Despite criticisms of his one-day game, Andrew Strauss led from the front and hit four successive boundaries early in the innings.

The West Indies’ total was higher than England would have liked when they were 173-7 at one stage, but England’s spirit didn’t waver as they chased down the total to tie the series.

The Magners League currently consists of ten teams from three of the four home nations, Wales, Scotland and Ireland (after England dropped out a few years ago). It has just been announced however that the ten teams will be joined by two new ones, but not from England, from Italy.

Keen to boost their experience in the European game, the Italian Rugby Federation is hoping to enter two teams in time for the beginning of the 2010 season.

The move is subject to the Celtic Rugby Board being satisfied with the grounds of the two Italian teams. A statement from the Celtic Rugby Board said:

[The conditions] fall under main headings of playing and facility standards, finance and commercial including television. This will be a comprehensive process and will take some time.

The board therefore decided that participation could not commence before 2010-2011 season.

The Italian league itself is just ten teams, with Calvisano and Treviso looking the most likely to join the Magners League, as they have already played rugby in the Heineken Cup.

It is hoped that by extending the Magners League to allow for rugby tours to Italy, the Italian national side will benefit, as they suffered another whitewash in this year’s Six Nations.

There’s no need to rub your eyes in disbelief - it’s not the men’s game. No, this is the England women’s team who have won the World Cup for the third time in their history, showing the men just how it should be done.

England defeated the Kiwis by four wickets in Sydney last weekend. The bowling hero for England was Nicki Shaw, who came in late for Jenny Gunn and managed to make some serious headway into New Zealand’s batting order. Shaw took 4-34 as the Kiwis were demolished for just 166.

When England’s batters came to the crease they eased their way to the brink of victory via the opening partnership of Sarah Taylor and Caroline Atkins, who hit 39 and 40 respectively.

But this is still an England team and it wouldn’t be England without some attempt to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, losing the next five wickets for just 40 runs.

England managed to close the game out though as Nicki Shaw finished with the bat what she’d started with a ball and saw England over the finish line with 17 not out.

It was a fairy story for Shaw, who ten minutes before the toss wasn’t expected to play. However a late injury to Gunn allowed Shaw to take her place and take the match by the scruff of the neck.

England’s men could learn a lot from the ladies’ team, who retained the Ashes last year. After they return from the World Cup cricket tour they’re set for the World Twenty20 cricket tournament here in England.

A defiant Irish team overcame a stuttering Wales to wrestle the Six Nations title away from them, and in the last two minutes kick the three points to give them their first Grand Slam title in sixty-one years.

Ireland deserved the victory and led for most of the game, overpowering Wales where it mattered most, but a kick in the last few minutes from Stephen Jones almost snatched the dream Grand Slam from Irish hands.

Luckily for the Irish, their dreams were kept alive by the boot of Ronan O’Gara, who replied to Jones’ drop goal with one of his own, with just two minutes on the clock. Wales responded immediately and Irish indiscipline led to a Welsh chance in the final minute as Jones once again had the chance to end Ireland’s dream with a penalty practically on the halfway line. Long distance specialist Gavin Henson looked on as Jones attempted the penalty, got the accuracy perfect, but his range came up short, gifting Ireland their deserved victory.

Despite playing in front of a packed Cardiff crowd, free flowing Wales failed to spark their game into life, and couldn’t breach the Irish defence. Ireland on the other hand managed two tries from Bowe and the ever reliable O’Driscoll.

Ireland narrowly defeated Scotland to keep alive their hopes of a Grand Slam in the Six Nations, what would be their first for sixty-one years. The Irish now need to defeat current Grand Slam champions Wales in Cardiff next Saturday.

The Irish battled all the way to edge out the Scots, who have improved drastically during this rugby tournament. It was very close for the Irish, as they trailed Scotland 12-9 at the break, all the points coming from the respective boots of Chris Paterson and Ronan O’Gara.

Ireland took the lead in the second half as Jamie Heaslip went over for an Irish try, which was followed by a conversion, a drop goal and another penalty from the trusty boot of O’Gara. This was enough to Ireland home to victory.

Their trip to Wales will be anything but a formality though as Wales themselves can lift the Six Nation’s trophy if they defeat Ireland by thirteen points in Cardiff. It’s almost a shame that Wales couldn’t have beaten France a few weeks ago to set up a Grand Slam decider, in much the same as a potential decider between Wales and Ireland was averted in 2005 when it was Ireland who slipped up on route to the meeting in Cardiff.

In what has been a season to forget so far for England, Martin Johnson’s men salvaged some pride with a demolition of fancied France. The first half of the game was all England, as they ran in four tries to lead 29-0 by half time. The French, always unpredictable, had no answer to an England side that managed to marry passion and aggression, with control and temperament. This is something England have struggled to do so far this campaign.

However the victory against France was a magnificent one for the English, and even threatened to set a new record for a win against France, had it not been for a mini French revival in the second half.

It didn’t start too well for the French after the break, as England ran in another try straight away, but the visitors soon got to grips with the game, scoring their first points with tries from Dimitri Szarzewski and Julien.

In truth, the flurry from the French was more to do England relaxing than France finding any form. It could have been much worse for the French, who can consider themselves lucky to escape with just a 34-10 defeat.

Incredibly England are now the top try scorers for this 2009 tournament, going over thirteen times.

Welsh hopes of a Grand Slam in the Six Nations may have gone after their recent narrow defeat to France, but their rugby sevens team has just won a great victory in Dubai. Wales have been crowned world champions in rugby sevens, after their victory over Argentina in the final.

It was a great result for the Welsh, especially after they’d been beaten by the Pumas in the group stage, so overcoming them in the final showed their resilience. Wales triumphed against Argentina 19-12, after taking charge of the game early with a try from Richie Pugh.

The game went back and forth until Aled Thomas scored a try and sealed the Welsh victory in the final minute.

The Welsh had an epic road to the final, defeating Samoa (conquerors of England) in the semi-final, 19-12, and having already dispatched the Kiwis, New Zealand.

Argentina had an easier path to the final, defeating the un-fancied Kenya 12-0 in the semi-final.

Lee Beach, the Welsh rugby captain, stated:

This is amazing, it’s going to take a while to sink in.

I can’t describe it. The boys have come a long way over the last three years.

Things clicked in Wellington when we beat New Zealand and we continued that form here.

When the going got tough in the semi against Samoa, we just said this is a semi-final of the World Cup - that was motivation enough. And we did likewise in the final.

Everyone agreed that the last minute win over New Zealand in the quarter final showed the Welsh players that anything was possible.

This summer the Aussies come to England for their cricket tour known as The Ashes. Who will captain England against Australia has been under much debate and now Andrew Strauss has been given a strong indication that he will be the player charged with restoring English pride against the old enemy.

Strauss was given the captaincy for England’s tour of the West Indies, just drawing to a close now and he has received plaudits for the way he has handled both himself and the team.

England selector Geoff Miller said of Strauss:

Andrew has done a very good job.

I don’t think we need to see beyond Andrew at the moment.

We have to create momentum. If he continues doing the job he’s doing, getting runs, as well as good responses from players and the backroom staff then there’s no problem.

Going into the final Test of the series against the Windies, England were losing 1-0 and needed a draw in the final test. Despite not managing victory against their hosts, Strauss has been in fine form, hitting three centuries in three Test matches.

Geoff Miller continued:

Andrew is very level headed and taken to the role from a performance point of view because he’s been smacking runs at will.

Living With The Lions are very excited to be working closely with The Perse School in Cambridge. We are currently working on two tours for them, the first being a girls hockey/netball tour to Scotland and the second a tour to South Africa in July 2010.

English rugby slipped to its all-time lowest ebb this week after the humiliating defeat to Ireland on Saturday. The days of the Rugby World Cup triumph in 2003 seem like a distant memory to a side that failed to trouble a brilliant Ireland, and could only kick away possession at every opportunity. England have now dropped to their lowest ever ranking in international rugby, eight, behind home nations rivals Wales and Ireland, and France, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

England were ranked sixth at the start of the year, but now sit just one place above Scotland, who scored a victory over Italy at the weekend.

England sat on top of the World rankings after their success in 2003, but as the old guard retired from the game, England’s fortunes have change drastically.

Matters could get much worse for Martin Johnson’s men if they were to succumb to France and Scotland in the remaining two games of the Six Nations, as defeat would see them drop to ninth place in the rankings. It at least ensures that England have something to play for in the remaining two fixtures, as they cannot now lift the Six Nations trophy, or the Triple Crown.