April 29, 2010
Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie said he may try again to persuade Jose Maria Olazabal to be one of his assistants at this year’s match against the United States.
Double U.S. Masters champion Olazabal said last year that he would be reluctant to act as a second-string again after being Nick Faldo’s vice-captain in the defeat by the U.S. in 2008.
But the 44-year-old Spaniard has not played this year because of rheumatic problems and Montgomerie is keen to make use of his vast experience.
“With his experience and from what I heard from the players in 2008 how good he was — and I’m sure he will be a captain of the future — he would be invaluable for our team,” Montgomerie told Reuters on Wednesday before this year’s Spanish Open.
“I know he was disenchanted with the idea of doing it again but he is someone in whom I hold huge respect and I’m not ruling him out.”
Olazabal is not playing this week’s Spanish Open at Seville’s Real Club course which he designed. He is, however, hoping to play at another one of his projects, Pula which hosts the Majorca Open in two weeks.
Irishman Paul McGinley and Dane Thomas Bjorn, last year’s Seve Trophy captains, are also candidates to be Montgomerie’s assistants but the Scotsman will wait until after the British Open before naming them.
“I’ve got to give them a chance through the British Open,” he said. “Thomas and Paul are talented enough to go and win the British Open. Then what happens? I don’t want them having to resign because they want to make the team.”
Eight-times European number one Montgomerie, 322nd in the world rankings and 200th on Europe’s money-list, again expressed his desire to notch up a victory before the Ryder Cup to show his players he can still win.
“I want to be standing at the (Ryder Cup) opening ceremony having won this year,” said Montgomerie. “If it doesn’t happen I do hope the team will still have respect for me as a player.
“But number one goal is to win this damn thing (the Ryder Cup).”
April 27, 2010
This story pretty much sums up teh situation as it is happening in SOuth AFrica around the football world cup. OUr experience tells us that while hotels are forced into dealing with official accommodation banks such as Match, the situation is not going to go away. We would like to think that one day the poor hoteliers will see the sense of keeping their own hotels in their control and avoid this terrible situation. This is a repeat of the situation in France 98, Australia Rugby World Cup 2003, and the Lions in 2005 and last year. I suspecty the RWC 2011 will go exactly the same way and I only hope that London hotels do not go the same way, though news is that all of the large London hotels are already contracted to LOCOG. See this link for todays new…http://www.meetpie.com/Modules/NewsModule/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=13061
April 18, 2010
Living With The Lions will be focussing on 4 tours for the 2011 Six Nations.
England v Wales
England v Ireland (Back at Lansdown Road)
Wales v Italy
Wales v France
| Fri 04 Feb |
Wales v England |
Millennium Stadium |
1945 |
| Sat 05 Feb |
Italy v Ireland |
Stadio Flaminio |
1430 |
| Sat 05 Feb |
France v Scotland |
Stade de France |
1700 |
|
|
|
| Sat 12 Feb |
England v Italy |
Twickenham |
1430 |
| Sat 12 Feb |
Scotland v Wales |
Murrayfield |
1700 |
| Sun 13 Feb |
Ireland v France |
Lansdown Road |
1500 |
|
|
|
|
| Sat 26 Feb |
Italy v Wales |
Stadio Flaminio |
1430 |
| Sat 26 Feb |
England v France |
Twickenham |
1700 |
| Sun 27 Feb |
Scotland v Ireland |
Murrayfield |
1500 |
|
|
|
|
| Sat 12 Mar |
Italy v France |
Stadio Flaminio |
1430 |
| Sat 12 Mar |
Wales v Ireland |
Millennium Stadium |
1700 |
| Sun 13 Mar |
England v Scotland |
Twickenham |
1500 |
|
|
|
|
| Sat 19 Mar |
Scotland v Italy |
Murrayfield |
1430 |
| Sat 19 Mar |
Ireland v England |
Lansdown Road |
1700 |
| Sat 19 Mar |
France v Wales |
Stade de France |
1945 |
April 13, 2010
After the success of another busy 6 Nations for supporters and corporate hospitality clients alike, Patrick recently visited a number of hotels in Dublin with a view to securing the best accommodation and hospitality facilities within a short walk from the newly refurbished Lansdowne Road stadium. The Aviva Stadium, as it will be known, looked really impressive and Patrick was pleased to find some escellent venues very close to hand. We know that everyone is going to want to see Ireland v England in the 6 Nations next year after 3 fantastic seasons at the impressive Croke Park and so it is important to get in early next year. The opening international match at the stadium will see Ireland host World Champions South Africa, another mouth watering prospect. Living With The Lions will be offering packages for English, Irish, South African and rugby fans in general, to these matches.
Once again the Hong Kong Sevens proves to be a successful and fun weekend for Living With The Lions! With 50+ clients out in Hong Kong there was much laughter and as always a lot of drinking involved.
Everyone seemed in high spirits on their arrival in to the Metropark on the Thursday evening and shortly after check-in we were all in the hotel bar enjoying a drink or two and planning social and sightseeing events for the weekend.
A few clients were up early the next morning for some city sightseeing where as others flew over to Macau by helicopter for an afternoon in the casinos!
John Bentley was in Carnegies on Friday evening with us for a couple of hours and there was a fair bit of drinking going on (and dancing on the bar!). Carnegies is one of the lively bars in Wan Chai with good cheesy dancing music. It seems to be a favourite haunt for Living With The Lions clients (and staff!)
The Rugby Sevens tournament was full of exciting games and the finalie firework display at the end was spectacular and everyone is always on a high taking in every last minute of the atmosphere and not wanting it to end!
