http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/ en-GB Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:41:37 +0000 http://www.typepad.com/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/11/celtic-tigers.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/11/celtic-tigers.html By Dave Hadfield The disregarded bit-part players of Ireland and Scotland are saving this world cup. Alright, there weren't that many Irish or Scots accents among the players in action on wednesday night, but when they perform like that, who... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:40:45 +0000 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/world-at-our-fe.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/world-at-our-fe.html By Dave Hadfield Rugby league hasn't covered itself with glory in the run-up to the World Cup. There was the farce of the contrived draw - sorry PNG, but someone has to be the sacrificial Adrian Lam - followed by... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:41:20 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/england-squad-l.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/england-squad-l.html By Dave Hadfield It was one of my better guesses - 22 out of 24 names right in Tony Smith's England squad. I'm not claiming any powers of prophecy. It's more a matter of the coach already having made it... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:29:41 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/keiron-cunningh.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/10/keiron-cunningh.html By Dave Hadfield No disrespect to James Graham, a young prop whose whole approach to the game I admire more than I can say, but my choice as Man of Steel would have been Keiron Cunningham. Not only has he... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:12:31 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/not-as-grand-a.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/not-as-grand-a.html By Dave Hadfield The National League Grand Finals at Warrington on Sunday could be rather a low-key occasion. It isn't that games like Salford-Celtics and Doncaster-Oldham will be poor. On the contrary, they could be hugely entertaining. The problem has... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:18:40 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/catalan-carniva.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/catalan-carniva.html By Dave Hadfield I'm writing this week in the brief gap between trips to Perpignan. Let's face it, none of us expected to be there for one play-off this year, let alone two, but there's no doubt that they are... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:42:10 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/just-because-yo.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/just-because-yo.html By Dave Hadfield Apologies to anyone who has tried to reach me on the good old-fashioned steam-powered telephone recently. All lines into Hadfield Towers have been blocked by Wigan fans calling to say 'I told you so.' You see, I've... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:59:38 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/nothing-toulous.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/09/nothing-toulous.html By Dave Hadfield I know that not everyone in Widnes, for instance, will agree with this, but we should welcome Toulouse into NL2 with open arms. I don't believe that a second French club in Super League in three years... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:25:25 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/08/wembley---gthe.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/08/wembley---gthe.html By Dave Hadfield Is it possible to be too relaxed for a Cup final? History suggests that it is. St Helens announced this week that they can't be bothered with the traditional Wembley walk-about the day before they play Hull.... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:51:49 +0100 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/08/don-fox-remembe.html http://blogs.independent.co.uk/extratime/2008/08/don-fox-remembe.html By Dave Hadfield It's a sad fact that Don Fox will be remembered for one thing only - his missed kick in the 1968 Cup final. He deserves far, far better. Fox, who died this week after a long illness,... Rugby League Dave Hadfield Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:57:31 +0100