RFU bigwig in a right royal mess
Rugby grandee John Spencer, in line to be the next RFu president, caused controversy at Twickenham by making a sexist remark about Princess Charlene of Monaco in his speech before England’s match against South Africa.
Princess Charlene, the former Olympic swimmer for South Africa and wife of Monaco’s ruling Prince Albert, was a guest of the RFu, sitting next to Prince Harry in the Royal box.
The pair had lunch with president Peter baines in his suite while vice-president Spencer was left to address around 260 people — including RFu councillors and partners, plus RFu guests — in the Spirit of Rugby function room.
Spencer, who is expected to be team manager on the Lions tour of New Zealand, said the glamorous Princess Charlene was in the building without Prince Albert. So this, he blundered on, was an ideal opportunity for anyone in the room who ‘fancied their chances’ with her.
Such was the embarrassment that some councillors want four-times married Spencer to be censured at Friday’s RFu council meeting, especially after he failed to apologise for his crass comment when he spoke again at a VIP lunch before England v Argentina on Saturday.
The gaffe certainly casts doubt over Spencer’s suitability for the RFu presidency or a key role with the Lions.
And it needed Sports Agenda to raise the matter for an RFu spokeswoman to say: ‘John did not mean to cause offence and he has apologised for any offence his comments caused.’
COULD Crystal Palace’s atrocious start to the season have anything to do with manager Alan Pardew (right) moving two white budgies out of his office to other areas of the training ground including the canteen? The budgies — whom Pardew once called his ‘peace birds’ — are understood to be an anger management tool of Palace psychologist Jeremy Snape. THE irony cannot have escaped Charlton fans, as they protested about owner Roland Duchatelet’s regime before Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield united, that the manager in the away dug-out was Chris Wilder.
That is the same Wilder whose side are on a 15-match unbeaten run in League One and who was set to become Charlton boss last summer.
Having been flown to belgium in Duchatelet’s private jet, Wilder signed a contract, only to change his mind about coming to the Valley, citing troublesome supporters.
Charlton have now appointed Karl Robinson, who left MK Dons last month.
ANOTHER pointer towards St George’s Park now being central to all England football business is that the FA board meeting tomorrow to rubberstamp Gareth Southgate’s appointment as England manager will take place in the Staffordshire countryside rather than at Wembley.
Sky cricket hit by cuts
SKy SPORTS cutbacks following their £11million-a-match spend on Premier League rights have seen the loss of dedicated cricket reporters on Sky Sports News. Tim Abraham has been recalled from the England tour of India with immediate effect and James Coles is not being sent out for the one- day series. The bean counters have ruled Sky Sports’ top-heavy team of pundits and presenters can do more work between Tests rather than play golf.
AUSTRALIA’S comeback Test cricket victory over South Africa failed to resonate with BT Sport viewers. The third day attracted an average audience of just 1,000 — a paltry figure ahead of BT broadcasting the Ashes next winter. BT counter that their Premier League figures are up, unlike Sky’s. They add that their rivals’ Australia v West Indies coverage this time last year averaged 9,000 viewers — worse than the 12,000 average for Australia’s first Test against South Africa on BT. THERE is no need for bbC Sports Personality of the year to have such an unwieldy shortlist of 16 — even after such a stellar Olympic year. but the beeb, knowing the focus on this event, were hell-bent on being wholly inclusive. So it is odd that after citing England’s Six Nations grand Slam in their Press release, there is still no place for a rugby player among the nominations.