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Dan Biggar, the battered Welsh dragon, has flame extinguished by Argentina | Andy Bull

The patched-up, veteran fly-half poured his heart and soul into an ultimately futile attempt to delay international retirement Night time, Saturday 18 March, and Wales are gathered in the away changing room at the Stade de France. They have just lost to France 41-28 , and are tired and hurting. It’s their fourth defeat in five games. Warren Gatland is talking. Privately, Gatland has been wondering if it was a mistake to take this job on again. But it is too late now. They only have five months and 21 days before the World Cup. “It is going to be tough,” Gatland tells them. “Probably the toughest thing you have ever done. If you’re not willing to work, if you’re not willing to give everything, let me know, and I won’t pick you.” Silence, of course, no one talks. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/biLJG5O

Warren Gatland laments Wales’s failure to handle ‘disruptive’ change of referee

Jaco Peyper replaced by Karl Dickson in defeat by Argentina Wales coach suggests Guido Petti lucky to escape sanction Warren Gatland has highlighted his side’s failure to deal with the “disruptive” change of referee in his side’s World Cup quarter-final defeat by Argentina and suggested the wrong decision was made when Guido Petti escaped any sanction for a shoulder charge on Nick Tompkins. Wales scored the opening try through Dan Biggar after an impressive start to the match but on 15 minutes the South African referee, Jaco Peyper, pulled up with a calf injury and was replaced by Karl Dickson of England, who was acting as an assistant referee. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/65VcpUk

Africa’s ‘optimist-in-chief’ on the continent’s renaissance: ‘Don’t just believe me, believe the data’

In an exclusive interview, Akinwumi Adesina, head of the African Development Bank, says the outlook is good for a continent with the workers of the future and the best investment opportunities Africa holds the future workforce for the ageing economies of the west, according to one of the continent’s leading financial figures, who also said it was time to ditch the myths around corruption and risk. In an exclusive interview before this weekend’s World Bank meetings in Morocco, Akinwumi Adesina said there was a resurgence of belief in Africa’s economic prospects and attacked negative stereotyping, adding that there was “every reason to be optimistic”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/alzdy0I

Winning $1.765bn Powerball ticket sold at liquor store in tiny California town

Co-owner says it’s the ‘most exciting news ever to happen to Frazier Park’ – but winner has not come forward A liquor store in a tiny California mountain town reverberated with excitement on Thursday after word that the winning ticket for a $1.765bn Powerball jackpot was sold there. The drawing on Wednesday night ended a long stretch without a winner of the top prize and brought news media to Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, a community of 2,600 residents about 75 miles north of Los Angeles. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PBKRUqI

Sunset Boulevard review – Nicole Scherzinger dazzles in Jamie Lloyd’s radical rework

Savoy theatre, London Lloyd brings hipster edginess, style and unpredictability to this revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical – though it’s more surface-level than penetrating closeup We have come to expect the unexpected from Jamie Lloyd . The director’s 2019 revival of Evita gave Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical a hipster-ish edginess, and it is the same for this production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1993 musical, to which he brings ferocious unpredictability. Based on Billy Wilder’s film about struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis and his relationship of convenience with faded Hollywood starlet Norma Desmond, it speaks to that original medium. A black and white film is being made on stage and projected on to a gigantic back-screen. Credits roll at the beginning and end. Cameras follow characters, capturing their faces in magnified proportions so it’s clear that all here are ever-ready for their closeups, not just Norma. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/T1cBXf

Grunge and rap to feature in new lesson aids for music teachers in England

Curriculum resources also to include more diverse English literature texts and history topics such as ‘imperial decline’ Any teacher who likes to sing along to Nirvana will soon be encouraged to get their pupils rocking to the Seattle grunge sound of the 1990s in lessons. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and other 90s bands could be included in the new lesson aids for teachers being issued by the Oak National Academy, the government-backed creator of curriculum resources for England’s schools. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Fc2qgRy

Supernova massacre: Israeli soldiers patrol the site as survivors tell their stories

Now that most of the Hamas attackers are reported dead, troops and festival goers are retrieving belongings scattered in the atrocity Half-poured bottles of Johnnie Walker Red whisky, vodka and arak sat on the bar. In the camping area, some chairs were still beside pitched tents, as if their owners would be back soon from dancing. But in the eucalyptus groves beyond, dozens of abandoned cars were testament to the brutal attack that turned the Supernova festival from an all-night party to a byword for horror. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jTGtpsE