4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Wales rugby legend says ‘Gats’ legacy will live on’ ahead of first Six Nations game after Warren Gatland exit
WALES legend Ryan Jones hailed Warren Gatland – but said the Red Dragons must now ’embrace’ their underdog status.
Former Wales manager Warren Gatland, who left the top job earlier this month after 14 STRAIGHT DEFEATS, gave Jones the captaincy upon his arrival.
Ryan Jones (centre) won the Six Nations four times during his Wales careerDavid Davies/PA WireJones (left) played against current England manager Steve Borthwick (right) during his careerDavid Davies/PA Wire.
The 43-year-old star, who played as a blindside flanker, number 8 and second row during his decorated international career, said he will be “forever indebted” to the Kiwi.
He is one of just a handful of internationals to have won three Grand Slams for Wales, in a list including the legendary Alun Wyn Jones.
But Wales at present are a long way off the heights they experienced as recently as 2021.
This weekend they take on Six Nations favourites Ireland, who are looking for a second Grand Slam in three years.
Wales must ‘score lots of points’
Ireland go into the Principality as favourites, but Jones thinks Wales underdog status is “something to embrace not be afraid of.”
“It’s an inexperienced side rather than a young one, and experience comes in a lot of different ways,” Jones, who will be streaming for Vodafone at the match this weekend, exclusively told SunSport.
He added: “When you arrive at the Principality and turn right to go down the bridge with the fans around you, the boys need to embrace that.
“Going into Six Nations with the weight of a nation on your shoulders is a tough place to live.
“We need to score lots of points, and spend time around Ireland’s 22, like we saw England do in the first game.”
The three time capped British & Irish Lion said: “[Wales] need to get momentum, and keep momentum, it’s really important now.
“You need a good front five and value all round the park.
“This current team hasn’t experienced the heights we felt, there are players in that team who have experienced 14 losses on the bounce.
“We need to put Ireland under some real sustained pressure.”
Warren Gatland’s first spell as Wales Head Coach came during Jones’ playing career, with Gatland taking charge between 2007-2019.
Jones was made Wales captain in 2008, leading the side to a Grand Slam.
Wales will take on Ireland in the Six Nations this weekendGETTY
He said: “I will be indebted to Warren for the opportunity he gave to me.
“I’m not sure what is going on day to day, but it’s unusual.
“Lots is going on, it’s very difficult to be on the outside.
“Mid campaign it’s very difficult to change significantly, as its difficult to change during the campaign.
“But, it’s pro sport, to go on a winless run like we did makes it difficult.”
Matt Sherratt will step into the role of Head Coach until the end of the Six Nations in the place of Gatland.
“It will be interesting to see what he picks on the weekend, what sort of age profile he goes for,” Jones said.
“You’ve got to have a blend of experience, age and momentum. You can be young and still be experienced.”
Ryan Jones on the British & Lions tour
Jones was a British & Irish Lion in 2005, but insists “different people look at it in different ways.
“Lions is a very personal accolade, it is recognition that you are in the top 40-50-60 rugby players inside the UK.”
The Six Nations is obviously a good place to showcase your skills to be Lions Head Coach, in this case Andy Farrell, but Jones said: “in the Six Nations, we want to do a good job for Wales.
“Focus is solely on that.
“If everyone around you is thriving, then you all look better.”
While the Lions tour was an honour for Jones, he seemed to prefer focusing on his Welsh career, saying: “the Lions tour is such a short period of time.
“You want to be confident going into the Lions, but there is lots of rugby to be played between now and then.”
Rugby legends Ryan Jones and Rob Henderson are set to host a social media watch-along live during the Wales vs Ireland Guinness Six Nations match.
This will be at the Principality Stadium, enabled by network slicing on Vodafone’s 5G Standalone (5G SA) network.
In what is a UK first, the Instagram livestream hosted on Ryan Jones’ account will showcase the power of network slicing in a stadium environment.
The technology on show is part of a Vodafone trial to demonstrate the use of multiple 5G SA network slices being used concurrently for different purposes during a live event.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on ‘There’s a 90% chance’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan’s ‘phenomenal’ practice partner makes retirement claim
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN’S “phenomenal” practice partner has admitted that he could retire this year.
Anthony Hamilton, 53, has put in the hours practicing with O’Sullivan over the years, previously claiming to have played over 5,000 frames against the Rocket.
AlamyRonnie O’Sullivan’s practice partner has given a huge hint on his retirement[/caption]
GettyAnthony Hamilton could retire from snooker this year[/caption]
But the pair have only faced off competitively on 14 occasions, with Hamilton winning just twice in their clashes.
Nottingham-born Hamilton, who is brilliantly nicknamed ‘The Sheriff of Pottingham’, is considering hanging up his cue after winning just one ranking event throughout his career.
The world number 63 has revealed that failure to qualify for the 2025 World Snooker Championship would probably see him walk away from the table for good.
In an interview with the WST Hamilton said: “This [the World Championship] could possibly be my last tournament as a professional, so I just thought I may as well give it 100 percent.
“That is what I’ve always done. You don’t want to take your foot off the gas right at the end of your career.”
Going on to explain that he would probably retire if he doesn’t get the results he needs at The Crucible, he added: “I would definitely play in Q School. I think the pros that drop off have a bit of an advantage over the amateurs.
“You may as well do it and make use of the advantage. I haven’t made any decisions, but more than likely if I didn’t qualify then I would retire.
“That isn’t 100%, but I think it is a 90% chance I would retire and start coaching.”
GettyHamilton is looking at moving into coaching when he walks away from the table[/caption]
Inside Ronnie's colourful career
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O'Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
Hamilton has been on the circuit for some 34 years now and is a four-time World Championship quarter-finalist.
But his career has been plagued with injuries after a heroic attempt to save a friend from a mugging left him with wrist issue, and a botched laser-eye surgery caused him to have horrible eye impairment.
Hamilton recalled the moment he knew his snooker career wouldn’t be the same after he had surgery on his eyes.
He said: “From day one my eyes were done. As soon as I had the operation they were done for snooker forever. That will never change.
“I knew instantly my career was over after that operation. The first shot I played, I knew it.
“That has been my biggest problem and the worst thing was the whole point of it was to give me a career swansong. That is a real shame.
“There was no reason I couldn’t have kept playing well. I’ve just been potting balls to stay on the tour. I still enjoy trying to win with this handicap, in a sadistic way.”
Practice partner Ronnie O’Sullivan has been the subject of swirling retirement rumours too.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on From easy credit card switch to answering questions for cash – how to use your lunch hour to pocket extra £6,305 a year
THERE is no one, quick-fix secret to being good with money, and it’s often all about keeping on top of the small, everyday actions that can help you become a budgeting whizz.
However, we often assume this will be too time consuming, and most of us struggle to set aside time to simply deal with basic bills and finances.
Turn your lunch break into a money-making machine
Yet, thinking about your money, even for just a brief moment each day, could quickly yield results and make you financially better off.
So if you often spend your lunch break scrolling through social media sites, why not try using 15 to 30 minutes to improve your bank balance instead?
Simply work through this list and watch your finances quickly start to improve…
Shift credit card debt – £1,533
If you have credit debt, the first thing you can do is move it to a zero interest balance transfer for some big savings on interest.
Searching and applying for a deal needn’t take more than 20 minutes and is one of the most financially savvy moves you can make.
Someone with an average balance of £2,916 could save £1,533 by swapping deals, according to comparison site TotallyMoney.
Money saved on interest can then go towards wiping out the underlying borrowing to help you become debt-free faster.
Some balance transfer cards offer up to 31 months interest-free.
However, only those with good credit scores will get the best deals.
You can compare credit card deals on a comparison site such as moneysupermarket.com or comparethemarket.com.
These sites can also give you an indication as to whether you’re likely to be accepted for a deal without damaging your credit record.
Be aware, applications and rejections for credit can damage your credit record.
Cash for questions – £200
Even if you have just a spare 15 minutes you can put some extra cash in your pocket by simply answering a few questions on your phone.
There are a number of firms that will pay for your opinion as part of research for companies.
You can register with qmee.com or yougov.co.uk.
Mum-of-three Lisa Newbold previously revealed how she made hundreds of pounds on site Qmee, enabling her to pay for family holidays by simply filling out online surveys in her spare time.
Amounts typically vary, but you could expect to get up to £6 for a well-paid single survey.
You can also try InboxPounds, another company that pays for surveys or simple tasks, such as searching the web.
It currently offers a £1 sign-up bonus at inboxpounds.co.uk.
So, if you cut out an hour of time on social media on your phone each day and replaced it with filling surveys you could aim to make around £200 over a year.
Making money from surveys
MUM-OF-FIVE Sian Parsons has bagged herself £2,000 in just two years with online surveys - all from the comfort of her sofa.
Sian, from Cardiff, told The Sun how she earned thousands, just by answering questions.
The 65-year-old former teacher is now semi-retired, and working part-time as a teaching assistant in primary schools.
But in between work duties she hustles online completing surveys.
Companies, charities and the Government regularly offer them, asking you questions and paying for your time.
Sian started around two years ago and has made £2,000 in cash and vouchers since.
She started off carrying out online surveys through recruiters, but now regularly finds them via her Facebook feed.
She claims because she’s reliable, regularly signs up to them, and is so chatty companies see her as a worthwhile participant.
“I get requests via email as well as Facebook,” she says.
“As you respond to them on Facebook you get other ones popping up.
“You have to get a bit of a reputation, they need to know you are going to do a good job – that takes time,” she says.
“Also be chatty in the calls. I presume they give feedback to the facilitators who then pass that on.”
Free cashback – £100
When you buy any goods you can get money back by going through a cashback site.
But you can also make money by simply clicking links on the internet – you don’t need to buy anything at all.
Many of these can be done on a lunchbreak.
For example, Topcashback will pay you to do trials of certain products under the free cashback section of its site at topcashback.co.uk/category/free-cashback.
If you do everything currently on the list, which includes opening an Experian credit check account, you’ll get more than £100 back.
Get snap happy – £60
If you enjoy taking photos, you could turn the hobby into a cash spinner.
If you upload photos on to stock photography sites they may be bought by newspapers or publishers.
Through one firm, Shutterstock, you can expect to get around 20p per photo at first, and this will increase the more pictures you sell.
Adobe Stock is another, where you can get around £2.50 a picture.
If you sold just one every couple of weeks, you could get around £60 a year.
Dog walking – £520
If you want to get moving on your lunch break and make some extra dollar, why not try walking a dog and getting paid for it?
You can get paid an average £10 an hour for a stroll with a pooch, according to Indeed.com, and you can sign up to an app such as Rover to connect with owners.
Even if you only did it once a week, you could make £520 a year.
Becoming a dog walker or sitter doesn’t require any official qualifications, meaning anyone can do it – but it is of course a big responsibility.
How to set a budget
Learning to budget is easier if you break it down into as much detail as possible
First, track your expenses. You may initially know how much your rent or mortgage and bills cost, but how about your other regular costs? These can have a big impact on how much you have left to spend.
Look through recent bank and credit card statements to identify regular expenses. For example, is your morning caffeine fix adding up? You might think you don’t need to budget for your daily £2.50 latte, but over the month this can cost up to £75.
Add up all your outgoings and split spending into categories like “rent”, “food”, “bills” and “going out”. You can do this in a spreadsheet.
It’s important to be realistic as it will form the basis of your budget – so if you don’t think you can go without your daily coffee, or your weekly night out, then make sure you budget for it.
Once you’ve worked out your outgoings, tot up the total and subtract it from your total monthly earnings. Whatever is left is called your disposable income, and it’s there to use for little treats. You could also use this money to save, or to pay extra money towards debts you may have.
Stay in control by reviewing your budget every few months. You never know, you could make even more savings.
You may want to consider taking out public liability insurance which would cover you if you or the dogs damage something or injure someone while walking.
You can compare policies on a site such as comparethemarket.com.
If you don’t like dogs, you can also get paid simply for taking a walk with your phone.
Try downloading Sweatcoin, which costs nothing to use and converts steps to points which can be used to buy services or goods linked with the app.
The Cashwalk app works in a similar way.
Mystery shopping – £2,080
If you work in a busy area with plenty of shops and restaurants and enjoy strolling around on your lunch break or eating out, you can make a little extra cash at the same time.
Companies will pay you to visit cafes, restaurants and shops then report back on your customer experience.
Sign up to sites such as Clickworker, iShopFor Ipsos or Serve Legal.
Serve Legal pays up to £40 a visit plus free drinks and travel costs for young people who will test if pubs and restaurants are serving alcohol to minors.
Even if you only did it once a week, this would add up to more than £2,000 in extra income over a year.
She explained: “I signed up with a mystery shopping company online and was able to pick and choose my ‘undercover shopping jobs’ by logging on to their then website and selecting what jobs I did or didn’t want.”
Check store prices – £1,040
If you’re working in a city centre, there are also apps that will pay you to do small tasks, such as checking prices or taking photos of products.
Field Agent is one app you can use or try, and you can earn up to £10 a job.
If you did this a couple of times a week, you’d earn more than £1,000 extra in a year.
Shepper is another and says users earn an average £333 a year, or BeMyEye pays for similar types of tasks.
Making money through doing tasks
DALTON Johnson, 32, from Chesterfield nets more than £200 a month from completing quick tasks that can easily be fitted around his day job.
Users can earn up to £22 per hour completing market research tasks in their community.
This includes carrying out jobs at local supermarkets and takeaway restaurants.
Speaking to The Sun, Dalton said: “When I’ve got a bit of spare time, I look at the app and might see that there are, say, 15 ‘jobs’ listed nearby.
“I then check through those and decide which ones to accept.”
Tasks take anywhere from between five to 45 minutes, depending on the complexity.
“Since joining nine months ago, I’ve done all sorts of jobs,” said the side hustle whizz.
“I’ve carried out checks on promotions at my local Spar, monitored stock levels at Lidl, and have inspected the condition of various different billboards for advertisers.”
Dalton has also completed tasks relating to the National Lottery.
“These involve taking pictures of scratch card dispensers, and ensuring the correct ads are showing on the PlayStations located in stores close by,” he said.
Move bank account – £210
Banks are currently offering up to to £175 to switch bank accounts but if you go through a cashback site, you can get even more.
First Direct is currently offering £175 to those who open a 1st Account.
But if you first click through to the application through topcashback, you’ll get a further £35 – making you £210 in total.
Nationwide Building Society is also offering £175 to switch to its FlexDirect, FlexPlus or FlexAccount current accounts, though there’s no cashback offer available on this one.
Or you can get up to £100 to make an initial switch to TSB, plus up to £40 cashback through Topcashback. You’ll also get a further £60 if you stay at the bank for six months – getting £10 back each month. That’s a total of £200 over six months
Each bank has its own terms and conditions that you need to meet to qualify for an account.
You will usually need to switch through the Current Account Switch Service to get the sum.
You should also make sure the account suits your needs, taking into account any monthly fees and other perks and benefits on offer.
Spot empty properties – £20 each
If you spot a derelict house and are the first to report it on site youspotproperty.com you’ll earn a £20 Amazon voucher.
What’s more if the property is purchased by developers through the site you’ll get 1% of the purchase price which could add up to thousands of pounds.
Not bad for just keeping an eye out.
Switch bills – £542
Most of us can make savings worth hundreds of pounds in a year by simply switching to a better value provider for services.
Before making a move be sure to check exit fees and how long you will be tied into a deal.
And just remember that cheapest isn’t always best, so take the time to look through customer reviews and make sure the new deal is right for your needs.
However, swapping shouldn’t take too long.
You can spend one lunchtime dealing with each provider from the following list and within a week you’ll have saved yourself the following, on average;
Energy – £79
The average home can save an average £79 by switching energy provider, according to Uswitch.
You can compare deals using a comparison site such as uswitch.com or moneysavingexpert.com.
You will need to give your address, current energy supplier, usage and how you wish to pay.
Broadband – £163
Moving broadband providers can save you £163 a year and is easier than ever thanks to a switching service called One Touch Switch which means your new supplier will handle everything for you.
This includes cancelling your old contract and making sure the switch is seamless.
Use a comparison site such as MoneySuperMarket.com or Uswitch.com to find options available in your area based on price, allowances and provider.
If you are on a Standard Variable Rate (SVR) mortgage locking into a two-year fix could save you £300 a year or more, according to comparison site Moneyfactscompare.co.uk.
An independent mortgage broker can look into the best deal for your circumstances and most are usually happy to talk over the phone on your lunch break.
Some don’t charge fees and you can find a well rated one at unbiased.co.uk.
Getting advice will help you understand all the different options, so that you can get the deal best suited to your circumstances.
“The lowest rate mortgages may not always offer the best value overall, so it’s vital to keep this in mind.“
MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle.
The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income – but you need to know the rules.
When you’re employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don’t have to.
But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves.
Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: “Caution should be taken if you’re earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable.
“The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products.”
You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you’ll usually need to pay tax.
Stephen added: “You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax.
“The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income.”
If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe – plus extra fees on top.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Baffled EastEnders viewers spot major blunder with Martin Fowler’s sad death during tragic live episode
EASTENDERS viewers have spotted a major blunder following Martin Fowler’s tragic death during the soap’s dramatic live episode.
The BBC soap marked its 40th anniversary with a jaw-dropping live broadcast, which saw Martin lose his life in the destruction at the Queen Vic.
BBCMartin Fowler died in debris from the Queen Vic in the EastEnders live episode last night[/caption]
BBCViewers have pointed out a reason why his death does not make sense[/caption]
The Walford legend was crushed under a steel beam while heroically saving his on-off lover Stacey Slater from the wreckage.
Despite paramedics arriving and administering morphine, it soon became clear that Martin’s injuries were catastrophic.
As he lay trapped, he used his final moments to propose to Stacey, declaring his undying love for her.
But after the emergency services began to lift the beam, Martin succumbed to his injuries, leaving Stacey screaming in devastation.
While the emotional scenes left many viewers heartbroken, others were left scratching their heads over the nature of Martin’s death – particularly given his past feats of survival on the Square.
Fans took to social media to express their confusion, pointing out that Martin had previously survived much more extreme incidents, including being crushed under a double-decker bus.
One baffled viewer wrote: “So Martin can survive a whole bus on top of him but not a beam?? When I catch who killed him off…”
Another added: “You are telling me Ian Beale who got shot, blown up and ran over survived this and Martin gets trapped by a small beam and dies? Tf is that.”
A third chimed in: “Sorry but how does Martin survive being crushed under a double-decker bus but dies from a beam stuck on his legs????”
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Sadistic pervert who filmed himself raping two dogs is jailed after both animals died from depraved abuse
A SADISTIC pervert who filmed himself raping two dogs has been jailed after both animals died from his depraved abuse.
Jack Tyler abused, beat and strangled his family’s spaniel and Jack Russell so horrifically that both pets gave up the will to fight back.
One of the animals was put down while the second later died after being removed from Tyler’s home in Bodmin, Cornwall.
When police searched the 23-year-old’s home, the found a sickening cache of videos of him raping the dogs.
Officers also discovered indecent images and videos of child sex abuse – including some with newborn babies.
Tyler has now been jailed for three years and was banned from owning animals for life.
Judge Simon Carr said it was one of the worst cases of animal abuse and cruelty he had ever had to deal with.
Truro Crown Court heard Tyler’s vile abuse only came to an end when the National Crime Agency were alerted to indecent images being uploaded to the internet.
The fiend’s electronic devices were seized by police – including a computer and mobile phone containing the child sex abuse images.
In total, officers discovered more than 3,000 pictures and films that showed Tyler’s animal abuse had gone on for years.
There was also evidence some of the images of child abuse had been distributed on the Telegram social network.
A vet report found the two dogs had suffered so much physically, mentally and sexually that they had lost their fight-or-flight ability.
Tyler’s defence lawyer Chris Cuddihee said the case was a “grim tale of a young person being lost in the darkest corners of the internet”.
He urged the judge not to sentence Tyler to jail as he would become “even more vulnerable”.
But Judge Carr branded the abuse “horrific” and said Tyler posed a risk to both other people and animals.
He added: “It’s as bad a case of animal cruelty and bestiality you can imagine.
“It’s clear that you understand how others see what you did as wrong. But in truth you do not think that what you have done is wrong.
“You do not think you need help.”
Tyler pleaded guilty to one count of possession of extreme pornographic images and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
He also admitted three counts of possession of indecent images of children (Categories A, B and C), two counts of distributing indecent images of children and two counts of sexual abuse of a dog.
The pervert will be on the sex offenders’ register for life and has a 10-year ban from accessing the internet.
Devon and Cornwall PoliceJack Tyler has been jailed[/caption]
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Real life soap couple reveal they’re first-time parents with sweet snap of newborn
HOME and Away stars Rebecca Breeds and Luke Mitchell have welcomed their first baby together.
The soap stars shared the happy news with their fans on social media on Friday, along with a sweet glimpse of their son.
Instagram / @rebeccaebreedsRebecca Breeds and Luke Mitchell have welcomed their first child together[/caption]
Instagram / @lukemitchell17The couple shared a sweet photo of their newborn[/caption]
Instagram / @lukemitchell17The new parents posted an adorable snap of their son’s little feet[/caption]
The couple posted a photo of their newborn’s little feet and another snap showed them affectionately cradling their tot, who had a head full of hair.
They captioned it: “Welcome to the world little man. Thanks for choosing us. We love you beyond words.”
New parents Rebecca and Luke were flood were congratulatory messages, with one writing: “He’s here! Congratulations you two”.
A second posted: ” ‘Awwww congrats to you both. Sending so much love!”
OnHome and Awaythey played Ruby Buckton and Romeo Smith, who were in a relationship on the Aussie drama.
Rebecca was on the soap from 2008 to 2012, while Luke Mitchell played Romeo between 2009 and 2013.
The couple met on set and have been married for 11 years.
One of their biggest storylines was Ruby and Romeo’s phantom pregnancy.
Rebecca posted a photo of herself at the premiere of her new film Kangaroo Island at the Adelaide Film Festival.
The star wrote on Instagram: “VERY excited to share baby Mitchell and @kangarooislandmovie coming sooooooooon!
“Thanks @adlfilmfest for having us and everyone who came to support us.”
Co-stars from the soap took to X, formerly Twitter to share their well wishes for the happy couple’s news.
Esther Anderson, who played her on-screen mother, police constable Charlie Buckton, was the first to post saying: “Yehhhh!!! Congratulations, you guys, such great news!”
Lynne Mcgranger, who played Irene Roberts for over 31 years, added: “Congratulations Bec and Luke! Very exciting news.”
Todd Lasance, who played Aden Jeffries until 2010, said, “Wooooo!!!!!! Congratulations, guys!!! I’m so stoked for you both!”
Jonathan Sadowski, an American actor, added: “AMAZING!!! Congrats!!!
Meanwhile, Lachlan Buchanan, who starred alongside Rebecca in Newcastle, also joined in the love for the couple, sharing happy emojis.
Rebecca stars in the film Kangaroo Island as Lou Wells.
It was released on November 3 and is directed by Timothy David and written by Sally Gifford.
Instagram / @lukemitchell17The soap couple shared a glimpse of their newborn with fans[/caption]
SevenOn Home and Away they played Ruby Buckton and Romeo Smith[/caption]
The couple met on set and have been married for 11 yearsGetty
