England 2018 have been described as "absolutely primitive" and "comical" by a senior figure in Russian football over their World Cup bid tactics.

England’s hopes of staging the 2018 World Cup have been boosted at the very start of a four-day inspection of their bid, with FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitting it would be “easy” to stage the tournament in the country.

Biarritz 19 Toulouse 21

England’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup started with a public-relations embarrassment after it emerged British National Party politician Richard Barnbrook was among those at yesterday’s campaign launch at Wembley.

SALE SHARKS will enter a Heineken Cup cauldron today without two of their main ingredients — England World Cup stars Mathew Tait and Andrew Sheridan.

Ireland 39 Barbarians 14

FRANCE coach Bernard Laporte accused his side of “mental fragility” after their nervy 27-26 win over Argentina.

Middlesbrough’s UEFA Cup luck ran out as rampant Sevilla powered their way to victory in Eindhoven.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe hopes his first goal in nearly three months will earn him a recall for Sunday’s trip to Middlesbrough and start his countdown for an England World Cup place.

Robbie Williams is Britain’s top date – as the star of the year’s best-selling calendar - the singer is number one in the 2006 calendar chart.

Harry Redknapp has admitted he made a “monumental mistake” in leaving Portsmouth for Southampton a year ago.

Lawrence Dallaglio will not be joining fellow ex-England captain Martin Johnson in ruling himself out of the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.

Bobby Robson and Trevor Brooking will head the list of football luminaries expected to attend the Brian Clough memorial service.

Hugh Vyvyan will captain England in next Sunday’s non-cap clash against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Leicester could rescue a miserable season with victory in the Zurich Wildcard competition – and skipper Martin Johnson has demanded his side do just that.

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren will replace Brian Kidd as part of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England coaching staff at this summer’s Euro 2004 finals.

England World Cup pair Will Greenwood and Jason Leonard both return to the Harlequins team for Saturday’s Zurich Premiership wild card play-off clash against Leicester at Welford Road.

England World Cup heroes Lawrence Dallaglio and Josh Lewsey will be rested for Wasps’ Heineken Cup clash against Calvisano in Italy on Saturday.

Gloucester boss Nigel Melville is to provide a helping hand with England’s World Cup preparations.

Kyran Bracken hopes his recall to the England Test side, after chief scrum-half rival Matt Dawson today failed a fitness test, will prove to be a case of history repeating itself.

The British Football Association have escaped with little more than a slapped wrist for the crowd trouble at the Slovakian v England match in October after UEFA today imposed a £9,000 (€14,000) fine for fans’ misbehaviour.

West Ham manager Glenn Roeder believes certain clubs make it a deliberate policy to unsettle his players in a bid to lure them away from Upton Park.