Videos tagged with "six"

Grand National Fences To Be Made Safer. [02:11]
Fences at this year's Grand National are being made safer in the biggest change in the history of the race. They are among a number of measures aimed at dealing with accusations of animal cruelty after eight horses died in the last decade. Last year the joint favourite and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised had to be put down after falling at fence six of the Grand National - the infamous Becher's Brook - and continuing riderless until suffering leg fractures. The death, along with that of outsider According to Pete, who was brought down at the same fence on the second circuit, led to calls from animal welfare groups for the Grand National to be banned. The new fences are still covered in spruce but wooden posts have been replaced by a softer material known as "plastic birch". Aintree racecourse manager Andrew Tulloch described the birch as "horse friendly", telling Sky News "safety at Aintree is always our top priority for riders and horses and it's something we do not stand still on". He said the changes should make the Grand National safer but not any easier, insisting the fences will remain the same height. "The outward appearance of these fences will remain the same. "The big change here is that traditionally where they had a timber frame to them that timber frame has been replaced by a plastic, more forgiving, birch and on top of that birch there's a minimum of fourteen, maybe even sixteen inches of spruce and the spruce is what the horses can knock off," he ...

Shanghai Shenhua punished over Chinese football match-fixing [01:24]
The Chinese Football Association has banned 33 officials and players, including two former heads of the organisation, for life and fined clubs involved in match-fixing. The bans, which conclude a three-year drive to clean up football in China, have affected the country's biggest club, Shanghai Shenhua, which has been stripped of their 2003 league title, docked six points in the current campaign and fined £100000

Italy fear a Scotland desperate to avoid Six Nations wooden spoon [01:03]
Following on from a famous victory over France in the Six Nations last week, Italy coach Jacques Brunel says Scotland always play hardest against the Azzurri as they know they need the win to avoid coming last. Italy have beaten Scotland twice in the past but have traditionally struggled in the Six Nations

Wales hope to rekindle Six Nations campaign in Paris [00:54]
Wales interim manager Rob Howley says Saturday's game against France in Paris is a chance for his side to 'get their house in order'. Wales lost their opening Six Nations game 22-30 to Ireland in a close-fought encounter. Stand-in captain Ryan Jones is relishing taking on France at home where Wales will encounter the usual vociferous and partisan crowd

France looking for quick Six Nations comeback against Wales [01:52]
France lock Thierry Dusautoir says the Six Nations tournament starts this weekend after a loss to Wales meaning Les Bleus probably have to win the next four matches to have a chance of becoming champions. France Coach Patrice Lagisquet says his team needs to maintain their intensity for 80 minutes if they are to beat Wales