The Break: The Eurosport snooker podcast

World champion Mark Selby joins us to talk glory, legacy and 'hurtful' Bingham criticism

Wed, 05 May 2021 18:23:10 GMT

It's the last episode of series three of The Break and we were delighted to be joined by the newly crowned champion of the world, Mark Selby!

It's been a remarkable 17 days at The Crucible and Selby joins Andy Goldstein for an in-depth chat about his fourth world title, some of the most significant moments along the way, and how many more titles he might be targeting by the end of his career...

Selby also revealed he was hurt by Stuart Bingham's comments accusing him of "gamesmanship" after their semi-final and addressed the re-spot controversy from the final, saying he was unaware at the time that the cue ball was not in the correct position during the 20th frame as he escaped a snooker.

Finally, Selby shows off the trophy to Andy and reveals that a replica from his first world title wasn't quite as impressive...

Thanks for joining us for season three of The Break, which was produced and edited by Ola Fisayo. If you enjoyed our coverage of the World Championship, please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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‘Kyren Wilson is going to be the new champion of the world’ – Jimmy White and Joe Johnson on Crucible memories and this year’s showdown

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:26:05 GMT

Six-time Crucible runner-up Jimmy White is backing Kyren Wilson to win the World Championship after being impressed by his mentality in Sheffield.

Wilson, the only player left in the tournament who has not won the title, leads Shaun Murphy 10-6 after the second session in their best-of-33 encounter. Mark Selby is 9-7 ahead of Stuart Bingham in the other semi-final.

With pre-tournament favourites Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and Ronnie O’Sullivan already out in Sheffield, White believes it is the perfect opportunity for Wilson to strike.

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'I’ll get my bum out if I win title!' – Kyren Wilson on Crucible charge and wanting Ronnie revenge

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:40:18 GMT

Kyren Wilson drops in on The Break podcast to discuss his World Championship mission.

The 2020 runner-up meets Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals at the Crucible and promises host Andy Goldstein that he will follow Mark Williams’ lead should he win at the Crucible…

The 29-year-old also says he dreams of getting revenge on Ronnie O'Sullivan after losing last year's final to the Rocket.

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‘No one enjoys playing in a bow tie’ - Mark Allen on snooker's need to modernise

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 06:46:51 GMT

Mark Allen claims no snooker player wants to play in a waistcoat and bow tie as he urged the sport to catch up if it wanted a slice of the youth audience.

Professional snooker typically has a strict dress code – smart trousers and shoes, plus a long-sleeved shirt, waistcoat and bow tie – although it has been relaxed for some events, with the latter two items ditched for the Home Nations series.

World number one Judd Trump has previously suggested the sport is "stuck in a rut" and said one solution would be to allow players greater freedom in the clothing department.

The Break is presented by Andy Goldstein and produced by Ola Fisayo.

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Robertson on lockdown hair, back-to-back 147s and why ‘hungry’ Ronnie won’t succumb to Crucible pressure

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:04:42 GMT

On the third episode of the new series of The Break, Andy Goldstein speaks to Neil Robertson ahead of the World Championship.

The Australian is one of the favourites at the Crucible after some mesmeric displays this season, including titles at the UK Championship and Tour Championship.

His lockdown haircut (or lack of one) has caught serious attention, while he also revealed how he made back-to-back 147s in training recently - and had the chance to make it three on the spin...

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'He's like a Michel Roux cake' - Ronnie on his rivals, and World title defence

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 05:00:38 GMT

On the second episode of the new series of The Break, Andy Goldstein speaks to Ronnie O'Sullivan as he prepares to defend his crown at the World Championship.

Ronnie discusses his season so far and his frame of mind heading to the Crucible. We hear his views on his main contenders, Neil Robertson and Judd Trump, and Ronnie also talks Covid, the return of fans and Jimmy White v Stephen Hendry.

But first, Andy Neal Foulds and Philip Studd discuss what makes the Crucible such a special venue, and the World Championship such a magic event, before looking at some of the runner and riders.

The Break is produced and edited by Ola Fisayo.

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'I'm fighting to stay on the Tour' - Jimmy previews Hendry showdown

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 07:27:14 GMT

The Break is back for the 2021 World Snooker Championship! Andy Goldstein is your host as we cover the biggest event in snooker and we'll have three preview episodes for you before the tournament properly arrives.

Join Andy, Neal Foulds and Jimmy White for episode one of series three as they look ahead to the Crucible and run the rule over some of the favourites, including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson.

And of course, the team look forward to the hugely-anticipated qualifier between our own Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry, which has all of sport talking. That match is live and exclusive on eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport app on Monday at 7:30pm.

We hear from Hendry about his immense rivalry with White and the four Crucible finals he beat him in. Meanwhile, Jimmy tells us he is "fighting to stay on the tour" and for him, it's now just another game. For Neal, though, it's "one of the great match-ups in the history of snooker."

Remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

The Break is produced by Ola Fisayo.

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The Joy of Six: Ronnie O'Sullivan exclusive

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 05:30:41 GMT

The Break is delighted to bring you The Joy of Six: an exclusive hour-long special, hosted by Colin Murray, reliving each of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s six World Championship titles dating back to his maiden win in 2001.

Widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, O’Sullivan delivers an insightful account as he recalls each world title – key milestones of what has been the most decorated career in snooker history, spanning over 28 years.

O’Sullivan also discusses topics which have made him one of the most interesting characters in snooker such as the challenges of success at such a young age and his struggles with depression.

If you enjoyed this very special episode of The Break, be sure to like and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice.

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How Ronnie became world champion and what changes now

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 23:55:03 GMT

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s sixth world title is expertly analysed by Eurosport’s Neal Foulds and Dave Hendon, who join Rachel Casey to look back on the Betfred World Snooker Championship. We hear from both The Rocket and beaten finalist Kyren Wilson. Barry Hearn reflects on the battle to get fans back into The Crucible, plus we discuss the best and worst of the championship.

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Still Too Close to Call

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 23:53:39 GMT

Ronnie O'Sullivan may have a three frame lead over Kyren Wilson going into the last day of the World Snooker Championship final, but as ex player Neal Foulds and commentator Philip Studd discuss with Rachel Casey, this is a very unpredictable year and an extraordinary Championship; anything could happen.

The trio have a comprehensive review of the first two sessions of the final and look ahead to the next two.

Plus Rachel has a lively conversation with Eurosport Presenter Colin Murray on his three week experience at the Crucible being in the company of Jimmy White and all the top competitors.

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"The Greatest Ever Day in Crucible History"

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 00:59:12 GMT

Eurosport pundit and ex player Neal Foulds joins Rachel Casey and commentator Philip Studd to look back on the most extraordinary day at the 2020 Betfred World Snooker Championship, where Ronnie O'Sullivan and Kyren Wilson will battle it out in the final after two semi-finals which both went to a nail-biting final frame decider. There's reaction from both players, as well as losing players Anthony McGill and Mark Selby, who wasn't happy with Ronnie "smashing em all over the gaff". Neal has plenty to say about that.

Plus, ahead of spectators returning for the final, we've an exclusive interview with Jason Ferguson of the WPBSA.

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Shaun Murphy on winning as a "clueless numpty" and the challenge of a Crucible semi-final

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 19:27:08 GMT

2005 world champion Shaun Murphy joins Rachel Casey to chat about the unique challenge of a semi-final at The Crucible, what he regrets saying most as a young pro and his triumph as a qualifier fifteen years ago. “I was a twenty-two year old, clueless numpty who just went for lots of shots and they went in for that fortnight.” Plus, the ’86 winner Joe Johnson and commentator Dave Hendon discuss the last four at this year's Betfred World Snooker Championship and the game's greatest cueists, rest players and exponents of high quality safety play.

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Mark Selby joins The Break, as the Crucible Curse strikes again

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:25:02 GMT

Rachel Casey speaks to Mark Selby, who is back in form and through to the last four at the Betfred World Snooker Championship for the first time since he won his third world title in 2017. Eurosport’s Dominic Dale and Phil Yates discuss Selby and his fellow semi-finalist Kyren Wilson, who scored victories over Neil Robertson and defending champion Judd Trump respectively. We get reaction to Ronnie O’Sullivan’s comments about the standard of snooker’s younger players and chat about the magic of the one table set-up at The Crucible. Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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McGill-Clarke beef stirs up controversy, and can Trump break Crucible Curse?

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 21:01:56 GMT

Rachel Casey is joined by former champion Joe Johnson and Eurosport commentator Philip Studd to chat about the big results and key stories from the World Snooker Championship.

She also gets reflections from Crucible debutants Elliot Slessor and Jordan Brown and hears their takes on the beef between Jamie Clarke and Anthony McGill.

The trio discuss whether Judd Trump is playing well enough to break the Crucible Curse and we wallow in 1986 as Joe takes us back to when he ruled the world, with tales of an abscess, a princess, He-Man and the secret to not being intimidated by Steve Davis....

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147s at the Crucible, and why anything could happen this year...

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 22:29:26 GMT

After our first in eight years, Crucible 147s are on the menu in this episode, as we also feast on three incredible wins in round two of the World Snooker Championship, for Kurt Maflin, Mark Williams and Mark Selby. The Break also chats with Whirlwind Jimmy White to see how he’s coping among the blood, sweat and tears of 17 days at the Crucible.

Joining host Rachel Casey is Dominic Dale, the former Grand Prix and Shanghai Masters champion, and esteemed commentator Phil Yates, who also discuss why we waited so long for a maximum break in this tournament, and whether there will be an asterisk next to the name of this year’s winner.

Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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The biggest shock in Crucible history? And we talk to the man 'rewiring' Mark Selby

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 20:56:09 GMT

Following defeats for Mark Allen and Shaun Murphy, The Break chats snooker psychology as it analyses the latest action from the World Snooker Championship.

Host Rachel Casey is joined by former world number three Neal Foulds, commentator Dave Hendon and performance coach Chris Henry. He is helping ‘rewire’ Mark Selby, a player who Hendon thinks “didn’t look like he was enjoying a single minute” of his first round win.

Henry also works with Shaun Murphy and says he sensed that the 2005 champion “was not right emotionally” for his defeat.

There’s also discussion about whether Mark Allen’s chat settled the nerves of Crucible debutant Jamie Clarke, before a Clarke victory that Neal Foulds describes as “one of the biggest shocks at the Crucible.”

Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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Remarkable Ronnie smashes record, Kurt Maflin on his obscene gesture

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 01:00:21 GMT

After Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record-breaking first-round victory at the World Snooker Championship, we hear from The Rocket, Mark Williams and John Higgins, who are all safely into the last 16 at The Crucible yet again.

Rachel Casey discusses the emergence of the Class of ‘92 with Phil Yates and Dominic Dale, who both saw it happen 28 years ago.

Dale also talks about a humiliating defeat at the hands of O’Sullivan (though we also let him mention a rare win over Ronnie earlier this season).

Meanwhile, dark horse Kurt Maflin tells Rachel he has underachieved so far in his career and talks about his obscene gesture going viral.

Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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Fan ban a 'crushing blow', and we speak to Kyren Wilson about his bye

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 23:46:33 GMT

Rachel Casey is joined by Eurosport commentator Dave Hendon and former world No. 3 Neal Foulds to review the action and some big news stories from the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible.

After the withdrawal of his opponent Anthony Hamilton, Kyren Wilson tells Rachel, “You'd have to drag me off the floor to stop me playing at The Crucible.”

We also hear from Judd Trump after his tricky first-round win, Stuart Bingham and Barry Hearn.

Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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Ronnie promises 'magical moments', but is Trump the Crucible favourite?

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 03:00:04 GMT

The Break is back for the World Snooker Championship, with five-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and the legend Jimmy White on the first episode of the series.

Host Rachel Casey is joined by Neal Foulds to sift through Wednesday's Crucible draw and to try to pick a winner. And we hear from Ronnie on his chances, and how lockdown might have played into his hands...

Subscribe for more episodes of The Break during the World Championship, and rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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The Debate: Snooker's greatest rivalries

Tue, 12 May 2020 04:00:41 GMT

Jimmy White and Neal Foulds join Andy Goldstein for the final episode of season one of The Break, as we debate the greatest rivalries in snooker history.

We kick off with the intense battles between two very contrasting characters in Steve Davis and Alex Higgins, and go on to discuss famous feuds involving Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry and latterly Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby and John Higgins.

Jimmy also talks in depth about his tussles with Davis, and how "you knew if you were playing Steve Davis, you were going to be in a war."

We hope you enjoyed the first series of The Break - and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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The Debate: Snooker's strangest moments

Fri, 08 May 2020 04:00:36 GMT

In the penultimate episode of season one of The Break, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds join Andy Goldstein to discuss the weird and wonderful moments they can remember from snooker history.

We kick off with a surreal 2020 Masters (including a rogue fart machine), and trawl back through the history books to discover tales of huge upsets, missed 147s, streakers and, of course, Ronnie conceding to Stephen Hendry at 4-1 down in a best-of-17 match...

Please remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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Shaun Murphy: I didn't know how to handle being world champion

Tue, 05 May 2020 04:00:07 GMT

Shaun Murphy is the latest big name to join Andy Goldstein on The Break. The Magician talks about his tough upbringing, leaving school at 13 and the path which took him to the very pinnacle of the game.

When he reached it, winning the World Championship in 2005, Murphy tells us about how he dealt with his instant fame "pretty badly", as well as reflecting on some of the great moments he's had since.

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The Debate: Who is the snooker GOAT?

Fri, 01 May 2020 05:00:48 GMT

Eurosport's new snooker podcast continues with Jimmy White and Neal Foulds delivering their verdict on the greatest players to grace the game.

O'Sullivan? Hendry? Davis? Higgins? They are all in the mix and more as we try and reach a definitive conclusion on who the snooker GOAT truly is...

Don't forget to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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Neil Robertson: Addiction, anxiety and ruling the world

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 05:00:33 GMT

Neil Robertson joins Andy Goldstein for the latest episode of The Break, Eurosport's new snooker podcast. In an wide-ranging discussion, The Thunder from Down Under opens up about his life and career, and how he used video games as an “escape” while his wife Mille was battling depression and anxiety.

Robertson also tells us how he was at a job centre ready to quit snooker after failing on the tour three times, before going on to win the World Championship in 2010 after trailing Martin Gould 11-5 and then becoming one of the best players of the modern era.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan: Rehab, Reardon and... retirement

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:00:22 GMT

Join The Break for the third and final part of our in-depth interview with the great Ronnie O'Sullivan. In a frank and fascinating discussion, O'Sullivan tells Andy Goldstein how his life spiralled in the 1990s following his incredible ascent to fame as a teenager, and the imprisonment of his father, before a spell in rehab proved a turning point in his career.

The five-time world champion also tells us about the roles played by his mentors Ray Reardon and Steve Peters in cementing him as one of the greatest players to ever play the game - and when he will retire...

Join us next week for more debates involving Neal Foulds and Jimmy White, plus interviews with Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy. And don't forget to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan: The defining moments in my career

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 13:00:27 GMT

In the second part of our exclusive, in-depth interview with Ronnie O'Sullivan, we discuss the matches and moments which have shaped one of the greatest careers in sport.

We kick off with that stunning UK Championship win at the age of 17 and go on to cover all of the defining moments in the career of The Rocket, including sporting excellence, streakers, and why Ronnie passed up some 147 breaks...

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Ronnie O'Sullivan: Idols, rivals and legacy

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 13:00:42 GMT

In episode two of The Break we have a real treat for snooker fans as we bring you the first of three interviews between Andy Goldstein and Ronnie O'Sullivan, delving deep into the life and career of The Rocket.

First up, Ronnie discusses his snooker idols and rivals. All the greats are covered as Ronnie talks about the impact made by Jimmy White, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry; the rise of the Class of '92 as he, John Higgins and Mark Williams took over; Mark Selby's ascendance; and Judd Trump's recent stunning dominance.

Don't forget to subscribe for more from Ronnie and the team - and please rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice.

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The Debate: The greatest Triple Crown matches of all time

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 13:00:46 GMT

In the very first episode of The Break, Jimmy White, Andy Goldstein and Neal Foulds debate the greatest Triple Crown matches of all time.

Davis v Taylor? Higgins v Davis? Hunter v O'Sullivan? Trump v Higgins? It's all here and more as we recall some of the very best clashes in the history of snooker, and examine what was so special about the greatest players to play the game.

Following the postponement of the World Championships due to the coronavirus pandemic, Eurosport has announced a two-week celebration of snooker in its place. So subscribe to The Break for more great debates, a series of exclusive interviews with Ronnie O'Sullivan and chats with the biggest names in the game - all to come over the next fortnight.

And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

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Coming soon...

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 07:47:46 GMT

A new snooker podcast is coming...

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