Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan was at his very best against Mark Allen as he surged into a 6-2 lead in the morning session.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan took control of his second-round match with Mark Allen at the World Championship, leading 6-2 after the opening session.

"Us older players have got to adapt our games in order to keep up with the younger ones. "Players these days don’t just roll the ball, they punch it. Lee Walker has been doing a bit of work to my game, picking it apart and putting it back together again.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, who defeated David Gilbert in the first round of the World Championship, faces Mark Allen in the second round - and the two men have ...

“He could be the greatest of all time with his talent and ability,” O’Sullivan said. You’ve got to do what you've got to do.” “Mark Allen is like, ‘What? I've got to run seven miles, go to the gym?

O'Sullivan and Mark Allen will be going head-to-head in the world championships on Friday.

You’ve got to do what you've got to do.” The 46-year-old added: “Mark Allen is like, ‘What? I've got to run seven miles, go to the gym? I'd rather have a curry, have a few bets on the football and have a few beers with my mates'.

And my word what an absolute treat we have for you today, We have not one, not two, but THREE current or former world champions in action. First up Ronnie O' ...

Allen and O'Sullivan join us and we are underway in frame nine. Mark has a go at a long one across the table to the bottom right, but it jaws out and lands over the bottom left as an easy starter for Yan. It's a good chance, but on 16 Yan misses a slightly off-straight red to the bottom left and he hands the initiative straight to Mark. In a bizarre sequence, Mark then leaves a straightforward red in the jaws of the bottom right; Yan booms it in and tries to open the pack in the same shot, glances the side of it and ends up wedged in the jaws of the green pocket. When the feathered one departs we crack on with frame six, and Yan gets straight in with a red to the bottom right. We've got a corker coming up this evening as Ronnie O'Sullivan resumes against Mark Allen. The Rocket leads 6-2 Allen shows his intentions early on with an attacking long red, but he misses that and leaves Ronnie among the pack. O'Sullivan pots the cue-ball for a second time, this time off a safety as the white comes back up to the baulk end and drops into the green pocket. A poor safety gifts Allen another simple red. But that golden chance goes missing as Allen misses a pink to the left corner, and it was a simple pot. Allen has a mountain to climb - and he's surely got to win at least three of the remaining frames this evening Well here's a chance for Allen. O'Sullivan attempts an incredibly tough red to the right middle and not only misses it, but leaves it as well. Allen is first at the table in this one, as he has been several times tonight, but he needs to somehow open the pack up. We are in for some safety play, but Allen blinks first with a poor shot that sees the cue ball clip the yellow, leaving a long red to the right corner.

Ian O'Riordan: How running became an addictive drug for one of the game's legendary figures.

You get a lot of arseholes in that sport because they’ve got money and they think money is the all-important thing. “It is like Gladiator. Russell Crowe has a hole in his arm and knows he is going to die, but you just have to find a way. He’s repeatedly claimed too that most of the time he’d rather be out running somewhere around his local Epping Forest in Essex than be playing at a snooker tournament. Ronnie O’Sullivan in action for the 30th year at the World Championships at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. ‘Running just gives you a natural high. Coming from him these are strong words, Moggan widely regarded as one of the most influential and knowledgeable coaches across all Irish sport before his semi-retirement a few years back. I got a message from Liam Moggan last weekend telling me how much he was looking forward to the championship.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

Ronnie O'Sullivan continued to close in on a record-equalling seventh Crucible title at the World Snooker Championship by establishing a near-unbreachable ...

"Us older players have got to adapt our games in order to keep up with the younger ones. Lee Walker has been doing a bit of work to my game, picking it apart and putting it back together again. Cookies help us and our third party partners to provide, protect and improve our services.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

Ronnie O'Sullivan produced a second commanding session to retain total control of his World Championship last-16 clash with Mark Allen.

The fans in the Crucible were on the edge of their seats in the frame before the interval as O’Sullivan raised the prospect of a 147 -25 years on from his record-breaking maximum- when picking off 11 reds and 11 blacks. He ran out of position on the 12th, and the double failed to drop. Inexplicably he missed a simple pink - there won’t be many easier pots missed all tournament - and O’Sullivan made him pay with a break of 93.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

Ronnie O'Sullivan takes 12-4 lead against Mark Allen · Pigeon lands on table during Yan Bingtao v Mark Selby.

I cannot improve.” Opening with a break of 110 to move further in front, Williams then snatched the 10th frame with a clearance to black after Page missed the last red to leave him stranded on a highest break of 69. We are strongly against the invasion of any sovereign nation and all forms of violence or oppression. “We had dinner on Thursday night and a game of cards in the hotel reception – I took 15 off him,” revealed Williams. “We will do the same thing again after this match - just chill out. Allen won the first frame upon the evening resumption but missed the simplest of pinks with the frame at his mercy in the next, and the mistake proved pivotal as O’Sullivan cleared for 7-3 and would never look back. It is very sad what is going on over there.” I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.”

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

The Rocket almost emulated Mark Williams' win with a session to spare on a day briefly interrupted by a pigeon inside the Crucible.

I can’t play much better than that at my age. I don’t feel like that playing Jackson. It’s a good learning curve for him and we will see how he bounces back.” Allen prevented that embarrassment with a gutsy break of 110 but O’Sullivan took the final two frames of the evening – the last his second century of the match – to make his progression on Saturday a formality.

Eurosport expert Jimmy White has hailed Ronnie O'Sullivan's performance against Mark Allen at the World Championship as "phenomenal" and "sublime".

Simply, it is enough. "When he is like this, Ronnie O'Sullivan, it does not really matter who the opponent is. He is so focused.