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Friends, rivals and dance partners

In the game against England, Maher will line up against some of the great friends she made while on a short-term contract with Bristol Bears in early 2025.

Maher headed to the UK on a three-month contract in January for a number of reasons, not least to help prepare for the World Cup.

Transitioning to the 15s form of the game after her nation’s heroics in sevens in Paris, plus the opportunity to develop in a new environment, were two key factors. In the Bristol Bears, a Premiership Women’s Rugby team in southwest England, Maher also found a kindred club whose vision to grow the sport mirrored her own.

A mutually beneficial arrangement, the idea to elevate the sport and inspire more players and fans had an immediate impact.

In the first match of Maher’s tenure, against Gloucester-Hartpury, the game was moved from Shaftesbury Park to the bigger stadium at Ashton Gate to cope with the increased demand in ticket sales.

A new league record for a regular season game of 9,240 was the result. The league’s YouTube following also more than doubled after her arrival.

Players on the team impacted by Maher’s arrival include England’s Sarah Bern, an opposing player to Maher on Friday.

The prop with 66 caps for England engaged in her new team-mate’s social media shenanigans, with the pair even featuring in a Bristol Bears video captioned, ‘Everyone’s favourite rugby besties 🥰’, with the footage of the pair of them accompanied by Taylor Swift’s Love Story.

Before Maher’s arrival, Bern told the BBC’s The LGBT Sport Podcast, she had struggled with anxiety around body image.

“I was always bigger as a young girl, and I never felt like I was good enough or pretty enough or any of those things. I feel like a lot of young girls feel that,” said Bern, who is heading to her third World Cup.

“I was really anxious about a lot of things, and social media, I was like ‘no one really wants to see what I’m doing’.”

Cue Maher’s arrival, friendship, and a change of heart from the Brit.

“Now I really love it and I just relish it and I actually think it’s really helped me to be less anxious and just be myself.”

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There’s an ongoing tug of war with the MVP trophy, and it’s not between American vs. American, or even international vs. American.

As of now, the NBA’s most prestigious individual award is firmly in the grasp of international players, and this trend is likely to continue through the 2025-26 season.

The last American winner was in 2018 (James Harden). Since then, the internationals have taken ownership not only of the award but also of the top levels of voting. Last season, for example, the top three vote-getters were internationals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The last time an American-born player was a finalist — top three in the voting — was Stephen Curry (third) in 2020-21.

That suggests dominance and a monopoly. Remember, too, that most of the international contenders are still in their prime.

Here’s how the top five internationals stack up, listed alphabetically, in the chase for the Kia MVP in the upcoming season:

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Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Milwaukee Bucks

He won two MVPs before turning 26, joining only LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and has remained in the conversation for the award ever since winning his second in 2020. If not for Jokić, there’s no question Antetokounmpo would have at least one more MVP.

The reason he remains a favorite is obvious, as few players bring his impact at both ends of the floor. Antetokounmpo is premier in that regard and shows no signs of slowing down. In the last four seasons, all non-MVP years, Antetokounmpo has averaged 30.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

His biggest roadblock entering 2025-26 is his team’s potential. The Bucks haven’t blessed him with quality help since their 2021 title. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez aged, the draft failed to bring young help and Jrue Holiday was swapped for Damian Lillard (who didn’t work out and was waived). Antetokounmpo might need more than Myles Turner to contend for a top seed in the East.

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Luka Dončić (Slovenia), Los Angeles Lakers

Of all the non-MVP winners in the NBA, he seems the most likely to snatch the trophy, and could grab multiple MVPs before his career is done. A better-conditioned Dončić with full leadership of the Lakers — it’s his team now, LeBron — will put him in a prime position in 2025-26.

Dončić is one of only a handful of players capable of averaging a triple-double, which by itself makes him a strong candidate. If he does that while leading the league in scoring or assists and winning 50 games? That would be hard for anyone else to beat.

If Dončić puts himself in the MVP mix — he finished third in the voting two seasons ago — he’ll have the edge with some voters, who might insist it’s Dončić’s turn if that race is tight. By prioritizing fitness, Dončić realizes his time is now.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning MVP is on a hot buttered roll right now, after collecting every major award and honor in 2024-25 en route to the NBA title. The game has never come easier for him than now.

He’ll insert himself in the MVP discussion if he’s still among the scoring leaders and contributing defensively. Of course, the team’s performance, which gave him the edge in last season’s MVP race, will weigh heavily. In that sense, Gilgeous-Alexander might have an advantage over the field, considering the Thunder remain young and formidable.

Repeating as MVP can be tricky because, fair or not, you’re judged to a degree based on what you did the previous season. It’s tough to imagine Gilgeous-Alexander topping ’24-25. But if he comes close, he can make a strong repeat case.

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Nikola Jokić (Serbia), Denver Nuggets

He was a top-two MVP finisher the last five years (which made history) and has three career MVPs. And it’s possible that the best is yet to come. That’s where Jokić is at, and what we’re witnessing is a legendary stretch.

Jokić has all the qualifications necessary for a fourth MVP. The Nuggets, after a summer retooling, are poised for another 50-win season and could grab a top-two seed. Jokić remains on top of his game and is coming off a season where he ranked No. 3 in scoring (29.6 ppg) and rebounding (12.7 rpg) and No. 2 in assists (10.2 apg) and steals (1.8 spg).

The only possible factor going against him is voter fatigue, although he could gain voter sympathy after his runner-up finishes. Either way, it will be a major surprise if “The Joker” isn’t in the conversation.

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Victor Wembanyama (France), San Antonio Spurs

Too soon? Perhaps, but only just a bit. Everyone knows that once the Spurs start contending, Wemby will be a fixture in the conversation for MVP. It’s just a matter of when.

He seems poised right now to rattle off multiple Kia Defensive Player of the Year awards regardless of where the Spurs fall in the standings, and likely would’ve captured the award last season had he reached the 65-game minimum required for consideration.

He’s already a factor defensively (which will enhance his MVP chances), and his offense is developing quickly. Wembanyama is equipped to average 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, along with a handful of assists and steals. Coupled with winning, that’s an MVP-flavored formula.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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Brentford have turned down Newcastle’s improved bid of £40m for striker Yoane Wissa.

The Magpies were proposing a £35m initial fee plus a further £5m in add-ons.

Newcastle reopened talks with Brentford on Wednesday but sources told BBC Sport that the latest bid fell below the Bees’ valuation of Wissa.

It is understood Wissa held talks with Brentford’s owner Matthew Benham on Tuesday, a development that prompted the discussions.

The Magpies’ previous bid for the 28-year-old was worth up to £30m.

Earlier this week, Wissa removed all association with Brentford from his Instagram account, external as his future took a fresh twist.

The DR Congo forward wants to join Newcastle but so far Brentford have refused to sanction his exit. He scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season.

Summer McIntosh is among nine swimmers to commit to the full schedule of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2025.

Following her stunning World Aquatics Championship campaign, where she won four gold medals and a bronze at Singapore 2025, the three-time Olympic champion has now signed up for the full World Cup schedule.

The Swimming World Cup features three stops in October, starting in Carmel and Westmont in the USA, before Canada’s McIntosh gets to enjoy a home race in Toronto.

Joining McIntosh is five-time Olympic medallist Kate Douglass, who medalled in every event she entered at the Olympic Games of Paris 2024. The Team USA swimmer also left Singapore with five world championship medals, three of which were gold.

American compatriot Regan Smith will face stern competition from Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, joined by a countrywoman and fellow five-time Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan.

Four men have also signed up for the full World Cup series later this year, where McIntosh is accompanied by a fellow Canadian in Joshua Liendo.

European swimming stars Thomas Ceccon of Italy, Hungary’s Hubert Kos and Swiss Noè Ponti complete the initial nine-strong lineup, all eager to add to their Olympic silverware over in North America.

The 2025 Swimming World Cup begins on 10 October in Carmel, Indiana, the first stage taking place over three days. Westmont, Illinois will host the aquatics stars on 17-19 October, before they wrap up the series across the border in Ontario on 23-25 October.

Kenya and Madagascar will open the knockout stage of the 2024 African Nations Championships in 2025 on Friday (22 August).

The men’s football competition, reserved for players active in their countries’ domestic leagues, sees co-hosts Kenya welcome the African island nation to Nairobi to compete for a place in the final four.

Nicknamed the Harambee Stars, Kenya came through Group A unbeaten to top the group, conceding just once on their way to the knockout stages. With home advantage, the tournament debutants can write even more history with victory.

Madagascar have the competition pedigree and the credentials going into their quarter-final clash, finishing third at the 2022 edition in Algeria. They just about emerged from Group B, pipping Mauritania to second on goal difference.

CHAN 2024 was postponed to 2025, though it retained the same name. The final will be held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on 30 August.

Read on to find out the key details ahead of the quarter-final meeting.

Tim Bugler