Category: 6. Sports

USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach Sione Fukofuka and staff have announced the 23-player squad set to take on host nation England in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

With over 40,000 tickets already sold, the Eagles will face off against the Red Roses in Pool A at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. USA fans can catch the match live on Paramount+ at 2:30 pm ET on Friday, August 22nd. 

This year marks the 10th edition of the tournament, which has been expanded to feature 16 teams. The Eagles, currently ranked 10th in the world, are in a competitive Pool A alongside world-number-one ranked England, Australia, and Samoa. 

Fukofuka has named 11 players who will make their first Rugby World Cup appearance including Keia Mae Sagapolu, Tahlia Brody, Emily Henrich, Ilona Maher on the starting XV with Alivia Leatherman, Paige Stathopolous, Rachel Ehrecke, Freda Tafuna, Cass Bargell, Kristin Bitter, and Sariah Ibarra on the bench ready to make an impact. 

He commented; “Our focus for the first match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is very much on ourselves and executing our game plan to put pressure on England. We know they have big external expectations on them as world number 1 and will have the pressure of being the host nation, so we are quietly going about our work, building confidence and looking forward to performing in front of family, friends and fans on the World Cup stage. 

“England are World Number 1, and we expect them to be physical, accurate and confident  for the full 80 minutes. They have a strong set piece and threats across the field, however we are confident we also have a strong set piece platform with threats to attack them with confidence and have the commitment in defence to give us opportunities to create pressure.

“The team have worked hard to be here and earned their opportunity to represent the United States at the World Cup. Our intensive selection process, followed by the camps at Mt St Mary’s and Loughborough University have required the players to dig deep and work hard to make the team, so being here is a testament to that work ethic and commitment. Making it here has a level of satisfaction and excitement at the opportunity in front of us, but now we prepare to perform and earn results.”

The atmosphere and energy in the stadium will be high as the match will open with a performance from chart-topping English singer Anne-Marie before players run out to the biggest ever Women’s Rugby World Cup stage. 

After taking on the host country, the USA Women’s Eagles will continue their pool stage journey with matches in York against Australia and Samoa. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout stage.

USA Women’s Eagles v England | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

USA Coaches & Staff | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Head Coach, Attack + Backs | Sione Fukofuka

Assistant Coach, Defense | Sarah Chobot

Assistant Coach, Forwards | Mel Bosman

Head of Athletic Performance | Charles Dudley

Analyst | Callum Howells

Lead Physiotherapist | Alice Mae

Athletic Trainer | Sam Malette

Team Doctor | Abbie Hamilton

Massage Therapist | Delwyn Griffith

Performance Psychologist | Scott Goldman

Team Manager | Alana Gattinger

General Manager, High Performance | Tamara Sheppard

Media Manager | Jenni Burke

USA Women’s Eagles Match Schedule | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

USA v England

August 22 | 2:30 pm ET | Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Paramount+

USA v Australia

August 30 | 2:30 pm ET | York Community Stadium, York

Paramount+

USA v Samoa

September 6 | 8:30 am ET | York Community Stadium, York

CBS, Paramount+

Quarterfinals Begin September 13

Pieter Coetze made his choice – he wanted to stay home.

The South African backstroke star had committed to compete at the University of California at Berkeley in 2022, drawn to the idea of training alongside a world-class group there.

But by 2023, he realised that wasn’t the move for him. He decommitted.

“At the time… Cal was probably the best place I could go with all the backstrokers that they had,” he told SwimSwam. “The thought of training with those guys, having them to push me, was perfect.”

But as the time to move grew closer, Coetze began to have reservations and the weight of the decision to relocate to the USA pulled at him.

“It really can affect your career a lot,” he said. “Not only your career – you’re leaving your family behind, you’re leaving your whole support system back home. It was probably the biggest decision I’ve had to make up to that point.”

There were other concerns, too.

More practical matters, like the NCAA’s use of yards versus metres, and a schedule that would have put the NCAA Championships nearly on top of the South African nationals in April.

“After months of training for NCAAs, which is obviously super focused on, they’re not going to worry about South African nationals,” explained Coetze.

All three of Brentford’s games in October have been selected for television coverage.

The Bees’ Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, West Ham United and Liverpool will all be shown live in the UK.

Keith Andrews’ side begin the month by welcoming Pep Guardiola’s City team to Gtech Community Stadium.

That game, originally scheduled for Saturday 4 October, will now take place on Sunday 5 October (4.30pm kick-off) and will be televised by Sky Sports.

An international break then precedes an away London derby against West Ham, which has been moved back two days to Monday 20 October with an 8pm kick-off, also live on Sky Sports.

Finally, the west Londoners close October with a home match against Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side will travel to the Gtech on Saturday 25 October as scheduled, however the game will now kick-off at 12.30pm, live on TNT Sports.

Should Liverpool play away from home in the UEFA Champions League on the previous Wednesday evening, then kick-off will be moved back to 8pm on the same Saturday evening.

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.”

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.

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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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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