Category: 6. Sports

NORTHAMPTON, England — England hammered Samoa 92-3 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup on Saturday in Northampton and broke several records in the process.

The Red Roses were overwhelming favourites for the second round Pool A clash and ran in 14 tries — including a hat trick from Jess Breach — in front of a crowd of 13,615 at Franklin’s Gardens.

The eventual scoreline set a record for the Red Roses in the World Cup, as the rout exceeded their 82-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the 2010 edition, while they also surpassed their previous record of points scored from their 84-19 win over Fiji in 2022.

Helena Rowland converted 11 of England’s 14 tries and coupled with her own score, that 27-point tally saw her edge past the most points scored by an England player in a Women’s World Cup match, surpassing the 25 scored by Sue Day (vs. Italy in 2002) and Nicky Crawford (vs. Sweden in 1998).

The match was always going to be stacked in England’s favour given this was the sport’s most-dominant side against a team of amateur players, many of whom had to take unpaid leave from their day jobs to participate in this World Cup.

So it was the Red Roses on their professional contracts and with the pressure of being tournament favourites against a side who were aware of their underdog status but were vowing to give it their all. Samoa’s theme for the week was “Mission: Impossible” and while they never wanted for effort or physicality, they were simply unable to stop a Red Roses side who showed 13 changes from their opening round 69-7 win over the USA last Friday.

With regular captain Zoe Aldcroft sidelined for the rest of the pool stages, Maggie Packer skippered England from openside with just Breach and Megan Jones remaining from the starting team that faced the USA in Sunderland. Jones was exceptional in outside centre again, while the half-back combination of Lucy Packer and Helena Rowland unpicked Samoa’s defence. Breach also grabbed a well deserved trio of scores after being a constant danger throughout.

The first half played out to script and expectation. England scored after just three minutes as Jones glided over after a neat pass from loose-head Kelsey Clifford. Samoa packed plenty of physicality in defence, but failed to make inroads in attack, despite unveiling a (failed) innovative lineout move which saw hooker Faith Nonutunu attempt to launch an NFL quarterback-style pass to their midfield. Any Samoan respite was short-lived as Breach flew into the corner for England’s second soon after and they had their bonus point sewn up before the quarter with Sarah Bern crossing from close range, and Jones grabbing her second all by the 16th minute of the match.

The records were being checked at this stage and the Red Roses’ scrum destroyed Samoa’s on their own put-in to turn them and score in the 23rd minute with Feaunati dotting it down.

The conditions were doing little to help either side and England would grab two more before the break thanks to Lark Atkin-Davies and Lucy Packer scoring from close range. Samoa finished the half in the ascendancy — aided by tight-head replacement Tori Losefo — but failed to get anything on the scoreboard to reward their endeavour and the passionate support in the stands.

But there were few celebrations quite like the ones which greeted Samoa’s penalty just after the break. Having lost their opener 73-0 to Australia, Harmony Vatau slotted the first points of their World Cup with a penalty from 32 metres out.

The players turned to the crowd, delighted, as they returned to their side of the field, and soon that support was on their feet again as Emma Sing knocked-on inside England’s half. But the Red Roses soon found their stride again as Clifford bundled over from close range to ease England past the half-century mark.

Breach then got her second and as the Red Roses got further impetus from changing their entire front-row, Mackenzie Carson crossed from close range for what was their 10th score.

Breach and Claudia Moloney-MacDonald continued to make yards on the wing, but it was Rowland who crossed next to bring up a personal tally of 25 points. England emptied the bench but continued their relentless scoring with Marley Packer crossing in the 70th minute, and Breach grabbing her third in the 74th minute as she outsprinted the Samoan defence to cross in the corner.

Moloney-Macdonald put the finishing touches on the rout as she scored in the final play of the game, with Rowland converting again from out wide to secure her spot in the Red Roses record books.

For Samoa, the defeat means their World Cup will finish in the pool stages, but England are now two from two and eyeing the knockout stages ahead of Australia in Brighton next Saturday.

– Amy Cokayne: The RAF officer and one-time Kiwi powering England’s scrum
– ‘Surreal’: Halse shines to become Australia’s youngest World Cup debutant

“A strong and successful Qualifying in Zandvoort as we lockout the front row for tomorrow’s Grand Prix. With just a few milliseconds deciding Pole position, both Oscar and Lando displayed solid performances in tricky conditions, driving on the limit in an extremely close session to set the two quickest-ever laps around this circuit.

“As with today’s wind in Q3, there are many variables that will contribute to tomorrow’s race, including a persistent risk of rain, making it an interesting afternoon. However, we will work to put ourselves in the best position possible to capitalise on our grid positions and start the second half of the season with a pleasing result.”

Shi Yuqi of People’s Republic of China has reached the men’s singles final at this year’s BWF World Championships in Paris, ending the remarkable run of Victor Lai.

After saving two match points in the second game, the top seed edged past the unheralded Canadian 13-21, 22-20, 21-16.

Shi will meet the winner of the second semi-final between defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) and Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, while Lai will leave Paris as his country’s first ever world medallist in the sport taking home bronze.

After his shock win in the quarters against 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew, the 20-year-old part-time student and part-time badminton player was close to producing an even greater upset in the Adidas Arena.

Top seed Shi got off to the better start but had trouble to deal with the remarkable shot selection of his opponent. who ran away with the first game after just 21 minutes.

It was a similar affair in the second game. Shi seemed to be in control, stormed to a 10-5 lead, only to see Lai win five straight points to draw level.

Shi showed nerves while Lai seemed unfazed by the big occasion. He even had two martch points at 20-18 but the Chinese star fought back to force a decider.

The Toronto-based student, who had only played one Super 500 tournament before Paris, played the match of his life and put up a brave fight in the third game despite trailing 5-0 early on and 11-6 at the change-over.

But Shi finally cut down on his unforced errors and sealed the win.

Lai started this season ranked 99th in the world, and entered Paris competition ranked 50th. He will further climb up the rankings after his unexpected exploits in the French capital.

The BWF World Championships are available to stream live (territorial restrictions apply) on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the Olympics mobile apps.

“Pakistan hockey team is coming for the Junior World Cup. They confirmed it to me last night,” Singh said here.

Pakistan’s senior team did not travel to Rajgir for the ongoing Asia Cup. Though they did not give an official statement, people aware of the matter in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had said it was due to “security concerns”.

Last week, Government of India came out with a new policy, severing all bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan while adding that India will continue to compete against Pakistan in multilateral international events.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated following a four-day military conflict in May. The conflict was triggered by the April 22 terror attack in which 26 civilians died in Kashmir.

“We have almost completed our preparations for the Junior World Cup. It is in the final stages. We have received the long list (of players) of 23 countries from 24 (participating) nations. Only one has not come in yet which is Pakistan. They will send it in the near future,” said Singh, who is also the vice-president of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).

“While Chennai is ready, a new turf is being laid in Madurai. There is some work going on and it should be ready within a month.”

Pakistan in Pro League

On Thursday, the international hockey federation (FIH) confirmed that Pakistan had accepted their invitation to participate in the FIH Pro League, an elite nine-team, season long competition. This means India could also play Pakistan in two of those games, the venue of which is yet to be announced.

Asked whether India will play Pakistan in the Pro League, Singh said, “If there is a match against Pakistan in the Pro League, why will they not play? We will abide by the Olympic Charter. Whatever the Charter says, we will fully follow it whether it is Pro League or Junior World Cup or any other tournament.”

Many Chelsea supporters were already asking the same question during the match, about whether it was too late to cancel Jackson’s loan move to Germany.

Tyrique George, a 19-year-old winger from the academy, replaced Delap at Stamford Bridge and gave a creditable display while out of position, but he too could leave Chelsea before deadline day.

On George, Maresca said: “Today we played more than one hour with Tyrique [George], and he did brilliant.”

It was ironic that Chelsea’s only fit striker, Joao Pedro, was himself filling in for star attacker Cole Palmer in his favoured number 10 position.

When George was picked, Maresca looked short of options with winger Jamie Gittens – signed from Dortmund for £48.5m over the summer – the only other attacker on his bench.

It is a remarkable situation given Chelsea have more than £300m worth of attackers in their squad.

However, Chelsea had decided against carrying three senior strikers because of Jackson’s desire not to be an emergency back-up, and with Nkunku having been unhappy at the club for more than six months.

Pedro Neto showed last season that he is capable of filling in on an emergency basis, with Palmer and George both having played as up-front in the past. Academy striker Shim Mheuka, 17, is also top scorer in the under-21s league with four goals in three matches.

Meanwhile, winger Alejandro Garnacho was sat in the directors’ box on Saturday before completing a £40m move from Manchester United. Chelsea are also closing in on a move for Brighton’s Facundo Buonanotte, who is capable of playing as a 10 or on the right wing.

Chelsea would have eight attacking players for four roles on the pitch after the two Argentine attackers arrive, with a well-stocked academy in behind them.

However, they must be suitably worried about Delap to have taken a shock decision to pull the plug on Jackson’s move, at least for now, and bring him back to Stamford Bridge.

Wales are out of the Women’s World Cup after being brushed aside 42-0 by heavily-fancied Canada at Salford Community Stadium.

A 38-8 loss to Scotland in last weekend’s curtain-raiser left Wales needing to beat Canada — ranked second in the world behind only England — to realistically keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.

They dominated territory and possession early on but went 28-0 down just after the half-hour as McKinley Hunt’s two tries and one each for Alysha Corrigan and Asia Hogan-Rochester put Canada on top.

Taylor Perry and Brittany Kassil touched down after the break, when Georgia Evans was yellow-carded and Sophie de Goede converted all six tries as Canada laid down a marker for their title aspirations.

They have sealed a spot in the last eight after Scotland’s win over Fiji later on Saturday, which also confirmed Wales’ elimination. Wales and Fiji will contest a Pool B dead rubber in Exeter next weekend.

Wales, who were without co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams due to injury, shipped a try after 55 seconds against Scotland but they sprung out of the traps to put Canada under heavy pressure.

Lisa Neumann was just out of reach in an attempt to collect a ball over the top, while Bethan Lewis hesitated when a cross-field kick was sent her way and failed to gather with the try line beckoning.

With Wales’ lineout malfunctioning, Canada were able to shrug off a sluggish opening 10 minutes and build pressure inside the opposition 22, which eventually told as Hunt burrowed over under the posts.

Having started the contest so well, Hunt’s try after being teed up by Alex Tessier and De Goede was a gut punch for the Welsh and worse was to follow as Canada struck three times inside five minutes.

Corrigan was the first to go over in the 26th minute, putting the finishing touch to a fine move which stretched Wales’ defence, while Hunt celebrated her second moments later to continue the one-way traffic.

From the restart, the ball was worked to the left and Hogan-Rochester broke on the wing, sprinting 60 metres to touch down for Canada’s bonus-point try.

– Amy Cokayne: The RAF officer and one-time Kiwi powering England’s scrum
– Women’s Rugby World Cup: England make 13 changes for Samoa clash
– ‘Surreal’: Halse shines to become Australia’s youngest World Cup debutant

Gabrielle Senft saw a try chalked off for a couple of infractions after half-time although Evans was sin-binned for a high challenge in the build-up.

Down to 14 players, Wales fell further behind when Canada — not for the first time — went through the phases and recycled the ball for Perry to touch down before Kassil dived over following a driving maul.

Kassil’s try came with 26 minutes still to go but Canada saw prop Olivia DeMerchant sent to the bin for a high tackle and they coasted in the closing stages, holding off a spirited Wales finish.

Kieffer Moore’s header put Wrexham on their way to their first win of the season in the Championship as they ground out a 2-0 victory against Millwall at The Den.

It was Wrexham’s first win in the second tier since they defeated Rotherham on the final day of the 1981-82 season, and it was sealed by Lewis O’Brien’s goal deep into stoppage time.

The only thing that took the shine off the result for Phil Parkinson’s side was a serious injury to Danny Ward, who was stretchered off not long before O’Brien’s clincher.

Neither team were able to fashion any clear chances in the early stages, although Millwall goalkeeper Steven Benda did well to prevent Ryan Hardie from getting on the end of Ryan Longman’s long pass.

But Wrexham could be pleased with the way they had nullified the hosts after they had made a bright start, with Zak Sturge and Aidomo Emakhu looking lively down the left-hand side.

That combination led to Massimo Luongo having a chance to take aim from outside the box with just over half an hour played, but the Australian miscued his shot over.

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A clearer chance for the hosts came after 36 minutes when Mihailo Ivanovic could have done better than glance an inviting cross from Emakhu wide.

There was another chance for Wrexham just before half-time when Hardie glanced on George Dobson’s cross, but Moore couldn’t get on the end of it at the back post.

The first time Ward was really called into action was two minutes after the restart when he had to push behind Sturge’s deflected cross.

But Millwall had started the second half well and created another opening when Emakhu played the ball into the area for Josh Coburn whose wild shot was comfortably off target.

Against the run of play, it was Wrexham who took the lead in the 57th minute when Moore beat Benda to Max Cleworth’s cross from deep and nodded in his fourth goal in three games.

The Lions struggled to respond to this setback and it took them until the 74th minute to threaten an equaliser when substitute Raees Bangura-Williams’ low shot was comfortably saved by Ward.

Emakhu then almost had the goal his performance deserved when his volley from Coburn’s cross flew narrowly wide of the near post.

Millwall’s best chance to level came three minutes into stoppage time when Ward, who injured himself on landing, dropped Joe Bryan’s long ball into the box but Kevin Nisbet blazed over.

There was a 12-minute delay before Ward was stretchered off, and Wrexham sealed victory in the 19th minute of added time when O’Brien got in behind and lofted the ball over Benda.

Wilson Isidor scored a last-gasp header as Sunderland came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Dango Ouattara had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half and the visitors’ frustrations continued when Kevin Schade’s penalty was comfortably saved by Robin Roefs after the break.

A game of few clear-cut chances took a dramatic twist in the final 15 minutes as Igor Thiago’s header broke the deadlock, but Enzo Le Fée levelled from the penalty spot five minutes later.

Sunderland continued to push and substitute Isidor nodded home in stoppage time to snatch three points.

The Black Cats made two changes from their league defeat to Burnley as Le Fée came in alongside Nordi Mukiele, who made his Premier League debut.

Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

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Yoane Wissa was still absent for Brentford, who named an unchanged team from their league win against Aston Villa and included another start for Jordan Henderson, who made his return to Wearside.

Sunderland used both wings to their advantage in the early stages with Reinildo Mandava and Chemsdine Talbi sending in curling crosses.

Mukiele blasted a powerful effort over the bar from Trai Hume’s corner and shouts for handball in the build up were waved away by referee Anthony Taylor.

The hosts continued to pile the pressure on Brentford, who nearly paid for an error at the back when Hume’s cross was spilled by Caoimhín Kelleher and Sepp van den Berg quickly cleared to prevent Le Fée from pouncing.

Brentford looked to strike down the right flank as Ouattara had a cross cleared before Schade flicked a header wide from Mikkel Damsgaard’s ball.

The visitors thought they had the lead in the 21st minute when Ouattara rolled the ball into the bottom corner from Nathan Collins’ threaded pass, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR check for offside.

Sunderland were again met by some solid Brentford defending as Van den Berg made a crucial intervention around the six-yard area to stab away a low Noah Sadiki pass.

Both sides had chances before the break when Schade headed a Damsgaard corner over the crossbar and Kelleher held Omar Alderete’s deflected strike.

Brentford grew into the second half as Damsgaard and Michael Kayode tried to link up and they were awarded a penalty after Mandava fouled Collins in the area.

Schade stepped up to the spot for the visitors, but his tame effort to the left was easily saved by Roefs.

Sunderland then broke down the left wing through Le Fee and he crossed into an unmarked Habib Diarra, but the midfielder scuffed his shot wide.

In a thrilling finale, Brentford took the lead in the 77th minute when substitute Frank Onyeka whipped a cross in for Thiago and his header bounced in off the underside of the crossbar.

Sunderland were then awarded a penalty only moments later when Rico Henry fouled Diarra in the box from a corner and Le Fee coolly slotted his spot-kick past Kelleher to level.

There was further drama in store as Isidor found a late winner in the sixth minute of added time, heading underneath Kelleher from Granit Xhaka’s excellent cross to snatch a second league win this season.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The teenager was arrested on in Fulham Broadway at around 14:40 BST on Saturday and was believed to be on his way to a comic book convention, the police said.

Officers had received reports about a boy “displaying a weapon and walking towards a crowded area”.

No one was injured in the incident and the teenager remains in police custody.