Category: 6. Sports

Northern Superchargers claimed a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Manchester Originals in The Hundred to book their place in Saturday’s Eliminator.

The result also confirms London Spirit are through to face Superchargers at The Oval, with Originals knocked out.

Originals came into the game four points behind Superchargers and Spirit and knowing they needed to not only win but win by a big margin to overhaul their rivals’ superior net run-rate.

After being put in to bat, that meant putting a commanding total on the board but their aggressive approach did not pay off as they were bowled out for 94 with five balls left in the innings.

Originals skipper Beth Mooney had got them off to a bright start but, as the innings progressed, the discipline and control of the Superchargers bowlers won out.

Australia star Annabel Sutherland took 3-15, her compatriot Nicola Carey 2-13 and seamer Kate Cross a miserly 1-6 from 15 balls.

Superchargers needed just 38 to qualify and got there in 34 balls before pushing on to complete the victory with 35 balls to spare.

Alice Davidson-Richards scored 30 from 18 balls at the top of the order before a 54-run stand between Sutherland, who made an unbeaten 30 from 17, and another Australian Phoebe Litchfield, 26 from 20, finished the job.

The win means Superchargers finish second, ahead of Spirit, which could be important given the second-placed side advances to the final if the Eliminator is washed out and rain is forecast for Saturday.

The headline clash between England and the USA, which ended in a 69-7 victory for England, drew a peak audience of 2.4 million on BBC One and 600k on iPlayer. The weekend saw 2.1 million streams overall across BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website/app. In total 4.6 million viewers tuned in to live coverage of the Women’s Rugby World Cup over the weekend.

Scotland and Wales began their campaigns with a peak audience of 1.2 million on BBC One, as Scotland secured a 38-8 win. Ireland’s 42-14 victory over Japan drew a peak audience of 534,000 on BBC Two.

During the opening week of the tournament (Monday 18 August to Monday 25 August), 3.2 million unique visitors accessed Women’s Rugby Union World Cup content on the BBC Sport website and app, with 1.2 million of those engaging specifically with the comprehensive live text pages during the matches.

The opening weekend viewing figure surpasses the entire reach of the 2021 World Cup tournament (played in 2022), which attracted 3.7 million viewers overall, including 1.8 million for the final.

The attendance record for the Women’s Rugby World Cup was also broken on the opening night as 42,723 watched England beat USA in Sunderland.

Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, says: “It’s been a historical summer for women’s sport, and BBC Sport is proud to have been at the heart of it. These record-breaking figures for the opening weekend of the Women’s Rugby World Cup show the growing passion and interest of fans across the UK. With all four home nations competing on the world stage, we’re bringing audiences every match, every moment, and the stories behind these inspiring female athletes. And with the tournament just getting started, there’s much more to come.”

Ruby Tui, Black Fern and BBC Sport pundit, says: “If you could buy shares in women’s rugby – it would be your number one investment right now. It’s such a buzz to be here in England to witness this phenomenal growth of our game. World records are being broken every weekend and I’m here for it! How good!”

BBC Sport is the exclusive broadcaster of the Women’s Rugby World Cup with every match on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. All home nations matches, and knockout stage fixtures will be shown live on BBC One or BBC Two.

Date	Kick-off	Match	Location	Where to watch
30 Aug	12pm	Canada v Wales	Salford Community Stadium	BBC Two, iPlayer
30 Aug	2.45pm	Scotland v Fiji	Salford Community Stadium	BBC Two, iPlayer
30 Aug	5pm	England v Samoa	Franklins Gardens, Northampton	BBC Two, iPlayer
30 Aug	7.30pm	USA v Australia	York Community Stadium	iPlayer
31 Aug	12pm	Ireland v Spain	Franklins Gardens, Northampton	BBC Two, iPlayer
31 Aug	2pm	New Zealand v Japan	Sandy Park, Exeter	iPlayer
31 Aug	3.30pm	Italy v South Africa	York Community Stadium	iPlayer
31 Aug	4.45pm	France v Brazil	Sandy Park, Exeter	iPlayer

Follow the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 on TV, iPlayer, Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website/app and social media platforms on @BBCSport.

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RIYADH:

When Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez announced their engagement this month, two things stood out: the outsized diamond ring, and their unmarried cohabitation in conservative Saudi Arabia.

The celebrity couple and their blended brood of five children have been living in the birthplace of Islam for more than two years, untroubled by laws against extra-marital relationships.

Their situation highlights the fact that while authorities now turn a blind eye for foreigners, such privileges remain off-limits for Saudis, who must still get married before living together.

Foreign couples, including Muslims, can now move in together or stay at hotels without being married, an arrangement that has only been tolerated in recent times.

It’s “part of a broader social transformation in Saudi Arabia”, said Sebastian Sons of the German think tank CARPO.

“While conservative rules and regulations remain in place, they are less dominant than in previous years. 

As a result, these strict rules are now applied with greater flexibility and pragmatism,” he told AFP.

In major cities, after decades of gender separation, young Saudis can now mingle freely in public spaces, another sign of the country’s loosening-up.

However, living together before marriage remains a rarity, reserved mainly for the well-heeled who quietly share accommodation in expensive residential compounds.

Ronaldo, 40, and model Rodriguez, 31, are an incongruous feature of Saudi life, continually posting about their luxurious lifestyle, often with sultry poses in revealing clothing.

They have been generally embraced by the youthful Saudi population, two-thirds of it under 35, who reacted to their engagement with well-wishes, memes and jokes.

However, buried among the good-humoured responses — and comments about the multimillion-dollar ring — were pockets of disapproval.

“How could the land of the two holy mosques accept such impurity for two years?” posted Raad Mohammed on X, referring to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest sites.

“Their children are children of sin,” wrote another social media user called Asma.

It is hard to imagine Ronaldo and Rodriguez in the Saudi Arabia of just a few years ago, when religious police would harangue women for violating the strict dress code, and cinemas and live music were banned.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, much has changed, as he attempts to open up the country and end its economic reliance on oil.

Many women now forgo veils and head-coverings in urban centres, non-Muslim tourists are allowed, and since 2018, women can legally drive.

Saudi petrodollars have attracted a steady stream of international stars and sports events, and lavish resorts and entertainment districts have sprung up.

“In the past we were strictly checking the marital status” of guests, said a Riyadh-based hotel reservations manager who gave his name as Al Waleed.

“Now we don’t care about who stays with whom.”
Ronaldo, signed by Al Nassr for a hefty fee in early 2023, has been central to this strategy.

Since his arrival to enormous fanfare, a stream of top players have joined him in the Saudi Pro League, and Saudi has won a giant prize: hosting the 2034 World Cup.

“Ronaldo has gained significant prominence within the Saudi football community, where he is seen as both a role model and an ideal ambassador for the government’s ambitious goal of placing Saudi Arabia firmly on the global football map,” said Sons.

Ronaldo and Rodriguez, soon to be respectably married, will remain a fixture in Riyadh for some time.
In June, after much speculation, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner extended his contract with Al-Nassr to 2027. 
 

The rink itself

One of the most noticeable differences between Olympic and NHL ice hockey had always been the ice surface. NHL rinks measure 200 feet long by 85 feet wide (60.6m x 25.9m), while Olympic competition traditionally used a larger 197 by 98.5 foot (60m x 30m) surface.

The extra space allowed for a more flowing, less physical style of play, often associated with European hockey.

That trend, however, is changing. Milano Cortina 2026 will be played on NHL-sized ice, only the third time Olympic hockey has done so after Vancouver 2010 and Beijing 2022.

Intermissions, rosters and equipment

Both NHL and Olympic hockey feature three 20-minute periods. The difference comes in the breaks: Olympic intermissions last 15 minutes, compared to 18 minutes in the NHL. That might not sound like much, but for players, it means slightly less recovery time between shifts.

Olympic roster sizes are also capped. In Milano Cortina 2026, men’s teams will bring 25 players (22 skaters and three goalies), while women’s squads will be limited to 23. NHL teams can suit up 20 players per game from a larger active roster.

A new front end, smaller grille, improved aerodynamics: the BMW M Hybrid V8 is getting a new look for 2026. BMW M Motorsport is modifying the car’s aerodynamics (subject to homologation) in response to experience gained in competition since 2023.

The biggest change is to the front end of the German Hypercar. A slightly smaller grille, revised splitter and redesigned headlights aim to optimise airflow. 

Aerodynamic Modifications for More Consistency and performance

These improvements offer two main advantages. Firstly, they ensure more consistent performances across all the circuits on the calendar. The data collected over the last two WEC and IMSA seasons revealed weaknesses that needed to be overcome. Secondly, the new air circulation around the car woll aid in cooling.

The new aerodynamics were executed in a close collaboration between the engineers at BMW M Motorsport and its chassis partner, Dallara. Private testing sessions have been conducted the last few weeks and now the BMW M Hybrid V8 will make its first public appearance for a collective shakedown at Lone Star Le Mans, the sixth round of the 2025 WEC. Suject to final homologation, the car’s first race will be the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the end of January 2026.

Head of BMW M Motorsport, Andreas Roos: Since we began racing in the IMSA series in 2023 and the FIA WEC in 2024, we have learned a great deal about our BMW M Hybrid V8. After optimising the brakes for the current season, it is now time for an aerodynamically improved version of the car. With these updates, we are responding to the insights gained from our previous race outings. Following the tests we’ve already conducted, we are confident that the changes to the BMW M Hybrid V8 will allow us to compete more consistently at the front on all types of tracks, taking another step toward the top. A big thank you to everyone involved for their hard work. In the coming months, we will continue to work intensively to ensure we are optimally prepared for the start of the 2026 season at Daytona in January.

BMW is currently fifth in the 2025 WEC Hypercar Constructors standings behind Ferrari, Cadillac, Porsche and Toyota. At the Qatar 1812 km, the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 finished fourth overall.

Great Britain’s Ben Turner produced a stunning sprint finish at the Vuelta a Espana to claim his first ever Grand Tour stage win.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider won stage four from Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Belgian duo Jasper Philipsen and Edward Planckaert, with fellow Englishman Ethan Vernon of Israel-Premier Tech fourth on his 25th birthday.

Turner – a late call up to the Vuelta when Ineos team-mate Lucas Hamilton pulled out through illness – powered to victory on the long, rising finish.

France’s David Gaudu, who won the third stage, leads the overall standings having finished enough places in front of Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark to take the red jersey on count-back.

The longest stage of this year’s race at 206km, it featured over 3,000m of altitude packed largely into the first half of the day.

After two category two climbs, an early breakaway was caught with 90km remaining, the peloton using the long descents to reel them in.

Philipsen was initially well-placed behind team-mate Planckaert but as Turner and Vernon came alongside he was boxed in, and when he finally found some space it was too late to get on terms with pumping pistons of the 6ft 4in Turner.

It was Turner’s third win as a professional and he broke into tears shortly after crossing the line to secure the biggest win of his career to date.

“Today I just had the best guys around me and I did what I had to do. It was the perfect finish for me and I really believed in what I could do on it,” Turner said.

“The last 100m felt so long. I was devastated in the first sprint when my chain came off but I really believed in myself today. It’s just a crazy feeling.”

The stage, which started in Italy and ended in France, was the final one to be held outside Spain, with the action switching to Figueres on Wednesday for a 24.1km time trial.

iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations and INDYCAR are pleased to announce a long-term licensing agreement for iRacing Studios to produce standalone INDYCAR titles for console and PC.

As part of the agreement, iRacing Studios will release an INDYCAR title for PlayStation, Xbox and Steam in the second half of 2026. The new product will mark the first dedicated INDYCAR game in more than two decades.

“INDYCAR fans have long been clamoring for a standalone title for consoles, and we’re excited to give them what they’re looking for in 2026,” said Tony Gardner, president, iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. “iRacing Studios’ standalone INDYCAR title will offer all the excitement of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and an immersive experience that fans of all ages can enjoy. We are already very excited about how the game is coming together.”

Said INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles: “The most competitive and challenging racing on the planet deserves a dedicated and widely available gaming experience. iRacing Studios is the ideal partner for us, trusted and known to our core fans and ready to share our sport with a wider and highly engaged audience.”

The iRacing Studios INDYCAR offering will join other iRacing Studios titles NASCAR 25 and the World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing games as officially licensed products that represent some of the top racing series in the world. The game will feature a robust, multilevel career mode, licensed drivers from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone, and online multiplayer. The new product will be built from the ground up, with a dedicated development team creating the game on iRacing Studios’ proprietary and enhanced Orontes engine.

“Our company has grown significantly in recent years with the addition of new development teams and studios,” Gardner said. “Our INDYCAR title will benefit from this growth, as it will be the sole focus of one of these teams. However, the game will also incorporate elements like car and track assets, technology and driving characteristics developed from other iRacing Studios products.”

Real-world INDYCAR teams and drivers will be deeply involved in the creation of the new title, including Team Penske star and iRacing enthusiast Scott McLaughlin. Since transitioning to the series full time in 2021 from Australian Supercars, McLaughlin has won seven races and become a fan favorite.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the development process for iRacing Studios’ new INDYCAR title,” McLaughlin said. “It’s an honor to work with a team that has developed such amazing products to help deliver INDYCAR’s first dedicated title in quite some time. It’s already an exciting time to be an INDYCAR fan for so many reasons, and this game will take the fans’ at-home driving experience to the next level!”

The heritage of the relationship between INDYCAR and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations dates back more than three decades. The company’s predecessor, Papyrus Racing Games, created the iconic Indianapolis 500: The Simulation in 1989, followed by IndyCar Racing and IndyCar Racing II in 1993 and 1995, respectively.

A standalone INDYCAR title is the latest step in a continuously expanding partnership between INDYCAR and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. Separately, the two parties have also extended their license agreement long term for the iRacing simulation. The extension ensures INDYCAR’s continued gaming presence on PC and consoles alike for years to come.

To learn more about the full line of iRacing Studios products, visit www.iracingstudios.com. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.

The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2003 by Dave Kaemmer, co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, and John Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing.

iRacing has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world, including with NASCAR, INDYCAR, the FIA, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and numerous other car manufacturers, tracks and racing series. Alongside its PC simulation, iRacing owns two additional game studios and produces the official console games of NASCAR, INDYCAR and the World of Outlaws, as well as the all-ages title iRacing Arcade and fantasy off-road racing game ExoCross.