Category: 6. Sports

Centre Seb Atkinson and wing Will Muir will make their debuts for England as coach Steve Borthwick picked two captains for the Test against Argentina in La Plata on Saturday, including centurion George Ford.

England are without several regulars who are on tour with the British & Irish Lions, but that gives Borthwick the chance to create “Test match animals” as he put it during the week, including Atkinson.

Borthwick has had special praise for the all-action centre, who he says has broken “every GPS record we have got” in training with his high work rate.

Fly-half Ford, who will earn his 100th cap for England, co-captains the side with hooker Jamie George.

“George [Ford] has been a standout player for over a decade. Reaching 100 caps is a remarkable achievement, and it speaks volumes about both the professional and the person he is. Everyone in the squad is incredibly proud to share this moment with him,” Borthwick said.

Scrum-half Ben Spencer will partner Ford in the half-back pairing, while Atkinson plays alongside Henry Slade in the midfield. The back trio is made up of wings Muir and Tom Roebuck, and fullback Freddie Steward.

George will have props Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes pack down either side of him in the front row, with Charlie Ewels and Alex Coles the lock pairing.

The back row of the scrum features No. 8 Tom Willis and flankers Ben Curry and Sam Underhill.

Back-row forward Guy Pepper could win his first cap from the bench.

“Having beaten the British & Irish Lions in Dublin, they [Argentina] come into this series as favourites. They’re brilliantly led by Julian Montoya, and we know it will be a huge challenge,” Borthwick said.

England have never lost a Test series to Argentina despite touring the country several times with depleted squads in Lions seasons.

England team:

15-Freddie Steward, 14-Tom Roebuck, 13-Henry Slade, 12-Seb Atkinson, 11-Will Muir, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Spencer, 1-Fin Baxter, 2-Jamie George, 3-Joe Heyes, 4-Charlie Ewels, 5-Alex Coles, 6-Ben Curry, 7-Sam Underhill, 8-Tom Willis

Replacements: 16-Theo Dan, 17-Bevan Rodd, 18-Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19-Chandler Cunningham-South, 20-Guy Pepper, 21-Alex Dombrandt, 22-Jack van Poortvliet, 23-Cadan Murley

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EPA

‘Centre of excellence’

Let’s not get carried away just yet.

On Wednesday, Emma Raducanu produced one of her best performances “in a long time” to beat 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova and move into the Wimbledon third round.

But backing up that victory to reach the last 16 will probably require an even better display from the British number one on Friday.

Standing in her way is Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one and overwhelming favourite for the women’s singles title.

Raducanu has made sound progress to climb back into the world’s top 40 this season, but the evidence has shown there is still a clear gulf between the 22-year-old and the leading stars.

Both of her Grand Slam appearances this season were ended in ruthless fashion by five-time major champion Iga Swiatek – Raducanu winning only one game at the Australian Open and three at the French Open in a pair of demoralising defeats.

Coco Gauff, who went on to win the Roland Garros title, also proved too much of a step up in class for Raducanu on the Rome clay.

The challenge for Raducanu is discovering how she can test the very best.

“I think I need more weapons. I think I need to be able to hit the ball with better quality more often,” Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, told BBC Sport before facing Sabalenka.

“I think I need to serve better. I think I need to hit better on the move. There are a lot of things I need to do better.

“Beating a top player like Marketa, who has won this tournament, was obviously a really positive thing for me and a really good marker.

“But I need to bridge the gap to the very, very top.”

JEONJU: Pakistan defeated Maldives 60-35 on Friday to win the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship 2025 (Plate Division Cup) in an exciting final held in Jeonju, South Korea.

Pakistan has won seven straight games in the Plate Division Cup, including the final match at the Jeonju Hwasan Gymnasium.

Pakistan showed excellent form right away, taking a commanding 17–5 lead in the first quarter. The national team continued to dominate the next quarters, increasing their lead to 45-23 at the end of the third quarter and 34-17 at halftime.

The fact that the Maldives were never able to take the lead during the game was evidence of Pakistan’s steady play.

Key players for Pakistan, including Leya Raza Shah, Alisha Naveed, Sumayya Kouser, Haleema, Jasmine Farooq, Sumayya, Alina, Amani, Parisa and Farah Rasheed, delivered outstanding performances, contributing significantly to the team’s decisive victory.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Netball Federation, Mudassir Arian, along with President Sameen Malik and Secretary General Muhammad Riaz, extended their congratulations to the Pakistan team.

The Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025, organised under the auspices of the Asian Netball Federation, ran from June 27 to July 4.

Survivors of terror attacks and the families of those killed are among those calling on the media to adopt tighter guidelines on reporting the incidents, after some found out their loved ones had died from reporters on their doorstep.

A new reporting code backed by policing and media figures calls on outlets not to approach bereaved families within the first 48 hours after their loss and to instead make their inquiries via the police.

The guidelines, compiled by the Survivors Against Terror group, call on outlets to coordinate requests to victims and survivors and avoid congregating outside a victim’s home. Newsrooms are also asked to reduce their focus on the names, pictures and manifestos of terrorists, depriving them of the attention they crave.

The guidance is being published before the 20th anniversary of the 7 July terror attacks in London on Monday. Among those backing the guidelines is Ella Young, a survivor of the attack that day on a westbound Circle line train near Edgware Road.

“While I was waiting for an ambulance following the attack I was approached by a man offering to help me contact my husband,” she said. “I later found out he was a journalist. He made no effort to contact my husband but instead – in the days and weeks that followed – he pestered me for interviews and information.

“I was in no fit state to speak to anyone and told him I didn’t want to do any media. But he wouldn’t stop. In the end I had to change my phone number, social media details and emails to get peace. Survivors have been through so much – they shouldn’t have to endure this, too.”

Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack, said her young daughter found out about her brother’s death from a journalist who knocked on their door. “I can never take that back but I can encourage that we learn the lessons of previous attacks to protect others,” she said.

Also among those supporting the new rules is Darryn Frost, who fought a terrorist on London Bridge with a narwhal tusk. Eight people were killed when three terrorists led by Khuram Butt, 27, drove a van into pedestrians and then began stabbing people on 3 June 2017.

The current editors’ code of practice, overseen by the voluntary Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), only states that, in cases involving grief or shock, “enquiries and approaches must be made with sympathy and discretion”. It also states they must not engage in intimidation, harassment or “persistent pursuit”.

Not all publishers are members of Ipso. Some, such as the Financial Times and the Guardian, have their own codes of practice.

Lloyd Embley, a former editor-in-chief of the Mirror titles, said that, while he backed journalistic freedom and public interest journalism, “I also know we can make mistakes – especially in the aftermath of major events like terror attacks”.

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“I think this guidance helps journalists in the heat of the moment think about how we do our jobs while respecting the pain of victims and not falling into the trap of promoting the fear and hatred terrorists seek to spread,” he said.

Neil Basu, a former head of counter-terrorism policing, said the reporting of terrorism was a “key public service”, but could intensify the pain for victims when done badly.

Survivors Against Terror said its recommendations had been tested extensively with regulators, journalists and media lawyers.

Brendan Cox, a co-founder of the group, said: “Media reporting of terror attacks is absolutely in the public interest – what isn’t is intrusion into the lives of victims and survivors. This guidance aims to help journalists strike the balance and we hope media organisations act on it.”

JEONJU: Pakistan on Friday emerged victorious in the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship 2025 (Plate Division Cup), defeating Maldives with a commanding 60-35 score in a thrilling final in Jeonju, South Korea.

Pakistan’s triumph in the final showdown at the Jeonju Hwasan Gymnasium marks an undefeated run in the Plate Division Cup, securing seven consecutive wins throughout the tournament.

From the outset, Pakistan demonstrated superior form, establishing a significant lead in the first quarter with a score of 17-5.

The national team maintained their dominance through the subsequent quarters, extending their advantage to 34-17 by halftime and 45-23 by the end of the third quarter.

Maldives were unable to take the lead at any point during the match, a testament to Pakistan’s consistent performance.

Key players for Pakistan, including Leya Raza Shah, Alisha Naveed, Sumayya Kouser, Haleema, Jasmine Farooq, Sumayya, Alina, Amani, Parisa and Farah Rasheed, delivered outstanding performances, contributing significantly to the team’s decisive victory.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Netball Federation, Mudassir Arian, along with President Sameen Malik and Secretary General Muhammad Riaz, extended their congratulations to the Pakistan team.

The Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025, organised under the auspices of the Asian Netball Federation, ran from June 27 to July 4.

DES MOINES, Iowa — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upward of 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence.

“We have a lot of land there,” said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league’s president.

Trump announced his plan in Iowa during the kickoff for a year’s worth of festivities to celebrate America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.

The Republican president also announced a culminating festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and a separate athletic competition featuring high school athletes from across the country.

“So every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250. And I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight,” Trump said.

″Think of this on the grounds of the White House,” he said, adding that it would be a “full fight” with 20,000 to 25,000 people.

A White House spokesperson said they had no details to share beyond the president’s announcement, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Trump was “dead serious” about those plans.

Trump has recently enjoyed standing ovations and cageside seats for several UFC fights, including an appearance immediately after his 2024 reelection and another just last month alongside White for two championship fights.

David Benavidez is set to make the first defense of his WBC light heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde in November, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, said Thursday.

The date and location of the bout, which will mark Benavidez’s Riyadh Season debut, have not been determined.

Benavidez, 28, has wanted to fight undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. However, with Alvarez showing little interest, Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) moved up to the light heavyweight division.

Benavidez earned a decision win in his debut in the weight class in June 2024 over Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight title. Benavidez beat David Morrell for his first successful defense of the interim title in February.

Benavidez was elevated to full champion when the then-undisputed champion Dmitry Bivol fought Artur Beterbiev for a third time rather than fulfill the WBC’s request to defend the championship against the interim titleholder.

Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) will make his third attempt to win a world title. Fighting out of London, Yarde started his career 18-0 before suffering his first loss against Sergey Kovalev in 2019 when he challenged for the WBO light heavyweight title. Yarde fell short in his second attempt for championship gold when he was knocked out by Beterbiev in their January 2023 meeting for the WBC, IBF and WBO titles.

In his last outing, Yarde won a decision over Lyndon Arthur on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn in April.

It was a day dominated by India and their captain Shubman Gill, who scored a majestic, record-breaking double century. The 25-year-old’s knock powered India to a massive first-innings total of 587 and cemented his place among the game’s greats.By stumps on Day 2 of the second Test, England found themselves staring at a mountain, reeling at 77 for 3, still trailing by 510 runs.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Gill’s monumental 269 was not just a career-best – it was a statistical spectacle that obliterated long-standing Indian records in overseas Tests. In only his second Test as captain, Gill surpassed legends such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, compiling a catalogue of elite milestones in one extraordinary knock.“I worked on a few things before the series,” Gill said after the day’s play. “Looking at the results, they are working for me.”

Here are the major records smashed by captain Gill in Birmingham:* Highest by an Indian captain in TestsGill’s 269 now stands as the highest score by an Indian Test captain, overtaking Kohli’s unbeaten 254 against South Africa in 2019. It is only the second double hundred by an Indian captain in an overseas Test, after Kohli’s 200 in Antigua in 2016.* Record in England and outside AsiaIn England, Gill’s effort is now the highest score by an Indian batter, bettering Gavaskar’s 221 at The Oval in 1979 and Dravid’s 217 in 2002. His 269 also tops Sachin Tendulkar’s 241* at Sydney in 2004 as the highest Test score by an Indian outside Asia.* Among India’s All-Time BestOverall, Gill’s 269 is the third-highest away Test score by an Indian, behind only Sehwag’s 309 (Multan, 2004) and Dravid’s 270 (Rawalpindi, 2004). It’s the seventh-highest Test score for India across all venues.He also became only the fifth batter ever, after Sehwag, Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle (the lone non-Indian), to notch up double hundreds in both Tests and ODIs.

* Rarified company at EdgbastonAt Edgbaston, only Graeme Smith (277, 2003) and Zaheer Abbas (274, 1971) had scored more as visiting batters. Gill’s 269 is now the third-highest score at the venue by a tourist, and the eighth-highest overall by a visiting batter in England.* Elite company in captaincy debut trailGill is now one of only seven players to hit centuries in each of their first two Tests as captain. Indians Vijay Hazare, Gavaskar and Kohli had achieved this before. At 25 years and 298 days, he is also the second-youngest Indian skipper to post a double ton, after MAK Pataudi.Only Graeme Smith scored a double century in England at a younger age among captains, doing so twice in 2003 at age 22.

Shubman Gill’s knock in context of India’s batting historyIndia’s 250-plus scores in away Tests:309 – Virender Sehwag vs PAK (Multan, 2004)270 – Rahul Dravid vs PAK (Rawalpindi, 2004)269 – Shubman Gill vs ENG (Edgbaston, 2025)254 – Sehwag vs PAK (Lahore, 2006)Youngest to score a Test double hundred as India captain23y 39d – MAK Pataudi vs ENG, Delhi, 196425y 298d – Shubman Gill vs ENG, Edgbaston, 202526y 189d – Sachin Tendulkar vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 199927y 260d – Virat Kohli vs WI, North Sound, 2016Among Indian captains, only Kohli (7 double tons) has more, but Gill’s has a unique prestige – it came outside the subcontinent, the first ever by an Indian skipper in SENA countries.