Wales boss Warren Gatland says he is “pretty confident” that star back-row forward Taulupe Faletau will be available for World Cup selection.
The Cardiff number eight, who has won 100 caps, will play no part in Wales’ tournament warm-up schedule as he continues his recovery from a calf muscle injury.
He is not involved against England at Twickenham on Saturday, and has also been ruled out of contention to face world champions South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday week.
Gatland said: “Taulupe won’t be available next week.
“He trained pretty well today, he is not feeling anything in his calf, so we are pretty confident he is available for selection.”
Centre Johnny Williams and wing Alex Cuthbert, though, are on course to be available for South Africa’s visit, with fly-half Gareth Anscombe ruled out as a precautionary measure after taking a knock to his thumb during Wales’ training camp in Turkey.
Gatland is set to name his final 33-strong World Cup squad within the next fortnight as the clock continues ticking on players’ selection hopes.
“I am expecting a group of players who are desperate to perform. It is a good situation to be in,” Gatland added, ahead of Saturday’s clash.
“England have picked their (World Cup) squad, so they will want to go out there and perform.
“But sometimes, it is almost the relief of being selected in the squad, and whether you are quite there emotionally. That’s the challenge for them to get up.
“I know we have a group of players that are in the right head-space because that team went out last week (Wales beat England 20-9 in Cardiff) they weren’t perfect, but they showed some great signs of what we are looking for as a group.
“There is a lot at stake, and players are well aware of that. We are not highlighting that or trying to put extra pressure on them.”
Asked about players’ World Cup selection prospects who have yet to feature in the summer Tests, Gatland said: “It is going to be tougher for them isn’t?
“If they haven’t trained a lot and they haven’t played, you might get an opportunity next week and you have probably got to have a pretty special game.
“Some of those players might get that chance next week. We will see how Saturday goes. It is always a challenge for players who have had injuries and haven’t taken a full part.”
Gatland was linked with the England head coach’s job following Eddie Jones’ sacking last year, before Steve Borthwick was appointed as the Australian’s successor.
Asked if he looked back and wished he was in the England camp, Gatland added: “Not really. I’m happy that I’m here.”
He was more forthcoming on England fly-half Marcus Smith, though, a player who Gatland believes is a potential world superstar.
“I just think he is an incredibly talented player. I like him as a person, I like him as a rugby player,” he said.
“There has been so much negativity around rugby the last couple of years.
“We need to be positive about the game, and how do we create superstars in the game where kids want to look up to people and wear their jersey and play in their back yard and call themselves Marcus Smith. Potentially, he can be that superstar.”
Wales, meanwhile, will lock horns with Jones’ Australia team at the World Cup, facing them in a potentially pivotal pool clash on September 24.
Australia did not win a game in this summer’s Rugby Championship, while Jones’ World Cup squad announced on Thursday features a solitary recognised fly-half and no place for former captain Michael Hooper.
“He (Jones) seems comfortable with throwing a few curve-balls in there. He has spoken really positively about what they are capable of doing,” Gatland added.
“Eddie talked about smash and grab in the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe (Cup). Maybe part two of that will work, but part one hasn’t come off.”
Purosangue will head to York following his near miss in the Molecomb Stakes, with connections confident they have a high-class two-year-old on their hands.
Owned by Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley and trained by Andrew Balding, the son of Aclaim made a winning debut at Haydock in June before taking an encouraging step up to Group Two company at Newmarket’s July Festival when fourth to Jasour in the July Stakes.
Dropped back both in trip to five furlongs and slightly in grade to Group Three level at Goodwood, he produced a fine display to be beaten only a neck by Mick Appleby’s Windsor Castle scorer Big Evs and his owners now believe they have a top sprinting prospect to enjoy.
“He’s a proper horse definitely and he’s just going to go and get better and better as well,” said George Gill, director of Opulence Thoroughbreds.
“He’s not your typical breeze-up horse who can regress mentally after their first run, he’s actually mentally and physically improved from Haydock to Newmarket and then to Goodwood.
“I definitely think he’s a five-furlong horse for now. He’s sort of one you can imagine in the King’s Stand next year at Royal Ascot and I think if we come up against Big Evs again, I reckon we can beat him.”
Purosangue will continue campaigning in Pattern company, with Gill outlining an ambitious programme for the second half of the season.
The next stop for the talented youngster will be the Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York on the Saturday of the Ebor meeting, while there is the prospect Purosangue will end his season in Paris with a tilt at the Prix de l’Abbaye.
“It’s exciting and we’ll now head to York on August 26 for the Listed race which is valuable and is worth £100,000, and then there is the Flying Childers over five furlongs at Doncaster in September,” added Gill.
“There’s also a nice race at Newmarket in October but depending on how much he progresses, you also have the option of going for the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc weekend.
“There’s plenty of options and he’s one of the soundest horses I’ve ever seen and bought at the breeze-up sales. His vetting was impeccable. He’s all speed in his dam line and has the speed from Aclaim and he’s a gorgeous looking horse as well.
“It’s very exciting and he’s with the right man to take him to the top as well.”
Lauren James has been handed a two-match ban following her red card in England’s World Cup win over Nigeria.
The Chelsea star was dismissed late in the second half for stamping on Nigeria forward Michelle Alozie following an altercation.
FIFA said in a statement: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed a two-match suspension on England’s player Lauren James following a violation of article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code at the FIFA Women’s World Cup match England v Nigeria.
“The suspension will be served for the Women’s World Cup quarter-final and the next international fixture following that.”
It means James will be available for the tournament final should England progress that far.
James already knew she would miss Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia following her red card in the game, which England won on penalties.
But fears she could be automatically ruled out for the rest of the tournament could prove unfounded if Sarina Wiegman’s side make it all the way to the final.
Conceivably James, who apologised in the wake of the incident and has been publicly backed by Wiegman, would be available to return in the prospective August 20 showpiece in Sydney.
Jockeys who use their whip nine times or more in races in France will face immediate disqualification from September 1.
France Galop announced on Thursday that regulations would be revised with the stated aim “to further strengthen deterrence against whip abuse”.
Riders in France already face stringent limits on use of the whip, with four strokes the permitted maximum introduced in May this year.
From next month, if a jockey goes five strikes over that limit, their mount will be disqualified by the raceday stewards, before any bets on the race concerned are paid out.
The British Horseracing Authority amended its rules earlier in 2023, with seven strikes allowed over the jumps and six on the Flat. Any rider who exceeds those limits by four or more is disqualified, although that sanction is not imposed on raceday, instead being passed along to the Whip Review Committee, which meets on Tuesdays and Fridays.
There have been a limited number of disqualifications since the British rules were changed, while Jim Crowley came within one strike of the sanction when riding Hukum to victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
His nine uses of the whip resulted in a 20-day ban and a £10,000 fine.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a serious knee injury.
The Belgium international is believed to have suffered the anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in training and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
A statement on Real’s official club website read: “Following tests carried out on Thibaut Courtois, the player has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days.”
The 31-year-old has made over 200 appearances for the club since joining from Chelsea in August 2018 and has been a near ever-present in the Spanish capital.
Courtois produced a man-of-the-match performance in the 2022 Champions League final when Los Blancos beat Liverpool 1-0 in Paris.
Spain international David De Gea, who was previously linked with a big-money move to the Santiago Bernabeu, could be an option for Carlo Ancelotti’s side after his contract at Manchester United expired earlier this summer.
Netherlands boss Andries Jonker had admitted Danielle van de Donk will be a “big” miss as she sits out the World Cup quarter-final clash with Spain through suspension.
The 32-year-old Lyon midfielder will not be involved in Wellington on Friday having picked up her second yellow card of the tournament in Sunday’s 2-0 last-16 victory over South Africa in Sydney.
Van de Donk has started all four games to date and Jonker is acutely aware of the impact her absence could have on his team.
Asked how significant a loss she will be, he told FIFA.com: “Big. Danielle is an extremely experienced player. She has over 140 caps, is a European champion, World Cup finalist.
“Not playing in this match, with her specific qualities that are really useful to the team, is a real shame for her but also for the team.”
Jonker, who has worked previously as an assistant to Louis van Gaal at the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich and was also academy director at Arsenal, was appointed Netherlands boss last year and is hoping to guide the nation to a second successive World Cup final after they were beaten by the United States four years ago.
He said: “This is one of the matches in your career that you will never forget because when you win, you are one of the final four, so it’s important.
“It’s my first World Cup as head coach, so it’s a special match, as I’ve seen many in my career. You are not going to forget that, so it is rather special, yes.”
The Dutch squad has been together for almost eight weeks and there is no intention within the camp to head back to the northern hemisphere just yet.
Jonker said: “It’s a real joy to work with these girls. I love working with people who try and get the best out of themselves and each other. And that’s what this group does, so yes, I’m doing this with great pleasure.
“We’re not going home yet.”
Pep Guardiola feels it is “almost impossible” for Manchester City to repeat last season’s treble-winning heroics.
City will begin the 2023-24 campaign as favourites in all competitions but Guardiola is not expecting a repeat of last term, when his side claimed Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup success.
“It feels like it finished yesterday but we start again,” said the City manager, whose side travel to Burnley for their Premier League opener on Friday.
“I don’t think it will be possible to do what we did last season, it’s once in a lifetime. I said to the players forget about it.
“We climbed the highest mountain last season but we have come down that mountain now. We start from the same as everyone else, with the same intention and there will be a lot of difficulties to climb the mountain again.
“What we have done remains in our hearts and minds but it’s over.
“The history speaks for itself but it is almost impossible to repeat.”
Guardiola, speaking at a press conference, was unwilling to comment on speculation linking the club with a move for West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta.
He said: “I will not answer about Paqueta. He is a West Ham player.”
The City boss also offered no updates on the situation concerning full-back Kyle Walker, who has been linked with Bayern Munich throughout the summer.
“We are wishing he stays but there is no news,” Guardiola said.
Another player who has been the subject of speculation is youngster Cole Palmer, who scored City’s goal in their Community Shield loss to Arsenal last weekend.
The 21-year-old is reportedly the subject of a loan bid from West Ham.
Guardiola said: “Cole is with us. Today he is with us. What is going to happen, I don’t know.
“I understand completely that he wants to be more active than the previous season, but Riyad (Mahrez) has gone, so we have one more place there.
“We will see. I cannot say anything because the last decisions belong to the club. The club have to decide what is best.”
Friday’s trip to Turf Moor will see Guardiola come up against his former captain Vincent Kompany, who has guided the Clarets back to the top flight at the first attempt.
Guardiola said: “Normally the first games are difficult, especially against newly-promoted teams because they have nothing to lose and the energy, the dream to do a good season.
“Apart from that, Vinny knows us well and he is doing an incredible job.
“He has changed the way Burnley play completely and they destroyed the Championship. It will be a tough, tough game.”
Bournemouth are closing in on the signing of Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott, the PA news agency understands.
Robins boss Nigel Pearson confirmed on Wednesday evening that Scott had been given permission to talk to the Premier League Cherries.
The 19-year-old, who was named the Sky Bet Championship’s young player of the season for 2022-23, has attracted plenty of attention from top-flight clubs for his standout performances.
Bournemouth appear to have won the race for his signature and remain in discussions with Scott, who missed City’s opening two matches of the new season due to a swollen knee.
The value of the transfer is believed to be in excess of £20million.
Guernsey-born Scott made his senior debut in April 2021 and has scored five Championship goals in 83 appearances during his time at Ashton Gate.
He has also represented England at youth level, including making three appearances at this year’s Under-20 World Cup.
Bournemouth, who appointed Spaniard Andoni Iraola as manager in June after sacking Gary O’Neil, are set to begin a new era at home to West Ham on Saturday.
Saturday’s improbable Betfred Challenge Cup final at Wembley pits Willie Peters’ exciting and expansive Hull KR against a Leigh side led by Adrian Lam who have taken this season by storm.
For Rovers it means a chance to erase the memories of their last final appearance in 2015 when they were hammered 50-0 by Leeds – whilst Leigh’s last involvement in the sport’s showpiece event came way back in 1971.
Here, the PA news agency picks out the four key areas which could determine whether Peters’ men or Lam’s in-form Leopards emerge with the trophy.
Hooker: Jez Litten v Edwin IpapeA revelation in Leigh’s promotion-winning 2022 campaign, Ipape has extended his explosive brand of running and tackling into the top-flight, relishing his role in a settled spine and proceeding to cement his place as one of the best number nines in the business. Litten’s role at Rovers – which he often splits with the more experienced Matt Parcell – may be more understated but is deceptively effective. Litten’s ability to speed up the ruck in the later stages of gruelling games could prove a pivotal factor against Leigh’s bulky pack.
Halves: Brad Schneider v Lachlan LamThe 22-year-old Schneider has reignited Rovers’ season since his arrival on a short-term deal from Canberra. The Australian kicked two consecutive golden point winners in his first two games, including last month’s semi-final win over Wigan, when his his kicking accuracy and strong running game was plain to see. Alongside Ipape, Lam has effectively orchestrated his side’s surge towards the summit this season, a cool-headed distributor whose 20 assists so far are testament to his status as one of 2023’s stand-out performers.
Threequarters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall v Josh CharnleyOut wide most eyes will be on Rovers winger Ryan Hall, who looks set to start for the first time since limping off in the semi-final warm-up. But Rovers’ fate may rest with talismanic skipper Kenny-Dowall, not only for his swashbuckling forward forays but the inspiration he is giving team-mates who wish to send him into retirement on a high. Leigh are a little lighter in the threequarters department but boast a potentially match-winning card in arrow-like winger Charnley, second only in tries scored (22) and metres gained to Catalans’ Tom Johnstone so far this season.
Forwards: Elliot Minchella v John AsiataLeigh captain Asiata may be best known for his uncompromising tackle technique but it is his leadership qualities and skills with the ball – he has made more carries than any other forward this season – that might provide the crucial components at Wembley. Rovers’ key forward threat arrives in the shape of their free-ranging 13 Minchella, the Bradford man whose constant driving of his side’s line speed is key.
Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Paul made history on Monday by winning the silver medal in the men's sprint final at the UCI World Championships.
Paul, 24, became the most decorated cyclist in his country's history with the achievement, surpassing the previous record of one silver medal set by Roger Gibbon in 1967.
Paul lost the final to Olympic champion Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands in two consecutive rides. In the first ride, Paul started from the front and made an early move, but Lavreysen was able to come back and edge him out at the line. The second ride was not as close, as Paul made a slight mistake that allowed Lavreysen to pull away and win comfortably.
Despite the loss, Paul's silver medal is a major accomplishment for the young cyclist. He is now the only person from Trinidad and Tobago to have won a medal at the UCI World Championships, and he is one of only a handful of riders from the Caribbean to have achieved the feat.
Spencer Johnson was a phonecall away from gatecrashing this summer’s Ashes and underlined his credentials as one of Australia’s next big things with a record-breaking debut for Oval Invincibles.
The left-arm quick produced sensational figures of three wickets for one run in Wednesday’s victory over Manchester Originals – the cheapest 20-ball spell ever recorded in The Hundred.
Even more remarkable was the fact that the 27-year-old had never set foot on English soil before and only arrived in the country on Monday, having played in the final of Canada’s Global T20 the day before.
“I don’t know when it will sink in really, I’m not even sure it will. I’m pretty speechless,” he told the PA news agency.
“You never come into a game expecting to concede one run, especially bowling at players like Jos Buttler and Phil Salt first up. I was trying to remember where the one came from and I couldn’t picture it. I’m enjoying it now because it will probably never happen again, but was quite cool to be a part of.
“It was raining when I arrived in England so I didn’t have a chance to have a roll out in the middle the day before, and I didn’t know how I was going to feel out on the pitch. But playing out there at the Oval felt awesome.”
Johnson’s whirlwind week also saw him called up by Australia for the first time, for the T20 series against South Africa at the end of the month.
Had things been different he could have found himself thrown into this summer’s unforgettable Test series against England, which finished 2-2 after gripping the cricket world for seven weeks.
He was on another franchise assignment with Los Angeles Knight Riders when Cricket Australia told him he may be needed for the fourth and fifth Tests, though left-armer Mitchell Starc eventually played through despite some injury niggles.
“I reckon I watched every ball of that series,” he said.
“I was placed on standby for the last couple of Tests so I had to be following things pretty closely.
“I grew up admiring Starcy my whole life, ever since he came on the scene. He’s the ultimate athlete, durable, fast, takes crucial wickets.
“I like the way he goes about things, I’d love to be anywhere near him to be honest. Test cricket is number one at the forefront of my mind, hopefully in a couple of years I’m still bowling well and I get a chance (to face England), but we’ve got another six games here with Invincibles and that’s as far ahead as I’m thinking now.”
View this post on Instagram
The first of those comes against Northern Superchargers at Headingley on Friday, where compatriot Matthew Short will be looking to do more damage to Johnson’s figures than the Originals managed.
“I know I’ll go for more than one next time, it’s one of those things that will probably never happen again,” he admitted.
“Cricket is pretty fickle game, but if it’s swinging and I’m hitting the right length, we’ve seen it can be tough to score. Shorty has got me a couple of times back in Australia and I’m looking to level the playing field!”
Donnacha O’Brien is confident his Royal Ascot heroine Porta Fortuna can give the colts a run for their money in Saturday’s Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
Having won a Curragh maiden and a Group Three at Naas in the spring, the daughter of Caravaggio completed her hat-trick in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting under Frankie Dettori.
Connections had the option of keeping Porta Fortuna against her own sex in the Lowther at York later this month, but O’Brien is happy to roll the dice against the boys in a bid for Group One glory.
He said: “She’s won two Group races now, two Group Threes, so I suppose the next step now is to let her have a go at a Group One.
“The Lowther is a Group Two and we said we’d let her take her chance in a Group One.
“She’s in good form and working well, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Oisin Murphy takes over in the saddle aboard Porta Fortuna, who is one of seven juveniles declared for the six-furlong contest.
Aidan O’Brien, Donnacha’s father, will rely on Railway Stakes second and third Unquestionable and His Majesty in his bid for a remarkable 18th Phoenix Stakes success, having decided against running his unbeaten Coventry Stakes winner River Tiber.
Other leading contenders include Adrian Murray’s Coventry third and Railway winner Bucanero Fuerte and Jessica Harrington’s Coventry fourth Givemethebeatboys.
“It looks like he (River Tiber) is going to go for the Prix Morny, but it’s still a very competitive field,” Donnacha O’Brien added.
“There’s three or four there that are very close on ratings, there’s a few that could win it. It’s a very open race and it should be good.”
Bethany England is optimistic the launch of the Premier League season will not distract football fans from the Lionesses’ quest to lift a maiden World Cup.
The European champions kick off their Colombia quarter-final at 11:30am UK time on Saturday, one hour before Arsenal and Nottingham Forest begin their new campaigns at the Emirates.
The Lionesses’ last-16 clash against Nigeria was watched by over five million people on BBC TV, while tournament organisers have said they are on track to reach an audience of two billion viewers worldwide.
Forward England said: “It’s important that we keep, I think as we’ve seen over the last few years and since the Euros especially the amount of numbers that have grown in the women’s game and people’s interest and viewing numbers.
“I think hopefully we can still engage the fans enough to want to watch us and I know there’s a lot of people that have turned to women’s football because they’ve enjoyed watching us. It’s not just because the men aren’t playing.
“So hopefully we can continue that because we want to make sure that those viewing numbers are as high as possible, whether they choose to watch the men’s game or not.
“We can’t affect that. I think ultimately we’re going to go and try and put out our best performance and give the fans something to watch, and that they will want to keep coming back and watching us.”
England was part of Sarina Wiegman’s squad who lifted the Euro 2022 trophy last summer, a result that captivated the country and launched an unprecedented, record-breaking season of attendance and viewing figures for the Women’s Super League (WSL) and sold-out international contests at Wembley.
The European final took place on July 31, several weeks before the opening weekend of the Premier League.
England, 29, left Chelsea for Tottenham in January and finished as the WSL’s third-best goal-scorer behind only England team-mate Rachel Daly and Jamaica captain Khadija Shaw, whose side were beaten 1-0 by the Lionesses’ South American Saturday rivals Colombia.
England did enough to stand out to Wiegman, and not just to earn a ticket to Australia.
The Spurs striker has so far twice been rewarded with playing time as a substitute, and converted a critical spot-kick against Nigeria in the Lionesses’ dramatic 4-2 win on penalties.
England added: “I was in that situation last summer where I didn’t play and it was tough, but for me, this tournament has been very much different and it’s been an amazing feeling, and a very proud moment for me to have been able to have stepped onto the pitch for my national team in a major tournament.
“And I think it’s important, I remember having this conversation with some of the girls the other day, that you think it’s the end of the world because you’ve not played your part, but you’re all playing your part. And that’s exactly what I had to learn from myself last year, was that it might seem at the time like it’s really difficult but it really is worth it.”
A World Cup quarter-final seems a universe away from England’s early days.
Nine years ago, still several seasons before the WSL turned professional in 2018, she was doing night shifts at the the Wellington Street chippy in Barnsley while balancing football with Doncaster Belles alongside her A-levels.
England added: “When I look back to working in the chippy, doing a shift until 5am and clearing up drunk people’s food or alcohol bottles, I’m now playing in a major tournament. That for me is very much a ‘pinch me’ moment.
“Everyone’s story is different, everyone has got their own way in which they got here. I think it’s quite special because it’s really humbling as well that with things like that you are just a normal person but then you come to a tournament like this and think ‘wow, there are millions and millions of eyes watching me in these moments’.
“I just have to make sure I’m at my best and ready because you’re always watching us no matter what we do.”
England have selected a host of big guns led by Owen Farrell for Saturday’s clash with Wales as they look to ignite their World Cup preparations in the wake of a tame defeat in Cardiff.
Farrell captains a side that sees Billy Vunipola make his first Test appearance since the autumn, having missed out on the Six Nations on form grounds and then undergone successive knee operations.
Vunipola is the only specialist number eight to have been picked in England’s World Cup squad, making the Twickenham showdown a key moment in his comeback having been sidelined since April.
Following a 20-9 loss in the first of four warm-up matches, head coach Steve Borthwick has picked a team close to his strongest XV that also features Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Courtney Lawes.
One of England’s shortcomings at the Principality Stadium was their inability to capitalise on the chances created in the first half but in Elliot Daly and Henry Arundell there will be two quality finishers present on Saturday.
Daly is making his first England appearance since the 2022 Six Nations, having fallen out of favour under Eddie Jones and then seen his recall for this year’s Championship scuppered by a torn hamstring.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
