Britain’s Joe Salisbury made US Open history alongside American partner Rajeev Ram with victory in the men’s doubles final.
Salisbury, 31, and 39-year-old Ram became the first team to win the Flushing Meadows title three years in a row in the Open era by beating India’s Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden of Australia 2-6 6-3 6-4.
It was a fourth grand slam crown for the duo and denied Bopanna a first major title at the age of 43.
“I think this partnership is really special. It’s been five years and we’ve got pretty close, we know we are going to give it our all until the very end,” said Salisbury.
“We’re just really proud of the effort we put in today.”
Ram dropped serve in the very first game and Salisbury was also broken as Bopanna and Ebden eased to the first set.
With New York still sweltering in 35C temperatures, tournament referee Jake Garner arrived on court to tell the players that the shutters around Arthur Ashe, and then the roof, would have to be closed.
The delay seemed to knock Bopanna and Ebden out of their stride, with Salisbury and Ram securing an immediate break and going on to level the match.
After Ram indulged in his now traditional mid-match sushi snack, they saved three break points for 2-2 in the third and then broke in the next game when Bopanna’s cross-court forehand flew just wide.
Bopanna sportingly gave Salisbury and Ram the point after the umpire missed an Ebden winner brushing his arm on the way through to leave them 0-30 down.
Fittingly, Bopanna hit the winner as he and Ebden came back to hold, but Ram delighted the American crowd by serving out for the title.
Ram paid tribute to Bopanna, saying: “That act of sportsmanship on the court, we’ve been playing the better part of 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like that, especially at a time like that we’d have had no idea. Bops you’re an inspiration.
He added: “Just to be out here, it’s something I could never have thought of in my wildest dreams. I can’t believe we’re here.”
Kenny Bednarek and Zharnel Hughes locked in an intense battle over 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday with the American edging the Briton to win in 19.79. The Glen Mills conditioned Hughes was not far behind in 19.82.
Close behind in third was Canada’s Andre DeGrasse who ran a season’s best 19.89 for third place. His Canadian teammate Aaron Brown also ran a season-best 19.98 for fourth place.
Cynthia Bolingo stormed past a talented field to win the 400m at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday. Candice McLeod was among those who she zipped past down the home stretch, the Jamaican finishing in fifth in 50.82.
Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands and Shamier Little of the USA, as well as McLeod, battled for the lead over the first 300m with the American taking the lead coming off the curve into the home straight. She seemed headed for victory before Bolingo unleashed a stirring run to take victory in 50.02.
Klaver managed to edge ahead of Little to take second place in 50.16 with the American fading to third in 50.58.
Great Britain’s Victoria Ohurugou managed to out-lean McLeod at the line to take fourth in 50.81.
Frankie Dettori paid his first ever visit to Down Royal on Friday evening but was out of luck on his two rides.
Dettori, who is retiring at the end of the year, is planning on visiting as many different courses as he can before he finally hangs up his saddle.
Fresh from a successful visit to Hungary recently, this weekend he is closer to home for the Irish Champions Festival which meant he was able to stop off in Northern Ireland beforehand.
Dettori could not have dreamt for his farewell season to have gone much better as he has already won the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean, the Gold Cup at Ascot on Courage Mon Ami and the Juddmonte International on Mostahdaf among many other big races.
However he was unable to give the bumper crowd the result many were after as No Thanks faded into third behind Noel Meade’s Crassus in the Grant Thornton Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap and Evening’s Empire could only finish seventh to God Knows in the Children’s Heartbeat Trust Handicap.
“This is my first time (riding here) – obviously, as you know this is my last year. I tried to reach out to places I haven’t been before,” he said.
“Barney (Curley) took me to Northern Ireland and I did sightseeing in Enniskillen and Omagh. I think up there today he will be chuckling to himself that I am riding here!
“I like new challenges and this is my farewell tour.
“Now that I don’t have to worry about keeping my job, I am much more relaxed and I guess the horses feel it. I’m getting some good results.
“I’ve had an amazing career and I’m going to miss it.”
Speaking of the timing of the decision he said: “I feel this is the right time to stop at the top. I was watching the World Cup last year and Ronaldo, one of the best players in the world, was on the bench. That could happen to me.
“I’ve so much to look forward to. I’d like to travel the world a bit – I’ve seen horses and racecourses, but I haven’t seen much else. So some time for me and my wife to explore the world a little bit.
“No time to reflect yet, just keep going!”
After racing Dettori was taking part in an event with racegoers who were due to be regaled with stories from his illustrious career.
Gregor Townsend insisted the 15 players he has selected to face South Africa have “earned the right” to start together as he challenged his burgeoning Scotland team to deliver on the biggest stage of all.
The head coach named a starting line-up on Friday with no surprises as key duo Darcy Graham and Zander Fagerson returned from injury and suspension respectively for the World Cup Pool B opener against the world champions.
Townsend believes the sense of “cohesion” within the team he has picked will stand them in good stead for Sunday’s showdown in the late-summer heat of Marseille.
“It’s been the team that has played (together) in the main,” he said at a press conference at Stade Velodrome on Friday. “The majority of the players have played together all year. A couple of players missed the Six Nations, Rory Darge and Darcy Graham who are back fit and back with us.
“It’s a team that deserves to go out there. They have earned the right to start in such an important fixture because of the way they have played and the way they have trained.
“We have built a lot of cohesion over the last two or three months by training with certain combinations week after week. We’ve seen the benefits of doing that transfer into the warm-up games and now it’s about delivering the most complete game we have done this year.”
Scotland go into the World Cup as dark horses for the Webb Ellis Cup having emerged as best of the rest behind the heavyweight quartet of Ireland, South Africa, France and New Zealand.
Several players in Townsend’s team go into the global showpiece at the top of their game and the head coach is confident they can produce collectively when it matters most.
“It’s the biggest opportunity you’ll get: a World Cup game, playing the world champions,” he said ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
“We believe we’ve been building to our best performance – and I know that’s a continual journey and we’ll say it again as we go towards the Tonga game – but really this is where it’ll count for our players to deliver what they have been delivering in training and what they have been delivering in other games we’ve played this year, and we have every faith they will be able to do that.”
Townsend has no worries about his players’ temperament as they prepare for a huge occasion in front of 67,000 people in the Marseille heat.
“That’s the job for us as coaches, the senior players and the players who have been there before, to be calm and to calm others,” he said. “But there is an expectation that it’s going to be a very emotional and exciting build-up.
“I’m sure the players will feel the sense of adrenaline, nerves and excitement as we get closer to kick-off. But that can be turned into a real positive. It can narrow your focus, but also give you that extra energy boost that you need.”
Scotland trailed in all four of their summer warm-up matches and came back to win three of them, including a stirring 25-21 victory at home to France, while they also went close to pipping Les Bleus in the rematch in Saint-Etienne before eventually succumbing to a 30-27 defeat.
Townsend believes such experiences will give them reason for confidence if they find themselves trailing at any point on Sunday.
“We didn’t want to be 21-3 behind against France but this team have shown they are capable of coming back, whether it’s in Paris (in the Six Nations), or at Murrayfield when a man down, or Saint-Etienne with the crowd and momentum against us.
“It would be nice to be 15 points ahead, but we’ve got to deal with whatever situation is presented at any time in the game.
“We will be tested, no doubt. There will be times when South Africa have dominance, South Africa have points on the board.
“There will be times when we aren’t able to execute things as well as we like and that’s not because it’s the first game of the World Cup, it’s because of the opposition and what they bring with their pressure.
“But we’ve got to find a way to win and that’s what this World Cup is about, finding a way to win.”
The Scots were unable to include either scrum-half George Horne or hooker Ewan Ashman in the 23 after the pair suffered concussion in training.
Stuart McInally, who was cut from the squad last month, has flown out to France as cover until Ashman recovers.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 8.
FootballRemembering Gary Speed.
James Maddison was ready for take off.
Shane Duffy was looking forward.
John Terry prepared to honour a Chelsea favourite.
Eric Bailly was up and running at Besiktas.
Previously in European Championship qualifying group A…
Happy birthday.
TennisCoco Gauff got the crowd animated.
Call it a comeback.
Hamilton’s creator was in The Room Where It Happens.
Formula OneA good day in history for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton went back to school.
Valtteri Bottas was moonlighting.
Yuki Tsunoda and his AlphaTauri sailed through Venice.
Sergio Perez was celebrating his latest milestone.
CricketHappy birthday Jos Buttler.
Tyson Fury has been urged to use his platform to highlight Saudi Arabia’s “disturbing” human rights record after he claimed the Middle East country will host all the big sporting events within the next decade.
Fury will fight in Riyadh on October 28 against former UFC world heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a boxing bout which has been described as an ‘historic event’ by his Queensberry and Top Rank promoters despite his WBC belt not being on the line.
It will not be the first time Fury has been the main attraction in Saudi Arabia after he took part in a wrestling contest with Braun Strowman at King Fahd International Stadium four years ago, but he will now follow in the footsteps of Anthony Joshua by boxing in a country with a poor human rights record.
Joshua faced criticism ahead of his 2019 clash with Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah, located just outside of Riyadh, and before his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah last year from human rights group Amnesty International.
Amnesty has now turned its focus to Fury, who predicted Saudi Arabia will became “the powerhouse of all sports” during Thursday’s launch press conference for his bout with Ngannou, while Saudi advisor Turki Alalshikh was frequently thanked for organising the event in Riyadh.
Fury said: “I have fought in the Riyadh season before in 2019 for the WWE Crown Jewel and I knocked out the Monster Among Men Braun Strowman and I will knock out another big dosser here in him (Ngannou).
“It is a very special event for me and a special time in sports where a powerhouse like Saudi Arabia are coming in taking over the game.
“They are taking over football, taking over boxing, I think within five to 10 years they will be the powerhouse of all sports. All the big sporting events will be in Saudi Arabia somewhere.”
The Riyadh season, which since 2019 runs from October to March and sees several big entertainment events taking place in the city, was referenced repeatedly during Thursday’s press conference in London but there was no mention of homosexuality being illegal and a punishable death in Saudi, nor the accusations the state faces for placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said in a statement to the PA news agency: “Saudi Arabia’s efforts to become a sporting ‘powerhouse’ are part of a major sportswashing drive from the Saudi authorities who are intent on trying to rebrand the country and distract attention from the country’s appalling human rights record.
“At the same time that Saudi Arabia’s been shovelling money into eye-catching sporting ventures, it’s been cracking down on human rights at home, with peaceful activists jailed, a staggering 196 people executed last year alone, and Jamal Khashoggi’s grisly murder still the subject of a state cover-up.
View this post on Instagram“Only last week, we had news that retired teacher Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi has been sentenced to death by a Saudi court for his remarks on Twitter and YouTube, and meanwhile the Leeds University PhD student Salma al-Shehab is serving a 27-year jail sentence for tweeting her support for Saudi women’s rights activists.
“As far back as Anthony Joshua’s Saudi fight against Andy Ruiz, we were saying that sporting stars needed to understand the dynamics of sportswashing and be prepared counter it by speaking out about human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.
“Tyson Fury should take the time to examine Saudi Arabia’s disturbing human rights record and use his platform to draw attention to the plight of people like Salma al-Shehab and Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has been handed an additional one-match ban and a £100,000 fine after admitting he acted in an improper manner following his red card at Newcastle.
The Netherlands international was dismissed for a foul on Alexander Isak in the first half of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory at St James’ Park on August 27, but initially refused to leave the pitch – and then remonstrated with referee John Brooks.
An automatic one-match ban saw the centre-back suspended for the 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break, but he will now also serve an additional suspension and so miss the trip to Wolves on September 16.
A statement from the FA read: “Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 during Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle on Sunday August 27.
“The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute, and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent regulatory commission.”
A year on from the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a great supporter of British racing and a lifelong horsewoman who bred and owned many successful horses, racing paid its respects.
At Ascot racecourse an exhibition of photographs was displayed to remember her support of racing, with many figures across the industry acknowledging the loss to the sport a year on from her death.
Here, PA Media looks at how racing paid tribute:
Ben Stokes marked his ODI return with a resolute fifty as England started the first of four World Cup warm-ups against New Zealand by posting 291 for six at a sultry Sophia Gardens.
Stokes is back in tow as a specialist batter after reversing his 50-over retirement last month ahead of England’s defence of their World Cup crown in India and got back into the groove with 52 off 69 balls.
It was not his most fluent effort but was one of four fifty-plus scores on a tricky pitch after the hosts were asked to bat first, with Dawid Malan contributing 54 off 53 balls before Jos Buttler top-scored with 72 off 68 deliveries.
Liam Livingstone added some impetus with a sparky 52 from 40 balls at the back end of an innings in which left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra finished with career-best international figures of three for 48.
The knocks of Malan and Livingstone are timely given their places in England’s provisional World Cup squad are thought to be the most vulnerable as Harry Brook makes a late case for selection.
Brook had an opportunity to push his claims after being shunted to open alongside Malan, with England cautious over Jonny Bairstow’s shoulder niggle sustained in the drawn T20 series and Jason Roy waking up on Friday morning with a back spasm that precluded his involvement.
It was his first time opening the batting in List A cricket and he tickled the first ball off his thigh to the boundary but it was Malan who stamped his authority on the union from then on, capitalising on wide or overpitched deliveries to the tune of six fours in the space of 18 deliveries at one point.
Malan was adept on the pull as New Zealand’s quicks dragged back their lengths, dispatching Kyle Jamieson then Lockie Ferguson to bring up a 48-ball half-century – his eighth fifty-plus score in 19 ODI innings.
He was unable to kick on, though, as Ravindra halted England in their tracks after an 80-run opening stand. The slow left-armer was already appealing when Malan missed a clip off his pads and only belatedly noticed the ball spin back and thud into off-stump.
Brook then departed in the next over for a pedestrian 25 off 41 balls as a brute of a bouncer from Ferguson brushed his glove on the way through to New Zealand captain Tom Latham.
Matters might have worsened for England as another sharply rising delivery caught Stokes out first up although the ball ballooned agonisingly over Glenn Phillips at gully.
Joe Root scratched his way to six off 15 balls but top-edged a slog sweep to Daryl Mitchell in the ring to give Ravindra his second wicket.
He conceded just eight runs in four overs before Buttler displayed a rare show of aggression by clattering the spinner over the shorter straight boundary for six.
With bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes at seven, Stokes and Buttler settled for watchful accumulation over outright might.
Buttler was busier and the pair both went to their fifties. But the ball after heaving Ravindra into the stands for his first six to go with three fours, Stokes clubbed to cover to end an 88-run stand.
Ravindra was taken the distance by Buttler while Livingstone upped the ante with three successive sixes off the expensive Jamieson.
Either side of two slower balls being shovelled over the leg-side boundary, Livingstone bludgeoned a pace-on delivery back over Jamieson’s head.
Livingstone and Buttler both miscued Tim Southee slower balls up in the air to end England’s hopes of a 300-plus total but David Willey’s 21 not out off 11 balls got them close.
John Gosden would love to provide Frankie Dettori with another memorable leg of his farewell “world tour” when saddling Gregory in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster next week.
Gosden and Dettori have teamed up to win the final Classic of the season twice before, with Shantou in 1996 and Logician in 2019.
The Italian will be seeking a seventh St Leger success overall when partnering Gregory on Town Moor, with Classic Cliche (1995), Scorpion (2005), Sixties Icon (2006) and Conduit (2008) his other triumphs.
Dettori’s final year as a professional jockey has already featured a number of notable victories and Gosden joked: “I think the great world tour is going exceptionally well.
“He rolls into Deauville for one ride and wins the Prix Jacques Le Marois. He wins the Juddmonte International at York, Ascot Gold Cup, 2000 Guineas and he won the Dubai Turf earlier this year as well.
“So, I think the world tour is going extremely well and I’m sure he’d love to cap it off at Doncaster in the final Classic.”
Gosden can boast five St Leger wins himself and will now be chasing a first success since taking out a joint-license with son Thady.
Gregory is regarded by sponsors Betfred as the pick of their four potential runners and he currently heads the outright betting at 3-1.
The son of Golden Horn was a Group Two scorer at Royal Ascot over the Leger distance of one mile and six furlongs in the Queen’s Vase.
He then paid the price for setting too strong a pace when third in the Great Voltigeur at York, but Gosden senior is hopeful of turning the tables on the winner Continuous.
“Gregory went a little quick early in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York,” said the trainer. “When I saw the early fractions, I thought ‘We’ve just gone inside 12 seconds for a furlong’.
“I think there were three of them trying to make the lead in order to boss the race and they all got into a scramble early on. You’re not going to do those fractions over the first three furlongs and finish a race.
“It was obvious where the winner came from, he was 20 lengths out the back. He actually ran a very good race and when Frankie put his hands down, he galloped out well to the line and after the line.
“He came out of the race at York in very good order. If the weather is set fair at Doncaster, that won’t bother him with it being top of the ground.”
Stablemate Arrest warmed up for another possible crack at Classic glory with a comfortable victory in the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.
After running away with the Chester Vase in May, he disappointed in the Derby and at Royal Ascot but now looks back on track, although Gosden would like to see some rain hit South Yorkshire.
He said: “We’re very pleased with Arrest, he took his race very well at Newbury. He’s in top order but I think if it’s good to firm at Doncaster I think you’ll find him heading to Paris for the Prix Chaudenay rather than Doncaster.
“He’s a lovely horse but he rolls his knee and he’ll enjoy more what I call the autumn ground.”
Middle Earth is expected to be supplemented for the St Leger after coming with a late charge to land the Melrose Handicap at York under Oisin Murphy.
“I think Oisin was very impressed with him, he hit the line strong,” added Gosden. “He came from a long way back and finished off his race well.
“He’s been a horse we’ve always liked but we’ve had a few niggles along the way and haven’t quite been able to have a smooth run with him.
“Qatar Racing have won the race before and I think they are game to go. It’s the last Classic of the year and it’s for three-year-olds over a trip.”
Lion’s Pride could be another son of Roaring Lion to represent the Clarehaven team at Doncaster, having beaten Middle Earth at Kempton in July before finishing third at Windsor last month.
Reflecting on that defeat, Gosden said: “It was a trappy race on a difficult track. They went slow and he pulled, then he came on the outside. It was against older horses and he’s learnt a lot from that.
“I think there’s a likelihood he will run in the race as well, after all there’s only one St Leger.”
Three exciting Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In races will take place at Leopardstown on Saturday, with the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (G1) featured during an exceptional opening day on Irish Champions Weekend.
Amo Racing Limited's King Of Steel and Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg's Auguste Rodin (Ireland), will renew their rivalry, leading a nine-horse field in the 1 1/4-mile Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (G1).
The winner will gain an automatic berth into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races, whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. That is scheduled to be held November 3 and 4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Two other Win and You're In berths will also be awarded at Leopardstown.
The winner of the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic starting position into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) will earn a free spot into the $1 million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
Auguste Rodin, winner of the Betfred Derby (G1) and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1), will bid to bounce back to form after he was eased nearing the stretch in the July 29 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot.
The son of Deep Impact (Japan) seeks to give Aidan O'Brien a fifth straight win in the race, but will have to face again King Of Steel, the 9-4 favorite. King Of Steel finished third at Ascot last time out.
Alflaila (Great Britain) is set for his first shot at Group 1 glory after being supplemented by connections at a cost of €75,000. The Owen Burrows-trained colt made a triumphant return from nine months on the sidelines when powering home to lift the July 29 York Stakes (G2).
Last year's runner-up Onesto (Ireland) will bid to go one better for trainer Fabrice Chappet. The French raider found only Luxembourg (Ireland) too strong in a high-class renewal 12 months ago but will have the assistance of the red-hot Frankie Dettori in the saddle this year.
Luxembourg's most recent racecourse appearance was when he finished fourth behind Hukum (Ireland) in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes.
John and Thady Gosden are represented by Nashwa (Great Britain), who was last seen finishing second behind stablemate Mostahdaf (Ireland) in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1).
Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa (France) has been the runner-up in both of his starts this year but was a big-race scorer in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) during Irish Champions Weekend in 2022.
The“Nashwa is in great form,” John Gosden said.
“It takes a long time to get her into the racing zone but when she's there she really enjoys it. She's built very powerfully, and she takes her racing well; she's not a delicate filly. To that extent, we're game on to go to Ireland. It's a fabulous race and if we can run here and maybe one more time this year that would be great,” he added.
The field is completed by the Jessica Harrington-trained Sprewell (Ireland) and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Point Lonsdale (Ireland).
Thirteen horses were declared for Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes
H H Aga Khan's Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) and Coronation Stakes (G1) heroine Tahiyra (Ireland) being the star attraction of the 13 fillies set to go to post for the one-mile Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes (G1) for a free berth into the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Trainer Dermot Weld also saddles high-class older filly Homeless Songs (Ireland), who is one of two hopefuls for Moyglare Stud Farm along with Paddy Twomey's Just Beautiful (Great Britain).
Aidan O'Brien has applied blinkers for the first time to Meditate (Ireland), attempting to regain the form that saw her win the 2022 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
Zarinsk (Great Britain) bids for a third straight win for Ger Lyons and Ralph Beckett's Prosperous Voyage (Ireland), while Tom Clover's Rogue Millennium (Ireland) and Olivia Maralda (Ireland), from Roger Varian's yard, all travel from Britain for the Group 1 contest.
Diego Velazquez Puts Unbeaten Record on the Line
Impressive Curragh scorer Diego Velazquez (Ireland), a son of Frankel (Great Britain), who won on debut by 4 3/4 lengths, is a hot favorite for KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) as one of three runners for Aidan O'Brien alongside Capulet and Democracy (Ireland).
The KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) over one mile will award the first automatic starting berth into this year's Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
Joseph O'Brien runs the supplemented Atlantic Coast and Bad Desire (Ireland), while Donnacha O'Brien saddles Bremen (Ireland).
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of October 23 to receive the rewards.
The Irish Champions Weekend can be viewed live on SportsMax 2 starting at 7:30am Jamaica time (8:30am Eastern Caribbean) on Saturday from Leopardstown, and 6:15am Jamaica time (7:15am Eastern Caribbean) on Sunday, from the Curragh.
England and Argentina collide in their pivotal World Cup opener at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday with Steve Borthwick’s side in the unusual position of being considered underdogs.
Here the PA news agency examines five talking points heading into the fixture.
Moment of truth
England have been upbeat since their arrival in France, refreshed by the change of scenery that provided a locational reset in the wake of losing five of their last six Tests. The positive talk must now be backed up with action on the pitch but on the basis of recent evidence it is hard to see how the upset will be sprung given so many areas of their game are malfunctioning. The stakes are high – win and England suddenly have a cause to rally around, lose and each remaining game in Pool D brings do or die jeopardy.
Time to deliver
A curious feature of England’s dismal run of just three wins in nine Tests under head coach Borthwick has been the lack of form seen from stars such as Ellis Genge, Maro Itoje, Jamie George and Freddie Steward. If Argentina are to be dispatched, they will need to exit their slump with a bang. On paper, England have a strong starting XV but when so many are underperforming the odds are stacked against them.
Mitchell’s World Cup rollercoaster
Few shards of light emerged out of the gloom of a first defeat by Fiji, but the urgency brought at scrum-half by Alex Mitchell’s full debut was one of them. The Northampton player added zip to the game with speedier service and quicker decision-making and his selection represents a change in thinking from Borthwick, who was expected to pick England’s most capped player Ben Youngs in the number-nine jersey. Mitchell now has a central role in Pool D’s box-office clash despite not being included in the original 41-man training squad, his opportunity arising when Jack van Poortvliet suffered a tournament-ending ankle injury against Wales at Twickenham.
Curry reinforces England
It is a reflection of Tom Curry’s influence on England that he has been propelled straight into the back row despite missing the entire build-up campaign because of damaged ankle ligaments. The squad’s fittest player, his conditioning is never in question and he has experience of making a successful immediate return from injury lay-offs. Regarded as the team’s defensive kingpin, he will provide physical intent and add to England’s breakdown potency in his first appearance since Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones in December. A lot of hopes are being pinned on his return.
Pumas on the prowl
Argentina’s scrum may not be the force of old, but the Pumas have evolved their overall game significantly. Their appetite for forward combat remains undiminished, but is now led by the back rather than front row and their breakdown work has improved as a result. The threequarters possess genuine X-factor with the likes of wings Mateo Carreras and Emiliano Boffelli and they are a cohesive team who will fight until the final minute, playing with a sense of purpose grounded in their fierce national pride. There is much to admire about a team that stormed Twickenham in November and is capable of progressing deeper into the tournament.
England must leave everything out on the pitch as they aim to set the tone for their Rugby World Cup campaign against Argentina on Saturday, though Mike Tindall does not see Steve Borthwick's side as being among the favourites.
The 2023 World Cup gets under way in Paris on Friday, with hosts France taking on New Zealand.
England's campaign starts on Saturday, when they face Argentina in Marseille.
The Red Rose – who were runners-up to South Africa in 2019 – head into the tournament ranked eighth in the world, below Fiji and two places below Argentina.
After a disappointing Six Nations, England will be looking to put things right, and Tindall wants to see a fast start on Saturday.
"The first game against Argentina, they can't leave anything out there," he told Stats Perform. "They're not in a place where they can build something, they have to play [well].
"Imagine that is the World Cup final and then deal with the outcome of it and then rebuild to go into quarter-finals and semi-finals.
"Argentina for England is the World Cup final.
"They have to play the biggest game in their first outing that should get them into a quarter-final and hopefully in that time you build momentum and they can then go on."
Asked if he fancied England's chances of going all the way, Tindall said: "To be honest, at the moment, I don't see them be the favourites.
"I think I think they can muster a challenge, and we are on the right side of the draw. France, New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland, Ireland, they're going to take chunks out of each other, and you don't know what's going to happen injury wise.
"So all you've got to do is try and stay in their strike, manage everything, and ultimately believe and if they can do that, I think they could create a shock. But I don't think that they're going in as anywhere near favourites."
For Tindall, New Zealand or France are the favourites.
He said: "Just from the grouping, I would say the winner coming out of the France, New Zealand group.
"Ireland are number one in the world but the schedule and the draw they're on is terrible. It's terrible for them.
"Even South Africa, who are built for big physical guys, I just think that France and New Zealand have that first big game and then they can sort of relax a little bit.
"Not relax, but they'll be able to manage their players and manage their time. And I feel that the winner could come out with those two."
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