Connections are predicting emotional scenes at Ascot on Saturday if Kinross and Frankie Dettori are able to retain the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.

The Italian has struck up a fine relationship with Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old and their triumph 12 months ago was part of a Champions Day double for Dettori as well as bringing up a fabulous four-timer for the prolific son of Kingman.

Kinross has gone on to run as consistent as ever this term tasting notable success at both Goodwood and York during the summer before just falling short in defence of his Prix de la Foret title at ParisLongchamp earlier this month.

Now the Marc Chan-owned gelding will bid to regain the winning thread and provide his loyal pilot with one-last big-race success together on British soil before he makes the switch to ride in America.

“He’s in flying form, great form,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for Chan.

“We’re very excited about Saturday’s race. It’s probably as good a chance as Frankie has on Saturday and without being big-headed maybe his best shot. That in itself gives you butterflies in the stomach.

“Marc and his wife Lily are going to be over here and it’s very exciting all round.

“We could definitely be looking for the Kleenex on Saturday, it could be an emotional week for sure.”

Also headed for Ascot on Saturday is Kinross’ stablemate Angel Bleu who has been supplemented for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at a cost of £70,000.

A winner of Goodwood’s Celebration Mile when last seen, it will be the four-year-old’s final outing before commencing stallion duties in France.

He will stand at Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe operation and the Kazakhstan-born businessman joins Chan as joint-owner for Angel Bleu’s racecourse farewell.

“It will be Angel Bleu’s last race before he takes up stud duties at Sumbe in France,” continued McCalmont.

“The ground is coming up well and he’s in good shape, so he has nothing to lose really.

“This is his last race and then he will go off and have a luxurious lifestyle hopefully. I think by going to stand in France gives him a great opportunity.

“French breeding is in a purple patch now on the back of Wootton Bassett and Siyouni and with his two Group One wins being in France, being bred in France and sold as a yearling in France, we’re very excited he has this opportunity to stand there.”

Roger Varian is confident King Of Steel is at the top of his game ahead of his bid to provide Frankie Dettori with what could be a farewell winner in Britain in Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Narrowly denied Derby glory by Auguste Rodin at Epsom, the Wootton Bassett colt enjoyed his day in the sun when dominating the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot before running well in defeat in both the King George and the Irish Champion Stakes.

With owners Amo Racing no longer retaining Kevin Stott, Dettori has been called up for what is scheduled to be the Italian’s final mount in Europe on British Champions Day – and Varian believes his star three-year-old is in prime condition as he looks to give his rider the perfect send-off on UK soil.

“Regardless of whether Frankie is signing off or not, I think he’ll suit the horse, and I think the race will suit him too,” said the trainer.

“He (Dettori) came and rode him and he was happy with him. It won’t be an easy race, but both horse and jockey go there in good form. I wouldn’t swap him.

“He’s been training great and he looks terrific. They tell you when they are right, and he’s telling us right now.

“The Breeders’ Cup isn’t completely off the table, but the Champion Stakes at Ascot comes first of course and that’s where our focus lies.”

King Of Steel is one of 11 horses in contention for the Champion Stakes following the confirmation stage, with Horizon Dore, Mostahdaf and last year’s winner Bay Bridge other major players.

Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) are among the recent French-trained winners of the Champions Day highlight – and having extended his winning streak to four in the Prix Dollar, Patrice Cottier’s Horizon Dore bids to add his name to the roll of honour.

Mostahdaf demonstrated his top-level capabilities by winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York during the summer, but connections will be concerned about the prospect of significant rain later in the week for a horse who prefers fast ground.

John Gosden, who trains Mostahdaf in partnership with his son Thady, warned late last week: “Mostahdaf has won on soft, but we’ll have to see what the weather brings through the week. He ran in bottomless ground in the Arc last year and hated it, but if you get him on better ground he’s got a great turn of foot.”

The Clarehaven team have also confirmed Nashwa, although she also has the option of running in the preceding Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Gosden added: “Nashwa ran a huge race when third in the Irish Champion Stakes, where she was flying at the finish. She’s in great order, but a decision probably won’t be made about which race she runs in until later in the week, probably Wednesday as I don’t like leaving it until Thursday morning.”

Bay Bridge will step back in distance after finishing sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, while William Haggas has left in both last year’s third My Prospero and the globetrotting Dubai Honour.

Via Sistina (George Boughey), Royal Rhyme (Karl Burke) and Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Point Lonsdale and Paddington are the other acceptors, although the latter is widely expected to line up in the preceding QEII over a mile.

Paddington has been one of the stars of the season for Ballydoyle, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes before meeting with defeat for the first time this year when third behind Mostahdaf on the Knavesmire in August.

Among 13 possible rivals this weekend are Dermot Weld’s Irish Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes heroine Tahiyra, Nashwa, her stablemate Inspiral, 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and the supplemented Angel Bleu.

The afternoon gets under way with the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, which is set to stage a mouthwatering clash between Trueshan and Kyprios.

Alan King’s Trueshan has bounced back from an underwhelming start to his campaign by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix du Cadran in the autumn and he now gets the opportunity to land this Group Two prize for the fourth year in succession.

Kyprios won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger in 2022 before registering a remarkable 20-length verdict in the Cadran. He was beaten on his return from nearly a year on the sidelines in the Irish Leger last month, but can be expected to take a significant step forward.

Coltrane is also among 10 hopefuls, but Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami is a notable absentee.

Kinross (Ralph Beckett) and Shaquille (Julie Camacho) are two of 18 speedsters to stand their ground for the Qipco British Champions Sprint.

There are also 18 horses in contention for the Qipco British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes including Free Wind (Gosdens), Time Lock (Harry and Roger Charlton), Sea Silk Road (Haggas) and the doubly engaged Via Sistina. Henry de Bromhead has supplemented Group Three winner Term Of Endearment.

The Balmoral Handicap is the concluding race and Lincoln winner Migration, trained by David Menuisier, is at the head of the weights after 32 horses were confirmed.

Gina Kennedy’s career ambitions have been changed almost overnight after the “game-changing” announcement that squash will finally make its Olympics debut at the 2028 Games.

Squash has been overlooked by the International Olympic Committee at the past three Games, while the sport’s community reacted with incredulity at being ignored in favour of breakdancing for Paris 2024.

But the IOC on Monday green-lit the proposal for squash – alongside cricket, lacrosse, flag football and baseball/softball – to be included on the Olympic schedule at Los Angeles in five years’ time.

Kennedy, the top-ranked British female player in the world, had long ago given up hope this day would come but now that it has, the 26-year-old’s aspirations have been given a welcome shake-up.

She told the PA news agency: “It’s absolutely incredible. When there were rumours flying around last week, it honestly took me by surprise, I had absolutely no idea squash was even being considered.

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up having been in that position before. To wake up today and see that it’s confirmed is a dream come true. I still can’t really believe it because it came out of nowhere.

“I can’t wipe the smile off my face, it’s the best surprise I could have asked for. It’s just such an exciting time, this could be game-changing for us in terms of exposure and everything.

“All my goals are going to completely change now because the Olympics in five years’ time is going to be the number one goal. I’m going to do what I can to keep my body in the best shape.”

Kennedy, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and achieved a career-high of sixth in the world rankings last month, believes hers is a sport that has been on the up in recent years.

But she recognises how much of a boost being included on the Olympic programme will be.

She said: “A lot of squash players have been a bit perplexed as to why it’s not been involved (in the past); it’s perfect for the Olympics, it’s a niche sport, it’s a sport people play across the world.

“We’ve definitely felt hard done by in the past, losing out to a few different sports. Maybe the issue has been with the televising of it, it can be a bit difficult, plus if you don’t play squash then the rules can be quite difficult to understand.

“But it has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years and it’s becoming a great sport for TV. Hopefully now more people will be excited to learn about the rules and everything.

“It’s absolutely going to be the pinnacle of our sport. It’s going to be the biggest opportunity we have to expose the sport to the mainstream.”

Kennedy was brought back down to earth from her Commonwealth triumph at Birmingham 14 months ago – where she became the first Englishwoman to win a singles gold medal in her sport – as a torn hamstring in her first event back was followed by a flare-up of her ulcerative colitis condition.

The inflammatory bowel disease – which affects around one in 200 people in the UK – led to Kennedy being hospitalised and bed bound for months, but she has flourished this year.

She added: “It was a massive learning curve for me because the emotions after such a big win like that was quite difficult to explain and I didn’t give my body adequate time to rest.

“I went straight back into tournament mode and my body just completely shut down on me for months. It was difficult, but now I’ve managed to get it under control.”

Rassie Erasmus insists South Africa will not be lulled into complacency by the negativity surrounding the ability of World Cup semi-final opponents England.

The reigning champions are red-hot favourites to win Saturday’s Paris showdown with Steve Borthwick’s side to keep their title defence on track.

England came into the tournament in dismal form and with plenty of fans and pundits predicting a pool-stage exit.

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Yet Borthwick’s men are the only unbeaten side still standing and the northern hemisphere’s sole representative in the last four.

While England’s relatively smooth progress has been aided by a favourable route, Springboks director of rugby Erasmus is braced for a “very tough test” and highlighted the similar statistics of the two nations to emphasise his point.

“If we think England is bad because people from outside say that they are not doing well… our reality is the truth, not the reality that people create outside our camp,” he told a media briefing on Monday.

“We know from the Premiership, a lot of our players play against them, and we know Borthwick is an excellent coach which he showed at Leicester and as a captain and a player for England.

“It will be a very tough test against a team that hasn’t lost a game and more or less conceded the same amount of tries and racked up the same amount of points (as us).

“If you look at England, they scored 19 tries and got 180 points and we scored 26 tries and also have 180 points.

“Then if you look on the points conceded side, they’ve conceded six tries, we’ve conceded seven and they’ve conceded 63 points and we’re 62.

“So, you can know how close this game (will be) if you just look at stats – and I know stats don’t always tell the whole picture.”

Three-time winners South Africa set up a rematch of the 2019 final, which they won 32-12, by extinguishing the dream of hosts France.

The Springboks edged an epic Stade de France encounter 29-28 on Sunday evening to replace eliminated group phase rivals Ireland at the top of the world rankings.

“It was two teams that tactically, physically and mentally tried to really push one another to the edge,” Erasmus said of the clash with Fabien Galthie’s men.

“(It was) a relief to beat a team that is so well coached, which afterwards I had a beer with, and I must say the respect that he (Galthie) showed and the way he spoke to us afterwards was really humble and sincere.”

Shuwari will be pointed towards the Qipco 1000 Guineas, with Ollie Sangster delighted to have unearthed a Classic contender in his first season in the training ranks.

The daughter of New Bay has been the standout performer of Sangster’s Manton-based string during the early stages of his career and capped a fine juvenile campaign by finishing second to Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

Shuwari fell victim to the winner’s superior stamina in the closing stages of that Group One event but Sangster was more than happy to come so close to registering a first top-table success as attentions turn to next season.

Sangster said: “It was great and we were delighted. If you could have told me at the start of the season that I would have a horse contesting a Group One, let alone finishing second, I would have been thrilled.

“Obviously, we all want to win and to come so close was tough, but she ran fantastically and gives us a lot to look forward to next year.

“I see us being a miler and I suspect the winner will probably end up getting a bit further. I think in the last 50 yards, Shuwari just got outstayed really.

“You dream to have a horse like this any year, so for one to come along now is just great.”

Another trip to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas is now firmly on the radar and having had the honour of being the young handler’s first runner in a Group One, she could be his first in one of racing’s crown jewel events when she returns next spring.

However, her route back to the Rowley Mile is still to be finalised, with Newbury’s Fred Darling looking the most likely destination if an early-season tune-up is required.

Sangster added: “Touch wood she can stay healthy through the winter and the spring and hopefully that (the 1000 Guineas) will be on our agenda.

“She’s not a filly I feel I would need to (run before) and she’s kind of straightforward to train, but if I did, I suspect I would probably go for the Fred Darling.

“Newbury is our local track and she also has the course experience already, so I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to Newmarket probably. But equally she could easily go straight there.”

Sangster is also retaining plenty of faith in Per Contra, who after two eye-catching victories in minor events, finished fifth when upped in class for the Autumn Stakes.

“I thought he ran a nice enough race,” continued the trainer.

“Obviously, it was a big step up in class and completely different tempo to what he has had before. In reality, it was sort of his first proper race and his first two races have been fairly non-events where he has won them straightforward.

“He will have learned a lot and I kind of wish he had just got into the race a bit earlier. James (Doyle, jockey) kind of had the revs up the whole way. He made a nice mid-race move and then he just got tired.

“If he had got a tow into the race, he may have finished a bit closer, but in reality, he ran a nice race and hopefully he will have learned a lot for next season.

“He’s a big horse and a horse for next year. I suspect a mile will be his minimum – a mile, mile and a quarter. He’s a big horse and should do very well from two to three over the winter.”

Tommy Fury laboured to a points victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI in a fight that promised much but delivered little at a packed out AO Arena in Manchester at the weekend.

Here, the PA news agency looks at whether crossover events are on the way up or the way down.

What happened?

Fury, the younger half-brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury who found fame in his own right on Love Island, took on YouTube star and entrepreneur KSI over six rounds in the headline act. But the card was flush with social media stars; Alex Wassabi boasts 3.3million Instagram followers and was involved in the first fight of the night, a peculiar tag-team event which looked like something from WWE.

Was it successful?

The profiles of the fighters on the bill meant the night was a sellout and the upshot was nearly a full house for the first bell – which is unheard of on more established platforms. The crowd especially lapped up the tag-team element with decibels reaching fever pitch from the off while broadcaster DAZN was hopeful of exceeding one million buys on pay-per-view, netting bumper payouts for everyone involved.

What’s the problem, then?

None of the fighters have much of a boxing background – and it showed. Even Fury, whose family name is steeped in boxing, struggled to prove he is a cut above the rest in a main event where the protagonists were criticised for repeated clinching in an ugly bout. For all the hype, much of it unseemly, leading up to the event, there was nothing on show to suggest punters got anything approaching value for money.

Why are people paying to watch raw novices fight?

KSI’s Misfits promotion is viewed with excitement by those witnessing a younger audience being drawn to the sport because of the drama being served up. Misfits is sanctioned by the Professional Boxing Association instead of the British Boxing Board of Control, which would take a dim view of the more outlandish antics of last week. Indeed, Dillon Danis taunting Logan Paul about his fiancee online was more obnoxious than provocative and escalated the bad blood between the pair to the point where their co-main event ended in farce. A mass melee with security and a number of both teams’ entourage stormed the ring as Danis on more than one occasion bizarrely tried to show off his mixed martial arts skills.

Are there any more Misfits events in future?

The show at the weekend was an unquestionable peak for the organisation and there were plenty of positives although hopefully organisers have learnt from the Paul-Danis fiasco. Impressionable young fans – who this sort of show attracts in their droves – should not view this behaviour as acceptable. Indeed, some of the conduct of both Fury and KSI was below par, with crude insults and profane-laden language aimed at each other throughout. There is already another Misfits show in the pipeline for next month although Fury has indicated he is finished with crossover boxing.

What will Fury do instead?

Fury, unlike his fellow fighters on Saturday, would regard himself as a professional boxer first and foremost. He has expressed a desire to follow in his sibling’s footsteps and become a world champion. Still only 24, Fury has plenty of time on his side but a slim points win over KSI – in which the decision could have gone either way – does not augur especially well. If he is to realise his dream then Fury needs to get back to establishing himself in the professional ranks and fully commit to learning his trade.

Officials at Ascot have raised the possibility of the inner track being used on Qipco British Champions Day if the expected rainfall later in the week hits the track.

Conditions are currently described as soft at the Berkshire venue, but following a dry weekend the track is bracing itself with estimates of 15-20mm total rainfall forecast from Wednesday onwards.

If that was to come to fruition, then conditions are envisaged to deteriorate to heavy on the round course, which would bring a switch to the inner hurdles track for races such as the Qipco Champion Stakes into the equation – something which happened in 2019 when sections of the course were waterlogged.

“At the moment, we are soft and we’ve got a couple of fine days forecast today and tomorrow up until Wednesday afternoon and then we’re due to get rain/showers from Wednesday afternoon all the way through to racing,” explained clerk of the course Chris Stickles.

“Around 15-20mm is kind of the predicted amount in total from Wednesday through to Saturday but that could change.

“That would be highly likely to prompt a change to the inner track. The race conditions at the moment state that if heavy features in the going description on the round course, then races will move to the inner track.”

Stickels went on: “So that is potentially on the cards and if we had that volume of rain then I would imagine we would be talking about some heavy ground on the round course and therefore those round course races could move to the inner track.

“Of course, we’re not there yet, we’re only soft ground and we haven’t had any rain since Friday. But if we did get that amount, there is the potential.”

England face South Africa in the World Cup semi-finals on Saturday despite entering the competition amid rock-bottom expectations.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the questions surrounding their bid to relieve the Springboks of their crown.

What has happened?

England being the solitary standard bearers for the northern hemisphere at this stage of the World Cup was a fanciful prospect when they departed for France in late August, yet while France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales have fallen around them, they have advanced into the last four as the tournament’s only unbeaten side. It is some turnaround given their tribulations in the build-up.

Why was August so bad?

Maulings by Wales, Ireland and Fiji extended their losing streak to five defeats in six Tests, leading to fears that they would not even emerge from the World Cup’s weakest group. Suddenly clashes with Argentina, Japan and Samoa seemed like mountains to climb. The lowest ebb came in their tournament send-off at Twickenham when Fiji prevailed 30-22 in their first ever victory against England. Expectations were at an all-time low.

How did they turn it around?

Through a combination of good fortune and competence. Fiercest pool rivals Argentina were clueless and were routed even though England had Tom Curry sent off after 179 seconds, while Japan were a shadow of the team that lit up the 2019 World Cup. That meant by the time they faced a brilliant Samoa they had already qualified as group winners. England were blessed by being picked in the easier side of the draw – and there was no easier battleground than Pool D – but they also played smart rugby, faced down adversity and overall struck the right note in selection, even showing a flair for innovation by picking Marcus Smith at full-back that is a credit to the management.

What role has their conditioning played?

For all the despair of August, it is possible to caveat those results as details emerged after England’s arrival in France that the players had been subjected to unusually high training loads during the Test weeks. It drained them of energy, most noticeably against Ireland, with a view to ensuring they would peak for the key group match against Argentina – who they duly battered. The objective then was to be ready for the quarter-final, the stage by which their World Cup success would be judged, and on Saturday they edged a tense battle with Fiji that has provided the required pass mark.

Can they win it?

South Africa’s epic victory over France in the quarter-finals has seen the reigning champions installed as odds-on favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy via a conclusive win over England, but Steve Borthwick’s team have a puncher’s chance. The Springboks are a significant step up in class compared to any opponent they have faced, but England have the muscle to take them on up-front, field some genuine threats in attack – Smith, Ben Earl and Joe Marchant among them – and have developed the priceless knack of finding a way to win. Memories of being overwhelmed in Yokohama in 2019 will drive them on, as will the imminent retirement of a number of long-serving stars, but it remains colossal challenge.

Horizon Dore, Mostahdaf, King Of Steel and last year’s winner Bay Bridge are among 11 horses confirmed for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) are among the recent French-trained winners of the Champions Day highlight – and having extended his winning streak to four in the Prix Dollar, Patrice Cottier’s Horizon Dore bids to add his name to the roll of honour.

The home team is led by John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf, the Roger Varian-trained King Of Steel and Sir Michael Stoute’s defending champion Bay Bridge.

Mostahdaf demonstrated his top-level capabilities by winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York during the summer, but connections will be concerned about the prospect of significant rain later in the week for a horse who prefers fast ground.

King Of Steel, last seen finishing a close-up fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes, is set to be partnered by Frankie Dettori for what could be his final ride in Britain before retirement, while Bay Bridge will step back in distance after finishing sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Gosden team have also confirmed Nashwa, while William Haggas has left in both last year’s third My Prospero and the globetrotting Dubai Honour.

Via Sistina (George Boughey), Royal Rhyme (Karl Burke) and Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Point Lonsdale and Paddington are the other acceptors, although the latter is widely expected to line up in the preceding Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile.

Paddington has been one of the stars of the season for Ballydoyle, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes before meeting with defeat for the first time this year when third behind Mostahdaf on the Knavesmire in August.

Among 13 possible rivals this weekend are Dermot Weld’s Irish Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes heroine Tahiyra, Nashwa, her stablemate Inspiral, 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and the supplemented Angel Bleu.

The afternoon gets under way with the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, which is set to stage a mouthwatering clash between Trueshan and Kyprios.

Alan King’s Trueshan has bounced back from an underwhelming start to his campaign by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix du Cadran in the autumn and he now gets the opportunity to land this Group Two prize for the fourth year in succession.

Kyprios won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger in 2022 before registering a remarkable 20-length verdict in the Cadran. He was beaten on his return from nearly a year on the sidelines in the Irish Leger last month, but can be expected to take a significant step forward.

Coltrane is also among 10 hopefuls, but Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami is a notable absentee.

Kinross (Ralph Beckett) and Shaquille (Julie Camacho) are two of 18 speedsters to stand their ground for the Qipco British Champions Sprin.

There are also 18 horses in contention for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes including Free Wind (Gosdens), Time Lock (Harry and Roger Charlton), Sea Silk Road (Haggas) and the doubly engaged Via Sistina. Henry de Bromhead has supplemented Group Three winner Term Of Endearment.

The Balmoral Handicap is the concluding race and Lincoln winner Migration, trained by David Menuisier, is at the head of the weights after 32 horses were confirmed.

Manie Libbok admitted South Africa will be loaded with confidence going into their World Cup semi-final with England after coming through one of the greatest rugby matches in living memory with a one-point victory over hosts France.

In a titanic quarter-final in Paris on Sunday, the Boks twice came from behind to eke out a 29-28 triumph, ending Les Bleus’ 18-game winning run on home soil and ruining their talismanic captain Antoine Dupont’s much-hyped return from injury.

Having pulled off such a momentous victory, the defending champions are now hot favourites to see off Steve Borthwick’s England at Stade de France next Saturday and reach the final for a second tournament running.

“Obviously we’re going to take a lot of positives out of the game because France are a quality team who have done well over the past few years,” said stand-off Libbok.

“We’ve still got a lot of stuff to work on and rectify for the semi-finals but we can take a lot of confidence from beating France.

“They put us under pressure from the word go and it was really hard. I am very proud of the guys for sticking in there and sticking to our game.

“It definitely felt like a game that could go either way and we came out on the right side of it.”

While supporters inside the stadium and watching on television on Sunday were gripped by a captivating showdown that ebbed and flowed at breakneck pace, Libbok found it a thrill to play in.

“Most definitely it was one of the best games I have ever been involved in,” he said. “It was big, obviously with the crowd as well, it was an amazing atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.”

The drama of the quarter-final showdown was highlighted by a moment in the six-try first half when South Africa winger Cheslin Kolbe bolted out to successfully charge down a conversion attempt from Thomas Ramos.

“Cheslin doing that was insane, actually,” said Libbok. “We were very happy for what he did because it took two points away from them and when you look at the result, there was only one point in it, so it was massive from Cheslin.”

Libbok is adamant South Africa will not treat England lightly even though they have been struggling in recent years and are widely deemed to have reached the semi-final mainly due to being in the half of the draw that featured none of the five top-ranked teams in the world.

“England are also a quality team and it’s a play-off so anything can happen,” said the number 10. “It’s important for us to focus on ourselves.

“Recovery is massive now. We have to recover well and prepare well so we are ready to play to the best of our abilities.”

Saturday’s semi-final represents a rematch of both the 2007 and 2019 finals and South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk insisted Borthwick’s side should not be underestimated.

“We have played against England a lot. Obviously they have been struggling before the World Cup but they have definitely started to turn things around,” said the 31-year-old, who came off the bench on Sunday to help the Boks see the job through.

“It is going to be a very big, tough challenge, especially with a six-day turnaround. We just have to focus on recovery and make sure we are ready for that.”

Jack Conan says failing to give Johnny Sexton a fairytale farewell at the Rugby World Cup was arguably the most painful aspect of the “toughest” defeat of his career.

Captain Sexton was sent into retirement two games earlier than he had hoped by Saturday evening’s crushing 28-24 quarter-final loss to New Zealand in Paris.

Leinster number eight Conan, who came off the bench against the All Blacks, believes his long-term team-mate for club and country is the “greatest Irish player of all time”.

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“I’ve lost a lot of big games in my career but this is definitely the toughest one to take,” he said.

“It’s not lost on us how much sacrifice people made to come and support us. Whether you were here or at home, it has meant the world to all of us and it’s something we spoke about a lot.

“We’re genuinely just gutted that we couldn’t do it for them and that we couldn’t do it for Johnny, someone who deserves so much for the sacrifices he has made, for the player he is and for the man he is, for the leader that he is.

“He has been everything that has been good about Irish rugby for nearly two decades and to not give him the send-off that he deserves is probably the hardest thing to take.

“He is how we measure ourselves, he is the standards setter, he is the leader, he is an unbelievably good bloke on and off the pitch.

“It might be lost on people at times but he cares more than any player I have ever met in any sport I have seen.

“He cares so much and he sacrifices so much and it doesn’t feel right that we couldn’t do it for him.

“In my eyes, he is the greatest Irish player of all time for what he has done and it’s been an incredible joy of mine to play with him for so many years and to have been in so many dressing rooms with him. It’s just not right that we couldn’t do better for him.”

Sexton’s 118th and final match in the green jersey marks the end of an era for Ireland.

Keith Earls is also retiring, while question marks hang over the international futures of other senior members of Andy Farrell’s squad.

Conan intends to carry on but concedes he may not be around for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

“There’s so much talent in the squad and so much belief, maybe in four years’ time we’ll push on and we’ll go all the way,” said the 31-year-old.

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“I don’t know if I’ll be there at that stage but there’s just so much talent coming through and lads will push on to make their debuts and add value to Irish rugby.

“You can’t take (away from) what this squad has done, so many firsts: first Test match victory in New Zealand, first Test series win in New Zealand, first Grand Slam at home, and it’s been a joy to be a small part of it along the way.

“I wouldn’t trade anything for what we’ve been through as a squad. It’s tough to say now but you’d have to think that we’ll be better down the line.

“There will be new faces and new people coming in who will get opportunities to push us forward and I’m hoping I can be a part of it and go on to achieve more, because it’s the greatest joy in my life to pull on this jersey and wear it for the people that helped me to get here to this stage.”

Lewis Hamilton can bounce back from a difficult three years to win a record-breaking eighth Formula One drivers' championship, eclipsing Michael Schumacher's achievements.

That is the view of 1978 champion Mario Andretti, who does not believe Hamilton has made a mistake by committing his future to Mercedes.

Hamilton equalled Schumacher's record haul of seven world titles in 2020, but he has failed to surpass the German great amid three years of dominance from Max Verstappen.

Having edged out Hamilton for the 2021 title in controversial circumstances, Verstappen has dominated the last two seasons while his rival has struggled. 

Verstappen clinched his third straight title with six races to spare by finishing second in the sprint race in Qatar last Saturday, and the Dutchman followed that up with another triumph on Sunday – his 14th victory in 17 Grands Prix this year.

While Verstappen holds an unassailable lead over Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in the drivers' standings, Hamilton has found himself battling Fernando Alonso for a top-three finish, having ranked sixth last year.

Despite rumours linking him with Ferrari, Hamilton extended his contract with Mercedes until 2025 in August, and Andretti believes the 38-year-old made the correct decision. 

Asked if Hamilton needed to move to boost his chances of winning another title, Andretti told Stats Perform: "Why would he go anywhere else? 

"With Mercedes, that is probably the best possibility to resume his winning ways and win another title. No question. He's young enough. 

"He certainly still has the desire to be at the top. After being a multi-time world champion, you don't lose that ability.

"Right now, he equalled a record that I thought would never be approached, not in my lifetime anyway. He's still young enough that he could go for the eighth title. 

"It's going to take a long time for anyone to reach that and surpass that. So yeah, he's definitely one of the greats, for sure, deservedly so."

Hamilton sits 11 points clear of old rival Alonso in the standings ahead of next week's United States Grand Prix, with the Spaniard enjoying a resurgence since leaving Alpine for Aston Martin ahead of the 2023 season.

Having won four IndyCar championships during his own career, Andretti has a particular admiration for Alonso, who himself competed in the IndyCar Series during a two-year stint out of F1.

"Oh, Fernando is timeless," Andretti said. "I just love to see how much energy he still has and how much desire is still within him. 

"After taking a sabbatical from Formula One, I thought, 'I don't know, he'd better be careful about coming back'. Here he is, coming back as strong as ever. 

"I think he brought Aston Martin to a level that they almost did not expect. They certainly are giving him equipment which is capable, but he's taking it there.

"Fernando's legacy is that of a very ambitious driver, to try to conquer different disciplines. He ventured into IndyCar at Indianapolis. I respect somebody like that. 

"That's pure love for driving and the sport, to be curious like that, not just to drive, but to try to win in a category that's not your speciality."

Danny Care is ready for the biggest game of his life when England face South Africa in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

A repeat of the 2019 final will see England arrive at Stade de France on Saturday as the tournament’s solitary remaining unbeaten team.

Four successive pool-stage victories and a quarter-final triumph against Fiji have combined to confound the critics who predicted an underwhelming tournament for Steve Borthwick’s team.

And while reigning world champions South Africa are firm favourites, resilient England remain in the fight.

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“We have got two more weeks and a massive game to fly into, which will be the biggest game of my life. I can’t wait,” England scrum-half Care said.

“I think the character of this team was questioned before the World Cup and whether we had anything in us to come out here and do anything.

“Hopefully, we have quietly gone about our business and ticked off a few wins. Four from four in the pools, a fifth in the quarter-final against a team who everybody was saying was going to surprise us and beat us.

“It clicked when we got over here, training went up a notch, perhaps because of the severity of where we were and the realisation that we were at a World Cup – the last one for a few of us, the first for others.

“That mixture came together and we gave it our all. We feel like we deserve to be here. We are going to give it our all next weekend and try and make everyone at home proud.

“We have got a lot of lads who played in the World Cup final four years ago, a lot of lads who have won big trophies, won big games. We will use all of that next week to hopefully get another big win.

“We are delighted to be in the semi-final of this World Cup – one step closer to the dream.”

At 36, Care might be in the twilight phase of a Test career that began 15 years ago, but he has showcased every bit of experience gained from winning 94 England caps.

He followed up scoring the winning try in England’s tense victory over Samoa by being at the forefront of the impressive finale in Marseille that repelled a thrilling Fiji fightback and closed out a 30-24 win.

Owen Farrell’s drop goal and penalty confirmed a semi-final ticket, and Care said of the England captain: “Owen was brilliant, as George (Ford) has been brilliant for four games.

“I have played with Owen for 10-12 years now. His levels never dip, both on the field and off the pitch. He is an unbelievable person, an unbelievable player.

“I still think he won’t get the recognition he properly deserves until he stops playing, which I still find incredible. He is showing again and again what a wonderful world-class player he is. He is a top bloke.”