World number one Carlos Alcaraz defeated Tommy Paul in a three-set thriller to reach the quarter-finals of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Wimbledon champion Alcaraz outlasted the American 7-6 (6) 6-7(0) 6-3 in a gruelling contest that lasted more than three hours.
The Spaniard suffered a three-set defeat against the American in the quarter-finals at the Toronto Masters last week.
Paul got the first break to lead 4-2, before Alcaraz rallied to bring up the tie-break, which he eventually claimed 8-6.
The second set proved another tight affair, with both players losing three service games at 5-5.
Paul saved three match points in a marathon 12th game which lasted more than 15 minutes to go into another tie-break.
This time, though, the American took control after an early mini-break to race into a 3-0 lead before then sweeping it to love.
Alcaraz broke in the first game of the deciding set, which he was leading 4-3 when rain forced play to be suspended after three hours and two minutes of a pulsating contest.
Following a delay of around an hour, the players headed out on court – but the match was soon paused again as the drizzle returned along with strong winds before the pair went off back inside.
When they were finally able to return to the court, Alcaraz picked up where he left off, clinching the next two games and sealing a trip to the quarter-finals.
Earlier on Thursday, Alexander Zverev battled past world number three Daniil Medvedev 6-4 5-7 6-4 to end a four-match losing streak against the Russian.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the fourth seed, is out after he was beaten 6-3 6-4 by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, who recorded a first win over a top-10 ranked player in six matches.
Hurkacz goes on to play lucky loser Alexei Popyrin after the Australian earlier defeated Emil Ruusuvuori 6-2 1-6 6-3 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.
Zverev will face Adrian Mannarino in the last eight. The Frenchman progressed after American wildcard Mackenzie McDonald retired during the second set of their third-round match, with Mannarino ahead 6-4 3-0.
The run of veteran Swiss Stan Wawrinka – who had been given a wildcard entry and knocked out 10th seed Frances Tiafoe in the last round – was ended with a 6-4 6-2 defeat by qualifier Max Purcell.
The Australian, who upset world number seven Casper Ruud on Wednesday, will next face Alcaraz.
Tyson Fury defeated Francesco Pianeta to secure a bout with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, on this day in 2018.
It was Fury’s second fight following a self-inflicted absence in the 10-round contest against the German opponent, while Wilder was sat ringside at Belfast’s Windsor Park to watch the then 30-year-old ease to victory.
Time in the ring was important for Fury as ring-rust was to blame for a few momentary lapses in concentration. He sealed his 27th success from 27 bouts, winning 100-90 on the scorecard of all three judges.
Fury had already secured a fourth-round TKO win over Sefer Seferi in his first fight in nearly three years in June 2018, but he needed more rounds in the ring before agreeing to risky contest with Wilder.
Despite winning both bouts, those were the only fights Fury had with inexperienced trainer Ben Davison before his preparation for the world’s most dangerous heavyweight at the time.
In the first round, Fury showed his skills after being hit by a combination while trapped in the corner, but he remarkably manoeuvred his way out of it before finishing that particular exchange on top.
Fury promised to take Pianeta more seriously than his bout with Seferi, but that still contributed to him switching off and occasionally getting caught by the German.
In the fourth round, Pianeta connected with a left hook which Fury acknowledged with a nod of the head before he was again caught in the sixth with a right uppercut and further left hooks.
Fury continued to break Pianeta down, but he never really looked in danger of being knocked down in the bout. His lack of power was visible in the eighth round when a left hook, his best punch of the fight, did not trouble Pianeta.
The 25,000-strong crowd recognised the lack of drama by booing at the final bell, but their boos then turned to cheers when Wilder joined Fury in the ring to confirm their future fight.
Austin Barnes provided the game’s only run with an eighth-inning home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 for their 11th straight win on Thursday.
After Corbin Burnes and counterpart Lance Lynn each put up zeroes for seven innings, Barnes lined an 0-1 pitch from Joel Payamps into the lower seats in left for his first home run of the season with one out in the eighth.
The Dodgers improved to 15-1 in August, outscoring opponents 93-38.
Lynn allowed four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in his fourth start since joining the Dodgers in a trade with the White Sox.
Caleb Ferguson worked the eighth and Evan Phillips pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 20 opportunities.
Burnes limited the red-hot Dodgers to two hits while walking two and striking out nine but remained winless in his last five starts.
Milwaukee totalled just three runs in the series and had its NL Central lead trimmed to two games over the Cubs and Cincinnati.
Rodriguez leads Mariners past Royals
Julio Rodriguez capped his first career five-hit game with a two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners continued their playoff push with a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Rodriguez went 5 for 5 with a career high-tying five RBIs and finished the four-game series with 12 hits, setting a franchise record for any series.
He is the fourth Mariners player with at least four hits in consecutive games, the fifth player in team history with a five-hit, five-RBI game, and the first Seattle player with at least 20 homers in each of his first two seasons.
Cal Raleigh also homered as the Mariners pulled within one-half game of idle Toronto for the third and final AL wild-card spot.
Gallen shuts down Padres as Diamondbacks win
Zach Gallen pitched six strong innings and was backed by home runs from Tommy Pham and Gabriel Moreno in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres in the opener of a four-game series.
Gallen limited the Padres to one run and three hits with one walk and three strikeouts to beat the Padres for the second straight start. He became the fourth 13-game winner in the majors.
Kyle Nelson fanned three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings and rookie Justin Martinez got the final four outs for his first career save.
Pham followed Corbin Carroll’s one-out walk in the fourth inning with his 12th home run and Moreno added his fourth of the season an inning later.
Arizona has won five of six following a nine-game losing streak to get within one game of the third and final NL wild-card spot.
Rory McIlroy carded a flawless 65 to share a one-stroke lead with American Brian Harman after the first round of the BMW Championship in Chicago.
The Northern Irishman picked up five birdies without dropping a shot, while Harman split six birdies with a bogey on the par four 12th.
The pair lead by one from a six-strong chasing pack which includes England’s Matt Fitzpatrick.
The 28-year-old dropped shots at the start and end of his opening round, but birdied six of nine holes around the turn.
Meanwhile, Patrick Cantlay has some improving to do if he is to be successful in his bid for a third-straight victory in the BMW Championship.
The American carded a two under 68 on Thursday to sit equal-12th.
Chicago Blackhawks center and longtime captain Jonathan Toews will take next season off for health reasons but is not ready to retire from the NHL.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion announced his future plans on social media Thursday.
Toews, a free agent after spending 16 years with the Blackhawks, missed the entire 2020-21 season with long COVID symptoms and chronic immune response syndrome.
“I’d like to announce that I am not fully retiring, but I am taking time away from the game again this season,” Toews posted on Instagram. “I cannot deny my love for the game of hockey and still feel the passion for competing at my highest level.
“However, these last few seasons have been very difficult considering my health challenges. My focus is to give myself the time and space to fully heal and enjoy life to the fullest once again.”
Toews played 53 games last season, totaling 15 goals and 16 assists, but has largely kept his medical struggles out of the public eye.
“Along the way I have met several people who have struggled with health issues pertaining to long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, and other similar cases that are quite complex,” Toews’ post read. “I now recognize the importance of one day sharing the details of my health journey with you all.
“Thank you to all of you who have supported me and respected my privacy in the process.”
Toews captained Stanley Cup-winning Blackhawks teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015, winning the Conn Smyth trophy as the playoffs MVP in 2010.
In 1,067 career games, all with Chicago, Toews has tallied 372 goals and 511 assists, in addition to 119 points (45 goals, 74 assists) in 137 career playoff games.
Toews won the Selke Trophy in 2013 as league’s best defensive forward and was twice given the Messier Leadership Award.
Toews is a free agent after completing an eight-year, $84million contract but has previously expressed a desire to play his entire career with the Blackhawks.
“The thought of playing for another team right now is so far in the back of my mind right now, especially after that moment,” Toews said after receiving an emotional ovation from the team’s fans after the season finale. “I always thought I’d retire a Blackhawk and part of me still believes in that, so we’ll see.”
After months of hard work and training, a number of the Caribbean’s young swimming sensations will put their preparation to the test when they dive into action at the 27th staging of the much-anticipated Goodwill Swimming Championships, which gets under way on Friday.
In fact, Jamaica’s Head coach Gillian Millwood believes the highly competitive three-day meet represents an opportunity for swimmers to not only improve, but also to learn valuable lessons to take with them as they prepare to transition to next level competition.
Over 200 swimmers from Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks and Caicos are expected to join their Jamaican counterparts in action at the National Aquatic Centre.
“I’m excited for our athletes and I anticipate that they will go into each race with enthusiasm and more importantly, purpose. They are filled with incredible abilities and have worked extremely hard to get where they are today and we expect to see that on display across the three days,” Millwood told Sportsmax.tv.
“Goodwill this weekend provides an opportunity for them to rise to the occasion and put forward their best race together and also to make memories with their teammates and the new friends they’ll make from the other countries, as they prepare to move to a next level,” she added.
Friday’s schedule will be highlighted by the 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 4x50m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m freestyle relay, all after an opening ceremony at 4:30pm.
Action for Saturday and Sunday is scheduled to begin at 9:00am and end at 1:00pm.
The Jamaicans will be seeking to surpass last year’s massive haul of 92 medals (33 gold, 37 silver, 22 bronze), which bettered their previous best tally of 65 medals from the 2019 staging in Suriname.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago, though missing some of their better swimmers to CCCAN duties in El Salvador, are favoured to once again top the points standing, as they topped last year’s event with 1,442 points. Jamaica (1,002 points), with Barbados (723 points), third.
Each National Federation has a maximum of 40 swimmers - four boys and four girls in the age groups eight and under, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14 and 15 to 17.
The member countries of the Goodwill Swimming Championship host the meet on an annual rotation basis. Trinidad and Tobago were last year’s hosts.
World number one Iga Swiatek fought back from a set down to beat Qinwen Zheng 3-6 6-1 6-1 and reach the quarter-finals of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, where she will face Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
Zheng, who beat Venus Williams in the last round, threatened an upset as she opened up a 3-0 lead before taking the first set as Swiatek paid the price for 23 unforced errors.
After taking a bathroom break between sets, during which she also changed her match kit, the French Open champion rallied to force two early breaks against the Chinese 20-year-old and then again in the fifth game.
Although Zheng did finally get a game on the board with a break of her own, it was only delaying the inevitable as Swiatek closed out the set with yet another break.
The decider swiftly went the way of the Pole as she moved 3-0 up before serving out for what was – in the end – a comfortable victory.
“My coach had said to me, ‘if you lose the set it might be a good idea to change your outfit, so you can kind of reset and go in the second set with a different vibe’ – I tried this time and it worked,” Swiatek said during her courtside interview, broadcast by Amazon Prime Video.
Vondrousova, the 10th seed, had earlier coasted past American Sloane Stephens 7-5 6-3 to reach the last eight and a showdown with the world number one.
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina, though, retired through injury during the second set of her third-round match against Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini, who progressed with the score at 4-6 5-2.
Karolina Muchova also made it through to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory over number eight seed Maria Sakkari.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will receive their championship rings and raise their title banner when the NBA tips off the regular season on October 24.
One night later, No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama will introduce himself to the league.
The NBA revealed an 80-game schedule for the 2023-24 season on Thursday. The final two games will be determined later based on how teams fare in the new In-Season Tournament.
The season begins with a doubleheader, with the Nuggets opening things up against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch from last season's Western Conference finals.
Opening night's second game features the Phoenix Suns visiting Golden State, a matchup that pits new Warrior Chris Paul against his former team.
The NBA debut of Wembanyama comes one night later, with the San Antonio Spurs hosting the Dallas Mavericks.
The NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament begins on November 3, and concludes with the final four teams playing the semifinals and championship games in Las Vegas on December 7 and 9, respectively.
The traditional Christmas quintupleheader begins with the New York Knicks playing on December 25 for the 56th time, and they'll host the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Warriors then visit the Nuggets, followed by the Boston Celtics visiting the Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers visiting the Miami Heat and concluding with the Mavericks at Phoenix.
In an effort to maximise player rest and have the league's brightest stars play in high-profile games, teams will not play back-to-backs on Christmas or during the In-Season Tournament.
While teams play on consecutive nights slightly more this season - up to 14.0 such instances from last year's rate of 13.3 per team - back-to-backs involving travel are down to 9.0 on average after being at 9.6 per team last season.
The league takes a break from February 16-21, except for the All-Star Game and its festivities, which will take place in Indianapolis.
All 30 teams will play on April 12 and again two days later on the final day of the regular season.
The play-in tournament is then set to start April 16, with the 2024 NBA playoffs beginning April 20.
Steve Borthwick believes Owen Farrell has been the target of “personal attacks” as England’s captain once again confronts the possibility of missing the start of the World Cup.
Borthwick has joined Andy Farrell in defending the 31-year-old, who must face rugby’s judiciary for the second time in a week after World Rugby appealed against the decision to rescind his red card for a dangerous tackle on Wales’ Taine Basham.
Andy Farrell, the head coach of Saturday’s opponents Ireland, offered impassioned support of his son by declaring that “the circus that’s gone on in and around all of this is absolutely disgusting”.
Borthwick had intended to select Farrell for the Dublin clash but revised that plan amid the furious outcry over the original disciplinary hearing’s failure to impose a suspension.
Instead, George Ford lines-up as chief playmaker against the sport’s number-one ranked side with Marcus Smith providing cover off the bench.
Farrell has travelled to Ireland with the squad but will be a spectator only as Borthwick anticipates the additional turmoil that will now affect England’s World Cup preparations when the saga enters a second week.
“Unfortunately, given the disruption to his week and the intrusion in terms of his preparation, I made the decision to pull him out of the team that he would otherwise have led this weekend,” Borthwick said.
“The situation is one I find really disappointing. We thought we had reached a conclusion in this matter on Tuesday.
“It had an impact in terms of the disruption for this week and now it’s going to be ongoing into the next Test week.
“The situation with the England team – and Owen in particular – seems to be amplified.
“The commentary around it seems to move from issues around the tackle to personal attacks on the character of the man, which I think is just wrong.
“We all feel for him and we all feel it when one of our group is on the receiving end of such personal attacks – we all feel it.
“Owen has handled himself through this process in a really respectful manner. We will continue to respect the process and the decision that is reached.
“One of the most experienced and senior panels that deal with these matters dealt with it on Tuesday. We thought it was the conclusion.
“Now, another panel is being convened to try and find some holes in what was done on Tuesday. Again, we will conduct ourselves in a manner that respects the process.
“The final two weeks of our World Cup preparation are going to be disrupted by this matter.”
Farrell is in fresh danger of missing the pivotal World Cup opener against Argentina on September 9 with the potential for a six-week ban – the mid-range sanction for dangerous tackle offences – back on the horizon.
The Saracens fly-half received a yellow card in the 63rd minute of Saturday’s 19-17 victory over Wales but this was upgraded to red by the bunker review system, which is being trialled in the Summer Nations Series.
At Tuesday’s hearing the Saracens fly-half accepted that he had made contact with Basham’s head, that it was a dangerous tackle and that the degree of danger involved warranted a red card.
However, he successfully argued there was mitigation that made the offence worthy of a sin-binning only when Jamie’s George’s attempted tackle on Basham caused the Wales flanker into a sudden change in movement and drop in head height.
The PA news agency understands that World Rugby will look to prove that on the balance of probabilities the tackle was never legal and therefore no mitigation should have applied.
It is stated in World Rugby’s guidelines state mitigation does not apply for “always-illegal acts of foul play”.
Farrell’s absence means that Courtney Lawes leads a starting XV that is close to full strength, bolstered by the presence of wing Anthony Watson and centre Manu Tuilagi, who are making their first appearances of the warm-up fixtures.
Second row Ollie Chessum will make his comeback from the serious ankle injury sustained during the Six Nations when he appears off the bench.
Saffie Osborne was once again on the Racing League scoresheet at Windsor, as Wales & The West continue to top the charts in the team competition.
Jamie Osborne’s team headed into the night with a 77-point advantage and remain the ones to beat at the halfway stage of the six-week event following a double on week three that left them on 471 points.
Rhys Clutterbuck steered Clive Cox’s Just Bring It (9-1) to victory in the William Hill sponsored one-mile handicap, before last year’s Racing League top jockey made her customary Thursday night trip to the the winner’s enclosure when Tony Carroll’s 9-4 favourite Gallant Lion ran out a gutsy winner of the penultimate race of the evening.
“He’s got loads of ability and I was was really happy with him early on, I got some nice cover from Jack Mitchell and he settled nicely,” Osborne told Sky Sports Racing.
“When Jack went to make the running, he was left without cover and he just latched on a little bit and there was no point arguing with him, he’s obviously got a lot of ability and a high cruising speed and once I let him stride on he did everything within himself. I was able to get a nice breather into him and he saw it out well.
“He’s obviously got tons of ability and he is still lightly raced and learning and you’d like to think there is more to come.”
The most valuable event on the card went the way of Richard Fahey for the second week in a row as Spirit Dancer scooped the £51,540 first prize in the hands of Oisin Orr.
The 9-2 winner was representing the North and was the second half of a double on the night for Fahey and Orr who also enjoyed success with Show Me Show Me (10-1) in the five-furlong handicap.
“We love £100,000 races,” said team manager Mick Quinn.
“We won the £100,000 pot last week at Chepstow and we’ve won it again this week.
“The owners wanted to come here, Richard wanted to come here and it’s paid off.”
Earlier on, Zoulu Chief (28-1) showed who was boss to land a decisive win in the nursery handicap which kicked off proceedings, providing Scotland with a welcome victory in their quest to climb off the bottom of the table.
London and The South (in second on 378 points) were on the scoresheet on home turf when Tom Ward’s 9-2 joint-favourite Capote’s Dream led home a one-two for the region in the six-furlong handicap, with an all-Irish finish to the three-year-olds only one-mile event as Richard Spencer’s Pjanoo (22-1) held off 100-30 favourite Hat Toss.
It was third-placed Ireland’s second win of the competition and team manager Kevin Blake was delighted to see winning Irish jockey Danny Sheehy make his trip to Windsor worthwhile.
He said: “I’m particularly happy for Danny. He hit the crossbar at Chepstow last week, so for him to now get a winner, I’m particularly happy.
“He’s a very good rider and so strong for a light fella and a natural lightweight, so it’s been fantastic to get him over here and put him in the spotlight and who knows what could come from it.”
Lord Massusus notched the biggest success of his career when scorching to victory in the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown.
Joseph Murphy’s three-year-old had looked a progressive operator earlier in the year, but had failed to make his mark in two recent outings in Pattern company.
Sent off 11-2 when returned to a mile for this Group Three event, rider Gary Carroll was in no rush aboard the gelded son of Markaz.
In fact it looked as if the race was 11-4 favourite Alfred Munnings’s to lose when Ryan Moore hit the front in the home straight, but Lord Massusus was making stealthy progress and quickly inching his way into contention.
Carroll asked his mount for maximum effort approaching the final furlong and he had a willing partner as they hunted down Alfred Munnings with the post looming to register a one-and-a-half-length success.
“We were disappointed the last day but things didn’t go right for him, he pulled too hard,” said Murphy.
“We got him switched off today, he came home well and a fast pace suited him. He won like a good horse, I thought it was a good performance.
“That’s what he was showing us when we supplemented him for the Minstrel Stakes.
“That’s his fifth win now. There is a little bit of ease in the ground today, the day he ran in the Listed race and was running on well (fourth in the Celebration Stakes) it was good, so he’s versatile.
“He has a low action so good ground makes no difference.”
On future plans, Murphy said: “We’ll look forward to the big meeting now, he’ll go for the Dullingham Park Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.”
There may have been no joy for Aidan O’Brien in the feature, but the Ballydoyle handler saw Chief Little Rock go one better than his debut course and distance second to get off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden.
The son of Galileo needed every yard of the one-mile contest to assert his dominance, but the odds-on scorer appears a colt heading in the right direction and could have booked his ticket to bigger and better things.
“Ryan said he was very babyish still, that he came out and he didn’t really know what to do even after having a run,” said O’Brien.
“He said he always felt that he was going to win, but that he was very green with him and he said he felt like a horse that was going to improve a lot, so we won’t rush him.
“The first day he ran around and was green so we rode him up there today and he probably found all that new too.
“It was satisfactory, but he needs to come on and he thinks he will.”
He added: “We could look at something like the Beresford, but we won’t have to rush him and he’ll stay at a mile. He’ll handle an ease in the ground too, and he’s a middle-distance horse for next year.”
Also opening his account was Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under, who put his experience to good use in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
Twice runner-up in Derby trials at the Dublin track before heading to the Curragh for the Irish Derby itself, the Lope De Vega colt took real advantage of this drop in class to get on the scoresheet as the 4-9 favourite.
Warren Gatland has been backed to turn around Wales’ fortunes and lead them towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Nigel Walker, the Welsh Rugby Union’s interim chief executive, hailed Gatland during a press conference unveiling of Abi Tierney as the organisation’s new chief executive – a post she will commence by the end of this year.
New Zealander Gatland is eight months into his second stint as Wales head coach after replacing Wayne Pivac and he is preparing for a fourth World Cup at the helm during September and October, having masterminded semi-final appearances in 2011 and 2019.
Wales finished fifth in the Guinness Six Nations last season, while Gatland inherited a squad that lost nine out of 12 Tests last year.
“The contract was a five-year contract. There is a clause (believed to be after the World Cup in France), but I cannot see any circumstances whereby we would invoke that clause,” Walker said.
“We feel we have one of the best coaches in the world, if not the best. I am confident Wales will do well in the World Cup.
“It’s a long-term project, and from what I’ve seen, Warren is quite capable of turning around the fortunes of Wales.”
Asked for his reaction to Walker’s comments, Gatland said: “I am just focusing on the short term.
“I have never been a person who thinks long-term too much in terms of my own personal situation. I am a great believer in what will be, will be.
“I have already said that the work this group has done and strides we have made, I think we can do something pretty special at this World Cup, and I honestly believe that.
“If that happens, then those other things take care of themselves.”
Wales complete their World Cup warm-up schedule on Saturday by tackling South Africa, and they will be without British and Irish Lions Liam Williams and Dan Biggar.
Both players had been selected to start the game in Cardiff, but have been withdrawn as a precautionary measure.
The WRU said that full-back Williams has a tight hamstring, with Biggar suffering from back irritation.
Cai Evans is promoted from the replacements’ bench to make his Test debut as Williams’ replacement, while Sam Costelow takes over from fly-half Biggar.
Gatland added: “Both of them, if we pushed them hard, could play on Saturday, but the decision was made there is no point taking a risk at this stage.
“If this was a World Cup semi-final, Dan Biggar would have been fine for the weekend.”
Forwards Dewi Lake and Taine Plumtree, who were injured during Wales’ narrow defeat against England at Twickenham last weekend, are on course to be available for the World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10.
Saturday’s clash in Cardiff is a last chance for players to impress Gatland, who will announce his 33-strong World Cup squad within 48 hours of the final whistle.
“There is an opportunity for players on Saturday. We will come back as a coaching group after the game and finalise the squad,” Gatland said.
“We are confident that those players carrying injuries are going to be available for the first game against Fiji.
“We will get a pretty detailed injury update in terms of all the players in the squad, the ones carrying knocks and when they can return to full-time training and when they are available.
“Potentially, there may be one or two decisions, which has happened in the past, where we are still undecided and we might sleep on it and make a final decision potentially on the Sunday.
“Then it’s a matter of notifying the players and announcing the squad on Monday.”
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 August 17.
FootballThe celebrations of England reaching the Women’s World Cup final continued.
Man City got their hands on another trophy.
Harry Kane x boot.
Birthdays.
Rolling back the years.
Blackburn remembered.
CricketTributes were paid to Sir Michael Parkinson.
Stuart Broad was glad to be back at Trent Bridge.
Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope and Sir Alastair Cook made a late bid for a place on Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
View this post on InstagramFormula OneAnother tribute for Parkinson.
Valtteri Bottas was on an adventure.
Zander Fagerson admits he is “relieved” not to have had his World Cup dream dashed by suspension after going through an emotional “roller coaster” in the aftermath of his red card in Scotland’s recent home win over France.
There were fears the Glasgow prop might miss at least part of the upcoming showpiece in France after he was sent off for making contact with the head of Les Bleus hooker Pierre Bourgarit at the side of a ruck.
After an anxious few days for the 27-year-old, he learned last week that he would face a reduced two-game ban, ruling him out of last weekend’s rematch with the French in Saint Etienne and the home game against Georgia later this month before freeing him up to play in the World Cup opener against South Africa in Marseille.
“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster but I’m just relieved,” he told the PA news agency. “I’m remorseful for what happened, but it’s one of these things and you’ve got to move on from it and learn from your mistakes.”
Fagerson explained how the sight of his children helped him deal with the gloomy post-game realisation that his dismissal may have put his World Cup chances in jeopardy.
“I was pretty down afterwards but by my wife and kids were there (at Murrayfield) and my kids didn’t care about what had happened, they just wanted to see their dad,” he said.
“I was gutted but that helped put a smile back on my face. It (the incident) was done, I couldn’t do anything to change it, so I just had to go through the process and wait for the outcome.
“I’m gutted I got suspended, but I’m relieved I can play the first game. It’s done now, I’ve got to move on and learn from it.”
Fagerson insists it is not in his nature to go into any Test without full commitment, even if there is a risk his wholehearted playing style could cost him involvement in a career pinnacle.
“You can’t go into games at this stage worrying about injury or suspension, because you’re not focusing on the task at hand if you’re doing that,” he said.
“You can’t let that cross your mind. Any time I play for Scotland is a massive opportunity and I don’t take it for granted. I go into every game fully committed.”
With his suspension ruling him out of next week’s match at home to Georgia, Fagerson – who has played just 50 minutes of rugby this summer – must focus on ensuring he is in prime shape for the Springboks showdown three weeks on Sunday.
“Fingers crossed I get selected for the first game, that’s a massive goal for me and one I’m doing everything I can to make sure I’m in the best physical condition for,” he said.
Fagerson is heading to his second World Cup after being part of the squad that went to Japan four years ago, but this will be his first with his younger brother Matt, who has also been included in Gregor Townsend’s 33-man pool.
“Sadly Matt didn’t make it in 2019, but he was really excited for me and I was gutted for him, so to go out together this time will be really special,” said Fagerson. “It will be great for the family as well. Hopefully we can make some memories over there together.”
The Rob Burrow Racing Club celebrated its first winner on Thursday when the Craig Lidster-trained Macarone came home clear at Beverley.
The club was set up to raise money for several charities, but principally the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), the illness which former Rugby League star Burrow was diagnosed with in 2019.
Macarone, a two-year-old by Havana Grey, was having his first run for the club after finishing second at Bath last time out and the well-backed 7-2 winner was roared home.
Former champion jockey Paul Hanagan, a keen Rugby League fan, punched the air on crossing the line and admitted the result meant a lot to him.
Hanagan said: “I’ve been blessed to ride a lot of winners in my career and I can safely say today is bang up there with the best of them. It was definitely emotional with Rob and his family being here too. It really doesn’t get much better.
“The reception we got coming back in was something I’ll never forget, and I can’t tell you how chuffed I am. You always know it’s something special when the other jockeys start applauding you when you come back in the weighing room.
“It was a very special day and hopefully this will be onwards and upwards for the Rob Burrow Racing Club.”
Burrow said: “Well done Macarone! You’ve given the Rob Burrow Racing Club our first win, and I couldn’t be prouder!
“Racing can be tough at times, and just like rugby, it has its ups and downs. Macarone has given us a perfect result today though. It’s been worth the wait.”
Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, added: “I was screaming so loudly I might have lost my voice!”
Barrie McDermott, a former colleague of Burrow’s at the Leeds Rhinos, and an ambassador of the club, told Racing TV: “We’ve had a few scripts that haven’t gone to plan, but today did.
“Paul is such an experienced rider, he talked us through his plan and he executed it to perfection.
“We’re delighted, delighted for Rob and Lindsey (Burrow) and all the members.
“The club is evolving all the time, we’re trying to turn it into a 12-month membership while raising money for charity. MND is an awful disease and Rob’s desire is to make people understand how it affects everybody and what they can do to help.
“He’s such an inspirational man. He’s not been burdened by the inevitability of what is in front of him, he’s been campaigning so those that follow him can have a bit of an easier path and for that we all love him.”
UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control have appealed against the decision to lift Conor Benn’s provisional suspension for two failed drugs tests.
Benn’s career was thrown into turmoil last October after he twice tested positive for the banned drug clomifene in the lead-up to a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was subsequently shelved in fight week.
He was formally charged by UKAD in April but announced last month he had been cleared after the independent National Anti-Doping Panel ruled in his favour following a hearing into the matter.
However, while Benn remains free to resume his boxing career, the saga is not over as UKAD and the BBBofC have both activated their right to appeal against the NADP’s decision within a 21-day window.
A UKAD statement said: “UK Anti-Doping can confirm that it has filed an appeal in respect of a decision handed down by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel regarding anti-doping proceedings brought by UKAD against Mr Conor Benn.
“As confirmed previously in UKAD’s statement on 28 July 2023, Mr Benn is no longer subject to a provisional suspension. The appeal process will now be followed in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping rules.”
Benn’s positive tests were conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.
Benn himself insisted eggs were never blamed in a 270-page report he sent the WBC, but he has repeatedly stressed his innocence, having faced a two-year ban.
He reacted with dismay to Thursday’s announcement, writing on Twitter: “I’m disappointed at the news of an appeal being made, having already been cleared by both the WBC and National Anti-Doping Panel to continue my career without any restriction.
“As I have said before, I am innocent. Nothing has changed and I remain confident in my position.”
Benn relinquished his BBBofC licence after his bout against Eubank was scrapped and criticised the governing body’s handling of his case.
The BBBofC said in a statement: “The British Boxing Board of Control Limited can confirm that it has filed an appeal in respect of the decision of the independent National Anti-Doping Panel in anti-doping proceedings brought by UKAD against Mr Benn.
“The BBBofC has an independent right to appeal the decision and, as the governing body for professional boxing in the United Kingdom and having due regard to its role and responsibilities, has elected to do so. The BBBoC can also confirm that UKAD has also appealed.”
Abi Tierney has promised to deliver “North Star” leadership to guide the Welsh Rugby Union away from what has been described as a “toxic culture” at the organisation.
Tierney will join the WRU next January at the latest after serving notice at the Home Office, where she is the director general for customer services and ethics advisor and chair of its people committee.
Her appointment comes nearly seven months after Steve Phillips resigned as WRU chief executive following a BBC documentary which aired allegations of racism, misogyny, sexism and homophobia and the existence of a “toxic culture” at the game’s governing body.
“People realise mistakes have been made, people are disappointed in what’s happened but there’s an absolute passion, desire and commitment to turn it around and make a difference,” Tierney said at a press conference in Cardiff.
“My job is to harness that and give people them that North Star that they can go towards. I wouldn’t have taken the job if I hadn’t seen that potential.
“I’ve done due diligence on this job. I’ve left a job I love and it had to be the right move.
“Since I’ve been here I’ve been getting to know my colleagues and stakeholders. All I see is potential. I can feel it, it’s almost visceral.”
WRU chiefs admitted being in “denial” after the damaging allegations were broadcast in January and said warning signs were missed.
An external taskforce was set up to carry out an independent review and the report will be published soon. The WRU has said it will accept all the recommendations in the taskforce report.
Tierney said: “I’m holding my thoughts just a little until we get that report and what we need to do on the back of that.
“But someone used the word ‘unity’ when we met with the Welsh Rugby Council and I’ve got the chance to create that.
“What’s the alternative? We can’t not have rugby and we can’t have it described as that. When I heard about this job I thought ‘if not me, then who?
“I would be disappointed if someone else got it? I knew I could do the job, so I didn’t want that regret.”
The WRU has pledged that 40 per cent of its 12-person board should be women and the organisation insists it is on schedule to fulfil that ambition.
Tierney, whose father comes from Barry and admits to having “goose bumps” when she was appointed, says she understands the “additional responsibility” that comes with being first female to be WRU chief executive.
She said: “I’ve used the word responsibility but I’ve been appointed not because I’m female, but because of my leadership skills and capabilities.
“I know people will look up to me and we can all see the world of women in sport opening up with the Lionesses, the Ashes and netball this summer.
“I’m part of that but 10 years ago it would have been a lonely place sat here, but actually I feel I’m part of a movement in some ways.
“It’s a movement that’s going to go from strength to strength and (Welsh Rugby Union) has put me at the forefront of that by having faith in me as a female to lead the organisation. The dream is that young girls see this and think they can do it as well.”
WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood described Tierney’s appointment as a “hugely significant moment for Welsh rugby”.
He added: “I want to be really clear that we did not appoint Abi because of her gender.
“She was the best candidate and were the best candidate a man we would have appointed him. I think it’s helpful the two outstanding roles are gender-balanced, but I want to be clear she was the best candidate.”
Nigel Walker, who has acted as interim CEO since Phillips’ departure, will become the WRU’s first executive director of rugby when Tierney takes up her role.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has branded the “circus” around son Owen Farrell’s disciplinary process “absolutely disgusting”.
The England captain’s participation in the World Cup is in fresh doubt after World Rugby appealed against the decision to overturn his red card from Saturday’s clash with Wales.
An independent disciplinary panel caused an outcry on Tuesday when it cleared 31-year-old Farrell to play following his shoulder-led tackle to the head of Taine Basham, which was expected to result in a significant ban.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has subsequently opted to leave the Saracens fly-half out of his squad for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash against Ireland in Dublin.
Farrell senior, who concedes his view on the situation is not impartial, expressed anger at some of the intense criticism his son has faced.
“Whatever I say is probably flawed anyway,” said the 48-year-old.
“When you’re talking about somebody’s son and asking the question, it’s always going to be flawed, so what does that really matter?
“I don’t normally say too much because of that type of reason about my son.
“But what I probably would say at this moment in time is that the circus that’s gone on in and around all of this is absolutely disgusting, in my opinion, disgusting.
“I suppose those people that have loved their time in the sun get a few more days to keep going at that.”
Owen Farrell’s participation in the World Cup is in doubt again after World Rugby appealed against the decision to overturn his red card from Saturday’s clash with Wales.
An independent disciplinary panel caused an outcry on Tuesday when it cleared Farrell to play despite his shoulder-led tackle to the head of Taine Basham that was expected to result in a significant ban.
But having examined the written judgement of the hearing, World Rugby believes there are grounds for an appeal, the date for which has yet to be confirmed.
The furore surrounding England’s captain – instigated by a verdict that 2003 World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward insists has “made the game a complete and utter laughing stock” – has had repercussions for Saturday’s clash with Ireland.
Steve Borthwick had intended to pick Farrell for the Dublin showdown but revealed when announcing his team that he had been forced to revise his plans, instead starting George Ford at fly-half with Marcus Smith present on the bench.
“In my original planning for the Summer Nations Series and as part of our World Cup preparation, Owen Farrell was due to be selected to play in Saturday’s Test,” Borthwick said.
“However, in light of the fact that so much of Owen’s training and match preparation time this week has been significantly affected and interrupted by the disciplinary process, I have not selected him in the matchday 23. Owen will travel to Ireland with our full support.
“Owen understands the situation but is of course disappointed, as I am, that he is missing such a special game that he would otherwise have played in.”
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