Author: Sports News UK
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with France’s hegemony in Europe and a couple of takes on it… Two games of first halves paint a picture One perhaps slightly tighter than the other at the break, but the weekend’s European Finals were marked by one thing: a clear and obvious winner already by the break. If Ulster were within a stiff arm’s length of Montpellier at half-time on Friday, by minute 50 they had been unceremoniously handed off. Bordeaux’s 35-7 interval lead over Leinster was even more emphatic. The total of the two matches at the weekend read:…
Officiating a Rugby World Cup final is the highest honour for a referee, but Ben O’Keeffe is willing to pass on that opportunity for the betterment of the All Blacks. O’Keeffe ranks as one of the best international referees in the game right now, with his CV boasting two British and Irish Lions Test matches, while the New Zealander also took charge of the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter and semi-finals involving the Springboks. He was precluded from the showpiece event in 2023 due to the All Blacks reaching the final against South Africa, as officials cannot officiate matches involving…
A 70ft statue of Lionel Messi in India is set to be taken down after it was spotted “swaying in the wind”.The giant monument in Kolkata, West Bengal, was erected in December during Messi’s ‘GOAT’ tour of the country – GOAT meaning ‘greatest of all time’.According to local media, engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) carried out an inspection of the statue following complaints from local residents on Monday.Its immediate removal and relocation were ordered after the inspection found the statue’s structural integrity to be severely compromised.”The statue of the Argentine football legend was found [to be] unsafe,” said…
2006After making a controversial transfer from Tottenham in 2001, Sol Campbell won two league titles and three FA Cups with Arsenal, as well as scoring in the 2006 Champions League final.Alongside him was Ivorian Kolo Toure – moulded by Wenger from a central midfielder into one of the league’s finest centre-backs.Both were key parts of Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ season.At right-back, Ivorian Emmanuel Eboue was a cult figure at Arsenal under Wenger, making 214 appearances between 2005 – 2011.Meanwhile, Cole is widely regarded as one of the best left-backs in the history of the Premier League. He was part of the Gunners’…
Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina says his coach “abandoned” him midway through his French Open campaign and flew to Miami without saying a word.The 21st seed was asked in a news conference about reports on France TV that he fired his coach, Mariano Puerta, after an argument following his first-round victory over Damir Dzumhur.”We didn’t fight. Everything was normal,” Davidovich Fokina, who lost to Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round on Wednesday, said.”After the match against Dzumhur we had lunch and after that I went to cool down.”He said he was feeling bad and was going to the hotel.”Davidovich Fokina…
Victor Matfield believes that Leinster’s abject Investec Champions Cup defeat will be a concern for Andy Farrell after they failed to live with Bordeaux-Begles in the final. The Frenchmen overwhelmed the Irish province, particularly in the first half, to secure the silverware with a dominant 41-19 triumph in Bilbao. Leo Cullen’s men struggled with the pace and intensity of Bordeaux, who easily got the better of their opponents physically and cut through the defence with ease. Leinster form the majority of the Ireland side and Matfield reckons that it could have a knock-on effect looking ahead to the inaugural Nations…
‘The Jet’ Kevin Knight turns on his tag team partner. Coming out to the ring in the opening portion of the three-hour AEW Dynamite/Collision broadcast was TNT Champion Kevin Knight. It was at the conclusion of the 2026 Double or Nothing pay-per-view that Knight attacked Darby Allin after Allin lost the AEW World Championship to MJF. Allin was being stretchered out, and Knight hit him with the UFO Splash off the top rope. Knight gave his reasons why he attacked Allin and brought up that going into Double or Nothing, he told Allin not to let him down and not…
Detailed report reveals 5 clubs spent under PREM Rugby salary cap Published: 8 hours ago | 27 May 2026 16:24 Europe/London Updated: 8 hours ago | 27 May 2026 16:24 Europe/London mens gallagher-premiership LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 14: Finn Russell of Bath celebrates after their victory during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final match between Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers at Allianz Stadium on June 14, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) All 10 Gallagher PREM Rugby clubs were found to be compliant with the league’s salary cap for 2024-25, which increased from £5m to £6.4m.Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester,…
There was certainly some surprise when England boss Tuchel opted to leave Wharton out of his 26-man squad heading to the World Cup.Palace may have not had a great domestic season given they finished 15th in the Premier League and went out of the FA Cup against non-League Macclesfield – but they have now won a European trophy and Wharton was hugely influential in that.This Conference League final performance was another reason to be wondering why Wharton is not on the plane.The decision to pick Brentford midfielder Henderson at the age of 35 over the 22-year-old Wharton may be the…
Adam Walton’s phone has hardly stopped pinging in the past 24 hours after the 27-year-old Australian produced a huge shock at the French Open with a stunning victory over Daniil Medvedev in the first round. It was just his fourth win at grand slam level, his first victory over a top 10 player and by far his best win in terms of ranking.“It’s been pretty crazy,” Walton told Guardian Australia, sitting in a small area of the media centre at Roland Garros, a day on from his brilliant five-set victory over the former world No 1. “There was a lot…