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  • Springboks still irritated after All Blacks loss and make 4 changes for second test

    Springboks still irritated after All Blacks loss and make 4 changes for second test

    JOHANNESBURG – For the first time in nearly 12 months, South Africa’s world-famous Springboks have dropped from the top of global men’s rugby rankings, ceding the number one spot to New Zealand’s All Blacks after a lopsided 33-16 upset victory in the opening match of their four-test series last Saturday. The defeat marked South Africa’s heaviest home loss to New Zealand at Ellis Park in recent memory, and has turned this coming Saturday’s second test in Cape Town into a do-or-die fixture for the two-time world champions, who entered the series as heavy favorites and cannot afford a second defeat if they hope to claim the series title.

    In response to the disappointing opening result, head coach Rassie Erasmus announced four key changes to the Springboks starting XV on Monday – the smallest number of starting lineup adjustments he has made all year – alongside five new additions to the reserve bench.

    The only potential change to the forward pack comes down to captain Siya Kolisi’s fitness: Kolisi is bracketed alongside breakout star Paul de Villiers, after missing nearly all game time over the past two months with dual hamstring injuries. If Kolisi proves he can withstand full training this week, he will retain his starting spot and captaincy. Handré Pollard and Cobus Reinach will step into the starting half-back positions, while winger Ethan Hooker will replace injured star Cheslin Kolbe, who is sidelined with combined hamstring and ankle issues.

    The reserve bench has been restructured to a 6-2 split, bringing in hooker utility Deon Fourie, prop Thomas du Toit, lock Lood de Jager, flanker Cameron Hanekom, and scrumhalf Morné van den Berg. All players except Fourie previously featured in South Africa’s 17-10 win over Argentina on August 8.

    Reflecting on the opening test defeat, Erasmus acknowledged that most of the team’s struggles were self-inflicted. The Springboks dominated scrums, line-out mauls, and aerial play for the first 60 minutes of the match, but failed to convert their numerous scoring opportunities into points, while the All Blacks capitalized on every small chance they created – a hallmark of New Zealand rugby that has defined the side for decades.

    “Most of the things we inflicted on ourselves, and that’s frustrating,” Erasmus said. “We’ve got a big hiding of 17 points. When they got two or three opportunities, like New Zealand most of the years in the past, they converted.”

    Erasmus added that the reserve bench failed to deliver the impact he had anticipated, a problem rooted in the starters’ unfulfilled chances rather than the replacements’ performance. “Our plans didn’t work, and that’s on me,” he said. “We as coaches didn’t give those guys the platform to actually go on and finish those things. They had to chase the game from the start.”

    On the topic of Kolisi’s potential return, Erasmus noted that de Villiers – who earned his first four test caps in Kolisi’s absence and turned in a strong performance in the first test – has earned his place in the squad, but the veteran captain’s all-round skill set addresses key gaps the Springboks displayed last Saturday. Specifically, Erasmus highlighted Kolisi’s ability to secure quick ball from breakdowns in attacking positions and organize the team’s defensive line alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit – two areas where the Springboks struggled against the All Blacks.

    “Paul played well on Saturday and there’s no reason why we should keep him out,” Erasmus said. “But Siya is our captain… There were lots of times that we played badly, not because they did anything illegal, but we couldn’t get the ball away out of the breakdown when we were in really good attacking positions. Siya’s really good at that.”

    If Kolisi is cleared to play, the Springboks will field their most experienced starting lineup in test history, with a combined 1,012 test caps across the side, including four players with more than 100 caps: Kolisi, caps record-holder Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende, and stand-in captain Pieter-Steph du Toit. Du Toit, a two-time World Player of the Year, will earn his 100th test cap on Saturday, making him just the 11th Springbok in history to reach the milestone, 11 years after his 2013 test debut.

    Erasmus also explained his decision to recall Pollard to the starting flyhalf position, after rotating the position throughout the year. Pollard, who kicked South Africa to World Cup victories in both 2019 and 2023, brings a more conservative, strategic game than the dropped Manie Libbok and first test starter Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with elite game management and tactical kicking that Erasmus views as critical for turning the series around.

    “Handré has delivered for us under extreme pressure,” Erasmus said.

    The reshuffled squad also marks a fairy-tale recall for Deon Fourie, who earned his spot after an impressive performance for the Stormers on New Zealand’s earlier tour, returning to the Springboks after two years of constant injury setbacks. Fourie last earned a test cap in the 2023 World Cup final against New Zealand, and if he takes the field on Saturday, he will become the oldest test player in Springbok history at 39, surpassing former legends Victor Matfield and Schalk Brits.

    In addition to Kolbe, South Africa will be without four other injured players: scrumhalf Grant Williams (ankle), utility back Canan Moodie (hamstring), and flanker Ben-Jason Dixon (concussion).

    New Zealand, who claimed the number one ranking following their opening test win, will name their matchday squad on Thursday, and are set to play a friendly tour match against the Lions club at Ellis Park on Tuesday ahead of the second test.

    Following the heavy defeat, Erasmus says the squad has already regrouped to address the flaws that cost them the opening match, and is focused on bouncing back to keep their series hopes alive. “One could see the hurt on everyone’s faces after Saturday’s match, and we know what we have to do to bounce back strongly this week,” he said. “We have regrouped and identified the areas of our game we need to fix.”

  • Kanter Freedom ejected from WNBA game over player row

    Kanter Freedom ejected from WNBA game over player row

    A routine Sunday WNBA matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever devolved into an off-court controversy Sunday, when former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from Wintrust Arena following a heated verbal altercation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud that has reignited national debate over transgender inclusion in women’s sports.

    Kanter Freedom, who has been an outspoken critic of the WNBA’s current transgender athlete eligibility framework, was seated courtside for the game wearing a T-shirt printed with the phrase “WOMAN noun. Adult human female.” The confrontation erupted during a game timeout, when Cloud approached the sideline, pointed directly at Kanter Freedom and began shouting at him. In response, Kanter Freedom stood, extended his arms, and stepped toward the court, raising tensions before security and Sky players stepped in to de-escalate the situation.

    The incident is the latest in a string of disruptions targeting the WNBA over its transgender athlete policies. Earlier this month, Kanter Freedom announced he would declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, leveraging what he calls the league’s vague and insufficient eligibility guidelines for transgender women to make a political statement. Following his ejection, he took to social media platform X to frame the incident as an attack on women’s rights, writing: “I just got kicked out of a WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!”

    Cloud pushed back on Kanter Freedom’s framing in a post-game statement on Threads, centering support for trans communities. “To every trans kid/person, you are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are & you will always be protected by me,” she wrote.

    After the altercation, local law enforcement confirmed they spoke with Kanter Freedom before he left the arena peacefully. On the court, the Indiana Fever pulled out a 113-90 victory over the Sky.

    Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh criticized the off-court disruption, emphasizing that fans should attend games to focus on the athletic talent on display. “There’s so many good things about this league and so many good things about the play of these players, that if you come to a game, you should probably come to enjoy the basketball,” Marsh said. “That seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that and have earned that. Being a former basketball player, you should probably understand and feel that, too.”

    Sunday’s clash comes just two days after another high-profile disruption across WNBA games. During a Chicago Sky win over the Golden State Valkyries Saturday, sex toys were thrown onto the court in two separate matches, interrupting play. USA Today reported the same group responsible for six similar disruptions during the 2025 WNBA season across Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles has claimed responsibility, saying the actions are intended to protest the league’s transgender athlete policies.

    The core of the debate centers on the WNBA’s eligibility rules laid out in its collective bargaining agreement (CBA), negotiated between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. The CBA explicitly states that “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but does not include additional restrictive criteria for transgender women, a provision that has drawn criticism from those who oppose trans inclusion in women’s sports. Currently, no transgender athletes are competing in the WNBA, but the debate gained new momentum recently after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham — who played in Sunday’s game in Chicago — publicly questioned the league’s current rules, sparking national discussion across U.S. sports and political circles.

  • South African police arrest 4 in the killing of former champion boxer Zolani Tete

    South African police arrest 4 in the killing of former champion boxer Zolani Tete

    JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Law enforcement authorities have confirmed the arrest of four people connected to the fatal shooting of former two-weight world boxing champion Zolani Tete, in an update released to reporters Monday. The coordinated ambush that claimed Tete’s life unfolded last week in Mdantsane, a township located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, according to official police accounts.

    Investigative details show Tete had just returned to his residential property and was waiting inside his personal vehicle for the property’s security gate to open when the attackers struck. Two gunmen, concealing their identities with balaclavas, opened fire on the vehicle immediately, striking Tete fatally. A female passenger who was with Tete in the car suffered bullet wounds in the attack and was rushed to a local hospital for emergency care, where she remains for ongoing treatment as of the latest police update.

    South African police confirmed that four suspects have now been taken into custody in connection with the killing. One of the four suspects, who was apprehended two days prior to Monday’s announcement, is scheduled to make his first court appearance on the same day the arrest news was made public. The remaining three suspects will have their initial court hearings at a later date, as the investigation continues to progress.

    Beyond the criminal case details, Tete leaves behind a decorated career in professional boxing. He captured the World Boxing Federation (WBF) flyweight world title in 2007 and successfully defended the belt until 2008. More than a decade later, he claimed the World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight world title, holding the championship between 2017 and 2019, cementing his status as one of South Africa’s most successful professional boxers of his generation.

  • Boks drop Feinberg-Mngomezulu to bench for All Blacks rematch

    Boks drop Feinberg-Mngomezulu to bench for All Blacks rematch

    Just one week after a lopsided opening Test defeat to the All Blacks in Johannesburg, South Africa’s Springboks have made sweeping changes to their starting lineup for this Saturday’s highly anticipated rematch in Cape Town, dropping underperforming fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the reserves bench. Under new head coach Dave Rennie, a revitalized All Blacks side cruised to a comfortable 33-16 victory in the series opener, putting the defending world champions on the back foot early in the four-match series billed as “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”.

    Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who struggled throughout the first 80 minutes, was credited with five possession turnovers and repeatedly found himself exposed in defensive gaps before being shifted to full-back in the second half. That underperformance opened the door for 32-year-old two-time Rugby World Cup winner Handre Pollard, who has been recalled to the starting fly-half position for the second Test.

    In addition to the playmaker switch, two injury-forced changes have been made to the starting XV: injuries to Cheslin Kolbe and Grant Williams mean Ethan Hooker will start at wing, while Cobus Reinach takes over at scrum-half. There is still uncertainty surrounding the availability of captain Siya Kolisi, who is recovering from a hamstring injury and in line for a return to the back row. To cover for any possible setback in Kolisi’s recovery, Erasmus has named Paul de Villiers as a backup blindside flanker.

    One of the most notable inclusions on the Springboks’ replacements list is 39-year-old Deon Fourie, who came off the bench to play 77 minutes in the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup final win over the All Blacks. If called into action this weekend, Fourie will earn his first international cap since that iconic tournament victory.

    Reflecting on the opening Test, head coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the mixed performance from his side, saying that unforced errors at critical moments, not a lack of scoring opportunities, cost South Africa a positive result. “There were a handful of positives and negatives last week, but the main thing that let us down was that we created so many chances, but mistakes at crucial times cost us,” Erasmus said. “We’ll put in a lot of work this week to ensure that we are sharp in that regard this weekend because if we had used even some of those chances, the result could have been completely different.”

    Across the All Blacks camp, the big story of the week is the imminent international return of star playmaker Richie Mo’unga, who has not featured for New Zealand in three years after signing with Japanese club side Toshiba Brave Lupus. With the 32-year-old now set to return to domestic rugby with the Crusaders and Canterbury, and an injury to Billy Proctor opening up a spot in the selection pool, Mo’unga is now in line for an immediate Test recall as the All Blacks look to close out the series with a 2-0 lead.

    Mo’unga, who was the starting fly-half for New Zealand’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign and earned a spot in World Rugby’s 2023 Team of the Year, will make his first appearance in a black jersey this week, starting at 10 in a midweek tour match against the Johannesburg-based Lions provincial side. The playmaker says his desire to return to international rugby was sparked during an unexpected moment last year, when he watched a Six Nations match from a Japanese karaoke bar, and he has spent months mentally preparing for his comeback.

    “I’m competitive; I want to be the best,” Mo’unga said. “I know that there’s a process to that, and at this point in time, the process looks a bit different around preparing someone else [All Blacks’ current first-choice fly-half Ruben Love] to be the best. I’m really competitive, but I’m also a team man. Whoever gets the role, gets the role, and if it’s not me, I’ll do anything I can to help them succeed. This game was always coming for me. There was always going to be a return. I wasn’t sure when it was, but mentally I’ve prepared for my return in the black jersey, and I’m ready.”

    The high-stakes second Test between South Africa and New Zealand is set to kick off this Saturday in Cape Town, with the All Blacks targeting a stranglehold on the four-match series and the Springboks desperate to even the score on home soil.

  • Fans suffer firework burns and eye injuries in Eredivisie

    Fans suffer firework burns and eye injuries in Eredivisie

    A tense Eredivisie opening weekend fixture was brought to an abrupt halt on Sunday after visiting Feyenoord supporters launched fireworks into stands holding home fans at SC Cambuur’s Kooi Stadion, leaving five spectators with serious injuries including burns, permanent hearing impairment risk and eye damage. The chaotic disruption, which unfolded in the 12th minute of the first half, forced match officials to pause play for 10 minutes as stewards and security responded to the scene. One stray explosion was captured just meters away from Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, highlighting how close the dangerous projectiles came to harming on-pitch personnel.

    In the aftermath of the incident, newly promoted Eredivisie side SC Cambuur released a strongly worded statement condemning the reckless behavior of the visiting fans. The club, which returned to the Dutch top flight this season after three consecutive campaigns in the second tier, emphasized that the use of pyrotechnics and fireworks has no place in professional football stadiums. Officials confirmed that five home supporters had been medically assessed for injuries following the incident, and added that the club would fully cooperate with local law enforcement and football governing bodies to identify and sanction every person responsible for the disorder.

    Feyenoord, who went on to secure a 5-2 victory after the match resumed, moved quickly to distance itself from the unacceptable actions of its fanbase. Head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who previously served as assistant manager to Arne Slot at Liverpool ahead of taking his current role at the Rotterdam club, issued a formal apology to SC Cambuur on behalf of the entire organization following the final whistle. The club also announced it would request full access to stadium security camera footage to assist with investigations into the trouble.

    Feyenoord general manager Robert Eenhoorn acknowledged that even the three-point win failed to offset the damage of the incident, noting that frustration over the disorder overshadowed any positive result from the fixture. “This problem obviously does not only affect Feyenoord and is unfortunately something we have been unable to put a stop to for decades,” Eenhoorn told reporters. “We will therefore have to sit down again with all stakeholders, clubs, the KNVB [Royal Dutch Football Association], and the authorities to look for a solution together.”

    This incident is not an isolated case for Dutch top-flight football. Just last season, a league fixture between Ajax and Groningen had to be completely abandoned after fans ignited fireworks and flares behind one of the goals at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena. Following Sunday’s disruption, local Leeuwarden mayor Foort van Oosten joined in condemning the violence and pledged a full official investigation into how the fireworks were smuggled into the stadium and who was behind the attack.

    The KNVB has also announced it will open a review of existing crowd disorder protocols to address gaps in prevention and response revealed by the latest incident. Match rules currently only require officials to abandon a fixture if a player or match official is hit by pyrotechnics or projectiles, a rule that KNVB professional football competition manager Jan Bluyssen acknowledged may need adjustment. “That doesn’t feel right,” Bluyssen told Dutch national news agency ANP. “We need to examine whether the protocol is still appropriate and how we might want to adjust it.” Despite the calls for review, the match resumed after the 10-minute suspension to allow Feyenoord to claim their opening victory of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season.

  • Champions League fairytale team Bodø/Glimt close to return as 7 playoffs decide full 36-team lineup

    Champions League fairytale team Bodø/Glimt close to return as 7 playoffs decide full 36-team lineup

    Europe’s top club soccer competition is just days away from finalizing its historic 36-team expanded lineup, and a beloved low-profile underdog stands on the cusp of securing one of the last coveted spots.

    Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, the tiny Cinderella club hailing from a fishing town located above the Arctic Circle, carries a comfortable 3-1 first-leg advantage into Tuesday’s decisive second leg of Champions League qualifying against Dutch first-time qualifier NEC Nijmegen, played on Bodø/Glimt’s home turf. If the club advances, it will earn a place in the main draw, which will be unveiled Thursday evening at a ceremony in Monaco, alongside global soccer heavyweights including defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.

    Bodø/Glimt is no stranger to giant-killing runs in the Champions League. Last season, the side pulled off upset wins against European elites including Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan on its way through the competition. This qualifying campaign, the team has shown consistent offensive firepower, netting three goals in each of its three qualifying matches so far, and eliminated Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise 6-5 on aggregate to reach this final playoff stage. Unlike many small clubs that lose their top talent after standout runs, Bodø/Glimt has retained nearly its entire 2023-24 squad, with only one high-profile departure: Danish forward Kasper Høgh was sold to Scottish side Celtic for a reported $15 million. Høgh and Celtic will also play a decisive qualifying match on Tuesday, carrying a 3-0 first-leg lead into their away fixture against Austria’s LASK.

    Norway could see two clubs qualify for the expanded Champions League main draw. Domestic champion Viking hosts Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday for their second leg, with the tie leveled at 2-2 after Dinamo Zagreb squandered an early two-goal lead in the opening fixture last week.

    The official Champions League draw ceremony is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) in Monaco, just a short 10-minute drive from where local club AS Monaco will kick off its own Conference League playoff second leg, defending a 3-2 first-leg lead over Poland’s Gornik Zabrze. Monaco is one of 36 clubs across European soccer’s second-tier Europa League and third-tier Conference League playing second legs this week to finalize lineups for their own main draw ceremonies, set for Friday.

    UEFA has already released the confirmed seeding pots for Thursday’s draw, with 29 of the 36 spots already locked in. Pot 1 is packed with the sport’s most high-profile sides: Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. The draw will use UEFA’s specialized software to assign eight opponents to each of the 36 teams, with two opponents drawn from each of the four seeding pots. Seven spots in Pot 4 remain unclaimed, reserved for the seven playoff winners to be decided this week.

    The new-look expanded Champions League will begin its group-stage round with first matchdays held across September 8-10, marking the only round of matches before a newly scheduled four-game international break that starts September 24. The competition will resume October 13 for the second round, with the sixth group-stage round set for December 8-9 before a winter break through January. The eighth and final round of group-stage matches, which will see all 36 teams play simultaneously, is scheduled for January 27.

    This week also sees decisive qualifying action across UEFA’s other two club competitions, both of which feature surprisingly strong lineups for their upcoming league phases. The Europa League, which will hold its draw Friday, counts global powerhouses AC Milan, Juventus, and Bayer Leverkusen among its already qualified teams, plus an unusual trio of English sides: defending Conference League champions Crystal Palace, first-time European qualifier Bournemouth, and Sunderland, which is returning to UEFA competition for the first time in 53 years. The winner of the 2024-25 Europa League, which will hold its final in Frankfurt, Germany next May, earns an automatic spot in the 2025-26 Champions League.

    Many second legs for Europa League qualifying are scheduled for Thursday, overlapping with the Champions League draw in Monaco. Notable ties include Mo Salah-associated Trabzonspor, which trails 1-0 ahead of its away match against Hungary’s Ferencvaros, and former European Cup winners Benfica and Red Star Belgrade. A number of feelgood underdog domestic champions have already fallen in earlier qualifying rounds: Swiss champion Thun, who was eliminated from Champions League qualifying by Dinamo Zagreb, suffered a lopsided 7-0 first-leg loss to Poland’s Lech Poznan in Europa League qualifying, while Sweden’s Mjällby carries a 1-0 home loss into its second leg against Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg. All Europa League playoff losers will drop down to the Conference League main phase, which will be played across six rounds through December.

    The Conference League, for its part, features a number of clubs that are regular contenders in the Champions League, including Ajax, Atalanta, and AS Monaco. Former Europa League finalist Freiburg has dropped down to the third-tier competition, while England’s Brighton will aim to secure a third consecutive Conference League title for English clubs, following previous wins by Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No teams have received a bye to the six-round league phase, meaning all must secure playoff wins this week to advance. Atalanta, the 2024 Europa League winner, is at particular risk of elimination after playing to a 0-0 home draw in the first leg against Israel’s Hapoel Tel-Aviv; the second leg will be played on neutral ground in Hungary due to ongoing regional conflict. The tiny principality of Andorra is also poised to make history, with Inter Escaldes carrying a 2-2 aggregate tie into its home second leg against Kosovo’s Drita, while Northern Ireland’s Larne carries a 2-0 advantage into its home leg against Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps.

  • Four arrested over boxing champion’s murder in South Africa

    Four arrested over boxing champion’s murder in South Africa

    South African law enforcement officials have taken four people into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of celebrated two-time world boxing champion Zolani Tete, who was killed in an ambush outside his Eastern Cape home last Friday. The 38-year-old former titleholder, who had recently completed a four-year doping ban and was actively training for a much-anticipated comeback to the ring, was gunned down in Mdantsane as he waited in his vehicle for his residential gate to open. A 27-year-old woman who was travelling with Tete was also wounded in the attack and remains hospitalized for treatment.

    According to official accounts of the incident, two armed attackers wearing balaclavas exited a separate vehicle and opened fire with multiple rounds at Tete and his passenger. The first suspect, a 22-year-old man taken into custody on Saturday, is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Monday, where he will face formal charges of murder and attempted murder. The three remaining suspects were arrested on Sunday, and are set to appear in court this coming Tuesday. Two of these three suspects are already facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, though it has not yet been confirmed whether they will also face murder and attempted murder charges connected to Tete’s killing.

    Tete leaves behind a decorated combat record in professional boxing, with a career total of 29 wins, four losses, and one no-contest ruling across 34 bouts. He claimed his first world title in 2014, when he won the IBF super-flyweight belt, before holding the WBO bantamweight crown from 2017 to 2019. He also secured a place in Guinness World Records for the fastest knockout in the history of professional title fights, stopping his opponent Siboniso Gonya just 11 seconds into their 2017 bout. Tete fought eight times across the United Kingdom during his career, including memorable bouts against Paul Butler in 2015 and Jason Cunningham in 2022. That 2022 knockout win over Cunningham was later overturned to a no-contest after Tete tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol, leading UK Anti-Doping Agency to issue a four-year competition ban that expired just last month.

    In the weeks following the end of his ban, Tete had returned to full training to prepare for a comeback fight, his manager Mla Tengimfene confirmed following his death. Since news of the champion’s killing broke, tributes have poured in from across South Africa’s sporting and political communities. South Africa’s current Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie called the loss a devastating blow for the nation, saying “South Africa has lost one of the finest fighters it has ever produced.” Former Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula also honored Tete’s legacy, remembering him as a “great South African who has made an immense contribution in the sport of boxing”.

  • AFL 2026: Carlton defender Billy Wilson wins Rising Star nomination

    AFL 2026: Carlton defender Billy Wilson wins Rising Star nomination

    AFL side Carlton’s remarkable late-season resurgence has unearthed another exciting young talent, with 22-year-old defender Billy Wilson named the club’s fourth Rising Star nominee of the current campaign. Wilson’s nomination comes off the back of a standout performance against ladder-topping Fremantle in Round 24, capping a stunning breakout season that few could have predicted when head coaching changes rocked the club earlier this year.

    Before new coach Josh Fraser took over the senior role from Michael Voss, Wilson had only featured in a single senior game for the Blues. But under Fraser’s leadership, which has been credited with erasing the culture of fear of failure that had lingered under the previous regime, Wilson has evolved into one of Carlton’s most reliable and impactful players across the halfback line. He is now part of a wave of promising young talent including Jagga Smith, Harry Dean and Talor Byrne that is driving the club’s return to finals contention.

    What many fans do not know is that four-fifths of this exciting young cohort already live and breathe Carlton football together on a daily basis. Wilson shares a home just a short walk from Carlton’s training ground with teammates Harry Dean, Talor Byrne and Flynn Young, and the group has developed a quirky pre-game ritual that they credit for their consistent on-field form: a shared pesto rigatoni pasta with chicken ahead of every match.

    “We’ve stuck with the same routine all season, and we’ve won a lot of games eating this pasta – it’s just pesto rigatoni with some chicken,” Wilson explained in an interview after his Rising Star nomination was announced. “I jump in to help here and there, but Flynn Young is definitely the head chef of the house – he loves cooking for all of us.”

    Off the field, the young group keeps a surprisingly low profile compared to many young professional athletes. Wilson says aside from Dean and Byrne occasionally zooming around the house to burn off excess energy late in the day, the household is quiet and focused on preparation. “We’re a pretty cruisy, measured group,” Wilson said. “Most nights before a game, we just end up sitting down to watch some old footy together. We don’t get up to much crazy stuff, that’s for sure. We’re all just really excited to be here, and we can’t wait for what comes next.”

    Carlton will now face Melbourne in a wildcard final this week, a knockout match that marks the club’s return to finals football after years of rebuilding. Wilson acknowledges that this weekend’s contest carries more weight than a standard regular-season game, but says the entire squad is ready to lean on the roaring support of Carlton fans to push for an upset win.

    “At the end of the day, our job is still just to go out and play the footy we’ve been playing,” Wilson said. “All we need is for our supporters to get behind us, and that’s what’s really driving us right now. We’re ready for the challenge.”

  • Pant, Jurel guide India to 419-6 at lunch on Day 2 of the 2nd cricket test against Sri Lanka

    Pant, Jurel guide India to 419-6 at lunch on Day 2 of the 2nd cricket test against Sri Lanka

    The second Test match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo entered its second day on Monday with India building on a strong overnight foundation, thanks to a game-changing seventh-wicket stand from experienced wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and young batter Dhruv Jurel. Resuming play at 300 for five wickets after a dominant first day of action, India lost an early wicket just seven runs into the day’s scoring, when maiden Test batter Saransh Jain was dismissed for six runs. Fast bowler Asitha Fernando delivered a high bouncer, and Jain’s attempted defensive fend ended in a caught behind, with fielder Kamil Mishara securing the catch to leave India at 307 for six.

    That set the stage for Pant and Jurel to turn the tide in India’s favor, putting together an unbeaten 112-run partnership that carried the visitors to 419 for six by the lunch interval. Pant, who had been forced to return to the pavilion late on Day 1 after taking a blow to the body from a Lahiru Kumara delivery, reached his 21st Test half-century and remained not out on 63 off 88 deliveries at the break. His innings included six boundaries and two towering sixes, anchoring the middle order with calm experience after India’s early wicket.

    Alongside him, Jurel notched up his third Test half-century, finishing the first session unbeaten on 59 from 107 deliveries, with five well-placed boundaries to his name. For Sri Lanka, Fernando was the standout bowler, finishing the first session with impressive figures of four wickets for just 46 runs, while Kumara and spin bowler Keshara Nuwantha each claimed one wicket apiece.

    The strong session for India followed a stellar first day headlined by opener Devdutt Padikkal’s second Test century. Carrying the red-hot form he showed in the series opener, where his 167-run first innings knock helped India secure a 165-run win in Galle, Padikkal scored 117 runs from 193 deliveries on Day 2. He spent nearly five hours at the crease, hitting 12 boundaries to build a solid platform for India’s batting innings and set up the big total the side built on Monday morning.

    Heading into the second Test, India already holds a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, putting Sri Lanka under increasing pressure to respond with a strong all-round performance to level the tie.

  • Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball sells for £2.5m

    Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ ball sells for £2.5m

    One of the most controversial and recognizable pieces of football memorabilia in history — the match ball Diego Maradona used to score his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal during the 1986 FIFA World Cup — has found a new buyer at auction, closing at a final price of £2.5 million ($3.3 million).

    The moment that cemented the ball’s place in global sports lore came during Argentina’s tense World Cup quarter-final clash against England in 1986. With the match tied at 1-1, Maradona extended his left arm to punch the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, a handball that went unnoticed by referee Ali Bin Nasser. After Argentina secured a 2-1 victory, Maradona famously quipped to reporters that the goal had been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God” — a quote that turned an already controversial moment into a permanent part of football folklore. Later in the same match, Maradona scored what is still widely referred to as the ‘Goal of the Century’, weaving past five England outfield players in a 60-yard mazy run before beating Shilton again to secure Argentina’s place in the next round of the tournament.

    The Adidas Azteca match ball was brought to auction by its current owner at Heritage Auctions’ sports memorabilia event held in the United States on Saturday. While auction specialists had initially projected the one-of-a-kind item could sell for as much as $10 million (£7.3 million), the final winning bid fell far short of those expectations.

    Ahead of the auction, Mike Provenzale, a senior specialist auctioneer at Heritage, described the piece as an unparalleled artifact for football fans. “It’s a true one-of-one item,” Provenzale told Reuters. “Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists.”

    The ball has a decades-long ownership history tied directly to the 1986 match. It was collected by Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who officiated the quarter-final, right after the final whistle blew. Bin Nasser kept the ball in his personal collection for more than 30 years before selling it at auction for the first time in 2022, when it fetched $2.37 million (£1.74 million). After the 2022 sale, the ball’s new owner put it back up for auction in 2022, but the lot failed to sell as incoming bids did not meet the reserve price set by the owner. In 2023, authentication of the ball was solidified when Bin Nasser issued a signed formal letter confirming it was the actual match ball used throughout the entire 1986 quarter-final, a finding that was later independently verified by third-party experts.

    The ‘Hand of God’ ball is not the only piece of memorabilia from that iconic match to break sales records in recent years. The match shirt Maradona wore during the 1986 quarter-final sold at auction for £7.1 million back in 2022, setting a new benchmark for match-worn football apparel at the time.