分类： sports

Cardiff witnessed a historic yet controversial conclusion to the autumn internationals as South Africa delivered a crushing 73-0 defeat to Wales on Saturday. The reigning world champions demonstrated their formidable dominance by scoring eleven tries in a display of pure rugby supremacy.

However, the spectacular performance was overshadowed in the final minutes when veteran lock Eben Etzebeth received a red card for making contact with the eye area of Welsh flanker Alex Mann. The incident occurred during a scuffle in the 79th minute, with referee Luc Ramos immediately dismissing the 34-year-old Springbok legend.

South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, stating: ‘The optics weren’t great. It didn’t look good and it was a justified red card.’ Erasmus expressed disappointment that the match concluded on such a note, particularly as Etzebeth had just scored the final try moments before the infraction.

The victory completed South Africa’s perfect autumn campaign and cemented their position as the world’s top-ranked team. Meanwhile, Wales suffered their most lopsided defeat in history, extending their dismal record to 21 losses in their last 23 Test matches under new coach Steve Tandy.

Erasmus offered words of encouragement to the struggling Welsh side, drawing parallels to South Africa’s own rebuilding period: ‘We were in that situation where people were burning jerseys. Get one or two wins, get on a roll and things will change. I know that things changed from 2016, when we were nowhere, to 2019 when we won the World Cup.’

Etzebeth, who earned his record 141st cap for South Africa during the match, now faces a potentially lengthy suspension. World Rugby regulations mandate bans ranging from 6 to 208 weeks for eye contact incidents, depending on severity and intent.

In a display of absolute rugby supremacy, South Africa’s Springboks delivered a crushing 73-0 victory over Wales at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, marking the most devastating home defeat in Welsh rugby history. The November 29, 2025 match saw the world champions execute a flawless performance with 11 tries against a hapless Welsh side that failed to register a single point.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu emerged as the architect of destruction, accumulating 28 points through his clinical execution. The scoring onslaught began with prop Gerhard Steenekamp’s early try and continued unabated with contributions from Wilco Louw, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, Jasper Wiese, Morne van den Berg, Andre Esterhuizen, and Ruan Nortje. Replacement lock Eben Etzebeth added to the tally before receiving a late red card for foul play against Welsh flanker Alex Mann.

The match statistics painted a grim picture for Wales, who suffered their second-worst defeat ever, surpassed only by a 96-13 loss to these same opponents in Pretoria in 1998. This marked the first time since 1967 that Wales failed to score at home, with the attendance of 50,112 representing the lowest for a Springboks encounter in Cardiff in 15 meetings.

The contest occurred outside World Rugby’s international window, resulting in both sides missing key players. Wales lacked 13 England and France-based professionals, while South Africa operated without stars like Malcolm Marx and Cheslin Kolbe. Despite these absences, the Springboks’ bench alone boasted 374 caps—more than Wales’ entire 23-man squad combined.

The match’s scheduling, originally planned for 2020 before COVID-19 postponement, raised questions about its financial viability given the sparse attendance and clash with United Rugby Championship fixtures. For new Welsh head coach Steve Tandy, the defeat caps a disappointing autumn series that included losses to Argentina and New Zealand, with only a narrow victory against Japan providing minimal consolation ahead of the 2026 Six Nations campaign.

The 2025-26 Dubai Racing Carnival has emerged as a truly international equestrian spectacle, with Meydan Racecourse preparing to host over 300 thoroughbreds representing 19 different countries. The prestigious event, which commenced on November 7th, will continue through March 2026, culminating in the landmark 30th Dubai World Cup on March 28, 2026.

According to the Dubai Racing Club’s media office, the carnival has already received participants from the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Norway, with additional international contenders expected to arrive in the coming weeks. This diverse gathering underscores Dubai’s growing prominence as a global racing hub.

Erwan Charpy, Head of Racing Operations & International Relations at Dubai Racing Club, emphasized the significance of this international turnout: “We are delighted to have acceptors for the Carnival from so many different countries. This further underlines the position of Dubai as the centre of the racing world and is a compliment to both our facilities and our racing programme.”

The event features an impressive roster of accomplished trainers and champion horses. British trainer Jamie Osborne arrived early with his team, including the notable Heart Of Honor, who placed second in the G2 UAE Derby and fifth in the G1 Preakness. Norwegian trainer Niels Petersen brought 11 horses, featuring Norsk Derby winner War Socks.

Czech-based trainer Miroslav Nieslanik returned to Meydan with globetrotting sprinter Ponntos and five other competitors, while Denmark’s Veronika Jandova arrived with seven horses, including Listed race winner Hans Andersen.

Newmarket trainer Phil Spencer and principal backer Phil Cunningham have deployed a 10-horse team under their Rebel Racing banner, featuring Goodwood Stewards’ Cup winner Two Tribes and Ayr Gold Cup champion Run Boy Run.

The competition intensifies with several trainers targeting later meetings. Notable entries include G2 Lennox Stakes winner Witness Stand, high-class sprinter Mitbaahy for Charles Hills, and G1 Lockinge Stakes champion Audience returning for trainers John and Thady Gosden.

Meydan Racecourse will host three race meetings in December on the 5th, 12th, and 19th, culminating in Festive Friday featuring two Thoroughbred G2 events: the Al Maktoum Mile and the Al Rashidiya.

In a remarkable display of mental fortitude and technical precision, Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo secured his maiden professional victory at the Aroeira Challenge, the inaugural event of the 2025-26 MENA Golf Tour season. The 27-year-old, who began the tournament ranked 1,909th globally, demonstrated championship composure throughout the competition held at PGA Aroeira near Lisbon.

Addabbo’s triumph was built upon three consistently brilliant rounds: an opening 66, followed by 67, and culminating in a spectacular final-round 65. His 18-under-par total of 198 secured a decisive three-stroke victory over Portuguese favorite Pedro Figueiredo, earning him the $18,000 top prize from the $100,000 purse.

The Italian’s victory was particularly impressive given the pressure of entering the final round with a one-shot lead. He immediately established control with birdies on the second and third holes, effectively neutralizing any early tension. His performance peaked on the 17th hole with a stunning chip-in birdie that virtually sealed his breakthrough win.

“I’m incredibly happy,” Addabbo expressed after being celebrated by fellow players on the 18th green. “I anticipated more nerves, but maintaining presence throughout the round proved crucial. I deliberately avoided leaderboard checks until the 17th to prevent unnecessary pressure.”

Local contender Figueiredo thrilled home crowds with a dramatic eagle on the 17th from the rough, securing solo second place with a 15-under total. Scotland’s Sebastian Sandin, who shared the first-round lead with Addabbo, saw his challenge diminish with three bogeys in the final four holes, finishing third at 13-under.

Tour commissioner Keith Waters praised Addabbo’s performance: “Ludovico delivered an outstanding round and handled pressure like a true champion. The celebration with his Italian peers on the final green perfectly captured the MENA Tour’s spirit.”

The tournament saw 46 players finish under par, with Q School winner Chris Wood tying for seventh at 10-under. The tour continues in Portugal with the Rolear Algarve Classic at Amendoeira Course from December 2-4, before moving to Egypt and Morocco in the new year.

In an extraordinary display of precision and nerve, professional basketball marksman Chris Matthews successfully executed a record-breaking basket from a helicopter hovering over 100 feet above Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah. The aerial spectacle, performed on November 28, 2025, demonstrated remarkable coordination between athlete and pilot under challenging atmospheric conditions.

The daring attempt required Matthews to maintain intense focus while positioned at the helicopter’s open doorway, with legs suspended above the iconic artificial archipelago. Despite significant wind interference and aircraft vibration, the athlete delivered a perfect shot into a ground-positioned hoop after meticulous aerial positioning by pilot Captain Husam Gamal.

Matthews immediately credited the aviation expert for the achievement, stating the pilot contributed “90 percent of the work” through continuous hover adjustments and stabilization maneuvers. The wind conditions presented particular challenges, with Matthews describing the experience as “trying to aim a paper in a storm” due to atmospheric forces affecting ball trajectory.

The demonstration served as a promotional highlight coinciding with Dubai’s hosting of the Red Bull Half Court World Final, an international basketball tournament featuring competitors from multiple continents. Matthews emphasized the symbolic nature of the stunt, intended to showcase basketball’s universal appeal across diverse environments and skill levels.

Following the successful attempt, Matthews expressed particular appreciation for Dubai’s aerial landscape, describing the Palm Jumeirah as “splendid” and the city as a “visual treat” from elevation. The achievement represents one of the most remarkable basketball shots ever attempted under non-traditional conditions.

In an unprecedented move that blends sports with international diplomacy, the Iranian Football Federation has declared a formal boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw. This decisive action comes as a direct response to the United States’ refusal to grant entry visas to several key members of Iran’s delegation scheduled to attend the event in Washington, D.C.

The Federation’s spokesperson publicly confirmed the boycott on Iranian state television, stating, ‘We have formally notified FIFA that these decisions are devoid of sporting spirit. Consequently, our delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw.’ Reports from the Iranian sports outlet Varzesh 3 earlier indicated that Federation President Mehdi Taj was among those denied visas.

Taj condemned the US decision as overtly political, revealing he had appealed directly to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. ‘We have communicated to Mr. Infantino that this is a purely political stance. FIFA must insist that the US refrains from such conduct,’ Taj asserted. Interestingly, visas were reportedly approved for four other delegation members, including team coach Amir Ghalenoei, highlighting the selective nature of the denials.

This incident revives the long-standing, tense history between the two nations, which has previously spilled onto the football pitch. Iran’s celebrated 2-1 victory over the US in the 1998 World Cup remains a historic moment, later avenged by the Americans with a 1-0 win in the 2022 tournament. The 2026 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The geopolitical context adds profound complexity to the dispute. The nations have been entrenched in conflict for over four decades. High-level nuclear talks that commenced in April had offered a fragile hope for diplomacy but collapsed abruptly in mid-June following a military offensive by Israel against Iran. This conflict escalated into a 12-day war, which saw the US briefly engage with airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, further severing the already fragile relations between Tehran and Washington.