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  • Arsenal rout Man City in Community Shield masterclass

    Arsenal rout Man City in Community Shield masterclass

    The 2025 FA Community Shield, the traditional opening fixture of the English football season, ended in a statement 3-0 rout for reigning Premier League champions Arsenal over 2024 runner-up Manchester City at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday. The commanding victory not only gave Arsenal their 18th Community Shield title, but also sent a clear signal that the north London club has no plans to loosen its grip on the top-flight crown after ending a two-decade title drought last season.

    Arsenal set the tone of the match inside the opening minute. Teenage midfield prospect Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has been linked with big-money moves to Chelsea and Manchester United in recent transfer windows, split City’s entire defensive line with a perfectly weighted through ball. Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori burst onto the pass, evaded slack marking to drill a composed 12-yard finish past City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, scoring the fastest Community Shield goal since 1968.

    The Gunners doubled their lead in the 27th minute. Another of Arsenal’s close-season recruits, Christos Tzolis—signed from Club Brugge for £34 million—found himself unmarked at the far post after a floated cross from captain Martin Odegaard. The winger nodded the ball back into the six-yard box, where Kai Havertz rose above City defender Ruben Dias to head home a clinical second goal. By half-time, Mikel Arteta’s side held a comfortable two-goal advantage, with their trademark high intensity overwhelming a disjointed City side.

    Three minutes after the interval, Arsenal put the result beyond doubt. Tzolis, who turned in a lively performance that yielded two assists, rolled a perfectly timed pass into Odegaard’s path. The Arsenal captain weaved through a static City defense, pulled off a clever dummy that left Donnarumma wrong-footed, and tapped home into an empty net to seal the resounding win.

    The fixture also served as a promising first public display for Arsenal’s other marquee summer addition: Bruno Guimaraes, who joined from Newcastle United for a £75 million ($101 million) transfer fee. The Brazilian midfielder slotted seamlessly into Arteta’s system, providing consistent defensive cover and creative distribution in the center of the park.

    For new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, the result was a sobering wake-up call just weeks ahead of his first full season in charge. Maresca was hand-picked to replace Pep Guardiola, who departed the club after a trophy-laden decade that included 20 major honors. His side struggled for cohesion all afternoon: £116 million summer signing Elliot Anderson, recently arrived from Nottingham Forest, failed to make any meaningful impact on the game, while talismanic striker Erling Haaland was largely anonymous, wasting two clear first-half chances to get City on the scoreboard.

    Guardiola’s final season at the Etihad ended with FA Cup and League Cup trophies, but City finished seven points behind Arsenal in the Premier League table last term, failing to defend the title they had won four consecutive times between 2020 and 2024. Maresca, who left Chelsea in January after a turbulent six-month reign, now faces a clear challenge to overhaul the gap between his side and the champions ahead of City’s opening league fixture against Bournemouth on August 23.

    Arsenal, by contrast, head into the new campaign with growing momentum. Arteta insisted after the match that his side remains as hungry for silverware as ever, with their painful penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain in May’s Champions League final providing extra motivation to push for more trophies this season.

    The Gunners will start the new Premier League campaign as defending champions for the first time since the 2004-05 season, and are already installed as pre-tournament favorites to claim back-to-back titles, a feat no English top-flight side has achieved since Arsenal’s run in the 1930s. They open their title defense at the Emirates Stadium against newly promoted Coventry City on August 21, and on the evidence of Sunday’s performance, they look well-placed to establish a prolonged period of dominance in the Premier League.

    Historically, the Community Shield has been a poor predictor of future league success: only City, in 2019, has gone on to win the Premier League title after lifting the Community Shield in the last 15 editions of the fixture. But few could deny that Arsenal’s dominant display in Cardiff suggests this could be the season where Arteta’s side adds more silverware to their 2024 title triumph.

  • Coventry agree deal for Forest striker Awoniyi

    Coventry agree deal for Forest striker Awoniyi

    Coventry City, the newly promoted side making their return to the top flight of English football after 25 years away, has confirmed an agreement of approximately £17 million to capture Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest, multiple sources close to the transfer have confirmed. The deal is on track to be finalized in time for the club’s opening Premier League fixture of the 2026-27 season against Arsenal, scheduled to kick off at 20:00 BST this coming Friday.

    Ahead of the move, Awoniyi received a heartfelt sendoff from his former Forest teammates and coaching staff ahead of the second half of the club’s final pre-season friendly against French side Brest at the City Ground on Sunday, where the striker was honored with a full guard of honor to bid farewell to the fanbase that supported him during his three-year tenure at the club.

    Following Forest’s 2-0 win over the Ligue 1 opponent, Forest manager Oliver Glasner opened up about Awoniyi’s character and contribution to the club, praising the striker as one of the most likable players he has ever worked with. “He was probably one of the loveliest guys I’ve met, always friendly, always smiling. Everybody in the club likes him and I could see everybody in the stand likes him because this is what everybody appreciates. He always gives 100% for the team, he always gives 100% for the bench, and that’s why he deserves such a farewell, such a guard of honour. That’s why we decided we would give it to him and I wish him all the best at his next club, just not when they play us.”

    Awoniyi first joined the Liverpool academy back in 2015, but never earned a senior cap for the Merseyside club before moving around a series of loan spells and eventually secured a permanent move to German side Union Berlin. In 2022, he became Nottingham Forest’s then-record signing when the newly promoted Premier League side bought him for £17.2 million, as they built their squad to compete in the top flight.

    Over his time at Forest, the 29-year-old Nigeria international notched 23 goals across 103 appearances for the club. However, he dropped down the pecking order behind first-choice strikers Chris Wood and Igor Jesus in recent seasons, and was left out of the club’s Europa League squad for the 2025-26 campaign. Last season, he only started three matches, scoring four goals in 17 total appearances across all competitions. His time at Forest also included a major health scare in May 2025, when a collision with a goalpost during a match against Leicester caused an intestinal rupture that required doctors to place him in an induced coma for treatment.

    For Coventry, the addition of Awoniyi addresses a pressing shortage of fit strikers heading into their opening weekend fixture. First-team striker Haji Wright is currently sidelined with injury, leaving manager Frank Lampard with only Brandon Thomas-Asante and Ellis Simms as available attacking options ahead of the Arsenal clash. Awoniyi’s arrival is the latest in a series of high-profile summer signings for the promoted side, who have already brought in midfielder Gus Hamer from Sheffield United, goalkeeper Carl Rushworth following a successful loan spell from Brighton, winger Loum Tchaouna from Burnley, defender Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt, and young Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi from Danish side Nordsjaelland.

  • Rain delays start of play on day 2 of 1st test between Sri Lanka and India

    Rain delays start of play on day 2 of 1st test between Sri Lanka and India

    GALLE, Sri Lanka – The opening day of the first test cricket clash between Sri Lanka and India at the iconic Galle International Stadium wrapped up Saturday with India holding a strong position at 288 runs for the loss of two wickets after 73 overs. But the island nation’s seasonal monsoon rains threw a wrench into proceedings on Sunday, completely wiping out the scheduled morning session of day two and delaying the restart of play well into the afternoon.

    After India captain won the pre-match toss and elected to bat first, young opening batter Devdutt Padikkal delivered a career-defining performance, notching up his first ever century in test cricket with an unbeaten 131 runs. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant remained solid at the crease alongside him, finishing day one not out on 27 runs.

    With weather forecasts showing a potential break in the rain later on Sunday, match organizers have drawn up contingency plans to get play back on track. If conditions improve and the wet outfield dries sufficiently, two shortened sessions of around 90 minutes each, separated by a 20-minute tea interval, will be held to make up for lost time. Under this revised schedule, a total of 43 overs will be bowled before the close of day two, provided no further rain interruptions occur.

    Notably, this test match carries extra historical significance: it marks the 50th test match to be hosted at the Galle International Stadium, a venue renowned for its spinning pitches that have shaped the strategy of both competing sides. Heading into the match, both Sri Lanka and India named spin-dominated bowling attacks, a tactical choice tailored to the Galle ground’s famous turning surface that has long favored slow bowlers over fast bowlers.

  • Bangladesh thrash Australia for historic win

    Bangladesh thrash Australia for historic win

    In one of the most shocking upsets in the history of Test cricket, ninth-ranked Bangladesh has defeated the world’s top-ranked Test side Australia by nine wickets on the fourth day of the opening match of their two-Test series in Darwin, securing the nation’s first ever Test win on Australian soil.

    The result cements this victory as the most consequential win in Bangladesh’s 26-year history of Test cricket, a milestone made even more remarkable by the challenges Bangladesh overcame to claim the upset. Entering the match missing two of their star fast bowlers, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, to injury, the side had also suffered a demoralizing 54-all-out defeat in a warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI just days prior, and had been handily beaten by lowest-ranked Zimbabwe in a one-off Test in Harare back in June. None of these setbacks, however, derailed the Bangladeshi side’s focus across the four days of play.

    After Bangladesh posted a solid first innings total of 426, powered by century-maker Tanzid Hasan Tamim (101), 84 from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, and a gritty 65 from spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Australia’s attack led by Josh Hazlewood (6-89) could not prevent the underdogs from claiming a substantial first innings lead. Left-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud then tore through Australia’s first innings, taking 6 wickets for just 55 runs to bundle the hosts out for 198, putting Bangladesh firmly in control from the earliest stages of the match.

    Australia’s second innings saw a valiant fight from all-rounder Cameron Green, who notched his third Test century on home soil amid recent public criticism over his position in the national side. But Green’s 104 was not enough to turn the tide: Miraz delivered a devastating five-wicket haul (5-66) on day four, dismissing key Australian batters including talisman Steve Smith, captain Pat Cummins, and leading spinner Nathan Lyon. Mahmud wrapped up the innings by removing Green, leaving Bangladesh with a modest target of just 57 runs to claim victory.

    Though Hazlewood removed opener Tanzid for a duck early in the chase, Mominul Haque’s unbeaten 30 and Shadman Islam’s 25 guided Bangladesh across the finish line, with Haque cutting Beau Webster to the boundary for the winning runs. The moment triggered wild celebrations from Bangladesh’s players and coaching staff, who had achieved a result many considered impossible.

    Mahmud, who finished with match figures of 9 wickets for 111 runs, was named Player of the Match for his dominant performance with the ball. Speaking after the win, Shanto called the upset the biggest victory in Bangladesh’s cricketing history across any format. “I’m very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work,” Shanto said, adding that a shift in mindset among the team’s fast bowlers had been key to the result. “Five years ago, pacers didn’t want to play Tests. But we’ve been playing lots of Test cricket and they are giving importance to Test format. Seniors like Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque have encouraged them to play more Test cricket.”

    Australian captain Pat Cummins offered no excuses for the defeat, acknowledging that Bangladesh had outperformed his side in every department of the game. “They outplayed us in all facets, they were patient and disciplined,” Cummins said. “I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses.” Veteran cricket commentator Jim Maxwell described the result as one of the most embarrassing defeats Australia has ever suffered in Test cricket, while Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman publicly congratulated the team in a social media message, saying the nation was eagerly waiting to welcome the side home with their historic win.

    This result marks only the second time Bangladesh has beaten Australia in Test cricket, with their first win coming at Mirpur in 2017. The two sides will now turn their attention to the second Test of the series, which is set to begin on August 22, with live ball-by-ball commentary available for UK listeners on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds.

  • Debutant hero Imogen Brown seals stunning Swans comeback against Adelaide Crows

    Debutant hero Imogen Brown seals stunning Swans comeback against Adelaide Crows

    The 2026 AFLW season kicked off with one of the most dramatic opening round comebacks in recent memory on Sunday afternoon, as the Sydney Swans overcame a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to secure an eight-point victory over the Adelaide Crows at Unley Oval. The win marks the first time the Swans have ever beaten Adelaide, and delivers a dream start for newly appointed head coach Colin O’Riordan’s tenure at the club.

    Adelaide controlled the bulk of the contest, building a game-high 15-point lead just before halftime and holding a comfortable advantage heading into the final quarter. But the Swans flipped the script completely in the final 15 minutes of play, holding the Crows scoreless for the entire fourth quarter to clinch a memorable 61-53 win.

    Two late goals from veterans Cynthia Hamilton and Holly Cooper flipped the scoreboard on its head, putting Sydney up by just two points with minutes left on the clock. Pressured deep in their attacking half, the Crows attempted a risky centre drive to find an equalizer, but a costly turnover put 21-year-old Sydney debutant Imogen Brown in position for the match-clinching score. Brown calmly slotted the goal to seal the eight-point result, capping off one of the most impressive opening-round turnarounds in recent AFLW history.

    Sunday’s clash also highlighted the impact of off-season recruiting for both clubs, with high-profile new additions and top draft picks stepping up to deliver standout performances. For the Crows, 18-year-old number five draft pick Chloe Bown made an immediate impression in her senior debut, proving a constant offensive threat up forward and contributing to eight of Adelaide’s 18 total scores for the day. Her dominant showing has already put her at the top of the conversation for the league’s Round 1 Rising Star nomination, and suggests she will be a core piece of Adelaide’s forward rotation for seasons to come.

    Sydney’s big off-season acquisition also delivered on expectations immediately, with two-time premiership winner Taylor Smith kicking three first-half goals in her first game wearing the Swans guernsey. Smith was lured north to Sydney during the off-season trade window, adding elite attacking firepower to a forward line already anchored by three-time All-Australian Chloe Molloy.

    Adelaide captain Ebony “Noffy” Marinoff put on a masterclass even in defeat, returning to her signature dominant form in the middle of the ground. The 2024 Club Best and Fairest winner racked up 27 disposals and orchestrated nearly all of the Crows’ best attacking moves throughout the afternoon. If Marinoff maintains this form through the 2026 season, she is already on track to claim a second Best and Fairest award for her club.

    The final scoreline reflected the tight, back-and-forth nature of the contest: Adelaide Crows finished at 7.11 (53), while the Sydney Swans closed out the game at 9.7 (61). The upset win sends an early warning to the rest of the competition that the Swans, under their new coaching regime and boosted by elite off-season additions, are a serious contender in 2026.

  • Athens is cleaning its all-marble Olympic stadium for the first time in more than a century

    Athens is cleaning its all-marble Olympic stadium for the first time in more than a century

    Nestled in the heart of Athens, one of the world’s most iconic sports landmarks is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. The marble-clad Panathenaic Stadium, a site that has hosted every milestone from the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 to global rock concerts and the annual Olympic torch handover, is receiving its first systematic deep cleaning in more than 100 years.

    Carved entirely from gleaming white marble — the same prized stone used to construct the Acropolis — the U-shaped stadium is a cornerstone of global Olympic history, and it remains the official starting point for every Olympic torch relay, including the one that will eventually travel to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The restoration project is far more than a cosmetic touch-up: it is a delicate conservation effort designed to preserve the monument while revealing its original, radiant character that earned it the beloved Greek nickname Kallimarmaro, meaning “beautiful marble.”

    Unlike standard construction or cleaning projects, the work demands extreme precision to avoid damaging the porous, centuries-old stone. Teams of conservation workers in blue and white overalls traverse the stadium’s 47 steep seating tiers, relying on low-pressure, carefully calibrated water spray lances to lift accumulated grime without eroding the marble surface. Special vacuum systems immediately collect runoff water to prevent any moisture damage, while targeted steam treatments are used to dissolve decades-old blackened chewing gum stains and lift discoloration left by soft drinks and scuffs from high-heeled shoes. According to senior site conservator Dimitris Selemis, the goal of the project is not to artificially whiten every inch of the stone, but to remove layers of accumulated organic dirt and environmental buildup that have obscured the monument’s original condition.

    “This process lets us better understand the changes the stadium has undergone from weather, time, and millions of visitors over decades,” Selemis explained, noting that shaded areas with less direct sunlight have accumulated more dirt and weed growth than exposed sections. “By removing the surface contaminants, we can get a clearer picture of the monument’s current state to plan for long-term preservation.”

    The site’s history stretches back thousands of years: originally hollowed out from a natural ravine, it hosted ancient Greek athletic festivals, then Roman spectacles before falling into ruin and disuse for centuries. It was rebuilt entirely from marble for the inaugural modern Olympic Games in 1896, and in the decades since, it has hosted everything from fashion shows and world-famous rock concerts to national celebrations, even lavish patriotic ceremonies ordered by Greece’s mid-20th century military dictatorship. Today, it is one of Athens’ most popular tourist attractions, drawing visitors from across the globe who come to walk in the footsteps of Olympic legends.

    Along with the deep clean, the stadium is receiving a range of upgrades, including a new athletic track, improved lighting systems, and modernized support facilities. The entire multi-year project is privately funded by a Greek shipping company, overseen by the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and carried out under the expert guidance of Greece’s Culture Ministry conservation specialists.

    Work is scheduled to continue through 2026, but crews are prioritizing the stadium’s curved end section to have it ready in time for the upcoming Olympic torch handover ceremony on September 10. That ceremony will mark the handover for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, set to run from October 31 to November 13 in Senegal — a historic milestone as the first Olympic competition ever hosted on the African continent. Hellenic Olympic Committee president Isidoros Kouvelos confirmed that International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, a gold-medal winning Zimbabwean swimmer, will attend the September ceremony.

    Kouvelos emphasized that the restoration project is a labor of national pride for Greece. “We call it Kallimarmaro because it is made of the finest marble ever produced, and we are very proud of it,” he told the Associated Press. “It needed to be cleaned of everything that has accumulated over all these years. This way the Panathenaic Stadium will show all its brilliance and will once again be the foremost monument of humanity for the Olympic Movement.”

  • Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes 3 wickets to have Australia on the ropes at lunch on Day 4 of 1st test

    Mehidy Hasan Miraz takes 3 wickets to have Australia on the ropes at lunch on Day 4 of 1st test

    DARWIN, Australia – Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz has put Bangladesh on the brink of a landmark first Test victory over Australia, claiming three crucial morning wickets on Day 4 to leave the host nation 243-7 at lunch, still holding only a slender 15-run first innings lead.

    Resuming their first innings at 161-4 on Sunday, Australia scrambled 82 runs through the opening session to avoid the embarrassment of an innings defeat inside two days on home soil. But the session, much like the three preceding days of the first match of the two-test “Top End” series, once again showcased Bangladesh’s dominance over the world’s top-ranked Test side, with the result only delayed rather than flipped in Australia’s favor.

    All-rounder Cameron Green was the only Australian batter to offer sustained resistance against Bangladesh’s disciplined spin attack. Nailing his eighth Test half-century and posting his highest Test score on home soil, Green entered the lunch break unbeaten on 85, closing in on what would be his third Test century and first on Australian home grounds. Speedster Mitchell Starc held firm alongside him on 14 not out, with the pair building an unbeaten 36-run partnership for the eighth wicket that represents Australia’s last remaining chance to turn the match around.

    Mehidy, who dragged the match firmly into Bangladesh’s control by dismissing Steve Smith on the evening of Day 3, picked up exactly where he left off on Sunday. He claimed his first wicket of the morning when wicketkeeper Litton Das pulled off a sharp catch behind the stumps to remove Alex Carey, who had scored 30.

    The off-spinner followed that up with a spectacular delivery that straightened past Beau Webster’s bat, clipping the top of off stump to send Webster packing for 5. That wicket left Australia 193-6, still trailing Bangladesh’s first innings total by 35 runs with the lower order exposed.

    Captain Pat Cummins’ time at the crease was cut short shortly after, when he popped a simple catch to Mehidy at short leg, handing the spinner his third wicket of the morning and fourth of the innings to move his figures to 4-50.

    Green and Starc chipped away at Bangladesh’s lead in the final half hour before lunch, with Green looking increasingly settled at the crease. However, history is heavily stacked against Australia pulling off a miraculous comeback. The largest first-innings deficit Australia has ever overcome to claim a home Test win is 206 runs, achieved against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2010. Ahead of this lunch break, Australia’s first-innings deficit sat at 228 runs, a gap 22 runs wider than that historic comeback.

    This opening Test kicks off a grueling 12-month schedule for the Australian men’s Test side, which will feature 20 matches across the coming year including away tours to South Africa, India and England.

  • Lani Pallister stuns Katie Ledecky with her first international 800 free loss at Pan Pacs

    Lani Pallister stuns Katie Ledecky with her first international 800 free loss at Pan Pacs

    IRVINE, Calif. — A stunning upset unfolded at the Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday night, as rising Australian swimming star Lani Pallister handed distance legend Katie Ledecky her first international defeat in the women’s 800-meter freestyle.

    Pallister maintained a blistering pace that stayed beneath the current world record mark for the majority of the race. When she touched the wall at the 800-meter mark, her clock stopped at 8 minutes and 6.10 seconds — a new championship record that erased Ledecky’s 2014 record set six years prior.

    Ledecky, the four-time Olympic gold medalist who has dominated the 800-meter freestyle for nearly 15 years, claimed the silver medal with a time of 8:07.26. The American icon had only suffered one defeat in an 800-meter freestyle final dating all the way back to 2010 before Saturday’s race; that single prior loss came in a low-key domestic meet in February 2024, where she fell to Canada’s prodigy Summer McIntosh.

    Shortly after crossing the finish line, an elated but breathless Pallister paid tribute to her opponent, acknowledging the magnitude of her win. “Katie’s such a dominant force,” the Australian swimmer told reporters.

    This result marks a major milestone in Pallister’s international career, signaling that the next generation of distance swimmers are ready to challenge the long-standing reign of the sport’s most decorated distance racer.

  • All Blacks sweating on McKenzie’s ankle ahead of South Africa test opener

    All Blacks sweating on McKenzie’s ankle ahead of South Africa test opener

    As the All Blacks prepare to kick off their highly anticipated test series against South Africa next weekend, New Zealand’s national rugby union side is waiting anxiously on fitness updates for starting fullback Damian McKenzie, who picked up an ankle injury earlier this week during a tour match against the Sharks.

    The team wrapped up their final warm-up fixture this past Saturday at Pretoria’s iconic Loftus Versfeld stadium, securing a lopsided 50-19 victory over the Bulls. In a post-match press conference, All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie delivered an update on the squad’s injury list, offering a more optimistic outlook for two other injured backs: scrumhalf Cam Roigard (calf strain) and winger Will Jordan (back issue).

    Both players have yet to take the field on the South African tour, alongside rested captain Ardie Savea, who only arrived in the country this past Thursday after being given time off ahead of the test series. Rennie noted that the coaching staff remains confident Roigard and Jordan will be cleared to play next week, saying, “Both of them we want to have a full week of training. They’re ticking enough boxes.”

    While the outlook is less certain for McKenzie, who twisted his ankle in Tuesday’s clash with the Sharks, Rennie still holds out hope the star fullback will be available for the opening test. “Damian we’re less confident about but still think he’s a good chance to play in the weekend,” Rennie said. “Hopefully he can train well on Tuesday. The expectation is all three of those guys will be available.” If all three pass fitness tests, they are all set to start in the first test against the Springboks at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park next Saturday.

    Injury replacement flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who joined the squad late this past Friday following an injury to another player, will not be considered for selection in the first test, Rennie confirmed. Mo’unga’s first appearance for the All Blacks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup is scheduled to come three days after the opening test, when the side faces the provincial Lions side.

    The injury crisis has opened the door for other players to claim starting spots, most notably winger Josh Moorby. Moorby got the start in the side’s last test against Ireland last month, and his chances of holding the number 11 jersey have risen sharply after Caleb Clarke was forced to cut his tour short with a season-ending shoulder injury. Rennie also highlighted strong recent performances from loose forwards Peter Lakai and Anton Segner following the Bulls win.

    Rennie explained that several starting positions for the first test were still up for grabs heading into the final warm-up, and the team’s performance against the Bulls would factor heavily into final selection calls. “We’ve got a plan around selection and there were a handful of positions that were going to be decided on tonight’s performance,” he said.

    The match against the Bulls marked the All Blacks’ first game at high altitude on the tour, and Rennie said the challenging conditions will better prepare his side for the tests ahead. “We’ve not had a game at altitude and we worked really hard in those circumstances and we’ll be better for it,” he added. “We know the quality we come up against next week is three, four, five fold. We’ve played reasonably well on tour and we know we need to up the ante.”

    Codie Taylor, who has served as tour captain in Savea’s absence, praised the forward pack’s steady improvement throughout the warm-up fixtures, particularly the scrum – an area that has been dominated by the Springboks in recent encounters between the two sides. “From where we started with the Stormers and built our way through these club games I feel like we’ve made some great strides as a forward pack,” Taylor said. “By no means are we the finished product … and it will be even tougher next week. But we can be really happy and confident with the steps we’re taking.”

  • Díaz thrives and Alaves beats 10-man Getafe 3-0 as La Liga kicks off Europe’s domestic league season

    Díaz thrives and Alaves beats 10-man Getafe 3-0 as La Liga kicks off Europe’s domestic league season

    The new European professional soccer season has officially gotten underway, with Spain’s top-flight La Liga beating the continent’s other four major domestic leagues to kick off its campaign on Saturday. This early start comes just four weeks after the Spanish men’s national team lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy, marking a quick turnaround for the country’s top club competition.

    The opening matchday delivered two thrilling encounters, starting with Alaves’ dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Getafe. The game’s turning point came just eight minutes before halftime, when Getafe winger Kiko Femenía was shown a red card following a video review of his dangerous foul. What was initially called a yellow card was upgraded, leaving Getafe to play the entire second half with a numerical disadvantage.

    Former Real Madrid forward Mariano Díaz turned in a man-of-the-match performance to power Alaves’ win. He set up Nahuel Tenaglia’s opening headed goal in the 73rd minute, netted the side’s second with a pinpoint shot into the top corner of the net in first-half stoppage? No, stoppage time of the second half, then played provider for Mikel Rodríguez to slot home the final goal in the closing minutes of the match. The result marks a promising opening for Alaves, which finished 14th last season, just one point clear of the relegation zone, even if the squad saw minor off-field drama after full-time: substitute Ángel Pérez was reprimanded by head coach Quique Sánchez Flores for punching the team bench in frustration after being pulled from the game.

    For Getafe, the disappointing opening result comes after a strong 2024-25 campaign that saw the Madrid-based club finish seventh and earn a spot in the UEFA Conference League. The side added high-profile reinforcements Enes Unal and Johan Mojica in the summer transfer window, though neither started the match; Unal only made an appearance off the bench in the second half.

    The second match of the day delivered a last-gasp comeback for Sevilla, who defeated a crisis-hit Rayo Vallecano 2-1. Gerard “Peque” Fernandez converted a penalty kick deep into second-half stoppage time to secure all three points for the hosts after Sevilla had fought back from an early deficit.

    Rayo Vallecano entered the new season mired in off-field administrative turmoil that has forced the club to relocate its opening matches. Safety issues at the team’s home Vallecas stadium mean Rayo must play its first away? No, they were the away side here against Sevilla, and their own first “home” fixture will be held at second-tier Leganes’ ground instead of their usual venue. The off-field instability comes after a breakout season for Rayo, which finished eighth in the league and reached the Conference League final, where it fell to England’s Crystal Palace.

    Sevilla, like Alaves, narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing 13th with just a one-point cushion above the drop, making their opening victory a confidence-boosting start to the new campaign.

    Top sides defending champion Barcelona and newly revamped Real Madrid will not begin their title campaigns until next weekend. Many of their key players were part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, so they were granted extended post-tournament leave, pushing back their opening matches. Barcelona, which is chasing a third consecutive La Liga title, will travel to face Elche on August 23. Real Madrid, now led by José Mourinho following two straight trophy-less seasons that prompted a squad overhaul, opens its campaign against Espanyol on August 22.

    The broader European club season technically got underway earlier this week, when Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. England’s Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, and France’s Ligue 1 will all kick off their new domestic campaigns next weekend, with Germany’s Bundesliga following a week later.

    Three matches were scheduled for Sunday on the La Liga opening matchday, but one has been postponed: the clash between Celta Vigo and Osasuna was called off after an outbreak of harmful fungus was discovered on Celta’s Balaidos stadium pitch. The match has been rescheduled for August 27, a move that has drawn criticism from Osasuna over the rearranged date. The two remaining Sunday fixtures will see Racing Santander play their first top-flight match in 14 years when they host last season’s third-place finishers Villarreal, while Levante travels to face Espanyol.