分类： sports

One of the most storied and intense rivalries in global sport is set to enter a thrilling new chapter this Saturday, as back-to-back World Cup champion South Africa Springboks face off against New Zealand All Blacks in the first match of an unprecedented four-match test series spanning two continents.

South Sydney Rabbitohs head coach Wayne Bennett has officially locked in star centre Latrell Mitchell’s long-awaited NRL return for round 26, while also addressing swirling speculation around his potential future as head coach of the Queensland State of Origin side. The high-profile athlete had been sidelined since mid-May, when a back injury triggered a persistent nerve problem that later developed into secondary calf complications that kept him off the pitch for months. Mitchell was named on the Rabbitohs’ extended reserves bench earlier this week and completed a limited light training session, but the coaching staff ultimately made the call to delay his game comeback one more week ahead of the club’s finals push. Even with the extra week of preparation, Bennett noted that Mitchell’s return just weeks out of the finals series represents a massive boost for a Rabbitohs squad that has already secured a top-eight position on the 2024 NRL ladder. “There was a real chance he could have featured this weekend, and he put in a solid training performance,” Bennett told reporters. “At the end of the day, he just needs one more week to get fully up to speed, so we took the cautious approach. It’s ultimately his call – he knows his body better than anyone, so we’re following his lead. There were real questions a while back about whether he would play at all this season, so getting him back fit and firing going into the finals is a huge result for us.” The coach also provided an injury update on winger Campbell Graham, who missed the team’s final captain’s run on Friday with a lingering minor calf complaint but has been cleared to take the field against the New Zealand Warriors this weekend. Away from club football, Bennett addressed ongoing rumours that he could return to the Queensland Maroons head coaching role, following Billy Slater’s recent decision to step down after five consecutive series in charge. The legendary NRL coach has held the Queensland job four separate times previously, most famously leading a widely underrated 2020 squad labelled “the worst Queensland team of all time” to a series victory. With all other high-profile candidates including Cameron Smith and current Queensland head coach Kevin Walters already ruling themselves out of the running for the 2025 role, Bennett has not dismissed the possibility of stepping in once more – all while retaining his current head coaching position at the Rabbitohs. When asked directly if he was interested in taking the job, Bennett downplayed active pursuit of the role but left the door open for a return. “Not really, I’m not looking for the job,” he explained. “But if they need someone to step in, I’ll go. I truly believe there are young, talented coaches out there who can do the job, but I would never let Queensland down. If they can’t find the candidate they want, I’ll give the role serious consideration. I don’t see any conflict with holding an NRL coaching position while coaching Queensland – I did exactly that back in 2020, and I don’t think Queensland changes their rules to match the NRL on that front.” While keeping his own options open, Bennett also threw his full public support behind former player Darius Boyd, who has been linked to the Maroons vacancy after two successful seasons leading the Queensland under-19 side. Boyd developed a close working relationship with Bennett during his playing career, and the veteran coach said the former fullback has more than enough ability to step up to the senior State of Origin role. “I have a huge amount of respect for Darius, and he’s done an outstanding job with the under-19s, winning back-to-back series,” Bennett said. “He’s more than capable of handling the senior role. People always ask if you’re ready for a big opportunity like this, but the truth is you never really know until you take it – coaching is a tough job, but when the chance comes you have to take it. If he gets offered the role, I have no doubt he’ll seize it.” Bennett was also asked about speculation linking him to the vacant Australian Kangaroos head coaching role, after Kevin Walters confirmed he would step down from the national side following the 2024 World Cup to take over Super League side St Helens. The coach gave a short, neutral response, saying his interest in the role sits at “neutral”.

The Penrith Panthers’ push for an NRL premiership has hit a sudden major hurdle just weeks out from the finals series, after starting five-eighth Jack Cogger received a proposed three-match ban from the National Rugby League’s Match Review Committee that would rule him out of the opening round of the post-season tournament.

The ban stems from an incident during Penrith’s Round 25 clash with the Melbourne Storm on August 21, 2026, where Cogger made a grade 2 careless high tackle on Storm player Tyran Wishart. The experienced playmaker, who has locked down the starting number 6 role for the Panthers this season, was immediately sent to the sin bin by referee Grant Atkins midway through the second half, and he was formally charged shortly after the full-time whistle.

Cogger’s history of similar infractions complicates the Panthers’ path forward: the playmaker already served a two-game suspension earlier in the 2026 season for another high tackle on Ashton Ward. While the club and Cogger have the option to contest the charge at Tuesday’s judiciary hearing in a bid to downgrade the ban, that move carries significant risk: an unsuccessful appeal would see the suspension extended to four matches, ruling Cogger out for far more than just the opening week of the finals. In addition to the three-match ban, Cogger also faces a AU$3000 fine for a separate grade 1e dangerous contact charge stemming from the same game. For context, Melbourne Storm forward Josh King, also charged in the match, will pay a AU$1000 fine if he accepts an early guilty plea for his own infraction.

Cogger’s potential absence has opened the door for a surprise NRL recall for dropped playmaker Blaize Talagi, who lost his starting spot after Round 21 due to inconsistent defensive performances. Cogger originally stepped into the role and made it his own, having already proven his value to the side during their 2023 grand final run, where he was a key impact player off the bench.

Coaching staff now face a tough selection call if Cogger accepts the suspension. While Talagi is the most high-profile candidate to replace him in the halves for Penrith’s upcoming Round 26 clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, he is not a guaranteed starter. Jack Cole, who stepped in as a late replacement for Cogger in Round 23, is viewed as the safer, more consistent option to partner star halfback Nathan Cleary. Talagi, by contrast, is considered an unpredictable X-factor who can generate attacking points on the left edge but carries more defensive risk.

The timing of this disruption could not be worse for the Panthers, who are still locked in a tight battle for the minor premiership. A few missteps in the remaining regular season games could see the side slip out of the top two on the ladder, forcing them into an earlier finals exit via the knockout format.

The English Premier League, one of the world’s most watched and competitive top-flight football leagues, is set for its 2025-26 season kickoff this Friday, just over a month on from the conclusion of a dramatic 2024 World Cup. Defending champions Arsenal will get the new campaign underway at their Emirates Stadium home against promoted side Coventry City, with manager Mikel Arteta openly embracing the pressure of being the team every rival will target this term.

Last season marked a historic milestone for the north London club, who ended a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League trophy after three consecutive seasons finishing as runners-up. Having broken their title drought, the Gunners have entered the new term as clear bookmakers’ favourites to retain their crown, and they sent an early warning to challengers with a dominant 3-0 victory over 2023-24 runners-up Manchester City in last weekend’s Community Shield.

Arteta has strengthened his squad this transfer window with the additions of Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, and a deal for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa is also on the verge of completion. Speaking ahead of Friday’s opening fixture, the Spaniard insisted his side is ready to handle the weight of expectation that comes with being defending champions, saying that being the hunted is far preferable to chasing the leader.

“We start from scratch, from zero, and we’re going to have to prove we are at the level to go back to that position again,” Arteta said. “We need to show that desire, and the ambition to be better than what we were last season, a month ago, a week ago. If you give me the choice, I want to be first, I want to be hunted, and I want to be in control of our future, rather than depending on somebody else.”

For Arsenal, last season’s title win was a cathartic moment after years of near-misses that sparked widespread questions about the club’s ability to compete at the very top. Arteta believes that overcoming those years of disappointment has built the resilience needed to become only the second side in Arsenal’s history to win back-to-back league titles, a feat the club last achieved in the 1930s.

He warned that the 38-game season is a long test of endurance, adding: “We need to breathe because it’s going to be a long marathon. We have the ability to improve, to evolve, and that’s what I sense and I feel around the club, especially around the players.”

Standing in Arsenal’s way on opening night is Coventry City, who are making their return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after winning promotion from the Championship last season. The Sky Blues’ journey back to the top flight is one of English football’s most heartwarming recent stories: just seven years ago, the club was competing in the fourth tier, and financial turmoil surrounding their stadium forced them to ground-share with other clubs on two separate occasions.

Even so, manager Frank Lampard is under no illusions about the tough challenge his side faces this term. “We will go through tougher times this year for sure because of the competition we’re up against now,” Lampard said. “It’s just a reality that we need to be ready for.”

Friday’s curtain-raiser is followed by a full schedule of matches across the weekend and Monday, with major changes at the top of many of the league’s biggest clubs. Manchester City, who finished second last season, will begin their first campaign in 10 years without iconic manager Pep Guardiola, who stepped down at the end of last season after claiming 20 major trophies during his decade-long tenure. Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has taken on the unenviable task of replacing Guardiola, and will kick off his reign with a home fixture against Bournemouth on Sunday.

Liverpool, who finished a disappointing fifth last season, have also appointed a new manager: Andoni Iraola, formerly of Bournemouth, will take charge of his first game for the Reds on Sunday away at Newcastle United, replacing the sacked Arne Slot. Over at Chelsea, Xabi Alonso will begin his tenure as Blues boss with a tasty west London derby against Fulham on Monday.

Other opening weekend fixtures include Manchester United’s trip to newly promoted Hull City – who are back in the top flight for the first time since 2017 – on Saturday. Big-spending Tottenham Hotspur, who narrowly avoided relegation last term, travel to Brentford the same day, while 2024-25 Europa League winners Aston Villa, who have lost multiple star players over the summer, head to Brighton on Sunday.

The ongoing legal trial examining the 2020 death of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona has been halted temporarily, after defense teams uncovered claims that critical kidney test evidence submitted by prosecutors actually belongs to Maradona’s late father, who shared the same name. This latest development marks the second high-profile disruption to the case, which has gripped global football fans since the sporting legend passed away aged 60, two weeks after undergoing emergency brain surgery to remove a blood clot.

Seven medical professionals are currently standing trial on charges of criminal negligence, accused of failing to provide adequate post-operative care to Maradona during his at-home recovery in a rented property in Tigre, a Buenos Aires suburb. Maradona’s official cause of death was recorded as heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a dangerous condition that causes fluid to build up in the lungs. All seven defendants have repeatedly denied the allegations against them.

The first attempt to hold this trial was fully annulled in 2023, after 2.5 months of court hearings, when it was revealed that one of the presiding judges had secretly participated in filming a documentary about the Maradona case, creating an unacceptable conflict of interest. A second retrial launched in April 2024, and was approaching its final stages when the new evidence controversy derailed proceedings.

Defense legal teams have alleged that the kidney test results entered into the court record do not belong to the 1986 World Cup-winning captain, but to his father Diego Salustiano Maradona, who passed away in 2015. Defense attorney Agustin Varela, representing accused nurse Nancy Forlini, pointed out that some of the test documents are dated to 2015 – a year when Maradona spent most of his time living in Dubai, and was not present in Argentina to undergo the tests. He died later that year after traveling back to Argentina to be with his ailing father.

Presiding judge Alberto Gaig announced Thursday that the court has adjourned all proceedings until August 27 to allow time for a full investigation into whether the tests match the younger Maradona or another individual. If the defense’s claims are confirmed, the mistake could seriously undermine the credibility of the independent medical commission appointed by the court to assess the circumstances of Maradona’s death. That commission has issued harsh criticism of the level of care the football star received in his final days, and its findings have formed a core part of the prosecution’s case.

Earlier this week, a nephrology specialist testifying for the prosecution told the court that Maradona, who had a long history of cocaine abuse, lived with chronic kidney disease that should have prompted urgent, close monitoring from his care team. The specialist added that standard medical practice would have required daily blood tests to track Maradona’s kidney function during his recovery, but no evidence exists that any blood samples were collected throughout the two weeks he spent at home after surgery.

Prosecutors have pushed back against the defense’s claims, arguing that the alleged documentation error does not threaten the strength of their overall case against the medical workers. “They (the defense) will not succeed in bringing down the trial,” lead prosecutor Patricio Ferrari told reporters Thursday. Even so, a confirmed mix-up would significantly strengthen the defense’s position. Forlini’s legal team has said it has no intention of pushing for another full mistrial, however. “I want this case to end so that my client knows her judicial fate,” said Nicolas D’Albora, another of Forlini’s defense attorneys.

Uncertainty continues to swirl around the future of star Gold Coast Suns forward Ben King, with Suns head coach Damien Hardwick confirming the club is prepared to explore trade options if the restricted free agent confirms his intention to depart in the coming weeks. King’s emotional post-match celebration following the Suns’ 16-point victory over St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night has fueled widespread speculation that his seven-season tenure on the Gold Coast is drawing to a close. After kicking the match-winning goal and finishing the game with three total majors, the 24-year-old spearhead was visibly tearful as the team sang their club song, a moment widely interpreted as a farewell to the club that drafted him in 2018. Over his seven seasons with the Suns, King has scored 315 career goals, establishing himself as one of the league’s most reliable young key forwards. But the Victorian native has long been tipped to request a move back to his home state, and recent reporting indicates Hawthorn has emerged as the leading suitor, after early speculation linked him to Collingwood. Under AFL free agency rules, the Suns hold the right of first refusal on any contract King signs with a rival club: if the Suns choose to match the competing offer, King will be forced to move via trade, rather than leaving as an unrestricted free agent. Hardwick acknowledged the situation in his post-match press conference, framing the impending decision as a standard part of the league’s current free agency system. “Look, it is what it is, that’s free agency, that is what our game is, we have the last right of refusal, so that’s obviously something we will consider,” Hardwick told reporters. “He was obviously quite emotional post game, so it might possibly be his last game, we’re not quite exactly sure. Once I know, you guys will know – he will make his thoughts clear.” While the club waits for King to formalize his decision, Hardwick said the Suns’ list management team has already begun preparing for a potential departure, pointing to the club’s existing pipeline of young attacking talent as a solid foundation to build on. “But obviously we’ve got some younger players, we’re really excited about Ethan Read, we’re really excited about Jed Walter. We’ve got Jamarra Ugle-Hagan who’s had a pivot year, he’ll be better when he comes back,” Hardwick said. The coach also openly acknowledged that a King exit would leave the Suns needing to add experienced attacking depth, even issuing a public call for available veteran forwards. “We probably need another experienced player, so if there’s any experienced forward out there that wants to come to our footy club, give me a call,” he said. When asked specifically about the possibility of targeting out-of-favour GWS Giants goalkicker Jesse Hogan as a replacement for King, Hardwick declined to comment on any specific targets, noting the club’s priority remains on the current 2025 season. “Oh, look, we’ll make list management decisions throughout the year sort of thing. We’ll work our way through that process, once again, head is firmly in this year. We know what we need moving forward, so we’ll discuss that,” he said.