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  • PSG edge Bayern in nine-goal Champions League semi-final epic

    PSG edge Bayern in nine-goal Champions League semi-final epic

    Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich delivered one of the most dramatic matches in UEFA Champions League history on Tuesday, producing a nine-goal epic in the first leg of their 2025 semi-final encounter that will go down as an instant classic of the competition. The 5-4 victory for PSG at a packed Parc des Princes stands as the highest-scoring semi-final match in the history of the tournament, with two of European football’s current heavyweights showcasing relentless attacking quality from the first whistle to the last.

    The first half alone delivered enough drama to fill an entire fixture, with Bayern Munich drawing first blood in the 17th minute. After PSG defender Willian Pacho brought down Bayern winger Luis Diaz inside the box, England captain Harry Kane stepped up to convert the penalty, notching his 54th goal of an already historic individual season. The German champions, who had beaten PSG 2-1 in the Champions League league phase back in November via a Diaz brace, looked the more dangerous side in the opening exchanges, but their aggressive, front-footed attacking approach left gaps at the back that PSG were quick to exploit on the counter.

    Just after the 30-minute mark, Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – widely regarded as the standout player of this season’s Champions League – broke the deadlock for the hosts. He outpaced Josip Stanisic down the left flank, cut inside the recovering defender, and fired a precision shot into the far corner to level the score at 1-1. Three minutes later, Joao Neves nodded home a well-placed Ousmane Dembele corner to put PSG 2-1 ahead, sending the packed home crowd into a frenzy.

    The end-to-end action showed no signs of slowing, however. Bayern’s Michael Olise drove into the PSG penalty area and smashed a powerful effort past the goalkeeper to restore parity at 2-2, marking his 20th goal of the 2024-2025 campaign. In first-half stoppage time, PSG were awarded a penalty after a cross from Dembele struck the arm of Alphonso Davies, who was making his first Champions League start of the season following a long-term injury layoff. After a lengthy VAR check, Swiss referee confirmed the decision, and Dembele converted to put PSG 3-2 up going into the halftime break.

    Two minutes into the second half, PSG extended their lead further. Achraf Hakimi delivered a pinpoint low cross into the path of Kvaratskhelia, who slotted home his second of the night to make it 4-2 – his seventh goal in seven knockout stage games this campaign, further cementing his reputation as PSG’s biggest match-winner this season. Before Bayern could reorganize, Dembele caught Manuel Neuer off guard with a low shot that bounced into the net off the near post, putting the French champions 5-2 up and seemingly out of reach with just over half an hour remaining.

    Yet Vincent Kompany’s Bayern side refused to fold, even with their manager watching from the stands due to a suspension. The German champions pulled one back through Dayot Upamecano, who headed home a Joshua Kimmich free kick to cut the deficit to 5-3, taking Bayern’s total goal tally for the season to 170. Minutes later, Diaz latched onto a long through ball, dribbled past PSG captain Marquinhos, and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to make the score 5-4, setting up a nervy final 15 minutes for the hosts. PSG came close to extending their lead late on when Senny Mayulu’s strike hit the crossbar with Neuer beaten, leaving the final scoreline locked at 5-4.

    The result leaves Luis Enrique’s PSG holding a narrow one-goal advantage heading into the return leg next Wednesday at Bayern’s Allianz Arena, with a place in the May 30 Champions League final in Budapest up for grabs. PSG are chasing history as they aim to become only the second club in the modern Champions League era to retain the trophy, having lifted the title in 2024 with a 5-0 win over Inter Munich in Munich’s final venue. For Bayern, who lifted their sixth Champions League trophy in 2020 with a final win over PSG, the club is aiming to reach its first final since that 2020 triumph, and will be confident of turning around the deficit in front of their home fans. Widely praised as already surpassing last season’s iconic semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, the nine-goal thriller has left the tie perfectly poised for another dramatic encounter in Munich next week.

  • Thousands of female runners gather for Nike event in Shanghai

    Thousands of female runners gather for Nike event in Shanghai

    On a mild Saturday night on April 25, more than 3,800 female runners from across the country and beyond converged on Shanghai’s bustling Nanjing East Road Pedestrian Street to kick off a one-of-a-kind 10-kilometer night running event hosted by sportswear giant Nike.

    The race marked the Shanghai stop of Nike’s 2026 After Dark Tour (ADT), and more notably, served as the opening leg of the brand’s annual global women’s running series for this year. Unlike previous installments, the 2026 Shanghai event rolled out two user-centric upgrades tailored to female running enthusiasts: a brand-new dual-partner “Sister Team” registration channel that lets runners sign up with a running companion, and the event’s first-ever first-person live broadcast option that allowed audiences around the world to follow the race through the runners’ own perspectives.

    The course was designed to showcase Shanghai’s most iconic waterfront and skyline landmarks, leading runners past the historic Bund, the scenic Huangpu River green corridor, and the structural marvel of Nanpu Bridge, giving participants a unique night-time view of one of Asia’s most dynamic metropolises.

    Two of China’s top elite female athletes, retired tennis legend Li Na and professional long-distance runner Zhang Deshun, joined the crowd of everyday recreational runners on the course, cheering on participants and sharing their own experiences of building confidence through sport.

    Adam Antoniewicz, vice-president and general manager of Nike’s running business in Greater China, praised the one-of-a-kind Shanghai setting in an on-site interview. “The route is unbelievable. It’s something I’ve never seen before and that’s the unique advantage of Shanghai,” he said, noting that the city’s mix of iconic urban scenery and vibrant running culture made it an ideal host for the opening of the global series.

    Antoniewicz added that the After Dark Tour is far more than a running race: it is a global women’s running platform that has already been hosted in major cities including Sydney, Los Angeles, and London, with a core mission to bring female runners of all skill levels together, celebrate the power of female companionship, and help more women build self-confidence through consistent movement.

  • ‘Verstappen future not affected by ally’s departure’

    ‘Verstappen future not affected by ally’s departure’

    Ahead of this weekend’s eagerly anticipated Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has moved to calm speculation that the upcoming departure of long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will impact star driver Max Verstappen’s decision on his future in Formula 1.

    Lambiase has been a core part of Verstappen’s racing team ever since the Dutch driver made his debut with Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, but he is set to leave the outfit to take up the role of chief racing officer at rivals McLaren no later than 2028. When asked if this departure would play any role in Verstappen’s ongoing deliberation about whether to remain in F1 – a conversation amplified by the three-time champion’s public dissatisfaction with this season’s new power unit regulations – Mekies rejected the connection entirely.

    “Obviously, we speak with Max every day. And Max knows motorsport upside down,” Mekies told reporters. “He’s living and breathing this team. He knows most of these guys. He understands very well the dynamics that can happen. The team has been extremely successful and you can’t promote everyone. And some people make some decisions.”

    Verstappen’s frustration centers on the 2025 hybrid power unit regulations, which split power output almost evenly between the internal combustion engine and electrical components, a change that has altered the core driving experience for pilots. Drivers have complained that the new rules force them to focus on artificial energy management during races and qualifying rather than pushing flat-out, and created dangerous gaps in closing speeds between cars harvesting and deploying electrical energy.

    To address these immediate concerns, F1 has introduced targeted rule changes specifically for this weekend’s Miami event. Mekies noted that while these adjustments are not a full fix for the sport’s power unit issues, they mark a positive step forward. “It’s going in the right directions. We don’t think it’s changing any pecking order. Nobody pretends it’s going to fix everything, but it’s a good step, and we will certainly support more steps in the future so that the drivers can be flat-out out there,” he said.

    Mekies also echoed the view of McLaren team principal Andrea Stella that long-term hardware adjustments to the power unit are required to fully resolve the problems. Stella has called for a shift in the power split to give a larger share to the internal combustion engine, and insider sources confirm F1 governing body officials are already in active talks to adjust the regulations for the 2026 season. The leading proposal on the table would increase the internal combustion engine’s fuel flow rate to create a 60:40 split in favor of the combustion engine, a change that would preserve the existing electrical boost and overtaking systems that remain a key part of F1’s modern identity.

    Stella explained: “There should be a consideration for some hardware changes, more for the longer term, such that we can place the operating point of the power unit somewhere where less compromises are required from a chassis point of view or from a driving point of view. We think this is possible, and we think that all stakeholders should approach this conversation with the willingness to contribute.”

    Beyond power unit rule talks, the weekend in Miami arrives at a pivotal point for Red Bull, who have endured a rocky start to the 2025 campaign. After missing out on the 2024 drivers’ title to McLaren’s Lando Norris by just two points, Verstappen sits ninth in the championship after three races, with only a single sixth-place finish to his name so far this year.

    Following a forced break in the calendar after the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, Red Bull will roll out a major aerodynamic and mechanical car upgrade for Miami, which Verstappen tested at Silverstone last week. Mekies said the upgrade will resolve a significant portion of the team’s early-season performance issues, though he stopped short of claiming it has fixed all their problems. “One thing is sure, we haven’t solved everything,” he said. “But there is no doubt that progress has been made into giving something more consistent to our drivers. How does that make you fit in the classifications? It’s impossible to know. But in terms of us alone on the track, in terms of giving a more consistent product to our drivers, I’m confident we have made some progress. Do we know if we cracked everything? No, we know we didn’t crack everything yet.”

    Mekies also shed light on the scale of Red Bull’s performance gap to front-running team Mercedes, confirming that around one-third of the team’s one-second per lap deficit comes from their new in-house power unit, with the remaining gap rooted in chassis performance. “Unfortunately, the first few races confirmed that we have a lot of work to do,” he said. “It’s 360. But certainly on the PU side as well, we can see that competition has a clear advantage. So we see them clearly ahead of us. It doesn’t remove anything to the amazing job that the guys have done. But it’s just confirmed that we have been evaluating ever since we put the car on the ground in Barcelona and in Bahrain. So fantastic starting point, unbelievable starting point. But it’s a competitive business. We are quite a few 10ths of a (second per) lap behind them in terms of performance. Even more so in terms of chassis performance, to be clear. And so we know we have a lot of work to do ahead of us.”

    McLaren, by contrast, have enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season as defending champions, with Oscar Piastri taking second place at the most recent round in Japan. Stella confirmed that the Woking-based squad is also rolling out its own major aerodynamic upgrade package for the North American rounds, including Miami, but downplayed suggestions this would shake up the existing competitive order. “I would like to stress that this is what I would expect of most of our competitors so not necessarily is going to be a shift in the pecking order,” he said. “It will be effectively just a check who has been able to add more performance within the same timeframe, and we also have some performance to recover if we look at Mercedes and to some extent Ferrari as well.”

    The Miami Grand Prix weekend runs from 1 to 3 May, with the main race getting underway at 21:00 BST on Sunday. UK fans can follow live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, with live text updates available via the BBC Sport website and app.

  • ‘I was not thinking to run a world record’

    ‘I was not thinking to run a world record’

    In a landmark moment that has redefined the limits of human endurance in long-distance running, Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe has entered the history books as the first runner ever to complete an official marathon in under two hours. Sawe shattered the previous world record at the London Marathon, crossing the finish line with a final time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, a result that has stunned even the runner himself.

    In an exclusive interview with the BBC following his groundbreaking achievement, Sawe opened up about the unexpected nature of his win, admitting that a world record time was never his main goal heading into the race. “I was not thinking to run a world record,” he told reporters, highlighting that his focus was simply on putting forward a strong performance after a turbulent period of injury struggles.

    The road to London Marathon glory was far from smooth for Sawe. In the lead-up to his historic race, the Kenyan committed to a rigorous year-long preparation regime that placed anti-doping transparency at its core. Over 12 months, Sawe underwent frequent mandatory drug testing, including 25 unannounced out-of-competition tests held before September’s Berlin Marathon, demonstrating his commitment to clean sport ahead of his record attempt.

    That Berlin event, however, brought a major setback to Sawe’s career plans. During the race, he suffered a painful stress fracture in his foot, an injury that was followed by persistent back problems that threw his participation in the London Marathon into serious question just weeks before the event. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his fitness, Sawe worked through an intensive rehabilitation program to get back to race pace, ultimately defying all medical and sporting expectations to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

    The breakthrough achievement comes more than a decade after elite runners first began targeting the sub-two-hour marathon barrier, a milestone widely considered to be the final frontier of men’s road running. Sawe’s official record now stands as the gold standard for the sport, cementing his place among the greatest long-distance runners in history.

  • ‘I jumped around the house’, Sebastian Sawe’s parents celebrate marathon record

    ‘I jumped around the house’, Sebastian Sawe’s parents celebrate marathon record

    When word broke that their son had become the first runner in history to finish a marathon under the two-hour mark, Emily and Simion Sawe did not hold back their joy. The pair, who have supported Sebastian Sawe’s running career from its earliest days, opened up about their overwhelming pride in the athlete’s groundbreaking achievement, recounting how they reacted when the news of the win came through. “I jumped around the house,” Simion Sawe shared in an interview, describing the unbridled excitement that filled their home the moment Sebastian crossed the finish line to secure his place in athletic history. For years, the sub-two-hour marathon has stood as one of the most coveted barriers in long-distance running, a milestone that many athletes and coaches considered nearly unachievable for decades. Sawe’s historic run does not only mark a personal victory for the young runner, but also redefines the limits of human endurance in the world of professional distance sports. His parents, who have cheered him on through countless training sessions, injuries, and disappointing race outings, emphasized that this record is the result of years of relentless dedication, not just natural talent. In sharing their reaction to the milestone, the couple has offered a rare, intimate look at the personal side of elite athletic success, highlighting how the support of family often lays the foundation for historic achievement. The running community worldwide has already joined the Sawe family in celebrating the breakthrough, with many noting that Sawe’s record will inspire a new generation of long-distance runners to push past previously accepted limits.

  • A bird leaves nothing behind: The lesson behind Japan’s World Cup stadium cleanups

    A bird leaves nothing behind: The lesson behind Japan’s World Cup stadium cleanups

    When soccer’s biggest global tournament kicks off, there is one nation that consistently earns international acclaim not just for its on-pitch performance, but for a quiet, consistent act of sportsmanship off the field: Japanese soccer fans and players leaving match venues cleaner than they found them. This decades-long tradition has captivated global audiences, sparking curiosity about the cultural and social roots of the habit that surprises many foreign attendees accustomed to post-match trash-strewn stadiums.

    The long-running custom first entered the global spotlight in 1998, when Japan made its debut appearance at the World Cup in France. Since that tournament, the practice has carried on through every four-year cycle, including the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar. It is all but guaranteed to continue when Japan takes the pitch for group stage matches this June in Arlington, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico. The behavior routinely astounds non-Japanese observers, many of whom are used to exiting stadiums and leaving discarded half-eaten food, crumpled wrappers, and half-empty beverage cups behind for venue staff to collect.

    This post-match cleanup is not a recent affectation for global cameras: it has deep roots in Japanese socialization that begins in early childhood. In elementary schools across Japan, students are responsible for cleaning their own classrooms, schoolyards, and athletic fields, with many institutions employing no full-time janitorial staff. Even in professional workplaces, adults set aside regular time to tidy their own work spaces. This upbringing carries into adult recreational and public behavior, including attending major sports matches.
    Koichi Nakano, a professor of politics and history at Tokyo’s Sophia University, explained to the Associated Press that the habits Japanese fans display at global tournaments are simply an extension of the values they learned growing up playing sports as children. The core Japanese philosophy that guides the behavior is captured in the phrase *Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu*, which translates roughly to “A bird leaves nothing behind” in its literal form, and carries the practical meaning of “Return the space the way you found it.”

    Beyond childhood education, two additional cultural factors shape this persistent habit. First, Japan’s dense urban landscape means public spaces have far fewer public trash receptacles than many Western nations, so people are accustomed to carrying their waste with them to dispose of at home — a practice that keeps public areas clean, cuts municipal waste management costs, and deters pests. Second, the Japanese cultural concept of *meiwaku* emphasizes avoiding any inconvenience or annoyance to other people; for Japanese soccer fans, leaving a pile of trash in a stadium is seen as an unnecessary burden to venue staff and future visitors. With a population of roughly 35 million in the Greater Tokyo Area alone — nearly equal to the entire population of California — collective consideration for others is a core social value embedded from a young age.

    Sociologists studying the practice note that it reflects a broader cultural difference in priority between many Western societies and Japan: while Western cultures often emphasize individual rights and rely on public service staff to handle public space cleaning, Japanese culture centers collective well-being, meaning personal responsibility for shared spaces is normalized. Barbara Holthus, deputy director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo and a sociologist raised in Germany, warns against placing Japanese society on an unfair pedestal, noting the practice is simply the result of different socialization rather than any inherent difference. Even so, the widespread global praise Japanese fans have received for the habit has only reinforced the behavior, turning it into a point of national pride, according to Jeff Kingston, a history professor at Temple University Japan.

    The clean-up tradition is not confined exclusively to the men’s senior World Cup. Last year, Japanese fans repeated the practice at the Under-20 World Cup in Chile, and just last month they did the same following an international friendly win over England at London’s Wembley Stadium. Toshi Yoshizawa, who led the clean-up effort in Chile, called the practice “one of our traditions,” noting that Japanese people grow up taught to leave a place cleaner than they found it.

    William Kelly, emeritus professor of anthropology at Yale University and a Japan specialist, speculates that the custom is particularly tied to soccer in Japan rather than other popular sports. He links it to the founding of Japan’s professional J-League more than 30 years ago, when the new league sought to differentiate itself from established Japanese baseball by emphasizing deep community ties and fan commitment to local clubs, fostering a stronger sense of shared ownership over match venues among supporters.

  • ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    As the last Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs halfback to steer the club to an NRL grand final, Trent Hodkinson knows firsthand how positional misalignment can derail a once-promising side. Now, he’s sounding the alarm on a familiar pattern unfolding at Belmore this season, one that mirrors the turbulence that forced him out of the club nearly a decade ago.

    Hodkinson’s legacy with the blue-and-whites remains one of the club’s most celebrated recent chapters. In 2014, just months after he and halves partner Josh Reynolds broke Queensland’s long State of Origin winning streak, Hodkinson led the Bulldogs to the NRL’s ultimate decider. Their successful pairing was built on complementary strengths: Hodkinson served as the chief playmaker, controlling match tempo with a pinpoint kicking game, while Reynolds thrived in the five-eighth role, playing off instinct and creating opportunities with spontaneous play. The dynamic worked seamlessly—until a 2015 roster restructuring pushed Hodkinson out the door to make room for two five-eighths, Reynolds and Moses Mbye. The result was disastrous: in 2016, the Bulldogs posted the lowest point total of any top-eight side in the competition.

    Today, Hodkinson sees the same problematic setup taking shape. Current Bulldogs playmakers Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton are both natural five-eighths, in his assessment, and the lack of a dedicated, controlling halfback at the No.7 position has left the team’s attack adrift. Through the early part of the 2024 season, Canterbury has scored the second-fewest points of any club in the NRL, a statistic that echoes the 2016 slump.

    NRL Immortal Andrew Johns has already publicly called for Galvin to shift permanently to five-eighth, a recommendation Hodkinson fully endorses. The former Bulldogs playmaker has thrown his support behind two candidates to fill the vacant halfback role: veteran experienced playmaker Sean O’Sullivan, who is already a member of the Bulldogs roster, and young up-and-comer Mitchell Woods, who is currently working his way back from injury.

    “It reminded me of 2015 when it was myself, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye, and three couldn’t go into two. I got pushed out of the club but I truly believe Moses and Josh were two five-eighths,” Hodkinson explained. “It’s a similar situation now. I know Lachie’s been playing seven and he played a really good game the other week against Penrith, but I feel like they’re very similar players. Toby Sexton, who left the club last year, was a genuine seven, and you’ve got O’Sullivan there who’s a genuine seven.”

    Beyond naming O’Sullivan as an immediate option, Hodkinson is pushing for the club to give the talented 19-year-old Woods an opportunity at the top level. As a member of the coaching staff for New South Wales’ under-19s Origin side, Hodkinson has seen Woods’ ability firsthand, and says the young prospect fits the profile of a traditional game-controlling halfback the club desperately needs.

    “I’m not the coach there and (Cameron) Ciraldo gets paid the big money to make the decisions, but I’d even like to see young ‘Woodsy’,” he said. “We had him last year in the 19s Origin team and he’s a genuine seven. I haven’t seen him too much the last 6-8 months with how he’s going physically, but he’d be more than capable to step up.”

    Hodkinson also suggested Galvin, who has a large physical frame, could make a successful transition to lock if the club opts to bring in a dedicated halfback. He added that while Galvin turned in an impressive performance against the Panthers recently, the young playmaker needs to improve consistency to hold the No.7 role long-term.

    Against the common modern argument that the halfback and five-eighth positions are interchangeable—just numbers on the back of a jersey—Hodkinson stands firm that the two roles remain distinct. “I still think they’re unique positions, I really do,” he said. “You’ve got to have that one dominant half and that guy that steers them around the field. They’re similar at times but I think they’re still separate positions. You’ve got a seven, a halfback, and you’ve got a six, a five-eighth. As much as they’re compared to being very similar, they’re still very different in a way.”

    Woods, who turns 20 next month, faces ongoing speculation over whether he is mature enough for the intensity of NRL football. But Hodkinson argues that young playmakers can only prove their readiness at the top level by being given an opportunity to compete.

    “You probably don’t know until you give them a crack and get out there and then they’ve just got to figure it out themselves,” he said. “I’m sure there’s plenty of eyes at the Dogs or at multiple clubs that know when these young fellas are ready to make the step. It’s exciting, there are some really good, talented young halves coming through and I’m excited to see how they all go.”

    For now, the Bulldogs’ coaching staff led by Ciraldo holds the final call on how the club will resolve its halves puzzle, but Hodkinson’s warning echoes across Belmore: failing to address the current positional imbalance could lead to a repeat of the struggles that derailed the side nearly a decade ago.

  • AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    The Richmond Tigers Australian Football League club has been dealt a fresh injury blow, with two of its young high-potential players set for extended time off the field after suffering new setbacks in training and VFL competition over the past week.

    First-round draft pick Josh Smillie, who has yet to make his senior AFL debut after being recruited by Richmond at the end of 2024, re-teared a previous quad injury during a low-intensity kicking drill at club training last week. Ben Serpell, Richmond’s high performance manager, confirmed that while the re-injury did not damage the original surgical site where Smillie underwent treatment for his prior quad issue, there is currently no confirmed timeline for the young talent’s return to competitive play.

    “To be clear, the original surgical site’s still intact, so we are going to shift him back to the TBC time frame,” Serpell told reporters. The high performance manager also acknowledged the deep frustration both players are feeling after their latest setbacks, noting that the entire club shares that disappointment. “Both Josh’s (Smillie and Gibcus) are clearly very frustrated with their injuries at this point in time, as is everyone at the Club. I think at this point in time it’s really important that we get our arms around these guys and support them through their respective recoveries and make sure that we get behind them as they progress forward.”

    The injury news is similarly discouraging for key defender Josh Gibcus, who picked up an ACL strain during a Victorian Football League (VFL) match over the weekend. Gibcus was initially assessed for the knee injury in the first quarter of the game, cleared to return to play, but reported ongoing discomfort in the days following the match. A follow-up MRI confirmed the strain, which Serpell emphasized is not a full rupture, and did not occur on the same knee that Gibcus previously had reconstruction surgery on.

    As the injury is an uncommon presentation, club medical staff will consult multiple specialist surgeons to weigh treatment options, including a non-surgical path that has already proven successful for another of the club’s players. “It is an uncommon injury, so we need to be considered with our approach for his return to play. We need to consult a number of different surgeons. We can see, for instance, Gab Seymour from our women’s program sustained a similar injury last year. She didn’t go through surgery, and she’s back out training. So we are hoping for the best for Josh,” Serpell said. The club plans to update supporters once a clear treatment and recovery plan is finalized for Gibcus, who will remain sidelined in the interim while the club assesses its options.

  • Round 9 team lists: Superstar fullbacks cleared to return as the Wests Tigers cop brutal triple blow

    Round 9 team lists: Superstar fullbacks cleared to return as the Wests Tigers cop brutal triple blow

    As the new round of the National Rugby League (NRL) approaches, the competition is bracing for a series of major team changes, driven by a mix of encouraging injury recoveries and devastating late-season setbacks for several franchises. One of the biggest stories heading into the weekend is the triple crisis hitting the in-form Wests Tigers, who will be without three critical players when they face off against the Cronulla Sharks this Sunday.

    Young star fullback Jahream Bula, who has been managing a nagging shoulder injury for multiple weeks, will be sidelined for up to four weeks to prioritize full recovery. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by Sunia Turuva. Bula’s absence is compounded by two more absences: inspirational captain Api Koroisau is suspended for three weeks, forcing hooker Tristan Hope to step into his position, while Kai Pearce-Paul will also miss the clash due to a head knock, with Tony Sukkar named as his replacement. This wave of injuries and suspensions marks a major blow for head coach Benji Marshall’s rapidly improving side, coming as they prepare to face a Sharks team that has shaken up its starting 17 to address defensive struggles. Cronulla has promoted veteran starters Cam McInnes and Briton Nikora to the first team to shore up their leaky defense ahead of the encounter.

    While the Wests Tigers face a major test of their depth, two of the league’s biggest superstars have received the all-clear to return to action, delivering a massive boost to their respective sides. In the Hunter region, the Newcastle Knights are preparing to welcome back star fullback Kalyn Ponga from a hamstring injury for their upcoming clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Ponga’s return is paired with good news for the Knights: powerful centre Bradman Best has also been cleared to make his comeback. To fit the returning stars into the lineup, Fletcher Sharpe will shift to five-eighth, while Sandon Smith moves back to a bench role. For the visiting Rabbitohs, forward Keaon Koloamatangi has been named in the starting back row.

    Saturday night’s heavyweight matchup between the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters is already shaping up as an early preview of the upcoming State of Origin series, with another superstar returning to the field. Broncos fullback Reece Walsh, who has been sidelined with a facial fracture, has been named to start in the clash, where he will go head-to-head against Roosters captain James Tedesco, who is currently fighting to retain his spot in the New South Wales Blues Origin squad. Walsh is not the only key returnee for Brisbane: star forward Pat Carrigan is also back in the starting side after completing his suspension.

    Across the other NRL fixtures this weekend, a series of other changes and positional shakes have been confirmed. The Canterbury Bulldogs have retained Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin in their halves partnership for their game against the North Queensland Cowboys, but winger Marcelo Montoya has been dropped from the starting side following a poor performance in Brisbane last round. The Cowboys have also made a change on the wing: Zac Laybutt will step in for Murray Taulagi, who misses out with a concussion.

    For defending premiers Melbourne Storm, halfback Jahrome Hughes will miss the upcoming game, with Tyran Wishart tapped to fill the void at halfback. The clash will also mark the NRL debut of exciting young winger Hugo Peel, who has earned a spot in the starting lineup. Melbourne has also made multiple changes to its back row, with Ativalu Lisati, Shawn Blore and Alec MacDonald all named to start.

    The Redcliffe Dolphins have named Brad Schneider at five-eighth for their next fixture, with winger Jack Bostock named to an extended bench as he works his way back from a long-term injury. The Canberra Raiders named Simi Sasagi in their starting back row, but the forward will need to pass a late fitness test later this week to take the field. Canberra will definitely be without Noah Martin (ankle injury) and Zac Hosking (concussion) for the round.

    Finally, New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster faces a selection call in the halves, with Luke Metcalf in line for a return after being named to the extended bench for the side’s trip to Sydney to face the Parramatta Eels. Parramatta has named experienced veteran Dylan Walker in its lineup despite the centre leaving last week’s game with his left arm in a sling.

  • AFL 2026: Adelaide forward Ben Keays reacts to ARC backflip ahead of season-defining Showdown

    AFL 2026: Adelaide forward Ben Keays reacts to ARC backflip ahead of season-defining Showdown

    As one of the players most personally impacted by the Australian Football League’s (AFL) experiment with ARC (AFL Review Centre) rule changes, Adelaide Crows forward Ben Keays was blindsided by the league’s sudden reversal of the new policy – just days out from the high-stakes annual Showdown clash against in-state rival Port Adelaide.

    Keays found out about the rule backflip during a routine media interview on Tuesday, barely hiding his shock at the sudden update. “Wow … I will probably leave it at that, I hope you guys don’t mind,” he told reporters, after confirming the announcement was the first he had heard of the change.

    The rule rollback brings the game back to the policy that directly cost Keays and the Crows a place in the 2023 finals. In that year’s round 23 match against Sydney, a late match-winning goal from Keays was incorrectly ruled a behind by the on-field goal umpire. By the old rules, the ARC could not intervene to correct the call once play had resumed after the score review. The mistake ended up eliminating Adelaide from finals contention by the thinnest of margins.

    In response to widespread criticism of that controversial incident, the AFL introduced a new rule for the 2025 season: the ARC would now be allowed to correct incorrect goal calls even after play had restarted, rolling back to the goal line to reset play once the correct call was made. However, after a series of logistical teething issues during the opening rounds of this season, league officials made the last-minute decision to scrap the new rule and revert to the pre-2025 framework.

    The unexpected policy change comes as the Crows prepare for one of their biggest matches of the 2025 season, Friday night’s Showdown at Adelaide Oval. Currently, Adelaide holds a 3-4 win-loss record after seven rounds, with a 96.1 percentage, while Port Adelaide enters the fixture on the back of a stunning upset win over premiership contender Geelong, putting Adelaide’s early premiership aspirations at serious risk.

    Despite the off-field rule drama hanging over the build-up, Keays said he is relishing the unique intensity of the cross-town derby. “I just love the energetic and intense atmosphere, sort of the hum of the crowd. That’s what makes it such an amazing fixture, it’s like a bit of a cauldron out there on the Adelaide Oval and that’s created by both sets of fans. I am looking forward to all the Crows fans being there in full voice and bringing that intense atmosphere,” he said.

    One major off-field issue remains unresolved for the Crows ahead of the match: the availability of star captain Jordan Dawson, who is still grieving the sudden passing of his brother. Dawson took the field against Brisbane last weekend but was clearly emotional after the final siren, and the club has not yet confirmed whether he will feature on Friday. Keays confirmed the entire squad is standing behind Dawson and his family, whatever decision he makes. “Absolutely, we’re going to support Daws however he needs, support his family as a club and whatever he needs we’ll be there for him,” he said.