分类： sports

It has been 1337 days of relentless struggle, unthinkable physical pain, and endless doubt for Australian rugby league winger Cody Ramsey. On Saturday night, the 26-year-old turned the impossible into reality, stepping back onto an NRL pitch for the first time since his career was declared over by medical experts, in what is already being hailed as the most inspirational rugby league story of the year.

Ramsey’s world collapsed in 2022, during his promising third season with the St. George Illawarra Dragons. The rising young talent was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects roughly one in every 100 people globally. The condition ravaged his large intestine, leaving the entire organ irreparably damaged. In the seven weeks following his diagnosis, Ramsey dropped 28 kilograms, plummeting to just 62 kilograms as the disease drained his strength and threatened his life.

To save his life, Ramsey underwent emergency surgery to remove his entire large bowel, leaving him with a temporary stoma and external collection bag for six months. He later went through a second, equally grueling reversal procedure to reconnect his small intestine to his remaining bowel stump, forcing him to reintroduce every food he had ever eaten to his altered digestive system from scratch.

In the immediate aftermath of his diagnosis, Ramsey’s first surgeon delivered a crushing verdict: his professional rugby league career was over. But sitting on his hospital bed alongside his father, Ramsey refused to accept that outcome. “He doesn’t know what it takes to be an NRL player, but I do,” he told his dad that day, a mantra that would carry him through three and a half years of hardship.

The road to recovery was far from smooth. After his reversal surgery, Ramsey endured daily agony, needing to use the bathroom up to 40 times a day, and at one point begged medical staff to put him in a coma to escape the pain. His wound split open at one stage, and even the simplest daily tasks felt insurmountable. But a single, brutal 4-kilometer run from his home to his father’s house along the Appin Highway changed everything. Weighing just 62 kilograms, carrying his phone to call for emergency help if his body gave out, Ramsey pushed through the agony and finished the run. In that moment, he proved to himself he could make it back to the top.

“It’s all in your head,” Ramsey explained after his comeback. “If you tick these little boxes off in your head, then you can do it. I spent a whole year thinking I’d have an accident every time I ran. But then one training session I didn’t, then a week, then a month, and then I got to the game and I was fine. The doubt is all in your head.”

Ramsey missed the entire 2023 and 2024 NRL seasons, working his way back through reserve grade before earning a spot with the Sydney Roosters ahead of the 2025 campaign. He was not originally slated to take the field against the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday, but an early syndesmosis injury to winger Mark Nawaqanitawase opened the door, giving Ramsey his long-awaited chance. By full time, the emotion of the moment overwhelmed him, as he broke down in tears reuniting with family and friends who had supported him through every step of his journey.

When asked if his return felt like a second debut, Ramsey said the moment meant far more than his first NRL appearance. “The people around me and everyone at the club know what I’ve been through, so it’s definitely way better than the debut for sure.”

Roosters captain James Tedesco said the entire club has been inspired by Ramsey’s attitude and resilience. “He’s been an 18th man for us since the start of the year, and just hearing his story and the journey he’s been on, all of us are just so happy to see him get back on the field,” Tedesco said. “He’s been a breath of fresh air coming into the club. His energy, his great personality – he’s just amazing to have around. He’s been ready to play since round one, and to see him out there back in first grade was a special moment for all of us.”

With Nawaqanitawase expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, Ramsey is set to earn more opportunities in the top flight, capping one of the most remarkable comeback stories in Australian sporting history.

The 2024-25 Premier League title race took a dramatic turn this weekend, as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side rediscovered their best form to open a six-point gap at the top of the table, while results at the bottom of the division threw Tottenham Hotspur a critical lifeline in their fight to avoid relegation.

Arsenal, who have looked fatigued and nervous in recent weeks as they chased their first top-flight title in 22 years — blowing a substantial earlier lead over defending champions Manchester City — got a huge boost from the return of star winger Bukayo Saka, who made his first start in six weeks ahead of their decisive Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. The Gunners turned in a dominant 3-0 home victory over Fulham, silencing growing concerns about their ability to sustain a title push through a congested fixture list.

Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal in a £64 million ($87 million) move from Sporting Lisbon this season, also silenced his recent critics with a two-goal performance, taking his league tally for the campaign to 21. The Swede struck first after just nine minutes, tapping in a perfectly placed cross from Saka to calm early nerves around the Emirates Stadium. Riccardo Calafiori had a second goal ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside, but the home side doubled their lead before half time when Gyokeres turned provider, playing Saka through to blast a shot past former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno at the near post. Gyokeres grabbed his second just before the break, rising highest to power a header from Leandro Trossard’s cross into the net, stretching Arsenal’s goal difference advantage to four over Manchester City — a margin that could prove decisive in the final title race standings, given City hold two games in hand over the leaders.

With the three points secured, Arteta was able to rotate his squad ahead of next week’s Champions League second leg, which is tied at 1-1, bringing Saka off at half time and resting key starters including Gyokeres, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze in the closing stages. The result leaves Fulham’s hopes of qualifying for European competition next season heavily dented, with the Cottagers remaining in 10th place in the table after the defeat.

In the day’s other key fixtures, Brentford boosted their own hopes of a top-six finish — which could yet deliver Champions League qualification — with a convincing 3-0 home win over West Ham United, a result that gives Tottenham Hotspur fresh hope of escaping relegation. Tottenham remain in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety, but can climb out of the bottom three with a win against Aston Villa on Sunday, after West Ham suffered just their third defeat in 11 league outings.

Brentford opened the scoring after an own goal from West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who was denied a quick equaliser minutes later when his powerful header was ruled out for offside by VAR. The Bees extended their lead early in the second half when Dango Ouattara won a penalty, with top scorer Igor Thiago converting coolly to notch his 22nd league goal of the season. Mikkel Damsgaard added a late third to round off the win, leaving West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitting his side faces a quick reaction to turn their form around ahead of next weekend’s trip to face Arsenal.

Elsewhere, Newcastle United ended a five-game losing streak to ease their own relegation fears with a 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Goals from William Osula and Dan Burn inside the opening 24 minutes put Eddie Howe’s side in control, and despite a consolation goal from Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood, Harvey Barnes sealed the win in stoppage time. The result lifts Newcastle up to 13th in the table, taking them clear of the relegation fight, while the defeat leaves Brighton’s European hopes hanging in the balance — the Seagulls started the weekend in sixth place but could end it outside the top half of the table. Howe praised his side’s resilience through their poor run, saying the three points was a just reward for their togetherness during a difficult period.

In the final game of the weekend’s early fixtures, Sunderland’s European qualification hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw away to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sunderland played most of the match with 10 men after defender Dan Ballard was sent off in the first half for pulling an opposition player’s hair.

An NRL round clash between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos at Allianz Stadium ended not just with a 38-24 Roosters victory, but with a wave of high-profile injuries that has shaken up State of Origin selections and left Brisbane bracing for a challenging upcoming fixture against Manly. The most devastating blow landed on rising star Mark Nawaqanitawase, a NSW Blues State of Origin hopeful whose dream series debut is now all but off the table after he sustained a serious syndesmosis injury that requires urgent surgery.

Roosters head coach Trent Robinson confirmed the devastating news in his post-match press conference, confirming that the dynamic winger, a former Wallaby set to return to rugby union in 2027, will miss 6-8 weeks on the sidelines. The injury occurred in the first half of Saturday night’s game when Nawaqanitawase’s foot became trapped under teammate Robert Toia during a collision. Though he initially tried to push through the pain, he was forced off the field just 15 minutes after the incident. NRL physiotherapy experts later confirmed the injury mechanism was typical for a high ankle syndesmosis sprain, occurring when the foot is caught under contact and forced to rotate outward.

Just 24 hours before the match, Nawaqanitawase had opened up about his long-held dream of representing the Blues in the upcoming State of Origin series, which kicks off with its opening clash on May 27. NSW coach Laurie Daley had previously named the in-form winger as one of the top contenders for a starting wing spot alongside Brian To’o, in a three-way race with Campbell Graham and Josh Addo-Carr. A 6-8 week recovery period from surgery rules Nawaqanitawase out of the series opener entirely, ending his campaign before it could officially begin.

Nawaqanitawase was far from the only star forced to exit the game early with injury. Brisbane Broncos captain Adam Reynolds was already officially ruled out of the club’s next fixture against Manly next week after a brutal head knock sustained while attempting a tackle. Queensland Origin enforcer Lindsay Collins also failed his first-half head injury assessment, ruling him out of Brisbane’s upcoming trip to Gosford next Friday. Roosters and Blues veteran Angus Crichton was also forced off midway through the second half with a suspected medial knee injury, and he is currently awaiting scan results to confirm the severity of the damage.

Robinson noted after the match that Crichton could have stayed on the field, but the injury required repeated attention throughout the first half, prompting the coaching staff to pull him early as a precaution. On Collins’ exit, Robinson added that the Brisbane forward was lucid and alert in the sheds after the incident, but did not meet concussion protocol requirements to return to play.

For Brisbane, young halfback Tom Duffy is set to step into Reynolds’ starting spot against Manly. Broncos coach Michael Maguire praised Duffy’s recent performances, noting he has already proven his ability to lead the team around the park when given the opportunity. The injury crisis extends far beyond Reynolds and Collins for Brisbane: star front-rower Payne Haas and halfback Ben Hunt are already ruled out of next week’s fixture, while wingers Josiah Karapani (ankle) and Deine Mariner (cork) are serious doubts to take the field. Mariner was forced off in the first half after sustaining his cork, but returned to the game shortly after when Karapani exited with his ankle injury. Maguire said Mariner should not have returned to action, but praised the young winger’s commitment to his teammates, noting that the moment reflected the tight team culture that saw Brisbane claw back from a 30-0 deficit to come within six points of a stunning upset.

“Deine probably shouldn’t have gone back out, but that’s what they’re doing for each other,” Maguire said. “I could talk about many other players, but that’s what the competition is demanding of you at the moment. Deine, straight away he jumped up and out he went. So they’re competing really hard for each other. We just needed to be smarter.”

Beyond the injury toll, Brisbane is also waiting anxiously on the outcome of potential match review committee charges, after star centre Kotoni Staggs was sent to the sin bin late in the game for an elbow to the back of Roosters winger Hugo Savala’s head. The sin bin timing proved critical for Brisbane’s comeback: with Staggs off the field, the Roosters scored eight unanswered points in the final eight minutes to seal the win. Brisbane lock Patrick Carrigan took responsibility for the team’s late collapse, admitting a loose carry that turned over possession had shifted momentum back to the Roosters just before Staggs’ sin bin.

“To be honest, that was my fault,” Carrigan said. “I made an error down in the good ball set, just a loose carry and I turned over the ball and put us on the back foot and released pressure of the game. I know ‘Tones’ (Staggs) plays aggressively but I know he wouldn’t have meant to do any harm. To be honest, I didn’t even see it until after the game, so we play a hard fast game, he made a mistake and I’m sure he’ll own that. I love when he’s playing aggressive and I love running out with him.”

Italian sporting icon Alex Zanardi, whose remarkable career transitioned from Formula One racing to Paralympic gold-medal success after a life-altering accident, has passed away at the age of 59, his family confirmed in an official statement Saturday.

Widely regarded as one of Italy’s most beloved and influential athletes, Zanardi died on Friday evening. In the announcement shared via Obiettivo3, the non-profit organization he founded, his family shared that he died suddenly, yet peacefully, while surrounded by loved ones.

Zanardi’s extraordinary life was marked by repeated battles against adversity. His first catastrophic crash came in 2001 during a CART race at Germany’s Lausitzring circuit. After a spin left his car stalled on the track, another vehicle traveling at over 300 kilometers per hour collided with him, resulting in the amputation of both of his legs. Rather than ending his athletic career, the accident paved the way for a second chapter that would inspire millions around the globe.

Prior to that 2001 incident, Zanardi had already built an impressive motorsports resume. He competed in Formula One for teams including Jordan, Minardi and Lotus in the early 1990s before moving to the United States to race in the CART championship, where he claimed back-to-back series titles in 1997 and 1998. He returned to F1 with Williams in 1999 before going back to North America to continue his CART career.

Following his amputation, Zanardi rebuilt his life as a Paralympic athlete, earning four Paralympic gold medals: two in cycling at the 2012 London Games, and two more at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Beyond his competitive success, he was widely credited with shifting public perception of disability across Italy, breaking down stigma and showing what disabled athletes could achieve.

Six years before his death, in June 2020, Zanardi suffered a second devastating crash when his handbike collided with an oncoming truck during a road race in Tuscany. He sustained severe traumatic brain injuries in the accident and spent 18 months in care before returning to his home.

Tributes have poured in from across the global sporting and political community following news of his death. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised Zanardi as a great champion and an extraordinary human being, noting he turned every life challenge into a lesson in courage, strength and human dignity. Cordiano Dagnoni, president of the Italian Cycling Federation, added that Zanardi transformed the country’s cultural understanding of disability, bringing joy to those who met him and hope to countless people across Italy and the world. A minute of silence will be held at all Italian cycling races this weekend to honor his legacy.

Born in Bologna in October 1966, Zanardi is survived by his wife Daniela and his son Niccolo.

On a chaotic Saturday night in Sydney, the Sydney Roosters held off a late, breathtaking comeback attempt from the Brisbane Broncos to secure a 38-24 NRL victory, but the match will be remembered far more for its devastating injury toll, historic individual milestones, and high-stakes State of Origin audition between two of the game’s biggest stars. The fixture got off to a one-sided start, with the Roosters racing out to a dominant 30-0 lead early in the second half, leaving the Broncos on the brink of a blowout defeat. That narrative shifted completely when Broncos fullback Reece Walsh, playing his first match back after recovering from a facial fracture, pulled off a miraculous try-saving tackle that stopped Roosters winger Hugo Savala from scoring a guaranteed try. The momentum swung wildly in Brisbane’s favor after that play, with the Broncos crossing for four tries in just 15 minutes to slash the 30-point deficit to just six points, putting the club on the cusp of pulling off the greatest comeback in NRL history.

That dream comeback was derailed with 10 minutes left to play, however, when Brisbane centre Kotoni Staggs was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes after elbowing Savala in the back of the head while Savala was on the ground. The Roosters capitalized on the numerical advantage almost immediately, slotting a penalty goal to extend their lead, and held on for the final whistle to claim the win.

The result will prove costly for both franchises, however, as the bruising physical contest left a trail of key sidelined players that will impact upcoming round matches. Brisbane’s injury crisis deepened dramatically, with star captain and halfback Adam Reynolds forced off the field just three minutes into the second half after his head slammed into the turf while attempting to tackle Roosters forward Naufahu Whyte. The head knock rules Reynolds out of Brisbane’s next match against Manly, with rookie Tom Duffy lined up to replace him in the starting side. Reynolds’ injury adds to an already long list of sidelined Brisbane stars: key forward Payne Haas and playmaker Ben Hunt were already out of action before Saturday’s match, winger Josiah Karapani left the game with a foot injury, and replacement Deine Mariner was forced off in the first half with a corked muscle.

The Roosters also face significant absences for their next clash against the Titans. Prop Lindsay Collins was forced off early in the first half after a head clash, and failed the mandatory head injury assessment, ruling him out of next week’s fixture. Outside back Mark Nawaqanitawase is unlikely to feature after leaving the match with an ankle injury, while experienced forward Angus Crichton did not finish the contest, leaving the field with a knee injury wrapped in ice.

Beyond the scoreline and injury toll, the match doubled as a high-profile State of Origin audition for two of the game’s most high-profile fullbacks, incumbent Queensland Maroons star Reece Walsh and NSW Blues hopeful James Tedesco. Tedesco, a former NSW captain who has not featured for the Blues since the opening game of the 2024 series, put in a performance that strengthened his case for a recall to the side ahead of the upcoming series. The experienced fullback ran for 153 metres and set up Daly Cherry-Evans for the game’s opening try, proving a constant threat through the middle of the field and outplaying his Queensland counterpart on the night.

Walsh, meanwhile, had a quiet opening 40 minutes in his first game back from injury, but delivered the match’s most memorable highlight with that game-changing try-saving tackle, before crossing for a try himself and setting up another for Jordan Riki, finishing the game with six tackle busts to remind selectors of his dynamic threat with ball in hand. The match also saw standout performances from two other Roosters players: Sam Walker, a bolter for the Maroons Origin side, controlled the attack with a sharp short kicking game that punished the Broncos, while Whyte, called on to play extra minutes due to early Roosters injuries, ran 21 times for 190 metres in a dominant display up front.

One of the most emotional moments of the night came for outside back Cody Ramsey, who made his first NRL appearance since the 2022 season after Nawaqanitawase’s injury opened up a spot in the side. Ramsey, a former St George Illawarra Dragon, was told he would never play professional rugby league again after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that required multiple invasive surgeries. He lost 28 kilograms in just seven weeks during his recovery, but never abandoned his dream of returning to the top tier of the sport. After working his way back through reserve grade in 2025, he waited 1337 days for his NRL return, which finally came in one of the most chaotic matches of the 2026 season.

The night also delivered a historic milestone for Roosters veteran winger Daniel Tupou, who scored the 190th try of his 13-year NRL career to draw level with Melbourne Storm legend Billy Slater for third place on the all-time NRL try-scoring leaderboard. Tupou crossed for the milestone try 18 minutes into the match, finishing a slick backline movement in the left corner. Later this month, he is set to play his 300th NRL game, fittingly against Slater’s former club, the Melbourne Storm.