Global Pulse

分类： sports

  • Kenya gives a hero’s welcome to marathon record breaker Sabastian Sawe

    Kenya gives a hero’s welcome to marathon record breaker Sabastian Sawe

    NAIROBI, Kenya — When the aircraft carrying Sabastian Sawe, the first marathon runner in history to crack the iconic two-hour mark, touched down at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, Kenya rolled out a celebratory welcome fit for a national hero, opening with a dramatic water cannon salute to greet the plane carrying its newly-minted sporting legend.

    Sawe, who etched his name into the record books at Sunday’s London Marathon with a winning time of 1 hour 59 minutes 30 seconds, was greeted on the tarmac by his proud parents and Kenyan Sports Minister Salim Mvurya. Mvurya lauded the athlete’s unprecedented achievement, framing the historic milestone as a triumph for the entire East African nation long renowned for producing world-class distance runners.

    This 30-second break below the once-unthinkable two-hour threshold smashed the previous men’s marathon world record by a staggering 65 seconds, a gap rarely seen in modern elite distance running. Before stepping off the plane, Sawe told the Associated Press he felt immense pride in pulling off what many in the sport had viewed as an impossible feat for generations. Far from resting on his laurels, the 2024 Valencia Marathon champion already has his sights set on more progress: he says he plans to push his limits even further to shave additional time off his own new record.

    Following his disembarkation, Sawe was adorned with a traditional handcrafted victory wreath woven from local twigs, a cultural honor marking his historic win. A troupe of traditional Kenyan dancers performed in his honor, singing songs celebrating his breakthrough before he entered a waiting luxury government vehicle for the procession into the city. Mvurya confirmed that the country will continue its celebrations with a formal national honoring event for Sawe on Thursday.

    In interviews with the AP, Sawe’s family opened up about seeing his natural running talent from his earliest childhood. His mother Emily Sawe recalled even noticing his unusual speed decades ago, when he would sprint around during childhood bath time. “He would run too fast. So, I would say to myself, this boy will shine for me one day,” she shared.

    His father, Simion Kiplagat Sawe, watched the historic London Marathon at his brother’s home, as his own television did not have a clear enough signal to broadcast the race live. He told reporters he was so overcome with emotion when his son pulled into the lead that he stepped outside before the finish line, and only watched the winning moment on a replay after the race. “I was so happy, extremely happy. We screamed so much that now it is hard to swallow anything,” he said.

    Sawe’s path to professional running began thanks to his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, an elite athlete who represented Uganda in the 800-meter event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Before making history in London, Sawe already notched a major win at the 2024 Valencia Marathon, where he finished with a time of 2:02:05, and entered Sunday’s London race as the defending champion. His father echoed Sawe’s own drive for continued improvement, noting that the athlete’s disciplined and determined mindset has been key to his success. “Even now, he still says that record was not enough; he wants to lower it further,” his father said.

  • African athletes need support and protection – Kebinatshipi

    African athletes need support and protection – Kebinatshipi

    Reigning men’s 400m world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, the first man from Botswana to claim global gold at the World Athletics Championships, is sounding the alarm over growing talent drain from African athletics, urging continental governing bodies to step up and support homegrown athletes to stop them from seeking citizenship transfers abroad.

    The conversation around athlete nationality switches has intensified this month after global governing body World Athletics blocked six African runners from moving their athletic allegiance to Turkey, following reports of what the organization described as “lucrative” unauthorized contract offers. Among the athletes affected are five Kenyan runners, including former women’s marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, and top Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili. Ofili’s case drew particular public scrutiny after the 23-year-old was incorrectly omitted from the 2024 Paris Olympic 100m entry list due to an administrative mistake by Nigeria’s athletics federation, a misstep that many observers link to the athlete’s subsequent interest in moving abroad.

    Kebinatshipi, 22, says he understands why so many African athletes opt to switch nationalities. In an interview with BBC Sport Africa, the champion noted that many elite athletes on the continent face crippling financial and logistical barriers when preparing for major international competitions. “Spending sometimes can be a bit challenging,” he explained. “I think they are doing that because they want to go where they can cut costs and be properly supported.” His solution? Kebinatshipi says African federations must invest in better support structures that match international standards, arguing that consistent, high-quality backing is the most effective way to retain top talent at home.

    Unlike some other African nations, Botswana has so far avoided widespread talent outflow, in large part due to a historic run of global success that has built confidence among the country’s next generation of runners. Last year, Kebinatshipi claimed individual 400m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, and alongside star sprinter Letsile Tebogo, Lee Bhekimpilo Eppie and Bayapo Ndori, also won 4x400m relay gold at the same event – making Botswana the first African nation ever to claim that world title. Tebogo followed that achievement with a stunning 200m gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, cementing the country’s status as a new global sprint powerhouse.

    This weekend, Botswana will make more history as the first African country ever to host a senior World Athletics track event, the World Relays, on home soil. For Kebinatshipi, Botswana’s rapid ascent in sprinting didn’t happen by accident: he credits much of the sport’s transformation in the country to the legacy of compatriot Isaac Makwala, a decorated Commonwealth and Olympic medallist who has mentored a generation of young Botswana runners. “My role model from a young age has been Isaac,” Kebinatshipi said. “He has also been close to me and guiding me. That’s why I had that motivation and belief that I can also do this and be like him. He has always been assisting me with training, nutrition. I really appreciate the role he played on my career up until now.”

    Raised in a small village in southwestern Botswana, Kebinatshipi first discovered his love for running during his school years. After graduating high school, he made the tough decision to pause his academic studies to focus fully on training – a gamble that paid off when he crossed the finish line in 43.53 seconds to claim world gold in Tokyo seven months ago. The historic win earned Botswana a national public holiday declared by President Duma Boko, and turned the young champion into a national icon. “I don’t really like to over-celebrate my achievements,” he said modestly. “My life has changed a lot when it comes to me going shopping. Everyone will come to me taking pictures. For me to get in the shop and spend 10 minutes I have to allow an extra 30 minutes for pictures.”

    Kebinatshipi concedes that his world title came earlier than he ever planned: he narrowly missed out on the 400m Olympic final in Paris just months before his Tokyo win, and had originally targeted breaking national records and claiming global gold by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “When it comes to the national record and winning gold on global stages, those were chats that were planned for the 2028 Olympics,” he explained. “We knew that it winning in Tokyo was just a bonus and we should go back to the drawing board and work for what we are aiming for, which is the 2028 Olympics.”

    He has already made a strong start to the 2026 season, clocking 44.55s in his opening 400m race and turning in an impressive performance over 100m at the Botswana national championships. Right now, all his focus is on delivering a strong result at the World Relays in front of a home crowd. “We want to make our people here proud. We are aiming to deliver our best,” he said. “We can’t get much into aiming for world records or producing fastest times early this season because we have a long season ahead. We want to come and produce, and that’s the only thing that we are aiming for now.”

    Beyond Botswana’s success, Kebinatshipi is celebrating a broader shift across African athletics: for decades, the continent has been synonymous with middle and long-distance dominance, but a new wave of sprinters from across the continent is changing global perceptions. Names like Tebogo, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith are leading the charge, and Kebinatshipi says this evolution is a huge win for African sport. “Africans have been known for long distance events, but now we challenge ourselves in everything,” he said. “That’s why we have a big pool of sprinters in Africa.”

  • Australia duo O’Connor and Perese to leave Tigers

    Australia duo O’Connor and Perese to leave Tigers

    English Premiership rugby union side Leicester Tigers has made a major roster announcement this week, confirming that experienced Australian international fly-half James O’Connor and fellow Wallabies back Izaia Perese will leave the club when the current 2025-26 season concludes.

    O’Connor, 35, returned to top-flight English rugby for his third stint in the league when he joined the Tigers last September, moving to the Welford Road-based side from New Zealand’s legendary Super Rugby franchise the Crusaders. Since his arrival, the veteran playmaker has featured in 10 matches across all competitions. His only try for the club to date came in the side’s dominant 66-14 Premiership Rugby Cup final victory over Exeter Chiefs last month, and he has added 18 points from the kicking tee across his six Premiership outings.

    Reflecting on his tenure with Leicester, O’Connor described his time at the club as an overwhelmingly positive experience. “This has been an awesome experience for me, and right now I’m keeping my focus firmly on the business end of this season, we still have important work to do before the campaign wraps up,” he said.

    Leicester interim head coach Geoff Parling paid tribute to O’Connor’s impact on the squad, highlighting the veteran’s intangible leadership qualities that have strengthened the team’s backline group. “James has been brilliant during his time with us, bringing a wealth of experience and a calming presence that has really benefited our younger backs,” Parling said. “He will continue to contribute massively as we push through the final stretch of the season, and his ideas and diligence in everything he does have been a real asset to our program.”

    For 28-year-old center Perese, the departure comes 18 months after he joined the club from Australia’s Super Rugby side the New South Wales Waratahs ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, having signed a multi-year contract upon his arrival. Perese has been a consistent scoring threat during his time at Leicester, crossing for 11 tries in 28 total appearances for the side. This season alone, he has notched five tries, three of which came in Premiership play.

    Like O’Connor, Perese stressed that he remains fully committed to helping the club achieve its remaining goals this season, before his exit. “I’ll miss this group of lads, and I’m really proud to have been able to call myself a Leicester Tigers player,” Perese said. “There’s still a job to be done though, and I’m fully committed to giving everything I have for what’s ahead. I’d also like to say a big thank you to all my coaches and the club’s support staff for everything they’ve done to help me develop during my time here.”

    Both players are set to feature for the Tigers in the remaining weeks of the current domestic season as the side competes for silverware and league position.

  • Zaragoza goalkeeper Andrada handed 12-match suspension for throwing punch in 2nd-tier game in Spain

    Zaragoza goalkeeper Andrada handed 12-match suspension for throwing punch in 2nd-tier game in Spain

    Two separate high-profile disciplinary incidents in Spanish men’s football have resulted in significant match bans for two professional players, drawing fresh attention to on-pitch conduct rules in the country’s second and top-tier competitions.

    The first incident unfolded in a recent Segunda División fixture between Zaragoza and Huesca, ending in drastic action against Zaragoza’s Argentine starting goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. With just minutes remaining on the clock, Huesca defender Jorge Pulido approached Andrada, prompting the goalkeeper to shove Pulido hard to the turf. Match officials issued Andrada a second yellow card for the aggressive shove, which resulted in an automatic red card and ejection from the game. Rather than leaving the pitch, Andrada pursued Pulido and landed a forceful punch to the defender’s face with his right hand, knocking Pulido to the ground immediately.

    The unprovoked attack sparked a full-scale brawl involving players and coaching staff from both clubs, bringing play to an extended halt. In the chaos of the melee, Huesca backup goalkeeper Dani Jiménez retaliated by punching Andrada, and he was also sent off. Following a disciplinary review, Spanish football authorities handed Andrada a 12-match suspension for the violent punch, plus an additional one-match ban linked to the red card he received prior to the attack. Jiménez received a four-match suspension for his role in the post-punch confrontation. Andrada has since issued a public apology for his outburst, and both clubs have the right to appeal the disciplinary rulings.

    In a separate incident in La Liga, first-division side Rayo Vallecano winger Isi Palazón received a seven-match suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct toward match officials. The suspension stems from an incident during a hotly contested 3-3 draw against Real Sociedad on Sunday. Palazón had already been substituted off the pitch and was on the Rayo bench when a controversial VAR decision altered the course of the game. Reviewing an earlier sequence of play, video officials overturned a correctly disallowed Rayo goal and instead awarded a penalty kick to Real Sociedad. The call enraged Palazón, who launched a harsh, aggressive tirade of complaints against the referee from the bench, resulting in an immediate red card and ejection.

    Disciplinary officials upheld the ejection and ruled Palazón’s conduct unacceptable, issuing the seven-match ban that will rule him out of most of Rayo’s coming fixtures. Both cases highlight the Spanish Football Federation’s ongoing crackdown on violent play and misconduct targeting match officials in domestic professional football.

  • Former NFL player Mauro dies aged 35

    Former NFL player Mauro dies aged 35

    The global American football community is in mourning this week after news broke that former National Football League defensive end Josh Mauro has passed away at the age of 35. His father, Greg Mauro, confirmed the news of his son’s death on social media last Thursday, though no details have been released regarding the cause of death at this time.

    Born in St Albans, United Kingdom, while his father was working in the country, Mauro moved back to the United States with his family when he was just three years old. He went on to build an eight-year NFL career that spanned from 2014 to 2021, during which he took the field for 80 regular season games. Over the course of his professional tenure, he recorded impressive defensive stats including 150 total tackles and five quarterback sacks.

    Mauro spent the majority of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, the franchise where he made his biggest long-term impact. The Cardinals released an official statement in response to his passing, expressing the organization’s deep grief over the loss. “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Josh Mauro,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all who knew him. We extend our deepest condolences to everyone grieving this loss.”

    Beyond his time with the Cardinals, Mauro also had stints playing for three other NFL franchises: the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Colleagues and former team executives have remembered him as a reliable, dedicated teammate who brought consistent preparation and professionalism to every practice and game.

    Adrian Wilson, a former Cardinals player and front office executive who worked with Mauro under head coach Bruce Arians, shared fond memories of the late defensive end. “I had the opportunity to be around Josh for several years [with coach Bruce Arians],” Wilson said. “[Josh was] always in shape, always ready to go wherever he got that call. One of the things I respected most about him, you could depend on him.” As tributes continue to flow from across the league, the football community honors Mauro’s legacy as a hardworking player and valued teammate.

  • Afghanistan women can return to competition

    Afghanistan women can return to competition

    In a landmark decision that has been widely hailed as a victory for athlete rights and gender equity, global football governing body Fifa has formally approved the return of Afghanistan’s women’s national football team to official international competition, opening a new chapter for hundreds of displaced Afghan female players who have been barred from the sport since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

    Afghanistan’s women’s team has not competed in an official international fixture since December 2018. Following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, the group implemented sweeping restrictions on women’s public life, including a total ban on women’s sports participation. This forced dozens of elite Afghan female footballers to flee the country and seek asylum across Europe, North America, Australia and the Middle East.

    Prior to the recent vote, Fifa’s internal governance rules barred the organization from officially recognizing a national team that was not endorsed by its local member association — in this case, the Afghanistan Football Federation, which operates under the Taliban-led government’s restrictions. But at a Fifa council meeting held in Vancouver on Tuesday, members approved a key amendment to these regulations. The change allows Fifa to register national or representative teams “under exceptional circumstances”, ensuring that no group of players is locked out of international football due to situations outside of their control.

    This regulatory shift means Afghan female players will now be able to formally represent their country in official Fifa-sanctioned matches with full international recognition. Former Afghanistan women’s national team captain Khalida Popal, who has led lobbying efforts for the team’s reinstatement, says the squad will stand as a global “symbol of resilience” for women trapped under restrictive rule inside Afghanistan.

    “Our team has always been known as an activist team,” Popal told reporters. “But this opportunity, with the right support from Fifa, will be the time for us to also show some skills and develop the youth talent in the diaspora. I know it’s going to be tough because Afghan women inside Afghanistan will struggle to be part of that. But if we can still be the voice for them to send out hope messages and show them our support that you are not forgotten, then we will continue to use our platform.”

    Fifa’s formal approval builds on the successful 2025 launch of Afghan Women United, a refugee-backed squad that the organization approved for a one-year pilot program back in May 2025, after years of advocacy from displaced Afghan players. The team already competed in three friendly matches as part of the Fifa United Women’s Series in Morocco between October and November 2025, notching their first ever win against Libya in November.

    While the team will not be eligible to compete for a spot in the 2027 Women’s World Cup, they are cleared to enter qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games, and are scheduled to return to formal competitive action as early as June 2026. Right now, more than 80 Afghan female footballers are based across host countries, including 25 players who held national team contracts before the 2021 Taliban takeover. Fifa is currently hosting regional selection camps in England and Australia, to be followed by a centralized training camp in New Zealand in June ahead of the team’s first official fixture.

    Fifa president Gianni Infantino praised the decision in remarks following the council vote, saying: “We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United and, with this initiative, we aim to enable them, as well as other Fifa member associations that may not be able to register a national or representative team for a Fifa competition, to make the next step.”

  • Sri Lanka government ‘temporarily’ takes over cricket board

    Sri Lanka government ‘temporarily’ takes over cricket board

    In a significant shakeup to one of South Asia’s most high-profile sporting institutions, the government of Sri Lanka announced Wednesday it has assumed full temporary administrative control of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the country’s richest sports governing body. The intervention is framed as a targeted step to clear the way for sweeping structural changes to address long-running dysfunction within the organization.

    The SLC has faced sustained public and political scrutiny in recent years over widespread allegations of systemic corruption and mismanagement, issues that have coincided with disappointing on-field results for the national team. Most recently, Sri Lanka suffered an early elimination from the 2024 T20 World Cup, a tournament the island nation co-hosted alongside India earlier this year.

    The move comes on the heels of the full resignation of SLC’s entire executive committee Tuesday, including four-time SLC president Shammi Silva, who stepped down ahead of the government’s formal takeover. According to an anonymous government source, former investment banker and opposition politician Eran Wickramaratne is widely expected to be appointed as the interim head of the reorganized governing board.

    In an official statement, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports confirmed the order: “All administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, effective today.” The ministry added that an independent special committee will be formed in the near future to diagnose ongoing problems in the domestic and national cricket ecosystem and roll out the planned structural reforms.

    This is not the first time political intervention in Sri Lanka’s cricket governance has drawn international pushback. Between 2023 and 2024, the International Cricket Council (ICC), cricket’s global governing body, suspended Sri Lanka from international competition for two months specifically over accusations of improper government interference in SLC operations. Agence France-Presse has reached out to the ICC for official comment on the latest government takeover, with no immediate response as of publication.

  • Can Griezmann end his Atletico love story in style?

    Can Griezmann end his Atletico love story in style?

    As Atletico Madrid gears up for a high-stakes first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, all eyes in European football are fixed on Antoine Griezmann – the club legend who will bring his decades-long Atletico Madrid career to a close at the end of the 2024-2025 season to join MLS side Orlando City.

    The depth of the bond between Griezmann, the club, and long-time manager Diego Simeone was laid bare in an unscripted, rare moment before Atletico’s quarter-final clash against Barcelona. With the packed media room waiting for questions to begin, Simeone opened the press conference with an emotional, unscheduled tribute to the departing forward that left Griezmann visibly surprised.

    “I want to thank you for your hard work and your humility,” the Argentine manager said. “You are an admirable person in a society where young people need role models like you. Thank you for everything you have given us, everything you continue to give, and everything you still will.”

    While Orlando City had pushed for Griezmann to make the move to the United States earlier in the year, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner with France insisted on staying in Madrid through the end of the campaign. The choice has allowed him to say a proper goodbye to the fanbase that has supported him through two spells at the club, where he has racked up 494 senior appearances and 212 goals to become Atletico’s all-time top goalscorer.

    Griezmann’s entire senior club career has been spent in Spain’s La Liga. He launched his professional journey at Real Sociedad in 2009, before a near-transfer that changed the entire trajectory of his career: in 2013, while still at Real Sociedad, he came agonizingly close to joining Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, as he revealed in his autobiography. After waiting through the entire transfer window for the move to materialize, Arsenal pulled out of the deal hours before the window closed. When the London side expressed interest again years later, Griezmann turned them down outright, still stinging from the earlier snub. A year later, he signed with Atletico Madrid for a reported €30 million fee, a move that would define his legendary career.

    After joining Atletico in 2014, Griezmann made a high-profile switch to Barcelona in 2019, only to return to Atletico on loan in 2021, before making the transfer permanent 12 months later. Despite the messy, unpopular nature of his first departure, his return won fans over entirely: he apologized for the exit, reconnected with the supporter base, and rebuilt his legacy as the heart of the club.

    As BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague notes, Griezmann’s significance to Atletico extends far beyond his goal tally. He is widely regarded as the embodiment of everything the club stands for: perfectly matching Simeone’s ideal of a player who combines world-class talent with relentless work rate, total team commitment, and a willingness to prioritize collective success over individual glory. For an entire generation of Atletico fans, Griezmann *is* the club, and his leadership has lifted every player around him throughout his tenure.

    Unlike many modern legends whose legacies are defined by a long list of major trophies, Griezmann’s legacy is built on character and consistency rather than silverware. During his time at the club, he lifted the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish Super Cup, but his lasting impact comes from his alignment with Atletico’s underdog identity. Even when he left for Barcelona, he has since said he felt like he had left home, a testament to how deep his connection to the club runs.

    After Atletico secured their semi-final spot by beating Barcelona in the quarter-final, Griezmann gave fans one more unforgettable moment: as the rest of the squad headed down the tunnel after the final whistle, he ran back out onto the pitch at the Metropolitano Stadium to the roar of the crowd, applauding the stands before dancing and celebrating with his teammates, soaking in the moment with the fans who supported him through every chapter of his tenure.

    Now, with one of the biggest matches of his final season looming against Arsenal – the club that almost signed him 12 years ago – Griezmann is eyeing a fairytale ending. Neither Atletico nor Arsenal have ever won the Champions League; Atletico fell at the final hurdle in 1974, 2014, and 2016, and Griezmann has said that lifting the trophy this year would “heal a very deep wound” for the club.

    With his Atletico career winding down, the question remains: will the semi-final against Arsenal be the final chapter of Griezmann’s Champions League story, or will he carry Atletico through to the final in Budapest for one last shot at the biggest prize in European football?

  • AFL 2026: Essendon coach Brad Scott goes into bat for under-siege defender Ben McKay

    AFL 2026: Essendon coach Brad Scott goes into bat for under-siege defender Ben McKay

    As AFL’s Essendon Bombers navigate a fresh mid-season injury setback, head coach Brad Scott has launched a passionate defense of his under-pressure key defender Ben McKay, hitting out at what he calls unfair and lazy public criticism of the player’s recent form.

    McKay came under widespread fire after his underwhelming performance in the high-profile Anzac Day clash against Collingwood. The most heavily criticized moment came when McKay celebrated a spoil that stayed in play, ultimately setting up the Magpies for a match-changing goal. In a media address Wednesday, Scott pushed back against the targeted criticism of McKay, arguing that the 26-year-old defender and the Essendon club as a whole have become easy, convenient punching bags for external commentators.

    “I get it’s an easy target. The ability to individualize [externally] is easy, bordering on lazy,” Scott told reporters. “But it’s not him in isolation. We had situations in that game where every player would like moments back.” Scott acknowledged earlier that McKay has not hit his personal best form this season, but added that lapses in confidence are a universal experience for every player competing at the top level of the sport.

    “Every player in the competition has, quote-end-quote, confidence issues in their career,” Scott said. “That’s part of being in a cut-throat environment where you’re playing against the very best every week. When you’re a key defender, you play on very good players every week, so you’re right on the edge. Is he just feeling great about himself? Probably not. But does that matter, should that impact your performance? No, it shouldn’t. That’s what we work really hard on: trying to bounce back from difficult situations.” Scott added that McKay’s issue was simply a failure to execute basic fundamentals, not a systemic collapse in form.

    Off the back of the debate over McKay, the Bombers received a disappointing injury blow Monday: promising young small forward Isaac Kako has been ruled out of action for at least the next month with a back stress fracture, an injury the club has classified as medium-term. Scott said the club is unable to give a more exact return timeline at this stage, to avoid releasing inaccurate information to fans.

    “Medium term is the best we can do at the moment because we don’t want to put something out that’s false,” Scott explained. “The bottom line is that he won’t be playing in the next month or so, at least.” The Essendon coach also highlighted a worrying growing trend of stress fractures in young draftees across the entire AFL league, noting that the injury, traditionally associated with tall, high-impact athletes like 200cm fast bowlers, is now appearing more frequently in smaller players like Kako. Scott added that another Essendon draftee, Sullivan Robey, suffered the same injury before even joining the club’s training program.

    “These back stress fractures are unfortunately – not just at our club but across the board – becoming a little bit too common for young players coming into the system,” Scott said. “They’re almost like you expect them in 200cm fast bowlers but not in 180cm small forwards… I think probably the loads on young players prior to the draft is something we would be keen to have a look at.”

  • ‘Security blanket’: Daniel Tupou won’t sign with another NRL club if he can’t secure a new deal with the Roosters

    ‘Security blanket’: Daniel Tupou won’t sign with another NRL club if he can’t secure a new deal with the Roosters

    For 14 seasons, Daniel Tupou has been a staple on the left wing of the Sydney Roosters, and as the veteran winger approaches two of the biggest milestones of his legendary National Rugby League (NRL) career, he has made his long-term future clear: he will not play for any other NRL club.

    At 34 years old, with his 35th birthday set for June, Tupou is showing no signs of slowing down, putting together the kind of consistent form that would allow him to extend his tenure with the Roosters through to the 2027 season if a new contract is finalized. When asked about the possibility of a move to a rival NRL side, the towering winger, who has represented New South Wales, Tonga, and Australia at the international level, ruled it out entirely.

    “I’m too mature to go to another team and start all over again. It’ll be hard on the body. We’ll see what happens and we’ll go from there,” Tupou told reporters, adding that contract talks with his agent and the club are ongoing, with a resolution expected in the near future. A switch to rugby union remains a vague alternative option, but Tupou’s priority remains locking in another deal to stay where he has built his entire first-grade career.

    Tupou’s NRL journey began back in 2012, when he announced himself with a stunning hat-trick in just his second senior appearance. When current head coach Trent Robinson took the helm the following year, Tupou faced a make-or-break battle for a starting wing spot opposite rising star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, fighting off competition from fellow winger Michael Oldfield to hold his place. Looking back on that high-stakes pre-season contest, Tupou says his focused work ethic ultimately won out.

    “I think the pre-season I had was just me putting my head down and focusing on myself to put my best foot forward. I think I showcased that in the pre-season and I was lucky enough to get that starting spot and hold onto that,” he recalled. That opportunity led to a breakout 2013 campaign, where Tupou scored 14 tries, including a gravity-defying match-winning try in the grand final that has become the defining play of his career.

    Robinson has since described Tupou as a “security blanket” on the left wing, a reliable playmaker and lethal finisher who has been one of the most consistent outside backs in the entire competition over his 14-year tenure. Tupou says he remains grateful for the chance he earned back in 2013, which set the trajectory for his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

    “I’m definitely feeling it, but I guess I’ve got a mad poker face on. Fourteen years is a long time, so I’m blessed that I’m still playing and using this gift to play on the big stage with the boys. It’s truly an honour,” he said.

    In the coming weeks, Tupou will hit two historic career milestones, achievements that cement his place among NRL greats. He currently sits on 189 career first-grade tries, just one behind Melbourne Storm legend Billy Slater for third place on the competition’s all-time try-scoring list. After bagging a double in the Roosters’ dominant Anzac Day win over the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Tupou is on the cusp of overtaking Slater, and is on track to become only the third player in NRL history to hit the 200-try mark. He joked that he would have already matched Slater’s tally if not for a dropped ball with a clear try line open earlier this season, a missed opportunity both he and Robinson have lamented.

    Tupou is also closing in on the 300-game milestone, a mark he is expected to hit when the Roosters face the Storm in Round 13. Roosters fans, who have watched Tupou dominate for nearly a decade and a half, have celebrated the veteran’s loyalty and historic run, as he continues to add to his legacy with one of the league’s most iconic clubs.