Sport

Bazball faces its ultimate test as England eye golden Ashes chance
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Tourists have a clearly defined identity and optimism, but still need to compete in a manner that earns Australia’s respectWhen Rob Key named Brendon McCullum as England’s head coach in 2022, his quote in the official press release told supporters to “buckle up and get ready for the ride”. Now, with this hot-ticket Ashes series a few days from setting off in sun‑drenched Perth, the mix of fear and excitement among them has arguably never been greater.The difference being that rollercoasters tend to stay on the rails, whereas England tours of Australia often career off them. No one is quite certain which way this one will play out, other than a broad agreement that Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood missing the first Test (at least) presents Ben Stokes and his tourists a golden opportunity. Continue reading...

Scotland approach one-game World Cup shootout with excitement and focus
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Beat Denmark and qualification for first time since 1998 is guaranteed. Is it in the stars?Wounding events in modern history mean Scotland can not be a football country that expects. It is, however, one on tenterhooks as the prospect of long‑awaited World Cup qualification looms so large.On paper, the task is simple: beat Denmark at Hampden Park on Tuesday and the Scots will take a place in next summer’s tournament. It is the significance of progress that matters far more than the fact the Danes are ranked 18 places higher in the world. Continue reading...

Tuchel will visit Alexander-Arnold to explain how he can earn England recall
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Head coach has as many as 60 players on his longlistRight-back faces fresh competition from Jarell QuansahThomas Tuchel intends to visit Trent Alexander-Arnold as part of plans to tell players left out of his latest England squad how they can earn a spot at the World Cup.The head coach has as many as 60 players on his longlist, few with a bigger profile than Alexander‑Arnold. However, the Real Madrid right‑back looks a long shot to win back his place before the finals tournament next summer. Alexander‑Arnold is in Tuchel’s thoughts but he has not been called up since June, played little part in England’s perfect qualifying campaign and saw a new competitor in his position emerge when Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah made his debut in the 2-0 win against Albania in Tirana on Sunday. Continue reading...

Female football official ‘pushed and harassed’ by referee coach, tribunal told
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Lisa Benn says she unfairly lost international statusSteve Child ‘manhandled’ Benn at VAR training eventA leading official has told a tribunal that a football referee coach “forcefully pushed her” and that his behaviour was influenced by her gender. Lisa Benn, 34, claims she was harassed and unfairly lost her position as an international referee after raising a complaint.The Women’s Super League official had complained that she was manhandled on a pitch in 2023 by Steve Child, a Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) coach and former Premier League assistant referee. Continue reading...

Wardley becomes WBO heavyweight champion after Usyk vacates belt
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Ukrainian gives up undisputed heavyweight title statusFabio Wardley becomes sixth Briton to hold WBO crownFabio Wardley has been upgraded to WBO heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk elected to relinquish the title – and his undisputed status – rather than defend it against the unbeaten Briton.Wardley wrested the interim title from Joseph Parker via a dramatic 11th-round stoppage last month and was mandated to face the Ukrainian before the end of September. Continue reading...

England face wait over fitness of Ollie Lawrence for Argentina Test
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Centre limped off during statement win over All BlacksFreddie Steward could also miss out with head injuryEngland are waiting on the fitness of Ollie Lawrence before their final autumn match with Argentina on Sunday. Lawrence played a major role in the win against the All Blacks on Saturday, but limped off in the closing stages and could be forced to sit out the game at Twickenham. The 26-year-old centre will be assessed when England reconvene on Tuesday after an extra day off.England may also be without Freddie Steward, who was withdrawn midway through the first half against New Zealand with a head injury, as they prepare for 11th successive win and a clean sweep of their autumn fixtures. Continue reading...

Money lured Anthony Joshua to circus fight but he could really hurt Jake Paul | Donald McRae
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

The so-called Judgment Day will generate millions of dollars and attract huge ratings, but leave boxing a little more brokenThe unsurprising confirmation of “a colossal global showdown” between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua arrived on Monday morning with a dull thud. That grand description of an eight-round scrap between a former YouTuber and a former world heavyweight champion was supplied by Paul’s company, Most Valuable Promotions, which also announced that the contest will be screened live on Netflix on 19 December and called Judgment Day.Boxing operates in a netherworld that appears to have sunk far beyond any fear of judgment, while Paul has always had delusions of grandeur as a novice pro. But even boxing may have to consider its own culpability should Paul be badly hurt and end up in hospital after this fully sanctioned bout with regulation 10oz gloves is held in Miami. Continue reading...

Ireland’s big moment is what World Cup qualifying is all about
Posted on Monday November 17, 2025

Troy Parrott’s last-gasp goal and DR Congo’s triumph proved once again why the best soccer is almost never about the soccerSign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson hereLast Thursday, Irish football was in a bleak place. They had two games remaining in World Cup qualifying and apparently no hope of making it to North America next summer. Another campaign had collapsed in predictable ways: they couldn’t score, they made bafflingly simple errors, too few of their players play for elite sides and those that do seemed unable to reproduce club form for their country.Their one possible star, Evan Ferguson, had not been energised by a move to Roma – quite the reverse – and although there was vague talk of a new contract for their manager, the amiable Icelandic dentist Heimir Hallgrímsson, everybody thought he would be off after the game in Hungary and was vaguely dreading another Football Association of Ireland recruitment saga, which would inevitably take months, throw up a series of implausible names and result in the job being given to Hallgrímsson’s assistant, John O’Shea. Continue reading...