Archive July 4, 2025

Following the passing of Reds forward Diogo Jota, Liverpool have delayed some players’ return to pre-season training on Friday.

As part of a phased return, those who were scheduled to return from their summer break on Friday for a preliminary round of physical exams at the club’s training ground will now do so on Monday.

On Sunday, July 13, Liverpool’s squad plays Preston North End for their first pre-season game.

Jota, 28, and his 25-year-old brother Andre Silva tragically perished in a car accident.

Both men passed away on Thursday at around 00:30 local time, according to The Guardia Civil.

Jota was taking a car and ferry from Liverpool to Liverpool as doctors had advised him against flying because he had undergone minor surgery.

France’s inclusion of Wendie Renard in their Euro 2025 squad shocked Lucy Bronze, who believes they could be “weakened” without her.

In their first of three group games, the Lionesses take on France in Zurich on Saturday (20:00 BST) for the first of three matches.

Between 2017 and 2020, Chelsea defender Bronze, along with Renard, the team’s captain, won three consecutive women’s Champions League titles.

However, France manager Laurent Bonadei explained why he chose to use “a different selection” and that it was “not made in the spur of the moment” when describing his reasons for rejecting 34-year-old Renard, who has made 168 international appearances and had been captain.

“Wendie and I have a good relationship. She represents the epitome of what I would characterize as a captain figure, according to Bronze.

There was nothing you could fault about Lyon when I was there. She will be devastated if she doesn’t participate in the Euros, I assure you.

The manager made a different decision. Sometimes that’s how football plays. It shocks me greatly.

In England’s opening tournament match, former Lyon team-mate Selma Bacha and Chelsea’s Sandy Baltimore will face off.

The two countries have a close relationship, having first met in Euro 2025 qualifying and winning with a 2-1 victory away from home.

England are looking to win back-to-back games against France for the first time since 1974 despite having won three of their previous six games.

France’s group stage success was capped by Germany in 2009, but they have a strong record. They have won each of their previous five Euros competitions.

Sarina Wiegman, the manager of Lionesses, has won all 12 of her Euros and helped the Netherlands and England to glory in 2017 and 2022.

Both of these countries want to compete in Switzerland, and the group stage fight is regarded as the biggest heavyweight fight ever.

Because we compete so frequently, the teams have a lot of respect,” said Bronze.

France and I don’t necessarily dislike England; rather, they respect us a lot and believe we have a very talented team.

We can immediately pit ourselves against the talented teams. Through the entire tournament, there are no surprises. We are aware of the requirements for you.

Pierre Schoeman, a naturalized raconteur in adulthood who speaks of his 13-year-old self’s adventurous spirit, tells a tale from his youth in South Africa.

He went cage diving to get a better view of great white sharks because he was young and had an interest in them.

He said, “I saw this shark going past me as I climbed down the ladder of the boat, and I had to be strong to stop wet myself.”

“It was obvious that I had made a bad step on the ladder.” If that had happened, I would have had my love handles significantly reduced.

He has been talking extensively about Vikings, gladiators, and the loosehead community while traveling around Australia. You’re just not sure what will happen next when the big man starts against the Waratahs on Saturday.

He once discussed WP Nel, a former team-mate of Edinburgh and Scotland, as his great friend and mentor. The Nels recently added a powerful clan to their already formidable clan.

Tell your wife to never pass the home of WP, Schoeman grinned. She might become pregnant if the wind changes direction.

He claims that when that joke became famous, Nel sought revenge. In the following Edinburgh scrummaging session, the master caused the apprentice to suffer.

Schoeman is just as passionate about rucks and scrums as he is about love and God. On every level, he is an open book.

His teacher asked the class to discuss the one goal they had for life when he was in school. Some claimed fame and money. “I hope to meet my future wife,” said Schueman.

He didn’t care that his pals made fun of him. He had already met her, in fact. She is known by her name, Charissa, and lives there from beginning to end.

It was just the two of them when he made the transition from South Africa to Scotland.

He said, “We left and we packed up two suitcases.” He initially stayed in Edinburgh for five years before changing his mind to three. Even if it had been ten, he would have arrived.

Since we were eight years old, my wife and I have been dating. I knew that would one day be my dream wife because we shared seats in the same primary school next to each other. When we were 17 years old, we revived.

She had to leave her mother, her entire family behind when we traveled to Edinburgh. Everyone, grandma. Although it requires a great sacrifice, there is also a reward, which is the present reward.

You know, it’s almost like Vikings burn a ship, I’m sure of it. A Viking ship carrying her and her packed, headed for Scotland’s shores, where they were led by the British and Irish Lions, and where they had envisioned the dream that had come true.

This guy has layers. One of the three Lions looseheads, along with Ellis Genge and Andrew Porter, is Schoeman, who has opinions on what makes a loosehead prop.

He continued, “I think looseheads are quite weird people around the world,” once more with a straight face. “Something isn’t right,” the saying goes. His screw must be loose, but playing rugby as a loosehead prop always comes to mind.

Is there a difference between a loosehead and a tighthead in terms of beasts?

He responded, “We’re similar but different.” All the gladiators come together, making it almost feel like a movie.

And what part does John Fogarty, the Lions’ scrum coach, play in all of this?

“He has the key to the gladiator’s cage,” he said. Physically, mentally, spiritually, or wherever else do loseheads enjoy going to in the dark. However, some tightheads can turn even darker.

We are essentially a prop group that no one else on the team is allowed to join.

No hookers at all.

No, hookers are not included. It’s just props, really. It’s a prop group rather than a front row group.

What might the names of a group of Lions props be on a postcard? a motorcycle scout? The Scoo Fighters, huh?

Schoeman made a sharp riff on Lions history, Ian “Mighty Mouse” McLauchlan’s legacy, and Tom Smith’s fallen Scottish Lions, who had a significant impact on the Test jersey he is currently pursuing.

He said, “That’s what the jersey demands of us.” That is the legacy of it. Tom and Tom both had seats at Murrayfield, and I both had them in the same seat. I’ve had a lot of praise and blessing.

He’s talking about his affinity with the 2025 props again in the here and now.

He said, “We are like bison migrating together.” Every night, Finlay Bealham started the secret meeting, and now everyone has bought in. After each training session, we form a group and have tea together. We also meet and ask probing questions of each other’s families.

Aren’t the good Australians scared of a herd of human bovine roaming the streets?

“Props also have a soft side,” he said. There are a lot of soft topics being discussed.

Has Porter discussed the tragic passing of his mother to cancer at a young age? Has Genge mentioned how rugby may have saved him from prison and how he experienced growing up in Bristol’s tough environment? You have a suspicion.

“I am well-versed in Gengey.” I have asked him to call my family as well because I am aware of all of his business contacts, family, and everything,” he said.

Rivals who are now friends even when competing for Test match spots. The essence of what makes these tours so fantastic and unforgettable is in it. Schoeman’s bearded face and every utterance reflect the joy of the experience.