Category Sports News

New Ulster signing Juarno Augustus is set to make his debut off the bench in Friday’s United Rugby Championship opener against the Dragons in Belfast (20:05 BST).

South African number eight Augustus joined the club after helping Northampton Saints reach last season’s Investec Champions Cup final.

With Augustus on the bench, David McCann starts in the back row alongside Cormac Izuchukwu and Nick Timoney.

In a strong starting line-up boasting nine Ireland internationals, James Hume wins his 100th cap in midfield alongside Stuart McCloskey.

Jacob Stockdale, who injured his shoulder during Ireland’s Test win over Georgia in July, starts on the left wing with Zac Ward on the right.

Mike Lowry starts at full-back while Jack Murphy and Nathan Doak are paired in the half-backs.

Callum Reid, Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole start in an experienced front row boasting 407 appearances, with captain Iain Henderson joined in the second row by Harry Sheridan.

In addition to Augustus, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton and Sam Crean – who joined Ulster in the summer after a loan spell last season – provide forwards cover on the bench.

Conor McKee, Jake Flannery and Ben Carson are the backline replacements.

Ulster: Lowry; Ward, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Murphy, Doak; Reid, Herring, O’Toole, Henderson (capt), Sheridan, Izuchukwu, Timoney, McCann.

Cardiff City will not be afraid of Wrexham in their all-Welsh EFL Cup clash, according to Bluebirds forward Callum Robinson.

In the fourth round, Championship Wrexham and League One Bluebirds met for the first time in 21 years when they were drawn together.

Wrexham are a division higher than Cardiff, but that was before Robinson and his team-mates were expelled from the Championship and the Hollywood-owned north Wales club were promoted from League One.

However, the Republic of Ireland international is optimistic about his team’s chances after scoring one of Cardiff’s goals on Tuesday in their third-round victory over Burnley.

Robinson continued, “We’ll face a good challenge.” They have a sizable squad, are in the championship, and have recruited a lot of players. Fair play to them, they’ve risen to the top, and it’s obvious that you’ve earned it if you win the Championship.

Cardiff’s place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup was relegated to them on Tuesday after Burnley won the game 2-1 over Liverpool, their first defeat since 2012 when they lost in penalties to Liverpool.

The Bluebirds have also had a strong League One season debut, with victories over Swindon Town and Cheltenham Town following their impressive performances at Turf Moor.

They travel to Wigan Athletic on Saturday, going fourth in the table after only one game so far.

According to head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, the cup match against Wrexham will draw a lot of attention, not least because of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership of the team’s infamous transition from the National League to Championship.

Barry-Murphy is more concerned about his team’s League One accomplishments now that Cardiff have six games to play at the Stok Cae Ras.

Even though it seems a lifetime away for us right now with bigger priorities looming on Saturday, “I imagine that’s great news for everyone involved,” he said.

I have a lot of friends who are members of the Wrexham squad, ” I know a lot of them.” Last year, I collaborated with Andy Cannon and Ollie Rathbone at Rochdale and Conor Coady at Leicester.

Cardiff City will not be afraid of Wrexham in their all-Welsh EFL Cup clash, according to Bluebirds forward Callum Robinson.

In the fourth round, Championship Wrexham and League One Bluebirds met for the first time in 21 years when they were drawn together.

Wrexham are a division higher than Cardiff, but that was before Robinson and his team-mates were expelled from the Championship and the Hollywood-owned north Wales club were promoted from League One.

However, the Republic of Ireland international is optimistic about his team’s chances after scoring one of Cardiff’s goals on Tuesday in their third-round victory over Burnley.

Robinson continued, “We’ll face a good challenge.” They have a sizable squad, are in the championship, and have recruited a lot of players. Fair play to them, they’ve risen to the top, and it’s obvious that you’ve earned it if you win the Championship.

Cardiff’s place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup was relegated to them on Tuesday after Burnley won the game 2-1 over Liverpool, their first defeat since 2012 when they lost in penalties to Liverpool.

The Bluebirds have also had a strong League One season debut, with victories over Swindon Town and Cheltenham Town following their impressive performances at Turf Moor.

They travel to Wigan Athletic on Saturday, going fourth in the table after only one game so far.

According to head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, the cup match against Wrexham will draw a lot of attention, not least because of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership of the team’s infamous transition from the National League to Championship.

Barry-Murphy is more concerned about his team’s League One accomplishments now that Cardiff have six games to play at the Stok Cae Ras.

Even though it seems a lifetime away for us right now with bigger priorities looming on Saturday, “I imagine that’s great news for everyone involved,” he said.

I have a lot of friends who are members of the Wrexham squad, ” I know a lot of them.” Last year, I collaborated with Andy Cannon and Ollie Rathbone at Rochdale and Conor Coady at Leicester.

Joelinton describes seeing Newcastle United team-mate Lewis Miley “get stick” after a historic moment as troubling, but the Brazilian believes real supporters are firmly in the teenager’s side.

Miley made the decision to limit replies to an X post during his 50th first-team appearance for Newcastle over the weekend. Given that he is still young, it is understood that this was a precaution.

The 19-year-old produced a strong performance in his first Premier League start since February, drawing one goal against Bournemouth. However, a small minority of social media users still criticised him for his performance.

Fans have since sent messages of support for Miley’s actions on the social media platform, and captain Bruno Guimaraes praised his fellow midfielder as a “top player and guy.”

Joelinton praised Miley as a “great future in front of him” during Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Bradford City on Wednesday night.

Following the third-round tie in the Carabao Cup, Joelinton said, “It’s always difficult when you see your team-mate get stick.” “It’s been a difficult time for me here as well. I am aware of the situation.

“I am aware that the team and a young player have strong supporters.” On Sunday, he performed really well. Everyone needs to look in the mirror and improve, and the team needs to improve.

Miley praised Newcastle’s “amazing” “travelling support” on Sunday, saying he was proud to have reached the milestone for his boyhood club.

At the age of 17 years and 226 days, the midfielder set a number of records while leading a breakout campaign at Newcastle a few years ago. He also became the youngest player to contribute an assist to an English side.

Miley continued to have back- and foot injuries and has had to compete fiercely for a starting spot in front of fellow midfielders Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali.

Miley, it must be said, did not start for Eddie Howe’s starting lineup for Bradford, but he did, in a way that speaks for himself.

The head coach of Newcastle said, “I thought Lewie was excellent. In part, I believe he helped us a lot during the initial phase. Joe and Bruno served as a springboard, really, to control that midfield area as he played some lovely little deft touches and short passes into it.

Joelinton describes seeing Newcastle United team-mate Lewis Miley “get stick” after a historic moment as troubling, but the Brazilian believes real supporters are firmly in the teenager’s side.

Miley made the decision to limit replies to an X post during his 50th first-team appearance for Newcastle over the weekend. Given that he is still young, it is understood that this was a precaution.

The 19-year-old produced a strong performance in his first Premier League start since February, drawing one goal against Bournemouth. However, a small minority of social media users still criticised him for his performance.

Fans have since sent messages of support for Miley’s actions on the social media platform, and captain Bruno Guimaraes praised his fellow midfielder as a “top player and guy.”

Joelinton praised Miley as a “great future in front of him” during Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Bradford City on Wednesday night.

Following the third-round tie in the Carabao Cup, Joelinton said, “It’s always difficult when you see your team-mate get stick.” “It’s been a difficult time for me here as well. I am aware of the situation.

“I am aware that the team and a young player have strong supporters.” On Sunday, he performed really well. Everyone needs to look in the mirror and improve, and the team needs to improve.

Miley praised Newcastle’s “amazing” “travelling support” on Sunday, saying he was proud to have reached the milestone for his boyhood club.

At the age of 17 years and 226 days, the midfielder set a number of records while leading a breakout campaign at Newcastle a few years ago. He also became the youngest player to contribute an assist to an English side.

Miley continued to have back- and foot injuries and has had to compete fiercely for a starting spot in front of fellow midfielders Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Sandro Tonali.

Miley, it must be said, did not start for Eddie Howe’s starting lineup for Bradford, but he did, in a way that speaks for himself.

The head coach of Newcastle said, “I thought Lewie was excellent. In part, I believe he helped us a lot during the initial phase. Joe and Bruno served as a springboard, really, to control that midfield area as he played some lovely little deft touches and short passes into it.

On the first day of the Shanghai World Rowing Championships finals, Great Britain won silver medals in the quadruple sculls for women and men.

Becky Wilde, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson, and Sarah McKay, a women’s quartet, were unable to completely dominate the Netherlands at the sprint finish.

Similar circumstances prevailed in the men’s final, when the GB quartet of Cedol Dafydd, Callum Dixon, Matthew Haywood, and Rory Harris left themselves too much work in the dying stages to catch Italy.

Silver is a good result, even though we’re obviously a little disappointed with it. We only had eight weeks together as a crew, and it’s no small feat,” Scott said after the race to BBC Sport NI.

“Over the winter training, we’ll definitely look at tactics and ratings,” which is very exciting for me.

Great Britain and the Netherlands fought until the final blow to win the gold medal at the Paris 2012 Olympics in the final battle of their own.

Although the world final took place in the same format but with a different lineup this year, the results were reversed.

After a season of illness and injury, Scott and Anderson made their first regatta appearance alongside Wilde and McKay.

The Netherlands roared off the blocks and held a length-leading position by the halfway point, as it did in Paris.

The GB boat, which had almost five minutes less of a speed, gradually regrouped them as the Dutch continued to hold onto their lead.

However, despite them closing the gap at the finish, there was no final sprint this time from GB.

The GB men’s quad, in contrast, won the World Cup in Lucerne and were the favorites to win the world title, but the final was very similar to the women’s race.

The Italian team led by Luca Chiumento, Luca Rambaldi, Andrea Panizza, and Giacomo Gentili won the race by 500 meters, ahead of Great Britain, in a flying start.

The men started to retreat in the second 1000m, using the same tactics as the GB women, but Italy had already done enough to cross the line well ahead of the pack.

First medals in this boat class won by Great Britain since 2022.

“We came in with the intention of winning, and we knew we could,” Dafydd said.

“Everything went well, and we raced at our best, but unfortunately, our best effort today just wasn’t nearly enough,” he said.

The women’s pair’s new combination was the other finalists in Great Britain.

Lizzie Witt and Jade Lindo finished sixth overall, with Romania taking gold, after rowing in an outside lane.

With the finals set for Saturday, Great Britain celebrated heat victories in both the men’s and women’s eights.

Annabel Caddick and Samuel Murray advanced to Friday’s semi-finals with wins in the PR3 mixed doubles sculls.

The men’s double sculls semi-finals were finally held after Wednesday’s postponement.

The Irish boat of Philip Doyle and double Olympic champion Fintan McCarthy, who has since transitioned from lightweight rowing to the heavyweight class for this Olympic cycle, were led from the beginning by Olympic champions Romania, Andrei Cornea, and Marian Enache.