Category Sports News

After wrapping up his second spell as Wales head coach, Warren Gatland has begun a consulting role in the Uruguayan rugby team.

The Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off finals will feature the 61-year-old New Zealander joining Uruguay’s professional club Penarol.

After a record-breaking run of 14 Test match defeats, Gatland quit his position as Wales’ head coach in February, two games before the 2025 Six Nations.

Penarol, one of the semi-finalists for the SRA, made the announcement via social media that he would be “Welcome Warren Gatland.”

The legendary New Zealand coach will work with Penarol as an advisor to head coach Ivo Dugonjic and the Penarol staff to put all of his knowledge to use, according to the Montevideo-based club.

Along with a world-class international career that began in 1998 under the leadership of Ireland, Gatland is one of rugby’s most successful coaches. She has also had stints at Connacht, Wasps, Waikato, and Super Rugby side Chiefs.

Four years later, he helped the British and Irish Lions win the series against Australia in 2013 and draw against the All Blacks in 2014.

He led the team to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals during his first tenure as head coach of Wales, which he did from 2007 to 2019.

After a record-equal 14 matches without defeat, Wales even climbed to the top of the world rankings for the first time in August 2019. Gatland won 70 games in his first year in charge, with 53 defeats and two draws, giving it a 56% success rate.

However, he presided over the statistically worst Wales team in their 144-year international rugby history, with 14 successive Test losses, after returning following Wayne Pivac’s dismissal in 2022. In 26 matches, Gatland’s success rate was less than 25%, with only six victories and 20 defeats in its second.

The team still needs to stop a losing streak that began with their October 2023 victory over Georgia. Wales’ record run of Test defeats has been extended to 17 under caretaker Matt Sherratt.

With Scotland’s defense coach and former Ospreys boss Steve Tandy as a top target, the search for a full-time replacement for Gatland is currently under the direction of recently appointed Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby, Dave Reddin.

Penarol are the top SRA club and became Uruguay’s first professional rugby team when it was founded in 2019. A victory over Argentina’s Pampas in their final regular-season game will earn them a home semi-final spot.

“I’m in with the bricks and mortar, and I’m happy to shake everyone’s hand and move on.”

Not a man who beats around the bush, David Martindale.

On May 19, 2013, the most open-minded player in Scottish football appeared before the cameras. With new owners acquiring the club and his team being relegated, the Livingston manager had to wonder what the club’s future would hold.

Through hard work and hardship, Livingston’s return to the top was in Martindale’s own image.

With a 4-2 nighttime and a 5-3 aggregate, Ross County’s Premiership play-off victory over them may have appeared convincing, but they had to deal with a late equalizer on Thursday before falling 2-0 behind in the Highlands.

Nothing was straightforward even at this point. Livingston and eventual championship rival Falkirk had been fighting for a while, but they eventually lost when the season came to a home straight to finish three points behind.

After meeting with a Ross County side without a win in 10, Partick Thistle were despatched 4-0 over both play-off semi-final ties.

“I’m really proud of the staff and the players,” he said. Martindale, surrounded by supporters, said, “I get the credit, but this isn’t about me.”

The Premiership’s Martindale’s teams were renowned for having terrible opponents. Physical . aggressive . in your face

Watching silky soccer wasn’t a Saturday staple for the Livi support, especially with the aging plastic pitch.

He has, however, used the opportunity to rebuild and reevaluate since dropping down to the Championship. Qualitative players like Stevie May, Robbie Muirhead, and Lewis Smith, who scored his team’s fine first in Dingwall, were chosen.

Livingston finished the championship with the second-best goal difference of 28 when combined with a strong defensive core.

Former Livingston boss John Robertson on Sportsound stated, “They’ve reinvented themselves, this is what one year in the Championship has allowed them to do.”

“Martindale has selected some very talented football players. You wouldn’t associate them with a Livingston team, who had to find a way to play for six years. They play good football.

He “drives a lot of it,” according to BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart, who added, “They play good football, they play well, they have new investment, and you heard it from the man themselves that the club are in a really good position.”

A few football fans will likely be let down by the outcome of Monday’s play-off final.

Livingston’s previously combative style, which they used in their previous top flight appearance, is partially attributable. partially due to how little they back them. partially as a result of Dingwall not having a cracking away day when the football comes back from the summer…

Martindale and his players will not care about anything else.

Henry Ford’s son Calvin Ford, the great-great-grandson of the Ford Motor Company, recently became the club’s majority shareholder. There is a solid foundation here, he said earlier this month, “Let’s build this better, get this club back where it belongs, back in the [Scottish Premiership] and then see where we can go from there because I believe there is a lot of potential there.”

It’s possible that the Livingston will be a much different beast than the one that left 12 months ago, with new investment and also the addition of a brand-new artificial surface being laid.

However, their manager seems to have stayed the same throughout the coming season.

According to Stewart, “David Martindale is a significant member of the club.” You must give him a lot of credit this season,” he said.

You can tell from his own assertion that Calvin Ford has given him new life. David Martindale is such a key player, not just for obvious reasons; last season, it appeared as though his talent had started to fade and they were relegated. If you looked at him this season, you could tell it was once more bubbling away.

“I’m in with the bricks and mortar, and I’m happy to shake everyone’s hand and move on.”

Not a man who beats around the bush, David Martindale.

On May 19, 2013, the most open-minded player in Scottish football appeared before the cameras. With new owners acquiring the club and his team being relegated, the Livingston manager had to wonder what the club’s future would hold.

Through hard work and hardship, Livingston’s return to the top was in Martindale’s own image.

With a 4-2 nighttime and a 5-3 aggregate, Ross County’s Premiership play-off victory over them may have appeared convincing, but they had to deal with a late equalizer on Thursday before falling 2-0 behind in the Highlands.

Nothing was straightforward even at this point. Livingston and eventual championship rival Falkirk had been fighting for a while, but they eventually lost when the season came to a home straight to finish three points behind.

After meeting with a Ross County side without a win in 10, Partick Thistle were despatched 4-0 over both play-off semi-final ties.

“I’m really proud of the staff and the players,” he said. Martindale, surrounded by supporters, said, “I get the credit, but this isn’t about me.”

The Premiership’s Martindale’s teams were renowned for having terrible opponents. Physical . aggressive . in your face

Watching silky soccer wasn’t a Saturday staple for the Livi support, especially with the aging plastic pitch.

He has, however, used the opportunity to rebuild and reevaluate since dropping down to the Championship. Qualitative players like Stevie May, Robbie Muirhead, and Lewis Smith, who scored his team’s fine first in Dingwall, were chosen.

Livingston finished the championship with the second-best goal difference of 28 when combined with a strong defensive core.

Former Livingston boss John Robertson on Sportsound stated, “They’ve reinvented themselves, this is what one year in the Championship has allowed them to do.”

“Martindale has selected some very talented football players. You wouldn’t associate them with a Livingston team, who had to find a way to play for six years. They play good football.

He “drives a lot of it,” according to BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart, who added, “They play good football, they play well, they have new investment, and you heard it from the man themselves that the club are in a really good position.”

A few football fans will likely be let down by the outcome of Monday’s play-off final.

Livingston’s previously combative style, which they used in their previous top flight appearance, is partially attributable. partially due to how little they back them. partially as a result of Dingwall not having a cracking away day when the football comes back from the summer…

Martindale and his players will not care about anything else.

Henry Ford’s son Calvin Ford, the great-great-grandson of the Ford Motor Company, recently became the club’s majority shareholder. There is a solid foundation here, he said earlier this month, “Let’s build this better, get this club back where it belongs, back in the [Scottish Premiership] and then see where we can go from there because I believe there is a lot of potential there.”

It’s possible that the Livingston will be a much different beast than the one that left 12 months ago, with new investment and also the addition of a brand-new artificial surface being laid.

However, their manager seems to have stayed the same throughout the coming season.

According to Stewart, “David Martindale is a significant member of the club.” You must give him a lot of credit this season,” he said.

You can tell from his own assertion that Calvin Ford has given him new life. David Martindale is such a key player, not just for obvious reasons; last season, it appeared as though his talent had started to fade and they were relegated. If you looked at him this season, you could tell it was once more bubbling away.

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

Jannik Sinner, the reigning world no. 1, defeated a late set snag to triumph over Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets.

Italian Sinner defeated French opponent 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier in his first Grand Slam contest since receiving a three-month doping ban.

However, the 23-year-old had to fight back from a double break down in the third set against a revived Rinderknech, which the scoreline suggested.

After Carlos Alcaraz ended his 26-game winning streak in the Italian Open final earlier this month, Sinner made a comeback.

First-round encounters are never simple, he said. “I’m very pleased with how I handled the situation,” he said.

He also made a few errors while directing the set, which helped me a lot. But all I wanted to do was adopt the ideal mindset and attitude.

In a service match between Rinderknech and Rinderknech, who had saved three early break points, Sinner was given the first set in an error-strewn service match. A backhand was planted into the net on Sinner’s first set point, sending the Italian on his way.

In the fourth game of the second set, he broke twice before surviving with just one point on the serve.

However, in the third set, Rinderknech, who had been buoyed by a divided crowd in his hometown, won the first four games to take command. This caused his game to temporarily collapse.

However, normality started to return as Sinner countered by stifling Rinderknech’s break points and sprang up the atmosphere on the showcase court.

He hardly gave his rival a second chance from there. Sinner went a breakup and sealed the match with a fierce serve that Rinderknech, 29, could not quite match.

In the second round, Sinner will face Richard Gasquet, a veteran Frenchman.

In his opening match, former world no. 10 player Gasquet defeated compatriot and fellow wildcard Terence Atmane to reach Roland Garros’ final tournament.

Sinner, who was eliminated from the semi-finals 12 months ago at the hands of eventual champion Alcaraz, won his third major title at the Australian Open in January, but he has yet to reach the final at Roland Garros.

After reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) regarding his two positive drug tests last year, he accepted an immediate three-month ban in February.

American Fritz earlier fell to the German world number 47 Altmaier 7-5, 3-3, 6-1, in a final 16 game loss.

Fritz, 27, made it to the US Open final last year, losing to Sinner in straight sets, but his subpar form continued on Court Simonne Mathieu in 2025.

As a result, he will leave the top four, and Britain’s Jack Draper will move up a spot in the live rankings.

“I believe my playing is generally good. Simply put, I’m playing horrendous tennis on a lot of crucial points, “frested Fritz said.

I’m unsure of what’s happening because of all the pressure and crucial points. I’m trying to play the most ridiculous scenario possible.

With his ranking, Altmaier’s biggest career achievement was setting up a meeting with Vit Kopriva, a Czech player, in the 86th place.

The 26-year-old won the match in two hours and 41 minutes after breaking Fritz’s serve three times throughout the final six games.

In 2024, Fritz advanced to the French Open, but he has lost four of his seven clay matches this year.

Also on Monday, men’s defending champion Carlos Alcaraz defeated Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to make a calm recovery.

Casper Ruud, who is now two-time champion, breezened past Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, while Holger Rune, who is now 10th seed, defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7 (4-7) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, the finalist eliminated from Paris in 2021, defeated Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, respectively.