Category Sports News

Warm-up for the women’s rugby world cup: Ireland vs. Canada

Affidea Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, August 9 Start Time: 12:00 BST

For Ireland’s final World Cup warm-up game, former England prop Ellena Perry has “more than earned” her spot in his matchday squad, according to head coach Scott Bemand.

Perry will make her international debut against Canada on the bench after her last appearance for England was in November 2020. She qualifies for Ireland through her maternal grandfather.

After a three-year stand-down period, players are permitted to represent a second nation in accordance with World Rugby’s rules if they, a parent, or a grandparent were both born there.

The 28-year-old Gloucester-Hartpury player’s inclusion in Saturday’s game follows center Nancy McGillivray’s try-scoring debut against Scotland last week, who was formerly on a transitional contract with England.

Perry plays for the Premiership Women’s Rugby champions alongside Ireland internationals Neve Jones and Sam Monaghan, according to Bemand.

She has more than earned her place in the group, the neighborhood, and the neighborhood.

When questioned if giving debuts to Perry and McGillivray would harm some of Ireland’s longest-serving players, Bemand responded, “If done incorrectly.

However, we needed to add a hamstring niggle to the front row while Christy [Haney] picked up the one.

“In my opinion, everything has been done well. She is well-known to the majority of our group members in terms of the playing group. So it’s been a pre-season block when we’ve actually transitioned in, in terms of the block we’ve traversed.

“So it’s really important for people to enter and get touch points within pre-season blocks.” Additionally, it allows for acclimatization for the participants.

It gives the audience a chance to learn about the organization’s culture. It’s more than just a performance piece. People like to be themselves and add to our wave, in an off-piece culture. That is what she has been able to accomplish.

Bemand added that McGillivray, who was born in Hong Kong and has an Irish father, has “a significant amount” added to Exeter’s roster since joining.

David Lloyd says he would like to take over Lancashire’s chair position.

Following Andy Anson’s nearly five-year tenure in the position, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey left the position on an interim basis.

Before becoming England’s head coach almost 30 years ago, Lloyd was a player, captain, and head coach of Lancashire.

Lloyd, who was born in Accrington, is still a regular at Emirates Old Trafford despite his passion for his county.

The 78-year-old told BBC Radio Lancashire, “It’s a complicated issue, but yes it would,” when asked if the chair’s role would be challenged.

It has been suggested that county cricket has lost some of its significance in recent years due to the expansion of the hotel at the ground and the large music concerts that are held most of the summer.

That perception, according to Lloyd, affectionately known as “Bumble,” could be altered.

You’ve got to be a hands-on cricket chair, he continued. You must be there almost daily and be familiar with the reception staff and the cleaners in order to foster a club culture that is very dynamic.

“We have a fantastic opportunity at Emirates Old Trafford right now to revive the club, if you’d like, and to make it more like a cricket club than an arena or stadium.”

Since making his Lancashire debut for the first team in 1965, Lloyd says he would love to give something back.

He said, “I feel like I can contribute in some way because Lancashire Cricket Club has given me every opportunity in life.”

Donald Trump’s victory in the US has earned Khamzat Chimaev praise, which he has not received in nearly three years.

Russian Chimaev has previously denied that travel problems prevented him from fighting in the US. His previous two fights have taken place in Abu Dhabi.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic, is under US sanctions for alleged human rights violations, including torture, murder, and repression. Chimaev has ties to Kadyrov.

The middleweight, who has won his first 14 fights of career, has frequently shared photos with Kadyrov on social media.

At UFC 319 in Chicago, Illinois on August 16th, he takes on South African’s Dricus du Plessis for the first time since 2022.

“This wasn’t my bad,” I said. Chimaev remarked about not fighting in the US, “but this wasn’t my fault.”

Trump and Dana White, the UFC’s president, have close friendships, and both have a strong support in the 2024 election.

Trump announced last month that he would hold a UFC fight at the White House in the midst of America’s celebrations marking its 250th anniversary.

Chimaev has downplayed his interest in politics and does not believe he will be invited to fight at the White House despite his recent return to the US to face Du Plessis.

Chimaev remarked, “I don’t understand why they’re going to put the fights there.”

“My entire life I’ve been an athlete, a sportsman,” I said. I don’t know why some people put me in such a political position and undermine my visa.

“I’m just doing it for my family, training, and fighting,” I say. Sportspersons are not required to be in politics. I’m not connected.

Du Plessis is defending his belt for the third time since Robert Whittaker was submitted in October, and Chimaev is doing so.

Chimaev has long been regarded as a potential UFC champion, but his career has been hampered by his illness and inactivity.

As she prepares to win the Scottish Women’s Premier League title for Ibrox, new Rangers women’s head coach Leanne Crichton says it is “ultimately unacceptable” to be second best there.

Crichton, who leaves her position as Glasgow City assistant coach this week, thinks she is leading a “successful team.”

Under previous boss Jo Potter, Rangers won both cup competitions in the previous two campaigns but were just too close to clinching the league title on the final day. Rangers won the title for the first and only time in 2022.

They have won four out of six, which I believe is really admirable, but ultimately the league title will be the focus of our efforts. We are aware that the lure of European football has been lost in the process.

Management director Donald Gillies, who acknowledged that Crichton was a standout candidate because of how well he performed during the interview process and how he came out as “someone who can lead the club to a real positive destination,” shares that view.

He continued, “It’s a priority for the club,” about the upcoming SWPL campaign. In the last three years, we’ve been close, but this one hasn’t come to mind.

Gillies thinks the new US-based owners will benefit the women’s organization because they want to “take that to the next chapter” and encourage progress.

They are challenging me, he continued. What will the future hold? What do we need, exactly? What do we envision the landscape of Europe to be like?

Martin Dubravka, a Slovakia international, has been signed by Burnley from Newcastle United for a one-year deal.

The 36-year-old spent seven and a half years at St James’ Park on loan from Sparta Prague before signing for the Magpies on loan in January 2018 and keeping 51 clean sheets in 179 appearances in all competitions.

He assisted Newcastle in winning the Carabao Cup last year, keeping three clean sheets in each leg of the semi-final victory over Arsenal.

James Trafford, 22, who joined Manchester City in July, was wanted by Burnley, who the Clarets claim is a record-breaking fee for a British goalkeeper.

According to Dubravka, “I’ve only heard really positive things about the club, the culture, and the environment in which we work,” Dubravka stated on the website Burnley.

After a 33-game unbeaten run in 2024-2005 and a championship record of 100 points, the Lancashire side were promoted to the Premier League. On goal difference, they just fell short of winning the title against Leeds United.

Mido is currently working hard to find and develop the next generation of talent in his native North Africa despite the fact that he was no stranger to controversy when he first started playing.

Mohamed Salah, a former Tottenham player, and Omar Marmoush, one of Liverpool’s top players, both claimed the title of premier league player when they both signed for Manchester City in January.

Mido, 42, told World Football on the BBC World Service, “The gap is enormous if you compare the number of Egyptian players who play in any of the top African nations in football.”

Egypt cannot compete with its only four or five players spread out across Europe.

Mido is utilizing the experiences he has had in his own career to support the development of the students at his Cairo academy, The Maker.

Before turning 30 in 2013, he had a stint at 11 different clubs in seven different nations over the course of 14 years as a player. He was a nomadic figure.

Additionally, he had conflicts with coaches, most notably with Ronald Koeman and with Egypt at Ajax, first with Marco Tardelli, and then with Hassan Shehata when he later played for the national team in the dugout.

Mido continued, “I never feel bad about pointing my finger at myself as an example.”

I constantly tell them, “OK, I played for big clubs, but I could have done better.”

“I don’t feel any regrets about this character because I know I’ll still make the same mistakes,” he said.

However, the challenges I faced were that sometimes I gave up easily, and other times the decision was the easiest for me to make: moving to another club.

At The Maker, Mido has about 100 boys working on the project, and he wants to include more girls.

He claims that the best chance for his intake to succeed in Europe lies in focusing on mental strength and adaptability.

He explained that “we have a top psychology team that is daily working with the kids.”

The majority of our boys can speak English well. Some of us as Egyptians encountered challenges because we didn’t speak a foreign language, which makes it easier to adapt and communicate with our new teammates.

Being able to interact with various cultures is very important.

“You can enter Europe if you have the right mindset, are physically strong, can speak multiple languages, be tactical aware, and have the skills, of course.”

Mido started out playing for Zamalek before moving on to Cairo to play for the giants for two more years.

Egyptian clubs have won five of the last six titles while winning five of the previous six, but Mido’s ultimate goal is for his young players to establish themselves in Europe.

He stated that “at least four or five players should be our main objective in Europe.”

“And we are having a dream in our heads that 60 to 70 players will have left this training program and started playing in various European countries in ten years.”

And even if they are playing in Europe, we will be monitoring them, following them, and having people around them to continue to work on their development.

This is a wonderful feeling for me because you are supporting young children in their development and pursuit of their dreams.