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Louis Rees-Zammit, a Wales wing, is hoping to recover from their opening autumn game against Argentina on Sunday, November 9.

After making the transition to American football in January 2024, the back of the British and Irish Lions hasn’t played international rugby for more than two years.

Rees-Zammit was named in Steve Tandy’s first Wales squad despite suffering a toe injury in early October after signing a season-long deal with Bristol in August of that year.

In front of 6, 000 spectators at an open session at the Principality Stadium today, the 24-year-old trained separately with fellow wing Rio Dyer and Ospreys lock Rhys Davies.

Rees-Zammit addressed the Principality Stadium crowd, “My foot is feeling good.”

Rees-Zammit didn’t play a competitive game for the NFL, instead joining the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Rees-Zammit praised the return of rugby as “it feels amazing.”

“I tried it out, and I’m glad I’m back,” he said. The new coaching staff is fantastic, and it’s great to see all the boys once more.

The boys are all enjoying it, and we are prepared to rip in.

“It feels strange that I’ve been working in this field for 18 months.” It means a lot to our fans, so it’s great to see how many do so.

While the main squad held a full public meeting, Rees-Zammit, Dyer, and Davies went through a number of running drills behind the Principality Stadium posts.

Due to World Rugby rules, Montpellier lock Adam Beard had to return to his French team in order to participate in the Wales training camp in Cardiff.

Since they haven’t won an international game there for more than two years, Wales are hoping to reclaim Principality Stadium as a fortress.

Wales have lost nine Test matches in Cardiff since beating England in a World Cup warm-up match in August 2023, with Japan’s record 18-game losing streak coming to an end in July.

Before hosting a 2026 Six Nations game against France, Scotland, and Italy, where Wales previously won a home match in February 2022, they will face Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan.

The boys have enjoyed winning in Cardiff for a while, according to captain Jac Morgan, but they “love playing in front of our own supporters.”

Given the current unrest surrounding the Welsh game, how many fans will there be watching the team in the fall?

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is currently gearing up to cut a men’s professional side after a few years of mixed results on the field and in disarray off the pitch.

The four matches at Principality Stadium could draw in 298 000 fans in November due to the capacity of the Principality Stadium of 74, 500.

More than 200, 000 supporters are expected to travel to Cardiff over the four-game series, according to a WRU statement. This is in line with the Quilter Nations Series’ goal of achieving average attendance over the previous ten years.

“Fans are anticipating Wales’ home-court action against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa.

All times are GMT and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Sunday, 9 November – Wales v Argentina (15: 10)

Saturday, 15 November – Wales v Japan (17: 40)

Saturday, 22 November – Wales v New Zealand (15: 10)

*Saturday, 29 November – Wales v South Africa (15: 10)

NFL Week 9 of the 2025 season

The Detroit Lions’ four-year contract extension includes an NFL record for the highest guaranteed salary for a non-quarterback, according to Aidan Hutchinson.

The defensive end’s new contract is worth a total of $180m (£135.9m), with $141m (£106.5m) guaranteed.

After being traded to the Green Bay Packers in August, Micah Parsons still earns the highest salary non-quarterback in the NFL, but his contract has no guaranteed terms.

The Lions star picked up from where he left off after missing the majority of last season with a serious leg injury, and both Hutchinson and Parsons are among the best pass rushers in the NFL.

The 25-year-old, who was being drafted by Detroit with the second overall pick in 2022, has a six sack season this year. He is currently in the final year of his rookie contract.

Phoebe Schecter, a BBC Sport columnist and NFL analyst, is also a guest on BBC Sport.

Hutchinson’s back is a significant contributor to the Lions’ aggressive defensive front because of how they fly around the ball.

He has the most forced fumbles this season, trailing only Joey Bosa.

He leads only Micah Parsons (44) and Nik Bonitto (44), who are both among the best in the league, in terms of quarterback pressures.

Over the past three seasons, Hutchinson has assisted in elevating the Lions to the playoffs, and his team is on the verge of winning.

Guwahati ICC Women’s World Cup

South Africa 319-7 (50 overs): Wolvaardt 169 (143), Ecclestone 4-44

England 194 (42.3 overs): Sciver-Brunt 64 (76), Kapp 5-20

South Africa defeated 125 runs to win.

After South Africa defeated England 125-run in the semi-final, disappointing England was eliminated from the women’s world cup.

With 169 from 143 balls at the top of the order, Laura Wolvaardt, who had lost to England in the previous two World Cup semis, posted an impressive 319-7 victory in Guwahati.

England started off the season with a record-breaking 1-1 defeat, with Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont, and Amy Jones all falling for ducks.

Ayabonga Khaka caught Beaumont off the bat, but Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey kept the score at 105 as Jones and Knight were both bowled by a fiery Marizanne Kapp.

Capsey fell shortly after reaching her first ODI fifty before Kapp again, almost confirming South Africa’s victory with the 64-run wicket of England’s captain.

The world champion finished 194 all out before adding Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean to her impressive 5-20 total.

England struggled with their bats, but they did not suffer any losses in the field. Wolvaardt’s majestic and unluckless innings provided them with a chance to win.

She executed South Africa’s total perfectly with her timing. After 40 overs, they were 202-5, with Wolvaardt scoring 101, before an incredible acceleration saw 117 runs stutter from the final 10.

Despite suffering a shoulder injury, Sophie Ecclestone, who took two wickets in one over as South Africa fell from 116-0 to 119-3, was chosen as the best bowler of England.

However, England struggled to maintain momentum as Chloe Tryon scored a counter-attacking 42 and Wolvaardt launched her assault with crucial support from Chloe Tryon’s 33 not out.

South Africa’s group-stage defeat to England’s spinners gave them a 69-run lead in the match that was scheduled to take place between these two teams, which gave them the impression that their World Cup campaign was about to end.

Their incredible turnaround, which included a surprising victory over India, culminated in this powerful performance spearheaded by their inspirational captain.

The unassuming but steely look of determination of Wolvaardt never appeared on her when the first ball of the match slammed out of Wolvaardt’s bat off the cover boundary.

It was a masterclass in 50-over batting. After Ecclestone removed Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch and Sciver-Brunt bowled Sune Luus for one, she dominated the powerplay as England ingrained her incredible cover drive with too much width.

Before completely disintegrating England at the death, Kapp’s proactive knock from 33 balls relieved the pressure before she slammed out of Ecclestone, forcing Wolvaardt once more, and forcing her to reset.

Ecclestone finished with a 42nd over before Wolvaardt’s unleashed, scoring 68 from her next 27 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.

She could change the bowlers and the field at will, allowing herself to go over midwicket before striking a nearly identical ball over cover from the next. Simply put, England lacked any solutions.

Ecclestone and Lauren Bell held their own when they won 2-55, but Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean, both of whom were 2-69 and 2-67, were taken for 0-69 and 0-0-67 respectively, Sciver-Brunt and 2-55 were taken for 0-67.

Even though halfway through the match, Wolvaardt’s knock demonstrated that the game was a good batting pitch, not the slow, turning one that was provided for the opener, and that England had a top-notch Sciver-Brunt in their ranks.

However, Kapp’s ultimate rival, who was bowled by a nip-backer second ball and who carried a wide ball onto her stumps three balls later, was immediately met with her passionate roars of celebration.

The game appeared to have been decided inside seven balls as Beaumont wafted at a loose delivery from Khaka. After Kapp’s spell ended, Sciver-Brunt and Capsey played with maturity, absorbing the pressure by rotating the strike and punishing the change bowlers, which kept England’s flimsy hopes alive.

Capsey was furious to throw her wicket away, chipping mid-off after being dropped on 28; however, Wolvaardt’s wacky play put the finishing touches on the book.

After losing to Sciver-Brunt for pace after she had previously been in complete control, Kapp was taken off the field with cramp, but she was given the ball in the 29th over for another magical moment, before Dunkley and Dean followed in the same direction two overs later.

Kapp ended the day as the leading wicket-taker in women’s world cups by overtaking Jhulan Goswami, who had started the day in tears at South Africa’s anthem.

Because it was a flat wicket, I was not certain whether we had enough runs on the board. I’m so happy that we won.

“I did not anticipate having the ball play the way that we did.” Although Kapp was amazing, Sciver-Brunt’s presence required that we bear the pressure. I’m happy it turned out for us, even though it could have gone either way.

“To be a history-maker today is very special. We have played some good cricket this month, and each team is playing a fair tournament.

Whoever wins in the final will be amazing. Tonight, we’ll celebrate this, and tomorrow, we’ll return to the drawing board.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s captain, said, “We’ve come a long way since the summer. We have learned a lot from that side and are now on a different side.

Because we’ve made some incredible strides in a relatively short amount of time, we’ll probably be able to take the lessons from it and advance.”