Category Sports News

Match 2 of 3 of the Rugby League Ashes

England (4) 4

Goals: Smith (2)

Australia (4) 14

The wait is getting longer. Another gallant English failure. Australia’s influence continued.

The Kangaroos won their 14th series win, an Ashes run that started 52 years ago, with a 14-4 victory in the second Test on Saturday.

In order to complete a 3-0 series whitewash, Australia, like in 2003, attempt to play a sold-out third Test at Headingley in Leeds next week as a dead rubber.

However, this performance was more appropriate for a Shaun Wane side after being brutally beaten by Kevin Walters’ team at Wembley a week ago.

After failing to “show up” for the first Test, the England head coach had promised his team would provide a better account of themselves, and they came out on top.

After Nathan Cleary and Harry Smith exchanged penalties, they enjoyed the better of the first period, but the scoreboard displayed four points each instead of their territorial dominance.

England’s issue was that they couldn’t break through an Australian defence, which was as good as it could get.

There were some promising moments, with Morgan Knowles knocking on the ball before grounding it under the sticks before Dom Young was fingernail-struck from a Herbie Farnworth grubber kick to start the corner.

However, the tourists blew the game away in four second-half minutes.

Cameron Munster twisted away from a George Williams tackle to score on the next Australia set, and a shocking error was made on the left of England.

And with the match clearly in full swing, Australia received yet another error.

Canberra Raiders second row Hudson Young was able to collect the loose ball when Cleary’s booming kick ricocheted out of Tom Johnstone’s hands.

With just three minutes left in the game, a major conflict between a number of players caused the frenetic opening, with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui of England and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui of Australia receiving punishment for their actions.

And that set the tone for a more assertive and aggressive England display than at Wembley.

Some of the scruffiness in England’s sets was exacerbated by Smith’s inclusion due to his notable game management skills, and debutant AJ Brimson justified his inclusion at full-back.

Despite England’s excellent work, they were unable to reclaim the win and, even when Australia’s full-back Reece Walsh was sin-binned in the second half, frustratingly for Wane and his team on the sidelines, they were unable to find a way back into the game.

England: AJ Brimson, Dom Young, Herbie Farnworth, Jake Wardle, Tom Johnstone, George Williams (capt), Harry Smith, Mike McMeeken, Jez Litten, Matty Lees, Kai Pearce-Paul, Kallum Watkins, Morgan Knowles, and Dom Young.

Mikey Lewis, Alex Walmsley, Morgan Smithies, and Mikolaj Oledzki make changes.

Walsh, Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr, Munster, Cleary, Collins, Grant, Fa’asuamaleaui, Crichton, Young, Carrigan, and Walsh are Australia’s speakers.

Hannah Hampton, the goalkeeper, has shown “class” in response to Mary Earps’ criticism of her, according to Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor.

After Earps questioned Hampton’s choice as her number one at Euro 2025, Bompastor also criticized Sarina Wiegman’s lack of respect for England manager.

Earps, the former England keeper, claimed she told Wiegman that her recall of Hampton to the squad, after being “disruptive and unreliable,” was “bad behavior” by her.

Earps, 32, will release her autobiography the following week, and excerpts from her book have been released by the Guardian.

“We are talking about Hannah, but I want to speak out for Wiegman,”” said Wiegman. You should probably think about it before speaking when you use the words “winner” three times in a row.

“One of the things Hannah said about Mary Earps is class, and Hannah is the class one,” Hannah said in her earlier comments about her.

Hampton reportedly had a bad attitude after joining the England squad for Euro 2022.

Wiegman later recalled Hampton, who saved two spot kicks in their Euro 2025 penalty shootout victory over Spain. He later said it was for “something personal.”

At the Ballon d’Or awards in September, the 24-year-old was also honored as the best female goalkeeper.

Earps was a key player in England’s victory at Euro 2022, and he also saved Jenni Hermoso’s penalty from Spain in their World Cup final defeat a year later.

Hampton claimed that Earps’ “changed” her “goalkeeping in the women’s game” after her shocking international retirement in June.

With all the accomplishments she’s made in the game and helped put women’s goalkeeping on the map for the younger generation, Hampton said at the time, “I think there’s been quite a bit of scrutiny that she probably doesn’t deserve.”

Hampton kept her third clean sheet in a row as Chelsea defeated London City Lionesses on Saturday morning, the morning after the first excerpts of Earps’ book were released.

It’s difficult because Hannah is both an athlete and a person. She has grown a lot since I started Chelsea, and she is a great athlete as well, Bompastor said.

We have a really positive relationship, and I want to show her my support in this circumstance. She is regarded as a classy and professional, as evidenced by what she accomplished today.

She exhibits both mental and physical qualities as the best goalkeeper in the world. We simply want to treat her with love and respect.

Third round of the Hong Kong Open

-20 T McKibbin (NI), -19 MJ Maguire (US), -18 P Uihlein (US), -17 K Aphibarnrat (Tha), S Hend (Aus), -16 C Howell (US), L Oosthuizen (SA).

Selected others: -9 S Horsfield (Eng), P Reed (US), -8 T Gooch (US), -5 P Casey (Eng).

full leaderboard

Tom McKibbin’s third-round 65 continued his dominance of the Hong Kong Open, boosting his chances of being a top-ranked player in the Masters and Open Championship next year.

McKibbin recorded one bogey and two birdies in Day Three of the tournament in Fanling after posting a course record of 60 and carding a second-round 65.

The 22-year-old would add another birdie on the 12th before the 18th and 17th holes combined for a total of 65 on the day.

The 2026 Masters winner will advance to the event, while the top-placed non-exempt player will advance to the 154th Open.

The Northern Ireland native is attempting to first-ever qualify for the Masters and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.

Third round of the Hong Kong Open

-20 T McKibbin (NI), -19 MJ Maguire (US), -18 P Uihlein (US), -17 K Aphibarnrat (Tha), S Hend (Aus), -16 C Howell (US), L Oosthuizen (SA).

Selected others: -9 S Horsfield (Eng), P Reed (US), -8 T Gooch (US), -5 P Casey (Eng).

full leaderboard

Tom McKibbin’s third-round 65 continued his dominance of the Hong Kong Open, boosting his chances of being a top-ranked player in the Masters and Open Championship next year.

McKibbin recorded one bogey and two birdies in Day Three of the tournament in Fanling after posting a course record of 60 and carding a second-round 65.

The 22-year-old would add another birdie on the 12th before the 18th and 17th holes combined for a total of 65 on the day.

The 2026 Masters winner will advance to the event, while the top-placed non-exempt player will advance to the 154th Open.

The Northern Ireland native is attempting to first-ever qualify for the Masters and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.

When India and South Africa meet in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, for the first time in 25 years, a new name will appear on the trophy.

Given the enormous impact it will have on whoever wins, not only is this a symbol of the game’s growth and development, but it is also a mouth-watering prospect.

South Africa’s cricket team is a perennial “almost,” and while their men’s team won the World Test Championship earlier this year, Laura Wolvaardt’s team has had a history of near misses.

The T20 World Cup final in 2023 was held in such a heart-pounding way that it almost eclipsed Australia’s eventual defeat, but the loss to New Zealand in the final the following year was the one that won.

In contrast, India could change women’s cricket forever.

There have also been some close calls, most notably the nine-run defeat by England at Lord’s in 2017, and it seems as though the team, which includes generational stars like Deepti Sharma, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur, will eventually receive a trophy.

People gathered outside the gates of DY Patil Stadium on Saturday, still 24 hours away from the first ball being bowled, yelling and trying to get last-minute tickets.

The winner will receive a record sum of money ($3.3 million), which would greatly improve South African cricket’s chances of making the finals despite its under-resourced domestic system.

It seems to be more about the shift in reach, attention, and opportunity for India.

This World Cup final won’t be overstating that lives will be changed.

Both teams are full of inspiring tales of resilience and overcoming adversity, with many being from nations where opportunities for women and girls in sport are much less accessible or accepted than those in England or Australia.

Shafali Verma, the opening Indian, cut her hair short to allow her to enroll herself as a boy at an academy.

To provide for the family, Radha Yadav, her team-mate, used her Women’s Premier League (WPL) salary to buy her father a grocery store.

Because there were no girls’ cricket teams for her, Jemimah Rodrigues, the hero of India’s remarkable semi-final against Australia, played cricket with her brothers in Mumbai.

Before making her international debut, she also waited at Mumbai Airport to greet India’s 2017 finalists, age 16 instead. She now has a chance to make a big change.

Alex Hartley, a World Cup winner in 2017, stated in the BBC Test Match Special, “I want to see girls in India not have to pretend to be boys to play cricket.”

They can simply play cricket as girls, regardless of what happens on Sunday, without having to act like they are someone else.

Nonkululeko Mlaba is a reference to South Africa. Due to the lengthy and potentially dangerous journeys she would have to make, the spinner moved to accommodations provided by Cricket South Africa to be closer to their training facilities.

Annerie Dercksen, a young all-star who didn’t have access to television when she was a child, read the newspaper to learn cricket.

Tazmin Brits, the opener, overcame a devastating car accident that ended her Olympic javelin ambitions this year, hitting a five centuries to become a key player in its third consecutive ICC final.

It’s difficult to call because neither team has had a smooth ride into the final.

South Africa won five consecutive group stages with 69 and 97, respectively, against England and Australia, a trio-wicket thriller against India.

After the latter, they did not face England in the semis, but Wolvaardt’s unforgettable 169 and Marizanne Kapp’s 5-20 were the only ones who could have won.

They will be expected to rise again on Sunday as South Africa’s stars.

Kapp is the warrior, unlike Wolvaardt, who is unflappable and composed. She can’t hold back the tears at the national anthem, which she claims will burn with passion at every wicket she claims, despite five World Cups to go.

For India, it will depend on whether they can handle the high expectations and handle the emotions of the heartfelt semi-final, with skipper Harmanpreet stressing how crucial it is to have a mental reset afterward.

The captain described the semi-final as “a very high-pressure game and very intense.”

Because playing in a home final is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, we have been discussing how to be more focused, more balanced, and at the same time maintaining our spirits.

There is nothing more important in our lives, both as cricketers and as captains, than that we must enjoy this.

In this matchup, South Africa leads by one point on home advantage, despite having lost three of their games at the DY Patil.

With the entire audience backing India, “it’s going to be a very tough game,” said Wolvaardt.

“But I believe it also places a lot of pressure on them,” she continued. They are sort of expected to prevail because they have the entire nation to their rear.

“I believe that, hopefully, favors us. We’ll need to play some excellent cricket to defeat them, but we’re really looking forward to the challenge.

If the atmosphere can match the atmosphere from the semi-final, it will be electric.

When India and South Africa meet in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, for the first time in 25 years, a new name will appear on the trophy.

Given the enormous impact it will have on whoever wins, not only is this a symbol of the game’s growth and development, but it is also a mouth-watering prospect.

South Africa’s cricket team is a perennial “almost,” and while their men’s team won the World Test Championship earlier this year, Laura Wolvaardt’s team has had a history of near misses.

The T20 World Cup final in 2023 was held in such a heart-pounding way that it almost eclipsed Australia’s eventual defeat, but the loss to New Zealand in the final the following year was the one that won.

In contrast, India could change women’s cricket forever.

There have also been some close calls, most notably the nine-run defeat by England at Lord’s in 2017, and it seems as though the team, which includes generational stars like Deepti Sharma, Smriti Mandhana, and Harmanpreet Kaur, will eventually receive a trophy.

People gathered outside the gates of DY Patil Stadium on Saturday, still 24 hours away from the first ball being bowled, yelling and trying to get last-minute tickets.

The winner will receive a record sum of money ($3.3 million), which would greatly improve South African cricket’s chances of making the finals despite its under-resourced domestic system.

It seems to be more about the shift in reach, attention, and opportunity for India.

This World Cup final won’t be overstating that lives will be changed.

Both teams are full of inspiring tales of resilience and overcoming adversity, with many being from nations where opportunities for women and girls in sport are much less accessible or accepted than those in England or Australia.

Shafali Verma, the opening Indian, cut her hair short to allow her to enroll herself as a boy at an academy.

To provide for the family, Radha Yadav, her team-mate, used her Women’s Premier League (WPL) salary to buy her father a grocery store.

Because there were no girls’ cricket teams for her, Jemimah Rodrigues, the hero of India’s remarkable semi-final against Australia, played cricket with her brothers in Mumbai.

Before making her international debut, she also waited at Mumbai Airport to greet India’s 2017 finalists, age 16 instead. She now has a chance to make a big change.

Alex Hartley, a World Cup winner in 2017, stated in the BBC Test Match Special, “I want to see girls in India not have to pretend to be boys to play cricket.”

They can simply play cricket as girls, regardless of what happens on Sunday, without having to act like they are someone else.

Nonkululeko Mlaba is a reference to South Africa. Due to the lengthy and potentially dangerous journeys she would have to make, the spinner moved to accommodations provided by Cricket South Africa to be closer to their training facilities.

Annerie Dercksen, a young all-star who didn’t have access to television when she was a child, read the newspaper to learn cricket.

Tazmin Brits, the opener, overcame a devastating car accident that ended her Olympic javelin ambitions this year, hitting a five centuries to become a key player in its third consecutive ICC final.

It’s difficult to call because neither team has had a smooth ride into the final.

South Africa won five consecutive group stages with 69 and 97, respectively, against England and Australia, a trio-wicket thriller against India.

After the latter, they did not face England in the semis, but Wolvaardt’s unforgettable 169 and Marizanne Kapp’s 5-20 were the only ones who could have won.

They will be expected to rise again on Sunday as South Africa’s stars.

Kapp is the warrior, unlike Wolvaardt, who is unflappable and composed. She can’t hold back the tears at the national anthem, which she claims will burn with passion at every wicket she claims, despite five World Cups to go.

For India, it will depend on whether they can handle the high expectations and handle the emotions of the heartfelt semi-final, with skipper Harmanpreet stressing how crucial it is to have a mental reset afterward.

The captain described the semi-final as “a very high-pressure game and very intense.”

Because playing in a home final is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, we have been discussing how to be more focused, more balanced, and at the same time maintaining our spirits.

There is nothing more important in our lives, both as cricketers and as captains, than that we must enjoy this.

In this matchup, South Africa leads by one point on home advantage, despite having lost three of their games at the DY Patil.

With the entire audience backing India, “it’s going to be a very tough game,” said Wolvaardt.

“But I believe it also places a lot of pressure on them,” she continued. They are sort of expected to prevail because they have the entire nation to their rear.

“I believe that, hopefully, favors us. We’ll need to play some excellent cricket to defeat them, but we’re really looking forward to the challenge.

If the atmosphere can match the atmosphere from the semi-final, it will be electric.