George Ford proud of his side as England complete tour clean sweep
Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and Gabriel Oghre, one of six debutants, grabbed England's six tries with Ford landing four conversions with one from another new face, Charlie Atkinson.
'The boys have been unbelievable all tour. They deserve that tonight,' said Ford, who won his 102nd cap. 'It is a proud moment for the families, so we will celebrate.
That's all from DC 🫡#USAvENG pic.twitter.com/yFx6jTPVQo
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) July 20, 2025
'There has been a lot of hard work and the conditions were difficult tonight.
'We have won all three games, we have had six new caps, I am proud of the effort of everyone.'
After kick-off at Audi Field was delayed due to an electrical storm in the American capital, England seized control when the Eagles were reduced to 14 by a deliberate knock-on from outside-half Chris Hilsenbeck.
Langdon was the beneficiary of a driving line-out for the first score and then new boy Max Ojomoh slipped in fellow centre Northmore for a simple score under the posts.
Alex Dombrandt and debutant Jack Carpenter had scores ruled out on either side of a 40-minute delay for lightning before Murley raced over in the final play of the first half.
Van Poortvliet, showing his sound positional sense, went over straight after the restart and England were camped in the Americans' 22 for most of the second period.
The hosts held out until Immanuel Feyi-Waboso sliced through to send the supporting Randall over and Bristol hooker Oghre burst out of a maul to score as England turned to the bench.
The US were finally on the scoreboard in the final seconds as a well-worked ploy at the front of a line-out saw Chris Poidevin put Shilo Klein over for a consolation score.
'It is a big challenge, but the boys stayed on it,' said home captain Benjamin Bonasso. 'We trusted the process and got a try at the end of the game.
'We have got to keep going. Facing this type of speed and conditions always makes you better.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Steve Smith says England have ditched promise to be Test cricket's entertainers before Ashes
Steve Smith has suggested England have left behind their promise to be 'entertainers' and adopted a more pragmatic approach ahead of the Ashes later this year. England are aiming to regain the urn for the first time since 2015 when they travel to Australia in November, having won only one series down under since 1987. The team has transformed its approach under the leadership of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, adopting the gung-ho approach dubbed Bazball in which they prioritised thrilling cricket over results. But Smith believes England have changed tack during the current Test series with India. 'They have started to play a little bit differently in the last couple of weeks in terms of playing the situation, as opposed to going out and trying to be the entertainers that they said they wanted to be,' the former Australia captain told BBC Sport. 'They are actually trying to win the games now which is perhaps different to what was said in their comments previously.' Smith, who is representing Welsh Fire in this year's Hundred, also warned that England's big-scoring batters should expect a far harder challenge when they reach Australia. 'Their batters are going to be challenged a little bit differently to the wickets they have had over in England for a while, which have looked pretty flat and good for batting,' he said. 'The wickets in Australia in the last three or four years have been very tricky for top order batters. It is going to be a good challenge for them. 'But it's going to be a wonderful series. I have been watching the India and England series and there has been some great cricket played there, so I think the Ashes this year is going to be an absolute belter.' The first Ashes Test begins in Perth on 21 November.
.jpeg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, KSI: Who will Jake Paul actually fight next?
Jake Paul is not going away, and somehow boxing 's 'Problem Child' could be sharing the ring with some huge names. He found himself in the ring to call out Oleksandr Usyk in the aftermath of the Ukrainian's victory over Daniel Dubois on Saturday, whilst rumours surrounding a fight with Anthony Joshua are building a head of steam. Having established himself as a money-making machine for both him and his opponents, Paul has a long list of suitors. But who we will he be facing next? Anthony Joshua In 2012, Anthony Joshua became an Olympic gold medallist, whilst Jake Paul would not enter the public eye until he found viral fame on the now defunct social media platform, Vine, in 2013. Like him or loathe him, Paul has an uncanny ability to further his career in many different directions, taking his online celebrity to become a Disney Channel star. Eventually, the braggadocious American broke through the containment of the entertainment industry and into mainstream boxing, starting off as a white-collar fighter before morphing into a ranked professional cruiserweight. One thing is clear – fighting Jake Paul might be the most lucrative payday in boxing, outside of undisputed bouts or Canelo Álvarez's own hype machine. The fact that Canelo and Paul almost came to an agreement before Turki Alalshikh swooped in with a Riyadh Season deal for the Mexican demonstrates that for a certain price, big names will entertain the YouTuber -turned-boxer. Paul and Joshua have exchanged private messages, before the American made a public declaration of his interest in the fight after defeating Julio César Chávez Jr in June. For Joshua, a bout with Paul would fit into reported plans to face Tyson Fury. Boxing's kingmaker Turki Alalshikh has suggested in recent days that both Joshua and Fury will have tune up fights before meeting in 2026. The chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority has also stated that Joshua facing - and knocking out - Paul would solve a problem for him. He told The Ring: 'If Joshua destroys him, it will be good for me; the headache of Jake Paul is finished.' Whilst Alalshikh's involvement in arranging a fight is no guarantee, it certainly indicates that there is a realistic chance of Paul fighting Joshua inside a boxing ring, as crazy as that sounds. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, certainly has not dismissed the idea. The Matchroom Boxing chief recently told Pro Boxing Fans: 'I was with His Excellency [Alalshikh] yesterday, obviously he'd met Jake Paul. I think he would like to do it, you know, but it's mad enough to happen. 'It's not something we expected, it's not something we're targeting. If it's offered to us, I would be shocked if AJ didn't accept it. 'Why wouldn't you? The plan for us is to fight Tyson Fury next year, if we can squeeze in Jake Paul along the way and you guys want AJ to end this whole process, he'll gladly do it.' Oleksandr Usyk As soon as Oleksandr Usyk had reunified all four belts in the heavyweight division by knocking out Daniel Dubois on Saturday, the ring was filled with interlopers. Long gone are the days of throwing just a hat into the ring, with WBO interim champion Joseph Parker, WBC interim title holder Agit Kabayel, and Jake Paul all chucking themselves in front of Usyk – and more importantly – the cameras and microphones in the near vicinity. Although rumoured fights with stars such as Canelo and Anthony Joshua have weight behind them, even Paul knows that he is no position to petition Usyk for a shot at all the heavyweight marbles. Instead, Paul's proposal would take Usyk out of the ring and into the cage, with the two partaking in an MMA bout. Paul has technically been an MMA fighter for some time; although he is still yet to make his debut since signing for Professional Fighters League in January 2023. A key figure in Team Usyk, Sergey Lapin, suggested earlier this year that an MMA bout with Jake Paul would be an interesting proposition – largely based on the money involved. In March Lapin told OLBG: 'Usyk has always cared only about fighting the best and creating a lasting legacy in the great sport of boxing. But in the future, as he further solidifies his place as one of the true great fighters, we'll see what other opportunities open up for him. 'It might be great to step into the cage with Jake Paul under MMA rules, it would be interesting if there is money to be made from it.' Gervonta Davis If Jake Paul is to be believed, we could have seen 'The Problem Child' take on Gervonta 'Tank' Davis this year, had the lightweight not drawn with Lamont Roach in March. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Paul stated: 'That was on the one-yard (line) as well, but he has to rematch Lamont Roach. 'He wants to get that back. Then we will be back in discussions with Mr. Gervonta.' Rather than a fight at a clear weight class, it has been reported that it would in fact be an exhibition where Paul would weigh no more than 195lbs. That is still quite the jump for lightweight Davis, who came in at 133.8lbs for his last fight. Whether the bout will be revisited considering new developments with Usyk and Joshua remains to be seen. Carl Froch Jake Paul has built his boxing career by targeting old or retired world champions, so perhaps it is no surprise that ex-unified super middleweight champion Carl Froch has called out the American. Froch's first offer came when Paul was gearing up to face Mike Tyson in November 2024, with the boxer-turned-pundit continuing to offer his services into 2025. In January, Paul's promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian stated: "Show up with an offer that makes sense for MVP (Most Valuable Promotions) and Jake Paul, who drive the biggest numbers in the entire sport and we'll be happy to have a conversation. "We're certainly not looking to come to the UK to offer a 47-year-old Carl Froch - who's never sold a pay-per-view in his life in the US which is the most important market - and make him an offer.' Bidarian quoted $10million for the fight, with Froch pledging to donate his earnings to charity. In recent interviews promoting his fight against Julio César Chávez Jr, Paul and his team rejected suggestions of facing Froch. KSI Olajide Olatunji, better known by KSI, is another YouTuber that ventured into the world of boxing, arguably being the face of online celebrity fighting before Jake Paul usurped him. KSI's amateur fight with fellow British YouTuber Joe Weller could be seen as the breeding ground for Paul's boxing career, and more general celebrity shenanigans in the sweet science. KSI did convert to a professional fighter, facing Paul's brother Logan Paul on debut, but his most recent fight was a 2023 loss to Tommy Fury, half brother of Tyson Fury. Coincidentally, the only fighter to have defeated Paul is Fury, having done so months before beating KSI. At the time, that made a fight between KSI and Paul quite logical, especially considering the family history. Aside from KSI facing Logan Paul, once as an amateur, once as a pro, Jake Paul defeated Deji Olatunji, the younger brother of KSI. KSI has largely stayed in his own lane when it comes to boxing, competing in his Misfits promotion. He has not fought in almost two years, and any talk of a bout with KSI and Jake Paul has slowly fizzled out. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Guardian
19 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The value of Spain's Patri Guijarro: ‘Watch her play and you can't help but smile'
It's England v Spain again in a major tournament final and most people know the strength of the reigning world champions' midfield. We have Alexia Putellas and we have Aitana Bonmatí. Superstars. But what about that third player? Who is she and what does she do? Well, there is an unwritten rule in Spanish football which says that when Patri Guijarro plays well, so do Spain and Barcelona. Undervalued and indispensable in a midfield triangle with the two Ballon d'Or winners, the Mallorca native has become essential for club and country. 'It's so easy to play alongside her, she makes everything easy,' said the two-time Ballon d'Or winner Putellas earlier at Euro 2025. 'It's a privilege to play with her. She's the best pivot in the world. Every inch of the pitch she covers, she does it with quality and intelligence.' The 27-year-old, who has been with Barcelona since 2015, is so versatile that she can play in other positions – and do it better than those who regularly feature there. When Putellas missed the 2022-23 season with an ACL injury, Barcelona did not sign a replacement for her. Guijarro moved higher up the pitch and Barça brought in Keira Walsh as a holding midfielder. It turned out to be Guijarro's best season in front of goal with the standout performance coming in the Champions League final against Wolfsburg, where her two goals turned the game around to end in a 3-2 win. Vicky López is one of the players who has benefited from featuring in the same side as Guijarro. The teenager was tasked with replacing Bonmatí for Spain's first two games at the Euros and she felt it was very easy to slot in. '[Patri] is one of the best players in the world, but she's always been undervalued in my opinion,' López said before the semi-final against Germany. 'She's the spine of the team and the reason why we all play well. There's passes that only she sees. If you watch her play, you can't help but smile.' Looking at Spain's matches at these Euros, Putellas and Bonmatí have been constantly marked, minimising space in the Spanish attack, but Guijarro has been outstanding both defensively and offensively against the low blocks. Her aggressive high press allows Spain to recover the ball in more advanced positions and, operating nearer the forwards, closing down passes, closing down spaces and taking care of ball recovery, her performances allow Putellas, Bonmatí and the wingers more space and time to start attacks. 'It's not an easy position because it doesn't get the recognition it deserves,' the Spain manager, Montse Tomé, said this week. 'Her humility and hard-working personality, on and off the pitch, allow players such as Bonmatí, Putellas, Vicky, Mariona [Caldentey], and [Clàudia] Pina to play more freely. She's a key part of our team.' The semi-final was a case in point. Germany forced both Putellas and Bonmatí high up the pitch so that they were already on the edge of a crowded penalty area with their backs to goal when they received the ball. Guijarro, however, was deeper in the Germany half with a big part of the pitch in front of her like a chessboard, knowing exactly where she could play the ball and move the pieces in front of her. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion When Spain scored the only goal of the game, Guijarro was pressing high and wide alongside Athenea del Castillo. That forced Sydney Lohmann to attempt a long ball but, with tired legs and the added pressure from the right-back, Ona Batlle, the pass came up short and it was an easy interception for Del Castillo, who made the assist for Bonmatí. Her goal against Italy also showed how important her positioning is against a low block. Caldentey was at the top of the box and had one Italy defender in front of her blocking a pass. Bonmatí was pushed wide with two Italians next to her while Alexia had four opponents nearby. That meant that Guijarro was unmarked on the edge of the box and put Spain ahead with a brilliant first-time finish in the bottom corner. She has the finishing and passing of an attacking midfielder and the defending and composure of a defensive midfielder. She can do it all. Leaving a big impression on people who watch her is how she started her professional career at 17. She was playing for her local side, Collerense, in a match against Barcelona and caught the attention of their manager, Xavi Llorens. He went on to sign her the following summer and she made her debut for the Catalan club in the 2015-16 season. A decade later, she's played over 300 matches for Barcelona, winning 20 major honours in the process, including six league titles and three Champions Leagues. She has remained humble and when she was asked whether she sees herself as a future winner of the Ballon d'Or she said: 'Patri Guijarro, Ballon d'Or winner? No, I don't see it yet.' Another match-winning performance against England on Sunday may go some way towards changing that.
