
Rugby-Fiji trample over undermanned Scotland in Suva
Missing eight players on British & Irish Lions duty, the Scots conceded three yellow cards and were a man down for the last 14 minutes when winger Darcy Graham was sent to the sin-bin for an off-side penalty.
Graham's infringement gave the Fijians a penalty try and a 15-point lead that proved unassailable.
The Fijians' third win over Scotland turned around their 57-17 thrashing in the teams' previous meeting in Edinburgh in November.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
36 minutes ago
- The Star
Cycling-First mountain test as Tour de France enters Massif Central
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 9 - Chinon to Chateauroux - Chinon, France - July 13, 2025 UAE Team Emirates XRG's Tim Wellens wearing the polka-dot jersey in action in the peloton during stage 9 REUTERS/Benoit Tessier CHATEAUROUX, France (Reuters) -The Tour de France riders face a stern test as the 112th edition of the race enters the Massif Central for the 10th stage on Monday, with 4,450 metres of climbing awaiting them. Following a tough and hectic opening week, with some difficult stages, the peloton will ride 165.3km between Ennezat and Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, tackling eight categorised climbs including the uphill finish. "All day long, we'll be going up and down climbs all the time," race director Thierry Gouvenou said. "You'll need to be in top shape if you hope to shine on this kind of course. "The riders in the general classification will be aiming to win the stage and make up time for the final overall classification." Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar leads the general classification by 54 seconds ahead of Belgium's Remco Evenepoel while two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard sits fourth, trailing the yellow jersey by one minute and 17 seconds. "A lot of things can happen," defending champion Pogacar told a press conference on Sunday when asked about the 10th stage. "All the day up and down. I think there will be some attacks from GC (general classification) riders." His team principal Mauro Gianetti said Monday's stage was a key moment in the Tour. "It's very important because it's a stage with about 4,500 metres of climbing," Gianetti told Reuters. "There will be a lot of battles, a lot of attacks. It's going to be a very intense day." Pogacar will miss his best domestique in the mountains as Portugal's Joao Almeida withdrew on Sunday after crashing on Friday. Retired French rider Pierre Rolland, who won two Tour de France stages, said Monday could be a tougher day than the high-mountain stages starting on Thursday. "It's going to be a very, very difficult stage. There's no respite. It's almost harder than a high-mountain stage because the course is so hilly," he told Reuters. "There won't be a gap of minutes between the favourites but there may be a few seconds." Monday's stage should give some insight into Vingegaard's shape. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider suffered a blow during the stage-five time trial, losing more than a minute on Pogacar but has managed to follow the world champion's wheel in every punchy finish. After the stage comes the first rest day of the Tour, on Tuesday. (Reporting by Vincent Daheron; editing by Clare Fallon)


New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Merlier at the double as Van der Poel denied at Tour de France stage nine
CHATEAUROUX, France: Tim Merlier won stage nine of the Tour de France at Chateauroux on Sunday after a heroic long-range escape from Mathieu van der Poel was caught in the final kilometre. There was no change atop the overall standings with Tadej Pogacar now holding a 54sec advantage over Remco Evenepoel in second with French starlet Kevin Vauquelin third. This was a second win for Soudal Quick-Step sprinter Merlier who was first across the line on stage three at Dunkirk as he racked up a 12th stage win this year. On a sun drenched slog from the Chinon vineyards, Van der Poel and a teammate broke early and built up a lead of 5min 30sec on the flat roads to Chateauroux. Jonas Rickaert won the combativity award for accompanying Van der Poel to within 10km of the line before slumping over his handlebars. With his gung-ho all-in style Van der Poel grew his Tour de France legend here despite being caught with 700m to go, the plaudits will be both his and Merlier's. As Van der Poel was reeled in, it looked as though Jonathan Milan would win a second consecutive stage but Merlier got ahead with 50m remaining as Milan finished second with Arnaud De Lie completing the podium. Pogacar's Tour de France defence took a hit Sunday as his key teammate Joao Almeida threw in the towel two days after his nasty fall at the Mur de Bretagne, where he fractured a rib. Monday's stage 10 should shake up the race with eight classified climbs in the Massif Central on the July 14 French national holiday. Road signs in honour of British cycling great Mark Cavendish had been placed at entry points to Chateauroux -- reading Cavendish City -- in homage to the now-retired 40-year-old, after he won three stages there in 2008, 2011 and 2021. - AFP


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cycling-Merlier edges Milan in sprint finish to win stage nine of Tour de France
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 9 - Chinon to Chateauroux - Chinon, France - July 13, 2025 Soudal Quick-Step's Tim Merlier celebrates winning stage 9 REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier