‘We need to make sure we're winning to get to these tournaments' – Will Smallbone sees progress on Irish road to World Cup
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Everton vow to make Jack Grealish star man as loanee is promised days in supporting cast at Man City are over
Jack Grealish hopes to revive his 2026 World Cup hopes at Everton JACK ATTACK Everton vow to make Jack Grealish star man as loanee is promised days in supporting cast at Man City are over JACK GREALISH is being given a licence to thrill at Everton as he aims to reignite his career. The attacker, 29, had a disappointing debut with a 20-minute cameo in Monday's 1-0 loss at Leeds. 2 Everton believe they can revive Manchester City loanee Jack Grealish's career Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images 2 Grealish is hoping to revive his 2026 World Cup hopes at Everton Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images Advertisement But Toffees skipper James Tarkowski believes Grealish — on a season loan from Manchester City — will soon become their go-to guy. And he can announce himself on Sunday by downing Brighton at the official opening of the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tarkowski, 32, said: 'I've played against him so I know he's quality. 'He can take the ball anywhere — carry it, dribble, create and pass — and he's one of the strongest I've faced. Advertisement 'We'll give him the ball as much as we can to use his magic.' Boss David Moyes is also backing Grealish, who can play down the left or as a No 10. The Scot added: 'He could easily play as a midfielder, too, but I want his goals and creativity.' Grealish struggled at Man City last season and was barely used by manager Pep Guardiola. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The England international only managed a mere three goals and five assists in 32 appearances last term. The versatile forward counts a total of 17 goals and 23 assists in 157 appearances since his arrival from Aston Villa in 2021. Emotional Jack Grealish spotted pouring heart out to beloved Man City fans after Oasis gig Grealish's move to Everton is seen by various pundits as a second chance ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
England U21 ace Jonathan Rowe backed by Mason Greenwood and Marseille team as Rabiot brawl sees stars transfer listed
Two Premier League clubs are interested in signing Rowe MASE ON THE CASE MASE ON THE CASE England U21 ace Jonathan Rowe backed by Mason Greenwood and Marseille team as Rabiot brawl sees stars transfer listed ENGLAND Under-21s star Jonathan Rowe has been backed by Marseille team-mates over his bust-up with Adrien Rabiot. Both are suspended and have been transfer-listed by the French club. 3 Jonathan Rowe has been transfer listed by Marseille following a clash with Adrien Rabiot Credit: Alamy 3 Mason Greenwood has backed Rowe following the incident Credit: Reuters Both are suspended and have been transfer-listed by the French club. The pair clashed in the dressing room after Friday's opening 1-0 Ligue 1 loss at Rennes. Ex-Norwich winger Rowe, 22, now looks increasingly likely to join Bologna. Yet sources claim Rowe, who joined Marseille from the Canaries 12 months ago, did not instigate the row which saw both players come to blows. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL STRIKE OUT England U21 ace 'SUSPENDED after dressing room scrap with World Cup winner' Stunned team-mates who witnessed it included former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood — and the blame was put on Rabiot. Neither are now training with the first team ahead of Saturday's home clash with Paris FC. Marseille said the pair's punishment was 'due to unacceptable behaviour and in accordance with the club's internal code of conduct'. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 3 Rabiot allegedly instigated the clash Credit: Reuters
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Brian O'Driscoll urges Ireland women to make the most of World Cup opportunity
Brian O'Driscoll has been here. Four times, to be exact. Playing the waiting game. Over eleven weeks have come and gone since the Ireland women's team started their prep for a World Cup that, for them, will finally get going on Sunday in Northampton. The gruelling pre-season is behind them, so too their pair of warm-up games. The edge that comes with squad selection passed last Monday week, the giddiness of the kit selection and the flight to England is in the rear-view mirror. This week will mirror the daily schedule of any other match week, but it's not the same. This is a World Cup and O'Driscoll's advice is for the 32 players to enjoy it, and to make sure that they see it not as a stress but as the opportunity of a lifetime. 'You get to play for your country in a World Cup and you want to deliver your best performance and back yourself and believe in yourself. Enjoy it all, not just the games, but being in another country, in each other's company, at a World Cup. 'There's going to be great support in the UK. The England team is on a real high, there will be huge numbers attending the games, so enjoy all the adulation and the autographs and the pictures and all that comes with it. It is the time of your life, it really is.' None of his four experiences ended as he would have wanted and, if that colours his own memories of global get togethers, then he still has a lasting fondness for the tournaments in Australia in 2003 and New Zealand eight years later. 'Great times. It was just such a shame in 2011 especially that the result didn't match the feel, how tight we were. We had such a laugh, we really did.' This is new ground for most of Scott Bemand's squad. The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 runs from 22 August to 27 September in eight cities across England, kicking off with England vs USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. Pic: Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland Only Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald has played at a World Cup before and that was eight years ago. Bemand himself has said lately that the Australian hosting in 2029 was uppermost in his mind when taking this job. The job he has done since has been sterling with a Six Nations wooden spoon before arrival in the spring of 2023 magicking into a shock defeat of the world champion Black Ferns at the WXV1s in the autumn of 2024. The form guide since has been mixed with heavy defeats to England and Canada, a what-if defeat to France and a poor loss to Scotland offset by some encouraging patches in all of those games and a few wins elsewhere. Even so, O'Driscoll has been surprised by the speed of the upswing on the back of a chapter where they failed to make the 2021 World Cup and dozens of players past and present wrote to government to criticise the IRFU's handling of the women's game. 'Yeah, I am a bit. I was part of the Rugby World Cup board for that last cycle and I was down at that incredible World Cup final in Auckland between New Zealand and England and it hits you that we're not a part of all this. 'As a player, you know that the Six Nations is huge but World Cups are where you want to pitch yourself and if you have to wait eight years for that then it is a long time, so it's impressive how far they've come now. 'I don't want to get into that old territory of letters to government but I think credit to the IRFU and [CEO] Kevin Potts in turning it around. And they got Scott Bemand to come in and deliver confidence and belief. 'The messaging has been good and then the emergence of some big players coming through, particularly the likes of Aoife Wafer coming through and showing what she is capable of. So it's been kind of multifaceted, but it's a pleasant surprise.' There isn't any sugar-coating here. Ask him to rate the team in a wider context and he speaks of the 'big gulf' between the top sides and the mezzanine level below where Ireland sit. But he does see evidence of a growing strength in depth in the global game. Recent tournaments have thrown up mesmeric deciders and a few good semi-finals but too many pool games with yawning disparities. All of which is familiar to anyone who has watched the same stages of the men's tournament down the years. 'You think about Japan being beaten 145-17 by New Zealand when Marc Ellis scored six tries and I don't know if he ever played for the All Blacks again. That's an iteration of where the game is going. 'It takes time for different sides to become competitive and garner belief and for all the factors at play to get them to a competitive place. So it does feel as though the women's game is kind of where the men's game was when it went professional 30 years ago.' Brian O'Driscoll and Lynne Cantwell have teamed up to celebrate Defender as Principal Partner for the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025
