EXCLUSIVE How Burnley signed Kyle Walker - the inside story: The secret personal reason he chose them, his two huge incentives to keep Clarets up and how he's already helping bring more stars to Turf Moor
Last month, in the restless early hours of a stifling morning – and with his club in the midst of a heavy recruitment drive for their forthcoming Mission Impossible – a senior Burnley executive had what he initially felt was a random thought: 'What about Kyle Walker?'
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South Wales Guardian
6 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
England storm past USA after lightning delays
After beating Argentina 2-0 in South America, the third game of England's tour at Audi Field kicked off an hour late due to an electrical storm in the American capital. Play was then halted near the half-hour mark, with both sets of players spending 40 minutes in the dressing room before the action resumed. That's all from DC 🫡#USAvENG — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) July 20, 2025 England eventually ran out comfortable winners with six tries shared by Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and Gabriel Oghre. George Ford added four conversions and Charlie Atkinson one in a dominant display in which Harlequins flanker Chandler Cunningham-South was outstanding. The US had never beaten England in seven previous attempts, but began on the front foot and engineered some promising field positions. But the Eagles were reduced to 14 by a deliberate knock-on from outside-half Chris Hilsenbeck and England took instant advantage of their extra numbers with an 11th-minute try. Ford kicked to the corner and Langdon was the beneficiary of a driving line-out that the fly-half, winning his 102nd cap, converted. England soon worked another opening and new boy Max Ojomoh slipped in fellow centre Northmore for a simple score with Ford again adding the extras. Alex Dombrandt thought he had extended the lead from the back of a maul, but his effort was ruled out for obstruction and the players were then taken off the field after 29 minutes due to further lightning concerns. When they returned, lightning – this time in the metaphorical sense – struck twice for England as full-back Jack Carpenter was denied a debut try by a Murley knock-on. But England's patience was rewarded in the final play of the first half as Murley spotted a gap to race over. Van Poortvliet, showing his sound positional sense, went over straight after the restart for Ford to convert, and England were camped in the Americans' 22 for most of the second period. The hosts held out until Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, making his first appearance after six months out with a shoulder injury and a two-match ban for a high tackle that saw him miss the Argentina games, sliced through. The Exeter wing showed fine awareness to send Randall over, and Ford's final act before making way for Atkinson was to add another two points. England turned heavily to their bench in the final quarter, but there was no easing off and Bristol hooker Oghre celebrated his first cap with a burst to the line that Atkinson added to. 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.
The Guardian
7 minutes ago
- The Guardian
England outclass USA in dominant win amid lightning delays in Washington DC
On a perfectly unlovely summer's day in Washington DC, amid lasering sunshine, lowering clouds, debilitating humidity and lengthy lightning delays, Steve Borthwick's Lions-light England sweated to a six-try win over the US Eagles. The tourists' run-on team contained three new caps and three more arrived from the bench. It wasn't high art – hard when you wait an hour to kick-off because of lightning, then have to play through a kind of atmospheric soup. But England's Premiership professionals generally performed with precision beyond opponents employed in Major League Rugby, the US pro competition, except centre Dominic Besag, who has a year left at Saint Mary's College, outside San Francisco. The first try took 10 minutes to come. There was a spell of American pressure but the home fly-half, Chris Hilsenbeck, was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and England made use of their own kicks to the corner and driving mauls, hooker Curtis Langdon touching down. Captain George Ford converted. Try two came soon after from another US error, Tom Pittman coughing up possession on his own line before opposing centre Luke Northmore trotted over. Ford converted again. Shortly before the first water break, entirely necessary on a horribly muggy evening, the US drove to the England line but were held up. Shortly before the half-hour, England No 8 Alex Dombrandt appeared to have scored from another driving maul, only to be denied for obstruction. And then … lightning struck, again, and the teams followed protocol, again, and jogged their way off the field. Fans jogged after them, to jammed concourse bars. When it was safe to come back out, the players had to warm up again. Senate vote-a-ramas have flown by faster. Senators sometimes have to be found in the bars of Capitol Hill. Here, a fair few fans failed to come back at all. Play resumed with the Eagles on defense. They stayed there, under the cosh at the scrum and with England flanker Chandler Cunningham-South a nuisance in the mauls. One steal led to what appeared to be a scrappy try for Joe Carpenter, the debutant full-back, until video found a knock-on. There was no problem with the wing Caden Murley's finish for England's third, after snappish moves directed by Ford. His third conversion went wide and that, finally, was the half, 19-0 to England. England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet scooted over shortly after the restart, beneficiary of the US wing Toby Fricker shooting out of the line. Ford converted. It took a while for the fifth try to arrive, but it did, through a break by wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and support from Harry Randall, the substitute scrum-half. Ford converted for 33-0. Gabriel Oghre, the replacement hooker and a new cap, scored next from a maul and another bench new boy, Charlie Atkinson, converted. The game ended with the Eagles dragging themselves forwards, in search of consolation. They got it, flanker Christian Poidevin (son of Wallaby legend Simon) running a clever switchback from a lineout to put Shilo Klein, the replacement hooker, over the England line. The conversion was wide, the game was done. With World Cups on US soil in 2031 (men) and 2033 (women), World Rugby could do with a more competitive product. Nonetheless, executives say they are in for the long haul. Before Saturday's DC doubleheader, which did feature a compelling contest between the US women and Fiji, chief executive Alan Gilpin told reporters 'about $275m is earmarked right now over the next five-six years' for investment in the US. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion That money will go into 'everything from community rugby building with USA Rugby and their various community groups through to social, digital, building around the matches that we bring here,' Gilpin said. 'It's not just about putting one-off matches in Washington or Chicago. It's about building those audiences.' At Audi Field, the attendance was given as 15,198 for the women's game, a US record, and 19,079 for the men, representing total tickets scanned. On the concourse, unscientific polling revealed that among the usual colorful riot of fans from all corners of the American game – high schools, colleges, clubs, LGBTQ+, older fans – not all had come solely to see Ilona Maher. But she was a major draw for sure. Against Fiji, the social media star who was this week named ESPYs Breakthrough Athlete of the Year generated roars each time she ran from outside centre. Against battling, skilful opponents, her Eagles started strongly but found themselves holding on to win, 31-24. Maher made the tackle that killed the last Fijian attack. The crowd loved it.
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
Man Utd transfer news LIVE: Barcelona AGREE Rashford deal, Mbeumo MEDICAL, AC Milan ‘want Hojlund'
MANCHESTER UNITED are in for a massive summer of transfers at Old Trafford! Barcelona have AGREED a deal to sign Marcus Rashford, who has been told he is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford. On the incomings, the Red Devils have now AGREED a deal for Brentford's 20-goal forward Bryan Mbeumo worth £65million. Elsewhere, AC Milan are reportedly interested in a move for striker Rasmus Hojlund.
