Saturday sport: Lions thrash Western Force, All Ireland Football quarter-finals
Rugby
The British and Irish Lions have strolled to a big victory to open their tour of Australia.
They stormed to a 54-7 win over Western Force in Perth.
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Dan Sheehan, Garry Ringrose and Joe McCarthy all crossed over for tries for Andy Farrell's team.
Scrum-half Tomos Williams went off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the second-half.
The three-Test series against Australia begins on the 19th of July with 4 more warm up games to come.
MOTM 🍾
That was some performance from Joe McCarthy today ⭐️
Watch every match live on
@SkySports
.
#Lions2025
pic.twitter.com/3l2oUSdNBi
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial)
June 28, 2025
GAA
A place in the All Ireland Football championship semi-finals is up for grabs.
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Rivals Donegal and Monaghan face off in the opening game of the day with throw in at Croke Park at 4pm.
Then Tyrone and Dublin face off at HQ with throw in at 6:15pm.
The final round of group matches takes place in the All-Ireland senior camogie championship this afternoon.
At 2pm in Group One, Cork will look to maintain their 100-percent record against Wexford while Tipperary go up against Clare from 3pm.
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The clash between Galway and Waterford is just underway in Group Two while Dublin go up against Derry in an hour's time.
Semple Stadium in Thurles is the venue for tonight's All-Ireland minor hurling championship final.
Clare play Waterford, with throw-in at 5.15pm.
Soccer
Lee Carsley's England have the chance to win a second successive European under-21 Championship crown.
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They take on Germany in the final, with kick-off at 8pm in Bratislava.
Chelsea are in last 16 action at the Club World Cup tonight.
Enzo Maresca's side face Benfica from 9pm Irish time in Charlotte.
Golf
Leona Maguire and playing partner Jennifer Kupcho hold a one shot lead heading into day 3 of the Dow Championship on the LPGA Tour.
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Yesterday's excellent round of 60 leaves them on 13 under par so far and just ahead of Gemma Dryburgh and Cassie Porter
Maguire's team, nicknamed the Irish Goodbyes, will take to the course for their third round in Michigan just before 7pm Irish time.
Padraig Harrington is looking to win his second US Senior Open tournament in 3 years this weekend.
The Irishman is in a share of the lead after shooting a second consecutive round of 67 to lie on 6 under par after two rounds.
He's joined at the top of the leaderboard by Stewart Cink and Mark Hensby.
Harrington lifted the title back in 2022.
Racing
There's racing at the Curragh this afternoon.
The first is off at a 1:15pm.
Meanwhile, British racing legend Barry Hills has died at the age of 88.
The Englishman began training in 1969 and continued to have winners up until his retirement in 2011 with 3,000 victories in all under his belt.
His most notable successes were four victories across both Guineas, a St Leger, an Oaks and a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Barry was also father to Classic-winning jockeys Michael and Richard Hills and has been remembered as "a great figure of our sport" by the British Horseracing Authority.
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The Guardian
37 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Glory and Fury to Devils and Dolphins: Australian team names come full circle
The naming trends for Australian professional sports teams have come full circle, as fans and officials overlook vibe-driven monikers like Glory and the plurally-challenged Power or Storm to return to animals that bite, some 30 years after one of the great sports marketing revolutions took hold. The three most recent expansion announcements in the NRL and AFL have revived classic animal mascots, through the Perth Bears, Tasmania Devils and Dolphins from Redcliffe. The Tasmania JackJumpers spearheaded this return to more conservative, fauna-driven naming conventions for their entry to the NBL in 2019, even if the creature selected left mainlanders scratching their heads. Paul Kind, chief executive of marketing agency Total Sport & Entertainment and a former NRL executive, says that announcement signalled a shift in Australian sport. 'My immediate reaction was, 'oh my god, what have they just done, how have they gone from a blank sheet of paper and come up with JackJumpers?',' he says. 'But I now give them a huge amount of credit for it. It's got to feel like something local fans are proud to associate with, and the fact that it was uniquely Tasmanian connected with their community in a way that anyone who wasn't from Tasmania could possibly imagine.' The JackJumpers' on and off-court success – selling out more than 50 home games in a row and winning the NBL title in 2024 – was closely observed by those working on the state's AFL expansion bid. 'When the name of the JackJumpers was announced, there was a lot of pushback about that,' says Kath McCann, executive director of the club now known as the Tasmania Devils. 'It's become incredibly powerful, not just because of the attributes of the creature, but the philosophy of how they play and the success that they've experienced.' While the NRL's Bears and Dolphins were decisions by officials to resuscitate older brands, the growing appetite from fans for animals was highlighted by the statewide fan survey for the new AFL club run at the end of 2023. Across 6,000 open-ended questionnaires, 68% of fans proposed the Devils. Critters also dominated the next most-backed options: 9% put forward the Turbo Chooks, otherwise known as the Tasmanian native hen and the subject of a lighthearted campaign, and 6% suggested the Tigers despite the existence of Richmond in the competition already. McCann says there was a 'long tail' of suggestions, but the state's distinctive range of native fauna was the source of most – but not all – options. 'The orange-bellied parrot definitely found its way into the list, the handfish – quite a few fish actually, the Trouts were in there,' she says. 'The one that I thought was really interesting was the Auroras.' In the race for NRL expansion during 2021, the Dolphins beat bids from entities dubbed the Firehawks – a bird that spreads fires to help it hunt – and the Bombers to become the NRL's 17th team in 2023. The Hunters has been mooted as a possible name for the NRL's PNG franchise joining in 2028, though a nationwide poll will help make the final decision. 'It must be a name that at least 50%, 60% or 70% of the country supports,' PNG prime minister James Marape said last week. 'It must not just be a name, there must be a motif behind the name.' These discussions are a long way from a trend kickstarted by Perth Glory 30 years ago which opened up less precise, more abstract concepts as sporting nicknames. At the time an advertising executive called Jim Davies was responsible for the development of the new football club's brand. According to WA's Football Hall of Fame, he received over 800 suggestions which were whittled down to five: Flyers, Storm, Predators, Red Backs and Glory. The latter was chosen to differentiate an entity wanted to be known as 'contemporary'. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Arguably, a more creative outlook to naming conventions began even earlier, when in 1992 Adelaide basketball officials proposed the Lightning, a term both singular and plural. Although it was a novel name in Australian sport, the Lightning was actually chosen for its connection to history. William Light was the colonial administrator who in 1836 had chosen the city's location, and the new WNBL side echoed the city's NBL team, the 36ers. 'We liked the connection and the history,' former Opal and Lightning legend Rachael Sporn says. 'Then obviously, with lightning, you think of energy and power, so we loved the name right from the start.' Not long afterwards, Melbourne Storm and Port Adelaide Power both appeared, debuting non-traditional, singular nouns in Australia's most popular sporting competitions. Port Adelaide – known as the Magpies in the SANFL – were forced to look at creative solutions given the presence of Collingwood in the AFL, while the Melbourne NRL franchise launched a competition for suggestions. Young fan Cameron Duncan was pronounced the winner. However, Duncan revealed on a Melbourne Storm online forum last year his entry was simply the first one picked out that matched the named already chosen by club officials. Duncan wasn't able to attend the promotion where he was to be awarded his prize because he was watching the preliminary final defeat of his beloved Footscray in the AFL, now – for geographic marketing reasons – known as the Western Bulldogs. WNBL club Townsville Fire and later Bendigo Spirit, A-League clubs Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar and North Queensland Fury, along with Super Rugby club Western Force, leaned into this fresh approach, which reached its zenith during the conception of the BBL. Cricket Australia was desperate to distance the new T20 competition from the sport's conservative roots, and adopted eight radical names, two of which were vaguely singular – Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder. Another two were weather-inspired – Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers. The Sydney Sixers echoed naming trends in basketball, but demanded some logical generosity in cricket. Kind, who was working at the NRL in this period, says those unorthodox names reflected a specific marketing requirement. 'The BBL teams had permission to be a bit off-the-cuff and a bit more 'out there', because they were trying to present cricket differently at the time, they were trying to tip cricket on its head,' he says. At around the same time, NRL expansion side Gold Coast was finding its feet in the NRL. Their name the Titans had been selected ahead of the Stingers and Pirates, part of a brief theme of mythical beings like the GWS Giants and SE Melbourne Phoenix. 'The Titans were never going to be the Dolphins,' Kind says. 'They could have easily resonated with the Gold Coast community, but it wasn't cool to be an animal back then.'
The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ex-Wimbledon champion Annabel Croft on downsizing after her husband's sudden death & the truth behind new man rumours
Former tennis champ and broadcasting royalty Annabel Croft on downsizing after the loss of her husband, why Strictly was a lifeline, and who to watch at Wimbledon Annabel Croft is in a taxi on her way home after a corporate speaking engagement, fresh from a day of commentating at London's Queen's Club. 6 6 It's 8:45pm, yet the former tennis pro is still brimming with energy. Is stamina her superpower? 'It does feel a bit like that,' she laughs. 'But this is peak season for me – and I love it.' As one of the BBC's most respected faces of tennis programming, Annabel covers tournaments around the globe including the Wimbledon Championships, which start tomorrow. And the day before she steps on to Centre Court to host the trophy ceremony for a third year running, Annabel will celebrate her 59th birthday, plus a major milestone in her sporting career. ' I'll be 59 on the penultimate day of Wimbledon, and that marks 50 years since I first picked up a racket at the age of nine,' she says, remembering the first time she gave tennis a go during a family holiday to Spain in 1975. She went on to win junior versions of Wimbledon and the Australian Open and represented Great Britain in the Federation Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup), becoming one of the world's Top 25 players, before quitting at 21 after growing tired of travelling the world alone. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now I'm on my own' Today, 38 years on, Annabel is encountering similar feelings again, two years since losing her husband Mel, 60, to cancer. At the five-bedroom family home that Mel built, she occupies just the kitchen and her bedroom, saying she no longer 'needs very much'. 'It's taken me back to living on my own before Mel came into my life, as that 15-year-old playing at Wimbledon for the first time, travelling the world on planes and across America on Greyhound buses. 'I've gone full circle to that person, because I've had to,' says Annabel, who has spent the past few months sorting and decluttering in readiness to move. I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need. 'The house has been my life for 25 years. Everything about it is Mel, because he built it. We've had amazing memories here that are impossible to forget, but I'm ready to go,' she says, admitting she is looking forward to 'simplifying' her life. 'What gives me pleasure is going for a morning walk in the park, running with my friends, having a coffee, a meal out and being with my family. "I've realised I don't need much any more. I don't want overheads, maintenance, a garden to look after and pay for – anything that is excess to what I need.' Annabel's journey with America's Cup yachtsman Mel began in 1987, when they met filming BBC yachting series Cudmore's Call, when she was just 21. "The pair went on to have three children, Amber, now 31, Charlie, 29, and Lily, 27. 'I've lived my whole adult life with Mel, and now it's a weird thing to be doing [life] on my own,' she says. 'I just walk into an empty house, so I try to trick my brain into thinking about when Mel was out at a work function and I'd come into the house on my own. Only, every night it is like this. 'Thankfully, I'm busy – that's always been the same and that's helpful.' Annabel remembers the days and nights she devoted to training during the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing soon after losing Mel, who died in May 2023, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. Partnered with South African dancer and choreographer Johannes Radebe, 38, the pair reached the semi-finals and the BBC show became a lifeline and welcome distraction. 'I wish I could find some way of replacing Strictly in my life in terms of what that show was to me. "It was so special and joyful,' she says, choosing not to be drawn on recent Strictly controversies, specifically surrounding pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who quit over bullying claims. Since then, duty-of-care measures have been introduced, including a 24-hour helpline and chaperones in rehearsal rooms. 'I think having a permanent chaperone would have been quite restrictive [when it comes to building] the relationship between you and the dancer,' says Annabel. 'I would have found it quite awkward, but if that's what you know, then that's all you know.' Annabel speaks regularly to Johannes, who she says she 'adores'. But what of the friend she shared a lunch date with in April, sparking speculation of a new romantic connection? 'He's my bank manager and a great friend who was also close to Mel,' sighs Annabel. 'We were looking at photographs of Mel together. Mel adored him and he's been really helpful to me.' 'Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer' Family is everything to Annabel – and now, that family is growing. In September, her eldest daughter Amber will welcome her first child. 'It feels like yesterday that I was cradling my baby [Amber] in my arms, feeding her, bathing her and taking her to nursery school. "I can't believe that same baby is now having a baby herself!' says Annabel, who hopes the birth will be before her nationwide speaking tour starts. 'I leave on September 24, so I hope the baby isn't late because I want to be supporting with cooking and helping out. Amber was 10 days early, so I'm hoping that her baby will be, too!' Amber married husband Hector last summer and, in August, it's son Charlie's turn to tie the knot. But Annabel will not be imparting marital advice. 'I can't bear hearing people talking about how to make a marriage work,' she says. 'If you have to try and make it work, there's something wrong. "Marriage should just be, and if you're compatible with somebody and enjoy their company, you go on the journey together.' I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer. Raised in Kent by her club-level-tennis-playing dad James, a chartered surveyor, and mum Susan, a housewife, Annabel was hooked from the moment she first picked up that racket aged nine. 'I remember gazing out of maths class at the sports pitches, because all I wanted to do was to be out there. "I was very shy and introverted and had no interest in academics. Sport was my chance to feel like I had something to offer,' she says. This summer, with women's sport sitting front and centre of a blockbuster line-up of events, Annabel hopes young girls feel inspired, just as she was watching tennis rivals Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. 'From women's tennis returning to the Queen's Club for the first time in 50 years and players excelling at Wimbledon, to the Lionesses defending their title at the Women's Euros and female cricketers and rugby stars competing at their World Cups, these moments matter. 'Visibility drives engagement. Sport gave me so much, and it can do the same for the next generation of young girls.' Annabel made history at 15 when she became the youngest Brit in nearly a century to play in the Wimbledon main draw. At 18, she reached the third round, facing her idol Chris Evert on Court One – one of her 'most defining' career moments – and won Junior Wimbledon Singles that same year. 'I'll always be part of Wimbledon history and that makes me proud' But, aged 21, she stunned the tennis world by walking away. 'Ever since, people have come up to me and asked: 'Why did you stop so early?'' she says, explaining that she 'fell out of love' with the job. 'I didn't want to live that circus lifestyle any more,' she adds, admitting the decision was unplanned. 'I shudder now, thinking: 'How did I do that with such conviction but without any idea of what I was going to do?' "I didn't have an education or a plan. I was young and naive, and hadn't actually thought beyond that moment.' Fortunately, life after tennis served her well. After five years starring in pantomime, which built her confidence, Annabel found her stride in television, starring in Channel 4's adventure series Network Seven, before replacing Anneka Rice on Treasure Hunt in 1989. Once digital sports channels emerged, Annabel returned to her tennis roots, becoming a tennis presenter and pundit, first for Eurosport, then Sky Sports and the BBC. These days, as a member of the All England Club, she still plays 'two or three times a week'. Occasionally, she gives friends guided tours, ending at the Wimbledon trophy cabinet, where her junior title is enshrined. 'At the time, it didn't mean that much to me, but it does now. I'll always be in that trophy cabinet, which is part of Wimbledon history,' she says. 'That makes me proud.' Does she regret not staying to win the women's title? 'Of course, I would have loved to have won the main trophy, but I made a decision that I didn't want to chase that dream any more. "I regret that I didn't understand what I was doing at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?' Annabel lights up again as we discuss the players to watch at this year's Wimbledon Championships, namely Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 22, as well as British sensations Jack Draper, 23, and Emma Raducanu, 22 – who was the last Brit standing last month in the new WTA 500 event, the first time women's tennis had been played at the Queen's Club since 1973. Annabel has also got her eye on American player Coco Gauff, 21. 'She's had her ups and downs on her journey in tennis, but I admire her as a character and a player – her attitude, work ethic and how she's battled through challenges,' she says of young French Open winner, Coco. A woman after her own heart. . . Annabel's nationwide 28-date tour starts September 25. For tickets, go to 6
The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
Rivals star duo Danny Dyer & Emily Atack line up big money deal to present top secret new Saturday night gameshow
RIVALS duo Danny Dyer and Emily Atack have been signed up by ITV as a presenting duo for a top secret new Saturday night gameshow. Ex-EastEnder Danny, 47, and The Inbetweeners star Emily, 35, will film the project this year, with the series set to air in 2026. 4 4 The pair, who appear together on Disney+ drama Rivals — based on Jilly Cooper's bonkbuster books — will each bag a rumoured £250,000 for their efforts. On the raunchy Rivals series, Danny plays Cockney businessman Freddy Jones, while Emily is opportunist MP's wife Sarah Stratton. An insider said: 'Bosses have been impressed with Danny and Emily's charisma on Rivals and thought they'd make an amazing duo on-screen to freshen up their entertainment talent. 'They're an unlikely pair but have appeared on a few panel shows together and have plenty of fun energy that is perfect for the tone that ITV want to set. 'Producers are keen to trial new presenting partnerships to get people talking, and both Emily and Danny have huge appeal.' Danny hosted BBC gameshow The Wall from 2019 to 2022. He was on ITV show The Assembly in April, winning plaudits for his honesty and vulnerability. 4 4 I'm A Celebrity runner-up Emily was on ITV2's Celebrity Juice as a team captain from 2020 to 2022 and has also hosted her own stand-up show. She was nominated for a BAFTA TV moment of the year in Rivals for a nude tennis scene in 2024. She and Danny's partnership comes amid an overhaul of ITV's entertainment roster, with Dancing on Ice and Ninja Warrior shelved as new formats are launched such as reality gameshow The Neighbourhood with Graham Norton, and The Summit — a reality show hosted by Ben Shephard. The source added: 'ITV is constantly trying to create the next big show and duo. It's about getting the chemistry just right.'
