Will Edinburgh make play-offs? What's behind Glasgow dip?
Tom English and Andy Burke look back on contrasting form for Edinburgh and Glasgow in the URC, answer audience questions and preview a big weekend ahead.Listen and subscribe to the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast
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BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Villa interested in Sancho - Thursday's gossip
Aston Villa show Jadon Sancho interest, Newcastle make Burnley's James Trafford their top target and Liverpool consider Anthony Gordon Villa have become the latest club to show an interest in signing England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, from Manchester United following his loan at Chelsea. (Teamtalk), externalNewcastle United have made Burnley and England goalkeeper James Trafford, 22, their top target this summer. (Times - subscription required), externalLiverpool are not looking to sell Colombia winger Luis Diaz, 28, and have received no offers, despite reported interest from Barcelona and Saudi side Al-Nassr. (Times - subscription required), externalBut should Diaz leave, Newcastle's £80m-rated England winger Anthony Gordon, 24, is being seriously considered by Liverpool as a replacement. (Teamtalk), externalArne Slot's Liverpool could also compete with Arsenal to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, with the 22-year-old Slovenia striker the subject of a £67m bid from the Gunners. (TBR Football), externalHarvey Elliott is most likely to join a Serie A club if the English midfielder, 22, leaves Liverpool this summer. (Football Insider), externalEverton would have to match Thierno Barry's release clause of 40m euros (£33.7m) to sign the French striker from Villarreal. (Teamtalk), externalChelsea are unwilling to pay the £25m AC Milan want for their 29-year-old France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. (Standard), externalBrentford will look to appoint Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna if current manager Thomas Frank leaves to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. (Football Insider), externalWest Ham have contacted Club Brugge about signing 24-year-old Nigeria midfielder Raphael Onyedika, but face competition from AC Milan. (TBR Football), externalManchester City and Barcelona have expressed an interest in Arsenal's 15-year-old English midfield prospect Max Dowman. (FootballTransfers), external
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Ronaldo ends Germany duck - where next in his 1,000 goals pursuit?
There aren't many things Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't done but beating Germany was one of them - until Ronaldo popped up with the winner in the Nations League semi-final in Munich, it extended his record goalscoring total - and ended a long was the 40-year-old's 137th international goal in 220 caps, and his 937th strike in all three of those totals are men's until now Ronaldo had never experienced a worse record at international level against any other played Germany five times, losing all five - with Portugal last beating them at Euro 2000. But that is now five from means England take the record of the country Ronaldo has played the most times without beating - three (all draws). Although the biggest caveat in the world is needed here. Portugal won two of the three 'draws' on penalties - the Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup quarter-finals. After Germany, the nation Ronaldo has suffered defeat against most is France - with four his Portugal side most famously beat France in the Euro 2016 final, and there have been three draws (although that includes a penalty shootout defeat).Ronaldo's goalscoring record against Germany was also poor with just one goal in those five meetings, a total of 450 minutes. That is now two in 540 minutes (so one every 270 minutes).Funnily enough it was against German clubs where he excelled the most in the Champions League, with 28 goals in 26 games. Where next for Ronaldo? After Sunday's Nations League final against either France or Spain - who meet on Thursday in Stuttgart (20:00 BST) it is not entirely clear where Ronaldo's club future has been playing for Saudi club Al-Nassr for the past two and a half years but his contract expires this their final game of the season, he wrote on social media: "This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all."That led many to presume Ronaldo was leaving president Gianni Infantino had said "there are discussions" over Ronaldo playing at the Club World Cup this had failed to qualify - but he would be able to join another team in it, even if just on a short-term side Botafogo were the most strongly now multiple media outlets report that Ronaldo is likely to sign a new contract with Al-Nassr, tying him to the club until he is 42. Can Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals? Ronaldo needs 63 more goals to become the first player to reach 1,000 legends Pele and Romario both claimed to have scored more than 1,000 goals but they included many unofficial matches, including friendlies - so neither are recognised scored 35 goals for Al-Nassr last season - so would reach the landmark in less than two years if he keeps up that goalscoring rate.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Bopara inspires Northants, Foxes edge out Lightning
Ravi Bopara produced a T20 batting masterclass to inspire Northamptonshire Steelbacks to victory in an entertaining, high-scoring contest against Derbyshire ex-England batter hit an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls to help the hosts recover from 24-3 and set a target of 195, which Derbyshire fell just seven runs short in the the North Group, Leicestershire Foxes ended Lancashire Lightning's 100% winning start to the season with a five-wicket win in a hard-fought encounter at Old who were looking to make it four wins from four, set a target of 146 but the Foxes kept their composure to chase it down with nine balls to spare. Match scorecards Steelbacks remain unbeaten, Falcons still without a win Northamptonshire Steelbacks arrived at the County Ground in Derby having won their first two games to face a Falcons side who lost their was Derbyshire who took charge in the early stages as Northamptonshire lost three wickets inside the opening five overs to slip to skipper David Willey and Bopara steadied the ship with a quickfire 75 partnership as Willey hit three sixes on his way to 37 before he holed out to Pat Brown at deep mid-wicket off Martin Andersson's first Zaib fell for seven but Bopara stepped on the gas, ably supported by Lewis McManus who contributed a useful 29 from 17 Steelbacks racked up 67 runs from the final four overs, including 24 off the last of the innings from Zak Chappell in which Bopara hit three sixes and a left the Falcons with something of a mini mountain to climb, but one which they so nearly reply could not have got off to a worse start when Aneurin Donald spooned one up to Luke Procter off Willey to be dismissed after two balls for the second game in a 0-1 became 12-2, and then 33-3 as David Lloyd and Wayne Madsen both fell without really troubling the Samit Patel. An excellent partnership of 114 between Patel and opener Caleb Jewell gave the Falcons a sniff of pulling off an excellent chase until Jewell was caught by Justin Broad off Procter for 71 from 44 skipper Patel was not to be perturbed and battled on valiantly to try and drag his side over the line, smashing four sixes and nine fours as he made an unbeaten 83. Ross Whiteley came in at the end to hit 15 from 8 balls but Derbyshire were six runs shy of at least tying a thrilling contest. Ahmed outshines Anderson at Old Trafford James Anderson marked his first T20 game for 11 years in style on Sunday, taking 3-17 as Lancashire beat Durham by four wickets in a final-ball there was to be no such joy upon Anderson's first game in the competition at Old Trafford since his return to the T20 Keaton Jennings got the hosts off to a flyer - despite his opening partner Luke Wells going for five - as he smashed 39 from 19 did well to stem the flow though and took wickets at regular intervals throughout to ensure Lightning could not build any real Rehan Ahmed, who is due to join up with England for their T20I series against the West Indies later this week, bowled wonderfully for the took Michael Jones' off stump with a ripper, and then bamboozled Australian batter Ashton Turner with a fantastic googly on his way to 3-16 from his four Trevaskis also did some great work with the ball, taking Green hit 36 towards the end of the innings for Lightning, including running four off the final ball - a rarity in T20 matches - to leave the Foxes needing 146 to win. By the end of the powerplay in Leicestershire's chase, the game was in the balance at 52-3 - Anderson took another T20 wicket with Sol Budinger caught in the deep by Josh Bohannon, and skipper Louis Kimber was making a fist of it with the hit 40 from 22 balls, including three fours and three sixes, before he edged a dolly to Luke Wells at backward point off Tom then did his bit with bat in hand too as he and Ben Cox put on 59 runs for the fifth wicket to swing the tide in Leicestershire's left Trevaskis and Cox needing less than a run a ball in the final five overs after Ahmed was bowled by Charlie two saw it home fairly comfortably in the end as Cox ended on 38 not out and Trevaskis on 22. Lancashire stay top of the North Group on net run-rate ahead of Northamptonshire in second, while Leicestershire climb to third and Derbyshire remain in seventh.
