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BreakingNews.ie
10 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Stephen Bunting battles past Gary Anderson in World Matchplay thriller
Stephen Bunting saw off a Gary Anderson fightback and battled his way to a 12-10 last-16 victory in a scrappy encounter at the World Matchplay in Blackpool. It took a while for both players to shift into a gear as doubles proved troublesome for the pair throughout the match, which went beyond the allotted 21 legs. Advertisement The contest went back and forth but Bunting, who also missed double 12 for a nine-darter, chalked off five straight legs to make it 9-6 and it looked like he would go on to seal a comfortable victory. However, Anderson survived match darts as he fought back to make it a level game but Bunting finally got the job done to win by two clear legs and seal the win. Both players averaged less than 30 per cent on checkouts which made for darting drama and Bunting admitted to being nervous on stage. After the match, he told Sky Sports: 'He's a quality operator. One of the best players to grace the stage and I have nothing but respect for Gary Anderson, and what a win in my career. Advertisement 'I felt nervous anyway. I've got (son) Theo with me tonight, Toby, the missus, but we're through and I can relax now. 'I feel great and playing the best darts of my life and enjoying being in Blackpool – the fans have been incredible.' James Wade produced a vintage performance as he swept Matchplay debutant Wessel Nijman aside in an 11-5 win. There was nothing to separate the two players through the opening six legs but Wade jumped all over the young Dutchman's mistakes as he started to race clear. Advertisement The game started to turn when Wade brilliantly hit back-to-back bullseye finishes to go 8-4 up with his third ton-plus finish of the match. That was in the middle of five straight legs that Wade put together to go within a leg of victory and the Machine pinned double tops to wrap up an impressive win. Gian van Veen reeled off seven straight legs on his way to a thumping 11-5 victory over Danny Noppert. Noppert started on fire and jumped 2-0 ahead but his Dutch compatriot shifted into top gear and went into the second break with a 7-3 lead which Noppert could not bounce back from. Advertisement Van Veen, who surprisingly knocked out Luke Humphries in the first round, threw four 180s and averaged just under 95 to book his spot in the quarter-finals. Jonny Clayton continued his good run of form with an 11-8 win over Mike de Decker. The Ferret threw nine 180s and never went behind in the contest but held off a couple of De Decker fightbacks to see him through safely to the quarter-finals.
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Life after Horner - what Mekies will bring to Red Bull
Laurent Mekies intends to be a soft-touch boss of Red Bull in Formula 1, at least for the period that he is settling in with his new 48-year-old Frenchman took over as team principal and chief executive officer of Red Bull Racing after Christian Horner was sacked by the shareholders three days after the British Grand Mekies' job is to turn around the performance of a team that has been suffering a competitive decline for the past 18 in terms of getting off to a positive start, this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix could not, on paper, be a better place for Mekies to make his first public appearance in his new role. Spa success would not end Red Bull problems Red Bull's lead driver Max Verstappen has struggled to compete with the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris on a consistent basis this year, but the circuits where he has been able to are fast and flowing - exactly like Belgium's after all, was on pole at high-speed Silverstone three weeks ago, only for his race to come unstuck in the wet as a consequence of the low-downforce set-up Red Bull is famous for its long, demanding, fast corners, just like Suzuka, where Verstappen won from pole. It would be no surprise to see him repeat that feat this that would be a nice fillip for the new Mekies-led Red Bull, it would not be an indication that their problems were behind team's struggles this year were central in the mix of issues that led to Horner's departure. The shareholders - tired, too, of Horner's demands to be in total control of everything while the team appeared to be fracturing around him - felt something needed to be this is still the core of the team that two years ago produced the most dominant season in F1 history, and for which last year Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races to lay the foundations for his fourth world it was no surprise to hear Mekies pledging, in a video distributed by Red Bull, to get the best out of what he describes as "this incredible team".As someone who has been in F1 for more than 20 years, and who has worked at governing body the FIA and Ferrari in addition to two stints at Red Bull's junior team, Mekies already knows well several key people at Red Bull, such as technical director Pierre Wache and head of engineering Paul Monaghan. A new Red Bull emerges - without Newey Mekies has spent the last two weeks getting to know the staff at Red Bull's base in Milton Keynes. In Spa, he has a chance to watch first-hand a race team which still has a claim to be in many aspects - strategy, nimbleness, mixing improvisation with aggression - the best in the business, notwithstanding its recent says he wants to "discover the magic". His first few weeks in charge, he says, will be about "listening to the people to try to understand this beautiful magic machine that his Red Bull F1, and eventually find a way to contribute and support".There was a dichotomy, and a paradox, about Red Bull under Horner. On the one hand, he built it in his own image - and he led a pyramid-like structure from the the same time, he built the design and engineering aspect of the team around design chief Adrian Newey, organising the people around him to get the best out of Newey's result was success - and plenty of it. Eight drivers' titles, six constructors' championships, 124 grand prix wins. Even when Red Bull fell from competitiveness during the early years of hybrid engines, their chassis was still for the most part regarded as one of the best in the field. It was Renault's power-units that fell Bull's competitive decline started as soon as Newey left. How much of that was coincidence - in the context of McLaren's rise to prominence and the weaknesses of Red Bull's current car-design philosophy being exposed - and how much cause remains a point of debate. The truth is probably a bit of both Horner and Newey have gone, and a new Red Bull has to emerge. Mekies has to forge a new team that can return to the top without Newey's influence. Mekies is 'different character' from Horner Horner was the boss who was accused of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour by a female employee, accusations which were dismissed by two internal investigations last year and always denied by was the guy who lost Newey, the sport's pre-eminent design genius. And Jonathan Wheatley, the sporting director who masterminded the best-drilled team in the pit lane. And Will Courtenay, the head of the strategy at the team that, for the past decade and more, has had the best and most improvisational race operations, and who is bound at some point for is the man whose in-your-face approach led Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff to describe him as a "yapping little terrier". It's an image he was aware of himself - he even asks whether he is being portrayed as the "villain" midway through the latest series of Netflix's successful Drive to Survive series. He built up this image - whether intentionally or just because of who he is - over many years. Not least through the dramatic 2021 season and his key interventions with former race director Michael Masi, which preceded the Australian's mishandling of the rules during the final race in Abu Dhabi, which directly led to Verstappen taking the championship from Lewis Hamilton. Teams are a reflection of their culture, and culture is a reflection of leadership, so it's perhaps no surprise that Red Bull have become the team many people love to Bull's brand image is about edginess, fun and disruption. Under Horner's controlling influence, the shareholders felt something of the spirit of Red Bull had been lost in recent arrival is a chance for a clean slate. He is a very different character from engineer with extensive experience of F1, he can engage with the technical team on an in-depth that way, he is a 'technical team principal', as McLaren Racing chief executive officer Zak Brown refers to Andrea Stella, who has been such a revelation since becoming McLaren team boss at the end of a character, Mekies seems so far to be softer, less prickly and less adversarial than Horner. While still a keen competitor, he might be expected to take a different approach to any disputes that arise controversies surrounding Horner - the allegations; his volatile relationship with Verstappen's father Jos; questions about the driver's future; the drip-drip exodus of major figures - had led to something of a siege mentality at Red arrival is a chance for that to change, and for Red Bull to forge a new relationship, with their rivals, with the sport and with its audience.
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Go Ahead reject Celtic bid for winger Breum'
Celtic reportedly have an offer turned down for Danish winger Jakob Breum as a Scotland squad goalkeeper is told he is being sent out on loan after slipping to fourth choice at his club... Go Ahead Eagles have rejected a £1.5m offer from Celtic for Danish winger Jakob Breum, with the 21-year-old valued by the Dutch club at £5m. (The Herald), externalCeltic are set to up the ante to try to finally seal the transfer of Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha despite the clubs being unable to agree a fee after talks over multiple weeks and the 24-year-old's agent saying there had been no discussions with the Scottish champions. (Daily Record), externalRennes have been revealed as the French club who have stolen a march on Celtic in the chase for Cluj striker Louis Munteanu, with French media claiming a fee of just under £10.5m has been agreed for the 23-year-old. (Foot Sur 7 via Daily Record), externalCluj head coach Dan Petrescu has revealed he will hold talks with Louis Munteanu to see if the striker is ready to play in Europa League qualifying on Thursday amid interest from Celtic and clubs in France. (The National), externalCeltic are accelerating moves to bring in a central midfielder and a centre-back this summer. (Football Insider), external Having been on Rangers' radar this summer, 24-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth is to join Coventry City on a season-long loan. (Daily Record), externalScotland international Cieran Slicker will be sent out on loan after the 22-year-old was told he is now Ipswich Town's fourth-choice goalkeeper. (The Herald), externalSt Mirren are trying agree a fee with Cork City to secure Malik Dijksteel this summer after the 24-year-old winger agreed to sign at the end of his contract in January. (Daily Record), externalHeart of Midlothian agreed a fee of £120,000 to sign 23-year-old Albanian winger Sabah Kerjota from Italian third-tier club Sambenedettese on Tuesday. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalDunfermline Athletic have turned down a fresh bid from Crawley Town for 22-year-old versatile midfielder Ewan Otoo. (Daily Record), externalIn addition to reported interest in Celtic midfielder Kyle Ure, 19, Partick Thistle want to sign 20-year-old goalkeeper Josh Clarke on loan from the Scottish champions. (Glasgow Times), external
