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BBC News
an hour ago
- Business
- BBC News
Sale move could ignite Springboks chance
Exeter forward Jacques Vermeulen says his forthcoming move to Sale could ignite his international South African is unable to switch allegiance to play for England as he does not have any British-born family. After being part of Exeter's Premiership and European Champions Cup-winning side in 2020 he has seen the Chiefs fade away from the top of the table and they will finish this season in ninth place. But he will join a Sale side aiming for the play-offs this season, and says more big names next season could help his case. "I still obviously want to play international rugby - if I get the opportunity to one day maybe play for the Springboks that will obviously be a dream come true," he told BBC Sport."I do think that obviously new season, new team, I think they've got some really good players."If you win trophies and stuff with a team I think that just makes it so much easier for you to get into international set ups."We've seen it now with Northampton Saints like Juarno Augustus - he was never in the picture and he goes in a Champions Cup Final and into the Springboks set up."It just shows you if you play in finals and semi-finals that opens the door for higher honours." Vermeulen moved to Exeter from then-Super Rugby side Sharks and has gone on to play more than 100 games for the has been seen as one of the most consistent back-rows in the Premiership, although his time at Exeter has been punctuated by is one of the last remaining players at the club to have tasted title success, with Exeter's downward spiral since seeing them finish seventh for three seasons in a row before this year's club-worst ninth-placed finish."It's been really frustrating," he explains. "You go through three years where you play every year in finals and you create such good friendships."Then you go through one off-season and you basically lose half your mates and all the guys that you basically played with for the last three years."You get like a whole bunch of new lads in, then it's quite tough because at Exeter and the university you've got a lot of young lads, it's quite hard to connect with them."They're all good lads, but they've got a lot to learn in a rugby sense, how to win games, how to knuckle down on what areas you need to be good at."I think that will come for them, but I just thought like when I made the decision 'these lads need to write their own stories'."In an ironic twist of fate Vermeulen's final Exeter appearance on Saturday will be against his new need a win to ensure they get into the play-offs for a third successive season. But Vermeulen says there is no way he will go easy on his future teammates. "I need to earn their respect now, and I think that's it starts on Saturday and the way I play, that's the only way I'm going to earn their respect."I'll be flying into them on Saturday, so I can only try my best."But it comes down to earning their respect so I'll just have to go full blaze into it and give it my best shot."
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How does Premier League Darts affect PDC's Order of Merit?
Luke Humphries' first Premier League Darts title has no effect on the Professional Darts Corporation's Order of Merit. That is because the Premier League is not classed as a ranking event, meaning prize money is not counted in the two-year period which is used to determine the Order of Merit. Humphries came from behind to beat Luke Littler 11-8 in Thursday's 2025 Premier League Darts final at the O2 Arena in London. Littler, 18, headed into Thursday's play-off night as defending Premier League champion and the most recent winner of the World Darts Championship. The teenager is second in PDC's Order of Merit - behind only Humphries, who he has faced in the past two Premier League and World Darts Championship finals. Littler is yet to play a full two-year cycle of ranking events, and in the second half of 2023 alone, Humphries earned £563,250 in prize money from ranked events. Humphries is £573,750 ahead of Littler in the PDC Order of Merit. There are still five of the sport's major events to take place in this year prior to the 2026 World Darts Championship, which starts in December. In 2023 alone, the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals helped Humphries earn a combined total of £468,500. Given how clear Humphries and Littler are in prize money compared to the rest of the PDC's Order of Merit, it is unlikely either player will be caught until the next World Championship. The winner of 2026's top darts prize will receive £1,000,000 - double the amount Littler received this year. Humphries has prize money of £1,873,750 from PDC ranked events in the past two years. Littler's total is £1,300,500. Michael van Gerwen is third on £734,750. This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. This question 'Will winning Premier League Darts put you to world number one?' was asked by David in Wakefield. Thank you for your question, David. Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions. We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do. The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits. We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events. Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. Premier League Darts final schedule and prize money Who has qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League? Why does French Open not have electronic line calling? What are the Enhanced Games and why are they controversial?
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sinner and Djokovic win on day of upsets and drama
French Open 2025 Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app There were five-set thrillers, significant upsets and an emotional goodbye on day five at the French Open - but it was business as usual for Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic. World number one Sinner was ruthlessly efficient as he brought the curtain down on Frenchman Richard Gasquet's career and advanced to the third round. Sixth seed Djokovic continued his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title with a straight-set victory over Corentin Moutet. But while Sinner and Djokovic advanced, two of the top-20 players in the men's draw were knocked out in marathon matches. Italy's three-time major winner Sinner extended his winning streak against players ranked outside the top 20 to 63 matches. In doing so, he brought an end to Gasquet's playing career, 23 years after the 38-year-old made his Roland Garros debut. Sinner claimed a commanding 6-3 6-0 6-4 win over Gasquet but the day was still Gasquet's, with the Frenchman addressing the adoring crowd and accepting a commemorative trophy. "I've thought a lot about this day, you hope it never comes, but today is it," Gasquet said. "I can't dream of anything better than standing on this incredible court, the most beautiful court in the world." Later in the day, 38-year-old Serb Djokovic continued his recent good form with a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-1) victory against France's Moutet. Djokovic came to Roland Garros, where he is a three-time champion, on the back of winning his 100th ATP singles title in Geneva last week and maintained his good from against Moutet, winning in just over three hours. The only potential blip for Djokovic was having to receive treatment on the toes of his left foot in the third set, but he appeared to shrug it off by recovering to win the match on a tie-break. He will face either Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov or Austria's Filip Misolic in the third round. 'Mozart of tennis' Gasquet bows out in Paris Nasty fall helps Fearnley set up Norrie meeting Boulter loses to end British interest in women's singles Australian world number nine Alex De Minaur and Czech 19th seed Jakub Mensik both exited Roland Garros on Thursday - and both after winning the first two sets. De Minaur lost 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 to 62nd-ranked Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, a talented but often temperamental payer. Bublik said afterwards he had already accepted defeat before mounting a comeback. "I was checking the tickets [home] already in my head. I didn't really care, in a way. I was like I will accept the loss," the 27-year-old said. "It was a bit early for me. I was a bit sleepy in the first two sets. So it was key to wake up and then to play one of the best Slam matches that I ever played in my life." Bublik will now face Portugal's world number 200 Henrique Rocha, who surprisingly beat Mensik. Rocha, who came through qualifying and had never won a main-draw match at a major before this year's French Open, triumphed 2-6 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-3 against talented 19-year-old Mensik. Second seed Gauff through to Paris third round Home hope Arthur Fils came through a gruelling four-and-a-half-hour match against Spain's Jaime Munar, despite being unable to move at one point because of a back injury. The 20-year-old required treatment during the third set and looked down and out after the fourth set. But after taking painkillers, and roared on enthusiastically by the French supporters, the 14th seed fought back from a break down in the decider to compete victory. Fils ripped off his shirt as he celebrated the 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 0-6 6-4 victory and lapped up the applause from the crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen. "This is my best match of all time" Fils said. "I have had some difficult matches but this one is the best five-set match that I have ever played. I could have lost this match. "I was lucky. But it's going to be one of my best five-set matches ever of my life." 'It can't look like a circus' - Munar on crowd Live scores, results and order of play Get tennis news sent straight to your phone
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
British canoeist forced to decide between Olympic dream and his ‘spicy' OnlyFans page
Canoeist Kurts Adams Rozentals has a decision to make — his OnlyFans or the Olympics. The British athlete was reportedly suspended last month by governing body Paddle UK, and he suspects it has something to do with his racy activity online. 'I have been posting videos (on Instagram) that are consciously made to be edgy in order to drive conversions to my 'spicy content page' (on OnlyFans), to fund this ultimate dream of going to the Olympics,' Rozentals said in an interview with BBC Sport. 4 Kurts Adams Rozentals, who competes in the individual canoe slalom, was suspended in April by governing body Paddle UK following 'allegations' about his posts on social media. Instagram/@kurtsadams 4 Paddle UK removed Rozentals from its World Class Programme pending an investigation Instagram/@kurtsadams Rozentals was removed from the World Class Programme, an initiative for potential Olympic athletes, by Paddle UK pending investigation, leaving his canoeing dreams up in the air. 'I kind of froze and I couldn't believe the words I was hearing because this is what I put my life into this is everything I do,' Rozentals told the outlet of the moment he heard the news. 'My personality at this point, my identity, is sport and I want to be a professional athlete chasing my Olympic dream.' BBC Sport reported Rozentals 'has more than 10,000 'likes' on the platform and 'has posted 39 videos and over 100 photos' earning more than '£100,000 (about $135,000) since creating his OnlyFans account in January.' 'This is the hardest decision that I've ever faced in my life,' Rozentals said. 'I came to the realization about why I started doing this last winter after years of struggle, living on the edge, my mum working 90 hours-a-week, having bailiffs at the door. 4 Rozentals created his OnlyFans to help fund his training. Instagram/@kurtsadams 'I'm going to find a way where we don't have to struggle, where my mum can enjoy her life and I'm able to put everything into this sport because when you're thinking about how to pay the rent this month and you're standing at the start line, that's not very conducive (to performing well).' As a UK Paddle Programme athlete, Rozentals had been receiving £16,000 a year — around $21,600 — but said that's nowhere near enough to sustain himself. 'I don't know how much you need but it's certainly not £16,000,' said Rozentals. 'When you have to cover rent, travel, food… and most athletes who train full-time are all living in London. 4 Rozentals posts videos and pictures on his Instagram account to drive viewers towards the content. Instagram/@kurtsadams 'They're very fortunate to have parent backing — I wasn't. I never had the ability to move to London because of financial struggles so I was always doing the travel from the East Midlands, where I live, to London, back-and-forth, back-and-forth.'
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'It can't look like a circus'
French Open 2025 Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app Jaume Munar has criticised the "circus" created by French Open crowds and accused them of a "complete lack of respect" in his five-set loss to home favourite Arthur Fils. The Spaniard fought back from two sets down against 14th seed Fils in their second-round match but ultimately fell 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 0-6 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. A raucous French crowd offered passionate support to Fils as he battled through a back injury to seal an epic victory after four hours and 25 minutes. "I'm going to be very clear on the subject and I'm not going to mince my words," Munar said in his post-match news conference. "It's fine if they encourage the other player, if they shout, I'm used to it. In South America it's very intense as well. "But what I consider a complete lack of respect - and here, it happens often - is that they sing non-stop, they interrupt continuously. "It's not even a question of emotional or personal impact, it's simply that play cannot go on as normal." Boulter loses to end British interest in women's singles Sinner advances on day of upsets and drama Second seed Gauff through to Paris third round Munar had to ask the crowd to be quiet during the final game as he served to stay in the match, having previously been a break up. Despite struggling to move at one point, Fils brought the crowd to their feet as he completed a miraculous victory, before removing his shirt and lapping up the atmosphere. "It seems like a great show for the spectators, but you have to remember we're here to do our job," Munar said. "What it can't look like is a circus and there are times here it looks like theatre. "At the US Open it's a show but they understand sports differently. They can cheer a lot and have a sense of spectacle, but they never disrespect the players. In Australia it's similar. "Here in Paris, it's a bit much. It would be good to calm things down a bit to let play go on more as it should." Live scores, results and order of play Get tennis news sent straight to your phone
