Latest news with #Headingley

Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Clubs in Europe's top division in rugby league vote to add more teams from 2026
HEADINGLEY, England (AP) — Clubs in the Super League, the top-tier of European rugby league, have voted to increase the number of teams in the competition to 14 from next season. The future structure of the league was discussed during a meeting at Headingley, north England, on Monday, with a proposal agreed to immediately open up two additional places, provided certain conditions are met. 'The 12 existing Betfred Super League clubs have today voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions,' a statement from Super League (Europe) Limited read. 'This would be done by combining the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport's long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League Board, and the Strategic Review Sub-Committee. 'The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel — provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria. 'Further details of the composition of the panel and the timing of the process will be confirmed in due course.' The Super League currently includes eleven teams from England and one side based in France — Catalans Dragons. The new proposals could see Championship teams such as Toulouse Olympique, Bradford Bulls, York Knights and London Broncos considered for a place in the expanded 14-team top-flight. Salford Red Devils, meanwhile, could see their Super League spot for 2026 reviewed given the club's ongoing financial issues.


Washington Post
a day ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Clubs in Europe's top division in rugby league vote to add more teams from 2026
HEADINGLEY, England — Clubs in the Super League, the top-tier of European rugby league, have voted to increase the number of teams in the competition to 14 from next season. The future structure of the league was discussed during a meeting at Headingley, north England, on Monday, with a proposal agreed to immediately open up two additional places, provided certain conditions are met. 'The 12 existing Betfred Super League clubs have today voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions,' a statement from Super League (Europe) Limited read. 'This would be done by combining the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport's long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League Board, and the Strategic Review Sub-Committee. 'The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel — provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria. 'Further details of the composition of the panel and the timing of the process will be confirmed in due course.' The Super League currently includes eleven teams from England and one side based in France — Catalans Dragons. The new proposals could see Championship teams such as Toulouse Olympique, Bradford Bulls, York Knights and London Broncos considered for a place in the expanded 14-team top-flight. Salford Red Devils , meanwhile, could see their Super League spot for 2026 reviewed given the club's ongoing financial issues.


Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Clubs in Europe's top division in rugby league vote to add more teams from 2026
HEADINGLEY, England (AP) — Clubs in the Super League, the top-tier of European rugby league, have voted to increase the number of teams in the competition to 14 from next season. The future structure of the league was discussed during a meeting at Headingley, north England, on Monday, with a proposal agreed to immediately open up two additional places, provided certain conditions are met. 'The 12 existing Betfred Super League clubs have today voted to extend the competition to 14 teams for the 2026 season, subject to conditions,' a statement from Super League (Europe) Limited read. 'This would be done by combining the Club Grading System introduced to determine Super League membership as part of the sport's long-term strategic partnership with IMG in 2022, with an independent panel to be chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine, who was recently elected as a member of the Rugby Football League Board, and the Strategic Review Sub-Committee. 'The top 12 clubs under grading at the conclusion of the 2025 domestic season will therefore be joined by two clubs recommended by that panel — provided the panel judges there are two applications of sufficient merit against the set criteria. 'Further details of the composition of the panel and the timing of the process will be confirmed in due course.' The Super League currently includes eleven teams from England and one side based in France — Catalans Dragons. The new proposals could see Championship teams such as Toulouse Olympique, Bradford Bulls, York Knights and London Broncos considered for a place in the expanded 14-team top-flight. Salford Red Devils, meanwhile, could see their Super League spot for 2026 reviewed given the club's ongoing financial issues.


The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
The new changes coming to the Super League
Super League clubs have voted to expand the competition to 14 teams, effective from the 2026 season. The decision was made at a meeting in Headingley, with a proposal to immediately open two additional places subject to specific conditions. The selection process for the two new clubs will combine the existing Club Grading System with recommendations from an independent panel chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine. The top 12 graded clubs at the conclusion of the 2025 season will be joined by two clubs chosen by this panel, provided their applications meet the set criteria. Championship teams such as Toulouse Olympique, Bradford Bulls, York Knights, and London Broncos could be considered, while Salford Red Devils' Super League spot for 2026 may be reviewed due to financial issues.


The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put England in charge after Ben Stokes' five-for
Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett stunned India with another mighty opening stand after England captain Ben Stokes' first five-wicket haul in Tests since September 2017. England's openers reprised their Headingley heroics, which helped them draw first blood in last month's series opener, putting on 166 in 32 overs after India were all out for 358 at Emirates Old Trafford. Neither was able to get to three figures as Duckett fell six runs short and Crawley was out for 84, with England going to stumps after day two of the fourth Rothesay Test on 225 for two. That they only sit 133 behind and in a favourable position to move into an unassailable 3-1 series lead owes much to Stokes, who claimed five for 72 to restrict an India side who were able to call upon Rishabh Pant as he defied an injury to his right foot. Less than 24 hours after retiring hurt on 37 and being taken off the field on a golf buggy, Pant resumed his innings although substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel is taking on wicketkeeper duties for the rest of the Test. Amid reports of a broken metatarsal – India have not publicly confirmed the severity of his injury – Pant limped every time he moved forward before being bowled for 54 by Jofra Archer, who claimed three for 73. Archer struck in his first over with the second new ball after squaring up Ravindra Jadeja and drawing the edge but Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar took India from an overnight 264 for four past 300. Stokes ended the union when Thakur was excellently caught at gully by a leaping Duckett for 41, leading to Pant's slow march to the crease, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd for soldiering on. He wore a blow to the gloves from his third ball and runners being outlawed in Tests meant he had to hobble through for singles. His movement was severely restricted but the danger remained as Archer's slower ball after lunch was launched over deep midwicket en route to Pant reaching a courageous fifty. But then, he was running out of partners as Stokes bounced out Sundar for 27 and nicked off debutant Anshul Kamboj three balls later for his first Test five-for since a career-best six for 22 against the West Indies nearly eight years ago. With Jasprit Bumrah for company, Pant refused a run after smashing Archer only to be cleaned up next ball in a carbon copy of his second-innings dismissal at Lord's, with his off-stump sent flying. After Archer finished proceedings as India lost their final four wickets for 21, Duckett had his heart in his mouth when he gloved his first ball down the leg-side, just out of reach of the diving Jurel. Duckett then flung his bat over his shoulder close to his stumps but he ended Kamboj's eventful first over in an India jersey with back-to-back clips for four and did not look back. Even Bumrah struggled for containment after being dispatched twice to the boundary in an over, with all of India's seamers coming in for punishment for drifting into Duckett's pads far too often. Crawley took 14 balls to get off nought and was initially happy to swim in Duckett's slipstream but he gradually started to assert himself with several fantastic cover drives. While Duckett was first and quickest to fifty, Crawley overtook his partner and hammered Jadeja for a meaty straight six after the slow left-armer was brought on to offer a semblance of control. But Jadeja got the breakthrough having been required to bowl an extra ball after overstepping moments earlier when Crawley hung out his bat and nicked low to KL Rahul, who clung on inches above the turf. Nevertheless, Crawley had been at the centre of the timewasting row that erupted last week at Lord's and was once again under pressure after four successive scores under 25 so this knock was some riposte. Having looked short of ideas, India celebrated with a huddle after ending the Crawley-Duckett onslaught – their second best of the last few weeks having made 188 together in Leeds. Duckett made a match-winning 149 on that occasion but he could not ton up here after a wild slash to a Kamboj long hop took the edge through to Jurel to end a fine 100-ball innings. There were no further alarms as Ollie Pope ended the day unbeaten on 20 and Joe Root on 11 not out.