Latest news with #debut
News.com.au
4 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Been to two Olympics': Dragons confirm late switch with Nathan Lawson locked in to make NRL debut
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has confirmed former sevens star Nathan Lawson will make his NRL debut for the club on Friday night after try-scoring machine Christian Tuipulotu was ruled out. Tuipulotu scored seven tries in five matches but hasn't played since the round 6 win over the Titans when he came off with a hamstring injury having already crossed for a double. The left winger was named to make his return in Friday's match against the Knights, but the club has decided to play it safe, with Tuipulotu expected to come back next week against the Dolphins. 'CT is very close,' Flanagan said. 'We could have pushed him if it was a semi-final or something like that. With his history, we told him he was playing all week and we'd get him to the start line, and then we were always going to pull him at the last minute because he's had that hamstring that has caused a few problems. 'Our staff thought it would be better off if he had a really good training week and then get him ready for next week.' The late change has opened the door for Lawson to make his NRL debut after joining the Dragons in the off-season following a decorated sevens career. Lawson went to two Olympics with the Australian side and scored a stack of tries for the national team, with the recruit doing well in his eight games in reserve grade where he scored a hat-trick against Manly last month. 'It was interesting with the presentation with his dad and his partner this morning that we presented a jersey to a bloke that's been to two Olympics and represented Australia numerous times,' Flanagan said. 'I think he's had 25 Test matches and he's been player of the year, so it was interesting that it's a reverse cycle that he's making his debut now in a different code. 'He's really excited about it and I'm really looking forward to him playing. 'One thing I know is that he'll compete really hard.' Maroons winger Valentine Holmes is set to play just 48 hours after the State of Origin opener, with the Dragons looking to build on their fantastic win over the Broncos before last week's bye. The Red V sit just outside the top eight but have the chance to move up the ladder during the Origin period where they'll be close to full strength. 'Every game is important, but in this period during Origin, some sides have different issues with a few players away,' their coach said. 'We're not disrupted, so (we have) to keep it simple, prepare well and make sure we're ready to play during this period. 'After the Origin period, it's just a race to the finals. If you get this period right then you put yourself in with a chance.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Sonny Kartal enjoys dream French Open debut by beating Erika Andreeva
Britain's Sonay Kartal enjoyed a dream French Open debut as she thrashed Erika Andreeva to reach the second round. The 23-year-old from London dropped just two games as she demolished her Russian opponent 6-0 6-2. Andreeva, the older sister of teenage sixth seed Mirra Andreeva, was powerless as Kartal took the opening set in just half an hour. The British number three had won the first eight games before Andreeva, 20, got on the board to at least avoid the dreaded double bagel. However, Kartal clinically finished the job in an hour and 10 minutes. Afterwards Kartal revealed she would celebrate by getting a new tattoo, but only after she has played doubles with Jodie Burrage in the morning. "I actually had one booked tomorrow at 11. But I'm on at 11," she said. "My sister just texted me and she's changed it to 4pm. "I'm not actually sure what I'm going to get. I know she wants to get one, as well, so she's booked it. I think she wants matching, so I'll get whatever she wants. "I'm hoping not just to have one. I would like to go back on a different day, as well. Maybe once I'm finished here, I'll get something that resembles the French Open maybe."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watford youngster claims an assist on his England debut
Amin Nabizada claimed an assist on his debut for England Under-18's as they beat Morocco 3-1 on Sunday. The Watford forward had missed a chance to make his Three Lions bow earlier in the season when he was selected but had to withdraw due to injury. However, he was back to fitness and started the first of two games against Morocco at the national football centre, Complexe Mohammed VI de Football in Salé. And a memorable day for Nabizada got even better when he set up England's third goal. Fellow debutant Wes Okoduwa of Wolves beat three opposition players with some excellent wing play before releasing Nabizada. The Watford youngster's first-time cross was met by Liverpool's Josh Sonni-Lambie who finished superbly. The Young Lions had taken the lead after only six minutes through Crystal Palace striker Jesse Derry. A flowing move down the right-hand side ended with Derry finding the back of the net with a tidy finish from the edge of the six-yard box after meeting a cross from Manchester City full-back Kian Noble. Liam Bramley's side doubled their lead with 41 minutes on the clock. Derry was on target once again, this time linking up with Reading's Andre Garcia, whose cross from the by-line picked out the forward in the right place at the right time to make it 2-0. The hosts grabbed a consolation late in the day – a deflection leaving England keeper Oliver Whatmuff of Manchester City with no chance of making a save – as it finished 3-1. The Young Lions will wrap up their season with a second match-up against Morocco tomorrow (Wednesday, 6pm UK time) when England look to make it two wins from as many outings in the international window. For Nabizada it caps off an excellent season which saw him make his first-team debut as a substitute at Fulham in the FA Cup in January, quickly followed by a league debut off the bench against Leeds the following month. A regular scorer for the Under-18s, Nabizada helped them reach the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup as well as the Premier Development League South Play-Off Final.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Braxton Ashcraft's excellent MLB debut
Braxton Ashcraft has an outstanding outing during his MLB debut against the D-backs, striking out his first batter ahead of three scoreless innings of work
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Marcelo Mayer's chaotic MLB debut: Lost keys, a long car ride and a standing ovation
BOSTON — Early Saturday as the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox prepared to play a doubleheader at home, manager Chad Tracy called Marcelo Mayer into his office. He didn't have Mayer in the lineup for the first game. The reason? The big-league club was awaiting word on third baseman Alex Bregman's MRI. An injury might create a spot on the MLB roster. Not long after, Mayer got a second call into Tracy's office. Marcelo gets the call: — Red Sox (@RedSox) May 24, 2025 'He said something along the lines of, 'You're not playing. You'll play the second game, but not here. You'll be playing in Fenway,'' Mayer, 22, said. 'I just got the craziest rush through my whole body. It was a pretty cool thing.' Mayer, the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to The Athletic's Keith Law, was about to make his major-league debut. But first, he'd have to find his keys. Advertisement With the Red Sox playing in a doubleheader of their own against the Baltimore Orioles, Mayer rushed to pack his bags to make the 45-mile drive from Polar Park in Worcester to Fenway Park but realized he had no way to get there. 'I lost them, like, three weeks ago, and I never cared to look for them until I needed to,' Mayer lamented, as he stood in the Red Sox clubhouse moments after he'd arrived in Boston roughly 90 minutes before the first pitch of the second game. Nothing like pulling up to your big league debut. — Red Sox (@RedSox) May 24, 2025 Mayer left his car at Polar Park and one of the Worcester clubhouse assistants volunteered to drive him to Boston. Mayer had called his parents as soon as he heard about the promotion but spent the entire car ride buried in his phone, replying to a flood of texts congratulating him on his impending debut. By the time they got off the highway and into the city, though, the crowds around Fenway were thick as fans waited to enter for the second game. 'Honestly, I was just looking at my phone, so I kind of barely realized it,' he said. 'But the clubby, he was making jokes to get a police escort, to get everybody out of the way, because he was getting more nervous.' Needless to say, it was a chaotic day leading up to his debut and that was before the standing ovation when he stepped to the plate in the second inning. A large portion of the 34,604 fans in the Fenway crowd rose from their seats to watch Mayer take his first at-bat. He struck out looking on six pitches. 'I've never experienced anything like that in my life,' he said after Boston's 2-1 loss to Baltimore. 'Actually, I just got done texting my friends and parents about that moment. It's something I'll remember the rest of my life.' Mayer started at third base, a position he'd played at just six times professionally before Saturday, and batted sixth. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and reached on a fielder's choice in the ninth. Advertisement After the Red Sox pinch hit for shortstop Trevor Story in the seventh inning, Mayer moved to short in the eighth inning but then shifted back to third in the ninth when David Hamilton entered as a pinch runner and took over at short. Mayer is expected to see time at second, third and short as the Red Sox mix and match in the infield without Bregman. 'My job here is to do whatever I can help the team win,' Mayer said. 'I'm gonna go out every single day, give it 100 percent, give it my all, and hopefully that's enough.' His day at the plate wasn't what he'd wanted, but despite all the chaos leading up to it, he said he was calm. 'I wouldn't say I was nervous,' he said. 'I just feel like I tried to do too much. I feel like next time I've got to do a better job with that. But with that being said, I've never experienced anything like that (game). So it was really fun.' Having spent all of spring training with the big-league club, Mayer and fellow top prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell grew close with their big-league teammates. When Mayer arrived Saturday, there was a bittersweet juxtaposition in the clubhouse as players hugged him and clapped his back, excited for his promotion while also acknowledging the loss of Bregman, who spoke quietly with the media about a severe quad injury. Bregman missed 58 games in 2021 with a similar injury. As the Red Sox plan to be without Bregman for an extended period, Mayer figures to be a key part of the club. Mayer undoubtedly had pictured his big-league debut countless times over the years. How it played out in reality Saturday wasn't quite what he'd envisioned. He didn't get the big hit, and the Red Sox as a whole failed to capitalize on seven scoreless innings from starter Lucas Giolito in the loss. But after years of waiting, Mayer has a new home in Boston and plenty of work ahead of him. 'It's the big leagues,' manager Alex Cora said of Mayer's day. 'Great experience for him (today). Played good defense, obviously, offensively not much happened, but he's a big leaguer now, can't take that away from him.'
