Beddall back to lead Wales U20s against Italy
Wales U20s: Jack Woods; Ioan Duggan, Osian Darwin-Lewis, Steffan Emanuel, Aidan Boshoff; Harri Ford, Logan Franklin; Ioan Emanuel, Harry Thomas, Sam Scott, Dan Gemine, Luke Evans, Deian Gwynne, Harry Beddall (capt), Evan Minto. Replacements: Evan Wood, Louie Trevett, Jac Pritchard, Tom Cottle, Nick Thomas, Ryan Jones, Caio James, Keanu Evans, Sion Davies, Harri Wilde, Elis Price, Lewis Edwards, Sion Jones, Carwyn Legatt-Jones.
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The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Tragedy as Serie B star Matthias Verreth's 14-month old son dies with club Bari cancelling pre-season training camp
SERIE B star Matthias Verreth has returned to Belgium after the tragic death of his one-year-old son. Verreth, who had just joined Italian second-tier side Bari, rushed home to be by his family's side after hearing the news. 1 Verreth was taking part in pre-season training with Bari, who have now cancelled the rest of the camp in a sign of mourning. Bari's friendly against Cavese has also been cancelled. Verreth's 14-month-old son Elliot Charles passed away after a short illness on Sunday. He was reportedly admitted to hospital with virus-like symptoms two days before his death. After hearing the news, the 27-year-old was driven to Fiumicino airport by Bari president Luigi De Laurentiis on Sunday afternoon. Verreth's wife Séli Muyabo was back home in Belgium with the couple's three-year-old daughter. Bari expressed their sympathies in a touching tribute on the club's website. It read: "We are speechless and deeply shocked. We express our deepest condolences to Matthias Verreth and his family in one of the most terrible moments one can experience. "President Luigi De Laurentiis, the technical staff, the entire team, the management and the red and white collaborators stand with Matthias and his family in one of the most terrible moments that a parent and a human being can experience. "We ask all the fans to join Matthias in spirit and emotion, to his wife, to their firstborn daughter and to all their loved ones in this time of terrible grief.' Verreth spent 12 years in PSV's youth academy and also played for club's reserves, making one appearance for the first team in 2018. He then made 30 appearances for Belgian side Waasland-Beveren, in-between a season-long loan move to Kolding. In 2022, the winger moved back to the Netherlands for two years, first joining FC Eindhoven on a six month loan before signing a two-year deal at Willem II. His first move to Italy came with Serie B side Brescia in 2024, before joining Bari on a three-year-deal this month.
Telegraph
25 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Three moments that secured Maro Itoje's Lions immortality
British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje delivered a performance for the ages as the tourists secured a famous series win. Telegraph Sport breaks down three crucial moments on a defining day for Itoje. 63 minutes – Conan tackle and Itoje turnover Langi Gleeson carries past Bundee Aki only to be felled by a desperate tackle from Jack Conan, allowing Itoje to swoop and secure a turnover Until the final quarter, Itoje had not been enjoying his finest hour as a player. He had conceded two penalties in a first half that was dominated by the physical presence of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton, who seemed to especially enjoy ruffling the plumage of his one-time Saracens team-mate. It was understandable that Itoje's influence would start to wane. This was his 33rd game, all starts, of a gruelling season that will run to 12 successive months if he starts next week. For the second successive season, English rugby's most prized asset has sailed past the governing body's own game-time limits, now downgraded out of pitiful shame to guidelines. While Itoje joked at the start of the tour about having 'no wrinkles' such a workload is bound to have an effect. Last summer he clearly ran out of steam at the end of England's pair of Tests against New Zealand. Similarly, Itoje looked completely gassed in the final 10 minutes of the first Test victory against Australia. That result, however, was never truly in the balance whereas at the MCG the Lions had been trailing since the fourth minute – at one stage by 18 points – which was going to require one last final push from Itoje. And in those critical final 20 minutes, Itoje duly played lights-out rugby. The Lions won two turnovers in the final quarter, both by Itoje – first on the isolated Gleeson and then at a maul with eight minutes to go. That proved a huge momentum shift, coming straight after Will Stuart had conceded a penalty inside the Australian 22 for taking an extra roll allowing the Wallabies to kick to touch. Australia 's maul was already beginning to fragment allowing Itoje to come through the middle to sack the ball-carrier. It prompted a huge roar of celebration from Andy Farrell in the coaching box. That Itoje was awarded the man-of-the-match honours afterwards owed entirely to his efforts in this final quarter when his fuel light was blinking furiously. 78 mins – Itoje calls line-out to himself The Lions are still trailing 26-24 and have a line-out just inside their half. Itoje calls the line-out to himself and claims the ball just in front of Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams In a few years' time, this will seem like the inevitable crowning of Itoje as this generation's 'Lions king' and only the second successful English Lions captain in the postwar era after Martin Johnson. Farrell was gushing with praise in the post-match press conference. 'Cool, calm and collected, 100 per cent,' Farrell said. 'I thought he was outstanding in his captaincy today. He was across the game. As the game started to unfold in front of us, he was calm.' Yet there was nothing pre-ordained about Itoje's coronation. In all likelihood, Caelan Doris would have been the Lions captain but for the Ireland No 8's shoulder injury. As early as January this year, Itoje had never captained an international team until England head coach Steve Borthwick decided to unceremoniously depose Jamie George. Eddie Jones famously opined that his star player was too introspective to be a captain. There are many forms of leadership. By his own admission, Itoje 'leads by actions'. As footage in the changing room before the first Test shows, Itoje was happy to delegate the emotional tone-setting to Ellis Genge, the England prop. Churchillian speeches are not Itoje's style. He does not swear. He does not tub thump. How Itoje leads is by taking responsibility on his own shoulders. With the series on the line in the final 10 minutes, Itoje calls the final two Lions line-outs to himself. Australia knew exactly where the ball was going and challenged him both times. Ronan Kelleher's throws were on the money on each occasion but Itoje still needed to claim each catch under ferocious pressure. One misjudgment and it is highly probable Australia are 1-1 in the series. This can happen to the very best. In the final minutes of the third Test of the 2001 series, Johnson called a line-out to himself only to have Justin Harrison pinch it from his grasp. Itoje ensured there would be no Wallaby robbery II. 80 mins – Itoje cuts Wilson's protests short Hugo Keenan crosses for the winning try but Australia captain Harry Wilson immediately appeals to referee Andrea Piardi for an illegal clear out by Jac Morgan on Carlo Tizzano in the previous phase. Itoje immediately interrupts Wilson's protests and after both captains are ushered away the officials agree that no infringement has taken place This was not quite on a par with Sam Warburton's Jedi mind-trick on Romain Poite in the 2017 series against the All Blacks, when the French referee reversed his penalty decision in virtually the last play of the third Test, but Farrell seemed to have no doubt that Itoje's influence at least had an influence in ensuring Piardi stuck with his on-field decision. 'He understood what was needed and how we communicated with the referee,' Farrell said. 'The flow of the game, he was absolutely spot on. If you listen back to the messaging that was on the referee's mic in time, you'll realise just what a class act he was.' Earlier in the tour, Itoje was asked what his approach was to dealing with referees, which he says he tailors to each individual referee. 'It's slightly different depending on the refs,' Itoje said. 'You have to make an assessment. Some refs are more amenable to communication than others and you have to take a read. You have to choose your moments.' With Piardi that meant approaching the Italian at every possible opportunity. Skelton sparked an early fracas after a cheap shot on Tadhg Furlong which sparked a furious response from Itoje. This was quickly re-enacted after Dan Sheehan's opening try to which Piardi tried to calm both captains down. Itoje, though, slyly tried to shift the blame. 'Yes sir, yes sir. But sir, he started it,' to which Wilson incredulously replied: 'Don't be a schoolkid.' On 65 minutes, Itoje was again in Piardi's grill after Tizzano had won a turnover inches from the Australia's try-line. Although his protests fell on deaf ears, Ronan O'Gara on the Sky commentary voiced his approval for Itoje 'asking all the right questions'. It is difficult to listen to an uninterrupted feed of the final, fateful exchange with Piardi, although Itoje definitely succeeds in cutting short Wilson's protests. When asked about what he said to Piardi afterwards, Itoje said: 'I don't really know to be honest. It was fine. Naturally, their captain was trying to get his point across and, in my view, argue for something that didn't happen. I guess I was just arguing for something that did happen.' Whatever influence his intervention did or did not have, the officials ruled in the visitors' favour, confirming the series win and putting Itoje on that narrow pedestal of successful Lions' captains. Player of the Match and Lions captain Maro Itoje gives his immediate reaction to an epic comeback win at the MCG! 😍🗣️ — Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 26, 2025
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'I don't train for golf, I train to keep my body and mind fit'
AIG Women's OpenVenue: Royal Porthcawl, Wales Date: 31 July - 3 AugustBBC coverage: Live radio and text commentary across all four days of the championship It is 20 years since Charley Hull first hit the golfing headlines. The then nine-year-old battled through a competition that attracted 24,000 entries from across the country to win the 2005 Ladies Golf Union Championship at a windswept Turnberry, beating a 46-year-old from Manchester in a play-off for the title.A year later, she showed remarkable maturity when asked if she was going to be the women's Tiger Woods."I want to be my own person really," was the 10-year-old's confident reply in a grainy video. "Everyone is saying you're the new Tiger Woods and I think yeah, well, whatever. I want to be myself."And Hull has certainly spent the past two decades being herself, with an ADHD diagnois in 2023 helping her "understand why sometimes I get bored on the golf course". She eschews normal golf training because she thinks it's "rubbish", has raised eyebrows for smoking on the course, and has "no interest" in her past results because she's already "off to the next thing".Such was the excitement around Hull after that triumph on the west coast of Scotland in 2005, a BBC report suggested that you would struggle to get better odds than 20-1 for her to win a major by the end of here we are. The final major of 2025. The AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl is being billed as the biggest women's sporting event held in Wales, with thousands of fans expected to attend the coastal 29-year-old Hull will be hoping to break her major duck at the 60th time of asking. 'I need my immune system to catch up' But despite being world number 19, the odds are probably greater now than they were back then. That is chiefly down to the disrupted preparation Hull has faced, having being forced to pull out of the Evian Championship earlier this who was "battling a virus", collapsed during the first round of the fourth of the annual five majors, and on her return to competition at last week's Scottish Open - where she went finished joint 21st - said she was only operating at about 80%."I've not been (to the) gym in two weeks and I'm not going to go to the gym for another two weeks," she said while at Dundonald Links. "I need my immune system to catch up. It drives me bonkers not being able to go to the gym."Hull's followers on social media will be well aware of her gym obsession, with almost daily snapshots of workouts posted prefers it to the usual golf training which she has long called "a load of rubbish"."I don't train for golf, I train to keep my body and mind fit," she told BBC Sport."I've no interest in doing it for golf. I just do it for myself, as a hobby, trying to beat my own fitness goals."When asked to clarify what golf training entails, Hull replied: "I'm not on about training as in chipping and putting. I can do that for hours all day. "It's all this boring movement stuff I've been doing since I was 14. It's just not for me."The training regime also includes trying to run 5km in 20 minutes before the year is out (last check was 23mins 30secs, down from over 26mins at the start of February) and quitting smoking."I was on about 40 a day, so I just thought, I don't want to be smoking 40 cigarettes a day, so I just quit straight away," she said. "It's the easiest thing I've ever done." 'I hope the wind is up' It has been a scarcely believable dozen years since Hull burst on to the professional scene in 2013 with five sucessive runners-up finishes on the Ladies European Tour (LET).She has gone on to record a combined six victories on the LPGA Tour and LET and become a key member of the past six European Solheim Cup teams, but three runner-up finishes remain the best Hull has achieved in the sport's biggest championships."Second to me is first loser," said England's top ranked player."But I'm in a great position because if you're not asking [about my chances], I'm not doing something right."Hull has been a little boom or bust in the majors over recent years. In her past 24 starts, she has missed the cut on eight occassions but finished top-25 in 15, including runner-up in this championship when it was held at Surrey course Walton Heath in the men's Open Championship, which is always held at a coastal links course, the women's equivalent is also played at inland while Hull said she "prefers parkland" tracks, she has positive experiences from Porthcawl to draw upon."I won here when I was 14, so I have fond memories," she said, referring to playing in the inaugural Junior Vagliano trophy in 2011 - a Solheim Cup-style amateur contest which pits Great Britain and Ireland agaist Continental Europe."Links is going to be a challenge and I hope the wind is up because I like finding links hard."Three times she has finished in the spot behind the winner in her previous 59 major appearances. There have been six other top-10s."I don't really look at stuff like that," she said."I have no interest. As I am in life, once I'm done I'm off to the next thing."And when pushed on what she needs to do to take her game to the next level, Hull simply said: "I need to not put too much pressure on my golf, not be too golf obsessed."Like when I was younger, I was never that obsessed."Perhaps a windy Porthcawl will help invoke memories of those more innocent days at blustery Turnberry.
