Ferguson reaches Hardline Wales finals to make history
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The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Andy Farrell is wrong to obsess over the Lions ‘redwashing' the Australia Test matches
Am I alone in being disappointed that British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell is sending out virtually the same team for the third Test against Australia as the one that won last week's second, for the supposed sacred prize of a 3-0 clean sweep of Test matches? I don't believe most British rugby fans are as obsessed with that as Farrell. He appears to think a 'redwash,' as it has been called by some after the Lions' red shirts, over Australia, will elevate him and his Lions to the status of South African Springbok or New Zealand All Black conquerors. It won't. It is true, it would be the Lions first clean sweep for nearly a century. But this Australian team is, frankly, regarded as a team of second-raters by many rugby critics. There are other reasons why I think Farrell could and should have taken a more, let's say, imaginative approach. What about the other 20 or so members of his huge squad, who have seen little meaningful action for half the five-week tour? What about the notion of the Lions being a more noble cause than conventional national teams? Players on Lions tours often talk about the unique all-for-one and one-for-all spirit the tours inspire. Now it looks more like all for one: the one being Andy Farrell, who says it would 'mean the world' for the Lions to win all three Tests. He has already appeared self-serving by calling up his son Owen Farrell to join the tour halfway through, despite Farrell Jr being woefully out of form. The pair risk resembling mercenaries, not Musketeers. If Andy Farrell wants to show his Lions are a cut above the Aussies, let him prove it by beating them with a team made up of all those who have been left idle on the sidelines. It is not unusual for the Lions to do this in the last Test when the overall series result is already decided. It is not just about fairness and sentiment: one or two Lions who played last week, and who have been selected again, Tom Curry and Bundee Ali, for example, look physically shattered and would benefit from a break. And Farrell's reservoir of untapped reserves is flooded with talent: the precocious Henry Pollock, an overnight star in Australia despite not being picked for any of the Tests, and the exciting young English backs Finn Smith and Marcus Smith. They must be kicking lumps out of their hotel room doors in frustration. If Farrell gave his Lions also-rans a run out in the third Test, they would be sure to give their all, if only to prove why they should have been picked in the first place. They would also be free to put on a swashbuckling Barbarians-type performance, thrilling all. If they won – fantastic. If they lost, it would not be the end of the world. Everyone, England and Aussie fans alike, would have seen a match to remember. The Lions tour will be marked up in history as a victory anyway – and they would be lauded as Corinthians in a sporting world of cynics.
BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
Two Bottesford community projects to receive major funding boost
Two community projects in a North Lincolnshire town will receive a major funding boost. Bottesford Football Club and Bottesford Pavilion have been awarded a combined grant of £320,000 to improve their funding is provided by North Lincolnshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is part of the government's Levelling Up leader Rob Waltham said: "These are two great projects that will support hundreds of residents to see improved access for sporting and community activities." Bottesford Football Club will be given £200,000 to upgrade the indoor gym facilities at its home ground of Barrett Steel Stadium in Scunthorpe. The club supports more than 24 teams, ranging from under-7s to senior level, including a Down's Syndrome team, a Special Olympics team, and Wildcats for girls. Founded in 1974, it previously secured a grant of £1.5m to build a floodlit 3G pitch, upgrade grass pitches and improve the covered seating and disability Pavilion will get £120,000 to enhance access by adding new toilet facilities, along with upgrading to more energy efficient heating and lighting. Councillor John Davison, cabinet member for communities, said: "Both of these facilities will benefit greatly from this cash boost. "Hundreds of residents use these facilities every week and this investment will enable them to have an improved experience." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Man United wonderkid dubbed 'kid Messi', 14, scores stunning solo goal for the club's under-18s - weeks after being handed a senior squad number
A Manchester United academy starlet has sent fans of the club into a frenzy after scoring an remarkable solo effort. JJ Gabriel featured for United's u18s as they faced Watford on Friday, despite still being two months away from his 15th birthday. The 14-year-old has been dubbed 'Kid Messi ' by United supporters for his incredible technical skills on the ball and his latest strike shows all the hallmarks of the genius Argentine. In a clip that has since been widely circulated online, Gabriel receives the ball in the middle of a crowded penalty area. The wonderkid then proceeds to effortlessly skip past three defenders before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper with an assured finish from close range. Gabriel's goal quickly made waves on social media, with fans anointing the teenager as the next great talent to have been produced by the club's famous Carrington academy. JJ Gabriel's INSANE goal with #mufc 's U18s today 🤯 — UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) August 1, 2025 One wrote: 'Boy is he a special player. Long may he stay at UTD and continue to develop well. 14 year old playing so comfortably with the U18s' Another agreed: 'Body swerve into a roulette into a flip-flap before finishing. All in the space of ~2 secs while surrounded by 4 players in the box. 'Goodness me, his processing speed is off the charts at just 14. I now get why people are saying he's our answer to Lamine lol.' 'Protect this kid at all costs,' a third added. Fellow United academy prospect Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher also netted a brace in the 6-1 win. Gabriel's latest goal comes just weeks after he was issued a senior squad number by United and reportedly made history in the process. In a recent image Gabriel was pictured smiling with his thumbs up in United shorts and T-shirt in the picture with his squad number of 95 emblazoned on his gear. And, according to Transfermarkt, that is the highest squad number in history handed out to a United player. The previous record was held by Godwill Kunoki, a 17-year-old centre back, who wore the No 87 in 2024-25 and remains on the club's books. Mail Sport exclusively reported last month how Gabriel - who has already represented England at youth level - is set to sign a new deal with the club despite interest from several major European teams, including United's rivals. Red Devils' director of football Jason Wilcox and director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves are said to have made a crucial intervention in the last week to persuade the teenager to remain in the north west. The wonderkid, whose full name is Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, honed his technique with the close confines and smaller ball of a futsal court. There is considerable hype surrounding Gabriel, and Alfie Brooks, owner of Ole Futsal and Gabriel's specialist one-to-one coach, claimed he is already capable of stepping into a Premier League dressing room. 'When he first started training, [his competitiveness] was the standout attribute,' Brooks previously told Mail Sport's Nathan Salt. 'I've coached nearly 1,000 academy players over my time - four of them in Josh Nichols (Arsenal), Josh Acheampong (Chelsea), Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) and Tyrique George (Chelsea) have made their senior debuts - and JJ is the best I've ever seen.
