logo
George Ford proud of his side as England complete tour clean sweep

George Ford proud of his side as England complete tour clean sweep

A much-changed England side shrugged off two lengthy delays caused by lightning to beat the United States 40-5 in Washington DC on the back of a 2-0 series win in Argentina.
Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and Gabriel Oghre, one of six debutants, grabbed England's six tries with Ford landing four conversions with one from another new face, Charlie Atkinson.
'The boys have been unbelievable all tour. They deserve that tonight,' said Ford, who won his 102nd cap. 'It is a proud moment for the families, so we will celebrate.
'There has been a lot of hard work and the conditions were difficult tonight.
'We have won all three games, we have had six new caps, I am proud of the effort of everyone.'
After kick-off at Audi Field was delayed due to an electrical storm in the American capital, England seized control when the Eagles were reduced to 14 by a deliberate knock-on from outside-half Chris Hilsenbeck.
Langdon was the beneficiary of a driving line-out for the first score and then new boy Max Ojomoh slipped in fellow centre Northmore for a simple score under the posts.
Alex Dombrandt and debutant Jack Carpenter had scores ruled out on either side of a 40-minute delay for lightning before Murley raced over in the final play of the first half.
England's Gabriel Oghre, left, breaks through to score (Alex Brandon/AP)
Van Poortvliet, showing his sound positional sense, went over straight after the restart and England were camped in the Americans' 22 for most of the second period.
The hosts held out until Immanuel Feyi-Waboso sliced through to send the supporting Randall over and Bristol hooker Oghre burst out of a maul to score as England turned to the bench.
The US were finally on the scoreboard in the final seconds as a well-worked ploy at the front of a line-out saw Chris Poidevin put Shilo Klein over for a consolation score.
'It is a big challenge, but the boys stayed on it,' said home captain Benjamin Bonasso. 'We trusted the process and got a try at the end of the game.
'We have got to keep going. Facing this type of speed and conditions always makes you better.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Grisly suitcase find led to one of Met's ‘most harrowing' murder inquiries
Grisly suitcase find led to one of Met's ‘most harrowing' murder inquiries

The Guardian

time2 hours ago

  • The Guardian

Grisly suitcase find led to one of Met's ‘most harrowing' murder inquiries

On 10 July 2024, the England footballer Ollie Watkins scored a last-minute winner against the Netherlands to secure the Three Lions' place in the Euro 2024 final. It was a balmy evening and joyful fans left pubs up and down the country elated and relieved that they had made it to the final for the second successive Euros. Among them was 61-year-old Giles Malone. He was waiting for a taxi outside the Mall pub in Clifton, the leafy, affluent suburb of Bristol, when he spotted two men grappling with a suitcase. 'I said to them: 'That looks really heavy; what have you got in there, a body?' – jokingly like you do,' Malone later told reporters. He was partly right. The suitcase contained the parts of not one but two bodies. And one of the men was their killer, Yostin Andres Mosquera. It was not until the next morning that ripples of rumour started to spread through Bristol and its surrounding villages. Clifton Suspension Bridge, the city's emblematic landmark, was closed both ways. A police tent had been erected at the western end. Closure of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's masterpiece both ways is rare but not unprecedented; residents speculated that perhaps someone else had taken their own life or someone had been knocked off their bike. Later on the 11 July 2024, Avon and Somerset police released a statement, which shocked the community: a suitcase had been found on the bridge containing human remains and the suspect seen handling the baggage was at large. Before Mosquera was arrested two days later, a video obtained by the Sun taken by a cyclist appeared to show the rider confronting the suspect as he ran away from the bridge through the area of Leigh Woods in North Somerset. It was reported that the fleeing suspect could be heard saying in Spanish: 'My boss is a bad man,' prompting speculation that this might be a gang-related murder. But the circumstances of this murder were much more singular and unexpected. The two victims were Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, who were in a civil partnership and lived more than 100 miles away in Shepherd's Bush, west London. They were easily tracked – the suitcase containing their body parts had a label with their address attached. It was not until the trial at the Old Bailey in London opened earlier this year that the nature of their relationship with Mosquera emerged. Alfonso liked extreme sex, which Longworth knew about and accepted but had nothing to do with. He met Mosquera, a Colombian national, via webcam sites around 2012 aimed at Alfonso's sexual preferences. Prosecutors described Mosquera as a 'pornographic performer'. During his defence, Mosquera told the court he had met Alfonso in person in Colombia in 2022 and 2024. Photographs shared online by the couple show Alfonso and Longworth with Mosquera on holiday in Colombia, smiling and apparently enjoying each other's company. But on 8 July 2024, while Mosquera was staying with them, he murdered the men with Alfonso's killing filmed on camera. Alfonso, a swimming instructor, was stabbed to death while the two men were having sex with both the sex and murder recorded on film. Longworth, a retired handyman, was attacked with a hammer to the back of his head, suffering repeated blows, which shattered his skull. After killing Alfonso, he used the victim's computer to look at banking information relating to the couple before compiling a PowerPoint document of that information. He then tried to send £4,000 to his own account in Colombia, before going to a cashpoint and withdrawing money. Analysis of the defendant's computer revealed that between June and 8 July he searched for the value of the couple's west London home, browsed Facebook Marketplace for a chest freezer, copied spreadsheets containing Alfonso's login details for his online bank accounts on to his laptop and searched for 'serial killers of London' and 'Jack the Ripper film'. After dismembering the men, he put their heads in the freezer before transferring the rest of them to a suitcase and taking it to Bristol. Mosquera claimed that it was in fact Alfonso who killed Longworth – and he feared for his own life and believed he was about to be killed when he stabbed Alfonso. But the jury were not convinced. The Metropolitan police's DCI Ollie Stride, who led the investigation, told the Guardian it was 'one of the most harrowing murders' his team has ever investigated and would stay with them 'for a long time'. 'The team have consumed hours of footage, much of it of the utmost disturbing and graphic nature,' he said. 'Those images will stay with all of us for a very long time.' Stride said the case had presented unique challenges with a 'vast amount of digital media' to review, many of which were in Spanish, requiring translation. They reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV, and conducted extensive forensic analysis to build the case. It is understood Mosquera had a wife and two children in Colombia. Authorities in the South American country found only two minor matters over 10 years old on his criminal record, as well as two minor traffic matters. 'We are in no doubt he may have amassed a following online due to his sexual endeavours, but we are confident he worked alone and there are no accomplices with relations to the murders,' Stride said. The sexual activity in the case has garnered prurient attention but Stride said nothing uncovered was illegal. 'There has been a lot of focus on the sexual activity in this case,' he said. 'Whilst it may be unorthodox to many, it was legal, consensual sexual activity in their own home. There were additional challenges for the investigation, particularly in securing the trust of those who are not openly involved in this activity.' Despite Mosquera's apparent warning that his 'boss was a bad man', the Met found no evidence of any accomplices or others directing his activity through the investigation and nor was this a defence Mosquera relied upon. As for why the murderer chose one of the most famous landmarks in the south-west of England, visited by thousands of tourists, as well as a key route in and out of north Bristol, to dispose of the bodies – that remains a mystery.

The Open: How long Scottie Scheffler can keep Claret Jug after being caught off guard
The Open: How long Scottie Scheffler can keep Claret Jug after being caught off guard

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

The Open: How long Scottie Scheffler can keep Claret Jug after being caught off guard

Scottie Scheffler won The Open at Royal Portrush to claim the fourth major title of his career, and aspects of the Claret Jug took him by surprise Scottie Scheffler has etched his name into golfing history by claiming the coveted Claret Jug at The Open. The American won the historic major for the first time at Royal Portrush on Sunday. ‌ Scheffler, who finished T7 at last year's tournament, soared to victory at Portrush with a three-under-par round on Sunday. The 29-year-old finished on 17-under at The Open, four shots ahead of runner-up Harris English. ‌ Scheffler, who is already a two-time Masters winner and clinched the PGA Championship in May, is no stranger to picking up trophies. However, the Claret Jug seemed to fascinate Scheffler shortly after his victory. ‌ In a video by The R&A, the champion golfer remarked on the trophy's unexpected weight. He turned to a person carrying the Claret Jug and said: "It's light, isn't it?" The footage tracked Scheffler's journey after his Open triumph, from heartfelt celebrations to expressing gratitude to staff and engaging with the press. Upon closer examination of his newly acquired trophy, Scheffler spotted an intriguing detail. Having inspected the trophy's past engravings, Scheffler shared: "The first thing I noticed was this, '2020: No championship owing to global pandemic.'" The Open has awarded Scheffler a replica of the iconic Claret Jug, which he must return to The R&A next year. The tradition of players keeping the same replica trophy for 12 months began in 1928. For the coming year, Scheffler has the privilege of showcasing the trophy and taking it to events, but the new Open champion must hand back the silverware before next year's tournament. ‌ The original Claret Jug is on permanent display at The R&A. Alongside the Claret Jug, Open champions are also presented with a gold champion's medal, which Scheffler will retain. The Claret Jug has been awarded since 1873. It was commissioned in the previous year, and although Thomas Morris' name was the first to be engraved on it, Tom Kidd was the inaugural champion to lift the trophy when he triumphed 152 years ago. Scheffler's recent string of successes has led some to compare him with Tiger Woods, who has won The Open on three occasions. Yet, Scheffler dismissed such comparisons as premature during his post-championship press conference. "I still think they're a bit silly," Scheffler admitted. "Tiger won, what, 15 majors? This is my fourth. I just got one-fourth of the way there. I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf. "He was inspirational for me growing up. He was a very, very talented guy, and he was a special person to be able to be as good as he was at the game of golf. I don't focus on that kind of stuff."

Jake Paul responds to brutal claims Anthony Joshua will KILL him
Jake Paul responds to brutal claims Anthony Joshua will KILL him

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Jake Paul responds to brutal claims Anthony Joshua will KILL him

Paul has been trading barbs with Joshua for months and the pair have now been tipped to go head-to-head next year at Wembley Jake Paul has promised to silence his critics in a potential heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua. ‌ In recent months, the YouTuber-turned-boxer has repeatedly demanded a clash with the former two-time heavyweight world champion. After defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last month, the 28-year-old seized another chance to challenge the British fighter. ‌ The internet star even made the journey to the UK for Oleksandr Usyk 's clash with Daniel Dubois, hoping to encounter 'AJ.' However, the Watford native was surprisingly absent from the venue, reports All Out Fighting. Speaking to DAZN before Usyk's Saturday night encounter with Daniel Dubois, Paul - who was positioned ringside for the contest - declared he would face Joshua next year. "Yeah 100 per cent it's going to happen. We're going to do the unthinkable and create one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing," he said. "It's not even about it being realistic or not, it's going to happen so fasten your seatbelts. And when I knock him out I'll go down in the history books forever." ‌ Paul subsequently double down on his statements during a chat with Seconds Out, stating: "Yeah, it is going to happen. Like seriously, it is going to happen. We were talking with Turki Alalshikh tonight, negotiations, live in person which are always fun. But, it is going to happen, and it is just such an exciting fight that crosses the whole globe. When you ask a lot of people about certain boxers, they do not know their names," he said. "And everywhere I go, I have just talked about Anthony Joshua and I am global. So, it is just such a good fight for the sport of boxing." Since challenging Joshua, several fans have boldly predicted that the British champion would savagely demolish the young American. Nevertheless, Paul has hit back at his critics and remains convinced he would emerge victorious should discussions of a potential bout materialise. "People think I will die, but I will show them why I can rise against all odds and beat him," he said. The 'Problem Child' was also keen to deliver a warning to his opponent. "Man, I am going to embarrass you in front of the whole world and steal your legacy and embarrass you." Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn acknowledges a clash between Paul and Joshua could materialise in 2026 following the social media personality's acceptance of an astonishing one per cent fight purse for the prospective encounter. "Don't ask me how. Don't ask me why," Hearn said. "But if people want Anthony Joshua to evaporate the career of Jake Paul in one night, maybe we make it happen." He added: "You know, obviously it'll be up to AJ and myself what AJ does, and [Most Valuable Promotions CEO] Nakisa [Bidarian] and Jake, what they do – but also the power of Turki Alalshikh bringing it together, making it a mega-event. We're up for it. You know, it's not a fight we targeted. It's not a fight we anticipated. But as I said, if it's there and it's open and it's a running-up fight before Tyson Fury, why not? It probably breaks the internet. It breaks the platform. It probably delivers the biggest numbers of any fight we've ever seen, and that's the crazy world we live in. For me, I don't expect it to be competitive, but do you want to see Jake Paul flattened? There you go. It's on a plate right in front of you." When is Jake Paul's next fight? Following his victory over Chavez Jr last month, Paul is set to compete once more before the year concludes. The American is now eligible to challenge for a world championship after being included in the WBC's cruiserweight rankings following his triumph over the former middleweight titleholder. The 28-year-old's manager disclosed that his business associate is eager to compete for a world crown 'as soon as possible'. Nevertheless, he acknowledges it's unlikely to be his next bout, given the current situation at 200lbs. "Absolutely [he will fight again this year]. November or December," Bidarian told Ariel Helwani when asked about Paul's next steps. "I'm seeing him tonight for dinner, and we will have a conversation [about his next opponent]. The only possibility right now is that Jake wants to fight for a belt as soon as possible. I have to talk to him, I think it's tough this year [to box for a world title]. Badou Jack is who he wants to fight more than anyone, and he has a mandatory rematch with the guy he just beat [Noel Mikaelian] for the WBC. I don't know if this year is possible [for the title fight], but we'll see."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store