Latest news with #AndrewSemple
The National
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Rugby World Cup qualifying: UAE claim Sri Lanka scalp to move closer to Asia-Africa play-off
The UAE have done their bit, and in some style, too, with a 29-21 victory in Sri Lanka. Now they need Hong Kong to do them a favour on Saturday, and their Rugby World Cup qualification adventure will continue. Jack Stapley scored two tries, and Sakiusa Naisau and Brad Janes one apiece, as the national team claimed a bonus-point win in Colombo. It means that South Korea need to upset the formbook and beat the five-time defending champions Hong Kong to deprive the UAE of second place in the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship. If the UAE do finish runners-up, they will head to Uganda later this month for a play-off against the second-best side in the equivalent competition in Africa. The Africa Cup starts this weekend in Kampala. Namibia are favourites to win the competition, which also involves Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Morocco and Senegal. The winners of the play-off will advance to the four-team event in November which will decide the final qualifier for the 2027 World Cup. Andrew Semple, the UAE captain, said his side are glad to still be in with a shot. 'We started very well, but let things slip as the game went on, and it ebbed and flowed,' he said after the win in Colombo. 'We are not very happy with our overall performance. It was a bit under par but we are just happy that we came away with a win and can move on in the tournament.' The UAE were giving away three places in the World Rugby rankings to their host, but travelled to Sri Lanka full of confidence. Jacques Benade, the UAE coach, had said the national team would look to put their hosts under pressure via their extra power in the forward pack. The UAE's tight-five combined weighed more than the entire eight-man pack of Sri Lanka, and they made advantage of it from the start. Stapley got his first after some irresistible mauling by the UAE pack, before Janes went over to send the tourists into a 12-3 lead. It seemed as if the home side were powerless to hold back the UAE forwards, but Sri Lanka had suggested they had a plan. 'They seem to be big, but we have come up with a gameplan which we hope can counter them,"Tharinda Ratwatte, Sri Lanka's captain, said in an interview ahead of kick-off. Ratwatte – and in particular his unerring boot – was at the centre of their fightback. They scored tries, either side of a third for the UAE by Naisau, to reduce the arrears to 22-21. At that point, the home side were in the ascendancy, and they had two kickable penalties to take the lead. For the second time in two matches, though, the UAE profited from their opposition's reticence at kicking for the posts. Ratwatte had been having an outstanding game till that point, but passed up two chances to kick for three points in quick succession. It felt similar to the closing throes of the UAE's comeback win in Incheon two weeks earlier. The UAE defended their line, and when Stapley later went through for their fourth try, victory – and likely second place – was theirs. 'We lost a bit of focus and lost a bit at the set piece,' Semple said. 'It was a case of resetting and doing what we knew we are good at: carrying ball, getting back to the scrum, and winning lineout ball. 'Sri Lanka stayed in the game, even though we got a little bit ahead. They fought back, credit to them, but we just managed to come away with it in the end.'
BBC News
11-06-2025
- BBC News
Couple banned from owning donkeys after neglect
A couple who admitted neglecting donkeys have been banned from keeping equine animals for five RSPCA said Andrew Semple and wife Samantha Semple-Thomas, from Holbury in Hampshire, left their animals to eat poor quality, mouldy hay and fend for themselves in thick donkey was found dead while five that were still alive were found by a vet to be underweight with poor coats and concerns about potential mud fever - a skin condition that causes sore, scabby areas of the legs and and Semple-Thomas, aged 54 and 51 respectively, were also each given an 18-month community order to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs. The RSPCA said the court was told in mitigation that the care of the donkeys declined after Semple-Thomas suffered a back injury and lost her father. They both also expressed "a high level of remorse", the charity said. RSPCA inspector Jo Story, who led the investigation, said: "Animals are reliant on owners to be given everything they need to survive, including an appropriate diet and suitable living conditions."We'd plead to anyone who is struggling to cope with the care of their pets to reach out and ask for the help they need."Sadly, these animals were badly neglected without food and homed within a space that severely compromised their health and welfare, and sadly led to the death of one donkey."The five surviving donkeys - Fire, Sooty, River, Rosie and Ruby - now live at the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Al Jazeera
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
LIVE: Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Copa del Rey final
Real Madrid face Barcelona as El Clasico graces the Spanish Copa del Rey match at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville kicks off at 10pm local time (20:00 GMT).Barcelona and Real Madrid currently rank first and second, respectively, in the Spanish LaLiga Madrid reached the Copa final after beating Real Sociedad 5-4 on aggregate in the semifinals, while Barcelona booked their berth in the title clash by beating Atletico Madrid in the semis with the same Madrid and Barcelona last met in a Copa final in the 2013-2014 up to date: Follow Al Jazeera Sport on our website and on X for the latest news, features and live events from around the world. Update: Date: 8m ago (15:00 GMT) Title: Welcome to our live page Content: Hello, welcome and thanks for joining our live coverage of one of world football's biggest match-ups as El Clasico graces the Copa del Rey final. Real Madrid are the defending LaLiga and Champions League winners, but their defence of the former is over. Barcelona top the Spanish league, from the holders, by four points and have qualified for the Champions League semifinals. The Catalan club have already claimed the Spanish Super Cup by beating Real in the final in January and now have the quadruple in their sights. I'm Andrew Semple and I'll bring you the live build-up, including the photo coverage across the day. Rohan Sharma will bring you our comprehensive text commentary stream. Stick with Al Jazeera Sport for all the action.
