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Associated Press
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
No Welsh players in a British and Irish Lions test team for the first time in 129 years
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — An important element in the great tradition of uniting players from Britain and Ireland to form the Lions will be missing Saturday when there's no Welshman in the test squad for the first time in 129 years. It'll be the might of Ireland, England and Scotland against Australia. Back-rower Jac Morgan was the only Welshman left in the touring group in Australia when scrumhalf Tomos Williams injured his hamstring and was ruled out of the series. Morgan's impressive appearances in the leadup to the three-test series against Australia weren't enough to earn him a spot in a back row comprising of Irish No. 8 Jack Conan and blindside flanker Tadhg Beirne and England openside Tom Curry. England's Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl were picked as cover off the bench. In announcing his match-day 23 on Thursday, Lions head coach Andy Farrell said Morgan got 'as close as you could imagine' to selection. He said he was 'gutted' for players like Morgan who were in good form and could have been picked but missed out because of the incredible depth in some areas and for the balance of the squad. 'Shows where we're at as a group,' Farrell said. 'That's the right balance for the first test.' Beirne is a big game player, strong on turnovers and ball-carrying, and complements Conan, Farrell said, while Curry has the kind of 'engine' needed to win a test. Farrell said there'd been 'very vigorous debate' in the composition of the team but ultimately all the selectors settled on the combination. The BBC described the selection as 'yet another sign ... to highlight Welsh rugby's fall from grace,' adding that Morgan's absence against Australia 'rubs salt into an already hurtful wound.' In the 23 there's 11 from Ireland, nine from England and three from Scotland, the BBC noted, 'and none from Wales for a squad against Australia, New Zealand or South Africa for the first time since 1896 — an extraordinary and damning statistic.' In the modern era, the Lions have toured every four years on a rotating basis to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The Welsh have had a proud tradition of being a force within the Lions. But Welsh rugby has been in serious decline since the 2023 World Cup, where they beat the two-time champion Australians. Wales' 18-match losing streak — tied for the longest by a major rugby team in test history — ended only last weekend in a 31-22 win over Japan. Former Lion and Wales international Dafydd James told the BBC the Lions test team 'says exactly where Welsh rugby is, and it's worrying.' 'It's sobering and a sad indictment of the way the game has gone in Wales.' Farrell said 'there's obviously scope' for players like Morgan to work their way into the test team for the second and third matches, but for the series opener, 'We picked the best team to win this match.' ___ AP rugby:
New Paper
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
McDonald aims to equal record with Tiara crown
BRISBANE New Zealand jockey James McDonald will bid to equal Australia's national riding record that has stood for 45 years. Based in Sydney, McDonald has a final chance to equal the riding record for most number of Group 1 wins in a season, when he combines with Firestorm in the A$700,000 (S$580,000) Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1,400m) at Eagle Farm on June 28. The 2024 Longines World's Best Jockey has claimed 15 Group 1 races in the 2024-25 racing season. If he wins the Tattersall's Tiara - the final Group 1 race of the season -he will equal the feat of 16 Group 1 wins achieved by champion jockey Malcolm Johnston in 1979-80. Firestorm remains a 16-5 favourite despite drawing barrier 19, and will be one of four runners for Sydney premier trainer Chris Waller, along with Olentia, Konasana and emergency acceptor Gumdrops. Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth believes the Satono Aladdin mare has the right profile for the race and just needs a genuine speed to produce her best. "She has got exceptional form behind Lady Shenandoah in the Coolmore (Classic) and then in the Doncaster Mile. They just didn't go quick enough for her. She needs a bit of tempo on," he said. "Her first-up run the other day was brilliant. It wasn't a very hard run so she has bounced through that. "She went to the farm for a couple of days and came back and she has done really well." Firestorm won the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1,300m) and beat all but stablemate Lady Shenandoah in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1,500m), before her unplaced run in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1,600m). She finished third to Tattersall's Tiara rival Floozie in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1,300m) last start. Duckworth expects McDonald to be hungry, not only to equal Johnston's record, but also to ensure his afternoon is worthwhile. "James is only riding three on the day, so he is going to have to make them all count," quipped Duckworth. Zoustar mare Olentia ran a disappointing 10th in the Dane Ripper Stakes, but Duckworth has put a line through that. "She is a better horse than that," he said. Konasana ran fourth in two New Zealand Group 1 races, the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1,600m) and the Otaki-Maori Classic (1,600m), earlier this year and connections are keen to have another throw at the stumps. "She was unlucky not to win a Group 1 in New Zealand, so she is on the hunt for that elusive race," said Duckworth of the Dundeel mare. SKY RACING WORLD
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Markets cheer court ruling to block Trump tariffs
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -U.S. stock futures jumped and the dollar gained against safe-haven peers including the yen and Swiss franc on Thursday, after a U.S. federal court blocked President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs from going into effect. The Trump administration has appealed the ruling. S&P 500 E-mini futures climbed 1.5% and the U.S. currency jumped 0.7% to 145.83 yen and 0.8% to 0.8339 Swiss franc. Here are some quotes from market analysts: MATT SIMPSON, SENIOR MARKET ANALYST, CITY INDEX, BRISBANE "It seems inevitable the Supreme Court will be ordered to weigh in on this one, which makes today's news more of a speedbump than a full-drawn conclusion. But for now, investors get a breather from the economic uncertainty they love to loathe." HIROFUMI SUZUKI, CHIEF FX STRATEGIST, SMBC, TOKYO "It's certainly a blow to the Trump administration. However, it's likely that the administration will proceed with appeals and other procedures in federal court. So, this block doesn't mean that policies regarding tariffs will completely stop. "On the other hand, this is a domestic matter for the U.S., and I think that tariff negotiations will continue. "In the financial markets, there's an initial reaction of a stronger dollar and weaker yen. However, considering judicial processes like appeals, I don't expect a continuous rise in the dollar." SEAN CALLOW, SENIOR ANALYST AT ITC MARKETS, SYDNEY "The kneejerk response of markets to the CIT ruling is intriguing - rather than taking it as simple risk-on news that should benefit the likes of AUD and NZD, the U.S. dollar is the main beneficiary. "It appears as though while there must be significant caution over the ruling being overturned by higher courts, for now the weight of money is being placed on the possibility that U.S. courts prevent the White House from self-imposed economic damage, brightening U.S. growth prospects and the USD." RAY ATTRILL, HEAD OF FX STRATEGY, NAB, SYDNEY "We're just trying to work out what it might mean, but obviously the market is doing a kneejerk reaction so I guess it's reversing a lot of the moves that we've seen… you know all the direction of change has been opposite to what we have seen since Liberation Day, but it's not at all clear what this means. "The assumption is that the tariffs that have been announced and are in place will stay in place… Our assumption is President Trump will appeal this trade court's decision and he has the right to appeal... And then it will be up to the federal court and what happens there? I have no idea. So this may be an absolute storm in a teacup or potentially something more significant. "I think it's way premature basically to say that this has the potential to reverse a lot of the moves that we've seen in the last couple of months." Sign in to access your portfolio
New Paper
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Femminile to be ridden by Shinn
BRISBANE Trainer Phillip Stokes is doing everything in his power to ensure Group 1 winner Femminile gets the best chances in the A$1 million (S$832,000) Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on May 31. The Pakenham trainer has engaged one of Australia's top hoops to take the reins on Femminile and he has received a commitment from Blake Shinn to ride the three-year-old daughter of Dundeel. The 2,400-metre event will be run four days after the recent winner of the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2,500m) is offered for the sale at the Magic Millions National Broodmare sale on May 27. Stokes said the bay filly, who will trial at Pakenham on May 20, presents a great opportunity for prospective buyers. "She's going through the sale a few days before, so the new buyers can have a runner in the Derby," said Stokes. "She'll have a reverse trial on Tuesday and then go up at the end of the week. She seems well." Femminile became the second filly in a row to upstage the boys in the South Australian Derby on May 3, after Coco Sun won the Adelaide classic in 2024. Femminile was then ridden by Lachlan Neindorf, who carried the OTI Racing colours to victory at Morphettville. 2008 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Shinn, who also bagged eight winners over two stints in Singapore in 2015 and 2022, will be chasing back-to-back Queensland Derbys in the same colours. in 2024, he partnered the OTI Racing Stable-owned Warmonger to a brilliant 10½ length-win. Femminile will be one of three Stokes-trained runners Shinn rides on May 31. He is also booked on Regal Azmon and Stay Focused. Stokes is keen to test the seven-year-old Regal Azmon beyond 1,600m after his barnstorming win in the Group 3 Cummings Stakes at Morphettville on May 10, with the Group 2 Lord Mayor's Cup (1,800m) on May 31 identified as a good option. "I thought he's in his career-best form, so we might as well have a crack at that," he said. "He's an older horse, but he's going as good as ever." The Queensland Derby is one of two Group 1 races to be run at the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival at Eagle Farm on May 31. The other highlight is the A$1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1,300m). On May 24, the Group 1 spotlight will be shining on Doomben instead, with the clash of 2024 Australian Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni and Queensland star Antino in the A$1 million Doomben Cup (2,000m) set to turn heads. After finishing last in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1,600m) at Flemington on Nov 9, 2024, Pride Of Jenni bled and was initally retired by her owners, but the Ciaron Maher-trained mare surprised many by coming out of retirement in early 2025. The seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai has since won twice from three starts, including the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1,800m) on March 15 and her last start in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1,600m) on May 3. Both races were run at Caulfield. Craig Newitt, who was her winning partner in the two races, will take the reins on Pride Of Jenni. Recent Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1,800m) winner Antino will be ridden by Shinn again. Then, given an astute ride by Shinn, the Tony Gollan-trained six-year-old dashed clear to win by 3½ lengths at Gold Coast on May 10. The Brisbane Racing Club will "shout the bar", or give a free round of beers to racegoers should favourite Pride Of Jenni or Antino wins the Doomben Cup. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's homegrown talent Matthew Poon has also earned a ride in the Doomben Cup on Klondike for trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton. The Galileo five-year-old last won the Group 3 Prix De Reux (2,500m) at Deauville in France last August, when under the care of William Haggas. "I was really surprised. I was very happy to get the opportunity because it is one of my career goals to ride in a Group 1 overseas, so I'm really keen on this opportunity and I really appreciate it," Poon told the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "I think this will be a really good experience to get rides, especially in a Group 1, in a different country." The 2015/16 South Australian champion apprentice's biggest career win was on Straight Arron in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin on March 30. SKY RACING WORLD
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Driver returns to find car in wild parking predicament ahead of Cyclone Alfred
As millions scramble to make last-minute preparations ahead of Cyclone Alfred's imminent landfall, viral footage has captured the moment a man returned to his parked car in a Brisbane alleyway, only to find it completely blocked in by an army of e-scooters packed in like sardines. Thousands of the devices were neatly packed into the alleyway in the city's CBD, in an apparent bid to shelter them from the incoming category two storm. Unfortunately for one unlucky driver, this meant his car was completely wedged between rows upon rows of Lime and Neuron scooters, leaving the vehicle trapped. In a scene reminiscent of real-life Tetris, footage captured the man painstakingly moving each scooter one by one, carefully clearing a path to freedom. Eventually, thanks to the help a companion, and after a significant period of time, the man eventually was able to free his car and drive off. Online, amused Aussies applauded the man's efforts and patience. "He's out here playing Frogger, dodging scooters like it's an Olympic sport, just trying to reverse his way to freedom," the caption read when the video was shared by the Brisbane Instagram account. "Someone give this man a medal, or at least a free ride credit." Despite the efforts to shelter the scooters from the imminent heavy winds, some Aussies argued "they will be heavy projectiles" as the weather worsens. Yahoo News has reached out to the City of Brisbane Council as well as Lime and Neuron scooters for clarification over who was responsible for the scene. Meanwhile, residents in Queensland's south-east and NSW's north are bracing for Cyclone Alfred's impact, which is expected to smash the coast early on Saturday morning. Residents of 7,000 homes in Lismore have been given just hours to evacuate, in areas that were devastated in the 2022 floods. Public transport and schools have been closed in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with expectations that winds and heavy rain will intensify over the 24 hours before Alfred finally hits the mainland. Authorities in Queensland are warning people to stay away from the beaches as massive waves pound the coast. Parts of northern NSW have already been experienced intense rainfall, with 200mm recorded at Dorigo and 170mm at Mullumbimby. In some parts, an incredible 700mm is expected. Evacuation orders were issued to residents throughout the Northern Rivers region of NSW with people told to take refuge with family or friends, or evacuation centres by 9pm on Thursday. Residents turn to Bunnings hacks in frenzied preparation for Cyclone Alfred 'well and truly' felt as landfall nears Large roadside devices pop up as city prepares for Alfred A jet skier has been reported missing, as authorities beg surfers and sightseers to stay off the beaches. Incredible images taken on Thursday afternoon showed Gold Coast residents sprinting for cover as heavy rainfall and winds began to lash the area. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @BRISBANE (@brisbane) Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
