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The Northampton director of rugby, Phil Dowson, fears the sport is “sleepwalking” towards another club going bust and endorsed plans for the Premiership to become a franchised league on the basis it would be more appealing to investors. Premiership and Rugby Football Union executives have drawn up plans for an “expansion” league, akin to a … Read more
It may be viewed as an amuse-bouche before the main course of India in June, but England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe is fast approaching. Selection is imminent – for the four-day match Trent Bridge that gets under way on 22 May and a training camp in Loughborough that precedes it – and after four rounds … Read more
It was at a press conference to announce Gabon’s squad for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi in August 2018 that Pierre-Alain Mounguengui admitted Gabonese football had a problem. After shocking revelations made by Shiva “Star” Nzigou – a former striker who played for the French club Nantes and won 24 caps – … Read more
Daniel Dubois warned Oleksandr Usyk that none of the mind games will matter when they step into the ring for their heavyweight title unification contest and suggested the Ukrainian would simply not be able to “handle the pain” when they meet at Wembley Stadium on 19 July. On Tuesday afternoon, Dubois and Usyk presented a … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Preamble Tonight, on a blissful spring evening in North London, 60,000 virgins will assemble in a a four-tiered bowl with polycarbonate roofing. We should probably explain that, eh. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, who meet at the Emirates Stadium in the first … Read more
‘EVERYBODY, GET DOWN, GET DOWN’ While the last of this season’s three Premier League relegation spots was confirmed the moment referee John Brooks blew his whistle to signal the end of the Championship playoff final between Leeds and Southampton 11 months ago, the late scramble to avoid the bottom three in the second tier has … Read more
Grand slam doubles champion Max Purcell has accepted an 18-month ban for breaching anti-doping rules, with the Australian saying he has developed a nervous tic and anxiety because of the case. The 27-year-old entered a voluntary provisional suspension in December after admitting to breaching Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program “relating to the use … Read more
Thousands of playing fields could be lost to housing if the government strips Sport England of its role in national planning policy, campaigners have warned. As part of the national planning and infrastructure bill the government has said it wants to “speed up the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure” by removing the powers … Read more
On this week’s Guardian Women’s Football Weekly, Faye is joined by Sophie Downey, Ameé Ruszkai and Marva Kreel. The panel discuss Arsenal’s 4-1 second-leg victory over Lyon, the north London side knocking out the eight-time European champions and securing their place in the final. However, it won’t be a full English affair after Chelsea’s dreams … Read more
ITV has offered strong public backing to Ian Wright in its first public comment since he was criticised by Eni Aluko. Last Wednesday, Aluko said Wright “should be aware of” how much punditry work he was doing in women’s football and that it was important “women are not being blocked from having a pathway into … Read more