Assistant coach Dan Lydiate has praised Wales’ defensive improvement but says there is still progress to be made after conceding 23 tries in four matches in this year’s Six Nations.

Lydiate is helping with Wales’ defence during the campaign and highlighted the effort shown in the 27-17 defeat by Ireland, but he says the next step is to win the ball back sooner rather than making huge numbers of tackles.

With Italy visiting Principality Stadium on Saturday, Lydiate says Wales want to use their energy in attack and get the Cardiff venue rocking again.

Read more: ‘Banged up’ Wainwright set to face Italy for Wales

Developing stayer Campaldino advanced further in pursuit of his Sydney Cup dream via a solid success in the Randwick City Stakes.

As Tim Clark bided his time for balance with stablemate Alalcance pushing a steady pace ahead, Campaldino ($4.40) drove clear late among horses to pip Athabascan ($41) by 1-1/4 lengths, Juja Kibo ($4.20) trailing by a neck for third.

Previously from New Zealand, he captured four successive victories last season, highlighted by a Brisbane Cup (3200m) win in June, with the 2000m Saturday task being solely his second run back.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott was overjoyed at seeing the horse victorious again, positive about autumn prospects.

“Great to see him bounce back in such good shape second-up,” Bott said.

“I thought he was in for a nice campaign, and he is only going to keep improving as they get over ground. He showed that last preparation.

“He’s got those true staying capabilities and I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead.”

First-up post-November, Alalcance dug deep to claim sixth despite a substantial mid-race buffer, Bott affirming both are bound for the N E Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill in a couple of weeks.

“She was there for a long way so there is some good upside for her going forward as well,” Bott said.

“At this stage, they will push on to the Manion, through the Chairman’s Handicap and onto the Sydney Cup.

“It’s a program we have followed before and used it well.”

Clark mentioned the winner hesitated initially with the fast fraction but mustered his strength to dominate.

“I had to wait and let him build through when he was ready, and when he finally got into gear and had his revs up, he was always going to win,” Clark said.

“The good thing about him is he relaxes so well. He goes to sleep.”

The Sydney Cup (3200m) is scheduled for Randwick on April 11.

Visit leading betting sites to find the best racing betting markets for the Sydney Cup showdown.

A fresh twist has been revealed in the saga of Jai Opetaia and the IBF cruiserweight title.

It was reported last week that Opetaia was to be stripped of his IBF belt on the first bell of his planned fight against Brandon Glanton at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday, due to the fact the contest was also for the inaugural Zuffa belt.

Nonetheless, Opetaia proceeded with his bout and claimed a unanimous decision victory over Glanton to extend his unbeaten record to 30-0.

Following the fight, Opetaia once again shared his desire to become undisputed at cruiserweight, and it seems he may have been given a lifeline to do just that as the IBF announced in a statement that they are yet to make a final decision on stripping him of their title.

“Jai Opetaia made comments during the post-fight press conference that have led the organization’s leadership to question whether he was made completely and fully aware by his advisors of the decisions he needed to make when committing to the bout against Brandon Glanton. The organization intends to look further into this matter.”

The statement also included a strong response to claims that they chose not to sanction the bout due to feeling ‘disrespected’ in the build-up to the fight.

“The IBF categorically rejects any suggestion or claim that it intentionally withdrew sanction to cause harm. The IBF granted sanction of the Opetaia vs. Glanton bout in good faith expecting that what was assured was what would transpire.

“The press conference held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 8 made it very clear that the inaugural Zuffa World Cruiserweight championship would be contested on March 8.

“The IBF, as previously stated on March 6, reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other sanctioning bodies that comply with the same regulations followed by the IBF, and reserves the right to sanction title bouts alongside other contests that stage the IBF Cruiserweight Title remains in deliberation.”

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A definitive outcome on whether or not Opetaia does indeed keep hold of his title will be revealed in due course.

A confidence-enhancing conversation with a leading jockey came at the perfect time for trainer Annabel Archibald, just after Chayan’s tough luck in the Blue Diamond left her unplaced. “Where is Chayan going next,” the jockey said. “She will go where you can ride her,” Archibald responded.

James McDonald, the elite jockey in question, was in the irons at Royal Randwick this Saturday, steering Chayan to a standout performance that launched her into the Golden Slipper mix through victory in the Group 2 $300,000 Reisling Stakes (1200m).

Chayan, at odds of $3.10, surged clear to win by three expanding lengths ahead of $2.70 market fancy Agrarian Girl, from Miss Chanel ($10) who was half a length adrift in third.

“She’s a really good filly and I’m grateful that Annabel and Rob (Archibald) put her in the race for me,” McDonald said. “They were tossing up whether to run her next week but I was adamant, I’m available for this race please run her here and she justified that. “She’s beautiful to deal with. She’s got a lovely, good mind to her, just a strongly built two-year-old that’s ready to rock and roll. “I’d love her to go to the Percy Sykes instead of the Golden Slipper but we’ll see how much pull I’ve got.”

The filly notched her first win from three outings, guaranteeing entry into the $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.

Chayan always hinted at quality but drew poorly early in her career, as Archibald explained. “She had no luck from the draw in the Blue Diamond, she was five-wide all the way,” Archibald said. “So, to come here today and win a Group 2 is very satisfying. “We thought there would be a bit of speed and James said he just wanted to blend in and find some cover. “I was happy when he got in and she was very strong late. It was a big win.”

Archibald had success in the Reisling Stakes before with Learning To Fly in 2023, who sadly fell in Shinzo’s Golden Slipper. “Learning To Fly ended up a disaster (fell in the Golden Slipper,” she said. “Hopefully we can do better with Chayan. She is a very tough filly.

This I Am Invincible filly, bought for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale last year, showed promise. “These ‘Vinnie’ fillies can get a bit ‘hot’ and she was a bit ‘hot’ in her first couple of preparations,” Archibald said. “If you said to me before Christmas that she would be going to the Golden Slipper I would have said ‘no way’. “But she has really mentally matured and seems to be getting better with every race. “The Golden Slipper is very wide open this year so a lot will come down to barriers.The main thing is to see Chayan pull up well as she has the prizemoney to get into the race now.”

Agrarian Girl and Miss Chanel, prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, took second and third, with Agrarian Girl’s earnings now exceeding $180,000 for likely Golden Slipper access.

The Adrian Bott-trained runner showed plenty despite pre-race issues including a stall slip and needing restraint. “Under the circumstances, Agrarian Girl did very well to hold on for second,” Bott said. “Hopefully she has enough prizemoney to get int the Golden Slipper because she will improve off this run.”

Punters can find excellent betting sites with sign-up bonuses tailored for the upcoming Golden Slipper.

Devin Haney has provided an update on a potential rematch with long-term rival Ryan Garcia.

The two men met back in April 2024, in what was set to be a defence of Haney’s WBC super-lightweight crown. That changed when Garcia missed weight, though the bout proceeded as a non-title contest, and resulted in what many perceived as a huge upset.

That was because Garcia dropped his rival multiple times on his way to a majority decision victory, though it was later changed to a no contest after ‘King Ry’ subsequently failed a drugs test.

That led to Haney suing Garcia for battery, fraud and breach of contract, and though the lawsuit was eventually dropped, it has only added fuel to the fire between the two men.

Haney has since become WBO welterweight champion with a win over Brian Norman Jr, while Garcia won the WBC welterweight title in February when he defeated Mario Barrios.

It means fans have began to speculate about the long-awaited rematch between the two men, but Haney revealed on Inside The Ring that Garcia told him he would have to be the A-side in any potential bout.

“Ryan messaged me about A-side, B-side. I said Ryan let’s try and make this fight happen. He messaged me saying ‘hope you know I’m the A-side.’ I don’t know how that even came up.”

Along with the fight against Garcia – who has publicly said on social media that he will do the fight next if all details are ironed out – Haney has also been linked to a clash with WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero, who beat ‘King Ry’ when they met last year.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry praised members of Iran’s women’s national soccer team after they appeared to take a political stance by remaining silent during their country’s national anthem at the Women’s Asian Cup. The show of support comes as five players have secured asylum in Australia, while uncertainty surrounds the remaining 21 team members.

In a message posted on X, Israel commended the women on their “courage,” adding that the “world is watching.” 

Team Iran listens to national anthems before the AFC Women’s Asian Cup match against South Korea in Gold Coast, Australia, on March 2, 2026. (Izhar Khan/AFP)

“Sometimes courage is silence,” the post on X read. “To the women of Iran’s national [soccer] team, who refused to sing the regime’s anthem, we applaud your courage! Stay safe. The world is watching.”

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The post included a photo with a similar message that read, “To the brave Iranian women of the national team, the world sees your courage.”

The situation involving the Iranian women’s soccer team began after the squad arrived in Australia for the tournament last month. The team was already there when the U.S. launched a joint military operation with Israel against Iran. 

In the team’s opening match against South Korea, the squad stood silent during the national anthem as Iranian head coach Marziyeh Jafari, also silent, smiled at her team. The silence was interpreted by some as an act of resistance. But in the following match against Australia and the subsequent match that led to their elimination, the team sang along and saluted during the national anthem. 

Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women’s Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)

Concern for the team after the tournament prompted the Australian Iranian Council to launch an online petition urging Australian authorities to “ensure that no member of Iran’s women’s national football team is to depart Australia while credible fears for their safety remain.”

21 IRANIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS WEIGH RETURN HOME AFTER 5 GRANTED ASYLUM

President Donald Trump also weighed in, stating that the U.S. would “take them” if Australia did not grant them asylum.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced on Tuesday that five women were transported from their hotel in Gold Coast “to a safe location” by federal police officers where they later met with him and began the processing for their humanitarian visas.

“I say to the other members of the team the same opportunity is there,” he said. “Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts.”

Islamic Republic of Iran players line up for the national anthems prior to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 match between Islamic Republic of Iran and the Australia Matildas at Gold Coast Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia, on March 5, 2026. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

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The women granted asylum were happy for their names and pictures to be published, Burke said, but added that the players wanted to make clear that they were “not political activists.”

Protesters attempted to stop the team bus from leaving on Tuesday outside the hotel they were staying. The remaining members of the team and coaches flew to Sydney Airport, where police evicted protesters from the international terminal before the team boarded an international flight to Kuala Lumpur, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The West Indies team is to return home via commercial flights from India after a “distressing” wait following their exit from the men’s T20 World Cup.

West Indies have been stuck in Kolkata since they were eliminated from the tournament on 1 March amid travel disruption caused by the conflict across the Middle East.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had been due to arrange a charter flight for both West Indies and South Africa.

But Cricket West Indies (CWI) said this had been “repeatedly delayed”.

“Ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ICC-organised charter, as a result of global tensions and aviation regulations, made the situation increasingly distressing,” said the CWI.

“In the interest of the wellbeing and safety of its players and support staff, Cricket West Indies advised the ICC that it was no longer prudent to continue waiting on the charter arrangements, which remain uncertain.

“Multiple approaches have since been made through CWI, players, and other partners, in coordination with the ICC, to secure commercial travel to facilitate the squad’s safe return.”

Some of West Indies’ players and staff have already departed, with the remainder of the party scheduled to leave on Tuesday and Wednesday.

BBC Sport has contacted Cricket South Africa to establish their plans.

The ICC has been criticised by players from West Indies and South Africa for their failure to adequately resolve the issue.

England, who lost their semi-final on Thursday, flew home on Saturday, leading to accusations of bias directed at the ICC which were “categorically” denied by cricket’s global governing body.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ dynamic defensive back duo was broken up on Monday as NFL free agency got off to a hot start.

Reed Blankenship, who was one half of the “exciting Whites,” agreed to a three-year deal with the Houston Texans, according to The Athletic. The move ended a brief run for the two players who helped the team to a Super Bowl title during the 2024 season.

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Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) celebrates after an interception in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

Cooper DeJean, the other half of the tandem, lamented the move.

“Damn, gonna miss my dawg. Go be great brotha,” he wrote on X.

The Eagles signed Blankenship as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State before the 2022 season. He wasn’t an immediate starter and began to get first-team reps going into the 2023 season.

TYLER LINDERBAUM’S $81M RECORD-BREAKING DEAL HEADLINES RAIDERS’ FREE AGENT SPENDING SPREE

Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32), tight end Dallas Goedert (88) and cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally on Feb. 14, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

He and DeJean clamped down opposing offenses during the 2024 season. The team was second in points allowed as Philadelphia made its way to a Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. In that game, DeJean picked off Patrick Mahomes and returned the interception for a touchdown.

The Blankenship and DeJean duo was dubbed “exciting Whites” as they made great plays on the field, while also being two of only a few defensive backs in the NFL who are White.

Blankenship has 308 tackles and nine interceptions in 56 career games.

It’s been a tough offseason for the Eagles so far, as fans have seen some top players agree to deals elsewhere.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) celebrates his interception that ended the New Orleans Saints’ final drive in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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Jaelan Phillips, Jahan Dotson and Nakobe Dean have already reportedly agreed to deals with new teams with rumors of more changes coming to the team.