Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Sports

The Prem: Saracens 17-21 Northampton – Saints snatch late win

Published

on

Archie McParland scored a dramatic late try as Prem leaders Northampton Saints came from behind to edge out Saracens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

McParland and Tom Litchfield both went over early in the game as Saints raced into a 14-0 advantage, with Fin Smith converting both tries.

But Smith went off injured, with Sarries storming back to level through Tobias Elliott and Theo Dan – and Fergus Burke’s penalty put them in front for the first time.

However, Litchfield set up McParland to run in his second score with the clock ticking down, as Saints secured their sixth straight win and went six points clear at the summit.

Advertisement

Northampton started at a lively pace and seized the initiative immediately, with Henry Pollock – returning to the side after Six Nations duty – held up over the line following a weaving run by James Ramm.

But the visitors were soon ahead after a swift move that originated on halfway, with Ramm and Josh Kemeny involved before Rory Hutchinson released Litchfield, who bustled through to score under the posts.

Fly-half Smith, also back in the Saints line-up after England commitments, was influential in the early stages and charged through on the breakaway to set up McParland for a routine score before converting to make it 14-0.

Sarries struck back with their first significant attack of the game, working possession from left to right for Elliott to snap up a bouncing ball and hold off two defenders before diving across the line.

Advertisement

Northampton suffered another blow when Smith was forced off with a head injury on the half-hour mark, prompting a reshuffle, and they had to dig deep to survive a series of scrums close to their line.

With skipper Maro Itoje starting to exercise greater control after the turnaround, Saracens proved more adept at denying their opponents space and levelled when Dan broke from the back of a maul and bundled his way over.

Sarries looked the more likely winners for much of the second half, with Hugh Tizard close to giving them the advantage after a bout of ball-juggling on the Saints line.

Burke, taking over kicking duties after Owen Farrell’s departure, slotted a penalty to break the deadlock, and the Saracens defence held out when Saints replacement JJ van der Mesch burrowed into the corner, but was unable to ground the ball.

Advertisement

However, the league leaders kept going and gained their reward with just two minutes left when George Furbank combined with Litchfield and McParland sped in for the decisive score under the posts.

Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton:

“We played beautifully in the first 20 minutes, we just didn’t convert enough of those chances. I thought we were excellent in the last 10 minutes in terms of trusting our game, going forward and continuing to pull the trigger to make the space.

“I wouldn’t say it was ugly, but certainly not as good as we can be. Fair play to Sarries, they put us under a lot of pressure, particularly in the set-piece.

Advertisement

“We’re a bit disappointed we couldn’t really get into our game very much, but I thought we defended stoically and worked incredibly hard, and we just about got through.

“I think Litchfield’s been playing some of the best rugby of his life. He looks very confident and he looks very powerful. He’s created something out of nothing there and the offload was fairly audacious as well.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

World Figure Skating Championships: Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear miss out on medal

Published

on

Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson miss out on an ice dance world medal by less than a fifth of a point after having two points deducted for an “illegal element”.

WATCH MORE: Malinin wins third straight world figure skating title

Available to UK users only.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 4 2026

Published

on

GIO Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 4 NRL game between Canberra Raiders and
Cronulla Sharks. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with Canberra Raiders heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Canberra Raiders vs.
Cronulla Sharks
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday March 29, 2026 at 4:05 pm

Where: GIO Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Advertisement

Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks Odds

Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks Preview

Melbourne hosts a side looking to test itself against one of the competition’s most consistent performers. The Storm have once again demonstrated their trademark discipline, combining structured attack with a reliable defensive system. Their opponents have shown promise, particularly with ball in hand, but face a significant challenge in matching Melbourne’s consistency. Recent matchups have generally favoured the Storm, especially at home where they rarely relinquish control. The contest through the spine will be key, with Melbourne’s experience often proving decisive. A strong start will be vital for the visitors if they are to remain competitive deep into the match.

Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks Teams

Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Simi Sasagi 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Ethan Sanders 8. Morgan Smithies 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Noah Martin 13. Corey Horsburgh 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Zac Hosking 16. Ata Mariota 17. Joseph Roddy 18. Daine Laurie 19. Jed Stuart 20. Owen Pattie 21. Matthew Timoko 22. Chevy Stewart

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Samuel Stonestreet 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Thomas Hazelton 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Jesse Colquhoun 14. Siosifa Talakai 15. Toby Rudolf 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 18. Hohepa Puru 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Chris Veaila 21. Jayden Berrell 22. Mawene Hiroti

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Jaron Ennis and Xander Zayas appear to confirm the news all fans want to hear

Published

on

Jaron Ennis and Xander Zayas appear to have quietly announced that their fight is now a done deal.

‘Boots’ Ennis unified titles at 147lbs before stepping up in weight, where he made an immediate statement with a stoppage win over Uisma Lima in October last year. He had been targeting a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr, but issues between Ortiz and his promoter, Golden Boy, saw those plans fall apart.

Enter Zayas, boxing’s youngest male unified world champion at 23. The Puerto Rican claimed the WBO super-welterweight belt with victory over Jorge Garcia Perez in July last year, and added the WBA strap by beating Abass Baraou in January.

Advertisement

Both promotional teams – Matchroom for Ennis, Top Rank for Zayas – had made it clear recently that talks were moving along nicely, with June 27 in New York targeted. Top Rank’s recent broadcast partnership with DAZN has helped push discussions forward behind the scenes, and both fighters have now taken to social media with extremely positive updates.

First, Zayas said, “signed, sealed and delivered. We got a fight.”

That was followed by Ennis’ post, who looks forward to becoming a “two-weight undisputed champion.”

Advertisement

With both fighters now publicly signalling that an agreement has been reached, attention will quickly turn to official confirmation in the coming days.

If indeed finalised, the clash represents one of the most significant fights in the super-welterweight division this year, pitting one of the sport’s most complete operators against one of its youngest champions. For Ennis, it is a chance to cement his status at a new weight, while for Zayas, it marks a defining step up, despite entering the ring as the champion.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Is Sidney Crosby playing tonight against Dallas Stars? HC Dan Muse delivers latest update

Published

on

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without their captain once again. Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for Saturday night’s matchup against the Dallas Stars, the team announced just hours before puck drop.

The Penguins’ official account confirmed the news early Saturday afternoon:

“Forwards Sidney Crosby (lower-body) and Evgeni Malkin (upper-body) will not play today versus Dallas and both remain day-to-day.”

Advertisement

Head coach Dan Muse addressed the media before Saturday’s game but offered little clarity on the nature of Crosby’s injury or a potential timeline for his return.

“Same thing, day-to-day for the health today,” Muse said when asked about his captain’s status.

When pressed on whether this injury is connected to Crosby’s previous ailment suffered during the 2026 Olympics in February, Muse gave a cryptic response

“It’s an old body, and so I think not just for all the guys that are out right now. I’ll tell you how they’re listed, but not gonna go into it any other than that.”

This is Crosby’s second consecutive game on the sidelines after he exited Thursday’s contest against Ottawa with a lower-body injury. The Penguins captain played just 6:39 before leaving the game managing only a single 38-second shift in the second period.


Sidney Crosby’s injury woes started at the Olympics

Crosby’s injury woes began on Feb. 18 when his leg bent awkwardly during Canada’s quarterfinal game at the Winter Olympics. He was placed on injured reserve and missed the remainder of the tournament including Canada’s run to the gold medal.

Advertisement

The Penguins captain returned to the Penguins lineup on Mar. 18 against Carolina, registering a goal and an assist in his comeback game. Thursday’s exit came in just his fifth game back since the Olympics.

Adding to Pittsburgh’s injury concerns, star center Evgeni Malkin will also miss Saturday’s game with an upper-body issue. The dual absences leave the Penguins without their top two centers at a critical juncture in the season.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Pittsburgh. The Penguins (36-20-16, 88 points) sit second in the Metropolitan Division but hold just a one-point lead over both Columbus and the New York Islanders in a tight playoff race.