Southampton have been thrown out of the play-offs after admitting they spied on three clubs in the Championship season.
Middlesbrough, beaten by Southampton in the semi-final, have been reinstated and will now play Hull City for a place in the Premier League.
The EFL charged Saints with watching training sessions involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town, in addition to filming Middlesbrough as they prepared for the first leg of their play-off semi-final on 7 May.
The independent disciplinary commission also handed Southampton a four-point deduction in the Championship for next season.
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Saints will now miss out on a game dubbed the richest in world football, with the winners of the play-off final guaranteed a minimum £110m in Premier League broadcast revenue.
The final will remain on Saturday at Wembley with the kick-off time to be confirmed.
Southampton admitted to “multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training”, the EFL said.
The club have also received a reprimand in respect of all the charges.
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Sources have confirmed to BBC Sport that Southampton will lodge an appeal on Wednesday and will argue that the punishment is disproportionate.
The EFL said it would be “working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May”.
It added that “subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture”.
The appeal will be heard by an Independent League Arbitration panel with three new members.
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The EFL said in a statement: “Southampton was first charged on Friday 8 May, with further charges issued on Sunday 17 May in relation to additional breaches during the 2025-26 season.
“Those additional charges arose from matters identified after the initial proceedings involving Middlesbrough were initiated.
“Southampton admitted breaches of regulations requiring clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The admitted breaches concern fixtures against Oxford United in December 2025, Ipswich Town in April 2026 and Middlesbrough in May 2026.”
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Southampton did not win any of the three games – they lost 2-1 at Oxford, drew 2-2 at home to Ipswich and claimed a 0-0 draw at Boro.
The statement continued: “The EFL is now in discussion with all three clubs regarding the implications of today’s decision and will make a further announcement in due course.”
Middlesbrough issued a statement which said they “welcome the outcome”.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” it added.
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“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday. Ticket information for our supporters will be available shortly.”
Southampton had already sold tickets for Saturday’s game, and their supporters will receive a full refund.
They must now wait to see if the Football Association issues any charges for individuals involved in the spying. The EFL can only apply sanctions against its member clubs.
After a spying case at the 2024 Olympic Games, three members of Canada’s staff, including the head coach, were banned from all football by Fifa for a year.
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Welcome to our weekly PGA Tour gambling-tips column, featuring picks from GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator, Brady Kannon. A seasoned golf bettor and commentator, Kannon is a host and regular guest on SportsGrid, a syndicated audio network devoted to sports and sports betting, and is a golf betting analyst for CBS Sportsline. You can follow Brady on X at @LasVegasGolfer, and you can read his picks below for the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, which gets underway Thursday in Texas.
It feels good to get a break for a minute from the “major” events that have dominated the PGA Tour schedule for the last six weeks. It’s on to a good old-fashioned birdie-fest deep in the heart of Texas as for the sixth year in a row, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson will be held at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
I like to call these next three weeks “The Legendary Swing,” as we go from the Byron Nelson to Ben Hogan’s place, Colonial Country Club, next week in Fort Worth, only to be followed by the Memorial at Jack Nicklaus’ place in Dublin, Ohio. It’s a great lead up to the season’s third major, the U.S. Open, which will be held at Shinnecock Hills in New York. Scottie Scheffler will be looking to complete the career grand slam at Shinnecock — but first, he’ll be looking to defend his title here at Lord Byron’s place.
Scheffler went “Star Trek” last season, boldly going where no man has gone before, getting to 31 under par and winning by eight shots. Reinforcements were immediately called in to investigate, and with the help of Lanny Wadkins, the golf course was tweaked in an effort to make things a bit more challenging.
In the 2026 edition, we will get a par 71 that measures just a shade less than 7,400 yards. Tom Weiskopf originally designed the property in 2004 but Wadkins has since narrowed the fairways, moved some of the bunkering, and renovated many of the greens — again, to try to adjust things to challenge the modern Tour player while still keeping this golf course playable for the club membership. In the five times that Craig Ranch has hosted this tournament, the average winning score is 25.5 under par. At the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, the Over/Under winning score proposition bet is 260.5, meaning 23.5 under par.
Even with the changes to the golf course, my approach to the handicap hasn’t changed. The formula remains the same: efficiency off the tee, greens in regulation, hole putts for birdie. Even though there have been some changes to these Bentgrass greens, I still believe that this will ultimately become a putting contest. Accordingly, I have looked at Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Strokes Gained: Approach, Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass), Birdies or Better Gained, Par 5 Scoring, Hole Proximity from 175-200 yards, and Par 4 Scoring on those measuring 450-500 yards.
I believe the correlated courses are fairly strong this week. In these watered-down field events, we tend to see the same names surface on the leaderboard. I looked at two other Weiskopf designs we see on Tour, TPC Scottsdale and Black Desert Resort in Utah. I also looked at Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer Invitational), Vidanta Vallarta (Mexico Open), and El Cardonal at Diamante (World Wide Technologies Championship).
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I’m going with the long shot approach this week. Scheffler is a prohibitive favorite at around +185. Si Woo Kim and Jordan Spieth are the second choices at around 15-1. Brooks Koepka checks in around 25-1 and after that, there isn’t anything shorter than 40 or 50-1 — and that is where I will get started.
Stephan Jaeger (70-1)
Jaeger seems to fit the profile quite nicely this week. He’s a big hitter off the tee and has really turned into one of the game’s better putters. He’s won in the state of Texas previously (Houston Open), and he’s been a fixture on the leaderboards at many of the correlated courses with two top-6 finishes at Vidanta Vallarta, a runner-up and 11th-place finish in Utah, and an 11th and 20th-place finish here at TPC Craig Ranch. He caught my eye last week at the PGA Championship, where he finished 18th. He was third in that field for Greens in Regulation and ninth for SG: Putting — which was also a Bentgrass surface.
Matti Schmid at the 2026 PGA Championship.
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Matti Schmid (80-1)
Maybe it’s a German thing this week as both Schmid and Jaeger hail from Deutschland — and of course, Schmid was another who shined last week at Aronimink, finishing fourth. And what was a big part of his success? Yes, putting. Schmid was No. 1 in that field last week for SG: Putting. He was eighth last season at the World Wide Technologies Championship and finished fifth at Black Desert in 2024.
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Jordan Smith (80-1)
Of all my selections this week, Smith is the only one who struggles with the putter, but I couldn’t ignore his ball striking numbers or his 16th-place finish earlier this season on another Weiskopf design, TPC Scottsdale. The Englishman is spending his first full season on the PGA Tour after being an exclusively European Tour player for many years. He currently ranks 21st on Tour for SG: Off The Tee, 34th for SG: Approach, and is 62nd in Hole Proximity from 175-200 yards. Over the last 24-rounds, he ranks 12th in this field on the Par 5s and is 15th in Hole Proximity from 200 yards or more.
Beau Hossler (90-1)
A University of Texas Longhorn, Hossler ought to feel very much at home this week and yes, he is an excellent putter, ranking fourth on Tour for SG: Putting. He finished third two weeks ago at Myrtle Beach, where he ranked third in that field for Greens in Regulation and seventh for SG: Off the Tee. Hossler is the king of the top 20-finish at the correlated courses having taken 17th here at Craig Ranch in the past, 10th at Vidanta Vallarta, 15th, 20th, and 17th at El Cardonal, 11th in Utah, two top 25s at Bay Hill, and a 14th-place finish at TPC Scottsdale in 2023.
Beau Hossler at the 2025 World Wide Technology Championship.
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Taylor Moore (125-1)
We’ve hit two recent winners at the Valspar Championship, Fitzpatrick earlier this season and Moore at 60-1 back in 2023. He really hasn’t done much since that lone Tour victory but he has shown some signs. He finished 17th two weeks ago in Myrtle Beach where he ranked ninth in that field for SG: Off the Tee and was 26th in SG: Approach, gaining nearly three shots on the field. And yes, the putter has come back around, ranking 33rd on Tour this season for SG: Putting. He is also one of the very best on the circuit for Hole Proximity between 175 and 225 yards. He finished ninth last year at TPC Scottsdale, hasn’t ever missed a cut at Bay Hill, and was runner-up earlier this season at the Cognizant Classic.
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Hayden Springer (200-1)
Welcome to the 200-1 category. I believe this is our first venture into this territory in some time. Springer is a banger off the tee who can putt and that is a nice formula for TPC Craig Ranch. He also spent his college years at both Texas Tech and at TCU, so he is no stranger to this golf course or golf in this part of the world. He has spent most of his time this season on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he ranks fifth on that circuit for SG: Tee to Green and 11th for SG: Approach. Springer finished 20th last year at the Black Desert Championship.
Carson Young (225-1)
While we’re here in the 200-1 zip code, why not stick around for another minute? Shake hands with Mr. Carson Young, who like Springer, has split his time this season between the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours. On the KFT, Young has three top-7 finishes, including last week at the Colonial Life Charity Classic where he ranked 17th in that field for SG: Approach and was No. 1 in SG: Around the Green. On the Korn Ferry Tour this season, Young ranks No. 1 for SG: Tee to Green and for SG: Around the Green. He is sixth for Putting Average. Young has been at his best in these types of fields, at these types of golf courses, having finished 14th here in the past at Craig Ranch, eighth and 15th at Vidanta Vallarta, ninth, sixth, and runner-up at El Cardonal, and was 11th in Utah in 2024.
Pep Guardiola spoke in an interview for the first time since it was unofficially confirmed that he will leave Manchester City this summer
Pep Guardiola spoke for the first time since news broke that he will leave Manchester City this season ahead of the Premier League game at Bournemouth.
The City boss did his pre-match broadcast interview where Sky Sports told him that it would be ‘unfair’ to ask him about his future before the game so instead asked him if the stories had disrupted their preparations.
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City face a huge game in the Premier League, needing to end Bournemouth’s 15-game unbeaten run to take the title race to the final day. And while that is a meaty topic in itself, Guardiola leaving English football in a week is arguably bigger.
City insist that Guardiola remains their manager and has a contract until 2027. And the manager said that the stories in the last 24 hours had ‘zero’ impact on the squad as they prepared for the game. Guardiola is also expected to conduct post-match media duties including flash interviews and a press conference.
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News broke on Monday evening that Guardiola will be departing the club this summer despite having another year to run on his contract. It has not been confirmed by the manager or the club, who have stated that he remains in charge and has a deal until 2027.
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City travel to Bournemouth knowing that they need to win if they want to stay alive in the Premier League title race. Arsenal’s win over Burnley on Monday night moves them five points clear at the top of the table, so anything less than victory for the Blues on Tuesday will crown Arsenal as champions with a game to spare.
Guardiola has called on his City players to force Arsenal to win the title for themselves rather than being handed it on the final day. The Gunners have to go to Selhurst Park on Sunday, with City at home to an Aston Villa team that have already qualified for the Champions League and have the Europa League final on Wednesday.
West Ham star Jarrod Bowen has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer
Manchester United are being credited with an interest in signing Jarrod Bowen, and are said to have a plan in place should they sign the West Ham star. United have just one match left to play this season before the attention turns to the summer transfer window.
The Reds have already been linked with a host of potential new signings, with Bowen’s name being mentioned as a possible target for this summer.
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It has been reported by The Guardian that United are one of several clubs showing an interest in signing Bowen and could take advantage if the Hammers are relegated from the Premier League.
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The report claims that Liverpool and Chelsea are also expressing an interest in signing Bowen, with West Ham said to need to raise £100million in transfer fees if they drop down to the Championship.
Interestingly, the report goes on to say that United see Bowen as a potentially valuable asset due to his ability to operate in several different positions.
United are said to be considering deploying Bowen as a left winger if they bring the 29-year-old to Old Trafford, despite it not being one of his favoured roles.
Bowen typically plays as a right winger for West Ham and is also capable of being used as a centre forward when required, but has rarely been used on the left side of the forward line.
The England international recently opened up on his future at West Ham and the speculation that a departure from the London Stadium could be on the cards if the Hammers were to be relegated from the Premier League.
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“I’ve done it since I’ve been at Hull,” Bowen told Sky Sports. “I sit down at the end of every season and think, what’s best for me?
“What do I feel? What’s my gut feeling? And then make a decision and go with it there.”
United have already secured qualification to the Champions League following their win over Liverpool last month, and will now prepare to face Brighton on Sunday in their final match of the season.
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As previously reported by the Manchester Evening News, Michael Carrick is expected to be named as United’s head coach on a permanent basis.
Carrick is set to sign a two-year deal to become United’s long-term boss, which will also include the option of a further 12 months.
MANILA, Philippines—Carlos Yulo added yet another gold medal to his collection, this time for the Olympique Antibes-Juan-les-Pins (OAJLP) Gymnastique in France.
Already having brought glory to the Philippines, Yulo helped out in giving OAJLP a championship in the French Men’s Artistic Gymnastics circuit.
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“So proud of what we all did last night! Everyone gave their all, and it really showed on the competition floor,” Yulo wrote in an Instagram post.
“[There were] a lot of stressful moments and pressure behind this win, which makes it even more special. [I’m] really grateful for this team and everything we experienced together.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist tallied 14.250 points in parallel bars.
In the floor exercise, where he captured one of his two gold medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yulo showed his prowess anew with 15.050 points.
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OAJLP’s win effectively dethroned ASVG Vallauris out of the title picture.
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Rajasthan Royals took a major step towards the IPL 2026 Playoffs with a 7-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Tuesday. Batting first, LSG slammed 220/5 with Mitchell Marsh scoring a sensational 96 while Josh Inglis contributed with a fiery half-century. In response, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 93 off just 38 deliveries and Dhruv Jurel scored his 6th fifty of the season as RR chased down the target with 5 balls to spare. As a result, RR moved to the fourth position with 14 points from 13 matches and this result was bad news for Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
How can Rajasthan Royals qualify for IPL 2026 Playoffs?
Scenario 1 (RR win their final game against Mumbai Indians) – If RR can win their last group stage match, they will have 16 points from 14 matches. It will be enough for them to qualify for the Playoffs as no other side can reach the 16-point mark.
Scenario 2 (RR lose their final game against Mumbai Indians) – If RR lose their remaining match, they will be stuck at 14 points from 14 points. In that situation, they will need KKR to lose one of their remaining matches and CSK as well as PBKS to lose their remaining game. If KKR win two matches or PBKS win their remaining match, RR will be eliminated. If PBKS and KKR lose their matches but CSK win their last match, RR and CSK will be tied at 14 points. In that case, Net Run Rate (NRR) will decide who goes to the Playoffs.
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What RR stand-in captain Yashasvi Jaiswal said
“I think everyone put in the hard yards and they played really well. Everyone was into the game and working towards it. The way Jofra bowled and the way Brijesh bowled, because we knew the wicket was pretty good and runs were going to come. The way Jofra came back initially in the powerplay as well, I think it was unbelievable. The way Vaibhav batted and Dhruv batted, I think they killed the game. Absolutely amazing. I’m really happy for the team, we needed it. And of course all the support staff have put in a lot of work behind the scenes as well, so I think it’s unbelievable. Very grateful,” Jaiswal said.
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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season
Joao Pedro has been voted Chelsea FC Men’s Player of the Season after an outstanding 2025/26 campaign.
The Brazilian forward won the fan vote comfortably after scoring 20 goals and providing 9 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
Pedro quickly became one of Chelsea’s most important players following his move from Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., producing big performances throughout the season and helping the club win the Club World Cup.
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The award arrived just hours after the 24-year-old was surprisingly left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad, a decision that shocked many fans.
Pedro later shared a calm message on social media, speaking about the “joys and frustrations” of football while thanking supporters for their backing.
Many Chelsea fans were quick to defend him online, believing his performances this season deserved international recognition.
NLEX guard Kevin Alas shoots a jumper against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Kevin Alas did not suit up for NLEX on Saturday night, but the sting of another playoff collapse still hit hard.
The veteran guard watched from the sidelines as TNT escaped with a 118-112 victory over the Road Warriors at Ynares Sports Center, knocking NLEX out of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage entering the quarterfinals.
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“It’s the second time in recent memory that we held a twice-to-beat and lost. It’s pretty disappointing,” Alas told the Inquirer after the game.
“I guess when we hold a twice-to-beat, we lose,” he added with a slight chuckle.
Alas was sidelined by an overextended finger and was listed as a game-time decision before ultimately sitting out the winner-take-all matchup.
The defeat brought back memories of NLEX’s painful exit in the 2019 Governors’ Cup, when the Road Warriors entered the playoffs as the top seed behind current B.League standout Kiefer Ravena but lost back-to-back games to NorthPort and Christian Standhardinger in the quarterfinals.
Alas was also part of that squad.
With TNT fielding a veteran-laden roster, Alas said he tried to motivate the younger Road Warriors before tipoff in hopes of avoiding a repeat of that collapse.
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“At the start of the game, I told them to show their legendary games because TNT’s a veteran team,” Alas said.
“But I have no words because we did all of our game plans against them. We just didn’t make it.”
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There is a different feeling around Connacht heading into the 2026/27 season.
For years, supporters have spoken about potential, exciting rugby, dangerous attacking backs, and brave away performances. However, last season showed something more important — resilience. Connacht clawed their way into the URC playoffs with 54 points despite injuries, inconsistency, and periods where qualification looked almost impossible.
Now the challenge changes completely.
This season is no longer about surviving. It is about pushing on.
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With Stuart Lancaster now fully embedded, an improved squad, major depth in the pack, and a fixture list that gives Connacht opportunities to build momentum early, expectations in Galway should absolutely rise beyond merely finishing eighth.
The Road To 55 Points
Last season’s URC table showed just how ruthless the league has become. Munster finished on 55 points, Cardiff finished on 55, the Lions finished on 54, Connacht finished on 54, and Ulster missed out on 52.
One win can completely transform a season.
For Connacht, the first target has to be 55+ points. That should be enough to put them firmly in the playoff conversation again.
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Realistically, 58 to 60 points would mean a comfortable playoff place, while 62 or more could put Connacht in the battle for a home quarter-final.
Connacht’s 2026/27 Home Fixtures
Saturday, 5 September — Connacht v Ealing — Pre-season
Friday, 25 September — Connacht v DHL Stormers
Friday, 23 October — Connacht v Zebre Parma
Friday, 30 October — Connacht v Leinster Rugby
Saturday, 19 December — Connacht v Edinburgh Rugby
Saturday, 2 January — Connacht v Munster Rugby
Saturday, 30 January — Connacht v Ulster Rugby
Friday, 19 March — Connacht v Cardiff Rugby
Saturday, 27 March — Connacht v Lions
Saturday, 24 April — Connacht v Dragons RFC
Looking at those fixtures honestly, Connacht should expect to beat Zebre, Dragons, Cardiff, and Edinburgh at home. Anything less than four wins from that group would hurt badly.
Then the key becomes stealing results against Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Stormers, and the Lions. If Connacht can win even three of those five bigger home games, suddenly they are pushing well beyond the playoff line.
How Many Wins By Christmas?
The opening half of the season looks massive.
Stormers — home
Benetton — away
Glasgow Warriors — away
Zebre Parma — home
Leinster Rugby — home
Scarlets — away
Edinburgh Rugby — home
Ulster Rugby — away
Connacht should be targeting at least five wins before Christmas, with around 24 to 27 points on the board.
If they manage six wins before Christmas, expectations in Galway will explode.
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The Interpros Could Define Everything
Leinster
Friday, 30 October — Connacht v Leinster
Saturday, 17 April — Leinster v Connacht
Ulster
Sunday, 27 December — Ulster v Connacht
Saturday, 30 January — Connacht v Ulster
Munster
Saturday, 2 January — Connacht v Munster
Saturday, 23 January — Munster v Connacht
That January block is brutal. Connacht effectively play Ulster away, Munster home, Munster away, and Ulster home inside five weeks.
Those four games could decide whether Connacht finish fifth or ninth.
Europe Matters Again
Round 1: 16–18 October
Round 2: 11–13 December
Round of 16: 2–4 April
Quarter Finals: 9–11 April
Semi Finals: 30 April–2 May
EPCR Final: 28–30 May
The major difference this year is Connacht finally look capable of rotating properly without the team collapsing. That matters hugely during European windows.
Predicted Strongest Connacht XV
Billy Bohan
Dylan Tierney-Martin
Finlay Bealham
Darragh Murray
Josh Murphy
Cian Prendergast
Seamus Hurley-Langton
Sean Jansen
Ben Murphy
Ciaran Frawley
Shayne Bolton
Cathal Forde
Byron Ralston
Shane Jennings
Sam Gilbert
Key Squad Options
Sam Illo
Paul Boyle
Bundee Aki
Harry West
Josh Ioane
Will Connors
Dave Heffernan
Niall Murray
Sean Naughton
Colm Reilly
Mack Hansen
Jerry Cahir
Finn Tracey
François VAN WYK
Hugh Gavin
Caolin Blade
The return of Mack Hansen alone changes the ceiling of the entire side. If fully fit, he remains one of the most dangerous attacking players in the URC.
Will Connors could also become one of the smartest signings Connacht have made in years. If injuries stay away, his breakdown work could completely transform close games.
Final Prediction
Connacht fans should stop thinking like underdogs.
This squad is too talented and too experienced to merely sneak into eighth place again.
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Predicted URC finish: 5th–7th
Predicted points: 58–61
Target: Champions Cup qualification
Minimum expectation: URC quarter-final appearance
The biggest difference this year is depth.
Connacht finally look capable of surviving injuries, competing during European weekends, and handling the brutal interpro blocks without collapsing physically.
If Lancaster gets consistency from this squad, and Dexcom Stadium becomes a genuine fortress again, Connacht could become one of the most dangerous teams in the URC by spring 2027.
For All Mankind season 5 reaches a major turning point in episode 8, titled Brave New World, as the conflict between Earth and Mars escalates into direct violence. The episode closes with Sergeant Ruiz dying on a recon trip after an explosion blows a hole in his suit. The incident alters the political scene in Happy Valley and intensifies the tensions between the Sons and Daughters of Mars movement and the Earth government.
With only two episodes left in For All Mankind season 5, the ending poses some fresh concerns regarding what happens next to Avery, Dev Ayesa’s involvement in the crisis, and whether the Mars colony can prevent a broader war.
Did Sergeant Ruiz die in For All Mankind season 5 episode 8?
For All Mankind season 5 (Image via Apple TV)
Yes, Sergeant Ruiz dies during the final act of For All Mankind season 5 episode 8. The explosion comes as Ruiz and Avery are investigating suspicious activities tied to the uprising on Mars. While on the assignment, they find bombs secreted near the colony’s functioning areas. Debris flies across the area in a rapid blow before they can react adequately.
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A piece of metal hits his helmet and goes through his suit, doing Ruiz lethal damage. Avery makes it through the blast, but Ruiz is killed before she can bring him to safety. It becomes one of the most significant incidents in For All Mankind season 5 as it is the first major military casualty directly related to the revolt on Mars.
The episode also utilises Ruiz’s death to further Avery’s story. Earlier in season 5, Avery had been coping with trauma involving her father, as well as her own concerns about working in perilous Martian conditions. And Ruiz is a mentor and a stabiliser during such periods. His death sent Avery back into a world of loss and isolation.
The finale deliberately withholds emotional closure from Avery. For All Mankind season 5 instead leaves her reaction a mystery as the colony becomes more and more unstable. That uncertainty is emblematic of the season’s larger tendency, where personal tragedies increasingly shape political decisions.
Why does the explosion change the Mars rebellion?
The explosion shifts the perception of the Sons and Daughters of Mars movement. Previous episodes show the group as a resistance movement against Earth’s growing control over Martian resources and infrastructure. Many Mars colonists want more autonomy instead of being reliant on governments and corporations on Earth.
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The death of Ruiz changes the way the Earth authorities respond to the uprising. When the explosion happens, officials will be more inclined to view the occurrence as terrorism rather than a political protest. This development can result in more military engagement and tighter security measures in future episodes of season 5.
This episode also demonstrates how the disagreement escalates through sabotage and retribution. Some members of the movement do not appear to be in favour of civilian or military casualties. But the use of explosives generates conditions that lead to deaths and injuries.
At the same time, what Dev Ayesa has done before is also adding to the instability on Mars. His clumsy attempt to blow up the crop domes makes shortages worse and escalates tensions in Happy Valley. By episode 8 there is food scarcity in the colony, animosity among factions, and less teamwork among leadership groups.
The episode title, Brave New World, is indicative of Mars’ changing situation. In past seasons, colonies represented growth and scientific development, but this season is about political split, lack of resources and infighting between rival parties.
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How Ruiz’s death affects AJ, Avery, and Mars politics
For All Mankind season 5 episode 8 finale has tremendous impact on several storylines. AJ Stevens continues to struggle with emotional pressure as Mars’ conditions worsen. And it’s unclear if her collapse is because of family trauma or the conditions in Happy Valley.
Avery’s job alters following Ruiz’s death, too. She does survive the explosion, but Ruiz’s death on the expedition could impact her perspective on the rebellion and Mars leadership moving forward.
Meanwhile, Miles, Irina and Lenya debate whether Mars should reject Earth’s rule in the face of rising hazards. Ruiz’s death bolsters Earth’s case for more aggressive military action against the rebellion.
Another story that continues to play out is the story of Kelly Baldwin and the Titan expedition. Mars is a place of political unrest and violence, but Kelly’s concentration is on scientific research further out in the solar system.
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Viewers can stream For All Mankind season 5 on Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing weekly on Fridays.
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