A club statement has been issued hours before kick-off

A Welsh rugby club has publicly accused their rivals of lacking “respect and sportsmanship” hours before facing them in a cup semi-final, amid a row over the fixture’s scheduling.

Ebbw Vale RFC issued a statement on Sunday (March 1) to address the “confusion” surrounding their Super Rygbi Cymru Cup clash with Newport RFC at Rodney Parade later that day. The fixture had previously been scheduled to take place at a different venue on the previous day (Saturday, February 28) but the club has claimed that this was changed with less than a week’s notice.

According to the Ebbw Vale statement, the fixture was due to take place at Newport Stadium, Spytty Park on Saturday afternoon.

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However, they were told on Monday that Newport City football team were due to play there on Sunday and the goalposts would not be able to be changed in time for the scheduled rugby semi-final. Newport themselves issued a statement saying the stadium would be “unavailable due to operational reasons”.

After being “surprised” by the claim, Ebbw Vale say they then told Newport that the change of date and venue to Sunday at Rodney Parade meant they “could not meet this expectation due to player availability”, with the availability of front row players a particular issue.

The club statement says the matter was then referred to the Welsh Rugby Union by Newport, with the rules and regulations allowing the home club – Newport – to choose a day and venue “regardless of the opinion of the away team”.

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It adds that, following consultation between Newport and the WRU Community Game Board, Ebbw Vale found out that the game would be going ahead at Rodney Parade on Sunday afternoon “via an announcement on Newport’s social media channels”.

After launching an unsuccessful appeal for the decision to be reconsidered, the club say they have “spent most of this week trying to deal with player availability issues” with several players forced into changing work commitments at short notice.

In the statement, issued hours ahead of kick-off at Rodney Parade, club director Jon Jones said Newport had “categorically not” managed the situation with “WRU key core values, respect and sportsmanship”.

“We waited until the final decisions were reached before publicising the change of date or venue as that is the professional way to manage such situations,” Mr Jones’ statement added.

“As a board, we are mere custodians of community institutions that rugby clubs are and as a board at Ebbw Vale I would like to reassure you that we will never indulge in such behaviour and will manage the club with WRU key core values, respect and sportsmanship in all circumstances – something that Newport have categorically not done on this occasion.”

Sunday’s cup semi-final is a rematch of last year’s inaugural Super Rygbi Cymru final, in which the Black and Ambers became the league’s first-ever winners by beating their close rivals the Steelmen 27-18.

The winner of the semi-final will face last year’s cup winners Llandovery in the final, after the Drovers narrowly beat Pontypool 26-24 on Saturday.

Ebbw Vale RFC’s statement in full:

“On behalf of the Board of Ebbw Vale RFC, I would like to take the opportunity to explain to our members, sponsors and wider community the reasons for the confusion around the above game [SRC Cup Semi Final v Newport RFC].

“The date for Semi Finals of the Cup and Plate has been in the calendar from July 2025. With Newport RFC topping their pool, the fixture would be played at their home pitch on Saturday 28th February at 2.30pm.

“On Monday 23rd February, Ebbw Vale RFC were informed that there was to be a change of date and venue, to Sunday 1st March, with the game taking place at Rodney Parade.

“The rational (sic) given was that Newport City were playing at Spytty Park on Sunday and the posts could not be changed over in time. At no point was it explained why this is such an issue, other than a vague comment that there is no one available to carry out the work. As a club Ebbw Vale RFC have a great deal of experience in carrying out this task and are surprised at the claim it could not be done in 24 hours.

“We informed Newport that we could not meet this expectation due to player availability with the front row being the major issue. At this point Newport RFC referred the issue to the WRU. Unfortunately, the Rules and Regulations allow the home club to choose a day and suitable venue regardless of the opinion of the away team.

“On Tuesday 24th February, we were made aware by a member of the WRU Community Game Board that Newport had consulted with them on the Rules and Regulations. Later that day, we found out that the game had been moved to Sunday 1st March and would now be played at Rodney Parade, not via a conversation with Newport or the WRU, but via an announcement on Newport social media channels.

“Ebbw Vale asked the WRU to consider the mitigating circumstances and appeal to Newport to reconsider. This appeal was unsuccessful. As a club, we have spent most of this week trying to deal with player availability issues which has ended in several of our players having to change work commitments at short notice, which is not easy to do in today’s work environment.

“We waited until the final decisions were reached before publicising the change of date or venue as that is the professional way to manage such situations.

“As a board, we are mere custodians of community institutions that rugby clubs are and as a board at Ebbw Vale I would like to reassure you that we will never indulge in such behaviour and will manage the club with WRU key core values, respect and sportsmanship in all circumstances – something that Newport have categorically not done on this occasion.

“As a club we will make no further comment on this issue and our attention now turns to this afternoon’s game.

“Jon Jones – Director on Behalf of the Board – Ebbw Vale RFC.”

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It comes after US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons.

The attack prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East.

In a statement published on X on Sunday morning, Emirates airline said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, up until 3pm UAE time on Monday March 2.”

The airline has advised passengers booked to travel before or on March 5 to rebook on an alternate flight, or request a refund.

“We are actively monitoring the situation and engaging with relevant authorities,” the airline added.

Etihad Airways advised passengers that while airspace closures continue, disruption is to be expected.

“Regional airspace closures continue to impact Etihad’s operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi are suspended until 2am UAE time on Monday March 2,” the airline said on X.

Etihad said passengers should check their flight status on its website before travelling to the airport and ensure their contact details are up to date in their booking.

People holding Etihad tickets for travel on dates up to March 3 can also request a full refund, the airline added.

“We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls and appreciate your patience as it may take longer than usual for calls to be answered,” Etihad said.

“The situation remains dynamic and schedules may change at short notice.”

Qatar Airways said on Saturday night that flights remained temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.

It said on X: “Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace.

“A further update will be provided by 9am Doha time (6am UTC).”

In a later post on Sunday morning, Qatar Airways warned passengers of scammers impersonating airline staff online.

“We are aware of fraudulent accounts impersonating Qatar Airways and requesting personal information,” the airline said.

“Qatar Airways will never ask for passwords, OTPs, banking details, or other sensitive information via social media or direct messages.”

Virgin Atlantic said on Sunday morning it is continuing to avoid Iraqi airspace, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of flights between London Heathrow and the region.

“Due to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East we have rerouted some of our flights and taken the decision to cancel services between London Heathrow and Dubai as well as services between London Heathrow and Riyadh on Sunday 1 March and Monday 2 March,” a spokesperson said.

There are still 83 flights scheduled to operate between the UK and the Middle East on Sunday, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has advised British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to register their presence with the UK Government to receive updates on the situation in the Middle East.

In a statement published on X on Saturday night, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates can register their presence to receive direct updates from the FCDO on the situation in the Middle East.

“You should continue to follow travel advice and the advice of the local authorities.”

Man Utd take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday and Michael Carrick explained his team selection.

Michael Carrick has opened up on his decision to name Benjamin Sesko in his starting XI for the first time since his Manchester United interim appointment. Sesko scored from the bench against Everton on Monday to net his sixth goal in seven games.

The 22-year-old is the most in-form striker in the Premier League, but had not been given a start by Carrick until today.

“It’s really not a drama,” Carrick said about the ongoing Sesko selection debate during his press conference on Friday. However, the 44-year-old has named Sesko in his starting line-up for the first time in his tenure against Crystal Palace, naming Amad on the bench to accommodate the Slovenia international.

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Explaining the decision to start Sesko, Carrick told Sky Sports: “There are different reasons. I think as a team we’ve been playing well, attacking-wise we’ve been playing well.

“Ben’s been a good sport and he’s had a good feeling, building that belief and confidence, so I’m looking forward to seeing him today. Amad’s a great option for us to finish the game. We’re fortunate enough to have a forward line where we can be quite flexible, so it’s great to have those options.”

He added: “Every game from now on is going to be significant so it doesn’t really change one weekend to the next. There’s going to be maybe ups and downs. It’s something we’ve got to manage.

“Today is a tough game, they are a good team, really well organised, difficult to play against, so we’ve got to be ready for that.”

Adding on Palace, Carrick said: “They’re a good team. History is what it is, it’s not something we look too much into. I never really have done. But we know they are a good team, as I said, they’re going to be difficult to play against. So we will have to be at our best to get what we want from the game.”

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The Bolton half-marathon and 10k made its debut today, March 1, bringing a large-scale run event to brighten up everyone’s winter.

Competitors were on the start line at Queen’s Park for 9am, with all manner of skills and ages being eagerly cheered on by the crowds, who lined the paths of the park and the streets of the town centre and past the town hall.

The run, which was organised by Epic Events, was thought in the lead-up to be harder than other half-marathons, such as their recent Southport one, with Bolton being much hillier.

But while the best time at Southport was 1:14:57, the hills proved no issue for our half-marathon winner Jonathan Sangster, aged 41.

Jonathan Sangster, 41, the half-marathon winner, with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Oliver (Image: Newsquest)

He completed his half in 1:17:38, not bad going for a much hillier course – and was even seen overtaking the lead bike at one point!

Jonathan, who is Bolton “born and bred”, said: “It was challenging, but it was great. It is a great event. 

“It is great to see this in Bolton. Obviously we had the potential return of the marathon a few years ago but it didn’t happen, but this has been a big event and to have it on home soil is perfect. 

“It is good training for the Ironman as well.” 

To see how events unfolded, here is our live blog: https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25896923.updates-bolton-half-marathon-coming-town-today/

Tom Race, 10k winner (Image: Newsquest)

Meanwhile Tom Race, aged 24, not only has the best name a runner could have, but breezed the 10k in the fastest time of 36 minutes and 18 seconds.

The Rawtenstall man said: “It is not my fastest time, but this is a difficult course, there are a lot of ups and downs and corners, so it is hard to keep a rhythm. 

“I think it is a great thing, everyone should have this on their doorstep. 

“It is great for your mental wellbeing, and it is not even 10am and I’ve already done something good with my day, and have the rest of it to go. 

“It is such a buzz when you finish.” 

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr David Chadwick, ready to hand out medals (Image: Newsquest)

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr David Chadwick, was on hand to give out the medals to competitors. 

He said: “I think it is fantastic, I have seen so many people this morning, male and female, it is absolutely great. 

“I hope it will be an annual event.” 

He also had his own personal connection, with his son, Matthew Chadwick, taking part in the 10k. 

The former Rangers and Liverpool manager shared videos from Abu Dhabi during his attempts to return to the UK.

Meanwhile, Pattison is among the celebrities and other Brits who are taking shelter in Dubai.

Flights to and from the Middle East are in chaos with delays and cancellations after the US and Israel launched an attack on targets across Iran and the UAE closed its airspace.

Graeme Souness and Vicky Pattison stuck in Middle East

Souness posted two videos on Instagram from Zayed International Airport.

He said: “I’m hearing some pretty loud bangs go off and that is anti-missiles taking out missiles that have been fired at some American bases.”

An update then followed, with the 72-year-old saying: “Flight’s been cancelled, still hearing explosions so we’ve given up, we’re just going to check into a hotel for a couple of nights and see where we are.

“Hopefully things will settle down and we’ll get back on the flight.

“You get grumpy when you get delays and stuff at airports but I think we should think of people that maybe this time are dying.”

One person has been killed at Zayed International Airport, with others also injured there.

Many others have been injured at Dubai International Airport, which has been hit by strikes, while thousands of flights remain grounded.

Reality star Pattison, known for winning I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here winner and being on the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, had been enjoying a break in Dubai with husband Ercan Ramadan, best known for The Only Way Is Essex.

However, her departing flight to Australia has been cancelled, with the TV personality providing an update to fans on social media.

She wrote on her Instagram story: “Ercan and I were due to fly to Sydney this evening.

“But like many others out flight was cancelled and we are now effectively stuck in Dubai.

“We are receiving a lot of messages from people asking if we’re ok which we are.

“We are currently in our hotel and have been assured we’re safe.

“We are aware that the situation that is unfolding is scary and I’m also aware that there’s a lot of videos circulating on social media which are understandably concerning.

“I’m not sure what else to say, other than we’re doing our best to stay calm, not feed any unconfirmed narratives and we’re thinking of everyone who is feeling unsettled and unsafe right now.”

Pattison and Souness are not the only celebrities affected by the ongoing situation.

Former Love Island star Laura Anderson had also recently arrived in Dubai with her daughter Bonnie when the Iranian retaliation started, and air defence fire was seen over the UAE’s commercial hub.

She wrote on Instagram: “Horrendous situation. Bonnie and I are fine.”

Her fellow Love Island star Arabella Chi is also in Dubai with her daughter Gigi and wrote on Instagram: “Dubai friends. Scary times. Stay safe.”

What is happening in Iran?

The US and Israel launched a major attack on targets across Iran on Saturday (February 1).

President Donald Trump said the attack was to “ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon”.

Following the attack, Iran retaliated with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East.

Iranian state TV said in the early hours of this morning (March 1) that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had died.

It comes after US President Donald Trump claimed Khamenei had died in the attacks on Saturday morning and urged the Iranian people to seize “the single greatest chance … to take back their country”.

The Associated Press reported that state TV gave no cause for the 86-year-old’s death.

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Iran has vowed to carry out its “most intense operation” ever in retaliation for the killing of Khamenei, with strikes reported in several Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The UK declined to say whether it believes US-Israeli strikes on Iran are legal as missile attacks continued across the Middle East on Sunday.

While the UK has played no part in the US-Israeli strikes, Defence Secretary John Healey has warned that Iranian retaliation could put UK personnel and allies at risk.

South Africa produced an unconvincing performance with the bat but beat Zimbabwe by five wickets to set up a semi-final against New Zealand.

An 18-ball 42 from Dewald Brevis at number four proved crucial as wickets tumbled in South Africa’s chase of 154 before George Linde (30 off 21) and Tristan Stubbs (21 off 24) saw them over the line with 13 balls to spare.

South Africa, who have won all seven of their matches in this tournament, are searching for a maiden T20 World Cup title having previously reached the final in 2024.

The result also confirms England, who finished top of Group 2 in the Super 8s, will face either India or West Indies in the last four as neither side will be able to match South Africa’s haul of six points.

They meet in the final Super 8 game at 13:30 GMT, with the winner progressing to the semi-finals.

“South Africa are going to be hard to stop. They have ticked every box in this tournament,” said former Australia wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

“They have a massive belief around the group and are starting to bask in the glory of their younger players who have developed.

“Today was about getting sometime under the belts of the back-ups in case some players need a rest.”

Police are probing the unexplained death.

A man’s body was found dead in a street in a South Lanarkshire village.

Police were called to the Hope Road area of Kirkmuirhill in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A 39-year-old man was found dead at around 3am. Police are treating the death as unexplained and his next of kin are aware.

Enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.

Detectives were seen conducting door-to-door enquiries on Sunday. A large section of the residential street remains cordoned off.

Officers and marked police cars have been situated at either end of the cordon. A uniformed officer could also been seen stationed outside of a property on the road.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 3.30am on Sunday, 1 March, 2026, police received a report of the death of a 39-year-old man in the Hope Road area of Kirkmuirhill. Next of kin are aware and the death is being treated as unexplained. Enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing and there remains a police presence in the area.”

The incident comes months after 30-year-old Scott Boyd was pronounced dead in a street in the village. Another man aged 35 was also found injured beside Scott and treated in hospital before being released.

Sean McIntyre, 35, was arrested and charged with murder after Scott was found on August 17.

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The village is easy to reach from Cambridge

Many people wanting to escape busy city life choose to move to Cambridgeshire thanks to it huge areas of countryside and great links into London. Those living in the county can benefit from both the calm rural areas as well as being able to easily travel back into the capital for a day trip.

If you are planning to move to the county soon or just want to explore the many villages on offer, you might want to take a trip to Horningsea. The little village can be found just outside of the city of Cambridge and can be reached by walking along the River Cam.

The village has two pubs, the Plough and Fleece and the Crown and Punchbowl. As well as offering an impressive food menu filled with British classic dishes, the Crown and Punchbowl has nine rooms to stay in if you want to extend your trip.

The Plough and Fleece features “a fine dining room at the front and a traditional rustic bar” as well as a beer garden that overlooks the River Cam for those warmer days. The pub is community owned and is currently looking for new tenants to carry on running the venue.

Aside from the pubs found along the high street, the only other facility in the village is the garden centre. The Scotsdales Garden Centre in Horningsea is home to the largest Weber BBQ showroom in Cambridge and has a “wonderful” pet section that dogs can explore if they are on a lead.

You can find a range of gardening essentials as well as garden furniture, bird feeders, and even a gift shop. At the Sunflower Café, you can get fresh cakes, toasties, sandwiches, and breakfasts using lots of local ingredients.

The village has had a place of worship for over a thousand years but parts of the current church date back to the 11th century. The church had to be extensively restored in the early 19th century.

If you are interested in moving to Horningsea, properties in the village range from detached and terraced houses to semi-detached properties. This three bed detached house with a thatched roof sold in 2024 for £600,000 and this four bed terraced property sold for £490,000.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family were killed in a joint US-Israeli air strike in the capital Tehran.

Iran has issued a haunting three-word warning to lash out after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an air strike. The country’s faltering regime released the chilling statement while mourning the death of the former ruler on Saturday.

Seismic shockwaves rippled across the Middle East after Iran’s Supreme Leader and top figures of his tyrannical regime was killed in the joint US-Israeli Operation Epic Fury. The aim of the military operation was the effective “decapitation” of Iran’s leadership apparatus and effective regime change.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Iran’s armed forces, said a “regret-inducing punishment” was coming after the death of Khamenei who has ruled with an iron grip since 1989, reports the Mirror.

The revenge threat continued, adding the action would start in “just moments” and would target “occupied territories and American terrorist bases.” Iran launched numerous drones and missiles at neighbouring countries that either have American bases or have friendly ties with Washington DC.

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Hundreds of thousands of Brits who live in Dubai were warned to stay inside and take cover after Iran launched attacks. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said any threats against Americans would trigger further attacks.

In a statement shared on X/Twitter, he said: “The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal — and now they are suffering the consequences.

“We will not tolerate powerful missiles targeting the American people. Those missiles will be destroyed, along with Iran’s missile production. The Iranian navy will be destroyed. And, as President Trump has said his entire life, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”

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Hegseth continued: “The United States did not start this conflict, but we will finish it. If you kill or threaten Americans anywhere in the world — as Iran has — then we will hunt you down, and we will kill you.”

There are fears Operation Epic Fury could destabilise the region further as the US has offered no clear strategy or vision for Iran’s future should regime change happen.

As Iranians took to the streets to celebrate the Ayatollah’s death in cities across the world, deaths were reported at a US Consulate in Pakistan. Gunfire was reportedly heard near the US Consulate General in Karachi after hundreds stormed the building in the southern port city, with six people, including three embassy staff, believed to be killed.

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