Suncorp Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 2 NRL game between Dolphins and
Gold Coast Titans. The game kicks off at 6:15 pm with Dolphins heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Dolphins vs.
Gold Coast Titans
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday March 15, 2026 at 6:15 pm

Where: Suncorp Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Dolphins vs Gold Coast Titans Odds

Dolphins vs Gold Coast Titans Preview

The round concludes with a Queensland derby at Suncorp Stadium as both teams look to avoid a 0-2 start to the season. The Dolphins were beaten 40-30 by South Sydney in Round 1, with defensive lapses again proving costly despite some encouraging attacking moments from Isaiya Katoa.

The Titans endured an even tougher outing, conceding 50 points in a heavy defeat to Cronulla that highlighted familiar defensive concerns.

The Dolphins have dominated this young rivalry, winning five of the six meetings between the clubs, including two victories last season.

With both sides capable of producing attacking football but struggling defensively, the match shapes as an entertaining contest where momentum swings and quick scoring bursts could decide the result.

Pep Guardiola has launched a passionate defence of his team selection following Manchester City’s defeat at Real Madrid.

City went down 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Bernabeu on Wednesday after Guardiola opted for an attack-minded line-up.

The Spaniard has previously been accused of “over-thinking” tactics on big occasions but he insists reactions are always shaped by results and similar decisions are often praised when they succeed.

Guardiola said: “This is not the first time I’ve been hurt. I’ve lost many times in Champions League at all stages – many, many, many times – and have been massacred for decisions and what happened.

“My argument or reason (to) justify the team selection – it’s because I lost, we lost the game. But if you win, ah, ‘genius’. How many times have I heard, ‘Pep is a genius’ for the team selection?

“I have to explain before and after? After 10 years? I would not convince you for one second. Why? Because we lost and that’s all – 3-0, destroyed.

“It’s normal. It’s not the first time I’ve played in that competition, the Champions League – 17 years playing in that competition – and every time I lose, boom, my God ‘peow, peow, peow’ (mimics gun shots to head).”

To illustrate his point, Guardiola recalled the fall-out from City’s defeat in the 2021 Champions League final to Chelsea, when he left Fernandinho and Rodri on the bench. He contrasted that with the feeling after last weekend’s FA Cup victory at Newcastle, for which he had raised eyebrows by making 10 changes.

He said: “I played a final of the Champions League without Fernandinho and Rodri as holding midfielder against Chelsea. I was destroyed in that moment.

“They are right but in that moment I knew how Rodri and Fernandinho were playing. It was not the Rodri we saw after.

“I can explain that but they’re going to be convinced? Forget about it.

“What happened in Newcastle? Did you read the comments before the game (about) my team selection? ‘What are you doing? Lack of respect, how do you leave Erling (Haaland) at home?’ – 1-3.”

Guardiola defended his approach at the Bernabeu.

He said: “After the game in Madrid I said there was a logical reason. I wanted a threat. I wanted to have people arriving to the goal, I wanted people to make (grunts) when we arrive with the wingers.

“We did it in the first 20 minutes. We were close.”

City are back in Premier League action on Saturday as they travel to West Ham hoping to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the title race.

Top scorer Haaland has scored just four goals in his last 17 appearances.

Guardiola said: “Of course he needs goals. Of course the team needs it and he needs it. We have to find him more.”

Gary Portelli wishes for history to repeat itself with Craig Williams steering Verona Rose in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill while the mare chases her first Group One triumph.

Williams handed Portelli’s ex-flagbearer Kimochi the breakthrough elite success after three high-level runner-up finishes, culminating in the 2024 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes victory.

Portelli reveres the international star’s racing expertise and equally prizes his off-track presence.

“We’ve got a good association and I just love being able to leg him on,” Portelli said.

“You don’t have to talk about the race too much. He’s done his homework, he comes out and tells the owners what he wants, where he wants to be, and then we might talk about the Ukraine war or something like that. It breaks up the nervousness.

“Craig is fantastic. I love his business acumen. His word is his word and importantly, he’s a great rider. He is very professional.”

The combination boasts two wins from two for Verona Rose, including the Flemington Inglis Bracelet (1600m) last spring and Randwick’s Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) in her most recent.

Verona Rose is quoted at $10 for the 1500m Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday amid a 14-runner field, where Portelli desires an honest speed to unleash her devastating finish.

That setup could see her right in the mix, he predicts.

“We had a dream that she’d run in a Coolmore last campaign, but we wanted to see something from her that would warrant going around and not making a fool of ourselves,” Portelli said.

“After her last run, we’re now at the reality that we’re a legitimate chance of winning.”

Portelli’s Friday entries comprise fillies Queen Of Clubs and Long Legs for the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m), repeating Verona Rose’s win from last year.

Queen Of Clubs lagged behind everyone in her latest Surround Stakes (1400m) effort, which Portelli attributes to poor preparation upon review.

“She pulled up really fat. She is a gross filly, and she is taking a lot of work to get fit,” he said.

“I don’t work my horses very hard, and it showed up last start.”

The slow 7 rating at Kembla Grange on Thursday should suit Queen Of Clubs, complemented by a significant change in gear.

“If she is going towards the Oaks, she needs to do a lot more this week,” Portelli said.

“Blinkers off, she should run well.”

Having placed in the Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle last time in, Long Legs promises another competitive run.

Check racing betting markets for value in the 2026 Coolmore Classic.

There is a phrase you often hear from the girls at the Impact Academy in Cairo.

“I won’t stop until I’m a champion.”

The girls in Cairo learning to box seem determined and confident. It could be an everyday scene, a training session like any other—but it’s not.

Many of the girls in southern Cairo come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. They often experience gender-based violence and are pressured to marry at a very young age—usually at the expense of their education and independence.

Choosing boxing, a male-dominated sport in a traditional society, is tantamount to rebellion. The Impact Academy offers the girls much more than just training. It is a safe space where they also receive psychological support.

“I used to be quite timid, but now I have more self-confidence,” says Salma.

The 17-year-old has been at the academy since 2023. She used to be bullied, partly because her skin is darker than most of the others, and she was also abused.

Since Salma has started boxing, she has been left in peace by her bullies, who are now afraid of her. Salma also feels accepted for who she is by her fellow students at the academy.

“I feel unconditionally loved by my friends here,” Salma says.

A ‘good life’ for the girls

The idea for the academy’s holistic approach came from Sally Hassona. The 49-year-old coach has a background in boxing herself. Hassona works full-time as a sports teacher at a private school and is a member of the Egyptian ministry of sports’ selection committee, which trains boxing talent for the country’s Olympic team.

In 2017, Hassona founded the academy, where girls can train three times a week – in a used boxing ring and with a few old sandbags. Around 25 girls and young women between the ages of 12 and 23 are involved, but not everyone comes to every training session.

Hassona is not paid for her work. But money is not what matters to her.

“I just want the girls to have a good life, to get away from their stigma,” Hassona says.

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‘Boxing gives us self-confidence’

Women in Egypt continue to be structurally disadvantaged and are very often subjected to sexual harassment, as the 2013 comprehensive study on this topic from the United Nations agency UN Women showed. In it, 99.3% of Egyptian girls and women stated that they had been sexually harassed at least once, while 91% did not feel safe on the streets.

“There are many dangers for women and girls here. Boxing gives us self-confidence and makes us feel strong. It’s good to know how to fight someone,” says Hana Abdel Bary, one of the academy’s team captains.

“But we also learn to set boundaries and protect ourselves.”

Because even though the girls can knock someone out in the ring, Hassona advises them to avoid dangerous situations and run away instead.

Abdel Bary is constantly reminded that it is not “normal” for girls to box.

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“Every time I go to the doctor and say that I box, they comment on it,” she says. “Some are proud, but others say nasty things.”

However, she receives support from home. Her father was the boxer Saleh Abdel Bary who competed twice for Egypt at the Olympics.

Training for independent living alongside boxing

Although sport is the main focus, it is not the only thing the girls learn at the academy.

“Sally always emphasizes that boxing is not a profession. She pushes us to learn languages or whatever else we want to learn,” says Hana.

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Hassona tries to work with the girls to find out what they enjoy doing and what their goals are, and encourages them to try their hand at male-dominated STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields.

Hanin wants to become an electrical engineer. She is currently doing a paid internship at a company that manufactures air conditioning systems.

“When parents don’t have money and can no longer ‘afford’ their children, they try to marry them off as early as possible,” says Hassona.

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Focus on mental health

Hassona regularly applies for various grants for the academy. It currently receives financial support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, a Canadian government program that supports local projects around the world. The grant amounts to 31,000 Canadian dollars (€19,800, $22,800).

Under the slogan “Play It Brave,” the Impact Academy focuses on mental health and gender-based violence. Several mental health coaches, a psychologist, and a doctor educate the girls about hygiene, health, and menstruation. The latter is still a big taboo in Egypt.

“Many think they can’t or aren’t allowed to go to school when they have their periods,” says the doctor.

16-year-old as a great sporting hope

Around 400 girls have passed through the academy over the years. Aya Hassan Najjar, 16, is one of Hassona’s great hopes. Since joining the academy around five years ago, she has twice taken first place in a national Egyptian competition and once came third in an African competition.

“Of course I want to become a professional boxer, but I also want to perfect my English and German,” says Aya.

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Her goal is to go to Germany to study medicine and become a veterinarian.

“I want to help the stray cats and dogs here in Egypt. The animals can’t speak for themselves,” she says.

It was only in September 2025 that the Egyptian Ministry of Sports confirmed that it was working to increase women’s participation in sports through special initiatives, as reported by Egyptian newspaper Ahram Online.

But deeper structural change in society takes time. Hassona doesn’t even dream of that. She wants her own building.

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“Like this one, behind the football field,” she says, pointing to a simple, long house. With a room for training, one for relaxation with a sauna.

“Maybe I could extend the concept to rugby,” Hassona says.

This article was originally published in German.

NASHVILLE — Florida profiled as a top-100 team in 3-point percentage (35.6%) as it rode the perimeter marksmanship of Walter Clayton Jr. — among other things — to a national title last season.

This year, the Gators are a sub-300 3-point shooting team (30.8%) and still every bit as dominant as the squad that won it all.

Case in point: Friday’s 71-63 SEC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Kentucky.

Hiding in the scrum of a whistle-plagued 2.5-hour display of horrific perimeter shooting from both teams was the trait that legitimizes the Gators’ full-tilt pursuit of a national title repeat.

“I mean, everybody goes to the glass,” Florida guard Urban Klavzar told CBS Sports, “and even if we miss, they get the rebound. So it’s awesome to have that.”

Florida hit 3 of 20 attempts from beyond the arc and missed its first eight of the second half while tying a season-low for 3-point makes and setting a season-low in 3-point percentage.

But the Gators were never in any grave danger against the Wildcats. Why? Because last year’s great rebounding team has developed into an absolutely lethal rebounding team.

For the Gators, every 3-point miss is an opportunity. Those 17 rim-clangers hoisted from beyond the arc against UK turned into 16 second-chance points as Florida dominated UK 18-8 in offensive rebounds and 50-29 overall on the glass.

All but five of Florida’s second-chance points came after missed 3-pointers.

“I think it’s obviously a big part of what we do and how we play,” Florida coach Todd Golden told CBS Sports. “We don’t necessarily separate the 3-point attempts as opposed to the 2-point attempts. But when we get good shots from the perimeter, it’s going to be really good offense for us because of the second chances that we’re able to provide.”

What should be terrifying for the rest of college basketball is that Florida is actually improving from beyond the arc, too. Prior to Friday’s clunker, the Gators were firing at a 37.6% clip from deep over an 11-game winning streak that has now grown to 12.

Last year’s title-winning team, known primarily for its guard play, made 36.6% of its 3-pointers over its final 11 regular-season games.

Amid the focus on what Florida lost with its top four guards from last year’s team, either exhausting their eligibility or transferring, is what it kept.

What was already perhaps the nation’s best frontcourt returned fully intact, and it’s only been bolstered by the improvement of Rueben Chinyelu into one of the nation’s top rebounders. The junior finished with 10 rebounds against Kentucky for his 22nd double-digit rebounding performance of the season.

Klavzar called Chinyelu the “best rebounding big in the States” and “just an animal” on the boards before quickly rattling off the names of fellow Florida towers Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten as similarly impactful. With Haugh now flexing down to play small forward, the Gators also have more rebounding on the floor for longer stretches.

“All of the bigs have improved from last year,” Klavzar told CBS Sports. “And then I feel like for the past month and a half, we’ve been shooting way better than the way we started the year. So when we combine those, when we shoot the ball well, and these guys are just dominant in the paint, it’s really tough to stop us.”

The result is the profile of a potential March wagon. Not many teams can survive their worst 3-point shooting performance of the season and beat an NCAA Tournament-caliber team on a neutral floor.

Florida did it somewhat convincingly on Friday in the latest bit of evidence that the Gators mean business in their pursuit of a repeat. Shots not falling? Not a problem, as it would be for most others. Florida will keep firing, knowing that even missed shots are a legitimate form of offense.

“It gives me a lot more confidence as a coach,” Golden said, “that even if we’re not playing our best or shooting efficiently, that we can still win.”

George Russell praised his Mercedes as a “joy to drive” as he took pole for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday to continue his team’s dominant start to the new era of Formula 1.

Russell is the driver to beat in Shanghai after his dominant win in Australia last week. With teammate Kimi Antonelli qualifying second and no other team close, Mercedes is on target for another 1-2 finish in Saturday’s sprint, which is followed by qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

“The car has been feeling amazing,” Russell said. “The engine is performing really well and today it was a real joy to drive.” 
Lando Norris was 0.621 of a second adrift, a vast gap in F1 terms, in third for McLaren. Only Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari in fourth and Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri in fifth got within a second of Russell’s time. 

Hamilton might be the biggest threat to the Mercedes pair because the Ferrari is quick off the line, which allowed teammate Charles Leclerc to jump into the lead in Australia last week before a strategy error ended his victory hopes. Russell suggested Mercedes has improved its sluggish starts, though.

Verstappen, the most prominent critic of the new regulations, had another tough qualifying session in eighth, though not as bad as the crash which left him at the back of the grid in Australia last week.

Ferrari debuts Macarena’Russell and Mercedes led the way in Friday’s sole practice session, as Ferrari failed to find a significant advantage from its unique rear wing which rotates upside-down for more speed on the straights.

Leclerc had the fifth quickest time (1:33.599) followed by Lewis Hamilton (1:34.129).

Hamilton touched tires with Norris in practice and also spun as he lost control on another lap.

Dubbed the “flip-flop” or “Macarena,” it was used briefly in testing, dropped for Australia, and is the sort of innovation which could help Leclerc and Hamilton compete with Mercedes. It could also disrupt the airflow and hinder cars following close behind.

Changes on the wayF1’s governing body, the FIA, could take stock of how the racing is going and make changes, potentially even in time for the Japanese Grand Prix later this month.

One gripe so far has been the lack of control by drivers of when the electrical power kicks in and how much is used.

They can’t stop the power being deployed in typical straight-line driving and can only add an extra boost, which in Australia resulted in cars finishing the formation lap with an empty battery and lacking pace at the start. That’s “not a lot of fun and also quite dangerous,” Verstappen said Thursday.

A related issue ended home hero Oscar Piastri’s race before it began in Australia, when the extra power kicked in unexpectedly and tipped him into the barriers before he even reached the grid.

If F1 can’t race next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which remain on the schedule for now despite the Iran war, it would leave a five-week gap in the calendar, which teams could use to refine any changes.

Zhou a boost for CadillacThere hasn’t been a Chinese driver on the F1 grid since Zhou Guanyu left Sauber at the end of 2024, but he’s still a big celebrity in his home country. As reserve driver for Cadillac, he could give the new team extra recognition in a key market after its solid but unspectacular debut in Australia.

It was a tough day for Cadillac as Valtteri Bottas was 21st in sprint qualifying, slower than even the unreliable Aston Martins, while Sergio Perez couldn’t start because of a problem with his fuel system.

Veteran administrator and former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das, who played a significant role in organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, died here on Friday.

Das was 65. He held the position of AIFF general secretary for 12 years before resigning in 2022 on health grounds.

Before entering football administration in 2010, Das had served as Chief Financial Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and International Management Group (IMG) India.

He breathed his last at a private hospital in the capital, according to Shaji Prabhakaran, another long-time football administrator who succeeded Das as the AIFF’s full-time secretary general in 2022 after former I-League CEO Sunando Dhar served as the acting GS for a brief while.

“Former AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das passed away this morning at a private hospital in Delhi. Sending my deepest sympathies and prayers to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Om Shanti,” Prabhakaran wrote on his ‘X’ handle.

During his tenure, the Indian national team qualified for three AFC Asian Cup tournaments besides the country hosting the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in 2017, which he described as “game changer” for Indian football at the time. 

The event set a record for the most-attended FIFA youth World Cup in history. He also secured hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Das also played a key role in bringing Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) as a marketing partner of AIFF in 2010, which led to the launch of the Indian Super League (ISL). He often credited this partnership with saving the AIFF from financial crisis after previous broadcasters moved on.

Under his guidance, the AIFF launched the Golden Baby Leagues and a structured youth development system, including age-group leagues that forced clubs and academies to focus on long-term player pipelines.

Das’ tenure in the AIFF coincided with Praful Patel’s reign as its president, and the former had sent his resignation to the Committee of Administrators which was then running Indian football after the Patel-led dispensation was ousted by the Supreme Court for not holding elections on time.

Das was re-appointed as AIFF’s general secretary for a second term of another three years in 2013.

Das completed his BSc in Mathematics at the St. Stephen’s College in Delhi.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has honoured Akwa Ibom teenage athlete, Jacinta Lawrence Andrew, with a cash reward of ₦3 million after naming her the Outstanding Junior Athlete of 2025.

The presentation took place on Friday, March 13, 2026, at her school, Community Secondary Commercial School, Ibiaku Itam, in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, shortly after school hours.

Officials of the National Sports Commission flew in from Abuja for the ceremony, which was attended by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, who was represented by the Director of Coaching in the Ministry of Sports, Mrs Catherine Ekuta. Other directors and officials of the ministry, teachers, and Jacinta’s schoolmates were also present.

The recognition was part of the NSC Appreciation Tour, which made a significant stop in Uyo to celebrate young Nigerian athletes who have performed well and continue to inspire others through their dedication and achievements.

One of the major highlights of the visit was the recognition of Jacinta, an SS2 student who has quickly emerged as one of Nigeria’s most promising young athletes.

Jacinta first gained national attention when she won a silver medal in the girls’ 400 metres at the maiden African School Games in Algeria. She later went on to win gold in the same event at the African Youth Games in Angola.

She was also recently part of the Nigerian team that qualified the country for the World Athletics Relays, an impressive achievement for a student still in secondary school.

Speaking during the presentation, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said the Appreciation Tour represents a new approach to celebrating and motivating athletes across the country.

“This Appreciation Tour is about recognising hard work, discipline, and excellence wherever we find it across the country. When young athletes see that their sacrifices and performances are valued, it inspires them to aim higher and assures them that the nation stands firmly behind them,” Olopade said.

He added that supporting young athletes like Jacinta is part of the Commission’s long-term plan to strengthen Nigeria’s sports talent development.

“Jacinta, like many others, represents the future of Nigerian sports. For someone still in secondary school to achieve so much on the continental stage shows the great potential we have in our young people, and it is our responsibility to nurture and support them,” he added.

In recognition of her achievements and dedication, the Commission presented Jacinta with a ₦3 million cash reward.

In his remarks, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, represented by Mrs Catherine Ekuta, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Sports Commission for introducing what he described as a morale-boosting reward system for athletes.

Speaking further, the Commissioner said the reward aligns with the efforts of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who has continued to support sports development in the state.

“Rewards like this are in line with what Governor Umo Eno is already doing in Akwa Ibom State. In 2025, the governor rewarded medallists from the National Youth Games and the Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, and Jacinta was one of the major beneficiaries.

“In line with the ARISE Agenda of the Pastor Umo Eno-led administration, the state government remains committed to doing even more to ensure that athletes like Jacinta continue to excel, while also discovering and developing more young talents who will make the state and the country proud,” he said.

An emotional Jacinta thanked the National Sports Commission for the honour and also expressed appreciation to Governor Umo Eno for what she described as a sports revolution in Akwa Ibom State.

She said the governor’s support for sports is already producing positive results, pointing to the state’s performance at the just concluded Niger Delta Games.

“I am very grateful to the National Sports Commission for believing in me. This recognition encourages me to keep training and to make Nigeria proud,” Jacinta said.

“I also want to thank Governor Umo Eno for the support he is giving to sports in Akwa Ibom State. The encouragement we are receiving is helping many young athletes to perform better.

“We saw the results at the recent Niger Delta Games where Akwa Ibom finished fourth with 55 medals, improving from the first edition where the state finished sixth with 39 medals. It shows that sports in the state is moving forward,” Jacinta added.

The Appreciation Tour is part of the Commission’s efforts to recognise excellence, encourage emerging talents, and promote grassroots sports development across Nigeria.