Sports
Rockets stay alive, pressure shifts to Lakers after Houston’s Game 5 win
LOS ANGELES — For nearly seven minutes, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka lit up his team after a late-game collapse in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was for good reason. The Rockets, up six with less than 40 seconds left, had the game in the bag. What transpired from that point on was a combination of late-game heroics by the Lakers and an equally gut-wrenching collapse from the Rockets that put them in a 3-0 series hole.
The general message from Udoka’s afterward? His team needed to grow up.
“Horrendous mistakes,” Udoka said after Game 3. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case.”
Fast forward to Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena, and it appears that Udoka’s message resonated. The momentum in this series has suddenly flipped back in Houston’s favor after defeating the Lakers 99-93 in Game 5 to cut the series deficit to 3-2. The pressure is right back on the Lakers, less than a week after Houston’s season was on life support.
Udoka was right, too. The Rockets, on paper, are not that young anymore. Houston’s young core experienced the highs and lows of an intense seven-game playoff series last year in an eventual loss to the Golden State Warriors. If this young core didn’t respond without Kevin Durant in the lineup, their season would be over. Durant missed Game 1 with a knee injury. He then injured his ankle in Game 2 and hasn’t played since.
No team in NBA history has come back to win from a 3-0 deficit. The Rockets are the 16th team in NBA history to force Game 6 after trailing a series 3-0. The last team to force a Game 7 after falling into that hole was the Boston Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat. There’s still work to be done on Houston’s part to reach a win-or-go-home scenario in the first round for the second consecutive season.
But for the first time since it was announced Durant would return for Game 2, the Rockets have hope.
“We have a resilient group that plays hard and is very competitive on every night,” Udoka said after the win. “Rarely do we get blown out, we fight back. We might’ve lost some leads, but that’s kind of our DNA. That part I wasn’t worried about. We had a hard-fought series last year, down 3-1, it got to Game 7. We are going to battle.”
Can the Rockets make history?
When Durant was ruled out for Game 4 last weekend, Houston’s hopes of a comeback seemed dashed. Durant missed four games total during the regular season — with only one of those games being due to injury — but has now missed four of the five games of this series due to knee and ankle injuries.
It’s unclear when Durant will return this series — if he does at all.
Durant, 37, played his most regular-season minutes in 13 years but had to sit on the sidelines to watch his team fall behind in the dreaded 3-0 hole. With the win in Game 5, Houston improved to 6-2 without Durant in the lineup, with the losses coming in Games 1 and 3. Wednesday night’s outcome was the gutsiest. Lakers star LeBron James had won 16 consecutive close-out games at home and Austin Reaves was back in the Lakers’ lineup after missing the last nine games with an oblique injury.
The Rockets’ offensive deficiencies are well-documented. The biggest reason Houston lost the first two games of the series in Los Angeles was a simple one: shot-making. The Rockets had the advantage in almost every other statistical category, but it didn’t matter because shots weren’t falling.
Houston shot 12 of 30 (40%) from the 3-point line in Game 4 and 14 of 40 (35%) on Wednesday. The Rockets took 27 more field goal attempts than the Lakers in the opening game of the series and 17 more in the second game. But the difference was the quality of those shot attempts. It’s why the Lakers won both of those games.
But after leading by as many as 11 points in the first half on Wednesday, the way the Lakers won is the way they lost. The Lakers couldn’t buy a bucket. Los Angeles finished 32 of 76 (42.1%) from the floor.
Despite the Lakers’ poor shooting, they made one last run in the fourth quarter by cutting what was once a 13-point deficit down to three, 88-85, with 2:59 to play. That’s when one of the lone Rockets players who didn’t play much in last year’s playoffs, Reed Sheppard, made two critical plays to ultimately force a Game 6.
Sheppard knocked down a mid-range jumper with 2:37 left and then stole the ball from James and threw down a dunk on the other end to extend the lead back to seven. Just as the Los Angeles crowd started to get back into the game, Sheppard brought that energy to a halt.
Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, wasn’t even born when James made his NBA debut in the fall of 2003. He played 10 minutes in that playoff series against the Warriors and is now coming up clutch just over a year later.
Sheppard, like his team during the last week, is growing up.
“He can get to his spots as long as he sets up and creates a little separation,” Udoka said of Sheppard. “Love the fact that he got the ball and handled the pressure. Obviously, he made a big shot.”
Sheppard said the Rockets were going to make sure they wouldn’t lose another late lead.
“When they made their run at the end and cut it to a one-possession game, we definitely remembered what happened in Game 3 and we didn’t want to let that happen again,” Sheppard said. “So just being able to stick together, make the right play and getting the right offensive sets and getting good shots, that’s what we were able to do.”
Call it conventional or unconventional, Udoka’s message resonated. And after looking dead in the water, the Rockets have life.
After years of back and forth, an agreement has finally been made for a blockbuster domestic clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and now promoter Frank Warren has revealed whether a rematch clause is in place.
Fury has been involved in a host of rematches during his career; fighting each of John McDermott, Derek Chisora, Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk on more than one occasion, seeking to avenge controversial wins, draws or defeats.
Similarly, Joshua instantly rematched both Andy Ruiz and Usyk after suffering the first two losses of his career, but has shown little interest in revisiting a scrap with Daniel Dubois – the only other man to hand him a defeat in his 33 pro fights.
In a matter of months, ‘The Gypsy King’ and Joshua look set to collide at last, providing Joshua gets through his comeback against Kristian Prenga unscathed, but Warren told BBC Sport that this will be the only occasion on which they fight, suspecting that the loser may retire.
“Yes, [it is a one-fight deal]. The fight, when they step into the ring with Tyson and AJ, for the loser – that will be it. That will be it and that is how it will be. The loser, I don’t see where he will go. For the winner, it’s a choice of what does he wants to do next?”
First things first, ‘AJ’ must overcome the unheralded Prenga in July, while ‘The Gypsy King’ could also now be set to take a bout in the interim too, before Joshua and Fury then turn their attention to one another.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Mumbai Indians hold the edge over Chennai Super Kings ahead of their high-profile IPL 2026 clash, citing the depth and experience in Mumbai’s squad.Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host Mumbai Indians (MI) tonight, May 2, 2026, at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in a high-stakes “El Clásico” that could determine playoff survival for both struggling five-time champions. Both teams are languishing in the bottom half of the table, CSK sits at No. 6 with 6 points, while MI is 9th with just 4 points from eight games.
In their previous meeting this season, Chennai Super Kings dominated their arch-rivals with a massive 103-run victory. Sanju Samson starred with an unbeaten 101, guiding CSK to a formidable total of 208. The bowlers then took charge, with Akeal Hosein leading the charge with figures of 4/17 as Mumbai Indians were bundled out for just 104.He received solid support from Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Anshul Kamboj and Gurjapneet Singh, who all chipped in with wickets to seal a comprehensive win.Speaking on Star Sports ahead of the much-anticipated ‘El Clasico’ clash, Kaif said that while Mumbai Indians look stronger on paper, their inconsistent form remains a concern.“On paper, Mumbai Indians look stronger than Chennai Super Kings because they have a lot of match-winners and experienced players. But when you look at recent form, questions arise because MI haven’t been winning consistently. That said, on their day, if they play a dominant brand of cricket, they can be very hard to stop,” Kaif said.Kaif also pointed out that CSK’s heavy reliance on Samson could prove to be a weakness in a high-pressure contest.“Chennai, on the other hand, have largely depended on Sanju Samson so far. They are relying heavily on his performances to win games. That’s why Mumbai head into this crucial match with the upper hand,” he added.
The closer you are to the green, the better your chances of sticking it close. Yet for most amateur golfers, that’s usually where things start to unravel.
Inside 100 yards, nerves creep in and these short wedge shots feel anything but simple. You second-guess your setup, forget fundamentals and lose confidence in yourself at the worst possible moment.
Instead of letting tension take over, causing you to blade it over the green — or worse, chunk it a few yards in front of you — David Armitage, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, offers a simple solution.
“It’s all about leaning left, and staying left,” Armitage says.
With this simple phrase and the three keys below, you’ll learn how to build a solid setup every time and turn these delicate wedge shots into scoring opportunities.
Load your lead side for better low-point control
In order to execute these shots successfully, Armitage says you need to have low-point control — and it starts before you even take the club back.
“For me, low-point control is all about the setup,” he says. “What I want you to do is I want you to get about 65% of your weight on that front, lead leg. Once you’ve got that there, I want it to also feel like it’s leaning there with your sternum.”
They key here is loading your lead side completely — not just your lower body. Armitage says amateurs often let their weight drift backwards during their backswing on these short wedge shots. When that happens, it becomes almost impossible to return to a forward position by the time your club passes through impact. As a result, players hang back or lean away from the target as they hit the ball, followed by a slew of contact issues.
By remembering to pre-set your entire lead side, you set yourself up to make ball-first contact and stay forward through the shot, helping you improve the quality of your strike and avoid a common error that can quickly break down your contact and confidence.
Keep your nose over lead toes as you swing
After you’ve loaded your lead side and established a good setup, it’s time to practice your swing. Armitage says the key here is maintaining the foundation you’ve already built at address.
“As you make a backswing, I want you to feel like your nose and your weight stays there [just in front of the ball],” he says.
To build this feel, take a few practice swings without a ball, keeping your sternum and nose positioned over your lead leg throughout the motion. You’ll know you’re doing it right if your divot is happening in front of your ball position.
When you bring a ball back into the equation, you should notice that your shots have a lower trajectory and more spin — hallmarks of a great wedge player.
Develop stock swings for better distance control
There are several ways to dial in different yardages with your wedges. You can open the face or grip down, but Armitage says the most reliable method for controlling distance is to adjust the length of your swing.
To do that, you need a set of defined stock swings. You can build them by creating clear, repeatable boundaries — or “triggers,” as Armitage calls them. His checkpoints are:
- Hip to hip
- Rib to rib
- Shoulder to shoulder
Much like the clock system many players use, these checkpoints give you a clear, repeatable reference for how far the club travels back and through. That structure allows you to make a repeatable swing with the same tempo every time, which is ultimately what builds dependable distance control and feel.
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The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in Michigan announced Friday that Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver DK Metcalf will not be charged for an altercation with a Detroit Lions fan at Ford Field in December.
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office also denied a request for a warrant.
“On December 21, 2025, during an NFL football game at Ford Field, located in the 2000 block of Brush Street in Detroit, a 45-year-old male Lions fan, was seated in the stands behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bench, allegedly heckling player DeKaylin Metcalf, 28,” the announcement said.
“At approximately 5:30 p.m., it is alleged that the fan left his seat holding a Metcalf jersey to get an autograph.
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DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers before a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 16, 2025. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
“As he approached the front railing of the stands, he said something to Mr. Metcalf. As Mr. Metcalf approached the stands, there was a brief interaction where Mr. Metcalf grabbed his shirt and pushed him back. The fan did not appear to be injured, nor did he seek medical attention at the game.”
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said the fan, Ryan Kennedy, security staff and people in attendance were all interviewed, and video footage was reviewed from various angles. After an extensive review, it opted not to charge Metcalf.
Kennedy filed a $100 million lawsuit that names Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ford Field, the Lions’ stadium, Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe as defendants.
The filing outlines nine counts, including negligence against Ford Field and multiple defamation claims against Metcalf, Johnson and Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media.
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Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy holds a news conference at the Head Murphy Law office in Farmington Hills, Mich., Dec. 26, 2025, discussing the fan-involved altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers player DK Metcalf. (Ryan Garza/USA Today Network)
Kennedy’s lawyer, Jon Marko, told Fox News Digital the lack of criminal charges for Metcalf is irrelevant for their civil case. He cited the prosecutor’s lack of resources for not charging Metcalf.
“The prosecutor’s decision is completely irrelevant to our case, our civil case,” Marko told Fox News Digital. “You know, prosecutors’ offices, especially busy prosecutors’ offices and major metropolitan areas like Detroit, have priorities when making charging decisions. And they have a very limited amount of resources that they can use, and they use those resources to go after the most egregious crimes, such as homicides and things of that nature.
“I mean, in this case, clearly, the video shows what I believe to be an assault and battery. Any reasonable person looking at it, I think, would see the same thing.
“This was out in public. There was numerous witnesses, and it was on a video, but I think that just the expense and resources necessary to prosecute this misdemeanor assault and battery … was most likely what led the prosecutor’s office to decide not to charge, not the idea that the crime did not commit, was not committed. So, it’s irrelevant for us whether the prosecutor charged or not. We’re gonna still be seeking full justice for the assault and battery through our civil case.”
Mitch Schuster of Meister Seelig & Schuster, the attorney for Metcalf, applauded the decision to drop the criminal charges.
DK Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Dec. 21, 2025. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
“The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has declined to bring charges against DeKaylin Metcalf related to the incident involving Ryan Kennedy on December 21, 2025. We applaud the decision and are thankful for the hard work and thorough investigation that led to this just result.
“We are confident that justice will also prevail in the civil claim involving Mr. Kennedy. As Mr. Metcalf’s counterclaim in the civil case makes clear, Mr. Kennedy’s hate-fueled conduct has no place anywhere and especially not in professional sports.”
Metcalf was suspended two games by the NFL for the incident.
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Detroit Lions fan Ryan Kennedy sits with attorneys Sean Murphy and Shawn Head at the Head Murphy Law office in Farmington Hills, Mich., Dec. 26, 2025, discussing the fan-involved altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers player DK Metcalf. (Ryan Garza/USA Today Network)
Metcalf was shown by a CBS broadcast grabbing a fan by the shirt and taking a swing at him. The NFL Network reported that the fan made derogatory comments toward the 28-year-old. Kennedy later denied the allegation.
Kennedy told The Detroit Free Press he was heckling Metcalf by calling him by his full name.
Fox News Digital reached out to Metcalf’s agent for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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Sports
UFC Fight Night odds, fight card, predictions: MMA expert reveals picks for Della Maddalena vs. Prates, other fights
Top-ranked Jack Della Maddalena will battle fifth-ranked Carlos Prates in a welterweight bout in the main event at UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The five-bout main card is scheduled to start at approximately 7 a.m. ET on Paramount+. Della Maddalena is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 this past November. Prates, meanwhile, won by knockout over Leon Edwards in his last match at UFC 322.
Both Della Maddalena and Prates are -110 on the money line (risk $110 to win $100) in the UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Before locking in any UFC Fight Night picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Kyle Marley.
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Over the past three-plus years, $100 bettors who have followed Marley’s picks are up nearly $10,000, and since May 2018, he has returned well over $21,000. The accomplished MMA analyst has provided consistent winners for SportsLine members for the past five years. His accomplishments include hitting five consecutive main-event underdog winners in 2020 following the UFC’s brief pause in action because of the pandemic. Anyone who has followed Marley’s UFC betting picks could have seen huge returns.
Now, Marley has studied Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates from every angle and revealed his top betting picks and best bets. Head to SportsLine to see them.
Della Maddalena vs. Prates preview
Della Maddalena, 29, had his 18-bout winning streak stopped last November. He returns home and looks to start a new streak against Prates. Since turning pro in 2016, he has compiled an 18-3 record with 12 wins by knockout, two by submission and four by decision. The former UFC welterweight champion will be making his second fight in his home country and first since February 2023.
Della Maddalena has also earned a number of honors. Among them, he is a four-time Performance of the Night honoree and two-time Fight of the Night winner. He was named the 2024 Fan’s Choice Comeback of the Year nominee and was the 2022 Newcomer of the Year by UFC.com. He was also named 2022 Newcomer of the Year, along with Jailton Almeida. Check out SportsLine to see Marley’s picks and analysis.
Prates, 32, has won two bouts in a row and has won 13 of his last 14 matches. Prates has earned Performance of the Night honors in each of his last six fights he has won. He has the third-highest knockdown average per 15 minutes in UFC welterweight division history, and the seventh-highest knockdown average per 15 minutes in UFC history. He was the 2024 MMA Fighting Rookie of the Year.
In 30 professional matches, he has compiled a 23-7 record. He has 18 wins by knockout, three by submission and two by decision. Prates turned pro in 2012 and made his UFC debut in 2024. He was a 2024 first-team MMA all-star and 2025 second-team MMA all-star. You can only see Marley’s picks and analysis at SportsLine.
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UFC Fight Night predictions
One of of Marley’s UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates picks: He is backing Jonathan Micallef (-218) to win via unanimous decision against Themba Gorimbo (+180) in a welterweight bout.
“Gorimbo is going to need to wrestle heavily in this matchup and win at least two rounds of top control time,” Marley told SportsLine. “Micallef is going to be the better striker, and he is also the more dangerous submission grappler. I’ll take Micallef to avoid getting laid on, and he can get his hand raised by any method.” See who else to back here.
How to make UFC Fight Night picks
Marley also has strong picks for Della Maddalena vs. Prates and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates card. He’s also backing a fighter who is “the more technical fighter,” to emerge with a big victory. He’s sharing who it is only at SportsLine.
Who wins Burns vs. Malott, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who is up over $21,000 on his UFC picks since May 19, 2018, and find out.
UFC Fight Night main fight card, odds
See picks at SportsLine.
(Odds from DraftKings and subject to change)
Jack Della Maddalena (-110) vs. Carlos Prates (-110)
Beneil Dariush (+295) vs. Quillan Salkillo (-375)
Tim Elliott (+150) vs. Steve Erceg (-180)
Shamil Gaziev (-120) vs. Brando Pericic (+100)
Marwan Rahiki (-700) vs. Ollie Schmid (+500)
Tai Tuivasa (-218) vs. Louie Sutherland (+180)
SALT LAKE CITY — Held without a goal through the first five games of his first playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights, Mitch Marner chose the perfect time to finally light the lamp.
His first goal of the series, scored late in the second period of Game 6 against the Utah Mammoth Friday night, gave the visitors a little breathing room and ultimately served as the game-winner to secure the Golden Knights’ 5-1 victory and a trip to Round 2. For Marner, it was a goal very much worth the wait, a stunner both in style — about as perfect a slapshot as could possibly be unleashed — and reception, doing much to quiet the home crowd, and his critics.
You could almost see the monkey being lifted from his back as Marner celebrated. One of the game’s most talented playmakers in the regular season, Marner’s post-season scoring woes have been well-documented from his nine-year tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With each Golden Knights playoff game that passed without a goal from No. 93 this round, it felt as though perhaps old afflictions might re-emerge, as though a familiar wall was starting to build, brick-by-brick, between him and the back of the net. And after five games of butting up against it, Marner received a pass from Ivan Barbashev, skated in close, and unleashed a slapshot from the faceoff dot that blasted right through it, scoring in a series-clinching game for the first time in his career.
“I’ve had a couple opportunities in that kind of same area that I just have missed on, and that’s why I kind of just decided to quickly wind one up and see if I could get a clapper through,” Marner explained post-game, describing his marker that put Vegas up 2-0. “Lucky enough, it went through and found a hole and found the net.”
Then, he did it again. With less than eight minutes remaining in the third frame of what was then a 3-1 game, Marner potted a snapshot on the power play to put a dagger in Utah’s hopes of third-period surge. That goal, a rare PP marker for his club in this series, gave Marner his third point of the night after he’d also assisted on Brett Howden’s game-opening goal.
Marner had been far from a no-show up to this point in the series. His efforts didn’t always earn a place on the scoresheet, though, and when they did, they came in the form of four assists through the first five games of the series.
“Mitchy’s been doing a lot of little things people don’t understand — some small little plays,” Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said post-game. “But he had some big plays tonight that everybody can see. So, really good for him, for his confidence, going into the next series.”
Friday marked Marner’s first multi-point playoff game since Game 3 of Toronto’s second-round series against Florida last May and his first multi-goal post-season effort since the spring of 2023.
“He was great. I think tonight, he was probably at his best,” Colton Sissons said of Marner. Sissons scored early in the third to make it 3-1 Vegas after Kailer Yamamoto got Utah on the board. “We need Mitchy on the scoresheet as much as possible, so hopefully he can take some confidence into the next series.”
This is the Marner the Golden Knights believed they were signing when they inked the star forward to an eight-year contract worth $12 million a season. Was this what Marner envisioned, too?
“I think, this is what I hoped for, for sure — an opportunity to do something special,” Marner said. “When I first got here, I knew it was a special group.”
“All four lines contributed throughout the series,” he continued. “There was different moments that we needed every line to step up and come in big, and every line did that. So, yeah, this is what I what I hoped for.”
The Golden Knights’ victory Friday night sets Vegas’ sights on Round 2 and a date with the Anaheim Ducks, and has the Mammoth looking inwards as they contemplate their first post-season heartbreak.
“Your failure makes you stronger — you learn from it, it makes you better. But in order to make sure that happens, it has to hurt,” an emotional André Tourigny said post-game. The Mammoth head coach was at a loss for words when asked about the big-picture impact of the season and how it came to a close. “I don’t even want to feel good about it. I want that to hurt, and I want to learn from it. And there will be a ton of things we will unpack and learn and grow — as a coach, as a player, as an organization.”
It’s an organization that in just two years has taken root in the NHL’s newest market and grown exponentially, its identity already woven deeply into the fabric of this city. The franchise has been a Mammoth-sized success from the start, this group of players from Arizona adopted in 2024 by a then-untapped hockey market that welcomed them with open arms and then raised those arms in celebration this spring through what’s been a thrilling first-round series that looked destined to go the distance but ended in six.
Utah’s first playoff run has come to a close, but their window of contention is officially open.
“It was a hard-fought series. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Andre and his staff. That’s a good hockey team,” Tortorella said. “That’s a team, they’re gonna be reckoned with for quite a while now, as far as some of the kids and skill and speed that they have. So, we’re fortunate, moving on, but I think Andre and his staff have done a fantastic job with that team.”
The team that showed up Friday night looked like a squad that simply ran out of juice. Vegas, meanwhile, has all the makings of a club that’s just heating up for what they hope will be a long run.
“Now there’s a lot more work to keep going,” said Marner. “So [we’ll] get the rest we need here and be ready for Anaheim.”
Former Formula 1 driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi has died at the age of 59.
The Italian had both his legs amputated after a motor racing accident in 2001 at the Lausitzring track in Germany.
He raced for Jordan, Minardi and Lotus in F1 in the early 1990s before switching to the Cart championship in the United States, winning the series in 1997 and 1998.
Following his injury he took up para-cycling and won two golds in the Paralympics in London in 2012 before doing the same in Rio de Janeiro four years later.
“It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Alessandro Zanardi, which occurred suddenly yesterday evening, 1 May,” Zanardi’s family announced.
“Alex passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family and friends.
“The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all those who are showing their support at this time and asks that their grief and privacy be respected during this period of mourning.”
Leinster head into Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon at the Aviva Stadium with serious momentum—and the return of a key figure up front could be the difference in covering a hefty -11 handicap.
Head Coach Leo Cullen has named a powerful side, bolstered by the return of Andrew Porter to the starting front row. His presence alongside Dan Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson adds serious ballast to a Leinster pack that already looks primed to dominate.
Power Pack Set to Lay the Platform
Leinster’s engine room features Joe McCarthy and James Ryan in the second row, while the back row of Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris brings a blend of physicality and relentless work rate.
On paper—and more importantly in recent performances—this is a pack capable of overwhelming Toulon at set-piece and in open play. If Leinster gain early dominance at scrum and breakdown, that -11 line starts to look far less daunting.
Backline Firepower to Punish
Behind the pack, Leinster have a mix of control and cutting edge. Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne will look to dictate tempo, while the midfield pairing of Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose offers both defensive solidity and attacking threat.
Out wide, the inclusion of Rieko Ioane adds real X-factor. Combined with Tommy O’Brien and the ever-reliable Hugo Keenan at 15, Leinster have the pace and precision to stretch Toulon’s defence.
Bench Impact Could Swing It
Leinster’s replacements could prove just as important in covering the spread. Rónan Kelleher, Rabah Slimani and Scott Penny bring serious impact late on, while Sam Prendergast offers a different attacking dimension if introduced.
That depth matters. Big handicaps are often covered in the final quarter—and Leinster have the squad to keep the intensity high right through to the 80th minute.
The Betting Angle: Can Leinster Cover -11?
Let’s not dress it up—-11 is a big number at semi-final level. But context matters.
Leinster are at home, playing in front of a packed Aviva Stadium, and have consistently shown they can put top sides away when they hit their stride. Toulon, while dangerous, have been less convincing away from home and may struggle to live with Leinster’s tempo for the full match.
If Leinster start fast and convert early dominance into points, this could get away from Toulon quickly. The key risk is a tight first half—if Toulon hang around, covering becomes a grind.
Verdict
Leinster -11 looks aggressive—but justified.
With Porter back, a dominant pack, and a bench capable of finishing strong, Leinster have the tools to win this by 12–18 points if they play to their level.
Prediction: Leinster to cover -11
Suggested Score: Leinster 31–17 Toulon
Sports
Pakistan Captain Salman Agha Says “Went To India’s Room” After Handshake Row, Shares Full Story
In the high-stakes arena of international cricket, the rivalry between India and Pakistan often transcends the boundary ropes. However, last year’s Asia Cup saw certain episodes unfold that are still fresh in the minds of fans. While Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and his squad maintained a principled stance in line with national sentiment following the Pahalgam attacks, Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha has now provided a detailed account of how the “handshake row” unfolded from his perspective. The atmosphere surrounding the fixture was charged long before the players took the field. While the Indian camp, backed by the BCCI, had made it clear that “business as usual” was not an option, Agha described how the information regarding the lack of a handshake between the two captains was passed on to him right before the toss took place.
“I went for the toss. Before that, there was a press conference. There was a shake-hand, trophy shoot, there was a handshake,” Agha recalled in a video shared on social media. “When I was going for the toss, I was pretty normal. Obviously, I had an idea that it wouldn’t be that normal, but I didn’t know there would be no handshake. I didn’t have that idea.”
“I went for the toss with our media manager, Naeem Bhai,” Agha explained. “The match referee, I don’t remember his name, he took me aside and said, ‘We’re going to do it like this. There won’t be a handshake.’ So, please look at that. I said, ‘It’s fine if there’s not going to be a handshake. I am not too keen either.’ So, this is what happened. He told me beforehand that there won’t be a handshake.”
Salman Ali Agha relieved about India vs Pakistan handshake controversy:
Before the match, there was a press conference and a trophy shoot, and there was a handshake there too. So when I was going for the toss, I was pretty normal. I said, “Obviously, I had an idea that things… pic.twitter.com/zImpcx7pG1
— TEJASH (@Tejashyyyyy) May 2, 2026
The match ended in a comfortable victory for the Indian side. While the pre-match ‘no-handshake’ rule was understood by Agha, he believed a post-match handshake would still occur between the two teams. He revealed that he took the entire Pakistani team to the Indian dressing room, only to find the door shut.
Agha recalled the final moments of the encounter: “After that, the match ended. We lost the match. We were going to their pavilion (dressing room) for the handshake. They still didn’t do the handshake.”
The debate sparked by the incident often pits “sportsman spirit” against “national duty.” For Suryakumar Yadav, the priority was clear: honouring the sacrifice of the armed forces. However, Agha expressed concern over the message this sends to the grassroots level of the sport.
“And I’ve said it many times, I don’t think this is right,” Agha stressed. “Because if we’re representing a nation, and I play for Pakistan, people look at me, and the kids will pick up on that. And if this happens in a club game the next day, it will be because of me at the end of the day. Because I’m also a part of it. So, when you’re a role model, then I don’t think it’s a good thing to do.”
There has been no handshake between the members of the two teams since this episode. Pakistan and India also met in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 but no friendly gestures were exchanged.
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Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands or even stand beside Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman during a tense exchange at the FIFA Congress Thursday.
Both officials were invited to the stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but the Palestinian representative resisted efforts to bring him closer to his Israeli counterpart.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with Basim Sheikh Suliman (left), vice president of the Israeli Football Association, as Jibril Rajoub (right), president of the Palestine Football Association, leaves the stage at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, April 30, 2026. (Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)
Infantino briefly placed a hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to step forward, but Rajoub did not comply.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 2026 Semafor World Economy conference in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/AFP)
The Palestinian FA, led by Rajoub, has long pushed for Israel to be suspended from international soccer competition.
Rajoub defended his decision, saying he remains committed to formal processes but believes stronger action is needed.
“I still respect and follow the legal procedure, but I think it’s time to understand that Israel should be sanctioned. The double-standard policy should stop,” Rajoub said, according to The Times of Israel.
“I refused to shake hands. Sport is sport. … For me, that should be respected, but if the other side is representing a criminal like Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and speaking on behalf of Bibi as if Bibi is Mother Teresa, how can I shake hands or have a photo with such a man?
A fan displays a Palestinian flag during a Nations League group stage match between France and Israel Nov. 14, 2024. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)
“I think Gianni has the right to try to bridge gaps and bring people together, but I think maybe he does not understand or does not know the deep suffering of the Palestinian people.”
After the exchange, Infantino addressed the room, urging cooperation.
“We will work together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters,” Infantino said.
Speaking just before the incident, Suliman emphasized the unifying role of the sport.
“In football, there is no place for politics,” Suliman said. “Everyone has the right to play and compete. We are teaching children values like respect, equality and love for others, and we hope that by the next time we meet, the situation will be better. We extend a hand to the Palestinian FA in the spirit of those shared values.”
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Players from Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur line up before the UEFA Super Cup soccer match in Udine, Italy, on Aug. 13, 2025. (Denes Erdos/AP)
UEFA was reportedly moving toward a vote to suspend Israel over the war in Gaza in September, but the motion was put on pause.
Infantino announced no action would be taken against the team on Oct. 3 after a historic peace proposal by President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
However, even after the peace proposal, Israeli sports teams have faced opposition and exclusion.
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