There are “currently no plans or discussions” relating to Ireland playing a Six Nations match in the United States, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) says.
World Rugby’s chief executive Alan Gilpin said on Wednesday that it would help any nation that wants to switch a Six Nations match to the US, as it continues its drive to spread the game stateside.
He used the example of Ireland v Italy as a game that would resonate with expatriate fans in the United States and could help the sport further establish itself there.
But, in a statement issued on Friday, the IRFU dismissed the idea that it was considering moving any fixtures to the US.
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“The United States is an important growth market for rugby and we welcome and embrace initiatives that help introduce the sport to new audiences and, crucially, generate new revenues for the game,” said an IRFU spokesperson.
“There are currently no plans or discussions, from an IRFU perspective, regarding Six Nations matches being played in the United States.
“We believe the Six Nations holds a special place for supporters across all participating unions, and the opportunity for fans in Ireland and Italy to support their teams at home remains a central part of the competition’s appeal.”
The WWE live event in Monterrey was started by a match featuring Sami Zayn. Unfortunately for him, the star, who was only recently the Undisputed WWE Champion, was squashed in the bout after he ran from his opponent’s secret weapon… a puppet.
Sami Zayn squashed by Finn Balor at WWE House Show
Thanks for the submission!
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At the WWE live event in Monterrey, Sami Zayn faced Finn Balor in a match where the stars were both trying to showcase that they belonged in the Undisputed WWE Championship picture. For months now, Balor, Gunther, and Kevin Owens have been trying to win the title from CM Punk, but Sami Zayn’s involvement has ruined any chance of this happening.
Finally, after Zayn almost cost Punk the title against Johnny Gargano, he was given a shot at it on the SmackDown Mexico City show. Now, only one day before he challenges for the title, he lost a match against one of the men he has been repeatedly ruining chances for. Balor took the opportunity to destroy Zayn, but during the match, it was one particular moment that changed things.
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Balor got out his Demonito puppet, and seeing it, Zayn actually acted terrified and began to run from it. Unfortunately for him, there was nowhere to go. Balor hit him with the reverse DDT after rubbing the puppet all over his face, and then suddenly went to the top rope and hit him with the Coup de Grâce after talking with Demonito.
It was a squash in the very last seconds of the match and gave him the win he had been looking for.
The loss coming only a day before his title match does not look good for Zayn, and he has a lot to prove on SmackDown. It remains to be seen if he can walk away as the Undisputed Champion.
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MELBOURNE, Australia — Myles Garrett finally acknowledged his knee injury is more serious than he had been letting on after his quiet debut for the Los Angeles Rams in their season-opening defeat in Australia.
The reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made zero tackles and no impact on the game during the Rams’ 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday.
Although Garrett missed much of training camp and the Rams’ recent weeks of practices to rest his knee, the superstar and the Rams had not floated the possibility he would be unable to play at his best when he began his 10th NFL season. Before his 15-hour flight back to LA, Garrett finally acknowledged he isn’t at 100-per-cent health.
“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better,” Garrett said at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “I’ve got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I’ve shown that I’ve been before.”
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Garrett didn’t want to discuss details of his knee or his overall health after finishing without a tackle for only the fourth time in 135 career NFL games. He wouldn’t even say which knee is injured.
“I wasn’t the player that I wanted to be, and I feel like I wasn’t the player I’ve been before when I’ve stepped onto that field,” Garrett said. “I’ve got to do what I can to get back to that.”
Garrett missed only two games in his final five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, who traded him to Los Angeles in the summer.
Garrett’s ineffectiveness was just one problem for the Rams’ revamped defence, which added the NFL’s best pass rusher and top cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to a group that reached the NFC championship game last season.
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Although McDuffie had a solid game in Melbourne, the overall day was a nightmare. Watson was beaten for a touchdown by Mike Evans, and nobody stepped up with a standout effort while the 49ers scored the game’s final 24 points.
But LA’s offence wasn’t any better, and the result was a 20-point defeat — the biggest taken by the Rams since November 2024.
The Rams are the first team to begin a season with the reigning NFL MVP and AP Defensive Player of the Year in their lineup, but Matthew Stafford wasn’t nearly up to last season’s standard. The 38-year-old quarterback went 15 of 25 for 155 yards and an interception, throwing no touchdown passes after throwing at least one in every regular-season game last year.
“‘Surprised’ is not the word,” Stafford said. “Disappointed in the way it worked out for us. Obviously, didn’t move the ball consistently enough, didn’t put enough points up on the board to give ourselves a chance to be in the game. Every game and every season is a new one. Go out there and find a way to clean things up, move forward and be better.”
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There is a bright side for the defence: They’ll add a three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year to their lineup soon, possibly even next Monday night when they host the New York Giants.
Aaron Donald stayed home from Australia after coming out of retirement just two weeks ago, but the 35-year-old star will soon be on the defensive line with Garrett.
That won’t make the long flight home any easier, but the season is too new for the Rams to be truly discouraged.
“We knew we were going to face some adversity this season,” Garrett said. “It’s game one. We’ve got to find if we are as resilient as we’re saying.”
Manchester United were linked with a transfer swoop for Lewis Hall over the summer but the defender has now signed a new contract with the Magpies
09:18, 11 Sep 2026Updated 09:44, 11 Sep 2026
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Manchester United transfer target Lewis Hall says his family connection with Newcastle United was a major reason behind signing a new deal with the Magpies. Michael Carrick’s side are understood to be huge admirers of the England international and were linked with a move for Hall during the summer.
United were expected to bolster their squad in the left-back position of their squad, but in the end, chose not to bring in any new additions. There was speculation that the Reds’ hierarchy could revisit a move for Hall next summer, while Alejandro Balde and David Raum were also touted as possible transfer alternatives.
However, United have been dealt a fresh setback after Hall signed a new long-term deal with Newcastle today.
Speaking after signing a new deal with the Magpies, Hall said: “I’m absolutely delighted. It’s a really proud moment. It’s an absolute pleasure to play for this club and to represent the supporters. I know how much it means to them.
“The fanbase and the support we get here, whether it’s at St. James’ Park or away, it’s the best in the league in my opinion. To be able to bring joy to their faces, it’s a big thing for me.
“I obviously have a family connection with the club, which is incredibly important to us all. One of the main reasons I play is to make my family proud, and I know how much it means to them to watch me playing for Newcastle United.
“It’s a really good place to be. It’s really pleasing with how we’ve started the season, especially with the new Gaffer and coaching staff coming in, and I think we can go on to achieve really big things.”
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Newcastle made it clear that they would not be selling Hall this summer, having already cashed in on Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
Former Reds goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel found himself in hot water on social media after joking that United were keen on signing Hall during a recent post-match interview with Matthies Jaissle after the Magpies’ draw with Liverpool.
The new Toon head coach said there was ‘no chance’ of Man United signing Hall during the summer transfer window, and that stance wasn’t tested by Carrick and co.
Speaking about Hall’s new deal, Jaissle said: “I have been impressed with Lewis since I arrived. He is a very important player for us and for what we are building here, so this is exciting news.
“The combination of his ability and his profile make him an ideal fit for our squad, and his mentality is exactly what you want in a young player. He wants to learn every day and he wants to be better in every match.
“Lewis covers ground in a way that few players can. He defends with maturity and intelligence, and his technical level means he can support the team higher up the pitch.
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“What excites me most is that I believe the best is still to come from Lewis. He has a lot of room to develop, and I am looking forward to working with him as he grows with us.”
Man United will now have to look for other alternatives if they wish to sign a left-back in the January transfer window, or be forced into paying a premium fee for Hall.
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Tyson Fury has never been knocked out in a professional boxing contest, but he has been dropped on numerous occasions during his 39-fight career. One heavyweight rival is now claiming that he almost had ‘The Gypsy King’ out in sparring, and that he has the evidence to prove it.
Fury has been floored eight times as a pro, by Neven Pajkic, Steve Cunningham, Deontay Wilder four times, Francis Ngannou and Oleksandr Usyk, with the ropes holding him up. He has never been stopped, however, with his two career defeats coming on the cards against Usyk.
Both Wilder and Usyk have the argument as coming the closest to beating the Brit’s impressive powers of recovery to force an early finish.
Speaking with FightHype, Ajagba (21-1-1, 15 KOs) revealed that he has video evidence of him damaging the two-time heavyweight ruler and threatened to release it if the 38-year-old ‘starts talking trash’.
“I almost knocked him out in sparring; everybody knows that, he knows,”
“I have video proof. I have a video on my phone, but I don’t want to post it.
“If Tyson Fury talks trash, then I will post it, but he doesn’t say anything, so I don’t have to put it up.
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“If the fight happens and he starts talking trash, then that’s when I will put the video out.
“Tyson Fury said no videos, but I wanted to watch it back to learn, so that’s why I have a video, not so I could post it on social media.”
Ajagba then went on to state his desire to face Fury in an official contest, but, with the Anthony Joshua fight reportedly now close to being announced, ‘The Silent Roller’ is more likely to next compete for the Zuffa Boxing heavyweight world title, where either Kazakhstan’s Ivan Dychko or Ukraine’s Vladyslav Sirenko would be his likely opponent.
Fillip Hrgovic handed Moses Itauma a surprising and dramatic defeat to capture the IBF heavyweight world title last month, and heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora has warned the young Brit about chasing an immediate rematch.
Itauma’s superior skills were there for all to see during the early stages of the contest as he regularly caught Hrgovic with snapping shots, but the granite-chinned Croatian refused to buckle and absorbed the 21-year-old’s early punishment.
Then, after Itauma had desperately tried to close the show, it became obvious that the young Briton had expended too much energy and that he was becoming exhausted, eventually running out of steam in round nine and being dispatched by Hrgovic in one of 2026’s biggest upsets.
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Itauma has since requested a rematch with Hrgovic, but Chisora told the Fight Your Corner Podcast, that he believes a second fight would result in the same outcome, with Hrgovic now knowing Itauma’s weakness and how to exploit it.
“I believe that the outcome would be the same because Hrgovic, I call this the new rope-a-dope, he would march him down and let him tee off. If you don’t go down, sooner or later around round 10/12, you are going to get him and you stop him.”
Despite Itauma’s hope of avenging the first loss of his professional career, Hrgovic is set to move on and make the first defence of his IBF crown against Cuban mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez within the next four months.
With Ishan Kishan as captain, East Zone clinched the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 title. While Ishan was the Player of the Match, scoring over 350 runs across the two innings of the final, another player who remained in the headlines was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Though the 15-year-old could not perform at his absolute best in the final, the Duleep Trophy campaign saw him remain in the spotlight, both for his batting and the leadership role entrusted to him by the team management.
While Sooryavanshi was the designated vice-captain for East Zone, he had to step into Ishan’s shoes when the wicketkeeper-batter left the field due to an injury. It was during this period that Sooryavanshi had his first taste of making successful DRS calls. Later in the final, even when Ishan was leading the side on the field, Sooryavanshi remained a key figure in deciding whether to take a review.
In the final between East Zone and South Zone, Sooryavanshi became a topic of social media discussion after a viral clip showed the teenage prodigy persuading Ishan to take a review, which ultimately proved to be the correct decision. However, in a subsequent video shared by the BCCI, Ishan playfully stated that Sooryavanshi took credit for reviews he had already intended to take.
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“Yeh sab review mein credit le hi liya hai har jagah. Bhale main lene waala tha review, but aake mast bol deta tha main aapke paas aa jaata hu. Phir toh internet will be like: Vaibhav! (He has taken all the credit for the reviews everywhere. Even though I was about to take the review, he would come and say it so confidently, ‘I’ll come to you’. Then the internet will be like: Vaibhav!)” Ishan said in the video, teasing the youngster.
“My goodness! Vaibhav is the one! Toh bohot acche se isne woh kaarya nibhaya hai. I am very happy. (So he played that role really well. I’m very happy),” the East Zone skipper added.
Sooryavanshi was quick with a witty retort. Reminding his captain of the semi-final when Ishan went off with an injury, the 15-year-old highlighted who had stepped up to make the big tactical calls.
“Aur jab field ke bahar jaa rahe the tab kon le raha tha review? Yeh bhi toh bata dijiye. (And when we were going off the field, who was taking the reviews then? Tell us that too!),” Sooryavanshi countered.
Ishan praised the youngster’s proactive mindset and suggested he possesses natural leadership qualities.
“Haan, that was Vaibhav himself! Yes. Future captain, maybe? Let’s see how it goes,” he said.
When the Captain and Vice-Captain meet, you can expect a whole lot of fun and banter!
Ishan also brought up the match commentary, noting how commentators credited Sooryavanshi’s sharp instincts on the field.
“Commentator ne kaha agar ab aapne review lena hai na, toh aapko jaana hai Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ke paas. (If you want to take a review now, you have to go to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi),” Ishan remarked.
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“But it’s very good to have him in the team because, you know, more than a very good player, he’s a very nice boy who takes care of each and every one in the team, whether it’s a junior player or senior… Achha, junior toh tu hi hua, sorry, sorry. (Oh, you’re the junior here, sorry, sorry!) And that is one quality which I love about him. And hopefully, he’ll be more dangerous than what he is today. I think it’s not going to be his first or the last. I think he’s gonna play many more like this, and he’ll keep performing the way he’s doing right now,” Ishan concluded as the light-hearted exchange wrapped up.
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India Ends CWG Boxing Campaign With Record-Breaking Seven Gold Medals
Champion trainer Chris Waller has an abundance of high-calibre colts available to him.
Four of Waller’s colts are heading to the Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday, while at Flemington, his three-year-old colt team is divided between the Poseidon Stakes (1100m) and the Michael Moroney (1400m).
Somethings Burnin’ is set to compete in the latter event, a race that Waller indicated could serve as a pathway to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) scheduled for October 10.
The colt achieved a maiden victory at Sandown over 1200m upon resuming on August 19, and then returned to the same track on September 2, where he was beaten in a field of five.
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Waller commented that Somethings Burnin’s last start was a disappointing affair.
“Blake (Shinn) said he was a bit keen and thought he would take him down behind the other runners and it might shut him down a touch,” Waller said.
“If he stayed out behind the other runners, he might have got a bit free and as soon as he got down there, he was snookered.
“He was travelling a bit too well to come back behind the heels and come around.
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“It wasn’t easy watching it, but when he explained it to me, I was comfortable.”
The Michael Moroney Stakes has a history of producing Caulfield Guineas winners, with Griff winning in 2024. Waller stated that he would not rule out Somethings Burnin’ from participating in the prestigious stallion-making race next month.
“He could be,” Waller replied.
“I was thinking he didn’t have too hard a run last time, so he can back up here on the nice big track, whereas he could go to Caulfield and have another bad luck story.”
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Godolphin colt Diameter will join Somethings Burnin’ on Saturday. Diameter is second-up, having finished third over 1300m at Rosehill last month.
Ben Melham will ride Somethings Burnin’, with Sydney-based Jason Collett set to partner Diameter.
This week’s Dynamite was a tribute show for AEW icon Rebel. The episode featured several high-profile matches and memorable moments. WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley joined the Tony Khan-led promotion a few months ago, and he broke his silence after Dynamite: Rebel Heart.
Rebel is battling terminal ASL. However, she is not alone in this fight. Fans and fellow wrestlers have been giving her immense love and support. Mick Foley is close to her, and he shared a picture of them after the show. Furthermore, he sent a touching message in the caption.
The WWE Hall of Famer said AEW Dynamite: Rebel Heart was one of the most extraordinary wrestling shows he has ever seen in his four-decade-long career. He was deeply moved by Rebel’s involvement in Britt Baker’s match. He ended his statement by showering his good friend with love.
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“A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR WRESTLING In my 40 years in wrestling, I probably have a dozen moments that stand out in my mind as being so extraordinary that I will never forget them. Last night I had the honor of witnessing one of those moments. Watching @rebeltanea make her way to the ring, and roll away with @brittbaker in her lap was one of the greatest things I’ve seen in professional wrestling,”
He continued,
“Being in the audience when it happened, rushing backstage to see dozens of her colleagues surrounding her – many of them in tears – was beautiful to witness. Rebel has managed to uplift others even as she battles a devastating illness that has no cure. I’m proud and privileged to call her a friend,” he wrote.
Former AEW star Lady Frost called Mick Foley magical
In a recent interview with the Sportster, former AEW star Lady Frost revealed that Mick Foley encouraged her to stick to her frost gimmick. She called the legend magical.
“He really is magical. It made that match magical. It made that moment magical, and it really just kind of solidified, like, I have to keep this, and when Mick Foley says, ‘no, this is it,’ I said, ‘all right, I’m running with the gimmick. Here we go,’” she said. [H/T: Fightful]
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Foley. Perhaps he will make an in-ring return soon.
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Rivers United Football Club has handed over 50 replica jerseys to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association ahead of Sunday’s CAF Champions League first-round second-leg clash against San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire.
The jerseys were presented to the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, on Thursday, by the Rivers United delegation to his office in Uyo. The Commissioner subsequently handed them over to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association for distribution to supporters ahead of the match.
Rivers United, led by the Sole Administrator of the club, Barrister Christopher Green, and General Manager, Mr Okey Kpaloku, also appealed to football-loving fans in Akwa Ibom State to turn out in large numbers and support the Nigerian representatives when they take on San Pedro at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
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The match is scheduled to kick off at 4pm.
Rivers United will be looking to make the most of home advantage after securing a valuable 1-1 draw against San Pedro in the first leg in Côte d’Ivoire.
The club had earlier announced that 50 Rivers United replica jerseys would be given to the first 50 fans to arrive at the stadium on Sunday. The jerseys have now been handed over to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association ahead of the match-day giveaway.
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal stunned his players by announcing his resignation just minutes after the Turkish club’s 1-1 draw with Roma in the Champions League.
Kartal, 65, told a press conference that he was leaving “never to return” after overseeing Fenerbahce’s first Champions League match in 18 years on Thursday night.
The Istanbul side rescued a point against Roma thanks to English-born defender Archie Brown’s second-half goal, which cancelled out Bryan Cristante’s first-half opener.
Brown, 24, learned of Kartal’s resignation during a post-match interview and the stunned left-back had to seek clarification from Fenerbahce’s press officer.
“What do you mean he resigned? As what? As coach? What do you mean by resigned? He’s not the coach any more? He said this just now? I didn’t know about this.”
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To add to the confusion, Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim told reporters that he would not be accepting Kartal’s resignation and said he “continues in his role”.
“Some fans threw a bottle at the coach’s head this evening during the game. He is upset about it,” Yildirim said.
“I just spoke to Ismail Kartal. He mentioned the bottle incident and he also complained about being under pressure.”
Kartal, a former player and coach of Fenerbahce, returned for his fourth spell in charge in June. The team had started the Turkish Super Lig season with two wins and two defeats.
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“As of this evening, I congratulate my players and resign from my position,” Kartal said. “I made this decision to pave the way for my club. We made this decision together as a team.
“From now on, to help Fenerbahce, my players and future coaches, I have resigned from my position, with the intention of never returning.”
Asked if Kartal had told him that he would stay, Yildirim said: “There’s no need for him to say that he’d continue. I am his senior, I told him to continue and that’s it. We are a family.”
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