Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

“I’m really pleased. We were against a good team that threw a lot at us. I liked our effort, particularly defensively. I thought second half we weren’t great with the ball, but I loved our defence.

“The crowd was fantastic again, there was great energy in the stadium and it was a good game – particularly in the first half when it was going set for set.”

[On being top of Super League after making it 12 successive wins] “It’s irrelevant, really. It doesn’t mean a lot.

“It’s boring isn’t it, but we take each day as it comes. There are plenty of those games where we could have got beaten, so we won’t get too carried away.”

Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:

“I thought we were immense tonight. At 20-0 at half-time, it was the least likely 20-0 scoreline I’ve ever seen in my life. I thought we started the game unbelievably well and then we gave them a try.

“We’ve lost three games now, and I am disappointed, but I’m actually really enthused by what I saw tonight.

“I do think the refereeing department has to ask themselves a couple of questions, because that is ridiculous that first decision [to deny Jowitt a try]. Out of tonight, both teams were top class but there are other parts of this game that weren’t.

“I’ll be asking my team to get better from tonight and I think they should be doing the same.”

Wigan Warriors: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, McDermott, Partington, Ellis.

Interchanges: Mago, Kerr, Cartwright, O’Connor.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Hall, Pratt; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Lipowicz, Storton, Rodwell, Smoothy, Lolesio.

Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Smith, Guler.

Referee: Chris Kendall.

UST Golden Tigresses.–SSL PHOTO

University of Santo Tomas and Arellano dispute the early women’s division lead in the V-League Collegiate Challenge Saturday as they seek follow-ups to impressive debuts at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.

Game time is at 3 p.m., with the Golden Tigresses, perennial Final Four fixtures in the UAAP, looking to add to a 25-15, 25-16, 25-19 sweep of the San Beda Lady Red Spikers last Sunday, when coach Shaq delos Santos gave a lot of his promising rookies a huge chunk of playing time.

Kim Rubin led the Tigresses offensively, and Pau Escober started showing her worth as the charismatic Detdet Pepito’s replacement at the libero spot as things looked promising for the Tigresses, who will still have the core of setter Cassie Carballo and prolific scorers Angge Poyos and Reg Jurado for the coming UAAP.

San Beda and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta try to enter the win column at 5 p.m. to cap another busy four-game sked.

Arellano, meanwhile, unveiled a gem in Cassey Florida in a 25-20, 25-22, 25-15 romp of reigning NCAA champion Letran on opening day.

San Beda, which was without its ace scorer Angel Habacon, struggled in its tournament opener against Santo Tomas.

The Lady Red Spikers hope they can match up well with the Lady Altas in an all-NCAA clash. Perpetual dropped a 21-25, 18-25, 22-25 decision to Adamson last Sunday.

Shakur Stevenson is unsure that Teofimo Lopez has taken enough accountability to right the wrongs of his last performance and dethrone Rolando Romero.

The 29-year-old will attempt to become a three-weight world champion this weekend, having previously cemented himself as the top dog at 135 and 140lbs.

In both of those divisions, Lopez defined his reigns by respectively outpointing Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, with such title-winning performances offering the impression of a generational talent.

Unfortunately, though, ‘The Takeover’ has been unable to sustain his brilliance to the extent that fans are already clamouring for him to join the Hall of Fame.

In his last outing, for instance, Lopez lost a wide unanimous decision to Stevenson who, while a sublime technician, was hardly expected to win in such dominant fashion.

Romero, meanwhile, is making a first defence of his WBA welterweight title at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena after having not fought since outpointing Ryan Garcia.

Back then, in May 2025, ‘Rolly’ pulled off a sizable upset to drop and unanimously outscore his man, before eventually being upgraded from ‘regular’ to full champion.

In terms of a prediction, however, Stevenson had told FightHype that Lopez should ultimately have the skills to emerge victorious.

“Teo’s a great fighter. Even now, if I know the Teo that’s supposed to go out there and do what he been doing, he should beat Rolly.

“I think Rolly, mentally, is a tougher dude than a lot of people know and expect; I think Rolly is a smarter dude than a lot of people know and expect.

“But I think Teo should be on another level. When big punchers get in front of him, he makes them look silly.

“My only thing with Teo is that I don’t think he took much accountability after I fought him.”

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While backing his former opponent to get the job done, Stevenson is clearly uncertain that Lopez has rectified the mistakes he made in their January encounter.

The latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS gives new users $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins or up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their qualifying wager loses. The offer depends on location. Week 2 of the NFL preseason continues on Friday with three games: Steelers vs. Jets, Jaguars vs. Panthers and Packers vs. Broncos. SportsLine expert Matt Severance has locked in his picks on the action, including backing the Jaguars to cover as 1.5-point underdogs and the Packers to cover as 6-point underdogs as part of Friday NFL best bets at BetMGM Sportsbook.

The SportsLine Projection Model has found value in Yankees vs. Blue Jays in the MLB slate, backing Toronto to cover as 1.5-run underdogs on the run line as part of Friday MLB best bets at BetMGM. Claim the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on Friday’s top games:

Friday best bets at BetMGM Sportsbook

• Blue Jays (+1.5) vs. Yankees (-135)
• Jaguars (+1.5) vs. Panthers (-110)
• Packers (+6) vs. Broncos (-110)

Combining the three picks into Friday parlay betting at BetMGM Sportsbook would result in a payout of +568 (risk $100 to profit $568, odds subject to change). Click here to take advantage of the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS:

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times and entered Week 22 of the MLB season on a sizzling 49-31 run on all top-rated MLB picks. It also excelled at making home run prop picks in 2025, returning nearly 30 units of profit if you had entered its picks at the best sportsbooks. Anyone following its MLB betting picks with sportsbook promos on betting apps could have seen strong returns.     

Blue Jays (+1.5) vs. Yankees (-135)

The Yankees are starting the AL Cy Young favorite in Cam Schlittler, but despite his 2.19 ERA and 0.94 WHIP, New York is 0-4 in his last four starts. One of those losses came against the Blue Jays on Saturday in a 4-1 final despite Schlittler allowing just one run over 5⅓ innings. Toronto has been playing some of its best baseball recently, going 7-3 in its last 10 games, all coming against the top three teams in the AL East. Toronto has also covered a +1.5 spread in nine of its last 10 games, including all three contests against the Yankees last weekend, leading the model to project the Blue Jays to cover in 60% of simulations. Back the Blue Jays by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here:

Jaguars (+1.5) vs. Panthers (-110)

“I pretty much need a significant reason why I wouldn’t take a home team getting points in the preseason,” SportsLine expert Matt Severance said. “It’s not like either side cares. And there are ties once in a blue moon … as in last week between the Patriots and Colts. It does appear we might get a matchup for a few series between former No. 1 overall picks in Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence. Jags coach Liam Coen has been on the fence, but Lawrence previously has played in two games per year. This marks a third straight away game (including HOF in Canton) for the Panthers. That has to mean something. Jacksonville is eyeing a third 3-0 preseason in the past four years.” Back the Jaguars by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here:

Packers (+6) vs. Broncos (-110)

“These numbers are clear overreactions to the Broncos crushing the Falcons, 27-7, in Week 1, but maybe Denver’s overall roster is that much better than Atlanta’s,” Severance said. “I would put Green Bay on the same overall tier in the NFL or at least close. Packers coach Matt LaFleur is expected to play his starters a bit. The Pack were one of two teams without a touchdown in Week 1 of the preseason. Perhaps that’s motivation? Jordan Love didn’t look good in his brief action. The big news is the return of injury of Broncos QB Bo Nix, but he will be kept in “Lanters” bubble wrap for his series or maybe two. If Nix scrambles on the second play, Sean Payton might pull him. Denver has the NFL’s longest active preseason winning streak at eight in a row, but six points?” Back the Packers by claiming the latest BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here:

Want more NFL, MLB picks for Friday?

You’ve seen some of the model’s and SportsLine team of experts’ Friday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including the NFL, MLB, UFC, and more, all from the SportsLine Projection Model, which has simulated every game 10,000 times. 

Dmitry Bivol’s next world title defence is heading to purse bids after talks with former super-middleweight champion Callum Smith failed to produce an agreement.

The WBO ordered Bivol to defend his light-heavyweight title against interim champion Smith, giving the two sides a 20-day negotiation period before later granting extensions. With no deal reached, the sanctioning body has now confirmed that a purse bid will take place on August 27 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Please be advised that, as the parties [Bivol and Smith] were unable to reach terms within the negotiation period established by the WBO, the matter will now proceed to Purse Bid proceedings, as previously advised. The Purse Bid will be conducted on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the WBO Main Offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and will be live-streamed through the WBO’s official digital platforms.

“All applicable terms and conditions, including the respective purse split, will be formally announced through the WBO’s official Purse Bid Notice to be issued later today.”

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Smith earned his position by defeating Joshua Buatsi last year to claim the interim WBO belt, handing his fellow Brit the first defeat of his professional career in a fight of the year contender. The former super-middleweight world champion has since remained next in line for a shot at the full title.

Bivol, meanwhile, returned from a lengthy spell of inactivity in May to comfortably outpoint IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert. Most felt that he would then pursue a trilogy against Artur Beterbiev, with the pair currently level at one win apiece following their two meetings, even if it did mean dropping the WBO belt.

Those plans have not materialised, and the Russian technician will look to keep hold of all three of his belts against Liverpool’s Smith. Both men are represented by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

GIO Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 25 NRL game between Canberra Raiders and
Brisbane Broncos. The game kicks off at 6:00 pm with Canberra Raiders heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Canberra Raiders vs.
Brisbane Broncos
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday August 21, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Where: GIO Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos Odds

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos Preview

Canberra kept its slim finals prospects alive with a spirited 24-20 win over Cronulla and now returns home for Josh Papali’i’s final appearance at GIO Stadium. The Raiders have won five times across their past seven matches and regain Simi Sasagi, while Ata Mariota starts at lock and Corey Horsburgh returns on the bench. Brisbane arrives after a 40-6 defeat to the Warriors, its 12th loss in 13 games, and must replace the injured Reece Walsh with Hayze Perham. Ben Hunt also returns at halfback. Brisbane has won three of the past four meetings, including last year’s golden-point thriller in Canberra, but its recent defensive decline gives the Raiders a clear opportunity to control the middle and finish their home campaign strongly.

Serie A is finally back! The 2026-2027 Serie A season will kick off this weekend in Italy, with Inter, the 2025-2026 Scudetto winners, looking to defend the title in the new season. AC Milan, their cross-city rivals, made some key signings in the summer after replacing the coach and the whole club hierarchy after the disappointing end of the last campaign, and appointed former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim to lead the new cycle. Six teams replaced their coaches, including Napoli, which saw Antonio Conte leave the Azzurri after two seasons and appointed former AC Milan and Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri. Let’s take a look at our power rankings ahead of the upcoming season: 

1. Inter 

The 2025-2026 Serie A champions are still the favorites to replicate the success of the past season. They lost a key player in Denzel Dumfries, who joined Real Madrid, but replaced him with Djed Spence and signed other players like John Stones and Curtis Jones who can help Cristian Chivu win another Scudetto. Overall, they have a stronger squad compared to the one that won the most recent Serie A title. 

2. AC Milan 

The Rossoneri spent big money in the summer to support American Christian Pulisic and signed striker Goncalo Ramos from PSG who became the highest paid player in the history of the club, after Gerry Cardinale’s side spent over $70 million to sign the Portuguese striker. On top of him, they also signed Mario Gila from Lazio for around $20 million and Diego Moreira from Strasbourg for more than $60 million. However, the biggest decision was to appoint Ruben Amorim to replace Massimiliano Allegri, who failed to bring the Rossoneri back to Champions League soccer. 

3. Napoli

It didn’t take long time for Allegri to find a new club as Napoli decided to hire him after Antonio Conte’s decision to leave the Azzurri ahead of the summer. Allegri, who has signed a three-year deal with the Italian club, will be expected to improve Napoli’s performances, particularly in the Champions League, as demanded by club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis. Napoli have a strong squad, but last season their campaign was severely affected by injuries.

4. AS Roma  

The side coached by Gian Piero Gasperini clinched a Champions League spot at the end of a successful campaign, but it will now be much more complicated to replicate the same success. They have a chance to make a deep run, and the roster is also strong enough to achieve the targets requested by the fan base and the ownership. Winning a trophy, maybe the Coppa Italia, could be a major milestone for the new project, now entering its second year, led by the former Atalanta manager. 

5. Como 

Como were one of the biggest surprises of the 2025–26 season but maybe not entirely unexpectedly. Their fourth-place finish and historic qualification for the Champions League were remarkable, but the team led by Cesc Fabregas wants more. They re-signed Nico Paz from Real Madrid for $60 million, arguably the most important Serie A signing of the summer. The only doubt about them is how they will deal with the two major competitions at the same time, but watch out for them, once again. 

6. Juventus

Despite confirming head coach Luciano Spalletti for at least another season, everything has changed again at the club with a new CEO in Giovanni Carnevali, an experienced Italian director who can lead the new cycle. Some of the signings were interesting, such as the one of Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen or the one of Randal Kolo Muani from PSG. Others, like the one of Guglielmo Vicario on loan from Tottenham as the new starting goalkeeper, are not what we expected. 

7. Fiorentina

I strongly believe they will be the surprise of the season, after risking relegation last year. Former Tottenham and Juventus director Fabio Paratici is leading the sporting project and has signed multiple talents, starting with Franco Mastantuono on loan from Real Madrid, and appointed a young talented coach like Fabio Grosso, who previously coached Sassuolo in the Italian first division. Fiorentina might finally be back. 

8. Atalanta

Nothing against the club and the job they’ve done over the past years, but when you sign a coach like Maurizio Sarri you can expect your team to perform more on the long term, missing out some key points in the first part of the season. This is why I think they can aim for European soccer, but it won’t be that easy. 

9. Genoa

Another team I think will do well. Under Daniele De Rossi’s management, Genoa were a surprising side in the second part of the season, and in his full campaign in charge I think there’s a big chance to see them as one of the surprises of the Serie A season. 

10. Bologna

It will be difficult for them after Vincenzo Italiano decided to leave the Italian side to join Besiktas. They hired a coach like Domenico Tedesco, who will make his Serie A debut this weekend: A risky choice. 

11. Udinese

One of those teams that always seem to find themselves in the same position at the start of the season: unlikely to face a relegation battle, but equally unlikely to challenge for a European spot.

12. Torino 

I’m curious to see the impact of Ignazio Abate in Serie A after bringing Juve Stabia, a team that was placed under judicial administration as prosecutors stated the Serie B club was used as a tool by the local Camorra mafia clan, to the playoffs last season; now he has his first big chance in the Italian top flight. 

13. Sassuolo

Giovanni Carnevali, the former club CEO and the mastermind behind the success of the Neroverdi in the past years, has left his position and joined Juventus this summer. While Fabio Grosso left the club to take over at Fiorentina and most of the key players stayed, the club appointed Alberto Aquilani as his successor. Aquilani, who led Catanzaro to the Serie B playoff final in June, is widely regarded as one of the most talented young managers in Italy.

14. Parma

The Crociati survived the Italian first division under Carlos Cuesta last season, the youngest coach in the league and aim to do the same this year despite selling some key players, such as Zion Suzuki and Gabriel Strefezza. 

15. Cagliari

The first season under Vincenzo Pisacane was a success overall as the team managed to avoid relegation, and this season we can expect more from them, but it won’t be easier. 

16. Lazio

There are not many hopes around Lazio this season after hiring Gennaro Gattuso as the new head coach. The Biancocelesti had another disappointing summer transfer window, as they saw some key players leaving such as Mario Gila who joined AC Milan and had to face a net-zero transfer window for the summer 2026 session. In this worrying financial environment, a tumble down the table is a real possibility

17. Venezia

Their plans for a new stadium are already underway, but if you get the chance to go and watch a match at the current Penzo Stadium, do it. It’s an unforgettable experience.

18. Monza

The club made some signings in the summer, but none of them are capable of keeping the team in the first division. Am I too drastic? Probably not. 

19. Lecce

Eusebio Di Francesco finally managed to keep Lecce in the top flight after suffering relegation twice in two years with Frosinone and Venezia. However, I think keeping them up this time will be an even bigger challenge.

20. Frosinone

This is what Massimiliano Alvini, the head coach, said about the transfer window. “I wasn’t involved. As the coach, you have to understand the characteristics of the new signings. It will take time, months, to fully integrate them.” I don’t see them avoiding relegation, do you?