England produced a slick performance to beat the US 45-7 at the Rugby World Cup in Japan yesterday, earning a vital bonus-point win ahead of sterner Pool C tests against Argentina and France, while Italy outclassed Canada in Pool B.
Eddie Jones’s men made their forward dominance count, scoring seven tries at Kobe Misaki Stadium against the US, who played the final 10 minutes with 14 men after the tournament’s first red card, with flanker John Quill sent off after a shoulder charge connected with Owen Farrell’s head.
Referee Nic Berry checked the TV pictures before sending Quill from the pitch.
Photo: Reuters
Italy’s 48-7 thumping of Canada in Fukuoka all but confirmed their automatic entry into the next World Cup, leaving coach Conor O’Shea with one remaining mission in Japan.
He wants Italy to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time, but that will require a huge lift in performance as they prepare for a clash with heavyweights South Africa next week.
With a powerful forward pack and free-running backline, Italy have so far notched 14 tries to have two bonus-point wins in two matches against minnows Namibia and Canada, putting them atop Pool B, but with the All Blacks and the Springboks to play — the overwhelming favorites to advance from their group.
Barring an upset by either Canada or Namibia against the top sides, Italy are assured of at least third in their pool to be guaranteed a berth at the 2023 World Cup in France.
“The first objective we had was to play two matches in four days and I think we have demonstrated that we can qualify for the next World Cup as well,” the coach said.
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
RSS