Adam Beard has delivered a “don’t write us off” message ahead of Wales’ Guinness Six Nations campaign that begins against Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wales’ chances have largely been dismissed by the bookmakers, as they they set off on a long road towards Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia with a new-look squad.
Several big names are no longer part of Wales’ rugby landscape, headlined by Louis Rees-Zammit’s departure for a possible career in American football, while cap centurions Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny have retired from Test rugby.
And when Wales’ injury list is factored in – George North, Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Gareth Thomas are among those currently absent – the size of their task is laid bare.
Scotland, though, have not won in the Welsh capital for 22 years, losing 11 successive games that comprise nine Six Nations encounters, a World Cup warm-up fixture and an autumn Test.
And Gregor Townsend’s team will need to overcome any mental demons that might exist as a result of that one-sided sequence.
Ten of Wales’ matchday 23 have cap totals in six figures, but experienced lock Beard said: “Look, don’t write us off, whether it is new faces or not.
“When you put on that Welsh jersey you have got a job to do, and our job tomorrow is to get a victory over Scotland.
“There is no better competition in the world than the Six Nations.
“(It is) a new-look squad, a lot of boys getting their opportunities to play in their first Six Nations, and there is no better way than to start at home.”
Cardiff full-back Cameron Winnett makes his Test debut on Saturday, named in the starting line-up after just 15 games of professional rugby.
And Wales will be led by their youngest captain since 1968 – 21-year-old Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins – for a game that is followed by Six Nations assignments with England at Twickenham, Ireland in Dublin and then France at the Principality Stadium.
On Winnett, Wales head coach Warren Gatland said: “You watch someone at training and that is where you get a feel for a player.
“He looks comfortable on the ball, he is good in the air, and when we had our selection meeting we just said, ‘let’s go for it. Let’s not be afraid to expose someone at this level’.
“It wasn’t a difficult decision for us to make when you see a player and think he is going to be a really good player in the future.
“Yes, we’ve lost a considerable amount of experience and players have moved on.
“But a lot of teams go through cycles, and I think we are at the start of an exciting cycle with this group of players. I couldn’t be happier with how they have trained and prepared.
“There are probably a couple of young players in the squad who are still developing, and they will learn from the time with us.
“We have already seen in the last couple of weeks how much some of them have improved and handled the difference in intensities in training at this level. So that has been a real positive for us.”
Colin Graves has called for a “line in the sand” to be drawn on Yorkshire’s turbulent recent history after members voted in favour of his return as chairman on Friday.
A resolution to accept a loan offer to the debt-ridden club from the 76-year-old, who has previously served as chairman and helped to save Yorkshire from financial ruin in 2002, received overwhelming support from members at a heated extraordinary general meeting.
Graves’ comeback will be controversial given the racism scandal which has engulfed the club since 2020 took place partially on his watch, with Yorkshire member Gurminder Singh speaking out at the EGM to say it was Graves who had “led (Yorkshire) down the path” to their current difficulties.
Graves warned it may be a “bumpy ride” ahead but struck a conciliatory tone after the special resolution was passed by an 88 per cent majority among the 845 who cast votes – just under a quarter of the 3,500 members who were eligible to vote.
“I give my personal pledge to you and the entire Yorkshire public that regardless of background, community, ethnicity, everybody – and I mean everybody – will be welcomed in a solid, inclusive culture and environment at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. There will be no exception,” he said.
“What the board has done in this area over the last two years is a great job and will be continued.
“I have already unreservedly apologised for any and all mistakes that were either made by the club or I over the painful and difficult years in the past.
“Let’s draw a line in the sand. What’s happened is history – I can’t change it, you can’t change it. So there’s no point dwelling on it. We’ve all put our hand up and said if things were wrong, we apologise. Let’s forget that. Let’s look forward.
“Lessons have been learned and will continue to be acted upon. Make no mistake, this is not going to be easy. It will be a bumpy ride. But we can do this together with hard work, with transparency, with trust and with enthusiasm.
“I’m not doing this for fun, I’m not doing this for the good of Colin Graves, I can assure you I am doing this for the good of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
“I could be sat at home with my slippers on my feet doing nothing. I made the decision to come here, sort this club out and get it back to where it needs to be.”
Last month, when the board recommended to members that Graves’ offer be accepted, Graves apologised to anyone who had experienced racism at Yorkshire. Azeem Rafiq, who spoke out in 2020 about the discrimination he faced, said at the time he did not accept that apology.
The England and Wales Cricket Board warned last month it was “vital” the work done to tackle discrimination at Yorkshire continued, and that it had “significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire to account” if that was not found to be the case.
The Culture, Media and Sport select committee confirmed on Friday that Graves would appear before it alongside senior figures from the ECB on February 20 to answer questions about the sport’s progress in tackling discrimination.
CMS committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said: “On the Yorkshire takeover, while Colin Graves has now apologised to those who experienced racism, and for his dismissive approach to those who suffered, during his last spell at the club, we want to make sure that lessons have been learnt and attitudes have changed.”
The appointment of Graves to the board and three associates – Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi – as non-executive directors is still subject to approval from the Financial Conduct Authority over the next two weeks, which Graves said limited his ability to spell out his plans for the club.
Members were asked to recommend the loan offer from Graves in a notice issued on January 11. It consists of a two-part unsecured personal loan of £1million from Graves, while the new non-executive directors will work with the board to arrange a further £4million of funding over the next five months.
Current chair Harry Chathli told media after the meeting that the board’s initial focus in its search for refinancing had been on retaining Yorkshire’s members’ club status, and that deals to sell the club which would have ended that status could have been accepted “three times over” at least.
However, Chathli and chief executive Stephen Vaughan both made clear to members that as things stood now, the club would be facing administration without Graves’ offer.
“We as directors would not be discharging our duty of care if we deliberately put this club into administration just because we didn’t like a personality. That cannot happen,” Chathli said during the meeting.
Vaughan added: “We have kissed a lot of frogs and been to lots of beauty parades, and we are at a place now where the deal that Colin and his team are bringing to the table is the only one that will keep the business solvent going forward.”
England newcomer Shoaib Bashir put his visa issues behind him as he soaked up the “incredible feeling” of dismissing India captain Rohit Sharma on his first day as a Test cricketer.
Bashir was left high and dry in Abu Dhabi after hold ups with his application forced him to miss the start of the series in Hyderabad.
He was eventually forced to travel back to London to receive the stamp of approval and arrived just in time to watch his new team-mates apply the finishing touches to their first Test victory.
Fast forward five days and the 20-year-old was in the thick of the action as India reached 336 for six in Visakhapatnam, capping a remarkable rise to prominence by snaring his first two international wickets.
It took him less than four overs to open his account when he had Sharma, a master of these conditions who boasts eight centuries and an average of 63 on home soil, caught at leg-slip with an off-break.
It was a moment that looked unlikely when he was flying back in the wrong direction last week, but in years to come he will only remember the good things.
“I’m just going to look back on this day and think about getting Rohit Sharma out, I think that’s all that matters really,” he said.
“I had no doubts at all that I’d make it here, I always knew I would get the visa. It was a bit of a hassle but we’re here now, I’ve made my debut, and that’s all that counts. I’m pretty chilled.
“It’s been a very special day. To get Rohit Sharma out, my first wicket, is an incredible feeling. I just let it all out. He’s a quality player, one of the best in the world and a great player of spin as well.”
Bashir was still playing under-18 cricket for Berkshire in 2022 and turned out for Taunton Deane in the West of England Premier League last summer, but England captain Ben Stokes treated him like an old hand.
He was trusted with 28 overs – 10 more than anyone else – and responded with two for 100 on a batting friendly pitch that saw Yashasvi Jaiswal help himself to a superb 179 not out.
Skipper Stokes has excelled in his management of young players – particularly spinners – and told Bashir in the team get together that he was allowed to be nervous.
Yet there was no evidence of any anxieties as he warmed to his task.
“Stokesy is such an incredible lad. He made me feel at ease straight away in the huddle and with all I’ve been through over the past two or three weeks,” he said.
“He has been so supportive. Credit to Stokesy, he’s backed me all the way. He basically just said to me, ‘Remember why you started playing the game, remember your family’.
“He said, ‘Go out there and show what you’ve got. We already know, we’ve seen you, so go out and do what you do best’. Those words helped me massively with my confidence.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff insists he will not “hold a grudge” against Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion announced he will be joining rivals Ferrari.
Hamilton is entering the first year of a new two-year deal with Mercedes worth £100million but the 39-year-old has activated a release clause in the agreement and signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari which starts in 2025.
Wolff was told of Hamilton’s decision at a breakfast meeting on Wednesday and said he made no attempt to change his star driver’s mind.
“When we signed the contract with Lewis we opted for a shorter term so the events are not a surprise, maybe the timing,” Wolff said.
“My first thought was practical. The team’s mind kicked in. When are we communicating this? What are the pressure points? How are we managing the season going forward and what are we going to do in terms of driver line-up?
“Now, having slept a few nights on it, it means our professional journey comes to an end, but it doesn’t mean that our personal relationship ends.
“I’ve found a friend, we’ve built a relationship over the last 10 years and he faced a very, very difficult situation, taking a decision of where to drive, maybe for the first time in 10 years without being able to brainstorm with me and therefore I will always respect the difficulty of the situation that he faced.
“In the future we will discuss whether this could have been done in a different way but I hold no grudge.”
Wolff said he would love Hamilton to win a record eighth world title this season after controversially missing out in the final race of 2021, but conceded that would be an uphill task given Red Bull’s recent dominance.
“We have 2024 together, we want to make it the most successful we can,” Wolff said.
“Is it realistic we are competing for a world championship against Max [Verstappen] in a Red Bull? If I’m a probability person the odds are against us. But nevertheless we will give it our best shot.
“There’s a friend side in me that says he should have an eighth [title] because that was taken away from him so if he wins that in 2024 that would be a great thing.
“Going forward, competing on track, I’d rather us win.”
Wolff refused to be drawn on who would replace Hamilton in 2025 but praised current team-mate George Russell as a lead driver in waiting.
“George has the potential to be the next lead driver in the team and I couldn’t wish for a [better] new team leader when Lewis leaves,” Wolff said.
“We have such a solid foundation, such a quick and talented and intelligent guy in the car. We just need to take the right choice for the second seat and it’s not something I want to be rushed in.
“I guess that a few contracts have been signed a few weeks ago that we would have looked at that could have been interesting, but in a way I always like change because change provides you opportunity.
“Maybe it’s a chance to do something bold.”
Russell tweeted his message to Hamilton on Friday morning, writing: “It’s been special racing alongside you, @lewishamilton. Let’s make this season one to remember.”
A quiet January transfer window in the Premier League is a short-term blip rather than the start of a new trend, according to leading finance company Deloitte.
English top-flight clubs spent just £100million, down from a staggering £815m last January and an average of just over £319m since the 2016-17 season, when the value of domestic television rights first jumped past £5billion for a three-year cycle.
The threat of sanctions under the league’s profit and sustainability rules, with Everton already docked 10 points this season, has been cited as a potential reason – though spending over the full season still hit £2.4bn, second only to last season’s £2.7bn.
Calum Ross, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, told the PA news agency: “I think compliance with financial regulations is a key part of it.
“We’ve obviously seen the Premier League’s response to breaches of their regulations, which is heightening clubs’ awareness to comply, and it’s the first year of UEFA’s new squad cost rules for clubs participating in UEFA competitions.
“We’re seeing a lot more planning going into the window and different types of deals – loans with options and obligations to buy that is playing with the financial year they’re recognising those fees within.
“There’s other reasons as well. In the summer we saw transfers like (Jude) Bellingham, (Declan) Rice, (Harry) Kane, which then create that domino effect across the market.
“We’ve come off the back of three consecutive record-breaking windows so we’re probably seeing a moment to pause and reset – the fact they’ve done a lot of that business in the summer is probably a key factor as to why they’re not doing as much in January.”
Only £30m was spent on deadline day on permanent moves into the Premier League, the majority of that money heading into the Sky Bet Championship as Crystal Palace signed Adam Wharton from Blackburn and Aston Villa brought in Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers.
Radu Dragusin’s move to Tottenham for a reported £26.7m on January 11 remained the biggest of the month as Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United all opted not to make a single addition. Manchester City’s £12.5m signing Claudio Echeverri was loaned straight back to River Plate.
For the first time since the Chinese Super League boom of 2019, the Premier League was not the biggest global spender as Ligue 1 clubs in France splashed out 190m euros (£162m) and Brazil’s Serie A over £123m.
The Saudi Pro League was not in that bracket, spending barely £20m after its headline-making summer splurge had echoed that previously seen in China.
Jordan Henderson returned to Europe with Ajax after six months at Al-Ettifaq and other high-profile signings expressed discontent, but Ross said: “I don’t think the bubble’s starting to burst. I think it’s a similar story (to the Premier League) – they’ve invested heavily in the summer and there’s an opportunity in this window to reflect and reset.
“I certainly expect to see them back in the market in the summer, whether that’s to the same levels that we saw this summer is to be seen. It does seem there are strong business plans behind the Saudi Pro League but there obviously is a need for them to prioritise financial sustainability over the long term.”
Rasmus Hojlund believes Manchester United have a “generational talent” on their hands in teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Erik ten Hag has endured an often ugly second campaign in the hotseat and has had to deal with injuries aplenty while failing to get those that were available firing.
The impending arrival of the ambitious Sir Jim Ratcliffe as minority owner has provided a shot in the arm midway through a difficult campaign in which the progress of United’s young players has been the highlight.
Alejandro Garnacho, 19, has established himself as a key first-team player and Mainoo, 18, followed a run of eye-catching displays – including his first United goal in Sunday’s FA Cup win at Newport – with a jaw-dropping winner at Wolves.
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The midfielder’s bold run and curling stoppage-time finish stunned Molineux and secured his boyhood side a much-needed 4-3 victory after they had squandered 2-0 and 3-1 leads.
“I think it’s hard to sum it up,” summer signing Hojlund said after the chaotic clash. “A little bit annoyed because we switch off a little bit but so happy for us in the end. A generational talent in Kobbie Mainoo. He did well.”
It is high praise for a player that Hojlund hopes to join as a bedrock of the United team for years to come.
“We enjoyed things, spending time outside together,” the 20-year-old said of Mainoo. “I think I’ve said before that us young guys, we have a little group and we’re chatting to each other.
“It’s very cool to have other young players around the team and hopefully we can set an era for the club and be here many years together.”
Mainoo, like Garnacho, was part of the United side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022 and caught Ten Hag’s eye shortly after his appointment that summer.
The Stockport-born midfielder joined the club at aged nine and has made 12 appearances this season – a figure would have been higher were it not for a pre-season injury sustained against Real Madrid in Houston.
“You can see his composure,” Hojlund said. “He is so relaxed on the ball, so much quality on the ball.
“Now he’s also starting to show that he has the scoring parts of his game as well. He’s a complete player.
“It’s not about taking the responsibility, he’s so relaxed, so calm. He knows his quality and he knows when he goes out there he’s going to perform.
“Everybody knows that from the team and you guys can see it as well now, he’s a top player.”
United’s belief in the raw 20-year-old striker Hojlund saw them pay Atalanta an initial £64million rising to a potential £72million to sign him in the summer.
Injury impacted Hojlund after his move and it took him until Boxing Day to score his first Premier League, having plundered five in the Champions League.
Hojlund’s bundled effort at Molineux took his top-flight tally to three goals and means he has scored in four of United’s last five matches in all competitions.
“We’re starting to understand each other better into the team and I think I’m getting used to the Premier League and the tempo and how we play as a team,” the Denmark international said.
“Of course (it is going to take time), but if you ask me I would have loved to score my first goal in September or October.”
Asked if he felt like his like his first Premier League goal would open the floodgates, Hojlund said: “Yes and no.
“I knew I could score goals and I’d shown it in the Champions League and at my previous clubs but of course opening the account it’s always like ‘OK, I can do it’.”
Fraser Dingwall will take extra satisfaction from his England debut knowing it embodies a triumph of persistence.
Dingwall starts Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Italy at inside centre as reward for his impressive form for Northampton, who provide three of the backline at the Stadio Olimpico.
Injuries to Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi have presented the 24-year-old with a platform to offer the solution to England’s perennial problem position – and it has been earned the hard way.
First called-up by Eddie Jones in 2020, he has been picked in nine senior squads without breaking into the matchday 23 in a sequence of omissions that left him fearing he would never be capped.
“There have been a couple of times when I wasn’t sure if it would actually happen but I feel like I’ve been pretty persistent,” Dingwall said.
“To get to this point makes it even more special just because I know the journey I’ve been through and what has been required to get to this point.
“I always felt like I was in and around it but also felt like there was growth in me. I don’t think I ever came in initially thinking I was the finished article and ready to go.
“I think I knew I was slightly early. And there has probably only been a couple of times I was really pushing.
“This was one of them and was the Australia tour in 2022. I was pretty gutted after that one not to have featured.
“But I’ve got lots of good people around me just to keep me level and I have a great team at Saints who have pushed me on to that next level.”
By his own admission Dingwall is not a bulldozing centre in the mould of Lawrence or Tuilagi but he is confident in his ability as a smart all-rounder who matches robust defence with sharp distribution and an eye for space.
“Some players typically have super strengths. I guess you could say I don’t necessarily have that, other than if I can be really good at lots of things,” he said.
“I can be really good with my voice and also really good at bringing the best out of other people. That almost becomes my super strength.
“It’s not so much about being really quick, or really powerful. But if I could do everything really well, that becomes a trait.
“I wouldn’t look to replicate what Henry Slade does or what Ollie Lawrence does. Each centre is very different.
“It’s more about creating a balance in the midfield as a whole and how centres can complement each other.”
Northampton are the Gallagher Premiership’s pacesetters and qualified for the knockout phase of Europe after registering four wins in as many group outings.
Their backline potency is reflected in England’s team selection against Italy with scrum-half Alex Mitchell and wing Tommy Freeman also present and Dingwall believes recent wins over the likes of Toulon, Munster and Sale have put a spring in their step.
“There’s definitely confidence from that because we’re doing so well and also because of the teams we’ve beaten,” he said.
England debutant Shoaib Bashir described the “awesome” experience of taking the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma on the opening day of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir repaid the faith shown in him by the England selectors as he went on to claim the wicket of Axar Patel and finish with two for 100 in 28 overs.
The 20-year-old off-spinner told TNT Sports: “That (Sharma) was the highlight – he’s such a good player of spin and for me to get his wicket as my first is very, very awesome.
“It was a tough pitch to bowl on, it didn’t offer too much, but I thought the way the boys went about it was awesome and for us to pick up six wickets puts us in a good position going into tomorrow.”
Bashir, who was called up for his international debut having made just six first-class appearances, paid tribute to England captain Ben Stokes for giving him the confidence to step up.
“In the huddle he just said, go out there and enjoy it and remember why you started playing the game, and you’ve got nothing to lose,” added Bashir.
“That gave me so much confidence going in. The guys have been so supportive and welcoming, and that takes the best out of you as well.”
Cape Verde head coach Bubista has challenged his side to keep believing as they bid to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations when they face South Africa in Yamoussoukro.
The small island nation, ranked 73rd in the FIFA standings, topped their group, beating Ghana and then fighting back to snatch a dramatic 2-2 draw with Egypt before a 1-0 win over Mauritania put them into the last eight.
The Blue Sharks are aiming to reach uncharted waters by making the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time.
Bubista feels there is still more to come from his side.
“We have our objective, which from day one has been to get to the semi-finals,” said the Cape Verde head coach, whose full name is Pedro Brito.
“We are one step away from that now and we are going to keep going, while obviously staying humble and respecting our opponents.”
Bubista told reporters: “But we believe – that is our focus and we are going to try and get there.”
South Africa produced one of the major upsets in the tournament with a 2-0 win over World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in the last round.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, though, will not allow any sense of complacency in the camp.
“Our win over Morocco is history,” said Broos, who guided Cameroon to the AFCON title in 2017.
“Cape Verde are as determined as us to reach the semi-finals and we dare not underrate them.”
Broos told reporters: “At the beginning, it was very important that we grow in the tournament and I think South Africa grew in the tournament.
“We just hope that what we are telling the players is the right thing – and up until now it has been the right thing.”
Jalen Brunson was emotional after a night which saw him being voted a first-time All-Star before leading the New York Knicks to a comeback win.
The Knicks overcame the loss of two starters again to rally for their ninth straight NBA victory, 109-105 over the Indiana Pacers, with Brunson pouring in 40 points hours after getting his All-Star nod.
Brunson scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to help win a game in which the Knicks had trailed by 15 points.
He shook off an eye injury late in the game and made a driving layup with 1:46 remaining to give the Knicks the lead for good on Thursday.
Donte DiVincenzo added 20 points, Miles McBride had 16 off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 12 points and 19 rebounds for New York, which was again without starters Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, with Mitchell Robinson and Quentin Grimes also out.
The Knicks, coming off a 14-2 January, have won nine in a row for the first time since a 13-game run in 2013 and moved to within a half-game of the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference standings before they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
But this night was about Brunson, who continued his spectacular season and was serenaded with MVP chants at Madison Square Garden.
"It was really cool, the whole experience, the night, how we won and obviously what happened before the game," said Brunson.
"You always work for certain moments, but you never know how to react when they happen.
"So it was special. When the game's going, you're focused and when it's over you kind of relax and realize what's going on.
"It's definitely different at that point. So, really thankful for the fans and what they've done for myself, my family and this team."
Brunson’s exploits meant the Pacers had a three-game winning streak snapped despite Jalen Smith scoring 22 points and Aaron Nesmith having 17.
Asked about Brunson’s growth, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said: "It's surreal. Each step of the way, there's always been naysayers, and he always proves them wrong.
"You just love his competitiveness and he never goes away."
DiVincenzo is getting used to praising Brunson in his post-game interviews, smiling to reporters that he was not sure what else he could say.
"He did exactly what everybody expects him to do and what he has been doing all season long," added DiVincenzo.
"The dude is an All-Star. He's having an MVP-caliber season right now. He should be the player of the month this month.
"What else can I say? The dude's doing everything he possibly can for us to win games. It's not easy right now with Julius going down, OG going down, Mitch not being here.
"Everything's been thrown against us and he's still willing us to win games."
While the Knicks have a day to prepare for their big clash with the Lakers, Indiana (27-22) is straight back in action at home against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Conor Benn must be allowed to fight again in Britain to fill the void left by Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Benn follows in the footsteps of father Nigel by headlining in Las Vegas on Saturday but the two failed tests he returned for a banned drug in October 2022 continue to have consequences for his career.
While Benn, who has always insisted he is innocent of wrongdoing, had a provisional suspension lifted last July, UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control launched an appeal against the decision.
Hearn expects that to take place this month and hopes a favourable outcome can see Benn granted a licence to fight in the UK again, amid a lull in major fights in British boxing in the last 12 months.
“When you talk about the biggest names in British boxing, you’ve got Fury and AJ but outside of those two, Conor’s right there,” Hearn told the PA news agency.
“With a lot of the big fights and big names moving internationally at the moment, we really need Conor Benn back in the UK. We want this appeal done and dusted to start letting him fill up arenas in the UK.
“He’s young enough to fly that flag for the next couple of years and we need that, British boxing needs it. The toughest thing is not having a plan, a vision or a schedule in terms of what’s going to happen.
“We’re coming to the end of that whole saga now, I’m sure there’s still a couple of bumps in the road but it just feels like now we’re getting some momentum.”
Benn tested positive for female fertility drug clomifene ahead of a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was ultimately scrapped and his career has been in limbo for much of the last 18 months.
“I think there is a huge amount of frustration in him,” Hearn said. “He still gets accusations and criticism. It’s an incredible amount of someone’s life that he’s had to go through those adversities.”
Even if Benn cannot fight on home soil yet, Hearn is catering to that audience this weekend as the main event against Peter Dobson at the Cosmopolitan will start around 10:30pm in the UK – 2:30pm local time.
This is Benn’s second fight under US jurisdiction, having made a low-key return by outpointing Rodolfo Orozco last September to extend his unbeaten professional record to 22 wins from as many fights.
Hearn is optimistic of arranging a big fight against Eubank Jr, Kell Brook or Liam Smith in late April or early May but recognises Dobson (16-0, 9KOs) could leave those best-laid plans in tatters.
“We took this fight to stay active but he’s calling out all the big names, we want all the big names and we have to deliver,” Hearn said.
“It’s much easier to deliver those fights in the UK because you know you’re going to fill stadiums and arenas. All of it is irrelevant without victory on Saturday, though.”
Nigel Benn fought twice in Sin City, winning both by first-round stoppage, with victory in 1990 over Iran Barkley especially impressive as the American went on to claim world titles in two weight classes.
“There are so many similarities between Conor and Nigel, particularly in the way they fight – it’s identical,” Hearn added. “I see it so clearly, even when I’m talking to him, he is his father’s son.
“That same violence and ruthless streak that Nigel brought to the ring, Conor does as well. You’ll see that in bundles on Saturday.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is more concerned about Darwin Nunez’s physical state than his mental one after the Uruguay international emerged as a doubt for the crucial trip to Arsenal.
Nunez set a new record for the number of times one player has hit the frame of the goal in a game with four in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea, taking his tally to nine in the Premier League alone and six more than anyone else.
The 24-year-old is regularly criticised for not scoring enough but Nunez has 11 goals in all competitions and an assist count also in double figures.
However, after an all-action display in which he provided the cross for Luis Diaz to score the fourth, he left Anfield in a protective boot having played for more than an hour with a foot problem which may keep him out of Sunday’s clash at the Emirates.
“I don’t know if Darwin will be available or not because after 20 minutes someone stepped on his foot (and it was) very painful after the game,” said Klopp.
“He only took the boot off after the game because he didn’t want to see it before. He knew there was something.
“Nothing broken, X-ray clear but swollen. We have to see if he can get his foot back in a football boot or not. That takes time.”
The injury did not appear to hamper Nunez too much and did not affect his confidence when he chose to step up for a penalty with regular taker Mohamed Salah sidelined – only to plant the spot-kick against an upright.
Klopp said that moment was a blow to the forward’s morale but his reaction proved there was no hangover.
“It impacts him of course, he is a human being. If it didn’t affect him that would be strange,” added the manager, whose press conference was briefly interrupted by a journalist’s phone on the desk receiving a call from his dentist which the manager seemed keen to answer.
“The penalty he missed that hit him definitely but he knows he will have another chance.
“But going through this game with the pain he had that shows so much more.
“I don’t judge Darwin because of the crossbar moments. I judge him for the assist for Lucho (Diaz).
“That is outstanding football-wise, not being bothered about your own bad luck, just staying in the game.”
But while Nunez can have numerous chances and not take one Liverpool also have a forward who is far more deadly.
While Nunez is averaging a goal every 186 minutes in the Premier League, scoring every 8.5 shots, with 32 of 60 shots on target, his team-mate is averaging one every 106 minutes, scoring every 2.3 shots, has had 12 of 19 shots on target and has not hit a post this season.
The Portugal international scored the opener against Chelsea in midweek in a run of four in as many games and 13 for the season.
“He just has it. He is a complete package. He knows that and everyone knows that,” said Klopp of Jota.
“Diogo gets in each game knocks like crazy: if I go through the list of medical reports since Diogo is here he is in each and every one, not as injured but has a bruise, has a knock.
“A few injuries at a wrong time and he is out for too long or his numbers would look different.
“But he is literally flying. On top of that he always is an extremely smart footballer and can play all three positions up front, which is important when Mo is not here.”
Jason Tindall is making no apologies for getting under the skin of opposition managers after unwittingly becoming an online sensation.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s assistant has found himself thrust into the limelight as a result of his antics on the sideline, which have prompted a series of social media memes and earned him the nickname “Mad Dog”.
In the process, he has found cult status with Magpies supporters and established himself as the man opposition fans – as well as some managers – love to hate, although he insists he has not deliberately sought confrontation.
Taking over media duties from head coach Howe, who was unwell, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Luton, Tindall said: “It’s not deliberate. I’m just me.
“I won’t stop being me all of a sudden because of what people say about me and what they tell me to do. If anyone thinks that’s going to stop me behaving like me or stop me being my real self, that’s not going to happen.
“Listen, I don’t mean to get under the skin of opposing managers or deliberately upset anyone. All I’m interested in doing is helping Newcastle United win football matches.
“Once kick-off is there, that’s my only motivation and the goal is to do everything in my power to help the team. If that upsets a few people along the way, then so be it.”
Tindall has certainly made an impression since joining Howe at St James’ Park in November 2021 with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp suggesting the rule change which allows only one member of coaching staff at a time to stand at the front of the technical area during matches had been brought in specifically to deal with Newcastle.
Howe’s long-term number two, who admitted the German was “probably” right, was the centre of attention once again after Tuesday night’s impressive win at Aston Villa when Villa boss Unai Emery appeared to snub his handshake.
Tindall said: “If someone doesn’t want to shake my hand at the end of the game, then I’m not in control of that. I wouldn’t personally do that myself, whereas some people act differently when they win compared to when they lose.
“That’s down to the individual, but I certainly don’t go out to cause that problem to begin with. If they don’t like what they see, no problem, I’m not offended by it.”
Tindall’s unexpected new-found celebrity – he is regularly serenaded by the Toon Army – may be unexpected, but he is adamant he will not be carried away by it.
He said: “I take it all with a pinch of salt. I don’t really take too much notice of what people say and put on social media. That’s part and parcel of doing this type of job where you’re in the spotlight.”
Howe is expected to be in the dug-out for the clash with the Hatters, and faces a series of late selections decisions with Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes and Joe Willock all being assessed.
Colin Graves’ controversial return as Yorkshire chairman is virtually complete after members voted to accept the terms of his loan offer.
Graves, who served as Yorkshire’s chairman between 2012 and 2015 having first helped to save the club from financial ruin in 2002, has been given the green light to reprise his old role as members approved a special resolution at a heated extraordinary general meeting on Friday.
Three associates of Graves – Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi – are also set be appointed to the board as non-executive directors following the passing of the resolution.
The resolution passed with 746 votes in favour, 88 per cent of the votes cast.
The vote is subject to regulatory approval by the Financial Conduct Authority in the next 12 to 14 days, but once fully ratified the second tranche of a personal, unsecured loan of £1million from Graves will be advanced to the club. Members have been told the new non-executive directors will then work with the board to arrange further funding of up to £4m over a five-month period.
With almost £15m owed to the Graves family trust and a host of other potential investors no longer at the table, the board said last month it was recommending a loan offer from Graves “having exhausted all other options” in its search for refinancing to avoid entering administration.
Graves’ return is controversial given that the racism scandal which has engulfed the club partially took place during his first stint in charge.
Last month he apologised to anyone who experienced racism at Yorkshire, and expressed “profound regret” at the language he used in an interview with Sky Sports last summer when he said no one had reported racism to him but that there had been “a lot of banter”.
Azeem Rafiq, who in 2020 spoke out about the racism he experienced across two spells at Yorkshire, says he does not accept Graves’ apology.
Current chair Harry Chathli told members on Friday: “We as directors would not be discharging our duty of care if we deliberately put this club into administration just because we didn’t like a personality. That cannot happen.”
Chief executive Stephen Vaughan said: “We have kissed a lot of frogs and been to lots of beauty parades, and we are at a place now where the deal that Colin and his team are bringing to the table is the only one that will keep the business solvent going forward.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board warned last month it was “vital” the work done to tackle discrimination at Yorkshire continued, and that it had “significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire to account” if that was not found to be the case.
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