Jos Buttler accepted his future as England captain was out of his hands after another painful defeat sent his side tumbling towards the World Cup exit door.
England knew nothing less than victory over Sri Lanka would be enough to keep alive their fading hopes of reaching the semi-finals and they responded with arguably their worst performance yet in a campaign littered with low points.
After choosing to bat first, they were skittled for a meagre 156 in 33.2 overs, then watched as their opponents cantered home by eight wickets in Bangalore with almost half of the innings unused.
The thrashing, which followed heavy losses to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa, left the reigning champions ninth in the standings with an eye-watering net run-rate.
With four games to go – including table-topping India and bitter rivals Australia – they are being kept off bottom spot by the only associate nation at the competition, the Netherlands.
Remarkably, England are not yet mathematically out with four games to play, but the route is fanciful in the extreme and Buttler acknowledged the game was up.
“It certainly looks that way and that’s incredibly disappointing. It would need a few miracles,” he said, glassy-eyed after another draining day.
“You get on the plane with high hopes and a lot of confidence and belief that we can challenge for the title, so to be sat here now with the three weeks we’ve had is a shock. It’s a shock to everyone.
“I’ll walk back in the dressing room after this, look at the players sat there and think ‘how have we found ourselves in this position with the talent and the skill that’s in the room’?
“But it is the position we’re in, it’s the reality of what’s happened over the last three weeks and that’s a huge low point.”
Pressed on his own status in charge of the side Buttler indicated a desire to continue but a realisation that the verdict may not be his to make.
In reality, England do not have an obvious successor lined up and Buttler is relatively new in the role, having inherited the mantle following Eoin Morgan’s retirement last summer.
He also has a T20 World Cup win in the bank and there has been no indication that managing director of the men’s cricket, Rob Key, has an itchy trigger finger.
“I think you’re always questioning as captain how you can get the best out of players, how you can get the team moving in the right direction,” Buttler admitted.
“I certainly have a lot of confidence and belief in myself as a leader and captain and first and foremost as a player, but if you’re asking if I should still be captaining the team, that’s a question for the guys above me.
“The tournament’s gone nowhere near the way we wanted it to…that much is obvious. As a leader, you want to lead through your own performance and I’ve not been able to do that.”
Head coach Matthew Mott joined Buttler in writing off the chances of sneaking through to the last four, telling BBC Sport: “Yeah, it’s over now, I think.
“I’m not a mathematician, but with our net run-rate and too many teams who are going to take games off each other, we have to come to terms with that. From now we’re playing for a lot of pride.
“We feel like we’ve let our fans down, our families and supporters and everyone in that dressing room, we haven’t put our best foot forward and in professional sport, that’s what you’re judged on.”
Only a late setback will stop Inspiral heading to the Breeders’ Cup as connections are ready to “roll the dice” once again in a bid to end her campaign on a high.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Frankel has been a high-class performer since her juvenile days and achieved the enviable feat of Group One victories at two, three and four when defending her Prix Jacques le Marois title in scintillating fashion in the summer.
She backed up that Deauville victory in supreme style when carrying Frankie Dettori to the easiest of victories in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes and having skipped the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on account of the testing ground at Ascot on British Champions Day, she has now been given the go-ahead for a first taste of action in America.
“It’s all systems go and the plan and we’re all very excited,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.
“John Gosden seems very happy with her, so at the moment, fingers crossed, if there are no setbacks we’re looking forward to next weekend.
“She couldn’t have done it more easily at Newmarket (last time) and stamped her authority and John is very happy with where she is, so we may as well roll the dice again.”
Inspiral will be racing beyond a mile for the first time in her career when she lines up in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
However, buoyed by her going-away Sun Chariot success on the Rowley Mile, connections feel Santa Anita is the perfect spot to test the filly’s stamina reserves.
Richardson added: “The way she finished at Newmarket, she wasn’t stopping and she was well clear in the Sun Chariot.
“I think that gave us reason to think the slightly further trip on that sharper track at Santa Anita would suit her perhaps.
“It’s unknown territory, but depending on the run of the race, we think she will see it out.
“It will give us a few more options for, all being well, if she stays in training if she does stay a bit further.”
Only a late setback will stop Inspiral heading to the Breeders’ Cup as connections are ready to “roll the dice” once again in a bid to end her campaign on a high.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Frankel has been a high-class performer since her juvenile days and achieved the enviable feat of Group One victories at two, three and four when defending her Prix Jacques le Marois title in scintillating fashion in the summer.
She backed up that Deauville victory in supreme style when carrying Frankie Dettori to the easiest of victories in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes and having skipped the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on account of the testing ground at Ascot on British Champions Day, she has now been given the go-ahead for a first taste of action in America.
“It’s all systems go and the plan and we’re all very excited,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.
“John Gosden seems very happy with her, so at the moment, fingers crossed, if there are no setbacks we’re looking forward to next weekend.
“She couldn’t have done it more easily at Newmarket (last time) and stamped her authority and John is very happy with where she is, so we may as well roll the dice again.”
Inspiral will be racing beyond a mile for the first time in her career when she lines up in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
However, buoyed by her going-away Sun Chariot success on the Rowley Mile, connections feel Santa Anita is the perfect spot to test the filly’s stamina reserves.
Richardson added: “The way she finished at Newmarket, she wasn’t stopping and she was well clear in the Sun Chariot.
“I think that gave us reason to think the slightly further trip on that sharper track at Santa Anita would suit her perhaps.
“It’s unknown territory, but depending on the run of the race, we think she will see it out.
“It will give us a few more options for, all being well, if she stays in training if she does stay a bit further.”
Neil King is excited to see his stable star Lookaway make his return to action in the feature event on the opening day of the season at Cheltenham.
Bought for £170,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point a couple of years ago, the six-year-old gave his new connections an immediate return on their significant investment by winning on his debut under rules at Newbury, before plundering the Grade Two bumper at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.
He made an inauspicious start to his career over hurdles last term, suffering defeat on his first three attempts, but came good in the spring with successive wins at Uttoxeter in May.
Lookaway returns to Grade Two level for Friday’s Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle and King is hoping he can pick up where he left off.
He said: “He seems in good shape, ready for action and we’re looking forward to getting him out.
“As everyone is aware we were badly out of form all winter last season and it just took a bit of time to get over things, but once we hit form he came right as well and showed what he’s all about.
“He’s all good, he’s done his work and is ready to make a start.”
Kamsinas looks a major contender for Fergal O’Brien, with the Kelso bumper winner having made an impressive debut over hurdles at Worcester a fortnight ago.
“I’m looking forward to running him and unlike most of our other runners the more rain they get the better for him,” said O’Brien.
“He’s been great since Worcester. It’s not what we’d normally do – we’d normally give them another run over hurdles before stepping into this grade – but he’s run in point-to-points, so we just said we’d roll the dice and fingers crossed he’ll come up trumps for us.”
John McConnell’s Fennor Cross took the prize back to Ireland 12 months ago and this season the raiding party is represented by the Peter Fahey-trained Toto Too.
Second on his introduction in a bumper at the Galway Festival during the summer, he went one better at Killarney next time and fairly bolted up on his hurdling bow at Navan on his most recent outing.
Fahey said: “It’s a very competitive race, with a lot of horses stepping up into that grade.
“Our horse has travelled over well and seems in good form. It’s a big ask going out for a Grade Two on his second run over hurdles, but we’re keen to get him out again on a bit of nice ground and we’re hoping he puts up a good run.”
Olly Murphy’s 14-length Bangor winner Act Of Authority and Dan Skelton’s 12-length Uttoxeter scorer Williethebuilder also feature in an intriguing contest.
Gavin Cromwell saddles two significant runners on the undercard in My Mate Mozzie and Encanto Bruno.
My Mate Mozzie, a winner at Grade Three level over hurdles and beaten just a length in the Galway Hurdle in August, is a hot favourite squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase, despite being beaten at cramped odds on his on his debut over fences at Fairyhouse three weeks ago.
“We were bit disappointed after Fairyhouse, I suppose the ground was a bit too soft for him and he didn’t stay,” said Cromwell.
“The ground looks like it’s going to be a bit better in Cheltenham and it looks a nice opportunity, so hopefully he can win.
“I know he has to stay up the hill, but the race is actually just shy of two miles.
“We’re clutching at straws with the tongue tie as he’s just not finishing out his races completely.”
Encanto Bruno won a bumper at this meeting last year for the aforementioned McConnell and went on to contest the Champion Bumper at the Festival in March.
He won as he liked on his hurdling debut at Bellewstown in July, but was pulled up at Galway next time and makes his first start for his new trainer in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle.
Cromwell added: “We’re happy with him, he’s stepping up to two and a half which I don’t think will be a problem and nice ground will suit him.
“He’s working well at home and we’re hoping for a nice run, but whatever he does on Friday he’ll improve from it.”
Ange Postecoglou has played down the significance of Tottenham potentially moving five points clear at the Premier League summit with victory at Crystal Palace on Friday.
Spurs returned to top spot on Monday with a 2-0 win at home to Fulham and play before Arsenal and Manchester City this weekend.
Postecoglou insisted his primary focus is on improving the team after he was critical of their second-half display against Fulham.
“It doesn’t really add any significance because whatever happens Friday night there’s still a full round of Premier League fixtures to be played and nothing of any real significance comes of that,” he said.
“We’re in a good space at the moment but again we’ve still got plenty of work to do to make sure what we do now is sustainable. That’s the main thing.
“It’s not about making a short-term impact, it’s about building something which hopefully brings sustained opportunities of success for the club.
“There is a really good reason no manager will talk about winning a title in October or November because we know there’s a long way to go.”
Tottenham’s ascent to first position has seen them score 20 goals in nine matches, but Postecoglou feels attack is the area where they can improve the most.
He added: “We still have to grow in every area. There are areas where we are already very good, particularly around the defensive side of the game. I think we’ve been excellent there – really consistent.
“I still think our main growth will come in the attacking side of the game. I still think particularly in the front third, a lot of our movements are still not natural and fluent like we want them to be, which isn’t surprising.
“But what is getting us the goals is that we have great quality up there, which is contributing to that. I still think the biggest growth for us will be in our attacking side of the game.”
Spurs will have to assess Destiny Udogie for the Selhurst Park clash after the left-back was withdrawn in the 56th minute of Monday’s win with muscle tightness.
Pape Sarr (illness) and Ben Davies (knock) are fit and Yves Bissouma is also available after he served a one-match ban for his recent red card at Luton, but Postecoglou was coy over his team after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg impressed against Fulham.
“It’s no different to any other week. They’re not really dilemmas, just choices that people in my position have to make and I’ve always made those decisions pretty simply and cleanly about what I think we need,” the Australian coach explained.
“Tomorrow night we’ll start with a certain group of players and finish with another and it’s about trying to get the job done. When that games done, we’ll look to the next one.
“It’s good to have Biss available, he’s been a big part of what we’re doing. The team did well the other night so that should make us stronger.”
Postecoglou also heaped praise on opposite number Roy Hodgson ahead of their second meeting.
The Spurs boss faced Hodgson back in 2016 when they were in charge of Australia and England respectively in a friendly at the Stadium of Light.
Asked if he still expects to manage at 76, Postecoglou replied: “Who knows. That’s not the plan. Seventy-six? Somewhere on a Greek island, lying back watching football from around the world, maybe doing some punditry and becoming an expert overnight. That’s the plan but you never know in life, mate.
“I coached against Roy up in Sunderland so I have had the pleasure of coaching him at international level.
“He is an outstanding manager, he’s an absolute gentleman and whenever I have come across him people always talk about the kind of person he is and I love his career, for someone like me with a different journey I have so much admiration for the career he has had.”
England’s excruciating World Cup defence was all but over after yet another shambolic defeat, this time against a Sri Lanka side led by their former head coach Chris Silverwood.
The 2019 champions turned in a meek, error-strewn performance with the bat, blown away for just 156 in Bengaluru, and barely fared any better with the ball as their opponents breezed home by eight wickets.
Jos Buttler’s side have now lost four of their five games by heavy margins – beaten by New Zealand, Afghanistan, South Africa and now Sri Lanka – and can start booking an early trip home despite having four fixtures still to play in a torturous group stage.
There was an extra layer to their latest humbling given Silverwood’s presence in blue and gold. He served as England’s bowling coach when they lifted the trophy four years ago and was handpicked to take over the top job from Trevor Bayliss soon after.
Silverwood was sacked after a dire Ashes campaign in 2021/22 and now, rather than guiding his country through this tournament as he once expected, he has effectively sealed their departure from it.
A scrappy 43 from Ben Stokes was the best England could muster and that was promptly put in perspective as Pathum Nissanka (77 not out) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65no) peeled off an effortless century stand in response.
In all England used just 33.2 overs in the first innings and 25.4 in the second, a damning indictment on all fronts.
The day started with the latest confusing selection from England, who dropped rising star Harry Brook and rookie seamer Gus Atkinson as they fielded a side comprised entirely of thirtysomethings for the first time ever in ODI cricket.
It proved a thoroughly misguided decision from a team long past its peak. With a dominant, table-topping India up next in Lucknow, it is hard to see what they do next.
Things began with a brief burst of positivity, openers Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow taming the new ball sufficiently to take 45 from the first 39 deliveries, with nine boundaries.
But the growing optimism was shattered by the introduction of old foe Angelo Mathews, called up as an injury replacement just a couple of days ago and embarking on his first ODI spell in three-and-a-half years.
It took the 36-year-old just three deliveries to get back in the groove, Malan caught behind for 28 chasing a cutter. Mathews, who starred when Sri Lanka beat England at Headingley in the 2019 group stages, was involved again in the crucial dismissal of Joe Root.
Root had just three to his name when he chopped to point and set off for a single, turning on his heels once Bairstow dug his in at the non-striker’s end. Mathews picked up and threw in one swift movement, leaving Kusal Mendis to obliterate the stumps as Root dived in vain.
The errors kept coming, Bairstow reaching 30 before a cross-batted swat at Kasun Rajitha plonked straight to mid-on. Stokes dug a trench as he tried to halt the Sri Lankan momentum, but his rearguard was undermined as Lahiru Kumara had Buttler flashing to slip and Liam Livingstone lbw.
With just 17 overs down they were 85 for five and circling the drain. Stokes went on the attack, muscling a handful of boundaries despite struggling for timing, but lost two more partners as Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes spoon-fed catches to backward point.
When Stokes dragged a pull down deep-midwicket’s throat, England’s hopes of an unlikely revival went with him, but there was another nadir still to come.
Adil Rashid was backing up at the bowler’s end when Mendis took a Maheesh Theekshana wide down the leg side, spotted the chance of an opportunistic dismissal and threw down the stumps from 25 yards.
It was an absurd way to go and entirely in keeping with England’s demeanour over the past month. Theekshana had Wood stumped to complete the job, putting Sri Lanka in complete control.
David Willey had hit England’s only six of the innings and finished not out on the ground he calls home with Royal Challengers Bangalore and he started gamely with the ball too.
The left-armer had Kusal Perera caught off a leading edge with his third ball and added the dangerous Mendis, who chipped a leg-stump delivery high in the sky towards Buttler.
At 23 for two there was a tiny opening, but Samarawickrama and Nissanka closed it emphatically. They knocked off the runs in a composed manner, even soaking up a rapid spell that touched 94mph from Wood.
The pair stroked the ball around with minimal fuss as the bowlers went through the motions, with Nissanka sealing victory in style by slamming the expensive Rashid for a big six over long-on to put England out of their misery.
They are now on course for a World Cup campaign even worse than their low ebb of 2015, a fate barely imaginable when Eoin Morgan lifted the trophy at Lord’s in heady scenes four years later.
Maro Itoje has praised Tom Curry’s courage in making his allegation of racist abuse against Mbongeni Mbonambi as England attacked World Rugby for failing to allow the “victim to have his voice heard”.
Curry claimed to referee Ben O’Keeffe in the first half of Saturday’s World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa that he had been called a “white c***” by Springboks hooker Mbonambi.
The Rugby Football Union subsequently disclosed to the inquiry that Curry “had also been the victim of the same abuse, from the same player” when the rivals clashed at Twickenham in November.
A statement released by SA Rugby on Friday afternoon revealed that Mbonambi “denied the allegations from the outset” – the first time his innocence had been voiced in public – and World Rugby has closed its investigation into both claims due to insufficient evidence.
With the matter unresolved, a cloud hangs over each player heading into the final weekend of the World Cup and England head coach Steve Borthwick has joined the RFU in condemning the outcome of the inquiry.
The focus of their anger is that the case will not be heard by an independent disciplinary hearing.
“The RFU expressed great disappointment at World Rugby’s decision and that bitter disappointment is shared by Tom, his teammates, the management and everyone associated with this team,” Borthwick said.
“Let’s be clear – Tom Curry has done nothing wrong. Somebody has said something to Tom Curry, Tom’s reported it.
“By making this decision World Rugby has denied the victim of the situation – Tom Curry – to have his voice heard. That’s where the disappointment really comes in.”
The saga has overshadowed the build-up to Friday’s bronze final between England and Argentina and the final between New Zealand and South Africa 24 hours later.
Curry will win his 50th cap when he lines up against the Pumas, despite being subjected to extensive online abuse since his allegation against Mbonambi was picked up by the ref mic during the 16-15 defeat by the world champions.
Itoje revealed that England have rallied around the Sale flanker, who has been thrust into the eye of the storm.
“Tom is the innocent party in this respect – as Steve said he has done nothing wrong and he is the victim of the situation. For him to have this abuse is disgraceful,” Itoje said.
“Tom has been tremendous. He’s been courageous to do what he’s done in the manner he’s done it, through proper channels, conducting himself in the manner he should be proud of.
“Definitely as teammates, we are proud of him. To do that isn’t easy. To make a statement like that isn’t easy. To call out stuff like that isn’t easy.
“As you’ve seen this week, when you do something courageous like that, you put yourself out there. He’s been absolutely fantastic in that regard.
“In terms of how we’ve tried to support him, we’ve just tried to be there for him in any way he needs. If he needs to talk about anything, we are always there for him.
“But he’s a strong man, he has a strong personality, a strong will, and he’s been great throughout the week.”
Mbonambi starts the World Cup final against New Zealand after being picked in the front row as the only established hooker in South Africa’s squad.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi revealed that he has been in contact with Curry to show his support in response to the online witch-hunt to which the Sale flanker has been subjected.
“I have spoken to him, I sent him a message. He is someone I respect,” Kolisi said.
“We can take it as players, when it comes to you it’s fine, but when families are involved it’s different. I have let him know we are supporting him, we are thinking of him.”
Matt O’Riley feels Celtic can make further strides in the Champions League with better game management.
Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a blistering first-half display against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and deservedly led 2-1 at the interval.
Midfielder O’Riley was at the heart of the action with an excellent exchange of one-touch passes to set up Kyogo Furuhashi’s opener and Celtic attacked with pace and purpose throughout the opening 45 minutes.
They were pegged back eight minutes into the second half by Alvara Morata’s header and could not quite replicate the tempo of their attacking play, which Atletico boss Diego Simeone admitted his side had struggled to deal with in the opening period.
A 2-2 draw gave Celtic their first point of the Group E campaign and fuelled belief within the squad.
O’Riley said: “Lots of positives, a very good performance for the most part. We lost a bit of control at times, especially at the start of the second half, but overall it was a good performance and very good goals against a defensive team.
“We were a bit disappointed not to get three points but a point on the board is a step in the right direction, so I think there is a lot to look forward to.”
The Denmark Under-21 international felt they could have calmed the game down themselves after the break to deny Atletico a way back in.
“It’s not necessarily sustaining that level, it’s managing the game in different ways,” he said.
“There were times, especially at the start of the second half, where we could have managed it a lot better in terms of slowing the game down, pulling a few guys under the ball and just keeping the ball for a bit.
“I know, naturally, you are at home and the crowd wants you to play quickly all the time but there are times when you’ve just got to slow it down and I think that’s something we will get better at.”
Feyenoord’s win over Lazio sent them top of the group on six points and Celtic will need to take points from away games in Rome and the Spanish capital to keep their hopes of qualification alive before the Dutch champions visit Glasgow in December.
Captain Callum McGregor said: “That’s the challenge now. We’ve got our point on the board, we obviously need more to get out the group but this should give us the belief that, if you look after the ball and play together as 11, there’s no reason why you can’t go there and get something out the game.
“If we want to qualify then the next two games are vital.
“Now we have played the three teams, there’s nothing to suggest we can’t have a strong second half to the campaign.”
Inter Milan president Steven Zhang believes the club have established themselves among Europe’s elite again and is targeting a 20th Serie A title this season.
The Nerazzurri reached the final of the Champions League last season, losing 1-0 to Manchester City in Instanbul, finished third in the league and won the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup.
Simone Inzaghi’s side have started this season in fine form, sitting top of Serie A and unbeaten after three Champions League games.
“We are here to take stock of the 2022/23 season together,” Zhang said at Inter’s shareholders’ meeting.
“Obviously this takes us back to those thrilling nights that led us all the way to the Champions League final in Istanbul – Inter back at the top, starring on the most prestigious stage in the world.
“We came close to a feat that everyone deemed impossible, competing with the best in the world showing that our team can match any opponent.”
Zhang admits Italian clubs are facing challenges from abroad, including a new threat from the Saudi Pro League, but is confident that they are on the right path to achieve more success.
The 31-year-old also has his sights on adding a second star to the shirt by winning their 20th Scudetto – Italian clubs get one star for every 10 league titles they have won.
“This season we have also realised that our ambition does not stop here. The path we must take together lies before us,” Zhang added.
“Spring 2023 saw three Italian teams competing in European finals, giving rise to the ‘Calcio is Back!’ slogan. Italian football clubs have immense potential, and every effort is required to realise this.
“We are facing strong competition from old and new rivals alike. We have to deal with the sudden growth of the Saudi Pro League and at the same time manage financial competition with big European leagues, such as the English Premier League.
“I am proud to have steered Inter in a positive direction together with all our staff and players. Inter is now once again one of the top clubs in Europe representing of millions of people around the world.
“Winning is always our priority. We will fight to earn that second star for our fans and to enter into the history books of this club forever.”
Cyclist Dahlia Palmer won Jamaica’s first medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Wednesday when she placed third in the final of the Women’s Keirin.
Palmer, who has been at loggerheads with the Jamaica Cycling Federation over a ban imposed on her coach, Robert Farrier, produced a strong performance which saw her finish 0.286s behind gold medallist Martha Bayona Pineda of Colombia.
Mexico’s Daniela Gaxiola Gonzales Luz won the silver medal.
In September, lawyers of New City Chambers, representing Palmer issued a final written warning to the Jamaican Cycling Federation. The letter threatened legal action against the federation unless they reconsider their suspension of Ms. Palmer's coach, Mr. Robert Farrier, and permit his attendance at the 2023 Pan Am Games and future events.
It is unclear whether the matter has been resolved.
Asking a footballer who is addicted to gambling to play in stadiums plastered in betting logos is akin to making an alcoholic work in a pub, campaigners have said.
The Big Step campaign, part of the Gambling With Lives charity, has said Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali deserves “empathy and support” for his gambling rather than a 10-month ban.
Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina said on Thursday the 23-year-old had been suspended for 10 months and ordered to undertake a further eight-month rehabilitation programme, according to reports in Italy.
The player’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, has said his client is living with a gambling addiction. The PFA is understood to be working with and continuing to support Tonali.
“Footballers are human and if they are suffering from addiction they deserve empathy and support, not lengthy bans,” the Big Step said in a statement issued to the PA news agency.
“Every football game is wall-to-wall with gambling ads, not just across shirts but around stadiums and related media content.
“Sending someone addicted to gambling into this environment is like sending an alcoholic to work in a pub. If you force young footballers to endorse addictive products then don’t be surprised if they use them.
“Ending all gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, including all parts of the shirt and in every stadium, will help to prevent harm to those on and off the pitch.”
Gravina told reporters: “An agreement has been reached between the federal prosecutor and Sandro Tonali.
“The plea agreement is for 18 months, of which eight months is for rehabilitation, which involves therapeutic activity and making at least 16 public appearances.
“The rules call for a certain number of years of suspension, but the plea bargain and extenuating circumstances have been taken into consideration and the players’ collaboration went above and beyond, therefore we must continue to respect the rules we have established for ourselves.”
Tonali was one of several players named in the FIGC’s investigation, which also saw Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli banned for seven months.
The prospect of Super League rugby returning to Wales has been made more distant under IMG’s new grading system, according to the chief executive of the only remaining senior club in the country.
North Wales Crusaders ranked rock-bottom of the 35-strong list of senior clubs which will be used to determine the make-up of the top-flight from the 2025 season onwards, scoring just 5.07 points from a possible 25.
In common with a number of others, Andy Moulsdale believes the ranking is not a “fair reflection” of the progress made by his club, who only missed out on promotion to the Championship last season when they lost the League One play-off final to Doncaster.
It also paints a bleak picture for prospective expansion, with Wales’ only other senior club, West Wales Raiders, withdrawing from the league after the 2022 season, and no Welsh club having featured in the top two divisions of the domestic game for almost a decade.
Moulsdale told the PA news agency: “We all know what we’ve got to work towards and I’m the first to admit there are certainly some pillars we need to improve on, but some of it doesn’t add up.
“For what we’ve given back to the sport, I don’t think it’s a fair reflection. We reached the final last season and finished third in the two years previously. We’ve also set up a foundation that runs a women’s and three wheelchair teams.
“These gradings make it increasingly harder for League One teams to reach Super League. We’re the only professional club in Wales and our short-term goal is to keep a Welsh team going, and start to make progress rather than just existing.”
Super League arrived in Wales in 2009 when Celtic Crusaders, effectively the existing club’s previous incarnation, were granted a top-flight licence and lasted three seasons – the latter two as simply Crusaders – before falling into financial problems and failing to re-apply for a licence in 2012.
North Wales have since made quiet progress at the third-tier level, but the stark reality of elevating teams from expansion areas has been made plain by the rankings, which were ostensibly set up, at least in part, to encourage just that.
London Broncos languish in 24th place and face the prospect of a single top-flight campaign irrespective of their on-pitch performances next season, while Midlands Hurricanes and Cornwall occupy the two places immediately above North Wales.
“There’s no doubt it makes things more difficult for us,” added Moulsdale. “The scoring is inevitably weighted towards Super League clubs, because finances and fandom are obviously going to be bigger if you’re in the top division.
“We’ve lost the likes of West Wales and London Skolars in recent seasons, and unless you have someone who can come straight in and invest a lot of money, the prospects (for expansion teams) are extremely tough.”
Moulsdale is one of a number of chiefs who believe their clubs were incorrectly graded, and that their true score could have helped them at least avoid the negative connotations of being in bottom place.
But he conceded: “The IMG gradings make you take a step back and realise it’s not all about what happens on the pitch any more. Whether you agree with it or not, that’s the way it is, and we just have to try to improve in any way we can.”
Seamus Mullins has an eye on the big fences at Aintree for his Grimthorpe Chase winner Moroder.
The nine-year-old is a seven-time winner and ended last season on a high when very nearly landing a valuable staying handicap double.
A tough winner of the Grimthorpe at Doncaster in March, the gelding then contested the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and was beaten only by Christian Williams’ Kitty’s Light.
That performance, and subsequent handicap adjustments, have left the bay on a career-high mark of 140 coming into his seasonal debut in the Norman Court Stud Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Sunday.
Mullins expects the horse to come on for the run, which is likely to pave the way to the Becher Chase at Aintree in December and could in turn lead him back to Liverpool for the Grand National in spring.
“He’s very well, he’s had a good summer. He’s a horse who always needs the run because he’s a big, heavy horse so whatever he does on Sunday he will benefit from,” Mullins said.
“We have one eye on the Becher as his autumn target, he is in the race at Newbury (the Coral Gold Cup) and if he went really well on Sunday then we’d have a look at that.
“We’ve really an eye on Aintree in April, so we’ll plan his autumn campaign around the Becher Chase and see how he takes the National fences at Aintree.
“If he ran well there then we might consider the National, it’s early days and he’d have to improve with the new National structure as off of 140 he mightn’t even get in.
“He’ll have to improve again but then he’s entitled to.
“He went and won the Grimthorpe and then went to Sandown where he ran one hell of a race and was just unfortunately chinned by the Christian Williams horse.
“Hopefully he’ll have a clear run this year and we can have a full campaign with him. He’ll go and blow away the cobwebs at Wincanton and we’ll see from there.
“The most likely place he’d end up going would be Aintree for the Becher, then we’ll plan his campaign around that.”
Former England captain Michael Atherton said the current one-day side could be “at the end of the cycle” after another poor batting display at the World Cup.
England won the toss and elected to bat in a must-win group game against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, but collapsed to 156 all out with nearly seven overs remaining.
Jos Buttler’s side never looked capable of mounting an imposing target despite Moeen Ali’s pre-match assertion that England would play aggressive cricket with no fear.
Sky Sports pundit Atherton said: “It’s all very saying what you want to do when you’re struggling and down on confidence, it’s not always easy to put those fine words and aspirations into practice.
“We’ve all been there in teams that are low on confidence and are struggling. No team has a divine right to be at the top of its game all the time.”
Ben Stokes (43) and openers Jonny Bairstow (30) and Dawid Malan (28) were the only batters to make any impression as wickets fell at regular intervals against a Sri Lanka side who had also won only one of their first four matches.
Atherton added: “We’ve looked at the factors over the last five games of this competition, but if you look a bit deeper you could argue this is a team at the end of the cycle.
“You could argue that the lack of 50-over cricket and the lack of England’s ability to put what they consider to be their best one-day team in 50-over cricket has camouflaged some of the weaknesses and decline that we’ve seen.
“It’s all come together in the performances we’ve seen in Mumbai over the last couple of days and this one here in Bengaluru today.”
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