Inquisitively showcased his sprinting potential to claim the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes in impressive fashion.
The youngster caught the eye when trained by Ollie Sangster in the early stages of his career, placing in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, but has taken his form to the next level since switching to Kevin Philippart De Foy in Newmarket.
An impressive winner of a Listed race at York during the Ebor Festival, he took the step up to Group Three company in his stride and the 100-30 second favourite displayed plenty of speed from the start as he made all in good style in the hands of William Buick.
It is the biggest success of Philippart De Foy’s training career so far and his exciting speedster is now a 16-1 chance from 20s with Coral for next year’s Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
The handler admitted the soft conditions were something of a question mark before the race.
He said: “I wasn’t that confident beforehand (because of the ground), but he’s a very tough horse and very professional. He took the lead and grabbed the race from the get-go.
“I think he’s a five-furlong horse. We’ll probably have to try him over six later down the line, but he’s got bags of speed and jumps so well. He relaxes very well in his races, but to me he is a five-furlong horse.
“We’ve had a couple of Listed winners, but I wanted a Group winner and I was very keen to do it with a two-year-old. It’s job done and the next step is to try to get a Group Two or a Group One winner.”
Inquisitively changed hands before his York win and Philippart De Foy is unsure on future plans.
He added: “For the time being he is staying here. He was sold to go to Hong Kong, but I asked if I could run him at York and we decided to go for one more today. I’ll have to speak to the owner, it’s a question mark, but I would love to keep him.
“We’ve got a question mark on the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint), but it’s a long way out and we’ll have to talk about it and see. We’ll discuss it, it’s not off the table.”
Paddy Power offer 8-1 about his chance in America.
William Haggas worked his Qipco Champion Stakes contenders My Prospero and Dubai Honour prior to racing at Newmarket on Friday, although the latter is not yet certain to line up at Ascot on Saturday week.
My Prospero was beaten half a length into third place on British Champions Day last season and will head back to Berkshire off the back of a confidence-boosting Listed success at Goodwood last month.
Dubai Honour, sixth in last year’s Champion Stakes and second in 2021, won successive Group One prizes in Australia earlier this term, but has not been seen in competitive action since finishing last of four in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in early July.
With Tom Marquand aboard, the five-year-old finished just ahead the Michael Hills-ridden My Prospero in their Rowley Mile gallop and Haggas expressed his satisfaction with both horses – but plans for Dubai Honour remain up in the air.
“I was pleased with that. Dubai Honour may go for the Premio Roma (October 29), we’ll see how he comes out of this. My Prospero will go to Ascot,” he said.
“Dubai Honour is a nice horse, he’s just taken a bit of time to come to himself. It was always the plan to give him a break after the Eclipse – he was in the field the day after.
“He needed that today and it’s only eight days until Ascot, which is not very long. I haven’t got much time to give him another (piece of work) and I’m not going to give him another.
“We’ll see how he comes out of this. The timing is very good for the Premio Roma, but the Champion Stakes is the Champion Stakes.
“Australia is very much the plan for him again next year, all being well.”
The Newmarket handler raised the possibility of My Prospero being fitted with headgear next weekend, adding: “He needs racing and we might put something on him, maybe a tongue-tie or a pair of blinkers – I don’t think he’s giving us everything.
“We’ve found him quite frustrating, but he’s a really good horse and we just need to do something to find that half a length or so.”
Haggas confirmed Sense Of Duty will be part of his Champions Day squad, with the daughter of Showcasing expected to strip fitter for her recent comeback run at Newbury ahead of the Qipco British Champions Sprint.
Following her Group One breakthrough in the Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend, Sea Silk Road could contest the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, provided conditions are not deemed too testing.
A defence of the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal could be next on the agenda for Envoi Allen following an underwhelming reappearance at Gowran Park last month.
A three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, having won the 2019 Champion Bumper, the 2020 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and last season’s Ryanair Chase, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding is clearly a top-class operator, but has become increasingly difficult to predict over the past couple of years.
The nine-year-old made a successful start to last season at Down Royal, one of eight Grade One victories on his CV, but is set to return to Northern Ireland on another recovery mission having been beaten into third behind Easy Game in the PWC Champion Chase a couple of weeks ago.
“He was a bit rusty (at Gowran) and as we know with Envoi, he can occasionally throw in a disappointing run and then he comes back and shows us how good he is,” said Cheveley Park director Richard Thompson.
“He won two Grade Ones last season and you’d very much hope he’ll come on for that last run. It was a bit disappointing, but he’s given us eight Grade One wins and is a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, so he’s been a marvellous horse to own and owes us nothing.
“I think that’s where he’ll probably go next (Down Royal), he seemed to enjoy that last year.”
Another Cheveley Park star with a point to prove this term is Envoi Allen’s stablemate A Plus Tard.
The nine-year-old was a sensational winner of the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup for Henry de Bromhead, but a listless display when bidding for back-to-back victories in last season’s Betfair Chase set the tone for a bitterly disappointing campaign.
He was pulled up again in the Gold Cup in March and while a third-placed finish behind Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl was a small step in the right direction, Thompson admits only time will tell whether he can return to his brilliant best.
He added: “He obviously had some issues last season and it didn’t go according to plan. He’s had some work done on him over the summer, I won’t go into specifics as I won’t be able to be technical about it.
“We’ll have to give him a run and see where he’s at, because although we had excuses in the Gold Cup, where he was impeded, and we had the issue before he was due to run in the Savills Chase and his bloods were wrong after the Betfair Chase, he was a tired horse after he ran at Aintree.
“We need to make sure he’s in good shape when he comes out for his first run and take it from there in terms of what sort of campaign he’ll have. We need to see how he runs first time out.”
Allaho, a dual winner of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham for Willie Mullins, has been sidelined by injury since a dominant success in the 2022 Punchestown Gold Cup – but appears to be on the comeback trail.
“All is good with him, as far as I’m aware,” said Thompson.
“I can’t give you any recent details because we’re waiting for Willie to give his view on the programme and I haven’t heard any word recently.”
Ireland face New Zealand in Paris seeking to reach a maiden semi-final at the Rugby World Cup.
Andy Farrell’s men go into Saturday’s last-eight clash on a remarkable 17-match winning run but face a formidable challenge in the form of the three-time world champions.
Here, the PA news agency highlights some of the major talking points.
Banishing the quarter-final curse
Ireland have topped the world rankings for 15 months and are favourites for the mouth-watering Stade de France showdown. Yet the Irish have never won a World Cup knockout match. Seven times previously they have reached the last eight of the tournament and seven times they have been sent home. The last of those early exits came at the hands of the All Blacks four years ago. Ireland have improved markedly since then and have far greater mental resolve. Farrell’s in-form side will equal the record for consecutive Test wins by a tier one nation (18) by banishing the quarter-final curse. However, standing in their way is one of the toughest challenges in world rugby.
All Blacks out for revenge
Ireland had to wait 111 years for a first Test win over New Zealand. But, having done so in memorable fashion in Chicago seven years ago, the Irish now hold the upper hand in terms of recent meetings. Farrell masterminded a stunning 2-1 tour success over the All Blacks last summer and the stage is set for another unforgettable encounter. New Zealand are not used to losing on home soil and will be out for revenge. Kiwi full-back Beauden Barrett said: “There are a lot of us who are pretty keen to get one up on them and still we’re hurting from what happened last year.” Ireland’s quest will be aided by the backing of tens of thousands of travelling fans.
About Schmidt
An intriguing sub-plot is the presence of former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt in the Kiwi camp. The 58-year-old led Ireland into the last two World Cups before joining his native country’s coaching team last summer after his six-year tenure was emphatically ended by the All Blacks in Tokyo in 2019. New Zealand coach Ian Foster outlined plans to tap into Schmidt’s extensive knowledge of the Irish. Yet veteran Ireland wing Keith Earls played down the merits of doing so, saying: “We genuinely don’t use any of the habits that Joe taught us.”
Return of the Mack
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Ireland were nursing a few concerning injury issues following a bruising Pool B finale against Scotland. Yet head coach Farrell has been able to name an unchanged starting XV. Mack Hansen looked to be a major doubt after sitting out training early in the week but took part in Friday’s captain’s run with a heavily-strapped right calf. Fellow wing James Lowe (eye) has also been passed fit. Only lock James Ryan, who sustained a wrist issue against the Scots, is missing from arguably Ireland’s strongest line-up. Lowe, meanwhile, is one of three New Zealand-born players in Ireland’s team, in addition to centre Bundee Aki and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
Disciplinary disruption
New Zealand’s preparations have been disrupted by a disciplinary storm in the build-up to the clash. Star wing Mark Telea misses out after being dropped due to a breach of team protocol. Foster insisted the issue was “nothing major” but still felt compelled to punish a player whose emergence on the international scene has been central to the All Blacks’ improvement since their series defeat to Ireland last July. Telea, who is believed to have broken a curfew, has three tries in the tournament, including a double in the opening-night defeat to hosts France. Leicester Fainga’anuku is the man to benefit after claiming a hat-trick in the Pool A thrashing of Uruguay.
A rabbi working on a Football Association faith group has resigned over the governing body’s response to the Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens last weekend.
Alex Goldberg wrote to the FA to say he was “profoundly disappointed” that there were no plans for a specific tribute to the victims of those attacks.
He said the decision not to light up the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag ahead of the friendly between England and Australia on Friday night had been “received badly” and also questioned the decision not to permit the flags of any nation to be brought into Wembley besides those of England and Australia.
“Many see the statement only to permit flags and representations of the competing nations as eradicating Jewish symbols and it has compounded grievances with the gravity of the recent events, but also inadvertently neglects the security and emotional well-being of Jewish fans who may be in attendance,” he wrote in a letter published by the Jewish News.
The FA responded to Rabbi Goldberg’s letter by saying: “We are sorry to hear of Rabbi Alex’s decision to resign from his role in our Faith in Football group.
“Although this is an informal group that is not part of the FA’s governance structure, we are grateful for the support he has provided over the years. It is also important to clarify that our decision not to allow Israeli or Palestine flags into Wembley Stadium was made at the direct request of senior members of the Jewish community.”
The FA announced plans on Thursday for players to wear black armbands and for those inside the stadium to observe a period of silence “to remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine”.
The decision not to light up the arch in Israeli colours was even criticised by the Cabinet minister responsible for sport, Lucy Frazer, in a social media post on Thursday.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism has called on the FA and the Premier League to also specifically condemn the Hamas attacks.
In a letter from the CAA’s chief executive Gideon Falter to his counterparts at the FA and the Premier League on Friday, he wrote: “To decline to illuminate the stadium for fear of backlash is cowardly.
“It broadcasts to terrorists that their objective – to stoke terror – has succeeded.
“To prohibit the flying of Israeli flags by fans in solidarity with the victims is an abomination. To put out a pitiful statement, as the FA has done, lamenting the ‘devastating events’ without having the integrity to name the cause – as if the deaths came about from a tragic natural disaster – is insulting.
“As if in some dramatic restatement of its values, the FA says that it ‘stands for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering’. Prove it.
“From our vantage point, it does not appear that the FA is standing at all: it is sitting on its hands.
“It is time for the FA and the Premier League to condemn the Hamas terrorist attacks explicitly and without reservation, and light up the stadium to broadcast that Jewish victims deserve the same treatment as others.
“I do not need a response to this letter. I will simply observe Wembley Stadium tonight and I will know whether you stand with Jews or not.”
Caelan Doris says attempting to send Johnny Sexton into retirement as a world champion is adding to Ireland’s motivation ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final against New Zealand.
Influential captain Sexton is due to call time on his distinguished career following the Rugby World Cup in France, meaning any match now could be his last.
The 38-year-old fly-half used his personal situation to help fire up his team ahead of last weekend’s pivotal Pool B win over Scotland in Paris.
Ireland are back at Stade de France for a quarter-final showdown with the All Blacks on Saturday evening and number eight Doris acknowledges ‘doing it for Johnny’ is part of the squad’s thinking.
“Yeah, it is,” said the 25-year-old, who was sitting alongside Leinster team-mate Dan Sheehan.
“Even last week, building into Scotland, there was a chance that could be his last ever game, he said that to us as a group. And what an unbelievable player and leader he’s been for Ireland for so many years.
“I think all the players will agree that the standards he sets raise everyone else’s game and he’s almost like having another coach on the pitch.
“He seems to have a bird’s-eye view, he seems to see everything regardless of where you were and catches any mistake.
“You can’t get away with anything with him around, which is obviously a good thing for the most part, except when he’s shouting at you for those few seconds.
“He definitely brings us to another level.
“The way he prepares for a game, he absolutely loves the game and puts everything into it, he’s the utmost professional and he’s been a great role model for the two of us.”
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Ireland have won three of four meetings with New Zealand during the reign of head coach Andy Farrell, including last summer’s historic 2-1 tour success.
However, the Irish were thrashed 46-14 by the All Blacks at the same stage of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
With plenty on the line this weekend, suggestions of a spying scandal were downplayed after a photographer, who has been working on behalf of the Irish Rugby Football Union, attended a New Zealand training session open to members of the media.
Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt was unaware of the incident on Thursday when questioned, before World Rugby’s media operations manager Greg Thomas cut in.
“The rules say yes (it is allowed), as long as they’re standing with the rest of the photographers, they can,” said Thomas, who was chairing the press conference.
Mack Hansen took part in Ireland’s captain’s run in the French capital on Friday morning after sitting out training earlier in the week due to a calf issue sustained against the Scots.
Catt insists the Australia-born wing, whose right leg was heavily strapped, is fit and ready to start, while James Ryan (wrist) and Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) could return to contention at the semi-final stage.
Ireland are favourites for what is expected to be a tight and tense affair against the All Blacks.
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Catt says the team have contemplated the prospect of extra-time, which could be followed by 10 minutes of sudden death, and joked that a handful of forwards would be selected in the unlikely event of a kicking competition.
“We have spoken about it,” he said. “The players know who they are: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne! They’ve definitely put in an extra couple hours of kicking!
“It’s one of those that players are aware of it. It’s a long way to get to that situation.
“You’d like to think in the golden point (sudden death) in 10 minutes one side would take their opportunity and take points.
“The players who are on the pitch know who they are and fingers crossed we put them through the middle.”
Warren Gatland says it would be “a huge achievement” if Wales reach their third Rugby World Cup semi-final in the last four tournaments by beating Argentina on Saturday.
Gatland’s team face the Pumas in Marseille after dominating a pool that some thought they might not qualify from following a dismal Six Nations campaign last season.
Four successive wins and 19 points collected saw them leave sides like Fiji and Australia in their slipstream to set up the Pumas clash at Stade Velodrome.
“It would be our third semi-final, and then in 2015 we were leading South Africa for 75 minutes (in the quarter-finals) and conceded at the end,” Gatland said. “Reflecting on that, we would be pretty proud.
“I have always spoken about how much I have enjoyed the World Cup preparations.
“It is the only time you get to feel like you are a club side in getting that detail done. You feel like you have made a huge amount of progress.
“After all the challenges during the Six Nations, with the potential (player) strike and the contracts and the money with the Union (Welsh Rugby Union) and regions, as coaches we would joke about what would happen next, what would be the next thing thrown at us?.
“I definitely think there has been a line in the sand drawn under that. If we can make the semi-final it would be a huge achievement for this group of players and coaches, who have done a great job, and the back-room staff have been outstanding.
“I know there are some people and some teams out there who won’t want to face a Wales team when they start playing with confidence and when we start having momentum.
“That is when we are at our most dangerous. We are starting to look that way at the moment.”
Wales have not met Argentina in the World Cup for 24 years, but their recent form against them is impressive, having lost just two of the last 11 Tests.
And while Wales sailed through their group, Argentina lost to 14-man England, unconvincingly beat Samoa and then defeated Japan in what was a quarter-final eliminator.
Gatland added: “We are expecting them to come really hard at us. I don’t think anything changes, and the players are well aware of that.
“We talk about being on the edge mentally and you can’t be there at the top of that every single week, so it is how close you can get to it.
“We’ve had a couple of games already where we feel we have been really on the edge in a positive way, and a couple of games where we have been off two or three per cent, so it is how close you can get to that 100 per cent mental peak.
“I am expecting that will be right up there from that physical challenge that will come at us.”
Wales show one change from the side that beat Fiji and Australia, with Tommy Reffell called up to the back-row and Aaron Wainwright switching from blindside flanker to number eight instead of broken arm victim Taulupe Faletau.
Centre George North, meanwhile, will become the first Wales player to feature in four World Cup quarter-finals.
“It is an unbelievable achievement, especially when you realise it after how much hard work all of the boys in every team have to do for a World Cup – it is years in the undertaking,” North’s midfield partner, Nick Tompkins, said.
“So, for him to do it four times is pretty impressive. I am not sure I would be able to do that.
“It speaks volumes for the determination and kind of bloke he is. He is on the best form he has been on for a long, long time.”
Despite being waived from the Charlotte Hornets' roster, Bahamian player Kai Jones seems unperturbed by the move, as he broke his silence following the announcement by the team’s President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Wednesday.
Jones, in a X, formerly Twitter, post stated that: “I used to pray for times like dis #GOATLIFE.”
The player had a series of bizarre videos and postings on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram Live, where he was critical of teammates and declared himself the GOAT (Greatest Of All-Time). All of that led to a non-invitation to the Hornets training camp prior to the start of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) preseason.
By all indications, leaving the Hornets was what the young center seemingly wanted, as he requested a trade from the team following the suspension, and Charlotte took it seriously with their latest decision.
However, the public request for a trade could cost Jones up to US$150,000.
According to the NBA’s and National Basketball Players Association’s (NBPA) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with respect to trades, any player who publicly expresses a desire to be traded to another team shall be subject to a fine and/or a suspension. Section 18 of the CBA further states that the maximum fine that may be imposed by the NBA on a player pursuant to the foregoing shall be $150,000.
Jones, who was the Hornets' 19th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, signed a four-year deal worth over $13 million, and was in the third year of that deal up to his release on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Jones, according to reports, will still earn just over $3 million this season.
Jones was unable to get a consistent role with the Hornets and averaged just 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in two seasons and 67 games he with the team. He also averaged just 9.1 minutes per outing, though his playing time went up from three minutes in his rookie season to 12 in his sophomore year.
On the international scene, Jones was instrumental for Bahamas in the second round of the FIBA World Cup Americas Qualifiers last summer. In two games against Venezuela and Argentina, Jones averaged 18 points and added eight rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals per game.
But uncertainty now surrounds his career, as it is left to be seen if he will be picked up by another team in the league.
Captain Antoine Dupont has declared himself “fully ready” to lead France in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against South Africa as he prepares to return to the starting XV just over three weeks after a broken cheekbone had him fearing his involvement in the tournament was over.
The 2021 world player of the year underwent surgery after going off injured following a head-on-head tackle from Namibia captain Johan Deysel in Les Bleus’ third pool match in Marseille on September 21, leaving the host nation fretting about their talisman’s availability for the remainder of the competition.
After resuming full training this week, Dupont has satisfied medics and coaching staff that he is ready to start Sunday’s box-office Stade de France showdown with the world champions.
“I feel very well,” said the 26-year-old scrum-half, speaking at Les Bleus’ team announcement press conference at Roland Garros on Friday.
“At the time, I didn’t know how serious the injury was so I thought the competition was over for me.
“I had to wait to get my hope back. I was lucky enough to have several weeks to rejuvenate and repair and have a full training week with the group.
“Today I am fully capable to be ready for this game on Sunday.”
Dupont admitted coming through training unscathed this week was a big thing for his mindset as he dismissed any suggestion that he has been rushed back into action ahead of schedule.
“It was quite progressive,” he said of his return to play. “I started low-intensity running and went up and up – and the same with contact. I started in the middle of last week.
“This week I was able to train fully and get back into game and contact situations which enabled me to get my confidence back.
“I’m fully ready and fit and had no pains. It was important to validate each stage of my recovery.
“I didn’t feel any pressure from the staff. It all happened quite naturally.
“I have the surgeon’s approval. Nothing was forced. We have all been working for four years to get to this stage so not to play with the handbrake on is the main thing.
“I knew if I wasn’t able to play, I would be replaced.”
Dupont has been experimenting with various forms of facial protection since his injury and he confirmed on Friday that he would wear a scrum cap against South Africa.
“It’s the surgeon’s wish, he suggested it,” said the captain. “Actually, he more than suggested it! I tested a scrum cap this week and it doesn’t bother my vision so I will be wearing it.”
Dupont has no concerns about returning to action against arguably the most physical nation on the planet.
“In these games there will always be a little bit of pain either physically or mentally,” he said. “Every time we play against big nations and when the stakes are high, they are always hard and physical.
“We need to be ready to suffer. We have high goals. We know it will be very hard and if we’re not ready for that, then I don’t think we’re ready for where we want to get to.”
Head coach Fabien Galthie was content that Dupont was fit enough to play.
“We treated the subject in a very relaxed way,” he said. “We were comfortable because we had some time and never pushed things. We took things step by step. Antoine has had time to recuperate.”
France have not lost on home soil since Scotland defeated them in a Six Nations match behind closed doors two-and-a-half years ago. Galthie is relishing the challenge of trying to prolong that run by ending the Springboks’ defence of the Webb Ellis Cup.
“To play such an opponent, who are world champions and beat the (British and Irish) Lions, they’re a team that’s all conquering and a team that inspired us a lot,” said the head coach.
“For us, what’s at stake is to simply play rugby with pleasure as a team and with ambition. We want to meet this challenge as we always have done.”
England have rolled the dice for Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against Fiji by naming Marcus Smith at full-back in place of the jettisoned Freddie Steward.
Steward has been an automatic pick since making his Test debut in July 2021 but the high-ball master is omitted from the 23 entirely as Steve Borthwick instead opts for the greater attacking threat supplied by Smith.
It will be the converted fly-half’s second start in the number 15 jersey having starred against Chile during the group phase, but Fiji are a significant step up in opposition even if they lack a top-class kicking game.
Among Smith’s duties will be acting as a second playmaker to captain Owen Farrell, who has been picked at fly-half ahead of George Ford for England’s biggest game since the 2019 World Cup final.
It is another seismic selection call from Borthwick given that Ford was man of the match in the Pool D victories over Argentina and Japan and is the form player in the position.
The Sale ringmaster is confined to a supporting role from the bench as Borthwick delivers a show of faith in his skipper, who will be making his third appearance at the World Cup.
England and Fiji will meet for only the ninth time when they clash in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final at Stade Velodrome.
Here, the PA news agency recalls four memorable encounters between the rivals.
2023 – Twickenham: England 22 Fiji 30
England endured one of the darkest days in their history when they lost to Fiji for the first time ever in what was also their first defeat to a current tier two nation. The Islanders fully deserved their historic moment, playing smart and entertaining rugby.
2015 – Twickenham: England 35 Fiji 11
It took the determination of full-back Mike Brown, who ran in two tries, to end Fiji’s uprising before England pulled away in the final quarter. A nervy start to the home World Cup was a signpost of the calamity to come for Stuart Lancaster’s side.
1999 – Twickenham: England 45 Fiji 24
Fiji were only outscored 4-3 on the try count with the boot of Jonny Wilkinson doing most of the damage in the form of a 23-point haul. England rested some of their bigger names for this World Cup play-off and were made to work for their win.
1991 – Suva: Fiji 12 England 28
England’s second of just two visits to the Fijian capital almost finished in disaster. Will Carling was at the helm as the Red Rose entered the final quarter, deadlocked at 12-12 before rallying through tries by Rory Underwood and Rob Andrew.
Angus Gunn insists Scotland still have eyes on topping their group after the 2-0 defeat by Spain on Thursday night delayed Euro 2024 qualification.
After winning their first five qualifiers, including a 2-0 win over the Spanish at Hampden Park in March, the Scots came up short in Seville after a controversial VAR call ruled out Scott McTominay’s terrific free-kick just before the hour mark.
Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk was sent to check his pitchside monitor and he ruled an infringement by Scotland defender Jack Hendry, with some confusion as to whether it was for a foul on goalkeeper Unai Simon or offside.
Alvaro Morata headed in after 73 minutes and substitute Oihan Sancet, making his debut, added a second with four minutes or normal time remaining to leave Steve Clarke’s men three points ahead of La Roja at the top of Group A having played a game more.
Scotland face France in a friendly in Lille next Tuesday while Spain take on third-placed Norway in Oslo two days earlier and if the Norwegians drop points, Scotland’s place in Germany next summer will be secured before games away at Georgia and home to Norway in November.
Norwich keeper Gunn, 27, remains confident and he said: “We have put ourselves in an unbelievable position.
“From our point of view we have done a lot of the hard work early on in the group and we want to finish it off in the right way.
“We want to top the group as well so we have two more games and it might happen on Sunday but even if it does, we go away to Georgia and still try to win this group.
“I will probably watch it on Sunday. If it happens, it happens but we still have two more games.
“We have put ourselves in a good position and if it does happen on Sunday we deserve it.”
The Scots had put up a sturdy defensive display against this summer’s Nations League winners and it looked like they might be on their way to a smash-and-grab win when McTominay’s free-kick from near the byline flew into the net.
Gunn believes the decision to rule it out lifted the Spanish fans and gave the home side the boost to go on and clinch the three points.
He said: “We thought we went ahead and that was an unbelievable feeling at the time and it was gutting when it got chalked off.
“I thought we dealt with it quite well but I think it gave them more of a boost.
“Their crowd celebrated it like a goal and I think they got their tails up a little but which we had to deal with.
“I think we kept our emotions quite well even though there wasn’t much clarity around the decision, that was the most disappointing thing.
“But they are a top team and they went up the other end and scored and after that the momentum was with them.
“We are disappointed with the result.
“But I said, we put ourselves in the position where we are still top of the group, still looking strong and hopefully still able to qualify soon.”
England made unbeaten progress through the Rugby World Cup group stage to secure a quarter-final against Fiji at Stade Velodrome on Sunday.
It will be their ninth appearance in the knockout phase having missed out on qualification just once before and here the PA news agency examines their last five outings at this stage of the tournament.
2019: Oita, Japan – England 40 Australia 16
What should have been a major hurdle was anything but as a clueless Wallabies side lacking any discernible game plan were outscored four tries to one, with England prop Kyle Sinckler touching down in memorable fashion.
2011: Auckland, New Zealand – England 12 France 19
Martin Johnson’s England paid the price for allowing France to romp 16 points ahead and, while they fought back, it was not enough to put a World Cup beset by off-field controversy out of its misery.
2007: Marseille, France – England 12 Australia 10
Jonny Wilkinson kicked four penalties but this victory was founded on the dominance of an England scrum that ground the Wallabies into submission, placing a dismal group campaign into the rear-view mirror.
2003: Brisbane, Australia – England 28 Wales 17
England were outscored three tries to one and had to rely on Wilkinson’s boot after a daredevil Wales side had moved 10-3 ahead, threatening an upset until Sir Clive Woodward’s men staggered over the finishing line.
1999: Paris, France – England 21 South Africa 44
A freakish performance from Jannie De Beer sent England crashing to defeat after South Africa’s second-choice fly-half behind the injured Henry Honiball landed a record five drop goals in the space of 31 minutes.
Wales will target a third Rugby World Cup semi-final appearance in the last four tournaments when they tackle Argentina on Saturday.
The quarter-final clash in Marseille comes after Wales collected 19 points from a possible 20 to dominate the pool.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points heading into the game.
Wales in the driving seat
It would have been fanciful seven months ago to identify Wales as possible World Cup semi-finalists, given a miserable Six Nations campaign that saw them win one game.
Head coach Warren Gatland has turned things around, though, masterminding an unbeaten group phase that produced key victories over Fiji and Australia.
In contrast, Argentina found it tough going, losing to 14-man England before posting an unimpressive win against Samoa and then qualifying as Pool D runners-up.
It is a first World Cup meeting between Wales and the Pumas since 1999, with Gatland’s team firm favourites.
Faletau loss a huge blow
Wales’ victory over Georgia last weekend was clouded by number eight Taulupe Faletau suffering a broken arm that ruled him out of the tournament.
With 104 caps to his name and a consistent ability to hit world-class standards, his absence cannot be sugar-coated, even if Wales have enviable back-row strength.
Big players produce big performances in big games, and few Wales players have delivered such quality so regularly than Faletau during his 12-year Test career.
The shows goes on, but one of its star performers has left the stage.
Form and history favours Wales
Former Wales flanker Richard Webster once said that rugby is a sport played on grass, not paper, but form and history strongly supports a Wales victory on Saturday.
Four successive wins since losing their final World Cup warm-up match to South Africa represents a longest unbeaten run for more than two years, while Gatland has a 100 per cent record as Wales boss against the Pumas of played six, won six.
Argentina have beaten Wales only twice in the last 11 meetings, and their World Cup performances so far do not suggest an immediate turnaround in fortunes.
Biggar to boss the show?
Biggar is back at fly-half after recovering from a pectoral muscle injury suffered against Australia almost three weeks ago, with his leadership and game-management vital to Wales successfully negotiating their quarter-final hurdle.
The 33-year-old, who has won 111 caps, will retire from international rugby after the World Cup, and he is likely to be front and centre in Marseille as Wales target a triumph that would take them on the road to Paris for the tournament’s final fortnight.
His influence cannot be understated.
Jac Morgan – captain marvel
While Wales’ cap centurions like Biggar, Faletau and George North – who makes a Welsh record fourth World Cup quarter-final appearance – have all made their presence felt in France, the relatively inexperienced Morgan has also operated at an impressive level on a consistent basis.
Squad co-captain with hooker Dewi Lake, 23-year-old Morgan led Wales superbly in key pool-stage victories over Fiji and Australia, while his performances warranted the rave reviews they received.
There is a calm, quiet authority about the Ospreys flanker, who revels in Test rugby’s unforgiving and unrelenting environment.
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