Tyson Fury taunted Oleksandr Usyk before promising the unbeaten heavyweight rivals would deliver a “fight for the ages” when they clash in Riyadh on February 17.
The winner will be crowned the division’s first undisputed world champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999, with Fury’s WBC belt and the WBA, IBF and WBO titles held by Usyk at stake.
Fury enters a fight billed as ‘Ring of Fire’ on the back of last month’s fraught split decision victory over former UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou, who was making his boxing debut.
But when the pair came face to face at a press conference in central London that was given a sprinkling of stardust by the presence of Sylvester Stallone, the 35-year-old let rip.
“I’m going to bust him up. Sausage. Ugly little man. Rabbit. Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run,” Fury said.
“You know what’s coming? You’re getting smashed to pieces, sausage. You’re fighting the best British heavyweight there’s ever been.
“You’ve beaten the rest of them, but you haven’t beaten Tyson Fury, sausage.
“You can never beat me. If you beat me in your dreams you better wake up and apologise. I stole that from Muhammad Ali, I apologise.
“When you sleep at night ugly man you’re going to think of me for the next eight weeks. I’m going to punch your face in. You ugly little man.”
Fury and Usyk were being lined up to meet on December 23, only for the Briton’s difficulty in dispatching Ngannou on a controversial night in Saudi Arabia to result in a delay.
With his verbal attack on the Ukrainian over, Fury talked up the quality of a contest between two outstanding boxers who posses skill and warrior spirit in equal measure, even if he thinks Usyk will struggle because of his size.
“We’re both undefeated. He’s a champion, I’m a champion. It’s going to be a fight for the ages,” Fury said.
“It’s been 24 years since we’ve had an undisputed champion. The Klitschkos were champions for around 10 years, so there’s been 14 years when the other heavyweights couldn’t do it.
“We’ve both been chosen and there can only be one winner. I’m going to become the undisputed champion. More than that, I’m destined to cement my legacy as the number one fighter of this era.
“To do that I’ve got to beat this little man, which is easier said than done because he’s a tricky boxer, slick and all of that.
“But I’ve seen many like him before and when they fight the big men, they struggle. And he will struggle on February 17. I will break him.
“He’s a middleweight, but it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog and he’s obviously got a lot of fight in him.
“But when you meet a big man who is a lot bigger but also has the fight inside him, let’s put it in a nutshell – you’re f****d.”
Usyk is aiming to emulate Holyfield by becoming undisputed heavyweight champion having already conquered the cruiserweight division.
The London 2012 gold medallist, a southpaw technician, referenced ‘David and Goliath’ when considering the long-awaited collision, but he was largely happy to let Fury do the talking.
“I will speak in the ring. Every time Tyson Fury speaks a lot. For me it doesn’t matter,” Usyk said.
More than once Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk voiced his scepticism that the fight would actually take place, although Frank Warren pointed out that it was their camp that pulled the plug on their planned meeting last year.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc was looking forward to “a great spectacle of cricket” after his side book their spot in the World Cup final against hosts India.
Starc helped Australia conquer South Africa in the semi-final at Eden Gardens, claiming three for 34 and holding up his end in a vital partnership with captain Pat Cummins during the closing moments of a tense chase.
In the end Australia squeaked home by three wickets in a low-scoring encounter, with Starc’s new-ball burst doing a huge amount of heavy lifting.
He set the tone for the day by removing Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma in the first over, then dismissed Aiden Markram as he and Josh Hazlewood reduced their opponents to 24 for four.
The intensity is only going to be dialled up when they take on undefeated home favourites India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, with up to 100,000 locals ready to roar their nation on at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
And it is a prospect Starc is ready to embrace.
“It’s certainly going to be a big occasion, a World Cup Final in India. It’s going to be loud,” he said.
“I think it’s just going to be a great spectacle of cricket, no doubt. There’s going to be a lot of passion there. Certainly, everyone in our changing room is looking forward to it.
“I don’t think either changing room is new to big occasions. You want to take on the best and that’s why we play the game. They’ve been the best team in the tournament so far and we both find ourselves in the final. That’s what World Cups are about.”
Starc’s skipper, Cummins, was equally enthused about the prospect having been part of Australia’s last ODI world champion squad on home soil eight years ago.
“The stadium is going to be packed, pretty one-sided, but we’ve got to embrace it,” he said.
“The 2015 World Cup was a career highlight, so to be out there in a final in India, I can’t wait.”
Starc agreed with the idea that over the course of a hard-fought contest against South Africa, Australia’s victory lay in their aggression during the powerplay overs. While he and Hazlewood established a stranglehold over the batters, Travis Head and David Warner went on the attack as they raided 60 runs off the first six.
On both occasions, damage was done that could not be clawed back by the Proteas.
“We’ve seen throughout the tournament how tough the first 10 overs can be at certain times…when you’re willing to take the game on like that, sometimes you take a little bit of luck with you,” he said.
“It certainly went to plan with the ball today and the way we set up with the bat is to really be aggressive, take the game on and the freedom to give those guys to go out and play the way they like to.”
Losing coach Rob Walter gave South Africa credit for battling back into contention after their early collapse, making 212 on the back of David Miller’s 101, and insisted the age-old tag of ‘chokers’ was no longer fitting.
“It’s obviously gutting to lose a semi-final but beyond that, I’m incredibly proud of the fight shown by the lads,” he said.
“I guess you need to define what a ‘choke’ is. For me, a choke is losing a game that you’re in a position to win. In this instance, we were behind the eight ball right from the word go and we actually fought our way back into the competition and put up a score that gave us a chance.
“For me there’s nothing even remotely close to a choke that happened out there today. It’s a serious contest between two good teams, number two and three in the tournament.”
Mikel Arteta has been charged by the Football Association over comments he made after Arsenal’s defeat by Newcastle earlier this month.
The Gunners boss branded the VAR decision not to rule out Anthony Gordon’s goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park “an absolute disgrace”.
An FA statement read: “Mikel Arteta has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3.1 following comments that he made in media interviews after Arsenal’s Premier League game against Newcastle United on Saturday, November 4.
“It’s alleged that his comments constitute misconduct as they are insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bring the game into disrepute.”
VAR made a triple check to see whether the ball had gone out of play before Joe Willock’s cross, whether Joelinton had fouled Arsenal defender Gabriel and whether Gordon had been offside.
Arteta could not hide his anger after the match, saying: “You have to talk about how the hell did this goal stand up? Incredible. I feel embarrassed.
“I have to now come in here and try to defend the club and please ask for help because it’s an absolute disgrace that this goal is allowed. An absolute
disgrace.”
Arsenal issued a statement the following day saying the club “wholeheartedly” supported Arteta’s comments.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players,
coaches and supporters, all of whom deserve better,” said the statement.
“PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) urgently needs to address the standard of officiating and focus on action which moves us all on from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations and apologies.”
Arteta has until Tuesday to respond to the charge.
Lawrence Shankland headed a stoppage-time equaliser as Scotland averted more torment in Tbilisi with a 2-2 draw against Georgia.
The Hearts striker was a late call-up for the injured Che Adams and seized his chance when he headed home fellow substitute Stuart Armstrong’s cross two minutes into added time.
Scott McTominay earlier took his Euro 2024 qualifying campaign tally to seven goals when he cancelled out the first of two strikes from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Napoli winger proved a threat all night, but Scotland contributed to their own problems with a slack first 45 minutes.
McTominay drilled home from 20 yards four minutes after the restart and, after quickly falling behind again, Scotland finished strongly to prevent a fourth consecutive defeat in Clarke’s 50th game in charge.
Scotland had lost on their two previous visits to the Boris Paichadze stadium, defeats which proved very costly in otherwise promising attempts to qualify for the European Championships of 2008 and 2016.
And, while Clarke’s side had booked their trip to Germany with two games to spare, they were looking to boost their chances of sealing a place among the pot two seeds for next month’s draw.
Georgia, who had only lost four of their previous 20 games, also had plenty to play for given they will be in the play-offs in March courtesy of their Nations League performances, and a crowd of 44,595 plus some needle on the pitch gave the game a competitive edge.
With Angus Gunn injured, Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark got the nod to start ahead of Motherwell’s Liam Kelly for his competitive international debut.
Scotland started with a back four amid the absence of Kieran Tierney, while the likes of Andy Robertson, Aaron Hickey and Grant Hanley were also missing.
There were early signs that Scotland were not quite at it, from the moment Scott McKenna launched the ball out of play from the kick-off.
Ryan Christie then scuppered a promising break by delaying and then over-hitting a pass outside to Callum McGregor.
Billy Gilmour set up McTominay with a clever low corner, but the Manchester United midfielder fired over first time.
Clark made his first save 13 minutes in when he gathered Giorgi Chakvetadze’s long-range drive but he was beaten two minutes later.
Greg Taylor failed to cut out a cross-field pass and wing-back Otar Kakabadze delivered a low first-time cross which Kvaratskhelia swept inside the near post after sliding in just ahead of Ryan Porteous.
Clark soon rescued Scotland with a good parry from Levan Shengelia after a poor pass from Lyndon Dykes, who atoned by blocking the subsequent shot.
Dykes headed off target from Gilmour’s free-kick as Scotland failed to trouble the home goalkeeper in the first half.
Too many passes were going astray and Scotland struggled to produce a telling delivery from several corners and crosses from the right flank.
Half-time changes seemed inevitable and Lewis Ferguson and Kenny McLean came on for Gilmour and Christie.
McLean was soon involved in the first equaliser. The Norwich midfielder collected Taylor’s pass and set up McTominay, whose strike seemed to wrongfoot the home keeper at his near post.
Clark made another good stop to deny Shengelia, this time from a free-kick.
But Georgia kept up the pressure and Kvaratskhelia restored their lead in the 57th minute when he cut inside Nathan Patterson and drilled into the far corner.
Dykes soon thought he had levelled with a near-post header from Patterson’s corner, but Giorgi Mamardashvili produced a brilliant diving save on the line.
Scotland continued to press, although most of their efforts were coming from long range.
Ferguson saw a header saved before Shankland rose to head into the top corner.
Clark put the seal on a satisfying night when he made a near-post stop in the dying seconds.
Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal was on target as Spain moved two points clear at the top of their European Championship qualifying group with a 3-1 victory over Cyprus.
Barcelona’s Yamal was one of three scorers for the visitors in the first half-hour in Limassol, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Joselu also on target.
Spain won the reverse fixture 6-0 but, although Cyprus remain without a point in Group A, they did score the only goal of the second half through Kostas Pileas in the 75th minute.
With Scotland only drawing against Georgia, Spain can clinch top spot in the group by beating the same opponents on Sunday.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente gave another start to Yamal while Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo made his debut and Jesus Navas captained the side to mark his 50th cap.
Gavi came close to an opener in the second minute but the visitors were ahead less than five minutes in, with the ball falling to Yamal after good work from Joselu, and the teenager showing good skill before finding the bottom corner.
It was a second goal for the young Barcelona star, who also scored against Georgia earlier in the group stage.
Spain doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute, with Grimaldo playing in Oyarzabal, who finished coolly past the keeper. The flag was raised but a VAR check showed the forward had stayed onside and the goal was given.
Cyprus had a let-off when Martin Zubimendi hit a post but Spain only had to wait a couple more minutes for the third to arrive, this time Oyarzabal crossing for Joselu.
The visitors were dealt a costly blow five minutes before the break, though, when Real Sociedad’s Oyarzabal pulled up with an apparent calf injury and 23-year-old Rodrigo Riquelme came on for his debut.
David Raya in the Spain goal had had very little to do, and he dealt comfortably with a long-range effort from Grigoris Kastanos after a moment of concern.
Both teams made substitutions for the second half, with Aleix Garcia and David Garcia replacing Robin Le Normand and Mikel Merino for Spain, while Cyprus made three changes.
The two managers continued to shuffle their packs and there was little in the way of rhythm or chances until Cyprus scored just their third goal of the group stage.
Kastanos stole the ball and played a pinpoint pass behind the Spain defence for Pileas, who defeated Raya to give the fans in Limassol something to cheer.
Northern Ireland will play the penultimate match of their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign away to Finland on Friday.
On their last visit to Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium, Northern Ireland earned a point from a 1-1 draw in October 2015 to secure top spot in their group as they qualified for Euro 2016, but the context is very different this time.
Michael O’Neill’s injury-hit side have won just two of their eight Euro 2024 qualifiers so far – both against San Marino – and will be happy to see the back of this campaign after Monday’s match at home to Denmark.
Here the PA news agency looks at the key talking points ahead of Friday’s game.
The hits keep coming
Injuries have been a constant theme throughout a campaign in which Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Corry Evans and Shane Ferguson will not kick a ball.
But this week has seemed particularly cruel, with five players withdrawing – not least captain Jonny Evans and goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell – in the week since O’Neill named what was already an inexperienced squad last week.
It means 12 players are now out with injury, while Shea Charles is suspended for Friday’s match. O’Neill’s resources have never been more stretched than they are now.
Inexperience
With Paul Smyth, Paddy Lane and Brad Lyons joining Evans and Peacock-Farrell in pulling out of this trip, O’Neill has drafted in Ross McCausland, Caolan Boyd-Munce, Terry Devlin, Michael Forbes and Stephen McMullan.
All five are uncapped at senior level, while nine players in O’Neill’s squad have yet to reach double figures in caps.
Indeed, only Paddy McNair, Josh Magennis, George Saville, Jordan Thompson, Jamal Lewis and Conor Washington have more than 20 to their name. This is a very raw group.
A big opportunity for Hazard
With Peacock-Farrell out Conor Hazard is in line to start in Helsinki, the city where he enjoyed a loan spell in 2022, playing 39 games for HJK.
The 25-year-old will be up against plenty of familiar faces with four members of Finland’s squad – Arrtu Hoskonen, Pyry Peltola, Miro Tenho and Lucas Lingham – having been team-mates of his in the Finnish capital.
Hazard has made only one previous competitive appearance for Northern Ireland, last month in the 3-0 win over San Marino, although he played the full 90 minutes without needing to make a save.
But since then Hazard has lost the number one spot at Sky Bet Championship club Plymouth after Mike Cooper returned from nine months out with a ruptured ACL.
Signs of progress?
Despite everything that has gone wrong for Northern Ireland so far, O’Neill is adamant he has seen signs of progress in his side as he looks to develop young players who can spearhead future qualifying campaigns.
Players like Charles, Trai Hume and Isaac Price are starting to make their mark on this side and could now be considered contenders for regular playing time even within a fully-fit squad, while Daniel Ballard is emerging as a leader at the back.
But there is also frustration that players such as Conor Bradley, who could have really established himself over the past few months, have also been missing for most of the campaign with injury.
Saville’s big night
George Saville will take the armband for Friday’s match to mark the occasion the Millwall midfielder earns a landmark 50th cap.
The 30-year-old’s unfashionable role in midfield means has rarely been one to excite the Green and White Army during his international career, and while he may have scored a beauty against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, he is yet to break his duck for Northern Ireland.
But with seasoned internationals in desperately short supply, Saville’s experience has rarely been more important to the team.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will finally clash in Riyadh on February 17.
The heavyweight rivals were expected to meet on December 23 only for Fury’s disappointing performance in a split-decision victory over MMA star Francis Ngannou last month to force a delay.
Fury’s WBC belt and the WBA, IBF and WBO titles held by Usyk will be on the line with the winner crowned the division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000.
Wembley will remember Sir Bobby Charlton when Gareth Southgate’s England side play their first match since the 1966 World Cup winner’s death.
Heartfelt tributes have poured in since the jewel in the crown for club and country died at the age of 86 on October 21.
Charlton’s funeral was held at Manchester Cathedral on Monday and further tributes will be paid when England host Malta in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley on Friday evening.
There will be a crowd mosaic and video celebrating the Manchester United and England great’s life before a pre-match ceremony and period of applause.
Players will wear black armbands in tribute to a man who left an indelible mark on the sport.
England boss Southgate attended the funeral and last week said the Malta match would be a “celebration of life” that Charlton “absolutely deserves”.
“I think he is respected around the world and clearly our greatest ever player when you think of not only the World Cup, but also winning the European Cup and everything he did at club level,” Southgate said. “Very sad.
“We were fortunate to have met him a few times and incredibly humble, so our condolences with all his family.”
Australia will take on India in Sunday’s World Cup final after edging South Africa in a nerve-wracking semi-final at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
The five-time winners will face the all-conquering hosts in Ahmedabad following a tense three-wicket win against the Proteas, who fought back hard after a calamitous start with the bat.
Captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were the key figures in dragging Australia through, taking three wickets apiece in a pace bowling exhibition then coming together with bats in hand to negotiate a decisive eighth-wicket stand at the death.
South Africa had bossed this fixture a month ago in the group stages, winning by a huge 134-run margin, but appeared to be leaning into the reputation as knockout ‘chokers’ when they slumped to 24 for four in less than 12 overs.
A brilliant, defiant 101 from David Miller lifted the gloom and gave his side a total of 212 to bowl at before a wearing pitch offered enough encouragement to push Australia close.
Opener Travis Head carved 62 off the target at the top of the innings, but wickets fell regularly, with spin playing a major role, to leave a tricky path to the finish line.
Gerald Coetzee dismissed Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) to leave Australia relying on their lower order, with Cummins and Starc up to the mark.
They put on 22 in 46 painstaking deliveries, with Cummins dropped by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock with nine still needed before slashing the winning boundary behind point.
Australia will now head to their eighth World Cup final, looking to upset an India team with a 100 percent record at their own tournament in a repeat of the 2003 showpiece.
Two Willie Mullins-trained youngsters who both ran in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham made winning hurdling debuts at Punchestown on Thursday.
It’s For Me finished better of the pair in March when fifth to A Dream To Share and was sent of the 8-13 favourite in the hands of Paul Townend in the Ladbrokes Play ‘1-2-Free’ On Football Maiden Hurdle.
Townend’s mount was keen early and was then was hard pressed turning into the straight by Jack Kennedy on Gordon Elliott’s Caldwell Potter.
While it looked like he could have a race on his hands, he eventually pulled a length and a half clear. To give some substance to the form Henry de Bromhead’s Ascending, fifth in the Triumph Hurdle, was back in third.
“He was very keen the whole way round. He showed it in his bumpers as well and he wore a hood today,” said Townend.
“Maybe a stronger pace will help him to settle but when he got a bit of light he just ran with me. He has a huge engine to run away that far from home.
“He had a blow down the straight and picked up again so the engine is definitely there, but we’ll have to calm it a small bit. I was never going to get beaten and had the luxury of popping the last.
“He hit the line well and is another exciting one for these silks (Simon Munir and Isaac Souede).”
Loughglynn (2-5 favourite) made all under Townend in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.
He finished ninth at Cheltenham and was starting out over two miles and five furlongs but did not jump fluently at times despite winning by 10 lengths.
“He enjoyed the scenery around Punchestown and had a look at every hurdle and the big wide-open spaces,” said Townend.
“The race wasn’t that competitive, and he’ll be better when he’s concentrating on what he’s doing. When he got there, he was well able to jump but was dossing everywhere. He has loads of power and he’ll jump all right.
“He’s a stayer and is going to be chaser.”
With March next year in mind, Betfair cut It’s For Me to 16-1 from 20-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and introduced Loughglynn at 25-1 for the Albert Bartlett.
Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux made a winning start to her season in the Rhino.Bet Bud Booth Mares’ Chase at Market Rasen.
The Listed contest attracted five runners, of which she was the 5-6 favourite as a proven Graded-race performer who was set some tough assignments at the latter end of last season.
Fifth in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham and fourth in the Mildmay at Aintree, the bay made her return over three miles in Lincolnshire and was partnered by usual rider Harry Skelton.
Martin Keighley’s Found On made the running and jumped soundly in front with the favourite in her slipstream, and it was on the home turn that the market leader first began to throw down a challenge.
Initially she look set to easily pull clear, but Found On was dogged behind her and Jedd O’Keeffe’s Fairfield Ferrata did not fold readily and so Galila Des Liteaux looked grateful for the staying trip when regaining dominance late on.
“She is talented, we got the job done in the end but I think the track was probably sharp enough for her,” said the winning jockey.
“It’s a Listed race, this is where Dan wanted to come right from the end of last season. This was were we wanted to start her off, she stays really well and got the job done well at the line.
“Sean (Bowen, Found On) was going a good gallop in front, she was jumping well but it was all just happening a bit quick for her. I was mindful that I didn’t want him to have it his own way up front and then turn in and be gone on me, I knew I wouldn’t pick him up late on.
“I’ve let her pop three out, pop the second-last, I looked around and I knew I’d need a good one and she had plenty left and would keep finding for me. She was good at the last and then galloped on.
“I don’t think we’ve seen her at her best there, but she’s one that tries and that’s what you need.”
Ruth Jefferson’s Southern Babylon impressed when taking the Download The Rhino.Bet App EBF Mares’ “NH” Maiden Hurdle under Richie McLernon.
The five-year-old was second in a point-to-point before joining Jefferson’s yard and made her debut for the stable in a Sedgefield maiden in late October, finishing second over two miles and one furlong in an encouraging run.
She was stepped up to just over two and a half miles at Market Rasen and seemed to relish the trip, jumping neatly and travelling well throughout before pulling away down the home straight to cross the line two and a quarter lengths ahead.
“I wasn’t going to step her up in trip after last time but this race was here and she’s seemed to really like going further,” said Jefferson of her 4-1 scorer.
“She’s a nice, straightforward horse and she’s done that well. She didn’t do much wrong last time and came on for it.
“She’ll be versatile with her trip, I’m really pleased with her there.”
Harry Derham continued in fine form as Picks Lad (6-4 favourite) made a faultless chasing debut in the Daily Charged Up Offers At Rhino.Bet Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The gelding was making his first start for the stable after a hurdling career with Kim Bailey and was the 6-4 favourite for his first attempt around a course of fences.
Under Paul O’Brien he made the running all the way over the three miles and jumped with great fluency throughout, gaining ground at the head the field in the home straight and finding himself comfortably clear at the last.
“I’m delighted with that and most of all for the syndicate OLBG have put together, who own him,” Derham said.
“We knew he’d make a nice chaser and he’s jumped really well around there, he’s a nice horse and Paul just does so well with these novice chasers.
“We’ll plan something out for him at the end of the season and see how we go up until then.”
Norman Fletcher ran a pleasing race to land the Discover What’s Trending At Rhino.Bet Casino Maiden Hurdle for Sam and Nigel Twiston-Davies.
The four-year-old is a dual bumper winner and although he fell on his hurdling debut, he was the runner-up on his second attempt over obstacles and came into this contest the 5-6 favourite.
In a busy field of 14 he travelled well and comfortably strode to a two-and-a-quarter-length victory to get off the mark over hurdles.
Caro Des Flos went one better than his effort 12 months ago to take the Follow Us On Twitter @betrhino Handicap Chase for Julian Smith and Harry Bannister.
The 11-year-old stayed on at the front of a well strung out field of 10 and crossed the line at a canter having started as the 4-1 favourite.
Players from the Gallagher Premiership will be available for the start of the 2025 British and Lions tour and its build-up after a landmark agreement was struck between the league, the United Rugby Championship and the Lions.
As part of the arrangement, the Premiership final in June will be brought forward to enable those players involved to take a full part in the early stages of preparation for the visit to Australia.
In 2017 and 2021, clashes between the English league’s domestic showpiece and initial Lions training camps led to acrimony between the two.
Lions head coach Warren Gatland described dealing with the Premiership clubs as “a little bit like Brexit” three years ago, adding that 50-50 calls would likely go against English internationals due to their later release.
The staging of the Premiership final on the same day as the Lions’ warm-up clash with Japan in 2021 was a low point in the relationship, but they are now collaborating far more closely under the guidance of chief executives Simon Massie-Taylor and Ben Calveley.
The agreement will also result in the sharing of digital content, events and key announcements.
“We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship and want to thank them for their support in reaching this landmark agreement,” Lions boss Calveley said.
“Our relationship with the clubs – who are the guardians of all potential Lions – is critical to any success we have and we are committed to working with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship in a spirit of collaboration.”
Novak Djokovic defeated Hubert Hurkacz in his final round-robin match at the ATP Finals but must wait to see if he qualifies for the last four.
The defending champion bounced back from Tuesday’s loss to Jannik Sinner to see off Hurkacz, a replacement for the injured Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7-6 (1) 4-6 6-1.
However, by dropping a set, Djokovic put the ball in Holger Rune’s court, with the Dane now knowing that victory over Sinner on Thursday evening would send him through and eliminate the world number one.
Sinner, meanwhile, is guaranteed to become the first Italian to make the semi-finals at the prestigious tournament irrespective of the result of his final group match.
Hurkacz knew going into the match that he was not able to progress but, with 200 ranking points and more than £300,000 in prize money on the table, there was still plenty to play for.
A very tight first set went the way of Djokovic thanks to a flawless tie-break but Hurkacz, who had lost all six previous matches against the Serbian, broke serve in the fifth game of the second and held his advantage to level the match.
Djokovic dominated the decider but he is now relying on Sinner to do him a favour.
The Big Doyen attempts to continue his fine form from the summer when he heads to Cheltenham in search of ideal conditions in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle.
Peter Fahey’s six-year-old brings plenty of experience to the table and having bumped into plenty of useful operators when failing to shed his maiden status last term, has thrived over timber of late, winning two of his last three and finishing second in Listed company in his most recent outing.
His trainer is no stranger to success in this race, having sent out the 20-time winner Peregrine Run to score in 2016, and feels his charge is an improved model in his second season hurdling.
“It is a very competitive race and we are bringing him over looking for some bit nicer ground,” said Fahey.
“His experience is a big plus, he was tipping away in good maiden hurdles last year and he has come to the fore this year on nicer ground, stepping up in trip.
“He’s in good nick and he’s definitely improved a bit since we’ve stepped him up in trip. I hope he puts up a good run for the lads.”
There is further Irish representation in the race thanks to John McConnell’s hat-trick-seeking Kinbara, but the undoubted class among the opposition is Paul Nicholls’ Captain Teague, who bids to give the Ditcheat handler back-to-back victories in the Grade Two event.
The champion trainer saddled subsequent Grade One scorer Hermes Allen to strike in this contest 12 months ago and looks to have another candidate right out of the top drawer judged on Captain Teague’s Champion Bumper third and emphatic hurdles bow in the Persian War.
“He’s a class act and this race has been the plan since he made a pleasing winning debut over hurdles last month in the Grade Two Persian War at Chepstow where he jumped well, cruised to the front before the second-last and readily drew clear of some useful types,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“Captain Teague is a gorgeous, big horse and that was his first gallop on grass this season so he will have learned plenty because he was still a bit green.
“He had a nice school out on the grass earlier this week and goes to Cheltenham with a big chance.”
Joe Tizzard won the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase with Amarillo Sky last year and will attempt to repeat the dose with Triple Trade.
The seven-year-old kept on stoutly to pick up a silver medal over course and distance at the October Meeting and is just 1lb higher bidding to go one better.
“He ran a blinder last time. It was his first run of the season, he was a bit rusty for the first mile and then stayed on really well,” said Tizzard.
“In time we might step up in trip, but on this ground we’ll ride him a bit more positively and off the back of that run he has to have a lovely chance in this.
“Perhaps on spring ground we’ll step him up, but on this ground I think he’s got enough pace – I’m not worried about sticking at two (miles) for the minute, especially round Cheltenham.”
Chief among Triple Trade’s rivals could be Do You Know who drops back to the minimum distance on his second start for Lucinda Russell, while Dan Skelton’s Calico and Olly Murphy’s No Risk At All are others of note in a competitive two-mile handicap.
Gavin Cromwell claimed the opening Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in 2022 with Sweet Will and will try for a repeat with Fathom Two, while Irish handlers also have a strong hand in the concluding Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle where the Fahey-trained Showman could bring the curtain down on the opening day of the November Meeting in style.
“Showman’s last couple of runs have been pretty good,” said Fahey.
“He lost nothing in defeat the last day at Cork and I think he will run a really nice race. Hopefully he puts up a good performance for Chris (Blair, owner).”
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