Gareth Southgate says there can be no let-up after sealing early qualification for Euro 2024, telling England’s players to grab next month’s chance to impress and ensure their place as top seeds.
Having set out their stall with an impressive victory over Italy in March’s Group C opener, three further wins and an away draw against Ukraine put them within touching distance of progress.
England took their chance to qualify for an eighth straight major tournament with two games to spare on Tuesday night, coming from behind to beat holders Italy 3-1 at a sold-out Wembley.
Southgate’s Euro 2020 runners-up have silverware in their sights next summer and are waiting to find out how things will shape up in Germany at the draw in Hamburg on December 2.
But before that comes the end of qualification at home to Malta and away to North Macedonia, with the England boss calling on his players to end an unbeaten 2023 on a high.
“We can now plan,” England boss Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live after their place at Euro 2024 was mathematically secured.
“We have been planning anyway for base camps and things because I think the days are gone where we didn’t do that in case it brought bad luck.
“We decided a long time ago that you have to plan as if you’re going to be there.
“We still need to win the matches next month because I think it won’t be enough to win the group to be one of the top seeds, so we’ll need a high points tally as well.
“But also I want to see all the players again next month.
“We’re not going to flog them physically. We didn’t do that this month. We’ve looked after them. We’re dealing well with the clubs on that.
“I have to say Manchester City were brilliant with this with John Stones. We’ve managed his return to play really well and I think that’s worked for both of us.
“So we now can really start to look forward with enthusiasm for next summer, but we want to finish the year, the calendar year, well as well next month.”
Southgate pledged to again give players the chance to stake their claims for a Euros spot in November’s fixtures.
“Similar to this month, we want to give people opportunities,” Southgate said at the post-match press conference.
“We need to win two matches firstly, but there’s a chance to look at look at players again, which we need to do.”
Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen returned to the set-up in October and will be hoping to get another chance to impress, having started against Australia, with the former scoring in the 1-0 friendly win.
Levi Colwill and Eddie Nketiah are also in that boat, having made their debuts on Friday before Southgate reverted to the tried and tested against Luciano Spalletti’s revitalised Azzurri.
The England boss made a full 11 changes from the Socceroos encounter, with eight of Tuesday’s line-up having started the Euro 2020 final against Italy 27 months ago.
Skipper Harry Kane was, unsurprisingly, among them and took his record national team goal haul to 61 with his brace in the comeback triumph.
“There’s a risk we take the goals for granted,” Southgate said of the Bayern Munich sharpshooter.
“But his all-round play, his hold up play, the way physically dealt with the centre-backs, his vision, his passing – because we have had him for a while it’s easy to underestimate, but he’s a top-level player.
“He’s also now got a new experience at a different club, where he’s looking to win trophies all the time, and he’s got to win every week. (There is a) different sort of focus and pressure as the big signing there, so all of that’s good.
“I think he’s enjoying also coming back to England and mixing with the lads because he’s very close with all of the group.
“I’ve said before, our senior players set a brilliant example for the young ones.
“They provide that spirit. They’ve been through so much together and they provide us with such a brilliant platform.”
Dermot Weld looks set to make a late call on the participation of his star filly Tahiyra in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
The daughter of Siyouni has won five of her six starts to date, her only defeat coming at the hands of Mawj when beaten by half a length in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.
Tahiyra has since impressed in winning the Irish Guineas, the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and Weld is keen to pitch her in against the colts on Qipco Champions Day – but admits the prospect of running on testing conditions is a worry.
“It’s pretty clear the filly herself has progressed from each of her Group Ones wins, I’m delighted with her and we want to run – but I do have to put in the caveat that she’s shown excellent speed on fast ground,” the trainer told Sky Sports Racing.
“She’s also won on soft ground and she’s a very adaptable filly, but I do have to advise that if the ground came up very heavy, she’s not a big filly and it would cause concern.
“She’s a brilliant filly and she will handle soft ground well, but I’m concerned about the weather forecast for that part of England, especially Friday night into Saturday.
“She will definitely travel over, (but) she is racing against some of the best colts in Europe and that (ground) is a concern.”
Weld has trained a host of top-class fillies during the course of his long and illustrious career and believes Tahiyra matches up to any that have gone before her.
He added: “She’s right up there. Homeless Songs was a brilliant filly the year before when she won the Irish Guineas and Tahiyra’s half-sister Tarnawa won at the Breeders’ Cup for us.
“I don’t like comparing horses from year to year. On this year Tahiyra is a very brilliant filly.”
Should Tahiyra sidestep Ascot, she would have the option of travelling to America for the Breeders’ Cup, although Weld is refusing to look beyond the weekend at this stage.
He said: “We haven’t even discussed that because it would be wrong to do so. Let’s concentrate on Saturday and let’s hope to be there.
“Champions Day has always been a very good day for me. Fascinating Rock won the Champion Stakes, we won the fillies’ and mares’ race with Sapphire and the Long Distance Cup I’ve won a couple of times with Forgotten Rules and Rite Of Passage.
“Ascot itself as a track has been very good to me. I think I’ve trained 19 Group winners at the Royal meeting and my horses always run extremely well at Ascot.
“Tahiyra is in great form, I couldn’t be happier with the filly, her final piece of work was excellent and her graph has gone the right direction throughout the year.
“I’m just very positive of a big run for Saturday.”
England, Scotland, Spain, France, Portugal, Turkey, Belgium and Austria all secured their places at Euro 2024 in the latest round of qualifying fixtures.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what still to be resolved in November and the play-offs.
Group A
Scotland and Spain have both qualified for the finals, but top spot remains up for grabs.
Spain head to Cyprus and then host Georgia, while Scotland face a trip to Tbilisi before welcoming Norway to Hampden Park – where the Tartan Army are expected to revel in a Euro 2024 qualification party.
Georgia are set to go into the play-offs based on their Nations League ranking as a group winner.
Norway are one of several countries who will have to wait on all the other results to see if they can make the cut as one of 12 teams split through three paths.
Group B
While France have qualified automatically for the finals as group winners, the Netherlands still have work to do.
The Dutch edged past Greece with a stoppage-time penalty from captain Virgil van Dijk on Monday night – and victory over the Republic of Ireland in Amsterdam will secure a top-two finish.
Greece, though, could also still reach Euro 2024, having already been assured of a place in the play-offs.
Indeed because of UEFA’s complex weighted system based on overall Nations League rankings, the Republic are still not theoretically out of the running to be involved in the play-offs in March – and could even see their slim hopes boosted by a loss in Amsterdam on November 18 if other results also fall into place.
Group C
England’s 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night saw them qualify with two matches left.
Italy are third, but qualification remains in their own hands if they can beat North Macedonia.
The Azzurri would then edge out Ukraine to the runners-up spot should they go on to avoid defeat in the final group game between the two countries in Leverkusen on November 20.
Italy are also assured of place in the play-offs should it be needed.
Group D
Turkey have secured qualification, but the race to join them looks set to go to the wire.
Wales will if they beat Armenia in Yerevan and Croatia suffer an unexpected defeat away to Latvia.
Armenia, though, are still not out of the mix, sitting just three points behind Wales and Croatia with two games left.
Qualification could all hinge on the very last round of fixtures – which sees Wales host Turkey in Cardiff and Croatia play Armenia in Zagreb on November 21.
However, Croatia are assured of at least a play-off spot if they do not qualify automatically.
Group E
In another tight group, leaders Albania, the Czech Republic, Poland and even Moldova can all still qualify.
Albania will qualify if they avoid defeat by Moldova in their next match or if Poland – currently third and with just one game left – beat the Czechs.
An away win in Warsaw, though, would see the Czech Republic qualify if Moldova do not beat Albania.
Moldova have two games left, which they realistically would need to win to keep in the qualification mix.
Despite being bottom of the table with just one point from seven games, the Faroe Islands could yet find themselves in the play-offs depending on other results.
Group F
Austria and group leaders Belgium have both qualified.
Belgium’s game against Sweden at the King Baudouin Stadium on Monday night was abandoned at half-time after two people were shot dead in Brussels. It has yet to be confirmed whether the fixture will be replayed.
Azerbaijan are not theoretically out of play-off contention, while bottom side Estonia are the top-ranked team from Nations League Group D.
Group G
Leaders Hungary – who have Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles in the squad – missed the chance to qualify after having to recover to draw 2-2 in Lithuania.
However, a point in their next match away to Bulgaria would see them through, as would Montenegro not beating Lithuania.
Second-placed Serbia will qualify if Montenegro fail to win on November 16 or they themselves beat Bulgaria in their last game.
Bottom side Bulgaria have slim play-off hopes, but Serbia are secured a spot if they need it as one of the Nations League group winners.
Group H
Slovenia, who beat Northern Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday night, and Denmark are in the driving seat to qualify, sitting four points clear of Kazakhstan.
A win in Copenhagen for either team on November 17 would see them through, as would San Marino getting an unlikely positive result against Kazakhstan.
Finland will go into the play-offs, which is also the likely route for Kazakhstan.
Group I
Switzerland’s fightback with two late goals to draw 3-3 against Belarus left them second in the table, a point behind leaders Romania having played a game less.
Israel – assured of at least a play-off spot – are four points adrift, and have their rearranged match with the Swiss on November 15.
Switzerland will qualify if they win their next two fixtures, while Romania will if the Swiss lose in Tel Aviv and they themselves then beat Israel on November 18.
Romania are set to host Switzerland in the final round of fixtures, while Israel’s postponed match against Kosovo has still to be rescheduled.
Group J
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Portugal qualified for the finals as runaway group winners with a 100 per cent record so far through eight games.
Slovakia will also qualify with a match to spare if they avoid defeat against Iceland.
Luxembourg are five points behind, so look likely to go into the play-offs along with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
England second row Ollie Chessum insists revenge is not a motivating factor for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against South Africa.
The rivals collide for the sixth time in the tournament’s history with the most recent of those meetings taking place in Yokohama four years ago when Eddie Jones’ side were toppled 32-12 in the final.
Having demolished New Zealand a week earlier, England were expected to topple the Springboks but instead they were off the pace from the start and overwhelmed as a consequence.
There should be at least eight survivors from that starting XV who take the field for the rematch at Stade de France, but Chessum denied there was a score to be settled.
“It hasn’t been mentioned much, certainly by me anyway. I wasn’t here in 2019 so it doesn’t motivate me,” the Leicester second row said.
“We have got a new group of players now who are quite happy to leave that in the past and focus on what we can do as this new England group.”
Predictions of the semi-finals being comprised entirely of Six Nations sides have failed to materialise with England the sole European representative and the only unbeaten team left in the competition.
They face one of the great South Africa sides who have been installed as strong favourites to emulate New Zealand by winning back-to-back World Cups in the wake of their victory over France in the previous round.
Defence coach Kevin Sinfield has said that England were “in awe of the physicality they brought” against the hosts and Chessum insisted the Springboks must be matched in the forward exchanges.
“These are the games you want to be a part of – against the biggest teams on the biggest stage in the biggest competition,” Chessum said.
“They have some unbelievable players in their pack. They bring an exceptional level of physicality. It’s up to us to go out on the weekend and compete against that.
“South Africa are unbelievable across the board and we have got to be the same, if not better.
“We are definitely hoping for another step from us. That’s been the nature of the competition. Week by week we have grown as a group and got better in various aspects of our game.
“It’s important that we bring the physicality, but also the level of execution as well.”
England have a settled team and will make only minimal changes to the starting XV that overcame Fiji in the quarter-finals.
The biggest area of debate is at full-back where Steve Borthwick is weighing up the high ball and positional expertise of Freddie Steward against the cutting edge in attack provided by Marcus Smith.
Smith, a converted fly-half, has made only two starts and three replacement appearances in the position and his lack of experience could be exposed by South Africa’s accomplished kicking game.
Owen Farrell’s impressive display against Fiji appears to have brought his duel with George Ford for the number 10 jersey to a conclusion, but Kyle Sinckler could return at tighthead prop.
Autism in Racing has teamed up with the National Autistic Society to help find employment opportunities in the racing sector.
Autism-friendly racedays have been staged at a number of tracks and with the support of the Bloomfield Trust, it is hoped the collaboration will help encourage autistic people to work in the racing industry.
According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, only 29 per cent of autistic people are in any kind of employment
Bobby Beevers, founder of Autism in Racing, said: “I’m really thrilled that Autism in Racing and the National Autistic Society will partner up through their Autism at Work programme. One of our key aims is to create employment in the industry, and this a huge leap forward to support autistic individuals to find a role in racing.”
Included among the initiatives are webinars and training for those looking to employ autistic people as well as dedicated job coaches and ongoing advice.
Richmal Maybank, employer engagement manager and Autism at Work lead at the National Autistic Society added: “Employers often ask us what kind of jobs autistic people can do, whilst 68 per cent of employers worry about getting support for autistic people wrong.
“With the right support and adjustments autistic people can thrive across all types of roles and industries.
“The National Autistic Society has had previous links with the Autism in Racing team through their autism-friendly racedays and continue to work towards racecourses achieving the National Autistic Society Autism Friendly Award. This is why we are thrilled to be partnering with the racing industry to seek meaningful employment opportunities.”
Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.
The 34-year-old Australian has missed the past five races after he broke his left hand in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25.
However, the PA news agency has been told that Ricciardo, who took part in a Red Bull demonstration run in Nashville last weekend, will be back in his AlphaTauri cockpit for practice at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on Friday.
New Zealander Liam Lawson, who has impressed as Ricciardo’s stand-in, will make way.
Ricciardo was due to take part in only his third comeback race when he crashed in Zandvoort.
He was immediately taken to the medical centre before he was transported to a nearby hospital with his left arm in a sling.
A subsequent X-ray confirmed Ricciardo had sustained a break to the metacarpal on his left hand.
Ricciardo was ruled out of the race in Holland and the following rounds in Italy, Singapore, Japan and Qatar.
Ricciardo was handed a second chance by Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri following his dismissal by McLaren at the end of last season.
Despite his injury, AlphaTauri announced last month that they have retained the eight-time grand prix winner winner for 2024 alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
Phil Foden believes England are enjoying “great times” and is relishing being among a wealth of attacking options, even if they mean he is not a certain starter at Euro 2024.
The Manchester City forward started England’s 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night as the hosts secured qualification to next summer’s finals in Germany.
The Euro 2020 runners-up will no doubt be among the favourites to win the tournament after another strong showing throughout the qualifying campaign.
“These are definitely great times for England,” said Foden.
“We’ve reached a final now and we want to keep doing that. We’ve had a taste for it and we want to be in the big games and the big occasions and we’ve got experience on the pitch to do that so we are enjoying it.
“I thought it was a brilliant performance. I thought our defensive work was really good. When you come up against the likes of Italy you’ve got to defend sometimes because they have a great quality.
“We showed that throughout the game, not just attacking, but the defending side as well so I’m delighted with the result. That’s where we want to be, beating these big teams so we are really happy.”
A treble winner with City last season, Foden now has 29 senior England caps but is not an automatic starter for his country.
Boss Gareth Southgate has plenty of attacking talent at his disposal, with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who missed this international break with a foot injury, arguably ahead of Foden in the current pecking order.
“Bukayo is a quality player, every time he puts on an England shirt he is at least a seven out of 10,” Foden told BBC Radio 5Live.
“He is a fantastic player and it’s exciting, because we’ve still got big players to come back and help us as well.
“So it shows the depth of the squad and, if I’m not starting, I want to come on and try and change the game, so I’m here to help the team as best as I can.”
Liam Kelly reflected on the “best moment” of his life after eventually making his Scotland debut in the 4-1 defeat by France in Lille on Tuesday night.
The 27-year-old Motherwell goalkeeper was first called up to the senior squad four years ago and had to patiently await his chance, which came when Steve Clarke rested number one Angus Gunn and started with Kelly before bringing on Hearts keeper and fellow debutant Zander Clark at the interval.
It was a sore night for the Scots however, despite taking an early lead through Billy Gilmour’s first goal in senior football.
France defender Benjamin Pavard scored twice with headers as a star-studded home side fought back.
Skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered a fourth past Clark in the 70th minute to seal a convincing friendly win for the superior hosts.
“The best moment of your life, isn’t it?” said Kelly when asked about his first appearance for his country.
“I played for every age group with Scotland up until now and I have been in a lot of squads along with big Zander so I was just delighted to get that moment eventually.
“I’m so grateful to the manager to get that chance and I am delighted for big Zander as well because we have been in this together from the start.
“During the game you can’t think about anything else or else you get punished, so maybe now and over the next few days it will start to sink in a wee bit but yes, the best moment of your life playing for your country.
“Me and Zander have been in the squad a long time, you take any chance you can get.
“As I said I am really grateful to the manager to give me that chance.
“He didn’t have to do it, he could have played big Angus again so I am over the moon and thankful he gave me that opportunity.
“I think I done OK in the game so it all went to plan, apart from the scoreline.”
Clark, 31, was similarly delighted to make his debut as replacement for long-time buddy Kelly.
He said: “As a kid you always dream of that moment and it was a great feeling and a special occasion as well.
“I am buzzing for Liam as well, I have known him since we were kids and a lot of hard work has gone into it.
“For us to get the first on the same night is a special moment.
“It was tough, they had stars all over the place.
“But we had good spells and a great finish by Billy and it was unfortunate to come away with such a heavy defeat but pleased with the effort we put in.”
Draymond Green will miss the rest of the preseason but does have a chance of playing in the Golden State Warriors’ regular season opener against the Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors have confirmed the forward will not feature in their final two preseason games against the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs this week as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.
Golden State plays its first game of the NBA season at home against the Suns on October 24, with coach Steve Kerr saying his status for that contest is questionable, which is an upgrade to what was previously thought.
Whether the four-time NBA champion is ready to face the Suns or not, Kerr is glad Green is close to a return and will not rush him back prematurely.
"Opening night is questionable," Kerr said to 95.7 The Game.
"He’s not going to play [in preseason] this week. But he is doing really well and moving much better. He went on the trip with us over the weekend and got in some individual workouts.
"I’m not overly concerned about whether he plays opening night or the second week of the season, whenever it comes.
"It’s a long year. We just want Draymond healthy because obviously, we need him. When he’s out there, we become one of the best defenses in the league.
"I just talked to him and he felt good in his [Tuesday] workout. He's moving around, he's doing some drill work on the court and by the end of the week hopefully he is playing some 3-on-3. We'll reevaluate at that point."
Green played in 73 NBA games last season but regularly battled minor ailments, while he missed a month of the 2021-22 campaign with a back injury.
The 33-year-old agreed to a new four-year, $100 million contract with the Warriors in June.
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing are set to head into Saturday’s Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes with two chances of Ascot glory via Spycatcher and Believing.
Both are proven performers on soft ground, so there are no concerns about the rain that is forecast to fall in Berkshire this week.
Spycatcher claimed a Group Three victory at Deauville in July before going down by just a short-head to King Gold in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at elite level there the following month.
Karl Burke’s five-year-old gelding has since been a beaten favourite in the Park Stakes at Doncaster over seven furlongs but is expected to enjoy dropping back down in distance here.
“He’s had a wonderful season and I’ve spoken to Karl, who says he is in great form,” said Highclere’s managing director Harry Herbert.
“He loves this type of ground and a stiff six furlongs on soft going is very much his bag.
“It was unfortunate that he was denied a Group One win at Deauville, it really was just about who was in front on the line.
“Stepping up to seven furlongs last time didn’t work out, but Saturday should be ideal and hopefully he’ll be competitive.”
Believing has also secured a Group Three success this term, landing the Prix Texanita at Chantilly, as well as claiming Listed-class triumphs at Chelmsford and Pontefract.
The George Boughey-trained filly was last seen running a stormer at big odds in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock, coming home less than a length behind Regional when finishing third of 16.
Herbert added: “Believing has done absolutely nothing wrong all year. She ran a terrific race at Haydock and again showed just how tough she is.
“To pick up a Group Three win in France and then be placed in a Group One is a real thrill.
“She’s a daughter of Mehmas and races like him; she just really puts her head down and has a tremendous attitude.
“You never know with a filly at this time of the year, but we’ll give it a go and hope she’s got one more big run in her.”
Jude Bellingham insists there is a belief among the England camp that they can achieve “something special” at Euro 2024 as he hailed manager Gareth Southgate.
The 20-year-old midfielder has been starring for new club Real Madrid this season and was the best player on the pitch as England beat Italy 3-1 at Wembley on Tuesday night to book their spot at next summer’s European Championship.
Bellingham won a penalty which was converted by Harry Kane to draw the hosts level before driving forward to play in Marcus Rashford, whose finish turned the game in England’s favour before captain Kane added late gloss with a third.
The Euro 2020 runners-up will no doubt be among the favourites at the finals in Germany and Bellingham feels there could be a good chance to go one better than two years ago.
“As well as the young players, there’s a great mix of experience who guide us throughout the game and throughout the camps and there is a belief that we could do something special,” he said.
“But it’s all about delivering. It’s all about when the time comes, being there, being present, being ready to take on the challenge and it’s about combining all those things, our past experience and what we have in the dressing room to make sure we’re going to be successful.”
Euro 2024 will be a fourth consecutive tournament under the stewardship of Southgate, who also guided England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup before reaching the quarter-finals in Qatar last winter.
While he has yet been unable to bring in the first major silverware for the men’s national team since 1966, Bellingham believes Southgate deserves to be spoken of among the world’s elite coaches.
Asked if he should be considered alongside Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, Bellingham told beIN Sports: “100 per cent – look at his record as England manager, no-one’s done it as well as him for however many years.
“He takes the time to understand players personally and he knows what kind of things motivate them and get them going for games and I think that is what makes him so top in my opinion, he makes everyone feel so comfortable to play and it’s a pleasure for me to play under him.”
Bellingham will now turn his attention back to LaLiga and the Champions League with Real but admits he is looking forward to returning to Germany, where he previously played for Borussia Dortmund, after England got the job done on Tuesday.
“I can’t wait to go back there,” he added.
“Obviously, it’s a long season until then and it’s about building that momentum until then but you can’t take it for granted.
“There are a lot of players who don’t get to play at those kind of tournaments when their team don’t qualify and I’m sure they’d prefer to be there than sitting at home.
“So we never take it for granted. I’m really grateful that we put in a performance like that to see us through.”
Fly-half Handre Pollard says the pressure of representing South Africa at the World Cup is a privilege as he bids to inflict more misery on England.
Pollard kicked 22 points in the 2019 final to guide the Springboks to glory with a 32-12 win and still remembers the disappointment etched on the faces of Eddie Jones’ men.
The fit-again Leicester playmaker is competing with Manie Libbok to start Saturday’s Paris semi-final after initially being overlooked for his country’s squad due to a calf injury.
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Pollard expects England, now led by Jones’ successor Steve Borthwick, to take their intensity and physicality to a “whole new level” but insists the heavily-fancied reigning champions are ready for it.
“You could see on their faces four years ago the disappointment and I’ve been part of a squad that’s fallen out in a semi-final in a World Cup (in 2015) and it sits with you the rest of your life,” he said.
“There’s a lot of things you look back (on) and regret and maybe think you could have done differently, and I’m sure they will come with that mindset this weekend.
“I think they will be ruthless, I think they will take their intensity and physicality to a whole new level.
“But that being said, we’re prepared for that, we’re ready for that and we enjoy that.
“That’s always a part of the game we love and if there’s going to be beef, there’s going to be beef.
“It’s Test rugby, it’s 80 minutes and we’ve just got to go out and play the game.”
South Africa are seeking to reach their fourth World Cup final, having lifted the trophy in 1995, 2007 and 2019.
Pollard believes the Springboks’ enviable ability to deliver when it really matters can partly be attributed to adversity some players face during childhood.
“It’s just the way we’re brought up,” he said. “We love it.
“It’s not always been easy for a lot of our guys in our squad growing up so when we get to this position and get to this point where there should be a lot of pressure on us, we refer back to it a lot, this is not really pressure, this is more privilege to be a part of these occasions.
“I think our game model and the way we play the game suits World Cups pretty well. We’re comfortable in this environment.
“As a group we just enjoy it, really enjoy that pressure. We always say it’s a privilege to have this pressure on our shoulders playing for our country.”
South Africa progressed to the last four by upsetting hosts France 29-28 on Sunday.
That epic contest included Cheslin Kolbe successfully charging down a Thomas Ramos conversion and Damian Willemse calling for a scrum off a mark inside his own 22.
Earlier in the tournament, the Springboks attracted attention for a bold selection of a seven-one split of forwards and backs on their bench for the Pool B loss to Ireland.
Pollard says players fully embrace the innovative tactics cooked up by director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and head coach Jacques Nienaber.
“Nothing that they do is for no reason, it’s all thought of, it’s all tick-list planned,” he said.
“We trust them because they’ve earned our trust over the years from what they’ve done and how they’ve prepared.
“So when they come up with these ideas, there are no questions asked.
“They give us a reason why we do whatever we do and then we just back it and we’re all in and we all just trust each other, players to coaches and coaches to players.”
More than 80 per cent of EFL players feel not enough is being done to keep them safe from physical harm and discrimination on the pitch, while more than half are opposed to new rules on added time.
Over 50 per cent of the 100 players in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two surveyed by the Professional Footballers’ Association over the October international break said they had been part of a game where a pitch invasion had resulted in a player being attacked or harassed.
Under 20 per cent felt enough was being done to identify those responsible for pitch invasions, harassment of players and discriminatory chanting.
Almost 60 per cent of players said they did not support new rules on added time introduced at the start of this season.
Referees worldwide have been asked by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately measure the time lost to stoppages such as goal celebrations, injuries, substitutions and VAR checks, after the approach was first trialled at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Nearly 60 per cent of the EFL players also said they believed the longer games resulting from the new rules were causing more players to get injured.
The survey found almost 75 per cent felt players were not given a proper break between seasons, with almost 60 per cent feeling that a lack of rest and recovery time was leading to more players getting injured.
The survey respondents were split almost 50-50 on whether VAR should be introduced into the EFL. The PA news agency understands 47 respondents were in favour, 46 against and the remaining seven unsure.
Almost a third did not support the use of VAR in the sport at all, and while nearly 60 per cent said they broadly supported its use, they felt significant improvements were needed.
The PFA will use the survey results to highlight existing protections and rights that its members may not be aware of. On lack of rest and recovery time, for instance, the PFA has highlighted that in the current men’s standard contract, negotiated by the union, players are entitled to five weeks of paid holiday per year.
It also means clubs should not “unreasonably refuse” a request from a player to take three weeks of holiday consecutively, for example between seasons.
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said: “The intention of a project like this is to identify areas where we need to work collaboratively with those who run the game, and to ensure that the views of players are heard and acted on.
“Issues around player workload continue to be raised by players at all levels, whether that’s Virgil van Dijk and Raphael Varane speaking about the work we are doing with them to address the uncontrolled growth of the fixture calendar, or EFL members telling us that, overwhelmingly, they are not getting suitable rest and recovery between seasons.
“This will continue to be a priority for us, but where there are already rights in place to protect players, it’s important that they are aware of them. It’s equally important for us as a union to know when players may feel they need support enforcing such rights.”
Omar Beckles, the PFA chair and a current player at Leyton Orient, added: “We’re constantly talking to members, but these surveys are another way of letting them share their views.
“That insight is really valuable for us when we’re in the room, on their behalf, with the bodies who run the game.”
An EFL spokesperson said: “Player welfare is a priority for all the game’s stakeholders. We note the findings of the member survey, and we look forward to discussing the specific details behind the results with the PFA.”
Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli has been handed a seven-month suspension by the Italian Football Federation over a breach of betting rules.
Fagioli had five months of a one-year ban suspended and was fined 12,500 euros (£10,848), while he agreed to a therapy plan of at least six months to tackle his gambling problem, the FIGC announced.
In a statement on its website, the governing body said the 22-year-old violated the rule “that prohibits betting on football events organised by FIGC, UEFA and FIFA”.
Fagioli made his Italy debut in November last year in a friendly against Albania but it is his sole cap and he was not part of their squad for Saturday’s win over Malta and Tuesday’s defeat in England.
Compatriots Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo last week returned to their clubs from Italy’s training camp after it emerged they were being investigated by the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Reports in Italy claim the probe into Newcastle midfielder Tonali and on-loan Aston Villa forward Zaniolo is in relation to illegal betting.
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