Eight-year-old Brad O’Neill perched behind the posts at Old Trafford among over 70,000 others and roared on his hero Sam Tomkins as Wigan beat St Helens to win the 2010 Super League Grand Final.

Thirteen years later, having swapped his junior replica shirt for a dream place in the Warriors first team, O’Neill is preparing to head back to the same stadium tasked with denying Tomkins a fairy-tale ending to his playing career.

Former Wigan great Tomkins will take to the field for the last time on Saturday as he looks to inspire a first French Grand Final win – but lifelong Wigan fan O’Neill has long since shed any loyalty to the Catalans Dragons man.

“I went to all those finals and Sam was one of my favourite players,” said O’Neill, a product of Wigan’s scholarship and academy programmes who has edged long-established number nine Sam Powell off the starting teamsheet in a breakthrough 2023 campaign.

“I remember my first Grand Final in 2010, sitting behind the posts with my dad, a sell-out, and how it was bouncing in the Wigan end after we won.

“Sam and Sean O’Loughlin were the two players I most admired and I always hoped that one day I’d be part of the big games like them. Sam was always scoring tries and at the centre of things. It will be a bit surreal facing him in the Grand Final now.”

Born in Leigh, O’Neill started playing rugby at the age of five, rising steadily through the Wigan ranks to make his first-team debut against Wakefield in June 2021.

He starred in last season’s Challenge Cup final win over Huddersfield at Wembley and seized another opportunity earlier this season following an injury to Powell, going on to make the hooker position his own.

In June, he was rewarded with a new four-year contract, an indication of the potential seen in him by Wigan head coach Matt Peet, especially given the club’s capture of fellow number nine Kruise Leeming for the 2024 campaign.

O’Neill credits much of his emergence to the influence of Peet, who was head of youth when he first signed scholarship terms in 2017, and current assistant coach Sean O’Loughlin, another club great who was integral to those final wins that O’Neill cheered on from the sidelines.

“Matty has always been a part of my journey at Wigan and he’s always steered me down the right path,” added O’Neill. “Being able to pick the brains of someone like Sean, who has so much knowledge and played in so many Grand Finals, also helps.

“Culture is always a big thing at Wigan and it goes right down to the bottom, to academy and scholarship. You learn it straight away and it becomes natural to carry it through to the first team. It’s a massive part of the success of the club.”

Having won this season’s League Leaders’ Shield, Wigan will start as narrow favourites to beat the French side and win their first Grand Final since 2018 – which marked Tomkins’ swansong in a cherry and white shirt.

But there will be no room for sentiment for O’Neill, who is looking to take the opportunity to inspire a new generation of young Wigan fans who will be sitting behind the posts with his name emblazoned on their backs.

“I meet young fans all the time and it always reminds me that I was there at one time, so it’s all about doing everything you can to give something back,” added O’Neill. “My own story is proof that their own dreams are reachable.”

Dragon Leader thrilled connections when winning his second big prize of the season at Redcar on Saturday – but future plans are somewhat up in the air.

The bargain buy took his earnings to over £300,000 for the season in winning the Two Year Old Trophy at the seaside track, adding to his victory at York’s Ebor meeting.

Connections have touched base with the Breeders’ Cup committee to see if he would qualify for a run there, but if not, he is likely to be finished for this season.

With potential buyers showing interest in the Clive Cox-trained colt, there could be a decision to be made by his owners, Kennet Valley Syndicates.

“It was decent ground at Redcar and that was perfect for him. At halfway, he didn’t look like an odds-on shot, but he won going away in the end – he probably wants seven furlongs now,” said syndicate manager Sam Hoskins.

“Obviously, he was getting lots of weight off the others, but he did race on the near side of the track and you usually want to be far side at Redcar, so I do think you can mark him up.

“We were just over the moon, he’s won over £300,000 this year for the syndicate, which is incredible, and for a syndicate like ours it really makes a difference. People don’t go into it to make money but obviously winning a pot like that is great fun. We’re very lucky to have him.

“We have nominated him for the Breeders’ Cup but we’ve heard nothing back and I’m not sure he’ll get in the Juvenile Turf – there’s nothing else domestically, so that will probably be it.”

Regarding next season, Hoskins said: “I don’t know what next season holds, Clive does think he’ll get seven furlongs – but at least we can look at the fixture list now!

“The race which would really have suited him was the old Free Handicap but unfortunately that doesn’t exist anymore. Selfishly, we’ll really miss it next year.

“We have had offers for him, we’ve turned down some big ones. He’s a horse that likes decent ground and has lots of scope, so we’ll just see. No one is immune, but at the same time we’re a syndicate who like our sport and we’ve raced on a lot of older horses like Sir Busker, Magical Memory and Tulius.

“We’ve been digging for oil with Kennet Valley and we haven’t found much recently, we’re not immune but it would take a big offer to sell.

“He might be an interesting one to take to Dubai as a four-year-old, but we haven’t really discussed the future yet and we’ll just enjoy it for now.”

Wayne Rooney has been appointed as Birmingham’s new manager.

The former England striker will be looking to improve on a 27 per cent win rate across his first two jobs with Derby and DC United after signing a three-and-a-half-year contract at St Andrew’s.

Here the PA news agency looks at his record in detail.

Derby

Rooney moved from his playing role at Derby into the manager’s seat, initially sharing the job with Liam Rosenior, Shay Given and Justin Walker before taking sole charge.

They were bottom of the Championship at the time but climbed to 18th, eight points clear of the relegation zone, before a late-season slump saw them survive by just a point.

Their relegation the following season came after a total of 21 points were deducted – 12 for entering administration and nine for historical financial breaches.

They rallied with three successive wins in December 2021 and 10 in their final 25 games of the season and without the deductions would have finished 17th on 55 points.

Rooney received praise for his work in those difficult circumstances, though it is worth noting he was among the high-profile players signed in the years leading up to the sanctions, with the aid of a controversial deal with the club’s sponsor, gambling company 32Red.

He won 24, drew 22 and lost 39 of his 85 games as manager, including those with the managerial group in charge, for a 28.2 per cent win rate.

DC United

That win percentage dipped to 25.9 with DC United as Rooney was unable to make his mark as a head coach in Major League Soccer.

His side were mathematically eliminated from play-off contention this season despite Sunday’s win over New York City, marking the end of Rooney’s reign.

The club’s statement on his “mutually-agreed” departure noted: “Rooney improved DC United’s point tally in his first and only full season at the helm, finishing with a total of 40 points and a (won-drew-lost) record of 10-10-14.”

That was up from 27 points and 7-6-21 the previous season, with Rooney in charge for the last 15 of those games and managing only two wins and three draws to add nine points to their tally, which ended up as the lowest in MLS by a seven-point margin.

His final record in all competitions, including two games in the US Open Cup and three in the Leagues Cup, read won 14, drew 14, lost 26.

That gives him an overall managerial record of 38 wins from 139 games (27.3 per cent), with 36 draws and 65 defeats. His teams have scored 138 goals, just less than one per match, and conceded 186.

Wayne Rooney been confirmed as Birmingham’s new boss on a three-and-a-half year deal.

The former England skipper replaces the sacked John Eustace after leaving DC United last week.

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club,” said the ex-Manchester United striker.

“We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started.

“We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the First Team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals.

“I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.”

Sir Kenny Dalglish would happily take a “rubbish” Scotland performance if they got a result in Spain and qualified for Euro 2024.

Spain captain Rodri labelled Scotland’s tactics “rubbish” after being on the end of a 2-0 defeat at Hampden in March, accusing Steve Clarke’s men of provocation, feigning injury and time-wasting.

Scotland have since taken their winning start to the group to five games and sit six points ahead of Spain before their meeting in Seville on Thursday, but the home side have hit 16 goals in their other three matches.

Dalglish, Scotland’s record appearance holder, said: “I think there will be a wee bit of an edge to the game after some of the statements made here when Spain got beat.

“I don’t think I would ever back anybody to beat Spain in Spain, especially in Seville – that’s one of their favourite places to play.

“Spain are a fantastic team and they won’t be far away from winning it, if they get through the section.

“Listen, if your performance is rubbish and you beat them, it’s even better. It’s the result that counts, not the performance.

“But the way they have performed and the results they have got has been fantastic during this qualification section.

“I’m sure Spain have got the utmost respect for Scotland as well after coming here but it also gives them an edge to try and get a bit of revenge. It’s not a foregone conclusion that they are going to go through either.”

Dalglish had played a key role in Scotland’s previous win over Spain in 1984, hitting arguably the best of his 30 goals for his country in a World Cup qualifying victory at Hampden.

In typically understated fashion, the former Celtic and Liverpool forward recalled: “It came from a throw-in I think, I just hit it and it went in.

“I remember 3-1 and enjoying it. It was a big game for us that night and they were strong at that time.”

Dalglish did not play in the return fixture when Scotland went down 1-0 in Seville, but he had played in the city several years earlier in the 1982 World Cup.

“The last time I was there David Narey scored and upset the Brazilians and we got beat 4-1,” he said.

“We were driving up to the game and there was a big match in the car park, it was the Scottish fans against the Brazil fans. I think they won, we never. The fans were fantastic.”

:: Sir Kenny Dalglish was promoting Viaplay’s live and exclusive coverage of Spain v Scotland. Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.

Ante-post favourite Shuwari is one of eight runners declared for the Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday.

Ollie Sangster’s juvenile impressed when making a winning debut at Newbury before getting the better of subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Fallen Angel in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown.

On the strength of that form, Shuwari was a hot favourite for the Rockfel Stakes a fortnight ago – and while she was no match for the dominant winner Carla’s Way, she was comfortably best of the rest.

She is reopposed by the third from that race, Ylang Ylang, who is one of two runners for Aidan O’Brien alongside rank outsider Brilliant.

Irish hopes are also carried by the Noel Meade-trained Caught U Looking, who supplemented a striking maiden win at Leopardstown with victory in the Group Three Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh last month.

Ralph Beckett steps Sandown scorer Classical Song up in class and also saddles Ascot victor Seaward, while Frankie Dettori is booked to partner Michael Bell’s dual Lingfield winner Ambiente Amigo.

The small but select field is completed by Andrew Balding’s See The Fire, last seen chasing home Darnation in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Kevin Philippart de Foy’s Inquisitively, Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda and Midnight Affair from Richard Fahey’s yard are among 15 juveniles in contention for the Group Three Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.

Group Three honours are also up for grabs in an intriguing renewal of the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes, which sees Beckett’s Skellet lock horns with Charlie Appleby’s Dance Sequence and the George Boughey-trained Chic Colombine, who bids for a fifth successive win.

The Group Two Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes has attracted a six-strong field, with John and Thady Gosden’s Audience taken on by Richard Hannon’s high-class pair of Chindit and Shouldvebeenaring, Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte, the Charlie Hills-trained Pogo and Joe Murphy’s Lord Massusus.

Wayne Rooney is close to an agreement with Birmingham to become their new manager.

Talks are progressing well and there is no expectation of any hold-ups, the PA news agency understands.

The former England skipper will replace John Eustace at St Andrew’s after leaving DC United last week.

Rooney, who was Derby boss between November 2020 and June 2022, is expected to be joined by Ashley Cole and John O’Shea as part of his backroom staff.

US-based Shelby Companies Limited completed a takeover of Birmingham in July and owner Tom Wagner has been reportedly seeking to make a change of management, with Rooney’s name linked with the club in September.

In August seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club.

Eustace was sacked despite guiding Birmingham to sixth place in the Championship this season.

He replaced Lee Bowyer in July 2022 and helped Birmingham finish nine points above the drop zone in the second tier amid off-field issues surrounding the ownership of the club.

The former Coventry and Watford midfielder was axed on Monday and chief executive Garry Cook vowed to take Blues to the next level.

He said: “The owners and board members are ambitious. They are driven to help make Birmingham City a football powerhouse. It will not happen overnight. It is a step-by-step approach.

“We are well aware of what has happened at Blues over the past decade. We believe we have moved on from those dark days giving hope and aspiration to existing and new fans.

“Our intent is to be judged over what we do in the years to come and be ambitious with the new story that we are writing.”

Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham wants to see six three-point attempts per game from Anthony Davis this season.

The Lakers reached the Western Conference finals last season, only to be swept 4-0 by the Denver Nuggets.

Davis averaged 1.3 three-point attempts per game last season, with his career-high (3.5) coming in his first year with the Lakers in 2019-20.

And Ham now wants to see Davis – who has gone three-for-six on three-pointers in preseason – stack up numbers that compare to the likes of Devin Booker and Darius Garland, who averaged 6.0 attempts per game in 2022-23.

"I want him to. I know he won't do it, but maybe he'll shock me, but I've requested to see six three-point attempts a game," Ham said.

"Three per half, at least. I wouldn't put that on him if I didn't think he was capable."

Ham has no plans to discourage Davis from shooting from beyond the arc.

"That's something that he's worked on, being a more consistent shooter and not just more consistent in his [normal] areas but consistent from deep range," he added.

"And not hesitating. Not overthinking it. So if he's got a good look, we've all encouraged him to put it up."

The Lakers, who face the Sacramento Kings in their third preseason game on Wednesday, tip off the new season on the road against the Nuggets on October 24.

James Maddison is aiming to impress on England duty this week – but admits the international break has come at an “annoying” time with Tottenham sat atop the Premier League.

The summer signing from relegated Leicester has hit the ground running in north London, scoring twice and assisting five times in the opening eight league games of the new season.

Maddison’s form has played a key part in Ange Postecoglou’s men setting the pace heading into the second international window of the campaign, with Spurs edging out neighbours Arsenal at the top of the division by virtue of goals scored.

Asked if he was in the form of his life, the 26-year-old told BBC Radio 5Live: “Potentially, I feel really good to be honest.

“I feel at the top of my game, and that is contributing to wins at the minute, and we have started the season really well, and we have got a good momentum.

“The international break has probably come at a bit of an annoying time in a way.

“You would never, ever not want to represent your country, because I always say it is the pinnacle when I am away with England, but if I’ve got my club head on, we’re in good form, we’re in good momentum, we are unbeaten in the league in eight.

“We came back after the last international break and hit the ground running again and won late against Sheffield United in brilliant circumstances. Hopefully we can do the same off the back of this one and continue the form.”

Maddison was part of the England squad that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar last winter but, due to a niggling knee injury, failed to make an appearance.

Having made his senior England debut in November 2019, the former Coventry and Norwich man would have to wait until the Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine earlier this year to pick up a second cap.

Since then, Maddison has started two out of three qualifying fixtures and will be keen to play a large part in the upcoming Wembley double-header which sees England face Australia in a friendly on Friday before welcoming Italy for a key European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.

“So much can happen in a year,” added Maddison.

“Over the past year I have worked really hard and played some good stuff, I think. Obviously, I have moved to Tottenham. I feel as though I could potentially be in the best form I have ever been in really.

“And now I feel at home here (with England). I would be happy to play anywhere, when you are wearing the Three Lions there is no feeling like it to be honest.

“If that means I am playing slightly out of position, then so be it. I couldn’t care less as long as I am out there.

“I will try to do my best and bring the qualities that I have to any position that I play in, whether that is in the middle or left wing or right wing, wherever.”

Connections of Inspiral have confirmed the brilliant filly is not only set to line up in either the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot or head for the Breeders’ Cup before the year is out, but there is also every chance she could return for another season in 2024.

Having been given a break since successfully defending her title in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August, John and Thady Gosden’s charge secured the fifth Group One victory of her career so far with a dominant display in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is expecting to see Inspiral once more this season, but whether that will be on Qipco British Champions Day or in California remains to be seen.

Thompson said: “We were thrilled with her on Saturday. If you look at her last two performances, in the Jacques le Marois and in the Sun Chariot, they were two very authoritative performances.

“The way she won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last year was probably the performance of the meeting and she’s not done too badly since, beating the colts twice in the Jacques le Marois, and I think her latest performance at Deauville was pretty impressive.

“We’re looking at the QEII or the Breeders’ Cup this season. It will be one of the two, we just don’t know which one yet. It depends on how she comes out of Saturday, it depends on the ground at Ascot – there’s a few factors.”

While hesitant to make plans beyond Inspiral’s next run, Thompson is open to the idea of sending her back into training as a five-year-old.

He added: “She could potentially stay in training next season, but that depends on how she comes out of her final race this year, whichever race that is going to be.

“The trainer will give us his steer and if he feels she’s ready to go next season, we’ll go with it and give her another go next season, absolutely, subject to him (John Gosden) giving us that confirmation.”

A charity that helps disabled people play tennis is celebrating its 10th anniversary by pushing to expand its programme further.

Bright Ideas for Tennis was founded in 2013 by former Great Britain Davis Cup player Danny Sapsford with the aim of increasing grass-roots participation.

Sapsford works with tennis clubs to raise money to improve facilities and expand programmes, with more than £1million invested into the sport, but it is the charity’s I Play 30 scheme that has become its driving force.

Bright Ideas for Tennis pairs clubs across the country with local special educational needs and disability (SEND) schools and organisations to put on free sessions.

Sapsford told the PA news agency: “We’ve been growing steadily and the last couple of years we’ve been opening 30-35 venues every year and we’re hoping to do that for the next few years.

“My personality is someone who likes to please people and likes to be helpful so it’s quite heartwarming to see all the people we’ve given the opportunity to play tennis.

“I love going to the site visits to watch them. Quite often I’m driving three or four hours for a 45-minute session and in the car I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, what am I doing this for’? But it’s worth it just to see the smiles on their faces, it’s lovely.

“The sessions that we run, as much as we’re teaching tennis, I think more than anything we’re teaching life skills.

“Last year we did a survey, we had a couple of doctors from Cambridge University who helped us, and they were so excited with the results.

“It was proving that tennis was not just good for your physical health but it was good for your mental well-being and the parents were saying their kids are now becoming more accepted in schools and are making more friends, they’re more confident and less anxious, so all the attributes we were hoping to achieve, which was brilliant.”

Ariadne Katsoulis and Paul Valentine run coaching programmes at clubs in Banbury, Bicester and Brackley and work with two SEND schools through Bright Ideas for Tennis.

Katsoulis told PA: “At the beginning when the children arrived, no one had had the opportunity to play tennis before, they didn’t feel comfortable, but after two or three weeks, they were so happy.

“That change in the children, it was incredible. They were excited to come, they wanted to play, and the improvement that they’ve made, I don’t have words.

“We give our time for free when we could have been earning money in other sessions but, seeing these children that have never had the possibility to do the sport – I was working with a blind child, and him achieving hitting the ball, and how he excited was, that’s the biggest reward that a tennis coach can wish for.”

They are hoping soon to add a third school and Valentine does not believe they would have been able to put on the sessions without Sapsford, saying: “It’s quite hard for us to take the lead on it.

“What Danny’s doing is creating a link between the coaches and the schools and that’s the big thing, then supporting us as we go through the programme. It’s a great organisation.”

Previously a one-man band, Sapsford now has a small team, while ambassadors include Tim Henman and Joe Salisbury, and he is hoping to increase the charity’s profile and budget to help introduce the sport to even more people.

It has been a decade of hard work, and the 54-year-old, who reached the third round of Wimbledon in 1999, said: “As with everything, it has its ups and downs and you have good days and bad days.

“I have weeks where every phone call I’m making I’m hitting a dead end and no one wants to help you but then you have other days where everything seems to fall in place.

“We’re at the stage now where we’ve got a really good infrastructure, we’ve built a really good reputation, lots of people want to work with us, so, if we did have a tiny little bit more money, we’d be able to do a lot more good.”

Rafael Nadal is set to return to grand slam tennis at the 2024 Australian Open, tournament director Craig Tiley has announced.

The 37-year-old has not been in action since suffering a hip flexor injury during his second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald during the 2023 edition in Melbourne.

Earlier this year, Nadal announced he would miss the French Open, where he has claimed 14 of his 22 major titles, as he was undergoing surgery on the issue.

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His inactivity has seen the Spaniard slide down to 240th in the world, but Nadal will be able to rely on a protected ranking for the first grand slam of the 2024 calendar.

Speaking in an interview on Australian breakfast TV programme The Today Show, Tennis Australia chief executive Tiley said: “We can reveal exclusively here that Rafa will be back.

“He’s been off for most of the year and in talking to him over the last few days he confirmed he will be back, which we’re really excited about, the champion of 2022. That’s awesome.”

Tiley also revealed “some of the greats” will be making their way Down Under, with former women’s singles champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber all lined up for returns.

“We’ll welcome them – and their families – back to Melbourne with open arms and can’t wait to see what their next chapter brings,” he added.

Home favourite Nick Kyrgios, who has played only one ATP Tour match in 2023 due to injuries, has returned to training and is hopeful of being fit for Melbourne, with Tiley adding that he was “doing his utmost to get back to his best”.

Sam Curran had no qualms about surrendering new-ball duties to Reece Topley after watching his Surrey team-mate deliver the goods in England’s World Cup win over Bangladesh.

Curran opened the bowling alongside Chris Woakes in the opening-day defeat by New Zealand, and took a wicket with his very first ball as Will Young nicked an inswinger down leg.

But Topley was recalled to bolster the attack for Tuesday’s clash in Dharamshala and the 6ft 7in left-armer was in wonderful form, taking out Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto with consecutive deliveries in his first over and then bowling the dangerous Shakib Al Hasan with a beauty that crept past the outside edge and hit off stump.

Those early breakthroughs knocked the stuffing out of the chase before it had really begun as Topley finished with figures of four for 43 in a heavy 137-run victory.

Curran was on hand at the death to claim the final wicket of the match and had nothing but praise for the man who replaced him at the top of the innings.

“Of course I would like the new ball, but what I like doing for the team is adapting and I thought Reece bowled amazingly,” he said.

“To get two in two and three in the powerplay really set Bangladesh back quickly. It was pretty amazing for him to come back into the side and do that. It got the boys buzzing in the field and the margin we won by was important to get back on track with our net run-rate as well.

“Reece is very tall and, being a left-armer, it’s very nice to use different angles on the crease. The way he started was amazing.”

Curran also saluted the efforts of Dawid Malan, who helped himself to 140 in just 107 deliveries to power England to a winning score of 364 for nine.

Malan edged ahead of 2019 World Cup winner Jason Roy in the pecking order just before the squad was announced and made good on his promotion with a fourth century in the last nine innings.

“He’s fairly quiet, but he does all his talking with the bat to be fair,” said Curran.

“He’s played really consistent cricket for a long time now, he missed out in the first game but he’s showed his class now. A big hundred is what we needed.

“The batters came out the blocks pretty well and we’ve got ourselves into the tournament with a first win now. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

England are swapping the Himalayan mountain air of Dharamshala for the hustle and bustle of Delhi next, with a game against Afghanistan to follow on Sunday.