Rookie Ryan Pepiot pitched a perfect game for 6 2/3 innings and Chris Taylor homered and drove in five runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 10-0 drubbing of the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Pepiot was recalled from Triple-A before the game to take place of Julio Urias, who was placed on the restricted list.
The rookie didn’t allow a baserunner until Josh Bell grounded a single up the middle with two outs in the seventh.
Pepiot struck out three and induced nine groundouts, throwing 60 of his 84 pitches for strikes.
Caleb Ferguson and Evan Phillips finished up the two-hitter to give the first-place Dodgers their second win in seven games.
Miami had a six-game winning streak snapped and dropped one-half game behind Arizona in the race for the NL’s third and final wild-card spot.
Will Smith’s RBI single in the third inning opened the scoring, and Taylor singled in a run in a two-run fifth that also included Kike Hernandez’s run-scoring double.
Taylor added an RBI double in the sixth and his three-run homer in the eighth made it 10-0.
Pham’s 2 home runs lift Diamondbacks
Tommy Pham hit a pair of first-pitch homers to back Ryne Nelson’s strong start and the Arizona Diamondbacks cooled the Chicago Cubs with a 6-2 victory.
Ketel Marte also went deep for Arizona, which moved a half-game ahead of Miami for the last of the three NL wild-card spot.
Nelson limited the Cubs to one run and two hits over 5 2/3 innings after he was recalled from Triple-A Reno a day earlier.
Four relievers followed Nelson before Paul Sewald got the final out for his 31st save.
Chicago had a four-game winning streak stopped and dropped two games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee. The Cubs hold the second NL wild card, three games ahead of the Diamondbacks.
Castillo wins again as Mariners blank Rays
Luis Castillo and three relievers combined on a shutout and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 in a matchup of playoff contenders.
Castillo allowed four hits over six innings with four walks and eight strikeouts to win his sixth straight decision.
Isaiah Campbell struck out the side in the seventh, Matt Brash worked a perfect eighth and Andres Munoz fanned two in the ninth for his 12th save.
Eugenio Suarez doubled leading off the second inning and scored on Mike Ford’s single for the game’s lone run.
Seattle moved within a half-game of idle Houston for the AL West lead, while Tampa Bay dropped four games behind Baltimore in the East.
Kansas City Chiefs defence of their Super Bowl crown got off to a shaky start as they went down in a mistake-ridden 21-20 defeat to the Detroit Lions in the NFL curtain raiser on Thursday.
The Chiefs, who have been to three of the last four Super Bowls and have won twice, headed into the new NFL season as favourites to retain their crown.
But they slipped to their first opening week loss in nine games as the Lions running back went in for the crucial score with little more than five minutes remaining.
The Chiefs did have one last chance when Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a fourth down pass batted down near midfield, but two dropped passes and two penalties left Patrick Mahomes with just a heave downfield in the last minute which fell incomplete.
Despite his receivers dropping a string of passes, Mahomes threw for 226 yards with two touchdowns, as well as finishing as the leading rusher for the Chiefs.
But he also had a pass intercepted by rookie Brian Branch which was returned for a touchdown from 50 yards.
Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St Brown, who opened the campaign with six catches for 71 yards.
The Chiefs began the season without star tight end Travis Kelce, who injured his knee in practice on Tuesday, and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones who is in a contract dispute.
Coco Gauff is through to her first US Open final, but only after her last-four match against Karolina Muchova was suspended for more than 45 minutes when a protester glued his feet to the floor in the stands.
American teenager Gauff’s 6-4 7-5 victory was overshadowed by a small group of spectators wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘end fossil fuels’ who began shouting, forcing play to be stopped.
Gauff and Czech 10th seed Muchova initially stayed on the court for about 10 minutes while security tried to deal with the situation.
The Arthur Ashe crowd at one point began chanting “kick them out” with the protesters apparently being difficult to shift despite being surrounded by around 12 police officers.
It soon became apparent that while three of the protesters had been removed, a fourth had glued his bare feet to the concrete.
“Are they like talking to them or are they going to remove them?” Gauff asked chair umpire Alison Hughes and tournament referee Jake Garner.
She then spoke to her coach, Brad Gilbert, saying “they say they are negotiating, like it’s a hostage situation. What should I do?”
Gilbert was then heard to shout at Garner: “This is a joke, Jake.”
Both players eventually left the court with Gauff leading 6-4 1-0. They returned at 8.50pm when the third protester had finally been removed, and after a warm-up, play resumed 50 minutes after the last point.
Speaking to ESPN, tournament director Stacey Allaster said: “As we witnessed we had environment protesters up in the loge area.
“There were three. Two were removed. They quietly left. When security got there they found one of the protesters had physically glued himself, his bare feet, to the cement floor.”
A statement from the USTA read: “Following the first game of the second set in the Gauff-Muchova match, play was halted due to a protest conducted by four spectators.
“Three of the four protesters were escorted out of the stadium without further incident. The fourth protester affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating bowl.
“Due to the nature of this action, NYPD and medical personnel were needed in order to safely remove this individual from the stadium.
“The four protesters were taken into NYPD custody. In total, 49 minutes elapsed before play resumed.”
It is not the first time a major tennis tournament has been disrupted by protesters.
At Wimbledon this year Just Stop Oil activists caused two matches, one involving Britain’s Katie Boulter, to be suspended after running onto the court throwing jigsaw pieces and confetti.
Last year’s French Open semi-final between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic also had to be halted after a woman tied herself to the net.
Both players at least seemed to be able to put the incident behind them when the match resumed.
Muchova had treatment on what appeared to be an abdominal injury during the stoppage.
The Czech 10th seed saved a match point on the Gauff serve and five more on her own in the next game.
But the 19-year-old converted at the sixth attempt when Muchova went long to reach her second grand slam final.
“Thank you guys this is crazy,” she told the crowd. “I grew up watching this tournament so it means a lot to be in the final.”
On the eve of the 2023 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals made their franchise quarterback the highest-paid player in league history.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals agreed to a five-year, $275million contract extension, multiple media outlets reported Thursday, giving him the highest annual salary in NFL history.
The deal, which reportedly guarantees Burrow $219million, is the culmination of months’ worth of negotiations between the Bengals and the 2020 top overall draft pick.
Burrow’s annual haul of $55million edged Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s new deal that pays $52.5million per season, signed earlier this offseason. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens also briefly held the most lucrative contract after signing extensions this offseason.
Burrow has completely changed the fortunes of a historically downtrodden franchise, leading Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2021 season and coming up just short in last season's AFC Championship game.
At no other point in team history have the Bengals won a playoff game in consecutive seasons, and Burrow’s first career postseason win in 2021 snapped a 31-year drought without a playoff victory.
Burrow’s rookie campaign was cut short by injuries to the ACL and MCL in his left knee, but he rebounded in 2021 to be named the AP Comeback Player of the Year. In his sophomore season, he threw for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.
In 2022, Burrow was voted to his first Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,475 yards and 35 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions.
In seven career playoff games, Burrow has nine touchdown passes and four interceptions.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Burrow is the odds-on favourite to lead the NFL in passing yards this season.
The Bengals kick off their 2023 campaign Sunday on the road against their division and in-state rivals, the Cleveland Browns.
The US Open semi-final between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova was held up after a protest in the stands.
Three people, wearing T-shirts bearing the words ‘fossil fuels’ began shouting after the first game of the second set, forcing play to be stopped.
American teenager Gauff and Czech 10th seed Muchova initially stayed on the court for about 10 minutes while security tried to deal with the situation.
The Arthur Ashe crowd at one point began chanting “kick them out” with the protesters apparently being difficult to shift.
“Are they like talking to them or are they going to remove them?” Gauff asked chair umpire Alison Hughes and tournament referee Jake Garner.
She then spoke to her coach, Brad Gilbert, saying “they say they are negotiating, like it’s a hostage situation. What should I do?”
Both players eventually left the court with Gauff leading 6-4 1-0.
Trinidad and Tobago’s young sensation Nikoli Blackman continues to show marked improvements as he copped the 50 metres freestyle title in breathtaking fashion at the World Junior Swimming championships Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel on Thursday.
Blackman, who earlier clocked a brisk personal best 22.33 seconds in the semi-finals, later underlined his class as one of the world's top young freestylers, as he won the final in 22.35s. He bettered a quality field with Australia’s Flynn Southam (22.43s) and Lorenzo Ballarati (22.47s) of Italy, taking silver and bronze respectively.
The home country was denied its first medal of the championships, as homeboy, Mikhail Povaliaev was fourth in 22.66s, while Javier Nunez of the Dominican Republic, still just a high school junior, was sixth in 22.73s.
Blackman’s performance follows the three gold medals won at last month’s Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago and surpassed those from last year’s edition of the World Junior Championships.
At World Juniors last September, Blackman was a finalist in the 50m freestyle and a semi-finalist in the 100m freestyle. He finished sixth in prelims of the 50m with 22.97s, then went 22.83s in both the semis and the final.
The University of Tennessee swimmer, who missed out on a medal in the 200m freestyle when he finished fifth in the heat in 1:50.36, is scheduled to contest the 100m freestyle on Friday
Head coach Andy Farrell expects Ireland to be “a hell of a lot slicker” in their Rugby World Cup opener following some disjointed warm-up displays.
The world’s top-ranked nation are among the pre-tournament favourites and launch their campaign on Saturday afternoon against Pool B minnows Romania in Bordeaux.
In-form Ireland arrived in France on a 13-match winning run but having failed to fully convince during last month’s disjointed victories over Italy, England and Samoa.
Farrell is untroubled by those patchy performances – produced by largely experimental line-ups – and has backed his players to deliver when it really matters.
“It’s certainly not a concern because obviously (they were) three warm-up games with different personnel and everyone is at different stages in the pre-season,” he said.
“It’s all galvanised to one point and this is it: the start of the competition.
“The performance should be one that’s a hell of a lot slicker, let’s put it that way.
“Understanding what it’s all about and getting down to business is where we’re at at this stage. We’re looking forward to getting going.”
Farrell has named a strong starting XV for the curtain raiser, albeit world player of the year Josh van der Flier begins on the bench, while wing Mack Hansen has the weekend off, despite being available.
Fly-half Johnny Sexton is back from a three-match ban to captain Ireland, while rookie lock Joe McCarthy is among the six starting World Cup debutants.
Farrell’s 33-man squad contains a total of 18 players who have never played on the biggest stage.
The Englishman feels there are benefits to that scenario but also suggested some of the newcomers need to avoid distractions better than they did around the recent Samoa game in Bayonne, when Ireland were based in nearby Biarritz.
“It’s an advantage because of the youthfulness and the quality of those players is top drawer,” he said.
“But they also need to understand what it is that they’re coming into.
“The reason we went there (to Biarritz) is that there’s a lot of distraction that goes on, certainly when you’re in a hotel that’s on the beach.
“Some people handled that brilliantly, some people didn’t. Learning from those experiences is pretty important because you don’t get second chances after this in World Cups.
“You have to wait four more years – if you’re lucky enough.”
Unfancied Romania are ranked 19th in the world. Farrell is braced for a physical assignment amid temperatures forecast to reach around 35 degrees Celsius.
“For anyone that’s watched them, it’s pretty clear and obvious that they’re a determined group,” said Farrell.
“I think by their own recollection they would say that their point of difference is their power, their aggression, their set-piece.
“They love mauling, they love the scrummaging part of the game. They’re very direct in the forwards and pretty nippy and dangerous within the backs as well.
“We’ve scouted them well but, at the same time, more of the concentration this week has been on ourselves.”
Corey Domachowski believes that Wales can reap the rewards from “15 weeks of hell” in their Rugby World Cup campaign.
The Cardiff prop is a Test rugby newcomer, making his debut against warm-up opponents England last month.
His impact was sufficient for Wales head coach Warren Gatland to select him not only in the final World Cup squad, but also hand him a place among the matchday 23 to face opening World Cup opponents Fiji on Sunday.
Wales have moved south from their Versailles training base to the first match venue of Bordeaux.
They were greeted by temperatures of 35 degrees as the heat in France shows no sign of relenting, and even though Sunday’s encounter does not start until 9pm local time, it is set to be only eight degrees cooler.
Wales, though, are fully prepared, with the players being put through their paces at punishing pre-World Cup camps in Switzerland and Turkey during a training phase that began in late May.
“We’ve trained hard for this,” Domachowski said.
“We had 15 weeks of hell, to be honest. It has been absolutely savage.
“And I genuinely think if we put what we’ve done on the training field on to the playing field, then we are going to be a tough team to beat.
“That’s something ‘Gats’ and the other coaches have drilled into us. We are not going to worry about any opposition. We know we have got quality in the squad.
“There is a lot of competition in that squad, and whoever goes on the field will give everything they’ve got for that jersey.”
Domachowski has already made a World Cup impression, leading the Wales players in a rendition of the Welsh hymn Calon Lan during the squad’s World Cup welcome ceremony in Versailles.
“As you can tell, I am a bit of a character, so ‘Nugget’ (team manager Martyn Williams) came up to me and asked me if I would lead it,” Domachowski added.
“So I said yes, and the boys were winding me up saying I could go on my own at first, but to be fair to ‘Gats’ he said we would all do it together.
“So I had to just lead it up, we had a couple of lessons and it went well.”
Defending champions Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram are back in the US Open final after beating Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek in three sets.
Britain’s Salisbury and American Ram are looking for an unprecedented third consecutive men’s doubles crown at Flushing Meadows.
Their 7-5 3-6 6-3 win, in two-and-a-quarter hours, was a 17th successive victory in New York for the pair.
The first set went with serve until 5-5 when three backhand returns from Salisbury brought up three break points.
Croatian Dodig continued serving to the Salisbury backhand, and regretted it when he hit a clean winner to put the third seeds in control.
Salisbury served out the set to love, clinching it with an overhead down the ‘T’.
But the Salisbury serve was broken late in the second set as Dodig and American Krajicek levelled the match.
A forehand down the line from Ram secured the crucial break at the start of the decider, and Ram finished the job with an unreturnable serve on match point.
Salisbury said: “We knew it would be a really tough match and that it might go all the way.
“They raised their level but we knew we would keep going and compete. Raj played amazing in that third set and we’re happy to be in the final.
“It’s pretty amazing. We didn’t think we’d be here but there’s something about this place which seems to bring the best out of us.”
A tearful Ram, at his home grand slam, said: “It’s been a tough year for us and to play this level, stick together like we did, and beat the best team this year, I thought we did great and I’m just proud of our performance.”
Ram snacked on some sushi in between the second and third sets and it seemed to do the trick.
“It was so hot earlier I couldn’t eat as much as I wanted so I got my boy to go and get me some sushi and it helped, I think,” he added.
Salisbury and Ram will face India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australian Matthew Ebden in Friday’s final.
There was disappointment for rising British star Hannah Klugman in the juniors event.
The 14-year-old needed a medical time-out after the first set in her quarter-final against Laura Samsonova and eventually retired at 6-0 3-0 down.
She later withdrew from the doubles, in which she was due to play with Mimi Xu, on another day of 35C-plus temperatures at Flushing Meadows.
This year’s Racing League is set for a fascinating conclusion after Wales & The West just about maintained top spot from Ireland.
Jamie Osborne’s defending champions have been blazing a trail throughout, but the Kevin Blake-managed Irish outfit enjoyed a good night at Newcastle last week and that was the case again at Wolverhampton on Thursday, with just the finale at Southwell on Wednesday to come.
Wales & The West led by 568 points to 496 heading into the fifth week at Dunstall Park, but by the end of play that was down to just two points (666 to 664).
After solid placed efforts in the opening few races, Ireland hit the jackpot with the Billy Loughnane-ridden, George Boughey-trained Koy Koy in race four – a win that also put crack apprentice Loughnane on 94 career winners, just one away from losing his claim.
Race five looked like going to Ireland, too, as Naxos and Dylan Browne McMonagle went for home, only to be swamped by Freddy Larson aboard Rebecca Menzies’ Painters Palette for Mick Quinn’s North team.
Even better for Quinn was that he played a joker, one that rewarded his squad with 70 points from the race.
Blake’s confidence seemed to be riding high for race six, as he too played a joker but the well-fancied 9-4 favourite Belgoprince and Loughnane had to settle for fourth place, one in front of another Irish runner, Percy Jones.
But while the points were still doubled for a positive Irish outcome that took them to the summit, Blake did admit to being disappointed the joker did not pay a better dividend, especially as he has no more left to play.
“We had a big chance to stick a nail in Osborne this evening, I feel we’ve only done half a job. When you play a joker you want better than that, so I’m disappointed,” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“Osborne with his two jokers will be tough next week, I don’t think we’ll be much weaker next week – I’ve got a good feeling about next week, I’ve got a bunch of trainers ringing and wanting spots which is exactly what you want.
“If Osborne nails his two jokers, we’re all in trouble, but if he scuffs one…”
The feature event of the night was the concluding William Hill Pick Your Places Racing League Race 35 Handicap, carrying £100,000 in prize-money and which produced success for the Scotland team, with Linda Perratt playing a joker and being rewarded by victory for George Baker’s Get It, ridden by Paul Mulrennan.
It also proved a critical race in the standings, as placed horses for Wales & The West saw them just about back on top, to add to the feeling of what might have been for Blake.
Notable also on a night where Saffie Osborne was not in action in order to be able to take a full book of rides for her father’s team at Southwell, was that McMonagle seized the opportunity to eat into her advantage at the top of the jockeys’ standings.
“I didn’t think I was as close to Saffie as that, I’m creeping up quite nicely,” he said.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to come over next week, but I’ll take it as it comes.”
Away from the Racing League, McMonagle is looking forward to a big weekend at the Irish Champions Festival, including Joseph O’Brien’s Atlantic Coast in Saturday’s KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown.
He added: “He’s a lovely colt, he couldn’t really have pleased us more the first day at the Curragh. Also our two-year-olds usually progress from their first runs so what he showed us on his debut was really special. We’ll be confident of a good run, but it’s obviously competitive racing so fingers crossed.”
Tyson Fury hit back at his critics at the launch press conference of his boxing contest with mixed martial arts fighter Francis Ngannou before he hinted at a second bout between the pair in the octagon.
Fury has faced plenty of scrutiny since it was announced in July that he would next step in the ring with former UFC world heavyweight champion Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia.
While it will be a boxing contest that lasts 10 rounds in Riyadh, Fury’s WBC heavyweight title will not be on the line and this bout occurs amid the backdrop of a potential unification clash with WBA, IBF and WBO-belt holder Oleksandr Usyk falling through.
The Gypsy King was at his charismatic best in London for the fight dubbed ‘Battle of the Baddest’ but aimed at a dig at the media and his detractors who question why he has not been able to arrange a clash for the ages with Usyk.
“I have to take my hat off to Francis for his story, where he has come from, the fight, the grind and the determination to get to where he is. He was a young boy in Africa with a big dream and everybody at home probably laughed at him,” Fury explained.
“But I won’t laugh at anyone because I know man’s struggle. I come from a place where everything is possible. I may not be here today if things had gone differently so I never underestimate anybody. The media say he has no chance.
“I say if I go to the boozer and get in a brawl with a drunken guy, if he hits me, he may knock me out so how am I not going to prepare 100 per cent for an absolute killing machine who is trying to take my brains out? I will give Francis the respect he 100 per cent deserves.
“I need to bring my A-game because there is more on the line than a boxing fight. If I lose to an MMA guy, I will never be able to show my face in public again and I will be ridiculed. People will chuck it at me forever.
“So, if the media want to take it as a joke or whatever, make no mistake I will come into this leaving zero stones unturned. I will come in at my fittest, strongest and at the best I have ever been. If I am not, if I get knocked out, I want people to laugh at me.”
Both of Fury’s promoters, Frank Warren of Queensberry and Top Rank’s Bob Arum, predicted entertainment will be guaranteed next month, but boxing fans will wonder what is next for Britain’s world heavyweight champion.
Talk continues to rumble on over if Fury could fight compatriot Anthony Joshua in 2024 or if a unification clash may happen with Usyk after the Lancashire boxer beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora last year in one-sided fights.
Yet, the 35-year-old dropped a big hint there could be a second tale between himself and Ngannou, who is preparing for his boxing debut.
Fury insisted: “I think I could beat you in the cage. I would kick your a*** in the cage, no problem. One hundred per cent. Personally, I will beat you in the boxing ring and then kick your a*** in the cage.”
This fight will kick off Riyadh season in Saudi Arabia and Fury provided a chilling prophecy of what the future could hold in store for the Middle East country, which is repeatedly criticised by anti-human rights groups and accused of sportswashing.
He added: “It is a very special event for me and a special time in sports where a powerhouse like Saudi Arabia are coming in taking over the game. They are taking over football, taking over boxing, I think within five to 10 years they will be the powerhouse of all sports. All the big sporting events will be in Saudi Arabia somewhere.”
Ngannou will realise a dream by fighting as a professional boxer for the first time and has help from Mike Tyson, who will be in his corner.
Boasting a record of 12 knock-outs in his 17 UFC contests, the 37-year-old from Cameroon promised if his punch lands, it will knock out Fury.
“I ask myself what will happen at the moment that guy hits the floor and doesn’t get up? Does that make me best boxer in the world? If you take out number one, it makes you number one,” Ngannou pondered.
“If it does land, goodnight. Lights off. What do you think will happen? This is a heavyweight fight and that is what is very exciting about heavyweight fights.
“We know everybody in the heavyweight division can knock each other out. I am going in there to fight. To hit and not get hit. That is the rules of boxing and I am very aware of that.”
Will Bayley believes he has emerged stronger from his pre-Tokyo injury nightmare after booking his place at his fifth Paralympic Games at the English Institute of Sport on Thursday night.
The 35-year-old, who won a silver medal in the Japanese capital less than a year after ripping his ACL in a freak accident during filming for the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, beat the Netherlands’ Jean-Paul Montanus to win his first European para-table tennis title since 2011.
After clinching a tight 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 win that also punched his ticket to Paris, Bayley celebrated by kicking over the court-side hoardings to embrace his supporters, emulating his raucous celebrations in Rio in 2016 when he marked his first Paralympic gold by leaping onto the table.
Having safely extended an unbeaten run that stretches back to the Tokyo final which he lost to China’s Yan Shuo, Bayley told the PA news agency: “I’m feeling emotional because it means a lot to me. Winning the European title again after all these years shows I’ve still got the hunger and desire.
“I’m at the peak of my powers and I’m the best player in the world, and I can’t wait to prove it (in Paris). I want Yan Shuo. I know I’m better than him. Whoever I play, I know I will beat them.
“It (the accident) is why I’m playing with more guts and determination. I’m better under pressure.
“I’m getting older and more mature. I had a year out after my injury and I worked really hard.
“Things happen for a reason and I believe I have come out of it a much better player.”
Bayley’s victory added to the world title he already holds, and Great Britain’s long-serving para-table tennis performance director Gorazd Vecko expressed his belief that the Tunbridge Wells player can continue to reign for at least one more Paralympic cycle.
“Will knows he can still improve in lots of areas and he is still motivated to do so,” said Vecko.
“In the last two years he has made an unbelievable improvement mentally.
“Will is still the poster boy for GB para-table tennis and I think he will also be in LA.
“I think by the time he finishes he will be one of the greatest Paralympic table tennis players in the world. It is up to us to help him achieve what he wants to achieve.”
Shane Lowry has set his sights on a second Horizon Irish Open title backed by bus-loads of home fans after making a strong start to a massive month of golf.
Lowry carded seven birdies and three bogeys in an opening 68 to trail clubhouse leader Shubhankar Sharma by three shots on a sweltering opening day at The K Club.
The former Open champion, who was still an amateur when he won the Irish Open in 2009, will defend his BMW PGA Championship title next week and then make his second appearance in the Ryder Cup at the end of September, with Europe seeking to regain the trophy in Rome.
“Take away everything else that’s in the next few weeks, this is a big week for me, ” Lowry said. “I want to go out there and play well and give myself a chance to win this tournament.
“It’s only 45 minutes to an hour from where I’m from in Clara. I want the people to be getting on their buses on Sunday morning to come and watch me try and win this tournament.
“That’s all I want this week. It’s nothing to do with the Ryder Cup or Wentworth next week or anything.
“This tournament for me is huge. I feel at home here. I live in Florida and I miss home a lot when I’m away. It’s nice to be back.”
Lowry’s 68 was matched by compatriot Mark Power, who carded two birdies and an eagle on the 18th in his first start as a professional, as well as Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, while Rory McIlroy returned a 69.
Rory McIlroy tees off on the 14th during day one of the 2023 Horizon Irish Open at The K Club (Brian Lawless/PA)McIlroy, who won the tournament the last time it was staged at The K Club in 2016, started on the back nine and bogeyed his first hole following a wayward drive and penalty drop, but birdied his last two holes to end the day on a high.
“I think the two birdies in the last two holes sort of glossed over what was a pretty average day,” McIlroy said. “Didn’t really feel great with anything.
“It’s hard to say I’m rusty when I’ve only had a week off but I just haven’t had a chance to practice much and I just hit a few loose shots out there.
“Managed my game well and scraped it around in three under which is nice and sort of gets me in the tournament.
“I’m hitting good shots but it’s all about knowing your patterns and where you’re missing it and where to aim and where not to aim and just being a little unsure over a couple of shots.”
Sharma’s flawless 65 gave him a one-shot lead over Jordan Smith, Ross Fisher and Ryder Cup vice-captain Thomas Bjorn, who admitted he was as surprised as anyone to find himself near the top of the leaderboard.
The 52-year-old has not played competitively since June due to collarbone and lower back problems, but carded seven birdies and a solitary bogey on the ninth, his final hole.
“I said to my caddie this morning when we walked to the first tee, let’s try to see if we can break 90,” Bjorn said. “It was that kind of day.
“I came here with no expectations and it just shows how silly this game can be. You can work hard for weeks and go out and shoot bad scores.
“Expectations sometimes get in the way of professional golf, as I’ve shown, and then you just go out and enjoy yourself, you’re just happy to be on the golf course after so long.”
Defending champion Adrian Meronk, who admitted on Wednesday he was shocked and angry to be overlooked for a Ryder Cup wild card, matched the 69 of playing partner McIlroy, with the third member of the group, American Billy Horschel, also carding the same score.
Steve Borthwick insists England are ready to defy gloomy predictions for their World Cup by delivering a reaction against Argentina in Saturday’s pivotal opener.
The Pumas are in the rare position of being assigned favourites for the main event of Pool D, based on a strong year under the guidance of Michael Cheika and their 30-29 victory at Twickenham in November.
England, meanwhile, have gone into freefall following a run of five defeats in six Tests that no longer makes qualification for the knockout phase appear to be the formality it once was.
Borthwick, who has named Alex Mitchell at scrum-half and Tom Curry at openside for the Marseille showdown, insists the low expectations have sent ripples of indignation through the squad.
“I sense there is a feeling among the players they’ve been written off too early. People have called time on them a bit too early,” England’s head coach said.
“I sense the frustration about what people have been saying about them and right now I have an expectation that they will go and perform with the quality that they have.
“I sense from them that there’s a real determination to go and put their best performances on the park.
“There is a lot of class in this squad. The players have a hell of a lot more to go. They can’t wait to get stuck in on Saturday night.
“Our job is put in a performance that this team is capable of and I know these players are capable of. I know these players are determined to deliver on Saturday night. That’s our job now.”
Borthwick’s theme of an England side ready to exit their slump in time to make an impact at the World Cup was taken up by captain Courtney Lawes, who is leading the team in the absence of the suspended Owen Farrell.
When asked if the players are angry at recent performances, Lawes replied: “There’s definitely a frustration. We feel it as much as anybody.
“We are in the thick of it and we are doing everything we can to make sure, come this weekend, we are firing on all cylinders.
“It’s going to be a hell of a spectacle, so enjoy it. We are going out all guns blazing and we are going to give it everything we have got.
“It’s the first game of the World Cup and we’re going to be well up for it.”
Offering hope to England supporters is the selection of Mitchell ahead of Danny Care and Ben Youngs, with the 26-year-old half-back a more dynamic presence than his veteran rivals for the jersey.
The tempo and energy brought by Mitchell, both through his delivery and with the ball in hand, was one of the few highlights to emerge from a chastening defeat by Fiji last month.
Remarkably he starts in England’s biggest game since the 2019 World Cup final despite being overlooked for their original 33-man squad, with an injury to Jack van Poortvliet offering his route to France.
“Alex was a dangerous running threat against Fiji; everyone knows he is a dangerous running threat,” Borthwick said.
“Immense credit to Mitch in that he was incredibly disappointed not to make the original 33-man squad. An opportunity opened up.
“One of the positives that came out of that Fiji game was his performance. He played well and he’s trained exceptionally well. He’s ready to go.”
Curry’s influence on the team is evident through his promotion to the back row despite having missed the entire build-up campaign because of an ankle injury sustained in training.
“We have got players throughout this 23 who have performed on the biggest of stages and Tom Curry is one of them,” Borthwick said.
“He’s in fantastic physical condition; he missed a period of training but his movement is exceptional.”
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Juniper Berries pounced late to land the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury.
The two-year-old was sent off at 16-1 in the Group Three affair under Charlie Bishop, despite a consistent campaign thus far this year.
A winner on debut, the daughter of Expert Eye was second to Relief Rally in a novice before coming home a solid fourth in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.
She was well beaten in the Super Sprint but regained her form to finish second in the Alice Keppel at Goodwood and then fourth when beaten a little over length in the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes when last seen.
Up in trip to six furlongs and back up in grade at Salisbury, the filly was ridden patiently to best utilise her speed and as the line approached she threw down her challenge to collar the front-running Dorothy Lawrence and prevail by a short head.
Johnson Houghton said: “I thought the step up to six (furlongs) would help, I thought the firm ground would help.
“She’s been running over five in soft ground and she deserved this, every time she ran at Newbury she never got any cover.
“We knew she had an amazing turn of foot, but it was just getting her to use it at the right time.
“We all made a plan, the owners and I, that we’d drop her in and if she didn’t get there on time then she didn’t get there on time.
“The last thing we wanted to do was get there too early and stop, she has a wicked turn of foot but it’s not a very long turn of foot.
“I’m thrilled. Look at the size of her, she does herself really well and she’s on the grow again I think.
“She’ll be a lovely filly for next year and they’ve (the owners) got the stud, so it’s great for them. What a star. Good old Junie, we love her!”
Ralph Beckett’s Skellet got off the mark with a convincing success in the Bob Mccreery Memorial British EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Under Rossa Ryan the Kingman bay was the 5-6 favourite after being beaten just a length when fourth on debut at Sandown in August.
In a field of nine she was this time a straightforward winner, by a length and a quarter ahead of Richard Hannon’s Serene Seraph.
“I was very pleased. She’s a bit raw, she’s a big, tall, gangly filly,” Beckett said.
“Her sister, Skitter Skatter, was the size of a pony and she won a Moyglare for Patrick Prendergast – this filly is completely different.
“She was a bit antsy behind the gates, she’s still looking around.”
On future plans the trainer added: “She’s a nice filly, one for next year. It’s likely we’ll take a more conservative view, I don’t know what trip she’ll end up getting, we hope a mile but we’ll find out next year.”
Frankness (13-2) was a fitting winner of the European Bloodstock News EBF ‘Lochsong’ Fillies’ Handicap for Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding.
The race is named in honour of the great sprinter, a 15-time winner owned by Jeff Smith who dominated the sprint scene in the early nineties.
Frankess runs in the same silks and as Lochsong was trained by Balding’s father Ian, the victory particularly apt for the owner of both horses.
Veteran Ireland hooker Rob Herring never doubted his ability to play at a Rugby World Cup as he prepares to make up for past disappointments with an overdue tournament debut.
South Africa-born Herring has been selected to start Saturday’s Pool B opener against Romania ahead of the fit-again Ronan Kelleher and in the absence of the injured Dan Sheehan.
The 33-year-old was called up by Joe Schmidt in the build-up to the 2015 and 2019 competitions before being cut from the final squads.
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He subsequently flew to Japan four years ago as an injury replacement for Sean Cronin but was not involved as Ireland crashed out in the quarter-finals to New Zealand and has since been eclipsed by the emergence of Leinster pair Sheehan and Kelleher.
“Yeah, it’s been a long run for me,” said Herring. “I was involved in the two previous World Cup pre-seasons and missed out on selection so I think all the work over the last year, it’s paid off to be here now.
“I always believed I was good enough to be here. The selection calls were tight in the last World Cup.
“I’ve been heavily involved in the squad since the last World Cup and I’m really enjoying my time under Faz (Andy Farrell) and the leadership of the coaches.
“It has been a great four years, and I’m just raring to go now.
“There’s obviously a bit more hype around the World Cup and a bit more pressure on games but that’s what we’ve been building for. Personally, I think I’m in a good place.”
Herring, who qualifies for Ireland through a grandparent, made his international debut as a replacement flanker during the 2014 tour of Argentina.
He had won just eight caps when head coach Farrell succeeded Schmidt after the 2019 World Cup but started all five matches of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations following the retirement of Rory Best.
Despite remaining a squad regular, Herring, who is set for his 38th Test outing this weekend, has become more peripheral since the breakthrough of dynamic duo Kelleher and Sheehan.
“My mindset going into it is this is just the start,” said the Ulster player.
“It’s a massive honour to be selected for the squad but this is just the start of it. I want to put my best foot forward and contribute to the team as well as I can.
“I think if I nail my role and everyone else does theirs, we will put in a strong performance.”
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Ireland will be led by Johnny Sexton in Bordeaux on his return from suspension and injury.
Herring believes fly-half Sexton is the type of captain team-mates “want to follow into battle”.
“Johnny is one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever played under,” he said.
“I think that’s his massive point of difference. He’s unbelievably driven, he drives the standards at training, off the pitch, everything.
“He’s got an incredible winning mindset so he’s the kind of guy you really want to follow into battle. You know he’s going to be right up there at his best and giving it his all. It’s been great having him back.”
Mick Easterby has paid a heartfelt tribute to Derby-winning jockey Edward Hide, who has died at the age of 86.
Hide had a long and distinguished association with the Easterby stable, but his crowning glory came when winning the 1973 Derby with Morston for Arthur Budgett, pipping Lester Piggott on Cayo Doro.
Three-times champion apprentice in the 1950s, Hide won the prestigious ‘Cock of the North’ accolade 16 times.
Writing on his website Easterby said: “It is with great sadness today that I heard of the passing of my great buddy Eddie Hide.
“Eddie Hide was quite simply one of the best Flat jockeys I have seen seen. He was wonderful.
“In my career I have been fortunate to put up two of the finest jockeys. Sadly 2023 has seen the passing of both Eddie and my former stable jockey Terry Lucas.
“In the 1970s I’d put Eddie up whenever I had a runner in any of the big races and he never let me down once. Eddie had it all. He was an intelligent man and he knew the formbook inside out.
“You could get rich quite quickly backing Eddie on my horses, because he only rode them when he knew they were going to win.”
Hide won the 1000 Guineas for Easterby on Mrs McArdy in 1977 and was associated with the champion sprinter of 1976, Lochnager, winning the Temple, the King’s Stand, the July Cup and the William Hill Sprint Trophy (now Nunthorpe).
Easterby went on: “I owe a great deal to Eddie Hide. He rode the biggest winners of my career and he helped put the stable on the map in the 1970s.”
Warren Gatland says that Wales are “in a good place” as they prepare to launch their Rugby World Cup challenge against Fiji.
Gatland, taking charge of his fourth World Cup as Wales head coach, has been boosted by the return to fitness of 100-cap number eight Taulupe Faletau.
He will make his first Wales appearance since last season’s Six Nations after recovering from a calf muscle problem that sidelined him for Wales’ three-Test warm-up schedule.
Faletau goes straight into the starting line-up, packing down alongside back-row colleagues Aaron Wainwright and skipper Jac Morgan.
“We’ve had some good clarity about what we want to achieve and the way we want to play on the weekend,” Gatland said.
“The boys are looking sharp, there is a great environment in this group – players working for each other, enjoying each other’s company.
“We are in a good place and can’t wait to get out there and get our Rugby World Cup campaign under way.”
While Faletau returns, though, hooker and Morgan’s co-captain Dewi Lake does not make the matchday 23.
The Ospreys hooker suffered a knee injury during Wales’ encounter against England at Twickenham last month, and Gatland added: “The medical team has done a fantastic job getting Dewi back to full fitness.
“He has not had as much training under his belt as the other hookers since he picked up that knock to his knee, so Ryan Elias and Elliot Dee are selected for us for this game.”
Elias starts, and there are also opportunities for the likes of centre Nick Tompkins and scrum-half Gareth Davies.
Flanker Tommy Reffell, meanwhile, has been named among the replacements, being passed fit after missing training on Wednesday due to a knock.
There are five World Cup debutants in Gatland’s starting line-up and it will be the fifth successive World Cup where Wales and Fiji meet.
Centre George North joins a select group of Welsh players to feature in four World Cups, emulating Alun Wyn Jones, Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
Scarlets number nine Davies has won Gatland’s starting vote ahead of Tomos Williams as he clocks up World Cup number three.
“Twelve months ago I probably wouldn’t have thought I would be involved in the first game of a World Cup, but anything can happen in rugby, as we all know.” Davies said.
“I have worked extremely hard over the last year to work myself into contention, and hopefully I can show that on Sunday.
“Playing in a World Cup is the pinnacle. We have a few young guys in the squad – they are really excited about it – and plenty of experience.
“Fiji are going to be a very tough team to beat, but it is a challenge we are looking forward to.”
Since being dumped out of the World Cup by Fiji 16 years ago in Nantes, Wales have reeled off three successive wins.
Sunday’s encounter is huge in the context of a group where Australia and ever-improving Georgia will also be vying for qualification.
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