The 0-2 Cincinnati Bengals' next opportunity to secure their elusive first win comes next Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams.
It's uncertain if Joe Burrow will be able to play in that game.
Burrow re-aggravated a calf injury in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Monday he was unsure if he'd be ready to play in Week 3.
"He's still sore today," Taylor said. "He did it really one of the last three plays of the game probably, so it's just sore."
The team's medical staff is still evaluating the injury, and Taylor told reporters it was hard to say if he'd be ready to face the Rams.
A strained right calf muscle forced Burrow to miss most of training camp, and he was limping at the end of the loss to the Ravens.
Burrow and the Bengals agreed to a five-year, $275million contract extension right before the start of the 2023 season, but little has gone right since he became the highest-paid player in league history.
After throwing for a career-low 82 yards in a 24-3 season-opening loss to the Cleveland Browns, Burrow had just 35 passing yards at half-time against the Ravens. On Cincinnati's first drive of the second half, he then threw an interception near the end zone.
He was able to engineer a pair of scoring drives culminating in touchdown passes to Tee Higgins to pull within three points, but the Bengals were unable to get any closer.
Cincinnati also opened 0-2 last season and still ended up reaching a second straight AFC title game, but if Burrow is forced to miss time rehabbing his calf, another march to the playoffs would appear to be unlikely.
Jake Browning is No. 2 at quarterback on Cincinnati's depth chart. He has attempted one pass in his pro career.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 18.
FootballTwo England greats celebrated their birthdays.
Roberto de Zerbi celebrated one year in charge of Brighton.
BoxingTyson Fury welcomed a new addition to the family.
View this post on InstagramDartsAnother World Series of Darts title for Michael van Gerwen.
Rugby UnionSonny Bill Williams celebrated with Fiji.
Joe Marler with the assist of the World Cup so far?
GolfRyan Fox felt honoured.
Danny Willett was grateful.
CricketTim Murtagh was hanging up his boots.
KP makes his World Cup predictions.
Patrick Mullins reached another landmark in riding his 800th winner courtesy of Luckinthecity at Listowel on Monday evening.
Partnering the 6-5 favourite for his father, Willie, he came with a wet sail to land the Eric Browne Memorial INH Flat Race going away in the end, by a length and quarter from Big Dee.
It marks another fine achievement for the County Carlow native, who has been crowned champion amateur jockey in Ireland a record-breaking 15 times. In 2012, he beat the record of 72 winners for an amateur rider in a calendar year in Ireland, which had been set by Billy Parkinson in 1915, setting the new mark at 74. His best seasonal tally is 68 winners in the 2012/2013 season.
He beat Ted Walsh’s long-standing amateur record of 545 winners in July 2018 at Sligo when taking the bumper on Queens Boulevard.
Mullins said: “I probably should have a few more, but the aim is to get to 1,000 so I have a few more years to go.
“We have had a huge amount of summer bumper fillies in this year and obviously with Jamie (Codd) taking the summer off it is a big help.”
Regarding the Roger Brookhouse-owned Luckinthecity, he added: “He just shied at the tape although doing a circle at the start was probably a good idea! For luck nobody wanted to make the running so we were able to make up the ground quite easily.
“We went steady so didn’t lose much ground and he showed a great turn of foot, which he doesn’t show at home. Obviously on grass he is better and the owner stands the stallion and he looks a nice type.”
Elsewhere on the card, Samui may have earned himself a trip to Cheltenham later in the year after lunging late to secure top honours in the Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle.
A field of 18 runners went to post for the €60,000 feature on day two of the Harvest Festival, with Samui the 4-1 favourite as part of a four-strong team for trainer Gordon Elliot.
With heavy rain before the race ensuring conditions were testing, plenty had cried enough by the time the leaders rounded the home turn, at which point Dark Note appeared to be travelling best of all.
But Samui was delivered with a well-time challenge by 5lb claimer Danny Gillian and got up in the dying strides to prevail by a head.
“I was worried about the ground, which is yielding, but he went through it better than most. I was actually very nervous about my four runners due to the rain which came,” said Elliott.
“Whatever happened he choked with Jack (Kennedy, jockey) the last day at Ballinrobe, but it worked out today.
“I don’t think he is a winter horse but is definitely a type to head to Cheltenham in November. We might then put him away as he could also run on the Flat next year.”
Mayor’s Walk had earlier impressed on her rules debut for Henry de Bromhead in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Bought after winning a point-to-point for Colin Bowe, the 5-1 shot looks a promising recruit judged on this six-and-a-half-length success in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
“She won a point-to-point for Colin Bowe and is really nice. She a lovely mare and hopefully that’s just the start of her now,” said the jockey.
“She had done a nice bit of work at home but at this time of year they will always improve and she gave me a lovely feel. Her jumping is really good and professional and she was very straightforward for me.”
Aeros Luck (3-1) led home a one-two for Gavin Cromwell in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle, with his stablemate Pampar Lady (66-1) clear of the remainder in second.
“Aeros Luck deserved that as he had been banging on the door. He was very keen the last day but is learning and settled lovely on the flat track today,” said Cromwell.
“Pampar Lady ran a cracker and I fancied her to run a cracker. I told one of the owners to have a fiver each-way and he did the forecast!”
Cromwell doubled up in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Patrick O’Brien steering 5-1 shot The King Of Prs to a clearcut win.
Jamaican Olympian Toni-Ann Williams has achieved a remarkable milestone by obtaining her Master's Degree in Ethics and Integrity, with distinction, a significant feat made possible through an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship provided by the Jamaica Olympic Association.
Having pursued her postgraduate degree at renowned institutions across Europe, including Ku Leuven in Belgium, Charles University in Prague, the University of Peloponnese in Greece, the University of Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain, and the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität in Mainz, Germany, Williams absorbed diverse cultures and communities throughout her academic journey.
"Being able to adapt and integrate myself into different communities and cultures was really exciting," said a grateful Williams whose post-graduate thesis was themed “Safeguarding regulations in American collegiate sport: Ethical comparative analysis of Title IX and SafeSport.
The now 27-year-old athlete, who made history in 2016 as the first gymnast to represent Jamaica at the Rio Olympic Games, embarked on this academic journey with determination, studying various aspects of sports ethics and integrity.
Reflecting on her two-year educational odyssey, Williams expressed immense fulfillment, stating, "It was very fulfilling. I'm very excited to be able to celebrate two years of hard work to accomplish this master's degree." She underscored the critical importance of studying sports ethics and integrity, given the myriad decisions and governance challenges that pervade the sporting world.
A graduate in Legal Studies and Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley, in Europe Williams delved deep into topics such as anti-doping policies, ethical considerations, safeguarding, corruption, and betting within the realm of sports. Her scholarly endeavors were fueled by a desire to effect positive change in the sporting arena, particularly in gymnastics and her native Jamaica.
“Being able to bring that back to not only gymnastics, but to Jamaica and how I can bring positive change to the sporting world for everybody, it was really fulfilling to be able to accomplish something like this, especially within a program overseas,” she said.
“Never living in Europe for the, you know, ever, and being able to put myself into a new culture and community, it's really fulfilling to be able to accomplish something like this."
One of the most rewarding aspects of her program was the opportunity to connect with individuals passionate about sports and ethics from around the world, expanding her network and forming valuable friendships. "I got to meet so many great people, so many smart, intelligent, important people," Williams remarked.
However, her academic journey was not without its challenges, as she navigated the complexities of studying in different countries every six months, requiring meticulous planning and organization.
"I think the most challenging part about the program is, as I mentioned, is being is traveling to different cultures and communities and countries every six months.
"It's tough because alongside studying in academia, um, you're also having to be a travel agent. You're having to sort out your own visa, your accommodation, your flights and plan everything well in advance on top of studying and reading and doing all these things for research.
“So this is a very unique part about this program and probably was the most difficult and more mentally draining. And I think that's what makes it super unique and it made it really challenging but it has taught me so many skills that I can bring now into my life in terms of being able to multi-task in project management and do all sorts of things like that.”
Her academic journey also equipped her with the tools and perspective to drive positive change, and she is committed to fostering a more empathetic and understanding sporting environment that transcends stereotypes and celebrates diversity.
“I think the most eye-opening thing was understanding that there are stereotypes and that people also come with stereotypes about you being Jamaican with an American accent definitely raises a lot of questions,” she revealed.
"And being able to be empathetic and understanding and also encouraging other people to be empathetic and understanding and to understand that you're not your stereotype or who people think you are, or judging a book by its cover.
“Being able to be empathetic and being respectful when in other people's countries and understanding their differences and celebrating it. I think that's something I feel like I've learned.”
Now armed with a wealth of knowledge and experience, Williams has taken up a position with LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be hosted in Los Angeles, California. As part of the athlete fellowship program, Williams contributes to LA28's initiative to provide athletes with a more prominent voice within the organization of the Olympic Games.
In her role within the community relations department, Williams is focused on enhancing community preparedness for the international influx that accompanies the Olympic Games. She is actively involved in initiatives to bolster youth sports, engage local businesses in decision-making processes, and strengthen the bonds between the Olympic Games and the Los Angeles community.
Williams is optimistic about the future and her ability to contribute to the development of sports, particularly gymnastics, in Jamaica. She emphasized the importance of ethical governance, transparency, accountability, and athlete-centered leadership in building a stronger foundation for the sport.
"I think in many ways I can help gymnastics in Jamaica, and not just gymnastics but other sports, but specifically for gymnastics, understanding, learning about governance and the ethics behind governance and transparency and accountability and how ethical leadership could can conduct themselves in order to be more athlete centered," she concluded.
"And I think we can help build a stronger organization and association for gymnastics, have a stronger foundation, give athletes what they need to thrive mentally and physically. I know it's not going to be immediate help right now, but it's something that can be built over the years and I think we need to start with a strong foundation to be able to build upon and be able to have a better sport for Jamaica.”
Chelsea Pitman, who helped England reach their first ever final at the Netball World Cup last month, has announced her immediate international retirement.
England settled for a silver medal after a 61-45 loss against Australia in the showpiece occasion in Cape Town, which was Pitman’s 52nd and last cap for the Vitality Roses.
Pitman admitted ending her England career was “extremely tough”, but said it was “the right time for me” and the 35-year-old now intends to “delve a bit deeper” into pregnancy issues she has had in the past.
In 2020, Pitman revealed on social media she had had two miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, commonly in one of the fallopian tubes.
In a statement on www.englandnetball.co.uk, Pitman said: “I have made the extremely tough decision to retire from international netball.
“I never thought I’d be someone who chose to retire from the international stage, but it’s the right time for me.
“I haven’t been secretive with saying that I’ve tried to become a mum in the past and that I’ve had issues, and I think it’s time that I delve a bit deeper into why my body failed me when it comes to that.”
Sydney-born Pitman helped Australia to World Cup glory in 2011 before switching allegiance to England six years later.
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She was part of the side that claimed a historic gold for England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games after a last-gasp victory over Australia in a dramatic final on the Gold Coast.
Pitman also won bronze at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool to go with silver this year in South Africa.
She added: “I look at my time as a Rose, and every other opportunity I’ve had to step out on the international stage as a netballer, and it has been the best time of my life. What an epic journey. What a rollercoaster and I wouldn’t change a single thing.
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be able to call myself a Rose, for saying, ‘Yes, put me up for selection’, because, if I didn’t do that, how boring my life would have been.
“Because I have made the best of friends, and I have made and created history. We achieved things that people thought were impossible for us.”
England head coach Jess Thirlby paid tribute to Pitman, who won an ANZ Premiership with Queensland Firebirds, a Suncorp Super Netball title with West Coast Fever and helped London Pulse to their first Grand Final in the Netball Super League, where they were beaten in June by Loughborough Lightning.
Thirlby said: “What an absolute pleasure it has been to work with Chelsea over the past few years. She has not only inspired so many with her on court flair, netball nouse and competitive spirit, but I have such admiration and respect for her as a person.
“Chelsea wears her heart on her sleeve and her passion for the Roses and commitment to pull on the red dress is unquestionable. It not only means a lot to her, but we have been richer for having her as a Rose.
“Whilst it’s sad to lose Chelsea, she is so deserving of our full support as she looks to the future and we wish her all the very best.”
Samui may have earned himself a trip to Cheltenham later in the year after lunging late to secure top honours in the Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel.
A field of 18 runners went to post for the €60,000 feature on day two of the Harvest Festival, with Samui the 4-1 favourite as part of a four-strong team for trainer Gordon Elliot.
With heavy rain before the race ensuring conditions were testing, plenty had cried enough by the time the leaders rounded the home turn, at which point Dark Note appeared to be travelling best of all.
But Samui was delivered with a well-time challenge by 5lb claimer Danny Gillian and got up in the dying strides to prevail by a head.
“I was worried about the ground, which is yielding, but he went through it better than most. I was actually very nervous about my four runners due to the rain which came,” said Elliott.
“Whatever happened he choked with Jack (Kennedy, jockey) the last day at Ballinrobe but it worked out today.
“I don’t think he is a winter horse but is definitely a type to head to Cheltenham in November. We might then put him away as he could also run on the Flat next year.”
Mayor’s Walk had earlier impressed on her rules debut for Henry de Bromhead in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Bought after winning a point-to-point for Colin Bowe, the 5-1 shot looks a promising recruit judged on this six-and-a-half-length success in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
“She won a point-to-point for Colin Bowe and is really nice. She a lovely mare and hopefully that’s just the start of her now,” said the jockey.
“She had done a nice bit of work at home but at this time of year they will always improve and she gave me a lovely feel. Her jumping is really good and professional and she was very straightforward for me.”
Aeros Luck (3-1) led home a one-two for Gavin Cromwell in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle, with his stablemate Pampar Lady (66-1) clear of the remainder in second.
“Aeros Luck deserved that as he had been banging on the door. He was very keen the last day but is learning and settled lovely on the flat track today,” said Cromwell.
“Pampar Lady ran a cracker and I fancied her to run a cracker. I told one of the owners to have a fiver each-way and he did the forecast!”
Cromwell doubled up in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Patrick O’Brien steering 5-1 shot The King Of Prs to a clearcut win.
England captain George Williams is keen to avenge their World Cup semi-final loss which “haunted” him with victory in their upcoming three-match Test series with Tonga.
England were one of the favourites heading into last year’s World Cup before they were sent crashing out of the competition following a 26-27 loss to Samoa, just weeks after they previously thrashed them 60-6 in the group stage phase.
Williams gears his side up for the challenge of the Tonga series, which is due to get under way on October 22 at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens.
The 28-year-old half-back admitted it took him weeks to swallow the World Cup heartbreak, but is eager to put things right with success over Tonga.
“It’s the hardest I’ve taken a loss,” Williams said. “I’m usually pretty good at switching off and moving on, but that Samoa game haunted me for a good few weeks. I know you might think that’s not too long, but everyday thinking about a game is torture really when you don’t get the right outcome.
“I think that’s a lesson learnt for us, we were the form team at the World Cup, but the big game when it mattered we weren’t where we needed to be so it’s a lesson taught for us that we can’t have any days off.”
The visit of Tonga represents a different kind of challenge for Williams, who was named as captain for the first time in his career.
Williams knows the series will be a massive learning curve for himself and is excited by the uncertainty of what to expect.
He continued: “I’ve got to learn and lean on other leaders, lean on (Shaun) Wane and just do my best.
“I feel I’ve earned it and in the last two years that I’ve learnt as a leader so it’s like anything, you have to learn on the job. I’ll get thrown some situations that I’ve not dealt with before and do my best to handle them.
“I’ve grown as a leader in the last two or three years. I think going to the NRL helped me massively, meeting new players and learning off different leaders. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and I’m really proud too.”
Before the end-of-season series, Williams focuses his attention on getting his Betfred Super League side, Warrington, into the play-offs as they face a nail-biting clash with Huddersfield on the last day of the season, where a win will guarantee a spot in the top six.
Warrington currently occupy sixth position, but are level on points with Salford, who play Hull. Williams is confident his side will be involved in the play-offs in what has been one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.
He said: “The table does not lie. There’s three teams fighting for top spot and three other fighting for a play-off spot and that’s how you want it to be.
“Every game matters, every try matters with the points difference so this is the closest season I’ve been involved with for sure.”
Maxux stole the show in the Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes to lead home a Joseph O’Brien one-two in the Fairyhouse feature.
It was stablemate American Sonja who was sent off 5-2 joint-favourite for the Group Three event, but she proved powerless to the 10-1 scorer who hit the target in impressive fashion, surging four and a quarter lengths clear in the closing stages.
The winner added a touch of La Liga glamour to a Monday afternoon at the County Meath track, with the daughter of Frankel owned by former Real Madrid footballer Alvaro Odriozola who is now plying his trade at fellow Spanish club Real Sociedad.
It was a welcome return to winning ways for the 200,000 guineas buy who had created a good impression on debut, but until now had failed to make her mark up in class.
“Mikey (Sheehy) said they went a good gallop and it suited her. When she switches off early she seems to come home very well,” said O’Brien’s assistant Sean Corby.
“It’s nice to see her back to her best. She looked good first time and since then, she hasn’t run badly but you’d probably be a small bit disappointed with her.
“It was nice to see her get her head back in front today and she won with plenty in hand.
“She’s very valuable now and it’s good for Alvaro as well, he’s a good owner to have.”
Aidan O’Brien is in no rush to make a final decision on Continuous’ potential participation in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe following his brilliant victory in the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
The son of Heart’s Cry was beaten in his first three races this season, but has really found his groove in the second half of the campaign – impressing in the Great Voltigeur at York before providing his trainer with a seventh success in the season’s final Classic on Town Moor.
Continuous does not hold an entry in the Arc, but O’Brien did raise the possibility of supplementing the three-year-old at a cost of €120,000 in the immediate aftermath of his Doncaster triumph.
The Ballydoyle handler reports Continuous to have taken his exertions well, but with the supplementary stage not taking place until a week on Wednesday – four days before Europe’s premier middle-distance contest is run – he is happy to let the dust settle before considering the next plan of attack.
“We were delighted with him and he seems to be fine, (but) we don’t (make plans) until a week or so ever,” he told the PA news agency.
Continuous is entered for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 21. When asked about possible alternatives to an Arc bid, O’Brien added: “He has a lot of alternatives really anywhere, we’ll just see how he is first really I suppose.”
One high-profile O’Brien inmate who will not be in the Arc line-up is Irish Oaks heroine Savethelastdance, who was last seen finishing third behind stablemate Warm Heart in the Yorkshire Oaks.
The trainer confirmed the Galileo filly is not in contention for the trip to Paris and will not run again this season.
On whether she could return as a four-year-old in 2024, O’Brien added: “We always talk about those things at the end of the year really, so we haven’t discussed it yet.”
Clive Cox is eager to test the big-race credentials of Ghostwriter in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes after the exciting prospect maintained his unbeaten record on his latest start at Ascot.
The son of Invincible Spirit was sent off at 9-1 on debut at Newmarket, but made a mockery of his odds when sauntering to an impressive three-and-a-half-length victory.
He then confirmed the promise of that performance when making all in encouraging fashion in the hands of William Buick at Ascot, defying his inexperience in the closing stages to pull away for a cosy one-and-a-quarter-length success.
Cox has always had Newmarket’s Royal Lodge earmarked as the place to raise the sights of the Jeff Smith-owned youngster and he is now firmly on course for a step up to Group Two company on September 30.
“With a penalty, to stretch away as pleasingly as he did was great. He is still a bit green and now has a bit more experience under his belt and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the progress he’s making,” said Cox.
“He’s got size, scope and a wonderful pedigree and he’s come through his first two races with a lot of promise and excitement.
“We entered him for the Royal Lodge with Ascot being the ideal stepping stone if everything progressed as well as it has, so I very much intend, all being well, to head in that direction.”
Also on track for Newmarket is Jasour, with the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes – on the same afternoon as the Royal Lodge – the preferred destination for the July Stakes scorer.
The form of that Group Two victory was given a welcome boost when the William Haggas-trained runner-up Lake Forest claimed the Gimcrack, but Jasour has a small point to prove having disappointed at Deauville when seeking Group One riches in the Prix Morny.
However, Cox is confident the son of Havana Grey should be judged on his previous endeavours and the youngster is backed to recover from a minor blip in his fledgling career.
“Jasour is in excellent form,” he added.
“He has a Middle Park entry which would be our intended target. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way he has conducted himself at home after a sideways step in the Morny.
“I think we still believe the horse we saw at Newmarket in July is a true witness to what we have really got.”
Jamaican rallycross sensation Fraser McConnell claimed his second Extreme E victory of the season in Round 8 of the championships in Sardinia, Italy. McConnell and his teammate Cristina Gutierrez, drove a flawless race to take the win for X44 Vida Carbon Racing, the team formed by seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
McConnell got off to a great start, taking a wide line into the first turn to sweep past Johan Kristoffersson and Sebastien Loeb. He maintained his lead throughout the race, with Gutierrez bringing the car home 5.813s clear of Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky after the mid-race driver change.
The 25-year-old McConnell was delighted with the team's performance stating, "It's amazing to get a result like this. Cristina and I had our heads down and drove four strong, clean laps in the final. We did everything we could to extract some advantage and find some little tricks to help us go faster than the rest. As always, the team worked tirelessly to ensure the car was in tip-top shape."
The win moves X44 Vida Carbon Racing up to fifth in the standings on 87 points, with just the final leg in Antofagasta, Chile to come on December 2 and 3.
"The Championship is so competitive with so many world-class drivers so to be able to put Lewis Hamilton's team on the top step for round 8 is an amazing feeling," said McConnell. "We're going into Chile with our heads high and hoping for more."
Live In The Dream will head to America to acclimatise ahead of his Breeders’ Cup tilt with a run in the $350,000 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland.
The flying four-year-old proved appropriately named at York when storming to success in the Nunthorpe and booking his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in the process – setting up a trip of a lifetime to Santa Anita for enthusiastic connections who were all tasting big-race success for the first time.
However, before the main event in California on November 4, trainer Adam West has elected to give his thriving speedster an early taste of the action Stateside and Live In The Dream will head to Kentucky on October 7 for a contest won in the past two years by Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal.
West said: “We can’t rely on getting any good ground in the Abbaye and we think the experience out in America – the bell, the stalls they have, the pace they set, a turning track – will hold him in better stead for the Breeders’ Cup.
“The race itself is five and a half furlongs so we’re not expecting to do serious damage there, but the experience for him in that racing style will be invaluable. If we’re leading them at the half-furlong marker then we’ll know we have a really good chance in the big race.”
West reports the Prince Of Lir gelding to be in tip-top form following his exploits on the Knavesmire and with excitement building ahead of the upcoming cross-Atlantic raids, he hopes an outing at Keeneland will help keep a lid on his charge ahead of his main target four weeks later.
“He’s been thriving ever since the Nunthorpe, he’s been really, really well,” added West.
“I’ve just been trying to switch him off a little bit actually so that the next race can bring him on. It’s very hard to keep something at its maximum for as long as the two races (Nunthorpe and Breeders’ Cup) are separated, so hopefully this will do the trick.
“It’s very exciting and we can’t wait.”
Scrum-half Conor Murray feels Ireland’s squad are “buzzing” and in “unbelievable nick” ahead of a pivotal Paris appointment with reigning world champions South Africa.
Andy Farrell’s men have underlined their status as Test rugby’s top-ranked nation by beginning the World Cup with emphatic bonus-point successes over Romania and Tonga.
But their credentials will be truly tested on Saturday evening when they face the formidable Springboks at Stade de France in Pool B’s standout fixture.
Ireland will assess hooker Dan Sheehan, back-rower Jack Conan (both foot) and prop Finlay Bealham (head injury assessment) before the visit to the French capital, with Murray excited for the step up in challenge.
“We feel great,” said the Munster player. “Going back to the pre-season we had, it was great. We feel fit. Most of the lads are in unbelievable nick.
“We have a couple of lads with knocks to come back and, when we get them, we will be absolutely buzzing.
“But we are buzzing already. The exciting thing is we want to see where we can take this team when the challenges get tougher and tougher.
“We are playing good rugby and have things to work on as usual. The big tests are to come but we feel good, we are ready to go.
“You have to embrace it. It’s going to be a massive challenge: world champions in a World Cup. It’s something really exciting.”
Murray started against Tonga in Nantes after backing up Jamison Gibson-Park from the bench in the Bordeaux opener against Romania.
The 34-year-old could this weekend come up against provincial team-mate Jean Kleyn, who represented Ireland at the 2019 World Cup before recently switching allegiance to his native country.
Murray insists there are no hard feelings over that decision but will be looking to steer clear of his towering former Test colleague on the field.
“He has been an unbelievable servant to Munster, so you’d wish him all the best,” he said of 30-year-old lock Kleyn.
“Players make decisions when they have opportunities and that’s the way the world is now.
“If I’m playing against him, I’ll just try and avoid him. He is a physical man, he loves that kind of carry on and he is very, very good at it, so, I’ll just try to avoid him and we’ll have a chat after.”
Assistant coach Mike Catt says Ireland are fully aware of the threats posed by South Africa but concedes nullifying them is a different matter.
“They are playing a great brand of rugby at the moment, there is a real good mix of their physicality and their directness to their ability to move the ball,” said the former England World Cup winner, who was born and raised in Port Elizabeth.
“I think having Manie Libbok at 10, Damian Willemse at 15 and Willie Le Roux, they’re definitely putting the ball through the hands more and causing problems, big problems, for a lot of teams.
“We’re well aware of it, but still got to try and stop it.”
Eddie Jones accepts that Australia are “under the pump” as they prepare for a make-or-break Rugby World Cup clash against Wales.
A first pool stage exit in World Cup history will loom for the Wallabies if they fail to beat Warren Gatland’s team in Lyon on Sunday.
In contrast, Wales are sitting pretty, top of the group with a maximum 10 points from two games and moving towards a fourth successive World Cup quarter-final appearance.
And while the Welsh go about business back at their Versailles training base, Jones and his coaching staff are picking through the pieces of a first loss to Fiji since 1954.
“We are moving on to Wales now,” said Australia head coach Jones, whose side were beaten 22-15 by the Pacific nation in Saint-Etienne on Sunday.
“These are the weeks you remember when you are under the pump quite a lot and you have got to produce a good performance.
“We are starting to set our sights on how we need to play against Wales. The only thing we are worried about is Wales this week.
“We would be happy to play them tomorrow if they wanted to play. We would get the television (coverage) organised. We can’t wait for the challenge.”
Wales have beaten Australia in three of the countries’ last four meetings, and they will tackle a team reeling from a loss that has left them teetering on the brink.
Australia will also be without injured key forwards Taniela Tupou and Will Skelton, increasing their degree of difficulty in a game of inevitably intense pressure.
Jones added: “There are no problems with motivation. This team cares a lot about their performance.
“We are all still searching for answers. None of us has the 100 per cent answer, but we have ideas about where the game came unstuck.
“Wales are a completely different team. They grind away at you, whereas Fiji is power.
“This is one of the biggest challenges for this team and for the coaching staff. We know how we want to play against Wales and we are going to work really hard to get the players back on track.
“When you have a loss like this, it knocks you around a bit. It knocks you emotionally and team-ethics wise. You start seeing shadows in every corner of the room.
“There is noise from outside which you have to handle. That is the challenge for the coaching staff this week, to make sure they have got the right noise.”
Wales are back at their training base, with only flanker Tommy Reffell and prop Henry Thomas among Gatland’s squad likely to need fitness assessments.
Reffell pulled out of Wales’ clash against Portugal just before kick-off in Nice due to a tight calf muscle, while Thomas has played no part in the tournament so far because of a hamstring issue.
Gatland said: “People had an opportunity to put their hand up (against Portugal), so we will review that and see which guys did perform well.
“I thought Rio Dyer looked sharp on the wing, and I was really happy with his aerial stuff. Probably the lineout didn’t function as well as I would have liked, and we were a bit lateral at times.
“But when we were direct and in contact we looked comfortable.”
Scotland are ready to ramp up preparations for Tonga in the coming days after “a good, productive week” of down time and recuperation mixed with intense training sessions since their opening World Cup match against South Africa.
The Scots were idle on the second weekend of the tournament after beginning their campaign with an 18-3 defeat by the defending champions in a gruelling showdown in Marseille on September 10.
The players were given three days off with their families after that match and returned to the training pitch in Nice on Thursday before undertaking further sessions on Friday and Sunday.
The Scots’ regular Test week routine effectively begins on Tuesday ahead of next Sunday’s meeting with Tonga, who lost 59-16 to Ireland in their opening match on Saturday.
“It’s been a good, productive week,” said Scotland’s strength and conditioning coach Stuart Yule. “We had some time off after the game to allow the players to recuperate, recover and spend some time with their families.
“We had time to get reviews done and then we came back into training on Thursday and had three good physical sessions (Thursday, Friday and Sunday) before we came back into the Test match week.
“It’s been a good opportunity to get some more physical work in because it’s a long tournament and it’s important we retain our fitness through this period.”
With a full fortnight between their first two games at the World Cup, Yule explained that the Scots had to find the right balance between down time and keeping the players in prime condition.
“It’s a long tournament, but I think it was an opportunity that we’ve had and we’ve taken to work hard,” he said.
“The way the tournament is, every team will have different situations in terms of where that week is and what it means.
“Recuperation and recovery is vital for every player in this tournament because it’s when you grow and adapt.
“That few days off after South Africa allowed the bodies to recuperate so in the first session back the players were in excellent form, ready to go again, full of enthusiasm and motivation to work hard in the few days prior to the week of the Tonga match.”
The start of the World Cup coincided with France sizzling in a late-summer heatwave, with temperatures across the country in the high 20s and even into the 30s since the tournament began. Yule has been impressed with the way the Scots have acclimatised to working in such intense heat.
“We were fortunate that right at the start of pre-season we had some excellent weather in Scotland and we had a couple of weeks training out here in France (in June and August), so we’ve been exposing the players regularly to the heat,” said Yule.
“There’s a perceptual aspect to the heat as well and once you’ve been exposed to it for a while that perception slowly starts to reduce. It’s something we’ve definitely had to consider, especially in terms of hydration and cooling.
“This group’s resilient, it’s the best group I’ve been with in terms of showing an ability to perform in the heat. They are excellent at getting their heads down and doing the work.
“We’ve had a long period together where we’ve been working hard on our underlying fitness levels and supporting the players with their recovery between training days. The heat’s not affected at all how we’ve prepared.”
Desert Hero will start the vetting procedure for the Lexus Melbourne Cup, with trainer William Haggas eager to keep all avenues open for his St Leger third.
The Sea The Stars colt, who is owned by the King and Queen, was beaten just over three lengths by Continuous at Doncaster on Saturday and is a general 12-1 shot for the Flemington feature on November 7.
International runners in the two-mile contest are subject to a series of veterinary checks before being permitted to run by Racing Victoria, a process which Haggas will begin with Desert Hero, although he underlined undertaking those checks does not necessarily mean the horse will make the trip.
He told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “We want to leave all options open, so the horse will go through his veterinary tests.
“I think we start tonight and then we’ve a couple of days (of) MRIs, tomorrow and Wednesday, so we will get those completed. That doesn’t mean he’s going, but the weights come out tomorrow and then we can collate all the information. Who knows, the veterinary protocols might rule him out anyway, so we will see what happens.”
The King and Queen were at the Town Moor track to see Desert Hero post a gallant effort in defeat, with the crowd providing a warm reception.
Haggas added: “It was a fabulous day – there was a huge crowd, very enthusiastic. I don’t think anyone really believed the King and the Queen would come, so the fact that they did was terrific.
“They weren’t there for very long, but it was great that they came.”
The King and Queen assumed the late Queen’s racing interests following her death, with Desert Hero giving them a first Royal Ascot success when winning the King George V Stakes in June.
Asked if he thought the King was enjoying his racing experience so far, Haggas said: “It appears that way and that’s fantastic because he’s very keen, but obviously it’s been his mother’s baby for as long as we’ve been alive and he didn’t get involved until sadly she left us.
“He’s been full on since and I think he’s enjoying it – I hope he is anyway.
“There was a bit of nervous tension on Saturday, as you can imagine – excitement, but there was a little bit of nerves. We’d spoken about the horse and everyone knew the situation, we were just all hoping for the best.”
Arrest is set to be put away until next season after filling the runner-up spot in his bid to provide Frankie Dettori with one final Classic success in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
Having put Derby and Royal Ascot disappointment behind him with victory in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last month, the Frankel colt was the Italian’s chosen mount as he looked to secure a seventh victory in the Town Moor showpiece.
While the impressive Continuous was too good on the day, Arrest stuck to his task to finish best of the rest and connections are looking forward to seeing what he can achieve as a four-year-old.
Barry Mahon, racing manager for owners Juddmonte, said: “I was delighted and thought he ran a great race. I was more disappointed for Frankie than anything because it would have been lovely for him to have a fairytale ending in the last Classic of the year, but it wasn’t to be.
“The horse ran a brilliant race and Frankie was very complimentary about him afterwards and said what a good horse he thinks he’ll be next year. I think we’ve plenty to look forward to with him.
“I think that seemed to be the consensus with John and Thady (Gosden) and Frankie after the race, that we’d put him away for the year now and he’ll be a nice horse next year.
“He still has a lot of strengthening to do – he’s a tall, lean horse and he’ll strengthen up from three to four. We’ll look forward to the spring next year.
“We know he likes to get his toe in a little bit and once there’s a little bit of juice in the ground he’ll compete in all those big mile-and-a-half races next year.”
Juddmonte’s other top-class performer in the middle-distance division is the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover, who on Friday enjoyed a racecourse gallop at Salisbury in preparation for a tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday week.
The four-year-old has been kept fresh since being narrowly denied by Hukum in a pulsating renewal of the King George at Ascot in July, and Mahon is counting down the days until his next big-race assignment in Paris.
He added: “Westover had a day out in Salisbury and everything went lovely. Ralph was very happy and Rob (Hornby) was very happy with him. He had a good blow afterwards and that will put him spot on.
“I think he’ll head away to the beach this week, which he usually does, and he’ll be ready to head to Longchamp then.
“His form is very good – he’s been competing with the best of them – and just looking at the long-range forecasts the weather looks pretty settled in Paris, so hopefully we might get nice ground, which would be great.”
Lewis Ludlam has urged booing fans to keep the faith after admitting that England could have shown more enterprise in their 34-12 World Cup victory over Japan.
Head coach Steve Borthwick declared it was job done as England took a stranglehold on Pool D through a bonus-point win, but after the 14-man rout of Argentina it felt like a backwards step had been taken on a messy evening at the Stade de Nice.
Early in the third quarter supporters groaned when Alex Mitchell – a live-wire scrum-half whose instinct is to run – booted the ball dead and the jeering grew in volume when the kicking continued.
England then ignited, defying the humidity-soaked conditions that made handling treacherous, to stage a thrilling all-out assault on Japan that was directed by George Ford and replacement full-back Marcus Smith.
The gameplan was to grind down unorthodox opponents and then take them apart when they were out on their feet. In that sense it worked, but for lengthy periods it was also a hard watch that clearly alienated some fans.
When asked for his message to supporters, Ludlam said: “I just say stick with us.
“We are a team that is learning every week and there are probably opportunities in there when we could have run that ball.
“However, it was hard to see how greasy that ball was. It was humid in that stadium and a couple of times we tried to play and ended up straight back on our tryline.
“George Ford is very good at putting us in the right areas and putting us in behind so that we have better opportunities to attack farther up the pitch. It’s hard to get the fans excited about that and we understand, but we’re building.
“That was probably not the performance we wanted – it was not a complete performance – but we are happy to get the win and the five points.
“We will take more opportunities and we want to be a better team next weekend and play in the right areas of the pitch.”
For the second successive weekend Ford was named man of the match as he single-mindedly executed England’s gameplan, but his stellar form presents Borthwick with a conundrum.
Owen Farrell returns from suspension against Chile on Saturday and while Ford will surely be rested for the showdown with Pool D’s weakest opponents, Borthwick must decide who to start at fly-half in a tricky appointment with Samoa a week later.
As England’s captain and talisman Farrell demands selection, but his return would alter a winning team that has been well led by the indomitable Courtney Lawes.
Borthwick’s likely solution is to reunite Ford and Farrell in a playmaking axis against Samoa on October 7 with the Saracens ringmaster reacclimatising to Test rugby at 10 in Lille on Saturday.
“Owen’s always chomping at the bit to get involved whether he’s banned or not. He’s always there and always leading the team forward,” Ludlam said.
“It is massive that we have got him back. He’s a massive leader for us. It’s just brilliant adding to that competition at 10 which is so fierce at the moment.
“Owen’s a proper competitor. He’s one of the most competitive blokes I have had the pleasure of playing with or against.
“You know he’s going to fight to the end and lead the team in the right way. He’s a massive character around the place and we are happy he’s back from his ban now.”
Great Britain are dreaming of more Davis Cup glory after pulling off a remarkable victory over France to book their spot in the quarter-finals.
Needing victory in their final tie at a sold-out AO Arena in Manchester to reach the knock-out stages, it went all the way to a final-set tie-break in the last rubber, with Dan Evans and Neal Skupski saving four match points against Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin before triumphing 1-6 7-6 (4) 7-6 (6).
When a final French return flew long, Evans and Skupski fell to court before leaping into each others’ arms then celebrating with the rest of the team.
Evans was Britain’s key man across the three ties, winning four rubbers, including two against France having battled from behind to see off teenager Arthur Fils in the opening singles.
“It was nuts,” said the 33-year-old. “The singles is the singles and I feel comfortable on that court but the doubles was chaos. I just kept saying to Neal, ‘We’ve got a chance, we’ve got a chance’. We both kept going. We stuck together.
“It was an amazing day, an amazing feeling. Emotional more than anything. You want to be with these guys in the finals and you know what happens if you lose, it’s not ideal being at home as well. You feel that. It’s an immensely proud moment for me and the team.”
Evans talked after beating Fils about how attending Davis Cup matches as a boy in Birmingham had made him want to play professional tennis and this was his 25th tie across 14 years.
His has been one of the more tumultuous careers in British tennis and last year he annoyed captain Leon Smith and his team-mates by publicly airing his grievances about not being picked in doubles after Britain crashed out in the group stage in Glasgow.
Smith gave the 33-year-old a chance alongside Skupski in February’s play-off in Colombia, where they claimed an important victory, and two wins in decisive rubbers this time have seen him put his money where his mouth is.
Smith remains unhappy with the way Evans made his point, saying: “Am I glad he did it? No I’m not glad he did it and he knows that.
“You can’t get every decision right as captain. What’s important I think is how we came together not just here but when we were in Colombia together.
“I’ve always known Evo and Neal are a good pair. That’s why I think what’s happened this week is really good for us because it was really, really disappointing last year, it hurt a lot.
“Everyone feels it, it comes out in different ways. But for me the most important thing is moving forwards. Me and Evo are great and the team spirit has been brilliant.”
Having a strong doubles team is central to success in the new Davis Cup format, where ties are played over three rubbers rather than five.
Tuesday’s draw will determine who Britain face in the final eight week in Malaga from November 21-26, although they already know it will either be Italy or Novak Djokovic’s Serbia.
Whoever they come up against, Smith will believe that his team, with its improved strength in depth, can have a chance of matching their historic 2015 title run, when Andy and Jamie Murray made it virtually a family affair.
“It’s absolutely brilliant we’re going to Malaga,” said Smith. “We’ve definitely got a chance. We’ve got a really good team.
“We had the benefit at one point of having the best player in the world in our team. Obviously Jamie and Andy doing those things and winning a lot of matches, then the others pitched in and we became really strong.
“We’ve got a chance against anybody. It’s really tight, matches can go either way. Every single tie we’ve had here could have gone either way.”
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The only negative was two defeats for British number one Cameron Norrie, whose Davis Cup record now stands at an underwhelming seven wins and seven losses.
Norrie’s lack of recent wins was evident in Sunday’s loss to Ugo Humbert, where he played well for long periods but made errors at key moments, including double-faulting on match point.
Smith is not concerned, though, saying: “He’s amazing. He works his socks off. Every practice this week – bang on it. Every time you watch him, his intensity, his focus, his discipline.
“Some parts will just go like that. But that’s why he’s got top 10, why he’s top 20, because he goes at it every single day. He’ll be fine. He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.”
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