• Oregon was the first time this season Colorado faced a genuine contender
• The clip of Lanning’s speech ironically went viral despite not ‘fighting for clicks’ 
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

By Tyrell Feaster For Dailymail.Com

Published: 21:48 EDT, 23 September 2023 | Updated: 21:51 EDT, 23 September 2023

South Africa were important opponents in shaping the career of Paul O’Connell.

Specifically, the year 2009 was vital. It pitched the legendary lock into action against the Springboks four times. He led the Lions in three Tests against South Africa, including the ageless, brutal second match that clinched the series for South Africa.

It was a gruelling tour for the captain, who commanded widespread respect from coaches and players, but whose leadership was subjected to lingering focus from parts of the media once the series was lost.

Four months after that tour came one of the signal triumphs of his playing career in Ireland colours.

It was a night of freezing fog in Croke Park on Saturday, November 28 that year. And it was second only to the England game in 2007 as rugby’s greatest 80 minutes in the home of the GAA.

Ireland won the game 15-10, thanks to five penalties from Johnny Sexton; he was winning his second cap for his country.

But the game became famous for the extent of O’Connell’s preparation. It emerged afterwards that he had asked Gert Smal, the South African who was Ireland’s forwards’ coach at the time, to teach him to count to ten in Afrikaans. This helped him to decode the opposition line-out calls, and so the best set-piece in the world, led by the mighty Victor Matfield and captain John Smit, came apart.

You wonder late on Saturday night in Nantes, with the crowd now fully dissipated and management urging the Irish players to conclude their media chat and get on the bus home, if O’Connell misses being a player in a week like this one.

His response begins with a deep laugh.

‘No, not any more, not any more,’ he says. ‘I enjoy what I do. This is a different group. They’re kind of different to us, they do things differently so I enjoy where I am.

‘I try not to think about playing too much.’

Coaching is a consolation that allows him to pursue the standards that led him to captaining the Lions. And so given his meticulousness and the expectations created by the Andy Farrell regime generally, the line-out creakiness of recent Tests must have been a frustration.

It could have descended into a much more serious state if it hadn’t come right against Tonga, because it is an aspect of the game with a two-fold significance next Saturday.

Firstly, Ireland’s attacking game makes fruitful use of the line-out, both from mauls and as a way of starting wider attacks. And secondly, South Africa go after the opposition throw with frenzied relish. If there is any weakness, they’ll exploit it and Irish ambitions will be in a vulnerable state.

To see Ireland repair theirs as an attacking weapon in Nantes was important.

‘It was something the lads identified,’ explains O’Connell, ‘that Tonga stay down in a lot of their defence, and they hit you quite hard at the start, so we just transferred it.

‘And we had Bundee in there as well adding a little bit of weight to the maul. It’s always great.

‘It’s hard to score maul tries in international rugby. It’s a tricky thing to do. To be able to go to the corner and be able to grab one of those in a game is always excellent.

‘You’re building generally when you end up five meters from the line. It’s on the back of a penalty already. You’ve already created something, so to be able to go to the corner and score something is great.’

The presence of Aki was significant in the try scored by Caelan Doris on the night. It seems obvious to add such a powerful presence, but it’s also characteristic of the clever moves that have characterised Ireland’s attack.

‘Sometimes you don’t know exactly how it’s going to go, those little trick plays, but we drilled it well all week and it worked, so we’re happy enough with that,’ says James Ryan.

‘There was good variation as well. We had a couple of drives and peel, and obviously played off the top as well. It was good, so we’re happy enough with it.’

Ronan Kelleher was accomplished with his throwing, succeeding with 11 of 12, while Ireland’s overall return, with Rob Herring playing the second half, was 21 from 23.

‘We’ve just been working on a few little tweaks here and there,’ says Kelleher, who had an outstanding game in the loose as well. He must be in strong contention to start in the Stade de France, especially if there is any concern that Dan Sheehan is not ready to go from six weeks on the sideline to the incomparable challenge of taking on the Boks.

‘Not that we’ve been bad, but we’ve been really trying to focus on ourselves,’ he says. ‘Yeah, it was good to see that, all that work kind of pay off. The forwards did the job to make sure they were drilled each time. It made our job a lot easier as hookers.’

Then it’s suggested to Ryan that the entire challenge Ireland faces, in every facet of play, goes up this week. ‘We’re happy with that,’ he instantly replies.

South Africa are world champions, and an enormous obstacle.

But they are now peers for this Ireland generation. This is not a group that cowers before reputations, or that is stooped by history’s miserable burden.

They play and beat the best teams in the world, not because of luck or cosmic flukes, but because of talent, preparation and belief.

‘It was one of our better performances for a while,’ says Ryan. ‘I think it will give us confidence, but it’s a whole different level next week. We’ll get excited about it now as well.

‘The support tonight was just crazy, wasn’t it? Crazy stuff. The colour as well, walking around. I mean, the expectation and level of support next week is going to be unbelievable. So, we’ll get excited about that as well, but obviously we know it’s a huge step up.’

They are relishing the colour and noise inside the Stade de France. Unlike the past two weeks, when the only support for the opposition came from locals picking the underdogs, there will be a vast South African support.

Given the number of South African ex-pats living in the UK, expect two shades of green to flood the French capital.

‘Yeah it doesn’t get any better,’ smiles Ryan, quietly excellent on Saturday.

‘Well, maybe it does but it’s going to be hard to beat. The World Cup, in Paris, against the champions: it’s pretty cool alright.’

And you know and he knows how it could get better, but talk like that must wait. Saturday governs everything now.

NRL star turned coach Jason Ryles reveals how he got a shock SOS from Eddie Jones – and the signs the Wallabies boss is working his magic with the World Cup looming

By NCA NewsWire

Updated: 22:05 EDT, 4 September 2023

Eddie Jones has dismissed claims made against him by Danny Cipriani – that he badgered him with inappropriate questions about his former girlfriend, TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher – as ‘absurd’ and ‘a fabrication’.

The former England head coach, now back in charge of his native Australia, has responded to allegations made in Cipriani’s autobiography, Who Am I? In it, the ex-England fly-half gave an account of a conversation over dinner in 2016, saying: ‘Eddie comes over and sits next to me. 

‘The first words out of his mouth are, “Mate, doesn’t Kirsty Gallacher live around here? Haven’t you shagged her? What’s she like?”.

‘I’ve just split up with Kirsty, after a short relationship, and it’s not something I want to talk to my head coach about, or anyone else for that matter. 

‘Eddie keeps pecking, like a horny teenager, and in the end I tell him straight, “Eddie, I don’t want to talk about this, it’s making me uncomfortable”.’

Jones is busy preparing his Wallabies squad for a World Cup opener against Georgia on Saturday, but when contacted by Mail Sport, he refuted Cipriani’s remarks, saying: ‘We didn’t have a close relationship, so I’m hardly going to engage in a conversation like that with him.

‘To be quite frank, it’s a complete fabrication. We didn’t select him. When players don’t get selected, they always have an axe to grind – we know that.

‘He’s selling a book, so nothing surprises me when players want to sell books. It’s absurd. It’s almost too absurd to talk about. 

‘I think it’s very sad for him that he feels he has to make something up to sell his book.’

When pressed on whether he had ever spoken to Cipriani in any way about Kirsty Gallacher, Jones said: ‘I cannot remember that.’ 

And asked if he was upset by the allegations, he added: ‘It’s just f**king nonsense. If anyone is stupid enough to pay attention to it then good luck to them.’

Jones is notoriously tough on his players and uncompromising in his approach, but he categorically denied speaking to Cipriani about any sexual-related matters. 

‘That’s hardly the sort of language I would use,’ he said.

‘It’s not how I speak to players. In all the years I’ve coached, there would be very few conversations like that with players. 

‘It’s not to say I haven’t had a conversation like that, but there would have been very few – and certainly not with Cipriani.’

Over all his years of coaching, Jones has often been antagonistic and confrontational, but he denied ever being accused of inappropriate behaviour such as this before. ‘I can never recall it,’ he said. 

‘And if there was anything, it would have been in the newspapers.

‘I’ve learned to keep an appropriate distance. You don’t coach for the amount of time that I’ve coached without keeping the appropriate distance. 

‘I get criticised for being too hard – now someone is trying to make out that I’m too familiar with the players. Work out what you want me to be!’

His player-coach relationship with Cipriani was known to have been tense and strained, but Jones claimed that the last contact between them had been cordial, in sad circumstances. 

He said: ‘I sent him a note when his previous girlfriend committed suicide, to ask if he was alright, just out of courtesy.’

The Voice Australia coach Jason Derulo slams extremely popular Aussie food staple

By Marta Jary For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 08:27 EDT, 13 August 2023 | Updated: 09:03 EDT, 13 August 2023

Gary Neville’s sister heads for Australia as former England coach Tracey lands job with Super Netball’s newest franchise

• Tracey Neville has landed a new job in Australia 
• She will coach Super Netball’s new franchise 
• Neville previously led the England team

By Ollie Lewis For Daily Mail Australia

Updated: 08:00 EDT, 2 August 2023

Port Adelaide‘s only AFL premiership coach Mark Williams has used his Hall of Fame induction to issue an emotional call to fight racism in the sport – and explained what led to one of the most iconic images in Power history.

In a passionate and wide-ranging speech at Melbourne‘s Crown Casino, the life-long football champion ended the function in stirring style.

Joking he was given the hard task of following iconic broadcaster Bruce McAvaney, Williams need not have worried as he delivered a memorable acceptance speech.

The 64-year-old said he remained in football, currently at Melbourne, due to his love of working with people from all backgrounds.

‘The Aboriginal people, I absolutely love. I really admire the AFL for talking and standing up for the ‘Yes’ vote for the Voice,’ Williams said.

‘I am saying we have to do the right thing and understand how bloody hard it is for the Aboriginal players to make their way in the AFL.

‘We need to support them and understand them.

‘When we get them there, make sure we give them opportunity and then absolutely demand the best from them and expect the best.’

Williams used the 2004 grand final when he coached Port to their sole premiership as an example of First Nations players starring on the biggest stage.

Byron Pickett won the Norm Smith Medal, while fellow Indigenous Power teammates Gavin Wanganeen, Peter Burgoyne and Shaun Burgoyne also played key roles in Port’s 40-point victory over the all-conquering Brisbane Lions.

‘I want them to be best on ground, not just making up the numbers,’ Williams said.

‘On grand final day, that’s what we saw when Port Adelaide won.’

The iconic image from Port’s breakthrough AFL premiership was Williams’ mock tie-choking gesture after the siren.

Williams reflected on just how tough things were for him and his family at that time in his life.

‘We were getting a lot of flack, it was hard living in Adelaide. Walking down the streets, my family was getting bullied and abused,’ he said.

‘People see the pulling of the tie and try and understand it. (But) If you walked a mile in my shoes or theirs (my family), you would understand how difficult it was.

‘To everyone’s credit, the Port Adelaide players, staff and board — everyone stuck together really closely. We worked on it and worked on it and kept going and kept believing in ourselves and finally got there.’

Three-time Geelong premiership heroes Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright have become the latest Cats legends to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

The pair both ended their playing careers at the end of the 2016 season following Geelong’s preliminary-final loss to the Sydney Swans.

Despite ending their time with the Cats on a low, Bartel and Enright played a central role in an extraordinary period of success for the regional Victorian club.

The dynamic duo starred in Geelong’s 2007 premiership, the club’s first in 44 years, before being part of further grand-final success in 2009 and 2011.

A courageous midfielder, Bartel was awarded the 2007 Brownlow Medal and took out the Norm Smith Medal for his best-on-ground performance in the 2011 grand-final win over Collingwood.

Now a respected media analyst and a GWS board member, Bartel finished his career with 305 games and 202 goals.

Enright remains one of the greatest defenders in modern AFL history, named All-Australian six times, including in his final season.

Geelong should continue to dominate the Hall of Fame intake in coming years with fellow premiership greats such as Gary Ablett Jnr, Steve Johnson, Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins almost certain to be included when they become eligible.

One of Bartel and Enright’s former adversaries, Sam Mitchell, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame after a stellar four-premiership career for Hawthorn, followed by a one-season stint at West Coast.

Mitchell skippered the Hawks’ 2008 grand-final victory over Geelong, before handing the captaincy reins over to Luke Hodge ahead of the 2011 season.

Hawthorn added to their premiership cabinet with a 2013-15 flag three-peat.

Mitchell was retrospectively crowned a joint winner of the 2012 Brownlow Medal after Essendon’s Jobe Watson gave up his award following the Bombers’ supplements saga.

Now coaching Hawthorn after taking over from his long-time mentor Alastair Clarkson at the end of 2021, Mitchell finished with 329 games and is a five-time Hawks best-and-fairest winner.

Port Adelaide’s only AFL premiership coach Mark Williams received a belated induction, 13 years after he stepped away from the Power.

Williams enjoyed an illustrious playing career in the SANFL with Port Adelaide, before taking his talents to the VFL/AFL at Collingwood and Brisbane.

AFL Commission chairman Richard Goyder confirmed St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt had accepted an invitation into the Hall of Fame.

However, the former Saints captain is living in the United States with his family this year and will be officially inducted when he returns to Australia.

2023 AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn, West Coast)

Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)

Corey Enright (Geelong)

Michael Aish (Norwood, SANFL)

Tom Leahy (West Adelaide, North Adelaide SANFL)

Bruce McAvaney (broadcaster)

Mark Williams (Port Adelaide as player and coach, Collingwood, Brisbane)

Obi Toppin had an ‘intense verbal altercation’ with head coach Tom Thibodeau after Knicks’ Game 4 playoff loss against Miami Heat

• Toppin was upset over his game time dwindling after Julius Randle’s return 
• The 25-year-old, Brooklyn native was restrained by several of his teammates 
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

By Alastair Talbot For Dailymail.Com

Published: 20:59 EDT, 21 June 2023 | Updated: 21:08 EDT, 21 June 2023

Brooks Koepka’s coach blasts Golf Channel’s ‘paid actor’ Brandel Chamblee for saying no LIV star can play at the Ryder Cup by referring to sportswashing after NBC showed Russia and China Winter Olympics

• Brandel Chamblee’s remarks came two days after Brooks Koepka won the PGA
• Koepka became the first ever LIV Golf player to win a PGA Tour major
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

By Alastair Talbot For Dailymail.Com

Published: 17:41 EDT, 23 May 2023 | Updated: 19:33 EDT, 23 May 2023

The Phoenix Suns have parted ways with head coach Monty Williams, who led the team to the 2021 NBA Finals, after the team’s 25-point blowout defeat to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The 51-year-old’s dismissal took place late on Saturday and comes only two days after Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Co. capitulated at home against Denver, led by two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic. 

‘We are filled with gratitude for everything Monty has contributed to the Suns and to the Valley community,’ Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement announcing Williams’ firing. 

Perhaps the embarrassing nature in which Williams’ team crashed out of the playoffs led to some uncomfortable questions, one of which the Suns front office might have felt pressured to answer immediately after the team’s season was all but over. 

Williams’ four-year tenure in Phoenix ends with a 194-115 record (63 percent). Under the guidance of last season’s coach of the year award recipient, the Suns nearly won their first ever NBA championship in 2021 but ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, who also fired their head coach, Mike Budenholzer, this month, in six games. 

There is no clear front-runner to replace Williams, according to ESPN. 

The report added that he had three years and more than $20 million left on his contract and is widely expected to become a frontrunner for other teams in the market for a new coach, including the Toronto Raptors. 

New Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who was involved in an on-court bust-up with Jokic this postseason, is setting high expectations in Phoenix, with the aim to finally bring an NBA title to the Sun Valley. The Suns have never won basketball’s ultimate prize since the club’s founding in 1968.

What’s more is that the team’s early postseason exit comes nearly three months after a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant was completed at the league’s trade deadline in February. 

However, Durant landed in the Southwest with an injured ankle and has missed all but eight games before the start of the playoffs. 

Often criticized for a lack of leadership skills, the 34-year-old averaged 29 points, 5.5 assists and 8.7 rebounds in 11 games in this year’s playoffs. He was one of the team’s two top scorers, as expected, with Devin Booker leading the charge in both scoring and assists. 

The Suns guard averaged 33.7 points, 7.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds against both the L.A. Clippers (Suns won in six) and Denver. He, along with Durant, former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and veteran point guard Chris Paul were expected to deliver a title to a franchise starving for success.

It just didn’t work, at least, not this year. Paul got hurt in the playoffs to continue his run of bad luck on the health front in the postseason, Ayton sat out the finale and Booker and Durant simply looked gassed by the time it was over. 

‘Neither day feels good,’ Williams said after the Suns’ Game 6 loss to the Nuggets on Thursday, when asked to compare last season’s 30-point debacle to this year’s 25-point season-ending loss.

‘I take that personally, not having our team ready to play in the biggest game of the year,’ he added. ‘That’s something that I pride myself on and it just didn’t happen. […] That’s something I have to take a deep look at, everything I’m doing.’

Ishbia clearly took a deep look as well, and decided to make the change.

It’s anyone’s guess what other changes are coming. The roster surely will change, and so will the system with a new coach in place.

The Suns now become yet another high-profile coaching opening, along Milwaukee, and Toronto. The Raptors fired Nick Nurse earlier in May, four seasons after having won the franchise’s first NBA title in 2019.