SPORT

SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

(All games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 2
Bishop Amat at Cypress
Cajon at Redlands East Valley
Shadow Hills at Portola
Tesoro at Newbury Park
Fullerton at Ventura
Northwood at Woodbridge
Corona Del Mar at Agoura
Palos Verdes at Linfield Christian
San Dimas at Downey
San Clemente at Yorba Linda
Bonita at Beckman
Westlake at Mater Dei
Warren at Aliso Niguel
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at El Toro
Western Christian at Upland
Gahr at Beaumont

DIVISION 3
La Serna at Mira Costa
Foothill at Ayala
Moorpark at South Hills
Sunny Hills at California
Hemet at Norco
Long Beach Poly at Villa Park
Placenita Valencia at Millikan
Glendora at Torrance
Irvine University at Mission Viejo
Patriot at Corona Santiago
Santa Monica at El Modena
Kaiser at Rancho Cucamonga
Sonora at Eastvale Roosvelt
Channel Islands at Santa Paula
Chino at Bellflower
San Marino at La Habra

DIVISION 4
Alta Loma at Temecula Prep
Canyon Springs at West Covina
Laguna Hills at Inglewood
West Ranch at Chaparral
Loma Linda Academy at Riverside King
Ramona at Gardena Serra
North Torrance at Schurr
Great Oak at Covina
Temecula Valley at Corona
St. Mary’s Academy at La Palma Kennedy
Temescal Canyon at Riverside Poly
Murrieta Mesa at Chaminade
La Canada at Claremont
Compton at Sierra Vista
Royal at Hart
Serrano at Antelope Valley

DIVISION 5
Lancaster at Quartz Hill
Moreno Valley at Jurupa Hills
Rancho Alamitos at Lawndale
Rialto at San Gorgonio
Orange at Norte Vista
El Segundo at Northview
Montclair at Hacienda Heights Wilson
Castaic at Highland
Elsinore at Don Lugo
Valley View at Azusa
Anaheim at San Jacinto Valley
Costa Mesa at Long Beach Jordan
Windward at Westridge
Vasquez at South El Monte
Buena Park at St. Paul
Garden Grove at Vista Murrieta

DIVISION 6
Pioneer at Brentwood
Norwalk at Leuzinger
Westminster La Quinta at Montebello
Saddleback at Cerritos
Miller at Garey
Bell Gardens at Loara
Tahquitz at Artesia
Los Amigos at Adelanto
Ramona Convent at El Rancho
Estancia at Palm Springs
SEED LA at BIshop Alemany
Fontana at Paramount
Workman at Gabrielino
Indian Springs at Palm Desert
Godinez at Rosemead
Pomona at Hillcrest

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

First Round

DIVISION 1
Trabuco Hills at JSerra
Anaheim Canyon at Santa Margarita
Edison at Newport Harbor
Etiwanda at Dos Pueblos
Esperanza at Huntington Beach
Oxnard at Camarillo
Lakewood St. Joseph at San Marcos
Redondo Union at Orange Lutheran

Note: Second round (Divisions 2-6) Oct. 25; Quarterfinals (Division 1), Oct. 27; Quarterfinals (Divisions 2-6) Oct. 28; Semifinals (all divisions) Nov. 1; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 7-8 at Fred Kelly Stadium.

Mayer, the son of former McLaren team principal Teddy Mayer and a long-time steward for the FIA before being fired by Ben Sulayem last year, said he had submitted a number of ethics complaints to the governing body about the election process.

“We strongly believe a series of ethics violations have been committed in this election process,” he said. “And we have now submitted numerous ethics complaints.

“Assuming the Ethics Committee finds validity to our complaints, who does this go to for action? The president of the FIA or the senate president – both conflicted parties. The statutes don’t provide for any other method or for any appeal. Where is the accountability? This is how institutions fail.

“I am not a revolutionary. I do want to evolve the FIA to a better place so I intend to use the processes of the FIA as much as is don’t believe they are independent or free and open.”

He also questioned the appointment of Daniel Coen as a representative for the world council from Costa Rica when the country has no motorsport events listed, which is a requirement of membership.

Mayer quoted from a report into the FIA produced by the Utrecht School of Governance, which studies public organisations in their interaction with the developments in politics and society.

Its report said the FIA score on the sports governance observer index was 45% which places it “among federations that have adopted the formal trappings of modern governance but lack robust institutional policies and safeguards”.

The report continued: “The FIA’s governance structurally concentrates power in the office of the president, and accountability remains confined within a system over which the president exercises decisive control.”

An FIA spokesperson said: “The FIA presidential election is a structured and democratic process, to ensure fairness and integrity at every stage.

“The requirements for the 2025 FIA elections, including the relevant deadlines and eligibility criteria for the presidential list and World Councils, are defined in the FIA statutes and internal regulations, which are publicly available on the FIA’s website.

“Detailed information regarding these elections has also been made available on a dedicated page on the FIA’s website since 13 June 2025 and communicated to all FIA members.

“The requirements related to the regional representation of the vice-presidents for sport, and to select them from the World Motor Sport Council in order to draw up a presidential list, are not new. These criteria applied to previous elections.

“As to be expected, preparing a candidature for a presidential list or the World Councils requires certain steps to be taken. Prospective candidates have had since the publication of the detailed information on 13 June to prepare their applications.”

Responding to the Utrecht report cited by Mayer, the FIA spokesperson said: “The report commissioned by Tim Mayer’s team finds the FIA’s governance practices to be in line with other federations, particularly those ‘that have made progress in formalising governance structures’.

“The benchmarking process outlined within the report does not find the FIA to be behind the curve. This reflects the fact that the FIA has taken several steps to strengthen its corporate governance policies.

“The FIA was not contacted to confirm any of the statements or assumptions made about its processes, policies and administration within the report.”

F1 races are exclusively coming to Apple TV next year as part of a five-year deal announced Friday between the tech giant and Formula 1.

Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. will have access to practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grands Prix footage, as well as F1 TV Premium, Formula 1’s subscription service.

Some races and practice sessions may be free for viewing on the Apple TV app. The Apple Sports app will show live updates on each Grand Prix, including real-time leaderboards, Apple said.

“2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1, from new teams to new regulations and cars with the best drivers in the world, and we look forward to delivering premium and innovative fan-first coverage to our customers in a way that only Apple can,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a statement.

Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1’s president and CEO, said the partnership will help maximize Formula 1’s growth potential in the U.S. His company worked with Apple on “F1 The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt, which was released last summer. It was Apple’s first box office hit.

“We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked,” Domenicali said in a statement.

Apple paid roughly $140 million a year for the rights to show the races, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. The races have been airing on ESPN since 2018 in a deal that will end this year. ESPN paid roughly $85 million per year on average, the source said. The financial terms were first reported by CNBC.

Apple and Formula 1 did not immediately return a request for comment and ESPN declined to comment on the financial terms of the deal.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 accomplished together in the United States and look forward to a strong finish in this final season,” ESPN said in a statement. “We wish F1 well in the future.”

Streaming services have increasingly been airing sports on their platforms to attract more viewers who gather for major events. In addition to F1, Apple has deals to air games from Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer.

Apple also recently announced a deal to bundle Apple TV with NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock.

McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace in practice at the United States Grand Prix, split from team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.

Norris, trailing the Australian by 22 points with six races to go, headed Piastri by 0.279 seconds at the start of a sprint weekend at the Circuit of the Americas.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Williams’ Alex Albon.

This was the only session before sprint qualifying at 22:30 BST.

Mercedes’ George Russell was seventh fastest, the first driver to set his fastest time on the medium tyres, ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Haas’ Oliver Bearman.

Historians looking back at UCLA’s 2025 football season will peg the Penn State game as the Bruins’ first victory.

In ways both large and small, they will be wrong.

When Tim Skipper first took over the team a month ago, he placed a new opponent on the schedule: the locker room. The interim coach showed players pictures of how it should look, including the lockers and the surrounding floor.

They scrubbed the place and it’s been spotless ever since. Sort of like the Bruins’ play starting with that Penn State game.

“I think a clean locker room makes you a lot happier,” Skipper explained this week. “It shows team discipline and it shows you can win off the field, so now you can go ahead and get on the field.”

Skipper’s other primary motivational device — besides his highly transmissible energy — has been slogans. He started by telling his players to strain, to give everything they had in the pursuit of winning. After the Bruins beat Penn State, he asked players whether they were one-hit wonders. Now, his players having established they know what it takes to win following a smackdown of Michigan State, he’s asking them to maintain their approach.

At their Sunday meeting, the Bruins saw their new mantra — the standard is the standard — on a big screen.

“We have identified a style of play that we want to be, and it’s our job now to keep the standard the standard, you know, play with that fanatical effort, play with fundamentals, being smart, you know, all those things we just have to continue to do,” Skipper said. “But it’s not like something that’s just going to show up on Saturday. You have to practice about it. You have to work on it and not just talk about it.”

Can the Bruins keep it up after two consecutive victories? Here are five things to watch Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl when UCLA (2-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) faces Maryland (4-2, 1-2):

Rowley spent four years in charge of Leigh between 2012 and 2016 before spending two years as head coach of Toronto Wolfpack.

He initially joined Salford as a coaching consultant in 2019 and stepped up to the top job for the 2022 campaign.

His first three seasons in charge brought two play-off finishes but any hopes of building on those in 2025 were scuppered by a litany of off-field issues.

The Red Devils were beset by financial problems, which led to the vast majority of the senior playing squad leaving and Rowley being forced to pull together sides week to week.

Against that chaotic backdrop they managed three Super League wins and ended with two points deducted for failing to fulfil a fixture against Wakefield.

Before their final game of the season last month he admitted that he was “relieved to have reached the end of the year.”

“I’m pretty proud that I managed to get the team to the finish line,” Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester as he reflected on the 2025 season.

“That’s a bit sad really because you should never want the finish line to come in rugby league where the last game is the most important.

“Everybody at the club, certainly the staff, have been immense. I’m surrounded by good people. My staff have become my best friends and I think the moral compass of the staff at this club is unparalleled.”

Rams star receiver Puka Nacua will not play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of an ankle injury he suffered in last Sunday’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens, coach Sean McVay told reporters Friday in Baltimore.

Nacua, who ranks among NFL leaders in catches and yards receiving, did not practice this week in Baltimore, where the Rams stayed before their scheduled departure to London on Friday.

The Rams (4-2) play the Jaguars (4-2) at Wembley Stadium.

Veteran receiver Davante Adams is expected to become quarterback Matthew Stafford’s primary target. Tutu Atwell, who sat out against the Ravens because of a hamstring injury, will return Sunday. Jordan Whittington also is expected to start.

Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein also was ruled out because of an ankle injury that has sidelined him for several games.

The due diligence already completed towards Postecoglou’s possible replacement provides a clear indication of the jeopardy the Australian faces.

It would be hard for any manager to change the direction of travel in these circumstances.

Of course, Postecoglou will back himself to turn it around. That’s his nature.

Speaking in his pre-match news conference on Friday, he said: “Some look at the weeds but I look at what is growing. I am really excited as I have a group of young players willing to change.

“I just don’t fit, not here, just in general. If you look at it through the prism of ‘I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job’ then of course this first five weeks looks like ‘this guy’s under pressure’. There is an alternative story that you could look at it.”

Owner Marinakis wants him to succeed, having backed Postecoglou’s track record of winning silverware as one of the key factors in why he appointed him in the first place.

Indeed, prior to their previous Premier League outing against Newcastle – that resulted in a 2-0 loss – well-placed sources told BBC Sport Postecoglou still maintained the immediate backing of the Forest owner.

There was, though, recognition that the result and manner of performance at St James’ Park would have a key influence on how Marinakis viewed his manager’s future.

Likewise, there is a feeling Postecoglou has not been helped by refereeing decisions.

For instance, during the Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland – during which supporters turned on Postecoglou – earlier this month, there was a feeling as many as 14 key decisions went against Forest.

But with that said, the internal scrutiny on Postecoglou is intense.

Victory over Chelsea could mean he takes the first step towards what appears an unlikely road to recovery at Forest.

Lose the game, and the writing is already on the wall.

HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

New Designs University Park 36, TEACH Tech 0

Verdugo Hills 26, Arleta 6

Verdugo Hills 26, Arleta 13

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alhambra 36, Keppel 8

Antelope Valley 6, Highland 0

Banning 50, Rancho Mirage 33

Bellflower 26, Norwalk 0

Bishop Amat 25, St. Paul 0

Bonita 32, Claremont 15

Burbank Burroughs 33, Providence 0

California 30, Whittier 14

Castaic 21, Golden valley 12

Cerritos 26, Pioneer 0

Costa Mesa 14, Godinez 6

Covina 19, West Covina 13

Crean Lutheran 39, Azusa 0

Desert Hot Springs 22, Cathedral City 6

Hart 32, Canyon Country Canyon 6

Irvine 7, Laguna Beach 0

Irvine University 35, Rosary 13

Knight 13, Lancaster 6

La Canada 40, Rio Hondo Prep 12

Laguna Hills 14, Westminster 7

Montebello 6, San Gabriel 0

Newport Harbor 32, Aliso Niguel 6

Northview 18, Charter Oak 12

Paramount 12, La Mirada 0

Quartz Hill 22, Eastside 0

Rowland 12, Hacienda Heights Wilson 7

San Dimas 20, Alta Loma 6

Santa Fe 19, El Rancho 12

Saugus 14, Vasquez 7

Schurr 33, Bell Gardens 12

Sierra Vista 28, St. Lucy’s 31

South El Monte 34, Arroyo 7

Sunny Hills 6, Santa Ana Foothill 0

Tesoro 18, San Juan Hills 14

Tustin 26, Compton Early College 0

Villa Park 18, Troy 12

Warren 19, Gahr 0

Western Christian 13, Ontario Christian 7

West Ranch 34, Valencia 0

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Birmingham 6, Cleveland 0

Carson 31, LA Marshall 21

Hollywood 25, Collins Family 13

El Camino Real 28, Chatsworth 0

LA Marshall 20, Jefferson 6

Jefferson 13, Carson 12

Maywood Academy 6, Torres 0

Panorama 42, Van Nuys 0

Panorama 48, Reseda 0

Roybal 6, LACES 0

Sotomayor 8, Maywood Academy 0

Sotomayor 40, Torres 0

Van Nuys 21, Granada Hills Kennedy 12

Venice 19, Fairfax 6

National League sides Brackley Town and Eastleigh will have their home ties in the first round of the FA Cup broadcast by the BBC.

Brackley will host League Two side Notts County at 17:30 GMT on Saturday, 1 November.

Eastleigh face another League Two outfit in Walsall at 14:15 GMT on Sunday, 2 November.

Both matches will be live on BBC Two and across BBC Sport channels, including BBC iPlayer.

There will be eight ties shown live on television overall and all will be available on TNT Sports.

Each of the clubs involved in the televised ties will receive a £50,000 fee.

From Jack Harris: During the first five innings Thursday afternoon, the Dodgers patiently waited.

For impossible shadows to subside on a sunny afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

For Milwaukee Brewers rookie star Jacob Misiorowski to lose steam amid an electric bulk-relief outing.

For the door to crack even slightly open, and give their veteran club — seeking a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series — the opportunity to burst through it.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the moment finally arrived.

And once the Brewers wavered, the relentless Dodgers pounced.

With a two-run rally fueled by professional hitting, aggressive baserunning and a little cat-and-mouse with the pitch clock, the Dodgers broke an early tie, took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish and moved to the doorstep of the World Series with a 3-1 win in Game 3 of the NLCS.

Continue reading here

Plaschke: Are these Dodgers the best postseason team in baseball history? They will be

Gold Glove finalist Mookie Betts’ fielding (and hitting) has Dodgers in position for sweep

Shaikin: It’s not easy to repeat as World Series champs, but Dodgers don’t seem to mind

Dodgers box score

MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE, RESULTS

All times Pacific

NLCS
Dodgers vs. Milwaukee

Dodgers 2, at Milwaukee 1 (box score)

Dodgers 5, at Milwaukee 1 (box score)

at Dodgers 3, Milwaukee 1 (box score)

Friday: at Dodgers, 5:30 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Saturday: at Dodgers, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Monday: at Milwaukee, 2 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Tuesday: at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

ALCS
Seattle vs. Toronto
Seattle 3, at Toronto 1 (box score)
Seattle 10, at Toronto 3 (box score)
Toronto 13, at Seattle 4 (box score)
Toronto 8, at Seattle 2 (box score)
Friday at Seattle, 3 p.m., FS1
Sunday at Toronto, 5 p.m., FS1
*-Monday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox/FS1

*-if necessary

From Ben Bolch: They’re calling their favorite audible again.

One quarterback guru contacts the other, asking for help in creating a dynamic offense.

The answer is always yes. The results say as much about Jerry Neuheisel and Noel Mazzone’s devotion to one another as they do about their ability to mass-produce yards and points for UCLA.

“No matter what happens,” Neuheisel said in an interview with The Times, “as long as you’re around him you have a smile on your face.”

The latest call came from the longtime apprentice to his mentor.

With the Bruins sputtering toward an 0-4 start, Neuheisel spoke with Mazzone about possibly returning to Westwood to assist with the offense. Just like he routinely had when he was UCLA’s offensive coordinator a decade earlier, Mazzone cultivated the necessary intelligence, learning that Neuheisel would be promoted from tight ends coach to playcaller before Neuheisel did.

Continue reading here

From Ryan Kartje: The call that King and Kaylon Miller waited their whole lives to receive came on their drive back from practice, late in their senior year at Calabasas High.

But Kaylon didn’t pick up. His phone marked the call as spam.

Fortunately for the twin brothers, their dream came with a follow-up text. When they called back, former USC offensive line coach Josh Henson delivered the good news. USC wanted both Kaylon, an offensive lineman, and King, a running back, to join the team as preferred walk-ons.

“We had to stop the car on the side of the road,” King said. “We were going crazy.”

“I turned to King, like, ‘What is life right now?’” Kaylon added. “There’s no way this opportunity is coming up.”

Continue reading here

KINGS

Filip Hallander scored his first career goal to give Pittsburgh the lead and the Penguins rallied to beat the Kings 4-2 on Thursday night.

Hallander, playing in his seventh NHL game, jammed in Rickard Rakell’s rebound at the near post for the short-handed goal at 6:50 of the third period to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the second game of a three-game California swing.

Evgeni Malkin, Connor Dewar and Sidney Crosby also scored, and Arturs Silovs made 30 saves for the Penguins.

Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala scored in the first period to give the Kings a 2-0 lead after one, but L.A. lost its third in a row. Anton Forsberg made 22 saves.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

DUCKS

Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes remained the NHL’s only unbeaten team with a 4-1 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night.

Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1948 — The Green Bay Packers intercept seven passes off Bob Waterfield in a 16-0 victory over the Rams.

1954 — Adrian Burk of the Philadelphia Eagles passes for seven touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over the Washington Redskins. Burk completes 19 of 27 passes for 232 yards and his longest touchdown pass is 26 yards.

1960 — The National League formally awards franchises to the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc. headed by Joan Payson and a Houston, Texas, group headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, Craig Cullinan and R.E. Smith.

1964 — Quarterback Jerry Rhome is responsible for 56 of Tulsa’s 58 points with seven touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in a 58-0 shutout of Louisville.

1974 — The Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 at the Capital Centre to earn the first victory in franchise history.

1989 — The Calgary Flames tie an NHL record by scoring two goals, both short-handed, in 4 seconds and also three goals in a 27-second span during the third period to pull into an 8-8 tie with the Quebec Nordiques.

1991 — Paul Coffey of the Pittsburgh Penguins becomes the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history. Coffey gets two assists in an 8-5 victory against the New York Islanders at the Civic Arena, giving him 1,053 career points (309 goals and 744 assists). Coffey passes longtime Islanders star Denis Potvin.

1991 — Angel Cordero Jr. becomes the 3rd jockey to win 7,000 races.

1992 — Jari Kurri of the Kings scores his 500th goal in an 8-6 win over the Boston Bruins. Kurri becomes the first European-trained player and 18th player overall to reach the mark.

2000 — Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 448th career victory as Colorado beats Washington 4-3 in overtime. Roy snaps a tie with Terry Sawchuk, who held the mark since 1970. Sawchuk earned his 447th victory in his 968th game, while Roy wins No. 448 in his 847th game.

2015 — Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, overtaking club legend Raul with his 324th goal in a 3-0 win over Levante.

2015 — Jalen Watts-Jackson scoops up a flubbed punt attempt and lumbers 38 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game, giving No. 7 Michigan State a shocking 27-23 win over No. 12 Michigan at the Big House.

2017 — Boston’s Gordon Hayward breaks his left ankle just five minutes into the season, a grisly injury that overshadows Kyrie Irving’s return to Cleveland and the Cavaliers’ 102-99 win over the shocked Celtics.

2021 — The Chicago Sky defeat the Phoenix Mercury 81-74 to win their first WNBA Championship three games to one. The Sky’s Kahleah Copper is named Finals MVP.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

She has informed the WDF she will not be playing in the women’s championship, which starts on 28 November

A WDF statement said: “Although Beau will no longer be competing on the Lakeside stage, we wish her all the best in the next stage of her darting career.

“She has been a fantastic ambassador for our system since we returned from the pandemic in 2021, winning every major WDF title on the way.

“It’s been fantastic to see how her game has gone from strength to strength playing in WDF events and we know that she’ll continue to make even more history on the PDC circuit.”

A minimum of four women will compete at the PDC World Championship after a new qualifying structure was announced.

This year’s event will have an expanded field of 128 players, up from 96 in 2024-25, with the winner taking home £1m of a £5m prize pot.

Fallon Sherrock, the only woman to have won matches in the tournament – in 2019 – is the only other female player to have qualified so far.

With seeded players entering the tournament in the first round, rather than the second, Greaves and Sherrock could meet one of the top men.

Shohei Ohtani has done next to nothing in the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers could sweep their way into the World Series on Friday, with Ohtani as a footnote in the NLCS story, but baseball’s best player has a flair for the dramatic.

Bring on the latest Babe Ruth comparison!

Baseball’s contemporary two-way superstar can do something Friday that baseball’s original two-way superstar never did.

Ruth started three postseason games as a pitcher, never hitting a home run in those games. Ohtani starts his second postseason game as a pitcher Friday, looking for his first postseason home run as a pitcher.

He could hit a home run and be the winning pitcher Friday, because why not?

“I feel like Shohei is a superhero character,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said.

In the division series, Ohtani had one hit in 18 at-bats, with nine strikeouts. After the Dodgers clinched, this was catcher Will Smith: “He didn’t do much this series. I expect next series for him to come out and hit like five homers. That’s just who he is.”

In this series, Ohtani has two hits in 11 at-bats, with five strikeouts. Over the NLDS and NLCS, he is batting .103 with no home runs, and he has struck out in 48% of his at-bats.

He has not hit five home runs in this series, as Smith had optimistically anticipated.

“I’m hoping he will tomorrow,” Smith said Thursday.

If a player has a rough week or two in June and changes up his routine, you might hear about it for a couple of minutes on the pregame show. Ohtani had a rough week or two in October and decided to take batting practice on the field instead of in the indoor cages Wednesday, and it became MAJOR BREAKING INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

Not just for fans, the ones that have made his jersey baseball’s best seller, and the ones set to flock to the grand opening of a Tokyo pop-up gallery Friday, featuring vinyl albums that pay homage to the walk-up songs and anthems of Ohtani and other major league stars.

Ohtani’s teammates came out to watch that rare outdoor batting practice. The sound guys cranked up an extra dose of Michael Bublé. And, because it was Ohtani, he hit a ball off the roof of the right-field pavilion.

So, no, the Dodgers aren’t worried. And, no, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t about to move Ohtani down in the lineup.

“Obviously, Shohei’s not performing the way he would like or we expect,” Roberts said. “But I just know how big of a part he is to this thing.

“We’ve got a long way to go. But I just like the work he’s putting in. And I’ll bet on him all day long.”

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs the bases on a leadoff triple against the Brewers in the first inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For Ohtani’s hitting, pitching has been his kryptonite this season. In his 15 starts, including the one in the NLDS, he is batting .207, and he has struck out in 43% of his at-bats.

“I don’t necessarily think that the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” Ohtani said Wednesday. “Just on the pitching side, as long as I control what I can control, I feel pretty good about putting up results. On the hitting side, just the stance, the mechanics, that’s something that I do. It’s a constant work in progress.”

There was some progress Thursday, when Ohtani tripled to lead off the first inning. On the next pitch, Mookie Betts doubled him home.

“It’s kind of like the Bulls playing without Michael Jordan sometimes,” Betts told TBS after the game. “So we get him going and then it’s really going to be hard to beat. You see what happens immediately. As soon as he gets a hit, good things happen. But he’s going to be there.

“He’s going to be there when the time is right. We all trust and believe in Shohei.”

Before the NLCS, Roberts was blunt about Ohtani’s offensive struggles.

“We’re not gonna win the World Series with that sort of performance,” Roberts said.

That sort of performance has continued, and the Dodgers are undefeated since then. That makes it easier to believe in Ohtani, and in what he might deliver on Friday.

“I’m expecting nothing short of incredible,” infielder Max Muncy said.

“All in all, I’m expecting Shohei to pitch a great game, and whatever he does offensively is just kind of icing on the cake at that point. It’s a tough thing to pitch and hit in the same game, especially in a postseason game. He’s going to be fine.”

The Ruth comparison only goes so far. When he pitched in the postseason, he was primarily a pitcher, twice batting ninth. He made 145 pitches in his first postseason start, a 14-inning complete-game victory.

That is about all we can say Ohtani will not do. The Dodgers are so deep that, Roberts’ fear notwithstanding, they could win the World Series with a slumping Ohtani. They did that last year, in fact.

However, with one mighty swing, Friday’s storyline could be less about what he did not do and more about what Ruth could not do. Champagne showers are in the forecast.

York Knights and Toulouse Olympique will play in an expanded 14-team Super League next season after being selected to join rugby league’s top flight by an independent panel.

Bradford Bulls were promoted to Super League on Thursday having taken the place of financially troubled Salford Red Devils thanks to jumping from 16th to 10th in this year’s grading system, meaning three Championship teams will move up to the top flight from 2026.

Earlier this year, Super League’s 12 current clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 teams from next season – the first time the league will have operated with that number since 2014.

York will play in Super League for the first time while Toulouse will return to the top tier for the first time since their one-season stint in 2022.

Nine applications were submitted and considered by a panel which was chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine as well as two non-executive Rugby Football League (RFL) directors Abi Ekoku and Dermot Power, RFL chief executive Tony Sutton, interim head of legal Graeme Sarjeant, RL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones and Super League (Europe) board member Peter Hutton.

The panel judged applications against each club’s financial performance in 2025, as well as their financial performance and sustainability forecasts for 2026 to 2028 and their ability to “field a competitive team in 2026 and beyond”.

Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes remained the NHL’s only unbeaten team with a 4-1 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night.

Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start.

The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference finals last summer, and they appear loaded for another memorable season after outscoring their opponents 19-8 so far. Jarvis, Nikishin, Gostisbehere, Aho and Jackson Blake have all scored in each of Carolina’s first four games.

Leo Carlsson scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots for the Ducks in their first home defeat under new coach Joel Quenneville.

Carolina went ahead late in the first when Jarvis scored on a rebound after Gostisbehere intercepted Mikael Granlund’s poor pass. Jarvis added a power-play goal in the second, but Carlsson scored for the Ducks 70 seconds later.

Nikishin scored in the slot early in the third period. The promising 24-year-old Russian defenseman joined Carolina for four playoff games last summer, and he spent the summer learning English with a tutor before making the Canes’ opening-night lineup and racking up three assists in his first three regular-season games.

Aho scored his first goal of the season with 4:12 to play.

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Japan Open before Friday’s quarter-final because of a leg injury sustained in the second round.

The former world number one held back tears and needed painkillers to come through a three-set last-16 win over defending champion Suzan Lamens on Wednesday.

Top seed Osaka, who completed the match with strapping on her left thigh, was due to face Jaqueline Cristian in the last eight but the Romanian will instead progress to the semi-finals.

The Japan Open made the announcement on X, saying: “We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today.”

It is not yet known whether Osaka will play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo later this month.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is the latest high-profile player to suffer late-season injury issues.

In September, Iga Swiatek complained the season is “too long and too intense” following a string of injuries among players at the China Open.

British number one Emma Raducanu called time on her season on Thursday after retiring from her two previous matches with illness.

Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Spain’s Paula Badosa also ended their seasons early in recent weeks.

Across two tournaments in China last week, five players retired injured.

Available for over a year

It’s a bit of a mad one with Wayne this episode that includes Liverpool v Man Utd chat, his birthday weekend, opinions on England and Marcus Rashford, and meet-ups with 50 Cent and Ed Sheeran.

Wayne takes us inside his 40th birthday bash, but who did he dress up as? Which songs did he belt out on karaoke? And who ended up with a nasty injury?

Musician and Liverpool fan Jamie Webster joins Wayne, Kelly and Kae to discuss why their rivalry with Manchester United is the biggest in English football. But who is this match more important for: Arne Slot or Ruben Amorim?

Jamie’s appearance on the show leads to a number of musical revelations from Wayne: how did he end up on stage with 50 Cent? And Why did Coleen have to step in when he tried to change an Ed Sheeran song?

Wayne gives his thoughts on England’s World Cup qualification and explains why he’s pleased the players are less certain of their places under Thomas Tuchel. He also has strong words for Marcus Rashford’s recent comments about the “inconsistent environment” at Old Trafford not helping his form.

Meanwhile, we discover what led Wayne and Jermain Defoe to watch his entire wedding DVD together while they were away at the 2010 World Cup and what was Wayne gutted to find out on the last day at Glastonbury?

You can watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, iPlayer, as well as listen on BBC Sounds.

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The debate over whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop was settled long ago.

The debate now is whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop better than anyone in baseball. That discussion may soon be drawing to a close, too.

Because a day after being named a finalist for a Gold Glove, Betts put a huge exclamation point on Thursday’s 3-1 playoff win over the Milwaukee Brewers with a spectacular play to start the ninth inning.

The victory leaves the Dodgers a win away from advancing to their second straight World Series, a journey they could complete Friday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. And a big reason they’re there is the steady defense of Betts, a six-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield who has made the difficult move to the middle of the infield seem easy.

“I think the only person on this planet that believed that Mookie Betts would be in this conversation was Mookie Betts,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s just something that has never been done. I can’t even — it’s incredible. Obviously I’m at a loss for words.”

Betts tried the position last year but Roberts said the confidence wasn’t there, so he moved Betts back to the outfield. There was no chance that would happen this fall.

Few understand the difficulty of what Betts has done more than those who have played the position. Yet Miguel Rojas, the man Betts replaced at shortstop — and a Gold Glove finalist himself this season as a utility player — said he’s not surprised because he has seen how hard Betts works.

“He doesn’t take days off,” Rojas said of Betts, who is frequently among the first players on the field for pregame drills and among the last to leave. “Even when we have an off day, he’ll still go out there and is asking ways to get better. I think it’s a product of being a relentless worker every single day. He’s never satisfied. He’s always trying to get better.

“For me to be there every single day to watch him perform and watch his work ethic, it’s been impressive.”

Part of that work, Betts said, involves watching video of every fielding play he makes. That includes the brilliant ones, like the ninth-inning play Thursday in which he ranged in the hole to backhand Andrew Vaughn’s grounder, then rose up and delivered a strong one-hop jump throw across his body to first baseman Freddie Freeman to get Vaughn easily.

“I go back and watch all my plays, even the routine ones, just to learn what I can do better,” he said.

Asked if he’s ever surprised by what he sees, Betts, who has yet to make an error in the playoffs, shrugged.

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a leaping, cross-body throw to retire Andrew Vaughn at first base during the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“I’m just doing my job. I’m just doing my job going out there and playing short, that’s all.

“Once I get to the ball, I believe and trust in my athletic ability to make a play.”

Rojas, who has played six positions in the majors, said shortstop is such a hard place to play because of the mental focus it demands. An outfielder might be able to think about his hitting for a few pitches, but the shortstop, who quarterbacks the infield, doesn’t have that luxury.

“In the middle of the year he was in a slump offensively. But he never let the defense down. And that’s really impressive,” Rojas said. “He always said it to me, ‘Even though I’m sucking right now at hitting, I’m never going to be bad at defense. And I’m going to catch every single ball.’

“That’s the mentality that you have to have to be a really good shortstop.”

In the postseason, he’s become a really good offensive shortstop as well. After slumping to a career-low .258 average in the regular season, Betts is slashing .297/.381/.459 and shares the team lead with 11 hits and five extra-base hits in the postseason.

However, the numbers and the awards mean little to him, he said; Betts cares far more about winning. And as for proving himself at shortstop? Others, including his manager, may be surprised, but he isn’t.

“I know I could do it. I believed in myself. I always have belief in myself,” he said. “It was a goal to be the best I could be. If it came with a Gold Glove, cool. If it didn’t come with a Gold Glove, cool.

“I can go to bed at night knowing that I did everything I could. That’s all I care about.”

Just a season ago there were mornings when he’d get out of that bed wishing he could go back to right field. That doesn’t happen anymore.

“I would say the best athletes are the guys in the dirt,” he said. “It was fun while it lasted. I enjoy being in the dirt now.”

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes interests Bayern Munich, Liverpool target Nico Williams and Nico Schlotterbeck, while Barcelona weigh up move for Dusan Vlahovic.

Manchester United would want around £40m to allow their 31-year-old captain, Bruno Fernandes, to leave for another European club, with Bayern Munich heavily linked with a move for the Portugal midfielder. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool are eyeing a 90m euros (£78m) move for Spain and Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, 23. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Liverpool are also expected to make an approach for Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck, 25, over a summer move. (Sports Illustrated), external

Barcelona are considering a move for Juventus and Serbia forward Dusan Vlahovic, 25, who will be a free agent next summer. (AS – in Spanish), external

Bayern Munich are also said to be a contender for Vlahovic’s signature, with the German giants wary another club could activate a release clause to buy England forward, Harry Kane, 32, from them. (Mirror), external

England international Elliot Anderson, 22, is certain to feature on a long list of summer transfer targets for Newcastle, who are keen to bring the Nottingham Forest midfielder back to the North East. (Mail – subscription required), external

Real Madrid are closely monitoring Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, 26, with the France international out of contract next summer and prepared to listen to other offers. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Real Madrid could send Endrick, 19, out on loan in January, but West Ham are not viewed as a viable destination for the Brazil forward. (Teamtalk), external

Real Madrid are also bracing themselves for offers for forward Gonzalo Garcia in January. The 21-year-old impressed at the Fifa Club World Cup, but has fallen down the pecking order. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Barcelona are watching Hoffenheim and Kosovo forward Fisnik Asllani, 23, who could leave the German club next summer. (Sky Germany), external

Red Bull Salzburg’s 20-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark, who is currently on loan at Championship Derby, is set for a January switch to Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. (Times – subscription required), external