Nations

In his latest BBC Sport column, England World Cup winner Matt Dawson reflects on Steve Borthwick’s side’s emphatic 78-15 thrashing of Japan and looks ahead to the match against New Zealand next weekend.

I would love to see the England players absolutely bombarded with the favourites tag before their meeting with New Zealand next week.

Perhaps even over-egg it a little bit – I want to see how this side handles it.

At the end of the day, beating New Zealand or South Africa will likely be a requirement if you want to win a Rugby World Cup.

Are England really favourites? Yes, I genuinely believe they are.

While victories over Australia and Japan have been encouraging, it was Wales’ epic win over the All Blacks on Saturday that has given me real faith that this England side is good enough to compete at the highest level.

The key question is whether they can play as they have done over the last two weeks while carrying the favourites tag.

England are playing a better style of rugby than New Zealand. I thought the All Blacks’ attack, particularly in the second half in Cardiff, was incredibly one-dimensional.

That is nothing for England to be afraid of as their own attack has been very slick this campaign.

New Zealand aren’t going to fix those issues in a week, and England should be capable of soaking up that style of attack defensively.

Of course, the All Blacks were missing some frontline players, including Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett.

However, what I saw during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series was the Springboks beginning to work out that style of play after losing the first Test.

They went on to win the next three Tests in a row.

Rasmus Hojlund stars with brace as Denmark close in on a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals.

Portugal have been hammered 1-4 by Denmark, an embarrassing Nations League defeat in their first match without Cristiano Ronaldo, following the superstar forward’s retirement from international football.

Rasmus Hojlund starred with a superb brace on Saturday as second place Denmark close in on a spot in the quarterfinals with a brilliant display in Braga.

The Danes are on nine points from five fixtures, three behind Portugal, who were already sure of qualification for the last eight having won all four of their previous group fixtures.

A draw against third-placed Norway on Tuesday, 3-1 winners over Wales earlier, will see Denmark through.

Ahead of kickoff, Portugal paid tribute to Ronaldo, who announced his exit from the international game last week, with the team and mascots walking out wearing Ronaldo’s number seven and his name on their jerseys.

Fans held up a huge banner that read “Thank you, captain” as the teams entered the field, while applause rolled around the stadium once the match clock hit seven.

Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in 2003 and went on to establish world records for goals and appearances in international football, netting 146 times in 234 matches.

The highlight of his international career was winning Euro 2016, but it ended badly when the 41-year-old fell out with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus over not being selected for a Nations League fixture in September.

That row led to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner being handed a 30-day suspension by the Portuguese football federation and his subsequent retirement, and Portugal, in a dismal display, looked like they needed prime Ronaldo.

Denmark were the better team from the first minute, and it was no surprise when the away team went in at the break thanks to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s spot-kick in the 43rd minute.

Hojlund lashed home a brilliant volley four minutes after the restart, and seven minutes later left the home crowd shell-shocked with a strike of which Ronaldo would have been proud – the Napoli striker skipped past Ruben Dias before crashing home a powerful shot from the edge of the area.

Boos and whistles began to ring out at Estadio Municipal when Joachim Andersen headed in the fourth, and Bernardo Silva’s late consolation effort barely dampened the discontent.

Earlier on Saturday, Antonio Nusa opened the scoring for Norway just before the hour mark in Oslo with a fine low strike, before Andreas Schjelderup tapped home a perfect low cross from Erling Haaland, who rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot two minutes from time.

Wales briefly had hope of getting a result when David Brooks’s chipped finish halved the deficit in the 79th minute, but Craig Bellamy’s team will finish bottom of the group and risk being relegated to League B.

Nations Championship

France (21) 21

Tries: Grandidier-Nkanang, Attissogbe, Bielle-Biarrey Cons: Lucu (3)

South Africa (7) 19

Tries: Wessels, Reinach, Marx Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)

France held on to end their five-match losing run against South Africa at Stade de France with an enthralling 21-19 victory in Paris.

The victory dents the world champions’ hopes of reaching the Nations Championship final and puts Les Bleus in a strong position to top the northern hemisphere standings.

The hosts, inspired by their captain Antoine Dupont, showed their class and skill to score three tries in a frantic first half.

France’s back three of Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Theo Attissogbe and Louis Bielle-Biarrey all crossed in a thrilling opening 40 minutes, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels scoring off the back of a maul for the visitors.

The Springboks thought they had a second try on the stroke of half-time but Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try was chalked off after he strayed marginally offside.

Number eight Jasper Wiese was shown a 20-minute red card early in the second half – the third of five cards shown in an incident-packed game – for a dangerous shoulder charge, but it had the opposite effect to derailing the world champions.

With South Africa’s set-piece power proving too much, replacement scrum-half Cobus Reinach and hooker Malcolm Marx scored to set up a thrilling finale.

However, Manie Libbok missed the vital conversion to Marx’s try that would have levelled the game.

With South Africa pushing for a winning score, Bielle-Biarrey produced a huge defensive tackle to force the ball loose, before Dupont, who was named player of the match, gathered possession to help seal the victory.

The result will come as a blow to both England and Ireland, who are in direct competition with France for a place in the Nations Championship final at the end of the month.

Les Bleus, who are six points clear at the top of the northern hemisphere standings, now face Argentina next Saturday, putting them in a strong position to reach the inaugural final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, 29 November.

France hold their nerve to beat South Africa by just two points, winning 21-19 at the Stade de France, to make it four wins from five in the Nations Championship and putting the home side in a strong position to top the northern hemisphere standings.

READ MORE: France hold nerve to edge past South Africa in thriller

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Wales’ only victory of the campaign so far was against Norway in Cardiff a month ago, and on Saturday they are bidding to join Portugal and world champions Spain as the only teams to win competitive matches in Oslo over the past three years.

“The way we look at it is this is the type of game we want to be playing in,” Wales head coach Craig Bellamy tells BBC Sport Wales.

“I see a collective team that you have to like but, individually, very much so as well. So that’s a good challenge.

“We’ve all been aware of their threat. The World Cup proved that. And I just don’t see them going anywhere for the next five, 10 years either.”

There is much on the line for Wales and Norway in Oslo.

While either team could still reach the Nations League quarter-finals, the priority is to avoid relegation from the top tier.

Finishing third or higher would also guarantee top seeding for Euro 2028 qualifying, enabling them to avoid being drawn alongside the continent’s heavyweights.

“It’ll go a long way to us having an opportunity of being seeded one, which is huge for us, but it isn’t going to be given to us,” Bellamy adds.

“We have to go out there tomorrow and try and take it. So, for me, it’s fight fire with fire. I’m expecting them to really come with big intensity and it’s up to us to match it.

“So, to me, it’s a shootout.”

Playing their first game since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement, two-time champions Portugal face Denmark at home.

Who: Portugal vs Denmark
What: UEFA Nations League, Group A4
Where: Braga Municipal Stadium, Braga, Portugal
When: Saturday, November 14, at 7:45pm (19:45 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:45 GMT before our live text commentary stream

A new chapter in Portuguese football starts on Saturday, as the national team moves on from the departure of their record scorer and longstanding captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo ended his 23-year association with the Selecao last week, announcing his retirement in a lengthy video on social media, weeks after a public rift with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus.

The 41-year-old, a polarising football icon who wore the much-adored No 7 shirt for his country, said it was now time to “pass it on to the future”.

Playing their first game without their biggest star, Portugal face Denmark in Saturday’s home fixture, having already confirmed their spot in the quarterfinals.

With three goals each, forwards Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix have orchestrated Portugal’s attacking play in Ronaldo’s absence, while Denmark’s charge has been led by Rasmus Hojlund, who has netted three of his team’s seven goals so far.

Two-time holders Portugal will be confirmed as group winners if they avoid defeat against Denmark, who are second in the standings.

The Danes have a bit more complicated path to secure their spot in the last eight on Saturday – they need to win against Portugal and hope that neighbours Norway do not beat third-placed Wales in a clash of the bottom two.

How have Portugal played in the Nations League?

Portugal have a perfect record in the competition, with four wins out of four.

They began their title defence with a 1-0 home win over Wales before beating Norway 2-1, a game in which Ronaldo was an unused substitute.

Shortly afterwards, Ronaldo stormed out of the national camp, but his absence did not trouble the team as they thrashed Denmark 4-2 in another away game before winning 2-1 at home against Norway to reach the quarterfinals.

How have Denmark played in the Nations League?

Denmark have won two games and lost two.

Their campaign started with a 3-2 loss in Norway, but they bounced back with a 2-0 home victory against Wales.

The third match saw them fall 4-2 at home to Portugal before they beat Wales 1-0 away.

What happened when Portugal and Denmark last met?

Goals from Joao Cancelo, Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha and Felix gave Portugal a 4-2 win over Denmark on October 1.

Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund scored for the hosts in that game at Copenhagen.

Portugal vs Denmark: Predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has given Portugal a 59.4 percent probability of victory, while Denmark’s odds stand at 19.4 percent.

There is a 21.2 percent chance the game ends in a draw.

Head-to-head

• Matches: 18
• Portugal wins: 12
• Denmark wins: 4
• Draws: 2

Form guide

(Last five matches, latest game first)

Portugal: W-W-W-W-L

Denmark: W-L-W-L-D

Team news and predicted lineups

Portugal

Cancelo and Francisco Conceicao are suspended, while Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes and Nuno Tavares are out with injuries.

Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Flavio Nazinho; Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes; Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos

Denmark

Denmark will be without Patrick Dorgu, and they will have to be cautious with six players one booking away from suspension.

Probable Denmark XI: Mads Hermansen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle; Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg; Gustav Isaksen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mohamed Daramy; Rasmus Hojlund

Portugal vs Denmark: TV channel, livestreaming

• Portugal: Sport TV Portugal
• Denmark: TV2 PLAY
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
• India: Sony Sports Network
• South Africa: DStv Stream

You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.

Michael Olise gives France the lead, but double from Pio Esposito and one from Davide Frattesi secures win for Italy.

Francesco Pio Esposito struck twice to inflict a first defeat on Zinedine Zidane as France’s head coach, while Italy stormed back to win 3-1 at San Siro and top their Nations League group.

Michael Olise profited from a Gianluigi Donnarumma error to put the visitors in front after 10 minutes on Thursday, but Italy hit back through Esposito and Davide Frattesi either side of half-time.

Inter Milan striker Esposito’s second came from the penalty spot after his brother Sebastiano had earlier fired a spot kick wide, while France were twice denied by the woodwork in an entertaining encounter.

The result sent Italy top of Group A1 on 10 points, level with France but above them on head-to-head record, while Belgium are third on nine points after inflicting a fifth straight defeat on rock-bottom Turkiye.

France were without star attackers Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele through injury, but it did not show as they made an electric start in pouring rain in Milan.

Desire Doue hit the side netting and first-time captain Adrien Rabiot tested Donnarumma before Lucas Da Cunha’s rasping half-volley flew narrowly wide.

But the opener was gifted to France when Donnarumma passed the ball straight to Olise, who skipped past a defender before firing home his fifth goal in five Nations League games – a record only bettered by England captain Harry Kane’s seven.

The hosts struck back in the 26th minute with their first chance of the game when Nicolo Cambiaghi drove to the byline and cut back a cross, which Esposito converted with a deft touch.

The goal brought San Siro to life as the older Esposito sibling, Sebastiano, threatened a quickfire comeback two minutes later, forcing a sharp save from Mike Maignan.

Bradley Barcola came closest to a third goal before the break with a curling shot from the edge of the box that struck the foot of the far post.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued in the second half as Rayan Cherki’s rasping strike was tipped onto the post by Donnarumma before Italy charged up the other end and forced Maignan into a point-blank save from Cambiaghi.

Italy had a glorious chance to go in front when Cambiaghi was tripped by Malo Gusto to earn a penalty, but Sebastiano Esposito failed to join his brother on the scoresheet as he hammered his spot kick wide on the hour mark.

The Azzurri did not dwell on the disappointment for long, taking the lead just three minutes later when Frattesi drilled in a shot from a Federico Dimarco cross moments after the Inter Milan wing-back was brought off the bench.

Fellow substitute Antonio Vergara earned the home side another penalty when he was tripped by Dayot Upamecano, and this time Francesco Pio Esposito stepped up to drill a shot into the bottom corner.

The result continued a strong start to Roberto Mancini’s second spell as Italy coach as his side stretched their unbeaten run to four matches and notched their first home win over France since 1962.

Belgium host Italy and Turkiye travel to France in the final round of group games on Sunday.

Elsewhere, captain Harry Kane celebrated his record 126th cap for England with a match-winner from the penalty spot as England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley on Thursday to qualify for the Nations League last eight.

The 33-year-old followed a script that seemed destined to happen when he stepped up in the 64th minute to put England ahead in front of an 80,400-strong crowd after the hosts had conceded a sloppy equaliser five minutes earlier.

It was the Bayern Munich forward’s 92nd England goal, and there was never any doubt from the moment he placed the ball and sent it straight down the middle as goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic dived to his left.

Kane had started a night of celebration as the centre of attention, handed a commemorative token by former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the previous record holder since 1989, when he surpassed Bobby Moore’s 108 caps.

Who: England vs Croatia
What: UEFA Nations League, Group A3
Where: Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom
When: Thursday, November 12 , at 8:45pm (19:45 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:45 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

Harry Kane will lead with a spring in his step and a newly acquired Ballon d’Or trophy on his arm as England host Croatia in a Nations League clash, with a spot in the quarterfinals up for grabs.

The England captain will be man of the hour on Thursday after a prolific few weeks that saw him win the coveted individual honour and he will present the trophy in front of home fans ahead of the match at Wembley Stadium.

Kane, 33, will also become England’s most-capped men’s player, making his 126th appearance. This surpasses the record set in 1990 by former goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who will be in attendance to mark the occasion.

The Bayern Munich forward is also England’s record scorer with 91 goals.

“Definitely up there with the biggest [achievements of my career],” England captain Kane told reporters at former club Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground on Wednesday after being given a standing ovation when he entered the room.

“It showcases consistency at the highest level and to reach the number of caps I have is a testament to the things I spoke about in my [Ballon d’Or] speech behind the scenes, the dedication, and for sure it is one of the biggest milestones of my career.”

Tuchel said Kane was the “perfect captain and a leader by example” and described his playing style as unique, adding that he is getting smarter with age.

Manager Tuchel also said he has no intention of leaving the England job before the 2028 European Championship regardless of any offers from major clubs.

England eye Nations League quarters

England only need a draw to make it to the quarterfinals having won three and lost one of their four games so far. They sit second with nine points behind leaders Spain with 12 points, and both teams should make it to the last eight.

Croatia are seeking redemption after a 7-0 thrashing from England in their previous encounter last month, followed by a narrower 2-1 defeat to Spain.

The 2018 World Cup runners-up are third in the group, and manager Slaven Bilic emphasised the importance of finishing third to maintain their Nations League A status.

Czechia, meanwhile, have only won once and cannot reach the quarterfinals.

England will travel to Madrid to face world champions Spain on Sunday while Croatia take on Czechia in a home fixture.

Bellingham brothers could feature together

A major talking point for England’s squad selection was the exclusion of midfielder Cole Palmer. But a more captivating storyline is that of Jobe Bellingham finally playing alongside older brother and England star Jude.

The younger Bellingham received his maiden senior call-up after impressing at Borussia Dortmund and England’s under-21 side, which he captains.

Jude had previously said it would be the highlight of his career, while Jobe said it would be an emotional milestone.

“I can’t ignore it, but obviously with Jude being here too, it’s a great, great feeling for the family,” Jobe said.

If he features against Croatia, they will be the 22nd set of brothers to play for England and the first since Gary and Phil Neville in 2007.

What happened in the last England vs Croatia game? 

England ran riot in Rijeka last month to obliterate Croatia 7-0 thanks to a brace each from Kane and Bukayo Saka, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers were also on target.

Tuchel’s men took just eight minutes to go ahead with an incisive raid that exposed the talent gap between the sides.

“It was the highest level from everyone and from first to last minute as well,” Tuchel said, summing up his side’s dominance.

What have the coaches said?

Tuchel: “For us, it’s important not to chase the same result … we want to win the match to have a chance to win in Spain, and that’s where our focus is. We expect a reaction from Croatia and we expect to overcome this mental challenge for us to start from scratch.”

Bilic: “I told the players that the way we played against Spain last month is our standard. That is how we want to play, with togetherness, aggression and everything else. Tomorrow we have a chance to show that what happened in Rijeka was just a collective bad day.”

Predictions

The Opta supercomputer heavily favours England, with a win probability of 67.2 percent.

Croatia were assigned a mere 14.8 percent chance, while a draw was estimated at an 18 percent likelihood.

Head-to-head

• Previous matches: 13
• England wins: 8
• Draws: 2
• Croatia wins: 3

Last five encounters

• October 3, 2026: Croatia 0-7 England (Nations League)
• June 17, 2026: England 4-2 Croatia (FIFA World Cup)
• June 13, 2021: England 1-0 Croatia (European Championship)
• November 18, 2018: England 2-1 Croatia (Nations League)
• October 12, 2018: Croatia 0-0 England (Nations League)

England team news

England will be without defenders Ezri Konsa and Djed Spence — both expected to recover for Sunday’s clash against Spain — and Tuchel is looking at James Hill for cover.

Marc Guehi is out with a hip injury and has been replaced by Dan Burn. Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah and Ben White could all be in contention at centre-back.

Saka, who scored twice in Rijeka, was not named in the squad because of a quadriceps injury that is set to keep him out for weeks.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended after being booked in both games against Czechia, while Declan Rice, back after missing the last camp, should partner Elliot Anderson in midfield.

Predicted starting XI: Jordan Pickford (goalkeeper), Lewis Hall,  James Hill, Dan Burn, Ben White, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Anthony Gordon, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane

Croatia team news

Veteran winger Ivan Perisic will miss the match after receiving a red card against Spain.

Josip Sutalo, Marin Pongracic, Andrej Kramaric and Franjo Ivanovic are also unavailable, with Luka Vuskovic and Duje Caleta-Car expected to start against England’s attack.

Luka Sucic has a fever and is almost certain to miss the game, while Kristijan Jakic is reported to be out of both Nations League games with a knee ligament injury.

Predicted starting XI: Dominik Livakovic (goalkeeper), Josko Gvardiol, Josip Sutalo, Luka Vuskovic, Josip Stanicic, Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Martin Baturina, Igor Matanovic, Ante Budimir

At 21-years-old, Norwich City’s McConville is the more senior of the pair.

Having been given his debut off the bench at home to Belarus two years ago this week, among the former Brighton man’s early international assignments was trying to keep a rampant Alexander Isak in check during a 5-1 defeat by Sweden.

In the short time since he has looked an increasingly commanding figure, leading this Nations League group in clearances made with both head and boot.

“It would be unbelievable to keep that record for these last two games and go the whole of the campaign,” he said of what is Northern Ireland’s longest run without conceding a goal since 2017.

McConville notes that the streak is a team effort and product of collective work-rate, rather than just the defensive three alone.

“We’re a team that works hard, a team that doesn’t want to give anything up.

“We’re confident in ourselves and we know that we’re a good side.”

It is McConville who has taken on the Ballard role in the middle of the defence for the past three games, with Atcheson on the right and Oxford United’s Ciaron Brown, himself superb through the campaign so far, playing from the left.

On the developing understanding between an emerging unit, McConville added: “We’re enjoying playing together.

“It’s still early days together and we have to keep taking it game by game and doing what the gaffer tells us and the work on the training pitch.

“We don’t have much time together when we’re here [in international camp] so it’s important to do all we can.”

Republic of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea said he is “proud” of how he and his team-mates came through a trying October international window.

During a four-game Nations League schedule, Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side lost away to Kosovo and drew at home to Austria – who they are preparing to face in return fixtures – but it was two games against Israel which tested their resolve.

O’Shea stepped in as captain in the absence of injured skipper Nathan Collins and the 27-year-old acknowledged it “was a tough situation to be in” as they faced Israel in two games on neutral territory.

The first of those resulted in a 3-0 victory for the Irish in Hungary, a game that looked in doubt the previous day when training was delayed as players took a vote on whether to play – amid protests over the Israel-Gaza war – with goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu making himself unavailable for selection.

The sides drew 1-1 in the second meeting in Serbia and, while the saga proved a challenge for all within the Republic of Ireland squad, O’Shea – who missed the second game for personal reasons – paid tribute to his team-mates for the support he received as stand-in skipper.

“I think I was quite lucky, I am really proud to be part of the group, with some great people in it,” said the Ipswich Town captain.

“Even the players playing now as well, they are great leaders themselves. I never felt I was fully alone in having to do anything

“There were always people around me. I always keep level-headed, I don’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows.”

He added: “Of course it was a difficult time, it was a time that I had to learn stuff about myself, how I was going to react to things. But I think as a group we did excellently.

“It was a tough situation to be in, but we overcame it as best we could. And I am really proud of the group and the staff.”

Wales fans were looking for a statement performance against Japan. A marker to put down as the World Cup looms in under a year.

They were not provided with that but did witness a victory, however scratchy.

So Wales woke up on a Sunday morning with a Test victory to mark. That has not happened often in recent times.

Some of these Wales players will still remember the record-breaking 18-Test losing sequence between 2023 and 2025. If Wales players can take any positives this weekend, it will be victory.

As Tandy said afterwards, it is always easier to debrief a bonus-point victory.

Among the disjointed team performance, there were notable impressive individual displays from the usual suspects.

Back-row duo Aaron Wainwright and Jac Morgan excelled in attack and defence, full-back Blair Murray was a constant attacking threat and wing Josh Adams popped up with two tries.

Centre Eddie James showed glimpses of his power game in a new-look midfield partnership with Max Llewellyn.

While the centre combination did not set the world alight, it warrants further opportunites.

Tandy will not be content with Wales spending long periods defending and only having 40% in territory and possession.

This was emphasised in the tackle count as the hosts made 227 compared to Japan’s 115, with Wales finishing with the top eight tacklers in the game.

He will be encouraged by the resolve with Morgan topping the official Nations Championship charts with 24, followed by lock Dafydd Jenkins (23) and Wainwright (20).

Wales also forced 10 turnovers with Alex Mann gaining three, while there were crucial interventions from Lake, Adams and prop Nicky Smith when Japan seemed destined to score.

When it came to which candidate weathered the most overtly racist attacks, in a midterm election full of the most overtly racist campaign attacks in modern memory, there was no contest.

Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, was called a “jihadist” by the president. Labeled a representative of “terrible evil” by the vice president. Smeared as an “extremist” by his Republican opponent. They all intentionally mispronounced his name as if it was a poison on the tongue that needed to be expelled.

But the hate offensive didn’t work. El-Sayed, 42, stepped up to the mic late Tuesday and delivered his victory speech as the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.

“My name,” he said, pointedly using full, guttural Arabic pronunciation, “is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.”

It was a clarifying moment for Muslims and for millions of others appalled by the normalization of bigotry handed down from the White House. There is an Allah, after all.

The son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed prevailed over former Rep. Mike Rogers by seven percentage points in one of the most closely watched races of the midterms.

His victory was one among several historic wins scored by the Democrats as they elected more governors and flipped the House and Senate — including the triumphs of America’s first openly gay senator (Chris Pappas of New Hampshire) and first female Native American governor (Deb Haaland of New Mexico), as well as Texas’ first Latina governor (Gina Hinojosa).

But beyond the political implications, El-Sayed speaks for those of us who have been othered by our “foreign” heritage, the color of our skin, the food we eat, our accents or the way we pray.

He embodies what it means to face blistering attacks on your background and faith, and to come out the other side as more American in your ideals and resolve than your slur-slinging detractors.

If that sounds dramatic, so be it. It’s been a brutal decade for Muslims, Arabs or anyone associated with groups maligned, targeted or in many cases deported by the Trump administration. We needed this win to prove to ourselves, and perhaps the rest of the world, that this is not a nation dominated by narrow-minded exclusionists, despite what MAGA has wrought.

El-Sayed kept his cool on the campaign trail, sticking to Michelle Obama’s motto of “When they go low, we go high.” But he showed Tuesday how to have fun poking at the opposition with one hand while holding an olive branch in the other.

“Donald, I know you struggle with my name, so after JD swears me in in January, you can go on and call me Senator,” he said, rubbing in his victory while calling out President Trump for his brazen, Islamophobic rants.

The senator-elect also indirectly responded to JD Vance’s low blows against him and his campaign, which included the vice president calling him a “psychopath” and claiming he trafficked in “anti-white racial hatred.”

In doing so, El-Sayed addressed Vance with a widely used Arabic word meaning “my love.” Why? Because when deploying it against a detractor, it’s the equivalent of sarcastically calling them “sweetheart.”

“JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January,” said El-Sayed before throwing a college sports rivalry barb at the Ohio native: “Wolverines 1, Buckeyes 0.”

And as he has always done publicly, El-Sayed openly embraced his Muslim faith while addressing the American people.

He reminded us of the times during his campaign when he said “inshallah” (or “God willing”) to describe his hopes for winning the seat.

“Today, tonight, we can turn that ‘inshallah’ into an ‘alhamdulillah,’” meaning “praise be to God.”

It wasn’t long ago when such words uttered by a Muslim might strike fear in Americans who interpreted them as the calling card of terrorists just before they pulled the pin, flipped the switch or lobbed the bomb (thanks, Hollywood). Now, those words are part of a future senator’s speech to the millions of Americans he’s vowed to represent.

El-Sayed may just be making Arabic halal for the masses. And as the midterm results show, we’re ready for it.

Voters sent a message to Washington rebuking MAGA’s war on DEI, immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. The Trump-era culture war against folks who look like El-Sayed has not quelled inflation, made housing cheaper, caused gas prices to drop or rendered health insurance affordable. But it may have helped us see each other again, as fellow citizens struggling to keep up.

“As I was campaigning, some of you would come up and ask, ‘How come you don’t hit back? How come you don’t call them racist or hateful?’” El-Sayed said during his victory speech. “They weren’t just attacking me. They were targeting and attacking you. They were targeting and attacking the very idea of America.”

It is about all of us, of course. But Muslim Americans who never thought they’d see the day are basking in El-Sayed’s win.

“We knew that the attacks on Abdul’s Muslim background were a big bull’s-eye for Rogers,” said Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council. “What was heartening was to see it backfire.”

I’m not naive enough to think that the racist sentiment used by some Republicans to energize facets of their electorate is now a thing of the past. It’s always there. But you know what else is always there? People who choose progress instead of fear.

“Thank you. You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates,” El-Sayed said during his victory speech.

Mabruk, Abdul. You did it. We did it.

Argentina have never beaten Ireland in Dublin but stunned the British and Irish Lions on their most recent visit to the Aviva Stadium last year.

Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi has made three changes to his original 33-player squad as Facundo Isa, Rodrigo Martinez and Mateo Soler are late call-ups.

Captain Julian Montoya is one of a number of experienced players to return after missing out on the home defeats by South Africa and Australia in August, plus September’s draw away to the Wallabies, but they will be without the injured Santiago Grondona, Ignacio Ruiz and Joaquin Oviedo.

Argentina are also without prop Thomas Gallo and utility back Santi Carreras, who impressed in the win over the Lions.

Those recent Tests saw Contepomi preside over a depleted squad, while in the summer, they suffered home defeats by England and Scotland, but did account for Wales.

Argentina play enterprising, free-flowing rugby but their form has been mixed, making them an intriguing opening opponent.

Fiji were beaten by Scotland, England and Wales during the southern hemisphere leg, but a Test win over Japan in October marked the first game in charge for new head coach Jake White, who led South Africa to World Cup glory in 2007.

White named a 35-strong squad which includes former England number eight Nathan Hughes as one of four uncapped players, while Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo and Caleb Muntz are also included.

Farrell has experimented with his line-up in previous meetings. In 2024, he gave Test debuts to Gus McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu in a 52-17 win.

As for South Africa, they may have lost their most recent Test against Australia, but the Springboks are far from crisis mode.

A 3-1 series win over New Zealand and three impressive summer Nations Championship victories on home soil have helped them remain at the world rankings summit.

The world champions will be without some key figures in November with Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard and Andre Esterhuizen all ruled out through injury.

However, head coach Rassie Erasmus will have captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende at his disposal.

He has also included six uncapped players in his squad as preparations for next year’s World Cup defence intensify.

Morocco has welcomed the defeat of a US-drafted resolution which sought to extend the mandate of the UN mission in the disputed Western Sahara.

The mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) expired on Saturday after a veto by Russia, leaving the future of the peacekeeping mission in limbo. In 1991, the UN established MINURSO to monitor a ceasefire and prepare a referendum on the territory’s future.

Morocco has considered Western Sahara its own territory since 1975, when Spain withdrew from the desert region in northwest Africa which is roughly the size of Britain. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks to establish an independent state called the Sahrawi Republic.

So, why is Morocco celebrating the failed UN resolution? What does it mean for the future of the disputed region?

Here is what we know:

What happened at the UN Security Council?

On Friday, the US, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, proposed a resolution to support the principle of self-determination in the disputed Western Sahara.

Russia vetoed the resolution, despite support from 11 of the 15 council members, including fellow permanent members France and the United Kingdom.

The US draft would have extended the mission for a year, removed “referendum” from its name and made Morocco’s autonomy proposal the only basis for further talks.

Last October, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that offered genuine autonomy to Western Sahara. Under that plan, the territory would manage its internal affairs, but remain under Moroccan sovereignty.

The Security Council had already made the proposal a basis for negotiations last year and asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a review of the peacekeeping mission.

Speaking after the vote, US ambassador Mike Waltz said it was truly unfortunate that in 2026 the veto was used to “preserve the letter R (in the Mission’s name) for referendum”.

He added that Washington’s proposal “would have moved the 50-year conflict forward” and added that the status quo is not acceptable.

Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said at the same meeting that Moscow opposed the draft because it favoured one side.

“We stress the fact that the Security Council cannot automatically predetermine matters relating to sovereignty,” he said.

Instead, Russia proposed renewing the existing mission without those changes. But that draft also failed to secure the nine votes needed for adoption, receiving two votes in favour, one against and 11 abstentions.

MINURSO’s mission has 155 military personnel and is set to cost $62m in the fiscal year that began in June, according to a UN report. But its mandate expired on Saturday.

How did Morocco and Algeria react to the failure of the UN mission?

Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the failure to renew MINURSO, saying on Friday that UN personnel and equipment should leave the territory in the coming days and that the Western Sahara issue should now be withdrawn from the Security Council’s consideration. Morocco said it remained committed to the ceasefire.

According to a UN media statement, Morocco’s UN representative also questioned why Algeria’s delegate was giving the Security Council “lectures” on the Western Sahara.

“Let these people [in the Western Sahara] go back to Morocco,” he said, “let them go home”.

Algeria expressed regret on Saturday over the failure to renew MINURSO’s mandate. Its foreign ministry criticised what it described as the US draft’s excessive bias towards Morocco.

According to a UN media statement, Algeria’s delegate to the UN thanked Russia for its draft resolution and all other member nations “who have chosen not to associate themselves” with an egregious injustice and a flagrant attack on “the very foundation of our organisation”.

Algeria’s UN representative noted that the country has been a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Sahrawi people who have been denied their right to self-determination.

The “tragedy being endured by the Sahrawi people has oddly been diluted to the concept of refugee populations”, he added.

Sidi Omar, the Polisario Front’s representative at the UN, told reporters on Friday that he welcomed Russia’s veto because the US proposal would undermine Sahrawi self-determination.

What is the Western Sahara dispute all about?

The Polisario Front, the political and military representative, does not recognise Morocco’s annexation of the territory following Spain’s withdrawal in 1975. It has been seeking a UN-supervised referendum for self-determination.

In 1976, it declared the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Decades of fighting drove at least 170,000 Indigenous people into refugee camps in Tindouf in neighbouring Algeria, which backs the Polisario Front.

The Polisario Front signed a UN-brokered ceasefire with Morocco in 1991. It called for a referendum within six months, but it was never held.

Morocco, which retains control of its lucrative phosphate and fishing resources in Western Sahara, claims historic and pre-colonial ties to the land and views the region as an integral part of its territory [“Greater Morocco”].

For decades, the US has provided military and diplomatic support to Morocco. But in 2020, Donald Trump recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the territory during his first term in office. Morocco soon established diplomatic ties with Israel as part of the so-called Abraham Accords.

The region is now the last United Nations-designated “non-self-governing territory” in Africa, where between 100,000 and 140,000 Moroccan military personnel are based.

Low-level fighting has also continued since the Polisario Front said it was resuming armed struggle in 2020.

Why is Morocco celebrating the failed UN resolution?

MINURSO was set up to monitor the 1991 ceasefire and hold a referendum in Western Sahara. The expiry of its mandate will likely boost Morocco’s stance on the referendum question, though its autonomy proposal has already been adopted by the UN.

On Saturday, according to a video report by the Reuters news agency, a festive atmosphere prevailed in the streets of El Aaiun, the capital of Western Sahara.

In the central Mechoua Square, dozens of people were wearing melfas, the traditional Sahrawi women’s garments, and long robes known as darra, as they waved Moroccan flags and displayed portraits of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.

Selim Balouati Lakhloufi, a historian and researcher based in Morocco, said that Morocco is pleased because “diplomatic developments at the United Nations are supporting its strategy regarding the [disputed Western] Sahara”.

“The support of powers such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom for Morocco’s autonomy proposal strengthens its international position and is gradually shifting the debate away from the right to self-determination and the possibility of independence toward a solution based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty,” he told Al Jazeera.

What does this mean for the future of the Western Sahara?

The collapse of MINURSO’s mandate could escalate the dispute in the Western Sahara, according to aid organisations.

Oxfam has warned that losing MINURSO’s “monitoring and de-escalation functions risks undermining security and stability”.

Lakhloufi said that the UN mission’s expiry is also unfavourable for Sahrawi independence aspirations.

Regarding the future of the Western Sahara, he said that Morocco will likely continue to consolidate its territorial, economic and administrative control, while the Polisario Front will face greater difficulties in securing international support.

“The proposal for autonomy could end up becoming the main framework for negotiations, pushing independence further and further out of reach,” he added.

England’s preparations have also been affected by the Prem schedule, with players involved in Sunday’s fixtures having less time for full squad training.

“We had a session today really that was affected obviously by the fact that we had a Sunday game in Prem Rugby,” Borthwick explained.

“Fortunately, we don’t have any Sunday games this coming week in Prem Rugby, which I’m pleased about.

“So that should allow players to be recovered in a proper run into the Test match.”

Borthwick acknowledged the challenge of balancing club and international commitments, but said playing at the weekend could benefit England.

“They’ll go back and play the rugby and in so many ways that will be a positive for us for next weekend,” he said.

“The players are match fit at club level, playing regularly at club level, and as long as they don’t get injured, then they’re all available for selection next week, then that will be positive.

“I’d say on one side, I think it’s a real strength of English rugby that the players have such great loyalty and passion for their clubs as we saw very evidently in this last round with the derbies that went on.

“They are team-mates and best of mates the next day for a couple of days [with England] and then they go back to being rivals again until they come back into camp next week.”

Borthwick also identified the breakdown as an area where England need to adapt to the demands of international rugby.

He pointed to the recent European fixtures, in which English clubs collectively lost more of their own breakdown ball and won less opposition breakdown ball than teams from other competing nations.

“Part of my job is identify those bits of where I need to bridge from where the players are in Prem rugby to where they are in Test rugby,” he said.

“The level of competition [at the breakdown] is at a different level in Test rugby.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will announce its verdict on the title after it was awarded to Morocco by CAF.

A decision on Senegal’s appeal ‌‌after being stripped of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations title will be made ⁠⁠at the end of ⁠⁠November, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed.

“This process will require several weeks, with the CAS Award expected at the end of November 2026,” the court said in a statement on Monday.

Senegal are contesting the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to declare Morocco champions, despite Senegal beating the hosts ⁠⁠1-0 after extra time in January’s final in Rabat. Their arguments, plus those of Morocco and CAF, were heard by CAS in Lausanne on October 8.

At the time, CAS said ⁠⁠it expected a decision within days but has now decided to issue a complete ruling, including legal grounds, known as a CAS Award.

Senegal walked off the pitch for 14 minutes ‌‌after a penalty was awarded against them late in regulation time, with several players returning to the dressing room in protest before they resumed play.

Morocco missed the spot kick, sending the match into extra time, where Senegal scored the winner to secure victory.

However, they were stripped of the title two months later after CAF’s Appeal Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match by walking off the pitch, overturning the result and awarding a 3-0 victory to ⁠⁠Morocco.

Senegal quickly followed with an appeal to CAS, ⁠⁠which was lodged on March 25 but heard some six months later. The basis of their arguments is that the referee’s decision is final and he allowed the match to be completed.

“I know it’s a long wait for the fans, ⁠ ⁠a few months after the final between Senegal and Morocco,” CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb said outside the hearing earlier this month.

“The facts are set, are clear and the discussions will be on some procedural issues and legal aspects,” he added.

The CAS panel is presided over by French sports law expert Gerald Simon, with the assistance of Italian international law ‌‌professor Luigi Fumagalli and Hamburg-based lawyer and professor of law at the University of Zurich, Ulrich Haas.

CAS decisions are called awards and hold the same value as a national court judgement. CAS awards may be enforced by sports federations or state courts, depending on the circumstances.

Dragons showed tenacity in defence before securing a hard-fought win against Perpignan in Newport on Friday.

Filo Tiatia’s men have made a strong start to the season but that might not necessarily translate into a bigger contingent in Tandy’s squad.

Lock Ben Carter is a shoo-in, tight-head prop Dillon Lewis will hope to pick up where he left off in the summer and in-form hooker Elliot Dee would love to battle Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias for action.

The Perpignan fixture highlighted the qualities of Dragons’ grafters with blind-side flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes, who won three caps in 2020, continuing his strong start to the season.

Wales contact coach Dan Lydiate was a guest at Dragons training last week and would have been impressed as Lewis-Hughes put in 27 tackles against the French side’s big carriers.

But the forward, like team-mate Harri Keddie, is competing in a position of real depth.

The same applies for wing Rio Dyer, who is yet to score this season but has been lively with ball in hand and impressive in the aerial game.

Dragons’ man of the match against Perpignan was Aneurin Owen, so often the side’s glue from inside centre.

He carried strongly to go with his distribution skills, while he was strong in defence and came up with two turnovers.

Owen, who turns 26 the day before Tuesday’s squad announcement, was a member of the Wales squad under Wayne Pivac in the summer of 2021 but remains uncapped.

There might be an opening at 12 due to Ben Thomas’ injury should Tandy look to see if a quality operator at club level can take the next step.

“Aneurin knows I love him,” said Dragons boss Filo Tiatia. “He has outstanding leadership and there is lots more to come from him.

“He wants to improve, is coachable and is strong at challenging the coaches.”