Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has named his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Evan Ferguson included despite struggling with an ankle problem.
The forward – on loan at Roma from Brighton, who scored in the 1-0 win against Armenia in October, picked up the injury against Parma on 29 October. However, he is included in the 25-man squad for the final two group games that begin at home to Portugal on Thursday, 13 November (19:45 GMT) before a trip to Hungary on Sunday, 16 November (14:00 GMT).
Hallgrimsson’s side go into the final round of matches in Group F sitting in third, one point behind Hungary who travel to Armenia in the first of their games, knowing qualification for the 2026 World Cup could be out of their grasp with a game to spare should they lose to runaway leaders Portugal.
Missing for that game will be Jayson Molumby and Ryan Manning through suspension, but both are included in the squad.
There is a return for Mark Sykes despite his club Bristol City revealing he would miss their next two games after sustaining a gash on his leg in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat by Blackburn Rovers.
With Callum O’Dowda out, Jimmy Dunne retains his place in the squad after coming in as a late replacement for the October internationals, while American-born 26-year-old Kevin O’Toole receives a call-up with the left-sided New York City player eligible through his grandfather.
However, there is no call for Celtic’s Johnny Kenny – despite scoring three goals in his last two games, including the opener in the League Cup semi-final win over Rangers at the weekend – even though Hallgrimsson is without the injured Sammie Szmodics.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has not been named in Graham Potter’s first Sweden squad, but Liverpool’s Alexander Isak has been included.
Gyokeres is set to have further tests this week amid fears he sustained a hamstring injury during the Gunners’ Premier League win at Burnley on Saturday.
The 27-year-old missed Arsenal’s Champions League win against Slavia Prague on Tuesday.
Isak, who has not played for the Reds since 22 October because of a groin problem, has been selected for the World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland (15 November) and Slovenia (18 November).
Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who is recovering from concussion, and Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga are among the England-based players named by former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham boss Potter.
Tandy has returned to Wales after leaving in 2018 at the end of a six-year stint as Ospreys head coach.
He took up a defence coach position with the Waratahs in Sydney before moving on to Scotland in 2019.
Tandy also spent a summer with the British and Irish Lions in 2021 as part of Warren Gatland’s backroom staff.
In July Tandy opted to return home to Wales and has already met up with some familiar faces in his new role, such as former Ospreys team-mate and current Dragons boss Filo Tiatia.
“I can only speak highly of Tandy, he’s a beautiful man,” said Tiatia, who played with the 45-year-old former flanker for five years.
“He’s a very uplifting coach, very caring, but also very demanding when he needs to be.
“He can only be good for Wales and I wish him all the best with all this success. He’s got four tough Tests, they will need support.”
Tiatia believes Tandy’s decision to move around to develop his coaching skills will stand him in good stead.
“He’s a big learner,” added Tiatia. “He’s done a lot in a short space of time. He wants to keep improving but also improve the people who he is around.
“You look at Steve’s journey as the Ospreys coach, he got moved on, there was an opportunity in Australia and he took himself out of his comfort zone.
“He moved to Scotland and embraced the challenge there also, where he did a great job as a defence coach.”
Hull KR’s Grand Final-winning trio Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten and Joe Burgess have all been named in England’s final 24-man squad for the autumn Ashes Test series against Australia but there is no place for Super League’s Man of Steel winner Jake Connor.
Litten’s only previous cap arrived against France in 2023, while Burgess, who scored two tries in Hull KR’s triumph over Wigan on Saturday, returns to the England set-up after a 10-year absence.
But Connor, who was also omitted from the squad get-together in June, has been unable to convince head coach Shaun Wane he deserves a spot amid fierce competition in the halves.
Wane’s stellar options in those berths include captain George Williams, Wigan’s Harry Smith and Lewis, who won the Rob Burrow Award for man of the match with a sparkling performance at Old Trafford.
Australia face England at Wembley on 25 October, at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on 1 November and at AMT Headingley on 8 November. All three matches are 14:30 kick-offs and will be live on BBC One.
“I’m really excited by the 24 players we have selected ahead of this upcoming Ashes Series,” said Wane.
“There were some tough decisions to be made given the quality we have across both Super League and the NRL and that’s never easy, but I am confident that the 24 selected will give us the best chance of winning this series.”
England squad: John Bateman (North Queensland Cowboys), AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans), Joe Burgess (Hull KR), Daryl Clark (St Helens), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Ethan Havard (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Knowles (St Helens), Matty Lees (St Helens), Mikey Lewis (Hull KR), Jez Litten (Hull KR), Mike McMeeken (Wakefield Trinity), Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos), Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos), Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights), Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors), Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders), Owen Trout (Leigh Leopards), Alex Walmsley (St Helens), Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors), Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos), Jack Welsby (St Helens), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)
THOMAS TUCHEL has ruled Ollie Watkins out of England’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
The 29-year-old suffered a knock during a friendly against Wales on Thursday.
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Ollie Watkins has been ruled out of England v LatviaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
He collided with a goalpost while sliding in to connect with a cross just six minutes before half-time.
The Aston Villa man was initially able to continue, but made way for Marcus Rashford at half-time.
Now, the striker has been ruled out of Tuesday’s clash with Latvia.
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The three-quarter line offers so many options, despite the loss of Matty Ashton to a season-ending injury.
Out wide, Hull’s speedy Lewis Martin – a former Hull City youth footballer – was Super League’s top scorer, but is this too early for him?
Dom Young, who left Sydney Roosters for Newcastle mid-season, has been a rampaging force out wide for England, athletic and powerful.
Joe Burgess has three England caps but has not been in the reckoning of late, despite scoring regularly for Salford and now Hull KR. His team-mate Tom Davies is another who does great work out of back-field as well as out wide – but he only has one cap.
Liam Marshall scored on his England debut against Samoa last November, after several prolific seasons with Wigan, and will surely be considered.
Herbie Farnworth, arguably one of the best players in the world, has sewn up one of the centre spots, so who goes in alongside?
Jake Wardle has had another impressive season at Wigan, while Harry Newman – who Wane has shown faith in during recent series – was again a regular for Leeds.
Roosters’ Billy Smith and Gold Coast utility AJ Brimson, two Australia-born players, might come into consideration but will have to impose their desire and passion on Wane if they are to get the nod.
So who should make Wane’s Ashes squad? Share your thoughts below.
Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Conor Hazard, Luke Southwood
Defenders: Paddy McNair, Ryan Johnson, Daniel Ballard, Ciaron Brown, Conor Bradley, Trai Hume, Brodie Spencer, Eoin Toal, Terry Devlin, Ruairi McConville
Midfielders: George Saville, Ali McCann, Shea Charles, Jamie McDonnell, Paul Smyth, Isaac Price, Ross McCausland, Ethan Gailbraith, Justin Devenny, Jamie Donely
Attackers: Josh Magennis, Dion Charles, Callum Marshall, Jamie Reid
Craig Gordon has returned to the Scotland squad for the home World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Belarus.
The 42-year-old goalkeeper has not played since early May and is yet to feature in a Hearts squad this season as he returns to full fitness after a neck injury.
Capped 81 times, Gordon replaces club-mate Zander Clark, with Derby County full-back Max Johnston and Blackburn Rovers central defender Dominic Hyam also dropping out.
Scotland have four points after opening with a 0-0 draw in Denmark and a 2-0 victory against Belarus in Hungary.
The Greeks visit Hampden Park on 9 October and Belarus are in Glasgow three days later, with both matches live on the BBC.
Greece, who beat Belarus then lost to Denmark in Athens, have good memories of their last trip to Hampden.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg of a Nations League play-off in March, the visitors ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in what was Gordon’s most recent international appearance.
With head coach Steve Clarke opting for a smaller squad, there is no room for Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, who has hit seven goals so far this season, or Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway.
Anthony Ralston, who withdrew from the previous squad along with fellow Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney, made his club return at the weekend after a month out.
Angus Gunn kept two Scotland clean sheets earlier this month but has not featured for Nottingham Forest since signing in the summer, while Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly has only played against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup during this campaign.
Hayden, 30, was not in Eddie Howe’s plans but his circumstances were slightly different.
He told SunSport: “I have sympathy because footballers want to play — but everyone’s got different reasons as to why they find themselves in a so-called ‘bomb squad’.
“It happened to me because I couldn’t find a solution during that summer window which fitted in with what Newcastle also wanted.
“But I had constant contact with Eddie and was given nothing but support.”
Hayden made 187 appearances for Newcastle, won the Championship title in 2017 and had five seasons playing in the Premier League.
But a knee injury in December 2021 sidelined him for 5½ months and Howe later told him he was surplus to requirements.
“And the team had been transformed from one fighting relegation to having top-six form.
“Eddie was honest and said he had five players in front of me. You think to yourself, ‘I know where I stand’. I’d rather that than the manager not talking to me.
“You hear people talk about bomb squads where they isolate you, and that’s horrible — but Eddie and Newcastle didn’t do that.
“We had the conversation as to why he couldn’t name me in the 25-man squad.
“And it’s not as simple as, ‘Why not let him train with the first team?’. If you’re doing an 11 v 11 game and everyone’s fit, you’re not going to be able to train with the group because there are too many players.
So Eddie’s solution for me to train with the Under-23s was better. It meant I could train normally every day — and not by myself.”
Hayden actually embraced that period and even did some coaching.
He said: “The bottom line is you’re getting paid good money by the club as a professional footballer. So you give 100 per cent to them in whatever role you’re in.”
After spending the second half of last season on loan with Portsmouth, Hayden joined QPR permanently in the summer.
And now he is hoping to play for Jamaica at next summer’s World Cup.
He said: “One of the huge blessings to come out of that period was I was able to go to Jamaica for a few days to sort my passport out so I could play for them.
“Had I been playing first-team football every week I’d have not been able to.
“Now I have a chance of making the World Cup. It goes to show you can make everything work out in the end.”
England have named an unchanged team for the Women’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada on Saturday at Twickenham.
John Mitchell has opted to stick with the same starting XV and replacements who overcame a slow start to defeat France 35-17 in the last four.
Zoe Aldcroft captains the Red Roses in their seventh straight World Cup final.
England have not won the tournament since 2014, losing the past two finals to New Zealand.
Star full-back Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Zoe Harrison, Amy Cokayne, Aldcroft, Abbie Ward and Alex Matthews all retain their spots from the starting XV defeated by the Black Ferns three years ago.
The Red Roses, who are on a record 32-Test winning run, have not lost since that defeat at Eden Park.
They went into that match having won their previous 30 games, and are up against an in-form Canada side on Saturday.
Kevin Rouet’s side, ranked number two in the world, have looked a class above all their opponents this tournament and delivered a remarkable semi-final performance to comfortably defeat New Zealand and reach their first World Cup final since they lost to England in 2014.
Canada are semi-professional, and have had to crowdfund nearly a third of the budget for their World Cup campaign – they are currently at 95% of their million-dollar fundraising goal entitled Mission: Win Rugby World Cup.
England have been professional since 2019 and are favourites to lift a home World Cup in front of an 82-000 capacity, sold-out Twickenham.
Saturday’s crowd will surpass the 58,498 who watched England beat France at the same stadium in the 2023 Six Nations – the previous record for a XV-a-side match – and the 66,000 who watched the women’s rugby sevens at Stade de France during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“Our staff and players have worked hard to reach this stage of the tournament,” Mitchell said.
“Playing a World Cup final at Allianz Stadium [Twickenham] in front of a record 82,000 is a significant milestone for the sport.
“We are well prepared for the challenge against Canada. It is number one versus number two in the world, and we know the contest will demand a full 80 minutes. Our focus remains on staying in our process and executing effectively.”
Since taking over the role as head coach in 2023, Mitchell has built depth by rotating his squad regularly to build two strong teams.
While in the Europa League, Nottingham Forest subbed out injured Ola Aina for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Uefa stunned clubs with a surprise announcement this month, revealing it had agreed an “amendment” to registry regulations.
New Liverpool hero signs shirts as he returns to football after 102 days out
The governing body announced clubs will be allowed the “temporary” replacement of one outfield player “with a long-term injury or illness.”
Uefa added: “The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure.”
It remains to be seen whether Slot decides to recall Chiesa though.
Young centre-back Rhys Williams was also left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad.
And he could get the nod if Slot feels his squad is light on defenders.
CHELSEA forward Marc Guiu has been named as eligible for the EFL Cup thanks to a little-known rule change.
The teenager spent a short-lived spell with Sunderland on loan earlier this season but was recalled before the transfer deadline.
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Enzo Maresca did not include Marc Guiu in his EFL Cup squadCredit: Reuters
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The Spaniard is eligible to play thanks to a little-known rule changeCredit: Getty
He scored for the Black Cats in their EFL Cup exit to Huddersfield while with the club, an appearance that was believed to have made him ineligible for future EFL cup games this season.
However, a rule change for the 2025/26 season changed the laws to allow a player to turn out for two different clubs in the same campaign.
But Chelsea themselves were reportedly not aware that the Spaniard was able to play in their cup match with Lincoln City on Tuesday, and he has been left out of the squad.
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England’s talismanic leader sat out of the final Test against India with a shoulder injury but the 34-year-old was back training in early September.
Stokes has also had two serious hamstring injuries in the past couple of years and England’s chances are likely to hinge on his availability.
He has played nine Tests in Australia and averages 28.61 with the bat, while he’s claimed 19 wickets at 40.94.
His presence is key to England’s ability to balance the side and he was arguably the pick of their bowlers this summer.
Ben Duckett (opening batter)
Tests: 38, Runs: 2,872, Average: 42.86, Centuries: Six
The 30-year-old will open the batting for England and has played a pivotal role with his counter-attacking style under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.
He’s having a fine 2024 too, averaging 60.20, but he’s yet to play a Test in Australia.
The left-hander averaged 35.66 in the five-Test home series against Australia in 2023.
Zak Crawley (opening batter)
Tests: 59, Runs: 3,313, Average: 31.55, Centuries: Five
The right-hander has come under external pressure for his place in the side after a lean couple of years, but England have stuck by him with this series in mind.
They believe the quicker, bouncier pieces in Australia will suit Crawley and his naturally aggressive style can put the hosts on the back foot.
He averaged 27.66 in three Tests on the last tour down under.
Ollie Pope (Top-order batter)
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Ollie Pope has lost the vice-captaincy to Harry Brook
Tests: 61, Runs: 3,607, Average: 35.36, Centuries: Nine
Another whose place has come under scrutiny, but having filled in as captain when Stokes was injured he was always going to be part of the group.
However, Pope has lost the vice-captaincy to white-ball skipper Harry Brook for this series.
Pope will act as the back-up wicketkeeper in case of any injury or illness to Jamie Smith.
He’s averaged 47.70 so far in 2025, but that is boosted by 171 against Zimbabwe.
The right-hander has played three Tests in Australia and averages a measly 11.16.
England’s Mr Reliable, but not always in Australia.
He may be England’s all-time leading run-scorer but he’s yet to score a century in 14 Tests in Australia.
The right-hander averages 35.68 in that time, but let’s hope that first century comes or we’ll have to deal with a naked Matthew Hayden, external walking round the MCG in Melbourne.
Harry Brook (Vice-captain and middle-order batter)
The 21-year-old is likely to be England’s spare batter. He impressed during a debut series against New Zealand last winter but has had a frustrating summer with limited opportunities.
He scored his first professional century in a one-day international against South Africa earlier this month though and England would feel comfortable picking him if needed.
Smith has been very accomplished with the gloves and bat since making his Test debut in 2024.
However, by the end of the first five-Test series this summer he did look fatigued and frazzled.
England’s aggressive style with the bat means he could spend most – if not all – days in the field in the series so it could be another learning curve on his first tour of Australia.
The wildcard in the squad, with Jacks’ two previous Tests coming in Pakistan as a second spin option in December 2022.
However, the Surrey man has been picked over Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed, Hampshire’s Liam Dawson or out-and-out spinner Jack Leach as the second spin option.
He will offer England depth with the bat but his spin is untested really.
He has bowled just 74 overs in the County Championship this season, taking five wickets at 38.80.
Jofra Archer (pace bowler)
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Jofra Archer took nine wickets in two Tests against India after a four-year gap between red-ball appearances for England
Tests: 15, Wickets: 51, Average: 30.62, Best figures: 6-45
Definitely the X-factor with the ball. A series of injuries have hampered Archer’s Test career but his long-awaited return against India this summer was undoubtedly a success.
He will have to be carefully managed throughout the series – and how England do that may determine their chances.
The right-armer is yet to play a Test in Australia, but enjoyed success with 22 wickets in his debut series in 2019.
Mark Wood (pace bowler)
Tests: 37, Wickets: 119, Average: 30.42, Best figures: 6-37
England’s prime speedster, but can they get him on the field? His last Test was in August 2024 and he hasn’t played any cricket since February after surgery on a knee injury.
He was targeting a couple of matches for Durham before the end of the season but that now seems unlikely. He’s been left out of the white-ball squads for New Zealand in October too so he’ll be relying on the warm-up games to get up to speed.
The right-armer picked up 17 wickets in four Tests during the last Ashes down under.
Brydon Carse (pace bowler)
Tests: Nine, Wickets: 36, Average: 30.11, Best figures: 6-42
The Durham seamer has been impressive since his debut last summer and his style of banging the ball into the pitch could bring rewards in Australia.
He is unlikely to make it through all five Tests though, so England will again have to decide where he’ll be most effective.
This will be first taste of Ashes cricket.
Gus Atkinson (pace bowler)
Tests: 13, Wickets: 63, Average: 22.01, Best figures: 7-45
The Surrey seamer provided a pretty quick reminder of his ability and threat when he returned for the final Test against India in July.
Atkinson has been superb since being introduced to the Test fold in 2024 and he looks set to take the new ball in Australia and could be the leader of the attack in his first Ashes series.
Josh Tongue (pace bowler)
Tests: Six, Wickets: 31, Average: 30.00, Best figures: 5-66
The Nottinghamshire seamer impressed against India this summer. There were questions about his ability against the top order but he grew as the series progressed and was a banker for this squad.
He played one Test in the 2023 series against Australia, taking five wickets, but this will be his first taste of conditions down under.
Matthew Potts (pace bowler)
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Matthew Potts’ previous Tests have come in England, New Zealand and Pakistan
Tests: 10, Wickets: 36, Average: 29.44, Best figures: 7-68
The outsider who has forced his way in.
It seemed like Potts had fallen out of favour but the Durham man is included over Chris Woakes, whose record overseas isn’t as strong as at home and is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained against India in August.
Potts has taken 28 wickets in 10 County Championship matches at 39.60 this summer.
This will be first taste of Ashes cricket.
Shoaib Bashir (spinner)
Tests: 19, Wickets: 68, Average: 39.00, Best figures: 6-81
The 21-year-old will be England’s frontline spinner in the Ashes.
He’s had a successful start to his Test career and became the youngest Englishman to take 50 Test wickets, but he can be expensive and has been targeted by some sides.
That is likely to be the case for some of Australia’s batters, including dangerous middle-order batter Travis Head, so how Bashir and England can limit the damage will be important.
He could also be rusty having missed the final two Tests of the summer with a broken finger. It means the warm-up games in Australia will be his only cricket in the past four months by the time the first Test starts in Perth.
CHELSEA have made a last-ditch change to their UEFA squad ahead of their game against Bayern Munich tomorrow.
With a long-term injury to Dario Essugo, who is out for a minimum of 12 weeks with a thigh injury, the Blues have taken him down from their UEFA squad list on the UCL website.
The £18.5million midfielder had surgery after tearing a thigh muscle on international duty, in a major blow for Chelsea, who have now been left with a lack of cover for Moises Caicedo with Romeo Lavia also often injured.
Essugo has been replaced by loan signing Facundo Buonanotte in the UEFA list on the official site, who started the 2-2 draw away at Brentford on Saturday night, impressing Enzo Maresca on his debut.
Previously, they wouldn’t have been able to make the change, but can do so thanks to a new UEFA rule which was brought into action last week.
Buonanotte said when he signed: “It’s a great step in my career. I’ll get the opportunity to play in the Champions League for the first time, which will be a great challenge.”
So it was a shock when he was left off the UEFA A and B lists for Chelsea’s league phase fixtures, which begin in Bavaria on Wednesday, where they will face off against former striker Nicolas Jackson.
In a shock move, Uefa’s ruling executive committee announced it had agreed an “amendment” to regulations for the three club competitions.
Under the new rules, clubs are now allowed to make a “temporary” replacement of one outfield player with a long-term injury or illness” up until the sixth competition match day in December – when the Conference League initial phase will end.
Uefa said: “The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure.”
Chelsea have become the first team to take advantage of the rule, while Federico Chiesa and Mathys Tel of Liverpool and Spurs remain out of their respective squad lists.
With a growing list of injured players at Stamford Bridge, which has already included Levi Colwill, Liam Delap and Cole Palmer this season, the Blues will be grateful to be able to call upon the likes of Facundo Buonanotte in the Champions League this season.
He scored 15 goals in 58 games last season, with Los Blancos losing the league title to Barcelona and knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.
Bellingham’s fellow Englishman Trent Alexander-Arnold is also in the squad for the visit of the Ligue 1 side.
Former Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold played the last eight minutes of their 2-1 win over Real Sociedad at the weekend having struggled to displace experienced Spain full-back Dani Carvajal in the starting line-up.
Alonso said Carvajal’s “competitive spirit” and “the influence he holds as a captain” are a vital asset for Real.
“He [Carvajal] was still recovering while we were in the United States, but now he’s fit enough to play, you can see what a positive impact he has on everyone around him,” added Alonso.
“We need to have those kinds of leaders in a dressing room, they’re crucial. Carva is an example of that. There are lots of others and we need that strong core to guide the rest.”
Sierra Canyon has a defense in high school football that needs comic book treatment.
Call them “The Kaboom Squad.”
At any moment, whether it’s a lineman, linebacker or defensive back delivering the blow, be prepared to be wowed.
With size, quickness and depth, the Trailblazers have shut out opponents for 12 consecutive quarters. The opponents haven’t been bad: JSerra, Oaks Christian and Honolulu Punahou.
Will they go through their 10-game regular-season schedule unscored upon? Absolutely not. But the reason they have three shutouts in lopsided victories is that the second stringers are performing as well as first stringers when coach Jon Ellinghouse clears the bench.
Their 63-0 win over Oaks Christian broadcast on Spectrum only added to the Trailblazers’ reputation.
It’s kaboom time as Sam Amuti of Sierra Canyon High prepares to level a Punahou ballcarrier.
(Craig Weston)
A combination of returnees and transfers gives the Trailblazers a defense with few weaknesses.
Nobody is perfect, and perhaps Downey and star quarterback Oscar Rios will be the first to end the shutout streak on Friday, but this is Sierra Canyon’s best defense since the spring of the 2021 COVID season when the Trailblazers put together 18 consecutive quarters of allowing zero points and gave a scare to St. John Bosco.
All the Trailblazers’ positions are filled with talented starters and quality backups. The defensive line starts with Texas commit Richard Wesley, wearing No. 99, the number of Rams great Aaron Donald. The linebackers have a smart, fearless tackler in Ronen Zamorano. The secondary has so many college-bound players that the players’ NIL deals could pay for a trip to Hawaii. Madden Riordan (USC), Havon Finney Jr. (Louisiana State) and Brandon Lockhart (USC) lead the way. And coming soon when the sit-out period ends on Sept. 29 is kicker Carter Sobel, who was a standout at Chaminade and will add to bad field position for opposing offenses.
Sierra Canyon’s Spencer Parham gets emotional for a defense that hasn’t allowed any points in 12 quarters.
(Craig Weston)
Having seen the physicality of St. John Bosco’s offensive and defensive lines last week in a 21-14 win over Baltimore St. Frances, Sierra Canyon (3-0) still needs to keep progressing to be on the same level of the Trinity League powers needed to win a Southern Section Division 1 championship.
The Trailblazers are definitely closing the gap with the Braves and No. 1 Mater Dei. They get a good tune-up for the Division 1 playoffs with a matchup against Orange Lutheran on Sept. 18, a team they lost to last season 33-26.
Chris Rizzo, a former Taft head coach, is the Trailblazers’ defensive coordinator. He wears his baseball cap backward on the sideline with sunglasses and has many options for defensive packages.
Asked if the defense has any weaknesses, Rizzo said, “We have some weaknesses. We’re not perfect by any means. We’ve got some things we have to fix and keep getting better.”
The defense is also helping Sierra Canyon’s offense improve because it’s so difficult to move the ball during practices.
“It makes our guys better,” Ellinghouse said.
Rizzo declined to reveal which unit he thinks is best. “The secondary is pretty star-studded,” he said. “The defensive line is deep. They embrace the grind and play for each other.”
Only time will tell whether this defense is as good as some think. There’s plenty of games ahead to prove if the Trailblazers are truly The Kaboom Squad.
Gary: Embarrassing when a club the size of Celtic can’t keep hold of their best players. And, even worse, they can’t seem to replace them when they get sold on for profit. Lack of ambition at the top level and Brendan would be justified to leave his position this time.
James: Celtic have proven once again they are not a serious football club. I used to think it was because the board lacked ambition. More worryingly, it has become clear that they are also lacking the capability. Unfortunately, there will be no consequences. Nothing will change.
Charlie: Underwhelmed, disappointed, but not surprised. This is not progress, it’s not even consolidation.
James: I think supporters should be told why the club is in the position it is at the moment. Does Rodgers have full control of signings? And if so, he must be held to account and explain why his big signings have not produced. There has to be more transparency between the board, manager, players and supporters.
Gordy: There is only one word – appalling. We have had the whole summer to look for replacements for the players we knew were leaving. It leaves the club in a ridiculous situation, where we have a fantastic support base, a fantastic stadium, and bang average manager (for not pushing the board for what he knew he needed). The board and recruitment team are shameful for leaving us in this predicament.
Stephen: The recruitment team, and board, have massively let down everyone associated with the club. The decision to let Idah leave, after starting the day knowing we needed to add options up front, beggars belief and feels like self sabotage. Embarrassed and disappointed to be a Celtic fan.
Benny: Where do you start? Ineptitude? Unlucky? No, it’s mismanagement and arrogance from a board who have previous for this shambolic amateurism. The manager would be more than justified for walking away. Shameful and embarrassing are the only words to describe this window and others. I dread the Europa League upcoming ties with this squad.
Paul: We’re in the same position every year; craving reinforcements that are ready for the starting XI. Instead, we get loans, past-it pros, and project players. The board are an embarrassment. They continually favour a great bank balance at the expense of a decent squad.
Fast bowler Sonny Baker will make his England debut in the first one-day international against South Africa at Headingley on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old has impressed in The Hundred for Manchester Originals and could be part of the squad for the Ashes tour of Australia later this year.
It is the latest step in a rapid rise for Hampshire’s Baker, who made his first-class debut for England Lions against Australia A in Sydney at the beginning of this year.
Fellow quicks Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are both included after missing the final Test against India in July. For Archer, it will be his first one-day international since the Champions Trophy in March.
The match in Leeds begins a three-match series against the Proteas, which is followed by three T20s.
MANCHESTER UNITED have agreed a deal to sell Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea.
The Red Devils have sanctioned an exit for the wantaway winger worth £40million.
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Alejandro Garnacho is joining ChelseaCredit: Getty
Garnacho, 21, will join the Blues on a reported seven-year contract after waiting for a move to materialise all summer.
The Argentine had been pushing for an exit after falling down the pecking order under boss Ruben Amorim.
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