SuperNewsAffiliate

South Africa 319-7 (50 overs) | England 194 (42.3 overs) England’s World Cup hopes were left in ruins after a humbling 125-run defeat to South Africa in the semi-final. Author |  Sophie T Laura Wolvaardt produced one of the great World Cup innings, striking 169 from 143 balls to lead the Proteas to a commanding 319 for seven in Guwahati. It was a stunning display from the opener, whose fluency and precision left England’s bowlers helpless. Terrible start to England's innings  Set a record target in a knockout match, England endured a nightmare start, collapsing to one for three as Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight all departed without scoring. Jones and Knight were bowled by a fired-up Marizanne Kapp, while Beaumont edged Ayabonga Khaka behind. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey briefly revived England’s faint hopes with a composed partnership of 105, but the task always looked beyond them. READ MORE |  Sporting news and stories from SuperNewsAffiliate...

England 175 (36 overs) | New Zealand 177-5 (33.1 overs) England’s familiar frailties surfaced once more as their build-up to the Ashes was dented by a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the second one-day international in Hamilton. Author |  Sophie T Bowled out for a modest 175 with 14 overs unused, the tourists failed to impose themselves before the hosts eased to victory to wrap up the series with a match to spare. Jamie Overton provided the lone burst of defiance, clattering 42 from 28 balls to lift an innings that had drifted into anxiety. The Test quartet of Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook all made starts yet none stayed long enough to construct anything of real heft. Blair Tickner led New Zealand’s disciplined attack with 4 for 34, supported smartly by seamer Nathan Smith, as England faltered once more at the top and through the middle order. READ MORE | Sporting news and stories from SuperNewsAffiliate  A flicker of optimism arrived when Jofra...

This is a significant setback for Australia  They have confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will miss the first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith set to take the reins in his absence. Author |  Peter Jones Cummins, the side’s leading fast bowler, has been sidelined by a back injury and had earlier described himself as “less than likely” to play in the series opener in Perth on 21 November. Although the 32-year-old will not be ready for the first Test, he has returned to bowling in the nets this week. Head coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism that Cummins could be fit for the second Test in Brisbane, starting on 4 December. It is a significant setback for Australia to lose its captain and premier pace bowler. Concerns over his fitness first emerged in September, leading to Cummins missing the white-ball series against New Zealand and India with a lumbar stress fracture. Speaking two weeks ago, Cummins said time was “tight” ahead of the first Test, noting he needed at least a m...

This was almost like a routine win for Australia They resumed their long-running dominance of the Rugby League Ashes with an assured display. Author | Michael Haldsworth  Stadium | Wembley Back in 2003, the Kangaroos swept the series 3-0, grinding out three tight victories, each decided by no more than six points, and each featuring a moment when Great Britain held a lead they could not preserve. Early indications suggest the 2025 series may not be cut from quite the same cloth. England met the challenge with spirit and resilience, yet Australia carried greater precision in the decisive moments, shifting smoothly through the gears after the interval to claim a comfortable win. The hosts were disciplined in defence, often relying on weight of numbers to keep the visitors at bay. Australia, by contrast, operated with the fluency of a side well drilled and brimming with attacking ideas. READ MORE |  St Helens appoint Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley READ MORE | Sport...

An exciting first night of play-off action in the United States The Chicago Fire and the Portland Timbers will both feature in the MLS Cup Playoffs after 3-1 wild-card wins over Orlando City and Real Salt Lake, respectively. Author | Peter Jones A closer look at how Chicago progressed Chicago had not appeared in the postseason since 2017. They will take on the Supporters' Shield victors, the Philadelphia Union, in a best-of-three, first-round series.  This follows a commanding home win on Wednesday. Jack Elliott, Hugo Cuypers, and Brian Gutierrez all went close for Chicago in the first half. Their breakthrough finally arrived three minutes into the second period through Gutierrez's cultured finish. Gutierrez then struck the post twice. Chicago added two more goals within 19 minutes. Cuypers bundled home from close range and then drilled a powerful finish in for his brace. Adrian Marin pulled one back for the Lions, but it was too little, too late as Chicago earned a deserve...

There’s a growing rift in Spanish football. A game between Villareal and Barcelona will no longer be hosted in Miami, as had been announced a few weeks ago. Author |  Jack L The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami hosted games in the Club World Cup When La Liga announced plans to stage a league fixture in Miami, it presented the idea as a bold step forward - one that would elevate the visibility of Spanish football, enhance the profile of its players, and strengthen the sport's brand in a key international market. The project, fully compliant with federation regulations and competition integrity, was envisioned as a new frontier for a game seeking global relevance. But the controversy that followed showed just how far Spanish football still is from speaking with one voice. The way the cancellation was handled has left deep marks. Villarreal felt blind-sided, saying the timing damaged their image and that of the competition. "We found out 10 minutes before kick-off [in Tuesday's...

Wins for Exeter, Leicester and Saracens this weekend Let’s have a closer at all the drama and action from these fixtures. Author |  Peter Jones Before the weekend's drama, there were away wins for Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears.  Exeter 38 - 0 Harlequins  England centre Henry Slade was instrumental as Exeter maintained their strong return to form with a commanding Premiership victory over Harlequins. The Chiefs struck quickly, scoring three tries in a ten-minute burst during the first half, with Slade heavily involved, setting up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's opener and then linking with Australian debutant Len Ikitau. Harvey Skinner extended the lead to 24-0 before the break after capitalising on a Harlequins error, while Greg Fisilau added a bonus-point try shortly after half-time. Exeter's defence proved impenetrable, preventing Harlequins from scoring for the first time in nearly two years, despite the visitors dominating possession and territory. Slade capped the win ...

England 236-4 (20 overs) beat New Zealand 171 (18 overs) Phil Salt and Harry Brook led England to a commanding 65-run win over New Zealand in the second T20, giving the tourists a 1-0 series lead. Author |  Sophie T Stadium | Hagley Oval  Salt and Brook put on 129 in 69 balls as England amassed 236-4, the highest T20 total at Christchurch's Hagley Oval and the fifth-highest in England’s history in the format. Salt continued his rich vein of form with 85 from 56 balls. It was captain Brook who dominated proceedings, striking five sixes in 78 off 35 deliveries. He exploited a rare lapse in New Zealand’s fielding, including a dropped chance by Jimmy Neesham at long-on, and left the Black Caps’ bowlers struggling to contain him. Brook’s T20 international record remains modest for a player of his ability, averaging 29 with five fifties in 50 innings, but this was among his finest performances in either white-ball format as captain. His assault meant New Zealand re...

Clubs are already preparing for next season’s Super League campaign St Helens have appointed Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley as their new manager on a three-year contract. Author |  Oliver W An exciting new chapter, and it begins now! #COYS | @plattyphoto pic.twitter.com/nFx4YimJK4 — St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) October 17, 2025 The 50-year-old succeeds Paul Wellens after the club decided against renewing his deal. Rowley has spent the past four seasons in charge at Salford, who were relegated from Super League on Thursday following a turbulent year off the field. He had been due to take up a director of rugby role with the club next season. Rowley replaces club legend Wellens, whose departure after three seasons in charge was confirmed earlier this month. Wellens, who made 495 appearances for St Helens as a player, was unable to replicate the remarkable run of success achieved under Justin Holbrook and Kristian Woolf, when Saints won four consecutive Grand F...

"For many veterans, it may well be the best Pokémon title in years..." For this reviewer, this is the 10th Pokemom game that I've played and its certainly up there with the most enjoyable. Author |  Liam C This game is definitely worth a play. Very enjoyable! youtu.be/6cbD1nPMJ8U?... [image or embed] — Super News Affiliate ( @eurosuperfootball.bsky.social ) 18 October 2025 at 08:37 Every new Pokémon game is someone’s first. The series continues to thrive on a steady stream of new, younger players, drawn in by fresh creatures, inventive mechanics and vibrant worlds. Ask fans of any generation, and they’ll insist that the games they grew up with remain unmatched. For long-time players, however, it can feel as though the franchise has spent most of its 30-year history catering primarily to newcomers. That is why the arrival of the Legends spin-off series has been such a welcome development among the more dedicated fans. Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the second entry in the s...

The teams for the 2026 Super League season have been confirmed York Knights and Toulouse Olympique will compete in an expanded 14-team Super League next season after being selected for promotion by an independent panel. Author |  Greg S York had success at Wembley this season Fellow Yorkshire side Bradford Bulls secured their return to the top flight on Thursday, replacing the financially troubled Salford Red Devils after climbing from 16th to 10th in this year’s grading system. The move paves the way for three Championship sides to join the Super League from 2026. Earlier this year, the 12 existing Super League clubs voted in favour of expansion to 14 teams from next season, marking the first time the competition has featured that number since 2014. York will make their Super League debut, while Toulouse will return to the top division following their single-season spell in 2022. READ MORE |   Super Local Sports News Yorkshire will have more fan reaction to this news Nin...

A legendary cricketing career will be extended. Jimmy Anderson is set to continue his remarkable playing career beyond his 44th birthday after agreeing a new contract with Lancashire that will keep him at Old Trafford for the 2026 season. Author |  Michael Haldsworth England’s record Test wicket-taker had already signed a one-year deal for 2025 following his international retirement in 2024, but his form across formats has prompted the county to extend his stay. Anderson claimed 17 wickets in six County Championship matches last season, though it was his return to limited-overs cricket that caught the eye. Playing T20 cricket for the first time in a decade, he took 20 wickets as Lancashire reached Blast finals day, performances that earned him a first foray into franchise cricket with Manchester Originals in The Hundred. He also captained Lancashire in the County Championship, a role he could retain into the 2026 season. The new deal means Anderson’s professional career will ha...

Huge moment for one of Rugby League’s most historic clubs Bradford Bulls have secured promotion to the Super League for the 2026 season, replacing Salford Red Devils after being awarded the highest Grade B status under rugby league’s new grading system. Author |  Greg S The decision marks a remarkable return to the top flight for the Bulls, who were a dominant force in the early 2000s but have spent over a decade outside the elite. Their absence was defined by financial collapse, administration, and even a season in the third tier, League One, in 2018. Brian Noble, who famously led Bradford to multiple Super League titles, returned to the club in 2025 and guided them to a third-place finish in the Championship. Despite being eliminated in the play-off semi-finals by eventual champions Toulouse, the Bulls’ off-field progress has been enough to propel them back to the top tier. Bradford’s grading score improved significantly from 16th in 2024 to 10th this year, overtaking Super ...

Introducing a new handheld gaming console. Asus and Microsoft have joined forces to produce the first Xbox-branded handheld device, but what exactly is the ROG Xbox Ally X and is it worth the investment? Author |  Liam C Xbox executives have long expressed admiration for PC handhelds, which has always seemed a little curious given that even the most successful of these devices (Valve’s Steam Deck) has sold only a few million units, a fraction of the numbers achieved by the Nintendo Switch and other established consoles. The second most successful range has been Asus’ ROG Ally devices. All of them follow the same basic concept: a Switch-inspired design that is essentially a portable PC rather than a dedicated console. This is sometimes very apparent when navigating the system interface or adjusting settings to make games run, yet in terms of high-end performance and running the latest games, the ROG Xbox Ally X is highly impressive. What is the ROG Xbox Ally? If you have used a ...

England 133-9 (31 overs) | Pakistan 34-0 (6.4 overs) | No result England narrowly avoided a shock defeat to Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup after heavy rain in Colombo rescued them from an upset. Author |  Peter Jones Pakistan had produced an outstanding bowling display to leave England reeling at 79 for seven after 25 overs when the first downpour arrived. After a long delay, play resumed with the match reduced to 31 overs per side. A battling partnership of 47 between Charlie Dean, who top-scored with 33, and Em Arlott helped England reach 133 for nine. Set a revised target of 113, Pakistan began confidently, reaching 34 without loss before rain returned to wash out play and deny them what would have been their first one-day international victory over England. It was a fortunate escape for Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side, who had earlier survived a similar scare against Bangladesh, and a reminder of their fragility ahead of tougher tests against India and Australia. "That is...

Hull KR trio named in England squad for Ashes series as Jake Connor misses out Mikey Lewis, Jez Litten and Joe Burgess included in the 24-man squad, while Super League’s Man of Steel is left out amid fierce competition in the halves. Author |  Oliver W 😤 Chasing History! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #EnglandRL pic.twitter.com/5xh8nkoIt1 — England Rugby League (@England_RL) October 13, 2025 Jez Litten, whose only previous cap came against France in 2023, joins Burgess, who returns to the national set-up after a 10-year absence, following his two-try display in Hull KR’s victory over Wigan at Old Trafford. Connor, omitted from the mid-season training camp in June, has once again missed out, with England head coach Shaun Wane opting for George Williams, Harry Smith and Lewis as his half-back options. Lewis was named man of the match in the Grand Final, winning the Rob Burrow Award for his outstanding performance. England will face Australia at Wembley on 25 October, at Everton’s Hill Dickins...

Excitement is building across the globe for the 2026 World Cup  Let's have a look at who could qualify for the tournament. Author | Greg S The tournament will take place in United States, Mexico and Canada. There are a lot of interesting talking points as the race to quality hots up.  What’s happening in Europe? There are 12 groups, with the winners of each group qualifying for the World Cup and the 12 runners-up going into play-offs alongside the four best-ranked UEFA Nations League group winners that have not already qualified, competing for four extra places. Europe is also the only continent that does not have a team in the intercontinental play-offs. England v Latvia | April 2025 Qualifying started in March, with some teams not even playing their first qualifiers until this month because of the Nations League. Group matches end in November, and the play-offs will be held in March 2026. Some of the the latest World Cup Qualifying news and stories from European Super Footba...

It has been a great weekend for Hull KR fans  Let's have a look at some of the best pictures, videos and quotes from the celebrations Author |  Oliver W Hull welcomes back their heroes Quotes, clips and pictures from the stands at Old Trafford Caroline Acey posted on Instagram: "2025, what a season. History has been made this year. One last final one last job to do. The lads did it in style." Sean Hampson was in the East Stand at Old Trafford. He told us: "These players have a really strong connection to the community, to the fans and to the people of East Hull. This has been a special night in a very special season." READ MORE |  The Robins clinch historic Treble Tony Jacobs added: "Best night of my life." Craig Hooley was also there, he said: “They were absolutely superb, you can see how much winning the treble means to everyone connected with the club. They deserve every second of praise they’re going to get now.” Best quotes from people that ...

Hull KR are Super League Grand Final winners for the very first time. They are also treble winners in 2025!  Author |  Oliver W Stadium | Old Trafford Before this landmark night, only Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and Wigan had ever lifted the Super League trophy. Hull KR’s breakthrough ensured they would join that elite group, adding a third piece of silverware to their 2025 haul after earlier triumphs in the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield. Brad O’Neill’s first-half yellow card for a tip tackle on Tyrone May proved pivotal, allowing Mikey Lewis and Joe Burgess to strike while Wigan were a man down. Harry Smith’s try briefly narrowed the deficit, but Jez Litten’s darting run and a late Burgess score sealed Hull KR’s first league title since 1984. Wigan had threatened early when Bevan French’s electric burst from Liam Marshall’s kick looked set to open the scoring, only for replays to show he had lost control before grounding. A fierce opening spell, mar...

Labuschagne boosts Ashes recall hopes with another century Marnus Labuschagne’s case for a return to Australia’s Test squad for the Ashes received fresh momentum as he recorded his third century in four innings for Queensland. Author | Peter Jones Marnus Labuschagne is enjoying a superb run of domestic form 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/uNOpZabwA0 — Wisden (@WisdenCricket) October 9, 2025 The 31-year-old top-order batter made 105 from 91 balls in Queensland’s One-Day Cup defeat by Tasmania, following a 160-run effort against the same opponents in the Sheffield Shield just three days earlier. He had also struck 130 from 118 in Queensland’s One-Day Cup opener against Victoria in September. Labuschagne, who has 11 centuries in 58 Tests, was left out of Australia’s squad for the July series against the West Indies. He now faces competition from Travis Head, Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney to reclaim a spot, potentially as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner. READ MORE |  Latest news, stories ...

It's almost time to celebrate another fantastic year of British sport As always, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards will focus on major titles, breakthrough stars and historic milestones. Author |  Sophie T Now in its 71st year, the SPOTY award remains one of the most prestigious honours in British sport, recognising individuals whose performances have inspired the nation and defined the sporting calendar. Voted for by the public and broadcast live in December, the ceremony will showcase a rich array of talent from across the sporting spectrum, from golf majors and Grand Slam triumphs to Rugby World Cups and record-breaking feats in athletics. The frontrunners for 2025 Chloe Kelly Chloe Kelly has emerged as one of the leading contenders following a standout UEFA Women’s Euro campaign . The Arsenal forward was central to England’s successful title defence, converting the decisive penalty in the final shootout against Spain and providing the crucial assist for Alessia ...

Hull KR v Wigan Warriors The end of the Super League season is here. Two sides will put it all on the line at Old Trafford Author |  Oliver W Hull KR stand on the brink of history on Saturday night. Victory over reigning champions Wigan Warriors in the 2025 Super League Grand Final would secure the club’s first-ever title and make them only the fifth team to lift the trophy. Hull KR v St Helens It would signal the end of the era of the so-called Big Four. A win would also see Rovers join an elite group of modern-day treble winners, alongside Bradford Bulls, St Helens, Leeds Rhinos and Wigan themselves. However, as last year showed, toppling this Wigan side is no easy feat. Under Matt Peet, the Warriors swept all before them in 2024, becoming the first team in the Super League era to complete a quadruple. Now, their focus is on a three-peat. Having already lost both the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ Shield to Hull KR this season, Wigan will be desperate to avoid surrenderi...