LONDON (AP) — Jofra Archer will miss the entire summer of international cricket for England after being diagnosed with a stress fracture to the lower back, prolonging the fast bowler's injury woe that has seen him sidelined for the past year.
LONDON (AP) — A turbulent period for English cricket saw another high-profile departure among its leadership on Tuesday when chief executive Tom Harrison announced he will be stepping down.
Since the turn of the year, the men's test captain, head coach, director of cricket and now the CEO have all left their roles as the England and Wales Cricket Board launches a so-called “red-ball reset” amid troubling times for the test team.
Canada will prepare for its first World Cup since 1986 with an exhibition against Iran on June 5 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Canada plays Curaçao at Vancouver on June 9 and is at Honduras on June 13, both in the CONCACAF Nations League.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservatives suffered local election losses Friday in their few London strongholds and other parts of the U.K. — results that will pile more pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson amid ethics scandals and a worsening economic picture.
LONDON (AP) — People in Britain voted Thursday in local elections that will decide the makeup of local authorities across the country — and possibly the fate of embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
DUBLIN (AP) — Six Nations champion France will begin its title defense at the 2023 tournament by playing Italy in Rome before facing Ireland the following weekend in Dublin.
The schedule was announced Wednesday and again features the Calcutta Cup in the first round with Scotland visiting Twickenham looking for a third straight victory over England.
ZURICH (AP) — Ukraine's bid to qualify for the Word Cup will resume on June 1 against Scotland after its playoff semifinal in Glasgow was postponed in March due to the country being invaded by Russia.
MIAMI (AP) — The United States was drawn Monday to play 74th-ranked El Salvador and No. 170 Grenada in the CONCACAF Nations League in preparation for the World Cup in November.
All three U.S. first-round matches at this year's World Cup will kick off at 2 p.m. EST, the latest in the day possible under the schedule in Qatar.
The U.S. opens Nov. 21 against Wales, Scotland or Ukraine at Al Rayyan, then plays England on Nov.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Austria coach Franco Foda will leave his position after the friendly match against Scotland on Tuesday after failing to lead his team to the World Cup.
Foda used a news conference on Monday to suddenly announce his imminent departure, saying the time was right because “we couldn’t fulfill our big dream.”
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale demonstrated his enduring value for Wales by scoring two goals — including a sensational free kick — in a 2-1 win over Austria on Thursday, leaving his country one more victory away from a first World Cup in 64 years.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Gareth Bale declared himself in “very good shape” and ready to play “whatever is necessary” for Wales in its World Cup playoff against Austria, days after pulling out of Real Madrid’s humiliating loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league.
The Six Nations panned out as most observers predicted.
France was first, Ireland second, followed by England, Scotland, Wales, then Italy.
Yet, on the final day on Saturday, Ireland led the championship for about three hours, England and Scotland were in danger of dropping in the standings, and Wales could have finished third.
More than two years have passed since a grinning Gareth Bale, celebrating a big win for his national team, held up a Welsh flag with the words “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In That Order” written on it.
At least in his soccer career, it appears little has changed.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Paolo Garbisi booted the match-clinching conversion before throwing himself to the ground and bursting into tears.
After seven humiliating years, Italy finally won a Six Nations match.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales got the party started early.
Coach Wayne Pivac named his side on Tuesday, two days before every other team, and set up a couple of individual milestones to close their Six Nations campaign at home on Saturday.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has no misgivings about giving Alun Wyn Jones a first rugby match in 20 weeks in the Six Nations test against Italy this weekend.
Jones hasn't played since dislocating his left shoulder in October against New Zealand.
LONDON (AP) — Britain's government said Monday all remaining coronavirus measures for travelers, including passenger locator forms and the requirement that unvaccinated people be tested for COVID-19 before and after their arrivals, will end Friday to make going on holiday easier for the Easter school vacation.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Alun Wyn Jones was summoned by Wales on Saturday and will be available to face Italy next weekend in the final round of the Six Nations.
Jones has been in camp for two weeks, recovering from the left shoulder he injured in October against New Zealand in Cardiff.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — France hurdled the considerable obstacle that was Wales in boisterous Cardiff by just 13-9 and stayed on track for the Six Nations Grand Slam on Friday.
The French took their only try-scoring chance early on and absorbed intense pressure for long periods to remain unbeaten four games into the championship and on their longest winning streak — seven — in 18 years.
For all of Ireland's resurgence under coach Andy Farrell, one significant milestone continues to elude them.
That is going to another major team's turf, defying the hostile crowd and beating them.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — As they celebrated a six-try thumping of Scotland, France captain Antoine Dupont noted something else to be happy about.
"One more away game,” he said two Saturdays ago at Murrayfield.
LONDON (AP) — Wales’ realistic ambitions of retaining its Six Nations rugby title were extinguished with a 23-19 loss to England despite a three-try fightback in the second half by the champion at Twickenham on Saturday.
So much is on the line for England and Wales in their Six Nations showdown at Twickenham on Saturday.
Lose and Wales can surely forget about successfully defending its title.
For England, the ramifications of a defeat are worse.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Taulupe Faletau is set to play for Wales for the first time in nearly a year after being called up to the squad for Saturday's match against England in the Six Nations.
LONDON (AP) — The second major storm in three days smashed through northern Europe on Friday, killing at least nine people as high winds felled trees, cancelled train services and ripped sections off the roof of London's O2 Arena.
BERLIN (AP) — Meteorologists warned Thursday that northern Europe could be battered by a series of storms over the coming days after strong winds swept across the region overnight, killing at least five people, downing power lines and causing widespread travel delays.
LONDON (AP) — British authorities will offer a coronavirus vaccine to almost six million children from age 5 to 11, officials said Wednesday.
The government said young children will be offered a low-dose COVID-19 shot on a “non-urgent” basis beginning in April in England.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Dan Biggar battled through injury to mark his 100th test appearance with the game-clinching dropped goal in a 20-17 win for Wales over Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday.
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Stuart Hogg has never won a test at Principality Stadium, or even scored a point there, and yet he calls it his favorite rugby venue away from Murrayfield.
Hogg leads Scotland into the home of Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday, when they will aim to end a 20-year win drought in Cardiff.
LONDON (AP) — Yorkshire can resume hosting international cricket matches after the club's suspension was lifted on Friday in recognition of its “good progress” on addressing problems of racism and bullying.
The Welsh are used to getting written off in the Six Nations.
Often it’s way too premature. This time, the negativity might be justified.
An opening-round 29-7 loss to Ireland in Dublin was a wretched way for Wales to begin its defense of a title won, somewhat naturally, against the odds last year.
PARIS (AP) — Perhaps its mind games. The forced absence of Jonathan Sexton from the showdown of Six Nations title favorites on Saturday has been downplayed by Ireland and France.
France coach Fabien Galthie claims Ireland won't be weaker.
DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland confirmed its Six Nations title credentials by blowing away defending champion Wales 29-7 at a full Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
Those credentials are expected to receive their sternest test of the championship next Saturday in Paris, where the Irish meet France, the last team to beat them a year ago.
LONDON (AP) — The head of English cricket hopes he's not the next man out after England’s humiliating Ashes series loss in Australia.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison said Friday he wants to keep his job and bring the organization “back to a place where there is stability and calmness.”