Sport

France v England: World Cup third-place playoff – live
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

World Cup updates from 10pm BST/5pm EDT/7am AEST
Players ‘puzzled’ but Tuchel left himself no option
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France: Maignan, Gusto, Konate, Lacroix, Theo Hernandez, Zaire Emery, Rabiot, Olise, Cherki, Doue, Mbappe. Subs: Samba, Risser, Digne, Upamecano, Kounde, Kone, Dembele, Tchouameni, Thuram, Barcola, Kante, Saliba, Lucas Hernandez, Mateta, Akliouche.

England: Dean Henderson, Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Spence, Rice, Saka, Eze, Rogers, Rashford, Toney. Subs: Pickford, Trafford, Gordon, James, Madueke, Watkins, Jordan Henderson, Burn, Anderson, Kane, O’Reilly, Bellingham, Chalobah, Stones.

England’s 13 men thwart Argentina comeback in controversial finale
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

Argentina 24-31 England
Visitors run in five tries; hosts denied late score by TMO

It has been a long season but England’s well-travelled players can finally head to the beach with some degree of satisfaction. Spurred on by a fine performance from the wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, they had to weather a frantic finale to complete an eventful five-try win over Argentina, thus denying their hosts a notable sporting double over their English amigos this week.

Reduced to 13 and briefly 12 men at stages in the second half, with four players sent to the sin-bin along the way, they were ultimately indebted to Marcus Smith and Feyi-Waboso for all-important tries in the final quarter, along with a brace of first-half scores for Ben Earl. England also had to defend stoutly at times, with Ollie Chessum, Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes all showing up remarkably well at the fag end of an energy-sapping campaign.

Nappy factor? New dad Sam Burns steals march on chasing pack to lead Open
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

American two shots clear of Ryan Fox and Kim Si-woo
Burns playing because wife gave birth earlier than expected

After one of the more fiery 24 hours in Open history, how appropriate that a golfer named Burns leads going into the final round at Royal Birkdale.

While Rory McIlroy directed spicy barbs at Bryson DeChambeau, as the row over the American’s behaviour after he was docked two shots for a rules infringement rumbled on, Sam Burns was coolness personified.

McIlroy lashes out at DeChambeau for ‘holding the Open hostage’ over penalty row
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

‘I won’t defend Bryson – I’m not fond of him’
Masters champion says rival’s actions ‘not a good look’

Rory McIlroy has accused a “performative” Bryson DeChambeau of “holding the tournament hostage” after the incredible scenes which marked the end of the American’s second round at the Open.

DeChambeau’s antics were matched in noteworthy terms by the scathing sentiment of McIlroy on Saturday. “I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson,” said McIlroy. “I’m not particularly fond of him.”

Josh Kerr makes athletics history by shattering one-mile world record in London
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

Time of 3min 42.66sec betters El Guerrouj in 1999 by 0.47
Kerr becomes seventh British man to hold record

Having put himself out there in the manner that he did, Josh Kerr left nowhere else to go. He had to deliver on Saturday. You call your shot, you take it. So he did. And boy, was it spectacular.

For the first time in 27 years there is a new one-mile world record-holder. On the morning of this London Diamond League meet, Sebastian Coe – a three-time mile world record-holder himself – described Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj, the incumbent, as the greatest miler in history. If that fact remains undisputed, the record books will now show Kerr’s name above El Guerrouj as the man who ran one mile in 3min 42.66sec. Just as he said he would.

Chelsea poised to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in record-breaking £117m deal
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

Fee makes Rogers most expensive English player
Arsenal were also keen on Rogers, a £15m Villa signing

Chelsea are poised to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m. The attacking midfielder has agreed terms on a six-year contract and is due to undergo a medical on Monday.

Arsenal were interested in Rogers and made contact with Villa this month but Chelsea have long tracked the 23-year-old’s progress and have moved quickly to land one of Xabi Alonso’s top targets.

Mercedes’ Antonelli outpaces Verstappen to grab F1 Belgian GP pole
Posted on Saturday July 18, 2026

Russell will share second row with Ferrari’s Leclerc
Norris ‌third fastest ‌but has a 10-place grid penalty

Kimi Antonelli has suffered a run of no little bad luck of late, but the Italian teenager demonstrated it had left him entirely unfazed as he produced a dominant lap to secure pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old’s composure and control at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday was something to behold as he flew round the circuit in the Ardennes mountains with ease, comfortably beating the Red Bull of Max Verstappen into second place. Notable was the manner in which he did so given Verstappen had benefited from having a tow from his teammate, Isack Hadjar, who willingly sacrificed his laps given he had a 30-place grid penalty to come.