Crowley to start as Ireland name squad for warmup clash with Italy

Jack Crowley has been given the chance to stake his claim for Ireland’s fly-half role ahead of the World Cup after being selected to start Saturday’s Dublin clash with Italy. The in-form 23-year-old is preferred to Ross Byrne and the uncapped Ciaran Frawley in the absence of suspended captain Johnny Sexton.

Read more

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon retires aged 45

Former Italy goalkeeper and World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football aged 45. Buffon brings an end to a 28-year career that saw him lift the World Cup in 2006 along with 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and Ligue 1 with Paris St-Germain. He ends his career where it began in 1995, at Parma, now a Serie B club.

Read more

Virgil van Dijk named as new captain of Liverpool

Liverpool have named Virgil van Dijk as their new captain and Trent Alexander-Arnold as vice-captain following the exits of Jordan Henderson and James Milner. Henderson spent eight years as skipper following Steven Gerrard’s departure in 2015 but vacated the armband when he moved to Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq

Read more

Verstappen leads home Red Bull 1-2 in Belgium

Max Verstappen was in imperious form as he came from sixth on the grid to win the Belgian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver’s eighth consecutive victory in the final race before the summer break extended his championship lead to 125 points. Verstappen led Sergio Perez home to a Red Bull one-two Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took third ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

Read more