Author: Kate Man

A Rangers fan has died in a road accident in Istanbul ahead of the club’s match in the Turkish city.The club said it was “devastated” to have learned of the death, which happened overnight.Rangers play Fenerbahce in a Europa League tie on Thursday night.Reports in the Turkish press suggest that the man was crossing the road in the early hours of the morning when he was hit by a car before being run over by a second vehicle.A statement on the Rangers website said: “The immediate thoughts of everyone at the club are with their family and friends at this…

Brexit, Brangelina, Barbieheimer. And Brexoncello?If only true cultural phenomena get a cut-and-shut shorthand, Italy’s midfield is on to something special.Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello are a classic buddy-cop pairing.Brex, 32, born in Argentina, has come halfway around the world to put his wily hands and gainline nous at Italy’s disposal.Menoncello is a younger gun, born a decade later and brought up in the rugby heartland of Treviso. His battering-ram running and energy have scrambled the most organised of defences.Their partnership has become something of a meme.Benetton Treviso, their club side, posted a video of the pair lifting weights together,…

Emma Raducanu will begin a trial period with Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik when she plays her first-round match at Indian Wells on Thursday.The 49-year-old was coaching Lulu Sun when the New Zealand qualifier beat Raducanu in the fourth round of Wimbledon last July.Platenik worked with compatriot Dominika Cibulkova when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open in 2009, and has also coached Russians Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova.Loughborough Academy coach Tom Welsh agreed to join Raducanu for Indian Wells, but that was billed as a one-off arrangement.Raducanu, who has been without a permanent coach since Nick Cavaday stood down…

The use of pyrotechnics inside stadiums in Scotland has been illegal since 2023. Rangers and Celtic have been issued with fines in recent years after incidents at matches in Europe, and Celtic were also warned by Uefa that fans would face a travel ban if they continued to breach the rules.The football authorities are also working closely with the Scottish government to push for more football banning orders for those charged with pyrotechnic offences.Football banning orders prevent individuals from attending any match in the UK.Rangers said in a statement: “Rangers notes the statement from the SPFL and the sanction imposed…

Elliot Daly will start ahead of Marcus Smith at full-back for England’s match against Italy on Sunday, with the Harlequins playmaker dropped to the bench.Fraser Dingwall, who won his last England cap more than a year ago, comes into centres alongside Ollie Lawrence, with Henry Slade left out of the matchday 23.Dingwall’s inclusion means five of the seven backs are from Northampton, with Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith continuing their half-back partnership.Jamie George starts at hooker as he becomes the seventh player to reach a century of caps for the England men’s team.Leicester scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, who scored in…

Steve Smith has retired from one-day international cricket following Australia’s semi-final exit from the Champions Trophy.The 35-year-old made 170 appearances for Australia in his 50-over career, hitting 12 centuries and winning the ODI World Cup in 2015 and 2023. Smith captained the side in Pat Cummins’ absence during his final ODI appearance on Tuesday, when Australia suffered a four-wicket loss to India in Dubai in the Champions Trophy. The former Sussex batsman will remain available for Test and T20 selection for his country. “There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great…

The man approached Raducanu near the player hotel in Dubai the day before her second round match with Karolina Muchova.He gave her a letter and took her photo, which understandably unnerved Raducanu, who had been aware of his presence at tournaments in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Doha in preceding weeks.Although she reported it to a member of her team, the information was not passed on to the WTA or the tournament until the following day, leaving security staff with just a few hours to prepare.”I think they were very emotional weeks, because it had carried on for a few weeks…

Britain’s Emma Raducanu will play world number three Coco Gauff in the second round at Indian Wells – if she can beat Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the first round.Raducanu is scheduled to play world number 52 Uchijima on the tournament’s opening day on Wednesday.It will be the British number two’s first tournament since a stalking ordeal at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week.The former US Open champion was shaken after a man “exhibited fixated behaviour” during her second-round match.The man was later detained and given a restraining order, Dubai Police said.Raducanu was deliberating whether to travel to the United States…

Dillian Whyte has withdrawn from his heavyweight fight with fellow Briton Joe Joyce on 5 April because of an injured hand.Joyce will remain as the headliner for the heavyweight fight night at the Co-op Live, which also includes Lawrence Okolie v Richard Riakporhe and the professional debut of Delicious Orie.Whyte, 36, has not fought in the UK since 2022.He was pulled from his rematch with Anthony Joshua in 2023 after failing a voluntary drug test, but has twice fought abroad since then.Queensberry Promotions say a new opponent for his British rival Joyce will be announced shortly.Joyce, 39, is facing a…

There have been some big characters among England’s biggest men in recent years, with Joe Marler, who retired in the autumn, the most notable. Vice-captain Ellis Genge speaks his mind to those inside and outside the camp, while former skipper Jamie George is still a key leader. Even Cole has his own podcast.Stuart, who will end the Six Nations on 50 caps if he plays against Italy and Wales, prefers a lower profile.”I am pretty awful,” he smiles. “How can I put this? I am not the most sociable person, I am a bit of a hermit.”I live in a…