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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The harsh cold and relentless wind. The lead late Saturday afternoon at the Masters. All the elements were there for Scottie Scheffler to start feeling the pressure of trying to win his first major at Augusta National.

Scheffler never looked worried until the final hole, and then only briefly.

His lead at 4 shots, his confidence level high, Scheffler's wild drive to the left of the 18th fairway into the trees didn't bother him nearly as much as the sight of the spotter poking around in the leaves in a desperate search for the golf ball.

"We saw the guy with the flag that always finds the balls kind of panicking," Scheffler said. "I was like, 'Oh, crap. Wonder what's going on there?' Fortunately, they found the ball. And then all I was trying to do was figure out how I was going to get it on the green."

Like everything else this week, Scheffler figured it out.

He took a 1-shot penalty, dropped it onto pine straw and then ripped a 3-iron from 240 yards that hit the green and rolled just over the back, leaving him two putts for a bogey that felt much better.

Scheffler had a 1-under 71 -- one of only nine scores under par in the third round -- that gave him a 3-shot lead over Cameron Smith going into Sunday.

Scheffler spent all day fending off the cold wind by slipping on a vest over his layers of clothing after every shot on every hole. Maybe his next wardrobe change will be a green jacket.

Cameron Smith had the low round at 68, the only player to break 70, and gave himself another shot at winning the Masters in his first start since his victory in the Players Championship. He was a runner-up to Dustin Johnson at Augusta two years ago.

"Should be a great fight tomorrow," Scheffler said. "Obviously Cam is a tremendous player, and he's got a fantastic short game, and he's coming off a huge win at the Players. Both of us are in good form, so I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge of playing with him tomorrow."

Sungjae Im (71), also a runner-up in 2020, was the only other player within 5 shots.

On such a cold day -- the wind chill was in the upper 40s most of the day -- perhaps this was a warmup for what Scheffler can expect Sunday at Augusta National, typically the greatest theater of the majors, especially for those seeking their first major.

The last player who failed to hold a lead of 3 shots or more going into the final round was then-21-year-old Rory McIlroy in 2011.

Scheffler looked as though he might turn this into a runaway when he made his fourth birdie of the round on the par-5 eighth and expanded his lead to 6 shots.

But then a shot from the front bunker on the par-3 12th went over the green. He bounced back with a birdie only to come up well short of the monstrous mound guarding the back right pin on the 14th for bogey, and three-putting the par-5 15th for another bogey.

Even after his best shot of the round, an approach to 4 feet for birdie on the 17th, he ran into big problems on the 18th. He yanked his tee shot into a canopy of trees and twisted branches, leaving him no choice but to take a penalty drop on the pine straw.

Bold as ever, he smashed his approach from 240 yards onto the green and just over the back, leaving him two putts to keep his distance.

"You hate bogeying the last hole, but the way I bogeyed it, it for sure felt like a par,'' Scheffler said. "Definitely a good finish to the day. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.''

Scheffler was at 9-under 207.

Sunday will be the first time a final pairing at a major featured players from the top 10 in the world since the 2015 PGA Championship with Jason Day and Jordan Spieth.

Scheffler and Smith might be the two hottest players in golf, too.

Scheffler has won three of his past five tournaments, all against some of the strongest fields of the year, a run that has elevated the 25-year-old from Dallas to No. 1 in the world.

Smith began the year by taking down the former No. 1 player, Jon Rahm, with a record score to par at Kapalua. His latest feat was to win the next best thing to a major, the Players Championship, last month.

"It just means I can get it done, I guess, when I'm up against the best guys in the world," Smith said. "It's a good feeling to have. It's earned. It's not given to you. So I'm going to have to go out there tomorrow and play really good golf again, probably similar to today. Hopefully, everything just falls into place."

Tiger Woods finished as Scheffler was still comfortably ahead, and the five-time Masters champion said he feels as though he has seen this before. Players hit peak form all the time, and it's especially sweet when that run is in the spring with the Masters on the calendar.

Woods won back-to-back ahead of his Masters victory in 2001. Jordan Spieth won and had a pair of runner-up finishes when he earned his green jacket in 2015. Fred Couples won twice and was runner-up twice ahead of his 1992 victory at Augusta.

"We all wish we had that two, three-month window when we get hot, and hopefully majors fall somewhere along in that window,'' Woods said. "We take care of it in those windows. Scottie seems to be in that window right now.''

Charl Schwartzel, who won the Masters in 2011, was trying to keep stride with Smith until he three-putted from about 8 feet for bogey on the 16th and dropped another shot on the 17th, slipping to a 73. He was at 2-under 214 along with Shane Lowry (73).

Justin Thomas (72) and Corey Conners (73) were the only other players under par.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Takeaways: Can anyone beat Volkanovski?

Published in Breaking News
Sunday, 10 April 2022 05:01

Alexander Volkanovski said he felt better than ever. He said his self-belief was at an all-time high. He said he would stop Chan Sung Jung. And so it proved on Saturday night in Jacksonville.

The Australian turned in a thoroughly dominant display, feeding Jung with a series of heavy shots to the head and body, and even worked in a takedown for good measure.

Jung had no answer.

Now the time has come for Volkanovski to defend on home soil. It has been more than four years since he has had the pleasure of fighting in Australia, the last time coming in Perth in February 2018, and his star power is as bright as ever. This is a fighter at the absolute top of his game, one of the best pound-for-pound in the UFC, and he now deserves the chance to fight on home soil, where he is among Australia's elite athletes.

Volkanovski told ESPN in the lead-up that he was aware of talk of another event in Melbourne towards the end of the year, and there is no one more deserving of the headline spot for an event over 50,000 fans would attend.

Could the occasion get to him? Unlikely. Hard work and discipline are the cornerstones of Volkanovski's success, a trait that endears him to his countrymen.

"It's just drive, drive to be better, always be better everywhere," he said inside the Octagon after the fight. "You can be better everywhere.

"Have that drive, that motivation, and keep looking for ways to improve, it's that easy...I'm not the most athletically gifted guy, hard work and drive got me to where I am, and look what I'm doing."

Hopefully, that will include fighting Down Under before the year is out. That, and the UFC finding a worthy challenger to the 145-pound throne. -- Sam Bruce


Sterling won fair and square, but boos probably won't cease

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Aljamain Sterling wins undisputed bantamweight title in rematch vs. Petr Yan

Aljamain Sterling wins his long-anticipated rematch with Petr Yan via split decision at UFC 273.

Aljamain Sterling is the legitimate UFC bantamweight champion. No one can take that away from him. Sterling was panned as not a real champ for more than a year. He only won in March 2021 because Petr Yan hit him with an illegal knee and was disqualified. On Saturday night at UFC 273, Sterling won fair and square. He went five rounds and beat Yan by split decision. That's what it says in the rulebook.

This counts as a title defense for Sterling, technically. But for many, it will be Saturday, April 9th, as the night he was genuinely crowned as champion. Sterling did it after neck surgery and more than a year of boos and social media abuse. And he and his team should be proud of a strong performance against Yan, the favorite and the man many believed to be the best in the world at 135 pounds.

With all of that said, Sterling won't be able to shake the boo-birds. It was a close fight -- a split decision -- and some thought Yan won. The crowd in Jacksonville booed the decision and booed Sterling throughout. When he had Yan's back on the ground, the crowd jeered. Meanwhile, when Yan had Sterling on the ground, there was no such reaction.

Sterling might have firmly established himself as MMA's equivalent of a "heel" by leaning into the fan resentment. For Saturday night, it doesn't matter. He's a UFC champion and very few ever get to say such a thing. But in the future, the bile from fans is something Sterling will likely continue to have to weather. -- Marc Raimondi


Dern's rise makes the women's strawweights as good as any division in the UFC

Mackenzie Dern reminded the world that her grappling ability can transform a fight. Tecia Torres was valiant on Saturday night and proved she's impossible to finish, but she fell short against Dern, who was just a bit better. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout struggled to find an opening for a takedown or submission attempt in the first round, but found success by using the fence in the second. In the third, her striking and pressure helped her secure a close split decision win.

Yes, Torres was able to keep her usual high pace and striking volume, but Dern was never in real danger, as her stand-up game continues to evolve in front of our eyes. After coming off a loss against Marina Rodriguez, this was a big win for Dern, even when she didn't accomplish her goal of getting a finish.

With Rose Namajunas defending against Carla Esparza in May and Joanna Jedrzejczyk returning in June for a rematch of former champions against Zhang Weili, the top fighters of the 115-pound division can stand tall compared to any other weight class in the promotion. Dern's rise means we'll have a robust set of fights to see in the second half of the year.


Pennington reminds world that she's still top of the class

A suspension took her out of the rankings for a time, but Raquel Pennington never really left the top of the bantamweight division. She made the best of a short-notice call to replace Irene Aldana against Aspen Ladd, winning by unanimous decision.

And Pennington will be back in the top five of the division by Tuesday.

Pennington displayed solid combinations and was looking for a finish in the first two rounds against Ladd, a highly touted prospect who has lost two in a row and three of her past four.

It was a good showing at a time when Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes are about to face each other for the second time, and there aren't many options for the next contender.

A rematch against Aldana, whom Pennington beat by split decision in 2019, could make sense in the summer when Aldana might be ready for a comeback after the injury that sidelined her from UFC 273. - Carlos Contreras Legaspi


Garry is right to remain patient

Anyone hoping for a speedy ascent for Ian Garry was probably disappointed watching his performance in a unanimous-decision win over Darian Weeks. One of the UFC's top prospects, Garry did not run through Weeks like many figured he would.

And that's fine.

Perhaps it's even better for Garry's career in the long term. Garry has said he wants to be patient and slowly work up the welterweight rankings. Had Garry come in and smashed Weeks, it might have been tempting for the UFC to begin throwing him to the wolves. Remember, Garry is only 24 years old. He has the charisma and skills to be a big star in MMA, but he also has the confidence that you don't want to mess with at this stage.

Garry and his team have been adamant that they want to take their time. He's not trying to be the champion next week or next year. If he does one day get to that level, and he could, we might be looking back at this fight with Weeks as a learning moment. Weeks gave him some trouble, though Garry was the clear winner. Garry showed flashes of brilliance with his striking, a beautiful jab, lightning-quick kicks and a crafty right hand. But he couldn't put Weeks away, and he also ate some shots. And that's perfectly OK.

The UFC should give him another opponent like Weeks next. Any talk of a ranked foe should be put on the backburner. Garry idolizes Conor McGregor and what he's done in the sport, but the McGregor-like rise is not for everyone. There's nothing wrong with taking it step by step. "The Future" is Garry's nickname, but it doesn't have to be tomorrow. - Raimondi

Warriors trumpet Poole for Most Improved Player

Published in Basketball
Saturday, 09 April 2022 23:20

SAN ANTONIO -- Following the Golden State Warriors' 100-94 win over the Spurs on Saturday night, head coach Steve Kerr said that Draymond Green was the best player of the night.

But Green had little interest in clamoring on about his performance. Instead, he focused on Jordan Poole, lobbying for Poole to be named this year's Most Improved Player.

"When you look at where he's come from, the steps he's taken -- he's been thrown into a position that not many guys would handle well, and that's essentially to do your best Steph Curry imitation," Green said. "Jordan has continued to grow. ... I thought tonight, having a poor shooting night, he stuck with it and he helped close the game for us, and that's a sign of he's one of those guys. No matter what, you're finding a way."

Against the Spurs, Poole suffered from his roughest shooting night in months, managing just 3-of-19 from the field, including 1-of-11 from 3-point range. However, Poole went 11-for-11 from the free throw line and finished with 18 points. His performance was highlighted by four free throws down the stretch that helped halt the Spurs' ferocious run that brought them back from a 17-point deficit.

That in itself was another reason Green was touting his endorsement of Poole.

"He stayed aggressive," Green said. "Due to that, you still have to react. You're not just giving him shots. All it takes is one, so they are still all over him. And he got to the hole when we needed him the most. When they were making their run he got four key free throws down the stretch. That's what the greats do."

Poole is coming off the hottest month of his career. He led the league for made 3-pointers in March (67), scored 20 or more points in 17 consecutive games and averaged 25.4 points, 4.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds through 19 games.

According to Green, despite Poole's shooting numbers (he shot 44.4% from 3-point range in March), it's actually Poole's facilitating that has been the biggest revelation since he took on the starting point guard role as Curry rehabs his left foot strain. He got a career-high 11 assists against the Lakers on Thursday, before following that up with eight against the Spurs, including seven in the first half.

"I've always thought his playmaking was an underutilized skill, and this year he's been able to do more," Green said. "Earlier on they wanted him to be a spot-up shooter, and he's not that. He can make shots, of course, but he's not a spot-up shooter. He's a player."

Poole's decision-making, whether it be his shot selection, deciding on driving to the hoop to draw contact, or making a play for someone else has been the epitome of his development. And in Kerr's eyes, the way he has done it as a shooting guard or point guard, starter or reserve, has displayed his growth even more.

"I'm thrilled with the growth and maturity," Kerr said. "Where he was two and a half years ago compared to now, it's just dramatic. And he's earned every bit of it. Regardless [of his role], he's learned, listened and improved. His improvement is not by accident, though. Nearly everyone in the organization calls Poole the hardest worker on the team. That is why he has had the transformation over the past two and a half years has been so dramatic."

The Warriors haven't downplayed Poole's down moments -- take his overall game on Sunday against the Spurs as an example. But, when looking at the criteria for Most Improved Player, it's not just about consistency. It's about where you started and where you are now.

"The award is called the most improved. Not who had the best year. That's the MVP," Green said. "A lot of times we get it confused. No disrespect to Ja Morant, but Ja is an MVP candidate. Ja Morant isn't the Most Improved Player. He was f---ing incredible last year. When you look around, the most improvement has been Jordan Poole and that goes without saying. He is the most improved."

Luka avoids suspension after NBA rescinds tech

Published in Basketball
Saturday, 09 April 2022 23:20

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic avoided a one-game suspension when the NBA rescinded the technical foul called on him during Friday night's blowout win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The league office made the determination Saturday after a review of what would have been Doncic's 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic suspension. The slate is wiped clean for the playoffs, when players receive an automatic one-game suspension after seven technical fouls.

Doncic is now eligible to play in Sunday's regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs, a game that could determine whether the Mavs are the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Dallas (51-30) is a half-game behind the third-place Golden State Warriors (51-29) entering Saturday night, when the Warriors play the Spurs. The Mavs own the tiebreaker.

Crew chief Tony Brothers called Doncic for the technical foul for "continuously complaining" after a no-call at the end of the first quarter Friday night. It was the second technical foul against Doncic that was rescinded by the league office this season.

"If you ask me, I think 100% it should be rescinded, because it wasn't a tech at all," Doncic said Friday night. "No warning, no nothing. I just asked him, 'How is that not a call?' Hopefully, it will be [rescinded], so I can play Sunday."

Doncic was upset that a foul wasn't called on his half-court heave at the end of the first quarter, when the Mavs had a 36-13 lead over the Blazers. Doncic was undercut from behind by Portland's Elijah Hughes on the play and pleaded his case to referee Tom Washington while on his back.

After getting up, Doncic walked across the court to talk to Brothers, although Dallas forward Dorian Finney-Smith attempted to hold him back. Brothers called Doncic for a technical seconds later.

"At the end of the quarter he took a shot and he felt he got fouled," Brothers said in a postgame pool report. "He started to complain to each of the officials. When I was walking toward the table, he was 15 feet in the backcourt still complaining so he got a technical for continuously complaining."

Asked if profanity was used, Brothers said, "There was not."

"I don't know why I got a tech honestly," said Doncic, who was also called for 17 technical fouls last season but avoided a suspension because two were rescinded. "I asked him, 'How is that not a foul?' and he just got me a tech. So I don't really know how I got a tech there."

Editor's note: This story has been updated following the 76ers' 133-120 win over the Pacers and the Warriors' 100-94 win over the Spurs on Saturday.

The NBA regular season's final day is here, and all we know is 24 hours of chaos lie ahead.

Thanks to a jumbled seeding picture in both conferences, only a handful of seeds are decided. Here's a quick rundown of all of it, beginning with the crowded top of the Eastern Conference standings.

MORE: NBA standings | Weekend schedule | How the play-in works


Who will finish 2-3-4 in the East?

The Miami Heat clinched the top seed in the East playoffs Thursday night. However, the three teams behind them -- the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers -- can finish in just about any order.

After beating the Detroit Pistons Friday night, the Bucks are in control of their destiny. A win Sunday over the Cleveland Cavaliers -- more on them below -- or a loss by the Celtics in Memphis against the Grizzlies, would guarantee Milwaukee gets the second seed.

A loss to Cleveland, however, would open the door for the Celtics to get No. 2 with a victory over Memphis. That combination would see Boston earn the second seed based off the fifth tiebreaker: having a better record than Milwaukee against fellow East playoff teams.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, needs to win Sunday against Detroit and needs Boston to lose to finish third. The 76ers can't finish higher than third, as they lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with Milwaukee (which won the season series) and now can only tie the Bucks in wins. Philadelphia also loses the tiebreaker to Boston (which has a better division record).

The Toronto Raptors clinched the fifth seed with a win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night, meaning the Chicago Bulls will have the sixth seed. The need to be fully vaccinated to play in Toronto could impact the 76ers. Matisse Thybulle, who has not publicly commented on whether he is vaccinated against COVID-19 -- was listed as "ineligible to play" in Thursday's loss there.


East play-in picture

The East's play-in tournament race has as much excitement as the battle among the conference's top teams -- especially given the star-studded Brooklyn Nets find themselves in it. After Brooklyn's victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, the Nets are in the driver's seat for seventh, which they'll clinch with a win Sunday over Indiana. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will be eighth if they beat the Bucks on Sunday at home.

If either team loses, it will open the door for either Atlanta or Charlotte to get eighth. Atlanta travels to Houston on Sunday, while Charlotte hosts the Washington Wizards.

Here's where things get wild:

  • Brooklyn owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Atlanta, Charlotte owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Brooklyn and Atlanta has the tiebreaker on Charlotte, all by virtue of a better division record. Cleveland loses the tiebreaker against all three other teams.

  • If Brooklyn and Cleveland both lose, and Atlanta and Charlotte both win -- creating a four-way tie -- it will be Brooklyn seventh, Atlanta eighth, Charlotte ninth and Cleveland 10th.

  • If Brooklyn wins, Cleveland loses and Atlanta and Charlotte both win, creating a three-way tie for eighth, it will be the same order.

  • If Cleveland wins, Brooklyn loses and both Atlanta and Charlotte win, it will be Cleveland seventh, Charlotte eighth, Brooklyn ninth and Atlanta 10th.


The fight for seeding out West

In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are one game up on the Dallas Mavericks for third place. Since Dallas holds the tiebreaker over the Warriors thanks to winning the season series, Golden State will have to stay ahead of Dallas to remain in third.

The Warriors can ensure that by winning Sunday in New Orleans. Otherwise, Golden State will need Dallas to lose Sunday against San Antonio.

It's an equally tight battle for fifth and sixth, with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets tied with matching 48-33 records heading into the final day of the season. With Utah having swept the season series, however, the Jazz will be the fifth seed if they beat Portland Sunday, or if Denver loses to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Nuggets, meanwhile, would need both a Utah loss and a win over the Lakers to finish fifth.

Diamonds and pearls: Braves receive title rings

Published in Baseball
Sunday, 10 April 2022 00:44

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves finally have their bling, and yes, pearls are involved.

Just before the first pitch of the game Saturday night against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park, members of Atlanta's front office, coaching staff and roster were given their World Series rings celebrating last season's championship.

In all, 24 current players received rings for their efforts as part of the 2021 team.

"Honestly, when they first showed it to me, I was like, 'God.' I was just -- my jaw dropped open and I couldn't give them anything," manager Brian Snitker said.

Snitker was given a preview of the ring design before it was cut. When he was asked what he'd change and improve on the sample he was shown, he was so wowed that he was rendered speechless.

Even finally putting the actual ring on his finger during the pregame ceremony left him in awe.

"I'll probably go home tonight and get it under a nice light and put my glasses on and look at it up close," Snitker said following the Braves' 2-1 win over the Reds.

"This ring, I could just go on and on. I mean, it's like everything is something in that ring. Everything has a meaning, which is really cool."

Atlanta's Game 6 win over the Houston Astros last November clinched the organization's fourth World Series trophy, and second since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. The Braves had last won the World Series in 1995.

During the Saturday pregame ceremony, ring recipients walked from the Braves dugout onto a red carpet that led to a stage that had been positioned in front of the pitcher's mound. Each of the rings came inside a black box.

The night's starting pitcher, Kyle Wright, had to wait until after he exited the game before trying on his ring. He said it felt heavy and was a little tight on his finger.

"I really haven't gotten a really long look at it," Wright said.

But from the little he had seen, was there a favorite part?

"All of it," Wright said, laughing. "All of it was really cool. I don't know if I can pick one specific thing. But just the detail. Everything they did in it was awesome. I feel like they definitely did it right for sure."

Each ring prominently features the Braves' "A" logo in 18.71-karat white gold, a nod to the franchise's founding in 1871.

The ring features a removable top. Upon opening, it lights up with micro-LED lights that illuminate a miniature Truist Park that's positioned inside the ring. The interior ballpark features the No. 44 on its outfield grass, in recognition of a tribute the actual ballpark had all season following the death of Hall of Famer Hank Aaron earlier in the year. Aaron wore No. 44.

Aaron's historic 755 career home runs are represented on the ring. There are a total of 755 diamonds on it.

"There's a lot of Hank in that ring," Snitker said, "which is the way it should be."

Players from the winning team, including current San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson, had input in designing the ring. Even Pederson's pearl necklace, which he wore throughout Atlanta's postseason run, is represented in the ring's design. Each ring boasts a single pearl in recognition of the phenomenon fans latched onto all last fall.

During the playoffs, fans followed Pederson's lead and wore pearls to the ballpark. Local schools even encouraged children to wear pearl necklaces as the excitement over the team's run grew.

After walking off the podium with their new rings Saturday, excited players huddled in groups on the infield, comparing rings, snapping photos with their phones and showing them off to the cameras connected to the in-stadium video board.

Snitker admitted this week he likely wouldn't wear his ring very much.

"Maybe when you get dressed up and special occasions," the manager said. "I'm not a big ring wearer. But I'm still going to be very proud of it and display it."

After the ceremony, however, he backtracked slightly.

"Honestly, in the right situation," Snitker said, "it's wearable."

The ring ceremony Saturday came after the Braves unveiled their championship pennant Thursday night and honored their 2021 individual award winners in a pregame ceremony Friday.

England head coach Simon Middleton said his players found it "tough to take" watching their "great friend" Abby Dow suffer a serious leg injury in Saturday's win against Wales.

The full-back cried out in pain as she went down in an awkward tackle and play was stopped for more than 15 minutes as she received medical attention.

After Dow was stretchered off, England responded with their opening try.

Middleton said despite the immediate reaction it "rattled" the side.

"It's tough to take for the players," he said.

"She's not just a quality player, she's a great friend of everyone in the team. You could feel everybody was subdued for a bit and the performance was like that which is understandable.

"Your first thoughts are for the player, then your thoughts are if their parents are in the crowd. It's a horrendous moment for your loved ones.

"It's part and parcel of contact sport sadly, but you never want to see that."

Middleton confirmed Dow had been taken to hospital but said her "medical report" was not yet ready, with doubts now cast on the 24-year-old's availability for October's World Cup.

"Obviously it didn't look great," Middleton continued.

"We'll wait and see. I haven't caught up with the medics just yet. We'll get her back as soon as we can."

'We've changed the game'

Although Dow's injury brought a dark cloud over the first half, England eventually pulled off a dominant 10-try win in front of a record crowd.

The attendance of 14,689 surpassed the previous record of 13,253 for a ticketed Red Roses home game.

England captain Sarah Hunter, whose side remain top of the Six Nations table and on course for a fourth consecutive title, described the atmosphere as "incredible".

"Just being out there signing autographs and taking photos - it's all generations and all genders," Hunter said.

"It just shows that people want to come and see. I was stood singing the anthem and thinking I don't think I've ever sung an anthem with people behind us that much.

"Out of my whole career that was the moment when I thought, 'we've changed the game'.

"This is the turning point. I hope every home game now we keep breaking record on record because it's where the game should be."

NHL suspends Islanders forward Cizikas 1 game

Published in Hockey
Saturday, 09 April 2022 16:10

NEW YORK -- New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas has been suspended for one game without pay for boarding Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith, the NHL announced Saturday.

The incident occurred in the third period of a game Friday night at Carolina. Smith tried to control a loose puck in a corner and was hit from behind by Cizikas, who had closed in to forecheck. The force of the hit sent Smith's helmet hard into the plexiglass and Cizikas was assessed a minor penalty on the play.

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Cizikas will forfeit $12,500 that will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Tiger Woods three-putted – and even four-putted – his way to a 6-over 78 on Saturday at Augusta National.

But there were some positive moments for Woods during the third round of the Masters. Despite temperatures in the low-50s, with a wind chill in the 40s, Woods striped his tee shot 364 yards on the par-5 second hole. After coming up short of the green with his second shot, he nearly holed out from the bunker.

That was Woods' first birdie of the day. He didn't make another one until the par-3 12th, and then followed that by hitting the par-5 13th in two and two-putting for back-to-back birdies.

Saves 0

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Goals 0

  • Shots 1
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  • 2 Fouls Against
  • Assist 1
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    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red

Goals 0

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Goals 0

  • Shots 1
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Goals 1

  • Shots 1
  • 1 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 0
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  • Assist 1
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    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red

Goals 0

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    • 0 Yellow
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Goals 0

  • Shots 3
  • 0 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 0
  • 0 Fouls Against
  • Assists 0
  • Offsides 0
  • Discipline
    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red
45' 22  Kristie Mewis

Goals 0

  • Shots 0
  • 0 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 0
  • 0 Fouls Against
  • Assists 0
  • Offsides 0
  • Discipline
    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red

Goals 0

  • Shots 2
  • 0 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 2
  • 1 Fouls Against
  • Assists 2
  • Offsides 1
  • Discipline
    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red
20 Catarina Macario  46' 53'

Goals 1

  • Shots 6
  • 2 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 1
  • 0 Fouls Against
  • Assists 0
  • Offsides 0
  • Discipline
    • 1 Yellow
    • 0 Red

Goals 1

  • Shots 4
  • 2 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 0
  • 0 Fouls Against
  • Assists 2
  • Offsides 2
  • Discipline
    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red
11 Sophia Smith  33' 35' 56'

Goals 3

  • Shots 4
  • 3 Shots on Target
  • Fouls Committed 1
  • 0 Fouls Against
  • Assists 0
  • Offsides 1
  • Discipline
    • 0 Yellow
    • 0 Red

Soccer

Leverkusen makes UEL final, streak at record 49

Leverkusen makes UEL final, streak at record 49

Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 dra...

Sources: Tchouaméni in race to be fit for UCL final

Sources: Tchouaméni in race to be fit for UCL final

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsReal Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni will be out for about th...

Sullivan, 14, inks Union deal with Man City clause

Sullivan, 14, inks Union deal with Man City clause

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Philadelphia Union have signed 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan to th...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Ex-NBA player Davis sentenced in fraud scheme

Ex-NBA player Davis sentenced in fraud scheme

EmailPrintNEW YORK -- Former NBA forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis was sentenced by a federal judge Thur...

Knicks rule Anunoby (hamstring) out for Game 3

Knicks rule Anunoby (hamstring) out for Game 3

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNew York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss Friday's Game 3 of the...

Baseball

Brewers lefty Gasser to make MLB debut Friday

Brewers lefty Gasser to make MLB debut Friday

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee left-hander Robert Gasser is expected to mak...

Trout: Surgery better than waiting, DH-only role

Trout: Surgery better than waiting, DH-only role

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mike Trout decided that having surgery to repair...

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  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

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