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Are Chiefs in danger of going ‘Twang’?
NICK CAIN TONY Rowe has gone full circle. Exeter’s chairman and main backer was an ardent proponent of promotion-relegation when the club was promoted in 2010, before mutating into an arch ring-fencer a few years later. Now, we are witnessing the Exeter’s benefactor’s latest transformation, which is going into a franchise frenzy by acting as […] The post Are Chiefs in danger of going ‘Twang’? appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Champions Bath prove they are back in business with victory over title rivals Exeter Chiefs
Bath got their title defence back on track yesterday, despite blowing a 26-point lead against title rivals Exeter Chiefs, with Johann van Graan saying the opening 20 minutes was as good as they had played all season. The post Champions Bath prove they are back in business with victory over title rivals Exeter Chiefs appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
‘We can’t stop here’: Luke Littler sends warning to rivals after second world title
Littler beats Gian van Veen 7-1 to retain his crown World No 1 ate pizza at Alexandra Palace before final Luke Littler has warned his rivals that he intends to be around for a very long time – and win plenty more PDC world titles – after adding a second crown by defeating the Dutchman Gian van Veen in a one-sided demolition. And the 18-year-old didn’t entirely rule out chasing down Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles after emphatically proving himself as the best darts player on the planet
Luke Littler joins pantheon of greats at sport’s biggest pantomime | Sean Ingle
The teenager was expected to be tested by Gian van Veen but the only thing to ruffle him was the Ally Pally wasp Few sports stars in history are so precocious that their place in the pantheon is assured by the time they are 18. Pelé was one. Nadia Comaneci another. Boris Becker too. Now you can add Luke Littler to that list. Most experts had expected Gian van Veen to give Littler a proper test. He did. For three sets. Then this final became a rout. After his 7-1 dismantling, Van Veen was asked w
Luke Littler 7-1 Gian van Veen: PDC World Championship darts final – as it happened
Luke Littler produced an astounding display to regain his world title, winning 21 of the last 24 legs I was just afraid of losing. Afraid of what people might think of me. What if I lose this game? What are my parents going to think of me? And that’s when it started. Dartitis, with me, was just being afraid to fail. And that was because I wasn’t confident in myself, not in darts, not in my personal life. This piece, on Gian van Veen’s struggle with dartitis among other things, is well worth a re
Luke Littler thrashes Gian van Veen to retain PDC World Darts Championship
Teenager beats Dutchman 7-1 in one-sided final Littler clicks into gear after losing opening set The winning moment seemed to drain all the strength from his body. He leaned against the drinks table and let it take all his weight, clasped his face in his hands, cried a little. As if only just feeling the shape and hue of the unspeakable thing he had just done. As if some act of great violence had just left his hands. Perhaps it had. And before the double world champion, before the social media
Gian van Veen denies Gary Anderson in epic to set up final against Luke Littler
Van Veen wins classic against Gary Anderson 6-3 World No 1 Littler swats aside Ryan Searle 6-1 It’s barely a couple of years since a 16-year-old Luke Littler and a 21-year-old Gian van Veen came through a 96-player field at Milton Keynes to qualify for the final of the world youth championship. There’s a charming photo of the pair of them with their arms around each other, silly little smiles plastered on to their silly little faces, the cutest high-street haircuts you’ve ever seen. Two kids a
PDC world darts semi-finals: Van Veen edges Anderson in classic to set up final with Littler – as it happened
Gian van Veen prevailed in a thriller with Gary Anderson and will face the defending champion, Luke Littler, in Saturday’s final First set: *Littler (0) 0-1 Searle (0) *denotes next to throw first Searle gets down to 56 and takes it out with Littler waiting on double top. “Ryan, Ryan, Searle” chant the crowd, to the perhaps overused tune of KC & the Sunshine Band’s “Give it Up.” Ryan Searle to throw first, as the crowd remind the rest of us that “there’s only one Luke Littler …” Continue readin
'Paul was fun': Remembering snooker's lost great 20 years on
Paul Hunter, one of the sport's most beloved icons, remains unforgotten following his death in 2006.
PDC World Championship darts quarter-finals: Van Veen and Littler cruise into semis– as it happened
Gian van Veen stunned Luke Humphries with a 5-1 victory after Luke Littler whitewashed Krzysztof Ratajski *Searle (1) 2-0 (0) Clayton Another break of throw for Searle! Clayton missed a dart at D16, a terrible effort, and Searle took out 116 on tops with the air of a man strolling to the paper shop on a brisk winter morning. His finishing has been outrageous. Searle (1) 1-0 (0) Clayton* Continue reading...
PDC world darts: Van Veen dumps Humphries out as Littler wins over crowd
Former world champion beaten 5-1 by rising star Littler cheered during rout of Krzysztof Ratajski For the third time in this match, Gian van Veen is lining up the bull finish for a 170. This time, though, he steps away from the oche, and as the noise builds and swells around him, as the applause hardens into a tribal rhythm, he smiles. And in that moment, with millions of pairs of eyes on him, with glory within his grasp, he just knows. Knows that after all the years of hope and toil, of dream
Gary Anderson and Ryan Searle show class and surge into world darts semis
Scot chasing third world title, 10 years after last triumph Searle talks about playing through eye condition on oche Gary Anderson returned to the World Championship semi-finals for the first time in four years after ending Justin Hood’s dream debut run. The 55-year-old is enjoying a renaissance and is now just two wins away from lifting a third world title, 10 years after his last. If he can do so, he would become the oldest player to lift the PDC world title and join Michael van Gerwen in se
26 for 2026: unmissable sporting events over the next 12 months
This year features a football World Cup, a Winter Olympics, a Commonwealth Games and a historic Test match Jannik Sinner will be aiming to become only the second man in the Open era, after Novak Djokovic, to win three consecutive Australian Open singles titles, while in the women’s draw Madison Keys will be seeking to defend the title she landed via a shock victory over Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final. Elsewhere, Roger Federer is scheduled to return to Melbourne Park for the first time sin
Glorious Gary Anderson revels in remarkable renaissance to take out Van Gerwen
Scotsman rolled back years to reach first quarter-final since 2022 at the expense of toiling Michael van Gerwen “I’m just here to cause a headache,” Gary Anderson had told everyone in advance of this game, and for the great Michael van Gerwen the hangover from this crushing 4-1 defeat will comfortably outstrip any quantity of New Year’s Eve festivity. It was a little nervy at the end, a little scrappy and short of breath. But somehow the result had never really been in doubt from the early stage
‘I lost my head’: Luke Littler on darts crowd booing him at Alexandra Palace
PDC hot favourite was jeered during quarter-final victory ‘It definitely fuelled me up and it made me play better’ Luke Littler admits he lost his head when reacting to the hostile crowd during his fourth-round PDC World Darts Championship win over Rob Cross and still has some learning to do. The 18-year-old was booed and jeered as he beat Cross 4-2 to book his place in the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace. Littler let the emotion out after throwing the winning darts, running around the stag
Luke Littler forced to battle the boos in tense win at PDC World Championship
Littler’s missed doubles cheered in win over Rob Cross Champion denies being bothered in unconvincing style They say you either die a hero, or live long enough to become the villain. At a feverish and hostile Alexandra Palace, the same crowd that cheered Luke Littler on as a 16-year-old boy now jeers him to victory as an 18-year-old man. The character arc has come full circle; the heel turn complete. He is three matches from retaining his world title, and remains the overwhelming favourite to
Bunting hurt by online abuse of teenage son after exit from darts world championship
Toby, 13, was in crowd when fourth seed lost ‘He has had hate from some trolls online’ Stephen Bunting has revealed his 13-year-old son has been a victim of online abuse. Toby Bunting was in the crowd at Alexandra Palace as his father, the fourth seed, was knocked out in the third round of the PDC World Championship by James Hurrell. Bunting said in a post on X that his family have been hurt by the social media trolling. “Hi guys, sorry I’ve had a few days away from my socials, but I just need
What are the ICC pitch ratings and how does the system work?
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains pitch ratings after the Melbourne Ashes pitch was rated 'unsatisfactory' by ICC.
Tom Jenkins’s best sport photographs of 2025
The Guardian sport photographer selects his favourite images he has taken this year and recalls the stories behind them This is a selection of some of my favourite pictures taken at events I’ve covered this year, quite a few of which haven’t been published before. Several have been chosen for their news value, others purely for their aesthetic value, while some are here just because there’s a nice story behind them. Continue reading...
Kyrgios defeats Sabalenka in 'Battle of the Sexes'
Watch the best moments between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios at the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai.
'Point of the match!' - Sabalenka hits 'amazing' winner against Kyrgios
Aryna Sabalenka hits an 'amazing' return against Nick Kyrgios at the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai.
Watch Celtic's McAneny's world-record breaking halfway line goal
Celtic's Maria McAneny's goal straight from kick-off against Hibernian in December has been confirmed as the fastest in the history of women's football.
Ousmane Dembélé quietly becomes the main man after long journey to the top
The Frenchman, who has been named the best male footballer in the world by the Guardian, has benefitted from PSG’s focus on the team rather than individuals What makes a good player great, and a great player the best? This question has been occupying me since 2014, when the Guardian first asked me to contribute to its inaugural Next Generation feature. My job was to look for a France-based talent born in 1997 who could go on to have a stellar career. After a great deal of research, I narrowed it
Enhanced Games switch was 'no-brainer' - McCusker
Swimmer Max McCusker says it was a "no-brainer" to compete in the inaugural Enhanced Games next year.
The 100 best male footballers in the world 2025
Ousmane Dembélé becomes our seventh winner as he beats Lamine Yamal into second and Vitinha into third on our list of the best players on the planet Premier League dominates list | How every judge voted | Our methodology | The top 100 female players for 2025 2024 edition | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 Continue reading...
'Like returning for a professional match' - Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton is six months into his retirement after 34 years as professional snooker player, but he is already set for a high-profile festive comeback.
I've realised I can make a difference - Hoy
In a new BBC documentary, Sir Chris Hoy shows how he is using his Olympic mindset to reframe his purpose following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
1973 Battle of the Sexes was about social change - King
American tennis legend Billie Jean King says the upcoming 'Battle of the Sexes' match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios is "not the same" as her 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs.
Sabalenka confident 'Battle of the Sexes' won't damage women's sport
BBC Sport speaks to Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios about their controversial Battle of the Sexes-style match, set to take place in Dubai on 28 December.
Women's tennis going in right direction - King
Billie Jean King, founder of the WTA, believes the organisation's billion-dollar deal with Mercedes shows the tour "continues to lead the way" in women's sport.