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Rugby
Hello and welcome, Saracens joiners 2026-27

I’d say there is a significantly different feel to our club this coming year. After fifteen years in the hot-seat, Mark McCall has stepped back into a consultancy role and the good Dr Brendan Venter has switched back into the role of DoR. It's the end of an era in one sense and the start of a new one in another and Venter hasn't wasted time reshaping the squad around him. The Saracens version of the night of the long knives is the thing that comes to mind with Venter, oh and “Three cheers for Sireli Bobo”. Tom Willis is off to Bordeaux Begles, Marco Riccioni is headed for Perpignan, Theo McFarland heading to La Rochelle, Alex Lozowski to Sale Sharks, Ivan van-Zyl to the Bulls in SA plus the usual churn of departures that comes with a competitive Premiership rota. But it's the incomings that will define how this season goes and we have moved for a genuinely interesting mix – some well-established international contenders and a couple of development punts who could turn into absolute steals. I have compiled a big list plus a little backstory and history for their respective journeys. Hope you enjoy folks!
TV Rugby 7th - 11th August

Thanks to Chris for finding us some rugby to watch...
Bath Academy & University of Bath Talent Watch (2026) -Backs

Bath's seamless senior squad to-academy-to-university pathway is arguably the strongest in England right now, producing a group of players who are already appearing in England U20 environments, BUCS Super Rugby title-winning teams, and senior Bath squads. Based on live viewing of university games and u20s rugby here is a personal view of the three quarters players who impressed last season plus also a flyer. Not all will breakthrough.
Cricket
Metrobank Game 5 - Chasing Foxes again

Back to Leicester for the first time in a long time and for the first of two visitst this summer (CC1 game in September). Somerset look to get back to winning ways today going with the extra bowler and resting James Theedom and Theo Lamey to do so. Somerset have won the toss and will bowl first at Grace Road.
Metrobank 4 Down to Kent

Off to Canterbury for the fourth game in the Metrobank series. 16 year old Theo Lamey makes his debut while Jake Ball is rested in Joe Denley's last game for his county. Kent have won the toss and will field first. Jake Ball is rested we assume while Migael Pretorius returns to the bowling attack.
MetroBank Game 3 - v Warks and a change of Weather

The weather has definitely taken a turn on Family Day at the County Ground as we welcome Warwickshire to Taunton and the chance to turn our present 50 over campaign to a predominently winning one as we have one win and one loss so far. Big queues at the gates at 10 this morning so the hope of a decent Sunday crowd for this one. Warwickshire have won the
Football
Barnsley host Wigan in EFL Cup

Barnsley will play under returning boss Daniel Stendel in a competitive fixture for the first time this season when they host Wigan in the EFL Cup first round at Oakwell this weekend.
Barnsley sign defender Sam Gale

Barnsley have announced the signing of 21-year-old centre-back Sam Gale from League Two side Gillingham for an undisclosed fee.
Almost there

Tomorrow our season begins, sort of, with a preliminary round for the League Cup against Rochdale. The absence of real football, as opposed to those prancing ponies at the World Cup, is over.
F1
Hungarian GP: End to a tough weekend for Williams F1 Team

Sunday's race for the 2026 Hungarian GP would be a tough one for both Atlassian Williams F1 Team drivers with Alex Albon finishing 17th and Carlos Sainz 18th. For both drivers it was very much the case of getting the best out of what is still a very difficult 2026 car. For Alex his race marked his 100th for the Williams F1 Team so it was a shame that his race performance did not see him come away with a better result. For Carlos he would have a moment where he would make conatct with the McLaren of Piastri and he was been lapped. He would receive a penalty that would drop him down the order. Overall it was another tough weekend for the team and now with the summer F1 break it is hoped that the team can recover in the second half of the 2026 F1 season.
Hungarian GP: Tough qualifying for Williams F1 Team

In what has been described by both Atlassian Williams F1 Team drivers, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, as a tough weekend the 2026 Hungarian GP weekend has seen both drivers struggle across all the practice sessions. And this would continue from practice and into qualifying with Carlos only managing 18th and Alex one place behind in 19th. It could only be described as one of the poorest results so far in 2026. Across their practice sessions and qualifying both drivers would complain of a car that was inconsistent in its ontrack behaviour. And to make it even more frustrating the team has been struggling to understand the reasons behind these issues. Such is the situation it is going to be a very tough race on Sunday for the team and drivers.
Hungarian GP: Tricky Friday for Atlassian Williams F1 Team

In a day that saw the Atlassian Williams F1 Team come away with Alex Albon 16th and Carlos Sainz 17th the team would still have a productive Friday in preparation for the 2026 Hungarian GP. There is still a lot of overnight work to do for the team as they try to resolve various issues including overheating of the rear tyres. But despite the times the team still feels that they had a better Friday than they did at Spa.
Golf
Ryder Cup 2014 Day1- Fourball Pairings & Foursomes

At last it begins - Go Europe
La Manga best Golf Resort in Spain

The five-star La Manga Club has been named as the best golf resort in Spain for the third successive year.
Change to selection process for European Ryder Cup Captain

The European Ryder Cup Captain, from the 2016 contest onwards, will be decided by a select five-man panel; it has been announced today by Ryder Cup Europe.