馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
All Blacks make five changes for Italy Nations Championship clash
via The Namibian4 min read
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie has made five changes to the All Blacks' starting lineup for the upcoming Nations Championship Test against Italy in Wellington. Leroy Carter will start on the left wing, replacing Caleb Clarke, while Billy Proctor comes in at outside centre. Tyrel Lomax, lock Tupou Vaa鈥檌, and flanker Wallace Sititi are also included in the starting XV. The replacements bench features six new faces, including German-born loose forward Anton Segner and wing Josh Moorby, who are both in line for their potential debuts. Rennie stated that the changes provide opportunities for players who have earned their spots and that the team respects Italy, acknowledging their capability to challenge any team in the Six Nations competition. Italy has never defeated New Zealand in their 17 previous encounters, with New Zealand winning their last match in Turin in 2024 with a score of 29-11.
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Novak Djokovic is set to play Jannik Sinner in a Wimbledon semi-final on Friday, a rematch of their previous encounters. Djokovic, aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title, recently defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-hour quarter-final. Sinner, the reigning champion, beat Djokovic in last year's semi-finals. Their head-to-head record stands at 6-5 in Sinner's favor. In the other semi-final, British wildcard Arthur Fery will face French Open champion Alexander Zverev. Fery, ranked 114th, is the first wildcard to reach the men's semi-finals since 2001 and hopes to leverage home crowd support. Zverev, who won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, will be playing in his first Wimbledon semi-final.
Belgium will play Spain in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday, facing the challenge of scoring against a Spanish team that has not conceded a goal in the tournament. Spain made history by achieving six consecutive World Cup clean sheets after defeating Portugal 1-0. While Spain's attacking play has been cautious, their possession-based football mirrors their 2010 World Cup victory. Lamine Yamal, despite being a potent attacker, has only scored once in five games, though Dani Olmo noted his impact in creating space. Mikel Oyarzabal has scored four goals, including two against Austria. Spain's defense has been formidable, allowing only six shots on target in five matches. Belgium, captained by Youri Tielemans, reached the quarter-finals after a 3-2 win against Senegal and a 4-1 victory over the United States, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice. Key players for Belgium's "Golden Generation" include Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, both now playing for Napoli. Lukaku has scored three goals in the tournament, bringing his World Cup total to eight. Other threats include Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard. This marks Belgium's third quarter-final appearance in four World Cups, having never reached a final. Spain has progressed past the quarter-finals only twice in their history, reaching the final group stage in 1950 and winning the tournament in 2010.
Ireland coach Andy Farrell has announced nine changes to the starting lineup for the upcoming Nations Championship match against Japan this weekend. Tadhg Beirne will captain the team for the first time. Only six players from last week's victory over the Wallabies in Sydney will retain their positions for the game in Newcastle. These include backs Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne, and Jimmy O鈥橞rien, along with forwards Tom O鈥橳oole, James Ryan, and Jack Conan. Connacht back-row forward Sean Jansen is set to make his first start at No.8, with provincial teammates Billy Bohan and Sam Illo making their debuts off the bench. Ulster flanker Bryn Ward is also included in the matchday squad for the first time. Farrell expressed excitement about the new additions and the opportunity for them to contribute to the team. Osborne moves to fullback, while Robbie Henshaw partners McCloskey in the center, and Craig Casey and Ciaran Frawley form a new halves pairing. In the pack, O鈥橳oole, Ronan Kelleher, and Thomas Clarkson will be in the front row, with Beirne and James Ryan in the second row. Conan switches to blindside flanker, with Nick Timoney at openside and Jansen at No.8. Ireland previously defeated Japan 41-10 in their last encounter in Dublin in November.