New Zealand recorded a resounding 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban, but an ankle injury to Damian McKenzie has cast a shadow over their upcoming series against South Africa.

The tourists delivered a vastly improved performance following a scrappy opening tour match against the Stormers in Cape Town.

An eight-try blitz dismantled the hosts, who had no answer to the relentless attacking power and physical dominance of the visitors.

Fineanganofo leads eight-try demolition

Winger Fehi Fineanganofo crossed the try-line twice during a commanding display built on a formidable forward platform.

Further scores from Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Kyle Preston, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Sam Darry completed the rout for the rampant touring side.

Fly-half Ruben Love also produced an impressive kicking performance, successfully landing seven conversions to compound the misery for the South African franchise.

McKenzie injury creates selection headache

Despite the emphatic scoreline, head coach Dave Rennie faces an anxious wait after losing a key playmaker before the interval.

The dynamic back was forced off the field after landing awkwardly, raising serious doubts about his availability for the looming international fixtures.

The squad will next travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls on Saturday as their preparation intensifies.

That final provincial clash precedes the first of four highly anticipated Tests against the Springboks, which concludes with a landmark series finale in Baltimore this September.

New York Jets cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers was taken to hospital by ambulance after collapsing during a joint practice session with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old lost consciousness on the sideline during a special-teams drill in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Medical personnel halted the session for 10 minutes to administer an intravenous drip before moving him onto a stretcher.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed the second-year defender was awake and communicating before leaving the facility.

Positive initial medical signs

“He came to the sideline and he just passed out,” Glenn said.

“For the most part, he was good.”

The former Toronto Argonauts standout was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 draft without playing traditional college football.

He has since appeared in 29 games for the New York franchise, establishing himself as a vital contributor on punt coverage.

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips admitted the situation was frightening but expressed relief over the preliminary medical updates.

“It puts a lot of things in perspective,” Phillips said.

“What’s been shared to us is that things are on the up and up.”

Tensions flare during joint session

The distressing medical emergency occurred amid a highly fractured practice session containing four separate on-field brawls.

Players immediately took a knee in silence as the defensive back received urgent medical attention by the sideline bleachers.

Despite the sombre moment, fierce hostilities remained between the two NFL rosters upon resuming play.

Tampa Bay right tackle Luke Goedeke accused Jets edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare of instigating a major skirmish with an alleged cheap shot.

Brawls disrupt team preparations

The skirmishes initially ignited following a one-on-one stalemate between Goedeke and Jets rookie David Bailey.

Goedeke even flung the helmet of the stricken defensive back during one of the earlier melees following an interception by Jarius Monroe.

Tensions eventually boiled over again late in the morning when New York offensive lineman Armand Membou clashed with Buccaneers defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.

Matthias Jaissle has warned that success will not happen overnight at Newcastle United as he begins his tenure following a turbulent summer of high-profile departures.

The 38-year-old German officially succeeds Eddie Howe, whose four-and-a-half-year reign ended alongside the sales of key figures like captain Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.

Embracing a youthful transition

This significant upheaval has ushered in a new recruitment policy on Tyneside, focusing heavily on emerging global talent.

Recent outfield acquisitions, including Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, are all under the age of 22.

Despite acknowledging the void left by experienced stars, the former Al-Ahli boss remains fiercely optimistic about the project at St James’ Park.

“We are ambitious, that’s the most important thing and also why I decided to come here, but this will not happen overnight,” Jaissle said during his official unveiling.

Filling the leadership vacuum

The two-time Austrian Bundesliga champion arrives with a proven pedigree for winning, having recently secured consecutive Asian Champions League titles in Saudi Arabia.

However, he recognises that replacing established dressing room leaders will be his most immediate hurdle.

“The players who left the club were great characters and experienced players, which leaves a vacuum that others now need to step in and fill,” he explained.

The new head coach insisted that his staff will focus entirely on controllable factors rather than complaining about the squad’s transitional phase.

“It’s a big challenge, always when there’s a transition period, but it’s no time to complain and we want to see the chance in that situation,” he added.

Pre-season preparations and transfer targets

Preparations for the upcoming Premier League campaign are already well underway following an intensive training camp in La Manga.

The revamped squad recently secured an encouraging 2-1 pre-season victory over Valencia in Spain before their new manager arrived in the North East.

Attention now turns to a friendly fixture against Everton in Edinburgh on Wednesday as the club works diligently to secure further reinforcements.

Marseille captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been heavily linked with a move to Tyneside to help provide much-needed midfield experience.

“Either we adjust something in the squad by signing these profiles, or other players need to step up and fill these leadership roles,” the tactician concluded.

Arsenal have reportedly set an asking price for Martin Zubimendi following the £75m arrival of Bruno Guimaraes.

The Brazilian midfielder has completed his big-money move to Emirates Stadium after making his desire to join the Gunners public.

His high-profile signing has immediately cast doubt over the future of existing players within Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Reports suggest the North London club are now willing to listen to offers for their Spanish international, just one year after securing his signature.

Falling down the pecking order

The 25-year-old was heavily pursued by Arteta before finally making the switch to the English capital last summer.

He arrived with a burgeoning reputation, having dominated the midfield for his country against England in the Euro 2024 final.

However, elite clubs constantly seek marginal gains in key areas of the pitch.

While Declan Rice remains untouchable at the heart of the team, competition for the remaining midfield slots has intensified.

Warning signs for the Spaniard

The Euro 2024 winner started 34 of his side’s 38 league matches last season, but his influence noticeably waned during the run-in.

He found himself named among the substitutes for three of the final four fixtures of the campaign.

A particularly difficult afternoon occurred against West Ham, where the midfielder suffered the indignity of being substituted on and off.

Introduced in the 28th minute for an injured Ben White, he lasted less than 40 minutes before being replaced by Kai Havertz.

It is never easy to do that to a player, especially someone with Martin’s quality.

Mikel Arteta

Champions League omission

The situation worsened weeks later during the club’s Champions League final against Paris St-Germain.

Teenage prospect Myles Lewis-Skelly was trusted to start the European showpiece ahead of his more experienced colleague.

The Spanish anchor remained an unused substitute for the entire evening.

With Guimaraes now added to an increasingly congested midfield department, a premature exit from London appears increasingly likely.

Champions League winners Paris St-Germain will face Europa League holders Aston Villa in the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday.

The prestigious fixture comes 484 days after the two sides played out a thrilling European quarter-final tie in April 2025.

The Parisian giants ultimately progressed 5-4 on aggregate on their way to lifting the most coveted trophy in club football.

However, Unai Emery’s men pushed the eventual champions to the absolute limit during a dramatic second leg in England.

Memories of a Villa Park classic

Heading into that reverse fixture, the West Midlands club trailed 3-1 after a challenging first leg in the French capital.

The English side bravely fought back to win the second leg 3-2 during a chaotic match that featured five goals:

Despite their three-goal blitz in the space of just 23 minutes, the Premier League side could not find a crucial equaliser to force extra time.

‘We were really suffering’

Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a string of vital saves to ensure the French heavyweights survived a breathless finale.

Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique admitted his side were heavily affected by the intense atmosphere created by the home supporters.

“We were playing at a level that was not befitting of the Champions League. We were really suffering.”

Luis Enrique

The former Barcelona head coach conceded that his players suffered from complacency after taking a commanding aggregate lead.

“At 2-0, we nearly had Villa on the canvas. We reached a point where perhaps it was too easy, a bit of overconfidence, and that gave Villa a chance.”

Luis Enrique

A fresh battle in Austria

After surviving the scare in Birmingham, Enrique’s side confidently dispatched Arsenal in the semi-finals.

Now, a new chapter awaits in Austria as both clubs look to secure their first piece of European silverware of the new campaign.

Defending champions the New York Knicks will begin their title defence against LeBron James’ new-look Philadelphia 76ers on the opening night of the NBA season on 20 October.

The Eastern Conference franchise will raise their championship banner before facing a side they swept 4-0 in last season’s playoffs.

However, the visiting team has been heavily transformed during the off-season following the blockbuster acquisitions of the 41-year-old superstar and Jaylen Brown.

Triple-header tips off new campaign

The highly anticipated clash forms part of a prime-time television triple-header to launch the new basketball calendar.

Proceedings will begin with the Boston Celtics visiting the Detroit Pistons, who surprisingly advanced to the conference semi-finals last year while their opponents suffered a first-round exit.

The opening night concludes with a blockbuster Western Conference Finals rematch as the San Antonio Spurs travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Texan franchise previously eliminated their opponents in a thrilling seven-game series on their way to the league’s showpiece event last season.

Christmas Day spectacles confirmed

The NBA also revealed its traditional marquee Christmas Day schedule, which features five consecutive festive fixtures.

A standout matchup will see the league’s all-time leading scorer face his former employers when the 76ers take on a Los Angeles Lakers squad now featuring Luka Doncic.

The Christmas schedule will mark a 21st holiday appearance for the veteran forward, who is entering a record-equalling 24th professional season.

Meanwhile, the Knicks will extend their own record by playing in their 59th Christmas Day fixture when they host the Spurs at Madison Square Garden.

The two teams met on the same stage in 2024, where French phenom Victor Wembanyama scored a franchise-record 42 points in a losing effort against a Mikal Bridges-inspired New York.

Opening week highlights

Several other compelling matchups have been slated for the opening week, including the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the Miami Heat on 21 October.

The following evening sees the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Philadelphia, while the Denver Nuggets face Oklahoma City.

The complete regular-season schedule is expected to be released in full by the league on Thursday.

England international Kalvin Phillips is set to rejoin Sheffield United on loan from Manchester City following a frustrating spell at the Etihad Stadium.

The midfielder has not featured in the Premier League for his parent club since 2023.

He currently has two years remaining on his contract but has struggled for playing time under Pep Guardiola.

A chance at redemption in South Yorkshire

This impending move marks a fourth temporary departure for the former Leeds United anchor, following previous spells with West Ham and Ipswich Town.

He previously spent the second half of last season with the Blades, though his tenure was severely disrupted.

That brief stint yielded just three appearances before a red card in the Steel City derby and a subsequent knee injury curtailed his campaign.

Since arriving at the Etihad for £42.5m in 2022, the 28-year-old has started just six matches across all competitions for the reigning Premier League champions.

Wilder bolsters midfield options

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has specifically targeted the combative playmaker to reinforce his squad in the middle of the park.

The necessity for midfield reinforcements has been heightened amid the potential departure of Gustavo Hamer to Coventry City.

A successful return to Bramall Lane could prove vital for a player seeking to rebuild his domestic career and add to his 31 international caps.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has admitted his squad lacks the physical conditioning for his pressing style after surrendering a second consecutive two-goal lead during Sunday’s pre-season clash with Monaco.

The Merseyside club were pegged back by their French opponents just a week after suffering a similar late collapse against Leeds United.

These back-to-back setbacks have abruptly halted any summer momentum ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United on 23 August.

Stamina concerns under new regime

Iraola is demanding a swift return to physically intense, high-pressing football following the departure of former boss Arne Slot.

However, the current squad attempted the third-fewest pressures in the English top flight last season, highlighting the steep physical transition now required.

Following the latest defensive capitulation, the Basque tactician delivered a stark public assessment of his team’s stamina limitations.

“We played well in the first half, especially the first 30 minutes, but right now probably we don’t have much more in terms of the level required to play like this.”

Attacking positives amid defensive woes

Despite the broader tactical anxieties, the new head coach can take encouragement from the individual performances of his high-profile forwards.

Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak both found the net against the Ligue 1 outfit at the weekend.

The attacking duo are flourishing in pre-season as they look to emphatically bounce back from testing debut campaigns at Anfield.