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Ireland edged an enthralling tussle with defending champions South Africa

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2 years ago

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Ireland cemented their status as the number one-ranked side in world rugby as they edged an enthralling tussle with defending champions South Africa at the Stade de France. Manie Libbok’s early penalty put South Africa ahead as Ireland’s lineout malfunctioned, losing four of their own throws, but Bundee Aki’s sensational break sparked them into life.

After camping in the Springboks’ 22, the pressure told as James Lowe released Mack Hansen to dive over, Johnny Sexton’s conversion giving the Irish a 7-3 interval lead. South Africa hit back on the resumption when Libbok’s long pass put Cheslin Kolbe over for a try, only for Sexton’s penalty to edge Ireland back in front. Libbok and Faf de Klerk both missed further shots at goal before Jack Crowley’s late penalty sealed a momentous victory.

Mastercard Player of the Match Bundee Aki said of the Irish support: “I am lost for words, these Irish fans are incredible. I have never witnessed anything like this, the travel crowd is completely a joke. It’s only going to get bigger and crazier.
“South Africa are an outstanding team, they are world champions for a reason. They gave it to us from beginning to end. Whatever happens, we will see them again.”

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton also paid tribute to the travelling Irish support, saying: “It’s a huge day for Ireland. This crowd is incredible, how many people turned up today, I don’t know how we do it time after time. We didn’t want to let them down.
“It was a real arm-wrestle to dog it out with a team like that. It is a testament to the team and staff.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell admitted the match could have gone either way but felt his side’s defensive effort proved the difference. He said: “It was some battle, a tale of two halves, I thought we dominated field position in the first and they did in the second. At times we were hanging on in there.
“Simon Easterby [defence coach] has them whipped up into a frenzy. When a side is in a groove like that it says everything about their attitude.”
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi rued some missed opportunities for his team, saying: “We would have loved to win but it was a great game, an intense game. Congrats to them. They played really well. They were able to hold the pressure in the first half and they got the try.
“I am proud of the way we played. I think we left a little bit of opportunities out there and they also did. It was a great test for us in the group.”

Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber added: “It was a proper test match. Like I said before the game, I think both teams would learn a lot from this game, the two best teams playing against each other, which is a great test and preparation going forward.

“The pressure is on us to do well against Tonga to get a result there so that we can get out of our pool.”

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Football

Stafford vs. Colombo International: The Second Edition of the Big Match Kicks Off!

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1 day ago

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April 2, 2025

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Football fever returns as Stafford International School and Colombo International School gear up for the second edition of their highly anticipated Big Match! This year, the rivalry intensifies with four matches across different age and gender categories:

✅ U15 Girls
✅ U15 Boys
✅ U20 Girls
✅ U20 Boys

🏆 Stafford International’s Rising Stars:

  • U15 Girls: Defending TISSL U14 and Colombo SLSFA District champions, featuring standout players like Keshalee Ranatunga and Sonja Ratanayake (just 10 years old!).
  • U15 Boys: All-Island U14 runners-up out of 462 schools, led by goalkeeper Yash Amarasekara, who was named Best U14 GK in Sri Lanka.
  • U20 Girls & Boys: Both teams finished as TISSL runners-up, boasting stars like Raya Rikaz, Yumna Safraz, Adnaan Ameen, and Nidurshan Mohan.

🏆 Colombo International’s Key Players:

  • U15 Girls: TISSL U16 runners-up, featuring top defender Khadeeja Niyas and striker Ozra.
  • U20 Girls: TISSL U20 runners-up, with Fioni Dedhia named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
  • U20 Boys: Defending Big Match champions, looking to retain their title behind stars like Krishwen and Habib.

👀 Who will come out on top this time? Watch the action LIVE at the link below! 🎥👇

#BigMatch2025 #SchoolFootball #SriLankaFootball #StaffordVsCIS #RivalryRenewed

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Cricket

Shammi Silva Re-Elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President for Fourth Consecutive Term

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3 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Shammi Silva has been re-elected as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president for the 2025-27 term, marking his fourth consecutive tenure at the helm of the nation’s cricket governing body. Silva secured the position uncontested at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Colombo on Monday.

A Controversial Yet Dominant Tenure

Silva’s leadership has not been without controversy. His previous term saw a high-profile clash with former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in 2023, which led to an interim committee being appointed after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup. This move resulted in ICC suspending SLC, which led to Sri Lanka losing the hosting rights for the U19 Men’s World Cup, which was later held in South Africa.

Despite these setbacks, Silva regained control after a court ruling reinstated his administration, and he was later appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in December 2023, replacing Jay Shah.

Challenges & Future Outlook

Sri Lanka Cricket has long been seen as a powerful and influential body, with internal politics often shaping its leadership. With financial mismanagement concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s report, Silva’s administration faces the challenge of restoring credibility and ensuring better governance.

With the ICC ban lifted, Sri Lanka looks to rebuild its cricketing structure and improve performance on the international stage. The focus now shifts to upcoming bilateral series, the Asia Cup, and preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Stay tuned for more updates on Sri Lanka Cricket and the latest in the world of sports!

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Cricket

Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism

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4 days ago

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March 31, 2025

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.

The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.

Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role

Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.

“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.

The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.

“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”

CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match

Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,

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