LOUD defeats NRG in five-map series, advances to VCT Americas final and qualifies for Champions

Dave Rennie expressed regret over missed opportunities as the Springboks managed to take the initiative in the series with a 2-1 victory.

The Greatest Rivalry in Rugby

Ardie Savea will be unable to participate in the fourth and final match of The Greatest Rivalry in Rugby in Baltimore against the Springboks due to a shoulder injury sustained in the third match in Soweto on Saturday. The All Blacks were forced to acknowledge their mistakes and the loss of the inspiring captain Ardie Savea after losing to the Springboks 29-24 at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday evening.

Savea was forced off the field due to a serious shoulder injury following contact during a ruck, and he will now miss the fourth match in Baltimore next Saturday. Head coach Dave Rennie confirmed that the captain would be ruled out as New Zealand attempts to salvage the series result.

The Springboks gained an undeniable 2-1 advantage in Johannesburg and will be the more satisfied side on the flight to the United States for the fourth and final match of The Greatest Rivalry in Rugby.

For Rennie, the defeat was particularly frustrating given the momentum the All Blacks generated early in the game. New Zealand played fast and stretched the Springboks, but a series of errors allowed the hosts to slow the pace and regain control.

Rennie noted: 'The Springboks gained significant momentum in the second half of the second half, but we were able to maintain a high tempo in the first half and saw how much trouble their big players were having, and we wanted to capitalize on that in the second.' He continued: 'However, we made several errors that slowed the game down to a scrum, often giving them a penalty and field position. Immediately after we took the lead, they had a period where they dominated us in set-piece, winning all the small moments and building up all the momentum—that paid off well for them in attack.'

He added: 'It was very disappointing because effort was put in, but we weren't clinical enough in the first half and couldn't regain momentum when it mattered in the second.' Rennie will now have to select a squad for the final match, as the All Blacks will face the possibility of concluding the four-match series against the world champions without their captain.

Although the result leaves New Zealand trailing 2-1, Rennie understands that there were opportunities to take the game away from the Springboks before their physical power and set-piece dominance ultimately changed the course of the competition.

The Pakistani national cricket team once again found itself at the center of controversy during its visit to England. Before the third and final test match of the series, scheduled to take place in Edgbaston, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confiscated the mobile phones of some team players. These devices will remain in the board's possession until the conclusion of the last test.

Currently, official information regarding which specific players lost their phones and why this decision was made has not been provided. According to a report from the Pakistani news channel 365 News, the team members' mobile phones were handed over to the PCB. However, the PCB has not yet clarified whether the confiscation is related to team protocol, disciplinary measures, or any other reason. There is speculation that the PCB might be concerned about match-fixing.

This incident has raised serious questions about the privacy of athletes. It is particularly important to find out how long a player's phone can be held by the board and under what circumstances access to the personal information stored on it can be granted.

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) rules regarding the use of mobile phones by players are quite strict. During a match, players and support staff are prohibited from using mobile phones or other means of communication in restricted areas, including dressing rooms. Before entering such areas, players must surrender their phones to a secure location. The purpose of this rule is to maintain the integrity of the match and prevent unauthorized communication by players or staff.

However, the ban on keeping phones during the game does not mean that the board can hold a player's personal mobile phone for several days. These two situations are different. Nevertheless, as part of integrity checks under the ICC anti-corruption code, authorized officials have the right to request extensive information related to phones. If officials have reasonable grounds to believe that the device contains necessary material for an investigation, they may require the player to surrender the mobile phone or provide the information contained on it.

Such checks can cover call logs, internet history, messages, chats, photos, videos, audio, and other electronic documents. In certain situations, the player may be asked for a password or access code to the phone. Failure to comply with a lawful request is subject to disciplinary action. Currently, neither the PCB nor any players have confirmed such an inspection, and no player has been accused of betting, match-fixing, or corruption.

There are differences between the ICC anti-corruption code and the jurisdiction of the PCB itself. The PCB may have separate provisions concerning player contracts, team rules, or internal disciplinary systems. But the board has not yet disclosed on what specific rule the players' phones were confiscated.

Caitlin Clark made her debut at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, setting a record as the United States defeated China 94:61 in their opening Group D match in Berlin on Friday.

Coming off the bench, Clark scored 14 points and recorded 11 assists, which set a US record for the most assists by a player in her debut match at the Women's World Cup. This figure surpassed the nine assists recorded by Alyssa Thomas against Belgium four years ago.

The 24-year-old Clark immediately impacted the game, distributing four assists in just four minutes. The Indiana Fever forward also made three three-pointers and committed no turnovers.

The champion team established a 27:14 lead after the first quarter before China managed to respond in the second period. Zhang Cyu's presence on the court created difficulties for the Americans, but the champion team managed to finish the half strongly, increasing the deficit to 49:29.

China posed another threat after the break, using zone defense to slow down the US attack and narrow the gap to 53:37. Nevertheless, the Americans responded with a decisive surge and entered the final quarter leading 70:42, securing a comfortable victory.

Clark, Rhyne Howard, and Paige Bueckers each scored 14 points for the US, while the team made 12 three-pointers. Clark's 11 assists also became the highest total among Americans in the Women's World Cup match since Dawn Staley recorded 12 assists against Russia in 1998.

For China, Luo Xinyu and 19-year-old Zhang each scored 13 points, while Han Xu recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Zhang, who is 2.2 meters tall, made nine of ten free throws and added two blocks in her World Cup debut.

This victory extended the USA's winning streak at the Women's World Cup to 31 matches, as the 11-time champion began her quest for a fifth consecutive crown.