Todays Sporting News – 17 September 2025

• After the Springboks’ remarkable 43-10 rout of the All Blacks in Wellington, there can be no doubt about the identity of rugby’s true number one team.
• Athletics – Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon (pictured above) won the women’s 1500m in 3:52.15, securing her fourth world title in a row, while USA’s Cordell Tinch went from working in a toilet paper factory to winning the 110m hurdles.
• Football – Substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored the goals that gave Arsenal a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on the opening day of this year’s Champions League. Later last night Tottenham beat Villarreal 1-0 thanks to an own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Júnior.
• Basketball – A group of 18 former employees of the British Basketball League (BBL) are taking legal action against the competition that replaced it, Super League Basketball, in the latest development in the extraordinary civil war that has engulfed the sport.
• The BCCI have agreed a Team India shirt sponsorship deal with Apollo Tyres worth ~US$ 65.7 million until 2028.
• Unbeaten centuries by Marizanne Kapp and Tazmin Brits guided the Proteas Women to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first of three One Day International matches in Pakistan.
• Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon continued her dominance in middle-distance running by winning her fourth world title in the 1500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Tuesday in a time of 3:52.15.
• Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in Spain on Tuesday evening after a goal apiece by Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
• Lynne Cantwell will be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame on the eve of the Women’s Rugby World Cup final on 26 September in recognition of the part she played in inspiring Ireland to their first Six Nations title and a first-ever win over New Zealand at Women’s RWC 2014 in reaching the semi-finals. The former utility back – who is Ireland’s most capped player – is now a highly respected administrator and voice in the women’s game, and is now the Irish Rugby Union’s Head of Women’s Strategy, having previously worked as High Performance manager for women’s rugby at SA Rugby.
• Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Wednesday named most of the players who were members of the squad that retained the Freedom Cup in New Zealand last weekend in his 33-man squad for their closing two Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches against Argentina in Durban and London.
• The Geelong Cats have beaten the Hawthorn Hawks six times in their past seven encounters. The two sides will meet in the weekend’s first AFL preliminary final on Friday at 7:40pm at the MCG.
• Earlier this month, British ultra-athlete Ross Edgely became the first person to swim the entire 1000-mile coastline of Iceland. Edgely completed the titanic feat in 116 days.
• The Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) has recommended the proposed Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart not proceed. The stadium is a condition of support the Tasmania Devils’ entry into the AFL and AFLW in 2028.
• Melbourne City fell 2-0 at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) opener. City held their own in the first half and went into the break level, but conceded in the 51st minute from a penalty after goalkeeper Patrick Beach rushed out of goal and fouled an attacking player.
• Spanish football club Real Madrid is the first to record 200 wins in the UEFA Champions League after its 2-1 victory over France’s Marseille overnight. The 15-time champions, in their first match under new manager Xabi Alonso, came back from a one-goal deficit courtesy of two penalties from Kylian Mbappé on the first matchday of this season’s Champions League.
• Last night in Tokyo, Jess Hull became the first Australian ever to win a medal in the 1500m at an athletics world championship.
• The countdown to Season 4 of Betway SA20 is officially underway! With exactly 100 days to go until the first ball is bowled on 26 December 2025, the League has unveiled the ’20th Player’, a drive where popular South African personalities will give fans a front-row voice and bring them closer to the incredible action like never before.
• League Phase of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League kicks off.
• Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers named 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
• Terence Crawford-Canelo Álvarez fight hauls in 41 million viewers on Netflix.
• Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaks 19-year-old American record in 400-meters at Track and Field World Championships.
• Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has become the third Indian player to top the ICC Men’s T20I Bowling Rankings after economical spells in his team’s first two matches of the Asia Cup being played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• The Vodacom United Rugby Championship is proud to announce a new partnership with Macron, who will become the league’s match officials kit partner from the 2025/26 season.
• Edinburgh Rugby has named the two sides to face Doncaster Knights (kick-off 5pm) and Ealing Trailfinders (kick-off 8pm) in this Friday’s Scottish Building Society pre-season double-header at Hive Stadium (19 September).
• All-Star Freddy Peralta gave up two hits, struck out 10 and won his NL-leading 17th game, Christian Yelich hit his 29th homer and drove in three runs and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Angels 9-2 on Tuesday night.
• Rams coach Sean McVay is not expected to appear on the team’s injury report this week as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles. But McVay sustained a foot injury during last week’s victory over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.
• An improved Optimist mast step is now available. The previous cups could break under the extensive forces of towing, the increasing strength of young sailors, and higher forces on rigs.
• The evolution of boardsailing has progressed through equipment, with each step increasing cost and skill for greater performance. This trend rarely pivots, but did when handheld wings hit the water alongside the quivers of sails and kites.
• Despite being a founding event of the Olympic Games, Sailing continues to worry. This concern comes as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reshapes the competition to insure its relevancy in the sports world.
• Britain’s Nick Craig holds the narrowest of leads after the second day of racing at 2025 OK Dinghy World Championship on Lake Garda, hosted by Circolo Vela Arco. Both Craig and Andrew Mills added another race win each and are even on three points.
• Joel Beashel hopes his nomination in the NSW youth sailor-of-the-year awards acts as a spur for the rest of the young guns pushing through the various Manly 16ft Skiff Club fleets.
• Ibiza JoySail 2025 is ready to set sail out of Marina Ibiza from the 18th – 21st September, reaffirming its status as the Mediterranean’s premier end-of-season sailing event.
• Zhik unveils its new season line-up, advancing the brand’s expansion into paddle and rowing while reinforcing its long-standing leadership in dinghy and yachting.
• Today, Mediterranean sailor Alexia Barrier presented the six female sailors selected to accompany her this fall in an attempt to break the crewed, round the world, unassisted, and non-stop sailing record, the infamous Jules Verne Trophy.
• The spotlight of the international sailing scene turns once again to Italy as Marina di Scarlino hosts the Swan Tuscany Challenge, the fifth event of the 2025 The Nations League by ClubSwan Racing.
• Ten K6s entered the 2025 Nationals at Stone SC sailing on the Blackwater Estuary. The forecast was for strong wind over the three days, lighter on the last day, the prelude of an advancing storm late on Sunday.
• As part of the RORC centenary, alongside the headline events the Rolex Fastnet Race and the revived Admiral’s Cup, the Centenary Race has been designed as a celebration to conclude the racing programme in the Solent.
• SailGP – the most exciting racing on water – has today announced the winner of the third Impact League Focus Area for the 2025 Season, Canada’s NorthStar SailGP Team, which claimed the top spot in the Climate Action category and now lead the overall Impact League leaderboard.
• Despite a slightly less than terrific forecast, an eager fleet arrived at Eastbourne Sovereign Sailing Club looking forward to some full send sailing, waves galore and the always brilliant and welcoming members of Eastbourne.
• Sailors prevent death. Two Mackinac boats awarded rescue honors by U.S. Sailing for saving lives on Lake Huron.
• Spinnaker Sailing Club has been part of a pilot project showing how small changes and targeted conversations can make sailing more accessible.
• Rassie Erasmus has retained the bulk of the squad that claimed a famous win over the All Blacks in Wellington, naming 33 players for the Springboks’ final two Rugby Championship Tests against Argentina.
• Having reached three Vodacom URC finals in four seasons under former coach Jake White, the Bulls have backed Johan Ackermann to get them over the line.
• Willem Alberts believes sticking to key fundamentals will be crucial if the Lions are to lift the Currie Cup on Saturday. Alberts – affectionately known as ‘The Bone Collector’ – retired from rugby last year at the age of 40 and played over 80 matches in all competitions for the Lions.
• ith the top honours at the Lions Players Awards ceremony at Ellis Park on Tuesday night. Van den Berg capped off a stellar 2024-25 season by claiming both the International Backline Player of the Year and the Lions Player of the Year titles.
• Veteran Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White has confirmed his retirement, bringing down the curtain on a Test career that spanned over a decade and 77 caps in gold.
• France’s Axelle Berthoumieu will miss the rest of the Women’s World Cup after an appeal panel upheld a ban for biting during last weekend’s quarter-final against Ireland. Berthoumieu had appealed a 12-match ban for biting against Ireland and while the panel reduced her suspension to nine games, she cannot play in the semi-final against England in Bristol on Saturday.
• A South African forward has committed his long-term future to the Sale Shark by signing a three-year contract extension. Ernst van Rhyn, who can play in the second row or back row, had one year left on the deal signed when he joined from the Stormers, but he has now extended his stay until June 2029.
• Leinster Men’s head coach Leo Cullen says that Hugo Keenan ‘probably won’t feature until the New Year’, following his surgery on a pre-existing hip injury in the aftermath of the British & Irish Lions tour. Keenan was the Lions’ second Test try-scoring hero as they clinched a series victory over Australia in Melbourne.
• South America is being handed economic cuts from rugby’s global governing body. Ignacio Chans reports that World Rugby is cutting 14% of its budget to South America, this alone means adjustments will be made for Super Rugby Americas let alone test teams.
• Two changes have been made to Los Pumas’ roster ahead of the upcoming Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks. Felipe Contepomi has made one injury-motivated change and one tactical change to his roster. Argentina face South Africa in Durban on September 27 and in London, England on October 04.
• The Americas participation at Rugby World Cup 2027 is guaranteed to at least tie the standing RWC record for the region. This past weekend saw the USA qualifying for Australia 2027, doing so by comfortably beating Samoa in Denver, Colorado. The outcome confirmed the USA as the fourth Americas participant for the next Men’s Rugby World Cup.
• Joseph Dewba can use his time at Exeter to force his way back into the South Africa squad, says Chiefs boss Rob Baxter.
• Scotland may have enjoyed their best Women’s World Cup since 2002, but the buzz evaporated soon after the loss to England.
• Scrum-half Caity Mattinson becomes the third member of the Scotland squad to retire after Sunday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat by England.
• With their qualification for the Asia Cup Super Fours not yet guaranteed, the mood in the Pakistan camp on Tuesday evening was markedly different.
• India wristspinner – Varun Chakravarthy – overtakes New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy following his performances in two Asia Cup matches.
• Phoebe Litchfield was rotated out to manage a low-grade quad strain as Australia tested their bench ahead of the ODI World Cup in September.
• Parent company (ACE) of Major League Cricket takes legal action over termination of commercial agreement.
• Tejal Hasabnis has replaced Rodrigues in the India squad, while Arundhati Reddy has been brought into the playing XI for the second ODI.
• “The final is the biggest stage, that’s the game that matters,” Chinelle Henry says ahead of the WCPL final, where her team, Barbados Royals, will be looking for their third title.
• India Women and Australia Women faced off in the second ODI at New Chandigarh on September 17, 2025. After Australia elected to field, India set out to post a commanding total under bright skies and a lively surface.
• The Asia Cup 2025 is heating up, and all eyes now turn to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium where Pakistan will face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a do-or-die encounter on Wednesday.
• In a spectacular display of bowling prowess, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has etched his name into the record books of the T20 Asia Cup. During a crucial clash against Bangladesh, the spin maestro surpassed Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history.
• Victoria‘s Glenn Maxwell ignited fan celebrations with a spectacular unbeaten 102 against Queensland at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on September 17 2025, showcasing his devastating batting prowess in the Australia One-Day Cup 2025-26. The explosive century came as Victoria chased Queensland’s challenging total of 310 in a thrilling encounter.
• India Women face a crucial test when they take on Australia Women in the second ODI at Mullanpur’s Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. After suffering a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat in the series opener, Harmanpreet Kaur‘s side must deliver a stronger all-round performance to keep the three-match series alive.
• New Zealand Cricket (NZC) have unveiled their 14-member men’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, set to be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui from October 1 to 4.
• Trinbago Knight Riders produced a masterclass in elimination cricket as captain Nicholas Pooran‘s unbeaten 90 guided them to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the CPL 2025 Eliminator at Providence Stadium on September 16.
• The stage is set at The Village in Dublin as Ireland and England face off in the first T20I of the series today. Both sides come into the contest with plenty of motivation—England aiming to stamp their dominance, while Ireland look to showcase their growing stature in the shortest format.
• The Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2025 witnessed a thrilling clash at the Providence Stadium as Barbados Royals Women registered a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Trinbago Knight Riders Women in Match 6 of the tournament. Chamari Athapaththu‘s match-winning knock of 89 runs off 71 deliveries anchored the Royals’ chase.
• In a thrilling and crucial encounter at the Asia Cup 2025, Bangladesh secured a hard-fought 8-run victory against Afghanistan in a must-win Group B clash. The win in Abu Dhabi keeps Bangladesh’s hopes of qualifying for the Super Four stage alive.
• In a spectacular display of batting dominance, South Africa Women’s cricketers Marizanne Kapp and Tazmin Brits turned what seemed to be a challenging chase into a comfortable victory, overpowering Pakistan Women in the first ODI at Lahore.
• Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series in India, which is part of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle.
• Essex County Cricket Club confirmed in a statement today that chair Anu Mohindru had resigned with immediate effect.
• Coach Jabbar Juluke is suspended for his involvement in an altercation prior to the Florida at LSU football game on Saturday.
• The Webberville Spartans varsity football team has canceled its season, the MHSAA confirmed on Tuesday.
• NFL legend Tom Brady announced on Monday he will participate in a flag football tournament in Saudi Arabia next year.
• The PGA Tour announced today the 2026 playing of the Sentry will not be at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
• Powered by two top-10 finishes, the Little Rock men’s golf team claimed second place at The Bearcat Invitational.
• The College of Charleston men’s golf team completed play at The Invitational at the Honors Course on Tuesday.
• Southern Connecticut State University field hockey secured a thrilling 3-2 overtime win at Franklin Pierce in Rindge, N.H.
• Abbey Powers scored twice and Emma Barton doled out a pair of assists to lift WPI to a 6-0 shutout over crosstown rival Worcester.
• Boris Rybalka, named the national Para ice hockey team’s head coach in August with the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games just months away.
• Alex Freeman and Chris Richards chose soccer over the money-rich pull of football or basketball.
• Virginia women’s soccer was once again back in business Sunday night, playing host to VCU at Klöckner Stadium.
• Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell said “heartbroken isn’t the word” as he paid an emotional tribute to his father. Former world champion Hatton was found dead in his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on Sunday.
• The boxing world is still buzzing about the masterclass that new undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford produced against Canelo Alvarez on September 13, thus cementing Crawford as the greatest fighter of his generation.
• Michael Bracewell will captain New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy T20I series against Australia, as Mitchell Santner recovers from surgery. Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears return to bolster the seam attack.
• Kylian Mbappé said he’s happy to follow coach Xabi Alonso’s instructions — and work hard off the ball — to “help the team win trophies” after scoring twice in Real Madrid’s 2-1 comeback Champions League win against Marseille on Tuesday.
• The All Blacks have received a boost ahead of the Bledisloe Cup with star halfback Cam Roigard cleared to return from injury. Roigard is one of 13 All Blacks available to play for their NPC teams this weekend.
• Mikel Arteta says the “finishers” in his Arsenal squad could be “more important” than those in the starting line-up this season – a concept he says he has taken from rugby union.
• Tennessee head women’s tennis coach Alison Ojeda announced the 2025 fall slate on Tuesday.
• The much-anticipated State Foundation Cup is set to return to Berri Tennis Club from 7-10 October 2025.
• Laver Cup tournament organizers officially unveiled a bold, black tennis court ahead of this weekend’s action.
• Brooks Nader’s sisters think she should play tennis amid her dating Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner during the U.S. Open tournament.
• Real Madrid come from a goal down with 10-men to beat Marseille, while Arsenal and Tottenham also open with victories.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY:

1897 — England’s Joe Lloyd beats Scotland’s Willie Anderson by one stroke to win the U.S. Open in Wheaton, Ill.

1920 — The forerunner of the NFL, the American Professional Football Association, is founded in an automobile showroom in Canton, Ohio. Twelve teams pay a $100 fee to obtain a franchise.

1938 — Don Budge completes the Grand Slam with a four-set victory over Gene Mako in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships.

1954 — Rocky Marciano knocks out Ezzard Charles in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium in New York to retain his world heavyweight title.

1955 — In the first color telecast of a football game by NBC, No. 10 Georgia Tech defeats No. 9 Miami 14-6 in Atlanta. The winning score comes in the final minute when linebacker Jimmy Morris returns an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.

1961 — The Minnesota Vikings, the newest NFL franchise, beats the league’s oldest franchise, the Chicago Bears, 37-13 win in the season opener. Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton, playing his first NFL game, comes off the bench to become the only quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in his first game.

1966 — In his head coaching debut, coach Joe Paterno leads Penn State past Maryland 15-7.

1967 — Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts passes for 401 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-31 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

1977 — The U.S. wins the Ryder Cup 12½-7½ at Royal Lytham & St Annes England. It’s the last time that a Britain and Ireland team competes for the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup expands the GB&I to include golfers from all of continental Europe in 1979.

1994 — UNLV receiver Randy Gatewood catches 23 passes for 363 yards and a touchdown in a 48-38 loss to Idaho.

2000 — Dan Marino’s #13 jersey is retired by the Miami Dolphins.

2002 — Suzy Whaley becomes the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event, earning an exemption to the 2003 Greater Hartford Open by winning a PGA Section Championship. Whaley is also is the first woman to win a Section Championship.

2016 — Cam Pedersen kicks a 37-yard field as time expired and North Dakota State rallies to beat No. 13 Iowa 23-21 for its sixth straight win over an FBS opponent.

THODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY:

1912 — Brooklyn’s Casey Stengel makes his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, finishing with four singles, two RBIs and two steals in a 7-3 win.

1920 — Bobby Veach of the Detroit Tigers hit for the cycle in a 14-13 12-inning win over the Boston Red Sox at Navin Field. Veach had six hits, achieving the cycle with a double in the ninth.

1930 — Cleveland’s Earl Averill drove in eight runs with three consecutive home runs to lead the Indians to a 13-7 victory over the Washington Senators in a doubleheader opener. Averill added another homer in the nightcap, setting an American League record with 11 RBIs in a doubleheader.

1941 — Stan Musial makes his major league debut.

1947 — Jackie Robinson named Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News.

1968 — Gaylord Perry of the San Francisco Giants pitched a no-hitter, a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and Bob Gibson. Ron Hunt homered for the only run.

1984 — Reggie Jackson became the 13th player to hit 500 home runs. The milestone shot came off Kansas City pitcher Bud Black. His homer came exactly 17 years after his first career hit.

1984 — Rookie pitcher Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets struck out 16 Phillies in a 2-1 loss at Philadelphia. Five days earlier, Gooden fanned 16 Pittsburgh Pirates tying a major league record for 32 strikeouts in two consecutive games.

1988 — Jeff Reardon became the first pitcher to save 40 games in both leagues as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1. Reardon, who saved 42 games for the Montreal Expos in 1985, pitched the ninth inning for his 40th save in 47 opportunities.

1996 — Hideo Nomo pitched a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies, leading the Dodgers to a 9-0 victory. Nomo walked four batters and stuck out eight.

2004 — San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hit the 700th home run of his career, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only players to reach the milestone. Bonds connected in the third inning at home, a 392-foot solo shot to left-center. San Francisco beat San Diego 4-1.

2004 — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki broke Lloyd Waner’s season record for singles with his 199th in a 6-3 win over Oakland. Suzuki’s two hits gave him 235 for the season, 22 shy of the major league record set by George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns in 1920.

2008 — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki matched Willie Keeler’s major league record of eight straight 200-hit seasons, beating out an infield single in the eighth inning for his third hit against Kansas City.

2018 — Christian Yelich became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team, driving in four runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Cincinnati Reds 8-0.

2024 — With a stolen base in the 1st inning, Bobby Witt Jr. becomes the first shortstop to have more than one 30-30 season, as he now has 30 steals and 32 homers; he also just the 8th player to accomplish the feat in consecutive seasons.