Sports
Exeter’s remarkable rise from Prem strugglers to finalists
Exeter boss Rob Baxter says his side’s rise from their worst season to a Prem final is one of his greatest achievements.
The Chiefs fought back from 26-10 down to win 27-26 at Bath and book a first final spot in five years.
The victory came a year after the club’s worst campaign when they finished ninth in the Prem and suffered the heaviest defeat in their history – a 79-17 loss at Gloucester just over a year ago.
A team that had reached six successive Prem finals – winning two and also clinching a European Champions Cup in 2020 – going to a side with just four wins all season, two of which were against under-strength opponents, rang alarm bells at Sandy Park.
But a year on, after a transformative season on and off the field, Baxter prepares to make his Twickenham return against table toppers Northampton.
“To look at players on the field fighting to a standstill like they did today, and some of those lads are the same lads who were losing by 80 points at Gloucester at the end of last season,” he told BBC Sport.
“It’s the same players, but it’s different men, and that makes me incredibly proud.”
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Sports
Seamus Coleman: Republic of Ireland defender training with Killybegs, but no GAA return for now
For a few hours on Sunday, social media lit up with rumours and speculation that Seamus Coleman had found himself a new club.
Not on the football pitch but with his local Gaelic football side, Killybegs.
The 37-year-old left Everton at the end of the last season, bringing a 17-year tenure with the Premier League club to a close.
Republic of Ireland captain Coleman has been without a club since, despite featuring in June’s international friendlies, but it was rumoured he would make a sensational return to Gaelic football.
The Donegal Senior Football Championship started on Saturday, and Killybegs travelled to Four Masters in their opener on Sunday afternoon.
While Coleman did not line out for his hometown club – despite the rumours – it is understood he has been training with Killybegs GAC to keep his fitness up as he looks for a new football club.
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Sports
Bruno Guimaraes: Midfielder can help Arsenal reach next level, says Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta said the signing of Bruno Guimaraes will help Arsenal go to the “next level” and hinted that the Gunners are not done with their summer transfer activity.
The signing of Guimaraes for £75m from Newcastle United was officially announced on Saturday and the 28-year-old midfielder was introduced to the fans inside Emirates Stadium before the match against Borussia Dortmund.
Guimaraes was not included in the matchday squad for the 3-2 loss to Dortmund but is likely to be involved in the game against Como on Wednesday.
Arteta was quick to explain why he was so keen to bring the Brazilian to north London.
“I’m delighted to have him,” he said. “We see very clearly – especially the energy that he brought immediately to the training ground – the hunger, the desire to come here and create a big history at the club.
“And that’s the ambition that we need.
“We want to go to the next level and are very, very much convinced that we’re going to need players with such a personality, desire and character to push everybody inside the organisation to go even higher.”
The signing of Guimaraes means Arteta now has plenty of choice in midfield with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino all options in the middle of the pitch.
And Arteta went into detail about what he hopes Guimaraes can bring to the Arsenal side this season as they look to defend their Premier League title.
“On the pitch, versatility to play in two different positions in relation to what we want or the opponent does,” he said.
“A player which obviously has tremendous timing and intuition to win the ball back and progress play very, very fast.
“He’s a player that is very comfortable putting people through, moving between the lines, moving in behind.
“And then he’s a goal threat. He’s got a smell and a really good timing to get in the box. And he has the capacity to finish the actions.”
Arsenal have already completed the signing of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge and brought in goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer.
The Gunners pursued Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr but the forward signed a new six-year deal to remain in Spain. Yet Arteta was clear Arsenal are going to continue to try to be ambitious in the transfer market
“Well, that’s what we’re trying to do. If we have the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very much looking forward to that.”
The Arsenal manager also gave an update on the fitness of Jurrien Timber, saying he is still “weeks away” from returning to fitness, while William Saliba is another long-term absentee as he recovers from a back injury.
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Sports
Sunrisers thump Welsh Fire to inch closer to knockouts
Mitch Marsh makes 50 as Sunrisers Leeds post 201-4 at Headingley and beat Welsh Fire by 71 runs to move closer to a place in the knockouts of The Hundred men’s competition.
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