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SWPixJay FreemanBBC Sport, North West29 minutes agoBetfred Women’s Challenge Cup final – St Helens v Wigan WarriorsVenue: Wembley Stadium Date: Saturday, 7 June Kick-off: 11:45 BST Coverage: Live on BBC Two from 11:15 BST; commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3; live text on BBC Sport website & appWigan Warriors turned some heads when they reached the Women’s Challenge Cup final earlier this season.To say they thrashed Leeds Rhinos is an understatement.Denis Betts’ side demolished the two-time winners 44-14 and, short of a late Leeds rally, Wigan never looked in much danger over the course of the 80 minutes.It signalled the rise of another side to the very top of the women’s game in England, with St Helens and York dominating the past few years along with Leeds.But what is the secret to Wigan’s recent ascent? And where did that performance against Leeds come from?In the build up to their derby meeting with reigning champions St Helens in this weekend’s Women’s Challenge Cup final, BBC Sport has taken a look at one of the most impressive upturns of late.To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedPrior to the semi-final in May, Leeds had won their past 12 meetings with Wigan.But Warriors went in to the tie in fine form, leading the Super League table after three wins from three.Wigan legend Betts said there is no secret to why his side have stormed their way into 2025 but the key was forging their own path rather than mimicking the efforts of their quadruple-winning men’s team.”What we’ve tried to do as a team is that we’re not trying to look like a men’s team,” former Wigan and Great Britain second row Betts, 55, told BBC Sport.”We’re not trying to look like anything other than who we are as a group of young, inspirational women who want to play rugby, pass the ball and want it to be exciting and enjoy it.”I think you can see that in the way we play.”As a player, Betts won seven men’s Challenge Cups among a raft of trophies with an all-conquering Wigan side during nine years with the club from 1986 to 1995.After coaching spells at a number of clubs including Widnes, he returned to Wigan as women’s head coach in 2024 and swiftly set about turning around their fortunes.In last season’s Challenge Cup, they were beaten at the semi-final stage by eventual finalists Leeds Rhinos, and Betts has seen the progression in his side ever since.That loss shaped his side and despite the result, he believes that where the team is now was borne out of their experiences in 2024.”It took a few games and months to get going but we saw a little bit of it in the semi-final [in 2024] when we were beaten by Leeds at St Helens,” Betts added.”We saw glimpses of it and throughout this season we’ve slowly got better and it culminated in a really strong win at York against Leeds [in 2025’s semi-final].”We’ve given ourselves a chance in the top four but we’ve never really taken that and put a performance in that would give us a real foothold in that elite group, so to speak.”So we went away and dusted ourselves down. The squad has changed a little bit but not massively, we’ve still got the core element of what that group is and they’ve worked really hard.”Despite their recent progression, Betts is not putting pressure on his side to succeed at Wembley, knowing that it is an achievement in itself to get there.Since its formation in 2012, Wigan have never reached the Women’s Challenge Cup final but know they have their work cut out if they are to beat holders Saints, who have won the competition the past four years running.”Wembley is a fantastic occasion – but it’s not the be-all and end-all,” Betts continued.”This is a group that is getting better and this is just another step along the way. It’s not the end of anything and it’s not the start.”This is just a thing that is in that journey and that’s what we need – and they need to want that and add meaning to what we are trying to do more of.”Related topicsRugby LeagueWigan Warriors

Getty Images & Inpho13 minutes agoNorthern Ireland will face Iceland in the Women’s Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs while the Republic of Ireland were drawn against Belgium. The Republic of Ireland are in the play-offs after being edged out for top spot in Group B2 and Northern Ireland are hoping to reach the top tier for the first time after finishing second to Poland in Group B1.Northern Ireland will host Iceland – who finished third in Group A2 – in the first leg, with the Republic of Ireland at home to Belgium in their opener. “We know that Belgium are a very good team with a strong history in women’s football so this will be a difficult challenge for us but one that we are excited to take on,” said Republic of Ireland head coach Carla Ward. “Having won five of our six group games in the Nations League and ending with a very good performance against Slovenia, we are building day by day, game by game.”Finland will face Denmark and the Czech Republic will play Austria in the other two ties. The fixtures will take place in October, with further details yet to be confirmed. The winners of the two-legged play-offs will play in League A of the 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, with the losers competing in League B. In the finals – involving this year’s four League A group winners – Germany were drawn against France while world champions Spain will play Sweden in the two-legged semi-finals on 24 and 28 October.The third-place play-off and final – both comprising of two legs – will take place on 28 November and 2 December.Related topicsRepublic of Ireland Women’s Football TeamNorthern Ireland SportNorthern Ireland Women’s Football TeamFootballWomen’s Football

Getty ImagesSami MokbelSenior football correspondent14 minutes agoMarseille are in talks to sign England midfielder Angel Gomes on a free transfer.The 24-year-old, who won his first four senior caps under interim manager Lee Carsley last year, announced in May he would leave Lille when his contract expires this summer.Discussions are said to be progressing positively, with the Ligue 1 side hopeful they can seal his transfer in the coming days.Since arriving from Manchester United in 2020, Gomes has scored 10 goals and provided 19 assists in 134 appearances for Lille.Premier League clubs Tottenham and West Ham were also linked with the midfielder.The deal would see Gomes, who is yet to feature for England under Thomas Tuchel, link up with former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi and remain playing football in France.Related topicsMarseilleEuropean FootballFootballEngland Men’s Football Team

Getty ImagesDan RoanSports editor@danroan9 minutes agoDavid Beckham is set to be awarded a knighthood in King Charles’ Birthday Honours list.The former England football captain, 50, was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.But BBC Sport has been told he is now in line to receive further recognition for both his football career, and his contributions to British society, with the list of recipients to be published next week.Beckham played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011.In 2017 several British newspapers press printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham criticised the honours system and the honours committee. A spokesperson for Beckham said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”. Beckham played a key role in securing the London 2012 Olympics, and has been an ambassador for Unicef and the King’s Foundation.The Cabinet Office has been approached for comment. Beckham’s representatives declined to comment.Related topicsFootball

Getty ImagesKal SajadBBC Sport Journalist37 minutes agoFabio Wardley v Justis HuniVenue: Portman Road, Ipswich Date: Saturday, 7 JuneCoverage: Follow live text commentary from 20:00 BST on BBC Sport website & appFabio Wardley may soon be celebrating a solid night’s sleep with the same gusto as a knockout victory in front of 20,000 home fans.As the British heavyweight prepares for arguably the toughest test of his career on Saturday, there is another monumental challenge waiting for him outside the ropes – becoming a father.The 30-year-old’s partner is due to give birth to their first child just a week after Wardley fulfils a long-held dream: fighting at the home of his beloved Ipswich Town Football Club against undefeated Australian contender Justis Huni.With a midwife appointment just 30 minutes away, Wardley candidly speaks to BBC Sport about the uncertainty of impending parenthood.”I don’t know if I’m nervous about changing nappies or not,” he jokes.”Fighting is at least something I have control over and have done a few times, so I know what I’m doing. “But this whole new stage after this fight – being a dad – is going to be a whole different realm.”Should Wardley approach fatherhood with the same mindset that he has driven his boxing career – dedication, a hunger to learn and a fierce determination to embrace the journey – he should be fine.At 19, Wardley was working in recruitment, having never laced up a pair of gloves. A decade later, a victory over Huni will move him one step closer to a world-title shot – possibly as early 2026.”You never know when the call could come and it’s you at the front of the queue,” he says. “I’ll certainly be putting my hand up and saying ‘I’m ready’.”The ‘gangly’ novice turned boxing headlinerWardley acknowledges that fighting so close to his partner’s due date is not ideal, but the opportunity to be the main event at Portman Road was simply too good to pass up.”I didn’t believe it would happen up until six, seven months ago,” says Wardley, a lifelong fan of the ‘Tractor Boys’.”For everything to fall into place – the pitch, the season ending, the right opponent – is extremely difficult. But all the things have aligned perfectly.”The journey to this landmark moment has been anything but straightforward, though.Once commuting daily from Ipswich to London for work, Wardley devoted his evenings to learning the fundamentals of boxing.It was not until he knocked out three of four opponents in the unlicensed white-collar boxing scene – where novices compete often for charity or personal challenge – that he decided to turn professional.”Had I known how much I’d take to boxing, I’d probably have left my job a bit earlier,” he says.”Some of those old fights are still on YouTube – I almost cringe at how gangly and uncoordinated I was. But seeing the improvement makes me feel good.”Picking ‘hard opponents’ to silence the doubters Getty ImagesWardley silenced critics who questioned his lack of amateur background with a brutal first-round knockout of Frazer Clarke last October, having fought to a draw against the Olympian seven months prior.”The 12 rounds I had with Frazer were enough to see me through for a little while,” he says.”It did me good not to go through that again in a rematch – not get more miles.”Originally set to face Jarrell Miller on Saturday, Wardley faced a late opponent change when the American withdrew because of injury.Instead of opting for an easier fight, he chose Brisbane’s Huni – a 26-year-old unbeaten heavyweight with an impressive amateur pedigree.”Boxing fans always need convincing and I’m picking hard opponents to show them what I’ve got in my locker,” Wardley says.”They’ve seen a lot of people come and go, some who they thought would do great things and haven’t, and others they underestimated who’ve gone on to do really big things.”That’s why I pick guys like Justis or Frazer — to prove and test myself.”Keeping a keen eye on Usyk-DuboisWardley will be closely watching next month’s undisputed heavyweight title fight between Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk – perhaps during a late-night nappy change.Usyk has suggested he only has two fights left, meaning a future bout with Wardley seems improbable, but not impossible.When Wardley first sparred with Usyk in 2018, any prospect of facing the generational great felt “a million miles away”.More realistically, Wardley believes a showdown with Dubois could be on the horizon, with both fighters handled by Queensberry Promotions.”I’ll be pushing my mandatory status, aiming to be at the front of the queue or next up on the list,” he adds.The world-title dream and future opponents will become clearer after the weekend, with Wardley hoping there is no urgent dash from the ring to the delivery suite.Related topicsBoxing

Getty Images29 minutes agoLiam Delap has not been selected in England’s Under-21 squad for this month’s European Championship.The 22-year-old has just completed a £30m move from Ipswich to Chelsea and is now expected to travel to the United States with his new club for the Club World Cup.Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham is in the squad, despite interest in the midfielder from German side Borussia Dortmund, who will also take part in the Club World Cup which runs from 14 June to 13 July.The U21 Euros will take place across eight host cities in Slovakia from 11-28 June.More to follow.Related topicsFootball

Getty ImagesPaul BattisonBBC Sport journalist19 minutes agoWarning: This article contains an account of sexual abuse.Kayla Harrison never holds back when telling her story of sexual abuse because she wants to give young victims hope.”There is a shiny gold medal at the end of the tunnel. There is a UFC belt at the end of the tunnel – but you have to say something and we have to keep talking about it,” says Harrison.As a child, Harrison was abused by her judo coach. After her mother reported it to the police, he was arrested, found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison.Harrison is a double Olympic gold medallist judoka and two-time Professional Fighters League (PFL) champion, who has used her status as one of the world’s best athletes to raise awareness of child sexual abuse.In 2018 she wrote a book with the aim of educating parents on how to spot signs that a child is being groomed so they can take preventative action. Now, the 34-year-old has her biggest platform to raise awareness of the issue.On Saturday she will face fellow American Julianna Pena for the bantamweight title at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey.”I’m no longer that 10-year-old girl, that 16-year-old girl. I’m an adult now and I feel god gave me this story for a reason and it’s my job to use it to make the world a better place. I want to talk about it,” said Harrison.”It is important to me. I don’t ever want another little boy or girl to feel alone, to feel dirty, to feel ashamed. There is hope.”Harrison joined the UFC last year, submitting Holly Holm on her debut in April before earning a decision win over Ketlen Vieira in October.Pena, 35, won the bantamweight title with a split-decision win over Raquel Pennington in October and is making the first defence of her reign.As she has done against previous opponents, Pena has tried to gain a mental advantage by trash talking in recent weeks – but Harrison believes it has helped her own stock rise.”Julianna is the perfect villain to make me a hero,” said Harrison. “I don’t know if it’s my dominance, or because I’m so physically strong-looking, or maybe because I haven’t been in the UFC for too long, but I felt people weren’t too keen on me.”But now I feel like I’m America’s sweetheart, I’m just gonna take it and run with it.”‘Gold medals are in my sock drawer collecting dust’Harrison switched to mixed martial arts (MMA) from judo, making her professional debut in 2018 before winning 18 of her 19 professional bouts.She was driven by trophies and success during her glittering judo career, but has largely been spurred on by her family since starting MMA.In 2020, Harrison adopted her niece Kyla and nephew Emery when her stepdad, who was looking after the children at the time, died suddenly.Harrison says “this belt is for me” when asked what winning a UFC title would feel like, and points to the experience she has gained as a mother in fuelling her ambition.”My kids have taught me there’s so much more to life than gold medals and trophies. Everyone always asks me where I keep my Olympic gold medals – they’re in my sock drawer collecting dust,” said Harrison.”Nobody cares – my kids sure don’t care. They care I come home. I’m mum and play Nerf gun wars with them, let them have ice cream – that’s what it’s all about.”It’s given me a new peace, a new understanding, a new freedom, and it’s made me a better fighter.”If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, there is information and support available on BBC Action Line.Related topicsMixed Martial Arts

Getty ImagesDavid WatkinsonBBC Sport senior journalist15 minutes agoFive-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins says he is “indebted” to disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, who he has called a “great strength and inspiration” for his help as he battled drug addiction.Wiggins, who was the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012, revealed last month in The Observer how he became a cocaine addict in the years after his career.And speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the 45-year-old Briton said that since his retirement in 2016 Armstrong, who was stripped of seven Tour de France titles for using performance-enhancing drugs, had supported him.”He’s been a great strength to me and a great inspiration to me, and it’s on a human level,” Wiggins said.”Lance has been very, very good to me. That’s not something everyone wants to hear because people only like to hear the bad stuff.”You can only take someone how they treat you and Lance has been a source of inspiration to me and a constant source of help towards me and is one of the main factors why I’m in this position I am today mentally and physically, so, I’m indebted to him for that.”Asked how often he is in touch with Armstrong he added: “I won’t say every day, but I work for him.”Wiggins will be working for Armstrong this summer covering the Tour de France for his podcast The Move.To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be played’I blamed cycling for everything bad that had happened in my life’Since his retirement, Wiggins has spoken about his father’s jealousy and being groomed by a coach as a child, while he was also declared bankrupt in June 2024.Speaking last month, Wiggins detailed the extent of the cocaine addiction he developed after his retirement from cycling and explained how his family members feared for him.In his interview with the BBC, Wiggins said he had wanted to be the “teller of my story”.”We are all humans at the end of the day and it is a human story and I’ve had lots of events in my life that informed the problems I had in my life post-cycling,” he said.”I’d never had therapy or counselling during my time as a cyclist because you’re perceived as a cyclist – or certainly when you’re an Olympic champion or the Tour de France winner – to be incredibly mentally strong.”Wiggins won Olympic gold medals on the track at the 2004, 2008 and 2016 Games, and also won the road time trial at London 2012, two weeks after becoming the winning the Tour de France.”I was one for not taking on help as well or asking for help,” he added.”I’m never going to make the same mistake twice, so I’ve sort of vowed that to myself. I’ve learned from the past.”I’m coming up to 10 years to retirement and I knew nothing else other than cycling really, and having everything done for you on a daily basis.”It took me a long time to adapt to normal life, as it were, and all the things that contribute to keeping me in a steady place.”Related topicsCycling