I Dig Sports
Jones backs Morgan to pick up Wales captaincy baton
Asked if Morgan could lead Wales once again, Jones said: "Without a doubt. He did a phenomenal job of leading Wales before.
"Dewi has picked the baton up in Jac's absence and made it his own while Jac has been coming back into the squad.
"We're really fortunate here [at Ospreys] to have two recent Welsh captains sitting in our midst. They are quality, whichever player is chosen at anytime will do a fantastic job, the boys are incredible."
Wales are still hopeful of getting Lake back to play some part of the tournament.
The worse case diagnosis was 12-weeks out from December, which could still see him return for the last two games.
"My understanding is that it [Lake's rehabilitation] is going really well," added Jones.
"He's working hard and the feedback from the Welsh Rugby Union and our own camp is that he's progressing well and we're just playing that be ear now.
"It's all positive at the moment."
Rugby referee Chris Busby is set to retire from officiating following critical comments made by Mack Hansen which resulted in a ban for the Ireland international.
Busby was appointed an assistant referee for France v Wales and Italy v France in this year's Six Nations, but BBC Sport NI has learned that Sunday's Investec Champions Cup match between Bath and Clermont is expected to be his last as an official in the professional game.
Ireland wing Hansen will be suspended for three matches after criticising Busby and his officiating team in Connacht's loss to Leinster in the United Rugby Championship last month.
Hansen received a six-week suspension, three of which are suspended, meaning he will be available for Ireland's Six Nations campaign.
Hansen said the refereeing in the Aviva Stadium match on 21 December made it feel like Connacht were playing against "16 men".
As part of his sanction, Australia-born Hansen - for whom a lengthier ban would have impacted his availability for the Six Nations - must apologise to referee Busby and undertake "an appropriate course related to match officiating".
While personal reasons are thought to be at the forefront of Busby's decision, it is believed the Hansen episode was a factor.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. There are hundreds of short-track racing heroes with the talent to race in the NASCAR Cup Series but never get the opportunity.
Tim Brown is getting that chance. The veteran modified racer will drive a Rick Ware Racing Ford in the Feb. 2 Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Brown has won 12 track championships and 101 races at the legendary quarter-mile race track, which also serves as the home of Winston-Salem State football. As well, Brown is a full-time employee of Rick Ware Racing, preparing race cars that compete weekly in the Cup Series.
As one would imagine, the 53-year-old Brown is excited about the opportunity.
They call it the Madhouse for a reason. That place is super exciting because its the pinnacle of short-track racing, Brown said. When youre driving a modified there, the thing is turning 8500 rpms and really loud, but you can hear the fans cheering you or booing you when youre actually racing, and I dont know that theres any Cup track that you could hear that, so its definitely different. The fans there are super passionate. Just the history of the place. Its gonna be an awesome show, I believe.
He believes experience at Bowman Gray will be more important than at other race tracks.
I think youre gonna have to be super aggressive just to get the tires to fire to make lap times. I also think that any driver thats had any laps around the stadium is gonna have an advantage over any driver that hasnt just simply for the fact that the grip level there is totally different, Brown explained. The line is different. The place is just unique. Its completely flat.
Theres no banking at all and thats a unique place all on its own. As far as being aggressive, we hope our car is fast enough that you really dont have to be that aggressive, but youll have to go into each circumstance and do what you have to do to get in the show and run as well as you can. If that means putting the bumper to somebody and moving them to get by, thats what well have to do.
Unlike any other driver in the Clash field, Brown is playing a hands-on role in preparing the car he will drive in the annual exhibition race that kicks off the NASCAR season
Id say 60 percent of the car, Brown said. I definitely have a big part in all of the suspension parts, the racks, the steering, even help install the motor, the seat interior, rear suspension all of it, basically. I dont have anything to do with the body hanging and things like that, but all of the mechanical stuff Ill have a part in.
Though, Brown has never raced a Cup Series car, hes very familiar with the cockpits of the machines he will race.
Here at RWR, I drive our race cars on the chassis dyno every Friday, so I sit in them quite a bit, but this one is a little bit different because I know this is actually a race car Im going into battle with, he said. Its pretty cool from that side of it to just sit in it and realize in the moment that, Hey, Im gonna actually get to race this one.
Like most local racing competitors, Brown is familiar with what it takes to balance a job, racing on the weekends and family life. He credits his wife, Megan, with his ability to make it all happen.
I hope my wife is listening because the balancing act falls on her because basically Megan has to run our entire household as far as getting the kids to school and home and feeding them and putting them to bed because my day starts at 3:30-4:00 oclock in the morning and it ends about 10 oclock at night, Brown said. I live an hour-and-a-half from work and then my shop is 15 minutes from the house, so Ive dedicated my whole life to it. She knew that going in.
When we dated I was a racer, so we got married and she kind of understood it, but its just what I do. Thats what racers do. We do what we have to do to go compete at the highest level that we can and its tough.
I really dont have a balancing act. Its a hard conversation to have every now and then of like, in my world, and I hate to say this, I cant really prioritize anything because working for a Cup team or even on my race car, you never know what that day has in store for you, Brown continued. If NASCAR makes a rule change or someone comes out with a part thats better that will make us faster, like for my deal, then youve got to stay and get it done. So, its very important as a racer to have a wife that understands and doesnt complain and fuss about it too much. Megan is how I survive, basically.
Brown will continue to chase his racing dreams on Feb. 2.
MT. PLEASANT, Mich. Beard Motorsports announced today that it plans to qualify for the Daytona 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway.
Driver Anthony Alfredo will be back behind the wheel of the Beard Motorsports Chevrolet, which will be dressed in the colors of Fortify Building Solutions.
Started by the late Mark Beard Sr., Beard Motorsports is owned and operated by the Beard family with Linda Beard at the helm, and her children, Amie Beard-Deja and Mark Beard Jr., overseeing the daily operations.
The 2025 season is Beard Motorsports ninth participating in select events that make up the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and the season-opening Daytona 500 will mark the teams seventh start in the Great American Race since making its debut in that event in 2017.
Its an honor to be talking about our ninth season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, said Beard-Deja, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. This obviously started as a passion project for my dad and has become a labor of love for our family. We put in a lot of hard work and that is evident by the product we bring to the track every time we show up. Its a credit to the team of people that we have assembled to prepare our racecars, and it all starts with our crew chief Darren Shaw, who has been busy preparing the car for the 2025 Daytona 500.
We are thrilled to have Anthony Alfredo back behind the wheel of the No. 62 Chevrolet and are very honored to continue the relationship we have started with Fortify Building Solutions. To have that brand continue its support of Beard Motorsports means a lot.
Since making his NASCAR debut in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2019, Alfredo has been busy making a name for himself in the NASCAR garage.
The native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, has competed in all three of NASCARs top touring series and has been a regular in the NASCAR Xfinity Series the last three seasons. Alfredo raced the Beard Motorsports entry in three Cup Series races in 2024, earning a career-best finish of sixth in the April 21 GEICO 500 at Talladega.
The NASCAR Cup Series is the goal for every driver that goes the NASCAR route, Alfredo said. The Beards gave me this chance to race for them last year and I couldnt be happier to be back competing with them again in 2025. They are such a great family and the team does a great job bringing fast cars to the track. We learned a lot together in 2024 and I think it will be a difference-maker for us going into this season.
Two Wild defenders added to lengthy injured list
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild have added defensemen Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber to their list of key injured players, leaving them out of the lineup for their game against Colorado on Thursday night.
Brodin's status is day to day. He has a lower-body injury from blocking a shot late in the 6-4 win over St. Louis on Tuesday night. Wild coach John Hynes had no update after the team's morning skate on Thursday on the timetable for the return of Faber, who has an upper-body injury from an elbow he took from Blues forward Jake Neighbours at the end of his first shift.
The Wild already were missing captain Jared Spurgeon (lower body), who is expected to be out for another week or two after taking a slew foot from Nashville forward Zachary L'Heureux in their game on Dec. 31. That leaves Minnesota without three of its top four defensemen. Jake Middleton just returned from a 10-game absence because of an upper-body injury.
The Wild also have been without star left wing Kirill Kaprizov (lower body), who missed his seventh straight game on Thursday. Kaprizov, who is tied for fourth in the NHL with 23 goals and ninth in the league with 50 points, has skated on the last two days and could return soon.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin will start Thursday's game against the visiting New Jersey Devils, coach Peter Laviolette announced.
Shesterkin has missed the team's past four games due to an upper-body injury. He sustained the injury during the Rangers' 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Dec. 30.
Signed to an eight-year, $92 million contract last month, Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the top netminder for the 2021-22 season.
Shesterkin finished third in Hart Trophy (MVP) balloting during his stellar 2021-22 season in which he went 36-13-4 and led the NHL with both a 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.
Shesterkin, 29, has posted an 11-15-1 record with a 3.10 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in 27 games (27 starts) this season.
He is 146-74-18 with 16 shutouts, a 2.50 GAA and .919 save percentage in 240 career appearances (235 starts) with the Rangers.
The Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Sean Monahan on injured reserve Thursday because of an upper body injury sustained in the 4-3 shootout win at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Adam Fantilli is expected to move up to center the top line when the Blue Jackets host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
"Guys have watched how [Monahan] conducts himself, and hopefully they try to do the exact same thing," coach Dean Evason said Thursday. "Our bench is calm in large part because of him up front and [defenseman Zach Werenski] on the back end. They're both very calming influence players, but we have other guys that do that as well.
"But if the guys that are playing in tonight's hockey game have learned anything from 'Monny,' it's that he's even-keeled. He doesn't get too high, too low, all those clichés. He just goes about his business. We expect our team to do that here tonight."
In a corresponding move, the Blue Jackets added rookie forward Owen Sillinger on an emergency recall from the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.
Monahan, 30, has 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists), 14 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating in 41 games this season. He ranks second on the team in plus/minus rating and third in goals, assists and points.
He has 579 career points (258 goals, 321 assists) in 805 games with the Calgary Flames (2013-22), Montreal Canadiens (2022-24), Winnipeg Jets (2024) and Blue Jackets, who signed him as a free agent in July. The Flames selected him sixth overall in the 2013 NHL draft.
Sillinger, 27, is on a one-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract with the Blue Jackets. He has eight goals and 17 assists with 18 penalty minutes in 34 games with Cleveland this season.
Vela's family safe after home destroyed in LA fires
The wife of former Mexico international Carlos Vela has stated that the player and family are safe after their Malibu home burned down in the devastating Palisades Fire in Southern California.
"Our beautiful Malibu home burned down yesterday ... We are still in shock with everything that's happening," Saioa Cañibano posted on social media.
"It's very sad and scary to see everything burning. To all the messages of concern that are being sent to us, we are safe. Sending much love to all those affected and hopefully they will soon manage to put out the fire."
According to the Wildfire Alliance, the Palisades Fire is the most destructive in Los Angeles history after destroying an estimated 1,000 structures.
Vela and his family first moved to the Los Angeles area ahead of the 2018 debut season for LAFC. With the expansion club, the Mexican winger and 2019 MLS MVP claimed an MLS Cup trophy and two Supporters' Shields titles.
He left LAFC after the 2023 season before rejoining them in late 2024 for the rest of their campaign last year.
In November, LAFC declined an option for Vela's contract in 2025, but the parties remain in discussions over the player's future.
Across town, the ongoing wildfires could also impact an upcoming wild-card NFL playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium next Monday. On Wednesday, the NFL stated that they are monitoring developments and have a contingency plan to move the game to State Farm Stadium in Arizona, if needed.
Sources: Moyes in line to replace Dyche at Everton
David Moyes is the frontrunner to return to Everton and replace Sean Dyche as manager, sources have told ESPN, with the 61-year-old the favoured candidate of the club's new owners to steer the team away from relegation danger.
Moyes, who left Everton in 2013 after eleven years as manager to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, has been out of work since leaving West Ham at the end of last season and sources have said he is open to a second spell in charge.
Despite Jose Mourinho initially being priced as the odds-on favourite to replace Dyche, sources have told ESPN that the Fenerbahce coach is not a candidate to move to Everton at this stage.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager, who has spoken of his determination to return to Premier League, was fired by AS Roma -- also owned by the Friedkin Group -- after two and a half years in charge of the Italian club in Jan 2024.
The Friedkin Group completed their takeover of Everton on Dec. 19 and have wasted no time in making a change of manager, with former Burnley boss Dyche officially dismissed just three hours ahead of Thursday's FA Cup third round tie at home to Peterborough United.
Everton had dropped to within a point of the Premier League relegation zone after winning just one of their last 11 league games, and with the club moving into their new stadium at the start of next season, the necessity to spark a revival and escape the relegation fight prompted the new owners to act.
Everton under-18 coach Leighton Baines and team captain Seamus Coleman have been put in temporary charge of the team, but a swift appointment is anticipated and Moyes's availability and Premier League track record have now made him the No. 1 choice to replace Dyche.
Amad commits future to United with new 5-yr deal
Amad Diallo has signed a new contract at Manchester United until 2030, the club confirmed on Thursday.
The deal -- previously reported by ESPN -- sees the Ivory Coast winger commit his long-term future to the club after breaking through as a key player under Ruben Amorim.
Amad has scored six goals in 28 appearances this season, including the equaliser in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield and the winner against Manchester City in December.
His contract was due to expire at the end of the season, although United held an option to extend his deal by 12 months.
"I am really proud to have signed this new contract," Amad, 22, said. "I have had some incredible moments with this club already but there is so much more to come. I have huge ambitions in the game and I want to achieve history at Manchester United.
"It has been a difficult season for everyone, but I fully believe that we are on the right path and the future is going to be really special. I am ready to give everything to help the team and make our supporters proud again."
The announcement comes amid strong form with three goals in his last six Premier League games, though Amad endured a slow start to his career at United.
He arrived in a 37 million ($46m) deal from Atalanta in 2020 and was subsequently sent out on loan to Rangers and Sunderland. He excelled at the English club, scoring 14 goals in 42 games during the 2022-23 campaign.
He won both Sunderland's young player of the year award and the PFA Championship fans' player of the year award.
Man United are currently 13th in the Premier League and are on a five-game winless run.
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