Fiji FA to conduct nearly 200 drug tests at IDC – FBC News
[file photo] The Fiji Football Association has confirmed that random drug testing will again be enforced at this year’s FMF Inter-District Championship in Ba, as part of its ongoing efforts to keep the sport clean and fair. Fiji FA General Manager Operations, Anushil Kumar, says the same strict procedures used in previous tournaments will be applied at the IDC. “The random drug test will continue as we have been having in our previous tournaments. So the procedure will remain the same. There will be one target and two random picks per team, per match.” Article continues after advertisement He added that this means a total of six tests per match, with 198 tests expected to be conducted if the tournament runs through to the Super Premier Final. “Again, this is part of Fiji FA’s fight to combat the issue of drugs and to ensure the sport remains drug-free.” The IDC kicks off this tomorrow in Ba and fans can catch live commentary of all the matches on Radio Fiji Two. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
England v Wales: Wales player watch as Aaron Ramsey picks up fresh injury scare
Although Dan James has been ruled out of this international window through injury, three of his team-mates started in Leeds United’s 2-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow, defender Joe Rodon and midfielder Ethan Ampadu played the whole game, although Leeds skipper Ampadu did endure a nervous moment when VAR took a long look at his challenge on Pedro Porro that in the end only merited a yellow card. Spurs winger Brennan Johnson only got a run-out for the eight minutes of added time, while defender Ben Davies was an unused substitute. Although Darlow should be match-sharp, fellow stoppers Adam Davies (Sheffield United) and Tom King (Everton) did not play for their clubs. Swansea City’s 3-1 home loss to Leicester City also contained plenty of Welsh interest. Centre-back Ben Cabango lasted the course for the Swans, with striker Liam Cullen getting 66 minutes. The Foxes started with Jordan James – who is on loan from Stade Rennais – and the midfielder came off with four minutes of normal time remaining with the win in the bag. Cardiff City fielded three Wales squad members in their thrilling 4-3 win over Leyton Orient in League One. Centre-back Dylan Lawlor grabbed a goal, while right-back Ronan Kpakio and midfielder Joel Colwill provided assists. Centre-back Chris Mepham played the entirety of West Bromwich Albion’s 3-0 Championship defeat at Millwall, with Mepham also picking up a 12th-minute booking. In contrast, Jay Dasilva enjoyed his afternoon at left-back for Coventry City as they came away from Sheffield Wednesday with a handsome 5-0 win. Sorba Thomas continues to impress for Stoke City, the left wing providing the assist for their goal in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers. Striker Mark Harries got five minutes off the bench for Oxford United in their 2-1 loss at Watford, although that was more than Josh Sheehan who remained on the bench in Bolton Wanderers’ 2-1 win over Peterborough United. On Sunday, Neco Williams retained his berth at left-back for a Nottingham Forest side that went to Newcastle United in the Premier League, but left still searching for form under new boss Ange Postecoglou after a 2-0 defeat.
New England Patriots end final unbeaten record with victory at Buffalo Bills
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more The final unbeaten record in the NFL came to an end as the New England Patriots stunned the Buffalo Bills 23-20. After the Philadelphia Eagles saw their perfect start to the season ended by the Denver Broncos, the Bills followed suit as they went down at home to their AFC East rivals. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye passed for 273 yards and former Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs had 10 catches for 146 yards as the visitors edged a penalty-strewn clash with Andy Borregales’ 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining. Borregales landed two field goals in the first half as the Patriots edged ahead 6-3 at half-time, but the Bills went ahead when Josh Allen found Curtis Samuel from six yards. Two touchdown runs from Rhamondre Stevenson put the Patriots in front 20-10 early in the final quarter, but Allen found Keon Coleman from two yards to cut the gap. Matt Prater’s field goal from 45 yards levelled the scores, but Maye moved the Patriots into position for Borregales to secure back-to-back wins for the first time in almost three years. The Bills’ loss means no team has started the season 5-0 for the first time since 2014. Philadelphia suffered their first loss of the season as Denver fought back for a 21-17 victory at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. The Broncos began the final quarter trailing 17-3 but quarterback Bo Nix led a late rally and touchdowns from JK Dobbins and Evan Ingram, plus a 36-yard field goal from Will Lutz, saw them snatch victory. Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts still threw for 280 yards and touchdown passes for Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley but a last-gasp attempt to salvage the game on the final play was thwarted. The result left the Eagles 4-1 while the Broncos, for whom Nix threw for 242 yards, improved to 3-2. Joey Slye’s 29-yard field goal as time ran out completed a comeback from 21-6 down in the final quarter to beat the Arizona Cardinals 22-21 and end a run of 10 straight losses for the Tennessee Titans. Cardinals running back Emari Demercado dropped the ball before the goal line as he began celebrating what would have been a 72-yard touchdown early in the final quarter. Another last-ditch field goal from Chase McLaughlin gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a 38-35 win over the Seattle Seahawks after Lavonte David had regained possession by intercepting Sam Darnold with 58 seconds remaining. David Montgomery ran for one touchdown and threw for another as the Detroit Lions won a fourth straight game, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 37-24, while the Washington Commanders held the Los Angeles Chargers scoreless after the first quarter in a 27-10 win. Carson Wentz picked out Jordan Addison with 30 seconds remaining as the Minnesota Vikings claimed a dramatic 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns in London. The Browns had been on course for victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after a touchdown from David Njoku gave them a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. Addison had the final say on a 12-yard pass from Wentz after the Vikings (3-2) had earlier replied to a Harold Fannin score and Andre Szymt field goal for the Browns (1-4) with touchdowns from Josh Oliver and Jordan Mason. Elsewhere, Miami squandered a 17-0 lead as they were beaten 27-24 in a thriller at Carolina while Baltimore’s dismal start to the season continued as they were thrashed 44-10 at home to the Houston Texans. Indianapolis also enjoyed a big win as they beat Las Vegas 40-6 and New Orleans claimed their first win of the campaign, beating New York Giants 26-14. New York Jets remain winless after going down 37-22 at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
Watch the game that ended Martin’s Rangers tenure
Watch highlights of what proved to be Russell Martin’s final game as Rangers head coach, the 1-1 draw at Falkirk. (Available to UK users only)
One match suspension and fine for Shankar – FBC News
Delon Shankar. [Photo Credit: Fiji FA] Rewa Football’s young midfielder Delon Shankar has been handed a one-match suspension and a $300 fine by the Fiji Football Association’s disciplinary committee for his conduct during the Secondary School’s IDC. This disciplinary action means Shankar will miss tomorrow’s IDC opening match against Nadroga in Ba. The 18-year-old captained Vunimono High School in the School’s IDC in August, faced public criticism for his indiscipline, which led to his referral to the Fiji FA’s disciplinary committee for a hearing. Article continues after advertisement The hearing was able to proceed recently as the IDC approached, following his return from Australia where he attended trials with A-League club Sydney FC in September. Meanwhile, Rewa FC will also be missing two veteran players in their IDC lineup: Madhwan Goundar and Iosefo Verevou. Goundar was ruled out due to an injury sustained during the Police IDC last month, while Verevou, who joined the team late due to work commitments, did not meet the team’s fitness standards. IDC starts tomorrow at Govind Park, Ba. Fans can catch live commentary of all the matches on Radio Fiji Two. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Denver Broncos hit back to end Philadelphia Eagles’ unbeaten record
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Super Bowl champions Philadelphia suffered their first loss of the season as Denver fought back for a 21-17 victory at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. The Broncos began the final quarter trailing 17-3 but quarterback Bo Nix led a late rally and touchdowns from JK Dobbins and Evan Ingram, plus a 36-yard field goal from Will Lutz, saw them snatch victory. Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts still threw for 280 yards and touchdown passes for Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley but a last-gasp attempt to salvage the game on the final play was thwarted. The result left the Eagles 4-1 while the Broncos, for whom Nix threw for 242 yards, improved to 3-2. Carson Wentz picked out Jordan Addison with 30 seconds remaining as the Minnesota Vikings claimed a dramatic 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns in London. The Browns had been on course for victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after a touchdown from David Njoku gave them a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. Addison had the final say on a 12-yard pass from Wentz after the Vikings (3-2) had earlier replied to a Harold Fannin score and Andre Szymt field goal for the Browns (1-4) with touchdowns from Josh Oliver and Jordan Mason. Joey Slye’s 29-yard field goal as time ran out completed a comeback from 21-6 down in the final quarter to beat the Arizona Cardinals 22-21 and end a run of 10 straight losses for the Tennessee Titans. Cardinals running back Emari Demercado dropped the ball before the goal line as he began celebrating what would have been a 72-yard touchdown early in the final quarter. Another last-ditch field goal from Chase McLaughlin gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a 38-35 win over the Seattle Seahawks after Lavonte David had regained possession by intercepting Sam Darnold with 58 seconds remaining. David Montgomery ran for one touchdown and threw for another as the Detroit Lions won a fourth straight game, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 37-24, while the Washington Commanders held the Los Angeles Chargers scoreless after the first quarter in a 27-10 win. Elsewhere, Miami squandered a 17-0 lead as they were beaten 27-24 in a thriller at Carolina while Baltimore’s dismal start to the season continued as they were thrashed 44-10 at home to the Houston Texans. Indianapolis also enjoyed a big win as they beat Las Vegas 40-6 and New Orleans claimed their first win of the campaign, beating New York Giants 26-14. New York Jets remain winless after going down 37-22 at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
Joe Hart explains why Ange Postecoglou needs time at Nottingham Forest
Match of the Day’s Joe Hart talks about his experience playing under Ange Postecoglou at Celtic to explain why he should be given more time at Nottingham Forest despite a winless start. READ MORE: Postecoglou ‘expects’ talks with Forest owner and vows to ‘fight’
Rangers contenders: Steven Gerrard, Sean Dyche and Derek McInnes in frame
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Rangers are looking to replace Russell Martin after the former Southampton boss was sacked on Sunday night following the 1-1 draw with Falkirk. Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the contenders for the hot seat. Steven Gerrard Still the darling of many Rangers fans for being last man to bring the William Hill Premiership title to Ibrox. The 45-year-old achieved hero status after he thwarted Celtic’s bid for a record 10-in-a-row in 2021. The former Liverpool and England captain’s decision to leave for Aston Villa was of course criticised by a section of the Gers support and his time in Birmingham did little to enhance his managerial reputation and neither did his stint as boss of Saudi club Al-Ettifaq. However, his ability to best the team from the other side of the city over 38 games means he would command the support and respect of a fan base craving success, having watched Celtic win 13 out of the last 14 titles and this season spiral out of control already. Derek McInnes The former Rangers midfielder’s name has been linked with the managerial post at Ibrox for years but in truth he splits opinion among the Gers support. McInnes, 54, rejected the chance to become Gers manager in 2017 and a section of the Light Blues fans were peeved. However, football is fast-changing and there is not a Rangers fan who is not aware that his William Hill Premiership-leading Hearts side, whom he took over only in May after leaving Kilmarnock, are 11 points clear of Rangers after only seven fixtures and having won 2-0 at Ibrox in September. Again, McInnes would have to weigh up the lure of his boyhood club to the increasing positivity which surrounds the Tynecastle outfit at this moment. Sean Dyche Long before Martin departed Ibrox, many people put two and two together and came up with Dyche for the next Rangers manager. The link between the former Everton boss and Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell, formerly of the Toffees, means the link make senses. The 54-year-old Englishman had mixed experiences in his managerial tenures at Watford, Burnley and Everton. However, whether the old school image is correct or not, Dyche provides the promise of pragmatism that was one of the many things missing under idealogue Martin. Kevin Muscat The former Rangers defender was reportedly in contention when Belgian boss Clement got the job in 2023 and his name has never really left the lips of the Gers support. The ex-Australia international is currently in China with Shanghai Port where he won the league in 2024, which means he has secured titles in Australia, Japan and China. There is a question of timing. Port are on course to defend their league title so how much would the former Wolves, Crystal Palace and Millwall defender want to return to the UK and how much would the new owners be prepared to pay for his services?
Rising star Tegu targets Bulikula debut – FBC News
At just 19 years old, Naomi Tegu has been rewarded with a call-up to the Fiji Bulikula squad, continuing her rapid rise in rugby league. Tegu, who only began playing the sport in 2023, says she is grateful to national coach Wise Kativerata for recognising her talent and allowing her to represent her country. “I started playing rugby league in 2023, I was noticed by coach Wise. I’m so happy to be called up to the national side.” Article continues after advertisement The youngster admits the journey hasn’t been without its challenges, but she has remained focused on her dream of reaching the highest level. “They were some challenges I went through but it did not stop me. My goal this year is to debut for the Bulikula.” Her selection is being seen as both a personal milestone and a positive sign for the growing depth of women’s rugby league in Fiji. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Singapore Grand Prix winner George Russell says he ‘feels ready to fight for a championship’
Russell said he believed Singapore had been “probably my most dominant weekend” but hesitated to categorise it as his best win, saying last year’s victory in Las Vegas was “pretty cool”. He also said that winning in Singapore had been “so unexpected” – Mercedes have had a difficult run of races and their second place in the constructors’ championship was coming under threat. He said: “We need to sit down tomorrow and Tuesday to sort of understand why the performance was so good.” Russell won pole by 0.182 seconds from Verstappen, although the Dutchman felt he would have been in contention to beat his time if he had not run into dirty air from Lando Norris’ McLaren on his final lap and slid wide at the final chicane. Russell’s drive to victory was helped by Verstappen’s choice to run soft tyres at the start of the race. Once Russell kept the lead at the first corner, it meant Verstappen lacked the pace to challenge him. And he held back Norris’ McLaren, which looked to have the pace to challenge Russell, for the rest of the race. “Realistically, Lando looked incredibly fast,” Russell said. “He was within a second of Max the whole race. And around this circuit, that’s not easy. So, we’ll take the performance for today, celebrate it, and I won’t think too much about (the next race in) Austin yet.”