Bath’s second-half revival carries them past Bristol and into Premiership final

Bath’s oval-ball custodians have spent years trying – and failing – to construct a team to match the striking nature of their home city. Now, finally, they are within 80 minutes of claiming their first domestic league title since 1995-96 after a storming second-half revival put paid to a gallant Bristol side who had led by seven points at half-time.If the outcome was still theoretically up in the air at the interval there was not a shred of doubt by the hour mark, Bath launching a blistering fusillade that yielded four converted tries without reply and underlined their status as short-priced favourites to lift the Premiership trophy at Twickenham next Saturday. “This team is tough to beat,” confirmed their head coach, Johann van Graan. “Bristol asked some questions but effort-wise I couldn’t be prouder

Bath 34-20 Bristol: Premiership rugby union semi-final – as it happened

Here’s Rob Kitson’s report from the Rec:Thanks for your company, that’s yer lot from me. Come back tomorrow for the second semi between Leicester and Sale. Bye.The was the slight whiff of an upset for a little while, but that was before Bath hammered their obvious superiority in the third quarter. Three tries and then some outstanding defensive work to hold Bristol up over the line twice put the result beyond doubt

Old-tech Bashir is trying something wild and brave amid the battle for Bethell | Barney Ronay

Bruised skies, sun through clouds, dualism, life in death. Welcome to the bloom of another England Test Match summer, the summer, this time around, of Bethell and Bashir. But of Bethell first because he’s the easy bit.The battle for Jacob Bethell is of course just beginning. Everyone wants a piece of England’s most thrillingly talented young cricketer

Allegations of rape at rowing club ‘deeply concerning’ say Sport England and UK Sport

Allegations of rape and harassment at one of Britain’s most prestigious rowing clubs have been described as “deeply concerning” by Sport England and UK Sport.Both funding bodies have raised their concerns with British Rowing after the Telegraph reported there had been three separate alleged rape incidents involving male rowers within the past five years at the Leander Club, which supplied more than half of Team GB’s rowers at the Paris Olympics.According to the Telegraph, the women rowers at the club had taken to wearing white ribbons and pink vests in 2024 to protest against what was described as “the worst-kept secret in British rowing”, and that several male members also joined them in protest.In a statement, Sport England, the funding body of grassroots sport in England, said it had raised the matter with British Rowing and urged the victims to go to the police.“These are deeply concerning allegations regarding both behaviours and cultures, and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted,” it said

Roldan wins Tour of Britain stage two in Saltburn as Faulkner takes overall lead

Mara Roldan pulled off a successful late breakaway on the steep approach to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, winning the second stage of the Tour of Britain Women by 12 seconds.The 21-year-old, who hails from Canada’s Yukon territory, made a push for victory with 14km to go and held on to win ahead of Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek). British teenager Cat Ferguson (Movistar) finished fifth for the second stage in a row, just behind third-placed Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) and Roldan’s Picnic-Post NL teammate, Megan Jastrab.Also in the chasing group was Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), who finished ninth but did enough to take the overall leader’s green jersey. Faulkner, the Olympic road race champion in Paris, leads a frustrated Markus by just four seconds

Carlos Alcaraz returns to French Open final after Lorenzo Musetti retires hurt

Carlos Alcaraz continued his imperious march through the clay-court season as he reached his second consecutive French Open final by defeating Lorenzo Musetti, the eighth seed, who was forced to retire with a left thigh injury while Alcaraz led 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 2-0.After a difficult start to the year, the 22-year-old has found his way in a clay-court season that has yielded Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. He will now attempt to become the third man this century, after Gustavo Kuerten and Rafael Nadal, to retain the French Open. Alcaraz, the second seed in Paris, is also the fifth-youngest man in the open era to reach five grand slam finals and he will attempt to extend his record to winning all of them. He has won 21 matches and lost once on clay this year