Beau Greaves stuns Luke Littler in PDC world youth championship thriller
Beau Greaves won a thrilling last-leg decider to shock Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship in Wigan.Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion who has secured a PDC Tour card for the 2026-27 season, had gone 2-1 up in the semi-final.Littler responded with the next three legs, the PDC world champion competing the day after defeating rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester.Doncaster’s Greaves – who has also won the PDC Women’s World Matchplay twice – produced a recovery of her own to level the match at 4-4 and then again at 5-5 to force a last-leg decider.Greaves took out an 80 checkout as Littler slipped to a rare defeat despite a match average of 107.
4, with his opponent averaging 105.The defending champion, Gian van Veen, came through the other side of the knockout draw, beating Sebastian Bialecki 6-4 in his semi-final.The final will be held on 23 November at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, which will also be hosting the 2025 Players Championship Finals.Rather than taking some downtime after winning what he admitted had been a “brutal” double-start event in Leicester, Littler was back on the oche at the Robin Park Leisure Centre on Monday afternoon as part of the 128-strong field.The 18-year-old, who has also won the UK Open and World Matchplay this season to close on Humphries’ world No 1 ranking, had no trouble in progressing from the initial round-robin stage, with the players split into 32 groups of four and the top two advancing to the knockout rounds.
Littler saw off Tom Garfield 6-2, averaging 102, before dispatching Ireland’s Ronan McDonagh 6-1 to move into the last 16.Charlie Manby – who is fourth on the PDC Development Tour rankings – led Littler 5-3 only for the world No 2 to reel off the final three legs.The quarter-final against Jamai van den Herik proved less dramatic, as Littler built on a fast start to close out a 6-1 win – but an expected repeat of the 2023 final with Van Veen was denied by Greaves’ exceptional display, as she became the first woman to reach the world youth championship final.Sign up to Sport in FocusSign up to Sport in Focusafter newsletter promotionGreaves topped her round-robin group with three wins from three games, then whitewashed Coby Jones-Swanson in her first knockout game.The 21-year-old defeated Dutchman Danny Jansen 6-2 in the last 16, but had to overturn a 4-2 deficit against Tyler Thorpe, reeling off four consecutive legs to advance.
In her quarter-final, Greaves defied a brief rally from Germany’s Liam Maendl-Lawrance to win 6-2 and set up the blockbuster clash against Littler.The pair could meet again at November’s Grand Slam of Darts, which Greaves has qualified for by topping the PDC Women’s Series Order of Merit this year.Littler took to social media to congratulate Greaves on her win and wish her well for the final.Writing on his Instagram story, Littler said: “I had two 10-dart legs, missed double 12 for a nine and still couldn’t win.Fair play to Beau.
All the best in Minehead.Some talent.”
The Breakdown | South American rugby success stories propel men's World Cup qualifying
While many fans in the UK ponder the early-season fortunes of their clubs, or perhaps debate selection for the imminent autumn internationals, the qualifying battle for the 2027 Rugby World Cup rages on.Chile sealed their second consecutive appearance at the tournament with a sensational playoff win against Samoa last month, leaving a single spot to be won for Australia in two years’ time. On Saturday Paraguay stunned Brazil 39-19 in the first leg of their playoff. The second leg takes place this Saturday in Jacareí, near São Paulo, as Brazil’s men attempt to emulate the women and qualify for the first time.Whether Paraguay complete a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil recover in the wake of the head coach Emiliano Caffera’s recent dismissal, the lineup for next month’s Dubai qualification tournament will then be locked in
Beau Greaves stuns Luke Littler in PDC world youth championship thriller
Beau Greaves won a thrilling last-leg decider to shock Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship in Wigan.Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion who has secured a PDC Tour card for the 2026-27 season, had gone 2-1 up in the semi-final. Littler responded with the next three legs, the PDC world champion competing the day after defeating rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester.Doncaster’s Greaves – who has also won the PDC Women’s World Matchplay twice – produced a recovery of her own to level the match at 4-4 and then again at 5-5 to force a last-leg decider. Greaves took out an 80 checkout as Littler slipped to a rare defeat despite a match average of 107
Luke Littler’s poker face may be the key to his dominance in darts | Sean Ingle
Sunday night in Leicester. A study in contrast. At one point Luke Humphries’s eyes widen as another 22g Red Dragon dart flies past double 16. He shakes his head. Looks down
‘Not difficult’: Wane explains omission of Jake Connor from England Ashes squad
The England head coach, Shaun Wane, has said the decision to leave Super League’s Man of Steel, Jake Connor, out of his squad for the Ashes was “not really difficult”. He added that he does not understand the obsession surrounding the exile of the Leeds Rhinos half-back.Connor is by far the most notable omission from the 24-man squad to take on Australia in the first Ashes series since 2003. It begins on 25 October at Wembley, with Tests at Everton and Headingley to follow on successive Saturdays. There are a number of surprise inclusions, including a returnfor Hull KR’s Joe Burgess after his two-try performance in the Super League Grand Final on Saturday
Champion Stakes at Ascot attracts the best but faces fight to maintain status
The Champion Stakes at Ascot, the highlight of the track’s Champions Day card this weekend, has barely figured in the official annual assessment of the “World’s Best Horse Race” since the prize – which is based on the average end-of-year rating of the first four horses home – was first awarded in 2015.The 2022 Champion, in which Bay Bridge beat Adayar with the previously unbeaten Baaeed fourth, was the runner-up behind Flightline’s sign-off win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic a couple of weeks later, but five of the past 10 runnings have failed to make even the top 10 globally. To date, York’s International Stakes, in 2020 and 2024, is the only British race to finish at the top of the pile.Ascot’s executives will quietly fancy their chances this year, however, after three of the top 12 horses worldwide at any distance all stood their ground for Saturday’s £1.3m Champion Stakes at Monday’s five-day stage
Luther Burrell claims speaking out about racist abuse ended rugby career
The former England player Luther Burrell has alleged he was effectively forced to retire after he spoke out about racist abuse he suffered from teammates.Burrell first alleged he had been the victim of racism while playing for Newcastle in 2022. Among the allegations he made at the time, Burrell claimed a teammate had referred to him as a “slave” and told him to apply sunscreen to his wrists and ankles as that’s “where your shackles were”.Speaking on Monday to the BBC, Burrell said the investigation that began after he made the claims caused his opportunities to dry up and that despite wanting to keep playing he has been unable to find a contract at a professional club for the past three years.“I have absolutely had to retire because of what’s gone on,” Burrell said
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