Marco Bianchi 
Ulster Rugby has brought former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt on board as a coach development adviser to help create a sustainable coaching pipeline. General manager Rory Best says Schmidt’s expertise will give the province a “lift” as they aim to improve squad depth and continuity ahead of the new United Rugby Championship season.
Dundee United confirmed that manager Jim Goodwin will miss the upcoming Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock after being admitted to hospital with an illness. Assistant Lee Sharp took over first‑team training and pre‑match media duties, while the club asked for privacy for Goodwin and his family.
Welsh para-rower Ben Pritchard successfully defended his PR1 men’s single sculls world title at the World Championships in Amsterdam, posting a time of 8:50.46. He overcame a strong challenge from Italy’s Giacomo Perini and Australia’s Erik Horrie, winning by nearly seven seconds despite adverse weather conditions.
The Netherlands women’s cricket team posted 270-4, powered by Phebe Molkenboer’s maiden ODI century, and restricted Scotland to 212 all out, winning by 58 runs. The victory gave the Dutch side a 1-0 lead in the three‑match series held at Titwood, Glasgow.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee confirmed that every athlete and official will be provided with suitable accommodation, addressing earlier concerns about a shortage of rooms. Up to 5,000 athletes will stay on the cruise ship Costa Serena, with additional athletes housed in container‑style huts and hotels in Tokyo.
The Nagoya and Aichi region, organisers of the 2026 Asian Games, announced they have insufficient rooms for the roughly 17,000 athletes and officials expected. Up to 5,000 athletes will be housed on the cruise ship Costa Serena, while others must find their own accommodation.
Trabzonspor’s head coach Fatih Tekke tendered his resignation after the club’s 4‑0 loss to Ferencvaros in the Europa League play‑off, but the Turkish side rejected the emotional resignation. The club will now compete in the Europa Conference League and continues to bolster its squad with recent signings such as Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Andre Onana on loan.
Celtic and Rangers will each host their upcoming Scottish Cup ties without spectators after the quarter‑final clash at Ibrox was marred by pitch‑invading fans. Both clubs must also pay a £100,000 penalty to the opposition, and further incidents could trigger additional closed‑door matches.
Larne manager Gary Haveron described the club’s exit from the UEFA Conference League as heartbreaking after a 0‑3 defeat to Gibraltar side Lincoln Red Imps. Despite leading 2‑0 from the first leg, Larne conceded three goals in the second leg, including a late penalty, and were knocked out. Haveron praised his team’s effort but lamented missed chances and the narrow margins that decided the tie.
Brazilian hurdler Alison dos Santos broke the 400m hurdles world record, running 45.80 seconds at the Zurich Diamond League meeting. The performance eclipsed Karsten Warholm’s 2021 mark and highlighted dos Santos’ unbeaten season. The record was set in front of a Swiss crowd, underscoring his rising dominance in the event.