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“For us it’s about finalising the squad today and then we’ll look closely at who’s going to lead the side. We have quite a few options with a lot of experience in the squad now. There’s probably an opportunity for more than one captain in this series” – Wayne Pivac on the captaincy

Leigh Halfpenny is one of the three major returnees for Wales, alongside Ken Owens and Justin Tipuric

Back-row Justin Tipuric, hooker Ken Owens and full-back Leigh Halfpenny have all returned to Wales’ squad for the autumn internationals, each after missing more than a year of Test rugby. 

Tipuric (shoulder), Owens (back) and Halfpenny (knee) each make their returns as part of a 35-man squad picked by head coach Wayne Pivac to face New Zealand, Argentina, Georgia and Australia next month in the Autumn Nations Series.

Skipper Dan Biggar is not included, however, due to a knee injury picked up playing for Northampton Saints. Also out injured are key men Liam Williams (shoulder), Josh Navidi (neck) and Wyn Jones. No decision over the captaincy has been made as yet.

Wales skipper Dan Biggar misses out on the squad due to a knee injury

Five uncapped players are chosen by Pivac in back-row Josh Macleod (Scarlets), centre Joe Hawkins (Ospreys), wing Rio Dyer (Dragons), scrum-half Dane Blacker and fly-half Sam Costelow (both Scarlets).

Headline omissions include experienced Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies, Cardiff loosehead Rhys Carre and Cardiff back-row Thomas Young.

“It’s great to have Ken, Justin and Leigh back after long-term injuries,” Pivac said on Tuesday after naming the squad,

“They are three great players who have served Wales very well. They are all British and Irish Lions so quality players.

Openside flanker Tipuric returns to the fold after a serious scapula/shoulder injury

“We’re excited to have them in the squad for obvious reasons. We have a number of young players in this squad so it will be great for them to rub shoulders with these experienced ones.”

Regarding the captaincy, Pivac confirmed: “For us, it’s about finalising the squad today and then we’ll look closely at who’s going to lead the side.

“We have quite a few options with a lot of experience in the squad now. There’s probably an opportunity for more than one captain in this series.”

Hooker Owens returns following a lengthy back injury

Ospreys back row Jac Morgan and Cardiff fly-half Rhys Priestland return to the set-up, having missed out on the summer tour to South Africa, while loosehead props Rhodri Jones (Dragons) and Nicky Smith (Ospreys) return for the first time since the summer of 2021 and Exeter second row Christ Tshiunza for the first time since November last year.

“There’s a lot of young players we’ve been keeping an eye on for a number of years through the age group system and now playing club rugby,” Pivac said of the young and uncapped players in the group.

“There’s a view of the here and now in this squad but also beyond Rugby World Cup 2023 to the tournament in 2027, so there’s some young guys getting the opportunity to taste the camp environment.

“They may or may not get game time, but it will be a great experience for them.

“Dane Blacker has been playing well at nine for the Scarlets. We know a lot about Gareth (Davies), it’s not the end of the road for Gareth, I’ve spoken to him.

“Sam Costelow is another young player at the Scarlets playing well and having come through the age grade system. Joe Hawkins is the same, he captained the U20s so he’s a player for the future.

Wayne Pivac’s side will host New Zealand, Argentina, Georgia and Australia this November

“Rio Dyer came into camp ahead of the South Africa Test series to help the squad prepare and perform well. He’s currently playing really well for the Dragons.

“Josh Macleod is an interesting one. He’s been selected in a couple of camps before. Unfortunately he was injured before coming in playing for the Scarlets, then we actually named him to play in a Six Nations game against Scotland and he ruptured his Achilles in training, which was devastating for him.

“He’s a guy that’s been on our radar for some time and to get him into the squad and have another look at him, we’re excited for Josh.”

Wales 35-man Autumn Nations Series squad

Forwards (20): Rhodri Jones, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Dewi Lake, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Dillon Lewis, Sam Wainwright, Adam Beard, Ben Carter, Alun Wyn Jones, Will Rowlands, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Lydiate, Josh MacLeod, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Justin Tipuric, Christ Tshiunza

Backs (15): Dane Blacker, Kieran Hardy, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Sam Costelow, Rhys Priestland, Joe Hawkins, George North, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams, Alex Cuthbert, Rio Dyer, Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit

Players unavailable for selection due to injury: Taine Basham, Dan Biggar, Leon Brown, Seb Davies, Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Johnny Williams, Liam Williams

Sky Sports continues its weekly column bringing you essential tips from the best Fantasy Premier League managers in the world.

In our latest column, we discuss how to replace the injured Reece James, what to do with our Arsenal and Manchester City assets and much more!

The Gameweek 12 deadline is earlier than usual at 6pm on Tuesday and it’s not too late to join the official Sky Sports Fantasy League with code e7ft7m.

How do you negotiate the Arsenal and Man City blank?

Many Fantasy managers are in a position where they have at least three Manchester City or Arsenal assets.

A template has emerged which has included City trio Erling Haaland (£12.2m), Joao Cancelo (£7.3m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£12.3m) while Gabriel Martinelli (£6.7m) has been one of the must-have players this season.

If you have also recently backed Bukayo Saka (£7.9m) and Gabriel Jesus (£8.0m), it could be that you have to take a minus eight hit in order to field a starting XI in the best-case scenario of having two free transfers. Hardly ideal.

If you are one of those in this position of having not paid too much attention to forward-planning, then using the Free Hit chip makes sense, so that you revert straight back to having those City and Arsenal assets in GW13.

Given the price rises involving Haaland and Martinelli, it would be advisable to retain these players in your squad to avoid having to pay a much higher value in order to bring them back.

So who do you sacrifice?

Going without De Bruyne ahead of the World Cup break could well be the route to go down – even if only for a week – given his value has not risen exponentially. There are premium options as a direct replacement or you could restructure your side with a couple of players in the £8m-bracket…

What to do with James Maddison?

After being booked against Crystal Palace, James Maddison (£8.2m) will now miss Gameweek 12 as Leicester host Leeds.

It could not have been a worse gameweek for Maddison to get the one-match ban with benches already filled with Man City and Arsenal players.

For me, it makes Maddison a clear sell with Leandro Trossard (£6.9m), Wilfried Zaha (£7.5m) or Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) viable alternatives.

West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (£8.1m) has produced 13 shots in the box in the last four Gameweeks, more than any other midfielder in Fantasy – but it’s Liverpool away up next.

With Haaland and Jesus absent, who can provide the goals?

If you are thinking of transferring out Gabriel Jesus, bringing in Callum Wilson (£7.3m) could pay instant dividends. He was denied a penalty in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United and he has had previous success against this week’s opponents, Everton.

Wilson has scored six goals in his last four Premier League games against the Toffees, who have lost more away league matches (15) than any other side since the start of last season.

Two other striker picks who have proven very popular this term could now become options.

Ivan Toney (£7.3m) is a man in form, amassing 31 points in his last three home matches, after scoring five goals and earning six bonus points, with Chelsea up next at home.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.7m) has scored five of his seven goals this season at home. The Fulham forward averages 7.0 points per match at Craven Cottage, where Aston Villa are the visitors on Thursday.

Is De Bruyne to Salah the natural switch?

Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) is the most-bought player in Gameweek 12, earning 347,000 transfers in as of 6pm on Monday evening on the back of four goals in his last two matches in all competitions.

Kevin De Bruyne (£12.3m) has had a price drop ahead of the deadline with 434,000 owners transferring him out at the time of writing.

Manchester City’s fixture difficulty ranking is pleasing on the eye between now and the end of the year (five of their next six games rank no higher than two), but the blank gameweek has convinced many managers to come off the Belgian.

De Bruyne’s 19 chances created on the road ranks highest among all players in Fantasy, but a relatively subdued performance at Anfield coupled with the need for an obvious captaincy choice has seen the herd flock to Salah again.

There is logic to the switch, as recent displays suggest Salah could be about to return to his lethal best having been deployed more centrally in his stunning hat-trick appearance at Rangers and in deciding the game against City.

Salah has scored nine goals in 10 Premier League games against West Ham – against no side has he scored more – while Liverpool have won 48 of their last 49 league home games against the Hammers.

Liverpool face Nottingham Forest this weekend followed by a home encounter against Leeds – two games that on paper are very appealing for new Salah owners.

Is it time to get behind Bournemouth?

It has been quite a turnaround in fortunes for Bournemouth. Since the 9-0 defeat at Liverpool in August, they are the only side in the Premier League that has remained unbeaten.

With Southampton the visitors to the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday, there is differential potential brewing.

Goalkeeper Neto (£4.5m) is 0.4 per cent owned, but the Brazilian has been very solid since replacing Mark Travers as the club’s No 1 choice stopper.

Neto’s form has been crucial in Bournemouth’s six-game unbeaten run, with his two clean sheets both coming in home games. What is more, the Saints haven’t scored in any of their last three away league games.

At the other end of the pitch, all of Dominic Solanke’s (£5.8m) attacking returns this season, two goals and four assists, have been produced in Gary O’Neil’s six matches in charge.

Who to captain in Haaland’s absence?

It could well be that managers double down on Salah by handing the Egyptian the armband having brought him into the side, but this week offers a refreshing opportunity to look elsewhere for a different captain.

Trossard offers a strong skipper option for Gameweek 12, the Belgian producing five goals and two assists in his last seven matches. Nottingham Forest visit the Amex Stadium on Tuesday and have not scored in three successive away defeats, conceding 11 goals in the process.

There are other enticing options.

Crystal Palace host a Wolves side that haven’t scored in four straight away games. Zaha has blanked just once in his last four home outings, earning 26 points thanks to three goals and an assist.

Mason Mount (£7.7m) has returned with a vengeance having failed to inspire backers in the opening nine Gameweeks.

The Chelsea midfielder – so often a streaky player – has delivered both his season-high hauls in Fantasy in the last two Gameweeks, totalling 27 points thanks to two goals and two assists, with Brentford next up at the Gtech Community Stadium.

There is always the safe pick of Harry Kane (£11.4m).

The Tottenham striker is Mr Consistency, delivering attacking returns in each of his last nine fixtures. He has nine goals and two assists in that run, averaging 7.8 points per match since GW2.

The Golden State Warriors look to add another title to their era-defining dynasty, the Boston Celtics aim to bounce back from a disappointing finals performance and LeBron James is eyeing the scoring title as the 2022-23 NBA season begins this week.

A Warriors team famous for its unity saw that tested when veteran forward Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole in the face at a practice earlier this month, an incident he apologized for.

The notion that the altercation could do lasting damage to the team’s chemistry dissipated quickly when Poole signed a four-year extension worth up to $140m on Saturday. Green, a four-time All-Star, was fined but not suspended over the incident.

“He apologized and was professional,” Poole told reporters on Sunday at Chase Center, where the Warriors will raise their fourth championship banner in eight seasons on Tuesday before taking on the Lakers, live on Sky Sports.

“We plan on handling ourselves that way…that’s really all I have to say on the matter. We’re here to win a championship and keep hanging banners.”

The champions are about to find out whether the fight will be too much for even this tight-knit group of stars to overcome. Golden State will be among the favourites to reach their seventh NBA Finals in nine years, although head coach Steve Kerr warns his history-making crop may not immediately hitting the ground running in the early part of the season.

“I don’t think we’re ready to have our top five or six guys play 30 plus minutes a night,” Kerr admitted. “So we’ve got to rely on our depth, not only opening night, but probably for the first couple of weeks. And that’s okay. I think we have a really deep team. So we’ll get there eventually.”

The Warriors were not alone in dealing with unexpected setbacks during the hectic off-season, with Celtics head coach Ime Udoka handed a one-year suspension in September for “violations of team policies”.

Live NBA Basketball

Wednesday 19th October 3:00am

Interim head coach Joe Mazzulla will now take the reins of the Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown-led team, who were two wins away from delivering the storied franchise its 18th championship in June.

Lakers ‘hungry’ after missing playoffs

All eyes will also be on the Los Angeles Lakers and James, who is 1,326 points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer – something he is forecast to do around the 49th game of the season.

James, 37, is entering his 20th season and coming off a campaign where he averaged 30.3 points per game, the second-highest of his career despite the Lakers missing the playoffs.

“It’s the beginning of a long journey that you hope and the beginning of the marathon,” James said ahead of the new season. “Everyone is trying to get better throughout the season, for sure.

Live NBA Basketball

Wednesday 19th October 12:30am

Lakers will be without Dennis Schroder for the first few weeks of the campaign, with the guard undergoing a procedure to repair ligament damage in this thumb.

“My motivation is built in to turn this thing around and have a very much more improved year as opposed to what happened last year,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “So, kudos to the Warriors, last year’s champs, but this year is an all new season and we’re hungry. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder as well.”

Sky Sports will remain the home of the NBA in the UK and Ireland for the 2022-23 season. Watch the Philadelphia 76ers at the Boston Celtics, then the L.A Lakers at Golden State Warriors, live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event on Wednesday from 12.30am.

England begin T20 World Cup campaign vs Afghanistan on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Cricket; Fast bowler Reece Topley now an injury doubt after rolling ankle in training; Sam Curran: “We’re definitely ready now. We’re feeling like we’re almost not peaking but we’re playing good cricket”

Reece Topley has emerged as an injury doubt for England due to a rolled ankle

England bowler Reece Topley has emerged an an injury doubt ahead of their first T20 World Cup match vs Afghanistan on Saturday.

Topley rolled his left ankle on a piece of advertisement foam on the boundary during some catching drills at Brisbane on Monday afternoon and did not feature in the final warm-up against Pakistan.

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Highlights of the T20 World Cup warm-up match between Pakistan and England

England announced Topley “will be assessed throughout this week” and are hopeful of a swift recovery, but they do have Tymal Mills and Richard Gleeson on standby if the issue proves to be more serious.

It is an unwanted headache for England as they travel to Perth to take on Afghanistan on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 11.30am, with Topley becoming an increasingly dependable figure in the white-ball ranks since the turn of the year.

The 6ft 7in left-arm seamer, who has overcome multiple stress fractures in his back during his career, has taken 17 wickets in 16 T20s in 2022 and can bowl anywhere in an innings – with an economy rate of 7.8 impressive given he operates mainly in the powerplay at the death.

Sam Curran and David Willey are England’s other left-armers in England’s 15-strong squad.

Fast bowler Topley (right) has become a key man within England’s T20 ranks

Curran is expected to be in England’s XI against Afghanistan, irrespective of whether Topley features, and believes they are tracking well after an improvement in results recently following a disappointing summer.

England recorded a 4-3 win in Pakistan and then thrashed the same opponents by six wickets in a low-key practice match on Monday, having also beaten World Cup hosts and defending champions Australia 2-0.

“We’re definitely ready now,” Curran said. “We’re feeling like we’re almost.. not peaking… but we’re playing good cricket.

“We’re really excited, hopefully with a couple of good training sessions in Perth, come the weekend we’ll be good.”

Bowler Sam Curran has impressed of late for England and will be important vs Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup opener

Curran, who was ruled out of last year’s World Cup shortly before the tournament with a stress fracture in his lower back, had some success against Australia bowling the 18th and 20th overs.

Renowned for his habit of being front and centre in the crucial moments of a game, Curran demonstrated his all-round ability with an unbeaten 33 off 14 balls against Pakistan on Monday.

Moved up to sixth in the order, one spot higher than where he is likely to bat against Afghanistan if he is selected, Curran showed he is quite adept at the finishing role with a cluster of boundaries.

While batting towards the end of an innings is regarded as one of the most difficult aspects to perfect in T20 cricket, Curran revealed he takes his cues from those above him.

“It’s very challenging but it’s just a role you’ve got to enjoy,” Curran said. “Guys like Moeen (Ali), (Liam) Livingstone, Harry Brook are experienced in that middle-over phase so they help me through it.

“You’ve got to train maybe in a certain way, (try to) predict what you’re going to face. You see the way Livi plays, he knows his role, he knows he’s going to come in and be attacking.

“There will be some days where it doesn’t work, some days where it does. We knew we could get something out of this game (against Pakistan) but the way we played was really impressive.”

Curran says England are “definitely ready” to be unleashed onto the World Cup

While England go into the World Cup in buoyant mood after recent results, Curran warned against complacency given the first two days have already produced a couple of shocks, with Scotland upsetting the West Indies, the 2012 and 2016 champions, a day after Namibia stunned Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka.

“You take confidence from (winning) but at the same time, you’ve seen some of the results already at the World Cup,” Curran added. “It’s a T20 format, anything could happen.

“Afghanistan are a side that are extremely skilful, they’ve got a world-class players who can win you games by themselves. We know it’s going to be a really tough opening game.”

“The more time that passes, the more I feel like it’s what I need,” says Daniel Ricciardo on taking a break from Formula 1 next year; Ricciardo could take a reserve drive at Mercedes; Watch the United States GP live on Sky Sports this weekend

Daniel Ricciardo has indicated a lack of options is not the only reason he won’t be on the Formula 1 grid in 2023, insisting he “needs” a break from the sport to “reset”.

Ricciardo, one of the most popular and arguably fastest drivers of the last decade, confirmed in Japan he won’t be racing in F1 next year, something that appeared inevitable after McLaren cancelled his contract early following a prolonged poor run of form alongside Lando Norris.

The Australian’s exit has long been put down to the number of seats available – with less competitive teams Williams and Haas the only outfits to show serious interest in the eight-time race winner – although Ricciardo told Sky Sports he is also welcoming the year off after his difficulties.

“It’s something I’ve certainly evaluated since the summer break,” said Ricciardo of the news he was leaving the grid.

“I wanted to give it a few races and the more time that passes, the more I feel like it’s what I need. Albeit as well the opportunities… there’s not really anything in the form of next year!

Daniel Ricciardo (right) has struggled alongside Lando Norris at McLaren this season

“It’s part I would like the break and need to reset a little bit, and part 2024 as well, some other things may open up.”

Ricciardo is, as mentioned, targeting 2024 to return to F1 and is not interested in other racing series next year.

Instead, he plans to spend more time back home in Australia and is also in the mix for a reserve drive, potentially at Mercedes.

Mercedes have lost current reserve Nyck de Vries to AlphaTauri for 2023 and have welcomed the possibility of having an experienced driver such as Ricciardo in their stable.

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Ted Kravitz and Paul DiResta discuss the future of McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo, who’s confirmed he’s not expecting to be on the Formula 1 grid next year.

“I think that there could be some better opportunities in 2024, so that’s really what all this confirms and now where the sights are set,” added Ricciardo during the Japanese GP weekend.

“Certainly the plan is still to be involved in F1.

“It’s kind of like just hitting pause for a little bit, as I see it – and let’s say as far as my F1 career goes the full intention is [to be driving] for ’24.”

Live United States GP schedule on Sky Sports F1

Thursday
9pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday
7pm: The F1 Show
8pm: United States GP Practice One
10.45pm: United States GP Practice Two (session starts 11pm)

Saturday
7.45pm: United States GP Practice Three (session starts 8pm)
10pm: United States GP Qualifying Build-up
11pm: UNITED STATES GP QUALIFYING
12.45am (Sunday): Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: United States GP Build-up
8pm: THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX
9pm: Chequered Flag: United States GP Reaction
11pm: Ted’s Notebook
11.30pm: United States GP Highlights

Sara Misir, the first Jamaican Formula Woman racer reveals her incredible story, discussing her unusual route into the sport, facing barriers, and advice to younger generations who want to follow her path.

Misir tells Sky Sports News how her career in motorsport racing started. “It has been a long journey. I started when I was four years old, actually in equestrian. And that was my first passion.

“It was my dream to go to the Olympics and I was training to head to the Pan American Games when I was 16-years-old. Unfortunately, I had a small accident, so I had a small change in sports,” said the 24-year-old who spoke to Sky Sports News from Silverstone.

She explains the shift from equestrian to motorsport following her tragic accident when she was 16-years-old and how she came back into sport after a recovery that took half a year. “I was training for the Pan American games and me and my horse were warming up one morning.

“We were doing our normal jumping routine, getting ready for competition. And he tripped over a jump and unfortunately, I was half off, so I jumped off and spooked him.

“He spun around and kicked up and I got kicked in the face by my horse. It was about a six-month recovery. I had dislocated my jaw and my skull was cracked in half.”

She adds: “It was a traumatic event to get over. And with that, it was a nine-hour surgery. When I got to the hospital, it was an intense way to go from being a top athlete to just being able to make it down the stairs without having to take a break halfway.”

The Formula Woman racer says she had her “jaw wired shut” and was on a liquid diet for five months.

Looking to build a career in professional equestrian, she took a step back from the sport after suffering another injury: “About seven months later I got back on the horse, and I started training again. Unfortunately, I got bucked off and broke my shoulder in half that same year.”

Sara Misir’s first sporting passion was equestrian with hopes to go to the Olympic Games

Misir shares the moment she was introduced to Motorsport racing by her father: “So it was a lot in one year. And my parents looked at me and said, ‘Let’s just take a small break and just relax from this for a second.’

“So, my dad with a long history in motorsports, introduced me to go-karting, he said: ‘Just try this in the meantime it’s competitive, high adrenaline, you will love it.’

“And he was right. I instantly fell in love with it. I started go-karting, but it was a love-hate relationship because you imagine I was training horseback riding since four-years-old and I was training that my whole life.”

She adds: “I was making podium finishes, traveling around South America representing Jamaica, and then all of a sudden I came into a brand-new sport at 18-years-old with people that have been racing since they were four or five years old that knew it all already.

“But I had a good support network, who were just pushing me to keep on going. And there were so many times that I wanted to quit.

“But, with that village around me, it really allowed me to get to where I am today.”

Following Sara Misir’s tragic accident, she found a new passion for motorsport racing

Misir explained the thrill of pursuing a motorsport career: “It’s the mental aspect of racing that I love, your head-to-head with people. It’s almost like a chess game where you have to pick where to pass, pick how to do it. You have to look at your opponent, see if they’re more aggressive and read how they drive.

“I love it because it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. I understand that between men and women you have the genetic advantages as a male.

“However, in a race car, it’s a mind game. It’s more of who has the experience or who can read the track better or who can perform at peak performance and have that mindfulness and relaxation and focus.”

Misir reveals the high-intensity impacts that motorsport has not only on your mind but on your body: “People say, ‘you just sit in a car and drive.’ And it’s so much more than that, I’ve gone a race day where I’ve lost almost six pounds.

“I went to my nutritionist, and she told me I burned about 9000 calories in one day and that was without going to the gym.

“So, there’s a lot that goes into it.”

When asked how she balances her work, social and educational life, she said: “Honestly, that has been another big challenge for me because, in January this year I was in school doing my Master’s. I had my routine, it was structured. I would go to Jamaica for the three or four races a year for the Jamaican championship and it was very calm.

“Then I went into Formula Woman, and I realised if I want to throw myself into this dream, I have to do it. All or nothing.

“So, I took a year off from school and I left my job and I told them, ‘Listen, I’m going for it.'”

Misir is the first Caribbean motorsport driver in her field. She said: “As the first woman from the Caribbean to come out of that, it’s been such an honour because I’ve had such an impression on people.

“When I go back to Jamaica, so many women, kids, and girls come to me and say: ‘I want to race too.'”

“And they see that it’s possible. Before there was such a stigma and it seemed impossible. And me being able to open the door and show the younger generation that just because it seems impossible it doesn’t mean it is.”

“If you always do what you can, you’ll never be more than you are.”

Sara Misir shares that she aspires to follow in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps

When asked what diversity in the sport is like, Misir said: “It’s already such a hard transition to go as a woman into a male-dominated sport and to have to add diversity to that.

“It just makes it such a bigger obstacle. But I’m really hoping to show that it’s not as intimidating as it looks. And yes, the racing world is like a shark tank. It can be, but it’s nothing that’s impossible. If you put your foot down, it will happen.

“I would have to say Lewis Hamilton is doing such an amazing job. I’ve always found him such a great person to follow behind and follow his steps. I have always admired him for his modesty, respect for others and gratitude and never losing where he has come from.”

Misir shares her ambitions for the future. “I would love to get into the GT3 series and get further into my career, but my focus is mainly on the process right now and just working as hard as I can to make sure I’m learning every day,” she adds.

“Start making the right decisions, find out what kind of education you need to get there, it’s all about just not giving up.”

Jahee Campbell-Brennan is a race car engineer who spoke to Sky Sports News about his journey through the industry from working at Ford to creating his own company.

Campbell-Brennan also mentioned some of the barriers when entering his motorsport career. He said: “So when I realised I wanted to have a bit of a turn in my career and head into motorsport there were several barriers, such as some universities being more favoured by the industry.

“There’s always that problem where you’re only as good as your CV. So having spent some time in the automotive space and then wanting to work in vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics, which is what I specialise in, there was a lot of times where because it wasn’t on my CV, even though I’d done lots of training and preparation for myself, I was kind of running into barriers in that sense.”

How did he overcome those barriers?: “That is still a work in progress. I’m quite far from where I want to be in the long term.

“So it’s just about getting yourself into the right spaces, having the right conversations. Obviously, with engineering you’re never going to know everything.

“So, there’s a lot of continued professional development, it’s just a sort of a process that I think when you’re determined enough, you will keep stepping in the right direction.”

Jahee Campbell-Brennan, director of Wavey Dynamics, reveals taking on the challenge of creating his own company

Having previously worked for Ford, he also faced the challenge of moving from working at a big company to taking on the challenge of creating his own business.

“That was an interesting transition. So, I used to contract there and after about four years, it kind of came to an end.

“For a while before that I’d had some thoughts about wanting to make a change but didn’t really know how to do it. So, given my experience and having faced a lot of the barriers that people behind me will continue to face, I’ve not overcome them all, but I’ve got a good understanding of them and the best solutions for them.”

The Lewis Hamilton Commission report is working on improving representation of black people in UK motorsport

The Lewis Hamilton Commission report published in 2021 stated: “The case for diversifying motorsport is clear and the time for change is now.” After helping to work on this report Campbell-Brennan has put together a framework to identify some of the reasons why there is a lack of diversity in motorsport.

“I’m working with Motorsport UK on their racial diversity committee to consult them on the initiatives that would be effective at that level.”

He also told Sky Sports News on the importance of representation: “It is a big thing because if you can see someone who looks like you, sounds like you, thinks like you, it can really inspire you to want to be like them.”

Officials from the RFU and Premiership Rugby are set to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee next month, to answer questions on the problems facing Wasps and Worcester Warriors, and the wider sustainability of the game

Premiership clubs Wasps and Worcester have both gone into administration in recent weeks

The RFU and Gallagher Premiership will face a parliamentary committee next month to address the sport’s financial crisis.

Wasps joined Worcester Warriors in administration on Monday, making 167 members of staff, including players and coaches, redundant. Both clubs had already been suspended from the Gallagher Premiership, which now contains 11 teams after kicking off the 2022/23 season with 13.

Officials from the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby are now set to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee next month, to answer questions on the problems facing those clubs and the wider sustainability of the game. A precise date is still to be confirmed.

“The fact that two of the country’s top clubs have now suffered the fate of falling into administration raises serious concerns about the future of the sport and its financial viability,” DCMS committee chair Julian Knight said.

“The RFU and Premiership Rugby have acknowledged the need to set a more sustainable path for club rugby.

“We will be pressing them to ensure they are putting the foundations in place to guarantee the health of the sport from the top level right down to the grassroots.”

Wasps were hit by by a winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs for £2m in unpaid tax, and they also faced having to repay a £35m bond which had helped finance the club’s relocation to Coventry during 2014.

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Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirms the club are in dialogue with the RFU over their potential relegation from the Premiership after entering administration while head coach Lee Blackett and caretaker Sam Saunders reflect on the mood at the club.

Wasps have been ever-present in the Premiership since the competition began 25 years ago, winning it in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.

They were also crowned European champions twice, in addition to achieving one European Challenge Cup triumph, and have fielded some of England’s most well-known players during rugby union’s professional era.

The RFU’s chief executive Bill Sweeney says the governing body supports a move to a 10-team Premiership from the 2024-25 season onwards to try and avoid the current overlap between domestic and international matches.

“I do see it as viable for a number of reasons, and we’ve been saying for quite some time now that less is more,” Sweeney said when asked if a reduced, 10-team Premiership could be an answer.

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2003 Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood describes Wasps’ administration as ‘enormously worrying’ and highlights whether high wage caps might be a reason for many clubs’ financial problems.

“I don’t know if 10 is the absolute number but that’s the one being used now, but in that and the central distribution around broadcast and commercial revenues, clearly there’s a financial benefit for less teams in that league.

“Clearly one of the major issues we’ve got to grapple with is the calendar and one of the things that’s held us back in England is the overlap between the international game and the club game.

“So, a reduction in the size of PRL (Premiership Rugby Limited) will help us with that.”

Blackett: Wasps administration is ‘sickening’ | Vaughan on takeover prospects

Former Wasps head coach Lee Blackett revealed the impact Tuesday’s news of the club going into administration and 167 staff being made redundant had on the squad and the non-playing staff.

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Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening says the players will be devastated with the news of the club entering administration with some players searching for jobs already.

“I’m just sad,” Blackett said, speaking outside the club’s training ground. “I think if you look at the players I’ve just seen through there, staff upset, it’s sickening

“There’s things probably ongoing [regarding a takeover]. Hopefully, it’s at some point, but there’s players and staff that wanted to play Premiership Rugby this year and unless something happens very quickly I just cannot see how that’s going to actually happen.

“I’m extremely sad because the people in this environment care massively about those guys and seeing them where they are is devastating. It’s more extreme than that – it’s so sad. We worked so hard as a group to get together. There are staff and players who have been here for a long time so to have this day, where this group have split up, it’s really sad.

“I’ve got to take a little bit of time to digest this over the next few days and see if there’s any positive news that comes out the other side. You realise it’s not just the players and staff here, there’s massive families behind them and my thoughts are with everyone.”

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England head coach Eddie Jones says the news of Wasps entering administration is ‘distressing’ to the players and that Jack Willis will get the support he needs coming into the England squad.

Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirmed the club remain in dialogue with the RFU and Premiership Rugby, and offered hope of an announcement regarding a possible takeover at some point this week.

“Hard to say [how close a takeover is],” Vaughan said. “People are aware that we’ve been on the market for a long time now, so it’s not like this is a surprise to anybody.

“We are in genuine dialogue with people, we’ve got more conversations happening tomorrow and the day after, and we really hope we can get the right people involved.

“If it’s going to happen we imagine there will be a decision and announcement in the next three or four days.”

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has won the men’s Ballon d’Or for 2022.

The 34-year-old managed 44 goals in 46 matches last season as Real won the Champions League, another LaLiga title along with the Spanish and European Super Cups.

Benzema was crowned in a ceremony in Paris ahead of Sadio Mane in second and Kevin De Bruyne in third – with the striker becoming the first French winner of the Ballon D’Or since Zinedine Zidane – who presented him the award – in 1998.

The striker is also the oldest Ballon D’Or winner since Stanley Matthews won the first edition of the prize in 1956.

“It makes me really proud,” said Benzema. “All the work I did, I never gave up. It was a childhood dream like all kids [have]. I had two motivations in my life – Zidane and Ronaldo. I’ve always had this dream in my mind that anything is possible.

“There was a difficult period where I wasn’t in the French team, but I never stopped working hard nor gave up. I always kept my head, concentrated on playing football and I’m really proud of my journey here. It wasn’t easy, it was a difficult time. It was hard for my family as well. To be here today, for the first time for me, I’m happy and pleased with my work and I keep going.

“I want to thank my team-mates, whether it’s Real Madrid or the national team. My coach, thanks to him as well. The Real Madrid president as well.

“I have a lot of people to thank. It’s an individual prize, but it’s a collective one because everyone has played a role.”

How did the Premier League stars fare?

De Bruyne was voted the highest ranked player currently playing in England, with the Manchester City midfielder finishing third.

There was no success for Cristiano Ronaldo, as he had to settle for 20th place in this year’s Ballon D’Or honours board – the lowest position the Manchester United forward has been ranked in this prize since 2005.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was voted as the fifth-best player, ahead of PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Champions League match-winner Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid.

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland finished in 10th place, just one place ahead of Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son and two over current club team-mate Riyad Mahrez.

Liverpool duo Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk finished in 14th and 16th place respectively, while Luis Diaz, Casemiro, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez and Joao Cancelo made up the rest of the 25-man shortlist.

What about the other awards?

The women’s award went to Barcelona star Alexia Putellas, who pipped runner-up Beth Mead of England to the prize after guiding the Catalan club to the Spanish title with a 100 per cent points tally.

Manchester City were named Club of the Year at the Paris ceremony after winning their fourth Premier League title in five seasons, beating runners-up Liverpool and Real Madrid to the prize.

“We haven’t won the Champions League yet, but we are proud of how we play as a team,” said De Bruyne who picked up the award for the club.

Barcelona midfielder Gavi was named the winner of the Kopa trophy, awarded to the best player under the age of 21, with England duo Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka finishing in fourth and eighth position respectively.

Former Liverpool winger Mane was the winner of the inaugural Socrates award, a humanitarian prize, for giving back to his native Senegal.

“I’m really happy to do what I can for my people and to make everything better,” said the Bayern Munich winger.

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski, who like Benzema is also 34, was given the Gerd Muller award given to the best striker, after a superb season for Bayern Munich last term in which he scored 50 goals in 46 matches.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was given the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper prize, after his man-of-the-match performance in the Champions League final, against Liverpool, won the Spanish giants the most coveted club prize in European football.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was ranked as the second-best goalkeeper, with Manchester City’s Ederson in third.

“I want to thank my team-mates at Real Madrid. I’m really proud to win this trophy alongside the other goalkeepers who are there – and the female ones too,” said Belgian goalkeeper Courtois. “I hope the next trophy is the World Cup!”

The full men’s Ballon D’Or award rankings

1st – Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and France)

2nd – Sadio Mane (Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Senegal)

3rd – Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium)

4th – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Poland)

5th – Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)

6th – Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain and France)

7th – Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid and Belgium)

8th – Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil)

9th – Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia)

10th – Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Norway)

11th – Heung-Min Son (Tottenham and South Korea)

12th – Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City and Algeria)

13th – Sebastian Haller (Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Ivory Coast)

Joint 14th – Fabinho (Liverpool and Brazil), Rafael Leao (AC Milan and Portugal)

16th – Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands)

Joint 17th – Luis Diaz (FC Porto, Liverpool, and Colombia), Casemiro (Real Madrid, Manchester United and Brazil), Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina, Juventus and Serbia)

20th – Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Portugal)

Joint 22nd – Bernardo Silva (Manchester City and Portugal), Phil Foden (Manchester City and England), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool and England)

Joint 25th – Darwin Nunez (Benfica, Liverpool and Uruguay), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig and France), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City and Portugal), Mike Maignan (AC Milan and France), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea, Real Madrid and Germany), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich and Germany)

Tonga head coach Kristian Woolf and joint-captain Jason Taumalolo reflect on the rise of the Pacific Islanders as they head into this year’s World Cup among the favourites; Tonga kick off their campaign against Papua New Guinea on Tuesday evening (kick-off 7.30pm)

Tonga go into the Rugby League World Cup as one of the expected title contenders

If Kristian Woolf was unsure of what to expect when he first walked into camp with the Tonga national team nine years ago, it did not take long for him to recognise the potential which has led them going into this year’s Rugby League World Cup as one of the title contenders.

Woolf, then an assistant with NRL side Brisbane Broncos, was brought in to help prepare the team for the inaugural mid-year Pacific Test against fierce rivals Samoa – a match Tonga won 36-4 which was abandoned three minutes from time just as they were about to kick a conversion due to a celebratory pitch invasion.

The build-up and the match itself are still clear memories for the 47-year-old, who was subsequently appointed head coach in 2014 and has been with Tonga nearly every step of the way of their rise in the past decade, including the historic 16-12 win over world champions Australia three years ago.

“Straight away, I could just sense that real desire, passion and want to represent Tonga, and that real pride all the players had in just being Tongan first and foremost, and having the ability to represent Tonga,” Woolf said, looking back on those early experiences.

“It was my first glimpse of not only the players but how passionate the fans were. It was addictive – something you wanted to be around again and be a part of going forward.

“I remember talking to the players who were involved after that and about the potential, and there were so many other players I wasn’t aware of at that stage who were Tongan and had turned up at a motel and talked about wanting to be involved and what they wanted to see it look like so they could be involved.

“I guess I saw the potential there and that’s why I wanted to be involved from that date.”

Kristian Woolf experienced the passion of Tonga’s players and fans in his first match with the squad in 2013

Another person who has been a key component of Tonga’s progress from when Woolf was first involved is joint-captain Jason Taumalolo, who will lead the team out when they take on Papua New Guinea in their opening World Cup Group D match in St Helens on Tuesday night.

Although he was born in New Zealand and won 10 Test caps for the Kiwis between 2014 and 2017, back row Taumalolo has now returned to represent his Tongan ancestry alongside the other heritage players and those born on the island.

The 29-year-old was part of the team which came within an Elliott Whitehead tackle of upsetting England in the semi-finals of the last World Cup five years ago, but this time around they are viewed as genuine contenders rather than a surprise package.

Lifting the Paul Barriere Trophy at Old Trafford on November 19 would be a momentous sporting success for the Pacific Islanders, but it would also have extra significance for those back home given the nation suffered devastation in January following a volcanic eruption and tsunami.

Straight away, I could just sense that real desire, passion and want to represent Tonga, and that real pride all the players had in just being Tongan first and foremost, and having the ability to represent Tonga.

Tonga head coach Kristian Woolf

“I’m pretty sure it [winning the World Cup] would be right up there, but I can only dream at this point,” Taumalolo told Sky Sports News.

“If we did win the World Cup, it would mean a lot not just for us but everyone back home, especially after going through earthquakes and the volcano.

“There are a lot of people who are going through a lot of adversity right now and they always turn on the TV to get every moment to watch their fellow countrymen go out there and do them proud.”

Woolf knows first-hand the high regard the Tonga team are held in back home, not only for their performances on the field but how they conduct themselves off the pitch as well.

Jason Taumalolo is dreaming of leading Tonga to World Cup glory

Not only that, but he has also witnessed just how much those of Tongan heritage around the world have taken them to heart as well.

“That’s something this group has done so well for so long,” Woolf said. “The way they play, the way they carry themselves as men and represent Tonga, the sacrifices they made, I know the people in Tonga are really proud.

“It’s not just the people in Tonga, it’s the diaspora in Australia, New Zealand and America. We had a great welcome in London with the High Commissioner and a great number of people who’d travelled from all over England and Wales to come and show how much this team means to them.

“We know that’s there, we know what Tonga has been through this year, and all of the families and everyone associated with Tonga feels that.”

This year’s World Cup marks the first time Woolf has been able to work with the team in person since that 2019 victory over Australia due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and his club commitments with St Helens keeping him away from this year’s mid-season international against New Zealand.

The Australian brought his three-year tenure with Saints to a conclusion by guiding them to an unprecedented fourth-straight Betfred Super League Grand Final success last month and while he savoured those moments, he is just as delighted to be back involved with Tonga as they seek to make history as well.

“I knew I’d miss being around the group, but it’s just different,” Woolf said. “I can’t give you all the reasons why it’s different because it’s hard to explain, but I loved being with the Saints players and I love being with this group as well because of the difference.

“Just being back on the bus and listening to the different type of music, seeing the players and their faces when they walked into the hotel and that kind of thing made me realise how much I’d missed them over the last three years.”

Former Wasps and England flanker James Haskell spoke to Sky Sports News following Monday’s announcement his old club had entered administration; Haskell backed central contracts and a franchise model for the elite level too

James Haskell had two successful spells with Wasps during his playing career

James Haskell believes the financial problems which have forced Wasps and Worcester Warriors into administration are indicative of a wider issue facing professional rugby union in England.

The 37-year-old former England flanker enjoyed two successful spells with Wasps during a 17-year professional career and was devastated by the plight of his former club, who entered administration on Monday with 167 staff, including all players and coaches, being made redundant.

It followed Worcester entering administration three weeks ago, leaving the Gallagher Premiership down to 11 teams after kicking off the 2022/23 season last month with 13, and Haskell sees those incidences as a warning to the rest of the professional game.

“It’s devastating,” Haskell told Sky Sports News. “Your thoughts are with the players and staff, and it’s not just the immediate people you think about, it’s all the support staff.

“Some players are going to be lucky to move on to other clubs, but the nature of rugby at the moment with the salary cap is these players are going to go from earning good money – rightly so for their skills and the way they put their bodies on the line – to reduced salary and some people won’t get a job.

“It’s awful, but I think it’s quite indicative of the way rugby is going. I don’t think Worcester and Wasps are going to be the only clubs, I think some drastic change needs to happen and, unfortunately, I think rugby has been faffing around for too long and not dealing with this issue.

“I think it’s a very dark day for rugby across the whole game.”

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James Haskell feels that rugby should take influence from franchise models and have central contracts for players around the England squad.

Haskell is concerned Worcester and Wasps will not be the only clubs to have this fate befall them, and the likelihood is both will be relegated to the Championship as punishment for entering administration, as per RFU regulations.

There are concerns both clubs will lose their P-shares as well, which entitle them to a share of the Premiership’s central income and voting rights on key issues, with ongoing talk of the top-flight potentially being reduced to 10 teams.

That was a viewpoint espoused by RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney and although Haskell hopes both the Warriors and his old club will be able to regain their Premiership status, he understands the argument for reducing the number of teams in the Premiership.

“At the moment, the RFU have stated none of the clubs in the Championship are fit to move up to the Premiership,” Haskell said.

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Wasps CEO Stephen Vaughan confirms the club are in dialogue with the RFU over their potential relegation from the Premiership after entering administration while head coach Lee Blackett and caretaker Sam Saunders reflect on the mood at the club.

“They’re never going to bring anyone else up, yet as soon as you go into administration you are relegated.

“I do think it is a bit bizarre and we should look after these teams because there isn’t any replacement, but there is an argument a smaller league becomes more sustainable and makes more money.

“I just hope those two clubs aren’t the fall guys to get the rest of it in line, but that’s what it’s looking like.”

Several of Worcester’s players have already secured deals with other Premiership clubs, but numerous others are still looking for employment – along with the entire Wasps squad following Monday’s announcement.

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Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening says the players will be devastated with the news of the club entering administration, with some players searching for jobs already.

There has been talk of whether England internationals should be centrally contracted by the RFU, and Haskell would also be in favour of utilising a franchise model for the elite level similar to the one he experienced when he was playing Super Rugby in New Zealand for Highlanders in the 2012/13 season.

“There are so many different political situations going on and I think having everything centrally contracted, almost like an NFL model [is the way forward],” Haskell said.

“I think the traditions of rugby are great, but at the top level, to make it sustainable, we need to make it an entertainment business, we need to build up superstars, we need a franchise model, everything has got to be centrally managed and the right people in the right places.

“At the moment, all this intermeshed, who’s in charge, who’s making decisions is never going to work and I think the NFL model, or a franchise model is probably the way to with a central commissioner who makes a decision and sticks to it.

“Just look at the concussion stuff; we’re trying to make rugby safer, we shouldn’t be doing contact training in the week, but everybody is faffing around and that’s the problem with rugby – there’s a lot of faffing, a lot of talking and no hard-line decisions.”