General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 7:38 PM ET
Rugby League Challenge Cup
Wakefield Trinity fought back from a 14-6 halftime deficit to stun Leeds Rhinos 24-14 in a dramatic Challenge Cup clash, while Wigan Warriors dominated Bradford Bulls with a commanding 30-6 victory. The wins keep both clubs in contention for the knockout stages as the tournament heads toward the quarter-finals.
United Rugby Championship
Ulster mounted a superb second-half comeback to secure a bonus-point win over Edinburgh, dealing a significant blow to the hosts' top-eight play-off aspirations. Meanwhile, Connacht scored five tries in their victory over Scarlets in Galway, moving within striking distance of the URC play-off places and keeping their postseason hopes alive.
Premiership Women's Rugby
England internationals Ellie Kildunne and Sadia Kabeya returned to action as Loughborough Lightning edged out Harlequins in a high-scoring affair, prevailing 43-33. The victory consolidates Lightning's position in the upper reaches of the PWR table as the regular season enters its final stages.
Netball Super League
AO Manchester Thunder maintained their perfect start with a victory over Lexis Nexis Dragons, who remain winless after three rounds. The result extends Thunder's unbeaten run and puts pressure on the rest of the league as they establish themselves as early title favorites.
College Basketball Coaching Moves
Cincinnati fired Wes Miller after five seasons at the helm, sources confirmed to ESPN, while Providence terminated Kim English following a three-year tenure that ended with Thursday's loss to St. John's. In contrast, Saint Louis rewarded Josh Schertz with a contract extension after he led the Billikens to the Atlantic 10 regular-season title. Meanwhile, Kansas State is set to hire Belmont's Casey Alexander, a consistent 20-game winner, as their new head coach.
NFL Draft and Scheduling Developments
The complete 2026 NFL draft order has been finalized, with the Raiders selecting first and the Broncos last at No. 257 across all seven rounds. In scheduling news, Conference USA and the Sun Belt both included Louisiana Tech on their 2026 football schedules despite the Bulldogs' planned league switch, creating an unusual scheduling standoff between the conferences.
Women's Basketball Rankings
The final women's freshman impact rankings for the regular season saw five players crack the top, though Jazzy Davidson and Aliyah Chavez maintained their hold on the top two spots. The rankings highlight the growing influence of first-year players in the women's college game.
Six Nations Championship
Scotland stand on the brink of history as they prepare to face Ireland in Dublin with a chance to claim their first Six Nations title in years. Captain Sione Tuipulotu described the journey as having been "to hell and back" to reach title contention. In contrast, England's campaign has been marred by errors and ill-discipline, with BBC Sport's analysis revealing troubling statistics ahead of their final match against France.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada declared that Wales "must win" their final fixture in Cardiff, while France will wear a special edition pale blue shirt to mark 120 years of rivalry against England. Ireland's Rob Baloucoune has experienced a remarkable revival, transforming from a forgotten man to a Six Nations star during the tournament.
Cheltenham Festival
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival saw a notable trend toward outsiders, with the average starting price of the 28 winners reaching a 10-year high. This marked a difficult year for punters as longshots dominated the prestigious racing event. Tragically, the festival concluded with the deaths of Envoi Allen and Saint Le Guin on the final day, overshadowing Gaelic Warrior's supreme victory in the Gold Cup.
Winter Paralympics
Haiti's Ralf Etienne made history as his nation's first Winter Paralympian, 16 years after losing his leg in the devastating earthquake that struck his homeland. Meanwhile, Britain's Neil Simpson and guide Rob Poth failed to finish their opening giant slalom run in the men's visually impaired event, leaving Simpson bitterly disappointed in Milan-Cortina.
UFC and Boxing
Khamzat Chimaev will defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland in May, while former champion Derrick Lewis returns to action. In boxing, speculation continues about potential matchups including Haney vs. Garcia 2 and whether the Mayweather vs. Tyson exhibition is still happening, with analysts working to clarify the most intriguing storylines in the sport.
Formula One
Lewis Hamilton highlighted Ferrari's power unit deficit as the primary reason for their gap to Mercedes, after qualifying fourth for Saturday's Chinese Grand Prix sprint race. The seven-time world champion's assessment points to ongoing technical challenges for the Italian team as the season progresses.
Golf and LIV Tour
Graeme McDowell created LIV Golf history by becoming the first player to record a second hole-in-one on the tour, showcasing the unpredictable nature of the controversial series. The feat adds another chapter to McDowell's career as he continues competing in the Saudi-backed league.
NCAA Tournament Betting
Approximately $3.3 billion is expected to be wagered on the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments through U.S. sportsbooks, representing a slight year-over-year increase according to industry estimates. The figure underscores the growing popularity and commercialization of college basketball's showcase events.
Miscellaneous Sports News
Olympic champion Alysa Liu received a key to her hometown during a celebratory rally in the Bay Area that featured performances from local artists. In basketball, Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham confirmed Tua Tagovailoa's arrival to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback job. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl lobbied for his team's NCAA tournament chances after a disappointing SEC tournament exit, while the Big 12 announced a return to traditional hardwood courts following issues with their innovative LED glass court at the conference tournament.