Australian football legend Tony Modra is fighting for life after crashing his truck.

The beverage market is constantly evolving as consumers search for unique flavors and premium drinking experiences. One category attracting growing attention is the blood orange thc drink segment, which combines refreshing citrus-inspired flavors with modern craft beverage innovation. Among the products gaining popularity, hectares blood orange vanilla stands out for its distinctive flavor...

SEATTLE, Wash. Theres no sugarcoating it: Cristian Roldan is eager to get on the field when the U.S. mens national team faces Australia in its second World Cup match on Friday. Thats because Roldan has played his entire professional career here for the Seattle Sounders since 2015, and before that, played two seasons at the University of Washington. Hes originally from Los Angeles, but calls himself a "Seattleite." "This is where I was grinding and wanting a chance to play," a composed Roldan told reporters ahead of training on Thursday. The U.S. team is set up at the Huskies facilities where Roldan remembers scoring goals and going up against his younger brother, Alex, who played for Seattle University. "The idea of having hope is one of my core memories here." Friday's game against Australia will be at the 69,000-capacity home stadium of the Sounders where Roldan plays regularly, but it will be a different story. To get on the pitch while wearing the United States crest in a World Cup match in his city with this rowdy, soccer-savvy fan base? Nothing would be more meaningful. "Im getting goosebumps just thinking about it," Roldan said candidly. "This is a place that I call home and Ive called home for a while. To be able to see the field would be a dream come true and I think it would be special not only for me, but the city of Seattle as well." It would be a "full circle moment," he added before saying, "I dont think people realize how special it is for me to be here and enjoying this experience with the mens national team." This summers tournament marks Roldans second consecutive World Cup. He was part of the roster four years ago, but did not appear in a game. Roldan is a mature team player, no doubt. But hes also a competitor and wants to play and contribute. Watching from the sidelines in Qatar was difficult. "I felt like it was a huge honor to be there, and it was my dream to make the World Cup," Roldan told me in March. "Ive always had dreams of playing a big part in a team. I have so much experience at the club level, and I was just ready for that opportunity. Whether it comes this World Cup or not, you know, it still pains me that I didnt see the field. "As a professional, as a competitor, thats what you want, right? You want to be in those pressure moments. And unfortunately, I didnt get on. But I was just thankful to be there as well." Sometimes, coaches tell players in advance that they wont see the field. But Roldan said that wasnt the case for him. "I was ready to play if my name was called," Roldan told me. "But no, there was no indication that I wasnt going to play at any point." Theres a chance he could be involved against Australia, though. With Christian Pulisic dealing with a left calf injury, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino needs alternative plans if the star winger cant go 90 minutes. Roldan is certainly an option. In fact, he had both assists in the Americans 2-1 victory over the Aussies last October. Pochettino trusts Roldan and has called him an example of a "perfect player" who "has a little bit of everything." The manager values the veterans leadership in the locker room, his positive energy and his overall versatility on the field. Roldan knows all of that. Hes just trying to balance being a good teammate while also wanting to play. "I always have that chip on my shoulder," Roldan said Thursday. "Look, I want to help the group in any way I can, and I still feel like I can help the group on the field and you know, I wouldnt be here if that wasnt the case. And so Im proud to be part of the group. I hope we can win, and I want to do everything possible, whether thats seeing the field or not. "But it would be extra special seeing the field here."

The league's proposal would also create an international draft and cut the number of draft rounds

With Sauce Gardner about to begin his first full season with the Indianapolis Colts, the All-Pro defensive back wants to clarify the record of his age. Gardner, whose given name is Ahmad, insists he is 24 years old, not 25. Yet thats his listed age on sites including ESPN, Pro Football Reference, Pro Football Focus and Yahoo Sports with a birth date of Aug. 31, 2000. Apparently, even EA Sports Madden NFL game has that as Gardners birthday. Im 24! Gardner told The Athletics James Boyd on the last day of Colts minicamp. Its crazy that Im even being asked this.Yet Gardner says his birth date is Aug. 31, 2001 and that hes 24 years old. The NFLs official website lists him as 24, though does not show his birth date. But Gardner says the correct birth date is listed on every official document since he played college football at the University of Cincinnati and was drafted by the New York Jets. Gardner says his drivers license confirms his age, as does his passport, which the Colts verified. The four-year pro also cites another direct source for his age and birth date.You can ask my mom! he said to The Athletic. So how did such a mix-up occur? The problem apparently lies with Wikipedia, which had Gardners birth year as 2000. And as a result, Google searches on Gardner would cite the Wikipedia entry and list his age as 25, born in the year 2000. Wikipedia has since corrected the information and Gardners age is given as 24 in Googles AI overview. Gardner was dealt by the Jets to the Colts last November at the NFL trade deadline. In exchange, the Jets received 2026 and 2027 first-round selections, in addition to receiver Adonai Mitchell. During his first two NFL seasons, Gardner earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and was named first-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl. He was limited to 11 games last year due to a calf injury. Less than five months before being traded, the Jets signed him to a four-year, $120.4 million contract that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. (That deal has since been surpassed by the $124 million contract Trent McDuffie agreed to with the Los Angeles Rams after being acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs.)

Michael Pennel Jr. had an ongoing relationship with a young woman whose body was found on a property he owned when she went missing, an ESPN investigation found, contradicting Pennel's claim through his attorney that he did not know her.

It is the image that will give NSW Blues fans some hope of pulling off a State of Origin miracle.

Andy Robertson is bracing himself for the challenge of facing the man he rates as the best right-back on the planet when he resumes his rivalry with Achraf Hakimi in Boston.

There will be blood, sweat and tears on players soccer jerseys at the World Cup and plenty of deeper cultural and historical meaning, too.Here, The Associated Press runs you through some of the more compelling and controversial backstories from the kit designs on show in soccers biggest event, currently taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Cape Verde's flight pathsFor its World Cup debut, the smallest nation by population at the tournament is paying homage to the roughly 525,000 inhabitants who live on 10 volcanic islands off the coast of Africa. A geometric, triangular print across its blue (home) and white (away) jerseys represents the network of flight paths that connect the islands. The idea is that the people of Cape Verde are united behind the players at the World Cup and that togetherness showed as the team held firm to seal an unlikely 0-0 draw with heavily favored Spain in their first match.Belgium's surrealismThis is not a jersey, reads a message on the collar of Belgium's multicolor away shirt. No, the Belgians aren't losing their minds. It's just a nod to the European nation's surrealist heritage and notably the work of its master in this artistic movement from the early 20th century. Throughout his career, Belgian artist Ren Magritte questioned the enigmatic relationship of mind and eye, reality and language, writing under The Treachery of Images his iconic painting of a pipe the words: Ceci nest pas une pipe (This is not a pipe). The light-blue jersey features pink patterns and black detailing, incorporating soccer-inspired motifs such as pitch lines and a ball. True to the surrealism theme, the kit sparks the imagination and invites conversation, the Belgian federation says.Haiti's battle sceneThe original jersey submitted by this Caribbean nation included a depiction of the final battle of the Haitian War of Independence in 1803 on its front. In the words of Colombian sportswear manufacturer Saeta, it was a tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haitis future. It didn't go down too well with FIFA, which rejected the image during its approval process, deeming it too political. So an updated blue soccer kit was needed, one that no longer includes the battle artwork.Argentina's swirling paint techniqueThe defending World Cup champion is mixing sporting heritage with artistic expression in its jerseys. The home kit worn by Lionel Messi for his hat trick against Algeria on Tuesday features three shades of blue on its stripes, an homage to the South American nation's World Cup-winning uniforms from 1978, 1986 and 2022. As for its dark blue away jersey, that's inspired by a traditional painting technique from capital city Buenos Aires filete porteo that's used for ornamental design, combining brilliant, swirling colors with specific lettering styles.France's American connectionFrance arrived for the World Cup with an away kit that honors a gift the nation famously gave to the United States: the Statue of Liberty. The jersey has a green hue that resembles the oxidized color of the iconic sculpture designed by a Frenchman Frdric-Auguste Bartholdi and given to the United States in 1886 as a symbol of French-American friendship. On the jersey is a logo in copper the original color of the statue with the words Nos diffrences nous unissent (Our differences unite us).Iran's endangered Asiatic cheetahThe most striking imagery on Iran's home (white) and away (red) kits is an Asiatic cheetah low across the front. There also are cheetah spots on the sleeves up to the shoulder. The Asiatic cheetah, an equally fast cousin of the African cat, is one of the worlds critically endangered species one that Iran has long tried to save. There were as many as 400 in the 1990s but the numbers have dwindled to less than an estimated 70 remaining in Iran.Norway's runic fontNorway's kit might be the sharpest at the World Cup literally. The font used for the names and numbers of players is inspired by runic writing characters in several Germanic alphabets used in northern Europe from ancient times until the adoption of the Latin alphabet. The writing is pointy, geometric and easily visible, representing the Norwegian team's desire to embrace its centuries-old history. Flanking the large blue cross across the chest are Viking art patterns in an Urnes style.Colombia's yellow butterfliesLook closely at Colombia's typically vibrant yellow jersey and you'll notice a burst of butterfly patterns. That's an homage to the classic novel by the nation's Nobel Prize-winning author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and the stories that made him literatures best-known practitioner of magical realism the blending of the everyday with fantastical elements such as a man trailed by a cloud of yellow butterflies.Mexico's Aztec calendar Mexico's home jersey brings back the Aztec calendar design that was popular in the 1990s. In the run-up to the World Cup, the team visited the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and posed for a photo with the uniforms in front of the Aztec Piedra de Sol or Stone of the Sun, best known as the Aztec calendar.Saudi Arabia's architectureDotted across Saudi Arabia's dark green home jersey are symmetrical lavender squares or diamond shapes, a tribute to doorway decoration namely geometric, triangular architecture commonly seen in homes in the kingdom. Wild lavender flowers fill Saudi's desert landscapes in springtime, so purple is a celebrated color in the nation and regarded as a symbol of generosity.Brazil's Amazonian frogsWhat might immediately jump out when looking at Brazil's navy blue-and-black away jersey made by Nike is a yellow Jumpman logo synonymous with Michael Jordan-promoted sportswear. However, more closely linked to Brazilian culture is the color of the kit, inspired by the skin of the poison dart frog found in the Amazon. It's a nod to the danger posed by Brazil, the record five-time world champion.___This story has been corrected to remove a reference to Haiti as a World Cup debutant. This is Haiti's second World Cup.___Associated Press writer Luis Andres Henao contributed to this report. ___AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Rory McIlroy was pleased to "minimise mistakes" in tough conditions on day one in the US Open.Shinnecock Hills had its challenges for players, with the greens moving fast and the wind blowing fiercely, making play considerably difficult.Speaking after his round of 69, McIlroy said: "With the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score."It was a day to really just keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour Say"So I sort of went out with the mindset that pars were going to be good, and if you could pick up a couple of birdies here and there, that's always a bonus."But really just minimising the mistakes. I did that for the most part today."I didn't feel like I hit two bad iron shots on the last two holes (but) I put myself in pretty difficult spots and wasn't able to get it up and down."The Northern Irishman was joined by fellow Europeans Ludwig Aberg, who also shot a round of 69, and Tommy Fleetwood, who finished on level par.LATEST SPORTS NEWSWorld Cup day eight: Switzerland thump Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1, Canada face QatarSix people arrested during England's opening World Cup win against CroatiaLionel Messi's family issue statement hitting out at 'lack of sensitivity' with father's healthFleetwood complimented his playing partners, saying: "I think we had a good group today. "The round started to get away from me a little bit when I made the turn, made two poor three-putts."But I think sometimes it almost helps when you've got two guys going really well. Not that they can kind of drag you up."If you're struggling, it gives you a false reflection of maybe what's going on. Those two were having two of the best rounds of the day. So it kind of helps you in a way. It kind of drags you a little bit."Fleetwood continued: "Other than that, it's hard. Just watching how shots react, particularly like putts. It's so windy out there. "The job is never done even when you hit the green."It's like constant. Like you are watching them just to kind of get some kind of feel or read on the putt."World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, who struggled at times in round one, believes that opening day scores will be high.He said: "Any time you get conditions like this, I think the scores are going to be high."I think that it's an interesting golf course. Part of the challenge so far is judging the conditions as well, judging how this course is going to play."I feel like this course can change pretty rapidly from day to day. I think that's also part of the challenge of the tournament is adjusting to those conditions."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter