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Portugal goes for first Rugby World Cup win without banned winger Pinto against Georgia

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Portugal goes for first Rugby World Cup win without banned winger Pinto against Georgia


TOULOUSE, France (AP) — Portugal goes for its first win at a Rugby World Cup without winger Vincent Pinto after his red card in the team’s pool opener ruled him out of Saturday’s match against Georgia.

Pinto was replaced by Raffaele Storti in one of four changes by Portugal coach Patrice Lagisquet for the game in Toulouse, which represents the team’s best chance of a victory in Pool C that also contains Wales, Australia and Fiji.

Diogo Hasse Ferreira and José Madeira come into the pack in place of Anthony Alves and Martim Belo, while Pedro Bettencourt takes the place of José Lima at outside center.

Pinto was sent off and suspended for Portugal’s remaining pool games after making a leaping catch late in the 28-8 loss to Wales, only to clip the face of opposite winger Josh Adams with his boot as he came down unbalanced. A initial yellow card was upgraded to a red in a bunker review.

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Pinto can play the pool closer against Fiji on Oct. 8 if he undertakes tackle school.

The match is a repeat of the final of the Rugby Europe Championship — the competition for the continent’s second-tier countries below the Six Nations — which saw Georgia beat Portugal 38-11 in March.

Portugal is attempting to overtake the Georgians as the best of the rest in Europe, but face a tough task against a rugged opponent that battled hard in losing only 35-15 to Australia in their first outing in this World Cup.

Georgia coach Levan Maisashvili made eight changes in total — four in the pack and four in the backs — including a new halfback pairing in Gela Aprasidze and Tedo Abzhandadze.

Front-rowers Mikheil Nariashvili and Beka Gigashvili, lock Vladimer Chachanidze and flanker Beka Saginadze come into the forwards, while winger Alexander Todua and center Giorgi Kveseladze also start.

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Giorgi Kveseladze will win his 50th cap, as will Nodar Cheishvili if used off the bench.

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Lineups:

Georgia: Davit Niniashvili, Akaki Tabutsadze, Giorgi Kveseladze, Merab Sharikadze (captain), Alexander Todua, Tedo Abzhandadze, Gela Aprasidze; Beka Gorgadze, Beka Saginadze, Tornike Jalagonia, Konstantine Mikautadze, Vladimer Chachanidze, Beka Gigashvili, Shalva Mamukashvili, Mikheil Nariashvili. Reserves: Tengizi Zamtaradze, Guram Gogichashvili, Guram Papidze, Nodar Cheishvili, Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Vasil Lobzhanidze, Luka Matkava, Demur Tapladze

Portugal: Nuno Sousa Guedes, Raffaele Storti, Pedro Bettencourt, Tomás Appleton (captain), Rodrigo Marta, Jerónimo Portela, Samuel Marques; Rafael Simões, Nicolas Martins, João Granate, Steevy Cerqueira, José Madeira, Diogo Hasse Ferreira, Mike Tadjer, Francisco Fernandes. Reserves: David Costa, Lionel Campergue, Anthony Alves, Martim Belo, David Wallis, Thibault de Freitas, Pedro Lucas, Manuel Cardoso Pinto.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

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Georgia

UGASports – The NFL's Georgia-Only Team

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UGASports  –  The NFL's Georgia-Only Team


After last weekend, there are currently 62 Bulldogs active in the NFL (excludes unrestricted free agents)—or more than enough players to fulfill an entire league roster.

UGASports decided to play general manager of a hypothetical NFL team made up entirely of former Georgia players currently active in the league. In anticipation of the 2024 season, we first trimmed down the squad to a 53-man roster. From there, a depth chart was established.

Considering the following depth charts, how would an NFL team comprised of only former Georgia players—an Only-Georgia team—fare this season in the league?

(Each former Georgia player is followed by his NFL team and number of years of league experience, including the 2024 season, in parenthesis. R=Rookie.)

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We’re headed at quarterback by veteran Matthew Stafford, who, in his mid-30s last season, was named to the Pro Bowl. His reserve, Stetson Bennett, is the same signal-caller who’ll actually back him up in 2024 with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Only-Georgia team would likely have the best set of running backs in the history of the league. Although Nick Chubb will likely not be 100 percent by the start of the season, we went ahead and established him as our primary back. Following close behind is James Cook, who’d be effective as our third-down back.

Considering the unit’s top player, George Pickens, has been largely inconsistent and we’re essentially starting two slot receivers (although we’ll likely line Ladd McConkey out wide), the team is thin at wide receiver. Loaded at tight end, however, with Brock Bowers, Charlie Woerner, and Darnell Washington, we’re looking forward to exhibiting a three-tight end set on occasion.

Of the team’s nine offensive linemen, five were first-round selections. Center David Andrews, who has been New England’s starting center and a seven-time team captain since 2016, anchors the unit. At right guard, Ben Cleveland, who appears will be a full-time starter in 2024 for Baltimore, just edges out Jamaree Slayer—for now.

ONLY-GEORGIA – Defense and Specialists

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Our 4-3 defense is highlighted by what would probably be the top group of defensive tackles in the NFL. The top four at the unit—Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and John Jenkins—all have all-star potential. Travon Walker, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and veteran Leonard Floyd, who totaled a career-high 10.5 sacks with Buffalo last season, man the two starting defensive end spots.

Roquan Smith, one of four Pro Bowlers from last year on the team, spearheads a stout linebacking corps. Smith is joined by Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean as starters, along with quality depth on the second team.

At safety is where there’s likely the most concern for this team. Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith, perhaps our top two players at the position, are both rookies. On the contrary, Only-Georgia is sound at cornerback. The top four at the two positions were all starters in the league towards the end of last season. In addition, rookie Kamari Lassiter, who will possibly start at nickel back for Houston as a rookie, will provide depth.

As far as our specialists, long-snapper Nick Moore was a Pro Bowler in 2022. Punter Jake Camarda likely should’ve been a Pro Bowler a year ago. And although Jack Podlesny has yet to attempt a kick in the NFL, we like our chances with one of the most accurate placekickers in SEC history.

There you have it—the NFL’s Only-Georgia team. For what it lacks at wide receiver and safety, it more than makes up for with an unfathomable stable of backs, a deep, talented offensive line, and a front-seven on defense which would worry most opposing offenses.

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Texas A&M baseball coach raises cheating allegations against Georgia pitcher: 'Certainly appears that way'

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Texas A&M baseball coach raises cheating allegations against Georgia pitcher: 'Certainly appears that way'


A recent baseball game between Southeastern conference foes was marred by controversy. Georgia Bulldogs pitcher Christian Mracna’s activity in the bullpen and during a game against the Texas A&M Aggies raised some eyebrows.

Social media videos surfaced showing Mracna appearing to work on his glove as he crouched in the corner of the bullpen during Saturday’s game. Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle seemed to take issue with Mracna’s behavior and believed the pitcher may have been using some type of foreign substance on the ball, which would be a rule violation.

“Certainly appears that way,” Schlossnagle said in a text to The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It’s part of the game … wish we would’ve caught it.”

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A Georgia baseball cap during the mens college baseball game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on March 03, 2024 at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, GA. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mracna also appeared to reach for an unknown something that was near or behind a post, although the view was mostly obstructed.

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He went on to pitch for two innings during Georgia’s 5-4 win over the top-ranked Aggies. Mracna threw a total of 30 pitches over the pair of innings, 23 of which were strikes. He also struck out six of the batters he faced.

GRAND CANYON BASEBALL PLAYER GETS EJECTED FOLLOWING GAME-TYING GRAND SLAM AFTER BAT FLIP

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Mracna was also seen touching the thumb area of his glove with his right hand when he was on the pitching mound.

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Since 2021, Major League Baseball pitchers are subject to forgiven substance checks from umpires. College baseball does not currently have the policy in place.

An SEC baseball

A general view of an SEC baseball. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Georgia did not make Mracna available for comment after the game, and he has not publicly commented on the matter in the days the game ended.

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Mracna has appeared in 13 games for the Bulldogs this season. Saturday’s victory over Texas A&M marked Georgia’s 31st win of the season. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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Georgia governor signs law requiring jailers to check immigration status of prisoners

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Georgia governor signs law requiring jailers to check immigration status of prisoners


Clayton County Jail (FOX 5)

Jailers in Georgia must now check the immigration status of inmates and apply to help enforce federal immigration law, under a bill that gained traction after police accused a Venezuelan man of beating a nursing student to death on the University of Georgia campus.

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Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law Wednesday at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. Most provisions take effect immediately.

The Republican governor signed a separate law that requires cash bail for 30 additional crimes and restricts people and charitable bail funds from posting cash bonds for more than three people a year unless they meet the requirements to become a bail bond company. That law takes effect July 1.

Kemp said Wednesday that the immigration bill, House Bill 1105, “became one of our top priorities following the senseless death of Laken Riley at the hands of someone in this country illegally who had already been arrested even after crossing the border.”

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Jose Ibarra was arrested on murder and assault charges in the death of 22-year-old Laken Riley. Immigration authorities say Ibarra, 26, unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022. It is unclear whether he has applied for asylum. Riley’s killing set off a political storm as conservatives used the case to blame President Joe Biden for immigration failings.

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“If you enter our country illegally and proceed to commit further crimes in our communities, we will not allow your crimes to go unanswered,” Kemp said.

Opponents warn the law will turn local law enforcement into immigration police, making immigrants less willing to report crime and work with officers. Opponents also point to studies showing immigrants are less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes.

The law lays out specific requirements for how jail officials should check with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to determine whether prisoners are known to be in the country illegally. Georgia law previously only encouraged jailers to do so, but the new law makes it a misdemeanor to “knowingly and willfully” fail to check immigration status. The bill would also deny state funding to local governments that don’t cooperate.

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The law also mandates that local jails apply for what is known as a 287(g) agreement with ICE to let local jailers help enforce immigration law. It is unclear how many would be accepted because President Joe Biden’s administration has de-emphasized the program. The program doesn’t empower local law enforcement to make immigration-specific arrests outside a jail.

Republicans said Senate Bill 63, requiring cash bail, is needed to keep criminals locked up, even though it erodes changes that Republican Gov. Nathan Deal championed in 2018 to allow judges to release most people accused of misdemeanors without bail.

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“Too many times we have seen some of our cities or counties, it’s been a revolving door with criminals,” Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said.

Supporters said judges would still have the discretion to set very low bails. A separate part of the 2018 reform requiring judges to consider someone’s ability to pay would still remain law.

But the move could strand poor defendants in jail when accused of crimes for which they are unlikely to ever go to prison and aggravate overcrowding in Georgia’s county lockups.

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It’s part of a push by Republicans nationwide to increase reliance on cash bail, even as some Democratic-led jurisdictions end cash bail entirely or dramatically restrict its use. That split was exemplified last year when a court upheld Illinois’ plan to abolish cash bail, while voters in Wisconsin approved an amendment to the constitution letting judges consider someone’s past convictions for violent crimes before setting bail.



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