Caoimhe O’Neill

Rugby World Cup win can be England’s ‘Lionesses moment’ – ‘We’ve got the ball rolling and we don’t want it to stop’ The only way is up for English women's rugby after a world-record crowd at Twickenham witnessed them dismantle Canada

The Red Roses had their own Lionesses moment when winning the World Cup at Twickenham yesterday in front of 82,000 fans.

Here’s my piece on such a special occasion and tournament that has changed the game for women’s rugby in England.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...

Tommy Fleetwood interview: Ryder Cup challenge, Open dreams, Everton excitement and playing with Pep Tommy Fleetwood has become one of the most popular golfers in the U.S. - he is more than ready for the Ryder Cup challenge at Bethpage

Exclusive chat with Tommy Fleetwood. Yes, he is that sound. No, he wasn't among the many ppl to call Jack Grealish to convince him to join Everton.

Along with the Ryder Cup and The Open, we talked about his family and friends including Pep Guardiola and Tom Holland.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Robert MacIntyre is going back to the Ryder Cup. He’s a different golfer now "If I have to sit out every game, I'll sit out every game. If have to play every game, I'll play every game."

An important member of Team Europe for the Ryder Cup. If Bob MacIntyre hadn’t made the cut with his final shot yesterday at Wentworth he would have gone home to play shinty.

Since Rome in 2023, he’s a golfer who has truly emerged and everybody knows it.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/662...

Andy Murray aiming to enter regional qualifying for The Open Championship Murray explained he did not think he would have "any chance" of qualifying for the main event.

I'm fascinated by Andy Murray the golfer. Great to talk golf with him this afternoon at Wentworth after watching him, Gareth Bale and Teddy Sheringham at the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am. Murray is aiming to have a go at regional qualifying for The Open in 2027.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

James Milner is still the second youngest player to score in Premier League history and 23 years later he is now the second oldest player to score in the league.

That stat feels as on brand as his Liverpool career touch map.

Where else is Muniz gonna put his foot? Terrible decision which takes such a special moment away from a young player.

Sarah Bern: From hating her body and barely eating to Vogue and modelling for Barbie Sarah Bern has become the role model she did not have in the years when she needed one the most

Sarah Bern cried at different points of this interview and I hold all of the space for that level of vulnerability and for her. She’s an incredible athlete and role model. And importantly, a really nice person.

She trusted me with depth and I can’t thank her enough.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

The Leonard Cohen song choice for karaoke speaks to me 🫶

HIS NAME IS RIO ✨

Inside Tommy Fleetwood’s triumphant Tour Championship win Fleetwood learned from heartbreaking losses this summer, recognizing what he needed to do to win on the PGA Tour for the first time.

Tommy Fleetwood finally did it. On Sunday, he wasn’t just a winner on tour, he was *the* winner on tour.

I followed Tommy until I couldn’t anymore, as he went through all the stops, all the emotions of victory. For @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...

How a five-a-side facility in Wimbledon helped Trinity Rodman return from back injury Goals Wimbledon's owner described the USWNT forward as humble while using his five-a-side facility to regain fitness earlier this summer

I love telling stories like this one ❤️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

Women’s Open: Royal Porthcawl, the ‘painter’s paradise’ which caught out Tiger Woods The rugged beauty of Royal Porthcawl is home to the Women's Open this week - could a men's Open follow?

I worked as a car park attendant at the Women's Open at Royal Birkdale in 2014. Now I'm inside the ropes at Royal Porthcawl reporting for @theathletic.com

You can see the sea from every hole on this blustery Welsh course which once caught a 19yo Tiger Woods out.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Lottie Woad: Golf’s emerging superstar who used to practice in the snow The Englishwoman missed out on $600,000 recently as she was still an amateur - only to win on her pro debut. Next up: The Women's Open...

If you don’t know Lottie Woad, you will.

The Leeds United fan gave up playing for Southampton to concentrate on golf.

Woad from Surrey has already won the Irish Open, Scottish Open and is now the favourite to win the British Open at Royal Porthcawl this weekend 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Inside the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 win: Wiegman’s ‘new England’ mantra, ‘hard’ talks and… penalties England retained the European Championship trophy with victory over Spain. This is the story of their triumphant tournament

▪️ Wiegman's reframing from title defence to 'new England'
▪️ 'Hard' conversations and the importance of body language
▪️ Subs' separate WhatsApp group
▪️ Players' families' Friday night pub crawl

The inside story of England's triumphant Euro 2025 campaign.

✍️ @charpur.bsky.social

Two photos taken three years apart. My niece Neila watching the Lionesses win the Euros in 2022 and 2025.

What they’ve achieved in the last few years is unbelievable. They are more than inspirational. They are well beyond that now. Scenes like this are just normal to Neila. That’s victory.

Still thinking about Aitana Bonmati’s goal

Michelle Agyemang has just scored one of the greatest ever England goals. And she will do it again.

That was the best and worst penalty shootout of all time. Magnificent scenes.

‘Thank God for football!’: When fans and Glastonbury collide – the magic moments it creates The impact of football at Glastonbury is clear - and the influence goes far beyond just shirts in a crowd...

Thinking back to 2022 when I went to Glastonbury festival to write about music, football and the festival.

This will always be one of my favourite ever pieces for @theathleticfc.bsky.social.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/338...

Wimbledon’s British tennis psychodrama awaits its new leading man, Jack Draper Draper has all the tennis tools to succeed at his home major, but being British at Wimbledon is a test of character like few in sports.

For nearly 10 years it was Tim Henman, before Andy Murray assumed the role for almost two decades.

Now it looks as though Jack Draper is ready to take over as the great British hope at Wimbledon - one of sport's most enduring psychodramas ⬇️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/645...

🌱 88 grass courts across three venues
🌷 28,000 new plants blooming
🎾 An actor and writer who became a master of tennis balls

@caoimhesport.bsky.social speaks to the people who prepare the All England Club to host a grand slam ⬇️

🔗 bit.ly/44ydXfX

It’s a magical place 💜💚

How Wimbledon gets its grass courts, flowers and tennis balls ready for Grand Slam action While Centre Court is quiet, a team prepares for two weeks of sporting theater. In the future, this time will be taken over by fans.

Where are my tennis fans? I’ll be covering Wimbledon for The Athletic this summer. Beyond excited!!! Wimbledon is where I live so the place already means a lot 💜💚

First piece here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...

Me standing and smiling underneath the entrance to Queen’s Club and a sign which reads HABC Championships

I like tennis

The smile of PSG’s Senny Mayulu that says everything about Champions League glory Senny Mayulu's celebration after scoring in PSG's 5-0 Champions League final win over Inter, says everything about him and his team.

I got to write about Senny and his smile 😀

www.nytimes.com/athletic/639...

Grassroots footballers protest FA’s ban on transgender women: ‘We are determined to keep going’ Some grassroots players marched to Wembley Stadium in hope of forcing the FA to change its policy on transgender women in football

This is how one grassroots women's football team have protested the FA's ban on transgender women.

Goal Diggers FC marched 12 miles to Wembley on Monday to deliver a powerful message: football is and should always be a game for everyone.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/633...

Just another manic Sunday…

Barcelona 💘

El Clásico never disappoints ❤️‍🔥

Full-time: Palace 3-0 Aston Villa.

Palace are in the FA Cup final! #CPFC