Van Gerwen enjoys comfortable opening victory Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Michael van Gerwen has made just one major ranking event final in 2024 Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Paul Higham BBC Sport Journalist Michael van Gerwen enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory over English debutant James Hurrell in his opening match of the PDC

Van Gerwen enjoys comfortable opening victory Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Michael van Gerwen has made just one major ranking event final in 2024 Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Paul Higham BBC Sport Journalist Michael van Gerwen enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory over English debutant James Hurrell in his opening match of the PDC

Van Gerwen enjoys comfortable opening victory Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Michael van Gerwen has made just one major ranking event final in 2024 Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Paul Higham BBC Sport Journalist Michael van Gerwen enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory over English debutant James Hurrell in his opening match of the PDC

Van Gerwen enjoys comfortable opening victory Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Michael van Gerwen has made just one major ranking event final in 2024 Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Paul Higham BBC Sport Journalist Michael van Gerwen enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory over English debutant James Hurrell in his opening match of the PDC

Mark Allen beat Luca Brecel to win the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship and claim his first title of the season. Northern Ireland's Allen beat defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-2 in the semi-final before outplaying Belgium's Brecel in the final later on Friday in a 5-1 victory. "I was very nervous in the last few balls.

Everton manager Sean Dyche says the club's new owners are "fully supportive" of him, his staff and the team. The Friedkin Group completed its purchase of the Toffees on Thursday, bringing to an end Farhad Moshiri's tumultuous tenure. Incoming executive chairman Marc Watts met with men's team boss Dyche and women's team manager Brian Sorensen

Stephen Bunting came from behind to beat Kai Gotthardt 3-1 and book his place in the third round of the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship. Englishman Bunting, ranked eighth in the world, dropped the first set and almost went 2-0 down in the match before staging an impressive recovery. Tournament debutant Gotthardt missed three darts

Tom Pidcock's attention to detail is "next level" according to his new team boss Doug Ryder. The British rider, 25, signed for the Swiss Q36.5 team earlier this month after leaving Ineos Grenadiers following three years with the British team. "It's a game changer for us," said Ryder, "giving him full leadership, trust, and faith

Tom Ilube has stepped down as Rugby Football Union chairman amid controversy over the organisation's executive bonuses, with Sir Bill Beaumont appointed as interim chair. Ilube's departure pre-empted the possibility of a grassroots rebellion forcing him out over the scale of bonuses. Former World Rugby chair Beaumont, 72, has stepped in pending the appointment of

Tom Ilube has stepped down as Rugby Football Union chairman, pre-empting the possibility of a grassroots rebellion forcing him out over the scale of the organisation's executive bonuses. Ilube, who was appointed in August 2021, faced the possibility of a vote of no-confidence in his leadership as a motion to sack him gathered support among