6H AGO

Should the world’s best women’s rugby union players use smaller balls?

England fly-half Zoe Harrison says the introduction of smaller balls for this autumn's WXV Global Series is "the worst decision someone has ever made". Size 4.5 balls - about 3% smaller, but the same weight as a regulation size five - will be used for the tournament in September and October. Delyth Lloyd is also joined by the BBC’s Rugby reporter Sara Orchard and England World Cup winner Danielle Waterman. Sara explains the issues around the introduction of a new size ball and how frustrated some players are at the prospect of playing with one and the potential extra costs involved. We also hear Sara’s interview with Zoe Harrison. While, Danielle tells us there is always resistance to change but she’s in favour of the smaller ball and outlines some of the issues she had playing with a size 5 ball during her career. She believes players will adapt to the challenge of playing with a new ball and will ultimately embrace and enjoy it. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

24 min

3D AGO

Does coverage of women's sport focus on personality over performance?

Over the past three years, women's basketball has become one of the most watched and talked-about sports in the USA. Around 1.5 million viewers tuned in to this year's WNBA draft, where the Dallas Wings made Azzi Fudd the number one pick. However, much of the media coverage of the draft focused more on Fudd's relationship with the Wings' star player, Paige Bueckers, than on Fudd's attributes as a player. Sophia Hartley is joined by journalist Frankie de la Cretaz, author of the newsletter Out of Your League, and the CBC's Karissa Donkin to discuss whether coverage of women's sport puts too much emphasis on personal lives over performances. Frankie explains why such scrutiny can lead to unhealthy fandom and have a negative effect on players. Karissa covers the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) in Canada. She says it's frustrating to know that a lot of the focus on the world's best female athletes is centered on what they do away from the ice or the court. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like heavyweight boxing champion Fabio Wardley, Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

25 min

4D AGO

Fabio Wardley: From white collar boxing to world champion

Fabio Wardley’s journey to the top of the heavyweight boxing reads like a Hollywood movie script. Having been part of Ipswich Town's academy as a teenager, he discovered boxing in his 20's. He had four white collar fights before deciding to turn professional. White collar is a form of boxing where people in professional careers with no prior boxing experience train to compete in amateur matches, often for charity. Wardley tells Ade Adedoyin about his steep learning curve from an amateur with no formal experience, to the top of the division and a first WBO title defence against former world champion Daniel Dubois. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

23 min

5D AGO

What next for LIV Golf and Saudi investment in sport?

The launch of LIV Golf in 2022, backed by Saudi Arabia's powerful Public Investment Fund (PIF), sent shockwaves through the world of sport. Many of golf's biggest names, such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, signed up to LIV, and were rewarded with hugely lucrative prize money - while others, including Rory McIlroy, fiercely criticised the new competition. However, LIV's big spending may be set to come to an abrupt halt. The PIF announced it would withdraw its funding at the end of the 2026 season, stating: "The substantial investment required by LIV Golf over a longer term is no longer consistent with the current phase of PIF’s investment strategy." The news has left LIV facing an uncertain future - while also leading to speculation about whether Saudi investment in sports such as boxing and football could also fall away. Iain Carter, the BBC's golf correspondent, tells Ade Adedoyin why PIF's decision to withdraw will have a big impact on what happens next in the sport. Simon Chadwick is a professor of Afro-Eurasian sport and co-editor of GeoSport - a newsletter that looks at sport from a geopolitical angle. He explains why the region got involved in sport and why it remains committed to sports such as football and Formula 1. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

20 min

6D AGO

Can stats pick out the EFL Championship play-off winner?

Four teams are set to battle it out for a place in the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. It's the teams that finished between third and sixth in the second tier at the end of the regular season. Hull City and Millwall face each other over two legs. The winner of that one facing the winner of the semi-final between Middlesbrough and Southampton in a decider at Wembley. The winner of that game gets promoted to the Premier League and a financial boost upwards of $135m. John Bennett is joined by BBC Sport's Jonty Colman to discuss what the numbers around the history of the play-offs tell us about which team is best equipped to move up. Former Reading midfielder and TV and radio pundit, Jobi McAnuff, was involved in four play-off promotion attempts. He explains why momentum at the end of the regular campaign is important no matter where you finish in the play-off standings. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

21 min

MAY 4

Making sport stars into statues

During Lionel Messi's tour of India last year, he witnessed the unveiling of a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. It's reportedly the biggest-ever statue of an athlete - but does that make it any better? Why are sculptures such a popular choice for honouring sporting greats, and what gives them their power? Back in January of this year, More than the Score's Lee James talked to two people who know plenty about sport and statues. Tom Murphy's sculptures have become a huge part of Liverpool's cultural identity. They can be seen everywhere from the city's John Lennon Airport to Anfield and Goodison Park, where he's created memorials to Liverpool and Everton legends Bill Shankly and Dixie Dean. He talks us through the process of creating his artworks, from commissioning to sculpting, and why small details and decisions you might not notice at first glance help to convey the soul of his subjects. Art critic and Tottenham Hotspur fan Eddy Frankel discusses how clubs and sporting institutions use artworks to build a sense of identity and history, and to forge connections with their fans. He also explains why statues have extra power when they convey a sense of movement - and sticks up for a much-maligned effigy of Cristiano Ronaldo. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

20 min

MAY 1

Can AI help Ineos dominate cycling once more?

Ineos Grenadiers - formerly known as Team Sky - were the dominant team at cycling's most famous race, the Tour de France, during the 2010s. Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal all claimed the yellow jersey while leading a squad of riders that had the peloton at their mercy. But in the past few years, they've begun to fade into the background. UAE Team Emirates, led by the astonishing talents of Tadej Pogacar, are now cycling's top squad, with Jonas Vingegaard's Visma-Lease a Bike as their main rivals. Now, Ineos plan to put themselves back on top through a new partnership with Danish tech firm Netcompany. The rebranded Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team hope AI will help them discover new ways to win - but is tech really the solution to their problems? What more can it offer in a sport that's already one of the most analysed in the world? BBC cycling journalist Matt Warwick talks to More than the Score's Maz Farookhi about how Ineos used Team GB's "marginal gains" strategy to reach the top of world cycling, and how they now plan to conquer the sport once again. We're also joined by Steve McCaskill from the sports business media publication SportsPro, whose Global SportsTech Report analyses the ways AI is already being used by sports organisations all over the world. He explains some of the developments that are building on existing analysis technologies. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

22 min

APR 30

What makes a great doubles partner?

Jamie Murray, one of the most decorated doubles players in tennis history, announced his retirement from tennis earlier this month, aged 40. He claimed seven Grand Slam titles across his career, playing alongside four different partners, as well as teaming up with his brother Andy to help Great Britain win the 2015 Davis Cup. But what makes a great doubles player, and what are the ingredients for making a partnership tick? Does tennis take doubles seriously enough, and what does the future of the format look like? Rennae Stubbs is a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion, forming formidable partnerships with Lisa Raymond and Cara Black during the 1990s and 2000s, as well as playing along the likes of Steffi Graf, Samantha Stosur and Lindsay Davenport. She tells More than the Score's John Bennett about the strategies and qualities that took those pairings to the top of the game, and why their contrasting personalities were key to making the partnerships work. John's also joined by Ben Rothenberg, editor of the tennis magazine Bounces, who talks about the status of doubles tennis in the sport, and what experiments at tournaments like the US Open could mean for the future of the game. Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Winter Olympic champion Elana Meyers Taylor, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

21 min

More than the Score

Should the world’s best women’s rugby union players use smaller balls?

Does coverage of women's sport focus on personality over performance?

Fabio Wardley: From white collar boxing to world champion

What next for LIV Golf and Saudi investment in sport?

Can stats pick out the EFL Championship play-off winner?

Making sport stars into statues

Can AI help Ineos dominate cycling once more?

What makes a great doubles partner?

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More than the Score

Episodes

Should the world’s best women’s rugby union players use smaller balls?

Does coverage of women's sport focus on personality over performance?

Fabio Wardley: From white collar boxing to world champion

What next for LIV Golf and Saudi investment in sport?

Can stats pick out the EFL Championship play-off winner?

Making sport stars into statues

Can AI help Ineos dominate cycling once more?

What makes a great doubles partner?

About

Information

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