After a 23-year gap, Prince Harry is set to attend another rugby match in Sydney

SYDNEY (AP) — Prince Harry was at Sydney's Olympic stadium 23 years ago when England won the 2003 Rugby World Cup, celebrating later with the players after England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson kicked a drop goal in the last minute of extra time to defeat Australia.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to be back at a rugby match in Sydney on Friday after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were invited to attend a Super Rugby match in a private suite at the former Sydney Football Stadium.

The person who issued the invitation was none other than Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, who has far different memories of that 2003 final — he was on the field as vice captain of the Wallabies and was actively involved in the play when Wilkinson kicked the winning goal.

Harry and Meghan have only one night in Sydney as part of their first visit to Australia since 2018. They arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday on what they have described as a privately-funded visit.

The 10th-round match between the New South Wales Waratahs and Moana Pasifika will be played exactly 18 months before Australia’s follow-up Rugby World Cup begins in October 2027.

“Harry loves his rugby and we are looking forward to hosting him and Meghan at Friday night’s game,” said Waugh. “Australian audiences will remember Harry celebrating as England held aloft the Webb Ellis trophy on these shores in 2003.

“And with the Rugby World Cup returning to Australia next year, we are delighted to welcome him back for a match that will feature test players from Australia and across the Pacific.”

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

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, meet patients and their family members during a visit to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visit the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, visits the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Britain's Prince Harry arrives at London's High Court to lead a group accusing the Daily Mail's publisher of privacy invasion through unlawful tactics in a trial that is part of a wider phone hacking scandal in London, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet was battered by the Minnesota Twins for 11 runs — 10 earned — and nine hits in 1 2/3 innings Monday night.

Crochet, a two-time All-Star who finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting last season, became the first Red Sox pitcher to allow 10 runs in less than two innings.

“My command, as a whole, has been spotty," Crochet said following a 13-6 loss. “I've gotten away with it a little this early in the year, but tonight they made me pay. It was weak contact, hard contact, walks, hit by pitch — a little bit of everything."

The 26-year-old left-hander gave up four runs, three earned, in a 31-pitch first inning. Minnesota scored seven more in the second before Crochet was removed with two outs and Boston trailing 11-0.

“I don’t really have one thing to point to,” Crochet said. “I feel like I had a good approach. It was all pitch types that I felt like they were absolutely smothering."

Victor Caratini hit his first home run for the Twins in the second, a three-run drive off the facing of the third deck in left field. Light-hitting infielder Ryan Kreidler ended Crochet's night with his third career home run, a solo shot into the second deck in left.

“As a manager, it’s hard to watch. It was kind of like, OK, when are we going to take him out, you know?” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “At the same time, you still have to cover innings and keep the bullpen quote-unquote fresh, knowing that there’s two more games in the series.”

Crochet walked three, hit a batter with a pitch and failed to record a strikeout for the first time in 68 career starts. His season ERA climbed to 7.58 after he entered 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA through three starts.

“I'm just going to flush it as best I can and move on to the next one,” Crochet said. “They had a good approach.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Monday, April 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) winds up to deliver during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Monday, April 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) stands in the mound as Minnesota Twins' Ryan Kreidler (5) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, April 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Boston Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet, front right, hands the ball to manager Alex Cora (13) for a pitching change during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, April 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)