Latest - The Crusaders are gaining vital momentum when it matters most after defeating the Brumbies in Canberra last night.
Richie Mo'unga Photo: Photosport
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett said the 37-26 win brought a period of erratic form to a close.
"I think the last three of four weeks we've been backed into a corner."
"We've probably dug a little bit deeper with our preparation and I guess what it means to play for the Crusaders."
Leading 23-4 at half-time, the Crusaders were pushed in the second half by the Brumbies who piled on the points.
But Scott Robertson's men held on for the 37-26 win.
The Crusaders sit third on the Super Rugby Pacific standings, with two regular season games to play before the finals.
In Dunedin, the Highlanders outclassed the Western Force 61-10, with coach Tony Brown pleased with the performance of experimental first-five Sam Gilberd.
The Highlanders scored nine tries with Gilberd securing eight conversions in the 61-10 win.
In other games in round 13, Fijian Drua play Moana Pasifika in Sydney this afternoon, while the Blues host the Queensland Reds at Eden Park tonight.
Gymnastica Canada faces class-action lawsuit over alleged abuse
An olympic gymnastics venue Photo: AFP
A Canadian gymnast is leading a lawsuit by a group of former athletes against the country's gymnastics federation alleging years of physical and mental abuse.
Amelia Cline alleges officials from Gymnastics Canada oversaw an unhealthly environment where athletes were often berated by coaches, while being subjected to public humiliation and body shaming.
The lawsuit also alleges athletes were subjected to inappropriate touching.
Gymnastics Canada said this week that allegations of physical, sexual and psychological abuse by coaches and officials in the lawsuit filed against the sports governing body "describe behaviour that is unacceptable" and said it takes the claims "seriously."
Gymnastics Canada said in a statement that it had only learned of the lawsuit from media reports and had not yet been served.
The lawsuit, filed by a group of former gymnasts on Wednesday in the British Columbia Supreme Court, alleges that Gymnastics Canada and six affiliated provincial organizations turned a blind eye to an abusive culture that saw athletes subjected to threats and humiliation, and inappropriate touching from coaches while being forced to train while injured.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
"Although we have not been served, the allegations we have been made aware of in the claim describe behaviour that is unacceptable in any sport environment, and we take them very seriously," said Gymnastics Canada.
"As leaders in the sport of Gymnastics within Canada, we are committed to providing a safe environment for members of our sport that is accessible, inclusive, respects our participants' personal goals and is free from all forms of maltreatment."
- Reuters
Nadal troubled by chronic foot injury
Nadal with the Australian Open silverware Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Spain's Rafael Nadal has a fitness battle to be ready in time for this month's French Open.
The 13-time champion in Paris was hampered by a chronic foot injury as he failed to reach the quarter finals of the Rome Masters.
Nadal, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in his ribs, said he would take a doctor with him to Roland Garros.
- Reuters
Cummins out of IPL
Australia test captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the remainder of the Kolkata Knight Riders' Indian Premier League campaign due to a minor hip injury, multiple media reports said on Friday.
Pat Cummins Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Cummins, who has picked up seven wickets in five games this season, will return to Sydney and complete his recovery ahead of the one-day international and test series in Sri Lanka.
The 29-year-old had already been rested for the Twenty20 leg, which begins in Colombo on June 7.
Kolkata, who take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, are seventh in the standings, four points off the last playoff place with six games remaining.
- Reuters
Zverev sets up semi-final clash with Tsitsipas in Rome
World number three Alexander Zverev remained on course to claim his first title of the season.
The German eased past Cristian Garin at the Italian Open to set up a semi-final showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who saw off home favourite Jannik Sinner.
Zverev, who won the title in Rome in 2017, eased into the last four with a 7-5 6-2 win over Garin in the pair's first meeting since the Chilean upset him on home soil en route to winning the ATP 250 event in Munich three years ago.
World number one Novak Djokovic defeated Stan Wawrinka for a place in today's quarter-final.
- Reuters