Today's sports news: What you need to know

Former Australia boss Michael Cheika was named as the new Argentina rugby coach and told his new charges he hopes he can take them from being good to being great.

"The level is there and the quality is there, no doubt," Cheika said on being introduced by the Argentina Rugby Union at an online news conference on Saturday (NZ time).

A championship-winning coach with Irish club Leinster and Sydney-based Super Rugby side New South Wales Waratahs, Cheika guided the Wallabies to the final of the 2015 World Cup in Britain the year after taking over the team.

He resigned in acrimony four years later, however, after Australia crashed out of the World Cup quarter-finals in Japan, matching their worst result at the global tournament.

He takes over in Buenos Aires from Mario Ledesma, to whom he was an assistant for two years before Ledesma resigned as head coach last month after a string of poor results.

The new deal will take the 55-year-old through to the 2023 World Cup.

"In test (rugby) football it is about being (and) feeling your best, and being at your best on that right day," Cheika said on his new challenge.

"That's where I think where the team needs to understand it's about just learning how to be best on that day. And that is something that I hope my experience can bring them."

- Reuters

France repel Welsh fire in Cardiff

France were not at their flamboyant best but a try from flanker Anthony Jelonch helped the Six Nations leaders to a 13-9 victory over a Wales side full of fight in Cardiff, a seventh win in a row for Fabien Galthie's team.

The French stay on course for their first Six Nations title, and Grand Slam, since 2010 with a remaining fixture to come against England in Paris on March 19. Their other points were from the boot of fullback Melvyn Jaminet, who kicked a conversion and two penalties.

Wales were impressive in containing the visitors' attacking instincts and captain Dan Biggar was exceptional with the boot as he won territory and kicked three penalties to keep them in the contest to the last minute on Saturday (NZ time).

Unbeaten France have 18 points from four games in the championship, ahead of second-placed Ireland (11 points) and England (10) in third. Those two sides meet at Twickenham on Sunday to keep their title hopes alive.

France have been free-flowing in the championship so far, but this was a different kind of win, built on the hard work of defence coach Shaun Edwards, who was previously in the Welsh camp.

It is telling that France saw less of the ball and played more of the game in their own half, but they had five breakdown steals to just one for the home side, and six turnovers in all, and it was in that area of the game that they dominated.

- Reuters

England claim box seat in Antigua

A second career century by opener Zak Crawley and a confident captain's knock by Joe Root lifted England into a commanding position, 153 runs ahead in their second innings after day four of the first test against West Indies.

Crawley (117) and Root (84) scored freely for an unbeaten 193-run second-wicket partnership, pushing England to 217 for one in North Sound on the island of Antigua, where stumps were drawn early due to a late afternoon tropical downpour.

Crawley, strong off his legs but not afraid to score on the off side either, completed his century in 181 balls.

His previous three-figure score was a mammoth 267 against Pakistan in Southampton in 2020.

While a draw is still probably the most likely result, the partnership all but eliminated any chance of a West Indies victory barring an extremely bold declaration by Root early on the final day.

England, however, will be disappointed to have lost more than 23 overs because of the rain.

Earlier, West Indies were all out for 375 in their first innings.

The match is the first in a three-test series in the Caribbean, where England have enjoyed only one series victory in the past half century.

- Reuters

South Africa hold off Pakistan

South Africa have narrowly held off Pakistan to secure their second win at the Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

Defending their total of 223-9, South Africa bowled Pakistan out for 217 in the last over of the match for a six-run victory in Mount Maunganui on Friday.

Pakistan began the last over needing nine runs to win, with two wickets in hand.

However South African pace bowler Shabnim Ismail executed a super caught and bowled from the second ball, before a run-out from the penultimate ball sealed the result.

It meant South Africa had two wins from two, while Pakistan remained winless after three games.

Saturday's match pitted the tournament's suprise package so far, the West Indies, against India in Hamilton.

Sainz not buying Merceces praise

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz suggested Formula One champions Mercedes and their driver George Russell were playing 'typical' games in talking up the Italian team ahead of the season starting in Bahrain next week.

Russell, preparing to partner seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton after moving from Williams, said Ferrari were looking very solid in testing and potentially the strongest in low fuel runs.

Sainz said on Saturday (NZ time) the Briton's comments were "typical Mercedes, typical George -- just hype up the others and then come to the first race and blow the competition away.

"If it would be the first year they've done it then I would maybe believe them but they've done it for five or six years now and they keep surprising us in the first race.

"As you can imagine I don't believe much ... we can see what they are doing (on track) and I'm not going to say much," added the Spaniard.

Mercedes have been constructors' champions for the past eight years.

- Reuters

Aussie F1 star contracts Covid

McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for Covid-19 but the Australian will be out of isolation in time for next week's Bahrain season-opener.

The 32-year-old had felt unwell since Wednesday, and missed testing at the Sakhir circuit on Thursday and Friday, but the team said in a statement their 2021 Italian GP winner was already beginning to feel better.

They added that Ricciardo would continue to isolate in accordance with local regulations.

Practice for the opening race is next Friday and Ricciardo will go into it without having driven the car since Barcelona on February 24.

British team mate Lando Norris, 22, tested in Ricciardo's absence and will be back in the car for the final day on Saturday.

"Better this week than next," said Ricciardo on Twitter. "Unfortunate to miss the test, but I'm starting to feel better. I'll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend.

"Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando)."

- Reuters

England hopeful to have Itoje for Ireland clash

England lock Maro Itoje could miss this weekend's Six Nations clash with Ireland at Twickenham through illness, though he does not have Covid-19 and is expected to recover.

Itoje missed England's final training session, though officials said they are hopeful he would recover in time to play in the game on Sunday (NZ time), where defeat would almost certainly end each side's hopes of taking the title.

If Itoje, one of England's most consistent performers, is ruled out, Joe Launchbury would probably step up from the bench to start, earning his first cap since December 2020.

"Maro was a little sick overnight so we're just giving him an opportunity to recover but we're really optimistic he'll be right," England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot said.

Forwards coach Richard Cockerill has tested positive for Covid and will miss the match, after No 8 Alex Dombrandt and winger Louis Lynagh were also ruled out by Covid earlier in the week.

England go into the game in the rare situation of being bookmakers' underdogs at Twickenham, largely because of the teams' relative performances in the first three rounds of the Championship but also Ireland's victory last year.

- Reuters