Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Bay of Plenty have pipped Wellington 33-32 in Rotorua to edge up the NPC rugby premiership ladder.

Steamers centre Emoni Narawa crashed through in the 82nd minute, and Otere Black's conversion secured the narrow win as Wellington stumbled to their fourth successive loss.

First half tries to Justin Sangster and Alefosio Tapili - and the accurate boot of Black - gave Bay of Plenty a 14-12 half-time lead.

They looked in control at 26-17 ahead with 15 minutes to play, but Wellington's three-try burst in 10 minutes regained them the lead at 32-26 until Narawa powered over with time up.

Bay of Plenty are now fifth on the ladder, but on the same points as third-placed Tasman and fourth-ranked Canterbury.

In a later championship clash, Manawatū boosted their play-off hopes with a 27-14 win over Otago in Palmerston North after leading 17-7 at half-time.

On Friday, Northland posted their first win of the season in Rene Ranger's 100th match for the province, beating premiership leaders Waikato 38-28 in Whangārei.

Northland led 24-7 at halftime and 31-14 10 minutes into the second half before Waikato staged a comeback.

Winger Liam Coombes-Fabling scored a hat-trick for Waikato to cut the deficit to three points with five minutes remaining.

But Northland flanker Sam McNamara sealed their victory with a 79th minute try.

Waikato down Wellington to earn FPC finals spot

Waikato have earned another shot at Canterbury in next week's Farah Palmer Cup premiership final after beating Wellington 26-10 in today's preliminary final in Hamilton.

Despite missing nine players on Black Ferns duty, Waikato's three second-half tries were enough to secure the win after the scores were level 3-3 at half-time.

Kelsey Teneti and Montessa Tairakena crossed early in the second spell to open out a 16-3 lead for the home team.

Angel Uila's 60th-minute try brought Wellington back within striking distance but their lack of discipline - three yellow cards and a penalty try - proved costly.

Defending premiership champions Canterbury, who edged Waikato 8-7 in last year's final, warmed up for next weekend's final with a 31-25 win over championship contenders Manawatū in Palmerston North later in the afternoon.

Earlier, Hawke's Bay came back from 21-0 down to beat Northland 27-26 in their Farah Palmer Cup semifinal.

Hawke's Bay will meet Manawatū in next week's championship final.

Morgan's IPL batting woes continue

England Twenty20 captain Eoin Morgan's poor batting performance in the Indian Premier League continued as he scored only two runs in Kolkata Knight Riders' five-wicket defeat by Punjab Kings, raising concerns over his form ahead of the World Cup.

Morgan, who also leads Kolkata, has scored a total of 17 runs in four innings since the IPL resumed in the United Arab Emirates last month.

The 35-year-old has an average of 10.90 runs in the T20 tournament and Kolkata coach Brendon McCullum said the team expects more from the batter.

"I think he's captained the side really well. But look, you want some more runs from him there's no doubt in there," McCullum said.

"He's one of our senior players. He's one of our international batters and in his own head, he would have loved to contribute more runs.

"You need runs from your overseas players and you particularly need in those key spots as well. I am confident he will come all right."

Morgan is set to lead England in the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the UAE and Oman.

England face defending champions West Indies in their opening match on October 23 in Dubai.

- Reuters

Champions League winner joins A-League club

Former Liverpool and Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge has signed with the Perth Glory for the upcoming A-League season, after being without a club for more than 18 months.

The 32-year-old has been without a team since March 2020 when he terminated his contract with Turkey's Trabzonspor after being banned for four months by the English FA for breaching betting rules.

Sturridge, who won the Premier League with Chelsea and Champions League titles with the London club and Liverpool, began training with Spanish side Real Mallorca in July to build up his fitness.

He scored 68 goals in all competitions during a six-year stint at Liverpool and also had spells at Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to try a new challenge," Sturridge told the Perth team's website.

"When the opportunity came about, it felt like the right thing to do, to take my talent somewhere where I can enjoy my football in a competitive league and try and help the team be as successful as they possibly can be."

- Reuters

Kiwi golfers remain well off the pace in Scotland

The New Zealand contingent faces an uphill battle to make the 54-hole cut at the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

Ryan Fox is the best placed of the three after two rounds, in a tie of 100th place at two-over par.

The New Zealand number one is 12 shots behind the leader, England's Tyrrell Hatton, and three shots adrift of the projected cut.

Josh Geary has tumbled down the leaderboard after carding a six-over 78 in his second round.

He is now tied for 133rd at four over par.

Denzel Ieremia is a further three shots back in a share of 155th place.

Premier League footballers cleared to travel to red list countries

Premier League players who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to travel to countries on the UK's red list during the international break and will be allowed to train or play when they quarantine on return.

Many clubs refused to release players to 'red list' countries such as Brazil and Argentina last month and the Premier League is looking to avoid a similar situation which angered national federations.

The strict Covid-19 quarantine rules require those who return to England from a red list country to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days, but players will now be quarantined at "bespoke facilities" and will be allowed to train or play.

"We have worked closely with football authorities to achieve an outcome that balances the interests of both club and country while maintaining the highest levels of public health and safety," a government spokesperson told Reuters.

"Our best defence against the virus is vaccination and these new measures will allow fully vaccinated players to fulfil their international duties in the safest, most practical way possible, while allowing them to train and play with their clubs as early as possible upon their return."

The international break runs from Oct. 4-15, with the Premier League resuming on Oct. 16.

- Reuters

Call for heading to be phased out of football

Former England defender Terry Butcher wants heading to be gradually phased out of football to reduce the risk of brain trauma and neurodegenerative diseases.

Butcher, 62, was a no-nonsense centre back who was strong in the air and famously suffered a head wound playing for England in a World Cup qualifier in 1989, but stayed on the pitch and ended the game covered in blood.

With several former players, especially from England's World Cup-winning team of 1966, being diagnosed with dementia, Butcher said he eventually wanted to see no heading in football.

"I think you have to look at safety, you have to look at families losing their loved ones too early. I think it's something that has been strong, particularly in Britain, the way that we used to play but not so much now," Butcher told the BBC.

"I think it's something that we can do without and then it would rule out the trauma of heading a football, particularly at pace. You've got to get some brain trauma in there because your brain is going to rattle against your skull.

"Then of course you're looking at aerial collisions where you have no real control. I'd like to see it phased out... a gradual process with everybody coming together."

- Reuters