Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - New Zealand Rugby have confirmed the All Blacks' three Tests against Ireland in July will be played in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.

NZR are still in talks with Ireland about midweek games.

Hamilton and Christchurch will host Tests against Argentina and Eden Park will host the Bledisloe Cup game against Australia.

The Black Ferns' Pacific Four tournament against USA, Canada and Australia will be played as double-headers in Tauranga, Waitakere and Whangarei.

Australian player to miss Cricket World Cup games after getting Covid

Big-hitting Australian all-rounder Ash Gardner will miss the start of the Women's Cricket World Cup after contracting Covid-19 in New Zealand.

Gardner is set to miss Australia's opening two matches, beginning with the tournament opener against England on Saturday in Hamilton.

Cricket Australia (CA) says Gardner produced a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) result while in a training camp in the South Island and will have to stay put there in isolation when the team travels north.

She produced the positive RAT on Wednesday morning, receiving confirmation from a positive PCR result on Thursday morning.

"Gardner will remain in Christchurch and, in line with ICC and New Zealand government health guidelines, will continue isolating for 10 days," the CA statement read.

"All remaining Australian players and support staff have tested negative following subsequent RATs, and will proceed with existing plans to travel to Hamilton."

A CA staff member is staying in Christchurch to support Gardner.

-ABC

America's Cup venue still undecided

World events are on the mind of the America's Cup champions but Team New Zealand does not know if it will impact on the 37th America's Cup in 2024.

"It is too soon to tell the what the effect of the horrific war in Ukraine will have on the venue decision if any, but it certainly puts everything in perspective and our thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine," a Team New Zealand spokesman said.

"All three remaining shortlisted off shore venues are very much still in play right now as negotiations continue to finalise the host venue agreements before a decision will be made."

Team New Zealand are thought to be considering bids from Cork in Ireland, Malaga in Spain and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Despite any international turmoil, Team New Zealand will not consider a defence in Auckland.

"To reiterate, neither ETNZ nor the RNZYS will have anything to do with Mark Dunphy or his Kiwi Home Defence due to his well-documented disingenuous actions."

The deadline for the venue decision is 31 March.

Chelsea owner planning to sell

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich says he is planning to sell the English Premier League club.

In a statement on the club's website, businessman Abramovich said it was an "incredibly difficult decision to make", which "pains" him.

Abramovich gave "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to its foundation trustees following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In his statement, he says he will not ask "for any loans to be repaid" and proceeds of the sale would be donated to war victims.

Earlier today, Billionaire Hansjorg Wyss had told Swiss newspaper Blick he had been offered the chance to buy the west London club.

Wyss said Abramovich wanted "to get rid of Chelsea quickly" after the threat of sanctions was raised in Parliament.

Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied.

Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for $275m, and he says it has "never been about business nor money, but about pure passion for the game and club".

-BBC

Usyk joins Ukraine military

Heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk says his "country and honour" are more important than any fight in the ring as he prepares to defend Ukraine's capital Kyiv against invading Russian forces.

The 35-year-old, who beat Britain's Anthony Joshua in September to become the unified heavyweight champion, has enlisted in Ukraine's military.

"There is no fear, absolutely no fear," he told CNN.

Usyk said he did not know if there was any chance of him fulfilling a planned May rematch with Joshua.

He is one of several former and current Ukrainian boxers who have come to the defence of their homeland.

Vasiliy Lomachenko, a three-weight world champion who has wins over Britons Luke Campbell and Anthony Crolla on his professional record as well as two Olympic golds from his time as an amateur, has also taken up arms.

Brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, both former heavyweight world champions, are also in Kyiv.

Vitali, 50, has been mayor of the city since 2014 while Wladimir, 45, joined the city's military reserve last month.

Verstappen staying at Red Bull

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has reportedly agreed on a lucrative long-term contract extension with Red Bull.

Verstappen's current deal with Red Bull expires in 2023.

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf said that the 24-year-old is expected to extend his contract by four or five years.

The new deal is said to be worth up to $80 million per year, making it one of the most lucrative contracts in F1.

Verstappen fought a down-to-the-wire battle with Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton before clinching the title in controversial circumstances at the Abu Dhabi finale in December.

The new F1 season will get underway in Bahrain on March 20.

-Reuters

Coll to contest final

New world men's squash number one Paul Coll of New Zealand will meet Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt in today's final of the Windy City Open in Chicago.

The 29 year old from Greymouth beat another Egyptian Tarek Momen 3-2 in the semi-finals.

Ibrahim is ranked 17th in the world and while Coll has beaten him on three previous occasions, he is considered an improving young player.

"I'm really excited for the final another final here in Chicago. I'm enjoying this week. Youssef he's extremely talented he's had some amazing wins this week, he's super talented. I'm happy for him to make the final. It will be a good match."

Meanwhile Joelle King was beaten in the women's semi-finals.

Smith on the bench

All Black halfback Aaron Smith is on the bench for Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific game against the Hurricanes in Dunedin with Folau Fakatava starting.

Smith's move to the bench provides another opportunity for Fakatava having only had a handful of starts in his time with the Highlanders. Newcomer, Liam Coombes-Fabling, debuts on the left wing after joining the team three weeks ago in Queenstown as an injury replacement player.

Meanwhile Wellington lock Caleb Delany gets his first start for the Hurricanes, while Du'Plessis Kirifi returns from injury at number seven and Jamie Booth and Ruben Love return in the halves.

The Hurricanes have a win and a loss so far, while the Highlanders have lost both their games.

NRL cancels launch

The National Rugby League has cancelled its season launch and will instead use the money to help clubs affected by the floods in New South Wales and Queensland.

The NRL will help set up a $500,000 relief fund to assist grassroots rugby league clubs affected by the flooding.

The league will use funds it had allocated to its official season launch, which was to be held today before it was cancelled.

The 16 NRL clubs, the New South Wales Rugby League, Queensland Rugby League and at least one of its commercial partners will also contribute to the fund.

"The scenes across south-east Queensland and northern NSW have been devastating and there could be worse to come with significant rain still to hit Sydney and surrounding areas," NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said in a statement.

"From a rugby league perspective, many of our grassroots clubs have lost equipment and suffered damage in the flooding.

Abdo said the NRL had a responsibility to support grassroots clubs hit by the floods.

-ABC

Comm Games hockey teams confirmed

The 20 teams for the hockey tournaments at this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have been confirmed.

New Zealand will compete in both the women's and men's competitions along with Australia, Canada, England, Ghana, India, Scotland, South Africa and Wales.

Kenya is in the women's competition and Pakistan in the men's.

New Zealand are the defending women's champions after winning in the Gold Coast in 2018, while Australia have won all six editions of the men's competition since it joined the Games in 1998.

Benaud-Qadir trophy up for grabs

Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board have named a perpetual trophy in honour of legendary leg-spinners Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir.

The Benaud-Qadir Trophy will be contested between Australia and Pakistan whenever they play in the men's Test arena, beginning with this month's series.

The trophy was unveiled by Australia captain Pat Cummins and Pakistan counterpart Babar Azam in Rawalpindi ahead of the first Test, which starts tomorrow.

Benaud, who died aged 84 in 2015, was a member of the first Australian team to play a Test in Pakistan, in 1956.

Qadir, regarded as one of the greatest leg-spinners of all time, claimed 45 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia.

He died in 2019, aged 63.

-ABC