Sport

Today's sports news: What you need to know

07:09 am on 29 June 2022

Latest - The Football Ferns have drawn 0-0 with Wales in their friendly in Spain.

Katie Bowen Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The New Zealanders had the majority of the possession and had numerous opportunities in attack but were unable to get many shots on goal.

There was one change from the side that was beaten 2-0 by Norway at the weekend, with Malia Steinmetz replacing Betsy Hassett.

The Ferns are yet to record a win in 2022 having now lost five and drawn two.

Their next scheduled game is against Japan in October.

New Zealand co-hosts the Fifa World Cup with Australia next year.

Ko drops one spot

Lydia Ko has dropped one spot in the latest world golf rankings.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand l Photo: PHOTOSPORT

She is now ranked number five, having swapped places with Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand.

Ko finished tied for 46th at last weekend's PGA Championship.

South Korean Jin Young Ko remains number one, while US Open champion Minjee Lee rises one spot to number two.

American Nelly Korda is number three.

Racial spur costs driver his job

Formula One championship leaders Red Bull has terminated the contract of Estonian reserve driver Juri Vips after an investigation into a racial slur made during a live stream.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 21-year-old Formula Two driver was suspended last week after a video appeared on social media of his comments while gaming on the Twitch platform. He apologised for his "entirely unacceptable" language.

"Following its investigation into an online incident involving Juri Vips, Oracle Red Bull Racing has terminated Juri's contract as its test and reserve driver," the team said on Twitter ahead of the British Grand Prix.

Vips has been racing in Formula Two with British-based Hitech Grand Prix and last month drove Red Bull's Formula One car during first Friday practice at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Red Bull lead both Formula One driver and constructor championships and Vips' team role was to support world champion Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio Perez.

-Reuters

Eoin Morgan retires

England's Eoin Morgan has retired from international cricket with immediate effect, the World Cup-winning white-ball captain said.

England captain Eoin Morgan. Photo: RNZ: Nicholas Pointon

Morgan, who led England to 50-over World Cup glory in 2019, captained England in a record 126 ODIs and 72 T20s. His 118 wins as skipper across the two formats is also a record.

He retires with a slew of records to his name, including most ODI runs for England (6,957), most T20I runs for England (2,458) and most sixes for England in both formats.

The 35-year-old, who made his ODI debut as a 16-year-old with Ireland in 2006 before he was called up by England in 2009, has played 248 ODIs and 115 T20Is, scoring 10,159 runs in total. He has also played in 16 tests, scoring 700 runs.

But injuries and a lack of runs in T20s and ODIs had raised questions about his form ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year as well as England's defence of their 50-overs title in 2023.

-Reuters

Red Bull to build Hypercar

Red Bull will make a Formula One-inspired hypercar designed by Adrian Newey and costing almost $10 million when production starts in 2025.

The V8 hybrid-powered RB17 will be built at the Formula One championship leaders' Milton Keynes facility in central England and limited to a run of 50.

The two-seater, designed for track use, will deliver more than 1,100bhp.

Newey is Formula One's most famous designer, penning a string of title-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull over the decades.

He also helped create the Aston Martin Valkyrie, a road legal and limited edition hypercar that costs in the region of $5 million.

It said ownership would also provide access to simulators and on-track training, with full factory support tailored to each owner. The RB17 project will also secure jobs and create more than 100 new positions in Milton Keynes.

The company have their own powertrain company and race in Formula One with engines using Honda technology.

-Reuters

Jantjies starts for Boks

Elton Jantjies will start at firstfive and the Damian Willemse at fullback when South Africa take on Wales in the first match of a three test home series at Loftus Versfeld this weekend.

Elton Jantjies Photo: Photosport

Jantjies has been preferred to regular starter Handre Pollard, who played in the French Top 14 final win for Montpellier last week, while Willemse is chosen ahead of the vastly more experienced Willie le Roux.

It suggests the Boks might look to run with ball in hand and move slightly away from their reliance on a kicking game, looking instead to tire the Welsh at altitude before unleashing their powerful forwards off the bench.

The rest of the backline has a familiar look to it with wings Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, centres Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende, and scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, who does provide a kicking option from the base of the ruck.

The front row consists of props Frans Malherbe and Ox Nche, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, the lock pairing of Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, and a back three of captain Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese.

The second and third tests will be played in Bloemfontein and Cape Town respectively over the following two Saturdays. Wales lost all 10 of their previous matches in South Africa.

-Reuters