Latest - The Wellington Phoenix's A-League season opener is in serious doubt as a result of Sydney's coronavirus outbreak.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Phoenix are scheduled to travel from their base in New South Wales to Brisbane for their opening match against the Roar on December 29.
But Queensland has now orderered all people arriving from the affected New South Wales regions into 14-day quarantine on arrival in Queensland.
"We have 218 games to play in the next 6-months and our plan is to deliver all of those games," head of leagues Greg O'Rourke said in a statement.
"Where games are impacted by border closures, we will postpone those matches to be played at the earliest opportunity.
"We are closely tracking and reviewing government guidance, and building our plans to ensure that we have the flexibility to respond dynamically to any guidance changes."
The A-League season is due to start on Sunday, when Western Sydney Wanderers FC host newcomers Macarthur FC.
Lawton out for season
The Warriors prospects for the 2021 NRL rugby league season have suffered their first blow due to injury.
Hooker Karl Lawton has been ruled out for the entirety of next year's campaign after undergoing achilles tendon surgery.
Karl Lawton of New Zealand Warriors. Photo: Photosport
The 25-year-old had the procedure after going down with the injury at the New Zealand club's New South Wales training hub.
Lawton's injury leaves the Warriors hoping first-choice hooker Wayde Egan is able to get through next season unscathed.
The pair are the only two specialist dummy-halves on the Warriors roster, with the club having released Nathaniel Roache to the Eels.
Middle forward Jazz Tevaga and halfback Kodi Nikorima, who have both previously played minutes at hooker, and could provide back-up to Egan in 2021.
Leicester and Man U climb into top three
Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes scored two each as Manchester United thumped Leeds United 6-2 at Old Trafford to move up to third in the Premier League.
Jamie Vardy and manager Brendan Rodgers Photo: PHOTOSPORT
United are on 26 points, five behind leaders Liverpool and just a point behind second-placed Leicester, who earlier beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in London.
Jamie Vardy scored Leicester City's opening goal and had a hand in the other.
The Foxes now have 27 points from 14 games, four behind champions and leaders Liverpool.
Tottenham dropped two places down to fourth after a second successive defeat.
Earlier ten-man Sheffield United were denied a first win of the season when Brighton & Hove Albion's Danny Welbeck struck late to cancel out Premier League debutant Jayden Bogle's goal in a 1-1 draw at the Amex Arena.
Brighton, yet to win at home this season, stayed 16th in the standings, two points above the relegation zone, while United remained rooted to the bottom with two points from 14 games.
- Reuters
Fourth straight treble for Celtic
Celtic have beaten Heart of Midlothian 4-3 on penalties in the Scottish Cup final to clinch an unprecedented fourth successive domestic treble and ease some of the pressure on beleaguered manager Neil Lennon.
Neil Lennon Photo: AFP
The 2019-20 Scottish Cup final was postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ended the Premiership season early with Celtic declared league champions.
They also won the League Cup last December after beating arch rivals Rangers 1-0 in the final.
The result could give Celtic a kickstart in their current campaign where they lie second in the Premiership standings -- 16 points behind Rangers with three games in hand -- while they were dumped out of the League Cup by Ross County last month.
Lennon has been under pressure due to their mixed start and he dedicated the "monumental achievement" to the board who had backed him earlier this month despite their poor run of form.
- Reuters
Mackay moves to top of run-scoring chart
Canterbury Magicians captain Frankie Mackay has become the top overall run-scorer in New Zealand's domestic one-day competition.
Frankie Mackay Photo: Photosport
Mackay's innings of 68 in her side's thumping 139-run win over the Wellington Blaze at Hagley Oval has seen her surpass former White Fern Sara McGlashan at the top of the run scoring chart.
Mackay now has 4,577 runs from 112 appearances for Canterbury, among 4,889 List A runs from her overall career.
Putting the icing on Mackay's cake was a bonus point win that lifted the Canterbury Magicians up to equal points with competition leaders the Central Hinds - who take the official lead into 2021 courtesy of a superior net run rate.
The Hinds maintained their top spot after opening batsman Natalie Dodd's 10th Hallyburton Johnstone Shield century ensured a successful chase in Dunedin, her unbeaten 108* trumping fellow White Fern Katey Martin's first innings century in a reduced 45 over-game.
India anxiously awaiting scans on Shami
A potentially series-ending injury to seamer Mohammed Shami has jolted India's bid to bounce back in the test series against Australia, a task the tourists will have to accomplish without their talismanic captain Virat Kohli.
Mohammed Shami Photo: © Actionplus 2018
Kohli will miss the last three tests to attend the birth of his first child in India and he leaves behind a team smarting from their shellacking inside three days after being shot out for 36, India's lowest innings total, in Adelaide.
As if that was not bad enough, Shami retired hurt after a painful blow to his bowling arm from a Pat Cummins bouncer.
"He was in a lot of pain, could hardly lift his arm," Kohli said at the presentation ceremony, adding the team were awaiting Shami's scan results.
Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are scheduled to host the next three matches.
- Reuters