Latest - Tabai Matson is stepping down as coach of the New Zealand Under-20 rugby team to take charge of newly crowned English Premiership champions Harlequins.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Matson's appointment comes after coach Paul Gustard left Harlequins in January, with the assistant coaches leading the team to the title.
"I'm really excited to join Harlequins," Matson said in a statement. "I've thoroughly enjoyed watching them go from strength to strength this season from New Zealand.
"I'm not coming to reinvent the wheel. This is a special team with some fantastic people and a great history. I'm incredibly excited to add to what this talented coaching team already has and keep pushing this side to new heights."
Matson previously worked with the Crusaders and the Chiefs in New Zealand's Super Rugby competition.
- Reuters
Black Caps called into The Hundred
New Zealand Twenty20 internationals Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips will take part in the first season of the inaugural Hundred competition in England.
Finn Allen. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
Allen has been called into the Birmingham Phoenix to replaced Black Caps captain Kane Williamson, who is unable to play in the 100-ball a side competition due to injury.
Phillips will play for the Welsh Fire until Kieron Pollard returns from West Indies duty.
Four other New Zealanders will play in the new competition.
Adam Milne will play for the Birmingham Phoenix, Colin Munro will turn out for the Manchester Originals, Rachel Priest has been called into the Trent Rockets and Jimmy Neesham will play the first three games for the Welsh Fire.
The Hundred starts later this month.
Olympic drawcard banned from Tokyo Games
American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, expected to be one of the biggest draws at the Tokyo Olympics, will miss the 100 metres at the Games after accepting a one-month ban for testing positive for cannabis during her U.S. trials victory in June.
Sha'Carri Richardson celebrates winning the women's 100 metres at the U.S trials. Photo: AFP
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirmed the suspension on Friday, though the 21-year-old still has a chance of running in the Olympic relay events.
The positive test came at the U.S. Olympic trials when Richardson underlined her credentials as a serious gold medal contender by winning the 100m in 10.86 seconds.
The women's 100m event in Tokyo starts on July 30, two days after Richardson's ban ends but the adverse finding means her Olympic qualifying results at the trials, which offer automatic places to the first three qualified athletes in each event, are annulled.
"The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels," USADA CEO Travis Tygart said. "Hopefully, her acceptance of responsibility and apology will be an important example to us all that we can successfully overcome our regrettable decisions, despite the costly consequences of this one to her."
- Reuters
Last year's runner-up cracks on stage seven of the Tour
Primoz Roglic has suffered a major meltdown on stage seven of the Tour de France.
Primoz Roglic in yellow during the 2020 Tour de France. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Last year's runner-up cracked on the last climb of an undulating stage in central France, which was won by his fellow Slovenian Matej Mohoric from a big breakaway group.
Roglic finished the 249.1-km ride from Vierzon almost four minutes behind the peloton, which included the other top overall contenders.
Italian Vincenzo Nibali, the 2014 champion, featured in the 28-man breakaway with yellow jersey holder Mathieu van der Poel and seized the opportunity to move up in the rankings before the race hits the mountains in the Jura and the Alps on Saturday.
Overall, Van der Poel leads Belgian Wout van Aert by 30 seconds with Slovenian Pogacar in fifth place, 3:43 off the pace and Nibali in sixth, 29 seconds behind Pogacar.
- Reuters
Djokovic safely advances at All England Club
Top seed Novak Djokovic is one of the first men through to the last 16 at Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The world number one and defending champion has beaten American Denis Kudla 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 in the third round.
Fifth seed Andrey Rublev and eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut have also won through to the fourth round, but ninth seed Diego Schwartzman has been beaten in four sets.
Women's second seed Aryna Sabalenka has raced through the round of 16 with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Colombian teenager Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, but a couple of past grand slam champions have crashed out of the ladies singles.
Tunisian Ons Jabeur beat former Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza 5-7 6-3 6-2 while Russian wildcard Liudmila Samsonova past U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-2 2-6 6-4.
World Cup winner announces his international retirement
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has announced his retirement from international football after his team's exit from the European Championship.
Toni Kroos. Photo: Photosport
Kroos' announcement comes three days after Germany were beaten 2-0 by England in the last 16 of Euro 2020 at Wembley.
"I've played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another time," said Kroos, who racked up 17 goals and 19 assists for the national team.
"I would have dearly wished, and I gave everything again, that there would have been 109 internationals in the end and that this one big title, the European Championship, would have been added at the end."
The Real Madrid player was part of the Germany squad that defeated Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final.
Kroos, who made his international debut in 2010, said it was clear to him "for a long time" that he would not be available for the World Cup in Qatar next year.
- Reuters
Playoff picture clearer in NBL
The Auckland Huskies have put themselves in the box seat for the fourth and final playoff spot in the NBL.
Auckland Huskies forward Tom Vodanovich. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
The Huskies have beaten the Giants 104-96 in Nelson to strengthen their grip on fourth place with three games to play.
The result ends the Giants' hopes of featuring in the final four.
Meanwhile, the second-placed Southland Sharks have all but ended the Canterbury Rams hopes of making the playoffs.
The Sharks have beaten the Rams 92-81 in Christchurch to leave Canterbury two wins behind the Huskies with three games to play.
And the top of the table Wellington Saints have edged the bottom of the table Taranaki Mountainairs 89-81 in New Plymouth.