Latest - Eden Park is officially sold out for the All Blacks' first Test against Ireland in July.
Eden Park Photo: PHOTOSPORT
With a capacity of 48,300 all public tickets at the Auckland ground have been sold more than a month before kick-off on July 2.
The All Blacks last game in Auckland was in August last year when they beat Australia 57-22 to retain the Bledisloe Cup.
Meanwhile the capacity at Wellington's Sky Stadium has been expanded to meet demand, with an additional 3,000 temporary seats added to cater for fans for what will be the third and final Test of the Irish Series on Saturday 16 July.
Tickets are still available for the second Test in Dunedin and the third Test in Wellington.
The All Blacks squad for the Irish series will be named on Monday June 13th.
Moana Pasifika captain suspended for high shot
The Moana Pasifika captain Sekope Kepu has been suspended for three weeks after he was red carded in his side's upset win over the Brumbies at the weekend.
Kepu was sent off for a high tackle on the Brumbies' winger Andy Muirhead in the 10th minute of Moana Pasifika's 32-22 win at Mt Smart Stadium.
Kepu pleaded guilty and has been suspended from all forms of the game to June the 25th.
Chelsea sale complete
Chelsea's $8.2 billion sale to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly has been completed.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The club was put up for sale in March before previous owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned over his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Chelsea had been operating under a special government licence which would have expired on 31 May.
Boehly said in a statement that he was "honoured" and "wanted to make fans proud".
His consortium fought off 11 serious rivals to become the new owners, in a sale process that started on 2 March and comprised more than 250 enquiries.
The UK government does not want Abramovich to receive any of the proceeds from the sale, which will instead go into a frozen bank account to be donated to charities supporting victims of the war in Ukraine.
-BBC
Kiwi ends her run at Roland Garros
New Zealand tennis player Erin Routliffe and her Polish partner Alicja Rosolska have been beaten in the third round of the women's doubles at the French Open.
The pair were beaten by Belgian Greet Minnen and Hungary's Anna Bondar 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-5 in a match lasting 2 hours and 41 minutes.
Routliffe was also beaten in the first round of the mixed doubles.
King into quarter-finals
New Zealand squash player Joelle King has moved into the quarter-finals of the El Gouna International for the first time since 2019 after an impressive showing against USA's Olivia Fiechter in Egypt.
Joelle King Photo: Photosport
World No 5 King was coming off the back of a disappointing third round exit at the World Championships a fortnight ago but was much improved this time out as she battled to an 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 victory to book her spot in the last eight.
King will play either world No 3 Hania El Hammamy or Malaysian Rachel Arnold in the next round.
Fellow New Zealander Paul Coll will plays his quarterfinal tomorrow morning against Tarek Momen of Egypt.
Brazilian star leaving Real
After lifting a fifth Champions League trophy with Real Madrid, captain Marcelo and midfielder Isco say they will be leaving the Spanish and European champions.
MARCELO of Real Madrid, Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Brazilian defender Marcelo is the most decorated player in Real's 120-year history, picking up his 25th trophy with the club as they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final on Sunday.
The 34-year-old made more than 500 appearances for the club during his 16-year stint and inherited the captain's armband from Sergio Ramos following the Spaniard's move to Paris St Germain last year.
He has found playing time limited in recent seasons, however, and made only 12 appearances in the league during the 2021-22 campaign.
Spanish playmaker Isco confirmed his departure today after nine years in the Spanish capital, having made more than 350 appearances and won 19 trophies since arriving at Santiago Bernabeu from Malaga.
Isco, 30, was sparingly used by manager Carlo Ancelotti in the 2021-22 season, playing only 17 times in all competitions.
-Reuters
Stan Smith
Two-time Grand Slam singles champion Stan Smith will be awarded the International Tennis Federation's highest honour for his contribution to the sport both on and off the court.
Photo: AFP
The American, a member of seven Davis Cup winning teams, won the U.S. Open in 1971 and Wimbledon the following year and also claimed five Grand Slam doubles titles.
The 75-year-old also coached several top players including Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati and Michael Chang and served as president of the ITF Hall of Fame from 2011-2021.
His name is also on a successful line of Adidas sneakers.
"I competed really hard and came through in some big moments, didn't come through in some big moments," Smith said in a statement.
"You are not going to win every match or every game or contest that you're involved in, but you have got to give it 100 per cent and look back with no regrets."
-Reuters
Lewandowski wants out of Bayern
Striker Robert Lewandowski has said his "story is over" at Bayern Munich as he seeks a move from the German champions this off-season.
Photo: AFP
Lewandowski has a year left on his contract, but earlier this month Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said that the 33-year-old Pole had expressed a desire to leave.
Lewandowski has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona.
"One thing is certain today, my story with Bayern is over," he said.
Lewandowski joined the club in 2014 from Borussia Dortmund and has won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in 2020.
He scored 50 goals in 46 games for Bayern this season, and has scored 344 goals in 375 games during his eight-year stay, a total second only to Gerd Muller at the club.
-Reuters