Latest - Tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa will leave the Crusaders at the end of the Super Rugby season to join Irish club Leinster.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"I'm extremely grateful for the support the Crusaders have given me throughout my time in Christchurch and it's hard to believe I'll be wrapping up my career here after six seasons with this team," Alaalatoa said.
"I've been fortunate to work alongside some of the best coaches and players in the world during my time and it's brought out the best in me as a player and as an individual."
The 29-year-old debuted for the Crusaders in 2016 after two Super Rugby seasons with the Waratahs in Sydney.
Alaalatoa represented Samoa at Under 20 level in the 2011 IRB Junior World Rugby Championship and went on to be selected for Samoa at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He was named captain of the Moana Pasifika side for their one-off match against the Maori All Blacks in December last year.
Sport on hold in Minneapolis
Professional sports in Minneapolis have effectively been suspended following the fatal police shooting of a 20-year-old black man in the suburb of Brooklyn Center and subsequent outcry.
Protesters confront law enforcement on April 11, 2021 in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFP
Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins, National Basketball Association's Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League were all set to play at home on Monday (Tuesday NZT).
"Out of respect for the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Brooklyn Center, and following additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interests of our fans, staff, players and community to not play today's game, with the Boston Red Sox," the Twins said in a statement.
The shooting of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop led to protests through early Monday morning in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul then declared a state of emergency and set a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Following that announcement, the NHL and the Wild released a joint statement that they were postponing Monday night's game with the St. Louis Blues. The game was rescheduled for May 12.
The NBA said it decided "after consultation" with the Timberwolves as well as state and local officials that a game between the Minneapolis team and the Brooklyn Nets would also be postponed.
- Reuters
Brighton edge closer to safety
Brighton and Hove Albion have picked up another valuable point in their quest to remain in English football's Premier League.
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti (left) bumbs fists with his opposite Graham Potter after they played out a scoreless draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Photo: AFP
The Seagulls have drawn 0-0 with Everton to move up one place to 15th on the table.
They now have 33 points, seven clear of 18th-placed Fulham.
Everton remain eighth, a point behind Tottenham Hotspur, but have a game in hand.
West Bromwich Albion earlier beat Southampton 3-0 in convincing fashion as Sam Allardyce's side look to salvage their top flight survival hopes in the home stretch of the season.
A second victory in as many matches moved West Brom, 19th, eight points behind 17th-placed Newcastle United with seven games to go while Southampton remained in 14th.
Coach explains Williamson's IPL absence
Kane Williamson's absence for Sunrisers Hyderabad's opening defeat in the Indian Premier League on Sunday was due to lack of match fitness and the New Zealand cricket captain will soon return to the mix, the team's coach Trevor Bayliss has said.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2019
Williamson, 30, missed the Black Caps' white-ball series against Bangladesh at home due to an elbow injury but was available for selection against the Kolkata Knight Riders for David Warner-led Hyderabad.
Eoin Morgan's Kolkata ended up beating Hyderabad by 10 runs in Chennai.
"We just felt that Kane needed a little bit of extra time to get his match fitness. A little bit more time in the nets," former England coach Bayliss told reporters.
"He would have played in place of Jonny Bairstow if that would have occurred. But we weren't too perturbed about that.
"Kane will obviously certainly come into calculations as the tournament unfolds."
- Reuters
Former Italy rugby captain dies
Massimo Cuttita Photo: Photosport
The former Italy rugby captain and Scotland scrum coach Massimo Cuttitta has died from Covid-19 complications.
He was 54.
The former prop was a member of the Italy side who beat Scotland in their first Six Nations match in 2000.
He was the Azzurri captain 22 times in 69 appearances including at the 1995 Rugby World Cup
-RNZ
Cavendish ends victory drought
Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the Tour of Turkey, a 144.9-km ride around Konya, to end a three-year dry spell.
Photo: AFP
The Briton, back with Deceuninck-Quick Step six years after leaving the Belgian outfit, outsprinted Belgian Jasper Philipsen to raise his arms in celebration for the first time since winning the third stage of the Dubai Tour in February, 2018.
The 35-year-old, who was pondering retirement last season, had joined Dimension Data in 2016 before spending a season at Bahrain-McLaren.
Cavendish, who has won 30 stages on the Tour de France and is considered one of the best sprinters in the event's history, also won the 2011 world championships' road race.
He has been omitted from his team's Tour de France roster in the last two years.
- Reuters
