19 Apr 2021

Today's sports news: What you need to know

1:30 pm on 19 April 2021

Latest - All Blacks prop Alex Hodgman will miss the rest of the Blues campaign in Super Rugby Aotearoa through suspension.

Blues prop Alex Hodgman playing against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Blues prop Alex Hodgman playing against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Aotearoa. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Hodgman has been suspended for three weeks for a high tackle on Highlanders flanker James Lentjes in the closing stages of a 35-29 loss for the Blues in Dunedin on Friday.

The four-Test prop, who was sent off for the dangerous shot, would be unavailable for the team's remaining round robin matches against the Crusaders and Chiefs and a potential final on May 8.

The Sanzaar Foul Play Review Committee deemed the tackle merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks but Hodgman's good judicial record and early guilty plea reduced the suspension to 3 weeks.

Breakers gain revenge

The New Zealand Breakers came from behind to beat the Wildcats 83-78 in Perth, overturning the result from Tuesday's overtime loss to the same side.

Tom Abercrombie of the New Zealand Breakers celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning basket during the NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Cairns Taipans at John Cain Arena on March 10, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia.  © Copyright Photo: Scott Barbour/ www.photosport.nz

Photo: Photosport

The Wildcats needed to win in order to regain top spot from Melbourne United and gave themselves every chance when leading by 13 points midway through the third quarter.

It was going to take something quite special from there for the Breakers to turn it around and that's exactly what they were able to find, and it was new import Levi Randolph who led the charge.

Turning himself into mid-range jump shot specialist, he was instrumental in turning that 13-point deficit into a five-point three quarter-time advantage.

With New Zealand leading 81-77, Mitch Norton drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Tom Abercrombie.

Abercrombie, though, would have the last laugh as he grabbed the steal on Perth's attempted in-bounds pass and went on to score the game-sealing bucket as he played clutch hero once again for the Breakers.

It was a win to savour for New Zealand but they also can't be discounted from playoff calculations as their form builds and their record is 7-14 to be within striking distance of the fourth placed Sydney Kings (12-12).

Leceister through to FA Cup final

Leicester City are through to the FA Cup final for the first time in more than 50 years after a 1-nil win over Southampton in an underwhelming semi-final at Wembley.

Leicester, who have never won the FA Cup and last appeared in the final in 1969.

Chelsea and Leciester City will square off in the FA Cup final in May.

Chelsea and Leciester City will square off in the FA Cup final in May. Photo: Photosport

They'll play Chelsea in the final next month.

A crowd of around 4,000, mainly local residents, were permitted to attend the semi-final as part of a test event for the return of crowds as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

In the premier league Manchester United closed the gap on league leaders Manchester City to eight points with a 3-1 home win over Burnley.

United sit on 66 points from 32 games, ten ahead o fthird-placed Leicester City, who have a game in hand.

United had a huge let off in the first minute as Burnley striker Chris Wood headed the ball into the back of the net after only 13 seconds but his effort was ruled out for a marginal offside.

Burnley sit just above the relegation zone.

Arsenal scored a late equaliser to draw one all with Fulham and sit ninth on the ladder while Fulham are firmly stuck in relegation trouble with five games left.

-BBC/Reuters

Federer to return to Paris

Roger Federer has confirmed he'll play in this year's French Open as he continues his return from injury.

The 39 year old Federer is making his comeback after two knee operations and has not played a Grand Slam since January 2020.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner made his return after 14 months out at last month's Qatar Open but has not played since.

Roger Federer in action at Wimbledon.

20 time grand slam winner Roger Federer Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Federer will play the clay-court Geneva Open in May followed by Roland Garros, which begins on 30 May.

Federer, who won his only French Open title in 2009, overcame Britain's Dan Evans in his comeback match in Doha last month but was then beaten by Nikoloz Basilashvili in the next round.

After losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open, he had an operation on his right knee and after a further setback was ruled out of the entire coronavirus-hit season.

He had hoped to return at this year's Australian Open in January but "ran out of time" to regain fitness.

Federer sat out three consecutive French Opens from 2016 because of injury and a wish to manage his workload but returned in 2019, reaching the semi-finals.

Rafael Nadal won last year's men's singles title at Roland Garros to equal Federer's haul of 20 Grand Slams.

-BBC

Quartararo powers to victory in Portugal, Marquez seventh on return

Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo claimed a second consecutive MotoGP victory after leading almost from start to finish at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday as six-times world champion Marc Marquez finished seventh in his first race in nine months.

Quartararo, who also won in Doha two weeks ago, opened up a 15-point lead at the top of the championship standings after three rounds.

Starting on pole position, Quartararo made a sluggish start to slip to fourth place on the opening corner but recovered to take the lead with 17 laps remaining and never looked back.

Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia, who was denied pole position due to a yellow flag infringement in qualifying, rode a clinical race to finish second and Suzuki's reigning world champion Joan Mir took third to clinch his first podium of the season.

-Reuters