Latest - The Wellington Phoenix have rewarded young goalkeeper Oliver Sail with a two-year contract extension following his break-out A-League season.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
Sail, 25, has started 16 straight matches since supplanting All Whites goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic as the Phoenix's number one.
He made just eight appearances over four previous seasons.
"Oli has been great for us this season and he's earnt his place in the starting XI thanks to his hard work and determination," Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay said.
"He's a big personality on the team and the energy he brings is important for us; his teammates feed off of it and they have confidence knowing he's behind them in goal."
England rest IPL contingent for Black Caps' tests
Batsman James Bracey and seamer Ollie Robinson have received their first call-ups for England for the two-test series against New Zealand which begins on June 2.
Craig Overton Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The duo travelled with England as reserves on their tour of Sri Lanka and India earlier this year, and were rewarded for impressive starts to their County Championship seasons with Gloucestershire and Sussex, respectively.
Head coach Chris Silverwood has also recalled Craig Overton, who last played in the 2019 Ashes series. Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer are ruled out through injury.
England's Indian Premier League contingent, including Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran, have been rested following the completion of their quarantine period last weekend after they returned from the subcontinent.
Jack Leach is the sole spinner in the squad, with Dom Bess left out, while Ben Foakes is set to keep in England for the first time in Jos Buttler's absence.
Squad: Joe Root (captain), James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood.
- Reuters
Ryan staying with Crusaders
Crusaders forwards coach Jason Ryan has committed to the Super Rugby side for another three seasons, after signing a long-term deal with New Zealand Rugby through to the end of the 2024 season.
Jason Ryan has been a Crusaders assistant coach since 2017. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"I am genuinely very excited about extending my time with New Zealand Rugby and the Crusaders," Ryan said in announcing the news.
2021 is Ryan's fifth season as forwards coach of the Crusaders, and during that time he has helped the side to five consecutive Super Rugby titles. In 2020, he signed on with the Fiji national team as an assistant coach through to the next Rugby World Cup, under Head Coach Vern Cotter.
Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson added: "Jase is a world class coach, who works tirelessly for this team, so it's great to see him confirm his coaching future with a club that means a lot to him.
"He builds amazing relationships with players and is genuinely committed to setting our young forwards up to succeed. I know both the current group, and the next generation coming through, are excited that he'll continue to share his knowledge and expertise."
Prior to joining the Crusaders coaching ranks, Ryan worked with the forwards in the Canterbury provincial team for five years, winning three Premiership titles.
More injury forced changes to Warriors
Injuries have again forced Warriors coach Nathan Brown to shuffle his line-up for this Friday night's NRL match against the Wests Tigers in Gosford.
Marcelo Montoya Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Utility back Rocco Berry (head) plus second rowers Josh Curran (elbow) and Bayley Sironen (knee) have all been ruled out this week.
Fit again winger Marcelo Montoya will take Berry's place in the Warriors side while Jack Murchie comes into the second row and Kane Evans is named at prop after being omitted against the Eels.
Berry, Curran and Sironen join Peta Hiku (shoulder), Addin Fonua-Blake (knee), Tom Ale (ankle) and David Fusitu'a (hamstring) in a busy casualty ward.
Hiku is gone for the season while Fonua-Blake and Fusitu'a are out indefinitely and Ale for two to four weeks.
Wawrinka won't play Roland Garros
Former champion Stan Wawrinka has pulled out of the French Open after failing to recover sufficiently from an operation he underwent on his left foot in March.
Stan Wawrinka. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 36-year-old Swiss, who won the claycourt Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2015, has not played on the Tour since his opening round loss in March.
The three-times Grand Slam champion, a former world number three, then underwent a minor procedure on his left foot and at the time said he will be out for a few weeks.
The world number 24 has been sharing videos and photos on social media from his base in Monaco and had been a regular at the claycourt Grand Slam - which starts in Paris on May 30 - since playing for the first time in 2005.
- Reuters
Hodgson to retire
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson will leave the club at the end of the season after deciding to step down from top-flight football.
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The much-travelled Hodgson joined Palace in September 2017 and has kept them in the Premier League for four seasons in a row. His assistant, Ray Lewington, is also leaving, Palace said.
73 year old Hodgson's final game in charge will be against Liverpool, one of his former clubs, at Anfield this weekend.
Hodgson's coaching career began in 1976 in Sweden and he went on to manage the likes of Inter Milan, Malmo, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, the Swiss national team and England.
He took England to the Euro 2012 Championship and the 2014 World Cup finals but left after his side were knocked out of Euro 2016 by Iceland.
While Hodgson has won no silverware in England he took Fulham to the Europa League final in 2010.
The 42-year-old former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is one of the early favourites to be named as Hodgson's successor.
- Reuters
Cantona and Keane into EPL Hall of Fame
Former Manchester United team-mates Eric Cantona and Roy Keane have been inducted into the Premier League's Hall of Fame following former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer and ex-Arsenal forward Thierry Henry.
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Cantona joined Sir Alex Ferguson's side from Leeds in 1992 and won four Premier League titles in five seasons.
The France international won the old First Division title with Leeds in 1991-92 and then scored 70 goals in 156 Premier League appearances for Manchester United, before retiring from football in 1997.
Irishman Keane was another dominant figure for Manchester United, leading them to seven Premier League titles during his 12 seasons at the club before his departure by mutual consent in 2005.
Cantona is also remembered for the infamous "kung-fu" kick he launched at Crystal Palace fan in January 1995 after being sent off at Selhurst Park.
The Premier League's all-time top scorer Shearer and former France international Henry were inducted into the Hall of Fame last month.
- Reuters
McLaren F1 car up for auction
A race-winning Formula One McLaren driven by Lewis Hamilton in 2010 will be put up for auction at the British Grand Prix in July as it does laps of the Silverstone circuit.
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The Mercedes-powered MP4-25A will carry a price estimate of $7-10 million.
Seven-times world champion Hamilton, now at Mercedes, is Formula One's most successful driver of all time with a record 100 pole positions and 98 wins.
The car, being sold by an unnamed private collector but not Hamilton or McLaren, won the Turkish Grand Prix after the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel collided while leading one-two.
Hamilton drove it in four races that year, 2009 world champion team mate Jenson Button in five and it achieved three podium finishes and a fastest lap.
- Reuters
