Latest - The Wellington Phoenix have confirmed Israeli striker Tomer Hemed will not be returning to the A-League football club.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Hemed scored 11 goals in 21 appearances for the Phoenix last season.
The Phoenix were keen to extend his stay, but it appears Hemed has rejected their offer.
The club have thanked Hemed for his contribution last season and wished him and his family all the best for their future.
The Phoenix are still looking for another striker to join Gary Hooper and Ben Waine.
Tactix move into top three
The Mainland Tactix have reclaimed third place in the ANZ Premiership with three rounds remaining.
Tactix goal attack Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021
The Tactix have beaten the defending champion Central Pulse 52-49 in Porirua to move ahead of the Southern Steel on goal percentage.
The Pulse are a further nine points back in fifth and are all but out of finals contention.
The rare Friday night game was originally supposed to be played last month, but was postponed because of Wellington going into Alert Level 2.
The Pulse led 14-12 at quarter time and 28-27 at halftime, but were outscored 25-21 in the second half.
Cavendish draws level with Merckx
Mark Cavendish cemented his place in the cycling pantheon by equalling Belgian great Eddy Merckx's record of 34 Tour de France stage wins as his stunning renaissance continued in brutal fashion.
Mark Cavendish celebrates winning stage 13 of the Tour de France. Photo: SWpix
The Briton benefited from some perfect work from his Deceuninck-Quick Step lead-out train in the last kilometres to claim his fourth win in this year's Tour after 219.9 kilometres between Nimes and Carcassonne on the 13th stage.
His last lead-out man, Dane Michael Morkov, took second place in the bunch sprint with Belgian Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) coming home third.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.
Asked about Merckx's record, Cavendish said: "I'm not realising, it's still another win on the Tour de France.
"My dream as a kid was to win one stage on the Tour de France and I worked so hard for it. If any one of my wins can inspire kids to ride the Tour de France that's what means the most to me."
- Reuters
Fury-Wilder III postponed
The trilogy fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas this month has been called off after Fury tested positive for Covid-19.
British boxer Tyson Fury (R) lands a punch on US boxer Deontay Wilder during their World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Championship Title boxing match. Photo: AFP
WBC champion Fury had signed a contract in May to fight American Wilder for a third time on July 24.
Fury tested positive earlier this week and the fight will be postponed until the autumn.
Fury, 32, had been set to face fellow Briton Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia in August in a world heavyweight unification title fight, but an American arbitrator ordered Fury to fight Wilder again before Sept. 15.
Fury first fought Wilder, who is now 35, in 2018 and took the WBC title from him in a rematch in February 2020 with a seventh-round stoppage.
- Reuters
Negative set of tests for British & Irish Lions
The British & Irish Lions touring party returned a negative set of Covid-19 tests on Friday allowing coach Warren Gatland to make 13 changes to the team facing the Sharks in Pretoria on Saturday (Sunday morning NZT) after several days of disruption.
Lions kicking coach Neil Jenkins and head coach Warren Gatland ahead of the first tour game against the Sharks. Photo: INPHO
Hooker Jamie George will captain the Lions' third game on their South Africa tour as they meet the Sharks for a second time in four days, having romped past them 54-7 in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.
The Sharks are standing in for original opponents the Bulls after the Currie Cup champions suffered several Covid-19 infections and were left unable to field a team for the game at Loftus Versfeld.
The Lions have had their own Covid scares with their first game against the Sharks in doubt until two hours before kick off but on Friday they reported a virtual all clear. They had to leave eight players out of the original lineup in midweek over infection fears.
Only one management member, who tested positive on Wednesday, is a confirmed case and four close contacts (one player and three members of staff) are being isolated at the team hotel, the team said.
- Reuters
Rabbitohs playmakers lead South Sydney to big NRL win
South Sydney playmakers Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds shrugged off the disappointment of being overlooked by NSW selectors to steer the Rabbitohs to a commanding 46-18 win over North Queensland in Newcastle.
Walker and Reynolds put on a ball-playing clinic as they combined to create five of the Rabbitohs' eight tries with deft passing and skills on the fringes of the rucks.
Alex Johnston scored a hat-trick of tries for South Sydney and has now scored 13 tries in his past five games.
The result moves the Rabbitohs level on points with the Storm and Panthers, who will pick up two points each for the bye this weekend.
The North Queensland Cowboys remain 11th, two points above the Warriors who vist the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday evening.
- NRL
Brash spectator joins McIlroy on the first tee
Rory McIlroy's second round at the Scottish Open got off to a bizarre start when a spectator came to the tee and took a club from his golf bag.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
A video circulating on social media showed a man confidently strolling across the tee area at The Renaissance Club, removing the distinctive headcover from McIlroy's driver and then returning to draw another club from the bag.
McIlroy and his caddie, Harry Diamond, along with playing partner Jon Rahm looked on in disbelief as the spectator was preparing for practice swings at the tee.
A European Tour spokesperson said the spectator "was escorted from the tee by security personnel and the matter is now in the hands of Police Scotland."
After shooting a second round of 71, four-times major winner McIlroy was not too keen on discussing the incident, but did say: "I was surprised. Everyone saw what happened on TV.
"It was handled efficiently and everything was OK. I had no idea who it was."
- Reuters
Sharks secure finals berth
The Southland Sharks have booked a ticket to the National Basketball League's Final Four.
Josh Cunningham. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Sharks have beaten the Otago Nuggets 117-93 in Invercargill to secure a top four finish.
Southland took charge in the first half, outscoring the Nuggets 71-35 and never let Otago back into the game.
Dom Kelman-Poto led the Sharks with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Josh Cunningham scored 21.
The Nuggets remain fifth on the ladder and need to win their remaining games against the top of the table Wellington Saints and Canterbury Rams to qualify for the Final Four.
