Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - White Ferns all-rounder Amelia Kerr has withdrawn from the upcoming women's Big Bash League Twenty20 competition in Australia.

Kerr has told the Brisbane Heat she is not ready to return to cricket.

The 20-year-old is taking a break from the sport to prioritise her mental health and wellbeing and as a result isn't on tour with the White Ferns in England.

"I am making really good progress and want to keep that going. It's a tough decision as I love representing the Brisbane Heat and can't speak highly enough of the support team and players," Kerr said.

"I will be following the tournament with great interest and cheering the team on from New Zealand."

The women's Big Bash League starts next month.

Western Force sign Magpies coach

Hawke's Bay coach Mark Ozich is joining the Western Force for the next Super Rugby season.

The Force have appointed Ozich as their new attack coach.

He has been Hawke's Bay's head coach since 2017 and helped the Magpies reclaim the Ranfurly Shield.

"Mark is a fantastic addition to the coaching team. He is a coach that has achieved and understands success, having won two national title school titles and winning silverware with Hawke's Bay in recent years," Western Force CEO Tony Lewis said.

"He is an exceptional educator and communicator who will instil confidence and belief in the squad to be the leading force in Super Rugby."

Storm hooker cleared of facial fractures

Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith has been cleared of a serious injury and will be available for the Melbourne Storm's NRL preliminary final.

Smith was forced from the field inside the first 20 minutes of the Storm's 40-12 qualifying final win over the Manly Sea Eagles, after a heavy head clash with Manly prop Josh Aloiai.

But scans this morning have cleared Smith of any facial fractures.

Brandon Smith had set up two tries in the first 15 minutes to help the Storm jump out to a 16-0 lead.

Melbourne have earned a week off while they wait to learn their preliminary final opponent.

Seven changes to Pumas

Argentina have recalled Nicolas Sanchez at flyhalf for Sunday's Rugby Championship test against New Zealand on the Gold Coast, where the Pumas will be looking to repeat last year's stunning victory over the All Blacks.

The experienced playmaker scored all of the points in Sydney last season when Argentina beat New Zealand for the first time but was dropped in favour of Domingo Miotti for the second test against South Africa last month.

Despite being listed as suffering from an abdominal injury last week, Sanchez was included in Mario Ledesma's starting side for the Puma's third match of the campaign.

The change was one of seven to the side that lost the second of two consecutive matches against the world champions in Port Elizabeth.

Santiago Carreras, who played both tests against the Springboks, misses out because of a calf strain and will be replaced on the left wing by Santiago Cordero.

Matias Moroni returns from injury at outside centre and Bautista Delgay replaces sevens flyer Ignacio Mendy on the right wing.

In the pack, Guido Petti moves from flanker to lock with Marcos Kremer coming into the back row. Facundo Gigena and Santiago Medrano will be the starting props after Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Francisco Gomez Kodela returned to their clubs.

- Reuters

Mendy to go to trial

Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy will stand trial on rape and sexual assault charges in January after the Chester Crown Court set a trial date.

The 27-year-old, who was denied bail last week after he was charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, has been remanded in custody.

The BBC reported that Eleanor Laws, who is defending Mendy, said there would be an application to dismiss the charges at a hearing on Nov. 15. A co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, has also been accused of four counts of rape.

The charges against Mendy, who has been suspended by the Premier League club, relate to three complainants and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021.

Mendy, who has played for France 10 times and won the World Cup in 2018, was signed by City from AS Monaco in 2017. He has won the Premier League three times with City.

- Reuters

NZ Football undecided on World Cup

New Zealand Football say they are undecided whether the men's and women's World Cups should be held every two years, instead of every four.

Global governing body Fifa are considering the change as part of a refresh of the international match schedule.

New Zealand Football confirm they voted in favour of the feasibility study currently being conducted on the issue.

However they say they're aware the tournaments are special because they don't happen every year so will consider all factors before deciding to back any proposal.

Bottas gets sprint race pole

Valtteri Bottas put in a 'mega lap' to beat Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton and qualify fastest on Friday for Saturday's experimental Italian Grand Prix sprint race.

The Finn, whose departure from the team at the end of the season was announced this week, did a one minute 19.555 second lap with seven times Formula One world champion Hamilton 0.096 slower.

Bottas will start from the back of the grid on Sunday after a strategic power unit change triggered a penalty for exceeding the allocation of three for the season, but he will still be able to score on Saturday.

Three points go to the sprint winner, who is also officially credited with pole position. Two go to the second-place driver and one for the third with any grid penalties not applied until after that event.

Hamilton is three points behind Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, who qualified third, and is set to cut the gap to the Dutchman on Saturday.

- Reuters