Latest - Euan Aitken, Wayde Egan, Marcelo Montoya, Jesse Arthars and Rocco Berry all return for the Warriors' fourth and final home game of the NRL season against Gold Coast at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Euan Aitken Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The sold-out season-ending encounter will also double as a farewell for Aitken and Arthars as well as fullback Reece Walsh, standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita and second rower Eliesa Katoa who all finish with the club this weekend.
Veteran halfback Shaun Johnson, replaced at halftime with a calf complaint last week, is set to start his 184th match for the club - and his 22nd of the season - again teamed up in the halves with Tavita-Harris.
Bunty Afoa, named to start at loose forward, will achieve the distinction of being the only player to appear in each of the Warriors' 24 matches this season.
The Warriors and Gold Coast will again play for the Zae Wallace Shield, named in honour of the young Aucklander and Titans under-20 player who died in 2019.
Aumua recommits to Hurricanes
Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua is staying in the capital until 2025.
Asafo Aumua celebrates Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 25 year old has recommitted to the Wellington Lions, Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby for another two years.
Born and raised in Lower Hutt, Aumua debuted for the Wellington Lions in 2016 in his first year out of school and in 2017 he was a key member of the New Zealand Under 20s team and scored a hat-trick of tries in the 64-17 World Rugby Under 20 Championship final victory over England.
He was called up to the All Blacks for their 2017 northern tour despite not having played a game of Super Rugby.
Aumua made his Hurricanes debut in 2018.
After a standout season with the Hurricanes in 2020, Aumua earned himself a recall to the All Blacks squad before making his Test debut against Australia in Brisbane.
He had been contracted until 2023.
Tall striker joins Wellington Phoenix as final signing
The Wellington Phoenix have finalised the men's squad for the 2022-23 A-League season, with the signing of striker Oskar Zawada on a two-year deal.
Photo: Photosport
The former Poland youth international would wear the no. 9 shirt, after English forward David Ball decided to move into the 10 jersey this season.
Phoenix head coach Ufuk Talay said Zawada would bring balance to the forward line.
"He's a taller player that will give us extra height and presence in the box," Talay said. "He's big and strong. He can bring players into the game, and he scores goals."
Zawada had played professionally in Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and South Korea over the past decade and was in talks with both German and Dutch clubs before being swayed by the Phoenix.
After playing for five different clubs over the past two and a half seasons, Zawada and his wife are looking forward to settling down in Wellington and making the city home.
Zawada will join up with his new Phoenix team-mates in Sydney tonight as the team prepares for Wednesday night's Australia Cup quarter-final against Macarthur FC.
Pogba being extorted
French footballer Paul Pogba says he is the victim of extortion attempts and threats from an organised gang and that authorities in Italy and France are investigating the matter.
Paul Pogba Photo: Photosport
Pogba, who rejoined Italian Serie A club Juventus in July following his departure from English Premier League Manchester United, released a statement after his brother Mathias Pogba posted a video online.
Mathias Pogba spoke in French, Spanish, English and Italian in the video and promised to make "great revelations" about his younger brother and the 2018 World Cup-winner's agent Rafaela Pimenta.
"The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation," Paul Pogba said in a statement that was signed by his lawyers, his mother Yeo Moriba and his agent.
The French prosecutor told Reuters that an investigation was underway.
Pogba, 29, suffered a knee injury in a training session with Juventus last month. He opted not to have surgery and to undergo "conservative therapy" in order to be fit to play in the Qatar World Cup starting on Nov. 20.
-Reuters
Breakers make final signing
The Breakers have fill the final spot on their roster for the next Australian NBL season with an American guard.
Guard Barry Brown was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019, but has played in Europe and China.
Breakers guard Barry Brown Photo: Supplied: NZ Breakers
He averaged 17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists during his stint with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese League this year.
Last year he led points per minute in the German Bundesliga, averaging 12.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg.
The signing of the 25-year-old completes the Breakers' roster for NBL23.
"Barry is exactly the player we need," said Head Coach Mody Maor.
Brown is the third American named to the Breakers' roster after Centre Dererk Pardon and former Utah Jazz Power Forward Jarrell Brantley.
The Breakers pre-season starts next month.
Mickey Mantle card becomes most expensive sports memorabilia
A Mickey Mantle baseball card has been sold for $20m to become the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia ever sold at auction.
A 1986 World Cup shirt of football legend Maradona held the previous high price for sports memorabilia. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The previous record of $13.5m was held by the shirt worn by footballer Diego Maradona when he scored the 'Hand of God' goal at the 1986 World Cup.
Maradona's Argentina shirt was sold in May at Sotheby's in London.
A century-old 'T206' Honus Wagner card, sold this month for $11.8m, held the previous record for a sports card.
Mantle was considered to be one of the best switch-hitters - a batter who regularly bats both right and left-handed - in baseball history.
He played his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees from 1951-68, helping them to win 12 American League pennants and seven World Series, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
-BBC
Argentina unveils gender equality jersey for World Cup
Argentina's eye-catching purple away jersey at this year's Qatar World Cup will also have a powerful message associated with it, with sportswear giant Adidas saying the choice of colour represented gender equality.
World Cup Photo: Photosport
The two-times champions will wear a vibrant purple kit for the first time in their history with its fiery graphics inspired by the Sun of May on their national flag.
The shirt, a departure from the country's traditional navy blue and black away kits that received widespread praise from fans online, was modelled by captain Lionel Messi after it was officially presented.
Adidas added on their website that the garment was made with a yarn containing 50% Parley Ocean Plastic -- reimagined plastic waste, intercepted on islands, beaches, coastal communities and shorelines, preventing it from polluting oceans.
The World Cup will begin on Nov. 20, with Argentina placed in Group C alongside Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
-Reuters
NFL player shot during carjacking
Washington Commanders rookie Brian Robinson has had surgery after he was shot during an attempted armed robbery or carjacking.
The Washington DC Police Department told NFL.com that Robinson suffered two gunshot wounds to his "lower extremities" during the incident.
Robinson wrote on Instagram that the "surgery went well."
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera visited Robinson and said Robinson was "doing well".
Robinson was selected by the Commanders in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft and featured in two pre-season games this month, scoring one touchdown.
The incident happened around 18:00 local time in the US capital. Police said two suspects had fled the scene, and a firearm had been recovered nearby.
-BBC
