Earls blow for Ireland June 3, 2010 RUGBY UNION: Ireland have suffered another blow ahead of their summer tour of New Zealand and Australia after Keith Earls was ruled out with a groin injury. The Munster back has been suffering with the on-going problem before eventually pulling out during a team training camp in Limerick. Earls, who is being replaced by Connacht’s [...]
Powell recall curtailed June 3, 2010 RUGBY UNION: Wales back-row forward Andy Powell has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with South Africa and the subsequent two-Test tour of New Zealand. The Cardiff Blues star had been recalled by Wales coach Warren Gatland following his infamous golf buggy incident during the Six Nations Championship. But a torn thigh muscle in training [...]
Zimbabwe stun India again June 3, 2010 CRICKET: India suffered a second shock defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe after crashing by seven wickets in their triangular series match. The Indians, who lost by six wickets on Friday, made just 194 from their 50 overs with Greg Lamb taking 3-45. Hamilton Masakadza (66) and Brendan Taylor (74) put on 128 for the [...]
USA hit by Altidore injury blow June 3, 2010 ENGLAND’S opening-match opponents USA suffered an injury blow yesterday when striker Jozy Altidore was hospitalised with an ankle problem. Altidore, who spent last season on loan at Hull, underwent an X-ray and was diagnosed with a sprain. The 20-year-old, who has nine goals in 25 international appearances, is a doubt for USA’s final warm-up match [...]
Goalkeeper ploy backfires June 3, 2010 NORTH KOREA’S tactic of naming an extra striker instead of a third keeper has turned into a spectacular own goal. World chiefs Fifa have warned Korea that Kim Myong-Won will only be allowed to play in goal, rather than his usual position of centre-forward. A Fifa statement read: “The three players listed as goalkeepers can [...]
Dunga blasts Fifa in ball bust-up June 3, 2010 BRAZIL boss Dunga has hit back at Fifa in the row over the new World Cup ball. Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke dismissed criticism, saying there were similar complaints, which have since evaporated, about the 2006 model. But Dunga said: “He needs to play. If he played with the ball he would have a different [...]
Capello pens new deal to send England to World Cup in high spirits June 2, 2010 FABIO CAPELLO handed England the perfect boost before they jetted out to the World Cup last night by pledging to stay on as manager until after the 2012 European Championship. Capello, 63, had sparked unease in the camp in recent days by refusing to commit beyond this summer’s tournament, with Inter Milan thought to be [...]
Benitez poised to quit Anfield with pay-off June 2, 2010 Liverpool show Spaniard the door – and a cheque for £3m – as Inter Milan prepare to firm up their interest RAFAEL BENITEZ’S six-year reign as Liverpool manager looked to be at an end last night after the club offered him a £3m pay-off to walk away. Benitez would be entitled to around £16m if [...]
Arsenal spurn £30m Fabregas offer June 2, 2010 Gunners come out fighting with unusually blunt, public retort to Barcelona offer for captain ARSENAL hope to have driven the final nail into Barcelona’s pursuit of Cesc Fabregas after rejecting a £30m bid for their captain and issuing a strongly-worded statement ruling out his sale. Barca stepped up their campaign to prise their former youth [...]
Joy for Melzer as Djokovic and Serena are dumped out June 2, 2010 THIRD seed Novak Djokovic squandered a two-set lead before crashing out in the quarter-finals to Austria’s Jurgen Melzer on another great day for underdogs at Roland Garros. Former Australian Open champion Djokovic looked to be cruising against Melzer only to collapse dramatically in an epic tussle that the 22nd seed won 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 [...]