RUGBY UNION
Drua defeat Crusaders
The Canterbury Crusaders yesterday were stunned 20-10 by the Fijian Drua for a third straight defeat, equaling their worst start to a Super Rugby season. The seven-time defending champions fell away in the second half in Lautoka. The only other time the Crusaders have lost their three opening matches was the competition’s inaugural season in 1996. Captain Scott Barrett said the humid conditions in Fiji played a part in their error-ridden display. “You give the Fijian Drua a sniff and they will really punish you,” Barrett said. In other Super Rugby Pacific games yesterday, The ACT Brumbies beat the Western Force 22-19, the Wellington Hurricanes downed the Auckland Blues 29-21 and the Queensland Reds defeated the Waikato Chiefs 25-19.
BOXING
Joshua KOs Ngannou
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua yesterday stopped Francis Ngannou in the second round, dominating his matchup with the ex-UFC heavyweight champ. Joshua floored Ngannou in the first round and again in the second with right hands at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. He finished the fight with one punch immediately after the second 10-count, apparently knocking Ngannou out cold with an unblocked right hand. The 37-year-old Ngannou eventually got up to his stool, but he was dazed and clearly hurt after his encounter with Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) in only his second pro boxing match. Joshua and Ngannou embraced and talked afterward. “I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing,” Joshua said. “He can do well. Remember, he’s two fights in, and he’s fought the best. He can go a long way if he stays dedicated, but it’s up to him.”
CRICKET
Anderson’s feat soured
James Anderson yesterday became only the third bowler to reach 700 Test wickets, but his feat was soured as England lost by an innings and 64 runs against India in the fifth and final Test inside three days. India scored 477 runs in their first innings, while England made 218 and 195 in reply. Anderson joined the 700 club when he dismissed India’s Kuldeep Yadav at Dharamshala. The England veteran is the first pace bowler to reach the milestone and follows Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) and Australia’s Shane Warne (708 wickets) to have achieved the mark.
CRICKET
Black Caps fight back
New Zealand opener Tom Latham yesterday hauled the Black Caps back into the second Test against Australia Saturday as they overhauled a 94-run deficit to lead by 40 at stumps. Latham was unbeaten on 65 in New Zealand’s second innings at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval after a partnership of 105 for the second wicket with Kane Williamson.
TENNIS
Swiatek thrashes Collins
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Friday moved on at the BNP Paribas Open with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over power-hitting Danielle Collins. Swiatek earned her fifth straight win over the 30-year-old American, who previously announced that she intends to retire after this season. On the men’s side, Andrey Rublev defeated Andy Murray 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, while Alejandro Tabilo, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur also won in straight sets.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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