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
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
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
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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