RUGBY UNION
Taiwan lose opener
Taiwan yesterday lost against Thailand 18-12 in their first game of two at the Unions Cup in Singapore. Taiwan led 12-7 at halftime, but could not add to their lead after scoring two tries in the first 40 minutes to prop Yeh Tai-ting, with flyhalf Yao Chih-yao converting, and wing Wang Chia-hsien. Wang crossed after Taiwan were held up over the line and Thailand dropped out from under their posts. The kick was gathered about 30m out by fullback Shih Chia-jung, who jinked his way inside the 22. From the ruck, the ball went right and Wang dived over after two clever offloads. Thailand had a converted try in the first half and a score from a maul to add to their two penalties. Taiwan on Friday face hosts Singapore, who beat Thailand on Saturday last week.
CRICKET
Afghan women seek support
A group of Afghan women’s cricketers has again approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) asking for backing to reform as a refugee team based in Australia. The women sent a letter to the ICC in the wake of the Afghanistan men’s historic run to the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean last week. More than two dozen women who had been in the Afghanistan Cricket Board system sought refuge in Australia in 2021 after the Taliban took over and enforced bans on women’s sports. The group first approached the ICC last year, but did not get the outcome they needed. Many have continued playing in domestic competitions in Australia, but have not had access to international cricket, despite ICC regulations requiring all test-playing members to support men’s and women’s national teams. “A profound sadness remains that we, as women, cannot represent our country like the male cricketers,” the women wrote in a letter to ICC chairman Greg Barclay, the Australian Associated Press reported yesterday.
SOCCER
US crashes out of Copa
The US on Monday crashed out of the Copa America after a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay, as Panama sealed their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Bolivia. The tournament hosts suffered an upset 2-1 defeat to Panama last week and went into Monday’s final Group C game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, needing to match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia to advance. However, US coach Gregg Berhalter’s side never looked like doing enough to seriously threaten a well-drilled Uruguay who advance to the last eight as group winners. The embarrassing exit was the first time in Copa America history that the host nation has failed to advance from the group stage and reignited debate about Berhalter’s future, with the US due to host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico in two years’ time.
BASKETBALL
Tatum joins US$300m club
Jayson Tatum has become the newest member of the NBA’s US$300 million club, after the Boston Celtics star agreed to a five-year, US$314 million contract extension to remain with the reigning NBA champions, a person with knowledge of the situation said on Monday. The new pact would begin with the 2025-2026 season and keep the five-time All-Star in Boston through the 2029-2030 season.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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