■ Rugby Union
Jenkins backs Islanders
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has backed calls for the Pacific Islanders to be integrated into the Tri-Nations tournament. "It is the way forward for them, there is no doubt at all about that," said Jenkins, whose Welsh side took on the Islanders yesterday. "There is so much talent in those three islands it is incredible, but it has to be harnessed and managed and think this is the right profile for it." The Islanders squad is made up of players from Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. They are also due to play Scotland and Ireland this month on what is only their second tour since an inaugural series against the southern Hemisphere powers in 2004.
■ Boxing
Molitar takes IBF crown
Canadian fighter Steve Molitor knocked out Michael Hunter in the fifth round on Friday night to win the vacant IBF super-bantamweight title. The unbeaten Molitor, who hadn't fought for more than a year, was outboxed in the first few rounds but took charge in the fourth, flooring Hunter with a straight left. In the fifth, Molitor put Hunter down again with a series of left hooks, and referee Phil Edwards counted the English fighter out after 1:32 of the round. Molitor extended his record to 23-0, with nine KOs. Hunter fell to 26-1-1. "This means the world to me. I've been waiting for this for 17 years," Molitor said. "It took me a while to get into the fight tonight. I had a bit of ring rust. He surprised me the way he came out boxing." Hunter, fighting in front of his hometown fans at the Borough Hall, paid Molitor full credit. "He caught me with a decent shot on the top of the head," he said.
■ Formula One
Brits reject F1 sharing deal
British racing officials have rejected a proposal by Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to alternate their grand prix with France. Stuart Rolt, chairman of the British Racing Drivers' Club, said having a race every other year in Britain would not be financially viable for the Silverstone circuit north of London. "We were unable to see how a grand prix every second year works financially," Rolt told the Times. The British Racing Drivers Club runs Silverstone. Silverstone has a contract with F1 to hold the race for the next three years. British officials have been under pressure from Ecclestone to spend to modernize the privately run Silverstone circuit. In the last few years Ecclestone has moved races out of Europe to Turkey, China, Malaysia and Bahrain, which have built modern, state-financed race tracks. South Korea, India, South Africa and Russia are in line for new races beginning in 2010.
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