■ RUGBY UNION
Aussie A team join cup
Six teams will play for the Pacific Nations Cup in May, with Australia A added to the mix for the first time, the International Rugby Board (IRB) said yesterday. The tournament replaces last year's Pacific 5 Nations event and is designed to boost the development of second-tier rugby nations in the lead-up to this year's World Cup in France. Alongside Australia A will be Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the Junior All Blacks.
■ CRICKET
Ireland to host internationals
Ireland will host one-day matches against India and South Africa next month, the Irish Cricket Union said. Associate side Ireland will face India on June 23 and South Africa the following day ahead of a three-match, one-day international series between the two test-playing nations in Belfast. Ireland's upset World Cup win over Bangladesh last month earned them entry into the main International Cricket Council one-day ranking list. "The Irish Cricket Union (ICU) is proud that two such great cricketing nations as India and South Africa are coming to Ireland to play each other and against Ireland," ICU chief executive Warren Deutrom said.
■ SOCCER
Klose to stay in Bremen
German striker Miroslav Klose has ended talk of a possible switch to Barcelona or Bayern Munich by announcing on Wednesday he would stay with Werder Bremen until next June. The 28-year-old, top scorer at last summer's World Cup, has been the subject of intense recent speculation with the Suddeutsche Zeitung, reporting on Wednesday that Klose would move to Bayern Munich this summer. But Bremen have announced the 67-times capped Klose will honor his contract and stay with them after the player met with club officials at the northern German club on Wednesday. "We are glad that the decision has finally been made," said Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs.
■ CYCLING
Doping claims investigated
German prosecutors are investigating allegations that two T-Mobile cycling team doctors injected riders with performance-boosting Erythropoietin (EPO) shots during the years two Tour de France winners were produced, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Wednesday. The allegations against Andrea Schmid and Lothar Heinrich were raised in a book by Jef d'Hont, a Belgian who worked from 1992 to 1996 as a massage therapist for Team Telekom -- as T-Mobile was named then. "There is enough suspicion that it justifies us opening an investigation," Freiburg district attorney Wolfgang Maier said.
■ BASKETBALL
Roy named top rookie
Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year on Wednesday. In balloting released on Wednesday, Roy was the runaway winner, receiving 127 of 128 first-place votes and 638 points from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters in North America. In the last 30 years, the only unanimous choices have been David Robinson in 1990 and Ralph Sampson in 1984. Roy is the first Trail Blazer in 35 years to win the award. Sidney Wicks won in 1972, one year after Geoff Petrie shared the award with Boston's Dave Cowens in 1971. The other first-place vote went to Toronto Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani, the top overall pick in last year's draft who finished with 264 points.
■ RUGBY UNION
Dermody joins exodus
All Blacks prop Clark Dermody will join English club London Irish on a two-and-a-half year contract after this year's Rugby World Cup in France. Dermody, 27, who played three tests for New Zealand last year, made the announcement yesterday. He follows his All Blacks and Otago Highlanders propping partner Carl Hayman, who has also signed to play in England after the World Cup. "It is exciting but it's going to be like shifting to a new school. I won't know anyone until I start making a few new mates," Dermody said.
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