■ RUGBY UNION
White holds talks with RFU
Jake White, who led South Africa to victory in the rugby World Cup, has held talks with a senior Rugby Football Union official about becoming England coach. White has spoken with RFU director of elite rugby Rob Andrew about the England job, his agent Craig Livingstone told the Sunday Times. "They've been in touch," Livingstone was quoted as saying. "England are busy with the review process and then they will make a decision. We've expressed an interest and so have they." White quit as South Africa coach on Oct. 31 after leading the Springboks to a 15-6 win in the World Cup final. Brian Ashton is currently the England coach.
■ SOCCER
Star axed from shortlist
South Korea captain Lee Woon-jae has been axed from the Asian Player of the Year shortlist after receiving a one-year ban for a late-night drinking session during the Asian Cup in Jakarta in July. The Asian Football Confederation said yesterday it had decided to exclude Lee from the nominees shortlist. Lee had been was among 15 candidates for the award which will be presented in Sydney on Nov. 28. The 34-year-old was last week suspended from the Korean team for one year along with three other players. The goalkeeper led South Korea to a third-place finish in the Asian Cup after beating Japan 6-5 on penalties, earning an automatic place in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals.
■ SOCCER
Ailing coach steps aside
Dynamo Kiev coach Jozef Sabo, who has been plagued by heart problems, has gone on permanent leave and is to be replaced by his assistant Oleg Luzhniy, the club announced on its Web site on Sunday. Sabo took over as Dynamo coach in September after Anatoly Demyanenko stepped down in response to the club's poor performance in the Champions League. He had coached the club through the 1990s and again in 2004-2005 and had also played for Dynamo in the 1960s. Luzhniy, a former Dynamo captain, joined the club's staff earlier this year after finishing his playing career at Arsenal. Dynamo Kiev are without a point from three games in the Champions League and face Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow.
■ SOCCER
Nolan grabs late equalizer
Kevin Nolan scored in injury time to give Bolton a 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday. Nolan volleyed into goal after taking the pass from Lubomir Michalik. George McCartney had put West Ham ahead with his first goal for the club in the 20th minute. Matthew Upson had an effort cleared off the line, but flicked the ball on to McCartney, who volleyed past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Two minutes later, McCartney headed a shot from Bolton striker El Hadji Diouf off the line. In the second half, Bolton midfielder Danny Guthrie hit the post and a header from Wanderers striker Kevin Davies went just over the bar. West Ham striker Carlton Cole had a shot saved by Jaaskelainen shortly before Nolan's goal. It was the third match in charge for new Bolton manager Gary Megson, who has overseen two draws and a loss. Bolton moved up one place to 18th with seven points from 12 games and haven't won in the league since August.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was