RUGBY UNION
Cheika gets Wallabies job
Australia yesterday announced Michael Cheika as the new Wallabies coach ahead of a tough European tour. “Central to our decision was selecting a world-class coach who can lead us to victory in next year’s Rugby World Cup,” Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver said. He described the 47-year-old as “the only coach in history to coach both a European Cup winning side and a Super Rugby winning side.” Cheika’s track record includes winning the European Cup with Irish side Leinster in 2009 and the Waratahs’ maiden Super XV title earlier this year. “I am going to have to work hard and learn quickly, but I am up for the challenge,” Cheika said. “I’ll be doing my best, that’s the only thing I can guarantee.” The Wallabies are due to fly to Europe tomorrow for a five-match tour, which includes Tests against Wales, France, Ireland and England. Cheika is still contracted to the Waratahs until the end of next year and he will retain that position while coaching the Wallabies.
FORMULA ONE
Caterham’s future in doubt
The future of the struggling Caterham team was thrown into further doubt on Tuesday when an administrator laid claim to their race cars and warned they could not leave the factory without his agreement. However, team sources disputed that and said they should not be affected by legal action involving a separate company to the one that holds the official entry rights to the championship and owns the cars. Finbarr O’Connell, appointed on Friday last week as a joint administrator of Caterham Sports Ltd, said he hoped the situation could be resolved in the next few days. The cars are due to leave the factory in central England at the weekend to be flown to Austin, Texas, for next week’s US Grand Prix. “My legal advice is that I own the cars and won’t be allowing the cars out of the factory until I reach an acceptable agreement,” O’Connell said. Caterham have been fighting for survival since July, when Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes sold the team to a secretive consortium of investors.
BADMINTON
Shock over dope test report
Malaysians expressed shock and disbelief yesterday after reports claimed national icon and badminton world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei had failed a drugs test. “Still hope this is not true... Whatever the outcome, we still with you!” one user posted on Twitter. Malaysian Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin confirmed late on Tuesday that an athlete had tested positive for a banned substance, but refused to name the athlete. However, the Star newspaper and other media reported that Lee, who turned 32 on Tuesday, had failed a random test at the World Badminton Championships in Denmark in late August. Khairy said in a statement on Tuesday that the athlete had applied for a further test to be conducted and was waiting to hear from authorities on the test date.
SOCCER
Levante hire Lucas Alcaraz
Spanish club Levante UD have named Lucas Alcaraz to replace Jose Mendilibar after firing their coach earlier on Tuesday. Mendilibar replaced Joaquin Caparros this season, but failed to maintain the same level of play, with the team scoring a league-low four goals through eight rounds and sitting next-to-last in the standings. Alcaraz, 48, coached Granada last season. The 48-year-old Spaniard has coached several other sides in a 20-year career. Mendilibar is the second coach to be fired from La Liga this week, just hours after Cordoba replaced Albert Ferrer with Miroslav Djukic on Monday.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care