■ SOUTH AFRICA
Steyn accused of biting
South Africa center Francois Steyn has been cited for allegedly biting an opponent during Saturday's World Cup Pool A match against Tonga in Lens, tournament organizers said on Monday. "Francois Steyn has been cited in connection with an allegation of biting involving the Tonga wing Joseph Vaka," organizers said in a statement. The player and South African team management have been informed and must attend a hearing yet to be convened. If Steyn is found guilty of the offence it will almost certainly end his involvement in the World Cup as the International Rugby Board's recommended sentence for biting ranges from six months to three years.
■ IRELAND
O'Driscoll suffers knock
Ireland's World Cup captain Brian O'Driscoll suffered a knock on the knee in training on Monday but is not in danger of missing Sunday's Pool D decider against Argentina, a team spokesman said. "He took a bang on the knee in training and came off. He signed autographs on the way to the team bus. There is no injury concern," Ireland media officer Karl Richardson said from the team's base in Bordeaux. Two players are nursing injuries from Friday's 25-3 defeat by France and sat out training, flyhalf Ronan O'Gara with a calf problem, and fullback Girvan Dempsey, who hurt his collarbone.
■ SAMOA
Brian Lima banned
Samoa captain Brian Lima's landmark fifth World Cup was brought to a premature end on Monday when he was banned for three weeks for a high tackle on England's Jonny Wilkinson in Saturday's 44-22 defeat. The ban rules Lima out of Samoa's final game against the US in St. Etienne today when the two sides will be fighting to avoid finishing last and winless in Pool A. Lima, 35, was penalized and spoken to by the referee after his tackle across the throat of the England flyhalf but the Judicial Officer (JO) decided that it was worthy of further punishment. "The JO determined that the reasons for the referee's decision in awarding a penalty for the offense were wrong and could not accept the explanation of the player that there was no intention to commit a dangerous tackle," World Cup organizers said in a statement.
■ TONGA
Lock Paino Hehea out
Tonga have had a setback in the buildup to their winner-take-all Rugby World Cup game with England, losing lock Paino Hehea with a shoulder injury. The Metro Racing backrower suffered a small fracture in a shoulder and was ruled out on Monday for four weeks. The Tongans, who pushed South Africa all the way in going down 30-25 in Lens last Saturday, have called up Maama Molitika as his replacement.
■ CANADA
Team ready for `final'
Canada were out to maintain their proud record of winning at least one match at every World Cup when they tackled Japan yesterday. Both teams are already out of contention for the quarter-finals but Canada coach Ric Suggitt said his team were treating the match as a final. "I don't think it will be difficult to get the players motivated," he told reporters. "The players have a lot of pride and they know in the record books that Canada has come away with at least one victory. They are well aware of that."
■ SOCCER
Arrest made in fan's death
Ecuadorean police have arrested a suspect in the death of a young fan killed by a fireworks rocket during an Emelec-Barcelona match last week, officials said on Monday. Darwin Rodriguez Mocha, member of the Barcelona fan group Sur Oscura, was arrested on testimony from two witnesses: fellow group members, Interior Minister Gustavo Larrea said. Carlos Cedeno, 11, was in a suite in Guayaquil's Monumental Stadium on Sunday when the stray rocket entered his upper chest. Forensic doctor Juan Montenegro said that the explosive broke three of the boy's ribs, tore through his trachea and his lungs collapsed.
■ GOLF
Woods favors dope penalties
Tiger Woods said on Monday anyone who tests positive under golf's new doping policy should pay a steep price. "Given our reputation in our sport, how honorable our sport is and always has been and will continue to be, I think that the penalty has got to be somewhat significant," Woods said in a conference call to announce the field for his Target World Challenge. The World Golf Foundation, comprised of major golf organizations around the world, announced last week that a doping policy would begin next year. Woods said he was curious to see what would be on the banned list, suggesting golf might not need to test for everything on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list.
■ SOCCER
Casagrande leaves hospital
Former Brazil striker Casagrande left the intensive care unit on Monday and continued to improve from injuries sustained in a car accident over the weekend. The Albert Einstein hospital said in a statement that Casagrande "improved considerably" from a day ago and remained in stable condition. Casagrande, a member of Brazil's squad at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, was briefly in a coma after the car he was in rolled over and struck several parked vehicles late on Saturday night on a Sao Paulo street. The popular TV commentator sustained head trauma and other injuries, doctors said. Casagrande's girlfriend, Karine, remained hospitalized with a back injury but was in good condition, doctors said.
■ CRICKET
Watson won't stop bowling
Don't expect Australian allrounder Shane Watson to give up bowling any time soon, despite ongoing injury problems. "No way, that's never crossed my mind," Watson said yesterday after arriving in Brisbane, Australia, from an injury-shortened campaign in South Africa. "I love bowling too much. I'm still only 26 and I've still got quite a few years under my belt." Watson broke down with hamstring trouble in his first game at the world Twenty20 cricket championship, having missed the opening matches with hamstring tightness. Watson will be out of action for three to four weeks.
■ SOCCER
Ze Augusto redeployed
Corinthians relieved Ze Augusto as manager of the club's senior side on Monday, a day after the four-time Brazilian champion lost to rival Palmeiras in the national league. Ze Augusto, who initially took over Corinthians' main squad as an interim replacement for Paraguay coach Paulo Cesar Carpegiani, led the club to two victories in seven matches. He will return to command Corinthians' youth squad, the team said.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
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